tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9615119521973801522024-02-19T19:53:34.066-05:00lovely llorysAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-28214744022330954392014-11-03T18:59:00.002-05:002014-11-04T19:08:39.352-05:00Minted: My 5 Favorite Christmas Cards<div>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">This post was sponsored by Minted.com. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.</i></div>
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Now that Halloween almost seems like a distant memory, the holiday season is here - whether you like it or not! I actually heard a Christmas song playing at the mall this weekend, and all the shops I went in have their decorations up. One thing that I think tends to be a really fun tradition around the holidays is sending out and receiving cards. For this post, Minted asked me to share my favorite Christmas designs from their site to help you get inspired. <a href="http://www.minted.com/photo-christmas-cards" target="_blank">Minted</a> is the online stationery store powered by a global community of designers. I have been a fan of their cards for a long time - they have amazing designs. Here are 5 of my favorites (with images from my year, of course):<br />
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1. The <a href="http://www.minted.com/product/foil-pressed-holiday-cards/MIN-VV6-HFS/winter-brush?ccId=283415&org=photo" target="_blank">winter brush foil pressed</a> holiday card adds a lovely shine to your holiday card. It makes Stevie look even more dashing than usual ; )</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDX-Or_uvWjRTWLfgglhAIWAX8UvhcIAb-WGyb63GT1i3AxsQMGvVb5gz3v0fd-vg5DTut6WjgPHtEx-7jrzfeaScFvjw4NPwwOMkWYqpQRPmvuubtjA-KLovDU8v2A4f3IWKOjr1Kkj1/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-03+at+5.39.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDX-Or_uvWjRTWLfgglhAIWAX8UvhcIAb-WGyb63GT1i3AxsQMGvVb5gz3v0fd-vg5DTut6WjgPHtEx-7jrzfeaScFvjw4NPwwOMkWYqpQRPmvuubtjA-KLovDU8v2A4f3IWKOjr1Kkj1/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-03+at+5.39.31+PM.png" height="460" width="640" /></a></div>
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2. I love the <a href="http://www.minted.com/product/christmas-photo-cards/MIN-L7L-CHR/heaven-nature?po=5&sf=1" target="_blank">heaven and nature</a> photo card - it's such a pretty lyric from <i>Joy to the World,</i> and it works perfectly if you have a pretty nature photo to share, like this one from our trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoDeTBWPRmw00CVCr6EDUDr7w_cgl6tQl2BZ5geUIJUvnKwDIt4lMrIYLkZRpWn_APOz3CX3HiM6dgWvGpMcJKsxbBhOvk2f3JRH8b1GUaZZ6MdEyFmnbGHB_O7rR-b4wLA7P5X6eT3bb/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-03+at+6.28.04+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoDeTBWPRmw00CVCr6EDUDr7w_cgl6tQl2BZ5geUIJUvnKwDIt4lMrIYLkZRpWn_APOz3CX3HiM6dgWvGpMcJKsxbBhOvk2f3JRH8b1GUaZZ6MdEyFmnbGHB_O7rR-b4wLA7P5X6eT3bb/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-03+at+6.28.04+PM.png" height="462" width="640" /></a></div>
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3. The <a href="http://www.minted.com/product/christmas-photo-cards/MIN-9XZ-CHR/stamped-circle?po=5&sf=1" target="_blank">stamped circle</a> Christmas card is great if you have a few photos to share, for example, we don't have any good ones with Stevie, but lots <i>of</i> Stevie!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eLNNPPTtLIeblKYjc8dvFJIVQudVmViqyJRXYFQrs1gv1D1xSJBriZXWbQ7EXPZU5AJRIRSVzLJ-WrmNGpQh1MdBV75B7ftnyaZwVqEiVPKw0qpPtPdmUeqzGSNMopK-aulyLBonvLNQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-03+at+6.42.03+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eLNNPPTtLIeblKYjc8dvFJIVQudVmViqyJRXYFQrs1gv1D1xSJBriZXWbQ7EXPZU5AJRIRSVzLJ-WrmNGpQh1MdBV75B7ftnyaZwVqEiVPKw0qpPtPdmUeqzGSNMopK-aulyLBonvLNQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-03+at+6.42.03+PM.png" height="462" width="640" /></a></div>
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4. The <a href="http://www.minted.com/product/christmas-photo-cards/MIN-37J-CHR/sophisticate?org=photo">sophisticate</a> Christmas card is really simple but lovely. I wish I had more pictures of Andrew and me from his sister's wedding!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN8qOSPJOxJbsAdHhuVCC1c3bJB8W74BztB5BrWEhgJJErfSUZodngVUIvLdtoZb7L0UM92ST261gUmdfnK1CWai6ZW18nTQ9Wsg8A9KjOeOiZEudmnizGOKd4svxq7Sv2B_MP_-4Skaf/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-03+at+6.51.43+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN8qOSPJOxJbsAdHhuVCC1c3bJB8W74BztB5BrWEhgJJErfSUZodngVUIvLdtoZb7L0UM92ST261gUmdfnK1CWai6ZW18nTQ9Wsg8A9KjOeOiZEudmnizGOKd4svxq7Sv2B_MP_-4Skaf/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-03+at+6.51.43+PM.png" height="640" width="460" /></a></div>
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5. Finally, I think the <a href="http://www.minted.com/product/christmas-photo-cards/MIN-UQT-CHR/wreck-the-halls?po=5&sf=1" target="_blank">wreck the halls</a> card is hilarious. Stevie is misrepresented here, because he's actually a very good cat. But I think if you have some naughty pets or kids, this card is for you!</div>
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Minted has <b>so</b> many great designs, I don't know what to choose for our holiday card! There are also a million or so great designs that I didn't show here for big events like new babies, an engagement, and other news to share from your year. If you have any questions about Minted, leave them in the comments! And tell me which <a href="http://www.minted.com/photo-christmas-cards" target="_blank">Christmas card</a> is your favorite : )</div>
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Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-29764420394852582442014-10-31T08:51:00.001-04:002014-11-04T19:12:00.122-05:00Back to Class with CampusBookRentals.com<i>This post was sponsored by CampusBookRentals.com. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.</i><br />
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I've partnered with <a href="http://campusbookrentals.com/" rel="nofollow">CampusBookRentals.com</a> in the past, but this time around I can share my personal experience (spoiler - super convenient and easy)!<br />
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My boyfriend Andrew is finishing up his undergrad degree, so last semester we ordered two of the books he needed from the website. All he had to do was search by title or isbn #, pick a rental period, and order. CampusBookRentals takes care of your shipping and they even provide a return envelope so you literally drop your books in the mail when the semester is over. Andrew ended up getting the wrong book for one of his classes, and CampusBookRentals made it easy to return it for credit.<br />
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I would absolutely encourage Andrew to rent again from CampusBookRentals. When I was in college, I hated the buy-back price I'd be offered from the book store on campus, so I tried to resell them on Amazon. <i>If</i> someone wanted to purchase my book, I then had to get all the shipping materials myself and make a trip to the post office. Ever heard the expression time is money? I definitely appreciate the ease of renting!<br />
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If you did buy books and are looking to make some money back, CampusBookRentals has another program to help! It's called <a href="http://rentback.com/" rel="nofollow">RentBack.com</a>, and although I haven't used it myself yet, RentBack is new initiative that allows students to rent the textbooks they own - to other students, which is awesome because it makes you 2-4x more money compared to what you'd make through buy-back options!<br />
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Some other perks of CampusBookRentals.com:<br />
-save 40-90% off of book store prices<br />
-free shipping both ways<br />
-can highlight in the textbooks<br />
-flexible renting periods<br />
-we donate to Operation Smile with each textbook rented<br />
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That last perk is one of the best. I love to support companies that give back, and <a href="http://www.operationsmile.org/about_us/who-we-are/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Operation Smile</a> is a great cause. You should visit their site, but Operation Smile is an international children's medical charity that performs safe, effective cleft lip and cleft palate surgery, and delivers postoperative and ongoing medical therapies to children in low and middle income countries.<br />
