Author: Lila

Categories
Daily 3 Reflections & Lifestyle

Daily Three: February

We are continuing on with this practice; it is really nice to look back as see all the great little things that made my daily life enjoyable.

  1. Pigging out on Ferrero Rocher
  2. New book is making up for the garbage one I read yesterday 
  3. Husband doesn’t have to leave 3 days early for work anymore 
  4. Two hour nap
  5. Not having to cook
  6. Best friend won best booth at her convention
  7. When my husband makes the baby laugh hysterically
  8. Everything bagel seasoning
  9. My baby’s love of blueberries 
  10. Hot dogs 
  11. Found a lotion that has cleared up baby’s drool rash
  12. Husband made dinner
  13. Baby slept in
  14. Waking up to a clean kitchen
  15. Mint oil 
  16. Made it to and from the city safely (was a dicey drive)
  17. Spending time with in-laws
  18. Homemade garlic knots from my niece  
  19. Doctor is happy with baby’s progress & development 
  20. Little Critters books
  21. Visits with the neighbors 
  22. Wrapping presents 
  23. Baby zooming around
  24. Update on my dog at training 
  25. Baby playing with his guitar
  26. Visits with in-laws & they brought treats 
  27. Cleaned the house 
  28. Shower
  29. Coffee in bed while baby sleeps
  30. Getting my steps in 
  31. The driveway is wasn’t as drifted in as I thought, and I didn’t get stuck.
  32. Love that Matthew Kona is selling anti-Kanye West T-shirts in response to his swastika shirts.
  33. Booked my next tattoo
  34. Going for drives as a family 
  35. Baby got his Valentines present from his grandparents 
  36. Husband cooked dinner 
  37. Baby’s first Valentine’s Day
  38. Heart shaped pizza
  39. Red roses 
  40. Pizza for breakfast
  41. Baby gate is installed 
  42. Toe is feeling better (for now)
  43. Chasing the baby around the house
  44. Finally watched the finale of Hell’s Kitchen
  45. Toe is continuing to feel better 
  46. Baby went to bed super easy; laid him down and immediately OUT
  47. Hockey game
  48. Binge listening to popapologists from Instagram; juicy Hollywood gossip is my guilty pleasure 
  49. Starting my junk food detox
  50. Indigo is using Canada Post again… 
  51. Thankful I have a roof over my head and heat.
  52. My new books from Amazon showed up and they are the same size as the previous book in their series. Do I ever hate it when they’re all different shapes and sizes!!!
  53. It’s warming up slowly, but surely.
  54. We got a video update of our puppy.
  55. Loving my new Sherlock Holmes book
  56. Crib sleeps are going well (so far, knock on wood)
  57. Didn’t pig out on junk food even though I really really wanted to 
  58. Waking up to find out that Canada beat the USA in the 4 Nations Hockey Tournament 
  59. Quite a few people stopped me at Wal Mart to tell me how cute baby is
  60. Cheesy ravioli chicken marinara healthy choice steamer for the win!!! 
  61. Freezer reorganization 
  62. Set up the stroller (& baby liked it)
  63. Pre-ordered the third Sue Ryeland mystery by Horowitz
  64. Got to see my youngest nephew
  65. Did my first solo outlet mall trip with baby in the stroller
  66. Chocolate chip muffins from Tim Horton’s for the win! 
  67. My friend is out of surgery 
  68. Super productive day of chores; a clean house always puts a spring in my step
  69. Made hash brown casserole. I think it is gonna rival  coworker’s
  70. Reorganized baby’s room
  71. Got coupons to Children’s Place
  72. Year end is done 
  73. New tattoo
  74. Went shopping and got lots of good deals
  75. Chinese food for dinner 
  76. Not having to cook
  77. Baby bath time
  78. Pink strawberries
  79. Snow is melting
  80. Fitting into my “skinny jeans”
  81. Not having to walk the dog (because husband did it)
  82. Nephew turned 16
  83. Bought the baby’s Easter stuff (yes, I know it’s early)
  84. Didn’t fall off the Weight Watchers wagon (had a rough few days with making bad choices)
Categories
Entertainment

February 2025 Book Round Up

The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn & Janie Chang

In bustling San Francisco four women’s paths cross and their world is ripped apart when the earthquake hits in 1906. Five years later, they must track down a man who caused so much grief in their lives and bring him to justice.

