I know it’s not Thursday, but better late than never!
1. First and foremost, it’s Foodie Penpal reveal day!
If you’re not familiar with FPP, it’s a fun little program set up by Lindsay over at The Lean Green Bean that’s basically a perfect opportunity to be introduced to new foodie products. After signing up, you get paired with a penpal (blogger or reader) that you get to put together a box of goodies for ($15 limit). And the best part? Someone else is putting together a box of goodies for you too! This was my first time participating, and I have to say that I’m a big fan. Not only is it a great way to connect with others, but it’s also a great way to try some new products that you might have not otherwise picked up. Interested in signing up? You can do that here.
This month, I was paired with a reader named Ali, and I have to say… she did a pretty stellar job putting my box together.
Coffee, chocolate, cookie mix, and a seasoning rub? Girl knows the way to my heart for sure. I’ve already broken in to the coffee and chocolate (which are both amazing), and I plan on doing some cooking and baking soon as well. Thanks Ali!!
2. Another thing that makes my heart do a little happy dance? Rain…
And that little happy dance turns into a full blown fiesta if that rain turns into a thunderstorm. It’s been stormy here for the past couple of days, and it’s supposed to stay this way pretty much all week. Does it make me a horrible person to say that… I kind of love it? Don’t get me wrong – warm sunny days are wonderful and all, but I adore storms. Blinding flashes of lightning. Thunder that you can feel in your bones. Rain that comes down in sheets. Love.
3. They’re not without their casualties, though. Poor little gaffer…
4. I’m not a big fan of whole wheat flour in cookies… In a continuing effort to empty my pantry, I’ve been attacking some lingering bags of flour with a vengeance, and while the finished product may look pretty…
… and not taste too bad, you can definitely taste the whole wheatiness. I’m all for healthy eating, but when I want a treat, I want a treat, not something that makes me think back to the days where I’d try to healthify everything I baked and end up with something that was barely palatable. Good grief…
5. And if you’ll indulge me for just one more rant, I have to bring up what happened when I was at Starbucks yesterday… So there I was, sitting at my little table, enjoying my daily coffee, when the woman sitting at the table next to me pulls out a bottle of nail polish and starts doing her nails. Excuse me but… what? Now, you guys know I love my nail polish, but I’d rather it not assault my olfactory senses when I’m trying to enjoy my drink. That’s just one of those things you do in the privacy of your own home… or in a designated facility… it’s not something you whip out in a coffee shop. Have some decency, people!
6. Speaking of nails, I did mine [at home]…
I love baby pink nails, and I think I’ve just found my new favorite color – OPI’s I Theodora You. Before this, I’d always turn to Essie’s Fiji whenever I needed a hit of baby pink on my digits, but my relationship with Essie is… not ideal. I love the colors, but I hate the fact that they never.freaking.last. One day and it’s chips galore. At least OPI lasts for two 😆
7. A word of caution. Do not try to take your vitamins while chewing gum. You will end up swallowing not only the vitamins, but the gum as well. Let’s just hope that all those stories about it sitting in your stomach undigested for 7 years are nothing more than an urban myth…
8. The day I don’t feel awkward taking selfies will be a good day indeed… And let’s not even talk about how many tries it took me to actually get myself in the frame without cutting off pieces of my head…
9. iPod. Shuffle. Go.
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrOeGCJdZe4&w=560&h=315″]
10. Remember…
Happy Thursday Friday, friends!
. – . – . – .
Do you feel awkward taking selfies too?
Bottle was smaller than expected and it took a bit longer to come, but the price made it all perfect. Also, the cold color is more of a dark grey than a black… but love it.
Best regards.
I love thunder storms. We have a screened porch and when we get crazy ones, I like to sit on the porch and just watch it all happen. Incredible.
Flour can be tricky. I’ve found the whole wheat pastry flour works well in sweets, but the stoneground flour really only works in biscuits or earthy-esque muffins. In fact, I rarely every buy the stone ground anymore.
I typically paint my nails with a clear strong as nails type polish because I can’t handle the chipping.
By the way, I spent some time with a blogger this weekend and if you think awkward selfies are rough, try group selfies. Strike a pose.
