Pinterest Food Roundup

Thanks to Pinterest we've been eating some especially delicious foods lately and I thought it was time to share a list of food I've been making .

We'll start with the Autumn Chopped Salad

I actually made a salad very similar to this before I saw the pin but they made a couple changes I was intrigued by.  My salad was crisp lettuce, toasted pecans, craisens, Parmesan, feta cheese and a little poppy seed dressing to finish it off.  They skipped the Parmesan but they added pears, bacon and a splash of balsamic vinaigrette.   Now the bacon I thought was unnecessary but the pears and vinaigrette were both salad changing and definitely made it into the usual recipe.  This makes a delicious dinner and would be great at a potluck.

Jalapeno Poppers
Who doesn't love jalapeno poppers?

I'm not super wild about the store bought ones though, something about the breading.  These looked so yummy I thought I'd try them and they did not disappoint, I'd make them again in a heartbeat.  You simply take Pillsbury crescent rolls, cut each one in half and then put a blob of cream cheese, a chunk of a jalapeno and top with a bit of cooked bacon.  Fold them up and bake.  I made one change that I recommend though, these poppers only cook for 10 to 15 minutes which to me meant I was going to have crunchy jalapenos and sure enough someone mentioned that in the comments.  Before I cut up my peppers I threw them in the oven to bake until they were slightly tender.  Also, again both Brad and I thought the bacon was in the way here.  We didn't like the texture of it and I would skip it next time.  Now that's two recipes in a row where I've nixed the bacon so let me just mention that I do really love bacon I just don't think it's needs to be thrown into just anything.

Skinny Baked Potato Soup

This isn't actually a recipe that I made but a friend of mine did and it was awesome.  It uses a whole head of cauliflower to make it a little better for you and I loved it.

Braided Spaghetti Bread

This recipe was actually emailed to me, I didn't find it on Pinterest but of course it's there.  It was so good it deserves two pictures.  You take bread dough and roll it out like you would cinnamon rolls, spread it with garlic olive oil (or butter).  In the centre lay some spaghetti in sauce, top with mozzarella cheese and braid it up.  This was awesome.  Garlic bread and spaghetti together, so good.  Make it tonight.

Better than Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

Everyone loves the Olive Garden right?  What's not to love so most of you have probably had their Zuppa Toscana soup.  It's a soup with potatoes, sausage and kale among other things.

I'll be the first to admit that this soup is not good for you but it was so amazing we couldn't stop raving about it.  I served it with crusty baguette and don't you dare skip the bread, it was the best part.  Now as much as we loved this soup I would make some changes next time, it had far too much sausage, I'd use half the amount and add extra potatoes.  Also, I could have used more kale so I'll make those changes next time as there will certainly be a next time.

Kung Pao Ramen Noodles

I watched this movie not that long ago called Ramen Girl, now don't rush out and watch it because it really wasn't very good but the entire movie is about the process of making ramen which made me crave it something fierce.  I did a quick Pinterest search and found a bunch of yummy looking variations and this was the one I started with.  It was awesome and easy.

White Chicken Enchiladas

For Christmas dinner this year my Mother in law made white enchiladas and I loved them and wanted more and then I came across this recipe which I loved since it doesn't include any cream of anything soup.  I do think her amounts are a little off though, there's no way her recipe called for enough cheese, I think I doubled it and I didn't fill nearly as many tortillas as she said too.  Also I discovered that I hate leftover enchiladas so next time I'd make a teeny tiny pan of these.  They were awesome the first night though.

Chicken Broccoli Supreme

Here's another no cream of anything soup. It can be tough to find casseroles that don't use a can of nasty stuff but this is a good one.  Now not good for you at all as it's topped with buttered Ritz crackers but it's super yummy and pretty.

Cheesy Bacon Pull Apart Bread

While I was down at my sister's house we went to a potluck so I made this and it was delicious and gone quickly.  Just don't make mistake, make sure your rolls don't thaw too much before you use them.  Mine was much more difficult to make than it should have been.

Pizza Bites

Oh how I love these.  A tiny ball of dough with two slices of pepperoni and a square of mozzarella tucked inside.  You stick them in a pie plate and serve with yummy sauce for dipping, so delicious.

Buffalo Chicken Bites

One last recipe and these I actually haven't tried yet, they're on the menu for dinner tonight and I have high hopes.


So there you have it a handful of tried and tested really delicious meals.  You should incorporate some into your week.  I don't know where you live but today where I live it's a perfect day for Zuppa Toscana.

2012 Resolutions

I wasn't going to make any this year, I just felt like I couldn't be bothered but a couple seemed to come up on their own so here they are...

1. Brad and I watch too much tv.  It's what we do together and really, there are so many better things we could be doing so one night a week (probably Monday), we'll turn off the TV for the evening.  We love to play games so it'll be fun to do that again and I look forward to finding other ways to enjoy each others company.
2. We live on a pretty tight budget and we've been doing okay but Christmas always puts you over.  We didn't go crazy but we want to tighten back up and get back on track so for the next two weeks we've vowed to not spend money on anything unnecessary.  This does mean that the couple of crafts I had on the go will have to be put on hold meaning you'll get some wordy posts and not crafts posts for a bit.
3. Come up with more activities for Catie to do and spend less time watching movies.  We've fallen into some bad habits but today was much better, I made play dough and then we made brownies together.
4. There's a weight related goal here too but I'm not ready to talk about it yet, that'll come later.

So that's it, nothing major just little goals but I think they're good.

I hope you've made some good goals and are having a great start to your new year.

More About Me

So I promised two full weeks of posts and already I've run out.  I have some good stuff coming I've just been so lazy doing a little here and a little there so nothing actually gets finished.  A promise is a promise though so how about a little about me.  I saw this getting to know you on A Girl and A Glue Gun and it'll have to do for today.

1. 1. Be Rich or Famous? Rich.  I'm not the type who likes to be the center of attention but I sure would like to shop and vacation and give amazing gifts to friends, definitely rich.
2. Have an amazing Shoe collection or an amazing Makeup collection? Makeup.  Nothing makes me feel more fat than shoe shopping.  I have very large feet and shoes never fit so I put it off as long as possible.  I also tend to buy shoes that end up being painful, I'm really terrible at shoe shopping.  I love make-up though and I love to add new products to my Make-up Board.
3. Be able to Sing or be able to Dance?  I know it's cheating but I'd really love to do both.  I watch So You Think You Can Dance and it's inspiring and I'd love to be able to do that but I have two left feet.  I really love to sing and in my imagination I'm amazing, in real life I'm barely average but it's something I'd love to be better at.
4. Receive a bouquet of Flowers or a box of Chocolates?  Normally I'd jump at chocolates because they're way better than flowers but since I'm trying to lose weight I'd go with flowers.  I do love getting flowers.
5. Go without Brushing your teeth for a year or go without Washing your hair for a year?  I recently had a conversation with my brother-in-law about an article he read that stated that washing your hair was unnecessary and without any added product it will take care of itself.  The oils will eventually regulate and it won't be gross but your teeth will not do the same thing so I'll brush my teeth every day thanks.
6.  Drink Coffee or Tea? Neither. I can't bear to drink my calories.  I have very few allotted to me these days and a hundred here or there is a big deal, I'll stick to water thanks.
7.  Converse or Stilettos? Converse but if I was shorter and skinnier I'd rock the heels. 
8. Be a Fairy or a Mermaid? Easy, mermaid.  I've always loved to swim.  In the summer when I was younger I'd go to the pool multiple times a day.  My exercise of choice is swimming laps and I could spend hours in the water.  It's the only form of sports I've ever excelled at and to be able to spend hours underwater would be a dream.
9. Have your dream House or your dream Car? House.  I spend a whole lot more time in my house than I do my car.
10. Ask or Answer? Answer. I'm not the type that makes friends really quickly, I don't get how others do it so when I'm in a situation where I'm a little uncomfortable I tend to talk about myself a lot, it's easier.
11. Laugh or Smile? I guess smile?  This is a strange one, how do you laugh without smiling?
12. Would you rather skip Christmas or skip your Birthday? Birthday.  Your birthday is just one day but Christmas seems to be the whole month with friends and family.  If birthdays were no more though I'd need to start having Christmas Cake, I really like cake.
13. See a movie at the Theater or at Home? Depends on the type of movie.  If it's a comedy or love story then I can watch it at home and be far more comfortable but if it's a big action movie I like the big screen and the big sound.  I also have a serious love of theater popcorn and could eat a shameful amount.
14. Spend or Save? That's a tough one too, I think I'm pretty good at saving and living within our means but I love to shop and buy treats.  If I had the money I'd definitely be a spender but right now we're in save mode.
15. Have a picnic at the Park or on the Beach? Here's something you probably didn't know about me, I really dislike eating outside. There's the bugs to deal with and there's wind that blows the hair into the food and the napkins off the table.  A picnic is slightly better because of the family experience but not much.  That said I'd choose a picnic table, tall trees and grass over hot sun, towels, beach chairs and sand.

