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Listen to the podcast HERE Last May I did a series on my Instagram stories about my daily habits. I also wrote a blog about it HERE. Since there are 31 days in May, there were 31 habits. I am going to break down my Top 5 Daily Habits and WHY they help me make the most of each day. Make the bed. We've all heard this one. There is even a book with this title. It is a game changer for me for a few reasons. When you make your bed first thing, you are setting up your brain to accomplish tasks. You subconciously check off something in your head and without even realizing it, you are motivated to continue getting things done. When we were first married and my son was little, I was in the habit of making the bed everyday. But then, in the last house we lived in I got out of the habit. Our bedroom was upstairs so once I left in the morning, I wasn't back through the room again until that evening. For some reason, I told myself that there was no reason to make the bed. What's funny is that this was a stressful time in my life for a multitude of reasons and neglecting this one task was making it worse. When we moved a few years ago, I got back in the habit of making the bed. I was working from home now and I was in and out of the bedroom throughout the day. I realized by making the bed with the pretty pillows and linens that I was creating my sleep sanctuary. An inviting place that I would want to retreat to each evening. I realized what a disservice I had done to myself in the last house. By not making the bed, I was avoiding the bedroom each evening therefore I wasn't having quiet reading time each night and I was actually procrastinating going to bed. Yes, making the bed can have that big of an effect on your mindset! It only takes a minute. Get 8 hours of sleep. This one goes hand in hand with number one. When I wasn't making the bed and I was procrastinating going to bed, I often fell asleep on the couch or made it up there super late when I just couldn't hold my eyes open anymore. I didn't have a bedtime routine, I would just brush my teeth and hop in the bed and turn out the lights, oftentimes around midnight (or later) and the 6:00 alarm always came way too early. I would then have to drag my very tired self out of the bed and do it all over again. When I was younger I could survive on less sleep but as I have gotten older, my productivity is just not there if I don't get enough sleep. By making the bed and creating a sanctuary, my husband and I both often joke each morning over coffee that we are excited to get in the bed that evening. The beautifully made bed is always welcoming and we get in bed early and read. I am in bed most nights by about 8:00. I read for a bit and then we take the dogs out about 9:30 and turn the lights out by 10:00. I usually wake up before the alarm because I am well rested. When you wake up feeling good, it makes you begin your day in an entirely different mindset, a better mindset, for being your best self! One other little side note about sleep, invest in a quality mattress and linens. We spend about 1/3 of our lives sleeping. It is an investment in you. Our Tempurpedic mattress and pillows were life changing for the quality of our sleep. Silence your phone at 5:00. Our phones have become an extension of ourselves. They often rule our lives without us even realizing it. When I get home each day, I turn my phone to silent and set it down in the kitchen. My husband and I often enjoy sitting on the porch and watching the sunset with the company and conversation of each other, not our phones. I cook supper without being disturbed by my phone. Yes, I check it a few times throughout the evening but it isn't ruling my life and it makes for a more peaceful evening with more quality family time. Also, I do not have notifications turned on for any social media or my email. I take it one step further and leave my phone in the kitchen at night. I use a "sunrise alarm clock" that gradually has a light come on ten minutes before the alarm that emulates daybreak. It is much more peaceful. Additionally, my son is 16 and his phone stays in the kitchen at night as well. We can't live without our phones these days but I can minimize the negative effects they have on my life. Purge the mail and the trash in your car daily. Well, this one is technically two but they go hand in hand for me. Our mailbox is 1/4 mile from our house so I stop when I pull in each afternoon to get the mail. When I pick up the mail to carry it in, I grab any trash from the day as well. I go through the mail immediately when I bring it in. I used to bring the mail in and set it on the counter day after day and before I knew it the mail had taken over and I had missed a date on something pertinent. I sort it right away. Any magazines like Southern Living immediately go to the coffee table to be read. Unless I am in the market for something specific, all catalogs get purged to the recycle bin right away. I may flip through them just for a peak but they don't stick around. All junk mail like credit card offers etc gets purged and all pertinent mail goes straight to the basket on my desk. If you get a lot of mail and catalogs, purging the mail daily will be a game changer in the amount of clutter in your life. Clean the kitchen nightly so you awake to a kitchen ready to do it's job each morning. Doing the dishes after supper has been a chore for my son since he was little. Each evening after supper, he still takes everyone's plates to the sink and gets the dishwasher loaded. Pots and pans from supper get loaded or scrubbed. The counters get wiped down and I lay out the lunch box for the next morning. Walking into a clean kitchen each morning, free from dishes stacked in the sink, completely changes your motivation and mindset. Nobody gets excited about making breakfast and packing lunch when they walk into a huge mess of dishes that are in the way and the dishes that you need are dirty. Mornings can be stressful enough. Don't set yourself up for failure by walking into a dirty kitchen each morning. The few minutes it takes each night sets your mindset up for success the next morning. While I have many more daily habits for living my best life I find these to be extremely important and also useful to almost anyone. It's the little things we do each day that add up to big things and big successes. The actions you take day in and day out become your habits and these habits build your character. Taking action towards good habits determines your character and destiny. If your daily habits aren’t working for you just think about the flow of these 5. When you create a sleep routine and commit to 8 hours of sleep, you wake up in a better mindset with more motivation. Then you knock out making the bed and get something checked off the list and have already set up your sleeping routine for success again that evening! Silencing your phone at 5:00 lets your brain gradually unwind from all of the stimulation as you go about your evening, helping that sleep routine work even more! Walking into a clean kitchen each morning keeps the stress from overwhelm and frustration at bay. Another win in your mindset and outlook for the day. And purging the mail is a step in reducing clutter. Clutter overwhelms us more than we often want to acknowledge. It truly is the little things each day that set us up for success! Now go make your bed and start creating habits that lead to your best life! Want to track your habits and hold yourself accountable? Download my free habit tracker HERE. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Summer is so busy that it can often be hard to stop, take a breath, and take care of you. Whether you have camps, social events, sports, and the list goes on, the summer calendar fills up quickly and we want to soak it all in and do it all. Sometimes that means we end up putting ourselves last. I am a big advocate of self care. I'm not referring to spa days and things like that (although they are awesome too), I am referring to what we do each day to maintain our best selves and properly take care of us. Like the oxygen mask on a plane, if we don't take care of us first then we may not be able to take care of anyone else. Here are my tips for taking care of you this summer! Sleep: I used to be able to survive on 5-6 hours a night but the older I get, the more I need my 8 hours. And a good 8 hours. As much as I want to stay up when I get my second wind, I have been going to bed by 10:00 (except on late baseball game nights). It makes all the difference in the world with my energy level the next day. Fruits and Veggies: I find it's easier to eat lots of fruit and veggies in the summer. I love the local produce stand and it inspires me to add more veggie sides to our suppers. I do keep my morning spinach and berry smoothie on the menu though to make sure I get all the fruits and veggies. From digestion to the appearance of my skin, I notice a big difference when I make sure to get my fruits and veggies. Meal Plan: Speaking of fruits and veggies, I have found that I have to stick with my meal planning in the summertime. It helps me make sure I have what I need for my smoothies and lunch salads so that I am less tempted to eat out when we are on the go. Our weekend cottage is at least 30 minutes from a grocery store so I have to be on my A game when I do the meal plan for our trips there. Exercise: My workout classes don't always work for my summer schedule so I have to make other plans. I continue my daily 3 mile walk, I just try to knock it out first thing before it gets too hot and to minimize how much sun I am getting. I have found some great hand weight and pilates type workouts on both Instagram and You Tube and I can do them any time. There are ways to make it work even when your schedule doesn't allow for classes. Throw in a round of tennis with friends or a bike ride. Skincare: The older I get the more important this one becomes, especially after my hubs had a scare with a skin cancer a few years ago (thankfully was able to get it removed). The entry way coat rack becomes the sun hat rack in the summer and while I do wear sunscreen daily, I like to throw on a hat whenever I take the dogs out, water plants, etc. Those 10 minutes a day can add up really fast! Summer can be crazy busy! So, stop and ask yourself: what little things make you feel your best? are you doing them? when you start to feel off course, what have you let go from your daily habits? what is causing overwhelm and how can you change it? As much as you probably don't want to do it in the summer, get up early before the rest of the house and enjoy quiet time. I love to sit on the porch with my coffee, my dogs, and a devotional while my boys are still sleeping. It sets the tone for the day. Sometimes that little bit of self-discipline to get up is the best self-care you can give yourself. Enjoy your summer. Make memories. Don't let summer overwhelm you. It will be over in a flash.

