Scribbles in the Sun

Well, my family survived another Christmas! We headed off to North Battleford, SK Christmas Eve (after opening presents on the 23rd!) and we enjoyed supper, and an evening of visiting, retelling the Christmas story using my aunty's nativity figures, and some carols. We spent the night chez Best Canadian Inn, had breakfast at my aunt's house again in the morning and then headed on our way back to Cold Lake. It was great to see my Grandma, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and second cousins. On a side note, one of my aunts who spent the night in North Battleford also, woke up Christmas morning to find her driverside window smashed. Merry Christmas!!! It's been a great week here in Cold Lake, and I'm sad to leave, but also anxious to get back to Sylvan and into my regular routine. I'm also concerned that my plants might be dead. At the moment, I'm sitting at the Best Western Hotel, where my Dad works...and where I can get some free wireless internet! So I'm pac...

Haven't been writing too much lately, as there just doesn't seem to be enough time. The past few weeks have been a little hectic getting things ready for our Christmas program at the church, doing Christmas shopping, dealing with losing my power steering, and waiting for J and T's baby to arrive. The baby has arrived (check out the "boys, boys, boys" link to the right), my power steering got fixed (at no charge to me), most of my presents have been purchased, and the kid's program went great. I was a little worried at the dress rehearsal...kids were running everywhere, they were constantly running to the bathroom or going to get a drink, only one preschooler sang their group song (and by singing I mean crying loudly), and only about half the kids showed up. But of course they pulled it together for the program and were on their best behaviour since their parents, grandparents etc were in the audience. Rascals. I also had to deal with a child being bullie...

Music Video Monday Well, the video isn't too exciting, but I sure love this song!

Music Video Monday A fabulous 80's Christmas video. What can I say, if Boy George, George Michael and Duran Duran are involved, I'm all over it!

Just having a little fun with my new webcam...the last picture is dedicate to and inspired by a fellow potatohead fan, Big G

Music Video Monday Here's a little something to get you in the mood for the Christmas season! This one's for my Dad, since the song is by Trans Siberian Orchestra which is one of his favorite bands! I just watched "Deck the Halls" at the theatre last week, and this Christmas light craziness totally reminded me of that movie. I'm trying to figure out where this may have been filmed as it doesn't look like there is any snow...how much cooler would this be with snow everywhere? The lights would have reflected a lot more...I really pity this guy's neighbours.

Never thought I'd ever hear myself say that, but I'm just trying to stick it out until next week...I'm a little tired tonight! Here's how the tail end of my week and my weekend have gone. Wednesday night T was kind enough to take me over to Staples after getting a little shopping done at Costco. I had seen a webcam on sale at Future Shop, but I really don't like shopping there, so went to Staples instead. The cam I wanted was not on sale, so I settled for a cheaper one. Took it home and ended up spending 2 hours trying to get it set up...it shut my computer down 3 or 4 times. So on Thursday after Bible study, I drove back into Red Deer, returned it, gritted my teeth and went to Future Shop. They did have the cam I was looking for, at exactly half the price of Staples, and I was able to get it set up in about 10 minutes. On the downside, I lost my power steering on my car (again) and one of Sunday School teachers resigned because they are moving. To top the ...

I'm sitting here pondering why I have never chosen to move somewhere tropical, for example, the equator. It's been -40c the past few days here with windchill, and I'm thinking that I should pack myself in the suitcase of a lady from our church who is travelling to South Africa tomorrow with her daughter. I had a miserable day in my chilly office, with most of the afternoon spent huddled over my space heater wondering if the heat blowing on my face will ruin the anti-reflection coating on my glasses and trying to calculate how much more I will spend on gas through the winter months when I have to let my car warm up for an extra 10 min each time I start it. Can you believe that a teenager is delivering phone books down my street at this very moment...yes, we can cancel school and keep the kids home, but still make them work in this weather...terrible! The light at the end of the tunnel is that by Thursday, it should be -5c. Minus. Five. Within the span of 2 days, it'...

Music Video Monday #1 I've posted 2 videos today of this guy that I found while I was surfing YouTube last week (that site is a terrific time-waster, by the way!). His name is Eric Michael Hopper, and instead of getting his name out in the more traditional ways, he just started posting his music on the internet, and has gained a ton of fans. A great use of the internet in my opinion! So enjoy, and if you come across his CD in your travels, let me know...I'm on the hunt!

Music Video Monday #2

...for eggnog, that is! I have been working most of the day on getting my Christmas decorating done. I was going to do it NEXT weekend, but I just couldn't resist and began pulling out decorations at 11 pm last night. So just about everything is put out, my tree is up and decorated, and my lights are up in my windows. I put on a little Christmas music (care of the Beach Boys) and made myself some eggnog tonight. Real eggnog. With real eggs. That's right ladies and gentlemen...I ate 2 raw eggs tonight! Last year around this time I wrote a post in regards to my love for eggnog...in the comments I included the recipe. I challenge you to try making it yourself! You will never go back to storebought! And don't feel weird about drinking a raw egg...just make sure you drink it while it's cold. I take a bit of comfort in the fact that I use free range eggs...but anyway, get the recipe here and try it for yourself! Just ignore the crazy comments...

