It’s Up To You.

I can confidently say that every one of us, at one point or another, has had a moment where we lost our motivation. Maybe that moment is right now. You spend your weekends working over-time at a job and someone else gets the promotion. You study for days to get an A on a final exam but your mark ends up being significantly lower. You spend hours at the gym but you don’t see the results you hoped for.

If you want to have something show up in your life, or become the kind of person you would like to become, or manifest something new and powerful into your life – whatever it might be, you must first be able to picture it. The attention you give to your goal (and striving for the feeling of progress and accomplishment) is what will propel you forward.

Your mind is what defines you – what makes you stand out. It doesn’t matter what kind of car you drive, the makeup you wear, what brand of clothing you wear, or if you eat quinoa salad at lunch. What matters is what your mind holds. If you fill your mind with the right material and the right thinking, you will be unstoppable.

Your mind is your greatest power. Your mind is the only thing that can never be taken away from you. You are not a victim of circumstance, you have the power to change your life at any given moment. Fear is your only enemy, fear is what holds you back from taking the steps you need to take. Maybe you failed before and are afraid of failing again, so now you take the easier road – a road where you don’t have to encounter the chances of failing. But, you see, that is where the growth begins – in every failure. It is incredibly difficult to surpass a person who never gives up. Be that person.

“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.”
Bethany Hamilton

You can keep doing the same things over and over and over again; and in five, ten, fifteen years, you will be at the same place where you are today. Or you can decide today, right now, to start climbing your way to the top of the mountain you keep looking at but are too fearful of climbing. If you make that choice, every day becomes a day where you climb higher and become stronger. Your fear will slowly dissipate with every achievement. Every night you will be able to look back on the day and know you did something good. And then you can sleep your night away with success as your lullaby.

Don’t invest in “things”, invest in yourself. If you want to become different, if you want to stand out against the rest, if you want to be unforgettable, you need to invest in your mind. You were created with a unique design, a unique purpose. You are designed to do what no one else can do and serve a purpose that no one else can serve. When you manifest that purpose, you truly become yourself. When you get to that point you will begin to see your individuality, your talent, your unique skill set, and you will begin to separate yourself from the masses. That’s how you get yourself to the top – it doesn’t matter if that top is getting an A in a class or being promoted to CEO. You begin to reveal your value and your uniqueness.

You can keep hitting the snooze button in life or you can choose to show up.

It will be hard. You will have to change some things in your life. You will have to change yourself. You will have to learn self discipline. You will encounter problems and obstacles; but if you are dedicated, you will learn from all the negative things in your life. You will learn from every failure and disappointment. When you reach the top of that mountain you have been climbing, you will look at yourself in the mirror and be so proud and happy that you didn’t give up. You are the only problem you will ever have. You are also the only solution you will ever have. It’s up to you. When you realize you are the only one who has control of your life you automatically give yourself all the power. No one else holds the power over you. Just you. The sooner you come to realize that, the sooner you can begin to reinvent yourself.

What have I been up to…?

London Fog Cupcake

As I sit here and have my late night solo cheese adventure (what? Late night snacks are what the light in the fridge is for!), I’ve decided to fill you in what has been going on in my life. As you’ve noticed, I have been gone for 4 weeks. So, to quickly update you on the 4 weeks that I’ve been away:

• sick for 2.5 weeks (it was brutal)
• had to catch up with school work
• final papers and projects rolled in around the time I was getting better
• have tried to spend more time with my family
• final exams are coming up next week, so studying
• and, amidst all of this, also trying to find time to unwind

It has been a while since I have updated you guys on my resolutions (if you remember my post on what I plan on “resolving” in 2016 haha). Now, to give you some insight into how my new year resolutions have been going, let’s start off with the sleep thing: I have not done well with sleeping recently. I was doing great there for a while until I came down with a cold/flu from hell. Following that, my sleep pattern went downhill. As an example, I don’t know what happened but, the other day, it was as though I went past REM and I hit the 6th realm of sleep – human hibernation. I could barely muster the energy to as much as silence my alarm. When I finally got up I was still very tired – I drank coffee, it didn’t work; took a brisk shower, didn’t help; did some light exercising, barely made a difference. It was as though I was past the point of no return and was still asleep. However, other things on the list are going well. I’ve been keeping up with the rest of my resolutions (except the last 4 weeks of missed blog posts); I have been doing my best, which is what counts. Even though I would like to be perfect, I must accept that it is not humanly possible haha.

As I have mentioned above, I’ve been spending some more time with family lately. It has been fabulous. My future mother-in-law and I spent a wonderful day together when I started feeling better. We went out to the boardwalk and had a delicious cupcake with a little coffee on the side.

This is where cupcakes were consumed.

We then went back to her place where we exchanged recipes. I showed her how to make my family recipe for chicken and she showed me how to make blueberry scones. Her husband gave me a nice collection of meditation magazines to read, it was just all around a lovely time. Dinner and dessert was wonderful, especially after such a nice day. She also gifted me soap she had made along with two bath bombs, which she also made. I cannot wait to try the soap; in fact, I used a bath bomb tonight. We actually went out for lunch and shopping today! It was such a great time.

