Food Feature Friday #49: DIY Rice Milk, Fail or Win.

Our family isn't necessarily anti-milk, but we don't drink milk at all. Not only is the flavor less than appealing to us, but we don't like the affects it has on our tummies (lactose intolerant). Soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk, simply didn't compare to our rice milk, hence why we only drink that.

As a DIY momma, I got the idea to make an attempt of making my very own rice milk. I did some research and looked up a few recipes on how to create this potential money saver, but I will give you an immediate spoiler: I failed.


I found one recipe that gave me these details:

Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 4 cups filtered water
- dash of salt
- 1 tbsp sweetner
- additional flavoring (vanilla, almond, etc.)


The basic directions were to cook the rice, blend it with the water and the other ingredients mentioned, strain the mixture, and then you'd have this magically mixture to end all future rice milk purchases.


I was utterly confused.

I understand that it's a homemade recipe and rice milk isn't necessarily thee most "flavorful" milk, but this recipe did not give me any hope. It was way too watery and not sweet AT ALL. After doctoring it a bit and doing what I could to alter the power of the flavor, and the sweetness, it still wasn't a good replacement for my Trader Joe's rice milk.

A tad bit disappointing but I am hopeful, so I'm opening this recipe up to anyone who can potentially offer a solution on how to BETTER re-create my milk. I will give each recipe a try (I have loads of milk) and give whichever one helps me, full credit here on this post (with shoutouts in later posts).

I'm really interested in making any and all products I can at home - it's the hippie in my - so if you can help a Jedi out, let me know!


Happy Friday everyone. Keep on rockin', stay safe, and may the force be with you all.

Manhunt: Unabomber, A Netflix Triumph To Appease My Inner Nancy Drew

Hello Jedi's! As you can see my internet has finally gotten fixed - not even really sure what was wrong, but apparently it's all ok now?

I sincerely think our network is being cyber attacked, despite the numerous attempts to block, encrypt, hide, and reset our router and wifi settings. How I'm going to figure it out, I'm not sure. We could also just be experiencing poor signal due to so many people being on a Cox server here.

This is all besides the point.

Netflix is an excellent source of late night entertainment and for me I tend to watch a wide variety of genre's, including detective styled shows. So when I came across the show "Manhunt", which showcases the Unabomber that terrorized the USA, I was more than excited to see an "inside scoop" of serial killer.

The whole series is mostly told through the eyes of one detective, who doesn't get nearly as much credit as he should, but there are also key moments in showing what made the Unabomber what he was. It also goes back and forth between past and "present", to show how they came to capture the infamous bomber after 17 years of terror.


Personally at first I got a little bit confused on the timeframes, because they do bounce around quite a bit, but I do like how they described the beginning, middle, and end. However, I do wish that they would have laid out the story a little bit more in sequential order. Perhaps from start to finish without skipping, but after the first 2 episodes, it starts to make sense on why they really told the story in that order.


I will say that the entire story line was told with ease and the intricacy was impeccable with how each and every detail was laid out. The process of finding out how the Unabomber was indeed the Unabomber, truly turned forensics on it's head.


All in all this series was enlightening, riveting, and interesting. Between helping us inquisitive beings dive into the mind of a very unique man, we saw numerous new beginnings in crime solving take place. We also saw how the real world can be a hold hard "B word".


With enough clues to really help you stake out how you could indeed capture someone with little evidence, while still proving without a doubt that they are the culprits, it definitely helps when coming to real life mysteries. Like who ate the last cupcake... Although that's not much of a mystery around here, as it's either my Padawan or I. If I didn't eat it, I immediately know who did and vice versa.


I don't want to give too many details out, to help keep the curiosity peaked in hopes that you'll truly watch the series, but I will say that I wholeheartedly recommend checking out "Manhunt: Unabomber" on Netflix. I also hope that maybe someday they will have a Season 2 of Manhunt, surrounding another true villain captured.

Internet Down, Again!

In the middle of my original post, apparently my internet decided to die on my laptop for some reason. I repeatedly tried to troubleshoot and reset the router, to no avail. I plan on posting this for acknowledgement that I did in fact intend on posting viable content for you guys (a review) and then shutting down my wifi for the night. If someone is trying to use my signal, it won't be available much longer.

New/Old Fridge.

It's no secret that this apartment isn't necessarily the greatest complex on Earth, but it's not the worst either.

With our own upgrades - like my mother purchasing a new carpet - and consistent cleaning on my end, it's turned out to be a fairly awesome safe haven for my Padawan and I. Unfortunately we've had to deal with numerous "issues" (i.e. termites, window replacement, etc.) and today was another for the books.


For the last few days (really years) we've dealt with an "off" fridge in many different ways. A while back it started with the back of the fridge simply causing frost on our food, but over the years it's become a full blown solid block of ice in the back. Not only that, the front started to actually "warm" our food. This was extremely concerning, seeing as how we had poultry I desperately didn't want to go bad.


I notified our company as soon as our water came out warm from inside the fridge (plus the center of the fridge was overflowed with water from the ice block slightly defrosting), with an almost immediate response.

A maintenance man came by to try and fix the problem, but it was quickly found that there was absolutely no fixing the fridge. Only option left was to get a replacement, so I waited for the call that my fridge had arrived.


It ended up being a 5 day delay, but thankfully today I finally got the call that our "new" fridge was 20 minutes away. So I quickly grabbed everything out of the freezer and fridge, to have the oversized ice chest removed.


Finally my "new" silver/black fridge arrived and the old white one was whisked away to spend his final days [probably] in some recycling pile.


The reason I keep quoting the word "new", is simply because while this fridge is new to me, it's not new in general. It's a used fridge that was most likely taken from a newer/old property or an extra fridge from the property management office. The "wear and tear" was quite visible, but in all honesty I wasn't going to worry too much because I finally had a working fridge.


Only thing worrying me now is the fact that the entire fridge tilts slightly backwards, but that's from them trying to offset the legs to stop the wobbling. Wonderful.


Hopefully it doesn't drip or cause more issues and it does suck a tad that I don't have an ice tray shelf anymore, but I'm trying to think positive. How long this particular appliance will hold up, who knows. Only time will tell.


I finally finished wiping down the inside and replacing all my perishables, winding down the night with admiring my new/old fridge. The kitchen itself is extremely outdated - supposedly illegal cabinetry, but that's for another topic during another day - but I can't complain when two of my three appliances have been replaced. Last one standing so far is the stove/oven. Question is, will it be another 10 years or 10 months? Not even sure I want to find out!


Happy taco Tuesday Jedi's. May it have been a splendid day filled with numerous memories. Much love and may the force be with you all.

Young Sheldon: Perfect Premiere or Complete Miss?

Happy Monday Jedi's! Today was the premiere of "Young Sheldon", a spin-off based around "Big Bang Theory's" Sheldon Cooper, which happens to be one of my favorite shows of all time.

I will say that this show has come in time to kill any worries I had about BBT ending soon. Of course I'll truly miss the entire cast if that were to happen, although the newest season just started today [as well], I was still worried about not getting enough Sheldon in the years to come. With BBT reportedly reaching closer and closer to the end of it's impactful run, "Young Sheldon" brings to life what we BBT fans have always wondered: What was Sheldon Cooper like as a child?


I for one had extremely high hopes for this show truly depicting the era in which young Sheldon truly would've grown up in, including seeing how his transitions would've taken place. Luckily the creators made this entire hope of mine come to light with excellence and ease. Also, the commentator is Jim Parsons (the actor who plays Sheldon Cooper on the BBT) which is pure perfection.

"Young Sheldon" 's debut circled around Sheldon's first day of high school and how it's drawn a bit of a fuss from the town in numerous ways, ultimately affecting everyone in his family. It also makes the entire show seem to really take place in the age of what Sheldon truly would've experienced, with the outdated school, old morals, and the outfits showcasing what life was like "back then". I for one REALLY loved this aspect, because I have a fascination with how life was like before 2k.


Without giving away too many details or any spoilers, I will say that with the first episode you'll be given loads of humor and laughable moments. You'll also be left saying "that's Sheldon Cooper alright".


Seeing the beginning of an iconic character is awe-inspiring and truly exciting. Like watching a superhero get it's start.


With a full recommendation from yours truly, the full show won't begin until November 2nd. In the meantime, watch the premiere on CBS on-demand, and catch the newest season of "The Big Bang Theory" on Monday nights!

Food Feature Friday #48: Edible Egg-less Cookie Dough

If you're anything like me, you're probably secretly addicted to cookie dough. Yes there are numerous warnings stating to NOT eat raw cookie dough, but it can be hard to resist the temptation to devour the delectable dessert before it's been cooked. Luckily there is a solution to this problem! Egg-less cookie dough.

