Thoughts on the Olympics

I don't have any. I think the Olympics bring out mixed emotions from people, and I don't always like the actions those emotions produce. In other words, if you are going to support your country's athletes, do so in a pleasing manner, it's unsportsmanlike to talk down another country when a citizen of said country is in the same room as you. I hope the USA stomps Canada. You can take the girl out of America, but you can't take America out of the girl.

Featured

Happy Birthday to me, still...! I signed up for this website called bloggers.com so that I could meet new bloggers out there and also learn more about other people and their culture. It's a great place and met some great people and seen some amazing blogs. I was so happy when yesterday I logged in and I was on the front page under the title "featured blogger". Here is a picture, courtesy of Shelayna.

Also, Shelayna is holding a giveaway on her blog. You can enter to win some Rachael Ray Cookware sets by visiting her blog and following the instructions she has posted. www.shelblogs.blogspot.com.

Thanks everyone for reading! You make blogging that much better!

Birthday!

Yesterday, the 23rd, was my birthday! Woo! It turned out to be a really good day, thank goodness! The day before was quite the doosy. I was scared that it would be a let down... but no, it was awesome! We were planning on going out to eat with Warren's dad, but when we called him, he was busy and had a lot of work to do in preparation for the next days work. So he had to take a rein check. Since he wasn't going to make it, I thought maybe we could just do something over the weekend and just order pizza instead. Just as I suggested that, the phone rang, and it was Chris and Sara inviting us to go out to eat with them! So, that's what we did! 

I love Chris's face in this one... ha, it's just too funny!

This is their cat... and this is also a really fun Office game they have that we played after dinner

This is a pretty funny picture, too... Me being the hunch back, Posh Spice (Chris) and some weird dude who jumped in the picture at the last moment (Warren)

And, as for my gifts from my dear husband... He did quite well. I don't know why I was so worried, I guess he knows me better than I thought.

He got me some scrapbooking stamps- which I'm totally psyched about! I can't wait until I get more pictures printed so I can scrapbook my brains out.

And...

The new Harry Potter movie on DVD! 

I've already watched it 3 times, 3 times!
Also...
I made some cupcakes. I knew Warren had minimal baking skills and even if I had asked him to make me cupcakes, he would have messed something up and I would have ended up doing the work anyways. But I had a problem... I didn't have any of the ingredients. So I decided I would go to the store, but I didn't want to spend very much money, and if it cost more than $7 to everything I needed, I wasn't going to make them. As I grabbed my jacket to head out the door, I felt something in my pocket. WAAAH!! A $5 bill, and a whole bunch of change from over the weekend when we took the train downtown!! I had a total of $10 in my pocket! BAM SUCKA!

I love my birthday!

Thanks for reading!

Not motivated right now

So, instead of doing the things I need to do, I'm just going to blog instead.

I'm happy to say that the USA won the hockey game against Canada last night. I only dressed up for sake of being funny and dressing up, I wasn't expecting the US to actually win.

My outfit isn't as great as I had wanted. I didn't have enough blue in my wardrobe, so I had to improvise and dress it down a bit. Notice my face paint!

In other news, I am on the verge of having a meltdown again. This time, it's with bills. I hate that they are coming after me with bill collectors... I am NOT that type of person who doesn't pay my bills, not at all! I pay them every month! But with the differences between the postal services, things get held up... not to mention, have you ever tried to transfer Canadian money to a US account? It's takes at least 10 days... and half the time it doesn't show up right away! I can't win, I tell you! But I guess I have to be positive and keep trying.

Tomorrow is my birthday!

I'm really excited for my birthdays. Growing up, my birthday was a big deal. I am the middle child... and so my birthday was the only day of the year that everything was focused on me. And Warren is sort of a big bum right now... and not very motivated to do anything he doesn't want to do. Which is everything responsible. He just wants to play PS3, and that's it. Nothing else. The dishes have been stacking up, and I can't keep up with them... this is saying that I'm actually doing them! I've asked him to help, and has he? NO! He hasn't even asked what I would like for my birthday... and he's got less than 24 hours now! I hope he doesn't just decide to stay in... I will literally cry like a baby.

More pictures of my talent-less paintings

New York City (and bridge, not space ship)

My favorite shoes in the whole wide world

And last but definitely not least...

My home land! Woo! Go Idaho!

Anyways, that's all for tonight. I'm sorry if these make you want to gouge out your eyes with a fork... I'm just learning.

