Thursday, February 26, 2015

Day Trippin'

Yesterday was such a lovely day that, we decided to take a day trip out to the ranch. We wanted to show off our car (yes, I will tell more about that soon...I promise), drop off its tires, and Anker wanted to pick his bike parts that were out there. We also wanted to see on how the car did on the highway. It was a BEAUTIFUL day! Anker drove most of the way there, and I drove the last bit...Anker drove home, since I don't drive well in the dark.

The there was GORGEOUS, and it went well...the car behaved beautifully. We arrived at the church, as they were having their monthly luncheon. After getting filled up on soup, sandwiches and goodies, we went back home, where I proceeded to relax for a bit, and played with dogs. I tried to get a selfie with me and any one (or all of) the dogs), but they wouldn't cooperate.  I grabbed a Diet Coke, and brought my magazines, and tried to read for a bit. I was planning on relaxing outside, and read some magazines before Dad got back (he is the pastor, so he was doing some work, and Mom is in Calgary), but it got a bit chilly.


 The best pictures I was able to get of Cap. My grand/great-nephew furbaby


Hubby and I went to visit my brother who was clearing and burning (don't worry, it's legal). I love me some fire....and had fun....
This was what the fire looked like when I got there.
This was what it looked like after a few minutes. You're welcome.

It was a lovely day for some fire-burnin'.

We were there for an hour or so, and went back down and visited Dad for an hour. We left around 4:30 and showed off the car to my aunt and uncle. We got into town for 7; and we grabbed tacos, and I dropped hubby off and went to women's Bible Study. It is normally held on Tuesdays, but it as bee cancelled the last two weeks, due to a Prayer Conference, and the AGM, and I think our leader was busy on Tuesday, so they didn't want to put it off another week...which was why they had it on Wednesday. I got home, had a bath, watched Amazing Race, and Facebooked and went to bed.

It was a great day, and it was fun to do something spontaneous sometimes. We NEVER do things last minute. We usually have to take into consideration money, etc before we got to my parents', which is only 2 hours away. Most other people do it without even thinking twice. It was the first time we had gone to the ranch since Christmas (we actually don't go much in the winter..I hate winter driving), and the first time since I went up there since December. Our friend, who was stayed with us overnight in December said that we could borrow her car, so we haven't taken our car up there since then. Our Alero will be scrapped soon. So that was our Day Trippin' Day!




Monday, February 23, 2015

Why I WON'T Be Watching Fifty Shades of Grey

I don't pretend to be a purist. I watched Sex and the City; I watch Grey's Anatomy, Downton Abbey (when a lot of Christians wouldn't), and I am pretty lenient on some things. And I was even debating about watching the movie. And, to be honest, if there wasn't as many s3x scenes in it; I probably would. I even skimmed the book. But after talking with some people; and ESPECIALLY after the sermon yesterday, I have decided not to watch it. Why? At first, I thought..ok...she has safe words, it is consensual, yada yada, yada... I even argued that it WAS an ok movie to see with a friend on Facebook (it being consensual, etc).

But guess what? There is a LOT more to that than the s3x. He stalks her. He pretty much makes her fall in love with him (if you call that "love"). And then there's the BDM/BDSM/S&M factor. Now, again, I am no purist..if you want to use handcuffs with your partner, blindfolds, heck, even a whip, go right ahead. Use a toy or two. But this goes FAR beyond a little bit of kinky-ness in the bedroom. This is s3x trafficking, pure and simple. It is abuse. It down right deeming to/for a women. That's not love. It's not respectful. It is not going to help our marriage/s3x life (in fact, it could very well ruin it). This will be one of those movies that you will never be able to unsee (yes, I also watched Unfaithful, which had a few s3x scenes in it, I even had the movie for awhile, but he decided to get rid of it, in part b/c of it was an extra-marital affair).

Christian Grey has come from a bad place. What would posses ANY guy to act like/on that? Ana has issues. What would posses ANY woman to be treated like that? Sure, he's rich. They do rich-people things. That doesn't make him or what he does any better. It makes him creepy. There is this meme floating around; I thought it was very fitting:


But guess what? It's not even a romantic movie. t glamourises BDM/S&M, etc. I heard that people from the BDM community even had a problem with this movie (or that they at least question it).

As woman, I am not going to see it. As a Christian. I am not going to see it. My husband has NO desire to watch it. And I am glad.

The ONE interesting thing I found out was that it was filmed in Vancouver, BC. Oh, and I had no clue that it was Melanie Griffith's daughter who plays Ana.

Five on Friday/Oh, Hey, Friday/Weekend Wrap Up

Happy Monday, ya'll!

First off...a little wondering-ment (yes, that IS a word!); when/if you do FoF and OHF after Friday, do you put things in your post that happened before Friday only, or post anything that happens after that Friday? hmm...:)

....here is what I loved as of Friday, February 20/15

1) New Makeup.

 Is there anything better than NEW FRESH makeup? I think not! I have actually never really been much of a make up girl, so I usually just buy anything that looked cheap and that I thought looked good on my skin. Well, I still do that, but with a bit more know-how. Ha! Since becoming an "Avon Lady" a few years ago, I would just buy the make up from there...now, since I haven't been in it, I haven't bought any new stuff, in well, forever. I have been wanting to buy Drew Barrymore's new Flower Beauty line for awhile, but I kept forgetting to check it out at Wal-Mart. I really do like it. I think my favourite is the mascara. With past mascaras, they seem to rub on to my glasses, but so far, this hasn't, which I love. The mascara is brown/black, and it twists three different ways, allowing you three different ways to apply.

The eye shadow brush already fell off (oops!), but I really do like the colours, and how it blends. The name of it is called ShadowPIay/Twighlight Moon. I also have her Sheer Up  Lip Tint. The colour I have is called Bare Blush. The only real complaint I have about that is that you REALLY have to PRESS HARD for it to go on. I think that's partly due to it being very light. I also added some of my Avon Sparkle Lip Gloss, which added some, well, I don't know what it added, but it looked a bit better. (I I think I will do a beauty haul post soon). My animal-activist friends will be happy to know that they don't test on animals.

2. VDay Wknd.

We didn't do much for Vday. Mainly b/c Anker wasn't feeling well. At any rate, since it was pay day, I went out (on Friday), and had Sushi, got magazines, and did some errands (including buying my make up and other stuff at Wal-Mart). I was a bit choked that Anker didn't end up doing ANYTHING with me, but we did sort of manage to have a fairly good evening; I got Subway, and wine, and we watched 2 Broke Girls. Saturday (and Sunday), I worked, but I came home to this...Ok,...I had to encourage him to do something for when I came home, but hey, he did it:
So, in the end, it wasn't all bad! I did end up going and grabbing some drinks from Starbucks for Anker and I..he had his Cap, and I had a Raspberry Hot Chocolate. Not the greatest taste (I forgot that it wasn't my fave..oh well!), but still good.


2. 2 Broke Girls (and Y&R, GA, SH, DA, and basically most TV in general).

 We are LOVING 2BG right now. I am not sure if I would end up buying the series, but I love me some laughs. Plus, any show that Anker and I can (and do!) watch together is fun. Remedy is coming back on next month. Grey's is good....it's nearly done this year, I think. Saving Hope ended on a horrible note! I am so sad! The Young and the Restless is great right now.

3. Pancake on Pancake Day.

I kind of let my friend down the other day, so when she texted me saying that she was craving pancakes, and when she told me that she loved the Bisquick version (which, btw, I have never even tried), I told her that I would go and buy some and make pancakes for her. So, while hubby and I were out (yay..date day with hubby!!), we grabbed a few things, including Bisquick. She said that we could make them at her place, so after I came home from our day (car shopping! Coffee Date! Lunch with my aunt and uncle!), we spent the evening together. We got her dog from Daycare, and we made Pancakes and watched Friends. SO FUN!!! Oh, and the pancakes were DELISH!
                                   Yes, I was "good" and had eggs with my first one. Yummy!

                                                        This was by far the best EVER!


4. Budget.

We've been trying to do up a budget the last little bit. I spent most of Wednesday going through it (actually, I was refining it, since I had already done it a few days prior). We have cut a few things; our Shaw bill, and I am really trying to limit my coffee-spending. This wknd wasn't actually a good example of that. Ha! At least I write everything that I spend on our paper, which helps. I may do a post (when we get more of a handle on this) on budgetting one day. Maybe. I may or may be a little bit sad that we got rid of TLC (among a few others, but TLC was my fave...Duggars, The Little Couple, etc).

5. Changes!

Good things are happening! I am so happy! Will share more soon!






Linking up with these lovely ladies :




I thought I would do a quick weekend wrap up:

Not that it was a fabulous or even an exciting wknd (ok...it WAS exciting, but not in the fun sense), but I haven't done a WW in awhile, so I thought I would do one...(I haven't even done a weekly update in awhile...does that make me a bad blogger??).

Friday, I pretty much relaxed all day, then went to work. It was a good, but busy shift, as we hosted one of our clients' birthday party. It went by fast though, which was nice. Oh, and we had pizza and Crazy Bread! Came home, and my next door neighbour/friend had texted me asking if I wanted to come over for a bit. I grabbed wine and chips from our house, and over I went. Fun times. We just chatted, watched Friends, and did Karaoke.

