LIL Blogiversary Highlights (4 Years)

Hello strangers! I hope you are having a great week so far.

Scott and I arrived back home a few hours before I had to go to work yesterday, so it’s been a bit of a whirlwind getting back to reality and into a normal groove. As I sat down and thought about what to check in with this morning, I remembered that I still haven’t covered a very special time of the year that took place just a few weeks ago.

Life In Leggings had a birthday!

Well, technically, Housewife Glamour did, but it’s all relative. Longtime followers know exactly what I’m talking about. If you’re newer to the blog (welcome!) here’s a glimpse into what I’m talking about.

Every blogiversary, I like to take a look back at my favorite recipes, workouts, travel highlights, and posts from the year. Last year, however, was a very different and exciting one as I debuted a new blog: Life In Leggings!

It’s neat for me to search through the archives and relive a lot of these experiences, and I can only hope that you enjoy the flashbacks, too. Thank you so much for reading!

 

Favorite Recipes

A collection of my favorite dishes from the year, all pulled from the Recipes Page.

• Skinny Pizza Casserole

This lightened up skinny pizza pasta casserole is sure to please even the pickiest of family members.

 

• The Best (Vegan) Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are free of dairy and eggs, but are full of flavor! They’ve been a hit at parties and have become quite addicting… you’ve been warned.

 

• Healthy Chicken Fajitas

This recipe is both tasty and healthy. Marinating the chicken takes the majority of the prep time, but once that is done, it only takes about twenty minutes to whip together.

 

• Healthy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These cookies are a fantastic (and healthy) way to get your pumpkin spice fix. This recipe is free of butter, oil, eggs, and the unreasonable amount of sugar you are probably used to mixing into your cookies.

 

• Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I just shared this on the blog last week, but it’s already a recipe I know we will turn to for years to come. This healthy and flavorful tasting soup has plenty of noodles with a hint of spiciness.

 

Favorite Workouts

Here are a handful of my go-to workouts (found on the Circuit Workouts Page) featured this year.

• At-Home Bodyweight Burner

This do-anywhere workout gets your heart rate up with continuous movement and bouts of cardio.

 

• Summer Total Bodyweight Burner

This no-equipment total body workout that has a strong emphasis on core and booty exercises. You can complete this one in a small area at the gym, at home, outdoors, or even in a hotel room throughout your travels!

 

• 30 Minute At-Home HIIT Workout

Get a quick and effective fat-burning workout in on your lunch break or at home with this HIIT circuit! No equipment is required, and exercise demonstrations are included.

 

• Living Room Resistance Band Workout

This circuit is perfect for busy days when you don’t really have time or motivation for a trip to the gym, especially if it’s cold and snowy out. As the title suggests, you can do it anywhere from your gym to your living room at home.

 

• 20 Min. Upper Body Dumbbell Workout

You can easily complete this one in 20 minute or less, once you understand all of the exercises. Grab a light, medium, and heavy set of dumbbells, and give it a go!

 

Favorite Events & Trips

Here’s a look back at some of my favorite travel highlights and events throughout the year.

• Surprise trip for my 30th birthday! (New York City, New York)

(Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV)

• Went home to see Scott’s family (Missouri & Arkansas)

(Explored Downtown Springfield, revisited where Scott proposed in Downtown Historic Eureka Springs, Arkansas, spent the Day in Silver Dollar City theme park and Branson, and stopped into St. Louis, Missouri to tour the Anheuser-Busch Factory.)

 

• IDEA World Fitness Convention & BlogFest (Los Angeles, California)

(Day 1, Day 2, Day 3)

• Several trips to Chicago (we love this city!)

(Summer trip, Alex’s Bachelorette Party: Part I & Part II, celebrating Scott’s Birthday)

 

• Girls’ Weekend in Arizona (& Visiting the Grand Canyon)

(Scenes From Scottsdale, Scottsdale Eats, Visiting the Grand Canyon, Hiking in Pine)

 

Miscellaneous Posts

Below are a handful of my favorite posts to share with you in other categories.

• Smart & Easy Snacks To Pack For Work

Packing healthy alternatives and snacking smartly at work doesn’t have to be a huge to-do. There are plenty of easy-to-grab options out there that don’t require a ton of prep work, and here you will find a peek into some of my favorites. Snack on, my friends!

 

• Q&A: Tips To Surviving Your First Winter Season

I received a handful of emails regarding moving up north from a southern (warm) part of the country, so I thought sharing my answers on the blog might help others out there who are also getting ready for a big move.

 

• Bachelorette Party Games

Try these easy to order and DIY games and activities at your next bachelorette party!

 

• How To Cook Chicken Breasts On The Stovetop

We LOVE this method of cooking chicken breasts.

Get moist and tender chicken breasts every time with this no-fail recipe to cook chicken on the stovetop! You can prepare several to use for days at a time.

 

• To My Husband On Our Four Year Anniversary

This one is obviously a personal favorite of mine. Thank you, Scott, for supporting me through this blogging journey and for being my number one fan all of these years!

 

Your Favorite Posts

And, last but not least, here are your top five posts since Life In Leggings debuted!

• NBA/NFL Dancer Auditions: What To Wear

Outfits are always something women stress over, so I hope this gives you an idea of what to expect and how to prepare for a professional NBA or NFL dance/cheerleading team audition.

 

• When Life Hands You Lemons (You Blog About It)

It was hard for me to finally open up and share the not-so-great phase of life we are in right now… but I’m so glad I did. Thank you all for your ongoing love and support. It really does mean so much. <3

Also related and high-ranking this year…

A Letter To Friends Dealing With Pregnancy Envy

A Letter To My Expectant and New Mommy Friends

Coping (& Things I’ve Learned About Miscarriage)

 

• 10 Things That Will Hold You Back From Being Happy

Happiness isn’t just a choice, it’s your choice. If you are guilty of points mentioned in this post (and, believe me, I have been there too!), break them now before they become habits.

 

• 5K Training Plan For Beginners

After searching around online and piecing together what makes the most sense to me, I formulated a 9 week plan specifically for runners at the introductory level.

The only things you need* before starting this program is proper running shoes, a phone or fitness watch to track your time, and a GPS app like RunKeeper or MapMyRun to keep track of your distance.

*See my 10 Things You Need to Train For a Half Marathon post for more ideas!

 

• Why I Choose To Eat (Mostly) Gluten-Free

I don’t consider myself to be one hundred percent gluten-free, but I do have a sensitivity to it. This is why you see me feature a variety of gluten-free options in my meals and snacks. Over the last few years, I have mixed “regular” and gluten-free ingredients in my meals, but I always notice a difference for the better when I leave the gluten behind.

By no means to I avoid meals like pizzas or pastas, but if there is a gluten-free option available, I am going to pick it 9 times out of 10. Here’s why!

 

***

 

It blows my mind to think that I have been sharing our lives on this blogging platform for over four years. I wouldn’t be able to check in on a (mostly) day to day basis and do what I do without your readership, so I want you to know that I really appreciate every single one of you who reads this blog. Thank you so much!

I’ll see you back here tomorrow with some highlights from New York City.

Have a great rest of the day!