today i must say is just plain ol' HOT! we got to about 28...NICE! jeaninne was out on her lawn chair probably hanging out in her kiddie pool...great day for a day off! only complaint is that with all the rain an outbreak like no other has occurred: MOSQUITOS! they are out like i have never seen them before. took the guys to capital ex today and we had to hide out in the casino till the grounds opened because we could not escape those nasty critters from outside....
...i am going to have to stock up on my bug spray this weekend as we are headed camping (fingers crossed that we get a site). it should be tons of fun as white water rafting is on the agenda, a small hike, and i will be surrounded by friends and my family (little bro is coming)! even if we don't get to go camping we will most definitely be doing the rafting. MAINLY because it is paid for! :)
love you all and see you in august! have a most fabulous long weekend!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
this makes me smile
my mom posted this on her facebook status the other day. its about my grammie sansom. i enjoy it so much that i wanted to share it:
"Oh I made curtians for the entry way to replace the old happy face ones Mom had. When I hung them I realized the happy faces were upside down. I was annoyed but realized they were the rt side up if Mom is up in heaven so I was happy."
it makes me happy too! :)
love
"Oh I made curtians for the entry way to replace the old happy face ones Mom had. When I hung them I realized the happy faces were upside down. I was annoyed but realized they were the rt side up if Mom is up in heaven so I was happy."
it makes me happy too! :)
love
Saturday, July 24, 2010
summer song
i think this will be MY official 2010 summer song. like many before it...it is catchy, bouncy and i feel it is perfect for roadtrips when the sun is shining and the scenery is stunning...
Friday, July 23, 2010
i love you summer!
its been a pretty incredible week and i must say this...i am really enjoying my summer. i am on facebook reading some friends status's of how they can't wait to go back to school and i jcannot figure out why. i love my summers...especially summers as a student. maybe its because i know this lifestyle won't last long so i am trying to savour them as much as i can. its right now when i am really glad i declined on school year round . sure i would be done sooner...but so far i like this trade off more.
this week i am loving:
-date nights
-good movies
-sunshine
-outdoor pools
-living through my run
-friends that came to said run (thanks for being there guys!)
-wedding fun
-bowling fun
-good food (green onion cakes, vegetable jalfrezi and chicken korma)
-great times at work
-hot yoga and being able to successfully balance in one class
-a special person being okay even if they are going to have to eat more veggies ;)
-folk fest concert coming up
-more races to run
-talking to my mom on the phone and then my dad (yes he is alive)
-future plans of more exciting things to come!
love
this week i am loving:
-date nights
-good movies
-sunshine
-outdoor pools
-living through my run
-friends that came to said run (thanks for being there guys!)
-wedding fun
-bowling fun
-good food (green onion cakes, vegetable jalfrezi and chicken korma)
-great times at work
-hot yoga and being able to successfully balance in one class
-a special person being okay even if they are going to have to eat more veggies ;)
-folk fest concert coming up
-more races to run
-talking to my mom on the phone and then my dad (yes he is alive)
-future plans of more exciting things to come!
love
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
jamie oliver
lets talk about food. i love it. i may have said this before but i love to eat. i wish i was as good of a cook as i am an eater but alas it isn't so. i have mastered a couple of staple recipes like chicken, spaghetti, tacos, stir fry, etc. but to really dig down deep and cook something extraordinary...that is just so not me. i leave the special up to the men in my life i.e. my father and my lovely boyfriend. that is until i came across:
FOOD REVOLUTION. a most fantastical show that was playing in april about healthy good old fashioned cooking. the premise is easy. if you cannot pronounce it or will not find it in your grandma's kitchen its not good for you. i fell in love with the show and jamie oliver. i had never been a person who paid attention to cooking personalities but this guy was highly relatable. so i decided to buy:
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Cookbook. i must say that when i came into the house with this book mark burst out into laughter. that was until he skimmed through it. so MANY choices of curries, pasta dishes, desserts, breakfast, lunch and dinner it was too hard to look away. so he cooked up a batch of pasta the first night. something easy and with a couple of raw ingredients tasted amazing. then i decided to dive in and do something i have never done. salmon tikka masala. and guess what...i didn't screw it up! SHOCKING! as we have been going through this cookbook we have continuously enjoyed everything we have cooked and have yet to stumble into any pitfalls. FOR THIS GIRL THAT IS SOMETHING EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!
