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August 13, 2015

Because Flowers Always Brighten a Day

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Thank you to The Bouqs for sponsoring this post!

I send flowers quite a bit – mostly to my grandmother, but occasionally as a surprise to friends, too – but I’ve never found an online flower company that I actually like. All of them seem to have hidden fees, random additions (cheap chocolates, etc.) that I don’t want, or super spammy websites. So when The Bouqs, a new flower delivery service, reached out to me about doing a sponsored review, I thought it was worth giving them a shot. If I’m having trouble finding a decent flower company online, I figure you guys probably are, too!

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Wait – what do flowers have to do with my blog theme and food/fitness/health, you ask? Well, one of the things that I preach to my AnneTheRD clients all the time is self care and treating yourself with as much kindness as you would your friends. This can mean taking the time to make yourself a nice meal, even if it’s just you eating it, or engaging in self talk that is positive and encouraging, like you would with a friend. And it can also mean doing something nice for yourself, just because – like treating yourself to a massage or a yoga class or a bouquet of flowers – or even sending flowers to someone else as a surprise, which often feels just as nice as receiving them yourself. Wellness is just as much mental health as physical, after all.

I always love having fresh flowers in the house when we have friends or family over – it just brightens the room and makes me feel more organized and put together, you know? Matt’s parents are coming to stay with us tomorrow night – perfect timing to have these on hand.

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My fellow Shark Tank TV show fans will remember The Bouqs from one of the shows last year, but basically they are a flower delivery service with flat, affordable pricing and no hidden costs or shipping fees. Their flowers are grown on the side of an active volcano in Ecuador (cool! also, loads of sunshine and mineral rich soil), cut the day you order them, and shipped the next day directly from the farms to you – no waiting in warehouses until they are ordered. Also, what you see on their website is exactly what you will get – no bait and switch and check out is fast and easy without annoying upsells. Here’s an entertaining quick video from their founder, John, that explains why they are different from other companies, if you’re interested! Also awesome: all of The Bouqs flowers are grown at sustainable, eco-friendly farms that follow strict responsible farming practice and are 3rd party certified by Veriflora and The Rainforest Alliance.

So, background info aside – how are the actual flowers? The Bouqs offered me my choice of two free “Bouqs” (bouquets, but without all the added junk, so Bouqs – cute!) as part of this review so I could check them out myself and make sure they are as good as they claim to be. For my first Bouq, which I ordered to have arrive a couple weeks ago, I decided to go for the “Just Make It Awesome” Bouq (greatest name ever – basically designer’s choice).

They arrived in a long, thin box, which Zara gave two thumbs up.

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When you open the box, you’ll find a note from the sender (yes, I totally wrote myself a note – it said “Have a great day, Anne – and enjoy these beautiful flowers! Love, Anne”). As for the flowers themselves, they were carefully wrapped so they weren’t damaged in transport.

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Gorgeous!

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What I was most impressed by was that those flowers have lasted FOREVER – I got them two weeks ago and they still look perfect.

For my second delivery, I ordered the “You Rock” Bouq, which just arrived earlier this week. LOVE these colors! The flowers intentionally arrive 1 to 2 days ahead of full bloom, so you can expect them to get even more beautiful as the days go by!

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So, survey says: two thumbs up for The Bouqs. I will absolutely spend my own money on this and they’ll be my go-to online flower company of choice from here on out! I actually already ordered a Bouq for my grandmother, just because. 🙂 Also – one other cool thing is that they offer a concierge service (with discounted pricing for frequency) so you can get regular flower deliveries, either on a specific date (like for someone’s birthday every year), or weekly, biweekly, or monthly. They also have a “random surprise” subscription option, which I thought was fun! I’m going to sign up for it for some specific people’s birthdays so I never forget. 🙂

Interested in trying The Bouqs yourself? Peruse the Bouq options here, and then use the code SUNSHINE (expires 8/20, so act fast) to receive 15% off your order! Enjoy 🙂

On the theme of mental health – what nice thing have you done lately for yourself?

