I want to start off my saying that I feel very fortunate to still be living at home with my parents, because that meant getting to spend Easter weekend together as a family, which I know not many people were able to do. I saw on social media that a lot of people made their own Easter dinners, and then video chatted with their families during dinner, so it was like they were all having dinner together! I thought that was such a cool concept.
I started off my Easter weekend by decorating eggs with my parents on the Friday.
How do you decorate your eggs? We used to use wax crayons and dye, but the past few years we’ve opted for using sharpies instead. I find the sharpies to definitely be easier for drawing on eggs, and I think the colours show through the dye a lot better too – but I think wax crayons are 100% more suitable if you have children. They’d make this messy craft a little less messy! I like to do a “celebrity” egg every year, and this year Tiger King was my inspiration. I’m no artist, but I was pretty happy with how my Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin eggs turned out!
Yes, my brother and I still get Easter baskets on Easter Sunday. Some people may say we’re too old for it, but I think that’s ridiculous. Who is ever too old for free chocolate? My mom has always displayed the decorated Easter eggs in this basket on Easter morning for as long as I can remember! Well, when we were younger they were hidden around the house, but once we found them all they would be put in this basket.
We spent Easter Sunday the same way we like to spend every holiday – playing games all day long.
First we played Ticket to Ride, and I won! I don’t know if I’ve ever won that game before, so I was very happy. Then we played Trivial Pursuit. We have a few different versions of Trivial Pursuit that have been released over the years, but this one is their latest, most current one. I prefer this version because I can’t really contribute much to the older editions we have! My brother and I played on a team against our parents, and while we were ahead for most of the game, we had the hardest time getting a purple pie, and my parents ended up winning.
Murphy slept and watched us play games most of the afternoon, until my parents went to prepare supper. Then he was in the kitchen standing around their feet just in case they happened to drop a morsel of food.
My parents put on a delicious supper of ham, Amaretto sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and mashed potatoes. Towards the end of dinner my mom remarked that she hadn’t bought a dessert, which made me laugh. We had so much chocolate that would very easily suffice for a dessert!
After supper we played one final game. It’s a card game called golf that I’m not usually a big fan of, but I actually ended up winning by quite a bit, so I was very pleased with myself! It always seems to work that way in my house – the person who grumbles the most about having to play a game is the one who ends up winning.
All in all it was a very good Easter weekend, and I feel very blessed that I was able to spend it with my family.
I hope everyone else had a great Easter weekend too. I’d love to know what you got up to for the holiday!
Skin care routine icons set in line style. Vector illustration.
I used to invest a lot of money in complex skincare products from Sephora. I was a big believer in the more expensive a product is, the better quality it’ll be, and the better my skin will be. Turns out, that’s not always the case. I was spending more money than I could afford on these products, and my skin seemed to keep breaking out. It didn’t matter what I did, my skin wouldn’t clear up.
Someone recommended to me that I strip back my skincare routine and really simplify it. They recommended some drugstore skincare products, and I was so skeptical. I figured that if the higher end products didn’t work for my skin, there was no way some drugstore products would. But I followed their recommendations, and I’m so glad I did. My skin has been so much happier ever since I simplified my skincare routine.
I’m definitely no expert, certainly not a dermatologist, but this worked for me, and it might work for you too!
Mornings:
Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser
I get a really oily t-zone, and I find this helps it a lot. This can be found at any drugstore, I buy mine from Shoppers or Rexall usually!
I’m not sure if I’ll be repurchasing this particular eye cream. It leaves some kind of film under my eyes to create the brightening effect, which I’m not a fan of. I find an eye cream to be beneficial since the skin around the eyes is quite delicate. For me, this area tends to get drier than the rest of my face, so it’s nice having extra layer during the day.
Cetaphil Dermacontrol Oil Control Moisturizer
This moisturizer is nice and lightweight, and it doesn’t leave my skin feeling oily or greasy. And it’s got SPF, which is what you want in a moisturizer! Just like the Cetaphil face wash, you can find this moisturizer at any drug store.
Nights:
I start off using the same Cetaphil face wash I used in the morning.
I actually picked this product up after it was recommended to me at a spa facial. It is unfortunately a bit more on the expensive side, but it lasts such a long time. I only use it every second day, and you only need a small amount each use. I’ve had this for over a year now, so I think it’s worth the price in the long run! It keeps my skin feeling nice and smooth, and helps out with blackheads as well.
Benefit Cosmetics Total Moisture Facial Cream
I got this in a kit as part of a Christmas gift, and I’m in love with it! I use it at night since it is a heavier moisturizer, and I feel like it soaks in better when I’m sleeping. It has made such a big difference for my skin this winter. My skin is always so tight and dry during the winter even though I moisturize every day. Since I started using this at night, my skin no longer has that tight, dry feeling.
1-2 Times a Week:
I usually like to use a face mask once or twice a week. I only ever have one face mask on the go at a time, and I like to wait until I finish one before purchasing a new one. When I do buy a new mask, I usually just buy one based on whatever area of my skin I want to improve at that moment.
This mask leaves my skin feeling so smooth and hydrated. As soon as I wash it off, my skin looks bright, glowy, and refreshed!
