creating a joyous, healthy, simplified life

year of kindness challenge: week 20

Posted on May 20, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Happy Monday, friends! Hope you are doing well and had a great weekend! I had one of those wonderful but lightning-quick weekends — I don’t know how the time flew by so quickly! I ran a bunch of errands with my mom, visited my Gramps, went for a beautiful run in the sunshine, baked more apple cinnamon muffins {I am addicted!} and enjoyed a lovely sermon at church. I also saw my cousin Amanda who was in town working out some final details for her wedding in June — I’m a bridesmaid and am SO excited and happy for her!

Over the weekend I also started planning some details relating to my upcoming birthday — I have an idea that I’m really excited about, which I’ll be sharing in a blog post next week on May 29th. Stay tuned! In the meantime, make sure to enter my summer beauty giveaway — here’s the direct link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/df32660/

The kindness challenge this past week was to leave a big tip. I went out for a chai tea at my favorite local coffee shop and left a $5 bill in the tip jar. It gave me a great feeling that lasted the whole day! I definitely will continue leaving large tips whenever I can afford it.

Speaking of generous tips, check out this story of kindness I came across the other day: a $500 tip a woman left for a $5 check! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325248/Waitress-gets-500-tip-5-check-breakfast-customer.html

A photo of me and Erica enjoying a visit at our favorite local coffee shop!

The Week 20 Kindness Challenge comes from Lindsay, amazing blogger at The Lean Green Bean, and is to donate blood. She writes, “It’s one of the easiest ways to save lives and help people in need and one of my favorite things to do!” If you are unable to donate blood for whatever reason — or if you want an extra challenge this week! — register online to be a bone marrow donor: http://marrow.org/Join/Join_the_Registry.aspx

As always, blog about your experiences and include your links in the comments section below, or feel free to send me an email at dallaswoodburn <AT> gmail <DOT> com.

Have a wonderful week!
Dallas

—————————–

year of kindness archives:
- week 1 challenge: donate items to those in need
- week 2 challenge: leave quarters & note at laundry machine
- week 3 challenge: write & send a kind handwritten note
- week 4 challenge: give hot chocolate to someone outside in the cold
- week 5 challenge: do something kind for a neighbor
- week 6 challenge: deliver valentines to a nursing home
- week 7 challenge: donate to a food pantry
- week 8 challenge: donate toiletries to a shelter
- week 9 challenge: post a kind note in a public place
- week 10 challenge: do something kind for a child
- week 11 challenge: thank someone in a genuine & meaningful way
- week 12 challenge: deliver baked goods to a fire station
- week 13 challenge: give someone flowers
- week 14 challenge: donate books
- week 15 challenge: reach out and spend time with people
- week 16 challenge: smile at everyone you meet
- week 17 challenge: pick up litter/trash
- week 18 challenge: write a kind note to a mom figure in your life
- week 19 challenge: leave an extra-generous tip

summer beauty GIVEAWAY!!

Posted on May 15, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I’m super excited to announce my first giveaway!!

My birthday is two weeks from today, and I want to celebrate by giving something away to you! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my blog — it means so much to me that you make my little corner of the Internet part of your day. I am very grateful to be part of such a vibrant, positive and friendly blog community!

For the giveaway, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite beauty products into two prize packages — just in time for summer!

Prize #1: Big Beauty Basket

Prize #2: Travel Beauty Clutch

The giveaway will stay open for two weeks, until my birthday, May 29th. Good luck! And thanks for celebrating with me!

Click on this link to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway

kitchen tip tuesdays: my favorite {healthy!} chicken salad

Posted on May 14, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Hi, friends! I have a quick, easy and healthy recipe to share with you today as part of Kitchen Tip Tuesdays! I love chicken salad but I don’t like mayonaise very much, so I was on a mission to find a healthier recipe for chicken salad that I could make at home. I think I found a winner!

I like to bake chicken breasts ahead of time during the weekend {see my earlier post about making the most of oven time} so I typically have cooked chicken breasts in a tupperware container in my fridge. Often to save time and extra dishes, I mix up the chicken salad in the tupperware container, and I’m ready to grab and go if need be!

healthier chicken salad
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt {you could add more or less yogurt as desired}
- 2 tbsp hummus
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- salt and pepper to taste

1. Stir Greek yogurt and hummus into chicken until fully incorporated.

2. Add chopped celery, dried cranberries, slivered almonds, and mix well.

3. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

It’s a great lunch, especially as the weather continues to warm up! I like serving the chicken salad over a bed of baby spinach.

