FRIDAY FAVORITES

Today's Friday Favorites is going to be a little bit different.  Seeing as how its the FABULOUS Stephanie's Birthday, I'm going to celebrate her as being my favorite this week!

1. Coaster Sunglasses.  Don't even ask.  This picture was found under the "WILD WILD WEST" Folder in my computer...

2. A great day out on the golf course.  Nothing like a group of good friends, some sunshine, and a few good laughs to make one heck of a day!

3. 80's night.  Need I say more?

4. Being a good sport.  She was the only one who would pose for me while I tried to figure out my new camera.

Happy Birthday my Little Ray of Sunshine!  I hope you have a super duper birthday this year, and many more to come!  Being your friend is always an adventure.  I hope that it continues that way for a long long time!

LITTLE MISS GREENTHUMB

This year I thought I'd Give my all at gardening.  Because I'm not at home much I decided to plant little containers full of vegetables for the summer.  Nothing beats a fresh from the garden carrot in my eyes!

So here it is!  My whole little first attempt at being a vegetable gardener!


Onions on the right, and the fuzzy green "chia pet" looking like stuff on the left is my Carrots.



Lettuce.  I do believe the package said it would cover a 12 foot row, so what did I do?  I dumped the whole pkg. in a 2 foot area.... of course.

 

The beginning of my peas.  I love fresh peas! 

 I can't wait for them to be fully grown.  I guess this is a good lesson in patience.  All I know is I love going outside every day to see how much they've grown.  Even all of the guys out here are keeping a pretty good eye on things.  I did warn them that if things went missing... so would their fingers...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!

I wanted to take a minute today to wish the lovely Sarah Carr a VERY VERY Happy Birthday!  I hope this year is all you could wish for, and then a little bit more!  I love you, and I miss you lots!

I'M A CELEBRITY!!



Picture borrowed from THE OUTFIT DIARIES.


As I scroll through my regular reads this morning, I realized that I had a little mention over on Cess's Blog: THE OUTFIT DIARIES !!  For all of you that have your own blogs you know how exciting it is when someone acknowledges you for what you have to say, what you wear, what you make.  I think I'm on cloud nine!

So I wanted to say a great big thanks to Cess!  Your blog is always a joy to read!  Your style is impeccable.  And you always keep me inspired!  Way to go girl!

FRIDAY FAVORITES

Todays Friday Favorites is all about WEATHER! 

1. THUNDERSTORMS: I love thunderstorms.  There is just something so mesmerizing about them.  I could sit and watch them for hours and hours. 

2. HOAR FROST: I love it when you see hoar frost!  Its like a million glittering diamonds everywhere.  (Those of you who know me, know I can't resist anything that sparkles)

3. DOWNPOUR: I actually really dislike rain.  The drizzly miserably cold and damp kind of rain.  However, I do love a good downpour.  The type where you're soaked with in seconds.  I like the instantaneous of it.  And usually it leaves just as quickly as it came.  Nothing beats this on a hot summer day (other than a thunderstorm)

4. BIG FLUFFY CLOUDS: I love looking at them and seeing them change shapes.  Some of my best memories are watching clouds and trying to see what sort of shapes you see!

What are your favorite things about the weather?

ALMOST AN ESCAPEE



From Point 1-2 is a 16 hour drive, 2-3 is a 10 hour drive, and from 3 back to 1 is 12 hours.

The countdown is on.  I only have 3 more days until I get some days off and get to go home!  This means that I have been trying to write scheduled blog posts to entertain you guys while I'm away.  The one thing I love about leaving work is the fact that I don't even open my computer the entire time I'm away.  While I'm at work, I spend most of the day wandering around aimlessly online reading this and that, window shopping, and googling every random thought I have.  I have to admit, the one thing I do miss about being gone is reading all your fabulous blogs.  Which means, I have a ton of catching up to do when I get back to work.

Anyways, for days of I have a ton of plans.  I'm going to try my hand at wallpapering, get some yard work done at home, head to my parents house for a few days to see some wonderful friends and my grandma.  The best part is, its WEDDING SEASON!  I love weddings!  So yes, this also means I have a wedding to go to (and I can't wait)!  After that, I'm headed back to work.

 Round trip I put on about 4200 kms of travel!  So seeing as how I have such a long long way to go, make sure you say your prayers for a safe drive!

LIVING ON A BUDGET

I've finally decided that I need to live following a budget.  I realize that it isn't really realistic to spend as much money as I do on things that I don't really need.  For the next 3 months I've decided that I'm going to write down everything I spend and live on a cash budget (when possible) to see how much money I can save. 

I found a great tool online that helps keep track of expenses.  You can find it here DOLLAR TIMES and a bunch of other budget forms. 

How do you guys keep track of things?  Do you have a system that works for you?  What is the one tip that you could give to someone who wants to save a few extra dollars?

