theinbetweenismine

just a girl living the expat life

Archives for October 2018

Monthly Favorites | October

filed under: monthly favorites

1. The Boston Red Sox*. Do I need to say more? Go read my blog post from yesterday if you don’t know why they made my #1 spot on my favorites’ list this month!

2. It’s apple season again and Honeycrisp apples* might be my all-time favorites! Sweet and tangy at the same time and really crisp! Have you tried them? If not, you should! 

3. I don’t have a lot of eye makeup and I am not very adventurous with colors, so I always end up with a neutral color palette, but this  Maybelline Designer Chocolates Eyeshadow Quad* is a bit more adventurous with a hint of purple in it.

4. I don’t remember if I mentioned that I won another pair of running shoes on Instagram a few weeks ago, the Brooks Levitate 2*. Incidentally, I was in the market for a new pair of shoes anyway, so this giveaway win was just perfect timing. I’ve also been running a few different Brooks shoes in the past, so I was excited to try the Levitates and I’ve been really happy with them so far! Also, don’t you just love the colors? So cheerful!

5. I got this Cinnamon Apple Cider candle* at Target after someone recommended it to me and I love the smell. It’s not too overwhelming, but it definitely fills the room. It’s the perfect fall scent!

6. We recently picked up one of the frozen Trader Joe’s Cheese Pizzas* (just to have something in the freezer as a backup option) and the pizza is actually really good. Nice and crisp crust, simple ingredient list, affordable. You could also add your own toppings if desired. What’s not to love?

7. If you’d ask J and me to put our favorite snack plate together, it would look like an antipasti platter. We love snacking on cheese, olives, pickles, salami, and those Mezzetta Cherry Peppers*. They’re not spicy at all, but really juicy and sweet. 

What was one of your favorite things this month?

* #notanad, This is not a sponsored post. I have not been compensated by the brand or anyone else for linking the websites.

 

My Red Sox ♥ won the World Series

filed under: love, sports, yes!

I don’t think it’s a mystery to anyone who has been reading my blog for a while that I am a huge Red Sox fan and on Sunday night, my team won the World Series!

It was such a fun season (with the best record in franchise history), but the post-season beat all my expectations. The Red Sox allowed only one game against the Yankees (in one of the ALDS series), one game against the Astros (in the ALCS series), and one game against the LA Dodgers in the World Series. This team has been so much fun to watch.

David Price was outstanding Sunday night, Steve Pearce was on fire, but so were all of the other players really throughout this season! JBJ (Jackie Bradley Jr.) had some really amazing hits. Andrew Benintendi is the king of the left field, and Mookie Betts can’t do anything wrong if he tried.  I love how Craig Kimbrel (the closer) owns his pre-pitch pose (check out his Twitter pic!), which numerous people (grown adults, mind you!)  in the stands have mocked him for, but he had an absolutely stellar performance this season and he is the youngest pitcher in MLB history to record 300 saves. So hey, whatever works for you, right? 

In all honesty, I should list all the players by name here, because I am so freakin’ proud of all of them. Every single player in this team did their part to turn this season into what it was. There was a different guy at every game coming through for everybody else. This is what team sport is all about and the Red Sox are a real team. They never gave up. They always stayed calm and focused until the very end and this is how they were able to make magic happen again this year.

Congratulations, Red Sox!

Currently | October

filed under: currently

FEELING | a little all over the place lately. Lots going on and I haven’t had proper time (and brain power) to blog much, but I am planning to keep up my annual tradition of blogging my way through November by participating in NaBloPoMo. Do or die, friends. Who’s with me?

WEARING | my fleece jacket more often because it’s been cooling down (appropriately for fall). I would lie if I said I didn’t like it. Give me all the seasons!

EXCITED ABOUT | voting. I hope you are too.

READING | Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance.

EATING | zucchini-cheddar scones. I bought one from the local Co-op the other week (it’s what happens when you go grocery shopping hungry!) and then decided that I had to bake my own (which I did last weekend). Recipe will be posted soon.

DRINKING | tea.

WATCHING | the World Series! The Red Sox made it to the WS this year and J and I couldn’t be more excited. They’re playing the LA Dodgers and are currently leading the series 2-0.

MAKING | homemade bread!