Saturday, we got up in fairly good time, as we were picking up a car (more on that later). Brought that home, only to find out that we thought the battery was dead, so we went to get a new battery. While we waiting for my uncle to come and pay for it for us (we were having bank issues), we grabbed coffee at McD's. It didn't end up being the battery; it ended up being the starter. Goody. Anker was NOT impressed, and I was VERY frustrated. I will tell more about this another time, but basically, Saturday wasn't a good day. I did manage to clean the bathroom, which was badly needed. We did manage to relax, and Anker found a show to watch on Shomi, and my friend and I went for "coffee". I bought my iced tea, and my friend bought treats.

I came home, had a bath, popped in "Miss Congeniality" and went to bed.

Sunday, I went to church (we still have the Alero..thankfully!), and was in a HORRIBLE mood, but I forced myself to talk with people, and to sit downstairs (vs in the balcony). It was a good service, and I have to share our pastors title of the sermon: "Black and White: Not shades of Grey". Ha! Love it. (for the record, I WON'T be watching Fifty Shades...more on in another post). I can see that I have a lot of posts to write...:) My friends took me out for dinner, and then I went to the park, and sat in the car and finished my journal. It was too cold to be outside, but just warm enough to be in the car. Came home and sat on my butt most of the day. I watched The Oscars, which started at 3:00 (I started watching at 3:30). It is the female equivalent to/of the Superbowl. I thought it was fun, the dresses were beautiful, and Lady Gaga did an AWESOME job singing the Sound of Music Medley. I thought that NPH did a pretty good job of hosting; I would love to see Ellen back, though. I was sad that American Sniper didn't win Best Picture (I can't remember the other movies nominated, but anything else but Birdman!), but I was glad that Julianne won for her part in Still Alice (which I want to see, btw). I also watched the Golden Globes from a month or so ago (thank goodness for our PVR..and two TVs), which I mainly ffw'd through. I finished the night/wknd watching Downton Abbey. All I can say is...Poor Anna!! I am glad that Rose is happy (for now!), and that Robert is ok that Marigold is his granddaughter. I am finding, though, that there are too many characters to keep up with. Anyone else agree with me?? Am I the only one sad that there is only ONE MORE EPISODE?? How can this be? Oh well..at least Call the Midwife is coming back next month!!!

A few other highlights last week: Hubby and I went grocery shopping on Wednesday, I went and picked up pizza and visited A, K, and H on Thursday, and Tuesday, we went car shopping, had a coffee date, and met up with my aunt and uncle for lunch. Yummy!

Friday, February 13, 2015

Facebook "Friends"

I don't even know what to title this post (that may or may not come later). I have been struggling with what to write today. It is FoF/OHF day today, and I will probably post to/on that (this may even be it), but for now, I just thought I would share what's been on my heart and mind.

I decided to delete a few ppl from my Facebook list. I had almost 1000 "friends". Some of those were/are gaming friends; either Trainstation, or the old game Fluff Friends, which is now defunct, but I have made many good friends on there, so they are still on my list. I deleted ppl who I don't interact with anymore...either who used to play TS, or just not close friends. I deleted ones who swore a TON, had nasty photos on their news feed, but I also deleted some of my "mommy friends".  I have a lot, you know, and it does get tiring at times; seeing them brag about their kids, etc. One thing that really gets me is the moment that someone is pregnant, they "share" baby/parent-related stuff, or others post stuff like that on their wall. It gets me all the time. I mean, give them a few months before you start sharing that stuff!  Of course, I kept a lot, as well, but the ones I deleted are ones who I really don't connect with. Actually, I think I only deleted a few...but I will probably delete more. Yes, I can choose to "unfollow" them, and I just may do that, but to be honest, I don't really interact with them on a day to day basis, and we don't really talk much when we see each other, so, I just thought that deleting would be the easiest. Probably not the best, but hey, it's my Facebook, right? I actually sometimes don't often have a rhyme nor reason of deleting certain people....I just do it (well, there is usually some reason). K, I just "unfollowed" a few ppl. I feel a bit better now. Ha!

I also unfriended a lady who I have been friends with for awhile. We both have blogs, so we have "known" each other through that. I finally deleted her b/c, to be honest, I got tired of seeing pictures of her going to her daughter's grave, and decorating it. I got tired of seeing her profile picture of her and her baby for the longest time. I got tired of her celebrating her baby's birthday 4 years after she died. I got tired of seeing her other 5 kids and her telling of their lives' antics in/on my news feed. I just plain got tired. So, after saying a semi-rude comment on her latest barrage of pictures of her going to her daughters grave, I deleted her. I could have just un-friended her, but I figured that if she were still my friend, I would be tempted to go and check out her page, and probably say something rude. I also don't want to appear two-faced. I will probably delete/un-follow her blog, too. I just got tired of her talking about her dead baby. I mean, it's been 4 years. You have 5 other kids. Get a hold of yourself. Yes, that is being VERY mean, but that is how I feel.

