Walk Home with Me

My walk home from work yesterday took about double the normal time (I really will stop mentioning the toe any day now). I found that frequent stops were necessary but rather than just stop and stand I took out the camera and took a couple pictures on the way.

So take a walk with me and see what I see.

This was the first time I decided to take a rest so I looked over to my right and I loved the way the trees were all snowy with the bright buildings lights behind it. I’m sure this could have been a really great picture if I sort of knew what I was doing :)



This is one of the lamps on the Centre Street Bridge and I loved the orange glow against the darkening blue sky.



I tend to forget that after the snow has fallen this path is icy and treacherous and that I need to take the stairs. Yesterday was no exception so this section took and especially long time. The snow was all mounded up on the fence posts and I love the view of downtown.



It’s hard to see but somebody took the time to step off the path and make a snow angel, what a perfect celebration of the weather.



This is the home stretch, I’m almost there and I always think this street is so pretty. In the summer I get little cool patches of shade where the trees hang over.

There are lots of bushes like the one to the right and I think they look like they’re covered with mounds of dish soap bubles.


So there's a typical wintery walk home with me.
L

Good Treat Gone Bad

So I'm starting to have misgivings about Starbucks… perhaps I should cut myself off.

I needed a little something to get myself through the morning. Something more than my usual steamed milk; I wanted something yummy, blended and with whipped cream on top.

After careful inspection of the menu board I made my selection, a Chocolaty-Chip Frappucchino listed in the Coffee-free section (they're really just cream and ice blended with flavoring).

It only took a sip or two before I suspected that it was not as coffee-free as advertised but I just couldn't be sure. I took a few more sips trying to ignore that after-taste and finally decided to just go ask the lady if she put coffee in my coffee-free beverage. She assured me she didn't so I headed back to my office, not totally convinced.

By the time I got back to my desk I was really unsure so I got a second opinion and had a co-worker taste it. We still couldn't decide so I took it to the website.

The "coffee-free" Chocolaty-Chip Frappucchino is made with mocha syrup.

It was sad to watch my $3.00 treat run down the drain but at least I only got half the calories.
L

View from the Top

The bright orange trees are gone and we've come to the stage where everything looks brown and dead. All that's left now is the waiting for the snow to come.
L

Miscellaneous Part II

A computer virus makes for a late night. Brad laptop somehow picked up a virus and there was lots of stress as we tried to remove it… we think the deed is done but time will tell.

I'm super competitive. I know this, I'm upfront about it and I really try to be a good sport and a gracious loser but don't be surprised if I cackle happily at my win.

That's all for today… perhaps the next post will be more inspired and entertaining.
L

Powering Through

This weekend was not long enough, I'm not ready for Monday. I'm yawning and my eyes are droopy.

It was a great weekend though. Friday included Wii baseball and Carcassonne and Saturday was dinner and a Movie with the Anviks. We went and saw Prince Caspian, part of the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe series and all of us loved it. It's a great movie that I recommend if you're into that series. There was one moment that made me think of Kirsten, there's a song at the end that's sung by Regina Spektor, who I only know anything about because of her.

How was your Father's Day? Our's was dinner at the in-laws and we all had a great time.

Here's to Kimberly on the weekend and powering through this week until I have 4 full days of sleeping in, mounds of ice cream and hot tubbing.
L

Eagerly Anticipated

The package is on the move.

It started in Orem and then spent a day in Salt Lake City. Another day or so in Portland, Oregon and then yesterday it made a quick stop in Richmond, BC. It left there at 10:25 pm, wonder what city it will stop in next. I'm excited that it's made it to Canada already! It'll be here before I know it.

L

(it's a board game)

Lauryn Love

I think most of you probably know that at church I teach the Sunbeams, they're 3-4 and they're so adorable. I only have three kids and one of them is this really special girl, Lauryn. She's one of those girls that's smart and well spoken and well behaved and an all around angel. She responds when questions are asked and is so cute.