ENJOYING | visits from our neighborhood cat. It’s so cute because whenever I pull up with the car, he basically sprints from wherever he’s been to our front steps and (loudly) insists on a nice, thorough head scratch. He snuck into the house twice recently and has been taking strolls through every room before turning around and running back outside. Haha.

LOOKING FORWARD TO | Halloween. I hope we get some trick-or-treaters again. J wants to watch the new Halloween movie but I am not sure yet if I can muster up the courage. We’ll see. 

LISTENING TO |  the Soundscapes channel.

TRYING | to get back into my gym routine. I realize that sometimes life happens and you have to adjust your schedule for a bit, but man, it’s always so hard to get back into your regular routine.

What’s up with you currently?

Thinking Out Loud #26

filed under: Thinking out loud

Hi friends. Long time no talk. The last couple of weeks have been a little crazy. No time to sit down and catch you up on life. I am taking advantage by linking up with Amanda from Running with Spoons for Thinking out Loud to tell you a little bit about what’s been going on around here.

+ As you recall, I was on back to back field trips the last few weeks and while I tried to prepare a couple of posts for the beginning of October, I completely failed to post or prepare anything last week. Oh well, you all lived, am I right? Things should go back to normal around here now.

+ Being out of the office is great and in my line of work that often means being out in nature (not just in conference rooms at a hotel in a different city somewhere). I love that aspect about working in earth sciences.

+ I probably have mentioned before that I am possibly the only German that doesn’t really drink beer, although people keep trying to convert me. I have to admit that in recent years, I’ve warmed up a bit to lighter beers, although I still prefer to drink them as “Radlers” (mixed with sparkling lemonade) because it’s way more refreshing IMHO.

My co-workers are known for indulging in a beer (or two), especially after a long day of field work, so I was offered a beer at the local Truckee Brewing Company last week. Since they had a Kölsch, the beer that traditionally is brewed in Cologne, Germany, I couldn’t really say no and it actually tasted quite good. It also came in an “almost” authentic Kölsch glass (or  Kölschstange), which is a tall, but narrow glass. Due to a low CO² content, Kölsch foam is not very stable and the narrow glass prevents the beer from going stale by losing the little CO² content too quickly.

In all honesty, I drank the beer more for the glass than for the taste (I love that bear logo!) and I should have bought the glass as a souvenir. I think I have to ask my co-worker (who lives closer by) to get me one.

+ I had a check from our health insurance in the mail earlier this week. Hallelujah.  It only took them 16 (!) monthS to process a partial reimbursement from a treatment visit from June 2017. I don’t know how much time I spent on the phone with them to get this processed, but I am telling you, persistence in life pays off. (Translate: what in the freakin’ hell took them so long and why don’t these people ever do their jobs right and in a timely manner?)

+ I finally (!) tried La Croix Sparkling Water to see what all the fuss is about and I have to confess: I don’t really like it. It might have been the flavor (passion fruit), but I was not impressed at all. It was also too fizzy for me (and I do like fizz). Can you believe it?

+ I just found out that I’ve started earning 2 more hours of annual leave per pay period after I hit my three-year mark as a federal employee back in August. It still “only” adds up to 15 days per year (plus federal holidays), but hey, that’s 30% more than I had before! I am trying not to think about all the accumulated benefits missed out on for having been a contractor for so long.

+ Oh yeah, I also ran another half marathon (my 5th!) a week and a half ago. Woot! Recap to come.

+ The Boston Red Sox made it to the American League Champions Series (ALCS) and they’re currently leading 3-1 in the series against the Houston Astros after a real nail-biter of a game last night (did you watch? What a game-save from Andrew Benintendi!). I do hope they’ll win the pennant and go on to the World Series this year! They deserve it!

What’s on YOUR mind today?

October Link Love

filed under: link love

Around the Interwebs

Have you read this? I wish every man would read this. It’s so spot on. Man Perfectly Explains Women’s Rage Today Using Brutal Analogy So That All Men Can Finally Understand It.

Voter registration deadlines. There is still time. Please, oh please, register if you’re not, and make sure you vote in November.

Your earliest childhood memory is probably fake. Regardless if this assessment is true, I do have some pretty clear memories of toddlerhood and I am pretty sure that these are real memories, because the things I remember haven’t been “captured” in photographs that I could have looked at later in life (like the layout of the first apartment we lived in or the view from the window down from the 3rd floor to a window with an old lady that used to wave to me.) Do you have early childhood memories?

