spaghetti out of the oven

Spicy Cream Cheese Spaghetti Bake Recipe

spaghetti out of the ovenOver the past few years making a cream cheese spaghetti bake, I made a few changes and it has become a family favorite. I kind of made this up on my own and I am no trained chef or cook, but it seems to be a favorite, so here’s my recipe!

Check out this Spicy Cream Cheese Spaghetti Bake with Hot Sausage:

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 box spaghetti
  • 2 (24 ounce) jars prepared spaghetti sauce (the Kroger marinara sauce is our favorite or you could substitute a four cheese sauce or alternate marinara and alfredo – I jar of each)
  • 1 lb Jimmy Dean HOT Sausage
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (or garlic powder is fine)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese fat free cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
  2. In a skillet, brown the hot sausage until cooked through; drain fat and stir in half of the cream cheese spaghetti with red sauce in a glass panspaghetti sauce. Set aside.
  3. Cook spaghetti using directions on packet. Drain and place cooked spaghetti in bowl. Add cream cheese, cottage cheese, Italian Seasoning and minced garlic. Stir until cream cheese is melted and the spaghetti is thoroughly coated. I usually mix the spaghetti mixture and the sauce, but still save some sauce for the top.
  4. Lightly grease a 9×13″ pan. Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish. Put spaghetti on top of sauce and top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.
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black iron bed with white pottery barn bedding in a bedroom

Grand Lake Airbnb Bedding Links

black iron bed with white pottery barn bedding in a bedroomWe are absolutely loving our Grand Lake cabin for rent, and all the guests we’ve hosted so far.

Although the mountain cabin was pretty turnkey when we bought it, we definitely made some changes and upgrades, including our Pottery Barn bedding, which we have received rave reviews about.

Rent our Grand Lake cabin on airbnb.

Linked below is our entire list of bedding for guests who want to have this comfort at home and also for other airbnb hosts who want to spruce up the bedrooms a bit with extreme luxury.

Remember, we use our Grand Lake airbnb half the time for ourselves, so we want luxury and comfort, just like our guests.

Our Pottery Barn Bedding Exact Links

Wayfair Low Profile Black Metal Bed – This bed is on major sale and we have a king size bed in our Grand Lake airbnb. We actually have one of these beds in our Grand Lake cabin and one in our guest room in our home and love them. This Wayfair bed has 3330+ reviews and has an overall rating of 4.7, so it’s a great bed.

First we put on the sheets, obviously. Our Amazon sheets are so cheap with over 210,000 reviews, and are so good.

Then we put this Allied Home RDS Down Blanket, and we opted for Year Round Warmth because it’s a cabin in the mountains and can get chilly.

Then we have our Pottery Barn quilt, which is easy to wash and a must for the cabin. For the quilt, we Pottery Barn all white bedding, product photo on king size bed in a bedroomhave this Pottery Barn Pick-Stitch Handcrafted Cotton/Linen Quilt, which we have on all the beds we own and love it.

For the Pottery Barn bedding, we have the Essential Sateen Duvet Cover from Pottery Barn, and we used a king size down comforter from Costco, but you can get this down comforter from Target for a great price.

As far as making the bed, we layer them in the above order and then pull the Essential Sateen Duvet (with the down comforter inside) all the way down the bed and folder over (as shown in the photo).

For pillows, we use these Cool Touch Memory Foam Pillows on all of our beds and they are amazing. We get so many compliments on these pillows. But note, we keep these pillows in the closet as they don’t look as good on the bed, so we use king size fluffy pillows we got from Costco, which are these exact same White Goose Down Soft Pillows. We put four per bed and keep the Cool Touch pillows in the closet so guests can have a choice on their pillows.

For our Grand Lake airbnb, we don’t use throw pillows (the one you see on the bed was a quick, random find), but the pillows we use at home are these Pottery Barn pillow covers. For our King Size bed, we get 2 of these 24×24 Belgian Linen Covers, which are super easy to wipe off and keep clean (but don’t wash them). The trick I’ve learned for pillow covers is to get one size up for the insert, and we just got these Amazon down pillow inserts for the Grand Lake cabin, and they are great! You can also get Down Feather Inserts from Pottery Barn, but they are a bit more expensive and I would size up to the 30 size (trust me!).

Get a simple king-sized box spring. We love the Purple king-size mattresses and have quite a few.