Have a great day! I’ll be back tomorrow with a post I’m really excited to share with you!

Till soon,
Dallas

year of kindness challenge: week 19

Posted on May 13, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Last week’s kindness challenge, in honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday, was to write a note to a mother of one of your friends who has had an influence in your life. I wrote a note to my friend Holly‘s mom Susan and my friend Erica‘s mom Darai. Both of them have always been very sweet and supportive of me. I also wrote a letter to my mom’s childhood friend Nanette, who is like an aunt to me. I feel grateful to have so many amazing women to look up to!

I had a wonderful week! One of the highlights was going to a reception for a local writing contest, where three of my former writing campers won awards! I was like a proud Mama bear beaming with pride! Such talented, poised and beautiful young ladies.

I also baked lemon bars for my Gramps, went to an amazing yoga class, and had some wonderful family and friend time.

And I came across and loved this video about kids doing random acts of kindness in schools: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/40153870/vp/51795308#51795308

The Week 19 Kindness Challenge is to leave double the tip you normally would if you go out to eat, and/or leave a $5 tip in a tip jar at a coffee shop or cafe.

As always, blog about your experiences and include your links in the comments section below, or feel free to send me an email at dallaswoodburn <AT> gmail <DOT> com.

Have a wonderful week!
Dallas

—————————–

happy mother’s day!

Posted on May 12, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

I feel so blessed that I am able to celebrate my sweet, kind, beautiful, brilliant mama today!

We went for a morning walk at the beach, and now are relaxing on the couch. Later I’m making chili & corn muffins for dinner and pb cup brownies for dessert. Oh, and I whipped up some apple-cinnamon-oatmeal muffins for breakfast this week. YUM!

I hope it’s a restful, peaceful day for my mom — she deserves it! She works a full-time job managing her department at work, and my whole life she has been a living example that it is possible for women to have fulfilling careers AND be amazing, full-time mothers too! She is not just my mom, she is my best friend. We have shared so many fun memories, from hiking Mt. Whitney together when I was in high school to driving cross-country together when I moved to Indiana for grad school — plus innumerable shopping trips, girl talks, chick flicks, and lunch dates! I know I can call her anytime and she will always be there for me. I love you, Mom!

What are you doing to celebrate the mothers in your life today? Whatever your plans, I hope your day is marvelous!

clutter-busting challenge

Posted on May 9, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Crystal at Money-Saving Mom is hosting a Clutter-Busting Challenge in which she is getting rid of {throwing away, selling or donating} at least 7 items for every single day of May. She is inspiring loads of others to do the same, including me!

I already did a lot of clutter-busting last month when graduated from Purdue and moved from Indiana to California … the move was the fire-under-my-butt motivation to sort through my various papers, knick-knacks, books, clothes, kitchen supplies, etc. and decide what was worth taking with me. I ended up donating and selling everything except for the clothes, blankets, books, and important papers that fit within five suitcases and a few big shipping boxes.

When I arrived home, I had another opportunity to clutter-bust: my bedroom at home {which my parents have been sweet enough to leave as-is during my time away… it hasn’t been converted to a home office, at least not yet!} There were books and papers and random STUFF that had accumulated during winter breaks and summers at home and that I hadn’t gone through in years.

After a few days of sorting, I am proud to share with you the big pile of stuff that I am getting rid of!

I took the clothes/shoes/purses to Goodwill and donated the books to my local library. Not only does it feel good to purge your life of unnecessary items, I also love imagining the person who will enjoy each item in its next life!

Are any of you doing spring/early summer cleaning and organizing? I’d love to hear your success stories and tips!

You can follow along the entire Clutter-Busting series at Money-Saving Mom here: https://moneysavingmom.com/series/clutter-busting-challenge

year of kindness challenge: week 18

Posted on May 6, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Hi friends! Here’s to a new week! Hope your Monday is off to a fantastic start!

I had one of those restorative, rejuvenating weekends … slept well, made homemade enchiladas and my special California white chicken chili, 3-hour coffee date with my friend Erica, long visits with my Gramps, quality reading time, yoga, fro yo with Mom, some lovely walks, and a thought-provoking sermon at church where I was welcomed home with open arms. Life is good and I feel so grateful and blessed!

