Hello Everyone,
Yep, we were up to watch the wedding. A friend came over around 1ish as she doesn't have cable. Jerry got up at 3 to start muffins. He woke me up at 3:15 so I could be alert enough to watch the royals arrive and see Kate. I loved the dress - from what I have read/saw about her, it suited her style very well. I stayed up until after the ring was presented and went back to bed until 6:15. Got up again to see the balcony kiss and then got ready for work.
Overall, not feeling too tired and I thought the wedding was quite lovely. Simple (for a royal wedding) and the couple looked like they were enjoying the day.
I made my first yougurt culture and will attempt Matsoni yougurt this weekend. It can be made on the kitchen counter and as long as I save a bit, it's renewable. I'll let you know how it goes.
Icky weather this week so Jerry's job start was moved to Monday.
This weekend I'm going to two trade shows - a craft show and the women's show. I think I'll be in estrogen overload by Saturday night. On Sunday we're going for brunch with friends.
Seedlings are doing great. My corn is now 1 1/2' high and one of the squash plants looks like it wants to flower. Jerry says it's because of the grow lights we have over them. I replanted some seeds that didn't germinate and already they're popping through the peat. How exciting! The tomato and pepper plants are coming along nicely.
Have a great day!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Happy Monday!
Hello Everyone,
It's not too often Monday is happy but today it is.
1. Jerry accepted a job offer today to do lawn cutting this summer. He starts on Wednesday doing spring clean-up. It pays ok, little stress and flexibility if he needs some time off (holidays, perhaps school). And it's only a few blocks from our house so he doesn't have to trapse all across the city to pick up the equipment.
2. I ordered new glasses. They're a cute frame and will have digitally made lenses. They are suppose to do wonders for me (and my halos).
3. We did our first planting yesterday. Onions, shallots, garlic, spinach and peas. Jerry is planting radish and turnip this afternoon. And from now until early June we have something to plant each week. My corn is over 1'. They're lining the windowsill. And we had 2 swiss chard plants survive the winter! Rhubarb is peaking out of the ground. And we think all the fruit bushes survived.
4. I got registered in time for bikini boot camp starting in May. I got a $20 voucher for one month of training (which is 90% off the regular price). I'm hoping it'll help me with my health and fitness levels. They're not great right now (eating well but nothing is happening with my size) and I want energy to do lots of fun activities this summer.
We had a good Easter. The bus was relaxing and we had a nice visit with Jerry's family. We got up super early on Sunday and went to the sunrise service. They fed us hot crossed buns after. And then a three hour nap. It was a beautiful day and I ate too much chocolate.
Have a great day!
It's not too often Monday is happy but today it is.
1. Jerry accepted a job offer today to do lawn cutting this summer. He starts on Wednesday doing spring clean-up. It pays ok, little stress and flexibility if he needs some time off (holidays, perhaps school). And it's only a few blocks from our house so he doesn't have to trapse all across the city to pick up the equipment.
2. I ordered new glasses. They're a cute frame and will have digitally made lenses. They are suppose to do wonders for me (and my halos).
3. We did our first planting yesterday. Onions, shallots, garlic, spinach and peas. Jerry is planting radish and turnip this afternoon. And from now until early June we have something to plant each week. My corn is over 1'. They're lining the windowsill. And we had 2 swiss chard plants survive the winter! Rhubarb is peaking out of the ground. And we think all the fruit bushes survived.
4. I got registered in time for bikini boot camp starting in May. I got a $20 voucher for one month of training (which is 90% off the regular price). I'm hoping it'll help me with my health and fitness levels. They're not great right now (eating well but nothing is happening with my size) and I want energy to do lots of fun activities this summer.
We had a good Easter. The bus was relaxing and we had a nice visit with Jerry's family. We got up super early on Sunday and went to the sunrise service. They fed us hot crossed buns after. And then a three hour nap. It was a beautiful day and I ate too much chocolate.
Have a great day!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Enough already!
Hello Everyone,
In defiance of a -17C wind chill this morning, I'm wearing white pants.
Have a great day!
In defiance of a -17C wind chill this morning, I'm wearing white pants.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
April flying by...
Hello Everyone,
It's a bit of a shock to me that April is almost half over. It's been a crazy home whirlwind that's only now starting to calm. On the weekend, we were able to get a new china cabinet for half price at Ikea. It looks really nice, fits with our other furniture and has better storage than the used one I found when we first moved to the house. I also found a used steel cabinet (for tools) that is now key lime green and is doubling as a buffet in the dining room. Jerry painted it for me so tonight's job is to fill it with dining stuff. After that, our dining room will be darn close to looking grown-up.
Jerry's still out of work and his job search has been put off by health issues. He goes for x-rays today and his doctor suspects bronchitis. It's been a damp spring, he has allergies and his immune system was alreay down. He's got some meds now but I'll be very glad when he's better. No energy, exhausted after walking a couple blocks, wheezing. My sleep has been affected because of all the weird sounds so he's spent a couple nights in Mike's room and comes to bed shortly before the alarm goes off so I still get to wake up beside him.
For Easter we're heading to Lethbridge via bus. Enterprise stopped their great weekend deal (after 3+ years) so until we find a better option, we're stuck with Greyhound.
School is coming along slowly. I booked my mid-term for mid-May so it'll motivate me to get my butt in gear and stick to my study schedule.
Have a great day!
It's a bit of a shock to me that April is almost half over. It's been a crazy home whirlwind that's only now starting to calm. On the weekend, we were able to get a new china cabinet for half price at Ikea. It looks really nice, fits with our other furniture and has better storage than the used one I found when we first moved to the house. I also found a used steel cabinet (for tools) that is now key lime green and is doubling as a buffet in the dining room. Jerry painted it for me so tonight's job is to fill it with dining stuff. After that, our dining room will be darn close to looking grown-up.
Jerry's still out of work and his job search has been put off by health issues. He goes for x-rays today and his doctor suspects bronchitis. It's been a damp spring, he has allergies and his immune system was alreay down. He's got some meds now but I'll be very glad when he's better. No energy, exhausted after walking a couple blocks, wheezing. My sleep has been affected because of all the weird sounds so he's spent a couple nights in Mike's room and comes to bed shortly before the alarm goes off so I still get to wake up beside him.
For Easter we're heading to Lethbridge via bus. Enterprise stopped their great weekend deal (after 3+ years) so until we find a better option, we're stuck with Greyhound.
School is coming along slowly. I booked my mid-term for mid-May so it'll motivate me to get my butt in gear and stick to my study schedule.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Another Calgary Anniversary
Hello Everyone,
It's been seven years now and I still like Calgary. There are its ups and downs but more ups than downs.
Oh, and there's snow on the ground today. Snowman building snow.
Just wanted to share.
Have a great day!
It's been seven years now and I still like Calgary. There are its ups and downs but more ups than downs.
Oh, and there's snow on the ground today. Snowman building snow.
Just wanted to share.
Have a great day!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Hello Again!
Hello Everyone,
Yes, it's been ages since I've updated. It's been crazy since we got back and I've been sitting in front of computers for too long.
So now I'm Mrs Karen Halliday Hoult. My ID is still in Halliday as I'm waiting for our marriage certificate to get translated. The wedding was lovely. Mexico was fun. Merida was great as our hostel was on the main plaza and there was lots of people watching and beautiful architecture. I didn't like Cancun or the resort itself. For a 5 star resort, I thought they provided little ammendities and the food was so-so. Isla Mujeres was fabulous and we plan to go back.
When we got back, Jerry's business stuff went really bad. There were issues before we left concerning the franchise he has shares in and it got really messy. Which affected his work in Calgary as the person at the centre of things is the franchise owner. Long story short, Jerry terminated his contract, still hasn't been paid for 1 1/2 months of work and gets to visit a lawyer this week to see if there's anything he can do. He's been at home for a couple weeks now and his stress level is decreasing, he's sleeping better and he's less grumpy. We're ok financially for the next several months so he's taking some time off to figure out what he wants to do next with his life. He's in a bit of an identity crises right now. We'll be ok and I'm personally glad he's done with that company.
Back to happier news.
