Friday Facts of Life

{one}

It's no secret that 2016 was not a good year for reading for me. I set out to read 52 books this year and  just finished my 8th. I'm attributing part of this to the fact that last December I got a new phone and never got around to downloading the OverDrive app, which is what I had been using to access ebooks from my library. Earlier this week I re-downloaded the app and I've already finished one book with a dozen waiting in my queue. Here's to many more hours spent reading actual literature and not browsing Reddit.

{two}

Via MAMBI

Me & My Big Ideas released a whole bunch of new sticker books for the Happy Planner this week and I'm itching to get my hands on at least two of them. I already have two and I am kind of in love with them. They are the perfect blend of practical and cute, I'm eagerly awaiting the week of December 26 when I can start using my 2017 planner. I am having some regrets about my choice of Happy Planner, I'm thinking I should have held out and went with the coil bound Erin Condren knockoffs by Recollections? (I love the look of the ECs but in order to get one from there to here I'd need to spend about $100 and there's no way I'm spending that kind of money on a stack of paper.) But what's done is done and I'm sure I can work with what I've got for the year.

{three}

I didn't hear anything this week about making it through to the second round of interviews...so I'm not really sure how to interpret that one. It seems strange that I wouldn't get an e-mail indicating it was a no thanks...but they also indicated they were planning on doing second round interviews on Friday (today)...so I'm really shrugging my shoulders on that one. There is another posting for a job that isn't camp related, but is much more closer to home and sort of in line with my skills. And maybe that will be the ticket? Ugh.

{four}

I've been debating about choosing One Little Word for 2017. I know I won't be officially signing up for Ali Edward's class this year, I don't need to spend $40 to chose a word. I wasn't overly interested in the community and I would be fine with using the same monthly prompts from this year. The words that have been rolling around in my head are 'Still', 'Calm', 'Whole' and 'Spark'. I'm not feeling particularly passionate about any of them though. In years past I've chosen Love,  Brave & Rise. Do you choose a word for the year? If so what do you do with it?

{five}

It started snowing on Sunday and hasn't stopped all week. It's -20 out with the wind and it's not even winter yet. This is not a Friday favourite, but it does seem to be a fact of life.

{six}

In the spirit of 'out with the old, in with the new' I've been cleaning up my blog routine. I've gone through and deleted a bunch of draft posts because let's be real I was never going to finish that 'Friday Five' from 2013. I've also been cleaning up my Blog Feed, unfollowing some folks who I never read anymore or who haven't blogged in more than a year. Which, side note, am I the only one who feels sad and immense curiosity when bloggers who I followed for years stop blogging? There are about half a dozen that I just can't bare to 'unfollow' because I still have hope they'll reappear one day and I don't want to miss that. It also means I've made room for some new bloggers. So who are you following that I need to check out? I would love to find some single, late twenty somethings like myself but I'm as long as every post it's trying to sell me something or tell me how to build my blog followers I'm open to any suggestions.

Linking up here and here. 

SaveSaveSaveSave

#goals

In the words of Mulan, "let's get down to business". 

October Goals:

1. Finish Project Life album for camp. 

In a quest to practice better self-care this year at camp I took more photos during sessions and then between session breaks printed photos and made spreads. It worked really well and it's something I'll almost certainly do again in the future. Inevitably, about half way through the summer I fell behind because I was spending breaks doing things. At this point I have about two weeks left of camp to finish and mostly it's adding journalling and embellishments. 

2. Get caught up with 'everyday' Project Life Album (April - September)

I knew this was going to be a problem when I first came up with the plan to do a separate camp album. In January I started my Project Life album using the monthly format but then did more of a weekly format during the summer in my camp album and didn't do anything in the album I started in January. I sort of have a game plan in mind using leftover photos from each week (I almost always printed too many) adding in a few extras and calling it a day. 

3. Organize & De-Stash Project Life/Scrapbooking/Planner supplies.

I am 100% on the Project Life bandwagon and can't imagine going back to 'traditional' scrapbooking. That means I have a lot of 12x12 papers that are just sitting around. Thanks to PLers on YouTube I got the idea to cut down some of those 12x12 papers into PL pocket sizes. I'll keep some large sheets because they come in handy for other crafty endeavours but for the most part I have no need for those big papers. Since I've enjoyed the Project Life bandwagon so much I've decided that in 2017 I'm also going to jump on the Happy Planner bandwagon! So I'd like to sort through all of my stuff and separate it into Project Life, Planner and General Crafting categories. This might be a bit of a lofty goal but we'll see what happens. 

4. Finish 2 books.

I am 75% through one I started in July about the FLDS but then put it down in favour of something a little lighter. I need to finish that one plus another one that I started and didn't finish because I got distracted re-watching How I Met Your Mother. 

5. Map out NaNoWriMo.

..2016 is the year, friends.

6. Take photos during Thanksgiving, Spark Camp & Friendsgiving.

I have lots of fun stuff planned for October this upcoming weekend is Thanksgiving and then I have a plan free weekend followed by a weekend of Spark Camp and then hopefully the next weekend a Friendsgiving weekend with H. & R.. And circling back to the getting caught up with Project Life I've learned it's much easier to stay caught up when you have photos to use! 