For throw blankets, I have a few favorites that we use in our home, but we don’t keep these in our airbnb guest rooms. We also use these on both of our couches at home and these throw blankets look and feel amazing.

Faux Fur Channel Throw from Pottery Barn

Faux Fur Alpaca Throws from Pottery Barn

Dream Buttery Blanket (the softest of them all!)

Crate & Barrel Natural Throw Blanket

What questions do you have about our airbnb bedding or about our Grand Lake cabin for rent?

This post may contain affiliate links.

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10 Tips For Buying Online Furniture

Tips For Online Furniture Shopping

We recently bought a brand-new 5,550-square-feet house in Castle Rock (Denver suburbs) and started our furniture and decorating process from scratch.

Decorating any home is probably one of the most daunting and stressful things you can do. But here’s the thing – when we first moved in, I did everything wrong with my furniture and decor, so I’m here to share some important tips when buying furniture online and even some in-person options here in Denver.

Speaking of in-person shopping in Denver, I highly recommend checking out Havenly’s Denver-based interior designers! Getting professional input on our living room was a game-changer so be sure to check them out.

10 Tips For Buying Furniture Online:

  • As no-brainer as it sounds, READ the reviews and full item description first. I bought a white and gold desk from Wayfair, and when it arrived, it was rose gold, not a true gold. All my other furniture and light fixtures were true gold so it didn’t match at all. I went back to the description, and realized every single review said it was more of a rose gold. It was still pretty, but what a waste for me. Even the 4 and 5 stars said the gold didn’t match the photo. Had I spent an extra minute or two reading that, I wouldn’t have had to waste my time. Spoiler alert: we had some good friend spray paint it black and now it’s perfect!
  • Check other sites for better prices and other reviews. I’m new to online furniture shopping, but was pretty amazed how the same pieces were on many different websites. I started copy and pasting the name of a piece to see if it was in stock or cheaper elsewhere. I’d say I had 30% success here, so that’s a huge tip. This was super helpful with Overstock vs. Wayfair and vice versa.
  • Take photos and videos of your furniture and packaging when it arrives. Sadly, about half of my stuff came damaged to some degree. Having photos of the dinged up packaging helped me get a refund or new item sent much quicker. I have to say that Wayfair had amazing customer service and I bought so much from them.

    Guest Bedroom Goals – All Furniture Bought Online

  • Keep all boxes and packaging until you are positive you love it, and that it was put together correctly. Many places do offer FREE returns, but finding a box to fit a chandelier or the packaging to keep it from breaking is difficult and time consuming. I know how eager everyone is to throw out garbage and boxes when moving, but trust me on this, please wait!
  • Rugs are a nightmare. I have to say this was the worst part of furniture shopping online. For starters, I would NEVER recommend Rug Studio, which has the worst customer service imaginable. Rugs are big and bulky to begin with, so imagine trying to ship those back? I bought a rug from Rug Studio that was way more iridescent and metallic than the online photo showed (it was photoshopped and boosted exposure to make it look prettier, go figure). When it arrived, it was the WAY wrong color, so I obviously needed to return the $3k rug. Even though they offered free shipping, I had to figure out how to return it AND pay the return shipping, even though their item wasn’t at all as pictured. It literally cost me $300 to return this rug and my boyfriend and I both carrying it to UPS and get it wrapped up with product we had to buy from Home Depot. So my tip here is two fold: never shop at Rug Studio, and make absolutely sure the rug is the size, color, etc. that you want.
  • Look at shipping details and the return policy. There was so much awesome furniture I wanted at High Fashion Home, but the shipping to Colorado was expensive, not to mention blonde girl sitting on bed with two french bulldogstheir return policy was pretty bad (a restocking fee + I had to pay to ship stuff back, like a huge coffee table for instance). I didn’t end up ordering from there, which is probably a good thing because I ended up returning 60% of what I bought, so that would have cost me a fortune!
  • Measure and use tape! Another no-brainer, but we were ordering and buying so much so fast, I tried to eyeball stuff. I do not recommend this. I have always lived in apartments, so needless to say moving into this huge house in Denver, my furniture needed to be more “grand.” My original white and gold breakfast table was gorgeous (I miss it already!), but it was way too small for the space. Had I taken a little time to tape off and measure the size I would have seen it was too small. “Tape it off” as all the designers say. Put the tape on the floor and keep it there for a few days to make sure the coffee table isn’t too big or the dresser has plenty of room to walk around.
  • Beware of platform beds, which are super cute, but it’s a much different look. We bought this affordable and adorable guest room bed from Overstock, that said it could be used with or without a boxspring, which was great because we wanted to use our boxspring. The problem is, the boxspring covers the entire bed, so we couldn’t use it. The bed is still great, but had I paid attention to that, I could have gotten a taller upholstered bed and not had this issue. Look at customer pictures and again, measure it out. If your bed + boxspring are the same height as the bed, it will cover the headboard, which makes it pointless.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask – the retailer or friends. Go to social media for feedback on an item or if it will match a space. Some of your closest friends may have a good eye for this stuff and love it more than you do. Many retailers also have product specialists that can help you too. Even Wayfair has the ability to order fabric swatches, which aren’t just for the more high-end stores.
  • Take advantage of sales. We knew Pottery Barn was having a huge sale, so I was patient and waited a full month to order a massive order from them. It saved us thousands of dollars. If there isn’t a sale, don’t be afraid to ask for a coupon or a free shipping code. I tried that with three different retailers, and each one of them gave me anywhere from 5-20% off, just because I asked (it’s also helpful to be a new customer somewhere).
  • Asking questions also opens up more choices as there are online furniture retailers, like Cottage & Bungalow, that give you an option to personalize furniture. You can customize the size, finish, or other details as applicable, saving you the stress of getting the wrong color, returning the item, etc. Chat with C&B for more details.