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I hope you will consider renting books this semester. I'm not lying when I say that I wouldn't go back to the traditional method of buying books. If you have any questions about renting, ask in the comments!<br />
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Here's a quick video explaining exactly how it works!<br />
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<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-6223250143976472512014-10-30T18:41:00.001-04:002014-10-30T18:41:46.611-04:00Hello AgainI'm back to say "hi." I know I'm very inconsistent, but sometimes I like to come back to the blogging world because you all are so inspiring.<br />
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The last few months I was able to travel quite a bit - Mexico, Chicago, Maine, Las Vegas, and Colombia. (Yes, the country.) I was also promoted at work. And turned 26. So, life happened and still happens.<br />
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What truthfully prompted this return is that I have a couple of sponsored posts coming up, so look for those. Also, my very good friend <a href="http://colleenkatetravels.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Colleen is blogging</a> because she just moved to Thailand to be an English teacher! I love her blog so the least I can do is return the favor should she ever get bored and want to read about my life in Michigan; ) Plus I always <i>want</i> to blog, it just falls to the bottom of my to do list.<br />
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So allow me to share a quick moment in time from my summer (I had my first lobster roll, appropriately in Maine), and I'll be back soon to share more stories!<br />
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<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-9347002200530016112014-06-01T11:36:00.003-04:002014-06-01T11:36:53.249-04:00Kitty MiracleSo maybe this isn't your typical miracle, but to me this story is as close as it gets.<br />
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The story begins one morning last July, when I was headed out my back door for a shopping errand. I was delayed by some adorable kittens in my backyard. I counted at least 5, including the mama. They were probably only 3 months old. I hung out for a while to see if I could get close to any. Not this time, but they'd be back.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Bran, Brave, and Mama one of the first times I saw them.</span></div>
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Throughout the summer I got to know all the cats - turns out there was a mama and 5 kittens. I started feeding them and they would often sleep on our covered porch, all 5 kittens snuggled up on one lawn chair. At first only mama would let us pet her, but by the end of our time together I could even pet the pipsqueak a little. We have an organization in Grand Rapids called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CarolsFerals" target="_blank">Carol's Ferals</a>, who supports the TNR effort (trap, neuter, return). I was able to have all 6 of my friends fixed before going on a 2 week vacation abroad. When we returned I was worried they wouldn't show up again, but after a few days there they were. This was around the time when they were letting me pet them and I was hoping I could find homes for my friends.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">From left to right: Brave, Bran, Princess Pipsqueakers, Mu-Mu, and Grey.</span></div>
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September 17th, 2013 was the last time I saw 5 of the 6 cats. They straight up disappeared, and I was upset to say the least. I was so worried about what could have happened to them because they knew they had a steady meal at my house and had consistently been there each day. Brave came back a day later, alone and looking slightly bewildered. We brought him inside the house for a night to protect him and our friends adopted him the next day. I was happy that I had at least saved one.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Brave - my friends Brad and Kate adopted him (taken before his family disappeared).</span></div>
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Flash forward to this morning. I was scrolling through my facebook newsfeed and saw a story from Carol's Ferals about a new cat they have in the shelter named Decklan. I thought, "wow he looks so much like Bran," one of the kittens from last summer. So much so that I had to compare a photo I had taken to the ones posted on Carol's facebook. Turns out, if this isn't Bran then he has an identical twin - check out these photos!<br />
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This photo is one I took of Bran last summer after I got him neutered. Btw, I named him Bran as a Game of Thrones reference - I once startled him so much that he fell off of the porch (he was fine).<br />
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These photos are of Bran now, AKA Decklan. If you look at all his features, they are the same cat! Wow!<br />
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Isn't that a modern day miracle? I was so happy I almost teared up. What are the odds not only that he is alive, but that he ended up at the same shelter that I got him neutered through and I happened to see the post on facebook? Thinking for almost a year that this little guy probably didn't make it and now here he is. I still wonder where the other four are, but if Bran made it then maybe they are out there somewhere, too.<br />
<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-54102202321043603932014-03-16T18:28:00.001-04:002014-03-16T18:28:25.658-04:00Rent the Runway ReviewI've known about <a href="http://www.renttherunway.com/referral/angela.eick" target="_blank">Rent the Runway</a> for a while - I can't actually remember how I first learned of it. As Andrew and I prepared for his sister's destination wedding in Florida, I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to rent a dress or two. After all, they weren't selling much in the way of wedding worthy dresses for warmer climates here in Michigan. So I scoured the site over and over looking for the perfect dress. There were many I liked, but some were too expensive, not available in my size, or not quite right for the occasion. I finally settled on two, and this is how it went!<br />
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I placed my order for two <a href="http://www.shoshanna.com/" target="_blank">Shoshanna</a> dresses about three weeks before the wedding weekend (you can order up to four months in advance). I decided to get them shipped right to Florida so I didn't have to worry about transporting them. When you decide on a dress from RTR, you can choose a back up size for free, and also a second dress of equal or lesser value for $32.50. Also, if you purchase the year-long membership for $30, your shipping and insurance charges are waived, and you get a free rental on your birthday, so I signed up for that as well. I had favorited many dresses, but went with the Shoshanna ones after looking through the photos and reviews from other renters, which were super helpful. You can narrow the reviews by similar body type to yours, and it gives you a much more accurate sense of how the dress will fit since most of us don't have the genes of a model. My rental period was for four days, and I actually received my dresses a day early, so they were there when I arrived in Florida.<br />
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The <a href="https://www.renttherunway.com/shop/designers/shoshanna_dresses/seelydress" target="_blank">first dress</a> I wore for the bridal shower. I had ordered a back up size in this one and ended up going with the larger size. Luckily that worked out because the smaller size was very faded. Hmm. Anyway, I don't normally like pastels, but this looked great with the darker blues. One of the necklaces I brought matched just fine, and I received many compliments!<br />
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The <a href="https://www.renttherunway.com/shop/designers/shoshanna_dresses/magnoliagardensdress" target="_blank">dress</a> I wore for the wedding was perfect! I loved it and it was so me. It was actually slightly cooler than normal in Florida in March, so I was a little chilly, but once we danced intensely to "Timber" I was fine; )</div>
