It's Damn Cold Outside

Not just a little cold, but chilled to the bone -25 degrees Celsius lake effect wet cold.  The kind of cold that leaves you feeling uninspired, making you want to give in and hibernate like a great big bear.  I say instead of fighting it, trying to beat the winter blues, give in!!!  Let yourself hibernate, be warm lazy and indulgent.

Drink and eat rich, hot safetying comfert foods.  I'm leaning towards meat loaf, chilly, warm breads and anything with cream or cheese.  Most animals put on weight in the winter to keep warm, and were animals right?  So no wonder we crave these foods.  So for at least one freaken freezing day, fill your belly's to keep Jack Frost out.

Crawl under the covers and pull them right up under your chin, go to bed early and sleep late.  I like to sleep with a duvet and two quilts in the winter, the heavier they feel that more cozy I am.  Also nothing warms a body like another body, snuggle, make love and have lenghty conversations under the covers.  As I have said before bed is my happy place and for more reason than one.

If you are lucky enough to have a fire, read that great deep novel you've had on your shelf for years.  If you don't have a fire, be indulgent turn the heat up for a day or two.  Since its too cold to go outside your not spending money so you can justify affording it.  I know its not environmentally friendly, but who likes cold floors and bathrooms in the middle of the night or morning.

Wear large, comfy. cozy clothing, do not worry about being stylish just warm and bulky.  Your cheeks are going to have that nice winter rosy glow, so you'll look pretty already.

Hopefully this post will make you feel less guilty about indulging in your inner bear.  Stay warm, stay safe and enjoy the time you have with your loved ones.

Love Kaydee

If The Bra Fits

According to Oprah and other media people about 70% of women are wearing the wrong bra size.  Not only is wearing the wrong size uncomfortable its down right silly.  Why would you want to wear something for 16hours a day that just doesn't fit.  Not to mention that your boobs are incredibly sensitive and just simply feel more than the rest of your body.

I decided to look up the history of the bra using the ever reliable Wiki as my information source.  What I found was too complicated to summarize, but if you are interested click on the wiki link.  One thing I did find interesting is that both world wars effected the bra industry greatly, first because of metal and the second because of the woman's role in war. 

I personally hate bra's and they are the first thing I remove when i walk in the door (the second is socks, I like my toes free).  When I was in Florida I decided to go into Victoria's Secret and get fitted, the girl in the dressing room tried to convince me that I was a D cup.  I tried on several D cup bras and just simply did not fill them (I could have told her that).  I am a true 36C, which a home measurement confirmed today. 

Here are some tips I found on the Internet about fitting.

From a web site called The Bra Guide I learned that if you are experiencing: Breast spillage, bra puckering, bra riding up, bra digging into shoulder and under wire poking you are wearing the wrong size.  You also need to figure out what type of bra works best for you.  I'm a huge fan of the cleave so i like a 3/4cup bra with some push up (if you got it flaunt it right?) . 

This is Victoria Secrets "How to Measure"

I find it a little confusing, but I found all the charts and info available on the web confusing.  Your best bet is to get fitted in a store, then try on as many styles as possible.  I always wear padded and am interested in trying some without.  Also colour is important, I feel that every girl should own both a nude and black bra.  Nude actually works better under white clothing than a white bra does, same goes for undies.  Although I find new undies kinda gross looking on my  pale skin.  I think this is a place where we should be investing some money instead of running for the sale bins.  We should really be putting our daily comfort first, no to mention the confidence good looking boobs can give a girl.





Hope you find the right size for you...

Love Kaydee

Date Night: The Fighter

I always look forward to a date night with Mr.N, not only because I love to spend time with him but because I have an excuse to dress up.  Being as I wear scrubs to work all week (pretty much PJ's), dressing up even in jeans is a treat for me.

I wore boots from Aldo, Jeggings from Gap which I love and want ten pairs of, Jessica Simpson knitted tunic and a boyfriend blazer by YDE studios which is carried at Jean Machine.

We went to see The Fighter tonight, which was a great movie.  I'm not surprised that both Amy Adams and Christian Bale are nominated for Oscars, they did a great job.  I loved the grainy way it was filmed, gave the movie an authenticity that suited the plot.  Plus who doesn't love to see Marky Mark with his shirt off, and Bale lost enough weight to make a very convincing crack head.  I love a good sports movie with heart, skill and a happy ending.

