Hi, everyone & happy Halloween! Hope you’re having a great week so far. Honestly, I am so excited for tonight. My neighborhood is filled with kids, and Kyle and I are going to hand out candy together. I love how creative parent’s get with their kid’s costumes. Since trick-or-treating is hours away, I have some time to spend writing a couple blogs for the week. I also need to finish editing a couple of videos. Oh, and I almost forgot…I have to pack my suitcase as well because I’M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD TOMORROW! I’ll vlog & blog the trip, but you’ll have to let me know what you want to see! I want you to leave one Disney dare in the comments! I’m going to print all the “Disney Dares” and choose fifteen to complete during my trip for the videos. The dares can be something at the resort, the theme parks, and more!
Because my life has been all over the place the past few days, I’ve decided to share 31 things (in no particular order) from the past week instead of a traditional recap post. I thought this would be better than no recap at all. After this, I’m going to start packing! You can head to my Instagram story to see what I pack 😉
1. I completed a three-day reset. Monday was my last day, and I felt great when it was all over. I was super excited to have something warm though. I have been editing the video, and it’ll be live soon! Here is one of the salads from my reset. It has avocados, strawberries, mango, papaya, spinach, arugula, almond oil, and balsamic.
2. Here is the last salad of my three-day reset. It had spinach, cucumbers, almonds, avocados, almond oil, and balsamic. For my protein, I had unsweetened almond milk mixed with one scoop of vanilla plant-based protein powder. While doing this reset, I felt super full, satisfied, and never craved sugar. The reset was all mostly raw plant-based, no grains, no added sugars, healthy fats, and tons of fruits and vegetables.
3. I broke my three-day reset with this bowl of protein oats. It has one scoop of plant-based (garden of life) vanilla protein powder, almond butter, paleo-style muesli, and 1/4 cup of gluten-free oats. I used almond milk as the liquid base. It felt good to have warm food again 😊
4. I had a conditioning treatment on my hair and a cut! I’ve decided to keep growing it out while getting regular trims. I’m kind of liking the longer hair with balayage. In December, I’ll be getting more color and another cut. If you guys are looking for a good hair stylist in the Charlotte area, I highly recommend going to Savannah at Dolce Lusso Aveda salon on Park Road.
5. The day after the reset, I added chicken to my lunch salad. I enjoyed eating tons of fruits and vegetables, so I wanted to continue doing that. A couple of hours later, I didn’t feel great. I’m starting to think that my body has a hard time digesting meat. Even when I did the raw vegan week, my stomach had no pains what-so-ever. When I did the food sensitivity test, the chicken was on my high list. I’m going to make a follow-up appointment with my doctor to do some further testing. Kyle keeps pushing me to go to an actual doctor instead of the at-home tests, and he’s probably right. I think I’m scared about what he’ll tell me. Dairy, shellfish, and gluten already make me extremely uncomfortable, so it’ll just suck if the chicken or other foods I eat a lot do the same.
6. I bought the best strawberries and blueberries at Earthfare this week. They’ve NEVER tasted better! I’ve been snacking on them all week long.
7. I finally tried Banza after seeing it all over my Instagram feed for the past year! It’s definitely worth the hype. I roasted butternut squash and zucchini for my side. (Squash 40 minutes at 400 degrees & make sure to flip it on the 20-minute mark)
8. If you’ve seen this Chocolate, just know that it’s worth it. It’s pretty costly for a bar of chocolate, but worth every dime. I usually end my dinner with two squares, so it lasts a few days.
9. Protein oats and fresh fruit have been my favorite breakfast this past week.
10. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, then you’ve probably seen my Erin Condren planner. I get a new one every year to keep myself organized. This is THE BEST planner I’ve ever owned, and it’s so fun and colorful. I love that you can customize it and add all kinds of personalized details on the website. If you are looking for a gift for someone, this is a great go-to of mine. I was looking at the site today, and there is a 20% everything sale going on, which is awesome! This is where I buy all my fun papers, labels, stickers, mugs, and more! I’m the type of person that has to write things down. I can’t use a computer for a calendar, it doesn’t do it for me.