Check out our Denver home tour video.

Seriously, take it from me and don’t do things the hard way when ordering online furniture.

Speaking of online shopping, click here to get my affiliate links, which I would greatly appreciate. Again, I don’t know who buys what from where, a small commission just shows up in a few weeks.

Shop our guest bedroom (pictured above):

Queen Size Upholstered Bed

Black Chandelier

Bedside Lamps

Cow Artwork (it’s from Amazon!)

Reading Chair

3-Drawer Nightstands

Pottery Barn Bedding + Pottery Barn Quilt

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The Best Rice Krispy Treat Recipes

Lately I have been on a huge rice krispy treat kick, so I’ve been testing out the best rice krispy treat recipes, and here’s what I’ve come up with:

Cake Batter Rice Krispy Treat Recipe: Also known as birthday cake rice krispy treats, this one is the sweetest and my husband’s favorite version of rice krispy treats and here’s the super simple recipe that only requires 5 ingredients:

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter

1 bag mini marshmallows

2/3 cup of yellow cake mix (you can also use white or funfetti cake mix here, your preference)

5 cups Rice Krispy Cereal (totally fine to use the generic version as I can’t taste a difference)

1/2 container of rainbow sprinkles

Instructions:

  1. Melt butter in large saucepan or pot on low-medium heat
  2. Once butter is completely melted, add half the marshmallows and let them completely melt, no lumps
  3. Stir in dry cake mix, remove from heat
  4. Add cereal and remaining marshmallows and about half of the sprinkles
  5. Pour into a 13×9 pan coated with cooking spray. Use wax or parchment paper to lightly press treats down and top with remaining sprinkles
  6. Let cool, the enjoy

S’mores Rice Krispy Treat Recipe: Another super simple and delicious rice krispy recipe, this one is probably my favorite!

Ingredients:

7 cups Rice Krispy Cereal

2 cups Graham Crackers (I put them in a ziplock bag and break apart – a mix of dust and broken pieces are best!)

4 tbsp butter

1 bag mini marshmallows

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 tsp sea salt or regular salt

Instructions:

  1. Grease 9×13 baking dish
  2. Melt butter completely then add 2/3 cup of marshmallows and melt completely with no lumps
  3. Mix cereal, graham crackers, salt and remaining marshmallows
  4. Pour melted mixture over dry mixture
  5. Once cooled down a little, add chocolate chips (or you can mix immediately for a more melted chocolate taste)
  6. Let cool and enjoy! You can also refrigerate this rice krispy treat recipe, which is a unique touch

Oreo Rice Krispy Treat Recipe: This was the OG rice krispy treat recipe for me and still one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

5 tbsp butter

1 bag mini marshmallows

1/2 tsp sea salt or regular salt

9 cups rice krispy cereal

2 cups of Oreo cookies broken up

(optional) 3/4 cup white chocolate or regular chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. Grease 9×13 pan, set aside
  2. In a large pot, melt the butter
  3. Once melted, add half the marshmallows
  4. Once everything is completely melted, add the melted mixture of the all the dry ingredients, and mix well
  5. I like to save some bigger oreo pieces to stick to the top of the rice krispy treats, so they look more oreo!

