all is calm. all is bright.

christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,

everything is softer and more beautiful.

- norman vincent peale

this is the life...

Scotty's birthday berry pavlova. Easy peasy delicious! � Fries "a la cart" at Delux Burger Bar � Lobster prawn benedict on potato rosti at Edmonton's newest resto, The Makk � Must try: PC's salted caramel ice cream � My take on holiday attire � Working the camera at Simons with Nat & Ayesha � Some days require a major pop of colour AND leopard shoes � Rockin' sparkles and lace with Christine at our hubs' work shindig




Decking the halls at our house starts with a Costco wreath � When the sun's out, you'll find us in the river valley � Chestnuts are one of my fav seasonal treats. I'll be sad when they're gone �  Our Lucy is not too keen on being a model. She'd rather be chasing squirrels � A birthday kiss for my Scotty � Me and the dude at the awesome good Journey concert. Our first major concert in eleven years �  Cleanin' up holiday style � Our niece Raissa's Christmas concert night. Nothing gets me in the holiday spirit quite like little kids fa-la-la'ing �

I know that this is a crazy busy time for all of us, so I sincerely thank you for taking the time to stop by. It means a lot.

Dajana

You can find me on Instagram at allkindsoflovelyblog. See you there!

eat: butternut squash soup with thai gremolata

This Thai-inspired soup is SO good. It's comforting, flavourful, velvety in texture and easy to make (slow cooker!). The combo of lime and coconut is subtle and delicious, while the vibrant flavours (we`re talkin' lime, peanuts & cilantro) of the gremolata are the perfect finishing touch. Typically, gremolata is an Italian condiment of lemon zest, garlic and parsley but here it gets a fun, modern Thai twist. Whatever you do, please don't forget the gremolata. The soup won't be the same without it.

Here's what you need to make it...

2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1� pieces

2 cups chicken broth

1 14-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk

� cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon fish sauce or soya sauce

� -1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (Sriracha) or crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons lime juice

Thai Gremolata:

� cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro

� cup chopped peanuts

1 tablespoon finely shredded lime peel

• In a 3 � - or 4-quart slow cooker, stir together squash, broth, coconut milk, onions, brown sugar, fish sauce and Sriracha.
• Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-2 � hours.
• Meanwhile, assemble the Thai Gremolata. Mix together basil, peanuts and lime peel. Set aside.
• Use an immersion or stand blender to carefully blend soup until completely smooth. (Or, transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor or blender; or use a potato masher to mash mixture nearly smooth.) Note: as with any hot soup, let it cool before processing in a blender or you might spray scalding soup all over you and your kitchen.
• Stir in lime juice. Ladle into bowls and top with Thai Gremolata. If desired, serve with lime wedges. 

The hubs is not a big fan of soups (say whaaat?), but even he happily dug into this one. Hope you like it just as much as we did!

Dajana

the eye(brows) have it

Having good eyebrows can transform the entire look of your face. I can�t tell you how many times I�ve seen a lovely lady who would be even lovelier if her eyebrows weren�t plucked into a sparse thin line.

I speak from experience. In my twenties, my eyebrows were really thin, too. I looked like a Latina gang member from South Central L.A. Over the years, I've stopped tweezing excessively, grown them in and also started getting them threaded (best decision ever!). Now, I�m the proud owner of two full, well-shaped eyebrows.

How does threading work? An aesthetician uses a doubled-up strand of cotton thread to twist around individual hairs, then pulls them out from the roots. The procedure is used mainly on the eyebrows and upper lip. It's been commonplace for centuries among women in India and the Middle East (Persian and Indian women really do have the best brows). I like the thread because it offers much more definition than waxing. It gets every little hair out.

The results are both drastic and subtle. One of those can't-quite-place-it changes that actually make a world of difference. Having my brows shaped always puts an extra pep in my step. (:

Cost is relatively cheap: it starts at about $15. After a professional threading job, you can maintain your new brow line on your own with tweezers.

My go-to place for threading is Esthetics and Hair Designs (101, 15503 � 87 Avenue) which has been around for almost 30 years. Design-wise, it�s a no-frills shop but the ladies are friendly and always do a great job on my brows.

Their number is 780-484-7255. Be sure to ask for Hamida or Mitra.

Happy threading!