haycoco

A Play Date for Mr. Henry

2015-08-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

Friends of ours who live in Montreal got a Bernerse Mountain Dog puppy in May and we have yet to meet him. On Friday, our friends were in Toronto and we were able to organize a play date...more for me than Henry haha. Coach is such a sweetheart and he was so timid with Henry at first. Then Henry got "too friendly" and for some reason that didn't bother Coach and they played so well after that. Hopefully Henry won't be so "affectionate" after his neuter next week. Sorry to do this to you Henry, but it has to be done.

Ride for A Berger

2015-07-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our third annual Ride for A Berger. Ride for A Berger is an event that we've put on every year since my friend Amanda Berger passed away suddenly in 2012. The past two years, we participated in Ride for Heart and hosted a BBQ for the post ride celebration. This year we switched things up and did a spinathon followed by a fun BBQ. This year worked out especially well because all of the proceeds went towards Amanda's scholarship. The food was kindly donated which helped a lot and we had a raffle this year too! This event is a small way we try to honour Amanda's memory. She was a person who accomplished so much in such a short time and really set an example for her all who loved her. After she passed away, her family setup a scholarship in her name and this event raises money for it. It's also an opportunity for my friends and I to spend some time with Amanda's family celebrating her.

Lawn Summer Nights

2015-07-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

Last night I finally made it out to the infamous Lawnbowling. Lawn Summer Nights is an activity that a lot of my friends partake in. It's a charity event that runs for four Thursdays in July and the proceeds raised go towards Muscular Dystrophy. I was a sub and am tempted to sign up next year. The teams go all out and coordinate outfits (our were navy and white) and come up with clever and witty names like Guacabowle. It's a great time and usually results in people taking Friday off...

Our Honeymoon!

2015-07-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

Early Monday morning, Ryan and I left for our honeymoon. I've been dying to stay in an over the water bungalow somewhere exotic for a while now and we figured what better time to do this than our honeymoon. We decided to go to The Maldives and I couldn't have loved it more. Neither of us had been to The UAE before and the flights worked out well so that we could have a two day layover in Dubai before heading to The Maldives. It was Ramadan in Dubai during our visit, which as a Canadian was an interesting experience. It was 45 degrees out and you weren't allowed to drink water in public as you may tempt those who are fasting. I have a new found admiration for those who are so dedicated to their faith, that they're able to resist a basic necessity such as water. We stayed at The Fairmont Palm in Dubai and loved it.

In The Maldives, we stayed at the Constance Halaveli...it was the best hotel experience I've ever had. The staff could not have been more kind and helpful if they tried. We learned that there are 300 staff members to 200 guests. Even if the service was bad, the facilities and property would have made up for it. We were in the farthest bungalow from the shore because Ryan wanted to be closer to the coral reefs. It was so secluded and private. I find resort food can be hit or miss, but their food was excellent! Ryan loves activities and we did a lot of them. I went scuba diving which i've only done once before. The waters are very protected in The Maldives which I was so happy about. It made scuba diving that much more interesting...we saw three types of sharks! I was terrified at first, but quickly learned that they're harmless and don't really want anything to do with scuba divers. We also went on an excursion to hopefully snorkel with a whale shark. We were lucky and saw one and got to snorkel with it. I touched it, which I know it a big no-no, but it was just so cute! Our guide was not impressed and I learned my lesson! I don't think we'll ever make it back to The Maldives, but I wouldn't mind if we did!

Henry's 1st Birthday!

2015-06-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

Henry turned one today! It would have been nice to be there with him to smother him (even more), but he was well taken care of by my sister in law, Lindsay. Being a former chef, she a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen and she kindly made him a ground beef cake. He's such a lucky boy!

A Wedding in Barbados!

2015-05-27T19:12:00.001-07:00

Barbados now feels like a home away from home for me and I know most of that if not all of that has to do with my Bajan friend Corey who just married one of my best friends at the most perfect wedding in Barbados. I was in the wedding party and it was so nice to be included (Jaclyn is in my upcoming wedding in June).

The guests stayed at Royal Westmoreland, a small community on the West coast of the island. It was a perfect place to stay. It was so nice having all of my friends as neighbours for the week.

The bride and groom did such a great job planning activities for all their out of town guests...there was never a dull moment. People who had never been to Barbados really got a chance to see most of the island. On our two nights off, my Mom, Ryan and I went for dinner at Daphne's and The Tides. Both favourites of mine!

We were only there for 6 days so I wanted to make the most of our time. Ryan, who is such an activities guy did so much and I think I've sold him on Barbados as a future (frequent) vacation destination. He went surfing, snorkelling, scuba diving (twice), paddle boarding and golfing (twice). The poor guy also had to do some work while we were there, but that's life! My Mom was such a good sport and came for the surfing lesson as well. She was really good and got up many times...all of her yoga is paying off! If you're in Barbados and feel like surfing, I recommend Boosy's Surf School. He's the best!

The Bachelorette Party at Lime Bar

Apres surf lesson with Boosy

Somebody didn't get the "white party" memo

Mr. and Mrs.

My Mom on the rope swing at Boatyard Beach!

Headquarters for the big day!

Most gorgeous bride!

En Route to the Church!

The F.O.B.

As they say in Barbados...party done.

Weekend Things...

2015-04-28T08:49:00.002-07:00

On Sunday, my gym, Fuel Training Club organized a member event at Toronto School of Circus Arts. It was a lot of fun and a lot tougher than I thought it would be. It required a lot of upper body strength (something I lack) and I'm still very sore. The instructors make it look so easy. It was a great workout and I recommend trying it!

A Bridal Shower for Jaclyn

2015-04-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I hosted a bridal shower for my best friend Jaclyn who is getting married in Barbados in May. I wanted to do something special for her that she'd remember instead of getting her a gift, then her getting me a gift for my upcoming wedding in June. I decided it would be fun for her bridal party to get manicures and pedicures and have high tea. Her Majesty's Pleasure did a great job and it was a perfect venue for this type of thing. I liked it so much, I'm taking my Mom back for Mother's Day.

Weekend Things

2015-03-28T14:43:00.001-07:00

We had our cake tasting this morning at Bobbette and Belle in Leslieville. I was so impressed with their shop/bakery! From the way it was decorated, to the treats they sold and their expertise! Their cakes are delicious and so are their scones, cookies and cupcakes (we got a little treat happy). I didn't realize that it was a place that you could go for coffee/tea or a treat anytime, I thought it was just a wedding cake place. I stumbled across it one afternoon while googling wedding cake places in the city and am really glad that I did. If there was one in our neighbourhood, I'd be frequenting it!

Thanks so much for all your help Bobbette and Belle - can't wait to see the finished product!

Deciding between all the different flavours

Seeing what the cakes look with foam risers

Weekend Things...

2015-03-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Our wedding is less than three months away and let's just say I have my work cut out for me in order to have my dress fit me the way I dreamed it would. It isn't the most forgiving...

With that in mind I thought it would be fun to try a new kind of workout that recently came to Toronto, called Surfset. I assumed it would be no problem because of the fitness classes I usually do, but I was wrong. The surfboard is set up/balanced on three weighted balls and although it's secured in place, it moves every which direction. We all fell off or had to grab on numerous times. It was a balancing act to say the least. It was a great full body workout, but I found it especially tough on my upper body (which is what I need). I'm still sore three days later, which to me means it was worth it!

I really recommend trying it it you haven't already!

WedLuxe Show

2015-01-11T15:17:00.000-08:00

This morning my Mom, Jaclyn and I went to the WedLuxe show here in the city. I'm glad we got there early because it was so crowded by the time we left. Because of Pinterest and the internet nowadays, I have already made a lot of my decisions in terms of flowers, cake, dress etc., but it's always nice to see more options. The show was very helpful to me because I don't have a photographer and I got to see what they can do and meet them face to face. There were a few that I liked. We decided to go with 5ive15teen. I also got to meet the ladies behind the invitation company we're using, Paper and Poste. Also, Jennifer our wedding coordinator from The AGO was there promoting their venue. I'm glad to see that all our choices make the cut for Wedluxe hah!

Happy New Year!

2015-01-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Mo Junior loving all the fancy kitchen appliances

Corey taking lessons from Jaclyn

Ryan, Katy, Corey, Jaclyn, Kim, Quinn, Me

Henry dog couldn't get enough of all the snow

Henry would like his $200 for passing GO

Happy New Year Everyone! Our friend Jaclyn invited us up to her family cottage for a few days and to ring in the new year. I loved being at a cozy cottage spending time with friends and relaxing instead of somewhere in the city where things are so overpriced and you can't ever get a taxi at the end of the night. It was so beautiful up north with all the fresh snow. It snowed for two days straight...Henry couldn't have been happier!

Jaclyn's cottage is near a few ski resorts so on New Years Day we went skiing and thanks to all the fresh snow, the conditions couldn't have been better. Needless to say it was the perfect opportunity to get our friend Corey up on skis for the first time. He was such a good sport and I think it's safe to say that he's hooked. I'm so glad that we have more friends to ski with!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2015!

xo

Merry Christmas!

2014-12-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Having Christmas morning with Ryan was a first for me this year. Because we will officially be family in June, I felt it was time for us to start our own Christmas traditions. We opted out of buying gifts for one another because there's nothing we need and I feel that we just end up exchanging money. We decided to do stockings (which is my opinion is the most fun) and have a nice dinner out together. We went to Nao Steakhouse and it was delicious. It was so nice to spend an evening with Ryan and catch up. Christmas can be so hectic and I find people can lose sight of what it's really about. I think an activity instead of gifts will be our tradition going forward.

Hope you all had a Happy Christmas!

A Perfect Proposal

2014-12-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

We're engaged! We spent this past weekend in NYC with friends for our friend Kaitlyn's birthday and had the best time. On Sunday morning, Ryan and I went for a walk in Central Park and there he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was so happy, it was perfect! He asked Kaitlyn her permission so we wouldn't take away from her birthday weekend and being the nice person that she is, she said of course! Ryan let our friends in on the secret and they all wanted to be there as well. I was unaware of this at the time but they were all hiding in the park watching. After I said yes Ryan said turn around and they were all on the bridge behind us cheering. It was really nice to have them there! I also love Central Park and NYC at Christmas time so it just goes to show how well Ryan really knows me. Now time to plan!!

xo

Christmas Potluck and Secret Santa

2014-12-07T16:14:00.003-08:00

My friend Rachel hosted a potluck and Secret Santa this past weekend. She had the idea to have each guest bring a toy for their Secret Santa that they thought they would have liked as a child. Then the toys were donated to the Young Street Mission for children in need. We're all so blessed, it was really nice of her to organize this get together and help us all give back in a small way. Thanks for having us Rachel!

Toronto Christmas Market

2014-12-07T16:08:00.000-08:00

Attending the Toronto Christmas Market has been something that we've done the past two years. The Distillery District is an area of the city that I really love, especially when it's all festive at Christmas time. When we went last year, I think it might have been the coldest day of the year and we only lasted about five minutes (maybe I'm not as Canadian as I think I am). It's gotten very popular over the past few years and this year it was hard to move so if you're going to go, I would recommend getting there early. The free samples of hot chocolate, mulled wine and treats are delicious and help keep you warm while the boutiques are handy for doing a little Christmas shopping! Already looking forward to next years!

A Jaunt to Ottawa

2014-10-01T05:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Ryan and I went to a wedding in our nation's capital for Ryan's good friend Kurt from undergrad. The wedding was at the Chateau Laurier which is a stunning hotel and property in the heart of Ottawa. We only went for one night as I didn't want to leave my fur baby for too long. The weather couldn't have been better. Thanks for including us Kurt and Eva, we were so glad to be a part of your special day! Wishing you nothing but happiness for many years to come!

Parliament Hill

Saying Goodbye to Gramps

2014-09-30T18:55:00.003-07:00

My Grandpa passed away recently at the ripe age of 88. Saying goodbye to a loved one is always hard, but I take comfort in knowing that he lived such a full life and lived it to the fullest. He didn't leave any stones turned over. He was a great-grandfather of two and he got to see one of his five granddaughters marry, which being a little old fashioned, was very important to him. I learned so much from him and one saying he always said and I think has always rung true is, "it's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." Gramps was a grandparent who was involved and present in all our lives and I have so many fond memories of him. He was quite ill towards the end of his life and I can only imagine the amount of pain he was in and I never heard him complain even once. I really admire him for that. To say that there was never a dull moment with Gramps around is an understatement. He was always so positive, funny and upbeat. He would light up a room the moment he entered it and not just because of his wild fashion choices, but because of who he was. Thank you for all that you've taught me Gramps, I will miss you.

