Five Things Friday: Fall Changes Edition

Good morning!

It is Friiiiiday, which means it is almost the weekend. I've got one more day of work and then the weekend is here! As usual, I am sharing five things that I have been loving this weekend. Let me know in the comments what YOU have been loving this week - try anything new? Eat something delicious? Buy some cute shoes? I wanna know! : )

First things first, this is an exciting change for my hair! I am not the type to get my hair done often, so when I do I like to make it special. Seriously. The last time I got my hair trimmed was over six months ago, and the last time it was coloured was when I did the whole ombre scenario over a year ago. Not only was my hair in need of freshening up, but I figured now was the best time to make a colour change, too! I am so happy with how it turned out. Funny how a new hair do can make you feel like a new person! : )

Ooh, yes. The coveted Blundstone boots I have been wanting for the last year. Ryan and I celebrated our anniversary on Tuesday, and this was a thoughtful gift that he knew I would love. Now it's time to break them in!

Mmm, Monday night's dinner was cauliflower crust pizza! Have you guys tried this before? It is amazing. The only downside is the cheese, BUT that is my own fault for adding more on top. Ha, ha. I used veggie pepperoni on mine, whereas Ryan cooked up some chicken breast for his pizza. This picture was taken pre-oven, so picture this all hot and melty. Ooh, yah!

So Nala still kills me. Seriously. She is so cute. Look at those puppy dog eyes! It made my at home yoga practice on Monday night difficult with her trying to get in there too. It's safe to say she is the real master of downward facing dog, no matter how hard I try.

So it's not exactly a Christmas mug, but it's close enough. For now. This has been my go to mug lately for any hot beverages, accompanied of course by my candy cane pajama pants and red, green, and white striped socks. I know. Too soon, Holly. Too soon. I can't help myself!

---

Hope you guys enjoyed! Catch ya tomorrow : )

September FAVOURITES!

Good morning, friends!

I hope you are all having a great morning so far. It is officially FALL now - anyone else rejoicing? - and it is time for another favourites round up. I will be recapping some of my favourite things, moments, recipes, etc for the month of September, and I would love to hear what YOU guys are loving in the comments below!

So, without any further chatter, let's get into the favourites : )

The Kelowna Wine Country half marathon that took place September long weekend in beautiful Kelowna, BC. It was the first time in so long (I'm talking like ten years) since I had been to Kelowna, so the trip was much over due and it was great to run the race with my aunt and enjoy race weekend with Ryan and the pup.

Yup, still obsessed with this Mexican black bean salad. It is packed with veggies and the flavours are so fresh. No fancy sauces or spices needed. Plus it lasts well in the fridge (in an airtight container of course), so makes great lunches throughout the week.

The SPCA Paws for Cause walk was a great event we attended with my family and the pups. I look forward to bringing Nala again next year!

Fresh salads and veggies all day, every day. I have been experimenting with more fall-inspired recipes, and this salad with maple tahini dressing did not disappoint. Tahini is such a versatile ingredient, especially in salad dressings as it adds a bit of thickness, so I look forward to bringing more of those recipes to the blog. You can't go wrong with a big salad!

And because this is so relevant to me right now. I am the type of person who complains about how hot it is in the summer and immediately looks forward to fall. There is something about the crisp air and changing of the seasons that I just love. On that note, I am also that person who is bundled up in 101 layers come fall/winter because I am so freezing. Yep, there is no in between for me!

During the middle of this month we started a training program with Nala. It is all postive-reinforcement and clicker training based. She is super smart (proud parent over here), and it is fun to see her catch onto things so quickly and respond to the clicker. Soon enough we will be phasing out the clicker as training progresses, so fingers crossed it is an easy transition! So far, so good though.

Last but not least, this shirt. It is my go-to for strength training work outs, looks cute, but does not make you feel restricted. Lululemon, back at it again with the best workout tops!

Pumpkin spice oats topped with a swirl of unsweetened applesauce and a spoonful of almond butter. If this doesn't scream fall, I don't know what does. Maybe if I ate it out of a real pumpkin.

Yep, I bet you saw this coming considering I have been making my way through all the Harry Potter books again these last few months. I am determined to finish by Christmas!

---

What are YOU loving this month!?

FitBit Fun + Solo Gym Time

Good evening, friends!

