Search Results for: granola

I’ll tell you what. This summer has flown by faster than any other. Maybe it’s because we kicked it off with a trip to Kenya and have crammed in all sorts of stuff since we’ve been home (including the flu, which was no fun, but it flat dominated a full week of summertime). Regardless, I can’t believe we’re a more than halfway through July. SOMEBODY MAKE IT SLOW DOWN.

I mentioned this on the last podcast, but week before last Alex stayed with my daddy (and Martha! he stayed with Martha a couple of nights, too!) while David and I went to New York City on a 20th anniversary trip. It was DELIGHTFUL. We saw some shows and walked a whole bunch and even though we took a couple of subways headed in the wrong direction, we ultimately managed to get everywhere we needed or wanted to be. We had the best time.

In the (almost) two weeks since we got home from NYC, I’ve thought a little bit about my favorites from the trip (9/11 Memorial Museum, Dear Evan Hansen, walking the High Line, hummus from Dizengoff) – which sort of morphed into thinking about some other new favorites that I’ve discovered this summer.

This seems like an excellent time to list those things in no particular order of importance.

Please do enjoy.

– Brooks Revel

I didn’t really plan it, but I’ve been walking a lot more this year. I love me some Brooks running shoes (even though I don’t actually, you know, RUN), and after wearing Brooks Ghosts for the last three-ish years, I decided to try the new Brooks Revel when I bought some new shoes about a month ago. I LOVE THEM. They’re lighter than the Ghost, they have a wide toe box (which is such a plus for me), and they’re supportive without being stiff. This was the main shoe I wore when we were in New York, and it was a dream for walking on streets and sidewalks…but I have to say that I like it just as much for walking on the treadmill / doing various gym-related things. The colors are super fun, too, and while I know it’s a superficial thing, SHOE COLORS MATTER TO ME.

– Hummingbird Farms Lavender Body Oil

I know that Melanie and I have mentioned how much we love the Hummingbird Farms lavender lotion about 932 times. It’s so good. This summer, though, I’ve been using the lavender body oil because – GET READY – it comes in a spray bottle and this is infinitely, INFINITELY better than having to pour it into your hands. Last year I had this crazy rash on my legs that would not go away – went to the dermatologist three or four different times, had tests done, etc. – and while everything is fine now, I have to be really careful about what I put on my skin – so I am SUPER picky about my lotions and oils and salves. This body oil is fantastic, and I haven’t had a single flare-up since I started using it.

– Purely Elizabeth granola

THIS. IS. THE. BEST. GRANOLA. I. HAVE. EVER. EATEN.

And I am picky about my granola, people.

I first bought Purely Elizabeth at Fresh Market, but I’m going to order one of the Amazon three-packs. The grain-free banana nut is FANTASTIC, as is the blueberry. There aren’t any oats in this granola, and while I thought that might be weird, NO. It is not. It is delicious.

– Broadchurch

Yes. I know. Some of you have been recommending Broadchurch forever. And for who knows what reason, I finally started watching it last week. Within 4.7 seconds I was hooked, and I watched the first two seasons in what can only be described as an embarrassingly short amount of time. It was a lot to process, y’all, and I had the weirdest Broadchurch-y dreams for a couple of nights. Yesterday I started watching season 3, and I don’t know how I’m going to move forward knowing that I have to wait a whole week in between episodes. This show – especially season 1 – is crazy compelling, and it’s about so much more than the case the detectives are trying to solve. The acting is so good that you forget you’re watching people play characters; the story completely wraps you up and pulls you in. If you liked Sherlock, I think you’ll enjoy Broadchurch, too.

– Feetures! Elite Max Cushion running socks

I have been a Thorlo socks loyalist for several years, but my friend Marion really likes Feetures, so I decided to try them. I’m a fan. They’re thin but have great cushion (disclaimer: I think socks are just as important as shoes when it comes to walking or running or participating in the athletic pursuit of your choosing), and the backs don’t slide down when you walk. I love Thorlos because they’re so cushion-y, but it’s been nice to have a more lightweight sock option. Yay for the Feetures.

– CeCe Winans’ Let Them Fall in Love

OKAY. Let’s cut to the chase: you need this album. It is JOYFUL, it is inspiring, and it is TRUE. It’s also a total throwback (just TRY to listen to “Hey Devil!” without busting a move right there in your car or your office or wherever). There’s a song called “Lowly” that will make you want to talk back to it, and be warned that when you listen to “Marvelous,” you may have to stop right where you are and just TAKE IT IN FOR A MINUTE. This is a truly great gospel album – brilliantly written, brilliantly produced, and CeCe Winans’ vocals knock it right on out of the park.

Hope y’all are having the best week!

