15 awesome links from around the internet // but seriously, you should be reading these things!

FRIDAY!
that means that tomorrow is saturday.
and that means that its my race day!
i feel like i am in a pretty great head-space ; not sure how my body will feel ; but i am ready to go!
i will be sure to recap everything next week!

lets talk about awesome links // recipes // products // articles from around the internet!
i use to do these all the time ; but havent posted one for a few weeks.
they really are one of my favorite posts to write!

things you should be reading //
1) do you have any unopened bars of soap at home? {either full-size or from a hotel} you can donate them here & help save a childs life!
2) ready for fall baking? how about coffee cake bread?!
3) you know i love random acts of kindness // 7 ways to make someone elses day
4) biking is contagious!!! i believe that humans are 'bike curious' ; the comments are great, too!
5) 8 foods you should NOT keep in the fridge! {i am certainly guilty of a few of these!}
6) i love a good list : here are 15 books to put on your must-read list
7) women bikers! REJOICE! right now, there is a kickstarter campaign to create these super cute {and awesome} underwear with padding! no more looking like youre wearing a soggy diaper!! the campaign ends in a few days, so if you are interested, head here!

8) fellow twin cities blogger, missy wrote this really powerful post about the food we purchase, consume & feed our children and why it really does matter. bonus : the comments are really great! for me personally, i am a huge believer in always shopping small, local & organic! that includes clothes, body care products, items for daphne and more! {i could talk about this issue for hours!}
9) locally grown clothing company has so many cute shirts ; men, women AND baby! all shirts are printed in iowa & all shirts are made in the us!

10) maybe i have posted this before ; but its always good to go back to : 99 ways to increase your blog traffic
11) got a dog? here are 33 dog toys you can make with things you already have laying around!
12) the fitspo movement really drives me bonkers {you know ; the photos that bash body image while showing extremely tiny women...} // here are 6 fitspo images and lots of reason to get upset!
13) i know that school is already back in session ; but here is a really huge list of all 'school supply'-related products that are made in the US
14) yay! this print is from help ink ; for each $5 you spend, they donate $1 to charity. i have a few things from them & they are great!

15) i celebrated my 100th act of kindness with a super-awesome flash mob! here

links from around the internet // things you dont want to miss

happy wednesday, everybody!
as i am writing this ; its dark, dreary & raining ; perfect 'stay-in-bed-and-nap-all-day-weather.'
but instead, ill share all these great links with you ;)
so many great articles i hope you check out!

1) yes, you can feed a family of 3 on a food stamp budget. this is really great article from bon appetite.

2) the top 10 mistakes DRIVERS make around bikers

3) also bike related : why bikers really aren't that special & they shouldn't play be their own rules ; this one is really good.

4) yoga lover? this site is great. pick the type of yoga you enjoy & find tons of great gift ideas.

5) isnt this print cute? they have tons more on their site. bonus : $5 from each sale goes to charity [you get to pick where your money goes!]

6) do you have a CSA share? here are 7 tips for managing your share. [these are really great tips!]

7) if you live in minnesota [or plan on visiting] & want to spend some time on a bike ; this website is a must-have. [also, go check out their pedal mn videos!]

8) got a cat-loving kid in your life? these crayons are so cute. [also, made in the us!]

9) love farmers markets? how about a super sweet handwoven basket made from elephant grass?! they are beautiful & provide income for women in ghana. here

10) interested in supporting clothing companies that dont use slave // child labor [i really hope this is a yes!] here are 10 ethically made clothing brands

11) this article makes me so happy! in europe, they are bringing back 'suspended coffee.' folks can pay for their own coffee then pay a bit more for someone in need. if you are having a bum day or low on money, your coffee is free ; with the intention that when you can, you will pay it forward.