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I also wore the larger size in this dress. RTR only sends you one backup, but I found the size chart on Shoshanna's site and was freaking out that the one I ordered wasn't going to fit. No one answered the emails I sent, so I got ahold of them on Twitter and they kindly sent me an additional size. Really I could have worn either size in this dress, but the smaller one had some very tiny stains that no one would have noticed but me.</div>
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I also think the dress brought me good luck, being so floral and bright, because I caught the bouquet. NBD!</div>
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A few other notes about RTR:<br />
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<ul>
<li>They send your dresses via UPS on hangers and in a RTR garment bag, which you get to keep. Fun!</li>
<li>You can also rent accessories on the site, some as cheaply as $5. You can also buy things that can't be returned like spanx, tights, and insoles.</li>
<li>RTR has dresses and accessories from something like 200 different <a href="https://www.renttherunway.com/designers?action=click_allDesigners&object_type=top_nav" target="_blank">designers</a>. </li>
<li>At the end of your rental period, you simply pack the dresses in the provided UPS envelope and drop it in a UPS box or schedule a pickup. Easy.</li>
<li>If you want to try out RTR and let me <a href="http://www.renttherunway.com/referral/angela.eick" target="_blank">refer you</a>, we both get a $20 credit once you rent.</li>
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Have you ever tried Rent the Runway? How was your experience?</div>
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If you do decide to try it out, I'd love to hear how it goes!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*This review is not affiliated with Rent the Runway. I just wanted to try it and opted to share my experience!</span></div>
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<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-3050158622406514612014-02-18T20:03:00.000-05:002014-02-18T20:22:58.621-05:00PhillyFest!Geez, I kinda fell off the wagon with blogging there for a minute! I made it to and from Philadelphia successfully and even though it was still cold, it felt so nice to be in 40 degree weather with no snow in sight. (Plus we're going to Florida in two weeks, yesss!)<br />
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I'm watching United States of Tara and don't feel like trying to be witty, so here's the trip in pictures. Good night!<br />
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We went to a great coffee shop called <a href="http://menageriecoffee.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Menagerie</a>.</div>
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Gaby and I in the 1700s.</div>
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I thought this was like some psychedelic bell, but I guess it's just foreign.</div>
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The Liberty Bell!</div>
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Nicole, Doug, Gaby, me, and Andrew!</div>
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We ran up 66 steps like Rocky!</div>
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Waterworks (like Monopoly!)</div>
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Any trips planned for you?</div>
<!--3-->Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-36348454084631066462014-01-31T12:23:00.002-05:002014-01-31T12:23:32.902-05:00Heading to PhiladelphiaHey friends! Happy Friday. I'm taking a weekend trip to Philadelphia and am looking for recommendations! I've been once before - 10 years ago (I'm feeling super old right now). Anyway - suggestions for a vegetarian/vegan cheese steak? This is my main goal. Also, I'm sooooo looking forward to a high temperature of 49 degrees on Sunday. Do I sound crazy yet? I'm even feeling like 20 degrees is 'warm' these days. Oh, cruel winter, how I hate you.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Throwback from my Philadelphia trip - 10 years ago!! Whoa.</span></div>
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What are your weekend plans? Going anywhere fun or still snowed in?Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-90193463729314159752014-01-29T20:00:00.002-05:002014-01-29T20:00:35.832-05:00Vegan a Week #5I'm not going to share my meals with you because they were repeats and I'm sure I'm already boring you enough with endless salads! But I did indeed have a vegan day this week on Monday, and to prepare, I made vegan cookies on Sunday! I thought I'd share my recipe because these are sooo good (and summery, if you're missing it as much as I am!)<br />
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<b>Lemon Poppyseed Vegan Cookies</b><br />
makes approximately 36 cookies<br />
prep time - 15 minutes<br />
baking time - 10 minutes per batch<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
Cookies:<br />
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<ul>
<li>1 cup sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup vegan margarine</li>
<li>1/2 cup vegan sour cream</li>
<li>1/2 cup vanilla soy/almond yogurt</li>
<li>zest of one lemon</li>
<li>2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice</li>
<li>2 1/2 cups flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2 tablespoons poppyseeds (optional)</li>
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Glaze:<br />
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<li>1 cup powdered sugar</li>
<li>1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice</li>
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<b>Directions</b></div>
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1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet. Beat margarine and sugar until creamy. Beat in sour cream, yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well.</div>
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2. Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in poppyseeds. With floured hands, roll into rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Cool completely before glazing.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I'm not kidding about the floured hands - this dough is sticky!</span></div>
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3. For glaze, mix the powdered sugar and enough lemon juice to reach your desired consistency. Place cooled cookies on wax paper to glaze.</div>
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4. Enjoy!</div>
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Share with your friends, family, and coworkers. They will have no idea they are vegan! So delicious!</div>
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Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-73389313578522072952014-01-24T13:53:00.003-05:002014-01-24T13:53:47.776-05:00Graze Box ReviewI was intrigued by the idea of getting some tasty new snacks to try in the mail each month, with the first box being free, so a while back I joined the waiting list for <a href="https://www.graze.com/us/products" target="_blank">graze</a>. Graze is only $6 a box shipped (with the option of 1 or 2 boxes per month) for a "nibble box," which contains four snacks. I definitely think the price is right! I've never tried <a href="https://naturebox.com/" target="_blank">NatureBox</a>, but I know those are more expensive (I'd love to hear about your experience if you get NatureBox though!)<br />
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My graze box arrives each month in a cute little cardboard box that is designed to fit in a standard size mailbox, which I don't have, not that it matters! Inside, I find my new snacks to try, some nutrition information about each, and the web address for the ingredients.</div>
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This month, my fourth so far, my favorite treat was the summer berry flapjack. I went on a trip to England a few years ago and discovered flapjacks - the best use of oats ever. Mmm, so good! It's worth it to me to keep my Graze box just to get the flapjacks!</div>
