She has been such a huge part of my life and I'm so thankful so many of my funny stories and adventures have included her. Here's a sampling of what our life is like.
I was in my second year at Redeemer University College
I was lived with Karmyn and Christy
I had a fun birthday party that year (Princess themed)
I loved being in Alpha Praise one of our school's traveling worship teams
I had some sweet friends
I laughed all the time
I think I did ok in school.... I got an A in Social Skills that's for sure
It was the year of the Krispy Kreme Slumber Party, morse code with flashlights to friends windows, Ultimate wrestling, ranch dressing on everything, epic pranks done to us and that we did to others.
I was close to God
I was finally happy to be back in Canada after spending a year missing Poland where I had lived before going to university.
It was the year I got my calling to be a Christian School Teacher
I also had three pretty awesome summer jobs that year. Managing a pizza place, running a small museum in a park in my town, and I worked at three museums in Goderich. I learned A LOT about museum management and history and loved every minute of it. I also worked with an old high-school friend that summer.
I met Kim Furtney at the end of the year and she made my 21st year awesome. I decided that I liked Sara-Beth, while previously disliking her. She's still awesome. I was so wrong.
I think I liked my courses that year? I don't remember.
I remember a lot of friends and socializing and laughing. A lot of laughing.
Pretty sure this decision involved some Krispy Kremes or massive amounts of Cinnabon.
20 was not a healthy year for us.
Pre "Most-Epic-Prank- EVER" (with a live lobster)
At the museum I worked at with Jacci. Whom I'm still friends with today. She rocks.
My Possee
My possee 12 years later. This time in BC at my wedding. Love these friends. Love them!
My ultimate favourite daydream is that I am actually Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Or at least a character in her life.
Other daydreams include:
Becoming a trophy wife
Being thin
Not having a bum ankle
Being super awesome at something like singing or dancing or a sport
Having my own little cabin/home/mini-farm that is self sufficient and off the grid
Sleep in and read a book in bed.
French toast and bacon
Watching Dr. Quinn in my pajamas
Suntanning and swimming all afternoon with my friends and family from BC and Ontario
A good dinner. Either pizza or my mom's roast beef and mashed potatoes
Lots of texting and face-timing all day.
Perhaps a rousing group game outside as the sun sets over a beautiful BC view
Hanging out and talking and playing as darkness comes.
Cuddles and a movie and chocolate covered almonds.
Wow! This blog has perfect timing. I just worked out so I'm full of endorphines and protein shake and pride. (I did one of the really hard exercises on P90X today called banana-boat-banana, and I did it for the full time with no breaks - that was a first for me! Go abs!)
I am super thankful for a lot of things.
My husband. He makes me happy. And after discussing and saying that we would go see the Grand Canyon this spring, we officially made the commitment to it last night! So today I get to book flights and plan activities and it makes me SO happy to plan a trip and to know I'm knocking something off my bucket list. I love him so much for agreeing to this especially since traveling is my passion, and very low on his list of fun things to do. He's still not sure how we possibly can keep occupied for four days in Las Vegas. :) He is in for a surprise. With all my sisters and my new brother in law joining us, as well as a few friends... It will be good times. PLUS we get to go see The Newsies while we are there!!! Like only one of the best musicals ever! I'm so happy. And I'm so happy that my husband loves me and wants to make me happy. I'm not a cheap wife when it comes to dreams like this.
I'm thankful for my job and that I like it. I like that my job pays well, and that the administration at my new school cares about me and seeks me out to ask how they can make my life better and help me. I did not get that at my last school. And I like my students. They drive me crazy sometimes, but they genuinely are wonderful, wonderful children that I enjoy hanging out with every day. I'm thankful that we have a ROCKING lifestyle PE program and that once a week I get to do super fun things with my students like bowling, swimming, skating, and gymnastics. It's so cool. I'm thankful that even though I am the newest person on staff I got the brand new classroom with all the bells and whistles. I love it. Going to work in a neat, clean, tidy, well decorated room makes my day enjoyable. It really is a beautiful room.
I'm that my husband calls me beautiful when I feel ugly. Especially these days since my eyebrow lady gave me strict instructions to NOT TOUCH my eyebrows because they were lopsided and we are trying to fix them. I pretty much have a unibrow. I'm thankful he eats my food, and helps me put the coffee cups away because I can't reach, and that he works hard. And that he wears tight black t-shirts that make him look sexy.