Doing her nails at Starbucks?!! Omg, why don’t you just whip off your shoes and socks and stick your finger in your belly button??!! Seriously…people have just gotten too damn comfortable in public!
I like storms when I need to sleep…but not the ones with thunder loud enough to wake me up…just something below a roar that’s constant. Ahhh, I’m getting sleepy just thinking about it! 😉
Random: I just painted my toe nails for the first time in like umm…three months? They’re purple! 😀
I agree with you on the treat being a treat end… FO SHO!
Awkward selfie or not…you look like a babe 😉
Ah gum doesn’t last forever. It passes through. I’m swallowed many a gum 😉
Completely agree with wheat flour! i have tried it, to make “healthier” treats, but it just doesn’t satisfy me, and leaves me wanting more! I would much rather have a treat that tastes yummier 🙂
Your hair looks fab! I love the sound of the rain. It can be so relaxing as long as I’m not out in it of course! 🙂
Oooh, I miss foodie pen pals!!! It was so much fun. Hopefully it will still be kickin’ when I move back across the world.
My friend is a flight attendant for West Jet and says she can’t believe how many people whip out the nail polish mid flight! She said what’s even worse is when they start clipping & filing their nails!!! hahah. She says it happens all the time. Not cool!
I may not know much about beauty and nail products, but one thing I do know is that OPI last forevvverrrrr!!! This is coming from a girl who [embarrassingly] doesn’t change or erase her pedicure polish for like, 6 months sometimes and ummm yea, it’s not pretty. Hah! But at least they stay on for those 6 months! 😛 And I love your eyes, Amanda! I never got a full view of your selfies but you could totally pass for being some mysterious ethnicity like half Asian half European or something.
Foodie Pen Pals always sounds so fun! I could never join in though because it was really hard to have packages mailed to my apartment. But now that I don’t live there anymore, I can participate! 😀
I love stormy weather too, as long as it’s not spoiling any of my plans and as long as I don’t get caught outside in it. Yesterday I was walking to dinner and I got caught in the scariest wind – I was convinced it was going to turn into a tornado! Luckily it just turned into an intense thunderstorm.
I don’t mind whole wheat flour in cookies as long as it’s whole wheat pastry flour – I made the mistake of using whole wheat flour in my baked goods a few years ago and everything turned out terrible!
Woo! Definitely sign up this month! I got Sam signing up too, so there’s always a chance we could end up penpals 🙂
Totally obsessed with your hair #don’tmindme. I don’t like being outside when it’s raining unless I’m running, but I LOVE storms. There’s something so peaceful about them. It stormed here last night and I was so content. 🙂 Except there was a giant branch in our yard this morning…which I guess is a little better than a dead birdie. 🙁
uh-oh! that nail polish story reminds me of a class trip where we were all cooped up in a little room with lots of girls and one started painting her nails – and another girl freaked because she hated the smell so much they got into a huge fight! 😀
That is just not ok that she did her nails in Starbucks. People are bizarre. How about my son’s school bus driver apparently clips his nails (fingers and toes) on the bus. I don’t get it! lol…Love baby pink polish. Lately I have been on a lavender/purple/plum kick. So different and pretty. I hate the rain most of the time but a good random summer thunderstorm after a full day in the sun is fun. Coming home, all tired from the sun, taking a shower and putting on a sweatshirt to watch a movie while it is raining was always a good time.
Ack! Nail clipping in public is never okay! *shudder* But lavender nails definitely are – purples are my second favorite nail color after pinks.
Haha I’m totally with you about the awkwardness of selfies buuuuut you should def put up more- you are gorgeous, girl :)! I have this weird appreciation for the scent of nail polish but not with my coffee thank you very much..way to kill the buzz- literally! As long as I’m indoors, I adore storms…nothing like getting into bed with something good on tv and hearing it downpour outside- cosy or what! That being said, I am rather excited for the upcoming monsoons in Mumbai towards the end of June- if the heat is anything to go by, they are going to be severe as heck!
