In 3 easy steps.

1. Read The Fault in Our Stars. Fall in love with his book, with his characters, with his words.

2. Read wikipedia, peruse his tumblr, watch his vlogs, read his tweets, visit his websites, DFTBA.

3. Get into a (relatively small) event, and clink glasses with him, shake his hand, thank him, listen to him discuss censorship and education (a deep passion of yours, obviously), be brave and raise your hand to ask a question when he asks for Q and A, and go get the book from “step 1″ signed and personalized.

Easy peasy.

Here’s the longer version.

Seriously, guys. I went from someone who “really enjoyed Will Grayson, Will Grayson” to a full on Nerdfighter in just a few short days.

I’ll start by giving a little review of the book that kicked off this fantasm… The Fault in Our Stars. I really did enjoy WG, WG, but it wasn’t a game changer for me. It was lovely. But It was on a shelf with a dozen other contemporary YA pieces that I really liked. When TFIOS came out, and lots of my book loving friends said it was can’t miss, I was skeptical, but eventually, ventured to my local Kroger and picked up a copy. About that time, my friend, Smash and I decided we’d try to go to his event in Dallas.

Now, this event was NOT a nerdfighter/TFIOS tour/Vlogbrothers event. This was a fundraiser for the American Library Association (ALA) Freedom to Read campaign. For a small donation, Smash and I were granted access to a “cocktail hour reception, and a presentation by John on censorship” (Nothing else was promised… in fact, on twitter, he stated that he would likely be unable to sign anything due to the time constraints) Seeing as his regular events have up to 1000 people at them, those signings take HOURS. This was a 6:00-8:30 affair, having time for an hour of refreshments, 45 minutes of his speaking, and later, we were told, 45 minutes for a signing (as time would allow).

In the days leading to the event, I cracked open the book.

And I read.

And I cried.

And I laughed.

And I begged every page to never end…

But one by one, as pages do… the turned into each other, and it was over.

As I planned my imminent re-read (back to back re-reads are super rare for me), I slowly began to research who this John Green guy is, and why he has these followers, what are all of these acronyms, how does he have over a million twitter followers, WHAT is HAPPENING?

I discovered that he’s a marketing genius. He has an incredibly successful youtube channel with vlogs he makes with his brother Hank. He encourages people (young and old) to be creative, principled, and active in their communities “increasing awesome, and decreasing suck” under the banner “NERDFIGHTERS”. He is an active tweeter and tumblr, sharing lovely quotes, artwork, and other gems – NOT just promoting his own work. He and his nerdfighters plaster DFTBA all over the internet, reminding folks: “Don’t forget to be awesome.”

Basically, he’s brilliantly smart about handling his persona: public, and less public.

He even agreed to sign the ENTIRE first printing (150,000ish copies) of his novel. (He had a poll over which sharpie color to use, and signed books based on the winning percentages.) When I picked up my copy at Kroger, I managed to grab one that WASN’T signed! When I went out on Saturday, and looked on the shelves of Target, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, and even grocery stores, I found DOZENS of signed copies, in a rainbow of colors of varied rareness. (I settled on one signed in my fave color, turquoise – which apparently is rare-ish… whatever)

At this point, I was getting pretty excited.

I was clearly a fan of the book. Clearly a fan of John. Of his writing, of his creativity, of his social presence, of his ability to market himself AND his works. I was fully SQUEALING about the event of Sunday night.

Smash and I started the evening by indulging in milkshakes at Twisted Root, (which were delish) and spent time talking about how wonderfully honest and beautiful this book is. And then we were off to drive the dozen or so blocks to the Dallas Public Library.

When we got a few blocks away, stopped at a light, I turned around and looked 150 yards away to a back corner of a random lot, and LO, I saw the John Green TFIOS Tour Mobile!!!

You must understand how serendipitious this was, because honestly, it was NO WHERE NEAR the actual library. It was a sign of the aweomeness yet to come.

We took pictures, avoided a few homeless people, and were soon back on the streets, driving the rest of the way to the library.

Upon our arrival, I was overjoyed at the little nerdfighters who had already arrived. Adorned in their hand painted shirts, and lugging copies of well-loved books; they waited for John as if he were a rock star. (By my count he pretty much is a rockstar, but I digress)

A table of books was already set up, and at such a discounted price, I decided to pick up a copy of his other, most recent novel, 2008′s Paper Towns. A little more waiting, and we were among the first of the throngs of fans ready to get signed in and enter the reception.

As Smash and I are so dedicated, we were easily the first two people at the sign in table. I checked in, and entered the room.

A large meeting room had a small open bar (wine and beer!!!) and some hors d’œuvres. In the center was John Green, and 2-3 companions… THAT’S IT.

The crowds were being delayed, and I was the first one in.

I was nervous, and wanted to avoid rushing him, so I grabbed a glass of wine, and slowly made my way to his area. One of the men, from the library team, I think, smiled at me and said, “Just jump right in, it’s about to be crazy in here”. So, I did.

I walked up to his little crew, and he gave me his attention.

“Good evening! I’m Kelsey. (handshake) I want to thank you… so much, actually, for writing such an emotive and honest novel. The Fault in Our Stars was beautiful, and touched my heart in an incredible way. I am so grateful for your having written it. Cheers (WINE GLASS CLINK – He clinked with his beer bottle), thank you for being here.”

I was so glad I didn’t squeal and run around in circles or something.

He was so gracious, and thanked me for reading and for attending the event. It was a very lovely and sweet moment. I was so happy.

Right around that time Smash (who’d been wrongfully detained due to some clerical error) and about 25 others were making there way into the room. Smash had her moment, and totally chatted him up. She got lots of smiles from him. She obviously wanted a photo, but we were told that it was just logistically impossible, and that posed pictures were not an option.

We improvised:

By then, it was clear that the nearly 200 people were all wanting their turns, and he graciously gave each of them a bit of attention. Several of the youngins were asking him to sign books and other things, and he was abliging them… but I began to wonder if he was going to have a proper signing. Previously, he’d tweeted that there would not be time, and we’d been given no guarantees.

I asked one of the event helpers, and was assured that following his speech, he’d be doing a very brief signing.

In a moment of strateg-ery, I convinced Smash to come with me to snag seats near to the door, so that when it was over, we’d be among the first in line.

SUCCESS!

We had a bit more wine (one of those glasses was Smash’s by the way) and we readied for his discussion.

When he took the podium, he began to share about being banned (and nearly banned) for a scene in a book that he honestly penned thinking it’d be labeled “Christian fiction”, and how censoring library shelves is a disservice to society. He said that librarians and teachers are the people who’ve been entrusted with the JOB of deciding what and how to teach. NOT for the exclusive benefit of a parent. NOT for the exclusive benefit of one kid, but for the COLLECTIVE benefit of our society.

Keep in mind that this event was essentially for librarians, and educators (I KNOW, RIGHT!?!?!) so there were 25-50 young people, and 150-175 teachers, librarians, and literature enthusiasts. Seeing and meeting John Green is one thing. But seeing John Green talk about education (obviously an area of passion for me, as a teacher), and talk about the role of a wide spectrum of literature being available to people of all ages as a means of cultivating greater knowledge in our communities as a whole… THAT’s an entirely different level of awesome.

After he spoke, he had time for 5ish questions.

Feeling bold, I raised my hand. Once. Twice. Thrice. BAM. He called on me.

“What role or responsibility do you feel that these (gesturing to the young nerdfighters who were all gathered on the floor at his feet like story time in Sunday school) exuberant young people have in advocating for the books that they want to remain on their school library shelves?”

WORD. That would be coherent exchange with JG #2.

I got a bit of applause from the other educators and librarians in the room, and then he commented that authors have the opportunity and ability to build real relationships with their readers and encourage that kind of involvement. It was awesome.

Just about then he ran out of time, and Smash and I DASHED to the door and into the hall, where we took our places as person #1 and #2 in the signing line. He came out and took a seat.

He didn’t have a sharpie, but as a prepared signing participant, I GAVE him mine! EEEP! Smash got a myriad of books signed, which was awesome, and I had him add personalization to my turquoise signature, and asked if he’d draw an infinity symbol… (this plays on a theme in the novel) I’d hoped to ask him to draw one that was larger than the other, but his hands were causing him so much pain I couldn’t ask for more. (After signing well over 150,000 copies, his dexterity is unfortunately and understandably a bit compromised at the moment.)

One extra “Thank you” and we left him to the masses.

