Why I've Been Away and Exciting News!

We're having a baby!  (Sorry for the quality of the photo - we don't really have a good pregnancy one together that's recent!)

I hope to come back soon with a bunch of new posts, but I'm not totally sure when that will be. Even so, I wanted to officially let you know. If you're following my Instagram account you would have heard this news already (if you're not following me, you should! I'm still kind of active there).

A bit of info:
- Baby is due at the end of November.
- We're not finding out if it's a boy or a girl.
- I'm feeling good now, but first trimester wasn't the greatest.
- We're moving soon! So no baby room yet.

Hope to be back soon! Any tips, tricks, or recommendations you have to share, I'm all ears!

February Favourites

I am back today with my monthly favourites. In this post I share about the favourite things during the month of February - makeup and skincare, of course, but I also included some lifestyle favourites to keep it interesting. Enjoy!

Makeup
I have been in a bit of a rut with makeup, because it took me forever to unpack my collection from the move (we've been here for three months!). I was just living out of my travel makeup bag. I really like all the things I selected to keep in there, but I also really appreciate variety, so I was getting a little stuck. I bought a few new Arbonne items, and this contour palette was a Secret Santa/gift exchange gift from my Mother-in-Law.

Products: (clockwise from top left) Arbonne It's a Long Story Mascara, NYX Contour Palette, Maybelline Fit Me Set + Smooth Powder in 315 Soft Honey, NYX Ombre Blush in Mauve Me, Arbonne Makeup Primer, Sephora Collection Pro Angled Blush Brush #49, The Balm Cosmetics May Lou Manizer.

Skincare
I was super happy to get my Arbonne order in February and the serum and the night cream have been daily staples for me. The Pixi Glow Tonic has been my toner of choice both morning and night, and I repurchased the It's Potent Eye cream because it is just that amazing. Note: for the Glow Tonic, I linked directly to the Pixi UK website. Amazon.ca had crazy prices for it. So far, in Saskatchewan, I have only seen Pixi at Shoppers Drug Mart, and it was very recent.

Products: (left to right) Benefit Cosmetics It's Potent! Eye Cream, Arbonne FC5 Moisturizing Night Crème, Pixi Glow Tonic.

Lifestyle
Daniel and I have played a lot of Bohnanza in the last few months. We highly recommend it! Daniel's sister and brother-in-law were the first to introduce it to us, I think they've had it for around a year? We played it a lot at family get togethers and we enjoyed it so much that we decided it would be good to have on hand to play with friends too.

I have been reading quite a bit, since reading more is a goal of mine. I'll update you on the books that I have been reading soon, but Bringing Up Bébé was definitely a favourite. I'm not quite done, but it has already taken a place in my favourites. We don't have any children, and don't really plan on it for awhile, but I like learning about everything, and this book came highly recommended. Since it was available at our local library, I decided to give it a read.

Products: Bohnanza card game, Bringing Up Bébé book (updated version linked).

What are some of your favourites from February?

Diffusing Lately - Honeymoon Wellness

I have shared a couple posts involving essential oils, but, for the amount that I actually use them in my day-to-day life, I haven't shared much about them here on the blog. I decided I wanted to share different essential oil diffuser blends here each month. I always like learning about the blends other people come up with, so I thought I would add my ideas to the mix!

The first blend in this series is what I diffused in our hotel room for the entire duration of our honeymoon back in December. We went to Quebec City and, after the pre-wedding adrenaline rush, any sickness that had been trying to bring us down finally got to us. When we arrived in Quebec City we were both exhausted and feeling a little off. We didn't end up getting sick for real, and I like to think this diffuser blend helped us kick it before it started.

I am all for diffusing based on the benefits of the oils, but this blend surprised me with how amazing it smelled!

Please note: I recommend one drop of each of these oils. Do not use too much of any essential oil - less is definitely more when it comes to essential oils and safely using them! If you have any questions regarding essential oil safety, feel free to get in touch and I can either help answer your question or direct you to the information.

Frankincense
I added Frankincense for its all-around wellness properties. The King of All Oils, as it is often referred to, is a good oil to grab when you don't really know which oil would be best. Frankincense is something I always add to my blends for promoting feelings of wellness.

Lavender
I first diffused this blend when we were heading to bed after arriving very late at night, so I added in some Lavender to help promote feelings of relaxation. I ended up keeping it in the blend for the whole week, even when we were in the hotel room during the day; because the scent was so awesome, I didn't want to cut anything out. And, it's ok to promote relaxation at all times of the day on your honeymoon :).