7. Publish Blog Posts!

I searched high and low for a 'Blogtober' link up of some sort since I missed out on Bailey Jean's Blogtember but I didn't find anything so I'm just going to make things happen on my own. It's highly unlikely (and impossible at this point) that I'll blog everyday in October but the plan is to make more of an effort and at least press the publish button a few times a week. 

SaveSave

Ten on Tuesday: Things I Like Learning About

I genuinely enjoy learning. Maybe that makes me nerdy, maybe that means I'll will never be diagnosed with dementia, maybe that makes me weird and maybe I don't find any of those consequences particularly motivating. Learning is just something that makes me happy. I don't like learning about just anything though. You won't ever find me reading up on complicated math formulas or surgical procedures but my interests can definitely be summed up in a top ten list, which leads me to this week's edition of Ten on Tuesday...

Things I Like Learning About

1. Countries & Cultures. Specific shoutouts to Nepal, Cambodia, Northern Canada, Norway and Russia.

2. History Mysteries. Roanoke, Franklin Expedition, The Mary Celeste, Dyatlov Pass Incident, Oak Island...It's all fascinating in my book.

3. Disability. I'm always interested in reading up on the newest therapies and I love seeing cool things people are doing to make the world a more inclusive and accessible place.

4. Food. Beyond learning new recipes I like the history of food, why certain foods are eaten (or not eaten), how food travels from one place to another, farming, access to food.

5. People. This is maybe one of the reasons I enjoy blogging. I genuinely like learning about people. It relates a little to the countries & cultures thing but on a more personal level. I love reading day in the life posts and currently posts. I'm always curious about how people live their day to day lives.

6. Animals. Currently I'm into sled dogs.

7. Marketing/Advertising. This is kind of intertwined with food because food packaging fascinates me.

8. Religion. This could, in theory get lumped into countries/cultures because often so much of a person's culture is related to their religion.

9. Adoption. Ever since I read about Karen's adopted sister from Vietnam in the Baby Sitter's Club Little Sister books I've been fascinated by the idea. I'm always curious to read adoption stories, books on adoption and watch documentaries.

10. Socio-Economics. The ties in to a lot of different topics I've already mentioned but I think it also deserves it's on category. Inequality plays such a huge role in society and I find it interesting to read about why things are the way they are and how they can be changed.

10 on Tuesday - Things You Might Not Know

Today I'm linking up with Karli for her inaugural Ten on Tuesday link up! I can't pass up the opportunity to make a list so I'm sure this will become a staple in my blog posting routine. Since it's the first week I'm starting off with....

10 Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I didn't start drinking coffee until I was 22 before then I loved the smell but didn't like the taste. Then I had a particularly challenging summer at camp and coffee seemed like a good option. Now it's one of my favourite daily rituals and the occasional trip to Starbucks makes my heart very happy. 
2. I could eat pizza for days on end without getting tired of eating the same thing. There are so many options for toppings and crust it would be like eating a different meal every time even if it's all technically the same. 
3. Budgeting is not something I struggle with. When I see people posting about all the things they spent money on in any given month I'm constantly in awe of how much money people spend on stuff and eating out or how much credit card debt they have (I didn't get one of those until I was 25). I'm incredibly thankful my parents made teaching me good money sense a priority. That's not to say I don't eat out occasionally or spend $20 on stuff I don't need at Michael's every now and again but in the big picture I know my stuff.
4. My knowledge of football basically ends at being able to identify the correct ball. I never attended a school with a football team and it's only been in the past 2-3 years that there's even been a football field within our municipality. I think the culture around football (especially college football) is fascinating but it's not something I've ever taken a keen interest in learning more about. 
5. If you asked my mother or grandmother or a selection of close friends what my worst habit is they would immediately reply with "nail biting". I've tried every trick in the book to stop, including putting gel nails on, but nothing has worked. At this point in my life I've kind of embraced it. 
6. I used to write all the time. I was never without a notebook and a pen and would spend hours writing every day. In high school I had writing published in a national literary review and writing was generally considered something I was good at doing. I more or less stopped in university because I didn't have time and although I've tried to make writing more of a daily habit in my life it's something I struggle to make time for on a regular basis.
7. I am a 'verbal learner' I learn best by reading something, taking notes while someone else talks and re-reading things. Physical learners are my nemesis...I hate being in a class that involves a lot of up and down and movement games, it totally distracts me from what I'm trying to learn. 
8. I strongly identify as being a cat person. I think puppies are cute and some dogs are lovely but I don't trust strange dogs and the responsibility of being a dog owner is so unappealing to me. 
9. I took painting lessons for years and years...it has now been years and years since I picked up a paint brush and to be honest I don't really miss it. 
10. I was in French Immersion in school and once I graduated high school never took another French class. Last week I downloaded an app that's supposed to help you learn a second language and I've been practicing my French for 15-20 minutes a day. I'm surprised with how much I retained when it comes to reading and writing. 

Now that you've learned some new things head over to September Farm and share your Tuesday list! 

October Reading List

I only read three books this month. I blame Americanah.

Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse

Many of you may remember when my Call the Midwife obsession began back in the spring. I couldn't get enough of the show and knew I wanted to read the original books. I read the first one over the summer and loved the stories and the way it was written. I didn't love the second book as much as the first, it was less about midwifery and more about general nursing. I still really enjoyed this book, and if you're interested in British history or WWII history I would highly recommend it, you don't necessarily need to read the first book to enjoy the second. I love the characters so much and I'm a little sad there's only one more book, luckily they are filming a fifth season of the show!

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride

I love The Princess Bride. The movie is one of my favourites and the book is one of my favourites I've had Carey Ewels (Westley) book on my list since it came out but only just got a copy from the library to read. I don't necessarily love movies so I didn't really care about all the behind the scenes stuff. My favourite parts were about Andre (Fezzick) I would have loved to read a book written by him because he lived such a fascinating and totally unique life. I think this book is worthy of a read for anyone who loves The Princess Bride, but if you've never seen the movie then I don't think you're like the book. 

Americanah

If I had to choose one word to describe this book it would be 'dense'. I'm a fast reader and typically I can finish a book in 3-4 days. Americanah took me two full weeks. The book was good-ish. I wanted to love it because at first I was really interested in the characters and their narratives. Except as the book went on I found myself liking the main character less and less. There were multiple times when I thought I wouldn't bother to finish and then the next chapter would be really interesting! It has a lot of fabulous reviews on Goodreads but there are also some that are much less enthusiastic. At the end of the day I'm glad I read it but I am jumping for joy that I finished.

Let's move on to what I'm going to read next month....

Next month I'm going to read my shelves! I have a stack multiple stacks of books sitting on my bookshelf that I've picked up at second hand stores or book stores or have been given to me by friends. I'm working on decluttering and reading some books and then passing them along seems like a good step in that process. 

October Goals & September Successes

I accomplished 4/5 of my September Goals! 

When all was said and done I participated in 23/30 Blogtember prompts and I blogged a couple more times during the month that weren't related to Blogtember. I published 26 posts in September meaning I only took 4 days off, October will be a little lighter on the blogging. 

I read five books in September. One was pretty short (The Giver) but I would still consider it a novel of enough substance to make my reading total five.

I printed photos and got to work scrapboking my summer!

I didn't mail any packages. Or even purchase anything to put into packages...this is going to be an October goal. 

I got all my paperwork sorted out and this year I'll be Girl Guide leader for a Sparks group! I've also volunteered to help out at a Girl Guide camp in October and possibly at a couple of other events. 

With September gone it's time to focus on October Goals!

I got through four books last month so I'd like to challenge myself to read 5 this month. Reading for 15-20 minutes before bed instead of scrolling through Buzzfeed and social media is a habit I want to maintain. And knowing that I want to read five books will help keep me motivated to read instead of scroll!

This will be the month I'll get those packages in the mail and en route to their destinations! Or at the very least some 'just because' cards.

This is the loftiest goal on my list but I would love to have Spark meetings planned and prepped up until Christmas. We only meet for an hour each week so planning that many meetings isn't all that over whelming. Especially once I factor in a Thanksgiving Day theme,  Halloween Party, Remembrance Day, regular badge work and some fun activities it should be pretty easy to figure out the rest!

Two dates doesn't sound like a whole lot, but there's going to be a lot going on in October. Including a couple of weekends when I'll be away so two dates seems reasonable. And to clarify by dates I don't mean watching whatever happens to be on TV and eating ice cream on the couch. I'm confident we will see each other more than twice this month, I just want (at least) 2 of those times to be planned dates!

After Blogtember I'm experiencing a little bit of blogger burnout. I don't want to lose momentum though so I think 15 is a good number.

I was feeling pretty anxious in September and I found myself journalling more regularly again. I'd like to make this a daily habit because it really does help me to process things and move things out of my head. 

Blogtember 2015: Recent Reads

First off I am supper excited that I met my goal of reading four books this month! I think the biggest difference is that I've really started cracking down on my bedtime routine this month and I've been reading for close to half an hour each night before bed. Plus, I squeezed in some extra reading time on some of the last sunny summer days.

The Book of Negroes. This was by far the best book I read this month. I gave it a full five stars on Goodreads, I've recommended it to a handful of people and I honestly think it's a book everyone should read. It's a pretty thick book and I didn't think I would finish this month but I couldn't get enough. The only time I put it down was when I felt so overwhelmed by the story that I needed to take a break and absorb what I was reading. I watched the CBC mini-series based on the book when it aired last fall so I had a basic understanding of the plot. The mini-series was phenomenal and I was a little worried the book wouldn't live up to my expectations. I was dead wrong though. I would love to discuss this book with a group!

Primates of Park Avenue. A few years back I watched Nursery University and was fascinated that this is the way some people live their lives and this is the way children are being raised. This book was an unofficial prequel to the movie in a lot of ways. It gave me insight on just how that kind of culture is formed and the pros and cons of the whole thing. It was an interesting read, although it did read more like a research paper at times, but considering the authors background and premise of the book that's to be expected. I think this book is worth a read if you're interested in learning about different parenting styles or books about culture/society. 

