Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #12

Published on May 18, 2018 by Mackenzie54 Comments

Happpppyyyy of all Fridays!!!! How are ya? It was super easy to whip up a Friday Favorites this week because there are some things I am luh-ving. This might be my favorite FF yet.

A clean Patio!! I took a day to deep scrub our patio, clean the rug, wash the cushions, etc. etc. It took a while, but I am psyched to use this for the summer. It’s my little happy “feng shui” place for reading, blogging, and morning devos.

Before…

After… !

2. Blue Apron. I used to use Blue Apron when we first moved here all the time. It became a bit too pricey without discount coupons, but they sent a “we miss you” coupon in an e-mail, so I whipped up those tostadas from the last post and this pasta for DJ to have when he returned from the games lateeee at night!

3. Dolmas. Dolmas are stuffed grape leaves. I don’t know what the heck a grape leaf is (probably leaves of grapes), but I do know they are darn delicious. I could eat these suckers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I put them in sweet potatoes, eat them with tahini, and just by themselves with hummus.

4. Green Goddess Salad Dressing from Trader Joe’s. Holy canoli ravioli. Looking for an epic salad dressing that isn’t loaded with crapola??… well, here you are, look no further. You’re welcome, don’t mention it.

5. Nurse’s Week Gifts <3 The gifts below are from my sweet hubby for nurses week (last week, but you know I’m always behind on posting). This toilet paper roll is actually a study tool with real rhythms.. I am obsessed. I laughed sooo hard. Code Brown… lol.

At work they had fun little things happening all week. I was able to sneak some of the cake & we were gifted water bottles & hats. I really felt the love & appreciation!!! And that cake was a nice & needed treat while working in the neuro close observation room.

6. Summer Walks. It’s beginning to look a lot like summmmmer, everywhere you gooo!!! I love walks in the summer, and when I need to run errands I typically will walk to the store instead of drive. I usually call my grandma on my walks (she’s seriously one of my favorite people to just chat with… she cuts it to ya straight, is so wise, and always cracks me up!). But if Grandma is busy (which she is often because she has more of a social life than I do), then I’ll just listen to podcasts while soaking up the fresh air & sun.

7. Wild Wild Country. HAVE YOU WATCHED THIS YET?! DJ and I are chipping away at it slowly since our schedules don’t line up, but the moment we have a free second we watch as much as possible. It is so good. So interesting, thought provoking, and your jaw will drop to the floor many a times. If you have watched it.. I would love to chat!

8. When Breath Becomes Air. It won’t even do justice to say this is my favorite book I have ever read. It’s magnificent, a work of art, raw, and does not shy away from the difficulties of life and medicine. You will leave this book changed. The author is a surgeon who actually worked on the unit & hospital that I work for now, so it especially hit close to home. Many of my coworkers knew him personally and recommended this book to me. I have been harping my family this past week to read it… like sending nearly daily reminders. (y’all know who you are and I’m going to keep annoying you until you have read it).

9. The Couple Next Door. On a very different literary note… I love reading thrillers and mystery books that keep you guessing and theorizing the whole time. This book had so many twists, turns, and definitely was not predictable at all. The writing itself was just okay, but the plot-line was spectacular. Highly recommend (after you’ve read the one above of course).

10. Jergens Natural Glow. Recently Jergens came out with a face natural glow, and I nearly squealed with excitement in the Target isle. This stuff is amazing, it really does give a nice “glow”, I actually don’t even feel the need for any foundation or anything after using this and it doesn’t make me break out (I have very sensitive skin, so if it works for me it will work for you!).

Have a good one!!

xo <3

Friday Favorites #11!

Published on April 19, 2018April 19, 2018 by Mackenzie38 Comments

Hey y’all! I feel super behind on blogging! Soo many awesome things have happened before and after the cruise, but I’ve been so busy and barely could get those vacay posts out alone. So stay tuned for recaps that are about three weeks late, lol, okay maybe four weeks honestly. But for now- I am quite excited to share a Friday Faves with ya!

e.l.f. matte liquid lip color. YOU GUYS, this is only $5.00 from Target and is my new obsession. I rarely ever invest in bold shades for the lip, but for vacation I thought it would be fun. I wore it much more frequently than I thought I would. Although it was bold, I felt like it wasn’t too much to pull off like a traditional deep red is.

Here are pictures of it on you might remember from the cruise posts!

2. When I came home from the cruise, I had some errands to run in the mall. Occasionally, I love to stop by See’s candies for a butterscotch lollipop after and they always offer free samples of chocolate 😉

3. Spongelle Body Wash Infused Buffer!!! This was a Fab Fit Fun included gift- and I just love it. It smells amazing and is basically a loofa that has soap built in. It is greatly exfoliating, and I’ve already used it probably ten times at least with it still sudsing up for each use!

4. I can’t forget Easter treats!!! Someone gets this crack away from me! Bahah. DJ’s fam sent us some awesome goodies for Easter starting with The Popcorn Factory popcorn & make your own cookies! This caramel corn right here is the most addictive stuff in the world.

We also received the sweetest Olive & Cocoa gift basket from… all the goodies are just too darn delish. You see those little pink puffs at the bottom?…. I took them on the cruise with me and they did not last long at all. SO GOOOD! I need to hunt down more!

