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. thinking out loud # 103 .

November 6, 2014 by Amanda @ .running with spoons. 98 Comments

Happy #thinkingoutloud Thursday! No idea what I’m going on about? Click here!

Thinking-Out-Loud

1. How early is too early to start decorating for Christmas? I ask because I’ve made it a tradition to put up decorations on December 1st, but I’ve already been seeing Christmas trees in people’s windows… and the first one was up before Halloween! Don’t get me wrong, I adore Christmas and I’m eagerly counting down the days until I can start getting more festive, but I feel like putting up decorations now would only make them start feeling old by the time Christmas rolled around. It’s all about the delayed gratification!

Christmas Tree Glow

2. That being said, when it comes to desserts, I want (read: need) mine yesterday, which is why I absolutely adore mug cakes… even if I do go through phases where I completely forget about them, stop eating them for months, and then wonder why I stopped after randomly deciding to have one and falling in love all over again. My latest obsession? This Mocha Chip Mug Cake, which I’ll be sharing with you either tomorrow or Monday… depending how well I can get my act together while packing/travelling (read: probably Monday).

 Mocha Chip Mug Cake

3. In the meantime, can I interest you in a batch of nutritious and delicious Sweet Potato Pancake Muffins? If so, then head on over to Savory Style to check out my latest recipe! They’re gluten-free and make a perfect fall-time breakfast or snack!

Sweet Potato Muffins

4. As for me, you’ll find me enjoying my cinnamon with a side of coffee…

Cinnamon with Coffee

 πŸ˜† My love for that spice is a little extreme completely normal…

5. So is the fact that I’ll sometimes randomly lie out in the grass [even though it’s prickly as hell at this time of the year]…

In the Leaves

But you see some pretty neat things when you look at the world from a different perspective…

Smell the Leaves

6. This is my life…

Lazy Tweet

But I’m sure you guys know what I’m talking about… You have your favourite [big] mugs (because the tiny ones that only hold two sips are useless), but they’re all dirty so those bowls start to look mighty fine… I’ll let you try and guess what I did in the end πŸ˜‰

7. Does anyone else freak out really bad when they’re trying to sign in to something and enter the wrong password not once, but twice [or more]? That happens to me more often than I care to admit, and I start to panic every.single.time because I think I got hacked… especially when I make an effort to hit each key reeeeeeeeal slow, and it still ends up being wrong. It turns out that sometimes I’m just a derp.

8. Want to know what I dislike the most about Daylight Savings? It’s not the time change, but the fact that I can’t for the life of me figure out how to change the clock in the dashboard of my car. I must have done it at some point because it’s been right until now, but my countless subsequent attempts have proven fruitless thus far… And I know I could just look in the manual, but I’m being stubborn. Watch me just leave it until Daylight Savings starts next year and it’ll be right again πŸ˜† Wouldn’t be the first time!

9. Also… does anyone else put off updating their phone software for as long as humanely possible? Because we all know how it goes… Everything will be working just fine until you update it and then BOOM!! Suddenly nothing works anymore. I think I’m going to have to demote the “Settings” button to the second page so I don’t have that little number staring me in the face anymore, because it drives.me.nuts.

iPhone Screen

And in case you’re wondering, yes… my phone ended up dying about 15 minutes after I took that picture. Enter panic mode.

10. And that’s all, folks! There’s a very good chance that I’m no longer at home as you read this, so if I don’t manage to get that recipe up for you guys tomorrow, then it’ll definitely be up on Monday! Either way, I’ll be seeing you on Sunday with some Link Love πŸ˜€

Thinking-Out-Loud2

An InLinkz Link-up

Signature

No questions… just tell me whatever comes to your mind! πŸ˜€

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Filed Under: Thinking Out Loud Tagged With: Christmas decorations, coffee, daylight savings, Fall, iPhone updates, laziness, mocha mug cake, password freak outs, sweet potato muffins, thinking out loud

Previous Post: « . currently – november 2014 .
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chelsea @ Raw N' Toned

    November 6, 2014 at 8:08 am

    I didn’t have enough room for the download, which I think is complete B.S. that the download that is kind of required takes up room in my phone, it should just upload and not take room haha. Anyways, I still haven’t downloaded it and my phone is working fine :). Omg that happened to me the other day!! I go straight into panic mode, then try to calm down so I can focus and make sure I’m entering the right password!

    Reply
  2. Bethany

    November 6, 2014 at 7:39 am

    Hey Amanda,
    I tried to add my link to the link up, but for some reason it is not adding. Any reason why?
    Love your posts, love your pictures, love you!
    Blessings,
    Bethany

    Reply
  3. [email protected]

    November 6, 2014 at 7:31 am

    I usually wait til after Remembrance Day for anything Christmas-y at all – BUT usually it is after American Thanksgiving that I get the decorations out.