Yes Please. I really hate to admit this, but I was disappointed. I couldn't relate to any of Amy's tales of partying and drug use and I'm really not interested in who she has/hasn't slept with. That being said there were some spectacular chapters, especially when she wrote about being a mom to her two boys. I'm glad I read it because Parks & Rec. is a wonderful show and I do like Amy Poehler, she does some cool things. I couldn't help but compare it to Tina Fey's Bossypants. And I loved Bossypants. I've read it a couple times and will probably read it again in the future. It's probably unfair of me to compare the two books but it happened and Yes Please felt short for me in a lot of ways. Not a terrible book but I'm glad I borrowed it from the library and didn't spend my own money to buy a copy.

Rescuing Julia Twice. I'm not a parent, and even when I am a parent I will do my best not to judge other people's parenting choices. Now that I've said that disclaimer...this book made me feel awkward. I would love to find someone else who has read this book and who has watched the documentary The Dark Matter of Love because some serious good discussion would ensue. I don't really know what else to say about this book that's constructive. It was a unique perspective. Again, another library read and not a book I would ever buy. 

The Giver. I had never read this book. In elementary school we read a lot of local books, in junior high it was never a book my class read and in high school I was in a totally different stream of English and really didn't read any of the classic high school books. This was definitely a lower reading level, I got through the whole book in a day, but it did keep my interest. I don't want to give anything away but I did think the colour thing was fascinating. As far as dystopian society books go this was a good read. I can see why it's taught in classrooms and I'm glad that I can now say I've read The Giver.

I'm setting my goal to read 5 books in October! Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is the first book on my to read list for the month. And I've already begun Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse. I'm not sure what else I'll read, I'd love to hear some suggestions! 

Friday Celebrations

I'm going to pass on the Blogtember prompt for today because I'm not a vlogger and I have no interest in becoming a vlogger. #keepingitreal

It's been a weirdly depressing week around these parts, not necessarily in my personal life, but every evening when I turned on the news I was met with stories of a missing toddler, missing woman and a handful of heart wrenching court cases. And that was just the local news. It puts things into perspective though and serves as a gentle reminder to take time to enjoy the present, be thankful for the now and celebrate the ordinary. Plus, although I'm excited about my participation in Blogtember it is more tiring than I thought it would be to follow the prompts each day. I have discovered some fantastic new blogs to follow so that's a welcome bonus!

I ended up having a unexpectedly busy week. Monday I had a few errands to run and then Tuesday I had a quick breakfast date with J. before he left (he'll be away until the first of October). Wednesday I spent the day catching up with e-mails and blogging and Thursday I had an info night for Girl Guides. In between all that I've been making carving out the fringe hours and getting some post-camp scrapbooking done. Scrapbooking the photos and mementos from the summer is incredibly therapeutic. It helps me to reflect and grown and really put an end to the summer. Tonight I'm headed to a family birthday party but right now I am sipping my coffee, eating a chocolate chip muffin and blogging while I listen to Canada AM.

I've been having a really difficult time uploading photos to my blog lately and it's driving me crazy!!!

Moving on to happier things, which is supposedly the whole point of this post...

After a tortuously long winter it seems like Mother Nature is trying to make up for things by making sure summer doesn't leave us too soon. We've had a couple fall-ish days but for the most part the temperature has remained in the mid-twenties, the sun is shining and I'm still spending time near the water and on the beach.

It's almost the season for new shows! I've fallen behind in a lot of the shows I used to watch but I'm planning to watch the new seasons of Survivor and Amazing Race that start this week. The Middle also starts up again this week. I'm not as obsessed with Grey's Anatomy as I used to be but I probably will watch the premier just to see how Meredith is doing.

I've been reading! So far this month I've finished two books and I'm half way through my third. My goal was to read four, which I think is attainable. Right now I'm reading Rescuing Julia Twice. It has some pretty negative reviews on Goodreads, and I don't foresee it becoming my favourite book, but it is interesting. And having time to read is always worth celebrating!

I'm forbidding myself to buy anymore scrapbooking supplies until Christmas when I can invest in a Project Life album, inserts and maybe a core kit. I'm using all of my currently existing supplies for my camp album and it's actually been fun to challenging my creativity by eliminating the option to run off to Michael's and buy perfect matching paper and stickers.

If you haven't seen this commercial yet (and it's possible it's only being aired in Canada) you need to watch. Every time it airs I stop what I'm doing and my heart melts just a little bit.

On that note of adorable-ness I'm off to get my bathing suit on and head to the river for the afternoon!

Linking up with Karli and Andrea.

Blogtember 2015: Five Books

I love reading and I've shared my love of reading quite a few times here on the blog. Today's Blogtember prompt is to write about the five books that have impacted your life the most. It's a question that I needed to think long and hard about before coming up with an answer. I consider myself to be a rule follower, so after narrowing it down to seven I really tried to eliminate two and chose just five...but I couldn't make it happen. So I'm choosing seven books that have impacted my life the most.

