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2021 Holiday Gift Guide

Posted on by Jenna

It’s that time of year again! When we all freak out and try to find gifts for everyone we know. I’m here to try and help make it a tad easier on you. Please note, most links will be affiliate links. I will let you know which links are affiliate links. I will set up all links to open in a new window so you can continue through the post without losing your spot!

First, a shameless plug for my own photography business. I designed three calendars this year, all about the Grand Canyon! You can find these calendars on my website. The images below are the cover of each calendar. From left to right it is The North Rim, The South Rim, and The Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is a mix of images from both North and South Rim.

Feel free to browse around my photography shop as I also have other items that would make great gift items! Please note, everything is printed on demand and can take 2-4 weeks to receive so order early!

Have friends and family that are gluten free?

Do they love to cook or bake? How about a cookbook! Amazon links are amazon associate links. They will pay a small commission if you purchase through my link.

Or maybe they prefer not to cook but still want a sweet treat. Consider a donut hole variety pack! Or maybe throw it back with a sweet treat they ate as a child. And lastly, maybe they miss a certain girl group cookie? Grab a perfect dupe for it!

Is shopping for the runner in your life tough?

They use gadgets and gizmos a plenty. The need whozits and whatzits galore. You need thingamabobs? They’ve got twenty! So no big deal but what do you buy them?!? Let me help you find some ideas.

First, some yummy stocking stuffers! A Picky Bars or Honey Stinger waffle variety pack is a great way to fill their stocking and stomach!

Lastly, how about some fun shirts to showoff their love of running every day! You can even save 10% on your order with my affiliate code RUNSONESPRESSO. Below are a few examples of the type of shirts you can find on Sarah Marie Designs! Affiliate link – I will receive a small commission from the company if you shop through my link.

How about that friend that loves notebooks and pens? There’s lots of gift ideas for them too!

There are SO many pens you can get your stationary loving pals. So many. Shop for these items at Erin Condren. Yes, another affiliate link. I will receive a small commission when you buy through this link.

From top left to right:
1. Believe stackable bracelet, ultimate planny pack in camel, A5 year over year journal, and inspire bookmark
2. EttaVee Kindness Always cards
3.Eco Friendly desk set and focused pocket planner

From bottom left to right:
1. Focused pocket planner and fine tip markers
2. Acrylic perpetual calendar and organizer (holds your phone and desk accessories
3. Acrylic bookends – one end holds your notebooks while the other side holds your pens, scissors, and whiteout!

What items will you be picking up for your friends and family? Let me know what you got in the comments!

Gluten Free Pretzels

Posted on by Jenna

One thing that is hard to find gluten free is soft pretzels.

Sure, they have frozen options. I’ve tried several and they were all meh. Nothing that made me go, ohhhh I will buy this again! And I’ve never seen a gf option at a restaurant. I had kinda given up in ever having a soft pretzel again.

Until Mom’s Place Gluten Free sent me a package for March’s Nourished Festival.

I saved them for October in a (late) celebration of Oktoberfest. Too bad I don’t have any gf beer on hand! Growing up Oktoberfest was a big part of my life. My hometown put on a two week (now one) celebration with a famous Maple Leaf Parade, torchlight parade, taping of the golden keg, and the medallion hunt! Plus beer. Lots of beer.

There are a lot of memories surrounding Oktoberfest so it was fun to pretend I was participating by making pretzels.

I was a little intimidated to make pretzels because the idea seemed complicated and the process long. Boy was I wrong! The instructions were easy to follow and it really was a simple process.

I did make pretzel nuggets because I didn’t want to attempt the twist!

My package was missing the sea salt but they still turned out great. I used a little table salt and it was fine. You get just a hint of salt, which is what I prefer. I would definitely recommend the gluten free pretzel mix and plan to order another package (or two) for myself. I think my next batch I will toss in cinnamon and sugar. Or maybe get some cheese sauce.

OMG! I can eat soft pretzels again!

Here are the list of ingredients in case you were wondering:
MOM’S FLOUR BLEND (WHITE RICE FLOUR, POTATO STARCH, TAPIOCA FLOUR, XANTHAN GUM), BROWN SUGAR, PRETZEL SALT, YEAST, SALT

I decided I am not good at cooking videos so instead of torturing you with that, I made a short TikTok.

