tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22051870790524064022024-03-14T02:08:40.823-07:00The Many Adventures of T & AAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-66498094344083440242013-02-22T15:07:00.000-08:002013-02-22T15:07:24.624-08:00changeChange.<br />
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It's a good thing. Let's embrace it!<br />
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Lately, I've been feeling a little uninspiried by my blog. <br />
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I just felt that it wasn't really doing a good job of representing <em>me</em> anymore.<br />
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So, I decided to make a change: I've moved my blog to Wordpress!<br />
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From now on you can visit me at <a href="http://adventuresoftna.wordpress.com/">adventuresoftna.wordpress.com</a><br />
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Come on over and check it out - it's pretty!<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-34467381303138887752013-02-18T08:56:00.001-08:002013-02-18T08:56:50.736-08:00how to: store your necklacesI like to think that I'm a pretty organized person. Don't get me wrong though, I also have a messy/disorganized side of me.<br />
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My bathroom (now that I have my own and I no longer have to share with Hubby) looks like a tornado swept through it; hairspray, makeup, and hair ties are usually littered all over the counter.<br />
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I always lovingly fold and put away all the clean clothes in my dresser drawer, however, they never stay neat and tidy when I'm frantically pulling out and trying on different clothes in the morning.<br />
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So, let me fool you not: I'm not always super organized.<br />
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One thing that's always been disorganized is my jewellery box. I've <em>tried</em> to keep my necklaces in separate little baggies to help keep them from getting tangled up together; but each day when I take off my jewels, the necklaces never seems to make their way back into the baggies. They always just end up in a messy pile in the bottom of my jewelery box. Not ideal.<br />
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When Hubby and I moved into <a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.ca/2012/06/wordless-wednesday-new-home.html">our new home</a> last year, we picked up a <a href="http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/10125981/#/90125982">full-length bedroom mirror</a> during one of our many trips to Ikea. The coolest thing about the mirror? It came with hinges!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5asFB4myLRnlWmmNAFy0uAMu0Rjjx1Y4oFF3XvCYpaYLMPuUzSYpcnnTrUqS6ZRidmbRP0IoKCycYabF97Cnbzzcp_yX-okPGqHfZ6gFSuprl9NQ4mcyqvK8gXltOE0NxVf9cdTgCeU/s1600/mirror5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5asFB4myLRnlWmmNAFy0uAMu0Rjjx1Y4oFF3XvCYpaYLMPuUzSYpcnnTrUqS6ZRidmbRP0IoKCycYabF97Cnbzzcp_yX-okPGqHfZ6gFSuprl9NQ4mcyqvK8gXltOE0NxVf9cdTgCeU/s640/mirror5.JPG" uea="true" width="478" /></a></div>
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So, my handyman Hubby mounted the mirror to the wall using the hinges so the mirror can be pulled away from the wall, if you like. Can we just take a moment to thank Ikea for all their wonderful storage ideas?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoKYA1pEt_zUaJBfy8AWNDUD_u02LdvtUHjHgT8LC10OMQ41fZZs5iPHRZBLx4jReX1xQLuRRuabChSomFgSvMJ3PJIFDUqKxaqJ3btUcdZZQMRaDbeNlkJAmxa8jsKy2pjREdzq2JdE/s1600/mirror4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoKYA1pEt_zUaJBfy8AWNDUD_u02LdvtUHjHgT8LC10OMQ41fZZs5iPHRZBLx4jReX1xQLuRRuabChSomFgSvMJ3PJIFDUqKxaqJ3btUcdZZQMRaDbeNlkJAmxa8jsKy2pjREdzq2JdE/s640/mirror4.JPG" uea="true" width="478" /></a></div>
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When he hung the mirror for me (a loooong time ago), Hubby suggested that we could buy some hooks so I could hang up all my necklaces behind the mirror. AMEN, Hubby, you're a genius!<br />
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So, this past weekend, we finally got around to taking a trip to Home Depot to pick up some hooks for my necklaces. Don't they look great? And the best part about the whole thing is that they're out of sight (so they don't look cluttered), yet they're easily accessible. It's so easy to now just thow my necklace on a hook after I take it off.<br />
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If you think this might work in your space, give it a shot - I absolutely love it!<br />
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PS: I decorated the back of the mirror (which was plain and ugly) with some extra 5X7 pictures that I had from our recent trip to Europe. It's a nice way for me to enjoy the pictures, without having them in my face all the time. It's kind of like having a highschool locker again!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-2416768989634694402013-02-15T10:08:00.000-08:002013-02-15T10:08:24.744-08:00follow friday - cupcakes and cashmereWith a blog name like "<a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/">Cupcakes and Cashmere</a>" how could this blog be anything less than fabulous?<br />
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I stumbled upon this blog a couple of days ago and I've spent hours perusing all the posts. This blog is basically exactly what I want my life to be: simple chic. <br />
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I love the "How To" posts, and because of them I will be making this <a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/how-to-delicate-necklace/">Delicate Ombre Necklace</a> and I definitely want to <a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/how-to-shuck-oysters/">shuck my own oysters</a>. I always feel like I'm the only person who likes oysters so nobody wants to eat them with me, so why don't I just make my own?!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2juNgsDoWZajXRhH5_SyYs0t6aGAiruTylWCn4ivQyeQoIuo55jgZFUACkvE26whWWCGxmjmioflGwNw4kGASnQ9q05jY4Ss9TXMO0PS5S6tTb0QF2dNjvHx9AQBZD0cLeEIED6Mirs/s1600/final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2juNgsDoWZajXRhH5_SyYs0t6aGAiruTylWCn4ivQyeQoIuo55jgZFUACkvE26whWWCGxmjmioflGwNw4kGASnQ9q05jY4Ss9TXMO0PS5S6tTb0QF2dNjvHx9AQBZD0cLeEIED6Mirs/s640/final.jpg" uea="true" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">delicate ombre necklace - photo by <a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/how-to-delicate-necklace/final-3/">Cupcakes and Cashmere</a></td></tr>
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Don't even get me started on the recipes that Emily's created and collected. The following have all been added to my "to make" list:<br />
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<a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/roasted-shrimp-and-orzo/">Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Salad</a><br />
<a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/tomato-and-peach-salad-with-corn-and-feta/">Tomato and Peach Salad with Corn and Feta</a><br />
<a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/shrimp-spring-rolls-recipe/">Shrimp Spring Rolls</a><br />
<a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/watermelon-lime-popsicles/">Watermelon-Lime Popsicles</a><br />
<a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/breakfast-pizza/">Breakfast Pizza</a><br />
<a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/homemade-cheez-its-recipe/">Homemade Cheez-Its</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzYVrQTDD9bCkcPF8AHYVrGx9fnNYOvfWycAKDP0qpnWdAWhX-5enX9Hk0yzkal5NCFARsn6WAboAxs5XMNey_5rEFu6gmR1Ew3PLTS9AytTT6m1yQKjOl4jVV-LQJTNnIgo_tA6vI_U/s1600/cheez-it1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzYVrQTDD9bCkcPF8AHYVrGx9fnNYOvfWycAKDP0qpnWdAWhX-5enX9Hk0yzkal5NCFARsn6WAboAxs5XMNey_5rEFu6gmR1Ew3PLTS9AytTT6m1yQKjOl4jVV-LQJTNnIgo_tA6vI_U/s640/cheez-it1.jpg" uea="true" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">homemade cheez-its - photo by <a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/homemade-cheez-its/">Cupcakes and Cashmere</a></td></tr>
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Check out this blog for some inspiration and eye candy. If you're anything like me, you won't be disappointed!<br />
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PS: Emily was also seen on "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hills">The Hills</a>" (she worked at Teen Vogue during the filming of Season 1) - how cool is that?<br />
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PPS: Hubby made a reference to "The Hills" the other night. #ilovehimsomuchAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-48627512874822988982013-02-05T14:25:00.002-08:002013-02-05T14:28:08.776-08:00february finances update (day 6)<br />
This is harder than I had anticipated…and we’re only 6 days in. What we didn’t account for in our budget was all the unexpected spending that comes with being an grown up. For example, today we had to pay $45 for an Air Care inspection for our car. Something that wasn’t a luxury, something that HAD to be done, but something that also wasn’t in our budget. It was no big deal because we’re just pretending this month – but if this was not just a pretend exercise, but real life, I really don’t know where that $45 would have come from. But I can tell you where it would have ended up: on our credit card.<br />
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Ugh. I understand that credit can be a very useful and necessary tool, however, I just really hate it. I’ve learned my lesson on being fun and fancy free with credit and that’s a lesson that I don’t NOT want to have to learn again.<br />
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So, I guess it’s back to the spreadsheet to figure out how to incorporate an “unexpected expenses” category for each month. This is a good thing though, and just another reason why it’s such a good idea to test this new budget while we still have a safety net. I’m going to say it once: Hubby, you were right (that almost killed me). Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-37618326563764340852013-01-31T09:02:00.000-08:002013-02-05T14:28:21.347-08:00february finances2013 seems to be the year of finance.<br />
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Today, January 31, 2013, Hubby and I are starting a month long financial challenge. We're cutting my income down by almost half (53% to be exact) and putting the remaing 47% into savings/paying off credit (we don't have much debt, so most will go into savings).<br />
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I know, we're nuts - but in a good way.<br />
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We're challenging ourselves to see how little we can really live on.<br />
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Can we really go with only eating at home, and not spending money on entertainment?<br />
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Can we really be disciplined enough to stick to our budget and not over spend?<br />
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We'll see, I'll let you know how it goes...Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-24964136615377370222013-01-30T08:25:00.001-08:002013-01-30T08:25:28.373-08:00tofu tuesdayOne of the things that I hate THE MOST about being a gown up is figuring out what to have for dinner. Don't get me wrong, I love cooking and find it fun (for the most part), however, trying to decide what we're going to eat every week drives me bonkers.<br />
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We meal plan and grocery shop once a week, usually Sundays. So Sunday morning/early afternoon usually consists of us sitting down and deciding on our meals for the week and writing out a grocery list. Ugh. What should be a five or ten minute chore turns into a hour long conversation of "what should we have for dinner", which always gets the response of "I don't know" or "homemade macaroni and cheese". Sorry Hubby, I'm not feeding us macaroni and cheese once a week. It's never going to happen.<br />
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What we really should do is make a list of dinner ideas and then just consult the list every week and pick out what we want to eat and shop for. But that just makes too much sense. Why would we make things easier on ourselves?<br />
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This dinner, however, is one that I made up and tried out a little while ago, and Hubby really enjoyed. So it's now one of our staple "go to" dinners. Not to mention, the fact that I can get Hubby to eat tofu <strong><u>and acutally enjoy it</u></strong> just blows my mind. <br />
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TOFU NOODLE STIR FRY<br />
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This is a great weeknight dinner as it leaves you with a lot of leftovers, but not so much that you'll have to eat it for the rest of the week. It makes enough for Hubby and I to each have a bowl for dinner (and for Hubby to have seconds) and for both of us to take it for lunch the next day.<br />
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2 handfuls of frozen shelled edamame beans<br />
1 package extra-firm tofu<br />
1 teaspoon sesame oil<br />
1/4 cup soya sauce<br />
About 2 cups of carrots and broccoli stems, julienned (I just used a half package of <a href="http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/products.jsp?type=details&productId=prod490162">broccoli slaw</a> that I bought at Superstore - basically just add in any veggies you want)<br />
Vermicelli noodles (about 1/2 package)<br />
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Start by cutting the tofu into chunks. Not too small, not too big. Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan (or wok) over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden on all sides.<br />
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Once golden, remove the tofu from the frying pan and set aside. Add the broccoli and carrots to the frying pan with the soya sauce. Cook for a couple minutes and then add in the edamame (no need to thaw first). Cook for another couple minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. <br />
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While you're waiting for your veggies to get nice and tender, cook the vermicelli according to the package directions (the ones I use just need to sit in a bowl of boiling hot water for a minute or two). <br />
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Add the noodles (make sure to drain all the water first) and the cooked tofu to the vegetables. Give everything a good toss to mix everything together. Feel free to add a tad more sesame oil and/or soya sauce, as needed. I also like to give a generous grind of pepper and maybe a little garlic powder. Whatever you're in the mood for.<br />
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Serve warm, but is also great eaten cold at your desk the next day while you're working through your lunch.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-67405176394637291072013-01-13T21:13:00.002-08:002013-02-05T14:28:33.638-08:002013 budget tipsWelcome to 2013!<br />
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Yes, I do know that 2013 started 13 days ago, however, it seems that I'm just now getting back into a healthy, regular routine again.</div>
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Back to the gym. Back to eating healthy dinners. Back to not drinking every day. Back to not spending money like we're millionaires.</div>
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I never really make New Year resolutions. I find that they too often get broken before we even hit February. So, I usually just mentally list out my goals for the year. </div>
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In 2013 I want to:</div>
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keep living a healthy, active lifestyle</div>
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lose the last 15 lbs (always the hardest, see above)</div>
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save money so that when then time for a baby comes, we'll have a little bit tucked away</div>
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Pretty standard goals, right?</div>
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Hubby and I have had a budget for a number of years now, and, as with all good budgets, it's constantly evolving. I mean, what's the point in having a budget if you don't actually follow it?</div>
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We were notorious for spending hours perfecting our budget in our Excel spreadsheet, however, we still always seemed to be living paycheque-to-paycheque.</div>
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Just recently, Hubby and I recognized that the majority of our over spending was happening in the restaurant and entertainment categories in our budget. It would start with us going out for sushi on a weeknight when we didn't want to cook, or had nothing in the fridge for dinner. Then we'd go out and have dinner and drinks with friends over the weekend. Before you knew it we were regularly spending three times our budget each month. Not very productive in saving money.</div>
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In order to keep our spending in check, we implemented a system that goes something like this:</div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">we created three envelopes (labelled groceries, entertainment, and restaurants) </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">each time Amanda gets paid (twice a month) we put $100 into each of our restaurant and entertainment envelopes</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">each time Amanda AND Trevor get paid (works out to once a week) we put $100 into our grocery envelope</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">ANY spending we do on restaurants, entertainment, or groceries has to come out of our envelopes - period. We're not allowed to use our debit/credit cards for spending in the categories</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">we are allowed, however, to use money from one envelope for another category (example: we can use the money from our entertainment envelope to pay for groceries that we're buying to host a dinner party</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">any money left over in the envelopes stays in the applicable envelope and we can take it out and use it for whatever we want</li>
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I cannot even begin to tell you how well this system in working for us. We usually end up with money left over in the envelopes before we replenish them. Plus, it's actually become a little bit for a challenge for us. Do we really want to go out for dinner and spend they money, or can we just whip something up at home and save the money? More often than not we end up just saving the money. Plus, eating at home usually means that we eat healthier (which will also help with my first two goals). </div>
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Do you think this might work for your budget? Maybe give it a try!</div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-25676455459713910712012-12-17T19:53:00.000-08:002012-12-17T19:53:40.531-08:00christmas traditionsChristmas is most definitely one of my most favourite holidays. The lights, the family, the traditions, the FOOD. Everything about it just makes me so happy.<br />
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For some reason, I didn't really ever get into the Christmas spirit last year. This year, however, I'm bursting with Christmas spirit.<br />
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Maybe it's because we went and saw <a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.ca/2010/12/play-date.html">White Christmas</a> with a couple of our very dear friends.<br />
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Maybe it's because we've got Christmas carols playing almost constantly.<br />
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Maybe it's because I've got an <strike>almost</strike> full bottle of <a href="http://www.baileys.com/Gateway/">Baileys</a> in my fridge right now.<br />
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Who knows, and it doesn't matter because I'm just so happy with this season right now. The quiet nights spent in the glow of Christmas lights, watching our favourite movies of the season, while sipping on some Holiday cheer bring back that magical feeling that was always present during December when I was a kid.<br />
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These are my Christmas traditions. Quiet, simple, but still so magical to me. It's all about putting your precious and special ornaments onto the tree. Carefully wrapping the gifts you lovingly bought for your family. Turning off the television and spending time with your loved ones. <br />
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Merry Christmas!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-37967744740835001362012-11-30T06:00:00.000-08:002012-11-30T06:00:10.534-08:00follow friday - can you stay for dinnerI find that whenever I'm going through something in my life, the thing that helps me through those challenges is to connect with other people who are also going through the same (or similar) challenges. <div>
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Currently, my challenge is getting healthy. I don't think that I'm an overly unhealthy person, but I believe that there's always room for improvement.</div>
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I don't believe that getting healthy should be negative; I don't want to focus on what I'm depriving myself of (which is nothing, by the way) or stay chained to the scale. I don't want to be on a crazy "diet" or to kill myself in the gym every single day. I want to do things that make me happy AND healthy. I want to embrace my curvy, womanly body - not hide it.</div>
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That's why I love the blog <a href="http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/">Can You Stay for Dinner</a> so much. This woman, Andie is so positive about living a healthy lifestyle. I connect with her journey on so many levels and she's truly an inspiration.</div>
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Check her out. She also has some drool-worthy recipes and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.</div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-35206490594917550882012-11-29T06:00:00.001-08:002012-11-29T06:00:08.065-08:00how to: survive nablopomoI have to be honest. I'm kind of really happy that November is almost over. Not that I don't love it, but by the end of the month, blogging every day gets a little challenging. Ok, a lot challenging. So, I figured that I'd share with you my tips on how to survive NaBloPoMo. Here it goes:<br />
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<b>1. SCHEDULE, SCHEDULE, SCHEDULE.</b><br />
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Before November even started, I started scheduling my posts. You know how whenever you would have to write a paper in highschool or university, you'd always start with an outline? Well, this is no different. I like to see what the plan it - what I'm going to be writing about for the month. It's still organic though; not written in stone. The outline is just a guideline, it's constantly changing.<br />
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<b>2. HAVE "THEME DAYS"</b><br />
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<a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.ca/search/label/sunday%20suppers">Sunday Suppers</a>. <a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.ca/search/label/wordless%20wednesday">Wordless Wednesdays</a>. <a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.ca/search/label/follow%20friday">Follow Fridays</a>. These are the "theme days" that I use during NaBloPoMo (and the rest of the year!) and I find that they really help me out. They take the pressure off of deciding what to blog about that day. Plus, the Wordless Wednesdays are a nice way to let your pictures do the taking. It's an easy blogging day.<br />
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<b>3. USE THE "SCHEDULE" FEATURE</b><br />
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Here's my secret: I don't blog every day. Sure, there's a new blog post each day in November, but I don't sit down and write every day. I write in chunks; two or three posts at a time. It's what works for me. It allows me to have days "off", yet still get all my posts done. I just schedule the posts to auto-post on the days that I want. I don't think I could do NaBloPoMo without this.<br />
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<b>4. HAVE FUN!</b><br />
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The whole idea behind NaBloPoMo (and blogging!) is to have fun! Don't take it too seriously. If you miss a post, don't worry about it, it happens to the best of us. Relax and have fun!<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-83901400908585556282012-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:002012-11-28T06:00:06.100-08:00wordless wednesday - my little loves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-33696207889891235862012-11-27T06:00:00.001-08:002012-11-27T06:00:01.614-08:00travel recap - rome (day 3)Our third day in Rome was a bittersweet one. It was our last day in Europe. The next day we would make our trek home to Vancouver and back to reality.<br />
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Determined to make the most of the short time that we had left on the continent, we decided to get up early to squeeze in a few sights before our reservation at the Vatican Museum: the Spanish Steps and the former Roman Baths.<br />
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As our hotel was so close to the Spanish Steps, we walked the few blocks to the top of the steps. Even though the steps themselves are nothing really spectacular to see, we decided that it would be a good opportunity to slow down and drink in the last moments of Rome. We wandered down the steps and stopped along the way to take a few pictures. At the bottom of the steps, we did some browsing in the shops and then boarded the metro to take us to the Roman Baths.<br />
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We knew before going that the Roman Baths wouldn't be as impressive as the Colosseum or the ancient ruins of the Forum, however, we decided that they were an "easy" sight to take in. After a little searching, we entered the church, which used to be the Roman Baths. You had to use your imagination, however, you really could picture the <strike>naked</strike> Romans lazing around in the baths. It was a pretty beautiful church too.<br />
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After we were done at the Baths we needed some lunch. Since all the was around the Baths was a McDonald's, we decided that we'd take the Metro out to Vatican area and grab a bite to eat there. To keep me from getting too hungry, Hubby bought me a piece of fresh coconut - that made me happy beyond words.<br />
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After getting a bite to eat and eating a couple scoops of gelato, we headed to the Vatican Museum to make our reservation. I have to admit, by this point in the trip we were kind of over museums. However, we decided to take a leisurely stroll through the museum to view the amazing collection. I still can't believe the collection of paintings, sculptures, and other valuables that the Catholic church has amassed over the years; it's too impressive for words. <br />
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All through the museum there were signs pointing the way to the Cappella Sistina (the Sistine Chapel). Even all the "hype" through the museum, and the iconic pictures that I've seen of it over the years couldn't have prepared me for the magnitude of its beauty. Words can't even describe it. How that ceiling was painted is incomprehensible.<br />
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After we finished at the museum, we decided that we need a little break. So, we took a quick trip into St. Peter's Basilica and then hopped on the metro back to our hotel.<br />
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Back at our hotel we changed and headed downstairs for some pre-dinner cocktails. A couple of other hotel guests had recommended a nearby restaurant, so Hubby and I decided to check it out for our last dinner in Rome (and Europe).<br />
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We couldn't have picked a better place to eat. It was friendly, the food was fabulous, and it was the perfect place to celebrate our last night in Europe and reflect on our vacation. During dinner we talked of all the places we visited, and the adventures that we encountered. We also talked of everything that we were excited about coming home to: our own bed, our friends and family, and our kitty cats. We sipped the prosecco and lemoncello and promised ourselves that this first trip would not be our only visit to Europe.<br />
