Apple and Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Put down whatever you are doing and try this NOW!!!! This is probably without a doubt, THE BEST grilled cheese I have yet to try!

I unfortunately do not have pictures to share, but I promise, it is as yummy (or even better) as it sounds!!!!

What you will need:
- 2 slices of Bread of choice
- 1 Granny Smith Apple, cut into slices
- Cream cheese
- 3 or 4 slices of Brie Cheese, without rind (you can substitute Brie for Mozzarella too)
- Butter or Margarine

1. Preheat frying pan between low and medium setting. Add a bit of butter or margarine to pan. Add apple slices. (You will only need enough slices to cover bread, so you choose if you want to fry them all or just eat them raw on the side.) Fry until golden brown on both sides. They will cook a bit more in the sandwich later.

2. Butter both pieces of bread, on one side each. Place one piece, butter side down into the same frying pan as your apples and cook for 1 min to melt butter in. Remove.

3. Take that same piece of bread you just fried and spread cream cheese onto the side without butter.

4. Now return that piece of bread back to the frying pan, butter side down again. On top of the cream cheese, place your fried slices of apples.

5. Place cut pieces of brie on top of the apple slices and the other piece of bread, butter side facing up.

6. Cook both sides until golden brown. (About 5 mins.)

7. Enjoy! :) You can thank me after all your tummies are filled with goodness. ;)

Babies First Foodies

I decided to start my 7 month baby on solids this past week full-time. We had done the "taste testing" from about 6 months until now. So far we have come to realize she is a GREAT eater! :) Makes Mommy and Daddy proud! Even though Mya has very sensitive skin, she has not reacted to any of the foods we have tried yet, bonus!

We started off with the basic's… Bananas, Apples, Pears, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Cereal and Peas. We have yet to try Avocado and Squash (Which are actually on this weeks agenda!) So far Mya's a bit of a sweet tooth and loves her Apples, Bananas and Pears! Just like Momma!

Starting out with basics are pretty straight forward, you puree everything… cooking/steaming anything hard before hand and add water to make a liquifying consistency. We were blessed with the Baby Bullet and Baby Steamer as gifts to Mya for Christmas, which have been a life saver! You can literally whip up a few batches of baby food in no time! (Pictured above are both put into action! I will do a review on both products soon.)

I even had time to can some apple sauce for her!!! Turned out to be so yummy! I cannot wait to start making more and adding things like pears, blueberries or strawberries etc to it! Nom nom nom… I might even start making it one of my snacks. ;) Shhh don't tell baby I'm eating her apple sauce! haha 

I'm loving the fact that I know exactly what my baby is eating, and there is no added crap being put into her belly. Yes- I do buy Nestle cereal… which I will eventually try to make my own from scratch. But knowing she's getting the majority of her foods from being home made makes me one happy Momma!

What were/are your babies favourite first foods? Did you prepare your own food at home or buy jared food?

Where in the world have I been?...

These last few months have been insane! -Hence the lack of posts since last year!


Let me take you for a walk down memory lane…

For those of you just finding my Blog for the first time, my last few posts I was almost due with our first Beautiful baby girl!

On September 30th, 2013 I had a visit with my OB. (Little did I know this would be the last visit to the actual office.) He did the usual check up, along with a sweep and stretch. He informed me I was 4cm Dilated and that I could go into labour any day now. Later in the evening I found myself laying in the bed in Triage after having several sever pains… thinking to myself THIS IS IT! I was then told the contractions I was feeling were only Braxton Hicks. (For those who do not know- they are fake contractions.) The Nurses sent me home after 3 hours and 2 walks later with no movement.

Anxious to meet our baby girl… the next week I found myself trying anything and everything to help move things along and put me into labour. Everyday I found myself hopping, jumping, rolling and bouncing on my exercise ball. I tried going for long walks, eating ice cream and going for walks, running up and down the stairs, doing jumping jacks, taking long baths, running up and down the stairs… but NOTHING seemed to work!

My due date of October 6th, 2013 came… still no baby!
My Mom would be over daily to make sure she didn't miss anything. After all, this would be her first Grandchild!

Devastated, with my Mom and Hubby home- we decided to order chinese and take a nightly walk. After still no movement, Mom went home and Hubby and I got ready for bed and laid down to watch a movie. About 20 mins into the movie and my mom just about ready for bed at home. My water breaks at 10:45pm! As we rush to get everything, my contractions get closer and closer together getting more and more painful. These pains were MUCH more painful then the Braxton Hicks! haha

We got to the hospital at 11:15pm where my Mom met us. Walking up to the Birth Centre was probably the longest and most painful walk I will ever take. I was taken to Triage first where they immediately saw how far along I was and sent me directly to my Birthing room. When I arrived to Triage I was 6cm dilated. When they checked again in the Birthing Room I was 8cm. This baby was coming- AND FAST!!!!! As i squeezed my hubbies hand (and nearly breaking it), and with next to nothing for breaks between contractions… I realized my Mom was no where to be seen. (The nurse had forgotten her in the waiting room!!)

Just in time, my Mom makes it for her Beautiful Granddaughter and Our Beautiful little girl's arrival! At 12:45am on October 7th, 2013 I gave birth to Mya Alivia!

I won't go into detail about all the pushing and birth but I will tell you- They had ordered me an Epidural, which was not quick enough for my speedy 2 hour delivery. So I had no choice but to give birth NATURALLY! Now- looking back at the day today, I am so happy I did and wouldn't have had it any other way!

Mya is now 6 months old- MAN THAT FLEW BY! And I am one happy Momma! She is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and seizes to amaze me everyday! Always putting a smile on my face- even when I'm in the worst of moods. Being a Momma is honestly the best experience one could live.

-From one Happy Momma.

Nuxe Creme Prodigieuse- the Miracle Cream!

I bought a travel set a while back to try some Nuxe products for the first time. I thought, what better time then to use them up when I need to stay away from harsh ingredients in my skincare- then when I'm pregnant?

Nuxe is a great line because they are natural and most ingredients are plant extracts.

This cream is meant for Normal to Combination skin types. (Although, they do sell one also meant for Dry skin!) I am combination oily in the summer time and combination dry in the winter. So this was the perfect cream for me! Not only is it natural, but it feels great- giving me the hydration my skin needs while using a Matte effect! My skin is left feeling soft, hydrated in all the right places and oil-free! These are all things I like to have in my daily moisturizer. Without having an SPF of any sort, you are able to use this cream both morning and night. However, I like to use my Korres Anti-Aging Serum at night. :P So, this has been my day moisturizer. Some other added bonus'? It protects against oxidative stress- the main cause for anti-aging!!! WHAT WHAT! Oh, and did I mention the smell is divine? With scents of: Everlasting Blue, Blue Agerate and Cocoa Extracts! YUM. It's no wonder that this Moisturizer is one of Nuxe's top selling products!

Although I am almost finished my travel size of this moisturizer, I have been using it for over 3 months now and have noticed my skin feeling softer. 3 months for a travel size moisturizer? You're kidding me, right? My thoughts exactly! You only need a tiny bit of this baby, and she will last a while! With this being said, I would definitely go out and purchase this cream again... even while not being pregnant! Trust me, you do NOT need to be pregnant to enjoy this cream! Like I said earlier, I don't want to use many harsh ingredients on my skin while being pregnant. I like to keep my skincare routine as simple and natural as possible.

I don't know if its the simplicity of my new skincare regime, having raging hormones or using mostly natural products... but my skin has never felt or looked better!

You can pick this cream up online on at: http://www.skin1.com/nuxe-brand.html or if you live in Canada, at most Shoppers Drug Mart's. It retails for $37.00 for a 1.3oz bottle. Which, if you ask me, is worth every penny!

Easy Peazy 4-Step Cherry Cheesecake

Another simple recipe I thought I would share for all of you needing a quick, last minute desert for unexpected guests. This really is one simple way to make cheesecake... and it is delish!!! :P Mmm 

Makes 8 servings

2 packages of Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs
1 Pre-made Graham Cracker Crumb Crust (the easy way out!)
1 can Cherry Pie Filling

1. Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs and mix.

2. Pour into crust.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 mins or until centre is also set. Let cool, refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

4. After baked and cooled, top with 1 can of cherry pie filling.

And Voila! Bon Appetite! :)

Vera Wang's Be Jeweled

Introducing the newest and latest fragrance for Women by Vera Wang:

Be Jeweled! 

I'm sure by now most of you have seen Vera's newest fragrance hit the shelves in most of the stores in your area as it was launched in April 2013. Some of you may have even picked up this dazzling bottle!

When I first heard Vera Wang was coming out with a new fragrance I wasn't overly thrilled. That is, until I saw the beautiful, elegant and ever so girly packaging! The bottle itself represents a jewel, after all, every girl is a jewel! (Said by Vera herself.) The lid is a jewel, the bottle and they added pink, purple and black jewels around the top half of the bottle. What girl wouldn't love the packaging?

Now on to the scent... again, I have never really been overly pleased with Vera's fragrances. This one, however, may have made me re-think that! A sweet, fruity, flirtatious floral... huh?? Yes, Vera has made a fragrance that not only floral lovers will enjoy, but also those of you who love your sweeter ones! The top notes in this delicious fragrance are: Pomegranate, Red Currant, Champagne, Pink Honeysuckle and Peony. If those ingredients don't shout out "girly" I don't know what else will?... LOL There is also some Sandalwood in it, which tones down the sweetness and makes it not overly sweet. The staying power is also pretty good, however, I would have liked it to be a bit more noticeable after about 5 hours.

As for the age group of this ever so gorgeous fragrance? I would have to say anyone from teens to about early or mid 40's would enjoy it. Any older, it may be a bit too young smelling for them.

Overall, I am very pleased with Vera's latest and greatest fragrance! I would have to give it a 9/10 in my books. It lost a point for the lasting power. :(

And the price tag ain't so bad either! $45CND/30ML  and $68CND/50ML


Want some more idea's for Summer fragrances? Check out My favourite summer fragrances here!

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Apple and Granola Snack

This could quite possibly be the BEST darn some-what healthy snack I have ever put near my tasty taste buds. And these taste buds LOVE taste! haha

Apple & Granola with a little side of Cottage Cheese? When I first heard of this, I thought, that would have to be the oddest and weirdest combination of ingredients. I mean, apple and granola... ok those are totally normal together. But with cottage cheese? Who would have thought this would actually make you want to run back for 2nd's, 3rd's... maybe more?

If you are or were at all sceptical of trying cottage cheese for the first time because of that runny, thick and gooey texture just like me... you need to give it another go with this recipe!

This is such a simple, quick and healthy snack! Hey, who knows... maybe even the young ones will enjoy!

What you need:

- 1 apple- I use Gala because it's my fav!

- 1/3 cup Granola 

- 1/3 cup Cottage Cheese

1. Wash your apple. You don't want to eat all those germs... think of all the people that pick through fruits and veggies at the super market. YUCK. 

2. Cut your apple into cubes removing the seeds and cork. 

3. Pour apple, Granola and Cottage cheese into your bowl and mix.

Thats it! Simple huh? Told ya! 

Now go enjoy your yummy snack just like I am right now... NOM NOM NOM.