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A Year in the Life of Leah

December 27, 2009 By 2 Comments

I recently completed my Decade in Review, and now that 2010 is fast approaching it is time to do a review of my year. Last year, we combined all five yearly review surveys in one post, which you can find here. Enjoy!

1. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I think I did a pretty good job! I wanted to go to the mountains more and to find more fun, cheap and sober activities for my best friend and I. I went to the mountains a ton to hike, eat, snowboard, visit family and hike more. With the addition of yoga and board games into my life, that brought in the fun and (relatively) cheap activities. As for resolutions for next year, I really want to get into personal finances and really start a savings fund (likely for a down payment for a house … someday).

2. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The day that Kate told me she was pregnant. I don’t recall the exact date, but I will never forget the way I felt when she told me. I dropped the phone, yelled for Tim and cried. It was magical, and from that day forward I stopped living for myself and started living my life for the little, tiny baby growing inside my sister.

3. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting a raving review and growing immensely at my full-time job and also picking up a part-time job on the side, planning for my future. Becoming closer to my family in Calgary. Really communicating my needs to the boyfriend and keeping in touch with my best friends. Becoming the maid of honour for my best friend’s wedding. Making friends.

4. What was your biggest failure?

Beng very, very messy.

5. Whose behavior merited celebration?

I want to say the same as last year – the boyfriend, Natalie (my best Calgary friend) and Stef and Leah (my best Ontario friends), but though true, that doesn’t challenge me. I am going to say my cousin, Emily (see her beautiful mug here). Em and I have gotten close since I moved here (she lives in Calgary) and she not only excelled at school, she got two amazing co-op jobs that will both help to propel her to greatness. I have seen her become this amazing, intelligent and smart young woman, making great life choices. Plus, she reads and comments on the blog regularly. Bravo, Em!

(Also – all of my visitors, Including Mom and Micaela.)

6. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Erica’s wedding, Micaela’s wedding and  Raspbaby. Though the weddings seem like a lifetime ago now.

7. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, though a wee bit apprehensive for the future.
ii. thinner or fatter? The same.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer.

8. What was the best book you read?

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg.

9. what did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 23 and had an amazing birthday. My Mom surprised me and came to Calgary for the weekend, I had a birthday party at my house, and all of my friends came and celebrated with me. I drank champagne and wore a really sparkly shirt. It was perfect.

10. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Being able to see and touch Kate’s belly and watch it grow in person, not just through pictures.

11. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Casual, lots of boots, leggings, and a lot of sequins. I acquired a lot of colourful, statement shirts which make me feel like a million bucks. I bought a lot of secondhand and vintage clothes.

12. What kept you sane this year?

Blogs and budgets and therapy.

13. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

That not only do I have personal boundaries, I have energy boundaries. My energy boundary can have a positive effect on other people, but is impermeable by other people’s energy. I don’t know how much sense that makes to everybody, but it is how I keep myself and my anxiety in check when dealing with high stress situations at work.

Filed Under: answer, Calgary, leah, life

What was I holding?

October 28, 2009 By 4 Comments

Last week I wrote a blog post with three pictures of me from three days and asked if you could tell what I was holding in the third picture:

A lot of people guessed so I thought I should give away the answer!

Leah: Hey pretty girl! The suspense is kind of killing me. You know I don’t do well with suspense (example: our Costa Blanca conversation of this week). What are you holding!?

I texted Leah (my sister) one day asking her if there was a Costa Blanca in her area and never did explain why. Over the course of the next few days I got a few texts from her, all increasingly frantic, asking what was at Costa Blanca that she needed to see. It wasn’t really a big deal because I decided not to get it (and I’m not wonderful about replying texts/phone calls when I’m busy) so I didn’t reply. I finally replied when I realized it was sending her over the edge. Bit of a shopaholic, that one.
But Leah, you didn’t even take a guess.

Allison: It’s a retainer! Or a lime! haha then I asked Matt what he thought it was and he said retainer too!!

