Friday Favourites

Happy Friday!

I happened to be near High Park one day this week and snapped this wintry photo of the ravine. We got more snow on Wednesday.  I think after this weekend it will start warming up and the melt will start. 

I just finished the book The Correspondent (reviews of my January and February books coming up on Monday) and then I got my own piece of correspondence in the mail! It was very timely.  This is from my former boss who hired me when I moved to Toronto, we get together about once a year. 

I put away our Valentines decorations and put up a few things for St. Patrick's Day. There is a shamrock banner there on the fireplace but it seems to be blending in in this photo.

Yesterday I mentioned my favourite easy breakfast was something from Tim Horton's so I thought I would treat myself! Bonus that Roll of the Rim has started.

Our trip is close enough that the first day is showing up on my weather app.  When we land in Brussels, it is supposed to be plus 13 degrees Celsius that day! 

Guess what we are doing this weekend - you guessed it, more skiing!

Linking up with Andrea.

Friday Favourites

We are ready for Valentine's Day tomorrow!  Q was not interested in writing on any of his cards so I did them all.  E doesn't have school today so he exchanged card with his class yesterday.  But they are both going to wear red today and I will make a special breakfast (maybe pink waffles!).  

I have been enjoying this face masque from Kiehl's.  To be honest I was drawn in by the cute jar but it is a nice treat to use it every week or so.

E has two days off from school this week because of the teachers' strike so Dave took him skiing one day.  They used the Go Pro and got some cool videos in the terrain park.

These two monkeys made my walk to the stairs interesting.

I have not been to a Fresh restaurant for awhile, but while running errands this week I decided to pop into Fresh on Front to grab my lunch.  I was blown away at how beautiful the inside is, it was stunning!! IT was bright and cheery with white and pink accents. If you get a chance to go in, take it.  This is not my photo, but you can sort of get an idea of the pretty decor.  And bonus, I really enjoyed my meal - a Tiger bowl with soba noodles, on the recommendation of the server, and a hot Chai bomb as my dessert.  I passed a lovely lunch hour there with my book.

We watched Don't F*ck with Cats on Netflix this week.  It is about Luka Magnotta, who you will know of if you are from Canada.  It was really fascinating.  And if you don't know who Luka Magnotta is but you like true crime docs, then check this out.

Linking up with Andrea, Erika and Narci for Friday Favourites. 

\

Friday Favourites

Linking up with Andrea, Erika and Narci for Friday Favourites.

1. Last week was E's last day of daycare.  His teachers made him this card and wrote messages to him. It was so thoughtful, especially since some of them have known him since he started there.

This is him - white paper, yellow hair, orange skin.

2. I love a new paper agenda and I got a new one this month. I like to keep track of my blog posts, Arbonne activities, and family events (all colour coded of course).  

Ready to go.

3. I've posted this before but one of my favourite bible verses when faced with an upsetting time that I can't do anything about is from 2 Corinthians.  It was something I thought about a lot this week. 

4. We booked our plane tickets and accommodations for our upcoming trip to Barcelona.  Now I'm starting to plan what we're going to do while we are there.  There are many things to do there, even with a kid.  I'm really excited to plan our "itinerary" and finding some tips for restaurants.

5. Earlier this week I posted about our camping trip, one of my favourite things to do in the summer.

Happy Friday!!

Flashback Friday

I haven't done a Flashback Friday post in awhile, but I thought since it was Nunavut Day yesterday, I wanted to share my photos from my trip to Iqaluit in June 2008.  My friend Janna lived there for a few years working as an occupational therapist.  I decided to visit her after I moved to Toronto before I got a job.  I was so happy I got to experience the North, even if only for a few days.  I think about it often, and it gave me a bit of perspective about the North and the Inuit people.  These are photos from my Facebook album so some of you may have seen them before, but I hope you enjoy them again.

Yellow airport that you can see in the snow, and a polar bear on the airplane. 

The Legislative Assembly

Inuktitut translation.  The stop signs also had Inuktitut on them.

Bathroom Signs

Ice in the harbour in June

Mittens and touque needed when the sun isn't out

Fishing in Sylvia Grinnell Park.  We were unsuccessful in catching any Arctic Char.

The day before this (while I was walking around town by myself) a polar bear had come to this park. It had to be shot because apparently if they get that close to town, it's already too late.  We kept our eyes peeled for bears on this day but when we were the only people hanging around that area, we decided to leave too. We knew we could have outrun those other people, but we weren't going to take our chances with just the two of us.

