Guys Behind the Blog

When the Boys Behind the Blog series got cancelled, I was a little sad. I have now come upon a new Guy-related Q&A, I was a bit excited. Hubby not so much, but I am the one the asks him and types of the questions, so he really doesn't get a say in the matter. LOL.

Betsy has started a new series called...wait for it...

1 // have you ever had a blog, or have you ever considered starting one?
No, I (hubby) have no interest in that. I barely read my wife's blog, But I do (kind of) find these types of q and a's interesting.

2 // if you could be a member of any band, which one would it be?
 The Rythmics


3 // valentine's day is on the horizon...are you the date-planner type or do you fly by the seat of your pants?  do you have anything planned for february 14 this year?
He is definitely the fly by the seat of your pants kind of guy. We don't have any plans as of yet, but I have to work V-Day, so we will probably doing something on the 13th .

4 // tell us about a date-night-gone-wrong for you and your S/0?
We were both talking about it, and we have decided that the worst date (that we can think of)  was our first V-Day as a married couple. We were debating about going to our church's dinner but decided a few days earlier that b/c Anker had to get up early for work, that we shouldn't go, and just stay home. Well, I had decorated the table, and gotten myself all ready...and we decided to order a pizza from BP. I don't even remember what happened, but we somehow got the wrong one, and it took FOREVER. I also remember Anker being very grumpy, and let's just say that the night didn't end well.


5 // and let's cover all the topics...sports...who are you rooting for in the superbowl and why?
I don't watch the Superbowl, but I would root for the Seahawks.

 

 and next month, we'll be at it again, starting on february 26!  here are february's questions:

1 // if you could write a book, what topic would you write about and why?

2 // what is one thing on your bucket list, or one thing that you'd like to do or accomplish in your lifetime?

3 // if you could look out your window and only see one view for the rest of your life, what would you want to see?

4 // imagine you're opening a shop.  what are you selling?

5 // if you could have 50lbs of anything other than money, what would it be?

6 // time to brag on your girl...tell us one thing that makes you proud of your girlfriend/fiance/wife!  

Randomness/Let's Be Friends Blog Hop

This is going to be a potpurri of subjects that have been running through my head the last few days. So, instead of doing 6 or 7 posts, and for the sake of time, I thought I would just done BIG post :)

Bare with me, ya'll!!!

-As I get older, I am realizing that everyone has their "stuff". Everyone is going through something. The loss of a parent, cancer, the loss of a baby, tough parenting issues, finances, health issues. NO ONE is living the perfect life, and if they say that they are, they are lying. One thing I can't stand is bright shiny happy people; posting awesome pictures of their seemingly perfect life. I also can't stand it when people move (usually it's from Canada to somewhere in the US), and their lives are all happy. Ugh..annoying. Anyway...we all have our stuff. Life isn't perfect. So, if you are going through stuff, chances are there is someone that you know that is going through the same thing, or worse.

-I have a bit of an addiction of going out and having "coffee". I know partially why I go, but I don't know the whole reason. I think it part is that it gets me out, on my own, and out of the house. I get some "me-time" with no hubby, and no reminders of what I "should" be doing. I also have an addiction to magazines. It has gotten worse. Thankfully, I don't buy a HUGE amount. I defo buy some, but I mainly get them from the library. But yah, I definitely have some sort of thing going on. Ha!

-The shootings going on around Canada and the world is appalling. I actually cannot keep track of them all anymore. We recently had a shooting in Edmonton, AB, where two RCMP officers were shot; one died, and one is injured. Then in December, we had a shooting right here in our town. The officer is still at VGH, and not doing well; at all. Then, I was remiss and forgot to mention the shootings that happened in/at Charlie Hebdo. I may not agree with what they do, but that doesn't mean that I am not sorry that it happened.

-How much to do you reveal in/on your blog? How do you know when to stop saying what is on your mind. Like.Every.Little.Thought? I struggle with that sometime. Then, I remember that I have a journal, and that is where I go to write down every thought.

-For those who go to church; do you ever get distracted with OTHER things other than worshipping? I am finding this to be hard; concentrating on the worship, and being distracted with/by other thoughts. This is has been happening to me for, well, ever. It's not like I don't want to be there, it is just that I usually end up thinking about other things. Some Sundays are easier (or harder, depending on how you think of it), than others. Sometimes, I can really get into the worship, and other times, I am thinking about EVERYTHING else but what I SHOULD be doing! Does anyone else have this problem? What do you do about it?

-I have been finding that it (sometimes) pays to complain. A few weeks ago, my friends and I went to a local Greek Restaurant, and it is usually really good. This time, however, the service and food were less than stellar (that I thought, anyway). When you pay nearly $20 for a meal, you expect good service, and great food. I was the last person to receive their food, and they never even offered to give me my drink for free, extra pita bread, or a free dessert. They even lost ALL of our bills, and had to ask us all AGAIN what we ordered. Pair that with sad parking issues, and the fact that I barely any money after I paid rent, etc, and it made me very grumpy. So, I decided to complain on their page (something, which I never do...complain; whether on their page, or not). The owner (?) finally called me back, and offered to give me a gift certificates. I was VERY happy! I got it today, and I got my meal, plus a few dollars extra back! So, hubby and I are planning to go back (or maybe I will just go back myself..ha!). So, I am very glad that I complained. I am very glad that they gave me something to compensate for it.

-I was thinking of doing a Beauty Haul post, since it seems that EVERYONE is doing it. Well, when I realized that my "beauty haul" is really just water and a wash cloth, and sometimes, some make up, I figured that it would be a waste of a blog post. I am very low maintenance

-All the T@rget stores in Canada are closing. I liked them (quieter than W@l-M@rt), but to be honest their prices never were very good, so I am not overly sad that they leaving. We will, however, losing one less St@rbucks (however, how University now has a real one...not just a store that makes their drinks...good thing that I didn't go back to school this year like I was going to [well, I guess that was last year]!).

-As for an general update on us...we are doing pretty well. Anker has been feeling pretty well, the last few weeks, which has been great. He has been doing some projects (sadly, not cleaning the house..haha), which have been keeping him busy. We have gone and done a few things together; Adam's bday party, supper out, and church, so that has been great. I chipped my tooth somehow, and I got it fixed by my new dentist (who's awesome, btw), and I discovered that it chipped again...and it is a bigger chip, too. I have an appointment on Friday. I got it fixed for free (yay!), and I hope he will fix it again for no charge. I have been doing some more "pinning" these days. Is Pinterest still popular? Does anyone do it anymore? There are not as many comments on the pins as there used to be. Does anyone else still Pinterest? I have also met with friends for coffee (I did that today, and I am going to do that right now, actually), and of course, work. I am loving my new schedule. I love that I HAVE a schedule! It is nice, since I can actually plan things now. I love it. I also have attended an aqua-size class. It was fun (even though I woke up very sore the next day!), and I actually sort of enjoyed it. It was great going with friends, too. I think I am going to go about twice a week. I am also having fun seeing new pictures of my little niece, Lilah that her momma has been showing. She is precious, let me tell you! I already sent her and her older sister a little Christmas/Baby shower GC for them to share, so I hope they find something for them to enjoy.

I guess that is all the randomness for this week! I am also linking with Tiffany for this weeks

Fiesta Mexicana-A Review

As I mentioned in my earlier post, hubby and I went out for dinner on Saturday night. We had been wanting to try Fiesta Mexicana ever since You Gotta Eat Here (the Canadian Version of Triple D) featured it on their show a year or so ago. The night we went, it was PACKED, and we couldn't even get through the door. Plus, it wasn't the greatest of service that night (I did comment on their page, and they admitted to not being prepared on how busy it might be after it aired), but we vowed we would try it again. Well, we FINALLY were able to go on Saturday night.

The food was amazing, the service was excellent (more on that in a bit), and the decor was funky! We arrived at around 5:30, and when we go again, we would go for lunch, or maybe a week night, since that night got super busy around 6. I wish I had taken more (and better!) pictures, but here are the ones I did take.

I loved the manager, Roxanna, who served us herself, and who actually asked us our names, which was really cool. And she was really attentive. That being said though, as it got busier, she wasn't quite as attentive (which I totally get, cause they got busy, which is why I would suggest to go either at lunch or on a week night), and things took a little longer to get. However, she was still awesome, and it was only her 2nd night there! I got The Bandera, which was about $16 (McDonald's, this isn't), and Anker got Enfrijoladas (ya, we couldn't pronounce it, either), which was about $15. They were both delicious, and the only reason I wouldn't order mine again, is b/c I want to try something else on the menu! We were a little disappointed that they didn't have Deep Fried Ice Cream, nor did they Sopas (I hope to get them next time we're there), but she did great in suggesting that we try their Creme Brulee dessert, which in my opinion was great after such a rich dinner, BUT not my favourite in general.

