flowers

flowers. for a girl that has absolutely no yellow, blue, or red thumb let alone green thumb i have to say that i love love love flowers. half the time i have absolutely no clue what the related name is to the colourful arrangements. it doesn't matter. i just love what it brings to mind. spring, summer, fall and winter there is always a relatable flower to signify the changing seasons. with those changing seasons are emotions and feelings welled up inside. PLUS they add a punch wherever you see them. whether you have them in a vase or in your backyard, it brightens anyone's day to look at them. here are a few pics of our current flowers!

sunflowers. one of my favs. the signature autumn flower for me. so beautiful, bright and big!

 

a mixture of wildflowers. i know that the red are poppies for sure...the others i am at a loss but don't they look wonderful together....

 

and a lovely surprise that i came home to one evening. those are the best kind of flowers. the flowers of surprise! *heart*

love

what have you seen lately?

i can always count on summer to feed my indulgence of fast action, funny, blockbuster MOVIES. sadly i have found this summer lacking in all of the above. i must admit i haven't been to the theatre much this summer with all the wonderful weather, training, festivals and scrapbooking there is to do but of the few movies i have seen i have been sadly disappointed. mainly that is: iron man 2, and most recently the other guys.

don't get me wrong i LOVED LOVED LOVED inception, and got quite a few laughs in the a-team and sex and the city 2. but i have missed those big movies like the harry potters. you know the kind...the big screen mega film usually adapted from some kind of book NOT involving a vampire romance. ;)

this begs the question. have you seen any good movies lately...or are wanting to see?

on my wish list:

eat pray love
going the distance
salt
scot pilgrim vs. the world
life as we know it

hopefully those will fulfill what i crave in a movie!
love

short little note

ah summer is winding down making me slightly nervous of what is ahead for me. i am trying to focus purely on the present and enjoy what is going on right now but i got the dreaded email. school is calling me back. already i am told that i will not have enough time in my day to do a simple basic life support renewal as i am choosing to do it on september 11 and the recommendation is to do it no later than september 1 as there will be no time! YIKES!! sometimes i see how this could be a stressful job as they are ingraining stress into our minds as we go to school. i unfortunately have a medical appointment on september 8 that cannot be reversed and i am afraid (on august 11) what my instructors will say when i tell them as i may miss a bit of work.

i need to remember to just breathe

i still have one more month of summer. 2 weeks in tofino. 1.5 weeks of work left. i need to enjoy them, i tell myself. have a good time. life can be serious but it is also fun too! so i must try to relax. even if i will be in an internet cafe somewhere in tofino writing to my clinical instructor regarding the going ons in clinical. :)

love

folk fest

folk fest was once again upon me. i love folk fest. i love the music, the hillside, the sun, the people, the view...everything. i don't think there is anything more relaxing than sitting on a hill and listening to beautiful music. it makes it better when there is company (and i had just that). the first night i may have spent more time chatting and enjoying moments with a little ones' first folk night but i did hear a wonderful rendition of "heart of gold" by ben harper. AND once again got an appreciation of a new artist (for me) in patrick watson. here are a few moments of that first night.

so jeaninne and i may have snatched little one and bought a family size popcorn pretending we were in a relationship and she is our child...;) but look at her....SO CUTE!

"why did you bring me to this crazy thing??"

awesome eats!!

the only other day i caught was sunday and i had the best date of all! markness!! beautiful day with some pretty great sessions (my favourite was with colin hay and chris trapper, to great AND hilarious musicians). also saw some hula dancing with the great music of te vaka and some fabulous celtic music of four men & a dog. 

 on stage three...

common folk fest sights

in between i just lazed on my chair snoozing away on such a wonderful day of folk. see you next year folk fest!

love

a change is a coming

so in two short weeks i will be done my job. as of right now it is a permanent decision. i will be starting clinical in the fall so all my day shifts will be devoted to my school. it will be hard to go because i absolutely love my job. sometimes i get a little frustrated about the lack of awareness and the lack of funding that comes with the guys i work with. but when it comes to my clients, they rock. it is probably the best job i have had. i have worked with so many great people (and we joke about those not so great). PLUS we did so many fun things revolving art, food, sports, games, and dancing with the clients. i had the privilege to take out guys on outings to the community allowing them opportunities to access places they never would have seen (and hopefully increased the community's awareness in a positive way). i think i would have stayed there forever if there was a chance of growth. my boss, however, was extremely truthful with the options and consistently encourages many to go back to school. he was EXTREMELY supportive of the idea of me going back and allowed me to split positions with another co-worker for 1.5 years. it is going to be hard leaving and i will miss so many people but it has been a fantastic 4.5 years!