On the topic of in-laws, my future father-in-law took me to see the new movie called Zootopia. Oh, my goodness! I adored it. It was cute, funny, sweet…it was everything I could want. Some moments I swear I was the loudest person giggling away in the theater. I will watch it again when it comes out on DVD. Heck, who am I kidding, I’ll probably own it. 

I have also been spending more time with my parents lately. We’ve been doing casual things like watching movies, going out for walks, tending to the garden, dinners, etc. It’s nice to stop spinning like a hamster in wheel, press pause, and pay my dues to what is most important in my life – family. To finish this post off, I have a recipe inspired by family time (a recipe I’ve recently shared with my future mother-in-law) and that recipe is….

Apple Crisp!

Ingredients
10 cups granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup white sugar (you can reduce to 1/2 cup if you prefer less sweet)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup water
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
Place the sliced apples in a 9×13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes to an hour. Serve with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Hope this week has been good to you and I wish you all a great weekend!

Blue Sky Paradise

Lately I’ve been in a tropical mood. I miss the sunshine. Where I live, there is little to no sun these days…mostly just rain and grey skies. Though, today was a relatively nice day. Don’t get me wrong, I love our mountains and north-west nature, it truly is captivating and beautiful. Yet, my soul is most fulfilled laying under a palm tree while sipping on fresh coconut water (or a little virgin mojito out of a coconut).

I have always said that I was born with the ocean, salty air, and sand in my soul. I greatly enjoy the water – especially listening to the waves. I love the smell and taste of coconuts, pineapples, mangoes, and basically any tropical fruit. I am happiest on a beach, with the sun on my shoulders, starring at a large body of blue water that I can run into and leave the world behind.

While in my tropical mood, I have been craving all kinds of foods – most of which I’ve had during my travels. Today, I am sharing a recipe with you that brings me memories of hot sand, the salty breeze blowing from the ocean, and sunshine.

Coconut Shrimp with Tropical Rice:

For The Rice:

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• Zest of 1 lime (removed with a vegetable peeler), plus make wedges for serving

1. Combine 1 cup water, the coconut milk, salt and pepper, rice and lime zest in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for about 8 minutes or until rice is tender but not fully cooked.
3. Remove from the heat and discard lime zest; add cilantro, pineapple, and scallions, do not stir. Cover and let sit 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and stir to combine all ingredients.

For The Shrimp:

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking tray with foil and set a wire rack on top; coat the wire rack with oil.
2. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Make a breading station by beating the egg and 2 tablespoons water in one bowl. Then combine the coconut and panko in a second bowl.
3. Dip the shrimp in the egg mixture, then the coconut-panko, gently press on drink to make sure the coconut sticks; transfer to the prepared rack. Bake until the shrimp are fully cooked – should be about 10 minutes.
4. Turn on the broiler  and broil for 2 minutes to lightly brown the coating of the shrimp
5. Serve on side of rice with lime wedges

There is something magical about the beach; particularly if you can find a secluded spot with no one else around. It gives the mind a vacation. I guess you can say the ocean is my soul medicine.

There is also something magical about food. For example, food gives families a time to sit down together after a busy day, it can cheer someone up, it brings contentment to the stomach and spirit, and food creates a unique atmosphere.

I don’t need ostentatious restaurants that cost a fortune for a thumbnail worth of food. Give me a picnic of soul food on the beach with my sweetheart – that’s my perfect evening.

 

Earth’s Intelligence

Hello people of the net! Hope everyone is having a good weekend! On the west coast of Canada, we get to enjoy a long weekend – our work week will begin on Tuesday.

In other news…

I’ve recent become a little bit more conscious of what I put into my body and what I put on my skin…and let me tell you, the changes are really noticeable. I started using more natural ingredients for skin care and now switched to a natural deodorant (without aluminum because the other ones have been causing me irritation – too much info? haha). I feel better…I notice the difference. Maybe the difference is partially from feeling good about what products I use, nonetheless, I’m happy. I have also been able to find really good bargains on the natural brands, so it hasn’t cost me more than the other products I’ve replaced, which is fantastic. I still do use my Victoria’s Secret Coconut Milk body butter because I just adore the smell and the way it makes my skin feel; but, I also use a 100% natural body lotion from a German brand called Lavera and I really like it. I am not really going to go bananas and start switching out everything for organic and 100% naturally derived ingredients for several reasons (read below). Right now, I am just a little more conscious of trying to do good things for my body and take care of my skin. We only get one vessel to reside in haha. The better we take care of it, the better it serves us. Right? Right. I also try to pay attention to the cruelty free products and I believe in preserving our planet. That said, let’s get into some of my new products:

Current Natural Products I am Into

Burt’s Bees Rose Toner – This toner feels incredible and it smells divine. After using it for just a few days my skin looks better and feels cleaner. This is a keeper.

Burt’s Bees Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleansing Wipes – Again, this stuff smells delicious. It feels super refreshing and it removes makeup in a snap. If I am not wearing makeup, I still like to use these wipes after washing my face. They’re awesome.

