Big Day Up & Giveaway winner!

Hey guys!
Long time no post!!  I had a great one for you, and when I went to post it, the whole thing disappeared!! EEK!  I can’t say I was a happy camper over that!!

But…

It brings me to this post – which is a good one!!   

As for the winner of the giveaway -  Check out the bottom of this post!!! 


So this weekend we heading up to the Mountain for a music festival called “The Big Time Up”! 

There were a total of 9 bands all on an outside stage, with the backdrop being the beautiful mountains!!  We checked into our cute condo…

our condo was right at the ski lift base!!

Then we walked over to the venue!!
  The stage!!

We grabbed our spots, away from the dust pits…  and enjoyed all the bands!! 
It was A LOT colder than we were expecting, especially when the clouds started rolling in….
After a bit, we decided it was time for dinner!!

I got the Vegan plate -  it was just ok… the beans were awesome! Then back to our seats to enjoy the show… 
Once the final band came on (Cat Empire) we headed up closer to the stage!  (AKA the dust pit!) 

All in all it was a great day!!   We were tired and SUPER dirty after, but it was all worth it!!
Stay tuned this week for part 2!!!

GIVEAWAY WINNER -   you should be getting an email shortly regarding your cookbook!!  Congrats Vicky!!

Anywhoo .... How are you guys?  I miss chatting with you on twitter etc… life has just been so busy, I haven’t had a chance to check in!  So tell me how you are,  what’s new!! ETC!! 
xo Jess

Mango Salad Dressing

Hi guys!
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!!  I started my summer camp that I am running on Monday and have been one tired cookie!!  Loads of kids, sunshine and boat loads of energy make me so tired when I get home I crash!!!!!

But I did make some yummy salad dressing that I wanted to share!!   I had a mango super ripe in my fridge and that’s where this yummy recipe evolved from!!
Toss one mango (seeded and peeled) into the blender,  add 1 tsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp oil, 1 green onion, 1tsp – 1tbsp agave (depending on sweetness level of mango) and soya sauce to taste!

Blend up and serve over salad!!      The measurements may not be exact (you know me I just wing it) – so feel free to play with them to make the dressing to your liking.


The dressing kept for about 5 days in the fridge!! YUM!

Time to get ready for work, so I’ll just leave you with some pictures of some of my cutest new dishes!!
69 cents each!!  :)

Ciao for now!

PS. Don’t forget about the GIVEAWAY!  Last day to enter!! :)  AND Check out my July article on OUR BIG EARTH which features a delicious raw garden soup!!

Surprise Wedding Shower!

Hey guys,

Hope you all had a fun weekend!  Mine was pretty great! 

On Sunday, my lovely friends threw me a wedding shower!! (YAY) Although the wedding is still a LONG ways away – it was perfect time because of all the family visiting as well as a good friend was in town!! 

It was supposed to be a surprise, but I may have known about it ;)  Which I was happy about because I got to wear a dress!! haha

They decorated beautifully!  

Everything in PINK! (my fav color!)

All my gifts!! I got VERY spoiled!! :)    My “Surprised look” I felt so lucky to be surrounded by a bunch of my favourite people! 

 My cousin from Austria, my mom, one of my fabulous planners/friend, (peeking behind) my maid of honours mom – whose also what I call “part of my chosen family”, my oldest friend, ma in law to be, my maid of honour and one of my high school friends!  Of course then Lance’s butt  and me!

There is a bit of a theme going on with my friends these days!

I was happy too – everyone knows me so well and took pictures of all the food – just for my bloggy friends before I even showed up! 

The super yummy punch with coconut milk!  I think the recipe was posted to my fridge, so if you want it, let me know!  

JELLY BELLIES!! my fav!!  What’s your fav flavour?  I love buttered popcorn and pear!  

Ok ok… on to fun gifts!

As someone said “Sexy Martini Glasses”!!!

Raw cook book – with GORGEOUS Pictures!  Of course there were SO many other fun gifts!  Popcorn maker, great bloggie dishes, serving bowls, espresso cups, glass jugs, popsicle thingies and so much more – I was spoiled rotten!

It was just a great day with good friends!  I was told it was kept small, because there is more fun times to come! ( UH OH!) – I was grateful for everyone that made it though!

My mom and mom in law to be!   The lovely ladies who planned the shower… (thanks girls – you guys are the best!) One of my dearest friends!  (this is our first picture together in about 10 years) My friend since I was 2!!!   

My cousin (or something like that) from Austria!

Thanks for a great day everybody!  It got me into the wedding mood for sure!!  And cheers to more celebrations!! 

And to leave you with a cute picture from when D got home!!  Apparently I say this a lot – I’m not so sure about it though ;)

Haha…

Hope you had a great weekend!! What did you get up to???

Sunshine and a Giveaway

Well hello!!!!

If you are close to here, I hope you are enjoying this AMAZING weather!!  I love love love it!!! 

I had such a great day yesterday with D’s mom!  We went shopping for our wedding ceremony that is happening in Newfoundland over Christmas! (Yes we’re doing 2 weddings!)  We both got very pretty dresses and super fun shoes!  I can’t show yet though, you must wait until Christmas!! :)

Then we met up with the boys and went out for dinner at a beautiful waterfront restaurant.  Since it was so smokin hot, we opted for the shaded spot, still with the great ocean view!  D and I shared mussels that were cooked in a red curry with pineapples!!  Then I had the fish tacos…  they were so good!

I was hoping they weren’t deep fried, but I just pulled off a bunch of the batter.   I need to remake this recipe – there was cabbage at the bottom, then the fish and then a sweet salsa!!

Everyone else had steak and prawns… It was a very lovely meal – really a great day all around!!

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No onto the giveaway!!

The folks at http://www.snubbr.com contacted me about doing a cookbook giveaway!!  Of course I said yes because I LOVE cookbooks!

Here is the deal – only 1 entry per person…

Leave a comment telling which cookbook have you  been dreaming about lately?  The one that keeps you up at night??  (Keep the book under $35 please) and why? – then www.Snubbr.com will choose their favourite answer  next Thursday and send the winner the book of their dreams! haha!

Easy peasy and fun!! Get creative in your answers!!

I know what mine is!!  Ani Phyo’s Raw Food Essentials!!  It looks amazing!!!   Or really any of Ani Phyo’s books!

Also Veganomicon sounds fabulous too!!

ps.  Twittering, facebooking or blogging about it will give you extra good karma ;)  Just sayin!!

If you are a reader that never comments, now is your chance!!  Just click COMMENT and then choose the Name/URL and enter your info (you can leave the URL open if you don’t have a website)

 

Good luck guys!!

Austria Family and raw goodness!

Hey guys!

Sorry for the hiatus – It will probably happen often the next few weeks!!  I am smack dab in the middle of planning 4 weeks of summer camp, D’s parents are visiting and of course my family from Austria is here!! Busy Busy!!

Speaking of my visiting family – my mom sent me some cute pictures this morning from the family visiting from Austria!

This is my mom’s cousins daughter? (I think?)  Not sure what that makes her and I!!    She’s SUPER sweet and also planning a wedding, so we’ve had lots of wedding chats!!

My mom and her cousin at the beach!!  All they both want to do is swim, but it’s been SO COLD here!!  But this week is supposed to be scorching! 

Also a picture of her and my Gma! My Grandma is doing much better – she’s at home now,  still not her old self, but better than when in the hospital!

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OK FOOD!!!!!!!

I finally made the Chocolate Cherry Bomb Smoothie that is taking over blog land!

 

It was good, but not as mind blowing as I was expecting!!  I will probably make it again, but play around with it a bit!

Have you tried it yet??

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Last night one of my good friends came over for a raw dinner and to watch the batchelorette!!

I made her a mismash of raw goodies…

Started off with Amazing Avocados

 

I love these little goodies!!   So perfect for lunches!

Then zucchini noodles with creamy dill sauce.

Followed by my FAVORITE desert – Banana Lemon Pie (which you can find here)

It was a fun, yummy dinner with a great friend!!  Her and I always have the best chats and she’s here for a whole month, so I’m soaking up as much time with her as possible!! :)  

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Like I said, we’re getting ready for visitors and I finally finished the guest room…

Hopefully they enjoy their little home away from home!! 

Forgive me if don’t post over the next bit, I promise to be back!!!  If you have something fun to do a guest post on, send it my way!! :)

Enjoy the sunshine,

Jess

A picture says a 1000 words

no dairy.

O M G…

Hello beautiful!!

Not that I’ll be indulging often, but let’s be honest, it’s hard to a find chocolate bar with no dairy!

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Small side note – to the anonymous person who left a rude message yesterday re: my loss of funding.   Next time, please keep your opinion to yourself, or find a nicer way to write it.

I realize most people get student loans, and that is what I will be doing, although the government in Canada helps people who have lost jobs to go back to school.   When you work at funding for 10 months and told you are getting it, and then it falls through a month before it starts, it’s a bit of a blow – sorry to be real on my blog, most people appreciate knowing that bloggers are not always perky happy people with perfect little lives.

End of rant. 

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Thank you to everyone who had positive things to say!  I know it will all work out as it should. I just needed to vent a bit, because I was feeling a bit down!!

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I spent the day yesterday with a very special little person who cheered me up and kept me smiling all afternoon! 

We laughed, walked the trail, petted horses, picked flowers, ran, giggled and had an amazing time!! 

I hope my future babies are as cute as this little one!!

Thanks for cheering me up little lady!!

xo

Jess

Canada Day!

Happy Canada day!!!!!!!!!

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Unfortunately, it’s raining today, which puts a big damper on the Canada Day Festivities!  But we will still probably make our way to the fireworks later tonight!!

Check out Oh She Glows cute Canada Food post!!

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I have to be honest today… I’m not really in big blog writing mood right now.  I got some bad news yesterday, and while I try to keep my blog up beat, this has put a bit of a damper on me and making me feel a little low. 

I have been working since September (since being laid off from my job) with Employment Insurance, to get funding to go back to school.

I was approved for my funding and they were going to be paying for 70% of my life (including school) for the next 10 months while I was in school.

Yesterday I found out that they rejected my funding, so now with a month before my tuition is due, I’ve got nothing.    It’s not the end of the world, but it’s pretty heartbreaking because I have been working hard this year to get my funding.  (it’s been a ton of work)  They said they don’t see this often, but it does happen. 

I do know that everything happens for a reason, and I am trying to stay positive, but it’s been a hard year this year for school/work/family heath reasons.  So I’m just feeling a wee bit down right now.

I will be back after the weekend, hopefully back to my normal self!

I hope you all have a great weekend!!

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And if you have something FUN or silly or uplifting, leave a comment!! You guys always have the best advice/stories!