Campingly Yours - Thomas C. Alder this was the first book I read that made me realize there were people out there like me who loved summer camp with every fibre of their being. It validated my passion in a way nobody/nothing else had before. It gave me a sense of belonging and a feeling of happiness. In many ways it solidified a life long passion for camp. I read it while I was still a counsellor, which for most people is the end of the line in terms of their love of camp, and this book motivated me to keep dreaming and stay determined that camp would be my career.

The Bible  This one is sort of self-explanatory, but only sort of. This particular Bible is the one I received as a 16 year old when I was an LIT. It was my first grown up Bible and it has guided me through a multitude of situations. I'm sure I could do an entire post (including photos) about the scribbles and doodles in the margins and the bookmarks and highlighted verses. I've used this Bible for a full 10 years and I love it dearly although I am ready to 'start a new Bible' so to speak and fill that one with prayer and praise. 

Seven - Jen Hatmaker  My first real foray into living with minimal 'stuff', it's somewhat ironic that I narrowed this question down to seven books. And if hard pressed these probably would be the seven books I'd choose to keep if I could only have seven! This book really stuck with me, I often think about choosing seven foods to eat or seven articles of clothing. It's a book I will re-read in multiple seasons of life and each time learn something new. 

The Fringe Hours - Jessica Turner Game changer. I'm an introvert who is notoriously bad at self care and making time for myself. How's that for a recipe for disaster? This is the most recent read to make the list but I still think it's deserving of a spot. I finished this just as I headed to camp for the summer and made several attempts to incorporate the fringe hours philosophy in my life. With varied levels of success I did find those fifteen minute windows during the day. I snapped sunset photos before counsellor meeting and shut my bedroom door for five minutes while I fixed my hair and applied sunscreen. This is another book I'll be re-reading and learning from again and again. 

Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli The first time I read this book I was in elementary school. It was a book and i enjoyed it but it wasn't until the beginning of high school when this book make it's impact. In high school I was very actively involved in drama and along with all of my best drama friends I acted in a stage adaptation of the book. It took on a whole new meaning as we spent a large portion of that year studying the book and learning our lines. It was some of the most fun I've ever had and I always think back fondly on the experience. Plus, it really is a great book. Stargirl and Leo are two of my favourite characters ever and there are so many life lessons hidden within the pages. 

These Happy Golden Years (Little House on The Prairie Series) - Laura Ingalls Wilder. This book belonged to my mom when she was a little girl. She found it one day when I was in grade three or four and gave it to me to read. Even though it's one of the last books in the Little House on the Prairie series it's the first one I read and the one that made me fall in love with Laura Ingalls. I was immediately consumed with interest for her and her life. I spent hours researching her and learning everything I could about her and the time period. It inspired me to write my own stories and when I wasn't researching Laura and her family I was creating my own pioneer families. I hope that someday I'll be able to pass along my Little House book collection to my daughter, as well as her grandmother's copy of These Happy Golden Years. 

The Princess Bride - William Goldman this book makes me happy, in some ways it probably could have gotten the cut in regards to how influential it's been in my life. I discovered it many years after I'd developed a strong love of reading and writing. I don't have many strong connections to reading this book, other than the fact I've re-read it countless times. It's another book I will pass along to any future children. It's a great movie, but the book is full of so many more details and added happiness. It's sort of my comfort book. I've read it times of crisis and times of peace, it's always there for me when I need a familiar read. 

What I Did This Summer

I had nobel plans of blogging on a regular basis this summer but the reality of blogging without a reliable internet connection is a few posts a month. The Blogging Elite is hosting an August Adventures link up today, which is the perfect chance for me to share a sort of summer recap. 

What I read this summer...

I didn't read as many books as I would have liked, it averages out to a book a month, which is pretty disappointing. Especially considering Grace's Guide was a really easy read and I skipped one or two of the chapters because they really didn't appeal to me or apply to my lifestyle.  The Poisonwood Bible was a re-read. It's one of my favourite books and I like to re-read it every few years because there's always new details I pick up on and as I age I find myself relating differently to the characters. I finally got to read Wonder and came away with a lot of mixed feelings. There were parts of it that were wonderfully written and other parts that really made me cringe. Similarly, Say What You Will (not pictured) which I was totally in love with for 80% of the book but didn't care much for the eventual plot twist. The best book I read this summer was Call the Midwife I am eager to get my hands on the other two books in the trilogy after reading the first one. I loved that it was really easy to read a chapter or two at a time and the stories were a great mix of joyful and sad.

What I ate this summer...

I've never been a big breakfast person but this summer some of my favourite memories revolve around shared breakfasts. N. and I spent a lot of time at her cottage during break and cooking breakfast each morning while we watched Canada AM and got caught up on the outside world became a ritual. Breakfast always involved bacon, hash browns and coffee. When we didn't make our own breakfast we ventured into town and ate at the local breakfast/lunch spot. When we were in the city one break I had the most delicious Pink Lemonade drink on a patio. I love how many new restaurants I tried this summer! And when there's no restaurant in sight pizza and pop at the picnic table can make for a delightful dining experience. 

What I saw this summer...

I saw countless amazing sunsets and blue skies. I spent days sitting in the sand and being surrounded by water. I hung out with adorable duckings at the near by park and watched a guinea pig family at the zoo. I watched campfire flames and roasted marshmallows with friends. 