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I also enjoyed the salsa fresca and jalapeno fiesta. The coco paradise was pretty good, but I have a hard time enjoying dried fruit, which is mostly was that snack contained. To adjust what you receive in your boxes, you simply go to the website and review the available snacks. You can click one of four options - trash, try, like, or love - to help determine future boxes. </div>
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So, my favorite things about graze in a nutshell:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Only $6, which equates to $1.50 per snack</li>
<li>Healthy snacks in a filling portion</li>
<li>Easy for grab and go</li>
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And a couple things I don't like so much</div>
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<li>Rarely are the snacks vegan - with my resolution it'd be really helpful if more of them were!</li>
<li>Many of the snacks contain dried fruit, which I'm not a fan of (personal preference, of course!)</li>
</ul>
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If you do want to try graze, please let me <a href="https://www.graze.com/us/p/6VTCCTL5U" target="_blank">refer you</a> so that your 1st and 5th box are free! That's a great deal that I didn't even get! And then let me know what you think! Are there other boxes besides graze and NatureBox? I'd love to hear from you!</div>
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<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-40823790453721145372014-01-23T17:32:00.002-05:002014-01-23T17:32:37.257-05:00Farm to Table Roasted VegetablesWhen winter is dragging me down I have to remember that even though I can't have a juicy, sweet, bright red tomato, winter has its own gifts from the ground and I need to work with that. I'm going to share a really easy recipe with you that you likely already make, but the story behind it is really the best part.<br />
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The company I work for (Steelcase) brings in different internal and external speakers for an ongoing series we have called Curious Minds. Last summer, they held a Curious Minds event to launch a new mobile farmer's market that would be visiting us each week, called the Veggie Van. The <a href="https://www.grymca.org/outreach/veggie-van" target="_blank">Veggie Van</a> is part of our Grand Rapids YMCA community outreach efforts, and the purpose is that they bring fresh fruits and vegetables to urban areas where they might otherwise not have access while supporting local farmers by selling their produce. To help keep this program sustainable from a cost standpoint, they visit locations like my workplace, hoping we will spend more than the people in the urban areas. Not only does the Veggie Van have local produce, but they come up with their own fancy recipes (in the fall my favorite was butternut squash risotto) and they also sell things like local raw honey, maple syrup, and cheddar cheese.<br />
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I look forward to shopping there each Thursday afternoon! Lately I've been buying root vegetables to roast. It's really easy and delicious! I use beets, carrots, potatoes, and onion that I buy fresh from the Veggie Van.<br />
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Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash, peel, and/or cut everything into bite size-ish chunks and place in a large bowl. Cover your veggies with olive oil (a tablespoon or two) and some spices - I use lemon pepper, garlic, and sea salt and stir to coat evenly. Spread your veggies onto the parchment paper like so...<br />
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And bake for about 25 minutes - take it out to turn over/spread around and bake about 20 more minutes. My oven is a little iffy, so keep an eye on it! When they look good and roasted, remove and enjoy! They go well with anything - we had them as a side with crab cakes this weekend. I know I've been trying to eat vegan, but the crab cakes were so good!!<br />
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Do you have any good wintry produce recipes? Next I need to experiment with squash, cabbage, and cauliflower and spice up my repertoire!<br />
<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-45459389259157817382014-01-22T19:33:00.002-05:002014-01-22T19:33:43.380-05:00Vegan a Week #4Geez, this week has been kinda busy with work and extracurriculars! I had hoped to post sooner. Anyway, it's hump day and also my vegan day of the week! For breakfast I had a quick cup of coffee and an almond poppy seed muffin from a mix I had that happened to contained no dairy - yay!<br />
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For lunch I had my typical salad with my typical dressing, which may sound boring, but I love salads! I had some pretzels and fruit on the side.<br />
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For dinner I made another <a href="https://www.plated.com/invites/5d7159" target="_blank">Plated</a> dish. I broke down and ordered a second box because I had a $10 off code for the polar vortex induced late delivery of my first box. This was Andrew's and my least favorite dish so far, even though we both liked it and felt like it was healthy. I made Israeli couscous and kale with za'atar seasoned tempeh and tahini dressing. If it weren't for the freshly squeezed lemon juice on top, I really wouldn't have been able to enjoy this, but that made all the difference. We both felt like there just wasn't a lot of flavor, and I'm not one to add salt so I just dealt with it. But it was still good and actually this was the easiest dish to make so far, which counts for <strike>something</strike> a lot!!<br />
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Doesn't it look fancy?<br />
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I've had so much fun making vegan dishes so far this year, but this week I'm really feeling strapped for time which makes it difficult. When I have a little extra time I still need to look into make ahead things like soup and snacks. Keep those recipe suggestions coming!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-26766114621764958772014-01-17T16:06:00.000-05:002014-01-17T16:09:18.818-05:00Now Playing: Mutual BenefitA couple months ago, Andrew kept listening to these beautiful songs over and over again, and I quickly learned about <a href="http://mutualbenefit.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Mutual Benefit</a>. As Christmas became near, I was <strike>fortunate enough</strike> so incredibly lucky to find out about a small house show they were playing in Grand Rapids, so I emailed one of the people who set it up to get a spot on the list. Then, even though it was so super hard not to tell Andrew, I kept my mouth shut and gave him the news in the form of a Christmas gift. The show was last night, and it was so beautiful. <a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/rising/9273-mutual-benefit/" target="_blank">Jordan Lee</a> is Mutual Benefit, and right now he's touring with five extraordinary musicians alongside him (including his sister who sang backup vocals) to recreate his album <b>Love's Crushing Diamonds</b>. Wow, we are seriously so lucky we got to attend that show. I'm pretty sure they are already way too big to be playing house shows, and Andrew said it was the best Christmas gift he'd ever received! Thanks for coming, Jordan and crew!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This was the best picture I could get because that lamp back there eventually was unplugged, but you get the idea!</span></div>
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Jordan is a tiny and adorable man who acts and sings equally as adorably as he appears. He told us jokes about soda (we told him that we call it pop) during the set - "someone got hit with a soda can... It's okay though - it's a soft drink." He also very humbly joked with us that they normally play to thousands of people and their last show was on a yacht. And the house we went to was so lovely - there were autumn leaves hanging from the ceiling and owl decorations everywhere (!!). I might not be hip enough for the Bird House, but I'm so glad I got to go there! Thanks to the hosts, if you by chance ever read this.<br />
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So if you haven't heard Mutual Benefit, they aren't just like a one hit wonder. The whole album is a stream of gorgeous songs and thoughtful lyrics. You can order that <a href="http://www.othermusicrecordingco.com/collections/mutual-benefit/products/loves-crushing-diamond" target="_blank">here</a>, through whichever format you prefer (but obviously you should get the vinyl). And they just began their tour, so if they happen to be coming to a city near you, I highly recommend not missing that opportunity!<br />
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<b>Advanced Falconry</b> is probably their most popular song - take a listen! Side note: I love the little boy in this video, he reminds me of my brother when he was little! So cute.<br />
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<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-19850635414411980662014-01-17T11:02:00.002-05:002014-01-17T11:02:48.231-05:00Rookie MistakeThis morning as I was pinning, I came across the image below and it suddenly occurred to me - honey is not technically vegan! Oops!! I had some graham crackers on two of my vegan days so far and honey is in the ingredients. I wanted to apologize to any vegans out there who may have been rolling their eyes at me, so although I doubt I would ever completely give up honey (or become completely vegan), I will have to be more careful on days when I am eating vegan. Thanks for you patience with me!<br />
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<a data-pin-do="embedPin" href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/30610472441289806/"></a>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-86416364681989256172014-01-16T08:55:00.003-05:002014-01-16T08:55:33.918-05:00Vegan a Week #3It's only Thursday and I've already had two vegan days this week! I've already become much more conscious about what food choices I'm making even on the non-vegan days. It is hard though, if I don't bring enough food to work and need a snack, I can't just get any old treat from our cafe, so I need to look into good vegan snacks that I can buy or make ahead of time.<br />
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So on Monday and Wednesday I basically had the same thing for lunch. I made a red leaf lettuce salad with veggies and an avocado - since I can't have the creaminess of goat cheese, I love having avocado in my salad! I made a simple vinaigrette dressing - olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and garlic, shaken. I had blackberries, strawberries, and clementines and mixed nuts on the side. On Monday, I still had leftover French breakfast puffs, so I brought along one of those for dessert. On Wednesday, I brought an apple cinnamon oatmeal.<br />
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For dinner on Monday, I had my leftover <a href="http://eickyeicky.blogspot.com/2014/01/easy-vegan-frito-casserole.html" target="_blank">Frito casserole</a>. Then last night I made one of my favorite dishes, avocado enchiladas. Here's the inspiration: a few years ago, I went to San Francisco with my cousin Andrea. We were in the mood for Mexican one night, and a Google search led us to <a href="http://thelittlechihuahua.com/" target="_blank">The Little Chihuahua</a>, where I had their amazing avocado enchiladas. I <i>needed </i>to recreate this dish, so I found an amazing recipe for homemade vegan enchilada sauce from <a href="http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/2009/07/recipe-homemade-vegan-enchilada-sauce/" target="_blank">Bonzai Aphrodite</a>, and covered some simple tortillas rolled with guacamole for my own version. (Just bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes). Yum! I normally heat up some black beans for the side.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I cleaned my stove top for you guys!</span></div>
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& I even have leftovers to eat for lunch today! </div>
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So my new year's resolutions have been going really well! My other resolution is taking the stairs instead of the elevator if I'm not in a hurry (mainly at work, I'm not trying to climb 12 flights of stairs just to prove a point), and I haven't taken the elevator since new year's eve! I like to shoot for goals I can actually achieve. A few years ago my resolution was to keep cash in my wallet at all times, and I've been doing that ever since. That might not make sense for everyone, but I've found it really helpful.</div>
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Thanks to those of you who have left me vegan recipe ideas! That is so nice of you. Keep them coming!</div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-86750600496553507062014-01-14T07:51:00.003-05:002014-01-14T07:51:49.005-05:00Now Playing: Real EstateI just have a few minutes before I have to get to work to tell you that one of my favorite bands, <a href="http://talkingbackwards.realestatetheband.com/" target="_blank">Real Estate</a> has a new single out for their forthcoming album. The album is <b>Atlas </b>and you can <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/atlas/id784925483" target="_blank">preorder through iTunes</a> (although I'm holding out for the vinyl) and the song is called <b>Talking Backwards</b>. If you've never heard Real Estate, they are definitely worth a listen! They are like dreamy beach rock. Other great songs by them are <b>It's Real</b> and <b>Beachcomber</b>. Enjoy and let me know what you think!<br />
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<br />Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-68065992721559337822014-01-13T07:50:00.000-05:002014-01-13T21:47:47.459-05:00Easy Vegan Frito CasseroleThis one is a throwback (and how can it not be, with a name like Frito casserole). My mom used to make this for us when we were little, only with ground beef. I tweaked the recipe just a bit to make it vegan. I know this sounds silly, but seriously, it's so good!<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 can chili beans<br />
1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)<br />
1 can tomato sauce<br />
1/2 cup frozen corn<br />
1/2 cup chopped red onion<br />
1 chopped pepper (red, yellow, or orange)<br />
1/3 cup almond milk<br />
1 tbsp flour<br />
1 tbsp chili powder<br />
1/4 tsp black pepper<br />
1 tsp cilantro (optional)<br />
Fritos (lightly salted, if you can find them!)<br />
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<b>Optional toppings</b><br />
avocado<br />
jalapenos<br />
cheese<br />
sour cream<br />
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Now all you need to do is combine all the ingredients in a big bowl until mixed...<br />
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And then transfer to your 1.5 quart round casserole dish...<br />
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Top with however many Fritos you feel like topping with, and cook for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.<br />
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After patiently waiting half an hour, add a few toppings and enjoy!<br />
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<i>Note: The dish on the left does have dairy cheese on it - but mine on the right is sans dairy! One thing I want to try making this year is vegan cheese...intimidating!</i><br />
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What are some of your so-easy-you-can't-believe-it's-vegan favorites?Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-47313752047823066522014-01-12T10:00:00.001-05:002014-01-12T10:03:25.702-05:00Vegan a Week #2Week 2 ended yesterday and I again waited until the last day of the week, but I'm okay with that. With all the crazy weather we've been having, I didn't have a chance to really go shopping until the end of the week, plus my <a href="http://eickyeicky.blogspot.com/2014/01/plated-review.html" target="_blank">Plated</a> box had arrived late Thursday, with one of the meals being vegan, so Saturday was the day!<br />
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I wanted something sweet for breakfast, so I found a recipe for some French breakfast puffs that I hadn't made in a while. Although this isn't the <a href="http://spoonful.com/recipes/french-breakfast-muffins" target="_blank">recipe</a> I used, it appears to be exactly the same. I obviously substituted the dairy ingredients with vegan alternatives. I had to run to Meijer for the almond milk before I could make them, so this ended up being more like brunch. Bonus: when I went to Meijer I also picked up grapefruits! Mmm. Along with my coffee and a few blackberries, this was a delicious brunch!<br />
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I had a small snack in the afternoon of cinnamon graham crackers topped with Jif natural peanut butter and a clementine on the side.<br />
