Now this is one we haven’t done in a while – but with the chaos that six women’s lives can throw at them all at one time seemed to occur all in the month of August, thus pushing our big send-eachother-all-the-things bi-monthly mission into chaos.

But now that our lives have calmed down to a relatively stable state of disorder we were able to coordinate and send our blogger love packages to one another, only minor catastrophes ensuing.

These girls you’ve met plenty of times before, from our various theme week adventures, like PIE WEEK, Cocktail Week and our soon to be – BEER WEEK. So, naturally you have to stay tuned for THAT. Though all these adventures that keep us close despite all the distances between – we share this ritual of sorts, to keep us close and bring a little cheer to our day.

This month – I was paired with the lovely, smart, witty, cheek bones from here ’til Tuesday, Mads of Le Petite Pancake. And guess what, she’s also a newlywed. *High five for big life milestones!* Oh and she’s been trudging through slogs of books in pursuit of her Master’s degree. Planning a wedding AND a thesis? Overachiever.

Well, when my mail door was slung open to find a key, to another mail box, I had the highest of hopes for what was to be. 

Naturally the first thing I got to as I rifled, unceremoniously through my OKMH package was Pocky. And right there I all but lost it. My grandma spoiled me as a kid with every flavored pocky we could find, and after a short student exchange to Japan when I was 14, my horizons were expanded to the depths of Pocky lust. Needless to say, these didn’t make it through the rest of the afternoon…

Now I’ve sen quinoa eh-ve-ree-wah-ha-air, and even bought a bag myself but have been too scared to try it ever since. Don’t ask me why, because it’s really some sort of irrational, fear of the unknown that has stopped me thus far. But now – seems like the time to give it a go. And with sundried tomato and basil? Safe bet, I’ll be a fan.

When Mads got married just a couple months ago, she inherited a new set of family members and a new culture. And since every family has traditions of their own, Jonathan’s family instilled in her the way of the chopsticks. Something she wanted to pass on to me, and let me tell you – I need practice. That night I set about making vegetables and noodles to practice with. It wasn’t pretty, but Huck sure loved my practicing since tid bits were scattered on the floor.

The sandalwood soap, so elegantly wrapped, has been my zen-smell ever since receiving this. I’ll randomly detour into the bathroom just to pick it up and take a big whiff and then carry on about my day a little more balanced and relaxed. Perfection.

Lastly came my favorite of the day – a Brushing Beauty scrubber. With a polka dot dress. How very Cleaver of her. *ahhh haaa* get it? Cleaver? Yeah… It is proudly displayed on my sink, waiting to be christened with the first scrubbing of my cast iron pans. I love her. Her bristles remind me of my formerly box dyed red hair in college – wiry, frayed and able to wipe the grease out of the most dirty of pans.

Red and fried was not a good look. Why didn’t anyone tell me!!!

This was another banner month of our One Kitchen Many Hearts. We might be separated by miles and miles, but we are one, in our kitchen and in our hearts. Awwwww.

Visit the other girls to see what they received. I was fortunate enough to send chili bowls to my favorite Texan, Jeanne – how geographically sterotypical of me… and see what happened to them along the way!

Stop off at Mads’, Kirsten’s, Allison’s, and Kat’s for the rest of our reindeer game cahoots.