Mexico #2

This year we had the pleasure of visiting Mexico not only once, but twice! This second time around we went away for our 3 year wedding anniversary (November 27 to December 4) and we went to the Riviera Nayarit (near Puerto Vallarta). We stayed at the Riu Vallarta and we're spoiled with a lovely vacation once again! 

Overall we had an amazing experience and are so grateful that we were able to save our money and treat ourselves! 

Here are some photos to make you all a little jealous ;) 

(Sunset the day we arrived -November 27, 2016)

(Poolside)

(Dippin' in the pool)

(Beach volleyball every single day)

(Headstand in the centre of the resort)

(Walk along the beach)

(Champagne for our 3 year wedding anniversary -November 30, 2016)

(Pool bar at night)

(Mark loooves the exotic wildlife)

(Friends we made from England: Alex and Ang-Harad Young) 

(Poolside "Crazy" game)

(Sunset our last dinner out -December 3, 2016)

All-inclusive just makes us feel so spoiled and even better, carefree! It really is an effortless getaway! 
-Linds 

Bed Rest

I've been meaning to do a post-Mexico blog post (we went away for our 3 year wedding anniversary) but honestly I've been sick since we got back, and it's taken all my energy/motivation away! 

It's now past Christmas and I realize I still haven't posted but it also seems my sickness has escalated even worse compared to earlier this month. I've spent the last three days bed/couch ridden, drenched in sweat or smothered in blankets to avoid the chills, fighting off spine and leg muscle spasms, and barely keeping my eyes open from such severe headaches.  

I generally tend to catch a little cold around this time of the year (working in a hospital around flu season has its downfalls), but this year is by far the worst it's been in a while! 

That being said I am slowly starting to feel improvements in my overall state of being, so I hope to have my post mexico details up soon! 

(Captain keeping a watchful eye overy me as I suffered through sickness over this holiday season)

-Linds 

No Marriage Is All Sunshine

"No marriage is all sunshine, but two people can share one umbrella and survive the storms together."

If you don't already know, Mark and I got married November 30, 2013, outdoors in the absolute pouring rain, with nothing but umbrellas to help keep us dry. We had the above quote incorporated into the very minimal wedding decorations we had. 

(Our wedding ceremony at Redwood Park, Surrey - November 30, 2013)

I chose this quote because it is something that I think holds true for us, but I suspect just about every other relationship (marriage, friendship, etc.) as well.

Deciding to spend the rest of your life with someone, you have to expect that you are not going to get along with each other 100% of the time. As individuals, and as couples, we have bad and good days, and sometimes you can even go for a stretch where things just feel a bit off. Also, life's circumstances are so unpredictable and frequently stressful, that it's only natural for it to sometimes feel like you have a dark grey stormy cloud hanging over you. But, what is most important, is that you remember you are both hanging on under that umbrella together. 

Every storm is beautiful in good company...

Happy three year wedding anniversary to my most special man!

-Linds

Human

I found this song from watching a volleyball clip on instagram and I absolutely just love it so I have to share! Please please take a listen! 

http://www.letssingit.com/rag-n-bone-man-lyrics-human-84t4w59


It just makes me feel all the feels...

We're only human after all.
-Linds

Snippets

Some snippets of my Women's 6s Rec Volleyball League this past Thursday (I'm the setter in the grey t-shirt and white knee high socks):

(Langleyvolleyball.blogspot.com)

Big thanks to my hubby for capturing some great footage. I am also so grateful for the opportunity to help volleyball run strong in the community! It gives me such pride! If only I could do more! More courts, more players, more competition, more fun! 

-Linds 

Ordinary

"There's a lot of beauty in ordinary things."
-Pam Halpert (The Office) 

(Captain & I out for a walk)

Never underestimate the ordinary...

-Linds

My Best Tip To Ensure You Don't Skip Your Workout!

I have an incredibly unsteady work schedule (sometimes I work days, sometimes evenings, sometimes nights, sometimes twice a week, sometimes 6 times a week, etc....you get the point), and therefore I have a very unpredictable life schedule. 

I recently had a co-worker comment on my ability to always get my workout done considering the awkward/unpredictable hours of our career, and she was pleasantly surprised but what my "trick" is, so I thought I'd better share! 

Aside from over coming the mentality of "I don't have the time" vs. "I am not making this a priority," my best tip to ensure I get my workout done each day is: put on your workout clothes immediately. 

Regardless of what type of day I have planned (or not), this tip ensures I have one less excuse not to get my workout done. If I work in the morning, as soon as I come home I change in to my workout clothes. Even if I still have errands to run, dinner to cook, etc., when that spare moment arises I'm already ready. Same goes if I don't work until the evening. I wake up and immediately get dressed in my workout gear. I can still walk the dog, grocery shop, do laundry, etc., but again, I'm already ready for my workout! 

Thankfully we live in a time wear it's relatively trendy to wear fitness fashion on the go so it's not like I look like a major slob, however, if I do have somewhere "nicer" to be, where I can't get away with tights and a tshirt, sometimes I just only put on my sports bra instead underneath. For me it's easy enough to just want to sit on the couch and relax, but already having my gear on (or partially on) makes me feel silly if I don't make use of it! 

(I had an appointment in the middle of the day this day so I just wore my sports bra and spandex underneath my regular clothes)

So there you have it, my quick tip for how to help boost your motivation to get your workout done everyday! 
-Linds 

Thought Provoking

It's been over a month since my last post and I wish I could say I have some valuable excuse as to why, but honestly, it's mostly just due to business or, even more honestly, laziness/distraction. 

I've recently discovered Instagram (veebswatts07) and I cannot seem to help myself once I get going on it. I could scroll forever!

I do notice it has me feeling a little jealous (as social media tends to do) that I'm not one of those people who lives for their work. I see tons of those beachbody coach people on instagram, and although I have no interest in that program, I find myself feeling jealous that they are making money doing simple things that they love to do (ie working out), and would be doing anyway even if they weren't getting paid. 

I've talked about this a few times before on the blog, about my feelings of not knowing what to do with my life, and it seems I have not yet overcome these feeling. Is what I am doing enough? 

Current lifestyle:

-Work to pay the bills

-Work a job that gives me time to do leisure activities (i.e. a job that I don't have to bring home with me at the end of the day)

-Participate in leisure activities (reading, volleyball, working out, writing)

-Overspend once in a while to do something bold (we may have just recently booked a vacation in mexico)

-Feel guilty for overspending, so pick up more hours at work to pay the bills

What I crave:

-Sharing my passions with more people (I wish I could teach people how to play volleyball, and I wish I had fitness companions to help share my progress)

-Work so that I feel like I accomplished something

-Make others jealous with how much fun I have working (i.e. loooooove what I do)

I'm not trying to say my current lifestyle is a bad one. I've very lucky to have the job that I do, that pays very well, and that gives me time and freedom to still have a life outside of work. I just worry that maybe I'm not fulfilling my full potential. No one knows what their potential is until they keep pushing the boundaries, but fear is a big scary beast, and I just don't feel brave enough yet. And let's be honest, even if I did feel brave enough, I wouldn't know where to start, or which direction to turn. 

-Linds

Averagely Average

Sometimes it takes all my energy just to be average...

Some days being average isn't enough...

Other days being average is all I could ever need...

It's okay to be average. 

You just have to own your own average.

-Linds 

The Hubby Playing Ball!

Any chance to talk about my hubby and of course I get excited!

So here is, I guess, a semi-romantic, semi-volleyball related post.

I only ever actually remember noticing my now husband, at drop in volleyball mostly because of his serve. He used to do (and sometimes still does) this really silly toe drag as he contacted the ball, and well, it got my attention. 

(You can kind of see the toe drag here)

Mark has not been playing ball for nearly as many years as I have been, but watching the way he plays, you would never know. Mark moves so fast, gets a touch on pretty much every play, can play in basically any position, and is just an overall hard working player. Yes, his technical skills are a little bit lacking (he never had much proper coaching), but what he lacks in proper technique, he makes up for in his passion and commitment for the game. 

It's very important to me that Mark and I share this volleyball passion. I've had previous relationships where the guy had no interest in volleyball, and well to be honest, it just didn't work. They were always mad that I was busy playing, and I was always mad that they never wanted to watch me play. 

