Beautiful Blogger Award ♥

Hey guys! Today is going to be an irregular post, perfect for the first day of 2O1O. I got tagged by the lovely and artistic Vanilla Swirl AKA Eliane!

If you want to check out her blog, click here. :) I highly recommend it, her posts are so unique and filled with cute graphics and yummy eats! ^^

How was 2OO9 for you? It could have been better for me. :( I spent my 14th birthday in Disneyland, the happiest place on Earth, but I was miserable. Why? You can thank ED for that one.

Throughout the entire plane ride there and back, I was up because it hurt to sit down on my bones for so long. My hair was thin and brittle and I always wore a sweatshirt because I was ashamed of my body. People could still tell, though, and I had to deal with horrified stares everyday. I was 79 pounds at 5' 8", a deadly weight with a BMI of 12.

All I wanted was to look healthy, but I couldn't bring myself to eat. It was living hell, as I'm sure many of you can relate with. My family didn't understand me, and to this day think I lied to them about food because I wanted to. They don't feel that it's a MENTAL disorder, something I wish I could get them to understand. Ah, well, there's always something to work on.

So, on to the award!

7 Random Facts about Me:

1. I was almost named Arielle after the Little Mermaid, but that became my middle name instead.

2. I desperately am trying to teach myself guitar, unsuccessfully.

3. I am half Chinese, half Irish.

4. When I was little, I had bright red hair (COUGH Irish COUGH)

5. I have an obsession with reading; there are three bookshelves in my room!

6. My favorite band is Escape the Fate.

7. I'm only a freshman in high school!

So that's it! I've never done this before, but here's a question for you to answer in the comments. :) This is a "different" post to say the least!

Question: What's your New Year's Resolution? (very original, I know...)

EDIT: Ha, I forgot to tag people. :P

Here are my seven:

1. Jenny: Peanut Butter & Jenny

2. Karina: Like Some Cat From Japan

3. Maya: Pistachios and Rainbows

4. Eliza: Nourishing Mornings

5. Kris: Vivez Riez Aimez

6. Lisa: Healthy Product Reviews

7. Nattie: Eating to Live

There we go! If you've already been tagged, please let me know so I can tag someone else. :P Thanks!

Giveaways:

Krittie's Daves Killer Bread Giveaway!

Sharkies Organic Fruit Chews

So we all try to eat healthily as much as possible, but sometimes we just can't do it. I know I have a love/hate relationship with the sight of those Welch's Fruit Snacks in the vending machine. They're just full of sugar, preservatives, artificial junk... you name it. Still, we all have to have something sweet once in a while! Introducing... Sharkies Organic Fruit Chews!

The Sharkies company has products for both adults and kids, but you guys know me, I had to try the kid version! A lot of people have been criticizing these chews as mere candy, but they most definitely aren't. First off, they're not made with refined sugars. Secondly, half the product is brown rice syrup, which gives the chews complex carbohydrates for that extra energy boost. And last, but not least, unlike candy, there is no high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, or other artificial sweetener.

I love the fact that I can just pop a bag in my tote and go. There's no mess! I also love the fact that there's no gelatin, which truly freaks me out. Have you heard what they say about that stuff?

Click if you dare.

Gelatin is Made Out of What???

What about the taste? Well... these things are delish. I do have some cons about them though. Even though they look, and at first bite taste, like real chewies, they... kind of aren't. They're less sticky but get stuck in your teeth for a while. They have a non-rubbery texture and aren't too sweet or too tart. I wouldn't, however, eat this everyday. They're a treat! I know I usually do separate reviews for the flavors (Tropical Splash and Berry Blast), but they both taste similar.

The nutrition facts include what I stated before, but Sharkies are also gluten, nut, gelatin, wheat, and fat free. They're also kosher and vegetarian!

I know at this point you're probably wondering, "Where can I buy these lovely things?". Well, you can find them at Whole Foods or Target, but Target is significantly cheaper, as always, at $3.50 a box. Still expensive, but like I said, they're a treat!

Calories: 140 per bag

Price: $3.50 per box

Fage 0% Greek Yogurt

This has to be one of the creamiest, thickest Greek yogurts I've ever had, and it's fat-free! How great is that? I absolutely love Fage 0%. I just tried it for the first time a few days ago, but I know it's going to be a staple in my fridge already.

Now, it wouldn't be an honest review if I said I ate this yogurt straight up. I always add a packet of Truvia. I don't really like plain yogurt by itself, but I love the texture, so... Problem solved! In my opinion, why would you have a full fat yogurt with more calories if this is just as good? I love you, Fage. :)

One thing I do have to note about this Greek yogurt is that it isn't as tangy as most. I actually don't taste the tang if I add sweetener. Definitely buy this yogurt TODAY!

I know most of you are like me with the whole "I-don't-really-like-plain-yogurt-but-I-love-yogurt-itself" thing. So here's a list of things you can add to your yogurt for a delicious twist!

1. Honey - just a drizzle will do to add that desired sweetness

2. Fruit - get your daily serving of it as well as a delicious kick to your yogurt

3. Cereal - a nice crunch to go with the creaminess

4. Jam/ fruit spreads - it'll even color the yogurt!

5. Granola - need I explain more? Thought not. ;)

So there you have it. If you're a yogurt fan, go buy Fage. If you're not a yogurt fan... go buy Fage!

Here are the nutrition stats:

Definitely my new yogurt of choice, I don't know about you! I just have one issue... Sometimes the calorie count for the 0% is 80 and sometimes it's 90. Why is that?

Price: $1.99 per container at Whole Foods

Calories: 80 or 90 per container

Celestial Seasonings Holiday Tea

Hey girls. :) I know I took a short hiatus without telling you, but it was much needed, believe me. I'm so sorry I keep leaving out of nowhere! I'll try to be on the blog more often. I'm really grateful for all of the wonderful, heartwarming comments I keep receiving. They keep me going and make my day. I love you guys!

It's finally December, just that much closer to Christmas. With that in mind, I decided to try some of Celestial Seasonings' Holiday Teas to keep with the spirit of the season. I love tea, so we'll see how this review goes. ;)

The first flavor, if you can't read the title, is Candy Cane Lane. This one is nice and minty, but the taste isn't really strong. The scent is more delicious than the actual drink. It's like green tea with a peppermint kick.

This one is Gingerbread Spice. The name itself makes me want to just eat the box! It has a mild spice with some cinnamon in it. Also not strong, but soothing and complex with the mix of flavors.

This was the first Holiday Tea I bought. It smells exactly like freshly baked cookies. I literally sat there for an entire minute just inhaling the mug. As with all of the other teas, the flavor is VERY mild. Still delicious though. :D

~~~

There are two other teas I haven't tried yet. I was thinking maybe adding a packet of sweetener would help enhance them, but I haven't tried that so far. The aromas set such high expectations for the flavors, but it's a little bit disappointing. Oh, well. I'll still buy these if I see them in the store.

The nutrition facts are the same as any other tea! Don't be too surprised on that one. xD All natural, caffeine-free, and zero calories. Yum!

You can get these at Shop-Rite, Kings, Whole Foods, even online... basically anywhere that sells tea. Go get some riiight now. Now. :)

Price: $2.79 per 20 bag box

Calories: o