I am coming to you tonight from the comfort of my couch. It has been a bit of a busy day today, but what's new? My Sunday (which is Monday) always tends to be all over the place - and I wonder why I feel not-so relaxed after the weekend... Hmmm..

Nevertheless, I wanted to pop in and give you a little recap of the weekend!

After the work day on Saturday, I hit the gym for a quick workout. I had about 45 minutes MAX to spend, as I was attending a surprise 50th birthday party for a family friend, so I got it done FAST. My heart rate stayed elevated the whole time, and I took shorter than normal rests between sets. The workout consisted of a 5 minute warm up on the treadmill, followed by some back, biceps, and shoulders.

And because I couldn't get enough of the upper body, I completed a similar work out on Sunday, but mixed in some HIIT (high intensity interval training) after. I would sprint all out for 30 seconds, rest for another 30, and then run at an easy pace for one minute before repeating it again. The purpose of this is to get the heart rate going up, and down, and WTF is she going to do next. This will help shock the metabolism and keep your body in the fat burnin' zone. Not bad, not bad ; ) Both Saturday and Sunday were nice and quiet in the gym - gotta love that solo time so you can take multiple gym selfies without ridicule, am I right? : )

Post-work out meal on Sunday night. Ryan and I signed up for a local CSA offered by a farm that our friends own, and they were generous enough to give us one of their chickens. So, Ryan got crafty in the kitchen and roasted it up, and we enjoyed a delicious dinner. The chicken was so fresh and tender, and I made some homemade chicken soup with it today! Gotta love that : ) 

Now rewind to now where Nala is laying on the floor with my shoes post-puppy playdate with her cousins. Yep, that's her favourite spot. That and under the kitchen table chairs. Strange, but whatever works! 

So, I came upon a FitBit on Friday afternoon. A friend said she didn't use hers and was going to throw it in the garbage, so in I swooped to take it off her hands. I used it for most of the afternoon yesterday and into the evening, and fortunately I hit just over 10,000 steps yesterday. This is a snap shot of my day around 2pm, Now I have officially hit 20,000 steps and it is 5:03PM! Craziness, right? Helps that I ran 11.2 km as well.

---

So, there's an update for you! I will be back again on Wednesday with more goodies. Time to relax with my under eye sheet masks and some peppermint tea. Such a life of glamour I lead ; ) Au revoir! 

Weekend Recap + On My Reading List

Good afternoon!

I am checking in late on the blog this afternoon, but better late than never, right?

We have had a productive day over on this end! I hope Monday is being kind to you and you had lots of coffee to power through the day : )

This weekend we had some quality time with family, plus some relaxation and activity thrown in the mix too. Ryan's dad was over visiting for the weekend, so we went out for dinner Saturday night and then I fell asleep on the couch.

In typical Holly fashion, of course.

Sunday late-morning our house guest went home, and I spent a solid THREE HOURS - yup, you read that right, THREE HOURS - working on this blog for you guys. I have something fun coming up in October, so I needed to put the work in now in order to make it WERK. I am not giving any more hints, but look forward to a little somethin' somethin' more than three times per week. That's it. Lips are sealed.

After I was finished being a hermit on the computer (bless Ryan for keeping himself occupied), I went for my long run. Initially my thought was to do this earlier in the morning, but then life happens and suddenly it's 1:30pm and you're like. WHOA wait a minute. I wanted to go for a run! So, I put my gear on and headed down to the treadmill and got my run in. Sunday's run was 10km, followed by not enough stretching. I seriously need to stretch more. Must. Stretch. More.

Then we took the dog for a walk, made some dinner (zucchini noodles for life), and watched the season finale of Ballers. Yeah, I gotta say I was underwhelmed, but I will still watch next season because The Rock, ya feel me? ; )

And of course a cute little picture of Miss Nala who had her last set of puppy shots today! Naturally she celebrated with a nap on the floor, because why lay in your actual bed when the floor is just as good.

Before the vet I had a RMT appointment, which I will be posting about on Wednesday! I wanted to recap this separately in case anyone was interested in trying out registered massage therapy. This was much needed, especially since I had gone to the gym early this morning and ran 6km when I woke up. Yep, that massage was golden.

Anywayyyyy...

