thoughts - Five Blondes

Baby #2- Your Thoughts: Boy or Girl?

June 16, 2011 By Kate 12 Comments

I did this survey when I was pregnant with Hailey as well and thought it would be fun to do it again!

Results last time pointed to: A Boy (wrong) born January 25- around 1 week late (most correct answer) and weighing between 7-8lbs (correct)

Pretty much you blog readers were fairly correct last time (ignoring the big mess up saying Hailey would be a BOY!) and I’ve love to see what you have to say about this baby.

Pictures that may or may not sway you:

36 weeks pregnant now vs with Hailey.

(please excuse the horrible face in my 36 weeks photo I was feeling exhausted and overall not wonderful)

37 weeks photos below.

To note:
Hailey was due January 18, 2010- she was born January 23, 2010, 5 days late and weighed 7lbs 15oz.
My due date is July 7, 2010, my belly has been measuring right on, I have gained less weight then with Hailey, and I have been experiencing lots of braxton hicks contractions but did not have any with Hailey.

On to the survey! Answers will be taken until June 23, 2011.

These answers are also a range- ie first answer means 3 weeks early- anywhere between June 16 – June 23

(this one hurts me, please baby don’t be 2 weeks late! That seems crazy!)

Filed Under: pregnancy, Scott & Kate Plus Two, thoughts

A Year in the life of Katelyn

January 1, 2010 By Kate 1 Comment

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

My resolution was to take lots of photos with my camera and to learn all the functions. I definitely took more photos but didn’t learn everything I should have learned about my camera. I got a new lens in 2009 (50mm 1:1.8) which I really love, and should take more photos on in 2010. My resolution for 2010 will build on last year’s- learn all the functions, and to possibly take a photography course. Also I want to take lots of photos of the new baby, but not ugly mother-like ones where you take a million photos and post them all up on facebook for the world to see, even if they are ugly. I will try and limit myself and to only keep the photos that I will print (and should try to actually remember to print them).

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

The day I found out I was pregnant, AND when Laura came over and announced that she was pregnant which resulted in me telling her I was pregnant too and we had a pregnant lady crying fest! I love thinking about that moment.

3. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Growing a baby.

4. What was your biggest failure?

Similar to Leah- being messy. I know it drives Scott crazy but I just can’t keep the house clean! I really hate washing pots and pans, so those tend to pile up in the sink a lot.

5. Whose behavior merited celebration?

I’m not really sure?

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

Sister’s weddings, telling people about the baby to come (but that did make me nervous as well!), and finding out that my BFF was pregnant too!

7. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter- in a HUGE belly kind of way
iii. richer or poorer? Richer -for the time being, this will change fast in the new year.

8. What was the best book you read?

I’ve been having trouble finding books that I love lately. I’m currently reading Belong to Me by Marisa De Los Santos, which was Mic’s best book of 2009. So far I like it but no final word yet.

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

I turned 24 and went to work. We had already celebrated my birthday the day before so I didn’t expect any real recognition- but a co-worker brought me cheesecake which was a nice surprise. And Scott surprised me with a birthday balloon and flowers at work! Then we went to Pizza Hut, because this pregnancy makes me love pizza, and after that we went and had a campfire.

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

Nothing- I think I had a pretty good year.

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

Casual- jeans and a top like usual. Being pregnant hasn’t really changed my personal fashion concept, except that I got to get all new clothes.

12. What kept you sane this year?

Scott

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

One I didn’t learn but know I should learn- don’t care so much what other people think!

Filed Under: katelyn, life, thoughts

Taking the long way around.

December 7, 2009 By Micaela 6 Comments

For a person who is definitely a homebody, I sure do seem to move around a lot. About seven months ago, Kent and I moved to Toronto for his job, and while I think where we are is okay, I would not say that I have thrived here. I have such a strong sense of what home is, that I’m not sure anywhere else could ever take it’s place. The job market in my field is depressing right now, but it’s a good sign that I am wanting it bad enough that I am still hoping and trying to get in. For me anyways, it’s hard to feel good about my life a lot of the time when I’m working in a coffee shop, even when it’s a cozy place and I harbour some serious love for some of the old men regulars whose faces light up when they see that I’m working, who ask, “do you have a few minutes?” and point to the empty chair next to them.

