Goodie’s Box Review

Thin Mint Cupcakes, Recipe Included!

These cupcakes were AMAZING! They definitely had me thinking I could open a cupcake shop. I call these my dream cupcakes cause I pretty made them up then I decided they were possible and I wanted to try them.

These cupcakes are super easy to make because I used a box cake mix and store-bought frosting. I brought them to work for Badge Day because it isnt a party with a sweet treat!

Thin Mint Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

Devil’s Food Cake Mix (don’t forget about what it needs)
Cream Cheese Frosting (your preference)
8 Thin Mint cookie
Box of Andes Mints
cupcake wrappers and cupcake pans
food coloring

The cast of characters (minus the food coloring and thin mints)

Make cake mix according to package instructions and add a good handful of chopped Andes mints.

Don’t these look amazing?!? A few may have been taste tested before baking.

When the batter is ready fill the liners 1/2 way and then add 1/2 of an Andes mint. Cover the mint with batter and bake according to cake mix directions.

Now they’re ready to top. Mix frosting with food coloring until you get the color you want. Add crushed cookies (reserve some for topping) and start frosting!

Top cupcakes with reserved cookies and some Andes mints and then try not to devour them all!

Have you experimented with cupcake recipes? What’s your favorite sweet treat to bake? Let me know in the comments!

International Badge Day

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Today, as you all may know, is NPC’s International Badge Day! I wore my pin proudly today and I forgot how good it felt to put it on. I added some dangles since I last wore it (trying to keep up with the Jones this coming summer at Convention) and felt pretty spiffy all day.

I think the thing I love most about my badge is the history behind it. Alpha Delta Pi was founded over 160 years ago (before the Civil War to put it into context). Here’s a blurb about the ADPi pin from the Alpha Delta Pi website.

“The first diamond-shaped badge was worn by the Adelpheans in 1852. Stars were not included on this first badge, but it did have a monogram of the Wesleyan pin attached to the badge by a link chain, thus forming a guard.

In 1854, the stars were added, but it was not until 1874 that the stars and the clasped hands were raised. This design remained with only slight modifications until 1906 when, at Alpha Delta Pi’s first convention, Nanaline King presented a new design for the pin. Her design was a smaller gold badge with a black enamel center which pictured the clasped hands, the two stars, and the greek letters, Alpha Delta Phi. This design was adopted by the convention and is the same pin we have today, with Alpha Delta Phi being changed to Alpha Delta Pi at the 1913 convention.”

Sorry for the length but I love the history. The pin hasn’t changed for a century. Thousands of sisters have worn the same clasped hands.

My badge also has a personal history. I was initiated by my mom with her pin. I purposely got the same style to remind me of her and our ADPi sisterhood. The only difference is, she has garnet points and I have sapphire points. My sister now is the keeper of my mother’s pin and she was initiated with it as well with my mom and I both there. Three family members, three different chapters and universities, one sisterhood. That is Alpha Delta Pi in my mind.

Did you participate in Badge Day this year? Let me know in the comments!

The Lenten Season…

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Ash Wednesday was last week and I’m still trying to get into the swing of keeping with what I gave up for Lent. I only gave up two things this year. One that is pretty simple and one that is more encompassing.

I’ll start with the easy one first.

Soda!

source: Pinterest

I know we’ve all been reading that we should give up soda, but I never paid too much attention and kept my Diet Coke addiction through college. This year, I’ve been trying to be healthier and have stopped buying a 12 pack every time I go to a grocery store (but still indulged on oh-so-many occasions, including a fun trip to Coca-Cola World!). I figured Lent was the perfect time to test my will against that iconic silver, white and red can.

So far in the 6 days, I have only cheated once. I know it will be an up hill battle though, so I’m reading articles like this one on Yahoo Health to keep me motivated.

Since soda is my easy one, I decided for something a little harder.

No Excuses!

Just a little graphic I made to keep me motivated!

I have decided that I’ve been really lazy since moving out on my own (not blogging as much as I should, letting the dishes pile up, noting doing my hair, going out to eat instead of cooking something). So this Lent, I’m going all-in with what I call #NoExcuses.

To be honest, I still have been struggling with this one (as I type this with super bad hobo hair- a messy bun if you don’t yet know my lingo). But hey! It’s only been 6 days, I still have time to work harder on this one before Easter rolls around.

Are you giving anything up this Lenten Season? Let me know in the comments!

Valentine’s Day Fashion

Free Ways to Continue With Your Healthy Resolutions!

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This is my Guest Post from last Saturday. It was originally posted on Courtney’s blog, You Are What You Wear. Enjoy!

Last month-ish, Courtney blogged about trying to find ways to stick to your resolutions (want to read it? Click here). I have to say I am normally in the same boat, of having the same three to five resolutions (saving money, trying to be healthier etc.), then giving up at the first sale and the first sight of a chocolate fudge brownie.

This year has been different, at least on the healthy resolution front (a Lilly sale gets me every time). Here are some tips, from a novice non-nutritionist, non-fitness person to help keep your healthy resolution on track—for free!

source: Blogilates.com

YouTube Workout Videos: I normally trolled YouTube for videos of people ranting about pop culture (I see ya Kingsley), dance videos of people with way more skillz, and songs I’m too poor to buy so I can replay hundreds of times to get my fill. I was not turning to YouTube to feel the burn, but damn I did!

There are many YouTubers out there but my favorite definitely has to be Cassey Ho and her Blogilates videos. She has tons of videos for cardio and fat burning (including high-intensity and, of course, Pilates). The best part, is that you rarely need equipment. Definitely check her out. Your butt will thank you!

MyFitnessPal: Do you really know how many calories you are consuming, or even how much you’re supposed to have? MyFitnessPal is a great website and app that helps you track your calories and exercise. They have practically everything in the database and you can track your calories burned as well.

I always thought I was eating healthy foods but I didn’t know about portion control until I took the time to track it.

source: google image search

Fitblr for Support: I’m assuming most know about Tumblr and their blogging community, But Tumblr can be used for more than just Gifs about being hungover. Tumblr has a very active fitness/healthy living community and they call themselves fitblr (fit-Tumblr, get it?). If you’re ever looking for motivation you can click on this tag (you don’t even have to have a Tumblr if you want to publicly blog) and instantly you feel your legs reaching for your running shoes.

You can create your healthy living Tumblr to blog about your own experiences (more than just what you’re eating like on MyFitnessPal) and get support from others from around the world!

Make it Easy (Printable): Even though I was doing all of these things, I still found it hard to track everything, during the work day especially, cue#PostGradProblems. I wanted something that I could hold and see in my planner but wasn’t too cumbersome as a separate food journal. I spent my lunch break making these fun little printables to help me stay on track. I feel accomplished when I check off the boxes and I still use my online tools.

Use this link to download: Weekly Goal Worksheet

To explain some of the other ones, the 20/10 means 20 minutes of stretching and then 10 minutes of strength exercises (like abs and planks and all that jazz) and blog really just means log your meals on MyFitnessPal, but that obviously wouldn’t have fit in the line.

How do you track your healthy lifestyle? Do you uses some of these websites and tips? Let me know in the comments!

Florida on my Mind