Friday Favorites 9/9/22!

Happy Friday! I wanted to share a super speedy Friday Favorites post before diving into this weekend. Let’s see if I can get this done before Quinn wakes up 😅.

1. The Last Mrs. Parrish. This was my latest book club book, and it’s a real page turner! I will give an abuse warning for it though- some parts were very hard to read. But overall, it’s a great thriller with good twists.

Speaking of twists…..

2. Quinn Sea Salt Pretzels. The name is just a bonus, but DJ and I both agree these are some of the BEST store bought pretzels we’ve ever tried. They’ve quickly become a staple in our home.

3. Henry Rose Fragrances. Since trying to reduce endocrine disrupting chemicals from my environment/products, I’ve given up perfume/fragrances. I miss them!!! I recently discovered Henry Rose has EWG certified fragrance lines, and oh my gooodness, they are amazing!!!! I LOVE! I ordered their Discover sample set.

5. Olly Prenatal Vitamins. I have tried so many different prenatal vitamins throughout pregnancy/breastfeeding, and I am currently really enjoying taking these Olly ones! They’re tasty & gentle on the stomach.

5. And saving the best for last!!! I am OBSESSED with these Born and Raised bows gifted by my sweet friend Kori. They are the softest bows, leave no indentation and are SO stinking cute & dainty. Love love love!

What are you all loving this week?! TV shows, podcasts, snacks, anything at all?!

<3,

Mackenzie

P.S. I successfully finished this post and Quinn is still sleeping!! Woohooo!! It’s the little victories ☺️.

*Some pictures are from the direct links associated with the featured product*.

New Year, New Friday Favorites!

Hey all! It’s 2021! YAYY- happy happy New Year! I know some people say it’s just another day, but I feel extra optimistic this time around that the future is brighter (although it may the third cup of coffee talking, idk). I start back up with my clinicals on Monday, so I am trying to get as much blogging done as possible today. The weekend is dedicated to more intensive review, but for now I am giving myself this block of time to dive into these posts. I have been having just a blast working on recaps. I also realize this may be the last Friday Fav I can do for a while, so I want to take advantage! Enjoy! 

  1. Kitsch Women’s Hair Coils. I was so unsure about hair coils when they became a thing a few years ago. They looked like hard non-malleable, uncomfortable plastic. However, once I started using them I never returned to the original hair ties. They keep your hair in place, are comfortable and don’t rip hair out the same way the original hair ties do. Highly recommend!

2.  New Jeans. I have the hardest time finding jeans I like, so when I find a pair that works, I wear them for years and years. This is one of my favorite pairs I have found in a long time, so I bought two pairs in “Indigo Atlas” and “Black Squared”. My mom recently asked where I got them so she could get a pair too! I love love love. Oh, and just another note- they soften up quite a bit when you wash them, especially the Indigo Atlas pair!

3. The Guest List. I actually read this book months ago, but I don’t think it ever made it onto the blog, and it should have! It’s an easy read that keeps you guessing the whole time with so many twists!

4. But I Could Never Go Vegan! While we don’t eat totally vegan, we do love trying vegan recipes and eating plant-based food. Recently we have started picking out a couple recipes per week to try from this cookbook, and we have overall loved them! The premise uses an ‘excuse’ per chapter of why someone wouldn’t go vegan, and then makes recipes that would counter that excuse. For example, one excuse is “But I could never give up cheese!” and then the whole chapter is “Cheesy” vegan dishes. Pretty fun, and it forced me out of a cooking rut.

5. The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast. With graduation around the corner, I have been inhaling as much clinical knowledge as possible. This is by far the best podcast I have come across yet- I try to listen to at least two episodes per day and keep notes on my phone as I listen. If you are a medical professional seeking out a solid medical podcast, I highly recommend this!

6. Veggie Lover’s Sweet Earth Pizza. Oh. my. goodness. I think this is my favorite vegan pizza I have ever had! Funnily enough, we discovered this pizza at a CVS of all places. I think they sell them at Target and probably other grocery stores too though.

7. 2021 Planner. Ahhh, I lovee a fresh planner! DJ finds it funny I still use a paper planner, but I just have to write everything out. Anyone else?!

8. Edamame Pasta!!! My Aunt Terry recommended this to us and we love it! I think it’s one of the best pasta substitutes we have tried, and it’s really high in protein. Yum!

9. Nite Swim by The Band Perry. DJ actually discovered this song and knew I would love it. I have it on. repeat. !

10. Schitt’s Creek. We are late to the party, but we are finally watching through Schitt’s Creek! I started it earlier in the year, but I prefer watching comedies with someone else, so I waited for when DJ and I could watch together. The first couple episodes are so-so, but then it gets really good. 

What are you loving lately? 

**Disclaimer: There are Amazon affiliate links in this post. All ideas and opinions are my own. I may receive a small compensation if you choose to purchase the products linked**.

Friday Favorites!

Happpy Friday!!! 

