{this moment} - and the weekly {Smile-Up}

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"There are no ordinary moments." ~Way of the Peaceful Warrior

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A photo (or few) capturing moments from the week. Simple, special, extraordinary moments. Moments I want to pause, savor and remember.

Served up with the weekly {Smile-Up} - gratitude practices to love and appreciate your life. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' and 'smile up' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . . 

{this moment}

{Birthday Princess with her sexy Nurse husband ~_^}

{Smile Up}:

☺ My Birthday! Which included the actual day spent for myself being creative, and a tea date with my bestie. ♥

☺ Birthday with my hubby: lunch in Kaslo and hot springs ^_^

☺ Birthday weekend: costume part where I had a little too much fun with friends. ;)

☺ Dressing up, because it's fun, always! 

☺ Birthday breakfast with my siblings

☺ Surprise birthday flowers delivered to my door by Nixx ♥

☺ The birthday basket my bestie and her boyfriend put together for me (they know me too well haha)

☺ Drawing and writing like crazy! (almost done Book 1!!) 

☺ Yoga!

☺ Getting my health back!

☺ Being a part of amazing things

☺ Growing as an individual and watching the dreams of others inspiring me to do and be better. 

☺ Kitty cuddles-- Lyla has become quite the needy cuddly kitty! 

☺ Less mindless TV time! 

☺ Dancing like a fool, as always ;)

☺ More time with my nieces and my sister ♥

☺ The first sprinkle of snow

☺ Christmas lights already -- I'm feeling much more in the holiday spirit this year ^_^

☺ Getting blood work done and everything checking out healthy ^_^

Loving: Yoga • Writing • Drawing • New morning routine • Costume Parties • Colourful Hair and Dreadlocks • Thigh-high Leg-warmers and Stockings •  Toques (beanies) • Cozy Hoodies and Sweaters •  Pinterest • Vision Boards • Inspiring Women • 

Interests for the week:

✯ Reading: "Black Spring" by Alison Croggon. "D.Gray Man" Manga Comics. 

✯  Current Anime shows: "Guilty Crown"

✯  TV: How I met Your Mother. Sons of Anarchy. Wilfred (omg this show is Amazing!!! Hilarious!).

♫ Music Playlist: 30 Seconds to Mars. The White Buffalo ("Oh Darlin"--amazing song!). Hollywood Undead. We Are the Fallen. Bullet for My Valentine… same ol'.   ♫

✯ Food Faves: Protein Shakes ♥ Grilled Cheese w/ Daiya and Spelt (which I'm not supposed to eat O.o) ♥ Banana Ice Cream ♥ Creamy Pasta Sauces ♥ Chocolate ♥ 

Lessons of the week: 

Remember to have FUN! That no matter what you're doing you can have fun doing it! ☀ To always use PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) and to change your Perspective to change your Life! ☀ Some days are made to be moody, brush it off and smile extra hard the next! ☀ Say Yes! ☀ Writing is good for the soul. ☀ Take time for your Self every single day. ☀ Remember that Thoughts Become Things. ☀  Be in the Present Moment! Life is in the Present! Here and Now! ☀

I've still been rather lazy with these posts so apologies. I had a fun busy last couple of weeks, so here's my catch up. Hope you're all smiling and having a blissful day and week and life! 

Tell me about your lovely week and what you're grateful for in this moment! Tell me about your 'Smile Up' and 'this moment!' :)  ♥

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☺ Birthday Wish 2012! ☺

It's that time of year again, almost my birthday, which means I've got my Birthday Wish rolling on Facebook's causes. :) 

** Birthday Wish here **

This year I'm fundraising money for Animal Farm Sanctuary again because this place pulls on my heart strings. :)

Farm Sanctuary is one of the animal sanctuaries I got to visit when I was in New York last year and it was such a wonderful experience! Getting to see all the good they do for animals, giving them second chances at life and happiness. It's just indescribable. I still say it's a place that everyone needs to go to at least once in their lives. 