love

lovely song

well i just have to say thank you lilith. i got 10 free downloads from them this week. i don't know if its because i went to the concert or just had them on an email list but i am happy! take a listen to this lovely song.



love

home again home again jiggidy jig

what a nice mini break from work and the world. this weekend we were off to william switzer park for some long awaited camping with jimi-jam, jeff, jeaninne and dj. thank goodness that jeaninne and dj left a little earlier as they managed to get the last campsite at gregg lake.

overall a great time. we hiked utopia pass, went to miette hotsprings, did some whitewater rafting in grande cache and in between had some laughs, good food, campfires and games.

glad to have the break and spend it with some great people (added bonus: NO MOSQUITOES!)

here are a few highlights:

good morning world!

hiking, jumping and resting

everyone accounted for!

pretty scenery

at miette rocking the historic swim suit (i forgot mine)

 spoonage!

preparing to raft

sibling love

hope your long weekend was enjoyable!

love

its getting hot in here

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!

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

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...

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

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

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! :)

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

the half marathon

well it is done. a run i would like to call: hellish. ah. i really wasn't feeling the run like i have on other days BUT guess what!!??? it doesn't matter. i finished it! walked a bit, ran a bit and jeff stayed by my side the entire time...refusing to leave my side (which i know very well he could have!!). my overall average was about 5:59/km and i am taking it with pride! my personal aim was to finish the race under 2 hours but i really needed those extra 16 minutes! :) AND there is always next year! he he he. as i say this my body is slowly rejecting me but i know in my heart it will happen again. it was too much fun training and i really do have a love for running. who knows maybe some day i will get to the infamous 2 hour goal??!!!

love

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.

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

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

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:

"You don't marry someone you can live with, you marry the person who you cannot live without."

or maybe a simple congratulations is in order???

love

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!"

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

saw sheryl crow last week at lilith. love her! :) my favourite song of hers:



love

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:

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

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

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!

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

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! :)

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

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

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!

you are a pretty fabulous country!

my favourites...

i feel gross. i woke up yesterday morning sweating hot which quickly changed to immediate chills. yes, a fever. slightly distressing to myself as i have many things to accomplish in the next couple of weeks. i had to tell myself to JUST BREATHE, CALM DOWN, and RELAX. i took today off because i went to lilith last night. now it is officially a sick day where all items on my checklist are pushed back for another day. i am just going to sit in front of the television and watch cosby show reruns and old movies.

so instead of carrying on about how sick i am i thought i would give you a glimpse of my favourite things in our kitchen.

before i moved in with mark, i got a bird salt and pepper shaker for christmas (from urban outfitters). it goes perfectly with our pick up truck that stores toothpicks (got it at le gnome, which sadly closed down...tear)

my beloved butter dish and sugar bowl. i got these with my mom, from anthropologie. love love love that store! she also got a butter dish there as well. they are just so lovely.

right before my mom moved she gave us her old creamer dishes and a sugar bowl (right now there are spices instead of sugar in it). i love them as they remind me of my childhood and they are all too cute.

finally the controversial anthropologie decorative dish towel. i bought a couple of these and on the first day mark spilled spaghetti sauce on it. then we got into a heated debate of function and decoration. ahhh sigh, it makes us laugh now...such goobers.

have a good tuesday!

love

brunch, slurpees, and bbq...oh my!

a wonderful day. need i say more? well i shall.
-i did a personal best in the running department by accomplishing 12.9km...or as i like to say 13 (do those final 100m really count?). the longest run i have done to date. i swear it is so much easier running with a person so....thanks jeff!
- got together with my dearest friends for some brunch at mark's very favourite place: the sawridge. in attendance was mark, jeff, jeaninne, casey, sal, and a very cute baby. a great time with great friends who i do not see nearly as much as i should (BUT I HEART YOU!).
-jeff, jeaninne , mark and i went back to my place where mark gave us the grand tour of his most wonderful garden (it seriously impresses me everyday as the veggies start coming out...he did a really good job).
-mark stayed back to relax as i came up with the BIGGEST MOST BRILLIANT plan to walk to casey's. it really isn't that far away from my place however we got a quarter way up the hill when me and jeff decided it was too much. yes that is right, JEANINNE wanted to continue on the expedition but me and jeff squashed it. it was one of her finer moments! so, alas, we drove to case's.
-went for slushes, and the three of us babysat a very cute baby while casey and sal worked away in their garden. ahhh fabulous.
-then my most favourite brother came over, we hung out, watched flight of the concords, then joined mark's family for dinner.
ahhhhh great day of friends, family, food, and fun. what more could i ask for?

love

sleepy dreams

isn't this dreamy...one day when i have enough space...
How To Make A Fabric Headboard

love

this week

what word could i say to sum up my week? work. lots of it! i worked double shifts everyday except thursday (i got my hair done then...YAY) and i am putting in some more hours today. its been a busy (and slightly tiring) week. between that and marathon training i haven't had time to do much else. all my DIY projects are sitting at home collecting dust and making me antsy to organize (poor mark). BUT i cannot complain because this is what i want and both jobs are so very enjoyable. AND with a couple of days off next week i can definitely have some ME time, DATE time, and some FRIENDS time!

however today was awesome! i took the little lady i work for downtown. we tried out the new LRT finally and enjoyed the sunshine. we both checked out the market. the BLUEBERRIES are out and for you CHERRY lovers they are there too! we then walked to churchill square to check out the art works festival. lots of little trinkets and art to see plus some fabulous vendor food! then we went home. now i am just doing some errands and preparing to dive into my book. it's a kids book: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book One: Lightning Thief . jeaninne was reading it on our way home from NYC and she seemed so engrossed i thought i would give it a try. it is pretty good so far and a light read which is just what i need after school textbooks!

have a great weekend!
love

my favourite fern

Fiddlehead ferns are the unfurled fronds of a young fern harvested for food consumption (Wikipedia.org, 2010).

Source

fiddleheads. the one thing mark really wanted when we went to new brunswick last year. i never had a true appreciation for them because when i was growing up i had them all the time (they happened to be frozen and come from a bag but i still had them). i did not know that my mom searched the supermarket aisles for those little guys. AND as time passed on they became extinct in the frozen food aisle.

 Source

a few years ago mark and i were at the downtown market and we happened to come across a person selling them. mark was so excited and wanted to buy them for my parents. i called to see if they would enjoy them but with no answer i decided against it. we continued on our market journey sans fiddleheads. cut to my mother perplexed as to why i decided never to pick them up.

Source 

as the years passed i scoured the market for those precious little ferns to find that they had vanished. i asked a fish vendor about them (they got many things shipped from the east). she told me that she was unable to sell them at the market. apparently, the officials did not know what to do with them. they thought it was some kind of weed and the look was too strange. he he, can you imagine!?

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however at work, i got the same reaction. as we prepped for canada day, i joked that we should serve fiddleheads (our room is doing new brunswick). questionable expressions around the room. "what do they look like, taste like, is it a vegetable?" 

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this year on one of our market journeys we struck gold as we came across the little weeds once again. knowing now, what i did not know then we bought some for my parents...and for ourselves. i finally appreciate that little fern for all its glory! :)

moving onward to chocolaty delights

i have got a new york state of mind. what is on that mind you ask? frozen hot chocolate! the most amazing drink i have ever tasted. basically a chocolate slush but so much more! really what more could you ask for on a hot day in the sun, in a city that never sleeps.

jeaninne and i had a very long day. beaches, hot dogs, boardwalks, ferris wheels, empire state building, and throw in a bit of shopping equals two very tired tourists. however, on my list (aka clipboard of fun) was go to serendipity 3. i don't  know how i knew of this place, but through word of mouth from someone, i just had to go. so we took the subway, got to the place and were told it would be an hour wait. i could see the look of dread on jeaninne's face. BUT, being a most glorious friend we chilled out on the sidewalks with all the others who didn't bother making a reservation.

our names finally getting called we stepped into the restaurant. surrounded by stained glass, chandeliers, and cute little lamps, it reminded me of a fashionable dollhouse. by this point we were completely and utterly starving. our stomachs were calling to us from the menus. we both had to get the frozen hot chocolate, as that was what this place was known for but what to do about the other wonderful items on the menu?

aren't they to die for??? i love chocolate!

then we saw it! the "outrageous banana split" for 22.50. i don't know about you but i have never seen a dessert that was priced like that. out of hunger and complete curiosity i had to see what a 22.50 dessert looked like. our server came to our table. we diligently ordered the items. he did what i would like to call, "the manhattan once over" and said, "no no no, you cannot handle that much food, i will get you the coward's portion" (it was half the cost). as he left the table jeaninne and i were in a state of non stop laughter.

needless to say the server was right. there was no way we could even finish the coward's portion. but everything was so heavenly. i was in a state of pure chocolate bliss! AND if you are interested in getting yourself a frozen hot chocolate i happened to see them selling the mix at chapters. so you too can have a little bit of serendipity 3!

our coward's portion...it was delicious!

just a fun fact regarding this place....they also had an "Golden Opulence Sundae" for $1000.00 that required a 48 hour reservation in advance...what do you think would be on it????

love

na na na na hey hey hey goodbye

remember that song? i remember it was played at my grade six graduation. the teachers sang it to the kids. that was the first moment i remember getting really choked up regarding good byes. my throat immediately tightened and the tears started welling...ugh. my next memory was when i moved to jasper for the summer. my parents drove me down, helped me move into my place, took me out for dinner, then we said our good byes...i got choked up. throughout that summer it continued whenever my parents came down to visit and said good bye. when i surprised my grandma on her 80th birthday everything was absolutely fabulous. THEN she dropped me and my mom off at the airport and her lip started to quiver. guess what?? i choked up. cut to the month of june, year 2010. a farewell bbq to my parents...people saying goodbye to them...choking. this week, a tuesday to be specific, it hit me that i would have to say good bye. the mere thought of it, tightened my throat spontaneously that by the time i made it home that night i was in hysterics in my lovely boyfriend's arms. today aka dooms day, i said good bye. needless to say, i choked up and teared. and maybe (wink wink) had loads more tears when i got home and read a very special card. i hate goodbyes, farewells, see you laters (believe me it is all the same). i know, i get all choked up.

however, good luck my lovely parents! i love you so very much and i will miss you tons!! i am happy for the incredible journey you are about to take (although selfishly unhappy for myself)...i would love to say more....but guess what...

i changed it again

wow. i am a crazy poster tonight. this is what happens when there is nothing to do at work. i even changed my blog background AGAIN! but i think i am definitely sticking with this one. i liked the other one, but i couldn't handle the format. i had no dates on my posts, the comments were at the top (when really they should be on the bottom) and i could not for the life of me find the stupid + to take off in the html code (that's right i can sort of read html).

just finished watching alice and wonderland. i am mixed about it. i couldn't really hear the whole movie because the sound was a little off on the television. but i don't really think i get the hype...or maybe the hype was too much so i went in with too big of an expectaion. however, i did see the a-team recently and i must say, i throughly enjoyed it. i really didn't think it would be my kind of movie, but little childhood tidbits came back to me while watching it. plus it was cheesy, summer fun. an indulgence if you will.

well i guess i should stop posting and get to work again!
have a nice night and hope you all are enjoying the summer weather!

love

happy father's day

since i will be busy with packing, cleaning, and moving i thought i would take the time, now to make a shout out to my dad.

happy father's day dad.