Oh wow, it has been a HOT minute since I have done a Friday Favorites post. I didn’t plan on writing one today,  but sometimes after that first cup of coffee you just don’t know what will happen! I am so excited to share some of my favorite things of late with y’all. Now that I am not 100% consumed with school (for now), I have some shows, podcasts, recipes, Christmas inspo., etc. I have been enjoying!

(P.S. I am listening to Taylor Swift’s new album as I write this, and I’m eager to hear your thoughts if you have listened. Folklore was one of my favorites of hers, so I am stoked for evermore). 

First up- my friend Rach sent me the most delicious and thoughtful advent calendar! It has vegan dark chocolate for each day of December! I look forward to my little heart shaped piece of chocolate every day 🙂 

Okay, so I guess there is a teeeny bit of school sprinkled in here. I have been studying for my boards a bit each day, and I LOVE using the Leik review. It’s been kinda *fun* to go through the intensive review, as everything is starting to really come together. I won’t be taking my boards until next spring, but I want to be prepared as possible for my final clinical rotations. If you are an FNP student, I definitely recommend this book for review! I actually wish I had studied it throughout the program coinciding with each unit-  so I recommend doing that if you are just starting out. This will not be my only source of review, but it is a great one to start with. (There are a couple minor typos/errors in the book I’ve found, but overall it’s solid).

Alright, if you have been around here for a while you probably know I have ice cream in some form nearly every day for dessert. Well, y’all, I had to give up the dairy pretty much all together (at least for now) due to some skin issues. I have seen a huge difference since cutting it out. I replaced my yasso fudge pops (from Target) and ice cream cones with these Fudge Bars from So Delicious (I found them at Whole Foods). They are a great alternative. But if you can have dairy- yasso is so yummy- I was on a kick of that for a while! 

New running shoes!!! I have been long overdue in replacing my running shoes (Since before Virtual Boston in September- eeeeek, don’t tell!). Brooks are my go-to shoes for year-round training. When I trained for Boston I ran in the Nike Zoom Fly 3 for the speed- they are ah-mazing, but in terms of sustainable training and support for the way I run and step, I am hesitant to veer away from Brooks ghost + inserts for the long term. Maybe one day I’ll officially transition over to the Nike running side, but there has been enough change in 2020 already, lol. (When I get to the actual Boston recap, I’ll talk about the magic that is Vaporfly Next % I wore for race day too). 

GreenPan Pans!! So we have been a kick of “healthifying” (not a word, but it works) our home environment (I am planning to do a whole post eventually on the why and the how), and the first thing that had to go were our old cooking pans. Also, we were due for a new pans since we haven’t replaced them in about five years since getting married. We looked into and read all about the healthiest pans, and decided to go with GreenPan. Another cheaper alternative we were close to getting were these pans that come in a variety of adorable colors. We went with GreenPan because they seemed to be a trusted brand in pretty much everything we read. Also the reviews on GreenLife were questionable- they had a high rating, but the recent ones were mostly negative- so we just played it safe and invested a bit more. Anyway, we absolutely love them. They are nonstick, cook evenly and quickly at low to medium heat and are extremely easy to clean. I’m usually a bit reckless with my cookware, but I’m going to try to take good care of these. 

Autumn is starting to show its face in Austin!!! The leaves here change later in the year, and here we are in December with it finally starting to feel somewhat like fall! 

Something that has really helped me get in the Christmas spirit is watching Taralynn McNitt’s Vlogmas. I just adore her Vlogmas she does each year, and they have added a real lightness to the heaviness of this year. She was actually my initial inspiration for blogging, and I’ve been following her blog since 2014. She is the realest, and just a breath of fresh air in the hyper-curated blogging space of full-time bloggers. If you want to check out her actual blog follow this link. You guys will love her (if you don’t already!). 

After many recommendations to watch the Queen’s Gambit on Netflix, we gave it a chance and oh my goodness- highly recommend. It is a heavier watch, but it is extremely well done and unlike anything you have seen before. That’s a bold statement- but it’s spellbinding, quirky, suspenseful.. and so much more!

And I would be remiss, devastated and heartbroken (anyone know the reference?), if I didn’t share these No-Bake Vegan Brownie Bites with you that are ohh sooo good! These were recommended by my sister-in-law, and I am just obsessed. I ate through my first batch so quickly, and I can’t wait to make them again. 

And last, but certainly not least, my Mom-in-law and my Aunt-in-law have a podcast that I just love called Ok Boomer! I try to listen as soon as they have drop an episode. They are witty, funny and it feels like you are just sitting having a conversation with them. I think a comment someone left in the reviews captured the essence of the podcast perfectly: “A fun and entertaining way to explore how another generation sees the world with a message to get out of your comfort zone and live life to the fullest”. Their goal is to take back the negative connotation of “Ok Boomer” to bridge all generations so we can all be “happily ok together”! And I say they do just that!

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What have you been loving lately?

**Disclaimer: There are Amazon affiliate links in this post. All ideas and opinions are my own. I may receive a small compensation if you choose to purchase the products linked**.

Friday Favorites #24!

