Vegan Carrot Cupcakes & Pinotage

I'm sitting in my flat eating a vegan carrot cupcake, watching Winnie the Pooh and drinking a south african pinotage. I also am realizing that I have so many incredible things to share, and haven't shared any of them.  Lets recap the last week alone...Last Friday and Saturday we stayed in a Boardwalk Inn Villa for my boyfriend Kyle's birthday.  We went for dinner at Bistro de Paris in the France pavilion and had an incredible bottle of wine with a delicious meal.  We went to lunch the next day at Le Cellier and had another delicious meal (which we were all extra excited for because it was the new menu!) and I surprised Kyle with a huge intense chocolate cake! It had a huge solid white chocolate mickey on it, was painted with gold on the chocolate flakes around the edges. It was pretty! We then drank around the world, watched fireworks, went to a duelling piano bar on the boardwalk and had a bunch of friends over! It was a great celebration. Sunday I worked in the evening, Monday I worked in the evening as well.  Tuesday morning I had a wonderful shift with amazing guests, then came home and spent the evening with my fantastic Scottish roommate Lindsay pal and watched...the end of the Muppets, moulin rouge, oliver and company and tangled with yummy wine and beer and pizza! Wednesday I worked in the morning again and then went with Kyle to Wonderworks..a silly "science world'-esque place where we saw how long we could keep our hands in titantic temperature waters, felt what the shakes of an earthquake are like and the winds of a hurricane. We found our respective homes and high schools on google earth and walked through a spinning tunnel that made you feel like you were falling everywhere! The highlight was actually the huge bubbles! We were able to pull them over out bodies and be INSIDE the bubbles! It was pretty fun! haha.

Thursday was my day off and I ran some errands, sent my school some papers and then met a friend for a glass of wine by the water in Celebration. We sat outside and people watched before heading for dinner at Jiko in Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was so delicious! They have an entire vegetarian AND vegan menu! Score! I don't know how I've never been here before! (Also may be where the pinotage is from...) we ended up in the pool and hot tub and spent the night thanks to my fantastic friend! So much fun!

We got late check out this morning (sleeping in until 12:30 in the comfiest huge bed ever? YES PLEASE!) and I went shopping at...Whole Foods! They sell soygurt which is my favourite breakfast! I bought some things for a cute dinner as well.  I cooked dinner for Kyle and I tonight...burgers (meat for him, veggie for me) and green beans and got a little dessert even (raspberry sorbet...yum!).  We watched a lousy movie too! haha. I remember being excited to see Couple's Retreat in the theatre..I'd forgotten being disappointed in it.

Tomorrow I work at 1015 and then six of us are going to Tampa for the Lightning vs. Jets Hockey Game!! I will never be a Jets fan, but I can tell you soo many things about them haha. But can you believe that that's just one week of life! Of course most weeks aren't this full of crazy fun, but a lot are.  There was one week where we hit all the different parks in one week not long ago and it's just so fantastic and wonderful. It really makes you sit back and realize how incredibly special it is here.

I love Disney. Can't wait to make magic tomorrow :)

My World!

I've been starting too many blog posts with apologies lately.  So I'm going to skip the I'm sorry (even though I really am!) and just say that I've been a little busier than I imagined!! When I pictured my time at home I imagined suntanning by the pool, running, hanging out with my sisters, parents, grandparents and some friends.  In general, I pictured relaxation and summer.  Unfortunately there hasn't been that much summer here! It's been about 15-25 degrees (when I say 25...it was that for like 2 hours one afternoon!..it's currently 17 degrees here...and 31 degrees in Orlando! Gah!) and I've been so busy! So here it is...a lovely picture run down of my weekend in Tofino with my dear friend Holly, my week in Vancouver with Kimmy and then a wordy description of what happened after that.  This is also an opportunity for me to show you a bit of what it's like where I'm from...tree-y, beautiful and breath taking!

Cathedral Grove!! This is featured in the O Canada movie in the Canada Pavilion...and not far from where I live!

Kate + Trees = <3

My camera doesn't capture how beautiful it is.  It is just so peaceful and tranquil. 

Now that is a BIG tree!

And here it is!! Holly + Me + BIG TREE

Home <3

On the drive to Tofino! 

Not a bad driving route!

We're getting closer!

It's a mountainous drive from the east coast to the west coast of Vancouver Island

Beauty

This is just from the highway...the highway gets this pretty a view! Crazyness!

We've arrived!  Holly's good friends were nice enough to allow us to stay with them
for two nights! Their place was beautiful including a big tree up the middle and this
incredible painting!

This is how real surfers now if the surf is going to be awesome!
...I may have made that up. We were just a block from the ocean though!!

Ahhhh Paradise!

The wind was whipping the top of the ocean through the air (aka mist)  creating a great look!

After arriving we went for a walk on the beach, had some tea at the bakery and explored!

Signs of things to come...

...the next day we went...

..surfing!!! That's not us out there, but it was the next day!
Thank goodness for wetsuits! It was windy but a ton of fun!