There have many a multitude of people who've created this recipe and one lady even made an entire eatery based off of edible cookie dough. While I don't intend on ever taking credit for this amazing creation, I do intend on sharing it with all of you beautiful Jedi's.


I personally recreated this exact recipe - which I unfortunately can't find the original source to or have my own photo of it for some reason. I did include a photo from a similar batch that I found on Pinterest, so please excuse my poor planning but please accept this recipe in it's absence.


Ingredients:


- 1 stick of butter
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 14oz sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup mini choc. chips


Directions:


1. Mix butter, sugar, and vanilla until creamy
2. Gradually add flour and condensed milk until combined
3. Stir in choc. chips
4. If dough seems too sticky, put in the fridge to set for around 30 mins
5. Serve


That's all there is to it and believe me, you'll be shocked by how much it truly tastes like actual cookie dough! Whether or not you can actually bake it is up or a discussion - I'm pretty sure the answer is no - but this is about enjoying the pre-cooked dough, so it's not really that much of a concern.


So go forth and create the dough to eat all night long with zero guilt...or risk of salmonella.

Thursday's Delayed Post.

I have released my ultimate hermit powers and shut off the world.

Mini Easel DIY!

It's no secret I've been participating in crafting shows. While I do think marketing and presentation are a big part to how your product is viewed, I also believe that spending a chunk of money on it can break your entire budget. This could in a sense even ruin your potential profits, as you'll have to calculate the price of your "decorations".

Yes I understand that a one time investment could pay off in the end, but perhaps you're starting off with limited funds and you just don't have the ability to make that type of investment. Well I might not be providing the ultimate solution to completely decorating on a budget for crafting shows (although I can), but I will be providing an option on how to display mini signs showcasing what you have for sale!

What you'll need for this adorable little easel is:

- 4 popsicle sticks

- hot glue gun (and sticks)

- pliers (to break the sticks)


Directions:


1. Prepare your pieces. Break 2 popsicle sticks on one end, less than an inch down. These two pieces will be the front legs of you easel. Then break one stick a little further down (about an inch) on one end. This will be the back leg. Now take one popsicle stick, break off both ends (just to rid of the rounded edges) and then cut the popsicle stick in half. These will be the shelf portion. Lastly take the extra piece you've broken off from the back leg popsicle stick and cut off JUST the rounded edge. This will be the link to holding everything together.


2. Assemble the front. Take your link piece and place hot glue onto it, just enough to provide a good hold. Take your two front legs and glue them onto the link, both at an angle. This portion is the back. Now take one of the shelf pieces and glue it flat onto the front side (not where you can see the link portion). Your front legs are now secure. To finish off the shelf, simply take your other shelf piece and glue it sticking out (like a floating shelf) to the other shelf piece.

3. Assemble the back. The last step is to add some glue to the edge of the bottom of the link piece in the back. Immediately attach the back leg piece, while setting it onto a flat surface. Adjust the angle quickly, so the glue sets at the angle you want it to stay at. Wait a few seconds while applying VERY gentle pressure, securing your piece altogether.


And there you have it! A cute little easel for you to use for your display. To add a little more pizazz you could easily paint it with metallic paint (or any paint), add some jewels, or even decorate it with fabric. Personally I kept mine "wood like", as it adds a little extra texture to my entire table. Small but powerful details can help make a huge difference.


The total cost? Less than $2 for a multitude of them, because you can't just buy 4 popsicle sticks! You can easily find a pack at Dollar Tree (or your local dollar store), making this DIY and DIYes!!!

Health Nuts Unite!

It's no secret I haven't been feeling too well for the past few weeks (feels longer, but I'm really not sure). Granted a majority could very well be due to stress and anxiety. Unfortunately I don't know for sure.

Yes I'm aware I'll probably sound like one of those paranoid hypochondriacs you see rant on social media, but I'm truly hoping this will relate to someone out there.


Every single morning for months I've been unable to drink or eat anything for the first few hours of the day after waking up. Doesn't matter what time it is, I just can't stomach it (and no I'm not pregnant for those of you who are thinking it). I'm also being constantly bamboozled by consistent, painful, debilitating headaches that come and go in waves. They make it hard to do almost anything, let alone think straight. I also get horrendous pain near the lower end of my left rib cage. So bad to the point where it takes my breath away.