I was recently the keynote speaker at the Crystal Coast Women in Business Conference. My speech, Pivoting Towards your Purpose, focused on finding a fulfilling purpose and carrying it out to success. I have decided to break it down into a series of blog posts so stay tuned for more! Oftentimes, we find ourselves in careers that are unfulfilling to us. There is a constant search to fill that void of an unfulfilled purpose. We tend to not feel successful, not only in our career but life in general, because our days are not aligned with our purpose and what fills us up. It is key to discover what your purpose is, what you find fulfilling, and what you want your story to be so that you can begin the process of pivoting! What exactly is purpose? If you look up the definition you will get answers like "the reason for which something is done" or "one's intention or objective." Some may also define it as your passion, the reason you get up in the morning, or the central motivator of your life. Many of us can't nail that one thing down which is why we are lost and on the constant search for our purpose. First, you have to ask yourself, what are my talents, values, and strengths? Second, are your daily actions aligned with your talents, values, and strengths? If your daily actions are not aligned then it will be very difficult to find your purpose because you won't be doing actions that will fulfill you. You have to repeatedly take action that is aligned and you will begin the process of discovering your purpose and what fulfills you. It's like the domino effect, one action leads to more action. Even if the path changes along the way, each action drives you towards more action whether it's on the exact same path or starting down a new one. Each action must be intentional; leading to the discovery of who you are, what your purpose is, and what fills you up. It's also important to know what purpose is not. First, purpose is not static. It is going to change and evolve with the different seasons of life. That is why you have to continually try new things (i.e. step out of your comfort zone) and find new purpose within yourself so that you grow as a person. We don't want to just be fulfilled but to completely fulfill what our life's purpose(s) may be. Complete satisfaction and contentment! Purpose is not someone else's expectations of you but rather what you want from this life and what internal success looks like to you. If you focus on other's expectations then your actions won't be aligned and you will be on a hamster wheel searching for purpose and fulfillment. What you focus on grows!! Focus on fulfillment, purpose, and growing into the best you! Success is defined as "the accomplishment of an aim or purpose." Therefore, true success can only be achieved when we are living our purpose. That is why when you are focused on the expectations of others, you may be successful in their eyes but you aren't fulfilled. You have to define both your purpose and your success from within. We get focused on defining success by what it looks like from the outside and we abandon living our purpose on the inside. Thus, the never ending hamster wheel. In Part 2 we will look at taking action! Even if you are someone that knows your exact passion, you have to be able to execute it with your actions!

