Category Archives: daybook

Hello Friday!!

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Hello almond butter marshmallow squares, cooling in the fridge

Hello dance registrations, filling up quicker than I could imagine

Hello beautiful children playing nicely

Hello sunshine (and goodbye wind…hint hint, Mother Nature…)

Hello husband coming home tomorrow

Hello flowers to plant

Hello functional website, thanks to Karen :)

Hello music downloading

Hello new iPhone

Hello sleepy puppy

Hello vacuumed floors

Hello laundry pile (hello sarcastic font…)

Hello Mothers’ Day plans

Hello weekend!

**thanks, Crystal, for this inspiration!!

For today

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Outside my window … the skies are grey, and have been all day.  It’s a welcome sight, both refreshing for the mind and body.  Our province needs it, and my soul needs it after a dusty, tiring, incredible week _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am thankful for … a relaxing weekend of camping that followed one of the most incredible weeks of my life; I am also so very thankful for the dozens of selfless volunteers who helped us on our Slave Lake donation drive journey
I am creating … a to-do list for this week.  A week of minimal work coupled with a holiday weekend means that I am ridiculously behind in my chores, work and business life!!  YIKES!
I am celebrating … life!  Sweet, pure, simple life.  Oh, and Jess’s birthday tomorrow!!  My goodness, that snuck up on me – I’m having a hard time realizing that it is the end of May!!  Ooh, which also means that my 4th wedding anniversary is the day after tomorrow.  Oh my gosh – see what I mean??  I am sooo behind!!
From the kitchen … Strongbow pints and microwave popcorn with melted chocolate.  Oh ya.  Nothing says healthy like the night after a camping trip :D
I am wearing … $10 thermal cropped pants from Joe and one of Leith’s shirts while the laundry spins and spins and never ends downstairs…
I am reading … nothing right now.  I’ve been picking at Locavore, which is a Canadian book in the theme of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, but I haven’t gotten very far
I am hearing … my kids terrorizing their bedroom.  I need a copy of THIS BOOK
I am going … to change over the laundry one last time and yell at my kids to go to sleep again ;)  And probably check Twitter one more time…
Around the house and yard … mud and green, lattice fence to build (*cough*Leith*cough*), annuals to buy and plant, and my puppy to play with!!
One of my favourite things … Strongbow, an English cider, which I rarely buy but greatly enjoy!  Thank you, camping leftovers!!!
A few plans for the rest of the week:  blog posts to write about the Slave Lake donations drive, a thank you to create, plants to buy and plant, classes to teach, laundry to fold, children to love, a year-end performance for the ballet parents, a HAWT website to move and rebuild, a dinner at Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse for our wedding anniversary on Wednesday, and hopefully a girls’-night out for all the #yeghelps organizers/volunteers!!!!
A picture thought I am sharing with you:
I think Bailey liked swimming this weekend ;)

For Today

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Outside my window … dark winter morning – can someone remind me why I’m up before 7am?   _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am thankful for … bugz who woke up happy this morning, a goodbye kiss before work and some Petey cuddles
I am creating … wellness for myself!  Physio again today :)
I am celebrating … my friend Darcey’s little girl!  Sweet baby was born yesterday, to balance out her older brothers ;)  Darcey was one of my practicum clients back in 2007, and I am so glad we have kept in touch over the years – Congratulations!!
From the kitchen … peace and cleanliness.  And so it shall remain until after Christmas!
I am wearing … a purple tank and purple sweats.  Bria would be proud :o )
I am reading … another Sookie book.  Gawd, my literary self is ashamed!!  So trashy, so addictive…I can’t wait until I’m done the series so that I can heal my brain, ha ha.
I am hoping … to find a front door for our house today!  We went to buy one last night, but there was no one to help us.  Grrr – so frustrating!!  Especially since Leith reinstalled the old deadbolt, but now the lock is frozen and won’t turn with the key – only from the inside.
I am hearing … Feliz Navidad, my least favourite Christmas song EVER.  
I am going … to have a shower, go to physio and hopefully buy a door, otherwise I am going to go crazy LOL!  I just want a door.  All I want for Christmas is a door, even if it means I have to keep that awful tree for another year ;)
Around the house and yard … so much snow this year!  We still haven’t bought a plough blade for our quad, so we are lucky that Levi and Sherrie are always so generous and lend us theirs!  Meanwhile, I’ve been successful in cleaning my office out for the first time since October!  Yay!
One of my favourite things … hot yoga.  Mmmmm :)  A post later about Moksha, but I’ll say that I am craving Bikram even more now…  There is nothing like the rhythmic pulse of the postures in that hot, sweaty room on a cold winter night!
A few plans for the rest of the week … visiting with Sherrie this afternoon, maybe some yoga tonight (?), Christmas Eve visits with Jessica and her family, and with Mom and Dad, Christmas Day festivities, Boxing Day festivities…I’m exhausted already ;)  At some point, I should wrap the girls’ gifts too…
A picture thought to share with you:
My pretty Kit-kat, chasing the light from her headlamp…

