Show and Tell; When I was 17

1. When you were 17, tell us what kind of car you drove, where you worked, and what you were usually up to on the weekends? When I was 17, I drove my mom's minivan. I worked at Bluenotes as a part time sales associate.  On weekends, I was usually going to camp with my Ranger unit, or just hanging out. Like this scavenger hunt of Vancouver for example. 

2. Show us a picture of you when you were 17 {roughly}.

That goofy facebook photo  pick from the day...

3. When you were 17, tell us what you wanted to be when you "grew up." A librarian. Seriously. My dad got me this. 

4. When you were 17, tell us the kind of boys that you dated. Did you have a type? Do you have a relationship you remember well? Tell us about it.
I didn't.  I dated someone when I was 16.  He was gay. When I was 17 I had a few crushes. One of them also turned out to be gay.  My life sucked. 
I guess I was 17 when I started to date Nathan. He was younger than me, was a drummer in a band, kinda nerdy, kinda quiet, kinda hard to get, kinda cute, but kinda weird... I usually went for the guys who were introverted. 
5. When you were 17, tell us where you pictured your life 10 years from then. Did it turn out the way you expected it to?
I figured I'd still be in school. I'd still be somewhere else. Somewhere more exotic than Northern BC, maybe Montreal. 10 years hasn't passed yet. Only 5... I'm definitely on a different tract. One more similiar to what I imagine my mother had in mind --- minus the whole getting married thing, buying a house, and owning two dogs. 

Just Before Halloween at College

Prom! 

Sunday Social

 Lets get literary!

1. Favorite childhood book

I can see the book in my head. I can imagine the pictures. The fun rhymes. 
I can't for the life of me remember the name.
It was one of those books that was from a little local author from somewhere else.
It was about this thing that made this beautiful outfit from things from nature for the big celebratory day. I can't remember the name. It was strange. It had a strange name. 
It was one of those books that I read so often that it has a broken spine and tattered pages

Sometime over the next week I'll remember.

In the meanwhile, the other book that comes to mind, is the ever popular "Rainbow Fish" 

2 . Favorite Book lately

Like if I could recommend any book because of how much I like it.... 
I read "Merchants of Doubt" last semester in Environmental History. 
It is one of those books that I recommend that everyone read.
Not sure if it's my favorite. I'm not sure if I've read enough books recently to have a favorite. 
But I am working on more reading! 

3. Book you wish you could live in

I always, and still do, wish that I could live in the world of Princess Mia. 
I don't know if I so much want to live where she lives, but I want to be a Princess. 
Who doesnt' want to be one? I was never one to read a lot of fantasy world books. 

4. If you could be any character from a book who would it be and why?

To be Princess Mia and to live her life, I think are different. But I might just have to say ditto to the above question. I was obsessed with those books when I was in high school. 
Obsessed is probably an understatement. :P

5. Favorite Book turned Movie?

That's tough.

I could pull my Princess Diaries book out again for this one.

I did LOVE LOVE LOVE The Notebook. Both the book and the movie.
tough questions. 

6. Favorite Magazines
I love Macleans. Like any good Canadian.

I also love National Geographic. 

Wonderful Fridays

Friday Letters

Dear Rain: Why did you have to put a damper on my enthusiasm to walk! Now my dogs are wet and smelly and insisting on jumping on the furniture. Now my ears and nose are still cold and my coat is soaking wet. 

Dear Body: Here we go. Today is the first day of getting back on track. Time to reprioritise and start eating and being better --- how did 5 pounds magically appear from my weigh in last night to my 'first official weigh in' this morning! Say what? 

Dear husband: Why is it a constant battle to get some help with cleaning up the house? 

Dear Thanksgiving: Please do you dishes. 

Dear Halloween: Please hurry up, I want to start getting ready for CHRISTMAS. 

Dear Laundry: Why are you never ending. I feel like I just can't catch up! And I don't even have kids yet!

What's Ahead

Two things.

1.  NEW SEWING PROJECTS

A. Dog jackets for the winter! We picked up the fabric today, I cant wait! 

B. Seat Covers. 

Darn things have been leaving foot prints all over the cushions. So, I'm going to tackle this pinterest project. 

2. weight gain. deserves no capitals.

For my wedding, I attempted to loose weight to look my best and feel best on my special day.

Partly because my mom pointed out how I had gained a lot of weight during college, and then I felt all self conscious and aware. Last summer 2011, I weighed in at 230 pounds. My heaviest yet. 