This Sunday as we were leaving the chapel and heading for Sunbeams I saw Lauryn in the hall so we stopped to say hi. I noticed a sweater on the couch and wanted to make sure it didn't get left. She has a younger brother and the sweater looked small so I assumed it was his, I picked it up and asked if it was her brother's. Her response really made my day. "No Silly Billy, it's my sweater."

She's 4 and she called my a Silly Billy! How cute is that?
It's moments like this that make me think I need to have babies now :)
L

Groggy

For reasons unknown, I've been having a hard time sleeping at night. It's frustrating for me to lie in bed wide awake while at the same time feeling so tired. On Wednesday night I'd had enough so I got out of bed at 11:30 ish and took a sleeping pill. Thinking I had plenty of time for it to wear off I took the full pill, rather than half.

Thursday morning dawned bright and sunny and I swear I could barely open my eyes. I moved at half the speed I normally do and it took until roughly 10:30 am for that pill to wear off. Lesson learned and last night I tried the iPod approach instead with better results.
L

Humph...

I am ridiculously grouchy today.

The last couple nights have not included enough sleep and the discouraging softball loss didn't help either. Today I'm unfriendly and grumpy. I recognize it yet seem helpless to change my mood.

A few words on softball. We try to be a fun team to play, we try not be too picky about calls and in general we're happy to let things go because we're all in this to have fun, but when you start making up rules and then try to enforce them we're going to be cranky. When you give yourselves 4 outs in an inning we're not going to happy. We gave up a bunch of plays just to avoid confrontation. Looking back, as the team captain I really should have gone over and cleared things up, so I learned a lesson for future games.

So here's to surviving a very long Thursday.
I hope your day is going better than mine.
L

Satisfied

My back's a little sore, my legs are tired. My hands feel dirty and my hair is messy from the wind. Despite the loss we played a great game. We have lots of room to improve but I have high hopes for our second game. Most importantly I loved every minute of it. I could have played another game immediately after and been thrilled.

I also came to a realization. One that I've never really let myself admit before... I'm a decent player. I can catch, throw and my batting skills aren't terrible either. My goal is to stop doubting myself and just play the game I love.

So here's to 8 more week of Laura, the softball captain.

I'll see you on the field.

Laura

Still Great

I don't normally resort to a weekend recap but it seemed appropriate tonight.

1. We start with a really painful massage...
2. And move right on to the terrible haircut. There were all these crazy layers on one side but not the other, I finally took some scissors to it and it's better. Not fixed, as nothing will help the back but better.
3. We end Thursday with some great Tempura and Dynamite rolls with friends.
4. Friday starts out better, homemade pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream.
5. We go to buy Brad a softball glove and find one for $80, the story turns great though because we went to Walmart right after and found the exact same glove for $45! The expensive one was returned.
6. Friends came for dinner (really great hamburgers) and lots of Wii (always a good time).
7. Saturday starts with the discovery that I'm strangely covered in really itchy hives (they've stuck around all day). I can think of no allergies and I haven't switched detergents... thank you Benedryl for keeping the itching at bay.
8. We played catch in the park with the aforementioned new softball glove
9. and had a super yummy lunch of chicken salad and croissants.
10. A trip to Banff for dinner to the Maple Leaf Grille finished off tonight. The risotto was awesome! The chocolate souffle disappointing. Elk is much better than I expected, it was delicious.
11. Tomorrow will include dinner with Brad's extended family at the Grandparents,
12. and on Monday we'll eat dinner and chocolate cake with peanut butter icing at the Wiebe's to celebrate a birthday.

There were some definite low points... the haircut, massage and hives stand out but this has been the greatest long weekend. We've gone to bed early and slept in late every morning. I'm dreading work on Monday but refuse to let it spoil the rest of my weekend.

I hope yours was just as great.
L

On Single Life

So I read a similar blog post recently that made me consider my own time as a single adult. Here are the facts I came up with.

