yogi: 5 yoga poses to boost your mood!

me doing "wild thing" -- wild thing...you make my heart sing...

earlier this week, i was featured on fit bottomed girls' blog.  this fabulously popular blog features stories and practical advice about living a fit, happy and healthy life. the ladies behind the blog tackle everything from workout reviews, to the latest fitness fashion, to the tastiest protein bars -- all of which is delivered with style and sass.

to check out the blog and yoga video that i created for them -- 5 yoga poses to boost your mood -- click {here}!

smile :-)

om monday: mind yoga {guest post}

Well Hello Mavens,
 My name is Ashlee Michelle.

 Usually, you can find me over on my blog.
                                                                                                                                

But, today I get the joy of being a guest blogger here on
the most fabulous Lifestyle Maven, Cailen.

Today, I am going to talk about Yoga.
But not the physical kind of Yoga, I am going to talk about
Emotional “Mind” yoga. Yes, I called it Mind Yoga.

I have been practicing yoga, both physical and mental for about
4 years and I can honestly say my life has changed drastically.
Did you know that you are always practicing yoga in your everyday life?
When you lean over the get that pencil you dropped, or you bend down to pick up that load
of laundry, and even when you compliment your peers on their wonderful attire for the day.

 How are we able to keep our blood flow going, our minds at ease and our Karma good?
               Simple, we do it by breathing. In and out. All Day, Every Day
.
Frustration, Anger, Tears, and tense muscles don't need to happen.
When you are having a bad day or you are in a tight spot, just close your eyes for a moment
and take a deep breath in, hold it, and then breathe out. When you open your eyes, your mind will be peaceful.

There is no need to get all stressed out and hurt about the things that aren't going your way.
There is also no need for being rude to someone, you can redeem yourself by just taking a breath in and releasingall that stale air and bad thoughts. It is quick and simple. Your mood will change and so will your luck.

If your mind is at ease, your muscles are calm, and you are generally happy...
Then you are practicing yoga in the right way.
Keep on Practicing...
Just Breathe!

Thanks for having me, Cailen.
Namaste!

visit my blog {here}

Peace, Love, and Butterflies
- Ashlee Michelle

your signature piece {guest post}

Hello Mavens! 

I was so excited when Cailen asked me to guest post on her fabulous blog while she's off having a beautiful wedding and honeymoon.

My name is Jenna, and I am a relatively newbie blogger over at Leggings Love.

i <3 leggings.  credit {here}

As is indicative in the title of my blog, I have an unapologetic fetish with leggings. 

I wear a pair of leggings every single day. Seriously. Every single day. I only buy black Mossimo leggings from Target. They are the perfect amount of thickness, last ages, and only cost $8 (!!!).

Essentially, Target leggings are amazing.

But anyway.

"You wear the same thing every day," my sweet mother loves to say, "and people probably talk about you. You aren't a cartoon character. You've got to change up your outfits now and then!"

leggings galore!  credit {here}

While I appreciate my mom's concern, I cannot say that I'm too worried about being mistaken for a cartoon character. 

I love the idea of having a signature piece. I think it would be quite cool if every person had one piece in his or her wardrobe that so perfectly defined or expressed him or her.

Leggings make me feel posh and put-together while still being comfortable.

They've become so...me.

So what about everyone else? Do you have a signature piece?

foodie wednesday: date night {guest post}

Hello Lifestyle Maven Readers, Julie from Julip Made here. I adore Cailen and constantly find myself adding her recipes to my "to make" list. I am delighted to be guest posting for her while she is off marrying the love of her life! In the spirit of romance and in honor of the lovebirds, I've created a cozy, romantic meal for two.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

This is the type of meal you want to eat curled up in front of the fire with a bottle of Brunello and candles.  Also, boys, don't forget the fresh flowers... they NEVER get old!

Recipe here.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Italian sausages, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1 medium eggplant, quartered and cut into 1/2 inch wedges
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 onion, medium dice
• 1/3 cup red cooking wine
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• **SECRET INGREDIENT** Dash of maple syrup

1. Saute the sausage with a dash of olive oil in a french oven over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add some more olive oil and saute the onions for a few minutes then add the eggplant.  The onion should be translucent and the eggplant should be just starting to brown on the edges.  
3. Throw in the garlic and saute until fragrant (approximately 30 seconds).  Add the red wine and turn up the heat, reducing most of the liquid.
4. Add the canned tomato, bay leaf,salt and pepper, and the dash of maple syrup.  This is the secret ingredient as it will cut the acidity of the tomatoes.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
6. Once sauce has thickened, mix in with pasta and sprinkle Parmesan on top.  Enjoy!

Recipe here.

I hope you enjoy this meal and if you want more recipes stop by!  Cailen, I wish you and Craig all the best in your new life together filled with love, laughter, and lots of romantic meals like this one.

Cheers,
Julie

foreign style {guest post}

Good morning mavens! I'm Emily from so anthro and I am so. excited. to be guest posting for Cailen while she is a bit busy getting married this week :) I can't even remember when I began reading Lifystyle Maven, but I do know I have been a fan and a follower of all of its inspiring posts and delicious recipes for quite some time now! I try to focus my blog on lifestyle, so I thought that I'd put the fashion-focussed part of my brain to work to come up with some pretty honeymoon outfits for my lovely host! Cailen and her hubs will be visiting Marrakesh, Morocco and Seville, Spain this week, so here are some outfits I put together with those two destinations in mind! And also pretending that we have no budget to keep in mind...

Marrakesh, Morocco

Stefe Shift, Lilly Pulitzer Pashmina, Jones New York Twin Bracelet, Alexander McQueen Sequinned Wallet, Zara Maggie Kitten Heel Sandals, Jack Rogers Paloma's Venezia Goldoni Quadruplo Drop Earrings, Tiffany & Co.

When I picture Morocco, I just see these rich colors and intricate shapes and designs. Because the dress pops on its own, I paired it with solid accessories, just a lot of luscious gold! And a pashmina, I have always found, is a lifesaver while traveling. Cover up in the museums? Warm up on a chilly night? AC blasting on the plane or train? It's got you covered.

---------------------------------------------------

Seville, Spain

Swing Tee Dress, Desigual Silky Rosette Headband, Forever 21 Evening Bag, Balenciaga Identity Heels, Two Lips Bangles with Clip, Michael Kors Therapy Mood Cuff, Fallon 

This summery dress (for those warm Seville temperatures!) is by a Spanish brand I discovered while I was studying abroad in college. So for Cailen's trip to Spain, it seems only appropriate to wear Desigual! Desigual's designs are always full of color, so I like to take advantage of that by pairing the outfit with accessories that bring out those colors. And for jewelry, you can never go wrong with some chunky gold bangles.

What do you think? Would you wear either of these on a trip abroad?

I'm wishing Cailen the most happiness and well wishes for her wedding and honeymoon and thank her again for letting me borrow her blog for the day! If any of you have any questions or want to see more of my personal style, you can find me here!

xo, Emily

happy hour: snack time {guest post}

hi there, lovely readers of lifestyle maven! my name is erica and i blog about my life and adventures in washington, dc - all with 'boyfriend' - over at pocket full of chuckles. i've been following cailen's blog for quite some time. she was one of the first people i found on the blogosphere and i was instantly smitten (i mean, who wouldn't be!). so when she asked me to guest post while she's off marrying her best friend (!!!) i squealed with excitement. and then when she asked me to write about a fun recipe, i did my happy dance. because boyfriend and i love to cook. and our favorite thing to make is guacamole. it's always our go-to dish for parties and it was such a hit at this year's halloween party!

you will need the following:

(note: this recipe feeds a large group of people, so feel free to cut ingredients in half) 

dry cilantro (1 tbsp)

orange juice (a splash)

lime juice (2 limes)

red onion (1)

ripe avocados (8)

jalapenos (4)

roma tomatoes (4)

garlic cloves (6)

salt & pepper

1. slice avocados in half and remove pits. score with knife and squeeze in large mixing bowl.