I am oh-so-happy to tell you that edits are FINISHED. Week before last I did two rounds on my own, and after driving to Nashville last Sunday afternoon, I spent most of Monday at LifeWay going through the new book chapter by chapter with my editor. We tweaked, we deleted, we clarified, and we got that manuscript just like we liked it before I drove back home to Birmingham late Monday afternoon. I was going to write a blog post that Monday night, but I was enjoying not writing so much that I just stuck with that trend for the rest of the week. Plus, I had some real life catch-up that I wanted to do; I cooked supper Tuesday night, went to a baseball game Wednesday night, went to dinner with friends Thursday night, went to dinner with my fellas and one of Alex’s buddies Friday night, and then had some friends over Saturday night. So the week, it was full. And it was good.

Today it was almost 3:00 when we got home from church and Chuy’s, and after a quick nap and some quick TV catch-up, I met some friends from church for a fun fondue supper. It occurred to me on the way home that this has been my consistent pattern with all three books; I cross the deadline off of my list, take a second to breathe, and then I do ALL THE SOCIAL THINGS within a span of several days. This is a sure sign that I will spend the next week making sure I’m in my pajamas by 5 and then watching any programming that Bravo has to offer – with a fair amount of Food Network thrown in for good measure, of course.

Anyway, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I had a bunch of stuff I’d been wanting to tell you, so I thought maybe I’d share five of those things tonight in the hopes of not overloading you with 18 very critical pieces of information all at once. So here you go.

– The Hairdryer That Changed My Life

Listen. I was skeptical about a more expensive hairdryer. I told myself that my drugstore version worked just fine. But early in the fall, I decided I was sick and tired of getting so dadgum hot every time I’d dry my hair (so, you know, every morning). I was also tired of my hair being so frizzy. So before Christmas I mentioned that I might like to try this particular model (make? brand? I don’t know the lingo), and y’all, it is a wonder. I dry my hair in half the time, and IT’S NOT FRIZZY. It has made the biggest difference. I love it so much that I’m thinking of naming it. Highly recommend.

– A Night with Big & Boo

So this, apparently, is really happening. It is gonna be laughs-o-plenty, y’all.

We don’t know our final schedule yet, but how excited am I about being on a tour bus with Melanie and Travis the last two weeks of June? Or two-ish weeks? Or two-ish days if Melanie and I experience some sort of claustrophobic event as a result of sleeping in those little bus bunks? GOOD TIMES FOR SURE.

– Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Venom

I’ve been trying to wear more color lipstick-wise, mainly because I’ve been stuck in a very neutral place for the last several years and decided around Christmas that I needed a little punch of color to combat the winter doldrums. I really, really like this Urban Decay lipstick. I also have it in Rapture, which is more of a sheer shade, but Venom is great if you are fair-skinned and blonde with pink undertones to your skin (I know that was specific – but I can’t wear a lot of bright colors because they’re better-suited for yellow undertones). And here’s a sidebar conversation for us: why do make-up shades have to have such edgy names these days? Why all the VENOM and RAPTURE and ANARCHY and LIAR? Why not HAPPY FUN TIMES and CHEERFUL and SUNSHINE? These are the things I think about.

– Shipt

When I was at dinner with friends last Thursday night, the talk turned to Shipt. It’s a grocery delivery service, and while I’d heard of it, I’d never really considered using it because, I don’t know, I just think that going to the grocery store is one of those things that you have to do. I was surprised that I was the only one in our group who wasn’t using Shipt, and by the time everybody finished telling me why they loved it (true story: my friend Andrea ordered all her family’s snacks for a Disney World trip before she even got to Orlando, and within an hour of their arrival at the hotel, Shipt delivered everything TO THEIR ROOM – granola bars, bottled water, etc. – I thought this was genius), I was feeling slightly persuaded.

Anyway, Friday I was trying to figure out how to get everything done that I needed to do before we had company over Saturday night, and I thought, “I’m gonna try Shipt.” David was on board with it, so I downloaded the app, selected everything I needed, picked a delivery time – and y’all, Saturday morning everything showed up at my doorstep around 9:30. LIKE MAGIC. AND I DIDN’T HAVE TO GO TO THE STORE. Right now I’m doing the two-week trial, but there’s not a doubt in my mind that I’m sticking with it. I’ve already got my next order ready to go and am going to schedule it for when I get home from work Tuesday afternoon. So, if Shipt is available in your area and you’d like to give it a try, here’s a link for $10 off your first order. (Disclaimer: I’ll get $10 off, too, if you use that link.) It is delightful.

– Easy Restaurant Style White Queso

I made this queso Saturday night (and seriously, I must have said, “Y’all – I’m making queso IN A SKILLET” at least 12 times), and I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever make the “orange cheese loaf” queso again. This recipe is so good and actually sort of beautiful. I didn’t use nutmeg, though, because I couldn’t convince myself that it would add anything. But everything else? MUY BIEN.

Y’all have a great Monday!