I'm thankful that I have a car.
I'm thankful for healthy food.
I'm thankful for Elya LaMarche and the support group she started. I'm thankful for Mandy Blusson and the way she encourages me to work out and try new things. I'm thankful she likes swimming with me and that she laughs at me constantly.
I'm thankful for Tiersa and Hayley, my besties who I can talk to never or forever and it doesn't matter. I'm thankful for Karmyn, Christy, and Jacci who have been my friends since pretty much the very first day of university when we met.
I'm thankful for my parents and their love and support and for raising my sisters and I the way they did. I'm thankful for my sisters and the way we laugh. All the time. I love us.
I'm thankful that my in-laws are genuinely wonderful people.
I'm thankful for finding nearly full tim-cards in my glove box when I'm too lazy to make myself breakfast.
Write a novel
Snowboard more fearlessly
Get my Masters in Education
Tough Mudder
Skydive
Audition for a play or movie
Drive a motorcycle or dirtbike fast
Become a foster parent
Start a web-video series
Become a costume designer
Become a photographer
Learn sign language
Learn a second language
Play an instrument
Start or join a band
Now, that's not to say that I'm not ever going to try any of these, some I fully plan on doing, it would just be easier to get started if I knew I would be successful at it.
Seriously? This is the topic for today? Come on Pinterest! I'm loosing faith in your ability to help me with my month long blogging challenge. It's hard enough as it is to write something every day, let alone to a topic that has a one number answer. You need to join the literature circles I'm doing in my class, we are learning about open ended questions.
I'm going to pick my own topic for today.
My favourite musicals of all time.
1. Newsies.
Three words for you. Teenage Christian Bale. It's fantastic. He sings, he dances, he whiny-sings about wanting to move to Sante Fe, he inspires an entire city's worth of street urchins to rise against "the man. " "Pulitzer and Hurst they think they got us, do they got us? NO!" And their story encourages me to Seize The Day.
2. Hairspray
It's a great story, with great lines. Among my favourite are:
"There's the flasher who lives next door, there's the bum on his barroom stool, they wish me well on my way to school."
"I'm pleased and terrified to meet you."
"We'll kiss inside his car, won't go all the way but I'll go pretty fa-ar"
"Link, your pork is ready"
"In my ivory tower, life was just a hostess snack, now I've tasted chocolate and I'm never going back!"
3. Oklahoma
You know there is no limits to what a musical can do when Curly tries to convince Judd, through a song, to hang himself in the smoke house so that he won't be able to take Laurie out that night.
(He looks like he's a sleep, it's a shame that he won't keep, but it's summer and we are running out of ice - best line)
And also this song. Which, I'm not going to lie, I can sing perfectly just like Ado Annie
(When a person tries to kiss a girl, I know she ought to give his face a smack, but as soon as someone kisses me I sorta, kinda, wanna kiss him back Kissin's my favourite food, with or without the mistletoe, I'm in the holiday mood.)
4. Sound of Music
Technically it ends on a sad note, you know, with the Nazi's invading Austria and the main characters having to escape over the mountains into Switzerland.... But other than that it is a very happy movie.
5. Mamma Mia
Although the characters are nothing special, the music is fun and the songs make me laugh.
6. White Christmas
It's a family tradition to watch this movie together almost every year. It's a feel good movie that makes us laugh.
And then at the end, they do a whole show and get their ENTIRE UNIT to come to Vermont JUST to honour their General. I cry EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.
Oh no guys, we have a problem, I just watched the clip and now I'm crying. I can't blog anymore. It's over. I'm done, it's just too touching.
These are my favourites. I'll do a part two to this blog someday.
Oh, serious topic. I like the simpler topics better, the ones where I can share a funny story. But I'm doing this challenge, so I'll answer the question.
Right now I am living the life I want. I'm not looking for much more. Kids for sure, a larger house that doesn't have a designated "Rubbermaid tote" room that holds all the things we want to keep but have no room for, perhaps some more travelling. That's all really.
I want to live a good life. I want to teach kids and inspire them to be good Christian servants. I want to love my husband and our family, and I want people to look at me and think, "that Nikki, she is great. She is happy, and creative, and serves, and loves. More people should be like her."
Yeah.... I got nothin' on this topic.