A few things about rice krispy treats. Use your favorite rice krispy treat recipe and just add the special ingredients listed above. It’s quite hard to go wrong with any of these rice krispy treat recipes, I promise.

If you like thicker rice krispy treats, use a 9×9 pan instead of a 13×9 pan.

Did you try these rice krispy treat recipes? Which one was your favorite?

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Fuschia Iron Dyson Hair Dryer in Holder

Dyson Hair Dryer Sale

Fuschia Iron Dyson Hair Dryer in Holder

Photo: Dyson.com

I used to think the Dyson hair dryer was way too expensive, but I learned that the Dyson hair dryer is well worth the investment. I’ve had my fuschia Dyson hair dryer for two years and it’s still going strong. I also found that if you do a little research, you may be able to find a Dyson hair dryer sale to help offset the hefty price tag. Lucky for you, I’ve found the top places to get a Dyson sale hair dryer.

PS: this is the best place for pretty much any Dyson on sale and the best Dyson deals online, including Dyson savings and coupons.

Dyson Hair Dryer Sale Best Websites:

Sephora has a huge sale on Dyson hair dryers right now. With code SAVINGS for beauty insiders, the Dyson hair dryer is on sale for $386 plus free shipping. And all the Dyson hair dryers are on sale right now with code SAVINGS, including the pink Dyson hair dryer.

Best Buy often has 20% off for one of the best Dyson hair dryer sales, but you do have to catch the Dyson on sale at the right time. Although I don’t use them, they often have a good selection of Dyson hair dryer attachments you can snag too.

QVC is a good spot to find a Dyson hair dryer sale, and they usually have all colors stocked and ready to ship. If you’re new to QVC, you can try their welcome code OFFER for $15 off, but I’m not positive it’s good for the Dyson hair dryer sale, but you will get free shipping at QVC. I would definitely check here often, especially for a Dyson Black Friday Sale, which is almost always a sure thing.

HSN usually has a Dyson hair dryer sale, but they sell out quickly, so if you see it on sale, grab it fast! They also have a welcome code HSN2022, which may be applicable to the Dyson hair dryer, but I am not positive.

Nordstrom is my go-to place for any pricey item just because they stand by their products so well, and the Dyson hair dryer is no different. I also think Nordstrom has one of the largest selections (and almost always in stock) of Dyson hair dryers, including this Nordstrom Exclusive Special Gift Edition Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, which comes with a ton of extras for not much more money. Nordstrom always has the color selection, including my favorite the Dyson hair dryer in fuchsia. So maybe the Dyson hair dryer isn’t on sale, but you get a ton of extras and perks by buying the Dyson hair dryer at Nordstrom.

Ulta also has the Dyson hair dryer, like this Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, but it rarely goes on sale, Black Dyson Hair Dryer with all Dyson attachmentsexcept occasionally for a Dyson Black Friday sale.

Amazon is a good spot to find Dyson hair dryer sale, with a lot of Dyson hair dryer refurbished options and Dyson bundle options. Of course, make sure the reviews are good and that you are buying from a reputable person when shopping Amazon for Dyson sale hair dryers.

Bed Bath & Beyond is another good place to shop for a Dyson hair dryer sale. While the Dyson hair dryer doesn’t go on sale that often, Bed Bath & Beyond usually runs great holiday discounts on it. And unfortunately, all of the Dyson hair dryers are excluded from the infamous Bed Bath & Beyond coupons, but you do get free shipping when you purchase online. I also think Bed Bath & Beyond has a pretty good return policy if you don’t love it.

Check out these major sales on Dyson products.

Dyson is also the obvious place to get your Dyson sale hair dryer, but they are also an extremely reputable place for a Dyson hair dryer refurbished, that comes with a guarantee. While Dyson doesn’t usually have a sale on their Supersonic hair dryers, they do offer a free gift with purchase and a ton of options in all colors for a Dyson hair dryer refurbished. They also offer free shipping.

They have 3000+ five star reviews, so you know the Dyson hair dryer is a beloved beauty item for most of us.

