mother's day happenings...

 yesterday was mother's day... and celebrate it we did. with a visit to my grandmother first, then off to dinner with my parents.  while i try to make certain both of my parents always know how appreciated they are, i do like having a day that's set aside to make them feel extra special and pampered.

it's also nice as a fur-mama. i know, it's not the same as having a child, nor do i pretend that it is.  but these little fur kids still rely on us to take care of them, to love them and shelter them.  i feel especially grateful to have all three of my fur kids to love this year, after having a scare with chloe this past winter.

yesterday at dinner was the first time a stranger (our waitress) was inside my personal bubble due to my tattoos.  it's something i've witnessed happening to dominic lots of times, as he has a lot of tattoos.  i've had comments on them, or friends take my arm and look at it.  but a stranger, who i've never seen before, took my arm, pushed up my sleeve, and commented on it.  while she did like the tattoo, she said that if she had her camera, she would take a photo of it.  what people seem to forget is that a tattoo is on a person, and you still need to respect that person's space and privacy. i now understand dominic's frustration when it happens to him.

    on me:                                                 

     dress/shoes: ruche, cardigan: pseudio, bandana: etsy, belt: forever 21

on my mama:

top/skirt: rw&co, watch: michael kors, shoes: seychelles

 two of my three furkids wanted to wish everyone a happy fur-mama's day as well :) 

let's recap...

 these past few months have been a good balance of busy & relaxing, spending lots of quality time with dominic and with our families.  i'm going to try to get back into the blogging routine, which i've been trying to do for a while, but honestly, i just end up finding something else to do with my time and it gets pushed to the back burner.  i miss the benefits of blogging though, like making a conscious effort to switch up my outfits and be more daring, taking lots of photos of everything to document life, and finding inspiration from other bloggers. so let's hope this helps me to get back on the band-wagon!

 january and february were spent snowshoeing and enjoying the snow we managed to get.  this year, we had much less snow accumulate compared to other years, and some colder temperatures.  it meant less days spent outdoors with the fun winter activities in NB.  we also celebrated dominic's 25th birthday, and we participated in the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Skate for Heart.  it's always nice to give your time to a good cause.

                       

march marked our one year anniversary of the day we met.  we did little surprises for each other, spoiled each other, and spent a beautiful day together celebrating. it was everything a girl would hope for :)

march was also a month where i faced a really difficult week.  my kitty, chloe, was sick.  i woke up one morning, after she spent a few days being quite nauseous, to a lot of blood.  it was terrifying.  we did an emergency trip to the vet, and i was thinking the worst.  after multiple tests, and being inconclusive as to what happened or caused it, we came home with some remedies, hoping for the best.  she was back to herself, and i was watching her like a hawk.  a few days later called for another vet trip, but less serious.  knock on wood, she's been improving and seems good.  she's almost 14, and she's been with me since a week after i graduated high school.  she's been a constant in my life, moving with me to different cities, new beginnings, facing everything with me.  i'm confident she'll be with me for many other milestones :)

 this winter was also the perfect time for some new ink.  one to represent my grandparents, who will forever be in my heart, and one (which is still incomplete) just for me.

while i didn't do any new years resolutions, because let's face it, i don't stick to them, i did realize that it was time to do something about my weight-gain.  in two years, i've gained almost twenty pounds.  while it is pretty evenly spread out, and i do still fit into most of my clothes, some of my favourite dresses just don't fit the way they should. i joined weight watchers online in february, and have since lost 8 lbs.  i like that it's basically based on portion size, and very realistic to every day life.  i'm not religious with it, and i still eat food i love, so this is probably the reason i've been plateaued for several weeks. but i'm okay with that, and i'm in no rush to lose the weight. i'd rather do it slowly and have it be a lifestyle change than to diet now and gain again later.  what's nice is you can still go out with friends, have a drink, eat some snacks, and be within your point range. it makes it more motivating and feels less like cheating.

this past weekend had two mini-shopping trips in it, where i scored some awesome vintage pretties.  the house is slowly being updated with new items, and just keeps looking better and better.

 i've also spoiled myself with a few treats, such as this vintage polka dot dress, and the new b.a.i.t. ione's in mint.  i missed out on the ida's last year, and i just couldn't let the same happen with these pretties.

 we celebrated easter with our families and had a great holiday, with some warm and sunny temperatures over the weekend.  i'm hoping everyone else had a great weekend as well.

:)
j.

as promised...

this gorgeous creature?  my bestest bud for the past 12+ years.  

meet chloe.

i got this kitty right after my high school graduation, and we've been a family ever since.  she's lived in fredericton with me during my university days, moved to montreal while i studied interior design...

she's been on numerous flights and road trips with me, and gets insanely motion sick.

i guarantee i know every spot from here to ottawa that were regular pull-overs for her.

after montreal, was ottawa.  we lived there for two years, before moving back to NB to be closer to our family, and adopting her fur-brother, hendrix.

she's very lazy, and likes to snooze all day. especially if there's a sunny spot on the floor.

or on my stomach. or pillow. under the blankets curled up with me...

she also likes sneezing in my face.

 she always meets me at the door when i get home.  unless her brother is super hyper, so she waits for me in the safe zone: on the stairs. knowing i'll come see her as soon as i drop my purse and take off my shoes.  she starts with letting me pet her, then meowing, telling me all about her day, and the sort of trouble her brother caused.

 she somehow knows when i need snuggles, and is always there for me.

we've been through thick and thin, us gals.

this last photo was taken of us right before we left ottawa.  she wanted to say hi to gram and melissa, tell them we'd be home soon.

because she's sweet like that.

:)

i loves her big time.

<3