Back from a two Florida vacation and ready to get back to blogging. Usually I stress about what to write, if there's a theme, if it's too long, blah blah blah. Finally, I realized I just need to write! So here we go :) If there's anything you want to hear about, drop me a line, leave me a comment, and your wish is my command!
On to summer...
Here are some of my favorite things this summer that I must rave about.
1. Starbucks Iced Black Coffee- I actually LOVE this. I've gone off processed sugar and so bye bye caramel macciatos and hello black coffee. I first thought it was going to be terrible but t my surprise, I actually like it. Add a little stevia from Trader Joe's and I LOVE it. The cold brew is too metallic tasting for me but a Venti Iced Black coffee is quite satisfying.
2. Benefit's Goof Proof eyebrow pencil is AMAZING. If you want to have on point eyebrows but don't have a lot of time or skill, this is the product for you. I had a free sample from Ulta before it came out and now I am addicted! I don't do any other makeup 99% of the time besides my brows and this makes them look perfect in minimal time.
3. Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Sea Salt Spray- I have used this products for a few years and I need to rave about it every year. I literally just wash my hair and spray this in and my hair looks amazing. I spritz it on my hair wet or dry, depending on the morning. If you want a great smelling, great texture beachy feeling, this is the product for you!
4. Cucumbers and lemons- Basically I'm using lemon juice for almost all my meals! It adds such a flavor and it mixed perfect with garlic, which I use on everything. It has so many
great health benefits and it's delicious!! Also, cucumber is refreshing in water, as a salad, or an add on to any salad. It's crisp texture and taste make it a staple plus it's inexpensive.
What are you enjoying this summer? What should I be trying/using/doing that I may not be?
I have a confession and it's sinful.
Okay...well it's cinnamon and that's close to sinful right? Right. Just nod your head with me here and we'll continue.
I love pumpkin but it's become so overused. As much as I love Trader Joe's, their copious amounts of pumpkin flavored items are actually a turn off.As I waled through TJ's aisles recently, looking for wine and cheese and other delectable goodies, I thought to myself "Isn't it time for something new? Something that screams flannel tops and shearling lined boots and cuddling under a blanket watching the Santa Clause?" Yes folks, it IS time and I am making a stand. While I am not abandoning pumpkin flavored things, I am expanding into a whole new world. Much like Jasmine had to learn to fly on the magic carpet with Aladdin, we must venture into the world of cinnamon.
A tablespoon of cinnamon only has 19 calories yet somehow brings a wealth of joy to our taste buds. As I have the biggest sweet tooth ever and I am always looking for a healthier alternative to chocolate, cinnamon has seduced me. JoeyWaffles started me on this torrid love affair by having me try a Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latté. Trust me when I say, order one with soy AND whip cream for my favorite combination of sweet with a warm burst of spicy and sweet flavor. I like the soy because it adds a vanilla flavor but it tastes (almost as) delicious without.
Since discovering the sinful and indulgent taste of cinnamon, I have started adding it to my life daily. Whether it's a snack, dinner, or dessert, there isn't a meal that cinnamon isn't welcome. Here are some ways I've used it lately:
- Cinnamon hot chocolate.
- Apple cinnamon chicken
- Apple cinnamon goat cheese from Trader Joe's.
- Banana bread with chocolate chips and a heaping ton of cinnamon
- Vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon. Try it alone or with Cooper's Hawk chocolate cake, a dessert that is completely decadent, sinful, and worth the gym session.
- Banana sprinkled with cinnamon for a snack (you can add honey as well)
- A few drops of Young Living Cinnamon Bark oil in the diffuser for a great smelling house (curious about oils or want to sign up? click here for more info)
I actually made an amazing twice baked sweet potato the other night and cinnamon played a big part. I baked the sweet potato in foil at 450 degrees for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Then I took them out, cooled them off for a few minutes and scooped out the insides. Put them in a bowl and added the last of the Trader Joe's apple cinnamon goat cheese, apple butter, and a tablespoon of cinnamon. Mixed it all up and put back in the potatoes. Baked for another 15 minutes and voila, perfection! Add in my fake fireplace, a glass on Three Thieves wine from Caroline and it was a perfectly cozy night.
Do you love or hate cinnamon? What are your favorite ways to use it?
Since my birthday is next Saturday, what's more fun then a birthday wish list?
A new Camera/Camcorder for Vlogging: I think I want the Canon VIXIA Mini Compact Personal Camcorder. It has great reviews, a good price point, and should fit my needs. I would love to do more vlogging and think this will be a great tool for it. Honestly I just want to rant about shit and talk about my dogs and celebrity gossip and why people feel the need to sit in the stall RIGHT NEXT TO ME when there is room to space it out...how annoying!