Bluemercury has the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer as well and they have a 10% off welcome coupon once you sign up for their emails.

navy blue and copper dyson hair dryer laid flat

Photo via Dyson.com

Get your Dyson hair dryer sale from Sephora, where you can use code FREESHIP for free shipping or get curbside pickup. I love the way Sephora stands by their products, so even if you don’t find the Dyson hair dryer on sale here, it’s a good place to grab it if you’re willing to pay full price and get a lot of points for this purchase.

eBay often has a huge sale on Dyson hair dryers, but most of them are used. I am a big fan of buying second hand from eBay, just make sure to read the full descriptions and the seller’s reviews, so you get a good and working Dyson hair dryer. I like how you can easily sort by the color of the Dyson hair dryer you want and more. If you’re on a budget, you may find a hidden gem on eBay. I have also noticed a lot of eBay users sell the Dyson hair dryer refurbished too, which is another option for getting it at a discount.

Is the Dyson hair dryer worth it?

According to Dyson’s website, “The Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer is engineered to protect hair from extreme heat damage, with fast drying and controlled styling to help increase smoothness by 75%, increase shine by up to 132%, and decrease frizz and flyaways by up to 61%.*”

And according to me, The Blonde Side, yes, it is worth it. I spend way less time drying my hair with the Dyson hair dryer and it seems to keep my hair pretty healthy.

Post may contain affiliate links and any purchase using my links is greatly appreciated.

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Fully Renovated Heartland Big Horn RV For Sale – Colorado

We are (sadly) selling this beautifully renovated and redesigned 2011 Heartland Big Horn 3070RL (35ft). We bought this last summer (2021) from the experts, Steve and Trina of RV Fixer Upper and just don’t have time to use it; we haven’t even been able to take it out all summer, so it’s time to sell it.

It sleeps 4 and has 3 slides, all fully functional. Queen bed with lush linens and throw pillows (all included) plus a couch with a pull out bed. Here is an Instagram Reel video of the RV for sale.

Trina originally dubbed this 5th wheel the Yellowstone, since it has a beautiful western theme to it, but once I bought it and she added some artwork, we sort of renamed it the Aspen. This is literally a tiny home on wheels and is beyond beautiful.

Included in the purchase: new generator (bought last year, used 3 times), new awning, all decor + linens (all new – used 2-3 times), wine fridge, 55-inch TV in a televator, fireplace, dishes, etc. This fifth wheel for sale is currently stored in Aurora, CO. 

Check out our FB Marketplace listing with more photos!

We are not accepting any financing for this RV, so please only inquire if you have the funds to wire. We might be able to deliver, pending where you live, and for an extra fee IF the RV is paid for in full.

I am asking $62,000 for this RV. If that is out of your price range or you aren’t interested, no worries. But this is for the price of a tiny home on wheels, not some old, dirty RV. It’s all structurally sound and beautiful. The price also includes all decor, which we paid extra for. I don’t have a design bone in my body, so yes, people charge/pay extra for this and Trina knocked it out of the park!

Serious inquiries only please – please email jaymelamm @yahoo.com for any questions or to make an

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blonde girl doing yoga

Fitness Lovers Gift Guide

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blonde girl doing yoga

Fitness Gift Guide

Nothing says you love someone like getting them a holiday gift that will help them on their fitness and wellness journey. I’ve put together a list of gifts that are perfect for the fitness fanatic in your life and tried to break it down by price points. Check it out and let me know if you have any other fitness giftable ideas this holiday season:

$50 and Under Fitness Gift Ideas:

  • Bala Bangles on Amazon: These are decorative, cute and pack a punch. These come in different colors and different weight sizes and are great for the female fitness lover in your life.
  • Goli Ashwagandha Vitamins: Not only are these on crazy sale (buy 5, get 5 free), these are the tastiest gummy vitamins I’ve ever had. I like the Ashwagandha vitamins for restore and relax, but they have all kinds of other ones to choose from. You can make a fun gift box with a variety of their gummy vitamins, use them as stocking stuffers, or get some for a friend and you too!
  • Bulletproof Gummy Vitamins: These are a new item at the keto-friendly coffee shop, and we absolutely love these vitamins. Jason’s favorite are the turmeric vitamins and these are great for active and fit-focused individuals.
  • Yeti Water Bottles: Staying hydrated at all times is the name of the game for fitness lovers. I personally have a few colors/sizes of Yeti bottles and firmly believe you can never have too many!
  • $21.99 Knee Ice Pack on Amazon: As someone with knee issues, this is the best ice pack I’ve had for recovery. It stays on easy and allows you to talk around (i.e. cook dinner after working out), while helping ice your joints.
  • $6 Exercise Dice on Amazon: Another cheap gift that a fitness fanatic would love (because I know I do!). These are great for a quick 10-minute workout at home, easy to travel with, and more.
  • Teleties: These are great hair accessories for any workout. Buy 2 or more packs and get free shipping. These make great stocking stuffers for the fitness lovers in your life! You can also sign up for their email for 15% off.
  • The Best Dry Shampoo For After Workouts: Yes y’all, dry shampoo is a must for almost any woman, especially one who works out a lot. This is great for days you don’t workout, but a necessity for days you do workout and they have various sizes to put in their stocking and keep
    blonde girl in workout clothes in home gym

    Holiday Fitness Gift Guide

    stored in their gym bag!

  • Bombas Socks: These are my favorite socks for working out, plus you can get 20% off if you’re a first-time buyer with code COMFORT20.

$100 – $200 Gift Ideas For The Fitness Lover:

  • YBell Neo: These are another great home gym accessory to help your workout game and are perfect to use for a ton of weight lifting exercises, including similar to Kettlebell swings. You can get one set (we got the Large, 18lb) or a full set, including a rack, and more.
  • P.volve Fitness Package: This is great for someone just starting to workout at home, as it haves everything you need. I have a few of these items, but would love the entire bundle. Try code TULIP for 10% off this fitness gift idea.
  • Studio Buds: Every workout needs a great pair of wireless ear buds, and these are noise cancelling, which are even better and also great for traveling (price: $130).
  • Theragun Mini: This is another game changer for recovery, which is just as important as your actual workout. The mini works great, but there are a ton of other options that go up to $599, but the Theragun mini is on Amazon for $199.
  • The Best Running/Workout Shoes: Just like new gym clothes are motivating, so are new
    Running HIIT Shoes in white

    Gift these running shoes for the holidays

    running shoes, and I love these On Cloud shoes. Getting them at Nordstrom is key because not only do they offer a price match guarantee, you can wear these and try them out and return them if you don’t like their fit. Most retail places will not allow you to return shoes once you wear them, so I always recommend getting running/HIIT shoes at Nordstrom for that exact reason (price: $149.99 and tons of colors to choose from).

$300-$500 Fitness Gift Ideas: 

  • Apple Watch: Having an Apple watch has really been a game changer for my fitness game. They  range from $399 and up, but I have the most basic one and it has all the functions you could want and need. I also recommend getting a fun Apple watch band on Amazon since you have more options at super reasonable prices.
  • Core Adjustable Dumbbells: These are amazing, especially if you are limited to how much space you have for workout gear.

Activewear Gift Ideas For Fitness Lovers:

  • A VIP Membership To Fabletics: This is the gift that keeps on giving! As someone who needs constant motivation to workout, I PROMISE new workout gear will give the extra push to workout and make an appearance, even if it’s only for your home-gym. Learn more about how the Fabletics VIP Membership works.
  • Lululemon On Sale: This is my best-kept secret to get brand-new lululemon at a discount, it’s their “We Made Too Much” tab, but the only note is this tab is FINAL SALE. Make sure you know the size before you get this gift someone because they do not take returns on this stuff.
  • Carbon38: This is probably my favorite website to order activewear from and as long as you order $100+, it’s free shipping and free and easy returns. They run sales pretty often too, but be careful because their site wide sales are usually final sales, which is hard when you are gifting activewear.
  • Athleta: Another great website and store to buy workout gear for men and women. I also love
    neutral colored spiral hair ties

    The best hair ties for working out

    that Athleta has a try-it-out policy and you can return workout clothes that don’t work for you AFTER you’ve worn them in the gym. This is practically unheard of. Do your leggings fall off when running? Well you can return them! Does the arm chafe you when lifting? Well you can return that too.

High- End Gifts For The Fitness Lover:

  • Peloton Bike – I just got one and so far am all about it. There are a lot of accessories you can also get as a gift for someone who already has the bike. If you do get this, be sure to ask about a Military/Veteran’s Discount, which saved us a few hundred dollars.

