There’s something special about having a quiet place to slow down. This DIY reading nook bench turned our living room into the coziest corner of our home—perfect for books, rest, and intentional living. Come see how we brought it to life.
Author: ThisDarlingAdventure
Hello! Welcome to This Darling Adventure. It is a pleasure to meet you! Grab a cup of tea and take a seat and please let me introduce myself.
My name is Laura and I love to adventure. I am originally from southern California, but currently call northern Manitoba my home with my beloved husband, Andy. I love cooking delicious food, creating art from unassuming random objects, doing yoga in my living room along to YouTube videos, hiking in the forest that surrounds our little town, adventuring to and discovering beautiful places around the world, and enjoying Swedish "fika" with friends and family far too often.
Why do I write? To travel, to tell stories, to discover beauty, and to be creative - these are just a few of the things I believe add flavor to life. Each new day is an adventure made to be discovered, full of endless and unexpected possibilities. I write because I want to plant in others a refreshing hope and a deep longing for living a meaningful life to its fullest. I write because I want to encourage others to be the best that they can be wherever they are in the world and to seek out a life of adventure, even in the seemingly mundane and everyday. I write because life is far too short not to.
Hosting Made Simple: Easter Dinner Menu Ideas (with Recipes You’ll Love)
This Easter, let’s make room for what matters most—gathering, connecting, and celebrating together. If hosting tends to feel more overwhelming than joyful, I’ve created three thoughtfully curated Easter dinner menus to simplify your planning. Whether you’re drawn to a traditional meal, fresh spring flavors, or something easy and low-stress, these menus are designed to help you serve a beautiful meal without the exhaustion. Take the guesswork out of what to make this year and step into a more peaceful, meaningful celebration around the table.
Chipmunk Cheeks & Surrender: Learning to Trust God in the Unknown
Well friends, yesterday was a momentous day. I said goodbye to the wisdom of my youth and finally had my wisdom teeth extracted. I must admit that going into yesterday's procedure, I felt uneasy. I wasn't worried about the surgery itself, nor was I concerned about the pain. I wasn't even concerned about the recovery… Continue reading Chipmunk Cheeks & Surrender: Learning to Trust God in the Unknown
Cultivating Purpose: A Simple Guide for Clarity & Direction
What is my purpose? Human beings have asked some variation of this age-old question since the beginning of time. There are some people who seem to be born knowing exactly what their purpose is. They wake up in the morning knowing precisely what they were born to do and they go do it. For others… Continue reading Cultivating Purpose: A Simple Guide for Clarity & Direction
A New Chapter of This Darling Adventure
Hello friends! It’s certainly been a while since we last connected and so much life has unfolded in the meantime. Shortly after my last post, I began working full-time, Andy and I bought our first little home just outside of Calgary, and then the world changed in the face of a global pandemic. In the… Continue reading A New Chapter of This Darling Adventure
I Am Not a World-Changer
Growing up, I was a bit awkward to say the least. I didn't quite fit into the stereotypical boxes of a girl from southern California. I hung out with most cliques at some time or another: the athletes, the nerds, the skater kids, the popular crowd, and the loners (yes, I hung out by myself… Continue reading I Am Not a World-Changer
Rooted In Love
What is my life rooted in? It seems I have been asking myself this question quite a lot lately after writing Roots & Prunes. So for the last few days I've been doing a bit of digging to see what lies beneath the surface of my own heart. Some call it "soul searching." I call… Continue reading Rooted In Love
Roots & Prunes
I used to believe I had it all together. I had a schedule to follow, obligations to keep, things to arrange. I was someone and what I did was important. This all changed when Andy and I moved and I began looking for a new job. I assumed that employers would see that I was… Continue reading Roots & Prunes
Mountain-Top Moments: Thoughts on Perspective
Just a note of encouragement for today: On a particular hike up a mountain in New Zealand, Andy and I came close to what we thought was the summit. Suddenly the path veered away and began leading us in an entirely different direction. I felt discouraged and even frustrated because the summit we had bypassed… Continue reading Mountain-Top Moments: Thoughts on Perspective
Chai Lai Orchid: An Authentic Experience with Elephants
Hi friends! If you have been following along at all, you know that Andy and I have been traveling the globe for the last five months in a whirlwind of adventure. I must admit that our type of traveling is not conducive for blogging, so thank you for your patience and for your support as… Continue reading Chai Lai Orchid: An Authentic Experience with Elephants
This Darling Adventure 