cute golf ball

 

I got his for my dad but it was more for me than for him 😆 what a cute golf ball

I really like how chaotic his hair is :P

yellow plushie

 

I ordered a Happy Meal and ended up with this cutie pie :D 

Aluminum foil and perfectionists

 

Aluminum foil must be every perfectionist's worst nightmare... once you slightly ruin the perfect surface, it will never go back, no matter how hard you try ot iron it back... in fact the more you try the worse it becomes >____< hahaha

Yankee Candle air purifiers

 

Yankee Candle isn't as popular as it is in the US in Canada, so it took this long for me to get my hands on something "Yankee Candle". These air fresheners/purifiers are so pungent (but not overwhelming). I'm impressed :)

tulip trees

 

tulip tree flower

Last year, I learned there was a kind of tree called Tulip tree, because its leaves resemble the shape of a tulip, and this year, I learned that said tree produces flowers!?!??! :O :O :O

it's a bunniful day

 

I got to see a few bunnies today! :D They are so cute!

While "talking" to them, I realized what you can say to a bunny can't be said to a human. 

For example:

- Omigosh, you are so cute, come here and let me squeeze you

- you have such a cute butt <3

tonight's dinner, pizza hut

 

Pizza Hut's pizzas always taste so good <3 Their pepperoni pizza is so flavourful <3

And, because I'm in Canada, of course, I ordered a Canadian pizza <3 (Happy Canada Day Week!)

Happy Canada Day 🇨🇦

Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦

Today, I want to highlight one of my favourite Canadian Prime Ministers—Lester B. Pearson. If his name sounds familiar, it might be because Toronto’s international airport is named after him—and rightfully so!

Canadian Prime Minister, Lester B. Pearson (1963 to 1968)

Pearson's contributions to Canada were not only impactful but also enduring. When people think of Canada today, many associate us with universal healthcare, a strong social safety net, peacekeeping, and our iconic red and white maple leaf flag. Did you know that we can thank Lester B. Pearson for all of this?

Serving as Prime Minister from 1963 to 1968, Pearson led with diplomacy, vision, and pragmatism. His government introduced universal health care, the Canada Pension Plan, and student loan programs—all of which continue to shape the lives of Canadians today. Under his leadership, Canada also officially adopted the Maple Leaf flag in 1965, giving us a bold and unifying national symbol.

But his influence wasn’t just domestic. Before becoming Prime Minister, Pearson earned international recognition as a skilled diplomat. In fact, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the first United Nations peacekeeping force, helping to de-escalate the Suez Crisis. His efforts laid the foundation for Canada’s long-standing reputation as a peacekeeping nation.

Lester B. Pearson was a visionary who modernized Canada and helped shape the compassionate, inclusive identity we’re known for today. On this Canada Day, I’m especially grateful for his legacy.

🍁 Thank you, Mr. Pearson—for helping build the Canada we’re so proud to celebrate today! 🍁

I spot a bunny

 

Look at how small this bunny is compared to the motorcycle! Bunnies are such cutiepies! <3 <3 <3

pork loin roast

 

I can't remember whether this cut is called pork loin or pork tenderloin... either way, it was good <3

Herbs and spices make roasting meat so easy! (and a huge thanks to my meat thermometer!)

digital meat therometer

 I have finally decided to invest in a digital meat thermometer!! I've used it for about a now, and it is really paying for itself <3 <3 <3... (I had an analog one, but I didn't like it.) I especially love the "hold" feature, and I'm surprised by how quick it can correctly display the temperature :O 

McDonald's ice cream

 

McDonald's ice cream are always served so big :O ... I could be wrong, but did they made a slight change to their formula and made it taste even better?!?! :O :O :O good job McDonald's! 👏 

seasonal plushies

 

I came across these Hallmark seasonal plushies... They are too big to be on a keychain or charm, and yet too small to hug. What do people use them for? 

Tim Horton's

 

This is one of those rare times I'm at Tim Hortons... it looks like they've made changes to their menu and aesthetics. It feels like they are a cross between Starbucks and Coffee Time...? 

I was fortunate to get one of their TooGoodToGo boxes, it was $15 worth of pastries for $5!

