Dying to book your dream vacation? It’s time to BOOK YOUR BUCKET LIST!

We are BEYOND excited to announce our May challenge: Book Your Bucket List!

This is by far our BIGGEST MONTH YET! If you want to catch up on our monthly challenges for 2019 you can see what we have done so far for January: The Get Ready Challenge, February: The Make Your Bed Challenge, March: Move for March Challenge, and April: The Love Where You Live Challenge.

Our challenge for April is “Book Your Bucket List” which means we booked the vacation of a lifetime… a 7-day guided tour of GREECE!!!

We are headed to the gorgeous beaches of Greece in 3 weeks and could not be more excited! This month we want to inspire any of you reading this to TAKE THE TRIP!

Our trip includes stops in Athens to see the Parthenon, in Santorini to see the beautiful Caldera cliffs, and Mykonos to soak up some sun on the beach.

We will be doing everything from learning how to make baklava in a cooking class to taking a yacht to a private island(!!) talk about dreams coming true!

Many of us put dreams of a lifetime on hold because there is always something holding us back, not enough money, vacation time, babysitters, etc.

Throughout the month of May we want you to BUILD your bucket list and then make it happen!

How to get gorgeous tulip photos without going to Holland!

Spring is in the air and that means it is time to get outside! Whether it is blossoms or tulips, Ashton Gardens at Thanksgiving Point is the place to go for Instagram-worthy photo spots. As part of the #LoveWhereYouLive challenge we knew we wanted to get out to the gardens to see the blooms first hand.

Before we get to our day at the gardens with a few insider tips mixed in I wanted to share a few fun facts about the gardens:

Our first experience at Ashton Gardens was the Aaron Carter concert in the amphitheater when we were 12! Talk about the best night ever, take me back to those bedazzled tank top and butterfly clip days!
You will get your steps in! The gardens are 55-acres and have so many different trails and walkways you will be there for hours.
The gardens are home to the largest man-made waterfall in the Western Hemisphere! It is the backdrop for all of the concerts in the amphitheater and seriously beautiful.

They now have everyone that attends the festival register for a specific time, this is honestly a life saver. Otherwise, there would be no parking and a ton of overcrowding.

If you are not feeling up to walking all 15 themed gardens, they have Segways and golf carts available to rent!

All of the tulips used at Thanksgiving Point are imported directly from Holland.

The Connect Pass from Visit Salt Lake gets you into Ashton Gardens and the Museum of Curiosity! Guys, that is some major bang for your buck! They are 2 of the 16 different locations that you get to access for 365 days.

If you are hesitant to get the pass, buy it with a friend, or possibly for grandma? Mother’s Day is coming up and it makes for an unexpected gift that will provide lots of memories down the road.

We have LOVED our Connect Passes so much this month!

How to get into Salt Lake’s top attractions for half price!

The Leonardo is a state-of-the-art museum located in the heart of Salt Lake City. Directly across from the beautiful City and County building and next door to the grand city library, it’s in a perfect location. We explored it for a day with our families and want to share 3 things you may not know about The Leonardo.

The museum is named after Leonardo Da Vinci. Which is why they created The Leonardo Studio – it’s a permanent exhibit at the museum that frequently rotates different art activities. Painting, drawing, coloring, folding, cutting, molding, even filming — it’s all here. All visitors, no matter their age, are invited to let go of their inhibitions and participate in something more than “arts and crafts.” The studio is designed to find the inner artist in anyone.
The Leonardo has hosted a number of big name exhibits, including Body Worlds, Mummies and now the first in the United States to host Green Hero by Jackie Chan. The famed actor came to open the exhibit himself. It features art installations built from old movie sets. While working, Jackie Chan realized the enormous waste created on the sets of his films and in an effort to make a positive change, he began commissioning artists to repurpose the materials into a series of incredible and imaginative sculptures.

They have all sorts of neat hands-on experiences, including the Tech Take Apart Counter, where they show you what’s inside various tech creations from past times. They even dismantled an old piano to see exactly how it works. This is included in your admission to the museum.

