The Honest Company

Well I'm pretty thrilled to see so many folks ("so many" is a relative term) liked that upper body action I posted Monday!

As I sat down to write today, my thoughts swirled with baby registry items, baby books, apartment listings, and a million other non-blog-related ideas. Granted, this blog does its fair share of discussing whatever its author wants (including but not limited to cats, travel, and pregnancy--all related topics, right?), but on days like this when my mind is running crazy I figure it's best to just roll with it. Enjoy. :-)

The Honest Company
It just gets better and better. Last month, I signed up for the free trial. You pay shipping ($5.95), but then you get five products of your choice in small quantities (about 3 ounces each). I chose hand soap, shampoo/body wash, conditioner, lotion, and healing balm. I was impressed with all the products, but obviously I was only able to use each a few times before they ran out. So when my real bundle showed up yesterday, I was so excited!

Here's how the bundles work:

• You choose a type of bundle (baby, bath & body, cleaning, or health & wellness). You can sign up to receive multiple bundles, and several products overlap into various categories.
• You choose how often you want to receive your bundle (every 4 weeks, 6 weeks, etc.).
• You choose what goes into your bundle for your shipment. Some items are excluded from the bundle option, but you can still add them on with the "+3" option where you add up to three items to your standard five. 
• You can purchase items separately (and without signing up for the bundles), but you get up to 35% off with the bundles, so it's a great deal. My friend Jenn, however, sent me a link to Zulily saying that The Honest Company has a new partnership with them! The deal lasts for two more days, and the prices are on par with the discounted bundle prices, so check it out!
• The best part: You can switch up what you get in each shipment! For example, I ordered all-purpose cleaner this time, but I certainly won't use it all in six weeks, so I won't order that again in the next shipment.

Also, I'm pretty sure Jessica Alba packed my shipment. 

Here's what I got and my initial thoughts:

• Shampoo/Body Wash: I liked the sample I used of this product, but I'm a little disappointed in the size. I'm pretty certain that two of us using this product as shampoo AND body wash, we'll go through it long before our next bundle arrives. I also have a pet peeve about shampoo and conditioner containers coming in the same size bottles, because I go through shampoo way faster. Does anyone else have this problem?
• Conditioner
• Face/Body Lotion: Excellent scent, great size (should last me six weeks). It's definitely a lighter lotion, not a cream, so I will still use my thicker cream at night.
• All-Purpose Cleaner
• Dishwasher Detergent: We are now trying out our fifth brand of dishwasher detergent. If you remember the dish soap incident, you know it's been a rough road. I wasn't happy that our original detergent wasn't getting completely rinsed off the dishes (probably our dishwasher's fault), so I figured if some residue is going to be left on the dishes I should switch to a less chemically-harsh brand. But after several other tries, including some powder brands, still no luck. Right now we're using Target's Up & Up brand, which has been good for two cycles, but I am excited to try this one, too. First world problems, I tell ya.
• Belly Balm: This one was my add-on item (optional), and obviously I'm using it for my growing belly (helps moisturize, soothes and prevents itchiness, might help with stretch marks). It smells awesome (Terry said it smells like Burt's Bees) and feels light, not too greasy. I normally use plain coconut oil, and I can't tell if there's a major difference between the two yet, but I like it!

You can click here to check out the website or to sign up for your bundle! (<--If you click that link and sign up, I get a referral credit!)


Why Today Wasn't the Best
I told you it was going to be a random post. This morning was a bit rough when Scout woke us up at 6 and then refused to let us go back to sleep. I know, I know, we better get used to it, but the baby's not even here yet!

Then I had to drink the infamous orange drink for the glucose test (to check for gestational diabetes--50 grams of sugar in liquid form). It was just as awful as I anticipated it would be, but thankfully it's done now. Hopefully I'll get good results in a few days and won't have to do it again!

Then we drove all the way to the South Bay to check out yet another apartment. It was a promising one, until we learned at the very end of the tour that cats aren't allowed in the building. And so the search continues.

After my sugar crash (they say it's a placebo effect, but I felt awful for the entire day after gulping that drink), I picked up Jenn for a quick workout at UCLA. We just did about one and a half bleacher snakes at Drake Stadium, and I was proud that I felt like I could do more! Still, the rest of the day remained in a funk.

