It’s Thurrrsdayyyyy, which means it’s one of my favorite blogging days of the week (okay, all of them have a special place in my heart, but I really love Thursdays). Thursdays = Loving Lately, where I get to tell you all about the myriad of things I am currently in love with.

Since today’s list is a long one, I’m just going to get right into it:

Loving Lately 12.4.14  ▶ ▷ ▸ ▹ ►

1. YouTube, baby! 

That’s right, I started a YouTube channel. Yesterday. In my pajamas. With my unbrushed hair and my  spastic morning “I’m going to get a trillion things done today!!!” ‘tude. I watched a lot of YouTube videos in Carmel last weekend with my niece (she’s 11, she knows what’s up), and it struck me that so many of the super popular YouTubers were doing nothing more than sitting there, talking into their screens, being 100% authentically and genuinely themselves. They paused, they said “um,” they weren’t wearing loads of makeup or adding in a ton of visual effects. They were just sharing their souls and their passions and excitement with their viewers, and that’s what made them popular! And that’s the kind of thing I like to watch, anyway. So, because of that recent inspiration as well as a kick in the right direction from my blog manager Ali… I decided I was YouTube ready, and I posted this video.

Tell me your thoughts! I know I rambled a bit and I was strangely nervous for a few secs there, but I’ve already made video #2 for tomorrow’s recipe post and I am super stoked about it. Tell me what you want to see more of!!! I am super thrilled about this new way of connecting with you guys.

2. Writing My ♥ Heart ♥ Out

Ok, there will be a major blog post on this to come (on Monday– I’ve already written and scheduled it– check me out being ahead of the game!), but I needed to address it here because it’s way too on my mind not to. I have been going to town working on my book lately (which is a very necessary thing, considering that my deadline is in January), and I have been feeling so incredibly fulfilled and thrilled to wake up each morning and get to writing. Writing puts me in touch with a part of myself that isn’t fully awake until I’ve explored it on paper, and it makes me feel so ALIVE it’s ridiculous. I guess when I proclaimed at age five that I wanted to be a novelist when I grew up I was onto something very real, because there is certainly nothing I would rather do than express myself via writing… and I’m even luckier that I get to write on this blog and share my writing with all of you every day!

3. Skinny Me Tea, the best detox tea around!

Don’t be fooled by the name “Skinny Me,” because you know I am not into promoting any one body type on this blog, but think of the term “Skinny Me” as “Healthy Me,” “Detoxed Me,” or “Cleansed Me.” Basically, this stuff rocks. I have been living and breathing for it these past few weeks because with my ulcer there are only so many foods and liquids my stomach can deal with, and tea is one of them. I love, love the philosophy behind SMT because they believe that health is something that can and should be applied of all aspects of our lives. Once we find health in one area, we can actively and passionately chase it and create it in others.

SMT also has a nutritionist approved eating plan and trainer-approved exercise tips on their site to help guide you through your teatox. The eating plan is heavy in fruits, veggies and nourishing foods that I adore, so trust me when I say that it is also TBB-approved. If you like the way you feel when super hydrated and eating food from the earth– try this! Let’s get rid of those nasty toxins before Christmastime rolls around. Oh, and because we all like to Insta-stalk, you can find them on Instagram at @SMTofficial + @SkinnyMeteaResults. You can also find them on their website and on their YouTube!

4. TBV Apparel Hitting RETAIL!!!

Yeppers, Truth Balance Virtue Apparel is going to be sold in its first ever retail location. Come January, you will be able to pick up your favorite TBV Apparel tees from four different Corepower Yoga locations in Minnesota. No, I do not live in Minnesota, but Lee does, and she passed my info on to some of the store managers at the studio and voila– we’re making it happen! I am so thrilled to see TBV Apparel IN STORES and to have people be able to try it on and feel the material and see how awesome it is before purchasing. Very special day for Ty and I!

5. Home cooked meals, which also means recipe posts!

While I’ve been in recovery from my stomach ulcer, I have had to make sure to maintain a superbly bland diet. Unfortunately, this strict ish diet does not include eating out much at all. There is too much hidden oil, butter and who knows what else in a lot of restaurant food (as yummy as it may be), so I have been really getting down and dirty in my kitchen lately to prepare super plain foods for myself. And, just as I suspected, spending more time in the kitchen is making me appreciate the beauty of home cooked meals more and more. Cooking is somewhat of a therapeutic release for me, and I’ve really missed it. I haven’t made the time to cook as much as I would like to over the last several months… but re-learning to appreciate all of the delicious roasted veggies, organic baked chicken/salmon dishes and, of course, my favorite yogurt and granola parfaits and super simple vegan baked goods has been good for my tummy and good for my soul!

Because of that, there will be a recipe video coming your way tomorrow, and a few more upcoming recipe posts… Like tomorrow’s Vanilla Shake That Will Make Your Heart Go Boom Boom recipe:

6. So many adorable winter looks!

Can I buy it all? PS: So many of these brands are having sales right now for the holidays. If I were you (and me), I’d hop on it! I am especially obsessed with the ASOS hat, Free People skirt, Isaac Mizrahi shoes & Topshop dress.

7. Organization (Who, me?!)

Nothing feels better than being totally organized and on top of it. I am in the habit of using the “Notes” feature on my laptop and iPhone like there is no tomorrow, and I realized earlier this week, to my horror, that TONS of my notes were being deleted. I’m guessing the reason for that is low iCloud storage which is kind of the most annoying thing ever, but it did prompt me to move over to “Stickies” (which will never be deleted, since they’re not connected to WiFi!) and also to my good old fashioned handwritten day planner.

I also recently did a major cleaning sweep of my whole entire apartment, chucking old crap that I don’t need, organizing all of my products for blog reviews, etc. Here is a photo I snapped of my workspace once I was finished (and officially dripping in sweat):

8. Seeing the world through the eyes of a child

I have been getting to spend a ton of time with my 2 and a half year old niece Kealey lately, and seeing her musings and excitement about the world makes me so happy. There is something so completely inspiring about the way a child views the world… something I think we should all strive for as often as humanly possible. Shouldn’t all of our days be made by an M&M cookie, a balloon and a sticker from the grocery store, and a good cuddle with someone we love? Yeah, I think so!

What are YOU loving lately?! Have you ever tried a teatox? Thoughts on my YouTube channel? Eek, so much excitement over here!