    I never took down the outside Xmas lights last year – so I am already ahead of the game!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      November 10, 2014 at 5:04 pm

      Confession: I never took down one of the Christmas decorations in my house because I couldn’t find any storage space, so I’m a little ahead of the game as well πŸ˜‰

      Reply
  4. Sky @ Blonde Freedom

    November 6, 2014 at 7:13 am

    Mmm I’m ready for that mug cake recipe! I actually tried a healthy-ish mug cake recipe last night and it was blahhh. Your coffee with lots of cinnamon looks like my mom’s. She loves lots of cinnamon in her coffee. And yeah I really need to update my phone I just hate doing it.

    Reply
  5. Jessica

    November 6, 2014 at 6:49 am

    I have yet to update my phone…I am thinking after this that I should look into it!
    I was SO proud that I figured out how to change the clock on my car dash first try this season. #thestruggleisREAL

    Reply
  6. Emily @ Sweets and Beets

    November 6, 2014 at 6:36 am

    Okay, totally too early for Christmas — I soo agree with you, it’s all about the delayed gratification. Day after (American) Thanksgiving, you’re good!! πŸ˜‰ And I’m the saaame way with my cinnamon! haha.

    Reply
  7. Melissa @ Mango About Town

    November 6, 2014 at 6:31 am

    I feel like I NEED to wait till at least December to put up Christmas related decoration (maybe with the exception of lights on my balcony). I think it’s crazy go from one holiday to the next with decorations, but I guess that’s some people’s jam. I prefer the month buffer for delayed gratification πŸ˜‰

    Reply
  8. Emma @ Life's A Runner

    November 6, 2014 at 6:26 am

    I try to follow the December 1st rule as well, and it is SO. HARD. I usually just end up appeasing myself by listening to Christmas music nonstop and watching ALL the cheesy movies.

    Have fun on your trip! Can’t wait to hear about it! (But really I just want that mug cake recipe.)

    Reply
  9. EVA

    November 6, 2014 at 6:20 am

    God, that grass looks like it smells AMAZING! I’m such a jealous chick over here, having to live in a neighborhood of apartments in the heart of Chicago where the only patch of grass is fenced off in front of my building. Poo.

    As much as I detest decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving, I love when other people do since it gets me in the mood! Even though I keep my Halloween decorations up year round….ahem….

    Reply
  10. Susie @ SuzLyfe

    November 6, 2014 at 6:16 am

    Mocha Chip Muffins.
    That is the only thing on my mind currently!

    Reply
  11. Kelly @ Kelly Runs For Food

    November 6, 2014 at 6:15 am

    Oh my gosh, the little red button drives me nuts too. Anything that isn’t “checked off” on my phone will bother me until I get to it. That’s why I have a 20 email rule in my inbox. If I have more than 20 emails I get anxious !

    Reply
  12. Chris

    November 6, 2014 at 6:06 am

    I save Christmas decorations for the day after Thanksgiving. Gotta give that holiday its due! Also, at work, if we enter our password incorrectly three times in a row, it locks us out and we have to call IT and get it reset. So if I incorrectly enter two times… it’s time to take a break, make sure caps lock is off, type each key very slowly, etc etc!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      November 10, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      πŸ˜† I have a feeling I’d be -very- close with the IT guys. And it’s technically after Thanksgiving here, so…. πŸ˜‰

      Reply
  13. Jen @ Bagels to Broccoli

    November 6, 2014 at 6:00 am

    I can’t even with the alerts on my phone! I’m so freaking OCD that I MUST GET RID OF THE RED NOTIFICATIONS ASAP.

    It’s actually legit anxiety producing.

    And as for Christmas, it’s my favorite holiday so I’m really tempted to go ape crazy with the decorations, but will probably wait until after Thanksgiving. But the hubs and I are probably getting our tree before that due to lack of time! Yessss! PS love the tree photo!

    Reply
  14. Emily @My Healthyish Life

    November 6, 2014 at 5:45 am

    Although the numbers on my phone apps drive me CRAZY, I rarely update them because I’m afraid my whole phone will freak out/die. Those muffins look delicious. Sweet potato + gluten free = a winner in my book.

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      November 10, 2014 at 4:58 pm

      I can totally relate to that. I did the latest 8.0.1 update this morning, though, and so far everything seems to be working as sit was. Fingers crossed!

      Reply
  15. Erin @ The Almond Eater

    November 6, 2014 at 5:28 am

    I never update my iPhone. Ever. I get used to the way things look/work and then they want me to change? NOOOOO thanks. I also get on mug cake kicks…. I was on one about a month ago so I’m thinking another one will be happening soon.

