I often get so much dog-mom guilt.

Since Winnipeg is not the most dog-friendly city, I hate leaving Ziggy at home alone while I’m out running errands. Whenever I travel I get so jealous when I see a dog in a restaurant or a dog in a store. Why can’t Winnipeg offer more retailers that allow dogs inside the building?

Anyways, when Ford Canada reached out to me a few months ago asking if I wanted to give Ziggy the best week ever, I couldn’t say no. Ziggy actually turned nine on April 9, so it was the perfect time to spoil him for an entire week and do a bunch of activities that catered to him.

Ford hooked us up with the new 2018 Expedition Platinum MAX, which is their largest SUV. Starting at over C$60,000, this car is massive and jam-packed with awesome features. Since Ziggy is a small dog and this car was ginormous (seriously guys, it’s huge), lucky boy had to get carried into and out of the car. Thankfully there was tons of room in the back, since it accommodates six passengers (the whole car can accommodate eight), so he could lounge out when it was just the two or us, and be comfortable when he had his people and dog friends with him.

Our first activity was a swimming lesson class at the Canine Rehab & Fitness Centre. Ziggy doesn’t usually like to swim, but he has gone in the lake previously to chase after sticks, so I thought it would be a good activity for him to practice his swimming ahead of the summer season. Since wet dog smell isn’t for everyone and it wasn’t my car, the standard panoramic Vista Roof came in handy since it features two large glass panels that can tilt or fully open, letting us air out the car on the way home.

After a power nap, we headed to PetSmart for a shopping spree, where Ziggy got to pick out some new toys (Ford Canada also hooked him up with a bag of toys), treats, and some grooming products. The back row of the Ford Expedition actually folds down automatically with the press of a button, so it was super handy for storing all of Ziggy’s purchases.

Finally, that evening we picked up two of his aunties and took a road trip to Skinner’s in Lockport for burgers, fries, and ice cream. We ate our burgers near the river and then got some sundaes (his had Milkbones in it), which we ate in the car since it was starting to feel chilly. I always love how the steering wheels in the Ford vehicles have heated steering wheels, and in addition to the heated front seats (which also had the massagers), the back seats were heated as well, so we could all keep warm. Our drive back to Winnipeg was a breeze thanks to the lane-keeping system, which alerts you to unintentional lane drifting. If you have the Lane-Keeping Alert mode on, then the steering wheel will vibrate if you drift too close to a lane marker. The SUV also has a Lane-Keeping Aid mode that activates a directional steering torque to help guide the vehicle back to the centre of the lane.

Since the SUV is so large, it was a bit difficult to park (I’m used to driving a sedan). As a result, I relied heavily on the 360-degree camera with split view, which uses four cameras to enable you to see all sides of the vehicle. The car stitches the images together so you can actually see a 360-degree of the car from the top, so it was super handy backing up or fitting into a parking spot.

Since Ziggy is a very social dog, we picked up his two cousins, Rocco and Mer, the Chihuahuas, and went to Assiniboine Park for a picnic this past Monday. Since we had two humans, three dogs, food, and a bag of toys and treats, there was more than enough room to fit everything in the vehicle. The Expedition also features screens on the back of the driver and passenger seats, so you can keep kids, dogs, or people entertained in the back. I really wanted to put on a dog movie for the pooches to watch, but we actually couldn’t figure out how to work the screens. I did download the Ford Play app, but it wouldn’t seem to connect for some reason. You could also download the FordPass app to track your vehicle’s location and remotely access vehicle features, such as start, lock and unlock, and your vehicle status, like fuel level.

Finally, our last activity was a morning at White Lotus Pet Spa so Ziggy could get groomed for spring. Thankfully the Ford Expedition has a wireless phone charging pad in the front, so I could keep my phone fully charged for all those before and after photos.

Although the Expedition may have been a touch too large for Ziggy (and truth be told, myself; thank goodness for the step that comes down when you open the door, helping you step into the vehicle), but he had so much fun during his week of activities. Since the SUV was so tall he did have some trouble getting in and out, but I’m sure he didn’t mind his mom carrying him (bonding moments, you know?). Size aside, I was very impressed with all the features that the Ford Expedition offered. If you have a large dog, then this car is definitely for you, as you can easily fit a family and a Newfoundlander dog in the back with room to spare (and that’s a big dog).

As always, thank you Ford Canada for making Ziggy’s ninth birthday so special. A day at the pool, a shopping spree, a road trip, burgers and sundaes, a picnic, and spa morning, I would say he is one spoiled dog. I turn 30 at the end of May and here’s hoping my birthday will be as awesome as his was.

