tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51189911100331693702024-03-14T02:39:28.658-05:00Crunchy Grown UpSelf-proclaimed aspiring granola girl, making my way through my 30's one week at a time. Come join me!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10739626216987182403noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118991110033169370.post-5766688075822339892016-11-27T15:40:00.000-06:002016-11-27T15:41:32.279-06:00Essential Oil Round-UpLet me start by saying this: I'm an essential oil bargain-shopper. There, I said it. I have friends that swear by Young Living oils, and of course a few of those friends sell YL oils, and if that's what floats your boat, great. If you're a hardcore EO user, diffusing them constantly and cooking with them, yes, you may want to research to make sure what you're using is really what you think it is. I'd also suggest reading sources that can't be linked to the manufacturer, which should be a given. <br />
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One of my favorite sources for Crunchy Grown Up supplies is <a href="https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">Mountain Rose Herbs</a>. I could really lose my paycheck browsing through their site. In addition to an amazing selection of herbs, spices, teas, essential oils, and many other products, they also have good specials. I've picked up a few of my favorite stand-by oils from them, including <a href="https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/lavender-spike-essential-oil/profile" target="_blank">spike lavender</a> and <a href="https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/cajeput-essential-oil/profile" target="_blank">cajeput</a> (which you may remember reaching about when I linked to <a href="https://healthyfocus.org/12-uses-for-cajeput-essential-oil/" target="_blank">this article</a> from my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crunchygrownup/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>).<br />
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I've also used and trusted many products from Now Foods, including a few EOs as well as carrier oils like <a href="http://amzn.to/2gvU3ve" target="_blank">grape seed oil</a> (which I use as a cleanser, more on that later). <br />
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However, I like to sometimes experiment with new recipes and ideas, and I don't want to always invest in even Mountain Rose Herb prices when I'm experimenting. <br />
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Enter <a href="http://amzn.to/2gw5Aqv" target="_blank">First Botany Cosmeceuticals</a>. I know, how... "crunchy" sounding... not. I was skeptical, too, especially with prices as low as $10 for a 4 fl. oz. bottle of pure essential oil. However, they claim their oil is paraben-free, cruelty free, and it's bottled in the U.S.A. That's a pretty good start, right? And again, I'm not ingesting or inhaling this stuff (through a diffuser). Just using it for a few cosmetic and home cleaning applications. Shall we begin?<br />
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First up: <a href="http://amzn.to/2gvOTiG" target="_blank">Peppermint</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/2gwbuI9" target="_blank">Eucalyptus</a> oils. <br />
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I'm grouping these two together because I tend to use them together, with a few exceptions. I used the peppermint oil along after I had a bout of flour weevils attack my pantry (don't even get me started on that nightmare). After I'd thrown stuff away, repackaged almost everything else, and thoroughly cleaned the entire pantry (twice), I put peppermint oil drops on a few paper towels and just set them in my pantry. I never saw any more weevils, but of course I don't know if that's because I'd finally banished them or if the peppermint offended them. Either way, my pantry smelled pretty and I was happy. I also will periodically go open the bottle of peppermint and take a sniff when I'm feeling congested. Just doing that seems to help! <br />
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My favorite application for these oils has been making shower melts. I used <a href="http://utensi.com/lavender-shower-melts/" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from Andrea over at utensi, replacing the lavender oil with about a dropper full each of peppermint and eucalyptus oil and omitting food coloring. I had to add a little more water, too. I also didn't have a silicone ice cube tray that would work, and, not wanting to go out and buy one for this little experiment, I used my silicone muffin cups. They worked great! I just set the cups on a place, added blobs of the mixture (which settled in to form little discs), and froze them. After they froze, I put the cups in a ziplock bag in the freezer. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_P15_948IcQe70KdL7N43QiPD67UFlQzHW3mnTfxYklUInnCIqlrReCs9WOK8WCL77SI9i01L1TFkKblwDiyFoI9EymaECOrdXLSa_CT7HoJwS31LIxvyDMvgF5lp38Za324mHR-bJSl/s1600/20161121_181608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_P15_948IcQe70KdL7N43QiPD67UFlQzHW3mnTfxYklUInnCIqlrReCs9WOK8WCL77SI9i01L1TFkKblwDiyFoI9EymaECOrdXLSa_CT7HoJwS31LIxvyDMvgF5lp38Za324mHR-bJSl/s320/20161121_181608.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I put them on the shower drain to keep them from sliding around on the shower floor and making me slip, and they probably each lasted about 5 minutes or so. Enough to give you a nice aroma, but not enough to last the whole shower. I'm going to keep experimenting with them, and I may try putting them in a shallow up in the shower instead to see how long they last that way. Or hey, I could just put the whole silicone cup in the shower! Wow, what a smart idea. I'm glad we had this talk!<br />
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Next up: <a href="http://amzn.to/2fCe3I0" target="_blank">Bergamot</a><br />
