Happ New Year!

I know it seems that I say this every year, but I really can't believe that 2012 is almost over and 2013 is almost here. The last year has had so many ups and downs, good times and bad times, and a record number of posts on my blog! Here is a quick recap of 2012 in our household!

*Hubs and I started going to the gym and even bought a gym membership.
*Hubs turned the big 3-0 in March.
*We reno'd our main bathroom and fixed up the garden at the front of our house.
*My brother graduated high school and started University and my sister hit her 20's.
*We went back to Mexico in April, Halifax in June and Cuba in December.
*There were 3 more weddings we were invited to (2 of Hubs friends and one of his cousins).
*Mom's cancer treatments went well and she is doing so much better
*Hubs grandfather and mom passed away.
*My mom and sister came to visit us for 3 weeks.
*We celebrated our 2nd anniversary
*One of Hubs best friends growing up had her first baby- a girl
*We did lots of camping
*I started my online course
*Hubs and I finally had Christmas eve and Day off together and spent it at home
*I made a gingerbread house
*We bought a new pot set
*I made homemade ravioli for the first time

I am so looking forward to to 2013 and what it has to offer us. Maybe we will be renovating our home and adding a floor, maybe we will be adding to our family (please don't say anything on fb as we arent announcing it publicly and no we aren't expecting currently), and hopefully we will be going on a couple of trips.

2012 in Review

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
We went to Cuba and I made Homemade Ravioli.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Kinda, we did get a gym membership and were going really good for a while, then it kind of fell off the bandwagon. We did start eating healthier though. Here are my resolutions for this year:

2013 resolutions:

1. Continue going to the gym
2. Eat healthier

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
One of my cousins had a baby, other then that, just a couple of coworkers had babies.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.

5. What places/countries did you visit?
I went to Halifax and Mayan Riviera Mexico and Varadero Cuba.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
A little more savings, a better job, more new experiences.

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 25, 2012- Hubs turned 30
July 10, 2012 -2nd Wedding Anniversary
June 2012- My brother graduated high school and Hubs grandpa passed away
November 2012- Hubs mom passed away

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finishing our house reno's and starting school.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Staying in the job I'm in now, not saving as much as I wanted and not losing the weight I wanted to.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing other then a cold here and there.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our new pot and pan set and new blender.

12. Where did most of your money go?
Home reno's, trips....

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Cuba and Mexico.

14. What song will always remind you of 2012?
   Gangham style  

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter
c) richer or poorer? Richer and poorer

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Excercising, eating healthier.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sitting on the couch, being unhappy with my job.

18. How did you spend Christmas?
With Hubs at home, it was a quiet Christmas in.

19. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I continued to be in love in 2012.

20. What was your favorite TV program?
Glee, Grey's Anatomy, Walking Dead, Survivor

21. What was the best book you read?
Fifty Shades of GRey Triology

22. What was your greatest musical discovery?
None really

23. What did you want and get?
A house

24. What did you want and not get?
A better job

25. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Hobbit and Ted

26. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 26 and spent the day flying home from visiting family.

27. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Loosing weight, new job

28. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
The same as its always been.

29. What kept you sane?
My Hubs, my family and friends

30. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Kate Middleton

31. What political issue stirred you the most?
Don't keep up to date on political issues, my bad

32. Who did you miss?
My family and best friend who live across the country

33. Who was the best new person you met?
Hubs friends in Cuba

34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
You can't always have everything you want, but sometimes you have everything you need without realizing it.

35. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
     Can't think of one atm.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. May your day be filled with wonderful food, friends and family. Also a very special thank you to all those who have to be away from their families today. We appreciate you giving up this day to protect us, save us, and keep us safe.

Day of Silence

To the Blog World and Anyone Else who Wants to Help,

On Friday, December 14th, tragedy struck so many of us in ways we did not foresee. An elementary school and small town in Connecticut was shattered by a mass shooting. We knew we wanted to help and we came up with this:




<img src="https://sites.google.com/site/megoblogdesign/files/sandyhooksupport.png" />

Money is also being raised that will go to an organization in the memory of this tragedy. The organization is called The Newtown Family Youth and Family Services. Here is the official description of the support service we are donating to:

"Newtown Youth and Family Services, Inc. is a licensed, non-profit, mental health clinic and youth services bureau dedicated to helping children and families achieve their highest potential. NYFS provides programs, services, activities, counseling, support groups and education throughout the Greater Newtown area.

ANY DONATIONS MADE TO NEWTOWN YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES WILL BE DONATED DIRECTLY TO THOSE EFFECTED BY THE SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING."

Please visit THIS PAGE to make your donation.

We can't imagine how they must be feeling, especially this close to the holidays. We would love for you to spread the word on your own blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Let's make a difference and use blogging in a positive way. Thank you in advance for participating.

Love,
The Blog World

p.s. If you would like to, copy-paste and repost any part of this, please do. Share on.

3D Snowflakes



I found a blog post a while back on making 3D snowflakes from one of my favorite blogs. She provided the instructions on making the snowflakes from this link. I saved the link in my bookmarks and didn't think any more about it until I wanted to do a little decorating at work. I pulled up the bookmark and a coworker and I made a bunch of these to hang on the windows.

 

Here is one of our snowflakes hanging from a window at work. What a view hey, and the best part is its mid December in this picture.

 

 

Back from Cuba

Hubs and I got back from Cuba late monday afternoon. I will definitly provide a post on things we did and a review of the resort.

Last night Hubs and I also had a date night at Butchart Gardens to see the 12 Days of Christmas Display. Hopefully a post and pictures will follow on this pretty soon.

It's been 4 years!

I can't believe it's been 4 years today since Hubs proposed to me. We've come along way in that time with things we've accomplished. Love you so much Hubs xoxoxo

Congrats!

Congratulations to one of Will's oldest friend and his new wife who just got married today. May today be only one of the many happy days in your life ahead!

It's December

I can't believe its December already, and the new year is just around the corner. This year I'm having a cookie exchange through work, which I can't wait for! I also have all my Christmas cards mailed out today (I started them in mid-November). Now its just to decorate the house and get the festive spirit happening.

Gingerbread House

I love Christmas and everything about Christmas. This year at work I wanted to do something Christmas-y and decided to build a gingerbread house from scratch. Below is how my house turned out with instructions on what I did to achieve some of the elements of the house. I have no prior training on baking other then home basics, so a lot of this was trial and error.

To start I took a tray (You can use any cookie sheet or flat surface tray you have available) and covered it in tin foil. I then mixed icing sugar and water to get a base layer of "snow" and covered the bottom of the tray with it. Once it dried enough on the surface I sprinkled layers of dried coconut, icing sugar and sugar to get a textured snow look. The snow hills are just icing sugar with small amounts of water added to get the hills to form.

To make the trees I used wax paper and shaped it into cones and used icing. I piped the icing onto the paper to make it look like trees (Next time I would use royal icing instead of regular icing as it never fully hardened and the tree points broke and smushed in when I tried moving the trees). The shrubs were made of small dipping sauce containers with icing over them. The tree in the far right is gingerbread cut into a tree shape and piped with icing. To get the snow look I sprinkled them with coconut and sugar. Again, I have no real decorating experience and all my techniques were trial and error and what I thought looked good.

My gingerbread house assembled. I used a gingerbread recipe I found on the internet (Will get it and put it on my blog). I cut the shapes before I baked the gingerbread and let them cool before assembling the house. I used royal icing to keep my house together (Will provide the recipe for this as well). Also, before assembling the house I did the big decorations on the sides so it was easier to do then trying to tackle it while they were standing vertical.

