Beds

The other night, I went to the new IKEA. So big. So much furniture..... Anyways, we got to the kid's section. Even though they have separate rooms, they want to spend a ton of time together. It's actually quite awesome. They wanted to get those full bunk beds for girls. Can't say I haven't thought about it. But both of them want the top. I don't want to have to switch them each night so that it's fair. I don't want to do it weekly either because inevitably some "unfairness" will come out. If it was me, I'd always want the bottom bunk. Ahhhh...going pee at night is a heck of a lot easier. And my feet always hurt when climbing to the top bunk. Yeah, gave it a quick thought...and then abandoned the idea of getting them one.

Patios

One day, I swear I will get a patio set. But sometimes, the costs just seem crazy. Either I have to lower my standards in terms of quality, or I need to think smaller rather than a large table. Or maybe I have to shift my thinking in terms of what type of outdoor furniture is needed. Or move to the US. With their economy of scale, some things are really that much cheaper. Or even just to get some variety in styles. I saw some outdoor furniture at PatioFurnitureUSA.com that seemed really nice and at a price I could afford. But shipping to Canada is not a reality. And going down to the states to bring back home isn't a reality either. Back to square 1 with outdoor furniture.

Motorbikes

My brother loves motorbikes. And he loves getting old bikes and fixing them up. Yeah, sounds like a job I would never finish. However, he does finish his bike projects and they look really good! But he needs to get everything cheap. This includes cheap motorcycle tires, handlebars, stands, paint. I guess he knows what he's doing because people seem to be happy to give him parts. Heck, he even got an old motorbike for free. Kudos to him. I'll stick to other hobbies.

Cougar Part II

So after declaring that I don't care that I'm a cougar, I think I might have to take that comment back!!! I was at an April Babies get together (whole bunch of us friends have our birthdays during this month) and one of our lovely October baby friends decided to throw a shindig for all of us at one time. Smart. Anyways, I'm talking to one of the April babies...K. Her daughter is now 16 and was my flower girl when she was young. She is E. I've known E for pretty much her own life. Great kid, smart and is and will continue to be a great person in this world. We are so lucky. K is telling me that E is going to her first concert. I'm totally excited and have to ask E about it! Me: E!!! What concert are you going to? E: One Direction! My friends got tickets! Me: Me TOO!!!! OMG. I'm so excited! E: Yeah, it's my first one! Me and E: Squeallllllllll!!! Everybody else at the party that heard that I was going to the same concert was laughing...and I'm sure it's at me. ROFL! "You're going to the same concert as E?!!" I have to remember she's 16. For her to love this band is ok. Come to think of it, after I posted on my Facebook account about me going to 1D and letting people mock me, I had a friend about my age who wrote me a direct message. "I'm not ready to respond to your post and let the world know that I'm a 1D lover too. I'm in the closet. My husband thinks I'm a cougar." Oh well. =)

A Thought a Day

What's trending? A Thought a Day. You can do it cheaply...or you can get it as a gift. ROFL! I did get it as a gift and it's a thick journal. Everyday you write one thought down and you do this for 5 years. It's pretty daunting to journal everyday. Sorry Oprah, can't do it. But Oprah, I can write down things that I'm grateful for in this book. The idea is that on any one day during the 5 years, you'll know what you've done and get a sense where you've been. I was skeptical. But on January 1st I started. And I've been writing in it everyday. And even just looking back to the beginning of the year is quite awesome. I can barely remember last week let alone last month. So this is a great little gift. I'll have to thank my wonderful friend for getting it for me. Thanks BFF...totally awesome!

Am I a Cougar?

ROFL! All my friends who know that I'm going to the One Direction concert...next YEAR...have commented in some form or fashion that I'm a cougar. Who cares?! Not me. I'm going. Got my tickets and will wait patiently for 2013 to roll around. I'm a big fan of their music! Though I realize I'm definitely not the biggest. Haven't even bothered to learn their names. But what I see, I like. I saw their recent video and whoever is doing their marketing is very, very smart. They've got these boys emanating the Monkees and a bit of the Beatles. The younger kids might not get it, but for us "older" folks, that totally appeals to us. And definitely appeals to me. So call me a cougar if you want...but this group is fun, cute, and all of legal age. It's all good.

Another Day

This morning, a much better day already.  I got to sleep in, working from home.  Have some time to just chill before the day starts!  YES. 

I'm checking out some regular blogs and I see a video title that caught my eye.  Exercising Around the World.  Not sure what to expect...but it's a video that I love!!  

This guy is awesome. His trip is awesome. Him living his dream is awesome. I have no other adjective but awesome for this guy.

Accidents

The last 2 days, I have been in traffic hell. Honestly...to and from work...over 2.5 hours.  No thanks to some accidents on the road.  Today, I was on Highway 99 and it was a total parking lot.  We were not moving at all. 


When listening to the traffic report, I heard that a car had flipped over in the counterflow lane. Yowsers.  Did I feel bad for the person?  Absolutely.  But basically everytime there is an accident there, it's because someone was weaving in and out or speeding because they wanted to get somewhere.


Newsflash buddy.  I want to get home too.  I feel bad that you're hurt.  But I feel even worse that your family has to deal with you and helping you.  Imagine how they feel?  I don't feel bad for you because of your selfishness and wanting to get somewhere when you could have easily just slowed down a couple of kilometres per hour, thousands suffered the consequences.  Seriously.  Everybody on the road had to be somewhere...but we were all screwed.   


Every time I see a road accident, it's pretty much avoidable.  So why people can't take the extra 2 seconds to drive safely, I don't know.  


As much as I'm complaining here about my time lost, I can look back on today and still be thankful for many things.  I did get home safe and sound.  I got to be with my kids and take them to their activities.  I get to enjoy time doing things that I want to do.  I'm going to be fine.  I'll never "recover" those hours lost on the road...but I'll be fine.  


For that person who decided that everybody else was going to slow...speedy recovery to you and may your loved ones surround you.  And may you remember today that you were hurt and just about lost all opportunities to be with those same loved ones forever more.  

Puzzles

I love puzzles.  I'm not good at them by any means...but it's nice to just sit down with family or friends and do a puzzle together.  It's a great time for conversation, chilling and just being together.  


But these new 3d jigsaw puzzles...yeah, they're great looking and pretty cool.  But definitely not for doing together.  My daughter got one that is a rose.  It's been months and we're still trying to put it together.  Maybe it would be easier if I were a guy...that whole spatial thing. 


Looks great on the box, but I have a feeling my kid will be 12 by the time we figure it out.  

Lighting

Amazing how a lighting change can change the whole look of a house.  I have a friend who has this one chandelier that I quite like.  But she thinks it makes her house like a dungeon.  Okaaaay.  Guess I like dungeons?!  


Anyways, it made me think about my own house.  We have one chandelier like light above my kitchen table.  Came with the house.  I really like it.  But I wonder what it would be like if I switched things up?  Interior decorating is not my speciality.  


Checked out for some ideas.  OMG.  So many ideas, now I'm overwhelmed.
I'll leave it for another day.  I mean, it's taken us over 7 years and we have yet to find appropriate art work for the house.  What's another day for lighting?

Drums

If I won the lotto and could pursue many of the dreams I have, I'd pursue some further musical training.  I love taiko drumming...but I'd love to just try drumming.  Remember Sheila E?  Oh, I wanted to be like her and drum big time.  She was awesome.  Maybe try some Roland Drums as I hear they rock. 


And really, every song needs a percussion instrument of some kind.  Drums are usually it.  And they rock.  


But before I get the drums...maybe I should work on the soundproof room! 

Bundling

Every place where a service is offered, a  bundling bundling of services is usually available to help you "save" money.  The only problem is, I tend to buy bundles because it seems like a great deal, but then don't end up using half of them! 

I wish more places could have the "make your own bundle" and they cost it out for you.  At least I would know that I was getting full use of the applications/bundles because I chose them.  And I would feel like the company was listening to me and my needs.  

So companies...are you listening?  

Birthday

Birthdays.  Love or hate them...they still come around every 365 days.  I've never hated my birthday but it's never been a huge deal for me.  I tend to stay quiet about this day too.  