Burt’s Bees Herbal Blemish Stick with Tea Tree Oil – I don’t dislike the scent, it just smells like fennel and a hint of something else (I assume it is the tea tree). However, this thing is now a permanent staple in my skin care routine. If I see a blemish on my face, I pop a bit of this stuff on it and in the morning it’s as good as gone. I hope they never discontinue this product. This is my holy grail.

Aveeno Fresh Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer (with SPF 30) – I really like the fact that this product contains natural ingredients (though not 100%) and it also contains SPF, which is just wonderful. It doesn’t feel greasy or heavy and doesn’t cause any breakouts. Overall, this is a really great product, even for my sensitive skin.

Lavera Orange & Sea Buckthorn Body Lotion – This lotion is cruelty free, organic, all natural, and it smells like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. If you don’t know what that is I will say this: the lotion smells like fresh oranges and a hint of dark chocolate. Besides its glorious scent, I find that the lotion absorbs easily and keeps my skin hydrated. I can’t say enough good things about it. Definitely not an easy brand to find, but this was given to me by my dad as part of a gift and I am very, very pleased with it.

The Green Beaver Company Natural Deodorant in Lavender – I genuinely adore the scent of lavender, so that’s already a win in my books. I bought this because aluminum is not a good ingredient and my other deodorant made my skin irritated. So far, the deodorant is great. I will say the staying power is a bit weaker than those laced with aluminum, but I don’t mind reapplying it at some point in the day if needed – especially if it means a cleaner and better product. It’s also purely Canadian! Yay!

Organic/All Natural Food Items I’m Into

Blue Monkey Dark Chocolate Coconut Chips – uuumm…need I say more? This is like dessert in a bag and it’s good for you! Yes.

The Tea Room Fusion Chocolate Bar – Specifically the 60% dark chocolate bar with raspberry rooibos tea. This chocolate bar is delectable and unique. I want try a lot more of their flavors.

Madame Flavour Tea – I bought this tea on a whim one day after a tough exam. Oh, was it ever a good decision. I now have the Romantic White with Rose, Delicate Green Jasmine & Pear, and Cheerful Raspberry Hibiscus Tisane. I can’t decide which one I like the most out of those three, they are all delightful. The only unfortunate thing is that I have yet to find it anywhere except the one store I originally bought it at…I really hope they continue to stock it!

Olympic Organic Balkan Style Plain Probiotic Yogurt – Creamy, flavorful, & great for you. I eat it in the morning and as a late-night snack with a bit of honey and/or fruits and nuts. It’s perfect.

We may be clever, inventive, and adaptive beings. That said, nature is intelligent, too. The more I read about the benefits of different herbs, fruits, vegetables, and plants, the more I want to utilize them. For example, my very good friend is kindly giving me a bottle of Eucalyptus oil and I am going to make it into natural products. Eucalyptus oil has great benefits such as: odor elimination, air freshening, antiviral properties, respiratory aid (such as when sick with a cold/flu or if you suffer from allergies or asthma), it’s calming and can help alleviate a headache, it is anti-microbial (you can spray your bedding by combining water mixed with a few drops of eucalyptus oil), and the list goes on. My mom also has a tangerine oil which I will use for its many great properties – one of which is its sedative/soothing effect (great to use for sleep troubles).

As I mentioned above, I am not going to be going bananas. One of the main reasons I won’t be switching fully to all natural and organic products is the price point of most things. I would love to be able to afford only buying food from organic farmers and only buying organic and natural products in general. That said, I do hope that I can at least make the full dietary switch one day. Another reason I won’t make the bigger switch is because, as much as I hate to say it, a large portion of natural home care, health and self-care products aren’t as effective for certain purposes; sometimes we need the other chemicals. Those products that do work well are, again, pretty pricey. It is also difficult to track down the good products in stores because some stores sell it, others don’t. That last statement wouldn’t stop me but, combined with what I said before that, it’s just another reason that I am not making big lifestyle changes in that realm.

Yes, what you put in your body and on your skin must be of respectable quality, but there are wonderful products that aren’t 100% natural. Of course I prefer to use cruelty free, I prefer organic, I prefer nature’s bare ingredients, and I do my best to use products like that. However, I believe that a healthy balance is the important thing – if there needs to be synthetic chemicals or harsh chemicals in a certain product for it to do its job, then that’s what I will use. At the end of the day, I will always gravitate to things that are as close to nature as possible because I believe the earth is super intelligent; what I mean by that is you can find something for almost any need just by knowing what to look for. So, in today’s world, I believe there needs to be a good balance of utilizing what we have created and what nature has to offer – which is what I am trying to accomplish. The other very important bit is not harming the world. I believe in taking care of earth. We have just this one planet to call home (even with all the Mars advances), I think it’s super important that we look after it with care. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 Random Questions

Hey everyone! I’m a little late with the blogging schedule because today was kind of a busy day and my original plans didn’t work out quite the way I anticipated them to. Sorry for that, but it’s not going to change future blog posts, I will still be posting on Tuesdays! 🙂