A creepy screenshot of a SnapChat I sent earlier today. I was talking to our vet about how Nala is getting more and more energy the more she grows, and she said that it was perfectly fine for Nala to be running with me for shorter runs. Nothing crazy like 10k since her body is still developing, but she gives the thumbs up for shorter runs!

At this point in the afternoon it was about 2:30pm and I was ready for something to eat. My breakfast was a piece of avocado toast with two over easy eggs and sauteed spinach, so for lunch I wanted something a bit more comforting. SO! I got a little crafty and make some pumpkin spice oats. Yes, the pumpkin spice is REAL over here and I am not ashamed!

What's next for the evening? Some dinner and Harry Potter. I am determined to read the Harry Potter series by Christmas. Yep, so I got a little bit of work to do considering I finished the last book about a month ago. Oops. Then the Harry Potter movie marathon can begin!

---

Well, I think we are all caught up now. This may have been a little all over the place, but I just wanted to blurt everything out and let it flow, ya know? : ) Catch you in the next post!

Five Things Friday

Hey, hey, hey!

I am back this morning with our regularly scheduled Five Things Friday, where I share five things from the last week (or so) that I have been loving.

Let's get into it!

The BC SPCA Paws for a Cause walk. Click the link to read my recap on the event. It was our first time ever going, but it was full of family and puppy love! Gotta like that : )

So technically this is from last week, but I really enjoyed this seriously easy Mexican black bean salad. I am already thinking of other one bowl salads to make and share with you guys, so stay tuned for more.

I have been LOVING this top from Lululemon. I purchased it when we were in Vancouver for the Seawheeze, and it has been a go-to for work outs from strength training to running. I wore it for the Wine Country half in Kelowna and was happy with the fit and cut while I was on the run. Sometimes shirts bunch up, or it feels as if they twist around your body. This tank skims the body without clinging, and the fabric is lightweight and breezy. Win!

Okay, so. I love me these face masks. I am wearing one as I type this, to be honest. Ryan gets a kick out of them when he comes in the room and I have this sheet of gooey tissue on my face, but it certainly works wonders for adding some extra nourishment to the skin.

I have always wanted to make my own almond milk - just to try, not to continuously do as it is expensive - and so earlier this week I bought a pack of almonds and used some to get a little crafty in the kitchen. I will have the recipe up in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for that! ; ) Sorry, no spoilers here, but it has been a favourite of mine this week! Does anyone else like doing these fun little recipes? It's a nice way to try something new and switch it up. Plus, the left over almond meal (almost like the pulp left behind) is pretty tasty in oatmeal!

---

What are YOU loving this week!? 

BC SPCA Paws for a Cause Walk + The Best Sandwich

Doggies, doggies, everywhere!

Sunday morning was going to be a fun day for Nala and Marley (my parents' dog). We signed up for the BC SPCA Paws for a Cause walk earlier in the week, which didn't leave us much time to fundraise, but we all donated and participated to play our part in the event. I had never been to this event before - didn't even know it was in our area to be honest - but it is something that is fun for the family to do and gets you out there for a great cause.

There were local companies and vendors with booths set up, too. You could find everything from a pancake breakfast (all donations to the BC SPCA) and microchipping to raffle prizes and the local canine school with activities for dogs. It was nice perusing the different booths, and of course Nala and Marley loved the treats.

The walk had two distance choices to select from; a 1km and 3km distance. We chose the 3km distance as our dogs wouldn't even be tired after a single kilometre! As Nala grows we find that she has more and more energy, so it is critical for us to give her exercise so she does not develop any bad behaviours from having no outlet for her energy. She isn't quite old enough for full on running yet, though we have fun doing little bursts of running during our walks, longer walks in hilly areas, hitting up local trails, or just running around the back yard until she goes upstairs on the deck. That is her signal that she is done!

And yes, she is wearing a bandana, because it is so CUTE and I couldn't say no.

Mama and Marley after the walk.

Nala's first race bib! My mom laughed when I said this. I don't know of many actual running races that allow dogs, but maybe she'll get another in the future.

Family portrait!

Okay, Nala the dog model. The pups all got a goodie bag at the event, too. Inside there were two packages of food samples, a bag of treats, some puppy balm/moisturizer for dry paws (how bougie), and a toy. Nala's toy was a pink, purple, and orange rope toy with a rubber ball on the end. I'm pretty happy with the colour choices there, though I'm sure Nala could care less ; ) As long as she can chew it, she's a happy girl.

