crop top crunch time

Want Abs? Do this!

Our 2023 Crop Top Crunch Time (mini) Challenge is here! This is a FREE 14 day abs challenge you can do at-home in 10 minutes or less.

You will feel tighter, more toned and ready to take on summer at the end of the two weeks, so what are you waiting for? We start together on June 5th.

Need to Ditch the Belly Pooch?

Are abs AREN’T made In the kitchen, that’s the work we do on our mats.

But the only way you will ever ditch the belly pooch and finally see your abs is with the right diet.

This meal plan will help you debloat, lose inches and start to see more definition in your midsection in as little as two weeks.

If you need help to reset and re-learn what your body needs to get results, this is it.

Download the 14 Day Shape Up Nutrition Program.

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Sweet bits of pineapple and spicy jalapeño combine to make this easy pineapple salsa one of our favorite condiments and snacks.

If you’ve been reading this blog for very long you already know that there are not many recipes that I label “the best”. This salsa is well qualified for that title.

There is a Mexican restaurant in my city that serves a pineapple salsa that I have enjoyed for a while now.

I have no idea why it took me so long to try making my own, but a sale on pineapples finally pushed me to try. What was I waiting for? This pineapple jalapeno salsa absolutely smokes my former favorites.

Jalapeno Pineapple Salsa

I ate this salsa three days in a row and I am not even going to pretend that I shared more than a taste or two with my family. They all liked it, but I lucked out and was able to hide it away.

Most of it, I ate straight out of the bowl with tortilla chips (and, if I’m being honest, a few times with a spoon). I also spooned some on top of some leftover chicken and salad for lunch.

I am making more of this today and will have to share this time because I promised. My oldest son was not happy that the first batch “disappeared” so quickly.

Pineapple Jalapeno Dip

Over the past ten years, this spicy pineapple salsa has become a solid favorite with family and friends. I’ve given this recipe out countless times after sharing the salsa with friends.

We love this salsa on Hawaiian Hot Dogs, Carnitas Street Tacos, and Carnitas Salad Bowls. I make a double batch of this salsa almost every time we’re barbecuing with friends and it disappears fast. Eaten with a spoon, scooped up with chips, or piled over burgers,

Sharing some of my favorite apps and programs  that I use every day in my business!

Hi friends! How’s the week going so far? We’re hanging out over here – so glad to be done with the school hustle and bustle- and have quite a few appointments and things to do today. I have to take my car to get fixed (wah), head to the eye doctor (my eyes have been driving me crazy with the dry air and pollen), and getting some little goodies together for friends that are coming into town.

(my updated Work from Home setup is here! I now have an eye-level screen that has wireless connection to my computer so I don’t have to look down. I can also use it to watch streaming service, internet content, and apps.)

For today’s post, I wanted to share some of the apps and programs I use in my business. I’ve had some more requests for business and behind-the-scenes type posts, and quite a few of ya let me know that you enjoy when I pull the curtain back and share more about how things operate over here.

It’s easy to think that writing a blog is simply adding some text and photos to a page… but it’s a lot of unseen tasks and juggling. 90% of the work I do is all behind-the-scenes, from research, graphic design, crafting workouts and meal plans, filming content, taking photos, invoicing, emails, brand partnerships, Pinterest, email marketing, the list goes on and on.

There are quite a few tools that help me to stay on track and organized, and I thought I’d share some of my faves in this post! Many of these are helpful even if you don’t work in the online world, especially Canva and Voxer.

Here are some of my go-tos!

Go-to apps and programs I use in my business

Canva

Canva is like having a magic wand for your creativity! It’s a super fun and easy-to-use tool that lets you design stunning visuals without the need for any design skills. Whether you’re a student, a social media enthusiast, or someone who just loves adding a little flair to their projects, Canva is your go-to. With its endless collection of templates, fonts, and images, you can create eye-catching graphics, personalized invitations, beautiful presentations, and so much more.

I’m NOT great at graphic design, but Canva makes it very easy. You can also use it to create beautiful invitations, gift tags, and printables for your fam. (Summer Chore Chart coming in 3….2….)

Leadpages

Leadpages is an incredible tool for entrepreneurs, marketers, and business owners who want to create high-converti

This cake. Hershey’s Chocolate Cake is the most versatile and the easiest perfect one-bowl chocolate cake recipe I have ever made.

As long as I can remember, I’ve seen the well-known chocolate cake recipe on the side of the Hershey’s cocoa box and I’ve made it countless times. On a whim, I decided to try making a gluten-free version of the famous Hershey Cake a few years ago.

WOW. It turned out beautifully the very first time and I have made this cake many more times since then, both the original recipe and the gluten-free variation.

There is nothing quite like having a lightning-fast homemade cake recipe that turns out perfectly every single time. 

Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake

The cake is sturdy enough to hold together in layers, as cupcakes or to slice as a bundt cake. I’ve made this recipe into cupcakes and topped them with Fresh Strawberry Frosting.

I’ve made a layer cake filled with strawberry frosting, and a layer of berries, and then topped the cake with chocolate frosting.

I’ve made bundt cakes and simply poured the warm frosting over the cake. Every way I’ve served this cake, it has disappeared in no time at all!

Hershey Chocolate Cake

Nothing sparks that warm fuzzy feeling like the aroma of chocolate cake baking in your home. Put something chocolatey in the oven and watch as all the members of your family suddenly flock to the kitchen like moths to an iridescent light.

Don’t get me wrong. I love an adventurous dessert ( hello, Flourless Hot Chocolate Cake) and sometimes you need an elegant showstopper like Chocolate Lava Cakes to wow a table.

But at the end of the day, it’s hard to beat the familiar pleasure of a simple Hershey’s chocolate bundt cake.

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Hi friends! I missed my April book roundup so I’m sharing the books I read in April, and most of the books from May + if I’d recommend adding them to your collection.

Hi hi! Happy Monday and I hope my US friends are enjoying a relaxing Memorial Day. Today, I’m praying for those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country. “Thank you” will never be enough, and I’m holding our Gold Star families in my heart.

Summer is officially in full swing over here! We had a little end-of-the-year get-together, it was Liv’s First Communion (I’ll share some pics in Fri Faves), and we’ve been living in the pool. We spent all day yesterday floating around at the Lodge, eating delicious food, enjoying cocktail samples, and chatting with friends. It was the perfect day. Friendly reminder that tomorrow is the last day to get 20% off HigherDOSE at this link and with the code MDW2023.

For today’s post, I wanted to share a book recap! I totally missed my recap for April, so I’m combining April’s books + most of May’s in this post. There was quite a mix of subjects and genres, and a couple of huge home runs. Here are all of the details!

 Books I’ve read lately (and if I’d recommend them!)

Guest List

This thrilling novel is like a rollercoaster ride of secrets, surprises, and suspense. Set against the backdrop of a glamorous wedding, the story unfolds with twists and turns that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Lucy Foley’s skillful storytelling brings the characters to life, and you’ll find yourself completely immersed in their world. With its picturesque setting, intriguing plot, and a dash of romance, “The Guest List” is the perfect escape for anyone craving a delightful blend of mystery and excitement.

I tend to stay away from thriller-ish books, but I’ve read a few Lucy Foley books and enjoy them. Plus, I don’t find them to be overly violent or gory. If you’re looking for a beach read that you can blast through, I definitely recommend it. 8/10

From Amazon:

A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric th