Christmas Cheer

Christmas time is here &I love it. The lights, the food and the overall joy most people give off are what make this particular holiday my favorite. Here are some ways I am celebrating!

 

1. Cut down the Charlie Browniest tree you can find.

We went out in the bush and cut down this beauty. Is it pretty? No, far from it. It is however quirky, just like Jordon and I, and we will now always remember our first Christmas tree.

2. Drink your weight in Hot Chocolate.

I really enjoy Rolo hot chocolate and it makes going out to shovel much easier.

3. Watch your favourite Christmas movies!

This is a great time to include the hot chocolate. So far we've watched A Charlie Brown Christmas, Elf, and The Grinch but I have to say Elf takes the award for most laughs.

4. Celebrate lost loved ones.

My dad passed away about 6 years ago and I always like going to his grave during the holidays. It's such a happy time that it allows me to celebrate his life and the memories instead of being sad. We're planning on buying slurpies (as they were my dad's favorite!) and driving out to the cemetery. 

5. Spend time with family!

Our Christmas is jammed packed! Christmas Eve is at my Baba's, then Christmas morning is with Jordon's parents, then my mom, and then back to Jordon's family for dinner. We are definitely making our rounds!

6. Spend time with eachother.

Since Jordon and I now live together, we see each other everyday. We still believe it is important though to have a nice evening to ourselves. That's why this New Year's Eve, we booked a reservation at The Creperie (we have a ton of spare change to roll and bottle money that is going towards this nice night out) and are picking up a bottle of champagne and bringing in the New Year just the two of us.

So make sure you do your Christmas favorites, or any winter favorites!

-Vanessa xo

DIYs for Your Sunday Evening

So after a full Saturday of perogy making, I am finally getting around to posting the two DIY's I did last weekend. With Jordon doing real important stuff (engineering homework and what not) my crafty side came out.

1. Maps in Frame

 If you go to my traveling post you'll hear all about the road trip I took this past summer. We moved into our new place in August and still have no art on the walls... except for this beaut. I printed off maps of the states that we had visited and the put hearts over the cities that were most memorable for us. You can find the website I printed the maps from here. They have a couple different styles but I  liked the look of all the roads and lakes. I think it gave some extra colour for a pretty simple photo. The frame is from Ikea for about 10$.

 2. Christmas-y Paper Balls

The students in my classroom had created these for a math project and I really enjoyed the look of them. 

You can download the PDF templates here:

 Large Ball- print 12 sheets

Medium Ball- print 2 sheets

Small Ball- print 1 sheet

I didn't want them to all be white, so I added red designs on the small and large ones.

All you do is cut out the flower shapes and use the slits that you cut to join the petals together, making sure each petal is joined to a neighbouring petal. It's best to start with one at the top, attach 5 petals to form a circle, attach the next row of 5 petals and finally your bottom one. 

Two very simple DIYs to keep your crafty brain going over the Christmas holidays.

-Vanessa xo 

Good Music

I have had quite the dancing urge lately that I will finally be curing on Saturday. I tend to listen to music on repeat when this happens. My music taste bounces all over the place. I also tend to really like one song by an artist. Here's some of the songs that I either find super catchy, really love the lyrics, or just find the song wonderful in every possible category.

I Cry- Flo Rida

(Im usually not a fan of this type of music, but I really like the chorus)

Home- Phillip Phillips

Ho Hey- The Lumineers

Home for a Rest- Spirit of the West

Mountain Sound - Of Monsters & Men

Swoon- The Chemical Brothers

You were the Last High- The Dandy Warhols

Hope you found a new song, a song that you thoroughly enjoyed, or a song that you just wanted to dance or sing to.  If you have any music that you think I may like, leave a comment! 

-Vanessa xo

Good Eats

Going Out?

I wish I was. There are just some nights I do not want to cook anything, and tonight is one of them. I've already made supper but if you need a place to eat, here's some awesome Edmonton restaurants. These are not chain restaurants (at least I don't think so) and they range from a regular night out to a special occasion.

 

1. Dadeo

Down on Whyte Ave, this is one of my favorite places to eat. It has Cajun cuisine and a fun little atmosphere. It is an 18 plus restaurant though, so you can't go for a family night out. Every Monday and Tuesday, I believe they have 9$ Po-Boys, which are delicious sandwiches. Their yam fries are probably the best I've ever tasted. It can get noisy in here so you might want to save your intimate date for another time. If you're planning to go on a Friday or Saturday night, make reservations. It's a hole in the wall so they don't have a lot of space. I really enjoy their Grilled Veggie Po-Boy, and the bowl of gumbo (which is only 8$) It's a great place to go if you're planning on going out on Whyte after or wanting to grab dessert at Block 1912.

2. Free Press Bistro

If you work near 104st and 100 Ave downtown, hit up Free Press Bistro for lunch. They are open for dinner as well, but paninis are more of a lunch thing. You want to get there early though, probably 11:30, as it fills up quickly. They have a ton of different paninis that come with your choice of side (they do homemade potato chips that are really tasty.) This was actually the topic that Jordon and I first talked about that brought us together (get to a man's stomach kinda thing.) The price is a little high, I think it's about 12$ for a sandwich (which are really filling.) My personal favorites are the Pulled Pork, Vietnamese Chicken, & Thai Chicken.

