Raise the Roof, it's Friday

So i know i should be doing a flashback Friday...but i have some exciting news.  I gave myself a break from No Doubts new album...i decided to go back and re-listen to it again yesterday...i am not as disappointed.  I mean, it isn't as good as their previous albums which i could listen to on repeat for days on end and not get tired of it.  But...now listening to the new album...more songs are standing out...and i have identified a few that i really like.  So i am happy that we took some time apart.

I also did my nails last night....i hate them....SOO MUCH.  i had this really nice super bright like orangey coral colour...and at 10:30 last night i decided to put this translucent white/pearly colour over top...now i have GRANDMA nails.  The nails you would see at the country club on well do to women of leisure.  But it was too late to take everything off and start again.  So i am stuck with them all day and evening.  ALL DAY!!! i am going too look at my nails and be like...why??? Why did you do that?  You are a smart person, you make great nail choices...how did you miss this one so much?

In other news....my physio guy gave me a new exercise today because i refused the plank exercise he gave me last time...i am not a great patient.  But he is letting me give the new exercise a name.  I also am suppose to get up every hour and stretch my legs because a lot of my back pain is from this one muscle (he told me the name but i can't remember...i am not going to call it the stupid spot) is from sitting for long periods of time....which worried me because one of my favourite things to do is sit on the couch for hours, watch TV and craft...now i am suppose to get up every hour and move around...that totally disrupts the craft flow.  Oh well...if the pain will go away i am okay with that...it is like a dull throbbing in my lower left love handle. 

Tomorrow starts the Tea count down.  I am doing to do a separate post each day just for the tea of the day.  The regular posts will still continue as always.

Maybe this weekend will be the weekend i get my new phone.

I also got a new duvet today...i love the bay one day sale, regularly $400, gluckstien home queen duvet...i bought it for $129...WOOT! 

I really want this:  But it is like $700 which seems just a bit too expensive.  But isn't it pretty...don't you love it?  I would settle for a different bay jacket maybe...but this one is my favourite.   But they are all too expensive.

Tung Ting Tea

Saturday is the first day of TEA!  i am excited.  Today i am drinking Tung Ting Oolong.  I got a little sample pack mainly because i loved the name.  Ting is so close to Tin that i felt that the tea was just for me.  It isn't bad.  Just straight oolong, no flavouring or anything.

Also, my last convert, her team at work has decided to drink their way through the David's Tea menu...They asked me to join.  After i checked off everything i had drank in the menu, there wasn't that much tea left to try.  I actually got to try a lot during the dollar iced tea days, a different iced tea every day.  Plus then all the samples they hand you while you are shopping.  So i have tried lots of the teas.

In other news...I am exhausted...There has been so much crazy at work this week....that i feel like punching things...which is why i am so mad i haven't found a good kick boxing place.  I though i had one through boot camp but the teacher stopped teaching because he was preparing for a fight.  Now i am back to square one.  I want to punch things!  Although i have been very good with my other exercise...i run twice a week.  I call it run club because it seems less like running and more like a fun meeting.  The only way i will run regularly if i run with people. Then boot camp every Thursday...that is 3 regular work outs a week.  Then i will do yoga on my own once a week.  i also have that Windsor Pilate's DVD...maybe i should start doing it again.  I think i am going to cancel my good life membership because i have my running and boot camp so i haven't gone in awhile.

Decisions to be made!

Also i have lots of crafts to finish before Christmas and i need to get my Christmas baking started...and i need to buy presents.  I feel like i am very behind.

Time to make a plan! Create a schedule of my upcoming days.  I also need to figure out how i am getting down to K-Town for me and Alex adventures (27 - 30) CAN'T WAIT.

Chasing Pavement

So...i can't stop listening to the Adele song, Chasing Pavement.  I don't know why but it is a song that stops me in my track and i just have to listen to it over and over again.

The chorus is of course the part that gets stuck the most.

Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements

Even if it leads nowhere?

Or would it be a waste even if I knew my place

Should I leave it there?

Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements

Even if it leads nowhere

I don't know if i can explain it or why but...it just sticks.  It means something to me....it is unidentified right now...but i keep thinking the more i listen to the song, the better i will be able to identify why it speaks to me.
I also find it weird...that i liked the song before....it always has been a great song...but right now...this past two weeks...it has been this song.

It's not like i see it as a love song because let's face it i have a horrible record with relationships....and i know...i have never been in love...i won't let myself...i am too afraid to get hurt.  Maybe that is why the song is speaking to me....i keep giving up....any time it looks like i could get even a little hurt...maybe i secretly want to keep chasing 'pavement' even if i will get hurt.  Maybe my mind is telling me i am ready to take the risk.  Although to take the risk...i need a potential candidate....which currently, there are none.  I am batting a great big zero when it comes to guy potential.  I am thinking the only way i will meet any new guys is if i do online dating....and i HATED it last time. 

I know i am a big believer in not making new years resolutions...but to just make a decision/resolution at any time and stick to it.  But lately...all my proposed changes and stuff...i say to myself, i will start that in January...i don't have time to start things before Christmas....Christmas will keep me too busy.  But i think that is my fear talking to me....i need to make one change before Christmas.  i need to keep moving forward.


Alright...i don't want to depress you more....so onto more exciting things...i found my smoke detector and i have started the process of cleaning under my sinks and clearing the areas they will look at.  I am so ready for random strangers to go through my place tomorrow without me being there.....nope....STILL HATE IT.  Really want to call my Landlord up and be like...dude, no you can't come into my place....but that is directly opposite to my goal of being an invisible tenant.

Apartment Troubles

Okay....i am not really having apartment troubles and when i tell you the full story, you will laugh at me but i got a notice yesterday saying they are doing annual checks of fire alarms, plumbing and changing the batteries in the fire alarm on Thursday so they will need access to my apartment.  I HATE people in my apartment when i am not there.  It is my space and i am very protective of my space.  So when problems pop up in the apartment, instead of calling my landlord, i just find a work around, because i don't want to bother him and i don't want him to think i am a bad tenant.  I know...i am a mental case. 

So now they are coming in on Thursday.  The tap on my bathroom sink doesn't run hot water.....the fire alarm goes off when i have a hot shower so i took it down and turned it off....now i have to find it...BEFORE THURSDAY or i could get fined.  i figured it would be fine because there are other smoke detectors around.  and mine was faulty anyways.

Also i hide all my recycling under the sink in the kitchen.

So now, i am going to have to do all this clean up before they come.  Although i have been having people over more lately...and my apartment is pretty clean.....it is not perfect....i still have piles of clothing i am getting rid of.  I need someone to help me drag them to a donation centre....i also want to get rid of the broken TV...but i need help with that.  And with these people coming in...it highlights all the things that need to get done.

A plug in my kitchen also stopped working...but instead of getting it fixed....i just got a power bar and plugged it into the one working plug.  I really need to get over this people in my apartment thing.  I just don't want to call the landlord because i am worried he will get mad at me for doing something wrong...when i haven't done anything wrong.  I know it is ridiculous.  It's his job and he is there to help me and stuff....and i am clearly a mental case.

I have been thinking.....maybe....it is time to settle in.  I have recently learned that i can't afford to buy any permanent residence in Toronto.  And although my apartment is my place.....it is not really my home..i have always treated it like my place, the place i live but i have never really fixed it up or made it more livable.  I know i said i would awhile ago...but instead i decided to start thinking about buying something.  Now that buying isn't happening....i guess i am going to have to get those blinds...which i thought were too expensive to buy for a temporary location...but it is not looking so temporary anymore.  I want to get a wardrobe to put into the bedroom for more clothes storage....i want to get a like butcher block to extend kitchen space.  And i want to put shelves on the walls.  There are lots of things i want to do...but i am not very handy and kind of cheap.  I know you are all like, cheap isn't what i would call you....i can drop like $200 on new boots but spending money on household items seem like an extravagant expense.  I really need to not think this way.  But i kind of feel like this is something i would never do for myself.  And i have finally figured out because i don't look at my apartment as a permanent home so why would i do all this work to make it nicer?