What foods do you miss since going gluten free that are hard to find?

2022 Erin Condren Focused Collection

Posted on by Jenna

Are you looking for a beautiful planer that you could use at work or home? That looks sophisticated when you are out and about?

Have you seen the all new EC Focused Collection?

The Focused Collection for 2022 is a line of planners, notebooks, folios, and more perfect for all your personal or professional needs.

I received a box from EC with select items from the new Focused Collection and I must say I was extremely impressed with everything! It’s the EC quality you are used to in a minimalist collection. Before this, I have only bought a focused productivity notebook so it was fun to see the newest line and review these planners!

The first item I noticed when I opened the box was the new ultra-fine markers. I have been wanting to get these since they came out. OMG! I think these are my new favorites from EC. Check out my Focused Collection video to see me compare them to the rest of the EC markers (fine and dual tips). And don’t forget, you get 15% off when you buy four or more accessories!

Let’s start with the planners.

Pocket in pinstripe
I LOVE the idea of the pocket planner. It is just way too cute. But I bought one last year and rarely use it. I do like that the font/print is darker. It makes it easier to read than last year’s layer pocket planner.

A5 in slate blue
This size is perfect for work! I’ve already decided this will be next year’s work planner. I’m currently using the quarterly petites but this A5 will be a perfect replacement. And I’ll have the entire year in one book! I don’t have many hourly appointments at work so I mostly track weekly to do’s and a few other important reminders. I think the Focused A5 will be perfect for me!

And can we talk about this color? GORGEOUS.

8×10 in harbor
This year for my fitness/running journal I used the EC monthly binder. It was great to be able to remove pages but I had to write the date on all the pages. I had already decided I was going to get a horizontal planner but hadn’t ordered one yet. Now I don’t have to because the Focused one will be perfect!!! I love that each day has lines and a blank box. I can use the lines to record thoughts/feelings about the workout and the blank box for stats! And it will look really nice on my coffee table.

Padfolio in Pinstripe with blush interior
What I love about this padfolio, compared to the hello kitty or last year’s focused version, is each pad is different! This one has an hourly pad, a list, and a weekly pad instead of two lists pads and a weekly pad. This would look great on your work desk. Or I could see this as a family command center for those really busy days when all your kids have all their activities. You could use the hourly pad to track everyone’s activities for the day and the list pad for all the errands or tasks.

Standup Padfolio in harbor
This may look familiar! We got a similar one in the seasonal surprise box. I think most people plan to use this for meal planning. It would be perfect for that. I also think this would be perfect for work! You could set it up on your desk and fill in important items or reminders for each day and use the to-do list for your tasks.

Deskpad in blush
This is an undated monthly calendar and it will be replacing my current EC Monthly Deskpad. I like that it is a little smaller than the EC Monthly. Plus I don’t use the stickers that come with that one. I also like that the blush is very understated. It’s not in your face pink. The only downfall is I have to fill in all the dates. I do prefer dated calendars/planners.

Overall, I really do like this collection. If I didn’t I would tell you (see: Java with Jenna Episode 3 about the last EC Sticker Subscription). My favorite item from this collection would be either of the planners. I can’t decide if I like slate blue or harbor better. The colors just happen to be two of my three favorite colors (the third would be black). I like the pinstripe pattern but I’d prefer it in silver. I have never been a big fan of gold. But I do still buy EC items in gold because they are great products.

What is your favorite item from the Focused Collection? How would you use it?

EC links are affiliate links – Erin Condren may pay me a small commission if you shop and buy through this link. It does not cost you anything beyond what you choose to purchase. Browsing, shopping, and purchasing through my link help keep the cost of creating content down a bit for me and tells Erin Condren you like my content!

Fossil Creek

Posted on by Jenna

In 2021, the backbone fire ripped through parts of Coconino National Forest, including Fossil Creek. Fossil Creek is home to the waterfall trail which was destroyed. Wildfires are devastating. They destroy beautiful landscapes that take years, sometimes generations, to recover.

The waterfall trail is a short, easy hike that ends at a gorgeous… waterfall (didn’t see that one coming, huh? 🤣)

After wildfires, areas like Fossil Creek are more at risk for flash floods. The area is closed and will remain so until at least the end of 2021. It may even stay closed through the fall of 2022.

