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March 14, 2023

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April Showers Bring May Flowers and the best waterproof shoes – VESSI Review

We have been proud members of the ‘Vessi Family’ for three years now. Yes, I say Vessi Family because that is literally all we have worn since my husband and I put on our first pair in 2019. We have tried almost every style of Vessi’s and accessories and every time we are amazed. The comfort, the quality, the style, the coverage, limited edition colours and now moving on to boots and hiking? What can’t they do? Honestly.

Living in Vancouver you have to almost always plan for rain. The weather forecast zigzags across the grid and we probably live about 8 months in the colder/wetter season. This is where Vessi comes in for the win. Dyma Tex 100% Waterproof, High side panels, Temperature-regulating, breathable upper knit and Lightweight, cushioning midsole. The perfect Vancouver Shoe.

When I get asked about Vessi I don’t have to try to convince someone how great they are. Just talking about them, the quality and durability of the brand speaks for itself. They have become my everyday sneaker, Mackenzie’s work shoes and Ezra’s school shoes. I don’t have to worry about my daughter coming home with soggy socks or water in her boots because the Weekend Chelsea’s are designed to move with you, has an amazing snug fit with no room for gaps or raindrops to sneak in. An all-season staple.

Now lets talk about shape and space. My whole life I have dealt with long bony feet, awkwardly shaped at the end and cramped toes and was worried that this would also be my daughters fate. There is NONE of this with these shoes. The cushioned midsole and wide front allows for any shape and size of foot to sit comfortably. With Ezra growing so quickly and, what feels like, going through a new size of pants and shoes every couple months I know that the breathable upper knit in the shoes and boots will shift with her growing body and give her the room she needs.

Vancouver was very wet and very rainy this Winter, I wore my Weekend Chelsea Boots instead of snow boots almost everyday. I have a condition called Raynauds, this means my blood does not pump to my extremities (fingers, nose, ears and toes) so I was a little bit worried if these boots would be warm enough. To my shock and JOY I am happy to report that they WORKED! If you are someone who suffers with cold feet, no matter what time of year, Vessi is for you. They were warm, easy to maneuver through the snow, simple to take off and I didn’t need the extra socks, I could feel my toes! A perfect combination of the comfort of a sneaker with the coverage and warmth of a boot.

Ezra now has 2 pairs of the Weekend Sneakers and 1 pair of the Weekend Chelseas. In my opinion these are the perfect school age shoe. The are easy to slip on for the younger children and an easy tie for those who know how to tie their shoes. The fact that Vessi offers the sneaker style and also boot style in children sizes means that they can wear them all year round. April showers, tag on the play ground, gym class and walking to school through the snow, Vessi is an all season footwear for Children and Adults. I mean, I guess it’s a little controversial letting your 5 year old in on the whole waterproof shoes business ….buuuuuut with Vessi your socks will stay dry and no puddle will be left un-splashed!

For my husband and I, we are on our feet all day, the full 8+ hours. We both have the Everyday Classic and absolutely love them but his favourite is the Everyday Move. He has worn them consistently for the last two years and just ordered his next pair! A true testament to how amazingly comfortable and durable these shoes are. As for me, my go-to for the last 4 months (since I opened the box) has been the Everyday Chelsea Boots. They are warm, versatile, waterproof and go well with all my leggings 😉

At the end of the day, Vessi comes out at the top. Waterproof, Dyma-tex® 100% waterproof technology, Lightweight, cushioning midsole, High-traction rubber sole,Temperature-regulating, breathable upper knit and Vegan materials. There’s really not much more you could ask for in terms of durability and comfort.

Last year Vessi opened up their first ever store front at Metrotown here in Burnaby, BC. If you have a chance you should definitely stop by for a visit. It’s a great opportunity to feel and wear the shoes before buying and the best part? You can pick the style thats right for you! They also carry some amazing accessories, including their hats, socks and waterproof woven gloves!

If you pick up a pair or already wear them, let me know what you think in the comments and we can gush about how much we love them!

Take care and thanks for reading! (Keep scrolling for more fun with Vessi!)

XO Cassandra

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September 7, 2018

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Shop Local, Uncategorized

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Cadenshae: Maternity + Nursing Activewear for Everyday Mothers

If you are pregnant or a nursing mom you will want to read this post.

When I was pregnant with my first, I didn’t really know much, nor the benefits of having proper and fitted maternity clothing. I spent most of the pregnancy in my regular clothes and only really purchased a couple pairs of pants near the end. Thankfully, I carry smaller in the tummy and used the elastic trick to get the most out of my non-maternity clothing. (Keep reading, I’ll share that secret later!)

This time around with my second child I decided to really invest and search out which companies offered not only comfortable activewear, as this was a summer pregnancy, but clothing I could also carry on to the fourth trimester for nursing and healing. Activewear for nursing moms is surprisingly really hard to find and anything I did find at big name brand shops weren’t really anywhere close to accessible or comfortable. I came across Cadenshae and was so excited to have found them! Not only did they offer exactly what I was looking for, but the fact that this was a complete line of maternity wear that was so discrete, was amazing! When I tell friends that I am wearing a nursing hoodie, most have been in disbelief until I show them the invisible zippers!

