Versatile Blogger Award, Mailbox & Sweater Finds, Blogging Software, Laptop Recommendations

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Hi Friends!  How was your weekend?  Mine went by really fast.  I work Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays so before you know it, the weekend has evaporated and I never get to do everything I wanted to do and accomplish, but that’s ok because I did spend some time with Scott and Skylar enjoying the nice weather.  It’s cooled down a little here.  The 94F and humid hot snap from earlier in the week seems to have passed, a bit.  Good.  I am not a fan of Florida or Texas weather and that’s what it felt like! We went on a couple of power walks and I had some productive solo errand running.  And some shopping.  More on that in a minute.

Earlier in the week, I received a Six Pack of Zevia and a TShirt

Six Pack of Zevia Drinks and a T-Shirt on countertop

Close up of Zevia drinks in multiple flavors
I love the Orange Zevia and Scott is a Dr. Pepper Dr. Zevia Fan!

I actually won a Zevia Tshirt in a blogger give away last fall but they only had XS sizes in stock back then, but Margaret at Zevia was nice enough to send me a new shirt now.  Unfortunately it’s a man’s large, not a woman’s, so it’s ridiculously huge on me.  Scott is a lucky devil because this shirt is sooo soft and it’s his now.

Skylar wanted to see what was going on too!
Young girl reaching for drinks on countertop
Close up of young girl giving huge smile
She knows we take everything out of the box, and photograph, first.  Then cheese it up for the camera.  Child of a food blogger learning the ropes.
 
Zevia was also mentioned in the September Issue of O Magazine. 
 
Oprah says,
 
 
“You may try this Stevia-sweetened soda because it contains no calories, no sugar, no aftertaste, no artificial anything, but you’ll stick with it because it’s delicious.” 

Thanks, Zevia for the samples and Scott’s TShirt!

Next up…
Keri gave me the Versatile Blogger Award last week and I am supposed to share Seven Things About Myself:

 

1. I never knew I’d fall in love with weightlifting and pumping iron.  I thought yoga and cardio (running and walking) were my exercise “paths” and that’s all I’d ever do for the rest of my life.  Boy was I wrong!  I cannot imagine life without lifting now!

2. I use more stevia in my coffee than should be legal.  I love my coffee extra sweet and extra hot.

3. I used to think I needed 8 hours of sleep, or more.  I would still like them, sure, but can function on 5 or 6 hours quite well. Some people say, oh do you think this is because you’re a high raw vegan and you “don’t need as much sleep because you’re so ‘energized’ from all that great food”?  No, actually I attribute it to the fact that I have tons to do and have more to do than there are hours in the day; I work 25 hours a week, am a wife, mother, athlete, blogger, cook, and overall engineer keeping our family’s train rolling along.  And can sleep when I’m dead.  For now, I’ll take my 5 hours and just deal.

4. I’ve been known to come in from hot and sweaty workouts, strip down in the kitchen thinking I was going straight to the shower, but get tied up in a cooking project and cook entire meals in the nude. 

5. I only see my sister once a year, or so.   Sometimes longer.  We live far apart and with jobs, kids, life, it’s just hard to make meetups happen even though I miss her lots.

6. I used to have fake nails and get pedicures every two weeks.  Now, years go by in between in-salon pedicures and I’ll never have fake nails again.  I just do my own manis & pedis.

7. Scott is my best friend and I wish we had more time together.  I miss him tons when he’s gone.

My job is to nominate 15 Bloggers for this Award.  I can’t pick so for anyone reading, feel free to take this award and run with it on your own blogs if you’re so inclined.  Have fun!

If you Missed any other Random Facts and for some crazy reason want to know them about me:

Here was my Very First Blogger award, August 2009

Then, December 2009 the Beautiful Blogger Award

And recently, there was a Five Fun Facts Friday Post

And here was the Sugar Doll Award & Facts

From my last post….
I’m glad the Vegan GF Cinnamon Raisin Banana Oatmeal Muffins were a hit!

Vegan GF Cinnamon Raisin Banana Oatmeal Muffin in paper linerCut open muffin on plate
Cut open muffin on plate

And thanks for telling me your favorite muffin recipes and the way you like to use up extra bananas.

