pops of red

without even realizing it, my girls and i have been rockin' pops of red lately!

from lips, to shoes to tights...red is such a fun, spunky color isn't it?

i took the past two weeks off from blogging because zoe was on spring break

we didn't go anywhere but we made several trips to the library

indulged in some ice cream trips, went to the mall and watched movies

it was nice to be able to relax with my girls and

 not always feel like i was in a rush

i often feel like i spend most of my days rushing from one place to another

and before i know it, the day or the week or the month is over

in a blink of an eye!

i really need to learn to slow down and "smell the roses" as they say

happy monday friends!

run like a girl

i don't know exactly what inspired me to put on my running shoes

that early september morning

maybe it was the sun

maybe i needed to get out of the house

maybe i finally wanted to get rid of the "baby weight"

(is it still baby weight after 4 years?!)

maybe i wanted to get active

i couldn't even make it around my block

yes, i know pathetic

but you are talking about a girl who is allergic to exercise

when i finally made it back to my house

i laid on the floor ready to pass out

zoe touched my head and asked in a concerned voice, "mommy are you ok?!"

the next day my sweet hubs, who didn't want me to get discouraged
 took me to a nearby track and said

"try running around the track once without stopping"

and i did it!

a few days later, he said

"try running around the track twice without stopping"

and i did it!

a few days after that, he said

"try running around the track three times without stopping"

and by golly gee i did it!

and so forth and so forth

i didn't want to tell my sisters just yet

they are both marathoners

and i didn't want the pressure

but one day i let my little secret out

"i started running..."

(if you can even call it that)

immediately they started giving me advice

taking me out for runs

helping me buy cute running gear

(a girl still has to look cute running you know!)

and slowly but surely i was up to running 5k

my sister told me to sign up for my first race--a 10k

double what i was doing at the time!

 she told me i needed a goal

i tried to regularly run as much as i could through the week

my parents would watch my girls so i could run

my hubs would wake up early sunday mornings, tired as heck, but would still run with me

my sister would pick me up and run in the rain with me

my baby sister would take me to the gym and work out with me to strengthen my weak legs

exactly seven days ago

this was my sis and me running my first 10k race

she stayed with me every step of the way

this is zoe, my mom and pia waiting for me at the finish line

(my hubs, dad and future brother-in-law were also there)

here's all three of us at the finish line

i still don't know what motivated me to put on my running shoes

that september morning

but i sure do know what kept me motivated to continue running...

my amazing family.

so if you can, go run like a girl (or a boy!)

my snack

 this was my snack this morning

wasa crispbread with avocado and flaked tuna

i love wasa crispbread and rice cakes

when i was a kid, i went through this phase where all

i wanted to eat was rice cakes.. i know weird.

speaking of weird, it's been quite a week

there never seems to be enough hours in the day

and the days seems to by flying by faster and faster

i can't believe that it's the middle of october already!

before we know it, christmas will be here

i have piles of laundry to fold

weddings to work on

a house to clean

projects i want to complete

but all i want to do is sit on my couch and watch vampire diaries
and do some online window shopping
this bag and this dress are calling my name

anyone else feel lazy today?

all sorts of lists

so when my sis turned the big 3-0

(hope she doesn't mind that i divulged her age!)

she managed to cross off a big to-do on her bucket list

bunjee jumping!!!

(see video below)

it got me thinking about what kind of stuff

i would have on my bucket list

i don't really have a bucket list per se

but there are a few things that i would like to do

before i ''kick the bucket''

1. be a contestant on the price is right

2. spend new year's eve in times square

3. see the eiffel tower

4. attend a taping of an oprah show
(i guess #4 is definitely not happening)

and since i was on a roll, i started thinking about

a summer to-do list

1. make homemade popsicles

2. have lots and lots of picnics in our yard

3. go camping

4. bike around the seawall with the girls

5. enroll the girls in swimming lessons

(can you believe i don't know how to swim?)

tell me,

what's on your bucket list?

or your summer to-do list?

my sidekick

 meet my sidekick

her name is pia gabrielle

pia for short

she is 3 years and 5 months old

her favourite colour is blue

she loves to colour (though everything is usually covered in blue)

so maybe i should say she loves to "blue"?

her favourite book is big sister, little sister

and she hasn't met a fruit she didn't love to eat

she wakes up at the same time as me

we eat breakfast at the same time

she comes with me to drop her big sister off at school

we run errands together

shop for groceries together

eat lunch together

we sit on the couch holding hands

and she watches my favorite shows with me

ellen, the great food truck race and eat st.

she cuddles right up next to me and likes to

snuggle her little feet into my lap

like any dynamic duo, we have our little tiffs

like for example, yesterday she didn't want to wear green leggings

she wanted to wear her blue leggings

we compromised (meaning, she won and i lost)

and went along our merry way

soon, my little sidekick will me making

her way into the big world of preschool

and leaving me all by my lonesome

to run errands and watch my shows

so for now, if you don't hear

from me too much on here

it's probably because

my sidekick and i are

tackling one coloring book after another

one blue crayon at a time

sneak peek!

thought i would pop in to show you guys my new bangs
 ta da!

my hubs actually said he liked them!

