GoodReads Book Challenge - 2015

Since last year I knew that I wanted to really crack down on my reading. So on New Year's I set up a new GoodReads challenge to read 52 book. My main goal for this year is to read more than I did last year. And I'm proud to say, as of right now, I am 6 books ahead.
Last year I read 28, right now I'm at 34! (65% of the way finished) Woohoo!

So far these are the books I've finished;

Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling (AudioBook)
Another Little Piece - Kate Karyus Quinn
The Ersatz Elevator(The Series of Unfortunate Events Book #6) - Lemony Snicket
Annexed - Sharon Dogar
Because of Winn Dixie - Kate DiCamillo
Coraline - Neil Gaiman
Along For The Ride - Sarah Dessen
Anatomy of a Misfit - Andrea Portes
The Return of Rafe MacKade - Nora Roberts
If You Ask Me: And Of Course You Won't - Betty White (AudioBook)
Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star(Dork Diaries #3) - Rachel Renee Russell
The Austere Academy(The Series of Unfortunate Events Book #5) - Lemony Snicket
Acceleration - Graham McNamee
An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr
Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia Book #2) - C. S. Lewis 
Tales from a Not-So-Talented Party Girl(Dork Diaries #2) - Rachel Renee Russell
After Obsession - Carrie Jones
3:59 - Gretchen McNeil
Alice in Zombieland - Gena Showalter
Act of Will - A.J. Hartley
American Boy - Larry Watson
The Miserable Mill(The Series of Unfortunate Events Book #4) - Lemony Snicket
Accidental Love - Gary Soto
The Accidental Genius of Weasel High - Rick Detorie
Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life(Dork Diaries #1) - Rachel Renee Russell
Fruits Basket(Vol. 2) - Natsuki Takaya
The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group - Catherine Jinks
Fruits Basket(Vol. 1) - Natsuki Takaya
The Absolute Value of Mike - Katheryn Erskine
The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey
Through My Eyes - Tim Tebow
Dreamland - Sarah Dessen

Big Ole Catch Up

Hey! It's been a while, hasn't it? I just haven't been much in a blogging kind of mood, I'd gotten into making videos and now I'm back, not back back, but frequently posting... hopefully. Don't hold me to that!
The past few months have been busy with school... oh school... As for now, the load has lightened a bit. I can't wait for summer though. I'm hoping we go somewhere. Plans have been in the making and I just hope they get set in stone.
So I didn't totally forget about blogging. I took pictures here and there and I put a good bit of them in collages to kind of narrow it all down a bit.

 I died my hair black and blue. OH. MY. GOSH. I loved it! So much! Unfortunately the dye washed out and now my hair is blonde again. I've been thinking of getting it done permanently black and blue, but my wallet is already cringing at that idea. And I'll miss my blonde hair, I know I will. I love lightening it during the summer. We shall see.

 I think this was in March-ish... It was after Juno... I think. Lol. They were calling for 0 snow and then we got a storm. Mom told me the other day we were above our average this year, so. But this was at Chick-fil-a. I'd gotten a strawberry milkshake which is absolutely incredible! When I think of a milkshake, it's theirs. It tastes like the kind I imagine them drinking in like the 50's-Grease-diner esc style. And a fruit cup, because balance and all.

Target. Target is just a wonderful wonderful place that loves to suck my wallet dry, lol. I found a new swim suit. One that actually matches and I'm so excited to wear it.

So here's a mish-mosh starting from the top left.

• Chestnut. She's an adorable little trouble-maker. She's much smaller than we were expecting. We thought she'd be around the same size as Peaches(which is what the breeder had said) and she's more like a Jack Russell. I tell Mom she's a Jack Russell and not a Beagle. She's legit the most non-Beagle there is. She knows 5 different tricks, she'll fetch-and eats EVERYTHING. It's just so not Beagle-like. Peaches knew 2 tricks, she had no desire to learn more (trust me, I TRIED), pickiest eater on earth, and fetch wasn't even in the picture.

• It was a lovely below 0 A few times this month. I think it's been down to -5? Possibly. It's frigid.

• More dog treats. Chestnut seems to be enjoying the homemade dog treats really well. That makes me happy!

• Converse time! It's not so mucky outside now and it has become converse season until it's cool enough for sandals. Hurry Summer!!!

• DFTBA. Enough said. 

• Misty has been a lovely little chap. She sits and 'helps' me with my schoolwork. She must be thinking it through a lot, her eyes are always closed.

• Poor Cookie. She's 15 this year and starting to look it. She's spoiled us when it comes to cats and it's gonna be terrible when she leaves.