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After dinner, we weren't quite ready to head in for the night and decided to make one last visit to the Colosseum. We wanted to see it glowing against the darkness of the night sky; to soak up the last precious moments.<br />
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After our visit was complete and we decided to make our way back to the hotel, I sat in the metro station silently thinking about our trip and how far we'd come - not just in distance, but also in our relationship.<br />
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This trip had been more than a trip; it was a chance for us to re-connect. Not that we were dis-connected, but life just seems to go by so quickly sometimes that it was good for us to be able to spend three whole weeks together, just enjoying us. We were now closer than ever; we felt more connected. <br />
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We learned that together, as a team, we can overcome any obstacles that we are faced with: sickness, language barriers, navigating the confusing roads of the French countryside, catching trains, planes, and cabs. These were all smaller versions of challenges that we'll face in our life together; we just need to work together and we'll conquer them eventually.<br />
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We connected with family and realized, more than ever, that it's not "stuff" that makes you happiest in life; it's your experiences, and the people that you share those experiences with, that will truly give you a fulfilling life.<br />
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We learned to slow things down, to stop and enjoy a cold glass of prosecco, or a cup of coffee and a freshly-baked croissant. It's those small moments that make you appreciate "the moment".<br />
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We experienced new and different things; we met new people; we learned to be thankful that we're able to live such a blessed life. And we can't wait to go back again.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-62379875021021026382012-11-26T06:00:00.001-08:002012-11-26T06:00:14.311-08:00travel recap - rome (days 1 and 2)We were fortunate to spend our third wedding anniversary in Italy. We awoke in our room in Venice so sad to leave, but so excited to visit the last stop of our vacation: Rome.<br>
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We showered, packed, checked-out, and grabbed the vaperetto to the train station. We lugged our luggage up the steps, and turned around to get one last glimpse of the beautiful city. I can honestly say that our hearts were a little heavy, as we didn't know when we'd return to this magical place again.<br>
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Once we were on the train, we snuggled into our seats and were ready for our few hours' journey to the eternal city. Just before the train left the station, another couple asked us if we would mind if they sat with us - being the nice Canadians that we are, we said that we'd be more than happy to share with them. Actually, as it turned out, they were also from Canada. We shared some prosecco with them, and talked the whole time until they disembarked in Florence. They were very entertaining and made our train ride a little more fun.<br>
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<a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.com/2012/11/travel-recap-rome-days-1-and-2.html#more">{read more}</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-19682910594997451722012-11-25T06:00:00.000-08:002012-11-25T18:00:10.272-08:00sunday suppers - turkey corn chiliLet me guess, when you think of football the next thing you think of is probably food and most of all: chili.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCO3LPL-xu1Xc9OtwbhIoRHs_iKkR0yIA4rfSWclc1SwM7Z5LORqac4CyZcFEODQt5rlKSGxlR2nPgo19-6i3svWxKQE-xUbQmHeVt-0-8VwfbMzdI8rWlo3TW7kKybqCgiGc80m6wxA/s1600/photo-148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCO3LPL-xu1Xc9OtwbhIoRHs_iKkR0yIA4rfSWclc1SwM7Z5LORqac4CyZcFEODQt5rlKSGxlR2nPgo19-6i3svWxKQE-xUbQmHeVt-0-8VwfbMzdI8rWlo3TW7kKybqCgiGc80m6wxA/s640/photo-148.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.com/2012/11/sunday-suppers-turkey-corn-chili.html#more">{read more}</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-65110495685995682672012-11-24T06:00:00.001-08:002012-11-24T06:00:06.927-08:00saturn return<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>"Saturn return is...an alleged phenomenon which is described as influencing a person's life development at 27 to 29 or 30-year intervals. These intervals or "returns" coincide with the approximate time it takes the planet Saturn to make one orbit around the sun. It is believed by astrologers that, as Saturn "returns" to the degree in its orbit occupied at the time of birth, a person crosses over a major threshold and enters the next stage of life. With the first Saturn return, a person leaves youth behind and enters adulthood. With the second return, maturity. And with the third and usually final return, a person enters wise old age."</em></div>
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<em>Source: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_return">Wikipedia</a></em></div>
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I feel like I'm in a really strange stage of my life right now, as I'm entering my 27th year.</div>
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I'm at a really strange point in my career. Outgrowing my current position, but not yet quite ready for the next.<br />
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I'm not sure if I'm ready to take on the challenge of being a parent, but I ache to be a mom.<br />
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I'm on the precipice of my first Saturn return; I'm moving from childhood into adulthood. But right now I don't quite fit into either stage; I'm in between. There are so many changes on my horizon, but I'm not sure if I'm ready for them. I'm. Scared. To. Death. I'm scared of the unknown. I guess this is all just part of growing up.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-16429978202324873352012-11-23T06:00:00.000-08:002012-11-23T06:00:06.469-08:00follow friday - what's hanging<br />
I love clothes and shopping. I mean, what girl <em>doesn't</em> love clohes and shopping?<br />
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This is why I love Robyn's <a href="http://www.styleona-budget.com/">What's Hanging</a> blog. Robyn is the QUEEN of putting together stylish and affordable outfits. She makes it look so effortless and inspires me to have another look at all the clothes I own and try and match different pieces together to create new and fresh outfits.<br />
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Added bonus? Robyn is also participating in NaBloPoMo!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJsBdAY7tks0lmqZpmnHtn7uY-kGLtQtL63pqK1Ars9aIpQF3HlxQunWpIT9f2I4JrJHqOCorB3rCtJ6qDZNECdy_C7nr-bZiiNnvbEyDFHwubISNV9phwIzzGh6_xN0RaAABGewcdFk/s1600/photo-125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJsBdAY7tks0lmqZpmnHtn7uY-kGLtQtL63pqK1Ars9aIpQF3HlxQunWpIT9f2I4JrJHqOCorB3rCtJ6qDZNECdy_C7nr-bZiiNnvbEyDFHwubISNV9phwIzzGh6_xN0RaAABGewcdFk/s640/photo-125.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">what's hanging in my closet</td></tr>
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Inspired by Robyn, I put this outift together for my firm's upcoming holiday party. I don't have a lot of red in my closet, so that's the main reason that I gravitated towards this dress. Plus, I love the fact that the cranberry colour is perfect for the holidays. I also love the touches of glam that the sparkle-y belt and gold shoes give the outfit. Ces't parfait!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e4D-_6V-hwqcATgVrVtEMHqoAnZ1YfXGMNIweRwHCtKbdHF1d79IjZ5KNR-ry-yKzR9a9XXkhAuVVC_qphTgGOYdyDW_DkTDRCwdVSqZaAaPG9KRrgnD9kZqM6TrUxRVj-2Sr-aNGy4/s1600/photo-143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e4D-_6V-hwqcATgVrVtEMHqoAnZ1YfXGMNIweRwHCtKbdHF1d79IjZ5KNR-ry-yKzR9a9XXkhAuVVC_qphTgGOYdyDW_DkTDRCwdVSqZaAaPG9KRrgnD9kZqM6TrUxRVj-2Sr-aNGy4/s640/photo-143.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dress: Top Shop tights: H&M shoes: Nine West belt: Dynamite</td></tr>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-82129897572522036662012-11-22T06:00:00.002-08:002012-11-22T06:00:06.070-08:00eight daysOnly eight more days.<br />
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Only eight more days until the 'mo gets shaved. #<a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.ca/search/label/movember">movember</a><br />
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Only eight more days until I no longer have to blog every. Single. Day. #<a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.ca/search/label/nablopomo">nablopomo</a><br />
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Only eight more days until a new David's Tea shop opens right beside my work. #<a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.ca/2012/11/obsessed.html">obsessed</a><br />
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The countdown is ON!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-37548688418593382792012-11-21T06:00:00.000-08:002012-11-21T06:00:07.379-08:00wordless wednesday - lately grams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-73821583478546315252012-11-20T06:00:00.000-08:002012-11-20T06:00:09.423-08:00america, eff yaOh, America.<br />
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The land of the free. The land of the brave. And the land of the discount shopping.</div>
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This past weekend, my mom and I went on a girls' shopping trip down to the states. This usually consists of shopping until we're exhausted, eating at the olive garden, and searching for new and fun foods to bring back to our boys in Canada.</div>
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It was a great weekend filled with quality mother/daughter time. I needed it. It was nice to re-charge with my mommy.</div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-28350708953151853802012-11-19T06:00:00.000-08:002012-11-19T08:30:17.948-08:00travel recap - venice (day 3)On our third day in Venice, we decided to take a trip out to the Island of Murano; the Island famous for its beautiful glass work.<br>
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We hopped on the vaperetto and sailed out to the nearby Island. Once we got off, we started exploring the hundreds of glass shops in search of some beautiful gifts to bring home to our family. We strolled though the streets, hand in hand, and admired the beautiful work. The vases, jewellery, and chandeliers were all too beautiful for words. I dream that we will have a Murano glass-chandelier in our home one day - but for now they're out of our price range.<br>
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We finally decided on some purchases to bring home and conversed with some of the local shop-owners. A necklace and bracelet for Grandma S, a bowl for our Parisian hosts, and a pair of earrings for me - little tokens of a city we hold so dear to our hearts.<br>
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<a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.com/2012/11/travel-recap-venice-day-3.html#more">{read more}</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-2452026993156937552012-11-18T06:00:00.001-08:002012-11-18T06:00:02.787-08:00sunday suppers - mushroom risotto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hubby and I miss Europe. We want to go back, like, right now. Almost every day one of us will say "I miss Europe, let's go back tomorrow". Sigh. If it were only that easy.<br>