I also wanted to include these here because these companies would make awesome ideas for mother’s day gifts too!

5. Trader Joe’s High Protein Tofu. Do any of you have a really hard time finding super firm tofu? I feel like sometimes even the super firm tofu in the grocery store still can crumble while cooking. This stuff does not crumble one bit and has a whopping 14g of protein! It’s my favorite tofu to cook with and throw in salads, sweet potatoes, or have for breakfast as a tofu scramble.

6. Cauliflower Pizza! Y’allll I have tried (and failed) to make Cauliflower pizza on my own many times. I finally pulled the trigger and just bought some from Sprouts. This stuff… life changing. So darn delectable. I could not tell the different between a thin crust pizza & this cauli pizza! You can actually buy it on amazon in a four pack 🙂 You is welcome

7. Korres body butter. Oh. my. lanta… talk about all the yummy smells. This also came in the FFF box! Whenever I put on this lotion I feel like I just rolled around in a coconut. You must try this for yourself! It’s a bit pricey, but seriously worth it, or makes for a great gift.

8. Zodiac. Well this took a hard turn in another direction. DJ and I recently watched the movie Zodiac, a movie based on the true story of a Bay Area serial killer. I love love love thriller/mystery movies, and this movie hit the spot. Fantastic movie with amazing actors too!

9. MantraBand!! My mother-in-law is one of the most thoughtful gift givers, and for my graduation she gave me this mantra band… it says, “Nevertheless, she persisted”. This meant more to me than I can even say. She was a pillar of support for me through the year, and this bracelet has such special meaning to me. (She also got me one that says, “Just Run”! Now if that’s not my mantra, I don’t know what is!).

10. The Hills! You might laugh at me, but I’m actually watching The Hills for the first time and loving it. It’s such great mindless TV while working on other projects, and the drama is pure gold for this reality TV junkie. Can you believe I’ve never watched it?! I’ve seen episodes here and there, but not all the way through! A bit late to the game… but what do they say? Better late than never 😉

Please leave your Friday Favorites links in the comments below!!!!

xo <3

Friday Favorites #9!

Published on February 1, 2018February 3, 2018 by Mackenzie60 Comments

Happy Friday, everyone! I know, it’s hard to believe… but I will have officially published three posts in one week- I turned my project in and now have a couple days before I have to start getting serious about prepping for the BIG presentation. To top off the streak here I am doing a Friday Faveeessss! I love them and I love reading yours. If you have one this week please leave it in the comments.

This spoon from one of my best friends from college. It is perfection! I found a perfect match on Amazon. Jump on it if you know any nurses who love to cook!

2. COD. For some reason, hubby and I have been LOVING seasoned cod lately for dinner with okra and brown rice. I usually grab salmon or tilapia, but hot dang this cod is terrific. Who knew! Also, one of my patients owns a bakery and gave us this amazing cheesy pesto bread (and a TON of other bread too) to go along with it!

3. My guitar <3 I finalllllyyyyy had my guitar repaired. It’s been about three years since I’ve really played. I used to play in high school a ton, and I have about eight original songs (I didn’t say they were quality original songs- but they are original, lol!). I started missing it terribly when nursing school was over and FINALLY had it fixed up/repaired by the nearby Starving Musician. Stay tuned.. (literally).. maybe one day I’ll share a song if I gather up the courage. Buuuuut probably not. haha

4. This travel map!!! It’s no secret we LOVE traveling. For Christmas, DJ found this map for us. If you look closely, there are little blue pins that we place on every city we have visited together. It is very clear that we are from the midwest and now live in California, haha. I want to book a trip every time I pass it in our hallway!

5. TRADER JOE’S!!!! Ok. It’s alsooo no secret that Trader Joe’s is amazing. But I’ve only been a couple times in my life, and never since we’ve lived here. WHY NOT!?!?? I KNOW, I ask myself that everyday now. Why have I not been?! It’s like adult Disneyland. It is the freaking greatest place on Earth. I’m obsessed. I could EASILY name 10 items to make Friday Favorites from Trader Joe’s alone. I’m sure it will be a frequent visitor on this segment, so watch for new fun products!

For instance, this King Salmon Jerky… a bit salty (but that never deters me), and so stinking good. It’s a pescetarian dream. Especially because in my past meat-eating life I loooooved me some beef jerky.

& This Arugula Pizza was too delish. My willpower was at a big fat zero with this in front of my face. Let’s just say, this did not last long at ALL between the two of us!

6. Avocado Toast Tank from Deej for my bday. Anything more perfect for a Cali girl?

7. Shakeology oats. I am embarrassed to mention Shakeology honestly–… I’m always a bit of a skeptic of health formulary protein stuff (except my No Cow/Quest bars)…. I’d just rather eat my protein than drink it I guess. Anywho, lately I have LOVED making a big ole bowl of oats for breakfast with vegan Shakeology powder on top and stevia (maybe even a little whip cream). It’s like dessert!

8. Impress Nails by Kiss!!! I adore these stick/glue on nails. As a nurse, I can’t really wear nail polish (it comes right off and chips with the hand sanitizer). This is such a great alternative and quicker than painting and waiting for my nails to dry. If I only have a day or two where I need nice nails, I loveeeee these!

