My grandparents were in town this weekend and we spent a cozy, rainy weekend catching up. I am very much a family girl so I love when my grandma and grandpa come down to visit! They drove down from Reno on Friday and met me at work for lunch.

After work we went to my friend’s house to watch their cutie toddler. It wasn’t your typical night but I think my grandparents enjoyed spending time with a little one, especially because he is at such a fun age! Plus, he seemed to really like my grandpa and sat contently on his lap for half hour watching a movie with us.

Saturday morning was lazy and rainy. A favorite combo of mine! I made bacon (rare in my house!), scrambled eggs with spinach and cheese, toast, and coffee and tea. There really is something about cooking for your loved ones and sharing a meal together. 🙂

After breakfast we went up to my mom’s so Mike and my grandpa could help put together a new shelf she just got. In typical fashion, the girls hung around while the boys assembled the shelf. Then it was time for lunch at a local favorite, Franklin Street Cafe. My mom and I spilt a salad and I ordered a cup of the chicken tortilla soup.

On our way back to our house, we saw an Open House in the neighborhood. Checking out houses/condos is a fun, quick thing to do; especially with how outrageous prices are in the Bay Area! Every time, it’s like wait, how much!?

Then it was back to our house to learn a new game called Phase 10. About half way through the game we decided to Door Dash Sam’s BBQ, a South Bay gem! We all ordered the Carolina pulled pork platter with various sides. For me, the day’s eats included a lot of meat (bacon, chicken, pulled pork….) but that’s how it goes sometimes.

After we finished dinner and our game (Mike won, #standard), we watched a documentary on Netflix and called it a night. The next morning we went to Willow Glenn for breakfast at Crepevine, where my grandma and I spilt the French toast. Lots of splities in this family.

My grandparents left shortly after breakfast and Mike and I promptly crawled right back in bed. He napped on and off while I watched Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason …Mike’s commentary included at no additional charge;)

I’ve seen the first Bridget Jones but not the second… The sequel wasn’t as good (in my opinion) but I still love how ridiculous Bridget Jones is. I’m looking forward to seeing the third movie soon!

It was still raining outside after the movie but Mike and I decided to go hot tubbing anyway. And to our pleasant surprise, our pool was still heated! We spent the afternoon swimming and hot tubbing in the rain and it was sooo much fun and a great Sunday activity.

After our dip, we grabbed quick slices of pizza and then went for happy hour at our FAVORITE restaurant OCK. A few hours later we made vegan Thai veggie wraps for dinner with peanut sauce. We’ve made these in the past but this time, we piled all of the vegetables on a plate and wrapped them as we went. I didn’t know if the wraps would be enough for dinner but it turned out that they were perfect! I think taking the time to make each wrap and then eat it, slowed down dinner which meant our brains had time to tell us we were full before over-eating. At least that’s what I read happens… hehe

Tune in next week for another weekend recap. I know you can hardly wait 😉

** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**

Every year we celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving at our house with lots of food, drinks, and friends. (You can read about last year here.)

This year was probably the most stress free event we’ve had yet (though the bar is set pretty low considering we almost caught our house on fire four years ago… #allofthestress).

It was a gorgeous day yesterday, perfect for hanging out at our outdoor BBQ pit! Mike manned the grilled and made burgers with Keg spice (the seasoning from the Canadian steakhouse chain) and Canadian cheddar, while I made poutine (a Canadian staple). We found REAL cheese curds this year; which is a big deal for us because in the past, we’ve had to use sliced mozzarella and it just hasn’t been the same. Mike also made homemade gravy for the poutine.

We had an array of different Canadian chips and candies for people to snack on while the food was being made and, of course, Canadian beer, wine, and rye.

This year, Mike and I also made little cards with Canadian fun facts and trivia. I thought they turned out really cute and were hopefully interesting!

For dessert, Mike made Nanaimo bars. They are delicious with a TON of butter in them (are those synonymous?). Unfortunately I dropped the ball on pictures this year and didn’t get any of the dessert or food! There was just too much fun to be had. 😉

** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**

In school, I was the student who was nice to substitute teachers. While a lot of my classmates took advantage of a free range day in class without the “real” teacher there, I dutifully obeyed whatever instructions the sub laid out for us. 

Make no mistake, this did not earn me cool points with my peers. In fact, being “nice” has somewhat carried a negative connotation for me my whole life. 

Recently, two friends remarked I was “like a dog, I was so loyal.” They didn’t mean any ill-intent by this comment but I was instantly taken back to my classroom days, helping substitute teachers figure out how to turn on the overhead projector (remember those?!) and getting mildly made fun of for being a teacher’s pet.

In all honestly, there were times when I tried to abandon my nice girl ways. Most of my friends were way cooler than I was. I joke now that I wasn’t a cool kid in school, I just somehow – gracefully – made friends with some key cool kids who wore the right clothes, made the right jokes, and didn’t seem to have the sensitive streak or emotional attachment that I did…

I’ve never really been able to flee too far from my nice-girl ways. But I’m starting to embrace this side. Some may see it as a sign of weakness but I disagree. To me, kindness is the greatest strength of all.

I think we are generally seeing a shift towards this realization in our Western culture. There are things like the Kind Campaign and a growing awareness surrounding bullying. I see my friends who are parents striving to teach their kids about compassion and being inclusive.

It just may be becoming cool to be kind; and for once I can say, I was ahead of the curve.

** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**

It’s another first of the month (how is it already August?!) which tends to bring on a new “challenge” for me. In June, I experimented with something different. I focused on my mind instead of my body and tried for a No Negative June.

Negativity is so easy, isn’t it? I’ve noticed how go-to  gossip and complaining are (for me and likely many others) in conversation. To talk trash or gossip can easily become our social crutch when we feel we don’t have anything to say or are just getting to know someone. It takes more effort and thought to talk about something deeper than just complaining.

I still fall into this trap even after my No Negativity June. When I’m stuck in an awkward silence, I feel myself scrambling for a bit of recent gossip or a complaint forming on the tip of my tongue.  

In the end though, I realize these conversations don’t add much value to my life or relationships. I want conversations that are both positive and that make me think harder or in new, brighter ways. I want depth and substance. I want them to be a reflection of my values and who I want to be.

It was effective to be conscious of this in June and I am really trying to maintain mindfulness here. It is important that my conversations – the stories I tell, the jokes I laugh at – and the information I absorb – the people I engage with, the news I read – serve me well.

Stay tuned and eat your greens.

** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe **