Hiking with Natasha

Our one and only day together was gorgeous!  We hiked up to the monastery and enjoyed the warm sun on our skin.  We had lunch at the brewery, made olibollen and gnocchi for dinner.  Oh, and schemed about ways to see each other in the coming months.  There was a lot of scheming.

Two-thousand Twelve in Brief

Twenty-twelve, was by all accounts a tame year for us.  We spent the year hunkering down, without many trips or treats.  (Okay, there were treats, just not as many as in years past). That isn't to say there wasn't a lot of change in 2012.  Natasha lived at our awesome house with us for the summer, we moved to a different town and we went down to a single income while Shane went back to school.  Here is a bit of our year, in recap.

January: There was an amazing winter storm that kept us home for days, and we do love snow days.

Christmas 2012

December 25th is gone again.  The most hyped day of the entire year, sadly lasts no longer than any other.  Ours was pleasant, comfy and nice.  Shane and I woke up early, opened our gifts to each other, (we split the prepaid dates this year and I'm madly in love with the results) while I baked cinnamon buns.  We divvied up the pan and celebrated with our respective families all morning.  My Opa was admitted to the hospital Christmas eve (which has to be the worst day to go in) so I paid him a visit around lunch time.  We spent the afternoon at Shane's parents house and had a lovely steak and lobster dinner (Did they win the lottery and not tell us?).  When we got home we went for a lovely evening stroll and crashed early into bed.  Here are a few pictures of our lovely day:

Opening stockings

Mayhem.

Wow.  So I just checked and it's been 11 days since my last post.  Oh man, I'm terrible.  I wish I had posted more, but honestly I had no time.  None at all.  I didn't even tell you about my birthday.  It was awesome, but you knew that.  You folks were the ones that spoiled me!  Then I worked, Natasha and Dylan came over for dinner.  I hosted a cookie swap.  I ran a lot.  Then I got sick, it ruined my plans for an entire weekend.  I did some shopping.  I made a lot of treat bags to give away as gifts.  I got spoiled some more for Christmas.  I ate the granola I was going to give away.  I made more granola.  There was no peppermint extract left at the store.  I went on the hunt for peppermint extract.  There was a wine and cheese night.  There was the mall two days before Christmas.  Not on purpose, I got major sick the few days before.  Now there is more treats to be made for more gifts. And more work I need to do to make money.  Then there is Christmas, brunch, dinner, work and two more dinners.  We might watch a movie, we did watch the Hobbit. To top it all off they did construction outside our place for a week (we have a new patio!!).  Things have been insane.    And all that time I would have spend blogging I have spent driving instead.  Forgive me.

Candy Cane Whipped Shortbread

This time last year was a whole lot like this year, and the two years before, with one noticeable exception: I've grown up.  And I don't mean that in a good way.  I feel like I've officially reached old lady status with a new number only two days away.  I know I'm crazy, I realize I'm young with all the good stuff life provides still ahead of me. But! But, that ecstatic feeling I got around Christmastime even just two short years ago, I miss that, and there seems to be nothing I can do to get it back.  For the record: my age hasn't affected my self-centered birthday feelings, I've still got that in spades.  When I was young (12 months ago) I was able to feel things still.  When something was pure and good I got a tingle that ran through my body like an electric shock, when something was truly horrid I had a shiver up my spine.  I feel like these feelings are all stuck inside my heart, wrapped up in boxes and chains waiting to break free, but they sit so deep I can't quite reach them. All that sits in their place are the memories that I used to feel more true.

My Life

You know people who are confused about who they are or what they want to do with their lives? People who are searching and confused, lost and unhappy.  I'm not one of those.  Maybe you are, it's okay, there is no judgment here.  You are allowed to feel that way, I don't think it makes you weird, in fact it's probably normal.  I've just never felt that way.  I know exactly what I want.  I know what I need to achieve to be happy and I know how to get there.  It's inside me to make things happen, it always has been.  If I want something, I mean really want something, I get there come hell or high water.  I'll say it's a perk of being me.

December 7

Shopping by yourself, it's a catch 22.  On one had you are free to do whatever you please.  No, "let's go over there", or "I just wanted to check out the price of toilet paper at this store too". No giving advice on how others spend their money or wether those skinny jeans make them look fat (answer: yes, always).  Instead you can shop every isle, spending as much time as you want circling the Christmas mugs, and whittle away too much time listening to the Christmas tunes on that player that has like 100 CDs in it (and of course not buying any).  You can try clothes on until you're actually satisfied. (You can actually go in twice without feeling guilty).  But on the other hand there is no one to tell you how the clothes look.  Or wether you really need those peppermint kisses or the purple onion towels.  Your shopping will be more fun, but not as effective.

December 3

We started into December (the crazy-whirlwind month it is!) by setting up our tree.  Until Saturday we had only a fake tree, but when we brought it out that morning we could tell the rats had been having a rat-tastic time in the box all fall.  We quickly wrapped up the box and brought it down to the Salvation Arm.  It was time for our first real tree!  The tree farms opened for the season on Saturday, conveniently enough, and we chose Snow Dog Tree Farm as our destination.  Upon arrival we were greeted by the largest dog I've ever seen, the Snow Dog himself.  The enormous dog with paws like dinner plates was very happy to see the first customers of the season and he followed close behind us smelling Butter's scent rolling off our bodies.

Right now: November 30

Time: 6:30am
In my mug: hot coffee
In my oven: The last thing I baked was gingerbread cupcakes, for no other reason than, I wanted them.  (And bake for 20 minutes, not 30! What was I thinking?!)
I am listening to: the hum of the refrigerator
In the fridge: soft broccoli, leftover clean-out-the-fridge soup
In my belly: my favourite breakfast ever, yogurt and granola! (and half a banana, not my favourite)
Last thing on the laptop: lasagna for two recipes
Looking forward to: setting up the Christmas tree tomorrow
On my wishlist: a pretty dress for my birthday
On the nightstand: Sand in my Bra
Recently satisfied: that I got Christmas off! thanks to a wonderful co-worker
On the go: my recipe binder project, I'm going to buy a bigger binder today!

ThanksNovember D28

I'm thankful I've never been in a car accident.

I've heard so many horrible things, and I'm so grateful for safety.

While we're at it, I'm thankful for seat belts,

even when I pull my shoulder out because I'm reefing on it while it's locked.

I'm thankful for my husbands sense of humor, immitating me over and over again.

ThanksNovember D27 (&Chocolate-Mint Cookies!)

I'm thankful for Christmas.

I really really am.

Even if I just want to run away from it this year.

I'm so thankful I get to give gifts from my heart and my hands.

I'm thankful for merry making and joy.

I'm thankful for holiday songs and sing-a-longs 

(in the privacy of my kitchen of course).

I'm thankful for decorations and crafts.

I'm thankful for shiny ornaments and paper snowflakes.

I'm thankful for Christmas mugs, my favourite.

Five Things

I think stumbling upon this tutorial might be the best thing that's happened in my photo world all year. Part one and Part two.

ThanksNovember D25

I missed a ThanksNovember day. 

I know you don't care for excuses but I need to tell you anyways.

I was busy having an awesome day.

Too busy to blog.

I started my run in the dark yesterday morning, with a lick of light around the mountains.

The sun was coming!

My 13 km run finished before the sun actually came up.

I had 45 minutes to shower and get ready before we left.

Shane and I drove to New West to bottle our beer.

The only thing we actually did was clean old beer bottles and the entire time in my head I kept singing

"60 more bottles of beer on the wall..."

In the end we came out with 22 L of IPA,

to be opened in 4 weeks.

We drove home, I got ready for work and left.

After work there was a bottle of wine and a bag of chips 

(classy I know) that we may or may not have decimated.

So I'm thankful of your understanding,

and not so thankful for the little headache going on this morning.

(but that is nothing a cup of coffee and an omelette from my sweet husband can't fix).

Today I'm thankful for sleeping in 

and blue sky that looks dabbed with cotton balls.

I'm also loving my new mug that I painted 

and the lululemon headband my husband bought me.

I'm thankful for vitamin D pills and picture frames.

and bleach for my white couch that the dog spilled our coffee on.

Chocolate Ice Cream and White Hot Fudge Sauce

So I haven't mentioned his birthday yet, but it's okay, he doesn't read this space anyway.  He's too young, I don't think he cares much, I sure didn't at thirteen.  But he's passed another year, thirteen years of quiet smirks, the best hugs and awesome little brother-ness.  He's not anything like me, I don't think.  But he's more alike me than I know.  It's kinda hard to say, you know? I'm me and I don't really have a good handle on how I am.  So how can I say if he's like me?  I guess what I mean is, we don't do the same things.  Except eat.  We both love to eat.  He, like a thirteen year old, of course.  Pasta, junk food and pumpkin pie, picky kids stuff.  (Though I must give him credit, he's less picky than I was). So, I, being the baker, get constant requests from this boy for the things he loves.  I often promise I will, and sometimes I do.  But he loves me anyway.

ThanksNovember D23

I'm thankful for my iphone.

I wanted one so long.

It took a long time to finally get one, but now I can't imagine life without.

(I think that's how a lot of people feel)

How did I run before my phone? 

You mean I couldn't do my banking in the middle of the store?

How did I know where to eat when I was in Vancouver?

I must have been lost all. the. time.

and have I even mentioned how many pictures I take and share on it?

That was actually my main reasoning for getting one.

I love it.

I'm thankful for blue sky. 

When I see it.

I think blue is my favourite colour for this reason.

I'm thankful for colour.

I'm thankful for my hands.

and my feet.

I'm thankful they are strong and useful.

I'm thankful they don't get tired easily and that they serve me without fail.

They may not be the most elegant hands, but they're mothering hands.

I'm thankful they're smooth and not wrinkly yet.

I'm thankful they hold the symbol of my marriage, a constant reminder of Shane.

I'm thankful for such beautiful jewelry.

I'm a lucky gal.

I'm thankful my hands are mine.

ThanksNovember D23

I'm thankful for magazines.

I know I shouldn't be.

It just makes me want stuff...

and feel like I'm nowhere close to where I want to be.

(house and family wise)

but somehow I love them anyways.

Okay, not all magazines

I'm looking specifically at you BHG and Cook's Illustrated/Cook's Country.

My three faves!

You make me full of warmth and fuzzies.

For dinner: Thanksgiving edition

So Shane and I had our own little Thanksgiving dinner Monday night.

The reasons were two-fold. 

Firstly, we didn't have thanksgiving dinner together in October.

Second, American thanksgiving is being pumped down the blogs, it's everywhere.

And though I've had my own, I was jealous.

What is new.

ThanksNovember weekend edition

What I did on my weekend. (And I'm thankful for all of it?)

Firstly, an eagle festival.

It was cold and stinky.

Very very stinky.

Eagles feast on dead salmon.

We watched the birds through scopes that were set up along the river's edge. 

They were so far away you couldn't see them with the naked eye.

But there were hundreds of them!

November Date Night

So we went on a date.  The idea was paint a mug.  I've done this before, and totally loved it.  The envelope had a $45 gift card for the two of us.  We went to Chilliwack to paint this mug (goes to show how I never planned to move, even at the beginning of the year).  We picked the same mug because we loved the shape, but our designs were completely different.  We spent a very enjoyable hour and a half painting.

Race Recap.

Pre-run

So I did it!

I ran and ran and ran.

It was easy, and hard and exhilarating.

Mentally it didn't feel very long
and it was nothing like runs I've done around here.

I was up bright and early, at 5am.

I got all ready and we were on the road by 5:45.  

At that time the drive is easy and we had pulled into the parking lot at 7:10.

I got my bib and a new running shirt

and we huddled in the car waiting for things to start.

ThanksNovember D18

Today is the day.

And I'm so thankful it's here!

12 weeks of training and I'm 100% ready.

I'm a jumble of excitement and anticipation.

