Christmas 2013

This year I wanted to put together a little video of what a Christmas at the Collett's looks like.
Christmas Eve is always exciting, some years we host a dinner with all of the family that has gathered so far, some years it's just ourselves. 

This year was a little different I suppose, I had to work -- which was really crummy I can tell you that much -- it was only till noon but still. Mom had made a little cake to enjoy in the evening, Christian made a pizza for supper, we opened our Christmas Eve pajama's and watched Elf. It was really lovely!

Christmas morning is early rising generally -- I think we were all up around 8:30 opening up our stockings and presents. Dad plays Santa each year and hands out our gifts one at a time, Christmas morning breakfast is eaten -- I forgot to film that bit :/ -- before we all get ready to leave the house by 12 to go to Grandma's house. 

The past couple of years we have let Ezra and Seth into the porch to enjoy a treat and have a little nap on the warm floor. It was snowing picturesquely while we opened our presents so when we brought the dogs in it smelled of wet dog for awhile haha!

As family gathers at Grandma's everyone claims a spot in the living-room and after a devotional read by Grandpa some presents get opened for each grandchild and aunt/uncle or mom/dad. Christmas dinner follows around 2 and the rest of the day is spent playing games, ski-dooing or going for a walk. 

I really like the finished product of these clips, that perhaps share a slight glimpse into our Christmas time, I might just do a New Year's version as well. 

Christmas 2013 from Bronté Laurel on Vimeo.

All footage was shot on my iPad. Music by David Ian -- I do not own the rights to this song it is purely for entertainment purposes.

A little do it yourself...

This chalkboard used to be in my grandparents basement, they renovated it this summer and a couple of  weeks ago I saw this board in there furnace room. After claiming it for my own I decided to spruce it up a bit, it needed a new coat or two of chalkboard paint and after that was done I then painted the frame gold. 

I really like it, it has added a little bit extra to my room and I'm excited to whip out some chalkboard art skills and change it up upon my whim. Draped with a little pompom garland it definitely adds a bit of festive-ness to my rather unfestive room. 

I'm excited for the holiday season -- even though my break is not as extensive as I'm used to from school, it is nevertheless a break. I've really been getting into the Christmas baking, planning all sorts of goodies I can make -- dark chocolate espresso fudge anyone? 

We managed to get our tree up yesterday -- despite the fact that it is leaning at least at a 45 degree angle -- it's quite cute and smells AMAZING! Mom and I went to the new greenhouse this Saturday that just opened up this fall -- 5mins from our house (!!) -- and picked up some greenery to use as a festive decoration on our new mantle!

The days are getting shorter and shorter…I go to work in the early morning twilight and go home in the dark, it's not the best for getting things done. You end up yawning at 6:00 and start thinking you might start getting ready for bed. It's quite ridiculous!

We just got another big dump of snow and I don't mind it so much now but I think it should stop at this, yeah? It all gets to be a bit much when you think you still have at least 4 months left to look at it. Right now it is adding just enough to my Christmas spirit, so it's not tiresome thus far ;)

E i g h t e e n

Last week was my eighteenth birthday.

It's weird, everyone asking how it feels like being legal now and everything, and I just think, not that different actually, I've been working my way and growing into eighteen since the day I turned seventeen. 

It's gradual. 

It's not like suddenly when you wake up on the morning of your birthday your a year older. Anyway it was quite quiet I suppose for an eighteenth birthday party, just some family gathered to eat cake and have tea. 

I've never been one to like birthday parties. An introvert at heart, birthday's are just a whole lot of unordinary attention. 

Other than that I must confess the view from where I sit has been rather grey. Work has occupied my days and catching up on my social media has taken up my evenings! It's been rather sad no doubt! 

I can't wait for this stage in my life to be over and yet I dread moving on. I long for all the freedom and experiences of travel and building my own life, but I'm scared. 

I hope this year I can regroup and really focus on my intentions, for after all nothing worth having comes easily, at some point you just need to take a leap of faith.

