tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64636807165476344212024-03-25T09:58:25.404-04:00Our Nest In The CityEmily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.comBlogger899125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-84709268544903945392023-10-17T09:25:00.003-04:002023-10-17T09:28:45.951-04:00Free Art for All! Part 2: People<div><i style="background-color: white; font-family: "Open Sans";">Finding art that is beautiful and free is pretty much the greatest combination. Public domain works are just that. Recently I had a most enjoyable evening browsing public domain art from a number of museums and it was the most stimulating rabbit hole I can remember. There are millions available though, and the task can seem daunting and too bothersome. I have gathered several that I was especially drawn to here if you'd like to see! </i><i style="background-color: white; font-family: "Open Sans";">Simply click on the image or the caption beneath to be taken directly to the site where you can download it for your own use. Easy peasy :)</i><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Open Sans";"><i><br /></i></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Open Sans";"><i>I hope to print several in the coming months and pair with thrifted frames for a unique and affordable final touch on my white walls. Stay tuned for tutorials on printing, framing, which ones I choose, and further Free Art For All categories such as still life, portraits, religious art, etc! </i></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Open Sans";"><i><br /></i></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Open Sans";"><i>See Part 1: <b><a href="http://www.ournestinthecity.com/2023/09/free-art-for-all-part-1-cityscapes.html" target="_blank">Cityscapes</a></b></i></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.2px;"><i><br /></i></div>Something I always enjoy at museums are the portraits. It's one of my great regrets that I didn't go to the National Portrait Gallery when I was in London back in 2016 for my 30th. I love imagining who the subjects were, what they felt and cared about, and what their lives were like. Formal portraits are a bit mysterious and hard to read, but it's fun to play the game. Paintings of people doing domestic or otherwise every day tasks is in some ways the most beautiful thing. Here are a few of both, which are of course free and printable.<div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6463680716547634421/8470926854490394539#" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1382" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgVzfq18qhYclbHxLEhUcT7JzaM5_L0mLToowcgDYNk9iksrFnanbii8jxXksJyYC_SWw4BcTPx7ctXVJ1D7rZ8ufeEo4HcZn9FTRhGbPhHq312kgWdCgvqj3C5KFEawDUwwcXHuVgav4BLRguMrcYi1gwo_cwAwKDiyPI1g8X3GFZbJxcZ7J-5vTqaux/w492-h640/107200absdl.jpg" width="492" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6463680716547634421/8470926854490394539#" target="_blank">Deux Femmes Dans Interieur by Edouard Vuillard</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6463680716547634421/8470926854490394539#" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1481" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBw9zEAoRUQukwVhWsnfdfg1zahgn5n3JqgJlBVio0SGL9Vweiz0BYG8b3t5ImdHL6c_aRXkfXr_7xJsvAFj_npzc043AnhpaPUVJLCT6sBzgVRvV59YEVHEARViHgjcx5Fd3IXDHBCVYMnTo3rhsalaSWeC8fPlNqsQYndEWwyCatsn9hAdWWYhWmYyPz/w526-h640/200635fgsdl.jpg" width="526" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6463680716547634421/8470926854490394539#" target="_blank">Woman in Black by Edouard Vuillard</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paris%3B_Boulevard_at_Night_by_Maximilien_Luce,_c._1893.JPG" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1312" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZ6iyRKn1JTipnAFDbG97ljyPBrpZBo3yPUWezad4SjCgORWGEKsvyk3MOSeDiL3mLqGNVegDOeniinCWyMJV7_5XuykZNws-qAWts3SirvjxtmM5tgCotoByI_0ahRcE_lAcTZ6_zADhc4XbC-YZDh76FoBjbWSGBqHH1dkIrQ9nrsEbRZGm5ZR1G9Up/w466-h640/511050ldsdl.jpg" width="466" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paris%3B_Boulevard_at_Night_by_Maximilien_Luce,_c._1893.JPG" target="_blank">Paris; Boulevard at Night by Maximilien Luce</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.artic.edu/artworks/60294/new-york-street" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="1869" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNVzo2Umq3r0GZ5V-QeWxNoV7vR0CYI6igoB4X1FLQ5XhfmDuHL8-b9hB06SnseJOhHI-SEAljM2xClylInisZglRGY7XaOKHE3G2zxt447eojXAE5muuFxY6adeBik-7rqFOUaaH06TICEDo-MTKHZJBan0MtCYOP7hqlHZ4YJrT8BYCHbPfJlUucqYB/w532-h640/New%20York%20Street%20%20by%20Childe%20Hassam.jpg" width="532" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.artic.edu/artworks/60294/new-york-street" target="_blank">New York Street by Childe Hassam</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/reading-young-lady-la-liseuse/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1478" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-3Q02vhOjHsgQXiwBaVUj3zVjKphobOs-2ezGt3XfPxavRdP2nTD7t2Diydt_A9OSmvK0Fu6oXLZ-V3UuTp1hoexBjr-RYwKuE60nqsD5zEQjf9cPMXzzgPLM7toLLNdDbnwj3h6MyunOX11su0Pu5xLQhSsAWNOEzNYb4nW_ydRxrUz7jxn5A9me-M8/w526-h640/237540fgsdl.jpg" width="526" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/reading-young-lady-la-liseuse/" target="_blank">La Liseuse by Frederico Zandomeneghi</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rik_Wouters_(1882-1916)_Lezende_vrouw_(1913)_Schepenhuis_Mechelen_16-12-2011_14-53-15.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1447" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43426v5ZgK2BLfZroRuOuwqJTuKo0mNGt3A_OosJLbtGq4aOjzevkH-BfIjoMNeUZG4GawA8eRf-Phl7CcUUuESbu-vR9lIFE4KlW9wZtu1cmvDRCYOmm-RAO6mm5G4sSVTUPrAVTDZZ9Aw6Sy-KfCfZPi4vynYnguhXiIkkKnjKH6COV7a62b-Z2IDuy/w514-h640/241569fgsdl.jpg" width="514" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rik_Wouters_(1882-1916)_Lezende_vrouw_(1913)_Schepenhuis_Mechelen_16-12-2011_14-53-15.jpg" target="_blank">Lady Reading by Rik Wouters</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lilla_Cabot_Perry_-_Reading.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1252" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nzQ9y5I_ZDwyNyCcecxgyl-9L9sIOdNVeuZ_c8ttW54G_iKQtQoFBeo7Xwfd5ndhzlY_duDdDQSIbbJtdSEutkGudRuY208KjhZGpXFVQvaTjzu0KIj7yVGoTEB70r7nfoFyF_xH_nqNjuM1XMtIJ15glt5e_2VDQ9qcIRBfWpQoKlZR399L1T2zkxxl/w446-h640/239577fgsdl.jpg" width="446" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lilla_Cabot_Perry_-_Reading.jpg" target="_blank">Reading by Lilla Cabot Perry</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edouard_Vuillard_-_Lucy_Hessel_Reading_(Lucy_Hessel_lisant)_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1485" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubR4xSDLt5RUTCymc7preYhHusmPfpsBkixfp19PXegsLsENuC7uhoMVDMDyBt1r8p1EvDuiUkKJMUrrFKyGzVS97kmdpD1WmNqmDGObxUxscQYsOZekqp5-FHIW75lgSsotk2Z19bwYxAUu9laHUDAeecUN0hAlUSh_27C3P_u6uZi8FwdGg-WsP6XV_/w528-h640/209863fgsdl.jpg" width="528" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edouard_Vuillard_-_Lucy_Hessel_Reading_(Lucy_Hessel_lisant)_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" target="_blank">Lucy Hessel Lisant by Edouard Vuillard</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/edith-reynolds/" target="_blank"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1642" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SmiDzwPAzhET235GK-vRmcVnGlTWqqzPxiM8vHOJ1iHWDfZUQ-wji53ThUje96T1XHOZ_8p0gPkb8d1mt05UU6iqptoJbRBG8SUMX147CTia27Ab8upknKNBwGqbIUgxq3H5WUbk8gE-JhAiZhP1UNj_h1Apr3rj1qKFwedOUT8b1XyZZXg3SOAsEwwg/w312-h640/202753fg.jpg" width="312" /></b></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/edith-reynolds/" target="_blank">Edith Reynolds by Robert Henri</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-14596104656657144332023-09-20T09:20:00.005-04:002023-09-20T09:23:46.221-04:00Free Art For All! Part 1: Cityscapes<i>Finding art that is beautiful and free is pretty much the greatest combination. Public domain works are just that. Recently I had a most enjoyable evening browsing public domain art from a number of museums and it was the most stimulating rabbit hole I can remember. There are millions available though, and the task can seem daunting and too bothersome. I have gathered several that I was especially drawn to here if you'd like to see! </i><i>Simply click on the image or the caption beneath to be taken directly to the site where you can download it for your own use. Easy peasy :)</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>I hope to print several in the coming months and pair with thrifted frames for a unique and affordable final touch on my white walls. Stay tuned for tutorials on printing, framing, which ones I choose, and further Free Art For All categories such as still life, portraits, religious art, etc!</i><div><div><br /></div><div>Cityscapes or village scenes often draw me in as I am so drawn to life in a big city. I love how these paintings instill a strong sense of place and beautify the every day views of life as you're coming or going, working or playing, simply investing and living. All of these have colours that attract my eye and would fit well in my home, especially neutrals and blues. The majority are painted in and of France, which has such similarities to Montreal. Enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/la-fontaine-saint-paul-de-vence#00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1433" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhXgRe7PDaK0El5gC5YuCcx_2sHNhJHIwKU-wuJwJoyqUJGtPlVtOwmLjTGgNB6aU8H3u6El8S0vvpsX2keKbfjp51MrLHGCOEa460W6GRFAYD1l_ZctUGclpfAirnEpQAnUfYUvpZXUrBcJEzhTrpB8TRl1C0sSNnglwYy-etUEkxY-9ulUewyRgwvMC/w510-h640/511737ldsdl.jpg" width="510" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/la-fontaine-saint-paul-de-vence#00" target="_blank">La Fontaine, Saint-Paul de Vence by Henri le Sidaner</a><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/the-avenue#00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1800" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5b3JMXVK6mXWKwbqvJreiApTtmTyqQ-SYp0kk6Hz3fV0GLQh-nwEpfWpqgyaaS7gAmogqLM-48aAygg8xkcbDkMzM66T09TjFO77mVrg7HuR4TDrsMLAmpJKOA7FwlcTomdkn_qAxBiYU_iTQHBTE4vONhw0wnOtUPqlCYJWKfN5d2gGhKn8UovQjrkVY/w640-h484/100149absdl.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/the-avenue#00" target="_blank">The Avenue by Jean-Édouard Vuillard</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/old-olive-tree#00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1800" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51b3FjjfoSScYEnP0o2avaecaZs8yyJq4cxBXdbAbhZMqU8eKiALTy_JUZZgBxVrUJPCEZPGXe4o0bI4WvmjEHqKWcmPK4h0qzFLi0ZS7P7ps1Xj4Jt41DzcORfdW35s-Q9Df8si8Zc_O-nyaPIyi4NaWp5_zy3icGrY_sqgICLiWSI0wletflc9RseFl/w640-h404/504242ldsdl.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/old-olive-tree#00" target="_blank">Old Olive Tree by Ernst Schiess</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/houses-in-bruges#00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="1800" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8Yxxi2VgpP82G4yQAh3hNHWSFR59zBc-6fUagA6LPT11mXWGvU7kiT24yTs29VfWUjmNytabJjwuFS5QaDL7UQrZmex8_U0uNiFsdvvkygtb2FpZU7rB_0vOyQFdr--BTX7HJdO-5D7qfFMV3C_df1LbdCRv5-CCjMdrmocSU9tmEbE1uJv5N8PuTNSc/w640-h492/510030ldsdl.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/houses-in-bruges#00" target="_blank">Houses in Bruges by Henri le Sidaner</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/le-canal-neige-gisors#00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1240" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqt0S02j9fGAdZ95b25MnI7ZV3yGwNtaW-8lhTpBzcrSUVRnXitBO5PligUpFcRw4Tb0D175rqNQCvZ7qTPG1nVbQIrF2AX0f7qH5rdrV-ODpCxtaTGLKL4xJ2q4M-bohv2jVowSif6sGDlsWlxYjuHrNuUoRzN1_Gd0EtM_VIyc_RQK_qEyK0_nhHP5K6/w440-h640/520208ldsdl.jpg" width="440" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/le-canal-neige-gisors#00" target="_blank">Le Canal, Neige, Gisors by Henri le Sidaner</a><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/dieppe-la-rue-notre-dame#00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1337" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE087gIQf0ZKZBwUHG8y9IQR9EYAAhbbrsEcoSVNMVN2E2SE81vVqAeHiQAvStSLSvOGJ-AeX6ipgZsnAQUELAGbTW1Rz3TNRdkbptZv8h87q8XWTn6QURozoaHn4K8ycfoaRjAG1IA58EGG6Ho-tXuE3sI-xrxVCUFgfze1TPF_ym54CAqKTZ6mHi1H6E/w476-h640/58218drsdl.jpg" width="476" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/dieppe-la-rue-notre-dame#00" target="_blank">Dieppe, La Rue Notre Dame by Walter Richard Sickert
</a><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/street-in-moret#00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2395" data-original-width="3000" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfndF8eRxrO6kAParkIUhAH71DqNtJDC4R5MOrwPI83Pj1a4d_VmvQ2wjWtOP1oepCupAKuuHRfzCs0YKYNaQO-mXLm8gzHgOzx275tRd2ld7prSo2gh2K5ZM2cDZwA4fDgpmPJMR_ikDKpVEO8Rwg_efuH6veA-TqWtwU-xNS-7ymuRUjb7mWc0d6xx1o/w640-h510/Street%20in%20Moret%20By%20Alfred%20Sisley.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/street-in-moret#00" target="_blank">Street in Moret By Alfred Sisley</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/place-de-la-trinite-paris#00" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2909" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOto3U7XY_9FjaDfNeU91T_gnhyojJSltDXPkHFh60F-ia5rdtd3euFxDzshuL7KQE3AovfHXq5efubvPAFJigZS4elU5FV1wG6nOxf5B1bsiKHSz-gnX3rgCpgoowZc2DJGt8okrgpJPt-gutL2UFDVRnb6bzbqJXKVYaqeOpyYVp0lfV2yAY9JCelnp/w620-h640/Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois%20Rafaelli%20-%20Place%20de%20la%20Trinite,%20Paris.jpeg" width="620" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://artvee.com/dl/place-de-la-trinite-paris#00" target="_blank">Place de la Trinite, Paris by Jean-François Rafaelli<br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-58133410942556533232023-09-10T12:38:00.008-04:002023-09-10T20:48:01.072-04:00Adventures in SourdoughIf I could choose one food to eat forever it would be bread. I'm all for eating healthy foods, but diets that completely eliminate bread (unless of course you have celiac disease) leave me dubious bordering on side-eye. Is there anything more comforting that a warm piece of bread? When I'm hungry, it's probably the first food group that pops into my mind. There's truly not a better food in my opinion. Baking my own has become a hobby, as you probably know by now. <a href="http://www.ournestinthecity.com/2023/02/easy-bouncy-and-delicious-focaccia.html" target="_blank">My focaccia recipe</a> is on rotation, and one my my most watched reels on Instagram. Have you tried it yet? I hope you have! My simple <a href="http://www.ournestinthecity.com/2019/04/sourdough-ish-bread-recipe-aka-best.html" target="_blank">sourdough-ish bread</a> recipe is quick and quality, and I made it weekly for years, though now I'm dabbling in sourdough.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgKvKQc_FdC1a47edBUeS4BQxlpOUA3CQj1JNGHjTUEwrjJ7oiSpFMFLT9x7JC4dussfsges-d9M6eGT5XiOZjL-Xz0RAgTpaCnyQCHAwdBe9pXQA6FhnZ85i6l1ibUEdTI4gPpfxbaQ0TfjIa9h5RYdpMdjca2Ju5mp4M57JCI_pSjL2vYvOLsQsGV55/s4032/PXL_20230910_151023890.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgKvKQc_FdC1a47edBUeS4BQxlpOUA3CQj1JNGHjTUEwrjJ7oiSpFMFLT9x7JC4dussfsges-d9M6eGT5XiOZjL-Xz0RAgTpaCnyQCHAwdBe9pXQA6FhnZ85i6l1ibUEdTI4gPpfxbaQ0TfjIa9h5RYdpMdjca2Ju5mp4M57JCI_pSjL2vYvOLsQsGV55/w480-h640/PXL_20230910_151023890.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps it's better I say re-dabbling, since I first started the sourdough journey a few years ago, like most of the quarantine bread mavens, in 2020. When I started my Sourdough journey, I had a lot of time on my hands to fail, since, like everyone else, I was staying home. And it's a good thing, because fail I did! There's a poster at my school which says, "FAIL: first attempt in learning" which is really sweet and also relevant to sourdough! I tried for weeks to make my own starter and then my own sourdough from said starter. It never rose, at least not fully, and was really frustrating. Maybe not so bad if flour wasn't so hard to come by during those first months of COVID. Eventually a friend who was on the same journey offered to bring me some of his starter in exchange for some flour. Only one of us has a Costco membership after all. Deal struck! And with his initial starter (Thanks Ru!), I was eventually successful. That was years ago and I'm only recently circling back to sourdough, inspired by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu7GWI5vBX_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank">Justine Doiron</a>. I don't actually use her recipe (it requires 2 full days!), but her addictive videos get me in the cooking/baking/preparing mood that always help culinary adventures.<div class="linkwithin_div"></div></div><div><br /></div><div>My favourite way to eat sourdough is topped with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwBED6NAExv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank">anchovy green sauce</a> or a honey and salt combo. I should add that I don't make sandwiches with sourdough because with five people, the loaf would be gone before we even made sandwiches for everyone. We save sourdough for a treat added onto a plate of roasted chicken at suppertime or eggs at breakfast. A slice also makes an amazing snack on it's own. If I ever have leftovers, or a loaf that didn't rise perfectly when baking, I cut it up, then blend in the blender for breadcrumbs! They really do become the best breadcrumbs...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ff_x5vx8hydqSdZ7rMBdclvNnFFOf0dUZan6qJGqnXOyR8G8VxMGuGF2x-BJ6pYb3CGhDk2Z88aTxdnr4FVmVS0Yim91Q_tATbUKVo8YznwViu5_RFCI6_1hnwFlYs896hQlvvI4iHtUh42pacFBeUlGz7_o-6GicPgdLqaMFIuQ1Bz8882_U_yyjKNU/s1800/IMG_20230816_150706_345.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ff_x5vx8hydqSdZ7rMBdclvNnFFOf0dUZan6qJGqnXOyR8G8VxMGuGF2x-BJ6pYb3CGhDk2Z88aTxdnr4FVmVS0Yim91Q_tATbUKVo8YznwViu5_RFCI6_1hnwFlYs896hQlvvI4iHtUh42pacFBeUlGz7_o-6GicPgdLqaMFIuQ1Bz8882_U_yyjKNU/w512-h640/IMG_20230816_150706_345.heic" width="512" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Now, sourdough! I have read a lot on the subject and tried several different online recipes, finally settling on this one for it's ease and prep time. The measurements are slightly different from the one I was trying without success years ago, so I can say <i>for my oven and my climate, it's flawless</i>. But I can't speak for the uniqueness of your kitchen, so you may need to try a few times too! I make the dough in the evening, let is sit on the counter all night, then do a quick shaping as the oven is pre-heating, and bake that morning. All the work happens overnight, and the proportions have never failed me yet. Want the recipe?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients:</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1/4 cup sourdough starter</li><li>1.5 cups warm water</li><li>4 cups all-purpose flour (can be up to 25% whole wheat flour, rye, or buckwheat if you like)</li><li>2 tb salt</li></ul></div><div><b>Night Before:</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mix starter and warm water together in a large bowl using your fingers or a whisk.</li><li>Add the flour and salt</li><li>Combine everything into a shaggy ball</li><li>Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel</li></ul></div><div><b>Overnight: </b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Sleep, knowing your bread is doing it's thing aka 7-10 hours of rising time</li></ul></div><div><b>Next Morning:</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Preheat oven to 500 degrees with your Dutch oven inside, so it too is piping hot.</li><li>Wet hands with cold water, then handle your dough, folding and forming into a tight oval ball. There are many "techniques" but I just kind of fold and tuck until I like the shape. The folding introduced air into the load and then traps it which leads to beautiful bubbles in your bread.</li><li>When dough is in the oval shape you like, coat in flour and cut a few ventilation slices in the top of the loaf. You can do straight lines on the sides or right down the middle, or get fancy and do designs. Up to you!</li><li>Put parchment paper in the Dutch Oven (carefully, it's very hot by now) and place your dough/loaf on it, then put the lid back on and place in the oven</li><li>Bake for 20-25 minutes covered, followed by another 10-15 uncovered. </li><li>Remove the loaf is you're satisfied with the browning on top (this is a preference thing - some people love it quite charred on the top and they'll want to leave it in longer, others a lightly golden loaf is perfect. Every oven is different too, so keep your eyes on the oven and the light on to guide you)</li><li>Let cool for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.</li></ul><div>Sometimes, if I'm working I can't make my dough in the morning, so I quickly shape when I wake up and place in a covered container in my fridge to bake that night after work. You could also change up the times of day, so long as you're allowing for 7-10 hours of rising time. You really can't compare to the flavour and texture of sourdough in my opinion, so it's absolutely worth learning. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Sourdough Starter Recipe*</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The key to creating a starter is to add flour and water together regularly, discarding about half every time you add more. In a few days you'll have a developing starter that has a hint of sourness in smell as well as lots of bubbles as proof of it's fermentation. If after several days your starter is still not rising at all, it may be too cold at your house. Make sure you add very warm water during the next "feed". You can also kickstart it by adding 1/2 teaspoon of quick rise dry yeast if you're desperate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Day one: mix together 1/4 flour and 1/4 cup warm water.</div><div>Day two: discard half, then add 2 tb flour and 2 tb warm water</div><div>Day three: repeat day two</div><div>Day four: your starter should be active by now! If not continue, and so on... </div><div><br /></div><div>Maintaining your starter - Once it's active and sour, you can leave in the fridge for days, simply reinvigorating with a few tbs of water and flour 8 hours before using again. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>* Local friends, I'd be happy to give you some of my starter to get you, well, started :) </i></div></div><div><br /></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-76504921493546550572023-08-24T12:48:00.006-04:002023-08-24T12:50:16.028-04:00We Have a Teenager!<div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N4cbaNMCmKzt8ZwnoyzQCzTi-haS2U73DKnJJ1j56gIwQTbziN2ZM6x7KMbJ64b4PsnFhlZZtHteLt7L5Ei-IneXslBm7FW4txQLs06MXMx-K_qAOFSGpyU7FVdwSlZbUx36LjorUDPGz4CFpMbrOXkNo3F7E2_DFLEFHVHV3AgVuQeA8Z2LbtEk74ZT/s3632/IMG_20230820_111915_761.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3632" data-original-width="2906" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N4cbaNMCmKzt8ZwnoyzQCzTi-haS2U73DKnJJ1j56gIwQTbziN2ZM6x7KMbJ64b4PsnFhlZZtHteLt7L5Ei-IneXslBm7FW4txQLs06MXMx-K_qAOFSGpyU7FVdwSlZbUx36LjorUDPGz4CFpMbrOXkNo3F7E2_DFLEFHVHV3AgVuQeA8Z2LbtEk74ZT/w512-h640/IMG_20230820_111915_761.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div>It's so hard to believe we've entered this stage of parenting, but the day has finally come that we have a bonafide teenager under our roof and in our hearts. Last week Lily turned 13! </div><div><br /></div><div>It's surreal having children who are the ages that you remember being. That they're now old enough to stay up as late as us, watch the same movies as us (for the most part), join us in deep discussions and with whom we share interests and hobbies. Indeed, they and we are getting old. And you know what? It's better than I ever could have imagined. </div><div><br /></div><div>So much of the dread that society and even other parents have placed on this stage of parenting is ill founded. Much like the terrible twos, the newborn stage, or any other demanding season, of course there will be (and already have been) unique challenges. And unique blessings. Watching Lily's relationship with God develop into her own has been a sweet thrill. Seeing her taste and interests sharpen is really cool to see. Talking with her for hours (and I mean <i>hours</i>) is stimulating and I feel our friendship growing deeper as we both age. I'm convinced that these years are dear, if we'll let them be. </div><div><br /></div><div>I love watching our oldest girl grow in independence, and how city-living allows so many opportunities to spread her wings. I love how she's still an avid reader and though a social butterfly, she doesn't hassle us to let her on social media (linked to this, I admire her maturity). She's a babysitter extraordinaire, generous with her siblings and friends, quick to laugh, still so playful and yet already so wise. </div><div><br /></div><div>Given her recent birthday I've heard dozens of the classic remark upon discovering one has a teenager. "Good luck with that!" or "my condolences!" with the knowing eye roll. I'm new to the teenage parenting bit, but I've been saying the same thing to everyone, "she really is a great kid!" and "we're loving it so far!" trying not to be too smug. The truth is, it's much harder than previous stages because we have less and less control and we allow more and more independence. Teens aren't in bed by 7pm and don't take quiet times or naps so their parents can regroup. Their clothes and bodies take up so much more space and yes, the grocery bill is a good $50 more than it was a couple years ago. What small prices to pay to raise your friend and sister, and see that they're exceeding your every wish. </div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-42776025955081115072023-07-13T17:36:00.005-04:002023-11-19T10:39:09.183-05:00Travel Hacking 3.0<div class="linkwithin_div"></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As some of you know, over the years our family has been able to take some pretty amazing trips with our kids through maximizing Aeroplan points. Not a week goes by that I don’t receive an e-mail or DM about how our family manages to travel internationally on a budget so I’ve asked Brad (the master travel planner in our family!) to explain things in more detail. He did write up a post a couple of years ago that I know was helpful for so many of you (I love e-mails from strangers telling me they’ve made it to Madrid/Hong-Kong/Reykjavik/etc thanks to our points tricks!) but since the points program with Aeroplan has changed somewhat, here’s the updated version. Take it away, Brad :)<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi everyone! Alright here we go. As Em mentioned, the Aeroplan points program has undergone some significant changes over the past few years, but on the whole it's still pretty awesome. If you know how to use it right, it still offers the opportunity for <i>heavily</i> discounted travel, which makes all the difference when you’re buying five plane tickets for every family trip! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a nutshell, the trick is to sign up for certain credit cards which offer disproportionally huge amounts of Aeroplan points as a sign-up bonus, which we then redeem for flights. All we end up paying is <u>the credit card annual fee</u> and<u> the flight taxes</u>. When done properly, it’s saved us tons of money on our flights.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For example, let’s say you wanted two return tickets to Europe, say from Toronto to Rome this September. Google Flights says it would cost $2,376. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet with the Aeroplan points that you would get from just three credit cards (<i>Amex Gold, </i><i>Amex</i> <i>Business Gold,</i> and the <i>CIBC Aeroplan Visa</i>), it would bring that cost down to only $639.92 ($350 in fees for the two cards + $289.92 in flight taxes).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not a bad way to save $1,700!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Incredibly, you would actually have enough points leftover for a roundtrip flight to Bermuda (if you live in Eastern Canada) or San Francisco (if you live out West).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok so what's the catch? (Because there’s always a catch!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The catch is, you need to be able to spend a good chunk of change on these credit cards in the first 3-4 months. These cards require you to spend anywhere between $1,000 and $5,000 in purchases on the cards in order to qualify for the bonus points.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For most of us, these are very large amounts of money. But with some strategic planning, we’ve been able to do it many times over the years without increasing our household budget (I'll share some suggestions for this below).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The only other catch is that it helps to be organized. I use a simple Google Sheet to help me track how many points I need and when each card is due. Because the last thing you want is to waste the money you're saving on credit card missed payment fees :(</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So if travel hacking sounds like something you’re up for, I’ve put together a handy step-by-step guide that simplifies the process.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background: white;">FIRST THINGS FIRST</span></b><br />
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<span style="background: white;">The first thing to do is to check your credit score. Every credit card application you make lowers your score by about 5-7 points. Now, that’s out of a total of 900 possible points, so it’s not a huge number, but it’s still something to keep in mind.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Some other quick thoughts on credit for those interested:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A score represents a moment in time and can change based on your behaviour.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Missed or late payments or lots of maxed out credit accounts will lower your score.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The best way to increase your score is to pay back debts on time and consistently.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Scores typically range from 400 to 900, and 'good' scores are usually 660 and higher; anything over 750 is considered 'excellent'. So whether it’s 750 or 850 doesn’t really make a difference. For an institution like a bank or credit union looking at your credit, anything over 725 is a no-brainer.</span></span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">If it might help allay your fears, Em and I have had DOZENS of cards over the years (I've seriously lost count, I have five on my desk in front of me right now lol) and her credit score is 861. Mine is 811. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So in my experience, the fears that opening many cards will trash your credit score are pretty overblown.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Here's two great ways to get your credit score for free:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.borrowell.com/free-credit-score"><span color="windowtext" style="background: white;">www.borrowell.com/free-credit-score</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.creditkarma.ca/"><span color="windowtext">https://www.creditkarma.ca/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, i<span style="background: white;">f you don't already have an Aeroplan membership, you can sign up </span><a href="https://www.aircanada.com/aeroplan/member/enrolment?lang=en-CA" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext" style="background: white;">here</span></a><span style="background: white;"> (it's free).</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">Ok, let's get started!</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjzuY6-fuL1D23e5uV11lv5RjtZPWOQcsez993uU_rHj9kcC7hVfefekLw0gLrnMLrpEnXISp7p5PJV9wFvx5RTSi--jkty43Jbb-mA8Ea1fHtipECegPaISIlnnyysYoOuXVXNExv41LTnEelR_KMqA8WE3lH3WxuJn00eImpiuPoiBothDQqPx2LLCo/s4032/PXL_20220626_125647703.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjzuY6-fuL1D23e5uV11lv5RjtZPWOQcsez993uU_rHj9kcC7hVfefekLw0gLrnMLrpEnXISp7p5PJV9wFvx5RTSi--jkty43Jbb-mA8Ea1fHtipECegPaISIlnnyysYoOuXVXNExv41LTnEelR_KMqA8WE3lH3WxuJn00eImpiuPoiBothDQqPx2LLCo/w480-h640/PXL_20220626_125647703.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background: white;">STEP 1 - GETTING YOUR POINTS</span></b><br />
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<span style="background: white;">In order to rack up the necessary points for your dream trip, you have to follow these steps:</span></span><br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Apply for a given card(s)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Meet the minimum spending requirements for the card</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Wait for the points to appear in your account (they say it can take up to 8 weeks but I usually see them within a few days)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Cancel the card when the second year begins so you don’t pay the annual fee twice</span></li></ol></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">These steps will lead you through applying for various credit cards, some which provide Aeroplan points directly, or American Express cards which earn 'Membership Rewards' points, which are transferable 1:1 to Aeroplan. (So when I use the term 'points', I'm referring to both Aeroplan points and Amex points, since they have the same value.)</span><br />
<br /><b><span style="background: white;">Links to Credit Cards to Apply For:</span></b><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Ok, start dreaming: where do you want to go? Figure out how many points you'll need, and then apply for the cards to make it happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Aeroplan uses a distance-based flight reward chart, meaning the more miles you want to travel, the more points required. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Here's some examples, all for round-trip flights:</span></div>
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<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>EASTERN CANADA</u></div><div class="MsoNormal">Toronto/Montreal to <b>New Orleans/Miami/Bermuda/Havana</b>: 20,000 pts</div><div class="MsoNormal">Toronto/Montreal to <b>Costa Rica/Mexico/Panama City/Barbados/Punta Cana</b>: 25,000 pts</div><div class="MsoNormal">Toronto/Montreal to <b>Western Europe</b>: 70,000 pts</div><div class="MsoNormal">Toronto/Montreal to <b>Eastern Europe</b>: 80,000 pts</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>FROM WESTERN CANADA</u></div><div class="MsoNormal">Vancouver/Calgary to <b>San Francisco/Los Angeles/Las Vegas</b>: 20,000 pts</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vancouver to <b>Hawaii</b>: 25,000 pts</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vancouver/Calgary to <b>Tokyo</b>: 70,000 pts</div><div class="MsoNormal">Vancouver/Calgary to <b>most of Europe</b>: 80,000 pts</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;">If you want to see exactly how many points would be required for your desired destination, you can do that </span><a href="https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/redeem/points-predictor.html#/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (note that points shown there are for one-way flights).</span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><ul style="text-align: left;">
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: inherit;">Now let's take the first step: applying for cards!</span><br /><br /><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-banking/credit-cards/all-credit-cards/aeroplan-visa-infinite-card.html" target="_blank">CIBC AEROPLAN VISA INFINITE</a> </span><span style="background-color: white;">– 30,000 points</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><ul><li><span style="background: white;"><span>Annual fee waived for the first year</span></span></li><li><span style="background: white;"><span>10,000 pts awarded after your first purchase</span></span></li><li><span style="background: white;"><span>20,000 pts awarded after spending $4,000</span></span></li><li><span style="background: white;"><span>1.5x points on grocery and gas</span></span></li></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span color="windowtext" style="background: white;"><a href="https://americanexpress.com/en-ca/referral/bRADLMYenK?XLINK=MYCP" target="_blank">AMERICAN EXPRESS BUSINESS GOLD REWARDS CARD</a></span><span style="background: white;"> – 70,000 points (<b>75,000</b> if you use <a href="https://americanexpress.com/en-ca/referral/bRADLMYenK?XLINK=MYCP" target="_blank">this link!</a>)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li><span><span style="background: white;">Annual fee is $199</span></span></li><li><span><span style="background: white;">75,000 pts awarded after spending $5,000</span></span></li><li><span><span style="background: white;">This is a 'business' card, meaning y</span></span>ou need to provide a business name - but it doesn't need to be an officially registered business. It can be anything that might allow someone to make money - even if it's not currently doing so.</li><li><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For example, I sell stuff all the time on Kijiji and Marketplace. So I used "Brad's Deals" for my business name and they're perfectly ok with that. Or if I had Instagram, I could use that for my business. It's really flexible (and still ethical, which is important to us!)</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When it asks for 'Number of employees', or ‘Annual business revenue’, I just tell the truth: 1 employee, and for revenue, $200, $100, or even $0! They don’t seem to mind that my business isn’t very profitable :)</span></span></li></ul><div style="text-indent: -24px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.td.com/ca/en/personal-banking/products/credit-cards/aeroplan/aeroplan-visa-infinite-card" target="_blank">TD AEROPLAN VISA INFINITE</a> – 35,000 points </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0px;"></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-indent: 0px;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Annual fee waived for the first year</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10,000 pts awarded after your first purchase</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">25,000 pts awarded after spending $5,000 in the first 6 months</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.5x points on grocery and gas</span></li></ul></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white;"><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span><a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/en-ca/credit-cards/referral/prospect/intl/13C45C856B187CD780B7E81A56E8C72F378A3C7EFCFF16653AD8900CBF5BDBCD42F5FB1476008E1498BDCEDD984142AC732F593EEDCBF7A6BF6418587E0B082116B6423DC3B97D17438A31A8FFB008E3D98220421E9C303B36E7877306BFA83802CD881340912CAB0EF24F851241F3ECA4AF42AA86764837A37AD7990A8A803DB9FDEE19D7FA8AAE97F0FCF93B1386D18046E9A7216F881D54FE7A4E221DE444BB94C157C1014A2CC8D88D7BE59F030F5ACB27325C28B31592E286435DCED8CFD339908D7A805598669C3CE18242F6FC8F96C7972B94AD161E42F7189D5E900964F6AAF5D46785CC?CORID=b~R~A~D~L~M~Y~e~n~K-1700373189019-1086006253&CPID=100301341&GENCODE=349993174428140&XLINK=MYCP&v=1" target="_blank">AMERICAN EXPRESS GOLD REWARDS</a> </span></span>– <strike>40,000 points (<b style="background-color: transparent;">45,000</b> if you use <a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/en-ca/credit-cards/referral/prospect/intl/13C45C856B187CD780B7E81A56E8C72F378A3C7EFCFF16653AD8900CBF5BDBCD42F5FB1476008E1498BDCEDD984142AC732F593EEDCBF7A6BF6418587E0B082116B6423DC3B97D17438A31A8FFB008E3D98220421E9C303B36E7877306BFA83802CD881340912CAB0EF24F851241F3ECA4AF42AA86764837A37AD7990A8A803DB9FDEE19D7FA8AAE97F0FCF93B1386D18046E9A7216F881D54FE7A4E221DE444BB94C157C1014A2CC8D88D7BE59F030F5ACB27325C28B31592E286435DCED8CFD339908D7A805598669C3CE18242F6FC8F96C7972B94AD161E42F7189D5E900964F6AAF5D46785CC?CORID=b~R~A~D~L~M~Y~e~n~K-1700373189019-1086006253&CPID=100301341&GENCODE=349993174428140&XLINK=MYCP&v=1" target="_blank">this link!</a>)</strike></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><ul><li><span style="background-color: white;"><strike>Annual fee is $250, but the card provides a $100 annual travel credit that you can use for any travel purchase, essentially bringing the fee down to $150</strike></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><strike>45,000 pts awarded after spending $3,000 </strike></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;">2x points on travel, gas, grocery and drugstore</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;">4 passes for Plaza Premium airport lounges</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><div>NOTE: this last offer seems to have just been changed. The new offers aren't horrible, but I would recommend beginning with the first two cards and checking back here later to see if the others improve - offers change all the time!</div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTOW5heX284zM3xeg-P3PXb16jWif7jnQYjDjt80F-5745Sddg7KyG_s6UJ-gsEa8W9vT6LJBqgwjCQS8u0xwjqsIKiUNauLAZBd3qtlr37K9Or6oRSvt8wn_1AUQVGQ5PPDZyhN4CbOu5D8yTZScfOcfGrtJb2urgkvq7Pf12Y6u6-Z3k8cRhX9Tud42/s3607/IMG_20210731_161137_119.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3607" data-original-width="2886" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTOW5heX284zM3xeg-P3PXb16jWif7jnQYjDjt80F-5745Sddg7KyG_s6UJ-gsEa8W9vT6LJBqgwjCQS8u0xwjqsIKiUNauLAZBd3qtlr37K9Or6oRSvt8wn_1AUQVGQ5PPDZyhN4CbOu5D8yTZScfOcfGrtJb2urgkvq7Pf12Y6u6-Z3k8cRhX9Tud42/w512-h640/IMG_20210731_161137_119.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">Don't forget that in addition to the big lump sum points given, these cards also award one point per dollar spent (and sometimes with bonuses for gas/grocery/etc). So for the Amex Business Gold card, after meeting the spending requirement, you'd actually end up with 80,000 points: 75,000 from the bonus, and 5,000 from having spent $5,000.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background: white;">STEP 2 - MEETING THE SPENDING REQUIREMENT</span></b><br />
