Advent Conspiracy & Fair Trade

December 2, 2013 by Jamie Lam

Why do we celebrate Christmas? Truly think about that question.

As a follower of Christ, I celebrate Christmas because it marks the birth of our Savior. Jesus came down to earth to walk with sinners and eventually paid for our debts. But for some reason, Christmas is about wish lists and presents. We rack our brains trying to figure out the “best gift.” But is there ever such a thing as the perfect gift? To be honest, if you wanted something really badly, don’t you just purchase it for yourself anyway?

This past Sunday at church, I was asked to share about Advent Conspiracy. This is a movement to bring Christmas back to what it really means, the birth of Jesus, not the consumption of goods. It’s hard for me to completely give up the idea of presents because I really do love giving presents. It’s usually the one chance I can buy gifts for people and show them a bit of love.

I recently entered into a Pinterest contest hosted by Global Partners to showcase fair holiday gifts. Then I thought to myself, I can buy fair trade Christmas presents, a gift with a huge story and a huge impact. With fair trade products, you are breaking cycles of poverty and paying for someone else’s dignity and independence. When you buy these products, you’re making the world a little bit better, sometimes in the poorest and darkest countries in the world. God called us to love the poor, the marginalized, and the outcasts. Purchasing fair trade is an action that can display faith.

Ultimately, buying fair trade is a way to live out the Gospel.

I made some stickers to be stuck on credit card to remind people to purchase thoughtfully this season. They look like the “activate your credit card” stickers. Maybe you’re interested in giving these stickers to a few friends, colleagues, and/or your congregation. Feel free to print them out on sticky paper, and stick it onto your credit cards! Download the sticker template here.

I’m posting a fair trade gift guide for those of you that need some ideas – consumables, gifts for women, men, and the little ones. See some of the awesome things I found online. There’s a range of costs so you can buy something that is within your budget.

1 Divine Chocolate Holiday Gift Set (6 items) $39.99 // 2 Choice Tea Sampler (12 ct) $3.49 // 3 Canaan Fair Trade Infused Olive Oil 2-pack $28.99 // 4 Alaffia Spa Gift Set $30.00 // 5 Thanksgiving Coffee 4-Pack $48.00 // 6 Trade As One Gift of Good (one-time gift) $99.00

1 Sweetheart top from Mata Traders $37.99 // 2 Aquamarine studs from Given Goods Co $109.00 // 3 Arrow clutch from Sseko Designs $65.99 // 4 Lace and leather pouch from Hearts $14.00 // 5 Camera strap from Fotostrap $85.00 // 6 Stationary from Noonday Collection $18.00 // 7 Print from Sevenly $24.00

1 Blackwood sunglasses by SOLO eyewear $78.00 // 2 Bottle opener and horseshoe magnet from Sevenly $28.00 // 3 Men’s chukka boot from Oliberté $140.00 // 4 Watch from Fair Indigo $55.90 // 5 “To My Health” flask from Sevenly $34.00 // 6 Print from Sevenly $24.00

1 Alpaca baby beanie from The Little Market $28.00 // 2 Balancing monkeys from Rosie Hippo $23.00 // 3 Wooden fruit set from Rosie Hippo $20.00 // 4 Wooden stable from Bella Luna Toys $179.95 // 5 Wooden marble run from Bella Luna Toys $94.95 // 6 Knit donuts from Rosie Hippo $19.00 // 7 Cotton receiving blanket from Rosie Hippo $14.00

Are there any products that are your favorite? Do you have any fair trade items you’re putting on your wish list? Perhaps now you can buy a bit more consciously this year.

Let’s bring Christmas back to what it truly means – Jesus and giving for good.

In His Love,
Jay
—–
For even more fair trade ideas, check out my Pinterest board

In November…

November 24, 2013 by Jamie Lam

Hope you had a fantastic weekend!