My stomach is in my throat.

It's 1/2 marathon day!

I'll see you on the other side!

ThanksNovember D17

I'm thankful for feelings of love.

I'm grateful I know love and happiness, 

and have never known heart ache.

I count myself lucky.

I'm thankful for this man who looks after me.

(and he for me, I believe!)

ThanksNovember D16

I'm thankful for pumpkin.

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not obsessed,

I'm also thankful for apples and pears and butternut squash.

But there are practically pumpkins falling from the sky right now.

And I love it.

Right now: November

I'm listening: to Christmas music. (sheepish smile)
I'm dreaming: of somewhere warm and sunny.  With clear blue water and white sand.  A lounge chair in the shade and a pina colada in hand.  Knowing that we need to get dressed up for a delicious dinner soon.  Actual perfection.
I'm snacking: I had yogurt and granola for breakfast. My fave.  I'm thinking about a banana.
I'm remembering: when my family was close and seeing them was easy.
I'm debating: wether to take a picture of the morning's golden sun on the trees outside my window.
I'm glad: that my race day is this weekend!  I'm so excited for it, and so glad Shane signed me up in August, when I couldn't imagine it ever happening.

ThanksNovember D15

I'm thankful for my KitchenAid stand mixer.

It's a wonderful thing.

It's not new, or shiny, or even all that effective.

But I love it all the same.

Shane bought it for me out first Christmas together, 

and it's been my constant companion ever since.

It's the only appliance to take up permanent residence on our counter,

and not a week has gone by that I haven't used it.

I know I won't ever be without one again.

ThanksNovember D14

I'm thankful for fuzzy socks that keep my toes so warm.

I'm thankful for daily doses of coffee, so wake me up, and to calm frazzled nerves.

(I spent 4:40-5:05 driving up and down the hill calling for Butter in my car yesterday morning.

Shane had a flashlight and a pair of running feet looking all over for him.

He ran out the gate (that had been locked the night before) doing his morning business)

Oh, I'm so thankful for our dog.

I'm also thankful for sarcasm.

ThanksNovember 13

 

I'm thankful being an adult means I can eat as many oreo cookies as I want (2!)

I'm not thankful being an adult means I eat more vegetables than I ever dreamed.

I'm thankful I have my own kitchen as an adult.

But no one told me how much work they are to keep clean.

I'm thankful that being an adult means baking whatever, whenever.

I'm not so thankful that actually eating said baking means even more vegetables. (Does it ever stop?!)

Five Things

The Smitten Kitchen cookbook is awesome! I've been cooking out of it all week and am totally in love. The next book I want? This pie book and this DIY book please!

ThanksNovember D12

Oh I'm so thankful for health.

I've probably said it 10 times here.

But it's true, especially when you've been unwell.

I'm so thankful for my husband who looked after me so well.

I'm thankful for tylenol and hair elastics.

I'm thankful that he made me so comfy, cozy and warm.

I love him so.

I'm thankful for anticipating the first snowfall.

Even though it hasn't happened, I'm thankful for hope.

I'm thankful for tea, and hot chocolate.

And jam on toast.

And cranberries and strawberries.

Together.

I'm thankful for the crispy, woody air of the outdoors.

I'm thankful for the warmth of the indoors after the sting of the cold.

I'm even thankful (a little bit) for a drippy nose that comes with winter.

ThanksNovember D11

I was restless.

The leaves fluttered in the shadows on the wall all day long.  

Stretching and moving as time went by.

I could smell the cold seeping through cracks in the window.

The day had been brilliantly cold and bright.

For the first day in my life, I hadn't gone out once.

ThanksNovember D10

I'm thankful for toasted white bread and butter.

It soothes my belly.

Forgive my absence of thanks today, I've been up all night with the flu.

What I ate for...every meal

Oh hey!

hi there!

hola!

yes, that's actually how I talk.

sometimes I answer the phone saying whaaaa-zzuuuppppp

or just yo.

geek.

ThanksNovember D9

Have I ever mentioned how thankful I am for pajamas?

And that I leave the house every morning wearing them?