Happy Friday one and all! Although..maybe Happy Saturday when you read this considering I am writing it Friday evening. I finished up everything I wanted to get done for today, so I figured why not share some favs?!

  1. It’s-It ice cream sandwich! On a podcast I was listening to, the host was raving about how tremendous these are. I have passed by It’s-It brick and mortar shop plenty of times on Interstate 280, but have never thought to pay it a visit.

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This place was established in 1928 and has gained fame in San Francisco with this ice cream sandwich of vanilla ice cream in between two oatmeal cookies that are coated in dark chocolate. I was bummed we were going to miss out on this famous creation considering we wouldn’t have time to try them before we left. BUT.. while at Safeway (local grocery store), I stumbled upon them in the ice cream aisle!!!

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I had high expectations… and it met every bit of them. Highly recommend tracking these down if you are the west coast. It’s unlike any other ice cream sandwich I’ve ever had before. YUMMMAYY.

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2. Peets. I am soaking up every single last moment at Peets. I have gone nearly every day this week to study. The last day I knew I’d see my favorite barista, we exchanged numbers to stay in touch. I’ll miss her!! I gave her my blog name too- so if you are reading this- Hi, Connie! You make the best Cafe Au Laits in all the land! <3

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Connie has been there from the beginning when I studied for my NCLEX before I was even a nurse. It was hard to say goodbye, but I will always be thankful to know her. She rooted us on through so many seasons & continues to do so. Endless learning & growth took place at Peets. It’ll always be way more than a coffee shop to me. (I know it’s sappy, but it’s true).

3. Living minimalistically <– dat a word? We got rid of so much while packing up & since our movers came Tuesday we have been living with the absolute bare minimum. I feel like having so little around really has cleared my head, made me more productive & focused. It makes me want to get rid of even more! (Pictured is my little study spot I made since we have no couches or chairs to sit on right now- hehe).

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4. Tofu Tacos!! Yes, you read that right. When I first made these, I was a bit nervous how DJ would feel considering tofu is a bit spongier than meat. But he loved them! So much so he was still talking about them the next day.

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Roughly estimated recipe: They are super simple to make- just sauté mixed peppers and white or yellow onion in a sauce pan over medium heat with minced garlic. Once caramelized add crumbled extra firm tofu with your choice of vegan (or regular) Mexican cheese. Then add  your decided amount of taco mix (for a batch of taco seasoning : TBSP chili powder, 1 TBSP ground cumin, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika & 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper- sprinkle in as desired). Add a little bit of slice jalapeno for an extra nice kick!

5. Sunsets. The sunsets have been just gorgeous this week. I have tried to take moments away from the busyness to just enjoy a moment in awe of the beauty. God is the ultimate artist.

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I’ll miss these mountains <3

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6 & 7. Sonicare electric tooth brush with extra soft bristles & activated charcoal toothpaste. Okayyy, this combo is a game. changer. It was time for me to upgrade my tooth brush & with all the tea I have been drinking lately I feel like my teeth are staining (weirdly, coffee doesn’t stain them – only tea?). I was a little skeptical about how activated charcoal would work, but WOWZA Mctrowza…. I woke up after using it in the evening and already noticed the stains were disappearing! The toothbrush is awesome too- it feels like it is thoroughly cleaning my mouth, but without any harshness on the gums.

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8. Ok, a bit embarrassing to admit, but guys, I am lovin’ this season of The Bachelorette. I adore Hannah. I think this may be my favorite season yet actually. I don’t know any spoilers either, and I don’t feel like there is a clear front runner. Cannot wait to see what happens these coming weeks! I hear it’s wild…..

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9. Nathanwpylestrangeplanet on Instagram (good luck saying that three times fast)… is my new favorite Instagram account. DJ showed it to me, and it basically is a couple of aliens that make parodies of humans through cartoons. They are ingenious & hilarious.

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10. Always Be My Maybe. Sigh, I just loved this movie (even though it did take me over three weeks to actually finish it, lol). I am not a fan of chick-flicks usually. I typically think they are just so darn predictable… but this one.. this one I loved (even though it was just so darn predictable 🤪). I think it’s because it took place in SF & I loveeed all the local shots & references. I don’t know that I would have enjoyed it as much if we didn’t live in the Bay Area… but it’s so cute nonetheless & anything Ali Wong I am here for.

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What is one of your favorites from this week? Any new food items, songs, TV shows, etc.?

xo <3

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**There are affiliate links in this post, but all opinions are my own!**

Friday Favorites #22!

It’s Friday!!! Woohooo!!! I am gonna whip this post up realz quick before trudging through school assignments to *hopefully* find some free time this weekend 🙂

  1. SomiSomi Ice Cream. This stuff is next level delicious soft serve. They just opened a location within walking distance of us! Might be a good thing we are moving because we probably definitely would consume more than is healthy over time. I tried the Ube soft serve (purple yam) & Oreo and DJ tried all Oreo. We both liked the Oreo flavor the most. Purple yam was just kinda vanilla (quite literally tasted like vanilla). You have the option for a macaron or a strawberry and what you want your cone stuffed with. I had nutella stuffed & DJ did custard stuffed! The Taiyaki cone is the best doggone ice cream cone of all time! We. are. obsessed.

