(alternatively titled: Thinking Out Loud #41)
1. Because she’s been pestering me about it incessantly, here are some pics of Mom’s garden…
In all honesty, though, I love seeing my mom get all giddy and excited about something. I can’t say that I relate to her love of gardening, but I can relate to being passionate about something and wanting to share that excitement with everyone around me. It’s always nice when those close to you take an interest in it.
2. And now back to our regularly scheduled Thursday randomness with some fun random facts!
1. I am a part of that 23%…
2. … but not part of that 50% (to the best of my knowledge, anyways)
3. Maybe the beauty industry needs to look into putting whatever it is in those burgers into their anti-aging products. Or maybe not. Skeevy.
4. 20 cups a… holy crap. Literally and figuratively, most likely 😯
5. Those poor marines…
3. I’m sorry gentlemen, but as nice as it is to hear a compliment from you lovely lads, getting one from another woman is just so much nicer. Talk about an instant mood boost! And try to spread that good feeling by complimenting someone else – you may just make their day a little bit brighter.
4. Speaking of gentlemen, I’ve been lucky enough to be able to spend a little more time with my own guy lately. My only complaint? Date nights usually involve staying in and staring at a computer screen. Oh the joys of being in a long distance relationship…
5. That being said, who wants to come over and keep me company help me get through my nut butter stash?
Any takers? 😉 Those are all the jars in my current rotation. Some might call it a problem, but I see it as more of a challenge. Just how many things can I put nut butter on? Oh, and that was a rhetorical question, by the way. There is only one answer, and that’s on anything and everything.
6. You know how they say laughter is the best medicine? Well, apparently it’s good for your waistline too…
7. Too bad seven years of bad luck is no laughing matter. Compact, meet floor…
8. So very in love… with this song 😉
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_bQ80xZNwI&w=560&h=315″]
9. And this place…
I actually haven’t been to IKEA in months, so I’m taking the fact that the catalog showed up in my mail the other day as a sign that it’s high time to visit again. The only thing is that I’ll probably have to set aside a good 3-4 hours of my day to make the trip. You know what I’m talking about… You walk in to pick up a bag of tea lights and walk out 3 hours later with a bag of tea lights and a sleeve of gingersnaps. Don’t even try to tell me that you don’t get sucked into the black hole that is IKEA – I won’t believe you.
10. And speaking of places I haven’t visited in a while, I can’t even remember the last time I was in Sephora 😯 This is not okay for my beauty junkie self. There are a few things I’m looking to pick up, including a lipstick from YSL and a setting powder from NARS, so I think that’ll be on the agenda for tonight.
Happy Thursday, friends!
. – . – . – .
Do you smile with an open or closed mouth?
Getting complimented by another woman… Ladies, am I right?!
Your nut butter collection nearly resembles my ever-growing cereal collection! They all look so good, I can’t choose just one!
I’m going to have to go ahead and admit that my cereal collection is a whole lot worse… But how can you settle on only having a few open boxes when you never know what kind you’ll be in the mood for?!
I would looooove to help you out with your nut butter ‘problem’ 🙂
So I totally thought this post was going to be a nut butter giveaway…*stank eye*
Just kidding! I’d never give you the stank eye.
I’d love to get my hands on any/all of those nut butters though. Particularly the Sunbutter & cocoa almond butter.
Aaawww Mama Spoons, the flowers are GORGEOUS!!
I’d be beaming if I grew those beauties, the ones in the 3rd picture & the foxgloves are particularly pretty.
I hope your moms really proud, cos’ she got skillz :).
Xxx
So which is your FAVORITE peanut butter/almond butter? I think I love nut butter as much as you do! I have to stop myself from buying more. But when it’s on sale, how can you say no?!
My favourite is definitely the Maisie Jane’s regular old AB.T he fancy ones are fun, but there’s just something about roasted and natural that I adore.
I LOVE that song too! And I love the random facts. At least one always freaks me out! haha
I completely agree with the compliment thing! . Girls know what’s in style, what looks good, ect so getting a compliment from them is way better!
I will MOST DEFINITELY be right over to help you eat all that nut butter. Except for the Justin’s vanilla – you can have that one ALLLL to yourself. But seriously, I need you to try the jar that I have. Straight up play dough flavoured. With sugar.
I would happily help you with your nut butter stash! You have quite the collection there. I think I need to start buying more haha I’d choose Barney Butter and Justin’s Almond Butter, because they don’t sell those here in Vancouver. I’m going down to the states tomorrow, so I might have to search for a place that sells it…Target or Whole Foods maybe?
I usually smile with an open mouth, but it varies 🙂
How is Barney Butter’s cocoa coconut flavor? I love Barney Butter and have been dying to try their new flavors!
It’s really good if you like coconut, because you can definitely taste it. It actually reminds me a lot of Cacao Bliss.
Me, me, here! Send me any nut butter you don’t need [as if anybody could ever not need nut butter] :)! Especially that Cacao Bliss and the Cocoa Coconut Barney Butter. It makes the foodie in me sad to walk into a store seeing only plain – yes, no fancy flavoured ones at all – nut butters. Why are companies from the US are leaving us nut butter-deprived over here?
IKEA is awesome. And seriously dangerous and frustrating. Dangerous because – like you said – you’ll never walk out with only the paper napkins and wire whisk [current items on my IKEA list] but a whole bunch of ‘oh, sure, I totally need that’ things, too. Frustating – when you buy a [seemingly] simple shelf and can’t figure out how to put it together at home.
#6 is awesome. Here’s to making laughter an officially recognized exercise. Where can I sign up for laughter bootcamp? I’m in.
If it makes you feel any better, Canada is still somewhat deprived on the fancy butters – I get most of mine from the States when I visit. You can order online, though! Is the shipping expensive?
Depending on where you order from I’ve heard it can be pretty expensive. While iHerb seems to have reasonable shipping prices they require an international credit card [which I’d have to buy just for this and they’re expensive 🙁 ]. Sorry for ranting. I just wish Justin’s and Co. would start expanding to Germany already. They’re clearly missing out on all of us nut butter addicts’ money over here :).
I could totally take couple of those nut butters..and we can to sephora together 🙂
I would definitely choose the new Barney Butter flavor since I have not tried it yet! Maybe I can virtually eat some when we have our Skype date 😉 I totally agree with getting compliments from other woman is better than from a guy. First, guys tend to say things like, “Gyyyrrll yooo sooo fynnne” which is just… Not my type. Second, I know most girls are judgmental and bitchy so to get a nice compliment is like seeing a pig fly! Third, most guys have one thing and one thing only on their minds… And it’s not to be a gentlemen. LOL Anyway, I usually smile with my mouth closed on “selfies” but I smile with a full-on grin in pictures with other people. I have a crooked smile, so I always don’t like mine 🙁
Smiling makes everyone beautiful! Or at least that’s what they tell me when I feel awkward about my open-mouthed one 😉 Really though, if you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have never been able to tell!
That Cacao Bliss is looking promising!!!
Receiving compliments from anyone is always lovely, but I totally agree with you on the woman-to-woman thing. There’s something very genuine about it that seems to hold so much more value (sorry, guys! hahah)
You have my two favorite Justin’s flavors! I will totally come help you with your stash 😉
I love the Barneys almond butter, Justins maple almond butter, the Artisana cocoa bliss..oh wait, you said only one 🙂
I agree with you, I think closed mouth smile is better – but peeps have told me otherwise.
And Most def compliments from gals are way, way more flattering!
Gorgeous flowers by the way.
I get told that I should show more a little more tooth as well, but I always feel so awkward and it ends up showing on pics!
I have a very similar nut butter stash but I would still be willing to help you get through yours!! 🙂
The flowers are SO SO beautiful!!! 🙂
Too bad you’re a whole country away because I would totally drop by and help you with that nutbutter. There’s not one in the lineup that I don’t like, but I would gladly take the sunbutter off your hands…. it’s my all-time fave!!
Me me me! I’ll take the maple almond butter, please 🙂
I look so creepy with a closed mouth smile, so teethy smile it is! And laughing can totally be a good ab workout if you laugh long and hard enough. Those are good times.
Nut butter + silken tofu + bit of stevia + melted chocolate; pureed…..heavenly
I’m halfway to your house to help you with those nut butters…but seriously I could do some major damage on those bad boys 😉
Also hilarious about the first pictures of your mother’s garden. My Mom has “stolen” my camera on multiple occasions to take pictures of her garden! It is definitely beautiful but unfortunately the green thumb (or interest in gardening) seemed to skip a generation!
How long does that stash of nut butter last you? : )
It’s hard to say since I don’t really eat them all at the same rate. The ones that I’m not the biggest fan of last for months and months (and months), while my favourite ones can disappear in a couple of weeks.
On my way 😉 I have been dying to try the vanilla justin’s! I just don’t go near whole foods for the safety of my purse (but I will go to my running store…ask me why that’s a good idea), and I know you can buy it online, but….I’m cheap ha. In regards to some things anyway. I usually only buy justin’s if it’s on sale or i have a big gift card to use. When i win the lottery, however, it’s the only thing I’ll eat 😉 I tend to smile with my mouth open, and I think you’re right about the compliment from a girl. They always do put a slightly bigger smile on my face/i believe it a little more. And i didn’t get my first kiss till i was 16 😛
Oh and your mom’s garden is gorgeous!!! I love flowers but can’t take care of them to save my life 🙁
You and me both! The green thumb was definitely not something that I inherited from her… I have one plant that I struggle to keep alive.
You’re going to make me choose ONE of those? Impossible…but I’ve got it narrowed down to the two Justins, the two Barney Butters, and the Cocoa Bliss. But at the same time, I still have 4 jars of my own to get through in the next two weeks, so maybe I should just stick to mine 😉
After years of being convinced that I looked better with a closed-mouth smile, I’m now in the open-mouthed camp. If I keep my lips closed, it looks really forced and disingenuous on me…so I usually show off the pearly whites 😉
Confession: I’ve never been to an IKEA. The closest one was about an hour and a half from where I grew up, so I just never bothered!
I would pick the vanilla or maple Justin butter – I’ve never had them, but they sound amazing!
So, my nut butter stash looks quite similar to yours!!!! Just the other day my husband said…”why do you have so many jars of peanut butter?” I was like because I don’t want to run out!!!! I mean come on…my world might end if I don’t have a nut butter in the line-up! 😉 I know…I’m a bit obsessed…at least I’m not alone in that obsession! 😉
I definitely smile with my mouth open. I think my mouth is somewhat crooked on my face and it looks weird if I’m not smiling in a pic.
I’m actually not a fan of IKEA! The store is huge, it’s always crowded, they’re always long lines, and I just, in general, am not a fan of the whole process. I went there once and will probably not be going back.
😯 !! You may just be the first person I’ve ever met that didn’t like IKEA… although I totally understand where you’re coming from. I would probably hate it too if I didn’t adore it for all the stuff there is to look at.
I have such a love/hate relationship with Ikea. Everything is so functional and inexpensive, but it does take hours upon hours to get through it all. But, I do love me some inexpensive bedding and Swedish meatballs.
Personally, I would take one of each of your nut butters but especially the cocoa almond one! I’m seriously going through withdrawals right now and on Saturday, I am going to buy 10 jars to stock my cupboards 🙂 Open mouth, wide, big teethy grins fo sho! I’ve always had a silly smile so I figure why not go with it… Plus I had braces twice so I figure I better show off my pearly whites 🙂
I’ll take a spoonful of coconut butter, please. I think I might have to call Hoaders to help deal with your issue. It’s becoming kind of a problem.
I usually smile with an open mouth, unless I’m taking one of my awkward selfies. Then I usually keep it closed.
Getting complimented by another woman is nice because they usually don’t have an ulterior moment like the men do, if ya know what I mean.
Props for the nut butter stash! I just accidentally purchased a processed (yet organic) peanut butter that has a way to firm texture and tastes like nothing -.-* guess I need to find a good baking recipe to use it up since it clearly isn’t satisfying my “nut butter” tooth (I am sure that this is a real thing).