11. I started my couch shopping. I think I found one I like, but I want to keep looking! It’s such a hard decision.
12. Kyle and I went to see A Star is Born. JUST WOW! Everything about this film was incredible. It deserves all the rewards, and it lived up to the hype. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper just killed it. I want to see it again and again and again!
13. Chocolate Cheerios with almond milk and mixed berries ❤️ This is the next combo you need to try!
14. I had an eggs n’ Netflix night! I made an omelet with Kite-Hill chive cream cheese and a side of rice. We finished Bodyguard on Netflix in 24-hours. Another show you can add to your list!
15. Scallops have ALWAYS made me nauseous. I hate that because I love them so much! I read that farm raised vs. fresh can make a difference because of a bacteria found in farm-raised seafood. I decided to try freshly caught scallops to see if it made a difference. I was fine for a few hours, but then 48-hour nausea kicked in. I learned my lesson, and it looks like this is the last time I will willingly eat scallops 😞
16. I love my lazy leftover nights. One of my dinners consisted of gluten-free Applegate chicken nuggets, leftover Banza, and butternut squash.
17. For some reason, fruit is all I want lately. I stopped at Earthfare to pick up some salad ingredients after doing some serious house cleaning.
18. I tried these From The Ground Up Cauliflower cheddar crackers, and holy moly they were so good! I can’t wait to add them to my chili.
19. I picked out some new throw pillows for my bedroom, and I love them. 😍
Pink Pillow Details // Teal Pillow Details // Slippers // Twinkle Lights
20. Lily’s, one of my favorite chocolate companies sent me a fun package! I’ll be in chocolate heaven for a while, 😉But really, I’m keeping these for some Christmas recipes.
21. I made a delicious mint smoothie! It had kale, mint leaves, vanilla protein, cocoa nibs, almond milk, avocado, and that was a coconut cream heart on top!
22. Kyle finally got most of his vision back, so we spent a few hours playing tennis!
23. I tried these maple Cheerios that General Mills sent me. They won’t last long because they are so delicious! I like eating them straight out of the box. These will be perfect for a cheerio bar recipe.
24. No matter what I do, they’re always watching.
25. I had a smoothie topped with granola! The smoothie had blackberries, almond milk, protein powder, banana, and ice.
26. This plant-based mochaccino is sooooo good! I had one for dessert last night, and I’ll probably make one to enjoy while handing out candy. 😃
27. I made gluten & dairy free pizzas. I topped a raw wrap with pizza sauce, peppers, onions, sausage, Applegate turkey pepperoni, and Daiya cheese. I think the Daiya is the best vegan cheese that melts. Kyle’s mom introduced me to the raw wraps last year, and I fell in love with them. This was the first time trying it as a pizza crust, and they turned out great!
28. I had to stop at the mall to grab a few things for my trip! The Christmas tree gave me all the feels, and I had about 50+ DM’s on Instagram with people who agreed with me! 😊 You guys are my people! I picked up an almond milk cappuccino as an afternoon pick-me-up!
29. I stopped at Living Kitchen, one of my favorite vegan spots in Charlotte. (P.S. I’m going to be filming a video for “10 healthy places to eat in Charlotte” for my YouTube channel) I ordered dinner to go for Kyle and me.
30. I ordered two different entrees and mixed them up for a delicious dinner bowl. This bowl has the Caesar salad, veggie burger collard wraps, and Waldorf salad. Those are three of my favorite things on the menu! (I also like the arugula harvest salad)
I’ll be enjoying all the leftovers for dinner tonight! Here are some details as to what’s inside the entrees!
Kale Caesar has kale, green cabbage, cherry tomatoes, kale croutons, brazil nut parmesan, creamy caesar dressing.
Veggie Burger has a gluten-free quinoa-millet veggie burger, sunflower seed hummus, tomato, red onion, guacamole, sprouts, and spicy sauce!
