sweet potato chunks

like every blogger here’s my 45 minute essay before you get to the actual recipe, totally kidding, but in all honesty I apparently have zero concept of using this air fryer thing and I burnt them HOWEVER it still tasted wonderful.

I bought some prepackaged chunks of sweet potato.

alright alright alright, dump the chunks in a bowl toss whatever seasons you would like pop that into the air fryer @ 400 degrees for 10 minutes. apparently air fryers are like ovens and pre heat and that’s where I went wrong (and also baking muffins at the same time)

Here’s to 2020

According to WordPress I’ve been blogging for 7 years which is wild, the amount I’ve grown and changed but each year I promise myself to blog more because I enjoy it, I truly do. 2019 had zero posts, and honestly that’s okay. The older I get the more grateful I am to experience the things I do. But mostly the change and the growth that occurs each year, and frankly 2019 was rough but mostly I dealt with my mental health which is so important. I’m finally dealing with YEARS of things I’ve never did and it’s good. It’s really good. But reflecting on the last decade, ya girl has gone through it.

This is the year I turn 30, which for me is a little hard, given I started this decade with someone who was the love of my life planning a future to me currently, and don’t get me wrong the last half of 2019 was a disaster but I think it’s just where it needed to be. I’ve learned that even at 30 I don’t need to have it all together.

Things I want to work on for New Year AND decade:

• eating healthier

• working out

• more water and less alcohol

• travel more

• focus on my career (and this blog)

So here’s to a new decade and to my roaring 30’s (that’s a thing right)

{Gift Guide: For Her}

So Day One of my mini gift guide is for the ladies in your life all at different price points. I’ve always wanted to do a gift guide and I’m happy I did one this year but next years will be much more complex.  All prices are in CAD funds.

  1. Old Navy Sweater $39.99
  2. Old Navy PJ pants  (the best) $19.99
  3. Hudson’s Bay Lightweight Blanket $59.00
  4. Kate Spade Gloves (and you can still text!) $48.00
  5. Google Chromecast $45.00
  6. Magolina Table $23.95
  7. North Face Hat 
  8. Bath and Body Works Candle $24.50 (but theres always a sale)
  9. Ugg Slippers 

{Nutree Hair Botox}

Y’all my hair is a gosh darn disaster ALL. THE. TIME. It’s processed, it’s thick, it’s got a curly wave going on and it even gets a dreadlock going. Not even kidding. So I’m constantly looking for good solid hair care. Through an Influencer program, I received this product for free however y’alllllllll.

First things first here’s my hair prior to the Botox hair treatment:

Second of all the benefits of this treatments are insane:

* smoothing effects up to 8 weeks
* deep hydration
* thermal hair protection
* colour and radiance that locks
* protection reconstruction of hair fibre (hello!)
* natural ingredients
* anti humidity for up to 5 weeks
* brightness and softness
* there’s a whole a bottle for my blondies

disclaimer: I just sectioned off my hair and slathered that baby right in. (I’m a busy gal, what can I say)

(Not pictured the Christmas movie in the background getting my feel good holiday goodness in and also me wondering what time I actually put this in at – it also smells like bananas which I’m more than okay with smelling for 40 mins)

Final verdict: ohhhhh my gosh guys, I’m not even kidding when I say it makes you feel like you went to the salon and got your hair did. My hair instantly felt softer when I was washing it out and smoother when I was drying it. It also got rid of all my product build up (the literal worst).

The Day after:

Okay so I totally walked around just touching my hair all day, I still feel like I had salon soft hair. They recommend to straighten your hair right after – but I know my hair so I blow dryed it as per the instructions and left it as straight as my crazy hair will let me and then curled it the next day. (So yes, now we’re on two day hair and it’s stilll killing it)

{This year was for like, realizing things}

I’ve seen a number of social media posts this year about how “not everyone you loose is a loss” and how 2018 has shown us things etc. 2018 made me a stronger person and I’ve come to understand my goals, my ambitions, who’s in my circle, who never was, toxic relationships, toxic friendships, how I do not always need to take care of everyone around me (even though it’s in my nature), how you can be there and not be there, show up for people who matter despite if you haven’t talked in a while.

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I know I’ve addressed this numerous times on here, but I’m a professional people pleaser. I absolutely hate doing the “wrong” thing, even though the wrong thing might be the right thing for me. I put off blogging the second it feels like work, I’m a professional procrastinator and I will do it but at the very last second and it could be done beautifully or completely half assed, and that my friends is life.

We’re all humans, we’re all growing and evolving daily, we make choices, we make mistakes, we learn, we don’t learn, we stay in our comfort zone, we leave our comfort zone.

I got out of bed at 7 am this morning (which is normally a huge no from me) and yeah its 12:10 pm when I’m writing this but holy crap I’m exhausted. I have a sponsored post to get done and I seriously need to do it, instead I’m writing this while my cable gets installed. (3 months without TV was torcher, I accept my defeat even though I have Netflix and Heyu). There is zero point to that paragraph, but I’ma keep it anyways cause its real.

I’ve also learned that the minute you start doing well for yourself suddenly people who didn’t fuck with you, do. The attentions great do not get me wrong, but it’s like um, I get I’m having my Khloe glow up rn but can you not? Thanks.

I’m a firm believer in everything happening for a reason and people gravitating in and out of your life (as shit as it is) but I truly believe they do that depending on the energies you need in your life (or theirs) at the time. You know what I’m talking about, those people who never really go away but yet are always there just right when you need them.

and that concludes my Tuesday rambles.

