Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Hello, lovelies! Happy Halloween! Zachary and I decided to carve our little pumpkins last night whilst jamming out to Halloween music! It was a blast! Here are the results: 

Mine is the one that looks like it should be in an asylum. Zach's is cute.

The only downfall is that we are college students, therefore, we were too lazy to get candles to light the jack-o-lanterns, so we used a flashlight. Classy, right?

After the carving was over, I separated the seeds from the pumpkin guts, and now I have made delicious roasted pumpkin seeds!

If you are one of those people who crave salty, crunchy snacks, this is the treat for you!

Making pumpkin seeds takes only a few steps, but the two really important ones include:

1. Cleaning the pumpkin seeds really well: Get rid of any extra pumpkin fibers so you get the most out of your seeds. Using a colander is suggested, but if you don't have one, just do the best you can with rinsing the seeds.

2. Keeping an eye on the seeds while they are in the oven: It's a lot easier to burn pumpkin seeds than most would think. Keep a timer for every 10 or so minutes to move the seeds around to help them roast evenly. I'm one to get sidetracked, so the timer really becomes my best friend during this time.

Okay, I'm done chatting, here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Pumpkin seeds from beautifully carved pumpkins

1 tablespoon of olive oil

A few dashes of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Scrape out seeds from pumpkins. Clean seeds in a colander, removing any unwanted rinds or fibers.

Soak seeds for 30 minutes in a bowl of water. Drain when the time is over.

Fill a pot with water (enough to cover the seeds). Add a dash of salt. Bring water to a boil. Add seeds and boil for 10 minutes. 

Turn off the heat and drain the seeds. Place seeds in an empty bowl. Toss in olive oil. 

Lay out seeds in a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle a light amount of salt on the top.

Place the seeds in the oven, moving and turning the seeds every 10 minutes. Seeds should be done after 30-40 minutes. You will know they are done when they are firmer and less soft. 

Remove from oven. Sprinkle on more salt if desired. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Place in Tupperware or mason jar to store. 

Have a Happy Halloween, and enjoy this (trick or) TREAT during what is left of the fall season!

xx Amanda 

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Halloween Treats: Mummy Pretzels and Nutter Butter Ghosts

Hello, lovelies! Happy Halloween! Everyone says, “Trick or treat!” You know that in reality, they just want treats! Here are some treats that are fun and easy to make for any Halloween party. The sweetness and saltiness will creep onto your taste buds, but they’ll be excited for more. Bring the spooky season to life with some gratifying ghouls and yummy mummies!

Mummy Pretzels

 

Ingredients:

Large Pretzel Rods

White Chocolate Almond Bark

Green M&M’s

Supplies:

Aluminum foil or waxed paper

Directions:

Lay pretzel rods on foil or waxed paper. Melt the white chocolate almond bark according to the directions on the package. Place melted chocolate in a Ziploc bag and cut a hole in one tip of the plastic bag. Pipe the melted chocolate almond bark onto the pretzel rods. (Caution: bag may be hot from melted chocolate.) Stick green M&M’s to the pretzel rods using white chocolate as an adhesive. Allow time for the chocolate to set.

Nutter Butter Ghosts

Ingredients:

Nutter Butters

White Chocolate Almond Bark

Mini and regular sized chocolate chips

Supplies:

Aluminum foil or waxed paper

Directions:

Melt the white chocolate almond bark according to the directions of the package. Dip the Nutter Butter cookies into the melted chocolate, coating both sides, but leaving the bottom uncoated. Place on aluminum foil or wax to set. While the coating is still setting, place two mini chocolate chips for eyes and one large chocolate chip onto the cookie. Allow treats to set until firm.

Try these out for Halloween parties or scary get-togethers! Enjoy!

xx Amanda

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Twitter & Instagram: @amanda_wymore

Updated Skin Care Routine

Hello, lovelies! This is a much-needed post, considering I have changed my skin care routine a couple of times since my last post about my routine.

This newly updated routine has fewer steps and is less intense, which just makes the lazy people (such as myself) a little more excited about taking care of their skin.

Here is what I have been currently using and loving for my regimen!