From the time I moved to Calgary until June of 2007

I’ve had 23 roommates,
24 if you include Brad
I’ve lived in 4 different houses
In 5 different wards in 2 different stakes

23 roommates is pretty impressive I think, so I thought I’d come up with a few lessons learned from them.

• “Can I talk to you about something?” never has a good ending
• If your roommate is engaged when she moves in don’t expect to see her... ever
• 2 fridges make kitchen life so much more pleasant
• If something breaks, no one will fix it
• The garbage will be ignored for as long as possible until the person with the least willpower finally gives in and takes it out.
• Don’t let roommates leave unwanted items behind... someone is eventually responsible for them and it will probably be you.

And the most important lesson,
Brad is easily the best roommate I’ve ever had. I think I’ll hold on to him.
L

Grande

A Grande Steamed Milk with Cinnamon Dulce Syrup

My new discovery and the only thing interesting about this morning. And don't forget the insightful words of wisdom taken from the back of the cup.

The Way I See It #283
The most important thing in life is to stop saying "I wish" and start saying "I will." Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities.
L

* After some initial concern over my coffee consumption I've changed to word latte to be less confusing. Rest assured, it's nothing but steamed milk and syrup. Sounds much less gourmet when you put it that way eh?

Not to Tall Anymore

Brad and I had this super crappy shower head. Brad had no problems with it but me being quite a bit taller did not appreciate that the water hit me at chest level and to rinse my hair I had to crouch a little. Over time I’d gotten used to this shower head and almost didn’t notice it. And then we went down to Utah for Christmas. We stayed in hotels for 5 nights and I so enjoyed the showers I took! No crouching or leaning or trying to make myself fit under a very short shower head.

I’d finally had enough so last night we made the trek to Canadian Tire where we had a gift card from the wedding and picked out a really nice Waterpik shower head. It’s on an arm so it raised up a couple inches, not one of those removable ones with the cord. I didn’t want one of those.

This thing is incredible! It’s like the most pleasant shower of warm rain you can imagine. The pressure is great and I actually fit underneath it! We waited so long because I didn’t want to fork out them money, I’m so glad we remembered that gift card! It’s changed showering as I know it.
L

Yawn...

I thought the first day back to work was tough but this second day is really kicking my butt. I’m exhausted for no good reason except I actually had to get up early two days in a row. I am not loving this.
L

Next Year

Only 20 minutes left and then I'm officially on Holidays!

I'm excited yet at the same time have this fear I've forgotten to do something at work.
I've taken care of my emails and even remembered to set my Out of Office message, everything should be fine.

This Christmas season has been so busy. Busy with good things but so busy that I don't feel even a little bit of Christmas spirit and I can't believe it's in 6 days. It snuck up on me this year. There's been no time to decorate the tree or go see the Nativity Pageant or go to the Zoo lights (we'll go in January for sure). I haven't done even a little bit of Christmas baking and there were no cards to my neighbors. I'm relieved every night when I can cross tasks off my busy schedule, I've wished away the whole season!

I pledge that next year will be different, it has to be. Even if everything I'm invited to sounds like fun, I can't do everything without feeling rushed and annoyed.

So from this Grinch,

Merry Christmas

I wish you friends and family and treats and gifts and gift giving and game playing and cozy nights with slippers and hot chocolate and skating and anything else you've been hoping to do.
L

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Like every little girl I had visions of being a figure skater... whom among us didn’t?
Not surprisingly that didn’t really turn out but I did used to really like to skate. I thought I was pretty good too, definitely comfortable on the ice, it was one of the very few sports that I actually liked to participate in. My Mom liked to skate so I have lots of memories of skating at the local arena. The Young Men and Women used to go skating on the Fish Pond sometimes too, I even remember a bonfire on the ice one year. Those trips always involved the standard scalding hot chocolate.

As I got older and eventually moved away from home the skating trips became non-existent and it was years before I laced them up again. Then I started dating Bradley who really likes to skate and we liked that it was something free we could do in the winter for a cheap night. So we took my old, too small skates and turned them in to (traded them in for) some really great new skates that are actually comfortable.