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<a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.com/2012/11/sunday-suppers-mushroom-risotto.html#more">{read more}</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-77851469361346233052012-11-17T06:00:00.000-08:002012-11-18T21:26:20.983-08:00travel recap - venice (days 1 and 2)We awoke at 3 am in our hotel room in Munich. Half asleep we showered, dressed, and packed our bags ready to travel to Italy. We stopped by Mom and Oma's room to say our goodbyes, called a cab, and headed to the airport. It was bitterly cold in Munich that day, with the first fog of the season rolling in.<br>
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We arrived at the airport, checked in for our flight, had some coffee and played cards, and soon boarded our plane. Before we knew it, we were up in the air over the Dolomite Alps, and even sooner we touched down in Venice.<br>
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As we walked down the steps of the plane, we could immediately smell the salty, ocean air; so comforting for those of us that live near the ocean. We got inside the airport, grabbed our bags, and waited to board our bus that would take us into the heart of Venice.<br>
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<a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.com/2012/11/travel-recap-venice-days-1-and-2.html#more">{read more}</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-30170296661792888202012-11-16T06:00:00.001-08:002012-11-16T06:00:00.413-08:00follow friday - adventures in parisEver since returning from Europe a little while ago, I find myself dreaming of Paris. Out of all the cities that we visited, Hubby and I both agreed that Paris is the city that we would most like to live in. Paris is such a beautiful city; with amazing architecture everywhere you go and a certain easy elegance that you can't help but admire. I love this city.<div>
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My love for this city is why I love the blog <i><a href="http://mustbefrench.blogspot.ca/">Adventures in Paris</a></i> so much. It's written by an American girl who has moved to the city of light and the adventures she encounters in doing so.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on my own adventure in paris</td></tr>
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</div><a href="http://adventuresoftna.blogspot.com/2012/11/follow-friday-adventures-in-paris.html#more">{read more}</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-89979453307554991152012-11-15T06:00:00.001-08:002012-11-15T06:00:09.093-08:00homemade cleaning suppliesFor a while now I've been wanting to try my hand at making my own, natural cleaning supplies. Something about clenaing our home with chemicals and cancer-causing ingredients just didn't sit well with me. So, when I needed to mop our floors this past weekend, and I realized that I didn't have any floor cleaner on hand, I decided that now would be a good time to give this a whirl.<br />
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I found a <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/4714774581307403/">recipe</a> on Pinterest for a "heavy duty floor cleaner". Perfect. Thanks, Pinterest!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYl57oKJ0Q97KH950S3DnRfqcFisksQPWNlpgPOO_MZm8GMrLJAtoFrU_L13nvLGwfdRBeoNfMpLbCfE-1AE4CH4dOh-pV2bcc_sBsYZrm0vbs1Dba5lVQiZPy9Lvb5DUN3JE-gcESQhQ/s1600/photo-134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYl57oKJ0Q97KH950S3DnRfqcFisksQPWNlpgPOO_MZm8GMrLJAtoFrU_L13nvLGwfdRBeoNfMpLbCfE-1AE4CH4dOh-pV2bcc_sBsYZrm0vbs1Dba5lVQiZPy9Lvb5DUN3JE-gcESQhQ/s640/photo-134.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I found that this worked so well that I wanted to try other stuff. So I tried a <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/4714774581333201/">tub/shower cleaner recipe</a> that also works great. Both recipes are below if you're interested.<br />
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HOMEMADE FLOOR CLEANER<br />
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I love this recipe. I found that it didn't give my floors that nice shine (my tile turned out dull), but they just feel so clean underfoot that I'm willing to live with dull, but super-clean, floors.<br />
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1/4 cup bakings soda<br />
1/4 cup white vinegar<br />
1 tablespoon dish soap<br />
2 gallons hot tap water<br />
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Combine all ingredients in a bucket. Mop away.<br />
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HOMEMADE TUB/SHOWER CLEANER<br />
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This takes not time at all to make, and it's so easy to use. I keep it in my shower and just clean in while I'm in there on the weekends. That way, it takes no time at all to keep our showers and tub looking spotless! Note that the wand you buy should not be one with an abrasive pad, otherwise, you'll ehnd up with scratches on your tub and/or shower.<br />
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1 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Brite-Dispensing-Dishwand-Heavy/dp/B00027ZNDK">soap-dispensing dish wand</a><br />
white vinegar<br />
dish soap<br />
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Fill the wand half and half with vinegar and soap. To use, wet the surface, scrub, and rinse. It's that easy!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205187079052406402.post-8223664397434859642012-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:002012-11-14T06:00:15.567-08:00wordless wednesday - blast from the past<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091364927825164220noreply@blogger.com2