theinbetweenismine

just a girl living the expat life

Archives for November 2013

30: The end of NaBoPloMo and a giveaway

filed under: giveaway, NaBloPoMo

Wow, November is over. I can’t believe it, because every year at the beginning of  NaBloPoMo I am worried if I will really be able to stick to blogging every single day of the month and then I am always a bit surprised when the last day is here and it flew by in the blink of an eye.

If you participated and made it through, congratulations! If you didn’t quite make it, kudos for trying!

As a little “Thank you” for sticking around and reading and commenting, I decided to do a teeny-tiny giveaway.  I’ll be sending a little surprise package to one of you lovely readers for Christmas.

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Here is how you can enter:

Leave me a comment and tell me one of your favorite childhood holiday memories! (Please make sure to leave an email address, so that I can contact you.)

You can earn extra entries if you tweet or blog about this giveaway. (Please make sure to leave another comment with link for each additional entry!)

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Contest closes Saturday, December 7th at 10 p.m. PST.

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Thanks again and I hope you all have a wonderful December!

29: November Favorites

filed under: love, monthly favorites, NaBloPoMo, yes!

NovemberFavorites

1. Yes, it’s finally back for the holidays. I fell in love with Trader Joe’s Gingerbread Coffee a couple of years ago. It’s only around for the holidays and I am so excited to be able to have it again for the next few weeks! I might have to stock up a can or two for the new year!

2. I found this supercute Penny Black stamp this month and had to have it. I mean, come on, a hedgehog pulling a cupcake! Isn’t that the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?

3. I can’t believe I am saying this, but J and I have been quite addicted to this new show on TLC, “Extreme Cheapskates”. I mean, it’s shocking and horrifying and fascinating at the same time. I wonder why people live like that. Some of the documented behavior is bizarre, some is just plain rude and/or wrong.. I am all for managing your money and frugality has its place, but this is …. yeah, extreme.

4. I got this supercute Gelaskins iPhone skin and just love it.

5. I’ve always been a fan of Semonlina Flour, but have recently discovered it as a substitute for oatmeal (which I am not a big fan of.) Semolina is very high in protein and is said to have a low glycemic index, meaning that it is digested and absorbed at a slower rate in the stomach and intestines than white flour. The major nutrients found in semolina are very high in complex carbohydrates,  high in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and fibre, with some iron, zinc, manganese and copper. It is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, and contains zero trans fatty acids. It is high in vitamin E and contains a fair amount of the B complex vitamins (especially folic acid). Sure, it’s still a processed flour and should be used in moderation, but the occasional breakfast porridge seems to be quite the good idea.

6. I’ve been using Organix Anti-Breakage Keratin Oil for a while now and I have to say that I really, really like it. I am kind of trying to grow my hair out longer and by using this keratin oil, I am hoping to make it stronger and more resistent to breakage. It definitely makes my hair soft and shiny, which I like as a bonus. Plus, it smells heavenly. Besides these obvious advantages, it belongs to an organic product line that is packaged in eco-friendly bottles and the labels are printed utilizing environmentally friendly inks and compostable label film made from an annually renewable resource corn, not from petrochemicals. The products are not tested on animals and contain exotic active ingredients, use a unique blend of sulfate free surfactants. All good things in my book.

28: Things I {am thankful for} Thursday

filed under: holidays, NaBloPoMo

thankful

for (these things and many, many more, in no particular order)…

+ the ability to love and being loved.
+ a wonderful and loving family (all flaws included).
+ friends, both the ones in real life and all the lovely people I’ve met online, the ones I’ve known for a long time and the ones I am just slowly getting to know.
+ people who make me feel loved and appreciated.
+ being an eternal optimist.
+ warm socks and blankets.
+ space heaters (especially in my bathroom).
+ mint chocolate.
+ coffee, coffee and more coffee.
+ being able to go home for Christmas and hug my entire family. It just doesn’t happen often enough.
+ Christmas markets, Glühwein and Reibekuchen.
+ my iPhone which keeps me connected with everyone who is so dear to me. ♥
+ good books and a pot of tea.
+ kindness from strangers.
+ our cozy apartment. It’s small, but it’s ours.
+ opportunities to learn and grow (even if not always pleasant).
+ a job that I love, awesome co-workers and fun projects.
+ being able to pay my bills.
+ good movies that entertain and/or make me think.
+ bad reality TV shows (I mean, come on, sometimes you just need something to zone out).
+ my camera, which allows me to capture and preserve  the special little moments in my life.
+ hugs and smiles.
+ yarn, stamps, and paper,

and, last but not least,

+ YOUR friendship, love and support and for always coming by my little corner of the Internet.