Tips and Tricks:
Here are some tips and tricks I’ve picked up along my skincare journey:
If you’ve got peach fuzz on your face (don’t worry, most of us do), then it’s best to go against the growth of it when washing your face. This way, it’ll lift up the small hairs and can clean away any oils or dirt trapped beneath it. Some people also find that shaving or waxing the hairs away tends to help improve their acne.
When it comes to exfoliators, choose a chemical exfoliator. When I received a spa facial, I was told that chemical exfoliators remove dead skin more gently, whereas physical exfoliators (like scrubs or ones that contain beads) can create tears and ultimately damage your skin.
Apply your moisturizer while your skin is still damp. This allows the moisturizer to glide smoothly onto your skin rather than pulling at your skin, which can result in premature wrinkling (this applies to your entire body, too!)
Pat your face dry with a towel, do not rub .
Wash your jaw and neckline like you wash your face. We sweat there, too, and often blend our foundation down our jawline and onto our neck, so you’ll want to make sure you’re properly cleansing and washing any dirt, oil, or makeup away from there as well!
Apply your moisturizer to your underchin/neck area. I’ve heard this is one of the easier areas for us to develop wrinkles, and is often a neglected area when it comes to applying moisturizer. You don’t want a young looking face with an old lady neck!
I hope this post has helped anyone in search of guidance for a new skincare routine, or has reaffirmed for you that sometimes it’s better for your skin to keep things simple!
Let me know what your favourite products are in the comments below. If you have any tips or tricks, I’d love to hear them!
Let’s face it, running on a treadmill is never as fun as running outside, and it doesn’t ever feel nearly as gratifying. But when it’s in the middle of winter, we don’t really have another option. I find that watching a TV show while you’re on the treadmill is a great way to pass the time and keep yourself from staring at the clock the whole time. When I’m at home I’ll prop my iPad on the treadmill, but when I’m at the gym I just use my phone to watch my favourite program.
These are some of my top recommended shows for watching on the treadmill…
Cheer
Cheer is the very popular cheerleading docu-series on Netflix, and it is so good at motivating me to keep moving when I get bored or start to feel tired. Seeing other athletes push themselves was encouraging for me to keep pushing myself when the going got tough during my run. I mean, if those girls can keep doing basket tosses on fractured ribs, I can keep running through this minor stitch in my side! And honestly, when Jerry starts his encouraging mat-talks, oof! That is all the motivation you need for an extra little burst of energy when you start feeling sluggish. If Jerry says I can do it, then I can do it!
Fitness Challenges
Okay, this isn’t a show, but fitness challenges are great for watching while you’re on the treadmill, similar to Cheer. Seeing another athlete push themselves to the limit is very encouraging, and their amped-up energy is so contagious. I find that I just feed off their energy, and it makes my run feel so much easier than I thought it would be. Oh, and the upbeat background music during the time-lapses is pretty awesome for getting your blood pumping too. I’ve found myself really liking Natacha Oceane’s channel for these kind of videos. In particular, I’ve recently watched her US Navy Seals Fitness Test video, and her Ultra Marathon video during two different runs on the treadmill. And honestly? When I was watching these videos, the time absolutely flew by because it completely distracted me from my run.
Jersey Shore and Love is Blind
I finished watching Love is Blind on Netflix a little while ago, and just recently I started watching Jersey Shore on MTV.ca again. These shows are so great for watching on the treadmill because the drama is so unbelievably engaging and just completely catches my undivided attention. You know when you’re watching a show, and you get so into it, and then all of a sudden the credits start rolling? And you don’t know how that’s possible because it felt like only ten minutes had gone by instead of 45 minutes? It feels the same way on the treadmill. You get so caught up in the drama and the fights and the meltdowns, that you completely forget to even think about how long you’ve been running for or to check how many minutes have gone by!
I also really like these kind of shows for the treadmill because it usually ends on some kind of cliffhanger, or it shows a sneak-peek from the next episode that makes you so desperate to continue watching. I usually make a deal with myself and say that I am only allowed to watch the show while I’m on the treadmill. The nice thing about this is not only does it kind of force you to pace yourself while watching a series instead of finishing an entire season in one day, but it also makes you look forward to getting on the treadmill next time because you get to finally watch the next episode!
Taylor Swift Reputation Tour
I really don’t think I need to say much about this one. Taylor Swift’s Reputation Tour is one of my favourite things to watch while I’m on the treadmill – and yes, I have seen it multiple times. It’s got great music to get your body moving, and an energetic performance, and the combination of the two is such an incredible distraction. And it’s pretty long too, so it’ll last you multiple sessions on the treadmill. I cannot recommend this one highly enough – even if you’re not the biggest fan of Taylor Swift, I guarantee this will still get your blood pumping and your body moving!
The Crown
I haven’t watched too many episodes of The Crown, and I definitely prefer a show like this for when I’m just walking on the treadmill. It’s a bit slower-paced and more subdued, so I find when I’m running on the treadmill it’s not quite enough to really properly keep my mind occupied or stop me from watching the minutes pass by. It is very interesting though, so it’s nice to watch while I’m walking, and I honestly feel like I’m learning a bit while I’m watching it too! It’s pretty nice that each episode is long, so I can do a long walk on the treadmill in the duration of one episode. I would definitely recommend shows like this that are based on real events, or even documentaries for days that you’re just walking on the treadmill!
What are some of your favourite shows to watch while you’re on the treadmill? I’m always looking for more to add to my list!
A little while ago I saw a post on instagram about people not enjoying their salads because they don’t season the individual ingredients going into their salad. The post went on to explain this more in-depth, and to give examples of seasoning each individual ingredient on its own before throwing it into a salad. When I read the post, it seemed like maybe this should be common sense, or that to some people this would be super obvious, but to me it was life changing. Whenever I use to make salads, I would usually just put a bunch of raw veggies into a bowl with some kind of lettuce, throw some dressing on top of it, and try to miserably convince myself that it was delicious and satisfying. But it never was. It was always bland, the flavour was never exciting, and I’d always find myself starving about 20 minutes later. I honestly couldn’t understand how people could eat a salad as a meal and feel both full and satisfied. And then that instagram post opened my eyes to how wonderful salads can be.
I’m going to walk you through an example of how I make salads now so that you can start enjoying salads too! Gotta get those greens in!
Base and Dressing
The base of the salad isn’t anything magical or exciting. I like to use spinach leaves because they’re a bit heartier, or arugula mixed with spinach leaves. For a dressing I usually go with a simple balsamic vinaigrette, because it’s a neutral flavour that goes with everything. And I use it sparingly – mostly just for the leaves – because I no longer rely on the dressing to bring the flavour to my salads!
Protein
I don’t know why I wasn’t adding protein to my salads before, but if you’re going to have your salad as your meal for lunch or dinner, then definitely add protein. Not only will it help in filling you up, but you also need protein in a well-rounded meal!
For this salad, I added in some shredded chicken. This is the recipe I used the first time I attempted shredded chicken. It’s super easy though, and these are basically the steps to make it:
Put chicken breasts in pot or pan, and pour enough water in it so that the chicken is covered by about an inch of water
Put it on the stove and turn on the heat, bringing the water to a boil
Once boiling, turn the heat down slightly, cover, and let it poach for about 16 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165F (remove the chicken from boiling water before checking the temperature)
Once chicken is cooked, pull it apart using forks or a handheld mixer
The first couple times I made shredded chicken, I just used two forks to pull it apart, but it took a while and also made my arms hella sore. This time I opted for using the whisk in our Kitchenaid mixer, and it shredded it so much quicker and much nicer!
I used three chicken breasts so that I could prepare a bunch for the next few days. I stored it plain in a container in the fridge, so each time I use it I can portion out the amount I want to use and mix in whatever sauce I want that day. This time I used a “Korean-Style” marinade.
Other protein options you could try: steak, hardboiled egg, roasted chicken, fish, fried tofu, beans, roasted chickpeas, bacon
Roasted Veggies
I quite like having warmer/cooked food in my salad, because it makes it feel like more of a proper meal to me. Plus, the roasted veggies add some dimension and make it a lot more satisfying, in my opinion.
I roasted some zucchini at 450F for about 7 minutes on each side. I drizzled oil on the slices, and then sprinkled them with some garlic salt for flavour. After they’re done roasting, I cut them into quarters and then let them cool a bit before adding to the salad.
Other roasted veggie options: roasted corn, broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, beets, bell peppers, onions (red onions in particular)
Raw Veggies
Obviously it’s a give-in that you’ll have raw veggies in your salad as well, but make sure you season them appropriately so they don’t get pushed aside and go uneaten.
My avocado was unfortunately hard as a rock when I cut into it, but I carried on with it for the sake of this post.
I seasoned the cherry tomatoes with salt and pepper, because I quite like the flavour of cherry tomatoes, so I don’t feel like they need much help (and I’m not sure what other seasonings might compliment their flavour).
For the sad avocado, I used some Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper seasoning. I love using this seasoning if I ever have avocado toast, too! It just complements the avocado so well, and I’m a huge fan of lemony flavours.
Honestly, you can obviously use any raw vegetables in a salad and it’ll work. Just make sure you add your favourite seasonings to them to make it more flavourful!
Assembly Time
Assemble all your ingredients into a large bowl, and drizzle a bit of your favourite dressing over it, and voila! A super tasty salad that’ll leave you feeling satisfied and dreaming of your next one.
If you haven’t heard of Love is Blind, where have you been? And if you’ve heard of it but haven’t watched it, I highly recommend that you do.
This post is going to contain spoilers, so if you have yet to watch the entirety of the show and are wanting to avoid having anything revealed, then you should probably come back to this later when you’ve completed the show.
The Show in General
I’ll be the first to admit this show is complete and total trash. While watching it I definitely cringed, and I definitely commented on how stupid certain aspects of it was. But I couldn’t stop watching. I had a bit of an issue with the way the show was acting like marriage is the end goal of a relationship. As if by agreeing to get married it was like winning in a sense. But in reality, marriage is just the beginning. After the wedding, you have to actually spend your life with this person. Unless, of course, you opt for divorce, but I don’t think any of these couples were going through the process with the mindset of “I’ll just marry them for now and we can always divorce later if I decide I don’t like them.” I also wasn’t a fan of the way they kept making it seem like wanting to find your partner to be physically attractive is a bad thing. I mean, obviously it’s not all about looks, but if you don’t find your partner physically attractive then…what’s the point? Because physical attraction does play a big role in relationships. Otherwise, if you get along with the person and are really close with them but don’t find them to be physically appealing, then aren’t you guys just friends? I did find the psychology of the show to be quite interesting, and I’d love to read a study on how being in a pod-situation like that could potentially influence your emotions and maybe make you think you’re in love with someone when you’re not. I think I read somewhere that someone compared it to Stockholm syndrome, which I find quite interesting!
Before I dive into my opinions about the couples/members of the show, I just want to point out that I’m aware this show is edited. In fact, I found this show to be more obviously edited than other reality shows. I don’t know what it is, but I just felt more aware that editing was taking place, and that what we were shown was very likely not the reality of the situation. They likely edited the show so that we’d view each couple the way they wanted us to view them. So, my opinions that I’ve formed are based on what I see on the show, and I don’t necessarily think these are likely accurate depictions of each individual person.
I know Jessica is everyone’s favourite person to hate on the show, but I don’t think she’s that bad. I honestly think anyone would be on edge in those situations, and would maybe do or say some questionable things. I know if I were on a reality TV show like that, it likely wouldn’t reflect my true character. I’d feel very weirded out by cameras following me around everywhere, feeling like I need to emote more than normal to communicate effectively on camera, or even just feeling a bit put-off about having to spend all this time with someone I’d just met – even if I was fond of them.
I don’t think her approaching Barnett so frequently was an okay thing to do, but I also think people are being a bit dramatic in how much they’re berating her about it. I think we need to consider the circumstances here, especially the fact that this show isn’t filmed over months, it’s literally a matter of weeks. So only a couple weeks ago, Barnett is telling Jessica that he’s ready to propose to her, and she’s obviously got in her mind that he’s in love with her – which is not an unreasonable conclusion to jump to when someone says they’re going to propose. Then he suddenly changes his mind, and she’s like uhhhh okay wtf just happened. So she clearly still had feelings for Mark as well, and decided to pursue that and see where that would go. But obviously she had stronger feelings for Barnett at the time, and hasn’t even had a chance to get over that before she sees him again. Because, in reality, if you thought you were about to get engaged to a guy and then he broke up with you, you would need to take time to get over that and to distance yourself from him in order to get over it. But obviously she didn’t have that time to get over him, and while I don’t necessarily think it’s 100% okay for her to repeatedly approach Barnett, I do think it was her way of trying to just deal with her feelings and work things out for herself so she could get closure. Also, when they talked at his birthday, obviously that was highly influenced by alcohol. I’d compare that to drunk-texting an ex, which many people have done, and if you have done that then you certainly cannot judge her for that moment.
I think Jessica constantly bringing up their age difference was kind of her way of giving him an ‘out’. I don’t think it was 100% her excuse for not being attracted to him, but maybe she also genuinely did feel bad about having him commit at such a young age, and was worried he’d potentially resent her for it. Because she’s going to be ready to settle down and have kids, and a lot of people at the age of 24 aren’t ready for that, even if they say they are, even if they think they are, they’re just not. Also, what’s so bad about not wanting such a huge age difference? Even if that is all it is, she just doesn’t want to date someone ten years younger than her, I think that’s fine, and she shouldn’t have to justify that. I wouldn’t want to date someone ten years older than me! For some people it works, for some it doesn’t.
I also don’t think she lead Mark on, as some people seem to accuse her of doing. Because again, she made it so blatantly obvious that she was not interested in him in that way. We all saw it. The only person who refused to see it was Mark. And, apparently, she even tried to leave the show, but wasn’t allowed to because of her contract. So imagine knowing you’re not going to commit to a person, trying to do the right thing and remove yourself from the environment, and not being able to. And I’m not blaming the show – a contract is a contract. But imagine how hard that would be, having to lie to the camera and try to act like you could potentially still be into a person just to keep up the suspense of it all. That would fuck with you.
Honestly, we’re all human, we all make mistakes, so let’s not judge her so harshly. She was also the best person on the show, and provided the most amount of entertainment. Love is Blind would be boring as hell without Jessica. The baby voice, however, can take a hike.
Amber and Barnett
I was honestly surprised by Barnett. Based on how they portrayed his behaviour in the pods compared to everyone else (basically, the way they made it seem like every other guy was committing to only one girl from the start, but he was juggling three girls), I was definitely expecting him to be acting like a bit of a player for the entirety of the show. But once he made up his mind to commit to Amber, that was it. He was committed. Good for him.
I definitely got major “i’m not like other girls” vibes from Amber during the pod phase, and I was NOT impressed. I also remember Amber saying in an interview that during the pod phase, there was a sense of “girl power” in the girl’s house, but I find that shocking because if I remember correctly, I think she was also threatening to beat people up or break their face or something if they made a move on Barnett….doesn’t feel very “girl power” to me. I definitely got the impression that Amber is crazy and very immature, especially when she kept bringing up threats of violence. Like okay, we get it. You wanna fight people. Can we move on?
I really hope the awkwardness of Amber meeting Barnett’s family was down to the way they edited it, because that was honestly painful to watch. I understand she was nervous, but the juxtaposition of her high energy, out of control giggling behaviour next to Barnett’s stoic family was so uncomfortable. I genuinely hope they did just edit it to make it seem worse than it was, because if his family is as unimpressed by her as they seemed during that clip, then that’s going to be an incredibly stressful marriage for the two of them.
It’s pretty obvious that Amber is upset with Jessica for approaching Barnett so many times, and is under the impression that Jessica was going behind her back and betraying her. But I think Amber should also be upset with Barnett. I know it was Jessica who approached him, but did he make Amber aware of the situation before she had to watch it unfold on television? Because the way Amber talks about it, it seems like she was completely unaware of those conversations throughout the filming of the show. I think Barnett should have approached Amber to make her aware of what was going on, and that Jessica was approaching him. If a girl that was interested in my boyfriend kept approaching him and speaking to him like that, I’d want to know. And if a guy was approaching me in that same scenario, I’d want to tell my boyfriend before he finds out from anyone else and gets the story twisted.
I do feel bad about how I reacted when I watched the scene where Amber talks about her finances. It wasn’t the fact that she has debt that bothers me – lots of people have debt, especially student loan debt. I know I do. But it was the way she seemed so aloof in not bothering to make even the minimum payments, and how she didn’t seem to care to build up any kind of savings. The way she talked about it, it seemed like she only cared to work to earn enough money to buy the things she wanted in the moment, and wasn’t mature enough to be smart about her finances and save for the future, or even to save for unanticipated emergencies. But then when I found out in an interview that the reason she hasn’t been paying off her debt is because she was in a deep depression and wanted to focus on taking care of her mental health, I felt bad. It was a big reminder that not everything we see on TV is the whole story or the complete truth.
Cameron and Lauren
I honestly don’t know why they were everyone’s favourite couple. I found Cameron to actually be quite creepy. I don’t know, he made me cringe the most. Especially when they’d be talking, and the way he was gazing into her eyes, like….are you even listening? It was the way people look into each other’s eyes in a romantic film when they’re about to kiss. And he seemed to need to be in physical contact with her ALL. THE. TIME. It seemed super territorial and like he was afraid she’d run away or disappear if he let her go. When he was showing her around his house and was like RIGHT NEXT TO HER or had his arm around her the whole time. Nope. Not for me. Can’t deal. Also Cameron rapping made me cringe so much. SO. MUCH.
I definitely got vibes from him that he wasn’t very experienced in relationships and didn’t know how to act, even though he said he’s been in long term relationships before. I kept getting the feeling that the nice things he said or did weren’t genuine. It was almost like he sees that that’s what the perfect boyfriend would do, or that he read somewhere that that’s what girls want, and so that’s why he does it. So that he can come across as being the perfect guy, and them having the perfect relationship.
I noticed too that Lauren kept saying she was someone who likes her own personal space, and I totally get that. Which was shocking that she seemed so okay with Cameron always being in her face 24/7. I would’ve definitely told him to take a step back if I were in her shoes. I honestly thought things wouldn’t work out between them because he did seem very clingy, and she seemed very much like someone who needs their independence.
It also seemed like their relationship lacked depth overall. I know this can be down to the editing of the show, but they never seemed to have any real, deep conversations to get to know each other on a more personal level throughout the show. It always just seemed so surface level, and whenever they would do things it was just like, “oh wow, this is so nice. This is cute. Oh wow. I love that!” I’m sure there’s more in-depth conversations happening that weren’t shown, and if there were, I wish they would’ve shown it! Otherwise their relationship just seemed very fluffy and surface level and not at all realistic.
Overall, based on what we see on the show, I didn’t think they seemed like they’d be well-suited for each other at all. In terms of their personalities, Lauren seems very bubbly and animated, and Cameron just seemed very stoic and emotionless. But, he does seem like the kind of guy that would do anything to make her happy. I just wonder if it’s because he wants to, or because he thinks that’s what a great partner should do.
Giannina and Damian
Gigi is dramatic AF. I could never handle those dramatics, but I loved watching it on TV. She also made such small things seem so earth-shattering when she would talk about them. I couldn’t stop laughing when she did the whole, “I lost my butterflies. And I’ve been trying to get them back.” thing. It just seemed so over the top and so juvenile. Like….butterflies don’t stick around forever? And in my opinion it’s better when those butterflies go away. I feel like you get those butterflies because you’re still getting to know the other person and are still a bit nervous around them, and you’re worried if you do or say the wrong thing it might turn them off. But then when those butterflies go away, to me it just means you’re so much more comfortable around them and you’re much closer to them. It just seemed so ridiculous to me.
Also, when she called Damian out about the sex thing, I laughed out loud. When she said “Do you remember you said I’m the best sex you’ve ever had? Do you notice that I’ve never said that back to you?” And he tells her that he said it one time, and she holds up three fingers to the camera to say he’s said it three times. HAHA I was so SHOCKED. I couldn’t believe she’d go there and call him out like that. Damn. Savage. She’s the queen of drama and I am here for it!
I got weird vibes from Damian and honestly can’t read him. I have nothing to base this on, but something about him seemed like he’d be lowkey controlling. I don’t know how to describe it. It felt like he was holding back his temper while the cameras were around. I’m not saying that’s true, because again I have nothing concrete to base it off of, but that’s just the vibe I got. I also got the sense that he loves the drama that Gigi brings, but at the same time just doesn’t want to have to deal with it? I feel like their relationship could always be messy and filled with drama.
