A visit in boots

 

The 2.5 days I traveled home to visit my family for Thanksgiving this year seemed too short. With a work schedule that keeps me tied up 50-60 hours out of each week, it was a welcome break but still it never feels as relaxing as I would hope. I am always scurrying around trying to squeeze in a visit with everyone and making sure I delegate my time evenly, and for my scurrying this year I purchased these light brown fall boots for the occasion. Boots are basically the only things I wear from September-April, so I like to make sure I have ones that are comfortable, are suitable for my everyday run around wear, and lots of different colors!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow Canadian bloggers! 

 

 

I was fortunate enough to have the weekend off so that I could head home and spend the holiday with my family. I have been feeling lately that my life has been consumed with work and nothing else, and missing them a little bit more. I often take for granted just how special our time together is, but was able to get everyone to sit still (sort of) long enough to snap a few family photos.

 

 

These are just a couple of my favorites!

 

Fall Food

I recently had a day to myself, and I spent a good portion of it recruiting recipes and compiling a large (for me) grocery list. I had been wanting to devote an evening to making a few bulk meals to freeze, and there is no better time of year than fall to bring out the dusty crock pot and take advantage of the fresh, local produce. I did my share of research on the pros and cons of frozen meals, and found that most food bloggers prepared the ingredients to freeze but left the meals uncooked. This completely defied the point of my mission, which was to have easy, individual meals to grab and heat up for work for both Amanda and I.

That being said, the three meals I choose for this month were:

• Crock pot beef stew
• Oven baked lasagna
• Stove-top broccoli and cheddar soup

These meals were fully cooked before individually freezing, and because of their cooking locations- simultaneously!  It only took one devoted afternoon to prepare almost 30 homemade, yummy meals for around 100 dollars. This equaled out to about $3.50 a meal, plus homemade rolls for each!

happy fall!

goodbyes are hard.

Two days ago we said goodbye to this girl.
Words cannot explain the love and simplicity she brought to my everyday life, her gentle heart, and her calm spirit. She was kind, she was brave, and she was wonderful. I am blessed and so thankful for her and everything she was and still is, and will remember her always as a little sparkle in a dark world.

she was so, so special.

we will miss you sweet girl.

Fine Arts

On our final day in Boston we visited the museum of science, took a tour of the Samuel Adam's brewery, and spent the remainder of the afternoon engulfed in the fine arts. I would not call myself an art buff, but I am definitely an art appreciator- and even for those who are not, the building itself is exquisite. This museum is riddled with fabulous pieces and rooms that will make you feel as though you were plopped into eastern Europe in the 19th century. 

The highlight of the entire trip for me was the Claude Monet exhibit room. Being able to see such famous and delicate works in person was overwhelming, and I was riddled with soppy wet emotions. I felt extremely blessed to be so close to an original piece of history, and a collection that I have admired since junior high art classes.

http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/water-lilies-32724

Harvard Grounds

hello lovelies. i recently returned from a quick trip to bustling boston, and to say it was jam-packed would be an understatement. knowing that we only had a limited time to see the city, we made a list of our 'must see's', and opted for on the go over relaxation. it was a good choice. let me just say that the architecture of boston not only overwhelmed me but surprised me, and that it was one of the more beautiful cities i've visited. i've chosen to break the trip down into two posts, starting with a little tour of the harvard campus (definitely one of my must see's.)

instagram: cassidyydawn

xo

Feeling 22

Two nights ago I celebrated my 22nd birthday. It was a lovely evening filled with good food and even better people. We started out by having a lovely supper at a new restaurant in town called 'Ten Resto'- fantastic. Then we headed over to a quaint little wine bar next door. My friends had gotten together and decorated the place for the occasion, and picked up a tasty little cake that ended up being just the right amount for everyone at the party, plus the wine bar staff! 

I tried three new different types of wine and one old favorite! I used to be big on wines imported from Chile, but in the last year I've moved into more local wines from Canada and the US. 

Cheers! xo

New Brunswick

I have lived in the province of New Brunswick for twenty-two years and still have yet to see its ins and outs. Unfortunately, when I imagine a vacation or plan a trip, anywhere remotely local just doesn't seem to appeal to me. Canada is a remarkably beautiful and preserved country, and New Brunswick is a gem. 

It wasn't until recently when asked numerous questions about the Bay of Fundy and it's national parks (which we did not know the answers to) that Amanda and I decided to take a little day trip to some of New Brunswick's finest. 

 Fundy National Park/ Alma

We enjoyed a beautiful picnic at Hopewell Rocks at high tide, and took the scenic route back to Fredericton through Alma and Fundy National Park. It was definitely a day to remember and a huge reminder to uncover the hidden gems of your stomping grounds! 

Rock Bottom

I have tried to hit rock bottom for years

found it in a lot of strange beds
before six dollar coffees,
and I have seen the sunrise many times
but never because I wanted to.


cdi

Red Night

Wore this outfit to a BBQ with friends and a red themed night out afterwards. The outfit (including a lovely fitted black blazer) was a gift from Amanda for my graduation. :)