Anker ate all of his dinner (which is rare for him), and he said it was really good.

 I nearly ate all mine. I actually had the rest of mine today at lunch.

A closer look. Yum.

 The mess...but it was SO good!

Creme Brulee Dessert.

I wish I had gotten more pictures of their decor, because it was SO cool. I loved how everyone was linear (except the back, where they had a few tables).

We would definitely go back again, and I would rate it a 4 out of 5 (or 9 out of 10). I think Anker would give it the same rating :)

*******Disclaimer, I was given a $25 GC, to give a review, and this is entirely my own conclusion of our experience******

Weekend Wrap-Up

Happy Monday! I am very happy b/c it's my long wknd! I love that every second wknd, I get a 3 day holiday :) I hope your wknd went well. Mine sure did.

Friday, I had to run a few errands. I wanted to get some espresso from a local coffee shop in town, so I decided to relax and enjoy some of their coffee before work. Red Beard Roasters is a local coffee shop in town, which has started serving wine, and more food, etc.

I am not a HUGE fan of their coffee. I asked for a Peppermint Mocha, and it wasn't very pepperminty at all..but I do like supporting a local business, and the pastry (made by another local bakery in town) was amazing. Sorry..here is the new link..Red Beard

I went to work, and then on the way home, I stopped at McD's for a drink, cause I am wild and crazy like that.

Saturday, I slept in, and relaxed in the morning, and then ran out to do a few errands...I went to Jysk to look for another duvet cover, and maybe some new bedding. I found this lovely chocolate/winter-themed duvet cover for $10! I also got a fitted sheet, and the flat sheet on our bed currently is one that we already have.

 I decided that a little Starbucks was in order. I spent an hour there, just relaxing and reading magazines for an hour or so. I had a caramel macchiato, which is my new favourite drink. It's not pure coffee, but not super-sweet, either.

Then it was off to Value Village to meet up with my friends. I did find a flat sheet and two brown pillow cases, and also another pair of PJ's. We all went to coffee at another local coffee shop, which I also really love. Zack's is a coffee shop that has been in town for nearly 20 years. I love their stuff; coffee, goodies, and their iced tea is AMAZING; even better than Starbucks! They don't have a website, but if you're ever in town...check them out (they are on several dining out sites)! They also have gelato in the summer.

Came home and hubby and I went for dinner. I will do a review on that in another post, but I will quickly tell you that it was a fun time for us, as we had never been there before. Fiesta Mexicana has been in town for about 2 years. It has amazing food, and great service! It was the first time that Anker had been been out for "real food" (not fast food) in awhile, and it was fun to get out and do something fun.

This was my meal. I didn't eat it all. I will be having it for lunch today. It was very good.

 This was Anker's meal. He ate all of his, which he doesn't do very often.

Caramel Brule. Yum.

Came home and relaxed, and watched a movie. I decided to try to go to bed around 10, which really wasn't the best idea, since I didn't fall asleep until 2 am. Oh well.

Sunday, Anker and I went to church, and then in the afternoon, I went to a movie with a friend. The Wedding Ringer was ok, and had some cute and funny moments, but it had too much swearing for me. I met up with another friend and we had a quick coffee, and after she left, I stayed on for a bit longer. Grabbed McD's on the way home (after picking up milk), and relaxed for the rest of the evening. I watched a few episodes of 2 Broke Girls, and then Downton Abbey, and finished off the wknd by watching The Miss Universe Pageant. It was fun to watch something fluffy and different from the usual shows that I watch.

All in all, it was a great wknd!

Five on Friday/Oh Hey, Friday

Happy Friday, Friends!!

I have been away from the blog-osphere for awhile. Mainly because I have been busy, and just not into blogging. But, I am back!