Dear Allison, you had the right shape with retainer, but unfortunately you and Matt will not be quitting your job to become detectives any time soon.

allison: I think it is a toy dinosaur, like Rex from Toy Story, and the part we see is the tail.

That was quite the unexpected guess! Unfortunately for you, I don’t really carry Toy Story toys around very often. Points for creativity, though!

Connie (our mom): It better not be a pregnancy test…..but what a way to start a rumour!!!!

Megan: A pregnancy test??

Ladies, that would be the weirdest way ever to announce my pregnancy. Sorry mom, only one grandbaby for you in the next nine months! Far as I know, anyways.

Rachel: I guess a piece of green pepper!

Connie: By the way, What you are holding is a piece of green pepper. gotta be.

Kate: I also thought green pepper.

You are all sooo… right! Congratulations! Good to know I am related to two of the smarties.

Thanks for playing along! :)

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Boyfriends and the Internets.

August 24, 2009 By 14 Comments

Dear common-law partner boyfriend of mine,

First things first, I love you. I really, really do!

But I have some things to explain to you. Specifically, the part of my life that I call the internets and you call DANGER.

In a way, I don’t blame you and I can understand where you are coming from. And I do feel that in the past few months it has gotten a little out of hand. That is why, for you AND me, I have privatized my Twitter (permanently, this time) and reduced the number of people I follow by a lot. Hundreds, even. (Sorry to all of you. You are all wonderful people, but, as I said, I was just getting out of hand).

One thing that is NOT going to change is the friends that I have made because of my blog and because of Twitter. I have met some great people and they have become my friends in this new city of mine. And you know what? I am not going to stop hanging out with them because it scares you. People meet online all the time. People meet their spouses online, probably on a daily basis! (You know that because we often watch those happy eHarmony commercials together.)

I do not hide these bloggy-friends from you, nor do I place myself in situations that could be potentially harmful. But my new friends are wonderful! They are funny, like-minded, single, not single, happy, and sometimes not happy, employed (and sometimes briefly unemployed), kind, and most importantly, REAL people who have become an integral part of my social network in Calgary.

I’m not replacing you, or Natalie, or the used-to-be-distant relatives that I can now call my friends. I need these people as an addition to my social network. I am a social being! I love talking (usually really fast), dancing, getting advice from, teasing and just hanging out with these people (WHO ARE REAL). I need to have someone I can call if I don’t want to be alone on a Friday night when you are working. I like talking to them about relationships, dancing, clothes, gossip, the meaning of life, knowing how to be happy, and ZOMG YOU! I talk to them about you! And way-more-things-than-that-but-I-can’t-specify-because-Hi, Mom!

So please, accept these friendships as a permanent part of my life. Encourage me to continue to go out of my comfort zone and meet new people. Do it because you love me, and because your job forced me to move to this great city where I want to be happy and fulfilled. (Just kidding about the forced; I made an informed, adult decision which I am very happy about.)

In closing, I love you (even your monkey legs and your pterodactyl alter ego) and probably will for the rest of my life.

Leah.

P.S. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt you to try and do the same?

Do you have any “rules” you abide by when meeting people off the internets to ward off potentially dangerous situation?

Do you have any advice for Mr. Leah to satisfy his (reasonable) wish for me to be safe?

Filed Under: answer, Calgary, friends, leah, life, personal, relationships

100 Things About Leah

January 19, 2009 By 13 Comments

Leah! As you've never seen her before...

1. I live in Calgary, Alberta. I moved from Guelph, Ontario in May.

2. I work in social work, although I am not a social worker and never will be.

3. I work with mental health and some days I think dealing with my clients will make me go crazy. It happened today. They drove me crazy, and now I have problems

4. I feel bad for you, because if all of us do this then you will have to read 500 things about Five Blondes.

5. I am “living in sin” with my boyfriend, and despite my Catholic family and Catholic upbringing, my entire family is okay with it. Even my grandparents – thank you!

[Read more...]

