More Than Love...

"Baby, we've come a long way, baby.
You know, I hope and I pray that you believe me when I say this love will never fade away."
-Ray Lamontagne

Sun, sand, water and a truly amazing couple... Could it get any better?
Oh right, did I mention the floating dance floor!

Congratulations to Melissa and Trevor!

Sorry for the lack of posts...

"A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses."
-Hippocrates

I've been at home sick for the last week.

I don't have a cold or a flu though...

I have MS.

As some of you may be aware, I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis five years ago. In case you aren't sure what MS is exactly (I know I didn't!), here are the basics:

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system which is composed of the brain and spinal cord. The disease attacks the myelin which is a protective covering wrapped around the nerves of the central nervous system, resulting in a wide variety of MS symptoms, depending upon what part or parts of the central nervous system are affected.

Symptoms may include:
-Balance and Dizziness
-Bladder and bowel dysfunction
-Cognitive Impairment
-Depression
-Dysarthria, or difficulty speaking
-Fatigue and Fatigability
-Gait (difficulty in walking)
-Hormonal Influences for women with MS
-Incoordination
-L’hermitte's (Electric shock sensation radiating down spine with neck flexion)
-Mood Liability / Bipolar Affective Disorder
-Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve)
-Pain
-Sensory Impairment, Numbness / Tingling
-Spasms
-Spasticity
-Tremor
-Uhthoff's Phenomena (Heat Intolerance)
-Useless Hand Syndrome (of Oppenheimer)
-Weakness
Not all people with MS will experience all symptoms and often the symptoms will improve during periods of remission.

Multiple sclerosis is a complex disease, most often diagnosed in young adults, aged 15 to 40. The impact is felt by family, friends and by the community. MS is unpredictable, affecting vision, hearing, memory, balance and mobility. Its effects are physical, emotional, financial, and last a lifetime. There is no cure.

-Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world.
-MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada.
-Every day, three more people in Canada are diagnosed with MS.
-Women are more than three times as likely to develop MS as men.
-MS can cause loss of balance, impaired speech, extreme fatigue, double vision and paralysis.
-We don't know what causes MS but researchers are closer to finding the answer.

-Courtesy of the http://mssociety.ca/en/default.htm MS Society of Canada

I'm not going to lie, it was a pretty devastating diagnosis to receive at 22. I had just finished university and was newly engaged, just starting my life as an adult. I didn't know anything about MS, other than the only person I knew who had it could barely walk and was partially blind! It was an incredibly scary time for me and my family.

With the help of my amazing support system, I started to learn more about this disease. I started to ask questions, seek out information and empower myself with knowledge. It took a long time, but eventually I stopped feeling sorry for myself and stopped focusing on what could happen. Instead, I tried to take each day as it came and started to make small changes to create balance in my life.

The past five years have been a roller coaster ride of successes and failures. I've had to give up dream jobs, miss out on lots of social time with friends and almost completely retire my high heels (tear!), but I've also gained so many amazing things. I have seen true friendship, love and support from my family and friends when I needed them most, I have an unbelievable marriage which has only been strengthened by our journey through this together, and I have a new appreciation for what is truly important in my life.

I don't known what the future holds for me, but then, do any of us? All I can do it take the good with the bad, and enjoy every moment of life. I may get sick every few months, and I might not be able to update my blog as much as I'd like, but I am blessed in so many other parts of my life it almost seems like a fair trade off... Almost!

I hope this helps you understand why from time to time there may be breaks in my posts, and I hope these don't deter you from following. I really do love having this blog!


Stay tuned starting monday for Stampede Week... featuring all things Stampede including must haves, style, survival essentials and something cold to wash it all down.


Photo credit: GQ Magazine

Happily ever after...

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."
-Emily Brontë

A beautiful day, a beautiful couple and a beautiful wedding... Congratulations to Lindsay and Chris!


Photo Credit:
Launi Elliott

Delish: Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Sundaes

"Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward."
-Terri Guillemets

I come from a long line of dessert addicts.

Growing up, dinner every night was followed by some sort of sugary sweet treat. At our house it was chocolate brownie pudding, layer cakes and molasses ginger bread. At my Grandma's is was homemade rhubarb pie, mint nanaimo bars and scottish shortbread. At my Grandmother Nette's it was ice cream sundaes, popcorn cake and triple chocolate cookies. Needless to say, as an adult with an ever slowing metabolism, I find I am engaged in a constant internal battle... to dessert or not to dessert?

