Holy Moly, it's Friday. Glorious Friday. I hope you've reveled in this day. And since it's still technically Friday, let's discuss some of my latest loves.

1. Lemon Water: yes, hot water with lemon juice. It may be trendy, but it's a totally legitimate habit to partake in. I started drinking a mug of hot lemon water every morning about a month ago. I'd read a lot about this simple idea and there was basically no reason no to. A quick Google search will yield plenty of positives for you. (In case you need some convincing, look here or here.) While I can't say scientifically that it's improving anything for/in me, but I can say I do feel better. I start the day with it and wait at least 15 minutes before eating or drinking anything else.

I gave up my beloved Diet Pepsi for Lent which left me yearning for a boost in the AM; this gives it to me. Seriously! We recently did a long weekend trip in California. Though I had good citrus at my fingertips, I didn't have my daily lemon water dose, and by the end of the trip I was feeling incredibly sluggish. I totally attribute it to the break in my routine. Now that I'm back on the wagon, my pep has returned. There are also a few other benefits I've noticed that bring us a bit too close to TMI territory for me, but think digestion, bloating, etc.
Try to add this to your morning ritual. Just do it.

3. This. This quote. I LOVE IT. Profoundly simple. Profoundly accurate. 
I came across this on Pinterest (it's on my board among many others.) 
When life gets chaotic or when we're not seeing expected results from our efforts, let's all remember this. We are our own best advocate. We're our own best champion. Go ahead, be your biggest fan. 

4. Shutterfly Pet Tags: our pups were in need of an update. So when my coworker sent me a link for a free pet tag from Shutterfly, I jumped on it! Now, Shag and Gart are stylin'. Check them out and order your own. (Plus they have lots of options and you can customize to your heart's desire.)

Now, let us think all things Easter. I know it's Good Friday and there's not much time to dally. But fear not, I've got two treats you can whip up in no time, flat. 

First up, BUNNY BAIT! The name itself is adorable. And it's gobbled up quickly. Feel free to customize it to your bunnies' tastes. (And, I must confess, I didn't eat any of this so I can't vouch for the taste. I am not a popcorn fan, but my coworkers said it was a win.)

Bunny Bait
This recipe isn't entirely original but I didn't have one I based it off of. There are many versions floating around Pinterest so you can certainly find one for your reference if you'd like exact measurements. 
1 bag microwave popcorn (probably not buttered, but use whatever you have on hand)
Pretzels (I used broken up pretzel chips)
Rice Chex
M&Ms (festive colors always welcomed)
Peanut Butter Chips
Sprinkles
Half of block of Vanilla Almond Bark

Directions
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or foil.
2. Pop popcorn according to package directions. Let cool.
3. Spread popcorn on cookie sheet. Add Chex. Add pretzels. Mix around until distributed evenly.
4. Sprinkle peanut butter chips. 
5. Melt almond bark in microwave safe bowl, approximately 1-2 minutes, or until smooth. Watch it and stir after first minute.
6. Drizzle melted bark over mixture on cookie sheet. 
7. Sprinkle with sprinkles. 
8. Stir until well combined 
9. Let it set on cookie sheet. Cover or place in a dish.

These treats are nothin' fancy, but they're pretty festive, and they're pretty yummy. Hope they bring you some joy and satisfaction.

May your Easter weekend be full of fun, family, and blessings! 
Until next time--
xoxo

This little blog is growing up...we're now BornDaily.com! Yes, that's right. We officially have our own domain. Wahoo, gaining legitimacy while retaining approachability, whimsy, and flavor! Now, really this doesn't probably change much, but it's been on my to do list, thus I have to celebrate a teeny bit. So, I did a little redecorating with a new logo and site header, nothing schamncy but something that represents the feel of us. Welcome to our the official BornDaily.com site (and for the record the Weebly address will redirect you as needed).

It's March 1st...We're 3 months into 2015? Sheesh. 
Anyhoo, did you know today's a holiday? It is. We're celebrating peanut butter. It's a childhood mainstay for many and an excellent ingredient for all kinds of delicious baked goods. It's also appealing to furry friends too (more on that later).

This weekend Mother Nature decided to usher March in like a lion; winter finally made an appearance with a few inches of snow. Now, in the Born household, four-legged friends included, we're fans of snow so this was the cause of much excitement. It warranted a playdate at our neighborhood park. My hubby, the pups, and I spent a fair amount of time romping around, playing fetch, and making snow angels. I don't know of a better way to spend a Saturday in the winter. True to form, we took a lot of pictures that way the fun would live on.