I loved when Gigi’s mom threw her bouquet down in a snit when Damian said no at the altar. I also read, and saw photos, that apparently after he said no at the altar they talked it out up there and he got a chance to explain himself, and they ended up hugging and basically ending things there on peaceful terms. So I wonder if the rest was set up and fabricated because they wanted her to be overly dramatic for the ratings. Either way, I was definitely afraid for Damian when Gigi was all heated and confronting him after the ceremony!
I have a feeling that a lot of the antics and dramatics were just crafted for the sake of views and entertainment. Some the things they said and did just seemed way too unreal for me to believe it was natural and organic.
Kenny and Kelly
I found them to be the least interesting couple, but I honestly thought they were going to have the best chances of working out. Since each of their parents had only dated for a short period of time before getting married, I figured it wouldn’t seem that wild for either of them as a concept. And their families were honestly so wonderful and were so unbelievably supportive.
I was shocked at their wedding when Kelly said no. Well, kind of. They started dropping hints, but I thought maybe that was just to throw a curveball and keep us on our toes. It was a bit aggressive the way she told him to respect her decision, like she was expecting him to fight her on it. But instead he was a complete gentleman about it. I couldn’t believe his speech afterwards, it was so perfect. I would not be able to remain that composed after being rejected at the altar.
I did read, however, that they had agreed to say no prior to their wedding date, and that they had actually agreed to continue dating after the show ended. But I guess when Kelly reached out, Kenny had changed his mind. And honestly? I don’t blame him. She said frequently on the show that she wasn’t physically attracted to him and thought of him more as just a friend. I wouldn’t want to date someone who said they weren’t physically attracted to me, either.
Reunion
Overall I found the reunion to be very boring and kind of a let down. I was on my phone during most of it, to be honest.
I think Amber made herself look really bad and quite insecure when she came after Jessica in the reunion.
This didn’t seem like that type of reality show where everyone is always coming after each other and trying to attack one another, so for Amber to pull something like this and to call Jessica a bitch like that seemed very uncalled for and very unnecessary. I think she was trying to make Jessica look bad or get a reaction out of Jessica, but I honestly think Jessica handled it really well and her response was very mature. I also just think it made her look so insecure coming after her like that when it happened so long ago…like, the show was filmed back in 2018. And you’re still this heated about it? I don’t know, I would not feel threatened if a girl that liked my man kept approaching him to talk to him the way that Jessica did, because I trust my boyfriend to be open and honest with me and to not go after some other woman. So to me, the fact that Amber reacted like that means she feels threatened by Jessica’s actions, which makes me think that maybe she doesn’t trust Barnett or feels worried that he might go after Jessica. Especially the fact that she brought up that Barnett still flirts with other women, it just made Amber look like she’s not in a great situation, and I honestly felt bad for her. Nobody wants to feel insecure in their relationship. But maybe it’s not all Barnett – maybe the insecurities are something she’s brought with her. When he proposed to her, she basically forced an engagement ring onto his hand to ensure he wouldn’t stray.
The only other thing that happened during the reunion that was the least bit interesting was Carlton proposing-but-not-proposing to Diamond. I still don’t know what the hell that was all about. Carlton also seems dramatic AF and like he just wants to be in the spotlight. Like, he said it was an apology/request for friendship, but then got down on one knee and proposed with the engagement ring he picked out for her. And when she put her hand out to take the ring he made her let him put it on her ring finger….what?! I am mind-boggled. It was so bizarre and she seemed so uncomfortable. She should’ve just told him “No, we’re not doing this”. Like damn, if you want to make proper amends, just do so in private! Otherwise it just seems like it’s all for the cameras.
But everyone at the reunion honestly looked like they did not want to be there. They seemed like they were over it, and I don’t blame them. If I had closed that chapter on my life long ago when cameras stopped rolling, I wouldn’t be enthused about having to go back and relive it all again.
What are your thoughts about the show? Do you agree or disagree with me on any of the members? Do you feel like I missed something? Let me know! Because I seriously cannot stop talking about this show!
My boyfriend’s birthday was earlier in February, but since he was out of town for work, we waited until last weekend to celebrate. We decided to celebrate his birthday our favourite way to celebrate all occasions – with food! We went out for supper at a really nice restaurant on the Friday, and then on Saturday we celebrated with some locally made doughnuts.
Friday/Braven
We went to Braven for his birthday supper on the recommendation from a friend of mine. We took an uber so we could each have some drinks, and I was honestly so confused when we pulled up! The uber stopped outside the JW Marriott hotel, and I thought maybe he was just pulling in there because it was easier than stopping on the street downtown with all the traffic. I was ready to pull out my phone when we got out of the car so I could figure out where we needed to go/how long of a walk it would be to the restaurant, but luckily Michael spotted a sign for the restaurant inside the hotel. Once we went inside it was actually really easy to locate, and probably wouldn’t have been confusing at all if I did my research properly before we went.
