10 EASY HEALTHY SNACK IDEAS FOR THE WEEK

1. Pistachios and Raspberries

2. Whole Wheat Crackers with Natural Gouda Cheese and Homemade Cranberry Sauce

3. Organic Blue Corn Tortilla with Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Guacamole

4. Rain City Crunch Clusters

Made local by Sisters Baking Company in Edmonds, WA

5. Apple and Cheese Slices

Using BEECHER'S FLAGSHIP (affiliate)

6. Whole Wheat Toast with Nonfat Honey Ricotta, Strawberries and Organic Chia Seeds (affiliate)

7. Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt with Granola, Strawberries and Honey

8. Veggie Sticks with Hummus Dip

9. Artisan Bread Pieces with All Natural Peanut Butter and Hard Boiled Eggs

10. SENECA Crispy Apple Chips

Find them at SENECA APPLE CHIPS. (affiliate)

Enjoy!

Rainy Day Fun: 10 Things To Do During Seattle's Rainy Season

* This post includes affiliate and sponsored links.

Seattle has rainy winters, and Seattleites have rainy day fun.

Below are 10 fun things to do during the rainy season. Of course you know more, but perhaps our recommendations offer a good start.

1. Spend a day in the market.

One of the busiest farmer's market in the US, Pike Place offers fresh produce, local crafts, restaurants, burlesque, tea tasting and more. You can easily spend a day there, especially because almost everything resides indoors.

2. Sip. Read. Relax.

Seattle is famous for local roasters and coffee shops. Grab a book, or device, and enjoy a steamy latte.

3. Brunch with friends.

Brunch is especially popular in the Pacific Northwest. Who doesn't like comfort food in rain?

We recommend Portage Bay Cafe, 13 Coins and Serious Pie & Biscuit.

A sensational creation from the Breakfast Bar at Portage Bay Cafe.

4. Take Bill Speidel's Underground Tour.

The original city of Seattle, built in Pioneer Square, was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1889. After rebuilding the new city on top of the old, the neighborhood suffered neglect, until publicist Bill Speidel revived the neighborhood with an Underground Tour that attracted thousands of visitors who petitioned to ordain Pioneer Square again.

And that's how Bill Speidel and his genius production saved Seattle's most historic neighborhood. (Go Bill!)

Image Credit: Destination360.com

5. International District

Good dim sum. Good bubble tea. What else do you need?

6. Spin around.

Every great city needs a big wheel. Well, at least we think so.

Visit Seattle Great Wheel for ticket info. We've "spun-the-wheel" three times, and enjoyed each experience.

7. Go high.

For an amazing view of Seattle, go up the Space Needle or the Sky View Observatory (Columbia Tower). The view is better on sunny days, of course, but still incredible in rain.

8. Get artsy.

And stroll around Chihuly Garden and Glass or the Seattle Art Museum.

9. Or get nerdy.

And visit the Museum of Flight, Pacific Science Center and the Boeing Factory Tour.

10. Stay in.

There is nothing wrong with curling up on the couch, turning on the fire place, and satisfying every guilty pleasure with shows like Amazon Original's Mozart in the Jungle (staring current crush Craig Revel Horwood) and The Man in the High Castle.

You do have Prime, don't you?

Sorry!

Kind of a Seattle-thing. :)

Encouragement

On a bit-sized fashion blog?

Is it necessary?

Why yes, it is.

Even beauty and fashion bloggers get knocked down.

In fact, we probably need it the most.

Good luck to you.

 

 

Books that will make you braver (than you already are)

What is brave anyway?

Our brother-in-law fears flying. Over 10 years ago, he threw up after a 2-hour flight, and hasn't flown since. People think he is a coward because of that, but they are wrong.

Our brother-in-law is on the SWAT team, and risks his life everyday to protect the gang-infested streets of one of America's toughest neighborhoods. His job entails getting shot at by dangerous people, and he has had more close calls than his wife would like to know about. But fighting crime is what he wanted to do since he was a child, and no one could stop him from living that dream.

He's not brave for being able to stand up to murderers and drug lords, though we appreciate him for doing that. He's brave because he knew exactly what he wanted and chased after it, despite a high probability of getting hurt along the way.

You are brave.

Little by little, step by step, you make your dream come true. You will get hurt, but you will not falter.

Girl, you got this. You know it.

Books that will make you braver than you already are:

This Week's Recommendations - A Few of My Favorite Things

For skin:

1. Clinique All About Eyes Dark Circle Eye Treatments

Though I constantly search for a better eye cream, I always come back to Clinique All About Eyes. It feels refreshing and hydrating, and is one of my all-time favorites.