3. Back Street Bistro

Another downtown lunch location. It's kind of hidden at the back left side of a building (I can't remember which one) on Jasper Ave between 105th and 106th street. Luckily we have google so you can just find the address. Anyway, it's another hole in the wall kind of place. Again, you want to get there early especially if you want a table. The serve Vietnamese cuisine. I usually go for the Lemon grass chicken combo which is 9$. DO NOT go here if you are planning on having a regular supper at a regular time. I usually have to snack on crackers and fruit just because I'm so full. The owners are super friendly and whip out the food like no tomorrow. Definitely one of my top lunch spots. 

4. Gini's

So this is the special occasion restaurant. Now I know what you're thinking, it looks like an everyday neighbourhood bar. Jordon and I were thinking the same thing when his grandparents wanted to go here for their anniversary. Boy did we ever under dress. You walk in there is someone there taking your jacket, and tables with perfectly pressed linen. It is pretty pricey, like 35 dollars for an entree but they served the most delicious French food I've ever had. I'm planning on heading back there sometime for a nice dinner.

I may have to do a Part 2 because there are a couple more excellent places to try but hopefully this gives you some new supper dates.

-Vanessa xo

Vegetarians for Health

For about 2 and a half months now, Jordon and I have been eating vegetarian meals throughout the week and then become carnivores on the weekend. I believe there are reasons Jordon wanted to start this that I probably cannot properly explain. BUT I can say it has been very nice on our wallets and our health. "Fresh" (as fresh as you can get here in E-town during the winter) vegetables are delicious and eating things like lentils, beans, and quinoa are filling and cheap. I have what smells like a delish vegetarian lentil soup on the stove right now. So here's a couple vegetarian meal ideas that we've tried and have been awesome!

1. Easy Vegetarian Chili

 Super easy. Just chop up your favorite veggies (we use peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms), can of tomatoes (I use crushed), couple cans of beans (I use a mix of kidney, black and white beans), and throw that all together. Add some chili powder, cumin, S&P and just let it cook. Serve with some fresh bread and it tastes just as good without the hamburger!

2. Red Lentil Curry & Naan Bread

Click here to grab the red lentil curry recipe and here for delicious home made naan bread. The red lentil curry is not difficult at all. It tastes great and it's pretty quick too. The naan bread isn't hard either though it takes longer. You have to let it rise for an hour, roll it into balls and then rise again. We have a grill on our stove top so I grill the naan bread and brush on melted butter (okay so not the healthiest) but I figure it is okay once every two weeks or so. We've tried other tasty Indian dishes but I think this was the favorite.

3. Black Bean Burgers

Click here for the black bean burger recipe. These are SO GOOD! I am not a fan of the fake meat products so trying to find something to substitute for meat favorites (clearly hamburgers) was a goal for me. The mashed up black beans have added components so you're not just eating mushy bean burgers (how unappealing.) I add half a sweet pepper, a jalapeno or hot pepper, garlic, onion, cumin, chili power, 1 egg and panko crumbs. 

So there you have it folks, some fantastic vegetarian meals. But you might want to follow up supper with some ice cream or popcorn, you know, just to balance out the calories. And my soup is about done now so have yourself a veggie meal,

-Vanessa xo

Shows I can Watch Over and Over

When I am making my lesson plans and getting stuff ready for school the next day, I always have a show running in the background. I wanted to share 4 TV shows where I can watch the episodes over and over again and still be entertained. These are in no particular order

1. Will & Grace

A straight woman and gay man are best friends sharing an apartment in New York. They enjoy food, games, and of course men. Throw in the hilarious over the top Jack, and the almost always intoxicated, sometimes bisexual Karen and you have a night full of laughs. There are plenty of story lines that take place throughout the 8 seasons. I find myself getting through a season pretty quickly as they are only 30 minute episodes. If you have not given this show a chance, I highly recommend it. 

2. I Love Lucy

This is quite the classic. Between Lucy always being so ridiculous and Ricky messing up his English, there is not one episode I don't laugh in. Plus Fred & Ethel are quite the supporting cast. I don't have cable anymore, but I know one channel usually plays it. The seasons aren't too bad to buy either.

3. Arrested Development

If you want story line and plot development, this is not the show for you. BUT if you like magic, banana stands and loose seals, all 3 seasons of Arrested Development should tickle your fancy. I have fallen off the couch laughing while watching this. It's about quite the dysfunctional family who is always getting into trouble. Michael, the middle son (and the only really sane one) always has to be the hero to bring his family back together. 

4. The Office

**ONLY THE SEASONS WITH STEVE CARELL. Absolutely awkward and hilarious. Michael Scott is a not very serious boss who takes his job pretty lightly, but would do anything for his staff. The Jim and Pam love story is probably one of the best on television. With characters like Dwight, Kevin, and Creed, there is usually some sort of humour for everyone.

