27 (little) Things I Love At 27

Today is my 27th birthday. We have a very exciting, long weekend planned and more than anything I am thrilled to be able to spend more time with the people I love the most. My favorite peeps plus ice skating, dinner date, and a night in Kansas City - I am super pumped to get this birthday train a'rollin'.  So on that note I thought I'd share 27 little things that I am currently crushin' on. I hope that you enjoy these little loves!

1. FRESH JUICE! Ah, can I even put into words how much I adore this stuff? Full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytonutrients, and antioxidants, it is the coolest stuff eva! I just bought a brand spankin' new juicer and I am crazy, head over heals in love. (I promise recipes soon!)

2. Wanderlust Speakeasy lectures. Some brilliant minds out there sharing some very potent and badass info for free online. Is there anything better?

3. Podcasts. Listening to smart, funny people talk about things they are passionate about is addictive. Plus, it makes hours of playing with blocks on the floor more enjoyable for everyone! Current family fav: Roderick On The Line. 

4. Herbal tea! Can't get enough, especially a recently acquired little homemade blend by the lovely Rachel of GoodnessMeGoddess (and one of my besties). So lovely and soothing.

5. Playing "cooking" with Ezra in his new kitchen set. He loves bringing me water and preparing some lovely "food" for our bedroom picnics, while yelling "cook" the entire time. It is hilarious and I have decided that is how I want to prepare my food from now on. "COOK!"

6. Hard-core butt kickin' workouts! I'm still maintaining my daily asana practice (and feeling more connected to it than I have in a long time), but I'm making room in my exercise routine for some serious cardio and strength training. Jillian Michael's "30 Day Shred" in all of its shreditude is totally kicking my ass right now and I love it! Well, hello abs! I had forgotten you were in there!

7. The West Wing. Thank you, Netflix for our new date night in entertainment!

8. Ezra's weekly Tunes of Fun music class. With all that singing and dancing sometimes I think I'm having more fun than him!

9. Solo dance parties! Sometimes nothing feels better after a long day than to jump around like an idiot and sing your heart out.

10. Pickled garlic! Ezra's favorite snack and super simple to make, it has become a staple in our house.

11. The Truth About Beauty: Transforming Your Looks and Your Life From the Inside Out by Kat James. Very high on my current love list and a great resource for anyone looking to upgrade their "beauty" and overall health regimen. 

12. My skin! With lots of fresh juice, decreasing my dairy intake, a serious increase in exercise, and saying "NO!" to added sugar has transformed my skin. It just feels hydrated and clear in a way that is hasn't in a long time. Outside of vanity it's really invigorating to see the physical changes that taking care of yourself can produce. Yay, clear skin!

13. Shiva Rea's Yoga Trance Dance. If I'm in the mood for a guided at home asana sequence this is my go to right now. Prana flow just makes you feel good and the yoga matrix she uses is super user friendly and fun.

14. Sprouting! Delicious and keepin' in fresh in the winter sprouts have become a lovely addition to our kitchen. (And Ezra just loves watching them grow!)

15. Kellen's homemade hummus. With fresh tahini (from our black sesame seeds) and soaked chickpeas this stuff is seriously amazing (even if it looks like tar)! We usually enjoy this with some raw veggies or if I'm really in for a treat I get to have some hubby-made crackers with nutritional yeast. So good!

16. My nails. I stopped biting them this year and I finally feel like I have a woman's hands. That might sounds strange, but I'm so happy to have kicked that nervous habit and painting my nails is more fun now so I do it more often! 

17. "Par-chips" aka parnsip chips. We are currently addicted to these bad boys. (Recipe soon to come!)

18. Gratitude journaling. A lovely and simple way to keep myself humble and in the presence of love.

 

19. Hibernation. The snow and low temps have kept us indoors most days making the most of books and songs and silliness. As ready as I am for warmer weather and spending our time more connected to nature this time of year has a sweet spot in my heart. There's something rejuvenating about hiding out in your own little world for a few months, giving yourself time to be disconnected. This quietness sometimes causes cases of toddler stir-craziness, but I love it none the less.

20. FAGE Greek Yogurt. Super delicious, no added sugar, and not ridiculously expensive. Yes, yes, and yes.

21. No mo' coffee! After having Ezra I became a caffeine junkie, going from 0-1 cups of coffee every other week to 2+ cups a day. Talk about giving your adrenals a big f you! Running on so little sleep I was desperate for a pick me up, but I am happy to say that I have now kicked the habit. Speaking of sleep...

22. SLEEP! Oh, god, how I love to sleep. Ezra has been consistently sleeping through the night for about six months (outside of the occasional nightmare) and I feel like I have regained my sanity. It's so nice to not be going to bed at 7 PM (only to get a combined 4 hours sleep) anymore! A big hip-hip-hooray for sleeping!

23. Stitch Fix. High quality clothing delivered to your home for a small styling fee, but hey if you decide to purchase any of the items sent to you the fee is applied to your purchase (making the styling completely free)! I feel like this company was made for me. I love high quality boutique clothing, but don't really have the time to shop. I have only received one "fix" so far, but all of the clothes were pretty spot-on with my style and not ridiculously priced. Love it.

24. Beehives. Not the ones with bees in them, the ones you wear on your head. I've become addicted to the 'hive. Once you know what you're doing it's really quick, easy to dress up or down, and you are guaranteed to look adorable. This "Messy Beehive" tutorial from Carrie at WishWishWish is lovely.

25. Knitting. Over the holiday season I learned how to knit. It took me some time to get comfortable with it after crocheting for years, but it is definitely fun to add another skill to the craft repertoire and mix it up a little bit.

26. Our new cast iron skillet. We have been meaning to purchase one for years and now that we have it we absolutely love it.

27. This list is mainly very small things that are bringing more light into my life, but I couldn't make a love list without included my biggest loves of all, my boys. They are my heart, my everything and I can't wait to spend another year sharing this adventure.

FALL 2012 @ AKMA

Here's to 27!

Namaste.

Tara