Regarding the long distance thing – do you actually enjoy to skype? I always preferred talking on the phone, since seeing and not to be able to touch him made me even more sad most of the time.
I had that problem with the regular Barney Butter so I just used it in recipes – Rice Krispie squares were perfect for that. As for Skype, I don’t enjoy doing it all the time, but every now and then it’s nice to see him again. Otherwise I prefer the phone since I don’t have to sit in front of the computer.
That is a great idea – I’ve recently seen rice krispy cereal for the first time in a Supermarket around here. You have a recipe for the squares on Spoons, right?
I do! Just be wary – the nut butter/honey combo makes them extremely addictive… http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2013/06/24/rice-krispie-energy-bites/
How about I bring my 6 jars, and we can try them all out together? 🙂 🙂 We can bake, make smoothies, or heck just eat spoonfuls out of the jar 🙂
Being complimented by all the wonderful ladies on my new blog has been very confidence boosting. Thank you all for your kindness and generosity! I’m not sure I’ve ever tried any of those nut butters but I’d certainly give it a try. Also your Mom has a beautiful garden!
Oh Ikea is addicting! I love looking at all the different design and room ideas. I love how cheap everything is too, but the downside is you have to put it all together.
Very true. But they make it so easy! They even give you some of the little “tools”
Would loveeee to come help you demolish your incredible nut butter stash! I am on such a classic almond butter kick lately. I am totally obsessed with Martha’s. Also obsessed with Ikea… except when I have to build it all.
Compliments are welcome from anyone, unless the dude is creepy. Sorry creepy dudes, but keep your comments to yourselves.
I’m a pb fan above almond butter, so the stash is all yours. However, I haven’t actually tried almond butter in years, (seriously… ten maybe?) so perhaps my tastes have changed.
Ah do tell your mum that her garden looks lovely :-)! The same goes for your AB stash- sharing is caring right ;)? Suddenly my 3 jars don’t seem quite we exciting ha! I used to be a closed-mouth smiler until a few months back when I got my braces off. After 4 years of trying to hide my teeth, you better believe I’m flashing ’em at every chance I get now! And hell yes about compliments from another female- a few kind words can make all the difference!
How can it be that you don’t have any Peanut Butter & Co. Peanut Butters? You need Crunch Time and Mighty Maple, ASAP….And you are kinder than me to share your nut butters. I would never lol. But thank you for the offer and I will gladly try any of them.
Oh believe me, if I could, I most likely would. Buuuuut I have an allergy to peanuts, so that kind of puts a limit on the size of my nut butter stash 😛
And I actually have an allergy to almonds – not life threatening but its there so I try not to mess with it although it becomes tempting to make everything with almond flour, almond milk and almond butter since I am constantly reading about those ingredients! lol
I just bought a YSL gloss, called ‘cozy’ and I love the color!
Moms garden is gorgeous!!!! What beautiful flowers! <3
Happy Thursday love!
I had never though about the difference in compliments from a girl versus a guy, but you’re absolutely right. I don’t know what it is, either. It has to have something to do with how we are constantly comparing ourselves to other girls. My roommate and I will walk into ikea and never leave. We literally will spend hours on end planning our dream house. It’s sad.
More than happy to come over and enjoy nutbutter with you! Especially since i am out of the Vanilla AB – ugh. I don’t call this a problem, i call it bliss! You can never have enough nutbutter jars, seriously. Oh and I am horrible at Ikea. It soaks me in like nothing else and my decoration pantry is LOADED!! My trick is to take the bus = I need to carry the stuff home 🙂
Ohhh that’s actually brilliant! Unfortunately, I think it would take me over an hour to get there by bus 😕 And I really just want to go to find some nice dishes and backdrops for my food photos… and a sleeve of gingersnaps 😉
Haha wow nice stash!! is “all” an acceptable answer? And my bf is moving across the country in 2 weeks so, I’m going to have to get very used to date night in front of the computer soon. oh well, its worth it til we can live in same area again. and my smile- always open mouth, my closed mouth smile looks like im angry. and i once heard that women dress for other women, not men. i think its true.