2. chop onion and add to bowl.

3. finely chop jalapenos and garlic cloves. toss in bowl.

4. dice tomatoes. and you guessed it. toss in bowl.

don't mix just yet...

5. slice limes in half and squeeze juice in bowl.

6. add a splash of orange juice.

7. add your cilantro, salt and pepper.

8. now you can stir :)

so it looks like this!

or this..

enjoy :)

xo erica

foodie wednesday: slow cooker gumbo {guest post}

Hi Lifestyle Maven fans, Sam here from fitness food & faith.  I’m super pumped to be sharing one of my favorite fall recipes on Cailen’s blog while she’s off becoming a wife!  As soon as the weather cools down, one of the first things I do is pull out my crock pot to make a delicious, easy and warming meal.  I love a good gumbo as it’s a great way to use up some lingering leftover vegetables in the fridge.

Slow Cooker Gumbo

1lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 10oz package frozen okra

2 links smoked chicken sausage, sliced

1 cup chopped onions

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp mustard powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 cups chicken broth

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

2 cups cooked rice

print recipe {here}

Combine all ingredients except the rice in crock pot.  Mix well, cover and cook for 8 hours on low (or 4 hours on high).  Serve over rice with hot cornbread.

Thanks, Cailen, for letting me take over your lovely blog for the day!  I hope you’re having the time of your life. 

the honeymooners {guest post}

right now craig & i are in sevilla, spain drinking wine and eating tapas, so i've asked corey from learning patience to stop by and entertain you all while we're honeymooning it up! 

{enter corey}

Hello Lifestyle Maven Readers!

I’m Corey from Learning Patience!  

In June, my husband & I moved from Houston TX to the beautiful island of Trinidad!  We learning what it means to become ex-pats for the first time!  Our life is simpler now, stress is almost  non -existent, we surf,  I cook, we run, we travel - a lot.  I would love to meet y'all, hop on over to Learning Patience & come check it out!

I’m super excited to be guest posting for ­­­­­­­Cailen today, while she is off enjoying her honeymoon! I love Cailen's blog – she is ­­­full of great recipes & her yoga refection posts always bring some calm to my crazy day!  Now that I have honeymoon on my mind, I thought it would only be appropriate to reminisce on my amazing honeymoon in the Turks & Caicos. 

If you have never been to this part of the Caribbean, put it on your list now! This place looks like Fiji or The Maldives with crystal clear aqua water as far as the eye can see!  It’s beautiful! 



really...it's that beautiful





4am wake up call + limo + mimosa = very silly pictures



cool room - that is the shower behind the bed...Hotel Gansevoort



we try SNUBA



highlight of my day - hello Mr Turtle



i ate lobster - every day - delicious



we snorkeled - yes, we love cheesy vacation pictures



we rode horses on the beach - the BEST




we did a whole lot of this too



Thanks so much for letting me relive my honeymoon with y'all! 

A couple weeks ago, we celebrated our 2 year anniversary!  

Time flies when you marry your best friend!   

xoxo from Trinidad

a kinder summer {guest post}

Hello to all who look into Cailen's world! My name is Kristin, and I have the privilege of swapping blogs with your lovely host for the day. My blog is called Kinder Words, and it is a place of learning and release for me. Cailen and I were paired on 20SB, to talk with each other's followers a bit about our summer.




{Summer morning's still begin early when you're a mom}


I think that summer time is just like being in your 20's. It is full of life and color. There are days {and nights} full to the brim of activity. Then there are the lazy, introspective days, where you just lie on the beach and try to care less about what tomorrow brings.