Now I need to shop for a new date night movie.

Love Kaydee

Nail Art: Featuring American Apparel

When someone mentions American Apparel you think, spandex and skinny girls in see though blouses.  But I happen to know that they have an amazing polish line that I have fell in love with.  I heard about it though one of my favourite blog The Daily Nail, she is a huge fan of this product and uses it in such amazing ways.  My nail art is amateur compared to hers, but to be fair I think she might work in graphic artistic design industry.

I bought three colours for 18 Canadian dollars last week, Mouse, Peacock and MacArthur Park and here is what I did with them

I used MacArthur Park as the base, Peacock and OPI red for the flowers, love my new dotting tool

 I used Mouse as a base, then using a small nail brush I created leaf like shapes with peacock

my bounty...

I'm hoping with time I get better with my new brushes and dotting tool, I need a lot of work using my left hand.  I kind of consider nail art as a craft I can carry around with me all the time, which is why I think I enjoy it so much.

Love Kaydee

A Girl Can Dream...

Every time I walk though a department store I look at the items around me and dream, dream of a life where I can buy everything.  Then I watch "Keeping up with the Kardashians" and I watch Kim do exactly as I can only dream to do.  Which leave me feeling empty and sad, but then I look at my life and know I am lucky with what a got.  But hey there is nothing wrong with a few material dreams is there?

Here are five items I would love to pick up if I were a rich girl...

$25 american

Chanel's Black Pearl Polish... so pretty

$209 american

Black Chandelier is the only Boutique Designed to Explicitly Showcase Black Chandeliers & Sconces. Now you can Indulge yourself in the Brilliance of Black. "Discover Your Dark Side"

Starting $649

Amazing red chair from La-Z-boy that I would love in my bed room to curl up and read in...

$695 american

 Incredible black leather pumps by Christian Louboutin that I am trying to convince my self would just pinch my toes :(

starting at $1075 american

My ever so beloved Tiffany's Diamonds by the yard, some things really are just a dream...





It is always hard to find Canadian prices, but since our dollar is almost par today I didn't bother. 

Whats on your dream list, I would love to know

Love Kaydee

Had To Share The Adorable Of This...CHANEL

Check out this Chanel animation, tres cute....

Giving Up The "Fake" Sweet Stuff...

I'm home with a bad headache, bordering on migraine and it sucks.  I sit here wondering what causes this awful event, is it change in the pressure or what we consume in a day?  I have an abnormal love for diet coke and I use Splenda in my tea.  Could the fake sweet stuff be causing my discomfort.

If anyone has read the book "Skinny Bitch", you know how bad that author feels about sweeteners.  I only read that part, I feel no need to become a veg, I like my knowledge less bliss which includes bacon.  I always say that aspartame is going to preserve me and I'm going to be cute forever.

But for today I am not going to use any artificial sweetener, with how my head feels I would try anything.  With that note just a short post today cause looking at the screen is murder.

Although after reading this article I do feel better about my consumption, who could drink 12 can of pop a day?  Also if you are curious this is what wiki has to say... let me know what you think cause I can't get though it :(

Off to bed I go...

Love Kaydee

Bill Paying Makes Me Dizzy

 I had this great idea for a post, but then I started looking at my bills and it really does make me dizzy.  I hate money, unless its disposable, trying to figure out the best way to deal with it gives me palpitations.

But I feel like I made a step in the right directions today, I made a calender of when all of our bills are due and taped it to my desk.  That way we always have a reference and don't have to run around searching for that stupid bill (or trying to remember online passwords).  Now if only that Visa fairy would come and twinkle my balance to zero.

Does trying to figure out finance give anyone else's head a whirl?  I even once bought a book to help me, how silly is that spending money to try and save money.  Duel income also means duel spending, we have to keep track of each other and trust me that's not always a walk in the park.

I'm sure if I bothered to look it up I would find that finance is the main reason for divorce.  But I am going to persevere, pay my bills on time, more than the min payment and get ahead.  I'm sure once you are a head of it, it really is a piece of cake.  Until then I will be here vowing to stop shopping, Starbucks and all fun money sucking stuff for the zillenth time. 

Do you know the bill going away fairy, send her my way please..