At night it's a whole other issue. I have severe anxiety attacks, night sweats, nightmares, and back pain.


Sometimes I'll get extremely shaky and weak. I suppose jittery is a more suitable term, but I'll use both to help get my point across. Almost as if I've had WAY too much coffee, even when I've had none.


All in all I feel like I'm being worn thin to the point of no return. I don't know if I need a disconnection from my life - minus my Padawan because he's my everything - or if I just need a good weekend of rest. I'm not sure, but I'm hoping that maybe someone could possibly shed some light onto what might be going on.


Other than what seems to be a never ending ordeal of health issues, I'd like to say this: I miss when my life was boring.


Recently I've been dealing with dating drama (I haven't shared mostly to keep certain situations private), friend drama (lost someone I had known for 26+ years), and now life drama. Before things were simple, I only focused on homeschooling and my son, I didn't dabble in people's problems, and I sipped teas during the night.


Honestly I'm seriously considering making a huge change that could alter my direction of life. Quite possibly I could go backwards in a way, returning somethings to how they were. It's late so maybe it's the anxiety talking, but I can say that something has got to change. I'm just not sure what or how much.

Free Toys Just Because!

Happy Monday Jedi's!

Today I've been running around deep cleaning the entire house while my Padawan was at school. 7 loads of laundry, scrubbing the carpet, deep cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, vacuumed everywhere, fed Yoda, and picked up the bedrooms.

Phew, I'm tired just thinking about it again.

Instead of boring you all with the details of what I've been cleaning, I thought I'd share with you guys a really cool little adventure my little guy and I had this past weekend.


Gepetto's is a store that - while a bit pricey - has a decent collection of toys that you wouldn't normally find at Toys-R-Us. They have more of the "STEM" themed play things, along with really cool trinkets. This past Saturday Gepetto's decided to celebrate their 25th anniversary at all their stores, commemorating it by handing out bags of free goodies for the youngans.

In hopes of getting a good spot in line, we headed to the Fashion Valley Gepetto's in San Diego around 8:30am, for their 10am opening. Luckily there was only one 4-person family ahead of us, making us in the perfect position to wait for our own early mini Christmas.

While we waited we talked with the other family about their adorable dog, played the iPad, did a little Pokémon Go, and made our own guesses on what might be included. I will say we also drooled a little when their food vendor started setting up, giving off a rather enticing aroma. Nonetheless we stood strong in line.

After a few more moments, we watched as they opened the doors and popped a confetti...thing. We were handed a ticket, walked straight back, and received one red Gepetto's drawstring bag.

Outside they had a mini robot/spaceship station, where you could "make" a cardboard robot or spaceship. Of course my Padawan chose a robot, so he popped it out of the pre-cut cardboard, put it together, and left with a pretty cool robot.

Once in the car, we dumped out everything to check out what all he scored. Of course we became more anxious to play with it all, so we headed home where we played with each new awesome prize.

Inside the bag my little guy got:

- mess free glitter

- an owl who's eyes pop out when squeezed

- a click flashlight

- a pack of Chima Lego's

- a Minecraft blind box

- connector pens

- a super soft squishy banana

Overall my little guy was super stoked and felt like the wait was worth the fun that soon ensued for him. I for one don't mind waiting in line for free stuff or a really good deal. In this case, they had both. Their entire store was also 25% off, but I didn't take advantage of that as I didn't have any extra funds to spend. But again, he scored with a bunch of goodies that more than sufficed.

Hopefully you guys had a good weekend and it was filled with stupendous memories. I for one was able to finally escape the chaos from last week. Now just to get through this week with no big hitches and I'll feel like I've finally regained my mental strength.

Food Feature Friday #47: Simple Hack To Enhance Nutella!

Today was a stressful day, but it finally put to rest something that had lingered too long. In celebration of the weekend and having this situation be over, I decided to end the night relaxing in my bed with some good ol' Nutella.

Yes Nutella. The infamous hazelnut treat that you see in donuts, on bagels, and the theme of many other desserts. Personally I [may] have a mild addiction to the creamy treat and constantly try to find new ways to enjoy it.


Recently during one of my late night snack cravings I accidently put my jar in the fridge. I had no idea until the next night when I was searching for it. Slightly disappointed because it was now hardened, but nonetheless I grabbed a fork and dug in.


It. Was. Amazing.

