Happy New Year!

Wow! 2014 is over, just like that. For me, it was one of the best, if not the very best, year of my life. So much happened! I married the love of my life and had my dream wedding.  I changed jobs, making the difficult decision to choose a less “prestigious” career path and opt for a “lifestyle” job with a different pace and more time for my hobbies and the people in my life.  It wasn’t easy, but it was the right choice and I haven’t looked back.  I had the most amazing bachelorette party in Las Vegas with 12 of my closest friends.  Since that trip, I can’t help but giggle every time I think of chicken strips. I watched my sister marry her soulmate and they are about to have a baby girl any day now! And that’s not all! My best friend had a beautiful baby boy, and D’s brother and sister-in-law had an adorable son with a head of hair that makes all the babies on the block jealous.  My dad retired and has never been happier.  D and I spent a good chunk of the year on vacation in sunny destinations and luxurious accommodations, spending quality time with friends, and going to too many concerts that I lost count. So many good things happened over the year and I feel like so lucky.

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Home for the Holidays

Home.  When asked this year what we’re doing for Christmas, I tell people I’m going “home”.  In fact, I’m referring to my parents’ place on the Sunshine Coast. I haven’t lived there for more than a decade and it’s not even the house I grew up in. My family moved to the house my mom and dad live in now when I was almost done high school. My “room” still has the purple paint I chose (inspired by Monica’s apartment on Friends, I’ll have you know), but it’s more of an office these days and doesn’t feel like it ever belonged to me.   Continue reading

Mid-December – where did you go?

Finally! I’m done work for the year and am on holidays until 2015! Yippeeee! The last week and a half has flown by. It’s been so busy but fun.  I got a little sidetracked from my weekend recaps due to too many activities (tough life, I know), but here’s a little quick glimpse into some of what’s been keeping me busy:

Mid-December Photo

 

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Recipes: Christmas Cookies

A few days ago, it looked like a Christmas Cookie explosion in my house. I made shortbread, ginger molasses, and sugar cookies, and then put them in seasonal tins to give away.  Each of these three kinds of cookies is easy to make and hard to screw up.  Perfect, right? The shortbread is the most labour-intensive because there is some rolling and cutting involved, but it’s not too difficult.  The hardest part is not eating too many on your own (danger)! Here are my recipes below:

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Recipes: Grandma’s Butter Tarts

I grew up eating butter tarts around the holidays and to this day, they remain one of my favorite treats this time of year.  The recipe (courtesy of my Grandma) is simple to make and delicious.  Warning: the main ingredients are lard, butter, and sugar, so these are something you will want to share and not eat all by yourself.  Today I baked a tonne and I’m planning to give most of them away, but will keep a few at home for snacking and to serve when entertaining over the next couple of weeks.  They freeze well so you can bake in advance, then take them out of the freezer the night before you plan to serve them.

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Oregon Road Trip

Oregon is the perfect place for a road trip.  There’s lots to see and do, and the amazing stretch of coastline makes for a spectacular backdrop for your trip.  D and I went at the end of the summer this year and had a blast.  We hit the coast, wine country, and Portland.  Each of these regions is distinct and has a lot to offer. Here’s a list of the highlights:

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Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for the Hostess

The holiday party season is here! It’s always nice to bring a little gift to show your appreciation for your host/hostess’s hospitality.  While wine, liqueurs, and champagne are always nice and convenient, I also love bringing other kinds of gifts to people’s homes this time of year, mostly of the food or decor variety.  Here is a sample of some of my favorite hostess gift ideas:

Gift Guide - Hostess Gifts

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Weekend Recap: November 28-30th

I love weekends and I love the holidays, so I really enjoy weekends this time of year when it’s starting to feel festive and the avalanche of holiday parties begin.  This weekend was the perfect kick-off to the holiday season and showcased so much of what I love about Vancouver.  Here’s a recap of the socializing, eating, and fun that I got up to:

Weekend Photo Collage

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