Nothing brightens my day like a healthy dose of sunshine…
… except maybe a kind gesture from a friend. A few days ago, the super-sweet Holly from Eat Great BE Great nominated me for the sunshine award, and while I’m not too sure what that means exactly, I do know that it warmed my that she thought of me, and that the questions attached to the award meant that I could take it easy today and not worry too much about having to think up something to write 
Oh don’t give me that look… It’s Friday, and since last week’s topic was kind of heavy, I wanted to keep things light this week.
So thank you, Holly, and happy Friday, everyone!
The Rules:
1. Include award logo in a post or on your blog.
2. Link to the person who nominated you.
3. Answer 10 questions about yourself.
4. Nominate 10 bloggers to receive the award.
. – . – . – .
Holly’s Questions
1. Any pets? Kaiah, a little mixie mutt that I picked up from the shelter what feels like forever ago. Actually, it’ll be her 10th birthday on Tuesday, but you’d never be able to tell just by looking at her – she still acts like a puppy, and looks like one too if you don’t count the few little greys she’s starting to sport around her face. I had to leave her with my parents when I moved out because I didn’t want to take her away from a big yard and keep her cooped up in a condo, but I still see her on a pretty regular basis.
2. Favourite flavour of ice cream? I’m a classic vanilla bean kind of girl. It’s makes a perfect base for all sorts of toppings, and it’s not half bad on it’s own either 😉
3. Do you prefer cooking or baking? Definitely baking – it’s actually one of my favourite ways to relax. I have a huge sweet tooth, so the promise of a sweet reward for my efforts is just that much more appealing. That being said, it’s been a while since anything’s come out of my oven, but I’m hoping to remedy that soon with some of these mouthwatering recipes.
4. What’s your favorite form of exercise? Walking. I keep going back and forth with wanting to add something more to my fitness routine, but honestly… walking and just trying to be active in general has been working so well for me that I’m having a hard time finding the motivation to switch things up. I sometimes feel like I should be doing more, but why fix something that isn’t broken, right?
5. What is your Zodiac sign? I’m a stubborn and determined Capricorn, apparently.
6. What’s your favourite vegetable? My favourite or my stomach’s favourite? Because this is an issue that we don’t quite see eye-to-eye on. My favourite would be kabocha squash (I literally can’t stop eating until it’s all gone, especially when almond butter is involved), but my stomach likes the simpler kind – think tomatoes, baby greens, baby carrots, and cucumbers.
7. What are five things you can’t live without? I’m going to avoid going into the deeper and more obvious necessities like family, friends, health, love, etc., and just stick to simple material things instead. So: my iPhone (sad, but true), nut butter, books (I can’t choose just one), coffee, and sugar.
8. What’s your favorite thing about blogging? The people, hands down. I’ve made some pretty amazing friendships in the time I’ve spent in the blogging world, which is actually something that caught me completely off guard. I started blogging to keep myself accountable and busy while I struggled with recovering from my eating disorder, and I never imagined that I would end up connecting with so many other amazing girls (and the occasional guy too). Group hug!
9. Who is your favourite actor? Johnny Depp. Not only is he a talented actor, but he’s not too hard to look at either.
10. Favourite place to relax? In nature. Anywhere away from the hustle and bustle where I can actually hear my thoughts and they don’t feel so big and overwhelming in the scope of things…
. – . – . – .
My Questions
1. If you had to move to another country, where would you move and why?
2. Would you rather live in the country or in the city?
3. If you could try out any job for a day, what would you like to try?
4. What’s your favourite part of your body?
5. What’s something most people don’t know about you?
6. If someone asked you to give them a random piece of advice, what would you say?
7. What are some of your favourite books?
8. If you were going to write a book, what would you call it and what would it be about?
9. Name three things hanging out in your fridge door.
10. What do you want to be remembered for?
. – . – . – .
My Nominees (who better do the tag because I want to know the answers!)
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles
Beth @ Mangoes and Miles
Lauren @ Girl and Pup
Amy @ The Little Honey Bee
Becky @ Olives ‘n Wine
Arman @ The Big Man’s World
Lucie @ Fit Swiss Chick
Caitlin @ Chasing Chels
Carly @ Snack Therapy
Sarah @ Pickyrunner
And to all my lovely readers, answer a question (or 2 or 3) for me. Please? 😀
Group hug right back at ya! I’m so glad you returned to blogging after your long hiatus because you have always been one of my favourite bloggers. Plus I love that we’re both Canadian AND have nut allergies, so we can relate to a lot of each others’ complaints haha. 😀
That last picture is stunning – where did you take it? Nature is my favourite place to relax too, especially when it’s on a lake in Northern Ontario. I feel so at peace there!
I do believe that was up in the Canadian Rockies, on Patricia Lake up by Jasper.
(PS – less than a month!!!!11!!!)
Congratulations on the award, Amanda. Holly did the right thing nominating you because your posts honestly bring nothing but happiness & sunshine to my days :).
Three things on my fridge door: Coffee Chia Peanut Butter, Ketchup, Mustard.
Kaiah is gorgeous! And I totally feel you on the favorite veggies- I love kabocha and could eat squash all day long, but my stomach is highly opinionated lol. Happy weekend love!
Congrats on the award! My mom is OBSESSED with Johnny Depp! She says it’s cause they’re the same age and what not, but I know she fancies him lots! I never knew you had a dog! That picture is just too adorable! And that drippy ice cream cone is making me long for warm summery days again! mmm!
Thanks for the tag, Amanda! I’ll be sure to do it next week! We must both be on the same wavelength! And lol, the occasional male blogger. You and Alex really question my masculinity- pink aprons and all. Hi 5 for being a vanilla bean fan- without a doubt nothing beats a simple, good quality vanilla ice cream! There is an ice creamery here that serves 5 or so variations of vanilla ice cream (madagascar, vanilla bean, infused vanilla and some other variation)- soo good!
I wouldn’t say ‘question’ exactly 😛 Just a rare sight to behold around these parts.
I used to never like vanilla bean ice cream, but as of late I’ve been loving the smoothness of it. I love throwing toppings on, but sometimes it’s just perfect plain as-is. I also couldn’t agree with you more on just getting out in nature to relax. There is nothing more peaceful than to be out in nature and really just be present. That’s probably one of the reasons I love walking, too, especially if it’s somewhere scenic. It’s just so serene.
I’d totally have to agree with you on pretty much all of these answers. Ice cream flavor, favorite place to relax, baking, the kabocha love. The only thing we differ is the walking. I’m a pilates girl clearly;)
Always love learning new things about you:)
Have a beautiful weekend love!
Hope you’re enjoying your weekend too, hun!
i think our stomachs are from the same family. They prefer the simple veggies. I adore the hearty veggies and kabocha.. sigh
I’m a city girl through and through. Though after living in NYC I realize I need to be in a city that has houses and space not just skyscrapers and apartments. Toronto is a perfect mix of both. Though one day I would love to live in San Francisco!
So fun to learn so many new things about you 🙂 Definitely could not live without my iPhone or nut butter…I actually might die!
I also believe in zodiac signs. I’m a virgo without a doubt. Annoyingly analytical and borderline neurotic lol!!!
I think out of all the things I might want to be remembered for, being just plain interesting would be the top one. There are so many cool things in the world, I love reading & learning & trying eveything out but most of all, I love to share the things I learn 🙂 I am sure I drive coworkers, class participants & my family nuts but everything new is so gosh darn interesting! That would link into my other answer, random piece of advice “do what works for YOU”. So many interesting things don’t work for me, maybe just for you. And this applies to marriage advice, life advice: food, fitness, work- everyone is different, the world is interesting & I am smiling so much after reading this post on a sunny Friday
“do what works for YOU” <-- music to my ears 😀 Hope you're enjoying your Friday, Morgan!
I’m a Capricorn too and the descriptions always fit me to a T! Funny how spot on it can be!
Thank you for the nomination! I can’t wait to fill it out 😀 I see Sam already beat me to mentioning Sally’s BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP cinnamon rolls. Right up your alley!!! I’m definitely going to follow you on Pinterest since we have similar tastes especially in the baked goods department!
Johnny Depp looks good with eyeliner. I’m pretty sure he’s the only guy who does and I am perfectly okay with it!
I love your pup! She’s gorgeous! You should definitely post more pictures of her so I can “aww” more! 😛
I like posts like this because I feel like I get to know someone on a more personal level! Love it 🙂
I hope you have an amazing weekend, girl!
Thanks for the nomination my love!<3 Expect to see this sometime next week, so I'm going to refrain from answering your questions until then 😉
Kaiah is such a pretty pup! (as long as she acts like one, she still is one, in my mind). It's great that you're still able to see her on a regular basis.
