In my resolve to eat healthier and follow a vegetarian meal plan on weekdays, I've borrowed some vegetarian/vegan books to look for more creative and delicious ways to eat healthier.

This grapefruit and avocado crudo appetizer is one of the interesting recipes I've encountered from Michael Natkin's Herviboracious book. And of course, my initial reaction was disbelief that these two could go well together. But I was still willing to try.

of the colorful blooms of tulips at the abbotsford tulip festival

I had the chance last week to tag along with Nick when he did the engagement session of our friends at the Abbotsford Tulip Festival. I'm so glad they decided to do it here, it was definitely the perfect location for a spring engagement shoot!

of my ootd for diner with my girlfriends

A quick post on my outfit of the day for a night out with my girlfriends. It was a much-needed catch up time and my birthday dinner as well, so it was a really special occasion. I don't look like it in the photo but I promise I was really excited for it!

of another happy birthday celebration with this man

I want to take this opportunity to say that I couldn't have found a better partner in life. Things are not that easy lately but you make going through this life worth it. Your coming into my life was the best hope that I've received from Him above, that all prayers are answered in His best way. Let's continue to hold on to each other and to God who has put us together, tread this journey joyfully, and welcome all the wonderful things that are surely coming our way. Let's continue to pray for each other, for our friends, and for our families together. I love you, Nicholas! You gave such wonderful meaning to the phrase love of my life.

of these cute DIY ribbon paper clips

Cute paper clips really up anyone's planner design game. They can be pricey though for such small things but it's really the unique design and the effort it took to make them that you're paying for, so all's good. But I know I won't really be using them too much and only to add that little extra cuteness to my planners so I thought I'd try and make my own. And it's as easy as it looks.

of a casual spring ootd

When you've got an aspiring photographer for a husband, you get to have your outfits of the day taken like a pro! Thanks, Nick, for always being ready to snap me at a moment's notice!

of this vegan superfood bowl

I've been trying out vegan breakfast recipes lately, like this coconut yogurt bowl I had the other day.

Today, I'm enjoying this vegan superfood bowl that's sweet and packed with nutrients and fiber! So what exactly is in this superbowl?

of this coconut yogurt bowl for a vegan breakfast

This week the challenge I put for myself is to go vegetarian or vegan for a healthier and fitter me. I've done this for a month back in Fall and it's surprisingly easy to do when you know what to eat and I've lost seven pounds in one month by cutting out meat and my digestion has been on point.

of balloons and ferry rides on my happy planner for the week of april 17-23

I realize just now that I put the balloons upside down, haha! I intend to be very productive this week and I'm actually off to a great start. I was able to finish decorating this weekly spread on a Saturday night. That usually doesn't happen so that gave me a boost to the start of my week.

of a very pastel weekly spread for april 17-23 on my color crush planner

I always tend to go for light pinks and purples anytime I start decorating any planner I have. Purple was my utmost favorite color when I was in high school and then slowly transitioned to pink. How girly, amirite?

of my 7 money-saving tips for those starting planners

It is no secret to the planning community that designing weekly spreads and dashboards can cost quite a lot. It may not seem much when we're buying our planning supplies but when you look at the frequency of your visits to stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby and to Etsy shops, and how much you spend each time, they add up quite quickly. It is a very happy addiction!

When I first got into it, I easily spent a $100! I've been planning since summer of last year and I can't tell you how many times I've gone to Michaels to stock up on stickers and washi tapes.

But determined to not to spend that much again, I've learned these 7 money-saving tips that helped save me some dough, and still enjoy planning.

of the week of april 10-16 on my color crush planner

Love love this spread! Pinks and purples are always favorites of mine

of my ootd for a spring night in downtown vancouver

I'm always hesitant to post about fashion or OOTDs (outfit of the day) because I'm not really one to be stylish and fashionable. On most days you'll find me wearing a light sweater, jeans, and my trusty mid-length brown boots. So who am I to post about fashion anyway?

