Monday, August 12, 2013

Happy 4 Months Jude!

As days turn into nights, weeks into months... slow down, time!

What we've learned this month:

Weighs 14lbs 4oz.
25 inches long.
Extremely vocal {also gets this from me!} babbles A LOT, happy screams too.
Loves his soose and a blankie or bunny for falling asleep.
Likes to eat a lot, still eating every 3-4 hours during the night {in the midst of trying to break this habit}
Can almost roll over from back to tummy and gets very frustrated when he gets stuck.
Loves to smile at you {especially at brunettes ;)}
Eyes are still blue!


Photo by Justine McKnight

Friday, August 9, 2013

It's Friday I'm in Love: Muskoka Vacation

Every summer, my extended McKnight family plans a grand summer vacation. Last year we traveled far and wide to Outer Banks, North Carolina, where we spent a week in a house on the beach and where Phil and I found out we were expecting little Jude. This year we decided to rent a cottage and be closer to home because we have two brand new babies in the family. I love Muskoka. I think it is one of the biggest perks about living in Canada and feel super fortunate we got to spend some time up there.

Unfortunately, our weather was not at all ideal {reoccurring theme this summer} but thankfully the water was surprisingly warm and we were able to enjoy swimming and cliff jumping. The lake was beautiful and serene because it doesn't allow motor boats and you could hike around it's entirety in about 2 hours. We had two small cottages and a cute little beach for the kiddies to play - with 9 kids and counting, their entertainment is crucial! 

We stayed in Limberlost, about 20 minutes outside of Huntsville and I wanted to share some amazing captures my sister-in-laws took and a few of my own {I'm between cameras right now}. I highly recommend this area for anyone looking for a super peaceful vacation {our vacations can never exactly be peaceful with a total of 20 people but a little chaos never hurt anybody - and it's all part of the fun!} 






















Wednesday, August 7, 2013

My Work

I've refreshed my website and wanted to thank anyone who has sent a referral my way - it is truly the highest compliment. I feel like I have so much to learn still within the craft of makeup and am looking to bring more all-natural cosmetic lines into my kit. Specifically for skincare, foundation, concealers and powders. I not only want to make you feel as stunning as you are, but I want to educate my clients more on the ingredients in cosmetics to help them make better choices for their skin and their health. I'm in the midst of trying different brands to see what works best.

Thank you again to all my past clients, friends and family who support my work and believe in my potential - it means the world.


Friday, July 12, 2013

Happy 3 Months Jude!

A quarter-way through his first year already!

What we've learned this month...

He's able to hold a toy! Fun to watch him swat at things.
Slept 7 hours through the night {YAY!}.
Weighs 12lbs 12oz.
Did a very good job getting his first vaccines.
Can sleep through fireworks.
Likes to dance with Mummy.
Tries to grab your face when you give him kisses.
Likes to fall asleep in Child's Pose.

My handsome little man!


Photo by Justine McKnight

Friday, July 5, 2013

It's Friday I'm in Love: Young House Love

SO thankful my sister-in-law introduced me to the wondrous world of Sherry and John Petersik aka the authors of fabulous DIY home reno blog, Young House Love. Not only are these two hilarious and very well-spoken (if I do say so myself) but they have my kind of taste in home decor and I can't stop creeping their lives I mean blog. They also came out with a great little book last fall that contains 243 cheap and creative DIY ideas/solutions for every room in your house. Their blog gets roughly 5 million hits a month and they both manage it full-time now... I'm sure advertising alone is bringing in a nice pay check ;) And it all happened by accident which I love.

They just moved into their third home in Virgina, having already completely renovated two homes prior and I thought I'd share a few of my favs. These are from house number 2 - the one they just sold. I particularly fancy their kitchen and use of colour - check out that yellow door - how fun! And that frame wall is phenomenal. Now remember, these two have no background in interior decorating or renovations and they've managed to do everything on a tight budget... it's amazing what a glue gun and a little imagination can do {just kidding, I'm sure they needed much more than a glue gun but that certainly has always been my tool of choice}.

 If you need some DIY inspiration, be sure to check out their blog!





















All images by John & Sherry Petersik from Young House Love 

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Recipe: Fresh Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt

Happy Canada Day Weekend!

I thought I'd share this yummy new recipe I'm in the midst of making - it's too simple and fresh not to tell you about it. I was looking up some of the whole food blogs Jessica Alba recommends in her book, The Honest Life, and came across 101 Cookbooks {a food blog by Heidi Swanson chronicling different recipes from her collection of cookbooks}. This made-from-scratch frozen yogurt looks divine - homemade, organic, low-fat, naturally sweetened goodness! I wish I could take credit for creating this deliciousness but alas, I cannot. In fact, I'm pretty terrible in the kitchen. It was only a couple weeks ago that I cut myself with a knife 2 days in a row trying to help husband prepare dinner! It was pitiful. I'm very thankful husband likes to cook because we'd be eating pancakes and eggs for dinner. Leave breakfast and dessert to me... less knives involved. 

The recipe is out of a whole foods cookbook called The Sprouted Kitchen by Sara Forte - one I might actually look into getting! I'm making it for a friendly get-together so there's even more pressure that someone aside from myself and husband will be trying it. Fingers crossed I can figure out how to work the ice cream maker I borrowed from my Mom! If you don't have an ice cream maker, it's time you {and I} invest in one ;)


Sprouted Kitchen Fresh Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt


1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup / 240 ml heavy cream

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons / 130 ml brown rice syrup or 1/2 cup of all-natural honey / maple syrup

Scant 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

2 cups / 480 ml whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 ounces good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

Coarsely chop the mint leaves and put them in a saucepan with the cream. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, occasionally stirring and pressing the mint leaves so that they release the oils. As soon as it comes to a simmer, add the brown rice syrup and stir to combine, then turn off the heat. Leave the mixture on the stove top to steep for 30 minutes.

Pour the cream mixture into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the mint leaves. Add the peppermint extract and yogurt to the bowl and whisk to combine. Cover the mixture and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
Churn the yogurt mixture in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions. When the yogurt if finished churning, stir in the chocolate (hs note: alternately, I usually drizzle in just-melted chocolate instead of chopped). Serve immediately (recommended!), or transfer to a covered container and store in the freezer, where it will firm up increasingly over time.
Serves 4-6

Photography by Hugh Forte
Prep time 60 minutes


The Sprouted Kitchen image from here.
Rest of the images from here.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

But Honestly...

I try not to follow too many celebrities on social media because, well for one, I don't personally know them and two, I'm not fond of many. However, Jessica Alba is one that despite her stunning physical appearance, has managed to stay very humble and out of tabloid drama. I respect that. I'm super glad I picked up her recently published book, The Honest Life, which acts as a guide for those wanting to live a life free of toxic chemicals in personal care products, pesticides and GMO's in their food and focus's on how to keep your baby/ies safe from all of it. 

I've literally just begun reading it and already couldn't wait to share a blog post about it.


She also recently co-founded The Honest Company which has developed products (think cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, personal care, and baby care) all natural and honestly free of harsh chemicals and also eco-friendly. She stresses how so many companies who boast a lot of claims about being eco-friendly are in fact "greenwashing" - making it seem like their products are more eco-friendly than they actually are. In other words, "lying". It's so disturbing that even with the consequences of false advertising, there are still so many companies that get away with bullshit. Well, fool me once, shame on me, fool me a lot of times shame on me again for not looking into the products I use in the place I live and the clothes I {& baby Jude} wear.

Start asking questions folks! About everything. Jessica's book is a great place to start because she's done so much research on her own. Eat organic, stay away from plastic, stop using products with chemicals and toxins that have never been tested on human health {ie. many diaper brands!}. The Honest Company keeps living honestly super cute and stylish too, something VERY important to me!


What's even better is that everything is budget-friendly. Unfortunately they don't ship to Canada yet, but you can bet I'm getting a whack load of stuff shipped to my in-laws who live in the States. The things I'll do to get my hands on some pretty {& safe} diapers - I mean skull and crossbones? Yes please!

Grab your copy of The Honest Life here.
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