I believe in love.

Today, I was driving to meet a friend for lunch when I heard  a woman call into the country radio station I was listening to.

“I’d like to make a song dedication.”
“Sure, what would you like to hear?”

“Sissy’s Song, by Alan Jackson.”

“And who is this song dedication going out to?”

(Caller’s voice breaking) My Mom passed away on Friday (full out sobs) and I’d like to dedicate it to my Dad”

I couldn’t take it anymore, and I was crying right along with her. I like to think that all of the listeners of that station, at that moment, were crying right along with that woman. My heart truly went out to her.

I have been incredibly emotional lately, as every relationship has it’s ups and downs, mine has been going through a trying time. Moving in with, and across the country with, someone proves to be fun, challenging, and exciting. I believe the tough times were put in place so that a couple can come out the other side stronger than ever before. I believe in love, fate, destiny, the powers of emotions and grief, and I believe in my relationship.

Quilts

Quilting has always been a very special thing in our family.  Our parents got a beautiful wedding quilt from our aunts on their wedding day.  We used it so much that after about 20 years of marriage the quilt was very worn down.  It was a very well used and loved quilt.

Now it’s our turn to get quilts! Oma far made me a beautiful quilt when Scott and I got married, October 27, 2007.

And we were promised a quilt from our aunts (my dad’s sisters) wayyy back before our wedding!  My aunt Louie asked us what colours we wanted, and we decided that our wedding colours would be great and basically whatever colour and design she wanted we knew we would love. Well we waited and waited and got lots of little previews and updates and today (March 29, 2009) we finally received it. It is beautiful.

She chose a Double Wedding Ring pattern. This is a very old quilt pattern, with rings interlocking.  I think she chose the perfect pattern for us and I’m very excited to use it forever.

Today was Erica’s first wedding shower and she got a preview of HER first wedding quilt! Oma started this quilt around Christmas and has not stopped stitching since! Her sister’s told us today that Oma was even stitching while she was on vacation in Florida this year.  The design is called a Crazy Quilt.  Oma made so many personal touches on it, it’s perfect.  Some of the bridesmaid dress fabric is on it, elephants are there (Erica’s favourite!) and even some fabric that Oma used to make some of her children’s clothes with.

We are so lucky to have such talented family members.  But they sure have a busy year ahead of quilt making!

Reasons I Want My Wedding To Be Over

I want to be able to appreciate the colour purple for what it is – a great colour, not My! Wedding! Colour! matchy matchy!

I want to be able to stop worrying that…

  • There’s something I should be doing right now
  • The centrepieces will look good
  • The food will taste good
  • The DJ will play great music
  • The weather will be nice (May 2 – could go either way)
  • Our families will get along
  • I’m forgetting something (actually, this worry will never go away)
  • We’ll look good in our pictures – and get all the pictures we want.

I want to be able to sit down and knit for a few hours so I can finish my sweater (what’s that you say? Sweater? Heck yes. My greatest knitting accomplishment to date is nearing completion). And then start some awesome new knitting projects.

I want to start the process of changing my last name on every legal document/account/etc that I have. The sooner I get started, the sooner I’ll be done. I figure it will be like having to change the password for most of my important computer logins – but having to send in paperwork to get it done.

I want to go on our HONEYMOON! We paid it off this afternoon. I hope we’ll be able to buy groceries tomorrow…(just kidding!)

I want to be officially part of his family, and him officially part of mine.

I want to stop seeing bridal advertisements on Facebook.

I want to stop second-guessing all of our decisions.

But mostly…

I want to wake up in the mornings with my husband. I want to be his wife. I want us to be a real, official, family. Erica, Denis, and our cat Max (to be continued…).

I want the cliched “rest of my life” to start ASAP. 36 days to go.

Tuesdays with Micaela ~ Cooking with Kento.

Kent and I went out for lunch on Saturday and had spring rolls for an appetizer. We enjoyed them so much that on the way home we stopped at the grocery store to buy ingredients to make spring rolls for dinner. They were so good and so easy to make that I would totally recommend making your own over paying $10 for two spring rolls at a restaurant. Unless of course you are going to Kent’s restaurant, which you should support 100%!

