Archives for 2019

Give yourself a Money Boost

We are going to share a couple of simple financial tips that have saved us big this month! Hopefully, some of them will help you as well.

Take an inventory of your credit cards

How many cards do you have? According to Experian, there is no number of cards that are deemed “too many”, it really depends on each person. Some people stick with one credit card, some have five, I’ve found my perfect number is three.
Remember that closing credit card accounts can possibly negatively affect your credit score. Experian has more information on that here if you are thinking about doing it and would like more clarification.
Do you have the right credit cards? Certain credit cards give you cashback or rewards, but many of them come with a fee. Take a look at the cards you have and the fees you are paying and make sure the rewards are worth the cost.
If you’re looking for a new credit card with rewards, but no fee, Experian has a great article highlighting 7 cards exactly like that! You can find it here.

Is it time to buy a house or refinance?

With rates dropping, many industry insiders say now could be the right time. There are a few questions to ask yourself before making the decision.

If you are looking to buy, can you safely make the mortgage payment each month and still be left with savings?
If you are looking to refinance, look at the rate that you paid originally and make sure the difference is large enough to make it worth it
Since no one knows exactly when rates will go down or up, you do just have to go with your gut feeling on when to lock your rate in
Shop around for the best rate.

Make sure you have an Emergency Fund

Experts say you should definitely not be stuffing your cash under your mattress. Not only is susceptible to natural disaster or theft, you may even forget about it! The four places you SHOULD place your emergency fund are:

High Yield Savings Account
Money Market Account
Treasury Bills

Take stock of your HSA

Do you have a Health Savings Account? Now is a great time to check on the amount you have saved and see if you are able to increase what you’re currently contributing. You can take out the money and use it for any health-related expenses, so it’s great to have a stash of cash here. The amount in the account never expires, instead, it will just grow.

Going over these simple things has saved us both a ton of money this month! Take a couple of minutes to do a check-in with yourself and start reaping the results!

The one-week spending freeze

Today begins our one-week spending freeze as part of the #MoneyBoost challenge with Experian for September! Each week we will be focusing on attainable, financial goals that we can do together!

How does a spending freeze work?

First off, this spending freeze is only one week long. Why? I (Brooke) have done month-long spending freezes before and it can be a little daunting. Because we want everyone to join us on this we thought a week would be a good length for a lot of people’s first time trying a spending freeze.

What are the rules of the spending freeze?

The rules of the spending freeze are simple. You must not spend money on anything but the necessities of food, water, and gas for your car. That means no perusing the home decor section at Target or getting late-night cookies delivered.

Are there any exceptions to the rules?

Of course! Use your best judgment. If your mom’s birthday is this week then I would encourage you to get her a thoughtful gift (maybe partly homemade if you can!) Parker and I will be traveling to Las Vegas the last day of the spending freeze and I have already arranged discount tickets to a show and he got a gift card for a special dinner out so that we can stick with our spending freeze until the very end!

Remember that it is not forever

The point of a spending freeze is to see where your money is going. It is interesting to take a step back for a week and see the impulse buys that you have to skip. For me it is going out to lunch, holiday decor, buying clothes for Lila (they are just so cute!), and the entire Trader Joe’s treat section ha.

The end goal

Remember the end goal while doing the spending freeze. Our September challenge is to become financially fit. That means long-term consequences for our bank accounts that we will LOVE! Download the Experian Boost app if you haven’t yet and get working with the free tools that they offer. It is definitely a game-changer!

The best part about having a 2-year-old

Lila and Hazel wearing matching rainbow dresses at their 2-year-old birthday party.

*There are affiliate links in this blog post. They do not affect the price that you pay for anything we have linked to. We work hard to find you the best products that we love!

Lila and Hazel are turning 2-years-old!

2-year-old rainbow birthday party for Lila and Hazel

How time flies, it is crazy to think that Lila and Hazel are both 2! We did a recap of our feelings when they turned one here (their squishy little cheeks make me want to cry they were so cute!) and wanted to take a minute today to share the best parts about having a toddler.

Rainbow balloons for 2-year-old birthday party for Lila and Hazel.

A lot of people have been asking for the link, so click HERE to buy the rainbow dresses they wore for their rainbow party! They were a hit, only cost $10, and Lila will probably be wearing hers every day from here on out because I love it so much! If you are looking for an easy and cute birthday party theme we suggest RAINBOW!

The double rainbow cakes were made by The Chocolate and we loved how they turned out! They tasted even better than they looked!