We went to Banff last weekend on a pre-paid great deal of a trip. Went to 3 museums as I had never been to any of them. One of them was a collection of stuffed animals and birds that you would find in the park. Creepy but quite interesting. We then did an ice walk tour the next day and had a lot of fun. Very relaxing.
On the weekend, we were in Pincher Creek for the cat skiing trip I won. I spend Saturday in the relaxing hotel room and the guys had fun. I did a half day on Sunday and it was a confidence booster. Warm spring conditions.
This coming weekend is the wedding reception and I will be very glad when it is over. All the planning is wearing on me and it'll be nice to wrap wedding activities up so we can start our marriage.
Oh, and we bought our first piece of furniture together. We bought a leather sofa with some wedding present money and it'll arrive at the end of June. It is really comfortable and doesn't look manly/bulky like a lot of leather sofas do. Our first real furniture that isn't assembled using allen keys. lol I'm very excited.
And lastly Jerry and I are changing our eating lifestyle to the Mayo (as in Mayo Clinic) diet. It's a well-rounded lifestyle change that will help to make us healthier. Today is day 1.
Have a great day!
Yes, it's been ages since I've updated. It's been crazy since we got back and I've been sitting in front of computers for too long.
So now I'm Mrs Karen Halliday Hoult. My ID is still in Halliday as I'm waiting for our marriage certificate to get translated. The wedding was lovely. Mexico was fun. Merida was great as our hostel was on the main plaza and there was lots of people watching and beautiful architecture. I didn't like Cancun or the resort itself. For a 5 star resort, I thought they provided little ammendities and the food was so-so. Isla Mujeres was fabulous and we plan to go back.
When we got back, Jerry's business stuff went really bad. There were issues before we left concerning the franchise he has shares in and it got really messy. Which affected his work in Calgary as the person at the centre of things is the franchise owner. Long story short, Jerry terminated his contract, still hasn't been paid for 1 1/2 months of work and gets to visit a lawyer this week to see if there's anything he can do. He's been at home for a couple weeks now and his stress level is decreasing, he's sleeping better and he's less grumpy. We're ok financially for the next several months so he's taking some time off to figure out what he wants to do next with his life. He's in a bit of an identity crises right now. We'll be ok and I'm personally glad he's done with that company.
Back to happier news.
We went to Banff last weekend on a pre-paid great deal of a trip. Went to 3 museums as I had never been to any of them. One of them was a collection of stuffed animals and birds that you would find in the park. Creepy but quite interesting. We then did an ice walk tour the next day and had a lot of fun. Very relaxing.
On the weekend, we were in Pincher Creek for the cat skiing trip I won. I spend Saturday in the relaxing hotel room and the guys had fun. I did a half day on Sunday and it was a confidence booster. Warm spring conditions.
This coming weekend is the wedding reception and I will be very glad when it is over. All the planning is wearing on me and it'll be nice to wrap wedding activities up so we can start our marriage.
Oh, and we bought our first piece of furniture together. We bought a leather sofa with some wedding present money and it'll arrive at the end of June. It is really comfortable and doesn't look manly/bulky like a lot of leather sofas do. Our first real furniture that isn't assembled using allen keys. lol I'm very excited.
And lastly Jerry and I are changing our eating lifestyle to the Mayo (as in Mayo Clinic) diet. It's a well-rounded lifestyle change that will help to make us healthier. Today is day 1.
Have a great day!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The Countdown is On
Hello Everyone,
Last night I double checked my luggage and yes, I can fit everything into carry-on with a bit of room to spare. All my liquids were checked for size and I had all the new guidelines printed off for reference. So, I'm feeling a lot more reassured now.
And relaxed.
I've run out of jasmine tea so Jerry's now giving me Tetley "Sooth" herbal tea. And I'll admit it's pretty good at calming my nerves and stomach. Work stuff to wrap up, studying for exam, getting house clean, getting ready for trip...
Coursework is all done and as long as I pass the exam (required), I'll have a nice mark in the course. Really didn't learn too much except that I like database stuff. It makes sense to me. So I have my study notes to look over and that's about all I can do until Saturday.