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I honestly don't even know what bergamot is. Some kind of citrus fruit is all I can tell. I'm not sure I've ever seen one, but I don't care. I LOVE this stuff! Bergamot is now part of my deodorant routine. Amazingly, I've all but stopped using conventional AND crunchy deodorants, including the crystal. I kept feeling like no matter what I used, the film that was left behind would eventually make me feel gross and sticky. I don't even use some homemade crunchy recipe. All I do is put a few drops of jojoba oil in my hand, add a few drops of bergamot oil, rub my hands together, and apply to my armpits. That's it! I do this 1-2 times a day. I started this method probably in early September, when it's still plenty hot in Texas, and I think it works better than any other deodorant I've tried. Bam, easy, cheap, and crunchy!<br />
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I've also used the bergamot to make <a href="http://www.lovethewatsonsblog.com/2015/04/diy-garbage-disposal-bombs.html" target="_blank">garbage disposal bombs</a>. They don't fizz up like commercial baking soda garbage disposal cleaners I've used before, but they make the drain smell good, and even though I cook with a lot of oil, I haven't had any clogs. Good enough for me! I used blue Dawn dish soap in mine, hence the blue tinge. They've lasted pretty well stored in a ziplock bag under my sink. A few have crumbled, but I'm perfectly capable of dumping crumbs down my drain!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEhRueRrGAJc_TxV31SC0-HOTM0xvgBlEV8KMDDrnqWYSlhoHpoql-ZgqLAWUC-dqzhYMpH5jWWZ0DAb8_YlwU6kYnfNXqFcojKloNRH5wssWi1J4hOcnoPdqjwdtHSh1M-7MFuDmUDUZ/s1600/20160904_121525+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEhRueRrGAJc_TxV31SC0-HOTM0xvgBlEV8KMDDrnqWYSlhoHpoql-ZgqLAWUC-dqzhYMpH5jWWZ0DAb8_YlwU6kYnfNXqFcojKloNRH5wssWi1J4hOcnoPdqjwdtHSh1M-7MFuDmUDUZ/s320/20160904_121525+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, the <a href="http://amzn.to/2gwcdZV" target="_blank">rosehip</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/2gwcgVt" target="_blank">helichrysum</a> oil. I may be following up with another post on these at a later date, as I think it'll take time to see how beneficial each of these are. </div>
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Rosehip oil is supposed to be very good for your skin and mild enough it can be used without a carrier oil. I've been mixing it with a little jojoba oil each night and rubbing on my entire face. When I'm good about using it, I do feel like I get fewer breakouts, but it typically takes a day or two of MORE breakouts before I hit the fewer breakout stage. I'm in my mid-thirties and get most cysts or blackheads, not the chronic acne some people suffer from. I'll post some before/ after pics in a later post if I can see some more benefits for fine lines as well. </div>
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Helichrysum oil is supposed to be good for inflammation and pain. I've been having some back issues lately, and I sometimes mix the helichrysum with grape seed oil, since grape seed oil doesn't absorb right away, rub it on my lower back, then take a shower. The helichrysum is super-yellow, so I don't think you want to risk getting it on your clothes or sheets. The method with the grape seed oil seems to work for me as a way to let it soak into my skin a bit, with the help of the shower steam, then I can wash it off before getting into bed. Again, more on this one after I can use it more often!</div>
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Do you have a favorite EO? Maybe you've found an unusual way to use an EO that has really helped you? Let us know in the comments!</div>
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Thanks to First Botany Cosmeceuticals for the discounted oils that I used for this post! </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10739626216987182403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118991110033169370.post-60745660198585464872016-11-06T13:19:00.001-06:002016-11-06T13:20:17.806-06:00Return from Neverland and Feminine Hygiene ProductsOh my, where has the time gone? Around the time of my last post, I was finishing up grad school, working full time, and attempting to keep my husband and me somewhat fed and in a semi-clean house. <br />
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We were also working on making one of these.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkl1BKO_Nv7Py3GMHsVVAt6vBCHGsxbKdqLEdmaXGAVmyXOXof8_gJbF6W6c3K6N8XO67Ah-JvYu2oHUTxYIV621lvVBKHasbUMWkmAU4xTGbsnzxFx015VVTYHSydP1cwMyRqmhXQ21Om/s1600/IMG_5951+-+Version+2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkl1BKO_Nv7Py3GMHsVVAt6vBCHGsxbKdqLEdmaXGAVmyXOXof8_gJbF6W6c3K6N8XO67Ah-JvYu2oHUTxYIV621lvVBKHasbUMWkmAU4xTGbsnzxFx015VVTYHSydP1cwMyRqmhXQ21Om/s320/IMG_5951+-+Version+2.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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No, no, not the big hand. The little hand. And everything attached to it. <br />
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Our little peanut graced us with her presence about 9 months after my last blog post. I finished graduate school about 8 months after my last blog post. Still working and trying to keep this little family in order, though! <br />
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Now the little peanut has become The Toddler. She's full of typical toddler crazies but is also the sweetest, most loving creature ever. Sesame Street and iced tea and going for walks are her life. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzFr22i55x23EupZg4Vzu4XFZZh1ZsNYYT8q6IFz6HpbJlpTGFMpcQkrA6734DF-a0TmC7jHEamxLP8TaIAZUEe1ADtyay5wWpUJZofqC8zpLoyURBlZmCVu0aV-wjiRftS2UH3S559yv/s1600/20161029_102314.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOzFr22i55x23EupZg4Vzu4XFZZh1ZsNYYT8q6IFz6HpbJlpTGFMpcQkrA6734DF-a0TmC7jHEamxLP8TaIAZUEe1ADtyay5wWpUJZofqC8zpLoyURBlZmCVu0aV-wjiRftS2UH3S559yv/s320/20161029_102314.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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At this point in her life, I'm starting to feel like I've returned from Neverland. You know what I'm talking about - infant care taking Neverland. When you never sleep and never eat a hot meal and are drowning in bottles and diapers and laundry. The Toddler sleeps like a champ now, has been totally off the bottle for quite some time, and is starting to show some interest in the potty. <br />