For Today

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Outside my window … dark and cold.   _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am thankful for … good friends, an honest husband and a hot fire behind my back
I am thinking … about staying calm and focused when I just want to scream!  Deep breaths…deep breaths…
I am creating … nothing today.  I do have some more work to put into my Christmas gifts, but today I am taking a break
I am celebrating … Tuesday.  Hahaha.  I am trying to decide how to celebrate Leith’s birthday this weekend
From the kitchen … all my holiday baking, except for the shortbread.  I’ve made jewel bars, triple layer bars, rum balls, macaroons and peanut butter crispies.  Yum!!
I am wearing … a blue thermal shirt and my big man-sweatpants :)  Cozy winter-wear at its best!
I am reading … the 4th Sookie Stackhouse book.  Shame, for shame!  They are so awful, but so addictive!! Soon I’ll be reading the book-a-month Harlequin romance novels :D  I am also re-listening to In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan – my diet needs a check up!
I am hoping … to get those shortbread cookies made today, and keep working on that rotten anxiety by figuring out what needs to be done so that I can do it.
I am hearing … the concert announcement for Alan Jackson!  That would be a fabulous concert to go to – I love Alan Jackson :)  So simple and heartfelt
I am going … to drive my dad to his 2nd cataract surgery this morning.  In a few short hours, he will have perfect vision – they can even fix his astigmatism when they are in there.  Crazy medical science, I tell ya!  I have to wait with the girls to drive him home after, so say a prayer that they are relatively well-behaved…
Around the house and yard … its time to start putting my Christmas baskets together; the tree is up but not decorated, and the rest of the decorations are still in their boxes!
One of my favourite things … I hate to admit it, but brushing Petey.  He is such a good house cat!  Sigh…
A few plans for the rest of the week … teaching twice in Sherwood Park, ballet on Thursday, the kids’ Christmas party at my mom’s office and Leith’s birthday!
A picture thought I am sharing with you:
“Helping” mommy after their nap :)

For Today…

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Outside my window … snow, snow and more snow and -25 degrees with the windchill.  Ugh.  Does someone want to bring their quad over and snowplough our driveway? _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am thankful for … slippers, hot coffee, a warm furnace, cuddly bugz and 2 wood stoves!
I am also thankful for … my new job, my blooming company and some courageous goals for the next 12 months relating to the two!
I am thinking … about all that was supposed to be done today that won’t get done :(  But I am ALSO thinking about going to see part one of the last Harry Potter movie at midnight tonight!  Eeep!!!  Hopefully the roads will be a lot clearer and quieter at that time ;)
I am creating … personal and business goals and objectives to achieve in the next year.  Yawn – that sounds boring when I write it, but trust me!  When I reveal each of my projects, you will be amazed at what I am doing!!!!!!  Eeep (again!).
I am celebrating … all those things I’ve just written.  I’m also just celebrating life in general right now :)  And I am celebrating a good prognosis for my mother-in-law!
From the kitchen … dishes.  Dishes and dishes and more dishes.  I love when Leith makes dinner, but he lacks follow-through ;)  Soon, however, our kitchen will be filled with holiday baking!  I stole a bunch of my mom’s recipes last week and I am going to make a shopping list today or tomorrow.  Yum!
I am wearing … slippers, sweats and a thermal shirt.  It’s chilly by our gigantic, uninsulated patio doors in the kitchen – our wood stove has to fight against this cold.
I am reading … Club Dead, the third Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) book.  They are soooooo trashy and bad, but they’re also addictive!  I’m ashamed that I enjoy them so much…  I wasn’t hooked until the last third of the second book, and then I was all in.  Shameful, really…
I am hoping … that the roads are clear by the time Leith gets home tonight!  My plans for the day were kiboshed by his insistence that I cannot drive without my winter tires.  Rotten man.  So here I am, stranded by his love.  Either way, I’m taking his truck to Edmonton tonight to see Harry Potter, since it’s big and heavy, and it has 4-wheel drive!
I am hearing … the whir of the furnace fan and Toy Story playing in the background.  Leith bought it for the girls, and I was so excited to see it again.  Unfortunately, I don’t really like it as an adult!  I’m too girly, I guess ;)
I am going … to enjoy a hot, hot shower this morning!  Brrr!  I was freezing cold until about 4am this morning, and staring out the window does nothing to maintain my body temperature!
Around the house and yard … snow to shovel.  Boo.  Maybe that can be my exercise today.  I’ll bundle the girls up in their snowsuits while I plough out our ridiculously long driveway by hand.  Fun, fun, fun…
One of my favourite things … watching my bugz cuddle their baby dolls in their new mini-ring slings from Cosy Baby, Happy Mommy!  My friend Erin made them for the girls, and they LOVE them.  It’s so cute to see them babywearing :)
A few plans for the rest of the week … teaching in Sherwood Park tonight (maybe!), Harry Potter with Jess and Krista tonight (!!), hopefully visiting Julia and getting some work done tomorrow, Mimi’s second birthday on Saturday and an adult games night afterward, and relaxing on Sunday!
A picture thought I am sharing with you today:

My babywearing bugz, giving their dolls some love :)

For Today

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Outside my window … the deep dark of a winter night, snow half-melted on the ground, lots of mud and well…the start of a long season_uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am thankful for … the warmth of the fire behind my back!!

I am thinking … about what to do tomorrow with my girls, as well as what needs to be done tomorrow!

I am creating … this blog post, before I head to bed ;)  I am also creating a new 101 in 1001 list to start on January 1st – I’m about 2/3 of the way through, building from the mistakes I made when I created my last list!!  Exciting :)

I am celebrating … a bank account that allowed me to buy almost all organic and clean groceries tonight :)  It’s been awhile since I’ve shopped with a bit of abandon, and it felt nice to fill my cupboards with good food

From the kitchen … full cupboards after grocery shopping tonight, and prawns sauteed in an obscene amount of garlic and butter – a dish Leith and I used to eat far too much of when we were young and childless and didn’t realize that $10 was a ridiculous amount to pay for a bag of frozen, raw shrimp!
I am wearing … sweats, a sleeveless sweatshirt/vest/hoodie thingy and a lululemon top
I am reading … the second Sookie Stackhouse book.  I need a mindless read, but this series just isn’t doing it for me.

I am hoping … that Sherrie’s PVR tapes Glee tonight!!  A new guilty pleasure for me, and they are doing Rocky Horror Picture Show for Halloween – I watched it when I was only 11 and was obsessed with the soundtrack.  I still can’t believe my dad let me watch it!!

I am hearing … the whir of the ceiling fan, the crackle of the wood stove, and the faint snores from the bedrooms down the hall.

I am going … to be the guest speaker for the South West Mommy Connections group on Thursday!!  I am so honoured that they asked me to come and speak about postnatal fitness – yay for H.A.W.T. Momma, and thanks to Carol for thinking of me :)

Around the house and yard … mud and snow!  I ordered a new garage door opener to be picked up on Saturday so that I can park Constance in our newly insulated garage for the winter (thanks to Leith!).  I also need to get into my garden a shake out the plants that died but weren’t pulled up, due mostly to my laziness after the frost ;)  Ah well, learn for next year!

One of my favourite things … naps with my bugz in the afternoon.  I am still lucky – a few days a week, I am caught up enough to lay down with the girls for their nap.  I absolutely love their little warm bodies curled up against mine, fast asleep.  It completes my entire life.

A few plans for the rest of the week … picking up Kelli’s maternity prints, getting on top of cleaning my kitchen, taking some dance classes, teaching some dance classes, a private prenatal training session and celebrating our 3rd Halloween with my bugz!!

A quote for today:

Happiness is a state of mind.

How very true!!  Have a wonderful week, my friends :)

For Today

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Outside my window … we are having a break from the gorgeous weather for some clouds and rain instead. It has been beautiful lately!  The grey skies do make the fall colours pop though, so I am still enjoying the view from my window ;) _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am thankful for … a clean home, hot furnace, good coffee, wonderful friends, a loving family, Twitter (!), Mei Tai wraps, farmers’ markets, inspiring books, pancakes, hugs, kisses and so much more!
I am creating … Christmas lists for the bugz.  I know that the requests are imminent, so I am trying to be prepared this years.  Basically, if it has a Disney Princess on it, we are good to go…
I am celebrating … my parent’s 30th wedding anniversary today!!  I love being one of the few kids whose parents are still together after all this time.  Happy Anniversary – mwah!!
I am wearing … Sherrie’s tacky green sweats again!  LOL – my greatest acquisition ever.  They are so comfy, I can’t get out of them :o )
I am reading … The Muslim Next Door by Sumbil Ali-Karamali.  My friend Hethr recommended it on her blog, and I love studying religions so I scooped it up.  It’s definitely an excellent read – very informative and all-encompassing for a non-Muslim reader, although there are areas that I wish she would expand on.  I’m on a bit of a comparative theology kick right now – my next TBR is A History of God by Karen Armstrong, which parallels the similarities between Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  I love exploring the roots of religions, and discovering that we are all just seeking the same thing in different words.
I am hoping … that all the flies in my house die.  That is all.
I am hearing … some good ol’ George Strait, and my bugz colouring in the living room
Around the house and yard … not a whole lot!  The laundry is never-ending and the floors need washing, but the leaves are raked and the garden has been pulled in.  The canning is done (little that there was), and my dishes are clean :)
One of my favourite things … hearing their words and vocabulary expanding every day.  I love hearing complex sentences pop out of their little mouths, so clear and grown-up!  It’s unreal some days … like having two little adults instead of little babeez.
A few plans for the rest of this week … teaching Creative Jazz today, babysitting Tay tomorrow, Leith taking an overnight for work, teaching on Thursday, a candle party on Friday and then it’s Thanksgiving weekend!  Leith will be off for FIVE WHOLE DAYS – he hasn’t had a day off since September 5.  I am looking forward to having him home :)

For today…

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Outside my window … the sun is finally shining.  I don’t know how long it was cloudy for, but it was too long.  I’m starting to up my vitamin D in preparation for the shorter days, but even with that I’ve been feeling very restless and irritable with the weather!! _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am thankful for … balance in so many areas of life: the balance between ethics and income, the balance between work and home, the balance between family and life.  I am also thankful for a husband who wakes up early to light a fire in our little woodstove and makes sure that it is nice a hot before bed so that we are using less natural gas!
I am creating … a bunch of maternity pictures from the shoot I did on September 11.  I normally walk away with 40-50 shots, but this one has 75!!  It’s taking a little longer than usual but I am enjoying them immensely :)
I am celebrating … fall, and surviving another stressful summer.  I love the sense of accomplishment that comes with harvest time, whether you’ve been growing food or not.  There is such a hum of activity and enjoyment in the air that I just love!
I am wearing … Sherrie’s green sweats!  She passed them on to me and I love them.  They are a gawd-awful kelly green, but they are soooo comfy.  I’m just impressed that I can actually squeeze into them LOL!
I am reading … Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Neffeneger  <== I'm sure I spelled that wrong.  She is the author of my favourite book, The Time Traveller’s Wife, and this story captures the same timeless love and heartache that her first book did.  I am head-over-heels for it – it is beautiful.
I am hoping … that my Parkland classes fill up for H.A.W.T. Momma!  It would mean a lot for us to have at least 2 full sessions in before Christmas.  Fingers crossed!
I am hearing … the dishwasher running and the fire crackling
Around the house and yard … a few more vegetables to bring in (no pumpkins, unfortunately), laundry to continuously tackle and floors to wash.  Leith and I did devise a kitchen-cleaning co-op, so dishes have been done every day and night for a couple weeks now!  Yay!  I love having a consistently clean kitchen :)
One of my favourite things … getting up on my soapbox.  I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, haven’t I?  I just have a few too many things that I am passionate about, and I believe in the power of compassionate awareness – that is, sharing my opinions without forcing others to do the same.  I think that sometimes, people just don’t realize what’s going on around them.
A few plans for the rest of the week … Salsa Burn and Bollywood classes tonight, a quick meet-up with my Dad at the AMA today (getting him maps, paying my van registration…), Salsa Burn and FitHop tomorrow, and Mel’s Bridal Bash on Saturday night!!  Yes, that’s right: a chance to wear my wedding dress and party with a whole bunch of other wives, 20lbs after the fact!  Should be an interesting squeeze … maybe I ought to have gone for a lace-up gown instead of a zipper ;)
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you:
Kit-kat, pretending she is Ariel from The Little Mermaid