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<span style="background: white;">As I mentioned, these cards require some significant spending before they'll dish out the points: anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000, all within the first 3-4 months of having the card.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">These are huge amounts for us, but you'd be surprised how far you can get just by putting all your regular spending on the card. Here's some other tricks we’ve used to help accelerate the process without actually increasing our household spending:</span></span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span>The easiest solution, if possible, is to time your credit card application with an upcoming major expense: a home renovation, tuition costs, or new appliances.</span></span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Some small businesses won't take Amex, but almost every online retailer will. Between Old Navy, Gap, Paypal, Airbnb, and Amazon, we can put a lot of money on our Amex cards just through regular spending.</span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Any big recurring annual payments are perfect for this, like life/car/house insurance. And best of all, you often get a small discount for paying the year upfront 😅</span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This one will sound weird, but you can overpay your internet and cell phone bills and essentially pay for a year of service in advance. So a $720 cell phone payment will result in an account credit that will be used to pay your $60/month bill for a year.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Donations: if you give monthly to an organization, an option is to cancel the donations for a year and simply make a one-time donation. So you cancel your $100/month donation for six months and make a $600 donation. (But don’t forget to restart the monthly donations after!)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can offer to put big purchases for a group on your card. A friend of ours put some big costs for his brother's wedding on his card, his brother paid him back, and he was able to hit his minimum spend in one shot.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some other great sources for our Amex spending: all gas stations, Home Depot, Walmart and Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix. </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background: white;">STEP 3 - SPENDING YOUR POINTS</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="background: white;">First, you convert your points:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since you’re working towards an Aeroplan flight reward, you need to convert your American Express 'Membership Rewards' points to Aeroplan points (they transfer 1:1). Thankfully, this is super easy. Go to the Rewards section after you log in to Amex, and find the link for "Rewards", and then “Transfer my points.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The conversion from Amex points to Aeroplan is instantaneous – however, you must first register your Aeroplan account, and that can take a few days. So plan accordingly!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background: white;">Then, the fun part: booking your flight!</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">One thing to keep in mind, is you want to <u>BOOK EARLY</u>. Like all flight reward programs these days, Aeroplan uses dynamic pricing for their flights, meaning the more people book a particular flight, the more Aeroplan points become required for subsequent bookings. So if you book last minute, a flight that should cost 25,000 points could easily cost double. So for our summer trips, I usually try to get the flights booked by November.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">Other than that, the process of booking your flights is pretty intuitive. You do it online through your Aeroplan account. You can also call in and have an Aeroplan agent help make the booking for you - in the past, they charged $35 for this. I'm not sure if they still do, I just do it online...</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">As mentioned, you will still be on the hook for the flight and airport taxes, but if you choose the right flights they're not too bad: around $150-$200 per person for a round-trip flight to Europe. But c</span></span>onsidering the actual price of these flights, especially these days, I usually pay these taxes with a smile on my face :)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><br /></div></div></div>
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<b>STEP 4 - PROFIT!</b><br />
<br />Two final tips for extracting even more value from what is already a pretty lucrative technique:</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">STOPOVERS</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Aeroplan has a generous stopover policy, which for only 5000 points allows you to add a destination to your itinerary: a completely different city in a completely different country! So to continue the example I gave at the beginning for Toronto to Rome, maybe you want to spend a week in Paris on the way to Rome. That would bump the Google Flights price up to $2,760, but with Aeroplan it would only set you back 5000 points and an extra $80 in flight taxes. Definitely something to consider! You can play around with different routings by selecting the 'multi-city' option when choosing flights.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">2 PLAYER MODE</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">If you have a significant other, this unlocks a fantastic means
of earning points faster. Amex offers a stack of bonus points for ‘referrals’:
that is, having your partner (or anyone!) sign up for one of their credit cards through you. For
example, if you have the Business Gold card, you would get 15,000 bonus points for referring
your partner to a Business Gold card. And if they then referred YOU to a Gold Rewards card, they would get 15,000 bonus points. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<p class="MsoNormal">Again, this is all predicated upon being able to meet the
spending requirements for these cards. But assuming that’s possible for you,
this is the way to rack up points fast (yes I am indeed counting the days until
my kids are old enough to have a credit card lol)<o:p></o:p></p></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>CONCLUSION</b></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So that's pretty much it!</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It might sound complex, but you get the hang of it real quick. If you have any questions I’d be happy to help, so just ask them below in the comments and I’ll reply there.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="574" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8At00JvSo-2G3i9BS5sInhVAcctPxFdy8Ds83FdSQavhVg6z2vjbJXb_oKk2du2GF9rGNwYHA1thUf7dmIMgUSTYYIEIAnsNm5fhSlp3KW6ki2ZMkQXc2Gqseb4Nz7pXBGYXMDTJh1o-w/s640/IMG_20190612_204204.jpg" width="478" /></div>
</div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-7988803744450727122023-02-02T11:39:00.012-05:002023-02-02T11:42:56.555-05:00Easy, Bouncy, and Delicious Focaccia<span style="font-family: inherit;">This recipe will make you famous at potlucks! Focaccia is so affordable to make, not to mention <i>simple</i>, but it feeds a crowd and is easily in the top ten most delicious foods on the planet. I promise. You need to try it!</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyH3gYjzB3rsjHhMSlpwfl54kC1vPhCh5T8TYyq092lCXOslW_Ovy3sFaO5XEF9WYqVZzpThVUBTxGIECHGA3oRq-iueSe9njtOpfe64-cyx4DDc0dgdRYHRG_hjIesFUDQJWFAdoeFvnccLlBKyHSsRH_NhI9rx9xkK24uDCW50AKj6zLCQk5IYntg/s4032/PXL_20220420_194755961.PORTRAIT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyH3gYjzB3rsjHhMSlpwfl54kC1vPhCh5T8TYyq092lCXOslW_Ovy3sFaO5XEF9WYqVZzpThVUBTxGIECHGA3oRq-iueSe9njtOpfe64-cyx4DDc0dgdRYHRG_hjIesFUDQJWFAdoeFvnccLlBKyHSsRH_NhI9rx9xkK24uDCW50AKj6zLCQk5IYntg/w480-h640/PXL_20220420_194755961.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I first posted the recipe <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUJTjXzoMDj/">on Instagram reels</a>, but I've been meaning to put it on my blog for months. Reels are fun and give a glimpse at the incredible texture of this oily dough, but they're not as searchable and the recipe is in such tiny font. It was time to put this bread on the blog!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">INGREDIENTS:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 1/4 tsp. quick rise yeast (or one packet)</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp. honey</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2½ cups lukewarm water</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5 cups flour (I use AP)</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tbs. salt</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10 tbsp. olive oil, seperated</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">any additional herbs for seasoning</span></span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #262626;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuot-DgddnPzxmCPHRzzBHCg0B_2vCymk3gtV7693i4qptiMsOkAACA818DGHRCZKh4Tabjimi0tD2G8boBGDL-b9W5cpFrZGjiYHcmQ1YohcAmctc1sD7cyG4OBuf0TmWjzl2ctteNtnr82_dh1CycU0XOcShfl2uzQECMNQ1VPfV9m26vGyhK0MznQ/s3663/PXL_20220420_194734545.PORTRAIT%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3663" data-original-width="2738" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuot-DgddnPzxmCPHRzzBHCg0B_2vCymk3gtV7693i4qptiMsOkAACA818DGHRCZKh4Tabjimi0tD2G8boBGDL-b9W5cpFrZGjiYHcmQ1YohcAmctc1sD7cyG4OBuf0TmWjzl2ctteNtnr82_dh1CycU0XOcShfl2uzQECMNQ1VPfV9m26vGyhK0MznQ/w478-h640/PXL_20220420_194734545.PORTRAIT%20(1).jpg" width="478" /></a></div><br /><span>STEPS</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Simply combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, except the olive oil! </span></span></li><li><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stir to make a shaggy, sticky dough. </span></span></li><li><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once combined, stir in 5 tbsp olive oil to your dough.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered with a plate or towel on your counter.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once doubled in size, pour 5 more tbs. olive on top and place into a buttered 9x13 lasagna dish.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spread to fill and then using your fingers, poke deep into the bread until the dough resembles a Montreal street 🚧</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Season with herbs, salt, and pepper and brush with more olive oil (I used a garlic olive oil and thyme)</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, or until top is nicely golden 🍞✨</span></span></li></ul></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrGPkRjE4S_ColzNQKe0HZo_CLd68F-5BJXtxWNVCTNrMkW2L8se9yeJvK19S_WF0SxKv4yy44ZSzbLZIWPar8jXIxLxD9eXuroMDLiyHoWJe1BLVsVMT42bwO_dcepg42fxUmefpr9_JRL7y4qysLgBAQK3nm7mlqZbUm_1BrMQyEPVP_OYm-W2RVA/s4032/PXL_20220420_191441633.PORTRAIT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrGPkRjE4S_ColzNQKe0HZo_CLd68F-5BJXtxWNVCTNrMkW2L8se9yeJvK19S_WF0SxKv4yy44ZSzbLZIWPar8jXIxLxD9eXuroMDLiyHoWJe1BLVsVMT42bwO_dcepg42fxUmefpr9_JRL7y4qysLgBAQK3nm7mlqZbUm_1BrMQyEPVP_OYm-W2RVA/w640-h480/PXL_20220420_191441633.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">TIPS</span></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">To avoid the dough sticking to your hands, first rinse in cold water and leave them wet</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you use regular yeast and not quick rise, it will need 3-4 hours to rise</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sprinkle flaky sea salt and fresh herbs on baked bread for the best presentation</span></li></ul><div>Let me know here or on Instagram if you've tried it!</div></div></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-33819162765456114162023-01-24T19:56:00.005-05:002023-01-24T19:56:27.614-05:00Heritage as Art<div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over the Holidays I had a lovely visit with my Grandma, "Ga", and she asked me to look through some of her old photos to see if there was anything I might like to keep. I loved looking through the decades and was so amazed at the memories that came flooding back as I looked at pictures from my childhood, not to mention the special photos from before I was born. Some in particular struck me and I was delighted when Ga offered them to me. Her wedding photos from 1953! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotoDwMQeSqESSJ3GMvq_tkaCdMi9Bgrvb102mAs81_6ty6OWsYlGc96JloNyIpxap-8iiN_jxvf35ObR1hoUceCDZlleecBI6kWDDGBFdbrYTB5wRQe8aec3EtjP66AnDuMRPOf6VrMHizQCU8OteNh121uvDvTtVdjpsBJK-Op1xdPVzVovxbdrZwA/s4032/PXL_20230117_200026705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotoDwMQeSqESSJ3GMvq_tkaCdMi9Bgrvb102mAs81_6ty6OWsYlGc96JloNyIpxap-8iiN_jxvf35ObR1hoUceCDZlleecBI6kWDDGBFdbrYTB5wRQe8aec3EtjP66AnDuMRPOf6VrMHizQCU8OteNh121uvDvTtVdjpsBJK-Op1xdPVzVovxbdrZwA/w480-h640/PXL_20230117_200026705.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>I framed them as soon as I got back to the Parsonage and I love seeing them every day. They were so young and joyful and full of promise! What's beautiful is I got to see their marriage through the decades following and how it grew into something incredibly calm and steady and grounding for our whole family. My grandpa has been gone for over 20 years, making these photos even more special. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQmhk0vYhPD_Exo7wnE9lBgqfdM0xUxZypehie89L4g1dBy7CBAWi-S4S-_LOfqIJjC7hCQdFkcT725oo280x3lyucH4yn0ew-ByfexpAJblFsniE9wIQkKJRx9z0BWWlFeb676esD8s1bSUlnANt-Rrcxp7xYRy7M82i8M6_u7h9fMK6pQBA70t4tQ/s4032/PXL_20230117_200119110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQmhk0vYhPD_Exo7wnE9lBgqfdM0xUxZypehie89L4g1dBy7CBAWi-S4S-_LOfqIJjC7hCQdFkcT725oo280x3lyucH4yn0ew-ByfexpAJblFsniE9wIQkKJRx9z0BWWlFeb676esD8s1bSUlnANt-Rrcxp7xYRy7M82i8M6_u7h9fMK6pQBA70t4tQ/w480-h640/PXL_20230117_200119110.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2e615PxmxMq0GP8aENWQJ14uN2-4No1tzi7P-4IVqh_gublCTqIwrpUbY4qMUS_IR9TY2HK4wQNKWh_h7XHKlkBLAKDffdm1sWH3-czXMjo24fUspgf3HYRB3r99F7jZ_3nvV7nfQRerFR-bDolx2oXe7lUHJ67iaug5WSk-88mo5SFT1UB_uXAh_UA/s4032/PXL_20230117_202520912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2e615PxmxMq0GP8aENWQJ14uN2-4No1tzi7P-4IVqh_gublCTqIwrpUbY4qMUS_IR9TY2HK4wQNKWh_h7XHKlkBLAKDffdm1sWH3-czXMjo24fUspgf3HYRB3r99F7jZ_3nvV7nfQRerFR-bDolx2oXe7lUHJ67iaug5WSk-88mo5SFT1UB_uXAh_UA/w480-h640/PXL_20230117_202520912.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>I have never displayed many family photos in our homes. We do an annual Family Year Book, holding our favourite photos from the year, so we have lots of opportunities to look back visually, but not so much on the walls. I think it's just a design choice and depends on your personal taste. But these black and white photos were so striking and had such a heritage feel, I broke my own rule and couldn't be happier!</div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-11081186590376153282022-11-28T20:23:00.006-05:002022-11-28T20:23:46.532-05:00Books for Christmas, AlwaysIs there a better Christmas gift than a book? I can't think of a Christmas where I haven't gifted a book to my children, and this year will be no exception. I often buy secondhand but when I can't find books we want at the charity shop or thrift store, I always check <a href="https://bookoutlet.ca/loyalty/referral/hyfA6KUi?c=url" target="_blank"><b>Book Outlet</b></a>. They're based in Ontario and have the most incredible prices on books, usually because there is a micro flaw in the cover or spine. The vast majority of the time I can't for the life of me find the flaw, but I'll happily take the enormous savings!<div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div><br /></div><div>Use <b><a href="https://bookoutlet.ca/loyalty/referral/hyfA6KUi?c=url" target="_blank">this link</a></b> for $5 your first order! </div><div><br /></div><div>Cook Books - My favourite place to start any Christmas List (and this one I just bought to put under the tree for myself at that great price!)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNdF7lOzg0s7Ae9a1qAZ91ttGdfZLIid5PAv1P1Th1Fd8HK4O43E3n9rgLDQaPZLPAOn-VVsC8zJolpozizsztZVhIhGYCCU7AqMydu6zyC4yKOZ0OP7DbDTDZQJicP14iFrSxV-cHNPU_CUhbkEYiL_r2syUZA6_d_1D3b-2R67Agbzatxfss4W9Sw/s2560/lateral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1663" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNdF7lOzg0s7Ae9a1qAZ91ttGdfZLIid5PAv1P1Th1Fd8HK4O43E3n9rgLDQaPZLPAOn-VVsC8zJolpozizsztZVhIhGYCCU7AqMydu6zyC4yKOZ0OP7DbDTDZQJicP14iFrSxV-cHNPU_CUhbkEYiL_r2syUZA6_d_1D3b-2R67Agbzatxfss4W9Sw/w416-h640/lateral.jpg" width="416" /></a></div><br /><div>Lateral Cooking by Niki Segnit, $11.46 at <a href="https://bookoutlet.ca/loyalty/referral/hyfA6KUi?c=url" target="_blank">Book Outlet</a> and $54 at Indigo and Amazon.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also grabbed the Love Sugar Magic series for Chloe in hard cover for $6.81 per book at <a href="https://bookoutlet.ca/loyalty/referral/hyfA6KUi?c=url" target="_blank">Book Outlet</a> (I'd have paid $15 per book on Amazon and $21 at Indigo). My kids all loved the <i>Just Add Magic</i> tv series on Prime and this book series seems similar.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mv2JIlzLERGqArJlqnO7iHpkZPsTixgvaVd7s2_zqqX22xldMd6IkKGDA7RabQmYR8z0fh8GOv2C_TRQOBmVG3E56CBdAatzCC0H-alFJgYfUwVy9XPaKS_kTqS12mFfUT4fcq8TkTzUwFp-wKlY6KTLgrgjyYMXx9A4HDwqHNum4K3h5nd-1jOtzQ/s500/9780062498465-l.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="330" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mv2JIlzLERGqArJlqnO7iHpkZPsTixgvaVd7s2_zqqX22xldMd6IkKGDA7RabQmYR8z0fh8GOv2C_TRQOBmVG3E56CBdAatzCC0H-alFJgYfUwVy9XPaKS_kTqS12mFfUT4fcq8TkTzUwFp-wKlY6KTLgrgjyYMXx9A4HDwqHNum4K3h5nd-1jOtzQ/w422-h640/9780062498465-l.webp" width="422" /></a></div><br /><div>Lastly, I got a few books for Oli from The Unwanteds series, for $4.34 per book on <a href="https://bookoutlet.ca/loyalty/referral/hyfA6KUi?c=url" target="_blank">Book Outlet</a> (would have cost $11.99 on Amazon). It's supposed to be "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter" so I think he'll love it!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfa0DqyJMZm1PZnBtDZWgly3S3-32fEuOkXB7ouN58kOv70voqIBD_JJpbRYtx5JpxGMogNtjG21FKqGbDJjsYCUCeVwaRQYmCZHiLxmpKQCfr-6RfqSPwA6BQthRsquPAAX6lIFB5p3sxS6f994vDICut_axrhYkN5P1gBACnXpujhWTzMHPv4YyzQ/s600/9781442407695-l.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="402" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfa0DqyJMZm1PZnBtDZWgly3S3-32fEuOkXB7ouN58kOv70voqIBD_JJpbRYtx5JpxGMogNtjG21FKqGbDJjsYCUCeVwaRQYmCZHiLxmpKQCfr-6RfqSPwA6BQthRsquPAAX6lIFB5p3sxS6f994vDICut_axrhYkN5P1gBACnXpujhWTzMHPv4YyzQ/w428-h640/9781442407695-l.webp" width="428" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Anyway, I'd love to hear what you're reading and buying for your loved ones to read this Christmas! I always love sharing a good deal and what I'm reading, so consider us caught up on both scores. Hope you have a chance to check out Book Outlet before going Big Box - they have so many titles I want and the prices are bananas. Happy reading!<br /><div><br /></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-63478631592929052222022-11-12T17:03:00.001-05:002022-11-17T13:27:38.675-05:00The Parsonage Living Room!We've been in our new home, affectionately called The Parsonage (<i>not</i> because it's owned by our church - it's not, but simply because it's where the pastor's family dwells) for a couple of months and it's slowly taking shape. It's come a long way from it's 1905 origins and dilapidated state when we first started work in January 2022. Here are the <i>Before</i> shots to give you an idea!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0dTwGwTRFbhQyOXH3fb_4hpiK4EAd1L_vyoxgi4ymwdkLTupLIZzKrjttCbvnnGJYAFIppOcYd4sWt1AZZDIxvJ8UWoUrbleK91eUksJjqwgbZQI3nkdU-5CnTO5ia6fM5UAp_9ipTkqXec4baikfG-u1eT5PFEzSYKgGBAn1TX1yeRn8Pmf2aGx8Q/s2048/IMG-20220128-WA0004(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0dTwGwTRFbhQyOXH3fb_4hpiK4EAd1L_vyoxgi4ymwdkLTupLIZzKrjttCbvnnGJYAFIppOcYd4sWt1AZZDIxvJ8UWoUrbleK91eUksJjqwgbZQI3nkdU-5CnTO5ia6fM5UAp_9ipTkqXec4baikfG-u1eT5PFEzSYKgGBAn1TX1yeRn8Pmf2aGx8Q/w480-h640/IMG-20220128-WA0004(1).jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsiqAAyoRnvNoi9j-m3iaI0X4EQZjZdwrWsvlAluWo6OegCYsMS4ofnAP4eIn_1XLzHAgVo949ByDbyfyCqbKHJGD9tLc8uEYyDcm4H2XoQTW0zb6nCXcSETaU9Tv6mNCCJUHwHis5ykW09yyWT7hbsYhyL6q2y4PhrprfhDE3GrG5Xa6QABytwdKUw/s2048/IMG-20220128-WA0005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsiqAAyoRnvNoi9j-m3iaI0X4EQZjZdwrWsvlAluWo6OegCYsMS4ofnAP4eIn_1XLzHAgVo949ByDbyfyCqbKHJGD9tLc8uEYyDcm4H2XoQTW0zb6nCXcSETaU9Tv6mNCCJUHwHis5ykW09yyWT7hbsYhyL6q2y4PhrprfhDE3GrG5Xa6QABytwdKUw/w640-h480/IMG-20220128-WA0005.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG96MR47uWxGGGIyHx1cPtERovuU7v4K0bTYDZa9QqH9BwQpXn7SFYZ8LgHMX9yE_7zH4DYSeLndet7MAWGp5qGb8W4na-xXgMYP4D5IohaLIhioXQfQngiscGSh-DlIZm_y_uCToaWoNJkUgnIhVl7Vl7hpHzS7xK6apmC8KLat-mTrjiQSwWQODZ2w/s4032/PXL_20220115_172432118.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG96MR47uWxGGGIyHx1cPtERovuU7v4K0bTYDZa9QqH9BwQpXn7SFYZ8LgHMX9yE_7zH4DYSeLndet7MAWGp5qGb8W4na-xXgMYP4D5IohaLIhioXQfQngiscGSh-DlIZm_y_uCToaWoNJkUgnIhVl7Vl7hpHzS7xK6apmC8KLat-mTrjiQSwWQODZ2w/w480-h640/PXL_20220115_172432118.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dKlqCN8Xa6hid1JuoXQM8xgj-rd7aY8Eajdd1UH8nh0x0YMUK3X5pjoF4Pbdrwq211svFcZz328Vcj0VTlzlZFvuH9XoQSfVuzo3s9DAnKuNldakLoqOSd4-KFNNNnX_k0BgDd_Jb7X5KHlpabjTdiYgFVByWleifweOE2puCBG8hp4D32PYBHof7g/s4032/PXL_20220115_172442538.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dKlqCN8Xa6hid1JuoXQM8xgj-rd7aY8Eajdd1UH8nh0x0YMUK3X5pjoF4Pbdrwq211svFcZz328Vcj0VTlzlZFvuH9XoQSfVuzo3s9DAnKuNldakLoqOSd4-KFNNNnX_k0BgDd_Jb7X5KHlpabjTdiYgFVByWleifweOE2puCBG8hp4D32PYBHof7g/w640-h480/PXL_20220115_172442538.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4vRvmZJbRLtMdWQKFUocLYF-ePSW0mJwbW-evAARLvkBc4WrU8Kql4qv48iYb1KzKqmfW3FZCYxaK7UJnrpJWWScqBki4nC03zMgWyCjG7ExgRq7oj0EdCDhJqZ6ENMiSGCBxDJw1ydrni_DhiSGSo0PSsgL5wBJu_mngmh1CJ7eqRnQZCVtgT_tag/s4032/PXL_20220115_172453782.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4vRvmZJbRLtMdWQKFUocLYF-ePSW0mJwbW-evAARLvkBc4WrU8Kql4qv48iYb1KzKqmfW3FZCYxaK7UJnrpJWWScqBki4nC03zMgWyCjG7ExgRq7oj0EdCDhJqZ6ENMiSGCBxDJw1ydrni_DhiSGSo0PSsgL5wBJu_mngmh1CJ7eqRnQZCVtgT_tag/w480-h640/PXL_20220115_172453782.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div>We replaced the walls, insulating them, added built-in bookshelves, replaced the floors, also leveling the under flooring, re-did the electrical, took down a wall, effectively doubling the living room space, added a fireplace, replaced the lighting, restored the mouldings and baseboards, painted, and moved in. </div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUtDn4Jc_MrqY1PSad9uGhxE-v9gCwavKo3wAIV679EDxMFxb4Llzlreb1kFOhlP0hfpPISjB9WcG66dD9d8GazVZp1DwtClfeOtWUn9GxbyzPcJo_ETjrFxGInHrcL8p4YWJhzNwDSQ7U8vNapiO-BuUSGPTu4B9uJLN9M7dOxKwieFah6qH3IZ4lg/s8192/KAP_8350.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5464" data-original-width="8192" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUtDn4Jc_MrqY1PSad9uGhxE-v9gCwavKo3wAIV679EDxMFxb4Llzlreb1kFOhlP0hfpPISjB9WcG66dD9d8GazVZp1DwtClfeOtWUn9GxbyzPcJo_ETjrFxGInHrcL8p4YWJhzNwDSQ7U8vNapiO-BuUSGPTu4B9uJLN9M7dOxKwieFah6qH3IZ4lg/w640-h426/KAP_8350.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigId5-nFW_6kX8lVnFJeOVr1xWbiM820M4i1jhxIOYgDUsJDU8SpkcW9ts5io9APA8tl-PUscyQ4KMaY3QvMY0o8nz5jYad3039GN8BRjRIZglxfZxITrEmXdYEhQlQG31Nso4d1uS8LRKSF7avmVCPDM8HskIDAudOD9c4d88_PJW8E6GqDjpMFOWrQ/s8071/KAP_8377.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="8071" data-original-width="5383" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigId5-nFW_6kX8lVnFJeOVr1xWbiM820M4i1jhxIOYgDUsJDU8SpkcW9ts5io9APA8tl-PUscyQ4KMaY3QvMY0o8nz5jYad3039GN8BRjRIZglxfZxITrEmXdYEhQlQG31Nso4d1uS8LRKSF7avmVCPDM8HskIDAudOD9c4d88_PJW8E6GqDjpMFOWrQ/w426-h640/KAP_8377.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOgoP4ycyEnSowJD2WUG02NurLKrvEH4szKkd1jgsv5y-DjsgreRY3T72KJEwtYiFu5qd7NJtAW4myKPnVA_X5utBxl_6d5GYNEnLDt12XLgQRAnZp3_NZDT1hGvuBEhqZZmvCw9CLFn04s8Y1E08jJWSeHXdy5J1vnHK9jKxBiDEFrKGW-jtSVoRog/s7663/KAP_7811.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5111" data-original-width="7663" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOgoP4ycyEnSowJD2WUG02NurLKrvEH4szKkd1jgsv5y-DjsgreRY3T72KJEwtYiFu5qd7NJtAW4myKPnVA_X5utBxl_6d5GYNEnLDt12XLgQRAnZp3_NZDT1hGvuBEhqZZmvCw9CLFn04s8Y1E08jJWSeHXdy5J1vnHK9jKxBiDEFrKGW-jtSVoRog/w640-h426/KAP_7811.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Above three photos by <b><a href="https://www.kimberlyarchambaultphoto.ca/" target="_blank">Kimberly Archambault</a></b> </div><div><br /></div><div>The built-in bookshelves are such a dream come true! <b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/montreal_shelves/?hl=en" target="_blank">Montreal Shelves</a></b> (headed up by our contractor) built them to our exact design. The frame TV was a splurge, but as it was our first time every buying a TV we went for it! I love how the cords are all hidden behind the wall and how it can look like a painting whenever we're not using it. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty8YOgC9WDRABmr_wR3KVU6ebndilPo-wZ9P7y6cWGYjyklCowDRfyYOhMvYC8nN-Dj6ysV0ugqZuhsXgXFBT0CnVvjrTQze-saVtwsXCSxxa4uNcBoxKNF2XLctrcecxvWchhkZyNUb2vTP9pthzXlfr9OFMk4urEZEqbsPrI9QUdX7pptVi44oRwA/s4032/PXL_20221031_200236989.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty8YOgC9WDRABmr_wR3KVU6ebndilPo-wZ9P7y6cWGYjyklCowDRfyYOhMvYC8nN-Dj6ysV0ugqZuhsXgXFBT0CnVvjrTQze-saVtwsXCSxxa4uNcBoxKNF2XLctrcecxvWchhkZyNUb2vTP9pthzXlfr9OFMk4urEZEqbsPrI9QUdX7pptVi44oRwA/w480-h640/PXL_20221031_200236989.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFPVPv1byBy17cfKXaBdEZm3yyd9v8qNRkLtThNUX2Jy0aOkWfLPzmB7KdDrwKRAlZt2wyUBbJR6txr4k5nsA2bA943w1G0_dDAviBtXmxxR0zy8Mtf5jg-0KZi_dfG4u9Ht-rgsp5QeQK1CX3tp2gplcnlma98r9hZOW6BF5HFMN_Qnwa6AB5I470g/s4032/PXL_20221021_174847694.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFPVPv1byBy17cfKXaBdEZm3yyd9v8qNRkLtThNUX2Jy0aOkWfLPzmB7KdDrwKRAlZt2wyUBbJR6txr4k5nsA2bA943w1G0_dDAviBtXmxxR0zy8Mtf5jg-0KZi_dfG4u9Ht-rgsp5QeQK1CX3tp2gplcnlma98r9hZOW6BF5HFMN_Qnwa6AB5I470g/w480-h640/PXL_20221021_174847694.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphHP3or_HK78zneCsmB07X3FDScUtMZQkkz_QSdq2xRaE3aRFIh29rXFurxDBhhUfvg-Isb77v32LiR8BXkxo1gC16i8IcW5JRCuvMUSXFRj0ipmInNp0v81jnH4fF4IFtC5NPSVsiKOoaDkJfcCOkhrszWjj5DFx4H72aWr-LYO_LEsF12BxiB2o5Q/s4032/PXL_20221021_174840264.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphHP3or_HK78zneCsmB07X3FDScUtMZQkkz_QSdq2xRaE3aRFIh29rXFurxDBhhUfvg-Isb77v32LiR8BXkxo1gC16i8IcW5JRCuvMUSXFRj0ipmInNp0v81jnH4fF4IFtC5NPSVsiKOoaDkJfcCOkhrszWjj5DFx4H72aWr-LYO_LEsF12BxiB2o5Q/w480-h640/PXL_20221021_174840264.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The fireplace was also a custom job by our contractor. I really wanted a small shelf rather than a mantle and a bench (or hearth) in front of the fireplace. <b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdWbpB5Jls7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">This</a></b> was my inspiration picture. I love how it turned out! </div><div><br /></div><div>The open concept stairs down to the basement also make up a significant part of the living room. White iron and minimal was my goal but I was coming against obstacles everywhere - timing our move for right after the Quebec construction holiday didn't help, but also the materials were very expensive so I had to find a solution. It was Brad and I who designed the stairs, then we had an architect draw up the plans and an engineer confirm that everything was above board. I called a dozen stair makers and installers and after hearing the quotes I knew we had to change something. Instead of wrought iron with a powder coated finish, the railing is metal, painted white with a custom curved railing painted to match. It has the same look I was hoping for but cost a fraction of the presumed cost! I also found a semi-retired stair maker on Google who quoted me drastically less and turned out to be the most reliable craftsmen we worked with on the whole project. Never late, always there when he said, replied to texts in minutes. I'm so thankful we found him!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3EtTpskNfRJD9HDfMOt4fnoefm9pE5VTg9-XQce5ZjZHs8LyV1hGItAZ19qetoBLutsDwbVHvVjHY0LX7PPjTGlIPwABiS6OvIi2Gin0742_Gr2irv8O-duIjD_iYuxo0poqzFsG2XOMevuC3wSF9675shKmNAfil3umXNXfovY3gr2gKIaUgW0TJA/s4032/PXL_20221116_140416424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3EtTpskNfRJD9HDfMOt4fnoefm9pE5VTg9-XQce5ZjZHs8LyV1hGItAZ19qetoBLutsDwbVHvVjHY0LX7PPjTGlIPwABiS6OvIi2Gin0742_Gr2irv8O-duIjD_iYuxo0poqzFsG2XOMevuC3wSF9675shKmNAfil3umXNXfovY3gr2gKIaUgW0TJA/w480-h640/PXL_20221116_140416424.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlEgmSg_a0LcRQl34sH3uLSXKMRupmIduqRPgetDTnrqTgVLfRcsgbZtUTnuE5nNwNRxbYgLC98LE1x7bSfCNTrBZPypc5f9E2t7zRfKP5iUFRyUtzL6Tc86wqbTEoOy82Razd1VjomyfhVjU9juGpTTLiedYvM1I4LsT85bS_FGKiskhuAHAy_RmXQ/s4032/PXL_20221112_203458999.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlEgmSg_a0LcRQl34sH3uLSXKMRupmIduqRPgetDTnrqTgVLfRcsgbZtUTnuE5nNwNRxbYgLC98LE1x7bSfCNTrBZPypc5f9E2t7zRfKP5iUFRyUtzL6Tc86wqbTEoOy82Razd1VjomyfhVjU9juGpTTLiedYvM1I4LsT85bS_FGKiskhuAHAy_RmXQ/w480-h640/PXL_20221112_203458999.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEfZZVW4lEPpJXR-_sv-25keJB98TqJHGMcoWwe_AzFhqfJMDIvdEhxqpXQChDwUFL0rLSOJGtpkdBWc-oO5tlLoIo_XsD-5IxTOrLLa0wnZkDdo0-iZh0iYIQXJoA9DUVnF8lWSWY2MMKYsPTCxm9V6Wp-Qo_D0j5KkgPNXRnMBdQRokgO6I1Wabww/s4032/PXL_20221021_174829912.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEfZZVW4lEPpJXR-_sv-25keJB98TqJHGMcoWwe_AzFhqfJMDIvdEhxqpXQChDwUFL0rLSOJGtpkdBWc-oO5tlLoIo_XsD-5IxTOrLLa0wnZkDdo0-iZh0iYIQXJoA9DUVnF8lWSWY2MMKYsPTCxm9V6Wp-Qo_D0j5KkgPNXRnMBdQRokgO6I1Wabww/w480-h640/PXL_20221021_174829912.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJuoGV-wUqBtDi0esKaqHAQU2i_PaE8rK6me3lYzkjjiU_GQqW7QxuG9b9j2vEjMKeSd5ozSVLrowdXu47Au5EfUWXsKVjPXxZj-FX8O3mJnOFeND8uWA03_Cp9jyv89CgB7N70j0CdmxSXVQ-_wIGcDgmt4_XslsThbYr4GjZ-1SZ3GRALSQWzIs2Q/s4032/PXL_20220914_123536811.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJuoGV-wUqBtDi0esKaqHAQU2i_PaE8rK6me3lYzkjjiU_GQqW7QxuG9b9j2vEjMKeSd5ozSVLrowdXu47Au5EfUWXsKVjPXxZj-FX8O3mJnOFeND8uWA03_Cp9jyv89CgB7N70j0CdmxSXVQ-_wIGcDgmt4_XslsThbYr4GjZ-1SZ3GRALSQWzIs2Q/w480-h640/PXL_20220914_123536811.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>There are still a few kinks to work out in this room. We haven't painted all the baseboards, nor installed the blinds in one window, and the drapes for the bay window will be re-installed as they weren't the correct measurement or style. We also need to get a small side table for near our couch as right now we have to put our drinks on the floor when we sit there! After everything this room has been through and how far it's come, we can wait a while longer. </div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-73460194740425293882022-05-23T13:27:00.001-04:002022-05-23T13:27:18.403-04:00Vancouver IslandThe last two years have been scary and limiting and most of us have stayed put for the most part. From working from home, homeschooling, and mass-closures (especially in my province, which had some of the strictest rules in North America regarding the Pandemic), understandably travels were put on hold or cancelled altogether. <div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div><br /></div><div>In the summer of 2020, Canada had closed it's borders to international travels, so our planned trip was of course cancelled. We knew we wanted to do something for Brad's three week holidays, but of course had to stay in Canada. Bonus points if we could find something socially distant and in nature, as we'd just passed six months of curfews and lockdowns in our tiny urban condo with five people and were going slightly crazy. Lockdowns were challenging for everyone, so I don't want to claim it was harder on us than anyone else, but I will say if you lived through the pandemic without a back yard and have kids, it was particularly grueling. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thankfully Canada is a huge country, so we were able to travel within the country and enjoy a little adventure whilst keeping Pandemic rules, testing, and masking. We went to Vancouver Island and spend all day every day outside on the secluded beaches and trails. It was wild to be in such an absolutely mind-blowing landscape and climate, yet still use Canadian dollars! I couldn't believe we were still in Canada as it's worlds away culturally and mentally from Montreal. </div><div><br /></div><div>We stayed in Victoria, renting our friends beautiful home while they were camping. Then we went on to Salt Spring Island, renting a rustic cabin that came with hens and a super gentle dog! What an idyllic, restful few days. Then last stop was Ucluelet, a surfing town just south of Tofino. We still visited Tofino, but Ucluelet was much more affordable. We met up with friends from Montreal who were camping out West the same time we were there and had a beach day, complete with wet suits (which was absolutely necessary as the water was *freezing*). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLARlXNVhLqT7-89-hC9VaBZzzSVfcJDRVvB9NziBa5AajnzJHRnG3t_mrubs4XH5na2d9zIi5hvdfwBPWhHzpBtKCfoKcAXZaqo-rVXr9kl01AK4yZSIguMOPD-UnTZY6t1SPlELID0mK3hY9QRJk0t4yu6DU0mlcQplbtbQ1ZQ64_xIbAxpJcUXzw/s4048/IMG_20200806_124704_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4048" data-original-width="3036" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLARlXNVhLqT7-89-hC9VaBZzzSVfcJDRVvB9NziBa5AajnzJHRnG3t_mrubs4XH5na2d9zIi5hvdfwBPWhHzpBtKCfoKcAXZaqo-rVXr9kl01AK4yZSIguMOPD-UnTZY6t1SPlELID0mK3hY9QRJk0t4yu6DU0mlcQplbtbQ1ZQ64_xIbAxpJcUXzw/w480-h640/IMG_20200806_124704_1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0xJXuFtXuyIQ1mlfpOpFVh_SqEh7TnbQZbgobnMOINNGZA9jwMd-Vbe9gUBw8trv7LeUabYHdAuxzLNXXE7opnaocjz1OFSQMLL6BhnlQdvKBLuscNkn4gwXLKlMJoGV_DsujPneMxtZV8ngM5GqJDQmdBH4-VpdBMQ-IC_3LQ1GbvE5YMixuRztwg/s4048/IMG_20200821_131532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4048" data-original-width="3036" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0xJXuFtXuyIQ1mlfpOpFVh_SqEh7TnbQZbgobnMOINNGZA9jwMd-Vbe9gUBw8trv7LeUabYHdAuxzLNXXE7opnaocjz1OFSQMLL6BhnlQdvKBLuscNkn4gwXLKlMJoGV_DsujPneMxtZV8ngM5GqJDQmdBH4-VpdBMQ-IC_3LQ1GbvE5YMixuRztwg/w480-h640/IMG_20200821_131532.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKp3fVEG77S6Uikj4O65iOVxu3yrStOrIeROHu7PLG607g2LgdwJLW179T7j3PTfKbAhn1wu031f5weRsbcf95_MCZZjobiASlcb-CHiY95k1Ddnd7QjBw2xmaVMBGJY5Y9FekMhB9fs7nto7UHzn8fwIGJ4-uKjEUecSO29ejcwKaiZnWZk6gjk2H3w/s3780/IMG_20200823_104227_045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKp3fVEG77S6Uikj4O65iOVxu3yrStOrIeROHu7PLG607g2LgdwJLW179T7j3PTfKbAhn1wu031f5weRsbcf95_MCZZjobiASlcb-CHiY95k1Ddnd7QjBw2xmaVMBGJY5Y9FekMhB9fs7nto7UHzn8fwIGJ4-uKjEUecSO29ejcwKaiZnWZk6gjk2H3w/w512-h640/IMG_20200823_104227_045.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div><div>We usually travel to urban locations, but for safety reasons and also to give our bodies and minds a rest from isolation in the city, this destination was the perfect choice for Summer 2020! </div><div><br /></div><div>We cooked all of our meals, both to save money and because restaurants, though open, didn't feel safe. Vancouver Island wasn't masking very much in 2020, but since we were coming from a much stricter environment with higher infection numbers it felt really strange and wrong not to. I should add that we all tested negative before travelling out West and wore our masks any time we were around people, but that wasn't too often as we were usually out on the forests or on the beach. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was all absolutely charming and the absolute best place to catch our breath. I am so grateful that this option was open to us in 2020. Of course, many would have chosen not to travel at all and I absolutely respect that. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you're looking for a Canadian getaway, I can't speak highly enough about Vancouver Island. The only drawback to this location is the price and sometimes the weather. It's quite chilly on the coast, and there were times I wore a thrifted winter coat that I found while there. It was August! We definitely didn't pack enough warm clothes. The cost of food was astronomical compared to Montreal. Everywhere, but especially as we travelled further West to Ucluelet and Tofino. Grocery shopping was on a strict budget, and we ate Raman and eggs for most suppers! In that sense it reminded me of Iceland - absolutely gorgeous but very expensive. Vancouver Island was such a dream! </div><div><br /></div><div>Victoria is a city I could see myself living in, and that's not something I have ever said about a Canadian city apart from our beloved Montreal! </div></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-43267744180074158352022-02-16T18:17:00.002-05:002022-02-17T13:00:45.766-05:00My Secret to 90% off New Books<div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Books are probably the most common thing I buy besides groceries. Brad regularly requires books for work, I'm always looking to add to my collection, and I can't at all keep up with my kids who read way faster than I do (and love to re-read their favourites again and again like their mama). </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, we love the library, but as I said we're re-readers and I'm nostalgic with my favourite books. If I'm not sure if I'll love it or I can tell it's a one-and-done kind of read, I opt to listen to the audio version on <a href="https://www.scribd.com/gatx/7jael4" target="_blank">Scribd</a> or borrow from the library. But I'm a book buyer through and through. I love paper books in my hands, I want to support the authors and the book industry, and having books around the house makes it feel like home. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So yes, we buy a lot of books, but I'm going to share my secret with you. I buy a ton of them from <a href="https://bookoutlet.ca/loyalty/referral/hyfA6KUi?c=url" target="_blank">The Book Outlet</a>, which is a Canadian online discount store with incredible prices. They sell excess inventory and store returns purchased from various publishers. The books that I buy tend to cost $1-$5! Seriously, that's cheaper than my local thrift stores pricing! </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These books are new and in good reading condition, but 90% off! <a href="https://bookoutlet.ca/loyalty/referral/hyfA6KUi?c=url" target="_blank">Here's a link for $5 off</a> your first order of $25 or more. </span></p></div><div><div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhz7qzs0iSrAyA3EaTvK0IkL2UO8l7sbbgl5mCcoOLChqJndvUXkXdKfwjCX7sIG0vDUAyX1T66c1hvRmMlmuQH49dfcJV8-ch8Mlx1pmELAstyGffTIpdf8BRr9_ehVwRi_v1muDHV5GNhte9Hf2DcLG6cBH6PrEZOD4ofKqxY9XZIXe_jq6fzU5mD-g=s500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhz7qzs0iSrAyA3EaTvK0IkL2UO8l7sbbgl5mCcoOLChqJndvUXkXdKfwjCX7sIG0vDUAyX1T66c1hvRmMlmuQH49dfcJV8-ch8Mlx1pmELAstyGffTIpdf8BRr9_ehVwRi_v1muDHV5GNhte9Hf2DcLG6cBH6PrEZOD4ofKqxY9XZIXe_jq6fzU5mD-g=w414-h640" width="414" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm about to start the book Midnight Blue, which was only $7 from </span><a href="https://bookoutlet.ca/loyalty/referral/hyfA6KUi?c=url" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">The Book Outlet</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, and looks fantastic. It's about a young widow in Holland's Golden Age who escapes to Delft and begins painting their iconic pottery (Delft Blue - fine china lovers IYKYK), revolutionizing the industry. They have so much historical fiction, which is my favourite genre.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div>They carry such a range too - I've bought Jamie Oliver cookbooks, Zondervan devotionals, Top Selling biographies and novels... everything! This isn't sponsored or in collaboration, but I had to share as I know many of you love books as much as we do!</div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-23456267167100582992022-02-06T10:48:00.001-05:002022-02-06T10:48:05.565-05:00The Best Herby Cheese BiscuitsI made a batch of these on Friday and we've been eating them all weekend with slow cooker chili. I knew I wanted a carb to go with our comforting winter chili (or any stew or soup, really), and cheese was on sale at the grocery, so I bought some cheddar and searched for a cheesy scone/biscuit recipe. There were so many but none that added herbs as I was hoping to do, and many used too much butter and cream, which felt redundant if you're already adding a lot of cheese. I love making scones, and always add tons of cream and butter in those, but with the cheese element it felt like unhealthy overkill. So I found several recipes and then significantly changed them until I came up with this.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj70J12kEcJF9nk52iPoBk5pR5w8ZlxODoMfJ_55MoL2hoQepChCGXxQkysOp2ZAH04gPEB-rttnlwZ7oVjtshGl5YHWTxdMtANEitKFFhe67j_WtjjKblfgDi5Hm-SI4YIJamow-7ti0oszbUUUfllQxExXIkdCZCe6TKHHuvJLZRheEmGbIBhaS_37w=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj70J12kEcJF9nk52iPoBk5pR5w8ZlxODoMfJ_55MoL2hoQepChCGXxQkysOp2ZAH04gPEB-rttnlwZ7oVjtshGl5YHWTxdMtANEitKFFhe67j_WtjjKblfgDi5Hm-SI4YIJamow-7ti0oszbUUUfllQxExXIkdCZCe6TKHHuvJLZRheEmGbIBhaS_37w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div>INGREDIENTS</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2 cups flour (I used All Purpose)</li><li>1 TB each baking powder, salt, and Herbs de Provence</li><li>1/4 cup butter</li><li>1.5 cups grated cheese (I used cheddar)</li><li>1 cup milk (I used 2%)</li><li>1 egg</li></ul><div>STEPS</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Whisk together flour, herbs, salt, and baking powder</li><li>Then cut in the butter with a fork or your hands, until well incorporated and no butter piece is larger than a green pea</li><li>Once flour and butter and mixed well, mix in grated cheese</li><li>Once those are mixed well, pour in milk and mix together with a fork or spatula</li><li>Mix into a ball, then roll out with rolling pin and added flour if need be (to prevent sticking to counter). Your rolled out dough should be about 1.5 inches/3cm high</li><li>Using biscuit cutters, cookie cutters, or a glass, cut biscuits into small circles. You could also cut into squares with a sharp knife.</li><li>Brush mixed egg on the tops of every biscuit (optional but really elevates the end result!)</li><li>Bake at 450 for 15 minutes</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8loSekIkxrk90xvTC05yEZCIR4buivKaSvJmSbAPR49z4uWqT_WHfjkrVR02WBBb0At4ZsN6G53YPh421JJ_e4nVqHrKvUG56Uk_e3Cl2Yko3yxT5cxmlTALfWkZf3TAU1OBrkOYZ_zMbAuv9kiTpowXhP2sIHoP9kJrKjerzyFUOiJ50Yyi1uM1elg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8loSekIkxrk90xvTC05yEZCIR4buivKaSvJmSbAPR49z4uWqT_WHfjkrVR02WBBb0At4ZsN6G53YPh421JJ_e4nVqHrKvUG56Uk_e3Cl2Yko3yxT5cxmlTALfWkZf3TAU1OBrkOYZ_zMbAuv9kiTpowXhP2sIHoP9kJrKjerzyFUOiJ50Yyi1uM1elg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>They are salty and light and delicious! I'm not a big cheese fan generally, but mixed into an herby, flaky bun I'm suddenly a devotee. Enjoy!