How I felt this summer...

This summer ran the full gauntlet of human emotions. I was challenged by difficult situations and felt scared, worried, frustrated, angry, sad, relieved and happy. Taking a step back from it all I am grateful. The challenges taught me a lot about how to deal with professional/work related issues and improved my problem solving speed. I got to spend two months with my best friends. I worked with some fantastic human beings. I won't say I loved every minute of my summer but I can say that I found something to appreciate during every moment of the chaos. 

April Goals

My goals for April are very short and simple. For the first time in my life I have some legitimate time away from work that won't be spent job hunting. I'm going on a vacation and at no point will I be expected to babysit kids. April is all about enjoying this pause in life before camp season starts and things get crazy. 

J. will be doing some golfing on our trip during which time I will happily sit beside the pool and read. I have three books (you can see them here) chosen for vacation reading and I'm sure that I can find time to read another over the course of the month. 

After months of neglecting my camera a couple of weekends ago I was reminded how much I enjoy photography. Documenting life through photos is going to be a high priority this month. Obviously there will be lots of vacation photos but I also want to spend time documenting the every day stuff. 

Doodling, journalling, scribbling, typing. There are a lot of words in my head and I want them to be on paper. So I'm going to keep carving out time to make that happen. Last month my goal was to "put pen to paper for 10 minutes each day". I didn't do it every day, but every day I did do it I spent much more than 10 minutes letting my creativity and thoughts flow. Which to me is a clear indicator that it really is something I enjoy. Once I start I don't want to stop it's the act of getting started that is the hardest. So I'm going to keep being intentional and eventually it will become a daily habit again. 

I don't think I've done any major changes to the "About Me" section on my blog since I started blogging three years ago. It is begging to be spruced up and updated. This goal may not get accomplished until April 30, but it's something I will do this month.

Camp is just around the corner, there are a million things I could be doing to prepare...the reality is my contract doesn't start until May 17, which means I'm not getting paid until May 17. I refuse to let myself be consumed by the pre-camp to do list and let myself get burnt out before I'm even on camp property. There are a few camp related projects I will probably work on, but they're things I enjoy. Making welcome bags for the staff, decorating 'warm fuzzy' envelopes, nothing that is going to cause me any sort of stress. And if they don't get done, they don't get done. I will not feel guilty about it. I may have to keep reminding myself not to feel guilty about taking some real time off from work, but that's okay. 

What are your April goals? I hope spring is happening where you are...we're currently getting 15 cm of snow...that's a post for another day. 

March Goals Revisited

I have no idea where March went. For a month with 31 days, multiple snow storms and working a lot of weekend over time it flew by! Which means it's time to revisit my March Goals and see how I fared. (Spoiler Alert: Not well)

Stars = In progress

Squiggly Line = Accomplished

Blank = Nope.

10 minutes of pen & paper... I didn't do this every day, but I definitely got out my sketch book, notebook, pens & paper more often than I have been. I think on average I intentionally put pen to paper 2-3 times a week. The good news is every time I did it was much longer than 10 minutes. Still something I'm going to work on because I would like to make this a daily habit.

Do yoga once a week... The closest I got to this was stretching first thing in the morning when I got out of bed. Far from formal yoga. 

Read 2 books... I'm a little ashamed to say I didn't even pick up a book this month. I have three that I'm saving for my trip but I also have a stack hanging out on my to read table. This goal is going to get taken a lot more seriously once my work contract is over. 

Start trip preparations... This is a clear win! I got travel assurance, approved for a credit card so that I won't have to carry a ton of cash and picked up a few things like sunglasses, a new bathing suit and a comfy but cute plane outfit!

Get enough sleep... Nope. I did not get enough sleep. 

Eliminate 2 bags of clutter...  I totally emptied my closet last weekend and forced myself to try everything on and the only things that went back into my closet are clothes that I liked, fit me well and I could see myself wearing at some sort of event. It was so helpful! I didn't follow the "Toss it if you haven't worn it in 3 months" rule because I have some dresses in my closet that I haven't worn in over a year, but they still fit and would be appropriate to wear to a wedding or something like that so I kept them. The dress that was really a size too big got tossed even though I wore it last month. I did the same thing with all of my dressers and decluttered a lot of clothing. Next up is to go through my desk and scrapbooking supplies. Anything that I'm not using and can't see myself using will get taken to camp for the office or arts & crafts room. 

Update planner daily... Again, I didn't do this every day. I also didn't just do it on Sundays either. It was more of a twice weekly thing. I definitely want to keep improving on this. 

Follow meal plans... An improvement over constantly scrambling to grab things to eat at work while I'm on the way out the door. Still not as diligent and organized as I want, but most days I knew what I was taking with me and had everything packed first thing in the morning. 

Overall I made progress, which I think is really important with goals. It's hard for me as a perfectionist not to accomplish everything exactly as I envisioned it but the reality is it takes time to get into new habits and modify goals so that they fit my lifestyle. Check back tomorrow when I share my April Goals! 

Tuesday Talk: Bookshelf Edition

I've always been a reader. You can read about some of my favourite books in this post and there have been a lot of other mentions about my favourite books over the lifespan of this blog. 