With Mark, this anger/resentment doesn't exist. We both love the sport endlessly, and we both love getting to watch the other person play so we both fully understand each others need/love of the game. 

When we first started dating, we were playing probably minimum five times a week together. We've toned it down a bit now, and we also sometimes play separate from the other (we have to have some independence from each other to keep our sanity), but all in all it definitely is a huge foundation for our relationship. 

(This is a photo from one of the first tournaments we played in together - May 2009)

Now don't get me wrong, Mark and I have had our moments where we are pretty hard on each other. We used to be a lot worse, and would bicker on the court like an old married couple (before we were even close to an old married couple), but over the years, we have learned how to handle ourselves a whole lot better. All in all, as long as we focus on the fact that we are team mates (both on and off the court), we can concur anything :)

With all this focus on our relationship being based on volleyball it does sometimes make me worry. I hate saying this out loud, but it makes me cringe to think, what would happen if one, or both, of us could no longer play. Sure we've had our share of bumps and bruises, injured ankles, thumbs, etc, where we've taken a few days off here and there, but we've both always been able to play. Hopefully we will never have to face that, but if we do, would our relationship be the same? 

I don't know if we're unique in the way our relationship is so strongly focused on this one shared passion, or if that's a common thing with other couples (yes, of course we have other shared interests as well), but I am hopeful that because a team sport is our foundations for our relationship, that we will have no problem being each others best team mates for plenty of years to come no matter what the circumstances. 

-Linds

Considerations

About a month ago I was contemplating writing my AART exam so that I could be an X-ray Tech in the states. Sadly, I let busy summer get the best of me, and let's be honest, laziness, and I ended up missing the cut-off deadline to take the exam without having to re-do any course work. I regret waiting so long to consider writing the exam, but at the same time, I mean, realistically am I ever going to actually move to the states? Probably not. So let's just forget that idea. 

Since then, I had a super busy month with work, or that's how it felt since I've been switching back and forth between days, evenings, and nights, all over the place. And then, this month has become even busier because we are now in the process of moving into a new home. I have already taken two full truck loads to the new place. I am excited to move, and set up somewhere fresh (plus waaaaay cheaper rent is a big motivator), but the moving process is getting old. Mark and I have done it together exactly 5 times (this one will make it 6x), and as much as it get's "easier" ie. we tend to live relatively minimal so we pack/unpack pretty easily, regardless though, it's always exhausting, stressful, and most annoying of all - time consuming. 

Then, to add to the mix, recently a training/education opportunity has been offered through my work, and I applied. It's a different imaging modality, so it's basically learning a completely new career, which sounds more than exhausting enough to deter me, however, the funding provided is huuuuuuge, and let's be honest, I am always intrigued by a challenge. I haven't decided what my expectations are for this opportunity yet. So far, I'm in the mindset that it is not likely I will be chosen (there's only a total of 8 spots for all of VCH), so why not apply and just see what happens, but at the same time, I find myself getting a bit giddy at the idea of doing something unexpected.  Either way, I have promised myself I will be satisfied with the outcome. 

What's meant to be, will be.....

What kind of things have you considered this summer?

-Linds

Sunday Fashion Fun-Day: Baby Shower Heat

Last weekend my second oldest sister, Leigh, threw a surprise baby shower for my oldest sister, Christina (she's due in October!)! 

It was hosted at my Auntie Nandi's house, and although it was sweltering hot, especially with 30+ people all gathered together (Christina has an amazing group of love and support!), I was quite pleased with my outfit choice for the occasion. 

I wore my black shorts and a "wide arm" block colored T-shirt (both from Winners, of course!). Although everyone else was a bit more dressed up than I was (most people wore sun dresses), I felt like I still had a good enough combo of casual, cute, and most importantly COMFORTABLE!  The wide arms of my tshirt was perfection to avoid showing too much sweat, and anytime I was in the sunshine or by a fan, it let the breeze through. 

It was also a must that I wear my hair up (eventhough I really wanted to curl it down) in order to help manage the heat overload. Again,  it may have looked a bit more on the casual side, but comfort was a way bigger priority! 

How do you handle the heat when dressing up? 
-Linds

On The Dance Floor

This is me in my element....