Second week of school went by – I was sick!! Ugh. The worst part was not only feeling poorly, but being too ill to actually attend classes. Missing material was very displeasing. I did my best to make sure I covered whatever was missed – mostly over the last two days of the week and over the weekend. Last week looked something like: sleep, wake up coughing and with a plugged nose at 2 am, sleep again, wake up again, sleep a bit more, then wake up and decide 3rd time wasn’t a charm. Have a boat load of medicine (which I normally don’t ever have), have tea, have water, have more tea, finally manage to eat something. Try to sit down for homework and readings but realize eyes won’t focus, head hurts, and if I tilt my head ever so slightly downward nose runs like a faucet – so, no studying. Rinse and repeat. I managed to get some studying done (when I felt meds kick in full force). I am sure everyone wanted to hear that story, right? Haha. Thankfully, I am cured and I am healthy again! Yay! I am always so fascinated by how complicated and ingenious our bodies are.

I thought, since I was feeling pretty “blah” last week, it might be fun to answer 30 random questions for you guys to lighten up the mood. Here we go!

1. Do you sleep with closet doors open or closed? Umm…closed. I don’t care too much when they are open, but I definitely prefer them closed. Why, you ask? No idea…
2. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? Out. I cannot stand feeling constricted when I sleep. I totally mess up the bedding in hotel rooms!
3. Do you cut out coupons and then never use them? I usually do use coupons I cut out. Though, sometimes, I forget and then I don’t end up using them because they expire.
4. Do you always smile for pictures? Hmm…I find fake, wide, toothy smiles look terrible in photos (at least when I do it). Unless someone makes me laugh or someone catches me naturally smiling. So, I am going to say yes, I do smile in photos, but I don’t show teeth.
5. Do you ever count your steps when you walk? No. I just walk…
6. Have you ever peed in the woods? Yep. Camping.
7. Do you still watch cartoons? If adult cartoons like Family Guy, Simpsons, F is for Family, count…yes.
8. Where would you bury hidden treasure if you find any? Bury it!? I just found treasure! I’m keeping it locked in a safe at the house.
9. What do you drink in the winter? I drink tea, as always. I also drink hot chocolate and eggnog – a lot of eggnog.
10. Can you change the oil in your car? Yes, I can.
11. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket? Nope! Clean record.
12. Are you afraid of heights? No. But, depending on where I am, I can sometimes be afraid of falling from very high-up places.
13. Do you sing in the car? On occasion; if I am being silly with my fiance or I am alone and bored or super tired haha.
14. Is Christmas stressful? Nope. I love Christmas! Even on the rare occasion that I might find myself a little stressed before Christmas, I don’t pay the stress much attention. So, my answer is no, it is not stressful.
15. Occupation you wanted as a kid? Oh boy, that’s a long list! Haha. I think it was always something to do with medicine – veterinarian, medical doctor, nurse, paramedic, etc. However, I also wanted to be a flight attendant at one point in time.
16. Can you curl your tongue? I believe I can.
17. Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Yes! On the engagement day!
18. Can you swim well? Very well. I worked as a lifeguard back in the yester-years.
19. If you became a multimillionaire over night, what is the first thing you would buy? A nice car! And then a house for my future family to grow in. So, first thing is car…then I would drive that car to look for homes. LOL.
20. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear right now? I hear my cat purring.
21. What is one food you cannot live without? Well, I couldn’t live without food in general, seeing as I would starve and die. So…all food?
22. What did you do for your last birthday? My sweetheart took me horseback riding! It was the most amazing time. I am a huge horse person (don’t hear that too often, do ya? haha), so the experience was absolutely incredible. Thank you again, honey!
23. Do you have any tattoos? Yes. I have two tattoos.
24. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yep. I have dyed my hair blonde, dark purple, and black. However, I haven’t dyed my hair in years.
25. What is your favorite scent? That’s a bit difficult to answer, because I like quite a few scents for different purposes haha. I will say coconut would be my favorite scent for a lot of things – but only if it’s not artificial smelling. I actually bought a coconut milk body butter today, it’s delicious.
26. How many pillows do you sleep with? Haha – this is funny because my fiance likes a lot of pillows, and I usually have only two.
27. What is your essential kitchen appliance? Ah…a fridge. Because that is where I store food at home. Other than that, probably a stove, because you can do anything with it- boil water, fry, bake, roast, you name it.
28. Baths or showers? I actually like both equally, but I take more showers than baths. I take baths to relax and showers to get clean…
29. Do you have any secret family recipes? I do, actually. A few of them 😉
30. Would you like to build/design your own house? Umm…hell yes!

Well, that was my 30 random questions. I hope you enjoyed this post and I am wishing everyone a good rest of the week!

 Hooray for most things!

– George Carlin

 

 

Detox Tea – is it a real thing?