When I started High School my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see it for miles. 

Now there is a bend in it. 

I don't know what lies around the bend, but I'm going to believe that the best does.

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

Thanksgiving has come and gone. 

Christian and Blythe came up for the occasion, and we hosted Thanksgiving at our house for the 2nd year in a row. 

Seventeen of us and a baby gathered at our house on Sunday.

The feast generally starts at 2 and we eat and complain about our bursting stomachs late into the evening until we begin to feel comfortable again and we bring it out for a second round -- the rational of this isn't very sound. 

It never seems to stop us.

Turkey and a full stomach, makes you groggy, but we always drag ourselves out for a walk in between dinner and dessert, when the kitchen and the dining room is somewhat orderly again. 

Mom and I were in charge of the dessert again this year -- lets just say we over estimated the ratio of desserts to people a little bit, so ziploc goodie bags full of their favourites was definitely encouraged!

It was a good time. 

Always a good time with family.

Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as it will.

Every once in awhile a get a desire to write, 

something both deep and meaningful as well as short and aloof. 

A cheeky little story with minute details that don't seem to make any sense when just read point blank, 

but when dissected, mean everything.


I love to read stories like this too, stories that will send a chill down your spine, 

stories that you marvel at and never really, truly, understand what it is they mean,

but mean just the right thing in that moment. 


After that initial inspiration, the motivation never follows through. 

An idea or concept just does not seem to come into fruition,

and maybe it's the lack of those two things.


It's in these times I really miss English.

Where you regularly exercise this writing "muscle"

Where your given a topic, an image, or a concept and your told to run with it.


You would think straight away what the generic thing was to write,

And soon everyone was writing based around that,

but it only took a little bit of extra effort and imagination to take a seemingly insignificant detail,

and make it the main attraction.


Opening up the possibilities from something so straightforward,

making it blossom into something complex,

and making you wonder how you didn't see it that way in the beginning.

One of those moods...

I've been going through quite the slump...graduation took up most of my thinking in August, we went to Edmonton and dropped off Blythe and Christian at university a week or more ago -- definitely shopped till I dropped -- but hey it was needed stuff like work clothes and...basics, mostly ;) 

Then after that little holiday it was back to work, Calder was back to school, all of my friends were off at Uni and I seemed to be just...left behind if you will. 

It's definitely an adjustment just having me and Calder at home but on top of that I just felt kind of mopey. 

I missed school, and writing, and my friends and the teachers, and my brother and sister. It was quite the shock, plus work can be pretty boring sometimes. 

I've been thinking of blogging a lot, and taking photos and maybe even incorporating some videos into whatever this is, but I just did not have the effort or what seemed to be the time.

My room is a mess, I haven't really been looking at blogs for a couple of months by now, reading a book is just out of the question. The only thing I seem to do everyday is go to work, go on Pinterest, instagram, Facebook, eat supper, go on youtube, perhaps go for a bike ride, make my lunch and go to bed. 

The days are getting shorter and shorter as well!! It's dark now at 9 o'clock and it's going to get worse! 

I'm also in one of those midseason slumps, where I want to be able to wear pants and sweaters and scarves etc. but it's been really hot lately! I just get in these moods I guess. 

And now I am rambling...it has been quite the weird day today as well, but I don't feel ready to share that quite yet.

One of the things I forgot to mention, I went to the Duchess Bakeshop and Provision Shop in Edmonton!! Wow, I felt like I was in a proper patisserie -- it was soooo....nice!

I bought Anna Olsen's "Back to Baking" book and I have been really in the mood to bake, but not really wanting all of this baking around -- I think it is a sickness and I caught it at the cafe in Edm! 

Anyway, I hope to do some more of these posts, I always feel like I can't do a blog post without proper pictures so I put off posts I want to write until I get pictures, and that doesn't always happen and/or I have the pictures but need to edit them! Either way I hope to be doing more of these.

Class of 2013

This Saturday was my graduation...it was both very exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. I found out on Monday afternoon that I was Valedictorian, my first reaction was dread, then anger (because I was contacted so late) and then fear. I am not a lover of public speaking, thankfully I am pretty gifted in the way of writing so I knew I just had to write something short, witty and inspirational and read it verbatim when the time came! 

I started off my day with a bike ride to get rid of some nervous energy/destress. It seemed to help a lot because I was much calmer after that. My only feeling was okay-lets-get-this-over-with-already. 
Because I attended a catholic school, before our ceremony, we had mass. I had planned during rehearsal that I would read one of the readings to sort of warm up to my own speech. It worked out really good because it helped prepare me and I was therefore more confident when it did come to my speech.

My brother was my escort, and he supported me with sympathetic smiles and goofy facial expressions in the front row, while i waited for my turn with the rest of the graduating class (a whopping 19). 
I received two awards during the ceremony, The Governor General’s Academic Award, as well as a ring for receiving the highest mark in my Social Studies 30-1 class. I was very grateful and kind of embarrassed at the same time! 

Before my speech, a guest speaker chosen by the grads (a former teacher) began hers, it was quite long and she started to quote part of Ashton Kutcher’s Teen Choice Awards acceptance speech, I probably sat there all deer-in-the-headlights wide-eyed. By this time she had already gone on for quite a while and was quoting it word for word, and I was like, “oh no, oh no please do not say the quote that I used for my speech, please stop, oh good grief what am I going to do...” Thankfully she was going a slightly different angle with it and did not say the quote/punch line that I used.

I started off my speech kind of shaky I imagine...I still wasn’t extremely confident and especially after that scare. I ended up having to say “One of the most influential men of this century, Steve Jobs, said it perfectly -- as well as Ashton Kutcher -- *nervous laugh*”

Needless to say it was not as bad as I had anticipated it being, nor was it quite so scary. After the ceremony and saying goodbyes to my friends, we came home and had a little garden party with some extended family -- my Auntie Sheila, Ray, Jessica, Ward -- and his new born son Steele, Auntie Roxy and Uncle James, grandma and grandpa and of course our family. It was really nice, we had appetizers and then hamburgers for supper and a light no bake cheesecake for dessert in tea cups!

I was super exhausted after that stressful/exciting day and also really hungry because I was too nervous to eat too much beforehand, however it was a great day :) 
I took some pictures with my polaroid and my sister took some pictures with her camera, so here are some of my favourite shots of hers from the day...



P.S. I am writing this on my very own Mac book Air!! :D

Pinterest Inspiration 7

1. World on a Fork 2. Unknown 3. Oh No They Didn't 4. ban.dō 5. Emerson Fly 6. Unknown 7. Peek of Perfection

1. Don't those look divine…that is the sort of dessert my grandpa would love…probably every night! Technically they are Swedish yeast rolls but they look like cream puffs to me ;)
2. "Comparison is the thief of joy," perhaps not joy, but definitely peace -- peace with yourself and who you are. Plus imagine that poster framed adding a pop of colour to a space!
3. Oh, Michelle, so classy! This is actually my outfit inspiration for part of my grad pictures -- semi spoiler alert!
4. Next Friday is my last cut to keep up my pixie, after that it's just going in to trim my growing "mullet" and hopefully in a couple of months it will look something like a bob and barrettes like these will be my best friend for saving bad hair days!
5. The weekend after my grad we are going out to the city to drop my sister off at uni and pants is on my list, classic fit and looks like this that can be worn both at work or on the weekend is a rare find.
6. I love the look of this picture, its very European looking  -- if the buildings in the background didn't give that away to you already ;) Plus it's a cute cut!
7. When I saw this pin, I was like "Yes. That is me in every sense." Whenever I am in a store -- I am usually pretty flustered so I tend to rush and just scan until I find something that catches my eye, stripes catch my every single time. Generally I have to talk my self out of buying another striped item, but sometimes I can't help it :)

I trust everyone will have a great weekend :) Coming off a four day week it should seem like it's been a short week but that doesn't seem to be the case, I am quite ready for the weekend and sleeping in and general laziness!

xo Bronté

A Birthday Cake

I saw this cake on Pinterest a while back and have always wanted to recreate it and I finally did on Mother's Day. It turned out amazingly and was such a light summery cake that when my mom's birthday came along we decided to make it again. I assembled the cake at my grandmas house on Mother's Day and forgot my camera and iPod so I wasn't able to take a picture of it, but this time I made sure to take get some good shots. I remember reading the recipe and getting the gyst of what was required for it and took it from there.
First you will need a really good/trusty sponge cake, the recipe I used was a double batch of the Lazy Daisy cake found in the Company's coming Cake recipe book. Poured into a 13" spring form pan and cut into three layers, I brushed each layer with a generous amount of simple syrup (equal parts sugar to water warmed up for a couple minutes in the microwave). I learned in my Sugar Baby recipe book by Gesine Bullock-Prado that bakeries brush simple syrup on all their cakes to help keep them moist! I would suggest letting that sit for a couple of hours (or overnight properly sealed up) so that it gets a chance to soak right through. The end result of the cake ends up being layers that consist of cake --fresh raspberry jam (for its tartness -- store bought black currant would be a good alternative) --whipped cream -- chopped pistachios -- blackberries (placed strategically around the edge so you can see them peeking through) -- and repeat for all three layers. For the top and around the edges I even sprinkled some purple rose petals on the one I made for Mother's Day.

I've also found that if you let the cake settle for a couple of hours before you cut it, it is much much easier -- this one was assembled before supper and eaten right after and it was quite the mess trying to get the pieces onto plates, the one we had for Mother's Day however was a breeze to cut but, it was sitting for awhile before we ate it.

This past week went by so fast I can't even believe it! I received my iPad mini on Monday which got me very excited to be able to be back on Instagram and twitter again - my iPod crapped out on me (it had gone through so much in the nearly 3 years I had it that it just had enough)! Anyways so that's one reason I kind of went MIA on the Internet the other is pure laziness I guess.
We have had quite the summer here, a mix of really warm muggy days and a generous amount of rain! I keep thinking I need to take a picture of the beautiful canola fields that surround our acreage before they are done flowering. They have been especially brilliant the past couple weeks it's been sunny with a few dark rain clouds so everything looks sort of gloomy but the sun shining on the fields makes the canola look as if it is glowing neon yellow -- quite the contrast to the dark grey sky! Perhaps that will be in my next post...
I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week and let me know if you try out the cake!

P.S. The blackberry-pistachio cupcakes I featured on here a couple of weeks ago was the cupcake version inspired by this cake!

Beach Days

Better late than never I guess! These are some pics from the Canada Day long weekend. We spent Sunday and Monday lounging on the beach, and thank goodness we did because was it ever hot!

 

These two rascals came out of the bush on Sunday just as we were packing up to go back home and ofcourse that created quite the sensation with these youngsters! The deer at Shaw's Point are pretty tame until they don't want to be anymore so you should be pretty careful (as someone warned them after I snapped this shot).

Some of our extended family joined us on Canada Day and we got to enjoy some ice cream sandwiches that I made! They were pretty tasty!  I got the recipe from Martha Stewart and they were really easy to make actually. My favourite was the vanilla ice cream, coated with candied almonds, the one above is just mint chocolate chip.

What a busy couple weeks it has been! I just started my full-time job at the cooperators on the 2nd so a lot of my time and energy has been devoted to that. It was quite the shock information wise!! I came home my first day with a splitting headache and a dread to go back to work, because how was I possibly supposed to remember all of that! Well I'm just starting my second week and it has already gotten a lot better, I am still being "trained" but I am finding my way around.

From now on I'm counting down the days till the weekend...that will be my life :P On the plus side I'm making money and can look forward to a possible Europe trip in the spring(!?)

The end of the beginning...

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." 

~ Winston Churchill

As of now I have one more exam left and then my High School career is officially over, it's definitely a bitter sweet moment. I have always loved school, learning, solving problems, writing etc. it's challenged me and I did my best to compete and reach my highest potential. I'm going to miss that I think -- the pressure and incentives that pushed me to reach new levels. In the real world you aren't necessarily measured on the same criteria as you are in school, you aren't "graded"per se. 

Right now, facing a gap year to work and perhaps travel, I know the thing I will miss most though is the social aspect of school. A typical day at school for me this semester was probably, 40% learning/working, 60% socializing/goofing around! Our teacher's are really cool, most of them anyway haha, I'd say about 30% of that goofing around was initiated by our teachers! It helped that our class was really small and chill, the teachers liked the break from the large and obnoxious freshman/sophomore classes!

I am uncertain about what will happen after this year is over. University has always been something I've wanted to do…I am also toying with the idea of Pastry school…a semester abroad…the possibilities are endless, and quite daunting I must say.

On another note the sun is finally out! We have had constant rain and overcast days for probably over 2 weeks -- it was starting to feel like winter on the west coast! The boys planted a vegetable garden a couple of weeks ago and Christian has been keeping it in pretty good condition so far! It will be interesting to see what comes out of it this summer. 

The past two weeks I've been baking on a more summery theme -- light and fresh -- it also looks like blackberries have played a role in executing that as well ;)

And this is a candid shot of Calder and Christian, messing around with my camera when I was in the grocery store! I think I just got the last laugh…haha

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week,

Bronté xo

Hello there...

A Certain Type

...it's been awhile...a month actually...

Time has a way of creeping by slowly and than suddenly you blink and it's been a week. That has been my last couple of weeks really, "the first 5 days after the weekend are the hardest!" I keep finding myself just living for Friday and the weekend -- trying to get through the week unscathed and in relatively good condition -- which isn't the greatest thing because you end up missing all of those little moments that make up the good things in life...As for what I've been doing in-between then, not a whole lot I suppose but I have managed to be pretty busy, surprisingly.

During May long (Victoria Day) I spent half of my time baking for my job and the other half at the lake (Lesser Slave Lake). My grandparents own a rather old, but loved, cabin out on Shaw's Point and my Aunt and Uncle were down with there boat so we went wake-boarding -- this was Sunday and the ice just got off the lake the Tuesday before! I should mention that my cousins wake-boarded and I only attempted to wake-board -- I got up right away but I couldn't quite master the balancing aspect and being able to shift my board so it was parallel with the rope...my muscles gave up due to the cold water before I did, which resulted in a very sore and stiff me for the next couple of days!

The weekend after, I believe, I went to Edmonton Friday afternoon for YC Alberta 2013 This is Love! If you don't know what YC is, it's a Christian youth conference put on by Extreme Dream Ministries and it is basically a very fun filled weekend with a bunch of speakers and different bands. (My favourite year was last year when Switchfoot was their main band!) I wasn't planning on going this year but my Aunt and Uncle graciously provided me with a ticket and I am truly grateful because I think this might have been my last year and it was really fun/inspirational. Sometimes you just need that little pick me up!

We came back late Sunday night and then another mundane week at school recommenced and that Friday afternoon I left for Edmonton again, except this time with Christian and Blythe (my older brother and sister)! We  spent the evening shopping at West Edmonton Mall, and I was able to get some clothes for my desk job I'll be starting July 2nd :/ !! Saturday morning we lazily got ready and then me and Christian dropped Blythe off at South Edmonton Common and made our way to Christian's friend's wedding ceremony. There was like 5 hours between the ceremony and the reception so we joined Blythe and shopped at the outlet stores in South Edmonton Common afterwards. We then went back for the reception and had a fairly good night! (I didn't know anyone at the wedding but it ended up being fine, there was a group of girls that we hung out with from his school so that was nice.) Sunday we packed up went to my brother's church, Central Baptist, which Ryan Smyth from the Edmonton Oilers attends -- fun fact ;) -- and headed home!

I feel like this upcoming weekend is the first time in like 2 or 3 weeks that I get to actually sleep in, in my own bed! It should be good!

*sigh and my exams have officially started...I had my first in-school final on Thursday for Social Studies Part A (written -- Part B is multiple choice) -- in-school finals are only worth 5% so it wasn't that nerve wracking but it still wasn't fun staring at a computer screen for 3 hours trying to write as much of a well planned essay as you can in the 10  minutes you can actually a lot to planning. (You need all the time you can get just to spit every fact/piece of information that you can remember out on the page!)

I have three exams next week including my first diploma which I am not looking forward to...Needless to say my days have been looking like this:
Wake-up, eat, school, eat, study, sleep -- it's great... :P

I am done school, including High School as well as exams on the 21st of June...Oh Happy Day! It's actually going to be quite bitter sweet I think...it'll be the first day of the rest of my life...most everyone is going away to university in the fall but I'm taking a gap year to work, mature (hopefully haha) and make money so I can actually pay for my schooling...

Well anyway I've rambled and written this big long post, but it's good to be able to get this out and hopefully I can keep up and create some more consistent posts on here...

I hope you have an amazing weekend!

Bronte xo

It's a time of celebration...

The celebration of my brother's birthday that we had last week

The celebration of summer (I think we skipped spring)

The celebration of Cinço de Mayo

Last week was my brother's 22nd birthday! My mom made the cake and I iced the rosettes, we celebrated with our cousins, grandparents and aunt, meanwhile the wind was howling and snow was covering the recently uncovered brown grass!

Our cousin-in-law from England asked if I was surprised about the weather (because it was promising to be spring before this unfortunate event!), impulsively I said, "Yeah!" and then I thought for a second, "Actually, no…I'm not…haha" -- or we shouldn't be anyway, sad as it is. 

If you don't like the weather -- wait 5 minutes. 

And if that wasn't shocking enough a week later (Sun-Mon) we had +30 weather! You definitely don't get used to the strange weather in Alberta's fall/spring but you can't say that your ever surprised at the fluctuating temperatures. 

Sunday was Cinço de Mayo, did anyone celebrate? We always make a point to have some sort of Mexican food for the holiday every year. It's sort of a tradition I guess…

I am recently obsessed with the band Bastille! It's crazy how good his voice is and the style of the music is definitely right down my alley. These are my favourite songs Pompeii (this live version is awesome) and Flaws.

My dad showed me this commercial for Travel Alberta, it makes me feel proud of the country/province that I live in! It is seriously a beautiful place and if you ever wish to see more of North America, Alberta should be part of your itinerary!

Have a wonderful rest of the week

xo Bronté

It's moments like these...

I love dressing up for no reason.

I love experimenting with my makeup.

I love the first sip of hot tea after a long day at school.

I love when all of our family is together just hanging out.

I love being able to capture a moment with just a click of a camera.

I love when I'm nearing the end of a book and I find myself pausing to soak it in before I move on.

I love the feeling of pulling on my favourite pair of jeans and t-shirt combo on days that just don't start out right.

Currently...

watching: Call the Midwife! Every Sunday night my sister and my mom and I watch this very cute BBC series. It's on the second season, but the first is on iTunes. It's about these midwives on the east end of London in the 60's who live, work and study midwifery with some nuns at an abbey called Nonnatus House. It's based on a true story and you can even read the biography (of the same name) written by one of the midwives, Jenny!
listening to: Panic Cord by Gabrielle Aplin. I came across this singer by accident on YouTube and fell in love with her music!
thinking about: I've been thinking about my grad off and on this month, we've had to bring in a baby picture for the PowerPoint that's playing during the ceremony and I've been trying to find a good song clip for my 30 sec I get to walk down with my escort! (It's more difficult then you would think!)
looking forward to: I'm looking forward to next Friday when we are going to Edmonton to pick up Christian from University and maybe do a bit of shopping…?!!
reading: I just finished Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth (which was really good), but I am currently reading City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, I decided to jump on the bandwagon (I'm a little late!) and read it before the movie comes out.
making me happy: the return of the Canadian Geese! In Canada, well at least Northern Alberta, spring is not marked by blooming trees, green grass, 20+ weather or budding leaves because all of that marks the beginning of summer, but the melting of snow, big lake sized puddles, mud, slush and Canadian Geese are what suggests that spring has sprung! There is a fairly big puddle in a farmers field by our property that is housing a flock of Geese returning from warmer weather (they are probably keeners because it is a bit early with all the snow we have left, but they'll get first pick on nesting grounds once they settle in their homes a little farther north -- their not so dumb!) ;)