Have you driven the Ford Expedition? What kind of car do you like to drive? Also, check out my saved Lifestyle Instagram stories to see some footage from the week!

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I’ve been on a huge skincare kick lately.

I guess it might be the spring air, but tons of brands are releasing new products to get your skin in tip-top shape. I’m currently onto Drunk Elephant skincare, but since I received some new Garnier goodies last week I couldn’t help but transition them into my daytime routine.

I’ve seen Garnier’s new Skin Active lines at Walmart for the past month and since one of the lines contains rose water, which I’m a huge sucker for, I was instantly intrigued.  The brand’s new Skin Active lines, available in three “flavours” (Rose Water for soothing, Aloe Leaf Juice for hydrating, and Green Tea for mattifying), these products contain 96 per cent ingredients that are naturally derived.  The other four per cent are ingredients that ensure quality, enjoyment, and preservation of their formula. Garnier looked into the power of nature to come up with skincare lines that extract the most effective and active natural ingredients to answer every skin care type and need.

Each of the three lines contains a three-in-one moisturizer (daytime, nighttime, and mask), as well as two other skincare products. For the rosewater line, there is a Soothing Cleansing Milk, which removes makeup and gently clears impurities without stripping the skin of its natural moisture barrier, a Soothing Facial Mist, which instantly refreshes and lightly hydrates, leaving skin feeling smooth and nourished, and a three-in-one balm, which is a fast-absorbing, lightweight formula that hydrates skin while restoring its softness and suppleness.

I received the mist and balm (which is huge by the way, this will last you a long time). I was originally intrigued about the mist since I liked the idea that you can use this outside of your regular skincare routine. Face feeling like it needs a refresher? Use this.  Got too much sun on the weekend? Spray this on.  Just got off a 12-hour flight? Then this will feel great!  If there is one product from the line I would recommend, it would be the Soothing Facial Mist, since it feels so refreshing on the skin and is an instant pick me up.

As for the balm, I’ve been using this moisturizer for daytime only and liked how it feels on my skin.  A little goes a long way, so you don’t need to slather it on, however, for it to work as a mask, then you’ll want a little more coverage as Garnier recommends leaving it on for 10 minutes before rinsing or wiping off.   Since it’s Garnier, the price points for these products are affordable, for example, the spray is C$8.97 at Walmart Canada. I haven’t tried the other two formulas, but I definitely recommend the rosewater line, especially as we are heading into summer, which means more time outside and you’ll need something to soothe your skin after all those UV rays.

To take your skincare to the next level, I highly recommend doing a mask once a week. I’ve been very good this year with my own advice and have tried Garnier’s Moisture Bomb masks before and loved them.  If you need a quick fix to soothe your skin, then the Moisture Bomb Super Hydrating Sheet Mask for Glow Boosting is the way to go. This water-based tissue mask that contains half a bottle of serum gives you a boost of radiance, hydration, and a radiant glow. The mask transforms dull-looking skin and boosts your skin’s moisture level thanks to sakura flower extract and hyaluronic acid.

If your skin needs a detox (maybe after a vacation?), then the Super Purifying Charcoal Sheet Mask is your best bet. This mask, which is infused with activated charcoal for skin and pore purification, is free of parabens and mineral oils and infused with charcoal, algae extract, and hyaluronic acid extract to draw out impurities and unclog pores.

Finally, if you had a long night out or jet lagged, the Super Hydrating Sheet Mask for Anti-Fatigue is perfect for your skin. It contains lavender essential oils and hyaluronic acid to cure fatigued, tired-looking skin.

Every Sunday I go grocery shopping and then prep my meals for the week.

Since I basically work three jobs (my full-time gig, teaching fitness, and blogging), I’m always doing something and lately I’ve just been feeling very overwhelmed. When it comes to the weekends, I just want to relax, I don’t want to constantly do work 24-7.  So as you can imagine, finding recipes to make for the week is the last on my list of things to do. When it comes to nutritious meal ideas, I usually check out my favourite food blogs or go through Pinterest, but since there’s so many recipes out there, it’s hard to narrow it down to something I want to make.

Enter Hello Fresh, the meal kit delivery service that takes all the planning out of the equation. I’ve been familiar with Hello Fresh for a while now but I haven’t had the opportunity to try it out yet.  They were kind enough to send me one of their Pronto boxes last week and I was more than happy to skip my usual meal prep and give theirs for a test drive.