OnGuard Blend
OnGuard is the go-to blend for cleansing the air and promoting immune support. It is a blend of Clove, Wild Orange, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary. While you could concoct this yourself, it wouldn't be at the same ratio, and I only use a drop or two of this at a time (you can't really get a quarter of a drop of oil like you would need if making it from the single oils themselves).

Citrus Bliss Blend
Citrus Bliss is, by far, my favourite essential oil blend offered by dōTERRA. The scent is amazing and I cannot get enough. Citrus oils are uplifting, soothing, and they just add a nice scent to everything. You could easily swap in some Wild Orange, Tangerine, or Lemon and the blend would still be quite similar, although I highly recommend getting Citrus Bliss - it is my favourite for laundry and cleaning, too.

Now I want to hear from you! What is your current favourite essential oil diffuser blend? Have you tried something similar to this? When you do give it a try, come back here and let me know what you think!

Disclosure: This website is not authored or directly affiliated with dōTERRA or any of it's affiliated companies. I am a Wellness Advocate with dōTERRA, and the links above are to my personal page where you can purchase through me. You can browse all products available here. If you are interested in your own wholesale account, please email me at sarah.sweetspontaneity@gmail.com. 

March 2017 Goals

I recently shared my plans for Lent, which are essentially goals, but I also have a few other things that I want to focus on for the month of March.

Investing in Friendships

This involves both really investing in my active friendships as well as reaching out to people that I have lost touch with. I don’t mean my friend from seventh grade that I haven’t heard from since the summer before grade eight, but those friends that we only recently lost touch because of conflicting schedules and such. I have really been craving connecting through genuine friendships lately, so this is a priority for me.

Blog Regularly

I really enjoy blogging, but if you look back on my history for the last little quite a while, it really doesn’t show. I haven’t made a priority of this blog, but I want to. So, the first step that I have determined is posting regularly. Hopefully I will create a good habit and I can build from there.

What are your goals for March?

Lent 2017

I have spent quite a bit of time preparing for Lent this year, which has made me really excited for it. Lent is a time to prepare for the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. It is a time when people frequently “give up” something for the duration of the 40 days of Lent. I think it is really important to observe some sort of fasting, but this is also a time that we can focus on “taking up” something. Both are ways of being intentional about deepening our relationship with Christ, and together they help to achieve balance.

This Lent, I have a lot of things that I am planning on doing. I’m worried I might be overly ambitious, but I plan on giving it my best shot.

Ok, so here is my plan!

Blessed is She Lenten Journal

Blessed is She is a Catholic website for women that shares daily devotions and blog posts, and they help to foster Catholic community by hosting retreats, helping to organize local brunches, and by being a place for Catholic women to connect with each other. They have a shop with some beautiful items and they produce a journal for Lent and for Advent. My sisters-in-law went through the Advent one and shared about their wonderful experiences with it, so I really wanted to give the Lenten one a try. I’m really looking forward to it!

Regular Exercise

I kind of always have this as a goal, but I rarely achieve it. I am thinking that I can make this part of my morning routine: get up early to pray, journal, and exercise. Instead of this purely being a physical goal, I want make it part of my Lenten observation. When it’s tough to get out of bed in the morning and I’m faced with the choice to stay comfy and cozy or get moving, I can offer the sacrifice up as a prayer.

Passing on Alcohol, Soda, and Juice

I definitely enjoy a glass of wine here and there, and, while I don’t drink them often, both soda and juice are things I enjoy too. I’ll opt for water instead throughout Lent.

I have some other smaller things that I am planning on being more mindful for, but there is no distinct line or goal (cut back on coffees out, pack lunches most days, fast more often, avoiding extravagance, being more generous, praying with my husband more), so the above three things are my main focus.

If you’re willing to share, what are you planning on doing for Lent?

Saying Thank You

With all of the events leading up to our wedding, I have had a lot of opportunity to write thank you notes recently. With more than one shower and a bachelorette party, we have received so many generous gifts, and we of course wanted to extend our gratitude. This has led me to realize that I have a bit of an obsession with thank you notes and stationery. There are so many cute options out there, and there is something about book and stationery stores that could keep me browsing for hours on end.