Yup, just an ordinary Tuesday here in Sylvan...just sitting here waiting for "House" to come on, trying not to move too much as I'm so sore from going to the gym yesterday! I just finished having a good laugh...I was checking my site meter to see who had visited my blog in the last few days and I saw that someone from the States had been on...the site meter told me that they had found my blog by typing "dr phil hoarding episode" into Google. So I tried it for myself and sure enough, there I was, the 6th website on the page! How hilarious is that?! It is just so strange to see my blog on Google! Unfortunately, I don't think I would be much help for someone desperately trying to get help for this problem...they were probably sorely disappointed and probably plunged deeper into their shame spiral. This totally tops the other thing I was going to blog about today...I drove by a house on my street that had a "for sale" sign on the front yard. Howe...

Music Video Monday I cannot stand rap. However, I do have a love of old school rap and hip hop from the 80s and early 90s...you know the ones...they usually include the word "funky" and include men wearing leisure suits, giant clocks around their necks, and sideways baseball caps. Before rappers put all the scantily clad women in their videos. Last week I was watching "Dancing with the Stars" and Mario Lopez and his partner danced to this song...go figure. So enjoy this video--"It takes Two" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock. And get a little funky if you so desire.

I just finished watching a hilarious episode of Dr Phil on packrats and hoarding. And if you know me well, you know why I was laughing so hard...I'm a hoarder! Well, I have to admit that I'm not a hoarder to the extent these women are, particularly the woman they featured on the second half of the show, but I'll be the first to admit that I have too much "stuff". In my house it's fairly obvious that I have a lot of "stuff" since I have to find creative ways to store, stack and stash it...there really isn't much storage in this little house. The reason this show got me laughing is that I was just telling a friend the other night that I'm trying to reform, cut my clutter and get rid of some of the things I really don't need. So slowly but surely I'm making a pile of "stuff" that I will decide whether or not I want to keep...stuff that just doesn't fit in anywhere. This includes a large pile of candles and candlehold...

Scary Video Monday Well, this isn't exactly a scary video...it made me laugh so hard when I watched it! Someone went and recut the movie "Mary Poppins" to make it look like a horror movie! Being that Mary Poppins is my favourite movie of all time, I just had to post this...warning to T...watch at your own risk!

Well, I'm back from a wonderful retreat in Banff. I spent this past Monday to Thursday there for a district retreat, and I just didn't want to leave! I was able to visit with a ton of friends from Bible College, as well as many other children's pastors that I've come to know over the 3 years I've been in Sylvan Lake. I did lots of walking down the streets of Banff, sat in front of the fireplace, and did lots of relaxing. Ate nachos with some single girlfriends. My friend Lydia and I went looking for the cheesiest souvenir in Banff...if you're curious, it was a skimpy pair of red ladies underwear with "Banff, Canada" printed on the front...and no, I didn't buy them. And as J, T and I drove away from Banff on Thursday, we were given a strange farewell by the sight of a man driving a zamboni down the highway in the opposite direction. All in all, a week that made me happy!

Music Video Monday Here's a little something for all you Jack Johnson fans...and let's face it, who doesn't like Jack Johnson...and coincidentally, something for all you Ben Stiller fans! I'm posting this Sunday night, since I'm leaving for Banff tomorrow for 4 days! Woohoo! However, as nice as Banff is, I really do think that the district should change the location of our retreat to Hawaii...wishful thinking...

Had our annual "Pumpkin Patch Party" last night at the church...I went as a "bed bug". I wore my pajamas, Spongebob slippers (of course) and then my wings and antennae (thanks for the pic, T!). The kids didn't really get it, they just thought I was a ladybug in pajamas. We have a real sweet talker at the church and he's only in grade 2. Last night he told me "you sure are a beautiful ladybug...". The best, though was a few weeks ago at kid's club. He chose to do his craft at a table full of grade 4 and 5 girls and promptly won their hearts with his one-liners and flattery. One of the leaders overheard him say, "You girls are just playing hard to get, but I don't mind...because you're just so handsome!". The girls, of course, erupted in laughter and giggles which just egged him on more. Oooooohhh boy...I'm sure he'll be a real heartbreaker in another 7 or 8 years...watch out ladies! But everything went great ...

Music Video Monday This girl is going to be a star!

Joybells posted recently about some dreams that she was having...I myself had an odd one earlier this week...maybe somebody could interpret it? I dreamed that I adopted a child, and on the same day was given a puppy as a gift...and while I was hauling a small child around while trying to deal with a puppy, I noticed that I had a loose tooth that was very close to falling out. I quite often dream that I have loose teeth...it's terrible! I woke up in a panic but when I realized it was a dream, I had that familiar flood of relief come over me...whew! So, I'm open to any and all interpretations...I don't mind if you get creative!

Today I was digging through a bargain bin of makeup at the Value Drug Mart. As I dug deep deep down I came across something that should have scared me, but didn't for some reason...Out of nowhere popped a little grey mouse! In the bin! Fortunately it was a rubber mouse...some kid probably stuck it in there to get back at their mom who was digging in the bin earlier. I tried pulling him out...but he was the stretchy kind and his tail was caught on something. So in the spirit of halloween, I left him in there and covered him back up with makeup! I just couldn't resist!

Music Video Monday Here's another oldie but goodie...I'm sure this one from Snap! came out when I was in jr. high...I seem to remember trying out those dance moves. I'm the lyrical Jesse James!

Music Video Monday Well, I suppose my last few videos have been kind of serious...so I figured it was time for something seriously silly. This band is called "Nelson"...am I the only one who owns their tape or even remembers them? They are actually Ricky Nelson's twin sons...grandkids of Ozzy Nelson! This was one of my favourite bands during my cheesy pop/rock music stage when I was in Jr. High...but you have to admit that the song is pretty catchy. I guess these guys still tour around and stuff...but their hair is much shorter now. Hey, just be glad that I didn't post a New Kids video which was actually my first choice.

As I drove down Gasoline Alley in Red Deer this morning, I saw a sign advertising "Statues for sale". I looked around, expecting to see some stone fountains or the like. Instead I see two giant chicken statues. They had to have been about 10 feet tall, one was white, and one was a brown/black. First of all, where in the world could they have found these fibreglass chickens, and secondly, who on earth would want to buy them? I suppose you could play a practical joke with them like they do with the flamingos and buzzards, but you would need to rent a truck and trailer just to transport them. I'll be curious to see if they're still around in a week...

Music Video Monday...on Tuesday Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend! As many of you know, for most of my life I have been anti-country...but in the last few years I have whole-heartedly embraced country music. In this part of the province, it's impossible to get away from it...so I figured it was time to post some country here! My apologies to all of you who can't stand it...but I just KNOW that you will love this song and video. It's from good 'ol Brooks and Dunn and it's called "Believe". The first time I saw it, I out and out cried...and that voice...sends shivers up my spine. Ronnie Dunn has one of the best voices in music today. Period. Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Just a quick hello...I must pack tonight, since I will be heading up to Cold Lake tomorrow after church. Another whirlwind trip north, but I'm looking forward to an unexpected getaway. Some of you may have noticed that my many tries at posting a video from YouTube finally worked...a week and a half later! So on Thursday I had to do some quick blogging work and remove all the videos that got posted....gaaarrr....I KNEW that would happen! But hopefully everything is working properly now. Saw a guy out windsurfing on the lake today...in some respects it was the perfect day to do it; the beach was abandoned so there was nobody to laugh at him if he fell. On the other hand, it's FREEZING out...just a really cold wind. He is much braver than I. Speaking of being brave...my dad has mentioned me going up into the attic this weekend to do some insulating...I'm not so sure about this...I have never even been brave enough to stick my head up in t...

Just wanted to let my faithful readers know that I have some new pitures on flickr...just click the link to the right and take a peek in...some of them date back to last Christmas...but better late than never, right?

I almost let a Monday slip by without a Music Video Monday post! I have chosen a Peter Gabriel video today...it was such a hard decision, I love all his videos...he is a legend! So this video is called "When You're Falling" and it was released around the same time as 9/11 so it really didn't get much airplay...it's apparent why when you watch the video! But Peter Gabriel uses such vivid images in his videos...guess that's why I think they're so amazing. So enjoy the video...and if you are also looking for a good laugh today, you MUST click here to watch a video from a comedy show in England...it made me laugh out loud when nobody was around...bahahaaa!

This past week I've been working on the daunting task of redoing some of my photo albums...you know the sticky kind that everyone used to use. I realized that to scrapbook all these pictures would never happen, so I just bought some new albums and have been reorganizing. I have logged about 10 hours so far on this project, and I'm about 2/3 of the way through, so I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I came across some pictures of birthdays, and being that it is my birthday today, I was quite amused by them! I thought I'd share a couple of pictures that were taken at my 19th birthday...10 years ago (guess that gives away my age)! This was back during my carefree days as a student, and I was living in the dorm at Canadian Bible College. My parents had ordered me a chocolate cake from the cafeteria and so we sat down after curfew (probably getting close to midnight) to eat this cake in our pajamas. I remember it was so great to eat cake so late at n...

Well, I'm still trying to figure out why I'm having problems posting on my blog from You Tube...I've tried 5 times now with no luck but have had no previous problems...so in the meantime, I'm just going to post a link for you to watch a video directly on You Tube. I caught this video this afternoon, and for some reason, it brought a tear to my eye...this guy is crazy but so cool! So do me a favour and give someone a hug today!

