Friday Confessions: Life is…busy.

I’m really not sure whether I’m coming or going…it’s been a busy week, and the weekend isn’t going to hold much rest and relaxation. 

But it’s going to be FUN!

Before embarking on all that fun, though…let’s link up with Mamarazzi and confess.

I confess…that I was completely overwhelmed with the attention my little ol’ blog got this week following my #NoMoreBullies (Or, How I fell in love with Bryan Berard) post.  Several friends drew my attention to the fact that the link was being passed around on Twitter by many folks and groups, in conjunction with the #NoMoreBullies campaign, as well as D.I.F.D. supporters.  When I checked my webpage hits this week, I had more in the past couple of days than ever before.  Thank you, all – for reading, and for sharing.  Raising awareness for youth mental health is exactly what I aimed to do with that post!

I confess…that as awesome as all of that is, I was a little embarrassed to discover that some people were sending the link to Bryan Berard, telling him to check it out.  Eeeeek… I said the guy was meaty-looking with stringy hair!  I’m holding out hope that Bryan Berard is likely too busy to bother reading what some fan wrote about him…but in case he did, I hope he knows I meant that in the kindest way possible, and that I truly have become one of his biggest fans.  I HEART YOU, BRYAN!!

I confess…that I think I’ve had several small panic attacks when I stop and think about the fact that I ordered a way-too-small bridesmaid dress that I have to fit into in less than four months.  Seriously.  What was I thinking?!?

I confess…that I thought I had all day tomorrow to lounge around, watch movies, and enjoy a peaceful Saturday before going to see the Pontiac Community Players production of Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat Saturday evening in Shawville.   But somehow, I kinda forgot that I need to make 5 lbs. of meatballs for our church supper Sunday night, and that I still need to buy and  carve a pumpkin.  Oh, and I ran out of foundation this morning.  So my Saturday just got a little bit busier.  I’ll be up bright & early to go shopping.  *sigh*

I confess…that when I got an email yesterday to tell me I had won two 100-level tickets to the Sens/Leafs game on Sunday night, I thought it was a hoax.  Then I remembered that I actually did enter a contest on Facebook for them via the Team 1200, but never thought I’d actually win.

I confess…that I spent most of yesterday in a conundrum over what to do with the tickets – how to pick them up, and trying to figure out whether or not I could even go to the game.  I figured my mother might kill me if I skipped the church supper.  But I think we’ve worked out a deal (I’m going early to help set up and work the early shift) – yes, even she agreed it would be a crying shame to win such awesome seats and then give them up!  Big thanks to my friend Stacy who has offered to pick up the tix for me!  I owe you HUGE!!

I confess…that I might need another weekend to recover from this weekend.  And there’s no end in sight, as the next week and weekend will also be crazy-busy.  That’s okay, though.  All this running around should help me get skinny, right?

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

The water & ice diet begins today. FOR REALS, this time.

So.  You’ve all been following along on my “lose weight to fit into my bridesmaid’s dress for Lindsay’s wedding” project. 

You’ve been clapping at the appropriate times, telling me how good I’m doing, cheering me on, and enthusiastically encouraging me with the odd “You can do it girl!”

I love you guys for that.

But this shit just got serious, folks.

Are you ready for this?

My brother is getting married.  On February 11th, 2012.  (That’s approximately 3 months before Lindsay’s wedding, for those of you keeping track.)

And his fiancée and my friend, Amanda, has asked me to be a bridesmaid.

Sure!  Count me in!  Whoop!!  Super excited!!!!

So we go dress shopping last night, and find the perfect dress, and the sweet little shop owner starts measuring us, and BAM! 

It’s Bridesmaid Dress Horror: The Sequel.

These dresses we were ordering were by a different designer than the ones we got for Lindsay’s, and from a different store. 

And the sizing was different.

This is where I feel the need to really come clean and start telling you some numbers.  Embarrassing as that may be, I’m not sure you can understand my story without me telling you the sizes that I’ve been told I am and the sizes I need to fit into in time for these weddings.

Please don’t point and laugh, okay?

When I was measured on August 22nd for Lindsay’s bridesmaid’s dress, they measured me between a size 20 and 22.  22 was considered plus sized and more expensive.  I opted for the size 20 and vowed to lose weight.  As you may recall, the sales lady was skeptical, but I assured her I could do it.

Fast-forward a little over two months later.  I’m down 19 pounds, but still want to lose a lot more.

And then I go with Amanda and her twin sister Steph to shop for her bridesmaid dresses, and that sales lady measures me between an 18W and 20W.  BUT, those numbers are considered plus sized and costs extra, so somehow I agree to order a 16.

That’s right. 

Size 16.  With no “W”.

A size that I have not fit into for years and years in normal clothes, let alone bridal gear that always seems to be sized way smaller than normal clothes.

WHAT THE HELL HAVE I DONE?!?!??!?!?!

So. Um. Yeah.  You know how I’ve joked about only eating sticks and dirt and berries for the past two months?

Now I think I might actually have to do that.

There can be no more cheating.  There can be no more nights of going home and deciding, “Meh, I don’t feel like exercising tonight.” 

I’m not even sure there can be a Christmas this year.

The good news?  If I’m actually successful at this and I lose enough weight to fit in this dress, then the one I ordered for Lindsay’s wedding should be so ginormously big on me that they have enough material to make me two dresses.

Also, the lady at the store last night promised me this dress can be let out to fit a size 18.  (Shut up, I know the alteration costs will negate the extra charge for a plus sized dress.  I’m trying to ignore that part.)

But the ultimate goal is to not need any alterations.  The ultimate goal is to fit into that godforsaken Size 16.

I have three and a half months.

Here we go.  I have no choice.

God, I hope I can do this.

Let’s Talk…Scary stuff. And I why I shouldn’t watch it.

It’s that time of year again. 

Halloween is right around the corner, and so I get the urge to watch scary movies. 

That being said, I know I should not watch scary movies.

And that’s why I’ve decided to discuss this matter today for Talk To Us Tuesday, hosted by Impulsive Addict and Shawn.

I enjoy a good scare.  Or at least, I think I do.  I tend to forget that scary stuff traumatizes me.  And after watching it, I have to sleep with a light on for days.  Living pretty much by myself doesn’t help.  (There, another reason I need a husband:  So that I can watch Criminal Minds again.)

As I get older, it seems to get worse.  When I was in high school, my friends and I had sleepovers and watched scary movies all the time.  They didn’t seem to really bother me back then.

I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I can pinpoint the time I realized I shouldn’t be watching creepy horror movies anymore.  It was during my college days I believe; the night my friend Sara & I decided to go see the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Bad idea.  VERY BAD.

We spent 97% of the movie hiding behind our coats, looking at each other and asking ourselves why the hell we had paid $10.00 (plus popcorn expenses) to do this.  It felt like the longest two hours of my life.

Since then, I’ve limited the scary stuff I watch, and usually it’s movies I’ve already seen – favourites of mine include Halloween: H20 (hello, Josh Hartnett), the Scream series, The Sixth Sense, Pet Sematary, Idle Hands (more funny than scary)…stuff like that.

But Saturday evening, after deciding I should watch a fright flick to get in a Halloweeny mood, you know which one I picked?

Ghost.

Whaaaat?!  Is that even considered a scary movie?!  NO.  It’s  a romance, for crying out loud!

But as I stood there, debating between The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Scream, I ended up picking Ghost.  Because I knew Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg wouldn’t give me nightmares.

How lame am I???

Okay.  Gimme a break.  I redeemed myself last night.  Sort of.

I’ve been reading on a few other blogs about this new show called American Horror Story.  It started airing in the United States a few weeks ago.  Canada got the premiere last night on CityTV, as a sneak peek for the new digital cable channel coming called FX Canada.

So that means, I have no idea if American Horror Story is going to continue on CityTV, or if I only get one episode.  I’m not sure it really matters, because it’s a miracle I survived.  I’m not sure I’d be able to tune in again after that debacle.

The reasons I wanted to watch it:

1. Other bloggers said it was cool.  And I always want to be cool.
2. I liked the names I was hearing for the cast.  Connie Britton is one of my faves from my beloved Friday Night Lights.  Dylan McDermott is hot.  Jessica Lange is larger than life.  These are some powerhouse names, people.    

3.   It’s almost Halloween, and I needed to recover from my lame choice of Ghost the other night.

These are not good enough reasons to scare myself, people.

See, Monday night is laundry night at my house.  My basement is dark and cobwebby and creepy, and also the home of my washer and dryer.  So I force myself to go down there once a week to do laundry, even though I really don’t want to.

When American Horror Story started, I still had one load of laundry in the dryer.  And of course, the show features a very scary basement.

The story revolves around a couple that has just moved to LA with their teenaged daughter to try and save their marriage after the wife, Vivienne (Britton), had a gruesome miscarriage, and shortly thereafter caught her husband, Ben (McDermott), having an affair with a much younger woman.  They move into a huge, old Victorian home that comes cheap because of it’s dark past.

You got it.  Haunted house.

And a cast of unsettling characters living in their neighbourhood that could send a shiver down your spine:  the eccentric neighbour (Lange) whose special needs daughter, Adelaide, keeps showing up telling them, “You’re going to die in there!”; the strange, psychotic boy who is Dr. Ben’s new patient and is making a disturbing friendship with his daughter, Violet; the mysterious housekeeper who magically appears, and seems determined to seduce Ben (creepy, since she’s an old lady, but he somehow only sees her as a sexy young maid); and the scarred peeping tom who hangs out in their backyard amongst the sheets hanging on the line, looking up at the house and smiling strangely.

Did I mention all the really scary stuff happens in the basement?

And that I had a damn load of laundry waiting for me in my basement right after the show ended?

Frig, frig, frig.

When the show ended, I was left with a very disturbed feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I debated leaving the laundry down there.

But then I told myself, “Oh, come on.  It’s just a show.  Fiction.  Be a big girl and go down there and get your laundry.”

So I did.  Gold star for me.  But of course, while I was down there, I started hearing noises.  Bumps and stuff like that.  It sounded like someone was walking around upstairs.

Have I mentioned I have an imagination?

I ended up throwing all the laundry in the basket, not bothering to fold it, and raced up to my room.  When I went to bed, I kept a light on, of course.  And I didn’t sleep very well.  At all.

I should’ve just stuck with Ghost.

Has anybody else seen American Horror Story?  Thoughts?  What are your favourite scary movies?

Or are you like me, and try to avoid it all?

#NoMoreBullies. (Or, How I fell in love with Bryan Berard.)

Bullying.

It’s in the news.  It’s water-cooler-conversation material.  It’s all over Facebook.  And, like me, many of my fellow bloggers have been focusing on it.

Local radio personality and Ottawa Senators announcer Stuntman Stu, along with his radio show at Majic 100, have started the #NoMoreBullies campaign, encouraging people to write the promise on the palm of their hand to show support.

It’s been on my mind a lot lately, especially after recently finishing reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, where she tells the fictional story of a boy who was teased and bullied so mercilessly, that eventually he snaps and opens fire on his classmates at school.  The book has made me think so much that I’ve been unable to get into the next book I chose to read.  It seems I’m not ready to let the story go yet.

Two weeks ago, an Ottawa teen named Jamie Hubley committed suicide.  His parents have related, via local media outlets, some of the awful torment Jamie had been going through, as one of the few openly gay teens at his high school.  His father, Ottawa city councillor for Kanata South, Allan Hubley, recently said that Jamie was teased relentlessly for the fact that he liked figure skating better than hockey.

So, in a bittersweet touch, Battle of the Blades – a Canadian show that pairs former hockey players up with world-renowned figure skaters and pits them against each other in an ice dancing competition, with cash prizes for their chosen charities on the line – dedicated last night’s episode in memory of Jamie Hubley.

A month or so ago, at the beginning of the season of Battle of the Blades, I told you all how much I loved David Pelletier, and threw my support behind him and his female hockey playing partner, Tessa Bonhomme.

Shortly after writing that post, I learned that another competitor, Bryan Berard, and his partner Marie-France Dubreuil, would be skating for “Do It For Daron”, an Ottawa-based organization that is working towards raising youth mental health awareness, in honour of Daron Richardson, the daughter of Sens assistant coach Luke Richardson who took her own life almost one year ago at age 14.

D.I.F.D. is a cause that strikes close to home, as the Richardson family has ties to our community.  I’ve watched in awe and admiration as several young local women have done amazing things in recent months to raise money and awareness in memory of their friend, Daron.  In fact, just this past Friday night, they tied the cause in with the Shawville Jr. B home game, and while I was unable to attend, I hear “D.I.F.D. Night” at the Jr. B game was a HUGE success. 

Naturally, because of D.I.F.D., I’ve been throwing my votes each week to Berard, even though I love David Pelletier and originally wanted him to win.

But, as it turns out, Berard is maybe just an acquired taste.

I disliked him in the beginning, on principle.  He was drafted first over all a million years ago by the Senators, but refused to play here.  So Ottawa traded him to the Islanders in exchange for the #2 pick that year…Wade Redden.

As you might guess, the rest is history.  Wade Redden became my favourite player, my knight in shining armour, while I mentally cast Berard as the villain in this scenario – the big bad guy that I disliked with a passion. 

Then he was traded to the Leafs. My mortal hockey enemy.  Needless to say, my love for Berard did not grow any with this development.

Several years later, one of our young stars at the time, Marian Hossa, was a little careless with his stick in a game against the Leafs, accidentally clipping Berard in the eye.  It caused severe damage, and while I would never wish ill will on the man, it was just another negative tie between him and my favourite team.   My dislike for Berard continued to fester.

Berard was forced to sit out for several years as he endured surgeries and medical treatments to repair his eye.  While many deemed his career to be over, he vowed to return, and did so a few years after the accident, in one of the greatest player comebacks in NHL history.  His playing career continued until 2008, when he officially bowed out of hockey.

And then, this year, he shows up on Battle of the Blades.  A huge, meaty-looking guy with tattoos up and down his arms, and long, stringy black hair.

Forgive me, but he didn’t exactly turn me on.  And if he hadn’t been skating for D.I.F.D., I didn’t think I could ever cast a vote his way.

…Until last night.

Last night, Bryan Berard took to the ice with his partner, dressed formally, his long hair tied back, with his necktie loosened and just hanging around his neck.  I wish I could find a picture to show you.  It was…very, very sexy…

Better than a picture…just watch it:

They skated to “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” by Elvis Presley, which was the song the fans voted for them.  As you may know, I’m a bit of an Elvis fanatic, and that song is one of my all-time favourites.

Just melt my damn heart.

Their skate was flawless…beautiful…It earned them top marks from the judges, and a standing ovation from the audience as they closed out last night’s program.

I thought of Jamie Hubley, the young man who was taunted for being a figure skater.  The young man who took his own young life because he couldn’t face another day in this world where people can be so mean.

At that moment, I was so proud of Bryan Berard for doing this.  He looks like the anti-figure-skater, but he’s doing this show, and raising awareness for youth mental health,  in memory of people like Daron and Jamie, who so badly needed help; needed someone to talk to, to relate to, to understand them.

Last night, I enthusiastically phoned in many votes for Bryan & Marie-France - because of their great cause, and because he has finally made me fall in love with him.

I really, really  hope they win.

For Daron.  For Jamie. 

For every young person who has ever needed help and didn’t know where to turn.

#NoMoreBullies

Back in my favourite jeans. (sort of)

You know the best part about losing weight?  For me, anyways?

Feeling the clothes getting looser.  Every day.  I love it.

You see, for a very long time, my clothes were not loose.  At first, they fit me, kinda.  Then they started growing too tight.  But I refused to buy a bigger size. 

Dammit, I WILL NOT go up a size, I will squeeze myself into these clothes for the rest of my fat friggin’ life if I have to! 

By the time I got the wake up call in late August – the “plus-sized bridesmaid dress” wake up call – I was downright uncomfortable in my clothes.  Jeans were digging in, none of my shirts concealed the massive muffin top (oh who the hell are we kidding, that cutesy name does not change what it was - a massive, giant spare tire!), and I was not feeling very good about myself.  At all.

Something had to be done.

After almost two months of changing my diet to incorporate much smaller portions and much healthier foods, and a renewed promise to exercise more, I’m stalled at 19 pounds lost (why?  why can’t I just lose that one more measly pound?!?!) …And I’m feeling much, much better about myself.

I love that my rings are spinning loosely on my fingers.  And I love that my jeans are starting to get a little bit baggy.

I’ve been noticing it for a few weeks now.  I have to draw the belt in an extra notch now.  Some of my pants are starting to look down-right sloppy on me.  Last night, I was starting to wonder if maybe – just maybe – it might be time to go down a size?!

*cue the squeals of excitement and glee!!!!!!!*

And that’s when I went searching for my favourite pair of jeans.

They’re a worn-out, faded pair of Bluenotes that I bought about five years ago.  At the time I bought them, they were already kind of snug on me, but I loved them.  Nothing special to look at, but such comfy jeans.

Here’s a picture of me wearing them at Tub Rave.  I think this was in ‘09, so about two years ago.  (I thought it was more like ‘08, but Facebook doesn’t lie.)

Not the best photo in the world (I might have had a drink or two. and wearing sunglasses at night, that says it all right there.  also, I’m surrounded by skinny little witches in their hot jeans and cool coats while I’m wearing  a hot pink sweatshirt, oddly combined with a scarf.  whatever.)  but you get the idea.  It’s about the jeans, people.

So, that was ‘09.  I’m thinking it wasn’t long after that they were discarded from my closet.  All I know is I could no longer zip them up, so I angrily threw them on the floor of the closet in the spare room, where they could no longer taunt me.  Then I piled a bunch of old sweatshirts that I never wear on top of them so that I would never have to see them again.

Yeah, I had to do some digging.  But I found them last night.  And I was nervous about trying them on again.  What if this Loose Pant Syndrome was just a delusion?  What if I’m not really losing weight like I think I am?  What if the scales have been lying?  What if it’s all a figment of my imagination?  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Guys?

They fit.

:) :) :)

Okay, I know you’re waiting for a picture to prove it, so this is the part where I tell you they only fit sort of.  I could zip ‘em up, but they kinda looked like they were painted on.  Not really very comfortable, nor flattering, so I’m not likely going to be strutting around in them this weekend or anything.  I’m going to give it a few weeks before I try them again.  And then I might take a picture to show you.  When I don’t look so much like a sausage.

But the fact that I could zip ‘em up?  Without lying down on the bed and holding my breath and sucking in to save my ever-lovin’ life?

Big victory.

I’ll take it.

WWTK Wednesday: Tempers, Movies, and Adventuring we go

I’ve missed out on We Want to Know Wednesday for a few weeks, but I’m back!!  Since I last participated, WWTKW has added a new co-host, Crazymama, who joins Mamarazzi and Queso behind the Wednesday Q&A wheel.

Here are this week’s questions:

{1} When was the last time you lost your temper?
{2} What 3 words best describe you?
{3} What movie could you watch over and over again and never get tired of?
{4} If you could do something dangerous, just once, with no risk, what would you do?
{5} Which is more important intelligence or common sense?

And my answers are…

{1} When was the last time you lost your temper?  I honestly don’t remember…At least, I don’t recall any major temper tantrums lately.  Oh wait…I lost my temper with my mom on the phone yesterday.  I told her I was going to grab some groceries after work, so she gave me a list of stuff she wanted.  But wait!  I didn’t even snap then!  It wasn’t until she asked me to stop in and get some money from her, or get her debit card, to pay for what she wanted.  I said, all cool and calm, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll get it and you can pay me back later.”  And she, ever persistent, said, “Well, if you’d just stop in here and get my card, then it would be paid for already and I wouldn’t have to worry about taking money out for you,” and there…right there…that’s when I said, “MOM!  I’M NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THE GROCERIES WITH TWO DIFFERENT DEBIT CARDS!!”

And she said, “Okay. Okay!”

So yeah.  I guess you could call that slightly losing my temper.  But it wasn’t major.  Swear. ;)

{2} What 3 words best describe you?  Currently, I think they would be…Happy…Stressed…and Healthier (than I was two months ago! haha!)

{3} What movie could you watch over and over again and never get tired of?  Top Gun.  Grease.  Cocktail.  Twilight (or New Moon or Eclipse).  10 Things I Hate About You.  Blue Hawaii.  I love re-watching movies that I enjoy.  It’s why I have such a huge DVD collection.  My dad always asks, “What’s the fun in watching a movie when you already know what happens?”  Honestly…I don’t have a problem with it!

{4} If you could do something dangerous, just once, with no risk, what would you do?  Definitely bungee jumping.  I’ve always thought it looked like fun, but I’m so terrified that there will be an accident that I think I’d chicken out at the last minute.  Also, if I was super skinny and very active, I’d like to climb some big tall famous mountain.  I think the view from the top would be worth it.  And with no risk involved, I’m hoping that means I won’t starve or freeze or be eaten by mountain lions. ;)  Oh, OH and scuba diving!!  I know that’s not technically “dangerous”, but I think I’d be too afraid to do it.  Unless I knew I wasn’t going to drown or be eaten by a shark.

*UPDATED* I FORGOT SOMETHING!!! I want to be a Skeleton racer.  You know, like at the Winter Olympics.  Lie on a  sled and hurtle down a mountain of ice head-first.  So cool.  So badass.  THAT’S what I want to do!!!

{5} Which is more important intelligence or common sense?  Is it too much to ask for a little of both?  I guess common sense is most important, as many allegedly “intelligent” people are severely lacking in street smarts.   But I don’t think intelligence should be downplayed, either – it’s better to be smart than stupid, y’all. ;)

I just said “y’all”.  I don’t say that in real life.  If I did say it out loud, my friend Stacy would probably laugh at me.  Just like this weekend, when I said “Awesomesauce” for the first time out loud and she laughed her ass off at me.

Happy Wednesday, everyone :)

Let’s Talk…Tea. And Nail Polish.

I’ve noticed lately that I’ve developed a fascination for two things:  Tea.  And nail polish.

Perfect.  Topics for this week’s edition of Talk To Us Tuesday, hosted by Impulsive Addict and Shawn!

So we’ll start with the tea.  Lately – like, during this past couple of months of non-eating – I’ve realized that tea is what’s filling that empty hole in my heart where food used to be. 

(Please, don’t worry.  I am still eating, promise.  But it’s just not as fun when it’s things like vegetables and low-fat everything.)

Most days, I have a cup of tea mid-morning (where my bag of trail mix or pudding cup or cheese & crackers or chocolate-covered granola bar used to be).  I’ve come to look forward to it.  A nice, big steaming mug of Orange Pekoe with a packet of sweetner and a drop of milk.  Mmmmm.  It’s like the little morning break I just need, but I no longer have to have a snack to go with it.  Just the tea.

And lately, I’ve started “branching out”.  Last week while at the grocery store, I stood in front of the tea options for a good five minutes, choosing some different herbals that I’d never tested out.  I ended up selecting Chamomile and Green with a hint of honey-lemon.

It occurred to me after leaving the store that I used to spend that kind of time in front of the chips.  Now it’s tea.  I’m a tea-fiend.  Tea-aholic.  Tea-obsessed.

Weird.

I’ve been sipping an herbal in the evenings while I watch TV or read, after exercising, to wind me down.  It’s so odd to think that not that long ago, there was no exercise.  Just long evenings of watching TV or movies and stuffing my face with Ruffles and dip.  That’s what I used to look forward to.

Now it’s my cup of tea.

Tea has become such a big part of my day that when I saw a friend’s status on Facebook about something called David’s Tea, I stopped and read about it.  So many different varieties…so many new kinds to try.  And now I’m actually considering ordering tea on-line.

Seriously.  What is this world coming to?

OK.  So I do realize that this tea phenomenon is not such a big deal.  I’m not exactly the first person in the world to discover it.  Lots of people are tea-obsessed.

I just never really thought I’d be one of them.

And that’s sort of how I feel about my nail polish obsession too.

The nail polish fascination has been going on for a bit longer than the tea fascination.  I’m not much of a girly-girl when it comes to beauty products – I didn’t even start wearing make-up until I was in my early-20’s. (Yes.  I know.  Sad.)  But I’ve tried to keep the ol’ toe nails painted for a long time now, so my collection of nail polishes has grown over recent years.

I rarely bothered with the finger nails because it never seemed to last.  My nails are always cut short (for guitar playing), and it ticked me off that I’d go to the effort of painting my nails and a day later, they’d already be chipping.  Why bother?

But I love looking down and seeing pretty colours on my nails.  And yesterday, when my Luxe Box arrived, I added a whole new nail polish possibility to my collection:

China Glaze Crackle Nail Polish in “Platinum Pieces”.  SO cool.

Of course, I had to try it immediately.  So I put a coat of dark blue nail polish on that I already had, then covered it with the crackle coat…and I must say, it looks pretty cool!

So yes.  This has also become a new favourite evening pastime of mine.  Painting nails.

It goes along well with sipping tea.

At least I’m no longer obsessing about food, right???

So tell me.  What kinds of tea do you love?  What colour of nail polishes should I not live without?

Go.  Feed the frenzy.

BIG Weekend!! BIG News!!

I don’t think I’m recovered yet from this big weekend of fun!  It’s one of those weekends where I just needed one extra day to sleep in and recuperate. 

But alas, I’m at work…and blogging about it instead with a hot cup of tea in front of me.  ;)

We kicked it off Friday night when I joined a group of friends at Montana’s Cookhouse in Kanata for dinner to celebrate our September/October birthdays (Stacy, Sharon & Lindsay’s). 

Now, some of us in our gang are starting to get a complex.  It’s like restaurants have a big group photo of us on their kitchen wall with these instructions:  “GIVE THESE PEOPLE HORRIBLE, CRAPTACULAR SERVICE.   JUST DO IT.”.  This was the second time in several months that our group has had poor service at a restaurant.  The first time was at East Side Mario’s earlier this summer, and it was a horrendous experience.  This time wasn’t so bad, and as a former waitress, I did take pity on the poor girl, who must’ve told us ten times, “Sorry, I’m new.”  And of course, she was on a busy Friday night shift with two big groups in her section.  Fortunately,  my Antojitos were delicious and then I chucked the whole wrap-and-salad idea for an amazing Chipotle Firecracker Burger & fries.  (Yes,  that’s right.  The diet didn’t go so well this weekend.)  So that totally made up for it.  As an added bonus, she didn’t mess up my bill, unlike almost everyone else’s at our table.   Plus, the manager passed out coupons for free appetizers at our next visit.  Which means more Antojitos in my future. 

I’m easily appeased.

Saturday = Car Rally Day.  One of my most favourite days of the year.  It’s almost like Christmas!!  I’ve been Rallying with Stacy, Ricky, Sara & Graham for years, and while we always do well, my goal is usually to come in 2nd place.  (1st placers have to plan the Rally route the following year.  That’s a big job.  We’d rather take 2nd place honours!)

This year’s theme was Music, and I must say Leslie & Co. did a fabulous job with this year’s route.  We were singing all day long!  We had a strong advantage with Sara in our car, as she was often singing the lyrics before we’d even arrived at the question featuring them.  For instance, as we approached one question, the song in question was “Love Shack” and they were asking, “What would you have to replace here?”  Before we even got near the address relating to the question, Sara was belting “TIN ROOF…RUSTED!!”  Sure enough, the tin roof on the house was rusted.  BAM!  Score one for us!

(Now if only we’d listened to her when she was loudly singing, “BICYCLE! BICYCLE!  I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE!!!!” on the Freddy Mercury question…that could have moved us up a spot! )

We also discovered we’re fairly bad at counting.  On any of the questions where we had to get out and count (butterflies, frogs, bird houses, horses, logs) – we failed miserably!

But at the end of the day, we ranked in 3rd place!!!  Awesome!!  The funny part was that we tied with my family – my mom, brother, sister, and Amanda; and also my brother-in-law and his family!!  Too funny!!  

The only disappointing part about our 3rd place finish is that I have it on my 101 List to come in 2nd in a Car Rally…SO CLOSE!!!!  Hopefully next year… :)

And that brings us to Sunday.  We got some big news in our family on Sunday.  Big, wonderful news…

My brother Luke & his girlfriend Amanda got engaged!!

We’re all so excited for them!!  Congratulations, Luke & Amanda!  So happy for you both!!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well…We had lots to celebrate for sure!

Friday Confessions: Diets suck and weekends rock

Okay, folks.  I’ve got another big, fun weekend on deck, so what else to do in preparation but confess? 

Linking it up with Mamarazzi…

I confess…that I was plugging into MyFitnessPal what I “expected” to eat today, and I was almost double the calories that I’m supposed to take in on a daily basis.  Friday office lunch and friends’ birthday dinner tonight at Montana’s Cookhouse will do that… So I fiddled around some more, subtracting the fries and replacing them with the house salad, vowing to only eat half of my Oven Baked Antijitos, and only half of my Smokehouse Wrap.  Still way over.  So I eliminated my Caesar.  Now I’m only about 150 calories over.  *sigh*  Some days, it sucks.

I confess…that I only have to look down at my baggy pants and remind myself that it’s worth it.

I confess…I’m insanely excited to see Breaking Dawn: Part 1 – just a little over a month away!  I have tickets to the midnight premiere!!  EEEEEK!!!

I confess…that I can’t believe my nephew Caden is 6 today.  SIX!!!!  Where does the time go?!  So proud of him!!  Sending big bloggy birthday wishes to him, cousin Dale, and Ben too!!

I confess…that my excitement for Car Rally tomorrow is comparable to my excitement for things like my birthday and Christmas.  So.much.fun.  I mean, how often do you get to tour the back roads with your friends on a friggin’ scavenger hunt?!   At times like this…I LOVE my small town!!

I confess…that I really thought last weekend I wanted a puppy.   But then I got the new couches instead.  And I realized maybe I don’t want a puppy after all.  A puppy might pee on the couch or get hair all over it.  Nah…definitely no puppy.  ;)

I confess…that I took pictures of my furniture to show you guys after some people asked to see it yesterday, but I haven’t had a chance to upload them yet.  Next week, promise.  I just know you’ll be waiting with baited breath. ;)

I confess…I thought it was  a teensy bit creepy that I had just finished reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult on Wednesday afternoon about a high school shooting, and then that night I tuned into Criminal Minds for the first time in a long time (because it scares the bejeezus outta me) and the episode was about a killer whose victims were the survivors of a school shooting 10 years before.  Yeah.  Just a teeeeeensy bit creepy!

Aaaand…that’s all I’ve got.  Now I’m ready.  For birthday celebrations and Car Rally and anything else this weekend might throw at me.  BRING IT!!!

The One Where I Tell You All About My Long-Ass Day Waiting for Furniture.

Holy Mother.  What a week.  A four-day week and it feels like it’s been going on FOR.EV.ERRRRRR.

Of course, yesterday felt like the longest day in the history of the world.  I was sitting at home waiting for my new furniture to arrive. 

Exciting stuff, right? 

Well, yes.  Except for the fact that I was stranded on the first floor of my house (because I was afraid if I went upstairs or to the basement, I’d miss hearing the delivery guys knock.  This has happened before.  If I’m not in the living room or dining room, I don’t hear knocks.  And I don’t have a doorbell).  With nothing better than a delivery time of “between 8 AM and 6 PM”.  AND I had already shipped the old furniture off to make room for the new stuff, so I had nowhere to sit but on the floor or at my dining room table.

Oh, and whaddya know, it also happened to be the day of “The Great World-Wide Blackberry Malfunction of 2011”.  So I had no phone, no Facebook, no Twitter, no BBM.

You really don’t realize how much you use that stuff til it’s gone and there’s nothing else to do.

I would say I started to get ansty around 9 AM.  By 9:30, I was already formulating the angry speech I was going to make when I called Sears at 6 PM if by some chance this furniture didn’t arrive.  (I’m a worrier.  I was convinced I had taken a whole day off work for nothing; that the furniture would never arrive.)

Between worrying, I read.  A lot.  I rotated back and forth from the dining room table to lying in the middle of my empty living room floor.  And when my book was done (by mid-afternoon), I seriously started to wonder WHAT THE F I WAS GOING TO DO.  I was literally standing in front of my DVD shelves, picking out all the “A” movies and getting ready to arrange them in alphabetical order (per Lindsay’s suggestion), when the delivery truck pulled up.  Around 4 PM.

Thank GOD.  I was going insaaaaane.

The delivery guys were nice enough.  When I ordered the set, the lady at Sears told me they would bring the furniture to the room I wanted it in, but they would not unpack the furniture.  They actually did unpack it, so bonus.  However, Buddy the Delivery Guy realized that the feet that are normally on the couches weren’t installed, they were in little baggies with screws attached to the furniture.  He kept telling me he didn’ t know why, that normally the feet were already installed, and he wondered if maybe I had a drill?

Um, Hello, Delivery Man.  I am a girl.  Living pretty much by myself.  I don’t even have a hammer or a tape measure.  But sure, let me go get you my handy dandy DRILL out of my big bad toolbox.

Sure.

And wonder of wonders, I tried calling my mom to see if she could quickly run down with Dad’s drill (because Buddy was giving me the impression that he would install them himself if he had a drill) – and of course she picked that very time of day to have a lengthy phone conversation.  Awesome.

(*sidenote* Later, when I was complaining to my mother that she picked a wonderful time to do some phone-chatting, she said, “Well why didn’t you tell them you just had to run up here to grab a drill?  It would’ve only taken a few minutes.”  Yes, Mom.  Great plan.  Leave the strange delivery men in my living room unattended while I drive away to get a drill.  Beautiful idea.)

So Delivery Man tried installing the feet with a screwdriver, but no dice.  And he then informed me it wasn’t his job to install them anyways, but that I could call Sears if I wanted to complain.  Thanks ever so much, but I just want the feet on my couches, Delivery Man.  Not sure what Sears is gonna do about it.

Enter: Handyman Uncle Garry.  The best uncle ever.  (No offence to the other uncles, but you weren’t there at my time of need.  With your drills.)  He just happened to be visiting my dad when I finally got through to my mother, so she hauled him and his drill down to my house.  Before we knew it, feet were installed and furniture was upright and looking awesome!

Oh, but we weren’t outta the woods yet.  Mother asked where my cushions were.  What cushions, Ma? The matching ones that were supposed to come with it – two for the couch, two for the loveseat.

GADDAMMIT no cushions.  I didn’t even know I was supposed to get any, so of course I didn’t ask for them.

That one was quickly solved with a call to Sears, and they are having them shipped to the closest store for me to pick-up asap.  Cushion crisis averted.

Believe me, when the Furniture Drama was finally over, there was nothing I wanted more than to lie on them (all of them) and enjoy their comfy newness.  Because, holy stressful day of nothing.  I was worn.right.out.

It looks great.  I love it.  Best furniture I’ve ever bought without seeing it in person first.  (Like, how risky is THAT!!)

Sorry I’ve been so MIA this week – but it’s just been that kind of week.  I hope to get back on-track with my favourite linky parties next week!

Hope you’re all having a great one!

My Thanksgiving List

I spend too much time on my blog jokingly lamenting the things I don’t have; the dreams I yearn to come true, but so far have not.  A home of my own, a new car, a husband, children…

Today, though, on this gorgeous Thanksgiving Monday, I’ve decided to step away from that and make a list of all I have to be grateful for, today and every day.  Yesterday at church, our student minister Nancy (who you may notice comments frequently on the blog!!) stood before us and told us all of the things she was thankful for this Thanksgiving.  She put forth the challenge to the congregation to let her know all that we have to hold dear and give thanks for.  I figured, what better way to share with Nancy – and all of you – than here in a blog post!

• I’ll start my Thanksgiving List by talking about that very church service!  When I arrived at church to find it bursting with colour as the ladies had decorated the windows and the front of the church with pumpkins, gourds, jars of jam, pickles, & beets, flowers, & fruit and vegetables, it almost took my breath away.  There was a big group of kids in attendance, and when they gathered at the front of the church for Children’s Time and sang “This Little Light of Mine” along with the rest of the congregation, I caught sight my niece and nephew with their little fingers raised in the air and huge smiles on their faces.  My heart was literally bursting – so much so that I choked up and couldn’t even sing.  I give thanks for my church family, and our minister Nancy who truly does seem to be “our match made in Heaven”.
• I’m grateful for the past year of healing.  I’ve reflected this weekend on where I was one year ago.  On the surface, it might not look like much has changed, but last year I remember sitting at that Thanksgiving church service and thinking, “What a joke.  There’s not much to give thanks for this year.”  In reality, there was plenty to be grateful for, but at the time I was still hurting, sad, angry and wondering how life could just be so unfair.  The pain of losing two cousins only a few months before was fresh and still cutting very deeply.  I realized how much happier and positive I felt this weekend.  Time really does heal.  There are some days when it feels like it never really goes away or gets better, but my attitude now is definitely glass-half-full; my outlook more positive and enlightened.  I miss them every day, but living life to the fullest is the best way to honour them.
• I’m thankful for a job and a place of work that I love.  Sure, there are days when I’d rather stay in bed than go to work, but I am truly lucky to have a job so close to home, and to work with people who have such understanding and patience – even when I’m not at my best.  People who are my friends – not just my employers.  I am so grateful for them.
• I’m blessed to have such a wonderful family.  My parents, my siblings, my niece and nephew… and an extended family that I love dearly.  I got to spend lots of time with the Young Family cousins this weekend, as the MacKechnies hosted their annual Tub Rave, and it’s a guaranteed good time.  I may have lost $10 to Brandon betting on the Sens/Leafs game, I may have rolled my eyes when Jim ribbed me about my Wade Redden crush (again), and I may not have been entirely impressed when Kayla dumped my Caesar all over me (because I just can’t drink that fast!!!) – but I loved every minute I spent with them.  And I also love that I have an uncle who has been to hell and back, but can still stand up in the middle of a garage with a guitar slung around his neck, and bring such joy to the people gathered by singing his favourite songs, and telling us how much “I like I like I like that song!” when we sing “I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts”.

• I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again – I have the best friends in the world.  I look forward to every chance I get to spend with them.  Coming up we have a birthday dinner, Car Rally, a book club, a movie night, a baby shower…so much to look forward to.  And I look forward to it all because I will be with them.
• I’m grateful that my brother Luke and his girlfriend Amanda have given me a new nephew.  It may not be the kind I’d normally get excited about, since he’s covered in fur, named Yzerman, and in about two weeks will weigh more than me…but right now, he’s darned cute.  And he may just make me a “dog person” yet!

• I’m so thankful that I got to spend a few hours cuddling with the beautiful 6-week-old, 9-lb. bundle of joy that is Jake & Sherri-Lynn’s baby, Olivia, on Friday night.  I promised everyone at Kelsey’s baby shower that I wouldn’t hog the smallest “guest”.  I lied.  Once I stole her from Lise’s arms, I didn’t relinquish her until Mama needed to feed her.  It was a beautiful little baby fix for me.

• My list could go on and on, but I’ll end it here by giving thanks for all of you, who read my blog, who are there to support me when I need you, who have encouraged me on my weight-loss goals, and who can pick me up with a little comment or email on the days when I need it most.  Some of you I know in real life, many of you I’ve never met, and yet I feel like I’ve made so many great connections, and think of you all as true friends. 

To my Canadian friends, I hope you all have had an amazing Thanksgiving weekend, and that your Thanksgiving Lists are as long - or longer! - than mine.  We all have so much to be grateful for; it doesn’t hurt to take a moment to collect it all and hold it in our hearts.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday Confessions: Thanksgiving Edition

It’s allllllmost Thanksgiving!!!!  I’m going to eat turkey soooooooooooooon!!! 

But before I embark on this blissful weekend of stuffing my face and being thankful for all I have, first…I must confess.

I confess…that I may be among the few, but I’m a little pissed off at the forecast for this weekend.  Sunny & HOT – all.weekend.long.  Yes, up here in the frigid North.  Forgive me, but Thanksgiving is for warm sweaters and scarves and vests and breaking out the long-johns.  NOT for tanks, shorts, and flip flops.  My mom is already bitching about cooking a turkey in this heat.

Let’s just hope she doesn’t decide to do this…

I confess…that I’m a littler nervous about “falling off the wagon” this weekend.  I’m soooo looking forward to that turkey dinner, but I’m afraid it will totally de-rail my healthy-eating ways.  I feel like I’m walking a very fine line; that with one wrong move, I will be stuffing my face with poutine and cheeseburgers again.  Daily.  It could happen.

I confess…that I had no inspiration yesterday, nor any time to put together a fun and witty post.  So instead I put up a bunch of pictures of Sheldon Cooper and called it a “blog post”.  Lame.  I’m so glad some of you are Big Bang fans, though!!!

I confess…that an email from a friend this morning sent me for a bit of a loop.  She shared news about an acquaintance of ours.  Verryyy disturbing news.  It’s given me the heebie jeebies.  I mean, I once recited Dr. Seuss with this guy, now I found out he’s a bit of creep-o.  Yikes.

I confess…that I’M SO EXCITED FOR TUB RAVE TOMORROW!!!!

I confess…I wasn’t confident I would survive Night 1 back at Zumba last night, my first night back since the early summer.  But it was so much fun.  And I didn’t feel like I was dying by the end of it.  Awesome.

I confess…that I’m entirely nervous about serving my homemade lasagna to the office staff at lunch today.  I have no idea why, since I’ve made it for them before and they requested I make it again.  But I’m just so worried they will curl up their noses and say, “Blech.”

I confess…that I have a fear of rejection.  Can you tell?

I confess…that I’m a little disgruntled that I have to wait until Monday for my turkey.  Monday.  MONDAY.  Being the only single kid in the family sucks ass.  While the rest of them are gallivanting all over the countryside having multiple turkeys with their significant others’ families, I’m stuck waiting.  It blows.

I confess…that I’m so so so so so tired of being single. *sigh*

I confess…that the whining is now officially done.  I’m ready to soak up this fun weekend, reflect on all that I do  have to be grateful for, and eat turkey. It’s going to taste damn.good by the time I get mine.

Go link up with Mamarazzi and get your confessions out there.

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian pals, and enjoy your weekend everyone!!

TURKEY LURKEY GOBBLA GOBBLA!!!

I have a new reason to love Thursday nights.

Thursday nights used to be my favourite because of Friends.

Then Thursday nights were my favourite because of Grey’s Anatomy.

I still love both dearly, but now I love Thursday nights for another reason.

And that reason is Sheldon.

I know. 

Weird, right?

But I love Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory, which, in my opinion, is the best sit-com to grace our television screens since my beloved Friends went off the air.

It took me a while to be convinced, but the show has wiggled it’s way into my heart.  And I have developed a soft spot for the neurotic geek (who is portrayed by Jim Parsons). 

The show in general is hilarious, but I don’t think it would be nearly as funny without him.  Sheldon makes the show.

Any other Big Bang Theory fans out there?  Anyone else share my adoration for Sheldon?  Anyone else think it’s the best show since Friends???

WWTKW: The Mean Streets of Quyon, and My Beautiful Sleeping Babies

It’s time for your regularly-scheduled Hump Day Q&A, hosted by Mamarazzi and Queso.

This week’s questions are:

{1} If you had an extra hour to do ANYTHING for yourself each day what would you do?
{2} Are you a morning person or a night owl?
{3} How much sleep do you get on an average night?
{4} When do you find the time to blog/surf the ol' interweb?
{5} What is the ONE thing you're never too busy for?

Here are my answers:

{1} If you had an extra hour to do ANYTHING for yourself each day what would you do?  Lately?  This is going to sound crazy, coming from your resident “couch potato”, but I wish these days there was more daylight to get a walk in in the evenings.  The weather is cooler and perfect for going for walks, but by the time I get home from work, and make & eat supper, it’s already getting dark out.  I’d eat later, except I have this “no food after 7 PM” restriction on myself right now.  And sure, a nighttime walk sounds lovely, except the streets of Q-Town are sketchy these days, and I’m too afraid to walk alone in the dark.  Somehow, the joy of the walk is killed by the fact that I’m clenching my keys in my pocket, preparing to use them to gouge someone’s eyes out if I come under attack.  (And no, I’ve never been attacked by anyone before.  But almost by a dog, once.  It has raised the paranoia.)

 See?  Spooky, right?

…Okay so my town does not look like this.  But I have a wild imagination.

{2} Are you a morning person or a night owl?  I don’t really know if I’m either anymore.  I don’t like to sleep in all day, but I hate the sound of the alarm clock going off.  I’m generally not a pleasant person until at least 8 AM.  I guess I’m more of a night owl, but in recent months, I can barely stay up late even on weekends.  I’m falling asleep on the couch anytime after 10 PM.  How sad is that?!?!?

{3} How much sleep do you get on an average night?  I need a good 8 hours or else I’m crusty.  I think I’ve mentioned before that my only concern about having children someday is the fact that they’re unpredictable when it comes to sleeping.  I’m going to need some of those magic children who sleep 12 hours a night.  If not, I’m hoping they’re really really cute to make up for it. ;)

 Now here is a picture of all 6 of my beautiful children, all sleeping peacefully, as I’m sure they have been for 12-ish hours.  (Again, there I go with the imagination…)

{4} When do you find the time to blog/surf the ol' interweb?  If I’m not too busy at work, I usually check in as soon as I get to my desk (email, Facebook, read my favourite blogs); and then check at what I consider “morning & afternoon breaktimes”, and at lunch time.  I don’t have the Internet at my place (because, clearly, I live in the Dark Ages there), so I often go to my parents’ in the evening, and if nothing else is going on, I might do a little surfing and/or blogging there.

{5} What is the ONE thing you're never too busy for?   My family & friends.  Sure, I might be too busy to do something with them (usually because I’m doing something else with other family or friends!) – but if any of them needed me, I’d be there.  I would drop anything for them.

Happy Wednesday, everyone! :)

My Happy List

Shaking things up this Tuesday, and taking part in Mamarazzi’s “My Happy List” linky party.  She has recently moved it from the weekend to Tuesdays. It’s kind of a dark, gloomy day around here, so I thought I’d brighten my day up by thinking of the things I’m most happy about!!

• I’m happy that it’s almost Thanksgiving.  Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated this weekend, and I’ve been daydreaming about turkey dinner for a few weeks now.  The leaves are all turning colours, pumpkins are appearing on front stoops, there’s a chill in the air…I love Thanksgiving!!
• I’m happy that TUB RAVE goes hand-in-hand with Thanksgiving!  It’s a recent tradition that my MacKechnie cousins started several years ago. Cousin Chris will be coming with his DJ equipment, the hot tub will be bubbling, the Texas Horseshoe tourney will be on…snacks, drinks, guitars…I don’t consider myself the “rave” type, but TUB RAVE is definitely up my alley.

• I’m happy that I’ve almost lost 20 lbs since starting my “healthy eating regime” on August 22nd.  When I weighed in this morning, I was at a total of 17 lbs lost.  Getting there…  20 lbs was the initial goal, but there’s still a long way to go once  it’s reached.  I’d like to lose another 50 after that.  Workin’ on it!
• I’m happy that in a little over a week’s time, I will have new living room furniture!!  My couch, loveseat, and chair hand-me-downs are super-comfy, but they’re getting a little shabby.  I’m so excited to be getting new furniture.
• I’m happy that Car Rally is in the near future.  It’s definitely one of the most fun events that we have in our community.  I’m sooo looking forward to it!

• I’m happy that I’m making lasagna tonight to put in the freezer for office lunch on Friday.  I love cooking, and I haven’t made lasagna in a long time.  I’m looking forward to just spending the evening with the delicious smells of home cooking.

What are you happy about today?  What do you have to be grateful for in your life?  Head on over to Mamarazzi’s and link up!!