The weekend is here! The weekend is here! 
Okay, Iāll admit that it feels a bit strange to get excited over the weekend because itās not exactly like I have some sort of schedule to follow during the week, since classes have ended and Iāve yet to start working for the summer. But still. Iām always looking for reasons to be happy, and it being Friday is as good a reason as any. Mwee! Some other reasons to feel good?
Feel Good #1: Getting a good nightās sleep (unlike last night).
Feel Good #2: Breakfast! The best meal of the day.
Eggy steel cut/Scottish oats with carob, banana, and roasted almond butter.
Feel Good #3: A great workout. You know those days where you just canāt wait to get up and get moving? Mmm hmm. Today was one of āem for me, and my workout flew by without me noticing and left me feeling energetic for the rest of the day. Hereās a breakdown of what I did; itās kind of a random lower body circuit that I went through twice ā so 30 minutes total.
- 10 minutes on the treadmill; 4% incline, 6mph
- 1 minute walking lunges
- 1 minute burpees (these kick. my. butt)
- 1 minute squats
- 1 minute full effort jumping rope
- 1 minute plank
I was definitely starting to feel it by the time those 30 minutes were up, and after cooling down with some stretching, I couldnāt wait to dig intoā¦
Feel Good #4: Post-workout feasting! Grec = Greek and Fraise = strawberry, for all the non French and/or Canadianās out there. As an aside, I probably learned half of the French I know just by reading cereal boxes and other bilingual product labels while I was growing up. But I digress. This was a cookie dough ball (ughā¦ addiction) and strawberry Greek yogurt eaten straight from the tub.
And no, I didnāt eat the whole thingā¦ although I may or may not have briefly considered itā¦
Classy, I know. But I didnāt want to be stuck in the kitchen doing dishes when I could beā¦
Feel Good #5: Relaxing in the sun with a dear friend.
Our deck needs some love. Eesh.
Kaiah (my little pooch) is my tanning buddy. She chooses to lay in the sun when she could very well pick a nice spot in the shade. Nothing like being out in the sun with a fur coat on, right? 
Feel Good #6: Using Christmas dishes in the middle of May.
Yes, thatās Rudolph under my toast. Yes, Iām aware that Christmas was five months ago.
Feel Good #7: Blogging. I canāt believe how happy Iāve been with my decision to start blogging again. I love writing and being able to connect with people, and a huge smile spreads across my face any time I see a new comment on one of my posts, or a new face that I havenāt seen before. The other day, the lovely lady over at Czech Vegan even hit me up with an award, which definitely put a smile on my face. See?
Iām a shy smilerā¦ and please excuse the glare/laptop quality photo ā Iām still a bit too lazy to set up self-timed shots on the DSLR. Anywho. Along with the award came a few rules. Hey, nothing in life is free 
- Smile
- Write 3 things you like about your looks
- Write 3 things you appreciate about your personality
- Write about something you find beautiful in other people.
- Award as many others as you like, and let them know!
. ā . ā . ā .
- Smile? Iām already smiling! (see above ^^)
- Looks? My eyes, my light dusting of freckles, and the fact that I look a lot younger than I actually am (which Iāll probably appreciate even more when Iām older and not getting IDād all the time
) - Personality wise? I love that Iām kind-hearted and non-judgmental towards others, and that I regularly take the time to stop and reflect on the world around me.
- Others? I think those who respect others and arenāt afraid to be themselves are beautiful.
- ā¦ I refuse to do this one; there are just too many! So, if youāre reading this, consider yourself awarded and take some time to think about the things that you love about yourself
Feel Good #8: Chick-lit.
Guilty pleasures. Admit it. Sometimes thereās just nothing like itā¦
Feel Good #9: Taking the time to stop and smell the flowersā¦
. ā . ā . ā .
So that was my Feel Good Friday. Nothing extraordinary ā just a bunch of little things that added up. I used to think that happiness only came with something big; that I would only be happy when [insert any event here]. And, sure, it would happen and Iād be happy ā at least for a little while. But the happiness usually faded and Iād be left waiting for that next big thing to happen so that I could be happy again.
These days, I try and pay more attention to the simpler pleasures in life. Sure, a delicious bowl of oatmeal or a good book donāt compare to, say, winning the lottery, but they have their value, all the same. In the end, itās not what happens, but the attitude you approach it with that makes all the difference.