I have found that events surrounding a wedding have a bit more of a generous timeline. You still want to keep it within a month or so, but you have a little extra time.
What is your opinion on thank you notes? Where do you like to shop for them? Any particular favourites? I'm always looking to add more to the ones I have on hand!

I had never really sent a thank you note until I went on a summer mission that required asking for financial support. I sent a thank you to everyone who supported me, either financially or those who committed to supporting me through prayer. I've honed my skills a little bit and feel little less awkward writing down my thanks now, so I thought I'd share a bit here!

What to Say

I actually really like to focus on something other than the gift first. If the gift was given at or in relation to an event, thank them for attending, or if they weren’t able to attend, still mention how lovely the event was and that you wish they could have been there (nicely – don’t make them feel bad for not being there!).

Of course there are some instances where you’re really just thanking them for the gift (or service), in that case go straight to thanking them for the gift/service but then add in something else about your relationship. You could tell them how you appreciate their friendship, say you would like to get together soon, let them know you'll send an update soon, or mention that you hope you can return the favour in the near future.

When mentioning the gift, there are a few ways to go about it. You can be a little more general and just say thank you for their gift or you can actually name the item. If there were multiple items, I find it is best to keep it general. In the case of monetary gifts, I always keep it general and refer to it as their “generous gift.” For gifts that are things, I like to mention how we’ll use it or what I’m excited for about it. If it was a service, I like to mention how it helped us out, and if it was a monetary gift, I like to mention what we’re thinking of putting it towards or how it will help us in a slightly more specific way.

Timing

First of all, being prompt is best. For birthday, anniversary, special events, or random gifts, I would say that writing and sending your thank you within a week is the timeline I like to stick to. However, you can gauge the situation best. There isn’t actually a rule here, so you can choose! Just think about if you were on the receiving end, when would you like to receive it?

Weddings are also a little different, there is a larger socially acceptable time period for a thank you card. This may have something to do with the sheer volume of thank yous usually coming after a wedding, and also the whole settling into life as a newly married couple, maybe even coming back from a honeymoon too. Even still, some websites say that as long as you get the thank you out within the next year you’re good, but I’d say that’s still pushing it. Stick to as soon as you can after the wedding, and try not to exceed three or four months.

Other Tips

- Spell names correctly
- Keep your audience in mind (maybe save that funny and slightly vulgar thank you card for someone other than your conservative aunt).
- Sometimes it’s even sweet to include a picture of the gift being used (a toy for your child, an outfit for your dog, flowers in a vase).

- Even if you don’t like the gift, send a thank you! And don’t let your opinion of the gift show in your thank you (no one likes rudeness in the form of passive aggressive thank yous).

- Don’t OVER thank. There is such a thing as overkill and you don't want to get caught in a revolving thank you door.

Other Ways of Saying Thank You

Sometimes a thank you card might be a bit of an overkill (see above), or the person you’re wanting to thank doesn’t have a permanent address. Whatever the reason, sometimes you just don’t want to send a thank you card, but you still want your gratitude to be known. You can send a text, an e-mail, give the person a call, or set up a coffee date where you treat… Thank you cards are not the be-all-end-all, they’re just a nice gesture! And on that note, not everyone feels the same way as you, so if someone else doesn’t say thank you in any way, try your best not to take offense – more likely than not it just didn’t cross their mind. (It is best to assume innocence).

Finding the Adventure in Day-to-day Life

A photo I snapped while practicing mindfulness as I wandered around London, England.

If you know me well, you know I am one of those people with a case of wanderlust that I just cannot seem to satisfy or shake. I dream of far off places and days spent in different cultures. However, my lifestyle for the past few years has not been very accommodating when it comes to travel and I have found myself mostly Saskatchewan bound. This is not without joy, though. I have chosen to not make a priority of travel at this time, and I am not sitting here feeling trapped in my surroundings, aching to go – even though that would have been me about five years ago.

With less traveling I have really come to love where I live, and while I still wouldn’t call myself a homebody, I do enjoy being here. I have found that not knowing where my next adventure will lead me or when it will happen has helped me to find the adventure in my day-to-day life.  Surprisingly enough, I chose that as my blog tagline long before I think I actually knew what it meant. It wasn’t until recently that I started enjoying the beautiful melody of the birds chirping in the fresh morning air, or the softly fragranced breeze while walking near a garden.

Something that has kept crossing my mind lately is to be more intentional about these moments. To really be aware of the beauty surrounding me, instead of yearning for someplace else. One of my favourite things about being in Rome is wandering the streets early in the morning, before many people are up and about; the dewy air starting to dissipate with the sunshine sneaking between buildings as it continues to rise and awaken the city with it. Everything is fresh, everything is quiet, and, most importantly, I notice all of this. I cannot tell you the number of times I have been walking to work in the morning with a very similar situation going on around me, only to quickly pass it all and get in to the building that I work in. Lately, though, I have noticed the birds, I have noticed the rising sun, I have noticed the fresh, sweetly scented air, and you know what? It is amazing! The peace and calm that the 30 seconds of being mindful brings to me is worth so much I cannot even compare. Yes, being in Rome or another far-off place is wonderful and beautiful and it is extremely important to be mindful there too, but imagine how happy I would be if I allowed myself to have that same mindset everyday, all day while at home? It brings me so much joy just imagining the possibility!

What is something in your everyday that you find extremely beautiful or that reaches a special place in your heart, but you tend to take for granted? Have you ever intentionally practiced this kind of mindfulness, or is this how you have always lived? (Teach me your ways!) Please share a moment like this – big or small, I would really appreciate hearing about it!

Living Life Lately

So, it looks like I didn't post anything in June. I guess that's what happens when you're busy living life!

I have been up to a lot in the past month, and this last week especially!

We had our engagement party, which turned out to be a great evening, complete with some DIY projects like this tassel garland.

I did makeup for a couple weddings, and attended a few as well.

 Chelsey Dawn Photography

Chelsey Dawn Photography

Laura-Anne Photographer

I bought many succulents for our wedding centrepieces, I repotted a couple succulents and cacti, and I prepped the small terracotta pots for our centrepieces.

In this last week, I did graduation makeup and hair for one of my dance students and attended her graduation in Hepburn, SK.

On Wednesday, Dan I attended the free screening of The Wizard of Oz at the Bessborough Gardens to celebrate 30 years of the Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we had a fantastic time!

Then, on Thursday morning, I was off to Gravelbourg, SK to get ready to celebrate my best friend's wedding. The weekend went by so fast, but it was absolutely beautiful. Friday was Canada Day, but we were so focused on the prep for the wedding that we didn't do much celebrating with the red and white. The rehearsal dinner was a tasty barbecue, though, which is very Canada Day-esque.

Tann put so much thought and work into every little moment and detail, and not bit of that was lost in the total effect of the day. She was the most beautiful bride I have ever seen, and I definitely had trouble keeping my eyes dry. I cannot wait to have her stand beside me in December as my matron of honour.

We even started the wedding day with a mimosa bar courtesy of yours truly while we got ready.

After a fantasticly fun night of celebrating and dancing, we all pitched in to take down the decorations at the town rink, and then Dan and I were off to head home.

How was your weekend? What have you been up to lately? Did you do anything for Canada Day/are you doing anything for the Fourth of July?

Jon Bryant at the Bassment with special guest Kristan Couture

Definitely not the best quality photo, but pretty great for an iPhone in the Bassment!

Last night Daniel and I went to the Bassment to see Jon Bryant perform. We went to see him last time he was in Saskatoon because Daniel's sister had invited us, and we were so glad she did! Since we enjoyed it so much last time, we definitely wanted to go again.

We really enjoyed both performances. It was particularly neat to see Kristan Couture open the show, because I knew her a little when we were young girls.

Jon Bryant gives off an easygoing feel while on stage, and comes across as very personable. His maritime roots (Halifax, NS) show in both his music and his demeanor, which is what I am pretty sure I am really drawn to. He reminds me of when I lived in Halifax and the people I met would bring me to house concerts and jam sessions in old yoga studios. At one point he even came out into the audience and then, when he finished the song, rolled with it and hung out with the crowd for a bit during the next song. Simply put, he's super chill.

Have you ever seen Jon Bryant perform? Do you like his music? What was the last live performance you went to?

Please note: I am not a music critic, and I am definitely not musically trained. I am just sharing about something I experienced.

Pre-Wedding Events - To Gift, or Not to Gift?

I'm continuing on from my recent post about Bachelorette Party Gift Ideas and bringing you an overview of gift-giving for pre-wedding events. I hope to hear about your experiences in the comments!

There are many pre-wedding events these days; I have heard of engagement parties, wedding socials, combined stag and does, separate stags and stagettes (or bachelorette parties), wedding showers, and a quick Google search turned up even more festivities. How does one decide which events to bring a gift to? And what is an appropriate gift for each event?

The short answer is, it's completely up to you! The bride and groom are honoured by your support and attendance, and expect nothing more. That being said, if you desire to give the couple a gift (or multiple gifts for different events), what is appropriate?

Each geographic area and social group has a slightly different set of guidelines when it comes to gift-giving at these pre-wedding events. If you are truly at a loss, you could ask someone in your social circle what they think, or you could do a Google search including your particular area.

I am from the province of Saskatchewan in Canada, and I have found some generalities that usually ring true, but there are still some slight differences that I will try to note.

Engagement Party
The engagement parties that I have attended have usually been pretty low-key; it's an excuse for everyone to get together for a good, prairie party, and gifts are generally not given. Close friends and family have sometimes been known to bring a card which can be accompanied by marriage advice or preparation books, a bottle of wine, or something small to help the party along (think a cheese board, food for the party, a specialty liqueur, etc.)

Wedding Social / Stag and Doe
To be honest, I had never heard of these until some of my friends and family from Manitoba and Ontario were getting engaged and married. This just isn't really a Saskatchewan thing. However, from what I've been able to gather, these events serve as a fundraiser for the wedding where both the bride and groom attend with their friends and family. Guests purchase tickets to attend and there are fun activities at the event such as casino games, carnival games, 50/50 draws, a cash bar, and more. These activities vary based on the provincial licensing board (which may explain why Saskatchewan doesn't really have these events). This event often (but not always!) takes the place of both the engagement party and the next event I'm going to talk about, the bridal shower.

Bridal Shower
The bridal shower was once a pretty big deal around here, but in more modern times it is sometimes skipped in the pre-wedding festivities. Traditionally, this event was hosted by the bridesmaids and/or the mothers of the bride and groom for the bride, and a very wide and general invitation was sent out to women of the community (the older ladies from church and the little girls once babysat by the bride included), whether invited to the wedding or not. The gifts for this event were typically purchased off of the registry, or were simple/small things that are often overlooked but quite necessary to help a home function (lots of tea towels and wooden spoons!). These days, houses are often well-equipped by the time a wedding happens, so gifts of this nature are not as necessary and sometimes the event does not happen altogether. I have still attended quite a few bridal showers, but they have usually been for brides that have not lived with their fiancé before marriage. Even if the couple has not created and filled a home together, they often have their own household items to combine, so the gift giving has still changed. Gifts directed more towards the bride are extremely common, like aprons, beauty products, spa gift certificates, date night packages, hobby sets, etc. Sometimes the person organizing the bridal shower will give ideas for gifts, if you wish to bring one, or else it is appropriate to ask them if nothing is shared directly.

Stag & Stagette/Bachelorette Party
These are the parties for the groom and the bride where the other is typically not invited. Seen as a "last wild night" for the soon to be married, these parties come in all shapes and sizes. Gifts are rare for the male parties, but the stagette (or bachelorette party) sometimes has a gift-giving component. If there are gifts at the bachelorette party, it is typically lingerie for the bride, or something in that vein. If this is something the group does, there is usually mention of it by the bridal party or the person organizing the event. They will typically share the brides sizes and mention what her tastes are. This party is usually for the younger women, and those closer to the bride - but sometimes the mother of the bride, the mother of the groom, and other important, mature women are included (which might affect what type of gifts are received lol). Check out my post on Bachelorette Party Gift Ideas to help you decide on a gift!

That's my experience with pre-wedding festivities and gift-giving! How about you, what are your experiences? Are there any pre-wedding events that are typical for your area that I didn't mention? Topics such as this fascinate me, so I would love to hear what your areas and groups of friends do!

We Are Engaged!

Daniel and I are engaged! He completely surprised me and I wouldn't have it any other way.

We had talked about marriage, and we knew that was where we were heading, but I had no idea about the timing. When Daniel asked me to marry him after Mass and Adoration on Holy Thursday, I was completely surprised and said "Yes, of course!" We tried our best to properly observe the solemnity of Good Friday, while still rejoicing and telling our family. With this in mind, we held off telling our close friends until Easter Sunday (okay, maybe a few were on Saturday!) when we could properly rejoice and celebrate.

We're still in the early stages of planning, but are looking at a December 2016 wedding. If any of you have planned a winter wedding, please share your tips!

I have mentioned Dan in the past, though not by name, but, for the most part, I kept him off the blog. He's not really that into social media and it just made sense. It will likely stay that way going forward, but he gave me the go-ahead to announce our engagement here :).

We are super excited to take this big step together!

P.S. I did not mean to time this post so well with other wedding-related posts! (Bachelorette Party Gift Ideas yesterday, and Pre-Wedding Events - To Gift, or Not to Gift? tomorrow) I have quite a few very close friends getting married in the next few months, so that was the inspiration for those posts. Kind of fun how it worked out!

Bachelorette Party Gift Ideas

A lot of my friends are getting engaged and married these days, and with these engagements comes all the fun pre-wedding festivities! One such party is the bachelorette party (or stagette, in some places). Around here, gifts of lingerie or other similar items are sometimes given to the bride at her bachelorette party, so, I thought I would round up a few fun gift ideas!

Lingerie
If the bride is the type of person that would want lingerie, then this is a great time to gift it. You'll want to make sure the bachelorette party is the appropriate event to do so, though, so if you're close enough with the bride you can ask her directly, or you can ask the people organizing the bachelorette party. The people planning the bachelorette party will probably share the brides sizes with the guests if lingerie would be a welcomed gift, but, if not, it is acceptable to ask the bride or her bridesmaids what sizes you should purchase. If you're uncomfortable asking for sizes, you can go with one of the other ideas :)

Where to buy: Local lingerie stores are great, but I prefer to shop online for these gifts to ensure my gift is unique (there are only so many options at Victoria's Secret and La Senza!) Not all lingerie is able to be returned, for health reasons, but be sure to get a gift receipt where possible.

Couple Time Gifts
I wasn't sure about what to title this section, but I mean things like massage oils, bubble bath, candles, and relationship books.  You could even make up a fun gift basket with a few items in it!

Where to buy: These items are pretty universal, but go with brands you know the bride likes, and, if scented, go with scents the bride likes also. If going with books, make sure they come highly recommended!

Non-Sexy Gifts
Mother of the bride? Or of the groom? Have you known the bride since birth? You might feel more comfortable giving the bride something a little less "bachelorette party" and that's totally fine! You could gift the bride a cookbook, relationship books, an apron, classy and beautfiul pajamas, or anything really! Gifts aren't always necessary, but if you still want to join in you can give something more along the lines of a bridal shower gift.

Where to buy: This is another category that can be found just about anywhere!

Party Gifts
A fun veil to wear during the bachelorette party, a "future Mrs." sash, a special cup to drink out of for the night, a garter, shot glasses, a tiara, pins, light up "diamond" rings, etc. Something to make the party fun and the bride stand out! Just proceed with caution and assess the bride's personality - she might want to keep it ultra classy or might not mind getting a little silly, if you know what I mean.

Where to buy: I have seen these items at dollar stores, Michaels, Walmart, party supply stores, and online. If you plan enough in advance you can even get customized items!

Wedding Day Getting Ready Items
Matching pajama sets for the bridal party, a beautiful robe to get ready in, a sleep mask to help with beauty sleep the night before the wedding. The bachelorette party is leading up to the big day, so your gift can go beyond the party!

Where to buy: These items can be bought at department stores, lingerie stores, and online.

Do you bring a gift when you attend a bachelorette party? Have you ordered anything from Adore Me before?

Please note: This post is not sponsored, but Adore Me did reach out to me to share about their giveaway. All opinions are my own.

December Goals

I am back after a bit of a break with something new for Sweet Spontaneity. I am hoping to come back at the start of every month with a few goals that I plan on working on throughout the course of the month. Check back at the start of January for a recap as well as my new goals :)

My December 2015 Goals

1. Intentional exercise three times a week - I've been struggling with this one lately! I do a lot of walking, but I need to be more intentional about making the time to get active at least 3 times every week.

2. Blog at least once a week - Again, something I've been struggling with lately. I love writing and this blog is super fun for me, but I just haven't really made an effort lately. I am hoping to change this during the next month.

3. Get up when my alarm clock goes off - This is probably the thing I have been struggling with the most. I am a notorious snooze button pusher. I have tried a lot of the different methods to just getting up, and they have all essentially failed. However, this is the month I will find that motivation to take control of my mornings, instead of letting them take control of me.

What are your December goals?