We also went for incredibly delicious sushi at the place where Holly's friend works!
Yummmmy!

Holly!!!! She is such an incredible friend :)

Me! Wearing Amy's shirts...another incredible friend :)

Couldn't you spend forever here?

This is the car of my dreams! I've always wanted a convertible but I don't want one like an
eclipse or something like that, I want a VW Cabriolet!!
They are cute and fantastic and wonderfully amazing!!!!! 

This is where we rented from! 

Bye Tofino!

Just in case you forgot what country we were in ;)

True North Strong and Free

BC Ferries! Most people hate them (they WAY overcharge!), some people think they're a hassle,
I think they're fun! Yes they are overcrowded sometimes, yes it's annoying when you want to
sit alone and strangers come sit with you, yes the food lines for overpriced
not-so-delicious-unless-you're-away-from-it-for-a-long-time food are ridiculous, but it's an incredibly beautiful
trip across, and I think the nostalgia of it really gets me.  The ferry either means you're going somewhere exciting,
or finally coming home! 

The passage to Vancouver

Passing another ferry

Almost in Vancouver

The view from the home Kim and Gar were staying in in West Vancouver!
The Ocean and UBC!

We spend the day trying to find bridesmaid dresses! Man oh man it was frustrating!
However this little beauty from Whole Foods brought my stress level down.
I could eat a Whole foods salad every single day. 

Seeing this ice cream made me think of my good friend Jordan! When we were younger we use to buy this ice cream
(which is so insanely delicious!) and sit in different places around town and just laugh, chat and have fun.
Honestly though, if you see this ice cream somewhere, eat it!

Bumblebee cupcakes at Whole Foods! We were looking at ordering cakes for the wedding here
and got to sample their vegan chocolate cake that had layers of vegan mousse in it! Oh my goodness!

The next day we ventured to IKEA where Kim + Gar spent a long time putting together a new kitchen!
I spent the time pretending I lived in the different fake 'houses' they have set up in IKEA.

Then we went downtown to pick up a suit.  We happened to pass this little gem...
A girl with a huge snake offering chances to hold it and take a picture for $5!
No thanks...

Everyone heard about the riot, here is one of the boarded up windows and messages of love from real fans and Vancouverites.

Lions Gate Bridge! Every time I drive over it I think about running over it again instead.

Zoomed view from the house!

The Disney Wonder cruise ship comes in and out of Vancouver on Tuesdays.
I may have woken up at 6am to catch this baby going into dock for 7am.
And I almost missed it!

It's so dorky, but it just makes me so soo excited!

On our drive out to Abbotsford we saw this....
only in Canada would you find a hockey puck stuck in a car window!
(It's right to the right of the Baby on Board sign)

Beautiful Flowers!

Back home I found these cards when looking for a birthday card for a friend.
Cards FOR your dog and cat? Really?? Really?????
Oh my.

Once I got back from Vancouver I got a job! I wasn't originally going to work while I was home but there have been some unexpected expenses, so I'm cleaning yachts for a few weeks.  It's actually not so bad - it's outdoors, the views are beautiful, and it's nice being able to see the difference you've made literally in front of you.  The only thing is the days seem to be very long!  So I've been working and trying to get everything together for Disney! There is so much planning to be done! Planning for the wedding, planning for Disney and planning goodbyes with my friends and family! It's so bitter sweet leaving home.  I love my family and friends and it's weird thinking how long it'll be before I see them, however it's also the most exciting thing ever!

I have to admit I'm a little scared about my year at Disney, but for different reasons.  I'm nervous about moving there, and meeting all the new people and hoping that people like me and I make friends. I'm nervous about starting working and memorizing the menu and not disappointing anyone including myself.  I'm scared that the year is going to go by so fast that I'll miss things. I'm scared I'll become complacent and not go to the parks all the time, or fully take advantage of all the opportunities given to me.  I'm scared the holidays will go by and I won't see all the decorations.  I'm scared I won't save as much as I need to.  I'm nervous about what I'm leaving behind and what I'll come back to.  But at the same time I'm so, so excited. I'm excited to be in Orlando and I'm excited to work for Disney again. I'm excited to get to wake up everyday and go to a job I love. I'm excited to do behind the scenes tours and ride everything! I'm excited for Dole Whip! I'm excited for the half marathon! I'm so excited to see fireworks everyday. I'm excited to hang out with old friends and new ones. I'm excited to suntan all year. I'm excited to work, and work hard. I'm excited to learn more about wine and pairings. I'm excited to ride rides, pose with characters and discover things I don't even know exist.

I know there will be ups and downs, and I know some of my fears are silly, and some of my hopes won't work out, but I also know it's going to be an incredible year. And as long as I focus on seizing the day and working hard to make the most of everyday, then at the end I will be able to look back and know that it was everything I could have hoped for and more.

And lucky for you guys...you'll be there all along the way, so you can keep me working hard at doing all the amazing things over on my bucket list! 3 weeks guys! We're almost there!