SUMMER GOALS UPDATE
It's almost August friends. And fall clothes are coming. My heart's getting excited (fall is my favourite) BUT I have to hold myself back because it's still summer!!! It feels as though summer is slipping through my fingers but I'm ready to hold on tight...even if I'm already planning my fall baking...ha.
Remember when we wrote about our summer goals? We'll I thought it was about time I'd update you on things. I've actually completed some of them and that's a pretty exhilarating thing for this a-type planner girl!
SUMMER GOALS
- Have at least three bonfires with s'mores and singing. (S'mores on s'mores? Yes please.) We've had two bonfires with s'mores!! (Lassen & James' birthday last Saturday)
- Finish the Pentateuch course and start and finish a new course. (ROMer, I'm coming for you!) I finished the Pentateuch and am almost half way through Pneumatology!! BOOYAH.
- Complete the half marathon. (One week today, that will be done!!) DONE LIKE DINNER! I wrote all about it here.
- Complete the gallery wall in the living room. (Oh dear Lord, help me.) Ha, haven't been motivated AT ALL.
- Go on one kayaking adventure. James is working on this one!
- Find a healthy rhythm for this blog. (So excited to learn all about this and be so inspired at Alt next month!) To be honest, this one has been pretty hard, but my goal is to get posts to you 3x per week! I'd love to blog full time but I just can't, I just can't.
- Learn how to make macarons. I'm thinking this is more of a fall thing...
- Have lots of people over for BBQs. We've had three bbqs since I wrote that post so I'd say we knocked that one outta the park.
- Celebrate 2 YEARS of MARRIAGE!! (Booked already, sooooo excited.) Ohhhh, I'm SOOO EXXXCITED. ;)
I'm actually quite surprised with how much I've checked off that list this summer!
I'm curious, do you make goals for each season? Have you made a summer bucket list? If so, are you checking things off? How do you stay motivated in the summer? ha, sorry for the 20 questions but I'm actually quite interested.
Hope you have a fabulous Wednesday!
xo,
s.s.♥︎.
RUNNING UPDATE + SUMMER RUNNING TIPS
Like my new running shoes??
It's been awhile since I last updated you on my running progress (here's when I ran my first half marathon!) I had been hoping to update you with the news that I've registered for my first marathon and that training is going amazingly...but sadly that's not happening.
I had the high hopes of running a marathon this fall. I know in my heart that I could do it...but this summer is (thankfully) full of adventures and I know that I wouldn't be able to squeeze those 3.5 hour runs in. With a marathon, you have to train smart or else you're going to hurt yourself. So I decided not to be an idiot and just swallow my pride and not complete a marathon this year... :(
BUT I'm still going to register for the half..and I'm excited to try to beat my time of 2:08 ! I'll get you next time, full marathon.
So when I was in Redding, I managed to run a number of times. Our house was 1km away from a trail that was along the Sacramento River. The trail was pretty nice (nothing compared to what this Vancouver Island girl is used to!!) We had to go pretty early as it got very hot very quickly there.
Here we are super sweaty after our first run in the heat.
It's good to be back running in BC..can I get an amen for fresh air and ocean breezes? But it can still get hot in the sunshine, so I have a few tips for you. (Remember I am NOT an expert, these are only my personal opinions!)
1. STAY HYDRATED
I brought water with me on every run in Redding and I was so thankful! If it's hot, you're going to be sweating A LOT and you need to put that moisture back in you!! (I use something like this to carry my water in.) If you hate bringing a water bottle or a running belt, make sure you run where there are frequent water fountains because no one wants to pass out in the middle of a run...yikes.
2. DRESS APPROPRIATELY
I make this mistake way too often. I think it's chilly outside so I wear capris and a t-shirt and then 1km in, the sun is blasting on me and I'm sooo sweaty. I prefer loose clothing when I run. My go to summer running outfit consists of this tank and these shorts. That tank top was worth every penny. Honestly, it's so loose and free and feels like you don't have anything on, but you do, so it's awesome...ha.
3. PLAN YOUR RUNS IN ADVANCE
I don't know about you, but my summer schedule is quite PACKED. Between beach days and vacations and things happening around town, there isn't a ton of spare time. So scheduling my runs in advance is a must do for me. I like to keep it old school and write my runs down in my agenda but you can download a running plan on Runkeeper and send it to your ical!
So those are my top 3 summer running tips. I'd love to hear your advice on running in the summer time! Let me know in the comment section.
Hope you have a fabulous Monday...today my hunk of burning love turns 25...make sure you wish him a happy birthday!!! LOVE YOU JAMES xoxo
stay gold,
s.s.♥︎.
SUNDIAL BRIDGE
When I told people I was going down to California for two weeks, they usually responded, "Ohhhh, lucky!!" I would quickly assure them that it wasn't like that. We weren't going to Disneyland, we weren't going to the ocean, we weren't going to a metropolis.
No, we were going to Redding, California.
Northern California. Inland. Population, 90,000.
Now don't get me wrong, Redding has some things going for it...Bethel (OBVS), In & Out Burger (ok, that's enough for me to consider moving..), Water Works Park (check out James & Tim on the Avalanche!!) and Sundial Bridge.
