Book, Song, Body

Happy Leap Year! We get an extra day this year, so try and do something fun or that you wouldn't normally do. And if you know a Leap Year Baby, make sure you wish them a happy birthday and maybe even take them out- after all, they won't get to celebrate on their actual birthday for another 4 years.

BOOK- Back in December, I wrote about the book Stuff White People Like, which you can read about here. This weeks book, is the follow up, Whiter Shades of Pale.

 

Like the first book, this is a funny book. It's a collection of short essays on stuff that white people like. Unlike the first book, the stuff is broken down by location- Seattle, Toronto, New York, Denver, etc.  Like the first book, this book tells you what white people like, why they like it and how you can use this knowledge to befriend the white person.

Another easy, fun and funny read. Also, surprisingly accurate!

SONG-  Instead of a song this week, I'm going to let you know about an insanely talented Canadian singer, Nikki Yanofsky. Nikki is a jazz singer from Montreal and I think she's 18.  She. Is. AMAZING. 

Here's a cover she did of Forget You, which isn't a jazz song but still a great job:

Here's Nikki doing a cover of  Ella Fitgerald's Lullaby of Birdland:

So talented! Def check out some of her music on itunes. She's one of my favourite artists.

BODY- I have mentioned many times that I LOVE Pinterest! I was going through some of the recent pins of the people I follow the other night and came across this:

I thought I would share this. I know this is the 'Starter Exercise Plan' and it is a great starting point for people who do not workout a ton and want to workout more. But I find it's also a great plan for people who do workout as well. It's something quick that you can do on a day that you are super busy and don't have time to hit the gym. 

This idea taken from Brittany at happybrittany.com

Hey! It's Ok

This idea was taken from Whispering Writer.

It's ok...

To not have seen any of the movies that were nominated for Best Movie at the Oscars this past weekend. It's also ok that I didn't watch the Oscars and had no desire to. I'm just not into award shows, I guess. Also, with the exception of The Help, I have no desire to see any of the nominated movies. And I only want to see The Help because I read and liked the book.

To be thankful that Glen Sather (GM for the New York Rangers) barely did anything before the NHL trade deadline yesterday. He traded for a defenseman that will barely play for a draft pick. It could have been so much worse.

To be relieved  that when I went to visit my friend/co-worker and her baby yesterday, he didn't cry when 1. she said that he liked me and 2. when she left me to look after him for 2 minutes while she changed.

To think after all of these new recipes that I've been trying and successful making that I am all of the sudden qualified to write/edit a best selling cookbook. I seriously think I can now write/edit a cookbook and that people will buy it. I really do.

To be confused regarding my wardrobe thanks to Mother Nature. Last week, the sunny somewhat warm weather made me want to pull out and start wearing all my spring clothes. The tons of snow we had over the weekend forced me to dress in winter clothes. But with most of the snow melted today and the sunny weather, I'm thinking it's time for Spring clothes again. Which is it?!?!?!?

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Participate in Meatless Monday.

If you are unaware of what Meatless Monday is, it's a global initiative to fight global warming by going meat free one day a week. 18% of the world's green house gas emissions come from animal agriculture. Cutting out meat one day a week can reduce your own personal carbon footprint by roughly 28.5%. Some pretty crazy stats!

Environmental issues, especially global warming, are huge concerns right now. By participating in Meatless Monday you can help be part of the solution to these issues and combat some of the damage being done.
This isn't about becoming a vegetarian or going vegan, but it's about doing something for environment. Cutting out meat one day a week, overtime, can have a HUGE impact on our world. So why not become part of the movement?

For more information, visit www.meatlessmondays.ca (the website also has links to US & UK sites).

i & i (idea & inspiration) taken from Brittany at Happy Brittany.

LOL

Here is one of my favourite commercials, the quality isn't the best, but still funny. If you don't understand French, it won't be as funny.

 What he is actually saying and the subtext don't match up. Here is what he says:
Hello., My name is Bill. Where is Pierre? Pierre is in the bathroom. I work in a nightclub. I can open the window for free. Raspberry juice. Ahhh library

MTV Canada has a show, MTV Live. During the show, Paul the Intern will sometimes interview people, One on One. Here is one of my favourite interviews that he did.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Interwebz

iomoi is a website I frequently turn to for gifts, especially hostess gifts.