Broccoli Waldorf Salad has: broccoli, green apple, celery, walnuts, raisins, red onion, cashew mayo, and sprouts
31. Finally, I’ve been working on the closet project. Today, I’m heading to Target to pick up the organizing drawers. I’ve gotten rid of SO MANY clothes in the past year, and I’m still minimizing. It’s a slow process!
Questions for you!
- What’s your DISNEY DARE!?
- Did you dress up for Halloween?
- Do you use a planner?
Muge says
Hi Taralynn,
Pleeeeaase do a blogpost for how you use your Erin Condren to plan! 🙂
Taralynn McNitt says
Great idea! 😃
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
All the food in this post is making me hungry, Taralynn! 🙂 I’m not going to dress up for Halloween this year – I actually haven’t for a few years already – because I’m 25 and livin’ the grandma life already 😉 Nothing like being warm and cosy at home! ❤️
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Charmaine!
Hahaha age is nothing but a number when it comes to dressing up 😉
Krista says
Your food always looks so good! My Disney dare would be to get photos with 3 different Disney princesses at the park; I’d say 5, but their lines can be pretty long! 😛 Thankfully, there can be more than two of the same one out at once, just in different locations in the park, but still!
I won’t actually be dressing up for Halloween, but we might hand out candy still! We didn’t hand out candy last year because of a 1-kid turnout two years ago, but it looks like there are more kids in the neighborhood this year, so hopefully we’ll get more of a crowd! 🙂 A local (and huge) church hosts a Harvest Festival on Halloween, and around 6,000 people attended it last year!
I use a planner *sometimes*, like when it comes to meal planning. My husband and I have a shared google calendar where we put a bunch of different events, appointments, and when bills are due (though we have most things on auto-pay, but it’s nice to know when!), and I use my planner more as a way to plan out the meals we’re going to make and what we’ll need.
I am dying for Violife to put out a mozzarella– in our area, if they already have it! 🙂
Mary says
Have fun at Disney! I can’t wait to watch your vlogs and read your posts.
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Mary!
Sarah says
I’m so jealous you’re going to Disney World! I’m due for a trip! Who are you going with? I hope you have a great time Taralynn!!
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Sarah!!
I’m going with my friend Caitlin!
N.S says
Disney Dare: Get a video of yourself and a cast member dancing together! 🙂
I just wanted to add that I was really impressed with your latest vlog on YouTube – firstly because the style you used was really easy to follow and fun, with the added commentary between shots, and also because your family didn’t seem awkward around the camera, which is tough for a lot of people to capture, real family life – but I think you nailed it and it was a really nice little glimpse into your family gathering and you’re all adorable (your nana, omg.)
Oh and uh – you’re pretty brave to consider buying that light colored couch with 2 big chunks of pup in your home… you’ll be on stain patrol a lot. 😉
Riley says
Yay! I can’t wait for your vlogs! They are my favorite.
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Riley!
Susie says
Hi Taralynn! I hope you have a super fun time at Disney! My Disney Dare is to get somebody to take a romantic/silly/fun picture of you and Kyle in front of the castle. (Please say Kyle is going with you!)
I did not dress up for Halloween this year, but my toddler will be Disney’s Moana 🙂
I absolutely use a planner! I’ve tried to be more “modern” by logging all my appointments, etc. in my phone, but nope. Need to be able to see at a glance my whole life for the month, haha!
I’m sorry about the scallops allergy. That sucks when it’s a food you enjoy. I’m not a big red meat eater, but I do love me a good cheeseburger. . .problem is my body doesn’t love it back. I’ve been thinking about cutting out red meat altogether, maybe even revert back to a vegetarian diet again. . .
Linda says
I dare you to wear a minnie mouse shirt!
Taralynn McNitt says
I can make that happen 😉
Whitney says
1. Lol I’m one of those rare people who don’t like Disney. So jobdisny dare for me
2. I love Halloween but have to work, so I just bought some cheap cat ears and did my make up 😂
3. I LOVE planners! I have a lot of anxiety and I’ve realized planning (work stuff obviously) and even small things that don’t need planning help me. Lol I think it just makes me feel slightly more in control.