So, here we go with this weeks, favourites,

1. A new niece!

She was actually born two weeks ago, but I didn't include it in my last Friday post that I did, and I didn't do a Friday post last week. So, she will go into this weeks post. Lilah Marjorie was born on Jan 9 to my brother Luke and his wife and their daughter Norah. She is just precious, and I CANNOT wait to see her!!! Sadly, it will probably be awhile, since they live on the Island (about 8 hours away). I am trying to get some of my family members go on a road trip. So far, no one as taken the bait. LOL.

2. Birthday Parties!

My friend Lynda had her birthday on Jan 9, but we weren't able to get together until last Friday. We went Dorian Greek House, where the food and service is usually awesome. This last time (I have only gone maybe 4 times) however, wasn't that great. More on that later. The time spent with friends, however, was great.

Then on Wednesday, my brother Adam had his birthday. Anker and I went for cake and a visit. We had a wonderful time, just visiting and spending time together.

3. Gift Certificates.

Honestly, it pays to ask restaurants and businesses in the community to give you a gift card/certificate, saying that you are the only personal blogger in town, and saying that you would give a review for a (sort of) free meal. And it also works to complain. Because of the service and my food being cold last Friday, I went on their page to complain, and they turn are sending me a GC. Not sure on how much it is yet (still waiting for it to arrive), but I am very excited!!

4. New PJ's 

Hubby and I both have new PJ's that we got from Mark's Work Wearhouse. Hubby's sister usually gives us GC's from there for Christmas, and this year was no different. I love that place. I also love PJ's. When I was younger, I used to spend many dollars on PJ's. I still love them, but I don't spend as much as I would like. But I decided that I would get a new pair. I also asked hubby what he wanted, and thought maybe some new PJ bottoms for him. I found a set for him that were less than just the bottoms. So I got him a very nice pair of red pj's. The top is long sleeves, and the bottoms are plaid. Mine are a pair of (what else!) pink ones. I have a long sleeves shirt, with a pair of plaid bottoms, and I also discovered that they have a pair of shorts! I think we both look very nice in them. We may or may not have worn them the same night, b/c I asked him to wear his. Maybe.

5. Cheezies

I have become addicted to infatuated with Cheezies. Not the fakers, either. No siree. These are the TRUE Canadian-made Cheezies. I may or may not be eating nearly a whole bag a day! There is something about them that are so good. So...cheezy! I have always loved them, but I started getting a craving for them the other day, and it hasn't stopped.

5.1 Good TV is Back/shomi
Well, Saving Hope never really stopped. Or did it? Grey's, Big Bang, Downton Abbey. I am also gotten into (again) 2 Broke Girls. I actually really do like it. We also have a three month free trial of of shomi. Hubby loves it, I am still not sure if I like it enough to spend an extra $8.99 a month. However, 2 Broke Girls  (which is how I got started on it again) is on there, along with some other shows, so we shall see. But like Netflix, I am sure that it will get better. I also love that it's Canadian (it's like Netflix, but for your TV, which was kind of cool).

Well, that is it for this week!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful wknd! I will try and do more of an update on our lives this wknd!

Linking up with Darci  and April and the other girls for

Linking up with Karli and Amy for

Five on Friday/Oh Hey, Friday

Happy Saturday! I hope your weekend is going swimmingly.

Here are a few things that I found interesting/my favourites this week.

1. Socks.
I love socks. Now, don't get me wrong, in the spring/summer/fall, I HATE socks. I will wear flip flips, go barefoot, whatever it takes to NOT wear socks, but during the late fall, through to early spring (and any day that is not even remotely warm), I LOVE me some socks. But not you regular old run of the mill socks....they have to the fun/holiday ones! I buy socks the way some people buy shoes or purses. I clearly have a problem. I decided to lay out all my socks, on our bed the other day....here is what I came up with...

Yup...just a few. I buy socks according to each holiday that is approaching. I actually want to get a few socks for spring/Easter this year. I also have a few socks that aren't holiday-related, but that just have fun designs on them. I do have some "regular" socks, too. But they are usually the shorter ones, and not the tube-type.

2. An Excellent Blog Post

Everyone once in awhile, I come upon a blog post or blog really touches my heart. I came about t his kind of earlier this week. Someone posted on/in one of the infertility/childless groups a wonderful blog post written from a mom's point of view. I LOVED it. I checked out her blog, and I have started following it. Here is the link/blog post. I Could Have a Baby, But she could Not.