give it a try...you will not regret it! :)
love
FOOD REVOLUTION. a most fantastical show that was playing in april about healthy good old fashioned cooking. the premise is easy. if you cannot pronounce it or will not find it in your grandma's kitchen its not good for you. i fell in love with the show and jamie oliver. i had never been a person who paid attention to cooking personalities but this guy was highly relatable. so i decided to buy:
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Cookbook. i must say that when i came into the house with this book mark burst out into laughter. that was until he skimmed through it. so MANY choices of curries, pasta dishes, desserts, breakfast, lunch and dinner it was too hard to look away. so he cooked up a batch of pasta the first night. something easy and with a couple of raw ingredients tasted amazing. then i decided to dive in and do something i have never done. salmon tikka masala. and guess what...i didn't screw it up! SHOCKING! as we have been going through this cookbook we have continuously enjoyed everything we have cooked and have yet to stumble into any pitfalls. FOR THIS GIRL THAT IS SOMETHING EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!
give it a try...you will not regret it! :)
love
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
a garden story
there once was this rabbit...we will call him peter.
he loved to eat.
he would eat many things like carrots
potatoes and beets
and don't forget about the peas
even the lettuce was not safe.
however the farmer (loving to all animals) was getting mildly frustrated.
so the farmer built a fence of chicken wire.
peter, although sad he could no longer eat, enjoyed the many flowers from the other side.
and maybe some of the blueberries
the end
p.s. the farmer's girlfriend was busy scrapping but she took the time to smell the orchids from the farmer's sister's bridal centerpiece. so pretty! :)
Monday, July 19, 2010
bowling fun
on saturday night mark and i went bowling with his cousins. 10 pin style. i have been bowling at least twice a year (it usually involves the guardrails going up and the bowling ball ramp in place...but whatever). i should have practiced more. one game of bowling i had the whooping score of 30! yes that is right 3-0! and YES again: that is a lot of gutter balls that were going my way. apparently, others seeing the need that i was in desperate need of help scoped out another bowling ball and came across lucky lime green, weight: 9lbs. others tried to use the ball and failed. nervously, i stepped up to the lane and threw the ball (ever so gently) and guess what....8 PINS DOWN. cheering arose...who knew cheer would come about for only 8 pins...he he he
in case you were wondering what mark's score was at the end of the game it was in the 130s. obviously he is the yin to my yang!
love
in case you were wondering what mark's score was at the end of the game it was in the 130s. obviously he is the yin to my yang!
love
Sunday, July 18, 2010
the half marathon
love
Saturday, July 17, 2010
the race
because many people have been asking where i am running. here is the info. you will only be familar with it obviously if you have lived in this area.
The Moose is Loose is on Sunday and it's time for a short update.
The route this year is the one we planned for last year before the storm sewer collapse and the wind storm blew down trees. Because someone has been having fun with the on-line map here is a written description:
The start Finish line will once agin be in Emily Murphy park. The race for all groups will start and finish here. the route follows the river side trail around the golf course and Hawrelak Park (water station here) and into the woods trail on the south side of Hawrelak Park. This trail will take you along the river until it comes out on Saskatchewan drive where there will be a water station. All participants then go west along the paved trail and down the hill along the old Keillor road. at the bottom of the hill the 10k runners and walkers will turn around and head back the same way they came. The half marathon group will continue west and follow the trail to the foot bridge over Whitemud creek, and then turn right along the river (water station here). after passing under the Quesnell bridge as soon as you get to the trees there is a trail turning toward the river into the woods. Take this trail and follow the r! iver to the west end of Fort Edmonton Park where it goes up a very short but steep hill, and onto a paved road. follow the road until you see a blacktop trail on your left and follow the trail around to the John Jenzen Nature centre. stay close to the curb on your right and catch the trail again as it goes around the parking lot and then across the access road to the fort. turn right back onto the sidewalk under the Quesnell bridge and follow it back to the foot bridge. Do NOT cross the bridge but turn right and go up to the road but turn left on the gravel trail going south. This trail goes under the bridge on Fox drive and then head south through the trees along the creek. Follow the trail toward Rainbow Valley. The turn around point this year is about 2km up the valley but not all the way. There will be marshals at the turn around point. when you get back close to Fox drive turn left on the foot bridge that goes east to the Whitemud creek! park parking lot (water station here), through the parking lot and back to the trail that takes you to Keillor Road. Then follow the same trail back to Emily Murphy Park.
The Moose is Loose is on Sunday and it's time for a short update.
The route this year is the one we planned for last year before the storm sewer collapse and the wind storm blew down trees. Because someone has been having fun with the on-line map here is a written description:
The start Finish line will once agin be in Emily Murphy park. The race for all groups will start and finish here. the route follows the river side trail around the golf course and Hawrelak Park (water station here) and into the woods trail on the south side of Hawrelak Park. This trail will take you along the river until it comes out on Saskatchewan drive where there will be a water station. All participants then go west along the paved trail and down the hill along the old Keillor road. at the bottom of the hill the 10k runners and walkers will turn around and head back the same way they came. The half marathon group will continue west and follow the trail to the foot bridge over Whitemud creek, and then turn right along the river (water station here). after passing under the Quesnell bridge as soon as you get to the trees there is a trail turning toward the river into the woods. Take this trail and follow the r! iver to the west end of Fort Edmonton Park where it goes up a very short but steep hill, and onto a paved road. follow the road until you see a blacktop trail on your left and follow the trail around to the John Jenzen Nature centre. stay close to the curb on your right and catch the trail again as it goes around the parking lot and then across the access road to the fort. turn right back onto the sidewalk under the Quesnell bridge and follow it back to the foot bridge. Do NOT cross the bridge but turn right and go up to the road but turn left on the gravel trail going south. This trail goes under the bridge on Fox drive and then head south through the trees along the creek. Follow the trail toward Rainbow Valley. The turn around point this year is about 2km up the valley but not all the way. There will be marshals at the turn around point. when you get back close to Fox drive turn left on the foot bridge that goes east to the Whitemud creek! park parking lot (water station here), through the parking lot and back to the trail that takes you to Keillor Road. Then follow the same trail back to Emily Murphy Park.
waking up is not hard to do
so its 7:41 am on saturday morning and i have come to a realization. i am like my father. i can't sleep in. after the wedding, i was home at 2 am. it was a great night of love, dance, stories, and fun and i thought i would be ready for bed by the end. cut to now and it just doesn't seem like my body has sleeping on the agenda as my head is racing. maybe i have been working so much my body doesn't know how to relax?? he he he
the weekend of fun is still going. there will be a bbq today and the weather (unlike this weeks downpour) looks promising. i will also be registering for my race, and having a pizza party with my brother. And i am going to try (hopefully) to sneak in some yoga between all of this.
hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
love
p.s. if you want to take a peek of what we gave the bride and groom: click here
the weekend of fun is still going. there will be a bbq today and the weather (unlike this weeks downpour) looks promising. i will also be registering for my race, and having a pizza party with my brother. And i am going to try (hopefully) to sneak in some yoga between all of this.
hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
love
p.s. if you want to take a peek of what we gave the bride and groom: click here
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
to my mom: this post is for you
because my mom always loved a good purse and she is not here to see it in person this post is for you. first off click here. that is my wonderful new purse that anita picked up for me when she went to the states. don't you love it??