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Makeup Remover
The first part is optional and depends on if I am wearing makeup that day. I use No. 7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes. They work on all skin types, and thank the Lord for that because it is so hard to find makeup remover wipes that don't dry out my skin or make it feel super oily. It also works on waterproof anything and is hypo-allergenic. This stuff was just made for everyone basically.

Cleanser
I start off with a good cleanse. I use the Boots Botanics All Bright Cleansing Foam Wash to begin the routine. I use this product in the morning and at night. I use about a dime-sized amount and gently massage it into my skin (face and neck) with my hands. The brightening hibiscus within the formula helps to create a very glowy complexion. Once again, this cleanser is created for all skin types, making it easy to get the cleansing you need without the side effects of dryness or excess oil: it's a great balance.

Toner
The next step to a refreshing skin care routine is a toner that freshens the skin and keeps impurities at bay. I use the sister product of my cleanser, Boots Botanics All Bright Cleansing Toner. I apply this by squirting about a quarter size on a clean washcloth, and dab (not rub) the product on my face and neck, really focusing it on the nose and surrounding areas, since this is where I see the most blackheads and other impurities. If you do this twice a day, you will quickly see clearer skin because of the powers that this product possesses. It has literal powers. Just saying.

Face Mask
This step is a "once a week" kind of step; even twice a month will suffice. I love myself a good clay mask on a Sunday night to freshen my skin and deep clean my pores before a week of nastiness. I use (be surprised) Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask. There are minerals in this mask that draw out impurities and oil without overdrying the skin. My skin just feels super soft and even cleaner once I've washed this mask off. 
*Note: When applying any face mask, start out with a clean palette by assuring you've cleansed and toned first!

Eye Serum
I only started using an eye serum this past spring. I don't know if it was just a scam or if I'm just that addicted to buying skin care products, but I heard that applying moisturizer on your undereye area actually contributes to creating the bags under your eyes. I inherited bags under my eyes in the first place, so I don't want to make them anymore prominent than they are now. I started using Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye just at night (as the name implies). I dip my ring finger in the pot just to acquire a thin layer, and I use that one dip for both eyes. I spread the serum around my eye and on my eyelid with my ring fingers.
*Note: Applying products with your ring fingers will help to keep a light touch, especially on sensitive and delicate areas of the body, including the eyes. Using your ring finger will eliminate excess pressure and decrease the likeliness of getting wrinkles.

Moisturizer
The hydration and softness of your skin will come from a good moisturizer; or in my case, I use two. Yes, I realize it sounds a bit costly to have two moisturizers, but they work differently: one for daytime wear and one for nighttime wear.

Daytime: I use Boots Botanics All Bright Hydrating Day Cream SPF 15. The SPF is a bigs seller for me. I get burned so easily and my face is sensitive, so the extra little protection helps. While protecting my face from the sun, it also brightens and hydrates my skin. It's great to do this alone, or before putting on makeup to soften the look of foundation to give your face a fresh and dewy look. I apply this on my face and neck, avoiding my undereye area. This moisturizer is specifically for normal to dry skin, which is my skin type, but there are plenty of options for those of you who have oily skin.

Nighttime: I use Aveeno Smart Essentials Nighttime Moisture Infusion. This does not provide any sun protection, hence me not using it during the day. However, it compensates by infusing antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E, which help to rejuvenate and repair the skin while sleeping. I apply this on my face and neck, avoiding my undereye area where the eye serum was applied. This moisturizer can be used with all skin types. 

Lip Scrub
I have been using the same lip scrub for almost a year because it makes the biggest difference in how my lips look and feel. It's especially important to take care of your lips during the colder months when they are more likely to look moisture and peel. I apply LUSH Mint Julips Lip Scrub to my top and bottom lip at least twice a day, sometimes even more if my pout is not on point. I'm not normally a mint person, but this almost tastes more like chocolate to me, and the hint of mint that I do get just makes me feel refreshed. The best part of lip scrubs are that you get to eat them, so pack that stuff on, rub your lips together, and lick the rest off!

Lip Balm
Similar to how your face and neck need to be moisturized daily to maintain its softness and lovely glow, your lips need the same attention. I do use two lips balms interchangeably, but you can really use whatever your heart desires.