Terry and I are heading to Jenn's for a little happy hour celebration tomorrow, and she asked me to make a dessert. Granted, she probably wouldn't mind if I bring any old dessert, but I felt it would be rude to not being at least something gluten-free so Jenn can enjoy it too. Well, after half an hour of searching and an hour of baking, I came out with two failed desserts. I made fudgy brownies and these lemon bars. They seemed so straightforward, but the brownies came out completely crumbly, and the top layer of the lemon bars were too liquidy to call them bars. Utter fail.

Disaster crumble

The bottom layer--which was actually tasty.

*Updated to say: Good news! The lemon bars actually came out pretty well, or at least the top layer solidified enough so that I can, in fact, call them bars. It's all coming together now, guys.

Alright, so here's what I ate on this less than stellar day:

Boring breakfast: plain scrambled eggs and the disgusting orange drink

Pre-apartment hunting snack: Peanut butter chocolate chip Lara bar

Pre-workout snack: Plain Greek yogurt mixed with honey, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds

Lunch: Enchiladas (actually, I got full, if you can believe that, so I only ate one)

Baking snack: Carrots, plus some taste-testing bites of the brownie crumble

Dinner: Turkey sandwiches on whole wheat with bacon, spinach, mustard, and avocado, plus about a third of a baked sweet potato

My sandwich

Terry's sandwich (he insisted I take a photo)

Dessert: The last of our pudding dessert with some brownie crumble on top

Check out the other WIAWs!

I hope you had a better day than I did. And I hope tomorrow is better for all of us! Happy Thursday!

Sprouts Farmers Market

Happy May to you! And happy May to West LA, because we have a new grocery store!

Today I (along with a few other local bloggers and media) got to tour the new Sprouts Farmers Market, located on Westwood Boulevard, just north of Sepulveda. Surprisingly, I've never shopped at a Sprouts, though they've popped up all over Southern California in recent years.

The tour today provided a sneak peak at the lovely store and a chance to ask some questions about how Sprouts stocks its shelves.

First, Sprouts is called "Sprouts Farmers Market" because they try to emulate a sense of shopping at a local farmers market, hence the wooden crates and fairly natural light.

Sprouts emphasizes that their specialty is produce, and they certainly do host a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Our lovely "tour guide", Lauren, offered tons of fun facts about the rest of the store too...

Tomorrow the store is hosting a huge grand opening and has crazy sales throughout the store.

Sprouts, like many grocery stores, has their own brand of some foods. We each received a goodie bag today, and these wafers were delicious!

Lauren called this label the "three Nos" - No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. 

Perhaps my favorite part of the store: a bulk spice section, so if you don't want a full jar of a spice you can just grab what you need.

Tons of coffee options, including free samples.

The bulk section truly impressed me--especially the bulk whole wheat flour! Have you ever heard of such a thing?

LOVE this idea--small blocks of cheese to try something new!

A refrigerated bread section for specialty breads and sprouted breads.

A culture I can definitely agree with!

A deli and soup section, complete with Boar's Head meats.

A HUGE Vitamins section--I'm already eager to head back and buy some daily multivitamins, because they have such a wide selection.

(I included this sign partially for an inside joke--my family and our family friends always tell this silly joke about a guy named Arty who murders three people and is paid a buck for it, and then the paper the next day says, "Arty Chokes Three for a Dollar").

Other highlights:

• A bakery, a meat counter with custom-cut meats, and alcohol (coming soon).
• Foods for every lifestyle, from gluten free to vegan to carnivores to splurges.
• A wide range of options for most foods so you can select the brand you like.
• NO loyalty card required--same price for everyone (hallelujah!).

And my honest opinion, based only on my first impression: I love it! I am thrilled to have another grocery store close to our home, and I really can't wait to go back and scour the shelves for all the foods I really love. I already noticed some of my favorite brands, which I can normally only find at specialty stores or Whole Foods:

Overall, I'd say Sprouts is a cross between Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. It has the wide selection and variety of Whole Foods but the awesome prices of Trader Joe's. I imagine I'll still frequent the actual farmers market for most of our produce, but I'm excited to make use of Sprouts' packaged goods that I normally can't find at Trader Joe's.

Our swag bags! So generous of Sprouts to offer some samples. :-) 

Scout had fun with that one...

