Beach Vacation & Christmas = Interesting Combo

It's finally time!

Time to take off to Varadero, Cuba. I won the trip about a month ago and at times I think time slowed down and crawled backwards but at the same time, I can't believe it's the end of November already.

Doesn't look to shabby to me?! - img via

We are leaving early Saturday morning and have a quick layover in Calgary. We should be getting into Cuba around 9pm, just in time to grab a drink at the bar. I've got to be honest, I never considered going to Cuba as I had heard from so many people how bland the food was. I never even spent a minute to investigate it on my own. Well ever since we won the trip I've been googling and flipping through pictures of Varadero. People!! Why didn't you tell me they had gorgeous beaches?! Food, who cares about food when you have gorgeous white sand beach and crystal blue ocean waves sparkling at you. All I need is a drink in hand and I'm good. Jeeeez.

I'll definitely be reporting back on my opinion of Cuba compared to other Carribean destinations. I've heard that the people are quite charming and nice like in Dominican Republic. Sweet news to my ears.

We get back into Vancouver on December 2nd. It's going to be strange going from pretty much no Christmas activity in our town to boom, Christmas season galore. I'm excited to start decorating our place. It's our first year in our new condo and our first Christmas living together. Our place is far too tiny to have a fake or real tree so I've scanning the web and Pinterest (of course) trying to find some alternatives. Any ideas anyone?

A little Christmas tree this year - img via

I've been having a craving for pomegranate's this past couple weeks and gave in the other day and bought Scott and I a big one. I couldn't believe that it cost $5.00 just for one but I just had to get my fix. I haven't been having any sugar treats so this was going to be my splurge treat. I tried out the under water method of opening it up. It works so well! It was alot easier then tearing at it while all the pomegranate juice squirts on your hands, eyes and clothes. Come December I'm going to try creating a Pomegranate Martini. Any recipes you could suggest??

A simple pomegranate martini - know of any great recipes? - img via

Well folks, until December....
Have a great holiday Thanksgiving and talk to you soon. xo

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Staycation

Roasted Butternut Squash via Oh She Glows

Happy Friday! Today is my last day of my "day job" before I head home for a stay-cation. I'm totally stoked for this. Luckily it came quickly for me and now I have the time to relax, rejuvenate and decompress for a while. I can't wait to catch up on blogs, write some new posts and study my butt off. Lately I haven't had the time to keep up to my goal of 3-4 blog posts per week because of school, work and everything else in between. This will also give me time to get outside and adventure on with my camera in hand.

 

This week I bought a new 2012 Ford Escape and am loving it. I think I might take a tiny road trip with just me and my camera and probably a dog to keep me company on the ride. On Saturday we are heading with a couple friends to go for a hike and then heading to dinner. I still haven't figured out how I'm going to look presentable to go for dinner after a hike?! With my natural wavy hair it loves to flop or go frizzy in the fall weather. I just might be rocking a sexy ponytail for dinner.

Any plans for the weekend?

Lovely Links: 

• Needing to cleanse? Ambitious Kitchen created a green monster smoothie that's drool worthy.
• Quinoa, Apple, Almonds and chickpeas - brilliant combo recipe
• Steven Jobs passed away one year ago today. The man had an amazing outlook on life.
• Looking for some new tunes to workout too? Fitsugar provides.
• I've got to come clean... I'm a Martha Stewart fan. Here's her Whole-Wheat Turkey Stuffing. I've used her stuffing recipes many times for Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners.

A quote from my horoscope for all the ARIES people :

Don’t forget, o’ charging Ram: sometimes the most brilliant ideas can come from looking back.

Have a wonderful weekend! aaand Happy Thanksgiving fellow Canadians xo

-Michelle

Monday Review: Dog Photography

I got a little sneeky this weekend!

Meeka & Kailey

I've been taking my dogs to Uptown Dog (dog daycare) for years now. There I met an incredible person, Kelley. She recently opened up her own business on the side doing outdoor dog photography named Mutts Be Loved.  My mom had wanted to schedule a session with Mutts Be Loved before she was diagnosed with cancer but once the treatment started and the costs for medications came into effect there just wasn't room in our budget for a photo session. Kelley contacted me earlier this week and wanted to surprise my mom with a photo session with our dogs.

Kelley was incredible with the dogs and did an absolutely amazing job. She picked them up from my house and took Meeka & Kailey (our dogs) out to a couple parks and trails and began her camera magic. She quickly got the photos edited and we were able to print some out to surprise my mom with them on Sunday. My mom had no clue this surprise was coming except that I kept confirming with her that we were having coffee at 1pm exactly so she thought something was off (silly me). Kelley presented them to her and she instantly started to cry.... and of course made the rest of us tear up. It truly touched our hearts how thoughtful it was of Kelley to do this for my mom. Every bit of happiness and positivity added to her day will make a difference. Seeing those incredible pictures of her dogs will add a smile to her face all the time.

It's beautiful the affect animals can have on our wellbeing. A simple touch to a dog can calm your heart rate and bring a softness to your own body. My mom has told me that Kaily & Meeka have been an important part of her healing process. They've been there for her during the rough nights of being sick and they lean up against her when she needs a hug. Now when I'm babysitting them and she's missing them she can look at these pictures too.

Thanks again Kelley! - Mutts Be Loved (facebook page)

-Michelle

Travel : Cresent Beach, White Rock

I love the beach, the ocean and sun. It lives inside of me and I have an instant smile and calmess when my toes feel the sand beneath them.

There's a small town called Cresent Beach which is located in White Rock. White Rock is 40 minutes south from downtown Vancouver. White Rock also borders Washington, US. Cresent Beach a very laid back community with a majority of the residents being weatlhy retired people. The funny thing is that all the new aged hippies flock to Cresent Beach. It's full of yoga studios, unknown amazing restaurants and cute organic cafes. There is one main street which holds them all. At the end of the main street is the beach.

When I took time off during 2011 to venture into different industries in the business world, I would take my dogs along the path that follows Cresent Beach on days I had free. Hearing the waves crash against the shore cleared my mind and allowed me to let go of the stress of the day. I always loved going with my mom to Cresent Beach for a nice long walk and end up grabbing sweet hard ice cream at the end of our journey.

A couple weeks ago my mom and I wandered over to Cresent Beach just to sit by the ocean so we could take in the soft sounds and scents of the ocean. Afterwards we headed down to our favourite organic cafe, Sunflower. They have the best muffins I've ever had and they aren't tiny! We split a moist Blueberry Peach muffin and sipped on their delicious Saltspring Island coffee. Everything is handmade right there in the cafe and everyone who works there is incredibly down to earth. There's no other cafe where you feel like you're at home like Sunflower.

This time I spent with my mom was eye opening to me. It was a time when it really hit me how the chemo is affecting my mom. We used to be able to take long walks but now the walks have turned into strolls. The positive I take from this is that it makes us slow down in life. Appreciate each word spoken to each other. Appreciate the small things around us that we take for granted. Like the grapes we found in the garden patio in the back of a small bistro that we would have never seen before. Although this pains me to see her feel confined by the cancer at the moment, I know this will soon be over and she'll be right back to where she was. There's lessons to be learned right now and then it's time to move on with the positive healthy future.

Never forget to be in the present moment and appreciate the people and things around you.

-Michelle 

8 Healthy Ways to Start Your Day

Are you morning person or are dragging your butt to get going?



Sun Salutation - via

 Me - I'm a huge morning! I love rising early before everyone else gets out of bed. I love the calmness of the morning and being able to hear all the sounds of nature outside. There is nothing like a crisp cold morning and watching the sunrise to revitalise you.

I find that how you begin your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Setting your morning off with a healthy routine leaves you wanting to live the rest of your day on healthy tone. I know that too often we can get caught up in the hustle and rush of the morning which leaves us feeling disconnected and lost. Making time for yourself in the morning is one of the keys to great health. It doesn't have to be complicated but adding some small steps and easy healthy habits can change your wellbeing. I've listed a few of my favourite habits that I do on a daily basis or a couple times of week. My best advice is to listen and observe what makes you feel the happiest. That is the goal when starting off the day: to bring happiness and love to yourself so you can share it with the world.

8 Healthy Ways to Start Your Day:

1. Warm Water with Lemon : this combination helps to get your digestive system going and also to jump start your metabolism. I also recommend drinking lemon water with filtered water through the day. It's great for your body and actually helps with weight loss.
2. Meditation: If this is new too you, I have one word for you: Patience. There is no right or wrong way to meditate. I've found the best way for me is to play some Reiki music (you can find it on Youtube), sit on a fluffy pillow so my bottom is raised a bit, cross my legs and place my hands with palms facing up on my knees. Focus on your breathing. Inhale for 6, pause for 2 and exhale for 6, pause for 2 and repeat. Focusing on your breath can create stillness in your thoughts.
3. Choose a mantra, an intention or word (or all 3) for the day: Creating a path for the day lets you have a focus. Having a mantra or word to fall back on when life becomes hectic or stressed always helps your to restart and become calm. For example: my word today is "gentle". Whenever I catch myself rushing around or speaking harshly I utter the word in my head 3 times and I instantly feel at peace.
4. Sun Salutation or Yoga: I love Yoga in the morning. It's a great way to gently exercise your body and mind. The sun salutation is my favourite practice. It feels very natural when you are performing the routine. The image above is a cute chart on Sun Salutation and here's a video I often refer too if needing a little guidance. If you are just beginning here is a more instructional video.
5. Be Still: If yoga and meditation is just not your vibe right now then the next best thing is just to be still and present. Grab a tea or coffee and sit still with no distractions. Reflect on the day ahead with a soft and positive outlook. Just breathe. Let there be relaxation and calmness.
6. Exercise: builds energy for the day. It can be any form of exercise. A small walk around the block, a run or anything that gets your body moving. This sends signals to your mind and body that it's time wake up and gets your brain sparking and metabolism going. Exercise in the morning actually has a great effect on what your eat for the rest of the day. When you go to reach for that unhealthy snack you will take a second and think if it's worth wasting the time you spent exercising in the morning.
7. Journal: The morning is a great time to write and get all your thoughts out of your head. Once they are all on paper it's easier to organize your thoughts, realize patterns or find new ideas through your notes.
8. A Healthy Breakfast: it's the most important meal of the day. This meal should be full of protein and provide energy. Fruit in the morning helps activate your brain. Breakfast is also a great way to jump start your metabolism. Make sure that breakfast leaves you feeling comfortably full so you don't run out of energy before lunch.

What are some of your healthy morning habits? What is your morning routine?

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Mind, Body, Green

Welcome weekend... another one has arrived!
 

via source


Who's ready for the weekend? Me me ME!

Have you ever felt like everything is going wrong and there's no hope for changing it. I sure did on Monday and I'm lucky that I have learnt that I am the only one who can change my environment. My surroundings are only a reflection of what is going on inside me. I had to start by changing the constant negative chatter in my head. It was mostly feelings that were reved up by me creating stories to go along with them. I had to get it out. Oh and I did! I laid on the ground on my back in the middle of our living room and just let it ALL out. You know what happened? - I felt relieved! There was more space inside me for positive energy and emotions.

Think of it as wearing a backpack. If you fill your backpack with emotional negative heavy text books you end up walking around feeling miserable and unhappy. Dragged down and moving slowly from this baggage. So releasing these emotions into the air to disintegrate it left my backpack open to light loving experiences to come. I can now fill it with love notes, healthy tid bits and experiences that would bring me happiness. Doesn't that even sound lighter to you? I choose to be happy. Everyday you have the choice of what your day will be like. Do you choose to be happy?

One of my favourite sites is Mind, Body, Green. Here are some of my favourite posts from their site:

• 4 Qualities of Lucky People
• How Mind, Body, Green came to life. Very inspirational story of the creator of the site.
• 7 steps to unplug into the present moment
• 5 Things you will never regret in Life. Live each day to the fullest!
• Not from MBG but thought you would enjoy this interview between two of my favourite people. Gabrielle and Danielle. It's a fun one!

 Have a wonderful weekend!
-Michelle

Fitness Love : Nike Plus & Free Run - Running Shoe

I'm a huge gadget/techy geek at heart and I love finding the best app for anything.

Nike Free Run - LiveStrong Edition

I've had Nike Free Runs for a couple years now and I LOVE them! I never bothered to get the sensor to go in them to connect to my Iphone as I wasn't really into running for a while because of my problems with my back. Just in the past year my back has gotten tremendously stronger and it was time to start amping up my runs. It was also time to get my geek on!

Last week I went out and bought my Nike sensor and an arm band for my runs and hikes. Scott and I headed up for a hike/run at Buntzen and it was awesome to finally see our distance, speed and calories burned. It also got us reved up to push ourselves a little harder. The next time we went out we ended up doing 11km and accomplishing some major hills. This past Tuesday we were ready to beat our 1st time - Oh we nailed it! Our competitive nature has kicked in.

This app has got us wanting to get out more often, try new routes and push ourselves. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a workout app. It's interactive, you can see your results online and compare your efforts to the community.
 

Left: Large Hike Run - Right: Trail Run (time to beat)


Has anyone tried the Nike Fuel Band? I'm going to be downloading the running app tonight but afraid that it won't work while I'm running the trails that is out of cellular signal.

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Long Weekend Style

Happy Weekend Time!

Healthy Watermelon Popsicles

It's British Columbia day on Monday and we get the day off (a big woohoo!). What's everyone's plans this weekend? This weekend my goal is to keep my healthy eating habits and workout routine on the same schedule as the weekday. I've worked way to hard this week to let it slip.

This is just a quick post as I'm itching to get outside and enjoy this sun. I've got to get some work done and then I'll be running. Oh yeah... and if you haven't noticed yet on the side of the blog, I've recently made a Facebook Page for my blog and hope you can join it so we can keep a conversation going on all things health, fitness and travel.

Here are my favourite links from around the web from this week:

• This new book from Kris Carr comes out in October and looks delish!

• How do you reward yourself? Cupcake or Manicure? This made me think.

• I need a new crop pant and this one has been my favourite to wear while running.

• This tank is perfect to lounge around in and workout in.

• I'll be trying this Healthy Alternative to Pizza over the weekend. Great idea!

Have a wonderful everyone!

-Michelle

Weekend Summary : Fireworks and Rides

Hello lovely people!
This past Saturday was one of the busiest Saturdays I've had in a long time...

My BF and I started our exciting adventure by taking the bus to our local fairgrounds/amusement park called "Playland". The company I work for put on this event day in which they paid for our admission and had a BBQ inside the park. I've been to Playland many times but recently I've had no want to go. It's in much need of an upgrade. The last few times I went on the crickity old wooden roller coaster, I've walked off with bruises from being thrown around lol. We made the best of it and it was nice to see people from work out of the office.

After a couple hours at Playland we headed downtown Vancouver to watch the Honda Celebration of Light Fireworks. This is our annual fireworks display that is on a large barge right off the beach downtown. It's always a guranteed spectacular show put on. It runs on 3 different nights and each country in the competition has a night to display their talent. We got to see Vietnam. The fireworks go to music which you can tune into on the radio. On Saturday it attracted 300,000 people to the shores to watch.

Fitness Goals for the week:

• I love this routine that FitSugar posted. I'm going to add these quick little routines to my cardio in the afternoon.
• I'm also going to beat my time in running my 4k trail with my dog.
• I'm going to do 3 sets of abs each day.

What is your fitness goal for this week?
-Michelle

#WIAW Series - Fitness Theme

I've joined the "What I Ate Wednesday" #WIAW series created by Peas and Crayons.
 


The theme for July is too focus not only on the healthy food but what your fitness focus is. So here is my #WIAW for July 18th (yea yea it's Thursday now but hey... better late than never).

Breakfast: Strawberry, mango, banana smoothie. Added one scoop of Vega Natural Energizing Protein powder. 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of almond milk.

Snacks: Small nectarine, celery sticks with hummus dip and two mushroom caps stuffed with crab.

Lunch: Green salad with a tomato, orange pepper, sesame seeds and tuna. Balsamic Vinegar/Olive oil dressing.

Dinner (not pictured): Cod fillet with a sprinkle of panko crumbs on top. Side of green beans with Serrano pepper.

Fitness: This week I focused on getting back into my usual fitness routine. I was away in Seattle on the weekend and then sick for a couple days. It threw me off but yesterday was the first day I felt back to normal. I went for my usual morning HIIT run with the dog and after work I went and played tennis with the BF. Like usual there was lots of laughs and the usual competitive spirit from both of us. We played for about an hour.

How are your fitness goals coming along this summer? Keeping to them?

-Michelle

Weekend Summary : Seattle & Mariners Baseball Game

That went by way too quickly!

Seattle Adventure

I was going to post this yesterday but had a bit of health scare. I've had this sharp pain in my sternum that started on Sunday evening and yesterday it turned into swelling on my whole right side. I saw the doctors and they are a bit confused. Luckily the swelling went away while sleeping last night. Hopefully all stays well (fingers crossed).

Back to my weekend. We had planned on and were on our way to leave for Seattle from Vancouver at 10am in the morning. Little did we know that plans were going to go hay wire and change quickly. A friend was going to drive with my mom and I was going to drive with the BF down to Seattle. Our friends car sprung a gas leak and only made it 5 blocks from his house. Luckily he noticed and he had to call the fire department to ensure the gas was all soaked up. We eneded up having to pick him up from the side of the road and wait for a tow truck to come. 3 hours later... we were on the road again.

When we arrived at our hotel (Silver Cloud Broadway) we only had 30 minutes to get everything checked in to make it for the first pitch at Safeco Field. Well... that didn't happen. Instead, my shorts ripped (across the butt - no hiding it) and I hadn't brought anything else. I had planned on buying some shorts the next day while shopping. ooops - a quick rush sew job later and we were on our way. We arrived 30 minutes late but the game was moving at a super speed pace. I've never seen a baseball game move so quickly. By the 7th inning we were running to the food stands to grab some snacks but had to be so quick because we could possibly miss a whole inning. The game only lasted 2.5 hours! That was the shortest baseball game I'd ever seen in my life. By the end of it we were laughing uncontrollably. We were all in disbelief on how the whole day unfolded. Then again ... it might have been boring if you we didn't have some challenges lol. We did get to enjoy some of those snacks. We had some spicy nachos that were slathered in pulled pork (I picked some chips out from around it), a little bit of kettle corn popcorn and a couple drinks. All in moderation remember.

After the game we had fun going out to a pool hall that was right beside our hotel. It was really large (20 tables). After that exciting day we were all tired and headed to bed. We woke up around 7am and grabbed a coffee from Tully's. It wasn't my favourite coffee in the world but it did the job. I tried Peet's coffee while I was in Silicon Valley a couple years ago and fell in love. I only wish we could get it closer to us in Vancouver. We made a couple shopping stops along the way home. The weekend was over - where did it go so quickly? All around I had an awesome time filled with so many laughs and unexpected moments.

Oh and in case you want to know: Seattle Mariners WON! against Texas.

How do you deal with unexpected speed bumps in your travel plans? Do you freak out and get nervous? Or do you go with the flow and everything happens for a reason?

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : July 6

Here in Vancouver people are in MUCH better mood than last weekend. Wondering why?



Sunset in Port Moody, British Columbia



Sunshine has arrived! Just in time for the weekend the temperatures are creeping up and all my plans include being outside soaking up the rays. I've been watching the tennis matches at Wimbleton while I get ready in the morning before work and I'm sucked in again. I love not only to watch tennis but I love to head out and play tennis. So tennis is a guranteed event on the agenda this weekend. Tonight we are going to take the dog up for a hike and then a dip in the lake. Oh she's going to love it! I've been making sure to get up early in the morning to take her for a run so she doesn't get over heated from the heat and sun.

Any plans for the weekend? Are you heading outdoors for some adventures?

Here's a few links I've enjoyed from the web this week:

• Top 100 websites for women by Forbes. I've been exploring it all week.

• Dogs in the office - good or bad for your work related stress?

• Boozy popsicles? EveryGirl offers some great recipes for the those hot days.

• Speaking of booze: tips to avoid weight gain on the weekend.

• Looking for new breakfast ideas? Breakfast Quesadillas? Delicious healthy breakfast ideas.

• I recently found an interesting recipe on Pinterest by Queen of Quinoa

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : June 29

This weekend it's our long weekend here in Canada. It's Canada Day!
Happy Canada Day!

As you can see from the picture above... it's raining in Vancouver again. A look at the positive though, it's supposed to get sunny (and stay sunny) by next weekend. Finally!

There's a festival that goes on every year in our community called "Golden Spike Days" and we usually don't make it to it because of other obligations with family or friends' Canada Day parties. This year though we were all ready to head down to the festival and have a couple drinks and then walk back to our place to watch the fireworks from our patio. It looks like we will just have to throw our own little celebration inside and hopefully the weather is clear enough for us to still watch the fireworks from our patio. We are on the 18th floor so shouldn't be too much of a problem (crossing fingers!).

Any plans for the long weekend or just the normal weekend?

• If it was hot out and I needed a Margarita, this Margarita would definitely do!

• This isn't a new product from Nike but I'm itching to get it lately. Who doesn't love a game of tag too?!?

• Kamalame Island - can you tell I'm dreaming of sunshine and beaches

• This Vlog from Gabrielle Bernstein really made me think this week. I pondered what I might be trying to control in my life. Let go and enjoy some surprises in life.

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Michelle

Top 10: Bucket List for the Summer of 2012

I don't want this summer to pass me by again! 

Weekend getaway to Napa Valley

So when I saw this post at Inspired Coast, I couldn't resist and had to do my own bucket list for the summer. So many times the Fall season hits me with a thud and I realize I didn't accomplish everything I had thought about doing only because I had forgotten about them. This time.. it's here on the blog for all to see if I've done it or not.

Last Updated on 07/31/12
So here is my Top 10: Bucket List for the Summer of 2012  :

1. Kayak or Canoe in the Port Moody inlet and along the coast of downtown Vancouver. We are hoping to take the dog with us - cross your fingers please.
2. Watch a movie at the Twilight Drive-In. It's one set price and you get 3 movies! Can't beat that.
3. Taking a day for myself to really dive in to my photography. Start the day by watching some lessons and then head out to try them. CHECK
4. Run 60 minutes every morning for 10 consecutive days. I'm currently doing 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening. I want to bump it up.
5. Travel (somewhere) for a long weekend. Vegas? Northern California? Osoyoos? Oregon? Ideas welcome.
6. Start brushing up on my Spanish with my boyfriend. We are going to need to learn Spanish as it will be the main language where we want to have our Health Retreat - B&B.
7. Start school becoming a Health Coach - big one for me! CHECK
8. Watch the fireworks at English Bay - Vancouver's annual fireworks competition. CHECK
9. Take a bike ride around Stanley Park
10. Hike up the local mountain and have a picnic at the top.

Bring it on Summer! I'm ready for you this time.

Any plans for the summer?

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up

Happy Weekend!

Crazy, did this week ever go by quick?! Don't get me wrong... not complaining at all. This weekend we have plans for a birthday dinner tonight and I've been craving these sushi cones from there. They are not your typical sushi cone. We asked the waitress last time what makes them so different because we tried making them with rice paper once before and it just didn't taste the same. The secret wrapping ingredient - soy paper! Now we have to go search for it.

My pups and mom are coming over for a visit on Sunday. I've really missed my dogs lately (the Bernese mountain dogs). My mom took over looking after them when I moved into my condo recently. We have my boyfriends dog, Keena but I just miss my Big Fluffy Bears!
Oh! and we are going to make some Paella. I'm thinking of doing a blog post on this recipe as my boyfriend makes a crazy paella dish! Mmmm drooling already.

Here's some interesting tidbits for the weekend:

Blueberry, Strawberry and Jicama Salsa - perfect for the beginning of summer.

Have you heard about Tough Mudder? It's happening in Vancouver/Whistler this weekend. It's crazy and I think I might make this a future goal.

Job well done! Congrats to the people of one of my favourite sites, The Everygirl. They made the Forbes Top 10 sites to follow for Millennial Women.

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Michelle

First Day of Summer - Happy Summer Solstice

Happy Happy Happy First Day of Summer!



Spain - Next Summer

 It's the first day of summer and proclaimed by experts to be the happiest day of the year.

"Dr. Cliff Arnall, formerly a lecturer at Cardiff University, devised this happiness formula -- O + (N x S) + Cpm/T + He -- to calculate the year's best day.
It sounds complicated, but it actually is quite simple to work out. Here's how he figured that today radiates maximum happiness: The value of being outdoors (O) is added to nature (N) multiplied by social interaction (S), plus childhood summer memories (Cpm) divided by the temperature (T) and added to the excitement felt on a holiday (He). When all of this is tallied up, today's the number one occasion for peak happiness."

WooHooo! is all I can say. I'm so happy that summer is finally here. Having more time in the evenings to get outside excites me incredibly. We don't have too many plans for the summer months... yet. In October or November we are going to go on a sunny destination vacation. That means we can enjoy our summer months sticking around Vancouver and enjoying the beaches here.

Cheers to the first day of Summer!
Hmm maybe a nice glass of rose wine will be in order for this evening. My favourite: Dirty Laundry - Hush

-Michelle