2. Re-energizing night cream by Borghese

So glad I found the Borghese Night Cream. It keeps skin moistened after an entire night of sleep. I rarely hit the sack without it.

3. Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector

Having large, visible pores sucks. Luckily, I have this Clinique Pore Refining Solution to fill in pores, and evens skin tone.

For hair:

4. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Mask

This hair mask quenches hair better than any conditioner I've tried. I use it every week.

5. John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Liquid Shine Shine Shock Perfecting Glosser

John Frieda makes excellent products, and this hair glosser is certainly one of his best creations. It doesn't feel greasy, is easy to apply, and gives hair a brilliant coating. I've re-purchased this several times already -- am truly a happy user.

6. Vitafusion Prenatal Gummy Vitamins

Honestly, I don't think you can have nice hair without taking proper supplements. That's why I recommend these sweet gummy vites.

For relaxation:

7. HoMedics SP-20H Ultra Plus Shiatsu Massage Pillow

I've been using this massage pillow for a few years. It only costs $50, and has helped tremendously with back pain.

8. Savvy Sleepers Satin Pillow Cases

I was lucky to be sent a Savvy Sleepers pillow case to try - and boy did I love it on the first try. The pillow case's satin-y material left skin and hair soft and wrinkle-free -- and left me with a great night's sleep.

If you want to, please check out all of Savvy Sleeper's products at savvysleepers.com.

9. Conair Waterfall Foot Spa

Aaaaaah foot spa!

For recreation:

10. Kindle eReader

Believe the hype: eReaders are awesome. There are thousands of books -- all of them at the touch of your finger tip. I've had mine for over a year, and go to bed reading it every night.

11. Sex and the City: the Complete Collection (Delux Edition)

If I have spare time -- totally rare right now -- I'll indulge in a few hours of Sex and the City re-runs. It's a fun way to fill down-time, as well as reminisce the single days.

12. The Corpse Reader by Antonio Garrido

One of the eBooks I recently read via Kindle was The Corpse Reader. It's a crime thriller set in the Qin Dynasty of Imperial China. The story line has interesting twists and turns, and the writing is easy-to-read. For a quick and entertaining experience, I absolutely recommend this book.

For sanity:

(This applies to new mommies only.)



13. ERGObaby Organic Bundle of Joy Carrier and Infant Insert

I used a baby carrier everyday for both our babies. Not only is it easy to maneuver, it keeps babies quiet through just about anything, making traveling around more manageable. 

I prefer ergo over other carriers because it has proper back support, and can be worn on the backside as well. (Backside functionality is for bigger kids.)

It's expensive, but certainly worth the investment.

14. Baby Einstein Baby Activity Center

Both our babies started using this around 4-5 months. The supported seat (in the middle) strengthened babies' legs, and all the stimulating toys kept her busy for over half an hour. 

If you have a baby, you know that half an hour is paramount for a parent.

15. Maclaren Junior Baby Stroller

You're able to switch to an umbrella stroller as soon as the baby can lift his or her head. This usually happens around 6-months.

Soooooooooooooooooooooo glad I no longer need the big, bulky stroller! The umbrella stroller folds easily, feels light, and carries quite a load. I take it with me wherever I go.

Thank you!

 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

 

Also, sorry I've been too busy to stop by your blogs, but will certainly try to within the next few days.

 

See you soon.

Cheap Thrills

1. Physician's Formula makeup

They're beautiful, long-lasting and cost less than $15 at the local drug store.

2. 5-dollar bracelets.

Loving the colors - and how they clink when I move my arm.

3. Turning A into B.

Not gonna get points for structural integrity or aesthetics, but this Art-chitecture was 30 minutes of undisturbed fun with the toddler.

4. Two for the price of one.

Two of my favorite mascara for one reasonable price - now that's thrilling.

5. Best lotion ever!

This Eucerin moisturizer lathered on evenly, and softened skin instantly.

Excellent formula. $10 at the most. I highly recommend.

6. Affordable hair care.

I've used Pantene for years. It leaves hair smooth and shiny. I like the new plant-based formula, because it's healthier and still works well.

If you haven't, please give them a try.

7. Olive oil as makeup remover.

It's a bit greasy, but does an excellent job with removing makeup. 

Mascara too.

8. This week's Time.

A few pages of pretty good writing: $4.99.

Feeling 0.0000001% smarter, or worldlier, or something like that: priceless.

(Seriously though, the Bee article was pretty interesting.)

 That's all for me.

 

How about you?

 

Any cheap thrills lately?

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