five friday favorites #1: week of oct. 10, 2014

My sister (who has become my blogging champion of late and should really begin blogging herself) recently came up with a list of things I should blog about. On that list? Friday Favorites. I've noticed other bloggers doing them, but I'd never really thought about it. Until now. So today begins my Five Friday Favorites--five things I'm enjoying this week. I'm linking up with Heather from Housewife Glamour, so when you're finished here, head on over and check out the other Friday Favorites posts!

1. The Flash
I am absolutely loving Forever, starring the always dashing Ioan Gruffudd, and until earlier this week, I would have said that was my favorite new show. Then I watched The Flash. It's so fun! Within the first 10 minutes both Dawson Leery's dad (who played the Flash on a short-lived series in the early 90's) and Ed showed up. And I know that Michael, Linc, and T-Bag from Prison Break will be on later this season. It always makes me happy to see actors from dearly departed shows! And Grant Gustin as The Flash? He's just so darn likable! But what captured me most was the tone of the show. It's light and fun. Even though this is a DC show, it has that Marvel movie feel to it--think The Avengers.

2. Dutch Butter Cake--GF Baking Fail
The other day, this recipe from Kevin & Amanda popped up in my Facebook feed. It looked so good ... but it wasn't gluten free. I decided to make it anyway and just substitute in the same amount (by weight) of my gluten free flour blend. I did this even though I've yet to successfully adapt a recipe--I do much better when I make a recipe that's been designed to be gluten free. Well, this recipe most certainly didn't turn out like it was supposed to. It's very soft on the top and bottom (like fine sand) and really hard in the middle. But boy does it taste good! Obviously, I won't be taking it to any potlucks, but I'm enjoying eating it at home. (And I bet the kind made with all purpose flour is to die for ...)

3. Orange & Spice Herbal Tea
I lived with my grandparents for a semester after high school, and my grandma had this cupboard that was full of tea. I can't recall her ever drinking tea except for plain iced tea, but her cupboard was well stocked. (Come to think of it, maybe she had her tea at breakfast and I just never knew because my grandparents ate breakfast way earlier than I did!) At the time, I was just discovering a love for coffee, and I had no interest in tea if it wasn't iced. Now, though, I love tea. I recently purchased an herbal tea variety pack, and I discovered that the Orange & Spice tea tastes exactly like my grandma's cupboard smelled! I miss my grandma a lot, and now when I drink my tea, I think of her.

4. Fresh Prince Online Quiz
If you're a child of the 90's, then this quiz is very easy ... but it's oh so fun! Thanks to Jen for sharing it on Facebook!

5. Big & Daring Volume Mascara
In the past several years, I've become a big fan of Avon cosmetics. I used to think Avon was just for old ladies (probably because my grandma had lots of Avon products), but I've since learned that Avon is awesome! My most recent find is the Big & Daring Volume Mascara. I tried it simply because it was cheaper than my regular mascara, but I've fallen in love. Here's the thing: it actually stays on! My mascara always, always, always winds up under my eyes. Think raccoon eyes. But this stuff stays in place!

There are my five! What things are you enjoying this week?

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my (current) favorite things, march 2013 edition

It's been a very long time since I've done a "favorite things" post ... though I do have two that I started to write last year and never posted! Here are some things I've been enjoying lately:

• French press coffee. Last week, I finally bought a French press. I'd been wanting one for a while, but I just never got around to buying one. What took me so long? French press coffee is awesome! Plus, I can make however much (or little) I want. I ended up getting the Primula Classic Glass 8-Cup Coffee Press, and I'm glad I got it when I did—the price has jumped $7 since I ordered it!
• My cats. I've been pretty silent about them on the blog lately, but they're still here, and I still love them! I'm not sure if Isis will ever forgive me for taking away her chance to be a mother, but the changes in Hammond and Skaara since I got them fixed have more than made up for whatever hatred Isis shoots my way! Also, Sam is still around—she's the stray who showed up last fall looking like she was at death's door. She's fully recovered and is now definitely one of the crew ... though I wouldn't find myself heartbroken if she disappeared! (Hammond is another story. When I lose him, my heart will break.)

See those eyes? They are definitely not saying, "I love you, Becky!"

• Pushing Daisies. Several years ago, my cousin Beth told me I should watch Pushing Daisies because I'd really like it. I didn't really want to join a show mid-season, so I just filed away her recommendation. Then the show got canceled, and I forgot about it. A few days ago, I was looking for something to watch before bed. Netflix didn't have anything that called to me, so I checked out Amazon Prime Instant Video. And there it was: Pushing Daisies. I watched the first episode and was entranced. (I blogged about the episode here.) Pushing Daisies is whimsical, funny, and beautifully filmed. If you have Prime, you should definitely check it out! 
• Chicken pizza. I recently "invented" the most divine (and simple) chicken pizza. It can be made in 20 minutes, start to finish. It tastes wonderful, and it's actually pretty healthy! Look for the recipe on the blog soon.
• Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. My sister Val introduced me to this primer when we visited for Thanksgiving. It is absolutely wonderful! I bought my own just before Christmas, and I'm still on the first bottle ... so even though it costs $36, it lasts a long time! (I only use it on days I wear foundation. On other days, I use Avon's MagiX Face Perfector. At $10 a bottle, it's a bit more economical!)
• Lizzie Bennet diaries. I first heard about this YouTube series on Annie Downs' blog. It's fantastic! Check out the first episode below, and then I'm sure you'll want to watch more. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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