In case you aren’t familiar with Hello Fresh, it’s a weekly meal service where you choose a specific plan (Pronto, Veggie, or Family), the number of people you want to feed (two or four), and the amount of recipes you want (two to four), then you choose from a variety of different meal options of the week and they send you a box containing all the ingredients you need for those meals.  Each meal comes in it’s own labeled bag with all the ingredients already pre-measured and portioned out, so all you have to do it make it (aside from the veggies, which you have to cut up, if required).

I got the Pronto plan with three meals. Since this was set up though their influencer relations department, I didn’t get the choose the meals I wanted, but for that week there were five to choose from for that particular plan. I did mention that I don’t eat pork, so she said she was sending the Poblano Beef Tacos, the Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Thighs, and the Roasted Cauliflower Biryani.

Since I live in Winnipeg, our delivery dates are Tuesday and Wednesdays, which if you like to meal plan on Sundays like I do, that may be a bit of a problem, since you’ll have to go grocery shopping anyways for the Sunday and Monday, or eat out.  My box was delivered in the morning through UPS from Saskatchewan (I actually always thought that this was a franchise and that it was delivered locally, so the fact that it’s shipped was surprising to me).

Now I know what you’re thinking. There’s protein in my meals, so how does the meat stay fresh? The box is insulated and they actually put the protein at the bottom of the box, layer it with ice packs, then put cardboard over top, which the three different meal plans sit on in their paper bags.  Everything is labelled, so you just grab the right bag and the protein, along with the recipe book and start cooking!

We tried the Poblano Beef Tacos first, which were really yummy and something I’ll definitely be making again.  The recipe cards I found could have been a little simpler to follow. For example, the first step was to wash the veggies and mince the garlic, but you don’t actually use the minced garlic until like step four or five. I ended up throwing the minced garlic in the pan right away since I was confused with what I was supposed to do with it. It wasn’t a big deal since it gets added anyways, but I found that they could have moved that step to later in the recipe.

Anyways, the tacos turned out delish, the only qualm I have with them is that the onions could have been chopped a little thinner (they were precut), but other than that they were super easy to make and I’ll definitely be cooking this recipe again.

For the second day, Hello Fresh actually sent me the Mustard-and-Herb-Crusted Pork instead of the biryani, which I was disappointed about since I don’t eat pork for religious reasons. I ate it anyways since I have had pork before and it looked yummy (I just try really hard not to eat it).  Out of the three, and I hate to say it since it’s pork, but I liked this one the most. The sauce that goes on top of the pork was amazing and next time I’ll totally swap it out for chicken or beef, but I was super satisfied with how this tasted. My boyfriend actually whipped this up while I was teaching a fitness class and he said that he had to bake the pork longer than what was called for in the recipe card.

Last was the Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Thighs, which were also delicious. Everything was pretty straightforward with these and it took about 45 minutes to make (because you have to bake the veggies for 20-22 minutes at 425 degrees). The meal was topped with an amazing and easy to make lemon yogurt crema, and the was served on freekah, which I had never heard of before but will definitely look into buying in the future.

Overall, I was super happy with how every meal turned out and loved how it was all pre-cut and portioned, so all I had to do was open the bags and go to work.  I will say that although these were all two-person meals, I did stretch the pork and chicken meals to three meals, since I needed a lunch the next day.

So have I sold you on Hello Fresh yet?  The only bad thing about this service I have to say is the pricing. The box I got (Pronto for two people and three meals), comes to C$79.99 a week, which is expensive for three dinners and potentially two lunches. Let me put it this way, I usually spend a maximum of $70 a week on my groceries, and that includes breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. The $80 for the box is only three dinners, which if you eat out a lot for two people at nice restaurants, it’s totally worth it. But, if you’re used to cooking at home, then I would say to stick with the grocery store.

So what is the ideal situation like for Hello Fresh? I travel a lot, and for days when I get back on a Monday and don’t have time to grocery shop the next day, then this would be perfect. It means less time wasted grocery shopping and meal prepping.  Also, I tend to stick to the same recipes a lot, mostly because I know I like them, and some of the ingredients in new recipes I find look very foreign to me and I have no clue where I would get them. Hello Fresh lets you expand your horizons and make meals that you might order in a restaurant, and best of all, it includes easy-to-follow recipe cards that you can now use again and again, so if you liked a certain recipe, then you can go out and buy the ingredients to recreate the meal.

Overall, I do recommend the service to try out. I wouldn’t order it every week since I would have to go grocery shopping anyways for lunches and stuff, but if I’m ever in a bind, then I would take a look at having it delivered.

If you want to try Hello Fresh, you can get 40% off your first box with code SHAYNA40.

Let me know what meals you get!

Have you tried Hello Fresh yet? What were your thoughts?

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