I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I definitely came out on top after yesterday’s April Fool’s shenanigans. Five pranks pulled without falling victim to a single one. Win. The best one was probably the prank that I pulled on my mom…
Approximately 10 seconds after I sent that text, I got a phone call from a very panicked mother asking me what happened. I kept up the act for a while before becoming a little concerned that I might cause her to have a heart attack or something. Either Mom is far too gullible, or I deserve an Oscar for my performance. I’d say April is off to a pretty good start indeed. That being said, we’ve got another month under our belts which means it’s time for another monthly favorites post!
. – . – . – .
. food .
I seriously lucked out on the food front in March and came across two new-to-me products that I became instantly obsessed with. First up, Barefruit Apple Chips…
Guys… As if my applesauce addiction didn’t have me eating enough of them, I now get to add to my daily apple count thanks to these wonderfully delicious chips of joy. What I love most about them is that they’re crispy the way chips should be (not spongey the way dried apples can be), and the only ingredients are apples and cinnamon. No sugars. No preservatives. No nonsense. Love it.
Next up is Oikos’ Coconut Greek Yogurt, aka Heaven in a 100g Container…
I’m super picky when it comes to flavored yogurts because most of the time I find them to be way too artificial tasting, but Oikos definitely got it right with this one. It’s subtle enough not to be overpowering, with the perfect amount of sweetness and coconut flavor. Combined with the aforementioned apple chips? Divine. And don’t even get me started on how good it tastes when paired with applesauce. There are no words.
This next one is a bit of an oddball because it’s not a food per say, but it doesn’t really fit anywhere else so I’m just going to lump it in here. What am I talking about? Genuine Health Greens+ multi+.
Say what? Hear me out. From the site:
For 20 years greens+ has stood the test of time as Canada’s favorite green food supplement, providing consumers with improved health, energy and vitality, as well as nourishing the body with protective antioxidants and detoxifying ingredients. Just one scoop provides a full serving of greens+ that’s rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants, PLUS the convenience of a superior quality, high potency and food-based multi-vitamin/mineral supplement.
Essentially, it’s a green food supplement and multivitamin all in one. You take one scoop a day in water/juice/smoothie/paste/whatever form, and it provides you with a good dose of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and probiotics.
My mom is actually the one who got me into taking this, so I have to send a huge kudos out to her because this stuff is… wow. Amazing. I’m not normally one to buy in to the claims of green/voodoo powders since I tried so many of them in the past only to be underwhelmed by the results, but this.stuff.works. I’ve been taking it daily since the end of February and not only have I noticed a huge difference in my hair, skin and nails, but my energy has gone way up and, surprisingly and unexpectedly enough, my stomach has been reaping all sorts of benefits as well. I don’t want to go all TMI on you guys, but yeah… let’s just say that things finally feel like they’re working as intended 😉 Smitten.
And last but not least, although it’s long gone and my heart aches because I can’t buy it anywhere around here, I have to send an honorable mention out to Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Crunch cereal…
I picked up a box while I was in Hawaii, hoping that it would be a slightly healthier version of my beloved Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and was pleasantly surprised. But all good things must come to an end, and it’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all? Just trying to make myself feel better here…
. – . – . – .
. beauty .
Winter was rough this year – cold and seemingly never-ending. In an effort to make myself feel better, I spent a good part of March trying to feel more ‘springy’ by painting my nails with pretty smile-inducing colors.
Essie’s Tart Deco – Turquoise & Caicos – Lilacism – Off the Shoulder – Fiji
It worked. Kind of. But to be honest, I spent most of March trying to minimize winter’s nasty effects on my skin and hair. On the hair front, I’ve been swearing by the Deep Repair Masque by Macademia Hair…
I mentioned this stuff in my post about healing malnourished hair, and while I’ve been using it regularly for about a year now, I find myself relying on it a lot more in the winter. It’s an argan oil based heavy-duty conditioner that penetrates deeper into damaged hair to help rebuild and moisturize, leaving it feeling softer and healthier. Definitely a must in my hair care routine.
