Happy Sunday! I know that my blogging schedule has been a bit off this past week but I'm going back to posting on Fridays. Right now it's extremely cold where I live so I thought I'd make a seasonal post of my favourite things in winter. I hope you enjoy this post and try out these items for yourself. Have a wonderful day and lovely week! 

Winter Decor:

If you saw my Fall Essentials post you will notice that I have switched out that decor and put up some winter decor. Unfortunately, I can't link the garland because I bought it last year and I don't think Michaels sells it anymore. Definitely check the store to see if they have anything similar. They have really nice garlands and you can get other winter decor there too. I also changed out the fall pictures on my D.I.Y garland and clipped some winter pictures I printed from Pinterest. 

Clothes:
I recently went to Aerie which is American Eagle's store for girls. They sell underwear, pajamas, bras, and more. This is one of my favourite stores because they have very comfortable clothing and underwear. They also have models of all different sizes on their website and posters which is really nice to see as well. I needed new pajama bottoms since my old ones don't fit me anymore. This one is my favourite design because it has cute polar bears on it--plus it's warm and cozy. 

I also love their socks. They are so thick and warm and I have so many pairs because I always ask for them for my birthday and Christmas. Mine is a different colour than this one because I got mine last year but it's the same style. Perfect for bed and with winter boots. 

I also wear an eye mask to bed on weekends since I sleep later and I don't want the sun in my eye to wake me up. I got mine at Zara Home and it does the job. They don't have the exact one I have anymore but they have other really nice colours. I recommend wearing eye masks on weekends so you can have a better and longer sleep without feeling half awake. *hibernates like a bear zzzzz*

Food:
This is a must during the winter. This is one of my favourite drinks besides tea as I don't like the taste of coffee. My favourite brand of hot chocolate is Carnation Rich and Creamy (true to its title). I put 3-4 spoons of it (I know that's a lot but I'm addicted to sugar) in my Natur-a Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk that I warm in the microwave for 1 minute. I bought my mug at Winners for $5.00 and it's my favourite mug ever. The art on it is so pretty and vintage-looking and I love drinking tea and hot chocolate out of it. 

Candles:
I went Bath and Body Works crazy for winter and bought 3 candles. They had so many deals that I just had to be apart of them. I got my favourite seasonal scent Winter, which smells like there's actual snow falling in your house...seriously. It makes the air so crisp and cool and just freshens your room. I am going to burn this one in January because around Christmas I like to burn warm, sweet candles. If I were to recommend any scent it would be this one. It makes a great gift as well, for boys and girls as it's a very gender-neutral scent. 

I also have Marshmallow Fireside which is such a cozy and warm scent. It smells slightly sweet but not overpowering. I've been burning it in my room recently and just sets the perfect tone for reading. 

Hot Cocoa & Cream... I found out about this from Bren who does candle reviews on Youtube. I love her videos so much and I trust her opinion. She was talking about this candle in one of her videos and the notes (decadent milk chocolate, fresh steamed milk, mini marshmallows) is what caught my attention. Trust me when I say this smells exactly like the title and is my favourite candle of all time. Unfortunately, they had this crazy sale for candles online and in-store so they no longer sell this candle *cries*. When not if but when they bring it out next year, I'm definitely buying it (I refuse to believe they won't bring it out next year because it did so well in stores).    

Movies:

Watching my favourite movies during break is probably one of my favourite things to do. As you can probably tell I love romance, drama, and comedies. The movies above are Love, Rosie (watch this if you want a cute, friends to lovers type of romance), Endless Love (watch this if you want an epic romance filled with tons of drama), and Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging (watch this if you want a relatable teen romantic comedy--you'll laugh a ton watching this one). I'm not much of a Christmas movie lover (besides The Grinch lol). If you are looking for a good movie on Netflix I recently watched In-Lawfully Yours and it is so hilarious. It is a romantic comedy that is faith-based and I enjoyed it sooo much. Check out these movies if you are interested (my personal fav is Love, Rosie).


My Own Fireplace:
This is a bit random but I love turning on my TV to the fireplace channel and listening to the crackling embers whilst I read. Fireplace + Burning Candles + Reading a Book + Wearing Cozy Socks = Best. Combination. Ever. 