I love the fact that you can customize almost everything they sell and that their products are both timeless and modern- a rare but ideal combination. And with prices under $50 for a lot of their items, how can you go wrong?

They specialize in paper products (including e-mail stationary!), but also offer handbags, scarfs, belts, loafers, trays, pillows, coasters, ice buckets, paperweights, desk accessories and so much more.

I frequently stock up on their notepad and bamboo pen sets, as I think they make a great hostess gift. Plus, the designs make the gifts unique. Two of my favourites are:

Ubud pattern in Navy

and

My Favorite Charms

They have tons of options for designs, but I really love:

 Canary Islands Green & Navy 

and

Fishers Island Blue & White 

Check out their website, you might just find that perfect gift you've been searching for or the ideal stationary pattern for yourself.

Favourite Thing- DYI Magnetic Board

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not a DIY-er, crafty, organized, neat or even patient for that matter.

I recently came across a DIY magnetic board on Pinterest (you can see the original post here) and thought that was maybe something I could make. You could even say I was inspired. I thought it seemed pretty easy and thought I would step it up a notch and make a half magnet board, half cork board.

So, a week ago, I set out on my little project.

The supplies:

Fabric:

There is a quilting store in town. I had to drop something off there for work, and while there I decided to look at the fabric. I ended up finding a bundle for 4 fabrics, which I thought were reasonable priced ($15 for 4 pieces, all big each big enough to make a pillow case) and I was drawn to two of the fabrics. Honestly, it was finding these fabrics by chance that resulted in my attempting this project.

I LOVE the pink polka dot fabric and the green fabric with polka dots.

Next, I was off to the dollar store where I picked up:

Craft Magnets

Cork board (the package had two boards in it)

Push pins (for the cork board)

Hot glue gun (which I didn't buy at the Dollar Store) & hot glue gun sticks

Cookie sheets (aka baking sheets)

Next stop was home to attempt to be a crafty DIY-er.

To make:

1. Cut cork board to desired size
2. Wrap fabric around cork board, secure with hot glue
3. Wrap fabric around cookie sheets- the bottom of the sheet will be the front of the magnet/cork board- secure with hot glue
4. Glue cork board to cookie sheet
5. If needed, make magnets and/or push pins
   
    

Seems pretty simple (and it was, for the most part).

Luckily, my dad came to visit for the weekend. He actually was kind enough to cut the cork board for me. I wraped the cork board in the pink polka dot fabric and I wrapped the entire cookie sheet in the green fabric.
The biggest challenge for me (besides being patient during the project and trying not to get hot glue everywhere) was the magnets.

I wasn't really sure how to go about making magnets. I originally tried wrapping the entire magnet in fabric, which didn't work well. I then tried wrapping a button in fabric and then gluing the button to the magnet. This worked better but wasn't great (not to mention I didn't have any more extra buttons kicking around). In the end, I cut out a square piece of fabric, glued it to the magnet and then cut the extra fabric to make the fabric round. Again, not the best, but better.

This was my final product:

It's not perfect, but I think it turned out pretty good for a first attempt!
The magnet on the upper right is the button magnet. 

My dad (bless his heart) agreed to attempt to be crafty with me. This is what he came up with:

A bit different then mine.
As you can see, my dad glued the fabric on the inside of the cookie tray and then glued his piece of cork on top.
He also made his own magnets- he glued screws on to the magnets so they would have 'handles' and be.

To summarize: My favourite thing this week is my homemade magnet/cork board. NOT DIY projects.

Although after this, I think I might have to attempt some more DYI projects.