The interior looked really cool and it was a very cozy atmosphere. It wasn’t super loud even though it was pretty busy when we arrived, but even with how busy it was it still felt very intimate. The one downside is that the table seemed pretty small. It still fit all our dishes, but it was definitely cramped, and a larger table would’ve probably been more suitable. I think our table would have been a good size if we were just there for drinks, and we weren’t ordering any food.
We continued the birthday celebrations on Saturday by going out to check out some shops, and we ended up finally going to Doughnut Party! I’ve had their doughnuts before when my work brought some in for a birthday celebration, but I had never actually been to the shop before.
Doughnut Party is an Edmonton-based company, so if you’re ever in the city make sure you check them out – their doughnuts are seriously unreal.
It was really cute inside the shop, and it was lined up to the door, but the line moved quickly so we didn’t have to wait around for long. Whenever they ran out of a flavour, they’d immediately bring out a new tray with a fresh batch of that flavour, which is nice because you don’t have to wait around for them to make more, or risk missing out on certain flavours! I was definitely relieved when I saw them bring out another tray of a flavour I had been eying – someone ahead of us had taken the last doughnut in that flavour and I actually said “awwww” out loud haha, oops!
We were going to get just one doughnut each, but all of the flavours looked so good we couldn’t decide. So at the last minute, right before we went up to the counter, we decided to get one of each flavour…
I didn’t think to write down the flavours (I was too excited to just eat them), so I’ll do my best to get them correct by referencing their instagram page – if I get any of them wrong, I’m sorry! They do also mix up the flavours every day, so if some of these aren’t your jam then that’s okay, they aren’t the only options.
Top row, left to right: mixed berry fritter, cranberry maple, chocolate birthday cake Bottom row, left to right: cookie beer, coconut lime rose, raspberry sugar twist.
I can’t guarantee these are 100% accurate, so if you want to get a better idea of what flavours they’ve got going, I’d highly recommend following their instagram.
I was going to type out which ones were my favourites, but then just started typing out all of them, so….that’s just proof that these doughnuts are the best there are, and you should go try them for yourself!
Have you tried doughnut party? Or do you have a favourite local doughnut shop where you’re from?
I recently went to get my hair done at Volumes Salon here in Edmonton, which I had never been to before. I was nervous because I never know what to expect from a new hair salon or stylist, and I was going in to get my hair bleached balayage style – so that’s a lot of trust to put into a person I’ve never met before! However, this particular salon was recommended to me by a friend who had her hair dyed there in the past, and hers turned out great, so I knew I would likely be in good hands. I looked at the instagram pages of the different stylists at this salon, and found one that I felt I could trust.
I didn’t think to take a proper ‘before’ photo because I honestly wasn’t expecting to get the results that I did. I know that when you have dark hair and want to go blonde, it takes time and often requires multiple sessions, so that’s what I was prepared for. When I sat down in the chair, the hair stylist also warned me that it might take a few sessions, but that she’d do her best. I had absolutely no expectation to go drastically blonde in one session, not because I didn’t think this hair stylist wasn’t up to it, but because I knew that realistically it’s not always very achievable, and I didn’t want to go in with unrealistic expectations!
Well, four hours in a salon chair later, we were both happily surprised with the results:
This photo was taken a couple weeks prior to my appointment
This was immediately following my appointment!
I loved my experience at Volume salons – at their dye bar, they have a large TV mounted up on the wall where they have movies playing, so you have some entertainment while you sit with your foils in. Everyone was really friendly, and I received compliments from the staff when my hair was finished, which is always a nice feeling! Michelle also did an absolutely amazing job, and she was so nice. I sometimes go a long period of time without visiting a hair salon because I feel a bit awkward if I can’t fill the silences, but I’m also not always super talkative, especially with someone I’ve just met. Sometimes when I go to a new salon, even if I’m happy with the results, I won’t return because I just felt socially uncomfortable during the appointment. With Michelle I didn’t feel uncomfortable when there were long silences, and when we did chat it felt very effortless, and she was great at asking questions and getting the conversation started. I feel like I finally found my perfect balance of finding a hair stylist who makes my hair dreams come true, as well as who I feel very comfortable being around, which is important especially if you’re going to be in their salon chair for a few hours!
I’d highly recommend Volume Salons, and Michelle in particular. If you want to visit their website, just click here. And click here to check out Michelle’s instagram page, where you’ll see more examples of her amazing skills!
We all know the economy isn’t doing great right now – you don’t need me to remind you of that. So, some of us might be looking to do Valentine’s Day on a budget this year. Which isn’t a bad thing because to me, Valentine’s Day isn’t about showering one another in expensive gifts. It’s about spending time with a loved one. These date ideas are also perfect if you and your significant other don’t see one another often and want some alone time (if your S/O works out of town, trust me, I feel your pain), or if you just prefer a quiet, intimate date night instead of going out and being surrounded by other people on one of the busiest romantic days of the year!
Decorating Cookies
This was a really fun activity for my boyfriend and I to do – we shared a lot of laughs while decorating our cookies, and enjoyed showing off our designs to one another.
Decorating these sugar cookies makes for a great afternoon date, and leaves you with a good dessert after your Valentine’s Dinner!
