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Our first American thanksgiving
We enjoyed our first Thanksgiving as a married couple, and our first Thanksgiving celebrated in the USA this weekend. We invited our other Canadian friends over to celebrate too, since they also recently moved to California. As Canadians, we were dyin’ for a bit of Thanksgiving grub as ours usually falls during the middle of October. We were overdue for a feast!
I had the chance to order food at no cost to me, thanks to Walmart Grocery once again, so I took full advantage of that and placed my order over a week ahead a time so we would be prepared. It was delivered last Wednesday and we had our Thanksgiving planned for Black Friday. Unfortunately my order was a bit of a flop, as chicken wings arrived in replacement of two whole chickens. Walmart assured me that I should always check the box that allows substitutions which in any case they run out of food, they will give you an upgrade. However, I’m thinkin’ chicken wings are a total downgrade from whole chickens. They also didn’t include my chicken stuffing for the birds. In a panic I had to rush out before any of the stores closed early due to Thanksgiving the next day. Not something I had planned to do! I was disappointed in that, and of course had to go on a wild goose chase to find fresh not frozen, chickens. In the end, it all worked out and everything else arrived perfectly fine. Just not those dang chickens and stuffing! While my delivery did have a mishap, I’m still really pleased with the service and still recommend it to people. Especially those who live a busy lifestyle, don’t want to grocery shop on their time off or those who have newborns at home. Imagine diapers being dropped off at your door at a moments notice! Perfect, right?
Since our friends have a young child, we had our Thanksgiving meal earlier in the evening since the lil’ bud had to go to bed at an early hour. We had a really nice evening with loads of good food and wine. I made two whole chickens, mashed potatoes, baked asparagus with feta, carrots and cauliflower puff (which I still have to post a recipe on).
Over the course of a few weeks, I picked up some decorations from all over, and put together a nice spread for ourselves, and our guests. The only true decorating I did was these fancy looking but super easy to recreate napkins that I saw on Pinterest. But I picked up some flame less candles for the table which I totally forgot to turn on, and I also made a Christmas Ball wreath from a coat hanger, which is more like a triangle wreath, but hey — it at least definitely looks homemade, haha!
Now, I’ll let the photos do the rest of the talking :)
What are some of your Thanksgiving traditions?
What’s your favourite part about Thanksgiving?
Favourite: Turkey, Ham, Beef or Chicken?
I’m really looking forward to continuing these traditions over the course of the years.
Are you wanting to try out Walmart’s grocery delivery service? Your first order delivery is for free – and if you want an additional 15 bucks off you can use my referral link. Â I’ll get $15 for each friend who tries out their service, and YOU will save $15 too. Why not share, right?
Disclaimer: Walmart-to-go provided me with a gift card to try out their delivery service.
What’s inside my desk?
It’s almost like a what’s in my purse blog post, but we’re getting to the nitty gritty and showing you what’s really in my desk. For the most part I try to keep it as clean and organized as I can. But usually I have notebooks, vitamins, pens, receipts, everything dumped out on top of the desk and it usually gets shoved into one of the many drawers in the desk when I want it cleared off asap.
I will always continue to have at least one junk drawer, because who can really keep that organized, all the time? Definitely not me.
So let’s take a peek shall we?
There’s five drawers to my Ikea alex drawer unit that I bought while we were living in Canada. I’m pleased with the amount of stuff it holds, and how convent it is.
Top drawer is for quick access. Hand creams, notebooks I use on the daily, scissors, post it notes, everything else you see.
Alright, this is the junk drawer I was referring to. Miscellaneous cables (mainly for charging my phone on the go), coin purses, business cards from networking, our mailing address stamp that I got on Etsy. Newfoundland Screech Coffee!
Ah, one of my favourites. The nail drawer. The clear boxes I purchased from Daiso. One box is reserved solely for Dior nail polishes and they’re right up front. Second one is for the one’s I use on the regular (neutral nails, pinks and top coats). The one in the back has colours I rarely wear. Then I have my business cards buttons, nail polish remover, nail tools, more notebooks and a couple of bubble wrap envelopes.
I store my cameras in here, along with cords and chargers. A few miscellaneous boxes, and wooden cutlery too.
Last but not least, my stationary drawer! I’m a pen lover and stationary collector, and I love having options. I have a couple of pencil cases filled with markers, fine point gel pens, pencils, erasers. The rest is filled up with cards we received on our wedding day or wedding reception day along with my Fitbit box, and some fun coloured staples.