. ā . ā . ā .
What made you feel good today?
Any fun plans this weekend?
I had a lot of harvest after seeing this post of yours! Before, I used to play games, this is a fun game for entertainment, but now I will follow you, read your articles will have more knowledge.
I loved Shopaholic! My favorite chick lit of all time! My mom call them ābrain washing litteratureā, because they supposedly make you āstupidā, lol.
Youāre a Canadian too? I didnāt know! I recently saw Liberte new greek yogurt: Mango Orange! Thereās Date & Fig and Wild blueberries too
I try to find the bright side in any situation, drift hunters and the fact that itās Friday is an excellent excuse to do so. Mwee! Why not find even more cause for joy?
I may, or may not also crack out the Christmas crockery midway through Springā¦
Seasonal (/ downright garish) kitchen-wear is kind of a guilty pleasure. You ought to see the stash of mugs Iāve got. Itās a little embarrassing.
& I donāt get dogsā love of sun, despite the hefty coat. Weāve got a random cat & a couple birds that lay in the grass for hours just chilling in the sun. Itās actually really cute, cos they look like they couldnāt be doing anything other than just kicking back! x
Sometime in the middle of Spring, I might even get out the Christmas dishesā¦ Buying trendy (or ostentatious) cookware is a flagle pleasure we sometimes indulge in. You wouldnāt believe how many cups I have. Itās humiliating, to put it mildly.
wow itās such a nice thing to feel good about things. Iām going to have to try your workout minus the treadmill because we donāt have oneā¦need that energy!!
I totally use unseasonal dinner ware as well. and I relish it!
Iām feeling good that I mowed the lawn today and helped my parents out. AND made strawberry froyo and had it in a shake.
this weekend is sunny- another thing that makes me feelinā good
great feel good things; love them all!
Great Post!
I love the sunny weather, summer is finally coming!
What a great list, I loved it! Made me smile for sure!
And Iām relaxing this weekend, finally!
Finishing my race made me feel goooooood. By the way, burpees rock, donāt they? Theyāre rough, but they get the job done!
What made me feel good today was getting rid of the scale
Your gorgeous!! and you must always have the best breakfasts!
YOU ARE SO PRETTY!! gorgeous!! seriously!!
and awesome workout and YAY for the weekend!
What a lovely post, my beautiful Amanda
Cool. I do too at times, when my mind needs a break. Itās not exactly chick-lit, but the books by Kate Morton are terrific.
I agree with you, happiness is found in the little things. If we donāt find joy in them but wait for something extraordinary, we risk never finding joy at all.
Haha, you read chick- lit?
My day has just begun, but it has been beautiful so far. Waking up to sunshine and hearing the birds sing, being filled with love and gratitude, enjoying a nourishing breakfast free from any disorded thoughts, hugging my dog . . . Life is wonderful.
<3
Blogging has definetely made me a happier person too! I had no idea anything like this even existed until a few months ago, so Iām still new to it all I guess. After reading a couple of your posts, Iām thinking about switching back to steel cut oats. I used to have them all the time a couple years ago, but was too lazy to continue making them when I could just zap some quaker oats in the microwave. It made me feel good to watch a movie Iāve been wanting to see called ārunning across the sahara.ā I loved it!
Steel cut oats are AH-mazing. I honestly donāt think I could ever go backā¦ Iāll even wake up earlier to make sure I have enough time to make them
You have some pretty fabulous reasons to feel good
We have only 7 a.m. here, so not a lot of thing have been going on yet, but my staple feel good reason is breakfast, and some others for today would be: shopping trip planned with my roommate, visiting the botanical garden and going for a party in the eveningā¦yay, I am having an amazing Saturday 
I am so glad you posted your answers on the award-questions, because all you have sad is so nice and thoughtful!! Have a great weekend girl!
This is such a cute post, Iām so happy to have found your blog, youāre such an uplifting person. I love your spirit and charisma
Iām so glad you are back to blogging!
I loved this post, it was so uplifting.
And those workouts that you go into feeling tired only to leave feeling energized are my all time favorite. Glad you had a great one!
Taking a wonderful 2 mile walk was my feel good for the day
I love the Shopaholic Books! Becky Bloomwood is a riot
What made me feel good today? The rare and amazing sunshine and getting to frolic around and have some self-time under it!
Weekend plans: Dinner dates with friends, a jaunt to the farmerās market, and just relaxing and taking care of some biznazz
You have a gorgeous smile by the way
Your breakfasts always look so yummy! And thereās nothing wrong with using Christmas plates in the middle of the year. After all, thereās nothing wrong with wanting to be merry
xxx
Kaiah!!!!
I missed her and I am glad you are blogging again, too.
I used to be a chik-lit snob until I relented and disovered that some are much more intelligent than I thought. My faves are
Jennifer Weiner, Emily Giffin (the new movie something borrowed is gonna ruin it I think), and Jen Lanaster (though I donāt think she counts as chick lit she just counts as awesome chick)
Iām not feeling the best lately. Not at all.
So this post was lovely to read.
And your eatsā¦.I wish, ā¦I wishā¦
āmini shopaholicā is an enjoyable book for needed distraction.
u might also like some Emily Giffin (āHeart of the matterā was nice.
I really enjoyed the book āWater for Elephantsā ā¦odd since that is typically not my thing.
The Hunger Games trilogy are amazing.
I could go on and on and on and on.
When one is in sleep or sit all day literally ā¦one is of need to find something to do i guess.
My dog loves lying on the sunny parts of the porch too! Itās our favourite way to pass time together sitting in the sun and reading chick lit (me, the dog canāt read)
I used to be that girl tooā¦who used to always wait until the next thing that could make me happyā¦never stopping to smell the flowers or live in the moment because I was always too busy trying too hard to make things perfect.
Today I stopped to eat at a fish grill with the BF
Have a wonderful wknd girl!
I love being able to appreciate the little things, too
And you have no idea how happy I still am that you started blogging again!
i was playing with fire and trying to see if āEā really means āEMPTY!!!ā on the new Jeep, haha. (It doesnāt.)
Kaiah is such a cutie and she has a wonderful name, too
making it to the gas station before running out of gas made me feel good today
mmm love this!!! i needed this because ive not been feeling so hot today physically ā got some weird stomach bug! but i did feel good having lunch with my sister and going to see Something Borrowed with her! =) i also love that youre BLOGGING again!!!!!! that makes ME happy!
Awwr <3 So sweet, girl. Feel better soon!
What a great post! I am thrilled you are back to blogging ā this post just made me smile. especially the part about taking time o stop and smell the flowers!
Your posts are siesta so uplifting and positive! Have a great relaxing weekend and enjoy the sunshine! -aimee
Iv read all Sophie Kinsellaās books- LOVE!
I am psyched you started blogging again. Some people just seem made to blog & I def think youare one of them, the pics , the food, the words= awesome/amazing/beautiful!
Having tried cottage cheese mixed with nooch ( after seeing it on your blog)and your cookie dough balls, I can confirm you are a genious- ill be right on that crazy lunch combo from yesterday.
Xxx
Haha! Thanks girl! Both for the blogging compliments and trusting my somewhat strange culinary judgements
Happy weekend love!! You are just amazing! I love your outlook on life and I love how sweet you are! I am gladnyou are blogging again, because I love your blog! Your pup is adorable!! Sunbather : ) so sweet!!!
Love this post!! Happy Friday!!
Xoxo
How could you go wrong with a breakfast like that?
Iām in the same boat as you ā school is over and I havenāt started working so Friday should just feel like another day but itās exciting knowing everyone else who do have jobs and such are about to be free too.
P.S. I have freckles and get told I look younger than I actually am too!
What could possibly go wrong with such a breakfast? Since school is ended and I havenāt begun working, Friday should seem like any other day. However, itās wonderful to know that everyone else who does have jobs and other obligations will soon be free. People often comment on my freckles and say I appear younger than I am.
Aww what a lovely post
I love fridays because I know I can stay up and have a lie in in the morning (although a lie in for me isnāt for a lot of people haha!) Today I had a great workout this morning and I got a compliment from a friend who said I look āhealthy and glowingā these days 
I wish I could recommend some books to you but Iām afraid my easy read tends to be magazines!
The healthy and glowing compliment is one of my favorites
Iāve been getting it quite a bit lately, too.
I can never recommend Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl enough for reading (yes, they are young adult sometimes kiddish readsā but so amusing and good!).
Today, watching Julia Childās cooking show made me happy