Slow & Steady

It's been weeks since we've had the chance to meet up with each other and brief each other on our busy lives, but we were finally able to do so this week over coffee at Rowster. January always seems like such a rough month for blogging. Between the blistering cold weather and working to achieve goals for the new year, it has been difficult to find time to see each other. Now that February is almost here, we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and hoping early sings of spring start to show in the next couple months. This winter is moving at a turtle's pace and I'm ready to see it go. I really don't think I'm cut out for winters in west Michigan anymore.

Laura's wearing: Coat- Modcloth // Dress- Ruche // Vest- H&M

Tights- Target // Bag & Booties- LuLu's // Necklace- Forever21

Katelyn's wearing: Shoes- Vera Wang // Jeans- American Eagle // Sweater- Sparrow 
Necklace- Forever21

Does anyone have any fun plans for the Super Bowl this weekend? I always have fun making football-related snacks and eating until I pass out (usually before half-time).

48 Hours in LA

Happy Friday ya'll! Since I'm on a new schedule at work, and I fly for free (well not really free I work my butt off) I decided to go to LA last Saturday-Tuesday to hangout with my friend Chloe! We met while we were both in Spain studying abroad and we've been the best of friends ever since. She  took me to all of her favorite places in LA. The first day, after a night of In-N-Out obviously, we grabbed some pastries from Huckleberry and headed over to Intellisentsia in Venice. If you're looking for some major hipster inspiration this is a prime spot to people watch. Oh, and the coffee was beyond delicious! We then walked around and window shopped for a bit before catching some lunch at Lemonade. They have tons of pre-made salads so we split a few. We took a yoga class later that night in downtown Santa Monica (I felt so very hip doing yoga in LA).

The second day we started our day with a hike at Runyon Canyon where the weather was sunny and gorgeous and I was dying of happiness to be outside in shorts and a tank top. After freshening up a bit we went to a tapas restaurant where we drank wine and shared our favorite spanish dishes outside. Since most of our study abroad experience revolved around Spanish food & wine, we were the happiest of campers. We then watched the sunset on Venice beach and walked the boardwalk. Since I fly standby, I decided to take the Red-Eye on Tuesday night otherwise I would have been stuck in California. In retrospect it wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world ;)

It was a successful 48 hours in California, but I was happy to be home and see my lovely husband and this little guy (who apparently was happy to see me too!) What are some of your favorite places to visit while in LA or California?
Have a great weekend everyone!
BlogThis!

Spinach, Egg and Bacon Breakfast Mini-Muffins

In preparation for a family Christmas party a few weeks ago, I spent some time trolling blogs and Pinterest looking for a delicious brunch recipe. Since our theme was "breakfast foods", I knew I wanted to whip up something with egg that was easy to bake and non-messy. That's when I stumbled upon this awesome recipe from The Cooking Jar and knew I struck gold. I swapped out the regular sized muffin tins for minis, as I like all food when it's cute and small. It's easy-to-make, savory, and will last you all week if you're not sharing with 20 others. ;]

Spinach, Egg, and Bacon Breakfast Mini-Muffins

Ingredients:

+ 12 large eggs, beaten
+ 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  + 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
+ 6 slices bacon, chopped / ½ cup bacon bits (add more if desired)
+ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
+ Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix together all the ingredients and whisk until smooth
Grease 2 mini muffin tins and fill each cup about ⅔ of the way full
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-23 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean
Cool for 5 minutes before prying muffins loose
Dish and serve hot

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yields: about 32 mini muffins

They are so easy to make, you'll be amazed!

Homemade Lavender Whipped Body Butter

I became a wellness advocate for DoTerra back in November and have since been researching new ways to stay healthy using holistic methods. Since using essential oils I feel refreshed, energized, clean, and health conscious. It is amazing. 

I can't wait to share different recipes and experiments I've tried since using these oils. First and foremost, I'm going to share a recipe I used for whipped body butter that I pulled from the DoTerra Blog. The great thing about these recipes are that you can substitute your favorite essential oil for a scent you prefer. If you don't like lavender, try grapefruit, wild orange, citrus bliss, or lemon! I personally love lavender because it calms my nerves and helps me sleep soundly through the night.

What you need:

Double Boiler

Hand Mixer

1/2 cup Shea Butter

1/2 cup Cocoa Butter

1/2 cup Coconut Oil

1/2 cup Fractionated Coconut Oil

20 drops DoTerra Lavender Essential Oil

Directions:

1- Measure all butters and oils in glass jar.

 1. Measure all ingredients except for lavender oil in double boiler. 

2. Place double boiler over skillet/pan with 1-1.5 inches of water. Bring to boil.

3. Stir ingredients frequently using a rubber scraper or wooden spoon for about 10-15 minutes, or until all ingredients are 100% melted into liquid form. 

4. Once melted, remove from heat for 10 minutes.

5. Add 20 drops of lavender to mixture. 

6. Stir and place in refrigerator for approximately 1 hour or until mixture becomes solid.

7. Once chilled,  remove from refrigerator and blend with hand mixer. Start on a low setting and slowly progress to high-speed. Whip mixture until consistency is light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).

When finished, add to a glass jar or container and store in a cool place. If you need to re-whip, you can do so with hand mixer again and again. It's that easy!

Stay tuned for more recipes and ways I use essential oils.

1/2 cup Shea Butter
1/2 cup Cocoa Butter
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Fractionated Coconut Oil
15 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil*
15 drops Wild Orange Essential  Oil*
Double Boiler
Hand/Stand Mixer
- See more at: http://doterrablog.com/diy-whipped-body-butter/#sthash.XTGslNxX.dpuf

1/2 cup Shea Butter
1/2 cup Cocoa Butter
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Fractionated Coconut Oil
15 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil*
15 drops Wild Orange Essential  Oil*
Double Boiler
Hand/Stand Mixer
- See more at: http://doterrablog.com/diy-whipped-body-butter/#sthash.XTGslNxX.dpuf

1/2 cup Shea Butter
1/2 cup Cocoa Butter
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Fractionated Coconut Oil
15 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil*
15 drops Wild Orange Essential  Oil*
Double Boiler
Hand/Stand Mixer
- See more at: http://doterrablog.com/diy-whipped-body-butter/#sthash.XTGslNxX.dpuf

Difference Makers

Happy 2015 everyone! 2014 was full of adventures, that's for certain. For this new year, Laura and I are focusing on using our talents to make a difference in this world. We are both currently reading Breaking Out of a Broken System and there isn't a page in this book that hasn't changed our hearts. We used our first cousin coffee date of the year to talk about the book and some fun projects we are planning for the year. We can't wait to make this year one of the best!

Laura's wearing: Dress- Sparrow // Tights- Target // Necklace- Groopdealz // Shoes- DSW

Katelyn's wearing: Shoes- Vera Wang (similar) // Tights- Target (same) // Skirt- Sparrow (same)
Belt- Forever21 (similiar) // Shirt- Buffalo Exchange (thrifted)

We are determined to make 2015 a year of philanthropy, inspiration, love, and kindness. Our to-do list is getting longer and longer. What do YOU plan to do to make a difference this year? We want to hear about it!