I went hiking Saturday morning, worked on some crafts for a Christmas party in the afternoon, and then had a steak for dinner. Now that’s a great and productive day!

On Sunday I went to church and then took a nap. One bit of advice, try to stay away from Costco during the weekend. I shop frequently, and when I’m there I’m like a mad woman buying purses and shoes on Black Friday, but the weekend is totally not worth it. OMG… hoards of people lining up for Cheesecake samples or drivers staring you down because they crossed the intersection on a red light. Just wave and smile and then note to self, don’t go again on the weekends. Does this happen to you too? How do you handle it?!?

Here’s what’s been going on during the month of November according to my iPhone.

1 // I got these flowers when I was wedding coordinating for a friend. If you ever need a day-of coordinator, give me a holla! In all seriousness, I love organizing and scheduling, so it’s fun for me. Kalam & Alan, thanks for giving me a chance and possibly opening doors. I appreciate it with all my heart.

2// MG and I have look at at least 15 stores for Monopoly Deal, including Walmart, Target, Toys-R-Us, and Kmart (what, these are still around? yes). I’ve also asked my sister and mom to look in Texas for this game. Then I found out it was discontinued – sad face. I randomly decided to take a stroll around Kohl’s recently and jaw-droppingly happened to come across the game!!! MG and I bought 5 packs. Who knows when they might come in handy?

BTW have you seen this Joe Boxer Christmas ad by Kmart – hilarious! Disturbing or awesome? You tell me!

3 & 4// My little Chubs has been super cuddly because it’s getting cold out. He falls asleep in my arms at night, how sweet is that? The other night he was sitting like a diva on the couch. Look at that little chicken leg!

5 & 6// Okay this is kinda crazy, and yet epic at the same time. 85 Degrees Bakery just opened in Newark recently. This place is extremely popular in Taiwan and Irvine, CA. On opening day, people stood in line for 3 hours to get bread… BREAD! I didn’t go during opening day, but I’ve already been to the bakery 3 times since the opening 2 weeks ago. Each time I’ve waited about 10-20 minutes in line, and it’s totally worth it. The anticipation you have while waiting motivates you to fill your tray with bread, which is what I do every time. Among MG and I, we buy 10-15 breads. Fatties at heart, forreal. The bread is worth it, promise. Go check it out if you’re in the area.

7 & 8// This past weekend my friends and I bought a bunch of Christmas decor for our church Christmas party. We also worked on some crafts at home for the party. Obviously glitter for the holidays is a MUST. Am I right?

What did you do this past weekend? Who’s excited for a short week?
Jay

Fast Food Buffet

November 18, 2013 by Jamie Lam

Okay, before you start to read this post… no judgement! Thanks.

It’s been a slow weekend. No real plans, just relaxation. We had brunch on Saturday morning in the city, and it was lovely. MG and I took a stroll around the city from SoMA to Union Square, had a cup of hot chocolate at Ghirardelli, and then BARTed home for nap. Then our friends came over, and we had dinner together. Newcastle vending machines supplier is Royal Vending.

I live in a city that has the most fast food in the Bay Area! I can literally walk to McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and El Pollo Loco. In other words, I live in an area where you must practice self control everyday. MG and I have been trying to live healthier lifestyles, but Saturday was a splurge day (of my life).

Again, no judgement.

We had a fast food buffet!!! First we hit up Sonic for cream slushies. On the drive back home, we saw a Taco Bell/KFC combo and had to stop there. Our friend wanted Doritos Locos Tacos and Cinnabon Delights (fried dough balls with melted icing inside, in other words “crack balls”), and I just simply wanted a chicken tender from KFC. Don’t you have those days where you just need fried chicken? I thought that would be it.

But we also drove by La Vic’s, and Holly said she’d never had it. If you live in the East Bay or South Bay, that is blasphemy. Obviously, it was of upmost importance to get her a taste of glorious quesadillas paired with spectacular orange sauce. Then, I decided that I had to have burger and fries on this joy ride, because what’s a fast food buffet without McDonald’s?

