It’s March 1st!! Can you believe it? Spring is just around the corner and we are so excited for all of the new beginnings that spring brings. To help prepare, we wanted to embark on a 30 day challenge to help everyone flourish and nourish! This challenge will be made up of 30 daily prompts, focusing on your wellbeing, including mental, emotional, physical and spiritual elements!

Participating in a 30 day challenge is the perfect way to try new things, challenge yourself, and develop new habits! It keeps life feeling fun and fresh, connects you to a community (hiiii!!!) and gets you out of your comfort zone. Who knows after completing the 30 days, you might find a new passion, learn some self-love practices or simply remind yourself to take a breath every now and then!

We hope you follow along with us on this journey. Take photos and videos, share them and tag us on Instagram or Facebook! You can use our hashtag #sunkissedandgrateful so we can follow along! We can’t wait to see you nourish, flourish and bloom!

30 Days to Nourish and Flourish with Sunkissed and Grateful

Nourish and Flourish //Days 1-7

Day 1 // 100 squats – Build that Booty! This is an easy and fun way to kickstart the challenge! Take a few minutes out of your day and complete all 100 squats or break it up throughout the day. You can do them in your kitchen while cooking, in the shower or pretty much anywhere! Not only will you get those endorphins flowing but you will be strengthening your booty (quads, hamstrings, and core)! Just make sure to use proper form. Make sure your knees don’t go over your toes!

Day 2 // Practice Gratitude and List 10 Things You are Grateful for Today – It’s definitely not a secret that showing gratitude and counting your blessings is a proven way to increase happiness and reduce stress! The more you flex this gratitude muscle, the stronger it becomes and you will reap the benefits! Simply write down 10 things you are grateful for this prompt! And if you are interested in an amazing gratitude journal, we love this one!

Day 3 // Put on Your Favorite Face Mask – We actually just did a blog post about some of our favorite clean face masks to reveal glowing skin. (You can find it HERE). Not only will you show your skin some love, but you get to practice a little self-care too! It’s a win-win!

Day 4 // Screen Free Meals – I don’t know about you but I often find myself scrolling through social media while I eat, especially when I have a minute to myself. Not only does screen free meals provide a great opportunity to develop healthy eating habits, lowering mindless eating, but it also allows you time to build meaningful relationships with family and friends! So put that phone on silent, tuck it away and don’t get tempted to check it!

Day 5 // Give Yourself 3 Compliments – How hard will this be for some people? I remember when I first started incorporating this into my daily routine I felt so silly. It almost felt like bragging about myself, something I think a lot of people tend to steer away from because they want to appear more humble. But friend, this is so important for some self-love! Say it loud, say it proud. The more you pay yourself compliments, the more you will believe it and feel it! So if you are super funny, say it! If you have amazing legs, brag about it! Or if you have the kindest heart, be proud of who you are!

Day 6 // Listen to an Inspiring Podcast – Such an easy way to change your day! I’m currently loving the Live Beautifully Podcast by Katrina Scott, as well as Earn Your Happy and The Goal Digger Podcast by Jenna Kutcher.

Day 7// Pay it Forward to a Stranger – This is such a fun one! It can be super simple like buying a coffee for the person in line behind you or it could be buying flowers for a random person in a grocery store! I think sometimes we think too much about our own needs without considering how our behavior affects others. By paying it forward, we are positively affecting someone else’s day, which will most likely cause you to feel good as well. It’s an easy way to make a difference.

Nourish and Flourish // Days 8-14

Day 8 // Drink More Water – This is such a great and effective habit to adopt! Drinking water has so many benefits, including improving our skin complexion, flushing out toxins and increasing energy! Try and drink half your body weight in water and see how you feel at the end of the day!

Day 9 // Ground! Connect with Earth for at least 5 minutes – One of our favorite practices! We love grounding or earthing and the many benefits it provides! Since we live near the beach, we typically go every day, even if it’s only for 15 minutes so we can walk barefoot on the sand! Studies have found that grounding has been shown to reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, lower blood pressure and improve mood, as well as tons more! All you have to do is go barefoot, find some grass, dirt or sand, and simply absorb the earth’s energy!

Day 10 // Create a Pinterest Board of Things You Love – I don’t know about you but there is something so relaxing about pinning on Pinterest for me. I get inspired and motivated and just love to look at quotes I love and beautiful places. Make a board that inspires you, brings you happiness or simply gives you the feels!

Day 11 // Clean up Your Email Inbox – This is an easy way to feel more organized and in control of your life! I recently learned about Unroll.me, a free service that will instantly provide you with a list of all your subscription emails. You can then unsubscribe easily from whatever you don’t want!