Ribbons of Scarlet by Quinn, Dray, Kamoie, Perinot, Webb & Knight

Six authors tell the story of the bloody French Revolution through the eyes of six women from differing walks of life. All fighting for what they believe in and all showing immense bravery in the face of love, loss, tyranny and transformation. 

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a Soviet sniper in WW2; in this fictional tale her war is over, however, she is paraded around the USA as part of a mission to secure American support but a battle is just beginning as she is stalked by the “marksman.”

The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

Upon the death of her aunt, Lily is summoned to Endgame House the site of many tragedies for her family. She has to spend the 12 days of Christmas solving riddles and finding keys to determine the fate of the house and figure out who killed her mother.

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz 

When cantankerous Alan Conway, author of the Atticus Pünd novels dies by what appears to be suicide, his editor must hunt for the missing chapters of his latest book. When she finds them she will discovers Alan‘s unlikely killer. This is the first of the Susan Ryeland series. 

Categories
Health & Beauty

Skincare Regime: Post-Pregnancy Glow

I wanted to improve my skin after having my son; not that my skin was super affected by the pregnancy in the first place –but there is always room for improvement. Additionally, I wanted to do something for me, a little TLC, a little self-care. I took a trip to Sephora and I grabbed a sample set from Youth to the People and I gave it a shot. Honestly, my skin has never looked better and I really enjoy my morning and night routine.

Morning
-Superfood Cleanser
-Energy Facial (only Wednesdays & Sundays)
-Energy Serum
-Superfood Moisture Cream

Evening
-Superfood Cleanser
-Superfood Moisture Cream
-Superberry Dream Oil
-Dream Eye Cream

woman putting on a face mask
Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels.com
Categories
Writing Prompt Wednesdays

Writing Prompt Wednesday…

Do you like or have facial hair?

I don’t have facial hair unless you count a few chin hairs that started making their appearance as I get closer and closer to 40! I know, that is probably “TMI.” I do like a man with a nice beard or goatee. Nothing scraggly or too long. My husband rocks facial hair most of the year, however, I do enjoy it when he’s clean shaven because he looks so different and has a scar on his chin that I find incredibly attractive. I guess as he says, “chicks really do dig scars.” At the end of hunting season his beard is really out of control so it isn’t my favorite style on him. I couldn’t imagine having a beard. I think it would be so hot and itchy and I’d be afraid of getting food stuck in it and that’s just gross.

Prompt from: Piccadilly’s 200 Writing Prompts

What about you? Comment below!

Categories
Daily 3

Daily Three: January

My friends and I have resurrected an old gratitude practice called the “Daily Three,” everyday we reflect on our day and think of three things that were positive or that we are grateful for. Nothing is too insignificant; it has helped us become less negative. Here is what made my January…