    Reply
  16. Sarah

    November 6, 2014 at 5:27 am

    Yeah I vote that around the end of November/beginning of December is an acceptable and good time to decorate and spice things up! Halloween = wayyyyy to early! Cinnamon lovers unite – I also can’t get enough. Coffee, oats, on bananas, ect. SO good. And I crave it more when the temps drop. Oh passwords, always a struggle. I have three which I rotate depending but then you will come across a site which requires x amount of capitals or x amount of symbols and then all bets are off and I have to write it down ha!

    Reply
  17. Juli @1000lovelthings

    November 6, 2014 at 5:23 am

    I am clearly siding with the “Christmas decoration in December” party. I first want to prolong fall as much as possible and then I want to enjoy the Christmas time afterwards. No mixing up here πŸ˜‰
    I keep it with you on the cinnamon dose as well. I have mine with a side of whatever. When a recipe says “a dash of cinnamon” I take a tsp, when it sais 1 tsp I take 2…. I just love cinnamon!

    Reply
  18. Lindsay

    November 6, 2014 at 5:13 am

    don’t get me started on the password thing. my brain is old and i have way too many passwords. I need an assistant to help me remember. Can i hire you if I promise to have clean mugs ready for your tea?

    Reply
  19. [email protected]

    November 6, 2014 at 5:03 am

    I am the queen of forgetting passwords. I regularly am ‘locked out’ of accounts from trying to sign I
    in. It’s not my fault you need a damn username and password for everything!!!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      November 10, 2014 at 4:44 pm

      Right?! And that you need to use a different one for all your accounts just to be safe 😑

      Reply
  20. Brittany

    November 6, 2014 at 5:03 am

    Oh man, that mug cake looks heavenlyyyy. Mocha chip has my name written all over it! So true about the small tea cups.. I have certain cups I use for coffee and tea, they need to be the right size haha!

    Reply
  21. Tina Muir

    November 6, 2014 at 5:02 am

    Hahahaha I love that the numbers drive someone else crazy. They also really annoy me, I can’t stand it when I have something waiting for me! Steve and I are getting new iPhones today, so I am sure I will have plenty of 1s for a while.

    I am loving your professional looking photos right now, very cool!

    Reply
  22. Liz @ A Latte Running

    November 6, 2014 at 4:38 am

    Our grass is trΓ©s wet right now, otherwise I would be laying on it as well πŸ™‚ Haha I actually really can’t stand cinnamon unless it is super small amounts!

    Reply
  23. Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves

    November 6, 2014 at 4:37 am

    It is way too early for Christmas trees already! I feel like Christmas is going to start in June one of these years because it just starts earlier and earlier. I’m all for delayed gratification also, especially since Christmas is such a special holiday!
    YESβ€” I’m with you on the waiting to do software updates until I can’t take it. I waited for maybe 3 weeks until I updated to iOS 8.1. It was really the little red circle notification that I just couldn’t stand anymore.

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      November 10, 2014 at 4:43 pm

      πŸ˜† I litereally -just- bit the bullet and updated this morning. Thankfully, nothing seems to be broken just yet. Fingers crossed!

      Reply
  24. [email protected]

    November 6, 2014 at 4:34 am

    I think December 1 is fair for the start of Christmas decorating. I try to shoot for that, although it never really happens. I get there eventually! I’m with you on the cinnamon! I love it. We call it “beach coffee” when we do it. Long story goes along with that. I’d drink my tea or coffee from a bowl if need be. My only issue would be since I’m INCREDIBLY sloppy/clumsy, I’d probably get it all down the front of my shirt! Where ever your headed, Amanda, travel safe!

    Reply
  25. Hollie

    November 6, 2014 at 4:22 am

    It’s funny you say that about the password. That has happened to me several times on my cloud. It keeps saying “I don’t remember the password” but I want to be like um…I haven’t changed it.

    It’s funny, some people are extremely upset from the Christmas decorations and others are embracing it!

    Reply
  26. Jen @ SavedbytheKale

    November 6, 2014 at 4:22 am

    I love the holidays and having the trees up and everything all festive but I too feel like this is to early to decorate. I drove by a house a few nights ago and I could have sworn it looked like they had a tree with lights in their window, so of course I had to drive by again real slow to see for sure. It wasn’t a tree just some funky dining room light decoration! whew! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  27. Megan @ Meg Go Run

    November 6, 2014 at 3:57 am

    Before I bought a house, I had dreams that one of the rooms in my home would be PERMANENTLY decorated for Christmas. It would be “The Christmas Room”. Well, that didn’t happen. Instead, I got a cat and named him Christmas. :o) I really love the season, and as much as I love it, I do have to agree before Halloween is too early for Christmas Trees. I usually decorate over Thanksgiving Break because I have the time and for me, it is at least a 3 day process.