To find a Sprouts Farmers Market near you, check out their locations. I had a wonderful experience today and look forward to sharing about future visits!

What's your favorite grocery store and why?

December, Yoga, and a Turkey

December
It's happening, folks! The last month of the year is upon us, and 2013 is inching closer. But instead of looking too far ahead, I'm excited about just this upcoming month! I have a lot to keep me busy and (hopefully) inspired at work, plus Terry and I have several fun events going on in the next few weeks.

The first day of December kicked off with a lovely walk and breakfast with Jenn, and then Terry and I worked throughout the day on our big turkey dinner for two.

I promised you a better photo of the stuffing!

Notice the lack of green? Yeah, completely forgot to roast the veggies until the last second, so those are happening tonight.

Turkey
Included in our meal:

• Brined and roasted turkey
• Cooking Light sourdough and sausage stuffing
• Mashed potatoes - I just peel the potatoes, cut them into one-inch cubes, boil them until fork-tender, drain, and add salt, pepper, butter, and milk while mashing to desired consistency (I like some lumps)
• Gravy - I use the pan drippings, butter, and whole wheat flour to whisk up a super tasty and simple gravy
• Cranberry sauce - Terry made it! See the recipe below
• Pinot Noir from Bridlewood

Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

Makes 3 cups

Adapted from Eat Live Run's Bourbon Vanilla Cranberry Sauce

• 1 bag cranberries (12 oz.)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes; the berries will burst and break down. You can mash up the berries to your desired consistency using an immersion blender or potato masher or fork. Set the mixture aside to cool (the sauce will thicken as it cools). 

Everything tasted delicious, but I think it will be even better tomorrow and throughout the week. The whole point of this meal was to be able to make leftovers - sandwiches, salads, soup, easy dinners. 

We're also planning to have "Friendsgiving" with Katie, Corey, Heidi, and Ed next weekend, so that'll be another holiday treat for us!

Yoga

This morning I felt suuuuuuper sore and achy, probably from Thursday's workout, so Jenn and I kept our activity to a brisk walk. But this evening I felt like some yoga would help me loosen up and refresh, so I searched the Internet for a 30-minute routine. Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown Level One (free on YouTube!) was perfect! Since it was level one, it wasn't too intense, and I think it would be great for semi-beginners. (If you've never taken yoga before, some of the moves might be challenging because she doesn't really explain them fully.) I definitely worked up a sweat and felt great afterward. I noticed in the comments section that someone mentioned that the workout isn't technically yoga, which I suppose is true. But it uses yoga moves to create a solid routine, and I would certainly do it again. Thumbs up from this girl. :-)

Scout spent much of the day trying to understand
the new snow globe I bought for Christmas. 

Tomorrow we have plans to sleep in a bit, get some work done, pick up our Christmas tree, and decorate for the season. It's been a lovely start to the month so far.

We also played Scrabble, and I got a lot of vowels. 

I also have to mention the adorable advent calendar my parents bought us as an early Christmas present. We aren't totally sure what to put inside each little box, though - any ideas? For tonight, we did some Trader Joe's peanut butter salted caramel dark chocolate truffles (yes, those exist, and they are amazing), but I'm trying to be creative here. Ideas welcome!

What are you looking forward to most this month?

Under Armour Hoody Review

When Under Armour contacted me to see if I was interested in reviewing one of their products, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. I have always felt that Under Armour makes fantastic athletic gear, but I wasn't aware of how much they have expanded their retail items.

For example, I'm pretty sure I need to get my husband this Superman Alter Ego T.

Under Armour site

How awesome is that?

The company has seemingly endless clothing options: footwear, tops, bottoms, accessories--for men, women, and kids! I'm so impressed with the lines of clothing and sports wear, and again thrilled that they wanted to work with me.

Under Armour allowed me to choose from a list of items to review for the upcoming holiday season, and I fell in love with the Fleece Storm Full Zip Hoody.

Fleece Storm Full Zip Hoody

The hoody comes in a variety of colors, and I was stoked to see grey on the list of options, but they also have really bright choices, like teal and pink. The pockets are perfectly placed (does that make sense? Maybe it's just me, but sometimes my jacket pockets are awkwardly positioned) and nice and cozy.