Last week’s kindness challenge was to pick up litter! I went on a walk at one of my favorite spots, the path in my neighborhood that winds along this beautiful barranca and lemon orchards.

I filled up this plastic grocery bag with trash!

On my walk I had another opportunity for kindness: one of the sprinklers on the path was broken and gushing up a ton of water, like a geyser. As soon as I got home, I called the city parks service and let them know, and they promised to get on it right away! Hopefully we saved some water from being wasted!

Here are a couple articles I came across this week about kind acts that warmed my heart:

A Prom Night act of kindness: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57582850/prom-night-brings-out-kindness-at-a-texas-high-school/
Random acts of kindness in the writing world: http://www.booksandsuch.biz/blog/may-day-and-random-acts-of-kindness/

The Week 18 Kindness Challenge, in honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday, is to write a note to a mother of one of your friends who has had an influence in your life. Alternatively, you could write to another mother-figure in your life, such as an aunt or family friend. Thank them for all the joy and love they have brought into your life!

As always, blog about your experiences and include your links in the comments section below, or feel free to send me an email at dallaswoodburn <AT> gmail <DOT> com.

Have a wonderful week!
Dallas

—————————–

Pin It Party

Posted on May 5, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean is hosting a Pin It Party inviting bloggers to share their top five images that they would love to receive more Pinterest loving! Here are mine:

1. my year of kindness challenge

2. apple-banana oatmeal muffins

3. diy no-sew baby blanket

4. three-ingredient banana cookies

5. creamy blended cauliflower & potato soup

Happy pinning! {You can follow me on Pinterest here!}

I’ll be back tomorrow with the next year of kindness challenge!

organizing your car’s glove box

Posted on May 3, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Happy Friday, everyone! I have a quick and easy organizational project for you today!

Remember a few months ago, when I posted about making the most of long car rides? I mentioned how I like to bring small projects I can do in the car, like knitting or bill-paying or even cleaning up the clutter that’s accumulated in the car.

Well, during one car ride I brought a small accordian file folder {from the $1 section of Target — I’ve used similar folders to organize my stationary and take-out menus!} and I organized the glove box while I sat in the passenger seat. Now all the important auto-related documents are together and accessible in one easy-to-find place!

All you need for this project is some sort of small file folder and a pen to label each section. I made sections for important documents like the car registration and insurance, instruction manual, receipts from maintenance, etc. I also included a map of the area and a notepad and pen.

When I was done fitting the documents inside, the file folder closed up and fit perfectly in my glove box. Hooray!

Now I feel better than ever hitting the road, knowing that I have all my car-related documents in one easy-to-find place! This is a great example of a simple, quick, inexpensive organization project that makes your life easier and less stressful.

Have a super weekend, everyone! And if you have a moment, send up a prayer for all of those in my hometown area who are being affected by a raging wildfire, including the heroic firefighters who are battling the blazes.

april foodie pen pals reveal

Posted on April 30, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

This was my second month participating in Foodie Pen Pals through The Lean Green Bean, one of my favorite blogs! Here’s how it works: you visit The Lean Green Bean and enter your contact info to sign up for the next month of Foodie Pen Pals. Then the amazing Lindsay matches you up with two other bloggers or food lovers: one person to send a foodie package to, and one person who will send a package to you! Then you spend $15 putting together a box of fun, yummy treats for your pen pal, pop it in the mail, and eagerly await the arrival of your own foodie package!

Natalie from In Natalie’s Shoes sent me a package this month. She sent me a box filled with delectable goodies:

homemade brownies with Reese’s peanut butter eggs inside
dark-chocolate-covered pretzel slims from Trader Joes {these are addicting!}
a jar of cookie butter, also from TJ’s {amazing spread on apples!}
honey glazed almonds
Special K chocolatey pretzel cereal bars
Nature Valley Almond Crunch granola bars

Thanks, Natalie!! This package really brightened my week! I would encourage all of you to check out Natalie’s food/travel/craftiness blog: http://innataliesshoes.wordpress.com/

If this kind of thing sounds fun to you, go sign up for May Foodie Pen Pals at The Lean Green Bean. It only takes two minutes and it is a blast!