So last night I spoke at a church in Kosciusko, Mississippi, and I wish I had videotaped the whole thing. I mean, not the part of me speaking because NO, I WOULD NEVER, but I wish I had taken some videos of the women talking to each other (“HEYYYYYYYY! And don’t you just look DARLIN’?”), not to mention the sound of all those Southern women visiting over dinner. I know that some people might think it’s corny, but that sound is like a symphony to me. I also wish I had some pictures of what everybody was wearing because Mississippi women like to BREAK OUT THE COLOR in the summertime. You have never seen such an array of cute pants and cute tops in your life. Martha would have flat-out coveted at least 17 different 3/4 sleeve jackets, and she might have even brokered deals to buy a couple of them right there in the fellowship hall.

And yes, I know that I’m incredibly sentimental about growing up in Mississippi, but everything about last night reminded me why I love my home state with all my heart. There was chicken salad, there were impatiens wrapped in burlap, there was bread pudding in miniature Mason jars, there were 158 door prizes (give or take), and more than anything else, there were the sweetest women, including one named George Ellen, which is now my new favorite Southern name BY A MILE.

Also, I came home with the prettiest gift basket which contained, among other treasures, two giant jars of Mentholatum. I was so tickled when I saw them because it is hard to find those jumbo jars these days, and considering my deep and abiding affection for Mentholatum, it really was the most thoughtful surprise. Mississippi pays attention, y’all.

I say all of that because I haven’t even been in Mississippi for 24 hours (I’m back at my parents’ house right now), and I’ve already thought of four or five things I’d love to blog about. But I’ve also thought about how we’re home from vacation and have a few weeks ahead with no camps or big obligations (except for July 9th – I’m speaking in Hernando, Mississippi, and I’ll post details on my Facebook page sometime next week), and I have a book that I need to finish. Technically I am in the home stretch, so mentally I need to hunker down and focus. I actually got my first look at the cover last week, and I thought, Oh, it would be so delightful to know that I was finished writing the words that are supposed to go inside.

Only I’m not finished. But I need to be. You can appreciate my dilemma.

So. I’m gonna take a blogging break until I finish the new book (it’s called Home is Where My People Are: The Roads That Lead Us to Where We Belong). I need to give these last few chapters my full and undivided attention, and I can’t do that when I’m writing blog posts in my head about why does California hate air conditioning and when did people stop having an appropriate amount of self-awareness and sunroofs are sort of lost on me and Hazel went to boarding training school while we were on vacation and she was so excited when we picked her up Wednesday afternoon that I almost cried.

That dog. She’s something else.

So I’ll see y’all at some point in the next few weeks. Thanks for being patient and understanding and etc. And if you find a really good mascara or granola recipe, please email me and let me know because nobody needs to keep that kind of vital information to herself.

Love,
Me

Well.

We are still working on the podcasting thing.

But yesterday you may have noticed that Melanie’s blog exploded.

Fortunately, it was only a temporary explosion, and it’s all fixed now. But because of the blog explosion as well as a few extended family sit’yations, we’re running behind on our podcasting schedule.

We are nothing if not predictable.

So, in the meantime, I thought I’d share a list of some products I’ve been enjoying this summer. Or I guess I should say this spring and summer. Seeing as how summer is only a couple of days old.

1. Neutrogena Sport Face SPF 70+

Melanie actually told me about this sunscreen last summer, and I love it so much. It doesn’t sting, doesn’t feel heavy, and it works great. Hands-down it’s the best sunblock for faces that I’ve used. Love, The Girl Who Doesn’t Tan

2. Post Great Grains – Crunchy Pecans

Almost every summer I get on a cereal kick. I picked up a box of Post Great Grains when it was on sale at Publix, and oh my goodness – it’s delicious. I picked Crunchy Pecans because it has the least amount of sugar, and I am a fan. If you like granola, you’ll like this cereal.

3. Big Buddha JCourtny Bag

I think this purse is so sassy, but do you know what’s even sassier? Finding said sassy purse in TJMaxx for $39.99. YES MA’AM. The TJMaxx version isn’t exactly like the one on the website, but that’s fine by me because THIRTY NINE NINETY NINE.

4. Free Kindle Reading Apps

Even though I don’t have a Kindle (or a Nook), I love that the Kindle app enables me to read books on my computer or phone – and check out books from the library, too. It’s a mighty fine work-around for someone who doesn’t have a dedicated e-reader.

5. Voluspa Goji Tarocco Orange Candle

I know that I’ve mentioned this particular candle before, and here I am mentioning it again. But that’s only because I feel so very strongly that it is fact the very essence of delightfulness. It will make your house smell great (unless you have a 15,000 square foot house, in which case you might want to buy 5 or 6 of them), and you’ll be totally addicted in no time at all.

Hope y’all have / are having / continue to have a great weekend!