• I don't know what happened with this picture that it got to contrasted because that wasn't the way it was edited, but oh well. I've been getting back into my exercising and I love it. It feels great to be moving again. It'll be nice when it gets warmer out to actually get out and move and not be hibernating all the time. (I'm a pro hibernator btw.)

FOOD.
I love food.
I've been trying to balance? I guess, my meals a bit-just more healthy. Which has been really difficult. I love bread so much, I'm finding out that I need it to keep me sane. Sigh.

• Fruit is my favorite. Raspberries, blueberries, oranges, and bananas. I LOVE BANANAS. Dad gets me my own bundle and it's a lovely thing, really.

• Wal*Mart has really good GF chocolate chip cookies. I had cookies and (almond)milk for the first time in like 5 years probably. It was so good!

• I had my first Starbucks experience. Don't hate me, I think I like Panera better. I'd gotten a Strawberry Smoothie. Firstly...5? REALLY? It didn't really taste like anything either :/ It was really upsetting. I'm not giving up hope yet though. I really want to try a Frappe and the Cotton Candy Frappe.

•  Another thing has been egg scrambles. I hate eggs, unless their hard-boiled, or pickled. It's the whites, their too egg-y tasting, yuck. But Mom gave me some of her lunch meat and I made myself a scrambled egg(the first time I ever made a scrambled egg). And it was really good! I ended up having it quiet a few more times.

As of now, that tis all. I've got a few other ideas brainstorming for posts. So hopefully those'll be along here soon[:
Hope everyone is doing well!

Gluten Free Friday: Nature's Path Organic Gluten Free Brown Sugar Maple Oatmeal Review

I've cracked into another box of oatmeal. I like testing out different brands to see which one has the best. Is that silly? I just I've just been enjoying trying to try different foods lately.
With a half cup of hot water this oatmeal was really good. Not overly sweet at all, it tasted like oatmeal, not sugar. It was finer than what I typically like but it wasn't bad. I'll definitely be eating it again.





Ingredients:  Gluten free rolled oats, brown sugar, cane sugar, rolled amaranth, rolled quinoa, sorghum flour, natural flavor, sea salt.





























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Gluten Free Friday: Ghirardelli Squares Valentine's Chocolate Assortment - Reivew

**So y'all are gettin' a double review this week because of my lack of posting one up last week[:

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I've been hit by the chocolate fairy.
Candy isn't my go-to food. It's not something I particularly enjoy eating, or actually want to it. I like the thoughts of wanting/eating it though. I'll buy myself a bag of candy... it sits there for months...get another bag of something I want... it sits there too. Sometime's I think something's wrong with me, or maybe I've burnt myself off some of the whole sugar-thing when I was younger.
Or maybe it's because I just don't crave it from not having it all the time-but oh well.
About two weeks ago I had this huge out-of-no-where craving for chocolate, it was horrible. So, after fighting it for a week I finally let myself get a bag. Thankfully, my Mom was ever so kind to split it with me. The things Mom's do for us *blessed*.
Seriously though. On the terms of finding out that I'm still on a bit of a craving for it, and only for dark chocolate particularly, Ghirardelli has become Numero Uno on my chocolate radar. And as far as I know Ghirardelli has the good chocolate that, you know, can be healthy to consume.

The bag I picked up was the Valentine's Chocolate Assortment. It contains three different types: Milk Chocolate & Caramel, Dark & Strawberry, and Dark 60% Cocoa.

I liked them all. How could you not? The Dark chocolate was my absolute favorite though. To me, it always almost tastes like coffee.
The Milk Chocolate & Caramel was absolutely amazing. I just want a whole giant bag of them after taking my first bite. It was so smooth and heavenly.
And of course Dark & Strawberry. This one was really good too, different from what I thought it would taste like. I thought it would be like a typically strawberry fake-syrup filling that was so artificial it was a bit ridiculous. But no. I was wrong. Very wrong. It was more like a preserve/jam on the inside, it actually tasted like real strawberries! And better yet. There was no carmine added into it.
Thank.You.Lord!

Gluten Free Friday: Perdue Simply Smart Gluten Free Chicken Breast Tenders - Review

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Chicken is one of my absolute favorite foods and something I crave if I go too long without it. But, I'm also pretty picky about it too.
My Grandma had picked up two bags for me at Giant Eagle one day when she was out, we'd be to another Giant Eagle but they were all out of stock and I didn't have a coupon for the Tyson chicken.
I've seen these around before and have been tempted to try them. I believe they are supposed to be a healthier version of processed(?) chicken. Please correct me if I'm wrong, that's what I've seen other people say, at least.
Automatically, I assumed that it would be real chicken on the inside, i.e. stringy like non processes chicken. These aren't. They're the spongy kind. Which was a bit of a let down. When any meat is spongy to me, I automatically categorize it as processed food and I tend to ride it off my food list. But these have been so good. I put them in the microwave for about two minutes, flipping over half way,and either eat them plain or have a piece with a bowl of veggies for lunch. They do tend to get a little soggy on the bottom, and are a bit greasy.
They taste great though.The pieces are smaller than typical chicken strips, however, they are SO filling, and you get so much in a bag. Tyson's you get about 4-7 pieces, and this you get roughly 21 pieces.

