Summer in the Six is Coming - Sangria in the Park!

This past Sunday was beautiful in Toronto! It was upwards of 20*, so after church and a great workout at the gym, we made some sangria and headed to the park.

Nic wasn't too happy that I bought this thermos from the grocery store last summer, but now he loves it. We can bring hot coffee on hikes, or delicious sangria to hang out.

Of course I brought my KOBO and colouring book.

Black leather ball cap - eBay
Crop top - H&M
Black maxi skirt - Costa Blanca
Birkenstocks

Allan Gardens with Ryan and Deanna

Yesterday I posted the first half of our time this weekend with Ryan and Deanna. Today I wanted to post some photos of Allan Gardens, which you should absolutely visit if you're in Toronto. It's free, and there are tons of awesome plants. Also, if it's winter, it feels like summer in the greenhouses. That's sweet.

A Sunny Saturday in Toronto with Siblings

Saturday was a beaaauuutiful day! My brother Ryan and sister-in-law Deanna came to visit us, and we didn't even wear coats! We went to Allan Gardens first, then through to Nic's lab, and Kensington Market. A plethora of pictures from Allan Gardens will come out soon.

Nic gave Ryan and Deanna a tour of his lab at UofT, which was cool for them. I'm still only getting an understanding of his Master's, and he's almost done!

We walked through to Kensington Market and looked in a bunch of stores. These pillows are at the Blue Banana Market.

We stopped for drinks at Trinity Common, and my ceasar was perfect.

Dinner at Pho Hung in Chinatown.

Starting To Powerlift - A Recover(ing/ed?) Back Injury

I normally try to post something every weekday, but this month I hadn't worked ahead enough, and then had a six day work week, so on my one day off, I'm going to pump this out.

I slipped a disc in my lumbar spine (L4/L5) several years ago, while lifting canoes by myself. We all know the story- I was lifting more with my back than my legs, thought "oh maybe my back will be sore tomorrow," but when I bent over to pick up a paddle later, I was frozen in pain. I've spent years in and out of physiotherapy, thinking I was getting stronger, then I'd have a relapse.

This is basically the only pose I do in the mirror at the gym:
to see how my quads and hamstrings look  

July 2015: Living with a back injury

In this time, I have gotten very conscious of every little twinge in my body. In a previous post I discuss techniques on how to live with a lower back injury, and I still apply them constantly.
For the past year of weightlifting, I've gone through several different phases of lifting. I've gone heavy, I've been incapacitated on the couch, and I've lifted light for physique purposes. This summer I got a job at a GoodLife Fitness in downtown Toronto, which means I'm surrounded by positive and knowledgeable people who've given me lots of help.

I finally feel like my foundation is strong enough that I can start lifting heavier. If you had told me in October that in February I would be able to squat more than my body weight and not be in pain the next day, I wouldn't have believed you. The first time I squatted my body weight? I cried. Now I'm slowly upping the weight on my final sets, and making sure I'm going to parallel or deeper on my next to last weight. It's incredibly important to maintain form and focus on your body during this: one week I did 155lbs x 3 reps, and the next, 145 felt heavy. Doing injury rehab is incredibly humbling.

Booty gainz!!

I didn't even realize I was "getting into" powerlifting until my husband pointed out that the workout plan I chose on Bodybuilding.com had to do with "starting strength" for powerlifters. The plan, Layne Norton's PH3 for Power and Hypertrophy, focuses on getting stronger in the Big Three. I chose the plan because it gave me enough upper and lower body days, because I really like both.

I love the workout split it gives, I love squatting, deadlifting, and benching so much now, and every day (except for the 2 rest days) I get to do at least one of those. It's crazy the progress I've made on bench press: when I first started, 75 pounds was hard, but my PR today is 130 pounds for 3 reps!

Biggest Advice At the Beginning:

• Keep listening to your body. If you're feeling extra sore, take the day off, don't worry about what your workout plan tells you.
• Make sure you're doing things properly-I thought my bench was fine, but when my co-worker Gary was spotting me, he gave me tips. Basically my elbows were slightly wrong, and once I changed my stance to the powerlifting one (arched back) I had tons more power. Score.
• Don't get discouraged-like I said before, my squat goes up and down, so I can't focus on the number, but the reps are helpful. When you start watching tons of powerlifters on YouTube, don't feel intimidated that their bench is 160 and yours is just over half that. 
• EAT ENOUGH! Bulking is my favourite phase, because it means I get to eat lots. 

Recovery:
A good bath with epsom salts to relax your muscles
Heat pad on the sore area
Rolling out muscles with foam rollers or hard balls (I use a softball, tennis balls just crack under your weight)
Ice on spots right after a workout
30-60 minutes of yoga the next day

Traps for days

I can't wait to see what progress I'm going to make while I do this program!

A Sephora Haul

Last week I went into the Yorkdale Sephora to pick up samples of foundations since I'm almost out of my Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Foundation. I knew that I wanted to get foundation from a brand that doesn't do testing on animals, is good for sensitive skin, and preferably vegan.

Nancy, who works for Tarte, helped me out. We tested the Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation and the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour full coverage foundation. I wore the Cover FX foundation for the rest of that day, and then used my sample on Friday. I decided I liked the Tarte foundation more. Also, Nancy was really great, and I had fun with her.

Why did I order it online? Because Sephora has coupons online for extra things-in addition to the foundation, I got some point perks, 3 samples (they threw an extra one in), and a lip gloss for having spent $25+.  

The Estee edit by Estee Lauder - Dissolve the Drama 2-in-1 makeup remover + cleanser
tarte Amazonian clay 12-hour full coverage foundation in "light-medium sand"
First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads 
laura mercier lip glace in "bare baby"
Dr. Dennis Gross alpha beta peel original formula
bareMinerals marvelous Moxie lip gloss  in "rebel" 
Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-crease eye shadow primer 
Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm

Swatchessss!!
bareMinerals "Rebel"
Laura Mercier "Bare baby"
On my nails: Essie "Turquoise and Caicos"

For the lip glosses, I had kinda hoped that with the $25 coupon I would have gotten a choice on colour, because I want to try a more brown-y pink lip gloss, but that's fine. I'll just go to the drugstore and find something.

tarte "light-medium sand" - I'm not sure if in the store they had one that was separate for "light sand" because Nancy said I was the lightest colour. I think this one is dark enough that it'll still work for me a while into summer, but it says 12 months use-by on the back.

Check back here at the end of the month to see if any of them make it into my favourites!

Spring Afternoon and Sorry Coffee Co.

Wednesday afternoon I went to the ROM to use my free membership again. I checked out both Canadian exhibits, which I hadn't seen before. It's really nice to be able to hang out in the museum while there aren't tons of people and see everything at my own pace.

This is Momency Falls outside of Quebec City, one of my favourite places. It's so gorgeous there!

Nic and I met up at Sorry Coffee Co. in Yorkville. No, they don't have an Instagram, but you can see tons of everyone else's photos. The place was much smaller than I had expected, but luckily it was almost warm enough so Nic and I drank our coffees outside.

Of course I loved all the copper, geometric shapes, and the marble.

Beautiful latte art! Nic's cappuccino was good, and I liked my latte.

Every so often they change up the design of their cups, which they hand-stamp.

Loving the spring weather!

What I Read in March #whatjanessareads (18 Books)

For the last day of the month, what else would I post than what I read?
I got through several more of the Canada Reads books (including the one that won!) as well as some more relaxing ones. As usual, most of my reading was on my KOBO, so the picture is pretty barren.

Check out my Goodreads 2016 challenge here! I'm waayyy ahead of the 100 I pledged to read. Nice.
What I read in February
What I read in January
What I read in 2015 (200 books in one year)

Not sure what to read? The Novel Cure gives you suggestions based on your mood. Homesick? Travelling on a train? They've got you covered.

My Top 3 Books in March:
"Mr. Churchill's Secretary"
"Jesus Feminist"
"The Heart Goes Last"

"The Ultimate Guide to Homesteading: An Encyclopedia of Independent Living" Nicole Faires
I bought this book several years ago while I was working at camp. It teaches so many insane things: how to deliver calfs (and even human babies), how to check your soil, making soap, hunting... It knows everything. After many years of perusing, I have finally finished it. I'm very excited to use the gardening section this summer with my friends in our "community" garden.