3. Outrageous 911 Calls

If you've ever watched the TLC Network show "Outrageous 911", you've probably laughed and groaned. Well, I only thought this kind of stuff was in the States.  Sadly, however, this stupidity exists everywhere. I had to laugh when I first saw headline "Hello, 911? Can you fix the coffee shops broken Wi-Fi"? on line, then when I saw the article in our local paper. I laughed so hard. Go here to check the top 10 reasons to NOT call 911. You'll grab a laugh, and probably a few groans.

4. Christmas All through the Year

I have a few items that I use/wear even if/when it isn't the Christmas season. I have some mugs that I use, as well as I wear my Christmas socks. I also have Christmas PJ's that I wear, too (though not in the summer, since they are very warm.though I do wear them when/if we go camping). I even have kept up a few decorations during the past years...just because I can. I love that feeling of merriment, or something, all during the year. Does anyone else do this, or is it just me? I will take some picture of our "Christmas corners" for an upcoming blog post.

5. Hard Work Pays off

I got a temporary position at work! I am so excited! Not sure on how long it will be for, but hopefully, for a couple of months. I took the written test three times, for three different positions (including this one), the it never worked out for me to get the position. Until this time. My boss called me Thursday evening, while I was at A and K's. I was SO happy, and ecstatic that I got it. I will be working 47.5 hours bi-weekly, which is perfect for me right now. I officially start it on Tuesday.

Linking up with Darci and the girls for:

Linking up with Amy and Karli for

Christmas/Birthdaay Get-together

A couple of days before Christmas (ok, a week), we girls got together for a partial bday/partial Christmas Celebration. It was a lovely evening filled with food, fun, and fellowship. The bday girl, M had had her bday on Dec 4th, so we all came together for a belated bday party. We all met at our friend C's house, and had a great evening together.

 The bday girl and the cake.

 I loved C's Nativity set.

 The food.

 I loved her mantle.

I loved her tree.

We also watched "Just Friends", which I hadn't seen before. It was ok, but not great. It was such a great night, and great it see everyone again.

Snow Day!

I have had a few posts mulling around in my head, mostly those about on infertility, but frankly, who wants to read another depressing post?

So, I thought I would share some pictures from/of the last 24 hours. Yes...today was considered a SNOW DAY, and it looks like tomorrow will be as well. Now, we Canadians are no strangers to snow...we can plow our way out of (almost) anything; we will send our kids to school despite the chilly temperatures; we run (well, I don't, cause I am not crazy, but others do) during the long, cold winter months; we don't think twice about driving anywhere in any condition (well, I actually don't like winter driving...but other people don't seem to worry about it)...but these last couple of days have been CRAZY! Schools were closed...a lot of businesses were closed; it has been a mess...and we HAD to go out today. I asked hubby very sweetly if he would drive me, and he said yes. I am SO glad he did, cause it was awful. The roads were packed, and it has snowed on and off day. Thankfully, the worst of it was after I got home yesterday from work, but even then, it wasn't great driving. Thankfully, it only took me a few minutes longer than normal to get home.

So...here are some pictures of what it has been like...we had literally dig our car out today..and we slid a few times, got stuck in a parking lot, and took three tries to get up our driveway. Thankfully, we have two, as the first one was impossible to get up. Today was an adventure, to be sure. There were cars slipping and sliding; it wasn't pretty.  There is also more snow called for tomorrow. Oh goody. Thankfully, I am not scheduled to work tomorrow, so I am declaring tomorrow a PJ day.

Ok..here are the pictures

The Weather Network/Channel has nothing on these...

Looking out/through our living room window.

 These were taken today. I actually went out on our deck to take them.

 Yes, our lights our still up. And yes, that's snow on our balcony. And yes, it's that high.

 

 The roads today.

 Where my appointment was.

 Our car. Oh goody.

 The cars in our complex.

So, yup, it was a snow day! I got so chilled, since the bottom of my pants were SOAKING wet! Yes, I don't really have proper boots. So not very Canadian of me. I only have some nice dressy boots. I had a pair of boots, but I never used them, so I gave them away...or are they in our winter bin? I am not sure. Perhaps I need to dig them out/up again? If I don't have them..then I have a serious problem...will have to try to find a cheap pair, I guess. But by then, I am sure the snow will be gone, or at least lessen.