So, it's been about 5 hours since I did my Music Video Monday post on YouTube...and it still hasn't shown up on my blog...very odd. So I'll just wait a little longer. I'm scared to re-post it for fear of it coming up twice...hopefully it will show up by the end of the day, otherwise I guess it's lost out in cyberland. I had a good weekend, on Friday went with Des to see Jacob Moon in concert. I HIGHLY recommend seeing him if he ever comes to a venue near you...I've seen him twice now and this last time was even better than the first. He is definitely growing as a musician...his newest CD is called "Eventide" and it's fabulous...I've been playing it all weekend. Click here to go to his website and you can hear a few of his songs...I just can't say enough about this guy! Anyway, the rest of my weekend was spent at the church, on a walk down by the beach, having lunch with Justine (finally!) and reorganizing my photo albums...don't...

I know that everyone has "one of those weeks", but I was hoping that I wouldn't have "one of those weeks" again for a while. It just seems like things are piling up this week, with very little motivation to get through them because I am being distracted by other inconsequential things. I am trying not to let them distract me from the more important things, but as usual the little things seem to overwhelm me. Then trying to deal with the little things leads me to micromanaging my life, which I'm sure ticks God off. "Well, she's at it again..." So, although this may not make sense, I just had to get my thoughts out..."Sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays"...er Thursdays...2 points for the first person to tell me what movie that's from!!

Music Video Monday So, this isn't actually a real music video, just a clip pirated from a tv show...but I thought it would fit the bill anyway! The talk last week (even at my Bible study!) was Rock Star Supernova...one of my summertime tv obsessions. So, Lukas Rossi won the contest, and he just happens to be a Canadian, and it just so happens that Canadians have won on BOTH seasons of this show...how odd. Although I really like Lukas, I was convinced that Magni would win. The video I chose is from a few weeks before the big finale, but I think it is what clinched the deal for Lukas. I hope these guys do well, and that they don't just fade away like most American Idol stars...however, rumour has it that they will have to change the name of the band as they have been sued by another band who has the name Supernova. Whatever. So if you just happened to miss this season of the show, watch the video to meet Canada's newest rockstar.

So, I was wandering the aisles at Chapters tonight, when I came across this rather odd magazine...who knew there was such a trendy magazine for people with allergies? And who knew that going off to college with allergies was a death sentence? Now, I myself have struggles with skin allergies, all stemming from a bout with penicillin that left me covered in hives pretty well from head to toe. Now the strangest things can set off a chain reaction. While I was in Vancouver, I even had an outbreak of hives down both my legs and I'm still not sure what caused it. I know what it's like to have allergies, and I know there are people who have some extreme, even life-threatening cases, but why do you need a magazine to scare you into being even more paranoid about what you come into contact with? I know what my triggers are, and I don't travel anywhere without my herbal allergy pills and my tub of Gardener's Dream Cream (I know their website is kind of new age-y, but the cr...

Music Video Monday I've decided that I need to start blogging at least two times a week...we'll see how long that lasts...but I'm going to try! So here is my first installment for a new feature here on my blog...Music Video Mondays...I love music videos, and now that I've cancelled my cable, I'm going to have to rely on You Tube to get my fix...never mind the fact that I'm already addicted to You Tube. So the first video I've chosen is one that most of you have probably seen already as it has made it's way around the internet...but I just don't get bored of watching it and I do love the song...the band is OK Go and this video alone is making me think about buying their CD. I'm also thinking about renting my gym after hours and and trying this out myself...

I have finally made it to my last eccentricity! Well, I suppose it's not my last, but the last one I will write about. Eccentricity #6 is the fact that I own a record player. I purchased it maybe 4 years ago when I lived in Regina at a garage sale. It cost me 5 dollars, and it actually works! I own a small collection of records, which I sometimes add to when I stop by the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Red Deer. Some of my favourite records include...Bullfrogs and Butterflies, Wham!, Huey Lewis and the News, and The Beach Boys...Thrown into the mix is a little disco and even a Mini-pops album! My brother has some great records in Vancouver...Poison, Metallica, Motley Crue, but I think most of them are unopened...party pooper! I would love to find a few albums from one of my all-time favourite bands who always take me back to my memories of Jr. High school....Def Leppard! Lately I've been struggling, trying to figure out if I should actually get rid of this rather larg...

I'm back from another short holiday...I found myself in Saskatchewan visiting family...aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, cousins, cousin's kids, and a grandma! We had a great time out at the farm visiting, laughing at a little guy who ate dirt and a little girl who ate dandelion fluff, ate lots of food, and relaxed. I also drove down to Duchess, AB and got to visit with my Chevy! We got to spend all day Monday together. He was sooo excited to see me...so that made me feel good! He also chewed my hairbrush, but I decided that I love him anyway. We got to play, go for a walk and have some cuddle time...what a treat! So I'll take one last trip this weekend to Cold Lake, then I'll be sticking close to Sylvan for a while...but my door is always open to visitors...wink wink, nudge nudge, know what I mean? A nod's as good as a wink, say no more, say no more! (Just had to add that after my last Monty Python post!)

