That they are! 
How did that end up in my hand?!? 
I’m supposed to be reining-in my spending, yet somehow I ended up buying a pumpkin-flavored coffee from Starbucks this morning.
I did, however, manage to justify my purchase. I forgot my travel mug with freshly brewed coffee in it on my kitchen counter, so, of course, I needed coffee. I couldn’t go through the whole day without my caffeine fix!
Man, I need to get it together. 
Lunch
For lunch, I made a homemade salad with Romaine, tomato, cucumber, and leftover peanut noodles from last night’s dinner. The noodles tasted so much better cold! Delish! Maybe that’s a peanut noodle secret?
Afternoon Snack
As expected, I took part in Cookie Friday this afternoon. I went with an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and a pot of tea from the Cafe Gato Rojo.
I tried a new kind of tea today: Mt. Olympus. I liked it, but didn’t love it. As the description says, it’s very “delicate,” but I guess I prefer my tea with a bit more flavor to it.
I’m going to miss the Cafe Gato Rojo so much! It’s been the perfect blogging location for the last 9.5 months. I’ve spent so much time here– it almost feels like a home away from home. I hope I can find a new place just as good!
Cookie Friday
Some Cookie Friday inspiration from blogland:
Beth T made these Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies last night and ate one for breakfast in honor of Cookie Friday! 
Project Feed Me
Natalie of No No 2 Yo recently started a service project called Project Feed Me. Project Feed Me is a 9-week program aimed toward helping hungry Americans. It sounds like a wonderful project, so be sure to check it out.
Sign-Up for CNC Updates
I’m not sure if you guys have noticed the Subscribe to CNC option on the upper lefthand side of my blog, but you can sign up to receive free Carrots ‘N’ Cake updates right to your inbox by entering your email address. Feel free to sign up!
In the News
U.K. taps Homer Simpson for anti-obesity campaign
Healthy foods often contaminated by bacteria
Snack and soda companies form anti-obesity foundation
Research downplays link between mercury in fish, hypertension
Study: NYC calorie postings don’t affect many
Coke to put calorie information on front of bottles and cans
Rockin’ Friday Night
I have a rockin’ Friday night planned, let me tell you! I’m staying home and CLEANING my apartment. Don’t be jealous! 
Ever since we moved into our new place, it’s been in complete shambles… and now it’s disorganized and dirty. Eww! My apartment is actually starting to give me anxiety, so Mal and I are spending the entire evening organizing, rearranging, and scrubbing it from top to bottom. I’m actually sort of looking forward to it!
Question of the Day
What is your “bad” habit?
{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
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my bad habit is definitely eating too much SUGAR!
have you put on any weight since you started cookie friday? or have you compensated by undereating on the sweets the rest of the week? or am i being crazy thinking it MUST have some effect? i wanna start cookie friday…….but i’m scaaaaaaaaaaareeeeeeeeedddd!!!!
@Elise: Scared??? Why? I haven’t gained any weight. I just eat a lighter lunch.
my bad habit is weekend indulging! i’m surrounded by a lot more tempting treats! yikes! oh & your rockin’ friday night sounds like mine tonight! i have a hot date w/ my laundry basket & windex bottle. ow, ow!
My bad habit? Getting my CNC fix when I should be working! Ha! LOVE this blog!
I love cookie friday! My husband and I also have a fun evening of organizing the pantry and kitchen cabinets tonight – I also hope to get a little cleaning done.
My bad habit – cracking my knuckles.
My bad habit (well, one of them, I’m sure I have more!) is procrastination… I’m SO bad at it.
I stuffed myself with soup & salad at Panera for lunch so it looks like the cookie I bought is going to be my afternoon snack!
I am so glad that I dont have a Starbucks close by. I’d get one every day, sometimes twice a day!
My bad habit is definitely Diet Coke…and too much sugar. I’m pretty sure they go hand in hand some how
I’m being lame too and going to my parents for the weekend. It’s always fun being lazy with the family though
LOL about your hot cleaning date tonight… My boyfriend and I are meeting friends for dinner, and then afterward checking out the most romantic of date places – this huge employee-owned supermarket, lol! It sounds funny but if that means I get to pick up my favorite specialty health foods, I am all for it.
Have a great night!
bad habit – picking my cuticles
Buying coffee is such a bad habit of mine, too. Somehow it just tastes better if someone else makes it
I was waiting for cookie Friday
my bad habit is procrastinating – ah, it drives me crazy but I can’t stop! I guess I work better with a little pressure.
If we had a coffee place closer to work and if I had a way to get there…I’d be in big trouble.
@fitforfree: So true!
GUM! I chew way too much. Just popped another piece in my mouth… sigh.
I am the same way about things being disorganized/dirty. I get really anxious if things are a huge mess!
I used to be an everyday Starbuck’s girl and had to cut waaaaaaay back on that. Now I don’t feel the least bit guilty getting it on Saturday mornings after my long runs, as a treat to myself. I get almost the same thing…a Grande Americano with Pumpkin Spice..extra hot! Yay, that’s tomorrow!
My bad habit is drinking coffee with SUGAR! I know it’s just extra calories, but it tastes so good!
I guess I have a few…one of them is Diet Mt. Dew…sometimes, I need a little caffeine jolt and something cold as I race from class to class…and that is what ends up being my indulgence rather than coffee.
