Hey Pals! In honor of National Tequila Day this week (Sunday, for those of you who don't have this glorious holiday marked on your calendars), we thought it would be apropos to share with you our mutual love for tequila, and rather than just rambling about our love affair with this spirit, we thought we would instead give you some of our favorite, fun margarita recipes to give a spin whenever you want to feel festive, because hey - it doesn't have to be a National Holiday for you to show your love for tequila right?!

We KNOW tequila can be a touchy subject for some; some people love to hate it, some hate to love it, and some just hate it, often because of a bad experience in the past which usually involves drinking a bit too much, maybe some table dancing, and always hugging the porcelain throne at the end of the night. BUT, we are 2 of the lucky ones who *knock on wood* have never had a bad run-in with her. She (tequila) is our liquid courage, our drink of choice, our social drink, our date night drink - you name the occasion, tequila is always right for us.

And one way we loooooove our tequila is - you guessed it - in a margarita! We know its nothing to brag about, but we are both margarita snobs, connoisseurs if you will. We love a good, fresh margarita. From traditional to adventurous and spicy, to classically blended - you've gotta try them all! (at least we do).

We have compiled here our 3 favorite recipes of margaritas to share with you people - share the love, you know? We have one traditional, one blended, and one adventurous, and we are here to share those recipes with our pals!

Traditional
Traditional Lime Margarita 

Cheers to Mal's cousin, Anna, for providing us with THE best margarita recipe on earth - no joke. We can always appreciate a fellow margarita aficionado!

Makes 1-2 margaritas

Ingredients:
2 shots tequila of choice
2 shots orange liqueur of choice
1 shot agave nectar
Juice of 4 limes
Salt, for rimming the glass

Instructions:
1. Add all ingredients except salt to a shaker.
2. Shake
3. With a lime, wet the rim of the glass and dip in the salt
4. Pour over ice and enjoy!




Blended
Coconut Lime Frozen Margarita

Makes 4 margaritas

Ingredients:
15oz cream of coconut (this is usually in your grocery store in the drink mixers section - took us a while to figure that one out)
3/4 cup tequila of choice
1/4 cup orange liqueur of choice
Juice of 4 limes
3 cups ice cubes
Salt and lime zest for rimming the glass

Instructions:
1. Add cream of coconut, tequila, orange liqueur, and ice to a blender; blend until smooth.
2. With a lime, wet the rim of the glass and dip in the salt mixture
3. Pour and enjoy!




Fun & Adventurous
Grapefruit Jalapeño Margarita

Makes 4 margaritas

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups tequila of choice
2 cups grapefruit juice
Juice of 6-8 limes
4 Tbsp agave nectar 
1-2 jalapeños, sliced and seeded
Granulated sugar and cracked pepper for rimming the glass

Instructions:
1. Add all ingredients, except sugar and pepper, to a pitcher and stir well.
2. Keep refrigerated for 30 minutes or more, depending an your desired level of kick (remove the jalapeño slices once it is at your preferred spice level)
3. With a lime, wet the rim of the glass and dip into the sugar mixture
4. Pour over ice and serve




We hope you enjoyed our round up of a few tasty tequila treats! Let us know what you guys are enjoying (tequila or not), we are always excited to try any new cocktails. Until next time folks, it's 5 o'clock somewhere.


xoxo, your festive pals

This trip. Y'all. What can I say to tell you just how absolutely, insanely, awe-inspiring and truly unforgettable this trip was. Can I even use any more adjectives in one sentence?! Truth be told, I had never been West of Dallas, Texas. So, the good ole West, was a sight for these sore eyes. I could go on and on, and I will (mwuahaha, you've been warned, no turning back now, cowboy!).

As you might know, Cody and I moved from wild and green New Hampshire to the golden coast of San Diego. And we decided that instead of making this long cross-country trip just about the move, we'd make it a once and a lifetime opportunity. And that's just what we did. We packed up our camping gear and loaded up the pups and made our way across the US, stopping to view as many of the must-sees on our list as we could squeeze into each day!

Kentucky was the first stop en route and while making our way south, it was terribly tempting to swerve a little south east and scoot right on down to North Carolina, home sweet home. Alas, we had a schedule! I will tell you, that despite West Virginia's recent flooding, she was beautiful, all the same. Full of giant lush forests, I was soaking it all in. And had John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads on repeat, just ask Cody for a good eye roll. ;) Any dang way, somehow I had never made my way into West Virginia (except for the 10-15 minutes that we drove through it going to and from Carolina). She's worth it, if you're wondering.

But Kentucky. Kentucky masters the balance of sophistication and rurality, with its illustrious equine homes and yet, these beautiful rustic homesteads, tucked away in the country. Side note but totally rad, if you find yourself in Kentucky, check out the Versailles Castle, it comes right of nowhere but looks like something straight from Europe. Very cool.

But back to this little adventure we were having. We spent the next couple of days with family, relaxing on a boat, drinks in hand, sometimes paddle boarding, sometimes jumping off of 45 foot cliffs, depending on our moods. And yes, you read that right and it was as scary and awesome and totally worth it. Don't you worry, this was documented too, you can see it in the video at the bottom of the post.

As adventurers do, we had more ground to cover, so we packed up the FunRunner (our 4Runners name, because why not?!) and grabbed the pups and were on our merry way. Of course, we didn’t get terribly far, before we saw a sign for Wickliffe Mounds (prehistoric Native American village of the Mississippian mound building culture) and the archaeologist in Cody and the Native American lover in me JUST HAD TO CHECK THESE OUT.

Over 700 year old mounds, with everything from the original burial and ceremonial sites, to bases for the homes. This site was like a pocket in time standing still, in its own way, it was very humbling, as was much of this trip. Reminding me of just how small we all really are and how we should act accordingly. And be good to one another. But I suppose that’s a sappy old tangent for another sappy old day. The main takeaway: history is kick ass and useful to know.

We cruised along the Midwest, through Kansas and Missouri, lots of plains, some pretty insane thunderstorms that you could see for miles. And lots and lots of corn. We also found some pretty sweet abandoned barns and a gas station, we felt like we were walking right into an episode of the X-files.

Alas, we were greeted by beautiful Colorado. And even better, a beautiful Colorado sunrise, that stretched right over the Rockies, not many things I have seen were that stunning.

Cody and I just kept saying how breathtaking this place was. Around every corner and turn, every place your eyes could see, every mountain top and valley, was remarkable. Absolutely, magnificent. If you haven’t put Colorado on your list, change that right now! Mal and Trav took a visit to Colorado earlier this year and if this post isn’t enough to convince you, check out her visit. Because just do it already, you’ll be better for it, promise.

And just as we were thinking, "can this trip get any more stellar?!", it found a way! Because Utah *le sigh*. Before I get all soft on Utah, I have to mention our short-lived but awesome side venture.

We decided while in Colorado, after getting advice from a local off-roader, to take the Kokopelli trail, which is about roughly 140 miles of rugged terrain, reaching from Grand Junction, Colorado to Moab, Utah. Which for us lucky ducks, was exactly where we were heading to do some (and I say only some because there are SO many) of the infamous off-roading trails. We were feeling bold and brazen, very Lewis and Clark and decided to take this under-marked trail to Moab. And while, we were having a complete blast, we were on time budget and only made about 30 miles of trail in 3 ½ hours and it seemed Kokopelli himself (trickster god in Native American culture) was sneaking in a storm or two to boot. In order to ensure we had enough time in Moab (which was a big place on our list) and to escape a potential flash flood in the desert, we navigated our way back to civilization and hit the road to Utah.

Commence harmonious angelic singing because sweet Jesus, is Utah not everything we dreamed of and more. Just. Look. At. This. Place.

Utah was like another planet. It was overwhelming in a way that sets your cells on fire. And getting to off-road trails like the Hell’s Revenge which give you killer views of the La Salle Mountains and the Colorado River, was more than amazing. Putting it into words, just doesn’t do it justice.

And most importantly, getting to experience this with my Husband, my dreamer and adventurer, was the best of all. Getting to make these memories and do this together, checking off a place on our bucket list that we had dreamed about, was by far the most rewarding. I can’t wait for more adventures with you Cody, big and small. All off it.

Before I get too sappy here, we have more story to tell, you probably need an intermission at this point, I don’t blame you. Grab some popcorn while you’re at it!

One of the coolest parts of the Hell’s Revenge Trail is the Devil’s Backbone, which is a narrow trail with a very steep drop off on both sides, below is picture from where we stopped on the trail and got out to get record of this feat! Hats off to Jeff, our off-road tour buddy, who took this picture and showed us some incredible views and an amazing time, can’t wait for our trip back to see you!

Driving across that was exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time but I have the best driver in the world, seriously Cody knows his stuff. I’ll brag for him because if there’s one thing that guy knows inside and out, it’s off-roading. But between the obstacles like the Devil’s Backbone and the Escalator, which is a very steep decline on Moab slickrock, my heart was racing the whole time. In all the right ways!

While we wished we could have spent several weeks in Utah, we had limited time but we have plans to come back for sure! Needless to say, we set path towards California. Stopping along the way in Arizona, to spend time with friends and of course, I obsessed way too much over all the cacti we passed but this girl loves her succulents! Gotta catch ‘em all, for real.

One of the last places we stopped, which was equally impressive was the Sonoran Desert, which we decided looks exactly like Tatoine. Fortunately, we are not far from this awesome place, so I’m sure there’ll be more on this to come.

As you might have guessed pals, we made it to golden California. Where the palm trees grow and the sun always shines and if you’ve made it this far, I commend you my friends. But truthfully, if you haven’t done a road trip in a while or ever, treat yourself. There’s no time like now. For me this trip was so much bigger than sight-seeing, it was about growing and learning in love with my husband, my best friend, my adventurer. And while the sights were really something, the location never really matters, just who you have beside you, the people you love. It always come back to that.

If you pals are interested, you can check out the video of our trip here (enjoy): 

xoxo, your sappy little adventurer

**Cue the music** - reunited and it feels so goooooood! Lo has finished her cross-country trip, and is back together with Mal on the blog! So we wanted to jump right back in and talk about one of our favorite things - our husbands! 

This is not a sponsored post, but we have teamed up with our friends over at nuts.com to give you some awesome tools to make healthy food choices for you and your man. 

As wives, we find ourselves giggling over the silly and wonderfully goofy men we married. But the truth is, what would we do without these guys? These men, who make our worlds totally rock and who find a way, no matter what's going on in life, to be supportive and encouraging and are truly the most genuine definition of what it takes to be a good husband - unparalleled in their ability to love, appreciative and understanding beyond measure, and unyielding in their support. A part of being immensely grateful for all that these guys do for us and our families is making sure to reciprocate that care both, emotionally, mentally, and physically. 

Being born-nurturers, this step practically comes second-nature for both of us. Making sure to set aside quality time is so significant, especially in such a fast-paced world, just to remind that person how much you genuinely enjoy being around them. We both also find that a good outdoors adventure is a darn near perfect recipe for fostering all kinds of cathartic happiness and bonding. And who doesn't love sappy hour bonding time?! And while planning activities is kind of like a seesaw act between each of us, it's good to take the reigns sometimes and plan a fun day out with and for your partner.

Taking care of our men extends far beyond adventure-planning and can be as simple as doing little things in their daily routine, that will make their lives happier, healthier and will actually benefit us both. Whether it's by creating healthy snacks on the go or setting aside time regularly to work out, it is something that we each feel is very important and as do our men. 

While Cody and Travis are great at maintaining an active lifestyle and consistent gym routine, we help support them by fueling their bodies, and ours too, with good foods and snacks such as these energy bites. These contain superfoods like flax and chia seeds, which are chock full of protein and complex carbs. By making treats like these, they help to give you longer lasting energy and keep you full and not reaching for foods that cancel out all of your hard work! And just about any body can appreciate that! For any of you pals interested, there will be more on on the blog later about our favorite healthy snack-alternatives, stay tuned! 

If there's one thing we know, it's that there are many little steps that we can take to help out our guys and show just how much we care. And it works both ways! We are both thankful for our spouses, who are a great balance of supportive and helpful, yet self-sufficient and proactive. There are so many great things you can do to help each other lead happy and healthy lives. Our pals over at nuts.com (no, this is not a prank - it really is a rad website, don't be afraid) sent us this awesome info-graphic with 5 easy tips that will help your guy (and anyone, truly) lead a healthier lifestyle! 

If you love to eat (and who doesn't), you should definitely give nuts.com a peak - they have so many options for food - and it will come straight to your door! They have - obviously, nuts - but also dried fruits, sweets, coffee and tea, and even gluten-free options! And they have an extensive healthy snack section! And what we really love about these guys is they roast their nuts and pop their corn the day it ships to you, so you know you're getting the freshest of the fresh!