Monty Python - Spam It finally happened...I've been waiting for this moment from the day I started my blog...yes, it's true...I got my first spam message! I deleted it from my last post, but if you were curious, they were trying to advertise how you can make money filling out surveys. Now I don't know about you, but I don't even have the patience to fill out a cheque, let alone a survey...and how many surveys do you need to complete in a day to make any money? And do the people you're filling out surveys for try to get you to spend all your hard earned survey money on their products? I'll pass for now, even though they do make it sound like the most exciting job you could ever have. In honour of the occasion, I thought I'd include a clip of one of the most clever pieces of comedy you will ever see... well, in my opinion anyway.

I suppose you thought that I forgot about finishing this little list? No such luck! It's not that I couldn't think of anything, but I just needed a break to remind myself that it's good to be a little different! So the 5th item on my list is that I am a woman of many excuses. I had a sneaking suspicion about this, but it was recently confirmed by someone (well, they outright told me I had too many excuses) so I can no longer deny it...I have an excuse for fairly well everything. Here are my top excuses... 1. I need to buy a new car but I can't go because I don't have a guy to take me. (The truth...I'm just scared to go car shopping, and I have lots of friends with husbands!) 2. From Sept to May I can't take a weekend off because I need to be at the church. (The truth...I have a hard time releasing control of Sunday morning programs) 3. I would like to take an art class or learn a new language but it's too expensive. (The truth...I can afford it, ...

I'm back from Vancouver, had a great trip! Too bad all that security stuff happened while I was there...for those of you who know my obsession with lipbalm, I had to pack it all in my checked baggage so I had to suffer with dry lips for most of my flight. Some of the hilights from the trip were Granville Island, the beach, Suspension Bridge, Aquarium, Gas Town, shopping, sky train, Commercial Ave, good food, and of course visiting with Sean and Harmony! I'm glad to be home, but it was hard to leave! Click here for a link to my pictures of the trip, plus a few new ones of Chevy, or you can click on the link to the right under my profile.

I'm off to Vancouver tomorrow, can't wait for this holiday! I'm hoping to get to some of the more touristy things...Capilano Suspension Bridge (if my knees don't give out), the aquarium/Stanley Park (to say hello to Baby Beluga), Granville Island Market etc. Plus I'm just hoping to sit on the beach for a few days and wander the streets shopping. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for little-known attractions that I might enjoy. A great restaurant or store I should visit...whatever. I'm there for the week, so I have lots of time to explore (plus I'm staying right downtown). Love to hear your suggestions!

Well, yes, I am begging. I am desperately trying to win an ipod...so if you want to help me out, you can click on the link below. You have to sign up for something (columbia house etc.) so there's always a catch... http://ipods.freepay.com/?r=31890537

Well, I must apologize for being absent for so long. I have a site meter on my blog that tells me how many people visit my blog and where they're from, so I can pretty much figure out how many times each of you visits my blog...and I must say I'm ashamed because so many of you check so faithfully and I've been so unfaithful in blogging lately. Hopefully things will look up in a week or two! Kid's Camp is this week, 97 kids yesterday and just a few less today. We're having lots of fun, even though there is no air conditioning and the majority of preschoolers have cried at least once. Yes, yesterday was a huge cry-fest. But today was a little better for them and it will keep getting better, I'm sure! No major disasters yet, a couple of snipped fingers, and boy who was dizzy (he's waiting to get his glasses), another boy who is just so competitive that he ends up getting hurt no matter what he does (today required a cold pack for his eye--enough said), and a li...

Well, I finally did it. I have ordered a new computer! After many frustrating evenings of restarting my computer half a dozen times, after getting tired of only seeing yellow, green, and blue on the screen, after waiting 5 minutes for a page to load, after not being able to listen to music or watch videos, after not having enough memory to download a single thing, I am getting a new computer! This is a picture of the computer I'm getting...I'm just so excited, I wish it would come today! The computer I have now served me well while in college. Many late-nighters were spent in front of that monitor, many thousands of my intelligent and thought-provoking ideas were typed on the keyboard. Not to mention, the computer only cost $25...you just can't beat that. But I'm coming to realize that if I want to even remotely keep up with technology, I'm going to have to swim a little faster, so to speak. I want to chat, I want to blog (on a computer other than my office ...

Great, I'm over half way done my eccentricity list! I'm trying to choose things that won't scare the average person away from wanting to get to know me, but this post may be borderline. You see, the problem is that I have issues with feet. Joy, Grace, and Nikki probably remember this from camp, as every night before bed I would go and wash my feet. I can't stand to go to bed with dirty feet! And it gets worse...since I had a short career in massage therapy, I sometimes get requests to rub feet. I am happy to oblige, but I often find myself thinking "I better remember to wash my hands after!" And the absolute worst is when someone has dirty socks or feet and they come in close proximity to me or something I may touch. For instance, in the dorms at college, our beds did double duty as couches. I would just scream inside if I came into my room and someone was sitting on my bed with their feet near my pillow or even near where I might put my head. Now, m...