What are you thankful for today?
Happy Thanksgiving, lovelies!

 

27: November Birchbox

filed under: beauty, NaBloPoMo

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My Birchbox arrived a few days ago. I received box #42 for November. I am really quite looking forward to the little brown box in my mailbox every month!

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This month was a nice little sample of different goodies. I especially liked the “lifestyle extra”, 3 pouches of Mighty Leaf tea. I love tea and November is just the right month for more tea-drinking! Here’s what I received (*calculated value of the samples in parenthesis):

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DDF® Amplifiying Elixir ($20.59) “Niacinamide, or vitamin B3, is the key ingredient in this potent tonic. Applied topically, it protects and strengthens the skin’s natural barrier, encourages the production of collagen, and reduces hyperpigmentation and redness.” Well, well, if that doesn’t sound promising!

Folle de Joie eau de parfum ($16.94) I am kinda ‘meh’ about parfum, so I am not super-excited about this one. But it’s a sample and maybe it’ll come in handy sometime. The scent is actually quite nice.

Color Club ® Harlem Lights Collection ($4) This is not a nail color I would usually chose, but hey, this is what this box is for… to branch out and try something new.

The Balm ® cosmetics Staniac ($2.27) This is actually a two-in-one lip and cheek stain. I am not opposed to two-in-one products at all! I am definitely more of a lip balm than lip stick kind of person, so I am sure I’ll like this a lot. The color is quite bright, but since it can double as a cheek stain, I am expecting it to “disappear” once on your skin quite a bit.

Mox Botanicals Bath Milk ($1.68) I am not really a bath person (I prefer showers), but I can definitely see myself taking a hot bath sometime this winter and I am definitely going to try this out then.

Mighty Leaf Tea- Tea pouches ($1.99) Well, I love tea and I can never have enough tea in the house, so this little extra is always welcome. Vanilla bean sounds delicious!

The total value of the November Birchbox comes to $47.47.  Quite impressive. I am especially curious how much I will like (or not like) the Amplifying Elixir  and how long this will last me (the regular size is only about 65% larger than the sample – therefore the high value!).

Did you get your November Birchbox yet? Anything that you especially liked or disliked?

26: Christmas Card Exchange 2013

filed under: holidays, NaBloPoMo

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With Christmas less than a month away (WHAT?) and the holidays fast approaching, it’s time for my annual Christmas cards roll call.

Do you want a Christmas card from me in your mailbox this year?

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I am all about sending Christmas Cards. Well, exchanging them, really, if you are also in the business of sending cards to lovely people once a year. Every year, I ask for your addresses, so I can send you a little, personal note in the mail for the holidays. Of course, I also wouldn’t object if you send me a card in return. I think it’s one of the nicest things to do to put a handwritten card in someone’s mailbox – especially around Christmas time.

For a few years now, I’ve been exchanging Christmas cards with some of my blog friends. It’s become somewhat of an annual tradition.

It’s really pretty simple; all you have to do is fill out the form below and, with a bit of luck, you’ll find a Christmas card from me in the mail in the next few weeks.

If you have received Christmas cards from me in previous years and your address hasn’t changed, please strongly consider filling out the form anyway, because Google will put all your addresses in a neat spreadsheet for me which will make it way easier to make sure I don’t forget anyone.

Thank you!

25: Five pet peeves

filed under: NaBloPoMo, pet peeves

1. Bikes without lights. It’s pretty dark outside in the morning when I leave for work and also at night when I drive home. No surprise. It’s November. I really don’t get, however, why so many people who ride their bikes, don’t seem to think that it might be a good idea to make themselves visible in low lighting. I’m not sure why bikes are even sold without lights (except for sports bikes. Maybe.). Please enlighten me.