As you can see, some of the things we mentioned such as exercising and eating well can make such a monumental difference, and with today's busy world, it's so great when you can help take care of each other by doing little things here and there. Showing you care can transcend bigger things like date night and can be as simple as making your guy or gal's favorite healthy-inspired meal or making an active effort of going to bed an hour earlier, to get in that much needed rest. Who knows, going to bed earlier may even lead to a early wake up call for a wholesome and nutritious breakfast! 

Taking care of yourself and each other can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be, but devoting that time will mean so much in the long run. And in today's world we feel it's a good practice and habit to be in in general - take care of each other you guys, the world needs more of that. We love y'all!

xoxo, your nutty pals

 

According to HealthyPlace.com, emotional abuse is "any act including confinement, isolation, verbal assault, humiliation, intimidation, or any other treatment which may diminish the sense of identity, dignity, and self-worth." It is one-in-the-same with psychological abuse, and is much more common than people realize. And although you might instantly assume that an emotionally abusive relationship has to be with a spouse, that is far from the case; these relationships can be with a spouse, a family member or group of family members, or even a friend. 

Of course, my personal demons in this post are not relating to my wonderful husband - actually quite the opposite. Travis has been a cornerstone for me to actually take steps to get rid of an emotionally abusive relationship I have been in for most of my life. 

Maybe you are right there with me, ready to rid yourself of toxicity, or you're thick in an abusive relationship and are just starting to do research, or maybe you haven't even been able to identify that what you're experience is real abuse. Either way, I wanted to share some of my knowledge I have acquired from my own personal research and experience. I have put together a list of 10 things I think are important to know if you're in an emotionally abusive relationship (or just to know if you have a curious mind). 

1. Know the signs

There are many, many signs to pay attention to, and even just a quick Google can give you a great starting point if you are trying to figure out how to "label" the relationship you're in as abusive. Some of those signs are:

Name calling / insulting / mocking

Threats and intimidation tactics

Isolation

Denial of abuse & playing victim themselves 

Guilt tripping

Humiliation

Dominant behaviors (like forbidding contact to your family)

Jealous behaviors 

Stonewalling - making you feel alone, isolated, and unimportant, and making you doubt your own sanity

It is very important to recognize these and understand that it is a reflection of the abuser, not you. They use these to control you and make you more dependent on them. 

Many times, abusers will take to using their charm and sometimes status to slander you to family, friends, anyone with an open ear. This can be extremely difficult especially if the people they slander you to are people you care about. I wish there was good advice I could give to this point, but unfortunately this part just sucks all around. What I remind myself is the people who truly know me know that what they say are lies and I can take some comfort in that. If you follow our blog, you know my love for quotes; one that I constantly mantra to myself is "what Susie says about Sally says more about Susie then it says about Sally." Just remember that even if you don't think people see it, many do. What your abuser says about you is more reflective of them than it is of you, and you just have to hold onto that hope that your loved ones being influenced by the abusers see it this way. 

2. You are not submissive, even if they try to make you think so. 

Abusers will do everything in their power to make you feel submissive to them. Remember, you have just as much value as a human on this earth as they do. You have value, you have worth, you have feelings, you have rights, and you do not deserve the abuse no matter how small they make you feel. 

3. Recognize the potential physical health risks. 

Aside from the obvious mental trauma an emotionally abusive relationship can bring, other serious health issues can arise from remaining in these relationships. 

Depression

Anxiety

Sleep disturbance

Suicidal ideation

Substance abuse

Stress-related conditions, such as onset of autoimmune disease or heart condition

Stockholm Syndrome in serious cases

PTSD

It is important to take the proper steps to distance yourself from toxicity before any of these become a threat to your personal health. As hard as it might be, you really need to look out for yourself first. Around the peak of my anxiety before I decided enough was enough, I started noticing serious heart palpitations that came after an emotional trigger from my abusers. That was a HUGE wake up call to me, seeing as this was right after my mom passed away and she had stress-related heart issues. It was at that time I really, truly realized that I had to look out for my own safety. Even though the abuse I was experiencing was not physical, it had a very serious physical effects on my body. 

4. You cannot change them. 

Trying to make your abuser understand you or your point of view is not your responsibility.  And if you are anything like me, you have likely tried many times with no result. The hardest part is understanding that it is not you who fails to communicate properly, it is them who fails to hear you. 

