Foodie Penpal Reveal Day!- May

YIKES!!!

Life has been so busy that I nearly forgot to post my favorite post of every month....

FOODIE PEN PAL REVEAL DAY!!!

Not sure what foodie Pen pal is all about? It's easy...

Lindsey created it last year.

Now, don’t you wanna join in the fun?! Here are the Foodie Penpals details:


-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.

-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!

-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!

-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)

-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.

-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

So this month I had Julie as my match, while Emily had me as hers. I loved getting to know these inspiring women and enjoy their blogs, be sure to check them out!!!

So as usual, when the doorbell rang and our mailman handed me my package I got super giddy, I mean who doesn't like getting packages in the mail!? I was in such a rush to rip open my box that I did a poor job of taking pictures this round. (forgive me)

So many yummy things in a little box!

Emily truly spoiled me with things I can't find here in Texas and several of the items are homemade and sold at a area farmers market in Iowa, so stinking cute.

First up was the Almond & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate bar, so good and super rich. I'm not a huge dark chocolate fan and with some recent health issue I can't really eat too much of it. Enter the hubby who fell in love with it and has searched for it only to not find anything close.

Lara Bars, I must confess here and now...I've NEVER had a Lara Bar until this box arrived. My verdict; super moist and chewy and not really for me...I guess it's the texture? I loved the flavor but it just wasn't for me. I didn't let the other one go to waste though, I sent it to my match and she loved it!!

Beer Bread Mix. I LOVED this. it was so simple to make and my house smelled wonderful, just in time for a family cook out and everyone loved this bread and thought I had become this baking genius. :) Again, super easy and oh so yummy.

I also got some cute Italian pasta which I am saving for a rainy day when I have a craving for pesto sauce.

Bacon Ranch dip mix is going to be made this weekend as we head to the lake to visit with friends, I'm excited to see how it tastes.

So many unique goodies. Thanks Emily for putting so much thought and Love into my box!!

Don't forget to check out Lindseys blog and sign up for Foodie Pen Pals. It's so much fun and a great way to connect with other bloggers!

Happy Friday,
Britt The HLC

Life's not getting any longer.

It's currently pouring down rain and lightening up a storm and I am loving it.


So many little things God gives us to soak in and most of us ignore it because we are too busy being human.

Something I learned on my weekend trip to Georgia is just how much I miss by being "too busy" or caught up with life. Sitting outside, taking in the atmosphere, actually watching birds and chipmunks scurry around and NOT being bogged down with lists in my head of things I need to get done, errands I need to attend, etc. Just relaxing. It seems so rare for us to just take a time out and open our eyes.

By living free it means to unclutter your mind and lifestyle of unnecessary time wasters. Relaxing. Enjoying the most out of life and not letting it pass by due to mundane things we think are important when in reality, they are not!

Stop, Breathe and take a look around you.

Not Amused.

Don't you love it when you write an entire post (with pics too) and you press that publish button feeling so good that you may have just written the BEST post of your blog and then.....

Your computer crashes and it didn't save your post on either format.

Happy Mother's Day!

I have been Blessed with 2 amazing women in my life. My Grandmother (adopted mother) and my Mother in Love. Not too mention being a mom to a a sweet girl who makes me feel like a rock star.

Love you ladies!!

                                                               Me and my momma. (2008)

                                                        Nan & I being our goofy selves (2010)

                                           Cuppycake & I @Great Wolf Lodge (Sept. 2011)

Happy Mother's Day to all you Awesome Moms.

XoXo,

Britt the HLC

Living Life.

Ever since I started HLC I set out on a serious mission. To actually practice what I was preaching! Living Healthy, Living Life, Living Free. Three very easy (or seemingly easy) rules to live by to live a full, happy, healthy and regret free life. Right? Add in a blog for accountability purposes and Ta-Da!

In the 9 months of my transition I have hit several high and low points (I am human after all) but the biggest thing was that I am sticking to it! Do I blog all the time? No. Do I benge eat or do crazy diets? No. Do I exercises every day? Not close. However. Do I eat healthier and make better food choices? Yes. Do I guilt myself for having dessert? No. Do I exercise regularly? Yes.

It's all about your perspective and your ambition. Setting realistic goals and reminding yourself that it's okay to go at it on your rules and at your pace. It doesn't matter if your blog doesn't look as cool as others you read, it's not about how many followers you have, how often you post, if you don't count calories, join a gym, follow a workout routine or if you only run 3 days a week.

Do it for YOU. Do what makes YOU happy.

Alright well, enough beating around the bush...

In the part of living free and figuring out a way to help my goals for this chapter of living a healthy lifestyle I made a bucket list...yes, a bucket list. I made one years back in an old journal and every once in awhile when I stumble upon it I have been able to add the dates to the events after I cross it off the list and that feeling, as quick and seemingly nonimportant makes me so happy and feel accomplished.

A bucket list doesn't have to necessarily be these HUGE events, they can be small goals or dreams that you set out to obtain. It can be a vision board you visually see everyday, a small checklist you check often, anything you wish to make it.

Mine is simply an updated list from my old list I made in 2003. Once I accomplish something from the list, I take a photo (if applicable) and write an entry about it. Like my latest accomplishment on my bucket list.

I wanna know: If YOU had a bucket list, what would be on it?

Britt The HLC

May Running Mix

I am determined to get out of this funk/fog I have been in regarding exercising and blogging so with that in mind, my playlist this month is a little heavier and shorter than I normally post, I'm also starting to not listen to music during every walk/run I do but using the time to meditate and focus on my breathing and just enjoy the solitude my runs bring me.

Enjoy!


Running Mix for May!

Eyes Wide Open- Gotye
Tongue Tied -Grouplove
The Wave -Miike Snow
My Love - Sia
My Heart Is Broken - Evanescence
Paddling Out - Miike Snow
Carry Me to the Cross - Kutless
Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye
Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chili Peppers 
I Belong In Your Arms - Chairlift
Do You Want It All? - Two Door Cinema Club
Can't Stop Now -Keane
This Too Shall Pass - OK Go O

Foodie Pen Pal Reveal Day!!!! (Belated)

I'm so sad I didn't get this post out sooner but vacation hit right in the middle of my favorite part of every month and I am just now getting to post about my yummy goodies for the month of April.



Here’s a detailed explanation of the program:
-On the 5th of the month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.

-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!

-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!

-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)

-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you can choose to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.

- Foodie Penpals is open to US, Canadian residents & UK residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. So, I’m going to keep two separate lists and match US w/ US and Canada w/ Canada!
***If you’re in the UK, please contact Carol Anne from This Is Rock Salt at rocksalt@thisisrocksalt.com to get involved!

Still have questions? Check out the creator of Foodie Pen Pals blog at http://www.theleangreenbean.com/

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This month I was paired up with 2 awesome ladies. I was matched with Kelly over at http://www.browniesandzucchini.com/ . I will admit, I got a little carried away with her box but I had so much fun filling it with my fave snacks for her to try. She recently did her first 5k too and I have loved getting to know her this month!

My box came from another awesome lady, Arielle or Elle her blog is so cute and bright just like her smile. www.collegegirlsguidetolife.blogspot.com/ I swear, she must have known that I wouldn't be able to open my box until after vacation because it sure had some of my old comfort snacks in it. Check out my loot!!!

Such a cute box. I know, I'm weird.

Jackpot!

                                        

I'm so in love with these single serving sized cereals and was already a fan of the blueberry but that hazelnut biscotti never had a chance! So delicious.

I'm so excited to try these out, I saw several other foodie pen pal post last month that got these in their boxes. Perfect when I'm at the shelter in the morning.

 

Confession: I have given these in earlier boxes but have yet to try them for myself. I dug into the peanut butter as I was looking through the box and found it more dense and thicker in texture but I liked it. I'm saving the Hazelnut Butter for a rainy day. :)

 

 

YUM! I recently found the starbucks refresher 2 weekends ago and loved the Strawberry Lemonade. Does anyone remember the Tab energy that came out a few years back that tasted like a watermelon jolly rancher? This is the closest in taste and sweetness I have found to compare to it. (I was slightly obsessed with them when I was a waitress) the other two I have yet to try and again, I never knew Target had their own brand of energy drinks!!

Thanks again Arielle for sending me so many yummy goodies. I appreciate it so much and it came at just the right time too. ;)

Back to reality.

Pardon the off balanced look of the blog, it's a current and frustrating work in progress.

The more I fiddle with this outline the more I'm convinced I'm ready to let a pro take over for me.

*sigh*

I-O-N: I am back from vacation and slowly getting back to reality, I have several post awaiting to be posted and viewed and hopefully, I can get my mojo back. :)

XOXO,
Britt The HLC