Hey everyone! So, I am still sick and at home resting to recover. I decided to take this time to talk about something that I’ve noticed has become a big thing. Not only is it a fad, but people are actually buying into it – which is an issue I will address in this post. Now, you all know how much I love tea…but…

If you are thinking of purchasing something for a lot of money, you want to make sure it’s worth the investment. If that something that you are thinking of purchasing is one of those “cleansing” teas or “detox” teas or “skinny” teas which are delivered to you monthly for loads of cash…save your money. I think they are a massive waste of your hard-earned money. That’s not to say that tea in itself doesn’t have the properties these marketers and companies are trying to sell. All tea has antioxidants, “detox” properties, “cleansing” properties. It doesn’t have to be packaged in a nice tin with pretty labels and delivered to you for ridiculous prices – you can get the same results with any good quality tea you buy (for a tiny fraction of the price). It is true that tea should be loose leaf for it to be decent quality tea, but that doesn’t mean it should cost you a fortune. You can go to many different tea merchants and tea shops online and get yourself a fantastic selection of teas for much less than these other “super tea” companies are selling for.

It’s really not hard to get sucked into the marketing and the packaging of these expensive teas. I mean, they do a convincing job! There are people on social media raving about these cleanses, too – “look how clear my skin is after drinking this tea for a week” or “this tea made my stomach so flat” or “I have so much more energy after drinking this tea” – they’re probably getting paid to tell you this, and if they aren’t…then they are most likely following the current fad (who wants to admit they spent a fortune on a packet of tea which did nothing for them?). The biggest selling point these teas share is that they tell you that your body is absorbing all these “toxins” while you’re breathing and eating and living and just being human. Well, sure! That’s a fact…thankfully, though, we have a few organs that do the cleansing and detoxifying for us: liver, skin, kidneys, and lungs. If your body wasn’t able to do this on it’s own, their would be a serious biological issue which would require medical treatment.

A lot of the companies aren’t very specific about what these toxins they are talking about are. What are the names of these toxins? What do they do to the body? What makes this combination of tea the perfect solution? Something to keep in mind. Where is the scientific evidence that their specific product (which is being sold as something that is used to detoxify your body) does the job the best? A healthy diet, good sleep, keeping active, and staying hydrated are the main things that will help you feel healthy.

That said, tea has been used for centuries as an aid in traditional medicine and even meditation. There are many different, natural teas that have properties which are good for your stomach or your skin or your body in general. You don’t need to pay these companies to get your hands on something that is found in almost every tea shop, supermarket, or even online. You can get some great quality valerian tea for getting a better sleep, peppermint tea for digestive aid, ginger tea for nausea, lavender tea for stress relief. It’s just about knowing your stuff and doing  your research.

Another rather unsettling fact is that a lot of the teas that are made for weight loss can actually make you dehydrated and cause you to lose muscle tissue (and muscle weighs more than fat does…so, is that healthy weight loss?). A lot of these “skinny” or “fit” teas contain herbs and seeds which are appetite suppressants, diuretics, and even laxatives. These things can mess with your gastrointestinal flora (which is what keeps yours entire stomach balance in check) and can also make you lose water. In addition to that, if you want true tea benefits, you need to customize the tea to your needs and your body.

To wrap up, I am sure you are all intelligent people. I also know that there are companies out there who really know how to market things and make it tempting to believe them. Take this as a kind reminder to be careful of what you put in your body. We only get one body, let’s treat it with respect and make health-conscious decisions. Drink your tea, but don’t buy into the expensive (and sometimes harmful) trends.

I’m a Sassy Banana

The energy of the mind is the essence of life.

– Aristotle

Greetings fellow internet people!

I have been in need of some new hiking style boots and also a few new things from Lululemon (if you guys don’t know what that is, it’s a brand designed for yoga and other athletics; but really, their stuff is super comfortable and durable for casual wear as well).

This past weekend my best friend and I went out to the mall. I ended up getting myself a warm fitted hoodie, two pairs of leggings (one warm and one regular), and also sweatpants called “The Serenity Pant”…let me tell you…they really are serenity pants. I like all of the stuff Lululemon carries but, my god. They are the most pleasant and soft pants I have ever slipped into. It’s magical. Plus they look really nice. They will not be making any more of them, though…which is a huge bummer. Not cool, Lululemon. Glad to have snagged the last of my size! Anyway, I also got myself some hiking style boots from Sportchek. They are comfy and have a fuzzy inside to make them warmer. I like them a lot! Also split a pack of plain white socks with my friend, but that’s not very fun.

Side note: I do have to say, it has become increasingly difficult to find plain white socks. It’s easy to find white socks with grey heels and toes, but what’s a girl to do when she needs socks that are white all over? Sigh…luckily we found some!

And that sums up what I got up to this past weekend. Today was my first day of the fall semester. The two professors I met today were funny and very nice people. My school had a welcome BBQ (though by the time I was able to check it out, there was only corn on the cob left…poop) and tons of booths set up with information and free items; there was also a farmers market! I think it’s pretty amazing what my school offers – $5 for 10lbs of local seasonal veggies/fruits delivered to campus and all you gotta do is take it home. All in all, it was a pleasant day. Oh, I also signed up for a locker this semester. I will be in classes for the entire day (morning until early evening), which means I do not want to be lugging all of my stuff everywhere. Haven’t had a locker since I was in high school, but I figured it’s a good idea.

