Life with Camille: July 2012

Mystery Fruit!

Do you know what star gooseberry are? At first, it was a mystery fruit to me.

I saw these gems at a local Asian food market and thought I'd try them. I'm always up for trying new things!

Apparently these fruits grow on a tree in India or Madagascar or the Malay Islands.

There are many health benefits for this little fruit...
-There is a lot of Vitamin C in this tiny little fruit! It is said to contain 20 times as much Vitamin C as an orange.
-Improves eyesight.
-Increases red blood cells
-Helps to regulate insulin levels. (Great for diabetics!)
-Controls hair loss
-Strengthens heart muscles, thus in turn helping to prevent heart disease

The particular ones I got are pretty tasty, I think because of the slight chili on them.

Have you ever had these fruits before? If so, what did you think??!

Tasty Tuesday - Salmon BLT

It's Tasty Tuesday!

I am going to share with you an oldie but a goodie!

I love reading all of the recipes you link up - they always give me great recipe ideas for the rest of the week. So the recipe I am sharing with you might seem so simply but hopefully it'll serve as a great idea for a great meal coming up!

Salmon BLT

Ingredients:

-Salmon

-Bacon

-Cheese (if you want!)

-Bread

-Lettuce

-Tomato

-Avocado

-Mayonnaise or secret sauce (lemonaise!!)

Directions:

1) Cook salmon on a pan in a little oil...at least four minutes each side. Skin side down first.

2) Cook bacon to your liking. (Pan-fry, bake, or microwave!)

3) Once salmon & bacon are done, put on top of toasted bread.

4) Put cheese, avocado, lettuce, and tomato on top.

5) Top with mayo or my favorite, lemonaise!

2012 Olympics - London

Who else is SO STOKED that another four years have passed and it's time for the Olympics again?!

I thought the Opening Ceremony was great. I've heard a lot of people say it got "weird" and the last rap/dance thing that there was, was a little...odd...not sure what was going on? But I enjoyed the rest of it! Especially the deaf lady who was playing drums and plays by feeling the vibration. What an inspiration! I feel like if you like Broadway/theater, you enjoyed the ceremony.

I've had the Olympics on every moment I've been home - even if it's on in the background. It's hard to pick what's my favorite - gymnastics is for sure up there! I do enjoy the swimming and cycling, too...oh, and soccer! Yeah, hard to pick a favorite.

It's been SO fun to watch, too, since it's in London. I've been to London so it is very mesmerizing to watch, with tons of memories flowing back. (Like the cycling throughout the streets of London!)

What I think is incredibly amazing is the fact that all of these people, from so many different nations, speaking so many different language, can get together in harmony, compete, and fan can enjoy it all as ONE.

That's where true sportsmanship shines through!

Are you enjoying the Olympics as much as me?? If so, what's your favorite sport to watch?!

GO USA!

New Shades

I am always fairly hesitant to shop online. First off, you never know what you're REALLY going to get and second, you never know how customer service will be if you have a problem. (Remember my Sears fiasco?)

I am SO incredibly pleased when I decided to use Firmoo to grab a new pair of shades! The Firmoo customer service is incredibly helpful and just plain nice!! (Shout out to Antonio & Linda for being so awesome!) I had a couple of questions before I chose my final pair and they were more than helpful.

Firmoo is actually known for eye glasses and prescription strength sun glasses. I am blessed with having great eye sight so a prescription was not necessary. They still had some great glasses to pick from, though! There are many different colors available. (I went with plain black & white...call me classy, not boring!;)

I'm happy with the material they are made of...means when they stay in my car and get hot from the good ol' Florida sun, they don't burn my face! I'm very happy with the glasses...the style is cute and when I received them, they were exactly what I ordered!

I have some exciting news for you from Firmoo headquarters, too! There is a "Free for New Buyer" program! With the goal of being able to offer high-quality, affordable, and fashionable eyewear to customers, Firmoo has decided to launch the program! Your first order from Firmoo is absolutely free. They are confident that once you receive your first pair, you will be hooked since their product is so great!

Disclaimer: Firmoo provided me with the sunglasses for me to review. No compensation was given. All opinions are 100% my own and an honest opinion was given.

7.27.12 Letters

dear reader; you never cease to make me smile...thank you for your kind comments. dear Olympics; I am SO super stoked for you to start...cannot wait to watch you! dear potential work; I look forward to you and welcome you with open arms. dear ocean waves; while the surfers certainly aren't happy with you - I am! I love being able to swim in the ocean without enormous waves. dear next step in life; I am so excited for you...I am ready! dear herniated discs; please go away. I want to workout like I used to. dear July; where have you went?!! dear coral & gold nail polish; you look cute together! dear homemade protein bars; yum. You're dangerous. When I make them to sell, I can't help but eating one. (eTsy shop??? Hmmm...) dear cousin; I'm glad you're ok after you're car accident & totaling your car. I'm here if you need me. dear mother; please take it easy so you heal faster!! (And eat more for dinner!) dear five guys who take the same photo for 30 years; you are all a genius. What an incredible testimony to your friendship and creativity! dear God; thank you for all you have blessed me with. Thank you for your guidance & love. I would be no where without you.

Thankful Thursday, 7.26.12

Please show some love & post the button or link back to First Day of My Life :)

Many of you write me a sweet note and tell me how happy you are that I do this link-up...that it makes you realize how blessed you truly are & how much you have to be thankful for. I hope you realize that consequently, it makes ME thankful that I can shine some positivity in your life. Thank you for allowing me with that amazing opportunity :)

So much to be thankful for...

-my new blog design!! I love teaching myself new things.

-having a nice "staycation" last week. (I took my remaining vacation days off so I don't potentially loose them.) It was SO nice to be able to just relax...at home...not worry about having to go to work.

-being able to go to V's soccer game over my "staycation" (usually I'm at work during his game!)

-visiting with one of my old roomies who lives a few a couple hours away...love her!

-having gym members tell me they are going to leave the gym if I no longer work here due to new ownership...warms my heart!

-seeing my sister & hanging out during the weekend...we haven't done that in a while so it was really nice to catch up

-having friends I can vent to...and make me feel less crazy :)

-a local Asian food market that has great prices on produce!

-laughing at something and a friend knowing exactly what you're laughing at

-lots of amazing, special laughs with V <3

-finally trying Bubble Tea! (My thoughts: interesting. I almost choked near the end...ha!)

-finding a new place in town...within walking distance (yay!) -SUPER cute diner

-filling my waffle craving at above diner...yum yum!! I was one happy girl :)

-snuggle time with Jake...and V at my parents house. (Usually Jake doesn't snuggle with you...guess he was in a good mood that day!)

-peaceful sunset beach walks!

-as always - beautiful beach days

-surprise love card & flowers from my love at work :)

What is it that's giving you a thankful heart this week?

Linking up with: Carina, Julia, Sarah

The Little Things Matter

Source: wispythoughts.tumblr.com via Cami on Pinterest

Ironically about a year ago, I blogged about how the little things mean a lot. Each day, I try to remember how important it is to be thankful for the little things. More often than not, it's the little things that make me the happiest.

I was reminded recently how important the little things truly are. A few months ago, one of my favorite clients at work let me know that he has kidney cancer. Only a couple weeks after he told me, his wife came in to say he was going to have to cease coming to the gym since he needed to start with aggressive treatments. I felt it was the right thing to send him a card - a card that would hopefully put a smile on his face.

Just a couple days ago, his son started coming to the gym while he is in town visiting his dad. Do you know what his son told me? That the little card I sent him made him so incredibly happy and that he was so proud of it.

This man is one of the nicest men you will ever meet. Every Christmas he would give all of us a Dunkin Donut gift card and a card...so sweet. He always had a smile on his face and always brought a smile on mine.

But the whole point of this post is to remember that it's the littlest things that can make the biggest difference in someone else's life.

The next time you are debating whether or not you should "waste your time" doing something - take a second to remember what a difference it'll make in their life and what an impact you might have.

Tasty Tuesday: Protein Pancakes

It's Tasty Tuesday!

Link up a delicious recipe! Or one you want to try :) Or fun Pinterest finds!

Protein Pancakes

Ingredients:

6 egg whites

1 cup of rolled oats

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 teaspoons of sugar

1 cup of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese (Greek yogurt has more protein!)

Scoop of protein powder (if desired)

Directions:

1) Add all ingredients to a blender (or in a bowl and use a mixer) and blend ingredients until like liquid.

2) Put a spoonful of mixture onto hot pan on stove.

3) Enjoy as regular pancakes...to be healthy - put fruit on top and enjoy.

I made these on Sunday morning & V didn't even know they were healthy! They are flatter than normal pancakes but they taste delicious.

Let me know what you think if/when you try them :)

Odd Coupon?