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2. Mornings spent outside on the balcony! It’s finally warm enough to enjoy breakfast outside on the balcony again. I’m loving my avocado smoothies with protein cookies or oatmeal and chocolate chips to start the day. It’s so dern relaxing.

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3. Spring has sprung!!! I’m beginning to see flowers pop up everywhere!

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This flower below in particular has a special meaning for me when I see it bloom. You can read about that here.

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4. Wedding Planning!! I am honored to be my sista’s Matron of Honor, and while she really is taking care of most everything, I’m having a blast with my responsibilities. Over the weekend I ordered her bridal shower invites from Etsy & had them send on a PDF file. I then just downloaded the PDF onto cardstock through Staples and picked them up the same day- easy peasy! I highly recommend doing it this way, especially if you want to save money or are on a time crunch! Since I blurred out the details you can find the original template here 🙂

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5. This commercial. Bahahahaha.

6.  Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. I am only about halfway through this book, but I’m loving every second of it. I always highlight significant quotes or elements that resonate with me through my Kindle app, and I feel like I’m highlighting every five seconds. I also grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, where this story takes place, so seeing familiar names and locations makes me nostalgic and feel a kindred tie to the book. It’s a fantastic read so far! If you want to read a synopsis click here. Thanks for the recommendation, Maureen!

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7. Zoya’s August Nail Polish. I saw this color on Hunida and had to have it!!! It is sooo beautiful! Even DJ complimented my nails, and he doesn’t usually notice things like that haha. I was introduced to Zoya by my Aunt a couple years back, and truly no other nail polish lives up to it! I just adore this color.

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I’m reallly not great at doing my own nails (so I’ll spare you a subpar picture of my own nails), but I do talk with my hands so no one can focus on them for too long anyways. Hahah.

8. This video had me cracking up. DJ showed me this over the weekend and we went down a video hole of “I think my dog is broken” vids. Definitely watch if you need a little laugh 🙂

9. Roasted Gorgonzola Crackers from Trader Joe’s. I couldn’t do Friday Faves without a specific TJ mention, now could I?! Oh man, do I love this find! This has a very strong gorgonzola flavor (a little blue cheese too), so if you love those types of cheeses I recommend trying these out! YUM!

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10.  American Gospel: Christ Alone. Today I truly saved the best for last. This documentary has been out since October, and I don’t know why we’re just hearing about it. I could discuss this for hours upon hours, but I will just say I urge everyone and anyone to watch it. It addresses the “Word of Faith” movement, which we have been exposed to since living in California. This documentary debunks the false Gospel that is preached as well as presents the true Gospel in one of the most true, honest, raw, beautiful ways we have ever heard. I watched it twice in two days it was so good. Right now I could only find it on Amazon, but I really hope it releases to Netflix or Hulu soon too. It’s so important- the most important.

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Question for you:

  • What’s a favorite of yours this week?!

xo <3

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**There are affiliates in this post, but all opinions and ideas are my own**

Friday Favorites #21!

Happy Friday!!! We made it – woohoo!! DJ had to work super late last night (around 11 pm), but in turn he gets today entirely off! I still have to work on school shtuff all day, but I love having him around. I have faves bursting at the seams this week- definitely will have to save some for next week too!

  1. Trader Joe’s Tzatziki– oh man, this stuff is so creamy and delicious. I like putting it on my “chik’n”, eating it with hummus and pita chips, or putting it in my salads.

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2. Trader Joe’s Sliced French Brioche. The obsession is real. This is a must-try. We use it mainly for sandwiches, french toast, and grilled cheese!

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3. Little Pink Book. I am sooo old fashioned in keeping “paper records”. I don’t totally trust technology plus I’m bad at it, lol. Anywho- this little book is so fun & adorable for storing all contacts and addresses. I’m sure my mom is happy to read this considering it means I won’t constantly text her, “What is so & so’s address again?”

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4. Crispy Chickpeas from Trader Joe’s. This is more of a DJ Friday Fave, I like these, but DJ loves them. I actually prefer the Saffron Road brand, but these are still yummy.

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5. Olay Instant Hydration Eye Cream. I gotta say, I am usually so skeptical about face and eye creams- they cost an arm & a leg, but do they actually work? I noticed a difference in my under eye puffiness and also general smoothness in my under eyes by using this for one day! It lasts for a long time too because you only need very little.

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6. Fyre Festival Documentaries. This is kind of old news now, but I have to include it! Oh man, this is a fascinating documentary! I suggest watching both- the Netflix and Hulu styles are different & you learn different aspects about the whole mess through each. I won’t even give a synopsis because I’m sure y’all are well aware about it by now. Gosh, it’s entertaining.

