2018 In Review

2017 In Review 

1. What did you do in 2018 that you’d never done before?

I took a promotion at work out of my comfort zone and applied for much higher level positions.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Not really, the gym fell by the wayside which is horrible. We did start eating healthier though. Here are my resolutions for this year:

2019 resolutions:

1. Get back to the gym 
2. Eat healthier

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my best friend! And I got to meet him.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, I sadly lost my mom this year.

5. What places/countries did you visit? 
We went to Tofino/Ucuelet, Newfoundland, Halifax, Mayan Riviera Mexico, Galiano Island.

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
A little more savings, an addition to the family and healthier lifestyle.

7. What dates from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

25 May 2018 - Became an honorary auntie again

10 July 2018 - 8th Wedding Anniversary

16 July 2018 - Started new job

11 October 2018 - My mom passed away

21 November 2018 - 2 year anniversary of my grandfather's passing

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Took a job promotion.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not starting a family.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Best purchase was my Estella John Fluevog shoes, it was love at first sight. I also scored a new coach purse during cyber Monday.

12. Where did most of your money go?
Traveling!

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going home to visit my family and finally visiting my bff in Newfoundland!!

14. What song will always remind you of 2018?
   Hmmm.....many different ones, I should really right them down.

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

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

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sitting on the couch

18. How did you spend Christmas?
With Hubs at home, it was a quiet Christmas in, although we went to a good friends place for Christmas dinner.

19. Did you fall in love in 2018?
I continued to be in love in 2018.

20. What was your favorite TV program?
Grey's Anatomy, Walking Dead, Survivor, Bachelor/Bachelorette, Suits

21. What was the best book you read?
I read a few good books

22. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Cory Hart

23. What did you want and get?
A pink wallet, see my family.

24. What did you want and not get?
A baby

25. What was your favorite film of this year?
Havent seen it yet but the new Grinch Movie

26. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 32! Was a low key birthday.

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

28. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
Getting a bit more office dressier.

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

30. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Megan Markle.

31. What political issue stirred you the most?
Donald Trump as president

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

33. Who was the best new person you met?
One of my new employees.

34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.
Never take anything for granted as time is never promised.

35. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
     Hmmmm.

Here is a quick look back on 2018....

January

Celebrated my dad's birthday
New fluevog shoes

February

March

Celebrated Hub's Birthday in Tofino/Ucuelet
Celebrated my sister's birthday

April

May

Celebrated my Mom's birthday

New honorary Aunt

June

Celebrated my 32nd birthday

Brian Adams Concert and met Brian Adams

Newfoundland visit! and Halifax!

July

Celebrated our 8th  anniversary
Went to the Egypt Exhibit at the local museum

Accepted a promotion

August

Celebrated my brother's birthday
Went camping for the August long weekend

September

Visited Powell River

October

First time to Galiano Island

Lost my mom 

November

Best friends birthday

Went to Mexico 

December
Went to my work Christmas party and won a great prize
Quiet Christmas at home, had Christmas dinner with good friends

Sidney Sparkle parade and sail past

Happy Birthday Brother

Wishing my brother a very Happy Birthday today!!!!!

Happy 8th Anniversary

8 years ago today hubby and I said "I Do" surrounded by our family and friends on a gorgeous summer day. It's hard to believe that 8 years have gone by already. 

Looking back on everything that we have done and accomplished together makes me excited to see where we will be in the next 8, 10, 20, 30 years. 

Happy Anniversary Hubby, love you to infinity and beyond xoxoxoxo

Happy July 2

I can't believe its July already!!! I have so much to catch up on and talk about!!! June has been such a busy month for us. We booked a trip down south for the fall, made a surprise visit to go see my best friend and her family in Newfoundland, visited my family, big things happening at work, etc. I promise to be back to catch everyone up on all the awesome adventures and will be sure to include pictures!!! For now I'm going to enjoy my last day off before heading back to work.

It's April!

We are just 2 days into April and I'm enjoying my last day off. Thanks to my employer, both Good Friday and Easter Monday are holidays for me which means I had a 4 day weekend! Hubs ended up having to working this weekend so no holiday dinners. We were okay with this as I surprised Hubs with a mini getaway last weekend for his birthday! I will have to prepare a separate blog post of the getaway and everything we did.

