H.A. Larson's Blog, page 80
March 17, 2015
Clearance Snacks
So, I went to Target last week to get some random items, and I thought I would grab some food basics for the house. While perusing their food aisles, I came across an endcap of clearance stuff. Here's what I scored.
These bark THINS are the bomb! They are both made of dark, dairy-free, chocolate. The first one has blueberries and puffed quinoa, while the second one has almonds and coconut. Wow they are delicious, and vegan! I can't believe they didn't sell, so I'm guessing it was the price point. I got them for around $2/each.
These Snappers are amazeballs. Chunks of pretzels molded together with caramel and then drizzled with chocolate. They are absolutely delicious, a bit tough to eat. I'm guessing their price point also made them unattractive, but I still paid around $2.50/each (I bought two bags). The next I got for around $2.75 and are Ghirardelli's chocolate covered cranberries. Mmmm. Love them.
Then I ran into these. These organic Annie's snack kits each contain hummus, cheese crackers, bunny graham crackers, and fruit snacks. They were only $1.78 each! They are usually around the $5 mark so these were a complete score. My intent is to use for hikes, and we've already used them twice. I take our water bottles and we're set. I bought all they had left, which was about 6. :)
These bark THINS are the bomb! They are both made of dark, dairy-free, chocolate. The first one has blueberries and puffed quinoa, while the second one has almonds and coconut. Wow they are delicious, and vegan! I can't believe they didn't sell, so I'm guessing it was the price point. I got them for around $2/each.
These Snappers are amazeballs. Chunks of pretzels molded together with caramel and then drizzled with chocolate. They are absolutely delicious, a bit tough to eat. I'm guessing their price point also made them unattractive, but I still paid around $2.50/each (I bought two bags). The next I got for around $2.75 and are Ghirardelli's chocolate covered cranberries. Mmmm. Love them.
Then I ran into these. These organic Annie's snack kits each contain hummus, cheese crackers, bunny graham crackers, and fruit snacks. They were only $1.78 each! They are usually around the $5 mark so these were a complete score. My intent is to use for hikes, and we've already used them twice. I take our water bottles and we're set. I bought all they had left, which was about 6. :)
March 16, 2015
Amope Review
The other day I showed you all my drugstore haul, and what a great thing it was! If you didn't read it, check it out here. Anyway, the last item I showed was the Amope Pedi Perfect and I said that I would give it a review after I used it. Well, I've used it (every day!) and here's my review.
The Amope Pedi Perfect foot buffer is, I am just going to say it, a godsend for anyone with horrible feet! Cracked, scaly, rough, and calloused feet? Not anymore! Many years ago, in another life, I worked in a packing plant (yuck) and wearing those god-awful boots did a number to my heels that I've never been able to correct. I've tried every remedy under the sun, spending many dollars in the process, trying to make my heels not look so hideous. I had really just resigned myself to a monthly pedicure and the Dr. Scholl's pedi egg/feet balm routine in-between, but it's so much work and never looks that great anyway. It's essentially ready to go, you open the package, which has an easy open piece on the back, and use it. It takes 4 AA batteries, which were included and loaded. I have rechargeable batteries that I will use hereafter. The rotating buffer head is similar to sandpaper and it just sloughs off all the crap. I've used it three days in a row, and will keep using it until the callouses have receded (I thought of doing before and after photos, but no one needs a scare this early in the morning!). You can purchase their foot cream (I didn't because I wanted to see how well the product worked first) and there are head replacements for when it gets too caked with dead skin to work properly. The Pedi Perfect will set you back $50 while the foot cream is $10. Replacement heads are $20. In my honest opinion, this is a bargain! If you have horrible feet like me, use this product! Easy to use, works great...worth every penny!
