Five on Friday - April 5, 2024 ~ After The Forest Book Review, Month of Vegetarian/Pescatarian Meals, Easter, Weekend at the Cabin, and New Makeup Bag

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a good week! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

I just talked about my March books on yesterday's post; but, After The Woods by Kell Woods still deserves it's own post because I really enjoyed it! This is an adult fantasy/fairytale retelling. This was a Hansel and Gretel "retelling" but set 15 years or so in the future when Hans is squandering the family money and Greta is baking some magical gingerbread to keep their family afloat. While the village folks are starting to question if she is a witch and the ruling people are looking to collect more money, Greta isn't sure what she should do. There are also dangerous creatures lurking around - wolves and bears in the forest nearby and the lines are blurred on what is good and evil. I loved the twists, the sentient book, the magic types, the potential romance. This focused very much in the beginning of characters and ambience and the plot really picked up in the second half and I enjoyed it!

Manicure Tuesday - Easter Mini Egg Nails

Happy Manicure Tuesday everyone! 

I purchased these nail polishes

Can you believe it's already April?! It was just Easter and so for April the #CBBxManiMonday group usually does a mixture of pastel and Easter nails, so I'm doing a combination of both today! 

Manicure Monday - Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Peeps Sugar Texture Collection Nail Color in Cotton Candy

Happy Manicure Monday - I hope you all have a great weekend! We had a super busy weekend and I only had time for a quick manicure! 

I purchased this polish on my own - this post contains affiliate links

For the month of April, the #CBBxManiMonday group is doing Easter and pastel nails for the month! I have a little of both this week since this is a pastel shade and it's an Easter polish since it's a collab with peeps! 

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Peeps Sugar Texture Collection Nail Color in Cotton Candy ~ $9.79 CAN. Brighten your spring with the NEW Limited Edition Sally Hansen PEEPS nail polish! PEEPS inspired sugary texture for a mani in an instant! Our 3-in-1 formula with built-in base and top coat offers shiny, extended wear in a single step and our Swift Precision Brush allows for a perfect application. Dries in 60 seconds. 1 Stroke. 1 Coat. Done. No wait. No smudge.

Five on Friday - April 14, 2023 ~ Go As A River Book Review, Easter, 11 Year Dating Anniversary, New Ikea Day Bed, and New Lost in Layers Spring 2023 Outfit

Happy Friday everyone - hope you all had a good week! It's been a little busy around here, but we are over the kid's sickness in the house and have a busy weekend with family planned! 

ONE 

Go As A River was received as a review copy - this post contains affiliate links

I've been loving having more book reviews on the blog, and it's also helped me work with publishers, so I'm happy to be part of the Penguin Random book reviewers and today I'm sharing my thoughts on the adult historical fiction novel, Go As A River by Shelley Read. This story spans 30 years and starts in the 1940s with a teenage girl on her families peach farm - she is the only girl in a family struck by many tragedies. She has a quick, passionate affair with a young man passing through town, however quickly finds out of racism and it ends in tragedy. Victoria escapes to the wilderness and on her eventually return to town, a damn is being proposed that would render the town un-livable. She takes her peaches and eventually settles in a new spot, then the book really delves in to found family and friends, re-connection and rebuilding. It is beautifully written and there is a lot that goes on. I enjoyed the setting and the resilience of the characters. I did think it was a slower start and it took me a bit to connect to the characters, but halfway through as we were really getting in, I could not put it down and I was rooting for all of our characters, and it was tragic and hopeful and beautiful! Solid 4 star read. 

Manicure Monday - Easter Bunny Dotticure and Trying Olive & June Polish

Happy Manicure Monday everyone and Happy Easter Monday! 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

For the month of April, the #CBBxManiMonday group is doing Easter and pastel nails for the month! I have being waiting to try the Olive and June Polish formula forever - after my disastrous use of their press-ons a couple weeks ago, I was a little worried; but, it is a lovely formula! 

Manicure Monday - Pastel Skittles French Tip Nails

Happy Manicure Monday - I hope you all had a great weekend! 

The OPI and Biosculpture polishes were received as PR samples

Can you believe we are already in April?! This year is flying by! But, the start of a new month also means a new theme for the #CBBxManiMonday group - this month we are doing an Easter and Pastel theme for the month! 

Five on Saturday - February 18, 2023 ~ The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina Book Review, Valentine's Day, Porch YYC, Heart Espresso Cups, and Dollarama Finds

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all have had a great week - mine was normal, but I'm certainly looking forward to having a long weekend! 

I purchased everything in this post

Right on the back of a book review last week, I've got another book I really enjoyed to share with you! The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova is an adult fantasy/magical realism novel that is lovely, layered and magical. It is described as a combination of Encanto and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and I loved both of those so it's no surprise that I loved this one too! This book follows the Montoya family and starts with all of Orquidea's descendants being introduced and called to her for her funeral, while she is still alive. Orquidea has a large family and has lots of secrets from the family - it starts a little heavy with all the family members and trying to keep track of who everyone is, while using a duel timeline to introduce Orquidea's story (she also has an incredibly complex past). Upon her death, Orquidea gifts everyone a seed, but a few of her grandchildren and great grandchild are gifted magic in the form of a flower growing from them. These are the characters we focus on for the rest of the story, so it makes it easier to focus following the initial introduction to a lot of characters! 

Five on Friday - April 22, 2022 ~ Easter & Easter Treats, Weekend at the Cabin, Little Passports Subscription, and Smash and Tess Pop of Pink Rebecca Wrap Dress

Happy Friday everyone - I hope you all had a great week! It's been a little crazy for me, I got back from the cabin Monday during the day, and then had to turn around and drive up to Edmonton for training. I got home late last night, so it's a good thing I took today off to prep for Elliott's party tomorrow! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

I hope you all had a great Easter - we had a fun weekend! We woke the boys up for an egg hunt and then headed out to the cabin for a family weekend out there! As always, the Easter bunny spoiled them with chocolate and treats and they had such a fun time with the hunt!

Manicure Monday - Easter Pastel "Skittles" Eggies Nails

Happy Manicure Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend! 

The OPI and Bio Sculpture polishes were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

It's almost Easter, so naturally I'm embracing the #CCBxManiMonday April theme of pastels and going with this fun "skittles mani" was the way to go - skittles nails are when each nail are a different colour! I don't always like how this look turned out, but all of these shades go so well together and I love how they turned out! 

Five on Friday - April 9, 2021 ~ Easter, Cabin Weekend, Used Books, Cupshe Bathing Suits, and Climbing Dome

Happy Friday everyone - I hope you all had a good week! Alberta had to move back in Stage 1 of our re-opening plans this week because our covid cases were getting high again, so I know I'm at the point of fatigue and would just like it to be over! (But, I'm up soon for vaccines based on work, so I feel like at least that's a little light at the end of the tunnel!)

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

While I know "travelling" is a big no-no right now, we are very lucky to have a family cabin that we were able to go to safely this past weekend for the long weekend and it was exactly what I needed. We bring everything in with us and it's so quiet and beautiful - honestly, so relaxing, I was able to read 2.5 books over the weekend! 

Manicure Monday - Easter Dinosaur Eggs Nails & Revlon Ultra HD Snap polish!

Happy Easter Monday everyone! Sorry, I'm getting this up a little late in the day - we were away distancing at the cabin for the weekend and it was such a nice relaxing getaway! 

The OPI polishes were received as PR samples

We are all dinosaur geeks around here, my oldest son is 16 and still wants to be a palaeontologist and this weekend, my littlest one also asked if he could be one too! So, clearly we all love our dinosaurs, so isn't it perfect to find a few little dinosaurs in my Easter Eggs?! 

Five on Friday - April 17, 2020

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all have a great week - I am happy it was a short week and that it is already the weekend! Did you hear the good news that Calgary is actually supposed to be having warm weather this weekend - woo hoo! Finally - it's been snowing for basically two weeks and I'm ready for it to be done! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post (except for the library books, clearly I'm borrowing those - this post contains affiliate links)

I shared last month some of the fiction books I'm planning on reading this Spring, so I thought it was pretty fitting that I also share some of the non-fiction books on my Spring Reading List! 

Five on Saturday - April 11, 2020

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope you all had a great week - I'm very excited that it is a long weekend and it was a real treat that I had yesterday off! (Ask me if I regret that choice after Monday with 4 days off in a row stuck in the house with a toddler!)