I was only able to visit the trail once and who knows when, or if, the trail will ever be the same again.

This is a devastating loss.

Marathon Prep

Posted on by Jenna

I’m heading into taper time. The marathon is less than a week away. How am I getting ready?

Well, I’m making a list and checking it twice. I want to have everything set so all I have to do is get up, eat, and run. And run. And run some more.

  1. I need to finalize my route. I need about 10 more miles from the route I’ve been doing for long runs.
  2. Deciding on which clothes and shoes to wear. Gotta be comfy for 26+ miles!
  3. Picking out my fuel and freezing the gels the day before and prepping two waterbottles with Skratch.
  4. Slowing down. Like in life, not running. This week will be filled with short, easy runs and sitting my butt on the couch.
  5. Trying to shovel in more carbs. Although I probably eat more than enough already.
  6. Filing up my playlist with enough podcasts to get me through! I’ve got a list of a few new to me pods I want to start from the beggining!
  7. Oh yes, charging all the things.
  8. And finally… sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. If my dog lets me.

Have you run a marathon? How did you get ready for it?

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

Posted on by Jenna

Do you consider baking self-care? Or is trying new foods considered self-improvement?

If so, I’ve done a little of both this week! I usually find baking to be a fun hobby. Except when a gluten-free recipe doesn’t turn out but that’s a whole other story! Usually, baking something is a fun way to relax.

Usually, I don’t eat (or drink) anything pumpkin because I am not a fan of pumpkin spice, which is always in EVERYTHING pumpkin. I’ve figured out that I do not like nutmeg. I’ve since had other pumpkin things that do not contain pumpkin pie spice and I actually like those. 

But for this week I’ve decided to try pumpkin bread!

As part of the Nourished gluten-free online festival, I was sent this pumpkin bread from Other Foods. I figured September is a good month to make it because September means fall and so do pumpkins!

So let’s talk pumpkin!

The Good

The mix contains no grains, no gums, no corn, and no soy. 

The ingredients list and recipe are easy to read and follow.

Ingredients:

Cassava flour, coconut, sugar, pumpkin powder, organic coconut flour, golden flax meal, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sea salt
-It does contain tree nuts (coconuts)

The Bad

Sigh, it has the dreaded pumpkin pie spice 

The recipe calls for ¼ cup of oil. I am trying to be healthier and work on my weight and cholesterol so I substituted unsweetened applesauce for the oil.

gluten free pumpkin bread

Final verdict

I snuck a sample of the batter, well I guess it’s not really sneaking when I’m the only one here LOL but I was not a fan. That darn pumpkin pie spice was so strong! According to Justin, the bread was good. You couldn’t tell it was gluten free and it was moist. I am guessing that would be the applesauce.

I thought the bread was really easy to make. Simple ingredients and minimal prep and cleanup. I would definitely try their other mixes, just not the pumpkin again. 

Well, there you have my thoughts on Other Foods Pumpkin Bread Mix. 

Also available on their website: Banna bread, Almond Bread, Sandwich Bread, Pancake Mix, and Brownie Mix! If you’re interested in trying for yourself, head over and check out their website!

Are you a pumpkin spice fan? A pumpkin everything fan? Drop your favorite pumpkin foods in the comments!

Fall Back Into Goals

Posted on by Jenna

Who else struggles to keep up with your goals? I’m sure I am not the only one.

As we work through September, let’s fall back into goals! We still have plenty of time to make some great gains or even reach our goals! Take a moment to think about where you are in your goals for the year.

How far along are you? Are there any adjustments you want to make? Are you like me and drifted away from working towards your goals? 

What can we do to get back on track?

We need to write down our goals (if you haven’t already)  and break them down into actionable steps. But how does one go about doing that?!?

Enter Makselife.

I picked up the Makselife companion notebooks and will be using them in October. I’m slowly working through the guidebook and setting up the notebooks. The guidebook will help you set up your yearly goal.  Each notebook is a quarter (three months) and has space to break your yearly goal down into monthly goals and weekly actions.

fall back into goals

At the end of each month is a reflection page and then at the end of each notebook is a quarterly check-in. There are also dot grid pages for each month and at the end for notes and ideas. 