(Mark and I at Keith and Jody's Wedding July 23, 2016 at Old Timers Cabin, Edmonton, Alberta)

...dancing on the dance floor! 

-Linds 

Playing games?

Why do we play all these games?

As I am getting older, I have started to learn, instead of pouting and throwing a temper tantrum like we did as toddlers, even as teenagers (I threw attitude instead), to just say it instead. If I'm hurt, say so, if all I want is a kiss, just ask for it.

Yes, maybe it sometimes feels arrogant or demanding, but I've learned over the years, that if I'm not willing to say what I want or how I feel than I can't expect people to be able to gauge what I need. 

Here's the other thing, what do you do if you don't know what you want or need.....well surprise, just say so. There is no harm in not having an answer.

I am a big "I dunno"-er....it sucks. I used to just "not know" because I never wanted the blame if I chose something and it ended up being the wrong choice. I've grown up a lot since then. It's okay to decide stuff. It's okay to decide stuff and to be wrong in those decisions. Life isn't going to beat us to a pulp for every single mistake we make. Just be brave.

-Linds

5 Thoughts

No matter how my day goes, good or bad, no matter what my schedule is, work or not, here are five thoughts I have every day (in no particular order, or attitude):

I love him.

Finally.

I don't know. 

This is my life.

I can control this.

Some days any of those thoughts can be a negative, and other days there are completely positive. It's funny how routine our lives become, not just down to our schedules, but our personalities/mindset too. 

Slowly I am trying to take more control over my life, more simply, my attitude. I know I cannot control what the future holds for me, nor can I prepare for every possibility, but I know that I am the kind of person who loves a dark and gloomy day, even in the middle of summer. I am the kind of person who loves to watch the twisted fairy tale movies because of the heavy negativity. I am a person who is not always upbeat or social, or outgoing but, I am also a person who gets up early every morning, loves the outdoors and fresh air, loves spontaneity...when it's convenient, and who gives her all no matter the endeavor. 

I am in control of who I am, and some days I am a better person than other days but all in all, I am happy with who I am, mostly because I am loved by those that I love dearly. 

I have too many thoughts running through my head most of the time, so sometimes it helps to slow down and take a good hard look at them. Which are the ones that really matter? Which are the ones that define me? Which are the ones that I want? Which are the ones that I need? 

What are the kind of things that run through your mind?

-Linds

A Glimpse Into My Fitness Journey

I have decided it's time to share some of my fitness journey with you so far. 

First things first, let's start off with a brief glimpse into my past:

In elementary school I danced, rode motorcycles, sprinted, monky-ed on the monkey bars, played basketball, and volleyball. I was more acrobatic than most of my friends, taller than all of my friends, and I broke my wrist riding a motorcycle. I also noticed that my legs were bigger than a fellow dancer I always competed against, however I was a faster runner than all the boys. 

In high school I continued playing both basketball and volleyball, and I got my first real job. I was slender, as we're most of my friends. I received multiple academic and athletic awards. I dated a couple boys, and pursued a long term relationship. I waitress-ed, quit basketball and I wasn't the best at anything.

While pursuing post secondary education, a lot happened. I gained weight. I broke up with my boyfriend. I dated. I pursued a long term relationship. I gained more weight. I lived with boys and moved multiple times. I had to put my cat down. I ate terribly. I was in love. I ran, joined a gym, quit the gym, and I lived apart from my boyfriend for several months.

I never had to worry much about my size/weight as a "kid" growing up, however, I always took note of it. I loved that for most of my adolescent years I was tall, slender, and relatively athletic. The older I became, the tougher it was to sustain any sort of physical fitness. I never used to have to "work" to maintain my body shape (which I took much pride in), but slowly yet surely that started to catch up with me which was a huge shock to my system. I noticed more and more that my clothes didn't fit as well, I was always having to buy a size or two larger than I expected. My confidence was crushed, and I couldn't handle it. So what did I do? Complained, and stuffed my face with more crappy food, and complained some more. I worried that my husband would lose interest in me, and feared the worst. 

There was no one thing in particular that made me change, but eventually I realized that it was myself that I was disappointed in (there was no one else to blame no matter how much I tried), and that I needed to get control over that. My husband has always been my best supporter, loving me at every size and shape I have been, which made it that much more obvious to me that I needed to change for myself. It was me that was unhappy, not anyone else. I needed to see myself in a more positive light, and that meant, putting in some work. If Mark was willing to love me at my worst, I had to be willing to work to be my best. 

My girlfriend/co-worker, Terri, introduced me to Fitness Blender. I've talked about it a million times on this blog, and that's because it has truly changed my life.  She mentioned it to me one day while we were working, showed me a glimpse of a video, and I thought to myself: I can do those moves. The next day I loaded up the webpage, searched through the free online videos and took the plunge. 

I have not looked back since. It was March 2015 when I did that first Fitness Blender video, and between March and June I did several videos a couple times a week. Although at that time in my personal life things were not the best (crummy work hours, etc.), my confidence was growing regardless. I was working out around 3 times a week and feeling stronger every day. Sadly, in June 2015 I had a small hiccough. I broke my foot during one of the workouts, and then re-broke it again a few weeks later in July. I sunk into a bit of a slump again, feeling embarrassed at all the lost progress, but thankfully, I kept reminding myself how energized I did feel while working out, and as soon as I got the "okay" that my foot was healed, I decided to plunge right back into those Fitness Blender videos. 

I have been working out 5-7 days a week since October 2015. On any given day I do anything from running, HIIT, yoga, Pilates, strength training, cardio, etc., and of course, I still play volleyball a couple times a week. Honestly, it's the HIIT and strength training that has made the biggest impact on my life. I used to shy away from strength training, not because I thought I would get bulky (trust me, it's easily avoidable), but because I thought it was boring. Fitness Blender quickly taught me though, that done in the right sequence, strength training is fun, and probably the most effective at getting the kind of results I was looking for. My weight has dropped about 15-20lbs from my heaviest (2014), my body has never looked stronger (in my opinion), and the best advantage of all, I feel healthier. I look at my body on any given day, and I like what I see. Sure I still have flaws or "problem areas", but I am learning to love and embrace them, and see them more as projects instead of simply negatives. 

I never thought I would be one of those people that just loves and craves working out. I've always loved sports and athleticism, but general working out never appealed to me, and now, it's literally a part of me. Whether you struggle with body weight issues, or just confidence in general, I highly recommend exercising regularly. It may sound cheesy, but to quote Legally Blonde, "endorphins make you happy, and happy people just don't shoot their husbands." My life has changed drastically over the years, but in the last 10 months I have learned a lot more about myself than probably my total lifetime so far. I feel like I have become an entirely different person. It feels kind of weird to say it out loud, but I kind of like myself a lot now. Don't get me wrong, I have a ton of major flaws, and I will always need some "work", but when I look in the mirror, I know I am a better person today than I was 20 years ago, 10 years ago, 5 years ago, last year, or even last week. 

My body changes from 2009 (my most "thin" at 130lbs) to 2014 (my heaviest and most unfit at 155lbs), to this year (my most fit, and feeling strong at 140lbs)

If at any point you are feeling like I did (and sometimes still do - we can't be positive all the time), stuck in a rut of feeling shame about the way you perceive yourself, it's time you make a change. Some days it's hard, and it's always sweaty, but I promise you won't regret it. 
-Linds

What ifs (2005)

What if I had to make a choice?
I wouldn't choose
What if I had to take a chance?
I wouldn't gamble

to much can go wrong, and the fear is just to strong

What if I could choose how to die?
I'd die in silence
What if I could choose how to live?
I'd never break a heart

But what if's will never be true.
What if's are the lies we tell ourselves
so we can make it through

What if's can be good or bad,
but they will never be what you've been promised you'll have...

Whistler Weekend

Last weekend we headed to Whistler for the TFC annual Mountain Madness volleyball Tournaments.  

Unfortunately I was not feeling great during the week but after taking an evening off work and getting some much needed rest, we made our way up the mountain and we're ready to play in the early morning. 

(Drive up to Whistler)

Saturday was R2s and Sunday was R4s. 