I DO!!!
love
I DO!!!
love
making a card
i am in the process of making a wedding card for mark's sister upcoming wedding this friday. the one problem i have encountered is what to put in the card. i found this quote site. some pretty good quotes but what to put in it.
my favs so far are:
"A happy man marries the girl he loves; a happier man loves the girl he marries." - anonymous quote
"When you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out." - Elizabeth Bowen
"I love being married. It's so great to find one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life." - Rita Rudner (okay that may not speak them but it certainly speaks me...he he he)
or this site:
Sunday, July 11, 2010
oh brother
you just left but i have to say.
i enjoy you!
you make me laugh.
you make me smile.
you are good with serious talks.
and you reminisce with me.
you are an adventurous spirit.
and a calm human being.
you are up for everything and anything.
you are my constant defender.
yet you joke with me to lighten my mood.
frankly,
you are an awesome human being.
i love you jimi jam!
thanks for the sunday night football game/dinner. "RICK RAY!"
i enjoy you!
you make me laugh.
you make me smile.
you are good with serious talks.
and you reminisce with me.
you are an adventurous spirit.
and a calm human being.
you are up for everything and anything.
you are my constant defender.
yet you joke with me to lighten my mood.
frankly,
you are an awesome human being.
i love you jimi jam!
thanks for the sunday night football game/dinner. "RICK RAY!"
tiiiiiiiiired but feeling happy
feeling ambitious today. i woke up at 5:30am to do my last big run before the 1/2 marathon. craziness i know, but i really wanted to get it in before work rather than after as i enjoy the cooler air.
GUESS WHAT?
i finished it! 18.09km in 1 hour 44 min 42 s. it felt good. however it is amazing how my body starts to shut down in the end. so tired. but i know i could get another 3km in. i am already thinking about doing a marathon one year and wonder if my body can reach that state? only time will tell. but let's stay present!
its going to be a big week of parties and food as mark's sister is getting married. very exciting for her and her groom AND all the family. that and a few get togethers (one with my nursing friends, eek haven't seen them in so long) this is shaping into a most excellent week! :)
see ya
love
GUESS WHAT?
i finished it! 18.09km in 1 hour 44 min 42 s. it felt good. however it is amazing how my body starts to shut down in the end. so tired. but i know i could get another 3km in. i am already thinking about doing a marathon one year and wonder if my body can reach that state? only time will tell. but let's stay present!
its going to be a big week of parties and food as mark's sister is getting married. very exciting for her and her groom AND all the family. that and a few get togethers (one with my nursing friends, eek haven't seen them in so long) this is shaping into a most excellent week! :)
see ya
love
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday, July 09, 2010
thanks
overall, i had a pretty great week. nothing really special but it was a week that made me happy.
so i am just going to make a shout out to the things:
and on and on...
love
so i am just going to make a shout out to the things:
thanks
- to singing show-tunes as loud as i can in the car
- to beautiful weather to run in, and pouring rain to cool me off
- to a pretty special person for being around to laugh and tell jokes with
- to a small no fuss dinner with my brother
- to running and almost finishing my training
- to have jobs that i enjoy and have equally as much fun as the guys i work for
- to talking to my mom
- to having green onion cakes, sqor blizzards, and multiple scoops of ice cream on said hot days
- to someone DRIVING when getting said blizzards
- to scrapbooking, always scrapbooking
- to hanging out with a friend for some shopping and a movie
- to making more plans with more friends for more social gatherings
and on and on...
love
Thursday, July 08, 2010
life is a cabaret
i am in love with broadway. at 7 years old i went to my first play. it was an open air theater production of oliver with my mom and her aunt. soon after that i went to the mayfield dinner theater in edmonton to see oliver again. i was envious of oliver (played by a girl) who got to sing and dance on stage. i wanted to be her! that and the desserts made for a glorious night. at 10 years old i was visiting my family in nb when my aunts introduced me to les miserables. the music got me hooked right away. lucky for me the play came soon after. i collected newspaper clippings obsessively (that i still have today) on anything and everything les mis (even compiling a scrapbook). that and singing endlessly in my room to young cosette's castle on a cloud, i am surprised my parents didn't commit me. i have always said that i would love to live my life as a musical...well i have seen many and this year managed to see three in a week when i went to new york.