Love Kaydee

There Is No Place Like Bed

After a week of sleeping on my Gramps couch I was so excited to sleep in my own bed, and I was not disappointed.  I woke up this morning without any aches, pains or memories of bad dreams.  This is all because when I was 19 I bought a really good mattress.  It has been said of the ever so reliable WWW that you should replace your mattress ever 10 years or so, but who really does that?

Maybe we should re-think that attitude, cause if your doing it right you spend one third of your life in bed.  I might be spending more, with my great love of the nap.  Some of us are sleeping on crappy handmedowns and futons thinking its ok as long as we have a place to sleep.  I would like to point out that we only get one body (with some knee and hip exceptions) and we really should look after it as best we can.  I think being able to rest well is as if not more important than eating right and exercises.

An article at CTV says:

Some Signs You May Need A New Mattress:

• You wake up with stiffness, numbness, aches and pains
• You had a better night's sleep somewhere other than your own bed (such as a hotel)
• Your mattress shows visible signs of overuse (it sags, has lumps, the interior is exposed, etc.)
• Your mattress is 5 - 7 years old

I agree with all except the 5-7 years, really who can afford that.  Another thing that they suggest is to try about 30 mattresses before settling on the right one.  Maybe its like a wedding dress, you just know when its the one?  So no more sleeping on lumps and springs, trust me you will feel better for it.  You could drink less coffee, lose the bags under your eyes and just be a more pleasant person with better sleep.

I say its national nap day, just make sure you have a good place to crash!

Love Kaydee

Hi From Florida!!

Sorry that I haven't posted since I got here, but there really wasn't much to say.  My Grandpa looks great, I am so happy to have gotten to see him again.  But he does go to bed between 7:30 and 8 and the PC is in his bedroom so it has been hard to get some time on it (no wifi).  Mostly we have spent the days out and the evening working on a jigsaw puzzle and reading, I know so exciting eh.  But it has been really relaxing,

Here are just a few pictures

been to every Harley store near by, parents ride

Super cute, was def the youngest person there by 30yrs

My Mom ans Dad

The seagulls were attacking us for our ice cream

Isn't the Gulf beautiful

We pet Kangaroos and wallaby's at Busch Gardens

So Pretty

Doesn't love Amusement parks

We let them groom our hair

Mom and I love rides

OK, more than a few pictures.  One thing I can say is that Florida weather has been murder on my hair and skin, not sure how people live here frizzy all year round.

Today we are going to see the manatees my favourite animal, so excited they are so cute!!

I'll try to post again before I leave..

Love Kaydee

I Hate Packing...

I really couldn't think of a name for this post other than the obvious of I have packing.  especially for a trip like this, the kind that you don't know exactly what you are going to be doing each day.  For a resort down south I would just back Bikinis and slutty, oops I mean beachy dresses.  Not really the look I am going for while visiting my Gramps. 

Ok a few things I know, more undies than days, heaps of sun screen and toiletries.  But how many tee's, shorts, dresses and pants.  Whats the weather going to be like, hot, cold, wet or dry.  How much of the drive am I going to need my winter jacket for and boots... do I wear boots. 

If I were a rich girl I would just buy what I need down there, but I'm not so I need to bring it.  I know I am going to forget something important, something vital to my survival.  I mean when going to New York I forgot the guide to New York that I bought.

The one nice thing about this trip is that my Daddy does all the booking, I just need to be up at 3am to be ready for 4.  Why do parents always make you leave before its even day outside, before Starbucks is open??

Even with theses dilemmas I'm excited, looking forward to all the Vitamin D I can soak up!!

I'll miss you guys, but not the snow

Love Kaydee

Nail Art: Florida Here I Come!!!

As I have been mentioning the past couple of weeks I am off to Florida, the sunshine state on Saturday.  Now before you get too jealous of me I am going to visit my 90yr old Grandpa in central Northern Florida at his gated senors community.  It also involves a two day drive down there with my parents, which I actually love and a flight back.  Now I love my Grandpa so much, but this isn't the most exciting trip ever.

After the greys and dark reds of fall and the glitter of the holidays I was so excited to paint my nails with some colour.  This may be the only time you get to see my hobbit feet, but the nails are so cute I couldn't resist.

