What I Learned in June

Two more days of June, my friends! But since it's the last day of the regular week, I'm sharing today the things I learned in June!

1. Competitive jump roping is a thing.

I was watching an episode of Trading Spaces one day while I scrapbooked and the homeowners were former competitive jump ropers. That's a thing? I had no idea! (Also: I would not survive that competition.)

2. We really like Biggby Coffee.

During our weekend getaway to St. Joseph, Michigan, we went to Biggby Coffee, which is a chain, but not one that has a location anywhere near us. We really loved it! We had a latte the first day and fresh brew the second day, and we really loved the flavor of both! (Bonus: the barista was fantastic.)

3. I like using the Total Gym.

Ryan's work received a Total Gym machine (hello, Chuck Norris/Christy Brinkley infomercial!) and though I was hugely skeptical at first (because I'm skeptical of ALL infomercial products), I discovered I really like it! If you're not familiar, it's a machine that, depending on how you position yourself on it, can work any muscle group in your body. And there are no added weights. YOU are the weight. The incline of the board you're on makes it harder or easier to move. I've done legwork, arm work, core work...and I've been pretty sore! It actually works! (It also comes with cards that show you how to do different moves...and cards that show you which combinations of moves to do for a whole workout.)

4. There aren't any Starbucks locations in Italy.

I was reading a post earlier this month with a bunch of ideas for souvenirs to collect in your travels. The first suggestion? Starbucks mugs. (If you don't know, you can get mugs with names of states/cities/countries.) The writer said that she's gotten one from every place she's traveled (and she's well-traveled) except Italy, because they don't have them there. She said Italy wants to preserve their local, independent shops, so they don't want mega-chains in the mix. (It's on the internet, so it must be true, right?

5. The ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz weren't originally red. 

WHAT?! On Father's Day, one of Ryan's cousins told me about a Wizard of Oz trivia list she read. She said she learned that those famous ruby slippers were not originally red. Now, I will confess that I don't think I've actually seen the Wizard of Oz (movie version) all the way through, so I'm HARDLY an expert on it, but I thought the slippers were sort of key! I don't know if this is the list she saw, but there were several interesting facts on it!

6. Stair rods are a thing.

Have you ever heard of them before? I hadn't, until I read this post over at Thistlewood Farms. I still don't think I've ever seen any in real life. Fascinating.

7. We like the little protein snack packs from the store.

I like protein shakes, but they're not always convenient to make. Ryan found these little protein packs on a dollar sale at the store the other day, so he bought a few to have on hand. With our busy, on-the-run schedule, they've been quite a help, I must say! Sometimes if we just need the tiniest little pick-me-up, we'll split one. Otherwise, they make a fantastic mini-meal! (If you haven't seen them - they're in the refrigerated section: meat, cheese, and nuts.)

So that's what I've been learning...how about you?