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I've also been working on simplifying my life a bit. Making the house more tidy, easier to clean, and less filled with crap. <br />
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Which leads into my segue into feminine hygiene products. <br />
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This is the part where I implore my mother-in-law and really any relatives that are not either my mother or a cousin that's younger than me to stop reading. Thank you.<br />
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Continue on if you fit the above criteria...<br />
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About a year ago, I tried my first menstrual cup. <br />
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I was interested in trying it not only to save money and reduce waste, which is great, but just for the practical aspect of its use. I feel like I have a fairly heavy period, and a few days out of the month, I would have to change my super-sized tampon almost hourly. At night I'd sometimes fare a bit better, as it seems like tampons will absorb more and leak less if I'm laying down than if I'm moving around.<br />
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I'd heard that menstrual cups could last 12+ hours, and the idea of reducing the stash of pads and tampons in my master bathroom, guest bathroom, my car, purse, office drawer, and the bathroom at my mother's house was intriguing. <br />
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I was unsure how to pick the right cup and right size, so I held off on buying the commonly found Diva cup, which I was seeing in stores for $30-$40. That seemed like a LOT for something that I wasn't sure would work and I obviously couldn't return to the store. <br />
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Finally, a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/YellowBrickRoadCoOp/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook co-op</a> I'm in put some cheapie menstrual cups up for sale, and I was able to try an off-brand cup for just a few bucks. I ordered both a small and a large, but I tried the large first and was happy enough with it. <br />
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My life went on and I was moderately happy with the cup. It couldn't hold 12 hours during my heavy times; in fact it was usually 2-4 hours, but it was relatively easy to use, and I was able to stop using tampons altogether, although I still used a pad for backup. Plus, even though I sometimes had to dump it out at work, I liked not having to discreetly bring a tampon with me into the bathroom. I still longed to find a solution that would last longer, though, and not leak nearly as quickly as my cheapie did. <br />
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Enter, the <a href="http://amzn.to/2fR8fim" target="_blank">OTBBA </a>cup. <br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/OTBBA-Menstrual-Cups-Childbirth-Large/dp/B01LZQ6RB4/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1476962802&sr=1-1&keywords=menstrual+cup&th=1&linkCode=li2&tag=crun0e-20&linkId=92e96dda24e9398694ce05cfede3232c" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01LZQ6RB4&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=crun0e-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=crun0e-20&l=li2&o=1&a=B01LZQ6RB4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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Yes, this is another cheapie, but this one is more flexible, bigger, and seems to leak less. I don't know the brand of my original cup, but I'd say it's closest to a <a href="http://amzn.to/2feu1Jp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Skoon </a>or a <a href="http://amzn.to/2fR7NR3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lena</a>, as far as I can tell. <br />
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Here is my old menstrual cup next to the new OTBBA. Both are Size 2 or "Large", which is the size generally recommended for women that have given birth. New one on the left, old on the right. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZc3YyyDbTfe4ucnpSLF4NetCi41VEpIAUv_srLhb2RPsIFu7XC_Yuw9qOqMjWweGO85WfFjFWAccyH3GqW_CFkSo4pjnbk-K7RmGYWFlOo-jPz6nRB_fm_uG_wxl9QQLPYbWX9-iZR4Hy/s1600/20161026_224738.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZc3YyyDbTfe4ucnpSLF4NetCi41VEpIAUv_srLhb2RPsIFu7XC_Yuw9qOqMjWweGO85WfFjFWAccyH3GqW_CFkSo4pjnbk-K7RmGYWFlOo-jPz6nRB_fm_uG_wxl9QQLPYbWX9-iZR4Hy/s320/20161026_224738.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Even though everything I've read implies that menstrual cups all have about the same capacity, clearly these two don't. My new OTBBA cup definitely was able to last longer (more like 4-6 hours during my heaviest times) and leaked far less. <br />
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I have to say, it was almost like a whole new learning curve to figure out how to get the new cup in, though. I'd watched several different YouTube videos before trying my first cup to help me figure out what to do, but ultimately realized each woman just has to find her own method. For me, the key was getting it over my cervix. I don't know if I have a "low" or "high" cervix, and really I couldn't have even identified my cervix except for my very brief foray into using an IUD and having to check the wires, which were always wrapped around my cervix. For me, my cervix is like a bump up there inside my vagina. I have found that if I can get my cup to where it's basically covering my cervix, I'm good. That's when it'll open up easily and not be compressed whatsoever by the walls of my vagina. It's also the point where I don't feel it. <br />
