bit late...but oh well

I went a bit crazy with decorations......but it being the first time i got to decorate my own place for the holidays, i figured, buy now and then i have them.
I love greenery with white lights!! my cupboards and my bookshelves look great in it!

I decided not to get a tree....well i was going to, but then it didn't work for me to go and cut down my own (crazy neighbours) so i had to think of somewhere to put my tree ornaments. Perfect! i will hang a wire from my post to my wall through the big opening and hang them there...so here i am beginning the process........and here is the finished product! This wouldn't have been possible without the amazing people in the picure below, my good friends (from L-R, Laura, Nicole, Anna, moi) they all lovingly told me at what height the ornaments should be for a decidedly organized random effect :) Then after we had fondue! mmmmmm
And just in case any of Laura's students, co-workers, boss, or affiliates happen to come across this site, this is NOT wine we are drinking but cranberry/raspberry fizzy. just check my fridge:)

a good read....

I've just finished reading Tuesday's with Morrie.....again. I think its the third or fourth time i've read it and every time i....cry, but i also get so many good life lessons out of it that i try to put into practice. I even came up with my own aphorism today. It goes like this:

"find meaning in your present circumstances"

People are always trying to find meaning in life. Meaning isn't what life holds that is just out of grasp or reach, meaning is what we appreciate daily. It is having peace and joy in where we are at, no matter what is going on, even though there are activities or places we want to do or be. It is LOVING the people in our lives daily. No one else will find meaning for us, we must do it. The world will go on, no matter if ours stops.

Here are some other lessons i re-learned from this amazing book based on an amazing man.

1. Accepting both abilities and inabilities is important both of ourselves and others (it is only when we accept what we can and can't do that we will be willing AS WE ARE to do good)
2. relationships should not take second place (make time for the people in your life)
3. love is the only rational act; we have to learn how to give out love and to let it come in
4. perspective is important (morrie considered himself "lucky" to die a slow death because he had so much time to say good-bye)
5. human touch is important
6. be involved in your life while you are living it
7. love eachother or perish
8. it is important to allow emotions to be felt, not to push them away, but to deal with them and then let them go if needed
9. we are all needed becuase we all have something to give to others...and we need others
10. forgive yourself
11. we create love during our lives and that lives on


I hope Morrie is in heaven becuase i'd like to talk to him.....

murphy's law

i'd like to know who murphy is and asking him why he made up this stinkin' law....

About a month ago i agreed to sub a 6:30 am pilates class on Nov. 28. that is today. Well don't you know it but because its been so cold (-28) the school where i teach decided to close just for today! Yes, i would have had the sleep in day that i've been waiting for for three weeks, but no....it was a 6:00 am start for me this morning in the deepfreeze.

.....On a better note, i came home and slept for another three hours and now am drinking a yummy eggnog latte.....

nothing really.....

hi......i dont really have much to say that i can think of at the moment....just wanted to write seeing as i haven't in about a week or so......

I just got home from soccer practice...good practice tonight. There are six of us that are usual attenders, and its a fun six people. now i should really shower and go to bed but i'm never very tired when i get home from practice. Home, i love my home. I started decorating a bit for Christmas already...i know i'm a keener....but i bought some decorations so i HAD to put them up to see if i wanted to keep them, now i realize i need more. i also bought a four CD set of christmas songs. old style versions with nat king cole and ella fitsgerald and frank sinatra....let the Christmas music begin!

It started snowing today again....yay! i have a feeling its going to be a fun winter. i'm so ready to do winter activities. maybe tomorow i'll get out my snowpants...oh i'm so excited. there's actually a pretty good hill across the street from me for toboganning. Who wants to come toboganning?? hmmmm i just realized i dont have a tobogann....or a crazy carpet.....well, that's gonna have to change.

with nothing to say i could probably keep writing, but i should go get unstinky and get some Z's. hope all my fans out there are keeping well ;).....and warm. good-night!

I have seen dead people

I just fullfilled a tiny goal today! Ever since hearing about Gunther Von Haggens BODYWORLDS exhibit of plastinated human bodies i have REALLY wanted to see it! It was showing in Toronto in February of this year, but sadly flights didn't work out to get there in time. So when i was in vancouver this august i saw it was coming to science world and promptly planned to come back for it! Well....today it happened and i have been impressed, educated, and enlightened. We couldn't take pictures inside the exhibit, so these are off the internet and they are part of body worlds 1. i went to body worlds 3, so i didn't see these exact specimens.....but they give you a pretty good idea of what i did see!

This prodedure allows for such reality and detail its amazing! each bone, nerve, muscle, tendon, ligament is there to see. Although I previously was amazed and appreceative of the body, this has heightened it considerably!