Filed Under: answer, leah, question

Taking the party down a notch.

January 3, 2009 By 11 Comments

As I mentioned in our Years in Review post, one of my resolutions was to find cheap/free fun things to do in Calgary. This has many purposes – to help out my bank account a little, to get away from the partying lifestyle that has been the last five years of my life and to have more purely fun experiences that help me to get to know the entirety of my city better, and not just what pubs are good (Joyce on Fourth) and what bar to go Wednesday after work that has the most cute guys (ahem, the Metropolitan Grill on Eighth ave).

Here is what has been brainstormed so far:

  • Go to/rent movies (this may seem like a giveaway, but honestly I don’t go see many movies or rent many either)
  • Go for a walk with my best friend twice a week (Calgary has beautiful walking trails downtown along the river)
  • Tea parties
  • Glenbow Museum (and if this is enjoyable, others as well)
  • Go up the Calgary Tower, both during the day and at night
  • Go to the mountains (Banff – Erica lived there for one winter!, Canmore, etc.)
  • Go showshoeing or cross country skiing (you can rent equipment in Kananaskis for a low price)
  • Visit Bragg Creek
  • Board game nights (Settlers of Catan is hands down my fave, but I need more awesome TWO PLAYER games)
  • Visit my best friends sister and brother in law for free meals and to fawn over their newborn
  • Go to real estate open houses (you know, check out our options in case either of us decides we can afford to buy a house, and check out our options)
  • Volunteer somewhere
  • Cook/bake together (i.e. I will take any excuse to eat chocolate chip cookie dough)
  • Have postcard writing nights to help us to be better long distance friends (I think this one is my favourite)
  • Go to the library (I am a book worm!)
  • Buy a cheap secondhand guitar and learn how to play it
  • Use my new Wii Fit twice a week

This is where you come in – I am looking for your suggestions! I am not necessarily looking to take up a new hobby (i.e. Erica – don’t suggest knitting) but what do YOU like to do with your partner and/or best friend that could be included on my list? I appreciate your recommendations! THANK YOU!

Also – One little comment I left awhile ago really paid off! You must check THIS awesomeness out. If you want, skip to the 1:20 mark to see the goodness.

Filed Under: advertising, answer, Calgary, friends, life

When is a good deed really a good deed?

October 20, 2008 By 14 Comments

Tim (on his birthday last week): I did a good deed today.

Leah: I’m so proud of you!

Tim: I bought a bum a beer.

Leah: Oh…

Tim: He said it was his birthday too and I told him that if he could prove it then I would buy him a beer. He showed me his ID, so I really had no choice.

Leah: Celebrating birthdays, one bum at a time.

Would you have bought the bum a beer on his birthday? What about a joint? What about a crack rock? Is there really a difference if each of which is feeding an unhealthy addiction?

(Just for the record, I would have bought the bum a beer too.)

Filed Under: answer, Calgary, humour, leah, question

Tagged, by Leah.

June 7, 2008 By 3 Comments

Bonjour all my friends and family, and greetings from the West of Canada.

I will write a totally, awesome, picture-filled post once I can figure out where my camera cord is, but for the meantime here is my tagalicious blog.

What was I doing 10 years ago? I was 11. That means I was in between gr.’s 5 and 6 (approximately?) and that is the summer my family took a trip out East. We drove to PEI and back with our camper, visiting fun and exciting things along the way like my mom’s cousins in Maine, the Bay of Fundy and Anne of Green Gable’s house. It was the first time I broke my baby toe (tripped over a rug while packing up the camper) and my second ever bee sting (right smack dab on my broken baby toe while running to the bathrooms in a campground in New Brunswick). That summer I got a new backpack, which I absolutely adored. It was navy and white striped, canvas material and had anchors on it. Erica got a hat that summer that was, sorry Eri, pretty ugly and it costed her $26.50 and we all made fun of her for days but she loved it and wore it forever.

