June 2015 Favourites

Sunshine is surely on it's way and with this hope I say farewell to June and Hello to July. This past month was a busy one and I found myself venturing into the Youtube world and debuted my very first video.

I enjoy watching "favourite" videos, so I figured I'd give it a try myself. It's a little mix of beauty, lifestyle and skincare. I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup lately so my favourites are surrounded by my basic necessities.

I hope you enjoy, and I want to wish my fellow Canadians a Happy Canada Day. 

Let me know what you favoured this past month and leave some suggestions for further videos.

Erin.

Summer Solstice weekend ~ 2015

It's known that June doesn't always bring about the nicest weather and 2015 is no exception here in the Maritimes. I feel like we are stuck in April/May with the cooler temperatures and rainy skies, but this past weekend the sun decided to make a nice warm appearance and Adam, Oliver and I, took advantage of the vitamin D.

We had planned on walking to the Farmers market, but ended up sitting on our deck and enjoying the rays while sipping on some fresh brew (coffee in Adam's case, and tea in mine). By the time we ventured out it was roughly 10am and decided to grab some grub and take a little hike along a trail in Stratford.

We did our "walk around" of the market, picked up some bacon/sausages for Adam and I decided on a veggie burrito (which was yummy). We stood outside and listened to some acoustic music before heading over to the trail. The atmosphere at a farmers market always brings a smile to my face. Although there are not a lot of fruits and vegetables being sold at the moment, I love witnessing the artisans and their crafts. There is such a wide range of creativity, from food, drink, art, music etc ... and each has its own unique appeal. *Below is a snidbit of the relaxed ambience.

Our venture to the trail was short lived! Oliver turned 4 earlier this month, and Adam and I continuously say that ever since he was about 3 1/2 he has really become obedient. We've never really had any issue with him in the past, but these last 6 months he can be walked without a leash and listens so well when outside. This behaviour has caused us to spend a lot more time outside jogging, playing fetch and putting around the yard. So needless to say he roamed freely on the trail. As soon as we arrived we were greeted by another dog and Oliver was off playing chase. No more than 3 minutes goes by and I can see Oliver 25 feet away, wading in a HUGE mud puddle. No amount of calling his name was bring him out of the black hole. While Adam and I tried our damnedest to lure Oliver out of the puddle, we were caught swearing and slapping the abundance of mosquitos itching to suck all our blood. Right then and there Adam and I knew this wasn't a good idea (all this rain causes mud puddles and insects prowling for fresh blood). We wanted to turn around but had one filthy dog on our hands, so we ran down the trial to a small river and with no hesitation Oliver went for a dip. 

(The water was clear before our boy entered!!!)

Oliver LOVES the water.

Our friends the Condon's live near the trail and we couldn't drive by without stopping in to see their new puppy, Coco. She is a Shorkie (Shih tzu/ Yorkie mix) and might weight 1.5 lbs. She was adorable and Adam and I fought on who was going to hold her. 

 Cuteness overload



After spending some quality time outside with Coco ... oh and our friends, Oliver had dried off some and it was time to head to the beach. We dropped Oliver off at home, picked up our buddy Ian and took off to Brackley Beach. It was a quick visit but fun none the less. We dipped our toes in the water, relaxed, played some Frisbee and Ian did a water colour painting.

On our way back to town we stopped at Jewell's Country Market and grabbed some ice-cream. We viewed their garden centre then enjoyed our treat outside while feeding the goats. 

Look at that fudge 

Later in the evening we decided we would go out for an early father's day supper (Adam is Ollie's daddy, right?!?) I'd heard some great things about Famous Peppers and it did not disappoint. We opted to eat in because the smell of the pizza was too tempting and we couldn't wait to take it home. It was so delicious, we pretty much ate in silence! 

My roasted red pepper pizza.

First bite .... actually it was my 4th. Couldn't wait to take the picture. 

Fun menu. Adam had the barbecue chicken pizza. 

It was a fun filled weekend shared with my boys. We were all pretty tired come bedtime but Adam and I managed to watch an episode of OITNB (Orange Is The New Black). 

Me fighting to stay awake...

Ollie just couldn't last!

I hope you all enjoyed the past weekend and are gearing up for Canada/ Independence Day celebrations.
Do you have anything planned?
We have friends visiting the city and will be camping with our "crew" later in the week.
 ** Crossing fingers for sun in July!!!


Cheers,
Erin 

Empties- Products I've used up

One of my goals for 2015 was to use up the products I had and really evaluate whether or not I'd repurchase them again. Besides house hold items I'm not sure I've EVER actually finished a product!!! How ridiculous is that?  I mean I know I'm not alone when I say I own more then one of a lot of things (candles, creams, mascaras, lip glosses, face cleansers etc). But I'm serious, I don't remember ever finishing beauty related products before they either expire or dry up. Sometimes I get so caught up in loving the product so much that I don't want to use it and end up having to get rid of it for the following reasons. Does this happen to anyone else ??? Please tell me I'm not alone with this irrational thinking. 
Well ... this is the beginning, I've vowed to start using what I have weather I love it or not. So here is a review of my "empties" bin.

1. 3D Crest Whitestrips Adam gave me these in my stocking for Christmas about a year ago. I enjoyed them as they tend to whiten my teeth pretty fast. If I use them two days in a row I achieve the whiteness I'm looking for so they lasted me quite some time. However, I probably wouldn't buy them again because of the price. They are roughly $35.00, and honestly I can receive the same effects by flossing and brushing my teeth 3 times a day. 

2. 3D Crest toothpaste. This one is a goodie, I've used it time and time again and usually pay less than the $3.99 price tag. I'm a fan on the flavour and the product polishes my smile. 

3. Colgate total toothpaste. Take it or leave it. I didn't mind this toothpaste, but my husband hated it. He is big on flavour and said this left his mouth feeling numb. Probably not going to repurchase as it is pricy.

4. Clear Care contact solution. I strayed from this contact solution, and I payed for it. Although it is expensive it certainly does the trick. When I wasn't using it my contacts were not getting cleaned, they always seemed foggy. When I went back my eyes and sight really improved. It is a pain that it takes 7+ hours for the solution to do the job, but it has encouraged me to wear my glasses more, which in turn saves my eyes from all the contact wearing. It is a must have and I've converted some family and friends too. 

5. Bath and Body Works foam soap. This was a nice fragrance and for the price it was worth the buy, but I think I need a break from B&BW. They retail for approx $5.50 but you can always find coupons for much cheaper. They are a great deal when you purchase more than one and at the time it sounds great, but then you are stuck with a ton of soaps and I'm so over these fragrances. I know I will eventually go back to them, but the novelty of Bath and Body Works has worn off for me. I think in the near future I'll be looking for something a bit more natural and simple smelling. 

6. Methond Dish soap. I'm not going to lie, I HATED this. The smell was totally different when I added it to the water and it didn't foam or bubble at all. I was beyond disappointed because I like other products from Method and thought this was a fun concept, but the results were painful. I ended up adding it with other dish soap, just so I didn't waste it. I'm glad it is out of my kitchen!

7. Up and Up makeup remover cleansing towelettes. This is a holy grail product for me. I love these makeup wipes. I find them highly efficient (mind you I don't wear a lot of makeup). The price point is perfect, roughly $3.00 for 30 wipes. The saddest thing is that they are from Target and well we all know where that story ends! I stocked up when they were closing and got them for $2.00. I don't always rely on them to clean my face but lets be honest, some nights I'm to lazy to wash my face and these do the trick of cleaning off my makeup, while adding in a little exfoliation. 

8. Montagne Jeunesse face mask. Funny store about this face mask, I used it while in the bath one night and after application, waiting/relaxing, then removing I was presently surprised with how moisturized my face felt. I thought "well damn, that was $2.00 well spent". I woke up the next morning and my skin still felt amazing, so much so that I did nothing with it, no moisturizer was needed. Well, since these packets usually last me 3 uses, a few days later I went to use it again and to my surprise it was a "two parter". The top portion was a moisturizer, and the bottom part the actually mask. Opps, so here I was relaxing with a thick goopy moisturizer on my face, no wonder my face felt so wonderful! Needless to say I got different results when I actually used the mask. They are a little inexpensive treat that works. The smell, with any of these masks, are wonderful. They are true to the descriptions on the packets, and in this case I had raspberry and blueberry. You can't beat the price and again I get multiple uses out of each mask, so that is a win-win. 

9. Konjac Cleansing Sponge with deep hydrating clay. I've spoken about my fondness for the Boscia konjac sponges here and here. I will repurchase and will probably buy to give as birthday presents... will it be you? 

Comment if you think this is a good present to give as part of a b-day gift.

10. Proactive cleanser. I don't really have any issues with my skin, but I wanted something that exfoliated by face while I washed it and came across a vending machine in the mall that carried Proactive (odd I know). I have had this product for probably close to two years and when I'm in the need for a good scrub I would turn to this. I will probably repurchase in the future, in the meantime I have a good 12 facial cleaners to finish first!!!!!!!! 

Embarrassing I know!

10. Hope in a jar. This has been my moisturizer of choice for a number of years now. I still have a 4 oz on the go and use this product all year around. I find I get enough moisture from it in the Atlantic Canadian winters and in the summer, it doesn't make my face sweat which I appreciate. However, as much as I enjoy this, I'm starting to venture out in "sample sizes" (because I still have a lot left) of moisturizes that provide me with some SPF coverage. 

11. Sephora super nourishing lip balm. Big fan, I own a few of these and this is the first one I ever finished. It must run in the family because my aunt and cousin enjoy them too. Shout out to Leyland and Kelli!!! It provides me some great moisture which my lips are always in need of. I'll repurchase again and again. 

12. Laura Ashley candle. This was a three wick candle and I was happy with the scent payoff. I found this at Winners for approximately $8.00. I had it light in our washroom and enjoyed it while relaxing in the bath (while applying heaps of moisturizer to my face, haha). 

13. Balea exfoliating face wipes. These are a good alternative to the Up and Up ones that I like. I appreciate the exfoliating factor but they don't remove my makeup like the others do. I only purchase these when they are on sale as they run a bit steep for the quality. In a crunch I would repurchase. 

14. The little black bottle is actually a sample size of Aveda's Rosemary Mint body wash. I got a number of these as well as their shampoo and conditioner this past summer while vacationing at the Algonquin Resort in St. Andrews, NB. Anything by Aveda makes me drool. I LOVE the freshness of their products. 

15. Philosophy bath and shower gel in ginger berry frost. I got this in  kit of 3 about two Christmas' ago. I like the bath and shower gels by Philosophy. I would repurchase these again, just not this scent. There was nothing wrong with it, I just prefer others . One thing Philosophy does right, is that they "nail" their scent right on the head. I'm a big fan of their products and every so often I splurge on their fragrances and bath and shower gels. 

Well there is the first round of products I've finished up this year. Am I the only one who has a hard time finishing things? What about not wanting to use a product because you love it to much? Ha ha it sounds so silly but it happens all the time!

Do you have any recommendations besides Bath and Body Works for a good hand soap? I prefer the dispensing kind oppose to a bar. And what about makeup removing towelettes?

I will continue to use up the copious amounts of "products" I own and share them on here.

Thanks for stopping by!

xo ATEL (all things erin leigh)

20 facts about me ~ Erin Leigh

I was tagged by Holly from Hollys house wife life to post 20 facts about myself. These things always sound easy... lets see what I come up with.

1. I kept my maiden name but also added my husbands, so now I'm a Reid Terrio. I didn't want to say goodbye to Reid but was thrilled at becoming a Terrio so I opted for both and I love it because it's unique. 

2. I'm a cardigan/sweater lover! You could easily find 12-15 in my closet for each season. (I roughly own about 40 altogether)

  

3. I'm 6'1

4. I played basketball for 18 years. I've also coached and played provincially and in University. 

5. I get jealous when people get braces because I've always wanted them. Thing is, I have perfect teeth.

6. I'm terrified to watch Planet Earth. It is just way to scary for my liking.

7. I'm 32 and I've never owned a foundation.

8. I have size 12 feet. Styling them is quite the task!

9. I smile and laugh all the time. I often start crying because I'm brought to tears from laughter.

10. I love working out and although I enjoy lifting weights over cardio, spin class is one of my favourite forms of exercise. Helps that my spin instructor is CUTE !!!

11. Our dog Oliver is a true mix of both Adam and I ( sweet, energetic, kind with a little naughty streak). He is our world and fills our hearts with so much joy.

12. I'm a vegetarian

13. I've always lived by the water and always will (Saint John, Vancouver, Halifax and now Charlottetown)

14. If I could be anything, I'd be a mermaid.

15. Adam and I have been together 9 years and married for 1.5

16. Water is my favourite drink ever. I'm a cheap date. 

17. Once while plucking my eyebrows I accidentally plucked my eyelashes. It sucked and hurt. 

18. I say "girl" cheese sandwiches and "bomb" fires. Don't correct me because I'm not changing. 

19. Last year I found out that there were no boy cows ... they are bulls. Who knew?

20. I admire my husbands creativity. He makes drawing and animation look so easy.

Alright, that wasn't so bad. Please tell me I'm not the only one that didn't know about boy cows?!?

Have you ever had a plucking mistake?

Anyone else have size 12's? Where do you shoe shop?

Another fact... I'm always cold so the sweaters come in handy!

5 Things to do/try/buy ~ Jessica McPherson

For pretty much as long as I can remember Jessica has been my next door neighbour. When I was maybe 9 or 10 I would beg my parents and Jessica's, asking if I could babysit her. Obviously, I wasn't old enough but I was allowed to walk her in our driveways( lame... come on this was the early 90's, no one was after us). I'm 8 years older than Jess and she has always been the little sister I never had. Growing up and still to this day our parents are the best of friends and our families are always doing things together. Cocktails on the deck, vacations, sleepovers, board games (even cards against humanity!), cottage living, sports games, more drinking, lots of eating, camp fires, laughs, yelling (across yards), building things, supporting one another, teasing, climbing trees, dancing in the rain, parties and the list goes on. Over the span of 30 years the Reid/McPherson clan has become one and Jess has always been my lil sis.

Sit down, relax and enjoy Jessica's "5 Things to do/try/buy" suggestions.

1. NAKED palettes by Urban Decay. I absolutely swear by these make-up palettes especially the one I recently purchased: NAKED On The Run. It includes several eye shadows, a mascara, an eyeliner, bronzer, blush and one of the best lip glosses I have ever had. A couple of brushes and a concealer and this is all you need for the perfect natural look.

2. Local Farmer's Market. I currently live in Fredericton, New Brunswick where were are lucky enough to have a great local market with plenty of vendors and delicious food. I love going to the market for several reasons. 1. You get to support local farmers/bakers/artisans 2. It makes a great date whether it is with your significant other or a friend 3. You have to keep going back because believe me you will not be able to eat everything you want in one trip.

3. New Recipes. I love cooking and being able to try new foods, so I really try to push myself to try new recipes at least a couple times a month. It is so easy to get in to the habit of making the same old recipes you know by heart but food is not suppose to be boring even when it comes to healthy eating! You can still explore with food and create delicious meals without having to splurge. So, bring up the Pinterest board with all the recipes that you have never tried and actually make something new and exciting like this bacon, leek and mushroom risotto I made last week!

4. Milkshake Hair Products. I started using these products thanks to my hairdresser and could not live without them now. I have very long hair that is a nightmare to untangle after it's washed but with the Milkshake Leave in conditioner I have my hair brushed out in no time. You may have to talk to a hairstylist to order them for you or go in to a salon to get the products but believe me the effort is worth it. Did I mention they smell amazing!!!

5. Records. My boyfriend got this fancy record player for Christmas and at the time I was not overly interested in but now it has become something we both really enjoy. There is something special about being able to spend an afternoon looking for finds at an old record store and coming home to play it for the first time. Of course now I have this entire plan in my head about having a whole room full of records down the road but hey what's a few more hours at the record store, right? Plus it just made finding great gifts for him a whole lot easier!