I wore some purple ones in San Diego.

9. Lulus!!! Lulus is a new online shop I am OBSESSED with!!! Their style is totally my cup of tea. They have free shipping over $50 and free return shipping within 30 days. Their customer service is amazing, and selection is tremendous. Some of you asked where the dress was from in my first San Diego post, here is the link!

10. SUPER BOWL time! I will be working during the Super Bowl, probably my favorite sporting event of the year (except when Cavs are in the finals)…..BUT we love these recipes below if you need some healthy ideas for your party…..and I’ll be making them regardless if I have to celebrate a day late 😉 !!

Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings”

Vegan Tacos

Loaded Vegan Nachos

xo <3

Friday Favorites # 7

Published on September 21, 2017November 1, 2017 by Mackenzie58 Comments

Hey y’all! Happy FriYAYYY! I actually get this weekend off too, so I’m pretty excited about that 🙂 DJ has been in Tahoe since Tuesday for work, and I miss him something fierce, butttt we’ll get to see each other this weekend! Without further adieu…. Here are this Friday’s Friday Faveeesss!

The yogurt/toast is backkkk!!!! I am tucking away my avocado smoothie recipe from the summer and bringing back my yogurt/toast combo. I use either Dave’s or Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin bread topped with Fage yogurt, low sugar craisins, stevia, and granola. It’s so stinking gooood.

2. Pumpkin decor!!!! I picked these little punkins up last year and shared them with y’all then, and I was stoked to pull these back out from storage and blow off the dust! DJ said my autumnal excitement is a bit premature, but I say there is no such thing. Where is y’alls favorite place to find home holiday decor? Mine couldn’t be more predictable: Homegoods and Tarjay.

3. I’m trying my hand at gardening for the first time ever with eco-culture herbs! My Aunt Terry (who was here nearly a year ago, SERIOUSLY, how has it been so long?!?) gifted these to us, and I am obsessed. These are little planters that you can actually plant indoors in the natural window light or outside. I am currently growing basil, cilantro, and parsley. Next I’ll be growing sweet marjoram, sage & garlic chives. They are so easy to use, and gardening (my albeit baby step gardening) is such a cathartic process. Stayyyy tuned!

4. Just ….fall.. Can fall be a Friday Fave? I say yes. Leaves are falling (or one fell) & autumn is thick in the air (well I got a whiff). While out on my run yesterday I spotted these gorgeous Japanese maples & vibrant bright colorful landscaping. **Side note: I can identify many leaves after a biology project in high school- we had to identify tons of leaves as part of a final project, and weirdly, most have stuck with me. So if you need a leaf identified, send it over, lol.** **side side note : Ironically, I can’t identify flowers for crap though 😂**

5. If you are a nurse, you have to follow nurse abnormalities on Instagram and also her blog here. Danielle has a real talent for encouraging new nurses as they begin this challenging career. She articulates phenomenally well about the realities and true abnormalities of being a nurse from the good the bad the weird, the hilarious and the absolutely beautiful. Recently her post to new grads hit home big time for me.

6. The Black Tux! Ok, so I’m pretty bummed I just discovered this site, as it would have been SUPER ideal for our wedding. I know several of you are engaged or will be soon, so I figured I’d share this. Basically at Black Tux, you can rent tuxes/suits for wayyyyyyy less than typical rental/retail stores while also getting free shipping (and free size exchanges). We had groomsmen from several different states, so this would have made things a whole lot easier for us. Also, they are partnered with Nordstrom, so you know it’s gonna be high quality. If you know someone who needs to rent a tux, this company is definitely worth checking out!

7. I promised I’d share the sermon that impacted me big time last weekend… you can find it on Itunes podcast.

8. WINDIANS!!!!! I just have to throw in here that I am so beyond proud of my Indians ❤️❤️❤️ 22 game streak, baby!!!! Even though the streak is over, I am still so excited for my home team!

9. Welp, we gave in! We done did it. We finally got the Target Red Card after much contemplation. DJ and I aren’t very keen on credit cards for stores, so we chose the debit option (zero risk involved!). Every time you use it you get 5% off. It’s added up a ton. I highly HIGHLY recommend this if you shop a decent amount at Target, or even if you don’t shop that often- it’s still 5%!

10. Last, but not least, the grocery store was having a huge wine sale, and I decided to grab this bottle for super cheap of Handsome Devil. I am not picky at all about wine, but I do love a dry, yet non bitter cab. This one hits the mark at such a small price!

Have a TREMENDOUS weekend, y’all!

xo <3

Friyay Faves! #6

Published on August 11, 2017August 11, 2017 by Mackenzie67 Comments

I just love Friday Favorites.

Anyone else?

The last couple weeks have been work filled, and high stress, but there are definitely a few things that make each day a bit better.

Pro Compression Socks. As a nurse, we are literally on our feet for 12 hours a day at least three days a week. Factor in running into this (I try to do a short run after each shift to get out my steam), I am on my feet sometimes up to 13 hours a day. Our legs in the dependent position create pooling of blood in our veins, which is no bueno. Plus when veins dilate from the constant gravity, varicose veins are much more likely. I discovered these little guys from a Facebook promo and am never going back. I feel weird on a shift without them now. It also just gives me a pep in my step knowing I’m wearing these fun colors beneath my gray scrubs. Holllla!