I feel like this recession has hit me hard, and it’s very frustrating at times, especially since I had a good, secure job before I decided to go back to school last year. I take the blame for it, I knew that it’s a tough field to get into right now, and really, I could only have been working since September. In the grand scheme of my life, three months is not very long. In the grand scheme of the past three months however, it’s forever. But I know that when it does happen, I will be very happy with what I’m doing, and even more grateful because of this extra time it took to get there. I know there are a lot of people who just work to pay the bills and don’t actually enjoy it, and I’m not willing to do this with my life (but Micaela, isn’t this what you are doing right now? Good point…) Lately some opportunities have come up and while they are not THE opportunity I am waiting for, they are new paths to help get me there and new ways to feel satisfied and good about what I’m doing with my life. So I’m excited about that.

When I look back on times in the past, I think “you know, you had it really good and I wonder if you even knew it?” I’m sure you know the feeling. I bet that’s how I’ll feel about this, what I have right now, someday. Maybe I’m not making tons of money, but I’m learning a lot about a line of work that Kent is interested in going into someday, and there is a lot I can help him with now. Maybe my boss is not a pleasure to work for, but I am learning a lot about how not to treat people, ever. I’m learning how to not let people’s actions get under my skin and ruin my mood or my day. I’m finding other things to fulfill me that I wouldn’t have found otherwise. I’m able to define myself for who I am, not as a person in a particular role in life.

Filed Under: life, micaela, random, thoughts

Always, Sometimes, Never (take three)

July 24, 2009 By Kate 3 Comments

I always…

press the snooze button at least twice every morning
talk to my cats like they are people
worry
wear my hair in a ponytail
know where I am (direction wise)
think about how a situation would look in a photo

I sometimes…

wish I had a (personal) cell phone
pick at my split ends
wonder where the time went
get dizzy spells

I never…

make the bed
swear
like being home alone
enjoy doing the dishes
go anywhere without my camera

Filed Under: katelyn, thoughts

Wedding Sneak Peek

May 2, 2009 By Kate 7 Comments

Heyy everyone, it’s Lauren here. I was the first one to get my hair and makeup done, so I’m just starting to do some wedding day updates! As I write this Erica is reading the paper beside me (very calm bride!), Leah is getting her hair done, and Kate is getting her makeup done! Mom has been a very busy lady this morning.

Now it’s 10:07: Kate is writing. Leah is getting her hair done, Mom’s getting her makeup done and everyone else is just hanging out. The wedding flowers are here. They are GORG!

Sorry this is sideways! Just turn your head, I know you all are!! This is Erica’s bouquet.

Update: 11:40am – Erica is dressed and being photographed and she looks insanely beautiful!!!!!!! She got dressed OUTSIDE!!!! -Leah

Update: 12:00- Erica is out in the field with the photogs as we watch from the deck. She looks AMAZING, and I got some pictures that won’t ruin the dress for D-dawg if he happens to read this! -Lauren

12.07 pm Mom here! The Blondes are all outside (with DragonBaby in tow) for their photos. If I do say so myself, they all (Erica ESPECIALLY!) look gorgeous. See you at the church…

Filed Under: thoughts, Wedding

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

March 17, 2009 By Micaela 10 Comments

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!

Filed Under: micaela, thoughts, Wedding

Tuesdays With Micaela ~ My engagement photos

March 9, 2009 By Micaela 18 Comments

A couple of months ago I blogged about Winter Engagement Photos and trying to come up with ideas for our own. On what I’m pretty sure was the coldest day in January, Kent and I had ours taken in our cute little town. We ended up being really happy with our photographer, Dana Harper. She only made me wait four days for the pictures! Any girl can appreciate that. I chose 30 of my favourites out of the 300 she sent me, and she edited them for us. When Kent and I are together we always have lots of fun and are constantly trying to make each other laugh and I think Dana did a good job of capturing that.

Here are the results:

If you would like to see the rest, visit my brand new Flickr page at micblonde. I am quite excited to have my own Flickr.

We are going to have a signature frame like this one as our guestbook:

Katelyn and her husband Scott did this and I like the fact that it is up on their wall and always up on display, rather than on a bookshelf collecting dust. Whenever new people come to her house they always look at it right away. Sooo, if you get a chance to look at all of them let me know your favourite. Hope you like!

Filed Under: love, micaela, personal, photography, thoughts, Wedding

Blog Guelph

December 1, 2008 By Leah 12 Comments

As many of you know, both Kate and I attended the University of Guelph. I know we have at least a couple of readers who have also done so (Hi Laura! Hi Allison! Hi Laura Jean! Hi Allison H!) Apparently a lot of Laura’s and Allison’s went to Guelph. I happen to have fallen in love with that city when I was there for four long-yet-not-long-enough years, and I do everything I can to maintain my connection with the Royal City.

