Hello Everyone,
So, I was cosmetics shopping with a friend and found the most wonderful shade of lipstick. It's L'Oreal Colour Riche 301 - Real Red.
You know how sometimes red lipstick can be a bit too orange? Or they're a tacky fushia red? Well, this is a rich red, leaning toward a cherry tone.
And I picked it up at Murale, which is a branch of Shopper's Drug Mart for only $12.49.
So I had to share.
Because I think it would look pretty on everyone.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
A Good Tuesday
Hello Everyone,
The payroll is looking good so it's not been the stressful week that I imagined. Took it easy on the weekend. Watched Knight and Day - the Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz "spy thriller". It was hilarious! So, I now understand why it was trashed so badly. If you were expecting an actual spy thriller, it was terrible. If you saw how much they were making fun of spy thriller movies, it was very well done.
Got my Christmas (now "winter" since they'll be too late for Christmas) letters printed off so they'll be dropped off at the post office tomorrow. They should arrive sometime in January.
I have my Christmas baking left to do. I'm not doing much this year so a good chunk will be done tonight and the rest over the next few days. Everything else is done and this'll be the first Christmas in years that I'm not stressed about presents/travel/work/lack of sleep.
Have a great day!
The payroll is looking good so it's not been the stressful week that I imagined. Took it easy on the weekend. Watched Knight and Day - the Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz "spy thriller". It was hilarious! So, I now understand why it was trashed so badly. If you were expecting an actual spy thriller, it was terrible. If you saw how much they were making fun of spy thriller movies, it was very well done.
Got my Christmas (now "winter" since they'll be too late for Christmas) letters printed off so they'll be dropped off at the post office tomorrow. They should arrive sometime in January.
I have my Christmas baking left to do. I'm not doing much this year so a good chunk will be done tonight and the rest over the next few days. Everything else is done and this'll be the first Christmas in years that I'm not stressed about presents/travel/work/lack of sleep.
Have a great day!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
sigh of contentment
Hello Everyone,
So I just sent off the last bit of information to the resort for the wedding. Bouquet, cake, breakfast etc confirmed. And made the final resort payment yesterday. I giggled when I got off the phone and a big weight lifted from my shoulders. Now, anything extra is just that - extras we want but are not mandatory.
And so I updated my to-do spreadsheet and it's looking very reasonable. No craziness of busy wedding stuff like I see on tv. The spreadsheet has 3 columns - Karen, Jerry and Both. Jerry only has a few things on his - mostly paperwork. I have the most but it's all very manageable and things I enjoy doing.
And for anyone curious, the final decision on my future name. And this was the closest we came to an argument. Professional and in the eyes of the government, I will remain "Halliday". Socially I will be "Hoult". I will change my driver's license to "Halliday Hoult". In Canada, taking a married name is not a legal name change so if I change my mind in the future, I don't have to do any major paperwork. I'll use my Halliday name at one bank and Hoult at the other. That way, if someone writes me a cheque, I can still cash it :-) Jerry was hoping I would take his name but when I explain all the issues (SIN, pension, work logins/e-mail, certificates etc), he understood where I was coming from. I don't think he really understood my initial hang-up of me suddenly losing my identity. So, a different approach was needed. We're both content with the solution.
Oh, and I tried on my dress and it fits just like I wanted now. It's back in the box, hiding in the closet. Jerry's been worried that he'll accidently see it but I've been reassuring him that it's super obvious. After all, it a huge box - about 2'x3' and says "David's Bridal" in big writing across the front. And it's behind my storage unit on my side of the closet. Once I have it packed, I'll bring out the box so we can laugh.
Jerry's off to the mountains this weekend. I'm not sure if it's just for 1 day or all weekend. It'll give me a chance to get things done around the house before Christmas. And have a proper de-stress weekend. I'm very much looking forward to a long soak in a bubble bath.
We had a lovely few days of warm weather (averaging around 0ish) but the cooler weather is back to the minus teens.
So, I'm content. Life is good. Have a great day!
So I just sent off the last bit of information to the resort for the wedding. Bouquet, cake, breakfast etc confirmed. And made the final resort payment yesterday. I giggled when I got off the phone and a big weight lifted from my shoulders. Now, anything extra is just that - extras we want but are not mandatory.
And so I updated my to-do spreadsheet and it's looking very reasonable. No craziness of busy wedding stuff like I see on tv. The spreadsheet has 3 columns - Karen, Jerry and Both. Jerry only has a few things on his - mostly paperwork. I have the most but it's all very manageable and things I enjoy doing.
And for anyone curious, the final decision on my future name. And this was the closest we came to an argument. Professional and in the eyes of the government, I will remain "Halliday". Socially I will be "Hoult". I will change my driver's license to "Halliday Hoult". In Canada, taking a married name is not a legal name change so if I change my mind in the future, I don't have to do any major paperwork. I'll use my Halliday name at one bank and Hoult at the other. That way, if someone writes me a cheque, I can still cash it :-) Jerry was hoping I would take his name but when I explain all the issues (SIN, pension, work logins/e-mail, certificates etc), he understood where I was coming from. I don't think he really understood my initial hang-up of me suddenly losing my identity. So, a different approach was needed. We're both content with the solution.
Oh, and I tried on my dress and it fits just like I wanted now. It's back in the box, hiding in the closet. Jerry's been worried that he'll accidently see it but I've been reassuring him that it's super obvious. After all, it a huge box - about 2'x3' and says "David's Bridal" in big writing across the front. And it's behind my storage unit on my side of the closet. Once I have it packed, I'll bring out the box so we can laugh.
Jerry's off to the mountains this weekend. I'm not sure if it's just for 1 day or all weekend. It'll give me a chance to get things done around the house before Christmas. And have a proper de-stress weekend. I'm very much looking forward to a long soak in a bubble bath.
We had a lovely few days of warm weather (averaging around 0ish) but the cooler weather is back to the minus teens.
So, I'm content. Life is good. Have a great day!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Satisfied with Exam
Hello Everyone,
I did my exam last night and feel confident enough to say I passed. It takes about 6 weeks to get the results. But we knew the marking scheme of each question and I had more than enough solid answers to pass. I'm guessing my mark around 72-75 but if they want to be tough, it could go as low as 67. And since 60 is a pass, that's good enough for me. I'm not one of those people who tries to get the highest mark - I'm not that good at exams and I don't think the stress level is worth it for this type of course (balanced against work).
So now I get to focus on my computer course (Microsoft Office applications) and Spanish (Rosetta Stone). I hope to have the computer course done by the time we leave for Mexico (68 days!)and I'll have a better idea if this is realistic by the end of the month.
And I just found out my final payroll course I need will be offered on line next fall. Which means no more dealing with transit to get to Mount Royal University! That should get me my Certified Payroll Manager designation mid 2012. And yes, I use this blog to help keep me on track with my schooling.
Oh, and we've changed the first part of our Mexican adventure. We were originally heading to Tulum when we arrived to stay at the nature park there. I worked out the logistics and it would be a bit messy. We're now going to Merida, the capital of the area. Jerry had mentioned a couple times about the place, I checked it out, and both of us think it would be a better introduction to the Yucatan. I'm hoping to take a cooking class while we're there. And our hostel is right on a plaza in the old quarter. And very good bus connections between there and Cancun.
That's about it for now. Christmas will be my next focus and I'm still aiming to get our Christmas letters out before the day. Now, that's not saying they'll be at your homes by then...
Have a great day!
I did my exam last night and feel confident enough to say I passed. It takes about 6 weeks to get the results. But we knew the marking scheme of each question and I had more than enough solid answers to pass. I'm guessing my mark around 72-75 but if they want to be tough, it could go as low as 67. And since 60 is a pass, that's good enough for me. I'm not one of those people who tries to get the highest mark - I'm not that good at exams and I don't think the stress level is worth it for this type of course (balanced against work).
So now I get to focus on my computer course (Microsoft Office applications) and Spanish (Rosetta Stone). I hope to have the computer course done by the time we leave for Mexico (68 days!)and I'll have a better idea if this is realistic by the end of the month.
And I just found out my final payroll course I need will be offered on line next fall. Which means no more dealing with transit to get to Mount Royal University! That should get me my Certified Payroll Manager designation mid 2012. And yes, I use this blog to help keep me on track with my schooling.
Oh, and we've changed the first part of our Mexican adventure. We were originally heading to Tulum when we arrived to stay at the nature park there. I worked out the logistics and it would be a bit messy. We're now going to Merida, the capital of the area. Jerry had mentioned a couple times about the place, I checked it out, and both of us think it would be a better introduction to the Yucatan. I'm hoping to take a cooking class while we're there. And our hostel is right on a plaza in the old quarter. And very good bus connections between there and Cancun.
That's about it for now. Christmas will be my next focus and I'm still aiming to get our Christmas letters out before the day. Now, that's not saying they'll be at your homes by then...
Have a great day!
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Rice Cooker Pot Roast
Hello Everyone,
Yes, you can make pot roast in a rice cooker
...and it tastes pretty good.
I found though after hour 2 you may want to flip your meat. It got a bit caramelly on the bottom but not burnt.
On another note, I finished my cue cards questions to prepare for my exam on Monday. Tonight I'll start on my exam sheet - a one page cram sheet that I'll need to re-produce by memory so I can remember everything. It seems to work for me. Then, once I get my exam, before I open it and panic, I write my cram sheet on the spare paper, take a breath, and then look at what I need to do.
Today is our work lunch Christmas party and Jerry's work Christmas party is on Saturday. We're having some of his co-workers from Edmonton staying with us for the weekend and I warned him I cannot play host. I'll be in our room studying, only coming out for caffeine and cuddles with the furry family.
But soon it will be over and my goal is the required 60%. I'm not one of those people aiming for perfect. I'm looking for a reasonable result, since most of this material should be referenced rather than memorized.
Have a great day!
Yes, you can make pot roast in a rice cooker
...and it tastes pretty good.
I found though after hour 2 you may want to flip your meat. It got a bit caramelly on the bottom but not burnt.
On another note, I finished my cue cards questions to prepare for my exam on Monday. Tonight I'll start on my exam sheet - a one page cram sheet that I'll need to re-produce by memory so I can remember everything. It seems to work for me. Then, once I get my exam, before I open it and panic, I write my cram sheet on the spare paper, take a breath, and then look at what I need to do.
Today is our work lunch Christmas party and Jerry's work Christmas party is on Saturday. We're having some of his co-workers from Edmonton staying with us for the weekend and I warned him I cannot play host. I'll be in our room studying, only coming out for caffeine and cuddles with the furry family.
But soon it will be over and my goal is the required 60%. I'm not one of those people aiming for perfect. I'm looking for a reasonable result, since most of this material should be referenced rather than memorized.
Have a great day!
Thursday, December 02, 2010
A clear winner
Hello Everyone,
So we ate some fruit cake on the weekend and Jerry's favourite was 2. Just like everyone elses. Grandma Armstrong wins! It actually tastes good and was the easiest to make.
I ordered the little boxes for it to go in this week. They're called a double truffle box and I got them online. Most of the boxes I've seen were square, which wouldn't work since the cake is just over 2" tall. These boxes will fit a 1" piece quite nicely.