Mum's Birthday

2014-09-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we celebrated my Mum's birthday at my sisters place with my family and our significant others. We had a really low key celebration and it was really nice. This year decided we to cook for her and bake her a cake which I think is a tradition we should have going forward. There's something to be said for everyone sitting down together as a family and enjoying a meal together. I find we're all so busy and we rarely have the opportunity to all get together and spend sometime with one another. I figured this little celebration was the least we could do considering all that she's done to make us feel special everyday of our lives. Happy Birthday Mum!! xoxo

Lauren's 29th Birthday

2014-08-29T11:35:00.001-07:00

This year for her birthday, my sister decided to bring out her inner child and celebrate at Skyzone, the indoor trampoline park. I've wanted to try it out for a while now and haven't made it there yet. It was so much fun!

The Birthday Girl

Newest Addition

2014-08-25T18:04:00.001-07:00

Do you ever find that when you want time to fly it stands still and when you want it to stand still it flies? Well time has been at a standstill for me ever since we gave our puppy deposit to the breeder in May. After months of waiting, we finally got to bring our puppy home and I couldn't be happier! Welcome to our lives Henry.

Because I was so excited I didn't think it would be hard to bring him home, but saying goodbye to his Mama Ruby was surprisingly sad. We promise to take good care of him Ruby!

He's not even 8 weeks old and already weighs 12 pounds - yikes! I think it's safe to say that he's going to be a very big boy (even for a Bernese Mountain Dog). I already love him so much!!!

Thank you everyone for your visits and gifts - he's already so spoiled!

We got him from Animation Acres.

Car ride to his new home

Sharing a stick with Petunia

Weekend Things…Birthday Festivities Continued

2014-08-18T09:55:00.002-07:00

My friends really spoiled me this year. The festivities continued at Jaclyn's cottage even though the weather was terrible...what's with the weather this summer? A few of us met at Weber's for some dinner on Friday after work and I was surprised with my favourite - a cheesecake! I'm so glad Ryan finally got to go - we haven't been able to coordinate a weekend in the past. Thanks again Sopik's - I hope I haven't overstayed my welcome.

A cottage must!

Turning 27...

2014-08-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

My birthday was so great! Thanks to everyone who reached out to me in one form or another - I don't know what I'd do without all the special people that I have in my life.

I had a half day at work, which was really nice! I won't have any time off again until Christmas so I really made the most of it. I met my Mum and Ryan for lunch at one of my favourite spots to lunch - Bymark. Their patio is the best and their food is to die for. Unfortunately it felt like an October day so we ended up dining inside. It's a real treat to go there once in a while.

Nicole was sweet and came and met me for a pedicure after her morning class (Ryan happily got excused from that). After that Ryan and I just hung out at our apartment and my Dad came over for a nice visit. Ryan will be starting a pretty demanding job in September so I really enjoyed spending the afternoon with him doing nothing.

Ryan and Tom

Mum and I

Most delicious sandwiches and onion rings

We went to one of my other favourite restaurants for dinner, Campagnolo. I think this might be the best Italian food in the city. With Toronto being as cosmopolitan as it is and us having the most authentic cuisine from almost anywhere in the world, that says a lot. I hope to be back soon Campagnolo!

After dins few close friends came over and Dilly rolled out the red carpet for me - much appreciated DP!!

Thanks again to all my lovely friends and family!

Puppy Visit

2014-08-10T14:50:00.002-07:00

The last puppy visit before we get to bring home our bundle of joy. August 23rd can't come soon enough.

One of these two males will be ours

Koda (the proud father) and I

Weekend Things...

2014-08-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went up to my friend Jaclyn's family cottage - they're always so kind at extending invitations. I'll take any opportunity I get to escape the city and be near the water, even if it means sitting in three hours of traffic. Having spent every summer at my family cottage until it was sold and it was time to get summer jobs, to me, there's nothing like cottaging. Here's to wishing and hoping that one day I'll own one too. Until then, thank you dear friends for hosting me at yours!