Day 12 // Start Your Day With a Hot Lemon Water and 5 Deep Breaths – Get your glow on and your mind right with these two items! Drinking lemon water in the morning on an empty stomach is a simple thing you can add to your daily routine! With vitamin C, folate and other important vitamins, you get essential nutrients and kickstart your digestion. Don’t forget to take 5 deep breaths to set the tone for the day!

Day 13 // Buy/Pick Yourself Some Flowers– It doesn’t have to be a fancy bouquet, but do something kind for yourself! Buy or pick a pretty bouquet and show yourself some love! You are worth it!

Day 14 // Compliment A Stranger – Such an easy task, but one that brings so much joy! Have you ever received a compliment from a random stranger and just felt so good inside! When I was sixteen and really insecure about my nose, a random lady in the grocery store once told me to never get a nose job because my nose made me look exotic. It was such a kind thing for her to say and she didn’t know how much I would hold on to that! It honestly helped me grow more comfortable in my own skin and appreciate my own unique beauty!

Nourish and Flourish // Days 15-21

Day 15 // Go for a 20 minute walk – Regardless of what time it is, a 20 minute walk feels oh so good! It gets those endorphins flowing, exposes you to some sunlight (get that vitamin D baby!) and gives you time to decompress! It’s a great habit to add to your routine!

Day 16 // Create a Mood-Boosting Playlist – Music is therapy! I love the power of music and how just hearing a song can bring up a memory, change your mood or evoke an emotion! Put together some of your favorite jams and don’t forget to share them with us! We love discovering new music!

Day 17 // Try a 1-minute Plank– Planks are so good for the body! Not only does it work and strengthen the abs, but it also works the glutes, obliques, hips, back muscles and pretty much everything! It’s so beneficial to have a strong core and planks are a great way to get there! If you can’t hold it for a minute, try 30 seconds! Just challenge yourself!

Day 18 // Connect with a Family/Friend Today – Pick up your phone, shoot a text, Facetime or have a coffee date! Whatever you can do, do it! Just connect with a loved one and feel the amazing benefits that a good conversation can create! Just make sure you keep it uplifting or else you might feel drained! We don’t want any toxicity over here!

Day 19 // Take Pictures of Things Throughout Your Day that Make You Smile – Do you ever browse through your phone and see a picture and smile? We do! Usually, it’s pictures of our kids, but lately we have been taking pictures of flowers, sunsets, pretty quotes out and about and it’s felt so good! At the end of the week, I go through and save some of my favorites to a little album on my phone! It’s kind of like a digital mood board!

Day 20 // Watch the Sunset – Research shows that watching sunsets can increase your satisfaction in life, relieve stress and improve mood! I mean just looking at the majestic colors painted in the sky brings me peace! Drive to your favorite spot and watch your worries fade away!

Day 21 // Tell Your Spouse/ Significant Other 5 Things You Love About Them – Not only is this a great way to make someone feel good, it serves as a great reminder of your significant other’s amazing qualities, thus helping you appreciate them more! Plus, if your spouse has words of affirmation as their love language, you are speaking to their soul!

Nourish and Flourish // Days 22-30

Day 22 // Get Your Doodle, Color or Creativity On – Unleash your inner child and color! There is something so meditative and relaxing about this mindless activity! My husband and I have a few adult coloring books that we take out from time to time to release some stress and just zone out! It’s such an easy way to relax!

Day 23 // Complete Your Favorite Workout – We love moving our body and feeling good! It’s an easy way to improve your mood, feel strong and show your body some love! Melissa recently shared some of her favorite free home workouts so click HERE if you want to read about those! They are so good!

Day 24 // Donate 5 Items You No Longer Need – I love doing this when I feel overwhelmed! I like things to be minimal and clean, but sometimes with kids I feel like clutter piles up! To combat this, I try and go through our house regularly to identify things we no longer use or don’t need! I take it to our local donation center and I feel good knowing someone else can use it, while also restoring my minimal environment!

Day 25 // Try a New Recipe – I love to cook and try new food! It’s a fun opportunity to improve your cooking expertise, delight your taste buds and perfect your inner chef!

Day 26 // Get 15 minutes of Sun – Soak up that sun and get that Vitamin D! It’s an instant mood booster that will leave you feeling energized! Increase your immunity and your serotonin level! You will be left feeling energized, focused and warm ;)!

Day 27 // Write Down 3 Affirmations to Repeat Daily – We do this with our kids, as well as ourselves! It’s just a simple statement, said out loud (often repeated) with confidence and conviction to help you reprogram your brain! Find or create one that resonates with you!