Honestly, he looked exhausted. Dedicated to greeting all those who came to him, but exhausted all the same. I don’t feel bad for him, being able to do what he loves and being adored by his fans, but, as one human observing another, I definitely feel sorry for that tired fella, who misses his wife and baby, and is undoubtedly longing for some time at home.

This event was incredible. Typically, these events have hundreds more people, longer lines, limited access, and a very different vibe. This event was academic, incredibly intimate, and absolutely unique.

I was so thrilled to meet him. So thrilled to THANK him for this book. THRILLED to share the evening with Smash…

And that, my friends, is how you become a John Green fangirl in just 72 short hours, and in 3 easy steps.

I must reiterate that the first step is the most important one…

Read The Fault in Our Stars… and allow yourself to be inspired.

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2012. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: ashley, books, friends, John Green, LWL, reading, smash, TFIOS, the fault in our stars

I’ve definitely had a reduction in my depressive symptoms, and I’ve felt more like  myself. I’ve still had some hot flashes, especially at night, but I can say that I definitely feel different… in that I’m feeling more like myself.

I’ve felt more optimistic.

I’ve noticed more color in the sunrise.

I’ve enjoyed working out (walking and running!!!) with one of my best friends a few days this week.

I didn’t melt into a puddle of sadness when my Lola‘s Christmas package arrived and it made me realize how much I missed her.

I’ve laughed during rehearsals.

I’ve read the most incredible book in, practically, EVER*.

It’s been a really decent week. I’m so grateful for that.

I think this is the week I’ll bring back Life Well Lived… If you are [still?] interested in being featured, don’t hesitate to email me.

* Harry Potter is, and will always be my one true literary love. However, my slutty mistress is definitely The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. It was one of the most gorgeous, tragic, uplifting, thought provoking, heart growing books that has ever been penned… I’m sure of that. I may write a proper review, with more specific thoughts about the book, but I might not… I’m not sure yet. It’s almost too perfect to even try and gather my thoughts in one place.

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: books, endometriosis, jess, lifewelllived, lola, lupron, LWL, menopause, reading, recovery, TFIOS, the fault in our stars

We woke and went to our continental breakfast, which was NOT as exciting as the first day… the fruit selection was WAY limited (only pineapple, and honey dew by the time I got there) and the main course was a ham and cheese croissant, which was yummy, but not “light” in anyway. Not to mention that ham is such an loaded choice, I mean, there are a lot of groups who won’t eat pig… just my thought.

Anyway, after breakfast, we did our session thing, I attended a particularly FASCINATING session by the FAB Paula Kluth, about Autism, and how to be more accommodating to individuals on the spectrum, in and out of the classroom. It was a TEN in my book.

We hit up Fresh Choice for lunch for some much needed green. I really don’t like salads, and the veggies were all raw, and not what I was looking for, so a little salad, a 1/2 cup serving of lentil soup, most of a tiny ‘tato, and cornbread(!) was delish.

After conference festivities were completed for the day, we decided to hit the pool again before getting ready for dinner. Lindsay and I were going to have dinner together, while Laura met up with an old friend, so we swam, showered, and got ready for the night.

Lindsay and I went to Baby A’s or Baby Acapulco’s, which was another great Mexican food spot. I got my usual, and it was very, very good, but my favorite was still el marcado’s.

At this point, we’ve missed a history making 12”+ of snow in our home town, and were pretty darn grumpy. We really wanted to be home with our family, and morning and the ride home were looking pretty promising.

————————–

We decided NOT to set the alarm in the  morning, but to wake when we woke, dress, pack, and hit the road. We checked out of the hotel at around 9:30-9:45, and made our way to 620 cafe and bakery in Round Rock. It was pretty adorable, but I have to admit. OUT OF CONTROL portions…

This is what my plate looked like before I ate:

And this is what it looked like once I’d been STUFFED:

Anyway, we drove through the snow as we headed north, but by the time we got home, so, so much of the record breaking snow was melted.

Sad.

I was overwhelmingly glad to be home. I love traveling, but I missed Daron, and my cats, and I really hated to miss the snow.

All in all, only a meeting with MizFit would have made the trip better, it was a blast.

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2010. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: austin, food, friends, travel, work

We went to a place called Hot Boiled, which is a Cajun/Creole/Vietnamese fusion restaurant. It was very small, and in a shopping center, but we were pretty happy with the food, I’d say. We started with grilled chicken springrolls with a traditional peanut sauce.