Also, BTW, the USA vs Canada Olympic Hockey game is on Sunday... Stay tuned for my awesome outfit I am going to wear on honor of the good ol' US of A. How I miss thee.

Paintings and such

So, as I mentioned before, for Valentine's Day I got some canvas and some paints and paint brushes so I can can paint a picture. It didn't take me long... here are a couple of the ones I've finished already.

And, my personal best...

 

I'm not exactly great. But I've never done this sort of painting before... or any kind of painting besides those water color books you get as a kid. I'm quite proud of myself. I have more to come once I finish them.

Also, I made the chicken fajitas for dinner tonight... so good!!! Here are pictures of my achievements...

Whole wheat tortillas, baby! YUM! Thanks for reading, guys!

Today it was raining

Today it was raining. I haven't seen rain since I left Logan. And when I left Logan, it was the dead of summer with clear skies and 105 degrees. Oh how I miss that weather. I can't even fathom it anymore. Only in Canada is 32 degrees considered warm enough to leave the winter coat at home and grab a light jacket instead.
I had forgotten what rain felt like. It's not light and fluffy, like snow. It's not particularly cold, like snow. You don't have to shovel it, like snow. You don't get stuck in your alley way, like snow. Rain usually indicates the beginning of a new season. For this, I could not be any happier. I love winter. But I love summer even more. I love the +90 degree weather, the hot summer nights that have that particular scent that you can only associate with summer, and I love the thunder storms. I can't wait! A few days ago, I started my pre-spring cleaning with a reorganization of my closet. Which really only means, that I decided to put away the clean clothes. I started to pull out my shorts and dig out my sandals from the back of the closet... when in walks Warren, telling me to put them back because winter was no where near over. I felt my heart breaking. It's so crazy how climatized you can become.
Today when we left the house to head to Wal-Mart, we both stopped on our way to the car after we realized it was raining. We both just stood there with our hands out off to our sides, as if catching the rain droplets, and looked up to the sky. It was such a peaceful moment. It made the atmosphere feel so much different. Almost solemn, even. Not sad, yet not happy. Not bright, but not yet dark and gloomy. It felt almost as if someone in heaven was crying. Not exactly motivating yet not depressing either.

Anyways, for Valentine's Day we went to dinner at Chili's. So good! I didn't take any pictures. Sorry. As part of my gift, I got some canvas and paint brushes so I can paint a portrait. I'm really excited for this. I've wanted to do it for a long time.

I also got a wedding band to go with my ring. I said I had wanted one once people started asking me when I was getting married... thinking I was only engaged. I started to feel left out. So we went to the jewelery store and saw how much the matching band to my ring would cost... and I decided I didn't want one that bad. So instead, I got a cheap $10 Wal-Mart one. It totally doesn't match, and it's so fake it's almost ugly... but I like it. Plus it's romantic!

Warren got a couple games for his PS3- so he was happy. He's not hard to please.
Last Friday I had my immigration physical. Why they need to a complete physical, is beyond me. The office was linked with a prenatal clinic. Yuck. The two things I hate most, doctors offices and babies. For the first in my life, I had to pee in a cup. My doctor was really nice.. she was from somewhere... she sounded British but not entirely British, and definitely not French. She was funny, too. Definitely made it easier for me to calm down and made the time pass quickly. I also had to a chest X ray... again, I have no idea why. To test if I have a heart? "Yep, you've got a heart. You pass". This coming Thursday comes the really trialing part. Blood tests. I don't know what they are testing for. But I've never given blood... I had blood drawn once, but it wasn't very much, and my mom was there with me. This time, I'm all alone, in a foreign country, in an office I've never been to, and with a doctor I've never met before. I will probably pass out. They will have forgotten to get my emergency contact so they wont be able to contact Warren in the event of my passing out... so I will end up there forever and probably die. And Warren will have no idea where I went nor where to come looking for me. No bueno.
In case I do die, which I probably will... here is a picture of me and Warren I took a few days ago. I look ugly without my glasses.

Notice his hair cut? Done by, moi! Thanks for reading. Happy commenting!

Trying new things

Last week I ran out of things to make for dinner. The only things I had that had any potential to become a meal, was a box of Mac and Cheese, Taco seasoning mix, and frozen hamburger. I had some other things but they are irrelevant. So it dawned on me- I could make some sort of Tex-Mex Mac and Cheese... I knew I had seen it before somewhere. So, I had to go to Wal-Mart anyways, so I decided to buy some salsa to go along with my new invention.
I'm generally not allowed to buy a lot groceries unless we are specifically shopping for groceries. So that was the only thing I could buy... haha!
So here it is... my version of Tex Mex Mac and cheese... however, next time, and there will be a next time because Warren devoured it... I'm going to use less hamburger. Still, it's a winner!