Although i didn't see this guy...many of the plastinates had muscle sticking up to expose underlying tissue like he does. One of my favorite parts was seeing the arterial configurations! They injected plastic into the arterial tubes and then chemichally harden it and take away all of the tissue so what is left is just plastic replica of the arteries and capillaries. but the system of that in our body is huge, obviously blood needs to get everywhere! but just imagine a meshwork of red webbing in the form of a body and you can sort of picture it! Our lips are basically all vessel!

This is a smokers lung as you can read. A 20 cig/day smoker takes in about a cup of tar yearly. A lung Tarred is a lung scarred! I went crazy in the gift shop too! Now when i take my class to the U of C cadaver lab it will take on new meaning. The human body is a wonder....the most intricate of God's creation. His attention to detail on us is mind-blowing...He wants us to function to the best of our ability and has given us all we need to do it, packaged in an amazing vessel that really is beautiful right down to the last cell. :)

lunch

kelly if you're reading this, this is for you......so i went to cost-co for lunch today. I had a craving for fries, then poutine was mentioned which immediately makes me think of cost-co becuase they have poutine that i beleive is the closest to the real stuff i first tried in quebec. Yet again i wasn't dissapointed! I feel the need to let the world know...well at least the world of people that read my blog (which i'm sure isn't very big) that if you want good poutine, GO TO COST-CO! You see....then after a great lunch you can walk around and taste test the desserts. today we had almond roca bar and nanaimo bars (another of my favorite things). Really, what a successful culinary experience!

.....then i have to mention that after cost-co we went to get gingerbread lattes at starbucks and that was just like icing on the cake! speaking of icing, today at church they were giving away cake becuase we were having a celebration sunday. I ate the icing off of mine and threw the rest away. that tells you how important icing is to me!

Can you tell i've enjoyed my eating experiences today?!

Hello - ween

So i broke down and decided to carve a pumpkin....I'm not really a celebrater of this particular day on the calendar, for a number of reasons that i could list, but i know it can just be a day to dress up and carve a pumkin too, so i've done one of those things and that is what i'll stick with. Plus we made really yummy snacks!Blood-shot eyeball cupcakes...wooo..haah...haha

carving away....i ended up buying a huge beast of a pumpkin, so it took a while to scoop out the goop, and my one finger is still paying the price! The story is: i felt my nail or something gouge into my pumpkins flesh as i was scooping, it hurt under my nail, but i thought it wasn't that bad, but last night..two days later...i woke up to my finger throbbing like crazy and today its twice the size of my other one! so beware of the inflammating pumpkin virus!
This is nicole, the mastermind behind the carving party. she carved the grim reaper into her orange orb.
These are the finished products, and i must say i was impressed with them. mine is the tree with the scared face. i may post another picture of it yet just because i'm so proud!

Winter Whitness

YAY! touques, scarves, mitts, bundling up, hot chocolate....mmmm...gingerbread lattes (soon), skating, snowboarding, snowshoeing, toboganning, my boots....

ahhhh.....winter has come.

I'd fart

I happened to have my camera with me the other day and i came across this....thing..I wish i could remember what the "i'd fart" sticker says.....

Is someone reading my mind?

A self-portrait.....
A painting found on someones website....

wierd!!!

So there was just some creepy crazies outside my window hooting and hollering and revving their engines really loudly......could this be activity based on the date? friday the 13th? .....Oh wait that's right, i live in Red Deer. This happens every friday night :-(

Wedding Weekend

Tamara's wedding finally happend! This has been almost three years in the making, and it was every bit as beautiful as it should have been! Probably one of the smoothest executed weddings in history, with a lot of laughs and LOVE absolutely EVERYWHERE! My family is the greatest!Two runs through at the rehearsal and everyone was "good-to-go" I realized that rehearsals, when they are smooth, are so much like the real thing that when the acutal wedding happens its like a copy, like its already been done....maybe when i get married, i'll get the pastor to do all the technical stuff at the rehearsal...well, maybe not.
Jesse......you're welcome.
helping get tamara ready was such an honor. Here i am trying to get the veil to stay in hair that was harder than rock and one big bobby pin!
The purple clones, as we were lovingly called all day, from left to right: April, Chealsey, Moi, Jenette, and Jolene.

The groom and his men, sadly all of which were not for me; meaning either married, American, or still in the womb. ( please dont take offense) ;)

reindeer weekend

Fall is SUCH a beautiful time of year! This year it meant a visit from my good friend shelley, who was out from vancouver to take some pictures of our amazing alberta leaves, trees, fields, barns.....
the leaves were amazing...and SOO fun to play in. I had to restrain myself from making a big pile and jumping in it, just like when i was a kid.....hmmm maybe i still will.
The fields were also amazing....

As were the barns.

Yeah this province has beauty. thanks shelley for making me stop and take time to appreciate it more....