The gingerbread tree was placed on the back of the house. An attic window I made. The roof is tiny marshmallows iced to the roof. After they were dried on, I took food coloring (copper and black) and textured the roof to a color I thought looked good. I made more small details by piping icing along the edges of the roof and along the top.

The ice lake I made. This was accomplished by melting water and sugar in a pot (be very careful you don't caramalize the sugar and cause it to turn brown) and adding blue food coloring to it. I allowed it to harden before putting it in the snow. Luckily the snow base was still soft and allowed me to carve a hole into it so the lake could be placed into the snow instead of just resting on top of it.

For the windows I melted candy canes (melt at 350oC for roughly 5 min or until melted) and let them cool. I had to be very careful in shaping them to the square shape I wanted (I bit the sugar pieces to get the shape I wanted, and yes I know this isn't food safe but this house isn't meant to be eaten). Once shaped I iced them onto the side of the house, then piped green icing around the edges to give it the window outline. I used black licorice as shutters. I did the same thing for the round attic window seen above, except I used a round candy shape instead of a square one, and did a fancier window outline.

These windows were built into the sides. I made cutouts before I baked the gingerbread. Once cooled, I placed small pieces of candy cane into the window holes and allowed it to melt to create a stain glass window effect. Again, using licorice shutters.

Here is the finished product of my gingerbread house. I used oreo cookie crumbs to make a path leading from the house. I added a couple of snowmen, 2 candy canes on either side of the front door, and a chocolate fence. To make the chocolate fence I just melted chocolate chips and piped them into the shape i wanted the fence to be. I used parchment paper and let the chocolate solidify before I peeled the fence pieces off and stuck them around the perimeter of the house.

Here is a close up of the front of the house and the stain glass candy window. I added icicles to the edges of the roof by melting sugar and water. I wanted more of a clear icicle effect, but this is how the sugar ended up hardening. So I just used hardened sugar that looked like icicles and iced them to the edges of the roof.

Side view of the house.

Snowman. To create the snowman I used 2 large marshmallows. For the face I used black food coloring to make the eyes and mouth. I used the end of a toothpick in orange food coloring to make the carrot nose. The arms are toothpicks in brown food coloring. The red buttons are just a toothpick dipped in red food coloring that was poked into the bottom marshmallow. I then iced the head marshmallow to the bottom one and added an icing scarf. For the hat I cut a large marshallow in half and dipped one half in black food coloring and icing-ed it to the head of the snowman. Then I took a small marshmallow and dipped it in black food coloring and icing-ed it to the bottom piece of the hat. I then Icing-ed the snowman to the snow. *I used royal icing to cement all my pieces to the tray or to one another. Royal icing hardens while regular icing only hardens on the surface leaving the middle part to still be soft (better used for decorating edible objects)

Right side view of the house

Finished product!

Fashion Night

While my mom and sister were here I heard an advertisement on the radio about a fashion night at one of our local malls. I didn't pay much attention to it until I heard it again driving home the day of the event. Hubs was going to be out of town, so I asked my mom and sister if they wanted to go check it out.  They said sure, so about 1.5 hrs before the fashion night started we drove to the mall and waited in line for our goodie bags (The first 200 shoppers in line got a goodie bag valued at over $100). Our wait in line was so worth it, we each managed to score a goodie bag which consisted of:

• A reusable shopping bag
• Bottle of water
• Purdy's chocolate bar
• $40 gift card to use at the mall
• $10 gift card to Chatters hair salon
• $20 gift card for Banana Republic
• $20 gift card for Guess
• $20 gift card to an eye glass place
• Magazine and magazine subscription
• Earbuds
• A scarf
• Candles and incents
• A gift certificate for a free Purdy's chocolate
• Random gift certificates for free items/discounts at various stores
• A free magnetic bracelet
• Shampoo samples from Aveda
• Makeup mirror from Sephora

At the event there were also mini makeovers available, drinks being made at a bar in the middle of the mall, discounts at participating shops (10-40% off), 3 draws for a $5000 shopping wardrobe makeover.

We had such a blast shopping on someone else's dollar. It was truly a fun girls night out!

Homemade butternut squash ravioli

I have always wanted to make my own homemade pasta, but never got around to it. Finally, at the grocery store the other night I decided to buy a squash and make homemade butternut squash ravioli. First Hubs had to put back my apparently massive squash and pick a smaller one for me (I guess I did pick the largest one in the pile, oops).

Once home, I decided that it was the night I would attempt making my own ravioli and butternut squash filling. Below is my directions for making the ravioli and filling:

Roasting the Butternut squash:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Put the cut side down on a greased baking sheet (or sheet covered with parchment paper).
2. Roast the squash in the oven until tender when pierced with a fork. For smaller squash it could take 30 – 40 minutes. For larger squash it could take up to an hour. (This is a good time to mix your dough so it has time to rest )
3. When squash is done scoop the pulp out into a large mixing bowl and discard the skin. Add all ingredients and stir together thoroughly.

Ravioli Dough:

• 6 eggs
• 3 cups flour

1. Blend the eggs and flour together in a food processor (with dough blade), kitchen aid mixer (with dough hook), or by hand with a fork.
2. If using a processor or mixer the dough will be one large ball chasing itself around the bowl when it is done.
3. If the ball of dough is even slightly sticky when you take it out then pat it with flour. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 20 – 30 minutes on the counter.
4. Either roll it out by hand or use a pasta machine to thin out the dough and make sheets of pasta (follow manufacturers instructions).

Butternut Squash Filling:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese (I used asiago cheese instead and just judged on how much I added)
• 1/2 cup butternut squash puree
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• I also added a pinch of cinnamon

Blend all ingredients with a mixing spoon until smooth. Set aside.

Rolling your dough:

You can use one of numerous pasta rolling machines out there, but since it was my first time and I don't own a pasta machine I used a good old fashioned rolling pin. I basically rolled my dough out as thin as I could get it and as square as I could make it (which still ended up being a little too thick but still pretty good) and plopped my filling in a line, leaving space between each ravioli.

1. I then did an egg wash (I used 1 beaten egg and a brush) on the sides of the dough and over the filling before I covered the dough.
2. Once sealed I ensured there was no air in my ravioli's, and cut them with my pizza cutter.
3. I then used a fork to get the fancy looking edges on my pasta.
4. I placed my ravioli on a cookie sheet and placed them in the freezer to harden. Once frozen, I put the ravioli's in a freezer bag and placed them back in the freezer.

To heat: Boil a pot of water and cook ravioli from frozen for about 4 min.

*I didn't find it too hard to make these, however they were time consuming. I do like the fact that I can pull them from the freezer quickly and they will make a fast meal (I plan on trying other filling recipes too).  I also made these a little bigger so you don't need as many to fill you up.

My finished ravioli's

The fancy edges

Remembrance Day

In honor to pay respect and remember all those who fought, and died in the wars, and those currently fighting, is blog will remain silent today in order to remember and pay respect. I thank you for everything you gave up to give me the freedom I have.

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915 (http://www.greatwar.co.uk/poems/john-mccrae-in-flanders-fields.htm)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Cuisinart Professional Triple Ply Cookware Set

Hubs and I have been on the look out for more Cuisinart pots to add to the small set we already have for quite a while. Everytime there was a sale on somewhere, we would stop to see if they had the set that matched the pieces Hubs already owned (unfortunately they stopped making that specific set). The same story always ended up happening: the pots were too thin, the lids were made of glass (I can't stand glass lids on my cookware), or it didn't include the pieces we were looking for.