6 day until the tea count down.

So what did everyone do this weekend?  I had a puke-tastic day on Friday.  I know it was suppose to be my pj day but Andrea asked me for a Sister Favour and you don't refuse a sister favour.  So i reverse commuted to Ajax Friday morning to watch a sick Braydon.  I prayed he wasn't throwing up because that is one thing i don't deal with well.  Puke scares me so much.  And he was completely fine.  Ally insisted on staying home and 'help' me babysit Braydon.  But it was more like, Braydon played on the computer and Ally sat on my lap all day telling me stories and singing songs with me.  She is a very affectionate kid.  She also talked all day long.  Wylie once said that when he works from home, Ally sits beside him and talks all day.  This makes me think Ally has a lot more Andrea and Alex in her than Stephanie.  Because they both are talkers.
Best part of the day when Ally wanted to watch glee over and over again but just the songs...but then she wouldn't let me sing along because she was trying to listen.  But now she loves singing 'holding out for a hero'.
Worst part of the day....when Ally puked in Andrea's face.  I did not handle the situation well.  I almost puked myself....i feel like puking right now while remembering it.  Super gross!  Then after Andrea cleaned up.....she fell down the stairs...it was a regular gong show.
After that, i was convinced that i was next to fall to the flu.  I mean Ally was at my side or even closer all day long...she spread her germs all over me.  I became quite paranoid.

I had big plans on Saturday and i didn't want to miss them because of the flu...so I stopped eating...no food, no beverage....i was not going to puke.  So off i went to get my hair cut (LOVE IT...you can see the picture on my twitter) and spent the entire time telling myself i wasn't feeling nauseous that it was all in my head.  Mom picked me up and we all went downtown to see Skyfall on Imax.  It was good.  Not my favourite but then again, i am not a huge James Bond fan...i know...sacrilege to all die hards but suck it up...i don't freak out when you don't love teen dance movies. 
Side note...i have been marathoning the show Roswell (teen aliens!!) and Kyle form Roswell is Jack from revenge.  I can't believe it took me that long to place him...i am ashamed of my delay.....oh teen knowledge how you have failed me.

Okay so back to my weekend.  After the movie we went and grabbed dinner...i ate..it was like once i got one bite in me...i had to devour it...well i did starve myself all day to avoid puking.  I hate puking.  And i was so worried after i inhaled my meal i would puke...but i didn't!!! woot. 

Sunday we went running...it sucked..i was so not ready for the cold.  It became freezing like over night.  I needed warmer clothes.  Lesson learned.  I got a hot chocolate on the way home so i had something to warm me.  Then got home and went back to bed to warm up.  Sunday was a nice relaxing day.

Now...I have a few tea announcements - 6 days until our tea advent calendar starts....CAN'T WAIT!!!!  Also...got another tea convert.  Seriously...i am 3 for 3 now.  I rock at tea conversion.  i am the best tea pusher in the land.  you just need to find their flavour profile...once you have that...you got them!  Although now i am out of potential candidates...so that is sad.  But i will always be ready to spread the word of tea.

Today's my friday!

I am super excited that i have tomorrow off.  I am taking a day...i haven't had time off since the summer, which doesn't seem like a long time.  But in this high octane time at work, it is like 3 years.  So we are encouraged to take one day during this time to relax and re-charge.  I have been meaning to book my for weeks...and just haven't gotten around to it.
So tomorrow is the day!