Music:

Even though I'm not a huge Christmas movie fan, I love listening to Christmas music. I found this song last week and I've been obsessed with it since. It's called Home for the Holiday by Sugar & The Hi Lo's. I love the indie/folk genre and this is like Christmas and indie folk mixed together which is why I love it so much. I hope you like it!

love xena

Sorry for the delayed post! I didn't want to to post on Friday since I was going to the Dan + Shay concert this past Sunday. It was sooo incredible and I had the best time. I went with my Aunt Gigi to the Danforth Music Hall and waited for over an hour in the snow for the doors to open. We had balcony seats which were very nice and had amazing acoustics. Only thing that was not so great about our seats was that we weren't super up close to Dan and Shay ;(. That's okay though because I still had a really great time. I also bought something from their merchandise line. It's a super soft, comfortable, and warm sweatshirt with the lyrics: "You look good in the light but I wanna see you in the dark." This is from their song Already Ready which is one of my favorites. They sound so incredible live and sound exactly the way they do on their album Obsessed. The video above is them singing "From the Ground Up" which is their most popular song and the one by which I actually discovered them. It was played on The Bachelorette and I fell in love since it was during Luke <3 and Jojo's hometown date. I hope you enjoy the little snippet above and enjoyed this post. Definitely check out Dan + Shay if you haven't already because they are so talented and deserve more fans. I hope you had a great day and have a great week!

love xena

Happy December! I am sooooo stoked for this month as I have a P.A. Day (it's what they call a day-off from school) this week and I have Christmas Break!!! Basically...MORE READING TIME! So since I have a lot of days off from school I have a bigger TBR than usual. I hope to read all of these books this month while also juggling binge-watching Nashville and Once Upon a Time. Super busy month but I am really excited. Anyways, if you want to find out more about the books I plan on reading this month then keep reading.   

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas:

As you know from previous posts I have been reading the Throne of Glass series and I have one more book to read until I'm all caught up! *shimmies* I started this book yesterday and I am so excited as Queen of Shadows blew me away. (If you have not read the rest of this series then do not read this synopsis or you will be spoiled). 

Over the course of five books, Aelin has had a long journey from being an assassin to a queen. Now that the glass castle has been destroyed and magic is now back in Erilea, Aelin Galathynius and her friends must prepare themselves and an army to take over the evil in their lands. As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the ending of everything Aelin holds dear. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down? 

If that doesn't sound incredible then I don't know what does. I am seriously so looking forward to seeing how this series comes to an end. Not that I want it to end but I wonder how Sarah J. Maas will decide how to conclude this incredible series. I have a long way before I finish this book though because it is 689 pages long. Hopefully, I'll still get around to the other books on my tbr. I'll try to make a review for this one since I haven't really written any for this series so far. Before I forget... you should know that I'm definitely Team Rowan #rowaelinshipper!!! 

"You make me want to live, Rowan. Not survive; not exist. Live." - Aelin Galathynius 

 "You make me want to live, too, Aelin Galathynius," he said. "Not exist—but live." He cupped her cheek, and took a steadying breath—as if he’d thought about every word these past three days, over and over again. "I spent centuries wandering the world, from empires to kingdoms to wastelands, never settling, never stopping—not for one moment. I was always looking toward the horizon, always wondering what waited across the next ocean, over the next mountain. But I think … I think that whole time, all those centuries, I was just looking for you." - Rowan Whitehorn 

I love how their relationship went from hate, to acquaintances, to friends who constantly tease each other, to carranam (a blood connection where two faes can use each other's powers), to finally admitting the feelings they share with one another. Aelin seems so genuinely happy when she's with Rowan and he definitely feels the same way obviously (ahem, the quote above <3). I look forward to seeing how their relationship develops in this book and the amount of tension that will definitely be present and crush me for sure. 

Buy the book here.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo:

I bought this book for my birthday and I am so happy to finally get around to reading it. This is about a criminal prodigy, Kaz Brekker, who has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he'll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist: break into the notorious Ice Court (a military stronghold that has never been breached), retrieve a hostage (who could unleash magical havoc on the world), survive long enough to collect his reward (and spend it). Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done - and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they might just be unstoppable - if they don't kill each other first. 

Oh my gosh... Sounds action-packed and incredibly interesting. Can't wait to start this as I have heard many, many good things about this book and its sequel which I'll talk about next. 