And I cannot tell you how well this hoody fits! I love it! It's comfortable--not too tight--but fitted. The sleeves aren't too short (I have normal arms, I swear, but a lot of jackets make me feel like I'm part gorilla), and the wrists are fitted just right. The company provides an extremely accurate sizing chart that helped me decide which size to order, and it's perfect! The hoody also goes past the hips, which I like a lot. I know I'll wear it running in the winter, and I hate when jackets are too short. 

I wore my new hoody to school the other day and felt so comfortable and warm (my classroom is an icebox, and it was the first time all year I didn't have goosebumps!). I was surprised that the jacket doesn't look like "workout gear"--it worked perfectly with nice jeans, and the color I chose classed things up a bit.

Obviously, Under Armour is an extremely well known and respected company, so I already knew the quality would be stellar, but this hoody really exceeded my expectations. The material is soft and cozy, and the outer part of the jacket is water repellent. (I may or may not have spilled water on myself when I wore it. Don't worry about it, but I do in fact know that it does repel water.)

Living in LA doesn't require too many hoody-wearing days, but I look for any excuse to bundle up on cold nights, and the weather is finally cooling down here. I know I'll wear this jacket for every outdoor run or walk when we go up to northern California for Christmas this year. I wish I had it last year when we were freezing in Paris! It would have been perfect for all our walking--lightweight but warm.

If you haven't already been convinced, I highly recommend checking out Under Armour's amazing clothes, shoes, accessories, and outerwear. They aren't just for workouts!

I really can't get over how great this hoody fits! It doesn't add bulk, just warmth!

And, as you may have guessed, the generous folks at Under Armour are letting me host a giveaway! Keep an eye out later this week!

Disclaimer: Under Armour sent me a hoody to review, but all opinions and the above review are my own.

WIAW + a Giveaway!

Happy WIAW! Today turned out to be quite an adventure, so let me fill you in.

7:15 am - Breakfast

Banana bread and tea

 I woke up at 7 for a little bit of work and to write this morning's blog post. Though a certain someone wanted to keep sleeping.

In it, I discussed my summer bucket list and gave a review of The Simply Bar. Check it out, and then enter my giveaway (details below). I also did half of a yoga video before showering and getting ready for my errands.

10:15 am - Baby carrots

The container fit perfectly in the cup holder!

I munched on these while I stopped at the bank, went to The Grove's Crate & Barrel, grabbed a few items at Bed, Bath & Beyond, and stocked up on produce at Trader Joe's.

Hello, color! Nice to see you again!

 1:15 pm (why are these all :15?) - Lunch

2 scrambled eggs, 1/2 diced tomato, 1/2 avocado, whole wheat tortilla, and cheddar cheese

I gobbled up lunch while I unpacked my Crate & Barrel goodies:

6" chef's knife, orange stripe bowls, wooden spoon, 4-cup measuring cup, picture frame for Terry's grandparents, box grater, a muddler for cocktails, and towels. I finally used up the last of our wedding gift cards. A successful trip, I'd say!

3:00 pm (there we go) - Snack

Chocolate cookies

At this point I got to work on my project for the day: organizing our hallway cabinet.

Before

During

My little helper

After!

7:00 pm - Dinner

Zucchini latkes

I saw this recipe on Courtney's blog the other day (along with two other delicious-looking zucchini recipes) and thought we'd give it a try. It was phenomenal! Such a quick side dish and something very different.

We also whipped up a quick salad: corn, avocado, tomato, lettuce, and red onion with a BBQ sauce-honey-Greek yogurt-apple cide vinegar dressing.

After dinner, we took a long walk around our neighborhood and then enjoyed a piece of marble cake from our anniversary night.

Another delicious day over here! Tomorrow I have plans for a meeting at my new job and lunch with a friend. 

The Simply Bar Giveaway

Get excited, folks! Time for a giveaway! I reviewed The Simply Bar earlier this morning. For a chance to win one of each flavor (Cinnamon Pecan, Caramel Peanut, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and Lemon Coconut), you can:

• (Mandatory) Leave a comment below sharing something from your Summer Bucket List
• (Optional, for an extra entry) Tweet: I'm entered to win @TheSimplyBar from @BetterBurgers!

This opportunity is only open to US residents. I will randomly select a winner on Friday at 5 pm PST.

Good luck!