I actually have big plans this weekend....tomorrow pj day then movie with Jenn.  Saturday....i am getting my hair did!  I am not sure what i want done but i am excited.  It is way to long right now...and i think if i keep letting it grow, it will soon take me over and choke me in my sleep.  My hair gets tangled everywhere!  I don't want to cut it all off.  I like the long hair...but mine is just getting so long, it is unruly.  So i am thinking it needs to be cut and layers put in it to make it a little less straight and messy.  Then nice rich dark maybe brown with some low lights.....although, let's face it.  My hair dresser is in charge of me.  Last time i went and i wanted funky red colour and she gave me a nice light brown with lots of blond and brown highlights...it looked very natural and very pretty.  it also grew out super nice....i didn't even really had roots.  I know most of you would be like...what how can your hair dresser not give you what you ask for.  But here is my theory.  They are trained and got to school just to learn how to give great hair cuts and what hair cuts suit what face.  So they already know what should suit you.  Now i am not saying just walk into a salon and pick someone at random...but i have been with my hair dresser for like 6 plus years....she knows my style, she knows me, and she knows my hair.  I have always been satisfied with my hair after she has done it.  It may not be what i wanted originally but it is always better that what i wanted.  I only see what i want immediately and she takes into account how it will grow out.  Which is an important aspect.  For example.  i think i want a nice blunt bang again but you know how much i hate growing out my bangs and how much they have driven me insane...i have been growing out the blunt bang since last year.  But right now all i can remember is how much i enjoyed the blunt bang and how it suited me.  But what i should be thinking about is how i had to trim them myself and how it was always in my eyes.  Although the more i talk about it the more i think...blunt bang??? maybe!

I am so excited about my hair cut...it may be the highlight of the weekend.  Although after the hair cut we are going to see James bond.  Me and steph are taking mark, mom, and dad.  I know mark and dad are super excited. 

Sunday is run club...then Tak mentioned Dim Sum.  And i am down with that.  I do want to get together with Andrea so we can have a Christmas craft day.  Maybe Sunday afternoon will be the day or maybe next weekend will be better.  I must discuss with Andrea.  I also need to decide what tea to put in my vodka for alex.  Me and Alex are both going to infuse vodka with tea and then try them at the fondue.  I love the idea but i am uncertain about infusing rules...how long do you leave it in there? will it be better if i get a nicer vodka? or can i use russian prince vodka because it is super cheap and i love the russian dude on the bottle?  These are the questions people! 

Two become One

So guys...it may be time soon...to say goodbye to my Zach Morris phone.  I love my black berry but i am getting tired of carrying around two tech devices all the time...so i am thinking i need to find a phone that can satisfy the awesome phone aspects of my blackberry and the fun side of my ipod touch.

I know what you are thinking - obvious choice is the iPhone.  But not always. 

My number one important issue when finding a new phone...the texting ability.  and i hate the typing on the touch screen of my ipod...it fills me with rage..it never recognizes my letters..i will hit r and it will give me e or t....so...i need a touch screen that won't make me want to throw it in a rage when it repeatedly mistakes my typing.  That is why i have held out so long....i still have a keyboard on my black berry.  that and my bbm friends - mom, Ryan, Amy, and Cameron has been making an appearance lately. 

so what to do people?  i need help deciding because you know i am not great a tech related decisions.

So i have narrowed it down to three options:

Samsung Galaxy - my co-worker told me the keyboard on the screen is more user friendly then the iPhone and it is more adaptable to changes and upgrades...meaning if i don't like something i can change it...positive - love the idea of making the phone work for me.....negative - i am not great friends with technology and will have trouble making the updates and changes without someone to help me.  plus itunes?

IPhone - it seems like the logical progression....plus i think it is the most user friendly.  but there is very little changes i can do and as you know me and the iPhone keyboard...not great friends....but there are lots of fun skins and cases i can get and i can make my phone look awesome and pretty.  the only negative for this is the keyboard thing.

Nexus phone - my co-worker recommended this one.  i don't know much about it but it is suppose to be a more affordable version of the samsung galaxy. 

So people....i don't know what to do...this is a big decision....i just wish that i could keep my keyboard but have all the fun apps and music from my ipod...why can't my blackberry and itouch get together and have a IBerry which would have the keyboard of the blackberry and bbm as well as the apps and music from my ipod?

Queen Bee of Tea

So....i got my friend totally into David's Tea last night.  She was on the edge and i made her go with me last night.  She got a tea press, they came out with a new colour....super jealous.  I really wish they would come up with mugs that had exchangeable colour parts so i could keep updating my mug to my current favourite colour...wouldn't that be awesome.

So the key to my friends tea love....Grandma teas.....so exited.  Everyone has a weakness for something and i find it and then present them the perfect tea for them.  Now the Bex's has joined the ranks of the tea obsessed....i need a new target.  I found one....and it is where i least expected it.  I have this friend, me and her are very similar in a lot of ways, both enjoy tween stuff....you know the regular me friend.  And she makes fun of my tea obsession even telling me i need a 12 step program.  Well guess what she told me today.....she may be caving on the tea thing...and she wants me to make her fancy tea tonight when she comes over for new girl.  WHAT???? that is so exciting.  so i started talking to her about how excited i was and how great the tea is.  and she said i overwhelmed her and she is not so certain any more.  Damn my excitement got the better of me.  I have to remember she is like a deer, i have to let her come to me.

I also got some exciting new teas last night.  Salted Caramel, Blood Orange Pu'erh, Three Wishes, and Love Potion #7.  Oooh and i got a tea spoon so i now know how much to use for each cup.  Yay proper tools!

OOOOuch....i just bit my lip....damn lunch....apparently it is true, you don't win friends with salad....or salads don't make friends with you.......never mind, i just can't make that work.  I have that song in my head.

Which brings me to another completely random point.  Biebs...what is happening with his pants.  I have always said he has a pants problem where he has a really baggy crotch and then skinny tight legs.  I know it is suppose to be a style...like harem pants or something but NO....they don't look good at all.  I have a pair of harem pants, but they are pj pants STRESS the word Pajama!!!  and only worn in the comfort of my own apartment.....i won't even wear them to the laundry room or the garbage shoot.

That was Totally Funny, you get a medal

That is what my nephew told me last night at our family dinner which turned it to a funny face competition where my nephew made everyone make faces then he awarded imaginary medals to everyone.  He of course gave himself 99 medals, declaring himself the winner...but he was nice enough to give us medals.

It was a great weekend.  Remy threw up a hair ball on Saturday and then seemed completely fine, he is back to eating and drinking and using the litter box.  He even tried to steal my meal on Sunday morning...so he is back to his normal behaviour.  YAY!

So it was a Christmas filled weekend, my dad and i always have a tradition on the Santa Claus parade weekend.....Saturday the Christmas lights go up and Sunday we watch the parade, eat chili and candy and hot chocolate.  But this year.....we decided to take Brady and Ally down to see the parade.  Mom told me on Saturday the paper said to bring a thermos of Hot Chocolate and a blanket.  I did a variation of that...my army print fleece, and my travel mug of Santa's Secret tea.  Dude it was delicious tea!  The kids were a little uncertain about this parade thing.  Braydon started out facing the opposite direction of the parade...and ally only wanted to sit on my lap.  but gradually they warmed up and had an awesome time.

As for today....my back is bothering me...so i am going to have to do all my physio stretches...which i have been lazy about last week.  But my stupid back...it hurts so much..it annoys me...it is on my lower left side.  And apparently it is from my slouching too much and not strong enough core and upper back.  Stupid body is really letting me down.  What's a girl to do when her body starts rejecting her.  If i don't exercise i feel low and tired but if i do exercise i have all these aches and pains.  It is like what is better, never having enough energy to do anything or being to sore to do anything?

But the most exciting news of all.  Shoppers has put me in a pilot program where they will send me personalized coupons.  I was a little uncertain about it until i got my first one.....6000 optimum points when i buy $30 of nail polish.  That is like the perfect coupon for me....the other ones are make up related.  I can't wait for my next set of personalized coupons.  I think shoppers has really sold me.  I was a little hesitant about this optimum program but if they keep throwing me coupons like this...well i am willing to be a vocal supporter. 

11 days until it is time for the Final count down...the TEA count down. 

Spoiler Alert.......I am a mental case

Remy seems better.  I am such a mental case....i had boot camp last night...it was agility drills, which is basically a lot of running and changing directions and stops & starts.  It is never my favourite because i have always been a slow and steady girl......But there is one drill i will always love, the foot ball catching...you have to run down the turf and then he yells out a direction...you have to turn and cut in the direction he yells to catch the foot ball.  5 for 5 last night!!!

Then i was heading immediately to the movies with Carolyn and friends to see Twilight.  Now i know you guys know...i am not a big twilight fan.  But it was an experience.  The only problem is the entire time i was freaking out in my head that Remy was sick and he needed me.  I put down some oily tuna for him before i left for boot camp and he didn't eat it.  He won't eat any lubricating foods...not butter, not oil....but he will go crazy for pumpkin puree.  He is a weird cat. 

During the movie...i may have made a few twi-hard enemies because i laughed at some inappropriate parts...plus the special effects were HORRIBLE.  But do you know who was in that movie...Lee Pace...aka The Pie Man...from a tiny show that nobody but Andrea will get the reference....Pushing Daisies.  He was by far my favourite character...and i am a little in love with him now....he is the only one who made sparkle vampires seem bad ass.  Sorry people...i just can't get behind the sparkling...i have said it before and i will say it again....Joss Whedon got it right with Buffy....why do we keep trying to change it? 

Anyways...after the movie was over and i was heading home...i started worrying about Remy...i started to picture him very sick and then i started to get mad at myself about going to the movies instead of being with him....this happened to me a lot after Logan died...i would be okay out but as soon as i would head home i would start freaking out that something was wrong with Remy and i would basically have panic attacks of guilt for enjoying myself when my baby needed me.  I can't explain it...i am clearly a mental case...but by the time i got home last night and put the key in the lock...i was worked up quite a lot.  Then i saw him and he seemed completely fine....then i was so mad at myself for freaking out about nothing.  Anyways...i stayed up late and hung out with Remy, we played, and he licked the tuna oil plate, ate some food, drank some water...then i went to bed and slept through the night....i always wake up when Remy is getting sick...and i didn't wake up last night...and there were no sick piles this morning....so we made it through the night without any issues.  Plus he seemed quite perky this morning.  I think he may have just been feeling under the weather but he is better now.  I will be keeping a close eye on him all weekend and maybe feeding him some wet food just to get him back to eating a lot. 

In other news...i have no new tea to try until Advent calendar time.  But it is Santa Claus parade weekend...which means it is the start of Christmas!!!!

Breaking

I am tired and being overly dramatic about Remy and his sickness.  It is most likely a hair ball but i am a little sensitive about cat sickness. 

What else is new.....well everyone around me at work is stressed out and i feel slightly out of step.  I am focusing on other things.  We all get one 'reboot' day during the campaign.  I keep meaning to take mine but after not taking time off for so long, i am just use to taking days off.  I haven't taken a sick day this year.  and i have had only one personal day.  I worry i will miss something if i am not at work.  Something will go wrong and they will need me to fix it.  Every week i am like...Friday will be my 'reboot' day.  And Friday comes around and i haven't even attempted to book it off.  My boss has told me....next Friday...it will be my reboot day.  Decision made.  Which will be nice, and it gives me a whole week to work up to it.

I enjoyed the Banana Cream Pie yesterday but i don't think i steeped it long enough.  Next time i would steep it for just a bit longer.

I also got my bike back last night, Amy, Andrew, and David drove it over and dropped it off so i didn't even need to brave traffic again!  Phew.  But while they were there...i gave out more tea samples. I am the best tea pusher around.

Anyways...my brain did not come to work today.  I am feeling off myself, not sick or anything but just exhausted.  I am wondering if the weather is affecting me more than i realize.  I have been taking my b12 but maybe i need more.

I also ran last night and weirdly enjoyed it.  I may have cracked the reason i don't like running.  It is too hot.  Well also it sucks but it is more bearable in colder weather.

Tails of a Cat

So, i was having Remy worry all day yesterday, and i stopped at the grocery store on the way home yesterday and bought him his favourite....tuna...expensive tuna.  When i got home, he hadn't eaten any of his food, so i put out the tuna and he devoured it.  So i decided there must be something in the food he doesn't like, i dumped all the food, washed and cleaned both his food and water bowl again and set out new food and water.  As of this morning he still hasn't touched it...and he got sick a lot last night again.  It is so weird, he is fine when i get home, no piles of sick anywhere....then all evening he is chill....but the middle of the night for the past three nights he has gotten sick.  I can't afford (mentally) for Remy to be sick...i will lose it.  So please everyone, send your positive vibes and thoughts Remy's way. 