Last year we started going skating at local rinks but we purchased the new skates a little bit late so they weren’t used very often and since I hadn’t skated in years I really wasn’t good.

This Saturday Brad and I decided it was time to pull out our skates so we headed over to Olympic Plaza. We had such a great time and we even managed to go right before the ice was zambonied, meaning we got to skate on such smooth ice after. I was really pleased with how quickly it came back this time. I was much more comfortable than I’d been last year.

So I have a few skating related goals:

1. Be able to stop like I used to. You know, hockey style. I used to do it no problem but it’s definitely going to take some practice to get back there. I can’t stop at all anymore.
2. Skate often enough this year to be a decent skater.
3. Find others who own their own skates so we can go together.

These aren't exactly like mine but they're pretty close. Nice eh? And way better than those silly white ones.

L

New Socks

I know it’s silly but I hate buying socks. I feel like Women’s dress socks are expensive. If you need a bag of sport socks, no problem, they’re cheap but those nice patterned dress socks are pricey. As a result I tend hold off until it’s absolutely necessary, I’ve been trying to get by on 3 pairs of black socks and a bunch of others that are so thin on the bottom I may as well be barefoot. It was finally time so yesterday while out shopping for some pants (which I got for $20 by the way) I picked out 3 pairs of socks. 2 cute argyle and one plain black, 3 for $10 which I still think is expensive but I couldn’t wait any longer.

Oh man these socks! They’re so nice! Not too thick and not too thin. They stay pulled up yet don’t cut off the circulation, I should have bought these way sooner and I think I’ll go back for more! Yay for new socks!
L

Weekend in Review

I spent the last little bit reading others blog entries hoping to be inspired for my own. It’s been such a long time since I posted an entry but I haven’t felt inspired at all. Funny how sometimes every moment seems like a blog entry and other times my life seems so dull I’m sure no one’s interested.

I suppose I’ll just have to go with a boring old weekend recap, despite it being Tuesday already.

On Friday I did something I haven’t done in at least 15 years, I attended a Primary party. I really admire the simplicity of said party. We met at a park where the kids played on a jungle gym, then we gathered them and had a quick scavenger hunt. The kids played some more and then we ate pizza and cookies which was followed by more playing. And that was it. Let me tell you, a Primary party is a whole lot different then a Relief Society party.

After the party we headed up to Airdrie for my Sister-in-law’s birthday dinner where we had a great time visiting with family, ate some really good food and got a few more wedding gifts, people’s generosity never ceases to amaze me.

A standard Saturday for me usually involves some sleeping in and then some house cleaning with some laundry thrown in. Brad comes home at 3:00 so we normally do something in the evening. Well this Saturday I threw my routine out the window and did zero laundry and zero cleaning. Instead I went shopping with another sister-in-law and managed to find the greatest deal! Two pairs of jeans (which I love) for $50. They were buy one get one free and Lisa had a 10% off and a $5 off. Best deal of the day! The evening was really fun, Brad and I went for dinner at Diner Deluxe and then we went and saw the movie Stardust which I would absolutely recommend.

Sunday we had dinner with friends and then played the Game of Life which has improved considerably since I was a kid.

All in all a really great weekend full of friends, family, yummy food and lots of laughs.
I’ll hope for one just as fun this week.
L

Skip Work, Make Babies

I found this article today, it's seems like some reality tv show, not a government endorsed population campaign.


"The governor of a central Russian province urged couples to skip work Wednesday and make love instead to help boost Russia's low birth-rate.

And if a woman gives birth in exactly nine months time -- on Russia's national day on June 12 -- she will qualify for a prize, perhaps even winning a new home.

Russia wants to reverse a trend in which the population is shrinking by about 700,000 people a year as births fail to outpace a high death rate boosted by AIDS, alcoholism and suicide.

This year a record 78 babies were born on June 12 at the main hospital in the regional capital of Ulyanovsk, beating the 2006 total of 26, said chief doctor Andrei Malykh."


People will do anything to win.
L