Our tenant moved out on Saturday and we have the suite rented again next month for a short lease. Not sure if we want to get into another long term rental or just take the house back over for ourselves. New tenancy rules have made it a bit riskier to be a landlord and we aren't sure we want the headaches of being landlords long term, but we shall see what happens once our short term renters are done in a few months.

We get new neighbors in 17 days. Our neighbors sold their house back in January and we found out the other day that the new neighbors take possession on 19 April. This is kind of exciting, however also we hope they are friendly people. Our current neighbors are older, in fact they are one of 2 of the oldest remaining home owners on our block having been here 20+ years.

I'm also waiting on a prospective job opportunity at work, just waiting patiently for the job poster to go live to apply!

Making work feel like home

We all know that we often spend more time at work and with our coworkers then we do at home and with our significant others. I've found putting together a work box of basic items makes day to day office life easier and has immensely helped out in a pinch when i or a coworker needs something. Over the last couple years i have built and adapted items i keep at work for "just in case" times. Below is a list of things i keep on hand:

- Snacks and extra food. You never know when your running late and don't have time to pack a lunch or just need extra food or snack. I keep granola bars, cliff bars, a couple packaged oatmeal, individual soups (i.e. Lipton cup of soup), tea, juice crystals or liquid juice shots, apple sauce.
- Tea bags. Great for when you need a warm up! My office also has a coffee machine which we all contribute to.
- Breath mints and gum. I ALWAYS have spare on hand.
- Hair ties.
- A pashmina that can double as a lightweight blanket, which is great when the office is a bit cooler.
- Headphones (never know when you need to work on an online course or meeting minutes without disrupting a coworker).
- Salt, pepper and basic spices. Great for lunches without always having to remember to bring it from home. I often will grab a couple extra from a fast food restaurant which make individual portions which are perfect for the office (along with individual soy sauce, plastic utensils and napkins).
- Extra cutlery. I try to keep an extra fork and spoon at work.
- A lighter and candles (for impromptu birthday cakes!!!).
- Some cash
- Extra plastic bags (for when i need to bring things home)
- A few simple decorations (such as a set of lights for Christmas and a little tree!)
- Cell phone charger
- Change of clothes (more so in the winter in case of bad weather).
- Feminine hygiene products (no one wants to ever be caught off guard).
- Small screw driver for fixing basic things
- Pictures of family to put on display in the office

Happy Valentine's Day

Wishing my hubby a Happy Valentine's day today.

We decided this year that we aren't going to do anything as its just a day and we celebrate and do things in general with each other that we don't need a day to celebrate.

February

Happy February everyone! We are slowly heading into spring 2018 and I couldn't be happier. We have been lucky this year in that our winter wasn't very snowy or cold! We have been getting our fair share of rain though, with January receiving 4x the amount of rain as January of last year.

Life has been good. My brother came out for a surprise visit in January for a few days. It was nice to spend time with him, but the visit was much too short. My sister is nearing the end of her basic training. I'm super excited and proud of her for all of her accomplishments to date and never giving up on her dream.

As I look forward to spring, i look forward to becoming an auntie again as my best friend is expecting her second little one in May!!! I can't wait.

Hubs and I are looking at trips for the fall. We haven't been on a trip in a couple years and definitely need one.

Work has been going really good. I started a new job late November and the move was a good one for me. I really enjoyed my old job and my coworkers, however my work life balance was just taking a toll on me and an opportunity came up and i decided to take it (after much thought and debate). I never stay late and generally don't work through my lunch break anymore. I'm also getting to experience some new opportunities with my job. Last week i was able to go on a tour of our harbor!

Part of my new years resolution this year was to get in better shape and eat better. I've downloaded a couple apps on my phone. One has fitness routines and the other tracks your daily food. I've really been committed to tracking my food and have done so each day since 27 December! While this has been a positive, my exercise has been lacking and i really need to get back into the gym again. I just need to start a routine again.

Happy 2018

Happy New Year everyone!!!!