Mornin’!
It’s gray and drizzly outside, but I got to wake up to the sound of the rain which was so nice! It certainly made it hard to get up and get going though and I actually contemplated going back to bed for 15 minutes after brushing my teeth! I fought the urge, though, and moved onward!
To breakfast! Well, packing it anyways. 
I’m taking my favorite combination of Cheerios, dried cranberries and sliced almonds, as well as a banana to munch on this morning.
I decided to leave the almond milk out of the equation today, because I’m feeling a little grazy this week. I was a hungry beast yesterday looking for anything and everything in sight to eat, so hopefully being able to take my time with this bowl will solve my problems!
This banana should help too. It’s just about the curliest one I’ve ever seen. 
Lunch is another grazer’s delight!
We’ve got carrots + almond butter, as I literally cannot go one day with it.
A Peanut Butter Cooke Larabar.
SO AMAZING! I hope I can hold off until lunch to dig into this!!!
And a 100 Calorie bag of Popcorn. This stuff ROCKS and is a great afternoon snack. Although it’s only 100 calories, the portion is actually pretty big. I can fill a small plate up 3 or 4 times!
So, guess what was on my front porch when I got home yesterday? A big package! A HUGE smile spread across my face – who doesn’t like to get packages?! 
I tore it open and started laughing with delight. A Haiku written just for me by some IGE readers in North Carolina! How sweet!!!
Inside the box was a plethora of Trader Joe’s goodies – these girls know me so well!!!
- Pumpkin Pancake & Waffle Mix
- Organic, Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
- TWO Jars of Pumpkin Butter
- Almond Butter
- Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar
- Cashew Cookie Larabar
All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you to Lauren and Elyssa – what a kind and thoughtful thing to do. You made my day…nay week!! I can’t wait to prepare a pumpkin pancake FEAST this weekend!
Oh, Ben, who was already wearing his NC Tarheels sweatpants…
saw the note and ran to get his Tarheels cape. He say ‘go Tarheels and go care packages!’
Thanks again ladies!
In more random acts of kindness news - did you happen to know that there is a Random Acts of Kindness Foundation which is the United States delegate to the World Kindness Movement? People in these countries promote kindness within their countries’ borders and are creating a global network of kindness and compassion. I just think that’s really cool. 
What’s the last random act of kindness you did, or experienced yourself?
Need some kindness ideas?
- Hug a friend or family member for no good reason
- Leave a flower on the doorstep of someone you love
- Donate old clothes
- Bring bagels to work or school
- Cook a meal for a new parent
- Call or write someone an email telling them how much you appreciate them
- Pay for the person’s meal/drink behind you at the drive through
- Surprise a co-worker with their favorite hot coffee or tea drink
- Ask someone if he/she needs help
I’m a big fan of the last one. I can’t express how much it means to me when Ben simply asks – “Is there anything I can do, or help you with right now?” I firmly believe that it’s the little things that really touch people. You never know how one good deed, or act of kindness will affect someone’s day, week, month or even year!
Now go, enjoy your Tuesday, and spread the love – try and do one act of kindness today and share it with me tonight!
We’ve had fun by paying for the car behind us in a drive-through! Random acts of kindness are available each day…if we only open our eyes to those around us. Even simple things like helping an elderly person with their grocery bags or giving to just bless someone.
Awh, love receiving packages!
or just generally, lots of hugs and love to my mum :p I adore her!
My last random act of kindness was either some Operation Beautiful notes I posted the other day, or baking my mum a peanut butter banana loaf (I always bake for her) so she has stuff to snack on
That is an awesome package! I need to do more for others – it makes me feel much better about myself!
What a great package!!! I always THINK to do things like that, and tend to get sidetracked…
What kind and sweet readers!
I loooooove 100 calorie popcorn. It is a typical after dinner snack for me.
Pumpkin butta = yummy! I love random acts of kindness! I usually try to pay for the person behind me when I get coffee at a drive thru, it brightens my day!
What a great list of kind acts-I agree that when I give to others it actually makes me feel so good for the day-today’s act of kindness was a co-worker’s her father-in-law has been very ill and she has been out of the office for a week. I gave her a big hug this morning and told her I was happy to see her back-she was so thrilled that she was actually missed while gone and I had noticed:)
IGE, so glad that you loved the package! We were happy to do it.
And to Ben–GO HEELS!!!
GO HEELS!
That is such a cute idea, and a great package!!
Wow! What a great goodie bag!
My most recent act of kindess done to me, was when I was at our small town grocery store. I was trying to carry the carseat (with a 20lb 6 mo. in it!) and a few bags of groceries. Obviously, I looked like I was struggling….and I was…and out of no where another customer, a man probably in his 70′s, took the grocery sacks out of my hands and helped me to my car. Thanks to him!
You’ve got me hooked on that breakfast combo! Exactly what I ate this morning.
I sent a couple of nice cards to my best friend who is newly pregnant and just lost her grandmother. Also, since I am quite tall, I frequently retrieve items from high store shelves for other shoppers.
On the last act on your list…I think a lot of people have trouble asking for help, so if they’re asked, their reflex is to say “no, thanks, I’m ok”. Sometimes it’s better to figure out what they need, then just do it.