Imagine biting into a chocolate bar that turns into a melting, truffle-like deliciousness that coats every single taste bud in your mouth. It makes you feel like you've bitten into a golden cloud of hazelnut and I can't even begin to extra the magnitude of excellence that came from this extremely simple change.


I do recommend having a glass of milk - or something to drink - close by your side, just to make sure you don't drown yourself with too much Nutella.


Perhaps this isn't a huge "hack" and maybe it's a simple Food Feature, but trust me it makes a world of a difference!


Have an amazing weekend Jedi's, I'm going to continue winding down and try to de-escalate from this week of pure chaos. I hope you all have a fun, safe, and fantastic next couple of days! Much love.

Drained From People.

Today I've reached a new level of exhaustion I really didn't know existed.


I had to deal with numerous highs and lows, which has literally drained every bit of energy I've had.


To end the day now my internet doesn't want to work and let me upload a pic. Fantastic.


Please excuse me while I plop down so excited to end this day. I'll upload a pic tomorrow when [hopefully] things will start to look up. For now, goodnight Jedi's.

Goodwill Fashion: Rosy Pink!

Goodwill. Home to fashion of all sorts and bargains, you'll most likely leave with [at least] 5 complete outfits, shoes and all, for less than $100. Something that is hard to do anywhere else, AND get quality.


Personally 95% of my wardrobe is from Goodwill and I couldn't be prouder.


Today I went with my mom to browse the dresses for an upcoming event my mother was attending, but of course I had to browse too. That's when I came across a gorgeous rosy pink sweater with a flower "lace" print. With a perfect fit and some help from my mom, I scooped it up for a discounted price of $5.40. Eager to where it when the weather gets colder, I went home and tried to plan out a few ideas on how to style it.


Which got me thinking. What if I did a segment every week where I showcase top outfits for the week, using ALL Goodwill finds? Or at least majority. Perhaps I could just include an OOTD segment in each post, to showcase what I decided on wearing. Leave me your comments and let me know your opinions.

After a few ideas, I decided I'd pair it with simple pieces to create a casual look with a bit of "flare". Everything I paired it with I bought at my local Goodwill, bringing my entire outfit's total to $12.40!

I grabbed a white cami (purchased for $1 last year), some dark wash blue jeans (see HERE, purchased for only $1), and my black knee high boots (see HERE, purchased for only $5).


I also added an optional gold necklace to add some "bling", but this was a gift and not from Goodwill, hence why I didn't add it in the actual list of items above. Goodwill does have an amazing array of jewelry, so don't think you can't find something to pair with any of your finds.


I could see this outfit for a casual outing like brunch, an laid back event like a daytime birthday party, or even just for errands when I want to feel extra put-together.


As you can see Goodwill can always make your wardrobe sparkle without ever breaking your bank! If you haven't already started thrifting at Goodwill, I highly suggest doing so. Just remember to have patience! Need more tips on how to be successful in thrift store shopping? Check out my post HERE on how I do it!

Knitting For Beginners: The Warning!

With all the hectic activities in my life currently, I decided to dabble in the art of knitting. It was an impromptu hobby that I only picked up due to my growing collection of yarn, but it's now a current obsession of mine. It keeps me doing something with my hands - although my carpel tunnel isn't always too pleased with me - plus it helps my mind to ease up a bit on the everyday stresses I'm constantly battling.


While I'm waiting for my Padawan to get out of school, before bed, watching a show, any free time I have that isn't dedicated to my little guy I use on knitting. Granted I really don't have that much free time, but nonetheless I'm getting some of my knitting project done.


When I began I was an absolute mess. I made some of my stitches slip, I missed some spots, I left a hole, it was a disaster. I nearly gave up with the amount of crap that was going wrong, but I stuck with it with some help from a few YouTube videos.


I gotta say, it's a twisted little thing knitting is.


Currently I'm in the process of knitting patches of different colors for a blanket. I'm hoping to finish before the extremely cold weather hits, but at this rate who knows. I'm almost done with my first patch and my square patches are a bit bigger than you'd think (perhaps I'll make them "strips"?), but I'm trying my best to remain optimistic. I will say that I've learned a couple things along the way and let me tell you, you'll be thankful that these few warnings are available for you now!


1. Yarn quality really does matter.
There's nothing more annoying than being quite a ways through your pieces, when your yarn starts to shed. It's a nasty, annoying problem that can literally alter the way your entire piece will turn out. It's frustrating and while I'm completely on board with bargaining, I don't think it will necessarily play out well in this case. I don't think that you should break the bank, but perhaps a little investment would be wise.