This summer has been the latter of the two for me. There has been less bikini presence and volleyball, more building sandcastles and teaching the tadpoles how to swim.


There has been less shopping, and vacations and parties; more intimate barbeques, and time spent in the craft room, or at the park, or the free aviation museum.


It has been a quiet sort of summer. With lessons learned, friendships strengthened, and flowers smelt. And, as hard as I try, I can't seem to keep these sweet lazy days from slipping by.


I have enjoyed blogging this year more than ever.
I love jotting down my life lessons, and sharing little artsy tips and recipes. I have even been able to put together a few tutorials. I'm a bit of an artist, and crafting makes me giddy. It is a bad addiction, y'all.


I hope everyone will be able to keep a bit of summer love in their pockets through the winter this year. The part that makes you slow down, reflect, and feel sunshine all over. Come visit me at Kinder Words! where is cailen?  over at kinder words, of course!  check out her post {here}

muttinis {guest post}

Hello, Mavens!

My name is Alice, and when Cailen announced that she was looking for cocktail-themed guest posts, she had me at the word “cocktail.”  I don’t have a blog of my own (yet), but Cailen was gracious enough to let me try my hand at blogging on hers. So here we go…
 

How to Make a Muttini (moo-tini)

One of my favorite summertime drinks is a nice cold Muttini: a simple cocktail that’s really easy to make but tastes delicious and looks pretty (it’s pink)!

So…what the heck is a Muttini, you ask?

Muttinis were my maternal grandmother’s signature cocktail. My grandparents didn’t drink often, but when they were served a variation of this drink at a church friend’s party (back in the late 60’s / early 70’s when “sours” were the libation of choice), my grandmother liked them so much she asked for the recipe. She started to serve these cocktails at her own gatherings, and (here comes your “a-ha” moment) since my family calls my grandmother “Muttie,” the drinks soon became known as “Muttinis”.

Isn’t this a great picture of my grandparents? Those lovebirds were married for 67 years!

To make a Muttini, all you need is a can of frozen lemonade (pink or regular) and scotch. (I know - I was a little wary myself, but trust me, it’s delicious)!

All you do is pour the can of lemonade into a blender, then use the can to add 1 can of scotch and 1 can of water, add some ice and let the blender do its job. (Or if your blender is broken like mine, you can mix everything in a pitcher, but be sure to add a lot of ice or it might taste too sweet). Serve over ice, add a cherry to make it fancy and voila! You have a Muttini.

I served my Muttini in a super-classy martini glass.

My Mom tells me that because Muttie rarely drank liquor, she was very sensitive to it. Whenever she drank Muttinis she would get a silly grin on her face and say, “I can feel it in my fingers” – and that’s when you knew she was happy-happy.

This is one of the original glasses Muttie always used to serve Muttinis in – it has etchings all around the inside of the silver band.

Muttie was a loving, happy and humorous lady – she loved to laugh and tell us silly stories, and she made everything fun. Unfortunately by the time I was of age to enjoy a Muttini with her, Alzheimer’s had taken away her vibrant personality, and she passed away last year.

When my family and I came home after Muttie’s funeral, my dad made a batch of Muttinis as we sat in the living room. After a long weekend of tears and goodbyes, it was nice to just relax, enjoy each other's company, tell silly Muttie stories and share a lot of laughs - just like Muttie would have wanted.

Let’s all make a batch of Muttinis and celebrate the wonderful women in our lives – past & present.

Cheers!