Hobbit Feet, with jewels

Yay Pink

On my toes I used OPI Ogre-the top blue and on my fingers China Glaze's Laced Up.  I like to use Miji nail art pens to make the flowers with my Konad plate, it just shows up more.

I am hoping to hit up a Starbucks and do a couple of posts with  pictures from my trip.  Can't wait to hug my Gramps, I mean he is 90 he deserve a visit!!

Next time you see me I will be a giant freckle, well if the sun is out.  Hope the weather gods are eon my side please.

Love kaydee

Cake Balls Almost Fail

I was playing around on the Internet Monday night and discovered my new favourite blog www.bakerella.com.  El and I were amazed by her cake balls and pops so we decided to try the endeavor on our own.  We chose cherry chip as our cake, which is where we think we went wrong.  Red velvet would have been a much better choice being as it is less sweet and rich.  I think they turned out adorable, and will try them again to perfect the method.  Click here to see how Bakerella makes her cake balls.

dipped in melted chocolate

our cake

crumbled cake and icing

making balls

 Not going to lie, these didn't turn out as good as we thought they would.  Being to sweet and more bumpy than we would have liked. El is a perfectionist and is currently plotting how we can vastly improve. But since I am NOT a baker, and they aren't inedible I'm pleased  .  But I wont quit my day job any time soon.

Need to go run of my sugar rush

Love Kaydee

And The Winner Is!!!

The winner of my first ever giveaway is.........


HOLLY!!!!!!!


Thank you to everyone that signed up for the contest, keep watching for more to come

Hope you like your prize Holly

Love Kaydee

Five Things I'm Bad At...

I am good at many things, I make the best fish face and I give great hugs.  But there are some things that I am just simply bad at, some things that I might never get better at.  I think a person needs to embrace their faults, enjoy them, really make them part of their day.

trying to be sexy... fail

I am bad at the following:
1.Spelling-I mean really have you read this blog before, and that's after spell check and two proof reads
2.  Backing a car into a spot-  I am so afraid that I will cause damage I cannot afford to fix, and parking lots have weird insurance rules, yikes
3. Cleaning as I cook- I like to make a giant tornado of a mess while making a meal, poor Mr.N cause whom ever cooks doesn't have to clean
4. Keeping a schedulel-my friends all know to call me about an hour before plans to remind me that I made them (as I write this I remember that I have a massage at 6:30 thanks you blog gods!)
5. Corresponding- I am horrible at remembering my cell phone, reading e-mails and texting back within a reasonable amount of time.

The first three I am just going to live with, but I think with time and age I can improve on the last two.  I am all about self improvement, lets just hope I don't procrastinate of forget about it.

Love Kaydee

BYOB Etiquette

I think being in your mid 20's to mid 30's is kinda like a second adolescence, full of confusion, self awareness and hormones.  We have to figure out a whole new set of rules, all why trying to figure out who we want to be as a grown person.  Included in this is the BYOB etiquette when it is not specifically said, written on a flyer or in an e-vite.  There are going to be a lot of in the case of, or for instance in this post, and these again are opinions of my self and ones I have gathered from friends today.

Ok here we go:

-when having such a gathering you should provide at least one case of beer, or hard liquor and wine to offer to the "just dropped in for a quick min before I head off my my less fun obligation plans" people.
-if you are one of the above people, only have one drink any more than that you should have BYOB'd
-one should leave what is left in the bottle at the party givers house, as kinda a thanks for letting me get smashed parting gift.
-don't drink other party goers booze unless specifically offered from them, people are sad when there bottle is empty and its not in their livers.
-if you plan on drinking 6 beers, bring 8 or a bottle of wine bring a magnum like I said leave some behind you look less of a lush
- don't get so faced that you are sick at a work party or family party, this can only be done at truly good friends homes.
-never drink and drive, its just awkward for others and friggen stupid for you.

It was much easier at 19 when you knew to bring what you were going to drink, and you never supplied your friends with booze cause you couldn't afford it.  Now we want to look grownup and fancy with our nicely stocked bars.  Except now with bills and obligations can we really afford to supple our friends livers more than before.  El thought this post was going to sound bitchy, telling people what to do but I'm not so much telling as wanting to know.  Are theses "rules" right, are there more, what do other groups of people do.  Does North American treat BYOB different than the rest of the world like we do super sizing?

