I LOVE that today’s giveaway is from Love Grown Foods because right now, as I think about my approaching 37th birthday, I am realizing how much I LOVE where I am in life at the moment.
I usually say that my favorite time period in life was around my 22nd birthday.
Back then my whole life was ahead of me. I was a kid who thought she was an adult, ready to get married and do all-the-things in American Dream order since I had just graduated college, started my first real life job and got engaged.
It was a great time for sure but I knew nothing! I have grown and gone through so many ups and downs since graduating college, so many real life situations that only maybe a really clever Lifetime movie could rival.
Right now though, at this age of almost 37 (geez this number certainly sounds like an adult) I am so content…and at peace.
My divorce is behind me. I love what I do. I have an amazingly handsome, intelligent and witty (clearly he takes after me) little boy who, by the way, argued with me that I am actually going to be 38 instead of 37.
But see, the number doesn’t bother me. I am not afraid of getting older and really don’t understand how it can even be that I am technically in my late 30’s.
I feel as youthful as I did at 22.
Remember when I was spinning in the middle of Bloomingdales last summer? Not something I imagined I would be doing in my late 30’s.
I pretty much look the same as I did in my 20’s only my hair is longer, I run faster and most important of all, I am just so much wiser!
I can’t say it was my fault for being naïve back then because I think that wise comes with age. It takes living life for a little while, making some mistakes and learning from experiences to get here.
22 may have been great but if I want to be honest, it’s also the time when my period was missing for almost two years.
Amenorrhea was a big deal yet I didn’t feel like dealing with it and didn’t have all of the resources to fully understand it.
I was too busy ignoring it while enjoying a PMS and cramp-free life. I didn’t want to hear the dangers anyway and instead thought about planning the perfect wedding.
At the age of 37, I know better than that. I know that balance between workouts and eating is a must. I have learned that my body is sensitive and requires a lot of food to keep it running (literally). I understand that even when I think I am eating “right,” a missing period means something is still missing from my diet.
I may never have more kids but I realize that having a regular cycle is important not just for getting pregnant but for keeping the rest of the body in harmony.
Interesting that I am giving away cereals today because back when I was 22, I loved cereal to the point where I couldn’t even have it in the house.
Why you ask? Because when I didn’t eat enough at each meal during the day, I got hungry at night and ended up in front of the cereal in the pantry which lead to basically eating the whole box.
Nowadays, there isn’t a thing I can’t have in the house.
All of my favorite foods can be around me without me having an I may eat it all issue including Love Grown Foods Oat Clusters which are so good that my 22-year old self would have had a problem.
Lucky for you, my friends over at Love Grown Foods allowed me to select FOUR of my favorite LOVE products to give away and I have included two types of Oat Clusters!
Why I chose these four Love Grown Foods products:
*The Cocoa Goodness Oat Clusters remind me of Cocoa Pebbles which I lived on as a kid!
*The Sweet Cranberry Pecan Oat Clusters are so yummy when paired with a smoothie, on top of oatmeal and even tasty on salads and sweet potatoes!
*Super Oats Chia & Quinoa may be my most favorite oatmeal ever. There’s just something about the texture of all Love Grown Foods oatmeal in general but this blend is definitely at the top of my list.
*I chose the Blueberry Banana Hot Oats cup because it’s my son’s favorite. I really like it too especially since it’s really convenient and portable!
Giveaway time!
Just leave me a comment on this post answering one of the questions below and I will pick one winner at random who will be announced Friday morning!
Giveaway open only to US residents.
[bctt tweet=”Love Good Foods Birthday Giveaway! @lovegrownfoods #hotoats #superoats #oatclusters #birthday #cereal #love #life”]
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What was your favorite cereal as a kid? Do you still eat it now?
Do you have a favorite age that you always look back on?
Is your hair longer or shorter now than it was ten years ago?
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The Cookie ChRUNicles 
My favorite cereal as a kid was Cracklin’ Oat Bran, and I haven’t had it in years but I may need to get some now that I am thinking about it….. 🙂
I loved that cereal!
My favorite cereal when I was little was Cocoa Puffs!
Just saying that 37 is my favorite number 😀
My favorite cereal growing up was Team Cheerios. A blend of frost, brown sugar, and multigrain o’s. They debuted it for the 1996 Olympics, and it was so popular that they brought it back but took it away again. I’m hoping that it will be like Crispy M&Ms and they will bring it back once more!
I had totally forgotten about cracklin oat bran before seeing it in the comments! I used to die for that cereal, yum! I would never go back 10 years to 23, then I’d have to literally repeat all the mistakes and crazy things I went through to get to the point where I am now, and I’m way too tired for that 😉 My hair is a lot longer than 10 years ago, when I was growing out a pixie cut!
So I can’t even picture you with a pixie cut.
I’ll have to dig out a picture and post it 🙂
I also loved being 22 but I can definitely relate to appreciating the wisdom that comes with getting older. Now that I am in my 30s I actually prefer this to my 20s, but back then I didn’t know any better. My hair is shorter now than 10 years ago but not by much. I was never a big fan of cereal growing up, in fact my choices were kind of boring- I would usually go with corn flakes or something like that. I would always choose a bagel over cereal:)
I loved cereal as a kid but now, not so much.
My birthday is Friday too!! But I’ll be 41 and in much better shape mentally and physically than me entire life!! Age=Wisdom
Yay for another June 5th! Happy early birthday to you! Totally agree – > age = wisdom
Oh and my hair is way longer now and much healthier than earlier years!
Favorite cereal was cap’n crunch (when i could convince my mom to buy it)! Otherwise, I was oddly a huge fan of raisin bran.
I love so many types of cereal that choosing one is impossible. Pretty much anything that soaks into the milk and leaves me sweet/chocolatey milk to drink up at the end is a winner! 😉
I just turned 30 and I think it might end up being my favorite age, though I thought it was so old not too long ago. I am already much more self aware and comfortable with who I am. Hooray for 30! Even if I do still feel like a 16 year old on the inside at times.. 😉
I believe the current age is always the best age to be – life just gets better and better as I get older! Of course I still worry about getting older and life passing me by, but I try to enjoy everyday and spend as much time with my family and friends as possible!
That took courage to be vulnerable and talk about your struggles like that. I imagine there are a bazillion people who can relate to you! My favourite cereal was Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Oh and Just Right. The roof of my mouth would get sore from Fruit Loops and Captain Crunch.
Wait did we ever discuss that cereal made the roof of my mouth sore too? That’s kinda why I don’t eat it much now. It was the worst during my time with amenorrhea too. It was really uncomfortable.
My favorite cereal was Cracklin Oat Bran! It is funny to think how I thought that this amazingly delicious cereal was nutritious. I am glad I know better now and have found other cereals that I love, which provide more of a nutritious profile and taste 10x better 🙂
So many lovers of the Cracklin Oat Bran today in the comments. I loved it too and totally thought it was healthy choice.
Favorite as a kid was count chocula! I still like it, but much prefer raison bran now.
I haven’t hit my favorite age yet! I think I get better and better 😉
My hair is a little shorter than it was 10 years ago! (but not by much)
I LOVED, read lived on, cracklin’ oat bran in college. It was so sugary, but it was made with bran so therefore it was healthy? Haha. My current favorite cereal is frosted mini wheats or cheerios… I feel like totally weird naming the most basic cereal around, but don’t mess with the original! My hair is definitely longer than 10 years ago, and my favorite age was probably 24. I was newly single, really care free, and learned what it was like to live for ME and no one else : ) YAY FOR BIRTHDAY WEEKS! Happy Tuesday : )
Exactly! We all thought Cracklin Oat Bran was healthy! I remember eating it when my son was first born.
I loved frosted flakes as a kid but at this stage of my life would never put it in my mouth….now check the sugar and carbs on everything.
Happy Happy Birthday Meredith!
Thank you 🙂 Love when you pop in and comment!
I’m only 24 now, so I’m pretty happy with this stage of my life! So far my twenties have been really fun and happy years. Can’t say any other time has been better!
My hair used to be super long (like down to my butt) and I would always donate it to Locks of Love. It’s still relatively long now, about to my mid-back, but this is shorter than what I’m used to!
Thanks for the giveaway! Hope I win :D:D:D
That’s so great that you would donate your hair – I know a lot of people who do that, it’s a wonderful cause.
we LOVE cereal in my house! Target was buy one get one 50% last weekend and we bought 8 boxes! I love chex, life, quaker oatmeal squares, and of course love grown cereals (the chocolate power o’s)
Life was my cereal! Loved it! Ate it for years at a time, every morning.