In case you were wondering about the name of this blog post – I’m munching on a Zazubean chocolate bar called Cheeky. It’s dark chocolate and has salted toffee and banana in it! It is quite good, I recommened it!

So, yes…sassy banana.

I will be telling you more about my classes and possibly give you some lunch ideas based on what I have been eating this week. But first, I must attend the rest of my classes and have the rest of my lunches! Haha.

Toodles for now!

Delivery!

“How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?”

– Julia Child

Hello everyone!

I am very excited about this. Maybe other people wouldn’t be as excited about this item, but I am. I received a gift from my dad about half an hour ago – a book by Julia Child called “Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom”. I have been eyeing this book for ages…so thrilled to finally own it!

If you guys haven’t figured it out yet, Julia Child is my favorite chef haha. I think she was (and still remains) fascinating as a chef and as a person in general – plus, the woman loved cats. I have two of her books: “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” Vol. 1&2; and now I will have this book to add to my collection. I hope to eventually acquire Julia’s book called “My Life in France”. Also, a DVD set of her show The French Chef would be grand as well.

That’s about it for today! Just wanted to share the exciting delivery of my new book with you guys. After final exams I will be back with more!

Toodles!

Meow

Hi! It’s me, Bailey! My furless human momma already wrote a post about me a while back; but, when I learned that her friend (Lulu) let the voice of her furbaby on the blog, I immediately decided that I deserve that too! So, here I am! *purr*

Meow

I was born on the last week of March 2011 (I don’t know my own birthday, but Lana always celebrates it on the 30th). My biological cat mom (a purebred Maine Coon) was a little irresponsible and had a one-night stand with a tom cat in the neighbourhood. Her little furry jelly beans (that’s me and my siblings) were not a pleasant surprise to my cat mom’s caregivers. They were in the middle of renovating the entire house and then we happened. So, my cat mom had to let go of us at a rather early age. When my human momma came along I was only 5 weeks old! We were going to be given to a shelter when we turned 7 weeks…boy, did Lana come just in time! She also organized some of her friends to adopt my siblings. We all went to good homes, but I like to think I was the luckiest.

My car ride home!

According to momma Lana, it was love at first sight. I can vouch for that. When she picked me up for the first time, I instantly clung to her and nestled myself into her neck. I was home *purr purr puurrrr*.

Me: Still in furry jelly bean state

Being a Maine Coon cross is neat! I look just like a Maine Coon, my vet says I took most of the genetics from the Maine Coon side. I am very pleased with that. I am a larger cat, pretty long body and a big bushy tail! Lana likes it when I trill and chirp and make different noises (as my breed usually doesn’t meow like a normal cat, though sometimes I do – must be my biological father’s trait).

When I arrived at my new home, I was not allowed out of Lana’s room. Why? She already had another (muuuch older) cat, Alice. It’s okay – I liked being roomies with her. Alice and I did not get along well for the first few months. I was scared I would be given away. But, Lana didn’t let that happen. She slowly introduced us and made sure we learned how to be friends. As a lively kitten, I wanted to do was jump around, climb behind the TV, run around with toys, and play with Alice…but she was not a fan of that idea. She can be a grouch! Alice is 18 now, so I guess being grouchy when I pounce on her to play is justified.

That’s Alice and I, after we became friends

As I grew older my shenanigans grew with me. I was always a very happy and energetic cat. Even though I am now 4 years old, I still like to jump behind the TV and sit there making noises to get Lana’s attention. Sometimes I hide under the dining table and pounce out at her legs. She chases me around and then gives me bear hugs. I like bear hugs. I am a very affectionate cat. I hear Lana describe me sometimes and she likes to say I am more of a dog than a cat at times! I don’t know what a dog is like, but she says it’s a very good thing to be like one. I like to spend a lot of time with my human momma, even when we don’t do much except loung around.

I liked to listen to Lana’s heartbeat as I slept when I was a kitten

When I was still very young, my momma broke 5 bones in her foot! Poor Lana, she was told not to move her leg/foot for 1 whole month or else she would need surgery and metal bolts. Yikes! That meant she was pretty much stuck either sitting or laying down (according to surgeon, laying flat was prefered). Don’t worry, I stayed by her side the entire time! We watched TV together, relaxed together, even ate at the same time; and when I got bored I played around on the floor with my toys – I can be very goofy and that seemed to cheer my Lana up! She had an air cast boot – it scared me the first time I saw her crutch her way into the house, but I got used to it quickly. I made sure she wasn’t lonely while she was unable to do human things.

I make better with love

TV watching was a regular thing for us (still is!)

When Lana sleeps for too long (isn’t up between 6 and 8 for classes), I climb into bed with her and snuggle until she is ready to wake up. But first I always try to nudge her awake to make sure she isn’t forgetting anything important like class or plans or feeding me…though I always understand when she wants to sleep, so I just have a snooze alongside her. Sometimes, I like to groom her. Especially when she wears her hair in a bun – I need to make sure my human is clean and well kempt. I take good care of her.