Ingredients:
 Boneless Chicken Breast with Rib Meat, Water, Rice Flour, Yellow Corn Flour, Yellow Corn Meal. CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF Salt, Corn Starch, Brown Sugar, Raisin Juice Concentrate, Honey, Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, White Pepper, Spices, Natural Extractives of Celery Seed.

Gluten Free Friday: Glutenfreeda Variety Pack Instant Oatmeal Review

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One thing I love about these is that there's very few, and pronounceable, ingredients in each pack. There's no corn syrup, or high fructose corn syrup, and things that sound weird that shouldn't even be in a packet of oatmeal. 
When I was little we'd always get the Quaker Oatmeal and we'd eat the oatmeal straight from the packet with a spoon. I can remember them being sweet. It's been a long time since I've had oatmeal, especially straight from the packet, but I do know that I've been tempted to do that with these, and they aren't overly sweet in the slightest.
I've prepared mine just by putting the oatmeal in a mason jar and adding about a half a cup of steaming hot water or so, so it's thick, and then letting it sit for a minute or so to set up. I like my oatmeal thicker, I don't like it runny.



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Maple Raisin with Flax: This one is also really good. It's not overwhelmingly maple, it's more of an undertoned flavor, or something you only get a hint of. It's sweet just not grossly, it's just enough. There is just enough raisins too.

Ingredients: Certified gluten free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt.

Certified gluten-free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt. - See more at: http://www.glutenfreeda.com/our-products/oatmeal/instant-variety/#sthash.5juJ5h2T.dpuf

Certified gluten-free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt. - See more at: http://www.glutenfreeda.com/our-products/oatmeal/instant-variety/#sthash.5juJ5h2T.dpuf

Certified gluten-free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt. - See more at: http://www.glutenfreeda.com/our-products/oatmeal/instant-variety/#sthash.5juJ5h2T.dpuf

Certified gluten-free oats, raisins, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt. - See more at: http://www.glutenfreeda.com/our-products/oatmeal/instant-variety/#sthash.5juJ5h2T.dpuf

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Banana and Maple: Bananas are one of my absolute favorite fruits, making this hands down my favorite one out of the pack. It has pieces of freeze-dried bananas in it. It's such a comfort meal. Perfect for a cold winter day.

Ingredients: Certified gluten-free oats, freeze-dried bananas, maple sugar, brown sugar, ground flax, sea salt.















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Apple Cinnamon: Me and Cinnamon don't mix so unfortunately this one went untouched and passed off for someone else. If they try it, I will ask them if they liked it or not and come back with an update.

 Ingredients: Certified gluten-free oats, dried apples, brown sugar, ground flax, cinnamon, sea salt.

Blizzard Juno & The Bouncing Machine!

It's been a while since I've done an 'update' kind of post, so I gathered some pictures to share from this past week/week-and-a-half[:

Hi snow, thanks for showing up and dumping 6inches of snow AFTER Christmas.
When Blizzard Juno it I'm pretty sure it was making up for the snow-less Christmas we had.

Mom took me to Chick-fil-a, I had one of those free small peppermint chocolate milkshake cards I wanted to use but when we got there they were sold out so instead they switched it for a strawberry. Oh my gosh. I haven't had a milkshakes in YEARS and it was sooooooo good.
I also got a fruit cup, ya know, balance it all out. [;

And it snowed more, the weather hadn't called for any that day... I'm starting to really second guess them people, haha.

I WORKED OUT!!!!  FINALLY. It's been like forever since that's happened. Summers comin, gotta get that body in shape. I've been really feeling the pain of the squats lately. At least I know it's working. I like having the sore muscles, it makes me feel good.

My poor Cookie. She's 15 this year. She's startin' to well... you know... we're kind of waiting for it. She's so frail and thin, the only thing she'll really eat is treats, unless it's gravy. It's just so sad. She's a sweetheart, I don't want her to go yet.

Chestnut, on the other hand, has turned into quite a bouncing machine. She's much smaller than what she was supposed to be. She's a small beagle. We were expecting her to be as big as Peaches a 'medium' sized dog. Chestnut reminds me so much of a Jack Russell.
She's cute though. We'll keep her[: