A Week Worth Celebrating

I am just so happy that October is over and done with, there were some good moments among the disappointments but I was more than ready to change the month on the calendar. Even though Monday was still October it was still a pretty decent day. I made treat bags for the trick or treaters and some of my Sparks came which was great, they were very excited to meet my cat and get treats from Raindrop (Raindrop is my Spark name). 

Big Kitty was more interested in the empty box I was trying to put the finished treat bags in than anything Halloween related. Peyton complied and wore her Halloween themed collar but she was equally as uninterested in the whole thing. Halloween is pretty low (if not the lowest) on my enjoyable holiday list but as I kid (and university student) it was great so I'm happy to play along for the sake of others.

This photo is kind of terrible, but it's the best I have so I'm using it. I ordered my first planner stickers off of Etsy and they arrived this week! They're from a shop called Blanket Planner and I'm excited to use them once I start using my Happy Planner in 2017. I'm trying not to buy a whole bunch of stickers because I already have a whole lot of stickers but this particular set was tie-dye like and was on sale so I let myself splurge a little. I've also been eyeing stuff from Abundance of Erica but I'm going to hold off a little longer since I won't actually be using anything until January. 

The weather here has been flip flopping back and forth between normal October/November weather and then nice warm days. One night this week I happened to look out my window and notice the sky was full on purple. I thought it was really neat and I like it when the sky does weird things. I would have taken more photos but I was in the middle of making supper and decided it was best not to walk away from the stove on a quest to take sky photos. 

Yesterday I had to run to town so I brought pizza home for super. I am of the belief that donair pizza is the perfect food combination so I made the executive decision to get one of those. I'm excited to eat the leftovers for lunch this afternoon. I also bought a chicken because they were on sale and it seemed like a good idea and more economical because I also bought the necessary ingredients to make pad thai and Thai coconut chicken soup. Apparently I'm on a bit of an Asian kick? I also impulsively bought Campbell's Pho broth...I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with it but I'm (fairly) confident I can figure it out and make something delicious. 

What are you celebrating this week? 

Linking up with Momfessionals and Sept. Farm.

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! 

'Twas The Day After Christmas

I had such a great Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. God is good. 

Christmas Eve we had supper at my aunt & uncle's before church then we went to church where my cousin's baby was baptized. Afterwards we all went back to my aunt & uncle's and just enjoyed each other's company. Watching the excitement of my three year old cousin A. was the absolute best. We had given baby M. a present for her baptism and didn't want A. to feel left out so we brought a little something for her too. (And by little something I mean a single Christmas ornament that we found at Wal-Mart for under $5.) When she found out she was allowed to open it then she carefully but enthusiastically tore off the pink paper and squealed with delight and yelled "A decoration!" then she ran around the room to show everyone her new "decornation" and simultaneously offering up a "sank you". I also loved watching her in church as she proudly stood up on the pew, hymn book in hand and sang her heart out. I am so thankful for her and pray with every fibre of my being someday it's my little girl keeping everyone entertained Christmas.

Christmas Day we opened presents and I was seriously blessed. My biggest surprise present was a Magic Bullet Deluxe set with a bunch of different blades and attachments for the cups! I haven't gotten a change to try it out yet but I see A LOT of smoothies in my future. And homemade salsa. And iced coffee. I may even attempt to recreate Second Cup's Frozen Hot Chocolate! 

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I also got an amazing gift from my friend who I met through church back when I was in university. We send each other a Christmas package and I was so excited when I opened this on Christmas morning. At this point you all know how much I love words of affirmation and I love how much thought went into this gift. I'm using a lot of willpower not to read all those little notes right away but I really do want to save them and read one each day in 2014. I've also been thinking about how I need to get back into journalling with a real pen & paper. The next time I'm in town I'm going to pick up a notebook and for each day of 2014 I will glue in the quote I pick from the jar each day and scribble down a few words about the day, draw a few doodles, and by the end of the year I'll have an amazing scrapbook. I think I even have a blank Smash* Book that might be perfect for this project. That's a post for another time though...back to Christmas!

I got some great new clothes including this hoodie that has been on my wish list for months! 

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I also got some new make up, a supply of body washes & lotions to last well into the new year and a few gift cards to spend once things quiet down a little. 

And of course the kitties got some new toys too. 

We enjoyed Christmas dinner with my Dad's side of the family and then spent the evening with my mom's side. I can't put into words how thankful I am to have so many aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. And that family really is a priority. I can't imagine growing up without cousins and aunts and grandparents, but I know that for so many it's hard to imagine growing up with that kind of extended family. Mine certainly isn't perfect and there was the usual arguments about how many chairs we need and the uncles probably had one too many glasses of homemade wine but that's life. 

I'm off to spend the rest of the day enjoying the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives marathon on the Food Network making homemade pizzas for supper and visiting with a family friend this evening. I hope everyone is enjoying time with family & friends! 

Meet Big Kitty

I was thrilled when I found out earlier this week that Jackie & Karly would be hosting another "Pets Are People Too" Link up! Last month I introduced you to my favourite furry trouble maker, Peyton. This time I thought I'd introduce you to the other cat who lives at my house, Big Kitty.

Big Kitty & I have a complicated relationship. And by that I mean, she doesn't really like me. It's nothing I did, she just doesn't really like anybody except for my Dad & Brother. 

Big Kitty's claim to fame is her name, or lack there of... You see, Big Kitty was adopted by the family while I was away at university and I was not very happy when I found out they got a kitten when I wasn't home to play with the kitten! So I made an agreement with Brother that we would come up with a name together, even though I was 500 miles away and wouldn't meet the new kitten until Christmas (this was in October). Brother really wanted to name her "Tweety" because she looks like Sylvester and he thought that would be funny? I like people names for cats and I was pushing for Riley. There were lots of  phone conversations and texts and e-mails sent over the course of two weeks. Finally my mom demanded we pick a name for the cat because she was going to the vet the next day. We randomly agreed on "Boots". 

Fast forward a few months to when I come home for Christmas and meet the newest member of the family. "Boots" doesn't really know her name and I quickly agree that after meeting her and knowing her personality it doesn't fit either. There's a brief discussion about picking a different name but it never happened. She was our only cat, so she just became known as "Cat". When people asked about her name I would either tell them it was "Cat, short for Catherine" or "Cat, because she looks just like Cat from Little Bear!". 

This went on for three years, then we adopted Peyton. "Cat" wasn't the only cat in town anymore, she was going to need some sort of name to distinguish her from the kitten. And so, she became "Big Kitty" (Peyton is referred to as "Little Kitty" 90% of the time by the rest of my family). 

Her personality is totally different than Petyton's. She doesn't like to cuddle and will tolerate a few pats on the head or scratches under the chin before she tries to claw your hand off. She spends most of her day sleeping in normal cat places (beds, couches, blankets) and is a very respectable and rule abiding member of our household. The only trouble she gets into is when her food dish is empty and she scratches the door frame demanding someone fill her food dish. 

Meet Peyton

This is Peyton (Peyton Juliet if she's in trouble, which is often).

Peyton is extremely curious and gets into all kinds of trouble has all kinds of adventures! She loves people food and will eat just about anything if you give it  to her. And if you don't give it to her she will help herself. Her favourite human food is chocolate milk, she will go to great lengths to stick her head in a glass of chocolate milk and as soon as she hears the fridge door open she is there to check out what you're eating. 

She loves to be up high, she was around 6 months old when she figured out how to jump up on the kitchen table and then to the top of the fridge. (That's also where we used to keep the cat treats, but more on that later.) Recently she's decided she likes to hang out on the banister at the bottom of the stairs. She reminds me of one of those gargoyles you see on old buildings when she hangs out here.

She has a ridiculous amount of toys. I do mean ridiculous, she has a full toy box in the living room, not to mention she got her very own cast-iron cat bed last year for Christmas. Crazy? Yes. Absolutely Adorable? 100% Yes. She carries her toys all over the house and has a few favourites that she more or less takes everywhere with her. I snapped this picture last spring when I was packing for camp. I had gotten out my suitcase but hadn't put anything it in yet, I heard her coming up the stairs with a toy and she jumped in my suitcase with it and gave me this look. My heart seriously melted. The worst part about camp is being away from her! 

Peyton is seriously smart, she plays fetch and has figured out how to open cupboards to get the bag of treats. She prefers to drink out of the faucet rather than her dish and if she decides in the middle of the night she's thirsty she takes a toy into the bathroom and meows and meows until I get out of bed and turn the water on for her. She may be a bit of a spoiled brat. 

One of my favourite things about her is what I call her "Disney Princess eyes", they are so expressive and too big for her face, but I think it's adorable. She such a huge personality and even though she is an active cat and will play for hours she sleeps with me every night and purrs like crazy. 

Internet Happiness

Last weekend H. & R. were together in the city and they spent some of their time together hanging out in H.'s hot tub and drinking wine. Earlier in the day I was Skyping with them and of course we started talking about camp and next summer, which lead to H. & R. making all sorts of ridiculous demands (they're both head counsellors). I (jokingly) told them that in order to consider their requests a formal presentation must be made, the topic changed and I assumed they had forgotten. Not so, post wine & hot tub they got to work and the director & I found this in our e-mails Monday evening. A full length 20+ slide PowerPoint presentation. I honestly laughed until I was near tears as I read through their "wish list", which was followed by the "10 Reasons H. & R. Should Be Hired Back In Spite of This Presentation". I can't decide if my favourite item on their wish list is a hot tub or that they want to hire the Hemsworth brothers as male counsellors. Both have about the same likelihood of happening. 

By far the best thing to show up in my inbox! (Except for all your lovely comments of course!)


There were a lot of great things on the internet this week, at various points over the past few days I've checked my phone to find these links sent to me from friends.

These 12 Life Lessons Learned From Your Cat is spot on. Cats truly are wonderful creatures.

A friend also sent me an article on "Seasonal Romance"  that definitely hit close to home. The only difference is I'm not quite ready to stuff all those memories in a folder and move on quite yet. The time might come when that has to happen but for now I'm in a good place with my "seasonal romance".

And BuzzFeed is always a reliable source for some internet happiness. Facts to Get Through the Week and some perspective that you might be having a bad day but at least You're Not These People.

What happy things did you find on the internet this week?

Five on Friday

{one}

After reading countless tutorials on how to make a blog button with a grab box for my sidebar I decided I was ready for the challenge. I was wrong. Everything worked perfectly up until the point where I pressed save and a button and grab box did appear on my blog...except the grab box was empty. And no amount of fiddling or Googling or re-reading tutorials and double checking every character of the HTML code would solve the problem. I still don't know what went wrong, I gave up after about an hour because Grey's Anatomy was coming on and at that point I was so frustrated I just needed to step away from the computer. Sigh. Blogging is hard. 

{two}

I made these Pumpkin Spice muffins Monday using the "Two Ingredient Recipe". I can't believe how easy they were to make. A box of spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin, mix 'em together, divide into muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes. I wasn't blown away and they weren't the best muffins I'd ever had but considering how easy they were to make I was impressed! 

{three}

Peyton was a ballerina for Halloween. I bought the tutu at Target and it was the best $3 I've spent in a long time. She looked adorable and one little Ninja Turtle who came to my door was beyond impressed that my cat was wearing a costume. The tutu lasted for about 45 minutes before she wiggled her way out. 

{four}

I miss summer. The novelty of wearing boots and tights has worn off and I am ready to return to sundresses, flip flops, shorts & tanks. I am seriously dreading the next 5 months of freezing temperatures, snow, cold feet  and snow. 

{five}

I've been a big fan of the company 3E Love for almost a year now, I have a T-Shirt, hoodie and several stickers & pins. They are a fantastic company and I love supporting them. They made a list of 100 Accessible Halloween Costumes and I encourage everyone to go check it out! The costume pictures can be found HERE. I promise they will bring a huge smile to your face and brighten up your Friday afternoon! 

Candy, Coke & Criminals

Today's Thankful Thursday is brought to you by three of my current favourite things: Candy, Coke and Criminals. 

Swedish Berries & Sour Patch Kids are at the top of my favourite Halloween candy. I've already eaten way too many of the 'fun-sized' packages of both. My only complaint is that they are usually accompanied by the fun-sized packages of Fuzzy Peaches and I have no use for those things. 

I'm thankful for an improving attitude towards food that let's me enjoy eating some candy and not feel ashamed. There's nothing wrong with a few treats as long as I eat plenty of veggies and good stuff the other 90% of the time. 

 

I already mentioned friends brought me back a case of Vanilla Coke from their trip to states, but last night I cracked open the first can. It is just as delicious as I remember. It's probably a good thing I don't have constant access to it all the time because I would have a hard time not drinking gallons of it a day. Last night Mom and I were putting together treat bags for the Trick-or-Treaters and Peyton promptly made herself at home in an empty Coke box. 

I'm thankful for the adorable Peyton, thoughtful friends and Vanilla Coke.

Is anyone else as obsessed with Criminal Minds as I am? I am such a huge scardy cat when it comes to spooky stories and blood & guts type things but I can not get enough of this show. I want to be best friends with Dr.Spencer Reid. And J.J.. 

I'm thankful for TV shows that remind me despite all the bad in the world there are a lot of good people too. And that I might be having a bad day, but at least I'm not being kidnapped by a crazy serial killer. 

City Weekend

I had the best weekend! It was so great pictures couldn't even begin to do it justice so I didn't take any. (What I'm really saying is I'm a terrible blogger who carried a camera everywhere this weekend and failed to take any pictures.) 

I've been in the City since Tuesday so there were lots of options when it came to weekend shenanigans! It started off on Friday afternoon when I hung out with my friend Q. we spent the afternoon catching up, went for a walk around his university campus and got coffee. Friday night H. came over and we spent the whole time engaging in some good old fashion girl talk while snacking on Halloween candy. I'm so thankful for phones and computers that make it possible for us to communicate on a daily basis but it's just not the same as being in the same room. I took advantage of every opportunity I had this weekend to see friends and spent time together even if we didn't have elaborate plans.

Saturday H. and I had plans again but first she spent the morning and afternoon working on her thesis while I hung out with the cats. The main reason for my stay in the city was to cat sit these three adorable creatures while friends of mine were in New York.

Saturday evening H. & I went out to supper and then did some shopping. She scored three super cute dresses to wear with leggings at Target and I got an awesome pair of boots and a plaid button up shirt at Old Navy. We had some time to kill before our next activity so we went to Chapters and spent an hour browsing the Humour and Self-Help sections. It's amazing what people can write a book about and get published! Next up was the highlight of our plans: Cosmic Bingo.

That's right. You've probably heard of Cosmic Bowling, but here in Atlantic Canada, there's also Cosmic Bingo. We were pretty surprised to see that the crowd was mostly made up of people around our own age with only a handful of seniors. Neither of us won anything but we fully intend on going again, and the next time we go we're going to bring along more camp friends. We play a lot of Bingo with our adult campers so playing glow-in-the-dark Bingo in the off season really helped cure some of the campsickness. 

Sunday I tidied up the apartment, watched entirely too many true life crime shows on CNN and recovering from all of Friday & Saturday's fun. 

My cat & apartment sitting duties end tonight and I'll be heading home tomorrow morning. But I'm heading home fully recharged and happy after a weekend full of friends & adventures. This afternoon I want to hit up the Gap & Roots outlet stores and treat myself to a delicious over-priced caffeinated beverage.