A Journey With Jenna

I’m pretty excited that it’s the last weekend in August because that means fall is right around the corner! I’m hunkering down for a hurricane that’s supposed to come through this weekend. Definitely not my favorite thing, but I just pray everyone is safe! Here’s this week’s recap of Amy’s podcast, 4 Things with Amy Brown. Go listen to the full episode if you haven’t already, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast!

1. Exercise addiction. Amy talked to Lisa @thewellnecessities this week about exercise and how too much of it can be a bad thing. Lisa said that we shouldn’t treat exercise as a punishment for eating things that maybe weren’t so healthy. Do it because it’s good for your body.
2. Being a second mom. Amy said that she considers herself a “second mom” to her kids because they’re adopted. Even though she’s their mom now, she still wants to acknowledge and honor their birth mothers since that’s something they may want to know more about as they get older.
3. Get Real with Caroline Hobby. Podcast host, Caroline Hobby, was on this week to talk about the interviews she does with the wives of country singers. Her podcast shares a lot of details about what a day in their lives looks like.
4. Vulnerability. Amy shared something she learned from life coach, Sarah Sherwood, about vulnerability. It’s often viewed as a weakness, but it’s not. We should be open when we need to be — it actually takes courage to do so — quite the opposite of weakness.

Here are the 4 things I’m loving most this week.

• Pimento cheese. You can’t be Southern and not like pimento cheese, right?! It’s one of my favorites, but I try not to make it a lot because it does have a lot of dairy in it. I got a craving for it the other day, though, and it was really good with celery. I made mine by mixing together 8 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese, 4 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/4 C mayo, 2 oz. chopped and drained pimentos, 1/4 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/8 tsp each of salt and pepper.

• Sweet potato wraps. Speaking of pimento cheese, it’s also really good on these wraps. They’re really healthy and can be used so many different ways!

• Oil diffuser. I’ve been wanting to try diffusing oils for a while now, but didn’t want to spend a lot on a diffuser. I found this one for less than $15 and so far I’m really loving it. It’s simple to use and very quiet, and I think it’ll be easy to clean, too.

• Gladiolas. My grandma’s favorite flowers were gladiolas, so I think of her every time I see them. My grocery store had them buy one, get one free this week and I couldn’t resist! I got some pretty pink ones that are just opening up. I feel like gladiolas are underrated — I don’t see them too often — but they’re so pretty!

I hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend. Enjoy the day if you’re off. I’ll be indoors braving the storm. See you back here next week!

Happy Friday! It seemed like a really long week for some reason, but it was still a good one. I’m definitely excited it’s the weekend, though! Here’s this week’s recap of Amy’s podcast, 4 Things with Amy Brown. Go listen to the full episode if you haven’t already, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast!

1. How to have your life not suck. Amy talked to author Bianca Olthoff, who has a new book coming out on Tuesday titled, How to Have Your Life Not Suck: Becoming Today Who You Want to Be Tomorrow. The book is Christian-based and covers topics like relationships, faith, and adulting, all while being related to stories from the Bible. I love this idea and definitely plan to read the book! Bianca believes that the best is not behind you. If you are not dead, then God is not done.
2. Saving that money, honey. Amy just discovered Honey, which is a browser extension that searches for coupon codes for you and applies them when you checkout. I’ve been using this for a couple years and really love it! I have it on my laptop, and really need to add the app to my phone. It’s free, too! I really like it, and it definitely saves money on a lot of sites.
3. Q&A with Adam Bobo. Amy’s friend, nurse anesthetist Adam Bobo, was back this week to answer questions from listeners. Some of the topics he covered included supplements, sleep, superfoods, and things you can eat to reduce inflammation, like blueberries, kale, garlic, spinach, and tumeric (but it needs to be taken with black pepper). He also recommended his top four supplements that everyone should take, which were magnesium, a calcium, D, and K2 combo, a good probiotic, and Tru Niagen.
4. Vacation shaming. Amy recently read that so many Americans aren’t taking vacation days because their coworkers and bosses make them feel guilty about it. Vacations are good for your health, though. They reduce stress, prevent heart disease, improve productivity, and promote better sleep. I know I’m definitely overdo to take some time off work and get away!

Here are the 4 things I’m loving most this week.

• Fondue. I hadn’t been to The Melting Pot in years, and got the chance to go earlier this week. It was a lot of fun and so yummy! The cheese is my favorite part!

• Peach pistachio salad. I’ve been eating this salad on repeat while peaches are still in season. It’s so simple and delicious! I just slice peaches and put them over a bed of mixed greens, then sprinkle in some pistachios and goat cheese and drizzle with a balsamic vinegar dressing, or just use balsamic and olive oil.