Sometimes toddlers get a bad rap

Lila and Hazel both definitely have their moments BUT the fun and happy times far outweigh the hard times. Britt and I are both going to share what is making our hearts happy today.

Lila and Hazel eating their double rainbow cake

Hazel sneaking some frosting from her birthday cake.

Lila as a 2-year-old is chatty, social, and Disney music-obsessed!

When Lila was born she was immediately a happy and smiley baby. I quickly learned that she loved being social and listening to music. Now that she is 2-years-old I have seen those interests blossom even more.

Lila's favorite things at 2-years-old

These toys and books have been Lila's favorite since she was tiny. You get your bang for your buck because they keep their interest for so long!

The Wonderful Things You Will Be

This book will make you weep when you are pregnant. The illustrations are gorgeous, the message is heartfelt, and Lila holds this one very close to her heart. It is her bedtime book of choice. The Wonderful Things You Will Be

Building Cups

Building cups or nesting cups are so great to keep your toddler busy and learning! Lila LOVES building towers and you can fill them with different items for different activities. This summer she has loved getting them filled with ice and water. Nesting Cups

Melissa and Doug wooden puzzles

Melissa and Doug products are well made and really teach kids skills while having fun. Lila has loved her puzzles and is now learning how to properly put them together. If you want to be inspired, go and listen to the How I Built This podcast episode with Melissa & Doug! 3 Fun Puzzles

My favorite phrases that my 2-year-old is saying

Lila is quite chatty and can pretty well express exactly how she is feeling at any given moment. Some of my favorite things she says are: “Seize the moment!” (too much Coco viewing), “Can I drive the car?” (very serious as she is staring at me from her car seat), “Lila see Cinderella at Disneyland!” (one of her favorite memories), “That is SO cool”, “Maybe later, okay?” (I hear my voice as she says this one, haha)

Hazel at 2-years-old is loving, active, and fun

Hazel at 2-years-old is a lover, climber, and galloper! She tells all of her family and friends “I love you ___!”, whenever she sees them followed by a kiss. She loves to climb on everything – playgrounds have been really fun for her this summer. And she recently started galloping, instead of running. Whenever she gets really excited she starts galloping away and it is just about the cutest thing ever.

My favorite phrases Hazel is saying

The things she says on a daily basis are hilarious! Lately, it is “Listen to Shawn Mendes” or “Dance Taylor Swift”, she would probably rank as their youngest fan. She also says “Thank you” while staring you straight in the eyes and doing something she is not supposed to haha. “Go to Costco” is another favorite phrase and activity for her. And she will always tell you if there is a “helicopler” in the sky.

Hazel's Favorite Things at 2-years-old

Hazel loves interactive toys and games! Here are a few of her favorite things that have actually kept her attention!

Baby ball pit and tunnel

Hazel got this ball pit and tunnel for her 1st birthday and still loves playing in it today. It is great for playdates and works for a lot of ages. Get it here.

Pop book

This book is hands down her favorite! It is interactive and she loves trying to find all the noisy polka dots in the book. Highly recommend.

Water pen and coloring book

Save your walls and buy one of these books!! The water pen has been a game-changer and it can be reused hundreds of times. Melissa & Doug hit it out of the park with this product. We always give these as birthday presents.

We are soaking up every minute of fun during this stage of the girls’ lives. It is pretty great to be their favorite person and to have free hugs and kisses given to you daily. We would love to hear what is making your toddlers happy right now!

September: The Money Boost Challenge

We are so excited to announce our new monthly challenge! All year long, we have been brainstorming how we can do a financially focused month, but still, have a good time. We have finally figured it out!

We are partnering with Experian to share real, actual steps to get a Money Boost! They are a company that is widely respected for using data to help consumers make better financial decisions. They have created free tools to help consumers educate themselves and earn more money.

So, throughout the month, we will be sharing what we have learned.

We know many of you are in a similar stage of life as we are – buying your first home, purchasing cars, and having children. This means that along with all of these huge life changes, you have huge financial responsibility.

First up, we both signed up for Experian Boost™. Experian Boost is a free, groundbreaking online platform that allows consumers to instantly influence their credit scores. It’s FREE!

Using the new platform, consumers can grant permission for Experian Boost to connect to their online bank accounts to identify and access utility and phone payments. After a consumer verifies the data and confirms they want it added to their Experian credit file, an updated FICO ® Score is delivered in real-time. That means that in some cases you can change your FICO Score almost instantly!

How to get a discount on Lifelong Learning Classes

brooke and britt standing with governor's declaration

Ending the August challenge on a high note!