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wendy’s is across from McDonald’s, and they have pretzel burgers?!? How could we forget that! We made a stop there for the Baconator and the Pretzel Burger. Let me put this all together for you again… Sonic, Taco Bell/KFC, La Victoria, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s. Still no judgement, right?

So we ended up with this:

Hey, remember what I said in my very first sentence?

Look how happy we started:

My BT (thanks for this nickname, Brian)

A few of my favorite fatty friends <3

La Vic’s! At this point, why be a well-mannered girly, girl?

This is the damage:

There’s still food left over…

I am going to admit that maybe, possibly, perhaps we went overboard, and our greed got the best of us. Just kinda… But man was this magnificent! I think I’m over fast food… and will be over it for at least 6 months.

After the meal, this happened:

No, not a heart attack. Just intense food coma.

I promise that we ate better on Sunday – spinach salads with roasted chicken. Here you go heart and arteries, a meal just for you!

What’s your favorite fast food place? Is there something you crave at least once a month? Are we crazy or have you done something like this before? If so, tell me the details!

Love,
This fatty, Jay

OCC

November 11, 2013 by Jamie Lam

It’s Operation Christmas Child time!

Many kids around the world do not get gifts during the holiday season. It’s a sad but very true fact of life. Samaritan’s Purse has a program where people can pack shoeboxes filled with gifts to children all over the world. Ultimately, the boxes are opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Every year my church hosts their annual OCC boxing event. The congregation eats lunch together, we sprawl out on the floor, and pack our boxes together. The church provides some of the sanitary/school items (combs, toothbrushes, soap, crayons, pencils, and pens), and it’s up to each individual to buy their toys.

Walking into the toy aisle always reminds me of when I was a little kid – aisle upon aisle of dolls, stuffed animals, legos, and games. To this day, it’s still fun to shop for toys! MG and I decided to put together 4 boxes this year but to personalize each box by writing a letter to our kids and sending a a Lam family picture. It’s always nice to get a gift with a personal touch. For those who want to make kids feel merry this season, they can also try giving spectacular gifts such as a handcrafted wooden playhouse for sale.

We made these cards at home with some stuff lying around the house (construction paper, twine, glitter, dollies, and cotton balls). These cards are perfect for little kiddies to make.

I’m really proud of the snowflake one, so here’s how I did it!

See the swirly design in the middle of the dollie? Basically trace the pattern with glue and sprinkle glitter!

So easy, and such a fun way to use items around your house.

Here are all the toys we purchased for our boxes! We got some jump ropes, a baby doll, a stuffed bunny, and some sidewalk chalk for 2-4 year old girls. For the 5-9 year old boys we purchased marbles, trucks, zombie figures, and putty.

MG packing his boys’ boxes. I chose girls!

All done and filled to the brim! Enjoy little ones!

My favorite thing about OCC is watching kids pack boxes. For them to give up toys for other children in need is a profound understanding of love, a sacrificial love that Jesus has for all of us.

Sweet, sweet Kayla and Kelsey

Adorable Abby

Very handsome Niko (maybe this guy got some help with his boxes)

I encourage you to pack a box for a child in need. For under $20, you are able to provide so much joy for a child that may have never received a gift before. Plus, it’s great entertainment for you to go toy shopping. There is more information on OCC and how to pack a box here.

Have you participated in OCC before? What is your favorite part of packing the box? If you haven’t done this before, is this something you may consider?

In His Name,
Jay

Fisherman Jay

November 4, 2013 by Jamie Lam

You can now call me Fisherman Jay!

I went deep sea fishing this past weekend in a chartered boat, called the Tigerfish, with family and friends, the captain, and the 2 deckhands. It’s so fun when you know everyone on the boat. If you ever decide to go fishing in the Bay Area, check Tigerfish out because the captain is a really nice guy and the deckhands are super helpful. Highly recommended!