In last month’s favorites post, I professed my love for MAC’s Fix+ makeup setting spray, and this month I’m admitting infidelity and professing my newfound love for Urban Decay’s All Nighter makeup setting spray.
After running out of Fix+ and hearing so many good things about the UD spray, I decided to pick it up and see what all the fuss was about. I definitely see, and I have to admit that I’m probably a convert. What I do is apply my liquid makeup first (BB Cream/foundation/concealer), give my face a spray, wait for it to dry, apply my powder makeup (powder/blush/bronzer/highlight), and give my face another spray. Hello all day makeup with no powdery/dry look to speak of. Love it.
But what goes on must come off, and for that I turn to these Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes.
I have pretty sensitive skin that doesn’t respond well to harsh skin care products. Simple wipes are oil, alcohol, dye, perfume, and irritant free and do a great job at removing my makeup without making my face feel raw – just clean and moisturized. I use these every night as part of my nightly skincare routine, and I have a feeling they’ll be a part of it for quite some time.
. – . – . – .
. book .
March’s book of the month is a little different. Rather than giving up something for Lent this year, I decided that I’d rather focus on doing something more. That didn’t mean that I wanted to eat more chocolate or drink more coffee, but rather work on spending more time strengthening my faith and relationship with God. Enter Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.
I first heard about this devotional from Lindsay, who recommended it to me after I asked her where some of the readings that she often posted were from, and I’m so glad that I picked up a copy for myself. I’ve been reading the daily entry and then spending a little bit of time each day, either in the morning or at night, meditating/journaling about my reaction/thoughts/feelings to it. There have been so many times where the words were exactly what I needed to hear, and the way it’s written makes it feel like Jesus is actually speaking to you, creating a greater sense of intimacy and closeness. I know I don’t spend a lot of time talking about religion and faith, but yeah… this has just been too big of a blessing in my life for me not to share.
. – . – . – .
. blog .
Starting this month, I decided to add a little blog recap to the end of my monthly favorites posts, just as a way to look back and remember some of my favorite blog-worthy moments and memories from the past month… especially because I have a tendency to forget a lot of the things that happened to me over the past 30/31 days 😯
- Obviously, the best part of March was my vacation to Hawaii. The post-vacation blues were no fun, but can you blame me for feeling a little down after experiencing the beauty of places like Diamond Head and Manoa Falls and then having to come back home to grubby old Edmonton?
- In an effort to make myself feel a better, I did a little baking therapy and shared a recipe for Blueberry Banana Breakfast Muffins before deciding that the only way to cure the post-vacation blues was to take another vacation. Enter a weekend snowboarding trip to the mountains.
- Feeling refreshed, I came back and advocated living a life without numbers, before opening up about the girl I used to be in the depths of my eating disorder, and contrasting that with the girl I am now.
Overall, March was a pretty epic month. Here’s hoping that April will follow suit!
. – . – . – .
Was that post epically long or what? Oops… 😳
Canadians: What are some products you see on blogs that you wish we could get here?
What’s something awesome that happened in March?
AND!! SOS! My mom’s birthday is coming up in a couple of days… any suggestions on what I can get her?!
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I really liked this post! I love the apple chips and Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Crunch cereal.
I’m trying to catch up on all my blogs! But I really liked this post 😀 Love favorites posts.
I’m so over this snow here in Calgary though – boo! Bet it’s been worse in Edmonton! haha
What products do I wish I could get a hold of?
Basically ANYHING from Trader Joes/Target…
I don’t know about Edmonton…but we’re getting Target soon 😀
Probably won’t be as good though, but we’ll see!
I want to try that powder now though!!
I adore UD makeup setting spray that stuff is a godsend. It really does live up to its name and it is pretty affordable too 🙂
My mom told me once she pranked a family friend on April fools saying her dad had fallen really sick (he was actually out of town). Turns out the worried and panicking friend travelled quite a distance to see her father only to realise it was a joke. Needless to say that was her last prank 😉 I never dared trying anything like that after that story! Haha!