Exciting news - I won a contest! Trip for 4 to Castle Mountain for one day of cat skiing and one day of regular skiing plus accommodations. So, I spoke with the reps and I'm giving the cat skiing to Jerry for his birthday. That way him and three friends can go play in the back country while I happily use the ski passes for a weekend of easier snowboarding at the resort. They giggled like little school girls when I told them. lol
Have a good day!
Last night I double checked my luggage and yes, I can fit everything into carry-on with a bit of room to spare. All my liquids were checked for size and I had all the new guidelines printed off for reference. So, I'm feeling a lot more reassured now.
And relaxed.
I've run out of jasmine tea so Jerry's now giving me Tetley "Sooth" herbal tea. And I'll admit it's pretty good at calming my nerves and stomach. Work stuff to wrap up, studying for exam, getting house clean, getting ready for trip...
Coursework is all done and as long as I pass the exam (required), I'll have a nice mark in the course. Really didn't learn too much except that I like database stuff. It makes sense to me. So I have my study notes to look over and that's about all I can do until Saturday.
Exciting news - I won a contest! Trip for 4 to Castle Mountain for one day of cat skiing and one day of regular skiing plus accommodations. So, I spoke with the reps and I'm giving the cat skiing to Jerry for his birthday. That way him and three friends can go play in the back country while I happily use the ski passes for a weekend of easier snowboarding at the resort. They giggled like little school girls when I told them. lol
Have a good day!
Friday, February 04, 2011
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
3/4 done course
Hello Everyone,
I just finished up part 3 of my course so I just have PowerPoint left. Exam on the 12th. I actually enjoyed my Access section. It has changed a lot since I last took a course and this one wasn't nearly as in depth. A lot more user-friendly. And databases make sense to me.
So, if I stay on track, PowerPoint will be finished on Sunday and I'll have the week to study.
My bridal shower was on Saturday so I drove down to Lethbridge for the day. Small gathering but it was nice to meet a few more of Jerry's relatives. And yes, they made me wear the stupid hat covered in bows.
Packing is coming along. I'm gathering everything and throwing it in a box. Next week, I'll start real packing. Got my final hair cut and it's something that's soft but easy to style.
I was all giddy yesterday since I got to switch my calendar at work. Getting excited!
Weather was nasty cold for about a week (high -20C) but broke yesterday afternoon. Today is high of 3C. Crazy weather jumps.
The guys are kidnapping Jerry for the weekend for his bachelor party. I don't think anything is planned for me but I may get together with friends for a school break.
I just finished up part 3 of my course so I just have PowerPoint left. Exam on the 12th. I actually enjoyed my Access section. It has changed a lot since I last took a course and this one wasn't nearly as in depth. A lot more user-friendly. And databases make sense to me.
So, if I stay on track, PowerPoint will be finished on Sunday and I'll have the week to study.
My bridal shower was on Saturday so I drove down to Lethbridge for the day. Small gathering but it was nice to meet a few more of Jerry's relatives. And yes, they made me wear the stupid hat covered in bows.
Packing is coming along. I'm gathering everything and throwing it in a box. Next week, I'll start real packing. Got my final hair cut and it's something that's soft but easy to style.
I was all giddy yesterday since I got to switch my calendar at work. Getting excited!
Weather was nasty cold for about a week (high -20C) but broke yesterday afternoon. Today is high of 3C. Crazy weather jumps.
The guys are kidnapping Jerry for the weekend for his bachelor party. I don't think anything is planned for me but I may get together with friends for a school break.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
One More Month of Freedom!
Hello Everyone,
lol
I'll have to tease Jerry tonight.
We had our 3.5 year dating anniversary last night so I got to eat ice-cream in bed. I was tied up finishing my school assignment that I didn't realize we were missing ice-cream until I was already in my pjs.
We had some excitement at our house yesterday. Someone set fire to Keith's old truck in the alleyway. The fire department thinks it was the arsonist who's been setting garages on fire. They figure he couldn't get into the garage so the truck was the next best thing. Keith was planning to donate it anyways so there wasn't much value lost. Just the inside of the cab damaged. All the tools in the back were safe and no damage to anything outside. Luckily a neighbour saw the truck smoldering and the fire truck was only a few blocks away.
