Mentha Lip Shine from Bath and Body Works
Okay, so in reality I’ve had this for about a year already and I just started to use it recently. LOVE this stuff. It’s clear gloss so it works great over tinted lip balm or lipsticks, plus it tastes delicious (because you know, I’m into eating lip gloss?). I have this theory that mint flavored things give me an energy boost, and I just love smearing this stuff on my lips. Gaah, it’s the best.
Benefit – They’re Real! Mascara
I just got this mascara from Sephora after not being able to find the mascara I bought the last time (Dior Show), and I am so excited to keep using this stuff. I love big dramatic lashes, and this mascara delivers. It was $20 (expensive comparative to drug store mascara), but it is totally worth it. I look like a zombie without mascara, and this stuff makes me feel like a real person when I put it on.
The Happiness Project
I’m not even being overdramatic when I tell you this book is going to change my life. I feel like the author went inside my brain, took out all my thoughts, and wrote a book on them. Everything she writes about I find myself nodding in agreement and wondering why I hadn’t thought about doing the things she did herself. Okay, so I haaaaave thought about them – I just haven’t put it all to practice. One of my favorite things she suggests doing is the 1 minute rule. Basically, if it takes one minute or less, don’t put it off. Put your coat away, wash that one dish you just put in the sink, make your bed, etc. She also suggests to spend just 10 minutes each night de-cluttering/putting things away. I hate waking up to a cluttered house, so I am all about this! I can’t wait to read more.
Trader Joe’s Creamy Almond Butter with Sea Salt
I think I’m off my peanut butter kick. It was a nice few months, but I started to miss the deliciousness that is almond butter. I typically make my own, but I was feeling a little lazy. Trader Joe’s to the rescue! I usually add a bit of vanilla extract to this and give it a stir. The vanilla gives it a great flavor!
Trader Joe’s Lentil Soup
You neeeeeed to get yourself to a Trader Joe’s and buy this soup. Oh my goodness. I sampled some at the store yesterday, and I could not help but buy one. It’s a little high on the sodium spectrum, but I guess that’s to be expected with packaged soups! It’s delicious though – super thick and creamy.
This Video
So I took my niece and nephew to the show the other day, and this “music video” came on before the previews. To say I thought it was funny is an understatement. I immediately texted like ten people to tell them to search for it, and my sister and I went back and forth quoting our favorite lines. My favorite? “You mad trippin’ Linda – your shoes don’t match your shirt!!” You need to watch it. You’ll get a good laugh!
Question: What are some things you are loving lately?
{ 80 comments… read them below or add one }
I think I need to give almond butter another try because I can’t say I love it even nearly as much as peanut butter!! I know…I must be crazy!
You have to get the right kind!! For example, I detest Maranatha almond butter. They roast their almonds too much for my liking and the flavor is not good to me. Trader Joe’s and Justin’s is where it’s at!
Soup sounds good - I have a lot of Bob’s Red Mill red lentils in my cabinet that I need to start using.
Agreed on the lip balm - I use the “My Favorite Lip Balm” that has almond oil - it’s a perfect lip gloss and moisturizer that stays on for a while - even in the midst of drinking water throughout the day!
oo that lip balm sounds wonderful!
I’ve been hearing such good things about the happiness project - I may have to give it a try soon!
It’s a great read - I need to get out my highlighter so I can reference things later!
I love those mentha BBW lip glosses! And I’ve also been loving eggs cooked in coconut oil - mmm!
I’m hitting myself for not cooking my eggs in coconut oil this morning!!
Hey Chelsey,
i have been following your blog for a while now. I am also reading the happiness project too. You are right when you say it will change your life. Its an awesome read. Ps your blog is awesome, i love how you keep it real. Keep it up
katrina
What a sweet comment! Thanks Katrina!
now YOU get out of MY head! that’s my favorite part about the happiness project, too
i made it one of my resolutions for the new year and it works. like. a. charm. also, i saw gretchen on the today show last week and just loved her in person, too!
I heard her blog and column in GHK is awesome too!
I need to try all of this! And I’ve been wanting to read this book.
That soup sounds good. I recently bought a bag of lentils and have been wondering what to do with them. I need to find a soup or stew recipe, or something.
I’ve been loving diving into some new books! I’ve made it a point to read more this year.
I have a great lentil stuffed pepper soup - it’s one of my favorites!
Ooooh, that sounds great. I’ll be checking that out. Thanks!
