Friday 28 August 2015

High Five for Friday- 28-8-15

Oh man!  I am glad it is Friday!  What a week!  I don't have any pictures for you this week because, you know, bad blogger and all that!  Here are my five highlights:

1.)  Last weekend was mostly great (see #2). I got to watch Divergent, go shopping and go to the lake.  It was a nice family weekend.

2.)  Okay.  While I was at Superstore, I grabbed a cart.  It is one of those 2 tiered carts.  I put Miss. E in the spot for babies and started my shopping.  Hubby had to do something so he was going to meet up with us when he was done.  I get my cart to the baby aisle and pick out the things I need.  Just as I was going to put the item in the cart, I realized there was a dead bird in my cart.  Oh my gosh.  I was halfway between freaked out and sad for the bird and I started the "abandon cart" operation.  An older couple, who I am sure were farmers, saw me freaking out and the husband kindly removed the bird from my cart.  The wife asked if I was okay and then they moved on.  It took me an hour to recover.  Ha ha.  I don't know why, but ever since I had Miss. E, I have the weakest stomach!  I am grateful for the lovely man who came to my rescue.

3.)  We had appointments in different cities this week.  My Mom watched Miss. E for my appointment on Monday (thanks, Mom!).  Miss. E had an audiology appointment and a dental appointment,which both went great.  She doesn't have to return for any more audiology appointments (Hallelujah!) and her teeth looked great.

4.)  Miss. E is over her cold, which is awesome.  The last one lasted over a month and turned into a chest infection, so I am relieved that this cold went away so quickly!

5.)  Yesterday was a tough day.  That Google Hangout really brightened my day.  It was so much fun to watch!  I LOVED Tif and Della's accents!  All four ladies were awonderful to watch and I had such a fun time!

How was your week?  Link up with the lovely ladies below to join in H54F!


Tuesday 25 August 2015

Wardrobe Wednesday- 26.08.15

This will be my last Summer Capsule Wardrobe post.  We are fast approaching September and I have started planning my Fall Capsule Wardrobe.  I live in Canada and the weather might stay hot into September, but the nights are already turning cold.  Fall is definitely on the way!  I plan to recap my Summer Wardrobe for you next week.  Here are 3 outfits from this week.  I apologize if there are any repeats, but at this point I am basically wearing the same outfits over and over.  I am itching to start my new wardrobe!


I wore this outfit to the cabin this weekend.  I like wearing my torn jeans to the cabin.  It feels cottage chic.  Ha ha!


I wore this to the doctor this week.  Simple yet put together.  Please ignore the yucky jammies in the background.  Apparently, I forgot to take them down!


I wore this to my daughter's audiology appointment.  In theory, it works.  Unfortunately, after seeing this photo, I have decided that it is extremely unflattering and I won't wear this outfit again.  Live and learn, right?

Have a happy Wednesday!

Monday 24 August 2015

Sisterhood of World Bloggers Award

Saturday was my one year blogiversary since I "returned" to blogging.  Before that point, my blogging had been sporadic.  In honour of my blogiversary, I decided to do my Sisterhood of World Bloggers Award post.  I was nominated by Michelle over at Grammie Time.  I really enjoy Michelle's blog.  It is encouraging and uplifting!  You should check it out!



Here are the rules for the Sisterhood of World Bloggers Award:

-Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog.
-Answer the 10 questions provided by the person who nominated you.
- Nominate 10-12 bloggers with links to each blog.
-Ask your nominees 10 questions.
-Include the logo somewhere in your post.

Here are the 10 questions that Michelle asked me:

1. How long have you been blogging and why did you begin?

I have been blogging for just over a year.  I started my blog in early 2014 and then sort of abandoned it with the life changes that came with being a new mom.  I started up again August 22, 2014 and I have been (fairly) consistent with blogging since then.  I wanted to blog in order to chronicle my journey to minimalism and to help keep me accountable.  I also wanted a creative outlet because I have always loved to write.  It just seemed like a good fit.

2. List three words that would describe you? 

Boy, this one was hard!  I find it difficult to talk about myself without feeling boastful.  Here is what I came up with:

-Strong:  I am strong.  I feel like I am able to take what life hands to me and , with God's help, overcome my obstacles.  I don't like to sit and feel sorry for myself.  I try my best to be proactive and keep going, even when things are difficult.

-Grateful:  I try to keep a grateful heart at all times.  I have been incredibly blessed in my life, and I do my best to appreciate everything that I have been given.

-Leader:  I tend to be the person leading committees and meetings.  I am organized and I do well at staying on task.  I am good at delegating and helping people find their strengths.  I enjoy organizing people and events.

3. How long have you been married?

I have been married for just under 5 years.  Hubby and I got married on October 2, 2010.  He is my best friend and I am so lucky to be married to such a wonderful man.

4. Where did you go on your honeymoon?

We went to Maui and we loved it!  If it is financially feasible, we plan to return this year for our 5 year anniversary.  It was gorgeous.

5. What is one household chore you dislike doing? 

Weeding my garden.  Which explains why my garden looks terrible right now...