And there you have it folks, 4 tv shows that I can watch constantly. Now I should probably get back to my lesson plans and hot chocolate.

Have some laughs,

-Vanessa xo

Thinking of Traveling?

Think Road Trip!

If you notice, there is a huge gap from June to November with no posts. This is because I went on a wonderful road trip with my wonderful boyfriend. If you have not taken a road trip for a vacation yet, I highly recommend it. 

 

Our Road Trip Breakdown:  

1. The Distance: I live in Edmonton, AB, Canada. The furthest point we drove too was San Diego California.

2. The Stops:

Seattle

 This was our fist major stop. Both Jordon and I fell completely in love with this city. There was so much to see and do without breaking the bank (which as students, is what we were looking for.) This picture was my favorite view in the entire city. I believe we were at this particular spot for 45 minutes. We had an awesome hotel right on the water front as well. Jordon really liked the public library, it had... 10 floors I think. We also did an underground tour of the city which cost us 10$ as students.

Oregon

 Our main stop in Oregon was Newport. The ocean was simply beautiful along the coast. Taking the 101 Highway is much slower than the I-5 but definitely worth the time. We camped in Newport which saved us some extra cash, so we found it helpful to bring camping equipment as well.

San Francisco

 Next was San Francisco. We stayed in a beautiful hotel downtown. It was a 4 star a believe so pretty pricey, but you pay for the location. The only downfall of the hotel we were at was because it was so fancy,  you had to pay for everything else. I think parking alone cost us 60 dollars for two nights. We spent almost the entire day in Golden Gate Park. It took us about 3 hours to walk the entire park all the way to the ocean. We were also in San Fran on July 4th! So we went back and took a nap so we could survive Fishermans Wharf that evening. We had delicious clam chowder in bread bowls which was really inexpensive for the amount you get. Now if you haven't been to the States on July 4th, they go all out. The fireworks were incredible and completely blew Canada Day out of the water. 

Anaheim

Now I have been to Disneyland about 5 times now. Jordon had never even thought of going. We stopped for one day and surprisingly got everything done. We went on a Friday and just made sure we were there first thing in the morning. We stayed at the Super 8 that was pretty much across the road from the entrance. You DO NOT need a nice hotel if you're going on rides all day. The Super 8 was great. It was clean and even provided a little breakfast in the morning. This was by far our funnest day. It was great to be little kids again without having to stand in line with little kids. If you are debating on doing any sort of theme park as a young adult because you think it's for child, I highly recommend going BEFORE you have kids. Once you have kids, you are going to have to stand in line for 45 minutes to meet their favorite princess. As 20 year olds, you can surpass all that and just ride all day!

Las Vegas

After Anaheim we did go to San Diego but we were so tired it was a beach/pool day. After that, since I had just turned 21, we headed to FABULOUS Las Vegas.... though when it is 42 degrees out, its a lot less fabulous. Jordon and I aren't really into gambling, so Vegas was kind of a flop for us. We also aren't big shoppers. We did however go to the Wax Museum which was pretty sweet. We also went and saw the Blue Man Group which was another highlight of the trip. Jordon's a drummer so it was right up his ally and it was absolutely hilarious. Treasure Island was a great hotel and super cheap. The only thing we had a hard time finding was good food at a good price. The first night we had delicious tapas but the bill came to 90$, the second night only costed us 25$ but it was an average buffet. Then we headed back to E-Town!

3. Cost: As I said before, we did this road trip before starting school again in September, so we were looking for savings EVERYWHERE!

Food can be super expensive if you're eating out three meals a day. Since we had a car, we brought plastics dishes, a cooler, and tons of non perishable items (crackers, juice, nuts.) I don't think we bought one lunch on our 2 week trip. We always stopped at grocery stores to get stuff to make sandwiches and bought a lot of cereal for the mornings (just make sure to have ice in your cooler to keep the milk cold.)

Almost all our hotels were booked on hotwire.com a day before we drove into the city. We did not have one bad experience with it. The site tells you the area in the city where the hotel would be so you can still see what you are close too. It also tells you the hotels amenities so you know if you would be getting wifi or breakfast. Another thing to look for too is the location. When we booked our hotels, we made sure they were all close to public transport or walking distance so we did not have to move our car while staying in a city. This also saved us money on gas.

One nice aspect of doing a trip like this is you do not need much extra spending money. I think we each bought a hoodie and a picture from Vegas. I know this probably sounds cheesy, but with the awesome experiences, you do not feel the need to buy materialistic items.

Tours and Admissions are usually cheaper for students so DO NOT forget your Student ID card. One nice thing about traveling in the States is that they are unaware of the Universities up here. Even if you do not go to school (I had my Grant MacEwan ID even though I was not in school that semester) bring it along.

Well this took me way longer than I expected and Jordon will be home from his meeting soon. I have some supper to make and lesson plans to create.

Have an adventure,

-Vanessa xo