You can pretty much put whatever in them but this is what we put in them:
chicken (basted with butter and cilantro)
carrots
celery
alfalfa sprouts
bean sprouts
cilantro
garlic
salt and pepper

Kent just started working at a new restaurant which unlike any he’s worked at before, requires him to wear a tall chef hat instead of a short one. He hates it. I don’t know what’s funnier, the hat itself or the fact that his mom irons it for him every morning! I guess in a month that will be my job. I’ll let you decide:

My dad (who reads our blog! Hi dad!) tried on the hat too and I think it suits him better than Kent. But maybe it’s the jam on toast and the moustache. Then again, he did keep it on for much longer than Kent did. He also makes a mean bacon and eggs.

And one more thing before I head off to religion class – some family blog love!

Our cousin Lindsay just started her first blog called One Million Little Thoughts which everyone should check out and leave comments on to get her motivated! She did a “100 things” for her first post so she is obviously a natural.

My last post on things that I love inspired my cousin Lara to write her own post, current L-O-V-E-S on her blog, Crazy/beautiful/blog. I only share one of the same loves as her despite being family… can you guess which one?

Dear Sisters, (and everyone else)

I just finished the most annoying essay of my life.  Actually. It was just annoying to write.  The research- going to the Ottawa courthouse and watching cases, was pretty fun and interesting.  I watched the Midway Trial, where a guy got killed with a sword.  Honestly, who carries a sword around nowadays?  I thought it was all about bows and arrows these days.  Anyways, I just came across this picture,

5-feet-1-fire

(hey look, 5 pairs of feeties in knit socks in front of a fireplace-our favourite place in our house!), and thought of us.  I am also writing this to encourage you guys (except Leah…well actually you could if you wanted), to talk to Mamma about visiting me during Easter weekend in Ottawa with her and Dad!  I am having family withdrawl.   Also, I noticed we were going through post withdrawl, so I decided to spice things up a bit.  It’s supposed to be plus 10 and 11 here on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and I am super excited.  Even though rain is supposed to accompany it.

Love, Lauren

What I'm loving.

Micaela here. A few things I’ve been loving for the last month:

  • Anna Turns Six on Tarawhitney.com. A beautiful tribute to this photographer’s daughter.
  • I cut these shoes out of a magazine because I loved them so much, and then my favourite fashion blogger found a $69 version. (Fate.)
  • Maybe it’s partially the fact that I have been dying for really long hair lately, but there is something about Madeleine M. that I adore:
  • The bedroom at This Young House. I love so many interior design photos I’ve seen on blogs recently. It’s a shame, really, because I have no permanent residence to decorate at the moment. I love the chandelier, the lamps, and the huge curtains. And well, everything:
  • Most definitely the cutest daddy-to-be in the world! (Uh oh, mothering instincts quite possibly kicking in too!):
  • Youaremyfave.com has been focusing on a different design accent colour every day. The pictures she finds are so gorgeous that each colour quickly becomes my new favourite. Today, orange is our fave. Photo from where else but Apartment Therapy.
    guest20bedroom_small
  • And a couple that I tweeted about yesterday:
  • I saw this shirt on Design Crush today. The French: Moi, je veux te dire que je ne te quitterai jamais. Et puis, si tu es triste, je pourrais toujours te donner un peu d’alcool pour te rechauffer le couer. xo Basically this means that “I’ll be there for you always. And I’ll get you drunk when you’re sad.” Get it on etsy.
  • Peonies and Polaroids received this dress and a fancy camera from her husband on their one year anniversary. I am tres impressed. If you are inclined, check out her wedding in her archives (about one year ago!) It was perfect.
  • This wedding wins my heart. I’m having a tent wedding in 148 days (according to facebook.)