6. Your best "chick-flick" movie is ...?

I love Sweet Home Alabama with Reese Witherspoon.  It is one of my favourites!

7. What is one BEAUTY item you can't live without?

Sunscreen.  I always protect my skin.  Skin cancer runs in my family so I never go without.  It also helps keep you looking young, so hopefully I will benefit from my sunscreen habit when I am older!

8. Where has your favorite vacation been so far?

It is a tie between my honeymoon to Maui and my trip to Europe.  I absolutely adored Italy and would go back in a heartbeat!

9.  You're given $100.00 just for YOU, how would you spend it?

I would buy a new pillow, because I need one.  I would put the rest of my money into my Fall Capsule Wardrobe.

10. Do you prefer reading books or magazines? 

It really depends how much time I have.  I love reading books, but I find magazines are great when there is very little time to actually sit down in read.  If I have all the time in the world, I would love to get lost in a good book!

I am nominating:

Sarah from My Bows and Clothes
Jess from To Sparkle Punch
Della from Della Devoted
Tif from Bright On A Budget
Laura from Oh Laura Darling
Abby from The Frugal Blogger
Pinky from P!nk Persistence
Whitney from Come Home For Comfort
Laura from Snippets & Snapshots
Amanda from A Brownie World

Here are your questions, if you wish to participate:

1.)  What is your favourite beauty tip?
2.)  What is your ideal Saturday?
3.)  Who would you take with you if you were a contestant on "The Amazing Race"?
4.)  If you could have any "superpower", what would it be?
5.)  If you could rid the world of one fashion trend, which trend would you choose?
6.)  Do prefer cooking or baking? (Or neither?)
7.)  What is your favourite junk food?
8.)  What is your favourite song to belt out in the car?
9.)  What is your biggest pet peeve at the grocery store?
10.)  What motivated you to start blogging?

Thanks for reading everyone!  Have a great day!



Friday 21 August 2015

High Five For Friday- 21.08.15

Hello there!  It is FRIDAY!  Woot, woot!  Here are the highlights from my week:

1.)  I attended my college roommate's bachelorette party on Saturday.  It was a blast.  The girls that attended were all really great.  Besides the bride and her mom, I didn't know anyone there.  They were all so welcoming and kind and we had a wonderful time!



2.)  We had some yummy onion rings on our way home from the bachelorette party, Sunday.  They were perfect and crispy.  I don't normally like onion rings, but these were delicious!  Shout out to the Snack Spot in Killam. Alberta.

3.)  We rearranged some furniture in our living room and it has made such a difference!  We managed to move some things out of Miss. E's reach and organize some of her toys.

4.)  Miss. E was sick this week, so we hung out at home and took it easy.  It was nice to have some downtime.



5.)  We received a package in the mail from my Mother-In-Law.  It contained some adorable outfits, light up shoes, and Popsicle moulds.  We made watermelon and applesauce ice pops and they were a hit!



How was your week?   Link up with the lovely ladies below and tell us about it!  Have a great weekend!


Wednesday 19 August 2015

Wardrobe Wednesday- 19-08-15

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending my college roommate's bachelorette party.  It was so much fun!  We attended the Canadian Derby in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  Unfortunately, it was only 8 degrees Celcius (46 Fahrenheit), so we didn't last long at the derby.  I caught sight of some cute outfits while I was there.  Beautiful hats and dresses!  Today's outfit is my derby outfit (the boots and fascinator were part of the party's dress code).  It was nice to wear something outside of my Capsule Wardrobe.

Here are my mirror selfies:

 


The dress was from Le Chateau and made in Canada.  Which is a plus.  I liked the fit of the dress and the swish of the skirt.  It was a fun day.  

Happy Wednesday!



Friday 14 August 2015

High Five for Friday- 14.08.15

Oh my goodness this week went fast.  I can't believe that it is Friday!  I had a pretty great week and I need to play catch up again before we leave again tomorrow!  Here are my five highlights from my week:

1.)  We had a great time on our mini vacation.  We went to the Calgary Zoo and it was awesome, as per usual.  I love seeing penguins and Miss. E really loves the birds.  We went to see their dinosaur exhibit which was pretty good.  We had a good time!



2.)  We went shopping and found a bedding set for our new bed.  It was on sale and I was pumped to find it!

3.)  We got to see my brother on our vacation.  It is always so nice to see him!

4.)  My Mom heard Miss. E say "Grandma" yesterday.  Which would be her first time.  So that was fun!

5.)  Miss. E has been doing some really funny stuff lately.  She shouts "Hi!" to everyone she sees.  She stood in front of the fan the other day and laughed hysterically every time the wind hit her.  She then would let the wind blow her around.  It was hilarious!  She has also taken to dancing whenever she hears a song that tickles her fancy.  She was dancing in the store, yesterday.  Okay..... that is enough gushing!

How was your Friday?  Link up with the lovely ladies below and tell us about it!  Have a fantastic weekend!

Thursday 13 August 2015

Oops. No Wardrobe Post This Week.

So several things aligned to make this week a bad bloggy week.  I apologize.  I will be back next week with a special edition of Wardrobe Wednesday!