Cabin of the boat

We hopped on a boat at 4:30am in Emeryville. Yup, you read right… 4 fricken 30 in the morning. Once everyone is on board, the ship sets sail for 2 hours to Farallon Islands. You fish all day, until everyone reaches their quota of 10 fish, and then we head home, another 2 hours back.

It’s still dark at 4:30 am

If the sea is calm, the trip is great. Unfortunately for us, the sea was unhappy. First off, it was cold (about 50 degrees) and the fog covered up the sun (though we did get a 30 minute window of sun). The sea was rough. We would fall asleep in the cabin of the boat, and wake up when we banged against the wall, ouch. It was SUPER hard to use the bathroom… try aiming into the toilet while you’re trying to stabilize yourself. Now picture trying to squat and stabilize. That’s pro status right there!

Anyway, 6 of the 24 people that went on the trip all got sea sickness and threw up a couple of times. Thankfully, I didn’t feel any sickness. I called my doctor and asked for the strong medicated patch that you stick behind your ear. We even bought wristbands, ginger gum, and extra motion sickness pills. If you ever go fishing, just take a non-drowsy pill the night before and the morning of your boat trip. You’ve got nothing to lose! Once you feel sick on the boat, the trip is ruined. My poor friend immediately felt sick about 30 minutes into the boat ride… While throwing up on the side of the boat, she also got pour on by the crashing waves, and ended up sitting in her damp and cold clothes the rest of the trip (at least 8 hours). I don’t think she’ll ever go fishing again!

Poor girl

We fished for Rockcod on this trip. They are dumb fish and eat everything, so it was fun to immediately catch fish when you cast your line into the water. The captain also has a radar to tell you when to drop the line and for how long to cast it (sometimes at the bottom of the sea, sometimes halfway up). It’s definitely an easy trip for beginners. For more fishing trips, visit the Cayman Islands.

When the fog lifted, I was able to get some great pictures! Looksee!

So hard to stand up because the boat is rockin everywhere!

The captain’s 2 labs joined us on our trip. This guy loves to sit in people’s legs. So cute!

Freezing…

The deckhands clean and gut the fish for you for $10. They will filet the meat for $15.

le tired face but happy with my catch!

The Lam stash – 10 fish fillet-ed, and 10 cleaned and gutted

Once we got back, we cleaned up (taking a HOT shower after 10 hours of fishing in cold weather is one of the best feelings in the world), and then we cooked fish! A few people came over and we had a feast with our catch!

All showered up but cleaning the fish at home now! Getting it all prepped

Steamed fish with seafood soy sauce – get in my belly!

Sorry for the blur, must be tired at this point…

Then I crashed after dinner… and woke up with Chubs next to me, in the same position as me. MG had to take a pic!

Who wants to come over for a fish meal? JK. What did you do this weekend?

Fisherman and pro-pee-er,
Jay

One funny story: In the middle of the night, I was sleep talking to Ming-Gih. I told him “Honey, you don’t need to bring anymore fish home” and gave him a really big hug. Then I rolled back to my side of the bed and fell asleep. He’s still laughing at me! Must have been totally worn out Saturday night!

Halloween Potluck 2013

November 1, 2013 by Jamie Lam

Halloween is now over… boo (pun intended, har).

If you’ve been reading along, you’ll know that I mentioned that the Lams were hosting a Halloween Potluck here. Here’s a recap of the fun food we had during dinner!

Post-Halloween 2013

Ectoplasm Pasta – Pesto/Alfredo wheat pasta, thanks Jon!

Onion Mac & Cheese with finger meats

Monster balls (brussels sprouts recipe here)!

Mashed potatoes were dyed and then piped into a brain

Yum!

These little guys are so cute. Great job Jess!

So talented, Dave!

And then there’s dessert:

It’s my strawberry chia jam recipe!