Annnd that picture under the cooking/baking question is just serving as a reminder that I haven't made cinnamon rolls yet…and Sally's Baking Addiction just posted a recipe for amazing-looking cinnamon rolls today. Fate? Fate. First project once I get into my new kitchen!
I was looking at those too! I mean… bananas, chocolate, and cinnamon rolls?! Perfection. I say we both make ’em this weekend 😉
Haha I feel you on those “not having to think posts”, even more so on Fridays ;)! As usual, love learning more about you especially about your “can’t live withouts”. If you and me were trapped on and island together, we’d do just fine! Good question about cities v countries. For now I am a city girl but when I’m older and married with kids, I think I’d prefer living in a country- I am sure the hustle & bustle that comes with raising a family will be more than enough on my plate!
1. If you had to move to another country, where would you move and why? – I live in Canada so if I had to move I wouldn’t mind moving to the US to be closer to my parents who live in Michigan.
2. Would you rather live in the country or in the city? – Ah this one is always a toss up for me. I hate the smog of the city but I hate the distance of the country. I’ll have to choose city.
3. If you could try out any job for a day, what would you like to try? – Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is opening here in Toronto in Sept and I was reading about the guy who is in charge of the sharks. I’d like that job!!
Sharks both terrify and fascinate me… I think that’d be an awesome job!
Aw, Kaiah is a cutie – maaaybe you should post more pictures of her?! The last one’s been too long ago.
Not meaning to steal your answer but my favourite part of blogging are all of the amazing friendships I made, too. I was doubtful of bloggers gushing about their blends assuming those could only be skin-deep friendships. Once I started blogging myself, though, I got to really understand what they meant. It’s hard to describe this to non-bloggers but I feel there’s a different level in those friendships, too. Case in point: Some topics I can talk about with blends wouldn’t be easy to discuss with ‘real life’ friends.
Happy Friday [even if your weekend doesn’t include a trip to Vegas ;)]!
I love reading survey posts!
I just wanted to say that I completely identify with your #4. Feeling the need to do MORE in terms of exercise is something I struggle with more often than not. It’s true though…why change an already good thing? It’s a good reminder- thanks 😉 Have a great weekend!!
2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 10 – I agree 100% with you 🙂 as much as i enjoy nature, I would love to move to NYC and live in the city for a year.
If I had to live in the city, I would definitely love it to be NYC. The energy in that city is just amazing.
I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen a picture of Kaiah on here! She’s so pretty! That was nice of you to keep her at your parents so she has a yard.
I m on the same page with most of your answers, especially Johnny Depp! He’s an a amazing actor.
If I had to move to another country, I’d probably go with England, France or Austria
I’m a city girl for sure. I love the excitemen of population density and close proximit to stores,
restaurants, etc. And I LOVE not needing a car
My favorite books are Howards End, Pride and Prejudice and the Harry Potter series
Awww you just made my day love 🙂 i needed an extra smile today too…just feeling kind of blah and not wanting to move from the house which is unavoidable on a work day. At least it’s friday right? You reminded me that i haven’t baked in forever, too, which clearly needs to change. I’m thinking banana bread will happen next week….or cinnamon rolls. Those look pretty tasty too 🙂 have a great weekend love!
Sorry to hear about the funk, girl 🙁 But Friday is definitely something to be happy about, as is the promise of baking. I really wish I could make some banana bread, but I keep eating my bananas before they have a chance to ripen… I’m thinking maybe donuts or fritters will happen.
Something most people don’t know about me – I can pretty much bust out lyrics to any song at any given time, including a lot of raps. I’m obsessed with song lyrics.
I love Zac Efron as an actor – especially in The Lucky One
i’m afraid my iPhone might make my list too lol (love your panda case, btw!) ..and def mark whalberg for the actor – although no complaints on that pic of johnny depp 😉
Aww i love this! i cant wait to fill out mine. your pup is soo cute! she does still look like a puppy!! coffee is definitively going to be in my “cant live without” section too 🙂 have a great weekend hun!!
Thanks for the nomination! You just made me feel super special :). On that note, I can’t believe how many amazing friendships I’ve made through blogging. I never ever expected that! It’s just incredible.
Yay…loved reading your answers!!! Kaiah is such a beautiful dog! I love baking and Johnny Depp is a fav of mine too!
