Friday, May 31, 2013

Taylor Swift.. Enough Said!

TGIF!! 
                                                     Mean by Taylor Swift on Grooveshark

As some of you may know, I went to the Taylor Swift concert last Saturday night - serious dream come true, thanks to my bestie - Paige! I didn't even know we were going until the Thursday before, which was probably best, since it's literally all we could think about! I'm a huge fan (along with a bunch of 5-14 year olds)... We rummaged through my closet contemplating each piece, saying "is this Taylor enough?" I'm not even joking. 

The concert was a blast and went by so incredibly fast! It was my first Taylor concert ever, and definitely won't be my last! Can you say yearly tradition?! We were bummed that she didn't come back for an encore and that she didn't sing Tim McGraw... Go back to your roots, Tswift! :)

1. Paige and I before heading out (with red lips - so Taylor)!!
2. Tswift guitar pick from Grant Mickelson (with the crazy hair), Taylor's guitar player!
3. Paige and I with Grant Mickelson! Who knew we would be in the suite with his family?! *Excuse our hair.. we got drenched in the downpour!
4. Excited the show's about to start!









Enough pictures of us! Here's a recap of the concert!!



Linking up with Whitney for #backthatazzupfriday!

Have a great weekend!!

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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Happy Birthday, Papaw!

Today would have been my grandpa's 89th birthday! It's so hard to believe that he's been gone for almost 2-years. I've been missing him a lot lately and when I do I just think of "our" moon, his sweet and giving spirit and the encouragement he always gave me. I strive to be like him in more ways than one and I know he would be proud. I wanted to share some pictures... these always make me smile and are just what I need to brighten my day!

My grandma and grandpa.. absolutely LOVE these pictures!! Wasn't he just so handsome?!
My grandpa and I through the years! I was definitely his favorite grandchild.. and the only granddaughter - just saying!
Family get togethers!

Happy Birthday, Papaw!! Every time I see our moon, I think of you. I miss you more than words can say. I love you, MORE!

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Taste of Tuesday: Caprese Grilled Cheese!

Hello from Chi-town!! Since I've been to Chicago around 10 times this year, I've developed a go-to menu item on the room service menu.. Caprese Grilled Cheese with a side of Tomato Basil Soup! SO good!! I can't wait to start making this at home, panini style! Until then, here's the hotels version...

Ingredients:
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Fresh Basil
- Tomato
- Your choice of bread
- Butter
 

1 // Butter each slice of bread
2 // Add basil, Mozzarella and sliced tomato to the bread
3 // Add the other slice of bread
4 // Heat a skillet or put in a panini maker
5 // Enjoy alone, or with tomato basil soup!
 
 
 
Want to Join Us?! YAY! Just follow these simple steps:
{E-Mail us for co-hosting opportunities!!}

1. Follow Ashley and I on Bloglovin'.
2. Post a recipe, picture of your meal, favorite restaurant or anything food related! {Please link directly to your post, not your blog’s homepage}

3. Grab our button below and link back to our blogs.
4. Go meet some new friends and find some new recipes or restaurants to try!


 Help us promote our new link up!  
Use the hash tag #tasteoftuesday on Instagram and Twitter and tag us! (IG: @ambarnhill and @jessicaselie) (Twitter @ambarnhill114 and @jessicaselie).  Oh! And if you tag us, we’ll re-tweet you! :)


Hope y'all are having a great week so far!

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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Taste of Tuesday: Shrimp Kabobs!

AHHH!! I'm back to cooking and it feels SO good! When I put shrimp on my grocery list, I had a completely different meal planned - Shrimp Lasagna! When it came down to actually prepping and cooking, I was over it... It was a nice day and the pool was heated - need I say more?? In comes quick and easy shrimp kabobs with veggies! Grilling out and eating on the patio.. perfection.
 
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds of shrimp
- Veggies of your choice
- Skewers 
- Seasoning of your choice (we used Smokey BBQ by Pampered Chef)
- Steamed Rice (optional)
 
Step 1: Gather all ingredients. If you're using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them for at least 30-45 minutes.
Step 2: Peel shrimp and lay them out on a paper towel to dry. Then season both sides and set aside.
Step 3: Chop veggies.
 
Step 4: Combine shrimp and veggies on the skewers.
Step 5: Place on grill for about 3-5 minutes each side (depending on how hot your grill is set).
 
Step 6: Remove the skewers and serve with rice. Enjoy!
 
This was such an easy meal to make and SO healthy! If you're not a fan of shrimp, this can easily be replaced with chicken or beef!!
 
Want to Join Us?! YAY! Just follow these simple steps:
{E-Mail us for co-hosting opportunities!!}

1. Follow Ashley and I on Bloglovin'.
2. Post a recipe, picture of your meal, favorite restaurant or anything food related! {Please link directly to your post, not your blog’s homepage}

3. Grab our button below and link back to our blogs.
4. Go meet some new friends and find some new recipes or restaurants to try!


 Help us promote our new link up!  
Use the hash tag #tasteoftuesday on Instagram and Twitter and tag us! (IG: @ambarnhill and @jessicaselie) (Twitter @ambarnhill114 and @jessicaselie).  Oh! And if you tag us, we’ll re-tweet you! :)


Hope y'all are having a great week so far!