So there you go, a little more about me.  Hope it was informative, hope there's something better to offer on Thursday.

A Look Back at 2010

I realize it's the middle of January but I still haven't posted any resolutions and I enjoyed reading this from last year so I thought I'd update it.

1. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't keep any of my resolutions, shame on me.  I wanted to watch the news daily (which I actually did for probably 6 months).  I also wanted to organize my day better, (I did sort of revise this by not being allowed to craft unless the kitchen was clean, that helped a lot) finish sending out thank you cards from Catie's baby shower (sorry, they're not coming) and become a Photoshop pro.  I didn't do one thing that make that happen.

I have set a few goals for this year, I'm going to roll-over the news one and do that again because I think it's important to be informed.  I also am setting a goal to sew in a zipper this year.  It's something that intimidates me but I feel ready to tackle it.  I also want to have less to apologize for this year.  You know those small situations where you look back and think how much better you could have handled things?  I don't want to do that anymore. I don't want to snap at my husband for no reason or treat people less than they deserve so I'm going to work on that.

2. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Surprisingly, I don't think anyone did.  I do have a pregnant sister, cousin and 3 sister-in-laws though so this year will be a busy one.

3. Did anyone close to you die?
 Two of my cousins husbands died and my Aunts husband.  I wasn't terribly close to any of them but all of them were sad.

4. What countries did you visit?
I went to the USA and that's it.  Not very exciting especially since I only went to Cutbank, Montana.

5. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
An income!  Brad finishes school and will hopefully get a job that pays him money.

6. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I'm terrible with dates so probably none, but it was nice when we found out the amount of the student loan given to us.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
All of the sewing I've done.  I've done some projects I'm really proud of and I love the way I've been able to improve a talent.

8. What was your biggest failure?
  I tried making this skirt for Catie... it was really bad.  I know a skirt isn't a very large failure over the whole year but it's the only thing I could think of.

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No illness, no injury.

10. What was the best thing someone bought you?
  I got a palm sander for Christmas, I'm pretty excited about that one.

11. Where did most of your money go?
Housing and groceries.  And possibly fabric. 

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
3 really's is a lot of excitement, I just can't think of anything that major happening.  I was excited with how my car seat turned out or the great finds I got when Mom and I went to Great Falls but I'm not sure any of those deserve three really's.

13. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Brooklyn, by Wakey!Wakey!


14. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? I think I'm happier.  Catie is a fun age, Brad did well in school and I developed a new talent.
b) fatter or skinner? I think I'm slighly fatter.  The Christmas season was a delicious one this year.
c) richer or poorer? Richer (if you count the big student loan, poorer if you don't).

15. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Letting Catie play with other kids her age
   
16. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Watch TV

17. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I suppose I've fallen deeper in love with Brad and Catie.

18. What was your favourite TV program?
Lost. 6 seasons in 6 weeks, good show.  We also really like to watch Love It or List It.

19. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Thankfully, no

20. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Mindy Gledhill

21. What was your favourite film of this year?
Lost and Found (short)

It's a 28 minutes kids movie that is perhaps the cutest thing I've ever seen.  I've seen it three times and wish everyone could watch it.


22. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I can't actually remember what I did on my birthday... I think Brad made me dinner though and we hung out which sounds perfect.  I was 29.


23. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I feel like I had everything I could have wanted.  Having to drive less would have been nice though, being even closer to family would have added a lot to the year.  

24. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Comfortable.  This year included lots of pajamas.

25. What kept you sane?
Sewing

26. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I can't say I follow any celebrity's.    

27. Who do you miss?
  Calgary family.  We're really ready to be back there.

28. Who was the best new person you met?
Kylie

29. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010?
Just be nice to everyone, all the time.

4 Things

We've gone away from home this Christmas which means I'm not at home with my craft supplies meaning there has been no crafting and no fun blog posts.  We'll probably be here until New Years so posting will be light.

Michelle posted this cute Christmas list on her blog and I thought I'd post it as some Christmas filler, enjoy.



4 Christmas shows I watch:
1. A Christmas Story (it's even better if I get to watch it with my siblings)
2. White Christmas (although I always end up being surprised how boring it is)
3. Christmas Vacation
4. This year I watched Garfield's Christmas Special for the first time and it was pretty special, perhaps I'll have to add that to the yearly program.

4 Christmas things I am passionate about:
1. Music - in our house we've been listening to Christmas music since October
2. Cornbread on Christmas morning
3. Spending time with family
4. Not getting so caught up in the stress of everything.  I try really hard to be relaxed about things and not fit in too much, we only do the things we want to do.

4 Christmas phrases I say a lot:
1. Merry Christmas!
2. Brad, what do you want for Christmas?  (He's so difficult to buy for)
3. I'm excited for you to open your present (When I finally come up with something to give Brad)
4.What are your plans for Christmas? (the small talk of Christmas season)

4 things I have learned from the past Christmases:
1. Brad is really difficult to buy for
2. I'm a decorating scrooge
3. When making treats for the neighbors deliver them earlier.  This year both neighbors on either side were out of town by the time I was ready to deliver their gifts.
4. Taking a 15 month old to a live nativity that's significantly busier than you expected (meaning you have to wait in line for 40 minutes before you can see a 15 minute performance and you won't really get to see the performance because the over tired and cold 15 month old will start to cry and you'll go back to the car and watch Sesame Street on your iPhone instead) is NOT worth the trip and will not leave you feeling anything but angry and frozen.  This was the lesson learned tonight that I will carry with me for some time.

4 places I'd like to go for Christmas
1. I'd love to spend Christmas with my entire family, it's been at least 15 years since we've all been together.
2. I'd love to go to Hawaii.  Out of all the places I've vacationed that was my favorite so I'd love to spend Christmas there with my family.
3. Next year I'd like to be right were I am this year only in our own house, not guests at my in-laws.
4. One year we went to Disneyland for Christmas.  We camped and woke up Christmas morning in our tent, opened stockings and then went and rode rides all day.  That was a fun day that I wouldn't mind doing again.

4 Christmas things I did yesterday:
1. Went Christmas Caroling with family
2. Helped eat a massive Toblerone bar
3. Packed up to be gone for 10 days
4. Delivered treats to the one neighbor that hadn't gone out of town yet

4 Christmas things I am looking forward to:
1. Being able to enjoy Brad's gift with him
2. Christmas dinner with all the Hudson's
3. Giving Renee and Rhiannon their awesome gifts
4. Helping Catie unwrap her gifts

4 things on my Christmas wish list:
1. A tart pan.  It's been on my wish list for the last couple of years, maybe this is the year.
2. New tweezers for my serger (the ones I have are real crummy)
3. A palm sander (I happen to know this one is under the tree and I'm so excited to own my very own)
4. An olive oil dispenser for my dish soap.  I love the way they look and have been so tempted to go buy one but since it was on a wish list I had to hold off.  If Santa doesn't bring one I'll go buy one.

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope your day is lovely and filled with family.

Re-visiting

Jenny just commented on this post and I couldn't remember what it was, having written it in May.  I thought it would be fun to re-post the answers since so much has changed since then.