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However, as you can see, I've trimmed the tails on both of my menstrual cups. If I didn't, I'd be able to feel the tail. The stub of the tail is still ribbed, and there's some ribbing at the bottom of each cup, so it's easy enough to get a grip on it and pull it out. <br />
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So, if you're new to using a menstrual cup, or having trouble with it, I have some recommendations for you: <br />
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A) Don't even mess with trying to get one in when you're not on your period. I've read so many reviews where women suggest using lube and trying to figure it out before your period comes. Just, no. Your cervix changes when you're on your period, and the natural lube your period provides is what you need to get used to. I pretty much can't get my cup in if I'm too close to the end of my period, and I certainly wouldn't be able to beforehand. Just wait till you're on your period. You can always use your tampons and pads if you can't figure out the cup on the first go-around. <br />
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B) If you've been using tampons with applicators, or no tampons at all, you may want to try a cycle or two using <a href="http://amzn.to/2fv8T0I" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">OB tampons</a>. I've used them for years, and using them is a good step toward figuring out your anatomy, especially if you're nervous about the cup. By all means, you don't have to start with this step, but if you're feeling like you just aren't ready for a cup, start here. <br />
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C) Find your cervix. You're going to have to get friendly with yourselves, ladies. As I mentioned before, during your period it should be easily identifiable as a bump or round shape. Get a wet wash cloth, lock your bathroom door, sit on the toilet, and get to exploring. Get your finger up there and see what you can find. If you can't find your cervix, no worries. Some women just can't. However, I think with practice (again, an OB tampon may be a good start), you'll find the right spot to place your cup.<br />
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Now, for the fold.<br />
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Ye gads, the internet is full of suggestions for folding your cup. Try them out, see what works for you. The point of folding it is to be able to get it up there far enough before it opens up. Once it opens up, it's not going to go up any farther. I tend to just squish mine in half and then roll it a little off-center. This way I can hold the fold closed with my fingers as close to the bottom as possible. Here's how my fold works on my old cup:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinB6NXpDU-9U3-Ty7Ph1nOXw-NZ_wUt5apjytD88Ssu3ZzqnUU1WFcFLas-WYIvrZrgsePDIKACIgsnGbjHvEeV2c3N1h5bLRUelrM6iud3SpTLh4cSag6l-0pSiXQJICm6g_7T3gwV1Aq/s1600/20161026_224832.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinB6NXpDU-9U3-Ty7Ph1nOXw-NZ_wUt5apjytD88Ssu3ZzqnUU1WFcFLas-WYIvrZrgsePDIKACIgsnGbjHvEeV2c3N1h5bLRUelrM6iud3SpTLh4cSag6l-0pSiXQJICm6g_7T3gwV1Aq/s320/20161026_224832.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFWduNc_aU8q8kid1gw3zVhS8NdcihezfxCaBFO_CDj-U4UJAl1u3SJayZEbOpsgKeFECrgKoQcxbeVqQDEo54UOTX4fts6I2gtM4HY7q2IQLIHioVi3Xgu4GpxdVjslPBB__vMJqLoJ0/s1600/20161026_224924.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFWduNc_aU8q8kid1gw3zVhS8NdcihezfxCaBFO_CDj-U4UJAl1u3SJayZEbOpsgKeFECrgKoQcxbeVqQDEo54UOTX4fts6I2gtM4HY7q2IQLIHioVi3Xgu4GpxdVjslPBB__vMJqLoJ0/s320/20161026_224924.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADnQGtN_RoeQLvIQqB4_2DjAB92H2Ajsp3SQ5XAu1sbHn_4MOZKpG0Zzbw6GvCPDOi5jJ-Sc6fJNzdnZP7W8OHI3lr28DDm191xUWkc6PsqcNJOPVgXNmki3JhHaAbzHOsJ6y85ERkRsH/s1600/20161026_224918.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADnQGtN_RoeQLvIQqB4_2DjAB92H2Ajsp3SQ5XAu1sbHn_4MOZKpG0Zzbw6GvCPDOi5jJ-Sc6fJNzdnZP7W8OHI3lr28DDm191xUWkc6PsqcNJOPVgXNmki3JhHaAbzHOsJ6y85ERkRsH/s320/20161026_224918.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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And here it is on my new OTBBA cup:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_WrakvG3pwzyx2oLa6mWZSmZHNqHPuMnoznusuQzYpjV8T7IxaQUvImFzx3yUlYHaRY4luRVsm5xEagyloJtRDzvhiyjJzcpBR8PIT4EoEvEu0ZpCh5bD0vwhxZk-20wo1QEQ53pElu3/s1600/20161026_224822.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_WrakvG3pwzyx2oLa6mWZSmZHNqHPuMnoznusuQzYpjV8T7IxaQUvImFzx3yUlYHaRY4luRVsm5xEagyloJtRDzvhiyjJzcpBR8PIT4EoEvEu0ZpCh5bD0vwhxZk-20wo1QEQ53pElu3/s320/20161026_224822.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7F_fPCXL4eaCTGNr3NQBNBSsXNkUBhXr2kYWHuXolxCGR0Y9SzWpoaG3zsWcPR4IdZtIqzKe4hOXXh1RwMpwYfVOECno2lNoLw-Q2GsK_bhyphenhyphenWx1MUFB6n3lpuOoXsQltmboltf0cnkRu/s1600/20161026_225115.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7F_fPCXL4eaCTGNr3NQBNBSsXNkUBhXr2kYWHuXolxCGR0Y9SzWpoaG3zsWcPR4IdZtIqzKe4hOXXh1RwMpwYfVOECno2lNoLw-Q2GsK_bhyphenhyphenWx1MUFB6n3lpuOoXsQltmboltf0cnkRu/s320/20161026_225115.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0CXf4VY18pWfixIQpCEaHVW6exS5U_tm5fGfd-bb0ibHdZfajrcV31JppeCIIDKgvLXQk5p8IUj-SMGzCkMikWYK93OzvZGVnM8Gap2SPLwRDPo5-SvutFEpNDeDgxaLTnF-D8VV_VRz/s1600/20161026_225120.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0CXf4VY18pWfixIQpCEaHVW6exS5U_tm5fGfd-bb0ibHdZfajrcV31JppeCIIDKgvLXQk5p8IUj-SMGzCkMikWYK93OzvZGVnM8Gap2SPLwRDPo5-SvutFEpNDeDgxaLTnF-D8VV_VRz/s320/20161026_225120.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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It does help if your cup is clean and dry when you're trying to insert it. This can become a problem if you're struggling with it and having to take it out and put it back in a few times, so keep a cloth or toilet paper handy to wipe it down if need be. However, this is one advantage cups have over tampons: it doesn't irritate and hurt to pull them out before they're full like it does tampons. <br />