In honor of today's holiday, and since this weekend has been largely about Garth and Shaggy, I decided to bake for them. Homemade dog treats...why not? Yes, they're probably that spoiled. This recipe is barely a recipe. They come together in record time and are being gobbled up equally as fast.

Peanut Butter Pup Treats 
Recipe inspired by Simplistic Life and House on 8th
1 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
2 heaping tablespoons your favorite smooth peanut butter 
Up to 1/4 cup milk (use skim or 2%; you'll use just enough to pull it all together)

All in all, we're ready for spring, but I am so thankful for at least one snowy weekend chockfull of memories and spoiling my guys. Here's to spoiling those you love and making the most of every moment. Oh, and March, feel free to go out like a lamb... 

Until next time.
xo

HAPPY FRIDAY, friends! Let's jump right into my some of the things I'm currently obsessed with. You might want these things in your life. And it's almost the weekend so you'll have time to seek them out. You're welcome.

1. In October, my organization got a new office manager. She's AWESOME. She's super high energy and absolutely sincere. She's instituting new processes, ideas, and the like. One such new addition: twice daily ergonomic stretches. Now, before you yawn, and think "really?", hear me out. At about 10am and 2pm we gather as an office and do a quick routine of various stretches. She mixes it up each day, but we focus on back, hands, shoulders, neck, etc. And then we do an active movement of some kind (i.e. grass pullers, punching Monday in the face, desk push-ups, jumping jacks, and raising the roof on Fridays!, etc.) Let me tell you, if I miss stretching I know it. These little movements actually help. Plus, they're a nice way to break up a sometimes sedentary day. I encourage you all to bring this to your workplace...your co-workers will only think you're crazy for a few days... 

In case, you need a starting place, check out these cool posters:

2. Hildebrand Chocolate Milk: dairy lover's unite! Okay, I honestly, I only love dairy in the form of cheese, ice cream, on cereal, cream cheese, did I say ice cream?... I am not a milk drinker. Growing up, I only drank milk before I went to the dentist because I am pretty sure my dad told me it would make my teeth whiter... (he totally tricked me!). But as a refined grown-up ;), I have occasionally drank milk if it was ice cold and chocolate. Then I found this milk from Hildebrand Dairy in Junction City, KS at my local Dillons. It is life changing. I now crave it. I try to have it for breakfast every day it's in the fridge. This milk is awesome. Rich, creamy, delicious. They have other flavors, but let's be real, I'm a chocoholic/purist. I'm not straying to another flavor.  Look for it in your local dairy case (specific location list can be found here.) Don't be alarmed by sticker shock; you can return the bottle to get your bottle deposit back.

3. Cybex Arc Trainer: I'm trying to train for a half-marathon...my new training plan calls for a good mix of running, cross-training, and strength training. So I've been looking for ways to mix up my cardio on days that are non-running days. In the past I've disregarded the arc trainer at the Y. But, in lieu of another day on the elliptical or treadmill, I hopped on it last week. Holy moly! This machine rocks. I prefer the machine that engages both my arms and legs. If you crank up the resistance and/or the incline you can totally amp up your workout. Time goes by quickly on it and I actually feel like I get a good sweat session. I'm all for low-impact on the ol' knees because I don't want to hobble later in life... I encourage you to check this machine out next time you're at the gym. (Dang, I shouldn't have told anyone because now there might be a line to use one... feel free to move along if you see me coming, I'll want to get my Arc time in, haha!)

5. Avocados: I think I may have eaten my weight in avocados recently. Oops! But that's okay, right? They're nutrient dense, have good fats...yada, yada..(Learn about their nutrition here). 

I made PERFECT guacamole for Valentine's Day (and again for the next two days #truth). I found this recipe from The Ecofriendly Family on Pinterest (imagine that! check one off my birthday todo list of completing 29 pins). It truly is the simplest, best guacamole--almost like Chipotle's. Yes, I can attest to that from many a taste test :) Here's what you need:

2 ripe avocados
1 lime
1/4 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
Handful of cilantro, finely chopped
Salt 
Black Pepper

Finely dice and chop onion and cilantro, respectively. Put in medium size bowl. Cut the avocados in half. De-pit the necessary half. Using just the tip of the knife, score the avocado diagonally both ways, scoop out flesh in to medium size bowl. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Give it all a quick mash with your potato masher. Then cut your lime in half, prick the flesh of one half with a fork, and squeeze juice over the avocado mixture. Mash all ingredients until desired consistency (we like it a little chunky). Add more lime juice from remaining half, if desired--I like a little extra acidity so I usually have the juice of 3/4 of a lime. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and dare yourself not to eat it all. 