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and if you live further south where the grass is green and the sun shines strong, soak it in and enjoy it for all the northerners who have to wait a couple weeks longer!

Pinterest Inspiration 6

1. Kris Atomic 2. Unknown 3. Janelle Burger on etsy 4. Savor Home 5. The Bay 6. Unknown 7. Unknown

I just watched this video and I thought it was cute…if I had an extra day and it remained special, because that's the catch I think, Everyday must be special always or it will very soon just become an extra Saturday or Friday, etc. If it remained special I would make a point to do everything I never have time to do or put off or always wanted to do, just on that day. I would make it a day where nothing was too great or insignificant, where I would do at least one thing that I have never done before or don't do often enough, like going to the local museum or watching the sunrise or taking a day trip with no destination. 

I think despite the fact that not every week are we going to take time to do these things, even if we should, the idea of Everyday is a nice thought and perhaps every so often we should set an Everyday to do all the things we can't in a regular week.

1. This picture is of Brighton, there must be some sort of fair going on…anyways I thought it was so pretty and I can't wait to see and experience these things when I go to Europe for my Grad trip!

2. Oh! Marion Cotillard, why are you so beautiful?! After my graduation I'm going to grow out my hair into this sort of bob, blunt, and long enough that I can curl it like this. It's going to be tough I think…a lot of growing pains to go through I think!

3. This watercolour…it's very french and I love it so!

4. I think everyday and I don't mean Everyday, we should be reminded of this…

5. I don't think I need to explain why this dress is here. Oh! just look at it…I would love to flounce around in that…

6. I love the simplicity of the girls outfit and that she has left her nails and lips as the main focus. Plus I love the pose that she is in and the focal point…just all around lovely :)

7. This picture makes me ache for summer slash spring slash the snow to be gone!! Ugh, if only I could take my bike out and feel my legs burn and the breeze on my face and the crunch of gravel beneath the tires…one can dream…

xxoo Bronté

A new position…and Spring Break!

Guinness Chocolate Cake

Peanut Butter Bars

White Chocolate Almond Biscotti

A couple of weeks ago I got a job as a baker in one of our local café's! It's been a lot of fun! I've been meaning to post some of the pictures I took for their Facebook page on here as well, but have been caught up with all of the busyness prior to spring break. We have 10 days off and it's going to be a welcome break from the semester! 

The senior high travel at my school is going to do a tour of the Canadian Battlefields in Europe during the break and it has gotten me excited for my own trip to Europe this summer (if all goes well)!! 

Christian has made his way up from the city for Easter and we've been enjoying the warm weather outside (it's a muddy/slushy/wet mess out there but it's definitely better then more snow and thirty below!) Amy, my cousin's wife, has come west from Ontario to spend a couple months here before her baby is born! She is originally from England so her accent and warm personality is refreshing and we are so looking forward to having a baby around -- it's been a long time!

I have spent the afternoon making Hasty Tasty Hot Cross Buns and I am looking forward to spending the day tomorrow at my Auntie's house for Easter dinner with all of the family!

In the meantime enjoy the season and the warm weather it brings, but most of all I hope you enjoy a happy Easter with friends and family celebrating the life of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice he made for us!