All I want is rice krispy squares and my bed. I can't even be bothered to look for a good, inspiring quote today.
Too. Exhausted. To. Try.
I'm preparing a project for my students for tomorrow and I need more salt.
We are going to be making 3-D relief maps of Nigeria (the country we are currently studying in Social Studies) and for this I am making mass amounts of salt-dough. They will build their map tomorrow and then the next day it will be dry and they can paint it.
But I ran out of salt. Apparently 11 cups of salt was not enough and now that I look at the amounts of salt dough I have been making the last hour, I feel like we might need more. Too bad. I'll just tell them that 'sea level' means the base of their cardboard base and then they can build their hills and mountain ranges from there.
I also wish I had more skinniness.
And marshmallows.
And time. Today was too busy.
Today's topic: What is the hardest thing I am dealing with right now.
Getting up in the morning?
Wanting to work? Having the desire to shave my legs?
These are all difficult things for me right now.
The most difficult thing however? Losing weight. It literally is not possible. It's like finding a unicorn or a leprechaun. Or better yet, a leprechaun riding a unicorn, on a rainbow, carrying a basket of kittens wearing bowties. It is that impossible.
I cry about it a lot. And Arron is wonderful and loves me and rubs my back.
It is hard. If you have ever tried, it is hard. It requires a lot of dedication, a lot of working out, and more self control than you think you are capable of.
Also, for the record I am not the person that whines about how hard it is to loose weight and then eats at Mc Donalds and watches TV. I work out. An hour a day. Hard work out. P90X, and I am on a strict high protein, low calorie diet. And though my weight isn't dropping my body has changed quite a bit. I'm really trying to focus on that instead of the number on the scale. I KNOW my body is turning fat into muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat (I don't care though, I want the number to go down). It makes me mad. I am happy my body has thinned out the past few months and feel stronger and healthier, but I still feel fat because the number hasn't changed. :( sad.
Anyways, I am dedicated to this, and I continue with it even though I cry about it regularly. Arron is a great encouragement to me as he sits on the computer eating cookies and chips and calls out phrases to help me, or agrees with me when I yell at Tony Horton or Autumn Calebrese. Once in a while I can convince him to work out with me and that makes life better because he complains more than me while we work out.
Fat and scale numbers are the hardest thing about life for me these days.
Dying young. I'm not scared of dying, I know that my salvation is secure and on the flip side of being fearful about it, I am completely confident (and excited) about my life after my death.
I'm more just fearful because there are things I want to do before my time is up and I would be sad if I didn't get to do them. I don't want to leave Arron alone, and my family would miss me. I'm more fearful for the people I would leave behind.
Other things I fear.
Maggots
Getting a weird disease and no one knows what it is or how to fix it
Being obese
Car accidents
Breaking bones
Being poor
Being alone
Getting old and having no family or friends around
I'm grateful for my husband. He is caring, and sexy, and works hard, and makes me laugh, and encourages me, and loves me, and thanks me, and teaches me.
My family. They love me, help me, laugh with me, cry with me, make fun of me, care about me, and are part of most of my fondest life memories.
My extended family in Ontario. They watched me grow up and still keep in touch and care about me now that I am old. They were a major part of my childhood and teenage years and I am so thankful that I had such an awesome (and large) family surrounding me when I lived in Ontario.
My university friends. Christy, Karmyn, and Jacci. I love that we are still friends despite being on opposite ends of the country. I love texting them and facetiming with them and telling them about silly parts in my day.
Hayley. My Barkerville friend. We both love this little town. And dressing up pretending to be from a different time. We even like wearing corsets (seriously, they make you look trim and wonderfully... perky...)
Teri. My teaching friend and mentor. She is so happy and creative and artistic and musical and I love sharing ideas with her and talking about life.
There are so many wonderful people in my life that I am thankful for.
OH GOODNESS. Best topic ever. I have millions of ideas for novels.
First you should read this post from two years ago. It's about my best novel idea ever. OH dear. I just re-read it. I am really funny sometime. As a disclaimer though, good Christian men are hard to find. But not impossible. I did find one. :D Yay internet!
The last person to call me was my sister Bethany. She is getting married on January 31 and she called to talk about that. Mostly to tell me about the awesome surprise wedding shower that her Fiancee's church planned for her. She had no idea and it took her a few minutes to grasp the concept that all the people at the church were there for her. She was pretty happy.
We talked about the wedding favour thank you gifts I'm helping her to make and her bachelorette party coming up this weekend. We talked about pictures and the seating chart I'm making. We talked about my cross country skiing lessons and having a sleepover with all our sisters the night before her wedding. We discussed our super awesome Aunt Dianne coming to visit from Ontario.
We just chatted.
And it was good.
I love my sisters. Bethany and I lived together for years and have so much in common. We used to always accidentally dress the same and even now that I live three hours away we still do! A few months ago as I was making a tuna casserole for Arron she texted me a picture of Mike (her fiancée) trying a tuna casserole she made that night for the first time. At her wedding shower she showed up wearing a dress that I happen to have the exact same one hanging in my closet (in a different shade). The day before I went home for Christmas I texted a picture of my newly put on jamberry nails to my other sister Esther, and she laughed and said that Bethany had just put on the same ones three hours before. Out of 80000 nail designs, we both put on the same ones. Bethany is hilarious, has the BEST one-liners and comebacks, is witty, light hearted, and determined.
She was the last one that I talked to on the phone. I'm glad that she was or I would have to write this blog about talking to a telemarketer or getting mad at the pizza joint for not sending our pizza for two hours. Now I get to blog about how wonderful she is.
I loved it because on Wednesday it is chapel day at school and I sent my 6th graders to elementary chapel and my 7th graders to high school chapel, so I get one hour with each grade uninterrupted. I taught a great math lesson to the 7th graders that was new, and challenging, and interesting. They enjoyed the concept and working with the skills I was teaching them and they had fun. Those are the best lessons.
I also loved today because while I didn't have a super stimulating grammar lesson planned, it covered important concepts and my students worked very, very, very, hard to do the concept properly. I was proud of them.
Wednesday's also rock because my class goes to PE at 1:45 and I'm done for the day. Usually I stay and mark or prep, but today I left at 2pm. Because I could.
I also had an "ok, I like this town today" moment, which I rarely do. I'm usually in a fog of strongly disliking Williams Lake. I went to the post office. Parked right beside the door. Didn't wait in line. My packages were super cheap to send. The postie was super friendly. It was a great small town feeling.
I disliked working out when I got home, but I liked the fact that I said no to a FREE Dairy Queen ice cream while I was getting my oil changed.
And I liked my dinner. Even though I had a major fail and made a beautiful delicious Caesar salad with ranch dressing.
And now I blog. And watch Big Bang Theory. And spend time with my husband.
I like food. You don't get fat by not liking food. Unless you have a weird brain tumor that makes you fat like that kid on "House" the other night. After watching that episode I self-diagnosed myself with a fat-causing brain tumor. My weight clearly has nothing to do with eating rice-krispy blobs (what's the point of making them into squares if you are just going to eat them all in one sitting anyways?).
But I do like healthy food too. And I like feeding healthy food to my husband as well. He cares about our bodies and what we put in them, and although he whines about the amount of fruit and vegetables he now eats, he loves everything I make him. Except Quinoa, that meal was a fail.
Our top favourite homemade healthy meals
Shepherds Pie. With potatoes or Yam's on top. (Currently making one right now actually)
Steak and Salad
Turkey bacon and omelettes
Fajitas
Quesidilla One Pot Soup
Taco salad
Chicken stir-fry
Greek Chicken (Karmyn's recipe from college, we absolutely love it)
Spaghetti (not so much the healthiest option, but Arron's absolute favourite food in the world. He loves all my food but whenever I ask him what he wants, he always says spaghetti)
Oh boy. Do I have a good story for you that just happened an hour ago.
Before I get to the punchline of the story, you need to know that my husband has many amazing qualities. He is strong, and kind, and cuddles me whenever I want. He works full time fixing stuff other people break at a trade that is fairly specialized. He compliments me and is good to his family and children. He is gentle and funny and smart about so many things that I am not. And everything he tries he does well (much to my annoyance). He is wonderful. He can't for the life of him however, put his dirty laundry in the hamper.
Oh, I've tried for the last six months to sneakily train him. I moved the laundry hamper to right outside the bathroom door so he could just drop his clothes in on the way in, didn't work. I even moved the laundry hamper right into the bathroom. Still didn't work. We literally have 7 square feet of floor in that bathroom, and he can not put his dirty laundry in the hamper. He can put it right beside it 100% of the time though. One Hundred Percent of the Time.
Anyways, the story that made me smile.
I got home from work today and as Arron and I were chatting he mentioned that early this morning as he got out of the shower in the spare bathroom (where he also leaves his clothes on the floor btw), he stepped on the prong of my belt buckle which I had left on the floor. He stepped on it hard. Like it drew blood. He's tough so he manned up and ignored it all day, but then wanted to tell me about it so I would feel bad that I left my belt on the floor and it injured him.
I felt bad. I did. I made my husband bleed! But then I thought that this would be a perfect learning opportunity.
"And what did we learn from this Arron?"
"That you should put your belt away?"
"No. That when we don't put our laundry away it causes injuries. So now we will make sure we put our laundry in the hamper so that no one gets hurt ever again. It's a safety hazard when we don't put our dirty clothes in the hamper."
His opinion is that he doesn't leave dangerous objects like belts or screwdrivers or multi tools, or pens or lighters, or keys on the floor that might injure someone.
This was an awesome weekend. It was the weekend of FREE.
Friday night I go a $98 cheque from the government for something. Climate Action tax or something. Or GSt. I don't know. It's freemoney. Then our pizza delivery was two hours late. Arron is nice. I love him. But the second time we called to ask about it I was the one to do the talking. Free Pizza for us. Score. We also cleaned the house.
Saturday I went t rent cross country skis for my lesson that afternoon. I got the rentals for free because the previous week an event with free rentals and lessons had been cancelled so they gave it to me this weekend instead.
I took a two hour cross country skiing lesson for 5 bucks. Which is pretty much free.
I did groceries with Arron.
I had a nap.
I made a fruit tray for a party that night.
The party got cancelled an hour before we were supposed to leave. So we had one of the other couples over to eat my beautiful fruit tray and play games. And to laugh.
I did two loads of laundry.
I'm currently making three shepherds pies to put in the freezer.
I'm making 75 beautiful hand-made thank-you tags to go on my sisters party favours for her wedding at the end of the month.
I planned a bachelorette party and got all the supplies ready for it.
I mailed all my thank-you cards from my wedding.
I shaved my legs
It's been a pretty productive weekend. And it is only halfway through Sunday right now.
Going to work today when EVERY.OTHER.SCHOOL.IN.THE.COUNTRY was cancelled because of snow and freezing rain. I might be slightly exaggerating, but our school was the only school open in the entire district. Not cool Mr. Principal, not cool.
Lunch. Never again will I buy a new brand of anything just to see if it is ok as the brand I usually get. It's not. My super-healthy-good-for-my-diet salad was completely destroyed by a bad brand of dressing. I had to throw it out I couldn't even gag it down. So then I was hungry. But had no car because the roads were bad so I asked my super awesome friend Mandy if she wanted to go out for lunch.... and also if she wanted to pay for me because I also didn't have my wallet.
Going to the dentist. Usually I am ok, but it was actual torture in that chair today. Torture. Next time I'll just bring a dull spoon and a metal bbq brush and let them clean my teeth that way.
Now I'm home anxiously awaiting what might make me smile today. Perhaps working out (not a chance), making supper (mmmm fajitas, those could make me happy), doing dishes (no hint of a smile about that one), watching some Big Bang Theory (probably, that show is golden).
The one thing that did make me smile though was when my student exclaimed angrily out of the blue, "Mrs. Delay is too smart! She knows everything!"
The Netherlands. It's where my heritage lies and I want to experience it.
The South. Like anywhere. Plantations, droopy trees, Nicholas Sparks, etc.
The East Coast of Canada. Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, even Newfoundland if they are lucky.
The Grand Canyon. I want to GO there. Not just for a day trip, but for a trip. I want to ride a donkey to the bottom and see the native villages, and be in awe at it's grandeur.
Disneyworld. SO BAD. Part of me wants to wait for kids, most of me wants to go right now. It's the happiest place on earth!
Every single Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in America. All of them. Preferably in one long road trip.
Hawaii. Because who doesn't want to go there?
Greece/Italy/Spain. It just looks gorgeous. Plus I know all the Mama Mia songs so I will fit right in.
Ok. I know that is only 8. But those are the eight big ones that I desperately want to see in my lifetime. I'm hoping for the Grand Canyon this year. I'm still trying to convince my husband that trips are more fun than new motorcycles and dirtbikes. (So far I have been woefully unsuccessful).