</div></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-71639506016435415932022-01-27T17:29:00.008-05:002022-01-27T18:33:54.916-05:00The Messy, Slow, Honest Middle<div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Before and After's are cool, but I'm here for the messy, slow, honest middle. </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Social media has taught us to expect quick fixes, filtered results, and picture perfect everything with minimal or invisible effort or hardship. Renovation TV would have us believe that in 27 minutes a home can be transformed. I know it's entertaining and mindless scrolling can be cathartic, but I worry that it's doing more damage to our hearts and psyche. It's simply not real life! I've always felt this, but the renovation is highlighting the sentiment in a new way. The messy, slow, honest middle is 99% of life and not only has it's place, but should be seen as beautiful.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIy6ShG3qgjBXx1tswLmA4dFnCfWdWPjsDxEcZxstxfP-DLwmYpSmdMQ66T_0kx3DIXXE80Ihyr3mYPqt5obzwd6uAo_0vqfztrl1XhOol1lrp3yF9HPf5cF6x21fy02Kw7oAzjnGuR0zFg5PDhygQgBZAlk6tySjsWddJGWuwPSaJIHCgzbTEnxbvZA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIy6ShG3qgjBXx1tswLmA4dFnCfWdWPjsDxEcZxstxfP-DLwmYpSmdMQ66T_0kx3DIXXE80Ihyr3mYPqt5obzwd6uAo_0vqfztrl1XhOol1lrp3yF9HPf5cF6x21fy02Kw7oAzjnGuR0zFg5PDhygQgBZAlk6tySjsWddJGWuwPSaJIHCgzbTEnxbvZA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This renovation will take close to a year and it's taken a decade of saving to get here. We're blessed with an amazing contractor who works hard and puts in full days, so it does feel in some ways like it's flying, but the reality is that we'll be in this stage of waiting for many many months. And prior to this work, we've dreamed of this home for years! Brad turns 40 this year and it will be the first time in 20 years of working from home that he'll have a private office (with an actual door!). Our three kids will have shared one bedroom for 11 years by the time we move into this larger home. Eleven years, and beautiful ones. </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The years we spent dreaming and waiting and learning to be content in our circumstances weren't wasted or to be wished away. <i>They made us</i>. I pray we never forget the lessons from those years, and don't waste the ones in the months to come.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here's to patience, contentment and diligence in the not yet.</div><div class="linkwithin_div"></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-32268449278028053922022-01-20T11:58:00.001-05:002022-01-20T11:59:57.092-05:00The Before Tour! We are endlessly grateful for our new home! You can read about how we came to own it <b><a href="http://www.ournestinthecity.com/2022/01/were-moving.html" target="_blank">here</a></b>. Now for the fun part - pictures! I did a video tour over on Instagram, which is saved in the highlight "<b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17904375230415146/" target="_blank">⌂ before</a></b>" but I've always preferred still photos to get a sense of a space, so here are a few. <div><br /></div><div>The home is a Greystone triplex built in 1905 and we have the main floor unit/condo, as well as adding a small basement. The basement is already dug but not connected to our home (the access is outside) so one of our biggest projects will be connecting our condo to the basement by building a staircase, and finishing the basement. When the basement is complete we'll have 1,800 square feet which is astonishing to us! We never dreamed of having this much space in the city (for reference, our family of five has been happily living in 1,000 square feet for 12 years).</div><div><br /></div><div>We'll be putting in heated floors, new pre-engineered hardwood on the whole main floor, heated ceramic in the bathrooms, totally renovating the kitchen, taking down walls, rebuilding walls, installing a gas fireplace, renovating the bathrooms, changing the electricity and all finishings. In short, it's going to be a big project! Thankfully, I've been designing my dream city home in my head (and on Pinterest) for years now, so the decisions have been quite easy to make and planning has been relatively simple. We hired an architect to help us make sense of the basement and staircase, and a structural engineer to verify his plans. We also have a general contractor who will oversee and do much of the work, but we're saving a lot by sourcing all materials and professionals (engineers, electricians, etc) ourselves which avoids the contractor's 10-30% finders fee. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's our entryway and huge 20 foot hallway! The crown moldings throughout are so magical. We also love the high ceilings! The new floors will have much wider and longer planks which will make this hallway really shine, I think! I'll be looking for the perfect narrow hallway table. We also have a really fun Spanish tile for the vestibule between the two sets of front doors. We'll be removing the radiators, opening the wall between the first two doorways to the left, and refreshing the paint (though keeping it white).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMAyweo5piLkXXCgwl_MD3czeeGgUKxS--AP4yrBIYph6Qriqm_2GPlUm-4XBbb0pyQjYGnPbHESoM8W8l1j1kVsGwxtZxXMBa_1ek2FtLT3D3-pamyzSWkdcfyPBkll3tHCUIEZrP9ZFMQCdggRalPUHj0C6ai5IJ-VnR-FF4L20Ja5hZEy8uT8v09A=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMAyweo5piLkXXCgwl_MD3czeeGgUKxS--AP4yrBIYph6Qriqm_2GPlUm-4XBbb0pyQjYGnPbHESoM8W8l1j1kVsGwxtZxXMBa_1ek2FtLT3D3-pamyzSWkdcfyPBkll3tHCUIEZrP9ZFMQCdggRalPUHj0C6ai5IJ-VnR-FF4L20Ja5hZEy8uT8v09A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMqRhyoPUeRA9tI3WYmpJchV0oV8ZbMe6tAd6ZtIXfcoHRoMZ7c8MOG9-XvYVOjbkU0ISWq8vYlRBs-Loou9gyBVu97k3HGnr33DxWmmrfX4dZtGTVK8oDBXLLhCvU_ai2K5_JboC_N59bN_s-1NMhZOW6uBfobqZzRLFBhpNYLKq-sjp-HHvN76ZN6Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMqRhyoPUeRA9tI3WYmpJchV0oV8ZbMe6tAd6ZtIXfcoHRoMZ7c8MOG9-XvYVOjbkU0ISWq8vYlRBs-Loou9gyBVu97k3HGnr33DxWmmrfX4dZtGTVK8oDBXLLhCvU_ai2K5_JboC_N59bN_s-1NMhZOW6uBfobqZzRLFBhpNYLKq-sjp-HHvN76ZN6Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRKNi2DiC5g6UIIC6stddqCe5fErllFh2ZrN9UDFxR69vT0Zy7ZCLBJhlj0Noo2JqLfY5GQQi9lP_QFWdU8dnlGfviTYF2O2hzjKZTDvzOe9pRr9EErsFxMOLUEyuEmvpo_N0DVzqhahI3F5_lYwPg0hBu4dvTZphxwpVt8HsipjksPCGkvN5qZCY1yA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRKNi2DiC5g6UIIC6stddqCe5fErllFh2ZrN9UDFxR69vT0Zy7ZCLBJhlj0Noo2JqLfY5GQQi9lP_QFWdU8dnlGfviTYF2O2hzjKZTDvzOe9pRr9EErsFxMOLUEyuEmvpo_N0DVzqhahI3F5_lYwPg0hBu4dvTZphxwpVt8HsipjksPCGkvN5qZCY1yA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ_gGjuGgcmMrmfkEQWXf0zJefw1z-v7tlir89WODyPc7v02xJfWiUKvyHCuJXQZy-s6q696Lm6nmTdOyQcQtqAx2Byioci2UVbRjjgpbBhcpJiH55eoouOwPTQRzw_ewkOUtdNN5hYVgvp8mRW0RTMEivQM01bjlUTR0XyjHfB6he-Di2cKOHIa6oIw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ_gGjuGgcmMrmfkEQWXf0zJefw1z-v7tlir89WODyPc7v02xJfWiUKvyHCuJXQZy-s6q696Lm6nmTdOyQcQtqAx2Byioci2UVbRjjgpbBhcpJiH55eoouOwPTQRzw_ewkOUtdNN5hYVgvp8mRW0RTMEivQM01bjlUTR0XyjHfB6he-Di2cKOHIa6oIw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>Our living room right now is quite small, but we're taking down the wall to make it larger. On the other side of the wall is a small bedroom/office which we decided to remove in favour of a comfortable large family room. We'll be installing built-in shelves on either side of the center space where a fireplace once was (wood burning fireplaces are no longer allowed in Montreal) and putting a frame TV there. We're also planning to install a gas fireplace on the wall of the former bedroom/office which will become the second half of our living room. The stairs to the basement will probably begin near where you see the large radiator above, and jut out into the former bedroom/office. Removing the radiators, adding recessed lighting and new floors, too.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRSANKQEABu_VUz8y2cqVm9T8fpWRrZP9aUySm-Q-sjI4763HvS2pUDu-6VUCyXhHVcJQixWONrGjaU7P3-rnfT-oXz-Ua8q6FUbbeilxUj3fbmQgCFmxzVEEP0A8dlwCXZ0uCQBCYxcb7_Zw5bRoPA0oluONHtA39wTVTqc4T7zVxXG5KfFlhk40XLg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRSANKQEABu_VUz8y2cqVm9T8fpWRrZP9aUySm-Q-sjI4763HvS2pUDu-6VUCyXhHVcJQixWONrGjaU7P3-rnfT-oXz-Ua8q6FUbbeilxUj3fbmQgCFmxzVEEP0A8dlwCXZ0uCQBCYxcb7_Zw5bRoPA0oluONHtA39wTVTqc4T7zVxXG5KfFlhk40XLg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNordHrfvqcNxhL1Ooy8-Er4SyBAEF_jjI8mb-5yONBMCnYBReSpGC1d9bfoj7ZbAYhRmEIkM_y6rREci1kcNQcDKjss1rIsydgoWFnRxMf1rVzgoI257vGc6teNAERyGycBG7IzPwfsRvJ5mj7kuHAFpOZ_UzhkTX18zifwxHp1pbuDA0w4XrAhsi7g=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNordHrfvqcNxhL1Ooy8-Er4SyBAEF_jjI8mb-5yONBMCnYBReSpGC1d9bfoj7ZbAYhRmEIkM_y6rREci1kcNQcDKjss1rIsydgoWFnRxMf1rVzgoI257vGc6teNAERyGycBG7IzPwfsRvJ5mj7kuHAFpOZ_UzhkTX18zifwxHp1pbuDA0w4XrAhsi7g=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQM1PscuR5Jhb1TwHosimnqJtj1xa65UfeRr0jj-epkhOT7tqW2zIpmj5Yw1ceT2DqQHE32_xHVcns3N5quG1sHSV_sxqXCnwNjpD02UoQmdnhTPRD5zTCjfbzIuk3Cmk7q001pcHuGALQKErpcq40FBSHwaXG5tBPNj1hv1vh_N9yKUxvc5j4WpGr3g=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQM1PscuR5Jhb1TwHosimnqJtj1xa65UfeRr0jj-epkhOT7tqW2zIpmj5Yw1ceT2DqQHE32_xHVcns3N5quG1sHSV_sxqXCnwNjpD02UoQmdnhTPRD5zTCjfbzIuk3Cmk7q001pcHuGALQKErpcq40FBSHwaXG5tBPNj1hv1vh_N9yKUxvc5j4WpGr3g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above is the wall that will come down to enlarge the space</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlX8onbIbmjP8V9cp4KSZ-K4Q6sgH7XKIqXsOd9nVx_9Bez3DwfHozRVTB6SDkKdQwY_Dyr3rrZqisiMVTJnC9QmyifPlTFY7qe-FBoDHISivkMW1b90x9HrPXFzCCgBRzme0echpdX7BD8Z4DpsrrKMWRQhQTI37MrBy3xns_D3F_JYO7xTtJaWIaxQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlX8onbIbmjP8V9cp4KSZ-K4Q6sgH7XKIqXsOd9nVx_9Bez3DwfHozRVTB6SDkKdQwY_Dyr3rrZqisiMVTJnC9QmyifPlTFY7qe-FBoDHISivkMW1b90x9HrPXFzCCgBRzme0echpdX7BD8Z4DpsrrKMWRQhQTI37MrBy3xns_D3F_JYO7xTtJaWIaxQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the wall that will come down from the POV of the bedroom/office</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9dyW_emfuhGF2qzL2NQsSSpxTFefJF7LmBBJrubyFUV0xCcfygsIH2TrkdsWEmenH_6vgyZOdTLXKbF55M666TyHHgxmce9Lp7EqXKIu77fhG6zap3BcB2O03FGZVzn-3f5vhP4_Cnuwg_alv2sOHXLtjoTddhZrrj4VTvivBLyvoKeXzmZ3KFnrU0w=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9dyW_emfuhGF2qzL2NQsSSpxTFefJF7LmBBJrubyFUV0xCcfygsIH2TrkdsWEmenH_6vgyZOdTLXKbF55M666TyHHgxmce9Lp7EqXKIu77fhG6zap3BcB2O03FGZVzn-3f5vhP4_Cnuwg_alv2sOHXLtjoTddhZrrj4VTvivBLyvoKeXzmZ3KFnrU0w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the wall in the bedroom/office that will have our gas fireplace</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1ElgQnFYXNbke42L2DGA8lk3UWCOqpAGu9lnd1r2u3QecGJO4IvrpZbREXeIaqO_LdR20ArlRCy0BvCf2gdpViR1CUmv7TQUNC_ryXr7WQI3qoX3XuSaijE_6_y4WPK0sB8f7APyoNNJTmli2Gd24xHle9D0w3HzskBVtTDzgNiJQsiFf-pZ3xVg6ig=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1ElgQnFYXNbke42L2DGA8lk3UWCOqpAGu9lnd1r2u3QecGJO4IvrpZbREXeIaqO_LdR20ArlRCy0BvCf2gdpViR1CUmv7TQUNC_ryXr7WQI3qoX3XuSaijE_6_y4WPK0sB8f7APyoNNJTmli2Gd24xHle9D0w3HzskBVtTDzgNiJQsiFf-pZ3xVg6ig=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really glad to be adding another window to the living room! We've never had much natural light in our current condo so this is really amazing to us!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The dining room and kitchen will soon be one big room as we're planning to take down the wall which separates them. Here's the dining room:</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_jDeZLJpE4WXg-_wvFVcaNkXvtbhyQOWQFJ7pddhQ4EXOJ9iRFJXew1W-flQKxoUlz1LLpgjcNJp3AqHIWoINe2CkFnpYcJR21aFOt5ogUiBJ0O1iROv_blr1C9TFbORT2Ws3EG32zrjQZuiVvoX6CWL2xMIpU6WtT-hUOfn3c5ktPdzgNJz-gz9n7A=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_jDeZLJpE4WXg-_wvFVcaNkXvtbhyQOWQFJ7pddhQ4EXOJ9iRFJXew1W-flQKxoUlz1LLpgjcNJp3AqHIWoINe2CkFnpYcJR21aFOt5ogUiBJ0O1iROv_blr1C9TFbORT2Ws3EG32zrjQZuiVvoX6CWL2xMIpU6WtT-hUOfn3c5ktPdzgNJz-gz9n7A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above you can see the loadbearing wall which will stay. The door into the dining room will all be open.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5eETDSZ95cfuSC47dt_y_j6DVA1jCGmugEfFLi4aj5N2y0u8ug7hGUihwj814tXCGOplOO9AbFhELq06sDx948pMp_4gwmmiTVr9--JY3VApOAUPZS1J0e9Qvu0UIf1Zyi18msAcKhe019HLIkoIJPK_gUl84AqM1CsbX7NKwDm0lg12tjZe5s_Cm8A=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5eETDSZ95cfuSC47dt_y_j6DVA1jCGmugEfFLi4aj5N2y0u8ug7hGUihwj814tXCGOplOO9AbFhELq06sDx948pMp_4gwmmiTVr9--JY3VApOAUPZS1J0e9Qvu0UIf1Zyi18msAcKhe019HLIkoIJPK_gUl84AqM1CsbX7NKwDm0lg12tjZe5s_Cm8A=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the wall which will go down to open up the kitchen and dining room. You can see that it used to be open and a previous owner closed it off.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcbzMtcOPVr16NOO78Fdkcu5CEE0Pp5UX966aOtyHlaBvkHc3p37a4lwkkLd7G62mScLLTRa6TsouyRMBL86c0u4vbcC0wqlHBUvydyY94DvN_N7xo21Gi4jNp4s2GRH51WJvcVsV9ifHm1SowfOdUVzr_oYIMlUQeGdtyyVo2qS9_x1wn8_soJPfjZg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcbzMtcOPVr16NOO78Fdkcu5CEE0Pp5UX966aOtyHlaBvkHc3p37a4lwkkLd7G62mScLLTRa6TsouyRMBL86c0u4vbcC0wqlHBUvydyY94DvN_N7xo21Gi4jNp4s2GRH51WJvcVsV9ifHm1SowfOdUVzr_oYIMlUQeGdtyyVo2qS9_x1wn8_soJPfjZg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHPE7dxaVH82D0f6p0OKA_bqcvcZIgQx6kojeLmiKtKwZdlsHIh4luIoJuGB8WoMzoZSFWqfKQm8Pi_SPBa1zb2j2P3TnhLen8jD4okDQrajZvz8dc8FdEZrL3aUJ76sbatW9z_T48Y8WtiboWq4HYHjzchEr_siNtXl1Ju7TddyTM8rRqtEKr1m5OzA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHPE7dxaVH82D0f6p0OKA_bqcvcZIgQx6kojeLmiKtKwZdlsHIh4luIoJuGB8WoMzoZSFWqfKQm8Pi_SPBa1zb2j2P3TnhLen8jD4okDQrajZvz8dc8FdEZrL3aUJ76sbatW9z_T48Y8WtiboWq4HYHjzchEr_siNtXl1Ju7TddyTM8rRqtEKr1m5OzA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgm_lOwrmzpi0VdzCl1OkB4WOd5dU5mKMSaYAPh6_Del235V1KYgdjQo7ApeR231TQJDylL6Cu_Wl3GAHxdTF1w4sQKVoCGj-kL7Bo7DnvtEKwkrO75qOwA_skxJKsuqYTlGjitLGc7876FixDopx2m0zfpwDUnkrdlh1_hdxbqLJAJ56oM4rLp2SNAXA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgm_lOwrmzpi0VdzCl1OkB4WOd5dU5mKMSaYAPh6_Del235V1KYgdjQo7ApeR231TQJDylL6Cu_Wl3GAHxdTF1w4sQKVoCGj-kL7Bo7DnvtEKwkrO75qOwA_skxJKsuqYTlGjitLGc7876FixDopx2m0zfpwDUnkrdlh1_hdxbqLJAJ56oM4rLp2SNAXA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>The dining room and kitchen will both have the same heated pre-engineered hardwood floors, new lighting, and removed radiators. We plan to sell the old doors and radiators as there's a big market for them here! It's been hard to know what to salvage when renovating a hundred year old home, but when we level the floors the doors won't fit at all and they're already very creaky and cracked, so we're ready to part with them. Same with the radiators - I know they're beautiful, but heated floors are by far the most comfortable and sustainable option. Radiators are also really difficult for furniture placement as they take up a lot of wall room.</div><div><br /></div><div>The kitchen is being completely demolished and re-done! We have already designed our kitchen with Ikea and begun receiving boxes from them. When our order is complete we'll have Ikea in to assemble and install. Ikea kitchens are so easy to design and by far the best price available! Ikea is also doing our quartz counters and backsplash. Thankfully we bought our counters during a 15% off quartz sale at Ikea, so we were able to afford doing a quartz backsplash with the savings. I've always loved the look of a continuous counter and backsplash, but quartz isn't cheap, so didn't think it was a possibility. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUKx25dyXg5BRjOzw0IcqIvfUmzB1r2pBkBvo6ekaVm5l2eO7yttMGhPxDirlYtCLiYRNm-TElx7SGwe-ON4cXP8Vok-pVAOy5PbfOYyeoTcSM6fQ-cAsMcTu7aSASAVAvgaYAmG6lWDCwSs-0Qx6c4NLraLPtBh6eF6KVrVSdJB5Grdg_WHkHnoS7rw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUKx25dyXg5BRjOzw0IcqIvfUmzB1r2pBkBvo6ekaVm5l2eO7yttMGhPxDirlYtCLiYRNm-TElx7SGwe-ON4cXP8Vok-pVAOy5PbfOYyeoTcSM6fQ-cAsMcTu7aSASAVAvgaYAmG6lWDCwSs-0Qx6c4NLraLPtBh6eF6KVrVSdJB5Grdg_WHkHnoS7rw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAHzS19p_1YB0677634w3HzgwqB18pKv0UOq_Xwvf7jSRlykHYKwpp1j-6eCVZj9DLwKSHc7JAt94KtMIKGHaXNyo9X9vW5Wqxg_7-EfxtsfHjWU4N66zoTeo7Jz_LrSC_9iW64x-fIjAdcPnFTzY2I4POSK3KkcTqOAif7VuhU-f6Y-tYlchjs_hwUg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAHzS19p_1YB0677634w3HzgwqB18pKv0UOq_Xwvf7jSRlykHYKwpp1j-6eCVZj9DLwKSHc7JAt94KtMIKGHaXNyo9X9vW5Wqxg_7-EfxtsfHjWU4N66zoTeo7Jz_LrSC_9iW64x-fIjAdcPnFTzY2I4POSK3KkcTqOAif7VuhU-f6Y-tYlchjs_hwUg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh09OkhfJIzxlIWWTKBsgWY0SZzATHPe1by0j5QDFbWCxxcqlsUuSsHz7pAVmNVvTz8xFP_fbcFDen0lzW_xy99BrNTjEH-y3kVyZErhAKb2nVl_tw3ekrGcbsLva8DkGRShWkiTmkIpYgmD7MYKshIKvCs3taCL4eojc38RMFf6wUVamH62BcCvEsMXg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh09OkhfJIzxlIWWTKBsgWY0SZzATHPe1by0j5QDFbWCxxcqlsUuSsHz7pAVmNVvTz8xFP_fbcFDen0lzW_xy99BrNTjEH-y3kVyZErhAKb2nVl_tw3ekrGcbsLva8DkGRShWkiTmkIpYgmD7MYKshIKvCs3taCL4eojc38RMFf6wUVamH62BcCvEsMXg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicifRSGql8wyE1_rQxTooxTmuMco7CT_Xjbnb0FUCaSv6Hhmxm4UKa70HBDixnqqK_5wJjA8PnJRstRJiOlQfov_YuYcXRmu98sMEVetNSyzjYrs99FzVFQenZgHx_GjABY0QrrZIbIBHAKHRst3wPq8Oo-bg9Orj5PiVrlfwyuPD08wjdYFvfbCTBMw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicifRSGql8wyE1_rQxTooxTmuMco7CT_Xjbnb0FUCaSv6Hhmxm4UKa70HBDixnqqK_5wJjA8PnJRstRJiOlQfov_YuYcXRmu98sMEVetNSyzjYrs99FzVFQenZgHx_GjABY0QrrZIbIBHAKHRst3wPq8Oo-bg9Orj5PiVrlfwyuPD08wjdYFvfbCTBMw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg50ybREUCfa7zum2hDtJ5bDz8Xc-J22SDcRINCN3E7GJVb2d2DjRTJY5DEAHFGn0-2jIFW5ktVi287zrdKGc5eKIfDGoibeKVyvbVKDBWRTrNIq3O007IvDgVmdN2g096XDX1LQDpzxsH-47RHziVkW2nkb5AhrDsj1GunEJS9BtchpWsus-BpbsUUYA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg50ybREUCfa7zum2hDtJ5bDz8Xc-J22SDcRINCN3E7GJVb2d2DjRTJY5DEAHFGn0-2jIFW5ktVi287zrdKGc5eKIfDGoibeKVyvbVKDBWRTrNIq3O007IvDgVmdN2g096XDX1LQDpzxsH-47RHziVkW2nkb5AhrDsj1GunEJS9BtchpWsus-BpbsUUYA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This space near the back door used to be where the laundry was situated, but we're putting ours downstairs so this area will be a coat room of sorts, since we'll probably use our backdoor more than the main entrance.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivf2hOorqbS0t23izziD8m6A4HCOXkCS8_H9xUsYHkjO4ubhH9Izw6C9gIl3VLaEKh83wckV7yiQVj2vjl92p05rUQWZeV5253z4aEqo5RVe5BxWyVUDQJLnY06ATOBoNab70xbXuzibgCktmT-cYkY_lyRRYkdvZL8BrgK1zpbgtWY0a-m8RGM_vhpg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivf2hOorqbS0t23izziD8m6A4HCOXkCS8_H9xUsYHkjO4ubhH9Izw6C9gIl3VLaEKh83wckV7yiQVj2vjl92p05rUQWZeV5253z4aEqo5RVe5BxWyVUDQJLnY06ATOBoNab70xbXuzibgCktmT-cYkY_lyRRYkdvZL8BrgK1zpbgtWY0a-m8RGM_vhpg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheuSeTfOyKQBxRvNW8pGJ_c-MXdDWoB3RFLUeJ7LBkndg_udcHAPeuaXAsIfE9JR41OHtwT4rN3kotGC28vQ1VeBkZCyKB3z_w2r-BnyxvOXGh54QzXsmPcY4iEYx_nBcdqS1mqA7Brcx2eEadF9CDhTM47JjB9Ppv4NfPZJnBED8SeYmLkiNUzxXNEQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheuSeTfOyKQBxRvNW8pGJ_c-MXdDWoB3RFLUeJ7LBkndg_udcHAPeuaXAsIfE9JR41OHtwT4rN3kotGC28vQ1VeBkZCyKB3z_w2r-BnyxvOXGh54QzXsmPcY4iEYx_nBcdqS1mqA7Brcx2eEadF9CDhTM47JjB9Ppv4NfPZJnBED8SeYmLkiNUzxXNEQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8AjJBfaEIivJq4NqNvqAevdMv2dnqDCfu-Q6qyVF42H8nlJV4nBCf-kfO1vYvuzRRqzKWiXjefK91bbmrmGSq9wudOPECpiwyld9tgW9hdm9UXCsjfnj_507l6qR410ojoG3q4iCWV0QBBrVvRUvg4iaAIgZVPRzPgK1w-Ml48tBr5FKK_du2egyvYw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8AjJBfaEIivJq4NqNvqAevdMv2dnqDCfu-Q6qyVF42H8nlJV4nBCf-kfO1vYvuzRRqzKWiXjefK91bbmrmGSq9wudOPECpiwyld9tgW9hdm9UXCsjfnj_507l6qR410ojoG3q4iCWV0QBBrVvRUvg4iaAIgZVPRzPgK1w-Ml48tBr5FKK_du2egyvYw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>Next up is the family computer area, which was really important to us! We believe strongly that kids shouldn't have their devices or internet access in their bedrooms if at all possible. Screen time can already be very isolating, so the idea of having their screen time in a communal, family space seemed like a step in the right direction. Social media pressures, cyber bullying, and pornography are real threats to children, so we made the decision long ago to prioritize togetherness and safety for screen time. We're really grateful to have this computer room area, but if we didn't have it, we had planned to have the family computer (doubles as my work computer) in the living room. We plan for there to either be no door to this room or a glass door - not sure yet!