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7. Airpods! DJ has wanted to get these for me for a long time for a Christmas or bday gift for the last couple years, but I always said I didn’t get the point. I didn’t see how they were that different truly from the regular headphones. WOW, was I wrong in my thinking- these are a game changer!! He finally got them for me this past Christmas, and I am sooo glad. They are sooo much easier, don’t catch on everything, and I think my form is better running because I can truly stand up straight without the headphones tugging on my phone. Also, I can do HITT routines while listening to podcasts or music… I couldn’t do that with my wire ones because they needed to be connected to my phone.

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8. Maybelline’s Colossal Volume Mascara. We have all seen the commercials for this mascara, and I had a sample I finally tried. I usually use “They’re Real!“.. but that can be sooo doggone pricy. This Mascara is insanely comparable, maybe even adds more volume, and is a price I can justify!

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9. The Wife Between Us. Wowzas, this book is a good one! Some people compare it to the style of Behind Closed Doors, one of my favorites from last year. This book, similarly, had sooo many twists and turns at the end, my jaw was nearly on the floor. Thanks, Maureen, for the suggestion! I really hope they make this a movie!

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10. The Final Table. Where my cooking show fanatics at?!?! This is a must watch! The Final Table takes the best chefs from around the world and they compete in the ultimate cooking competition. This is top tier cooking competition gold.

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Question for you:

  • Any favorites for you this week?!

Have a great weekend, my friends 🙂

xo <3

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**There are affiliated links in this post, but all ideas and opinions are my own! Some images are from a Google Image search- ya know the really crisp professional looking ones 😉 **

Friday Favorites #20!

Hey hey–Happy Fridayyyy! Even though I’m in school full time, & weekends are basically filled with school work anyways, there is something about the energy of a Friday I still love 🙂 Also I usually try to get most of the heavy lifting done by now so I can at least move at a somewhat slower pace once Saturday rolls around. Anyways, I have a long list of Friday Favorite items saved & catalogued from Christmas till now. I can’t wait to release them over the coming weeks 🙂 I got up early this AM to try to get a post in since I’m so behind- what is new?!

  1. This mug! How stinking cute is this? I feel so fab sipping my coffee in the morning with it! I couldn’t find this exact one, but I linked up one similar on Amazon (not quite as cute).. there are a plethora of  fun options on there though.

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2. Candy Sushi!!! Yes you heard right- Candy Sushi! I first saw this at Candytopia & then Taushah posted about it. After that I just needed to try it! Okay, I expected it to be more of a novelty thing, maybe not the best tasting candy ever-  but it was all soo yummy. The little red sour gummies were my favorite followed by the gummy fish. This was too fun!

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3. When I came home from SD, I had this super thoughtful card & gift awaiting me from Kate. She has just the sweetest heart!!! This lush green coconut bath bomb scent is out of this world- holy moly. Everything in Lush smells great, but this might be my favorite scent yet. AND she paired it with a toasted coconut peanut butter cup. It did not last long, lol. It was such high quality chocolate- so. stinking. good.

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4. My mom got DJ and I hooked on these Icon Meals when we were in Texas! These are a great snack when you just need a handful of something sweet and also a protein boost. Highly recommend! The dark chocolate sea salt is my personal fave.

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5. Norwex Envirosponge. Y’all. My mom got them for us for Christmas, and they are game changers!! They do not stink at all or have that musty scent that traditional sponges have after a few uses. Seriously do not know how I went so long without them. We have saved many paper towels by using these too. Bye bye green & yellow sponges!

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6. This Lavender & Lemon Soy Candle. This was another gift that is one that is great to get, but also wonderful to give. If you read on the label, the proceeds go to helping survivors of human trafficking. Such a worthy cause, and the candle smells just lovely. I couldn’t find the exact one- but I found a vanilla scented one.

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7. This video. I felt personally attacked but also laughed so hard. Trust me, worth the watch!

8. This planner below. I’m a bit late to the game posting about my planner, but it was a winner getting me through January. I’m just lovin’ it even though it’s super basic 😉 I got it for $5 at TJ Maxx!

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9. The Moth Podcast. This podcast is different than ones I usually listen to, but it’s a nice change of pace. I feel like I have been kinda high-strung lately, so listening to high energy podcasts that I usually do seem to just make me more anxious. This podcast almost calms me down. The stories that people tell are fascinating, mind blowing, make you think, and bring you back down to earth. They are humbling and perspective changing.

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10. Ozark. DJ and I are deep into Ozark. I think you suggested it, Kaci, so thank you for that!! We finished Season 1 last night & oh boy, is it a good show. It is extremely well done. In an interview, one of the producers said their goal was to never have a bad or “throw away” scene. I’d say they accomplished that goal with flying colors. Every single moment of the show will keep you on the edge of your seat! I look forward to watching an episode every evening with DJ before bed while eating my nightly ice cream cone, lol.

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Question for you:

  • What are some of your favorites this week/month?

xo <3

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**This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions are my own!**

Soufflé Pancakes & It’s Finally Autumn!

Hey, everyone! I am trying to get us all caught up before a super busy (and fun) week ahead 🙂 This morning is a three cups of coffee type of day, but I’m resisting considering I have to get up at 4 am tomorrow morning. Wish meh luck…. sometimes I wonder how I did that on a regular basis for over a year. I think we left off right after Thanksgiving!