The third eccentricity on my list is the fact that I'm not a picky eater. Now, you might think that this is not out of the ordinary. However, not only am I not picky, I enjoy some strange foods. When I was in preschool, I told my teacher that my favourite food was escargot (still one of my favourites). My roommate in Bible College would kick me out of our room when I opened a can of smoked oysters. I also like to try ethnic foods, and different restaurants. My favourite restaurant in Regina was East India House...mmmmm, curry....I've also ventured into the vegetarian restaurant realm...vegetarian lasagne with goat cheese, anyone? I love spicy foods, the kind that make your lips numb and your eyes water. My Lebanese friends in Jr. High got me hooked on eating roasted melon seeds (which I've only been able to find at Superstore). And working in a health food store, I was able to try many things that the average person might turn their nose up at...cashew butter, caro...

The next eccentricity on my list is how much I enjoy visiting strange landmarks and points of interest. In this picture I'm in Caroline, AB visiting my figure skating hero's arena. I suppose this really isn't too much of a quirk, but it's hard to find people who like to do the same thing! A favourite place of mine is the UFO landing pad in St. Paul, AB. I haven't been there for a few years now but it's always a good laugh (and no, I haven't yet been abducted...). Around Sylvan, there is a little town called Markerville, and there is an old creamery where they used to make butter etc. I think it's a pretty cool place...I love history and buildings that have a story behind them. I think this comes from my mom and dad. When Sean and I were kids we used to get dragged around to all sorts of museums and "historic points of interest" during our summer holidays. I know that at times we would get a little antsy, but in the end we usually enjoyed the le...

A friend of mine inspired me to write a blog about 6 things that are a little strange about myself, and so I have decided to take that one step further and write separate posts about each eccentricity of mine. Some you may know about, some may come as a surprise to you. My first eccentricity is that I collect receipts. Grocery receipts are kept for at least a month in this little box beside my phone where all my bills etc. go and wait to be paid. Bank machine receipts are tucked in my wallet until the wallet gets too fat to close and I'm forced to clean them out. Receipts for clothing and miscellaneous often make their way to my dresser or my desk, only to be lost in the rest of my paper piles. I have some receipts that look nice (Pier 1 has really nice-looking receipts) and some receipts that I just can't figure out where they came from (usually a dollar store). I just can't get rid of receipts. I blame this on the fact that I have worked at Sears off and on for th...

I've been keeping this blog a secret for quite a while (well, not really, just always forget to say anything about it). It's called Smart Canucks and its a blog all about freebies, giveaways, promotions, and great deals to be had. It's awesome because it's a Canadian site, and there's so much to choose from (although some products are quite odd and/or obscure--anyone for a free vegetarian starter kit?). I just know you will be addicted to checking this blog on a regular basis like I am.

So, I went to see the DaVinci Code last night. I'll begin by saying that I have not read the book, but now I really want to because I figure it must be at least 10 times better than the movie. You'd think that the team of Ron Howard and Tom Hanks would produce something spectacular, but this movie was slow-moving, even boring in parts. I also found it fairly predictable, and I figured out who the "Teacher" was before it was revealed. Boooorrrrinnnnggg--the friend I went with even fell asleep for a few brief moments. The story itself is very good (although they blatantly make up "facts" about the church) and the whole idea of code makes for an intriguing plot. Has anyone read the book and seen the movie? I was told that the movie is very similar to the book, but I can hardly believe that since there has been so much raving over the book. Anyone else seen the movie (and Tom Hanks' bad haircut)?

Ah yes, Larry the Cable Guy. For some strange reason, this saying really does motivate me!

Well, thanks for everyone's votes this weekend! I'm sure you have all been waiting with anticipation to hear what I ended up doing (ah, who am I kidding...). I hosted my own movie marathon, but I mostly just did it on Saturday and Sunday. Monday I spent trying to organize my spare room, now my whole place is a disaster again! I also did a small bit of reading. The weather was fairly good, so I even got to sit out in the sun for a while. Here are the movies I watched over the weekend... Ocean's 12...I loved Ocean's 11, but I just couldn't get into this movie until the last half. It had a good ending, but it's one of those take it or leave it movies. And the soundtrack was super annoying. Dodgeball...Loved it, loved it, loved it. What more can I say than "I love Ben Stiller!" Diary of a Mad Black Woman...This was my very favouritest movie of the whole weekend. Not what I was expecting at all. If you haven't seen it yet, get 'er done! What About ...

The long weekend is upon us, and since I'm a single girl with nothing much to do, I thought I'd let the people who read my blog decide what I'll do this weekend. Here are the options: 1. Sleep-I will sleep whenever I get the chance or the inkling to nap. This means I could fall asleep while watching TV, or even in the middle of a meal. I will sleep in every day (except Sunday, 'cause I have to be at the church), and I will just generally lay around the house on the couch, my bed, my lawn chair etc. 2. Movies-I will have a movie marathon lasting 3 days. I will keep track of the movies I watch and try to set a record of how many movies I can squeeze in over the weekend. Popcorn and pop will be a staple. 3. Reading-I don't often get a chance to do much reading, so this weekend will be an excellent opportunity. I will read from a variety of books including fiction and non-fiction, also perhaps some magazines. 4. Organizing-My place is pretty clean right ...

Well my pictures are finally back, so I thought I'd share a few that I took in Edmonton a few weeks ago when Sean and his band Flood of Fire came to play. I'm hoping to find a cheap flight to go see him in the next month or two. I've never been to Vancouver, so can anyone give me some suggestions of places to go and things to do/see? They have to be things I can get to by transit, and that I can do on my own... I fought the law, and the law won... I was going to say that Sean is the one in the black t-shirt, but it seems that most of the guys were favouring black that night... Two Flood of Fire fans, who we just found wandering around the mall.

Chevy and his "big stick". Notice the scar on his nose...he got bit by another dog because he was just being the friendly dog that he is. As usual, he didn't learn any lessons from this. "I really am a good dog...see how nicely I can sit, if only for 2 seconds?" I tried to capture this picture just a few moments before. Chevy had managed to get the rope, ball, and log in his mouth, all at the same time. No, he's not greedy at all. Chevy and his rubber chicken. Yes, he has a rubber chicken. I have to laugh when he trots around with it in his mouth--it has a squeaker in it, so it sounds like it is dying a very slow and painful death. Well, today's Chevrolet is different than yesterday's Chevrolet. Yes, Chevy got neutered yesterday! It seems, however, that the major surgery and pain medication has not changed the fact that he is indeed a rascal. The vet said to make sure he doesn't lick or bite his stitches, but that seems to be the least ...

Wonder of wonders, I actually have a few moments to spare and so I thought I'd just write a word or two to pass the time. I am waiting for Kid's Club to begin in about an hour--our last one for the year! I'm trying to think how I'm going to make it through the evening as I am experiencing some major back pain--yowch! My solution will be a stool that I saw on the stage earlier, but that just won't cut it for our action songs--I get my best workout on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings when we do music with the kids. Hopefully a few of the kids know first aid in case I keel over. I am also eating a Tim Hortons chunky chicken salad wrap. It is really good, but I started eating at the wrong end (typical of me) and now I have two open ends. I am going to run into some problems in a moment. Had a good day, my most productive day all week, so I'm feeling kind of on top of things again...almost. Wow, this was a super-boring post. I'll finish in grand st...

Ok, so this is me after 4 months at the gym. Kidding. But today on my way home from the gym, I actually considered what it would take to get to get to the place where this lady is (bad hair and outfit aside). What attracts me to the idea of body sculpting is the goal you have to work towards. For so many years I had one big goal in my mind...to get my degree. It drove me to study hard, to put in long hours at work, and to strive for the day that I would walk across the stage in Simpson Chapel (with visions of gold curtains dancing in my head). I feel like the last few years, I haven't really had a huge monster of a goal that I wanted to work towards, and I really would like to find one that I could be passionate about. I know a lot of my friends are starting to freak out as they read this blog...I don't really want to look like this lady...she is quite odd and manly looking...and I don't want to be a crazy fanatic who can't live without steroids. But just maybe I could ...

Well, since everyone seems to think my life is quite exciting, I will have to figure out something exciting to write about...any suggestions? In the meantime, I thought I would pass this website on to you; www.kookychow.com . It was created by an alumni of Big Idea Productions, which as you may or may not know was the powerhouse behind Veggie Tales. What you may not know is that after various lawsuits and a company spinning out of control, most of the Big Idea employees were laid off and Phil Visher sold the company to pay off their debts etc. Phil still has some ties to the new company, still writes one Veggie Tales story a year and lends his voice, since half the voices are his! Phil has a great story and you can learn more about him and his new ventures at www.philvischer.com . I guess in the meantime, other people have moved on to bigger and better things, such as kookychow--it did put a smile on my face today...

I realized today that I really haven't written anything about ME for a week or two now, so I thought I would cure everybody's insatiable appetite for news about me. I guess this IS my blog, so I can write about me as much as I want (boy, that sure sounds narcissistic!). Things are starting to wrap up for the kids programs at the church, and today I plan to crack open the big box I received that's full of summer camp (VBS) stuff. Easter is coming in a week and a half, and I plan to head to Cold Lake for a few days. I'm looking forward to getting away for a bit and visiting family and friends. I still watch Chevy most days, I had him for a whole week a while back! He has a constant need to run through mud and roll in the grass...I always say that he is so gentle he would never hurt a fly, but the other day he started to chase and snap at the flies buzzing around our back yard! On a sad note, he escaped from the yard the other day and got bit by another dog...however, he d...

