how in the world?

Tom Thum at TEDxSydney

Kate is hosting five days of giveaways!

Feeling lucky?

video for the philippines... i just can't wait!

Tomorrow we fly out to our new home in Manila, Philippines!
I am super pumped!!!
It's a privilege to be going to teach at an organized international school that is fully established and service-oriented.

Thanks for a very happy summer, Canada!

going green

In the past few months I've been starting a bit of a natural kick.
I'm trying to buy more natural products, find products with fewer ingredients, eat healthier, etc.
It's even starting to enter my beauty routine!
{All of this doesn't mean I didn't share a bag of Nibs with my mom for lunch the other day...}

For breakfast I've been experimenting with a few "green smoothies."
These have gotten mixed reviews! haha
But I like them, so I keep chopping and mixing and trying.

Here's the recipe I started with from Kimberly Snyder...

Glowing Green Smoothie
1 1/2 cups very cold, filtered water
6 cups spinach, chopped
5 cups organic romaine lettuce, chopped
2 stalks of organic celery
1 organic apple, cored and chopped
1 organic pear, cored and chopped
1 organic banana
1-2 Tbsp fresh organic lemon juice

Optional Ingredients

Ice cubes (the extra coldness can help newbies with the taste)

1/2 cup of cilantro

1/2 cup of parsley

{Recipe source}

Some tips if you give it a try:
I majorly cut down on the amount of ingredients to make a more individual size.
I especially cut down on the amount of celery - I find the taste way too overpowering.
And I mix in whatever is in the fridge or take away things that we don't happen to have.

Healthy eating!
- Amanda

into this song... lorde

Lorde - Royals

one whole year

Dear Jeff,
Today is our first wedding anniversary...
That's one whole year of total and complete happiness :)
I feel lucky and loved everyday.
Thanks for being awesome!

summer collection: cottage life in rosseau, ontario

While Toronto flooded last week...

{via}

Jeff and I and another couple rented a cottage in Rosseau, Ontario. 

It was a beautiful location and we had perfect weather.

Since the lake we were on was somewhat small, the water was quite warm, which bodes well for me since my body doesn't regulate temperature well! 

These are just a few shots I grabbed.

Although our summer in Canada is not very long {and I have no desire to own a cottage whatsoever because of this!}, it was very relaxing and not too far from Toronto.

A few others were even able to join us for an awesome day of cottage Summer Olympics that were planned.

It's so easy to be lazy - sit on the dock and read or chatter - but we made ourselves get up and run around for a little friendly competition.

We had two teams of four, with a balanced male/female ratio, couples on opposite teams.

Events included washer toss, frisbee golf {which would be a great PE game!}, a small euchre tourney, traditional old egg toss, timed canoe races, flip cup, Family Feud and a final relay race that was soooo close!

I'd say the perfect way to spend a week with friends before we fly out to Manila!

- Amanda

super simple summer salad recipe

At the cottage we had this amazing salad:

A friend of mine made a delicious oil and vinegar dressing for it...

So delicious I asked her to hand over the recipe.

To which she responded, just Google it; it's on AllRecipes.

And so I did!

Here's that recipe if you want something super fresh and full of flavour to top your spinach:

1/2 cup vegetable oil {I think we used EVOO}

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 tsp paprika

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Whisk all the ingredients together and drizzle on top of your spinach and whatever salad!

{Recipe source}

I topped it with feta after adding this amazing dressing and reserving myself a scoop {since I'm dairy-free}.

Enjoy!

- Amanda

summer collection: camping in owen sound, ontario

Mom and I after a few kilometer hike :)

grandma's coleslaw

You know, there are not a lot of foods that I just don't like.
I'll eat almost anything and I'll try almost anything.
{Needless to say, perhaps, I will not be trying balut when we arrive in Manila.}
One thing I really do not like, though, is coleslaw.
It's too green and mushy for me.
It's vinegar-y and tangy in all the wrong ways.

Last week we had a turkey dinner with the family.
{Since we live overseas, we tend to have whole trimmed holiday dinners in the summer.}
Jeff's grandma always makes awesome food, but this time she made an awesome coleslaw.
I didn't even know this was possible!
I think I'm a coleslaw convert.

Grandma's Coleslaw

1 bag cabbage or broccoli slaw {or chop your own}
1 c Miracle Whip
1/4 c white sugar
2 Tbsp white vinegar
raisins
pecans

Mix 'em up good and throw in as many raisins and pecans as your heart desires. We had this as a side with ribs and it was a perfect summer meal. Yum!

- Amanda

summer collection: toronto

This is our cat with a short tail. She won't be joining us in Manila - it's a pretty long and I'm sure stressful flight for a cat!

Basil: summer favourite. 

Every season favourite, who am I kidding?

 Love that little smile!

{Jeff took this one.}

Toronto pride parade - amazing energy!

Leaving Stout after some board-gaming.

Dinner at the so-delicious Playa Cabana. This place has gotten crazy popular since we first stumbled upon it  on Dupont; great tacos and giant burritos!

We also went a Jays game, which are always fun! We lost...but still.

Winners!

Congratulations to

I'll be in touch so you can let me know which two items you'd like me to send along.

We've just spent the weekend in the city {Toronto for all non-Ontario readers}...
So I'll be back with a few photos to share.

Have a beautiful day!
- Amanda