Make With Me- Asian Mushroom Skewers

Asian Mushroom Skewers


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup bottle Thai-ginger marinade
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned
• 12 fresh pearl onions
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces
• 4 12 inch metal skewe

To make:

• Blend marinade and garlic in a medium bowl
• Add mushrooms, onions and pepper pieces
• Seal bowl and refridgerate for 1 to 4 hours
• Heat grill to medium
• Place one pepper piece, 1/4 mushroom, 1/4 onion, another pepper piece on skewer
• Repeat on the other 3 skewers
• Place skewers on grill
• Grill covered for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning occasionally
• While grilling, you can brush the skewers with the remaining marinade if desired
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. You can use frozen, partially thawed pearl onions
   
2. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne can also be added to the mixture
3. Instead of a bowl, everything can be placed in a large ziplock bag

Book, Song, Body

BOOK- Last Tuesday, Sophie Kinsella released her newest book, I've Got Your Number. As a fan of hers, I of course bought the book and read it in a matter of days. Poppy, the heroine, reminds me a lot of Becky (heroine of the Shopaholic). I was very could easily see Becky in the exact same situation. However, the storyline was very different from any of Sophie's other books.

The book starts with Poppy losing her engagement ring days before her wedding and while looking for it, her phone get stolen. But, she finds a phone in the garbage and decides to use it for herself. The phone belongs to a businessman, Sam, and the two come to an agreement that they will share the phone, with Poppy forwarding his e-mails and messages to him. We see the relationship develop between the two via texting. I don't want to say too much for fear of giving stuff away.

Another light, easy, funny read, but very enjoyable. Lots of sub storylines, which kept the book entertaining and from being predictable.

If you are a fan of Sophie Kinsella or Chic Lit, you'll likely enjoy this book. If you're looking for a light fun read, this might be the book for you as well.

SONG-  Best Intentions by Flatlined. This was the best version that I could find and it's not even that great. =( This song was written for someone I knew, who was also a friend of the lead singer of Flatlined. 

RIP Trent <3
So lucky to know someone so hard to say goodbye too. 

BODY- I am in love with Lush products, particularly Bubblegum Lip Scrub! This product was introduced to me by my friend Sarah at Yet Another Brit In USA.

Rub the lip scrub on your lips and they become so soft and smooth (and kissable!). It smells and tastes so good too, which is a bonus- I do hate products that I love but smell/taste gross. Anyway, great product. I use it instead of lip balm or chapstick and use it year round. If you are not a fan of bubblegum, Lush does offer other flavours/scents. 

I use it all the time and highly recommend it!

The lip scrub is also a vegan product and Lush uses organic and natural products. All products are made my hand. Lush as a company is against animal testing and is an ethical and 'green' company. All of which are bonuses to the product (and a reason why I love this company, endorse and support them)!

This idea taken from Brittany at happybrittany.com.

Hey! It's Ok

This idea was taken from Whispering Writer.

It's ok...

To hope that the New York Rangers don't do anything prior to the trade deadline on Monday. I love the team the way it is and don't want them to trade any of the current players for anything or anyone- including for Rick Nash, which I love.

To be excited to be participating in my first blog swap! I can't wait to mail my package tomorrow and hope my partner likes what I picked out for her!

To be looking forward to seeing my co-worker and her baby on Thursday! I'm not a baby fan, but he is legit cute and I haven't seen her in almost a month! It'll be weird to see her not pregnant.

To love the fact that because my parents were here this weekend, I'll be eating leftovers for the rest of the week. And it's food that I don't make myself, so it's pretty awesome.

To hate the fact that my house currently smells like burnt popcorn. On Sunday, when my dad was here, he made popcorn which burnt. No amount of air freshener or leaving the windows and doors open is helping.

To be amazed that this is my 100th blog post on here! I can't believe it's been over 3 months and 100 posts already!

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In the province of Ontario, today is Family Day! This is a relatively new stat holiday for Ontarians. First of all, thank you to our provincial government who 3-4 years ago decided that we needed a stat holiday in the middle of winter.

Family Day is also an inspiration for today's idea. Do something with your family. If you have the time/chance, have lunch or dinner with them, play a game, go see a movie. You can even give them a call to say hi and see how they are doing. You can also text or e-mail...but that's kind of impersonal.

Family is so important so take the time to appreciate yours.



Just a reminder: Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday so live it up!