In my defense it's dark.

Otherwise I'd probably get dressed.

I will come home after my runs somedays, take a shower and put my pajamas on.

Weird?

ThanksNovember D8

I'm thankful for flannel, yes I am.

I'm thankful for warm blankets to snuggle up in.

The ones on my bed and the ones on the couch.

Grey, and flowery, and white (and I'd really like a plaid one)

They're all great.

ThanksNovember D7

Today I have thanks.

It's for patience.

And thanks for not losing my cool.

I'm thankful to have met a cooking idol of mine

and to have seen so many like minded people at the same time.

I'm thankful I finally own a copy of the book by said author,

and that she signed it for me!

I'm thankful I was able to wait inside in the warmth for hours to meet said person.

I'm thankful for all the wonderful recipes I get to try,

and the many I've already made.

ThanksNovember D6

Today I'm thankful for the weak sun that shone.

I'm thankful I could feel is on my skin.

It felt like a light touch, it was very comforting.

The sun is what I like to feel the most.

ThanksNovember D5

I'm thankful today for a husband who brought home fish.

I'm thankful for basic survival skills.

I'm thankful for a husband who knows how to cut up said fish and make delicious things.

I'm extremely thankful for the breakfast bowls he made me (my fave!) 

Five Things

Shane and I saw this movie the other night.  It was long and awesome and scary.  Go see it!

I can't stop thinking about this! I've thought about making it every day this week.  Still hasn't happened.

Smitten Kitchen is coming to Vancouver!! I'm so jazzed, I can't wait to get my book signed.  (If I'm not to chicken)

I've been using this lip gloss for a while now and it's safe to say it's my favourite.  Shiny, sparkly and subtle, it's totally my go-to gloss.

I read and re-read this list.  It's all truth. Especially 1, 3 and 14 for me.

ThanksNovember D4

Today I'm thankful for warm showers.

Especially after wet, soggy runs.

I'm thankful for foresight

I'm thankful for coffee.

I'm thankful for fluffy towels and razors.

(unlike most women I'll always love to shave my legs)

I'm thankful for limbs that move me,

and work well.

I'm thankful for a comfy couch to sit on when I'm tired.

Thanksnovember D3

Today I'm thankful for:

payday! even though the money is already gone

halloween candy.  no kids means I haven't overdone it yet

dark mornings and hot coffee

days full of opportunity & baking

ThanksNovember D2

I'm thankful for the outdoors. 

I'm thankful for (slight) breaks in the rain.  

I'm thankful for wind that tosses my hair around and tree branches to the ground

ThanksNovember

I'm always thankful, but lets celebrate in November.  It's ThanksNovember!

I'm thankful for unexpected days at home (and sleeping in!), where the minutes slow down and comfort is paramount.  

I'm thankful for husbands and dogs who cuddle and drink chai and carve pumpkins on expected together days.

It's October 31st!

Beer making, sleeping and other fine things.

I woke up a little earlier this morning, with plans for a spin class at the gym.  But as my brain started up I heard the rain pounding on the windows and knew it wasn't going to happen.  I wanted to burrow down a little deeper into the night's warm blankets, but I didn't.  I woke my sleepy eyelids over my cup of coffee and walked out into the wet and cold to drop Shane off at the train station.  I hurried back inside and curled my fingers around another steaming cup of coffee and sat down to think.  I made lists, recipe lists, to-do lists and shopping lists and ate a toasted bran muffin alongside a banana.  (Pure delish!)  Once that was done my thoughts turned to Saturday and the trip Shane and I took.

Five Things

I totally smoked my shin on a slippery rock after my run Sunday.  It's throbbing and swollen, I'm such a klutz.

By the Hour

So I tried to take a picture every hour for a day.  That worked for three hours and then I forgot.  

Anyway, here is what you get.

6 am. Coffee, oatmeal and computer.

Supper is Served

Here is where I talk about the dinner we had last night.  Because you care, I know.

It all amounted to delicious food. 

I'll totally eat those sides again.

And I'll have to, since there are leftovers.