 

I also tried Greek food for the first time ever. It's absolutely amazing. My favorite was definitely the pita bread with the tzatziki sauce. YUMMY! So I'm going to try to make that this week.

 

However, I'm just going to buy it... I'm lazy. Nonetheless I'm super excited. Also on the menu for this week, chicken fajitas. And again, Tex Mex Mac and Cheese! What else should I do this week? Any suggestions?

Inspiration for the day

I got an email from my mom today. She's one of those mom's who sends about a thousand forwards. This one caught my eye and really had a bit of an impact on me. And it was just what I needed right now.

  
"When  things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24  hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of  coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy  class
and  had some items in front of him.
 

When the class began, wordlessly,
he  picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and started to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and  poured
it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again
if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
With an unanimous  'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the  table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the  professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
 

The golf balls are the important things - God,  family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions
Things  that if everything else was lost
and  only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --
The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life. 

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
important to you. 

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time
to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand
and inquired what the coffee represented.

The  professor smiled.

'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that  no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.' "

Thanks mom. You always know exactly what to say.

In case you were wondering

I just want to say... No I did not crack under pressure. I gave in lovingly. And it didn't go without a deal. 

It also didn't come without rules, which are in writing posted on the fridge.

#1. Warren cannot brag to friends. This is mostly because Warren has issues with his ego...

#2. A time limit will be set in place on a day to day basis. Times can be extended for certain occasions, i.e. when Graham is here visiting.

#3. Warren must be showered and dressed before playing. No playing in underwear. (He came up with this one on his own.) 

One of my prerequisites was that we had to a game of my choice FIRST. 

So, we got Little Big Planet. Unfortunately I have no good picture of me holding the game.

Aww, just look how cute he is! It's like a kid on Christmas!

Sometimes I go on rants...

I hope not to offend anyone for what I'm going to write... that's not my goal. I love politics, and I know I will probably stir up some emotions here, but that's not what I want to happen. I just want to rant.

A few weeks ago, before the new health care reform took place, I was talking with an old friend. We were talking, coincidentally about birth control. Long story made a tad shorter, she asked how much I had to pay towards health insurance. I thought it was kind of odd since I live in Canada and for the most part, I thought everyone knew that Canada has a universal health care system... apparently this person didn't know that? (Uh, were you born yesterday or something?) So I told her that I didn't have to pay anything. I just had to live in Canada for 3 months and send in an application and prove that I am living here and I get my little Alberta Health Care card. They previously had been complaining about health insurance and about how much it was costing them to get coverage and due to an illness it was making it more difficult. I get it, sometimes it can be a hassle. Trust me I know. But what was more shocking to me, was their reaction. This person was quite upset that after 3 months of living here, I was granted free health care, where in the States I was denied (not really, I just knew I couldn't afford it so I didn't even bother). Then they started in about the health care reform Obama was pushing... They said "man, I wish I could live in Canada because of free health care, instead I have to put up with Obama"... Um? Isn't Obama pushing health care reform so that more people can get health care? Why are you complaining? ERG! Some people are seriously just dumb.
My next complaint. People complaining about Obama. I get it, you don't like him, but did you not take 12th grade Economics... or (for those who went to my high school) did you think Economics sounded too hard so you took the cop out class that gave you the same credit yet lacked the actual education? Sorry to be so rude, I had a former friend who took that class and turns out she learned nothing. But it's fact, the way the US is set up with a bi-partisan system, you need a balance between each party. Otherwise you might as well just have a Monarchy. And, you think you're not happy now?
It's just the way our economy works. You can't blame a single person, though maybe their acts contributed somewhat, it's not solely their fault so stop blaming the President. If you don't understand, I have a graph for you.

This is just how it works. 

Anyways, I'm done ranting. Please don't post comments about how you disagree or think I don't know what I'm talking about, it's my opinion and this is my blog so I can rant about whatever I want. Anyways, thanks for listening.

Chicken Cordon Bleu in a Crock Pot

I made this for dinner last night, and I am really pleased with myself. I had made it once before just off of a whim, but forgot to take any pictures.

This is just in case you are like me, and have problems following recipes without pictures or good discriptions of what your food should be looking like as it cooks... I thought at first this looked all wrong and kind of gross. But, it's correct, so I guess I'm doing something right.