Tough Decisions: Housing

This past year has been pretty tough in terms of living situation. Don't get me wrong! I love my roommate Annie, but she had to move to a different city for her job at the end of April, and while I've been very happy with the person I had living with me for the summer, she has to go back to school in a different city at the end of August. Since there has always been a third room open, I've been searching for a third roommate since October, and for two since Annie left and I just haven't had anything work out. I considered only renting out one room and keeping the other for an office for myself, but it just wasn't financially prudent. I finally realized that I had to look at the reality of the situation and start thinking of other ways to deal with it. Even though I love the place I'm renting, even though my landlord is fantastic, even though I live right across the street from my boyfriend, even though my drive to work is quick and simple, and even though I really enjoy the neighbourhood that I'm in, I realized it was time for me to move on.

I considered finding other women that were looking for a roommate to move in with them, and I came across a few good options, but they just didn't sit well with me. I was kind of at a point that if I was renting I really only wanted to rent from my landlord (he really is that great!) and I also have my whole living room, kitchen, and dining room set up that I'd have to figure something out for. After much praying, thinking, deliberating, procrastinating, and pro/con lists, I have decided to move back in with my parents to be able to save and hopefully purchase my own home much sooner. If I moved in with other roommates somewhere else, it was very likely I would have to store most of my stuff at my parents' place anyway, and I'm just at a very transitional point in my life where I feel great peace about being able to rest in the safety and love that my parents, and their home, provide.

I have a little less than a month left in my home, and it is definitely sad, but I plan on taking advantage of having my own space as much as possible while I still can. :)

And now, some photos of my home for the past year!

The Living Room/Dining Room

 The Kitchen

 The Guest Room/Storage Room

 My Room

My room has gone through the most transformation over the past year. I had a desk and bookshelf in there at different points, but the bookshelf was moved to the guest room and then to the living room when I had my summer roommate move in and choose that as her room. My desk moved in to Annie's old room when I made it a bit of an office... I was covering rent for both rooms for a couple months, so I figured I would at least make use of the space!

Prior to me moving in to the suite, my landlord painted all the walls and trim, replaced the bathroom tub and tile surround, and installed great window coverings that let the light in a bit in the kitchen and living room, but were almost blackout in the bedrooms. Also, I love how much sunlight this property gets! My bedroom and the guest room are east facing, and waking up to natural light is one of my favourite things. Annie's old room and the kitchen face south, and the living room gets to experience the sunset to the west. All so great!

All in all, for my first rental, this place has absolutely been a gem and I am so pleased with how much and how fast this felt like home.

Some of My Favourite Blogs

 Above images are from the blogs I am highlighting in this post, please click the linked names below to see the original graphics.

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. My dance students were at a competition on Friday and my ballet group won first place! I am so unbelievably proud of them, they have worked really hard these past couple of months :)

Today I thought I would share some of my favourite blogs to follow. I follow so many blogs, so it was kind of hard to narrow down. Because of that, I decided to go with two categories: long time favourites and new favourites.

Three blogs that I have followed for a long time:

The College Prepster - I have been following Carly's blog for quite a while now! She wasn't one of the original blogs I found back when I decided to start my own blog, but it wasn't long after that. I have loved watching College Prep grow and expand and I have also loved reading along while Carly does the same. She and I finished university at the same time, so we have had a few major life events line up; at those times it was comforting and exciting to be able to read a blog written by someone at the same point in life as myself. The College Prepster was started when Carly was in college, and has since evolved to sharing about her life living in New York and blogging full time. She has the cutest puppy, Teddy, and always has something new up her sleeve to share.

A Beautiful Mess - I don't remember exactly when I stumbled upon A Beautiful Mess, but it was a long time ago when Elsie was still running her storefront, Red Velvet, and she was the only contributor to the blog (for the most part, I think?). A Beautiful Mess is a blog about home décor, arts & crafts, photography, fashion, and more. It has grown to a whole team that creates content and works behind the scenes and they are always surpassing their already great quality.

How Sweet It Is - This is another blog that I don't totally remember when I first found it, but I am so happy that I did. I know it was pre-Pinterest days and I was still saving recipes I found on Evernote (did anyone else do that?). Jessica shares some awesome recipes with extremely drool-worthy pictures. I have tried quite a few of her recipes out myself and they have never failed me.

Three blogs that I have started following more recently:

IHeart Organizing - Out of these three "more recent" blogs, IHeart Organizing is the one that I have followed for the longest. I am absolutely obsessed with anything to do with organization and I went on a kick about 2 years ago searching for anything and everything online about organizing. I found my favourite YouTube Channel (which I'll share about soon!) and IHeart Organizing, among a few others, and I have been a consistent reader of IHeart Organizing ever since. I love following along with projects that Jen works on in her own home as well as the contributor posts she shares.