Summer has flown by and we cannot believe it is already time to be wrapping up the August challenge of #LifelongLearning with the University of Utah! This month the world of education has been cracked open to us by diving into what Lifelong Learning at the U really is and what programs and classes are available to the public.

Discount code for Lifelong Learning classes

We wanted to end the challenge with a bang and offer a discount code! I have never heard of the University of Utah offering a discount so this is a BIG DEAL! Enter the promo code TWINTESTED to get $10 off any class of your choice! Go here to check out classes.

We have been inspired

Instructors who take time to personally teach and assist you in learning
There is no pressure! No grades!
So many students discovering new talents, interests and hobbies
There is something for everyone – from gardening to handmade facials
You can take a one day class for 2 hours or a 3-month class twice a week
You can be a beginner
There is no judgment
There is such a positive atmosphere because everyone is truly there to learn
New classes start weekly, so whatever your schedule, you can find something that works

Try Something New

When I’m 85, I don’t want to regret staying in my comfort zone. I want to know for a fact that I have stretched myself and learned as much as I could.

“LEARNING IS NOT ATTAINED BY CHANCE, IT MUST BE SOUGHT FOR WITH ARDOR AND ATTENDED TO WITH DILIGENCE.” ―ABIGAIL ADAMS

If you would like to look at the catalog of classes, go here.

Change Your Life and Learn Something New at the U

Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a declaration for Lifelong Learning Week August 12-16!

Jumpstart Your Career with Professional Education Classes

We were so excited to be part of the ribbon-cutting for the new and expanded University of Utah Sandy Center. Offering everything from Communicating with People and Teams to Beginner’s Guide to Excel courses, there really is something for everyone.

The Sandy City mayor shared his excitement about the opening.

They Offer the Flexibility You Need

Perhaps the greatest strength of the expanded University of Utah Sandy Center is the flexibility they offer. Knowing that most of their students are working while taking classes, they offer many in the evenings and on weekends. Don’t have the option of going then? How about taking entire coursework (semester) of classes in one week?! They offer that too! No matter your current life situation, they will work with you to make continuing your education possible.

Earn the Certificate You’ve Always Wanted

Not only do they offer a wide variety of courses, but in many of the courses, you will actually earn a certificate. Here are a few examples:

Professional Management Certificate
Financial Management Certificate
Professional Coaching Certificate
Medical Coding and Billing Certificate
Veterinary Assistant Certificate
Professional Coaching Certificate

Take a Class Just For Fun

The University of Utah Sandy Center offers tons of classes for personal enrichment as well. Some that stand out to us:

Digital Photography: An Introduction
Health Psychology
Outdoor Cooking and Camping
World Music

To learn more about the University of Utah Sandy Center and Professional Development, go here.

How to get access to hundreds of community classes for $50 a year

What is the Osher program?

Hundreds of classes taught by emeritus faculty with the opportunity to learn and engage with fellow members of your community sounds pretty great, right? Well, the OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute is part of the University of Utah’s Continuing Education and offers all of that and more. And guess what the best part is? All it takes is a signup form and $50!

Lifelong Learning has many different facets

During the month of August, our monthly challenge is #LifelongLearning in partnership with the University of Utah’s Continuing Education program. Studies have shown time and again how important it is to keep learning throughout our lives – whether you are 25 or 105!

If you are “50 or better”

The OSHER program at the University of Utah states, “The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Utah offers a rich and evolving array of courses, lectures, and special activities, taught by distinguished emeritus faculty, scholars, and community experts. Members from all walks of life bring a lifetime of experience to the classroom and our activities. If you’re age 50 or better, come and join us!”

Have you ever been referred to as age 50 or better? We think that is a pretty great way of looking at life!

We are signing our parents up for the Osher program!

It is obvious that we are not yet 50-years-old and cannot participate in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. However, our parents sure can! It was our goal this month to get them signed up as Osher members and to help them to find a class they would like to take.

Being an Osher member is fun and affordable

The Osher Institute makes learning incredibly affordable, fun, and easy. Professors at the Institute always mention how much they enjoy their time with their more seasoned students.

Here is a peek at some of the upcoming classes:

– History of Flight

– Mindfulness Retreat

– Masterpieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

– Intro to Kiln-formed Glass Stringer Plate

– La Caille Wine Tasting & Tour

– Final Cut Pro Basics

– Why You Love Country Music, Even If You Don’t

– Our Genes, Our Future, The Revolution

– Mind Over Matter

– Foraging Wild Foods for Healthy Eating

– Yoga For All Bodies

A few things that separate the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is its event schedule.