Then people get all upset that I am grieving something that I have never lost. Yah, actually, I have lost something; my/our ability to have a baby. To be a mother. To be parents. People (ok, one person) has told me to go for counselling, and, to be fair, I am thinking about it. When I see people grieving and talking about their dead babies YEARS after they have died, then I don't feel so bad grieving for the children we will never have. I don't have a place to go and remember them; a grave to decorate (which I find weird, anyway). I don't have a memory box, or a picture to hang up. I don't have those things. It is tough. People don't get it. Some people try, and that is awesome. But a lot of people don't even bother. Or, they say the wrong things. Or they ignore me. We don't get invited to things, partly b'c we aren't young and we don't have kids. That sucks. It gets tiring after awhile. It even hurts a bit.

I don't know why God allowed us to be infertile. I don't know why God allowed us to have a harder-than-normal life. I do know, however, that God is carrying us, through the thick and thin. I can see it; more than I care to admit. No, our life isn't perfect, but we are doing ok. We have each other. We have a roof over our head, we have food, we have family. We have to embrace what God has for us, and let Him do His work.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Still Here/Let's Be Friends Blog Hop

Happy Tuesday!

Yes, I am still alive. Either I have/am been just too busy to blog, or I don't feel like blogging, but I am here, and well. I hope your week is going swimmingly :) We are doing pretty well here in the BC Interior. Most of our snow has gone. Yay!

 I worked a night shift for the first time in a month this last Saturday. It went alright. I even went to church the next day, something that I probably won't do again, unless I have gotten more sleep the day before my night shift. But I am still glad that I went. I am getting into 2 Broke Girls, and I have started season 1 on shomi. We are looking to buy a new (ish) car. Still thinking/talking/praying about options. We are trying to pare down our spending; eating out (fast food) coffee, magazines, Facebook Games, etc), and we were doing well for a few days, but I have been spending a bit more again. Oh well, we are still doing a bit better with that. Anker was doing well, but yesterday, he had a bit of a bad day, and isn't the greatest today, either. Oh well. He is cleaning out our storage room, which is looking much better.

 I had a bad cold two wknds ago, and I stayed home from work on Saturday, and watched movies, and Big Bang (we bought the 7th season), all day. SO FUN! I love me a lazy day (or two, or three!).  Oh, and I Was able to Skype with Luke and the girls (it's so odd to say that now!). I love seeing N and Baby Lilah. Except that L cried..lol.N talks SO MUCH more now! Precious! I was able to go to work on Sunday, and it was a good and fun shift. There are parts of my job that I love SO MUCH!

I met up with Mom and then Dad the other day. We had a nice chat, and then Dad, Anker and I went car shopping. My last three days off were quite busy...car shopping, a seminar, dentist appointment, but they were productive and kind of fun. The seminar I went to was about Adults with Developmental Disabilities. It was quite interesting and informative. Plus, it was free, and there was free snacks. Some of my co-workers and my boss were there, so we all sat together, which was kind of nice. I chipped my tooth (twice!) and my new dentist (who is amazing!) was VERY gracious and fixed it for free (twice!). After they fixed it the second time (last Tuesday), I grabbed Tim's and went to visit H and Krystle. H was thrilled with his HC and donut that I brought him. I have been pinning a bit more lately. Does anyone else still use/do Pinterest? My IG has been a bit quite. Not as into it lately. I even deleted a few pictures that didn't have any likes, or comments.

On Friday, Anker and I did some car shopping, and met my Uncle, who looked at cars with us, and then took us for lunch at The White Spot. Yum! I dropped Anker off at home, and then went to the dentist to get my bite, etc looked at (it was feeling funny due to the new filling from the tooth), and then grabbed a quick coffee and went to work. I was gone from 10 am to 10 pm that night. Fun Times. Saturday, I was planning on being my jammies all day, cleaning, and watching TV. And Facebooking. Then at 10:30, I got called to work thatnight. I did manage to clean our kitchen up a bit.I ran to the dollar store, picked up supper, and then had a nap. We also watched Saving Hope and Grey's.  I did manage to lay down for awhile, and then I went to work. Sunday, after work, I went church, and then had a 5 hour nap. Relaxed in the evening, and had hot dogs. I know, so healthy.

Well, I think that's all for now. I literally am running out the door...but I wanted to link up with Tiffany for:


A Little Catch Up & A Small Rant(and a Surprise!)

Howdy! Well, as my aunt says, "I'm so far behind, I'm ahead", so I think I will take a page from her play book and just st...