Getting Spoiled (treating myself)

I'm a saver at heart, in fact, spending money often stresses me out. This is great for living on a budget, but when it comes to enjoying my money, I find it hard to spend money on myself without feeling guilty. This is one of the reasons I love my birthday (despite getting older), I usually get a bit of money from family members and sometimes I will even buy myself a present. This is one of the few instances where I allow myself to get 'spoiled' without feeling bad about it.  Also, I like the gift-givers to know that I did in fact treat myself rather than squirreling the money away.  So, without further ado, here are the wonderful things I was able to buy 'guilt-free' thanks to my loving family :)  

 This is what my Nanna 'got' for me, a lot of these items have been on my wishlist for awhile. (Pizza Pan, bamboo cutting board, apron, and a cute coffee table book)

I took advantage of Chapters' buy 3 get one free deal and bought some books that I've have been on my radar for quite some time.  Thanks Mom, Dad and Kaitlin! 

I also received some gifts from my Mom and Grandma. My Mom sent me some lovely shirts, an awesome Calendar (I LOVE the group of seven) and some treats.  The heart decoration was made for me by my grandma, I am so very glad that she has the opportunity to be creative and have fun while she is in the hospital.  Thank you everyone for making me feel so special! 

I Am Now 30 Years Old...

.... but I don't feel thirty.  I am really loving my life right now but I know I have many more life experiences to look forward too in the near future.

 Luke took me out to Memphis Blues BBQ house so that we could enjoy their delicious Memphis Platter. It has become a birthday tradition for us, and let me tell you, I was looking forward to this for months!

 Not only is the food amazing, but the atmosphere is very comforting and casual, we listened to some great blues tunes while we were eating.

 In case you were curious as to just how much meat we en-jested , our platter came with

pulled pork, corn bread, beans, brisket, ribs, coleslaw, BBQ chicken, Sausage, French fries and roast beef and BBQ sauce for dipping

I had a wonderful day! And I have much more to share about it, but will do so in an additional post tomorrow. Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes.

Crafty Idea # 17 - Homemade Bookends

 My favourite and most satisfying crafts are the ones I create to serve a specific purpose. These bookends are a perfect example, I couldn't find any that I was willing to purchase, so I decided to take matters into my own hands, literally. 

Here are the raw materials: (plus my hot glue gun which isn't pictured)

I didn't have any heavy material to use, so I decided to use the weight of the books themselves to keep the bookends in place.  The little cardboard tabs slip right under the books so you don't even see them.

Primal Bento

We have been following a gluten free diet for about a month now, recently, we've taken it a step further and have started eating a Primal/Paleo diet. Let me just say that we are both totally on-board and enthralled! I'm sure I will be posting about a lot in the future as it has been a huge lifestyle shift for me and I am loving it. Stay tuned for more details and Paleo-friendly recipes.

Contents: Tuna salad wrap (tuna, mayo, red onions and celery wrapped in a lettuce leaf), two hard-boiled eggs, whole almonds, baby carrots and cucumber slices

Hand Knit Pouch

I finally finished my second knitting project, as per my sisters request.  After seeing my original pouch she asked for one of her own, same yarn, but with a different button colour.  Of course I said yes! I can't believe the difference in the two, I thought my first one was pretty good, until I finished my second. Happy (belated) Birthday Kaitlin, I hope you like it :)

Below is comparison between my first knitting project ever, and my second. Doing the same project twice in a row really highlights the differences.

Signs of Spring

Oh how I love this time of year, the thawing of winter, the chirping birds, the patches of sunlight, the increasing warmth.  After many, many months of full-on winter in the Okanagan, we finally had two days in a row with temperatures above 10 degrees (celcius). It couldn't have come at a better time, I've been feeling extremely restless and I am so ready to feel the inspiration of spring! 

Little things....

....they make me smile, and I am glad for that.  Little things like these organizing bins, have the power to make me happy :)