Happy first day of fall! In typical southern fall fashion, the high in Charlotte is 88 degrees today but it looks like we’ll get a break and see those fall temperatures in about a week or so. The pups will be very happy about that!

It’s been a while since I wrote a Friday favorites post and I have a collection of them to share today so here goes!

Your Kindness

I can’t thank you enough for your incredibly kind, heartfelt and supportive comments on my Instagram share on Tuesday and my food freedom post on Wednesday. They absolutely made my week and were a wonderful reminder of how much I love this community and how connected we all are even though most of us don’t really “know” each other. Thank you.

This 15-Minute Bodyweight Workout

I taught a lot of strength this week! Four classes in a period of three days! I used this “warm up” (which was really a workout in itself…I’m sneaky like that) in all of my classes and everyone LOVED it! I almost always start my classes with bodyweight movements because I think it’s a great way to get the body warmed up safely before picking up weights. It is safe to say that this 15 minutes of non-stop movement had everyone warm, sweaty and with pounding hearts!

If you ever need a workout you can squeeze in anywhere and in under 15 minutes, try this! Or add it to the start of your next strength session or before a run!

This Book

Oh my gosh. I am in love with this book. I started it last Sunday on the beach and I’m to the final pages. It’s a beautiful but heartbreaking story that is based on real-life events. Here’s a short synopsis from Amazon.

“Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.”

Please add this one to your must-read list!

This Recipe

I made these herb-crusted cauliflower steaks for dinner this week and everything about this dish was perfect, interesting and delicious! Tanner wants to share the recipe/idea with our chef at Namastay as a possible vegan/vegetarian new menu item. Whatever you do, don’t skip the white bean, tomato, green bean side. It’s the icing on the cake!

This Cupcake

Speaking of icing…I treated myself to a pumpkin cupcake yesterday. It was my first official pumpkin baked good of the season! 🙂 The hardest thing was being patient enough to wait for it to come to room temperature to eat it. I got it from CupCrazed and they keep their cream cheese icing cup cakes in a refrigerated case. I hate cold cake but I almost always find myself choosing something out of that case (usually carrot cake!) and it’s SO worth it to wait for it to warm up and soften a bit.

Visiting Erin McDermott

I stopped by Erin McDermott’s studio yesterday for a LONG overdue catch up. I have never seen her studio so packed full of creative and beautiful pieces. Look out for a post next week where I’ll show you guys what I picked out + we have a HUGE giveaway and a discount code for you! 🙂

This Song

I have a slight obsession with songs in Spanish and reggaetón beats.

Also love this one!

Now if only I could improve my Spanish so I could understand the songs! Still wondering why I spent so many years trying to master French.

These blog posts…

Why I got my breast implants removed (my experience with explant surgery) and the subsequent Healing timeline and tips for recovery post. I applaud Gina for her honesty, transparency and vulnerability around opening up about her body.

The Essential Seven: Creating Habits that Lead to Happiness

On Showing Up and Letting Yourself Be Seen

We give what we can, when we can. This one is from Danielle LaPorte four years ago but popped up in my TimeHop on Wednesday and I re-read it to my class because I LOVE the message.

I could keep going but I have to get myself moving. I teach my Friday morning hot yoga lass in 25 minutes so time to get to the studio. I hope you guys have a happy Friday and a great weekend. Thank you for being here!

Any books or songs that you are loving? 

Do you like your cake cold or at room temp? 

Have you tried any good new recipes lately?