The Amope Pedi Perfect foot buffer is, I am just going to say it, a godsend for anyone with horrible feet! Cracked, scaly, rough, and calloused feet? Not anymore! Many years ago, in another life, I worked in a packing plant (yuck) and wearing those god-awful boots did a number to my heels that I've never been able to correct. I've tried every remedy under the sun, spending many dollars in the process, trying to make my heels not look so hideous. I had really just resigned myself to a monthly pedicure and the Dr. Scholl's pedi egg/feet balm routine in-between, but it's so much work and never looks that great anyway. It's essentially ready to go, you open the package, which has an easy open piece on the back, and use it. It takes 4 AA batteries, which were included and loaded. I have rechargeable batteries that I will use hereafter. The rotating buffer head is similar to sandpaper and it just sloughs off all the crap. I've used it three days in a row, and will keep using it until the callouses have receded (I thought of doing before and after photos, but no one needs a scare this early in the morning!). You can purchase their foot cream (I didn't because I wanted to see how well the product worked first) and there are head replacements for when it gets too caked with dead skin to work properly. The Pedi Perfect will set you back $50 while the foot cream is $10. Replacement heads are $20. In my honest opinion, this is a bargain! If you have horrible feet like me, use this product! Easy to use, works great...worth every penny!
March 15, 2015
Hike at Hitchcock Nature Center
We found a new trail at one of our favorite spots today, and we loved it.
$5 Dollar Tree Challenge
So yesterday I walked into a Dollar Tree with $5 and a mission: find some decent makeup. Here's how I did. (BTW, I'm using my grandmother's embroidery for the background.)
I found these eyeshadows! Look at those cool looking L.A. Colors shades! I like the speckling, and I'm guessing they help the eyeshadow with effects. I've heard of these before, and they had a few different shades so I tried to pick one that has colors for different seasons. Then I found the NYC eyeshadow, and I got excited. I've been looking for a good dark green/orangey-brown type combo, and this was it. I already have a couple of NYC shadows and I like them so this was a good find.
Next I found an L.A. Colors compact for my purse, a must have! Then I found a Milani lip liner. They only had two colors, #10 which was kind of brown, and the #7 which is burgundy and the one I purchased. It should go good with several of my lips colors, so I can't wait to try that out. Lastly, I grabbed this small Nivea Creme, perfect for my purse. It's really creamy and thick. Good stuff.
It's always nice to find some bargain makeup to add to your collection. Try out the $5 challenge and let me know how you did!
I found these eyeshadows! Look at those cool looking L.A. Colors shades! I like the speckling, and I'm guessing they help the eyeshadow with effects. I've heard of these before, and they had a few different shades so I tried to pick one that has colors for different seasons. Then I found the NYC eyeshadow, and I got excited. I've been looking for a good dark green/orangey-brown type combo, and this was it. I already have a couple of NYC shadows and I like them so this was a good find.
Next I found an L.A. Colors compact for my purse, a must have! Then I found a Milani lip liner. They only had two colors, #10 which was kind of brown, and the #7 which is burgundy and the one I purchased. It should go good with several of my lips colors, so I can't wait to try that out. Lastly, I grabbed this small Nivea Creme, perfect for my purse. It's really creamy and thick. Good stuff.It's always nice to find some bargain makeup to add to your collection. Try out the $5 challenge and let me know how you did!
March 14, 2015
Opeth and In Flames
Some photos from the 12/03/14 concert at Sokol Auditorium. I'm a big fan of metal, and have been since age 14. Opeth is one of my favorites, so I jumped on tickets to see them as soon as they were available last summer. They headlined with In Flames, whom I'm just kind of meh about, but they were really great live. My husband and I took our 15 year old son whose love for metal only really extends to Opeth. :D It was an awesome show overall! #opeth #omaha
Schramm State Park
The kids and I were out the other day enjoying the beautiful weather at Schramm State Park, which is close by.
Vegan Cheese!
The other day when I posted my recipe for my Oatonut milk, I talked about making vegan cheese. Over the holidays, I purchased a couple of cookbooks from The Gentle Chef, one being The Non-Dairy Evolution Cookbook. This cookbook is amazing! It has lots of recipes for cheeses, butter, sour cream, and all things a carnivore needs in order to survive. I made the Extra-Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, and it was finally ready for consumption a few days ago. I made two molds, one I've about completely demolished on some yummy seed crackers, while the other I'm letting age for awhile longer.
The other cheese I have shown is my homemade vegan parmesan. It's delicious and adds great flavor to most any savory dish. I use this a lot. While I cannot post the recipe for the Extra-Sharp White Cheddar due to copyright laws, I would suggest you purchase the cookbook for yourself. You can find it on amazon for a decent price here. While I can't give you that recipe, I can give you the one for my homemade vegan parmesan.
H.A. Larson's Homemade Vegan Parmesan
In a food processor, add the following ingredients:
1 c. cashews (I prefer cashews, but you can use any nut or seed you like.)
2-3 T. nutritional yeast
1-2 T. flax seed meal (or whole flax seeds)
1 t. salt
1 t. granulated garlic
1 t. granulated onion
Whiz until completely mixed and has the consistency of sand. I store in the refrigerator because nut oils can go rancid if not eaten quickly, but if you go through it as quickly as I do, you can store in the cupboard.
The other cheese I have shown is my homemade vegan parmesan. It's delicious and adds great flavor to most any savory dish. I use this a lot. While I cannot post the recipe for the Extra-Sharp White Cheddar due to copyright laws, I would suggest you purchase the cookbook for yourself. You can find it on amazon for a decent price here. While I can't give you that recipe, I can give you the one for my homemade vegan parmesan.
H.A. Larson's Homemade Vegan Parmesan
In a food processor, add the following ingredients:
1 c. cashews (I prefer cashews, but you can use any nut or seed you like.)
2-3 T. nutritional yeast
1-2 T. flax seed meal (or whole flax seeds)
1 t. salt
1 t. granulated garlic
1 t. granulated onion
Whiz until completely mixed and has the consistency of sand. I store in the refrigerator because nut oils can go rancid if not eaten quickly, but if you go through it as quickly as I do, you can store in the cupboard.
March 13, 2015
Drugstore Haul
Today I went to the drugstore to get some things, and I thought I would share with you what I got.
First up: Garnier remover wipes. I know I already own two, but I just *need* another one, and like the Burt's Bees one I already own, this one is fine for using on eyes. Then I bought two Conair hair items, a wide de-tangling comb and a wide brush. I use a similar comb to this already and it's my absolute favorite. Unfortunately it's old and getting warped from all the time it's spent traveling so a new one was necessary. I also got myself a two-sided makeup mirror to sit on my makeup table. This one has a 3x magnify on one side, and regular on the other. Perfect for eye makeup, and a good addition to the mirror I already have on the table.
I already have cleansing pads, but these are nice and big. Then I have a pack of cheap, disposable eye makeup applicators. I got some Wet 'n Wild concealer for uneven skin tone which is more of a problem now that I'm older. My old one is a goner, so a new one was necessary. The pink stick underneath that is a nice pink blossom color balm. It's a good spring color and it was inexpensive as it's also Wet 'n Wild so I nabbed that. Then I got another Wet 'n Wild product, an eyebrow pencil with brush. I do not like the eyebrow pencils I currently have, so I'm hoping this one works much better. Last, but not least, the Revlon eyeliner liquid pen-brush. I absolutely adore this eyeliner and I was out. 'Nuff said!
I was super excited to see the L'Oreal Infallible Matte foundation and finishing powder at the drugstore! I've been looking for this (although not super hard as I don't shop *that* much) and am excited to try. Again, as I get older I need foundation with better coverage. I like the shades they have too, looks pretty easy to find your perfect color. I tried to get one that would be a good mix between my winter and spring skin color. Last, I have another Wet 'n Wild product: eyeshadow primer. I only started using this product not terribly long ago, and the one I have ran out. I've had a hard time locating one that didn't cost a fortune, so I was happy to find this one. Good price too.
I use Suave hair products regularly, but I was intrigued by the Hask Mint & Almond Oil thickening shampoo and conditioner. I'm trying to stay away from products that have silicone and Suave is a guilty party. Anyway, the Hask was on sale and as I have thin hair with grey "highlights" I thought I'd give this a try. I love the way mint and almond oil smell, so there's that too. I also grabbed some flexible hold Garnier Fructis hairspray. I style my hair lightly, and this works great for that. It allows me to spray and scrunch without gluing my hair.
Last on the decks, I got some Carmex hydrating lotion for my heels and my hands. I find the Carmex line works well for both. The last item is the Amope Pedi Perfect electric foot buffer, and oh em gee, I so want to use this! I saw this advertised on tv, and if you're anything like me, you have horrible, dry, cracked heels. I've tried every product on the market, and as you saw from a previous beauty bin, I use the Dr. Scholl's foot egg and some food salve. It's a lot of work to buff feet though, and I never get them completely smooth. I will use and review the Amope for another post.