Buy the book here.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo:

As you can see from the spines of the books, this is the sequel to Six of Crows. I don't want to talk too much about this book as I haven't read Six of Crows and I don't want to spoil anything. It is a continuation of the events that took place in the previous book and is the last book in this duology. I hope I enjoy Six of Crows because I've heard amazing things about this book. Not one person I follow doesn't like it so I am pretty excited and have high hopes. If you are intrigued by the Six of Crows summary above then I would definitely check it out. 

Buy the book here.

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West:

I love Kasie West so much and couldn't wait to get my hands on her new book. Unfortunately, Indigo wasn't selling it in store as they did for her other books. My guess is that it's her first contemporary book that's been published as a hardcover and they couldn't fit it on the shelves. Anyways, I got it on Amazon and I cannot believe how beautiful it is. Kasie West is known for her cute and fluffy contemporary books that guarantees you all the feels and warm fuzzies. I doubt this book is any different. 

This is about a girl named, Lily, who writes some of her favourite song lyrics on her desk during Chemistry class. The next day, she finds that someone continued the lyrics and left a message for her. Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging letters where they share their secrets, recommend bands, and open up to one another. Lily realizes that she's falling for this letter writer but doesn't know who he is. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer--but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could've ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart? 

This sounds incredibly entertaining and a book that will make you smile whenever you pick it up. Looking forward to reading this one and her new releases coming out next year as she is really stepping up her game with amazing plot ideas!

Buy the book here.

I hope you had a great week, have a Happy Friday, and a wonderful weekend! I'll see you next week with a new post. 

love xena

#1

If you have been keeping up with my posts then you would know that I've been binge-reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. I am currently on the fourth book, Queen of Shadows, and I have high hopes for this since I've heard countless times that it's the best book in the entire series so far. This series is perfect for anyone who loves romance, fantasy, or young adult. I don't want to share the summary of this book because I don't want to spoil anything. If you are interested in this series then definitely pick it up. It's a good one!

#2

One of my favourite singers, Birdy, released a new song recently along with Sigma. I love how they sound together--with Birdy's beautiful and strong voice mixed with the electric rhythm and beats of the track. Birdy is an indie/folk singer so it's nice to hear her try out different styles of music. I also had to mention this song because Millie Bobby Brown is the video! If you don't know who Millie is, she starred as Eleven in Stranger Things, which is an amazing Netflix original series that I talked about in my first Weekly Favourites post. She displays so much emotion in this video and the way they filmed it worked so well with the song. Definitely watch the video that I linked above and you will fall in love with this song and Birdy as well.   

#3

♪ Where you lead, I will follow ♪ 

♪ Anywhere that you tell me to ♪

♪ If you need, you need me to be with you ♪

♪ I will follow where you lead ♪

I am so excited for Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life!!! Earlier this year I finished the entire Gilmore Girls series and I fell in love with this show and all of it's original and unique characters. I am so looking forward to seeing how Rory's and Lorelai's lives have changed in the past ten years since the show has ended. I hope to see Rory with Jess (yes, I am on #TeamJess), Lorelai and Luke, Emily, Lane and Zach's kids, as well as, Sookie and Jackson and their kids. I just really want to see the whole gang and what stages of life they are in. I hope this mini-series will gives us Gilmore Girls fans the spectacular conclusion we wish for to this wonderful, witty, and original show.

#4

I'm always pinning and creating new boards on my Pinterest account. Recently, I've added 5 new boards and I wanted to share my favourite one. I always find beautiful pictures and quotes on Pinterest that I just don't know where to place in the boards I've made. I created this one for this exact reason. Any picture I don't know where to put usually ends up here. I just love how it's so colourful and all over the place. It is really a creative space that I love looking through to get ideas or inspiration.

love xena

Hello everyone! I hope you're all having a great day so far. Today's post is all about beauty which I haven't done in a while. These are products that I've been using lately that I find work very well for me and were great purchases! I tried picking a product from each category (hair, body, face, nails, etc.) so if you are looking to change things up in your normal routine, you can see if these products interest you and possibly purchase them for yourself. So, if you want to know more about these products then keep reading. 

♡ Snowflakes & Cashmere Fine Fragrance Mist by Bath & Body Works: I really wanted to buy a nice winter scent to wear with my other perfume since it's a bit light and I wanted something a bit stronger. I've been waiting for Bath & Body Works to have a sale on their body mists since they are strong and last for a good while throughout the day. When I saw this mist and read the notes (cashmere cream and shimmering vanilla being two of them) I was really hooked and wanted to smell it for myself. I love it! It's a very nice, warm, and kind of spicy scent that blends well when I layer it with my other vanilla perfume. I would definitely check out B&BW to find your perfect scent for this winter!