I need your thoughts people!

Love Kaydee

Only 48 Hours Left In My First Giveaway

Don't forget that there is only 48more hours to sign up for my first ever giveaway.  Please become a google follower and leave a comment on this post to qualify.  Its a super great prize, my lips feel silky smooth!

Look forward to hearing from you

Love Kaydee

Wine List: Alvar 2008 Chardonney Gewurztraminer

 

I would have to say that writing a wine review on a Sunday morning, after had drinking said bottle of wine the night before is a little difficult.  I want to think about egg mcmuffins not more booze.  But back to my new favourite wine, that has been bought two weekends in a row!

 The back of the bottle  says that:
This crisp balanced wine opens with the fresh flavours of lychee and mandarin oranges; the citrus influence continues with an intense tangerine flavour; the presence of Gewurztraminer complements the wine with a closing note of spice.

I agree that it is on the sweet side and fruity but what i really like about it is how smooth it is.  It goes down like Kool-aid kids. Gewürz is a new wine, grape or whatever to me but I am excited to try it in all its combinations.

At $12.95 a bottle it is right in my price range, and being sweet in my taste range. 

I give this wine a big YUM for a nice night in with the girls (Mr.N not a wine fan)

Love Kaydee

DIY: Lip Scrub

OK, so while wasting time trying to figure out what the hell people are talking about on twitter I came across a "tweet" from Rachael Zoe which lead me to this article on her web site.  So then I followed that up with going to the actual web site for said lip scrub www.sarahapp.com.  While reading the site it was mentioned that she made this 24 dollar scrub in her very own kitchen.

So I said to my self, self you could do that too, with stuff you already have and save the 24 dollars for things you can't make like air planes and shoes.  As any normal person would do I started off with googling how to make your own lip scrub.  What I learned is that most use sugar as the actual excellent, so again I said self what can I mix the sugar into.  I have a huge tub of no name Vaseline, and yes I know petroleum jelly is supposed to be one of the baddies for you as said here, but I like it for my lips.

not pretty, but works

 I mixed three table spoons of white and three table spoons of brown sugar, a huge glop of Vaseline and a small amount of vanilla extract together.  I did have to nuke the jelly for about 20sec to soften it up for mixing, once mixed I had my very own almost free lip scrub.  

It works great!  Using my fingers I rubbed it into my lips, and rubbed my lips together (it tastes like cookies) then I used warm water to melt the sugar off my lips leaving me with a smooth Vaseliney finish.  I am always getting skin strings on my lips, which makes lipstick look chunky and gross I'm hoping this "product" will help.  Now please keep in mind I am not a scientist or a doctor and if you make this at home its at your own risk.  If you are allergic to any of the above ingredients, be smart don't make it.

I like it, works for me and wasn't a ridiculous 24 dollars for a tiny jar

Love Kaydee

P.S. 1/2 Price Starbucks

From Jan 7th to the 16th Starbucks (at least in London,On) are offering 1/2 price Tazo Tea Lattes between 2pm and 5pm.  This includes my loves Chai Latte, which I bought this afternoon for the measly price of $2.18.  How great is that, I see lots of Tazo in my future.

Thanks Starbucks your great.

Love Kaydee

To Nap Or Not To Nap....

My shift at work runs from 7am to 3pm, which other than that first 20min where I am trying to drag my butt out of bed I love.  I get my day over with, work during the busiest time and can still make a matinee at the movie theatre. 

My one dilemma everyday is whether I should nap or not, is there more important things I could be doing.  Do grownups have a nap everyday, or do they use their time more productively.  I'm not going to lie I spend a good part of my day thinking about the nap I could have after work.  I mean what is there really to do between 3:45 and 5pm.  Sure I could watch Oprah, but I wouldn't consider that productive. 

In searching the benefits of napping on CNN.com I came across this article: Napping, a love story and realized I came across a kindred spirit.  I love to nap, crawling under the sheets with the windows open and the sun on my face at 3:45pm makes me elated with joy.  They tend to be the best sleep ever, the most relaxing and rewarding.  They make my life feel luxurious, like I am the lady of leisure I believe I am meant to be. 

Sure in my quick research I cam across some great benefits of napping, mostly for the 20min nap which I feel is a tease.  What I loved about this article is how she felt about napping, and how it echoed my own true, deep down feelings.