Cheesecake brownies! Recipe to come soon. These are so pretty for the Fall

Of course, red velvet cake pops!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween.

With love,
The Lam Minons

One more thing: It’s the first day of November. How is it that we only have 2 more months until 2014? Only 2 months!

Happy Halloween!

October 31, 2013 by Jamie Lam

Happy Halloween everyone!

What will you be doing to celebrate tonight?

I’m hosting a Halloween potluck for a few friends. They must bring a themed food/dessert/drink. It’s time to get creative! I’m excited to see what people come up with.

I’m making ribs, guts jam (my strawberry chia jam), mac & cheese with sausage fingers, monster balls (brussels sprouts), mashed potatoes shaped like a brain, and eyeball cake pops! I’ll update with pictures after tonight.

Love,
Jay & Chubs

Annual Pumpkin Carving Party

October 28, 2013 by Jamie Lam

I love the Fall/Winter season. For one thing, the weather gets colder so warm and comfy sweaters and boots. Secondly, the holidays – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.

It’s Halloween this Thursday! Halloween has always been one of those holidays where my parents decorate the house so the Fall/Winter fun kicks off on 10/31. Now that I’m married, MG and I get to start our own annual traditions. The pumpkin carving party started last year, and I really hope to continue this event year after year. We go to the pumpkin patch in the morning with friends, pick out our pumpkins, head home to rest a bit and snack on treats, then start the carving!

This year I decked out the decorations for the carving party. Our closest friends joined us, and we had a great time!

Holly, David, and I went to the patch together to pick out our pumpkins at Pastorino Farm and Lemos Farm in Half Moon Bay. MG wasn’t able to go since he had a bachelor’s party this year. It was the perfect day – some wind and lots of sun! We got there early too to avoid traffic. It’s always a joy to watch little toddlers running around while parents are trying to get pictures of them in the patch. Guess that will be me one day!

Here are some fun pictures from my iPhone. Sadly my camera died right before we got to the patch (newbie mistake)!

Special thanks to David for the next three pictures! Glad someone’s camera was working!

Do you go to the pumpkin patch every year? What do you like to look at?

Look at our carved pumpkins!

Which one do you like best? What did you carve this year?

So pretty when lit up! I sprinkled some cinnamon on the lids before lighting the candle. My house smells awesome!

We collected all the ooey-gooey-ness and cleaned off the seeds and made….

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!

Wash and dry your seeds. Add two tablespoons of melted butter, sprinkle garlic seasoning, pepper, and salt. Then roast them for 45 minutes at 300°, turning the seeds over every 15 minutes for an even roast. So crunchy and delicious!

To make things more fun, I adorned the house with some low cost, easy to do decorations!

Done over and over again, but definitely adds to the setting!

I found some cute mice wall decals at Target for $5 a pack (10-15 mice decals)

I’m really proud of this zombie blockade! I found a cardboard box and cut it into strips, then used a Sharpie and drew wood grain. I cut out hand silhouettes from poster and spray painted them black for the zombie hands. Looks really cool over a window or a fire place! What do you think?

I cut out and spray painted some extra hands and taped them against the banister so that it looks like zombies are reaching out to you as you walk up the stairs. It actually took 2 days to adjust to this because looking from the bottom of the staircase, it’s a bit terrifying.

Here’s an up-close shot

As I was spray painting the hands against a cardboard, the outlines turned out to be a pretty cool backdrop.

I placed this against a wall for some extra effect

Lastly, Halloween themed food is one of my favorite parts of this holiday!

Chocolate covered Chex with Candy Corn and Reece’s Pieces. This is such an easy to make snack! Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and mix into Chex evenly. Then add 3/4th cup of powdered sugar and evenly coat (I like to shake them in a Ziploc).

Blood shot eyeball deviled eggs. Use a toothpick and red dye to draw veins, use green coloring in the mashed up yolk, and olives for the pupils.

