The Beauty For Real website boasts the formula is “loaded with plant-derived antioxidants like green tea and grape seed extracts that deliver regenerative elements and anti-aging capabilities.” Sounds like a great thing, however the skeptic in me wonders how much this is a marketing ploy.  Still, I have no complaints about the product. I love that it doesn’t feel tacky or greasy and the marine collagen combined with mint and grapefruit definitely plumps the lips.  It also has a slight tingle, which is fun. (If you like that sort of thing.)

My twenty something vote is yes on this antioxidant lip gloss. It may be a little flashy, but I appreciate the product behind all the glitz and glamour.

I’ll admit, I did freak out a little when I found out the girlfriend is gluten intolerant since I have exactly zero experience cooking gluten free. Not to mention, I felt like I had something to prove since we were meeting for the first time and I didn’t want to kill her by accidentally including the wrong ingredient in something.  (My husband doesn’t understand this but I know all you ladies do.)

Like any other inexperienced cook, I ran straight to the internet to get an idea of an appropriate menu and found www.gfreefoodie.com to be an excellent resource.  In the end I decided to go with caprese to start, followed by steak, mashed potatoes and corn–much to my surprise a totally normal meal.  Who knew gluten intolerant people could eat that?  Shout out to my grill-master husband.  You did good last night.

I hit up Trader Joe’s to find a g-free dessert and came away with a delectable mango sorbet, which I topped with fresh nectarine slices. To. Die. For.  After dessert, I whipped out some Good Earth Sweet and Spicy Tea which boasts of antioxidants.

Hostess with the mostess? Hardly, but I’d like to be there some day.  I guess since we’re having friends over again tonight I’m getting my fair share of practice.  Luckily there are no special food needs to accommodate so I am a free bird in the kitchen. Whew!

Now you might be asking yourself, “Why is she so excited about this?” Well first of all, the fruit/veggies are noticeably cheaper. A hard-core bargain hunter, I’m practically in heaven when I’m there because I feel like everything is on sale! I’ve also found there is more variety and it’s easier to pick out ripe produce. At the grocery store lately I haven’t been able to find a peach or pear that is ready to eat to save my life. Not to mention, everything is a lot more expensive.

To recap, I’m buying more produce, saving money, packing healthier lunches, cooking better dinners, and feeling more confident about my overall twenty-something diet. Win, win, win, win, and win!

So thank you local corner fruit stand. My business is all yours. You have truly made my month.

This morning I had my annual (dreaded) womanly physical with all the bells and whistles.  Always a good time.  Who doesn’t love being questioned, weighed, poked and prodded at for 45 minutes? While my appointment was the usual unpleasant/uncomfortable experience, I did walk out with some well heeded advice from my doctor regarding vitamins/supplements.

It’s common knowledge Seattle is lacking in the sun department, but I didn’t know that to make up for this I should be taking 1,000 mg of Vitamin D daily.  This should be on top of the multi-vitamin that I am not currently taking because it’s hiding in the back of my medicine cabinet.  But wait–there’s more!  I was also advised to add more fiber and calcium to my daily regimen. I think it will be hard to try to incorporate fiber into my cooking right now, so I’m going to take a supplement instead. The calcium I think I can manage.

Hmmm…a lot more capsules going down the hatch. Does this mean I need a plastic pill sorter now? I’ve always hated those things.

Things I learned at the 100th birthday bash:

♥  The secret to a long life is living one day at a time.

♥  JFK was mostly loved for his good looks.

♥  Children and driving a nice car are signs of a good life. (Car being a ’97 Ford Taurus.)

♥  When at parties with copious amounts of food, steer clear of the cookie table. Veggies and dip are a better substitute.

♥ I should take more videos.

♥ $7.00 will buy you a nice 100th birthday card, and even though it’s overpriced, you should buy it anyway because you may never have a chance to do it again.

One. Hundred. Years. Old. Wow.

To be honest, I’m not sure if I want to know what living inside of a century-old body feels like. Let alone be there some day myself. What has this woman been eating all of her life? Is there a secret to aging gracefully she needs to spill?

We constantly see ads for serums, creams, pills and powders that claim to slow the effects of time. Every other day someone comes out with a new fad diet that is supposed to give us all perfect bodies. Eat this. Not that. Drink diet soda because it’s better for you. Don’t drink diet soda because artificial sweeteners will kill you.

All I hope for is to be as healthy as humanly possible and have my husband next to me for the long haul. If that means ripening to the age of 100, so be it.

As for the present, I’ll be sporting a red shirt with great-grandma’s mug smack in the center and will hopefully discover the key to living to be 100 years young. Happy birthday to a wonderfully wise woman. You are loved by many.