I'm a little over half done my school course. Still haven't learned anything amazing yet. I chatted with Jerry last night and he's willing to support me getting my BA in management once I'm done my certificate (which should be completed spring 2013). The extra courses will take 5-6 years. But as long as work is willing to pay for it...
Have a great day!
lol
I'll have to tease Jerry tonight.
We had our 3.5 year dating anniversary last night so I got to eat ice-cream in bed. I was tied up finishing my school assignment that I didn't realize we were missing ice-cream until I was already in my pjs.
We had some excitement at our house yesterday. Someone set fire to Keith's old truck in the alleyway. The fire department thinks it was the arsonist who's been setting garages on fire. They figure he couldn't get into the garage so the truck was the next best thing. Keith was planning to donate it anyways so there wasn't much value lost. Just the inside of the cab damaged. All the tools in the back were safe and no damage to anything outside. Luckily a neighbour saw the truck smoldering and the fire truck was only a few blocks away.
I'm a little over half done my school course. Still haven't learned anything amazing yet. I chatted with Jerry last night and he's willing to support me getting my BA in management once I'm done my certificate (which should be completed spring 2013). The extra courses will take 5-6 years. But as long as work is willing to pay for it...
Have a great day!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A good week
Hello Everyone,
So, school is coming along, which has meant some computer-filled, Jerry ignored evenings. But he's very understand and has been very helpful. Last night I had him holepunching some wedding stuff and tying ribbons. It was very cute.
I should be done my Excel tonight, which puts me ahead of schedule and will give me extra time for PowerPoint and Access. I'm glad for this as I rarely use PowerPoint and I haven't used Access in almost 4 years.
I got my mark from my payroll final exam - 74, which is a couple marks higher than I predicted but was still in the range I was expecting. I really do prefer when they set out the marking scheme right on the exam so there are no surprises. I haven't decided on my next class yet but I'm looking toward something not computers. There's a one week (intense) benefits course I want to take in June so I'll need to put my request in shortly for the time off. And in the meanwhile, have another course going on since Athabasca gives you six months to complete one course. Plenty of flexible time.
Had an overdose of girliness on the weekend. Was very glad when Jerry got home tp bring balance back into my life. They were off snowboarding for the weekend and a friend of mine wanted to make sure I wasn't lonely. So, we saw Burlesque on Saturday - enjoyed it, quite fluffy and predictable but was better than my expectations. On Sunday we went to Bridal Fantasy show. Crazy over the top stuff with a castle themed fashion show - complete with story line of dancing peasants and fairies.
I think Jerry'll be home this weekend as snow conditions are unpleasant. We'll do wedding stuff I think.
Have a great day!
So, school is coming along, which has meant some computer-filled, Jerry ignored evenings. But he's very understand and has been very helpful. Last night I had him holepunching some wedding stuff and tying ribbons. It was very cute.
I should be done my Excel tonight, which puts me ahead of schedule and will give me extra time for PowerPoint and Access. I'm glad for this as I rarely use PowerPoint and I haven't used Access in almost 4 years.
I got my mark from my payroll final exam - 74, which is a couple marks higher than I predicted but was still in the range I was expecting. I really do prefer when they set out the marking scheme right on the exam so there are no surprises. I haven't decided on my next class yet but I'm looking toward something not computers. There's a one week (intense) benefits course I want to take in June so I'll need to put my request in shortly for the time off. And in the meanwhile, have another course going on since Athabasca gives you six months to complete one course. Plenty of flexible time.
Had an overdose of girliness on the weekend. Was very glad when Jerry got home tp bring balance back into my life. They were off snowboarding for the weekend and a friend of mine wanted to make sure I wasn't lonely. So, we saw Burlesque on Saturday - enjoyed it, quite fluffy and predictable but was better than my expectations. On Sunday we went to Bridal Fantasy show. Crazy over the top stuff with a castle themed fashion show - complete with story line of dancing peasants and fairies.
I think Jerry'll be home this weekend as snow conditions are unpleasant. We'll do wedding stuff I think.
Have a great day!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
i miss coffee
Hello Everyone!
So, I picked up Martha's wedding magazine last week and she had some bride preparations tips (diet, exercise, stress management etc). One of the tips was cutting your coffee intake to 3/week and subsituting it with green tea.