the idea that i can choose a play/musical like picking a movie thrills me. AND here i had it at my fingertips. it was lovely. i was previously obsessed with wicked. i had read the book by gregory maguire before the play had even been thought up. so when it came down to choosing what to see when we were in nyc, that was my number one pick. i must say, it was an amazing pick. i have a couple of rankings of musicals and this is one of my favourites. the costumes, theatricality, music, the sets...it had it all! :)
the second, jeaninne and i picked together. we had both seen the movie when it had first come out. obviously we knew the plot but had no idea how great the musical really was. billy elliot, had so much humor and made me cry on numerous occasions. i still cannot get over how well those boys can dance and sing. amazing!
last was an impulse choice. our last day in ny we thought we would catch a show of whatever was available. la cage aux folles aka the birdcage was the winner. this was a jeaninne pick that i eagerly followed. it was similar and then not so similar to the movie. quite funny and i found myself wondering why can't i have legs like those showgirls. damn! an added bonus for us was frasier aka kelsey grammer was in it. too funny.
i loved the whole musical experience. in truth, i left wanting to see so many more shows. i already bought the soundtrack to rock of ages, american idiot looked really cool, and i would have LOVED to see kristin chenoweth in promises, promises. another reason to go back! :)
love
the idea that i can choose a play/musical like picking a movie thrills me. AND here i had it at my fingertips. it was lovely. i was previously obsessed with wicked. i had read the book by gregory maguire before the play had even been thought up. so when it came down to choosing what to see when we were in nyc, that was my number one pick. i must say, it was an amazing pick. i have a couple of rankings of musicals and this is one of my favourites. the costumes, theatricality, music, the sets...it had it all! :)
the second, jeaninne and i picked together. we had both seen the movie when it had first come out. obviously we knew the plot but had no idea how great the musical really was. billy elliot, had so much humor and made me cry on numerous occasions. i still cannot get over how well those boys can dance and sing. amazing!
last was an impulse choice. our last day in ny we thought we would catch a show of whatever was available. la cage aux folles aka the birdcage was the winner. this was a jeaninne pick that i eagerly followed. it was similar and then not so similar to the movie. quite funny and i found myself wondering why can't i have legs like those showgirls. damn! an added bonus for us was frasier aka kelsey grammer was in it. too funny.
i loved the whole musical experience. in truth, i left wanting to see so many more shows. i already bought the soundtrack to rock of ages, american idiot looked really cool, and i would have LOVED to see kristin chenoweth in promises, promises. another reason to go back! :)
love
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
its a wrap up of the last two days
these last two days have been nothing but the sole loveliness of relaxation. i work, go home and nap (like the old lady i am) and scrapbook. it has been pure bliss.
i am still continuing my quest for the half marathon as its next weekend (YIKES). so i get up at 6 three times this week and go for my morning run. the goals are 6km and 10km. AND, my running partner has cancelled the next big run that we do together. the target is 11 miles or 17.7km this weekend. whatever. he had a lame reason. i mean who wouldn't want to meet up with me at 6am to go for a run on sunday morning...he he he
i finally finished my painting projects last weekend. i painted my mom's beloved brass lamp (gasp) silver and finished the second coat of my cd case: the lovely zesty lime! they are sitting in my doorway at the moment waiting to move to their real home. alas, we must sell mark's 70 gallon fish tank first. know anyone interested?? PLEASE!!!
next up is a couple of reupholster projects...and maybe i will start on some more of my cooking goals like my nan's raison bread...or brown bread that i set way back when. AND of course continue to work.
on the parent front, they are finally settled in at stanley. or maybe i should just say they are finally there. jim's cat jingles has already caught his first mouse. LOVELY! :)
that is it...have a happy tuesday night and wednesday morning everyone!