And there you have it! My drugstore haul. Have a great day!!
First up: Garnier remover wipes. I know I already own two, but I just *need* another one, and like the Burt's Bees one I already own, this one is fine for using on eyes. Then I bought two Conair hair items, a wide de-tangling comb and a wide brush. I use a similar comb to this already and it's my absolute favorite. Unfortunately it's old and getting warped from all the time it's spent traveling so a new one was necessary. I also got myself a two-sided makeup mirror to sit on my makeup table. This one has a 3x magnify on one side, and regular on the other. Perfect for eye makeup, and a good addition to the mirror I already have on the table.
I already have cleansing pads, but these are nice and big. Then I have a pack of cheap, disposable eye makeup applicators. I got some Wet 'n Wild concealer for uneven skin tone which is more of a problem now that I'm older. My old one is a goner, so a new one was necessary. The pink stick underneath that is a nice pink blossom color balm. It's a good spring color and it was inexpensive as it's also Wet 'n Wild so I nabbed that. Then I got another Wet 'n Wild product, an eyebrow pencil with brush. I do not like the eyebrow pencils I currently have, so I'm hoping this one works much better. Last, but not least, the Revlon eyeliner liquid pen-brush. I absolutely adore this eyeliner and I was out. 'Nuff said!
I was super excited to see the L'Oreal Infallible Matte foundation and finishing powder at the drugstore! I've been looking for this (although not super hard as I don't shop *that* much) and am excited to try. Again, as I get older I need foundation with better coverage. I like the shades they have too, looks pretty easy to find your perfect color. I tried to get one that would be a good mix between my winter and spring skin color. Last, I have another Wet 'n Wild product: eyeshadow primer. I only started using this product not terribly long ago, and the one I have ran out. I've had a hard time locating one that didn't cost a fortune, so I was happy to find this one. Good price too.
I use Suave hair products regularly, but I was intrigued by the Hask Mint & Almond Oil thickening shampoo and conditioner. I'm trying to stay away from products that have silicone and Suave is a guilty party. Anyway, the Hask was on sale and as I have thin hair with grey "highlights" I thought I'd give this a try. I love the way mint and almond oil smell, so there's that too. I also grabbed some flexible hold Garnier Fructis hairspray. I style my hair lightly, and this works great for that. It allows me to spray and scrunch without gluing my hair.
Last on the decks, I got some Carmex hydrating lotion for my heels and my hands. I find the Carmex line works well for both. The last item is the Amope Pedi Perfect electric foot buffer, and oh em gee, I so want to use this! I saw this advertised on tv, and if you're anything like me, you have horrible, dry, cracked heels. I've tried every product on the market, and as you saw from a previous beauty bin, I use the Dr. Scholl's foot egg and some food salve. It's a lot of work to buff feet though, and I never get them completely smooth. I will use and review the Amope for another post. And there you have it! My drugstore haul. Have a great day!!
New Book Update!
So, my second book "The Melody" is only a few weeks away from completion! I'm so excited, you have no idea. It's definitely a good book, and it is a reflection of my growth as an author. I can't wait for you all to read it! I will be giving away my first book "Cold" for a couple of days before I publish "The Melody" so make sure you keep updated on the happenings. You can subscribe to this blog, or you can follow me on facebook. The links for both are located right over here ----> on the right-hand side of my blog.
Also, here's a peek at the cover for my forthcoming book of poetry, titled "Deep, Dark, and Lovely." It's a bit darker than some poetry, so don't be expecting all the flowery stuff. It's going to be at a delicious price of only $0.99...can't beat that! Have a fantastic day!
Also, here's a peek at the cover for my forthcoming book of poetry, titled "Deep, Dark, and Lovely." It's a bit darker than some poetry, so don't be expecting all the flowery stuff. It's going to be at a delicious price of only $0.99...can't beat that! Have a fantastic day!
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March 12, 2015
Lake Cunningham
Walked around by Lake Cunningham yesterday evening. As you can see, it was gorgeous! I was happy to catch that perfect photo of the Sun setting. 
