Foodie Pen Pals: July

If you read my guest posts over at The College Cuisiner, you know that my friend Marisa has given me a lot of tastes for food over the past years. My love of chinese food.. and cous cous.. and chai tea.. But this year, she introduced me to two great ideas - Foodie Pen Pals and What I Ate Wednesday - both of which you will get to see this week.

Being in Montana has been somewhat of a culinary struggle. (By that, I mean a TOTAL culinary struggle.) There are no ice cream shops or frozen yogurt within one hundred miles, we’ve yet to find a restaurant or coffee shop worth visiting twice, and compared to the stores back east, our grocery options are incredibly limited. When I saw Marisa’s reveal post for last month’s Foodie Pen Pals, I knew I had to join in.

The premise is simple - each month, bloggers (or readers) are matched with one person to send a package to and one person to receive a package from. Then, you pack $15 worth of yummy things into a package with a handwritten note and send it on its way. Plus, you receive a package in return! And really.. who doesn’t love getting packages in the mail? Especially ones filled with food?

So I signed up.

At first, I was a little nervous to join in because of my food allergies. If something arrived that wasn’t safe for me to eat, Trevor couldn’t enjoy it either - hooray for the wheat-free household. But, when my pen pal e-mailed me to ask about food allergies, it turned out that she was gluten-free too (What an odd coincidence, right?). Immediately, I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to explain what we could and couldn’t eat.

Somehow, in another strange twists of coincidence, I received my package from Marisa Rodriguez, a blog reader from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Can you believe it? When I saw the return address on the envelope, I crossed my fingers for Utz Potato Chips and Lebanon Bologna (though I don’t think the second would hold up well through the mail.. huh?). Unfortunately, neither of my wishes came true but instead, I opened the package to these wonderful treats.

You’ll have to forgive the sub-par photos - I was too eager to start snacking!

In my package, I received products that were mostly new to me - Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale (Natural Nacho flavor), roasted chickpea snacks from The Good Bean, Artisana Cashew Butter and an Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Bar (which we consumed before even thinking to take a picture, oops?).

Before taking a bite of this, I had never tried kale! I had once had a sip of a sausage soup with kale but I don’t know that my soup experience counts for much. With the green smoothie trend taking over the blogging world, I’ve heard a lot about kale so I was anxious to try this. It’s definitely interesting! Probably not my favorite snack in the world but it was neat to try. Plus, it’s gluten-free, nut-free, not baked or fried, natural and vegan - impressive right? And, it’s made in Pennsylvania!

The chickpea snacks were new to us, too. Eating gluten-free means finding new starches and flours and one of those is garbanzo bean flour. So, over the past few years, my consumption of chickpeas has definitely grown. I loved these little packages and the silly figures pictured on the front. The cinnamon package has a fisherman, while this looks like some impressive gymnastics. Marisa sent us the Sweet Cinnamon and Sea Salt flavors. Both delicious and a great mindless snack for those times when you’re watching a movie or making a long drive (which is pretty common in Montana).

The last little treat, the cashew butter, has yet to be opened. Since I’m allergic to peanuts, I’ve never really enjoyed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.. or peanut butter and apples.. or any of those staple foods my boyfriend seems to live on! (I swear I have to buy a jar of crunchy peanut butter every week.) As fans of almond butter, we are sure that we’ll love this but haven’t found the perfect use yet. We’ve been trying to avoid purchasing bread lately so toast hasn’t been an option. I was going to have it today with an apple but of course, Trevor finished the last one. Any suggestions?

While I loved receiving a package, I think I loved making one even more. Elena from the Happy Little Gnome got to enjoy lots of on-the-go snacks and some popcorn that I was envious of. (Life is hard without a microwave.) Next month, I’m hoping to scope out some local goodies to include - after all, they seem to be obsessed with huckleberries, here. But, you can find out about the package I sent this month right over here. You should also take the time to stay and check out her other posts that range from topics like a new puppy to the color run - once again, envious of both! She writes about healthy living and baking, and always shares great photos. What more could you want? 

If you want to participate next month, there is still time - click on over to The Lean Green Bean for more information and send in your form by August 4th! I know that I’m really looking forward to doing this again.

Portraits: Anniversaries and... Dirt Bikes?

For most couples, anniversaries and dirt bikes are probably unrelated but for my cousin? That wasn’t the case. You see, two years (and one month) ago, my cousin Sarah married the guy of her dreams, Curtis, and with that, came dirt bikes (and Jeeps). When she asked me to take their anniversary photos with these prized possessions, I couldn’t help but laugh. You have to understand - growing up, Sarah and I were more like sisters. It’s this  phenomenon when you lack a sister of your own and have a cousin your age. You know, sister cousins. We had sleepovers every weekend, we went to Head Start together, and before I ran off to Montana, we met for lunch every week. But, that being said, we couldn’t have been more different. Sarah loved pink and dresses and hated to get dirty. On the other hand, I refused to wear dresses, let alone much other clothing, and spent my time fishing with my dad or playing in dirt with my brother. In middle school, Sarah shopped at American Eagle. I shopped at.. well, let’s just say, it wasn’t American Eagle. Up until these photos were taken, I think I had written off the idea of Sarah on a dirt bike. I had heard the stories and seen photos of their off-roading adventures.. But then I saw for myself and now, you see the proof... but seriously, aren’t those pink wheels cute?

What I Ate Wednesday

If you found your way here from the College Cuisiner - welcome!
Take off your shoes and stay awhile?


In celebration of a Monday Sunday (my new name for our weekly celebratory day of Trevor being home), Trevor and I enjoyed a day of good eats and luckily for you, our whole menu (and some yoga pointers) is being featured at the College Cuisiner. I had been toying around with the idea of joining the “What I Ate Wednesday” link up over at Peas and Crayons over the past few weeks and the opportunity presented itself when my good friend, fellow blogger and College Cuisiner, Marisa, was called away to camp for the week. Between being invited to write a guest post and enjoying a few minutes in the spotlight thanks to Angry Orchard, I’m feeling even more motivated to join in on all the fun and eats for WIAW. What do you think?

Snapshots: Life Lately

Life is busy.

Busy in a good way, that is. Unfortunately though, that doesn’t mean I’m not exhausted. Today, after I finished up the last wall of our bathroom painting, I decided I'd reward myself with a few minutes to blog and a glass of ice cold sweet tea. 

While I’m not complaining, I have to say that it’s been a hot week in Montana. Nothing compared to the record breaking heat on the East Coast but enough that we’ve been pulling curtains, closing off the sunroom and wishing for frozen yogurt. Today, an off-road vehicle equipped with a music box and painted lime green drove past our house with snow cones for sale. Unfortunately, I was in shock and couldn’t find a few dollar bills quick enough. This girl loves snow cones.

This week, I’ve spent the majority of my time focusing on our bathroom project, mudding, sanding and painting our walls. Thankfully, with Trevor having two consecutive days off, I was able to take a small break from spending countless hours in a 12x8 ft room. 

On Saturday, Buddy enjoyed his first bath in the new shower and boy, did he need it. Our poor boy had lived for months on lake swimming trips and being sprayed with the cold garden hose. When he realized that Trevor was at work and I was in the shower, he took advantage of the situation and plowed through the curtain. (He doesn’t like to shower alone.)

On Sunday, I took a much needed trip to the laundry mat and spent the afternoon with Michelle. We made the long trip to Missoula for gluten-free goodies from the Good Food Store. I’m not sure when I fell in love, exactly.. perhaps passing by the perfectly stacked organic produce.. or when I found out that you could dispense your own eco-friendly laundry detergent into recycled glass jars.. or when I found Udi’s Blueberry Muffins.. All I know is, I’m in love. (It’s probably a good thing we’re an hour and forty minutes away.)

Monday, we ventured to Butte for errands and those french fries I was telling you about and by Tuesday, Trevor was back to his late night schedule. Even still, we were able to enjoy a late night bonfire with our funny neighbors. 

We got lucky in the neighbor department. Next door we have Kat and Andrea - guards at our local prison but fun girls with great dogs. (Buddy’s in love.) Then, one more house down - Roxie and Randy. Roxie also works at the prison in food service, while her husband works as a cook at our local final dining restaurant. With Trevor vying for a job at the prison, too, it’s a funny group. But, there’s nothing quite like a midweek unplanned bonfire with good neighbors, hard cider and s’mores.

Though we spend our nights staying up much too late, we’re still able to squeeze in time together each morning with an hour at the gym. While Trevor normally does his own thing (like fighting MMA dummies.. really), I spend time on the treadmill, trying to overcome the thin air that comes with being a mile above sea level. But today, we met up half way for a little basketball game. Needless to say, I’m awful at basketball but it was still a welcome change of pace. 

The rest of my week will be spent doing homework and school research, with Trevor working late nights. That means evenings snuggling Buddy though, and I’m okay with that. But truth be told, we’re anxiously awaiting Monday for a chance to spend our day with Trevor.

(I think Buddy hates Trevor's late nights as much as I do.)

Ten on Tuesday: Bathroom Inspiration

[click the linked number below to find the source]

After spending days looking at green board, dry wall mud and our un-finished bathroom, I needed to find some inspiration to keep myself going. It’s been a constant struggle over paint colors, decor choices and financing our project. Besides, I don’t think you can understand the inconvenience of living without a bathroom until it is your only option. Now, with a working shower, we find ourselves pining for the day when our sink and vanity will be installed. Each morning we compare our “to-do” list with our schedules while we complain about brushing our teeth in the kitchen. That being said, today’s Ten on Tuesday was my escape. While this inspiration board looks very neutral in color, we plan to decorate in turquoise, yellow and white.

1 // As a photographer and avid fan of graphic design, I find myself drawn to wall art displays. The bathroom isn’t the most typical place for an assortment such as this but in our home, the bathroom will be the only room with a modern touch. I think this is a fun way to bring other colors into our bathrooom and would also provide me with an opportunity to showcase my own photography as well as prints from artists that I love.

2 // Currently my bathroom necessities - lotions, nail polish remover, my CHI flatiron and my blow dryer - are stashed inside the top drawer of our office filing cabinet. While this storage protects the house from clutter and my precious hair products from construction dust, I’ve realized how impractical drawers can be for organized storage. I love this simple solution that keeps your hair care tools tucked inside the vanity door but not buried beneath bottles and bottles of other products.

3 // The biggest argument of the bathroom has been over the shower curtain. When we finished the shower, we knew that we wanted to be able to use it right away, rather than waiting for the construction work to be finished. Since we knew the mess the drywall would make (and we hadn’t even picked out paint colors), we decided to simply hang a shower liner in the meantime. While I would have opted for an opaque choice, Trevor refused and purchased a transparent curtain instead. The problem? He fell in love with it and now refuses to settle for a decorative and traditional option. We think this photo pocket shower curtain from UO is a healthy compromise.

4 // The one thing we managed to agree on at first sight? This cute and clever “Get naked.” decal.

5 // I’ve never been one to store magazines or books in the bathroom but after living with Doug for a few months, I realized that a place to store your most recent golf catalog is important to the male gender. Besides, I’m known to flip through a favorite magazine and soak my feet, on occasion. Rather than drilling into the wall, this handy container simply slides onto the toilet and still has room for quite a few reading choices.

6 // While Trevor knew it was important to me that we choose a bathroom with plenty of shelves, we are still struggling with hanging wash cloths, loofas and razors. This suction cup basket has space for all three and includes a top basket to hold extra bathroom products - like my face wash or a pretty bottle of bubble bath.

7 // I have a thing for mason jars, especially vintage mason jars. Imagine my thrill when we found plenty of them in our basement - including one for Jumbo peanut butter adorned with a cute little elephant. While I have been strategizing to create an herb garden from most of the jars, I thought a few equal sized ones would make great bathroom storage. I love how simple this project is and that it keeps important but small items like q-tips and cotton balls in a tidy arrangement.

8 // Shelving is important in all bathrooms - you need a place to store towels and washcloths, extra toilet paper and tissues, and other cosmetic needs. I love these little cubbies in place of traditional flat shelving. Extra towels seem more secure in this arrangement, too.

9 // Hanging towels to dry can be unsightly, that’s why I love this idea of placing them on the back of the door. This way, your guests see the bathroom before seeing unevenly hung or mismatched towels. It also keeps wall space clear and clutter free, which is important in the house’s smallest room.

10 // This is the one bathroom purchase we have made and probably our favorite part of the space, so far. After spending a few weekends at the beach, in hotels like the Marriott, we realized how great space making shower rods could be. Unfortunately, we also dealt with a claw foot tub for months and that meant countless encounters with tangled curtains. We picked up this exact rod at Walmart last week and while we were frustrated by trying to install it at 2 a.m. on very little sleep the night before, we’re now perfectly pleased.

What organizational tools are absolutely necessary in your bathroom? Do you have any creative suggestions for storage in such a small space? I’d love to hear your ideas.