Oh Christmas Tree, Oh... it's Januaryyy...

"Zipped away like a popped balloon!" ... I'll take "Where did 2014 go?" for 500! 

But seriously?! 5 years ago I couldn't believe I was 18 years old, graduating high school, and seeing off so many friends on their LDS missions. Now, I can hardly believe I'm 23, 3 kids & a husband, and going to my childhood friends' weddings and baby showers! What is going on. I remember being 14 and begging my mom with 'well thought out' highly detailed scenarios of me moving out and getting my own place. 

You know, cause I was grown and all.

Touche, Adkins. Touche. 

Time seems to flow, whether it's a year, month, week, day, moment - passing moments keep passing and it's beautiful and breath taking at the same time. It's here and gone, but nothing is really missing because there is always a new moment. 

You can call me Fortune Cookie. 

Speaking of cookies..... remember when I blogged in December about posting a week of healthy recipes during the week of Christmas? Yeah, me neither. We made these bad boys instead:

I introduce to you...... drumroll, please...... Cookie Crack!

Yes, I invented them in a rage of midnight hunger in college. And yes, I named them Cookie Crack.... so don't call them something else because I am really sensitive to my creations and it's kind of a big deal.

Behold!

 It's a very delicate, super simple, but strangely exact, and conscively formulated recipe...

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F

2 bags Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookies dry mix
1 bag of Hershey's White Chocolate Chips
1 bag of Nestle's Butterscotch Chips
1 bag of Heath Toffee Chips
2 sticks of room temperature butter
2 eggs

Cut 1/4 of the stick of butter off one of the butter sticks and toss it

 

Dump the 2 bags of dry mix
1/2 bag of all the chips
2 eggs
1 3/4 butter sticks
into the bowl and mix

Use a melon baller to scoop and plop onto a CLEAN cookie sheet. Don't prep the sheet with sprays or non sticks. The butter in the cookies act as the non-stick agent

Bake in the oven for 9 minutes. Not 8. Not 10. But 9.
Remove and place on counter to cool for 2 - 3 minutes
Before they are completely cooled, lay out paper towels, use a spatula to transfer the warm and seemingly doughy cookies to the paper towels where they will finish cooling down and hardening.
If the cookie is falling apart while you're spatualing them, they weren't cooked long enough or they are still too warm.
Give them a couple more minutes and if they are still falling apart, place them back in the oven for 1 or 2 minutes

Now you know my Secret Recipe

Now I have to keel you

The holidays were a blast and these cookies were a hit! We packaged up the dry ingredients into mason jars and handed them out as gifts with homemade fired bowls these munchkins drew on. 

Queen B

Princess Jojo

Mr Hagen

I am so grateful and blessed for these beautiful souls I call family to spend holidays, successes, trials, and joys with. 2014 was a year of growth, healing, and transformation for myself, Cade, and our beautiful family! SO excited for what 2015 holds, and every passing moment!

Time to Take It On into 2015!!!!

xoxox With love, the Taylor Gang

Exercise vs Diet: Pinterest is our friend

My dear friend re-introduced me to Pinterest two nights ago and half my days are already wasted away. But on the bright side, I officially have a Bucketlist, 30+ DIY house decor inspirations I'll probably never do, and a plethora of goodies to bake for Halloween in 10 months. Word.

Oh, and then there's this

Pinterest is virtually the right-brain of humanity. If you want a creative, abstract, and imaginative idea for something... literally everything... search it on Pinterest, and viola!
I went on there yesterday to look for new workouts and tips to aid me with me fitness goals and I came across this article by Skinny Mom which talks about a list of 19 Foods Fit People Love. (...aaaand let's just skip over the OCD compulsion that's twitching within me because it's not a list of 20)

Fun fact: prime numbers make me uncomfortable 

Very basic and straight to the facts: nutrition and physical activity go hand in hand. It reminded me of the saying, "You can't exercise away a crappy diet" to some extent, I feel is true. There is also the Twinkie Diet theory which indicates, in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most - not the nutritional value of food. Either way, when it comes down to toning up and building muscle: nutrition has got to be on point!