They host Lunch & Learn’s that are FREE to Osher members where they can bring a brown bag lunch and a friend and hear lectures on everything from Einstein’s theories to How to Improve Your Landscapes and Planting!

Special Events

Another feature of the Osher program at the University of Utah is the Special Events or in common terms, field trips! Sidenote: I remember when the Osher group from the U of U visited Fox13 and watched some of our show live in the studio. They had great questions and it was fun to meet the diverse group of people.

Special events coming up include a tour of the Salt Lake City cemetery (many notable Utahn’s have been buried there) and a visit out to Antelope Island State Park (great for bison watching and sunset views).

Four Osher Special Events are included in the basic $50 membership per term. Now that is a deal! To get registered or help your aunt, uncle, friend, neighbor, or parent get signed up go here. It would be a great birthday present or Christmas gift!

Free treadmill exercises that don’t involve running!

*There are affiliate links in this blog post. They do not affect the price that you pay for anything we have linked to. We work hard to find you the best deals.

Treadmill workouts videos that show you fun, new exercises to burn calories!

Exercises on the treadmill that don’t involve actual running!

You guys know that we love a good treadmill workout, and the best part about the exercises we are showing you is that they don’t involve RUNNING! Treadmills are so versatile that you can do so many different moves on them besides just running.

move fitness challenge — Never be bored on the treadmill again, here are some ideas to keep moving!

Straight running can get boring on the treadmill

Running day-in and day-out on a treadmill can become very monotonous and boring. With these treadmill workouts, you are using different muscles and activating your core strength in a new way!

Most of these moves are done with your treadmill OFF

We have found that treadmill workouts really get sweaty when you turn your treadmill OFF. How does that work? You have to use your own body weight and strength to get the treadmill belt moving. This involves a lot of core work and makes each move that much more intense.

If you prefer to have a list of exercises in front of you for your workout, here it is!

Exercises to do on the treadmill that don't include running

This is a list of exercises that you can do on the treadmill that do not include running. The majority of these exercises are done with your treadmill turned off. This way you will have to use your own body weight and strength to get the belt moving!

Start with Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers can be done in the plank position with both feet on the treadmill rails or on the ground behind the treadmill belt.

One leg hop

From mountain climbers, you are in the plank position and can easily transition into one-leg hops. Tuck your knee to your chest and try to keep legs low to the treadmill.

Caterpillar walk in and out

From one-leg hop, you can transition into a caterpillar walk by placing both feet back on the rails and moving hands in and out. Make sure to tuck your chin as you go down into a plank.

Crab walk

For this exercise flip over so that your behind is closest to the treadmill belt. Get into the crab walk position and push your feet back so the belt begins to move.

the best $25 pair of leggings to work out in

Our favorite pair of $25 leggings that feel just like Lululemon

When you are working out, a good pair of leggings is key to keep you comfortable and motivated! We have tested out countless pairs of leggings from Lululemon and have found that THIS pair from Amazon for $26 are actually better than all of the others!

best leggings to workout in — The best $25 leggings out there!

After ordering my 3rd pair, I am a true believer in these leggings. They are soft as butter, hold you tight in all the right places, and have side pockets that fit your phone perfectly! Get your first pair here.

Watch the video below for a full explanation about our favorite leggings. Britt is wearing the runner up’s, which are perfect for cold weather and $25. You can get those ones here.

August Challenge: Lifelong Learning

Never Stop Learning

Can you believe we have been doing monthly challenges now for 8 months?! Time flies when you set goals! We have loved doing the monthly challenges for 2019. We realized that New Year’s Resolutions are tough – trying to stick with something for 365 days can be overwhelming. So we decided to break up our goals into months and we are proud to say that we will continue to use this monthly challenge method for the rest of our lives!

We have partnered with the University of Utah’s Continuing Education Program

This month we are THRILLED to be partnering with Continuing Education at the University of Utah for our August #LifelongLearning challenge! So, what does that mean? It means it is time to get outside of your comfort zone and take a class or try something new!

pictures of Lifelong Learning classes you can take like cake decorating and painting

Hand lettering classes are part of Lifelong Learning at the University of Utah

Breanne McCallum teaches the hand lettering course at the University of Utah Lifelong Learning Building.

Beautiful watercolor by Cindy Briggs who teaches at the University of Utah’s Lifelong Learning

The classes are for all ages

Whether you are 25-years-old or 95-years-old there is seriously something for EVERYONE. The Fall catalog boasts more than 500 classes! Now that is a lot of options!