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPnphPcravgxpfWU8qc56p1EP1eqtohR03bM9vc5VGjoCCPOSohQR7jk-Dxy5fHjCNVHr1d7TNCIaLtV4M-kxN7dZUDMV_xMiBxUI7BpHONNFg0bTjFAtKI7AejmNwKGXH2p1xtF7-KctQCe27QLjmCkfoLroxwUkmH6_73oxYhWK8uiE-9MZp2si5Sg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPnphPcravgxpfWU8qc56p1EP1eqtohR03bM9vc5VGjoCCPOSohQR7jk-Dxy5fHjCNVHr1d7TNCIaLtV4M-kxN7dZUDMV_xMiBxUI7BpHONNFg0bTjFAtKI7AejmNwKGXH2p1xtF7-KctQCe27QLjmCkfoLroxwUkmH6_73oxYhWK8uiE-9MZp2si5Sg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTOEDKQjXxiInH0PJ85IepIgWts-oG6juWzXaOLNEgXsdYaRBdr1ZSwqUAqPsJTj_BpyF4sPC6xZs2o5FZn10_TVuwZiS0GuEdol1msSwe40r6i2s6P6thQ5HaTCrGpIpP05tphIt38-ec7_tDO_LGgy0vbLzEQZa9OlphCAhWUEqQhBBV1ZsLQ03kTA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTOEDKQjXxiInH0PJ85IepIgWts-oG6juWzXaOLNEgXsdYaRBdr1ZSwqUAqPsJTj_BpyF4sPC6xZs2o5FZn10_TVuwZiS0GuEdol1msSwe40r6i2s6P6thQ5HaTCrGpIpP05tphIt38-ec7_tDO_LGgy0vbLzEQZa9OlphCAhWUEqQhBBV1ZsLQ03kTA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu54rXEVhsaf48uOg3XbShYHlUDkFe20eGNrR4uekwxQ1WSYAf8J4eN5IuhygJRsxn3wCAP1uoPAt1CCcOGybSKb9QzxTHB2TQ1S0Uc04UVu1yz7rdGWg2HVJkXdbFu1v1m25XfhLn-14wAzXCoLwRCcHL_GvuQ0SBN994rSY4O2Z2leHKE0Lp5TlPGQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu54rXEVhsaf48uOg3XbShYHlUDkFe20eGNrR4uekwxQ1WSYAf8J4eN5IuhygJRsxn3wCAP1uoPAt1CCcOGybSKb9QzxTHB2TQ1S0Uc04UVu1yz7rdGWg2HVJkXdbFu1v1m25XfhLn-14wAzXCoLwRCcHL_GvuQ0SBN994rSY4O2Z2leHKE0Lp5TlPGQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiYfrnA_Av5NFelg58O3waswNGqnGh951MfQEGGo8OaJ3VF5X4Yo85d71u8cvSJtUyxYaBeWyMshrovx3w4XuTeuhGLJQBojfkW-Fz2DHOYiQ54SjdQz65rrm1bv5O-9bCOpwaUN1UG3rexmeF_6O_i5v3oZPdb7QilThEsnwA4NVCKtlT2y3DGGBcHQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiYfrnA_Av5NFelg58O3waswNGqnGh951MfQEGGo8OaJ3VF5X4Yo85d71u8cvSJtUyxYaBeWyMshrovx3w4XuTeuhGLJQBojfkW-Fz2DHOYiQ54SjdQz65rrm1bv5O-9bCOpwaUN1UG3rexmeF_6O_i5v3oZPdb7QilThEsnwA4NVCKtlT2y3DGGBcHQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Next is the solo kid room, which for now will be Lily's, but later on be Oli's. After 12 years of all three sharing, we're really happy to have two bedrooms to share between our three kids now! Oli and Chloe are very close right now so we opted to have them share for now, but as everyone gets a bit older, our girls will share. The solo kid room will double as our guest room when our out of town friends and family visit, so it will have a queen sized bed. This room needs new walls entirely! One wall will come down and be set back to make this bedroom a bit bigger. We're keeping the light though - I love it!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhui46CVf91KzbU-swxZsXZOoQxwwU3se-EBZoUjnpuvHv5zM6926UeCdbLEwzbCf1FTHR9KEyZLVGQ1jibl7BDPfV5o5P-vNwGqJklwRhnTnImkIZAGnwzuGiN3ukXE_EzDznaxz7b68BSQFdnh3ugw8pkX4f1ZnyBF47Sjg0Chj-0QUD1oTlXYbWLrg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhui46CVf91KzbU-swxZsXZOoQxwwU3se-EBZoUjnpuvHv5zM6926UeCdbLEwzbCf1FTHR9KEyZLVGQ1jibl7BDPfV5o5P-vNwGqJklwRhnTnImkIZAGnwzuGiN3ukXE_EzDznaxz7b68BSQFdnh3ugw8pkX4f1ZnyBF47Sjg0Chj-0QUD1oTlXYbWLrg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqiRwnGsm6wh6bQpmQDvcYKKJ_BUH1aLOjx2udHYlIiO-sQxAuxxCtCxBLy9y9zbFRUjONTFy7CShTMc-q2EjkkLJmLYthbn0Be-DE7FP0ckW2-Sn--JgS9sAlZkUG4UV3eOJmPafkfkyrnC-KnVDHCk-D__oL6FeQiYgLsyOBtWPj9PIstz-2JzgCEw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqiRwnGsm6wh6bQpmQDvcYKKJ_BUH1aLOjx2udHYlIiO-sQxAuxxCtCxBLy9y9zbFRUjONTFy7CShTMc-q2EjkkLJmLYthbn0Be-DE7FP0ckW2-Sn--JgS9sAlZkUG4UV3eOJmPafkfkyrnC-KnVDHCk-D__oL6FeQiYgLsyOBtWPj9PIstz-2JzgCEw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0RtQA5pwpOUby79Tj_QmfgKzMyLGI979Oad1oXCUbmzspI_cz8ObGS2xc_N5vZjWBHnof4xGZCjw4rH_AIty1JhEne7Ik6qdVXO_4IrVig9gk-ojHNszEi3ms3FdylZ477XE4Z6gvhZrgW-gahrGyMhfUrT2yqFZZ0Sc_E1WjkuBvkbQBrghZoFYKNA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0RtQA5pwpOUby79Tj_QmfgKzMyLGI979Oad1oXCUbmzspI_cz8ObGS2xc_N5vZjWBHnof4xGZCjw4rH_AIty1JhEne7Ik6qdVXO_4IrVig9gk-ojHNszEi3ms3FdylZ477XE4Z6gvhZrgW-gahrGyMhfUrT2yqFZZ0Sc_E1WjkuBvkbQBrghZoFYKNA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>The kids' shared room is the largest room in our house and will sleep Chloe and Oli to start and later on, Lily and Chloe. I plan to write a long post about why we see no problem with room sharing, and in particular brothers and sisters sharing rooms, because my goodness have I received a lot of comments and questions! We won't be dividing this room because there's only a window on one side, for one, but mostly because we think it's a lovely large room that's perfect for sharing! More on that later. I love how they get a nice big window and an exposed brick wall. Like everywhere else, we're changing the floors, removing the radiators, and adding recessed lighting. You can see it's working to house all of the boxes for our Ikea kitchen right now!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNUoIHsyGKnrLm4Nnmy3lnr0k-PyOC8fpBfvEbl7mXPJn1mFHj_QPI3MbZyrrAD3X6egRRakm3n-IJusFEoq9Y7yqlotb7UEVbpKUOYhKnFa6dbBGK1qZVJplaDFUesYF0op8zUj7eltSI-mjgUZDahBnxW015SG46cK25qkHDQtRmZCY07yk7jzNKrQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNUoIHsyGKnrLm4Nnmy3lnr0k-PyOC8fpBfvEbl7mXPJn1mFHj_QPI3MbZyrrAD3X6egRRakm3n-IJusFEoq9Y7yqlotb7UEVbpKUOYhKnFa6dbBGK1qZVJplaDFUesYF0op8zUj7eltSI-mjgUZDahBnxW015SG46cK25qkHDQtRmZCY07yk7jzNKrQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1SmMffr6hGqG09-W4UBAdsVMJPOmbZPEfA5OoM61RJVlrZZcg81XshT1F3BJbVZI-2xa67_D2Jkrz-UUM2cAIWs83D0VknliTx2W5ahymSFLOSAfvRdICK3yFDzYWNrvdZYhjCeD5Sm2pxs5XlaY-tQRD_j-WTlzlkNZeD5hUKN2s9Q4fFWkXpB4dEw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1SmMffr6hGqG09-W4UBAdsVMJPOmbZPEfA5OoM61RJVlrZZcg81XshT1F3BJbVZI-2xa67_D2Jkrz-UUM2cAIWs83D0VknliTx2W5ahymSFLOSAfvRdICK3yFDzYWNrvdZYhjCeD5Sm2pxs5XlaY-tQRD_j-WTlzlkNZeD5hUKN2s9Q4fFWkXpB4dEw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGIUqDyPYEbIwdeFncZ04xroMSW7CjaExCG4LijJIPH_W4SxVjHBIH3a9bsNJLdEmYpHGaDpXwjm8DQKDGMxE9091O6rm-Fco8Ja-bAQ55StBj5euA-W1xDxPsd9YHBtkoLOsJZXTwzEDQXMCNmrfGl1twWudpNDhQkv5fuFSaL-fkm0keEi0PVbJuXA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGIUqDyPYEbIwdeFncZ04xroMSW7CjaExCG4LijJIPH_W4SxVjHBIH3a9bsNJLdEmYpHGaDpXwjm8DQKDGMxE9091O6rm-Fco8Ja-bAQ55StBj5euA-W1xDxPsd9YHBtkoLOsJZXTwzEDQXMCNmrfGl1twWudpNDhQkv5fuFSaL-fkm0keEi0PVbJuXA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5VIOIqUvZz_ELUbIGPWwnSiaPR21uPIdPYJ0mcAWf2lg7EHPb3XI6ZUz8UrSP5t6xvo1IWiKwkO4J6E9LbZ8wVXIvJHQ8WKy3c7cMleQ7Hmkn15DyKdRM_apvP6FKEE2GTMDHwDTzm0avmN1GKiLXSjQiaUBwsc9V0oS7AjMT2NJbFdbVdz90iXdZIA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5VIOIqUvZz_ELUbIGPWwnSiaPR21uPIdPYJ0mcAWf2lg7EHPb3XI6ZUz8UrSP5t6xvo1IWiKwkO4J6E9LbZ8wVXIvJHQ8WKy3c7cMleQ7Hmkn15DyKdRM_apvP6FKEE2GTMDHwDTzm0avmN1GKiLXSjQiaUBwsc9V0oS7AjMT2NJbFdbVdz90iXdZIA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLGs4vXjCbLM_UJJwIUU6m_rB9fqbxchxbmQsNzhZM0ea5VdeI4OMlDXPI-OYzNvJMkNDpFn0eNrVsoxGNCVDuFWhmN1eya5knT1IL4_47EftDHQImjmY4AcbAjEC1ZDq7K2lXVOCHwTaF_AdaM3lpFaQpzKza-IgLdiXlaDgCFvy0iWNjbiHjimDXdg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLGs4vXjCbLM_UJJwIUU6m_rB9fqbxchxbmQsNzhZM0ea5VdeI4OMlDXPI-OYzNvJMkNDpFn0eNrVsoxGNCVDuFWhmN1eya5knT1IL4_47EftDHQImjmY4AcbAjEC1ZDq7K2lXVOCHwTaF_AdaM3lpFaQpzKza-IgLdiXlaDgCFvy0iWNjbiHjimDXdg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2Y2fe_kzz9sBpEn4zn4zn_56w_pXYNroXQVLHsQnnwEMhfJceCHmO62Pt2Bzi8FCyv_z9OhIetD8lUOFMh-8rVbMZTZSVFhe0_KbWAoGmI5PzUToccJMEd3QJqLu-5wKfVGFdBclJbOwXrPSdamxkywzUpP-_xq0KuYLumyqHxlVFucDQ8jkyYSwd3A=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2Y2fe_kzz9sBpEn4zn4zn_56w_pXYNroXQVLHsQnnwEMhfJceCHmO62Pt2Bzi8FCyv_z9OhIetD8lUOFMh-8rVbMZTZSVFhe0_KbWAoGmI5PzUToccJMEd3QJqLu-5wKfVGFdBclJbOwXrPSdamxkywzUpP-_xq0KuYLumyqHxlVFucDQ8jkyYSwd3A=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Finally, the main bathroom. Currently the only bathroom, but we'll be adding a second one in the basement, which will also be where our bedroom is, the laundry cubby, Brad's tiny office, and a small bonus room which will just be big enough for a small couch and a TV. This bathroom is currently in two parts, one toilet room (without a sink) and one sink and shower room. We're uniting the two and borrowing space from our pantry to make the bathroom quite spacious for our kids and guests. The kids bathroom will have two sinks as well, which I think will help us out a lot in the teenage years!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiulckWbkHTAhBGcch2vssz_96Bqu5f1X1N6wnTr0wsSSkOf9GW3kK5E1EU142jh6Fn0llWIiv-oEZFjNzVHy_-0I7q5YRnx0ZGzdq_Q-jqMfEGn6UkJFOIMyXFQe40p6Yo9cJcBoSlZvwuHhknHcZ9vetqUqkMi12VqjILH_6TtBWL2WKvFqaAwdJxYQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiulckWbkHTAhBGcch2vssz_96Bqu5f1X1N6wnTr0wsSSkOf9GW3kK5E1EU142jh6Fn0llWIiv-oEZFjNzVHy_-0I7q5YRnx0ZGzdq_Q-jqMfEGn6UkJFOIMyXFQe40p6Yo9cJcBoSlZvwuHhknHcZ9vetqUqkMi12VqjILH_6TtBWL2WKvFqaAwdJxYQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlHhbmDvXg652Xap1dJb07W66QJgNu4hhAxQ7rYbxkr0jhAF_SE1gIGNM_UDBxiSz2UozI8CLvnSqcRzHuCFRkm0tvLMR6tydJXzWYoIvP76dmkfVe0G-UMJ8J_a5NSu9hUPdxkhxOmOxXOQfcSy77K3EVa3iH3bmOufcvuqWEdkWZyQfl7s23wcuKpA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlHhbmDvXg652Xap1dJb07W66QJgNu4hhAxQ7rYbxkr0jhAF_SE1gIGNM_UDBxiSz2UozI8CLvnSqcRzHuCFRkm0tvLMR6tydJXzWYoIvP76dmkfVe0G-UMJ8J_a5NSu9hUPdxkhxOmOxXOQfcSy77K3EVa3iH3bmOufcvuqWEdkWZyQfl7s23wcuKpA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>Here's our little pantry which will be smaller after the bathroom renovations, but still more than I could ever have dreamed of! Storage in the city is so rare. Currently under my bed is a jumbo box of Costco freezies and other non-perishables. You just put things wherever you can! So having this pantry, even in a diminished size, is a huge blessing.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8mBdAxa_ZADWLnVQOukSTxU1DREoLPNRZj-ZhofJD26YgnHg57UnRq2SZrwLS7RKtPkwaGdFwvbKY1SDIAlWsWVS1ppWdnSGwWHCnWRgkC90todr6kK7xWeSH8Hn3DoFshx6ysIFu8O44iQQ97mvqdFumpY3dn6Qd8pZ8Occ6Hsa1NDsAvx0tC4d2Zg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8mBdAxa_ZADWLnVQOukSTxU1DREoLPNRZj-ZhofJD26YgnHg57UnRq2SZrwLS7RKtPkwaGdFwvbKY1SDIAlWsWVS1ppWdnSGwWHCnWRgkC90todr6kK7xWeSH8Hn3DoFshx6ysIFu8O44iQQ97mvqdFumpY3dn6Qd8pZ8Occ6Hsa1NDsAvx0tC4d2Zg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEha3uTiLgPxWt7uZh5wSsJ9xIVJ7iNnl3ccxoMd1ItV2wY1w8SbBMhSv73Ia83jjDulThyyQJGi4PwmqKSt9dPUUdQ9jzHbqLtwt2Y75THsHbVwjlHATbKl0K1SF-j5QfS3TAZNRxUMIfdy73nE9-1nLg4uKpClDD4ashBIY67rQbTRgGiNC6WHocxbsg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEha3uTiLgPxWt7uZh5wSsJ9xIVJ7iNnl3ccxoMd1ItV2wY1w8SbBMhSv73Ia83jjDulThyyQJGi4PwmqKSt9dPUUdQ9jzHbqLtwt2Y75THsHbVwjlHATbKl0K1SF-j5QfS3TAZNRxUMIfdy73nE9-1nLg4uKpClDD4ashBIY67rQbTRgGiNC6WHocxbsg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>Obviously this tour lacks basement pictures, but I promise, it's just a hole in the ground at this point! I can't wait to share more and include you on this journey. We feel incredibly thankful to have this old, city home to call our own. Thanks for sharing in our joy! </div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-11702669547392758062022-01-19T13:36:00.003-05:002022-01-19T13:36:46.738-05:00We're Moving!This blog has become many things over the years, but it began as a place for me to share our newlywed nest with my family living a province away. From the start, it's been about making a home with a small budget, DIYs, thrift finds, and making our Montreal flat truly <i>ours</i>. From that initial rental, where we brought baby Lily home from the hospital, to <b><i><a href="http://www.ournestinthecity.com/2020/04/home-tour-2020-living-dining-rooms.html" target="_blank">our current home</a></i></b> which we bought 11 years ago when I was pregnant with Oli, I've loved documenting where we call home. And now there will be a new space to fill the pages of this blog and our hearts. Yes, we're moving!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_wkvH-MUoupnOsmp-6SxwE7H1b2Y_c8OnnqhmZVfN4ZFQGaihw28G9ReQm0fxANqQJqo8Wv7HkRuR5lWeusTq9nDgVPKohxgbY-udrM0cPlWUQX43pTPBtxrJv_H01KMQo6Jp_uFEAR7pb95IaabUy70UmV4c1-zEe70U1HrnMa1J-nAnkuB_Th2XQQ=s3264" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_wkvH-MUoupnOsmp-6SxwE7H1b2Y_c8OnnqhmZVfN4ZFQGaihw28G9ReQm0fxANqQJqo8Wv7HkRuR5lWeusTq9nDgVPKohxgbY-udrM0cPlWUQX43pTPBtxrJv_H01KMQo6Jp_uFEAR7pb95IaabUy70UmV4c1-zEe70U1HrnMa1J-nAnkuB_Th2XQQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of our new home! </td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div><div>After almost 11 years in our tiny condo, we are thrilled to be moving to a larger home in our neighbourhood! We've been so happy in our current home and it will be emotionally hard to leave. So many memories have been made here. But at the same time, we're ready. Our three kids, ages 8, 10, and 11 have shared one bedroom for their entire lives. We have never been able to offer our overnight guests more than our couch for the night, and have been limited in a lot of ways in this small space. That said, I am so grateful for the 11 years in a quite small condo, as it's taught me so much and really shaped our family culture and values toward minimalism and contentment. </div><div><br /></div><div>We started looking for a new home in 2021, though I'd regularly been browsing MLS for years prior to seriously looking. For us, our non-negotiables were three bedrooms, some sort of office space for Brad, who works from home, and staying in our neighbourhood, Le Plateau-Mont-Royal. Anything else was negotiable. Old homes, modern builds, triplexes, single-dwelling, sky rise buildings... anything was a possibility so long as we had one more bedroom than we have now and could stay in our beloved neighbourhood. The challenge being that Le Plateau is not known for spacious homes, three-bedroom homes, or affordable homes. The vast majority of homes in our neighbourhood have 1-2 bedrooms and are well under 1,000 square feet. It's a densely populated area with homes packed in like sardines, which coincidentally is one of the things we love about living here! The community, the vibe, the architecture... It's all so lovable. But house hunting here is tough. </div><div><br /></div><div>We were fortunate to buy our current home, which has two bedrooms and two bathrooms and is 1,000 square feet, over a decade ago. Buying back then meant that house prices were much more affordable, so going on to our second home was less intimidating, having that equity from our first place. But still, we were looking for months before we found anything in our budget with our non-negotiables. We had a lot of homes that felt right and fell through our fingers, some at the very last minute. Our hearts were broken more than once, especially one place where we had an accepted offer and the sale was nullified by the City after it was discovered that the seller had done illegal work and the home wasn't to code to sell. </div><div><br /></div><div>So what's our new place like?! You may have seen <b><i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17904375230415146/" target="_blank">the video tour on Instagram</a></i></b>, but I'll explain more in detail soon. The funny thing is that we'd seen our new home on MLS during our many searches, but never seriously considered it. For one, it needs<i> a lot</i> of work. The back porch is also shared with many neighbours, so there isn't much privacy, which was a hard pill to swallow since we have a quite large back balcony in our current condo. Now those elements don't bother us, as there is a large front porch and we have a great team working with us to renovate it, but at the time, it felt impossible. After losing the home where we had the accepted offer Brad suggested we circle back to what is now our new home. We couldn't really remember why we were so against it earlier and decided to visit. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was so bright! So many windows! And really large for our neighbourhood! Plus there was a possibility of finishing our portion of the basement, giving us even more space! But most importantly, it's in the heart of our neighbourhood and has enough bedrooms and office space. When we inquired we also found out that not a single offer had been put on the home. This is likely due to the fact that the market isn't as hot for larger homes in need of a lot of repair. During the pandemic many families left the city, and since our home is part of a triplex, it can't be used as an Airbnb according to the bylaws. Thus, the home of our dreams was untouched on the market and we ended up getting it for under asking price. I still can't believe it. It really feels like God saved it for us. </div><div><br /></div><div>I can't wait to share the before pictures and all of our plans for the home with you! </div><div><div class="linkwithin_div"></div></div></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-50299139625691081552022-01-17T10:58:00.004-05:002022-01-17T10:58:49.563-05:00Christmas, at last. This Christmas was so incredibly special. With Christmas 2020 being a social distanced affair, lacking the togetherness we so sorely needed, Christmas 2021 felt all the more profound. The hugs were stronger, the gatherings were richer, the laughs were louder and the food was sweeter. <div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, we're still in a pandemic, so we didn't take gathering for granted, but as every member of our families is double vaccinated (except the kids who have had their first dose) and we all tested negative 24 hours before seeing each other, we felt we could go on to be together. As my family lives eight hours from Montreal, it had been over two years since I'd seen my grandmother and the kids' great grandma. How incredible to lay eyes on her again! </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are some photos of our three gatherings, in black and white. First we went to Fonthill, a little hamlet in Niagara at the southern part of Ontario where I grew up and where my sister and her family live, along with my parents and grandma. My sister's kids are only four and five, so two years without seeing them felt like meeting a brand new niece and nephew! Our kids reveled in the reality of cousins and we had incredible drinks and food for the three days we were with them! Gifts the first night with my parents at their house, then on to Lisa's house for the next two nights, with my parents visiting daily to join for meals.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLhOk7ny4CY9qVmUZ59RcAgAIpAKQUV_oq71gb5oYOrN3nKbAtsGKgAn-bQj94TzhuXOAs4FgHCkNxHs3FXpJ0jCBzUD0B1X7cm3eqxSil0TaDLQQINaTQEQRYjBuH_4nO81HFD4BZXaopRiaheoQtrEV_Cv7iZPOwmzSv7kBhU-yfinVRnB1fav2v3A=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLhOk7ny4CY9qVmUZ59RcAgAIpAKQUV_oq71gb5oYOrN3nKbAtsGKgAn-bQj94TzhuXOAs4FgHCkNxHs3FXpJ0jCBzUD0B1X7cm3eqxSil0TaDLQQINaTQEQRYjBuH_4nO81HFD4BZXaopRiaheoQtrEV_Cv7iZPOwmzSv7kBhU-yfinVRnB1fav2v3A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzHivWv90B33I4as3KSAG3Hm6fiOuHdZMXNBTyT2YtUqn_7m60bIgD1xF9MFkkEhf6md4Q_rnG_mpEMxeMyM1p4_q676TcqQDeuxogi96br-Cygq3M1Kn2KaFcrgFoK27Bv6f94BtH8czB8BAjbQKYKUhtfsaCXh0GoWqXoiNperEMEIYksym3F4eEIQ=s2807" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2807" data-original-width="1983" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzHivWv90B33I4as3KSAG3Hm6fiOuHdZMXNBTyT2YtUqn_7m60bIgD1xF9MFkkEhf6md4Q_rnG_mpEMxeMyM1p4_q676TcqQDeuxogi96br-Cygq3M1Kn2KaFcrgFoK27Bv6f94BtH8czB8BAjbQKYKUhtfsaCXh0GoWqXoiNperEMEIYksym3F4eEIQ=w452-h640" width="452" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_XcNu79dg8_3mkVy3rNLgEb_JlTSjfRxYfMzDVusJkEZy6_mYdEx7w7WevCPDPyEiMO7ALMsM-cC5kz_DZ67utq7TkYXSHCueiZmEgHiF7EI4ItCw0qMCglU8nktWmFKWP7nKMNCpQnmSDHKMD1JrSKCEfeMoPqDYgfBWd2TmnFJNjdfeY1tdJ2IJ2w=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_XcNu79dg8_3mkVy3rNLgEb_JlTSjfRxYfMzDVusJkEZy6_mYdEx7w7WevCPDPyEiMO7ALMsM-cC5kz_DZ67utq7TkYXSHCueiZmEgHiF7EI4ItCw0qMCglU8nktWmFKWP7nKMNCpQnmSDHKMD1JrSKCEfeMoPqDYgfBWd2TmnFJNjdfeY1tdJ2IJ2w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeogXhzWPQ2S4yPE0RRebSWQVj6_Lqd0sKRE4Lda5WSIv0-RyLC3q7l2cdwuAHUiKrIMDLkL2AAE0GPK9hL0xaVDliFXhLAXcyfJNKtzG2dCCI74hEU8ZWwdAgcnbmcIT8LOL8vf7cIHln59UCY_x6OrKiyckb6ONNdtzfeH6oJa-8ZXfLBHkNP8rTvw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeogXhzWPQ2S4yPE0RRebSWQVj6_Lqd0sKRE4Lda5WSIv0-RyLC3q7l2cdwuAHUiKrIMDLkL2AAE0GPK9hL0xaVDliFXhLAXcyfJNKtzG2dCCI74hEU8ZWwdAgcnbmcIT8LOL8vf7cIHln59UCY_x6OrKiyckb6ONNdtzfeH6oJa-8ZXfLBHkNP8rTvw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /> </div><div>After Fonthill we headed to an Airbnb we rented in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. Along with Brad's brothers Mike and Rob, we rent an Airbnb for five days and take turns receiving Brad's parents, who have both re-married. It's a really easy way to be able to see everyone without driving all over! The first two nights we were with Brad's mom and Bruce, her husband, then they left and Brad's dad and his wife, Deb arrived for two nights. Finally we had one night just the "kids" before heading back to Montreal. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since Brad's parents live in Quebec and Ontario and his brothers are both in Ontario, we always choose a halfway point for the Airbnb, though this year it wasn't super central. We were just happy to find a space with the pandemic rules and everything! I highly recommend the Airbnb approach if you're part of a mixed family navigating seeing several sets of grandparents/parents! Plus with everyone chipping in, it's very affordable.