I gave a pair of my Keds tennis shoes to a gal on the cruise ship on departure day. Her hubby had packed all her shoes in the suitcase the night before & her bag had been removed from the ship to the plane before she realized she had NO shoes to wear! I saw her barefoot on the ship..then again in the airport with no shoes! How terrible is that! I had an extra pair in my carry on bag. Luckily she had small feet like me. I guess I also prepared meals for my friends family as she was dying from cancer. That is one act of kindness that I wish had not been needed, but it seemed to help a little. I have a wonderful neighbor man who always snow blows my driveway & sidewalk. He’a a peach!
AWww how sweet! Such a good idea, random acts of kindness. I don’t do those things often enough. I feel ashamed. Oh well, that will be my goal today!!
And lucky you with that package!!!!
I love the whole ‘pay it forward’ concept but it’s all too easy to forget about sometimes.
That’s so funny that Ben already had those pants on!
Random acts of kindness are the best I think. Because they truly show character and doing something because you want to show love, not because its expected or you want something in return. I would like to think that this morning when I went to the store I showed a random act of kindness to one of the cashiers. She wanted to stop and check out my daughter and so I stop and talked to her for a few minutes even though I was sort of in a rush.
love the TarHeels!! Carolinians are so sweet; how nice of them!
I love random acts of kindness. They make me feel warm and fuzzy!
Wow! That’s great! I really could use a random act of kindness coming my way today
What a cute package! A few weeks ago I randomly decided to make brownies and bring them over to my friends apartment. It was fun for me because I got to bake and fun for him because he got a surprise treat!
Hope you have a great day, sorry about the rainy weather!
I love love love getting packages!! How nice of them, and what a treat!
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Have a great day!
How thoughtful!
I’ll have to start doing more random acts of kindness … it’s so funny how we forget about the simple things, you know?
K
I work at a law firm that had random acts of kindness week less than a month ago. Such a great activity. Employees donated money to send bags of candy and flowers to co-workers anonymously — that money was then used for charitable acts throughout the community in which our office resides. Office morale was up and the community benefited for a total win-win situation.
BTW, the above photo of goodies has just inspired me to make the long trip to the nearest Trader Joe’s!
I love random acts of kindness. It just makes you feel good to do something nice for someone, and it makes them feel good too! happiness all around.
{although, the Jayhawk in me had to cringe at all the Tar Heel photos! ick!}
That was very nice of them though! What a bunch of kind readers you have!
I work for Starbucks and LOVE when someone pulls up to the window and decides to pay for the person behind them! sometimes it’s just because, and sometimes they do it when they were let in line by the other driver, rather than being cut off quickly. It reminds you people CAN be sweet, even if not everyone is
What a fun package! I love getting bloggie gifts!
love random acts of kindness! so sweet for them to send you a care package, enjoy!
GREAT post. I am so struck by how they sent you all that cool stuff, just because. And I love how you try to spread the kindness by giving ideas for doing random acts. I will def act on this one!
Oh and my random act of late was when I was getting a pedicure adn the woman beside me shared that her son had just died. I felt helpless to do much, and knew I would not see her again. So when I left I paid for her pedicure. Least I could do.
Wow! So cool that you got a care package from your readers! I’d be elated if that happened to me… but my blog just got up and running (you should check it out–I think I have mentioned your blog a few times!)
I’ve been trying some of the foods you have in your blog and I have never felt healthier, by the way
I teach preschoolers in the Twin Cities metro area. Some of our kids come from families that are barely able to scrape enough pennies together to put food on the table. One little guy in particular is usually hungry, so whenever we have bananas for our snack, I stick at least two extras in backpack. He surprised me the last time I did this by asking if I’d put two in there. I told him I had and his face just lit up because he was so excited to give the second one to his mom. Heartbreaking. No kid should have to go hungry.
I got a random act of kindness today too… I’m working my way through one of my boyfriend’s favorite tv series and just finished up season two last night. When I got home from work today there was season 3 propped up on my kitchen counter with a note that said “Enjoy your day off tomorrow!! Love, XXXX
HOW FREAKIN’ SWEET! I was so surprised and seriously cannot stop grinning.
Loved both your posts today! Your blog always makes me smile.
I’ve been following your blog for awhile now after a friend recommended it to me, saying it was right up may alley and it soooo is! I love reading what you’re up to every day and I think my husband loves it even more, because I come home daily with new things to cook! Love your recipes!
Loved your post on Random Acts of Kindness. I met a man from Iraq a few weeks ago. He said growing up, his Dad had him and his siblings write acts of kindness they showed to others down in a book every day. Now, 30 years later, they still have the book and it’s incredibly special! I started something like that with my 5-year-old daughter and she is totally digging it! It not only makes her want to do nice things for others, but it also makes her feel good about herself when she writes them down. Acts of kindness don’t just back the receivers happy – they also warm the heart of the giver! Thanks for helping me remember this!
Hello IGE! I just have to say that I love your blog and started following a while ago when I saw your green monster smoothie (now my morning favorite!) on foodgawker.com. I just recently came across the blog you wrote on the Trader Joe’s goodies that a fellow follower sent you and I have to say I was so excited because I am a Trader Joe’s employee and really enjoy a lot of the same products and love to see the creative/healthy ideas in which you use them! Do we love almond butter or what?!!! Also, your pumpkin butter recipe… awesome! Thanks so much for all your great ideas!!!! Take care and looking forward to some more yummy food creations, keep up the good work!
[...] Then I got out the goods – Pumpkin Butter from the North Carolina girls! [...]