2. Your knitting needles matter.
Knitting needles come in a variety of sizes and depending on the project you're trying to complete, you'll probably end up with majority of the sizes. For example they have special knitting needles with curved ends and plastic loops connecting each of them, to help with creating beanies (to name one of the many looped projects). Also the texture of your needles can make a world of difference: metal can be slippery, wood can have more texture (which can be good or bad).


Perhaps the list is short and perhaps you deserve a few more warnings (which I'm sure will come as time progresses along with my venture into the knitting world), but for now this is what I have to offer.


I'm excited to see where I end up and how much I complete. I have a goal to someday complete a chunky knit blanket, but for now I think I'll stick to the small yarn with slow stitches.

Sick With Poetic Rhythm.

Found HERE

I've been super sick the last few days and I have no idea when this horrendous feeling is going to end. I really hope soon, because I miss sleep ever so much. It alludes me, even though I wish it would embrace me!

Instead of giving you guys a play by play of my simplistic day, I thought I'd give you guys some poetry that I wrote a few nights back. No I'm not some poetic person that goes to coffee shops and exudes confidence in an artistically articulate way, but I dabble every now and then. So without further ado, here's a little piece to get you thinking.


I lay here sipping scorching hot tea with a hint of cream and reminisce about the times that once were.


I remember the smell of subtle scents mixed with perfume and detergent, along with the feelings I would experience at given moments. I look back and see what I smiled about most. While those moments are forever gone, unable to directly replay them on a screen, I can recreate them in the creation of my own new memories. I can forbid myself from letting go of who I am, for I am the only one who can live for me.


I lay here listening for any squeak of my slumbering 6 year old, thinking of what life would've been like with certain people still in our lives. What would alter our route. I think of all the times I had forks in the road, only to choose a path that would either lead me back to where I started - but with a new bump - or to a place I never thought possible. 


I don't necessarily regret the remorseful actions I once portrayed prominently, but I often think what would be while the scent of something sweet whisks by my nose. 


Each and every motion gives me a smirk as I remember the similar cold feeling that the marbled fireplace had in front, just like the cold of fresh sheets. Different textures but the memory remains.


Time is hard as it produces so much doubt and unknown, enemies to an anxious being such as myself, but it is also a helping - as cruel as it may be - with the strengthening of what I once thought was impossible. Time tells me the truth that I couldn't see before and if we were to see the reaction of each action, we'd lay out our own death. So time may be cruel, but it is necessary to keep the mystery alive. That mystery of time gives us the push to do and not just think.


It's only in the moment that we stop, do we realize our time is precious in creating memories, but thinking too much ahead only causes an end. So live in the now and see that soon your past will pave the path to new beginnings.


I lay here sipping my tea, but in my blanket I'm searching for my life.

Food Feature Friday #46: O The Deliciousness!

As a 90's child, anything that resembles my childhood is pure nostalgia for me. I truly enjoyed growing up with "Hey Arnold", Nickelodeon Slime, and Oreo O's - along with numerous other cereals. One thing that truly saddens me however, is that the 90's are long gone with all their wondrous "fads", including Oreo O's cereal.

For years this once infamous cereal was kept off shelves for the public to enjoy, but Post has decided to make a comeback and recently re-released the Oreo flavored sugar cereal! With my hopes high and anticipation building, the moment I saw the glorious box on a Walmart shelf nearby, I had to buy a box for myself. Honestly I was hoping to relive the childhood I so desperately miss.

For a small price of less than $4, I made the purchase and headed home to pour myself a bowl. Here's what happened:

First off I'd like to say that the quantity was a surprising 1 pound 3 ounces, making my $3.98 stretch relatively far for this potentially scrumptious breakfast cereal.

When I initially opened the box, I got a whiff of what my younger days smelt like. A euphoric pleasure so hard to come by. Pouring the cereal the same scent built up all around, giving me so much excitement! However when I took a bite, it was a whole other story.

I'd like to mention now that I ate this with rice milk and not regular milk. While I cannot attest to how the cereal would be with regular milk, personally I've felt I could decipher a good cereal with my choice of milk regardless. I do however anticipate buying a super small amount of regular milk this weekend to try and see if the taste would indeed be altered.