ZzZZzz

She can’t take showers or brush her teeth or cook or be in a room without me. I miss her when she’s not around (like in school or busy doing other human things), so I always stick by her side when she is home. My favorite place, now that is very hot, is her dresser in the closet. She points a fan in my direction so that I get some cool air and the shade in there helps me get away from the heat. I am a spoiled little kitty. But I think I spoil her too – as much as a cat could. When she is sad, I lick the tears off her cheeks. When she is lazy I like to be lazy with her. When she is happy I like to play chase/fetch with her and my mouse toy. My favorite toy of all, though, is a tin foil ball! Ever since I was a kitten Lana would distract me from getting into trouble by making me a tinfoil ball. The crinkling of the tin foil still gets me excited every time I hear it. Sometimes she is just making dinner and uses the foil, so I run into the kitchen very excitedly, only to find she is lining a pan. Grr!

Did I mention I was a spoiled kitty? I am. Ever since I came home with Lana, she has raised me on healthy food and made sure I had plenty of play and excersize. I am not allowed outdoors – but she makes sure I have a lot of indoor fun! I gave her a hard time as I was growing up; I escaped 3 times and made human momma very sad and scared. The first time I was too shocked to go very far, but the second time I went further, and third time I ran and hid pretty far from home. When I heard Lana calling my name searching for me, though, I ran back to her and didn’t refuse to be taken back inside. As I got older, I stopped wanting to escape (I think that makes Lana very happy). I like to sit and watch the garden through the window now!

I am very glad to be my human momma’s kitty.

I like to play!

My first cat tree!

And I like to participate in every activity. I help wrap presents on Christmas!

Surprise!

I also really like to snuggle…did I mention that?

Snuggles while Lana does homework!

I still snuggle with her meowadays but…we don’t have many photos of such events.

I am hard to catch when I am active, so Lana likes to catch me doing still activities. Such as sleeping, or sitting, or lounging. Enjoy these photos:

Dis my attempt at waking her up. That time was successful!

That thing about cats and boxes…it’s true. Mine!

Good morning!

I don’t like it when she travels…I try to sneak into luggage, but am always found.

I like to be cozy and am very good at making myself just that!

Well, that’s all for meow! It was purr-tastic to meet you all!

Current Favorites + 30 Random Facts About Me

Hello! Hope everyone’s week has been going smoothly. I am just coming to the end of my first school week of the semester – but, no school talk yet! I’m still enjoying the decelerated pace of these first few days.

This is an April slash beginning(or middle?) of May favorites…you know what, we’ll just call it current favorites post combined with 30 random facts about me. I think a post like this will be pretty fun to do. I feel like this type of post is great because you guys can relate better to me and get to know me a little more, which is just awesome. So, let’s begin!

Doing this favorites section is kind of interesting for me because I’ve been pretty loyal to the brands I like. I have used the same brands and products for years, I just tend to stick to what I know I like. Why change something if what I already use and know works well for me? Right? Well…I ventured out there and did some experimenting with new brands. Let me just begin by saying that I have found several new holy grail products. Here is the list of current favorites (upfront sorry to my male readers, some items on this list will probably bore you to shreds…):

• The first thing I want to talk about a shampoo/conditioner combo I purchased recently and have been very much enjoying. It’s by Organix and it is the Kukui Oil range. My hair and scalp just drink this stuff up *slurp sound*! It smells fantastic, it makes my hair feel and look fantastic, it is just a fantastic product all around. Now, the price tag on this is a little up there compared to the average shampoo/conditioner – however, I got mine on a big sale and I think I will be on the hunt for more sales for when I run out (or maybe order online). Organix has many other products that all are made of different ingredients targeted at different hair types and/or problems; I think they have Argan Oil, Coconut, Macadamia Oil, Vitamin E, Vitamin B5, Keratin…and a whole lot more. I highly recommend you go and try them out if you want to!
• Next, I want to mention a food item. I do not normally drink milk. I get severely unpleasant symptoms when I drink regular milk, it doesn’t matter what percent of M.F. it has…it just doesn’t go down well. Funny enough, I can eat other dairy absolutely fine: cheese, yogurt, coffee cream, whipping cream, cereal cream, ice cream, sour cream, you name it! Totally fine. Milk (especially skim or partly skim)? Body rejects it. Needless to say, when I found a milk that was a) the best tasting milk I’ve had, b) didn’t cause me any issues at all and c) came in a glass bottle…I was all like “gimme that!”. I like anything in a glass packaging because glass is generally chemically unreactive and stable, therefore doesn’t distort taste. Hmm I got all science, my bad…anyway! This milk is by a company called Avalon (it is a Canadian company) and everything they produce is certified organic which is an absolute plus. I personally drink old fashioned whole milk by Avalon. It is perfection and I hope I can always buy it. I also hope that you fellow Canadians get to try it! I’m sorry to anyone out there who isn’t a Canadian…I wish you could enjoy Avalon’s products as much as I do.
• Another thing I want to mention is coconut oil. I think I did a post on coconuts before and their benefits, so I won’t go on a rant about their glory. I actually have an organic food-grade jar of delicious coconut oil strictly for my skin and hair. I use it as a hair mask and a face mask, as a cleanser sometimes, as a body moisturizer, to calm irritated skin, I really do take full advantage of this oil. The brand I have is called NUCO, but I am sure other organic extra virgin coconut oils will be just as beneficial for eating and slathering yourself with. When you feed yourself, your skin and hair with products that don’t contain weird synthetic additives you can’t pronounce, it really shows. If you haven’t already discovered the benefits of coconut oil, I suggest you get onto that band waggon!
• Beats earbuds. You know, the Beats by Dre. Even though I thoroughly enjoy my Koss earbuds for women, these Beats have serious base and really crisp delivery. Bus rides, long walks, loud store music, annoying people…they all drift into the background when I put these into my ears.
• Febreze Sleep Serenity in moonlit lavender wall plug-in. I really, really like the scent of this. It’s fresh and soothing; Febreze did a good job of making this one strong scented enough to be noticeable and at the same time not at all overpowering – even in the bedroom (which isn’t huge). I’m a scent person. I like to smell nice, I like my house to smell nice, my clothes, my car, my sheets. Everything. Normally, though, what I find is that wall plug-ins are either sickly and overpowering or barely noticeable. This Febreze one really surprised me and I will definitely be getting refills.