These are just your basic sugar cookies, and I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter when making them to make it more Valentine-themed. If you want to use the same recipe I used, you can find it here. Just a tip – this recipe requires you to chill the dough in the fridge for at least six hours, so I recommend preparing the dough at least a day in advance so you can chill it, and then bake it the next day, and still leave your cookies with plenty of time to cool. If you prepare the dough in the morning, and then bake the cookies in the afternoon, they might be too warm when you go to decorate them and the icing may just melt right off.
You can obviously use icing, sprinkles, candies, whatever your heart desires to decorate these cookies! We just used black and red icing to keep it simple – I was more concerned about waste since I don’t do very much decorative baking, so I didn’t want to load up on a bunch of supplies and then never use them again.
You could also write cute messages to one another on the cookies, or write things you love about one another. This would be a great idea as well if you were making these cookies to give to someone as a gift! We just used a smaller tube of black icing for our designs, but if you wanted to write messages you could use little icing pens like these to write your messages directly onto the plain cookie, and then decorate around it.
Romantic Dinner at Home
You don’t need to go out to a restaurant to have a romantic dinner. In fact, I think I personally prefer to do a nice date-night dinner at home, especially on a night like Valentine’s Day when you know the restaurants are all going to be packed and noisy! If you stay home, you can enjoy your time together without any distractions, and you can easily have a conversation without competing with the restaurant noise or being interrupted by a waiter coming to check on you (I always feel the need to halt my conversation when the waiter comes to the table, and it can make for some awkward pauses while they clear the plates away!)
Cooking is also honestly such a great way to bond. When you’re cooking a meal together – even one as simple as spaghetti and meatballs – it requires teamwork and communication, which are key in a relationship! Michael and I split up the meal responsibilities, with him taking care of the meatballs and sauce, and I took care of the pasta and garlic bread (yes I had the easier part, but Michael is a much better cook than I am, so it was the wisest choice to leave me with the simpler tasks).
It also allows you to practice leaning on one another for support when you need it during the cooking process, or to impress one another with your knowledge and skills. I was meant to be in charge of the pasta, but I all I really did was boil the water, and then Michael wanted to show me his technique of twisting the spaghetti before putting it in the water – it was a cool trick to learn!
The best part of the whole experience, of course, comes at the end when you get to sit down together and enjoy the meal you worked hard as a team to put together! Plus, it feels good to compliment one another on their skills in regards to what each of you contributed to the meal.
I don’t have the recipe for the meatballs as Michael tends to just know what to do in the kitchen and is able to make things up as he goes along without following a recipe. But I have the recipe for the garlic bread – it’s one that I found in one of my grandma’s recipe books, and if you love garlic then you’ll love this garlic bread!
Movie Night
Movie nights are one of my absolute favourite date night activities! I do enjoy going to the cinema to watch movies as well, but honestly, I think having a movie night at home is way better.
You can get cozy in your PJs and blankets, and cuddle up together on the couch – and even fall asleep during the movie if you want to! And it can be nice to make comments to one another during the movie, or, if you’re like me, ask questions if you’re struggling to follow what’s happening at certain points in the plot!
And the best part, in my opinion, is the fact that you can have a variety of your favourite snacks to munch on during the movie without breaking the bank (WTF @ the outrageous prices of cinema snacks).
Here are some of my favourite romantic films that I’d recommend watching for your Valentine’s Day movie night…
I found this garlic bread recipe while searching through some of my grandma’s recipe books. I’m not sure if she got the recipe from a cookbook, or if she made it up or got it from another family member, as it was just written out in her own writing. But it is nice and garlicky, so if you’re a garlic-lover then this recipe is for you!
1 loaf of French bread
8 cloves garlic (chopped)
8 tbs butter (softened)
2 tbs garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Mix garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper together. Set aside.
Microwave garlic and butter together in a bowl (about 1 minute). Once melted, add spice mixture to the butter.
Slice loaf in half lengthwise. Spread mixture onto inside of the loaf.
Put butter side down on a cookie sheet. Put another cookie sheet on top. Bake 5-10 minutes at 380F.
This is just a basic sugar cookie recipe that I got from a Company’s Coming cookbook called Most Loved Cookies. I used this to make my Valentine’s Day heart-shaped cookies, and my family also uses this recipe every year to make sugar cookies at Christmas that we all decorate together!
Hard margarine (or butter), softened — 3/4 cup (175mL)
Granulated Sugar ———————– 3/4 cup (175 mL)
Large egg ——————————– 1
Vanilla ———————————– 1 tsp. (5mL)
All-purpose flour ———————— 2 cups (500 mL)
Baking soda —————————– 1 tsp. (5 mL)
Cream of tartar ————————– 1 tsp. (5 mL)
Salt ————————————— 1/4 tsp. (1 mL)
Ground cardamom (optional) ———– 1/4 tsp. (1 mL)
Cream margarine and sugar in large bowl. Add egg. Beat well. Add vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Combine remaining 5 ingredients in small bowl. Add to margarine mixture in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into flattened disc. Wrap each with waxed paper. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. Discard waxed paper from 1 disc. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness. Cut out circles with lightly floured 2 inch (5 cm) cookie cutter (or whatever cookie cutter you desire!). Roll out scraps to cut more circles. Arrange about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in 350F (175C) oven for about 10 minutes until edges are just golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Cool cookie sheets between batches. Repeat with remaining disc.
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