{ life changes 🎶 }

I know it’s been a while since I actually posted something in words here and to be honest I was in a phase where I was unhappy – but I didn’t know how unhappy I truly was. I thought it was little things and so if I did this, it would do that etc. I was leaving out of country so I finally got functional licence and then a month later bought a brand new car – which is incredible and I’m thankful I was able to that. Then I thought I was homesick since I lived 3 hours away from my hometown and didn’t drive – it was kind of the reason but still not the reason. Then I went out of the country. Saw some of my best friends and even briefly saw a guy I met through them for a few weeks, but I was so unhappy with myself that I self destructed that relationship because I didn’t know what the hell I wanted to do and I caused a toxic circle within myself. I had responsibilities within my job, to my former roommate, financial responsibilities and I’m very much a people pleaser (almost a professional at it) and I hate to disappoint people (another part of the problem). YOU OWE NO ONE ANYTHING. IF YOU ARE UNHAPPY THEN FIX IT. so one thing led to another and I ended up getting an interview at a hotel my best friend worked at. I knew if I ended up getting the job I had a huge decision. I ended up getting the job and I accepted it right away because thats what my gut told me to do. Then I cried. And then cried some more. Then I thought if I did this for me, I’d be disappointing people so its better to work a job with less money and not disappoint. Then I thought, this is actually in my field (one of the many streams) and I’d be a fucking idiot to not take it. So put in my two weeks, moved in with my friend for a month, all my days off were driving 3 hours back and forth bringing all my stuff home in mere day trips and it was absolute madness for a month. Within the two weeks of me packing up my life and moving 4 hours away and storing everything I own in my parents living room till I got an apartment but I felt at peace. Everything started to fall into place.

Here we are almost three months later, two of those months of successfully lived by myself (which, I did for a few months back in 2017 and I loved it). I learned that changing your environment does absolute wonders for your mental health but your physical health as well. I have lost between 15-20 pounds with minimal effort (I did stop eating fast food) and cut my drinking down by 75% at least. I am in a workplace thats super supportive for whatever I need (so was my last job don’t get me wrong). I’m closer to my family. I’m just overall happy. When I see people they tell me I’m glowing. My family says they’ve never seen me so happy and everything else has just fallen into place. I’ve got a solid handle on my future and I’ve got some big things planned and I can not wait.

If you ever feel like your stuck, know life has a way of working itself out. Keep positive and watch what happens.

{taco salad}

I’ve been on a taco salad kick lately however I hate most of all the traditional ingredients. I normally make this for a super quick lunch for work.

• 1lb of lean ground beef

• shredded cheese (I use nacho blend)

• lettuce

• chipotle

• taco seasoning

Cook the ground beef as normal, drain and add seasoning

In a bowl put the beef on the bottom then layer the lettuce cheese and top it off with chipotle!

Check out additional recipes here!

{Lost & Found}

There’s something very bittersweet about loosing someone you love. But there’s also something beautiful when you learn to let go. In letting go, I’ve found genuine happiness.

I started out 2018 with the “this is my year” mindset, but for once it seems to be working out.

I’m not gonna get into the heartbreak or any of that stuff because I’ve touched on it in previous posts and that person is literally my best friend. We might not be in love anymore but he still loves and supports me, which is tremendous.

Loosing him did suck, but I’ve found myself in so many ways. I go to the gym, I eat better and everyday I feel like I better myself in a little way. I’m happier, I’m more energetic. I’ve written down my goals and I’m slowly achieving them. I used to have shitty days and then it turned into a week of shittiness. But even if I have a rough 5 mins, I deal with it. I’m not gonna let a bad 5 mins dictate my day or week. At the end of every day and every week I still feel like I had the best week ever, I don’t know if that comes with maturity and letting things go or what.

Maybe it’s the freedom I’ve been feeling lately. Freedom in doing whatever I want. The freedom to know that each day is a new day and shits gonna happen either way. Maybe this doesn’t even have anything to do with him or our relationship (it kinda does though) but this is it. It’s my life and it’s a great day to be alive.

But what I thought would be the end of the world, was really just my beginning ✨

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{Friday Five}

Guess who’s back back again, TFB’s hot hot mess is back again.

LISTENING // there are so many good songs right now. Breakup In The End – Cole Swindell is one of my many favs right now

EATING // THIS Mac and Cheese I made this week

DRINKING // loads of water & coffee 🤷🏼‍♀️

WATCHING // Gossip Girl, thank you Netflix

READING // I am all over the place! Blogs, news, etc

{More Homemade Mac & Cheese}

With the amount I make different versions of Mac and Cheese it could very well be a whole section later in life. Anyways, so I’m literallllllllllly obsessed with white cheddar Mac and cheese and President’s Choice has hands down the best one I’ve ever tasted. But while cruising the Bulk Barn, I forgot they sell the powder of both white cheddar and cheddar so I decided to make it with some macaroni and powdered cheese (which is kinda cheaper in the long haul).

so what you need:

  • Macaroni
  • White cheddar (or just cheddar) powder from Bulk Barn
  • Butter
  • Milk (to make it extra creamy goodness)

Make the pasta as you normally would strain when fully cooked.

  • Mix in butter
  • Mix in the powder (I used about 4 tablespoons)
  • A tad more butter
  • Milk (at your own discretion)

Voila :) enjoy

Check out more recipes here!