Their pastries neither disappointed nor impressed me. (And so... this is probably why I won't be back for a while... unless I have a craving for timbits ;) )

IG

 

I purged and cleaned out my Instagram following list, deleting all inactive accounts and those that were used for marketing purposes. I feel so much lighter! 65 accounts lighter! :D

cream of cauliflower soup

 

I made Cream of Cauliflower soup from scratch! It was a lot easier than I thought it would be (and spoiler: no cream required! :O)

of course... I had to add a sh*t ton of black pepper to satisfy my black pepper craving :P

early morning

 

with the warmer weather approaching... I'm thankful I'm able to take early morning walks! :D I "almost" had the road to myself... :)

black pepper craving

 

Is it the change of season, or is there something wrong with me? I have a sudden urge to add black pepper to EVERYTHING!... Thankfully black pepper is good for us, so I'm reaping the benefits :)

Benefits of Black Pepper: bone health, wound healing, and metabolism

black pepper also contains manganese and Vitamin K :)

bunny in my backyard

 

it is that time of year where bunnies roam around my backyard <3... aren't they cute? 

it was sitting so still <3

Today I Learned... Diet Coke

 

Today I learned that Diet Coke isn’t just a sugar-free version of regular Coca-Cola—it’s actually an entirely different drink with a completely separate formula! 😲 No wonder it tastes so different (and not just because of the artificial sweetener). In fact, before it was branded as "Diet Coke," it was originally launched under the name TaB.

Unlike Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which is formulated to taste more like the original Coke, Diet Coke is based on the TaB formula, not the classic Coca-Cola recipe.

So the next time you sip a Diet Coke and wonder why it tastes so distinct, that’s because it is a different drink altogether!

You can click here for a full breakdown of my findings :)

H&F Belx tumbler

 

I can't believe I have had this glass tumbler for over 6 years! You can read the review I wrote 6 years ago here. It is over 6 years old but going strong! 

The glass actually is flawless, but I accidentally smudged some sunscreen on it before I took this picture... (oops).

They say quality is important, and 6 years ago, when I cringed over the hefty ¥2400 price tag, it is still available, but now it costs ¥3000, thanks to inflation. I'm so glad I bought it, it remains my favourite tumbler. 

Some features I like: easy to clean, no lingering odour, durable, small holes make it impossible for tea leaves and coffee grinds to fall out of the strainer, every nook and cranny can be taken apart and cleaned, and you can add fruits and herbs in the strainer!

AQI 159

 

This seems to be an annual thing now... our air quality has hit 7... it has been quite smoky the past few days. No more outdoor activities until this clears :(

Look at how hazy it is

Look at how the smoke engulfs the forest

We can't even see the CN Tower anymore... look at how the smoke hovers over the city

smoky afternoon

 

This wasn't a cloudy day. The smoke made it look cloudy and gloomy :(

morning of smoke

 

it is getting smoky today... those poor wildfire-affected trees :(

sleeping bunny

 

I got close to this bunny... but I think it was sleeping (when bunnies sleep out in the wild, they close their clear eyelids to make it seem like they are awake.

another view of the moon... I mean, sun

 

clouds covered the sun like the moon

I messed up when I wrote the title of this... this is actually the sun! Not the moon!

Twinings Antioxidant+

 

I usually prefer strait tea, but this tea blend intriged me :)

ingredients:

Green tea, Ginger root, White hibiscus, Cinnamon, Lemon flavour naturally fortified, Echinacea root, Lemon peel, Mango flavour naturally fortified, Natural lime flavour, Vitamin C, Natural flavour.

This tasted so much better than I thought it would <3 <3 <3

cheese

 

I'm in my cheese craving phase :D yum :D

sun, moon, sun?

Is it just me, or does the sun look like the moon? This also indicates that our air quality is bad... I'm looking for the silver lining in this and choose to enjoy looking at the sun, that looks like the moon :D

 

sunset

 

The sun was trying to spill out but the clouds were trying to cover it :O

Stanley Cup upcoming

 

Waiting for the Stanley Cup finals!! :D 

Tithes and Offering

 

I used to be hesitant about tithing 10%, but one day I looked at my paycheck and saw that I gave the government more than 10%. It occurred to me that... hey, if I can give the government that much, and honestly, it wasn't as big of an amount as I thought it was, then why can I give God that much? 

A lot of times, when we hear 10%, it sounds big, but when we look at the actual amount, it isn't as big as we think, and we can have the confidence to give it to God... because we should.

My friend encouraged me to tithe and gave me this Bible verse, which I still reflect on whenever I hesitate to tithe:

Malachi 3:10
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

This is the only place where God asks us to test Him... and we should! I hope this encourages someone to tithe, too :)

munchy pregnant bunny

 

I caught this bunny munching on some leafy greens :)

If I remember correctly, I saw this bunny last year when it was still a kitten... and given its size, I think it is pregnant this year :O 

It was either this one: https://cutiepiestephanie.blogspot.com/2023/09/spotted-another-bunny.html

or 

this one: https://cutiepiestephanie.blogspot.com/2024/08/another-baby-rabbit.html

I wonder if she remembers me 🥰