Grateful.

This weekend was spent enjoying the food and company of family. Once again I am reminded of how much I have to be thankful for.

Everybody Get Together, Try to Love One Another Right Now

Taking public transit always reminds me to be grateful for our little car.  Today was no different.  I had Medea with me, in the stroller, so we were at the front.  The bus was quite full.  An older gentleman got on, and as the bus started moving, he lost his balance and fell into a fellow sitting across the aisle from me. The older gentleman quickly regained his footing, apologized, and took a seat by me.  The fellow sat for a moment, busy with his iPhone, then, very loudly said, "What? You're not even going to f****** apologize for crashing into me? Really? What? It wasn't your fault? The bus just happened to lurch and you fell? Cummon!"  Everyone around them let out a collective gasp.  Had we seriously just heard that?  The older gentleman looked very embarrassed and apologized again, saying he had lost his balance when the bus started moving.  The fellow (wearing Ed Hardy laceless sneakers) scowled, muttered more expletives under his breath and went back to his iPhone.  I felt very badly for the older gentleman, and wondered what made the fellow feel like he needed to be so awful to a perfect stranger. As I exited the bus, I wondered why people feel the need to be so awful to one another.  Sigh...

All the Hats

Once again, I have failed to regularly update this blog of mine. Part of the problem is finding time. Between chasing a toddler and working part time, as well as (kind of) maintaining a home and trying to have some semblance of a social life, this space has fallen to the wayside. The other part of the problem is the struggle I am having with figuring out where to go and what I want this place to be. Which hat should I don to write my posts--the mama hat? The artist hat? The writer hat? The random hat? Perhaps the Cat in the Hat?? Maybe I should wear all the hats at once! Did you know that there is an Argentinian band called All the Hats??

Back on the Wagon?

Wow. I definitely fell off the blogging wagon this past year!! I don't know how well I'll be able to keep up with it now that I have a little munchkin to care for, but I can try. Medea was born on September 7, 2010 at 9:23 am. It was definitely love at first sight. She is now just over five months old, which I can hardly believe. She is definitely cooler than her parents.

Meet Squirmy...

It's probably about time to announce that Russ and I are going to be parents! Yay! And yikes! Exciting and scary all rolled up into this tiny little bundle.

And So Another Chapter Ends....

...as a new one begins. I finished my last shift at the bookstore on Saturday. It was very bittersweet. I met so many super awesome people working there, but I am soooooo ready to be done working retail. I welcome a giant change with this new job. I will be working regular hours, which means more time with Russ, and the pay is nothing to complain about.
Yes sir, things, they are a changin'!

New Beginnings

This is the year of change. I can feel it. I know it. Things are already changing, and I'm welcoming it. New adventures await, and though they are scary and daunting, they are also exciting and something to embrace. Welcome 2010. I'm ready for you.

Christmas Time is Here...

Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Snowflakes in the air
Carols everywhere
Olden times and ancient rhymes
Of love and dreams to share

Christmas time is here

We'll be drawing near
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year...

HelloooooOOOOoooo Nurses!

I'm always at a loss for what to dress up as for Hallowe'en, so when my friend Dominika asked if I would like to join her and Scheherazade in dressing up as nurses from Silent Hill, I was stoked. It took two days to create the masks out of paper mache, which we then painted with acrylics.
The nurse uniforms that we found were distressed with tea and coffee grinds, then stained with water colour inks, acrylics, and cream paints.
We painted on veins with acrylics, and even though we weren't planning on taking off our masks, we painted up our faces like skulls for total creepy effect.
The overall result was AWESOME!!


The only people who saw us without our masks besides those who went with us, were the people at Tim Horton's, because we weren't allowed to wear our masks there for ID purposes. I guess three undead nurses with pipes walking into a Tim's would be a bit creepy, but really, zombies need doughnuts too!

What was under the mask...

We ended up winning the prize at New City for best group costume, and it was a great feeling! (Though I have to say it was a total BLAST to walk down Jasper and freak people out!!)

Gratitude.

This weekend Russ and I were able to spend thanksgiving with my extended family, which is always an exciting time. This year there was much to be thankful for:

• All of my sisters and I were able to make it home this year

• Russ and I met Maria, the Brazilian exchange student who is staying with my parents for the year

• My cousin Ben was at thanksgiving at my grandparents (Ben spent the last year in New Zealand, and this weekend was the first we'd seen of him since he came home!)

• My cousin Jana and her husband Dan announced the exciting news that they are expecting (the first!)
  

• I was able to wander around my old high school and take some pictures and refresh some memories before it is sold (the town has built a fancy new school)

• There was copious amounts of delicious homemade food to be shared

• There was much conversation and laughter to share

• The snow held off on our drive home until we arrived in Edmonton

And finally, my wonderful, awesome and somewhat nerdy husband came across this sweet video on youtube:

Again, I Have Been in Remiss...

It's not that life has been packed with excitement, but it has been so busy. At work, things are in the weird limbo right before the holiday season. At home, I'm trying to get through all the fantastic new books that have come out this fall, and spending time with Russ.

Speaking of books, I highly recommend Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games books: The first, The Hunger Games, and the just-released sequel, Catching Fire. Both books are action-packed, fast-paced, suspenseful, and full of wonderfully written characters that instantly capture your attention. I can hardly wait for the third novel to be released, but I know I'll be waiting a while...in the meantime, I have Douglas Coupland and Margaret Atwood to keep me busy.

It's Good to be in Love...

When you are in love you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams. ~ Dr. Seuss

One year ago today, I married my best friend.

I love your funny face, Your sunny, funny face.




I love you more today, more today than yesterday, but I don't love you more today than I'll love you tomorrow.
Happy anniversary, Russ.

A Much-Needed Escape

Last night Russ and I got home from our week-long excursion to Vancouver Island. We drove down last Sunday and drove home yesterday. It was a fantastic escape, and I'm sorry it went by so quickly, but I am grateful for the many memories we made, as well as the chance to get to know some friends better. I celebrated my birthday while we were there, and I've decided that since we were in a different province, it doesn't count. We also attended the wedding reception of our friend Morgan. He met his wife in Kenya while working there for a year. He spent two years trying to get her into Canada. In February he went back to Kenya and they got married. She is finally here in Canada, and so his mom held a reception at her home in Lake Chowichan to celebrate, as well as provide an opportunity for friends and family to meet Besho. It was a wonderful day. The Island is a beautiful place, and it is incredibly tempting to relocate. However, right now, there are too many things to keep us here in good ol' E-Town, so in Edmonton we shall stay.

The Empress Hotel in Victoria

Pier in Sidney, BC

Morgan and Besho


The Legislature Buildings in Victoria

Wayne and Theresa Got Married!

Yesterday we had the privilege of being invited to our friend Theresa's wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and a beautiful day. We had so much fun with friends and were honoured to be a part of such a special day. Congratulations, Wayne and Theresa!!

Happy Birthday, Canada!!

Happy birthday, Canada! I'm so grateful to be living in a country where we have so much freedom.

If You Tolerate This....

Father's Day

You can see where I get the goofy from...
Happy Father's Day, Dad! Love you lots!!

Oh Where Art Thou, Dear Summer??

I am seriously beginning to doubt whether we will actually have a summer this year, at all!! Just when it promises to warm up and be sunny and delightful, we get highs of 12 degrees, cold winds, rain, and, in some areas, SNOW! It's JUNE!!!

On the positive end of things, we are gearing up for our road trip to Victoria in July, to meet Morgan's wife, Besho! I've never been to Victoria, and hear it's full of flowers and old people, but is a pleasant place to visit, nonetheless. It should be an interesting trip, and a nice break from the E-town routine. (Though, I do wish we could go to Hawaii...)

Love is Friendship Set on Fire.

Congratulations, Lisa and Tyson! It was a beautiful day!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day, mum! Love you lots!