Day 28 // Create a Bucket-List – I love a bucket list! I actually have quite a few different ones! One for Travel, one for different seasons, one for fun experiences! Create one and let it motivate you to work towards fulfilling your dreams!

Day 29 // Turn Your Phone off For One Hour – This may sound easy, but it’s actually a lot harder than it sounds! We have been so accustomed to always having our phone on us and using it as a way to browse, take in information, do research etc. that we don’t realize how often we stare at our screen! I didn’t realize how much I was on my phone until I set a daily limit! So do yourself a favor and turn it off for an hour! It’s so liberating!

Day 30 // Spend 10 minutes Learning a New Language – I downloaded the app Duolingo a few years ago and am obsessed! It’s a free app that allows you to learn so many different languages! The lessons are fun and interactive and you can win points and rewards, level up, and master a language effectively! I try and do this 10 minutes a day a few times a week! I go back and forth between Spanish, French and Italian! It’s fun, but keeps my brain challenged!

We hope you participate in our 30 days to Nourish and Flourish Challenge! If you do, please don’t forget to tag us in your daily challenges! We can’t wait to see how you feel after completing this fun challenge! It really is a great way to kickstart March!

Here’s a PDF version if you want to save it!

Thank you for following along and constantly supporting us! We appreciate you all so much!

xoxoxo,

Kari and Melissa

The post Nourish and Flourish: A 30 Day Challenge! appeared first on sunkissed & grateful.

20 Books to Celebrate Valentine’s Day//Book Descriptions and Links

1. Mirabel’s Missing Valentines by Janet Lawler // When I saw the illustrations in this book I knew it was coming home with me! I am such a sucker for cute illustrations! This book is a super sweet story about a timid mouse, Maribel, who loses her valentines cards causing her to panic! She ends up stepping outside her comfort zone and brightening the days of those who find them! It’s a super sweet book!
2. In My Heart by Jo Witek // This is such a great book to build emotional intelligence in kids! We love this book so much and my daughter has memorized so much of it! Each page has a different emotion, ranging from happy and brave to sad or silly. It helps children understand how they feel and what emotions they deal with! Plus the little cut-out heart is so cute!
3. Celebrating Kisses by Amy Gibson // Love the bold graphics in this book and the sweet message that a kiss (love) can travel anywhere! It takes you all around the United States and is just a sweet book to read to celebrate Valentine’s Day!
4. Wherever you Go by Pat Zietlow Miller // I actually received this book as a gift at my baby shower and the story is so cute. It’s a book about the possibilities and adventures that are out there in the world. But the message is that the road will always lead you home again, like a parent’s love! I can’t help but get teary-eyed thinking of when the girls grow up and embark on their own adventures!
5. Love by Matt de la Pena // I recommend this book for a slightly older child. I read it with my 3.5 year old and it was a great conversation starter for us to talk about some different topics. The book is about finding love all around you, no matter who you are and what you look like. It also talks about understanding that sometimes loved ones can do wrong and that sometimes it’s hard to see the love in the world. You are probably thinking that’s a little dark right? But I think it is important to show that love isn’t always flowers and perfection, but that it is real and we can still choose to love in different situations. It’s also a super diverse book showing different racial, ethnic, gender, religious, and socioeconomic diversity.
6. Llama Llama, I Love You by Anna Dewdney // This is the perfect book for little ones. It’s short, sweet and has the ever lovable character, Llama Llama! //
7. Bunny Roo, I Love You by Melissa Marr // Love this book! It’s about a mom who reassures her baby and young children that they will always love them and keep them safe! It’s a classic, heart-warming family favorite in our house!
8. Love, Mama by Jeanette Bradley // This is a great board book for little ones! It’s about a mama and her baby penguin and her endless love for her child! It stretches across the wide ocean, through day and night and even when she and her child are apart! It’s short and sweet!
9. Tiny T. Rex and the Perfect Valentine by Jonathan Stutzman // Another cute board book for kids ages 2-4! It follows Tiny T. Rex and his friend as they try to make the perfect valentines! It’s a great story to teach children about overcoming obstacles and perseverance! It also has the cutest artwork!
10. Love Can Come in Many Ways by Terry Pierce // This book is an interactive lift the flap book all about how different creatures all over the world snuggle, love and reaffirm their family bonds. My daughters love animals and lift the flap books so it’s a fun book to add to our collection!
11. The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond // Such a sweet story about a little girl who collects hearts that rained down from the sky and turns them into Valentines for her friends. It is short and sweet, but a great book to read and then do a craft after! Here’s a fun craft to do after reading this book!
12. I Am Enough by Grace Byers // I love this book for many reasons! Valentines is a great day for both romantic love and friendship love, but it’s also super important to practice self-love! This book helps youth with positive self image while teaching them how to embrace people who are different.
13. Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal // This book is short and sweet but my daughters love to point out things and shout out the words!
14. Sealed with a Kiss by Beth Ferry // My daughter spotted this book when we were at Target and asked to read it while in the cart! She loved the images so I decided to bring it home. It ended up being the cutest little story that made her laugh so much!
15. The Invisible String by Patrice Karst // Okay this book is a bit of a tearjerker! It’s about love, but it is also a great tool for helping kids understand numerous concepts including separation anxiety, loss, and grief. I read it with my daughter when she kept asking me if I would die one day and it was such a great tool to talk to her about our everlasting love! Basically, a mother tells her kids that they are connected by an invisible string and she answers with ” An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can’t see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love” Are you crying?
16. Happy Love Day, Daniel Tiger by Becky Friedman // Who doesn’t love Daniel Tiger? It sure is a favorite in our house! This is another super sweet book that is interactive with lift the flaps! Follow Daniel Tiger and his friends around the Neighborhood of Make Believe to see them shower each other with love!
17. This is Not a Valentine by Carter Higgins // Love this book! It’s a book for those who don’t love the mushiness of Valentine’s Day. It’s not about the glitter or heart shaped cards, but rather the little ways people show they care! Cuuuuute!!
18. The Love Letter by Anika Aldamuy Denise // Obsessed!! We love this book! Filled with the cutest illustrations and an adorable message, it follows three best friends, Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel who each find a letter and the chain of events that transpire after! It is a heartwarming story about friendship!
19. Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli // Great book to teach empathy to kids and also the importance of reaching out to people who might be lonely or overlooked. I love the transformation that takes place in lonely Mr. Hatch and the lesson that being a part of a community can make a difference!
20. Lola Dutch, I Love You So Much by Kenneth Wright // We love Lola Dutch books and this one does not disappoint! The ever lovable Lola Dutch knows that when it comes to showing friendship and appreciation, there’s no such thing as too much. She’s over the top in the best possible way!