While my mom and sister were here visiting, Canadian Tire had a sale on all their pots, and a pretty darn good sale at like 80% off! I decided to stop and check on my way home from work to see what they had. One particular set caught our eyes but its always one thing to like it on paper, and to see it in person. Luckily, by the time I got off work and got to Canadian Tire they still had one set left and I was pretty impressed when I seen it. There was no glass lids, it was a 12 piece set, that included many great additions to the set we already owned and a couple of the same pot sizes that always come in handy. I picked it up on sale for $180 down from the original $900 (what a score or what!) and we have loved it every since.

Here are the specs on the cookware:

• Features a pure aluminum core bonded to brushed stainless steel exterior and stainless interior
• Heat Surround Technology provides consistent, even heat distrubution along the base and side walls of the cookware.
• Cool Grip Handles are solid stainless steel riveted stick handles that stay cool on the stovetop
• Features tapered rims to eliminate drips and spills while pouring
• Stainless steel lids that fit tight to seal in moisture and nutrients
• Oven safe up to 500° F/260° C, freezer safe, induction cooking safe and dishwasher safe
• Includes 1.5 qt, 2 qt, 3qt Saucepans with lids, 3.5 qt Saute Pan with lid, 6 qt Dutch Oven with lid , 10'' Open Skillet and steamer insert
• Lifetime exchange warranty redeemable at any Canadian Tire Store (when purchased at Canadian Tire)

Daylight Savings Time Ends

Don't forget to set your clock back an hour tonight as Daylight Savings Time ends today!

Hard to believe so much has happened since I last posted. Hurricane Sandy caused some pretty severe devestation. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who lost their homes, sentimental items and family members. Please help out any way you can and donate to the Red Cross or another charity close to your heart.

We had a couple of earthquakes pretty close to where I live and also had a Tsunami evacuation warning. Luckily, a Tsunami never hit and the earthquakes didn't cause much damage and no one was injured.

Halloween at our house was pretty quiet this year. I worked till 7pm and the weather wasn't the best (Thankfully it didn't rain for the trick-or-treaters). We didn't get any trick-or-treaters again this year :( Although I did see a few kids out walking on my drive home from work.

We have had so much rain here lately, it must be making up for the lack of rain all summer long. I'm starting to forget what the sun and blue sky looks like.

Someone very close to Hubs passed away earlier this morning as well. It was pretty sudden and we are still dealing with the loss. Out of respect for my Hubs and his family I wont say who it was or write too much about it.

MayGold Village

One of the first nights my mom and sister arrived, we decided to go for Chinese food. One of the best places in town (that we have tried anyway) is called Maygold Village. It's about a half hour drive from where we live now, but the drive is worth it for the food. They usually have a great selection of meats, noodles, rice, veggies and various chinese dishes. Soups usually include wonton and hot and sour (which is my absolute favorite soup but hard to find at Chinese buffets now). They also have various sushi which is a nice addition to your meal, especially if some people in your group like sushi and others don't (Also can't beat having the price of sushi included in your meal as sushi can be pretty expensive).

They also serve this delicious steak sauce that I've only ever seen at another really pricey Japanese restaurant downtown.

A typical supper price will run you about $18 and I believe lunch is around $14.

Body Shop Chocomania Review

While my mom and sister were here we went downtown shopping and stopped for a quick look in the Body Shop. I haven't been in the Body Shop in ages so they had many new products. I came across a line called Chocomania and if any of you are chocolate lovers then this is the product for you.

I bought a small body scrub, body lotion and shower gel to give them a try at home and see which ones I loved the most before commiting to the full size version.

So far I absolutely really like the body scub and love shower gel. The body scrub smells like delicious dark chocolate and almost good enough to eat. I've got a little bit of a mixed feeling on how it "scrubs", as I feel it is a little bit oilier then I would like it to be. I'd prefer a little more of a sugery feel then an oil feel.

The shower gel leaves such a yummy scent on your body. I've even washed a little into my hair after I've finished shampooing to get the chocolate scent.

Brentwood Bay Lodge Pub

After a couple hours walk through the Butchart Gardens with Hubs, my mom and sister, it was definitly time for some food. We decided to skip eating at the gardens and Hubs suggested we go to the Brentwood Bay Lodge Pub, since it was such a beautiful day out. We have been to the Brentwood Bay Lodge many times before and it never fails to provide great atmosphere and amazing food. They also have a Seagrille (which we haven't eaten at) as well as a hotel and spa (neither have we been to either)

When we arrived, it was a little after 3, so he pub wasn't too busy and we were able to get a table outside on the patio. Hubs ordered a beer and I had a good old Bellini. My mom and sister stayed to water. For starters, Hubs ordered a couple of oysters and I ordered California Rolls (you get 8-10 and they are pretty big).

For lunch, Hubs ordered the Halibut and Chips, my sister ordered the Grilled Chicken Quesadilla, I had the Brentwood Bay BLT with sweet potato fries, and my mom ordered the Fire Grilled Beef Burger. We were all happy with our food, it came out hot and was delicious. Our server was friendly and prompt in ensuring we always had water, condiments, etc.

We definitly left with our bellies full and ended up having a light dinner that night. 

Updates

*I can't believe October is almost over and I feel like I have barely posted on my blog. Since my mom and sister went back home I've been catching up on school work and I'm trying to get a little ahead.

*For Thanksgiving, Hubs and I both worked the morning shift, which meant we were able to actually have Thanksgiving dinner together again this year. Last year we bought a turkey meal from a local grocery store which included everything (turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls, pie, dressing and gravy). This year we just decided to go out and eat since it would only be the 2 of us and last year we had so many leftovers (We had a couple people cancel out on dinner with us).

We called around and decided to go to a local restaurant just a short walk from our home. Since the weather was so nice, we went for a walk, then ended up at the restaurant. Luckily we got there early as many people had already made reservations and we were able to eat and be out before the reservations started. For $12.95 we got a complete turkey dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, veggies and cranberry sauce. Unfortunately, the meal didn't come with a dinner roll, but I was pretty stuffed by the end of it, so Hubs and I decided to split a piece of pumpkin pie.

*Since my mom's been home, she had an MRI done and her results came back that the tumor has shrunk and she is allowed to drive again. Hopefully she will be able to return to work in the New Year after she has another MRI.

*After having a beautiful summer with very little rain, the last few days have been super rainy, cloudy, grey and cool. We went from having temperatures in the 20's to low 10's.

*Hubs and I also booked an unexpected trip to Cuba! I won't say when we are going or where until after we get back for safety reasons. But we are super excited and can't wait to explore a new country.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Wish I could be spending it with my family or Hubs family. Both of us are working unfortunately, but we did at least get our version of Thanksgiving dinner in over the weekend.

Flowers and Cider

Hubs and I actually have Thanksgiving weekend off together (which almost never happens) and we decided we wanted to take advantage of the beautiful weather. We started the day off with a visit to the Buchart Gardens (Another separate post to come on this later).  We first visited the Gardens when my mom and sister were here. Not sure why we waited so long to get there, its absolutely gorgeous and well worth the money to visit (Those of you who live local will find a 12 month pass is much more economic)

Afterwards, Hubs suggested that we pick up a bottle of cider from the local Sea Cider Farm.  When we arrived, we found out they did tastings (short or long row) and decided to do a long row tasting, consisting of 8 ciders and one of their cider cocktails. We also shared a Ploughman's lunch which consisted of fresh local bread, crackers. 2 types of cheeses, 3 types of meat, a chutney, a salmon spread and lavender shortbread. It was soo delicious, and the first time either of us had done a wine tasting.