Now, fast forward to our Sunday lunch date!

I have to say, this was one of the best sandwiches I have had in a long time. Usually I am not a sandwich person, as too much bread and my digestive system don't tend to get along well, but once in a blue moon you just crave a sandwich, ya feel me? We went to a local spot called The Old Fork (in the Ramada hotel), my lunch was sooo good. Like SOOO GOOD. If you are ever there, I highly recommend ordering the shaved turkey sandwich (I ordered mine on whole grain bread). I swapped out the bacon for avocado for some healthy fats and extra creaminess, and it was seriously delicious. Pair that with a fresh salad and I am happy as a clam.

The rest of the day was pretty relaxed and it was the usual scene around our house for a Sunday afternoon. Laundry, some yard work, a dump run (okay we don't do this every Sunday!), plus planning a FULL MONTH of blog fun in my little section of the internet! Yep, stay tuned for a jam-packed October. I'm thinking the rest of today will be equally fun!

---

Have you ever done a Paws for a Cause event, or something similar?

What's your favourite Sunday activity?

Let me know in the comments!

Photo Diary: Kelowna Getaway 2016

Because when your dog is asleep, you must take advantage of this time and place the poop emoji in the appropriate place, right?

I wanted to share some of the photos I took during our trip to Kelowna over the Labour Day long weekend. It had been about ten years since I last went to Kelowna, so I'd say it was long overdue!

Needless to say, it is absolutely beautiful there. Of course, we only toured a limited area of Kelowna, but I am sure the rest of the area is equally as pretty.

Nala loved walking along the waterfront and meeting all kinds of people and other dog friends!

I am a water girl at heart. I mean, I practically grew up in my family's pool playing mermaids and practicing my somersaults in the water. Plus, I have always lived near the ocean, so being near the water in Kelowna felt like home to me. There is something about being by the water that is so peaceful and serene. In my dream world, I would live either ocean front or lake front and have my morning coffee out on the deck every day! One day : )

Plus, the amount of wineries in the area are endless. Next time I come back, I'd love to tour around the vineyards and learn more about the wine culture in the Okanagan. 

--

There we have it! Short and sweet. A little bonus post for ya! : )

SERIOUSLY Easy Mexican Black Bean Salad

A picture of me grocery shopping this morning after cleaning out the fridge. Hello, produce aisle! ; )

Good morning, friends!

I am back from Kelowna, which means I am back to our regularly scheduled blog posts. I had so many blog ideas pop into my head while I was away, so stay tuned for some fresh content coming your way!

My Kelowna recap will be up on Friday (in lieu of a 5 Things Friday post), so for now I wanted to share a delicious Mexican-inspired salad I made this morning. It is super easy, doesn't require any fancy ingredients, and is packed with fresh veggies.

Easy Mexican Black Bean Salad

1 cup cooked wild rice

1 can black beans (rinsed)

1 can corn kernels (I purchased low sodium, otherwise rinse to reduce extra salt)

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

Buttloads of cilantro (or however much you like. I am a cilantro fiend)

Pink Himalayan sea salt & pepper (more pepper than salt, though I don't measure this)

1 tsp turmeric

A shake of garlic powder (depending how garlicky you like it!)

Juice of half a lemon

Mix it all up and VOILA! Easy peasy, lemon squeezey. 

And of course an obligatory Nala picture from our walk on the trail today. She is so stinking cute!

---

See ya on Friday with my Kelowna recap!

Weekend Recap + Cardio Shoulder Workout

First things first, I want to say that I am LOOOOOOVING this cooler weather lately.

Like loving it so much that I will park my butt on the couch and watch New Girl for 4+ hours.

But I'll get to that in a minute.

That pumpkin on the right? That's me, only add a pair of Christmas pajama pants. I mean, it's almost September which means it's practically Christmas time.

I am checking in after a productive morning of errands, cleaning, and hitting the gym. This weekend I'm actually running another half marathon in Kelowna, so I have been trying to stay active by doing running as most of my cardio.

Today's workout was:

Warm up: 15 minute run on treadmill, which ended up being 1.6 miles

Strength training focus: shoulders (probably my favourite body part to train!)