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Experiment till you have the right fold, get that sucker up there through the path of least resistance, and try to get it over your cervix. Once it's in, run your finger around it to feel that it has a round shape and isn't squished in half or anything. If you're good on that, grab the bottom with your thumb and finger if you can and twist it gently about 360 degrees. This helps ensure it's sealed into place and won't leak as easily.<br />
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I have to say, I may be keeping my initial cheapie cup for light days, but I feel like my <a href="http://amzn.to/2eCNrta" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">OTBBA</a> will be serving me much better on my heavy days. <br />
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Plus, my cabinets are more tidy now. <br />
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Have you tried menstrual cups? Getting yourself psyched up to try? Comment below and let me know your thoughts and questions about this trend!<br />
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Many thanks to the gracious folks at OTBBA for sending me my new menstrual cup at a discount. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10739626216987182403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118991110033169370.post-39152291864528784552013-06-16T13:08:00.000-05:002013-06-18T23:34:43.045-05:00Best Eggs Ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Kids, I ate this for breakfast this weekend, and after I finished going on and on to the hubby about what a wonderful cook I am, I knew I had to share it with you! I ate it before I could think to photograph it the first time, but I had it for dinner tonight, so voila! Pics!</div>
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Also, have I mentioned my favorite menu planning site? It's where I post all of my recipes! If you're on the site, add me as a friend so we can share!<br />
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<a href="http://www.plantoeat.com/ref/5cb6ab3035" title="Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat"><img alt="Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat" height="125" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/pte/a/meal-planning-website-plan-to-eat_125125.gif" width="125" /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gather your ingredients: leftover spring onions, butter, spinach, eggs, fresh corn, goat cheese, and black bean & corn salsa. It was a corn festival, what can I say? And the olive oil and garlic were forgotten... oh well!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Then, pet your kitty that is begging for attention, even though she won't hold still and pose for the camera.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hash browns are just about done! At this point I fried the hubster's 3 eggs and then began my own.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blurry action shot!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t614/CrunchyGrownUp/CAM00232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t614/CrunchyGrownUp/CAM00232.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the eggs hit the plate, just so you can see the goat cheese babies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t614/CrunchyGrownUp/CAM00233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t614/CrunchyGrownUp/CAM00233.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final beautiful creation. Can you smell it?</td></tr>
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From my Plan to Eat post:<br />
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<b>Best Eggs Ever:</b><br />
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I've determined this is the best breakfast I've ever made. And it was so easy: my husband just wanted eggs and hash browns, so it was a cinch for me to just modify those two ingredients into this recipe for me. Would also be good on crusty toast or with a higher ratio of salsa/ tomato to spinach.<br />
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Note about the hash browns: I list them as already cooked here because I don't claim to be a hash brown pro. I simply use the frozen, pre-shredded hash brown potatoes, and fry them up in shortening, oil, or butter. They take a long time to brown up, and they brown best when left undisturbed in the pan for several minutes at a time.<br />
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Note about goat cheese: many recipes consider goat cheese and feta interchangeable. I don't. Goat cheese is divine and makes my world go 'round.<br />
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Note about the fixins' (last note!): Regarding the onions, garlic, spinach, etc., get creative! Today I forgot the garlic and added fresh corn, and it was an all new level of divine! Just use what you have on hand that gets your mojo going!<br />
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1/2 cup Hashbrowns, cooked<br />
1 tbsp butter<br />
1 drizzle olive oil<br />
2 tbsp onions chopped, I used spring onions<br />
1/4 tsp garlic roasted, minced<br />
3 tbsp salsa or tomatoes, I used black bean & corn salsa<br />
2 handfuls baby spinach<br />
2 tbsp goat cheese or feta<br />
1 egg<br />
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<ol>
<li>While the hash browns are finishing up, heat the butter and olive oil.</li>
<li>Sautee the onions and garlic for 1 min</li>
<li>Add the salsa and spinach and sautee until almost totally wilted</li>
<li>At the other end of the pan, fry the egg with salt & pepper</li>
<li>Once the egg is cooked to your liking, plate the hashbrowns</li>
<li>Add the spinach mixture and goat cheese</li>
<li>Put the egg on top of the goat cheese so that the cheese will heat through and semi-melt</li>
<li>Die from happiness!</li>
</ol>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10739626216987182403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118991110033169370.post-81614719244336000662013-05-31T23:38:00.000-05:002013-06-18T23:39:03.708-05:00Time to Re-pot the AloeThere comes a time in one's life when one's aloe becomes uncontrollable. Wild. Overgrown. Crazy. <br />