For Today

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Outside my window … fall has fallen.  The trees are turning yellow and the temperature is below 10 degrees.  Brrr! _uacct = “UA-4888259-1″;urchinTracker();

I am thankful for … so very much!  Where do I even begin?  For good friends, loving family, satisfying work, fuzzy kittens, sweet twin toddlers, Mei Tai wraps, dance, red wine, good coffee, and a warm furnace.
I am creating … a lesson plan for Kasha’s Pilates class that I am subbing tonight
I am celebrating … the end of a very insightful summer
From the kitchen … a whole lot of dirty dishes!
I am wearing … jammies
I am reading … nothing.  I finished Gargoyle and poured through Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult – you know, the book I bought before we moved and couldn’t find??  I found it.  In a box I’d dug through a million times before…
I am hoping … to do a bang-up job teaching for Kasha tonight!  I am doing a fusion-mix of pilates and yoga for her class :)
I am hearing … the smooth sounds of Marvin Gaye
Around the house and yard … vegetables to pick and dig, dishes and laundry to do and an office in need of some serious TLC!
One of my favourite things … is watching my bugz play with Petey!  They are so in love with that little furball!
A few plans for the rest of the week:  an appointment with a client today and a Pilates class to teach, a spot on Global News’ morning show on Friday for J’Adore Dance, visits with my grandparents, a trip to the City Centre market on Saturday and my sweet sister’s 22nd birthday!!
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you:  Sherrie & I practicing some of the Acro-yoga I learned on Friday night :)

For today…

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Outside my window … it is grey and cloudy on this Thursday morning.  We’ve had so much rain, but when it’s been hot, it’s been very hot!  It’s also been really humid and hazy the last few days, so I am happy for the cool morning :)

I am thankful for … a day spent with some of the most important people in my life, and a lot of interest in H.A.W.T. Momma!
I am creating … a new schedule for our lifestyle.  I am taking the bugz to dance classes each morning so that they learn how to act when Momma is teaching, in case I need to bring them along to class at anytime in the future.
I am celebrating … the glorious feeling of moving my body to music, and how good it feels to fall into bed at night feeling satisfied.  I am also celebrating increasingly accident-free days in the Land of Potty Training!
From the kitchen … nothing but coffee and toast this morning, but on Tuesday I made a tasty stew/soup/mash-up of tuna, diced tomatoes and corn with roasted baby potatoes on the side!  The mash-up mixed wonderfully with eggs the next morning for breakfast – yum.
I am wearing … my jammies and striped slipper socks.  I love my slipper socks.  I hope Old Navy carries them again this winter.
I am reading … Gargoyle, still.  I like it more the further I get into it.  I love the subtle character development and the beautiful stories within the story.
I am hoping … that Leith remembers to submit all his expense sheets this week, and that Kit-kat “loses” the baby-sucky she found last week.
I am hearing … the radio and the bugz pretending to talk to Leith on their toy phone: “Hello, Dad.  What you doing?  Yove you!  Yove you!”
Around the house … a garden to tend to at some point (the mosquitos have been ridiculous!) and a leak to find and fix so we can use our ensuite again!  Pray that it’s not behind the drywall!!
One of my favourite things … the synergy that a group of like-minded people creates, and all the good things that come from that!
A few plans for the rest of the week:  Salsa Babies class today, Salsa Tots tomorrow, some time at the office tonight, and a yoga-fusion certification course this weekend!
Here is a picture-thought I am sharing with you:
This is one of my favourite pictures from this summer :)

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