I'm not a couponer. I'd love to be, but...I'm not. I don't know where to start...I really don't. BUT! I do try to remember to browse the papers at the grocery store before I go shopping. I always check out the BOGO section, too. I also put the coupons I get that comes out with the receipt (particularly at Target) on the fridge.

I got a rather interesting coupon from Target last week. I actually didn't notice it until I grabbed the coupon to do some shopping.

As you know, I am a big fan of Naked Grape.

This is the interesting coupon I received...

Notice anything...odd?

I know that usually there is some sort of fine print with a coupon...like, "$1 off after spending $15" or something of that sort.

But $1 off of SUNSCREEN with the purchase of Simply Naked Wine.

WHAT?

It would almost make sense if the owner of Simply Naked owned a particular sunscreen company...but you receive $1 off of sunscreen.

Or I guess Simply Naked just wants to make sure sun-goers are being smart this summer?

Since I'm not a huge couponer...is this normal?

Top Five Summer Favorites

I've been asked to blog more about what it's like to live in Florida/live on the beach. Today's post I will dedicate it to my top five summer favorites!

1st Favorite- No Make-Up
Summer time equals tan which equals no make-up! (Or minimal make-up at least!) Getting a nice solid tan minimizes me getting break-outs and obviously evenly out the coloration of my face. It also gives me cute freckles (which I happen to like!)

2nd Favorite- Living in Sun Dresses
Sun dresses are pretty much the most comfortable outfit ever, super cute, AND you can also wear them to any occasion.

3rd Favorite- All Day Beach Days and BBQ's
Obviously, living in Florida (and on the beach!) means a whole lot of beach days. Living on the beach means no issues with fighting to find parking. It also means that everyone wants to come to YOUR place to hang out...makes my life a WHOLE lot easier. ;)
BBQ's are always a blast...especially during the summer. For some reason, I feel like a summer BBQ is better than a fall BBQ.

4th Favorite- Turtle Season
This is where my living in Florida comes out hardcore...summer means turtle season. This means lots of sea turtle nests with the possibility of seeing little baby turtles hatch. I'd LOVE to see that!

5th Favorite- An Excuse to Eat Ice Cream
What do you want when it's hot out? Ice cream! Italian ices! A slurpee! When it's summer time, it's fair game for any cold sweet treat...isn't it?

What are some of your summer favorites?

Thankful Thursday, 7.19.12

Please show some love & post the button or link back to First Day of My Life :)

I am thankful for SO much...I'm going to try to do a Thankful Thursday in photos...

good pandora tunes!

BOGO wine at Publix...especially good wine. I love Naked Grape! I also love BOGO's. I've never had this type before - Moscato - but I'm now a fan!

French manicures. Especially gel manicures. I think it looks sophisticated & sexy. OH and manicure time with a great friend!

delicious dinner at a new restaurant in town I've been wanting to try. We got the best spot in the place!

beautiful Florida skies :)

being blessed enough that he is all mine <3

relaxing at the beach

being told by my love how pretty I look.

the homemade carrot cake I made for my dad's birthday coming out stellar! Everyone told me it was the best they've ever had :)

hanging out with my parents and Jake hanging with V...even though it looks like Jake doesn't really have a choice ;)

feeling incredibly blessed.

What are you thankful for?!

July Birchbox

I keep going back & forth with if I should stay with Birchbox or not. I've had some good Birchbox months and some bad.

This will be my sixth Birchbox so I was hoping I'd have a definite answer of what I'd do. Some have been suggesting MyGlam...what do you think?

OH and for those that don't know, with Birchbox you get 4-6 beauty/lifestyle samples a month for $10. (I guess if anything...at least it's only $10 and I get a smile on my face when I get something in the mail!)

Cami's July Birchbox...

1- Larabar
I'm a fan of Larabars. Especially because they're gluten free. (Not that I need gluten free...but I just think the concept is great.) I've had this flavor before, Banana Foster...I wasn't a big fan. To me, it tasted like overly-ripe bananas. But again, that might just be me.

2- Eyeko - Skinny Liquid Eyeliner
It came in purple. Who wants purple eyeliner? Not me. BUT I do LOVE this eyeliner. It's great! It's full size, too. (I think!) It's a little steep...$15. But I would pay $15 for it because it glides on so gently and stays all day. HOWEVER, when trying to purchase it through Birchbox online, you can only get it in olive or turquoise...I wonder why that is? I just want black. Luckily I am able to get black elsewhere.

