Lately, I’ve been wanting to shake things up on the ol’ blog front a little bit. And with a New Year just around the corner, there’s no better time to start than the present.

One of the best ways I get inspired is to see what some of my fellow local bloggers are up to and how they’re connecting with their readers.

Salma Dinani, a talented and down-to-Earth blogger from over at The Write Balance,  writes about family and anything else to do with life as a mom trying to find balance with the rest of life.

Every week, she has this fun feature called 3 Things Thursday where she highlights (yes, you guessed it… three things) that are on her mind. Sometimes, it’s strictly about food or family, other-times it’s a random mashup of whatever musings come to mind. Joining her are two more great local blogs that take part in the theme by linking their posts — Pink Chai Living and Live Laugh Mirch.

I’m so excited to take part and start sharing whatever 3 things I fancy each Thursday as well.

So without further adieu, here is my very first edition of 3 Things Thursday. Warning: It’s pretty random!

1. White Spot

Ever since I was a wee Valley gal, I’ve always loved White Spot. My brother and I only ever our dad every second Sunday, but when we did, he usually took us to White Spot for a  Triple O burger.

Last Friday, I decided to take Molly and Zoe out for dinner there since daddy was out volunteering at the Christmas Show in Langley and wouldn’t be home until late.

The two ordered their Pirate Paks, but this time, Molly optioned for the Triple O burger instead of her usual – fish and chips.

It was nice to be able to sit down and enjoy some quality time together, just the three of us, without worrying about cooking or fussing with mess. We played tic-tac-toe and chatted about school.

The best part was my baby’s first bite of a Triple O burger. I’ll never forget the look on her face when she sunk her teeth into one for the very first time.

“Oh mom, this is amazing!!!” she said, as Triple O sauce dribbled down her teeny-tiny chin and onto her lap.

After finishing off the entire burger, she sank slowly into her seat.

“Why haven’t I had one of these before?” she asked. “Do you think I can get another?”

If you’ve met Molly, you know she’s always struggled with food. To see her eat and truly enjoy it was a feast for the soul.

That sauce is calorie-laden magic!

2. Mother-Daughter Sparks Sleepover

Molly recently became a Spark and I signed on to coordinate the crafts.

For those of you who don’t know what Sparks is, it’s just like Brownies and Girls Guides, but for 5-6 year old girls. I have to be totally honest — ever since I heard that there was going to be a mom and daughter sleepover, I was dreading the mere  thought of it.

Would I get any sleep? What if Molly didn’t get any sleep? Do I even know how to blow up an air mattress? Would I survive without a glass of wine on a Saturday night???

Yes, those were all the questions running through my head the past couple of weeks.

Molly, who shares a similar thought pattern as myself, was also anxious.

Do we really have to sleep on a dirty floor? What if I can’t get to sleep? What if it’s dark and creepy? Do I have to get up really early?

Those were her concerns — pretty similar, minus the whole wine bit.

That’s when I realized it was  time to suck it up and pack an overnight back.

And you know what? The whole experience was awful.

Totally kidding,  we both enjoyed it. I mean really, really loved it!

We played games, made crafts, ate great food and met new friends. My favourite part was cuddling her all through the movie.

Now for the big question… Did we get any sleep?

Surprisingly, yes we did. A whole 7 hours. Not too shabby, hey?

3.Lip Injection Lip Plumper

A good friend came to visit me last week and I just could not stop staring at her lips. While she’s already a strikingly beautiful woman, her perfect pout seemed to be even more perfect that rainy afternoon.

“Did you have your lips done?” I asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. “Come on, you can tell me!”

Turns out it wasn’t the handiwork of filler that was giving her that bee-stung look made famous by Angelina Jolie. Nope, it was a lip-plumping product she picked up at Sephora for $39 called Two Face Lip Injection – Extreme.

I was so impressed by the effect that I ran out the very next day to purchase the product. It was my first time visiting a Sephora (crazy, right?), but a helpful team member guided me to the plumper.

“Now, this will probably sting a little bit,” he said, while putting it on my lackluster lips.

He wasn’t kidding.

After a few minutes, the burning sensation, which feels like you’ve just had a serious make-out session with a jalapeno pepper, subsides.

Am I happy with the product? Oh yes! Even my mom was impressed.

And there you have it, my #3ThingsThursday for this week. I hope you enjoyed my ramblings and that you’ll come back next week — or sooner!

Valley Mom