Alice

Special thanks to my Mom, Aunt & Uncles for sharing their Muttini knowledge. (You can check out my Aunt’s blog).

lovin' alice's muttini?  you can follow her on twitter @alicewhitney

mojito {guest post}

limes, drink

hi there! it's jillian from cornflake dreams and i love summery drinks and treats. my signature drink is the classic mojito (the real reason i had my fiance add mint to our herb garden this year!) i love this simple recipe from the food network:: classic mojito. the mojito is fantastic because you can get creative with ingredients (pineapple, strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry all make tasty additions).

what's your favorite drink?

xo,
jillian

al fresco vs. picnic {guest post}

Before beginning, I’d like to say thanks to my sweet daughter, Cailen, for being so kind as to actually ask me to write every so often.   I must admit that I enjoy it, but I find her a hard act to follow!  Thank you, Cai.  Many of the images here are as pretty as they are because of your helping hands!  xo  Mom

 

We are a family of foodies.  We appreciate the nuances of fabulous fine dining, but we also relish a quiet evening at home with soup by the fire.  Happily, this time of year offers up countless possibilities for another kind of ‘dining experience’.  To this, I give you….

Picnic  - A meal eaten outdoors, as on an excursion (could involve a hike) an occasion when you take a meal with you to eat outside in an informal way, or the food itself

our picnic in beaune, france

Al fresco  -  Implies the presence of some nearby structure (one does not hike al fresco) out-of-doors; in the open air: to dine alfresco.

I’m sure you see where we’re going here, either way you’re eating outdoors.  And this generally conjures up just a bit, however small, of a festive atmosphere.  We’ve just finished May and June is upon us.  It’s a good time of year to enjoy some fresh air while enjoying your meal!

concert under the stars (craig, mom, me, dad)

We’re fortunate to have a large wrap-around porch with an old table that seats 4-6.  We take our meals out to enjoy the breezes and birds in the morning hours, the sounds of farm tractors or mowers in the afternoon, and the stars, crickets and candlelight in the evenings.  

But a porch doesn’t have to be the setting, al fresco is wonderful and memorable on a tiny deck, a patio that needs some work (candlelight glow makes all things prettier!), or on a level patch of lawn under a tree – or use a beach umbrella if you don’t have a tree!  Think about outdoor cafés…there’s a great energy about them that makes a meal more like a little event.  And most of us tend to feel relaxed and pleased about eating that tuna on rye outside. 

me (cailen) & cate

Keep your al fresco meals simple, and your picnics simpler yet.  This is not necessarily the time to try an elaborate recipe.  Assemble some of your favorites, relying on dishes that will be fine without immediate refrigeration.   A side pasta dish with olive oil is a much better choice than one with mayo.  Simple is good, yes, but with just a bit of pizzazz if possible.  A great roasted shrimp and polenta meal makes for a special night of al fresco dining, and a shrimp po’boy is quite a special picnic.

Al fresco should, in my mind, be nicely elevated to include dishes, flatware and glasses.  Not that you’re setting the table for four courses, but just that you use tableware that is non-disposable.  Just plate up your meal inside if that works best (no platters or side bowls to wash later) and carry out your yummy repast with your favorite beverage.  If you feel more inclined, and there are more than just a couple of people, platter up and take everything out.  You’ll have more to do in cleanup, but it’s nice to have your food on the table when you have guests.   And, don’t forget the candles.

my aunt, erin (my cousin) & my uncle

Picnics seem to often involve the proverbial picnic table or blanket, or both.  Finding the best table under the trees, or the comfiest looking spot in the grass becomes a hunt in earnest.  Goodies, hand-held and otherwise, are tucked away in backpacks, wicker baskets and plastic coolers.  Break out the cold bevs/brews and then begin the job of setup.  Hopefully, if you’re organized, it won’t become theatrical.  And, disposable is a good thing here.  The less you have to carry back - after eating, playing ball, drinking, flying a kite (some people still do this), eating some more and then sitting around talking and laughing - is just a gift to yourself.  And, don’t forget the ‘organic/natural’ bug spray.

picnic in beaune, france

So think about an easy meal to prepare, and get creative with your al fresco set up or your picnic accompaniments.  A vintage or retro tablecloth will make your salads look magazine worthy - and a great chutney will just make that hotdog sing!

Bon Appetit! and my best to all, Janet