Cut into 6 pieces, we managed to have yummy noms while waiting for the rest of our food. I got a vegetarian rice noodle lo mein with broccoli and celery. It was SO much food, I felt like I ate, and ate, and ate, and there was still a whole plate left over.

After some more conferencing, we decided we needed to make an EMERGENCY BATHING SUIT RUN, and hit the pool. We soaked in the hot tub for a while and then, I realized I had an untapped resource with me!

Laura was a swimmer and swim instructor in high school and college! And as someone who thinks a sprint distance tri might be fun to do at some point, I should learn how to properly swim.

It did NOT go well. haha.

Needless to say, swimming is an art, and one that I had NO idea how to do properly. We ended up at the side of the pool on the steps, because I need to back up THAT far. I mean, I can float and waggle my body parts to propel myself through the water, but a true freestyle stroke, with the right head turns, and actually BREATHING, is definitely hard.

I pretty much spent as much time LAUGHING as I did trying to swim. haha.

After that, we went to the most AMAZING burger place I’ve ever been to, Elevation Burger in Austin on Arboretum BLVD was unreal. We had organic grassfed beef burgers, fries cooked in olive oil, (and most of a hand spun, to-die-for chocolate shake)

One of those amazing chances to splurge while still making a few small choices that improve the experience. It isn’t health food, it isn’t even particularly healthy at all!! It could be worse, much worse… but it could NOT have TASTED better, I assure you. I had a burger with ketchup, mustard, cheese, caramelized onions, and pickle. HOLY YUM.

(I also learned laura-in the center- is a fry dipper, who knew!!??)

Not me, I like my fries doused in only ketchup, thankyouverymuch.

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2010. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: food, friends, travel

Anyway, today was a GREAT day!

That’s a lie. It was an Okayyyy day, but I’m trying to be Positive! It is always hard to prepare for time away from the classroom. I’m always so anxious about leaving my babies. I’m so glad that I know they’re in good hands.

Today, I had my FAVORITE BREAKFAST OF ALL TIME!!! Yogurtoats, this time with the second new Greek yogurt candidate of the week, the Dannon Greek (strawberry). (Keep reading for my opinions of the NEW Greek yogurt candidates) Lunch was really, REALLY light, and I paid for it later, I had my very favorite green giant veggie steamer… but the whole serving is just 100 calories. Stupid. (I also had 4 cool ranch doritos, SCHWEET)

**An ODE to Yogurtoats…

Heather asked me in my last post about yogurt oats. I’m pretty sure that what I know and love as, yogurtoats is just “overnight oats” to the rest of the blogging world, but I don’t care. Yogurtoats rules for several reasons.

1. I don’t like cooked oats.   I know! Everyone loves oatmeal! Oatmeal is the BEST thing EVER, but I can’t get past the gummy part, and I simply do not have the time/patience required to cook oats on the stove in the mornings (let alone wash out the pans)

2. More protein/FLAVA. Yogurt, especially Greek, adds a bunch of protein to the mix, and fats (assuming I’m not eating a 0% yogurt at the time) which keep me full and happy! Plus greek yogurt adds flavor which I love.

3. I’m not super into hot breakfasts. I dunno… hot breakfasts make me feel sleepy or something. The cool, brightness of tangy yogurt wakes me up (as do fresh cold berries/fruits) so, I like that a lot.

So, if you want to make yogurtoats the kelsnotchels way, here’s how I do it.

-Scoop 1/3 to 1/2 cups of thick rolled oats into a bowl (mine are almost always travel safe, cause I eat it at my desk)

-Top with yogurt of your choosing, I love Chobani 0%, Oikos, and the new Dannon Greek Yogurt best.

-Based on the “looseness” of the yogurt I’ll add some milk, just a splash (I prefer almond breeze or skim)

-Top with berries or fruit, (or nut butter, or agave, or any other crazy thing)

Now, I have a 10 minute commute (go ahead and hate) and that’s the perfect amount of time for mine to have the perfect consistency… the oats are still VERY MUCH RAW, and not soggy, but chewy. I’ve left it overnight before, but I prefer it this way.

—————–

On the subject of yogurt, I wanted to weigh in on the two newest contenders in our local stores. Yoplait and Dannon have jumped on the greek yogurt bandwagons and have greek yogurt stocked in our regular market! I bought one of each, both in strawberry and have sampled them in my yogurt oats today and yesterday (with the same recipe).