2. People who linger on the sidewalk. If you need to check your phone, tie your shoe lace, talk to your friend, … get out of the way. Don’t stop suddenly (or people will run into you) and don’t slow down to the speed of a turtle.

3. People who clearly (should) know me and don’t greet. I run into the same people at my office building frequently and there are a handful of people who just never say hello. Is it really that hard to be friendly?

4. The mail carrier ringing my door bell for a package, after he has put the rest of my mail in my mailbox. WHY?

5. Overly enthusiastic shop assistants. I’m ok with having someone greet me at the door and maybe even point out some deals, but that’s as far as I want to interact with that person, unless I have a specific question. And then I will ask. Don’t keep asking me if I need help finding something when I already told you that I’m just browsing.

22: Friday Facts

filed under: Friday Facts, NaBloPoMo

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I had a dentist appointment this morning. Even though I don’t particularly like going to the dentist (who does?), I always feel so accomplished and grown up when I walk out of the dentistry. Because that is what adults do, right? Schedule their bi-annual dentist visits and stick to them.

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My colleague, Michelle, was interviewed for NPR and a local TV station yesterday. She studies land subsidence (due to groundwater pumping) in the Central Valley. She and I don’t do the same work, but her office is right next to mine. It’s always exciting to see our work presented on public platforms! (You can see a short interview clip with her on the local TV station report at around 50 seconds. Check it out.) So cool!

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It occurred to me this week that I have exactly four weekends left to get everything Christmas-related done before we get on the plane for our holiday travel. While I am super-excited that the holidays are almost here, I freaked out a little bit when I realized how much I have to accomplish by then. Are you getting ready for the holidays already?

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I am not sure if you saw my Instagram-photo, but Trader Joe’s Gingerbread Coffee is back for the holiday season! It’s really, really good and if you’re a coffee lover, you need to try it. Promise me you pick up a can on your next shopping trip. You won’t regret it.

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For the first time this fall, it was particularly chilly this week and I used the space heater for the first time last night. The rain from two days ago is gone and it’s sunny, but crisp outside. That’s the fall weather I can get on board with!

TGIF!

21: Things I love Thursday

filed under: love, NaBloPoMo, TILT

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This week almost feels a little bit like Christmas (are you getting into the Christmas mood yet?), because I got so many ‘presents’ this week.

This week I’m loving…

… that I was able to finalize my holiday travel. My Dad found a really great flight deal last weekend (he saved us a ton of money) and we jumped on it immediately. We’re already very late (4 weeks before our departure) to book our flights, but I couldn’t really make any definitive plans with all the limbo that was going on with my work. And even though things are still not worked out, I was at least given a little breathing room for a couple of months and that meant that we were able to keep our vacation plans intact. I am so excited to go home and see my family.

… our new coffeemaker that we picked up last night. Our old coffeemaker had been giving us problems for a while now (and after all, it’s 7 years old, so its death was kind of imminent) and so we bit the bullet last night and with a pre-Thanksgiving coupon bought a new one. It’s a “two-way flex brew” machine which means it can make a whole pot of coffee, but it can also make single cups (by using either regular coffee grounds or even pods or K-cups). I am beyond thrilled!

… our new windshield wipers. I never thought I would say that, but I am excited about windshield wipers. We had the first (real!) rain the last couple of days and I realized that the old wipers were really not doing a good job anymore, so we stopped at an AutoZone and got some new ones. And wow, what a difference it makes!

… a really wonderful Thank you-package that I received in the mail from my friend Nadine. I helped her with her thesis earlier this summer and she sent me a really sweet note and some gifts as a Thank you. I was really touched.

… a sweet postcard from another dear friend.

… vanilla candles. It makes the apartment smells nice and christmassy!

…  knitting. I started a couple of new projects a week ago and I am really happy to get back into needle work again. There is nothing better when it’s cold outside and you can sit on your couch with a blanket and knit!

What are you loving right now?