If you have two more must-see suggestions of where I should go, let me know.
Wearing: Yoga pants and a Mexico Caravan Ministries sweatshirt that Tiersa got me years, and years, and years ago. It's my comfy go-to sweater. I'm also wearing fuzzy slippers. Drinking: Arrons glass of water that he left on the computer desk. Because I am thirsty and too lazy to go get my own. (Also clearly too lazy to be wearing real pants, hence the yoga pants). Although I would love chai tea latte. I could make one, my friend Bobby makes the best Chai mix and gave me some for Christmas. Smelling: Banana Muffins in the oven Eating: Nothing. Waiting for the banana bread. The last thing I ate though was a home made chicken Caesar salad wrap. Which was delicious. Wait, that's a lie. I made banana bread. Obviously I also ate a handful of chocolate chips as I was making it. Listening: to my laundry in the dryer. And funny video's of puppies Arron is showing me on his phone. (I desperately want a pug dog now, just so I can throw it outside in our snowbank and watch it flounder around adorably). Music wise I'm a big fan of Rend Collective Experiment these days.
See! Not a romance!
Reading: "Where the Fire Burns" Which I promise you, sounds like a romance novel, but it isn't. Really! I promise! It's the second in a series about two families during the tail end of WW2 when Russia took over Poland. I'm not quite sure how the title relates to what is actually happening in the book however..... I also recently read Mindy Kaling's new book "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?" and I laughed my face off. I find her hilarious. Also love her TV show. Watching: House. I've been suckered in. I can't get enough. We are also watching season 8 of The Big Bang Theory and I like to switch things up once in a while with Full House or Once Upon a Time. Crafting: I just made two pretty sweet giant 3.4 foot pencils that I'm going to use as a pointer at school instead of using my yard stick. Next up: two beautiful (in my mind's design) Victorian skirts for Barkerville.
If you want to know any of my other "currents" leave a comment and I'll get back to you.
Awe man! This is a hard question. I have so many possessions that I could live without, but my quality of life would be drastically reduced. Can I live without my sewing machine? Yes. Do I want to? No.
Here's my top ten list of must-have possessions:
This is the program I have been using for a while. All diet/exercise programs are difficult to learn and manage, but once you get the hang of it it is doable. I really like this one. I feel healthy and I know my body is changing. I have switched out to P90X right now which is put out by the same company it is just more intense.
This is my sewing machine. I love it. I did a lot of research before purchasing it this past year and with the help of my very knowledgeable mother I opted for a computerized machine. I don't regret it. It is so easy to use and does a beautiful job. I love it.
Saucony. The only way to go. Since I started my weight loss journey 3 years ago I have gone through probably 8-10 pairs of good, expensive running shoes. I've tried all he major brands and this brand is my favourite.
I just discovered this hair product three weeks ago and it has been life changing! That might be an exaggeration, but as an expert on curly hair (being that I've had curly hair for going on 33 years now), this is my favourite product! I bought it on a whim, straying from my tried and true Herbal Essence in the purple container. My hair is curlier, fuller, happier, and lasts longer.
If you are a teacher, you NEED this free program. It is amazing. My students love it. The other teachers love it, the parents love it. I absolutely love it. I would marry it if I could. Sorry Arron, class Dojo has made my teaching career million times better than it was before. With this simple (computer and phone and tablet) AP you upload all your students and give them an avatar. Throughout the day you give their avatar points for doing their work, helping others, participating, team work, whatever goals you want them to work towards. There are also negative points that can be given as well. Every week an automated report is sent home to parents and shows them where their child did well during the week and where they did poorly. They can check this report daily or hourly if they like. Students can also be given a secret code so they can log on and see their own reports as well as change their avatar a million different ways. We all love it.
Best make-up remover on the market. Hands down the winner. I don't even bother trying any other brands out there anymore. They are all a big disappointment.
It's like my phone! But bigger!
Three-wick candles from Bath and Body Works. My current favourites area; Flannel, Ocean Driftwood, and Beach Cabana. I have one going constantly and my house smells amazing.
These are fancy-schmasy easy to use nail stickers that give you a beautiful looking manicure. (If you pick a pretty design. Some are hideous). I love them.