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For dinner, I made my second Plated creation. This one was for tofu, cashew, and pea stir-fry. Although it still took me a little longer than the directions stated, I have made stir-fry many times before, so it was much easier. I loved learning a different way to cook tofu, it turned out beautifully! And the recipe included ginger root, and I LOVE ginger. I was really impressed with the portion size of this meal. Both Andrew and I had a little bit left over for a midnight snack.<br />
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Andrew and I then headed out to see the Grand Rapids Symphony perform, and since I'm a member of their young professionals group, we were invited to a post-concert champagne toast. I had to avoid all the fancy chocolates, which was difficult, but I did enjoy a drink or two. I also happened to reconnect with a woman that I met like two years ago at a vegan potluck. She is going to invite me to a monthly vegan get-together she sets up here in Grand Rapids. It really is a great city for vegan options!<br />
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Vegan week #2 was a success! I can't wait to see what other meals I create or get to try this year!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-89799974056341045242014-01-11T13:31:00.000-05:002014-01-13T15:50:14.559-05:00Plated ReviewI'm not a <a href="https://www.birchbox.com/" target="_blank">Birchbox</a> gal because I know I would never use random beauty samples up, but I'm definitely intrigued by these custom curated subscription boxes that seem to popping up everywhere. I'll tell you my reviews of <a href="https://www.graze.com/us/products" target="_blank">Graze</a> and <a href="http://www.consciousbox.com/" target="_blank">Conscious Box</a> soon, but today I'm kicking it off with Plated!<br />
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<a href="http://www.plated.com/" target="_blank">Plated</a> delivers to you the ingredients to make (at a minimum) two servings of two meals that you choose from the weekly menu. Their chefs create the dishes, and then put together the exact ingredients you need to prepare them - in 30 minutes or less (their words). Through facebook, I signed up with a free first box (just pay the shipping) deal. Since I'm a pescetarian but truly not interested in preparing my own fish, I looked at the vegetarian options. There seem to be three each week, and one was already sold out. I selected the two remaining veggie options and waited for my box to arrive. It's supposed to arrive on Tuesdays, but due to the awful weather, I got an email saying it would instead arrive Wednesday - but that my ingredients would no doubt be as fresh as ever.<br />
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Wednesday came and went and I ended up receiving my box late Thursday (like 7pm). Everything seemed to be fresh, although the Swiss chard was a little questionable. It was my first time ever using chard, but I think it was slightly past its peak. No matter, I was still really excited to try out my recipes!<br />
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After work on Friday, I started to make the goat cheese and quinoa stuffed Swiss chard, covered in marinara. The instructions were straightforward, with six steps in the process. On the recipe sheet, it said it would take between 30 and 40 minutes.<br />
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I first cooked the quinoa, and as that was cooking, chopped up my various veggies and spices to saute. The quinoa, veggies, and goat cheese was mixed together to be stuffed. I blanched (a new term for me) the Swiss chard and then all was ready to roll, literally. I felt like I didn't have a perfect Swiss chard to stuffing ratio, but the stuffing was delicious on its own, so we had the remainder on the side. While stuffing, I did feel like maybe I could have had a better bunch of Swiss chard, as many of the pieces I ended up with had holes (not ideal for holding stuffing) or were small. That is my biggest complaint with this meal.<br />
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After I made as many rolls as I could with what I was given, I placed them in a cooking dish and poured the marinara over. According to the recipe, I put them in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Andrew and I loved the result, though (a couple more complaints) - it took me a little over an hour (not 30-40 minutes), and the rolls weren't very hot, so I would have cooked longer than 15 minutes had I known. I am making my other meal - tofu, cashew, and snow pea stir fry for dinner tonight, so I imagine that will be a bit simpler.<br />
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Overall, it was fun to make a new meal without having to go to the store and buy all the ingredients individually. I think the price is probably great if you live in a bigger city, but honestly, if I had paid full price for this shipment, Andrew and I could have gone out to eat somewhere in Grand Rapids and had a pretty nice meal. I was going to order another box for next week, but all three vegetarian options were sold out! I will probably only order from Plated again if there is some sort of discount. <i>EDIT: I ordered another box for next week because I had a $10 off code. I'm a little bit addicted, I guess!</i> Anyway, if you want to try Plated, please use my <a href="https://www.plated.com/invites/5d7159" target="_blank">referral code</a> - we both get two plates if you do!<br />
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Have any of you used Plated? What was your experience?Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-18956450619000790852014-01-07T12:29:00.003-05:002014-01-07T12:29:45.736-05:00Renting TextbooksClasses have started back up for many of you this week (or maybe you've been enjoying snow days!), and if you haven't gotten your textbooks yet, consider renting instead of purchasing. I'm not currently in school, though considering going back, but who can forget the steep cost of buying books each semester and the pure agony felt when they are considered too outdated to sell back mere months later?<br />
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My friends at <a href="http://campusbookrentals.com/">CampusBookRentals.com</a> asked me to talk about the perks of renting and also about a new program they have where you can actually rent out your books to others. Pretty cool, huh?<br />
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So why rent?<br />
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<li>you can save 40-90% off of bookstore prices</li>
<li>free shipping both ways</li>
<li>you can highlight in the textbooks</li>
<li>they offer flexible renting periods</li>
<li>a donation is made to <a href="http://www.operationsmile.org/about_us/who-we-are/" target="_blank">Operation Smile</a> for each textbook rented</li>
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If you want to know exactly how it works, watch this short <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfNgvwOtjrg" target="_blank">video</a>.</div>
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I mentioned the pain our bank accounts feel when we try to sell books back at the end of the semester and are rejected or underpaid. <a href="http://rentback.com/">RentBack.com</a> sounds like a really cool solution! I wish this had existed when I was in school. RentBack is new initiative that allows you to rent the textbooks you own to other students. You will make 2-4x more money compared to what you'd make through buyback options! No more feeling screwed at the end of the semester!<br /></div>
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I'm definitely trying this out when I return to school, and encouraging my boyfriend to use the site as well this semester. Not only is it hassle free and saving me time and money, but part of my money is going to a great charity. <a href="http://www.operationsmile.org/" target="_blank">Operation Smile</a> provides safe surgical care to children born with a cleft. Did you know that 10% of these babies will die before they reach a year old? With staggering numbers like that, it's no wonder there's a whole operation in place to fix it. I really love when companies give back - just another reason to support CampusBookRentals!<br />
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What's your experience with renting textbooks? I'd love to hear a firsthand account!<br />