You can easily spend an entire day inside The Leonardo – building, imagining and being inspired by your surroundings. Luckily, it’s included in the Visit Salt Lake Connect Pass! If you don’t know about it yet, it gets you into 16 of the hottest attractions in Salt Lake County for under $100.

Here is a list of all included attractions:

The Leonardo

This is the Place

Utah Olympic Park

Museum of Natural Curiosity

Utah Museum of Fine Arts

Hogle Zoo

Tracy Aviary

Thanksgiving Point

Snowbird

Red Butte Garden

Clark Planetarium

Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum

Natural History Museum

Go to connectpass.visitsaltlake.com to get yours!

The best (and cheapest) workout tops we love!

When we lack the motivation to MOVE we know that it is usually nothing that a new workout top can’t fix! Below you will find a few of our favorite fitness finds from cute tanks to comfy jackets. Not only are these tank tops flattering, they are super affordable. Take a peek and you will find a few on our list that are right around the $10 mark! It’s not quite summertime yet so it is nice to have a cozy sweatshirt to throw on before you break a sweat. Check out the list below and let us know if you have any tried and true faves that need to be added to the list.

We have a workout leggings post coming at you later this month! You better believe we put the two most popular Amazon leggings up against each other and are sharing the results!

#MoveChallenge in March

It is time to announce the #MoveForMarch Challenge! We have loved doing monthly challenges in 2019. They motivate us to try something new for around 30ish days and see if it sticks! In January we did the #GetReadyChallenge where we got ready every day of the month – even Saturday! Why? Because studies show that you are more productive throughout the day if you just get ready or presentable. We found this to be quite true. Once you got getting ready out of the way you are ready to move onto bigger and better things throughout your day. In February we did the #MakeYourBedChallenge. There are books written about the daily practice of making your bed. We knew we wanted to incorporate this habit into our daily routine so we gave it a go. We loved the result of a clean and tidy bedroom! We also loved seeing so many of you tag us in your #MakeYourBedChallenge pictures!

For March we wanted to yet again do something that would be stimulating and motivating and we decided it was to MOVE our bodies! We both exercise regularly, but this month we plan to try new workouts, do new activities with our toddlers, and hopefully get active outside in the Spring weather.

So what classifies “move”? That is up to you. If you decide to do 100 squats in your kitchen while making dinner that is awesome! If you decide to take the stairs at work every day instead of the elevator that is great too!

We are looking forward to hearing everyone’s ideas and sharing them in the Twin Tested community.

Thank you for participating in our challenges so far this year. It is so fun to do something as a collective group and see great results!

You can expect to see some killer workout gear deals, our favorite fitness gurus, and some tips for finding motivation throughout the month of March.

Here we go!

Why You Should Make Your Bed

Now that the February #MakeYourBedChallenge is wrapping up we wanted to recap some favorite items that we found and why we are dedicated to this new habit!

Good sheets are everything! Cariloha has seriously been a game changer in our marriage. They are the perfect amount of soft yet incredibly breathable. We honestly refuse to use any other brands because Cariloha’s are made from bamboo and feel super soft against the skin. Freshly shaved legs and Cariloha sheets are a match made in bedroom heaven! When we are on vacation it is always surprising to see how rough hotel sheets can feel. We recommend that white color for the Cariloha sheets because it always looks crisp and fresh. If there is one thing you do for your room, this should be it!

Make a “pillow agreement” in your relationship to keep the peace. This means you decide together how many pillows you would both like to have on your bed. In a poll that we took during the challenge, we found the highest number of pillows on a bed is 17! Now that is impressive. Talk to your partner about how many pillows they are REALISTICALLY willing to put on the bed each day. You know we appreciate a good decorative pillow but 17 may be pushing it!

*picture via Domino Mag

Get the right comforter, duvet, or quilt for your bed. We have tried all three and had been hearing amazing things about the Cariloha duvet. Since we already love their sheets and trust their products we gave it a try and we have LOVED it! Just like the sheets the duvet is silky soft and made from bamboo. You’ll notice I keep using the word breathable but all of their products are which is a top priority for me because no one wants to be sweaty in bed. ewwww.