Gone are the days where I was more experimental, or always wearing high heels at the expense of comfort, or weekly dress commitment. I've recently purged my closet of clothes that don't fit in the style I want to be seen in from now on. Anything too cute goes out and I'm trying to be more neutral and to dress my age. I'm also learning to mix and match with the pieces that I kept and learn to dress more with less.

of my review of the fujifilm instax wide 300

It is no surprise that I got another camera and that it's the Fujifilm Instax Wide 300. You'd have realized by now or if you don't know yet - I have a little bit of an obsession with instant film photography. I got this one as a steal though or I wouldn't have gotten this so soon after my Mini 90. It's all thanks to Nick buying a Dell XPS 15 9550 from their website. He got a credit back from Dell for $130 that we could use on their website and there's no need to guess what we used the credit for. I only had to pay about $38 extra to get this! WHAT A STEAL, amirite?

of the color crush personal planner of my dreams

Webster's Pages Walnut Color Crush Personal Planner

When I started planning again, I've been blown away by how big of a world it has become! I've been a fan of planners and scrapbooking as a teenager so when I found out the many planning communities and creative planners out there, I was amazed and excited to get back to it! But of course, not before going through the phase of deciding which planners to actually use.

I started with The Happy Planner from Me and My Big Ideas and I love all of it - its format, the design, the stickers, the various free printables out there from generous creative minds - and I was content. But of course, not until I realized that it can grow bulky from the many stickers and photos I designed it with. I still love it of course, but now I want something smaller but still cute and customizable.

of my week on the pages of my color crush planner

Tea and planning time go hand in hand

of the skincare routine of my 30-year old self

I am by no means a beauty or skincare expert nor do I have flawless skin (who does? Let's talk!). I just thought I'd share the skincare routine that has been working for me so far. Who knows, maybe one of you may find it useful if you have combination skin like me.

As you can see, they're not at all from the same brand as I'm a rebel like that. Lol. No, not really, it just happened to be that the products that worked best on my combination skin are from different brands. So let's get on with my reviews of these and why they worked for me. Be warned that this post will be long!

of coconut oil coffee and why i strive to drink it daily

The first time I've encountered an article about coconut oil coffee, I admit I was a little bit skeptical. I've gone from adding cream and sugar to drinking it all black but I've never heard of any type of oil being added to coffee. But I was willing to try as I've gone to believe that coconut is one of the superfoods out there, besides kale. But still, oil in coffee?

But as they say, don't knock it till you try it. I try anything that claims health benefits (after much research, of course) so when articles started popping up about the benefits of adding coconut oil to coffee, I was ready to give it a shot.

week 11/52: fancy lights

Last week, I posted about eating at this dainty Vietnamese cafe in Richmond. I was so amazed at their interior that I went to town taking instax photos of the place with my Mini 90. This, of course, is one of them.

of the happy planner essentials for the planner girl in me

Long before planners became a trend or cute and girly planners even existed, I remember getting my very first organizer (as planners were called then) and feeling so well-organized and put together in school. I loved the feel of that soft red and blue faux leather bound organizer, I treasured it and actually have it up to this day.  Though I treasured it, it frustrated me that it looked too formal inside. And so I actually measured the pages, designed and printed a set of weekly pages for it. I should've known then that seeing as a teenage girl like me enjoyed it, others would surely see the beauty there is in planning. I probably could've made myself a fortune!

week 10/52: one cold night

This was taken on a very chill Saturday, spent much at home. Nick and I literally bummed it out the entire day until I had enough of it and asked to be taken out.

Now, if you don't know it yet, Nick is a pro at looking for restaurants to eat at. Discovering early on in our dating days that we are both foodies made being together easier, as long as we have great food to enjoy. Okay, I know it isn't a real skill to be a pro at but in a city (any city really) where there are literally hundreds of places to eat at, I tend to always just pick the place I've been going to for ages. I know I should be more adventurous, but that's why Nick is in my life.

week 9/52: the golden hour

We finally found the time to do a photo shoot. We've been meaning to since Fall but life and adulting got in the way.

Last Monday saw a sunny day so off we went with Nick's studio lighting gear to the park closest to our aunt's home. We couldn't go far because we didn't want to leave our little cousin and Lola alone too long. Fortunately, amidst the vast green, there was a walkway lined with trees that gave us the right shade we needed.

of our intimate DIY wedding on a budget

A day late but two years ago, on March 1, 2015, Nick and I had our civil wedding. It was actually a very intimate affair attended by our close family and friends. Our situation may not have been ideal at that time but our union is. And yes, we've been married twice!