I’m definitely a country girl and currently in my fridge door there is organic ketchup, OJ and unsweetened coconut milk.
Have an awesome weekend Amanda!
You too, Holly! Happy Birthday, again! <3
Johnny Depp is certainly not bad to look at, but I think he would be my second favorite actor. Ryan Gosling beats him by a little bit 😉
I definitely can’t live without nut butter either 🙂 Thank you so much for the nomination I am so flattered. Yes I will most definitely answer the questions asap.
Walking is fabulous; I have been trying to go everyday at lunch. Isn’t it the worst feeling like you SHOULD have to do something? It’s that silly little voice in our head that needs to learn to be quiet. Have a fabulous weekend!
I absolutely love your website. With everything I have.
I am recently working on overcoming an ED of my own (mostly in terms of restriction and obsessive lifestyle and exercise). Reading your blog has made my eyes open up so much! It has ignited in my the desire to return to my former self. Thank you so much. The fact that you’ve stopped working out and have turned to just being active has… amazed me. I have no desire to stop working out as I do love it, but I do have a desire to only do what I want. Lately, that’s been just putting on music and dancing, along with barre and yoga. I used to feel this need to eat this way and work out that way. Now I want to eat and work out MY way and your posts make me feel OK about that.
You also make me want to pick up my camera again. I stopped doing photography once my ED hit. I miss it and remember NOTHING about it.
I love your blog.
I would also love to keep in touch.
You are definitely worthy of this award and so much more. 🙂
Kind of gushing over here… thank you for your kind words, Caitlyn 🙂 I Love hearing girls talk about being inspired to let go of an ED that robs them of the happiness and life they deserve. I know it’s a difficult battle, but I can tell you that it’s 100% worth it.
Great picks for the nominations! And super awesome questions. I’d much rather live in the country than the city… I just hate almost everything about the city, except for the close proximity of stores. What would your answer be? You seem to be a big fan of nature but I know some people are hard core city lovers through and through <3 😉
I’d definitely prefer to live in the country, but with where I live right now, it’s not really the best idea 😕 The reason being is that our winters are -hardcore- and having to make the commute into town everyday on icy highways is kind of risky. I’ve heard too many horror stories to make it all that appealing. But if I didn’t have to worry about weather? I’d leave the city in a heartbeat.
That’s an incredibly good point. I live South of you of course, but our winters can get pretty icy and dangerous here too!
Really great post idea!
I love this! I also probably cannot live without my iPhone or nut butter (material-wise). And ohhh Johnny Depp *swoon* 😉
Aw thanks for the nomination, girl! You gave me something to write about for next week 😉 You always take the BEST pictures. Seriously, the best. I’m always so jealous but I’m not artsy enough to do anything fancy. The people is my favorite part about blogging too, by far. And I like your approach to fitness, honestly. I think it works for you and we could all take a lesson or two from you!
Thanks for nominating me, girlie! <3 I'm so excited to answer your questions. 🙂 Kaiah is so gorgeous. I remember reading about her in an older post, but I kinda forgot that she existed until now. Kabocha with almond butter sounds SO good–I've never even thought of trying that before, but I feel like it's now a necessity. Especially Justin's…I think I just drooled a little bit on my keyboard.
Stop! You have me drooling over here! It seriously makes me sad that my stomach isn’t a fan because, for real… that stuff is just delicious.
Such a fun post!
That sure is a nice pic of Johnny. 🙂 Drooooool. I’m usually a Clooney girl, and I love cookie dough ice cream (though frankly, they’re all pretty good). Also, I too am a big fan of walking.
Have a great Friday!
Congrats on your award – so nice to get to know you better through your answers 🙂
So with you on what’s your fav vs what’s your stomach’s fav veg…I LOVE milk and ice cream but my stomach – not so much! 🙂
I haven’t been blogging for too long (just over a couple of months) and you are so right – there are some AMAHZING gals and guys out there!
Happy Friday!
Such a shame that we can’t boss our stomachs around with more success. Are you able to handle any of the non-dairy versions?
Haha! Yes – non dairy is fine with me – funnily – even fro yo!
Awwww, thank you for nominating me sweetie! Looking forward to answer your questions!!
I am with you on relaxing in nature. And saying that – you are SO right that thoughts can get so overwhelming in the middle of hustle and bustle. I wonder why?
Haha, yeah, Johnny Depp definitely is not hard to look at 🙂 And I love how alterable (is that a correct description?) he is.