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<i>This is a sponsored post from CampusBookRentals.com. All opinions are my own.</i></div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-90070485913249996112014-01-06T16:23:00.000-05:002014-01-06T16:23:06.091-05:00#somuchsnowAre you in the part of the United States experiencing the <a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/06/22201007-polar-vortex-what-is-it-and-when-is-it-going-away" target="_blank">polar vortex</a>? Luckily, I was able to work from home today, so I've only gone outside to help Andrew move his car, shovel our steps so I could get mail, and take a couple photos. What are you doing on this snowy day? Stevie and I are just trying to stay warm - I can seriously feel cold air coming through the windows in my old rental house. And it's really not the snow that bothers me, it's the subzero temperatures!<br />
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Not even a covered porch could save them.</div>
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Should we open a bottle of wine? ^.^</div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-52400540858696686652014-01-05T09:44:00.002-05:002014-01-05T09:44:45.444-05:00Vegan a Week #1One of my resolutions for 2014 is to eat a vegan diet at least one day per week. I've been wanting to incorporate more vegan meals into my life, but having a tough time actually doing it, so I think this is the perfect way ease into it. Once a week is still a bit challenging for me, but it's just enough to allow me to see how time and wallet consuming being vegan might entail. I began yesterday, so I wouldn't skip the first shortened week of the year.<br />
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For <b>breakfast </b>I made coffee and added a bit of coffee-mate (not the purest of choices, but it doesn't contain dairy), had a couple clementines, and cooked up some Ore Ida hash browns with red onions, garlic, and topped with Tabasco sauce. I would normally cover my potatoes with cheese and cook an egg or two for the side, but I skipped it this time. I also considered making a package of muffin mix, but it contained egg. Darn, you really have to pay attention!<br />
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Mug from <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fthemittenstate.com%2FMens-Vintage-Tshirts.html%3Fref%3DLovelyLlorys&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGGB-f17tkRYbyfpfVhFQODrJIgLw" target="_blank">The Mitten State</a>.</div>
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For <b>lunch </b>I just made a salad with red leaf lettuce, cucumbers, tomato, and a simple homemade vinaigrette (dijon mustard, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil - shaken). I had Stacy's Pita Chips and spinach hummus on the side.</div>
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That didn't quite fill me up, so sure enough, my cinnamon graham crackers contained no animal products, and I covered them in peanut butter for dessert.</div>
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I wouldn't say I cheated for <b>dinner</b>, but I wasn't sure I had anything to make at home, so we grabbed Qdoba after running some errands. I got a naked vegetarian burrito, skipping the cheese and sour cream. (Don't you hate it when they don't give you enough guacamole)? </div>
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So that was day/week 1 of 52! I definitely snacked way less than I would have on a normal day, especially with all our Christmas candy still laying around, and I really had to pay attention to those hidden ingredients because a lot of stuff contains a little egg or milk! </div>
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If you have any great (preferably easy/with few ingredients) vegan recipes on your blog or somewhere else on the interwebs, please share! I want this to become so easy that I do this more than one day a week.</div>
Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-14305072562776835512014-01-02T15:16:00.000-05:002014-01-03T08:27:33.780-05:002013 In ReviewYou likely don't care about my year, especially since I gave up on blogging for the majority of it. Anyway, if I don't post it somewhere, I might never remember what I did in 2013, so with the help of my Outlook calendar and Instagram feed here it goes!<br />
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<b>January</b><br />
Stevie was still a relatively new addition to the family, and I enjoyed very much getting to know my little lovebug.<br />
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<b>February</b><br />
Not a whole lot happens in Michigan in the winter. Especially by February when we're all burned out. We did have a fun Valentine's Day bowling outing with friends!<br />
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<b>March</b><br />
Even though I didn't officially get hired until later this year, March was when I found out that I would be hired and I also helped begin Steelcase's first young professionals group. We started super grassroots, just organizing volunteer events and happy hours, and we took off from there. Now we even have a budget!<br />
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I also got to see the one and only Kate Nash perform for the first time. Best show I saw all year!<br />
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<b>April</b><br />
There was a crazy flood in Grand Rapids! According to my twitter, it also snowed. Ugh. I almost forgot how short this summer was.<br />
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<b>May</b><br />
I got to attend TEDxGrandRapids! It was such a great event!<br />
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I finally was hired at my first 'real' / 'big girl' job at Steelcase in Grand Rapids. I love everything about it - from the culture, to my role in social media, to being a mobile worker. Getting this position also allowed me to really de-stress about money, which feels so, so good!<br />
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Right before I began working at Steelcase, Andrew and I visited our friends Ricardo and Kathryn in Palo Alto and also my cousin in San Francisco. We got to go north of SF one of the days and saw some real beauty in California. Andrew and I spent our last day in Napa, which was gorgeous!<br />
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<b>June</b><br />
I helped plant three trees with the United Way for Filler' Up Fuller. It felt so good!<br />
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I also hit the streets for Festival of the Arts in Grand Rapids. I was on the PR team, and we launched an Instagram contest. It was a ton of fun!<br />
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I also got to see Hillary Clinton speak and Lord Huron play a show in the same night.<br />
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<b>July</b><br />
Andrew's sister got engaged. Her wedding is in about 2 months! I also had a great 4th of July, visiting my Grandma and shopping at the nearby outlet mall. I apparently was pretty engrossed in Pretty Little Liars in the month of July as well. Lastly, I won tickets to see Rodrigo y Gabriela!<br />
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<b>August</b><br />
I went on an amazing vacation in Turkey and Greece with Andrew and his family! I can't believe I didn't take a break from not-blogging to blog about it! I will have to soon.<br />
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<b>September</b><br />
I was able to find one of the stray kitties (Brave, below) a home with friends. They love having him so much! The other five kitties disappeared a couple days after my birthday and I haven't seen them since.<br />
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I turned 25. Two weeks later I rented my first car when I took a business trip to Alabama. Booyah!<br />
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<b>October</b><br />
Andrew and I attended our third annual Alpaca Fest.<br />
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I got to attend JiveWorld in Las Vegas. It was my first time seeing the city, which I liked better than I thought I would! Plus, the first snow in Michigan fell and melted while I was away, so that was a bonus.<br />
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<b>November</b><br />