I only drink one regular travel coffee sized cup (about 2.5 cups on the coffee maker) during the week day. And that's throughout the day.
But I decided to take Martha's advice and went one step further. No more coffee until the wedding. Apparently the green tea has some stupid antioxidants and other healthy crap in it.
So Jerry's now making me jasmine green tea in the morning. I bring the tea bag with me so I can drink as much as I like at work.
i miss my honey sweetened coffee.
i'm spoiled.
(oh, and the tea is rather lovely. I've also found I'm not as hungry throughout the day too - added bonus. i'm just complaining about something I can't have.)
Have a great day!
So, I picked up Martha's wedding magazine last week and she had some bride preparations tips (diet, exercise, stress management etc). One of the tips was cutting your coffee intake to 3/week and subsituting it with green tea.
I only drink one regular travel coffee sized cup (about 2.5 cups on the coffee maker) during the week day. And that's throughout the day.
But I decided to take Martha's advice and went one step further. No more coffee until the wedding. Apparently the green tea has some stupid antioxidants and other healthy crap in it.
So Jerry's now making me jasmine green tea in the morning. I bring the tea bag with me so I can drink as much as I like at work.
i miss my honey sweetened coffee.
i'm spoiled.
(oh, and the tea is rather lovely. I've also found I'm not as hungry throughout the day too - added bonus. i'm just complaining about something I can't have.)
Have a great day!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Happy Wednesday!
Hello Everyone,
My small piece of lasagna looks rather sad on my plate but it's my own fault - too many sweets at Christmas means small meat/cheese portions and lots of fruits and veggies. It's good lasagna though - first time I made it from scratch. I followed the recipe on the whole wheat lasagna noodles box.
I tried on my dress on the weekend to make sure it still fit. It does (with some crazy acrobats getting the zipper up now) so all I need to do now is tone up my upper back and shoulders. And it turns out I was putting my veil in my hair wrong. I experimented by putting it on the side and having the veil go sideways over my hair and it looks so much better. My test hair appointment is at the end of the month so I'll bring everything in and have them photograph it.
I'm getting rather excited - a month and a day before we fly out.
The last big thing is the marriage contract (new phrase for pre-nup). I've ordered a kit so we can write one up. Although neither of us really has anything and we're heading into this marriage as equals, Jerry's a business owner. He felt so afraid to ask me for one (his lawyer clients advised him to get one) so I shocked him when I told him I was going to ask for one anyways. Mostly for him since it keeps his business stuff out of our marriage. You don't have to go to a lawyer - just have a couple witnesses sign. And I've told him I want a clause that if there are any children, the contract is void and a new one is drawn up. Kids brings in a whole bunch of other stuff. We just need a super basic one. And I picked up a will kit too since your will becomes void when you get married.
Did lots of tidying around the house on the weekend as the boys were down playing in powder. They told me it was the best conditions in several years and had a lot of fun.
I have my Office Applications exam booked for the day before we leave. Definitely put me on a schedule. I'm a quarter done now and I don't anticipate any issues as long as I remain focused. Picked up a couple things in the Word chapter but I don't see a lot of the info being useful for what I use Office for. This would have been a lot more useful 2 years ago when we switched to a Microsoft based payroll system, with most of the data entry done using Excel.
Whiskers was running around the house last night and seemed to have a lot of fun. We had to shut Mike's door so he was a bit confused and then she chased him down the hall. She eventually hopped back up on the couch and I gave her a cuddle before putting her back in her home.
This weekend I think I'm going to see Burlesque at the cheap theatre with a friend, do wedding stuff and homework. I think I'm losing the guys again. It's amazing how much stuff I can get done without them. Cleaning can be a challenge because Jerry tends to get distracted by side jobs he discovers mid-cleaning. But at least he helps with cleaning and is much better at certain tasks than I am.
Have a great day!
My small piece of lasagna looks rather sad on my plate but it's my own fault - too many sweets at Christmas means small meat/cheese portions and lots of fruits and veggies. It's good lasagna though - first time I made it from scratch. I followed the recipe on the whole wheat lasagna noodles box.