We ended up picking the Rumrunner cider to bring home with us. The Rumrunner is 12% abv and runs $17 for a 750ml bottle. The description on their website for the cider is

"Rumrunner is crafted with home-grown heritage apples including Winter Bananas and Winesaps. The apples were hand pressed using our traditional rack and cloth press, slowly fermented with Champagne yeast then aged in rum barrels. Notes of brown sugar and spice give complexity to this semi-dry sparkling cider". 

There were a couple others we would like to go back and pick up (the pommeau and the pippins).

Holy Moly It's October

I can't believe it's October already. The 3 weeks my mom and sister were here just flew by. I have so much to talk about and not enough time to do it in right now so for now here is a brief update.

Initially, I only knew my mom was coming out to visit. The day she arrived, Hubs kept calling me asking me when I would be home (I had to return something quickly on my way home). I figured he and my mom might suprise me and come into town to meet me. They didn't come into town, so I figured it was just Hubs being up to his antics of tricking me. When I got home, my mom and I talked for a  few minutes when Hubs said I should show my mom her room. I was a little suprised that he hadn't already done so considering she had been there for 4 hrs already. I grabbed her suitcase and brought it down to the spare room and as I was about to set it down my sister popped up from beside the bed. I was so suprised to see her and so excited I would be spending 3 weeks with her as well.

While my mom and sister were here we did lots and lots (and I mean lots) of shopping. We hit all the malls in our area, and also shopped till we dropped downtown. The day we went and shopped downtown we also went for supper with a good friend of mine at Swiss Chalet.

I was a little hesitant at going to Swiss Chalet. Hubs and I had a couple of previous bad experiences with the place and weren't sure if we wanted to go back. I read up on some current reviews and they were mixed good and bad. In the end I have to say, the food was excellent, came out hot and was a pretty filling meal for $35 before taxes and tip (for the 3 of us). Because my sister has an SPC card she was able to get a free appetizer with her meal. My only complaint with Swiss Chalet is that the dining room is far to open and you dont feel as though you get any privacy and we felt as thouhg we were sitting right on top of the table next to us.

Also while my mom and sister were here we did the following:

-Went to Buchart Gardens
-Ate at the Brentwood Bay Lodge, The Noodle Box, MayGold Village, IHop, Buffet on BC Ferries
-Went to Vancouver (Stanley Park, Metro town, Ikea)
-Went to the Women's expo
-Went to the Fall Fashion night at a local mall

I'll post more about these fun times in upcoming posts. I just wanted to write them down so I remembered to blog about them.

Currently, I'm getting back into the school work and enjoying working at my new desk, my Hubs built for me.

The weather right now has been soo nice. It barely rained while my mom and sister were here. During the day the temperature averages 20oC. The mornings and evenings are getting cooler, averaging around 5-7oC. It's also getting dark here by about 7:45, which means I'm barely home from work before it gets dark now. I'm already wishing summer was back.

Updated 101 in 1001

I've updated my 101 in 1001. Also my mom and sister are leaving tomorrow morning so no big blog updates until then. I've definitly got a few great posts to talk about. See you all soon.

Still here and having loads of fun

Thought I would pop on quickly and give a very brief update. School is going great so far (about 2 weeks ahead of the game now) and having my mom and sister here is so great. We've been shopping until we've dropped, exploring our city and just enjoying spending time together. There's also been some big changes at work with staffing and possibly one coming up regarding staff meals. I'll be sure to write about those soon. Oh, and last night my mom, sister and I scored big at our local mall having a fashion giveaway. Will be sure to post about that as well too.

Also updated my 101 in 1001.

My mom's here!!!!

So excited my mom is here today! I'm so happy that she gets to see our new home and we can spend the next 3 weeks sightseeing, shopping and spending time together.

Remembering 9/11

In memory of all those who saved lives and lost their lives today my blog will remain silent in remembrance.

Triple Chocolate Oreo Cookie Balls

I found this recipe while looking for something simple to make at work. The ingredient list is super simple, and while the recipe is a little time consuming, the finished product is oh so delicious and decadent. It's definitly going into my recipe file for Christmas.

What You Need:

1/2 cup cold milk

1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

36 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)

1-1/2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate (12 squares), melted

1 square melted Baker's White chocolate

 

Make it:

- STIR milk and pudding mix in medium bowl with large spoon just until moistened. Immediately stir in cookie crumbs; mix well.

- SHAPE into 42 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip in semi-sweet chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
- REFRIGERATE 20 min. or until firm. Drizzle with white chocolate; refrigerate 10 min. or until firm.

My tips:

- I use a food processor to finely crush the oreo crumbs
- The smaller the better these balls, they are quite decadent and fairly rich
- You can use vanilla pudding and golden oreos instead of chocolate oreos and chocolate pudding
- Use flavorings to add flavor to the chocolate. I use peppermint to give the balls a minty flavor sometimes (Then color the white chocolate green to drizzle on the top)    

Back to school

Today is the first day back to school for all the students around here. Please use caution when driving through school zones. Watch your speed, and keep an eye out at crosswalks and the roadways for excited kids.

I myself, will be starting my online course tomorrow and my baby brother will be entering the world of university.

Wishing everyone a fun filled, safe, happy and successful year ahead, whether they are just starting their school career, going to be graduating or walking up the steps of university.

Saanich Fair

Every year for the past couple of years, DH and I attend the local Saanich Fair. There is a market, food stands, rides, games, produce, flowers, animals, and competitions for the best, heaviest, most unique, etc flowers, produce, wine, beer and baked goods. When fair time came around this year we were excited to attend.

Unfortunately we were quite disappointed with the fair this year. We arrived 2 hrs prior to closing and were excited to visit the market and exhibits only to find out it was pretty much shut down as we were arriving (and we still paid full price admission). We decided to head over to the games and even many of the games were shut down. We made the most of what was available to see. We looked at all the different animals and enjoyed seeing the different produce that had been grown and won prizes. We even indulged in our favorite fair treat, langosh. Thankfully, it was delicious as always.

It's September

Another month has come and gone, and we are slowly winding the corner to fall now that September has started. It's hard to believe that Labor day long weekend is half over already and kids will be back to school tuesday. Hubs has been slowly getting over whatever bug he's picked up (poor guy has had it for over 2 weeks now), but not after a trip to emergency yesterday morning (thank god, all was clear on his chest xray). My mom gets here in 11 days!! I can't wait. We pretty much have the house organized and cleaned up. Just a few last minute things, and a really good cleaning just before she gets here.

The Saanich fair is on till tomorrow evening and unfortunately its looking like Hubs and I wont be going this year. Hubs works all day tomorrow and I'm not sure I want him out and about too much today.

Today is a New Beginning

When I first started my job, I was hoping it would only be temporary. I was going to use it as a foot in the door, while I looked for a job in my field. Well.... almost 4 years later, I'm still at my job and I can honestly say I HATE it. I work in a kitchen washing dishes, doing prep work for cooks, cleaning, and running a till. It's shift work, so there's really early mornings and some into the evening shifts. Every other week I work 7 days in a row and get 2 off. I also work 2 weekends a month. With Hubs being a shift worker as well, we will often go weeks without having a day off together and many days I wont seen him from 4am until 11pm.