Look, I appreciate a $7 bra as much as the next person. I really do. And La Senza does have some good bra's. I bought bra's there for years and years and years. Then I realized I wasn't a 14 year old girl any more and I should get some real, legitimate, adult bra's that are beautiful and classy and of good quality and make my girls look a million times more fabulous than any cheap bra ever could. They have great quality lingerie that isn't tacky or cheesy or slightly frightening and available in sizes larger than size two. AND awesome bathing suits if you hit their Aqua side of the store. More expensive for sure, but nicer and better quality. When I swim I actually swim. And that involves jumping and horseplay, and slides, and diving and their bathing suits hold me in nicely and look great!
I eat lots of good things. Olibollen, chocolate, healthy meals, Christmas treats etc. But the last blow-me-away great thing that I had was a sandwich.
In early December Williams Lake celebrates "Craft Weekend." This is not a real event or thing, I made it up, but I think the city should adopt it. Basically the first weekend in December every single church and every single school in the entire town has a craft sale. It's pretty awesome. The one high school does a medieval market where all the vendors and volunteers have to dress up like it is medieval times and everything that is sold has to be something that would have been sold at a market in medieval times. Jewelry, candles, bread, wooden crafts, vegetables, essential oils, clothing etc etc. At any given moment there are approximately 8 million people attending this particular craft show. It's pretty awesome, but too busy to be enjoyable.
Anyways, on "Craft Weekend" my friend Heather and I headed to every single church and every single school in the city and looked at all sorts of fun and neat craft ideas. My favourite phrase of the weekend was "I can make that. For like $1." So I had a hard time buying things. I should rephrase my catchphrase to, "I can make that, for a dollar, but I won't, so I should buy yours for $5."
At lunch I brought Heather and her co-worker to a little café downtown called "New World Coffee & Tea." Arron and I had stumbled upon it one afternoon in the summer and I had really enjoyed it so I wanted to go back.
It was a ZOO in there. Their servers had called in sick, it was a busy weekend, the kitchen boys were helping out in the front, the owner was frazzled but we were calm and relaxed and not in a hurry. Our 'server' (who was actually a prep-cook) brought our drinks over and then promptly spilled the entire tray in my lap. Three full waters. All over my lap. Like didn't miss at all. He actually was quite skilled. We laughed, it was fine, I felt bad for the guy because he was mortified, we ordered our lunch, and it arrived surprisingly quickly compared to other tables.
I died.
Chicken Pesto Panini.
The best thing I have ever ate in my life.
I do not have words to describe this sandwich. It made me forget my sopping wet pants though and all I could think about was the deliciousness that was in my mouth.
I took my friend Hayley back to this same café last week and we both ordered the Chicken Pesto Panini and she agrees that it is one of the most tasty sandwiches she has ever had. Love it.
Uhhh.... Arron want's me to say making olibollen is my last major accomplishment. He does love olibollen. I'd like to say that it was convincing him that hanging up new curtains in the living room was a good idea. (He still had the original ones hanging from when our home was built... like 15 years ago)
HAHAHAHAH I wish I could real-time me writing this blog. Arron just interjected from across the room and said, "Yeah... probably convincing me to hang up new curtains in the living room was a big accomplishment as well"
But in all seriousness, not that I have completely accomplished what I'm working on, but Arron and I both agree that my biggest *in-progress* accomplishment is the fitness journey I've been on for few months. My body has changed quite a bit and it is a lot of hard, frustrating, discouraging work. But I have been faithful to my Beachbody coach and my scheduled work-outs and even have not fallen off the wagon since September. I behaved myself food-wise over Thanksgiving and Christmas, and minus a few too many olibollen on New Years Eve I was not my usual glutton. I'm still working on it.
I'm hoping for a few more accomplishments in 2015. Paying off some debt, planting a garden, seeing the Grand Canyon, and convincing Arron that new paint would go well with our new curtains.
Walking down the aisle at my wedding. There were so many great and wonderful things that happened in 2014, and especially on my wedding day. But as I walked down the aisle with my dad, that was the best moment yet! And you know what made that moment so special? Not the fact that the day was gorgeous and perfect, not the fact that it had finally arrived, not even that I was no longer doomed to be a crazy spinster cat lady. It was all the peoples faces that I saw as I walked down the aisle. It was seeing my cousins and aunts and uncles and granny who had come all the way from Ontario. It was seeing my teaching friends happily sharing my day with me. It was seeing my girlfriends from Ontario cheering and smiling their support. It was seeing Arron's grandfather at the front proud and excited to officiate our wedding. It was seeing Arron smile at me as I walked down the aisle and knowing that he was as thankful as I was that we had finally found someone to share our life with. That was the moment - seeing all the people that I loved and that loved me.