Denver Local Fitness Gift Ideas:

  • Gift cards for medical massages or chiropractic care at this Littleton chiropractor. Both Jason and I go to Ultimate Health Medical Clinic, and I highly recommend the medical massages here if you are local.
  • A gift card or membership to Shred415 in Castle Rock. This place feels like home, and if you know someone (or for yourself) who needs motivation and an amazing community, I highly recommend Shred415. Also, if you’re local and want to take a class together, your first class is free so let me know and I’ll try to join you! Note: this is a franchise so even if you’re not in the Denver area, I highly recommend this gym.

This post may contain affiliate links.

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blonde woman in home gym holding dumbbell

Core Home Fitness Review: Adjustable Dumbbells

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blonde woman in home gym holding dumbbell

Core Adjustable Dumbbells – Product Review

Part of my job (and my hobby if I’m being honest) is reviewing fitness and workout-related products and adding to our home gym. After COVID hit, having things like  dumbbells and kettlebells at the house and being able to livestream workouts was a game changer. It helped keep my workout routine going strong.

I wish I had these adjustable dumbbells back then, but better late than never. Jason and I both use these adjustable weights and not only do they look good in our home gym, they don’t take up a ton of space.

These adjustable dumbbells crunch 10 sets of weights into one compact set, ranging from 5 to 50 pounds, so plenty of weights for those heavy lifting days and also for those with HIIT training. Get the adjustable dumbbells on Amazon.

These adjustable dumbbells mimic the shape of a traditional dumbbell, and they also offer a rapid-speed adjustment mechanism for quick, smooth transitions during workouts as well as the compact, space- saving design for a home gym.

Core Adjustable Dumbbells And Traditional Dumbbells Price Comparison

The compact set is available for $379, and which is a heck of a good deal, because right now dumbbells are going for around $1.40/lb, which would be around $550, plus a weight rack to hold the dumbbells, which could range from $400 – $1200 and take up more space.

Core Adjustable Dumbbells Product Specs

  • Fully adjustable from 5 – 50 pounds in 5 pound increments
  • Space-saving design with compact footprint—14.5in (L) x 7.9in (W) x 7.5in (H)
  • Quick-turn twist handle design for rapid weight adjustments and dual-sided weight selection window
  • Innovative design replicates the look and feel of a traditional dumbbell, with a compact starting length of 9.3 inches long
  • Contoured, textured and soft-grip handle design for comfortable and secure grip control
  • Aluminum weight cradles for easy access and secure storage, fully compatible with the Core Home Fitness Dumbbell Stand (sold separately)
  • Dumbbell package ($379, retail price) includes two dumbbells, two cradles, and an exercise guide, plus complete peace-of-mind with a two-year part warranty.

More About Core Home Fitness

If you haven’t heard of Core Home Fitness, they are a national leader in dynamic home fitness solutions. The brand combines extraordinary design, durability, and versatility to offer an innovative selection of strength training, cardio, and functional fitness equipment, including its best-selling Core Adjustable Dumbbells. The brand was founded on the legacy of sister company, Core Health and Fitness, and its 30-year heritage as one of the largest producers and sellers of commercial gym equipment.

Shop best-selling adjustable dumbbells on Amazon.

*Products may have been gifted or are affiliate links, but all opinions and reviews are my own.

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blonde girl with budweiser brats and macaroni salad