Warm up for strength training:

Lateral raises, front raises & rear delt-fly 1 x 12 using 8lb dumb bells

Work out:

Lateral raises 3 x 12

Front raises 3 x 12
Rear delt-fly 3 x 12

30 seconds of jumping jacks between each set to keep the heart rate elevated!

Alternating shoulder press w/ hold 3 x 12
With the non-working arm, hold the weight over your head while the other arm completes the shoulder presses. Switch.

Tricep press-down on cable machine
15lbs 1 x 15
17.5lbs 1 x 12
20 lobs 1 x 20

Dumbbell pull-ups 3 x 12

(I don't know what these are actually called, but you hold the dumbbells at hip level, then lead with your elbows and use your shoulders to pull the weights up until the elbows form just over a 90degree angle) 

Tricep extensions using dumbbells 3 x 12

30 seconds jumping jacks between each set

Cool down: 15 minutes running, easy pace

Total miles for the day: 3.2 miles (just over 5km)

Sunday was a lazy day in our household. Well, for me, anyway. Ryan was productive and was getting his stuff ready for fishing this week, but I took things slow, drank a few cups of coffee, and lazed around. We took Nala to Petsmart to get her nails clipped in the afternoon - which she did amazing! Proud puppy parents over here. While we were there, we couldn't not buy a new toy, so we got the poop emoji. Of course, because we are adults and that's what adults do.

Once we were home, my sister came over and we parked it on the couch. By this time it was pouring rain outside, so we took advantage of this and had a New Girl marathon. It was a great way to just relax, hang out, and take it easy. Usually my days off have to be GO GO GO! And I don't know why I make them that way, but that's how it goes most of the time. So, despite the lack of working out (for me - my sister at least went to the gym), it was a fun day spending time with family.

Well, there is a quick weekend recap for you! Nothing too exciting in my neck of the woods, but I'll have more to chat about next week when we return home from Kelowna!

Until next time ; )

5 Things Friday - Summer Vacation Edition

Good morning, friends!

I am back with another edition of Five Things Friday. If you have been reading the blog the last two weeks (or so), you will know that I had a week off of work this month. It was probably the BEST week I have had yet, since I was able to complete a lot of stuff around the house and fit in tons of fun stuff in there, too. Additionally, Ryan had the same week off so we spent a lot of quality time together and got to hang with the family as well.

So, let's get started with my 5 Favourites!

Seawheeze weekend: This was an amazing weekend filled with sunshine, yoga, running, and the best sunset festival party. Nothing beats jumping around on your yoga mat after running 21.1km to live music.

Day-trippin' to Tofino: This was such a fun day to just relax on the beach. Watching Nala dig around in the sand and bravely test the waters just made my heart sing. Is that weird? I feel like it's something a crazy dog mom would say. That's probably how people feel about their human children. Nevertheless, watching her have so much fun made ME have fun. I look forward to going back to Tofino very, very soon!

Doing anything and everything with Nala: She comes everywhere with me; the only exception being the bathroom. Aaaand even that is debatable, heh! Nala enjoys car rides (for the most part), so it makes it easy to take her along on our adventures. Plus, she is a great snuggle buddy once she is tired after a full day of playing. This is probably one of the best parts! : )

Spa days with my sister: We spent most of Wednesday afternoon at La Spa Sereine in Victoria. If you are in the area, or even visiting, I highly recommend coming here for a little pampering. They have a beautiful ladies' lounge area (above) with local organic tea, snacks like trail mix and yogurt, and the most comfortable chairs ever. It is fun to put your feet up (literally) and relax before heading back to the real world. During our visit we got a full body massage - much needed after the Seawheeze run - and a pedicure. Hello, heaven!

I am starting to add to my essential oil collection, and this grapefruit essential oil is the newest to my rotation. It is so uplifting and bright. You can't stay in a bad mood after a whiff of this! Similarly, I picked up a new hand lotion that is a blend of jasmine and sandalwood. This combination is such a pretty smell. It is feminine without being sickly sweet, and floral without making you smell like your grandma's powder room. Winning!

---

Although my vacation has come to an end, I am looking forward to another getaway September long weekend!

For those essential oil lovers: what is your go-to scent? Any combinations I should try?