Before I get too far into this, yes I do realize its a job when so many people are without one. It does pay pretty decent, and I do get benefits and a pension. I'm not knocking anyone else who does this type of work, because honestly, someone has to do it, and if you enjoy it or need to do it to make ends meet then I'm happy for you. I'm just at a point where I'm not happy with what I'm doing and I need a change. I want to feel like I'm challenging myself and giving back and helping others.

Today I decided to make a change and do something about my unhappiness....I finally decided to take the plunge and sign up for an online medical transcriptionist course. It's a 12 month course, all online (so I can still work full time at my current job) and will hopefully enable me to move more towards I want to be in life. Being a medical transcriptionist will allow me to make even better pay, and a high possibility for being able to work from home. This alone is such a huge incentive. Since Hubs and I want kids and both work shiftwork, daycare bills would be astronomical. Besides what better then to stay at home and raise my own kids, while still being able to work! I start the course tuesday so we shall see how it goes. But right now I'm so excited to be taking a much needed step in the right direction.

Writers Block

For some reason lately I've felt at a stand-still when it comes to blogging. I'm reading all the wonderful posts of fellow bloggers but feel like I have no clue what to write about.

My mom is coming to visit from Sept 13-Oct 3rd. I'm super excited to have her here for 3 weeks! We have a few things planned to do already and I'm sure there will be plenty more fun times planned.

Hubs and I will be camping again next week for 3 days. I'm quite impressed we were able to get out twice in one summer. Also, Hubs will be going to pick up his grandfather's truck after we finish camping. This means our second car will be going up for sale. I'm a little on the fence about owning a truck (gas guzzler, big, etc) however Hubs feels like it will be beneficial when we do yardwork, need to do a dump run, etc (so I guess we will see).

On a positive note, Hubs and I have made huge progress in decluttering our house (not hoarders bad by any means). Our house isn't dirty and filled floor to ceiling. The clutter we have is just stuff we both have kept over the years and furniture that out grew us or doesnt work in our new home. We were able to get rid of a microwave stand, 2 octagonal side tables, and soon a 27inch old style tv.  We've also been able to get rid of boxes from video games, our new blender and a few other things we kept just in case we needed to return the item. Since we're going camping, we've also made a burn box for papers that we intend to burn. It's been such a huge relief getting rid of so much stuff we dont use and dont have a need for. It makes our home feel more spacious and gives us the room to bring in items we do need.

I've also updated my 101 in 1001.

Fat Burger Review

On our last set of days off, Hubs and I decided to venture downtown to do a little shopping. On our way out of the mall we walked past Fat Burger and decided to stop and check it out. Since we aren't downtown to often we thought we would try it out for lunch as we've heard so much about the place since it recently opened.

Their menu isn't too big (for burger options anyway) and I found it kind of confusing on how to order and even read the menu. Hubs and I both ordered the original burger, a side of fries and water to drink (their lunch special that day was a burger and fri combo for $7).

We picked a table (luckily it wasn't very busy as the restaurant isn't very big with just a  handful of tables) and waited for them to bring our food out. The food arrived fairly quick and was hot. Unfortunately, my overall impression of my burger and fries was unimpressive. The fries weren't my favorite (I'd pick fries at other restaurants over these ones) and the burger wasn't very memorable. You get to pick the toppings for your burger (I had mustard, mayo, onions, tomato and lettuce). The burger patty itself was nice and thick and reminded me of a homemade burger, but it just wasn't doing it for me. It was a bit of a let down as I've heard so many good things about Fat Burger. Unfortunately, I don't think Hubs and I will be returning.

Overall, Fat Burger is an ok spot for a quick bite to eat, just don't expect an amazing burger. I have heard the milkshakes are amazing, although we didn't try them. I will give them kudo's for the decor. The restaurant is extremely well decorated and a nice change from the "fast food" look many other burger joints have. According to Hubs, the bathrooms were "cool". So if nothing else, I guess its a great place for a pit stop.

Hi everyone,
  I'm finally done with the 30 Things blog posts and I have to say I think next time I do something like that I'll be combining a few posts into one. Not too much going on around here, just been busy working and keeping up on the house work. Hubs just about has our main bathroom all finished, so proud of him for picking up where our contactor left off after he quite (there will be a separate post and pictures all about this topic in the near future). Right now I've come down with some horrible summer cold in my chest and its such a PITA! Luckily I only work today and tomorrow and I'm done for the weekend so I can relax. An update on my mom..... her last scan has shown no change again so that means the cancer isn't spreading at least. She is doing so well and being so strong for having to deal with all of this. She's planning a trip out to visit Hubs and I hopefully in September!

Also, I just wanted to make a quick note that instead of posting 101 things in 1001 all the time, I decided to make a page for it at the top of my blog. I'll try to mention when I've updated it and you all can go have a look there to see what I've accomplished.

Hope everyone is having a good day and enjoys the last few weeks of summer

Thirty Things- Things you want to be remembered for

#30 on the list of Thirty Things is 10 things you hope to be remembered for.

1. My love of family
2. My love of my close friends
3. My love of baking
4. My love of being a mom
5. My love of being a wife
6. My love of traveling
7. My love of helping others
8. My love of learning
9. My love of Christmas
10. My famous ginger cookie recipe

Thirty Things- What people misunderstand about you

#29 on the list of Thirty Things is what does people misunderstand  most about you?

I'm pretty shy when I first meet people and it takes me time to warm up to them. So I have to say people think I'm often snobby when they first meet me because I'm a little to quiet and dont often initiate conversation. I'm really quite friendly and love to listen to what people have to say. I just often listen more then I talk.

Thirty Things- Love language

#28 on the list of Thirty Things is what is your love language?

I have no clue what the heck this means? So I'm going to say I'm a cuddler and kisser.

Thirty Things- Favorite body part

#27 on the list of Thirty Things is your favorite body part and why?

My favorite body part is my eyes because they change color based on my emotion (so I think). They are more green if I have been crying and more brown when I'm happy, and it looks like there are sunflowers around my iris's.

Thirty Things- Popular notion the world has wrong

#26 on the list of Thirty Things is what popular notice do you think the world has wrong.

I think the world has wrong that we can't all get along. Who cares how someone dresses, talks, what they eat, believe in, what color they are or what language they speak. We all come into this world the same and we all leave it the same.

Thirty Things- Dinner with anyone

#24 on the list of Thirty Things is if you could have dinner with anyone in history who would it be and what would you eat?

If I could have dinner with anyone in the world I would have to say Donald Trump. He is so successful, I'd like to learn some of his secrets of business and making it. As for what we were eating, I'm sure it would be something upscale at a high end restaurant.

Happy Birthday Brother

I want to wish my baby brother a Happy 19th Birthday today. Hope you have lots of fun, be safe and enjoy your day.

Thirty Things- Family Dynamic Then vs Now

#24 on the list of Thirty Things is describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs your family dynamic now.

My family dynamic growing up was one where my parents where always home for supper, we ate at the dinner table, celebrated all holidays with all our family, we ate at home more then we ate out, I got tucked in at bedtime with a story, had times with my dad not around (he was military) and my parents where together.

My family now consists of Hubs and I working crazy work hours (we both work shift work), we often eat in front of the tv (even though we own a dining room table) or alone if the other is working, celebrate some holidays with family (my family now all lives out of province and Hubs family lives quite a drive away and often times we are both racking in the OT on holidays), we eat out frequently, neither of us are military and no kids involved yet other then stepdaughter here and there.

Thirty Things- Top 5 Hobbies

#23 on the list of Thirty Things is your top 5 hobbies and why?