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Wednesday, May 8, 2013

A Little Bit of Randomness!

Hellooo!  I’m Ashley and you can find me over at Lets Get Bananas.  I blog about all sorts of things from my favorite work out items, to DIY projects, to weekend updates and so much more.  And how could I not mention our Taste of Tuesday link up?!  It’s one of my favorite days of the week!  I’m so glad I get to co-host with Jessica! :)

So is it just me, or do you love reading random facts?  There are SO many things in this world that I’ve never heard of so I could spent hours reading miscellaneous facts so I thought it would be fun to share some with y’all!


Olives start out as green and ripen to be black.

In the Caribbean there are oysters that can climb trees.


Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation.

There are square watermelons in Japan – they stack better.


It’s possible to lead a cow upstairs, but not downstairs.

A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.


 The state of Florida is bigger than England.

Honeybees have hair on their eyes.


 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321 

A snail can have about 25,000 teeth.

An average American will spend approx 6 months during his lifetime waiting at red lights.






Ok, that’s all I got.  Come visit me over at Lets Get Bananas and say hi!  xoxo

Linking up with Because Shanna Said So!

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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Taste of Tuesday: Eating Clean!!

Hello from FL! As you all know, I have been diligently going to Pure Barre classes - at least 5-6 times per week (when I'm in town)!! It's definitely an addiction and one that I'm proud of! You also know that I love, love, love to eat! Tyler bluntly told me that "my diet sucks"... which he's right. Why should I work SO hard at PB classes, only to eat a hamburger and cookies junk?! No more!!

Tyler and I have a goal - we are going to prepare meals (check out Cindy's Food Prep-101 here) on Sunday's and only eat clean! My travel schedule has been beyond crazy the past few months, so starting Thursday (tradeshow season is o v e r!), we are changing our {eating} lifestyle! So excited for this goal! It will only help my PB results (stay tuned for an update)!! :)

Since I've been traveling non-stop, I haven't been cooking... so I'll leave you with some Pinterest recipes that are ALL clean eating! These sound amazing and right up our alley! Next week will be a meal that I've prepared.. pinky promise, loves!

Jerk-Spiced Tilapia with Asparagus and Rice Pilaf
Pad Thai - Eat-Clean Style
Vegetarian Quinoa and Avocado Salad
BBQ Rosemary Pork
Chicken Avocado Salad
BBQ Italian Herb Crookneck Squash
4 Bean Chili


Have y'all been eating clean?? If so, I'd love to hear your tips and recipes, especially for those on-the-go! SPILL!! :)



Do you want to co-host?!  Shoot us an email and we can discuss it!

1. Follow Ashley and I on Bloglovin'.
2. Post a recipe, picture of your meal, favorite restaurant or anything food related! {Please link directly to your post, not your blog’s homepage}
3. Grab our button below and link back to our blogs.
4. Go meet some new friends and find some new recipes or restaurants to try!


 Help us promote our new link up!  
Use the hash tag #tasteoftuesday on Instagram and Twitter and tag us! (IG: @ambarnhill and @jessicaselie) (Twitter @ambarnhill114 and @jessicaselie).  Oh! And if you tag us, we’ll re-tweet you! :)


Hope y'all are having a great week so far!

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Monday, May 6, 2013

Tucker Up Adventures!


Hi Blissfully Miller readers! I'm Sarah and I blog over at Tucker Up. Over there you can find a lot about clothes, food, and DIY. Oh, and I can forget to mention how I ramble a lot about my husband Chris and our two pups, Wrigley and Bailey! I am approaching my first year of wedded bliss and just passed our first year owning our home. Come by and check out all the adventures of Tucker Up!

Chris and I at Jessica's wedding!
Jessica and I are friends in real life...I know, take a moment a soak it all in. We aren't just virtual friends! We met a couple years ago in graduate school and hit it off right away. 

We love shopping and margaritas and we are very good at getting manicures together. This year my New Year's resolution is to not shop for the ENTIRE year! It has been such a blessing to take on this challenge and I am growing and learning from it each day. Plus, knowing Jessica has a whole closet of clothes I can drive down the road and borrow helps :)

Every Wednesday I host a link party about fashion, clothes, and accessories called What I Wore Wednesday. Come on by and link up any post related to fashion! 

If you're into DIY, you can check out my Starburst Mirror I made for $5 and the nail-head trim headboard I upholstered.
 
If food makes your heart go pitter-patter, head on over and try my Peanut-butter Balls or Texas Caviar Dip!
Or if you just want to stop by, stalk my wedding, or say hi I would love to have you!!

Thanks for having me, Jess! Love you!
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OK - don't y'all just love Sarah?!? I know I do!! Happy Monday from sunny Florida!!
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Friday, May 3, 2013

Food Prep 101!