So please give what you can (I've already got the ball rolling and donated--and it's My birthday haha ;p). This is my birthday wish :) Although if you also want to send me cards in the mail that would also totally make my special day extra special. ;)

If you can't give now, I'd really appreciate if you'd share this page with your friends. :) 

** Donate here :) **

And if you want to see more about Farm Sanctuary and my experience there, check out my video blog. :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvdS6YH-YcA 

Thanks so much!!

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Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake! Ⓥ

I've only made this once but it was a hit and I've been asked to share this recipe, so here it is! 

This isn't gluten free like most of my recipes, but I will next time I think try to make this with some other combination of flours to make it gluten-free. If you try it and it works, let me know. ;)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Cake:

1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa powder

2 cups Rice Flour

1 1/4 cups Spelt Flour

1 cup Agave Nectar

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 cup tofu (soft or silken is best)

1 cup Almond Milk (or other non-dairy milk)

1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly oil two round cake pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cocoa, flours, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

In a food processor, blend the tofu, "milk," vanilla, agave, and oil until smooth. Pour into the bowl (the one with your dry ingredients) along with the water and stir together until well combined. Spread evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean. 

Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely before frosting. 

While you're waiting for the cake to cool, make the frosting… 

Frosting:

1/2 cup Peanut Butter

1 cup Almond Milk (or other vegan milk)

1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Agave Nectar

Water

In a food processor, blend all the ingredients until thick but smooth. You'll want to add a bit more water to reach your desired consistency, just don't make it too runny or it won't stay on the cake, or too thick and you won't be able to spread it. (sorry I didn't measure so I'm not 100% sure how much liquid I ended up using--next time I'll measure ;p)

Makes enough to layer up on both cakes with a little extra for you to eat yourself. ;)

Either makes 1 large, stacked cake, or two smaller cakes. Enjoy! 

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☺ 25 -- Then and Now ☺

Today I am 25. And I had the best Birthday of my life. All weekend long, filled with so much epicness, laughter, smiles, awesome friends and family. I am a super Happy Girl!

People are too afraid of getting older, and too afraid of birthdays because of that. It makes me a little sad. What is it so frightening? Last year I stopped having this bad attitude about it and embraced it. Every year of your life should be celebrated, you are growing and changing and transforming into a more and more wonderful person with every day. Life should be celebrated. Birthdays are a celebration of your coming into the world, a celebration and appreciation of your life. So get excited about birthdays! 

Life is such a wonderful thing, guiding us along the journey when we pay attention to the signs and don't resist it. 

Friday, I actually accidentally stumbled on the post that I wrote on this day a year ago: http://www.reloveplanet.com/2010/11/inspirational-24-reset.html

It was fun to revisit, to see where my mind was at a year ago and to reflect back at this past year and see where I am now. It has seriously been the most amazing year of my life. So it makes it extra cool to look back a year ago and see how much I began affirming having this beautiful happy life and how it became reality. I have done nothing but focus my attention on positive thinking and thought habits this year and it paid off in every way possible. People will always make up excuses for themselves as to why their life can't be wonderful and happy but while you're off allowing those excuses to make your life mediocre or miserable, you are missing out on what it truly could be, and that is happy. So if nothing else, today, on my 25th-quarter of a century-Birthday I have this message for you: Be Happy! Because you can be and you can absolutely choose what you want your life to be. 

I went from severe depression and suicidal thoughts to my gradual healing. Yes, it was a journey, but positive thinking got me through it and to the place that I am today. If I had told myself a couple years ago that I would be the immensely happy and positive person that I am today I probably would not have believed it. I would have been hopeful and wanting it, but I probably wouldn't believe that it could happen. My story is not unlike so many others. Yes, we all have different trying circumstances but in the end the choice to be happy is ours and we get to choose what it is we are going to do with our lives. You write your own story. Mine went from a very dark place to what it is today and I hope that that is inspiring and gives hope to those who have doubts that their lives can be a beautiful wonderful brilliantly happy experiences. 

So what I did one year ago, on my 24th Birthday, is I said I was hitting the reset button. And I absolutely did. Not on everything that has happened in my life, those past experiences shaped me and made me who I am today, but a reset button on my attitude, putting negativity aside and letting positive thoughts enter my life and be the focus of my attention. No more dwelling on the negative. It took practice and persistence but it was a wonderful journey and I truly enjoyed this year immensely. Of course there were ups and downs but such is like, and really, just wow! 