1. Baking- I love learning new recipes and trying them out and getting to eat the yummy results
2. Gym- Keep in shape (thanks to #1)
3. Reading- Such a great way to learn new things and keep your brain active
4. Hiking- Who doesnt love the great outdoors?
5. Traveling- Learning about new cultures and ways of life

Thirty Things- Where do you see yourself in....

#22 on the list of Thirty Things is where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15 years?

5 years- Having young kids and babies in the house, having a better job

10 years- Watching my kids grow up, celebrating their milestones, being in a bigger home

15 years- Getting ready to celebrate being married for almost 20 years, looking forward to milestones of my kids (graduating, getting married, having kids of their own), traveling

What I've been up to...

I figured since I've been doing an awful lot of "thirty things" posts lately, I'd throw in a quick update one. Hubs and I just got back from a relaxing 3 days of camping. We had a few days off together and wanted to go somewhere to get away. All the options we looked at seemed to be soo pricey i.e. Whistler was $200 a night just for a hotel room, and going to the states (by ferry) didn't quite work with our vacation schedule to maximize our time there. In the end Hubs suggested camping and it worked out perfect. We hadn't been camping yet this year (or the last 2 for that matter) and decided lets do it! We had to go buy food, as well as a few last minute camping items (i.e. propane, water holder and cooler) and then we were well on our way.

Hubs picked Horne Lake campground, as he hadn't been there since he was younger and I've never been there. It's about 2.5 hours away from where we live, but I must say its a beautiful campsite. There's a huge lake, and a mountain surrounding it. We had a lakeside campsite and wow what a view.... We also bought family passes which gave us a 90min guided tour down one of the caves, a 2hr canoe ride, as well as helmet and light rental to explore 2 other caves on our own.

                                             View of the lake and mountain

-You can choose either to rent a forested or lakeside campsite (our preference is the lakeside sites, and one in particular but I'm not going to give it away as it seems to be super popular on its own).
-There's also teepee's for rent (#1 and 2 are more on their own compared to the other group setting teepee's they have for rent)
-There's a variety of cave tours for the whole family starting from the age of 5
-You can rent paddle boats, canoes, kayaks and the surfboard like ones you stand on
-There's a small convenience store to buy forgotten items (like soap, sunscreen, marshmallows, etc), souvenirs, ice cream, and there's coffee, tea, hot chocolate available for a small price as well.
-Wood is available for $8 a bundle (cheaper then at gas stations along the way)

Our only cons about this campsite is there's no showers, you have to boil the water before you drink it and they dont sell ice.

Thirty Things- 1 super power

#21 on the list of Thirty Things is if you could have 1 super power what would it be and what would you do with it first?

I would want to fly, and I'd fly to see everyone I cared about.

Thirty Things- 3 memories from childhood

#20 on the list of Thirty Things is 3 significant memories from your childhood.

1. Getting my hand stuck in a cranberry jar
2. Walking out my front door and seeing my best friend wearing the exact same dalmation black and white polka dot outfit I was wearing.
3. Asking to go to the part and being told no, and deciding to go anyway

Thirty Things- Where would you live and why?

#19 on the list of Thirty Things is if you could live anywhere where would it be and why?

I would live in Mexico. I love the climate, the environment, the people, the culture, the food, etc.

Thirty Things- Most difficult thing to forgive

#18 on the list of Thirty Things is the most difficult thing you have had to forgive.

This would have to be some personal issues regarding my parents. Not things about me and my parents but things about them towards one another (no abuse of any kind, or anything illegal).

Thirty Things- Thing most great at

#17 on the list of Thirty Things is the thing you wished you were the most great at.
I wish I was the most great at cooking. I love to bake, because you can play with your baking even though baking is an exact science. With cooking you dont have to be exact, but you need to know how things work together and I'm not the best at that. My Hubs can pull random things out of the fridge and cupboard and make a gourmet meal, while I'm left wondering what to do with chicken and rice, lol.

Thirty Things- 5 greatest acoomplishments

#16 on the list of Thirty Things is your 5 greatest accomplishments.

1. Graduating high school
2. Getting my BHSc degree
3. Getting married
4. Owning my own home
5. Having the friends and family that I do

Thirty Things- Animal

#15 on the list of Thirty Things is if you could be an animal what would you be and why?
If I could be any animal I would have to be a koala bear, they are so cute and cuddly looking, yet have a temper to them if provoked.

Thirty Things- 5 Strengths

#14 on the list of Thirty Things is describe 5 strengths you have.

1. Baking (I love to bake)
2. Giving- I'd give you the shirt off my back if you asked for it
3. Keeping up on friendships (even if we dont talk everyday or call all the time, I still care)
4. Never giving up
5. Wedding planning

Thirty Things- 5 weaknesses

#13 on the list of Thirty Things is describe 5 weaknesses you have.

1. Chocolate (who can say no to chocolate, especially dark chocolate)
2. Wine (gotta love me some wine)
3. Wedding shows (even though I've been married 2 years I love watching wedding shows)
4. Babies
5. Saying no

Thirty Things- A typical day

#12 on the list of Thirty Things is  a typical day in your life.
A typical day in my life is get up, shower, get ready for work and either head to work or tidy up around the house and then head to work (depending on if i work at 5:30am or 10:30am). When I get home, if I worked until 2pm, I usually have a quick nap, then tidy around the house, help with dinner or tidy up after Hubs makes dinner, relax (or go out if we have something we need to do or get), then head to bed. If I work until 7pm, then I usually head home, shower, and relax with Hubs, then its off to bed.

Thirty Things- 10 pet peeves

#11 on the list of Thirty Things is list 10 pet peeves.

1. Messes
2. People bad talking other people
3. Nail biters
4. People talking on their cell phone in a restaurant
5. Bad drivers
6. Swearing needlessly
7. Complainers
8. Rude people
9. Arrogant guys
10. Brown nosers

Relationship Milestones

I found this article on yahoo and found it quite interesting. Of course I felt I had to share it with my fellow bloggers.

First Time You Introduce Each Other as “Boyfriend” and “Girlfriend”
“Being labeled as his girlfriend -- or calling him your boyfriend -- is one way to learn that you are a solid item with your partner.” “Once you both say those words out loud it makes it real. Having the pride to give what you two have going on a name is another level of intimacy. It’s an excellent way to go deeper into the next phase of your love bond.”

Usually happens about 2 months into a relationship and is also around the time when you’ll subject him to your besties (and implore them to go easy on the questions!).           

First Time You Let One Fly
This usually happens around the 1 month mark.

You're taken by surprise but you don't really care!  This milestone reveals your true level of intimacy. It means that things have moved from the fantasy of courtship to a real relationship, warts and all.

First Time You Stop Being So Darn Agreeable
When you start getting real in a relationship it’s kind of a relief. Just don’t be surprised if he admits that those Food Network recipes don’t come out exactly right when you make them. Often we tolerate aspects of our relationship or partner because the foundation seems too risky to crack, but once things feel more stable it’s time to get real. Being more honest is a step in the right direction of an authentic relationship.

First Time You Attend a Wedding Together

At around the 6 month mark, many couples have said the “L” word to one another. But an equally important milestone is getting up the guts to ask him to accompany you to a friend’s wedding (or going as his date). This is like a coming out party for your relationship -- it announces that you’re serious and brings up heavy topics like marriage and forever-ness. Plus, watching people you care about take vows can turn into an emotional moment for the two of you. 

The sheer emotionality of attending a wedding can provoke a deep emotional response. Ceremonies can evoke spiritual connections. Often couples in the dating mode find that it triggers a reaction of ‘where does that leave us?’ Be aware of the feelings that surface and use them for learning more about your own relationship.     