• Secret Obsession. I’d been hearing good things about this Netflix movie, so I finally watched it and really enjoyed it! It’s about a girl who wakes up with amnesia after an attack, but the danger isn’t over! It really keeps you on the edge of your seat.

• Aerie undies. Okay, I know it’s not the most exciting topic, but it’s hard to find good ones these days. I haven’t had great luck with undies from Victoria’s Secret in the past, but I really love the ones from Aerie. And the best part is, you can catch them on sale for 10 for $35, or sometimes even less! I just stocked up on some new ones.

That’s all for today. Have a great weekend, and see you back here next week!

I know it’s still hot out, but all the fall stuff I’ve been seeing lately has me craving something a little more hearty, so I think I may break out my Crock Pot this weekend. It will probably be rainy, and rainy weather is always a good excuse for soup, right? Here’s this week’s recap of Amy’s podcast, 4 Things with Amy Brown. She sat down with singer/songwriter Walker Hayes and his wife, Laney, and they covered 4 topics. Go listen to the full episode if you haven’t already, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast!

1. The best love song. Amy talked with Walker and Laney Hayes about “Don’t Let Her,” a song Walker wrote about Laney. There’s a lot of meaning behind it, and you can listen to it here.
2. Blessing others is fun. Walker and Laney are paying it forward with the “Be a Craig” fund, which they established to honor their friend who gave them a van at a time when they were in financial need.
3. Losing their daughter. Walker and Laney shared the story of losing their daughter during birth. They hope it will help others who may have gone through the same thing or something similar.
4. Gratitude. Amy asked each of them to share 4 things they’re thankful for. Walker’s 4 things were Laney, his children, music, and the Bible. Laney’s 4 things were love, laughter, family, and Oakleigh (the daughter they lost).

Here are the 4 things I’m loving most this week.

• Joseph’s it’s a wrap lavash bread. These wraps were on sale at my grocery store, so I picked some up to try, and they’re great! They’re also low carb. I love the Joseph’s brand pita, too.

• Educated. My favorite books to read are memoirs and personal growth/development. This book is a memoir by Tara Westover, and one of the best I’ve ever read! It tells the story of a girl who grew up in the middle of nowhere in the mountains of Idaho, and because of her family’s beliefs, she was sheltered for much of her life until she decided to go to college against her family’s will. I highly recommend this one!

• Matcha lattes. I’ve been enjoying making these at home lately. I love drinking matcha as an alternative to coffee sometimes. They give you a little boost of energy, and matcha is an antioxidant and so good for you! I follow Amy’s recipe when I make them. Just throw all of this into a blender and pour over ice:
  1 C water
  1 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  1 scoop collagen peptides protein powder
  3-4 drops of liquid stevia
  1 tsp. matcha powder
  a few shakes of cinnamon

• Pillows. I was in desperate need of some new pillows for my couch. I didn’t want to spend a lot because my couch is pretty old, so I came across these striped ones at Target and really like them!

That’s all I have for this week! Have a great weekend!

August is here! It’s not necessarily my favorite time of year because it’s so hot in the summertime, but when August rolls around, I feel like the end is in sight, so that helps me get through it! Here’s this week’s recap of Amy’s podcast, 4 Things with Amy Brown. Go listen to the full episode if you haven’t already, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast!

1. Jessica Honegger: changing the world. Jessica Honegger, founder of Noonday Collection, was on this week and told the story behind her jewelry company. Noonday Collection gives back by providing underprivileged women with jobs making the jewelry. The new fall collection just launched yesterday, and there are so many pretty pieces!
2. Host a BBQ ASAP. Last weekend, Amy and her husband hosted a BBQ at their house, and she mentioned how it’s such a great thing to do because it forces you to get things done at home when you have company coming over! An old high school friend introduced her to Matt Moore, who’s a BBQ master. He was invited to the BBQ, so Amy decided to make one of his recipes — pan seared skirt steak with chimichurri sauce — and it was a hit!
3. All the things. Amy talked about some beauty products she’s trying and how she got Botox in her neck! Yep, that’s right.
4. Recommendations on what to watch. Two series Amy recently watched and loved are Chernobyl (on Amazon Prime) about the 1986 nuclear accident in Russia, and The Great Hack (on Netflix) about data company, Cambridge Analytica, and how they gathered data on people to persuade them to vote a certain way.

Here are the 4 things I’m loving most this week.