12) head over to my kindness blog ; i am sharing a video that will change your life. [it sounds dramatic ; i swear its true!]

just in case you missed it : my favorite posts of the month

tuesday today! woo hoo! another 70* day here in minnesota [we have had a few in a row]. they are saying SNOW tomorrow!

not to toot my own horn [tooooot] but i am pretty proud of my blog posts this past month.
when i first started blogging, i felt like i needed to blog every day to keep people interested and coming back. now, i feel like i am finally blogging about things that are important to me. and if that means only posting 3 days a week ; but having 3 posts with good content, i am okay with that.

so, in case you missed it ; here are my favorite posts of the month :

1) i started a new series called 'yep, its made here.' each week, i share products of a certain theme, all of which are made in the usa. this month, i shared food, kitchen items & products for the gardener.

2) i also shared a few dog-related posts. daphne reviewed her march bark box. we talked about biodegradable poop bags & a super-easy 3-ingredient homemade dog treat recipe.

3) and because i love sharing good articles // recipes // products from other places ; here & here are a list of links you should check out! and a list of 3 books you should be reading.

4) i am a big fan of no-bake recipes ; here are 7 that we have been making // eating around here.

5) love t-shirts? this is my type of fashion post ; the 7 tops in my closet rotation.

6) fallen off the fitness wagon? [it happens to all of us!] here are tips to hop back on! [you can do it!!]

7) and because the boston bombing broke all our hearts ; i wrote a post with 26 simple acts of kindness to prove that being a good human is easy and love always wins.

hooray for moving on to a new month ; come on may!
im super excited for this month ; bike rides, a new blog project [so excited to get it up & running!], camping, spending time with the ladies in my family, and a yoga challenge that im hoping will allow me to sleep through the night [its been almost 2 months on minimal sleep!] & allow me to find my center.

see you tomorrow!

things you should be reading : 12 links from around the internet

happy tuesday, everybody!
ive stepped away from the blog for a few days & feel super refreshed coming back.
i am working on creating a NEW blog [ill keep this one going] & i am super excited about it.
more on that, soon.

today, i have some really great links to share from around the web!
here we go :

1) have some old leggings laying around? or see a pair on clearance? make them awesome with this DIY painted leggings tutorial. [i am SO doing this!]

2) looking for a simple window box to plant your herbs // flowers // veggies in this spring // summer? this kickstarter is happening right now! [we are buying the chalkboard window box ; i have big ideas!!]

3) do you know dogshaming? its a website that is updated daily with pictures of cute pups doing naughty things. these two posts make me think of daphne ; here // here.

4) are you a fresh-food-waster? [it happens to the best of us..] here are a few tips to use up all your produce before it goes bad.

5) these are silly! 20 of the coolest doorstops on the planet.

6) gala darling has a really great recipe for 'green juice for beginners.' i have wanted to start juicing for a long time ; but i want to make a couple more car payments, before i buy a juicer..

7) julie has a round-up of 9 really awesome garden DIY projects.

8) hey lady bikers! this is a great article about building your bike-confidence!

9) kate wrote a really beautiful post about the meaning of food & how the pain of hunger can change our perspective. 

10) oh yeah! are vegans privileged and out of touch? 

11) maybe you have already donated, but here are a bunch of memorial // funding pages for some of the folks that were injured // killed in boston. [i dont have them all listed. feel free to link up any more you know of in the comments!]
patrick & jess // jeff bauman // the white family //  celeste & sydney // the family of martin richard // the lu lingzi scholarship fund 

12) so many people wrote posts about boston ; but i just wanted to share the two that resonated the most with me. this one by peter segal [he ran as a guide for a man with visual-imparement & he hosts 'wait, wait' on npr] & this one 'the people who watch marathons.'
also, i wrote a post, as well. '26.2 acts of kindness to honor those in boston' 

see you tomorrow!
be a bit nicer than usual today!!

15 awesome links from around the internet! : cool things you should be reading

happy monday, everybody!
have a good weekend?
i have a bunch of awesome links to share with you today.
food, vegan, bike, health & wellness-related [ya know, all things i love...]
lets do it!