View of Iqaluit on the way back from the park.

We climbed to the top of the hill (mountain) in town for this beautiful view!

Pretty Arctic flowers

Does this look familiar.  These are the true original Hudson's Bay Company buildings located in Apex.  We walked out here from Iqaluit and then back along the beach (I use the term beach loosely, it would be more like the shoreline).

Note that the ice had gone by the end of my visit.  

This is a special part of the world.  If you have a chance to visit, you should.  There are direct flights from Ottawa.  I was lucky enough to stay with a friend, but there are hotels and restaurants.  And apparently they are even brewing Starbucks coffee at the convenience store now!  

Linking up with Andrea, Erika, and Narci for Friday Favourites since one of my favourite things is talking about trips I've taken and showing off parts of Canada!

Happy Friday!

Friday Favourites

Linking up with Andrea, Erika, and Narci for Friday Favourites again this week.

1. Everyone is sharing their photos of their children's graduations so that takes me back to my own grad, which was 16 years ago!!! I loved high school so prom and grad were a lot of fun.  

A mini Flashback Friday.

Friends since we were four years old

My prom date was one of the best dressed, hands down - cape, top hat, and cane.  

2. On that note, here are the top songs from this week in 1999.  A few favourites here for sure:

1. Wild Wild West - Will Smith

2. Last Kiss - Pearl Jam

3. If you had my Love - Jennifer Lopez (or was it J Lo by this point?)

4. Summer Girls - LFO (I actually watched this video on YouTube the other day, worth it)

5. All Star - Smash Mouth

6. Sometimes - Britney Spears (Brit Brit!!)

7. I want it that way - Backstreet Boys

8. It's not Right by it's Okay - Whitney Houston

9. Where my Girls At? - 702 (Yes!)

10. Beautiful Stranger - Madonna (Austin Powers, baby yah!)

3. We had some snacks at work this week and one of them was my favourite snack - the Chicago Mix popcorn.  Half caramel, half cheese.  I don't know who invented this, but it is probably one of the greatest things ever made.  Love it!

4. Ballers is my new favourite show.  The Rock, Miami, NFL - that's enough for me.  Check it out!

5. I made one of my favourite meals this week and shared the recipe for making fast, easy and tasty homemade pizza on Thursday.

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend!

Friday Favourites

Linking up with Andrea, Erika, and Narci for Friday Favourites:

How is it Friday again?!?!

For the past two years I have been in Vegas around this time of year.  I'm not going this year but I will be back someday. Today my Friday Favourites are my favourite things about Vegas.  This is why I love Vegas.

1. Being treated to luxury.  Last year I stayed at The Venetian.  It is a beautiful hotel and the price is way less than what you would pay for a high end hotel in any other city, even though you are in one of the top hotels on the Strip.  People go out of their way to help you even if you're not a frequent guest.  

2. Sitting by the pool.  I love taking my coffee and a book and going down to the pool early.  Then spending most of the day there.  I love my child, but being child free at a relatively child free pool is lovely.  The Venetian pool is right next to Tao Beach and although that's not really my scene, I did like hearing the music faintly from the pool party. 

3. The Spanish Steps Margarita and Mojito Hut in the Caesar's Palace courtyard.  They sell very generously poured mojitos in to go cups so you can go drunk shopping.  A must-do on a hot day.

4. Bellagio Fountains.  We may or may not have watched 3 or 4 Bellagio Fountain night shows in a row the last time we were there.  Why they give me so much joy I'll never know, but the combination of water and music is so great.  I actually clap when it is over, and sometimes audibly ooh and aah.

5. Shopping.  Sure the store are basically the same as they are in Toronto, and the money I have to spend is the same, but the experience in Vegas is so much more enjoyable.  I have found all of the store clerks to be so friendly, and maybe that is just how they are or maybe they treat everyone well because they don't know who has just won the jackpot.  I have bought a few great things there that I cherish but my favourite is my Tiffany necklace.

6. People watching.  This is a given, but seriously, the people you see are out of this world.  

7. Gambling.  I don't spend a ton of money, but I do enjoy playing the games.  Last year I got into the electronic roulette and won a couple of dollars.  Speaking of luxury, I love having free drinks brought to me.  Maybe next time I go, I'll feel confident enough to try the real live roulette tables.  I also like watching other people gamble.  I do not understand craps at all, so I'm amazed how quickly people play it.  Also when people throw down large amounts of cash, I am fascinated.  

Morning gambling with some champagne.

Can't wait to go back soon!