A Busy life = A Happy life

I’ve really been feeling the need to update this week, But  have no idea what to write.  As usual my life is super busy (just the way I like it).  But it seems like every time I think my life is finally going to slow down it gets busier then normal.   I run from work, to the barn,  to play practice or brownies and eat dinner in between while on the run.  After this weekend, the last weekend of the play, I have a feeling it will slow down during the week, but the weekends will still be busy because Erica and Denis’ wedding is coming up so fast!  The play took up 3 nights during the week, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and  I’m ready to have those days back.  I love just relaxing on a Sunday night before I need to go to work the next day.

Last weekend we had our first 2 performances of the play and they both went really well.   There was a reporter from a local paper there for one of the performances and now my picture is in the paper!  My name isn’t there but you can sure tell that it is me.

Mom took some photos of the show through the peek holes, and they turned out pretty cool!  Here’s one with me in it, a photo of the audience and a photo of me outside before our matinee performance.  It was beautiful weather out!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiveblondes/3367069470/

On Sunday after our performance Scott and I tried to go for a walk on some local paths… I say tried because part of the way was blocked by a river that normally is small, but it was too wide for us to cross so we turned around.  We left with VERY muddy shoes.  The weather here really can’t seem to make up it’s mind.  One day it’s sunny and 15 degrees the next snowy and -3 degrees.  Soon enough it has to warm up though because tomorrow is the First day of Spring!  Have a great weekend all!

Here are some photos of our walk:

The river blocking our way.

Scottie McHottie

Buds forming on a tree!

Me and a tree.

Tuesdays with Micaela ~ What, I'm not sure.

It was brought to my attention that it is Tuesday, for the next 39 minutes, anyways, and I have yet to blog. I don’t think I have a good excuse for that – my day has been a little busy, but not so much that I couldn’t have found a few minutes to blog.

I had a couple of classes this morning, went to the art open studio to finish up my painting, studied for my religion exam, took a nap, finished my social studies assignment, met some friends on campus to study for religion some more, wrote the exam (VERY easy by the way, I’d be surprised if I didn’t get perfect on it), and spent the night in to take advantage of my roommates all out celebrating St. Pattys day. I am clearly not in university party mode anymore, because all I wanted to do tonight was wash the dishes, make deviled eggs for a surprise baby shower we have planned for a girl in my class tomorrow, and flip back and forth between Project Runway and Toddlers and Tiaras. So I did. And it was great. I love my roommates, but I am very ready to move out and get to live with just Kent again.

Last week I was having a really bad week after 1) my parents car was broken into when I parked it downtown one evening. A window was smashed and a bunch of my stuff got stolen, and 2) my car was in the shop having serious problems. It was all just stressing me out too much. So, to cheer myself up, I decided to book Kent and I a Stag and Doe! Most girls in this situation would have had some ice cream or bought a new shirt, but I couldn’t do either of these things because I gave up junk food and buying clothes for Lent. I really wanted to have it on June 27th, because that is our 3 year anniversary and the date that I always wanted to get married on, long before we were engaged. I mean it’s a Saturday! If that isn’t fate, I don’t know what is. Everyone told me it was too close to Erica and X-man (can I still call him that?)’s date, so I sucked it up and chose a date in August instead. When I phoned the venue that I wanted to have our stag and doe at and asked if June 27th was free, they said “THIS June 27th?!?!” That wasn’t a good sign, but then they said, sounding surprised, that it was available!

We have a lot of people already confirmed and maybes on Facebook which makes me happy. I’m really looking forward to Kent’s family and friends meeting mine at it – our families live a few hours apart and so not everyone has met yet. Although, if Katelyn’s stag and doe was any indication, I’m not sure that this is the best venue for it to happen in! My recollections of Kate’s stag are limited, and I think that I passed out in my parents camper verrry early on in the night (it was held at our farm.) I guess when Kent found me there after searching for me for a while, and when everyone else came in at the end of the night, I did NOT want anyone there and did not want anyone sleeping beside me and was making the most annoying noises because of it. For a few months afterward, whenever I would make that one particular annoyed noise, Kent would have heart palpitations and his face would fall off. But I have heard stories about Kate and Scott’s…

I wasn’t sure what I was going to blog about so I’m glad I found something. I wanted to put more pictures on my Brand New Flicker, so I’ll leave you with a small recap of the month of Februrary.