Today I found a blog that will help me maintain my connection to Guelph even more! If you are at all (or not at all) interesting in the goings-on of the city of Guelph visit Blog Guelph and drop them some love. I think it is so cool that Guelph itself has a blog. It has photos, events and news related to Guelph. It is also a finalist in the photo art category of the Canadian Blog Awards. At least, go vote for a blog that is truly awesome! Guelph really is a great city, and I miss it there all the time. Although, Calgary is becoming a serious rival. I feel as though I have finally carved my niche here! I am finding all the cool hidden consignment shops (outfit blog to follow this one regarding an excellent find), I am becoming a regular at some awesome spots, the guy in the convenience store in my building now knows me by name, as does the guy in the liquor shop down the street (what can I say, I am a wino). Natalie and I are having fun finding all the fun new places we can. It’s not easy moving to a new city, but luckily I have a great friend, a great boyfriend, amazing family and tons of support from home. Maybe that is the key to a successful move across the country?

EDIT: I have uploaded the pictures from my birthday.

The outfit: This shirt makes me feel like a rockstar and is the comfiest bar shirt to ever exist!

Tim didn’t come out with us because he was tired, and until looking at the photos I didn’t realize how tired he actually looked! Being in hotels, they work you right to the bone.

There may have only been two of us out, but clearly Natalie and I were excited enough for two hundred! There’s nothing like starting out in a fancy club and ending up in a bar in a basement and being happier in the latter.

This is my only evidence from the zoo, obviously I couldn’t resist the baby gorilla and her Mommy napping and playing together!

Tim took me to Murrietta’s West Coast Bar and Grill for my birthday dinner and my restaurant review is: amazing atmosphere, gorgeous restaurant and bar, preofessional staff, amazing melt-in-your-moutn foie gras, and our mains (bouileebaisse and elk two ways) left something to be desired (that doesn’t sound right?), great wine, and even Creemore on tap for Tim – bonus!

Kudos to Mic for the purse, Leah and Stef for the earrings, and Kate for the getting ready rock-out music! That you SO MUCH ladies! Oh, and Tim for the hour long hot stone massage I am getting tomorrow!

Sorry for the giant photos, Erica you can alter them if you like! I am so not great at that sort of thing. I would love a tutorial over Christmas.

Filed Under: birthday, Calgary, fashion, life, thoughts, Uncategorized

Thoughts on a Monday Night

October 27, 2008 By Micaela 9 Comments

My Monday wasn’t too bad:

- I found out that a second kitten is moving into my student house, it belongs to one of my roommates and that means one more kitten that I don’t have to feed, clean up after, or get shots for, or do anything for but play with and cuddle with. I love coming home after classes to a kitten standing at the door just waiting for some love. And how can you not love this:

- I got to Science class and my prof asked me to come speak with him… I was expecting the worst, of course, but what he said was “Your lesson plan was really good, I photocopied one for everyone in the class, would you mind if I hand one out to everyone?” Ummm nope! Definitely a good self esteem boost, school wise!

- We got that much closer to setting a wedding date… we want to do it at a church that is not our home church so it’s that much more complicated. Soon, though!

- I made a sweeeeet dinner for my roommate Jen and I for when she came home from class starving at 6:00.

- I got a job tutoring a gr. 10 boy in English!

- Had a good phone chat with Kent… well until he told me that he can’t come visit this weekend! Since I started school we’ve managed to still see each other every weekend and of course the whole three weeks that I was off when my school went on strike. It’s his sister’s birthday though so I can’t fault him for that. I guess I would like to have a fiance who thinks his sister’s birthday is an important event. Plus he did take not only my birthday off but the WEEK OF my birthday since he needed to use up some vacation time. We can’t go away since I’m in school but he is going to come vacation at my student house in Windsor… doesn’t get much more luxurious than that! So to everyone who is my friend in real life – November 8! We’re going out in London and it’s a Saturday… birthday’s on Saturdays are extremely important events. The last time my birthday was on a Saturday I was 20 and I got pushed home in a shopping cart.

- My Oma had her hip replacement surgery and she is doing well!

- And always the best part of Mondays: remembering all the fun you had on the weekend! I went with Katelyn, her husband Scott, and a bunch of friends to a Halloween dance in a town near ours – one weekend early but that just means drawing out the fun even longer. This Friday my roommates and I are having a Halloween party of our own.

Here are some pictures of the fun last weekend:

I was a horseback rider and that’s my horse, Sheila. It was impossible for anyone to come near me without kissing it, kicking it, riding on it, feeding drinks to it, or… performing various inappropriate activities with/to it. That’s my friend Rebecca kissing it here.