-you always took the time to help me with any school: flashcards, problem solving, physics, science reports, even making a mousetrap car and a miniature homestead.
-you took me and jimi skating on the lake in winter and in the summer walking in the woods that no longer exists. i still remember seeing deer, picking wildflowers (aka weeds) for mom, and poor megan's (the dog) encounter with a porcupine.
-we went on endless bike rides. you (with mom) helped split the cost of my "racing bike" when i was 13 (the days of hard earned babysitting money). we dreamed of doing the bike ride from jasper to banff as we rode through the acreages of addrossan. we may have never done it but i think we had a better time biking alone, with no cars in sight!
-reading to me at night. and bringing me books on fairytales whenever you went on a trip. my ultimate favourite is still the wishing chair!
-you taught me to drive, twice...with numerous emotional breakdowns behind the wheel. thanks for the patience by the way.
-you always kept yourself busy with projects of any sort. i saw you make a bathroom into nothing, install molding in the living room, design the kitchen, tile the basement and landscape the backyard. it showed me nothing is impossible if you have hands, read the right books and are willing and able.
-you shared your love of old rock, with a little bit of easy listening in the mix. i always think of you when i hear pink floyd, enya and chris de burgh.
-thanks for the car rides, the car games (you and i are apparently the only ones that know how to play them...freaking robot/oilers franchise) the kite flying, the gas station toys, and the camping trips. they were fun!
-i remember the tickle wars and "al, there are going to be tears", later the kung fu moves, the downsview claw, and the abs of steel
-thanks for the fish tank...it will always be the christmas present forever remembered!
-"home again home again jiggidy jig," "it's going to be a grrrreat grrrreat day,"

i could go on forever but i will stop here! thanks dad and have a productive father's day!
love you lots and will miss you tons!

love

it is here

the weekend that i have been dreading for quite some time.
i never wanted it to come but somehow it has reared its ugly head
i wish it were all a nightmare, never to be heard from again
what is it you ask??


my parents move!! ahhhhhh

lol

so you think you can dance?? well he sure can!

ahh a great start to a great dancing season. i only wish i had a inkling of this talent but doesn't mean i can't enjoy watching it!

love

welcome to the comfy couch

my parents dropped off their couch today. yes the big move is 5 days away. they were generous enough to give us their bbq, my grandma's most beautiful school desk, their vacuum, a rocking chair and (yes) their couch. my dad, mom, mark and my amazingly strong brother (SERIOUSLY he was on one side and the three of them were on the other) hauled it up the stairs to our place. it settled nicely in front of the television, taking the place of the previous owner (sorry old couch, we loved you well). i can now lie completely on it without feeling cramped. i love that couch. my dad was concerned with the tears and rips through out the cushions. i don't care, it's an upgrade for us! AND we can have company spend the night because a bed pulls out. you all can stay over! :) the couch even smells like my parents. i was joking with mark that when they leave i will just sit by the couch and smell it...he thinks i am nuts. i think i am too! he he he

love

i forgot to mention

the season finale of glee...fabulously lovely....ahh i love being a gleek...plus the songs always make me smile...even when i am sad.

love

painting and gardening

a beautiful day to paint. i had decided this year that i wanted to brighten up our apartment. i didn't really want to paint the walls as our place is a big room and i didn't want to commit to one colour. however we had a couple of things that i could brighten up with just the right paint colour. i chose a wall decoration to be lime green or zesty lime. and CD case to be the same colour with some silver highlights. the planter i chose a safety blue to match a frying pan we have (its on the wall). i shall see how it looks in the place, as i await for it to dry.

mark has been working fairly hard on his garden. i swear i should buy him a straw hat and trousers to fit with his farmer role. he finished a chicken wire fence (with the help of his brother and dad). peter rabbit will not nibble on his food this year! it actually looks really good! pictures shall come soon!

must go finish my jobs!

love

beautiful run with surprising results

a wonderful day outside and a run with jeff. i am starting to enjoy our early morning tradition. it is nice because there is really nothing i would do at 7:45am than run and (bonus) i have the company to do it with. we catch up on each others weeks. more him, than me. i am too tired to talk so i  ask the questions (however i did fill him in on the maggots...shudder)

as we were talking, the subject got to training. i went through the km i have been doing and he mentioned that is sounded sort of like mileage rather than kilometers. i didn't even think to check that! i guess that is my ignorance of the metric system. guess what!! he is right...i was suppose to be doing miles!! ha ha ha i am hoping i will be okay. according to the site i am using i should be able to get to 16km by the middle of my training. with some minor readjustments, i will get to 18km. a mild turn of events that made me smile after a great 10km.

love

kitty grass

so i changed my background another time (actually on both blogs). i like the change. i think i could change it every month. sigh. that makes me think i should never own a home because i think i would constantly change the colour of my house every month too. i just love colour, art and design!