When I crunched into my first spoonful, I noticed one very odd taste. Styrofoam packing peanuts.

No I haven't eaten Styrofoam packing peanuts, but have you ever had a predisposition idea of what something odd would be? This cereal is exactly what I'd anticipate them to taste like. There was a mild resemblance to what I remember as the cereal back in my day and a hint of the cream inside an Oreo, but nothing of what I'd had hoped.

Yes I can see how I had too high of expectations and I didn't use regular milk - this time - but I don't think that the flavor will alter anyway. Even dry it tasted nothing like Oreo's.


Granted it's been years since I've been able to sit down and enjoy this cereal, but I do think I'd remember the flavor I fell in love with years ago! So would I recommend? Not necessarily. Would I say it's a complete dud? Not really. It's not a big success and it didn't remind me of the good ol' times, but I will be eating it regardless as a meal.


So if you're looking for a new cereal or perhaps relive the old memories, I suggest trying out the Oreo O's. Not sure where to look? Head to your local Walmart or check Post's Oreo O's cereal finder!

Another Day Off.

Today I'll be taking another day off. I have a special post planned for tomorrow, but today I'm planning on hitting the hay early.

There's been turmoil, a roller coaster of emotions, loads of thinking, and I have a lot of rest I need to catch up on. So with that being said, please accept my apology by tuning in tomorrow for a super awesome "Food Feature Friday" that will have you saying "Oh!" (mini clue there).


I bid you all a wonderful night and while my personal life is truly array at this moment and I can't quite muster up all the details at this moment, I'm working through it one day at a time. Remember your current situation is NOT your final destination.

Struggling.

Yesterday was a whirlwind of emotions and today was a thousand times worse. I've gone from extreme highs to extreme lows, so now my entire body hurts. I feel like I've been hit by a freight train.

With heavy eyes, I'm going to say goodnight to you all. While I don't know what tomorrow will bring and I don't know if I'll have the capability to really provide you guys with quality content, I'm hoping for the best.

I have a severe headache, achy body, and painfully tired eyes.


Goodnight sweet Jedi's and I hope you have a fantastic day tomorrow. Much love.

Silence.

Life dealt me some unforeseen circumstances and it has literally taken up all my time tonight. I plan on going to shower and sleep right now, as I have to get up early and do mommy things. So while I'm a smidge heartbroken life kept me from providing a decent blog, we're human, I have anxiety, and I need a break tonight.

Much love Jedi's and have a wonderful night.

Horse Race Fashion on a Budget!

Today was the last day of the Del Mar horse races until November. It was also Labor Day - Happy Labor Day everyone - so in celebration we decided to head to Del Mar and watch a few horses get their race on.

Disclaimer: I don't know much about the "behind the scenes" nor do I advocate for animal cruelty. We joined our family at the event to have a relaxing day, not to "watch horses get killed" as so many protestors were claiming. I don't want my son to "grow up and think it's ok to hurt animals". We are a VERY animal friendly household. I've adored horses my whole life and if I could've owned one, I would have. So before anyone sends me an email or comment on how horrible I am for supporting the horse races, I'd like to say this: I literally went to pet horses and eat food. Thank you.

Horse races are infamous for fancy dresses and extravagant hats. While I don't mind getting dressed up every now and then (especially since I so rarely go to the horse races), I refuse to pay the insane prices that frequently come with buying new outfit. Thanks to Goodwill, I don't have to worry about spending more than $10 to look beautiful!

Today's dress is an oldie but a goodie. I initially bought it around Halloween time last year to

portray my favorite detective Nancy Drew, but I hadn't worn it other than that one day.

It's a beautiful dress that somewhat resembles a nice dress shirt and it only cost me around $6 (if my memory serves me right). It isn't anything too casual nor too fancy, depending on how you "dress it up". In this case I decided to do a nice simple pair of brown pointy flats (which I paid less than $7 for and you can read about HERE) and a purse I received as a gift years ago. As for head ware, I chose a simple straw-yellow hat that I purchased for $3 from the Target "dollar section" years ago and never wore.

Overall my entire outfit cost me around $16 and I feel like I rocked the "casually put together for some races" look.

Race wise, I didn't make any bets. A few guesses where I would've been spot on, but mostly I would've blown my funds, hence why I never did bet. No, I mostly cheered for the ones I guessed and ate a burger from one of the small stands.