i am still continuing my quest for the half marathon as its next weekend (YIKES). so i get up at 6 three times this week and go for my morning run. the goals are 6km and 10km. AND, my running partner has cancelled the next big run that we do together. the target is 11 miles or 17.7km this weekend. whatever. he had a lame reason. i mean who wouldn't want to meet up with me at 6am to go for a run on sunday morning...he he he
i finally finished my painting projects last weekend. i painted my mom's beloved brass lamp (gasp) silver and finished the second coat of my cd case: the lovely zesty lime! they are sitting in my doorway at the moment waiting to move to their real home. alas, we must sell mark's 70 gallon fish tank first. know anyone interested?? PLEASE!!!
next up is a couple of reupholster projects...and maybe i will start on some more of my cooking goals like my nan's raison bread...or brown bread that i set way back when. AND of course continue to work.
on the parent front, they are finally settled in at stanley. or maybe i should just say they are finally there. jim's cat jingles has already caught his first mouse. LOVELY! :)
that is it...have a happy tuesday night and wednesday morning everyone!
Sunday, July 04, 2010
pancakes, bacon, and cantaloupe
dinner with jim
all he wanted was pancakes
mark wanted bacon
so that is what we had
and cantaloupe
that is what jim brought
then jim started singing yellow submarine
but instead of that he subbed in cantaloupe
mark joined in
i love those boys
all he wanted was pancakes
mark wanted bacon
so that is what we had
and cantaloupe
that is what jim brought
then jim started singing yellow submarine
but instead of that he subbed in cantaloupe
mark joined in
i love those boys
mentality
i have always loved to run. however, i have never pushed myself to the extent that i have done these last two summers. last year, a torn hamstring. this year (keep knocking on wood) uninjured. i did 16km today. so hard. i was feeling great until i hit the 13km mark. then it was a test of my mind vs my body. who knew running played such a mental game with yourself. i did finish it. in a pretty good time too. but it was hard. i need my running buddy back! :)
Saturday, July 03, 2010
work functions
i enjoy my work and co-workers more than i can say. i guess it is an added bonus of why i love my job even more. a couple of days ago we decided to get together after work for an "after party". we have gotten together many times before and usually have a blast. BUT as the night progresses we usually resort to talking "shop". NOT THIS TIME! what a great night of friends hanging out with friends. not once was work even mentioned. just stupid, silly, and sometimes crazy fun!
must do that again.
love
must do that again.
love
Friday, July 02, 2010
the start of the blog
i officially started blogging in 2005. casey had started up her blog and we all became addicted to her posts and the continuous comments. casey went on vacation for a couple of weeks and i was distraught at the idea of no blog so she named me an administrator so i could do my own posting. this was my beginning. my mom started reading it AND even more exciting my 80 year old grandmother was reading it (although for the life of her she could not post a comment, "that darn mouse just doesn't stop moving").
BUT when i really started blogging was in 1998. it may have not been the formal blog we all have now but it was a recording of what was going on in our lives. my friend, rebekah, started a hotmail account giving all of us the password. within that account, we would write quick notes or long letters detailing what we found important, funny, or needing to share with our friends. i loved it!
a couple years ago i went back to the account to see if it did in fact still exist. it was there...but unfortunately our posts are gone. i went back today...and our account is gone.
regardless i find it interesting that we are still at it today. i have read, learned, and loved my friends not only in person but in their thoughts written on their blogs. such a great privilege!
i love blogging!
love
BUT when i really started blogging was in 1998. it may have not been the formal blog we all have now but it was a recording of what was going on in our lives. my friend, rebekah, started a hotmail account giving all of us the password. within that account, we would write quick notes or long letters detailing what we found important, funny, or needing to share with our friends. i loved it!
a couple years ago i went back to the account to see if it did in fact still exist. it was there...but unfortunately our posts are gone. i went back today...and our account is gone.
regardless i find it interesting that we are still at it today. i have read, learned, and loved my friends not only in person but in their thoughts written on their blogs. such a great privilege!
i love blogging!
love