Little Emiko

My friend Ann just had a baby a week and two days ago!! I'm so excited because they have wanted a baby for ages and now She is here! YAY!! little Emiko is so sweet and such a good baby. well, at least while i was there i didn't see too much crying or poop.
All of a sudden when you are a parent you can no longer live for youself. This is an interesting concept to me. This life is now in your hands. Decisions have to be made that will affect them as a person forever....what they like and dislike, how they react to situations, how they interact with people....it all is influenced by a parent. I can't imagine being there....yet. Such a responsiblity.....but also such LOVE.
The elusive eyes. These did not come out very much when i was over so when they were open i had to quickly get a picture. I probably blinded the poor girl wich my flash. oops!

New Song

Today this was my song:


Monday's BITE!


(make up your own angry tune)

Today this was my song:

ITS....Friday, friday, friday, friday, friday friiiiiday, friday friday friday fridaaaaaayyyyy, friday, friday, friday, friday, friddddday, friday ffffffriday, friday, friday, friday, friday, friday, friday, friday, friday, friday, friday, FRIDAY!!

(just add your favorite made up tune) Happy end of the week to you all ;)

My latest mountain escapade

Cauldron Lake....nestled among majestic peaks...fed by stunning glaciers....quite nice to cool my feet off!!
Peyto Lake...our first spectacular sight.
We had to cross the river on these logs, and although it may look like you need to keep your balance....there were wires on either side, but still fun, and one did almost clothesline me at the end. That would have been exciting!
I found this awesome snow cave on a little solo climb i did once we got to the main lake. It was like an iceburg with a little stream that had carved out this one area. It was just so tempting, i had to crawl through it!
Laura and I "balancing" on this strange solitary rock. hmmm i could almost use that description for myslef....

Art Therapy

Four beautiful women painting on the beach...it was quite a show judging from all the attention we got from passers by!!

This beach is called Jericho beach. great place, and this day was so georgous! One of the biggest reasons for me coming out west was the ocean. So when Shelley's roomie sara who is an art therapist (far right) suggested a painting time i combined the two and said we should then paint the ocean.

This was roughly my view.....

Here I am working hard...and loving it!!

The finished product...just call me monet...hehehe.

there are plenty of fish in the........stanley park aquarium

It was great to see all these fish...but where are my fish in my sea?? ;)

Play-Time

Summer is F-U-N i tell ya! The mountains call to me and ask me to play. how could i possibly resist?

Maligne Lake, Jasper AB.

My two very cool friends, Nicole (far right) and Laura (middle). Here we are on the top of colliseum mountain. An "all day" hike that took us...ooohh... four hours total.

Finally a hoodoo!

hello out there.....

Hey Hey Hey......if there is anybody out there who still reads my blog, i have summer pictures coming soon. I dont have the internet at my house yet, so i'm limited to when i'm at my parents, but i'll get my butt in gear yet! Just a question to throw out there.....if nature speaks to us of God, why is it we need the Bible?

the little house that renae built

So This is my deck....snazy hey? That is also my window you can see....and that is about it. I have more pictures to come though. I am all moved in (what few belongings i own) and slowly will furnish my new little space. Tomorow is grocery shopping day. So far i have lived on what i scrounged from my parents pantry and freezer. tuna and dry toast. It's different, this living on my own thing....but good. I have a feeling i will grow in good ways. well, its time to feed my fishes.

The tale of the stolen shoes...

Once upon a time there was a pair of shoes.
These shoes probably got made in a factory by a scarcely paid indonesian child...but we wont go there.
Eventually these shoes made their way over the ocean to a store in Penticton B.C. and a little tag was put on them declaring their worth at 100,000 times the price that they cost to make.
An, at that moment, thriftless consumer, who shall remain nameless, entered the store, saw the shoes and fell in love with them immediately.
She was happy and her feet were happy, although her pocket book was a little emptier.
The shoes were worn with joy until one day they got taken to work and put on the "outdoor" shoe rack with lots of other shoes that were not nearly so nice.
An, at that moment, "thrifty" thief snatched the shoes, that were not hers, off the rack, thinking they would be happier with her.
The original owner was devastated at her loss.....but resolved in her heart that for something to come back on their own she had to let them go....
Two days later she entered the same place and, to her utter amazement, THERE THEY WERE!!!
Her shoes had returned. Obviuosly shaken and ready to be worn again by the loving girl who owned them first.
THE END.

SKAHA....HAHAHAHA

So some friends (Heidi and Brian) invited me to go climbing out at skaha in penticton B.C. I LOVE CLIMBING!! I haven't been outdoor climbing in probably two years, so i dusted off the old harness and shoes for the big trip! Here Heidi and Ken are showing off their talent...oh and the yet to be born baby is also getting some action on the rock.

We met this little guy on the rock too!! wow did he rattle, my first ever rattlesnake sighting!
Wait a minute?? this doesn't look like climbing. Its handy i have that big suitcase right close to the wine shop. Ohhhhh yes and wine shopping i did. :) as you can see its rather wet so we were forced to tour the wineries of the okanagan. yummmm guwertzaminner.


Here i am negotiating a roof. this was an awesome climb...yup loved it. Anyone want to go??