1. First thing you wash in the shower?
Still my hair.

2. What color is your favorite hoodie?
I have a brown zip up hoodie that I got at a Hush Sound concert.  It's really soft and light so it's not too warm.  It's definitely my favorite.  One day Brad discovered how nice it was so we went out and bought him something similar so I didn't have to share.

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
You bet, Catie is very kissable.

4. Do you plan outfits?
My wardrobe seems to be shrinking more and more these days as things wear out or are now too small.  It makes getting dressed easier since I only own so many outfits, I still don't plan them though.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
A little lazy.  Catie is sleeping so I should be showering but I'm doing this instead.

6. What’s the closest thing to you that's red?
There's a screwdriver with a red handle on the computer desk.  It's a handy tool that has been used for many different projects.

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having?
I have a hard time remembering my dreams.  It was different when I was pregnant but now that I'm not I seldom remember them.

8. Did you meet anybody new today?
I don't meet many new people these days.  I spend a lot of time at home or with people I already know, there aren't many opportunities to meet someone new.

9. What are you craving right now?
A shower and the option to not have do my hair.

10. Do you floss?
I went through this phase where I flossed really regularly and I was so proud of myself, then I went to the Dentist and they told me to floss! I was upset and quit. It never makes a difference to them anyway. – as a little side note, I just read this article talking about how Dentists often make more than Doctors these days but their real money comes from cosmetic dentistry and the market is getting so competitive that they're much less likely to give you a hard time about flossing because they don't want you to change dentists, I'm not sure that's such a bad thing. (I left this answer from last May, it still stands)

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
My Grandma O'Reilly. When I think of cabbage rolls I think of her which doesn't really make sense because I don't think I've ever eaten her cabbage rolls, maybe my Mom tells me they were good? (This one too)

12. Are you emotional?
Yes but things have calmed down since pregnancy.  I would say I'm only slightly above an average person's emotional level.

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
I'm pretty sure I haven't nor do I have the desire too.

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
I definitely lick my ice cream.  I have sensitive teeth so biting is out of the question.

15. Do you like your hair?
My hair and I are friends off.  My wonderful Mom arranged for me to have an amazing hair cut yet the stupid hairdresser messed everything up.  He decided to do what he wanted instead of what I wanted.  The end result is a very high maintenance hair cut.  I'm procrastinating taking care of it right now and I'm wishing we didn't have plans later so I could just leave the fabulous bed head.

16. Do you like yourself?
Just about always

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?
I'd go out to eat with just about anyone, I LOVE going out to eat.

18. What are you listening to right now?
Our very loud dyer and the washing machine.  As usual I'm washing Catie's clothes and Brad got some new jeans that need to shrink a little in the height before he can wear them.  I'm also hoping that Catie isn't crying behind that noise, she should be sleeping.

19. Are your parents strict?
Not at all. I was the last of 5 kids so they were pretty lenient with me

20. Would you go skydiving?
I've never really felt the need to skydive, though this did just remind me of a strange dream last night that had something to do with jumping out of a plane, and parachutes, and I'm pretty sure Dave was in it... odd.

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
My sister-in-law Jolayne gave me an awesome lasagna recipe that has changed my mind about cottage cheese.  I sort of thought it was poor man's ricotta before but now I see the value of it.

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
I sort of met Sarah Slean once… and by met I mean I spoke a few words to her after her concert. That's really it though. (since May there have been no new developments in the celebrity meeting department)

23. Do you rent movies often?
Almost never.  We all about the box sets so we've started revisiting the ones we already own.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
How many sparkly things are there in an average room?  I'm wondering how often people would say yes to this questions.  I guess my wedding ring is in the room, it's sparkly.

25. How many countries have you visited?
Still four.  There hasn't been any traveling since last May.

26. Have you made a prank phone call?
I hate any sort or pranks, I think they're just an excuse to laugh at people and I don't like it. You know that show that comes on, Just for Laughs? I HATE that show! (All still true)

27. Ever been on a train?
When I was really little my family rode the train to Golden. The only thing I remember are the sandwiches Grandma brought and that I thought we were going to Silver. (still my only train ride)

28. Brown or white eggs?
White? I don't really have a preference nor do I know the difference

29.Do you have a cell-phone?
Yes, Brad and I recently got iPhones and I LOVE mine!  I feel like it's changed my life and I look forward to opportunities to use it.

30. Do you use Chap Stick?
All the time, I have perpetually chapped lips

31. Do you own a gun?
No way, and there will never be guns in my house. People get hurt by guns.

32. Can you use chopsticks?
Yes but when it gets down to just rice I'm done, it's not worth the effort

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
Tonight is FHE so we'll be with the Muise's and the Hornburger's.  Possibly the Pierson's too.

34. Are you too forgiving?
I would say I'm not forgiving enough, I could certainly forget about things quicker than I do

35. Ever been in love?
Two times that really mattered.  Brad and Catie.

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow?
Brad will be at school and Michelle will probably be at home with Rigby.

37. Ever have cream puffs?
I love cream puffs, maybe I'll make them for FHE in two weeks when it's at our house.  They always bring up memories of making them in Magrath with Jenn, Michelle and my Mom.

38. Last time you cried?
We watched the movie Up the other day.  Parts of it were really silly and dorky and unnecessary and parts of it were the sweetest thing I've ever seen.  The beginning and the end made me cry.

39. What was the last question you asked?
Are you ready for a nap?  I do lots of talking to Catie during the day.

40. Favorite time of the year?
Spring because it's softball season

41. Do you have any tattoos?
I almost got one once, I was drunk on all the fresh from high school freedom and I went as far as going to the tattoo parlour and picking one out. Thank goodness I changed my mind, I just wanted something rebellious so I think I got a second earring instead, I know… I'm so wild.

42. Are you sarcastic?
I love spending time with people who have a really sarcastic sense of humour, I'm occasionally sarcastic but who isn't at times?

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
I always confuse this movie with some dumb one where they go back in time and accidentally kill a butterfly and it brings about the end of the world.  I haven't seen the Butterfly Effect, the other one was on tv one day.

44. Ever walked into a wall?
I have a scar on my eyebrow to prove that I did once but I was so little I don't remember. I often don't give myself quit enough room to clear corners and end up walking into desks and stuff.

45. Favorite color?
Green

46. Have you ever slapped someone?
No, but I always wondered what it would be like.

47. Is your hair curly?
Only if I work at making it curly, it's a little wavy on it's own

48. What was the last CD you bought?
I just bought an EP by Wakey!Wakey! and it's awesome and everyone should love them.

49. Do looks matter?
Yes. We'd all like to think they don't but they do.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
No. Every situation is different but I'm going with no for now.

51. Is your phone bill sky high?
Higher than we'd like it to be but it's manageable.  I hate how expensive cell phones are in Canada.

52. Do you like your life right now?
I love my life right now.  I love being at home with Catie and school is going well for Brad.  We like our ward, we like our house and our community.  Life is great.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
No, I am not one of those people who turn on a movie and then fall asleep. When I was pregnant I wanted a tv in our room so I could spend all sorts of time in bed but that desire has since left and I'm glad we didn't get one.

54. Can you handle the truth?
Yes, it's better to know

55. Do you have good vision?
I've always had good vision, I'm lucky that way.

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
I'm not sure I do
57. How often do you talk on the phone?
Not as often as I would like too.  I have this awesome phone so I feel like I should use it all the time.  I do spend lots of time talking to my Mom and Michelle and I talk somewhat often these days.

58. The last person you held hands with?
That seems pretty obvious

59. What are you wearing?
A pajama shirt and Brad's pajama pants since Catie threw up on me this morning.  I told you I'm supposed to be showering.

60.What is your favorite animal?
Really big cats, Lions, Tigers, Leopards… I'd love a pet one if it wouldn't eat me.

61. Where was your Facebook picture taken at?
Our living room.  It's of Catie and as usual I thought she was adorable.  The photo was taken using my iPhone.

62. Can you hula-hoop?
Probably not, I used to be able to but I'm not sure that's a talent you keep without practice

63. Do you have a job?
I'm a full time Mom and loving it.

64. What was the most recent thing you bought?
I just bought some baskets for a microwave cart in our kitchen.  I was trying to organize and baby proof at the same time, we'll see how it works out.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window?
I don't believe I ever have… I put a mattress though a window once. It wouldn’t fit down the stairs so I used the window instead.

66. Is your hair up?
Not ever these days.  It's too short to be pulled up.

67.Is your phone right beside you?
My phone is in the living room on the couch.  Hope no one called me because I wouldn't have heard it over the dryer.

68.Do you have a gf/bf?
No but I have a husband

69.Do you wish you were somewhere else?
I'm generally pretty happy where I am these days.  I wouldn't mind a nice vacation somewhere but that'll come one day.

Hope this hasn't been terribly boring.
L

Today

Lowlights of today

1. The two very messy blow-out diapers from Catie
2. the projectile vomit that coated her later in the day 
3. The two loads of laundry that needed to be done to clean up the above
4. The two baths Catie needed

Highlights of today

1. Her hands reaching up to my hair as I leaned over playing with her
2. This song.  It's one of those songs that sticks for years (pay no attention to the random youtube video that accompanies the video.

Q&A

Been a while since I did one of these and I enjoyed reading it on Denise's site.

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?:"I sure do need a hair cut"  I have an incredible Mom who's arranging a new haircut for me.  I'm real excited.

2. What's the last thing you think of before you go to bed?:Using my iPhone I read my Google Reader in bed every night so I think about what I've just read.  Either that or I think about the answer Brad gave to my nearly nightly question, "What was your favorite part of today?"

3. What's a word that rhymes with door?: Door.

4. Favorite planet?: I can't say I've ever given it much thought.  I didn't ever wish to be an astronaut.  I suppose I would say Earth.

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your phone?: It doesn't have a name, just a phone number, not sure who it was.

6. What is your favorite ring on your phone?: The first 30 seconds of the song Wedding Dress by Matt Nathanson, it's enjoyable every time it rings.

7. What shirt are you wearing?: I'm wearing a shirt I stole from my roommate.  It's a t-shirt from a french immersion school that I hastily grabbed in the laundry room one day to cover my nakedness as my other roommates boyfriend walked by.  I've had a love for it ever since and it never got returned.

8. Name the brand of shoes you're currently wearing?: I'm wearing slippers right now.  they're slippers I got in London years ago at the ASDA while I was visiting Cora.  They're looking a little rough these days and don't smell the greatest but comfortable and easy to slip on and off.

9. Bright or Dark Room?: I guess dark?  Definitely dark for sleeping but I tend to have most of the lights on when I'm in a room.  This seems like an odd question though.

10.What were you doing at midnight last night? At midnight I was sleeping and grateful for it.  We just came back from a weekend in Calgary and we tend to be a little irresponsible with our bedtimes when we're there.

11.What did your last text message you received on your mobile say?: It's from Brad, and it's telling me that he's done his meeting and on his way to pick up a couple groceries before he heads home.

12.Where is your letter box?: We're in a new community so we have those clusters of mailboxes, ours just happens to be right across the street.

13. What's a word that you say a lot?:

14.Who told you he/she loved you last?: My Mom, I just got off the phone with her not too long ago.

15. Last furry thing you touched?: Catie's teddy bear.  It's not the most baby friendly as the fur pulls off easily but it's a great size so she plays with it with supervision.  Her cousin Riley gave it to her but don't remind him because he'll complain for weeks that he doesn't have his bear anymore.  It's was a voluntary gift I'm just not sure he realized what giving it away really meant.

16. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?: None.

17. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed? Do people use film these days?

18. Favorite age you have been so far? 21 was a good age, I also really liked 25.

19. Your worst enemy? Our downstairs neighbor.  He's not such a big fan of ours and we're not terribly pleased with him.  Thankfully the last week and a half has been uneventful.

20. What is your current desktop picture? It's called feather texture and it's incredibly boring.  I recently reformatted my computer and since having the iPhone it's become more of a way to watch things on the TV that being used all that often.  Since that's the case I can't be bothered to do much customization. My computer came with some great pictures that would be fine but none of them are the proper size for a widescreen monitor.

21.What was the last thing you said to someone? I'd really rather not watch hockey.  Brad and I were watching Olympic stuff and we landed on Women's hockey.  I don't enjoy watching a game that's close never mind a team getting slaughtered.  We're now watching cross country skiing instead.  They just showed a crazy wipe out!

22. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly: Definitely a million bucks.  I can fly anywhere I want to go on a plane if I had a million bucks and think of all the other fun stuff I could do as well.

23. Do you like someone? I like lots of people!

24. Last song you listened to? Something by Alexz Johnson, that's what we were listening to on the way home from Calgary.

25. If the last person you spoke to was getting shot at, would you jump in front of the bullet?: I'd like to think so since it would be Brad and I don't like the idea of him getting shot.  I'm not sure you ever really know what you'd do in that situation until it happens though.

26. If you could punch 1 person in your life right now, who would it be?: I'm not much a of a physically violent person so there's no one I'd choose to punch.

27. What is the closest object to your left foot?: Catie's dress.  It's real cute with brown and green and blue polka dots.  I'm slowly working on her laundry.  There's also a pillow for the couch  and "Are You My Mother?" that I just read to Catie.

One Last Look

I love this look back from Denise so I'm copying it here.

1. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I was sure I had made some resolutions so I went back in the blog to look and couldn't find any.  I guess I didn't make any last year.  I did make some this year and you can check them out here.  Brad and I have also added a new one, to put together our 72 hour kits.  We have backpacks and a few items for them but not much, it's time to start that agin.

2. Did anyone close to you give birth?
There were lots of people I know that gave birth this year, Jolayne brought in baby Bryn, Jane had handsome Russ.  Amanda's Olivia was born, Jody brought in Daniella and Jenny introduced Silas.  I'm sure there were others, it was a good year for babies.  I'm also including myself on this list, it was a pretty life changing event.
 
3. Did anyone close to you die?
  I was blessed this year and I didn't lose anyone close to me, I hope that continues in 2010.

4. What countries did you visit?
I think it's a little sad that I didn't go anywhere in 2009, I spent the whole year in Canada and didn't even travel within Canada.  One day there will be traveling.

5. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Stable housing.  I would like to go the whole year without moving.

6. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
September 12.  Life changed forever when Catie made her debut.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Having a baby.  It's something I knew would be difficult but was still unprepared for the experience.

8. What was your biggest failure?
Losing baby weight.  I realize it's only been 4 months but oh boy has it ever not gone well.

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I did suffer a pregnancy related softball injury but it was relatively quick to heal, other than that it was a good health year.

10. What was the best thing someone bought you?
The bouncy chair from Michelle.  It gives Catie time to play and me time to get stuff done.  I was also really lucky and generous people gave me a lot of really cute clothes for Catie.

11. Where did most of your money go?
More than half of my income disappeared when I went on maternity leave.  Brad's entire income disappeared when he quit his job to got to school.  The rest of our money has gone towards food and housing costs.  

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
When I found out I was pregnant, that was really exciting.  I was really excited when we lined up housing in Lethbridge, sadly that housing fell through.  Our new house has some downsides but we've mostly been happy here.

13. What song will always remind you of 2009?
My Life Would Suck Without You.  I realize it's cheesy and not very eloquent but there's something about it that makes you want to dance.

14. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? I was really blessed to have a great last year, I'm just as happy this year.
b) fatter or skinner? Far fatter.  I blame Catie but if I'm honest I should probably blame all the dessert I eat.
c) richer or poorer? Most definitely poorer. See #11.

15. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Eaten more vegetables.
 
16. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Spend time at a job that I hated.

17. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I fell in love with Catie.  The love I feel for her is so different than anything else and I can't imagine life without her.

18. What was your favourite TV program?
Till Debt do us Part or maybe Rich Bride Poor Bride

19. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I'm so grateful that I don't

20. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Matt Nathanson

21. What was your favourite film of this year?
Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog.

22. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
28. Dinner with my best friend, it was just what I wanted.

23. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I'm having a hard time coming up with something because it was a pretty good year.  I suppose owning our own house would have been really nice, that would have eliminated some of the less good things.  

24. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Maternity Wear

25. What kept you sane?
Brad

26. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I really love Lindsay Price.  I don't think she's done anything particularly awesome but there's something really appealing about her.  

27. Who do you miss?
  Arvid and Jolayne.  Since moving to Lethbridge we don't get to spend as much time with them.  We were really lucky and just spent 5 days with them over Christmas and it was so much fun!

28. Who was the best new person you met?
Catie!  She sure fills up my day.

29. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009?
Motherhood is an amazing gift and I'm so blessed to be part of her life.

I promise, I really did do my best to not make this all about Catie but she really does take up just about all of my thoughts.
L

This year brought about some really big changes, we moved to Lethbridge, Brad started a completely new program at a new school and most importantly it brought the arrival of our Catie.  She's been such a blessing and every day is so much fun, we sure love this girl.

Highlights of 2009

1. Skating at Olympic Oval with IRC – January 9
2. The discovery of baby Wiebeosaurus – January 10
3. Sunday Dinner Reunion – January 17 
4. Games at Mike's house – February 14
5. Valentines Day – February 14 (Flowers and cupcakes)
   
6. Getting to spread our pregnancy news – March 1
7. Hearing Wiebeosaurus' heartbeat – March 24
8. Seeing Catie for the first time – April 22
9. The first softball game of the season – April 29
10. Finding a place to live in Lethbridge – May 8
    
11. Sarah Slean concert – May 30
12. Shopping for maternity clothes with Barb – June 2
13. Brad getting accepted into UofL – June 5
14. Trip to the lake – July
15. Birthday dinner at La Dolce Vita – July 8
16. Finding another place to live in Lethbridge – July 17
17. My last day of work – August 14 
18. Galt Garden’s picnic – August 31
19. The arrival of Catie (minus the actual labour part) – September 12
20. Our Halloween Catie Cat – October 31
21. Christmas with all the family (except James and Lucy sadly)

Lowlights of 2009

1. Meeting with a lawyer and finding out our Brenda case wasn't as good as we had initially thought - January 28
2. Being too pregnant to play softball and the injury that followed – May 27
3. Having our Lethbridge house fall through a week before moving day and scrambling to find something else - July 15
4. Noisy contractors in our basement while I was trying to get our brand new baby to sleep.
5. The flat tire we got on our way up to Calgary
   
6. Our new smoker of a basement neighbor.
   

This year has brought about a lot of changes for us.  We moved to a new city, Brad started a new program at a new school and Catie came into our lives.  We've been so blessed and all of these changes have brought such good things for us.  We love Lethbridge, it's fun to be close to my family and we like the small town feel for a change.  Brad's program is going so well, we feel he's being really well prepared for a future career.  I can't even find words to say how grateful we are for Catie.  She's obviously been the biggest change and it's been such a fun one.  Everyday she's a little bit different and we love to see her learn new things.  She's full of smiles and giggles and turns around a bad day so quick.

I'm excited to see what 2010 brings.
L

Participation Please

I realize since I nearly never post here I can expect participation to be down but I loved this, play along if you like and thanks Denise for the idea.

1. If Laura was a gem, she would be_____________.

2. If Laura was a type of shoe, she would be_________________.

3. If Laura was a fairy tale character, she would be________________.

4. If Laura was a season of the year, she would be________________.

5. If Laura was a fashion accessory, she would be________________.

6. If Laura was a type of gum, she would be__________________.

7. If Laura was a day of the week, she would be__________________.

8. If Laura was a flower, she would be______________________.

9. If Laura was a fruit, she would be_____________________.

10. If Laura was a colour, she would be______________________.


This weekend we have an exciting evening planned of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, perhaps it will lead to exciting blog stories.
L

Ready

I've been trying really hard to not feel too finished with this pregnancy yet because I still have two weeks left but there are certainly some things I won't miss about pregnancy and some things I'm really looking forward to.

1. Being able to sleep normally (I'm not silly, I do expect some sleepless-ness when Catie comes but at least when I get to sleep I can sleep well. Right now there is not a whole lot that's restful about the sleep I've been getting)
2. I've never been the type of person that enjoys excessive heat but this last week has been pretty bad. Our house gets direct sunlight between 5 and 7 and I become whiny and miserable. Begging Brad to take me somewhere air conditioned. It takes that and a little ice cream to make me feel somewhat normal again.
3. I'm convinced that my wedding rings and shoes will never, ever fit again. Even my slippers are too small!
4. Our house has very few stairs, I think there's only 6 or 7 yet when I get to the top I'm often out of breath. This breathless-ness is annoying.
5. I figure getting up to pee a ridiculous amount of times a night can't be all that much worse than getting up to nurse.

The nursery is ready, her clothes are washed and folded. Diapers at the ready. The only thing left to do is pack a hospital bag and then we're ready. My prediction is that she'll come 3 days late but I sure wouldn't mind being wrong and having her come early.
L

Getting to Know Me

One of the many Facebook notes that goes around. I'm real bored at work today so it makes for good filler.

1. What time did you get up this morning? The alarm first went off at 6:10 but it was 7:00 before I actually forced myself to get up.
2. How do you like your steak? Medium rare. It's not worth eating if it's well done and tough.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Brad and I went and saw Transformers this weekend, it's not that great.
4. What is your favorite TV show? So You Think You Can Dance, Malcolm in the Middle though it's in syndication and the episodes are starting to get repetitive. I've begun replacing it with One Tree Hill, completely soapy, crappy show but I'm loving all the drama.
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? I'm sort of picky but not at the same time… I'd be happy anywhere as long as I have family around. I love being so close to Brad's siblings and I'd be thrilled if mine were closer too. I wouldn't mind somewhere that doesn't get as cold as here but it also can't have giant spiders.
6. What did you have for breakfast? A Strawberry smoothie. Smoothies are my new favorite and I have a different kind every morning for breakfast.
7. What is your favorite food? I really love food. I have a hard time picking a favorite because there are so many options. I really like pizza and almost any kind of dessert. Macaroni and Cheese (not yucky Kraft dinner, homemade stuff) would be high on the list of favorite too.
8. What foods do you dislike? Mushrooms and olives. I was saying to Brad the other day that one of us should learn to love olives since neither of us will eat them, he was fine with the plan as long as I was the one of us, blech.
9. Favorite Place to Eat? At just about any restaurant I can find something I love so this is a hard one. I really love the pizza at Boston Pizza though and the Calamari at the Olive Garden is so yummy. I love Spicy Hut and Diner Deluxe and the list goes on and on.
10. Favorite dressing? I've never bought it but I love that Kraft Asian Sesame one, it makes such a yummy salad.
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? A 2004 Honda Civic
12. What are your favorite clothes? I love all of my maternity clothes, especially my jeans. I'll be really sad when I don't get to wear them anymore because they're comfy and super cute. I can't imagine going back to my boring pre-pregnancy clothes.
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Hawaii, Disneyland and I know Brad would love to go back to Montreal.
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? 1/2 full, although sometimes it's 1/2 empty.
15. Where would you want to retire? Anywhere close to family, I really like Calgary though.
16. Favorite time of day? I love 4:00 on Brad's day off when he comes and picks me up. Sometimes he'll come meet me for lunch too, that time is pretty great. I also really like bedtime.
17. Where were you born? Magrath, Alberta.
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Baseball.
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? I'm skipping this one since I'm not tagging anyone.
20. Person you expect to tag you back first? Same as 19.
21. Apparantly there's no 21
22. Bird watcher? I'm really not. Brad does have this fascination with birds of prey though, he'll point out hawks and stuff when he sees them. One time at the Wiebe house there was an owl outside and every was in awe and gathered around the window… in my head I was thinking, "meh".
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? I'm not a morning person but not particularly a night person either. Midday? Although these days I need a nap at noon.
24. Do you have any pets? No and we'd like it to stay that way. We're going to be those mean parents who don't let their kids have pets, we're just not animal people.
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? It's not really news but we're moving on Thursday. Boy it'll be a relief when that's done.
26. What did you want to be when you were little? I always wanted to be a mother. Now as that actually gets closer I'm starting to feel pretty nervous about it.
27. What is your best childhood memory? I loved our trips to Disneyland. We'd drive down and camp all the way. I remember the yummy breakfasts we'd eat at the KOA's and there would inevitable be some pretty good arguments but overall it was a fun time.
28. Are you a cat or dog person? I like cats though Brad's allergic. Neither of us like dogs, especially since Brad's convinced they all want to eat him.
29. Are you married? Best decision I ever made, he makes me so happy every day.
30. Always wear your seat belt? Absolutely.
31. Been in a car accident? Not any major ones. I rear ended a car once when it was super slippery out, there wasn't much damage though. Once before Brad and I were dating he turned left and it's wasn't actually all that clear and we got hit, that was stressful for him.
32. Any pet peeves? Smokers. I become less and less tolerant every day. I hate walking to the bus behind someone who's smoking. Or getting on the bus and someone sits beside you who just put out their cigarette, it's so gross and proven to kill you! I don't get it.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Pesto, Feta and tomatoes – so yummy together!
34. Favorite Flower? Lisianthus (that's probably spelled wrong). I'd never heard of it before until the florist who put together my wedding flowers picked it out, it's a pretty purple flower.
35. Favorite ice cream? Anything with lots of stuff in it. I think that vanilla is a topping, not something to be eaten on it's own so I need a bunch of goodies in my ice cream.
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Del Mar, they have the yummies burritos
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Once, I sped through a playground zone… I know, it was stupid. I did much better the second time.
38. From whom did you get your last email? Brad
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Right now it would be a furniture store, maybe Leons? It'd chuck all of our furniture, buy brand new everything and have it all delivered so we didn't have to deal with it in the move (I hate moving).
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? We went out for dinner on Saturday. Not terribly spontaneous but it hadn't been planned in advance. We also showed up at Brad's parents hoping we could eat some lunch yesterday, again, not planned. That's about it though.
41. Like your job? Not even a little bit, I only have 15 days left though so I can handle it (let's hope none of my co-workers read this)
42. Broccoli? Love it. Brad doesn't though so I seldom cook it anymore though I have convinced him he likes Broccoli Cheese Soup.
43. What was your favorite vacation? Mexico with Brad for our honeymoon. We sat around and ate lots and did a cool canopy tour and had so much fun. I'd love to do something like that with him again.
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Brad. We went to the Olive Garden, mostly for their Calamari. It was really just an excuse to not go home to our really messy house that was waiting for more packing to be done.
45. What are you listening to right now? Typical sounds around the office. There are some muffled voices, but mostly I'm listening to the sound of myself typing. Betty just asked if I'm writing a novel so apparently that's what she's listening to as well.
46. What is your favorite color? I love green. I don't own very much in green but I really like it. I love to decorate in brown too, I think if I had the money to redecorate the whole house would be brown (I know, so boring).
47. How many tattoos do you have? None. I almost got one once but then thought better of it. That was such a wise decision.
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? None
49. What time did you finish this quiz? 12:40 pm
50. Coffee Drinker? I can't stand the smell even. I do like Starbucks Hot Chocolate though.