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5xn52rDNnHR1ype4cS_LHMmAz6S9RrE8cwrQLN5vWwb6axhBtcYGWD182Kssy0SgdaqNR0AjtaEuSDSNBX3ZpYOJtVSx5Ma-qcN_4GcSlLFbQocYeWjLe3aZ5JCoR1qRYGoyfbw5xxmMFSNbJmppnLAWpc0pOmlJV4yKFXZXvkGbZUdPUxLbzqHCOyQ=s3335" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2705" data-original-width="3335" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5xn52rDNnHR1ype4cS_LHMmAz6S9RrE8cwrQLN5vWwb6axhBtcYGWD182Kssy0SgdaqNR0AjtaEuSDSNBX3ZpYOJtVSx5Ma-qcN_4GcSlLFbQocYeWjLe3aZ5JCoR1qRYGoyfbw5xxmMFSNbJmppnLAWpc0pOmlJV4yKFXZXvkGbZUdPUxLbzqHCOyQ=w640-h520" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGXyY2Wn7diUiWxURuh-x9oJXyMuqnqHvD5p-GdV1jIuPruXiiyGwmjrCAamatoFRV_TOIPE0dx-tso0pL2wBksNR-dg3fJ_SpzPq9jnbzT6zgzQaiM7MDKlQfv9Ea0r7kzRxhH0KJWKe9IwjnwTg56XCfpNAvsXbzqq8xeBaYW-v-fLWTk70KO3fVZQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-szSY46rsGfJp9ZtofrBE9NLWD1vg6QhGDbDwXMsmxHs7wE06dBKOTqyhsFicosw3aXm2EWf2nr2ZbRQbr7FYIU2keYd34bSedRMto0-Q1zFf9dxr_KfhiTgTygiNPycnPIH12w9pkwWgNgm2KEJ-mGUMNPs6niXVti7N952KGedk1FXg4kI7ZuINbA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-szSY46rsGfJp9ZtofrBE9NLWD1vg6QhGDbDwXMsmxHs7wE06dBKOTqyhsFicosw3aXm2EWf2nr2ZbRQbr7FYIU2keYd34bSedRMto0-Q1zFf9dxr_KfhiTgTygiNPycnPIH12w9pkwWgNgm2KEJ-mGUMNPs6niXVti7N952KGedk1FXg4kI7ZuINbA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1lgi85EeJYDGO7H6BnARLsB_1M7RT9YuKKVC6RElKy6q6xBj2OlgBtVSTRvydmZfDn_2L9A1h2xTIudJzrvuWOYAIyI_jp7DyvZneJ4N0gsJjyEMJJrZELsNiW3q5xmCC88jwma89eI7RAOrktLNUbcuPzqEtnBB5cV19iroaMJXzCwk8QghL62DJPg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1lgi85EeJYDGO7H6BnARLsB_1M7RT9YuKKVC6RElKy6q6xBj2OlgBtVSTRvydmZfDn_2L9A1h2xTIudJzrvuWOYAIyI_jp7DyvZneJ4N0gsJjyEMJJrZELsNiW3q5xmCC88jwma89eI7RAOrktLNUbcuPzqEtnBB5cV19iroaMJXzCwk8QghL62DJPg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhulmPIvqAyfQXm3PfHVEGelYVmECzTQIEXcyqpTVpWucFfD7GI_VuV8zzg0vFSd1yfJu2oHOaMk1yvpNuy10SOrc23JHkA5AQcJ3ckevddWbO6v2QRNW-8MaF9__8owV_G1BdNVHcWYstQoL6WRFdsO_qtGiLhzUQnRGKeWmEGLdSTDXYcwvlegxJ72g=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhulmPIvqAyfQXm3PfHVEGelYVmECzTQIEXcyqpTVpWucFfD7GI_VuV8zzg0vFSd1yfJu2oHOaMk1yvpNuy10SOrc23JHkA5AQcJ3ckevddWbO6v2QRNW-8MaF9__8owV_G1BdNVHcWYstQoL6WRFdsO_qtGiLhzUQnRGKeWmEGLdSTDXYcwvlegxJ72g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>We live far from family, so gatherings like this only happen once or twice a year, and obviously less due to Covid. What a beautiful and truly enchanted time together. I'm thankful that we were all able to stay healthy and safe during the week together, and that our relationships with these dear ones could pick up right where we left off two years ago. </div><div><br /></div><div>Christmas began with a generous gift from a Father, and we felt that spirit of love and generosity throughout the week. My sister and her husband Andrew hosted us with some of the most delicious food and drinks imaginable, our kids were showered with gifts from their aunt and uncles and grandparents, and we laughed until our faces hurt many times. Our hearts left that week on a high, and Christmas worked it's magic once again.</div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-67616720883835611312022-01-07T15:51:00.004-05:002022-01-07T15:51:51.695-05:008, 10 + 11 years old!With birthday season behind us for all of our kids (they're born in August, September, and October), and Christmas past, the dust settles. I'm finding myself reflective on the new season upon us. A new year and bonafide big kids. <div><br /></div><div>Tim Keller refers to the "front 9" and the "back 9" of parenting, and I find that age in particular is the perfect place to draw a line in the sand, because it's around then that you find yourself truly out of the stage of small children, small problems and enter into the independent big kids stage. Even though Chloe is 8 (almost 8.5 as she tells me regularly!), I find us in this new stage since the youngest often trails the older kids more closely. <br /><div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div><br /></div><div>Parenting tweens is new to us and we're learning as we go. I'm thankful for the parenting resources we have and still find them tremendously helpful as I navigate this new stage, but there are some things you just can't prepare for because every kid is so different! I'm finding our kids are much more independent and capable than ever, doing things like biking to school, household chores, and making their own plans with their friends. Yet they're also still so young, wanting cuddles and lots of time with mom and dad (thank you, Lord!) Parenting tweens is really halfway to adulthood in many ways. That gradual letting go of our kids, where we trust them more and more and give greater responsibilities, yet still keep them close, with firm boundaries and limits (i.e. no social media, limited screen time, etc.)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8NZkdT42CxUOWeTemmGoezt0Fdu0Resr9fYEzaxx4prZr7GT-ElgfCyM_qwSNByUsK7Wyr4S3iz9Evx6hjIuWWgeVGwi9fVOWIV1iGqmPDYXgKULC1Yrhrz2utnlGQ-fo2qWqzj92c05/s4032/PXL_20211101_194124628.PORTRAIT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8NZkdT42CxUOWeTemmGoezt0Fdu0Resr9fYEzaxx4prZr7GT-ElgfCyM_qwSNByUsK7Wyr4S3iz9Evx6hjIuWWgeVGwi9fVOWIV1iGqmPDYXgKULC1Yrhrz2utnlGQ-fo2qWqzj92c05/w480-h640/PXL_20211101_194124628.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>Chloe still loves art and cats but she's also growing in her love of reading and specific things like Japanese mangas and Jane Austen. She'll probably always feel like my baby, but she's growing up so much. When I look at pictures and videos from last year, she seems so incredibly young. her speech and interests and personality have all developed so much!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhfoozpMUK_ccmtFhWUeR71UDPnMM7AhFxGrRx6I_olg74oOilQAy5xjrkIgnhrB6lJ11ZXrAKgPpIF9DiqYK4uoGp8oDPROCJtwZXKRS4l9hAmVZSU7s5FmLCQrf14BeqiYG1-fnUqBp/s2048/PXL_20210907_143015085_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhfoozpMUK_ccmtFhWUeR71UDPnMM7AhFxGrRx6I_olg74oOilQAy5xjrkIgnhrB6lJ11ZXrAKgPpIF9DiqYK4uoGp8oDPROCJtwZXKRS4l9hAmVZSU7s5FmLCQrf14BeqiYG1-fnUqBp/w480-h640/PXL_20210907_143015085_2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oli is in his final year of homeschooling and such a wiz kid. We struggle to keep up with his insatiable desire to learn and create, which is equal parts wonderful and burdensome. He's playing cosom hockey and tennis and following MLS soccer, but also really creative. He and Chloe are writing a comic book together and he's been carving things from wood blocks or soap bars. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzEl1lt9aaPAbQUgyT5fas6RnmXlZR72a0NWePL1V7oze2DJSxL5gLrAtluffeetwY1g6Vz9NXKVSkAAHqcUE7W8qs3KkjWNxUcRmVGkeJuj5GlzNAOxrIAMFENev9QtFsPYHeT3bJaEHwTiS05yMJnkmRciqq8FSVB5eF9AtYyT_57t0PsHjdhlAjSg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzEl1lt9aaPAbQUgyT5fas6RnmXlZR72a0NWePL1V7oze2DJSxL5gLrAtluffeetwY1g6Vz9NXKVSkAAHqcUE7W8qs3KkjWNxUcRmVGkeJuj5GlzNAOxrIAMFENev9QtFsPYHeT3bJaEHwTiS05yMJnkmRciqq8FSVB5eF9AtYyT_57t0PsHjdhlAjSg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Parenting Lily this past year has felt like parenting several girls because she's gone through so many different phases of maturity! First biking to school on her own, then taking public transit on her own, taking her faith more seriously and independently, and handling virtual learning almost single handedly. We really trust her and rely on her more and more and it's a beautiful thing! Still loves reading and always down for a *long* conversation :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm learning so much about myself too in this stage with big kids. My shortcomings and sins loom large as I see them inheriting and copying me for good and for ill. It's becoming more the season of guidelines and wisdom and less of control and rules, though there are still rules, don't worry! Gradually letting go and not trying to cling to them whilst still protecting then and letting their final years of childhood remain unfettered is the call of this season. May we be faithful in it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-69760178445504307722021-07-08T11:11:00.004-04:002021-07-08T11:14:34.364-04:00Watching Montreal Come Back to Life (+ We Love the Habs!)The Montreal Canadiens' playoff run came to an end last night, and in truth I'm crestfallen. But Looking back it was such a beautiful run and so important for our city, especially coming out of a Pandemic, that I'm filled with gratitude. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDejSy_S_LEUzDRIX8JYqnptaHet8OOIcPnKcQY6gqMIyRhFu6I5JD3DO8SVjUNqpLnNicXHLykzBifkBTaPfexLoQL0rYwt2hgNwBHTfTBfoqscXZfm5GJxtYIcO87TzWjyqiV2bHWqv/s4032/PXL_20210624_145106401.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDejSy_S_LEUzDRIX8JYqnptaHet8OOIcPnKcQY6gqMIyRhFu6I5JD3DO8SVjUNqpLnNicXHLykzBifkBTaPfexLoQL0rYwt2hgNwBHTfTBfoqscXZfm5GJxtYIcO87TzWjyqiV2bHWqv/w480-h640/PXL_20210624_145106401.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /><div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div>Montreal and Quebec as a whole were hit hardest in Canada by Covid-19 and had some of the most intense restrictions in the country (a province-wide curfew for months, mass-closures, etc). A city that's used to tourism and festivals was incredibly quiet last summer as well as early this Spring. But the Habs started the Stanley Cup playoffs at the same time our province vaccine roll out was ramping up and the timing was perfection. By the first round of the playoffs most Montrealers had received their first dose and by the final round many were double vaccinated. Our first dinner guest in 18 months was our dear friend Camille who joined us for a meal and the game afterwards. We won that game and so many this playoffs, and playing in the final against the best team in the league was a huge accomplishment, even if we couldn't defeat Tampa Bay in the end. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JzjGReWe3qCg6t4ubfa_4nQVqvJ2Mkm8C4aLzoxO0cb5d_6rEcTM7elfgIxQzba5hpKjz4t5TiTMCCBCTRh2SMFp2y60AMNGSclpcWZ99OXj99N2qM_Et0h30uU4bRisnd6fVyGznnNR/s4032/PXL_20210624_145135349.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JzjGReWe3qCg6t4ubfa_4nQVqvJ2Mkm8C4aLzoxO0cb5d_6rEcTM7elfgIxQzba5hpKjz4t5TiTMCCBCTRh2SMFp2y60AMNGSclpcWZ99OXj99N2qM_Et0h30uU4bRisnd6fVyGznnNR/w480-h640/PXL_20210624_145135349.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>This Playoff run was great to watch as a Habs fan, but truly so much more special in light of what our city and country are coming out of. Hockey unifies Montreal like little else can, and being able to watch games with others, gather in alleyways, pubs, or public spaces to watch the games made it so memorable. It was also the first time our kids have taken such an interest in hockey and the Canadiens, and by the end all three would stay up for most of the games (at least until the second period!) and they all knew each player by name. The vested interest was a sweet thing to share as a family and city. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNs1N7ANiUCZs7YKXqnjtUsCEaiHhGFo_jmFnEbNQ49vID8-8eO_4YpVti9sTgIBLKpzpT1g9nmtrqds4okemLH38rzaEk4mzpQ7ybMj_ngrYch1-r7T-b6_aQUIAjBo_5bB_ZPhXwqZL/s4032/PXL_20210708_010137369.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNs1N7ANiUCZs7YKXqnjtUsCEaiHhGFo_jmFnEbNQ49vID8-8eO_4YpVti9sTgIBLKpzpT1g9nmtrqds4okemLH38rzaEk4mzpQ7ybMj_ngrYch1-r7T-b6_aQUIAjBo_5bB_ZPhXwqZL/w640-h480/PXL_20210708_010137369.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Last night Brad and I went downtown to watch the game on the big screen with several thousand of our best friends, haha! You had to register online before and it was all very peaceful. No crazy riots or anything, just disappointed fans walking home after the game ended. It was amazing to be in an outdoor crowd again, especially one as unified and excited. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpyPpg7QaoK62S0KKRwUhJQmod_cCQsdfT0iCV-B8J3s79a1FKLX3TmPX8J1XURA9QL701gPYX_s5DA2_BX5S4r9GorIYpH3Spj_WdGhajCBpS0sNuQvKfxh07if5ijKvXyWdUaYEjoti/s3264/PXL_20210708_001237652.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpyPpg7QaoK62S0KKRwUhJQmod_cCQsdfT0iCV-B8J3s79a1FKLX3TmPX8J1XURA9QL701gPYX_s5DA2_BX5S4r9GorIYpH3Spj_WdGhajCBpS0sNuQvKfxh07if5ijKvXyWdUaYEjoti/w480-h640/PXL_20210708_001237652.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>Montreal, it's so good to see you again! And to the Habs, bon match, on vous aime, et à l'année prochaine!</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpkzdcmUUoV2K2RRtoMplQEimD8rjLT8A9LL8eTwzq5IDxr5mY4cgSVviezV7fNvqE2lMz6QTAZ9-CDlSISVDHeYPdiO8vx1V9eUQecHJ3AI-ef4RIbzCOvBAsd97sIDtpknv0BOTtS-3/s4032/PXL_20210624_145629410.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpkzdcmUUoV2K2RRtoMplQEimD8rjLT8A9LL8eTwzq5IDxr5mY4cgSVviezV7fNvqE2lMz6QTAZ9-CDlSISVDHeYPdiO8vx1V9eUQecHJ3AI-ef4RIbzCOvBAsd97sIDtpknv0BOTtS-3/w480-h640/PXL_20210624_145629410.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-17817851461544672462021-06-23T10:11:00.008-04:002021-06-23T10:14:03.566-04:00Mini-Cycle is Moving + 25% Off!You may know I've worked at <a href="https://mini-cycle.com/" target="_blank">Boutique Mini-Cycle</a> for a little over a year now. I'm so proud to be on the team of this women-run business, committed to sustainability and zero waste wardrobes. <div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div><br /></div><div>I have always had a small budget for my kid's clothes, leading to my passion for thrifting, which avoids the reliance on fast fashion and still keeps things affordable. Let's face it, buying responsible brands comes at a cost. If you're paying the people who make the clothes a fair wage and the clothes are made with organic or recycled materials, that's bound to cost more than fast fashion. But not everyone can afford the cost, and I get that (and I am in that boat myself!)</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRN6NlNNz122zroncW5cvh5mT8Sr2vTHoafBq9YGcLHfjHqFkRxlduYCbEwBd9njBxGWuybgJiyL3LIVAIxwq_z4FXU1DyayCoLmOFg7r9KAiWDUH9_uNANG0cxQrkC06iUlgibVfTfPX/s3116/IMG_20210402_191532_951.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3116" data-original-width="2493" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRN6NlNNz122zroncW5cvh5mT8Sr2vTHoafBq9YGcLHfjHqFkRxlduYCbEwBd9njBxGWuybgJiyL3LIVAIxwq_z4FXU1DyayCoLmOFg7r9KAiWDUH9_uNANG0cxQrkC06iUlgibVfTfPX/w512-h640/IMG_20210402_191532_951.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clover, Oli, and Lily, all in <a href="https://mini-cycle.com/" target="_blank">Mini-Cycle</a><br />(some pieces new, some from the <a href="https://mini-cycle.com/collections/shop-re-cycle-buy-gently-used" target="_blank">Re-Cycle Shop</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Mini-Cycle believes in limiting fashion waste and opening up sustainable options to more parents, so they guarantee to buy back everything you've bought from them (<a href="https://mini-cycle.com/pages/how-it-works" target="_blank">see details here</a>), significantly reducing the overall cost. What's more, you can shop their <a href="https://mini-cycle.com/collections/shop-re-cycle-buy-gently-used" target="_blank">Re-Cycle shop</a>, which is full of pre-loved (used) clothing, footwear, outerwear, and textiles purchased from clients. I see it as the cream of the crop thrifting. Everything in their <a href="https://mini-cycle.com/collections/shop-re-cycle-buy-gently-used" target="_blank">Re-Cycle shop</a> passes their standards of eco-responsibility and durability, but is much more accessible in price. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another way they're aiming to make sustainable clothing more accessible is the occasional sale, which I've learned is a big sacrifice for small businesses to offer. This week they have a big one, so take note!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>June 28, 29, and 30 everything on their site will be 25% off or more.</i></b> </span></div><div><br /></div><div>The sale is to prepare for their move to a larger, brighter studio space. I can't wait to do photoshoots in this airy, open loft! Mini-Cycle will remain in the same building, but is now suite 491 rather than 325. Enjoy the sale!</div><div><br /></div><div>Mini-Cycle's new home: </div><div><a href="5524 Rue Saint-Patrick, Montreal, QC H4E 1A8" target="_blank">5524 Rue Saint-Patrick, Suite #491 Montreal, Quebec H4E 1A8</a></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-38319369504065605422021-05-13T14:00:00.005-04:002021-05-13T14:02:38.670-04:00Half Birthdays and the Best Cake EverAs I'm sure is the case for most people, the lingering Pandemic has led to a good degree of languishing in our home. Generally we've been fine, but with every sport and activity cancelled for the past 16 months and very limited contact with friends and family, some weeks have been harder than others. Mid-winter I found myself longing for something to celebrate. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUYh6tv5ljHgvUkW8Gn2RAHJwaZ8L9R2p59HtcOOSv2DeUHfrZApskNAF7DodliZ48f_e4IM4PA-KdiSXiqlztWdB8T5MFTvjTS5YKRGfVkZUzLMX_CvjYt_HqXNBrM82Baaqh3TjNwUE/s1350/IMG_20210320_082204_775.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUYh6tv5ljHgvUkW8Gn2RAHJwaZ8L9R2p59HtcOOSv2DeUHfrZApskNAF7DodliZ48f_e4IM4PA-KdiSXiqlztWdB8T5MFTvjTS5YKRGfVkZUzLMX_CvjYt_HqXNBrM82Baaqh3TjNwUE/w512-h640/IMG_20210320_082204_775.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The kids and I all had our birthdays in the late summer and autumn, and Christmas was behind us. We still had months until Brad's May birthday and Mother's and Father's day too. So I decided that we'd celebrate half birthdays this year. I know, I know, it's a bit excessive, but seriously it was one of the best decisions I made in the Pandemic (that and buying the kids a mini trampoline!) <div><br /></div><div>Sally Clarkson in The Life-Giving Home writes about how important it is to make home that place of comfort, celebration, joy, and safety, and I have been so influenced by her practices. Though the Pandemic is *hopefully* winding down, I think we'll keep half birthdays forever for the joy they've brought us, and that additional chance to celebrate each member of our family. <br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.liviasweets.ca/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2392" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXJRMXYq7RHNB9S8Ca8PWK-rn70yx57CXyYd70M8mFh8s8pjsQXMT5-pru6njkKUzNgc1UtUeKSpgbnw3T9Zd3MRVjhzbatIEy0NKhRFJaYwlflf0T5Q7H9hqKy718L9S07NK0IBkl-4E/w386-h640/IMG_20210319_142202_531.jpg" width="386" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div>It's amazing how much those half birthdays brightened our home life! I had been meaning to try out <a href="https://www.liviasweets.ca/" target="_blank">Livia Sweets</a> that opened up down the street and this felt like the perfect occasion. So for Chloe's 7.5 birthday, we ordered their birthday cake. Montreal friends, <i>OMG</i>. The birthday cake was the best cake we've ever had. While Livia Sweets did gift my family the kid's half birthday cakes, I have already personally bought two more, they're<i> that good</i>. My mother-in-law had her birthday two weeks after Chloe's half birthday and I promptly ordered it again. Lily and I are heading up north this weekend for a Mother-Daughter camp and you know I ordered us the two person birthday cake to eat when we arrive. This cake is truly beyond.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.liviasweets.ca/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="3036" data-original-width="4048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1VeuRb9umY9gwWJTJRUCrZqwtz8pUXEM2f5mdO2wglLxRnCphQZOhIn-1eG8tuGgGgz3wGmCi6vb7hcIRHxrnNu947N4ezGYAokMV067vhBIIMTXtsVi2r1HvVUcaneA0kXaPO_3rJyK/w640-h480/IMG_20210403_105909.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>You can order this dream cake, or anything else on their delicious menu (including cookies and dairy-free milk delivered to your door!) from <a href="https://www.liviasweets.ca/" target="_blank">Livia Sweets</a>. Save on the delivery fee like I did by picking it up at their storefront on 288 Ave Laurier Ouest. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>This post was in collaboration with Livia Sweets,</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>but all opinions are 100% my own and I am a regular customer of theirs. </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>To book a collab, <a href="mailto:ournestinthecity@gmail.com" target="_blank">contact me</a>!</i></div><div><div class="linkwithin_div"></div></div></div></div></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-39883029898642412412021-04-14T18:53:00.002-04:002021-04-14T18:53:16.885-04:003 Very Different Books I'm Loving<div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMELCeuEM2JWpQo_kRhte6JkwUGFuo0gxvXwR1umSfj4AmHNUeYIJfpxQ4gg-8zSXFiICshYJd_b1fkI_L7IiR4oFtwFnaJRbYTL7ZfzAWx02kjuh1lh-6xbdpaGFjQR3QvPySwMiKuxyT/s3455/IMG_20210411_141803_941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3455" data-original-width="2764" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMELCeuEM2JWpQo_kRhte6JkwUGFuo0gxvXwR1umSfj4AmHNUeYIJfpxQ4gg-8zSXFiICshYJd_b1fkI_L7IiR4oFtwFnaJRbYTL7ZfzAWx02kjuh1lh-6xbdpaGFjQR3QvPySwMiKuxyT/w512-h640/IMG_20210411_141803_941.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div>Always a fan of wide reading, I often have several genres on the go. I wanted to share three new books I recently found on <i><a href="http://booksforchrist.com">booksforchrist.com</a></i> - I've said this already but this website is *the most affordable* place to buy Christian books online in Canada. They beat the big sites, often by a few dollars. I also love that they're Christians themselves, as I've felt uneasy in the past lining Amazon's pockets when I buy a Bible, devotional, or Christian book. <a href="http://i.refs.cc/0AuFWT3s?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo3ODM2OTU1M30%3D" target="_blank">Books for Christ</a> is a small operation, they give back to charity, they have the newest releases at the best prices, and I have a 10% coupon code on top of all of that! But more on that later. For now, here are three very different books I've been reading.