"Mr. Churchill's Secretary" Susan Elia Macneal 
During WWII, Maggie who is a British and American citizen, moves to England to sell her grandmother's house. She happens to be a math genius who has to defer her PhD at MIT for a year because of it. She ends up working as a secretary for Mr. Churchill, the new Prime Minister. Maggie gets involved in some IRA and Nazi conspiracies as well as a murder or two. Seriously great book, the whole time I had no idea what would happen.

Leviticus NIV
Probably one of the most boring reads in the Bible, but at the very last chapter in my student NIV Bible from Zondervan, it explained that God was giving them laws so that they could reclaim the identity as his chosen people. The Israelites had been slaves of Egypt for 400 years, so they now needed their own identity. When you think about it that way, it's kinda cool. It also shows God caring about every aspect of their lives.

"All the Broken Things" Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer
One of the Canada Reads books for 2016. Probably my second favourite of the 7/15 I've read so far. It's a super weird story: Bo is a refugee from Vietnam during/after the Vietnam War with his mom and sister who has been severely affected by Agent Orange (chemical warfare used on Vietnam). He ends up being a bear wrestler for various fairs in Ontario.

"Life-Changing Magic: A Journal: Spark Joy Every Day" Marie Kondo
So many YouTubers read Marie Kondo's book and said it was the best thing that happened to them. Since I'm a hoarder and not too neat, I figured I'd check it out. Her basic concept is to reduce your personal items, and then find places for everything. For each item, it needs to "spark joy," otherwise you can't keep it. While I won't be getting rid of everything, I did take some of the ideas to heart and am in the process of sorting through everything.

"The Readaholics and the Falcon Fiasco" Laura DiSilverio
New mystery series focused on a mystery book club. The main character is a party planner who is hired to plan her ex-boyfriend's wedding, and one of her friends gets murdered. It was alright.

"The Outside Circle: A Graphic Novel" Patti Laboucane-Benson
The one graphic novel in Canada Reads. It discusses issues faced by a young Aboriginal man in Alberta. It's pretty upsetting at times when they include stats of abuse and violence, but don't worry, it has a semi-happy ending. Very dark.

"Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible's View of Women" Sarah Bessey
I tried to read this once before and the library reservation ended, so I didn't get to read it. This is a phenomenal book which details why Sarah is a feminist (because Jesus was one, and she is a Christian) and how we should be feminists if we are Christian. She has lots of really great interpretations of the Bible.

"The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" Alan Bradley
This book is pretty funny. Flavia is a young girl in the 1950s who comes across a murdered man in her garden. She is a very advanced chemist, sassy, and somehow solves the mystery. I'm excited to read more of the series.

Gospel of Matthew - NIV
Reading Leviticus was divided up through Matthew, which was a good way to handle the depressing rules in Leviticus.

"The Illegal" Lawrence Hill
This book won Canada Reads. I still like "Station Eleven" and "All the Broken Things" more, but I'll have to watch the debates to see why the book won. It's set present time and follows a boy from the made-up country of Zantoroland. He becomes a marathon runner to escape the political danger in his country, and ends up having to hide from authorities in the Freedom State, which represents any democratic country.

"The Martian" Andy Weir
I loved the movie, which I watched in theaters. Somehow the movie followed the book exactly, so I didn't actually enjoy it that much. Especially the math. Anyway, the book is about Mark Watney, who gets marooned on Mars, his attempts to survive life on Mars, and NASA's attempts to recover him.

"The Pirate's Wish" Cassandra Rose Clarke
Still a really weird series. Ananna the pirate and Naji the assassin are still trying to break the Unbreakable curse that has linked them together. They travel to mythical islands and meet some royalty. I had kind of expected there to be a third book, but it just ended. It was fine.

"Landing Gear" Kate Pullinger
This book confused me. Another of the Canada Reads books. Basically the book follows the crazy intertwinings of characters following the volcanic eruption in 2010. There were some crazy moments but it wasn't the most interesting.

"Murphy's Law" Rhys Bowen
First in a series about Molly Murphy who escapes from Ireland to America after committing defensive murder of her attempted rapist. She ends up posing as the mother of two kids who are going over to America since the mother is sick and wouldn't be allowed past Ellis Island. While they're on the island, a man she argues with on the boat is murdered. Molly goes badass on us.