Even though I haven’t officially started using the companion notebooks, I’ve been setting monthly goals and creating weekly actions. I’m using an EC A5 Agenda horizontal layout to plan out my weekly actions and tasks. Sometimes I transfer the tasks to my daily duo, but not every week. I’m still working out my system.

Each week has been a little different as I work through to find what works.

It has been much easier to set and follow through on my goals when I break them down into monthly and weekly goals. I think we can get too overwhelmed when we set those big annual goals and that’s why we slide and drop them after a few weeks or months. 

I’m currently using Makselife but there are several other goal-setting guides/planners out there. And you don’t need anything fancy, You can use a notebook and your regular planner. You need to set your goals then break them down into smaller steps and work on those steps each week. 

What are your goals for the rest of this year? How do you break them down and then make sure you follow through?

Shop this post

Makselife

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*Affiliate link – Erin Condren will pay me a small commission if you shop and buy through this link. It does not cost you anything beyond what you choose to purchase. Browsing, shopping, and purchasing through my link help keep the cost of creating content down a bit for me and tells Erin Condren you like my content!

Self-Improvement September

Posted on by Jenna

September is self-improvement month. 

It’s also a good time to “fall” back into your goals. A few months ago we talked about a goal refresh. Have you stuck to those goals or, like me, have you gotten a little off track? I find it’s helpful to review your goals every few months. 

Since we are all about self-improvement this month, let’s take some time to recommit to those goals and take care of ourselves. What area do you need to focus on to take care of your needs?

For me, I need to really focus on my marathon goal. I struggled a bit in July and August. I had a few breakdowns and almost quit several times. I wanted to throw in the towel after August. 

But if I give up now, how would I feel?

I would feel disappointed in myself for not really giving the marathon a try this time. I am not sick. I am not recovering from a broken leg. There is nothing wrong with me except my belief in myself. 

self-improvement month
I was so over running in August

I struggle with believing I can run 26.2 miles. It’s hard and my brain gives up. Often. And each time it’s happened this summer I’ve taken a day or two to reinforce that this is indeed a goal I want to achieve and one I am physically able to do. 

I have to tell my brain to shut it.

August turned out to be my highest mileage month ever. I didn’t make my goal mileage. I didn’t get in all of my long runs. BUT I RAN THE MOST I EVER RAN IN A MONTH! That is amazing! 

And now I am ready to face September. I have my plan and my goals. I will work on it day by day and remind myself, I can do this. If my brain wants to quit? I’ll say, “brain? Shut the eff up!” and keep pushing through. 

Ignoring and replacing the negative self-talk is my self-improvement for September. 

What goals are you working on this month? How will you practice self-improvement this month?

Drop your goals and self-improvement in the comments!

Follow along on my journey over on Instagram!

August at Cafe Noir

Posted on by Jenna

July was a tough month for me. I couldn’t focus enough to read. It happens sometimes. I was only able to finish one very short book and one average book. I decided to not post a July blog and combine it with August. 

The Photographic Story by David duChemin

Summary:

A short read that breaks down photographs to help you tell a better story. Each chapter covers an element of storytelling, provides examples, and gives creative exercises to do on your own.

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

As always, David duChemin breaks everything down well. My only complaint is it is too short! I would tell photographers to read this and check out his other work.

Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day

Summary:

If you want to be more creative, grab a pen (or whatever instrument) and destroy this book! Ok, don’t do that if it’s a library copy. Embrace Your Weird is designed to help you unlock your creativity through personal stories and activities. 

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

This is definitely a book I would have rather purchased the actual book. I checked it out from the library on Kindle and it was hard to do the exercises. I eventually gave up and just read. I gave four stars instead of five because as with any of these books it is nothing new. Felicia Day presents and writes well. I enjoyed the writing and her personal stories. I also liked the presentation. I would recommend and want to read her other book.

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

Summary:

Death sometimes brings secrets to the surface for those left behind to deal with. Morgan and her daughter Clara find this out when Chris, Morgan’s husband, dies unexpectedly in a car crash which also killed Morgan’s sister Jenny. 

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

The story propelled me to keep reading. I figured out the twist very early on but wanted to see how it worked out. Clara was incredibly unlikeable until the end. I wanted to shake Morgan and tell her to just be honest. I kept internally screaming at both characters to just sit down and talk to each other instead of making assumptions. I thought it was well-written and an interesting twist on a standard plot device. I would recommend and read other books by Colleen Hoover.