Do you have a desk with drawers? What do you keep in it?
How organized/cluttered is your work space?
After workout routine
Products marked with an ‘*’ asterisk were sent for review. Opinions are my own.
Comin’ atcha from the weekend. It’s pretty rare I actually sit down and blog on the weekends so I thought I’d put another post together. Many bloggers talk about their workout routine but what do you guys do after you workout?
Do you like my green Lululemon Wunder Under’s? I bought them back in May. Come to think of it, I should have bought them in black too (they do have a dark charcoal). If only I had known they would be my go-to workout pant for climbing and yoga. I haven’t sweated in them profusely so I can’t be a judge on how well they wick away sweat. I would imagine since they are cotton, it wouldn’t that nice on the skin after a big ol’ run.
You guys know I’m always on the go, whether it be gallivanting out on a hike with my friend, hitting up the climbing gym for a boulder sesh’ or relaxing and doing some kinda painful yin yoga practice which conveniently is available at the climbing gym. I wear make up to the gym. Do I apply directly before I go? No, but I do my make up after I get a shower each morning. I like looking put together and not as though I had 3 hours of sleep (which I have you know, that I get plenty of sleep — but me going sans make up makes me look a little rough for wear). So I thought I’d put together some of my favourite products to use and ways to get comfy when you’re home after a workout.
Grab an Iced Coffee: I don’t pop by every time. However, often I’ll be craving an iced coffee after I go for a climb. By luck, I found this one spot and will often splurge on a three dollar vanilla iced coffee. The people who own the spot are so friendly and always compliment me! They know how to keep a customer, hey? Although they put far too much ice and not enough iced coffee, it’s one of the best places I’ve found.
Take Alfie for a Walk: As soon as I get home I know my little buddy has to go out for a piddle. Once I walk in the door I grab his harness and off we go.
Put my hair up: You know how some people need to remove their bras the second they walk in the door? I’m not one of those at all (since… y’know: I.B.T.C and all), I’m one of the people who need to put her hair up as she steps in the door. Anyone else? I grab a hair tie and put that hair in a messy topknot. I get all that hair out of my face and secured with a lululemon headband.
Have a snack: Whether it be a handful of nuts, some plantain chips or an apple — something needs to go in my belly as soon as I get home otherwise… hangry.
Add the layers: I’ll almost always put on my grey H&M hoody once I get in the house.
Blast the music: We don’t have a cable TV here at the house, so instead I opt for some tunes on an internet radio station and blast the music. It’s either a Songza play list, or Audio Box Live (from Montreal, Canada!).
Take my makeup off: These Neutrogena Cleansing Towelettes* wipes are reserved for right after a workout when I’m super sweaty and need to cleanse my face immediately after coming home. I received these to try and I remembered why I wasn’t the hugest fan — while they’re great on the face, they sting my eyes. Up & Up are my usual go-to wipes which is much better on my wallet. I can continue using the Neutrogena one’s, I just can’t use them around my eye area. They both remove all the make up and don’t leave any slick residue on my face. The worst. Lazy girls tip — keep make up wipes on the night stand because some days you’re too tired to do the nightly make up removing regime. If I’m cleansing my face and not using wipes, purity by philosophy has been my number one cleanser to break down any make up I have on. This is safe enough to use around the eyes and doesn’t leave my skin feeling sucked dry of moisture. That my friends, is why I have been using it since 2011.
Wash the body: If I feel like taking a shower after a climb or yoga sesh, which let’s be honest — isn’t always. I hop in and lather up my loofa with the philosophy body wash. Currently I’m using Love Sweet Love, it smells super girly, I love it. Never once have I used this for anything but body wash (you can use it as shampoo or pour some into a bath), I have a couple of these philosophy bottles stacked in my bathroom ready to use. If I want something more citrus-y, I use the Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash in Pink Grapefruit*. The tiny beads in the body wash is supposed to fight acne. While I don’t have any and I think this is probably geared more towards teens than someone in their thirties, I’d absolutely buy this again, especially now that I’m on a stricter budget and can’t afford the $30 philosophy body washes every time. Isn’t it funny I love a good pink grapefruit scent but feel ill if I taste the real thing? It doesn’t make sense. Why you so bitter, grapefruit? You smell and look so tasty.
Alright, that’s it. My after workout routine from grabbing an iced coffee or some food, putting my hair up and either removing all my make up or hopping in the shower.
What do you usually do after your workouts?
What time of day do you workout?