What five things that were on my “to-do” list for today.
1) Spy for lynx’s and cougars outside my bedroom window (Tim and I were staying in Panorama, B.C. and saw one right outside our bedroom window the morning before) which was done periodically between 6.45am and 8.45am.
2) Clean the condo and check out. And not forget anything there. I always forget at least one thing.
3) Drive back to Calgary and watch for wildlife on the way (we saw two bears, many deer and a moose on the way back.)
4) Pick up Tim’s dry-cleaning with him in town.

5) Hang out with my family in Elbow Valley. We played Cadoo with cousin Ethan, and BrainAge with Aunt Lisa, Uncle Jez, and Ethan (I got the highest score out of everyone – 1032 which is pretty good in this house), Tim and I cooked dinner for everyone, drank wine, had good conversation, played MORE BrainAge, did dishes, called the Pub and talked to all my friends, and now I am getting ready to go to bed after a nice relaxing shower.

Snacks I enjoy? Popcorn, cookie dough, aaaanything with chocolate, dry cereal, Oreos dipped in milk, and chocolate milk and pepsi to drink.

Things I would do if I was billionaire? NEW WARDROBE! For sure. I would fly my whole family and friends to El Mango Moon in Costa Rica, then to South Africa then Australia and pay everyone to come and hang out with me so they could take time off work and just have fun and relax and be cool. Then I would pay Vera Wang to help Mom make Erica’s wedding dress and all of our bridesmaid dresses. Then I would buy me and Tim a verrry nice car, perhaps a Porsche Cayenne, or a hybrid SUV. I wouldn’t buy us each one because I like it when we go everywhere together. Then I would buy my Mom and Dad a convertible, maybe a Bentley if they wanted or a BMW. Then I would buy my all of my sisters new (or old) cars. I would donate A LOT of money to the Sexual Assault Centre where I worked this past year, so they could do some amazing things for all the women in Guelph. I would also donate money to the Gerontology Students Association at UOG so they could have an amaaazing year. I would also hire Jessica Claire to do Erica’s wedding photography. I would do a lot of other cool things, like hire the Dixie Chicks to sing at Eri’s wedding, and maybe Rascall Flatts and ACDC for the Stag and Doe. Okay, apparently I would throw Erica the hugest, most amazing wedding ever that even Prince Harry would want to come to. Lauren – he can be your date!

Places I have lived. Thorndale, Ontario; Oakville, Ontario, St. Joseph de Beauce, Quebec; Guelph, Ontario; Nakina, Ontario; Llano Bonito, Costa Rica; Calgary, Alberta.

What types of work have I done? Strawberry field worker, Marlene’s cashier and beer seller extraordinaire, front desk and pro shop worker at our golf course, Beer cart and kitchen staff at the golf course, I did banquet catering for a local caterer, a nanny for my cousins in Oakvile for a few summers, Cook at a fly-in fishing lodge for a summer, I worked at a day camp in Quebec for a bit of a summer, Server and Bartender at Le Duck, worked on the family farm “sloppin’ hogs,” and as a Public Educator at a Sexual Assault Centre in Guelph. Oh yea, I was a snowboard instructor at Cobble Hills. Probably other ones too that I forgot about already.

That is it my friends! Untill next time, keep fit and have fun!

Filed Under: answer, blogging

Tagged- Katelyn Style

June 6, 2008 By 3 Comments

Mom tagged us all, so here are my answers…

What was I doing 10 years ago? I was 12, hmm what grade is that I seriously can’t remember back that far. I just finishing up grade 7 at my elementary school (which was a choir school). Probably getting excited for summer!

(I wasn’t 12 in this picture, but it’s still a summer picture!)

What five things are on my “to-do” list for today.

Mic and I have an exciting weekend, we are going camping (in cabins) with our brownie unit! So I have lots to get ready for because I need to get there at 5 to clean (so we don’t kill our peanut/egg allergy child) and to set everything up.