5. Don't fight back. 

Abusers are master manipulators. They can push all of your buttons in all of the right ways to provoke you into retaliation, and then quickly blame you for everything. Of course, I know this is much easier said than done, but just try to remember that it is a trap whether subconscious or not, and it may be you in the end that suffers the consequences. Always take the high road, which is usually the hard road. 

6. Don't be afraid to reach out for help. 

Surround yourself with people who truly love you. Whether it be family or friends or coworkers, being around people who know you, really know you, love you, support you, and better you can provide a perfect support foundation for you. Not only is it good to have positive people in your life who are willing to listen, but also it is paramount for you to understand that not everybody shares the opinion of your abuser, because sometimes that is very easily forgotten. 

Professional help is nothing to be ashamed of either. Unfortunately, there is a negative stigma that surrounds seeking professional help, but I am here to tell you to throw that stigma out the window. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in seeking help. These psychologists and psychiatrists are so equipped to give you tools you need to take the next step in the right direction, and having an unbiased ear who knows no parties in this relationship can really dissolve those walls you have built up and allow you to open up even more. And if you are ready for that, don't be overwhelmed with the task of finding the right person. Do some searches in your area, read reviews, email counselors to see if they are equipped to help you with your particular situation. Eventually, you will find the person that just fits. 

7. Know your limits and when you need to leave. 

Set boundaries for yourself: What are you not willing to put up with? What is crossing the line? It is important to have those boundaries so you can say when enough is enough. 

The death of my mom was my biggest turning point in discovering what I was willing to put up with. Rather than surrounding me with love and supporting me, my abusers cut me down and victimized themselves. At a time where I could not be any lower, they proved me wrong. They isolated me even more and they attempted to further slander me and even my mother. It was then that I realized I needed to channel my mom's strength and pump the brakes. How much of this abuse was I willing to put up with from people who are supposed to support me? I finally mustered up the strength to cut out the toxicity, and thanks to the support of my incredible husband and my network of family and friends, I did it. 

8. Take care of yourself. 

Don't allow yourself to cling to the relationship because of guilt or brainwashing that you would be wrong to leave. Don't stay in the relationship because you are scared to go. Remind yourself of all the pain and suffering that your abuser has made you endure and that the toxicity is bad for you. It may be hard to imagine your life without this relationship, and it may really shift the dynamic of your life at first, but remember that you deserve respect. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be loved. 

9. Remember you are not alone. 

Unfortunately, emotional abuse is more common than people realize. Like I said before, many don't think about the fact that an emotionally abusive relationship does not have to be a spouse/partner. You can be abused in so many ways by so many people. And I think if it is not a spouse, it may be harder for the victim to except what really is. But regardless of what stage you are in, you should always, always remember that you are not alone. There are so many people in this world who understand you, and that gives me comfort. 

One way I like to remind myself that I am not alone in this is through music. Music is so monumental to me anyways, but I am so touched by songs whose lyrics speak to me in this. It gives me an emotional release to feel my feelings in someone else's words, and it gives me the confidence I often forget I have in physically hearing someone else relate to me in such a real way. 

10. And finally, and most importantly, there are no rules to this. 

Do not let anyone tell you what is right for you. Only you can answer to that. There is no "right" way to handle the abuse, and there is no shame in following your own path to free yourself. If you make the decision to cut off all contact, that is okay. If you try to leave and fall back in, that is okay. If you take baby steps to free yourself, that is okay. Only you know what is right for you, and there is no shame in finding your own way as long as you're looking out for your own safety. Don't let anyone make you feel like your path is wrong, because they can't fix it for you. 

When you do decide to take that leap toward freedom, know that there will be a roller coaster of emotions you will experience, and that is all totally normal. You will feel free, you will feel confused, you will feel guilt, you will mourn the loss of the relationship, you will feel empowered, but eventually you will feel like yourself again, and that is worth the ride. You will find yourself self-worth again and that is so beautiful. And maybe you will even be inclined to reach out on some platform to try to help others, like I am doing today!

Stay strong, pals. You are beautiful. You are strong. You are important. I love you, truly. 

xoxo, Mallory

If you or someone you know is fighting these demons and needs immediate assistance, call the numbers below:

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) 

ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)