A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE

For the last few months I've been trying to keep my attitude positive.  Instead of complaining about things I can not change, I try and look at the bright side.  I find when I stop and think about things they become a little more clear.  Here are a few complaints I've muttered in the last couple months:

Complaint #1: I hate my job!
Reality Check:  I could be unemployed and not know how I was going to pay my bills

Complaint #2: I'm not married.
Reality Check: I could be in a loveless or abusive marriage

Complaint #3: There is nothing in the refrigerator that I feel like eating.
Reality Check: I could be digging through the garbage looking for scraps of leftover food

Complaint #4: I wish I lived in a nicer house or drove a nicer vehicle
Reality Check: I could be homeless without a vehicle to drive at all.

Complaint #5: I wish I didn't have to get up so early.
Reality Check:  I could not be waking up at all.

I guess if you look at the bright side, our problems don't really look that big.  I know I could be a lot worse off, so today I'm just going to be thankful!

LOSING TOUCH

Have you ever had a really good friend that things just all of a sudden ended with?  Things were going good then all of a sudden it was like neither of you could make the effort to keep in touch anymore?

I have drifted away from a few friends like this in the last couple years.  I know that things don't always stay the same and that people change, but lately I've been feeling like these people think they are so far above me that I'm not worth their effort.  I know that our lives all take different directions.  We get married, or have kids, or heaven forbid, both of the above...  But WHY?  Why do things have to change?

Maybe in my own way I'm being to stubborn to make the first move in reconnecting.  I think that they should be the ones to make the effort.  I just feel so awkward about the whole "drifting apart" situation that I don't even know where to begin.  The thing is, I miss these people.  I think about them often.  I ask our mutual friends about them.  I don't know why but it just so happens that I'm too bull headed to pick up the phone and make the first call.  I don't know what I'm so afraid of.  Maybe rejection?  Maybe the fact that these people really don't want to be my friend.  I don't know.  What I do know, is that I'm sorry that this bout of silence has gone on for this long.  I'm sorry if I did something wrong.  I'm sorry if you didn't think I was supportive enough or there for you when you needed me.  The fact is, I needed you too.  I know a lot has gone one in all of our lives in the last couple years but the fact is.... I MISS YOU and I hope that things don't go on like this forever!

CHRISTMAS COMES BUT TWICE A YEAR....

Beginning of the snow storm

Yesterday was a wet dreary day, which much to my dismay turned into a freak snow storm.  Apparently winter isn't quite done with us yet.  I mean really... It's June 3rd and there is snow on the ground... How unimpressed am I?  I was sitting here watching TV last night and then got the bright idea to poke my head out the door, and this is what I saw.... my little planters covered in snow.  Needless to say, I rushed them inside and they had the privilege of making a huge mess in my entrance way.




View of the rig (note the snow on the pipe in front)

 


Close up of my Tomato Plant

 


My poor little Tomato... :(

 


My planters, Peas, Carrots, Lettuce, Onions, Chives.. buried in snow

 

CALLING ALL HOCKEY FANS!!

Tonight is the beginning of the Stanley Cup  finals.  For those of you who follow hockey, make sure you cheer for the Vancouver Canucks!!!  The only way I would let you cheer for Boston and still want to be your friend is if you happen to be located way over there...  Even then I still think you should jump ship and hop on the Canucks Bandwagon!

Now, I've always liked hockey, but for some reason this year its been amped up a bit.  Maybe because the team I cheer for has gone further than they have in a long time.  The best thing about it is the rivalry.  I love watching my friends hockey teams get knocked out one-by-one.  There is nothing better than gloating!  I realize that this might end up in me eating crow one day, but regardless, a little competition is great!  Plus I think Vancouver has the best fans ever!!

So, I guess you know where I'll be for the next couple weeks, glued to my TV watching every minute of hockey that I can!  GO CANUCKS GO!!

PUTTING YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD

I always have the worst luck with finding a good product that works for my skin.  I though back a couple years to when my skin was the best and realized I was using the Vichy Normaderm line.  I started using it about a month and a half ago and I'm officially able to run around foundation free!

For any of you suffering from breakouts, the Vichy Normaderm line is for you!  I discovered that it was lotions that were making me break out.  Vichy makes the Triple Action Anti-Acne Hydrating lotion.  This hands down is the best product I've ever used!  I put it on and then a few mins later after its had a chance to penetrate my skin, I massage it again and all of the dead skin that has been lurking on the surface comes right off.  I know it sounds kind of scary, but its the greatest thing ever!  My skin has never looked so vibrant and glowy!

The other product I can't live without is the 3-in-1 Unclogging Purifying Toner.  It just makes your skin feel so fresh and clean!  If I'm in a hurry and don't have a chance to wash my entire face, I just swipe this over it to get the grime of the day off, and off I go.

If you do any reading, this line says its for oily skin.  I was a little worried because my skin is more on the dryer side.  I haven't noticed any over-drying effects on my skin.  So if you've heard about this line or seen the commercials for it, I'm telling you, the hype is all its cracked up to be!