♡ The POREfessional Face Primer by Benefit Cosmetics: This is actually an old tube my aunt Gigi has but I stole it from her since she stopped using it. Basically, after you put on your moisturizer, you apply a bead-sized amount of this with your fingers onto your entire face or just your t-zone (the oiliest area of the face). This helps to mattify and prep your skin for any products you put on top of it (foundation, BB cream, etc.). I don't use those products on my skin since I don't like the feeling of so much makeup on my face. I just use this primer because I have really oily skin and I find that it helps keep me shine-free throughout the day. I set it in place with my favourite face powder and powder brush. 

♡ Matte Finish Makeup Setting Spray by NYX: Aaaah! I just love this brand so much because their products are such good quality. I heard about this and saw this product being used in makeup tutorials and I wanted to try it out to see if it worked. It really does! I spritz it twice onto my face after I apply my powder to make sure I do not look oily during the day. Once you spritz it on your face it dries pretty quickly and feels like nothing since it's just like water mist on your skin. It lasts from 7:00 a.m to around 5:00 p.m on my face. This is pretty amazing since I do have really oily skin and it's hard finding a product that claims it won't make me look gross and shiny...but does it anyway! They also have a Dewy Finish setting spray if you actually do want to look shiny and glowy. I really recommend this for people who wear makeup and/or have oily skin!

♡ Nail Lacquer in Tickle My France-y by OᐧPᐧI: I was looking at nail polishes on Pinterest when I came across this colour. Oh My Gosh! It's sooo pretty and applies so well. I would describe it as a light dusty pink colour and it looks great on all skin tones. It's very natural and soft which is why I really like it. Definitely going to wear this colour throughout December. 

♡ Sleek & Shine Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment by Garnier Fructis: I honestly just bought this by chance since Shoppers (our pharmacy here in Canada) was having a sale on hair care. I was reading the bottle and the benefits sounded pretty good to me so I went ahead and purchased it. After I shampoo my hair I add a dime-sized amount of the oil to my conditioner and it makes my hair so soft, shiny, and easy to manage. It gives your ends so much moisture and look so much healthier. In the mornings, I'll apply it once again to the ends of my hair (now dry) and it looks sooo shiny and healthy. I definitely recommend this if your hair is very dry and in need of some moisture, especially now that winter is coming.  

I hope you enjoyed today's post and try out some of the products I mentioned. I hope you had a great week, have a Happy Friday, and a wonderful weekend!

love xena

Hello guys! Today, I really wanted to post a recipe since it's been a long time since I've done so. I've been making french toast every Sunday for the past few weeks for my family and I and anyone I make this recipe for says it's the best french toast they've ever had! This year I've been practicing a lot and have tried different ingredients and techniques to create the most fluffy and decadent french toast breakfast. And now I have finally found the perfect recipe! So, I thought I would share it with you to make it for yourself and your family. It's pretty simple with very easy steps to follow. Just remember to watch the pan and flip every so often and they'll turn out great! So, if you are interested in trying this than keep on reading to find out the utensils and ingredients you will need. 

Ingredients:

- 1 slice of white bread or brioche, cut in half* 

- 1 egg*

- Ground cinnamon 

- Table cream (doesn't matter which type you use--any will work since all this does is give it a richer flavour)

- Olive oil

- Vanilla extract 

- Margarine or butter  

- Icing sugar (this is not mandatory, it's just for presentation purposes)

- Maple syrup (I recommend Mrs. Butterworth's Original Syrup--it's thick and sweet and the best syrup I've ever tried) 

* (this is for one serving so if you want to make more, you will need more eggs and bread slices for this recipe).

Tools:

- Spatula

- Fork or Egg beater

- Paring Knife (I didn't even know the technical name for this until I asked my aunt but most likely you have this knife at home; you normally use it for cutting fruits)

- Butter Knife

- Bowl

- Frying pan

- Plate

Directions:

i. Oil your frying pan on medium heat so the pan is already hot when the slices are ready and battered. Cut your bread slice into half and put it to the side for now. Crack your egg into the bowl and beat it using a fork or egg beater. Pour a little bit more than a cap-sized amount of table cream and vanilla extract into the egg mixture. Now, take your bread slices one at a time and dunk them into the mixture for 10 seconds on each side so the bread will soak up the mixture properly. Now that the bread slices are wet, shake some cinnamon on both sides to add a nice, rich, and warm flavour. The cinnamon also makes it look more authentic so I would not skip this step. 

ii. Place your battered bread slices onto the oiled frying pan and wait about 30-40 seconds and flip to the other side. Continue this until it looks nice and toasty and place onto your plate.

iii. Now, take your butter knife and spread some margarine or butter onto your slices to add some flavour and soften the texture. Add a pinch of icing sugar and sprinkle it on both slices. Drizzle as much maple syrup as you desire onto your french toast and voila! You have just made the perfect french toast recipe. 