A Wicked Snow by Gregg Olsen

Summary:

A young girl’s family dies in a fire. The investigations discover several bodies buried on the land and people start to wonder if there’s a serial killer on the loose. Years later she receives a package containing evidence from the investigation. Is the serial killer still out there and out to finish what they started?

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

A Wicked Snow was almost 500 pages long. I zoomed through it. I kept forming ideas of what happened and wanted to see if I was right. The writing was excellent and kept me hooked. It was not quite as gruesome as his book Victim Six but does contain mention of violence and child death. If you like serial killer fiction, disappearances, or other thriller topics, this might be a book for you!

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

Summary:

Grumpy, Alaskan native Graham hates tourists until Zoey walks into his restaurant. 

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐/5

I wanted to like this book. I liked the plot, even if it was a romcom troupe. I wanted to like the main characters, Graham and Zoey. But the author just made them so unlikeable. They each had these moments that seemed so outside their character that made them do dumb things.

The writing was hit or miss. I wanted to keep reading but parts of the book just dragged. It’s listed as 418 pages and I’m pretty sure the author could have finished in half that. The author also went on describing how hot, attractive, etc that got old real fast. Just cutting those out would have shortened the book drastically. Lastly, Graham also used the word darlin’ way too much. I almost started to think the story was in Texas instead of Alaska. 

I would not recommend this book. 

The Winemaker’s Secret by Cynthia Ellingson

Summary:

Abby wants to run her family winery but her grandfather doesn’t think she can do it. When the family’s ice wine collection is stolen and her grandfather is in the hospital she is determined to find out what happened all while running the winery.

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

The Starlight Cove books are all easy to read, cozy mysteries. Each woman has to solve a family puzzle while trying not to fall in love. If you like a cozy mystery, you’d like the three book series. Also, you do not need to read in order.

The Moonlight Child by Karem McQuestion

Summary:

Late one winter night while looking at the moon Sharon notices a small child washing dishes at her neighbor’s house. She knows her neighbors don’t have a young child, so who was this midnight dishwasher? 

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐/5

The idea of the book is good but the execution is slow. The author jumps around between characters and *spoiler alert* time periods. I had a feeling it was switching time but it wasn’t obvious until about ¾ in. I also had an idea of what the plot was early on. Overall, the book wasn’t horrible but it didn’t pull me in. It’s a meh from me.

What books did you read in August? Which ones did you love/hate and why?

celiac

Gluten Free Brownies

Posted on by Jenna

What kind of gluten-free/celiac blogger never logs about food?

It me.

I’ve been a little behind on the food front. I have a ton of things I need and want to make! I have a ton of mixes I was sent and I need to make and review. I just haven’t been feeling like baking much after my last disaster. 

But I finally made a plan to start working through my mixes with one a month. Hopefully, it will spark my love for baking again and I’ll get in more than once a month.

I started back this week with a personal favorite, BROWNIES!

Brownies are one of my favorite desserts and I noticed the Josie’s Mufin & More mix had a recipe on the back for brownies. I decided to give it a try. First, I had to grab some chocolate chips at the store and because I’m extra I grabbed dark chocolate over semi-sweet. Whenever I can upgrade to dark chocolate I do. 

I first read through the recipe and ingredient list and prepped as much as I could. I believe having as much done before you start, the better. And I always read through the recipe a few times before I start. Ok, at least once before starting.

I wish the recipe on the back had been easier to read. The directions were before the ingredient list, which is odd. I usually see ingredients then directions. The directions were also one big paragraph. I would have preferred for the steps to be numbered and an enter/return between each step. It was hard for me to read as one block of writing.

I felt the batter was a bit thick. I felt like I missed something but I double-checked and I followed the instructions. The recipe also called for a 9×9 pan but I only had 13×9. My square pan needed to be replaced so I got rid of it but haven’t bought its replacement yet. Oops. 

Now, for the taste test!

A bit dense which is not surprising for gluten free. The top was a little crunchy. I probably should have left it in a few more minutes. I did 30 minutes of the suggested 30-35. They’re not too sweet. Chewy. Overall these are decent homemade brownies! I would make them again.

They would be delicious with ice cream! Maybe coconut ice cream. Yum!

How do you top your brownies?