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Or at least, so top-heavy that every time the wind blows just a little bit, it falls over and loses a chunk of itself. <br />
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This was its state after our last round of storms. The plastic pot it was in couldn't hold up its girth. We can all identify with that, can't we, girls? No judgments here!<br />
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First let's get some supplies together. Some cactus soil, new pot or two, and good gloves. I really only used the gloves initially, then it just became easier to use my bare hands. You would probably be fine with just standard thin gardening gloves, but I'm Ms. Cautious so I started with the big kid gloves. For the soil, you may be smarter than me and know how to mix up soil that is cactus-friendly. I took the easy route. Finally I got my little bottle of cactus fertalizer (in that small box) to use at the end.<br />
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I took the whole plant out and carefully separated it. Did you know aloe just multiplies into more aloe plants? I didn't either! Then I did my best to trim off the dead stuff. Do this carefully, kids, as too much force easily breaks the stem. Not that I know from experience or anything.<br />
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I of course didn't take any pictures of the segments all laid out, because that would have made sense. But you can see in the picture above an example of a trimmed up individual plant... and you can see all of its octopus buddies on the ground around it.<br />
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Then it was re-potting time. I initially thought I'd primarily use the azalea pot in the picture above, but quickly realized that some of my plants were already too tall for that. I ended up reusing the plastic pot, putting smaller plants in the azalea pot, and reserved some to bring to a friend at work. She gave me a strawberry plant in that blue pot, so I figured I should put something worthwhile in it when I return it!<br />
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Oh, and you see that step-child on the left? Yeah... it got too much water (was in the way of a sprinkler) a year or so ago, and...<br />
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Yeah. It hasn't spread, hasn't got any worse, and the cactus still seems to be alive. If anyone has any tips, shout out!<br />
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I also tried to plant some of the transplants in a bed that has a few other plants in it and my cat otherwise thinks is her litter box. We'll see how that one goes, as the soil there is somewhat crappy. I'll update you on those cactus babies later. <br />
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While I was at it, I planted some new herbs. My recent success with some mint got me all cocky.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hardy and Foxtail Rosemary</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two basil plants and some sage</td></tr>
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Then I dead-headed my roses...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t614/CrunchyGrownUp/Gardening/CAM00166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i1316.photobucket.com/albums/t614/CrunchyGrownUp/Gardening/CAM00166.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
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And snapped a picture of one whiney cat, cramming her face through the gate, who did not appreciate being kept in the yard while I worked on the roses.<br />
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I'll post an update once I've seen how the aloe fares in its new home(s)!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10739626216987182403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118991110033169370.post-737131842922985552013-05-30T23:15:00.002-05:002013-05-30T23:18:04.723-05:00Perfect Spring HamburgersI know, it's nearly summer! But if I still have spring onions and garlic in my fridge, it's spring in my book, mmmkay? I'm not ready for heat yet!<br />
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That said, I'm here to share with you kids dinner from last night. Get excited! No really, let's look at this as a guide for cooking a good, juicy burger on the stove quickly, easily, and without any tears or sniffles. What you'll see here is pretty much my go-to method even though the ingredients may change with the seasons, my mood, or what's in the fridge. <br />
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Let's start with some good ground beef. I always try to use grass-fed beef. I can't remember the last time I didn't. I'm supposed to be crunchy, right? I usually get it at Whole Foods or from my favorite rancher: <a href="http://www.rehobothranch.com/">www.rehobothranch.com</a> sells lots of pasture-raised products. While I do eat conventional meat in restaurants sometimes, I figure the stuff I buy for my home ought to come from happy animals (well, until the bitter end... sorry piggie! one day I'll quit eating you). <br />
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Here's the basics: mix in some goodness, cook the meat evenly. That's the basic recipe for success. Let's begin!<br />
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First, mix in some worscestershire, garlic, and seasonings. In order to get even amounts of additives in each 1/4 lb patty, I mixed into each one individually. I started by making a small little well in each patty. The patties are just the one pound block of ground beef (85/15 grass fed in this case) cut into four. <br />
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Pour a little worscestershire into each well.<br />