Core Power Yoga Gift Card: Because Yoga really does make me happy and feel good. I love the Old Orchard location which is on my way to work and has great teachers. This will motivate me to go back and get my mental and physical health even better! Plus the older you get, the better stretching is for you and considering the way my back feels sometimes, this will only do good for me. That and flexibility. So really, if Joey gets me this, it's a win win for both of us (yes you can say ewwww out loud lol).
Express Gift Card: Because they have been killing it with their amazing clothes and everything I wear from there I get complimented on and feel really good in. I am drooling over their fall dresses and jeans. Which of course means I need new boots! But some of the dresses below definitely need to make their way into my closet.
Kettle Balls/Light Weights: I need to get more weights for the house, especially with winter coming up. Kettle balls are great for squats and other excercises, so one or two at home would be awesome. Otherwise some 5, 10, and maybe 15lb weights would be awesome for arms, back, and shoulders.
Scratch Lotto Tickets: Because there is almost nothing better than scratching lotto tickets. Blame it on my Grandma but it truly brings me joy. Winning is a bonus!
JoeyWaffles made dinner reservations for two of my favorite restaurants, Sabatino's and Cooper's Hawk and I'm hoping there will be Sushi Staion for lunch Saturday. Sunday we are celebrating my birthday along with my Grandma's and the whole family is going to lunch. It should be a fantastic weekend and I hopefully will spend Saturday night with some girlfriends (should probably text them!!) and a few bottles of wine and some cake!
What do you love about birthdays? Are there any fun tradition you celebrate?
A certain kind of cake you must have?
Back in March I came across these photos.
Heartbreaking. I was on the Animal Rescue Corp Facebook page and they were doing a puppy mill rescue of 81 dogs and 2 cats. I looked at the photos and this little girl's eyes captured my heart. Her scared expression, her soulful eyes, the sweetness that radiated through her, I fell in love. She reminded me so much of Bella and so I contacted ARC. They were placing the dogs in different rescues all over the state and didn't know where she would end up, so it seemed a bit hopeless. Anyway, I didn't really need another dog, I just wanted her.
A few weeks later I saw they posted this video showing 6 little dogs going on the grass and there she was! Named Barbara, she was a little sweet angel, so cute and wiggly and precious. Alive Rescue had tons of pictures (see above) and I couldn't imagine not having Barbara in our home. I immediately filled out an application and started wondering if I was crazy for wanting to add a third dog. After Alex nicknamed her Babs, I couldn't not have her. Once you name them...
A week or so later I received an email and then had a phone call with Sarah from Alive who was amazing. We talked and made plans for a home visit. Everything was lining up and plans were made.
Well everyone knows what happens when you make plans and sure enough, it would be a long journey to get Babs. Turns out little Barbara was pregnant! After a scary delivery and long road to recovery, she lost 3 of her pups and little Darby survived. While mama and pup were growing and recovering there was another emergency and Babs was sick again. She got really sick, couldn't eat or drink. After a scary few days and an endoscopy later, they found a small piece of plastic and it was removed.
Trying to get the home visit finally scheduled took a while but we got to meet Babs and Darby, who we were told needed to be adopted together. 4 dogs?? Oh boy. We met them and Babs was super adorable and Darby was a pistol!! Tiny as my hand but so feisty. We decided we would take both but they ended up not being as bonded as the rescue thought and we found out Babs was ours!!
The lovely K from Naturally Balanced K came with me since the time changed and Joey couldn't come. She was awesome and helped make sure everything went smooth as we had to the adoption outside the shelter because the dogs inside had pneumonia. So thank you for being an absolutely amazing friend!!!
She is fitting right in! She knows what kennel is hers and she is getting used to wearing her collar. She LOVES to cuddle and snuggle and hang out. She LOVES her puppy sling. Whats a puppy sling you ask? Pretty much a carrier for a dog, much like a baby sling. When she was at the rescue they apparently had her in it and she loved it. Obviously I want her comfortable so I did some research and went to Amazon and bought this one and LOVE it. I highly recommend it because it's soft, durable, comfortable, and she feels really safe and secure in it. It's reversible and comes in a few colors along with a clip so she can't jump out.
Bella and Dante like her and are willing to share me so that's good. They all hang out in bed or on the sofa, know when it's dinner time, and just sort of run around and play. Bella and Babs both love food and remind me so much of each other and I feel like Bella knows to look out for her.
So in short, Barbara Mae Woodman aka Babs aka Squiggly Butt aka lil mama is an Aries who loves bully sticks, cuddling, Psych and Criminal Minds, warm blankets, her puppy sling, her new animal pack and JoeyWaffles.
Welcome to your furever home Babs.
{If you want to donate and help a wonderful rescue save more dogs, go
here and sponsor a pet!}
This summer we're trying to get Dante more social since he's a homebody. He needs to enjoy that outdoor Jeep life and work on his tan. Babs already loves to get out of the house but we'd like her to travel in her car seat more instead of my lap. It's been a great time being more active and involved in car rides, especially if it involves a trip to Starbucks for a puppachino. 