Budweiser Brats And Homemade Macaroni Salad With Recipe

blonde girl with budweiser brats and macaroni saladSummertime is upon us and for me that means backyard BBQ, time on the grill, making refreshing dishes, and of course adding a nice cold adult beverage to go with it.
The below post (and macaroni salad recipe) was part of a sponsored social media campaign I did with Coleman Natural Budweiser. All opinions and content in this blog is my own, but since this was such a delicious pairing and macaroni salad recipe, I wanted to share on the blog too. So enjoy!
Name a more dynamic duo than beer + brats. I’ll wait.
Get the satisfying taste of both in one bite with Coleman Natural Budweiser Bratwurst infused with the Budweiser lager taste that makes for a brat that can be enjoyed all summer.
(And if inquiring minds want to know, the delicious Coleman Natural Budweiser BBQ Collection products do NOT contain alcohol, just the signature taste of Budweiser Lager Beer.)
Pair Coleman Natural Budweiser Bratwurst with the Easy Homemade Macaroni Salad recipe below (which takes less than 30 minutes) for a complete summer backyard meal.
Easy Summertime Macaroni Salad Recipe
SALAD
8 oz (250g) dry elbow/macaroni pasta (half a box or use a full box and double up the rest of the ingredients)
1 red bell pepper seeded & chopped, then added briefly to food processor to get smaller pieces/juices
1/2 medium red onion, chopped then food processor
9 baby carrots, chopped or shredded then food processor
2 dill pickles, chopped then food processor
3 celery stalks, chopped then food processor
(Finely chop all ingredients if no food processor)
DRESSING Macaroni Salad and Brats On A Table
1 cup mayo or miracle whip
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons Honey Mustard (or any Dijon Mustard)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped or parsley seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar or sugar substitute
2 minced garlic cloves (or garlic salt)
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and follow box directions.
Chop or use food processor for all SALAD ingredients, then add to large serving bowl.
Mix DRESSING ingredients together in small bowl.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse under cool water. Drain well and add to the rest of the SALAD ingredients in the large serving bowl.
Pour over DRESSING and mix well to evenly combine. Add more salt, pepper and vinegar if needed.
Set aside for at least 15 minutes to let the ingredients warm close to room temperature and settle into each other before serving.
Need a dessert to pair with this backyard BBQ meal? Try these easy air fryer Fried Oreos or these boozy brunch cocktail recipes.
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blonde girl in purple and pink tie dye bikini at a waterfall

Amazon Finds Top 5: June

blonde girl in purple and pink tie dye bikini at a waterfallDropping by quickly to show you my Top Amazon Finds this month. Shop the links below, and be sure to let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for checking out this month’s Amazon round-up.

Pink and Purple Tie Dye Bikini – I am loving this fun tie dye bikini, as seen here at the Browns Creek Waterfall Trail near Buena Vista. A few things to note: it comes in a ton of colors (like 20+), I am wearing a size small, and the bottom is a thong. Just know that, but I love it. Since it’s Amazon, you can buy this bikini with free shipping and free returns if it doesn’t fit or isn’t your style, so check it out.

One Protein Bars – S’mores Flavor – My friend Ashley posted about these and I am in love. I am pretty skeptical of anything claiming to be s’mores flavored as 99% of products don’t taste anything like s’mores, but these are dang close, and a great protein bar for after a hard Denver workout. These limited edition protein bars won’t last long, so if you’re interested, I’d recommend snagging them sooner rather than later.

Floral Romper – This romper is so cute, comes in a ton of colors and is only $36. I got the Blonde girl wearing orange romperburnt orange color, shown here, but I also loved the green. I ordered the green in a medium and it fit, but not as good as the small, so I returned it. The green is definitely my favorite color if they have your size, so check it out. It’s pretty short, but it’s great for summertime instead of my usual workout wear. The straps are ties, so it’s easy to adjust to fit you better, and the back has an easy zip up.

3 Barrel Curling Wand – This was an impulse buy for sure, but I’m loving it. Truth be told, I did not need another curling wand, but I wanted a more beachy wave look, and this definitely gives me that. This 3 barrel curling wand is only $29.99 and on Amazon Prime for easy and free shipping and returns. I have had to practice with this one a bit (after 3 times I felt comfortable with it) as it can give you a kinky-almost-crimped look, but if I use bigger chunks of hair, then run my fingers through it about 15 minutes after I curl it, that’s the look I love. Definitely a perfect summertime curling iron you need in your life.

blonde girl wearing trendy white bikiniWhite Amazon Bikini – This bikini is super fun and I bought it for our upcoming wedding (date and location still TBD), and I love the puffy sleeves on this white bikini. I would even wear the top with a pair of jean shorts, but I remove the padding in all my suits, especially this one as the padding is almost visible. The bottoms are cute and high-cut, but the top is my favorite. I am keeping it just for the top! This white Amazon bikini is less than $31, so it’s a great find. Be sure to share it with any brides who may need this for their honeymoon.

Don’t forget to check out my Amazon finds from last month.

This post may contain affiliate links, but everything shared here is my honest opinion and review of these Amazon items. 

Don’t forget to shop my other links while you’re at it.

 

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FREELANCE + SPORTS + TRAVEL + FITNESS
COPYRIGHT 2019, THE BLONDE SIDE
CREATED BY JAYME LAMM