First Time You Meet the Family

9 months in, expect him to take you for an awkward brunch with his parents. Or, maybe it’s to his weird Uncle Joe’s annual chili-off. Whatever the event is, the bottom line is that he’s introducing you to his people and showing you where he comes from. (And you’ll do the same.) Another part of this milestone is realizing that perhaps not all of his folks are great people, but knowing that’s ok and that he’s his own person (and so are you).

First Comfortable SilenceYou’re in the car, driving along, there’s no radio, no conversation, just utter silence. Instead of thinking up a topic for discussion you realize that it’s okay to just “be”. “You’re not concerned with filling up the silences with words to try and prove to yourself that you are connected. You can actually relax and just be with each other…which then allows you to access a whole other layer of intimacy.

The comfortable silence can happen around the 1 year mark, and it’s probably the biggest way a couple knows they are just naturally, effortlessly…together.

First Time You Face Tragedy Together

When you’ve been together for over a year, you’re bound to face some type of tragedy, such as a death or difficult situation. Any time before this, you might have just sent a bouquet. But now, you’ve been together long enough to really lean on each other.

“Facing a tragedy as a couple allows you to experience a greater appreciation of what you have together. It allows you to observe how you’ll each be there for one another in a profound and compassionate way during hard times.

First Time You Realize You’re in it for the Long Haul

It’s the smaller moments -- like the day he moves his underwear over to your place or the adoption of a stray cat that you’ll care for together -- that says this relationship is for the long-term. This usually happens after 1.5 years of dating.  

When you share a moment like this, you’re now receiving -- and accepting -- the trueness and longevity of your connection.         

First Blowout Fight

All couples have fights, even nasty ones that include hurtful words, threats and objects thrown on the front lawn. “It’s unrealistic to think you’ll never have a blowout fight if you’re going to be with someone for a long time. It shows you’re in touch with reality, and that you are willing to communicate and listen to each other, and do the work to get through it.

But the type of fight that happens at around 3 years in is usually the kind that calls your entire relationship into question -- and makes the two of you think long and hard as to whether you should put in the effort or call it quits.

“Working through a big blowout fight can show that you both are choosing to stay together and are willing to address any issues that arise.

First Time You Realize He’s Your Family

Whether or not you have kids, you suddenly feel like he is “home.” The time before the five years you’ve now been together doesn’t seem to exist and all your best memories include him.

“This is the moment you become aware that your guy is someone that you ‘chose,’” says Allison. “It’s a big step forward when you realize that it’s not about the family you were born into or raised with, but about the family you two are creating and have chosen.”

Thirty Things- Most Embarassing Moment

#10 on the list of Thirty Things is your most embarassing moment.

I'm sure I've had many embarassing moments, however 2 come to mind.

1. When I'm shopping with someone and all of a sudden talk to them and I turn around and they arent there and someone else is standing near me.
2. In university, I went shopping with a classmate and said what the heck is a K-nif? while holding up a knife in a package (I swear I'm not blonde)

Thirty Things- 10 people who have influenced you

#9 on the list of Thirty Things is list 10 people who have influenced you and why.

1. My dad- My dad was always intelligent and smart and pushed me to keep learning
2. Mom- Taught me life's basics and life's to short to worry about the small stuff
3. My siblings- Have taught me patience, love, and inspire me
4. Kathryn- My best friend, someone who is always there no matter what, is such a giver, she inspires me to give and help others in need
5. My Hubs- Taught me to stand up for myself and love someone more then I either thought I could
6. Mike- He was my university professor. He had such an amazing knowlege of cytology and was a great teacher. I was the last graduating class he taught before he passed away and I feel i need to carry on his knowledge
7. My grandmother- Taught me my love of baking.
8. My other grandmother- Taught me the joy of making things by hand, she knitted us kids mittens every year for Christmas
9. Hubs grandfather- Taught me that no matter how much you hurt or bad the obstacle you may have, someone has it worse. He always had a smile on his face.
10. Auntie Heather (Hubs Aunt)- Such a sweet, lovely lady, she's like a china doll but so full of life.

Thirty Things- 5 passions you have

#8 on the list of Thirty Things is 5 passions you have.

1. Cytology
2. Family
3. Kids
4. Helping others
5. Reading

Thirty things- Dream job

#7 on the list of Thirty Things is the What is your dream job and why?
I have to say my dream job used to be becoming a Dr. Then it was becoming a cytologist (what I went to school for). I loved being able to help people, and cytology is never the same. Looking at cancer cells is always different and often times challenging depending on the case and where in the body the specimen is from. Currently, I'm not working in cytology and feel like my degree was such a waste of time (as much as I love what I learned and my passion for it, its tough finding a job). Currently, I would love to work in the medical field in general.

Thirty Things-Hardest Thing ever experienced

#6 on the list of Thirty Things is the Hardest thing you have ever experienced.
To date, I think the hardest thing I have ever experienced is University. The course load and amount of work and studying that went into completing my degree is astounding. I basically didn't have much of a life for 4 years. There was so much depth and knowledge I had to cram into my brain. Even our professors equated the level of difficulty of our degree to that of med school. Did I mention I was 1 of 10 people accepted into my program and 1 of 2 who graduated from it!

Also Happy friday the 13th everyone.

Thirty Things- 5 things that make you happy

#5 on the list of Thirty Things is 5 Things that make you most happy right now:

1. Being married to my wonderful husband
2. Being so proud of my baby brother and sister for all their accomplishments to date
3. Having a good relationship with my parents
4. My moms treatments going good
5. Owning my own home

Thirty Things- Advice to 16year old you

#4 of Thirty Things is to list 10 things you would tell 16 year old you:

1. No matter how much you plan, your life may not turn out how you expected
2. Have more fun
3. Spend more time with your friends
4. Don't worry, you'll find and marry a great guy
5. Dont focus so much on school
6. University isn't everything
7. Thank you for saving so much money, its really helped out
8. Don't wish your youth away, 26 comes way faster then you think
9. Never settle
10. Thank you for not having the crazy teen years

2 Year Anniversary

I want to wish my wonderful Hubs a Happy 2 year anniversary today. At this very moment, 2 years ago today I was walking down the aisle to say "I Do" to my future husband. Over the past 2 years we have had our ups and downs, bought a house, a new car, went on 3 wonderful trips together and created many special memories. Here's to many more years to come....

Thirty Things- Your Relationship with your parents

#3 on the list of Thirty Things is to describe your relationship with your parents.
I get along great with my parents. I'm not one of those people who have to call home everyday, but I do try to call home at least once a week even if its just to say a quick hi. Growing up I had a good relationship with my parents, I never went through the rough teen years with them. I have had my differences with my mom (I wont get into why) and it lasted a couple of years earlier in life and again just a couple years ago but things are all settled now and better then ever. My dad and I had a few differences when I moved out and decided to get married (what dad wouldnt with their first born), but again everything is great now. With things happening lately (my mom getting cancer) I realize life is just way to short to be mad at someone and you never know how long you have with someone. When I found out my mom has cancer, I felt so guilty for having not really talked to her for almost a year before she was diagnosed and to then think I could lose her at anytime. It really is an eye opener as to how important and fragile your relationship with your parents really are. I want my parents to be involved in my life, know and see their grandkids and live to a ripe old age.

