Watch Our Family Grow

Five years

2011-12-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

It's been five years since we've been logged in. I was going to write a post about how I really feel about this situation but then I remembered that this blog is currently public and I just don't want to deal with some of the comments I know I would get.

So that's all I have to say about that.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T10:09:00.004-06:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Stars in the Sky

2011-10-29T06:30:00.006-06:00

It's been five years now that I lost my mom. There's nothing more that I can say that I haven't said before. I just wish she was here, there's so much going on that I want and need to share with her. I know she's always with us in spirit, I just wish I could give her a hug.

Look Who's One!

2011-10-01T21:26:00.000-06:00

Today our Poppy turns one! Well, we're assuming it's today. Since she is a rescue dog we're not quite sure of her birthday. So we picked today as her birthday. I'm so happy we decided to keep her and she is part of our family. She is such a gentle dog, so loving and caring.

We've seen her progress so much from the first day that she came into our home. For example, a few weeks ago she finally rolled on her back so we can could scratch her belly, she's never done that before.

So once again, happy birthday to one of the prettiest blondes I know. Hope you had a good day.

A note about Poppy

2011-08-21T10:34:00.000-06:00

It's been over three months since Poppy joined our household and here are some interesting facts about her.

When Poppy came to live with us, her coat was very coarse compared to Jinx. I just chalked it up to her genetics. Today her coat is much, much softer. It's amazing what a good diet and regular grooming will do to a dogs coat.
She loves to sleep with one of her back legs sticking out underneath her. It's really cute.
Just recently she started lying on her back. Jinx always did that but not Poppy. The other day I reached down to pet her belly and she rolled on to her back as she wagged her tail. She's learning to trust us.
She doesn't always jump on furniture, she sometimes climbs on it. Also a very funny thing to witness.
Her bark is not as mean sounding as Jinx's. It's a funny little bark. I will try to capture her barking one day (not that we encourage that behaviour).
Poppy is scared of thunder. We had a bad thunderstorm a little while ago and when the thunder struck she went running to Shawn and was like velcro until the storm passed.
She loves to give little puppy kisses.
Poppy still has some food aggression issues but we are working with her on it. We've been told it could be a while before we show any progress. She needs to learn that she will always be fed and that will take time.
Poppy is fast. She leaves Jinx in the dust when it comes to chasing a ball. She becomes so fixated on it and nothing else matters except getting the ball.
That being said, when she's had enough she just lies down once she's done.
Poppy doesn't whine. At all.
Below is a picture of Poppy, lying in the muddy water, after chasing the ball because she's had enough.

Long weekend

2011-07-29T15:51:00.000-06:00

This weekend is a long weekend and I am beyond happy! It's been a tough week. Last week I got some weird stomach flu, the works. Fever, couldn't keep anything down, sore throat, you name it I had it. Thankfully it didn't last too long but I missed my nephews birthday party and my book club meeting, along with a couple of days of work. Later in the week, a nasty cough that kept everyone in the house awake and a bout of pink eye. At least it seems that the worst is over.

This weekend all I'm going to do is stay in my basement and get crafty. It's been a while and there's a couple of projects that I have to get finished, including a headboard for our bedroom. I also have to organize the mountains of fabric I have.

Next week we have a friend of Shawn's staying with us for a couple of days. It's nice to have some company since we don't have any friends here.

Other than that, nothing new. We live boring lives.

Yeehaw!

2011-07-12T21:21:00.000-06:00

Last week was the start of St@mpede. While I'm not a big fan of the occasion, I will use it as an excuse to do this to my dogs. I duded them up!

How cute are they??? I was holding a couple of cookies to get them to sit still, hence the reason they are looking up.

Stumped

2011-07-08T20:43:00.000-06:00

I'm stumped with regards to my sewing crafts. What should I try making next?

I have a couple of things to make for some friends but while I'm working on those I need some inspiration for some new projects. Any ideas? Tutorials? Suggestions? Anything will do!

Parental Input Requested

2011-06-19T10:53:00.000-06:00

I hope to get some input from parents out there about a conversation I had earlier this week with a co-worker.

I was talking to my colleague about Harry Potter world in Florida. I was mentioning how I really, really, really want to go. My colleague then told me that she wouldn't take her kids to one of the exhibits, Olivander's Wand Shop. For those of you who aren't familiar with Olivander's, in the story, the person selling wands states that the wizard doesn't choose the wand, the wand chooses the wizard. In the exhibit, what they do is bring in a group of 15-20 people and choose one from the group to be the one to test the wands. She then said and I'm paraphrasing, "How can you tell you're kid we're going to go to this exhibit where they're going to pick someone but they probably won't pick you."

My thought was, so what? I think I know where she's coming from. She wants to protect her children from disappointment. Now, I'm not a parent so it's easy for me to say this so these are my thoughts. I can imagine as a parent you don't want your children to feel disappointment but disappointment is a fact of life. Not everyone gets picked for the team, not everyone will win the contest, not everyone will get an A on a paper, not everyone will get the job. I think for me, I'd want my child to learn how to cope with disappointment. Now I'm not saying to ONLY have them face disappointment but when/if it does happen, use it as a learning tool. It didn't happen this time and that's okay. Because if they don't learn how to handle not being picked for an exhibit at Harry Potter world, as they grow up how are they going to deal with real disappointments?

I'd be interested to hear from parents to see what they think.

Some Thoughts

2011-06-11T16:33:00.000-06:00

I've been bad about blogging. Life is a lot busier now with two pups. They do generally manage to entertain themselves so it's not too bad. We just make sure their playing doesn't escalate to anything more than just playing.
I've been watching the second season of Merlin on Netflix. I really think cloaks need to come back to style. They are just so mysterious and dramatic.
Lately I've heard songs remade from my childhood and youth. They are terrible renditions. These "artists" need to stop hurting my memories with their horrible interpretations.
It's been raining so much I'm starting to feel moldy.
We tried a cleaning service recently and it was an absolute failure. The search continues.
I haven't had a chance to go to my "studio" and sew in a few weeks. I miss it. Hopefully I'll be able to get down there soon and let the creative juices flow. I have a couple of things I want to make so I really do need to get down there.
That being said I'm still looking for a serger.
I have not had a C0ke in 5 months. My heartburn has gone down by about 80%. Still get it occasionally, usually when I eat spicy food.
We are thinking of heading a bit further west this summer for a little vacation. We'll see if we can get our act together. That being said, we will be going home this fall for another wedding. Well, that's assuming we're invited. One knows what happens when one assumes.
Why aren't sit coms filmed in front of a live studio audience anymore?
Here's yet another picture of the girls at daycare. They take the best pictures of them.

Failures

2011-06-05T09:23:00.000-06:00

We are foster dog failures. This weekend Shawn took Sparky to a local adopt a thon held at one of the local doggy daycares. Several animal rescues were there with dogs and cats in need of a furever home. I decided to stay home with Jinx since it was the entire day.

Needless to say Sparky attracted a lot of attention. She's such a pretty dog and has such a sweet demeanor, it wasn't long before there were several applications to adopt her. Well, as soon as I heard that it was like someone through cold water on me. I realized how much I don't want her to go anywhere.

When Shawn got home he told me how difficult it was to see other people want to take her home. Then I started crying because I couldn't imgaine how we could give her away. In a few short weeks she has become part of our family. So we have decided...to keep her, hence we are foster dog failures.

So now I would like to introduce you to Poppy, the dog formally known as Sparky. We had to choose a name that is similar to Sparky since she responds to that name fairly quickly.

Our little family is starting to grow again.

Best Friends

2011-05-30T20:48:00.000-06:00

The reason we need a child. It's fun practicing with these two in the meantime.

Our Guest

2011-05-23T07:56:00.002-06:00

Last Monday Shawn and I welcomed a guest into our home. She's one of the prettiest blondes I've ever seen. She's about six months old and quite the handful! She has been giving Jinx a run for her money that's for sure. Her name is Sparky and she's a golden retriever/lab cross. I also think she's part rabbit because she hops and jumps when she gets excited.

Sparky is our foster dog from Misty Creek Dog Rescue. She was rescued from a high kill shelter in Idaho. While I think she was given a horrible name, she really is a cutie. I thought Jinx was high energy, until I met Sparky. Now here is a dog that is high energy. She's always on the go and ready to catch a ball. Needless to say Jinx is being left in the dust. The best part, she's a cuddler and snuggler. She loves to have her neck and chest scratched and will cuddle up right beside you to give you easy access.

She's already potty trained and does fairly well in her kennel. We are working on her obedience. She only knows sit but we will work with her so she learns her commands.

The only issue we've seen so far is that she's a bit food aggressive with Jinx, not with us. It actually makes me sad that she is. It makes me wonder what she went through before coming to us that she feels she has to scrap it out with other dogs for food. We are working with her to help her overcome this issue.

Jinx has been adjusting fairly well to having Sparky around considering she's been an only dog for two years. There is some jealousy but she does enjoy playing with Sparky. She is a bit of a stinker though. Jinx will take a toy, literally rub it in Sparky's face and then run away when Sparky reaches for it. The two of them run circles around the ottoman. It's actually quite entertaining watching these two.

I will see if I can get some video of these two interacting with each other. Like I said, they're rather entertaining to watch.

For my Mom in Heaven

2011-05-08T08:42:00.000-06:00

If flowers grow in heaven Lord, then pick a bunch for me, place them in my mama's arms and tell her their from me. Tell her that I love her and miss her and when she turns to smile, place a kiss on her cheek and hold her for a while.

Even if we're not together to celebrate, Happy Mother's Day mama. I love you and miss you terribly.

Tuesday Ramblings

2011-05-03T19:27:00.000-06:00

I've missed Monday thoughts for a couple of weeks. I will make up for it today.
We had yet another election yesterday. I can't believe how rude some people have been with their comments when they feel they have the anonymity of the internet. I got called a hypocrite by someone I don't even know.
My second worst day of the year is coming up this weekend. Thankfully, Shawn and I will be away.
I have some friends that are going through some very rough times. I wish there was more I could do to help them.
I'm losing my exercise mojo. That's not a good thing.
I need to find a cleaning service because I hate cleaning my house. We don't get a lot of time off so it would be nice to be able to enjoy the time we do have without spending it cleaning our house.
I have a question for those of you who like pillowcase dresses, do you prefer them with the adjustable ribbon or the ones with sewn on straps?
I love my dog. And my husband.

Here is my precious diva enjoying a nice, sunny day.

Another episode of Monday Thoughts

2011-04-18T19:40:00.002-06:00

I will not complain about the weather. It will never get better and I just have to get use to it.
Tonight is the first night of Passover. Seeing as how we don't know any other people who celebrate here, we won't be doing much.
I'm not happy about the fact that we're having another election. That's three elections in less than six years. These people really need to get their act together.
If you like the zippered pouches I have listed below, you can still enter to win. Not a lot of people have entered so your odds are really good.
I am hosting my book club at the end of May. I don't know what to feed these ladies. One is lactose intolerant and one has a gluten allergy. Please help.
We are planning our getaway. Looks like we will be going away in May.
Some people at work greatly annoy me. They argue with me and don't listen to what I have to say and yet when my supervisor tells them the same thing they shut up.
We have one guest coming so far this summer. Door is always open.
We had our home assessment yesterday and we passed. We will be fostering a dog in the next few weeks. Probably when we get back from our getaway.
One of the dogs, Baba, is an Australian shepherd dog. He kept herding Jinx yesterday.
Here are some pictures of Jinx playing with Rosie (the white dog) and Baba (the one that looks like Jinx), my colleague's dog and foster dog.

They say it's spring...

2011-04-14T20:54:00.001-06:00

We woke up this morning hearing about this on the radio.

When I looked out the window this morning, I saw this.

We had a good foot of snow outside. Fortunately, it warmed up this afternoon and it's already started to melt. Now it's wet, heavy and slushy. Tomorrow it will be icy. Fun times. I really need to find that beach house I keep dreaming about.

Some things on Monday

2011-04-11T21:19:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking about the future a lot lately. I decided that I would really like a change from the corporate world at some point. I just have to figure out what I should do instead.
I think we may foster a dog waiting for their furever home. Have to talk to Shawn about it but we may try it.
I've decided that Jinx is the coolest being ever. Seriously. She always makes me feel loved no matter what type of mood I'm in.
There is nothing on TV right now so I've been watching a lot of Netflix. I recently started rewatching Fame. Remember that show? It's really cheesy to watch now but oh how I wanted to go to the Performing Arts school when I was a kid. Too bad I can't sing, dance, act or play an instrument.
On Friday we got the best news ever. I was so happy I started to cry. No, it's not a referral but it's still the best news ever.
I wish the clothing industry would come up with standardized sizing. I have no idea what size I am because it's always different depending on the outfit.
When did wearing PJ's in public become appropriate attire for anyone over 10?
We really should head out to the mountains more often. Last time we did, we made our way home in the middle of a snow storm. Do you know how scary a mountain snow storm is??? Very.
About 1.5 weeks ago we had some water leak into the basement. Turns out the drain in the window well wasn't draining. We had some guys come in and fix it and now the backyard is a mud pit.
As a result of said mud pit, we are constantly washing Jinx's feet. If she manages to get in before we get to her, we have to constantly mop up the floor. It's getting tiring.
Here is a picture of said mud pit.

Another Giveaway

2011-04-03T17:22:00.000-06:00

Time for another giveaway! Up for grabs is your choice of one of these three zippered pouches. The yellow one has a pale yellow interior and the other two have a red with white polka dot interior.

So how to you qualify for the draw? If you are on F@cebook go to my page and share the picture on your profile. Leave me a message that you've done so and you are entered. It's that easy! If you're not on FB, go to my Etsy shop here and add my shop as a favourite. Just drop me a line to let me know you've done so.

Deadline to enter is April 22nd.

Let the fun begin!

Dog sledding and the aftermath

2011-04-02T09:55:00.005-06:00

Last week my department at work went dog sledding as a team building event. I was very, very nervous about it. I was worried I would have to drive the dogs and that I would fall off the sled and have the dogs go running wild. I was concerned about the dogs and the fact they would have to haul me and my excess weight around. I felt very sorry for them. I was also nervous about the cold. I don't like the cold and it's been such a harsh winter.

To ensure that I didn't feel any cold I spent a small fortune at Mountain Equipment Co-op. I bought my three layers to keep my body warm as well as fleece pants and snow pants. My supervisor lent me the best, warmest socks ever. I made myself a gaiter neck tube, something like this. I bought industrial mitts so my fingers wouldn't freeze. With my toque and boots that I already had I was set to go.

So off we went to the dog sledding location in the mountains. We got our orientation and it really didn't make me feel any better or any more confident. The guide kept telling us what we shouldn't do or else we'd fall off, spook the dogs, etc. My colleague and I were assigned our sled and I opted to go along for the ride for the first half rather than drive (I don't want to drive a car, never mind a pack of dogs who all think their the alpha). The dogs, I might add, were quite cute.

Being the passenger wasn't too bad, except for the parts when we hit some bumps. You felt every jolt and bump on that thing. The shocks weren't very good. We reached our halfway point and stepped on the brake so my co-worker could go and pet the dogs. Then our guide told us to get ready, we were heading off and I was going to be driving. Did I mention we were on a frozen lake at this point? Yeah, extra reason to panic. I was so nervous. I gripped on to that sled for all I was worth. Thankfully my colleague was very encouraging and never made me feel like I was doing something wrong. Our pack was amazing and listened really well, mostly.

Before I knew it, the ride was over and we survived, I didn't kill my colleague and the pack never got away from me. I realized afterwards I really did have a good time, especially petting the puppies. It truly was a wonderful experience and we got to experience it in one of the most beautiful areas in our area.

Saturday though was another story. I woke up with a sore back and sore arms. I was so sore I could barely lift my arms above my head. My back ached if I stood up for too long. Bending was very, very difficult. I went for a massage but the masseuse didn't hit the areas that I needed hit. I did manage to heal in time to go to work on Monday.

Proof that I did it and didn't kill anyone, me driving and my colleague enjoying the ride. I loved our pack. They were amazing.

Mom's birthday

2011-03-31T07:48:00.001-06:00

If my mom were here, I'd be wishing her a happy birthday today.

She always said she didn't want us to make a fuss but I know she got a kick out of it when we did. Here she is one year as we celebrated. I miss her so much.

My Monday Thoughts

2011-03-28T18:59:00.000-06:00

I have not had had a C0ke in ten weeks. Today I was really wanting one since I did not sleep well. However I resisted and did not drink one.
Grief is a terrible thing. It's been almost 4.5 years since my mom passed away and today while I was on the bus going to work it came out of nowhere and walloped me. I almost started crying right there but managed to hold it together.
We have a subscription to Netflix so I have now finished watching the first three seasons of Mad Men. I'm now on to the first season of Merlin.
"They" claim it's now spring. I however have my doubts since there's still a ton of snow out. I'm sure we will get at least two more snowstorms before June.
Last "summer" was really a mild winter as far as I'm concerned. It snowed well into the end of May and we had frost by August. I sure hope this summer is better.
Sometimes while I'm on lunch I'll walk around and watch people. I find it very intriguing that about half the people I see have their heads bent down and they're smartphone in their hands.
I hate smartphones.
That's all for now.

The Jinx Project

2011-03-22T19:58:00.000-06:00

Read this before watching the video.

Overall, I can't complain too much about Jinx. She's not an aggressive dog, she's really friendly and loves to play with other dogs and other humans. However, there are few things we need to work on. One of them is when there's someone at the door. She goes from a calm and friendly dog to a wild and charging beast. Jinx has one serious mean bark. She has scared delivery guys down the stairs with her bark. When we open the door though all she wants to do is lick and love the person.

Even though we know she doesn't mean any harm and she's probably just protecting us from an intruder, this is not acceptable behaviour. Therefore I am starting The Jinx Project. Shawn and I are going to spend time trying to get rid of this behaviour. Hopefully we'll be able to modify it so she stays the friendly calm dog we know whenever someone comes to the door.

Happy birthday Shawn!

2011-03-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

Happy birthday to the bestest husband ever!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

He's pretty funky for a white boy.

More Monday Thoughts

2011-03-14T19:27:00.000-06:00

As much as I complain about the weather where I live, I am very grateful to live be here. Seeing all the pain and suffering on the other side of the world is just heartbreaking.
As much as people talk of the evils of social networks such as F@cebook and Tw!tter, in times of crisis like this it has calmed the fears of many people who have loved ones in Japan.
A chinook came in this weekend. It made Shawn very ill on Saturday. He's feeling much better now. On a good note, almost all the snow on our front lawn is gone.
I made myself a workout CD with uptempo songs for when I go on the Beast. I noticed that the faster the song, the faster I go. Bizzarre.
I keep sabotaging myself. I will exercise for 30-45 minutes but then I'll come upstairs and eat chocolate and potato chips.
I am going to try to cut out all sweets. However, I will allow myself a treat once a week.
The time change was terrible. Even though we have more light in the evening, it's now dark again in the morning. I prefer the daylight in the morning.
Here's another picture of Jinx, just because she's so cute.

If you can help.

2011-03-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

By now everyone has heard of the earthquake and tsunami that hit and devastated Japan. If you can help, please make a donation to the Canadian Red Cross.

Our thoughts are with the people of Japan during this time.

What do you...

2011-03-09T21:49:00.001-07:00

What do you listen to on your iPod when working out or going for a walk? I'm always looking for uptempo songs to plug myself into when I'm on the elliptical. They don't have to be happy, just have enough of a beat to keep me going.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated? There are days I have a hard time getting out of bed, never mind go to work, exercise, etc.

What do you use for facial moisturizer? It's very dry here and I'm thinking that I should start using something.

What do you get for the husband who's birthday is coming up and has everything? Shawn's birthday is in a few days and I have no idea what to get him.

What do you read when commuting or travelling? I have a few books to read but I'm always looking for something good to read.

What do you do to help you sleep? As I've mentioned before many times, sleep is very elusive for me so I'm always trying different things to help me sleep better.

What do you do when you have nothing to blog about but try to anyways?

Monday Thoughts

2011-03-07T19:20:00.001-07:00

I am happy. Things are going well for a change.
The weather has been bad lately. For almost three weeks we've been below freezing and with windchill it's been -30 cel. or colder. I need for spring/summer to come soon.
Our neighbour across the street sold their house. Our next door neighbours are also selling their house. I hope they get a good price, that could only be a good thing for us.
I've been using the elliptical regularly. I don't think it's making a difference yet. I didn't weigh myself before I started using it and I have no intentions of getting on one now. I will measure my progress by how my clothes fit.
We are keeping a food journal for Jinx. She's been getting up a few times at night which is not normal for her. We're going to see if we can figure out what's causing her to get up at night.
I mentioned before how I love Jinx's daycare because of the way they take care of her when she's there either for the day or overnight. I love them more because they have dogs that they foster, including puppies.
I've come to the conclusion that human beings suck. Dogs and cats are much better.
Below is a picture that I took this summer while we were at Peggy's Cove. No touch ups. I hope you like it as much as I do.

How is this comfortable?

2011-03-02T20:09:00.001-07:00

Can someone explain to me how this is comfortable? This isn't even the most awkward position she's put herself in.

(This is Shawn's man chair. It is now the dog chair.)

Guess who's two?

2011-02-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

My Jinx turns two today! I looked it up and that's 12.6 years in human years. We've got a tween on our hands. We got her a skinny polar bear, that's a non-stuffed animal, basically just the shell and a squeeker. She tears her stuffed animals apart so she doesn't get those anymore. Here is Shawn and Jinx playing with her polar bear.

I can't believe Jinx is already two. Time really does go by quickly.

Once again, cut us some slack. She's all we've got.

How cold is it?

2011-02-24T19:23:00.002-07:00

It's so cold that the hair in my nostrils froze the moment I stepped outside.

It's so cold that when I took a deep breath I started to cough, trying to get the cold out of my lungs.

It's so cold that ice started forming on my eyelashes from the condensation of my breath.

It's so cold that even if your car is plugged in, there's no guarantee that it will start.

It's so cold that even though my hair was dry when I left it still froze.

It's so cold that Jinx's dog walker could only take her out for a short walk today.

It's so cold that I seriously considered not going to work today.

It's so cold my soul feels cold.

How cold is it? This morning we were at -37 celsius. It warmed up this afternoon to -32. I am so ready for summer.

Catching up

2011-02-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't been as good about posting once a week as I had hoped I would be. Part of it has to do with the fact I didn't have a laptop for a week. We brought it in for servicing. The case has started to show it's age and was cracking a bit. The lovely people at @pple told us that they would repair it at no charge. Of course that meant no laptop for a few days.

We started doing our taxes. I hate doing taxes. I usually leave it up to Shawn to do but this year I offered to help. I'm not sure why I did because I hate doing taxes. But they're almost done so it's all good.

Shawn is out of town again. Hopefully this will be the last time at least without me.

I've started watching a show called Being Human. I like it. It's about a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf living together. It's quite entertaining.

I had the draw for my grand prize winner of the glass pendant. It's Michelle! I will be putting it in the post later on this week. I hope you like it.

Happy Early Valentines Day!

2011-02-13T19:50:00.001-07:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Monday Thoughts

2011-02-07T20:12:00.001-07:00

I was asked last week if Monday Thoughts would be a regular feature and I think it will. At least this way I will blog at least once a week.
Today we had a snowstorm. My bus hit a car on the way to work. Not high impact, it seems that it slide into the car. We had to get off to wait for another bus. I was seriously tempted to just go back home. I didn't. Then going home the bus had to take a detour because of an accident. Gotta love winter.
This weekend we went to Banff. I love it there. There are very few things I like about where I live but the mountains is one of the things I love. It was a lovely day to go, not too cold, it was sunny and there were snow capped mountains.
This weekend we are going to a wedding in our neighbouring province. The wedding is on a mountain. Outside. In the winter. Who does that?
Glee was on last night. It's on tomorrow night. This makes me happy.
I have not had a C0ke in four weeks.
Shawn will be travelling again soon for work. I did not sign up for this when he took on this job.
I have to get new boots. My old ones are starting to let in water. I've only had these for a couple of years. I do however wear them for almost 9 months in a year.
Here are some pictures from our trip in the mountains.

Lucas and my sister Isabel after Lucas' ski lesson.

Skiing down the mountain in triumph.

Isabel, Jacob and me at Mt. Norquay.

Mt. Rundle

Jacob on his sled.

Another mountain.

Mark trying to pull Shawn on the sled.

My adorable nephew Jacob.

And me.

Heart Health Month

2011-02-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

Did you know that February is Heart Health Month? Did you know that every 7 minutes in Canada, someone dies from heart disease or stroke. Heart disease and stroke are two of the three leading causes of death in Canada. These statistics are based on 2006 data (the latest year available from Statistics Canada).

In 2006 cardiovascular disease accounted for:

30% of all deaths in Canada (69,019 deaths – or more than 69,000)
30% of all male deaths
31% of all female deaths, my mom is included in this statistic.

The good news is these statistics have been declining for the past 40 years. For those of us who have lost loved ones to heart disease, it is only the stats above we see.

In honour of my mom's memory I wear a Red Dress pin, to promote awareness of heart disease, especially in women. I have a few pins, if you would like one let me know and I'll send you one.

To make sure my ticker keeps on ticking, I've started on my elliptical trainer again. It had been so long that the first day I was only able to go on for 15 minutes without seeing spots. At least it was 15 minutes more than I had done in a long time. Today I went on for 30 minutes. We're making progress.

The Beast

Are you doing anything for Heart Health Month?

New Venture

2011-02-04T20:50:00.001-07:00

While I enjoy making different things and crafting, I am pretty shy about showcasing what I make. It took me a while to make this decision but after much encouragement I have opened an Etsy shop. It's not fully "stocked" yet, I hope to have that done in the next week or so.

In celebration of the grand opening, I have a giveaway happening on my Facebook page. If you would like to enter into the draw, either leave a comment here or on the page or get a friend to join me there.

I'm excited about this venture! I just hope it goes well.

More Monday Thoughts

2011-01-31T06:00:00.033-07:00

Shawn is out of town...again. Hopefully this will be the last bit of travel he has to do for a while again.
I will never buy another house that does not have a garage, or at the very least a large shed. This house does not have one and I sorely miss it for storage.
I will also never buy another house that does not have a fireplace. They just make homes cozier.
The cold weather is back. So is the snow. We have about a foot or so sitting on the ground.
I found a roll of undeveloped film. Remember those? We got it developed, it was from 1996. There was a picture of my mom and a couple of Jazz. Those made me cry. There was also a picture of skinny me. That really made me cry.
Speaking of pictures, we have a new camera. Not a point and shoot, an SLR. I now have to learn how to use it.
I need a vacation. Where should I go? Remember, it must be warm.
I finally got to really play with an iPad. I think I want one but it's too expensive for it just being a toy right now.
It's starting to be lighter later in the day. Now the mornings need to get lighter, that will make getting up in the morning much easier.
I love Jinx's daycare. They take such good care of her that I never worry when she's there short or long term. Most people think I'm nuts when I mention she goes to daycare but dogs are social animals so they need that interaction with other dogs. Plus she comes home exhausted which means she sleeps the entire night.
Speaking of Jinx, I have a new scrapbook software. Here's one of the pages that I made of her.

Craft blogs I like

2011-01-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

As some may have noticed, I've taken refuge in my crafts. I love trying different things and it helps keep me distracted. Here are some of craft sites that I found I really enjoy visiting. The site owners are very creative and a great inspiration to me. I hope you like them too.

Monday Thoughts

2011-01-24T19:14:00.002-07:00

Shawn is out of town for work. I don't like it when he's out of town, it's awfully lonely at home without him. Even if we aren't in the same room, it's comforting knowing he's close by.
A chinook came in last week. While it's great having a break from the deep freeze, the havoc it reeked on me was incredible. I had a headache for a week. At least I'm not prone to migraines. Some of by co-workers get such bad migraines they have to stay home for a while.
I joined a book club. We meet only once every couple of month and we haven't decided what to read for the next meeting. It's really just a reason for a bunch of women to get together.
I'm anxiously awaiting for some supplies I purchased from Etsy. I'm going to try something new. I will post if I have success.
Speaking of crafting, I have so much fabric in the basement and never have enough time to complete everything I want to.
I had some blood work done today. Seven tubes. Well eight really. One of the tubes the technician filled up the wrong size so she needed to fill an 8th tube. My arm now hurts.
I've been thinking of starting to wear makeup on a regular basis. Right now I only wear make up for functions. I'm starting to get to an age where imperfections need to hidden a bit more.
I need a vacation. I just finished a big project at work so my brain needs a rest.
I've been playing with my iPhoto. Here's my grand masterpiece so far. It's the lighthouse at Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia. I took the picture while we were out there this summer. It was originally in colour. Now it's black and white. I love it.
That's all for now.

Some Pictures

2011-01-20T20:07:00.001-07:00

Since I don't have a lot going on and not a lot on my mind, here are some pictures from last summer.

Mt. Rundle

Banff Springs Hotel

Bow River Falls

More mountains

Putting out the Fire

2011-01-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

One of the things that sucks about getting older is that you find yourself with the same maladies that your parents generation had. One of those things for me has been bad, bad heartburn. If I eat something spicy it comes back and haunt me at night. If I drink too much caffeine same thing. The worst, if I eat too much chocolate, the heartburn keeps me up at night.

Earlier this week I had a really, really bad bout of heartburn. Really bad. It kept me up for a couple of hours at night which is bad when you have to go to work the next day. As I was walking the hallway trying to find some relief from the fire in my chest, I decided that everything mentioned above is going to be cut out because I value my sleep more than I value any of those things.

Cutting out spicy food isn't a problem for me but soft drinks and chocolate, that hurts. But I haven't had heartburn since Monday, the day I stopped everything. So I guess it's working. Sleep has been better too since I don't feel like I'm on fire any more. It just amazes me that I now get what my mom's generation was talking about because I am that generation now. How time flies.

Attempt #2

2011-01-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

Last April I tried a sewing challenge but then crapped out on everyone (sorry about that). I was thinking maybe to give it another kick at the can only this time make it bigger. Instead of just sewing any craft will do. The basic idea is we could come up with a theme and then create something for that theme. You can sew something, knit, scrapbook whatever your heart desires. Send me a picture when you're done and I will post them all together on an agreed upon date.

I know everyone is really busy and I have a lot more time than many others but it doesn't have to be anything grandiose. I think it would be fun and a way to let our creative juices flow. Let me know if there's any interest and I promise not to crap out this time.

Growing Up

2011-01-08T21:28:00.001-07:00

You know you're grown up when you get excited about getting new appliances. You know there's something wrong when you name them. Introducing Winnie the Washer and Dante the Dryer.

Aren't they purdy? Like a fire engine!

Books

2011-01-05T19:22:00.000-07:00

I love books. I love reading. I love being taken away and entertained by words. I had always bought my books because I always wanted to be the first person to ever lay eyes on the words on the pages. Shawn thinks it's strange and doesn't understand why I would want to buy a book when I can go to the library to pick instead.

When electronic readers started to come out, I was adamant that I would never turn away from the printed word. It was blasphemy for me. It was also easy to scoff at as well because of the high cost of e-readers. Then prices started to come down but they weren't coming down enough for me to justify buying one.

Last year when Shawn and I went away on a beach vacation, I brought a couple of books to read while I was lounging. Well, a couple of books wasn't enough. I ran out of books. You want a challenge? Try finding a good book in English to read while you're in the middle of Mexico. I couldn't believe it but I started to consider buying one.

One day I found out that a new, very stripped down version was coming out and it was inexpensive compared to some others. I hemmed and hawed and hemmed and hawed. And then I took the plunge and bought the Kobo.

It's been a few months since I've had one and I'm still not convinced it's a replacement for books. However I will admit when I've travelled it has been a lot better. It's much lighter and I never have to worry about the number of books I bring with me. It has definitely made buying books easier much to Shawn's annoyance. All I have to do is buy it online then sync up my Kobo and I have a new book waiting to be read.

I just hope that one day I won't feel like a traitor when I walk past a bookstore.

For those in the know UPDATE

2011-01-01T10:27:00.002-07:00

How does one create a custom header? I find the one I have very boring and would like to liven things up for the new year. I've tried to figure it out on my own but have quickly realized my skills are quite limited with regards to this. I'm getting a bit frustrated.

Any suggestions or advice?

Thanks!

**UPDATE**

I had to try with a couple of different programs but there it is. It's not quite the way I want but it will do while I continue to play with it.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T07:10:00.001-07:00

Wishing all 5 readers a very happy 2011. May all your hopes and dreams come true!

Thoughts

2010-12-26T22:33:00.001-07:00

The other night, Shawn and I were watching a movie, Akeelah and the Bee. It's a sweet, feel good movie and we enjoyed it. In the movie, one of the characters had a quote on the wall that really resonated with me. So of course I had to immediately research it.

The quote came from a book called Return to Love. I'm not usually into self help books, especially ones that are religious or spiritual in nature because I'm not really a religious or spiritual person. But there were parts of the quote that I found myself relating to.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Like I said, I'm not religious but I think this is a beautiful quote. I hope to be able to change so that I can live more along these lines. This may sound very narcissistic, but I hope to stop doubting myself, to allow myself to be great and to not play small or shrink anymore and to not let my fear stop me. I hope this will be my new philosophy for next year and really be able to incorporate this into my everyday life.

Just not feeling it

2010-12-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

Call me Grinch or Ebeneezer but I'm just not feeling the jolly holiday spirit. I hate the rush, the music at the malls set my teeth on edge, I dislike buying gifts for people I don't like but am obliged to buy anyways. I can not wait until Sunday when it's all over. The holidays just remind me of what I don't have and I don't like to be reminded of that. I think maybe next year we'll go away and avoid the whole month of December.

I do wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and hope your holidays are filled with love and joy. I wish you many wonderful memories and happy reunions. I wish you wonderful dinners and better desserts. I wish you all the very best.

Merry Christmas from Lucas

2010-12-23T10:50:00.001-07:00

A little while ago I created a JibJab account and showed it to Lucas. He had a blast creating some videos. Here's one of them.

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Mini Get Away

2010-12-22T11:53:00.001-07:00

This year I was told I had to take time off because I had too much time banked. Rather than mope around the house, we decided to head down to Las Vegas. Neither one of us are gamblers but there's so much more down there than just the casinos.

We went shopping at the outlet mall, my goodness the deals were amazing! We went to one the Cirque du Soleil shows called Ka at the MGM. The show was spectacular, I would recommend it to anyone. We also were able to meet with an old friend of Shawn's who happened to be in Vegas at the same time as us.

The weather wasn't great, it rained a bit. But it was better than at home. At least there wasn't snow and it was above zero so it was all good.

Here are some of my favourite pictures.

Even Jinx enjoyed her mini vacation at daycare. She was exhausted by the time she got home from playing so much.

My Bed

2010-12-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

My bed is my greatest friend and my greatest enemy. What do I mean by that? I'll explain.

The winters in this particular city are particularly long. The sun doesn't come until well past 8:00 AM and it's dark by 5:00 PM. So when it's one of those cold, dark mornings and the alarm clock rings so very early in the morning, I love to have those extra 10 minutes and just snuggle under my duvet with my flannel sheets. Especially when I've had a good night sleep where a dog or husband has not woken me up. That is when my bed is my greatest friend.

Unfortunately, those good deep slumbers usually elude me. Most nights, I am in bed tossing and turning as I try to find that elusive sleep. Once I do get to sleep, I usually wake up, sometimes it's because of Jinx, sometimes because Shawn has come in after me, sometimes for no reason at all. Then of course, it takes a couple of hours to get back to sleep and once again, the alarm goes off before you know it. That's when my bed is my greatest enemy.

I've done everything to make our room more conducive to sleep. We don't have a TV or computer in our room. I have the humidifier on to create white noise. I have a great mattress and pillows. I make Shawn turn down the TV in the living room when I go to sleep. Sometimes it works, most times it doesn't. I guess I will keep trying new things to see what will work to help me sleep better and make my bed my greatest friend.

Here's a picture of Jinx, just because she's so cute.

As an aside, last week marked our 4 year LIDiversary. I debated about whether I should write about how we've been taken for a ride but I chose to talk about my bed instead.

Just for fun

2010-12-02T20:47:00.001-07:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Happy Hanukkah

2010-12-01T06:41:00.001-07:00

Happy Hanukkah to one and all!

In My Perfect World

2010-11-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

In my perfect world:

There would be no labels such as adopted child or gay couple. They would just be a child or a couple.
Governments would get over themselves, get rid of the red tape and ensure the 143 million orphans of the world would go to their forever families.
I would be skinny.
Bullying would be treated as a hate crime.
Winter would only be two weeks long instead of nine months.
I would have enough time to do the things I want to do and not the things I have to do.
Sleep wouldn't be so elusive.
My friends and family wouldn't be so far away from me.

My New Tote

2010-11-16T05:44:00.005-07:00

I made this for myself this weekend. It has two big pockets on the outside six smaller pockets on the inside. I'm very happy with it.

I may try to make another this weekend. It takes me about three to four hours to make one so I have no reason not to.

Movember

2010-11-15T17:44:00.001-07:00

This year Shawn has decided to participate in Movember. For those of you who don't know, Movember is a month long event where participants grow mustaches during the month of November. Participants try to raise funds for prostate cancer research.

If you can take the time to sponsor him, please go here. While I'm not partial to his mustache (I think it makes him look kind of creepy and it's itchy) I am very proud of him for taking the initiative for something that's so important.

Shawn and his caterpillar.

Balls

2010-11-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

Jinx is a dog that loves playing with balls. She loves chewing on them and chasing after them. She will sit there and wait and wait for you to throw a ball so she can chase it and bring it back. Sometimes she gets that if she gives you the ball you will throw it again, other times she will want you to chase her while she has the ball in her mouth.

Today Shawn decided to do a thorough vacuum and here is what he found (these were taken with his Blackberry so the quality isn't the best).

Under the ottoman, including my notebook.

Under the couch.

I didn't realize she had that many. At least nobody will ever be able to say my dog doesn't have balls.

Two Minutes

2010-11-11T07:59:00.000-07:00

The first time I saw this was when my brother in law was serving overseas at part of DART. It brought tears to my eyes then as it still does today.

Please take two minutes of time to remember our troops, past and present. It's the least we could do.

Not this time

2010-11-09T20:05:00.001-07:00

In my last post I wrote how I wanted to try my hand at writing. When I was a kid I loved to write stories. This love helped me improve my English skills as well. My family emigrated when I was 2.5 but at home we only spoke Spanish so even though we had been in Canada for a few years, I was still treated as an ESL student. As I grew older, writing took a back burner to life.

This year I decided to try my hand at writing again. I was using NaNoWriMo as a challenge to write. Basically the idea is during the month of November, you write a new story and write 50,000 words during the 30 days. That's about 1,667 words a day.

Well, I had to stop. The reason is I just don't have time and it breaks my heart. It takes me almost 3 hours a day to write that much, basically my entire evening. After spending the entire day at work all I want to do is relax and not think too much. So I have thrown in the towel. I did manage to write almost 14,000 words in 8 days so I am proud of what I accomplished. I will probably try it again one day. Maybe when work does not consume so much of my day and I have more time. In the meantime, I'll just continue dreaming of fantastic worlds and amazing creatures.

Things I'm thinking about

2010-11-02T21:56:00.001-06:00

I miss Shawn. He's out of town because of work. Work travel really sucks. But at least he got to see some friends.
I decided to live my childhood dream and try to write a story using NaNoWriMo as my catalyst. I will not be sharing my story because I can already see it's not going to be good. That's okay. I just need to try it.
Inspired by some friends I have created a six week meal plan. We haven't started it yet because our work schedules have not worked out well these pass couple of weeks. Hopefully when Shawn gets home this weekend we'll be able to start it.
I saw my first Christmas commercial tonight. I think it's way too early to be thinking about that.
This morning as I was leaving for work I saw a bunch of stars in the sky since it was clear. Yes, it's pitch black when I leave for work now. It doesn't start to get light until well past 8:00 AM. This makes me sad.
We didn't get that many trick or treaters this year. Maybe about 30 kids or so. That may seem like a lot to some but I remember growing up the streets were always full of kids. I wonder where everybody went? Did we all just grow up?
I brought some of our leftover candy to work. Even though my co-workers scolded me for doing so, they still ate the candy. Just the chocolate, not the suckers.
I have to seriously wonder about contractors in this city. We've been trying to get a quote to finish our basement and they either are charging usury rates or don't want to come by to give us a quote. I don't think they realize we're still in an economic recovery. I'm very tempted to fly someone in from back home, maybe they'll appreciate getting some work.
I saw the first season of True Blood. It's definitely not Twilight. Season two is waiting on the shelf to be opened and viewed.
In the past three days I've only had one soft drink. This is very good for me.
I'm trying to figure out how to make a custom banner using Gimp. I'm not having a lot of success.
I have to go to bed now, it's getting late and the alarm clock rings very early. But just because she's so stinking cute, here's my girl.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T09:20:00.000-06:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Hope everyone has a spooktacular day!

Mom

2010-10-29T06:45:00.000-06:00

Four years ago the world lost one of the gentlest souls that ever was. I can't believe it's been four years. I miss her every single day. I especially miss her during the good times.

I wish I could pick up the phone and talk to her. I wish I could hear her voice. I wish I could see her smile. I wish I could see the twinkle in her eye. I wish she were here.

Bean Town

2010-10-18T18:27:00.000-06:00

I guess in my case I'm shipping down to Boston. See you all in a few days!

A Girl and her Dog

2010-10-15T19:32:00.001-06:00

This may come as a surprise to some but before we got Jinx, I was not a dog person. They kind of freaked me out. Especially big dogs, like Jinx. So why did I agree to get a dog? Because of Shawn. He is a dog person. I promised him that he could get a dog...someday. One day, I got an email from a family that was looking for homes for some puppies. I forwarded it to Shawn and a week later, Jinx joined our family.

Those first few weeks with Jinx were some of the toughest I'd experienced. I wasn't use to having to wake up three or four times a night to let the puppy go out. I wasn't use to going out for walks for an hour or more. I was exhausted. I really wondered if I was sane when I agreed to getting a dog. Things didn't get easier as Jinx got bigger. She was so rambunctious and had so much energy, I didn't know how to handle all that energy.

I cared for Jinx because I had to, because I agreed to it. Not because I wanted to.

Then one day, this past winter everything changed. I was outside, taking out the garbage. Our pick up is in the backyard and Jinx followed me out there. Of course, there was snow all over the place. When I turned around Miss Jinx was sitting behind me. She gave me one paw and then gave me the other paw. I don't know why but that action just melted my heart. I realized how much Jinx needed me but more importantly, I realized how much I needed her. At that moment she became my dog and I became her human. After that evening, I never questioned if we made the right decision. I know we did.

(Pictures courtesy of Jinx's doggie day care)

Thankful

2010-10-11T09:01:00.007-06:00

Today is Thanksgiving here in Canada. I've been thinking a lot about what I have to be thankful for. Even though there are days that are rough I do have a lot to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for the wonderful and supportive husband I have. He lets me get away with a lot. And I mean a lot.
I'm thankful for my family who love and support any decision I make.
I'm thankful for our crazy dog who keeps me on my toes.
I'm thankful for the love of our friends. I don't know what I'd do without their support and encouragement.
I'm thankful for a job that I enjoy with colleagues who are spectacular.
I'm thankful to live in a country where I can express any opinion I want and not get arrested for it.
I'm thankful to have had wonderful role models growing up.
I'm thankful we don't have any toxicity in our lives.
I'm thankful for the hope each new day brings.

Just Smile

2010-10-08T23:11:00.000-06:00

Sometimes when things aren't going the way I hoped, I need to be reminded.

My Etiquette Rules for Riding Public Transit

2010-10-07T18:43:00.001-06:00

If there is someone who needs the seat more than you do, give it to them. It's just good karma.
Take off your backpack when on the bus. You just end up whacking people and making them very angry.
Turn down your iPod. I don't care what sort of music you listen to, I don't want to hear it.
Don't have a full on conversation on your cell phone unless it's an emergency. I don't care about what your plans are for the weekend or what you're going to wear to the dance or what you're having for dinner.
Don't wait until the last minute to get off the bus then yell at the bus driver because you missed your stop.
Keep your voice down. Once again, I don't care to hear your conversation.
Just be courteous. It is after all public transit. It's not just you.

My Bucket List

2010-10-01T18:25:00.000-06:00

1. Visit the following:

Ireland
Scotland
The Taj Mahal
Greece
Rio during Carnival
New Orleans during Mardi Gras
Venice
All of Spain
The top of the Eiffel Tower during the evening

2. Learn to salsa and flamenco dance
3. Complete a NaNoWriMo challenge
4. Cook a gourmet meal for my friends and family
5. Create a scholarship in my mom's memory for cardiovascular students
6. Get over my fear of water and go scuba diving
7. Become a mom

What's on your bucket list?

Flashback

2010-09-29T06:00:00.001-06:00

Do you have something in your life that takes you back? A certain smell, location or food that brings back memories from your childhood or youth? I do and I didn't realize it is my trigger until a few months ago. My trigger is the song Take the Long Way Home by Suptertramp.

I'm not even sure where I heard it, it must of been a tv show. When I heard those first few notes of that wailing harmonica I had to stop to catch my breath. As I closed my eyes, I was 7 years old again standing outside my aunt's and uncle's house hanging out with my way cool older cousins with that song playing in the background. I then felt tears in my eyes. I saw my uncle, my grandma and my mom, everyone that I love that is gone. And I felt safe.

I couldn't believe the reaction I had, I haven't reacted that strongly to anything. Of course I had to download the song to my iPod. I play that song when I'm feeling down or just want to remember what it feels like to be a kid again. I'm glad I found this song again.

(The video in the link is better quality than the video embedded below)

For the love of stretchy pants

2010-09-27T19:25:00.002-06:00

Okay, no more brooding or heaviness. From now on it's good times (well I'll try at least).

If you had asked me 5 years ago, heck if you had asked me a year ago how I feel about stretchy pants (i.e. yoga pants or jogging pants) I would've said they should only be worn at the gym or at home. Never, ever, ever should they be worn out in public. However, if you ask me now, I have a very different opinion.

Here is my history with stretchy pants. When we were going through fertility treatments, I became very bloated. That's when I started wearing stretchy pants but only at home. I suffered when I was public squeezing myself into my dress pants and jeans. I refused to wear them in public.

Last year I bought a pair of yoga pants and I just love them! I started wearing them more often around the house but would change before we went out. Then one day, I didn't feel like changing so I wore them in public. You know what happened? Nothing! The fashion police didn't give me a ticket for wearing them in public.

So now I wear my stretchy pants whenever I can, out in public, on a plane, on long car rides, everywhere and anywhere. Plus, I'm getting to the age where I just don't care anymore. So long as I'm comfortable, that's all that matters.

On the Outside

2010-09-24T22:12:00.000-06:00

Many of you know the crisis Shawn and I went through last summer. During this time, someone asked me if it was difficult to be around children. My response, it's not difficult being around children. It's difficult being around the adults that belong to those children. As someone who doesn't have children, I've come to realize that in social gatherings I am on the outside and I will always be on the outside. Not Shawn, just me.

Let me explain what I mean. From my observations when there's a gathering of any sort, people will always talk about things they have in common. For guys, it seems to be about cars, BBQ's and sports. For women, it's about children. I imagine it's a pride thing. I can understand that. But that means I can't participate in any part of the conversation. That means I'm invisible. That means I'm irrelevant.

Maybe one day I'll be on the other side, I won't be looking in anymore. I will welcome that day with open arms but I hope I never forget what it's like to be on the outside.

The Dark Void

2010-09-20T18:55:00.000-06:00

For the past few months there's been a darkness in our lives. No matter what we tried we couldn't shake it. Every night we'd come home and wonder how much longer until the darkness dissipated.

Tonight is the night. All our favourite shows are back with brand new episodes! We also have new shows to try on as well (Hawaii 5-0 anyone?). I can not wait for my date with Dr. House, Chuck and Castle. Yes, I get around.

You've all been missed.

Bad Dog

2010-09-18T06:44:00.001-06:00

What evil could this face do?

Take a look...

This was a brand new container I bought to take to work. We don't have bottled water anymore and the container they gave us doesn't work for me. The opening is too big, I've almost drowned a couple of times taking a drink. I didn't even get a chance to take it in before Jinx got her paws on it. I guess it's my own fault for leaving it lying around.

Crafty Goodness

2010-09-15T20:51:00.003-06:00

Since we moved out here, I've taken to crafts like it's nobody's business. Could be due to the fact we don't have any friends here which means I have lots of time on my hands. I mentioned before that my "craft room" is my basement. It does the job, it just gets really cold down there in the window so I have two portable heaters to help keep me warm. Maybe one day we'll put drywall up and a fireplace so it will feel like a real craft room.

Here is how I store my big pieces of fabric. Anybody have any suggestions on how to make this easier? I have a fabric addiction and this is the result.

Here is where all the sewing magic happens.

My cutting table. I'm currently working on a baby blanket for one of my colleagues.

This is how I store my scraps of fabric that are too small for the other shelf but still good enough for a project.

Which brings me to my next topic. When I started sewing, I was going at it without someone to help me. While I have had success with many projects, the first few, not so much. So I have an offer for those that are okay with items that are less than perfect. If you would like any of these items leave a comment and let me know if you're interested in one particular item, two, three or all four. I guess this is a good way as well to see who's still reading.

What's wrong with this you ask?

I forgot that run tends to run in the wash. It bled right through to the back. It's made out of flannelet with quilt batting in the middle.

I can't put my finger on this one but I just don't like the way it turned out. The front is flannelet and the back is a soft, minky type of fabric.

The seam on this dress didn't turn out the way I wanted. By the time I realized this the dress was done and I didn't want to unravel the whole thing. This is made of cotton.

The seam on this hat is just off kilter. It should fit a 1-3 year old. Made of fleece.

I'll take submissions until September 30th, just over two weeks. Make sure you leave your email address or name so I can contact you.

What are you waiting for? Start commenting.

Why is it?

2010-09-14T06:32:00.001-06:00

I wrote this at the end of May and never published it. This is the reason I needed a sabbatical.
***********************************

Why is it,when an infertile couple chooses to try fertility treatments, we're accused of overpopulating the world and yet people that do not have fertility issues are NEVER told they're overpopulating the world?

Why is it, that people who have NEVER had problems conceiving feel that they have the right to tell an infertile couple to "just go and adopt"?

Why is it, when someone decides to adopt internationally, we're accused of child trafficking and buying a baby?

Why is it, when someone decides to adopt internationally, we're told by people (who have never tried) to adopt domestically?

Why is it, when someone decides to adopt outside of their ethnicity, we're accused of cultural genocide?

Why is it, when someone decides to try a private domestic adoption, they're told to go through the foster care system instead?

Why is it, that people feel they have the right to stick their noses in everybody else's business?

What we've been up to

2010-09-12T16:52:00.002-06:00

I'm back...sort of. I don't know if anyone is still visiting since it's been a few months. I realized the last few weeks that I need somewhere to release my ramblings so here I am.

So, this past summer (if you want to call it that since the weather was horrible) we had a visit from Shawn's cousins. They came during Stampede...not the best time to come if you want to give someone a good impression of the city. But that's a story for another day. Anyways, they came to visit and we had a lovely time with them. It's always nice to have visitors from home come see us (hint, hint).

We went away twice as well. Once out east to Nova Scotia and Price Edward Island. We were fortunate enough to have booked our vacation at the same time as 3D's so we finally got to meet Miss D. What an absolute peanut! She's one of the sweetest kids I've met.

We were lucky enough to see Red Sand and her family. We got to meet her boys and talk about their experience with their little guys.

We had a lovely time in PEI! I told Shawn that one day in the future I would like to go back to PEI for a longer visit. Two days was not enough to see such a beautiful island.

Our other trip was back home. We were lucky enough to witness our friends as they took their marriage vows. It was such a lovely ceremony and reception. It was made even better by the fact we got to see our other friends! Two celebrations in one day.

Of course we have Jinx as well that's keeping us on our toes as always. She's so big and getting cuter every day. At least I think so.

Honestly, who can say no to a face like this?

Along with some of my work colleagues, we were able to support the Heart and Stroke Foundation with the Big Bike Challenge. Together, we were able to raise just over $7,000, the most in our company's history. That makes me happy. If it helps save one life, the begging will be worth it.

That's it for now. I'll be back soon. Hopefully.

Logging out for a while

2010-05-31T22:57:00.000-06:00

Not that I post a lot but I need to step away from all of this and re-evaluate things. I will most likely not be reading too many blogs either.

Bye for now.

10 Years

2010-05-28T06:04:00.005-06:00

I am one lucky girl.

Life Affirmations

2010-05-21T20:55:00.001-06:00

We can all learn from this little girl.

New look

2010-05-10T19:38:00.004-06:00

So what do you think? Does the gray against the blue work okay? It's not too hard on the eyes?

Be honest, I can take it.

***Okay, I made some changes. What about now? Easier on the eyes?

Still Boycotting

2010-05-09T08:05:00.001-06:00

I'm still boycotting today. I can't celebrate today. I have nothing to celebrate. This day is just another reminder of what I've lost and what I don't have.

I am happy for everyone that is able to celebrate this day, especially those celebrating for the first time. I just want to be happy for me too.

Time for a new look

2010-05-02T15:52:00.003-06:00

I've had this template for this blog for a long time. I think it's time for an change. My problem is that I'm not the most technical person in the world when it comes to HTML code. So I need suggestions from the experts out there.

Is there a site that has some templates that I could use? Or a site that will explain what I have to do to change the look? And some inspiration too. I guess I'm not asking for too much, am I?

Anniversary of sorts

2010-04-24T10:54:00.004-06:00

One year ago today, a trembling, scared ball of fur entered our home and our lives haven't been the same since.

These were taken April 24, 2009.She was so tiny then.

Jinx today:

Definitely not the scared little puppy anymore.

Glee!

2010-04-13T19:04:00.002-06:00

It's been a long four months. But tonight the wait is over. Tonight new Glee! Life is good again.

Challenge #1 Update

2010-04-08T18:41:00.003-06:00

It looks like there may only be a couple of us doing this but that's okay. I was thinking about the theme for the first challenge. I was thinking it could be the environment. Is that generic enough to let the creativity flow? The deadline will be May 31st.

As for my sewing, I'm still learning myself. Anything beyond a straight line is a challenge for me. I would love to use my zipper foot but everything comes out crooked with it. So I'm still trying with that. Some things I've made so far, bibs, baby blankets and pillow case dresses. I'll post some pictures when I find my camera. I have some patterns that I will be trying in the next few weeks now that my crafting space is fully organized.

**UPDATE**

I created a Sewing Challenge logo :). Feel free to use it on your own blog.

A challenge?

2010-04-06T17:58:00.002-06:00

I may have mentioned this already. Since we've moved out here, I've started sewing and I just love, love, love it! I can't believe how much the process relaxes me. Even when I get frustrated with my project I still feel relaxed. I can't explain it, it just makes me happy.

