Tracey from MCVC's Profile

This is simply gorgeous!

I just started my own home decor blog and have found so much inspiration from other bloggers. It's an amazing community! I know of many on this list, but I can't wait to check the others out. Thanks for such a great resource!

I just did the same thing this past July and I love it! I used two (unopened) boxes of printed brochures covered by a 3'x3' piece of leftover cabinetry board from a build out my company did a while back. I have two monitors and a pen tablet, plus keyboard, so the large flat surface was necessary.

I also bought a chef's mat from Amazon for around $30 and it's fantastic. As for workouts, I do CrossFit and rowing workouts three nights per week and I have no trouble doing so. Sometimes my feet are a little sore by the end of the night, but I wouldn't switch back to sitting for anything.

I've made these twice now since the post and absolutely LOVE them! They're fast and easy to make and use ingredients I always seem to have around.

Of course, I made a few tweaks as others have done. I left out the nuts in the second batch since I didn't think they added anything. I also added cinnamon to the banana/vanilla mixture (as well as on top) and I added a tablespoon of Better Than Peanut Butter after everything was combined. I found the second batch came out much creamier (not surprisingly) and I will definitely be making these on a regular basis.

I should mention that I NEVER bake. I can cook anything, but baking is not my friend. I found this recipe so easy and modifiable (which most baked goods are not), so that was another plus.

It's not a staple, but they have this amazing chocolate snack called, "Petit Cocoa Batons". Their these small chocolate treats that are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. And they're really inexpensive - maybe $1.79 per box. You get a lot for your buck nutritionally too - I think 17 pieces has 5g of fat. They're wonderful!

The last time I purchased them the check out girl said that she wasn't sure how long they would last since nobody buys them. She also raved about them and was sad that nobody knew they existed.

We live in Chicago and have two dogs. When we just had one dog, Oliver (a chihuahua), we would leave him with friends. However, after we got our second dog, Lucy (boxer/pit), we felt that leaving two dogs with friends was too much of an imposition. We found a wonderful kennel based on recommendations and have never looked back. In fact, they now attend doggie day care 2x/week and they LOVE it. They actually pull on their leashes to GET IN! They love playing with the other dogs and they get great exercise.

One word of caution though: I've heard some not-so-great stories about some kennels, so you have to be diligent in seeking out the right one for you and your dogs.

Best of luck!

LOVE!