Leah and I – Our first picture after being reunited in Calgary:

I bought a new snowboard and got a free pair of shoes with my purchase… whoo hoo. Here’s my new board, old board, and new green shoes at our hotel in Banff:

The group of us out for dinner in Banff:

My fave girls/bridesmaids at Laaaadies Night (after playing a wii game that featured that song on Saturday night, I can’t write those words without singing the song in my head) in our town. Michelle P, this is for you. :)

A not-so-flattering-but-I-like-it-anyways picture of Kent and I on Valentines Day. He got me this hat, and I got him a whisk. We definitely outdid ourselves this year!

Thanks for tuning in again this week!

Dontcha just love…

Mornings when you wake up and the world seems perfect. You wake up with a smile, some good news from FedEx, a boyfriend who kisses you goodbye looking amazing in his three-piece suit (yes, my boyfriend wears a three-piece suit every day. Drool.) And on top of that, you are having a good hair day, and when you are walking out the door to go to work at 7:45am, you look at your day planner and realize that – oh, wait a minute – I don’t even have to go to work today!

Wow, all of that and it is only 8:13am. And, I do actually have to go to work today. I am having a “Team Planning Day,” but it doesn’t start until 9:00am, is full of fun activities, I get to wear jeans, and lunch is provided. Doesn’t get much better than that!  Plus, I really like my team and my manager so I am sure it will prove to be an overall awesome day.

It sure does make up for yesterday morning …

I was up at 6:30am and at the airport for 7:24am when my best friends flight was scheduled to land for a five hour layover in Calgary. I was a bit nervous driving there, as it was so foggy I could barely see the road in front of me, and when the flight didn’t land by 8:00am, I asked an airport staff who informed me that no flights would be departing or arriving for the morning as the fog was too thick. MAN, I haven’t seen my best friend since I left for Calgary in May and I wouldn’t be seeing her until August. Bummer. Big time bummer. Without any hugs and cuddles, I dejectedly drove home, and quickly scheduled brekky plans with my best girlfriend in Calgary, who came armed with tissues and smiles to cheer me up. (Thanks, Natalie)

I had a great weekend though – Tim had a visitor come up for the weekend, a friend from University and they spent two days in Banff, painting the town red and snowboarding. Friday, I went out for a fancy dinner and danced my bootie off at a (tiny, but fun) club. I went to a comedy club on Saturday night and laughed so hard my abs hurt, and I watched my little cousin in an equestrian competition.

What’s that? You want some photo evidence?

Habitat

Dancing at Habitat with my cousin, Em. No pictures of her, because I forgot to ask her if it was okay. Next time, people.

Leah

The reason why I was maybe a little bit excited to go to work today? My new Blazer. It is so a tall-girl blazer (normally the waist hits over my ribs and the sleeves are too short) and it is so perfect! PS Where are my eyebrows in this picture?!

Foggy city

And it is still quite foggy today, from my balcony. What’s up with that?

And P.S. – The package Fed Ex is delivering to my work today (because I told the guy on the phone that I was not able to problem-solve at 6:40am, and he asked if I had a workplace he could drop the package off at – those job things sure do come in handy sometimes) is a product for which I am doing a review! I am super excited :)

Too Busy for Words!

Saturday is the first night of the play, when we will actually perform “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940″ for an audience.  Tonight we have our dress rehearsal, will probably have a emergency practice tomorrow and then Saturday we begin our performances, all 4 of them! It’s hard to believe it’s here already… We started practicing in January and now that seems ages ago.  I hardly have time for words, especially considering I should be doing my hair 40s right now… but just wanted to pop by and say hi. :)

This is the video I’m using for my hair.   You Tube- 1940s Hair in Under 5 Minutes

Here’s how it turned out after mom gave me a hand, I am no good at 40s hair! That’s for sure… here’s when I forgot the camera was on manual and I tried to take a self portrait.

Laura and me, my hair is so large it’s shading her face.  In front of the stage.

And a shot of our little stage for community theatre. Wish me luck!