Enjoy your meal and tell me how yours came out in the comment section below. I hope you had a great week, have a Happy Friday, and a wonderful weekend. 

love xena

Hello everyone! Today is a bit of a different post as you can probably tell. I decided to combine my TBR with some of my recommendations because the books I plan to read this month are all in the same series. If I posted my TBR separately it would've been too short due to the fact that I would only be able to talk about the first book so as not to spoil the rest of the series. So, now that I've explained that let's get into the books. 

For my birthday, I received books 1-5 of the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas from my aunt Gigi. I was so excited because I've been meaning to read this series for a while, especially after reading and loving the ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas. Throne of Glass, which is book one in this series, is about an 18-year-old girl named Celaena Sardothien (a bit hard to pronounce but this will help) who, after serving out a year of hard labour in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her...but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. 

Well... when I read that synopsis I was super intrigued, especially after all the hype that surrounds this series. Currently, I'm reading The Assassin's Blade which is a prequel to the series. It's basically a novella consisting of five short stories about Celaena and her adventures. It introduces her sassy and confident personality which you'll fall in love with pretty quickly. I'm on the third story right now and it's the best one so far. I just can't wait to finish and start Throne of Glass, especially if it's anything like The Assassin and the Desert (the third story in The Assassin's Blade). So, if this interests you definitely pick it up and tell me what you think.  

#1

My first recommendation is... to eat breakfast! But honestly, it is very important and a great start to your day. I used to eat 1 cup of Nature's Path Honey'd Corn Flakes with 1 cup of Natur-a Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk and it is sooo good. Nice and light but filling enough to last until lunch time. Recently, I've wanted to change it up so I went to a local healthy food store with my aunt and we purchased One Degree Veganic Sprouted Brown Rice Cacao Crisps and Nature's Path Flax Plus Vanilla Almond Granola. They taste incredible on their own but what I've been doing is combining them together! In the mornings, I fill my bowl halfway with the Cacao Crisps and add in a 1/2 cup of the Vanilla Granola on top and... *melts* They just taste amazing together. I would explain the flavour as a healthy Nestle Cocoa Puffs mixed with a vanilla granola bar. I love this "chocolate-y, vanilla-y goodness" and I would highly recommend to purchase these two and eat them separately and together. 

#2

I started this TV series in the summer and I've been obsessed with it ever since. The show is about a renowned country singer, Ranya James, who, after two decades of being the reigning queen of country music, is faced with pressure to adapt and reinvent herself to stay relevant. Insert Juliette Barnes, a sassy and sexy singer with a troubled past, who has her mind set on stealing Rayna's place at the top. Other characters in Nashville's music scene include a beautiful and gifted songwriter, Scarlett O'Connor, up-and-coming musician Gunnar Scott, conflicted country star Will Lexington, and Deacon Claybourne, a guitar player who has worked with Rayna since the beginning of her career. A TV show mixed with drama, romance, and music, is not only for people who love country but also for those who don't! Watch at least the first episode before you say no to this show. I too was questioning whether I would enjoy this because, although I like listening to some country music, I wouldn't call myself a die-hard fan. But this show makes me laugh, giddy, and emotional at points. So great and would highly recommend if you are looking to binge watch something on Netflix. 

#3

I have been listening to this song non-stop for the past week. I first heard it when I watched Me Before You and I just loved her voice. I checked out the soundtrack for the movie and I was so happy when I found this song. Cloves's voice is so beautiful and and you can really hear the emotion when she sings. She immediately reminded me of Adele because she has that huskiness to her voice that really accentuates the song. I also really love the music video for this song as well--the landscape and simplicity is just so soothing and compliments the song perfectly. 

I hope you enjoyed this post and check out the things I mentioned above. I hope you had a great week, have a Happy Friday, and a wonderful weekend.

love xena