Monthly Favorites: A Late 21st Birthday, Gluten Free S'Mores & More!

Even though I haven't been hugely festive this Halloween, it definitely feels like witches have been working their magic this past October. I'm still in shock that November is already here - and that I'm more than halfway through my final semester of college (now that's scary!). I know I sound like a broken record by now, but October offered tons of highs and lows for this celiac. Another dead computer, a late 21st birthday celebration and my first s'more since celiac joined the party...

Keep reading to find out my favorites from a spook-tacular October 2016 - and a sneak peek at all the adventures to come!

What I'm Eating

Plenty of (gluten free and vegan) pancakes thanks to Dolci Di Maria, which was one of October's several scrumptious reviews. I rarely eat pancakes as a meal on their own, but I love snacking on them or using them as toppings for smoothies or yogurt. If you've never tried those combos, definitely fix your life ASAP!

Purple potatoes! One of my favorite conversations from this month was definitely telling a guy friend how excited I was that purple potatoes were on sale at Sprouts, only for him to say, "So...what are you going to do with those?" Am I the only one who finds colorful versions of regular food even more fun to eat? Or am I just a weirdo? (Probably both).

Don't need photoshop when you're eating these...

S'mores...for the first time since my celiac diagnosis. As part of Schar's S'more campaign, I got to try their new honey grahams and whip up my tastiest s'mores recipe. Basically graham crackers + marshmallows + Enjoy Life vegan chocolate chips + sunbutter = HeAvEn!

What I'm Doing

A better question would probably be what I wasn't doing. But to be specific, I was...

Going to my first off-campus PLNU dance. I know I'm late to the college dance scene, but I figured I should attend at least one before graduating. Our Fall Ball at a nearby aquarium definitely wasn't the highlight of my college career, but it was a fun night out with friends (and a chance to reuse my high school homecoming dress). We also invented a new dance move: the birthing seahorse. If you've never watched a video of a (male) seahorse giving birth, it's an equally entertaining and terrifying process.

Some picture highlights!

Celebrating a late 21st birthday with my roomies. After waiting for my last roommate to turn 21 (and for our other roomie to get over the stomach flu), we finally made it out to Stacked for a girl's night. Good food, great friends and a classy post-restaurant visit to CVS for good measure. I'm sure our dressy apparel definitely gave the cashier a few good stories.

Hanging out with my Point Loma peeps every chance I can get. I'm equally happy, sad and terrified at how fast this semester is going by, so I'm trying to spend as much time goofing off with friends as possible. Netflix and comfy beds are a plus.

The gang...

Those same friends also help keep me sane when I do stupid stuff like spill water all over my brand new laptop. After taking it apart and letting it dry, we thought it came back to life last night. Unfortunately, loading the Apple symbol is about all it's good for now. Live and learn, right?

What I'm Planning

Keep cranking out my grad school apps. Because of the low acceptance rates (.10-10%) for the programs I'm interested in (fully fundedMasters in Fine Arts for Creative Nonfiction), I'm applying to 11 schools and all the paperwork is definitely driving me crazy. I think I'll be just as relieved to have my apps done as to graduate!

Offering plenty of drool-worthy reviews, giveaways (popcorn lovers, keep your eyes out!) and recipes. I feel extremely blessed to have the chance to test out and share new (at least to me) gluten free goodies through my blog, and I definitely have some tasty treats lined up next month!

One of the highlights from last month...

Enjoying the present as much as I can. As I shared on my Instagram a few days ago, "How are you?" is a complex question to answer right now. I'm stressed. I'm tired. I'm often anxious. At the same time, though, I'm also good. I have friends and family who love me; I'm making progress in and outside of school; and senior year has brought so many more blessings and opportunities for growth than I ever imagined.

And maybe that's what the true "magic" of October has been. Not ghouls or ghosts or time flashing by, but realizing that I don't have to be stress-free in order to be happy. In fact, maybe that should be the goal of life overall: finding joy amidst life's challenges and stresses.