  1. Husband  came home from work after 5 days
  2. Eucalyptus & mint shower steamer
  3. Friends that I can ask all the questions to, so that I can stay somewhat sane while trying learn to be a mom 
  4. Visits with family & friends
  5. Won $28 on lotto scratchers
  6. Delicious snacks 
  7. The puppy is gone for training for months
  8. Christmas tree is down & all the ornaments are boxed up so my living room is back to normal
  9. So far the formula switch is going okay 
  10. My husband & son had a daddy/son day out (they looked at sleds & went for coffee with another buddy)
  11. Got out of the house and got all my errands done 
  12. New book finally arrived 
  13. Listening to my baby murmuring in his sleep and his father snoring
  14. Starting real food” with the baby
  15. Shrimp tacos with extra jalapeños 
  16. Migraine is gone
  17. Vanilla biscotti coffee
  18. Reading Dr. Seuss books with my son
  19. Got my tires checked; no more low pressure light
  20. Really enjoying my book
  21. Baby slept for a 7.5 hour stretch last night
  22. The high chair showed up (and I didn’t think it would because of the “delay” email) 
  23. Baby finally had a decent nap this afternoon after only a short power down this morning
  24. Was very productive today 
  25. Sorted out where my missing books were from Indigo (& more from my order have arrived)
  26. The high chair is awesome
  27. Nerding out with a historical fiction novel
  28. Found a journal I’d forgotten about so I started that up again 
  29. Found out that my friend‘s husband is taking her out for a very nice dinner to chairman steakhouse in Calgary for her 40th birthday on Monday and that made me really happy that he’s doing something so special for her.
  30. Peppermint tea.
  31. Scrambled eggs for supper
  32. Milk frother so Keurig coffee feels a little more like Starbucks
  33. Taking my multivitamin (as an actual routine now haha) 
  34. My friend’s 40th birthday; can’t wait for her to kickass in this new decade
  35. When my husband says “we are a team”
  36. Surprised with tickets to The Citadel
  37. Starting a new book
  38. Magic bags!!
  39. EOS Lip balm 
  40. Husband is home from work after 7 days 
  41. Baby is growing although he is “petit”
  42. Found brownies in the freezer (unexpected treasure) 
  43. Baby got clean bill of health at the pediatrician
  44. Got my haircut (felt amazing to have it shampooed and styled)
  45. .Decent road conditions despite there being a snow squall coming 
  46. Shower
  47. New Abbott Elementary episode 
  48. Having power after the 6 hour outage last night 
  49. Baby slept 8 hours last night 
  50. Gingerbread biscotti 
  51. Stew on a cold winter day 
  52. Baby slept 12 hours
  53. Finished another book
  54. Watching people freak out over the TikTok ban in the USA was hilarious 
  55. Baby was enjoying his Nemo bouncy chair finally
  56. Starting a new book
  57. Watching @mamaj.rae on Instagram and she makes me laugh
  58. Ricotta and spinach ravioli for breakfast; because why not !?
  59. Husband gave baby a bath for the first time ever
  60. Coworker became a grandma to the cutest little boy (also everyone is happy and healthy) 
  61. Baby pics from my coworker 
  62. Leftover sausage rolls in the freezer from Christmas YUM
  63. New books showed up; most were for the baby but one was for me
  64. Donuts from the best local bakery
  65. Visited with my mother in law
  66. Fresh sheets on the bed 
  67. Watched Hell’s Kitchen 
  68. Tea for a sore throat
  69. The baby’s laugh 
  70. Mother in law came and visited again
  71. My Costco date with husband is a “GO” because we have a babysitter
  72. Indigo was having a sale on some books I wanted to preorder so I got $60 in books for $40
  73. “Hair wash night”
  74. Baby legs (so cute)
  75. Got out of the house; even though it was only to the grocery store 
  76. Lime Bubly
  77. Catching up on National Geographic 
  78. Fuzzy Jammies
  79. Baby finally had a decent day nap 
  80. Visit from MIL & oldest nephew and baby was obsessed with his cousin 
  81. Scrambled egg & ketchup; craving satisfied (and I managed not to over cook the eggs for the first time in forever)
  82. Chicken nuggets for breakfast 
  83. Shaved 2 years off the mortgage
  84. Iced coffee 
  85. Lunch at the Olive Garden
  86. Seeing my son sitting on his Grandpa’s knee
  87. Flowers
  88. Hockey game
  89. Catching up with a coworker
  90. My niece made me chocolate chip cookies
Categories
Entertainment

January 2025 Book Round-Up

I was on a bit of a Kate Quinn binge this month…

The Rose Code

The novel flashes between the looming wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip and WW2 where three women work tirelessly at Bletchley Park. The women turn against each other due to an unfortunate tragedy but are suddenly thrown together due to a mysterious encrypted letter. They must put aside their trauma to save a friend and expose a traitor.

The Alice Network

Eve, a former spy from real-life Alice Network in France during World War I must help a young, unwed and pregnant American who journeys to Europe to find out what happened to her cousin at the end of the WW2. It turns out that the women have more in common than they think.