Spider deviled eggs with olives

Owl and brain cupcakes! The owl’s eyes are Oreos with Reece’s Pieces. Aren’t they so cute?

Brain cupcakes! Red velvet cake with strawberry filling/guts. Yum

Do you celebrate Halloween? What is your annual Halloween tradition? Anything you want to try from this post?

Happy Halloween!
Jay

Canada, eh?

October 21, 2013 by Jamie Lam

I’m back! After a weeklong vacation in Vancouver, I’m home. Ming-Gih and I decided to visit my grandma, my aunts, and my cousins in Vancouver. My Aunt Kathy from Ireland and my parents from Texas all flew up the same week, so it was a mini family reunion.

Look how cute my Grammy is!!!

The reunion – thanks everyone for making us feel so welcomed!

I captured a bunch of things we did while vacationing. Maybe you can take note if you are planning a trip up to Vancouver too. Loads and loads of pictures, so here we go!

We flew on Allegiant Air to Bellingham, Washington for about $140 round-trip, per person (this airlines has some great deals!). We rented a car and drove across the border into Vancouver. But before we went into Canada, MG and I looked for something to do in Bellingham, and lo and behold! We found a waterfall near the airport so decided to check it out. Really pretty scenery, and you know it’s good when there are three brides all taking wedding pictures in the area!

We are on the edge of glory here^^^! It was pretty terrifying looking down.

This shroom looks SO cool, doesn’t it?

The first night we got into Vancouver, we went to the Night Market. Thankfully, it was still open. During the winter time the market is closed. We got some delicious foods, and I bought some cute socks!

We needed a buddy system – the place was packed!

Here’s my buddy in front of the night market icon

Now for the food!

Bubble waffles!!!

The cutest pork buns you will ever see!

Ramen ends the night perfectly, hot soup and noodles on a cold night

Vancouver is a seaport, so we were surrounded by lots of water. We went to their version of Fisherman’s Wharf.

How gorgeous is this?

You can buy lots of fresh seafood on the wharf. This man sells shrimp. This puppy sells fish!

We also went to Horseshoe Bay to look at all the Fall colors. I’m in adoration of all the Fall colors that are in Vancouver. Being from the Bay Area, it’s rare to come across yellowing and red leaves. It’s breathtaking.

Watching the kids play in the leaves made me really want to jump in too! Look at the little one sitting in the pile – cute!

Another shot of the scenic Bay

My handsome man on the pier ^^^

MG and I ventured to Whistler for a romantic getaway (as romantic as you can possibly get since I was stricken with food poisoning). Imagine taking bathroom stops every 20 minutes on a 2-hour drive… But the views of Whistler definitely made up for the unfortunate sickness. We went during off-season, so we got some extra attention from staff members. Dining at nearby restaurants was also affordable since it was off-season. A 5-course meal at Aura was only $30, and a 4-course at Rimrock Cafe was only $45 (our favorite dinner thus far).

We stayed at Nita Lake Lodge, and I highly, highly recommend this hotel. The hotel is clean, the staff is friendly, and the complimentary accommodations include bike, canoe, and kayak rentals. Our bathroom floor was heated stone, so every morning my toes were toasty. We also had a fireplace in the room and a kitchenette. If you’re ever in town, stay here!

Back view of the hotel

We took full advantage of the free canoe! Because it was off-season, MG and I were the only ones on the lake. It’s better than something from The Notebook!

That view ^^^ That reflection ^^^

I find this picture to be so amazing – it’s the reflection of the nearby trees along the lake.

On our drive back from Whistler to Vancouver, we made stops along the way to look at the views. That’s part of the fun during a roadtrip right?

Our first stop – Shannon Falls.

Can you find me?

The next stop we made was the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. At ~$32 per adult, it was a pretty hefty price, but the views were worth it!