Saturday we did OK. We definitely played better in the morning but then as soon as the gusty wind rolled in, we struggled hard. Oh well, overall it was better than last year when I had my broken foot!  

(Mark & I on Saturday for the R2s tourney)

In the evenings we wandered through the village, ate some food, and hit up a free concert in the Plaza area! 

(Top left: Vanessa and I taking in the outdoor concert from afar, Top right: Vanessa and I after dinner walking through the village, Bottom: Mark and I at the Olympic rings during the outdoor concert)

Sundays tournament was a whole other story in comparison to Saturday. Even though it was equally as windy, playing 4s we did really well! We actually came in 2nd place OVERALL! It was a bit of a bummer that we didn't get the 1st place victory however, we had some satisfaction knowing we knocked out not only last year's champions, but a few other really strong, favored teams! 

(From left to right: Vanessa, Me, Mark & Steve - R4s tourney on Sunday)

All in all it was a great weekend! Although exhausting and I ended up more sick after (excessive sun and exertion for two days straight will do that, plus working a night shift immediately after), it was still so totally worth it! 

(Misc photos and Mark and I throughout the two days at the tourney)

(Group shot of a the vball people we spent a ton of time with at the tourneys!)

I cannot wait again for next years tourney!

What did you get up to August long weekend? 
-Linds 

Monthly Mayhem: July 2016

Travel:
-Edmonton, Alberta for Keith's wedding (July 21-24, 2016)

-Whistler for two volleyball tournaments (July 30-31, 2016)

Volleyball:
-SalmonFest grass co-ed R4s volleyball tournament -July 1, 2016

-Subbed for a couple leagues (Beach 4s in POCO, and grass 2s in Vancouver)
-TFC Whistler co-ed grass R2s volleyball tournament - July 30, 2016

-TFC Whistler co-ed grass R4s volleyball tournament - July 31, 2016

Events\Activities:
-Josh & Ashley's wedding - July 2, 2016
-Mark's boss' bday BBQ - July 9, 2016
-Cousins graduation BBQ - July 10, 2016
-Mark's co-worker, Ryan's, bday BBQ - July 16, 2016
-Keith & Jody's wedding - July 23, 2016

-Met up with friends Cory and Kalene (who we met in Mexico), while we were visiting in Edmonton 

Fitness:
-Finished FBabs
-Started FB30 round 2

Food:
-Quinoa/Sweet Potato patties

Ink:
-Still working through the French version of "This Lullaby" by Sarah Dessen (onto Chapter 5)

How did you spend your July?
-Linds

Travel Bug

In the over 7 years Mark and I have been together we have flown for only 3 trips, two of which were in the last 4 months (Mexico in April and Edmonton just this weekend). 

We let so much time pass between our first flight travel together (Hawaii in 2010) that we forgot the excitement that goes along with it. 

Well, thanks to these two trips in the last four months it's safe to say that we've caught it, we've caught the travel bug!

I'm literally sitting in the airport as I write this, and although I'm tired as ever from the busy busy adventures we had this weekend, I wouldn't trade it for the world, and I honestly cannot wait until we book our next flight away! 

Here is to hoping it's sooner rather than later!
-Linds

Permanent!

You may recall from last year that I started a 30 before 30 list. Today I am proud to announce that I have another item to check off. #4 on that list was to obtain a permanent position at work, and well, today is officially my start date of my new PERMANENT position. 

Although the shifts/hours of the position are not ideal, this is still a huge relief for me because it means even more job security. Basically think of it this way:

When I was working Temp jobs before it was similar to as if I was renting a house. I was in the jobs for a set amount of time, sometimes it would get extended, sometimes cut short, so although I had set shifts and hours, there was still limited security. Someone else owned the home and I was just temporarily living in it until they said otherwise. Now that I own my own permanent position, instead of a temporary one, it's like I own my own home. So now, if I want, I can still rent my home out to others while I temporarily rent someone else's home, but I will always have my own home to fall back into if need be. 

It took just over 2.5 years to get my permanent position and I am so excited to relax and just be happy with the progress I have made in my career. Sure, other younger/newer techs have already surpassed me in my career endeavors, but that's okay. I am content to be where I'm at today. Progress is still progress no matter what others around you are doing. 