Friday 7 August 2015

High Five For Friday! 7.8.15

Hello Friday!  I am especially excited for Friday this week because we leave for a mini family vacation tomorrow!  Woo hoo!  I am so excited to get out of here!  I am also (shockingly) organized and I have our bags packed and ready to go!  Yay!  Here are the five highlights from my week:

1.)  Hubby didn't have to work on Friday so we went to the pool.  Miss. E had a blast and so did we!  It was super hot so the pool was just what we needed.



2.)  On Saturday, I worked the Parish Booth at the local sports weekend.  Truth be told, I was dreading it.  I get nervous when I have to meet new people (like everyone else I am sure) and I only recognized one name on my shift.  It turned out to be a lot of fun and reminded me how important service is.

3.)  Sunday was my Hubby's family reunion.  I was also nervous about it because I don't know a lot of his extended family very well.  My Mother-In-Law comes from a family with 16 children, so between the kids, grandchildren and great grandchildren there are a lot of them! (Miss. E was number 50 for great grandchildren and there were (at least) 3 births since she was born!)  Everyone was so wonderful and welcoming.  Miss. E enjoyed running around with her cousins and had a blast.  It was such fun.

4.)  I was able to book last minute lodging for my dog.  This was a complete oversight on my part.  Most kennels are booked up because Summer is their busy time.  We found a great kennel that could take her, but we had to rent one of the swanky "suites" because that is all they had left.  So, the dog will be living in the lap of luxury during our vacation.  I am just happy I got her in!

5.) Miss. E learned to open doors this week.  Oh my!  She is growing up so fast and becoming quite the little monkey.  We have the easy to open door levers so I went and bought some round doorknobs.  I also installed them myself.  I am not at all handy and I usually leave that sort of thing to my Hubby, but I figured it was an easy enough task.  It was pretty easy and Hubby was happy that he didn't have to do it.  Maybe I can try something a little more difficult next time.  Who knows?

Eating an apple that she took from Daddy's lunch kit. 

How was your week?  If you want to join in the H54F link up, please link up with the lovely ladies below!  I will be gone into next week.  I will try to get my Wardrobe Wednesday post up, but it may not get up until Thursday.  Take care and have a wonderful weekend!





Tuesday 4 August 2015

Wardrobe Wednesday- 5.8.15

Another week, another 4 pictures.  I get dressed the other days, I swear!  I have been repeating outfits, though and I doubt you want to see the same thing over and over.  That would be boring.  It was a busy week and right now I have no sign of slowing down for the next two weeks.  Eek!  Oh well.  Gotta travel while the weather's good.  Here are my outfits: (All boasting the same yucky hair and the same pose... of course.  Why stray from the only pose that seems to work?  Ha ha!)


I wore this to my Hubby's family reunion.  Hence the sturdy footwear.  It is best when chasing a little one around!



This was for a work day at home.  The dress is nice and the sweater kept the chill from the AC at bay.


Dare I call this an outfit?  It was perfect for walking downtown to run errands in the hot weather.


I wore this to the city for appointments.  It was raining, so I pulled on my jeans and headed out.

I hope everyone is having a happy Wednesday!  Take care!

Monday 3 August 2015

Contentment & Letting Go of Bitterness

We all have been through challenging situations.  The situation itself is often something that we can't change.  In my case, it was infertility.  The pain of that situation was very difficult for me and I spoke about how I handed that pain up to God in this post.  It felt so much better knowing that my pain and my problems were in much more capable Hands.  I did have a lot of work to do, however.  I had to learn to let go of my bitterness.

I am a total type A personality.  I like my life to go in a neat pattern of cause and effect.  Good and bad.  Black and white.  Life doesn't work that way.  It is messy, complicated and often filled with grey areas.  The hardest lesson of all?  We don't control any of it.  The only thing we have any power over is ourselves.

I had spent a lot of time thinking that other people were getting things that they didn't "deserve" and that I was not getting what I "deserved".  I was bitter and angry about my situation and I had allowed that to colour my view of those around me.  I became closed off, judgmental and harsh.  I quit communicating with friends who had been dear to me, I refused to participate in certain events/functions and I was constantly criticizing others.  I was not a good person.  I had allowed my pain to take over my life. 

After I had handed up my pain, I began to work on myself.  I could not continue on the path that I was on.  I needed to learn to be kinder to others and to myself.  I made amends with friends that I had ignored.  I humbled myself and asked for forgiveness.  I learned to give people the benefit of the doubt.  I learned that other people are free to say what they want to say and to act the way they want to act.  I have no control over it.  Accepting this was huge.  I don't have to like every decision that every person makes, but I do NOT have a right to judge them for it either.  

I stopped being angry that other people had what I did not.  I focused on all of my blessings.  I learned to be grateful for my wonderful life.  When I stopped wanting what my neighbour had, I became content with what I had.  I was able to fully embrace my life and where I was at.

Today, I am content most of the time.  I slip up here and there, but I am human.  When I have a negative inner dialogue or when I feel jealous, I simply remind myself not to be judgmental and to be grateful.  We must appreciate our lives.  We must be thankful.  We must be kind to one another and give people grace.  Only then can we be content.