3- boscia - Green Tea Blotting Linens
Amazing. What a pretty decent price, too! I used to use the Oil of Olay wipes frequently. I think they came in a pack of 30 (or so) for around $6 - something like that. These come in a pack of 100 for $10...not badly priced. I like that this product is using green tea...makes me feel healthy just by using it! My face, unfortunately, tends to be oily. Very happy that Birchbox included this in my box!

4- Oscar de la Renta - live in love
Another perfume sample is what I thought when I first saw it. It smells amazing, though. It has a very...elegant and sexy scent to it. I'm very happy with this sample. A full size is $25-$78 according to Birchbox...not sure where that big price difference comes in. Either way, great perfume sample for once!! This is by far my favorite perfume sample that Birchbox has sent me.

5- Jouer - Luminizing Moisture Tint
With it being summer time, I love being able to wear minimal makeup. I've been on the search for a good moisture tint/beauty balm that I can get away with wearing just that and maybe a dash of blush and some mascara. I'm happy with this sample. I'm not happy that a full-size costs $38, though! Ick.

6- Birchbox Exclusive - Earbuds
Pretty color was my first thought! Very fun looking earbuds. I went to use them on my beach walk...they are terrible. I couldn't even get it to connect to my iPhone properly so I could hear Pandora. HORRIBLE exclusive. Birchbox should be ashamed. If the earbuds worked, I would have been very happy with it.

All in all - 4 out of 6 products get the thumbs up (boscia, Oscar de la Renta, Jouer, Eyeko) - which means a great Birchbox for once.
The larabar wasn't terrible, just a poor flavor choice.
What was terrible was the Birchbox Exclusive - Earbuds.

How was your Birchbox this month?

Taking Sides

I'll be honest, it's hard for me sometimes to be objective about a significant other type of situation. To me, there's usually always one clear "winner", so to speak.

I have a situation for you - tell me what you think.

Girlfriend and boyfriend live together.

Girlfriend works a 9-5 type of job with only Sundays off. She has not had a vacation in a little over a year.

Boyfriend is self employed, he works his own hours, sets his own hours up. Every day is a vacation for him. (So to speak...in the sense that if he needed/wanted to, he could pick up and go somewhere for a few days - as long as internet is available.)

Girlfriend finally has a five day vacation. She had a number of ideas for the vacation - some of it already planned. She made sure to tell boyfriend well in advance the days that were off limits for him to do anything work-related.

Boyfriend tells girlfriend about two weeks before vacation that on day #3 of vacation, he needs to attend a meeting with his friend.This meeting is beneficial for his friend only. Boyfriend told his friend he would help his friend out with his new venture - especially with the knowledge he can bring to the table and for support.

Girlfriend freaks out. She wanted to go somewhere for five straight days and not worry about work in the middle of vacation. She's upset...angry...hurt. She finally simmers down because she does realize that boyfriend is helping and supporting his friend...it isn't for boyfriend's benefit at all - just to help (which he said he would from the start.) Girlfriend starts planning a new vacation itinerary, working in the meeting to the vacation.

Girlfriend is compromising. She isn't necessarily happy with what's going on but she is biting her tongue and compromising.

Until boyfriend tells her that a week after their vacation, he is going to a sports match with his buddies.

Girlfriend is upset. She is unable to go along because of her work schedule. She feels it is unfair for a few reasons. The first is that she finally has a vacation (after a year) with five straight days off. She all of a sudden is unable to utilize those five full days to her advantage and go somewhere where she REALLY wants to go because of boyfriend's loving heart. After getting over the reason behind why she can't utilize those days, she is upset at the principle of it...the fact that what she originally had planned she can no longer go. But that's okay because she just wants to spend time with him...so she compromises and plans something new.

But for him to then go on vacation again, a week later, she finds as unfair. He is obviously able to pick up and go whenever he wants. So why does the meeting have to be when it is...in the middle of girlfriend's vacation?

If girlfriend was able to have her five days of vacation, where she originally had planned...she would not be upset that boyfriend was leaving a week later. BUT that is not the case...girlfriend is upset at the principle that she cannot enjoy their vacation how they originally had planned because of boyfriend (but she compromises) BUT he gets to go to a sports match as well.

Should he compromise with her and not go to the game out of fairness?

What do you think of this situation?

New 'Do, New Me

I no longer have "never have I ever dyed my hair" in my arsenal.

I finally caved & got some highlights!

I'll be honest...I was incredibly nervous, unsure of what it would look like.

I'm a happy camper! Believe it or not, I almost wish I would have gotten a few more highlights!

Here are photos to get a total & complete look of what it looks like...

What's your visit like in the salon...pretty much the same each time or always something different?