History in High Heels - This is probably my most-viewed blog at the moment. Ashley is currently living in Florence working on her PhD in History and every time I read about her adventures my wanderlust is fueled even more. Even prior to her leaving for Florence, her fashion posts while living in Florida are so fun to read and she has such a great style of writing, which is no doubt enriched by her academic pursuits. If you check out her blog you'll probably see my name in the comments section of pretty much all of her recent posts - I'm fan-girling hard and I am totally okay with it.

Summer Wind - Summer Wind is a blog that I have very recently come across, saying it was within the last six months would be generous. Sydney's posts are all well-thought out and well-written and I can't get over her awesome style. She has shared about some smaller (and not-so-small) adventures lately that are exactly my cup of tea!

Make sure you check out these blogs and let these ladies know I sent you! Do you have any blogs to recommend to me? I am always happy to add another great blog to my favourites list!

Mary's Wedding

On Sunday I went to Mary's Wedding at the Persephone Theatre. My good friend Jackie played Mary so I was really happy to be able to see this play, although I left it right to the end - it was the final show!

The play takes place the night before Mary's wedding in a dream. It's about herself and Charlie, who meet and find love while seeking refuge from a sudden storm. Her dream is about her time with him and the trenches of the Great War, with the transition between the two being perfectly seamless.

I really enjoyed Mary's Wedding. I don't typically enjoy anything to do with war, but the way that this play comes in and out of reality, mixing events that did happen or at least could have happened with others that definitely couldn't have - such as Mary speaking through her love's sergeant while still in her nightgown - just made it flow so seamlessly that it kept moving from one setting to the next.

Overall, I am glad I went and the cast and crew did a wonderful job!

Have you been to any plays or productions recently? 

The Gift of Experience

I've seen a bunch of articles and blog posts lately that talk about giving gifts that are experiences, rather than things. I love this idea, because over the past couple years I have become more and more overwhelmed by stuff. It's super easy for me to think of experiences that I would absolutely love to receive as gifts, but it's a little more difficult to think of things for other people. Just like material gifts, you need to fit the experience to the person, except now you really need to get it right because it's a lot more difficult to re-gift or return an experiential gift. I came up with a few ideas and mixed them in with experiences I would love to take part in.

1. Spa day
2. Seeing a professional ballet
3. Musical tickets
4. Going to see the symphony
5. Any sporting event
6. A gift card to a new restaurant in town
7. A day at an amusement park
8. Tickets to an exotic location
9. Tickets to anywhere, really
10. Aerial classes
11. Movie theater gift card
12. Liquor/wine/beer tasting (as long as the recipient and gift-giver are over the legal age of consumption)
13. Sight-seeing tours
14. Sky diving
15. Bungee jumping
16. Art lessons
17. Cooking lessons
18. A gym membership
19. Ceramics lessons
20. Sewing lessons
21. Baking lessons
22. Horseback riding (lessons or just for fun)
23. Go-karting
24. Hot air balloon ride
25. Plans for a road trip
26. Comedy club
27. Language classes
28. Local attractions (in Saskatoon I would definitely recommend the Prairie Lily riverboat cruise)
29. Local festivals (in Saskatoon: A Taste of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Folkfest, and the Festival of Trees, to name a few)
30. Music concert or festival (I want to go to as many performances at this year's Saskatchewan Jazz Fest as possible)

What would you add to this list? I'm sure if I were thinking of someone specific I would come up with more, but these are the generic ones/the ones I would love to experience. Another thing you could do is renew someone's subscription or membership fees to something they already participate in. You know they already like it, and you're alleviating the financial cost for them.

Twenty Four

Google kind of freaked me out last night when I opened up my browser. I saw the cakes and candles and hovered my cursor over the photo like I always do when there is a different landing page and I gasped when I saw "Happy Birthday Sarah."

 

Then I realized I was logged in, and it wasn't completely scary that Google knew it was (almost) my birthday. I felt better then.

 

Twenty three was a pretty great year, but I am excited to see what twenty four has to offer. There have been a lot of changes in the past year: a new relationship, moving out, and a new job, to name a few. I'm looking forward to seeing how all these changes progress and also to the new changes to come.

 

And now, we celebrate! (After work)

 

Any readers with birthdays coming up?!