1) beer drinker? [im not, blake is] this site has TONS [&tons] of cooking // baking recipes using BEER!

2) ever wonder what it takes to make a quarter-pound burger? [no graphic / scary images. just a few super awesome info-graphics]

3) this is an rad [&cool looking] chart to answer the question 'how long will this fruit // veggie last?'

4) as someone who is naturally independent, i *still* struggle at times with the idea of being in a long-term relationship. i almost got divorced is a great blog post.

5) one of my '101 in 1001 things' is to soak my own beans & stop buying canned beans [seriously, its easy&cheap]. here is a super-simple guide to soaking//cooking your own beans.

6) yes yes yes! why i dont buy girl scout cookies! also, here is my recipe for vegan thin mints.

7) looking for a new job? here are 5 reasons your resume will get tossed to the side. 

8) the USDA is considering adding greek yogurt into the national school lunch program. thoughts? [i think anything with more protein // less sugar is a good thing for kids, but the higher the demand, the more cows that are being artificially inseminated & mistreated][the majority of dairy cows are treated so poorly!]

9) please go look at this! 10 world landmarks reflected in BUBBLES! [so beautiful!]

10) looking to be a better blogger? 58 tips to improve your blog & dazzle your readers.

11) want to know more about CSAs? this article focuses on CSAs & small farms in the Twin Cities, but its a good read for everyone that is interested in supporting small, local farmers.

12) raising daughters while battling the 'princess' culture. i love this stuff. seriously. the sociology of princess culture fascinates me..

13) yay! the best biking infographic i have seen so far. why YOU should be biking!

14) another awesome food article ; why do so many people think they need gluten-free foods?

15) did you know i use to be a behavior therapist at an autism school? autism is still super close to my heart. scientists recently created a virtual 'game' called auti-sim & its incredible. it stimulates what it is like for a child on the spectrum to be on a playground with other children. its here.

hopefully, you have found some awesome blogs // articles from this list.
anything awesome YOU found this week? id love to read it!
see you tomorrow!

9 links from around the web [necklaces, articles, projects & recipes]

hi everybody!
i have been creating some *really* awesome gift guides to share in the next couple weeks & havent been posting as much as id like.
be excited ; so many rad gift ideas coming.

before we do that : i have some links you should check out.

1) love naan bread? [me too!] here is a super-easy recipe to follow to make it at home.

2) coffee lover in your life? [one of my gift guides will be FULL of options for your coffee-lover] regular coffee is a subscription-based coffee with amazing packaging!

3) short on time, but determined to stick with your fitness goals? [i hear ya!] here are 15 full-body workouts you can do in UNDER 15 minutes! [seriously, everybody has 15 min]

4) whole living has a super easy-to-follow slideshow with 40 tips on living more sustainably. i would LOVE to hear which ones you practice and which ones you are working on for the future.

5) need a story that will warm your heart? this man + his dog were a bit of a sensation a few months back. and this is the follow up story. i cry every time.

6) the new year is coming! [seriously, in like, 5 weeks!!] one of your new years goals to eat better? maybe phase out meat and dairy? maybe actually go [gulp!] vegan?! ;) the vegan 101 series will make things not-so-scary!

7) can somebody tell blake that this barbell necklace is on my birthday list? [its in 2 weeks!!]

8) are you looking for a new font? here are 26 free, retro-inspired ones.

9) do you buy fair // equal-trade coffee? wonder what the big deal is about 'shade grown'? here is a small article about WHY the coffee you buy REALLY matters! [also, when you go into your favorite chain-coffee shop, dont forget to bring your reusable mug! americans throw away MILLIONS of those silly cups every season wasting money, energy, oil & resources]

do you have any articles to share?

ten things worth reading! : rad links to check out on a friday!

happy friday, everybody!
if you signed up for the holiday doggy gift swap ; the emails will go out later this morning. [woo hoo]

lots of great links // articles // clothes // projects floating around on the internet, lately.
here we go :

1) one of my november goals is to start making my own bread. first on my list? this raspberry dark chocolate bread.