Also, Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and if you're Catholic,  you are not supposed to eat meat on Wednesday or any Friday during Lent.  These are also days of fasting (one big meal and 2 smaller meals).

i & i (idea & inspiration) taken from Brittany at Happy Brittany.

LOL

A pastor wanted to raise money for his church and, on being told there was a fortune in horse racing, decided to buy one and enter it in the races. However, at the local auction, the going price for a horse was so high that he ended up buying a donkey instead.


He thought that since he had it he might as well go ahead and entered it in the race and, much to his surprise, the donkey came in third.  The next day the local paper carried this headline: PASTOR'S ASS SHOWS


The pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the race again, and this time it won. The local paper read: PASTOR'S ASS OUT FRONT


The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.  The next day, the local paper headline read: BISHOP SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS


This was too much for the Bishop, so he ordered the pastor to get rid of the donkey.


The pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent.  The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day: NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN


The Bishop fainted.  He informed the nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for ten dollars.  The next day, the paper read: NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10


This was too much for the Bishop, so he ordered the nun to buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could run wild.  Headlines read: NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS IS WILD AND FREE



The Bishop was buried the next day.


~Unknown Author.

Interwebz

I was recently introduced to Print What You Like.

We have all come across something online we'd like to print. But when we got to print, we end up printing a ton of stuff we weren't interested- such as ads, pictures or even irrelevant information.

This website will solve that issue. It's super easy to use and it allows you to print exactly what you'd like to print from a website.

All you have to do is go to the website, enter the url for the page that you'd like to print and hit start. It will then open the url in page with an editing tool bar on the side. You can 'hide' the background, pictures and margins with a simple click. You can also change the text font (which is useful if the page font is hard to read) and the text size.

You can also easily remove portions of the page, such as headlines and paragraphs of text.
I've used this website to print pages with recipes. I don't need to print the headers or backgrounds of the page. Nor do I need to print the portion where the recipe is the authors great-great-great-great-great grandmothers and the only thing she brought over with her from Europe. I don't need to know the history or how it has been passed down for generations. I just want the recipe, the step by step portion!

If you frequently print from websites, definitely take a look at Print What You Like. Super easy to use, I love it and highly recommend it!

Favourite Thing- Italian Soda

I have recently been introduced to Italian Soda and am now obsessed with them!

There's this really great shop in the town I live in. It's hard to describe.

They sell homemade ice cream cakes, fudge and chocolate. They carry all natural products such as soap and lip balm. They have a variety of teas and coffees. Boxes of cookies. Minor kitchen stuff (ex mugs, serving platters). And just stuff like ornaments at Christmas, key chains, stationary, etc.

And the back of the shop, they have a little counter which is where you can order drinks. They also have muffins and cookies to go. I've become friendly with the owner and she told me how her sister just LOVES Italian Soda, which is why she offers the drink.

I told her I'd never even heard of an Italian Soda and she insisted that I try one ASAP.

So I did.

Amazing!

It's really simple to make, so I've started making them at home.

All you need is a couple of cubes of ice. A shot of flavour. And club soda. Put the items in the glass in the order I have them listed here, and viola! You're done!

There are so many flavours so I definitely haven't tried them all. But, so far, my favourite is a toss up between watermelon and peach lemon.

If there's a café or something near you that serves Italian Soda, defiantly try one. If not, follow my recipe (above) as it really is super easy to make!

I'm trying to cut back, as I can't imagine they are that healthy for you but I can see this being my summer go to drink- not just for myself, but even for what I serve my guests!


***For flavour, I use either Torani syrup or the same syrup used to make slushies. Torani most likely can be bought from a local café (ask if they'll sell you a bottle if they don't have any advertised as for sale) or online. I buy slushie syrup from Zellers (in Canada), so I'd imagine Wal Mart or Target will also carry it.

Make With Me- Cheesy Potatoes

Cheesy Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 lb potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 can cream soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup milk
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper 

To make:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Mix all ingredients well and spread into a casserole dish
• Bake for 1- 1 1/2 hours or until bubbly and browned.
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. If I'm in a rush or don't feel like peeling/cutting potatoes, I use hash browns.
2. I prefer cheddar cheese, but you can actually use any kind of cheese, or even mix different kinds of cheese.