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Then, take the last bit of spring garlic you have from your last recipe and add it to the little wells. By spring garlic, I'm referring to fresh bulbs with greens still attached. The greens look just like green onions, but they smell like garlic on steroids. The bulb itself isn't papery or dry at all; you can cut off the roots and chop up the rest of the head, no clove separation required! Then, add your seasonings: you could use salt, pepper, thyme, red pepper flakes, whatever strikes your fancy! I used a mix of salt, pepper, onion, red pepper flakes, and dried celery.<br />
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Then, bring up the corners of each square and create a ball with the garlic and seasonings in the middle. Form into patties keeping the center a little thinner than the edges. This is key! This is the best way I've found to avoid that puffed up middle thing burgers do. It also helps the patty cook evenly. </div>
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Then it's time to throw them in a pre-heated skillet, kids! Some folks like cast iron skillets, and that's fine, but cleaning them scares me. I use my hard-anodized aluminum skillet my mama bought for me (thanks mama!). About medium heat should do it. While they cook, let me show you a few things.</div>
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The contents of one of my pepper mills (this is a picture of my spare stash). Black and white peppercorns, dried minced onion, dried celery, red pepper flakes.</div>
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Here's the contents of my other pepper mill - red and white peppercorns and allspice berries!</div>
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Ignore the dirty stove.</div>
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Then, take a blurry picture of your shaved cat as the meows at your incessantly for no reason.</div>
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Then slice up some goodness for toppings: onions (spring onions with tops pictured in the little container), bell peppers, tomatoes, avocado!</div>
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By now, the burgers ought to be about ready to flip, right?</div>
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Nope, not ready yet! But they're starting to splatter, so I put on my splatter guard to minimize the amount of grease spreading everywhere.</div>
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After a few minutes, they're a little more ready. I think in fact I let them go a minute or two too far, but it was all ok in the end.</div>
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Time to flip!</div>
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Then, after just a few minutes, yeah baby...</div>
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Set the burgers on paper towels to absorb the grease while you yell at your husband to come to dinner. </div>
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Then, pile it on top of some yummy bread, add your toppings and some mayo because you like mayo on your burgers, kids! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10739626216987182403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118991110033169370.post-79772939597948755072013-05-28T10:36:00.000-05:002013-05-28T10:52:10.501-05:00Why You Should Stay Till the Ending CreditsWe all know to stay at a movie through the ending credits for every Marvel movie. You all know that, right, kids?? Right?! "Tony Stark Will Return" Enough said! <br />
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But aside from being a dork, did you know the Crunchy Grown Up kinda gets into politics? Imagine that! With a handle including "crunchy"! <br />
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I stumbled upon this on the interwebz today. I have to say I don't exactly watch a lot of Will Ferrell movies, but when I do, I promise to watch it till the bitter end from now on.<br />
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<a href="http://www.upworthy.com/heres-why-you-should-always-sit-through-the-end-of-a-will-ferrell-movie?c=cp2">http://www.upworthy.com/heres-why-you-should-always-sit-through-the-end-of-a-will-ferrell-movie?c=cp2</a><br />
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Happy Tuesday, kids! Up next, we'll talk gardening!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10739626216987182403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118991110033169370.post-71819128857929969292013-05-26T17:03:00.001-05:002013-05-31T15:13:24.810-05:00New Critera for Hotels: Bed, Bath, CoffeeThe semester is over, and the hubby and I decided to celebrate by getting away for the weekend. Our schedule and budget wasn't conducive for a week long get-away, so we opted for a low-stress trip to a location that could be reached via automobile in less than an hour. <br />
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After <strike>a thorough search of our options</strike> almost randomly picking a location, we landed on Lantana Resort & Marina on Lake Ray Roberts.<br />
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The hubby and I aren't exactly photographers, but this was one of my favorite spots at the resort. The view of the water from the back of the main building.<br />
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The views were gorgeous. The resort is within a state park, so there were trails leading out from the resort leading to woods, pastures, and the lake. It's the kind of stuff that makes one glad to be alive and happy to be away from other humans for a moment. <br />
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I even got to terrorize the hubby by going to the stables and petting a horse. He doesn't like it when I make friends with strange animals, but you think he'd be used to it by now, what with my propensity to fawn over stray dogs and cats. I nearly made friends with a raccoon on this trip, too! I was walking around the back porch of the lodge late in the evening, smelling the rain and watching the bugs, when a raccoon walked, no, <em>sauntered</em>, around the corner like he had some business to attend to. He looked up at me like he honestly didn't expect anyone to be there. I looked at him and thought, "KITTY?!" but no, not a kitty. Apparently my mental "kitty!' shriek scared him, because he trotted off in a hurry. <br />