Make a meal with fresh tomatoes from garden with this Spicy Tomato & Sausage Pie recipe! Summer tomato season means tomato pie time! I spiced this up a notch with hot sausage and pepperjack cheese. It isn't overly spicy, but has just a little kick. Pairs great as the main dish with a salad and fresh sweet corn.

A perfect side for summer suppers! Feta tomatoes pack the fresh, juicy flavor of vine ripe tomatoes with the tangy kick of feta cheese. You will make these on repeat!

This is Lemon Butter Salmon is my go-to salmon recipe. It is quick and easy and so is the cleanup. It works well on other types of fish too, especially grouper! For a variation, use Smokehouse Maple seasoning instead of lemon juice! Simple Lemon Butter Salmon Recipe Yield: 4 Ingredients for the Simple Lemon Butter Salmon 4 4-6 oz salmon filets 2 lemons 2 tbsp butter Salt to taste Instructions for the Simple Lemon Butter Salmon Preheat oven to 350 degrees Cut 4 aluminum foil squares about 12-15 inches square Spray foil with non-stick spray Place a salmon filet in the center of each piece of foil, skin side down. (I leave the skin on because the meat flakes away easily after cooking but you can remove the skin before cooking if preferred.) Squeeze the juice of half a lemon on each salmon filet. Add 1/2 tbsp butter on top of each salmon filet. Sprinkle with a dusting of salt. Roll up the foil around the salmon filet to create a tent. Put the foil-wrapped salmon filets into a 13x9 casserole dish Bake for about 20 minutes. Open up the tents for the last 5 minutes of cooking. My go-to casserole dish is always this Caribbean Blue Le Creuset one!