Thirty Things- 3 Legitimate Fears

#2 on the list for Thirty Things is listing 3 Legitimate Fears and how they became fears:

1. Fear of being alone- Not really sure of how this came to be, and no, it doesn't mean I can't be alone at all, nor am I attached to Hubs. It only seems to happen when say Hubs goes out of town to visit friends and I dont hear from him for a few hrs (esp if he's on his way home), or when I was younger and babysitting and my parents came home later then they said they were going to. My head always starts racing thinking something happened to them, they were in an accident, etc and they wont be coming home and I wonder how I can live without them.
2. Fear of the dark- Again I'm not sure how I got this fear, but ever since I was young I hated being alone in the dark. I always felt a "robber" was going to break in and steal something. Even to this day, if Hubs is working late, I often hate going to bed alone in the dark.
3. Fear of Heights- Its not as bad as it used to be (and I did climb Coba in Mexico), however I dislike heights and they make me so nervous. Especially when I dont feel like I have control.

Thirty Things- 20 Random Facts

#1 on the list was to List 20 random facts about yourself:

1. 4 days from now I'll be celebrating my 2nd anniversary with my husband
2. I'm shy when I first meet people but once I get to know you, look out!
3. I have a 6 year old stepdaughter
4. I used to have a sticker book as a child and still have it to this day
5. My favorite color is blue
6. I love the ocean and all things nautical
7. I just turned 26 on June 30th
8. I dislike my current job (not related to my degree)
9. I have a Bachelor of Health Science Degree that I'm doing absolutely nothing with
10. I love my family more then anything, family means everything to me
11. I hate roller coasters
12. I hate beer
13. I love me a good bottle of wine
14. I only started liking wine about 3 years ago
15. I want to have kids
16. I'm frugal
17. I have the best friend anyone could ask for in the world
18. I love my house! and having had the chance to completely redo the inside
19. Hubs and I have a 55gallon aquarium in our home
20. I love to read

Thirty Things

Thirty Things

While reading the most recent posts on the blogs I follow, I came across "thirty things" on Mommy Mandy blog and thought it would be fun to have 30 days of something to post about. I'll  start postings as of tomorrow! 

 

The List:



1. List 20 random facts about yourself.

2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.

3. Describe your relationship with your parents.

4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year old self, if you could.

5. What are the 5 things that make you the most happy right now?

6. Why is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?

7. What is your dream job and why?

8. What are 5 passions you have?

9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.

10. Describe your most embarrassing moment.

11. Describe 10 pet peeves that you have.

12. Describe a typical day in your current life.

13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.

14. Describe 5 strengths you have.

15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?

17. What is the thing you wish you were the most great at?

18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?

19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.

21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?

22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?

23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.

24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs your family dynamic now.

25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history who would it be and what would you eat?

26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?

27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?

28. What is your love language?

29. What do you think people misunderstand most about you?

30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

Happy 4th of July

Wishing my fellow bloggers a Happy 4th of July. Have a fun and safe day!

Updated 101 in 1001

This is my second version of 101 in 1001. I finished most of the things on my original list sooner then I had expected and so I decided to make another list.

Not familiar with the 101 Things in 1001 Days project? Check out this website.
The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable, or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of effort on your part).

Start Date: November 14, 2011
End Date: August 10, 2014

Marriage & Family
1. “Date night” with Hubs once a month (23/33)
2. Have a baby
3. Celebrate 2nd Anniversary
4. Talk to home every weekend (45/132)
5. Visit Halifax for my brother's grad (Completed June 2012)
6. Buy a 2nd house
7. Get pregnant
8. Celebrate our 1st Christmas in our New House (Completed Dec 25, 2011)
9. Go on a vacation with family

Mind, Body & Soul
10. Lose 10 lbs (Hope to do so by August)
11. Learn to cook a new healthy meal
12. Complete some form of exercise at least 3 times per week (Completed Jan 2012)
13. Read at least one book per month (16/33)
14. Give up soda for a week (Completed May 2012)
15. Learn a new recipe and cook it at least once a month (10/33)
16. Get a hobby (Does going to the gym count??)
17. Have a bubble bath (Completed Dec 21, 2011)
18. Get a library card
19. Spend a day at the ocean (Completed May 2012)
20. Declutter (Completed Jan 2012)

21. Go on another trip (Completed May 2012)
22. Do something for myself at least once a month (21/33)
23. No dessert or cookies at work for 2 weeks
24. For one week, go to bed at 9:00 p.m. just to read
25. After baby, get back to pre-pregnancy weight
26. Go for a walk with Hubby every night for a week
27. No eating after 8:00 p.m. for a month

Home Is Where the Heart Is

28. Get spare rooms organized (Completed April 2012)
29. Buy a dresser for spare room
30. Hang wedding pictures
31. Cook our first turkey (Completed December 24, 2011)
32. Get a new dresser set
33. Reno the main bathroom (Completed March 2012)
34. Empty entire fridge, clean it, then put everything back in (Completed Jan 2012)
35. Reorganize kitchen cabinets
36. Defrost freezer twice a year (2/6)
37. Repaint shed
38. Buy blinds for the house

All Work, No Play
39. Get a new fridge
40. Get a new dishwasher
41. Stay on top of the house cleaning (28/33)
42. Start a wedding planning business
43. Help Hubs achieve his work goals

44. Get a new job, closer to home or clerical (Something could be in the works for this, shhh)
45. Take another course at work
46. Learn to speak Spanish

Hit the Open Road
47. Take a spontaneous road trip
48. Travel to Hawaii
49. Visit Newfoundland
50. Visit friends in Winnipeg
51. Go camping at least once each summer (2/3)
52. Have a picnic in the park we got married
53. Visit the Buchart gardens in the winter
54. Visit Hubbs friends in Alberta

I ♥ Food
55. Update my recipe book with new recipes (At least once a month (19/33)
56. Try a new restaurant (Completed December 19, 2011)
57. Try making a new cultural food (Completed Feb 2012, Made Vietnamese Pho Soup)
58. Don't eat out for an entire month
59. Make homemade pasta
60. Put new recipe's on the blog (3/3)
61. Make tapas

Friends Are Forever
62. Email/text my best friend once a week (8/146)
63. Send Christmas cards each Christmas (2/3)
64. E-mail friends at least once per month (4/33)
65. Catch up with an old friend
66. Have a party or dinner party
67. Send birthday cards to all friends/family in 2012

Pinching Pennies
68. Save for another house
69. Set up retirement savings

Cha-Ching
70. Make a budget
71. Put more money on the house
72. Put more money on the car payment
73. Save for a rainy day

Pay It Forward
74. Donate to charity
75. Volunteer for a good cause
76. Buy something from a thrift store that supports a charity
77. Donate money to a children's charity (6/6)

Just for Fun
78. Go skiing
79. Go to a hockey game
80. Go to the fall fair
81. Buy a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch and carve it
82. Rent a hotel room for a night to get away (We spent 2 weeks in a hotel so this is counting)
83. Take more pictures
84. Have a Christmas cookie exchange (1/3)
85. Buy a new Christmas tree and decorations

Hobbies & Skills
86. Blog once a week at least (27/33)
87. Learn to cook more things
88. Get some family tradition recipes
89. Make a scrapbook
90. Read a book a month (16/33)

Capture the Memories
91. Get wedding album (Completed May 2, 2011)
92. Print photoes of each year's events and put in photo album
93. Get photos printed to hang in home
94. Take more pictures
95. Complete 101 in 1001
96. Send more pictures to family

No More Procrastinating
97. Lose some weight
98. Deweed garden (Completed May 2012)
99. Start an excercise routine (Completed Jan 2012 with gym membership)

101 in 1001
100. Start a new 101 Things in 1001 Days list once this one is completed
101. Get friends in on this project