Book, Song, Body

BOOK- This weeks book is a book that I recieved last year as a brithday gift, True Prep: It's A Whole New Old World. As someone who identifies with the "preppy" lifestyle and someone who read and enjoyed the original Preppy Handbook, I loved this book. This book really will only appeal to a specific demographic and most of that demographic has already read this book.

However, I would encourage everyone- prep or not- to read this book. It's a great reminder of how to live within your means, to be a decent person, to not fluant what you may be blessed with (materialistically) and, my favourite, a review of manners and class.

There are many aspects of this book that I love, but I one of my favourites is the 'preppy reading list'. I'm always looking for new books to read. This list is great. Many different authors and types of reading material (including poetry). With my favourite chapter being 11, which is all about etiquette- something I feel is lacking in our world and I enjoy having that quick refresher.

On top of that, this really is a well written book. It's funny. It's entertaining. It's a good read. If you haven't read it, consider doing so. And if you have read it, re-read it.

SONG- As we all know, yesterday was Valentine's Day and my birthday. I'm also a huge fan of The Sing-Off. The first time I heard Penn Rosen (of the Tufts Bubs) sing, I feel in love with him and his voice. I've also asked for Penn for my birthday every year. I would love to just hear him sing every day. So, this weeks song is Sweet Carolin with Penn singing lead.  

BODY- A few months ago, I was introduced to Safari Soapa. Besides the fact that they are a Canadian Company, I love that their products are handmade and natural- I can pronounce and recognize all ingredients used in their products! 

By nature, I have super dry skin. The dry air and Canadian winter does not me and my dry skin situation. I've been using their massage & bath oil for my skin. I just rub some of the oil on my skin and I'm good to go. It doesn't leave my skin feeling tight or greasy, not does it dry out my skin. I haven't had the chance to use the product as a bath oil, so I'm not sure what it's like.

As an added bonus, it does smell great without being overpowering.

This idea taken from Brittany at happybrittany.com.

Hey! It's Ok

This idea was taken from Whispering Writer.

It's ok...

To eat birthday cake for breakfast, especially if it was made for you by one of your best friends. It's also ok to book your birthday off from work.

To hate Valentine's Day because it overshadows your birthday. And feel that V-Day kinda ruins your birthday every year.

To stock up Valentine's Day candy that is half price. Chocolate is something you can use year round. And those conversation hearts? You can only get them during this time of the year. And yes, it's ok that I actually like those candy hearts. They do not taste like chalk.

To show some self love and pamper yourself on Valentine's Day (although you should do this year round). Day at the spa, buy yourself flowers, or splurge on a great pair of shoes.

To have waited until today to open the package that I ordered from My Dream Sample Box. It was a lot of self control on my part...it arrived 5 days ago.

To think this print from TearDrop Wedding is adorable and want to buy it as a gift for my co-workers new son.

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As everyone is aware, tomorrow is Valentine's Day. This is not a popular holiday with everyone- including myself, it overshadows my birthday.

Everyone, single or in a relationship, loves to know they are cared and thought about. Sadly, a lot of people- mostly singles- get overlooked on February 14th. So why not show the people in your life- friends, co-workers, neighbours, family and even your significant other, that you care about them. This can be as simple as giving out Valentine's (like the ones from when you were a kid) or as elaborate as organizing a dinner party or gift exchange.

Something that I think is a great idea I actually got from a great blog that I follow, Monograms & Manicures. Kappa Prep wrote about how in high school, the junior class would sell cans of Crush that would be delivered, letting the recipient know that someone has a 'crush' on them. I thought this was a really fun and cute idea. You can read more about it here.

Also, if you know someone born on Valentine's Day, make sure you take the time to wish them a happy birthday and let them know you haven't forgotten about them and their birthday. If you can spare the time (which if they are your friend, you should be able to), meet them for lunch or a drink after work.

i & i (idea & inspiration) taken from Brittany at Happy Brittany.

LOL

With Valentine's Day this week... I thought I'd post a few things I found funny related to this day.

(But I still get my birthday, right? Or is that canceled too?)