I am loving so many of your favorites! I am a long time fan of Essie’s Figi and I love the Cascadian Farms cinnamon cereal- it is so good. The green powder and hair mask sound like great products I would love too, thanks for sharing!
Ahh, WAY too much to say! First, I’m in love with the Simple facial wipes as well. I actually discovered them two weeks ago, when my gym began offering free sample packets at the check-in counter. They’ve been there every day ever since, and because I manage to snag two or three every time I walk in the door, I now have a supply of oh, 20. I love freebies that are actually useful!
I’m really intrigued by the Greens + Multi. I’m guessing it’s not available in the U.S., since it’s a Canadian product, but I may try to find it online, as I’m open to testing anything that will help calm my stomach. I’ve been taking a probiotic, which has helped quite a bit, but the additional benefit of this powder sound wonderful!
I never knew Cascadian Farm makes a Cinnamon Toast Crunch copycat! I’ll be on the lookout next time I’m at Whole Foods. And girl, you continue to tease with that darn delicious-sounding coconut Oikos yogurt! Now paired with crunchy apple chips? Gaahhh. Want!
I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying Jesus Calling. I received a copy for Christmas, but haven’t opened it yet. 🙂
Amanda, I just discovered your blog after being home sick for the last 48 hours, and I’ve pretty much gone through all your posts. You are a wonderful writer, and my new favorite blogger. Your food looks delicious, your writing is so open, and you seem like such a genuinely awesome person. Thanks for putting all this together for us readers!
such an awesome recap of the month. You totally got me hooked on those Bare Fruit apple chips – they are EXACTLY what I want from a chip, not gummy like most dried fruits are. THat green powder sounds pretty awesome too…Maybe I will order some and test it out, lord knows it sounds more fun than popping multivitamin pills! I might have to get on that hair mask too….winter in Colorado has made my hair a bit straw-like! not okay. And thank you for including the devotional! I’ve honestly been thinking about getting one lately, but I’ve had no idea where to start or what to look for…this sounds perfect for what I need though!
Yes! If you were looking for a good devotional then I can’t recommend this one enough! The messages are simple yet so profound, and almost always exactly what I need to hear.
I knew that you’d fall in love with the UD setting spray! I swear by it.
And I’m also obsessed with the Cascadia Farms Cinnamon Crunch cereal. I keep waiting for the day when I’ll get sick of it but I don’t see that happening anytime soon! Addicting little buggers…
I’m obsessed with that yogurt too! So heavenly! And I just saw that Liberte released a coconut flavoured 2% Greek yogurt too. Have you tried that one yet?
Oh man there are so many American products I wish we could get here… Barney Butter and chocolate Sunbutter cups (just like Reese’s Pieces – they are amazing!) are the two I can think of right now, but I know there are so many others.
I haven’t tried the Liberte one, but I saw it the last time I was in the store and I’ll probably pick some up when I finish my Oikos ones.
Thank you for all of these reviews and your thoughts on them! I’m most interested in the food supplement/mulitivitamin product. Some of those can taste real GROSS but they are good for you… however, I am not going to force myself to drink/eat something that tastes like mud/dirt/death/etc. just because it claims certain health benefits. But if you genuinely have noticed a difference, this is something I am going to consider trying!
Definitely with you on not forcing it down! But this stuff actually tastes really good. I’m hoping it’s not just a Canadian thing, though! Since I know the company itself is Canadian based…
You are a prankster!!! That was a good one. I’m not a prankster at all! I love the Jesus Calling book too!! I’m so glad it has been such a blessing to you!
I want all those Essie colors. So pretty!
Your prank on your mom reminds me of an april fools I pulled on my mom when I was 16. I asked her if we could have a serious conversation and I told her she should probably sit down. Then I took a deep breath and I said, “Mom, I think I’m pregnant” She pretty much died (I mean I was always the “perfect kid” so I knew it would shock her). She totally believed me though. Literally five seconds after I said it I told her “April Fools” because I didn’t want her to have a heartattack…she was so mad.
What about a spa gift certificate, you could even go with her…nice excuse. OR get her a maid for a day to do some deep cleaning (the type of cleaning nobody wants to do).