not much going on right now. i have skipped my last two work outs. i felt a tiny bit guilty in terms of my marathon training but at the same time okay. my body is obviously tired and needs a rest (i went to bed at 9pm and woke up at 7am the other day??!!) between that and my jobs i am working hard. i have to remember to enjoy this time since it is my summer vacation!

just thought i would i would share my latest love. i can't keep a plant alive if my life counted on it. sad but true. last year i bought two pots for inside the house to hold some pretty flowers that just failed to get watered and shrivelled up and died. mark, an absolutely amazingly fantastic green thumb has helped me this year by giving cat grass a home in my pot. i love it, and it looks pretty at my desk. plus, its added fiber for kitty...he he he

have a great night...going to listen to glee and relax...i could use it!

love

ahhhhhhhhh

not much grosses me out. seriously. spiders: totally cool. bees: they make honey! mice: small but fine. snakes: are fairly interesting.

however there are some things that just freak the heck out of me! dead fish (i don't know why and i am sure my dad has always regretted giving me that aquarium), centipedes (they just don't die) and MAGGOTS!!!!!!

guess what i found today...apparently living in my kitchen mat. yup, you guessed it...maggots. first i found one. then i lifted the rug and i found a dozen. i shook the rug and they just kept falling...ahhhhhhhhh. i am getting the creepy crawlys just thinking about it...gross gross gross! what is with the multiplication, one is enough thank you!

as i burn those little things in the dryer i just thought i would ask...what freaks the heck out of you?

taking a dip

i have decided that i am not going to post all my scrapbook pages on this blog anymore. mainly because i have another blog devoted strictly to those pages. check it out here. however, i will continue having little stories to my spreads on this page.

soooooooooo, this is the story of this spread.

mark and i went on a hiking trip to fryatt valley, in jasper. a 10km hike into our site, with multiple day hikes from there. we were only there for 3 days so our day hike had to be a memorable one. it was! multiple waterfalls and small streams everywhere. some were even available to us as we would take small dips. mark loved how the water broke from the cliff formations. i loved the cool relief from the hot hot hot weather! great day!

love

to my mom

i was talking to my mom last night and i asked her (or slightly accused her, he he he), "do you read my blogs?"
"every monday morning," was her response, "it's part of my routine".
after our conversation ended, i went on the computer right away to make a shout out to her. unfortunately the posting under the blog was unavailable.
so this is for her, for next monday morning!

I LOVE YOU MOM!

thanks for reading :)

love

training

last year i had a goal to run a 10km race.
i trained diligently and slightly overworked my body.
the result: a torn hamstring, a slightly frustrated gal, and no race.

however, my running buddy, jeff, did magnificently. doing a PB on the big day. so the frustration surpassed to elation for my friend.

this year, i have challenged myself again.
i am healed (or as healed as i am ever going to be).
i have enrolled in yoga: to increase my flexibility and prevent any reoccuring injuries that may occur.
i have been (and continue to) strength training to build up my muscles.
and have been training diligently with less overworking my body

all this for:

1/2 marathon on july 18th.

i am very excited and nervous. i have been running with jeff these past two saturdays and am feeling pretty good. i am just hoping with all hope for no injuries. i feel like i am being exceptionally careful, but the journey will only tell me if i am! :)

wish me luck as the days progress towards my race! :)

love

i love...

blizzards
sqor blizzards
not really a fan of ice cream
except when it is in a blizzard
yum

thanks mom!

love

silly truths

being as crazy as i am, i planned the meals out for the week. so last night i took the meat out of the freezer to defrost. where did i place it?? on our flat stovetop.

but because i was working last night i had nothing planned. i came home pretty hungry so perogies it was. i set them to boil.

as i talked to mark i could hear a slight crackle. "huh," i thought, "its weird that people are turning on the sprinklers after so much rain."

yes, i am sure you have already guessed. it was not a sprinkler. it was my defrosted (now not so defrosted) meat. i turned on the wrong burner. i now have plastic melted on my plate. AND ME, with no idea how to remove it. mark has suggested coke, my mom has suggested vinegar and baking soda.

cross your fingers...or give me your ideas!

love