The problem with “hey guys!”.

I usually don’t have trouble falling asleep as is, but I need to try this. How they teach people to fall asleep fast in the military.

The rise of the engagement photo shoot. Well, I guess I wouldn’t mind getting some nice couple shots taken… 13 years post-engagement. Ha.

Around the blogosphere

This thread about abortion is EVERYTHING. (P.S. It’s not what you think – go read.)

I always liked cacti, but now I know how much… 50 cactus home decor finds. All the heart eyes.

What I hate about living abroad. This was an interesting read for me as Helene currently lives in my home country of Germany and I can definitely relate to some of her struggles. Then again, I could probably write a similar list about living abroad – there is always going to be something, am I right? ;)

Craftiness

Free Printable 2019 Calendar

… and four more printable 2019 calendars.

Easy spider garland DIY – so cute :)

Do you know LAMY fountain pens? They’re a big hit in the bullet journal community and they’re from Germany (of course. Ahem.) I learned to write with them back in elementary school and I still have two of them at home.

For my runner friends

Have you heard about the Momentum Jewelry #beYOUtiful campaign? (Not just for my runner friends, btw!) Check it out!

Everything You Wanted to Know About Gait Analysis. 

Deliciousness

I want to make those Halloween handpies.

Comfort food anyone? Ham & Cheese Tortellini. Yum!

Apple crumble bars – just the right thing to bake in October!

I am on a Thai kick lately. Cauliflower and Butternut Thai Curry sounds so good right now.

 

Share a good link with me in the comments!

What I bought at Trader Joe’s – Vol. 8

filed under: food, traderjoes

It’s been a while since I shared some of my more recent Trader Joe’s* buys with you. I follow a couple of Trader Joe’s lovers’ Instagram accounts and I constantly see new items that I am adding to my “to-try-list”.

And obviously, since it’s fall, there will be a gazillion new seasonal items soon that I’ll have to try out. Of course, I am also hoping for some old favorites to come back.

Here are a couple of recent buys that I loved. Have you had any of these products?

Organic Fair Trade Breakfast Blend ( 14 oz – $7.99) ★★★★★ \ pantry section

This is our favorite coffee right now. It’s organic, it’s fair trade, it tastes delicious and its affordable at this price.  What’s not to love? We usually cycle through a few Trader Joe’s coffees because they have quite a few tasty ones, but if you’d ask me right now, I’d say that this is my all-time favorite.

Joe’s Diner Mac ‘n Cheese  (14 oz  – $ 2.99) ★★★★★ \\  freezer section

Have you tried the frozen Mac’n Cheese? These are really good and ready in 5 minutes. Definitely a treat for a lazy weeknight or quick side dish, and I mean, who doesn’t like Mac’n Cheese?

Salsa Especial (Mild)  (12 oz  – $ 2.99) ★★★★★ \\ refrigerated section

I probably have recommended this salsa before. It beats pretty much every other fresh salsa I had from a supermarket or even from any Mexican place. When we get Mexican take-out, we usually get the burritos and the chips, but then eat the chips with this salsa because we always have one of these tubs in the fridge. Just in case!

Dr Praeger’s California  Veggie Burger  (4 x 2.5 oz  – $3.49 ) ★★★★★ \\  freezer section

It doesn’t always have to be meat for me to enjoy a good burger. These veggie burgers are super-yummy and very quick to make. They also stay together pretty well (which sometimes isn’t the case with veggie burgers, so plus points there!) We keep a few in the freezer for easy weeknight dinners and they’re also a nice breakfast item with a side of eggs.

Organic Apple Mango Fruit Sauce Crushers  (4 x 3.17 oz  – $2.99 ) ★★★★★ \\ pantry section

I am pretty sure that these fruit crushers are meant for kids, but I discovered that they’re a great fuel option for my long runs. They are tasty, easy to store in my running belt, and easy to eat while running. Win – win.

What did you pick up at Trader Joe’s this week?

* I am not affiliated with Trader Joe’s, nor have they endorsed, sponsored or paid for my reviews. I am just sharing my love for the store and its products, which basically means free advertisement for them. Ha. All opinions are my own.

What I read in September

filed under: books

September just got away from me (or so it seems), but I still managed to read 5 books, which keeps me on track to meet my reading goal for the year. 