Quick question, with you gluten free / dairy free lifestyle have you notice any other good changes wth your body?
Anonymous says
Get married at Disney 😱🎊💍💜🍾😍
Taralynn McNitt says
Ha! I’m going with my friend, Caitlin! Not sure she’d be down for that 😉
Allie says
I soooo need to do another huge closet sort!! I worked in retail for years so when anything on clearance? Yeah… couldn’t say no🤷🏻♀️🙄. But so many old things like new that I don’t wear as style just different so better to donate and make room.
Your salads look delicious!! And my son loved the chocolate Cheerios and I know he loves maple so will have to try that when find 😊.
Disney is my favourite place ever!! Wait Disney World or Disney Land? Have such a good time and have a Dole Whip for me!!! That’s my date. Find a Dole Whip as I became addicted when there 😍.
Travel safe and Happy Halloween!!! My little guy (who I can’t dress to match anymore) is dressed in my homemade costume of Jax Teller from Sons of Anarchy. He can’t see the snow yet but wanted to be a biker and has the hair. Pic on my insta but can’t share. Mommy had a crush on Jax lol.
Kiera says
I love this post!! It’s a great recap of what you’ve been up to without having to do a whole post when you’re short on time!
I’m at work right now and our whole department went wild decorating! I’m in a pink dinosaur onesie (tail included) and I’ve never been so comfy! lol I got changed when I got to work, but I’m excited to see what people on the train home think of my outfit
Taralynn McNitt says
OMG please let me know how people react to this pink dinosaur onesie!! haha
kiera stachowiak says
I received SO many compliments on the onesie!! haha my boyfriend and I ride the train home together since we work in the same building, and he was mortified sitting next to me! LOL it was amazing
Emily L. says
I Disney dare you to do your handstand pose in the middle of Main Street at Magic Kingdom 😊 I LOVE Disney!
My boyfriend dressed up as a cop and a robber. He’s a cop in real life so it was fitting! Lol And I couldn’t do like without a planner!! Lol it’s necessary
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Emily!
I think I’d probably crash and die if I did that haha! I need at least some kind of soft surface.
That is so awesome! He doesn’t have to spend much on a costume 😉
Have a great Halloween! xo
Jen Brantley says
Hey Taralynn!
Could you share the details of your reset? Was it a specific program you found somewhere or did you create your own? I’d love to hear why you decided to do one, what it does for the body, and a list of foods/drinks you could consume during that time or alternately – what you chose to eliminate? I’m thinking of doing one as well but there are hundreds out there and I don’t know where to start. thanks!! Hope you have a great rest of your week!
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Jen! I’ve been working on my video for it 🙂 I’ll it’ll be up soon.
Megan says
I can’t wait to try Living Kitchen this weekend when I’m in Charlotte for the Panthers game! I also love this style of blog post 🙂 I may borrow the “31 Things” idea for my own blog today…I’m 31 so I feel like it’s appropriate.
I also love that planner…I’ve been looking for one and I think this one may do the trick 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Happy Halloween!
Taralynn McNitt says
IT’S SO GOOD! You’ll have to let me know what you order and how you like it.
You can totally steal this idea! 😃
Have a great Halloween and trip to CLT!
Casey says
Disney triple, double dare: Space Mountain! If you haven’t already been on, prepare yourself.
I dressed up as a 1970’s hippie this year, complete with bell bottom jeans, so much fun.
I don’t use a planner, just a calendar (which is getting rather crowded, so I must pick up a planner) lol!
Taralynn McNitt says
I think I went on space mountain three years ago! But you better believe I’ll be going on it again!!
That is so cute!!
I love calendars too! This comes with the calendar side that I use a lot!
Casey says
Oh forgot to mention Taralynn: if you can eat at restaurant: Paddlefish (it’s in Orlando), amazing seafood! Have fun!
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Casey! I can still eat seafood, just some shellfish get me sick! Thanks for the rec!!
Blair says
I’m not really sure on a Disney dare it’s been a long time since I’ve been to Disney. The only two things I remember were the tea cups and thunder mountain! I dressed up as Marilyn Monroe for the work costume contest! Fingers crossed I win some money! As for a planner I do use one… I can use my phone for appointments so it reminds me but the planner is great for planning the day to day stuff. Things like meals and my workout plans and to do lists!
Taralynn McNitt says
Oh, my! The teacups would be so fun as a kid, but now I can’t do anything dizzy anymore 😔
Ahhhh that is so awesome! I bet you look great and fingers crossed!!!
Jeni says
That reset sounds like an amazing idea! Also I really like how your pillows match the macrame above your bed 😉
A girl’s trip to Disney World sounds like a blast! As far as dares, I can’t think of any off the top of my head. Semi-related since you’re so into fitness: I do remember seeing a video of some athlete (an ironman?) challenging Gaston (from Beauty and the Beast) to a push-up contest and losing XDD I didn’t realize the actor had to be so physically fit!
Also to answer your other question I dressed up as a leopard! I threw on a leopard print bodysuit from H&M, got ears and a tail from the costume shop, then put on some black leggings and that was it! Half the people at the party I went to dressed up as some sort of feline 🙂
Jen says
1. What’s your DISNEY DARE!?
Find your favorite Disney prince and dance with him!
2. Did you dress up for Halloween?
I need a super quick costume at work and all I had was my gym clothes for later, so I put those on, added a headband, a high pony, and silver/blue makeup and boom- Olivia Newton-John from her “Physical” music video.
3. Do you use a planner?
Every year since I was in junior high. I think I even saved most of them (no idea why).
Have SO much fun Disney!! I’ve never been so I can’t wait to see pics and read about your trip 🙂
Olivia says
My Disney dare is to find your fans! I’ll be there all weekend (Nov 1-5) for the Wine and Dine race weekend! (Beware of the crowds and traffic for this reason). We’re annual passholders and only live 45 minutes from Disney so we go almost every weekend and use the race weekends as an excuse to stay at the resorts. I hope to run into you at some point! I would love to meet you. You seem so fun and chill 🙂 Any Disney questions let me know!
Taralynn McNitt says
We are going for the same thing! My friend is running 😊 come find me! xo
pat says
i dare you to lick the floor
Taralynn McNitt says
good one 🙄
Katie says
Oh my goodness I absolutely love Disney World. I commented on another post that I was able to go this past March and can’t wait to go back. Not sure of an exact dare but make sure to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (my favorite) and eat at Earl of Sandwich in Disney Springs (totally amazing). Dole Whips and Mickey pretzels are a must too 🙂
Susie @ Mile High Dreamers says
Ahhhh Erin Condren planners are a teacher’s BEST FRIEND. She makes one that are specifically for teachers and they’re incredible! It’s seriously my happy place.
And I’m SO jealous you’re going to Disney! My dare is to dress up :). And go ALL in!
I dressed up as a hot dog! Haha I know it sounds ridiculous (and it is), especially because I’m a plant eater but my 1st graders love it so I do it every year!
Have so much fun at Disney, I can’t wait to see pics!
Brooklyn Murtaugh says
Ah man, I’m always the worst when it comes to dares. I always do them, but can never think of one to give another person haha,
I love mixing up meals like that. I would be so happy with different salads and a burger wrap. It looked delicious!
Have so much fun at Disney!!!!
http://www.justbeingbrooklyn.com
Jenni says
Hi. My Disney dare would be to dance with Goofy😘. I don’t have a planner but I do plan my day the night before.
Meghan says
I’m so interested in doing a three day reset, what did you eat for breakfast? I normally eat eggs everyday so I think that would be the biggest challenge for me! Hopefully everything goes well with your food sensitivities, it is so frustrating when something that we used to be able to eat suddenly starts not agreeing with us! Also, I love the pillows you got for your bed, I’m thinking I may need them in my living room! I use a planner non-stop, I have tried using a computer or phone calendar and I just can’t get on board. I have never heard of Erin Condren, but they look awesome!
hana says
cant wait to go to disney