Yesterday I went out on my bike for the first time in weeks. Since my surgery I’ve been trying to get out for a walk in the morning and then before sunset. I find leaving the house in the morning gets me in a good groove for the day. I have a coffee, soak up some sunshine, catch a  few Pokemon, take some photos, update Snapchat, all before 9am. ?✌? I caught a JYNX today and then saw a man drawing a Poké Ball in his notebook at the coffee shop. It’s amazing how much you learn about yourself going though a surgery or big life event. It was pretty hard at first not being able to reach for things or lift things but I managed. Sean has been really helpful in this whole process and tbh I’ve kinda liked not having to load the car for the cottage or carry groceries! (Thanks babe love you! He prob won’t read this ?)  I’m back in the kitchen making great snacks and have perfected a trick of using tongs to grab things high up. I found this darling little Tuck Shop around the corner from home yesterday. I was there just as it closed but they make all kinds of delicious (sounding) food I can’t wait to try. So, I popped into Wallace Espresso on Dupont instead and picked up some real fruit pops and a cup of the most incredibly delicious chocolate ice cream. The Junction Triangle is seriously evolving, there’s a bunch of great spots in the area now. There’s also a Rancho Relaxo on this same corner to fulfill the need for tacos. HUzzahhhh! This is a happy person on bike with wind in her hair. Watch the story on Snapchat here.  Perfect top for coffee walk @sarasaraduke @StoriaPR! ☀️☕️#butfirstcoffee…

It’s been just over a week since my surgery and I’m feeling more like myself today, finally. I didn’t realize how much having huge boobs affected my mental health. Everyday when I got dressed I’d try an find an outfit that carefully hid them enough not to be obnoxious but also looked cute. I actually feel a big weight off not only my chest but my shoulders in an emotional way. It was so easy for me to make a huge mess trying to find something to wear each day. Clothes mountain was a regular occurrence, I’d try things on then toss ’em on the bed or floor with frustration. I’m so glad I didn’t get rid of clothes that were a little too small, I can wear them now! Last week I wore a jacket from Nasty Gal I ordered online about 2 years ago and it fit like a charm. Before last week, it looked unbalanced and too small to sit nicely on the chest. I’m a size 4 at most stores and often I’d get a tops size L or a 10 just to fit them in. Now, so many of my dresses, button down shirts, and T-shirts actually fit. They’re not stressed at the buttons or stretched. It feels amazing!  The whole process of going through surgery was less horrifying and painful than I imagined. My surgeon, Dr. Rice, was really great and his staff helped calm my nerves through the whole process. For the first 3 days I was really in pain, couldn’t move much, needed pain killers. The next 2 days I was feeling good, able to walk around. On the 6th day I felt so great after my post-op appointment. I went out for dinner, then met up with friends, stayed up late, and had a few drinks. In hindsight, this was…

Sitting in the waiting room with my sister. An hour from now I’ll be in surgery. I can’t wait to have new boobs and ditch some of this weight! I’m looking forward to this all being over and starting a new workout regime in a couple weeks. I’ll be able to wear cute workout clothes for once! And only 1 bra! In other news, someone’s dad decided the waiting room for surgery was a great place to listen to all the different bird sounds from a bird watching website. I politely asked him to get headphones or stop. I’m in hospital clothes (he wasn’t) so I feel like I can do that rn.

It’s like a mini vacation with every visit, like hitting the reset button. ?????? Today Sean and I had the best day, ice cream and a car show, then Grand Electric Muskoka for tacos and ceviche. ??? TBH I like the Grand Electric Muskoka vibe WAY better than the Queen West location, not as loud and the staff are higher on the chill scale.?

This weekend was so nice and chill. We had a couple friends up at the cottage. Saturday was super sunny and beautiful while Sunday was the perfect lazy, rainy, couch day. Put the LayBag in the water and it is so awesome. I purchased it after seeing ads on FB and I’m super glad I did. It’s a bit harder to fill up than it looks in the commercial but I’ve almost got it down. This summer Sean and I have had heaps of time up at the cottage and it’s really helped me chill out. Ever since my digital detox in April I’ve really tried to take some relax time on the weekends. This weekend I’m going away with Ford Canada on a mystery getaway. If you check the #EscapeandDiscover hashtag on Twitter a bunch of us bloggers have been anxiously trying to try and figure out what we’re doing. Blog friends, #EscapeAndDiscover? — CASiE STEWART (@casiestewart) May 30, 2016 Oh Internet ILU.

A couple of weeks ago I sent a jokey tweet to Endy (a Canadian mattress company) asking them to be my friendy, cute right? I was hoping it would be the start of a beautiful friendship where we got a new mattress and then had better sleeps forever. The end. Well, that’s exactly what happened! Sean and I have been looking through the best mattresses 2020 and contemplating whether or not we should get a new mattress. If you are in a similar position, The Dozy Owl has more info on buying a mattress for those interested. The process of finding the perfect mattress can be quite difficult if you don’t have time to head to the store to test them for yourself. Sites like Mattress Battle can remove some of the stress by supplying you with comparisons and reviews of the best mattresses so that you can make an informed decision. After checking out Endy, Sean said ‘why don’t you tweet them’ and that’s how it all started. A couple of days later I received an email from them and worked out a dealio. Working with brands via social can be really fun. When I’m looking to get the attention of someone, I often reach out via tweet or slide into their DMs. Building relationships with brands or influencers is a lot easier if you keep an eye on what they’re up so, and start out with a compliment or nice message instead of asking for something right away. Endy is manufactured in Toronto, compressed and rolled into an easy to move box, then delivered to your door (by bike if you’re downtown!). @EndySleep hi Endy, be my friendy? ???? #LoveSleep — CASiE STEWART (@casiestewart) March 22, 2016