Thankfully, (for me and my waistline) summer offers so many healthy and delicious dessert options. There is a huge selection of fruit that is readily available, and relatively inexpensive. I just love to wander around the farmers market looking at all the fresh fruits until something wonderful catches my eye... it's so liberating after a winter of routine apples and bananas or five dollar raspberries.

On Sunday we went to the market to pick up a bunch of fresh fruit and vegetables and I was shocked to find a huge selection of amazing looking berries, and they were so cheap! In addition to a bunch of other yummy produce, we bought a big tray of strawberries, and I'm so glad we did because they are heavenly! We have eaten the entire tray between the two of us in under two days! It's crazy! Even my usually fruit opposed husband can't get enough... The key: Frozen Yogurt Sundaes!

We both love ice cream in all its forms... I mean, we had a portable Marble Slab instead of a cake at our wedding! Unfortunately, ice cream is not the healthiest dessert choice even if it is covered in fresh fruit. Lucky for us, Vanilla Frozen Yogurt by Foothills Creamery is delicious and healthy, and with only 2.8% milk fat, compared to the over 10% in regular ice cream, you can enjoy dessert guilt free all summer long!

Here is the recipe (if you can even really call it that...) for the tasty Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Sundaes we've been loving, but you can easily customize it using your favorite toppings and a bit of imagination.

Fresh Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Sundaes

1/2 cup Foothills Creamery Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
1/2 cup fresh organic strawberries, washed
2 tbsp almonds, sliced
Optional:
Unsweetened coconut
Dark chocolate shavings or curls

-Heat oven to 350 degrees and move oven rack to middle position
-On a baking pan, spread out the almonds in a single layer and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the slivers are golden, but not dark brown. Toss almonds every 5 minutes, and watch for the last few minutes of baking, as they can turn dark in seconds
-Cool almonds for 10 - 15 minutes
-Trim caps off of the strawberries and cut into thin slices
-Optional: Using a grater, shave dark chocolate into shavings or curls
-Remove frozen yogurt from the freezer and scoop out a 1/2 serving into a bowl. Top with sliced strawberries and toasted almonds. Add coconut and dark chocolate if desired.
-Bon Appetite


Not only is fresh fruit a delicious and low calorie treat, but it's also full of vitamins, helps digestion, protects against illness and full of antioxidants! Canada's Food Guide recommends 5 servings of fruit a day, and this is a pretty sweet way to get at least one of them!

So go ahead, and have dessert... it's good for you!


Photo Credit: Snooth.com

Monday Morning Must Have: Whole Living Magazine

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
-Leonardo DaVinci

Is it just me, or is it ridiculously hard to find a magazine worth five dollars these days?

I feel like I am stuck somewhere between Cosmo and US Weekly or Redbook and Canadian Living. There just aren't very many magazines targeted to or relevant for the married twenty something crowd, so I am constantly on the lookout for a fun, hip magazine that writes about things my friends and I would be interested in.

My mother-in-law is actually the one who first introduced me to Whole Living: body + soul in balance. She was already a subscriber and bought me my own subscription for Christmas last year, and I'm hooked. I love that one issue of Whole Living features everything from under 225 calorie ice cream taste tests and eco-friendly wall coverings to creating an edible garden and the ultimate beach cover-ups. With a bit of a focus on environmental sustainability and personal well-being, it's fresh and modern take on a women's issue magazine.

Whole Living is available at Chapters Bookstore or online at Whole Living Subscriptions.

Online Fashion Finds: ASOS.com

"I like my money right where I can see it - hanging in my closet."
-Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

There are not very many things that excite me as much as finding a great new online shopping site.

I love to shop and buy new clothes, and over the last five years I have been doing more and more of it online. It's such a great way to find unique and different things! I have also gotten very used to shopping on my laptop in my sweats.

For the last few weeks, I have been spending all my free time searching for cute dresses for the weddings I have coming up next month. I had a pretty good idea what I was looking for (something tailored and sophisticated, in a punchy summer colour, with a bit of edgy interest...) but just couldn't seem to find anything I could afford. Damn you Herve Leger and your thousand dollar price point!