I discovered Sundial Bridge on one of my long runs. The scenery wasn't mind blowing (I live in Victoria, so I'm pretty spoiled), but I was pretty stoked to run across it! I knew I wanted James to see it, so we went back on our last night there. Beautiful skies & warm evening weather. It was the perfect end to our trip.
The bugs were a little chaotic so we couldn't stay for long but James managed to catch some awesome shots...including Chenoah and I with NO MAKEUP (and sunburnt, ha!). When it started to get dark, the bridge lit up! Pretty cool move Redding, pretty cool move.
It's good to be home. I'm still processing everything that happened there but I'm also throwing myself into everything that's happening here. I'll definitely need to carve out some Jesus time to go over my notes and reflect on all that God did in Redding.
Hope you have a beautiful Wednesday.
xo,
s.s.♥︎.
LOCAL // TACOS
Ok believe it or not, I had my very first fish taco in 2013. James and I were in San Francisco and looked up on foursquare where we could find a good local restaurant. Foursquare led us to a local bar that apparently served the best fish tacos. They most definitely lived up to their claim. Those fish tacos were to die for. In that moment I was a fish taco lover for life.
Now I'm a little bit picky...first things first, they have to be fried. I'm not the biggest seafood fan, so I need my fish battered and deep fried to perfection.
1. TACOFINO
Location- Pandora St. (across from John's Place) Price- $5 per taco
Tacofino is one of my absolute favourite spots to get tacos in Victoria. Their fish taco is my favourite but the yam tempura one is a close second. I love their slaw and just thinking about the tempura battered fish makes my mouth water! Every time I've gone to Tacofino, I've had wonderful service...which is a big deal to me. We love them so much that every time we have an event at the church (parking lot parties, conference) we get these guys to come. Their truck location isn't the best BUT they installed some benches which defs makes it easier to eat their delicious tacos! Do yourself a favour and gorge at Tacofino.
2. FINEST AT SEA
Location- 27 Erie St. (Near Fisherman's Wharf) Price- $9 (for two MASSIVE tacos)
I went to Finest at Sea with my lovely sister, Catrina. When I arrived I noticed that they didn't have any deep fried fish but when I asked if they could do it, it was no problem at all. Now for these guys, the price is right. $9 for two MASSIVE tacos. I was full for days after eating these! They were also incredibly delicious. Their sauce had it going on...seriously I could eat these tacos for days. My only complaint was it took a very long time. I think we waited about 20 minutes, which in the food truck world, is a very long time BUT their tacos defs made up for the wait. The truck is located directly across from a park beside Fisherman's Wharf which was awesome because we enjoyed them with a fabulous view. I can't wait to sink my teeth into one of these soon!
3. TACO JUSTICE
Location- 1580 Cook St. (near Pandora) Price- $6.50 per taco
The award for the most creative tacos go to Taco Justice. I had the "Green Bastard" (pictured below) which consisted of "panko crusted avocado wedges, crispy cheddar, oh-snap and chipotle aioli, salsa fresca and sappy watercress slaw". COME ON! Even though it was vegetarian, it was freaking awesome. I enjoyed this taco with my beautiful friend Sarah. She had "Mr. Fuji's Intercontinental Chicken" (pictured above) which consisted of "Masala marinated chicken, grilled jalapeno and avocado sauce, Fuji apple slaw and cilantro lime vinaigrette". yummmmmmm. My only beef with these guys is they only accept cash (and they don't tell you that on the website) and they are the most expensive compared to the other places. That was very annoying but it didn't stop me from devouring the Green Bastard!
4. LA TAQUISA
Location- 1017 Blanshard St. Price- $2.50 per taco (very small)
Courtney and I ventured to La Taquisa on a lunch break. I had the Baja Style Fish and the Chicken Tinga. They were fresh and delicious but super tiny. I wish I ordered more. The nice thing about La Taquisa is they are located in a restaurant so you can sit at a table to enjoy your taco but the not so nice thing about our experience was the service. (As you can tell, service is a HUGE deal to me!) They were still yummy, just not as yummy as the other places I listed above.
So there you have it, my favourite places to get tacos in Victoria. Tacofino will always be my absolute favourite but Finest at Sea and Taco Justice definitely are a close second and third.
Have you tried any of these places? I'm always on the hunt for new places to get food so if you have another favourite place to get tacos I would LOVE to know!
Until next time,
s.s.♥.
FRIDAY FAVOURITES // ONE PIECE SWIMSUITS
About 8 years ago I bought a beautiful one piece bathing suit from a local boutique. It was 50's style polka dot and it was actually flattering!! It's worn out in the butt so I can't get away with wearing it anymore, so I'm on the hunt for a new one. PTL you can now buy beautiful one pieces that actually look good...we've come along way!
Here are some that I got my eye on...
How cute are those suits? I think my favourite is the black & white geometric print one. Hope you have a fabulous weekend! We head back to Canada tomorrow at 5am...yaaaay! I am honestly soo excited to get home...cuddles with Coco, running with a cool ocean breeze, church, friends, my bed...can't hardly wait.
xoxo,
s.s.♥︎.
p.s. I have A LOT to say on the topic of swimsuits/body image but I didn't want to write a hurried post. Last week, I heard of this thing called the "bikini bridge" and I got LIVID. I'll be posting more on body image next week...until then, love who you are and enjoy the beach without shame!!!