 
(How cute is this?)

Interwebz

Maybe a year or so ago, I heard of this great website; Kiva.org.

This websites allows you to make a loan for as little as $25 to someone starting out in business. Your loan helps the business person establish or grow their business and support and provide for their family. Most of these loans got to third world countries to people who may not be able maintain their business if it weren't for the loans from Kiva.

All people asking for loans are screened by the organization before they are listed on the website. As someone who is interested in giving a loan, you visit the website and look at the profiles of the people applying for a loan. YOU get to pick who you would like to invest in! These are people from around the world, different ages, and a variety of business- such as agricultural, retail or service (ie tailor). You will get updates on how the business you invested in is doing.

The receiver of your loan will work towards paying you back, with a payment rate of over 98%. But like any investment, there is no guarantee that you will get all of your money back. The website has more information on this. When you get your loan paid back to you, you have the option of loaning it to someone else or pulling the money out to spend elsewhere. Or even donating it to the Kiva organization so they can run (100% of your loan goes to the receiver of your loan, none of it goes towards running the organization).

So if you happen to have an extra $25 sitting around and you don't know what to do with consider lending a loan via Kiva. Or, if you would just like to help someone out. Either way- or for more information- visit kiva.org.

Favourite Thing- Good Friends

As I believe I've mentioned, my birthday is next week, February 14th. This is not my favourite thing but information you will need in a bit.

One of my favourite things, and this goes without saying, are my good friends.

I've made the trip home for the weekend and just got home from spending the evening with my friend, whom I have known for close to 20 years. (Does that make us sound old???) We just hung out at her house, but we had a great visit. it's very rare that she and I get to sit and talk, just the two of us. But that's exactly what we did tonight.

While we were hanging out, she told me to stay put as she had something for me. She came back with this:

(It's in the shape of a heart because my birthday is on Valentine's Day...get it?)

She (and her daughter) made me this cake! Yes, the candle is a crayon and yes those are butterfly sprinkles. They even made it from scratch! I was so touched that they would do that for me, especially since she and I had not talked about my birthday or the fact that it was coming up. And the cake? Delicious!

So, to summarize, my favourite thing (s)

1. Good friends
2. Long talks with friends
3. Birthday cakes- bonus for being homemade and double bonus for being in the shape of a heart!

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A bonus favourite thing this week:

I follow and am a huge fan of the blog The Kennedys Amongst The Kardashians. About a week ago, they posted an entry about how to make your own monogram desktop (which you can read here). For someone like me who isn't computer/tech savvy, I really appreciated the step-by-step guide. I even made my own, which is now the desktop for my work computer. I'm hoping to make another one for my personal computer as well. Here's the one I've already made:

Summary of my bonus favourite thing(s)

1. The Kennedys Amongst The Kardashians blog
2. Custom made/personal monogram desktop
3. The Lilly print featured in the desktop

Make With Me- Hummus & Avocado with Roasted Tomatoes Sandwich

Hummus & Avocado with Roasted Tomatoes Sandwich


Ingredients:

• 6-8 Slices of bread
• 1/2 cup of hummus
• 3-4 Avocados- halved, pitted & peeled
• 4 plum tomatoes- halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt & pepper to taste
  

To make:

• Preheat oven to 450
• Place tomatoes on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over tomatoes. Add salt and pepper for taste
• Roast tomatoes for 25-30 minutes or until tomatoes start to caramelize
• Spread 1/2-1 tablespoon of hummus on a piece of toast
• In a bowl, mash avocado with a fork, ok to have chunks of avocado
• Layer a tomato over the hummus
• Spread avocado over the other piece of toast and place on top of tomatoe
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. This makes 3-4 sandwiches.
   
2. Can be served with cheese (goat or feta is best) in the sandwich as well.
3. Roasted red pepper can be used in place of tomatoes.

Book, Song, Body

First of all, my (former) co-worker and one of my best friends, gave birth to a baby boy last night! Congrats to her and hubby- so happy for them (even though I didn't win the baby pool)! Can't wait to meet the little guy, who will be the most popular and loved baby, not to mention curing cancer by the time he's two (inside joke...sorry). Also, she is now official a Hot Mom!