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      November 10, 2014 at 4:41 pm

      A cat named Christmas?!? That’s seriously the most brilliant idea ever <3

      Reply
  28. meredith @The Cookie ChRUNicles

    November 6, 2014 at 3:45 am

    I don’t update my software either. Still haven’t done the new iPhone update. I think it’s been weeks lol. Have a good flight today if I don’t talk to you!

    Reply
  29. Chelsea

    November 6, 2014 at 3:44 am

    Christmas decorations! I was just trying to determine if it was okay to leave my (plastic) pumpkin up until I put my tree up. My current thought is yes πŸ˜‰
    Uhm. That mug cake and those muffins need to be in my life pronto.
    Haaahaaa tea in a bowl! That’s a brilliant idea πŸ˜‰
    I have an android phone but the latest pinterest app shows number notifications every time someone repins your pin. NOT okay.
    My car clock hasn’t been the right time in years. Too hard to stick something in the little tiny hole and change it! (Twss?!)
    Have a great weekend away!!!!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      November 10, 2014 at 4:41 pm

      Confession: I still have one of my Christmas decorations up from -last- year because I couldn’t find the storage space to put it away πŸ˜† At least I won’t have to worry about it this year!

      Reply
      • Chelsea

        November 11, 2014 at 6:00 am

        Confession: That makes me <3 you even more πŸ˜‰

        Reply
  30. Michele @ paleorunningmomma

    November 6, 2014 at 3:38 am

    That mug cake looks really amazing, so looking forward to seeing that! I can relate to so many of these : the password issue (must be the uppercase) the car clock and the software updates. In fact I thought I was the only lazy one who didn’t update software, so I’m really glad you said that!

    Reply
  31. Brynn

    November 6, 2014 at 3:34 am

    The bigger the mug, the better! I agree, decorations need to be held off until the prior holiday has passed. I wait until the weekend after thanksgiving to pull out Christmas decor. And yes! Clocks are the worst part of a time change.

    Reply
  32. Charlotte @ Commitness to Fitness

    November 6, 2014 at 3:26 am

    I know ex-act-ly what you mean about the little numbers on apps! I cant handle it. Like Im the type of person who needs to mark all my emails as read,, etc– i cant handle numbers taunting me like that. Yeah maybe move it to the 2nd page πŸ™‚ Also– I really like your background color! Mine is black, and has been black forever, but I’m really liking that icy blue. That xmas tree is gorgeous, I think dec 1st is a great time for decorations to go up!

    Reply
  33. Shashi @ RunninSrilankan

    November 6, 2014 at 3:16 am

    My daughter and I just yesterday were debating when’s too early to put up the tree – I usually have put it up the weekend of Thanksgiving – my daughter wants it up like yesterday! I think this might be the first year we put the tree up the second weekend in November!
    I love your pictures -and reflections – on “fall grass”. Wherever you maybe heading to – safe travels lady!

    Reply
  34. Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine

    November 6, 2014 at 2:59 am

    I feel like I can relate to so much about this post! i love the holidays but I think its too soon and Im sure I would get so sick of it I started decorating already! I wait forever to update the software on my phone because once I updated it right away and I had an older phone so it totally messed everything up. Oh and the password thing..it drives me crazy! I have certain websites that I think I change the password for every single time I log in.

    Reply
  35. Khushboo

    November 6, 2014 at 2:56 am

    Battery trip, especially while you’re travelling: turn your bluetooth off! Is that your tree in the first picture- er talk about STUNNING…I am amazed! Enjoy your trip, Amanda…the nosey parker in me is curious to see where you are off to ;)!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      November 10, 2014 at 4:38 pm

      Ooo that’s a great tip! I don’t even think I use my Bluetooth for anything at all. And yup! That’s my tree from last year — thanks, lady! As for where I went… I don’t know if you’ve seen on IG, but I went to Toronto to meet up with Arman and Meg πŸ˜€

      Reply
  36. Andrea @ The Pineapple Cake

    November 6, 2014 at 2:05 am

    Gluten-free sweet potato pancake muffins?!? Count me in!!
    I’m right there with ya on not updating my iphone for fear it will just stop working… and I hate the little number bubbles. It always feels like a little task staring me in the face that I will continue to put off.

    Reply
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Amanda

I'm Amanda - health coach, cookbook author, recipe developer, photographer, makeup junkie, and the blogger behind Running with Spoons - a blog dedicated to proving that healthy snacking doesn't have to be tasteless or boring, one delicious recipe at a time. More about Amanda β†’

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