Christmas in Hawaii

I don't think I could ask for a better view while writing this post. I am sitting on my balcony looking out at the ocean with a drink in my hand. I am spending my Christmas and New Years in Hawaii with my family. We spent all Christmas Day travelling. My sister, brother in law and I left from Vancouver airport, while my mom, dad and brother left from Calgary. We all met up in Seattle and flew to Maui together. After flights being delayed in the morning we didn't have much of a layover in Seattle. 
Today was our first full day in Lahaina where we are staying. It's been a little cloudy and rainy which is alright with me since I got a cold the day before we left. It's been nice to have a day to rest and not be missing the sunshine. But this beats the weather back home in Vancouver where it has been snowing for the last couple weeks. Friends have said that they got even more snow today. There's no way I can complain about a little rain when it's still 24°C out and the rain is like a mist then anything. 
I am hoping that it is sunny tomorrow so I can go out snorkeling and not freeze my butt off when I come out of the water. Also I don't want to make my cold worse by swimming when it's a little chilly out. Resting today helped so much. I am definitely feeling better. Eating a ton of food probable helped too since I didn't eat much yesterday except airplane and airport food. As much as I love travelling spending hours in the airport is not that much fun. Especially when the gate you are at is in the tiniest area of the airport away from anything. But we made it safe and sound and I am extremely excited to see what adventures are to come in the next 2 weeks!!
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!!

Song of the Day: Sydney (I'll Come Running) by Brett Dennen

Snow, Snow, and More Snow

So I love snow, but I don't love how much snow we've gotten here in Vancouver. I am used to living in a place that knows what to do and how to deal with snow. Where as Vancouver has no clue, which makes it a disaster to get anywhere. The first day it snowed I got my car stuck at work in the parking lot and decided I wasn't going to drive until the snow went away a bit. It did for a few days and then it just keeps coming back. For the last 2 weeks I have been taking transit everywhere. It's sort of hard to take transit when you are so used to just hopping in your car and driving. With the snow we got today it is even worse. The whole bus system shut down. One great thing about it snowing here is that it is not incredibly cold. It hasn't gotten much colder then -10. Talking to my family back home it has been -30 there. I will take -10 over that any day. 

I think the funniest thing about the snow here is that people use their umbrellas when it is snowing. I was born and raised in Alberta I don't think I ever saw anyone ever use an umbrella. We wear a toque or a hood. I use an umbrella almost every day here because of the rain but I never thought about using one in the snow. I don't think I'll ever start using one in the snow, but it's just funny to see. 

One of the worst things about not being able to drive in the snow, was having to catch the bus at 6 am to get to work. I'm so happy that it's Christmas Break and I am working a later shift and don't have to wake up as early. I keep thinking I may have to just get some winter tires so that I can drive. I would be pretty much okay driving if only I had them. All seasons are not really for all seasons. If it continues to snow I may have to!!

Song of the Day: Earthquake Weather by Matt Nathanson

Books & Bras

Today I decided to go to Metrotown just to get out of the house and pick up a few things. I have a bad habit of always going into Victoria's Secret when I am at the mall, usually I can just go in and look and walk out. Not today. They had such cute bras!! So I decided to try on a couple and maybe get one. Well that did not happen. I tried on the few that I brought in and then asked the lady working there about fit and she brought me a bunch more to try on. She was so incredibly helpful and gave suggestions on fit and styles. She brought me ones that I would have never even picked up. Styles that I figured that wouldn't look good on me since I am so well endowed. I ended up buying 3 bras, 2 of which were ones that she brought me. I have never put on so many bras that made me feel amazing. Usually I find 1 or 2 that I like, but I love all the ones I bought. I had to pick which ones to buy out of all the ones she brought me. The 2 women that I talked to in VS today were so helpful. I have almost always had amazing service in VS and today they went above what I could have asked for. I haven't been feeling that good about myself in the last month or so and they just made me feel beautiful again. It's funny how something as simple as putting on a bra that fits amazing and makes your boobs look fantastic can boost your self-esteem so much. I knew I had to get out of the house today just so I wouldn't wallow in feeling crappy and I am so glad I did. I mean the trip didn't start out all that well with me going into the swimsuit store and trying on some cute suits that looked horrible. But I decided I wasn't going to let that get me down and headed into VS. I may have spent more than I planned on but for the joy that the bras bring me I am completely okay with it.
My next stop was Chapters. Another store that I have no self-control in. I always, always spend more than I intend to here. Last time I went to Chapters I bought the rest of the books in a series I am reading, then when I got home I realized I hadn't bought book 4, but 5 and 6. So today I finally went and got book 4. Along with a couple books that I have been wanting to get for a long time. Going to school we often saw videos and read excerpts from a man called Gabor Mate. I loved his way of speaking and found him incredibly interesting to listen to. I have kept meaning to go and pick up his books and read them in their entirety. I work with children and youth who are dealing with addictions as well as Attention Deficit

Disorder (ADD) and he has 2 very good books on both topics. Today I decided that I would pick up both books. He has many other books as well but these 2 are ones that I feel are the best for what I am working with at the moment. I could go on and on about the books I want to get that I have learned about through workshops and school, but I won't because it will probably put most of you to sleep.
I realised my library is starting to consist of more books relating to my work then of fantasy, sci-fi, or history book. I love to read and I love finding new things to read and I don't usually find the books that I get that are more related to my work as work books. They are books that help me work with the children and youth that I work with and that I find interesting. It's not work to read them. It's for pleasure just as much as the other books I read. 
All in all it was a very good day. It was a much needed boost to my selfconfidence. And now I get to curl up in bed with a big cup of tea (thanks to me finally buying a tea ball) and read my new books. 

Song of the Day: I Like You by Ben Rector

Halloween Weekend Fun

Happy Halloween!! 
I celebrated my Halloween this weekend with my man. I worked during the day on Saturday then got ready as fast as I could and headed out to a house party. This Halloween I was a Pin Up girl. Sadly I didn't have my auntie to help me with my hair and had to figure out how to do victory rolls on my own, but I was able to text her and get some advice on how to make them look better. My first attempt was pretty sad. The worst part was I didn't get any pictures!! At the house party the people throwing the party took a couple big group shots but I didn't get any of just me and my man. It was a little scary to go to the house party as I had never met any of the people there. It was some friends of my man who were throwing the party and it was tons of fun. It was more of a family event since all of the people there had kids, but it was still fun to meet new people, eat good food and drink.
After the house party we headed downtown Vancouver to a bar. I am not a big bar person, but it's Halloween so why not. The bar was probably the tiniest bar I have ever been in. Maybe 30 people could fit into this place. But it was a pretty cool place. We met up with some different friends at the bar and I met some more of my man's friends. I don't think I have ever dated a guy who has so many different groups of friends. Not that that is a bad thing, but it gets hard sometimes to keep everybody straight. We stayed at the bar until it closed at like 3 am. I couldn't believe how late it was! Our first stop was to McDonald's to get food. I was so hungry and all I wanted was chicken nuggets. After that was the task of finding a cab. Oh my goodness. We walked all the way up to Burrard Bridge to get out of the crowds and try to get one before it was taken. We probably still waited a good half hour before we got one. By the time I crawled into bed into was 5 am. Way too late for me!! I was so happy that I did not work Sunday. It would have been a disaster. It was a super fun night and I saw some of the skimpiest costumes ever, but whatever floats your boat. I cast no judgement. I mean I wouldn't wear half of the costumes, but if that is what you want to wear all the power to you. I felt exposed in high waisted jeans and a crop top. Only a little bit of my stomach was showing and it was too much for me.
Today was actually Halloween so I got to dress up for work as well. I didn't wear my Pin Up outfit though. I dressed up as a cat. I felt like none of the kids would get Pin Up girl and they all know that I love cats so it made more sense. We had a little Halloween party and ate chips and played games. 

The ears are sparkly!!

All in all it was a great Halloween weekend. So glad I went out and got to spend time with friends. Here's to getting back on track of eating healthy tomorrow. So much candy this last week and still have tons in my house. I'll just have to remind myself not to eat it all in one sitting!!
Have a great night everybody!!

Song of the Day: Monster Mash

Thanksgiving Vegetarian Style

Happy Thanksgiving!!! It may be a little late but that's okay. This year Thanksgiving was a little different. It started off with me spending all day Saturday baking pumpkin treats. Every year I make pumpkin scones and pumpkin snickerdoodles, but this year since both those don't use and entire can of pumpkin puree I decided to try out a new recipe. It was a fantastic idea. I made pumpkin whoppee pies. Which is basically a pumpkin cookie with a cream cheese frosting inside (think homemade Oreo cookies, which I should also make). They turned out amazing, definitely going to add them to the annual pumpkin baking day. 

Since my sister and her husband are vegetarians we did a vegetarian Thanksgiving. My brother-in-law made a lasagna roll up with a squash puree on top and mashed sweet potatoes. The friends that we have Thanksgiving with are from South Africa and they made a South African dish for us as well. I have no clue what it was called, but it was amazing. It was great to get to try new foods and spend the evening with family and friends. It is still a little weird for me not to spend holidays with my parents, but moving far away changes things. I love where I live and wouldn't move back for anything, but it takes a little getting used to. I didn't get to spend it with my man as he was still on his holidays, but his birthday is coming up next weekend and I can't wait for him to see the present I'm making him!!

Hope everyone stays dry in this crazy stormy weather!!

Song of the Day: Let It Be Me by Ray LaMontagne

Poker and Work

I have been so behind on writing!! Been busy with working almost everyday this month. Been crazy but also good. With the new school year starting work gets pretty interesting. New kids coming to day care and getting the other kids back in the rhythm of school and day care again. 
A couple weekends ago I went to my first ever poker game. Not anything official just a bunch of friends getting together and playing. I have never played poker in my life so I got to be on a team with my man. It's a group of his friends that gets together to play about once a month and this time I got invited to go with. I was super excited. Last time he just told me about it. 
I was a little nervous to go even though I have met most of the friends he plays poker with. The night started with adventure. I was driving so we didn't have to spend an hour on transit getting to his friends house. Note I don't know my way around the Vancouver area very well at all. I was lost the entire night. First we had to get to one of the Skytrain stations to pick up one friend then go get some goodies and booze to take to poker night. Having two guys in your car giving you different directions to get there was the most confusing thing ever. One said turn here the other said keep going straight. I am very sorry to the other drivers that night. It was crazy. We did make it to Walmart and got cake and chips then over to the liquor store. We finally got to his friends house and hung out for a bit while we waited for everyone to show up. 
It means a lot to me that my man's friends have accepted me so openly. I still feel like the newbie most of the time and they are so welcoming. It's funny to hear all old stories about him and some of the crazy things he did when he was a kid. 
It was a great night. Full of laughter and shenanigans. I was the cool one who fell asleep on the couch at about 1 am then woke up after 2 am to them still playing. I had to work that morning at 8 was not a happy camper. If I had known where I was I probably would have left but I didn't and my phone didn't have service there so I was stuck until they finished playing. I convinced them to finish quickly so that we could go. I thought we would just head home and that would be the end of the night but unlucky for me it didn't end there. We ended up driving his one buddy out to the casino when we left. Which having 3 drunk guys in your car trying to give you directions when they exit you need to take on the highway is closed is interesting. One lucky thing was that the casino was super close to my man's house so it wasn't too far out of our way. We finally got home at 3 am and I just went straight to sleep so that I would at least get 3 hours of sleep in before I had to leave for work. Not one of my proudest moments going into work exhausted. It's a good thing that Sundays are typically pretty chill at my job. I am very glad I did go to the poker night as my man left for holidays a couple days after and has been gone for the last 2 weeks. He comes home Monday night and I can't wait!! 

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!

Song of the Day: Beg For It (Feat. MO) by Iggy Azalea

Game Day

For those who know me, they know that I am not really into sports. I never really have been and my family growing up wasn't really either. But this weekend while I had a friend visiting me, she wanted to go to a Whitecaps game. I didn't even know who they were or what sport they played until a couple weeks ago when we took the kids I work with to see them practice. I didn't really want to go, but because of the weather our other plans weren't going to work. We booked tickets 2 days before the game and went. 

I am actually really glad we went. It was a lot of fun. I've never been to such a huge sporting event before and it was really cool. The amount of people there and how talent all the players were was crazy. It was unfortunate that the Whitecaps lost but it was still fun to go and be part of the crowd. When we first got there and were sitting down the place didn't look very full, but as the game started it filled up. It was fun to see the rituals that there are before a game starts. We sang the national anthems of both teams as well as the Whitecaps song. Which I had never heard before, but the rest of the crowd was singing and all in their Whitecaps gear. It was very cool. The crowd was pretty calm and it made me wonder what a soccer game in Europe would be like with how much more into soccer they are. You see things on the news highlights about fights breaking out and how dressed up they are in their team colours I think it would be very interesting to see the difference in the crowds. Maybe I just happened to go on a day that the crowd here was very tame. Who knows.
I managed to navigate us to BC Place and the little coffee shop that we wanted to try right near it. We had originally wanted to check out the Catfe, but they were booked and didn't have any space available. One day I will go to the Catfe and play with cats while I drink coffee. But the little cafe we ended up going to was cute and had really good coffee and a coconut nanaimo bar, which was fantastic. 
After the game we went for supper with my man and I learned a new way to get home on the Skytrain. All in all it was a great day!!

Hope everyone had a great long weekend!!

Song of the day: Crash Into Me by Dave Matthews Band

I Climbed a Mountain

This Saturday I went hiking with my brother-in-law. We had originally planned to do the Grouse Grind but then decided to climb Mount Seymour. I still want to do the Grouse Grind which everyone says you need to do at least once. My brother-in-law is a hiker, he does 3 day hikes and crazy hard ones. I, on the other hand, am not. I like to walk, but hiking is not something I do on a regular basis. I do enjoy hiking though I have only gone a few times. With that being said, my brother-in-law told me that this hike would be pretty easy. It was only about 9 km, no problem. I walk about that distance walking to and from work 4 times a day. My thought was I can do that it will be fine. No, it was not. His version of easy is not my version. He is 6 foot and I am 4'11'', this alone made it more difficult and the fact that spots that were just a step up for him I had to climb, on hands and knees. I was filthy by not even half way up. There are 3 peaks on Mount Seymour that you can climb to. We decided that we would go to the first peak which is called First Peak (real creative, did I name it?) and see from there if we wanted to continue. Along the way there are signs telling you how far you are and to give directions. Each time I saw one I was sure we were almost there and it would dash my hopes. We did make it to the top of First Peak after climbing and crawling my way up there to have second breakfast (Lord of the Rings anyone?). We had a pretty sweet view of Vancouver and area. It was kinda cloudy so we did not get to really see the city but you could see parts and over to Vancouver Island. It was so beautiful and I was so proud of myself for making it up there. 
We decided to head back home instead of going on to the other peaks. I was so tired and did not think I would make it if we continued. The worst part of that was realising that I now had to climb down all that I had climbed up. We went early in the morning and there were not many people on the trail at that time. On the way down we passed so many people. I could not imagine starting that hike at 11 am. I was sweating like crazy when we were going up at it was about 7:30 am. It is a fairly narrow trail, so going past people you had to stop and wait for them to go past and taking breaks was a little harder. I am sure people wondered why I was so filthy when they went by, but I had a lot of fun. I would like to do more hiking. I think I will ask my brother-in-law if I can come on more of his easy hikes before the season is done for the year. It was definitely a challenge but I am working on my fitness and that is just a different form to get my body into shape and not just be doing the same thing all the time. Was a complete body workout not just a leg workout for sure! I am so proud of myself for making it all the way up and it is amazing to see what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. 

I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoys the last week of summer! I go back to regular work after this week of summer camp!!

Song of the Day: Walk Me Down the Middle by The Band Perry

Lake Time

On Sunday, I went to Buntzen Lake with my man and some friends. It was the first time that I have been swimming or to a beach this summer. Which is sad since summer is nearly over! It was an adventure to get there for sure. I drove and my man had his GPS on to get us there. It was the first road trip even though it was small that we have taken together and both of us got so frustrated. The GPS didn't tell us street names until we zoomed super into the map and some of the streets weren't marked. It's about a 40 minute drive from Burnaby and it took us longer because of getting lost. Both of us were so frustrated by the time we actually got there. And the signs for the parking lot kept saying the lots were full so we were worried

that it was going to be super busy and I took the first parking spot I saw at the end of the parking lot to walk past almost 20 spots closer. It was sad, but we made it and got a great spot on the beach as it wasn't very busy. The weather was perfect for spending at the beach. Warm and sunny. Only problem was the water was freezing.It probably wouldn't have been bad if you just jumped right in, but going in slowly was painful. It was a great day though, our friends met us there and we had a great time just relaxing on the beach. I had wanted to go to the ocean and swim in the ocean, but the water isn't very nice here in Vancouver to go swimming so to the lake we went. I am glad I took my friends advice and went to Buntzen Lake instead. I would have been very sad to not be able to go in the water. I wish I would have taken more photos while we were there, but I was enjoying my time that I didn't even think to take out my phone.
Hopefully there will be more beach days before summer ends. And definitely need to bring floaties next time we go! It was nice to get out of the city and spend time with adults. I spend way too much time with children and not enough with adults it feels like most days. 

Song of the Day: It's Just What We Do by Florida Georgia Line

Fun for the Weekend

Last weekend was August Long and it was a crazy, busy, fun filled weekend for me. I got to see more of Vancouver and see things I have never seen before. It was a great time with great people. 
It started off Saturday night with the Honda Celebration of Lights. Which is where 3 different countries do a musical fireworks display and get judged on it. This year there was the Netherlands, Australia, and USA. I got to see the fireworks from USA which was Disney

themed. We headed down to English Bay to watch 

the fireworks. We actually got to stand on the beach, which was crazy busy. We were standing in a crowd of over 500,000 people. I don't do crowds so this was a little stressful for me. Just as we got a spot (we had to stand) there was an announcement that the beach was now full and there was still tons of people standing behind us. The fireworks started at 10 pm and went until about 10:30. We were too far away from the speakers to hear the music but the fireworks were still amazing. I thought about taking pictures but I decided to just enjoy them and firework pictures never really turn out that great anyway. I swear I did at least 500 calf raises that night. Being only 4'11'' I had to stand on my tippy toes to see the lower fireworks, since there were tall people standing in front of us. There were some fireworks that went way up in the sky and others that were closer to the boat that the fireworks are on. Heading out after the fireworks was terrifying to me. There were so many people trying to leave at the same time. It went really smoothly but it was insane. I was pressed up against so many people and holding on to my man so I didn't lose him. It took a couple blocks for the crowd to thin out a bit but then getting on the SkyTrain was just a cramped. Shout out to the Vancouver Police who were super organised and had everything set up to move that many people quickly and efficiently. Though it was crowded, the crowd did move pretty quick and was an experience for sure. Not one I would like to repeat anytime soon, but it was still a great time!

Sunday was the Pride Parade in Vancouver and I decided that I wanted to go. My man thankfully came with me again and I survived another day in a huge crowd. The parade started at noon and went until 3. There are different sections so we only saw one section before finding a patio and grabbing a drink. I again did at least 300 calf raises. We weren't too far from the street but we were pressed in like sardines and I didn't get to see much of went on on the street but the floats were cool and some people went all out with the outfits and the design of the floats. There was a lot of men in speedos dancing on the floats, but it was fun to see. After our section of the parade was done we slowly headed out to find a patio to grab some drinks on while we waited for some friends to come join us. We ended up meeting them at Sunset Beach and getting to be part of a large wedding ceremony. There were 5 couples that got married on the main stage at the beach that day. It was the first time that has ever happened and it was really cool to get to be a part of it. After seeing that we went for food and drinks then headed to Harbour Green Park just enjoyed the evening at the park with our friend's dog and many other dogs. I'm terrified of dogs and it was a little hard for me to enjoy myself at first but I did after a bit when the other dogs stayed away from us. We were going to head down to another beach, but I was so tired we called it a night and went home.
It was a crowd filled weekend, but was so much fun and I am so glad that I went out to experience it. I hope everyone had a great long weekend!!

Song of the Day: For The Win by We Are The In Crowd

Reading Feeds the Soul

Reading is one of my absolute favourite things to do. I can spend an entire day in bed with a good book. Having moved so far away from home I didn't bring really any books with me, which is horribly sad since my collection is pretty big (no where near as big as my CD collection but still large). I read pretty much anything. I love history, sci-fi, non-fiction, fiction, teen novels and anything else. Chapters and I have a love/hate relationship of I love going there and buying books, but I hate that I spend at least $100 whenever I go there. I have no self control over buying books. I bought a Kobo thinking it would help and I would save money on books but I didn't like reading off of it. I prefer to have an actual book in my hand. 

Some of my favourite authors are Sarah Dessen, M.C. Scott, Lois Lowry, and Gabor Mate. I could name tons more, but that would be boring and these are authors who I could read their books over and over again (which I have with all of Sarah Dessen's novels). 

I love getting recommendations for books as well. It is awesome to see how someone's face lights up when they talk about a book that they love. I have always wanted to join a book club but I'm not so good when I'm told I have to read a certain book. Or when I have to analyze and find meanings in certain passages. It takes all the joy out of reading the book for me. I just enjoy the journey that a well written story can take you on. Also I'm a grammar freak when it comes to reading. I may not be that good at typing or my own grammar, but when I see mistakes in a published book it can turn me off reading. I read one series that they first couple books were good but as the series continued there were so many spelling mistakes and contradictions from sentence to sentence that I stopped reading them. It was like there was no proofreading before the book was published. Funny enough they made the series into a TV show and it was just as awful as the books. 

At work we use reading almost as a punishment. If the kids aren't listening or behaving we make them read. To me reading shouldn't be seen as a bad thing. I don't understand how in a group of 30 kids none of them want to read. Reading is boring and stupid to them. I just say they aren't reading the right books. If someone handed me a romance novel I would be saying the same thing though.

With the beautiful weather we been having here I have enjoyed being able to go the park behind my house and read. Sadly I am uber white so I don't tan. As much as I would love to have a little colour while doing something enjoyable it doesn't happen. 

Happy reading!!

Have a great rest of the week!!

Song of the Day: Habits (Stay High) by Tove Lo

Just the Beginning of Summer Fun

This is the gondola you take up and down

I have survived my first week of Summer Camp! It was an interesting week as I was at a different centre than I am usually at for breaks in the school year. I met a bunch of new kids and staff. The week got off to a shaky start as the weather decided to be cold and rainy and we had to stay inside instead of getting to do our water games outside. One day was nice so we got to go to the park and have some fun in the sun. On Friday we went to Grouse Mountain. I have never been there and I was excited to go. You have to take a gondola up to the top of the mountain or you can do the Grouse Grind, which is basically a staircase in the mountains. People call it a hike but from the stories I have heard it sounds a vertical staircase made by nature that is killer. With the kids we took the gondola up, which was still pretty cool. It was cold and rainy at the top, but still so beautiful. It was foggy so it looked like the buildings were just coming out of the mist. I thought it was pretty, but the kids complained about being wet and hungry. Just after lunch the sun came out and we were able to see the Birds of Prey show and the bears decided to make an appearance in their enclosure. It was funny to me when everybody was so excited to see a deer standing by the path. I guess growing up on a farm in Alberta deer aren't that exotic to me. Everybody else was going googoo over it. I was more interested in the Vulture and other birds we saw in the bird show. They were so cool. I would love to go back to Grouse Mountain without a pack of kids and get to explore more and possibly do the Grouse Grind. I think I need to work on my cardio more before I attempt to do it. I have heard people say how they could do it in 45 minutes and I think it would take me like 2 hours to do, but who knows. 

Song of the Day: The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

Canada Day!!

Happy Canada Day weekend!! Hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend. I got to spend mine downtown Vancouver with my man and his friends. It was great to be out and enjoying the beautiful weather. We spent most of the time at a restaurant drinking on the patio, but we did go out and wander around downtown for a bit too. I'm glad the weather decided to turn nice. The day started out cold and rainy but turned into a nice sunny day. We didn't get to see the fireworks as we hardly made it to 11 pm we were all so tired. It was a great day and it was great to meet new people! Had fun exploring and spending the day with my man!

Song of the Day: Send My Love patty cake cover by Sam Tsui, KHS, Madilyn Bailey, Alex G

Fun Times with Family

A couple weekends ago my cousin and a friend came out to visit me! They came for a hair course, but I feel like I was the real reason they came. It was great to see them and get to show them around a bit and go shopping with them. The adventure began with me having to drive to the airport for the first time by myself. It just so happened that they also arrived at midnight so I was nervous about finding where I was going in the dark on top of driving through Vancouver. But I got there without getting lost, which is a daily occurrence here I swear. We spent Sunday at Metrotown mall, it's the biggest mall in Vancouver area. It's 3 stories and huge. My sister joined us and we spent the day shopping and catching up. That evening we went to dinner and I got to show them the area where I work. 
Monday I was the meanest cousin ever and made them walk down to the pizza place to get supper. That may not sound so bad if you didn't see the hill we had to walk down then back up. I made them work for their supper that night. The area I live in is pretty hilly and they were not happy about that walk. But the pizza was good and so was the Starbucks we got while waiting for the pizza. 
 Tuesday was a pretty chill day just hanging out at my place after work and their course. We made food and just got to chat and catch up on everything. Though we had done that the previous two days, there is so much to talk about when you haven't see each other since March. We may text and Skype whenever we can, but it's different when you actually see someone. 
Wednesday was their last day here and we went back to Metrotown to do some last minute shopping before I took them to the airport. I was sad to see them go when I dropped them off at the airport. It was really nice to have them here. I have lived here for just over a year and haven't really made many friends yet, so it was nice to just get to chat and hangout. It seems like all I do is work so I don't get out much anymore. But hopefully this summer I will be able to get out more! 
Have a great weekend!!

Song of the Day: Friends by Jasmine Thompson

Chicks and Cars

These last couple weeks have been an adventure in getting my car ready to become a British Columbia car. Getting a new windshield, tires, and out of province inspection it has been expensive as well. I know nothing about doing this stuff and made many phone calls to my parents to help. I've been lucky that my parents took care of all of this before. I'd just have to go "Daddy my car is doing something funny" and he would take care of it. Now living far away it's a little harder to do that. I've always taken good care of my car just never had to figure things out on my own. Getting new tires I had no clue what brands the tire shop was talking about when they asked what I was looking for. I ended up just calling my dad after to ask him questions about what they guy had said. I am slowly learning and I'm sure if I took the time to really look into it I could find out more about tires and things. Being a farm girl I do know how to change my oil and change a tire. Not that I really want to do either, but my parents made it a mandatory part of getting our driver's license to learn how to do it. Also living with my uncle who is a mechanic helped me learn a few more things, but I like being able to take it in and get it fixed. If I had the space to change my own oil I would do it. Way cheaper to do it myself but I think it's frowned upon to change your oil on the street as I where I live I only have street parking. 

Best plate ever!

The saddest part about having to change my plates is that I will no longer have my pink John Deere plate on the front of my car. BC has plates on the front and back, where Alberta only has back plates. Very sad day. Might have to make a compromise and get a little window sticker or something. Maybe a Hello Kitty Darth Vader sticker like my mom has. 

Song of the Day: Chicks n'Cars (and Third World War) by Colin James

Technology & Me

Technology and I have not been the best of friends the last few weeks. It started with my phone crapping out and then my new computer not turning on. I ended up having to buy a new phone, which has been fun because I haven't had a new phone in about 4 years. I have always gotten my brothers old phones. My computer I had to send away to get fixed. I was lucky to still have my old laptop to use in the mean time. 
I am not techie in the least bit and having to figure out how to use a new phone has been interesting. All my old phones my brother set up for me and they were good to go. With this new one I have had to do it all. It has been good. If a little frustrating at times trying to figure out settings and how to do things, but it is good to know how to do it.
I am getting my computer back tomorrow and they had to wipe it. I am sad that I lost some stuff, but it will be so nice to have it back. Using my old laptop has been interesting. I call it the Beast and it really is a beast. It is so heavy and things do not work so well since it is 7 years old. I felt all fancy with all new technology, I still do. It has been a long time since I have had all new things. Being a student and then moving expenses add up. It feels good to be able to afford to buy things for myself and spoil myself a little. 

Have a great weekend everybody!

Song of the Day: A Love Like Mine by Plug in Stereo

Girl Power

I got the opportunity to go to a workshop for work a couple weekends ago that was about empowering girls and helping them to navigate this wonderful thing called life and growing up. The presenter was from a company called Bold New Girls. I know as a girl how hard it can be growing up and some of the struggles that we face. Coming from a Child and Youth Care background a lot of what was talked about fit with what I learned in school; self-care, physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual health.
The presenter talked about how girls are expected to be seen not heard or act proper, but what is proper? Why is it so wrong for a girl to make mistakes? She also talked about empowering girls to be brave. I took from that that we should encourage them to try things and not be afraid of making mistakes. That it is okay to step out of that box that society has put us in. Girls are just as capable as guys to do anything they set their mind to and helping girls to understand this and set goals and take positive risks is so important. 
As a girl myself, I know how hard it can be to deal with all the different emotions and changes that occur as you grow up. But having someone to talk to is the greatest thing that a girl can have. Whether that person is a parent, teacher, relative or whoever, but someone that you trust. The presenter talked about empowering girls to explore their emotions, all of them. Taking ownership of how you're feeling and being able to identify the emotion can be a difficult task as a young girl who is told to smile and not show how you really feel. Being able to talk to someone about those emotions and helping to identify them and not dismiss them. Validating how they feel and not making a girl feel like she should not feel that way is so important. 
There was a discussion as well around bullying. Which at my work we have seen an increase in. It has been an uphill battle teaching the kids about bullying. The presenter said words matter and girls need to be responsible. I think this is very true. There are times when we speak out of anger or jealousy or any other emotion, and we do not always realize what affect that may have on the other person. Girls are a lot more relational when it comes to bullying. They use gossip and rumors to hurt others, while boys are more physical. Not saying that girls can not be phyiscal and boys can not use words. Growing up is hard enough and when you feel like you are being bullied or left out it can make it that much harder. Girls can be mean. I think it is important to teach girls that you don't have to be best friends with everybody but that doesn't mean that you can be mean to others. I grew up in an incredibly small town. I went to school with the same 100 kids from kindergarten to Grade 12. I wasn't best friends with everybody, but we all got along. I could see in other grades the bullying and cliques, but my class didn't have that. It was quite amazing. I think having grown up with that I see the importance in teaching girls and boys that inclusion and just being nice in general can go a long way.
I think that everybody should go to this workshop. I wish that I could write more about it and in more detail, but I don't want to bore you all with my ramblings. This workshop definitely reminded me why I went into Child and Youth Care in the first place. The passion in which the presenter talked just made me want to pick her brain and spend more time with her. She gave us great books, websites, TEDtalks, etc to look at for even more resources and tools. I may not have wanted to give up my Saturday morning to go to this workshop at first, but I am very glad I did.





Song of the Day: Sit Still, Look Pretty by Daya

Run it Out!

With summer coming up and the nicer weather I have been wanting to go hiking more with my brother in law. He goes almost every weekend rain or shine, but I'm more of a fair weather outdoorist (probably not a word). I thought that I would just hop right back into hiking after not going since last summer, then I walked to work. My cardio has failed me. I felt like dying and it was only a half hour walk. With that thought brought me to remember that before I moved to Vancouver my brother was training for a 5k and I gone with him on some of his runs and he was using an app to get him ready. I got the app. Couch Potato to 5k. I have done a couple days on it and I have survived, but I am definitely not where I used to be. I have always wanted to do a colour run, but have always said no because of an injury back when I was 14. I used to run track and run all the time until I got hurt. That was 11 years ago. Since then I have learned how to get my leg back into shape and work with it. I think it may be time to stop saying no and go out and sign up! Now with this app and starting to train I really want to go. I think it will help not only with keeping me in shape, but maybe be able to keep up a little more with my brother in law on the trails. Probably not since he is over 6' and I'm only 4'11''. Still I don't want to feel like I'm falling behind and he has to wait for me. 

This is my goal for the summer! To get my cardio back to where it was or better and get back into shape. I set the bar a little to high with my goal before and with being so sick the last month (thanks strep throat) I have fallen behind in where I thought I would be. It is a little discouraging, but I know how much better I feel when I am working out and taking care of myself that I believe I can do it!

If anyone wants to join me in a run let me know!! Or has any tips to keep motivated! 

Song of the Day: Jackie and Wilson by Hozier

Sunshine & Love

With the weather getting warmer and less rainy (gotta love Vancouver!) I have been doing my yoga in the park behind my house. At first I was a little nervous to just go out and throw down my mat and practice, but after deciding to just be bold and do what I love, I have fallen in love with it! It is crazy how something as simple as the sun shining on your face, the birds chirping, and the sounds of nature can completely relax you. Yes I love my yoga videos and following an instructor, but taking the lead and letting my body control what I do and doing what I feel like is refreshing. I went with how my body was feeling and let that guide my practice. I took all that I have learned from classes and videos and made it my own. I'm sure if an actual instructor saw me they would wonder what I was doing, but it just felt good. There was no time limit or anything. Just me enjoying the sun and fresh air. I know I had some weird looks from the old lady sitting on her porch, but I just laughed it off. I can tell that I have grown as a person with that one. If that had happened even a few months ago I would have stopped and gone inside. I am glad my job allows me to enjoy the morning outside. Even though the split shift will be the death of me, it is nice to be up early, go to work, come home, get to enjoy the morning sun when it's still coolish outside and do my yoga, then go back to work in the afternoon. 
It's crazy how often we take the beauty of nature for granted. I have found, through doing my yoga outside, an appreciation for nature that I had when I was a child, but lost. As a kid I spent almost everyday outside whether playing or helping with chores. I came in when the yard light came on or mom called me in for dinner. I grew up on a farm so there was room to run around and ride my bike. Somewhere in growing up I lost that love of being outside, might have something to do with my great dislike of bugs, but I am so happy to be getting back to nature. It is definitely something I took for granted and now want to be able to enjoy and not let the my schedule get in the way of. I may be busy, but there is always time to stop and go outside.

Have a great weekend!

Song of the Day: Bright by Echosmith

Festival and Food

I went to the Vaisakhi Festival in Vancouver this weekend. It is a Sikh festival celebrating the harvest time. There was a parade and people serving vegetarian food along the street. It was super cool to see. It was all Indian food and so good. I went with my family and we ate so much food! I didn't even eat supper tonight I was still full. It was great to get out and with my family and go explore a bit. The festival is open to anyone though we felt like the only white people there. We also felt a little under dressed. All the woman were in their colourful dress and the men were in their traditional dress or in suits. The weather was awesome too! It was a little overcast but still warm. The cloud cover kept me from turning into a lobster. It was a great way to spend a Saturday. I love learning about other cultures and I love that I live in a city that has so many to learn about first hand. There a tons of other festivals and such for other cultures and I love getting to go to them! Especially when there is food. I am a super picky eater, but I love trying different foods. I got to try different things today that I had no idea what they were, but they were delicious. I enjoyed the sticky orange sugar treat that I got. If you know me, you know that I love sweets and this was almost too sweet for me.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a great week!

Song of the Day: Way Back When by Kodaline

Motivation Comes From Everywhere!

My Motivational Wall

Finding motivation is one of the hardest things to do sometimes. I know I have days where I am like yeah I'm going to go out for a walk, do my yoga, clean all in one day and then when it comes to it I don't get out of bed. Sometimes the motivation isn't about being active or working out. Sometimes it is about being happy or looking at the positives. 
I used to think that positive affirmations were lame and only people who read self help books and ate grass used them. Don't know what grass has to do with anything, but sure. But I was so wrong about them. They don't have to be affirmations, they can be a lyric from your favourite song or a bible verse. Anything that you hear or see that makes you really think or makes you smile. For me I found ones that I could relate to or that reminded me that it's okay to feel sad, but not to stay there. Or happy, funny, inspirational quotes and sayings.
I saw on Pinterest one day about making a Motivational Wall and putting it somewhere that you see first thing in the morning. I kept going back and forth on it. At first thinking yes that's so cool and no that's lame. After going through a bit of a rough patch I decided to make one. I had tons of sayings saved on my phone and everywhere that putting them on my wall just made sense. So I went and got a bunch of different coloured and sizes of sticky notes and made my own Motivational Wall. It started out as just quotes based on working out. I was getting into going to the gym and working out and focused on that. Over the years it has evolved into a wall of happiness. It has reminders to look at the positive, enjoy life and be happy. I have a few that aren't really anything but things that friends wrote and stuck up. I made it colourful and I love it. It makes me happy just looking at it. I still saves quotes on my phone so I can look at them when I'm not at home if I need a boost in the day. Having moved to a new province away from family and friends I started to add pictures of friends to my wall. My friends have been there for me through good and bad times and they are part of my motivation. 
This life is a crazy, beautiful journey and all I want to do is enjoy it! There are days when I don't get out of bed, but there are others that I am super productive. It's all about balance and not getting down on myself for having a bad or lazy day. My wall is a daily reminder of this. So go out and enjoy life!! Create a wall! Make a digital version. Whatever suits you. Just live and love.
Have a wonderful week!

This is totally me.

Song of the Day: Joy Parade by Lennon and Maisy Stella

Easter with the Family

I had a great weekend home in Alberta with my family. It was a fairly short trip but I still got to see some of my friends and family. I may be to old for the Easter bunny, but my mom still had tons of chocolate in the house, from mini eggs to marshmallow bunnies. All the good stuff that only comes out at this time of year. I got to spend a whole day with one of my best friends and her little family baking cupcakes and decorating eggs. I have never dyed eggs before so it was tons of fun to get to do. We ate at least 3 cupcakes each after decorating them and it was so nice to just get to catch up with her. I haven't seen her since her wedding day in July!!! Living far away I miss out on my niece growing up a bit but we try to make time to Skype and text as much as possible. It was great to see them and see how much she has grown up since I saw her last. 

Dying eggs!!

I also spent a day with my cousin aka my minitwin. So excited for her to come visit me out here in Vancouver in June!! We will go on grand adventures! I got my hair done and got to just spend time relaxing on the couch watching movies. 
I was hopeful while flying home that there would be snow. It is so strange to me not having snow in the winter time. I'm used to cold, snowy winters and that's not what happens here. I got my snow. Not only one day but 2 days of snow. Luckily it wasn't super cold. 
The only downside to my little holiday was getting sick. I was battling a cold before I left and it got so much worse when I got home. I ended up having to go to the doctor before I flew out to get antibiotics. So not how I wanted to spend my day, but not much I could do. Flying with an ear infection is the worst thing. Even worse then the kid that was constantly being yelled at on my flight back to Vancouver. We all knew the kids name while we were waiting in the airport and then heard it even more on the flight. He wasn't even being that bad in the airport. He was being cute, but mom was having none of it. I don't have kids, but expecting a 4 year old to sit and be quiet for 2 hours is not realistic. He wanted to see the plane thing that spins (if you've been in the Calgary airport you probably know what I'm talking about). She wouldn't let him see it. Our gate was right in front of it. I felt so bad for the kid. 
But other than that it was a great trip. Ate way too much junk and turkey. Also need to try making banana bread french toast. I had some at a restaurant it was the greatest thing ever. Super sweet, but delicious. 

Song of the day: Heist by Lindsey Stirling

Cupcakes are my weakness.

Don't usually take plane pictures but the
mountains were so beautiful!!

Home Sweet Home

Hello long weekend!! I will be spending my long weekend back home in Alberta with my family. I haven’t been home since Christmas and I am super excited to see everyone. I love living in Vancouver area and the nice weather (even with all the rain), but I love getting to go home and spend time with loved ones. It may only be a short visit but I am sure it will be nice and relaxing. Get my hair done and do some chilling on the farm. This was the first summer that I did not get to go combining with my dad and I am very sad about that. He may be started to work in the fields so maybe I’ll still get a tractor ride in.

I hope everyone has a great long weekend!!

Song of the day: Home by Foo Fighters

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Last Saturday I went to Yuk Yuk's Comedy club in Vancouver. I had been there once in the summer with my sister and had a blast. This time was just as good. The first comedian wasn't the best, but the MC and the other comedians were awesome. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. This time 'round was on a second date with a guy. I am enjoying dating. I don't think I have ever enjoyed dating this much. Just talking and getting to know the person. And it doesn't hurt that I am in a city with so much more to do than the places I have lived in the past. The Skytrain and I are becoming very good friends, well kind of expensive friends. It isn't cheap to take it every weekend. But I am out exploring and having fun so it is worth it to me. 

Anyway little off topic there, back to the comedy show! 

I grew up watching comedians and have always loved seeing how people can just get up on stage and try to make people laugh. It is so much more than just having a few funny jokes. You have to come up with new jokes for different sets and be able to tell how the room is responding to your material. I mean I could never even get up on stage so that's also impressive. I feel like laughter is some of the best medicine there is out there. Whether from a comedy show or out with friends. It can take you from a bad day to having a great time. I like Yuk Yuk's because it isn't all just professionals going up. It is up and coming comedians, professionals and local people. It's a great environment and so much fun. If you like comedy I recommend going to Yuk Yuk's. They are all over Canada and feature great acts! Or any comedy show. Just go, have fun and LAUGH!!

Song of the Day: Cheating by John Newman

Movie Time!

I finally got to see Deadpool!! I went on a movie date this week to go see it. I have been debating whether to go to it by myself or not and when I got asked out on a date to go I said yes. It was an awesome movie! Date was fine as hell as well. I didn't think I would be able to go on dates with different guys, but it has been an experience. I'm enjoying getting to go out and meet people and exploring different options. There's no handbook on how to date and meet your man. At least I don't think there is... But I am having fun and getting to see Deadpool was awesome. 
I am a huge Ryan Reynolds fan. When I heard he was playing Deadpool I was super excited. Big fan of Marvel movies in general, but you can't go wrong with superhero and Ryan. It's just a perfect combo. He was awesome in the role and it was a hilarious movie. I was trying so hard not to have to go to the bathroom in the movie, but sadly I had to. I missed the Stan Lee cameo, but that's life. 
I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

Song of the Day: Creep by Post Modern Jukebox

Not What I Expected

It is funny how one minute things are going so well and you are having so much fun and the next minute things turn to shit (pardon my French). You start getting to know someone and actually opening up about some pretty heavy topics, not things that you would normally talk about with just anyone and that other persons starts to throw those things in your face. For example I had a pretty abusive relationship in my past and still have some little things that can set me off. I am pretty open about what they are in relationships because I don't see them as a negative anymore, I just see them as things that I'm still working on, but have made me a stronger person. Having those things throw in my face when talking about what direction a new relationship is taking hurts so much. After having a few great dates with a guy and being able to be so open, those things that we had talked about were thrown in my face. It wasn't in a questioning way of trying to be understanding it was rude and insensitive. When confronted about it he played it off as if he didn't mean them that way, but then did it again with something else. I've never felt so judged by a person who kept saying they wanted to know me better. He referred to the things I opened up about as "my issues". News flash we all have issues and we all deal with them differently. He was no saint either. There was no way I was going to use the things he told me to put him down or make him feel like less of a person. I mean from the get go there were a couple red flags, but I was like I'm going to just see where things go and see what happens. Well that didn't work out so well. Those red flags turned into deal breakers. I want kids eventually, he HATES children. He would get mad when there was kids walking down the street or in his direct vicinity. It was bad. I know that it was only in the last year or so that I decided that I even wanted to have kids so I thought well he may be in the same boat, but I was very wrong. He told me that I would have to change my life plans of wanting children if I wanted things to work out with him. When I told him that wasn't going to happen he then told me that we had an expiry date. So I told him that the expiry date had passed and things were not going to work out. He didn't understand when I said that. He thought things were fine, that I would be okay with changing my life to suit his. I am not someone who can be pushed around in a relationship anymore. I've been that girl, but I'm not anymore. I know who I am and what I want. I will compromise on some things. You have to in a relationship, but I am not willing to change myself completely to fit someone else. This is all coming after only 3 dates with the guy. 
I was made to feel like a terrible person for knowing what I want and being able to say no this isn't what I want after only 3 dates. I don't want to waste my time or anyone else's time on something that has no future. It's not fair to anybody. I don't want to miss out on meeting someone who has more potential because I'm in something that's not serious. I'd rather go on a bunch of dates with different guys to find someone who there's more of a chance of a future. 
This feels like a total vent session, but I think that there are plenty of people out there who get stuck into something just because they don't want to be lonely. I've been that person and it took so much out of me. I had to learn how to be happy on my own and take care of me first. It can be a hard concept, but I know that I came out as a better person. It helped me to discover what I want in life and what I don't. 
I like to look on the positive in life and have fun. I don't want to be dragged down by the negative. I know I have bad days and I am so thankful for the wonderful ladies I have in my life that are there for me. I love you ladies!

Song of the day: Hide Away by Daya

Downtown Date

It has been nearly 2 years since I have been on any sort of date or really considered dating. After my last break up I decided that it was time to really focus on myself and do the things that I want to do. Like finish college and move to a completely new city. Check and check. I spent all this time working on myself and really growing as a person, as cliche as that sounds.I feel better about myself and more confident. I know that I can accomplish the things that I want and don't have to have a guy there to support me. It is great to have someone there, but for me I had not been single since I was 18. I had been in some relationship with guys for 5 years. I had grown in those years too, but not as much as I have being single. I am now 25 and decided it was time that I put myself back out there. I feel more sure of myself and I know what I want in a relationship. I know what I will put up with and I am not afraid to be myself. I don't want to put up a front and be someone that I'm not or be ashamed of the fact that I play Dungeons & Dragons. Yes I am geeky, nerdy whatever. I love it!! 

With all that being said, I spent another day downtown Vancouver. This time though was during the day with a guy I had met at the singles mixer thing last weekend. It was the first date I have been on in a while and I was super nervous. The Skytrain didn't make me nervous this time because I knew where I was going. I was super nervous about my date though. If you've ever been to Vancouver in the winter you know that it pretty much rains everyday. I wanted to dress up super cute for my date but having to take weather into consideration I wore my bright pink rain jacket, the same one I wear everyday. But luck was on our side and it was a beautiful sunny day to walk around. We spent most of the afternoon just walking around and window shopping. There are so many stores downtown that were super fancy. I felt like if I walked into them dressed in my jeans and rain jacket they would have kicked me out. Everyone looks so professional looking and nice looking all the time, I feel like I look like a country bumpkin (which is true because I grew up on a farm). Anyway we continued our exploration all the way into Chinatown and got some food. He knew which bakeries were the best ones to get food at and he was right. We got some pork bun things and a coconut cream filled bun. They were called something but I have no clue what it was. They just tasted good. It was a fun and completely relaxing date. The whole time we were walking were we talking and getting to know each other better. It was fun to go out and explore rather than the usual dinner and a movie date. Not saying movie dates aren't good too, but it's harder to talk at a restaurant and during a movie. Exploring we got to talk and go places that neither of us had been to before. Downtown has so many cool buildings and neat little shops that I want to go to next time I am down there. All in all a great weekend and I'm excited to see where things go!!

This was filled with coconut cream and
was delicious. I could eat it everyday.

Song of the Day: Confident by Demi Lovato 

Single of Valentine's

This weekend was probably one of the most interesting weekends I have had since I moved out here. I went to a Valentine's Day Singles mixer. It was a casual evening of meeting other people in the area who are also single. I have never been to a single's night before and it was one of the scariest things I have ever done. I am a shy person and there was probably 100 people there (that might be an exaggeration, but it felt like that many). The first scary thing was figuring out how to get down to the bar in downtown Vancouver. I have taken the bus and skytrain before but never to that part of town. I was debating on going because the weather was so crappy on Saturday, but I decided to brave the downpour of rain and go. I am so glad that I did go though. It was so much fun and I met a bunch of really cool people! It was set in a bar, but the group had booked off the upper bar just for us. We got wristbands so we knew who was with the group and were set free to mingle. At first I was enjoying myself when there were not a ton of people there. As the evening went on more and more people started to show up and I got so nervous. I was talking with one girl and when a table opened up we stole it and tried to hide from people, which didn't really work all that well. I think a lot of people were nervous to go up to complete strangers and introduce themselves. I am not a fan of small talk. I think it is one of the worst things ever invented (who ever invented it needs to rethink his priorities). I think I told that same thing about myself to every person because every asked the same questions. Hi I'm -insert name-. What do you do? That's cool. And end of small talk. Unless you're me and start with a Star Wars joke. Either people get it or just think you're weird. I only did this once and made an instant friend. All in all it was a great night. I hope to be able to go to more meet ups with some of the people I met that night. It was fun to get all dressed up and go out. I typically spend my weekends by myself in bed watching Netflix. Not that that is a bad thing, but I have lived here since June and that's pretty much how I've spent every weekend. I hope that everyone had a great Valentine's regardless of whether it was spent with someone special or good friends! 

Song of the Day: Cake by the Ocean by DNCE

The Quay

On the long weekend I spent my Monday doing a little exploration of downtown New Westminster. I decided that I could walk down there. I looked at the map and was like oh that's not too far from my house, shouldn't take me too long to walk down there. Fast forward an hour and a half later to arrive there hot, sweaty and seriously questioning how I thought it could possibly take 45 minutes to walk there. Going there was pretty much all down hill. It was a beautiful walk seeing as it was warm and sunny out, just a lot longer than I had guessed. Downtown New West has some cute little shops and a mall that has the weirdest hours I have ever seen. On one street I think I saw at least 7 different wedding dress shops, as well as some fancy clothing stores and upper class furniture stores (at least that's what the sign in the window said).
 After exploring I sat down by the waterfront (or Quay pronounced key as I was told later it is called) for a while just staring at the water and letting the nice breeze cool me down. For those who don't know me, I sweat terribly. Doesn't matter what I am doing, I sweat and mostly from my face. I'm sure the people who saw me thought I had just run a marathon or something.
 As I was sitting there I had the realisation that I would now have to walk back home all uphill. Since I have been battling a cold for the past 2 months my cardio has not really been a part of my workout. This was my first real good walk for a while now. I had to stop partway home and get a drink and just sit. I realised on my walk that there are not a lot of benches around New West. Only at some bus stops and at some parks. I thought I was going to fall over when I finally got home. All I wanted to do was get in a cold shower and cool down. Next time I go exploring I'll take the bus. I thought about taking the bus home, but my bus pass was conveniently sitting on my kitchen table waiting to be activated.

Song of the Day: Bite by Troye Sivan

Craft Time!

As many of you know I am an old lady at heart and love to knit. My mom taught me how to knit when I was about 10 years old and I haven't stopped yet. I have made baby blankets, full size blankets and scarves. I think everyone I know got a scarf when I was first learning to knit. 
I have seen all cute slouchy hats at stores and on Pinterest and I decided I wanted to make them myself. I couldn't bring myself to pay $20 for something I could make for less and in whatever colour I wanted. Also that fit my head. I have a tiny head. So for the month of January I taught myself how to crochet. Calling my mom many a times to ask questions (and my Auntie!!) and finding videos on YouTube of how to do the different stitches and everything. 
Many people think that knitting and crocheting are the same thing. They are similar in some ways but very different. I found with crocheting my tension on the yarn was terrible. Each stitch was different some were loose and some were tight. It has been a definite learning curve to figure out how to hold the yarn for crocheting. How I hold it for knitting is quite different. I have had fun learning and finished my first hat this week! 
I love learning new skills and doing something that I have found is almost a dying art. You rarely hear of people knitting, crocheting, quilting, or sewing anymore. It is kind of sad. I love getting to make things that some people just think you can only buy at a store. 

Song of the Day: Let it Go by James Bay

Update!!

So quick update on the cooking of the stuffed peppers. I am proud to say that it actually turned out pretty well. I might have made enough of the stuffing to feed 4 people, but oh well. I have found that when I cook something that requires time to bake in the over instead of cleaning while it cooks, I have a little dance party in my kitchen. Have a great week everyone! 

Song of the day: Put Out Your Lights by Mathew Good

To Cook or Not To Cook

Moving out on my own means that I have to cook for myself again. It has been about 5 years since I've done that and even when I did I was not a very good cook. I am a decent baker and I love to bake everything. From cookies, cakes, muffins, bread. I love to try random recipes I find on Pinterest or old recipes from my mom. Cooking on the other hand... I am not good at. I find things on Pinterest I want to try but I don't have the patience for cooking. I can spend 4 hours making cinnamon buns, but take 30 minutes to make dinner, nope don't want to. My mom got me a Crock Pot for my birthday this year and I am super excited to try out some new recipes. I am trying to eat healthier and that is requiring me to learn how to cook. There has been some trial and error already. Who knew you could mess up spaghetti.  Cooking will be an ongoing process of learning patience and practice. I decided that my New Year's Resolution will be to try at least one new recipe a week. Instead of sticking to the 2 things I know how to make (stir fry and perogies). I don't usually go for the whole idea of New Year's Resolutions but I thought that this year I would try one. So far it hasn't gone that well, but I did make my first stew in my Crock Pot and it turned out pretty good, which makes me hopeful for other meals. Next week I will be trying to make stuffed peppers. The pictures look so good and I love peppers so I thought it would be a good one to try. I am finding that recipes online are made to feed more than 1 person and trying to half recipes or alter them for one person requires some brain power that I don't always feel like using. Weekends have become my meal planning days. I plan what I am making each day and write my grocery list based on that. Since I don't have much in my house yet of spices I have to get them with eat new recipe I will be trying. It's amazing how many different spices there are out there! I am a pretty picky eater as well so it makes it a little harder to find recipes that I like. I am willing to try pretty much anything, which may sound weird. I have my foods that I completely avoid, but others I try whenever someone else makes or orders them. So I am exploring foods that I had written off in my past. I could always try a cooking class to learn some recipes too!!

Nothing better than baking cookies!

Song of the Day: John Mayer. Anything sang by this man is fantastic. I can't pick just one song.