Yoplait

I thought the yoplait tasted “okay”… it wasn’t the worst yogurt I’ve tried, but it wasn’t my favorite. It was pretty stiff, and I thought it tasted a little fake. There were no pieces of fruit, it was just flavored. It wasn’t terribly smooth either. The nutrition facts were pretty good, 12g of protein, and more potassium than the Dannon… not to mention .7 more ounces of the stuff. It was okay, but if there is another kind on the shelf, I wouldn’t buy this kind again.

Dannon

The Dannon was a “fruit on the bottom” kind, it was a strawberry, syrupy, chunky layer under the yogurt, and I liked it quite a lot! It was pretty sweet, I’m not going to lie, but the pieces of actual strawberries kept it from feeling too artificial. It was VERY creamy, almost mousse like, and was very smooth. It was a little bit of a smaller portion, came in at 10 calories less, though, and still the same 12g of protein. I would definitely buy this one again.

Anyway, that’s enough yogurt talk for one night! I may actually write another post before bed, and set it to publish tomorrow while we’re on the road! My roadmates and I are excited and we’ll be driving to the ATX tomorrow before I know it!

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2010. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: food, reviews, tech

Today, I’m writing about my favorite book when I was about 12-14… I think I read it about 8 times. I seriously thought it was the SCARIEST book ever!

A Ghost in the House by Betty Ren Wright

This is the story of Sarah, who (of course) is crushed and angsty when her family moves into the beautiful old house in the suburbs which belongs to her Great Aunt Margaret. She would be fantastically happy with her amazing new bedroom (complete with fireplace!) but nursing home life doesn’t agree with Aunt Margaret, and she soon rejoins the family and reclaims her bedroom.

The bedroom squabble soon turns to darker tales, as Sarah bonds with her Aunt over the strange happenings that continue to plague their sacred bedroom.

_______________________

When I became a middle school teacher, one of the very first things I did was  check this bad boy out from the school library. I read it in about 5 hours, and of course, it wasn’t NEARLY as scary as I remembered it, but I still really enjoyed the story.

I thought it was clever, and twisty, with just enough ghostie-goodness to make me remember why I spent my youth reading mystery/scary/suspense books for kids.

I’d encourage you to check out your old childhood faves from the library too… it is a great way to take a book breather between more heady works, and remind you what you loved about reading back when it all still felt shiny and new.

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2010. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: books, meme, reading

I’m laid out on the couch and really don’t have the desire to write anything new, so I’m going to copy and paste from my h&F board, about what happened with the podiatrist on Friday.

Went back to the doctor today, and got steroid injections in the bottoms of both feet.

It was really bad, I don’t know if it was just a bad reaction, or what, but it burned like fire as it spread. The injection site is swollen and hurts at the touch. I can hardly walk at all because it burns and aches so badly.

During the injection, she told me to expect pain at an 8-10 on the pain scale, and she was right.

Anyway, the steroids should reduce inflammation and speed healing, but the PF was not being terribly responsive to just stretching and icing, so these shots were step two.

In 2 weeks I’ll go back and we’ll either see progress, or move onto physical therapy.

So, running hasn’t crested the horizon yet. may still be months…

So, on Friday, I couldn’t put weight on my foot, almost at all. Literally, daron carried me upstairs (so cute) and I crawled to the bathroom if I needed to go.

Not. Awesome.

_________________________________________

Today, we went to celebrate winter birthdays at a Mexican food restaurant… My Grams and Art both have winter birthdays, along with my baby brother!!

I CAN NOT BELIEVE HE IS 21 in just 2 days!!!!

This picture is actually, about 2-3 years old, but it is one of my very favorite shots of us together.

Clint is an Imaginative, Intelligent, Creative person, and I’m so happy he’s my brother. <3 LOVE You BROTHER!!

________

Dinner at the Mexican restaurant reminded me of a product I tried a few months ago. Because as I was eating my chicken flauta, I noticed that this restaurant’s tortillas left MUCH to be desired.

I was sent samples of tortillas from Stacey’s Organic Tortillas… I got 2 sizes of both her Whole Wheat Flour and Unbleached White Flour tortillas. WOW. Stacey’s tortillas are soft and flavorful. They are aromatic and clearly made with love.