I wrote this a year ago on my 24th Birthday and I think it is relevant to say again now: 

If I am not smiling, laughing, and feeling genuinely Happy inside then the journey has no point. There is no destination in life. There is only a journey and that journey is simply this: Happiness.

The last words I will say today on my 25th Birthday is this…

Happiness is Now.

Learn from the past, manifest your future, and Live in the Present.

Don't take life so seriously. Enjoy it. 

Smile. Every single day.

And Thank you so much to everyone who has joined me on this incredible adventure, you are so wonderful and I am grateful for you and for everything. 

And one more revisit to my 24th Birthday...

Who am I? Happy. Here. Now. Loving. Grateful. Appreciative. Open. Honest. 

I am Me. I Love who I Am. I Love my Life. I am Happy.  

I am the Happiest Girl! And I'm excited about my year as a 25-year-old. 

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♥ World WildLife Fund "Species in Buckets" Gifts ♥

Okay, so I made a "Birthday Wish List" on my Lifestream, but I found these this morning and felt that they were worth sharing, especially as the holiday season approaches. 

I am always willing to share World Wildlife Fund with people, they are just such an amazing organization that has done so much good in this world. 

What I especially love are their "Species Adoptions" which make great gifts for any occasion--or a treat for yourself--and support such a great cause. The Gift that keeps on Giving! 

Here are their new "Species in Buckets, Tubs & More"

So now I have the "Pail of Primates" on my Wishlist and their super cute Vintage T-Shirt! Anyone want to treat me? ;) 

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♥ Wednesday Favorites: Wish List! ♥

With Christmas on the way and my Birthday on the 13th, I thought a fun Wednesday Favorite Post would be a little "Wish List". 

I know I promote to not be so consumer-based, and I do fully stand by this. However, we all have our vices and we do like to treat ourselves every so often. 

So, that being said, here is what is currently on my Wish List...

Tattoos! I know, I already have lots but anyone who does can relate; they are addictive! I don't have a tattoo artist here and I don't have the money so for now I will have to save. But my next tattoo will be my left sleeve!! ^_^

IPad. These look so cool! I love the idea of having everything I need all in one! I love reading, but as an earth nut, I hate all that paper (so I usually buy second hand or new only if it is from recycled paper). One day I will have one of these haha. 

Vegan Ipaths. I've been on the hunt for Vegan Skate shoes and I found some that I am absolutely in love with!! These Ipaths are not only Vegan but they are Eco-friendly!!! Made from Hemp ♥

WWF Adoptions, or Donations to my Birthday WishList  ~_^ I support this organization whole-heartedly, they do amazing work! 

Trips to Edmonton. I miss my friends there :( I've been trying to save up for making a trip up there. Alas, money is tight at the moment so it seems that it will have to wait, unless someone wants to drive me there or bring my friends to me ~_^

So, there's my little Wish list for now. What's on yours? ^_^ 

Peace & Love

xo

~Bianca 

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So, some of you may know, but if you don't....

I will be 24th on November 13th ^_^

It is perhaps the first year that I finally don't care about my age. Instead, I'm excited. It's a celebration of our coming into the world, so why do we spend so much time on the negative aspects of things? Why are we so afraid of aging? What's the big deal? 

Let's enjoy the moment, enjoy getting older and growing as a person in the process. 

Anyways, I wanted to take a moment to tell you about my "Birthday Wish". 

Facebook has a neat little program set up where you can use your birthday to donate to the "cause" of your choice. I couldn't turn down this opportunity. 

My fundraiser is for World WildLife Fund because, in case you hadn't yet noticed, I love this organization. They do so much good as a whole for both Wildlife and Planet Earth. Their efforts are huge and effective. So help me help them help animals and Earth ;)

If everyone donated even a measly $1.00 it would allow me to reach my goal ^_^. 

♥ And I know enough of you love me and love Earth and Animals to contribute. Right? ;) ♥

♥ Donate to my Birthday Cause ♥

http://birthdays.causes.com/wishes/73262?bws=fb_stream_wish

Peace & Love,

xo

~Bianca

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