- anne
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19 comments
  • Mary
    August 13, 2015 · 12:46PM:
    those are so so pretty! I do a lot of mental health/self care stuff. Particularly because the demographic I work with is very intense and exhausting. For example, I found a client in his apartment on monday and he had passed away, not peacefully. so i took yesterday off to go to counseling, and hike a mountain. very very important to keep a balance!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 13, 2015 · 12:55PM:
      Wow. Good for you for not only helping others, but also taking the time to take care of yourself. ♡
      Reply
  • Erin @ Her Heartland Soul
    August 13, 2015 · 12:59PM:
    Gorgeous flowers! It's amazing how things like this can totally brighten my day!
    Reply
  • Mona
    August 13, 2015 · 1:40PM:
    Gorgeous flowers! :) I love having plants and flowers in the house, it gives a different feeling to it.
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 13, 2015 · 1:52PM:
      I feel like it makes everything seem fresher. :)
      Reply
  • Sokphal @ Life as a Classroom
    August 13, 2015 · 1:53PM:
    This is great! I need to buy myself flowers more often. They brighten my cube or home all the time. This entry came at a good time - I just got a new swimsuit today because...treat yo' self! (VS 50% off suits, fyi) My birthday is November 16th by the way. You're welcome. ;)
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 13, 2015 · 1:58PM:
      Oooo 50% off?! Might need to check that out... love a good VS swimsuit. Hahaha and noted ;) See you Saturday for our 1,000 miler!
      Reply
  • Chris Anne August 13, 2015 · 3:14PM:
    Wow, I always love your blog entries, but this one really hit home, I've been feeling really blue, my Sonoma died on Tues, I'd had her for 15 years, she was such a comfort and I miss her so much, she really was the best cat, you reminded me that I should treat myself kindly and think of the great years and not the last week. Thanks!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 13, 2015 · 3:21PM:
      I'm so, so sorry to hear that, Chris Anne! :( I can't even think about Zara not being with us forever - it makes me so sad! But you're right - focus on the great years and the happy memories, and do something kind to cheer yourself up, too. Thinking of you!
      Reply
  • Jessica August 13, 2015 · 3:27PM:
    Thanks so much for sharing Anne! I found your blog last fall when I was desperately googling "Marathon Training Tips" for my first marathon (Vancouver) in May. I'd been a college track/cross country runner, and done many 5Ks, 10Ks, and Halfs in this area, but this was my first full. Once I found a blog entry of yours, I went back and read a ridiculous number of your past posts, and they were incredibly helpful to me during my training! I've been following your blog ever since, as I'm a DC resident also, and enjoy reading about the different activities/classes around the area. It turns out we've competed in many of the same races around the area, and I actually grew up in Maine and run Beach to Beacon almost every summer with my father, so I was so excited to see your blog entries on it! Such a beautiful run. Anyway, I decided to finally comment and let you know I always really value your recommendations and enjoyed just now checking out The Bouqs site (already ordered some flowers for my boyfriend... haha). You are so appreciated! Thank you! :) Jess
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 13, 2015 · 3:40PM:
      What a sweet comment - thank you so much for reading and for your kind words, Jess! I went on a Bouqs spree this morning myself, ha - ordered a whole bunch as "just because" surprises! I can't wait til they receive them. :) Anyway - that's awesome that you're a runner too (how did the full in May go?), and I'm so glad that you've found my running posts and DC adventures interesting and helpful. If you ever have any topic requests, please let me know! :) Happy running!
      Reply
  • Sam @ Grapefruit & Granola
    August 13, 2015 · 3:59PM:
    I love that you wrote yourself a note! :) I like to treat myself to a nice glass of wine every once in a while.
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 13, 2015 · 4:08PM:
      Ooo, yes. I feel like that's one of those things that is easy to think "Oh, I shouldn't open this nice bottle of wine if it's just me." But you know what, you're worth it, too! Enjoy that wine, girl! And I will too. :)
      Reply
  • Virginia August 14, 2015 · 1:04AM:
    Thank you much for recommending The Bouqs. LOOOOVE all the bouquets on their website, and glad to know they arrive fresh and last for possibly two weeks!!!! When I have more money I'll be ordering for everyone. So sweet and thoughtful of you to send flowers frequently to your grandmother...and I love that you sent a note to yourself! Thanks for all your positive, loving energy, and for reminding us to love ourselves and to treat ourselves well and fragrantly. Beautiful, interesting blossoms and blooms. So glad to know about this site, and I also appreciate many of your other recommendations. I love all the photos of Zara. Glad you and Matt are enjoying her so very much.
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 14, 2015 · 10:29AM:
      I'm so glad you're loving the bouquets! I thought they were gorgeous and unique, too. Every time I walk by the flowers on our table they make me smile - and thinking about the bouquets that I ordered to arrive and surprise some family/friends next week is really fun, too! Thank you so much for reading my blog - and Zara says "meow"! :)
      Reply
  • Kathy August 14, 2015 · 9:19AM:
    Mental health = spending the next 4 days onYork beach, Maine ☺️
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 14, 2015 · 10:27AM:
      Sounds wonderful! Enjoy it! :) Maine in the summer is so great.
      Reply
  • Roadrunner August 15, 2015 · 6:37PM:
    Love the idea of self talk and treating oneself as kind as one should treat others! Very nice! And the flowers look lovely!
    Reply
  • Kris S August 17, 2015 · 8:47AM:
    Love it! I'll try them next time! I love having flowers around as well, just makes everything happier :D
    Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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