2) while making my holiday // birthday list, i found two great shirts. this one from PETA & this one from the human rights campaign! [did you know that minnesota made 'gay-marriage' history on tuesday?! first state ever to vote AGAINST amending the constitution over same-sex marriage!?]

3) etsy shop // small biz owner? here are 47 tips to get your shop 'holiday ready'.

4) love chocolate? and coffee? and baking? awesome recipe for chocolate chip ground-coffee cookies![these would make a great, little hostess // friend // office gift]

5) still eating fast food? feeding your kids happy meals? read this ; the scary life of whats really in a happy meal. [note : this is NOT about animal welfare ; its about the preservatives // chemicals in food]

6) thinking about going vegetarian?! good news!! this article says youll live longer!

7) kyla has a HUGE list of awesome podcasts that can change your life & fix your focus!

8) over on the honest blog [we ordered 8 of their eco-life products ; from dishsoap to eco-dryer sheets & we are in love!] ; there are a few great recipes for homemade dog toys // treats // shampoos // cleaners.

9) looking for a few awesome gift ideas? here are 27 gifts that you can give in a jar! 

10) finally, if you are an animal lover ; consider donating $10 to animal shelters that are still recovering from superstorm sandy. shelters & rescues need food, water & extra resources. here is a google search page FULL of different org that are looking [needing!] donations.

there you go!
read good things. do good things.
if you have any links to share ; please leave them in the comments!

things you should be reading : more great links from around the web :

happy friday!
im running a little behind on blog posts this week.
[how in the world do all of you DO EVERYTHING?!]

today, i have some really fun links from around the web.

1) do you eat beans? how about a super-simple guide to soaking your own? [its easy & you will save money & keep the extra sodium OUT of your diet!]

2) do you know where your chocolate is coming from? [i beg you to do some research] : here is a helpful chocolate scorecard.

3) in a blogging rut? kam has a list of 365 blog ideas for only $5! [i am def buying my copy today]

4) planting season is over for most of us ; but these painted planters are so cute!

5) these are by far the coolest cookies i have ever seen! seriously ; they are spitting images of the toys we played with when we were kids!

6) ever heard of camp clothing?! they sell awesome vintage-inspired clothing [the hoodies are my favorite] : check out their pieces here

7) have any vintage bedsheets laying around? [me too] : here is a list of 10 rad things to do with them. [the christmas stockings and napkins are my favorite] if you dont have vintage sheets, i suggest a second hand store!

8) blue cross // blue shield of minnesota just released two new anti-obseity ads & theyre getting some heat for 'fat shaming' : i would LOVE to hear your thoughts on the topic // ad. a new study said that half [!!] of all minnesotans will be obese by 2030. blue cross // blue shield has done some really amazing things for health // wellness in minnesota! personally, i think the ads are really powerful & i totally support them.

9) dog owner? one of my next 'crafting with daphne' projects will be this reflective vest for night running // walks.

10) and did you see the HUGE mess daphne made when she broke out of her crate?

11) last week i asked 'how are you making yourself better?' ; id love to hear from you!

happy weekend!

things you should be reading : week 3 : rad links worth checking out!

happy friday!
it officially feels like fall here in minneapolis.
daphne has been wearing her dog-hoodie at night & i have been wearing my mittens while biking to work in the mornings.

we bought a car this week. and traded in my old one. i will say that i cried like a baby to leave my car behind. my car & i have been together for almost 10 years. through breakups, funerals, cross-country moves & other life happenings. we are so excited to have a new, safer [and responsible!] vehicle ; but leaving my car was like saying goodbye to a sorely missed friend.

how about some rad links to kick off your weekend?!