Bonus like: @Garth_the_Goldendoodle account on Instagram: Shameless plug for our adorable pup's Instagram account. Yes, I became that person. We created our goldendoodle his own IG/social media account. But, hey, we have no Baby Born's yet and it's all in good fun. He and Shaggy are always up to something so now we have a place to highlight and report on their shenanigans. Feel free to follow him. #partyonGarth #pawfect #goldendoodle  

I think that's a wrap. Hope you enjoy these things as much as I do. If not, find your own favorite things and relish in them. 

Cheers to Friday! Cheers to the weekend! And, if Winter is back upon you, stay warm, friends! 
Until next time. 
-xoxo

*NOTE: None of my commentary is an official product endorsement; none of these brands know who I am. :) All opinions are my own. 

Free. Joyful. Full-speed ahead. That's Garth in a nutshell. This goldendoodle was in Hog Heaven at Nicholas' grandma's farm. He would run himself ragged and then he'd run some more. 

Garth is wise beyond his 9-months of age. Metaphorically and and in real life, he's got it right. Life's tough; keep going. Life's exciting; keep going. Life doesn't stop; keep going. You gotta just keep running.

As some may know, I'm trying to train for my second half marathon. (Thanks bestie A for inspiring the first!) But seriously, I guess I'm crazy enough to think I should go for round two. The constant in both training experiences thus far is that I am a not a natural runner. I had a terrible run right before this post. I mean U-G-L-Y. My legs felt like lead and my lungs felt like they were the size of grapes (i.e. no air capacity). This is on the heels of running my best mile ever two days prior. Inconsistency drives me bonkers. So, I've been rather defeated. 

Nick's been trying to run with me more, which in theory is a great idea. "The couple that runs together, stays together", right? Well, sure. But when one partner is athletic and the other is the self-declared FFK*, we know running  is likely not the perfect hobby to do jointly. Since our coupled running has started, I developed a nickname and/or hashtag for dearest hubby, #notrainingNick as he can breeze through each mile despite his lack of training. He's returned the favor declaring that my mantra for each run #thisbasicallysucks. (I guiltily admit, I'm a complainer when it comes to hitting the pavement.)

So this aforementioned awful run had me super discouraged. Nick, bless his heart, is a pretty good cheerleader and did his best to push me to finish. I did everything but bawl or throw a fit while trying to get back to our house. It wasn't pretty. Post-run and post-dinner, my head cleared some. And I realize I finally heard Nick. And Garth. I'm out there, trying. And for now, each day, trying is enough. Without trying there will be no progress. I can't get faster if I don't run. 

It's only fitting that I recently pinned this image on Pinterest. It's what I needed. I have a hard time feeling successful when it comes to any type of physical activity or athletic event. I am extremely hard on myself in all areas of my life but especially in areas that I am weak. In the remaining 16 weeks of my training, I am going to try to approve first, criticize second. And, above all, I am going to try to follow Garth's lead and  just keep running. I encourage you to do the same. Give yourself a break; know you are enough as you are despite the bad runs and ugly days.

And on days the runs don't go well (literally and figuratively), I'll likely be at the microwave making what's depicted below. I invite you to eat your emotions too ;)

It's almost sinful and totally not natural, organic, healthy, or from scratch. It's gooey goodness could probably bring world peace if we had enough cookies though. It's literally the easiest, quick faux-S'more you can make inside. Plus, it's Oreo, Reese's and Jet-Puffed, is there a better combination? I think not! Here's the how-to:

1. Cut Double Stuf Oreo in half. Lay out cookies with cream side facing up.
2. Cut mini-Reese's in half.
3. Place the Reese cup on each half of the cookie and then put the jumbo marshmallow in the middle. (I tend to smash the marshmallow a bit before adding to the halved cookies.) 
4. Microwave for 5-8 seconds and then indulge! 

Trust me. Make one of these ASAP. And then keep all the supplies on hand to make s'more. :) 

Until next time--
-xo


*remember, FFK is former fat kid