getting organized.....

Hi friends, how organized are you when it comes to your food? Tonight, while cleaning out the fridge, and tossing away food that's gone bad, (maybe the expression is gone off? Gone bad sounds like it's holding other food hostage....) I was tired of the waste and thought it's definitely time to get a meal plan going. I leafed through my cookbooks and came up with meals for the next four days to see if I notice a difference in the money spent/food wasted. I'm also going to pack meals to work to see if I notice much of a difference in savings. Do you meal plan? Do you find it leads to less waste from your fridge? Do you pack your lunches? Do you eat out a lot? As an aside, while getting groceries with my new "I'm going to be so organized!" shopping list in hand, I noticed a few things tonight: For starters, I forgot my cloth bags, and nothing makes you feel more like a douche than pushing a cart overflowing with plastic bags past people shaking their heads at me wearing their "keep calm and recycle on" or "leave nothing but footprints" t-shirts.....Also, have you noticed at checkouts how most stores ask you if you want to donate an extra dollar to (insert any important disease name here) ? I can't help but always say yes. They've got me with $1.  It's brilliant. I mean, I'd feel pretty bold saying, "$1 for the fight against cancer?" No effing way! I'd rather buy a Kit Kat!  "$1 to help fund MS research you say? "Not my $1 thank you very much!" "$1 to help send sick kids to Disneyland?" "Hey, no one is catching a free ride on my 10 dimes!" I cave every. single. time. 
But back to being organized. If you're already rocking the food organization, or if it simply does not interest you than why don't you join me this month in trying to form a new habit that will help make your life easier/better? I'm also ramping up my fitness as part of a new habit because I want to be as healthy as possible, to be more energized/get an endorphin high, to bust some big life stresses and to be around as long as I can for my little bub. Click here for a good, quick read on how to make a new habit stick. At the end of May, I'll check in with a progress report. (Don't expect pie charts and bar graphs or you'll be very, very disappointed.) Good luck with your new endeavour! xo

365 catch up....

Saturday, Apr. 26 Nature is my playground.

Friday, Apr. 25th. It's Friday, sound the whistle!!! 

Thursday, Apr. 24 - Lunch visit with mom & friends.

Wednesday, Apr. 23 - our new favourite canvas.

I hope you're having an amazing weekend friends! xo

Aha you say!

I seriously love these sunny nights where we check out parks and playgrounds in the area after dinner. I think we have just as much fun climbing and playing as she does. Here are a few AHA moments that I had over the weekend: 

• Teach your daughters to stand on their own two feet - encourage their intellect, their earning power, teach them how to drive - show them how important independence is so that they have choices in this life. Give them this gift so that they never, ever stay in a bad situation because they are scared to be self sufficient. I've seen this too much lately and it really breaks my heart. 
• do something kind for someone else because nothing will make you feel better, faster.
• Friendship is the best foundation for romance. I know that very sentence pretty much oozes sex appeal doesn't it? But seriously, all of the couples I know who are rocking it lately, are the ones who love hanging out with their partner - who share the same idea of fun and look forward to spending time together. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you have to be glued at the hip, but I like to think, if anything big/small happened in your day, they'd be the one you want to call first. And to be honest, these are the couples who I enjoy spending time with the most, because you can just sense their ease with one another, their mutual adoration. There has got to be a similar sense of humour (for the hard times, because no one is immune to hard times), some common interests (so you are both enjoying your time together), and a similar outlook of what you want out of life (be on the same page). Over dinner last week, friends and I were summarizing it as that person you could do a big road with in a winnebago (or some other confined space) and not want to toss them out the window. 
• life happens one moment at a time. No matter how difficult/overwhelming/anxious/insert your personal challenge here/ it all happens one breath at a time. And it's not until you get hit with something really big, do you realize how much time/energy is wasted on things that don't matter. 
• No matter how tired you are, how much your day has worn you out and you are dying to sit down, get moving. Just getting out for a walk each night gives you a boost like nothing else. It's been our mantra and it works - every. single. time.
• And last but not least, well okay, this is the least important, but listen up: nobody, and I mean nobody looks cool taking a photo using an Ipad. Grab a camera or use your phone. Holding the equivalence of a mini-laptop in the air whilst casting a massive black square shadow on your photo subjects looks nothing short of ridiculous. In my books, it conjures up the same emotions as when I see people travelling around on Segways.

prepping the garden....(my fancy term for weeding)

Monday's 365. I'm over the moon when I'm home early to a sunny night like this. xo

Happy Easter!

Did you do anything special for Easter? This adorable bunny hopped into my parent's yard for the afternoon. The kids were so pumped and were POSITIVE that this was the Easter bunny. It was pretty awesome timing. I hope you were surrounded by loved ones today. xoxo

be still my heart.....

Saturday's 365. I got to take her to ballet class, and watching her spin, leap and run around the room made my heart want to burst. I was so proud to see how much she loved it and how she was enthralled by everything the teacher said. My greatest love growing up were dance classes - the combination of music and movement tapped into a part of my soul like nothing else. It's such an amazing form of expression where every fibre of your physical self is engaged. Ok, so this is beginner's ballet, and I don't know if she'll fall in love with it like I did, but it was a pretty giant life-list kind of moment for me to see her beautiful movement.

my happy place....

Happy Easter weekend friends! What have you got on your line up? Today was one of those great days from start to finish: we took our little gal to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, had tea in the garden with mom, and friends had an impromptu bbq on their beautiful, sun soaked deck. 

Last night, over dinner, a friend mentioned that she had followed the book "The Artist's Way", by Julie Cameron. And in the book, it suggests you take yourself out on a date, to gather inspiration. What would you do if you took yourself out? Where do feel most inspired? For some people, it's the art of eating or creating a beautiful meal, or it's getting absorbed in an engaging movie, or live theatre. It might be a run along the seawall, a stroll through a local gallery, a sports event, a concert, a road trip to somewhere you've never been.... Why don't you treat yourself to a moment that completely connects to your soul. Honestly, for me, it would be to grab my camera and head to a place as beautiful as the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, full of gorgeous pathways, sprawling open vistas, wildlife everywhere and the chance to get lots of exercise in the great outdoors. Nothing rejuvenates my spirit more effectively.  

Why don't you give it a whirl? Pick a date on your calendar, and start planning a fun date, just for yourself. Turn off your phone, and fully immerse yourself in your own company. We spend so much time focussing on everyone else's needs, why not plan a little romance, just for ourselves? Happy planning! xoxo