BOOK- A while ago, I was able to download Energy Work- Cleanse, Heal and Strengthen Your Aura to my Kindle for free. I'm not sure if I believe in auras and what not. If still not sure if I am a believer. Honestly, if this book wasn't for free, I wouldn't have downloaded it. But I did and I read it.

This is a very short book, so a quick read. It`s simply written, so easy to follow and understand. No previous knowledge needed with this book. This is essentially like a step by step guide. It explains what an aura is, the difference layers, how to change and even protect your aura. It also includes exercises for you to do.

Again, not sure that I'm a believer in this. But I do have trouble sleeping and thought I would do the meditation. I did this every night for a week and I have to tell you, it did help me sleep better. Just for the sake of doing it, I decided that I would try and make my aura green (represents peace, something else and money).

Yesterday, my boss informed me that she received extra funding and offered me a position doing freelance work.

Is this a coincidence or did I really change my aura to attract money? I really don't know.

But, I would recommend this book for anyone who has a basic interest in auras and would like to learn more. I also recommend this book for people who enjoy meditation. I plan on reading it again and seeing if I can change my aura to a different colour in an attempt to bring some element to my life.

SONG- I had a song picked out for this week, but then last night I stumbled across an artist that I met and befriended (to an extent) years ago (we have since lost touch). She really is talented. I couldn't find a link for my favourite song by her, but here is my second favourite.

It's weird for me to hear this song...as much as I like it...because I know the guy (I meet Danielle because of him) this song is about and I know of the situations based around this song.

BODY- One of my favourite products, is Sugar Kick Body Scrub (brown sugar mango), which was part of the got2b in2 spa line. This product is so, so, so, so hard to find! I frequently turn to ebay to purchase it. And if you know of anywhere I can buy it (either store or online) PLEASE let me know! 

Besides the fact that it smells amazing, I love how it lathers and scrubs. It works really well and buffing your skin and getting rid of dry skin. It leaves my skin feeling fresh, super soft and clean! No residue. I do not use this product on my face (as recommended by the company). It has a really pretty orange colour to it- which really has nothing to do with anything. And smells really good. 

If you can find this product anywhere, definitely give it a try. And feel free to send some my way. Please.

This idea taken from Brittany at happybrittany.com.

Hey! It's Ok

This idea was taken from Whispering Writer.

It's ok...

To be excited that I FINALLY got an invite to Pinterest! I requested an invite via their website about a week ago and the invite never came. I sent a random girl a Facebook message asking her to invite me and she did!

To be loving the humus and avocado sandwich I had for lunch so much, that I want to have another one for dinner (recipe to follow later this week).

To think it's funny that my boss told me I'm not allowed to have caffeine ever again. I had some this morning (not normally a caffeine person) and spent the day hyped up. My co-workers wanted to know what I was on and wanted some for themselves.

To have not watched the Superbowl. At all. Not even for the commercials or Madonna. Instead I watched What's Your Number?, Something Borrowed, and Pretty Woman.

To love the fact that Tony Lucca was on The Voice! You can watch him here.

To hate the fact that my birthday is next week. As much as I love birthdays, my own birthday kinda bums me out. And to hate the fact that Valentine's Day overshadows my birthday.

i & i

i(nspiration)

&

 

i(dea)

On February 8th, Let's Talk: Join the conversation to support Canadian mental health. 

1 in 5 Canadians will suffer a mental illness at some point in their lives. There is a stigma about mental health and talking about it will help lift the stigma and encourage people to get the help they way need. This is the second year that Bell is doing it's Let's Talk day. If you use Bell as your telephone provider, use your phone A LOT on February 8, as they will donate 5 cents from every text message and long distance call made. This money will go towards mental health organizations. Over $3 million was raised in 2011. If you're on Twitter, you can follow the campaign @Bell_LetsTalk and if you retweet, Bell will donate 5 cents to the campaign.

What a simple and easy way to support such a great cause. So join the movement and let's talk.

i & i (idea & inspiration) taken from Brittany at Happy Brittany.