• Pasta with arugula, roasted red peppers, corn, and goat cheese. Not sure what else to call this dish, but it’s amazing! The recipe refers to it as a pasta salad, but I didn’t eat it cold, so it’s more of a main meal in my opinion. I like it best at room temperature. I just nuked my leftovers in the microwave. You only need to use a half box of pasta for this, and it’s the perfect summer meal — light and delicious! Feel free to modify it however you like, too. I used corkscrew pasta for mine.

• Moroccanoil moisture repair shampoo & conditioner. I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to share this! I’ve been using this shampoo and conditioner for a few years now, and once in a while I’ll switch to something else just to give my hair a change, but I always come back to this and love it so much. It has kept my hair really healthy and gives it the moisture it needs without creating oil. I highly recommend it.

• The Family Chantel. TLC has sucked me in once again! I’ve mentioned before that I love watching 90 Day Fiance, and now one of the girls on there has her own show. It follows her family and how they deal with the (crazy) guy she’s married to. It comes on Mondays at 10 p.m. EST, and you can watch full episodes here.

• Plumcots. Have you ever had a plumcot? They’re in season right now, and the ones I’ve been getting from my grocery store have been so good! I hadn’t tried them until recently, and now I’m hooked. They’re a cross between a plum and an apricot (and I think they’re kind of like a peach, too). They’re a little tart and really sweet — just make sure it’s slightly soft and ripe. The riper it is, the less tart it will be. Try them if your grocery store has them!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I’m supposed to go see one of my favorite new authors who’s doing a book tour, so I’m excited about that, and will hopefully have details to share soon. Thanks for reading, and see you back here next week!

It’s already the last Friday in July! It’s been a busy week, so I’m definitely ready for the weekend! Here’s this week’s recap of Amy’s podcast, 4 Things with Amy Brown. Go listen to the full episode if you haven’t already, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast!

1. Bringing ideas to life. Jeremy Cowart, a photographer who sells his work to raise money for charities, was on this week and talked about the idea he had to create The Purpose Hotel in Nashville. It’s a concept where everything in the hotel is connected to a cause. When you book a room, it will give back to those in need in many different ways. Jeremy plans to open it in 2022, and would like to expand globally. He really served as an encouragement to act on ideas or dreams and make them happen, whatever they might be!
2. Motivation hack. Amy saw an Instagram post from professional optimist, Mel Robbins, in which she talked about how she gives herself a reward as a motivation hack. For example, to motivate herself to work out, she lays her clothes out the night before. Then, when it’s time to wake up, even if she doesn’t feel like working out, she counts down… 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… and makes herself get up and do it! As a reward, she gets herself an iced latte after a workout. Because she always rewards herself, now when she sees her workout clothes in the morning, she associates that with the reward she’s going to get, and not the task of working out.
3. What the guac?!?! Amy shared a tip she learned from Bethany Ugarte on how to pick out the best avocados. Pick the pear shaped ones with bumpy skin because they have smaller seeds, so you’ll be getting more of the avocado meat. The round, smooth ones have bigger seeds and you won’t get as much bank for your buck (or 2 bucks like they cost at my grocery store right now)!
4. GG crackers. Amy learned about some crackers that are high in fiber and help control your appetite. They only have 12 calories each and 2 net carbs. You can find them on Amazon, and they’re great topped with avocado, nut butter, hummus, or whatever else you like!

Here are the 4 things I’m loving most this week.

• Roses. My grocery store had a dozen roses buy one, get one free this week! So, for $10.99 you could get two dozen roses! I’m kind of regretting not buying any, but I still have some hydrangeas from last week that I’m enjoying. If they put them on sale again, you better believe I’ll be getting some!

• Worth the wait. I heard a message from Joel Osteen over the weekend that really resonated with me because it was exactly what I needed to hear at the exact moment I needed to hear it. It was called “It’s Worth the Wait,” and it was about having patience for God’s plan and how sometimes we aren’t given things because we’re not ready for them. But no matter what, everything will be worth the wait. You can check out the message here.

• Dairy free dark chocolate chips. I picked up these Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips to make some energy bites (details coming soon), and I was really impressed! I didn’t even realize they were dairy free until after I got them. I just grabbed them because they have a lot less sugar than the other brands and are all natural. I did see another brand called Lily’s that’s made with Stevia. I may try those next time.

• Gardening gloves. I did some yard work last weekend, and thankfully I ordered these gloves ahead of time. In the past, I haven’t used gloves, but these made a big difference. And my nails weren’t wrecked by the time I finished! They’re comfortable, breathable, and under $10!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Thanks for reading, and see you back here next week!