The sun does shine: how I found life and freedom on death row by Anthony Ray Hinton (★★★★★)

“Until we have a way of ensuring that innocent men are never executed. Until we account for the racism in our courts, in our prisons, and in our sentencing. The death penalty should be abolished.“ (Bryan Stevenson, Ray Hinton’s attorney)

Ray Hinton is a better person than I am. I have no idea how he managed to stay kind, compassionate, humorous and hopeful after sitting on death row for 30 years for a crime he did not commit. The courts stole his entire life. Go read this. It’s heartbreaking, it’s funny, it’s hopeful, and it’s important, but expect your mouth to hang open intermittently in shock and disbelief.

The Mothers by Brit Bennett (★★★★☆)

This was a well-written, compelling story about the intertwined lives of three teens in an African American community in Southern California and how one decision can affect a community for the rest of their lives. I loved how that book gave us a glimpse of what happened between the characters – Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke – in their teenage years and how their adult lives were shaped and affected as a consequence.

You Need A Budget by Jesse Mecham (★★★★☆)

I wanted to read this book for a while. It wasn’t earth-shattering new information for me, as I have been using the YNAB software for 4 years, but I still enjoyed reading through this book again. The approach to budgeting and aging your money and being on top of your finances is just so eye-opening and I recommend this book if you’re looking for a new approach to handling money.

Our souls at night by Kent Haruf (★★★☆☆)

Oh, I really wanted to love this book. Two people, both widowed, forge an unexpected, intimate connection late in life that is eyed with disdain and suspicion by the people around them. I wanted to root for Addie and Louis, dive below the surface and experience their level of “no f*cks given” when you reach that certain age in life. Unfortunately, the story stayed really superficial and was basically just the narration of a string of events. The feelings and emotions that I expected to bubble to the surface stayed subdued and unexpressed.

I read that the book was made into a movie with Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. I’d be intrigued to see if it translated to film better, by adding gestures and facial expression that would tell more of their story, but which stayed hidden between the lines of the book.

Turtles all the day down by John Green (★★★☆☆)

I was intrigued by the topics of anxiety and OCD that 16-year old Aza deals with and I wanted to dive into her story and learn more about her mental health issues and how she copes in the context of teenage friendship and first love. The mysterious disappearance of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett was just a mere side story to me that simply distracted from more important aspects of the book. The disappearance might have been an intriguing story on its own, but  I felt like the book didn’t really focus on either plot enough to keep me engaged. There were parts I liked, especially the parts where Green gave us an insight into Aza’s brain, but the narrative felt disjointed at times and overall the book was just really slow for me.


What did you read in September? Anything you’d like to recommend? Leave a comment, and then add me on Goodreads to keep in touch.

Hello October

filed under: about me

I guess it’s officially fall now. This was my view on my Saturday run and although temperatures have been a little bit cooler, it still felt pretty much like summer.  So, I’ve been busy trying to ignore that it’s technically fall, but when October comes around, I think there is no way to deny it any longer. This year, man… I have no idea where it went.

October is a fun month though. It’s apple season, we’re going to get the first rain, J’s birthday is coming up, and then there’s Halloween. What else?

+ I’ll be going on another field trip later this week (and next week. It was supposed to be this whole week, but due to unfavorable weather, we had to break it up into two pieces). I haven’t really been on any field trips all year, so why does it get all busy in the fall? Oh yeah, because the scorching summer temperatures are gone, that’s why. 

+ I’ve started up the  TMAC20 workouts again this morning, hoping to keep them up throughout the month (although I see the field work throwing me off my schedule again a little bit), but here’s to trying! 

+ October is a busy birthday month. As mentioned above, it’s J’s birthday, then there are five people in my family with October birthdays and then there are a few more October babies among my friends). When’s your birthday? 

+ I am hoping to find some time to do “fall things”: apple picking, visiting the pumpkin patch, and baking something yummy. I am taking suggestions.

+ Halloween. J’s favorite holiday. As you probably know by now, I am not a fan of scary movies (and I just learned that there will be a new “Halloween” movie this year –  but nope, not for me!), but our neighbors put up an awesome The Nightmare before Christmas window decoration and I am sure I’ll be watching some Halloween kids movies (Hocus Pocus, anyone?) and check out the decorations in the neighborhood. Also, Halloween candy. Duh. (I just recently finished the leftover candy from last year, so it’s good timing. Ha!)

What’s going on with you in October?