~ Oh Man ... those are great recommendations. I can certainly attest to the milkshakes products! Shout out to Julie our hairdresser. And Jess is not lying about the smell, it is delightful and guaranteed to "bring the boys to your yard!".
I love Farmer's markets and the Fredericton area is blessed to have such wonderful vendors. It is always a treat when in the area to stop by to grab some grub and buy fresh produce for the week.
Adam and I have been listen to vinyl records for years. I love crackle and hiss sound as the needle drops, admiring the jacket and embracing the lyrics as if it were my own.  There is something special about vinyl that draws you in and allows you to create memorable experiences.
Everything old is new again.

Friday Favourites ~ March 27th

It's that time of week again... The weather is definitely warming up and the time I spent outdoors over the last few days is refreshing. Knowing the snow is melting is a relief but it's the increase in temperature that I love to feel. We still have huge amounts of snow, but on Wednesday I opened my windows and left them open for a good part of the day. Spring is on her way!

Leg warmers/ handmade socks. I can't believe I'm saying leg warmers (total 80's) are a favourite of mine. But in all honesty they are a life saver when I want to go to the gym. I can wear my capris leggings and throw the leg warmers on top and I don't have to put pants on. Sweet. And handmade socks are a must for Atlantic Canadian winters. Thanks mom for learning to knit these beauties !!!

Green leg warmers from Roots, and handmade socks by Momma Reid

Smith's Rosebud Salve Balm. Without a doubt this is by far my favourite lip balm ever. I bought my first tube of this at a place called "the Henhouse" in the Hydrostone Market area of Halifax, 7+ years ago. I usually pick it up at Chapters or Sephora and always have a number of tubes on the go. It is multi purposeful (think diaper rash, burns, cuticle balm) but the feeling and condition it leaves on my lips is powerful. It is definitely the "your lips but way better" product you want to get your hands lips on.

Island Storm Basketball. Adam and I have been taking in a lot of the Storm games and this past Tuesday was an exceptional win. We were down 3-0 in the best of 7 series against the Halifax Rainmen, so it was a "now or never" situation for the Storm. We pulled away the first half and were leading by 19 points. The Rainmen took the third quarter and tired it up (80-80) going into the 4th. I was screaming and clapping so hard that my hands were chapped !!! We were seated behind the Rainmen bench and were cheering against some of their fans so my presence needed to be known. With 2:10 left in the game Halifax had the lead by 7 points. My legs were bouncing and I was starting to loose my voice, but then everything fell into place, the Storm started hitting shots and the Rainmen started fouling. The Island Storm got the win with a 113-105 victory over Halifax. The series is now at 3-1 for the Rainmen and I'm really counting on the Storm to bring the series back to Charlottetown for another game. 

Confederation Trail. Wow, what a gem we have at our doorstep, literally. Just a few streets away, is a portion of the trail that is cleared all year around for snow mobiling, biking, running, you name it. In 1989, when PEI's railway was abandoned, Islanders knew they had something special and unique to expose. The Confederation trail was erected and is Prince Edward Island's portion of the Trans Canada trail. 

              

Oliver enjoying the trail, then taking a break from all the running. 

Song. Birdy- People help the people. Although it is not an original work of Birdy's, her depiction of this song is beautiful. I listen and think: "be kind, you never know the impact you have on others".  

Quote. 

5 Things to do/try/buy ~ April and Chloe Condon

You know when a true friendship is formed right from the initial meeting ... in this case over food ... and you walk away knowing that you just met a great couple and you can't wait to laugh and hang out again ?!?! That is the feeling I got when I first met April and her husband Jason back in December while enjoying some sushi. Prior to meeting the Condon's, for a number of weeks Adam had been telling me that I was going to like April, that we have similar taste and humour but that our laughs were very different. While I tend to laugh a lot, when I really get going you don't really hear my laugh until I'm gasping for air while tears start to run down my face. Well, April has the perfect contagious laugh, its bouncy, animated, bubbly and joyous. Her spirit is lively and I've learned she knows everyone in this town.