You Are Jan Brady Brainy and a little introverted, you tend to think life is a lot worse than it actually is.And while you may think you're a little goofy looking, most people consider you to be a major babe. What Brady Are You?

The monsters in my closet Like to sleep the day away. So when I get home from school, I let them out to play. When Mom calls me for supper, I give them each a broom. First they put my toys away, And then they clean my room. The Mummy hates to vacuum. So if he starts to whine, I kick his rear and tell him, "Trade jobs with Frankenstein." Wolfman used to fold my clothes. I'll give him one more chance-- Last time he wasn't careful And left furballs in my pants. When my room is nice and neat, I bring them up some food. But Dracula wants to drink my blood-- I think that's pretty rude. When it's time to go to bed, I hug them all goodnight. They jump back in my closet, While I turn out the light. I've taken care of monsters For as long as I recall, But the monsters in my closet Are the nicest ones of all! --Phil Bolsta

My pirate name is: Mad Jenny Bonney Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr! Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

Have you ever had the opportunity to observe or smell a skunk practically every other day? Welcome to my life living on 50th Ave in Sylvan Lake. We have a little friend, let's call him 'Pepe', who walks around this neighborhood like he owns it! I have seen Pepe in our yard, in our neighbor's yard, in the yard 2 houses down from me. I have seen him scoot under a house across the street from me, and Shawn has come face to face with him in our garage. Most recently, I saw Pepe running down the street in front of my house last night. At first, I thought he was a cat. Then my eye caught the unmistakable white stripes. There are 2 major things that annoy me about Pepe. First of all (of course) is the smell. I smell him just about every night around here. If you know me well, you know that I actually like the smell of skunk...but it gets a little old when you smell it every night and when he has sprayed so close to your home that you half expect to find him roaming around your...

The title comes from my little friend Teddy who uses "chase" instead of tag! T tagged me, and I wasn't going to do it, but then I felt kinda guilty and she kept mentioning it, so here we go... 4 Jobs I've had 1. Sears Catalogue Outlet, Cold Lake 2. Sears Call Centre, Regina 3. Sears Hardware Dept., Red Deer (Craftsman forever!) 4. Sears Health Food Shop, Red Deer 4 Goals for this year 1. Keep on going to the gym 2. Keep my house organized 3. Keep going out with friends 4. Keep on keepin' on 4 Movies I could watch over and over 1. What about Bob 2. Parent Trap -old version (even the lady at the video store was annoyed at me as a kid for renting it so many times...) 3. Annie 4. Mary Poppins 4 Places I've lived 1. Cold Lake 2. Regina 3. Edson 4. Sylvan Lake 4 TV shows I love 1. Dr. Phil 2. Survivor 3. Dukes of Hazzard 4. Little House on the Prairie 4 Places I have vacationed 1. Madrid -brushed up on my Spanish 2. Puerto Vallarta -bought a t-shirt there 3. Sunny R...

Well, T put some of these pics on her blog, but I thought I would too, since I had such a great time on Saturday night at Lloyd's in Calgary with the youth. However, over the next few days I was in a great deal of pain (can somebody say groin muscles?). Oh, how I wish we had a roller rink in Sylvan... Flying like the wind...or perhaps breaking wind? It's a bird, it's a plane, it's RollerDean! The dynamic duo...fantastic flying action. Able to leap small children in a single bound. Queens of the roller derby! I told you to give me a triple layer of diapers! John is about to cause one MAJOR roller smash-up No one told ME that we'd be roller skating with 2 million other people tonight...let the roller derby begin! "What are you going to do today, Napoleon?" "Whatever I feel like, gosh!" "Turn up the Bay City Rollers!" s-a-t-u-r- d-a-y ......NIGHT!!! s-a-t-u-r- d-a-y ......NIGHT!!!

All I can say is "Check out that guitar"! It's pointy AND camouflage! I figured that Sean deserves not one, but 2 entries in my blog, lucky guy! (Mom and Dad, I'll get to you soon! Muuhhaaaahaa) If anyone is in the Edmonton area and enjoys extremely loud music, come join us at Red's next Friday (March 24th). Flood of Fire will be playing around 10, cover charge is $7 at the door, but only $4 if you have a promotional ticket. I have not clue how to go about getting one of these tickets. If your ears are sensitive, bring earplugs! I'm sure it will be a great show. Sean, hope you're not embarrassed about me posting this picture of you, but I just want to show everyone that you are doing what you enjoy doing, and pursuing a dream. What an example to me and to everyone that when you have a dream, you need to take action if you want to see the result. Sitting around talking about doing something won't do you any good--ever. But if you take a chance and do so...

Back by popular demand, may I present to you....my hair! I promise this is the last time I will write about my hair. It's kind of hard to see the colour, but thanks for trying, T!