2. Rx Bar. I’m sure you have heard of Rx Bars. They are sorta the rage right now. I was a bit stubborn to try them to be honest because I am a die hard Quest/ No Cow bar fan. But goodness gracious, these are SO tasty. I love eating them with Greek yogurt for lunch too. The blueberry and chocolate salted caramel are to die for. Such a healthy protein packed pick me up on my long days!

3. Doug the Pug. I don’t follow a ton of celebrity/animal accounts on Insta- but I cannot resist this fella. His posts make my day, plus he has the same rug as me in my feng shui space, which obviously made me just love him all the more.

4. Speaking of my Feng Shui spot…. I love love love this bean bag from Amazon. I didn’t quite give it enough love when I was in my egg basket frenzy, but it totally deserves some love!

5. Zola. Hello, all things wedding registry perfection. I am slightly upset that we didn’t know about Zola when we had our wedding two years ago. Goodness gracious, they have the most unique, fantastic products for a registry that are so.dang.cute. I actually am shopping now for my best friend who is getting married in November- I’ll letchya’ll know what I end up getting her. I love that they have the “Experience” category- because that’s really what it’s all about right?! Even if the couple isn’t registered via Zola, they still have the BEST wedding gift ideas. I am obsessed.

One of my favorite gifts to get couples that is a picnic Basket. Zola has one stocked with everything two could need for a night out, and it’s wayyy more affordable than the ones I have bought in the past, especially with all their options to choose from (and MUCH cuter).

6. 3M Littmann Stethoscope. My stethoscope is my baby. I feel naked without it around my neck and this one in particular is absolutely amazing. My coworkers occasionally will borrow it and are astounded at how well it conducts sound. If you need one, this is the way to go!

7. Big Brother. I just started watching Season 19 for the first time. Where has this show been all my life?! Any fans out there?!

8. Forks over Knives cookbook. I just adore this cookbook. I love the recipes and am always inspired to create new recipes myself from ideas sparked from this lil’ guy. I’m not vegan, but I do love cooking vegan many times. PS. Has anyone watched What the Health? I haven’t watched it, but I have heard mixed reviews. Super curious!

9. Zoya. Where are my fashionistas at? Guys, you MUST try Zoya nail polish. It will change your existence. I am beyond in love with this. I actually am not sure why I haven’t included this in a FF sooner. My Aunt gave this to me as a gift a couple years ago, and I can’t imagine using anything else. This has zero toxins that all other main line nail polishes have and actually strengthens your nails. I have the WORST nails, but when I take this stuff off my nails are left without chips, layering, and are stronger than ever. Plus the colors are ah-may-zing.

10. Seared Tuna. I recently discovered Seared Ahi Tuna in the grocery store and cannot get enough. I tried recreating the Lazy Dog tuna over cauliflower mashed potatoes, and I’m not gonna lie- It’s pretty gosh dang close. MMM mmmm mmmm.

What are some of your Friday Favorites?!

xo <3

Friday Faveeees #5- A Day Late

Published on June 10, 2017June 10, 2017 by Mackenzie46 Comments

Happy Friday numero dos- AKA Saturday. Yes, yes, my Friday Faves post is most certainly a day late. But that is like the mantra of my life right now. Just doing things when I can, giving myself grace, and accepting far less than perfection from myself on the daily. Woah, that got deep quick. BUT I am super pumped to share these Friday faves with you!!!

The number one spot goes to meeting one of my all time fave bloggers and friends, JJ from sitbackandjustlive, for the first time. We have been friends on WP for a bit under a year and FINALLY had the chance to meet. I can’t tell ya’ll how surreal, but amazing it was to meet this beauty. She is as kind, loving, gorgeous, and fun in person as you gather from her incredible posts. I even got the chance to meet Andrew briefly too. They are gems, and truly just kind souls. I hope we all live in Dallas together one day! (We may have mapped out exactly how far our dream cities to live in are from one another). We also mayyyy have gone overboard, no not over, properly-board, on the snap filters. Who knows when we will get another picture together?!

2. PB2– Oh my lanta. PB2 has my heart. People are usually timid about powdered peanut butter, but I’m sold on it. I love doing 2 or 3 TBSP mixed with about 1 TBSP of water and letting it sit in the freezer for a couple minutes. It’s one of my favorite snacks after a run.

3. This Father’s Day Card– Found where else than tar-jayyyyyy?! I am hoping my step-dad doesn’t read this post before he gets this in the mail. Lol.

4. Stress Relief Eucalyptus Soap from Bath & Body Works. Herbs are magical for stress relief. This and anything lavender are a must have for my sanity right now.

5. Serial the Podcast. I was addicted to Serial last fall, but I wasn’t doing the Friday faves series then. But it deserves a spot on the list, even now. I also just finished up “S-town” The second “Serial”. Serial was way better than S-town, but both are fascinating and hard to put down!

6. Sprout’s Sun-dried Tomatoes! I am a zealot for sun-dried tomatoes. In fact I drove to the store after a hard day at work last week just because I was craving them. Honestly, who craves sun-dried tomatoes? They are just so fresh right now at Sprout’s and oh man, oh man, delishh. I particularly am obsessed with eating these with hummus, cheese, and crackers. We watched Finals at our family’s last night and I couldn’t resist throwing some of these little guys on the tray! PS. GO CAVS!

7. Oh and those crackers- Crunchmaster’s Multiseed Crackers. They are ridiculously yum. They are also gluten free!

8. Noww guesssss- the- heck- whatttt?! We finally have bedside lamps! It has been a long time coming, nearly a year, but we FINALLY have them! Our family gave them to us when we moved and they work way better than any of the millions I tried from the store before. Now on to finding throw pillows…Maybe I’ll have it all together by the time we decide to move again. ha!

9. These flowers from my love. I came home to these after a long weekend at work. I was at my emotional breaking point, and he had cleaned the whole house and had these flowers for me. <3 Melted my lil’ heart!

10. TACO BOOTIES! One of my greatest friends back in Ohio is having her little babe in a couple weeks (Maybe sooner!). I found these taco booties on Uncommongoods.com and could not resist!

Blog Birthdays:

My classy & lovely lady Miranda over at pinot&peeptoes on June 3^rd. I am so sorry I’m a whole week late- but I hope your birthday was FABULOUS, just like you <3

The sweet, wise, and ultimate linguistic goddess, my sister Kiran over at Kiranmag on June 10^th. Her writing takes my breath away every single time. Go check it out now!

Love you both!

And I love you all as well! Sending big summer hugs.

Xo <3

Friday Favorites #4!

Published on April 14, 2017August 11, 2019 by Mackenzie55 Comments

It’s FRIYAY, FRIYAY, Gotta get down on FRIYAY!!!

It is 9:00 pm, I am home from work and happy to report this week was SO MUCH BETTER!!!!! I can’t tell you how IMMENSELY encouraging all your comments and texts were from my last post. It truly changed my whole disposition. I went in with a determination to face it all head on, learn what I could, and forgive myself (I think that was pivotal). And although I have endless learning and experience to be gained, I felt like I wasn’t totally lost. One HUGE thing I was reminded of that stuck with me was just the the Lord wouldn’t bring me to this point to leave me hanging. That gave me a whole new wave of confidence.

I also see now how no matter how rough the day is, that ONE moment sincerely makes it all worth it. Today that moment for me was making my patient laugh. Even if I’m not the best nurse in the world yet, don’t they say laughter is the best medicine? 😉 Tomorrow (it’s Thursday while I’m writing this) might be different, but for now, I’m basking in the giddiness of ~~success~~ not horribly, epically failing.

NOW, before I go to bed I want to whip up a quick post. I have been collecting pictures for a Friday Favorites post all week and can’t wait to share!

Peets Coffee. I’m not sure that I have given Peet’s a proper shout-out in my Friday Favorites. Due time! My go-to is an almond milk cafe au lait. YURM. Also, my friends that I made while I was studying for my NCLEX still work there, and when I had to do some module work online this week I went back in. It was great to catch up with them!

2. Cereal Quest Bars! I’ve been sitting here for a minute trying to conjure up a description that does these little devils justice- but nothing will. They are beyond delicious. If you don’t believe me I guess you will just have to try for yourself!!! I’m OBSESSED. I love the chocolate flavor most, but all the flavors are terrific.

3. Safeway Monopoly. Our local grocery store has a monopoly game (like the McDonald’s one) that I have been participating in! They have tons of free products you can win by simply shopping at their store! Without boring you to tears, basically you get a board, you earn little “game pieces” when you shop, and then you enter codes online to win or get instant winning tickets for free products. So far I have won a cooking class, Shutterfly photo books, and all the stuff in the pictures below. FREE. Free as a bee!!!!! Now if I can only get those last few game pieces to win one of the big kahunas! DJ isn’t too upset about the free donut I seem to get each time 😉 And who doesn’t want a free 5 lb. bag of flour?! (I do have to say though, I was actually wayyy too pumped about the aluminum foil, because we were out, so perfect timing!)

4. Sprout’s Bags. My “Every Day I’m Brusselin” bag- which was discovered in my very, very first post from Sprout’s grocery store), now has a new friend named, “Turnip For What”. If you know me, you can imagine my minor, massive joyous freakout in the store that maybe borderline, definitely embarrassed DJ when I saw this bag. I was like the needy five-year-old begging their parent for candy at the cash register.

Me: “DJ, I NEED IT! I NEED IT! I REALLY, REALLY DO!”

DJ: “We have so many bags at home, I think you’ll survive.”

Me: NO, I NEEEEEEED IT.

DJ: **Handing over the extra $2.00 to the cashier for my bag of happiness**.

The heart wants what it wants.

5. Dear Mom. Our apartment building has this new vending machine that is basically a grocery store vending machine in our lobby. Plus it has these recipes that hang on the wall next to it saying how to make different meals with the ingredients they provide. I think it’s one of the most ingenious ideas. It has all your basics as well as desserts. Yup, they even have cheesecake (which is a food group of its own). And if I forget anything that I was supposed to get at the store, I always check to see if they carry it before I have to make a second trip!

