#FitforFall #CharityChallenge #CharityMiles

Hello my long lost friends of the interwebs. As always, I will announce my return. I'm baaaack! 

Ha.

I'm really bad at this. 

That being said, though, I have jumped on board with a new fitness/health challenge, and so I want to track my progress HERE, for all of you {although, my guess, is that I have lost my avid following} and am going to work on my health and happiness, all for a CAUSE. 

K+K at Tone it Up {@ToneitUp #ToneitUp #TIUteam} are partnering with Charity Miles for their newest challenge! Fit for Fall will consist of daily workouts, but will also include a 100 mile challenge - raising money for charity. 

If you know me, you know that currently there's some stuff going on in both my personal life as well as my family life. This really challenge really couldn't have come at a better time for so many reasons. Ultimately, I will be using this 8-week challenge as a transformation for myself, and I am viewing the link to charity as a sign that it's time. The app works with sponsors to raise money for charities, and each mile you log raises money for charity. What?! Yes. I can't make this up. In addition to that, K+K are choosing weekly winners based on your check ins, and will be donating additional dollars to your chosen charity. I will be running my #CharityChallenge 100 miles for ALZ.

{Note: if you want to do a challenge like this one either through TIU or even just for yourself, on your own, these miles are NOT just running! Lots of things count towards your miles, ask me in the comments if you're interested in learning more!}

Follow along with me on Instagram @coleentrombley and check in here, as I will be posting updates on my progress. This is an 8-week program, but TIU is really a community that I'm so excited to be a part of for the long haul. These two women are super inspirational, and really know what they're doing. I love that they have heart, too. 

Snow days + shopping

I'm pretty much done with the winter. Mother Nature has been dropping snow on us week after week and now, she's decided to drop the temps into barely liveable #s. Like what gives? I know, I know, stop complaining. Like I always say, I do choose to live in New England, so it's kind of one of those things. 

I will use this Presidential day off to post about some new things I'm crushing on:

1. Like to Know it {here} >> I kid you not, this site is amazing. Follow them on insta, and sign up on the site... then the magic happens. "Like" any IG pic that is linked back to the site, and it will email you the product details. I've found myself obsessing over fashion bloggers lately and this has made it worse #DangerZone
2. Roasted Garlic >> Random, yes, but I never roasted garlic before? How and why I have no idea, but my life has been changed for the better. So easy to make! {here} Delicious, creamy, garlicky heaven. It melts- in such a wonderful way. I've been eating it with kale and eggs {heat EVOO in a pan, smash a few cloves of roasted garlic in it, then saute kale leaves in it. Make sure you get a few of them crispy- fry up an egg or two with the yolk in tact, and enjoy}
3. Tarte LipSurgence Skintuitive lip tint {here} >> I just bought it, but am already in love. It  is a pink lip tint that changes based on your body's pH and goes with your skin tone automatically. I have found that it goes a little Barbie pink on me, which is clearly a wonderful thing. It makes my heart happy.
4. Red wine + dark chocolate >> my girlfriends and I went to a little storefront for Breakwater Vineyards in Rockland, ME last summer and we did a mini tasting. They provided dark chocolate to taste with the red wines. It is kind of mind blowing when you do it. I forgot how amazing it is. Recently, I was drinking my yoosh {here} and was munching on some dark chocolate chips- Eureeka! I could taste the cherry, I could taste the black currant. And I could taste the heaven. The complexity of the wine comes out and it really is amazing. This, also, makes my heart and tastebuds happy. {learn more about it here}
5. My chambray shirt {mine is here, others here and here} >> literally my favorite piece in my closet right now. I have a mid-tone colored shirt, and want a light wash and a dark wash. The best look IMO is the denim shirt, topped with a high-crew neck sweater, with a show stopping necklace over. Like this: 

I just ordered a bunch of new necklaces from Jane.com {another guilty pleasure... yikes I have a lot} and they should hopefully be delivered tomorrow. Just in time to make it into my suitcase for Costa Rica! One more week!! :)

Recipe of the day

paleo//Zuppa Toscana

The one with the anxiety + warm milk

So if you know me at all, you know that...

You're like OMG Coleen, stop. Don't you just hate when I start a post with that? But you know what? I don't care.

If you know me at all, you know that I have horrible anxiety. Well, not horrible in comparison to horrible cases floating around the rest of the world I am sure, but pretty horrible in my head. Enough to make me hate pumping gas, to freak out if I don't have directions, and to need a list for every aspect of my life. Also, lately, it has been keeping me up at night. I have been super anxious about a lot of things that have changed recently, and need something to help me sleep.

They say to turn off electronics 1 hour before bedtime. I've tried, but failed. I downloaded an app that gives a little background noise, that helps. I have stopped watching creepy TV shows too late so that my heart isn't racing when I go to bed. Regardless, it hasn't been enough!

While I realized I get a great night's sleep after drinking a few glasses of wine, I thought that might not be the healthiest solution {physically, or mentally... ahem, alcoholism}

I found a recipe for a warm milk drink that sounded like a hug in a mug, and sure enough... it was!

Trouble sleeping? Click here for the recipe for Warm Spiced Milk.
Sounds so cliche, but it works!! and is yummy. 

Recipe of the day

Paleo Swedish Meatballs... Ikea Swap!

plus....  * BONUS RECIPE *