I know there are a lot of sewers out there in blogland. I was wondering if anyone would be doing a monthly/bi-monthly sewing challenge? We can choose a very generic theme to let the creative juices flow. When you're project is done, email me a picture along with a description of your project. I will post pictures at the end of the month.

If you are interested just drop me a comment. I'm not sure if this will be successful, but it's worth a shot. Feel free to spread the word. I think this could be a lot of fun.

I learned from you

2010-03-31T19:30:00.002-06:00

I learned about love from you,
Watching your caring ways.
I learned about joy from you
In fun-filled yesterdays.

From you I learned forgiving
Of faults both big and small.
I learned what I know about living
From you, as you gave life your all.

The example you set is still with me
I'd never want any other.
I'm thankful for all that you taught me,
And I'm blessed to call you "Mother."

~Joanna Fuchs

Happy birthday Mom. I love you and miss you.

Happy birthday Shawn

2010-03-16T07:47:00.000-06:00

On this day, many years ago, my soul mate, best friend and all around great guy was born.

Happy birthday sweetheart! I wish you a wonderful year ahead. Isn't he just styling? No wonder I love him so much.

100 Good Wishes Quilt

2010-03-14T17:38:00.002-06:00

Just curious if anyone is still collecting for this or not. I completely forgot about it until I ran across the container holding the pieces we've been sent the other day.

I remember starting this project with so much excitement and anticipation. Just like everything else in this adoption, it doesn't look like it will get completed.

Happy birthday Jinx!

2010-02-28T07:30:00.005-07:00

We have become one of those people, those who remember and announce their pet's birthday. Today our puppy is one year old.

Cut us some slack. She's all we have for now.

And look how cute she is!

Do you believe?

2010-02-12T18:57:00.003-07:00

Let the games begin!

This summer...

2010-02-03T20:07:00.005-07:00

We are going to see Michael Buble in concert! I'm so excited! I've wanted to see him in concert for a long time and I finally got wind that he will be in town this summer. I jumped online today and purchased the tickets. I know it's still quite a few months away but it gives me something to look forward to.

And you want to know the best part? The concert is three days before my birthday. What a great way to celebrate! Did I mention I'm excited?

My Ideal Craft Room

2010-01-04T21:21:00.004-07:00

A few months ago I started taking up various crafts to keep myself entertained. My "craft room" is in my basement that is cold and not finished. I share it with the washing machine/dryer, furnace, bikes, Shawn's golf clubs and hockey equipment, etc.

The desk that my sewing machine sits on is an old desk given to me by my sister and it has no storage. I had to buy a plastic drawer container to store some of my items. I have another table I use to measure and cut fabric. This is an old desk one of my work colleagues sold me after I mentioned how my back was hurting from cutting fabric on the floor. The desk has only one drawer, one very small drawer. I have a couple of make shift shelves that hold my fabric/sewing supplies and scrapbooking supplies. I don't have any place to do my scrapbooking. So I think I need yet another table for that. I have some boxes that hold miscellaneous stuff like ribbon, scraps of fabric, etc.

I've done some searches online to see what others have done with regards to craft room organization. Here are some great craft rooms that make me drool.

This one has great storage and surface space. Just love it. This one has so much storage, it's amazing. I wish I had room for this.

Maybe one day.

Happy birthday Nicole!

2010-01-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday dear friend! Hope it's a good one for you.

And now it's 2010

2010-01-01T09:09:00.004-07:00

Another year has come and gone. Personally I was glad to kick 2009 to the curb. The year started off with so much hope for us and ended with disappointment. It's over, time to move on.

2009 did have a few highlights, we met our energetic puppy who's growing into an energetic dog. Boy does she keep us on our toes. Some wonderful friends finally met their children and became forever families. Her, her, them and them in particular. They had two of the most beautiful babies I've ever seen. They'll be heading out soon to meet their beauty and they saw their daughters face just in time to end the year. We're all so very happy for all of you.

I guess for us, I'm not raising my hopes the way I have in the past. We'll just play it by ear and see what 2010 brings. Here's to hoping everyone's dreams and wishes can come to fruition this year.

Happy New Year!

Happy day!

2009-12-13T08:53:00.002-07:00

A new forever family!

1096 Days

2009-12-06T18:09:00.008-07:00

Today marks our 3 year wait for our imaginary baby. I've taken to referring to our adoption in this way because there is just no end in sight. If it weren't for all the bills we've paid to our social worker, adoption agency, doctors, lawyers, etc I wouldn't believe it was happening.

I haven't been posting much lately. It's not that we haven't had things going on, we've been pretty busy. We finally managed to meeting our neighbour to the north, Janet and her family. What an amazing family! We had such a great time chatting with Janet and Anthony and meeting Adam and Jean. Eventually the rest of the family came home and we were able to meet the rest of the clan. What amazing children! Thank you so much for such a lovely day and the cute gift for our imaginary baby.

Jinx has also been keeping us busy. Even though you would never be able to tell by this picture. She's quite the active dog, she loves to run around and chase down balls and toys. She's becoming quite good at catching her toy in mid air. I'm quite impressed by this. I'll have to see if I can catch her in action one day.
My two nephews have been keeping me on my toes too. I love those two little boys and love being their Tita (auntie in Spanish). I'm so happy I'm able to watch them grow up.
And of course, meeting all these wonderful people and others who couldn't be there that day have made this journey so much more bearable.

I've made an executive decision as well. I am no longer go to count LIDs anymore. It just makes me sad and I don't like feeling sad.

Congrats to Michelle and Mark as well. I never thought it would've taken us this long but I am grateful we have each other to lean on.

Like my bling?

2009-11-07T08:54:00.001-07:00

Missed it yesterday...goes to show you how important it is now.

Congrats to M&M as well. Don't know what we'd do without you.

Three years

2009-10-29T17:44:00.003-06:00

Three years ago today my world came crashing down around me. Today marks the anniversary of my mom's passing. I can't believe it's been three years since I've seen her, heard her, touched her. I miss my mom so much.This picture was taken in 2005, we were on a family trip and we took this picture of my mom with Lucas when he was just a baby. Look at how happy she looks...

Great news!

2009-10-14T19:26:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to Doris and Dan! After such a long wait, they finally got their referral for their daughter! We couldn't be happier for you both. I know that you are going to be the best parents!

So excited for both of you!

Watch Our Family Grow

Five years

Happy Halloween!

Stars in the Sky

Look Who's One!

A note about Poppy

Long weekend

Yeehaw!

Stumped

Parental Input Requested

Some Thoughts

Failures

Best Friends

Our Guest

For my Mom in Heaven

Tuesday Ramblings

Another episode of Monday Thoughts

They say it's spring...

Some things on Monday

Another Giveaway

Dog sledding and the aftermath

Mom's birthday

My Monday Thoughts

The Jinx Project

Happy birthday Shawn!

More Monday Thoughts

If you can help.

What do you...

Monday Thoughts

How is this comfortable?

Guess who's two?

How cold is it?

Catching up

Happy Early Valentines Day!

Monday Thoughts

Heart Health Month

New Venture

More Monday Thoughts

Craft blogs I like

Monday Thoughts

Some Pictures

Putting out the Fire

Attempt #2

Growing Up

Books

For those in the know **UPDATE**

Happy New Year!

Thoughts

Just not feeling it

Merry Christmas from Lucas

Mini Get Away

My Bed

Just for fun

Happy Hanukkah

In My Perfect World

My New Tote

Movember

Balls

Two Minutes

Not this time

Things I'm thinking about

Happy Halloween!

Mom

Bean Town

A Girl and her Dog

Thankful

Just Smile

My Etiquette Rules for Riding Public Transit

My Bucket List

Flashback

For the love of stretchy pants

On the Outside

The Dark Void

Bad Dog

Crafty Goodness

Why is it?

What we've been up to

Logging out for a while

10 Years

Life Affirmations

For those in the know UPDATE

Challenge #1 Update