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://booksforchrist.com/products/jane-eyre-1?variant=31743196168261" target="_blank">Jane Eyre: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting by Karen Swallow Prior</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>This beautiful linen-bound hardcover includes the original text by Charlotte Bronte as well as a commentary by the brilliant English Literature professor, Swallow Prior. I've listened to Swallow Prior teach literary reflections and her thoughts on reading well at conferences in the past and I know her to be tremendously insightful and sharp. I couldn't believe when I saw her series on the famous classics! I've also ordered her commentary on Frankenstein for Oli to read next year for homeschooling and Sense and Sensibility for myself! $18 on Books for Christ (it's $24 on Amazon for reference)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://booksforchrist.com/products/parenting-2" target="_blank">Parenting by Paul David Tripp </a></div><div><br /></div><div>The #1 Parenting book I recommend to first-time or long-time parents is this one! It's filled with grace and truth and reorients the parent's heart in the way we need it most. As much theological as practical, this book is one I re-read every couple of years and always glean new wisdom. He speaks to parents in general which is refreshing as often parenting books are very specific to one age or season. I have owned this book for years but have leant it out so many times it's disappeared! So I ordered this new hardcover recently and will read for the forth time this month. $25 on Books for Christ ($27 on Amazon for reference)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://booksforchrist.com/products/gentle-and-lowly" target="_blank">Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>I've yet to start this one but I can't wait to. I listened to a podcast interviewing the author on this work and everything he's said about the life and person of Christ completely wooed me. That and the glowing reviews from some of my favourite teachers and authors (Sam Allberry, Rosaria Butterfield, Paul David Tripp, etc). Ortlund writes like a modern Puritan. His writing captivates the reader and illuminates Jesus. it's also a stunning book that looks to be covered with an old oil painting. I do love a beautiful hardcover! $22 on Books for Christ ($24 on Amazon for reference)</div><div><br /></div><div>These three - one classic, one non-fiction (parenting), and one theology/Christian living. Usually I have a memoir or biography in there, as well as modern or historical fiction. Can you ever have too many books? </div><div><br /></div><div>Use <b><i><a href="http://i.refs.cc/0AuFWT3s?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo3ODM2OTU1M30%3D" target="_blank">this code for 10% off</a></i></b> your next order and do tell me what you choose! I love to hear what others are reading :)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-56871161477241519982021-03-31T11:34:00.002-04:002021-03-31T11:34:17.270-04:00SHOP QUEBEC - Argile et OsierMany of you already know about this Etsy shop because of my Instagram giveaway last month but I wanted to share about <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/ArgileetOsier" target="_blank">Argile et Osier</a> here too for those who aren't on Instagram and looking to encourage Quebec small businesses. <div><div><br /></div><div>In fact <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/ArgileetOsier" target="_blank">Argile et Osier</a> is a bit of a combination of two loves for me, because it's run by a mom in Quebec, sourcing pottery, toys, and baskets made by Tunisian artisans. Brad and I first met while travelling in North Africa and have sense returned several times, so to find a local business supporting other North African small businesses was a treat! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAODCU524kNGGwL-4vfov2XPtJ0zy_B9jOTEOCdGmjUpC7kVFktOcXk0wWmLlT278v6ZIMKzGNOvcV6Cz5L4X0lChH6SWgv5cADPm3ofKarh1GvDBkxdQL1tZDpqhVuv4qGptpjBDdTIcU/s1350/IMG_20210312_123024_613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAODCU524kNGGwL-4vfov2XPtJ0zy_B9jOTEOCdGmjUpC7kVFktOcXk0wWmLlT278v6ZIMKzGNOvcV6Cz5L4X0lChH6SWgv5cADPm3ofKarh1GvDBkxdQL1tZDpqhVuv4qGptpjBDdTIcU/w512-h640/IMG_20210312_123024_613.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I was gifted a lovely large basket which I use to store EVERYTHING - towels, toilet paper, books, toys, stuffed animals, groceries, things to be donated to the charity shop... it's perfect for all the things! I was also gifted two ceramic bowls which I use for salt and freshly ground pepper and always keep by my stove. I've always had this practice but the bowls I was using before weren't nearly as lovely, so I was glad to donate them and replace them with my Argile et Osier ones. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjus8B7d_avx5cd7YmfrunNc48yhXJKmMnXH_XYJxXchqo_-g_OrHbFLobvw1IXdLBBEr-6tiGzl2Cabpo1lbGRtS1678Jrw1KpZDbFmoIugL2xuVuvbdvMj7fYZacJr48BQL0IfnYv55ID/s2048/IMG_20210204_115439_100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjus8B7d_avx5cd7YmfrunNc48yhXJKmMnXH_XYJxXchqo_-g_OrHbFLobvw1IXdLBBEr-6tiGzl2Cabpo1lbGRtS1678Jrw1KpZDbFmoIugL2xuVuvbdvMj7fYZacJr48BQL0IfnYv55ID/w640-h480/IMG_20210204_115439_100.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/ArgileetOsier" target="_blank">Argile et Osier</a> has some really lovely things and they're lifting up artisans in Tunisia so I'm glad to support them! </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;">This post was written in Collaboration with <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/ArgileetOsier" target="_blank">Argile et Osier</a></div><div style="text-align: right;">All opinions were 100% my own. </div><div style="text-align: right;">To book a collab, contact me!</div><div><br /></div></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-30871861757338529162021-03-13T17:45:00.000-05:002021-03-13T17:45:03.329-05:00A Kitchen First for me - Real Donuts!This month I tried something for the first time and I'm not exaggerating when I say it has changed our weekends. REAL DONUTS. I'm fairly comfortable in the kitchen, but deep frying and yeasted donuts felt like the final frontier. The idea of heating oil, keeping it at a steady temperature, making the perfect yeasted donut dough, figuring out how to shape them without buying a separate tool, and not burning myself in the process felt impossible. <div><br /></div><div>I own a donut pan and have made dozens of variations of cake donuts, but at the end of the day those are really just muffins or cake in the shape of a donut. They're not the donuts I happily pay $4 each for from local bakeries, nor the ones I crave on a regular basis. When my friend Aimee shared <a href="https://simplebites.net/the-best-doughnut-recipe/" target="_blank">her recipe for yeasted, fried donuts</a>, and she promised it was easier than we thought, she was right. And the best part is, a batch of probably 30 donuts (and donut holes, aka Timbits IYKYK) cost around $4, the price of one gourmet donut here in Montreal. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2H5eIawx7tPy0KMc-YXnRNVfOtSfrkw6sm2W-ofSard9sU6DGjK3hyX7PryAFJgOCPyg1HMwpq_azgS-1wvpi7SPBMS8Q4WgoOcOlLYOgIJKpb-lH5ZFJNjcv9FHwKkg712QPkRnaVNaU/s3456/IMG_20210313_092225_618.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="2765" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2H5eIawx7tPy0KMc-YXnRNVfOtSfrkw6sm2W-ofSard9sU6DGjK3hyX7PryAFJgOCPyg1HMwpq_azgS-1wvpi7SPBMS8Q4WgoOcOlLYOgIJKpb-lH5ZFJNjcv9FHwKkg712QPkRnaVNaU/w512-h640/IMG_20210313_092225_618.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div>After making the dough - recipe found <a href="https://simplebites.net/the-best-doughnut-recipe/" target="_blank">here</a> - I shaped the donuts with a large biscuit cutter and a much smaller biscuit cutter (they came in a set) which I already had. You could also use a large glass to cut the donuts and forego the holes if you wanted, or you could buy an actual donut cutter. I try not to have single-use tools in the kitchen, but go for it! </div><div><br /></div><div>Then, I fried half the batch in my Dutch oven which was filled with <u>6 cups of vegetable oil, heated to 350 degrees</u>. I froze the second half (15 donuts) for another weekend and saved the 6 cups of oil in the Dutch oven all week. I just put the lid on it and put it on the corner of the stove I never use (why do we all have these!?) </div><div><br /></div><div>The next weekend all I had to do was take out the frozen donuts, let them come to room temp (about an hour), and fry them. Much less labour-intensive than the week before! See how much they puff up once they've been fried!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDo0QELI5QLkywFTRs2S6-hu2yBHhL1y1QmkFpclQFIxxstpMmN7_FaYxYTaGJuSR155vrEJXmWOglirpe7jZiRcpcW008FnfTOdvoHcfNRC1CKIcA68nndVydWHkLuuUP9u3Wwil75MrV/s3463/IMG_20210313_092313_057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3463" data-original-width="2770" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDo0QELI5QLkywFTRs2S6-hu2yBHhL1y1QmkFpclQFIxxstpMmN7_FaYxYTaGJuSR155vrEJXmWOglirpe7jZiRcpcW008FnfTOdvoHcfNRC1CKIcA68nndVydWHkLuuUP9u3Wwil75MrV/w512-h640/IMG_20210313_092313_057.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The glaze is my favourite part. You can't go wrong with a simple glaze, I say! I'll be trying other glazes in the weeks to come, but for now we've settled on Clementine and Maple. Both amazing, clementine probably being the favourite. Just whisk together every ingredient and dip the cooled donuts on the glaze. Double dipping is encouraged!</div><div><br /></div><div>Clementine Glaze - juice of 1 clementine + 2 tb heavy cream + 1/2 cup icing sugar </div><div>Maple Glaze - 1 tb maple syrup + 2 tb heavy cream + 1/2 cup icing sugar</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2EnDsq0z7-PsNcp3fHowzbq9ucsuAP3lh5aZ76IXlaG1yZ2r3hONh_TgmrNuGEeKMJhZC95PZ2PK29OK379BylugRCX_SEz6jJutnXLLcBDo5UKgFAJg65eeKtDRrNZ9CxBR5gUsGPIK/s3794/IMG_20210311_110115_019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3794" data-original-width="3036" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2EnDsq0z7-PsNcp3fHowzbq9ucsuAP3lh5aZ76IXlaG1yZ2r3hONh_TgmrNuGEeKMJhZC95PZ2PK29OK379BylugRCX_SEz6jJutnXLLcBDo5UKgFAJg65eeKtDRrNZ9CxBR5gUsGPIK/w512-h640/IMG_20210311_110115_019.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Making my own real donuts feels like such an accomplishment, as deep frying has intimidated me for years! It's much easier than it seems, and I'm so glad I gave it a go. It will save us quite a lot of money, as now I swear I'll never buy donuts out again, and it's just such a delicious treat to welcome the weekend with. Truly, these will be a family staple FOREVER. </div><div><br /></div><div>Moral of the story - try new, scary things in the kitchen (and in life!) and donuts are always a good idea!</div><div><br /></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-65580936087403782322021-03-07T15:18:00.007-05:002021-03-07T15:21:39.435-05:00A Casual Family Photoshoot Last month we met up in an old warehouse for a social-distanced photoshoot with Montreal photographer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/razafi.photo/?hl=fr-ca" target="_blank">Steeve Razaf</a>i and I'm delighted with the results! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwx8K_dnnYIIdbaM6DvfnCpx1dWUBuAcH2yLOUmEiRJqGaWqmr-Jv6wiUjctUzrqhbKQgpOErCGbGW2WEL-NSYoSH_enK16LMC4RMhYRE9Zi9AcMSo4pGJGe4gsgYisExeQe0WQtOZzxBP/s5207/DSC01132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3794" data-original-width="5207" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwx8K_dnnYIIdbaM6DvfnCpx1dWUBuAcH2yLOUmEiRJqGaWqmr-Jv6wiUjctUzrqhbKQgpOErCGbGW2WEL-NSYoSH_enK16LMC4RMhYRE9Zi9AcMSo4pGJGe4gsgYisExeQe0WQtOZzxBP/w640-h466/DSC01132.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbaf3_2ITFFI65mZhWleH4QdZdLiMaOfI6jvCK0qxoqj7Va-JjcPFj8ZWIUu9cljjIi0rqSICav-K_aCYd9OWn2zcOvkk8AwJzr6jTT1mqKn5UWtkiL2wcJc7rBdzmIFC3KQx0VgbjYJ2/s6000/DSC01029.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbaf3_2ITFFI65mZhWleH4QdZdLiMaOfI6jvCK0qxoqj7Va-JjcPFj8ZWIUu9cljjIi0rqSICav-K_aCYd9OWn2zcOvkk8AwJzr6jTT1mqKn5UWtkiL2wcJc7rBdzmIFC3KQx0VgbjYJ2/w640-h426/DSC01029.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSa2qIYNAOt8XWW-fBXYvCqZAvWaKXSrgNNyDPxPDhWvKXkW1ae572AL39Pca8FKQLMJIv7OvaZGGDlhPYdzoX1FknR7SV6Td-AyFufwX0kcik7_nMkNGP5jYTrWFoRTwkRElVshxDdSt/s6000/DSC01041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSa2qIYNAOt8XWW-fBXYvCqZAvWaKXSrgNNyDPxPDhWvKXkW1ae572AL39Pca8FKQLMJIv7OvaZGGDlhPYdzoX1FknR7SV6Td-AyFufwX0kcik7_nMkNGP5jYTrWFoRTwkRElVshxDdSt/w426-h640/DSC01041.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXnczVw7ep9LwwwK-XtqzeRbLnuzLNsz7jGfTHpn6_wmUz2b2NqQRXGV_Z2iVQTRv69pIPWqRqkClt9N3BBLj80wxYW-IliNbJu1_UwMxsZG-OeuJQWwQ2-5j8j6PdFBFqbXfUSuNtKcP/s6000/DSC01061.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXnczVw7ep9LwwwK-XtqzeRbLnuzLNsz7jGfTHpn6_wmUz2b2NqQRXGV_Z2iVQTRv69pIPWqRqkClt9N3BBLj80wxYW-IliNbJu1_UwMxsZG-OeuJQWwQ2-5j8j6PdFBFqbXfUSuNtKcP/w426-h640/DSC01061.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Right away we felt relaxed as he chose some fun music and encouraged us to play, wrestle, cuddle, and dance as if he weren't there. My kids are fairly used to being photographed (#instagrammom alert) but Brad has never felt comfortable in front of a camera, but Razafi's kindness and calm demeanor put us all - even B! - at ease. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PTzzLr4ocu14n7oztKX7RWw5JnrEZrivpHqBOWYxD2PPBQqfEhTShhI89OGflu7bUWYmJQfgbSGHw6vatbwnY-JS38MI4fVvcc7Sl-Nps1IFt-jkxbRPQq9rtwanFfJ8JJatWfym3qIK/s5434/DSC00980.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3623" data-original-width="5434" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PTzzLr4ocu14n7oztKX7RWw5JnrEZrivpHqBOWYxD2PPBQqfEhTShhI89OGflu7bUWYmJQfgbSGHw6vatbwnY-JS38MI4fVvcc7Sl-Nps1IFt-jkxbRPQq9rtwanFfJ8JJatWfym3qIK/w640-h426/DSC00980.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-r6gLxktC8g7RyPSS0bvT1_zK2VMQOia6HeCPZizWIU6HRiCFp58jDFbBOSTCf7iWX4FXDqy1qmzFMRE8Guk8qJYYZwPVqMuiUs1pL5GZ2eFXhcFmxV4OV9YeI6yq-MGLMF0VEOBrHVC0/s6000/DSC00975.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-r6gLxktC8g7RyPSS0bvT1_zK2VMQOia6HeCPZizWIU6HRiCFp58jDFbBOSTCf7iWX4FXDqy1qmzFMRE8Guk8qJYYZwPVqMuiUs1pL5GZ2eFXhcFmxV4OV9YeI6yq-MGLMF0VEOBrHVC0/w426-h640/DSC00975.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0de8ScyZWD_NhOVafvTi_paeA5kMC3mpnR03CWC2YdOmqambArSdjGPmxK-iCSTYqOG7ZA09hBUB2txRi7tWTXggPR7tDB3LdFdOr_PaEmG2s9YQF7z-uRI5jqBuTRHVeYbS_7_BLJC_/s6000/DSC00944.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0de8ScyZWD_NhOVafvTi_paeA5kMC3mpnR03CWC2YdOmqambArSdjGPmxK-iCSTYqOG7ZA09hBUB2txRi7tWTXggPR7tDB3LdFdOr_PaEmG2s9YQF7z-uRI5jqBuTRHVeYbS_7_BLJC_/w640-h426/DSC00944.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSry3rM-baJEAfwigF0QIiMidl8YX3fPM6ivT1o-AryPxvDhosD5F1RhvgNkkGOirmQTzE-3WxVszTUN77l8O6-fGRjomzya7G_tv1q5_kYXwGV1uNds87dORv8eHvhryyDavvGk6s6cE/s6000/DSC00927.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSry3rM-baJEAfwigF0QIiMidl8YX3fPM6ivT1o-AryPxvDhosD5F1RhvgNkkGOirmQTzE-3WxVszTUN77l8O6-fGRjomzya7G_tv1q5_kYXwGV1uNds87dORv8eHvhryyDavvGk6s6cE/w426-h640/DSC00927.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Razafi focuses on casual lifestyle pictures - movement, light, real life. He has such a talent for capturing the personalities of children and those warm moments shared between lovers or families. I'm so grateful to have these pictures and I highly recommend Razafi for your next family photoshoot!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcbx0k5JR2W8RtbwpwGbwHioRNsJdn0ZIDAHSiP6xIidihiCl3LizjPX3YWGOjZQGhLoNHa330r65oZHEhpo7YCOjsBoPPj0bjLkZgGdOpn5WGGqhLMJPuaKzs8n9oEP5_9-J2lHisKrf/s4049/DSC00903.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3998" data-original-width="4049" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcbx0k5JR2W8RtbwpwGbwHioRNsJdn0ZIDAHSiP6xIidihiCl3LizjPX3YWGOjZQGhLoNHa330r65oZHEhpo7YCOjsBoPPj0bjLkZgGdOpn5WGGqhLMJPuaKzs8n9oEP5_9-J2lHisKrf/w640-h632/DSC00903.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9RzrYHwCWEzUEPmkcycNcP_3a4bcIGdA-CGcrSx2S_R-N3bnukU9uPg2sMltH_JlWh4P6D493uQYBakLFC5N-zk-I-n9TiWFiD8vkRyNzjihIKZQYxnAv8ULYf1IlYc4MAd8zLqJd_yo/s6000/DSC01083.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9RzrYHwCWEzUEPmkcycNcP_3a4bcIGdA-CGcrSx2S_R-N3bnukU9uPg2sMltH_JlWh4P6D493uQYBakLFC5N-zk-I-n9TiWFiD8vkRyNzjihIKZQYxnAv8ULYf1IlYc4MAd8zLqJd_yo/w426-h640/DSC01083.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bWDQ057oPmrgJ49MLPlnKiAiux51l17rwa820vjw8IMDYVUdLiT52rQ2M3i7lTyiPxuPewOBOfqjadZl8MtQiZ9QEaITiIh2oGJt02-EB4Gv9uQVIA55raVAjewv8Be-YTu57meZoTZI/s6000/DSC01119.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bWDQ057oPmrgJ49MLPlnKiAiux51l17rwa820vjw8IMDYVUdLiT52rQ2M3i7lTyiPxuPewOBOfqjadZl8MtQiZ9QEaITiIh2oGJt02-EB4Gv9uQVIA55raVAjewv8Be-YTu57meZoTZI/w426-h640/DSC01119.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.steevephoto.com/" target="_blank">Find Steeve at his website</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/razafi.photo/?hl=fr-ca" target="_blank">on Instagram</a>. </div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6463680716547634421.post-10971720553106347722021-02-23T16:33:00.001-05:002021-02-24T17:20:37.403-05:002 Books I Read Every Day (+ the cheapest place to buy them!)Aside from the Bible, there are two books I've read nearly every day for the past several years. They are both devotional in genre, and have been so impactful on my daily life as a Christian woman. I also wanted to share about an online Christian book store I've recently discovered, where these books cost less than on Amazon (!!), for which I also have a <a href="http://i.refs.cc/0AuFWT3s?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo3ODM2OTU1M30%3D" target="_blank">10% off coupon code</a>. Happy day! <div><br /></div><div>The books are <i>Morning and Evening</i> by Charles Spurgeon and <i>Praying Through The Bible for Your Kids</i> by Nancy Gutherie. I have owned these books for years but the versions I had were not the loveliest to look at. I know, these things hardly matter, but as I use them daily and have them on my coffee table year-round, it's a bonus if they are aesthetically pleasing. I found these linen bound hardcovers at <a href="http://i.refs.cc/0AuFWT3s?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo3ODM2OTU1M30%3D" target="_blank">Books for Christ</a>, the only place I'll be buying Christian books from now on. <div>
<div class="linkwithin_div"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuTGdH1OPAs4i-uIZBwjWpZY8kLjhiTFqSHxNIKRfnS0-l-U0v73nGiLx6snJ4qgl6bqjXHaZ0c0j2U-RNiec9WUUhdR0G8JSa2NA04ChgERRyq_hEhdPhvhs0N_q7EjB_7Of1kw5LIHI/s2180/IMG_20210219_083708_265.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2179" data-original-width="2180" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvuTGdH1OPAs4i-uIZBwjWpZY8kLjhiTFqSHxNIKRfnS0-l-U0v73nGiLx6snJ4qgl6bqjXHaZ0c0j2U-RNiec9WUUhdR0G8JSa2NA04ChgERRyq_hEhdPhvhs0N_q7EjB_7Of1kw5LIHI/w640-h640/IMG_20210219_083708_265.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Why these two books? <i>Morning and Evening</i> it written in beautiful language from 19th century British preacher Charles Spurgeon. Twice a day you get a mini sermon from this famed "Prince of Preachers" as he was called. <i>Praying Through the Bible for your Kids</i> includes a daily bible verse, meditation, and then a pointed prayer for you to pray for your child(ren). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Devotional reading is a wonderful addition to daily Bible reading, but it should never replace it - they are, after all, a summery and interpretation of the Bible from a flawed and human author. Yet still, they have helped me understand scriptures and guide my prayer life in these past years so I wanted to share.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i.refs.cc/0AuFWT3s?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo3ODM2OTU1M30%3D" target="_blank">Books for Christ</a> is another resource I'm happy to pass on to you. I heard about them through a friend and was shocked by their prices! Every book I've looked for on Books for Christ was <u>several dollars less than on Amazon</u>! I've always felt a degree of dissonance lining the pockets of Amazon whenever I buy a Christian book, devotional, or Bible. Yet their prices are often hard to resist. Books for Christ is a Christian organization, run by Christians, and fighting poverty with a percentage of the sales, and their prices are less than Amazon! It's hard to believe! I'm so thrilled to have found them! <a href="http://i.refs.cc/0AuFWT3s?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo3ODM2OTU1M30%3D" target="_blank">Use this link for an additional 10% off at Books for Christ</a>, on top of it all. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Head over to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emmorrice/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> today to win a free book from <a href="http://i.refs.cc/0AuFWT3s?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo3ODM2OTU1M30%3D" target="_blank">Books for Christ</a>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">This was written in collaboration with <a href="http://i.refs.cc/0AuFWT3s?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo3ODM2OTU1M30%3D" target="_blank">Books for Christ</a>,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">however I am an independent customer of theirs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">All opinions shared are 100% my own.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">To book a collab, please <a href="mailto:ournestinthecity@gmail.com" target="_blank">contact me</a>.</div></div></div>Emily Morricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06331780147271948152noreply@blogger.com0