I tried on my dress on the weekend to make sure it still fit. It does (with some crazy acrobats getting the zipper up now) so all I need to do now is tone up my upper back and shoulders. And it turns out I was putting my veil in my hair wrong. I experimented by putting it on the side and having the veil go sideways over my hair and it looks so much better. My test hair appointment is at the end of the month so I'll bring everything in and have them photograph it.
I'm getting rather excited - a month and a day before we fly out.
The last big thing is the marriage contract (new phrase for pre-nup). I've ordered a kit so we can write one up. Although neither of us really has anything and we're heading into this marriage as equals, Jerry's a business owner. He felt so afraid to ask me for one (his lawyer clients advised him to get one) so I shocked him when I told him I was going to ask for one anyways. Mostly for him since it keeps his business stuff out of our marriage. You don't have to go to a lawyer - just have a couple witnesses sign. And I've told him I want a clause that if there are any children, the contract is void and a new one is drawn up. Kids brings in a whole bunch of other stuff. We just need a super basic one. And I picked up a will kit too since your will becomes void when you get married.
Did lots of tidying around the house on the weekend as the boys were down playing in powder. They told me it was the best conditions in several years and had a lot of fun.
I have my Office Applications exam booked for the day before we leave. Definitely put me on a schedule. I'm a quarter done now and I don't anticipate any issues as long as I remain focused. Picked up a couple things in the Word chapter but I don't see a lot of the info being useful for what I use Office for. This would have been a lot more useful 2 years ago when we switched to a Microsoft based payroll system, with most of the data entry done using Excel.
Whiskers was running around the house last night and seemed to have a lot of fun. We had to shut Mike's door so he was a bit confused and then she chased him down the hall. She eventually hopped back up on the couch and I gave her a cuddle before putting her back in her home.
This weekend I think I'm going to see Burlesque at the cheap theatre with a friend, do wedding stuff and homework. I think I'm losing the guys again. It's amazing how much stuff I can get done without them. Cleaning can be a challenge because Jerry tends to get distracted by side jobs he discovers mid-cleaning. But at least he helps with cleaning and is much better at certain tasks than I am.
Have a great day!
Monday, January 03, 2011
Yummy food
Hello Everyone,
From December 31 to January 2, I managed to eat the following tasty animals:
duck
lamb
pig
bison
deer
elk
chicken
We had Chinese for New Years eve and headed out to Banff Saturday morning. A very relaxing weekend. Went to Sunshine on Sunday. Rather sore today. A bit cold in the morning but it was a nice afternoon.
Now we're back and putting away the Christmas decorations. We're reorganizing the livingroom after a major purchase - a flat screen tv we got an amazing deal on. It fits on the fireplace mantle (fireplace doesn't work) so we've eliminated a crazy fat tv and a table. I'll be glad to get the livingroom put together so I can start working on the other rooms again. It seems that just as one room gets to the point that I'm happy with, another room needs to be decluttered, mega cleaned and reorganized.
I'm coming down with a cold so I've mixed my apple cinnamon flavoured Neocitran with hot chocolate. It tastes pretty good with marshmallows. The straight apple cinnamon tastes like ****.
Have a great day!
From December 31 to January 2, I managed to eat the following tasty animals:
duck
lamb
pig
bison
deer
elk
chicken
We had Chinese for New Years eve and headed out to Banff Saturday morning. A very relaxing weekend. Went to Sunshine on Sunday. Rather sore today. A bit cold in the morning but it was a nice afternoon.
Now we're back and putting away the Christmas decorations. We're reorganizing the livingroom after a major purchase - a flat screen tv we got an amazing deal on. It fits on the fireplace mantle (fireplace doesn't work) so we've eliminated a crazy fat tv and a table. I'll be glad to get the livingroom put together so I can start working on the other rooms again. It seems that just as one room gets to the point that I'm happy with, another room needs to be decluttered, mega cleaned and reorganized.
I'm coming down with a cold so I've mixed my apple cinnamon flavoured Neocitran with hot chocolate. It tastes pretty good with marshmallows. The straight apple cinnamon tastes like ****.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
New Lipstick
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!
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!
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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