My other bad habits aren’t really bad, but I spend waaaay too much time in my iGoogle Reader reading all your fabulous bloggies and reading Twilight when I should be doing homework
I would have to say my bad habit is buying coffee…Starbucks actually! I love my lattes!
My bad habit lately is hitting the snooze button too many times in the morning! Then I need to rush to get ready for work. And I agree that coffee is definitely a necessity, be it pumpkin flavored or not ;o)
Bad habit? Ummmm . . . candy? I never buy any to keep at home, but if it’s available, I’ll eat it! (I don’t worry so much about the calories, but I do worry about the corn syrup and artificial flavors and colors!)
best habit? coffee first thing in the morning
Hmm peanut noodles sounds so good. And those cookies Beth made, omg, they look amazing!
Have a great evening!
mmm – sounds crazy, but sometimes staying in on a weekend night and cleaning the hell out of house is just the best!!! My bad habit = I need to stop picking at my split ends! :/
My bad habit is gum! I go through a pack of Orbit in like 2 days!
organizing and getting life in order is def something i need to do this weekend too. my worst habit is impulsing purchasing. i find that i do it more often then not!
I had my first EVER pumpkin shot in my coffee this afternoon. WOW! I had no idea what I was missing! Look at it this way – its a FRIDAY! Its always easier to justify little splurges on a Friday then a Monday right?
My bad habit is buying wine for the train ride home a little too often!
My bad habit is “leaving” my lunch at home so I have to eat out. Sounds like we have the same exciting Friday evening ahead!
Diet soda is definitely a bad habit but I have been able to give it up before so I’m hoping to again. My bad habit I won’t give up is eating too many tortilla chips in one sitting. As long as it’s not too often…it’s not that bad, haha.
My bad habit is probably spending too much time in the grocery store, haha.
You’re exciting Friday night sounds just as exciting as mine! I plan on doing a lot of Homework in advance of the long weekend
Today I hade Cake Friday! I also had cake Wednesday and Thursday this week. oops!
I let my dishes pile up too often, then I scramble to get them cleaned before my neat-freak boyfriend comes over! Yikes!
Cleaning makes me feel better so I understand. I like when things are orderly!
My bad habit is definitely getting off track at work.. i.e reading blogs!
Gum! I do 2 packs a day!!!
Everything just FEELS better when your apartment is clean and organized! My bad habit is definitely caffeine. I have reined in so many things but I just can’t quit it!
You’re right Tina, you do NEED coffee . . . today I also needed a pumpkin latte from starbucks, even though my own coffee maker was staring in the face telling me that I could study just as well on regular coffee as a latte, but I knew better, I indulged too!
Yay for cookie Friday!! It’s been more like popsicle friday over here (I currently have strep throat)
As for the cleaning, I always dread doing it, but once I start scrubbing and sweeping, I tend to get really into it. Spice girls blaring in the background tend to help that situation out! 
…hah! Happy Cleaning!
My bad habit is caffeine. I am currently working on cutting out the afternoon cup. I am getting to that age where the 3pm is affecting my sleep. How sad! Your cookie looks delicious! I am curious is your budgeting will still allow for afternoon tea and a cookie or if you will start making more of your own?
Oooooh. Those cookies look yummy. My bad habit is to belittle myself. I’m getting so much better at it though. Well, not doing it.
Not staying organized, cracking my knuckles, and neglecting to clean.
Mmmm, coffee! It’s a vice of mine! I’ll be having an equally crazy night tonight as well
I guess that’s what happens when you have to be up at 5:30!
Sometimes you just have to give in, just try to not make it everyday that is all. I typically treat myself “once” a week, seems to work well for me. =) Have fun cleaning, I always love how nice my house feels after………
Laura @ Finding A Healthy Balance (after a 100+ POUND weight loss)
My biggest bad habit and starbucks. I get it when I’m out and I don’t usually drink coffee at home. I totally could make it by myself but it’s not as good.
I should be cleaning tonight… I’m generally a VERY messy person (definitely my bad habit) but when I had a neat roommate I worked hard to stay neat so I didn’t annoy her. For the past 4 years living with my boyfriend, I’ve resumed complete being a complete slob. I mean, he’s not going to break up with me because I left my dishes in the sink
But actually, I wish I were neater.
I too cannot go one 1 day without coffee, let alone a whole morning. I even recently increased my dosage from 1 espresso shot to 2
My bad habit is biting my nails . Apparently the only cure is getting a manicure.
Impulse shopping is a bad habit for me. I don’t buy SUPER expensive stuff, but I’m much more inclined to buy on demand/on impulse instead of saving up for something!
my bad habit is diet coke. I have the exact same friday plans as you! in fact, i canceled happy hour and a date to clean.
i have a piece of sucking candy after every single meal/snack. but it was to replace bingeing and smoking, and i’ll take it!
I just registered for Project Feed Me thanks to Natalie’s awesome post.. what a fantastic cause, she rocks! Have fun cleaning tonight, I need to get some motivation to do that too
Hmm I’m a bit jealous of your Friday night – my house needs a good blitz too!
My bad habit is not being able to help myself if there is cold wine in the fridge. Too tempting!
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