Happy Halloween!
Before I get to part 1 of the giveaway, I want to share a last-minute Halloween idea.
I present to you: Spooky Shakes…
They are more homely than scary, but let’s just go with it!
I spotted this on Martha and I thought it was a cute idea. To make: all you do is melt a tiny amount of chocolate (about 1-2 tbsp) and then paint chocolate ghost faces on the inside of the glass using the end of a popsicle stick. Easy.
Place the glasses in the freezer or fridge to set the chocolate. For the shake, I blended vegan vanilla ice cream (I love almond or coconut varieties), with a splash of almond milk and some ice, served with a cinnamon stick. You could even make a healthier shake by blending frozen bananas with almond milk. The chocolate faces stay intact thanks to the cold smoothies.
Now, for part 1 of the giveaway…
Today, I’m celebrating YOU – the kick-butt, Green Monster chuggin, recipe-lovin’ Oh She Glows community! On October 31, 2008, I started the blog on a complete whim, not thinking I would ever have the attention span to stick with it, but here I am 4 years later still smashing my head against the keyboard daily and chasing my dreams. I am so grateful for each and every one of you who read the blog each day and my hope is that you find as much inspiration here as I’ve found in all of you.
Now, to celebrate!
1) Blendtec Total Blender & Twister Jar
Blendtec has been gracious enough to donate one of their coveted Total Blender Classic Wildside machines (picture above) valued at $454.95 USD! Whoa baby. I’ve reviewed the Blendtec before on the blog and I can attest that it’s a great machine.
About the blender: “Total Blender Classic Series® is the all-in-one appliance that makes smoothies, fresh juice, ice cream, milkshakes, cappuccinos, margaritas, soups, sauces, bread dough, dressings, salsas, and more! It replaces up to 9 other appliances with one fast easy-to-use machine, at a fraction of the cost. This package includes the new precision tuned 4″ blade in the large nearly 3-quart total capacity BPA-free jar. The new large blade / large jar combination powers through tougher blending tasks and larger recipes with ease, and in less time.”
In addition to the blender, they are also giving away a Twister Jar (shown below) valued at $119.00 USD!
About the Twister Jar: “Blendtec’s newest innovation, the Twister Jar, is designed to blend your thickest recipes such as: Nut Butters, Hummus, Baby Food, Dips, Thick Shakes, Dressings and more! Best of all, it’s compatible with all Blendtec Home Blenders.”
Update: The giveaway winner is….
Thank you for sharing your touching (and often hilarious!) “lessons to my younger self” comments. If you are ever feeling down and need a pick me up, just read through the comments. It’s amazing to see how many of us have struggled with the same life lessons.
The lucky winner of the Blendtec machine is #3659 – Alicia Woulfe! Congrats! I will email you shortly to collect your mailing address. Thanks to everyone for participating!
How To Enter:
Giveway is now closed.
https://twitter.com/mmalavec/status/263665183833063424
Tweet!
mmalavec(at)med(dot)umich(dot)edu
Wow, congrats on 4 years of blogging! Love your site, it is so inspirational, thank you!
Note to younger self: You didn’t have to grow-up so fast… you could have enjoyed childhood a little longer and the aspect of being a KID. Instead of always being such a perfectionist and trying to take care of everyone else– take a little time to be care-free, soak up the joy and sweet spirit of a child, embracing a faith that can move mountains!
Do not stay with boyfriends when you know – absolutely know – you want to get out. Leaving is kinder for both of you.
I would tell my younger self to stop thinking you are fat! The older version of you will look at pictures and think – WOW! I used to look great! :)
I re-pinned a pinterest recipe!
To my 16 year old self: Despite what you think, it will get better! Also, go to bed at a decent hour and you don’t know it right now but you grind your teeth terribly when you’re sleeping so get a night guard!
Never stop moving and working out – it’s so much harder to start over. You’re fit now and look fabulous! Keep it up!
Don’t worry so much about grades. Grades are important, but spending time with friends, having fun, and pusuing other hobbies are just as important. Remember, once you’re grown up no one asks or cares whether you graduated summa cum laude and with honors or whether you got straight B’s. Live a little! Cook more!
Liss, fast food and 7-11 food/candy will lead you to 310 lbs. Don’t wait until 28 to change your ways. It’s a long road that will be MUCH easier if you go Vegetarian, then Vegan NOW. lol Look it up, get educated and change your life for the better. Now that we’re 30, it’s good that we’ve lost 110 lbs, but it’d be much easier if we created these awesome habits earlier. XD I LOVE YOU!
Love the ghost smoothies! I am so jealous right now, because my blender crapped out over a month ago, and the company told me to send it in for repairs… well, I sent, and I still don’t have a blender. Wa-wa-waaaaa. :(
My advice to my younger self would be: “Don’t get too caught up on the hard stuff. Learn from your mistakes when you can, then take a deep breath and give yourself permission to move on. Don’t ever stop trying just because it’s hard, or because you’ve failed in the past… your future-self still believes in you, which means you are going to be okay. I promise.”
Also, I just wanted to say… “smashing my head against the keyboard daily and chasing my dreams.” is going to be my new motto for life. That’s how I feel every day, and you summed it up perfectly!
I would tell my younger self – to not worry that you will find love one day… with a partner *my amazing husband!!* and also within myself.
I would tell my younger self to keep doing some form of exercise – It would be much easier than to start from scratch at age 45.
I have been saving for a good blender for ever and being a university student its quite hard he he so this would be great for me!!!
I would tell my younger self that you are beautiful!!! I relied too much on a boy telling me and let boys taketotal advantage of that. So I would tell myself to be more independent because you are beautiful and you dont need a boy to love you to make you feel you are, love you self and stand up straight!!!
Thank you So much for all your realness (a word)
Jamie PS –> I TWEETED!!!
hahahaha I love your advice! I’d love to reassure my younger self that it all gets easier after 30 so just don’t stress over it! Then again, I’d also like to tell her not to think she’s so smart, you’re always learning, you may think you have all the answers but ya don’t!
I would tell myself to wise up and start eating REAL food instead of CHEMICAL food much earlier.
To my younger self: Don’t be so shy and self conscious! Just live. Also, don’t worry so much about the future… you end up having a really kick ass life that you love.
Tweeted the give-away! :)
Dear Maree,
TAKE A BREATH! LET IT GO! If the people around you don’t love you for who you are, walk away. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!
Ash, get your butt to school because you love it, and stop being scared of what everyone thinks of you. All those teenagers feel just as awkward as you do, and some of them might even admire you. Have fun with it. Help others have fun with it, too.
I would tell my 16 year old self to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, not what everyone else thought I should do.