LOL

Hope everyone is having a great Sunday! I will not be watching the Superbowl...instead I'll be watching the NYR-Flyers game (end of the first and NYR is leading 1-0) followed by some movies.

This weeks LOL comes from my brother, no idea where he got it from. Enjoy!

Interwebz

A few weeks ago, I was introduced to the website Polyvore.

There are so many things that I love about this site.

I love the different pieces of art, but I am an art lover.

I love the interior design ideas, as I'm always looking for unique and creatives ideas for my house and even my office.

The main focus of the site is fashion!  You can shop on the site by either brand, category (ie skirts) or even by trend, which makes it super easy to find what you are looking for. It is an interactive site, so you can ask questions and get answers from other members.

Hands down, my favourite part of the website is the 'create' part. This allows you to pull together outfits. You can drag in different outfit elements, like shoes, dresses and accessories, to see how they will look together. It's a great way to plan out outfits and also to see how specific pieces you are interested in buying will integrate into your existing wardrobe- see how that $500 top you are thinking about investing in will look with skirts, pants and shorts you already own.

If you have any interest in fashion, even just a tiny bit, head over to this site and see what it's all about.

Favourite Thing- Tote Bags

I love, love, love tote bags. This is no secret as I own a ton of them and use one on a daily basis.

Tote bags are key for me as I am one of those girls who just always has stuff with her. I carry the day to day stuff, like my wallet, keys and cell. But I also carry with me, my agenda, Kindle, digital camera, bottle of water, gloves, earmuffs (well, in the winter at least) and a variety of miscellaneous random stuff- including soup, forks and birthday cards (and even birthday gifts at times) that should have been mailed months ago.

I seriously don't know what I would do without a tote bag- besides mail things in a timely manner.

(This Tommy Hilfiger tote is one of my favourites. If you look closely, you can see the handles are worn out from so much use.)

Make With Me- Spinach Manicotti

Spinach Manicotti


Ingredients:

• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• salt & pepper
• 32 oz tomato sauce
• 3 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

To make:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl
• Ladle about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish
• Lay a lasagna noodle flat on the counter and fill with spinach mixture (roughly 1/3 of a cup), spread evenly over noodle
• Roll the noodle and place it (seam down) in the baking dish
• Repeat with remaining noodles
• Ladle remaining sauce over the rolls in the baking dish
• Cover rolls with mozzarella cheese
• Cover with tin foil and bake for 35-40 minutes
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. This is a super simple recipe. Great meal for an individual or group.
2. I use a 9 x 12 baking dish.
3. Make sure that noodles are dry before adding mixture.
4. I don't like tomato sauce, so I use Alfredo sauce instead.
5. This can easily be made into a lasagna. Layer sauce on the bottom of baking dish, lay noodle flat over sauce, spread spinach mixture, add another layer of noodles, top with sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Book, Song, Body

BOOK- I mentioned recently that I found Chelsea Handler funny. And while Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me isn't exactly written by Chelsea, it is about her. Family and friends of Chelsea have put together a collection of stories based on lies that Chelsea has told and pranks she has pulled on them. Stories range from convincing someone she was pregnant to getting a staff member to end their honeymoon early and even convincing her brother that a friend had fake legs.

While I found this book funny, I was left wondering how these people in Chelsea's life can take her seriously and how can they continue to fall for her lies and pranks, when they full out know this is what she's about.

SONG- I currently find myself in a position where the song Jet Lag by Simple Plan applies to my life. 

And the French version (I like how English & French have both been worked into the song. To me, it adds to the separation): 

BODY- A have a co-worker who does yoga in her office. I had heard of this from the pregnant co-worker, who's office is across the hall. Last week, I was in a teleconference with the yoga co-worker and she just got up and started doing some stretches. While it might seem funny, it actually is a good idea, especially for people who spend most of their day seated with very little movement. I often find myself stiff at the end of the work day. 

I found this link which has simple stretches that you can do at your desk (my co-worker actually does a lot of these). The link also includes animation so you can see what you're supposed to be doing. I might just have to start doing some of these exercises...

This idea taken from Brittany at happybrittany.com.