Your hair is the same colour as mine is now I have it colored- it is suits you so very much! I think getting a colour would be obsolete- Bellisimo 🙂 if that’s awkward you make awkward look good lol! I do not like storms- I used to pray when my papa was out at rough sea that he would return safely- hence storms bring with them bad memories! Once in particular I was seven and his boat and crew were missing for 17 hours- fear like no other. Also Genoa experienced a flash flood in 2011 and it was terrifying apparently. I was in Milan studying but it was devastating for Genoa and some people lost their lives. I do like rain though and I actually prefer it a bit cold rather than too warm 🙂 I hope you have a safe stormy night 🙂 Randomness- I am such a cryer when it comes to emotional films! Most recently “the impossible” left me in tears last night! Please see it- it’s beautiful. Love Sophia
Aww 🙁 I would definitely be a lot more fearful of storms if they were associated with bad memories like that. As it stands, we rarely ever have anything severe happen over here. We had one tornado 26 years ago, and I was too young to even remember it. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend, beautiful girl! <3
I love thunderstorms too! No one ever understands why I get excited for them! Love the idea of Foodie Pen Pals 🙂
you’re gorgeous, girl! 🙂 wow who paints their nails out in public, much less starbucks… that’s kindof gross. i’ve been trying to use “healthier” ingredients for my baking, but i compensate by using real chocolate chips and other add-ins… i might be able to forgo the white sugar and butter, but girl’s gotta have her ghiradelli’s chocolate chips 😉
Looks like she pick out a really good bunch of things for you. I want to try some more “casual” type nail colors if that makes sense. The nail colors I have been choosing are either really bright or I go with the clear. The selfie is too cute and seriously you have the best hair.
I LOVE THUNDERSTORMS!
Oops, a little too much enthusiasm. But still. I was in such a good mood at work yesterday because it was storming. I love just sitting on my porch when it rains.
OPI nail polish is my favorite. Just throwing that out there.
Something random? I have a black belt in tae kwon do. That’s usually my go-to random fact, ha. Not that I’m anywhere near dangerous/remotely threatening.
That’s still really awesome, though! I don’t know many people who can say that 🙂
I love that nail color! I bought some discount nail polish the other day… it was a bad idea. It was hard to use, looked bad and chipped right away. I guess sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
I LOVE that nail color!! I feel so dumb taking a selfie too. I just feel like it’s not our generation to do that.. my 16 yr told niece on the other hand… she is all over it! 🙂
I like a good rainy day to just sit inside and relax, but I hate storms! They scare me!
Have you ever tried nail shellac? It’s wonderful… no chips.
I take way too many self shots. way too many. But I’m always by myself or with little ones so getting a picture of me is hard.
Random: I really like your haircut.
We get really bad storms here and tomorrow isn’t looking good. I live in Missouri and it’s tornado season.
I haven’t! I keep hearing really great things about it, but I’m afraid to try it and get addicted… or to have it completely destroy my nails 😕 And I’m pretty sure I’d hate storms if they came with potential tornadoes. We have ONE tornado here around 26 years ago and I was too young to remember. Stay safe!
Cute selfie!
ahh Foodie pen pals look so fun! And yum! 🙂
I’m actually also a fan of rain and thunderstorms. Which is quite common around Texas this time of the year. Only thing is, sometimes they bring tornadoes. Eeps.
I think it should also be noted that no one should plop onto a bed while chewing gum without first knowing how hard the mattress is. I didn’t realize there were mattresses hard as brick and when I fell back-first onto it, the impact was so strong my gum shot straight down my throat. I guess I should call myself lucky I didn’t choke! lol
have a great weekend!
<3 #10
The chewing gum part reminds me of an interesting story- I chew gum all the time. I’ve ALWAYS been like this but when I was a kid I’d swallow it all the time too. Sometime in late elementary my family was going to go on a day trip somewhere. The morning of I got really sick and ended up having to stay behind with my grandma. The entire day was spent throwing up gum- no joke. I had a bucket FILLED with chewing gum that I had swallowed over the years.
SICK right?
Needless to say I have never swallowed a piece since.
Oh.my.god 😯 That may have just given me the grossest mental picture ever. SO I’m guessing that the 7 year thing might actually be legit…
I only like storms if I don’t have any plans that they interfere with, so mostly at night… When I’m falling asleep – love the sound of rain against my window!