And that brings me to the end of my current favorites list. Just a little disclaimer: I did not get endorsed to promote anything, everything I purchased was with my own money and I actually do enjoy these items.

Now, on to the 30 random facts about me! Let’s begin!

1. I am 5 foot 3 inches – petite J
2. I am newly engaged! And over the moon with happy!
3. If I see a hungry animal (especially cat or dog) I have to feed it and actually did during the vacation in Mexico. We actually fed a stray cat some food off our table at one of the hotel restaurants.
4. I listen to a plethora of different music genres – it kind of works in a way that if I’m feeling it, I’ll listen to it regardless of genre (for the most part, there are several types of music I just can’t listen to – like that screamo stuff, no).
5. I’m a Gemini
6. I like to dance
7. I sprained and dislocated my thumb when was in elementary school
8. I have a sweet tooth and a salty tooth: I crave the most random stuff at odd hours, especially at night
9. I hate mosquitos. They annoy me with their stupid night time buzzing and they suck my blood and make me itch. Just unpleasant all around.
10. I think horses are incredible, I find it easy to connect with them. I also really want to go horseback riding as an adult (I’ve only ridden a horse a few times as a child and early teen).
11. I really, really like candles.
12. I like garlic and onions…even though they leave behind some dragon breathe. Mouthwash, brush, and mints!
13. If you were to ask me what my favorite fruit is, I would have a very difficult time answering that…I guess juicy white peaches are top of the list.
14. I greatly enjoy the holidays. I like pine trees and decorating them, I enjoy buying and wrapping gifts, delicious dinners, and festive home decor. All of it makes me super happy.
15. Even though I really enjoy the holidays, my favorite season is summer!
16. Laughing is my favorite. I watch a lot of comedies & I quite often have a smile on my face.
17. I used to be super shy all throughout my childhood and teen years.
18. I intensely dislike when people walk around the house in their outdoor shoes.
19. I wash my bedsheets every weekend…I don’t know if that’s normal or not, but I just have to do it. It’s a thing.
20. I have always wanted to open up my own tea shop.
21. I like going for drives – my favorite time is at night when no one else is on the road.
22. I know a lot about home remedies for a lot of different things.
23. I enjoy learning and feeding my mind
24. I have RBF (google it and you will find out what that stands for). In short: it is when your resting/neutral face doesn’t look like a cheerful or content looking face. When I am just relaxed and not emoting anything my resting face can look like I am in a bad mood or pissed off. I apologize to anybody that thinks I am unhappy or in a crap mood, but 9 times out of 10 I am not at all displeased or peeved! I just happen to have a serious face when I am in my own thoughts or concentrated on something.
25. Usually when I stay at hotels I’ve never stayed at before I have some issues figuring out their showers. Some hotels have whacko futuristic contraptions and I stand there confused like “What is this? How does it turn on? Will I create a time warp if I press this button?” I just want to get in the shower! Luckily I have my darling there to help me figure it out.
26. The first thing I have to do when I wake up in the morning is brush my teeth. I hate the feeling of uncleanliness in my mouth.
27. I am very particular about the pens that I use. I like certain types of pens – my favorite are the Sharpie pens. I don’t know when or how that started…but…that is the case
28. I don’t smoke, I never have, and I never will.
29. The Sims was a bit of an obsession back in the day. Whenever I had a free moment I was there, glued to the computer. Over that obsession now, though.
30. I get cold very easily. Maybe because I’m small?

Okay, there you have it! 30 random facts about me!

I hope you all enjoyed this post, have a good rest of the week. Until next time!