I use Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm with Vitamin E and Peppermint in the morning and evening after I have just brushed my teeth to keep the minty taste consistent. Throughout the day, I use Burt's Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter when I'm needing a new layer of chapstick. Mango is my favorite flavor, but like I said, any lip balm will do the trick!

That's my new skin care routine! What products do you use to achieve picture-perfect skin? Let me know in the comments!

xx Amanda

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Twitter & Instagram: @amanda_wymore

Safety Apps for College Students

Hello, lovelies! This is an article I wrote for The Collegian, which is Iowa Central Community College's student-ran newspaper. Hopefully, this helps you stay a little safer on campus! 

xx Amanda

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     Just last year, one in every four women were harassed, kidnapped or murdered because they were walking alone on or near their college campus. There are now three new smartphone apps available for free download to help prevent such tragedies: Companion, Circle of 6, and LifeLine Response.

     Companion alerts the user’s chosen contacts to know that they are starting a journey from one destination to the next. The contacts or “companions” do not even need the app installed to watch their back.

     Britni Scholtes, a second-year college student comments, “I am one of those college students who studies very late almost every night. I decided to download Companion because it is scary to be alone on campus at night when I am walking to my room from the library. Knowing that someone else, such as my roommate, can see where I am and how close I am to my room makes me feel a little safer, and if something does happen, they’ll be able to react right away.”

     The app uses the phone’s motion sensors, so if their headphones are yanked out, it will send an alert to the user’s “companion.” Alerts are also sent if the user starts running or drops their phone. This app is for both iPhone and Android users, so anyone can stay safe. The creators of this app are a group of students from the University of Michigan.

     “I’m a college girl walking home alone late at night a lot,” Lexie Ernst, a co-founder of Companion tells Today News. “It can be really scary sometimes. I wanted to change that.”

     The Companion app has recently debuted to fulfill its safety tasks through the Apple Watch for those who are on the go and cannot easily access their phones. It is a useful tool to use when attempting to be discrete in discomforting situations.

The next app, Circle of 6, is similar to Companion. However, instead of notifying one contact, the user can notify six contacts. Just as Companion, Circle of 6 is available for both iPhone and Android user. The app beams the user’s exact location if the user is in trouble.

     Scholtes says, “If you are not sure if someone is available to help, it is useful to be able to notify several people for extra back up. They can all make sure you are safe, even if some are farther away than others.”

     The final app, LifeLine Response tracks user and can even call the police. To use this app, the student must keep their thumb on their phone screen throughout the entire journey. If they are in trouble or are feeling nervous, they need to take their thumb off of the screen, which sounds an alarm. A designated pin number must be typed into the phone within 20 seconds to stop the alarm from sounding.

     Responders from LifeLine check up on the user to reassure safety. Using GPS from the user’s phone, LifeLine dispatches local police to arrive at your location.

Scholtes adds, “This app seems super useful when in an unnerving situation. Being able to contact the police and get help as soon as possible will help students safely get to wherever they are going.”

     LifeLine Response also allows users to be social and help secure their neighborhood and surrounding areas by tagging suspicious activity and sharing it with those near them. This app is available to both iPhone and Android users.

     These apps can be useful to anyone in uncomfortable situations, not just college students. These apps are free to download. LifeLine Response offers a 30-day free trial, and then users must pay $4.99. These apps will give parents and loved ones a peace of mind when they know their students are walking alone. 

Mental Health Awareness Week

I am drenched in stress: school, social life, my relationship... just life in general.

Oh my gosh! I haven't written a post in so long, I forgot how to greet you all. My apologies.

Hello, lovelies! It's been awhile. I'm the worst, but as I was saying, I am drenched in stress. I feel as if I have been immersed into a bucket of mental torture. Homework and tests are getting the best of me this first semester of my second year of college. As a journalism major, I should not be expected to do comprehensive tests, I should be expected to research, interview, and write like my little, weary soul depends on it.

But no.

I have had some pretty terrible nights where I just seclude myself from my friends to study for an unhealthy amount of hours because the anticipation of failing an exam overrides my brain. Who gets Bs on exams when you can surround yourself with bright lights, an uncomfortable desk chair, and study guides as far as the eye can see? I am suffering from nerd-aholism due to the fact that my brain literally seeks perfection, and if not, I am doomed for all eternity. 