I love tortillas, especially whole wheat ones, but do any of you know what I mean when I say that whole wheat wraps sometimes taste chemically? Like there is something in them that makes them require some kind of topping?

Stacey’s were, legit, the best I’ve ever had. I honestly wish I had a million more.

Check out her ingredient lists:

8″   Whole Wheat Flour
10″ BIG Whole Wheat Flour

Ingredients: organic whole wheat and unbleached white flour, water, organic sunflower oil, aluminum-free baking powder, salt, citric acid.

8″   Unbleached White Flour
10″ BIG Unbleached White Flour

Ingredients: organic unbleached white flour, water, organic sunflower oil, aluminum-free baking powder, salt, citric acid.

I just went to grab the link to her “where to buy” page, and discovered that I CAN have more Stacey’s Tortillas! They stock them at our local natural food store up here in Denton, The Cupboard!

Seriously, if you can get your hands on some, give them a try. Super yum.

http://staceysorganic.com/buy.htm

**DUH. I got free tortillas. My receiving free tortillas did not impact my review of said tortillas, cause my opinion is not for sale, and even if it WAS I might have sold it for some of these totally freaking awesome tortillas. So, there.

Please visit my “reviews page” for information on kelseytoney.com review policies and disclaimers.

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2010. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: birthday, family, feet, injury, reviews

I want to thank you guys for your support in my dramatic heartfelt post yesterday. Squishy hugs for all of you.

In honor of the big game approaching in a few weeks, I’ve planned this product review + GIVEAWAY to coincide perfectly.

About 2 months ago (woops!) I got a GLORIOUS bundle from the precious Katherine @ Buffalo Nickel Wingers.

She told me, and I read on their website, that Buffalo Wingers are an all natural, potato snack that is a chip substitute of sorts.

She sent three flavors for me to try, which is great because, I am a recovering CHIP-o-HOLIC. I can go to town on potato chips, (and I have) but when I started counting calories, my regular trek to the vending machine was eliminated, as were my crunchy chips.

Buffalo Wingers are shaped like little chicken wings (legs? ) and come in a variety of flavors along the “heat index”. Here are my thoughts on the ones I tried.

First, I cracked open the No Bull Barbecue (heat level 1). Have you ever tried barbecue potato chips? They make me think of summertime, and I love them. These knocked those out of the park. Their shape made them VERY crunchy, they’re totally NON greasy (unlike their potato chip counter parts) and their flavor, totally awesome. Sweet and smoky, just how I like it.

Next was the Nacho Chilichanga (heat level 3), which, honest-to-goodness tasted like a cross between chili-cheese corn chips and nacho cheeze corn chips, but with all the crunch of potato. These were my favorite!! Doritos can bite me! These, were really good, a nice amount of flavor per piece, and of course, much less guilt.

Last (yes, I tried them in heat order because I was scared) was the Fiery Buffalo Bleu (heat level 5). These were my least favorite, but they still satisfied a snacky craving. The reason they weren’t my favorite was because there wasn’t as MUCH flavor as in the other, less spicy ones, probably so they wouldn’t over power, but I like my chips well doused in powdery-flavored goodness. So, good, but not my top pick.

Overall, I give these bad boys a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

If you’re mindful of calories, and are looking for chips that don’t pack such a caloric wallop, these could be your answer…

Don’t get me wrong. They aren’t “health food”, and they aren’t a staple in my diet. But I like chips, (I’m mourning the end of my chili chimichanga ones, and I CANNOT FIND THEM ANYWHERE!!!) But I definitely prefer to eat something that is natural to crap.

Maybe that’s just me.

So, if you want a brimming Super Bowl Stuffed Snack Pack, here is the deal:

You may have up to 3 entries for this giveaway. (US residents only, this time, kids.)

EACH ENTRY MUST BE MADE IN A SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU WANT MULTIPLE CHANCES:

Method 1 (Required): Leave a comment telling me your favorite flavor of CHIP!! <3 <3 <3

Method 2 (optional): Tweet about my contest including a mention of me (@kelsnotchels) and wingers (@BNWingers) + link to this page and LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT HERE once you’re done.

Sample: I want those wingers! @KelsNotChels is giving away a snack prize pack packed with @BNWingers! http://bit.ly/5pukEr

Method 3 (optional): Bloggers: link to this giveaway on your blog and LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT HERE once you’re done.