*picture via Domino Mag

It makes your room more romantic and cozy. We purposely scheduled this for the same month as Valentine’s Day… haha but really a bed looks much more tempting when it is made properly with fresh sheets.

pic via Minky Couture

Minky Couture Grande blankets are the pretty version of the weighted blanket. As longtime fans of Minky’s blankets, we both have them in every room of our house (even the nursery). They have a nice, thick, weight to them and are the absolute coziest blankets you will ever find. They are also machine washable which is vital when you live with a toddler! I highly recommend the Grande blanket for every master bedroom out there. It looks pretty as a decorative piece but feels even better! Speaking of Grande blankets go check out our Instagram post to be entered to win your very own!

Cute pajamas. At the ripe old age of 30, I decided to finally get a pair of matching pajamas. They are from Cariloha and as mentioned above, they are breathable. I’m the type that puts on my jammies at 7pm, so these are the greatest because even if someone stops by, I still look put together in these. You can find them here.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed the challenge this month, we can’t wait to share what we have in store for March!

A fun Valentine’s gift that we are positive you have never tried before

This Valentine’s Day we wanted to do something a little different and caring is sharing, right? Well, we found a last minute gift that might just make you the coolest spouse around. Strap on your seatbelts for this one… it’s massage oil!!

Now before you think we are going to get all weird, hold on. This set is actually pretty cool and unique because you drip the oil from a CANDLE! What?! We know it sounds dangerous and painful but it is really quite simple and easy to use.

So the way it works is, you light the candle and then drizzle the desired amount on your hands or your partners back. You might stop reading here and say NO WAY, I am not pouring hot oil onto MY HANDS. Which is totally understandable. That’s why we have a few takeaways for ya!

Anyways, here are the takeaways:

– Only use a small amount of the melted massage oil, a couple of drops go a long way.

– By ensuring that you only use a small amount you will not burn your hands to a crisp, so win/win.

– When the candle is burning it has a light and fresh scent that is not at all overpowering.

– All natural essential oils and ingredients are the only things in the candle. No weird chemicals or anything like that so you don’t have to worry if you have sensitive skin or are worried about what you are putting on your body.

– And the best part – no weird residue. The essential oils naturally melt into the skin so that it is super soft and moisturized afterward. Not sticky or covered in waxy residue.

Some different uses we have heard of being used for the candle:

* couples massage

* pregnant belly moisturizer (one girl claims it prevented her from getting stretch marks)

* foot rub

We found ours at a local market in SLC, UT (jenibeemarket if you are local!). But if you are not local and want to get one shipped by V-day this one on Amazon looks pretty much identical and this one can be primed if you are a procrastinator. If you are ordering the candle you might as well go ahead and get some petite sour gummy hearts to go with it! These are our very favorite, if you are local you can get them at Jolley’s Gift and Floral in Sugar House.

Happy Valentine’s Day one and all!

Announcing the February #MakeYourBedChallenge

(photo via Domino mag)

Here it is, the February Challenge, make your bed every single day of the month and see what happens! After the #getreadychallenge in January, we wanted something a little less time consuming haha. No, but really we have heard great things from dozens of different people, books, and talks about making your bed every day. We are inviting everyone to join us this month to create a new habit. Not sure about you, but it is something that is definitely not happening every day at our houses. One of our favorite books on this topic is, “Make Your Bed” by former Navy Seal William H. McRaven. In the book, he talks about the importance of that one small task each day. He said it was one of the first things learned in military training and its something that has stuck. Of course being a Navy Seal he was constantly traveling and a lot of his life was unknown – except the fact that he could make his bed every morning.

One of the most poignant parts of the book is his description of being in charge of Saddam Hussein while he was under U.S. control. He said one of the most striking things about Hussein was the fact that he never made his bed, his covers were always crumpled on the floor.

To make the challenge more fun we are taking an entire bedroom approach. That means that we are freshening up our linens. Finding that perfect balance of pillows (zero, if our husbands have any say in the matter). And, last but not least creating a hygge space where we feel calm, peaceful, and cozy!