But every birthday, I treat myself to something fun/special.  It's my way of celebrating me.  This year, I got myself a 90 minute massage at the Absolute Spa.  OMG.  SO divine!  And what was even better was I got the bestest deal!  I won a gift certificate for 45 minutes.  But that wouldn't do.  I wanted a full 90 minute massage.  So I kept watching for specials.  And then the special came...book a 60 minute massage and get an upgrade to a 90 minute massage...free!  So I only had to pay for 15 minutes of a massage.   


The massage was so awesome.  I was so relaxed that I actually had problems walking for a little bit.  So like jello!  


Then it was off to lunch at Vera's Burgers for a free lunch.  Gosh.  Gotta love birthday coupons!  And it was so good!!!  It has been a while since I've been there so it was extra good. 


Off to some shopping.  Found sales for jeans and shoes.  Then found some great little things for the kids.  


And while going in and out of stores, the sun was shining.  I was totally expecting rain so the sun was a beautiful surprise! 


Then it was off to home to get ready to go out for dinner.  Hey, I did not want to cook on my day.  One night off is ok right?  We tried going to the Olive Garden but the wait was an hour long.  Thanks but no thanks.  Too stressful.  So Sammy J's it was that night.  It was ok.  But again, I didn't have to cook!   The family members gave me their birthday cards and they were sweet, funny and totally awesome.  


Off to home again to watch my favourite tv show that had a season opener that night!  The Killing. OMG.   What a great show.  Though I have to admit that all the chilling made me so relaxed that I couldn't finish the show.  I had to go off to bed.


So a totally chilled day...just the way I like it.   Good time with my family.  But also for myself to relax and think about where I am in life, how I feel about myself and where I belong on this little blue planet.  


I can see the need to push myself harder on certain things and perhaps relax on some things.   I know I'm not perfect.  But I do feel that I'm in a good place in life.  I am healthy to take care of others.  At times, this is difficult and strenuous.  But I've been fortunate to be able to have good health to continue to care for others.  


I am surrounded by wonderful family and friends.  Money can't buy you this type of happiness.  These people have been with me through good times and bad.  And they exude a type of energy and support that I truly appreciate and am thankful for.  


I am fortunate to have work that I actually like.  Maybe there are "bigger" things for me to do career wise.  But right now, I'm meant to be here where I am.    


I have 2 wonderful kids that I get to be a mother to.  Are there crazy days?  For sure.  Does it get stressful?  Absolutely.  But the joys that I've been able to have with these 2 kidlets has been worth all the fractured skulls, the crazy health scares, the poopy diapers and goodness knows what else.  


I know that I still want to do so much more in my lifetime.  I continue to dream those dreams and each year, I hope to accomplish a little more towards those dreams.  At 38, I feel so at peace with so many things in life.  

Poster

I was on Facebook and checking out people's feeds.   Usually, it's a quick read and gives me a good idea of what people are up to.   My one friend put an image of a poster and I thought it was cute looking...decided to take a closer look.

Basically, it's about treating introverts with respect.  Ok, I totally get it.  Some folks have a harder time coming out of their shell, they have different ways of learning and interacting...all which are totally ok in my books!  I can be tolerant, patient and appreciate other's way of doing things. 

But my reaction wasn't totally a good one and part of me was surprised by my reaction.  Why can't a poster just say some other things such as:

* Treat others like you would want to be treated

* Understand that everyone learns differently and be open to that

* Everybody deserves respect

And why isn't there a poster for extroverts then?!!  Or how about quirky folks?!  What got me really annoyed was that this poster asks that everybody respect introverts and their way of doing things, but this poster doesn't take into account of respecting others that are not like them.  It's too much of an "us" versus "them" mentality.  I don't like it.  

So, to my introverted friends, I love you all.  And I treat you the way you want to be treated.  But what I love about all of you is that you treat me the way I want to be treated.  We both understand each other's way of doing things.  That's why our relationship works.  No need for a poster to tell me how to treat you.  

Batteries

My brother is a motorcycle lover.  He has a couple of them in fact.  Hey, whatever floats his boat.  He tells me about them sometimes and they're interesting stories.  But sometimes, he'll tell me things I have no clue about.  "So...I'll need to get a pc680 battery and do something about that clutch...."  


Uh, ok.  If you say so.  I just keep thinking I want him to get a little side car so I can wear those cool goggles and a scarf and ride with him.