6. 13 Reasons Why. This is a heavy one. Has anyone watched it or read the books? It’s a Netflix original series. While I was doing some marathon training, cooking, and working on modules, I had this playing and finished the series in about three days. It’s addictive- start to finish. It’s only 13 episodes, but every single one is gripping. But, like I said, it’s heavy. It makes you think. I’d love to hear your thoughts if anyone has seen this.

7. PackIt Freezable Lunch Box. This is the best lunchbox on planet earth. It has built in freezer packs, so you just throw it into the freezer, and when you are ready to go you just toss your food in it. No messing with those awkwardly shaped freezer packs!! It’s super portable, lightweight, and basically I could talk about how much I love this thing all doggone’ day. Like, I have to get up in 6.5 hours, and all I’m doing is typing about a lunchbox. Ummm, #priorities.

8. 100 Calorie Pack Emerald Almonds. MMMM mmm MMMM. These are one of my favorite snacks when I’m on my shifts. I only have 15 minute breaks (and one 30), so these are a lifesaver for super fast energy. I usually pair it with a cereal Quest bar or No Cow bar and am good to go at least for a couple hours!!!!

9. Blogilates. Cassey Ho is the bomb.com. I’m telling you- if you want an insane ab workout, she is your girl. Even DJ is amazed at how hard her workouts are. I DARE you to try one. I think my favorites are

This one, this one, and this one.

She also has targeted workouts for all other areas too! And they are pretty short, but guarantee you will feel the BURN.

10. Dis’ bag. I know I have tons of pictures of this little guy sprinkled around my blog already- but I can’t help but give it a little love! It’s from Target and it’s HUGE and I don’t know how I went my whole life without this bag. I see the light.

I am horribly behind on reading and responding to comments in classic Mack-form (ew. is that third person? Wait, I’m too tired to care)- BUT I will be catching up this weekend. Orientation ends next Wednesday which means my days off are actual days off when I could do things like catch up on your blogs!😏 🤗🎉AH! LOVE YOU ALL. Have a wonderful Easter weekend 💕

XO <3

**There are affiliated links in this post, but all ideas are my own**

Friday Favorites #3/ Recap!

Published on March 2, 2017March 4, 2017 by Mackenzie85 Comments

Happy Fri-yay ya’ll!!

I’m sort of combining Friday Faves and our recap into one this week!

Okay- so basically since I returned from LA I have been sick. Not normal sick- like the wind knocked out of my sails sick. (No worries- recovering slowly). I had a viral infection and was out for the count Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. Thursday I woke up in the middle of the night, and when I stood up to go to the bathroom, I suddenly had the most excruciating ear pain of my life. I told DJ I have never been through childbirth, but I would bet it was comparable. Turns out my eardrum was on it’s way to being ruptured and was tearing on the edges (Sorry, TMI?). I’m a nurse, guys, I don’t know the “normal” bounds of conversation sometimes! …The things I and my nursing friends would talk about at dinner…. Oy vey! Anyway after 1 ER, 1 Urgent Care, and 3 different pharmacies I was finally set up with the meds needed to combat the bad boy. I still don’t have my hearing back in the infected ear, but I just finished my last day of antibiotic drops, so it should be back once the drops start to drain. Fingers crossed!

But this leads me to my first Fri-yay fave (these aren’t in order of importance, more just chronological!):

Puns. Because ya’ll know I love puns, and when you are sick you can make ALL the puns and no one calls you out on it. Exhibit A:

2. Sushi. All the sushi. & Grubhub. When I’m sick (well anything but GI sick), I crave sushi. Wait…. I always crave sushi. But I especially crave it when I’m sick. Grubhub came in the clutch last week with the magic sushi delivered to our door. Sushi, sushi, sushiiiiiii. (Still not over it). There were seriously a couple days where I could barely get off the couch, so grubhub with the sushi saved my life! My go-to is a rainbow roll, spicy tuna, or a eel roll of some type! What’s your favorite sushi? Wasabi? Ginger? I douse my soy with the wasabi and always follow a bite with some ginger!

We also had a delicious dinner at Dj’s family’s house on Wednesday! Love that family time.

3. DJ’s Baptism!!! DJ was baptized Sunday! It was such a special event. I was not about to miss it for the world. I drug myself off the couch to make it in between services and was able to see my love make a public declaration of his faith. I felt so honored to know him during this HUGE event in his life. He is truly one of my role models, and I couldn’t be more proud of my hubs <3 His grandma was able to make it too since she was in town all the way from Ohio which was a blessing!!!

4. Dreyer’s Limited Edition Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!!!! AHHHHH! This stuff is the bombbbb. I have an ice cream cone almost every night (not exaggerating). I’m a big believer of at least one sweet treat a day. I’ve been on a dreyer’s light mint chocolate chip ice cream kick (with cashews mixed in), but man, this stuff is my new crave. When I showed DJ he laughed because he said it was all my favorite things in one ice cream.

5. John Freida Full Repair. I don’t know what it is about this stuff, but it’s pure magic. All the John Freida products are my ride or die when I have blonde highlights. In the winter and change in seasons my hair gets some severe breakage. This stuff helps tremendously and keeps the brightness of the blonde without any brassiness. I can’t recommend this enough!