Today, I finally broke down. I knew it had to happened. While I might have lost 20 pounds for my wedding, my favorite jeans didn't button up yesterday, and at that moment I knew there was a second reason why I had retreated to dresses and leggings.... 222 pounds tonight. 

So game plan. 

a) I need to find something to motivate myself. 

b) I need to cut the crap. 

c) I need to document my intake of food (time to buy a food journal! --- yay shopping) 

d) I need to exercise.

This will include several steps ----- i.i start walking the dogs more often, i.ii. set up the xbox so I can use it to exercise via the kinnect, i.iii seriously consider a gym membership at the university. 

Autumn Garden Prep

We moved in during the Spring.

Sometime during the summer, I decided to start working on my garden. 

The 'garden' is overgrown and, as expected, would need LOTS of elbow grease. 

Before Before

This is the garden as we moved in. It's an area of the yard that is divided by 'railway ties'. 

Before

The Garden after a little elbow grease. 

I removed some of the 'trees' (my mil wanted one of them, but I had let it sit too long) 

I tried to dig the garden over, but the land was too rocky. 

Then.... 

the garden sat all summer and I did nothing. 

Today

I took some action. After some internet searching, the final concluding idea was to rebuild my garden.

The land in PG is too rocky. There is no point in me digging it up. It's too much effort that I don't have. 

First

Cardboard. 

We bought a bed a month ago. The cardboard is too big for our little car. So it's still hanging out in the garage. Perfect for my garden. I covered up the old weeds with the cardboard. They suggest that this will prevent sunshine which will kill everything underneath! Whoot. 

I also watered the cardboard. Because then I thought it'd stay in place better. 

Second

Eric and I took advantage of the trees in our front yard. 

We bought some rakes and raked the front yard. I took some containers and moved all of the leaves to the back yard. And piled them high. Over the winter. This will sit. 

Come next Spring, we will buy some pretty rocks to build an edge to the garden and then bring in some dirt to build up the garden! 

A Few more  pictures of our adventures

I can't wait to get my sony nex 5r!!! IF only it would come into stores! Jeez louise. I might just have to wait till my trip to Vancouver next week. 

A Few Blogs/websites on this idea!

Birds & Blooms

Chowhound Forum

Building Raised Garden

Treehugger

Stay Posted

Once the snow falls. And then melts.

I (and hopefully my hubbie) will start building our raised garden bed. 

Maybe for next Thanksgiving we will have some fresh veggies to serve straight from the garden! yummm! 

Thankful Thanksgiving

It's Canadian Thanksgiving, eh! 

Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is now coming to an end. And after three wonderfully amazing turkey dinners, I think it's time I finally consider what I am thankful for. 

First, I am extraordinarily thankful that I had the opportunity to attend and eat so much Turkey. 

I am thankful for my friend Emily and her annual 'misfit' thanksgiving. 

I am thankful for my inlaws and their family thanksgiving, including the grandparents this year. 

I am thankful to be able to host a thanksgiving dinner at my house with all the fixings! (I'm grateful to have left overs all week long) 

Second, I am thankful for my husband. 

He is ever so patient and enduring with me. 

I am appreciative of his care and concern, and ability to work with me with my vulvodynia. 

 Third, I am thankful for my puppies. 

I still can't believe my husband said yes to buying Caper. 

I still can't believe we brought home Miss. Daisy.

I am so grateful for their unconditional love and companionship. 

Fourth, I am thankful for my friends in Prince George.

I am grateful to have my sorority sisters and work colleagues who are always there for a good laugh and some girly chitter chatter! 

Me and my 3 sorority sisters and work collegue Kelsey

Fifth, I am grateful for my days off. 

Now, as a manager, having been low on staff and management, I am very appreciative to have the opportunity to have a full day off to cook and clean, and to prep for friends. There was something relaxing and fun about that. 

Treating Vulvodynia - The Beginning

It's been almost two years since I've struggled with provoked vestibuldynia (vulvodynia) and I'm finally starting my treatment! I imagine for many sufferers of vulvodynia, my two years is petty compared to the 5-10+ years that they have struggled with finding an answer to their pain.

If you don't already know, I'm 'enrolled' in a program based out of Vancouver General Hospital! The Multidisciplinary Vulvodynia Program provides us with a 'tasting menu' of treatment options including medications, physiotheraphy and cognitive behaviour therapy (as well as some sexual seminars) --- I'll have to post a post about what I know now about sex! ---- 

This past week was my fourth trip to Vancouver for the program. My first was my assessment in July. My second was orientation. My third was a sexual health seminar. And this past week was treatment planning, physio and group cognitive therapy.