*dog lover? i recently found this 'dog-blog' & its amazing. beautiful photos, awesome stories & fun dog-projects. the posts are written from the view of the dog & they are so fun. the dogs are mostly rescue pit bulls ; which i love. [did you know that daphne is part pit bull?!]

*speaking of dogs ; are you looking to buy a silly hat for your dog?! dont tell blake, but daphne might be getting this hat for her dog-birthday! [plus, we live in minnesota ; home of the vikings. and she already has a purple hoodie...]

*need another reason to exercise and stay healthy? this is a super scary article about the obesity epidemic & the future ; if we dont do anything about it.

*7 free [and totally easy!] ways to reuse and recycle

*learn how to [easily] make your own toothpaste here! [note : some glycerin is animal-based. if you want vegan toothpaste [which you should because ; helllllo no animal should suffer because you want clean teeth!] ; i would search online for vegetable-based glycerin]

*need a laugh? 63 reasons why boy bands were better in the 90s. some of the pictures are ridiculously awesome.

*this is a great info-graphic on the specifics of buying organic. who is buying? how much money do they have? and why is organic so important? [note : i am a huge advocate for organic products. if it was grown // made from anything in a field & its not organic, it was sprayed with pesticides. chemicals & poisons meant to KILL things. chemicals and poisons you then put in your body. not good.]

*25 places to donate your stuff.

*45 heathy foods to make and NEVER buy again! 

* 11 things to do [and not to do] when you are burnt out. [i feel like i need to write this article on everything i touch // see throughout the day]

*and here are 13 links i have posted before [all worth checking // re-checking] ;)

happy weekend!
any great articles you found this week that you want to share?!

: things you should be reading : week 2 : rad links around the internet :

friday!!
what are you up to this weekend?
i now have three jobs [more on that later!], so i have been working like crazy, but we have a friend in town from portland, so im excited to show him a good time!

how about some rad links from around the internet?

*this kickstarter campaign gives new meaning to the phrase 'seed money'

*these rain boots are super dreamy & totally on my 'need this winter' list

*i have big plans for this instagram wall canvas project from elsie

*drea shared a bunch of her favorite vegan beauty products [shes got great taste ;)]

*SUCH a powerful article about the environmental impact of bananas [i highly suggest you read this if you & your fam eat bananas]

*8 habits of highly successful bloggers

*studies show that pet owners are 'greener people' ; do you agree?

*in a partnership? 5 tips to make your marriage [relationship!] last

*still need to complete your good deed for the day? how about sending a postcard to a terminally ill child? [i think we will make postcards with daphnes face & send out a bunch. everybody loves a puppy, right?]

*this is SUCH a rad video about biking in minnesota!

*i make this chocolate smoothie a few times a week.

*how about a bright, beautiful, healthy summer salad?

*these bike-friendly notebooks are totally adorbs!

what do you think?
anything great YOU have found on the internet this week?

: things you should be reading : week 1 : lots 'o links! :

happy friday!
minneapolis-pantz is takin' a break this week.
why? because i have found so many rad links // stories i want to share.
each week kam, gala & deanna do link ups & i totally love them.

this week :
*25 great answers [foods!] to the question 'how do vegans get their calcium?'

*a really great article about why you DONT need milk from mark bittman

* how about personal-sized oatmeal cups?

*99 foods that should be in your grocery cart

* vegan banana oat breakfast cookies make a fab on-the-go meal

* 8 uses for old coffee grounds [this is a great list!]

* a 10 minute workout for tanktop arms

* want to learn how to span photos? [me too!]

* whew! 30 things you DONT have to do before you are 30! [thank you very much!]

* do you own a dog? how about a homemade frosty paws recipe?!

* martha stewart wants you to relax! learn to make bath fizzies!

* some powerful info-graphics breaking down a nation of meat eaters.

* 9 easy things to make yourself a better human

* and a sweet little article about the greatness of yet another farmers market in minneapolis [in my neighborhood!]

have a great weekend, everybody!