Friday Favourites – Blurry Eyes, Garrett’s Birthday and Christmas at IKEA

Yay for Friday! Thank you for the well wishes on my Instagram pic this week. I’ve been offline the last few days while I dealt with some blurry eyes. I somehow got an infection in my right eye (not pink eye, thank goodness!) and have been using some drops that make my vision pretty blurry. Combine that with the headaches from the strain of my eyes and I really haven’t been able to be on the computer that much this week. Thankfully it seems to be on the mend now and I’ve been taking it easy with bright lights and screens. Not using your eyes is way harder than you’d think!

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I rarely use my computer glasses, but this week I needed to dig them out. Thankfully they covered up the fact that I wasn’t wearing any eye makeup, ha!

Seeing as I couldn’t write posts or edit photos, I used my time to get cooking in the kitchen, which was helpful with Garrett’s birthday this week! I made this wonderfully decadent creation that Garrett came up with – a dense coconut vanilla cake with thick white chocolate cream cheese frosting with toasted coconut.

For his birthday cakes he always makes up a flavour and I do my best to try and bring his idea to life:

• 2013 – Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
• 2012 – Peppermint White Chocolate Cake
• 2011 – He had cake at our friends’ wedding!
• 2010 –  Cookie Dough Ice Cream Pie

He was pretty excited to see the finished results, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

We did a quiet little dinner at his parents’ place this year. I made my Great Aunt’s Lasagna recipe, with cheesy garlic bread and caesar salad.

 After our big meal, we all hung out in the living room and snuggled with the dogs.

Whiskey and Cola were happy to stalk the rat in it’s cage. I can only imagine what they’d be like it they actually got face-to-face.

For part of Garrett’s birthday gift, I put together a little surprise in the city for us this weekend. Until Wednesday, all he knew was that he needed to keep the day free, but I finally spilled the beans. We have tickets to see The Book of Mormon and then a day of adventures and yummy food in the city. It’s been killing me keeping it a secret from him all this time! I’ve wanted to tell him pretty much every day since I bought the tickets (and it really is a miracle that I didn’t give it away sooner).

One night this week I ended up being near an IKEA and couldn’t resist stopping in to take a look at all the Christmas decorations.

I always love seeing how they incorporate the holiday decor into their everyday displays.

These little felt ornaments were too cute. I especially loved the little birds.

Walking around the little apartments they have set up is one of my favourite parts of IKEA, but I especially love it when they have them all decorated for the holidays. They do a great job of making the spaces feel warm and inviting.

It was also a good chance to get a little inspiration. This bedroom was so bright and warm and inviting – all the things that I want to accomplish in our own room. I believe that your bedroom should be a place that really makes you feel relaxed and this is just the ticket.

On a final note – I gave Cola and Whiskey matching reindeer stuffed toys from Kong and they’re both obsessed. Their new routine is to sit under the Christmas tree and leisurely pull apart these sweet little reindeer.

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I hope that you have a safe weekend and can stay warm and cozy inside. I’m already bundled up in a blanket, with a cup of hot tea and the heater on….and I’ll probably be here all evening. I may even watch a Christmas movie…