Do I think I need to nap everyday, no...  But I am no longer going to feel guilty for having one and it being the most joyful part of my day.

Hope your sleeps are as restful as mine are going to be.

Love Kaydee

10 Things You Might Not Know About Me

Since you have been reading about my opinions I figured we should start off the new year getting to know one another a little more.  So as the title indicated here are 10 things you could or could not already know about me.

Fish Face

In not particular order.

1. My favourite food is mozzarella sticks, who doesn't like breaded deep fried cheese

2. I HATE the colour orange, enough to text yell it

3. My favourite movie genre is sports, I always cry when the good guys triumph

4. I love to pluck my eye brows, I find it soothing

5. Regular flavoured chips are my least favourite, really only a vehicle for dip

6.  Ariel the Little Mermaid is my hero, because of her I have always wanted red hair

7.  I'm afraid of being bitten by sharks and snakes, but have never seen one outside of an aquarium

8.  I'm the biggest dork I know, but unlike when in high school I enjoy it and am proud of that fact.

9.  I am so addicted to chap stick I'm pretty sure my lips no longer make their own moisture

10.  I love my freckles, cause without them I would be albino!!

So that's a little bit about me, I would love to hear some about you.  Leave a comment, tell me something completely random about yourself.

K, back to watching Canada win (fingers crossed) the world junior hockey tournament.

Love Kaydee

First Giveaway and Review of EOS Lip Balm

As promised there will be giveaways in the new year, just small tokens of my love.  I even broke my no personal spending rule to start the trend.  Being as one of the major problems with winter is chapped lips I thought where better to start then with a fun chap stick (well a sphere).

I had read about the EOS or Evolution of Smooth products on other blogs and they gave it rave reviews.  Being as I am easily influenced by others I was sold to give it a try.  I bought two honeysuckle honeydew flavoured sphere, one for me and one for you at Shoppers Drug mart today.  Now I have to say that this balm was hard to track down, but an e-mail I got from EOS told that they they are available at R W & Co as well.  This is a 95% organic, 100% natural balm that is paraben and petrolatum free (they are bad guys for our bodies).  Also I really enjoyed their instructions of application "twist-off top, pucker up, smooth on, smile" it makes me laugh! 

So far my freckled sensitive lips have not felt burnt, swelled up or created nasty hives so this is a winner to me.  It will take about a week for me to know if it is really beating the winter dry out I normally get.  Will this replace my beloved Burt's Bee's with its fun spherical packaging and smooth feel, only time will tell.

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!!!

All you have to do to qualify is sign up as a google follower which in on the right side of my page and comment on this post.  Just send me a hey, I would love to try that neat, green sphere of a balm.  Anyone from anywhere can qualify as long as you are following me, you have one week from today to sign up.  I'm going to use formal snail mail to ship, so if the winner could be patient that would be great.  I'm going to put all of the names in an ever so high tech hat and do an old fashioned draw next Tuesday.

Good Luck!!

Love Kaydee

Six Pieces I Love In My House

I have been lucky to collect some amazing pieces for my home over the years, mostly thanks to my parents for saving antique in their basement.  I love to decorate, but hate to clean which kinda kills the nice effect in my house.  So I thought I would post show some of my possessions and that forced me to give them a really good dust!!

  My Great Grandmothers china cabinet that I use as a book shelf, the dining room table is in the way of the bottom part but it really is beautiful!!

 Mirror we were given as a wedding present, it is so fancy and fabulous

Book self I coveted at Pier One, then found at 70% off as it was being discontinued

 Massive Audrey poster in Italian that My brothers family gave me for Christmas one year, my sister in law is great at gifts!

Slipper chair my Aunt recovered for me, I have a long list of friends who want to steal this one cause its so cute!

 Victrola Case my Mom refinished, that yet again I use as a book self

My Mom has given me some great advice thought my life, one being that most of your furniture should have storage.  I'm a crap collector, definitely not a minimalist at all so storage is really important to me.  I have read about 98% of the books on my shelves, the ones I haven't read are because I forgot that I bought them.  I really should keep a list of the ones I have bought to avoid doubles. 

I love a lot of things in my house, these are just a few...

Love Kaydee