Thinking Out Loud #4

{if you haven't a clue what TOL is, go here for more info}

I've made a few changes this week:

I.  I'm taking a break off from What I Ate Wednesdays, for personal reasons. To compensate, I have decided to join in on Spill it Sundays, starting this week. I would have started last Sunday, but I had a busy weekend and by the time I remembered it was far too late. :/

II.  To brush up on my ballet technique and keep myself ready for the next dance year, I have started practicing little dance combinations every day except Saturdays and Sundays, starting for an hour a day. 

I started on Monday and I have never been so sore in all my years. Lord save me. 

III.  Because the weather has been good to us Midwestern folks, Dad spray-painted a kickball field in the backyard, just like old times. I have been practicing the sport quite frequently and, again I say, I have never been so sore in all my years. 

Also, I've made some new discoveries:

IV.  Last week, I made mention of the lemon Luna bars I bought [in excess]...turns out, they come to a very close second to my favorite carrot cake flavor. I like them quite a lot. <3

V.  My preferred Peanut Butter Puffins cereal was out of stock at the scratch-and-dent store, so I settled for Mother's Peanut Butter Bumpers cereal instead.

Oh. my. gosh.

They taste exactly how I remember Reese's Puffs, just without the chocolate. Puffins was delicious, but Bumpers have taken first place this round. 

VI.  Two words: Swiss. Mocha.

Ayyy Mamacita this stuff is so. dang. good. It's like cocoa, but richer and more robust and all-around better. Plus, there's coffee in it. Can't say no to coffee!

And some not-so-new rediscoveries:

VII.  I don't cry during movies, but this is the one scene that - every time, without fail - chokes me up.

[source: Polyvore]

Seriously. This entire scene breaks my heart. The masters that are Jeff Kurtti, John Lasseter, Nathan Greno, and Byron Howard deserve numerous awards for their animating abilities. I don't think I would have cried if the characters' facial expressions weren't so realistic. I can feel emotional pain with this scene and that is incredible, especially for an animated film.
Also, props to Zachary Levi and Mandy Moore for their voice skills. I just love Tangled. A lot. <3

VIII.  Even after the fourth time, First Position never gets old (Michaela is my favorite).

[source]

[source]

                     Michaela DePrince <3

I don't think it's possible to see this film and not be inspired by it. Even if you're not a dancer, there's an aspect to this that makes everybody want to do something amazing with their life.

IX.  I made a half batch of mini muffins yesterday morning. Comfort food for the coming dissolution of the spring weather, in preparation for the scorching heat that is to come. (Eat all the hot foods before the heat wave comes in; that's my mantra for this season).

I made no changes to the recipe (aside from using a mini muffin tin rather than a regular-sized one), and they turned out incredibly! Everyone went back for seconds, which is a huge compliment on my part.

X.  Grandma went back to Ohio on Tuesday. We went out for lunch at The Barn; an ideal place to go and get some country cookin' (the poppyseed salad dressing is amaaaaaazing). After lunch, we went to my aunt's house to visit for a while before heading back home and leaving Grandma with her sister.
It was a wonderful three weeks having Grandma living with us. I was sad to see her go, but I love her more than ever having spent all that time with her!
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QOTD:
~ What's your favorite comfort food for the spring/summer weather?
~ What movie/book always makes you cry?
~ What's your favorite Luna bar flavor?

~JK