6. Another BIG UPDATE!!!! I finally have permission to announce that DJ has a new employer! He finished up his internship with the church and is now employed by the SJ Giants! Wooohoooo! I know he will do a tremendous job and I am incredibly proud of him for pursuing his dreams. Plus I got a cute baseball cap to wear out of it 😉

7. Reading. YES!!! I finally have time to go through the HP series. For like, the first time in my whole life. I know I’m ten years late to that game (I’m also reading Cutting for Stone which is incredible). But as many of you know, one bucket list dream is to read the series then go to Harry Potter World. I should be embarrassed to admit this, but I’m not? One of my favorite nights this week was when DJ and I just read our individual books, DJ reading The Power of Habit (which he says is super great), and me reading HP while sipping on red wine in the evening. Perfection.

8. Lysol Multi-purpose cleaner. It’s laboriously difficult to find an all purpose cleaner that is powerful but not super strong on the chemicals. This stuff actually smells terrific, and it works incredibly well.

9. Protes chips. Ahhh, I could make a post alone about how much I love these chips. I believe protein packed snacks are the best types of snacks! Protes have 120 calories per 1 oz, 15 g of protein, 7g of carbs, and 1g sugar. I say that’s a pretty well macro balanced chip to munch on!!! I’ve been enjoying these with hummus everyday. (If you have had Quest chips- these blow them out of the water. I like Quest, but these are in a different league).

10. Bitmojis. JJ inspired me to make a bitmoji, and I am obsessed. (You may have figured that out if you follow me on snapchat). Do you all have a bitmoji?! I don’t know why it took me so long to pull the trigger on making one! Too fun!

Blog Birthdays: Happy Birthday to you all! These are some amazing ladies, and you all should go check out their blogs now and shower them with birthday wishes (or belated wishes- my baddd).

Chiara @ ChiarasCorner on February 28th (Sorry this is so late, dear!)

Nikki @ Flyingthroughwater on March 2

H.M. Davis @ Letsruntherace in the month of March

Have such a beautiful weekend everyone!

xo,

Friday Favorites #2

Published on February 10, 2017March 2, 2017 by Mackenzie29 Comments

Happy Friday ya’ll!!! I missed “Friday Favorites” last week, but I’m back with it this week!!!! I was excited about how much you all enjoyed this last time. Let’s jump right in! (Recap post coming up this weekend- I’m pumped about this one!!)

…. I was asked to be a bridesmaid!

Two of my very best friends are getting married this year! I received this gem in the mail last week! EEEK! I loveeee the cute ways to ask now-a-days! I just really hope with this new job I’m able to fly back to the other coast. The thought of not making their weddings puts a pit in my stomach. Anyways, what are some unique ways that you have been asked? Also, Lynds- SO excited for you and Joseph!!!!! LOVE YOU!

This is the one I used when I asked my girlies because I don’t have that boss handwriting and crafting skills like Lyndsay!

2. Rapid Clear Neutrogena Spot Gel. This past couple weeks have been stressful, and my face has unfortunately concurred. This stuff has been my ride or die for years. It tackles the most stubborn blemishes over night!

3. BOOM. CHICKA. POP. I mention this quite a bit on the blog. This is one of my favorite snacks. I’ll be talking about it more in my update post because I took the cheddar cheese to the Super Bowl party! Everyone loved it and said it didn’t taste much different than regular cheese popcorn. The lightly salted is my go-to on the daily. I love a few cups before working out because it’s light but with the quick carbs!

4. Gluten Free Ice Cream Cones! I don’t usually go out of my way to eat gluten free, but there is something about these ice cream cones that I loveeeee. I believe one indulgence during the day is entirely necessary, and for the last half of a year my go-to treat has been an ice cream cone in the evening. I swear they taste even better than the traditional ones; the “cake” flavor in the cake cone stands out!

5. Matrix Oil. This stuff really, truly works. My hair is not a fan of the winter time- it gets dry and breaks so easy. Putting a little bit of this on the ends while in the shower or after while my hair is damp helps a ton with the breakage. Plus it smells insanely good. The bottle will last you well over a year!

6. Fancy Frances. Do you guys remember my wine glass that Rachel made me for Christmas?! I know I said I would share the information with ya’ll once she had a site up and running! She has a Facebook page now!!!! Go check it out!!! She even has the wine socks I posted in my last Friday Faves post. There are some great gift ideas there for Valentine’s Day too!

7. Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee Archer Farms K-Cups. I hate that K-cups aren’t usually recyclable. So when I saw that these were easy to recycle, I jumped on them. I took my first sip, and I’m never going back. The flavor is magnificent.

8. Miracles. I shared this video in my last recap post, but I have to share it again. So worth a couple minutes of your time!

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fvive.church%2Fvideos%2F1211872025577198%2F&show_text=0&width=560

9. Chris Lane. I went to his concert on Wednesday night with some girlfriends, and I have a new found love for his music. Such an electric show- great energy, incorporation of many different genres of music, engaged with the audience…. Unlike any concert I’ve been to. Highly recommend seeing this man perform live! This is currently my favorite song by him. It’s unique- country with a hit of pop!

10. Lady Fortunes Fortune Cookies. My mamma bear sent this to me after hearing about the job! Is this not the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen?!? It is literally a GARGANTUAN fortune cookie that you can custom choose what the fortune says inside. She chose for me Psalms 37:4 -“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” <3 Still can’t get over it. Such a great, unique gift idea!