Their 10 year old daughter Chloe is the perfect mix of her parents. She is quiet and reserved yet zingy and enthusiastic, especially with her creativity.

Here are April and Chloe's "5 Things to do/try/buy" suggestions.

April Condon

1. Travel. Just thinking about travel helps to improve my mental well-being. On Sunday we were stormed in, yet again, but instead of thinking about what was going on outside I was dreaming about the restaurants we would eat in and the rides we would go on at Walt Disney World in May. This is two months away and it still felt so good to dream about what it was going to be like to be there.

I love everything from short road trips to traveling halfway around the world. As a graphic designer instructor at Holland College I do some traveling with EF Tours. I get to travel with creative people and see artwork that we have studied in person. There is nothing like learning about new cities and artists while sharing that experience with other creative people. In one year from now we will be in Paris and Barcelona on another adventure.

2. Lynda.com. As a graphic design instructor it is very important that I keep up to date on industry related technology. Lynda.com allows me to do just that. I can find answers to problems quickly and share information with my students. It is also great for creative inspiration videos.

3. New to me food. I am a foodie at heart. I love cooking and making things up as I go. I love trying new things at restaurants. We are a small city but we have some great culturally diverse restaurants. Food is such a big part of our social lives too. I enjoy bringing my students treats like honey crisp apples for out local market, making them carrot cake as a treat or trying my hand at a paella.

Last week I was at an event at the Culinary Institute and they passed around this little treat. Figs, bacon, and blue cheese. I would have never made this myself but sweet Jesus it was amazing. Never pass up the opportunity to taste something new to you.

4. Mazda 3. In 1999 my husband and I bought our first car together, a Toyota Tercel. We could only afford to have one extra feature added onto the base model and we choose the CD player instead of the AC because we would use the CD player everyday of the year. We are not car people. We looked at cars as just a means to get us from point A-to-B. That is until 15 years later when we got our second car together.

We did a lot of comparisons and test drives and finally settled on a Mazda 3. I felt like we were catapulted into the future. We now have heated seats, a video camera for reverse, navigation, Bluetooth sync for our phones and ipods, AC and a CD player. It makes driving fun again. I'm so excited that once the weather clears up we plan on taking some much anticipated road trips.

5. Paint. This is something that I have rediscovered in the last two years. I used to paint when I was a student and then when I was working as a graphic designer there was little call for me to paint anything for my clients. I didn't paint for over 10 years. I was going through some difficult personal issues and was looking for a creative outlet. I bought some new paints, brushes and canvases and went to work. I painted for three days and it felt amazing. No client input, no problems to solve, just paint. Time goes very quickly and I love how everything else just melts away. I also started going to some adult art classes in the evening. It's all about trying new mediums and carving out time for you and your own creativity.

Chloe Condon

1.Skating. Skating is all about play and there are no rules. You just skate and have fun with your friends and family.

2. Brain Games (the TV show). It teaches you fun facts about your brain through little games. I like doing the games at home and seeing the reactions of people on the show doing the same things I'm trying to do. It has taught me some cool tricks to show my friends. 

3. Magic tricks/Illusions. Learning tricks is challenging and fun at the same time. I like to impress my friends with my new illusions and watch their reactions.

4. Sleepovers/slumber parties. It's a time when you get to talk to your friends and you get to play fun games. You get to stay up late and wake up and play some more with your friends the next day.

5. Whatever After book series. I love to read. This is one of my favourite fictional chapter book series. It takes a classic fairytale and transports a sister and a brother into the story. They mess up the story line and try to fix it again. 

~ Thank you ladies for the suggestions. April your picks have me longing for road trips and tasty food. Oh and I can't forget the "Grub crawl" we are going on this summer. I'm also going to research some artistic classes in the area. I love the way you recommend "carving out time for your creativity".
And Chloe, you can practise your tricks on me anytime. The "Whatever" series reminds me of the "choose your own adventure" books I use to love reading at the library. Sleepovers are always a good time and I still like them as an adult !!!