Hi Friends!  I hope you’re having a great day.  I work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday so not really looking forward to the next few days, but it’s ok.  Happy Rosh Hashanah to everyone who’s celebrating, too!  Today I went to the gym and got a nice lifting session in, tanned, went grocery shopping and re-loaded our produce stash in advance of the weekend.  But the highlight of the day was taking Skylar to a park near Scott’s office and he met us there for a half hour.  75F and Sunny, and a midday rendezvous with Scott in the park.  No, not that kinda…haha!  A family rendezvous.  Being with Scott and Skylar and watching her run and laugh and have a ball at the park, well, it was the total highlight of my day.

I won a couple give aways that I wanted to mention.  First, I won a in Thermos Intak Stainless Bottle in Tina’s Give Away.

I have been contributing recipes to NuNaturals for a year or so now and love their stevia.  It is, The Best.  I won Eden’s Give Away for Stevia and Ron at NuNaturals was kind enough to throw some extra stevia in for me.

Here’s a Few Stevia Recipe Ideas…

I use their white powder stevia in my Overnight Chocolate Brownie Protein Oats

 I use their Liquid Vanilla Stevia in Coffee & Coffee Drinks

and In Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

 

And I also use the Vanilla Stevia in Overnight Peanut Butter Banana Vanilla Chia Oats

And I use NuNaturals Cocoa Bean Extract Liquid Stevia Drops to the Popcorn Mix I Make

 

I also use the liquid cocoa bean stevia in my Guiltless & Fast Vanilla Hot Cocoa

And I use their Baking Blend in my Homemade Vegan Gluten & Soy Free Granola.  Just replace part of the brown sugar with NuNaturals Baking Blend

From Yesterday’s post about being materialistic vs. beint attached to material possessions.  Most of you told me you don’t think you’re materialistic and not too attached to material things.  Sure, then why is everyone’s garage and storage areas overflowing with clutter and cast-off, unused items, haha!

I am glad that I re-homed the crib to a nice couple even though it was a little bit sentimental.

Regarding spilling or dropping things, omg.  Yes, that sugary tea incident ate up well over an hour of my time and many paper and real towels later.  And four letter words later, too.  Many of you told me you’ve had nightmares with ketchup leaking or spraying everywhere, dropped coffee, and dropped blueberry smoothies made the list, too.  Nothing like a mess that gets in every single nook and cranny!  Takes 2 seconds to happen and hours, or months later, you’re still cleaning it up!

Dessert: Vegan GF Cinnamon Raisin Banana Oatmeal Muffins 
Feel free to replace some of the white & brown sugar with stevia!   These are 1 bowl and a spoon, no mixer required.  5 minutes to throw a few things in a bowl and stir, and bake ‘em off and you’re done.

 

Questions
1. Have you ever won a Give Away?  Or won anything, ever, in your life?  What was it?
I run one give away per week and so in the past year, I have hooked up at least 75 people.  Some of my give aways have two winners, or even 4 or 6 winners, so the love has been spread.  Not to mention, my inbox overflows from some of them to the tune of an extra 400-500 emails a week usually!   So hey, I deserved my two wins today, right?! hah!

2. Do you have a favorite brand or type of reusable bottle? 
In the past I’ve used Starbucks’ own bottles they sell for my reusable coffee bottles, and Sigg and Klean Kanteen for water.  I love my KK’s!  Can’t wait to try the new Thermos, though.

3.  Do you like stevia?
I never used to use it but over the past couple years have gone from not using much to total addict.  I love the stuff!  I think my tolerance is going up, too…haha!  I also use agave, white & brown sugar, yacon & maple syrup, and dates.  I have a sweet tooth and am not shy with sweeteners. 

4. Do you like surprises?  
I got this in the mail and it was a great surprise.  More to come, but for now, just take my word for it, it’s a great surprise.  

In general, I only like to be surprised if it’s a good surprise.  I mean, who likes surprise car repairs or surprise medical bills.  No way! 

But I’m all about good surprises!  Like surprise giggles and time at the park with my family!

  Do you like surprises?

5. Is it easy to surprise you?

I admit, that by nature, I am Type A, I like to be in control and be in the know, and it’s pretty hard to surprise me and pull the wool over me, but as long as it’s a good surprise, it’s ok by me to try.  Scott has never thrown me a surprise birthday party or anything like that though because he knows it would be near impossible to pull a fast one by me!

See you tomorrow for a Give Away…it’s for $50 bucks to spend!  C’mon back for that one!