We also ordered a horribly tacky cake knife and serving set. I think there will be a cake cutting at the reception but I couldn't justify spending a lot of money on these items. Most of them were impractible (bows to get stuck in icing, heart shaped servers that won't slide a piece of cake very well). So, on the same website where I got the boxes, I was able to order From Fashioncraft’s exclusive Finishing Touches Collection, the 13” long knife and 10 ½” server both have stainless steel tops (blade and server) and white poly resin handles with dipped beaded design tops, elegant carved seashells and starfish, a faux pearl accent, a sea foam blue wave design at the tip and blue rhinestones sprinkled throughout. Truly one for the ages, each beach themed wedding cake knife and server set comes delightfully packaged in a white with ivory seashell design gift box with a clear acetate window front for beautiful display and storage. I giggled when I saw it and Jerry agreed that everything we saw looked pretty bad and he enjoyed my giggling.
I also went to a seamstress last night concerning my dress. Although my dress fit from the waist down, there had been something bothering me about the top. I had bought my undergarments earlier in the week and was ready to see what was wrong. She pinned a few things and I lost 15 pounds caused by fabric drape. Once she was done, I got back up on the round stand and almost burst into tears because the dress looked so pretty. I pick it up in two weeks. I'm not concerned about having it done so early because a) I needed the reassurance that the dress would look right and b) even though I'm working out to get toned up, the areas that's she's bringing in won't be affected, or at least not enough to make a noticeable difference when it comes to the fit c) if something happens to the dress - slip in crazy road crap filled puddle and soaks the dress - I still have enough time to order a new one.
The design for the wishing tree is coming along so now it's just a matter of pulling the branches out of the pile in the alley and getting the tags ready. I'll probably do that this month so it's one less thing on my to-do list.
Overall, wedding plans are coming along nicely. No major deadlines or stressful things to worry about. More just fun things to deal with.
80 days left according to the registry!
So we ate some fruit cake on the weekend and Jerry's favourite was 2. Just like everyone elses. Grandma Armstrong wins! It actually tastes good and was the easiest to make.
I ordered the little boxes for it to go in this week. They're called a double truffle box and I got them online. Most of the boxes I've seen were square, which wouldn't work since the cake is just over 2" tall. These boxes will fit a 1" piece quite nicely.
We also ordered a horribly tacky cake knife and serving set. I think there will be a cake cutting at the reception but I couldn't justify spending a lot of money on these items. Most of them were impractible (bows to get stuck in icing, heart shaped servers that won't slide a piece of cake very well). So, on the same website where I got the boxes, I was able to order From Fashioncraft’s exclusive Finishing Touches Collection, the 13” long knife and 10 ½” server both have stainless steel tops (blade and server) and white poly resin handles with dipped beaded design tops, elegant carved seashells and starfish, a faux pearl accent, a sea foam blue wave design at the tip and blue rhinestones sprinkled throughout. Truly one for the ages, each beach themed wedding cake knife and server set comes delightfully packaged in a white with ivory seashell design gift box with a clear acetate window front for beautiful display and storage. I giggled when I saw it and Jerry agreed that everything we saw looked pretty bad and he enjoyed my giggling.
I also went to a seamstress last night concerning my dress. Although my dress fit from the waist down, there had been something bothering me about the top. I had bought my undergarments earlier in the week and was ready to see what was wrong. She pinned a few things and I lost 15 pounds caused by fabric drape. Once she was done, I got back up on the round stand and almost burst into tears because the dress looked so pretty. I pick it up in two weeks. I'm not concerned about having it done so early because a) I needed the reassurance that the dress would look right and b) even though I'm working out to get toned up, the areas that's she's bringing in won't be affected, or at least not enough to make a noticeable difference when it comes to the fit c) if something happens to the dress - slip in crazy road crap filled puddle and soaks the dress - I still have enough time to order a new one.
The design for the wishing tree is coming along so now it's just a matter of pulling the branches out of the pile in the alley and getting the tags ready. I'll probably do that this month so it's one less thing on my to-do list.
Overall, wedding plans are coming along nicely. No major deadlines or stressful things to worry about. More just fun things to deal with.
80 days left according to the registry!
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