I love TJ’s almond butter, and lately I’ve been obsessed with pomegranate arials. yum!
I loooove pomegranates but the whole task of getting those arials out just turns me off to the idea completely!
I buy them at Costco because they come in containers of just seeds! win-win
I am pretty certain that we like all of the same things!
Isn’t it amazing how putting on mascara can totally change your look and make you feel 10x better?? Now if only it would just magically appear.
I love TJ’s almond butter. It took me a little while to acquire the taste for it, but now I am hooked. That soup sounds fabulous, too!
I know - I could live with just mineral powder, mascara, and lip gloss!
I currently go back and forth between that almond butter and TJ’s Sunflower Seed Butter. They are both opened in my fridge, and everyday I like to switch it up. Some days, I can’t decide so I roll with both. They are both too good to choose!
Happy Monday love!
Those are both delicious choices! And I forget if I ever replied back to you with a “YES!” for a brunch date the first weekend you’re in!!
Ive never had the almond butter with sea salt, def need to try! Ive been loving my food processor lately
I do love my food processor! It’s one of my favorite kitchen appliances for sure.
I have that Mentha Lip Shine from Bath & Body Works too and love it! You’re right, the minty flavor is awesome. I laughed when I read what you wrote about The Happiness Project… I’m about 2/3 of the way through the book, and I’ve thought the same exact thing. I mean, I guess it makes sense considering we’re the same person and all, right?
I have heard that lentil soup is wonderful, I just need to remember to grab it when I go grocery shopping!
It’s sooooo good. Seriously. I wasn’t going to get it because I”m all anti pre-made soup (for cost effective reasons), and I had to go back and get it!!
I’m still loving SunButter….can’t get enough of it! Also loving dry shampoo…getting an extra day off hair washing is a great way to ease in to the New Year
I’ve heard about dry shampoo! I usually only wash my hair every other day - I don’t know how I feel about going three days!
I’m loving my label maker, l’occitane hand cream, chobani, and tryin new recipes!
Aaaaah!!! A girl after my Type A, obsessive compulsive heart!!
I love the one-minute rule idea! This is the first time I’ve heard about the Happiness Project, but I’m already intrigued. And very clever to throw some vanilla extract in your almond butter!
Definitely a book everyone should read!
I read through this list and thought, check check check… I love every single thing on this list! I’m actually planning on picking up The Happiness Project this week. Wahoo!
You’re going to love it!
I’m loving that we’re reading the same book. Can we please start a book club via email about this book?!
Are you torn between reading the whole thing and going month by month?
I started on February last night.
haha absolutely!!! I am reading through the whole thing. I think it’s going to be a great book to continually look back and reference for ideas/tips/advice/etc. I already have things highlighted for when we have kids! (April is all about parenting)
Loved the video, I always run errands with my mom! Gonna read the Happiness Project! I saw it at B&N a couple of times but I wasn’t so sure if i should buy it or not. I also bought the mascara but the $10 one (it’s smaller & practical) and its aaamazing! I’m wearing right now!
I didn’t see that they had a smaller one!
I just don’t know how y0u put that lip gloss on your lips!! It burns me! A really good, less expensive mascara that is my faaaaaaaavorite is MAC’s Plush Lash. It’s fantastic! I have been using it for a long time. I just finished off a jar of that AB. Well, technically the jar is still in my fridge bc I keep scraping at the sides of the glass. I know you don’t think that’s gross which is why I was 100% fine with telling you. hahaha
Whaaaaat!? I love the minty/burn when I put it on! Have you ever used lip plumping gloss? That one tingles too - Love it!!!
And no, not gross at all! Get that AB girl!!
I really need to pick up that mascara. I’ve tried (and loved) Bad Gal by Benefit, and I’m kind of curious to see how They’re Real would compare. And the 1 minute rule is seriously my favorite thing ever. I can’t stand clutter, and putting things away instead of letting them build up has done some crazy good things for lowering my stress levels.
I can’t stand clutter either!! It’s seriously the worst thing ever. I cannot get a hold on my kitchen table though. I swear there are always things there!
Yesss, almond butter has been my saving grace these days! Since I can’t have cashews, it’s the next best thing and now I think I like it even better. I wish I could get the TJ’s brand, darn! The Happiness Project was one of my favorite books of 2012! It really changed how I approached situations in life, and I truly do feel more happy and at peace. I also love that mascara, I think it’s a tie between that and dior show.
Both are great!