Many of you liked to play dress up, too.  Just like my little Cheerleader!

Young girl dressed up in tutu with pompoms Young girl holding pompom up in air

I am glad I’m not alone in liking fall fashionsEven if I don’t “need” anything, something about fall brings out my inner shopaholic and in you guys it sounds like as well!  


Remember how I said in yesterday’s post that I love chunky sweaters,  and that this blue sweater from my gym was stolen a few days after this picture was taken? 

Two women holding purses smiling for photo

Well, my post yesterday was foreshadowing because I went back to Buffalo Exchange (a recycled clothing store) see This Post for my thoughts on Thrifting/Vintage Clothes Shopping/Recycle Clothing Shopping.

I was pressed for time yesterday and had about 10 minutes to look around.  And in those 10 minutes, I found this sweater!

Woman wearing cozy sweater in bathroom
Woman showing backside of sweater

 

$15.33 After Tax.  And in near mint-never worn condition.  Can’t beat it!
Close up of woman wearing buttoned sweater

 

It’s so soft and will be the perfect sweater to cozy up in when it cools off here.
Sleeve of sweater
Woman holding arm around stomach embracing sweater
This is my “Brrr, it’s Freezing Out and I’m All Cozy Now” picture.  In reality, it was 85F, I had just gotten out of the tanning bed and worked out and I was dripping sweat from every pore in my body.  What I do for the blog, I tell ya…haha!

Dessert: High Raw Vegan Almond Butter Cookie Balls
These take about 10 minutes to come together in a blender or food processor.  They are so easy and good, especially for all the nut butter fiends.  If you prefer, use Peanut Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter, Cashew Butter, any kind of nut butter you want!  Yum!

Plate full of Raw Vegan Almond Butter Cookie Balls
Three Raw Vegan Almond Butter Cookie Balls on white plate
Overhead of Raw Vegan Almond Butter Cookie Balls on white platter

 

Gym & Weights Workout Today From This Tab: Arms/Back/Legs and Abs.   
Used my Home Gym/FreeWeights & Bowflex
Did Abs with my Exercise Balls from This Post

Tip of the Day: My Tempt Hemp Products Give Away!

Tempt Hemp Products on countertop

Tempt Ice Cream

 Have fun everyone!  Thanks Living Harvest and Tempt

 
Click Here To Enter!

Questions
1. Best Thing You’ve Ate or Done All Weekend?
Me = time with my family and my new sweater!

2. I have a few trips coming up that I’d love to be able to have a laptop that I can blog from and check email from.  Not fancy, nothing special, not a primary machine.  I have a MAC as my desktop and love it, and would of course love a MAC laptop but not sure I really need to spend that kind of money on something that’s more of a travel-only and backup computer.  Does anyone have experience with very basic laptops?  I mean, I don’t need it to “do” much of anything other than get an internet connection so I can check email and blog.  Your thoughts or recommendations please!

3. Does anyone use software for blogging that you love?
I can’t use Windows Live Writer because I have a MAC.  Once I tried Ecto and it was a disaster.  I had to upload my photos into Flickr first, which was a make-work step for me, but then it ate two posts.   After two huge posts being munched and gobbled up into Cyber Space, I said forget it! And went back to Blogger and just blogging from blogger’s standard screen.  I also tried another software program and I can’t remember the name but was very unimpressed and after one use, and again, went back to Blogger.  

At one time, I thought maybe I’d migrate to Wordpress and I know it’s better, I understand all of that, but my little “hobby” of blogging is a part time job already and I haven’t the energy or mental bandwidth to make the switch.  So in the meantime, what do you Blogger Blogs with MACs use?

4. Have you ever found a cool piece of clothing at a recycled clothing store that just had your name written all over it?
I was so happy to find that sweater and even better, was in and out of there in 15 minutes.  Normally those types of shopping missions are hour(s) of rooting, sorting, digging, and can be fruitless.  So that just made it a double-bonus for me that I found something, and fast! 

5. What are your Seven Fun or Interesting Facts?  Tell me something!  Doesn’t have to be seven facts, but would love to hear a one or two!

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.