 

my stylist styled my hair and everything

but the moment i got home, i pulled it back into a bun

(which my hair is in 90% of the time)

we took our annual family photos right after my cut

so hopefully i can post those soon, so you can see the "full" do.

have a "bangin" monday friends!

i don't wear jeans

is that weird?!

via: gap

don't get me wrong.. i like jeans

just not on me

i will always, always pick a dress or skirt over jeans

oh, and while we are on the topic

i rarely, rarely wear heels

and only on very special occasions

i am a dress and cardigan with ballet flats kinda girl

what about you?

p.s. i have posted my weekly post one day early because i will

be participating in the blogger's day of silence: for japan with love tomorrow  

a little treat

I decided to spoil myself today

and buy this lovely brooch

I think it would look perfect on any of my

fall cardigans or pinned to my favourite scarf.

Have you spoiled yourself lately?

gone cherry crazy

I have become a little cherry obsessed ...

I have been eating them morning, noon
and night.

ok, maybe not just a little obsessed
maybe more like a lot obsessed.

"a-tisket a-tasket..

a brown and yellow basket..."

Just because I can't seem to find the perfect bike (within budget!) doesn't mean I can't start looking for the perfect accessories.

First on my list... a cute basket of course!!!

Next on my list: those little plastic doodads that go on the spokes... what the heck are they called anyway??

"i want to ride my bicycle, i want to ride my bike

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like..."

The traditional gift for a couple celebrating their 6 year wedding anniversary is iron or candy.

My hubby gave me a Twix bar

But we also decided to get each other bicycles.

I realize that our anniversary was almost 3 weeks ago. But we have been so busy these past few weeks (fill you in on that later) that we have just started to look into what kind of bikes we want.

Even before I started to look at bikes, I knew I wanted a cruiser.

I had one as a little girl and would spend countless summer days just riding around my neighborhood. The streamers on my handle bars flying in the wind, those little plastic doodads riding up and down and up and down my spokes (do any of you know the name of those things?!)

Well, I found my bike folks. The bike gods refer to it as the Electra Om 3i.

But alas, it is out of my budget.

Sigh... why must I be a responsible adult and have a mortgage? Why can't I just spend my hard earned money on pretty bikes and cool little plastic doodads?

one for one

TOMS was founded on a simple premise: For every pair you purchase, TOMS will donate a pair of shoes to a child in need. One for one.

I first heard of these incredible shoes last summer. For some reason Canada is always one step behind everyone else. So, TOMS didn't make an appearance in my neck of the woods until just a few months ago.



Of course I had to purchase a pair. I bought my first pair over the weekend. It's hard not to, every pair is absolutely adorable and of course each pair purchased means another pair will be donated to a child in need.



I chose the navy pair and have been wearing them every day since I got them.

I wear them with leggings, skirts and dresses. They go with everything!

How do you wear your TOMS?

advice please

For my birthday last year, my family all chipped in and got me the Canon Rebel XSI. I love it! But I have owned it for almost 10 months and I still don't use the camera to it's full potential.

I want to take some photography classes, but the classes that I find just don't seem to fit into my schedule. Also, all my friends who have a DSLR and who have taken classes all tell me that the classes are not worth it.

So for all of you out there with DSLR's. Did you take photography classes? is it worth it? if you didn't take classes, how did you learn to use your camera to it's full potential?



If you haven't had a chance yet, join in on my lovely giveaway!

my belated mother's day treat

We didn't really get a chance to celebrate mother's day while we were away. I don't know about you, but when I'm on vacation all the days blur together and I usually have no clue what day of the week it is. So I kind of didn't even notice that we didn't do anything special for Mother's day until my hubby said to me, "What do you want for mother's day?" The first thing that came out of my mouth was "When we land in Seattle can you take me to my favourite store?!"

So, my hubby being the amazing guy that he is, got off a 6 hour over-night flight that included a symphony of crying babies (none of them being ours!) and drove me straight to my favourite store. We don't have any up in Canada (none on the west coast anyways) so it's always an extra special treat for me.

I came home with these sweet sandals.

and this amazing dress as well as some of my favourite candles.



I was drooling over this dress and even picked it up, but I thought I would save it for my next special trip down south.



I think it was worth the wait, don't you?

Me in 3's

I was tagged by the lovely Jen of Craftiness NOW to describe myself in 3's.

3 names I go by:

1. Jozen
2. Joz
3. Mommy

3 jobs I have had:

1. Hostess at Cactus Club
   
2. Sales associate at Aritizia
3. Mom

3 places I have lived:

1. London, England
2. Manila, Philippines
3. Toronto, Ontario

3 fave drinks:

1. extra hot vanilla soy latte from Starbucks
2. cream earl grey latte from Steeps
3. skim milk with ovaltine

3 TV shows I watch:

1. Project Runway
2. Vampire Diaries
3. Grey's Anatomy

3 places I have been:

1. Florida
2. Hawaii
3. New York

3 places I would like to visit:

1. Greece
2. Paris
3. Thailand

3 fave retro TV shows:

1. The Cosby Show
2. Full House
3. Saved by the Bell

3 fave dishes:

1. anything my mom cooks
2. thai yellow curry chicken
3. my hubby's pesto basil pasta

3 things I am looking forward to:

1. my pedicure next week
2. our family vacation to hawaii!!!!
3. summer

3 people I am tagging:

1. Dena
2. Krysten
3. Becky

This was a lot of fun! Thanks Jen!

for all my fellow pink lovers out there

I came across this fabulous room...

I personally love it... but I don't think my hubby would be so keen on it.



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Don't forget to enter my ruffle inspired giveaway!
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scenes from my day

Now, we're off to look at carpet for our basement. May sound like a boring task, but I've been excited all day (yes, I am the biggest nerd).

Happy Thursday Everyone!

a bag and a tag

I got tagged! The sweet Trishie of Under Lock and Key has tagged me. So, now I have to show you all my bag and it's contents because we all know that a girl's bag and it's contents says a lot about the girl!

1. I am a recovering bagaholic, so it was hard to choose just one! The bag I chose is easily one of my faves. It's handmade from a vintage table cloth.

2. Makeup Bag. Purchased from anthro for 8 bucks!! what a steal :)

3. Lip balm. I am a lip balm junkie! I have very sensitive lips and can only use a few select lip balms. Vaseline is perfect for my sensitive lips.

4. Smith's Rosebud Salve. Absolutely the best lip balm out there, I have been a fan for 10+ years. Soothes dry lips, calms and heals irritation, soothes the sting of minor burns. Can even be used to treat diaper rash!

5. Laura Mercier lip stain in hibiscus. I don't use lip gloss (too sticky!) and rarely wear anything on my lips besides lip balm, but when I do, I use this lip stain. It's perfect to wear everyday because it gives my lips a natural hint of colour.

6. Clinique Superbalm. I told you I was a lip balm junkie!! this was made for me... lip balm with just a hint of colour.

7. Mirror/Brush. Who knew such a thing existed? I snapped this up from Target and loved it so much, I bought one for me, and one for each of my sisters.

8. My wallet. It's designer and expensive. But I love it and that's all that counts right?

9. My phone. I am not a techy person at all, but I feel naked without my blackberry.

10. A Tide Pen. Can't leave home without it...especially if you have a 4 year old and a 2 year old. 11. My Sharpie pen. Did you know that Sharpie made pens? Well they do and they are awesome. 12. My datebook/notebook. I open this at least a dozen times a day; to write appointments down, jot down ideas, my to do lists, contact information, birthdays, the list can go on and on

What's in your bag? I tag: Lita, Sharon, Carla, Jen, Sandy , ProjectVee and Chicka-san.

Make sure you come back to this post and link up in the comments so we can all read about your bags!

craft room giddiness

My hubby and I purchased our home 3 years ago. It came with an unfinished basement and we are finally getting around to finishing it! Being the lucky girl that I am, the hubby has designated one of the rooms to become my "craft room". I currently have one upstairs, but it's very small (I share it with our computer amongst other things) so I still tend to do my sewing in our kitchen.

I LOVE home decorating. I can watch HGTV 24/7 (our home improvement channel). I love to accompany friends on furniture shopping trips, to pick out paint or to look at tiles. It's fun!

A lot of people idolize actors, musicians or sports legends. I on the otherhand, idolize Sarah Richardson. I absolutely adore her interior design esthetic. It's classic traditional with a whimsical touch.

As you might have guessed, I am abosolutely giddy at the propect of decorating a whole other floor in our home! At this moment, I have been brain storming ideas for my craft room. Right now, I think my colour pallette will be all white with pops of fuschia. Something along these lines:


Here are some craft rooms I found while browsing the net:

Can you say G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S?! I can hardly contain my excitement! What are you giddy about today?