1) Finish work

2) Go to the barn to check on the pigs (and get all smelly)

3) Pick up things from mom & dads- croquet, bocce ball, sleeping bag & cell phone

4) Go home shower and pick up all freezer/fridge food from the fridge/freezer and pack everything into my car

5) Get to the camp and unload my car, clean and wait for brownies!

**Not these brownies!**

These Brownies! (I hope ours are this happy after the weekend!)

Snacks I enjoy?

Chocolate anything! Chips! Ice Cream! I love junk food. Mmmm and Burgers.

Things I would do if I was billionaire?

Quit my job. Go on a lengthy vacation. Buy Scott new farms. Buy/build/renovate a house, get a place of my own to live in. Buy a new wardrobe.

Places I have lived.

Thorndale, Ontario; Guelph, Ontario. I don’t move very much

What types of work have I done?

Family farm labourer, Corn pollinator, strawberry field worker, Snowboarder instructor, Golf course maintenance worker, Research & Development student (for agricultural chemicals), Real Estate administration. And probably more that I am forgetting.

**Below, me in our snazzy work uniform.**

**Really far below Leah showing off her great balance doing a sort of warrior move while on a day trip to Bristol**

See Mic’s answers.

See Lauren’s answers.

Filed Under: answer, blogging Tagged With: , , , ,

Tagged- Lauren style

June 5, 2008 By 1 Comment

What was I doing 10 years ago? I was 8, soon to turn 9, and I was in grade 4 (I think…I don’t want to pull a Mic here), and was at my first elementary school.

What five things are on my “to-do” list for today.
Like Micaela, it’s nighttime, so I’ll write what I did today:
1) Woke up at about 7:00, got ready for work and left at 7:30 to be at work at 8:00
2) Worked until 4, visited Katelyn on my way home for a bit
3) Ate dinner and watched Degrassi High for about an hour or so
4) Went to baseball, where we sadly lost
5) Went to my friends house who I haven’t seen since the beginning on November. He was doing Katimavik this year, and was in BC, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

Snacks I enjoy? chocolate chip cookies, bran muffins, fruit, peanut m&ms, chocolate milk

Things I would do if I was billionaire? Buy cobble and fix it up, buy cars for people, travel the world, sponsor my cheerleading team, give some money to my high school, and of course, go shopping!

Places I have lived. Thorndale, Ontario; Ottawa, Ontario; Minden, Ontario

What types of work have I done? pizza/sub maker at our local variety store, Ontario Ranger, corn pollinator, greenhouse worker, conservation area maintenance worker, ski instructor/coach.

Check out Micaela’s answers here!

Filed Under: answer, blogging Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Letter to Those of You who Arrived at FiveBlondes via Search Engines

December 3, 2007 By 2 Comments

Firstly, thank you for visiting.  If I knew you were coming I’d have baked a cake.

To the visitor who searched for “where is nudge button scrabulous“: alas, Scrabulous has altered the use of the ‘nudge’.  No longer can you nudge at will; now they make you wait a few days.  Personally I enjoy that feature as I have had up to 12 games on the go at once.  It can be hard to keep up!

For our many visitors who arrive with inquiries on how to keep track of who has visited your Facebook profile page:  I must redirect you to Facebooking101.com.  They note that there is currently only one FB (same initials as FiveBlondes…coincidence? Yeah, prolly) app that tracks who visited your page – and those viisting must also have that app for it to work properly (if at all).  Anyway, it’s called Trazkor, and it doesn’t seem to work.

Looking for Erica Lauren, adult film star?  Well, we have Erica and we have Lauren, but sadly (for you) no Erica Lauren.

Lastly, we have what is perhaps my favorite source of traffic.  Those of you looking for “Lululemon Butt Pics”.  While we do love our Lulu, if there are any pictures of our butts in them, it is not intentional.

So, to all you disappointed visitors I extend my apologies and st the same time I thank you for visiting.  I hope you found something you liked.

Filed Under: answer, blogging, erica, facebook, google, internet, life, random, SEO, technology Tagged With: , , , ,
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