Marriage

Today's post is a bit of a space-filler but stay tuned for details on the Lethbridge move that is slowly falling apart.

Marriage

1. When was your engagement? March 23, 2007 (maybe the 24th). We called all of our family right after and then we got to go to an activity where all of our friends were. It was fun to be able to tell people so quick.
2. When is your marriage anniversary? June 30, 2007
3. How long have you known your spouse? 5 years ish? Most of those years I didn't know him well though, we were friends for about a year and a half.
4. How long did you date before you got engaged? 3 months. I know it's crazy short. I used to hate it when people would say, "When you know, you know". I thought that was hogwash, you can't know you love someone in 3 months. And then I knew and I didn't want to wait. I like to think it helped that we'd been friends for so long.
5. Where did you meet your spouse? The first time we met was pretty unmemorable for the both of us, it took us a long time to come up with it. I was playing my clarinet in a performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Brad came to sub on the drums for a practice or two until he left on his mission. The meeting left no impression on either of us though. While on his mission I happened to become friends with 3 of his siblings so we naturally ended up in the some of the same places when he got back.
6. What is your spouses full name? Bradley Earl Wiebe
7. Do you have any children? Catie Mae is coming in September
8. How many? Just the one that's still cooking
9. Do you have any pets? Nope. We're going to be those mean parents that don't let their kids have any pets, we don't like dogs and Brad's allergic to cats. One day maybe we'll let them have goldfish, in a bowl though, no fancy aquariums.
10. Do you own or rent? We rent though we move at the end of the month and the new place we had lined up just fell through. Hopefully we're not homeless or living with my parents.
11. Do you live in the country, city/town? City unless we end up at my parents, Magrath is definitely a town.
12. What is your favourite activity you do together? We love spending time together, it doesn't really matter what we're doing as long as we get to do it together. We do really love going out for dinner though.
13. Do you have a favourite vacation spot? Brad would definitely say Shushwap Lake but I'd probably say Disneyland or Hawaii. I want to take him to both eventually.
14. How many siblings do you have including in-laws? Oh man, this is getting complicated. I have 3 brothers and 1 sister, they're all married except one brother. Brad has 1 brother and 4 sisters and they're all married so that gives me a whole lot of in-laws. If you add them all up it totals 17 siblings and in-laws.
15. What church do you attend? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
16. Is this the church you got married in? We got married in the Cardston Alberta Temple
17. What town is your current address? Calgary, AB though as I mentioned we're heading down to Lethbridge soon.
18. Do you work or stay home? I work for another 4 ½ weeks and then I get to go on maternity leave.
19. Where did you go for your honeymoon? We went to Puerto Vallarta. It was amazing but I don't think we'd go back, next time we'd go to the other side of Mexico, we've heard such great things about it. The beaches are supposed to be way nicer.
20. Leave a piece of marriage advice: My favorite piece of advice is given on the wedding day, "May be today be the day you love each other the lease." I like that the amount you love each other grows more every day.

Marrying Brad was the best decision I've ever made, I look forward to lots of years of fun together.
L

Two Years

On June 30th Brad and I celebrated our second anniversary. This year was especially casual as we were out at the lake all week. We did go on an anniversary canoe ride but I didn't want to let to day go by completely unmentioned.

Here's a list of 24 reasons (one for every month of marriage) I'm thrilled I married Brad. Sorry if the list is boring for everyone but Brad.

1. He was perfectly willing to stop to let me pee twice as many times as usual on the way to and from BC.
2. Everything to do with Catie, finding out about her, hearing her heartbeat, seeing her tiny feet. It's all made me love him so much more.
3. He kills all the spiders for me.
4. He makes me laugh with his unique silly-ness. It's a shame I'm the only one that gets to enjoy it.
5. Is so helpful with packing, unpacking and getting ready for our next move.
6. He often will put his face on my belly and try to get Catie to kick him in the face, so cute.
7. He's willing to share a DQ Blizzard with me because they're just a little too large for both of us.
8. He loves to play softball with me.
9. Is the kindest person I know.
10. He appreciates me and is always quick to say thank you if I've done something nice for him.
11. He does the majority of the laundry and is happy to do it.
12. We share the same ideas on parenting (not that we know anything about it yet) and we're excited to see how we do together.
13. Sometimes his hair does this awesome flip thing in the morning if he's slept on it wrong, I like that.
14. I can ask him any question, no matter how stupid and he'll never make me feel dumb. He explains things to me so clearly without being condescending.
15. No one makes better cookies.
16. Doesn't complain at all about my super annoying pregnancy snoring, even when it keeps him up at night.
17. He drives me to work every morning even though it makes him 40 minutes early for work. In two years he's never once complained about that.
18. If he's not at work he insists on picking me up after I'm done work, even if it's not convenient for him.
19. I'm happiest when it's just the two of us together and so is he. We're excited to make it the three of us.
20. He likes to surprise me by doing things he knows I'll like, like doing the dishes or the laundry.
21. I don't know how he does it but he drinks water so loud! It glug, glugs all the way down. I like that he has random quirks like that.
22. When I'm sick he won't let me lift a finger, he insists on taking care of me the best he possibly can and would go out and get me anything if it would make me feel better.
23. He loves new electronic toys and has to find out every possible feature or cool trick available on said toy
24. He's super musical. I love to listen to him sing and I love that he's so talented.
25. He loves me in a way no one else would. Listens to me, is super affectionate and looks at me different than everybody else. No one makes me feel better about myself than him.

I'm so grateful for the two years we've had together and I can't wait to see what the future brings.
L

These are a few of my Favorite Things (right now) – 2nd Edition

1. Malcolm in the Middle Reruns
2. Mandarin Oranges in June (they're not just for Christmas anymore)
3. Hot Fudge Cheesecake
4. Dessert of any kind
5. Maternity clothes
6. Settlers of Catan
7. Softball
8. Only one more month of living dishwasher free
9. Mangoes
10. Here Come the Newlyweds
11. Sarah Slean's album the Baroness Redecorates

A Music Q&A

Stolen from Denise

1. What song do you sing in the shower?
   I've never been a shower singer. When I lived at the Rosehill house we used to hear the boys next door singing in the shower, I always got a chuckle out of that.
2. What's your best karaoke number?
   I don't think I've ever done Karaoke. I hate being the centre of attention so I'm always pretty quick to turn down the mike.
3. Favorite Christmas/Holiday song?
   I LOVE Christmas music, I start listening to it early and continue far past Christmas. My favorites are almost all done by MOTAB, I especially love their O Come All Ye Faithful and they have a Christmas Processional with handbells that I repeat often.
4. Best song for getting psyched up?
   Some by a girly pop group, like Untouched by the Veronicas or My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson. I realize they're not great lyrically but sometimes I can't get enough.
5. Best melancholy, rainy day mood song?
   It Looks Like Rain – Jann Arden
6. What song did/will you dance to at your wedding?
   "The Sun and the Moon" – Mae. That song has stuck with us so much that we're giving our little girl the middle name Mae. The Lyrics were just so appropriate for us…
   "I can not say that I was ready for this.
   But, when worlds collide,
   And all that I have is all that I want.
   The words seem to flow
   And the thoughts they keep running.
   And all that I have is yours.
   All that I am is yours."
7. Best breakup song?
   Already Gone – Kelly Clarkson
   Lost - Anouk
8. What song takes you back to High School?
   Kiss From a Rose – Seal. I can't tell you how much I hate this song. The Lethbridge station, The River, would play it all summer and it reminds me of working at the hot, smelly lunch counter in the Trading Company and it makes me feel gross all over.
9. Do you sing a certain song to your kids?
   My Mom has the best memory for kids songs and will need to teach them to me because I'm not sure I know any of those fun songs. I do want to sing Primary songs to my kids because I think it's so cute when the Sunbeams can sing along. You've got to start early though.
10. What song makes you cry?
    I'm embarrassed to admit that there are a plethora of songs that have made me cry. If I'm into the song enough then I'll start to tear up. Usually first dance songs at weddings make me cry though, they're always so loving and sweet and the bride and groom can't get enough of each other. I like weddings.
11. What song do you want played at your funeral?
    Goodnight Trouble – Sarah Slean
12. What song do you wish would start playing when you walked in a room?
    Today – Joshua Radin (if Brad's in the room)
13. What's a song you know every word to by heart?
    There are lots but I remember I was really proud of myself when I learned the words to Garth Brooks, Ain't Goin' Down (Till the Sun Comes Up). I always wished I knew all the words to Vanilla Ice, Ice Ice Baby. I was pretty sure it meant you were cool if you knew all those words.
14. What was the first 8-track/cassette tape/CD that you owned?
    I'm sure it was some church tape/CD, I used to listen to those a lot. The first non-religious music I remember is Celine Dion.
15. What's your work-out jam?
    Work out… ha! I did go through a phase last summer where I started to jog occasionally (it didn't last long) but my music choice was always the same, The Veronicas. It'll definitely get you going in the morning.
16. Best road trip song/album?
    Chicago – Best of CD. There were many road trips taken to that soundtrack. It will always remind me of trips to Idaho and my sister Jennifer.
17. Ever had a song dedicated to you?
    It seems like along the way there must have been at least one but I can't think of any.
18. What song gets stuck in your head that you can't stand?
    Any really over-played radio song
19. Favorite classical piece?
    I love Yo Yo Ma, Especially when he plays Prelude #5 by Chopin
20. No. 1 favorite artist?
    Jimmy Eat World, although Sarah Slean is making her way up there on the list
21. No. 1 favorite album?
    Futures or Clarity by Jimmy
22. No. 1 favorite song?
    That changes often and there are way too many to list but I never fail to be amazed by how much I love the song Kill, by Jimmy.
23. What's the last song you listened to?
    There was something playing on the radio in the car this morning but I think that hardly counts. I was listening to Kelly Clarkson, I want you, on my bus ride home last night.

So there you have it, a look into my musical tastes
Sorry for the boring post but why should you be entertained when I'm terribly bored :)
L

At Least it's Something...

I have all these real posts in my head and I was ready to write them when work suddenly took a surprisingly busy turn and there was no time, and now I forgot the camera and there are some photos to post. So until then you get this, stolen from Denise.

1. First thing you wash in the shower?
I think I wash my hair first, that seems like a logical beginning

2. What color is your favorite hoodie?
When Brad and I got married I stole one of his hoodies, it's black and says Finger 11 on it and is old but it's comfy and Brad's and I love it.

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
I would and I will

4. Do you plan outfits?
Not at all which sometimes makes things difficult in the morning. Often I'll have to get half dressed in the morning and then eat breakfast while I think about the rest.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
Tired

6. What’s the closest thing to you that's red?
There's a piece of paper on my desk that has red on it, or an Emergency Procedure paper pinned to my wall but that's it.

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having?
I dreamed last night that Rachel rented our really great new apartment (fingers crossed) to Camilla and Greg instead of us and as much as I love Camilla and Greg I was not happy about it.

8. Did you meet anybody new today?
No but it's still pretty early in the morning. I am going to a baby shower tonight and there's bound to be a couple people there that I don't know.

9. What are you craving right now?
The cupcakes sitting to my left are pretty tempting. I'm holding out until a little later until others will eat them with me.

10. Do you floss?
I went through this phase where I flossed really regularly and I was so proud of myself, then I went to the Dentist and they told me to floss! I was upset and quit. It never makes a difference to them anyway. – as a little side note, I just read this article talking about how Dentists often make more than Doctors these days but their real money comes from cosmetic dentistry and the market is getting so competitive that they're much less likely to give you a hard time about flossing because they don't want you to change dentists, I'm not sure that's such a bad thing.

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
My Grandma O'Reilly. When I think of cabbage rolls I think of her which doesn't really make sense because I don't think I've ever eaten her cabbage rolls, maybe my Mom tells me they were good?

12. Are you emotional?
You can even believe how emotional. Pregnancy has made it so much worse.

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
I don't know why I would have ever counted to 1,000…

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
I have super sensitive teeth so there's no way I'd bite ice cream, though the left side is much left sensitive so I'm more likely to chew cold things on that side. I secretly have this few that the teeth on my left side will wear out quicker because I chew so much more often on that side.

15. Do you like your hair?
Not particularly. These days my mornings are all about how I can get 10 more minutes in bed and my hair is really suffering. My Mom gave my a hair cut not too long ago and at first I thought it was kind of an awkward length but it actually turned out to be perfect. It's a length that looks really crappy if I don't do anything with it so it's been a good motivator.

16. Do you like yourself?
Most of the time

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?
I'd go out to eat with just about anyone, I LOVE going out to eat.

18. What are you listening to right now?
My boss's conversation with someone but I wasn't actually listening well enough to have a clue what they were talking about

19. Are your parents strict?
Not at all. I was the last of 5 kids so they were pretty lenient with me

20. Would you go skydiving?
No. It's not something that appeals to me at all

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
I don’t mind it in lasagna but that's about it

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
I sort of met Sarah Slean once… and by met I mean I spoke a few words to her after her concert. That's really it though.

23. Do you rent movies often?
Very seldom, I can't bear to pay the money for them

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
I'm at work, on a very beige, boring floor. Nothing sparkles here.