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Back to the point. Views were nice, and the nearby towns were fun (we highly recommend <a href="http://www.momsonmain.com/" target="_blank">Lucy's Moms on Main</a> and especially their coconut cream pie, of which we consumed copious amounts). We did realize too late that we made one huge error: we booked the trip for Memorial Day weekend, and we picked the type of destination that people love to bring their kids to as they kick off summer vacation. Their screaming, running, crying kids. Don't get me wrong, I love kids! Just not other people's loud kids on my vacation. It being Memorial Day weekend did, though, mean that we stumbled upon a pretty dang cool car show.<br />
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I came to a realization this weekend. After reflecting upon our past vacations, there are three key criteria that will always be important to me when I stay in a hotel, resort, or any other pay-per-night location: the <strong>bed</strong>, <strong>bath</strong>, and <strong>coffee</strong>. These three things can make or break a hotel for me. A bad bed, and I won't get any sleep or may be sore the next day. The bath is where real value can be added: a great shower or jacuzzi tub add an element of relaxation, and when I get up in the morning, I want the option to drink coffee in my jammies while I take in the view or read a book. These will be my three new standards for accommodations. The problem? For most places, there is insufficient information to really decide based on this criteria. My guess is that some of you kids may be wanting the same information. So, here on Crunchy Grown Up, I'll provide reviews of places I stay (as rare as that may be) based on these criteria. All I ask is that you give info on the bed, bath, and coffee of the places you stay in the comments. Good idea, kids? Let's get this started with my most recent experience.<br />
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<strong><u>Lantana Resort & Marina</u></strong><br />
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<li> <strong>Bed: </strong>Really wasn't that bad for me, but the hubby woke up with his back hurting today. We both tossed and turned quite a bit, and the pillows were fluffy but flimsy. Thank goodness we brought our own pillows, or we would have been in bad shape. The only thing that interfered with our sleep was a lack of central air (just a noisy window unit blowing air directly at us) and the crying baby and angry woman next door.</li>
<li><strong>Bath: </strong>No tub, just a small standing shower with a curtain. Shower nozzle was nice and high up and one of those rain-like things. Not a lot of pressure, and the water never got very hot. Towels were crappy and felt like they'd been washed in some sort of odd detergent. However, the soap and shampoo provided were really nice and replenished daily.</li>
<li><strong>Coffee</strong>: This was a fiasco. My first coffee pot had standing water and a dead bug in it. I told the front desk, and they were very apologetic and said they'd replace it immediately. Which they did, with a broken coffee pot. Easy mistake; I can understand that. The third pot spilled coffee on the counter and burned the already crummy Maxwell house coffee. I didn't even bother telling them about the third pot. By that point I was resigned to not having good coffee on this trip. While I don't use individual-use pots at home, it seems to me a hotel of any kind could benefit from investing in small single-serving machines. Spend more than $10 on the coffee pot, and you'd be amazed the quality you can find!</li>
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So tell me kids, where have you stayed lately, and how was their Bed, Bath, and Coffee?<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10739626216987182403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118991110033169370.post-58603812876605902812013-05-26T14:26:00.001-05:002013-05-26T14:26:36.555-05:00Let's Get This Thing Rolling!Welcome, kids! <br />
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"I'm the grown up and you're the kid, got it?" How many times did you hear that when you were a kid? My mother should have had a recording of that she could just replay whenever I started to smart-mouth her instead of having to repeat the phrase constantly. I was a good kid, but I know I tended to question everything. Everything. Drove my mama nuts, but she knew it would serve me well... eventually.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkHyXOuDu8IsuSieW8iy0_FMOeD18-N4FiYez0_Guxb4d3ZKrrx1E8BFU7Hd_9JouoIt3hfUyMJkPmxfXRZNf7eFLsH5zK8DEZ4tVxzOXK6TZGG9zn2oCOW3FxY3JeqyEfCLkExZB_FBG/s1600/me+and+mama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkHyXOuDu8IsuSieW8iy0_FMOeD18-N4FiYez0_Guxb4d3ZKrrx1E8BFU7Hd_9JouoIt3hfUyMJkPmxfXRZNf7eFLsH5zK8DEZ4tVxzOXK6TZGG9zn2oCOW3FxY3JeqyEfCLkExZB_FBG/s640/me+and+mama.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beautiful mama with me on my wedding day</td></tr>
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So here I am, 30 years old, married and owned by two beautiful gray cats. I still try to question everything, and in doing so I've found myself going in so many different directions: work, school (again), animal rescue, gardening, cooking, not-so-much cleaning, maybe some travel, and I get pretty excited about the whole green movement. Of course there's more to me than all, that, but this here blog is to flush all that out. <br />
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There we have it: our objective. Let's get together and share some stories and ideas. As we share our experiences, we'll figure out how to be the most well-rounded, interesting, satisfied, environmentally-responsible (hence "Crunchy") Grown Ups we can be!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10739626216987182403noreply@blogger.com1