-Linds

Weekend Refresh

After spending Saturday working, then staying up way to late at a 40th birthday party BBQ, and then running errands all day Sunday to prep for our upcoming trip, as well as checking out some open houses, by Sunday evening we were pooped. But, thankfully we summoned up some energy and headed down the trails across the street from our house.

It was the perfect nature refresh we needed. 

We stopped at a couple benches, looked out to the ocean, sauntered through the trees along the trails and of course held hands tight. 

Even on the busy days life is beautiful!
-Linds

Sunday Fashion Fun-Day: Basics!

Last weekend we went to two BBQs: a 50th birthday party for Mark's boss, and a graduation party for my cousin. Both events were relatively casual (some of the older folks dressed up a wee bit nicer for the 50th birthday party), so the dress code was pretty relaxed. 

I had to work both days so honestly by the time I got home and had to get ready, I was in no mood to put effort into looking anywhere next to decent. That being said, I decided to just keep it simple and go back to the basics: Jeans and a tank. 

I went with my boyfriend fit Mavi jeans (which are a little snugger than most boyfriend fits - thanks to my large bottom half), and my black PINK T-back tank top. I paired it with just some slip on flip flops ($6 Roxy brand from Winners), and my new open knit cardigan from Rip Curl and that seemed to do the trick. It was one of the rare times I pulled off my favorite look: "look how cute you look and you didn't even have to try!" I was ready in a total of about 30 minutes (including shower time and lint rolling), and I got complimented twice of my outfit - BONUS!

When in doubt, stick with the basics, they will never fail you!
-Linds

Sweet Potato/Quinoa Patties

I've recently discovered a new recipe using a food I loooooooove.

I absolutely love eating sweet potato, in pretty much all forms: baked, mashed, fried, etc. So, the other day, I was trying to figure out what kind of meal I could make starring the sweet potato instead of keeping it as a "behind the scenes" side dish. 

Then I discovered this: Sweet Potato/Quinoa Patties

I didn't end up using 1 recipe in particular off of pinterest, but instead took inspiration from a few, and decided to just wing it.  

Here is how it went:

Ingredients (Makes about 8-10 patties):
-1 can cubed sweet potato (drained well)
-2 eggs
-1 & 1/2 cups of quinoa (pre-cooked and well drained of moisture)
-1/2 to 3/4 of a large onion
-2 cloves of garlic
-1 tsp-ish of chili powder
-3 to 5 tbsp flour
-drizzle of oil to coat frying pan

Directions:
-Combine all ingredients in bowl (I add the flour last to help soak up any leftover moisture)
-Mix thoroughly (it'll still be a bit chunky because of the onions)
-Coat frying pan with thin layer of oil and heat well
-use 1/4cup size to scoop portions of mixture into frying pan
-Cook until golden brown, flip, continue cooking until other side is golden as well (about 4 to 5 minutes per side).

I was really pleased with myself for just winging it on a recipe I had never tried before, and it was a major bonus that they turned out delicious! Mark and I each ate about 4, and ended up dipping them in sirracha sauce to give em a little extra kick of flavour! Now granted, they definitely weren't filling enough to be an entire meal on their own so we had a salad on the side, however these would be more than enough for a little afternoon snack when you have a starch heavy craving (ie. me after my workouts). 

I plan on next time making a bigger batch, and seeing how well they freeze so that I can have an easy ready to go snack. 
-Linds

Truth (2005)

A beautiful bird with wings so free
A girl with dreams for you to see
She spoke her heart, with emotions so wild
You would think she was still just a little child

A brave young girl, for she knows this well
Not everything is perfect, but you must not dwell
So enjoy her laugh, with such happiness and love
But don't forget the tears, because we can't always have fun

So then you ask, "Is she truly happy? She must not know the truth.
In a world full of hurt and heartache it must just be her youth."

But no, she reply's, "all you need is to believe
because as we all know, nothing is for free. 
The secret lies within us all
The strength in knowing that you might just fall"

Now you must decide, do you trust this young girl?
She hasn't lived 100 years, nor has she seen the world.
But maybe knowledge isn't always that kind of smarts,
Just dig a little deeper and you will see that some things are better found by the truth in our hearts

-Linds