It’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of February! I know that this month has been very hectic for me and thus it’s flown by…so I guess in a sense, maybe it’s not hard to believe that it’s almost March! 🙂

I participated once again in Foodie Penpals. I swear, when that box arrives, it’s like Christmas. I mailed a box to Alex (from Alex Tries it Out), who lives in Iowa.  Check out her review of the box I mailed her. She’s got a really great blog, too – love her beer reviews & fitness tips 🙂

My box was came from Megan at I Run for Wine. I had a crazy day at school again  and was elated when I came home and the box was there. The box was a bit damaged, thanks to USPS, but thankfully they had taped it together, and all the items inside arrived intact. 

Goodies from Tampa, FL!

Megan lives in Tampa and decided to theme most of my box around one of her favorite local restaurants, The Columbia. She included salad dressing (to make their famous 1905 Salad), hot sauce (yay!), olives from The Columbia, and their sangria! I’m so excited to make that once the weather warms up.

She also included some shrimp boil spices from The Savory Spice Shop. Megan wrote that the shop claims to have the ‘best’ shrimp boil around. I love that she included this – when she first emailed me about mailing me my FP box, she asked me what the best meal I had ever eaten on vacation was. It was a shrimp boil that my fiance (now husband) and I had on Sanibel Island when we took a long weekend vacation down to Florida. We’ve tried and tried to recreate it, or at least equate it. I can’t wait to make this and use the spices!

Megan, everything in the box is wonderful! I can’t wait to start using the items you sent me. Thank you again! If only you could also mail up some Florida sun/heat to melt all the snow we have up here… 🙂

Want more information on Foodie Penpals? Here’s a few details for ya…

• On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
• You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
• The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
• You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
• Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
• Foodie Penpals is open to US, Canadian & European residents.  Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. Same with Europeans. This is because things might get too slow and backed up when trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.