For those who are illiterate in all things regarding anxiety: perfection [per-fek-shun n.] is an unimaginable or illogical concept that I (and others with anxiety) think is possible to achieve with just a lot of extra blood, sweat, and tears... but mostly tears.

I don't just experience this feeling of damage and deficiency when it comes to my education, it occurs in my social life, too. This sucks because college is supposed to be the place where you make loads of friends and make unbreakable connections and unforgettable memories with these people who you cherish for the rest of your life... right? Or is that just what we see in movies? I think so, and clearly, directors of these movies did not go to college because that is an ignorant load of crap. If you want to be successful in college, you have to do some work.

My social life basically ended when it started. My friends may think I am spending plenty of time with them, and I have recently become more social than my old shy and crimson-faced side. However, now I feel as if I said hello to them on the first day of school and just say a few words to them when they pass by. I do (admittedly) go to others' rooms or hang out off campus, but I'm a little out of it because I'm thinking about four million other things that are happening in my life.

I have to say that I am extremely thankful for the fact that my friends do not go out partying or attend social events constantly, for the sake of my brain and heart exploding all at once. I cannot handle crowded rooms and loud noises: my brain will cease all functioning capabilities. 

Please, please, please: if you bring someone with anxiety into a crowded or confined space, be prepared to quickly escort them out. Do not force them into situations they do not want to be in or cannot handle. It's just not fair to anyone.

My anxiety truly hurts me when it interferes with my relationship. My boyfriend and I have been through a hell of a ride since last year, but a significant amount of this rollercoaster has just been since June (so, the last 5 months). I always think it is quite an ironic situation I have because in high school, where we met, his friends always said that he was "out of my league." You gotta love the cliques in good old drama-mama high school. I never listened to any of that because I liked him and he liked me and that was the bottom line. 

The thing is, now (almost 2 1/2 years later), I am the one that feels out of his league. I don't feel adequate enough for him sometimes... and he knows. 

***Keep in mind the definition of perfection right now.

I feel as if I am not what he wants in a partner. I feel unintelligent, ugly, and flat-out worthless. It is nothing he does, it is just how my brain works. It has nothing to do with anything he says or the way he treats me. He is the most loving and understanding man I know, and he has been my rock in my journey through this whole thing. 

Let me try to explain this in a way you might be able to understand:

My brain uploads photos and information about myself and is saved on the desktop. When my brain is exposed to society, it screenshots photos of what I see and information about those experiences is typed into a Word document in MLA format (college is the only place you'll use that god-forsaken format). Then a virus appears in my brain and all of the information goes crazy. Files open and get jumbled around in my head. I see myself as one thing, and society does not accept the information processed, so the brain starts malfunctioning. 

Did that make sense? FYI: I'm not a computer wiz, so if you are good with computers and my comparisons literally make no sense, I'm sorry. Anxiety, and other mental disorders in general, are very difficult concepts to explain, but I want it to be a little comparable so you understand the challenges individuals have to face on a daily basis. It's a struggle.

I realize this turned into a really freaking long post, but I just have one final thing to say:

If you know someone who has anxiety, depression, or any other mental disorder, love and support them. Help them, don't hurt them. They (we) are a fragile type of being, and I cannot speak for everyone, but I, personally, don't take things lightly.

People have told me to talk to  my physician or a therapist about my "condition" (because people act like it's a phase or a fatal disease), but that's not the type of person I am. I am a suppressor: why cry about unnecessary thoughts and feelings when you can just bottle it up and do your best not to think about it? It's a great exercise, really. I know you all are like, "What the absolute heck is wrong with you? Talk to a therapist and get your stuff together." Well, it really isn't that easy. I've always been shy, and quite frankly, I'm scared that talking about it will lead to something a lot worse (which it has), which makes me feel it is best to leave the subject alone.

Here is my advice to you: be kind, whether or not you know someone with mental disorders. You never know what others are dealing with in life.

Thank you to those who have supported me.

Keep doing what you're doing, for me and for others.

Hug an anxious person.

Give a stranger a high-five.

Kiss the love of your life.

Show someone an ounce of hope.

Show them that there is a point in living.

You'll make their day!

I promise.

xx Amanda

Twitter & Instagram: @amanda_wymore