Oh that’s a great prank! It reminds me of something I did when I was younger too. I got a really good fake tattoo done and “accidentally” let my mom catch a glimpse of it. Needless to say, she freaked when she thought it was real, and I had to tell her it was fake pretty quick ’cause I was getting an earful 😆
You had a great month, especially with that trip to Hawaii!! Some things that I’ve bought my mom in the past are books, cookbooks, cooking stuff, jewelry, clothes, gardening stuff, plants and gift cards. We also did a cooking class together; which was really fun!
I have never tried the greens plus powder but I love the bars always have a stash of them!
I wish wish wish we had Trader Joe’s here in Canada! 😉
Beautiful post, as usual. I love the re-cap of favs this month. Question for you: What does the Greens powder taste like??
It’s kind of hard to describe. It has a really sweet vanilla taste and doesn’t taste greeny or mediciny at all. That being said, I don’t really like it with too much water, so I have it as more of a paste or toss it into smoothies – it adds a nice sweetness.
I wish we had access to Trader Joes & more WFs! Product-wise – Chobani, the full GTs kombucha line, and Justins nut butters. Oh! And Kerrygold butter – I can’t find it anywhere.
What about getting your mom an “experience” gift? Like a mother/daughter date – tix to an event or for a spa treatment neither of you have tried, or something she wouldn’t normally do – ie. raindrop therapy or a Thai massage. (Have you ever tried raindrop therapy? It is so awesome)
I’ve never even heard of raindrop therapy! But it sounds interesting from what Google is telling me. A spa date is pretty much on the top of my list right now… either that or some sort of pampering package.
okay this is my favorite blog i have read all day! I love that you are ready to share that Faith! God is good! You are sharing your journey and HIS strength! love it! and yay for Jesus Calling.
Can’t even thank you enough for letting me know about it <3
Well done for not falling victim to any of those pranks, they were pretty cool though! 🙂
lol april fools was great this year 😛 I told my mom I got a tattoo and I also posted on facebook that my rabbit had babies and all my friends fell for it (Forgetting that my rabbit is a boy… and alone…. hahaha)
Ah sounds like you had a great march!! I love those cascadian farms cinnamon crunch. It’s so good! And those nail colors are always perfect for spring time 🙂
I would say a mom and daughter day together!
Oh those nail polish colors are absolutely perfect. I need to get some of that on my nails so I can stare at spring all day. Even when it feels like winter. 🙂
I am curious, do you use those wipes to remove eye makeup? I am trying that mascara that you recommended and I can’t believe how hard it is to get off! I have heard that Sephora brand eye-makeup removers are pretty good too, but I haven’t tried them yet!
No, I don’t usually use wipes to remove makeup because of all the tugging and pulling that’s involved. I’ve been using Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple facial cleanser to take my eye makeup off for a long time now and I swear by it. You can use it to take your face makeup off too, so it really cuts down on the amount of products you need to have around.
Your poor mom, after that prank she deserves a really great birthday present!! I have been looking for that coconut yogurt but cant find that flavor. I like getting my mom gardening tools and gift certificates to her favorite local garden store, she has the most beautiful garden and loves spending time outside working in it.
I’ve heard rave reviews about Jesus Calling– Now that I know you approve I’ll have to pick it up once I’m done with my current devotional. I love starting my day with a daily encouragement, It’s a great way to focus on what’s truly important!
I really love it! It’s so simple and straightforward, but the messages really hit home and they always seem to be what I need to hear.
hahah ohh your poor momma!
I love those crispy apply chips! Sometimes I’ll add them to my salad and they add quiiite the nice crunch and sweetness. And I’ll definitely need to try the UD all nighter makeup setting spray! I always learn of so many neat things from your monthly favorites posts 🙂
Hmm, presents for my parents are always the hardest for me! I usually try to get my mom something that she needs but typically wouldn’t buy for herself and maybe some flowers that’ll last a while like orchids. Trips to the spa are nice too. I’m sure you’ll come up with something! I mean…you better, after that prank you pulled on her! jkjk 😉