Cadenshae is a company that makes activewear for nursing moms, they are based out of New Zealand and was started by Nikki Croft, a mother of 2 and personal trainer. She searched and searched, much like I did, for clothing that fit her body and her active lifestyle. She couldn’t find anything, so she decided to start her own clothing line, and I am so thankful she did! Read more about the company and their journey as a family here.

Activewear Hoodie

I have been LIVING in my Activewear Hoodie paired with the Classic Full Length Leggings and am so excited to move into the fall and be able to take my two girls on walks to the park and coffee runs! The zips at the top of the hoodie for nursing are hidden within the seam of how the clothing is made itself and is placed perfectly for on the go feeds. There is no need to fuss with extra layers while trying to stay warm on those cooler days!

Classic Full Length Leggings

The Classic Full Length Leggings that I decided to try out had a full panel for coverage and support while pregnant, but by folding down the panel in half, it also offered extra support as a belly band while in the fourth trimester. This is the same road I went with my first pregnancy of not really paying attention to the Fourth Trimester and how I can best support my body in it’s healing process. The comfort and core strength that this belly band offers is unreal and I am SO happy to have it after this second pregnancy. (Having a toddler around as well as a new born has definitely had it’s challenges with self-care and resting). Having the full length option for these leggings was a must for me as I am usually more on the cooler side and knew this was the perfect pair for me!

This is a company that I am proud to support and tell you all about, it is an amazing brand run by an amazing and real family. My own experience with Cadenshae and Nikki, co-founder of Cadenshae, herself was great. When I was ordering my items I was unsure of sizing and she went out of her way to answer any questions or concerns I had to make sure I was doing it right. For a busy, family owned company, I feel like that’s pretty rare. Especially for just having her own newborn a couple months ago! I am so pleased with the hoodie and leggings and the investment I made with the two items. They are right on par with the current style of activewear, make me feel more energetic and have more mobility and take away stress from nursing in public with how easy and accessible it is in their clothing.

If you are a pregnant or a nursing mama, my hope for you is that you find the same fit and comfort for yourself. There really is such a difference with being comfortable and confident in such a precious and sensitive time in life. The journey of pregnancy and postpartum can be a tough one but I am so thankful I have Cadenshae to make just a little bit sweeter!

XOX – Cass

PS – Elastic Trick, take a regular hair elastic loop it through the button hole of your pants and thread it through the other side, fastening it to the button. This will give you about an extra month in your favourite non-maternity pants!

Nursing Hoodie + Leggings : Cadenshae

Photography : IXL Photography

Necklace : Mint + Birch

Shoes : People Footwear

Watch : JORD Watch

Floral Baby Gown : Dwell + Slumber

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Stumbling Grace Blog

Posted on

May 5, 2017

Posted under

Foodie, Tips + How I's, Uncategorized

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The BEST Butter Chicken Sauce!!

Butter Chicken. Mm mmm. Delicious. If you love butter chicken as much as I do, you have try this combo of Naan and Butter Chicken!!

Grab your frying pan & rice cooker and let’s get started! I have a small, three cup, black&decker rice cooker and we’ve had it since we’ve been married and use it all the time! It’s small, easy to clean and we never really need more than 3 cups of rice!

Butter Chicken Sauce : Umi’s Kitchen Butter Chicken Simmer Sauce. I picked up two bottles of it from a past market I just attended but you can get your sauce here , your local Save on Foods and Granville Island Market!

Naan : CRISPY Traditional Style Tandoori Naan. We grab ours from Walmart

Basmati Rice : Kirkland Brand

Two Chicken Breasts

**We also like to add a veggie option for a side! Tonight we chose red pepper**

You know when you start a meal and you’re so excited to get it going, and then you cook the carrots first to perfection but then the potatoes are still going to be another twenty minutes? Man! That is so annoying; I hate it when that happens! So below I have written out your schedule to the perfect butter chicken that will all be pipin’ hot when you plate to serve!

First Step: Prep

Cut your chicken breasts into cubes

Place 2 cups of rice in rice cooker & fill to 2 cup line

Step 2: Turn on rice cooker (roughly 20minutes) & Preheat oven to 200degrees

Step 3: Start cooking chicken in frying pan with a drop of vegetable oil in pan

Step 4: When chicken is all cooked, add in entire jar of Umi’s Kitchen Butter Chicken Sauce into pan. Place lid and let simmer.

Step 5: Place naan directly on middle oven rack and sprinkle with water on each side, cook 2minutes.

Plate & Serve

Enjoy!

After making this meal, I feel like I ate the whole plate in one bite. I’ve also included an after photo of my little girl at the end of her dinner time tonight for a few laughs. Hope you enjoy it!