Happy Friday!! I'm  SO excited to {finally} be home! I have a real treat for y'all today! I was extremely lucky to "meet" Cindy through Wifessionals' Cara Box challenge and we instantly clicked! If you haven't already, be sure to check out her blog and say HI! :) I'll turn it over to Cindy now!!
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Hello Blissfully Miller readers. My name is Cindy Huggins and I blog over at Newlywed Nutrition. I am a registered dietitian nutritionist who is very passionate about food and nutrition. Today I'm sharing some steps to help you with your weekly food prep! I hope you enjoy!


Weekly food preparation is essential to any weight loss regimen, weight maintenance or simply trying to stick with a healthy lifestyle. Studies show that those who are better prepared for the week will be more likely to stick to a healthy lifestyle. Your goal is having ready-to-eat, nutrient-rich foods available in the home, at work, or on the go. Most of us can agree, when we have skipped meals, convenient foods look way more appealing than having to go home and slice and dice fruits and vegetables. Why set yourself up for that kind of failure? Preparing for the week does not have to seem so overwhelming. Yes, you may have to take 1-2 hours out of your day, but isn’t it worth it to have extra time during the week, not to mention the extra pounds your will keep off?

Step 1- Inventory

Sundays are my food prep days. I start with pantry and refrigerator inventory…I have an app for that =). You can easily overspend at the grocery store by buying things you already have in stock, so know what’s in your kitchen! The initial inventory may take a little while, but I promise it will save money and valuable time. I swear I probably use to spend a total of 20 minutes in the grocery store wondering if I already have something at home. Once you have compiled your inventory list now you can begin the menu planning process.

Step 2- Menu planning

I love visiting the Shrinking Kitchen for new recipe ideas and menu planning tips. Depending on how busy my days look is how I plan my menu. When I know I’m not going to have a lot of time to make dinner I find and easy dish and dress it up with more nutrition. For instance, instead of a sandwich and chips I make a Mediterranean salad wrap and pair it with sliced carrots and veggie chips. For my wrap I use all premade food items: salad, red pepper, red onion, Greek dressing, reduced-fat feta cheese, and hummus. Spread the hummus on a whole wheat tortilla then add remaining ingredients, roll up burrito style and enjoy! After I plan my weekly menu I then write up my grocery list.

Step 3- Preparing a grocery list 

A grocery list is a must!! It is your guide to better nutrition and a better budget. If you choose to only start with one step this week this is the one. There are a lot of great websites and apps that will compile a grocery list based off of your menu selections. Zip list is my favorite. I also have a select few iPhone apps I will share at the end.  Visit the Healthy Huggins Grocery List and use it to create an overall healthy kitchen.

Step 4- Shopping

You have your grocery guide-stick to it! Grocery shopping 101: 90% of your items should be from the perimeter for the store. After shopping then the real fun begins.

Step 5- Prep time

Wait! Don’t put those groceries up just yet. Pull out your knife, zip lock baggies, and Tupperware dishes because it’s time to prep, portion, and put away!!  It’s important to prep from all food groups: lean protein, fresh veggies, fresh or frozen fruits, low-fat dairy, whole wheat grains, low-fat oils and dressings. The following items are prepped every week no matter our menu. Simply because you may get caught off guard one night, but you will not have any excuses not to get in nutrient-rich foods.
  • Chopped romaine lettuce mixed with raw spinach: put majority in large Tupperware bowl and cover for salads during the week. I also portion out the salad into smaller Tupperware bowls to take for lunch during the week.
  • Chopped and dice red onion for salads or ingredient needed for a quick dish during the week.
  • Chopped and dice red pepper for salads or ingredient needed for a quick dish during the week.
  • Chopped and dice tomato for salads or ingredient needed for quick dish during the week. I place the onion, pepper, and tomatoes together in a covered dish to use during the week and also portion out the three in small baggies to add to my lunch box salads for the week.
  • Sliced cucumber portioned in large covered bowl for salads at home and portioned in baggies for daily snacks. (I like cucumbers with hummus!)
  • Sliced baby carrots portioned in baggies for snacking and side dishes.
  • Edamame  in the pod portioned out into baggies for daily snacks
  • Frozen mixed fruit portioned out in baggies or 2 ounce cups with lids for snacking and desserts.
  • Grilled chicken tenders portioned into 3 oz servings and placed in individual covered dishes or placed in your preportioned salad bowls. I will actually pull out the George Foreman and grill a pack of skinless chicken tenders. It does not take long at all!
  • Hummus portioned into small 2 ounce cups with lids.
  • Whole Wheat Pita loaf cut in half and bagged up to pair with hummus for a snack or meal.
  • Portion out 2 tablespoons of Greek dressing and strawberry balsamic dressing into individual small containers.
  • Portion out 2 tablespoons of granola into baggies (to put in low-fat yogurt).

I know this may seem a little overwhelming, so start small and set goals each week. Maybe this week’s goal will be to make up a large bowl of mixed salad! The more you do it the quicker it will get! If you have any questions please, email me at cindyjadeRD@gmail.com. Now, go get to planning and prepping!
Happy Eating!

Cindy Huggins RDN, LD

Recourse to help you plan:



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Thanks to Cindy for sharing her meal prep secrets!! I know what my Sunday's will consist of now! Tyler and I are so excited and truly ready for a healthier lifestyle!!

Have a great weekend!

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