The Happiness Project was such a great read for me too. I feel like I really put some of her advice to use for a couple months after reading it, but they slowly slipped again so I think it’s something I need to reread every year! I love her blog too! Right now I’m loving my new scented candle because it smells like fresh cinnamon rolls. It is deceiving though because I expect the pastry to be waiting for me to eat in the kitchen.
cinnamon rolls!?!? oh my gosh. best thing ever!
at the salon with my gangsta lean!! HAHA this video just made my day lol
I know right?! Hilarious. I think I’m going to show it to my students today as a special treat. They’ll love it!
I love that brand of lip gloss! It’s soooo good!
Great minds think alike!
I am implementing a 10 minute cleanup rule in my house starting tonight! I’m doing my best to make it fun and exciting because when I told my husband about it he rolled his eyes!
hahah! Doesn’t he want to get in on the fun?
I think the Happiness Project is next on my list!! Love that you love it and I can’t wait to read it now.
You’ll adore it - promise!
Couldn’t agree more with The Happiness Project! I read it a couple months ago and the whole time I was reading I felt like she was inside my head too. The commandment “Do it now” constantly rings in the back of my head, and whenever I don’t feel like doing something, I now ask myself realistically how long it will take. Less than a minute or two? Just do it!
Absolutely! Same here!
Ohh I’ve been curious about that mascara since the sales lady at Benefit tried to talk me into it- maybe I’ll have to give it a try now! And I’ve heard great things about that book and those rules are so perfect for starting the new year right- I’m working on the one minute rule myself! I’m a huge almond butter fan (especially since I can’t have peanuts) and now that I have a vitamix I really need to try making my own! And a premade soup that is GF and Vegan? Count me IN!
lately i am loving oatmeal!
deff going asap!! when they open!!! 
im making a list of what i want to get and yes almond butter is on the list! 
stovetop, baked, or overnight!
my fav kind is overnight!
ooo almond butter! i love almond butter!!!
so sometime soon like 30mints from my hosue we are suposed to be getting a Trader Joe’s!!!!aaaaa i can’t wait!
Ooo! I hope your TJ’s comes soon!
So I just put up a LESS IS MORE approach to the new year… but I’m already coveting the lipgloss, the mascara AND that book. Maybe one last mini splurge won’t kill me right? Thank you for sharing. I so wish I had a Trader Joe’s here in small town Alabama. We just got a Publix so we’re totally moving up in the world right?
haha - that’s a hard approach to take!
I’ve heard lots of good things about that book! I might have to add it to my (ever-growing) list!
There are not enough words to thank you for that video.
PLUS - I love that you call the movies “the show”. So midwestern!
I love your book review posts
I picked The Happiness Project up at Target this past weekend and was SOOOO tempted to buy it! (same with Two Week Wait! Can’t wait to see if you like that one too!) I decided to wait and see what I hear about both before deciding which to read first!
I loved Two Week Wait - it really goes inside the minds of couples who are dealing with infertility and the treatments that go along with it. I think that whether someone has to go through them or not, the book is a great read because it teaches so much in a novel form!
After reading the Beauty Detox Solution I have had a painful time trying to not eat my favorite nuts. (unless they are soaked in water) The book has kind of changed my life, but it has been a little cumbersome. Sigh.
That does not sound like a book I want to read based on that reason alone.
Oh I loved the happiness project! And I would never say no to some delicious almond butter either
That one minute rule is such a good tip. I need to start practicing that so that I don’t always end up with massive to do lists of small, trivial things.
Lately I’m loving gingerbread granola and massaged kale salads!
I totally agree - like the other day I had let the dishes pile up in the sink. When I finally went to go do them, i thought to myself “man, if I would have done this each time I put a dish in it, it would have taken maybe 20 seconds for each dish. Now I’m stuck with 10 minutes of dishes!!”
Putting that book on my list NOW. I need more happiness.
Things I love: Tazo Awake tea, Tervis, and Loreal BB cream. I am not at all a make up wearing girl, but my face turns red in the winter as it dries out. The BB cream evens it out pretty nicely without being heavy at all. Like moisturizer and powder together almost? I haven’t been using it long though, so my opinion my change if I have a giant break out next week or something ;*)
I think everyone could use more happiness in their lives!
That almond butter sounds amazing!!!
I’m loving Pinterest for recipe + decor ideas, cereal as dessert, and our new iPod.
I liked The Happiness Project, but I think I like her column in Good Housekeeping more than the actual book.