Speaking of burgers, they weren't the most magnificent burgers ever - a tad over cooked and charred - but the quality and flavor was decent. Juiciness was a factor, albeit small. The vegetable/fruit ratio was spot on however, giving it a "slightly more than edible" score on the eating scale.

Now that Monday has come to an end, we're off to bed for an early night. Tomorrow is another school day and I'm ready to tackle another week.

Have a wonderful week Jedi's and Padawan's! I'll be back tomorrow with more blogging fun!

Food Feature Friday #45: Free Breakfast and a Hotel.

For the last few days I've talked about my semi-impromptu hotel trip while our building's termites were being dealt with. Yesterday I was going to do a 'part 2' to the 'part 1' I wrote on Wednesday, but with the amount of exhaustion I was experiencing I just couldn't get my mind in the right place to do an accurate review of the Hampton's Inn.

I know today is a "food feature" which is the basis for today's post, but I will be including a review for the particular Hilton hotel I stayed at in Mission Valley. 


Quick run down of Part 1: On Wednesday my Padawan and I checked ourselves into a wonderfully cold hotel since our apartments were being tented for pesky critters - termites. I mentioned the service, the cleanliness, and a part of the hotel itself. Basically a rundown of our first day. As for day two, we'll that starts now.

We woke up in the morning at 6am, literally the moment complimentary continental breakfast started downstairs in the lobby. My little guy was a tad reluctant, but this mostly had to do with him still being groggy from the medication he had and the fact that he was a tad sick.


There were hardly any other guests at breakfast during this time, making it the optimal time to enjoy a nice quiet meal. Plenty of clean seats were vacant and the food - while not 5 stars - was presented in an adequate fashion, giving everyone enough space to move about in an organized fashion. Again cleanliness was very apparent everywhere, showcasing this hotel's keen eye for making a welcoming environment at all hours of the day.

Yesterday's breakfast consisted of homestyle potatoes, waffles (regular or blueberry), hard boiled eggs, three types of cereal, omelets, Canadian ham, pastries, toast, bagels, croissants, and fruit. To drink you had the choice of coffee, milk, orange juice, or water. Condiments of sorts were placed around the food to help you flavor-up any dish you were preparing. I went with an omelet, a hard boiled eggs, potatoes, and two mini waffles (which I made myself - but it's much easier than it sounds). My potatoes and eggs were covered with a "Pace" style salsa, while my waffles were spread with strawberry jelly.

Overall the flavor of each item minus the waffles, were mediocre. To me it was almost as if I had eaten some bland frozen foods that had been perfectly warmed up. Nothing was disgusting or in poor taste/quality, but they just weren't AS flavorful. Even with the condiments mixed in everything was a bit "off". I could see that it's beneficial for the hotel to make food this way however, because it allows a little more room for people to dress up their preferred eats the way they desire most.


Speed through time with me and see what I did in the meantime HERE. Don't worry I'll wait...

Now that you're all caught up, let's get to today's breakfast. Everything was basically the same, with the "main items" changing. I had scrambled eggs (mixed with ham and cheese) covered in salsa, some sausage, a croissant with cream cheese, banana waffles (which I made by mashing bananas and mixing it with their batter before I cooked it) and a bowl of "Raisin Bran" cereal.


Orange juice and coffee were my preferred drinks for both mornings and the food was the same quality both days.


Don't get me wrong, I ate LOADS of food both mornings. It wasn't just because the food was free, I genuinely did enjoy it to some degree. I would go again and again for their breakfasts. The fact that they have 24/7 free coffee also helps incredibly.


Once I took my Padawan to school, I came back to pack up and head towards the apartment (a different story for another time).

Leaving the hotel I have a definitive opinion on how the experience as whole went down. I will never forget this stay. They bent over backwards to make us comfortable, even granting us free early check-in to accommodate my sick son. Their cleanliness was beyond belief, the service was better than could imagine, and the memories of eating by a fire pit with my baby with forever resonate with me.

I couldn't recommend this hotel enough and I'm forever grateful for their honest and wonderful service. My Padawan even recommends it, wishing to return back soon himself.


The parking is $19 an day, but personally I feel it's a price to pay when you want to stay at a hotel like this. The security was also stealthy but comforting.


So if you find yourself in San Diego and you need a hotel, I HIGHLY recommend the Hampton Inn in Mission Valley. You won't be sorry when you leave rested, relaxed, and feeling like Hilton really cares about your happiness!