"Dead and Gone" Charlaine Harris
Number 9 in True Blood. The werewolves and other shifters "come out" on television. Of course, this causes even more upset. Sookie's pregnant sister-in-law is murdered and strung up on a cross. Is it just regular murder? Or a hate crime?

"Sweetland" Michael Crummey
The most boring Canada Reads book I've read so far. Basically Sweetland lives on an island off Newfoundland that the government is trying to empty. They're paying off everyone to leave the island. Everyone agrees except old Sweetland, who tries to fake his own death and stay there.

"The Heart Goes Last" Margaret Atwood
Love Atwood. In this post-modern book, Charmaine and Stan agree to be a part of a social experiment where half their time they live in a perfect town and have jobs, and the other half they are in jail. Obviously, it's weird. Stan falls in love with the elusive woman who lives in his apartment while he is in jail. That's a problem.

March Favourites

Another month has finished, so it's time for my favourites! Keep reading to find out what I put on my face, ate, and did during March. 

I don't change up my products that frequently (since I don't have that many) but I'm definitely feeling the spring vibes with these ones!

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer - I got this bronzer in a LuxeBox a while ago, and haven't stopped loving it since then. I love that it smells like chocolate, but it also blends really well into my face. The colour is really good for me, it doesn't look muddy or anything, and contours well.

Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer - I've loved this primer for the whole year that I've been using it. Paired with their long-wearing foundation it feels very silicon-y, but recently I've just been wearing BB cream and this keeps it put even during a workout.

Joe Fresh Matte Sheer Tint - I featured this in last month's favourites as well, but I couldn't help myself. I often work out before my shift at the gym, so I don't want to bother with re-applying makeup: with the primer, this lasts really well, and isn't too matte for my dry skin.

Bausch & Lomb Bio True contact solution - When I first got my contacts in December, I went for the lens solution that had the most interesting packaging in Shoppers. Yup. Turns out I really like the product! I bought a small bottle at the start, and now I keep that one for when I'm travelling, and a big one for home use. I have pretty sensitive eyes but this works very well for me.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette - This is my only real palette for eye shadows (I have Naked Basics and a Clinique quad) and I don't feel the need to buy another (although the Loreal Nudes and the Nyx palettes look so cute for their price!) which is great considering how many Beauty YouTubers I watch. It's such a great collection of colours, and there are so many different combinations you can make.

Morgan Taylor nail polish in "Eye Candy" - I received this in my Spring LuxeBox, and LOVE it. I got so many compliments on it all March, and am already sad that I put on a different colour for today.

Ombrelle Face Ultra Fluid SPF 30 - You should wear sunscreen every day! This one is a great mattefying primer, too!

The Body Shop Nutriganics Drops of Youth serum - This was one of those products I got tricked into buying when I needed another product to get stuff free at the store, and it turns out that it's really good for me.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in "Bad to the Bronze" - My basic eye look is this eye shadow and maybe some eyeliner. Perfect.

Nyx Butter Gloss in "Eclair" - I wasn't sold on this colour when I first got it in an Ipsy bag a couple years ago (wait, is it expired by now?), but now I love it.

I absolutely love my agenda from Ban.do. The colours are gorgeous, the spaces are just right, and who doesn't love their beautiful floral cover?

I also picked up "Tropical World: A Cloring Book Adventure" by Millie Marotta, which is a lot more fun than my previous colouring book, because I have lots of freedom with it.

My Hubmar AromaSens Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Nebulizer is fantastic.

Lots and lots of paska. What is paska? It's a Russian Mennonite/Ukrainian Easter bread, it's eggy and citrusy, and we put icing on it. Breakfast, lunch, dessert, pre-workout, it's great for everything. Check out the recipe that Nic used, on Mennonite Girls Can Cook. 

Like I said before, Nic and I have enjoyed using our new colouring book. It's pretty fun to sit side-by-side and do it.

On Easter, one of the boys in youth brought his adorrrable bunny, Flopsy. Mom and I were so excited to hold her! 

My favourite DIY of the month, these cool marble Easter eggs!