I won an iPad mini from the conference I attended in October for participating in their gamification series. So awesome! Thanks, Jive!<br />
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Also, Kate Nash followed me on Twitter!<br />
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<b>December</b><br />
I received my first pair of boots that fit over my calf. Although snug, I am so happy they zip up all the way! I also got to visit my Grandma and my Grandpa and spend a week at home with my family and my cats. A very nice December!<br />
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<!--3--><!--3-->Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-34996890852173158792013-12-30T08:52:00.000-05:002013-12-30T08:52:34.882-05:00Loyalty Programs - Which Are Worth It?This is kind of a random post since I haven't blogged in forever, but it's almost a new year - so why wait a couple more days to start working on my resolutions?<br />
Anyway, as I was holiday shopping it got me thinking about all these apps, rewards, and loyalty programs. So I'll tell you what I'm a fan (and not a fan) of, and please let me know what I should sign up for in the comments! After all, it's time to spend our Christmas money: )<br />
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<i>Love it!</i><br />
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<b>Banana Republic Visa</b><br />
I was actually pretty upset when I received my <a href="https://secure-bananarepublic.gap.com/profile/info.do?cid=7864&mlink=5001,4137189,quickStoreLocator&clink=4137189" target="_blank">Banana card</a>, first assuming that it was an in-store card and not a regular Visa that I could use anywhere. Then they began sending me so many offers! In the last couple months alone, I've earned about $70 in rewards that can be used at BR, Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, or Piperlime. Then I normally save my rewards for a trip to the Banana Republic Factory Outlet store and use my extra AAA 10% off for amazing deals. It's been so worth it - with no other credit card can you rack up that many rewards - that I know of. I will say I get <i>way </i>too many emails from Banana though.<br />
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<b>Starbucks</b><br />
I was super mad when Starbucks 'revamped' their program a while back, taking away the free soy milk and syrups. I'm still bummed about that, but I've noticed a whole lot more offers lately - it seems like once or twice a week I'll get an email for 50% off a drink or bogo food. If I can't have my soy milk for free, they made up for it with lots of deals!<br />
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<b>MyPoints</b><br />
Yes, the site is slightly iffy, but I have had so much success with <a href="https://www.mypoints.com/rf?refCode=PBt_pFztvfLQB--8C&arr=s1&afsrc=1&src=EXTERNAL_PUBLICATION" target="_blank">MyPoints</a>! If you shop online a lot (who doesn't?), you can earn points from most retailers just by getting to their website via MyPoints. Although not all retailers participate (most purchases from Amazon don't count), I'm always surprised how many do - Threadless was my biggest surprise this year. Anyway, the points add up and then you spend them on gift cards. It's definitely been worth it for me!<br />
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<b>Meijer - mPerks</b><br />
I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan where there's basically a Meijer on every corner. Since I shop there anyway, I'm so happy they have mPerks. When gas shot up, they were there with a 20 cent mPerks discount. They also often have a deal on avocados, and lots of times they will do 5% off your entire grocery purchase or $5 off $50 or more. What more can I ask for?<br />
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<i>Leave it!</i><br />
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<b>Panera Bread</b><br />
I used to love Panera because I only got to go to one when I took a shopping trip out of town. Now that I have them at my convenience, I'm often disappointed with my order when I go to one, and definitely disappointed in their rewards program. You sign up and they say you will randomly get rewards, like a surprise. I got quite a few right away, and then it totally dropped off. I'd rather know I'm working towards something, I guess! Sorry Panera, you're not worth the slot in my wallet. Do any of you disagree?<br />
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<i>Not sure of these!</i><br />
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What do you think? I just signed up for <b>Ulta</b>, so I don't know what to expect, I just know they have good coupons. <b>Sephora's </b>doesn't really seem worth it to me - but maybe I just don't shop there enough. I do love my little birthday surprise every year though! <b>Walgreens </b>is a place I'm trying to shop at a little more, but it seems to be taking forever to reach my first $5 reward. And I don't think <b>Anthropologie </b>signed me up right, I never get their emails and my card wasn't connected to my email. Hmm.<br />
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I don't want this post to be too long, so I'll follow up with another one soon - I have way more cards than I realized!!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-58425789376074982472013-08-14T21:15:00.002-04:002013-08-14T21:15:24.015-04:00Helping Kitties through TNRI've made a few furry friends lately that have caused me to feel so many different feelings. The six little guys below are living around my house, so being the cat lover that I am, obviously I had to help. I can't find anyone to adopt, all the no-kill shelters are full, and I refuse to take them somewhere that will euthanize them. I decided instead to go the TNR route through a local organization called <a href="http://www.carolsferals.org/" target="_blank">Carol's Ferals</a>, who's aim is to end feline over-population. TNR = trap neuter return, so that means getting these babies fixed and then setting them free again. <div>
So to make a long story short, I've taken in two so far to be fixed - the white mama, and one of the black and white ones that we named Bran. I just picked them up tonight, and Bran seemed just fine but Mama had some scratches under her eyes and her face was puffy. I also agreed to have their ears 'tipped' - the top tip of their left ear is clipped off to show that they've been fixed. This stuff isn't easy! I also felt guilty that she was away from the rest of her babies for a couple of days. Everyone is reunited tonight, though, and I'm going to try and get the other four in before we leave for our Turkey and Greece vacation. </div>
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Have you ever done anything like this? I hope the kitties know that I'm just trying to help! Anyway, if you want to help out, I set up a <a href="http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/help-stray-kitties-get-fixed-/79311" target="_blank">fundraiser here</a>. Even a dollar helps, friends!<br /><div>
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Beautiful mama!</div>
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Brave, Bran, Pipsqueakers, Moomoo, and Grey</div>
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Bran, Brave, and Mama</div>
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Brave:3</div>
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Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961511952197380152.post-91715133951359218932013-07-29T16:59:00.001-04:002013-07-29T16:59:55.227-04:00Unconventional WorkoutsAnyone else out there hate working out? I like exercise, and I know it's good for me, but the concept of paying money and taking two hours of my day preparing, going to, and cleaning up after the gym has never appealed to this girl. I also don't have enough self-motivation at home to workout, I hate to run, and I really don't think yoga is for me, so what to do?<br />
I find unconventional means. I primarily play Just Dance 4 or Dance Dance Revolution. I know it's a little silly, but I love to dance and I'm sweating just as much as I would be at any gym. Any of you go this route? What could be better than learning some sweet dance moves and getting fit at the same time?! Also, who's excited for the release of <a href="http://just-dance-thegame.ubi.com/jd-portal/en-us/home/index.aspx" target="_blank">Just Dance 2014</a> this October?<br />
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Dance on!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02317038342105617489noreply@blogger.com2