Read Along With Us Using the Hashtag #readwithSG

We want to challenge you to follow along with us and complete this reading list challenge! Download the PDF below, (20 Books to Celebrate Valentine’s Day) share your progress and tag us in the hashtag, #readwithSG. You don’t have to purchase all of the books if you don’t want. Rent them from a library, share with a friend, or see if there is an audio version on Spotify! If you want to support a local bookstore and shop small, you can shop via Powell’s or a local family owned San Diego bookstore, Warwick’s.

You can download the PDF version here!!

We hope these books help celebrate Valentine’s Day with your family and bring you lots of warm fuzzies and magical memories!

Thank you for following along!

xoxoxox,

Kari

P.S. Just a disclaimer, if you click on the links above and purchase within 24 hours, we do make a small amount of commission! Just wanted to be totally transparent! xoxox

The post 20 Books to Celebrate Valentine’s Day: Celebrating Friendship, Love and Kindness appeared first on sunkissed & grateful.

It’s December! Anyone else already start a Christmas countdown? December is one of my favorite months and I want to pass on my love for this holiday season to my kids. With this year being a roller coaster, I’m fully embracing a daily dose of holiday cheer. You with me?? I love the idea of a Christmas countdown with advent activities for the family.

Advent Activities

I created this free PDF with various ways to build up the excitement for Christmas. Most of the advent activities can be done with none to little prep!! Perfect for busy parents, which is my style 100% haha. But I also wanted the activities to go deeper than just time fillers. So these advent activities also help develop your child’s motor skills, EQ, creativity, imagination, attending skills and so much more! Print out your favorite PDF and enjoy making beautiful memories with your family. Click the image below to download and print your own!

What to Expect

I want to share some examples of the advent activities so you know what to expect!! Of course, personalize it to your child’s interest and add your own personal spin. Also, please share what you create to inspire me!!

• Make a wreath—I saw this post on Instagram and knew I wanted to do it with my kids! A short nature walk collecting greenery, rubber bands/glue and and old box (aka empty BFCM shopping boxes) is all you need!
• Bake cookies and share them—This year I want to try to make gingerbread cookies and The Minimalist Baker has this recipe with great reviews.
• Go caroling—I used to go caroling when I was a kid and I think it will be fun/embarrassing to do it with my kids this year!
• Read holiday books–Check out Kari’s post that shares 20 holiday books for kids!

Merry and Bright

I hope that you can focus on the merry and bright in your life and enjoy this beautiful month with your family making the most special memories! Please don’t forget to share any of your advent activities with us. So grateful for you, beautiful friends! —Melissa

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