We will also be looking at different bedroom ideas for art and wall coverings. We want to see what YOU guys like your bedrooms to look like. It is always fun to get fresh ideas and incorporate them into your home.

So here we go! The February #makeyourbedchallenge is officially underway! Join us by tagging @twintested and the #makeyourbedchallenge so that we can repost our favorites!

What we learned from getting ready every day for a month

Whew! Turns out there are 95 days in January, or at least it felt like it. This was a long month and a long challenge, but we are so proud of ourselves for finishing it. Thanks to all of you who joined in, you made it way more fun! It sounded like the most simple idea – just get ready every day. Turns out, sweats and leggings were super tempting many days. Waking up and seeing others take part in the challenge kept us going until the end!

Here are some snapshots of the past month…

We love the words of Katrina Lake, founder of StitchFix:

“Every day, every one of us sets the stage for our sentiment, our confidence, and our success by getting dressed. When you feel great, when you feel your best, it opens up a world of possibility. Feeling confident and self-assured are important inputs into good days, successful days, and happy days.”

Making the effort to actually get ready was definitely deliberate and purposeful.

We ended up learning a few things:

We were WAY more productive. This was the whole reason we decided to give it a try. Studies have proven (read more here) that you get more done when you get dressed and ready for the day. Well, it turns out they are right! You are ready for anything and you get stuff done.
We took fewer naps. It’s just harder to nap when you’re wearing jeans rather than sweats 🙂 But, truly getting ready for some reason I felt less tired when I was getting the same amount of (not much) sleep.
I felt more confident. Sounds dumb, but putting on an outfit I like, doing my hair and makeup and feeling put together made me feel better about myself. It was a reminder that taking pride in your appearance requires taking care of yourself.
I wore clothes I haven’t in years. Turns out I actually have plenty of clothes to wear, they were just hidden in the back of my closet collecting dust.
I cleaned out my closet! I also realized there are clothes in my closet I am just never wearing again, which meant I got rid of them. I narrowed it down to clothes I actually want to wear and either donated or posted the rest on Poshmark.
I got organized. Planning my outfit the night before made a huge difference. That way, I could think about it for a little while after the baby went to sleep rather than running around in the morning grabbing whatever I saw first.
Done is better than none. There were quite a few snow days and a couple sick days when I really didn’t want to get dressed. So I pulled on my coziest “get ready” clothes and called it a day.
Getting ready made me want to make plans more often. When you’re ready, you feel like you need somewhere to go, so I actually did that and it’s made this month so much more exciting.
Realized monthly goals make a lot of sense. They are easy to stick with because the endpoint seems so much closer. Which is why we decided to make a monthly goal for the rest of 2019. Stay tuned to see what our goal is for February!

Steal or Splurge: $50 vs. $10 Face Tanning Drops

If you go to your local Ulta store and look for face tanning drops, you will be hard pressed to find them. That’s because they are sold out! The Tan Luxe Illuminating Face Tanning Drops have become a huge hit and are now basically only available online. It’s because they actually work. Which is great, except for the $50 price tag. We found out that Ulta created their own version of the drops and decided it was time to compare the two.

What the tanning drops have in common:

Same oil in a dropper formula and bottle
You combine the drops with your moisturizer each night before bed
Easy to apply
No streaks or weird splotches, the color goes on very evenly
Does not cause breakouts

Tan Luxe Pros:

Very concentrated, you only need 1-2 drops
It lasts a very long time, even if you use it every single night
No foul smell
It works! You wake up with a face that has natural color and looks like you got a great spray tan

Ulta Tanning Drops Pros:

The price! $10!
No foul smell
Very subtle color, natural looking

We’ve been using both for several weeks and can honestly say they both work! So, some advice. If you are just dipping your toe into the world of self tanners, we suggest trying the Ulta brand. If you are picky about what you put on your face and have tried lots, we suggest Tan Luxe simply because it’s more concentrated and will give you a deeper color. We love other Tan Luxe products and regularly use them on our bodies for self tanning.

Here are links to all products mentioned above:

Tan Luxe Illuminating Tanning Drops $49

Ulta Illuminating Tanning Drops $10.99

Tan Luxe Body Tanning Mist $49

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