I am more behind on blogging than I’ve ever been, but I hope you all know how much you mean to me, and I can’t wait until I have a spare moment to catch up on everyone’s happenings!

xo <3

Published on January 26, 2017March 2, 2017 by Mackenzie94 Comments

Woah, woah, woah hold the phone, Mack is actually doing something semi-normal on her blog? Yes, yes. I can hardly believe it myself. I am doing a Friday Favorites post! Woot woot! I had a few things I wanted to share in the last post, but I felt like doing a friday faves would help shorten the other post a bit! Not sure if I’ll end up doing them every week; I have a problem with commitment as you know by my inability to actually post recipes when I say I will *sigh*. But nevertheless, I’ll do my best.

They’re Real Mascara. My sister and I don’t splurge on hardly anything makeup wise, but when it comes to this mascara we cannot find one better. We are obsessed.

2. Banana Pancakes. This is my most recent breakfast bae. It’s so easy too- 2 large bananas//1/2 cups of oats//splash of vanilla//splash of almond milk in a food processor to get a fluffy batter, cooked like a regular pancakes, some light syrup or blueberry compote on top, and you are golden as a goose. If you are feeding more people, just double the recipe! I also like to add a bit of plain Chobani or Fage on the side to add some protein. I tell ya what, I think I could live on this stuff.

3. These socks. DJ gave me these for my birthday. Thank ya again, sugar love.

They are super, SUPER cozy too! Get yours here !

4. Homesick candles. I have seen these advertised all over the doggone place and my sister-in-law actually gave me one for Christmas! It is such a thoughtful gift! And if I had to give an objective review, I’d say it really does smell like Ohio! <3

5. Speaking of candles, this Accent Warmer will blow your “get me wine” socks off! It smells fabulous and lasts forever! I burn through candles like nobody’s business, so the length of time an accent warmer lasts is actually a great investment! The soft cashmere amber smells so yummy, and it lights up the room beautifully!

6. Thrifty finds. I loooove thrift stores. It’s like a sport to me. Ever since middle school I have loved hunting down the best deals, finding hidden gems, and paying a fraction of the initial cost. I bet 85% of my closet is from thrift stores, TJ’s, and Marshall’s. Also, I’m about as fickle as they come, so I never have to have “Buyer’s guilt” if I buy something and don’t wear it as much as I think I will. These are a few of my faves I found last week (along with my purse that I found from the same thrift store a couple months ago). Everything was even brand new with the tags still on it. The shirts are from Banana Republic and Ann Taylor originally, the shoes from Forever 21, and the purse Kenneth Cole Reaction. If you aren’t a thrifter, I highly recommend giving it a try- it’s a blast!

7. This planner. – I have a new found love of Sugar Paper planners. I never usually invest in a cute planner, but I had a giftcard to Target and stumbled across this little guy. LOVE it!

8. & this Wine Cork holder. My friend Morgan (THANKS MO!), sent me this for my birthday. People must think I like wine or something….. Anywho, I love this, and I am so excited to get the corks glued down to hang it up! ** No judging I have collected corks since I’ve turned 21 , so it’s not that many 😉 **

9. This stuffed vegan purple sweet potato. Ok- so I know it seems I always lie about actually sharing recipes, but I will be posting this one next week. It’s too good and wayyy too easy. I’ve had it for dinner almost every day this week 😋

10. Dexter. We love our Dex. I think it’s one of those shows that picks up over time too, each season gets better and better.

11. Working for Postmates!!!!!!!! LOVE this company and also how easy it is to work around my schedule!

A lot of my friends and family are curious how it works, so I figured I would describe it here:

I signed up, submitted my info, and then they sent me a Postmates credit card and bag
I downloaded the app and activated the card
While working, I show that I am “Online” and when a delivery needs to be picked up, I will be notified and I can choose to “skip” or “accept”
If I accept, I am given the shopping list of the delivery (so it could be a list for items at Target, a grocery store, a food delivery for pick up, etc.), and I go to the store and pick up the items
When I check out, I use the Postmates credit card (This is not a personal card at all linked to my account- it strictly is a Postmates company card)
I then enter the final amount in the app and take a picture of the receipt
I say “Deliver to ____ (person’s name)”, and deliver to the address given
Once I complete the delivery, I am paid instantly and they can choose to tip.

HIGHLY recommend if you need a side job. BUT don’t do it in high heels. I learned my lesson as I was running through the mall to pick up an order from Panda Express and ended up with blisters all over my feet. Lolz.

^ yes, the pedicure from mid November is still holding on. Haha.

** Anyway, deliveries usually take less than 20 minutes, and they have “Blitz pricing” where I will be notified when rates are up! You can work literally any hour of the day, but I choose to work during the day for safety reasons. DJ is hounding me to get my bear spray for the Mountain Lions and pepper spray for the crazies that I might deliver to one day… no worries babe, Amazon Prime has my Bear and Pepper spray on the way 😉

WELP guys, I did it. I did a Friday Favorites. I have more I want to add, but I’ll wait till next time! I can hardly believe I actually did such a normal blog post that isn’t a million pages long! Wowza. Love you all and hope this weekend is extra wonderful for each of you!

xo <3

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