Then last night I happened upon my very own e-tail heaven... ASOS.com. I am seriously head over heals for this site! They literally have thousands of dresses ranging in price from under $20, for their private label line, up to $700 for designer. They also carry a huge selection of clothes, shoes and accessories for women as well as maternity, mens, kids and beauty departments.

ASOS is based in the UK, but features an easy to use US dollar currency converter, US/UK size guide as well as reasonably priced international shipping in eight days (under $10) and four day international express. I also love that each product listing offers multiple images, in all offered colours, in addition to a runway video clip, so you really know what to expect before you order.

Here are a few ASOS.com pieces that caught my eye...



Frill Sleeve Body Con Dress



Premium Multi Ribbon Looped Bow Fascinator



Pleat Fold Detail Contour Dress



Shark Shoulder Longline Blazer



Ponti-Roma Tailored Pencil Dress



Cheetah Shoulder Top




I ordered two dresses today for express shipment... I'll let you know what they are like when they arrive. Fingers crossed!

I hope you like this site as much as I do!


Photo Credit:
Title - ASOS Magazine

Fashion Friday: Prints Charming

"Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul."
-The Koran

I'm a little bit of a girlie girl, especially when it comes to floral prints. They are just so sweet and delicate and somehow understated. You just can't help but feel feminine and flirty when you wear a bit of Floral!

I was so excited to see that the prints being shown on the runways this season had taken a decidedly floral turn. Soft daisy, romantic rose and pretty peony prints replaced the hard geometric patterns of the past few years. Everyone from Balenciaga to Dior to Chloe were showing floral prints and flower inspired designs. Florals are everywhere! And they are fresh, airy and full of life.

Floral prints are not all created equal, and with the selection that is available, you can definitely find the type that suits your personality. Try a long flowing floral print dress, skirt or tunic for a breezy and laidback look. Feeling elegant? Try a structured and fitted floral dress or jacket.

Here are a few floral prints to tempt your inner girlie girl:





Floral Maxi Dress from the Gap
I just love the simplicity of this dress. I think it would be perfect with a cropped denim jacket and espadrilles.




Daisy Day Skirt from J. Crew
Floral skirts can be worn a million different ways! Try it high waisted, paired with a simple white T, leather belt and and flat sandals.




Floral Wayfarer Sunglasses from Garage
These are just awesome! Such an easy way to add a pop of floral to an everyday outfit. Plus, the wayfarer style looks great on everyone.




Love Moschino Cropped Floral Blazer
This is a bit of a splurge, but I love structure of this blazer. How amazing would this be with dark wash skinny jeans and flats? Plus, I am a big fan of the skulls hidden in the floral print... toughens it up just a little!




Rift Valley Shorts from Anthropologie
Floral shorts can be a bit tricky to pull off, but it you pair them with a solid colour top, some less girlie accessories and killer heels they can be pretty cool.




Featheroff Bag from Aldo
I'm a big fan of statement handbags, and this particular one definitely makes a statement! Just like the Floral sunglasses, this bag makes it easy to try floral. This handbag may be a bit trendy, but at such a reasonable price point, you can easily retire it after the season.




Printed Strapless Sweetheart dress from Victoria's Secret
This dress is so sweet! I love the ultra girlie combination of the floral print, sweetheart neckline and cinched waist... I doubt you could get more feminine! Getting a toothache? Try a fitted blazer to add a bit of edge.




Black Ditsy Floral Tights from Urban Outfitters
These aren't really warm weather friendly, but I just couldn't resist! I'd wear these to work with a black mini dress and boots.




Floral Ruffle Top by Rare from Topshop
You really can't go wrong with a flouncy floral top. The outfit possibilities are endless... under a blazer, belted with a sweater, tucked into a high waisted skirt or just thrown on with wide leg jeans. Summer perfection!




Short Jumpsuit in Prints from Victoria's Secret
I am so excited that rompers and jumpsuits are making a comeback. They are so cute and don't really require much outfit planning. Try this fun floral number on it's own, or try belting it layered with a tank top.




Pointy Floral Flats from YesStyle
These floral flats are adorable! They would be great with a full skirt and belted sweater or they could add a bit of interest to a T and jeans.


Have fun this season playing around with different florals! After all, if the old adage is true that April showers bring May flowers... at the rate we're going, Calgary should be in bloom all summer long!


Photo Credit: fashionchicks