Arron's best memory of 2014 was when he proposed to me. He said the look of shock on my face made everything worth it. You can read that story here.
I'm not a huge lover or enforcer of New Years Resolutions. I like resolutions at various times of the year and don't always necessarily wait until January 1 to begin enforcing a change in my life. I enjoy re-grouping once in a while and siting down with a paper and pen and thinking through my life and things that I can improve on. Tonight (a few days late), I decided that for the month of January I am going to blog every single day. I realize that in the past year or so (mostly since I moved to the Cariboo), my quality and quantity of blogging has been lacking. I enjoy writing. I enjoy telling stories and blogging is one way in which I can tell stories as well as keep my friends and family around the world in touch with my life and what is happening in it.
So for January, I will blog daily. They might not always be awesome blogs, but they will be something you can read and hopefully something entertaining.
Because I am four days behind, I bring you three mini-blogs.
January 1 Number 1 goal for 2015
Well I've got a secret plan for that - with a big reveal when I accomplish it. So I'll keep you posted. My number 2 goal is trying to get fit. And I seriously am trying to get fit. Since September I have been diligently working to eat less, eat healthy, and work out every single day. I hate it. Like always. Lettuce is boring and leg day hurts. But I do it. Because it is important to both me and Arron to be healthy and strong.
January 2 I'm most grateful for
My husband.
I know that is cheesy. But he brings me joy. And he cuddles me. Whenever. I. Want. (Which is All. The. Time.) He works hard, loves me, does things he doesn't want to do, but knows will make me happy. He buys me awesome presents when I'm not expecting them, brings me home flowers at least once a month and regularly tells me I am pretty both with his words and a loving butt-slap. Arron laughs at my jokes, teaches me how to be a better person, rubs my back, eats and loves my food, and encourages me when I'm down. I am so thankful to have a best friend and husband like him.
January 3 Am I content with life?
Yes. In this exact moment right now, I am content. I'm not always content and if I were to stop and think hard about this question I could come up with a list of things I am not content with. But sitting here on my couch, thinking about my husband, my job, my family, Christmas, my health, and my awesome hair, I'm pretty content.
I'm grateful for my husband. He is caring, and sexy, and works hard, and makes me laugh, and encourages me, and loves me, and thanks me, and teaches me. 
Reading: "Where the Fire Burns" Which I promise you, sounds like a romance novel, but it isn't. Really! I promise! It's the second in a series about two families during the tail end of WW2 when Russia took over Poland. I'm not quite sure how the title relates to what is actually happening in the book however..... I also recently read Mindy Kaling's new book "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?" and I laughed my face off. I find her hilarious. Also love her TV show.
I just discovered this hair product three weeks ago and it has been life changing! That might be an exaggeration, but as an expert on curly hair (being that I've had curly hair for going on 33 years now), this is my favourite product! I bought it on a whim, straying from my tried and true Herbal Essence in the purple container. My hair is curlier, fuller, happier, and lasts longer. 
If you are a teacher, you NEED this free program. It is amazing. My students love it. The other teachers love it, the parents love it. I absolutely love it. I would marry it if I could. Sorry Arron, class Dojo has made my teaching career million times better than it was before. With this simple (computer and phone and tablet) AP you upload all your students and give them an avatar. Throughout the day you give their avatar points for doing their work, helping others, participating, team work, whatever goals you want them to work towards. There are also negative points that can be given as well. Every week an automated report is sent home to parents and shows them where their child did well during the week and where they did poorly. They can check this report daily or hourly if they like. Students can also be given a secret code so they can log on and see their own reports as well as change their avatar a million different ways. We all love it. 
Three-wick candles from Bath and Body Works. My current favourites area; Flannel, Ocean Driftwood, and Beach Cabana. I have one going constantly and my house smells amazing.
These are fancy-schmasy easy to use nail stickers that give you a beautiful looking manicure. (If you pick a pretty design. Some are hideous). I love them. 
