#30 Lists // September 2012

#30 Lists is here!

My game plan for creating, capturing and posting my lists is this...

1) Jot a quick response to each daily prompt on a scrap paper that day
2) If I find time that evening, make it fancy in the mini-book I've started... if not, no sweat
3) Catch up making my scrap lists pretty, as needed
4) Every second Thursday-Sunday (aka my days off work) take pictures and post!

Lists coming soon!

i was ambitious...

I attempted to bite off more than I can chew.  When I started this blog, I was determined to be just like all the other bloggers I follow.... daily posts, weekly features, big, big plans!  

That is simply not for me.  Not that I don't want to.  It's just not a reality for me.  I work very long days, and when I'm not at home, I want to enjoy my life with my husband and my dog.  Sitting in front of a computer editing photos, writing and planning posts does not fit into my life's agenda.

The fact remains that I love this space.  It's a virtual journal for me.  It's a scrapbook of photos and a snap shot of who I am.  It isn't a commercial en devour for me... which I think is the very reason why I can't expect my blog to be like those I follow.  They are bloggers.  I don't want to become 'famous',  I'm just using this little space on the internet as another little creative outlet.

There are no more ideas floating around in my head about being a daily blogger, and weekly features will happen sporadically, but that's fine with me. This is my space.  

:)

summer twenty twelve // sick day... #2

For the second time in less than a month, I'm home from work. SICK.

This time, luckily, it's not tonsillitis.  Over the last two days, I have sneezed approximately 900 times, and used an entire box of Kleenex.  Damn sinuses.

Because I had a surprisingly fun time documenting my quiet day at home the last time I was sick, I figured I would do it again.  There is one BIG big difference this time around though... Molly isn't here.

Molly left on Sunday for a two week play-cation with Brett's family.  Two factors went into our decision to have Molly join Brett's family for a little while; a) Brett's mom is head-over-heels in love with her b) Brett's little brother is taking a big step and moving away for his first year of university.  Both these factors led Brett and I to believe that having Molly around would be good for them.  She loves, and cares, and makes everyone around her feel great.  She is truly a very good dog. And.I.miss.her.

So instead of cuddling with Molly, I will cuddle up in bed and watch movies, blog a bit, guzzle back as much chicken noodle soup as I can possibly handle, work on my summer mini-book a bit, and have a bubble bath.

 

Currently:

Loving:  Every chance I can get to relax.  We've had way too much on the go, and it doesn't look like things will be slowing down any time soon.

Watching: No Strings Attached. I love a watching a chick flick every now and then, and why not cuddle up in front of the tv with a bowl of chicken noodle soup, my favorite blanket from grandma, and a box of Kleenex on a cold and windy day?

Brett and I just finished powering through Prison Break on Netflix last week.  We've been watching each new episode of Breaking Bad Season 5, and are just itching for seasons of our other favorite shows to start this fall.

Listening to: Phillip Phillips - Home

Reading: The Family Fang.  The locally owned stationary and office supply store sells books here in town, I was almost done Secret Daughter and needed something to move on to next.  Small towns do not have an abundance of books to choose from, so I found myself looking for anything with 'Best Seller' or 'Award Winning' on the cover.  This is what I found, so I'm going to give it a shot.  I'm a couple chapters in and it's been fine so far.

Eating: Chicken Noodle Soup.  I'm marinating some Tilapia fillets as we speak I type, and plan on cooking up some chicken breasts to top off a spinach salad for lunch tomorrow too.

Wishing: I had more time.  There is so much: stuff I want to do around the house, hobbies I want to pick up, new crafting things I want to try, books I want to read, workouts I'm missing out on.  The list of how MUCH there is that I'm not doing is very, very, very long.  I'm in another one of my ruts where I can't wait for this work project to be DONE. I want so badly to have time in my home with my little family and time to myself, that I feel like it's eating me from the inside out!

travel plans // south dakota

Living in South Eastern Saskatchewan has really opened up the likelihood of us traveling into the U.S. 

We're now about an hour and a half from the nearest border crossing, opposed to the five it would take to drive from Saskatoon.  We've been into North Dakota a few times, to get some good deals on big ticket items (like the vinyl fence that we put up so Molly could have free reign in the back yard), and to catch flights (to Boston, and Philly).  Flying within the U.S. from Minot or Bismark is significantly (we're talking a few hundred dollars) cheaper than flying out of Regina or Winnipeg.

The next road trip I'm itching to take is into the Black Hills of South Dakota.

A few things I hope to accomplish and sights I'd love to see:

• Travel the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
• Mount Rushmore
• Badlands National Park
• Spearfish Canyon
• Jewel Cave National Monument
• (side trip into Wyoming) Devil's Tower National Monument

Rapid City has a pretty stellar website, and I plan on ordering state vacation guides from both North and South Dakota next spring so I have all the latest info before taking our trip (fingers crossed for sometime in summer 2013).

There are 1,001 places I'd like to go and things I'd like to see.  South Dakota may not be be right at the top of my bucket list, but it is likely one I'll knock off the list fairly soon, so that's why I chose to post about it first.

travel plans // the beginning of a new post series

Kelly Purkey's geotag stamp - I bought one, and I'm psyched to use it!  <3

Recently, my daydreams have been all about travelling.  I feel like I really need to escape somewhere and I have all these grand ideas of places to go, and things to see - around the world and close to home. Until sometime next year those daydreams will just have to stay where they are, cluttering my up my head, browser history, and notebooks.

With all the projects we are tackling around the house, and by socking away vacation days from work to use at Christmas time, we're on hold when it comes to exploring this wonderful world of ours.

In September we do have a short three day trip planned to Clear Lake in Manitoba.  Clear Lake is close to home, a 3 hours drive, and has been highly recommended by our new friends in the area.  

Over the last day or two I've spent some time typing, re-typing, reconsidering and reviewing this post.  What started as an idea to post a list of all my current North American travel plans, quickly became the realization that if I were to put all of my travel ideas into one post, it would be 10,000 miles long and take centuries to read.

So thus begins a new posting series... travel plans //  ________________ 

journal post // 001

There's something incredible about home life these days.

Work and the daily grind are just that, the daily grind.  It doesn't upset me to come to work, it doesn't make me happy to come to work... It's just work.  Plain and simple, no ups, no downs - just stagnant.

I love coming home.  Brett too, he's said that a lot over the last few days or weeks even, either way, it's been a while now.  We are slowly growing into our house and making it more and more like home.  It's permanent now. We like the town, we like making friends here, and Brett is truly fulfilled by his work.  We're not curious about the future, not hoping for another door to open and reveal some great idealistic prize on the other side.  We are happy and winning!

There was a time not so long ago when I was itching.  Itching for something big to happen, pushing for some sort of unnatural change.  I wasn't content to just let things be.  Nope, not one bit.  What changed?  Great question.  I don't know what changed.  Nothing perhaps, and that could be what's most important.

Our whole relationship has been one stepping stone after the other, quick, little, hurried steps.  We weren't in a rush or anything, I suppose it was just the pace we'd been used to.   Life is calm now, and we can stop and take it all in.  It really is nice, to be so at peace and compatible with each other.

Our dog brings so much joy to our lives.  I am going to sound like the biggest sap, but she radiates love.  It's true.  Call me crazy, but she has the kindest, gentlest soul. She loves Brett and I equally and she is just the best at making you feel like there is nothing to worry about in life.  We are both so proud of what a good dog she's turned out to be.

We are one happy little family.

friday favorite // tea

Friday, Friday, FRIDAY! 

This weeks favorite - tea

While everyone else in Canada is at the lake, on the deck, on the road, in the boat - living and loving life - I will sob jealous tears against all you long weekenders out there.   This is my weekend to work. And I'll be gall-darned if it isn't the long weekend, and SUMMER TIME!  Ugh.  Just ugh!

SO. Tea.  Having worked at a Starbucks all through university, I fancied myself quite the little coffee connoisseur.  Those were the days of multiple lattes, iced coffees, americanos and the occasional espresso (with whipped cream and caramel drizzle, obviously).  Those days, oh those days, they did me in. I do enjoy a good cup of coffee, a latte or americano now and then, but it's been two years since I worked at Starbucks, and over those two years, I've done it!  I've weened myself off the caffeine drip and opted for it's lovely little sister, Tea.

Tea is great.  Tea warms me up when the AC is cranked a little too high in the office. Tea perks up my brain when I want so desperately to have an after lunch nap right on top of my keyboard. Tea comes in SO many different types and flavors - my adventurous, indecisive pallet has a blast trying new types.  Tea doesn't require a good food to tea ratio as both alcohol and coffee do.  Tea doesn't leave me feeling like a meth addict,  I don't buzz, I gently hummm... mmmmm teeeeaaaa.