This is where I'm shifting the focus of my body transformation. Yes, the products I'm taking are amazing. Yes, I can feel a difference. But what I am learning a few weeks into this is if I want real, lasting results I gotta work for it, too! Working out plus eating smart. In fact, especially eating smart! An article on the Huffington Post "Exercise Vs. Diet: The Truth About Weight Loss" explains a rule of thumb for weight loss is around 75% diet and the rest exercise! Well, time to stop piggy backing off high metabolisms and the illusion that we'll load up on cookie skillets and Taco Bell so we can hike it off in the morning.

One excuse I stick to which keeps me from eating smart is my lack of knowledge for creating healthy tasty dishes. So the good news for all of us is I am finding those suckers and making one each day for the rest of this week!

That moment you realize it's Christmas this week and you committed to eating healthy 

And I might just use Pinterest to find 'em
Pinners, don't fail me now!

Time to Take It On! #healthyeatingdoesntsuckyoujustcantcook #ooooh

Building Beauty

Wow. Has it seriously only been less than 1 week since I began my fitness journey? I feel like it's been an eternity since the days of cookie dough for breakfast and sleeping in til 10. The products I have been taking are amazing and have made a huge difference in how I feel! Greens every single morning have boosted my energy and nutritionally I am getting my full servings of fruits and vegetables for the entire day! I also notice I don't crave my starbucks usual

Venti Iced White Chocolate Mocha 9 pumps white chocolate & 4 pumps vanilla
Yes, I do enjoy a spot of coffee with my creamer #don'tjudgeme 

 ...which is kind of a big deal! My hips and thighs are grateful for this kicked habit (and I'm sure my bank account is, too!) and I am really grateful for this transition as well. I knew how awesome the Greens are, being they are one of our top selling products in my company, but using them every single day I have experienced the effects on my body! It's completely natural and gives me 8+ servings of fruits and vegetables, it has free radical fighting antioxidants, 38 herbs and nutrient rich super foods, detoxifies, energizes, and promotes the pH balance of the body. *whew, deep breath!

So, basically, everyone and their dog deserves to be using Greens every single day! I got up for my very first early morning run at the beginning of my fitness journey, turned off my alarm, stood up and said to myself, "I think this is actually really happening right now." I was slightly in shock that I was actually awake... at 7 am... and going running. Like, who does that.

The beast has awoken from her slumber! It's a MIRACLE!

After slipping out of my Tinkerbell Cooler Than Yours Onsie and slipping into my I Think I Am A Badass Ankle High Socks and Tennis Shoes, I ran upstairs, shot down some Greens, and went outside for a 10 minute run. No biggie, right? Well after my run, I referred to my planner (where I have planned out my 90 day transformation challenge) and went on to my next task. Then my next task, and my next. And before late morning, I had invested in 2 important relationships, exercise, healthy nutrition, grew my spirit, connected with God, studied Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, made a list of important business tasks to be done that day, made breakfast for myself, my husband, and all three children (like, look at this. seriously. who am I.)

Betty Crocker in the hooooouse!

And..... drumroll please..... I took a shower, got DRESSED FOR REALS, and did my hair & make up for the day! Ever have those "drop the mic and walk away" moments? Yeah, me too. And this morning was definitely one of them!

But guess what - so was Yesterday! And so was Today! I even am dealing with some sort of sinus infection/cold nonsense that creeped in last night but the power I am creating is exponentially increasing my capacity to be an effective woman by starting my day off balanced and being committed to my 90 day transformation journey with exercise, good nutrition, and the It Works Global products!

I never thought I could make it this far! Haven't even hit my 7 day mark... which says a lot about how 'last week chelsea' believed in herself! If I can do this, I can do anything! I am doing this! It's building one day at a time. One morning at a time. One goal at a time. And you can do this, too! You can change your life! Your heath, your body, your worth!

"Comparison is the the of Joy" - Theodore Roosevelt 

So don't you dare compare yourself to anyone else! Your light is unique and specific to who you are. Your journey of weight loss, muscle definition, spiritually, financial success, amazing relationships, connection to God, being yourself... it's your life, friend. We were not made to compare our bruises, our worth, our medals to others. Life isn't about Being the Best than the Rest, just be your best and keep going

Get out there, kick ass & be yourself

You'll knock 'em dead, darling <3

Take it on!