November 23rd was a day of utter relaxation for DJ and me. I used to love Black Friday shopping, but now that online shopping is available I would much rather do it from my home than fight the masses. I ran a few errands and then we had a Thanksgiving Round 2 with all our leftovers in the evening (you can see those in the Friday Faves post).

November 24th DJ and I woke up early, went to our local Target, and then grabbed some Starbucks. I still have to try their new holidays drinks. Anyone try the Juniper Latte yet?

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After breakfast I enjoyed a nice long run on a my-kind-of-Saturday-morning grey day!! It actually finally feels like Autumn now. Leaves are falling, I repeat- the leaves are falling!

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After working on some school work I was in a mood for a movie. I am never in the mood for a movie at home, but for some reason nothing sounded better that evening. I usually can’t sit still that long, but I was so exhausted after all the festivities, and with the warm Christmas tree up it all sounded perfect. We chose Manchester by the Sea. About twenty minutes into it we turned it off- it was too depressing for the mood we were in. Instead, we tried Crazy Rich Asians, which I had heard raving reviews about. It was a good movie, we enjoyed it- but were sad they portrayed Christians in a such poor light, yet again, through the Hollywood lens :/.

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Sunday morning of the 25th before church we tried out Koja Kitchen. DJ and I have been drooling over pictures of these soufflé pancakes for a couple months. After our experience at Cafe Jacqueline, anything with the word “soufflé” is calling our names! Within this last couple weeks just started selling them at this particular location by our apartment… serendipitous I do say!

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DJ had their mixed berries ones, and there was not a trace left within a couple minutes. Rarely does DJ rave about food in the way I do, but he couldn’t stop talking about how wonderful these were!

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And I concurred. My matcha mascarpone ones were next level fluffy, yummy deliciousness!!! These are crave worthy- the texture & flavor is everything. I don’t know how soufflé pancakes aren’t a staple for all breakfast spots. They are just phenomenal.

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You can see in this video just how fluffy they are when you cut into them…

After church I enjoyed a shorter run soaking up the beautiful day.

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November 26th I went on a nice walk before finishing up my massive paper for the semester. Woohooo!

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On Wednesday November 28th I just continued to truck along with the school work with a run squeezed in between.

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In the evening I posted a whole bunch of stuff on Poshmark and sold a few items. That always feels so satisfying, especially when you sell something that has just been sitting in the closet for a while!

Thursday the 29th was the same ole’, same ole’ for us with school and work, but in the evening I made more of the mac and cheese recipe from Thanksgiving! My goal is to figure out a vegan version of this. But for now- bring on the dairy!

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I classify this as “cry food”: Food so good you get emotional and may even feel the urge to cry tears of joy.

Friday November 30th I went to a new hair salon and had my roots fixed from the fiasco of the last lady now that I’ve nursed it back to health somewhat. I loveeed how it turned out, I paid about half the price as the other place, and definitely spent half the time in the chair. I am so stinkin’ excited about this… y’all know I’ve had a difficult hair journey since moving here, so I’m glad to have found somewhere affordable and high quality! I loved my stylist too- she’s so sweet, fun to chat with & knowledgable.

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We decided to have a formal date night for the first time in a long time! We have been kinda all over the place with work/school/etc. this last few months, so our attempt at a weekly date has fallen to the wayside (although we could consider our weekend breakfast tour a date day I suppose!).

We received a coupon from Steins to try out their new menu. If you’ve been following along for a while this place probably looks familiar. We were excited to try it out!

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I am always skeptical about a soft pretzel since trying the one at Deschutes in Portland. That one was just too good & has ruined every soft pretzel since- nothing ever comes close! However, this one was solid. Not as good still- but close, especially with the dipping sauces of caraway beer mustard, pub cheese, & tomato jam!

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Gotta get those truffle fries!! The lemon aioli they are served with is the most heavenly aioli everrrr.

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We tried their creamed spinach too- and was pleasantly surprised how good this was! Typically steakhouses are the ones with the best creamed spinaches, but this is up there for sure.

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DJ had their chicken tenders with their super spicy hot sauces. Mmm mm! I used some of the hot sauces for dipping too. DJ said these are some top notch tenders.

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I tried their vegan cauliflower & garbanzo bean vegan dish paired with a cold glass of Pinot Grigio (perfect combo). This dish is supposed to serve three people, but when in marathon training….lol.

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The dish was… fine. I wouldn’t order it again, probably will go for the fish next time- but it was still satisfying & is a great vegan option for those that are strictly vegan!

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We came home, watched Arrested Development, and crashed.

On the morning of Saturday December 1st (How is it December?!), we had to go back to Koja…… the cravings were REAL.

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This time I tried their Tokyo caramelized banana option! It was tasty, but I still prefer the matcha mascarpone. DJ had the mixed berries again.

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I had a great long run of 16.75 miles after that carb load. I studied the entire time on the treadmill because it was raining outside. I made a solid dent in the books & actually felt better than I thought after the run. In the evening we had all our leftovers, and I spent the rest of the day resting the legs and blogging.