Given that we only had a week's time to prepare everything, we had to move fast to create an affair that though was done fast, would still be quite an intimate one to remember (at least for Nick and me). But this also meant that we had to forego a long guest list and ask for help from our friends and family so we could do everything on our own. And they pulled through for us! Our gratitude and appreciation to these people will forever be with us.

of instant film camera collection and my DIY instax photo albums

If you've been reading my blog, you'd know that I have a thing for instant cameras (but really, who doesn't?). I frankly don't remember how it started but it probably has to do with my love of snapping photos, collecting physical moments and the old soul in me that loves anything vintage.

I've had my Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 for about three years now and have recently received the more feature-packed Instax Mini 90 as a gift (thanks, babe!). I enjoyed taking instax photos with the mini 8 but I'd have to say, the Mini 90 takes the cake for superb photo quality! No wonder it's every photographers' instant camera choice.

week 8/52: hello mellow

It was surprising to know, when Nick and I just started dating, that we both love bunnies. Nick had two of his own before and his parents have one as well. We really couldn't have been more matched.

When we were in Cali last week, we made sure to play with Mellow, his parent's bunny, only the calmest bunny I've ever met. You can actually cuddle with him for hours and he wouldn't mind. Bunnies tend to want to get away, Chip does and so does Casper after some time, so Mellow being this calm is such a nice change. It's like cuddling a live stuffed toy! He is so huge and cute, too!

week 7/52: sweet valentine

Chocolates and flowers - two things abundant during this time of year. For some, it's a splendid affair, for others it's just a normal school or work day, as Valentine's fell on a Tuesday.

I've gotten my fair share of "normal" Valentine's day and I'm glad that it's now become a little extra special. I wasn't expecting much this year as we're actually headed down to California the day after V-day (hello from Cali!) and would be vacationing and eating out a lot while there. But we've made last minute plans to have our Valentine's dinner in Vancouver on the day itself as there actually won't be time for us to have diner by ourselves. We're only there with Nick's family for a few days so we figured it's better not to spend any time away from them.

week 6/52: a little parish

We've been experiencing heavy snowfall since last week, resulting in my house claiming me. I have become one with my house at the moment and refuse to leave its warmth and comfort. I'm a terrible driver in the snow, that much I'd admit, and deathly scared of black ice on the roads as I've experienced doing an unintentional donut. Not an experience I'd like to have again, thank you over much.

week 5/52: snow belles

The day after my cousin finally arrived in Canada, snow started pouring and we quickly became blanketed in white. Vancouver has become a winter wonderland. At least it does look like it in our parks. And though the city roads have become a huge parking lot of piled up crashed cars, snowboarders were quick to grab their boards out and actually board on the roads. So you lose some, and then you win some.

week 4/52: seoul soup

With winter comes the possibility of snow, even in rain-soaked Vancouver. We actually had a downpour of snow for days without letting up that roads have been closed, cars crashed, trains stopped working, and people just worked from homes. We clearly do not know how to function in snow.

week 3/52: tea in paris

As Nick was setting up his new laptop, Cortana showed him interesting places nearby and one of them was an afternoon tea place, Adorabelle Tea Room, just a short five-minute drive from us. I'm a lover of all things vintage and English (I have Downton Abbey on every time I'm doing my chores) so the British afternoon tea has always been a fancy of mine and was only glad to go.

week 2/52: all smiles

Ah, finally! An instant camera that can take decent self-portraits! Even with the mirror on the Mini 90, I clearly need to frame it better. I should've listened to Nick, he was actually telling me to move it more towards him but because it looked right centered on the mirror, I didn't listen. Note to self: listen to hubby!

week 1/52: pines and golds

The very first shot I took with my Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 is this macro shot. I've been frustrated with my Mini 8 for lacking the quality to take close up shots as it's really not built for that. My frustrations really just stem from me forgetting that I'm not using a DSLR camera when taking photos with the Mini 8.

So learning that among Mini 90's features include a macro mode, I was quite excited to test it out. It did not disappoint! For an instant camera to be able to capture such sharp shots in close range is nothing short of impressive.