The Huntress

Nina Markova was a brave Soviet pilot who is forced to leave her unit behind after being denounced; after surviving a brutal attack by The Huntress; Nina, her husband and his assistant find themselves in Boston in the 1950s hunting down the vicious killer who has embedded herself as a suburban housewife.

Murder on the Brighton Express by CJ Archer

After receiving a blackmail note while on holiday with her family in Brighton, Cleopatra Fox is on high alert. She becomes preoccupied with the disappearance of a train passenger –realizing that the women could not have disembarked of her own volition, Cleo must figure what happened, who wanted the journalist dead and why. To assist her with the investigation is Harry Armitage.

A Death in Diamonds by SJ Bennett

It is 1957; Queen Elizabeth is undertaking a lot of tours but she is not too preoccupied to notice that things are not as they seem within the Institution; subtle sabotages make her question those closest to her. While Her Majesty tries to get to the bottom of that mystery, a young woman wearing only silk underwear and a tiara and her gentleman caller are found dead in a house not far from Buckingham Palace.

Categories
Baby Life Reflections & Lifestyle

Product Review: Finding Nemo Sea of Activities Jumper

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Our little guy loves it; well he will –right now he’s still taking it all in and his little arms are too short to reach most of the items but it won’t be long before he’s manhandling all the items.

Features…

-Seat swivels around 360 degrees
-High back seat
-Easy to put together
-Widest part is just over 38 inches
-Lightweight (without being flimsy)
-Multiple height positions
-Easy to clean
-Plenty of items, sounds and lights to occupy baby
-Affordable (approx. $200)

Categories
Fashion

Cozy Footwear

I very rarely order clothes from Amazon; although returns are a breeze –I just never do it, I guess I am “Old school,” I like to see, touch and try on. My husband ordered me new boots and slippers and OH MY GOD they are amazing and fit perfectly. The best part is I get the “look” without the price. These two items I highly recommend.

Dream Pairs Mid Calf Winter Boots (Grey)

Litfun Fuzzy Memory Foam Slippers (Chestnut)

Categories
Food & Drink

Master Carve Ham

I picked up a Master Carve Ham from Costco last week and it was amazingly tasty. It also afforded me the ability to make several meals.

  1. Ham with potatoes cooked in the air fryer and peas (4 servings)

2. Potato Ham Chowder (for hubby to take to work; 8 servings)

Ingredients
1 cup Master Carve Ham (cubed)
1 cup onion (diced)
1/2 cup celery (thinly sliced)
2 cups water
2 cups potatoes (diced)
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bayleaf
2 cups milk
1 cup canned corn
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp AP flour

Directions
1. Saute ham, onion & celery until softened; set aside.
2. Combine water, potato, salt, pepper & bayleaf into a pot; cook for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender; remove bayleaf.
3. Add the 2 cups of milk, corn & ham mixture to the pot; simmer for 3 minutes.4. Combine ½ cup milk and flour in a small bowl; mix until smooth then slowly mix it into the pot.
5. Boil until thickened
6. Enjoy!

3. Ham Soup (for freezer meals)
*This recipe is also Weight Watchers friendly; it was only 3 points per 1 cup serving

Categories
Writing Prompt Wednesdays

Writing Prompt Wednesday…

What grinds your gears and really annoys you?

Ignorance, plain and simple ignorance!

I cannot stand when people bury their heads in the sand and ignore what’s happening in the world. I constantly end up listening to people make statements from a place of being ill-informed because they have seen a TikTok or a post on Instagram that is clearly misleading. It is very annoying when people don’t consistently evaluate their beliefs and values to see if they fit or are correct or even applicable. I truly feel that as people and society change we need to examine our beliefs. I also hate it when people are blind to their words and mindset flaws or they try to impose certain beliefs on others but the second they are questioned, not even imposed upon they scream and shout their mindset and freedoms are being infringe on. I hate that people don’t think critically about history and their own privilege.

What about you? Comment below!

Prompt from: Piccadilly’s 200 Writing Prompts