Entries will close on Tuesday 1/26/10 at 9:00 CST

**For more information regarding my review/giveaway policies, check my review page. I was sent a supply of Buffalo Nickel Wingers assorted snacks, free of charge, to sample and review…as always, my opinion is NOT for sale.**

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2010. | Permalink | 26 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: food, giveaway, reviews

George from Dr. Kracker sent me a ton of items to try, including crisp flatbreats, culinary crisps, and snackers.

Review:

Dr. Kracker has beautiful packaging, which includes great graphics, and close up/clear shots of their chock-full-of-goodness crispies. The first item I tried was the Cherry Semolina Culinary Crisps and right away, I knew I was totally in love.

A snack lover already, I’ve eaten tons of chips, cookies, and crackers. These items are usually so stuffed with salt and sugar that my tastebuds don’t have any reason search for complex flavors or textures.

At first bite, I was taken aback by the lack of obvious salty or sugary coatings. That isn’t to say I missed it, mind you, because these boogers are REALLY tasty. I’m so excited that companies exist that are creating rich, complex, and flavorful snacks that are natural and bold in just the right ways.

I think my favorite Culinary Crisp was the Fire Roasted, because WOW. Brimming with black sesame seeds, sundried tomato, sweet potato, roasted peppers, and even a touch of cheese, these guys had my tex-mex-lovin-heart aflutter.

The flat bread was surprisingly good too. The pumpkin seed cheddar is my favorite. My husband said it best.

Wow… these taste like… well… exactly what it says it should taste like. Pumpkin seed and cheddar…Isn’t THAT a novel idea!?

Sure, the krackers were sent to me to try, free of charge, but I think you guys know me well enough to know that if I didn’t like them… I’d say so. These are great, and I’m really glad to have them in my healthy snack arsenal.

**Want to win a box containing 3 great products in 3 great flavors? Read on!!**

I won’t bog down this review with information about how these are 100% organic, or how they’re made in my own back yard (Dallas), or even that they’re made with 100% whole grain, are great sources of protein and fiber, and free of trans fats.

Just know that they are.

******************************************

Dr. Kracker Giveaway!

This contest is open to US residents only!

You may have up to 3 entries for this giveaway.

EACH ENTRY MUST BE MADE IN A SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU WANT MULTIPLE CHANCES:

Method 1 (Required): Leave a comment telling me about a healthy snack you love… especially one that replaced a junkfood snack!

Method 2 (optional): Tweet about my contest including a link to this page and LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT HERE once you’re done.

Method 3 (optional): Bloggers: link to this giveaway on your blog and LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT HERE once you’re done.

Entries will be accepted through midnight on December 12th. The winner will be announced sometime on December 13th!

Deadline extended! Winner to be drawn Monday afternoon, 12/14/09!

The winner will receive a box of 3 Dr. Kracker items to enjoy!

• 1 box of Apple Crisps Culinary Crisps
• 1 box of Seeded Spelt Snackers
• 1 box of Sunflower Cheddar Flatbread Crisps

Good luck!

*For more information on products that I’ve reviewed or my review policies check out my review page and as always, my opinions are not for sale. Free products don’t always equal positive reviews, and I will always disclose in my post if items were given for free.

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2009. | Permalink | 22 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: food, giveaway, reviews

I’ve been very busy at work, (the fruit party was pretty great, by the way ) and I just haven’t had the mood to write. :-/

Oh well, I must push through! haha…

I had a pretty un eventful week except for seeing New Moon on Friday Night (and Saturday afternoon). I really enjoyed it, but obviously, it is because of my love of the story, and doesn’t have a ton to do with the quality of the writing, acting, or film making.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t like the writing, acting, or film making, but I acknowledge, as any sane fan girl should, that its about the combination of all those things, and the excitement of being excited… ya know?

The best part of seeing it, was being with some great friends… My girls know how to have a fun time, for sure, and I love them dearly.

Anyway, I’ve had some absolutely AMAZING products come my way, and I am looking forward to giving them the proper attention that they deserve.

Sorry for the cop-out post, but I just haven’t got too much more to say! So, I’m gonna call it a post, and close it up. Talk to you soon.

© Kelsey for Kelsey Toney, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: movies, random, twilight