ONE 

Everything in this post was purchased or paid for by me

How could I not get the weekend started with some Easter baking?! The boys and I spent a couple of hours last weekend baking delicious treats for the Easter Bunny! (I know I'm not the only one that's on a baking kick right now - I've always been a baker; but, I've been stepping it up and trying new things since I've had way more time at home!)

Five on Friday - April 26, 2019

Happy Friday everyone! What a week I've had! We've been out to the cabin and back, my little monkey turned 2, I've gotten sick and a double eye infection and the end of my week has been a mess! But, I've still had a few highlights from my week! 

ONE

This post contains affiliate links

I got my April 2019 Scratch Monthly Mani Kit and it is super cute! I love the little lemons! This is an easy, affordable subscription that features nail wraps from GoScrachIt that are exclusive to the kit each month and designed by NinaNailedIt! 

The Scratch Monthly Mani Kit is $10.00 US + $4.95 for international shipping! Each month you get an exclusive set of wraps that aren't available for purchase and a few extra little mani goodies!

Manicure Monday - Easter Bunny Nails

It's still the Easter long weekend and we are doing our egg hunt this morning, so because the Easter Bunny is visiting us this morning, I'm doing some adorable little bunnies for Manicure Monday! 

All products purchased by me

How adorable is this little Easter Bunny egg?! I saw them in the store and couldn't resist picking them up! Why not use them as a little nail art inspiration before I pack them full of candy and hide them around my house?! 

Manicure Monday - Easter Dotticure Nails

Happy Manicure Monday everyone! It's almost Easter time, so bring on the Easter nails! I usually try and get a really cute Easter themed mani in; but, this weekend I needed to get in a quick and easy manicure! 

Some polishes featured are PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

I always love Easter shades - pinks, blues and pastels, so I went with an easy Easter colour themed dotticure for my mani this week! I actually love how all these polishes came together - they just go so well together! 

Five on Friday - April 6, 2018

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a great week! My older son was on Spring Break so we tried to keep busy this week; but, our plans were thrown off a little by more snow and cold weather here! 

ONE

This week started with the long Easter weekend - and it was Elliott's first Easter! He's just a touch too young for an egg hunt so he only had a few eggs hidden in the house; but, Damian was pretty lucky and got a huge haul of chocolate! We just had brunch with the family and it was a good weekend!

Springtime Treats and Easter Egg Hunting with Lip Smacker

I know, I know, it's a few days past Easter; but, I'm still sharing a few little Easter Egg hunting gems from Lip Smacker (I use all my holiday goodies well beyond whatever holiday they were made for anyways - don't we all?!) 

These are really all Spring themed and scented, so you can pick them up after Easter too! 

Who doesn't need an adorable basket full of Easter treats?! There is a ton of cute collabs from Disney to Skittles (there is even M&M and Coca-Cola in their Spring collection!) Basically, there is something for everyone! 

Easter Manicure Monday - Peeps Spring Pink Bunny Nail Art

Happy Easter Manicure Monday! Yum, a mani based on delicious Easter candy sounds like a good idea to me! Also, these Bunny Peeps are so cute - pink and shimmery anything is right up my alley (especially candy!) I know there are some crazy people out there who aren't feeling the Easter Peeps; but, I love these little marshmallow guys (and basically all other Easter candy - I'm not picky, I will eat it all!)

I'm collaborating this week for Mani Monday again with Jayne from Cosmetic Proof and Trysh from Prairie Beauty Love - both do amazing nails, so make sure you check out their Easter Manicures too! 

These little bunnies were fun to do - I tried to color match the best I could for the pink and found a really light glitter/shimmer polish to add just a hint of sugar sparkle to the bunnies! 

Five on Friday - March 30, 2018

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you've all have had a great week! Ours was good - pretty typical week! I'm consciously trying to saviour every day at home - I'm back to work in under 4 weeks now and I'm feeling a little sad about it. It's just so hard to think about working again. At least Damian just started Spring break today, so I'm looking forward to really enjoying next week with both boys! 

ONE 

Happy Easter weekend! How cute are Elliott and his bestie Bennett?! We are so lucky to have these 2 born only 1 day apart - they can do everything together! We took the boys to the Calgary Farmer's Market so they could meet the Easter Bunny - what a good way to start the Easter weekend?