25. How many countries have you visited?
Four

26. Have you made a prank phone call?
I hate any sort or pranks, I think they're just an excuse to laugh at people and I don't like it. You know that show that comes on, Just for Laughs? I HATE that show!

27. Ever been on a train?
When I was really little my family rode the train to Golden. The only thing I remember are the sandwiches Grandma brought and that I thought we were going to Silver.

28. Brown or white eggs?
White? I don't really have a preference nor do I know the difference

29.Do you have a cell-phone?
Yes, though I hardly ever use it

30. Do you use Chap Stick?
All the time, I have perpetually chapped lips

31. Do you own a gun?
No way, and there will never be guns in my house. People get hurt by guns.

32. Can you use chopsticks?
Yes but when it gets down to just rice I'm done, it's not worth the effort

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
I'm going to a baby shower so lots of family and women

34. Are you too forgiving?
I would say I'm not forgiving enough, I could certainly forget about things quicker than I do

35. Ever been in love?
Yup

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow?
Working and I think that's all we have planned

37. Ever have cream puffs?
I love homemade cream puffs though they remind me of Michelle every time who can't eat them anymore because she OD'd on them once.

38. Last time you cried?
All it takes these days is a sappy television show, Grey's Anatomy does it every week

39. What was the last question you asked?
It's boring but I was asking about a report I just finished and when they'd know whether the client chooses us or not

40. Favorite time of the year?
Spring because it's softball season

41. Do you have any tattoos?
I almost got one once, I was drunk on all the fresh from high school freedom and I went as far as going to the tattoo parlour and picking one out. Thank goodness I changed my mind, I just wanted something rebellious so I think I got a second earring instead, I know… I'm so wild.

42. Are you sarcastic?
I love spending time with people who have a really sarcastic sense of humour, I'm occasionally sarcastic but who isn't at times?

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
Nah, I thought it looked stupid

44. Ever walked into a wall?
I have a scar on my eyebrow to prove that I did once but I was so little I don't remember. I often don't give myself quit enough room to clear corners and end up walking into desks and stuff.

45. Favorite color?
Green

46. Have you ever slapped someone?
No, but I was always ready in case an opportunity presented itself

47. Is your hair curly?
Only if I work at making it curly, it's a little wavy on it's own

48. What was the last CD you bought?
The last CD I acquired was Carly Rae Jepsen (just to check it out, it's just as cheesy as you would expect) but it's been so long since I actually paid money for music that I can't remember.

49. Do looks matter?
Yes. We'd all like to think they don't but they do.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
No. Every situation is different but I'm going with no for now.

51. Is your phone bill sky high?
Definitely not. I use it so seldom it feels neglected

52. Do you like your life right now?
I like where my life is heading, right now is sort of a waiting period. Waiting for the baby, waiting for Lethbridge, waiting to be finished with work.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
No, I am not one of those people who turn on a movie and then fall asleep. I think I could count on one hand the number of times I've fallen asleep in front of the tv.

54. Can you handle the truth?
Yes, it's better to know

55. Do you have good vision?
I've always had good vision but pregnancy has decreased it a little, I'm hoping its temporary

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
I probably should admit it but absolutely. There are some work people that I'll be very happy not to deal with anymore once I start mat leave

57. How often do you talk on the phone?
I dislike talking on the phone and often screen calls. I don't like the uncertainty of what the person will say and how cornered you feel. The exception is my Mom, we have really long conversations and I love them.

58. The last person you held hands with?
That seems pretty obvious

59. What are you wearing?
Jeans, a button up shirt and a sweater, love casual Friday's.

60.What is your favorite animal?
Really big cats, Lions, Tigers, Leopards… I'd love a pet one if it wouldn't eat me.

61. Where was your Facebook picture taken at?
Middle Name Pride Day a couple years ago at the Rosehill house. That's why I'm wearing a "Hello my Name is" sticker, it says Michelle.

62. Can you hula-hoop?
Probably not, I used to be able to but I'm not sure that's a talent you keep without practice

63. Do you have a job?
I do but only for 3ish more months

64. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Dinner last night. I was busy preparing or the baby shower so we ordered Chinese food and it was delicious

65. Have you ever crawled through a window?
I don't believe I ever have… I put a mattress though a window once. It wouldn’t fit down the stairs so I used the window instead.

66. Is your hair up?
Not very often, I don't like it up, although these days if it buys me 10 more minutes in bed it's worth it.

67.Is your phone right beside you?
My desk phone is right beside me, my cell phone is in my purse in the drawer to my right

68.Do you have a gf/bf?
No but I have a husband

69.Do you wish you were somewhere else?
Do I ever. I'd take a lovely warm vacation or just the morning home in bed, they both sound more appealing than being here.

Stay tuned for real posts next week, sorry it's been so long.
L

Firsts

So I'm incredibly bored here at work and I realized it's been ages since I posted anything so I'm stealing this list from Facebook and posting it here. If it's not good enough for you then tough, it's all you get.

1. Who was your FIRST prom date? BJ Harker. I wore these ridiculous shoes, they had HUGE heels… I would change that if I could.
2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? Not very often.
3. What was your 1st alcoholic drink? Never tried it.
4. What was your FIRST job? I worked the lunch counter at the Magrath Trading Company. I made burgers, shakes and a pie every week.
5. What was your FIRST car? Red, 1980 something Honda Civic. It was a great car with a sun roof.
6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? Since we got married we've downgraded to one cell phone that Brad takes with him. As a result I no longer text and all the people who used to text me have quit.
7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? Brad
8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Does it make me a bad person if I can't remember? I'm sure I'd remember some other time but I'm drawing blank right now.
9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane? Disneyland. My Dad won a trip for 4 to Disneyland so they paid for the other 3 kids and off we went. It was a nice change from the driving we normally did to get there.
10. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk? Maybe Alita Tanner? But maybe Michelle Todd. I think Alita and I were friends before Michelle Bevers and I were friends. Michelle Todd and I talk all the time, Alita and I not so much but my Mom gives me updates occasionally. I read Michelle Bevers' blog the few times she actually posts something :)
11. Where was your FIRST sleep over? Either Michelle Bevers' or Alita Tanner's. I can't remember but I do remember that Michelle Bevers and I would play Barbies for hours and Alita and my sleepovers usually ended up with one of us wanting to go home because we got in a fight.
12. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today? Brad. He was the unfortunate one to have to deal with my grouchiness in having to get up.
13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? My sister Jennifer's. We held lily's in our bouquet and they smelled like bologna.
14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? Complain about having to get up. Then hit snooze many, many times.
15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? Jann Arden. I think I even went alone and I loved it!
16. FIRST tattoo? I almost got a tattoo once. I went down to the tattoo parlour, picked one out and went to make an appointment. They wanted a deposit and I didn't have cash so I said I'd go back later. Thank goodness I never did. I think I just wanted a brief moment of rebellion.
17. First piercing? I had my ears pierced twice when I was young. The first time they got really infected so we let them grow over, then I got them pierced again.
18. First foreign country you've been to? US hardly counts but it was the first, we went to Mexico a couple times when I was young.
19. FIRST movie you remember seeing? Not a chance I can remember the first movie I saw, my memory doesn't hold those kind of details. I did love The Little Mermaid though and prided myself on the ridiculous amounts of times I'd seen it. I used to watch it twice a day. First theatre movie I remember seeing was probably Beauty & the Beast.
20. When was your FIRST detention? The only detention I ever had was handed out to the whole class. I can't remember what we did wrong but it was in high school and we all thought it was ridiculous.
21. What was the first state you lived in? I've never lived in the States and I've only ever lived in Alberta. I almost went to school down in Idaho, changed my mind at the last minute and I've grateful for it.
22. Who was your FIRST roommate? Julie Regehr (Lewis) and Meena. It was good times in our little basement suite though Meena mostly avoided us and we were okay with it. We played lots of card games and the thing that still surprises me is how little I ever asked about Julie's boyfriends.
23. If you had one wish. What would it be? A trip to Hawaii, tomorrow. I really need a warm vacation. Either that or lots of money.
24. What is something you would learn if you had the chance? Photoshop, it does such incredible things.