This Crab & Asparagus in a Lemon Cream Sauce recipe is perfect for summer. A faint hint of lemon in this cream sauce pasta dish merges perfectly with the crab and asparagus and creates a fresh and bright pasta dish. Pairs well with a crisp white wine. Tip: Start the pasta and the sauce at about the same time.

This Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake is a perfect summer dessert! It's light and refreshing with the perfect amount of sweet. If you like this one, you will also like my Key Lime Cheesecake! You definitely want to use fresh lemon juice and fresh blueberries. Wash and dry the blueberries and remove any excess little stems! Ingredients: Crust: 2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup butter Cake: 3 8 ounce bars cream cheese, softened at room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp lemon extract 3 eggs 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (optional) 1 pint blueberries INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 325. First, prepare the crust by combining the vanilla wafer crumbs, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix thoroughly Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a spring form and about halfway up the sides. Refrigerate the crust for at least 20 minutes. In a large mixing bowl with hand mixer or in a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, lemon extract, eggs, and sour cream. Stir on cornstarch if desired (this helps thicken the cake). Mix very well so it is smooth and without air bubbles. Fold in the blueberries gently so you don't burst them. Pour batter into the pan until almost full. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until set. Let cool and then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow it to set.

This Lemon Risotto recipe is simple but tastes like you are in a restaurant. This Lemon Risotto dish can also be served as a side and pairs well with fresh seafood. It can be made into a full dish topped with roasted chicken and broccoli. I baked 3 chicken breasts drizzled in olive oil with 3-4 cups broccoli florets tossed lightly in olive oil for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees on a sheet pan. This makes 4-6 servings. For the Risotto: Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tbsp prepared garlic 2 cups Arborio rice 1 cup dry white wine 1 large lemon sliced and seeds removed 2-3 cups chicken stock (broth) 1/2 tbsp thyme 4 ounce goat cheese (I used garlic and hard flavor) 3-4 pieces crumbled cooked bacon (Optional) In a deep saute pan, add the olive oil and garlic over medium heat and cook for about two minutes, stirring consistently. Add the cups Arborio rice and stir to cover well in the olive oil. Add the wine and lemon slices. Simmer (not boiling), stirring regularly, until the wine is absorbed into the rice. Stir in thyme. (About 5-8 minutes) Add the chicken stock, one cup at a time. Simmer and stir until absorbed before adding more. (About 5-8 minutes per cup) Stir on goat cheese until melted through. Add bacon if desired. Note: Don't rush this dish! Let it simmer so the rice absorbs the liquid and softens thoroughly. It's a great dish while sharing a glass of wine and chatting at the kitchen island.

Can a cake be both decadent and refreshing? It sure can! Coconut Cake with a hint of key lime will make you feel like you are on a tropical vacation. I absolutely love anything coconut. After craving coconut cake for days on end (no I'm not pregnant LOL), I decided to make one. Before I got started though, I asked myself "How can I turn this up a notch?" That's when I decided a hint of lime was exactly what it needed. Husband and son approved, I bring you Key Lime Coconut Cake! A few notes about this recipe: This recipe makes either 24 cupcakes or a 3 layer cake (using 9 inch pans). I recommend using parchment paper liners for both. If you choose to make the cupcakes, use a large amount of icing on each one or you will have leftover icing which works great on sugar cookies. Be sure the ingredients noted at room temperature are at room temperature. And if you can't find coconut flakes, you can put coconut shreds in the food processor to get them more fine. Oh, and definitely use fresh lime juice, not jarred. A few drops of food coloring in the icing will give the perfect pale green color! The Ingredients For the Cake: 2 1/2 cups cake flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup butter, soft (not hot melted) 1 3/4 cup sugar 5 large egg whites at room temperature 4 ounce cream cheese, soft 2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp coconut extract 8 ounces canned coconut milk at room temperature 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes For the Icing: 1 cups unsalted butter, soft 12 ounces cream cheese, soft 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp coconut extract 4 cups confectioners sugar 4 tbsp fresh lime juice 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut flakes How to Make: Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin pan or cake pans with parchment liners. In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the egg whites, cream cheese, vanilla, and coconut extract. Add in the cake flour mixture and canned milk. Stir in the coconut flakes. For cupcakes, fill the liners about 3/4 full (will make 2 dozen). For cake pans, fill about 1/3 full. For cupcakes, bake about 20 minutes. For cake, bake 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely before icing. For the icing, use a large bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Cream together the unsalted butter, cream cheese, vanilla, coconut extract, and lime juice. Add in the confectioners sugar one cup at a time. Add the coconut one cup at a time. For a Printable Version:

My Cream Cheese Pound Cake has been a go to for me since I started baking in college. It is simple but is always a hit! Be sure to try my variations like Lemon Pound Cake and Coconut Pound Cake. Blueberry Pound Cake Muffin Variation: Mix pound cake batter in the recipe below. Stir in 1 pint of fresh blueberries. Line a muffin pan with parchment paper liners, fill about 3.4 full with batter. Makes 20-24 muffins. Bake at 325 for about 40 minutes.

This simple Coconut Pound Cake has the slight, sweet flavor of coconut without being overpowering. It is my basic Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe with coconut added.

This Lemon Pound Cake is a variation of my original Cream Cheese Pound Cake. The lemon flavor gives it the perfect warm weather kick! This recipe will make a regular round bundt pan, two loaf pans, or 24 muffins. INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups butter, softened at room temperature 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature 3 cups sugar 6 eggs 3 cups all purpose flour 1 tbsp vanilla 1 tbsp lemon extract 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice Optional: 1 pint fresh blueberries INSTRUCTIONS Preheat over to 325 degrees and grease a 10 inch tube/ bundt pan or two loaf pans or line 24 muffins. Cream together butter and cream cheese in an electric or handheld mixer. Add sugar, mixing until well blended. Add eggs and flour alternately, ending with flour. Blend in vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon juice. Optional: fold in blueberries Pour into greased pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour 25 minutes. For muffins, bake about 40 minutes.

This quick and easy recipe will have you putting Pesto Chicken & Orzo on your weeknight rotation. 5 minutes of prep then just let it bake! Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound) 2 cups (16 ounces) dry orzo 7 ounces prepared pesto 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup feta cheese To Prepare: Preheat oven to 375 Grease a 9x13 casserole dish Cut up chicken breasts into bite sized pieces Pour the orzo in the bottom of the casserole dish evenly. Top with chicken pieces and tomatoes. In a bowl, whisk together the pesto and broth. Pour evenly over the orzo. Sprinkle feta cheese on top. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes.

Easter is right around the corner so it's time to make your meal plans now! Our family attends church services in the morning so I like to plan a meal that I can mostly make ahead and enjoy Easter Sunday. Ordering a prepared ham or similar main dish that you simply pick up the day before is a great way to relieve some stress for the day and allow more time to be spent with your family. Here are a few of my planning tips for a beautiful and low stress Easter. About two weeks ahead: Finalize menu for the day Order prepared foods (i.e. ham, desserts, etc) Purchase non-perishable foods, wine, and beverages Purchase items for kid's Easter baskets Press linens and clean silver About one week ahead: Set the table (if you don't use the table daily) Set up buffet or make a list of dishes to use Order perishable groceries to pick up in a few days (if you do online grocery orders) About 2 days ahead: Pick up or purchase perishable groceries Purchase flowers for centerpiece Pick up prepared food The day before: Make desserts Prep appetizers, casseroles, etc Prep main dish if not ordering a prepared one On Easter: Put casseroles/ side dishes in the oven to cook Cook or warm up main dish Make coffee, open wine, and prep other beverages Enjoy a wonderful meal with your family! Need some ideas for your menu? Easter Dinner Sample Menu Charcuterie board with Deviled Eggs Baked Ham (or order a prepared one) Mac-n-Cheese Potatoes au Gratin Glazed Carrots Roasted Asparagus Yeast Rolls Chocolate Chess Pie Key Lime Coconut Cake Mimosas, Red & White Wine Easter Brunch Sample Menu Deviled Eggs Sausage Balls Blueberry Muffins Brown Sugar Ham Biscuits Fresh Fruit (Strawberries, Kiwi, Pineapple, etc) Mashed Potatoes Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Pound Cake Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Mimosas, Champagne, and Wine Ready to get planning on your Easter menu? Download my FREE Easter menu planner! HERE What about leftover ham? These are my go-to recipes for using up leftover ham (and getting some veggies in too). Ham Casserole Cheesy Ham Chowder I hope everyone has a beautiful Easter!