Yesterday, December 2nd, we went to an awesomeeee church service, then I did the first 20 minutes(ish) of this Youtube HITT routine. I ran some errands and then stopped by my friend Sara’s to wish her a happy bday. I worked on school work for a few hours, spent on hour talking to SheIn customer service (do not order from them- it’s not worth it), and last, to round off a nice, lazy, yummy weekend, we watched a couple episodes of Arrested Development.

Today the 3rd, I made a bunch of returns on my Black Friday orders. I ended up keeping two shirts, but it’ll feel good to see that money come back. Right now I’m enjoying this bowl of overnight pumpkin oats with fresh cranberries, a dollop of Fage, & maple syrup. Holy smokes – I might be on a new kick!

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The rest of the day is dedicated 100% to studying. Watch out Research & Stats, I’m coming for ya. We leave tomorrow for Disney, so I’ll probably be MIA till next week! Hope this week is absolutely restful, joy-filled, & lovely for each of you!

Questions for you:

  • If you have been to Disney, which is your favorite park?
  • What are some of your favorite online stores with cheap(ish) clothes that you can trust? There are so many sketchy sites these days, but all of them seem to have such cute clothes until you get something totally different in the mail, lol!!

xo <3

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Friday Favorites #17!

Happy Friday, everyone!!! I was not planning on publishing a Friday Faves today, but I am having the worst time focusing on school this morning. It smells thick of smoke from the wildfires and my eyes are dry- it’s making it hard to read and absorb the info. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by Camp Fire (and the shooting). My stomach hurts thinking about everything going on 🙁 So scary, so awful. What’s happening to us, guys? *Sigh* I didn’t even plan on mentioning this, but my heart is breaking for the pain & loss being experienced by so many.

Anyways, Friday Favorites are always some of my favorite posts to post (Did that sentence even make sense?). Publishing one always brightens my spirits, and I hope it brightens yours as well! I’m currently enjoying an extra cup of pumpkin spiced joe (it’s a three cup of coffee type morning) and am excited to share some highlights before hitting the books again. Luckily, I have the whole weekend to just focus on a massive paper I have due soon. Alrighty ! Leggo!

  1. Apple Cider Donuts from Trader Joe’s. We haven’t been great this year about doing all the traditional autumn activities, but really, all ya need is an apple cider donut (or six) to call your fall a win!!!

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2. Brooks Ghost Runners  & Berry Inserts. This has been my go-to shoe/insert pairing for the last six(ish) years, maybe more! Before using this combo I had horrible shin splints. I have been fighting some serious knee pain recently, then realized I haven’t replaced my shoes in nearly five months. That’s far too long when you are marathon training. Since replacing them my knee already feels much better, but I’m gonna take it easy this week to try to let it heal up.

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3. TJ’s Lightlife Smart Tenders. Oh, how I love Lightlife. Their smart tenders are just insanely good, vegan, and super high in protein.

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I like dicing up the tenders, heating them up, and throwing them in my salads. For thanksgiving, I am going to eat these with gravy as my “turkey”. (Of course I’ll make a real turkey too for the meat eaters 😉 ).

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4. Dang, this is quickly becoming a TJ’s Friday Fave! Have y’all tried these pumpkin cranberry crisps yet?! OH man they are good! I like dipping them in greek yogurt for an afternoon snack. Mm mm. I may need to go grab some now!

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Okay, back, with crisps in hand! Onto the next one….

5. If you follow the bachelor, you have to read this exchange between Arie & Sean Lowe. Too funny.

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6. My sister asked me to be her maid of honor!!  After a lot of contemplation and ambivalence about my answer (jk jk), I said yes! I am so so excited. She asked me with this cute little scratch off  & a wine glass that had an inside joke engraved on it. Her wedding is next July 🙂

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Not a super high quality picture, but a high quality moment!

facetune_07-11-2018-18-50-23(PS. JUST in case anyone notices, I’m not wearing my ring in the pic because I was deep cleaning the apartment this day haha- there is zero trouble in paradise 😉 ). Although speaking of which- can you believe Kaitlyn and Shawn’s breakup (bachelor franchise reference)?! *insert shocked emoji*. Although I’m not alll that shocked. There were some signs. Okay, I need to move on. Hahah.

7. We are a bit late to the game with this one. But we are LOVING The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix. We watched the first episode and weren’t sure how we felt, but after the second one we were glued to the series. I think we may binge it tonight depending how much work I get done to try to finish the ‘sodes. We have three left!

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8. This is an unusual Friday Fave- but this past week when checking out at my local Target I was chatting away with one of my favorite cashiers, and right before I left she threw a bunch of free goods into my shopping bag! I used up everything already except the lavender + sage soap (which I smells delightful and I’ll be opening it up today). I particularly loved the lemon sage lotion– yummy!  Shoutout to my local TarJay employees – y’all are the real MVPs!

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9. This. Just this.

img_1422-110. Ebates!!!