These are not run-of-the-mill options either. Here is a shortlist of the classes that I would like to try in my lifetime:

Quick Sketch Watercolors
Dance in Culture
Pointed Pen Calligraphy
Fused Recycled Glass for the Holidays
History of Hip Hop
Self Defense
Day Hikes Wasatch
Canoe Lake Powell
Sugar Cookie Decorating
Chocolate 101 – From Farm to Bar
Enhancing Happiness & Life Satisfaction
Designing with Fresh Flowers
The Meditation Experience

They have hundreds of subjects to choose from

Whatever your interests are, you are sure to find something that tickles your fancy in the fall catalog of classes. They range in length and time so that you can find something that fits your schedule.

Emily Ashby prepping to teach her Instagram business class

Emily Ashby teaches a class on Instagram marketing for businesses at the University of Utah’s Lifelong Learning program.

Cookies by Morgan Smith who is the instructor for the Sugar Cookie Decorating course through Lifelong Learning at the University of Utah.

Try Something New

Whether you are in the thick of motherhood, like us, and would love some tranquil time in the mountains painting a scenic canyon vista. Or maybe you are newly retired and want to develop some new hobbies and gain new friends along the way? The continuing education program at the University of Utah serves kids from age five to one hundred and five. Their team works with the local and global community to make the U a learning institution for life.

white cake with orange, yellow, and red frosting

Muyly Miller teaches the Cake Decorating Course for Lifelong Learning.

Lifelong Learning Week

Learning throughout our life is so important and has so many positive benefits. No matter your age, you are never too young, old, busy, or distracted to stop learning! Our very own Governor Gary Herbert has declared August 12th-16th Lifelong Learning Week in the state of Utah!

White cake with blue, green, and purple frosting

Muyly Miller teaches a variety of frosting and decorating techniques in her Cake Decorating Course.

What can you expect after signing up for a class?

So what should you expect when you sign up for a Lifelong Learning class?

Fun and engaging noncredit classes providing opportunities for busy adults to continue learning.
Over 150 classes Fall 2019 with 44 of them being new offerings.
Class offerings are in the evening or weekend so working adults can fit learning into a busy schedule.
Topics include art, craft, photography, business, healthy living, food and wine, home and garden, language,
recreation, writing, and more.
Small teacher to student ratio, class sizes range from 6 – 20 students.
New classes start every week with class offerings varying from one-night food and wine class to 6-week writing
and language classes.

Beautiful abstract painting by Samantha DaSilva

A beautiful work of art by Samantha DaSilva who teaches the Fearless Abstract Painting course.

Sign up now and learn with us!

To take advantage of the positive outcomes associated with lifelong learning! Go to lifelong.utah.edu/twintested and sign up for a class today! We will be sampling different classes throughout the month (lucky us!) and giving you a peek behind-the-scenes. The first one being watercolor painting this weekend! Follow our adventures on Instagram @TwinTested.

The Best FRESH FRUIT TART Recipe

The art of the fruit tart.

My mother-in-law introduced me to the beautiful and delicious world of fruit tarts. My family growing up loved everything chocolate, so we never really had them. I think they are so beautiful, it really is an art to create them.

There are a few things that a great fruit tart must have:

Flaky, delicious crust
A frosting that is not overly sweet, but also has great flavor
Seasonal fruit of all colors that is doused in just enough lemon juice to make it a tiny bit tart

Well, her recipe has it all!

I loved it so much and asked her to share.

Her recipe is adapted from Paula Deen’s recipe, but it is definitely much lighter than that version.

I hope you love it!

The Best Fruit Tart Recipe

Ingredients:

Crust:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cup gluten-free flour blend
3/4 stick of unsalted butter, softened and sliced

Filling:

1 pkg 1/3 fat cream cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

Fresh strawberries, kiwi slices, blueberries, raspberries
coat in lemon juice
garnish with mint leaves

Instructions:

For the crust: In a food processor, combine the confectioners’ sugar, flour, and butter, and process until the mixture forms a ball. With your fingers, press the dough into a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, taking care to push the crust into the indentations in the sides. Pat until the crust is even. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
For the filling, blend all ingredients together and top crust after it has cooled.
Mix all ingredients and then use your wildest imagination to arrange them beautifully on top.
Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

It is honestly the absolute perfect dessert for summer when there is so much fresh produce and fruit readily available. I think a definite add is fresh peaches or nectarines when they are in season because they add an unmistakable summer flavor.

I hope you enjoyed the recipe and I would love to hear your favorite summer treats!

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