This was during a weekday, near closing time so it wasn’t packed with tourists. I was able to get a picture of me on the bridge by myself! The bridge is 450ft across and 230ft above the river.

These totem poles look so cool! Can you find MG?

This walkway was called Treetop Adventures, and the bridge allows you to walk around the canopy of the forest.

The best part of the park was the Cliffwalk. You basically walk around the edge of, well, a cliff. MG has a height phobia, so this was the most intense part of the trip. He’s such a thrill seeker, that one!

For you foodies out there, here are some of the crazy things that we ate during the trip. It’s all Asian foods! When in Vancouver…

MG’s favorite – the buttered pineapple bun. Is that a stick of butter in the bread? Why, yes it is.

Hot pot at home and squab

HK toast and a big bowl of rice noodles!

Japanese style hot dogs – Nori, Japanese mayo, and teriyaki sauce

Duh…

It was such a fun vacation, but I’m glad to be back! If you’ve ever been to Vancouver, did you do any of the above? What other things are recommended for my next trip?

What did you do this weekend?
Jay

Tea Ceremony & Shopping Trip

October 7, 2013 by Jamie Lam

Weekends seem to go by so fast. Dinner on Friday. Run a few errands, and it’s already Saturday night. Go to church and take a nap, it’s Sunday evening and you’re prepping for Monday already. Don’t you feel the same?

Friday night was date night. MG and I went to Cheesecake Factory, and I totally forgot how delicious this place is. First off, that dark brown bread is YUM. I’m pretty sure I had two full loaves, oops? Then I reunited with the White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, and we found ourselves in love again. So maybe date night wasn’t actually with MG, it was with Cheesecake!

My church was hosting a women’s event on Saturday. I had breakfast with a few girlfriends, and afterwards we headed over to Hakone Estate & Gardens in Saratoga for a tea ceremony. This garden has quite a view!

The tea ceremony is a traditional Japanese event, usually a casual time for the family to serve guests. The Japanese culture is extremely detailed, a very big contrast to American traditions. I always feel like I’m on the go all the time and things move so fast. But the Japanese culture is very particular, and I am impressed at how they appreciate the little things. For instance, before you drink the cup, raise it because it shows appreciation to everyone who has prepared the tea. Also, the tea cup has a front and a back. The front should be facing you in the beginning. When you are about to drink, rotate your cup 180° so that the guests are now looking at the front. When done, rotate it again so that the front is facing you. This is so that you can appreciate the artwork on the cup. Now that’s meticulous.

The powdered tea is shipped from Japan. You whisk the powder into hot water until it foams. In those three sips of tea, there are 3 oranges worth of calcium. Pretty cool right?

Of course no weekend is complete without shopping! Especially since it’s October that means 1) I need to start prepping for the Fall (yay dark jeans, boots, jackets, and scarves!) and 2) summer sales! As you might have been aware, I am a JCPenney shopaholic (my love also described here). Look at my awesome goodies. You’ll definitely be jealous when you see how much I paid for things!

White tee for $3. Levi’s shorts for $5. Cute pencil skirt for $5. This pencil skirt is perfect for dressing up with a fancy shirt or dressing down with a t-shirt.

Peephole dress for $14. Adoring the print and color of this dress.

Vegan faux leather jacket by Joe Fresh for $49.

I’ve been trying to find a leather jacket for this Fall season, but I can’t justify spending $300-$500 on a jacket. I simply can’t though I really wish I could. This jacket from JCP is the perfect find for me. Great cost and a great looking jacket. I’m excited to put the dress and the jacket together with some cute boots. Now… where to find those boots?

Don’t forget that if you shop at JCP, there are coupons every weekend. MG also bought some things, and we spent over $100, which means I also get a $20 discount. Have I enticed you to check out JCP yet? Are you also craving cheesecake now?

What did you do this weekend?
Jay
—–
Joe Fresh Vegan Leather Jacket

Jay's Cup

the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair…

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