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Oh man, oh man! A few of you recommended signing up and installing this into my internet toolbar for cashback on purchases after my Savings September post. All I gotta say is….. what have I been doing my whole life?! This is incredible. It’s so easy, and I already am racking up cashback on things I already buy all the time. Thank you tons for the recommendation!!! If you want to sign up, click this link!

Questions for you:

  • Current favorite Trader Joe’s Product?
  • Any weekend plans?

xo <3

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**There are affiliated links in this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own**

A Day in the Bay! (+ a “Celeb” encounter)

Hi, Everyone! How are you? I have midterms this week, so I’m knee deep in the books + studying. I can’t wait to catch up on your blogs after I finish the testing up! This past week since my last recap was pretty uneventful. I included the highlights in my Friday Faves 🙂 DJ was in Monterey for another work trip for a couple days, and I just worked hard for school. We both wanted to take Friday & Saturday easy at home, so we just ran errands, had leftover mac and cheese, put on some football games, snuck in a couple long runs and lounged around- it was just wonderful.

My friend Dani (you may remember her from here or here among many other posts) is leaving soon for another occupational therapy travel assignment, so we are soaking up whatever days we can find to hangout together. This Sunday it worked out for Dani, Tammy, and I to have a full out girls day in SF. “Fun” is truly an understatement- it’s always a blast when we all get together! I’m excited to share our day with you all! These pictures are compiled from the three of us from the day.

So let’s get to!!! We made our way up to the city around 8:30 am.

First stop *drumroll*…. Mr. Holmes Bakehouse!! I have wanted to try out this gem of a bakery since we moved here.

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I’m not joking when I say we tried one of everything….. (minus their cookies and a couple savory pastries)

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One of two boxes, naturally!

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YOU GUYS!!!! Look at this box. Lol, I love this place.

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Literally everything we tried was delicious. I think the favorites were the matcha croissant, churro donut, sticky pecan bun, and the blueberry/lemon/pistachio bostock. They are known for their cruffins as I mentioned, and while it was yummy I wouldn’t say it was a favorite. It’s hard to compare to B. Patisserie & Tartine because it’s a different type of bakery. The other two have a lot of variety and dimension. Here, it is more about the novelty (of course, the pastries are amazing too!). The only downside is there really isn’t anywhere to sit and enjoy your pastries- it is more a grab and go type place. We were lucky to grab the only counter space available.

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We were walking back to the car and spotted a little coffee shop that had a line out the door. If there is anyone that has the need to try out the hoppin’ spots like I do, it’s these girls!!! I was so excited when Tammy said this was a place she has been dying to try- and we could always go for another coffee.

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This popular spot is called  Jane . I am actually shocked I haven’t seen this on on the lists I’ve searched.

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How adorable is this?! They also brag many awards- best croissant in the bay of 2018, best baguette 2017… how have I not heard of this place?!?!

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We ordered our coffees- and I am SO stoked that I finally got to try something charcoal. I have seen a lot of charcoal items featured throughout the bay, but never have stumbled across one. I ordered the black charcoal latte with activated charcoal, raw cocoa, coconut, and reiki mushrooms! yes, mushrooms. You couldn’t taste them at all- but I think they act like an antioxidant.

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(Behind the scenes of the picture- tehe!). I cracked up when I saw these pictures Tammy took!

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ZERO chill. Hahah.

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The lattes were terrific! I am going to crave that charcoally goodness. (may be the first person in history to ever utter that sentence).

Next stop on the bucket list?! Bernal Heights!!! The views are just tremendous.

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Of course we had to try out the famous swing…

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It was sooo much fun. A must if you are in the city.

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And sometimes ya just gotta go barefoot ya know?

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We then met up with some of Dani’s friends in town so they could see her before she goes too. One of them is an NP! I had a great time chatting with her.

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Time for food at  Soma StrEat Food Park !

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Annnnd guess who we ran into?! Venmo John from the Bachelor! He was truly the nicest guy… he chatted with us for a while then gave us his volunteer food voucher! (my excessive use of exclamation points is entirely warranted in this post)

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my look of disbelief that we just chatted with Venmo John and now have his meal voucher…. What is life

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We grabbed a dish from The Sarap Shop. I ate some veggies under the chicken, and had my emergency protein bar on me to add some protein!

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I love this little area they have set up to eat with picnic tables and TVs

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After chowing down, we still had room for dessert… Ice Cream time!!!

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This matcha ice cream was some of the best I have ever had!!! I saw in one of Rossy’s posts the fish cone- and man is it tasty!!! It is way better than a traditional waffle cone. Not sure what’s in it, but I’m in love. We also had nutella drizzled inside of it which was a perfect touch.

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My friends are the cutest <3

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And that’s a wrap!! Hope you all are having a great week 🙂 Don’t mind any errors in this post, I whipped it up super fast, but time to get back to studying. *Sigh*

Questions for you!

  • Have you ever had anything matcha flavored?
  • Have you ever met anyone that’s been on TV? (I’m such a fangirl, I love these convos, hahah).

xo <3

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