What! I am so sad I missed this deal. Lately, I have been enjoying Cascadian Farms Cinnamon Crunch and Van’s Honey Crunch! I wish my Target carried Love Grown 😦
I wish my Target did too! Maybe soon.
My favorite cereal when I was a kid was Trix, but now I cringe at how much artificial junk I was consuming.
I’m not there yet, but I think 19 will be a nice year. Hopefully, I’ll be settled in a college I love, studying something I’m passionate about, and more independent 🙂
My grandma and I used to eat Rice Krispies out of a big bowl together…with lots of sugar!! Yum I don’t do that one ..bummer!
I loved oatmeals squares! I would make a trail mix out of it with chocolate chips and dried cherries.
My favorite cereal would have to be lucky charms (as long as I got a lot of marshmallows). I don’t think I have a favorite age but I have some years that I look back with more nostalgia and happy memories.
favorite age was definitely 18 😉
My fave cereal was Kaboom when I was a kid. I don’t think they make it anymore! 😦
Probably for the best…I am sure it wasn’t very healthy 😉
Oh boy do I ever love me some cereal! My favorite growing up was definitely Honey Combs and Golden Grahams….I’m seriously drooling right now, I could devour a big bowl! Thanks for the awesome giveaway : )
I loved golden grahams too! Such a good one!
I love this post for soon many reasons 🙂 Which I am sure you now.
Favorite cereal as a kid – Fruit Loops. I am not joking when I say I used to have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was becoming too much because my you know what was green. My mom cut it off there ah
That’s so funny! I like fruity pebbles more than fruit loops but all of those fruity type cereals were good 🙂
My favorite cereal was Honey Bunches of Oats! I haven’t bought it in a long time, but may have to pick up some soon! I’m only 26, but my favorite age so far has been 24-25. I went through a lot and came out so much better. I’m thankful for those struggles!
My favorite cereal was and always will be Cinnamon Chex! They’re the perfect way to fuel my cinnamon addiction while simultaneously giving that satisfying crunch!
My hair is definitely longer than it was 10 years ago. Right now, it’s pretty much down to my butt.
My favorite cereal growing up was probably Reeses Puffs. Always chocolate + PB 🙂
I liked that cereal too!
I’m with you. With age comes wisdom and even better, confidence. I am so much more self assured than when I was in my twenties. Although my hair is definitely shorter. A few years ago, I cut it all off and I haven’t looked back since.
Very rarely allowed sugar cereals growing up as my parents are health nuts but when I managed to get them it was a toss up between a very brief appearance of Ninja Turtle Net cereal (little crispy nets and marshmallows!!!) and Rice Krispy Treat cereal – disgusting and yet so delicious at the same time! I was the same – cereal was always my weakness! Now I have 2 little boys (3 if you count my husband) and in my house you will find every cereal I wasn’t allowed to have as a child
So funny. I was allowed all of the cereal yet now, I keep them out of the house! My son will be sure to buy all of the sugar cereals when he lives on his own lol.
My hair is much longer now than it was 10 years ago, it’s about halfway down my back at the moment. 10 years ago…it was a bob with straight across bangs, which was cute…until it really wasn’t. Thanks for the giveaway, all those products look great!
I loved Basic 4 when I was younger! My grandparents always had it at their house and it felt like a treat.
I loved frosted mini wheats when I was younger but I try to stick with the less sugary varieties now.
As a kid I used to love cinnamon toast crunch, not just eating the cereal but drinking the cinnamon flavored milk afterwards but as an adult, I find it way too sugary and not really something I would want to have for breakfast.
I know what you mean – I can’t imagine eating the sugary cereals now like I did as a kid. They are so not filling!
My favorite cereal growing up was Lucky Charms. My mom rarely bought it for us though. I still buy it from time to time for a special breakfast treat for my daughter.
The real Cinnamon Toast Crunch- always a treat when we didn’t have the generic brand!
I loved (and still love) Reeses Puffs!!
I loved cinnamon toast crunch, but I wouldn’t touch it today!
Yay for birthday week! Thanks for hosting a LoveGrown giveaway! My favorite cereals as a kid were Cap’n Crunch and Froot Loops. I still eat Froot Loops occasionally, but I’ve grown a real love for Reese’s Puffs on occasion…
At 36 was my favorite age. I was more comfortable with myself, my children were teen (so I had a little more time to myself), and I got back in shape. I felt and looked my best at that age.