313/365: UnCommon

I think my phone cover is a great way to insert a little personality into my life. Actually, my phone in general. You can really say a lot with text and ringtones. So far I love this case. It's super cute and I've even dropped it a couple times and the case has held up great.

213/365: Supervision

Today I confirmed what I have really known all along: I need adult supervision while shopping in Target. Seriously, I cannot handle so much cuteness in one place. I feel the need to take at least something home with me. Even if I don't need it. Like these pillows. I have loved them since the first time I saw them. Today they were on sale and I just couldn't help myself.

But that isn't all I came home with. I bought stuff for my desk. It was on sale....I couldn't resist.

I think I have a problem.

188/365: The More You Know

I often talk about products I love and use....because it's my blog and I can. Well, today is no different.

Mrs.. Meyer's Clean Day is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This is the hand soap and I also use the dish soap. Smells delicious and I don't have to worry about anything remotely toxic being used to clean me or my dishes. 

Did you know most [antibacterial] hand soaps contain triclosan? Check your soap bottle--it's probably the first ingredient listed. Triclosan is linked to cancer and birth defects. It's actually really difficult to find a hand soap that doesn't contain triclosan. Whenever I am at someone's home and use their soap I usually look at the bottle and check ingredients. Every time triclosan is right there at the top. And then I cringe.

Yea, Mrs. Meyer's might cost a bit more and be harder to find but it's worth it.

184/365: Joys of Summer

Ah the joy of limited time beverages like Snapple's papaya mango tea. Yum!

111/365: A Creamer Revolution

I've professed my love for a good coffee creamer before and this is my current favorite. La Crème.

Note: If you would like to continue enjoying any other creamer you may currently be using, stop reading here!

I don't remember how I ended up stumbling onto the La Crème website, but there I found the ugly truth about most coffee creamers out there.

Last chance to turn back before your coffee connoisseur-ing world is changed forever.




Please make this decision with great deliberation. 






I am telling you what I found has changed my coffee drinking forever.
















As it turns out most coffee creamer is just a bunch of hydrogenated oils or something or  other and is filled with trans fats. In hindsight this actually makes a lot of sense. It does say right on the bottle that it is non-dairy, so what else could it be?

I was pretty much horrified at the thought of drinking oils so I decided on the spot I was changing my ways. Unfortunately, there aren't many stores that carry La Crème, but on the bright side it is very affordable and I feel much better about what I am putting into my body.

On a final note, they only have four flavors. I tried hazelnut first and it was not great. The cinnamon vanilla is awesome though! I can't remember what the other two flavors are at the moment.

110/365: Beer of the Root Variety

Seth and I have been big fans of root beer lately. I do not know why. We just are. Don't judge.

These are our two favorites. They can be found at Friar Tuck. For those who live in central Illinois I recommend the Bloomington store over the Springfield store. Yes, we went to Friar Tuck and bought root beer.

Windy City Soda is my preferred brand -- it's very sweet and tastes like a mix of root beer and cream soda. I highly recommend it. Thomas Kemper is Seth's preferred root beer. It is a much stronger tasting root beer.

Thomas Kemper does score points for their labeling, though.

93/365: Schmixer Mixer

I have been plotting about how to get my hands on a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Everyone swears by them. They last forever. They also cost A LOT of money. Which is why I don't have one.

No more. My grandma gave me hers. I didn't even know she had one. Turns out they weigh a ton and she only used her once because it was so bulky and difficult for her to maneuver by herself.

Of course, this thing is ginormus and takes up literally half of my kitchen counter.

It's totally worth it though. It saved me a ton of money and maybe it will just mysteriously pass on some of her cooking skills to me.

Sounds like a plan.

87/365: One Day Without Blues

I love when I get unexpected packages in the mail. This usually happens when I sign up for a random freebie or a contest. It's how I acquired a signed copy of Cold Tangerines. This nail polish came today. I think it was designed to commemorate Toms Shoes' One Day Without Shoes judging by the name. One Day Without Shoes is next tuesday, April 5th. I'll be painting my toenails and going without shoes for at least part of the day, although I'm not sure I'll even leave the apartment.

74/365: Splurge

There are few things I really splurge on. Makeup is one of them. I am willing to settle for mediocre products in some areas, but not makeup. Exhibit A: I am even considering making my own facewash. My absolute favorite makeup is Bare Essenctuals/Minerals/whatever. I should also add that it lasts forever. I bought what I have almost a year and a half ago and am not near running out. They should be paying me for this blog post!

64/365: New Cookbook

First, blogger is being very weird and not wanting to let me post. I'm sure it has nothing to do with earlier events of the evening.

Second, I got this fabulous cookbook in the mail today. The mother of one of Seth's friends found out I was looking for a good pancake recipe and sent this to me. I am so excited to try it out!

54/365: Comfort Food

Please don't judge me. It was an act of desperation. If I actually felt like cooking, ramen would not be my first choice of comfort food. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. The coffee creamer has got to be self explanatory. And yes as soon as I bought it at 8:30 pm I came home and made a pot of coffee.

18/365: Fresh

The church I attend is reading through the Bible this year. I don't know that this would fall under the category of resolution, so much as goal; but my husband and I are reading through the Bible this year. So far we are doing pretty good at keeping up with the reading. We might miss a day but the daily amounts are small enough that it isn't a big deal to catch up the next day.

I'll be honest, the NIV translation has become stale for me. I could not see myself actually being motivated to read everyday out of the NIV. I have a bachelor's degree from a Bible college, for crying out loud. I've dabbled in the Message and I enjoy it, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. I ended up deciding to read the English Standard Version (which I ordered and received in the mail today, hence the picture). It is a slightly higher reading level than the NIV, which is exciting for me as a graduate student. I want to read at a level that will challenge me and will not be something that I can scan over and still grasp the meaning.

I am hoping that reading this new-to-me translation will give me fresh eyes for scripture and deepen my understanding.

13/365: P-Dub

One of my Christmas presents was the Pioneer Woman Cookbook. I absolutely love it. I found about her from a friend of mine and have been following her blog for several months now. My favorite part about her blog and the cookbook is that he posts pictures of each and every step. If I have any doubts about a recipe or if it looks a little weird to me I consult her pictures. So far, so good.