Once my contract is over for work I'm planning on doing some serious reading. So it seems fitting to do another post about what books I've got waiting on my bookshelf. I'm especially looking forward to reading in the sunshine while J. & I are on vacation next month. So far I have three books that I will definitely be packing but I'd like to add a fourth. I'm a pretty fast reader and J. is planning on playing a few rounds of golf which will be guaranteed reading time. I'd rather have one extra than one too few!

First up is The Fringe Hours.

I have really high expectations for this book. I first heard about it in blogland and I've read multiple reviews that really sing it's praises. With summer approaching and camp life looming making time for me is something I desperately need to improve on this year. I'm hoping that this book will really inspire me to make me time a priority. 

Second is Wonder courtsey of the lovely Elizabeth over at This Savvy Life. 

Elizabeth sent me this book as part of the Galentine's Day Swap I participated in through The Blogging Elite and I'm looking forward to having a lighter but not too light of a read after I finish The Fringe Hours. I love young adult books like this one that are pre-teen/teen friendly and have a really good message. I'm so excited to read this that it just might get bumped into first place ahead of The Fringe Hours!

Lastly (for now) is Kin. 

I adore Lesley Crewe's books and this one has a lot of really positive reviews. I'm anticipating the other two books leaving me with lots to think about long after the last page is turned. With this one I know I'll love it, but when it's over, it's over. It might be a book that I re-read a few times but I'm not anticipating it to leave a deep lasting impact.

I'd love to add a few more books to my must reads list. What books have you been talking about lately? 

March Currently

Making: Lots of lists! 

Cooking: Work is still interfering with a lot of cooking time, but I did get to make some mac & cheese and I did some experimenting with chicken alfredo pizza. 

Eating: I've been eating a lot of pasta lately. It's been so cold out that a belly full of hot pasta is exactly what I want. 

Drinking:  Still doing good getting my daily water in take. I've also been drinking a lot of chai tea, my daily cup of coffee and the occasional pop. 

Reading: Just blogs. I am looking for some recommendations though! I'm going to have lots of time to read while on vacation this month so I'm definitely packing some books. So far The Fringe Hours is my #1 reading priority but I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Wishing: The snow would hurry up and melt! It's been -25 here all week and I'm ready for sunshine & warmth!

Appreciating: Having a steady, well paying job. 

Waiting: To start packing for my trip!  

Enjoying: Sunday nights with J. watching Friends. Is there any better way to relax after working 7 days straight and preparing to work another 6 in a row?

Wondering: When I'm going to find time to get a hair cut and go to the mall to pick up a few things. 

Loving: Anything that involves the words "sea salt & caramel".

Hoping: The next 6 weeks will go by quickly!

Needing: I need to get a hair cut, buy a new pair of TOMS, clean my room, do laundry...I need to tackle some things on my to do list.

Smelling: Coffee. 

Wearing: Leggings, sweaters and Uggs. I can't wait to wear shoes that aren't my Uggs. The weather lately is making that totally impossible though. 

Following: Up with things! Checking in with someone once is good, checking in again is better. 

Noticing: The days are getting a little longer and the sky is a little less grey and a little more blue!

Knowing: Winter will end. (Just not soon enough.)

Thinking: The above balance is going to be hard to reach. 

Feeling Anxious About: I'm nervous about my trip. It's the biggest one I've ever gone on and although I'm really excited, there are also a lot of aspects that I find myself worrying about. 

Watching: I've been watching Full House on Netflix. I plan to watch the new season of Survivor and catch up with The Middle & Criminal Minds at some point this month. 

Listening to: Right the very second 'Oprah: Where Are They Now" but in general I've been listening to the radio a lot. 

Obsessing: My love for sea salt & carmel grows by the day. 

Celebrating: March is my grandfather's birthday! 

Shopping for: TOMS, flip flops, maybe another bathing suit.  

Learning: A lot about myself and the things I need!

Talking About: Still a lot of camp related stuff. Plus vacation plans. 

Praying: Balance. I just ordered The Fringe Hours and can't wait for it to get here. Before camp happens I need to get better at balancing me time and social time and work time.

Working on: Being more aware, choosing my words wisely, crossing things off to do lists...

Looking forward to: My trip! 

March Goals 2015

I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions. Or January goals. Or February goals. It's a trend I'm breaking for March. Time to be intentional about getting some things done and making myself make time for things I've been letting slide. 

Here's what I'm doing in March.

10 minutes of pen & paper... It doesn't matter if I journal about my day, write a poem, doodle hearts & stars, re-write the same word over and over and over again. I need to physically engage in being creative without technology. I love blogging, photography and all of that stuff but there is something extra healing about old fashion pen and paper. And I'm going to make it happen for at least 10 minutes each day.

Do yoga once a week... I'm not going to set myself up to fail and say I'm going to do this every day. I know I can throw on a yoga video at least once a week this month and give my muscles a good stretch.

Read 2 books... This is self-explanatory. By the end of the month I want to have two books started and completed.

Start trip preparations... Flights are all booked and accommodations are secured. All that's left is the fun part! Deciding what attractions to visit (and not visit). I get to make a packing list! Shop for a few warm weather necessities, get a hair cut...lots of fun preparations!

Get enough sleep... I've been working non stop. It's a make hay while the sun shines situation because once my contract ends in April I won't have the option of working over time, at the same time there's only so many hours in a day. Some of those hours need to be for sleep. I haven't been doing a great job of that lately but it's something that's going to change.

Eliminate 2 bags of clutter... I have a lot of "stuff". Clothes, hairbands, knickknacks, coffee mugs, shoes...and you know what, I don't need it (or in some cases use it), so I'm getting rid of some things. Our church has a flea market in the summer but I won't be around then so now is a good time to round up some donations. And make my drawers/closet a little easier to close.

Update planner daily... I always spend Sunday night updating my planner for the week, but I'm not great at adding to it during the week. I'll look at it but I don't necessarily update it, instead I'll wait until Sunday. Which is silly and I have no idea how I developed such a habit. Starting this month though it's going to be a part of daily life.

Follow meal plans...To be clear, I'm not embarking on any sort of Whole30, vegan, gluten-free, no salt, only eat foods that start with M diet plan. That's not the way I believe in eating. I do eat better when I plan out my meals in terms of knowing what I'm going to take to eat at work each day and prepare things in advance.

What are your goals for March?  I'm joining the #friendswithgoals link up to share my goals this months and see what other belongings are aiming to accomplish!

Welcome, Weekend!

I am very excited the weekend is (almost) here. It's been a long week. Here's what's on my mind.

Via

{1}If you live in Canada/have access to Canadian TV you need to be watching Book of Negroes. It's a six part mini series made for TV based on the book, the first two episodes have already aired and I've been totally blown away by them both. I've read a lot of books that fit into the 'slave narrative' genre and find that period in history incredibly interesting. The show does an amazing job of making the story come alive, in a way that kind of makes you feel uncomfortable but also inspired. I think that it is airing in the states at some point (possibly even now?) but you should definitely check your local listings and watch. 

Via

{2}Yesterday, Target announced they are closing all their Canada stores. I might have cried. I am so sad, sad for all of the people about to lose their job and on a purely selfish level sad for me. I don't want to go back to shopping at Wal-Mart. The two near by Wal-Marts are both so disorganized and messy, none of the employees ever have any idea how to help you when you're looking for something or asking a question. Plus, Target just has nicer stuff. Nobody really seems sure when it's going to close but most estimates are saying 16-20 weeks. I am planning on spending as much time there as possible, soaking up the cleanliness and friendless and stocking up on all the things that are only carried at Target. Sigh. 

Via

{3}I started listening to 'Orange is the New Black' as an audiobook. I've never watched the show and was pretty unsure about the actual plot line. I'm about half way through and while I find it interesting on a lot of levels I am totally guilty of cringing every time there is a lot of unnecessary swearing. I understand that it's set in a prison, but sometimes it's still a little much for my tastes. I am curious how it all ends and what the overall take away is from the book. So far the point I'm getting is always make good choices. Which I already knew. I am interested to watch an episode or two of the show once I finish the book, just to see how they portray the characters. 

{4} I totally failed at mailing out Christmas cards this year, so I'm changing my goal and aiming to send some valentines in the mail. I figure it's a little extra fun because lots of people send Christmas cards but getting a valentine in the mail is much less expected. Crafting some of these valentines is a top priority this weekend, it's a little early but if I don't start now it won't happen. And I really want to make it happen. Plus, I got a new cartridge for my Cricut a few weeks ago and haven't had a chance to use it yet. Valentine crafting will be the perfect occasion to put it to use. 

{5} I am on the hunt for a cute and practical laptop sleeve. That doesn't cost $500. I looked at Future Shop & Target but they didn't have what I wanted. I've seen a few on Etsy but I'm a little cautious ordering one from there simply because I want to make sure it's sturdy and something that will provide some protection if I have it in a tote bag or backpack. I'd love some suggestions on where to look (or specific Etsy/Ebay sellers) where I can find one!

I Heart Books

I've never been able to fully understand people who don't enjoy reading. I was the kid in grade one who was fiercely competitive about having the most books in my reading log. As I got older I was constantly "in trouble" for reading ahead in the book. Reading one or two chapters every night and then putting the book down was not something I had the willpower to accomplish. Unless it was a book I wasn't interested in reading. In that case I simply didn't bother and didn't put down whatever book I was reading outside of class.

I've also never fully understood people who say they can't read the same book twice. Regardless of how much they relate to the characters, enjoy the story and learn from the book once it's read it's read. I read my favourite books at least once a year. And I don't think I've ever read the same book twice. My current life happenings dictate which character I relate to most and how I feel about plots & subplots.

My all time favourite book ever is The Princess Bride and a very close second (and maybe sometimes first) is Stargirl. For anyone who has been shaped by their experiences at summer camp I highly recommend Campingly Yours. I've read a lot of books set at camp and about camp and this is the one that really captures the camp magic.

I've also got a soft spot for children's books. Robert Munsch books are my absolute favourite and someday I hope to have the whole collection.

Linking up with #Blogtober14