Here it is, all done! The recipe I have says to serve with pasta, but I thought rice sounded better. It's one of my new favorites. (First picture is blurry).

Recipe:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or however many you'd like to make)

1 can of cream of chicken condenced soup

1/4 cup of milk

swiss cheese

deli ham

Mix soup and milk together in crock pot first, once mixed together, rinse chicken and place in crock pot. Take the Swiss cheese and slice it up and place on top of chicken, you can use as much or as little as you'd like. I think I used 2 slices. Then take the deli ham and do the same. I used 3 slices on each one, but I folded the slices in half. Then place a couple more slices of cheese on top. Put the lid on and set the timer for 4 hours. About half way through, it's good to take a couple spoonful's of the soup and scoop it on top of the chicken. Once it's done, you can place it on top of rice or pasta, using the remaining soup as a dressing or sauce. SO GOOD!

I need to know...

If I am a bad wife for not letting my husband get a PlayStation 3?

I know he wants one really bad, but given some recent circumstances involving us having to find a new apartment, I don't think it's a wise choice. He's really angry with me. I told him he can do whatever he wants, but for some reason he still hasn't just gone out and bought it yet. I'm sure there is enough money. BUT, I don't want to risk it. We haven't even talked with our landlord about any recent events concerning our move... we have absolutely no idea when we have to be out by, AND we haven't found a new place yet.. so who knows what kind of cash this endeavor is going to require. On the other hand, he has worked really hard to provide us a good home. He deserves it, and I kind of want one too, but only for one game (Little Big Planet). But again... Warren is a spoiled brat. He has everything he could possibly want at this point in his life. And if I let him get this new model, he's just going to want some else, probably more expensive and more time consuming. He already gets 'boys night' once a WEEK, and I know adding a PS3 will only increase that, and I'm not sure if I can hack it.
What should I do? Should I cave and let him get one? Or should I stand strong and let him be mad at me for months? If I don't let him have one, will he realize maybe he doesn't NEED one, or will it just make him want one even more? I need help!

Doppleganger?

What a weird name for some dumb Facebook fad.

But like much of the world, I too have conformed to society and got in on this fad. I thought this one was pretty fun... more because a lot of people were involved and it was fun to see what famous people my friends looked like. I think Warren looks like Jon Heder. I know I already posted a bit about this, but I just had to do it again... it's too funny!

Warren

Jon Heder

 

Ha, I love it. So for myself... I asked my friend Sarah because I was struggling to come up with a look alike. She mentioned Mary Kate and Ashley. GAH! I knew it! That's who I always thought I looked like as I was growing up! I don't really look like them now though... now that they are all chic and stuff.

Me, with curly hair, btw... I haven't left my hair curly in over a year!

 

Mary Kate and Ashley

... a few year ago...

What do you guys think? A good match?

Purple tights

So, as I mentioned in my last post, I recently purchased purple tights and I loooove them! Here is a picture of  them, and my lime green shoes that I'm way stoked for as well. I never thought I'd be the type of person to wear bizarre things like purple tights.

 

LOOK at this snowflake...

Minus my finger, I seriously think this is a pretty sweet picture... especially since I'm no photographer.

So, we had to give talks in church a couple Sunday's ago, and it sucked so much. Lots of people complemented me though- I guess that means I didn't bore them, right? One lady came up to me to ask who Warren's mom was... so I told her, and she started telling me about how she used to give Warren's mom rides to Church and to the activities and stuff when she was young. I thought that was so neat. I didn't know this about my mother in law, and I was really humbled to hear that her and I were much more alike than I thought. Not that I don't think we are alike, but you know what I mean. This lady continued on and told me that she got a thank you card a few years back from my mother in law... and it kind of dawned on me... that maybe I should write thank you cards to people who have made significant influences on my life. So that's my goal for this week. Also, as part of my thank you's, I wrote a thank you to my dentist/Warren's uncle for last week when he pulled my tooth, for FREE. I also made him sugar cookies in the shape of teeth... I'm dumb and forgot to take pictures when they were all finished, so this picture is just of the ones that didn't fit on the plate. Sorry.

In other news, I've gotten addicted to The Office. I'm borrowing some seasons from my father in law, and I tell ya, I just can't get enough. Next time we play that Office Trivia game, I'm so gonna win! This is what my life has consisted of lately... since we canceled our cable.

Notice there is no Gossip Girl... I got so burned out from it, I had to broaden my horizons.

Well that's it for now, thanks for reading and happy commenting!