Tuesday was a sucky day all around, work was frustrating.  I am a huge team player and i hate when people have such narrow views of their job, like they will only do what they have specifically been told to do.  That looks bad on all of us.  Maybe it was the way i was raised but i have a healthy respect for doing my job and doing it well and being available if anyone at all has questions.  If i don't have the answers i will find them or direct them to the right person.  It is just the way i operate and i don't understand people that work contrary to that.  I encountered some of this yesterday and it frustrated me.

Also putting me in a bad mood, i did not like yesterday's tea.  Hated it so much...it was Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait....i don't know what it was that i didn't like but it had a weird taste.  Normally i love all herbal and fruit teas but this one just didn't work.  Looking closer at the ingredients it had yogurt bits, raisins, carrots, and beet root.  Any one of those flavours could have put me off.  Anyways...i barely drank it and was disappointed.  Today is my last free sample, banana cream pie.  I am a little skeptical but i seem to be favouring black teas lately over my regular fruit teas.  It is strange...normally i am a big green tea drinker during the day and then do a herbal tea at night...but it seems lately i am all about the black tea during the day.  Anyways....from tomorrow until December 1st, i will be rotating between: Read my lips, Midsummer night, and Life long oolong.  All delicious teas.  But i really think i need to get a green tea to round out that list.

I am eating a new type of apple today for breakfast....a honey crisp.  It is quite delicious.  It is much bigger than a regular apple, it is juicy but not too juicy and it is not mealy which i hate.

I have decided today will be better because i said so.  I am also back on my regular b12 vitamin intake plus i had tacos last night....which always cheers me up.  Tacos are the BEST! 

Tuesday

Second day of the work week.....the day new girl is on.  I have always liked Tuesdays.  Today i am not feeling it.  I am feeling a little under the weather...well not really under the weather...but i have a headache.  And Remy was sick last night...and i have noticed he has barely eaten any food....so of course i am worried.  But he did eat like 4 treats this morning.  I wonder if he is telling me he doesn't like his food? 

In Tea news.  Jenn came up with some great ideas for our tea squad.  I can't remember the names right now, i should have written them down but they were awesome.  Both me and Jenn had Chocolate Chill Chai yesterday.  I really enjoyed it, it was a good black tea, with a little bit of kick to it.  Very similar to the Coco Chai Rooibos.  In fact, if i had to pick between the two teas, i would go with the Rooibos because i had a bit more of a kick....which is strange because it has coconut in it and i do not like coconut.  Maybe i should stop writing off tea with coconut in it.  I will try other coconut teas...i have a few in my sampler pack that i have been avoiding.

Last night was the team in training thank you party.  It was fun.  I love my running team, i think steph did a great job at pulling together a group.  I know our race is over but we have become quite a tight group and we will continue to run together, and i think we are going to have outings on a regular basis. 

Also, this co-worker sent me a link to an awesome star sweater on eBay.  I am going to bid on it.  I am super excited about it because....well....i love star sweaters.  Plus, i am not saving for anything any more, so let's spend and live the life of excess.  After all, i am probably going to be a renter forever....unless i fall in love or something and move in with a guy.  Although, my dating record, that seems very unlikely.  I have kind of given up on love and decided...the spinster life is for me.  If i had a million dollars, i would be a big house, with lots of space, and get a bunch of dogs and cats...i would rescue all the animals that need love.... it would take my crazy cat lady vibe just up another notch. 

Anyways....i feel like i can't stay on topic for long, and this post has jumped around way too much.

I bought this dress:

 

The tea i will be drinking today.....Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait.  It should be interesting because it has yogurt and carrots in it....which seems weird to me....in a tea.

Craft Weekend

So...a few things happened this weekend.....I learned that it will be a LONG while before i become a home owner.  I am slightly depressed about it...but that is a story for another day.

I got my Advent calendar from David's Tea.....I can't wait for Dec 1st.  Jenn and Alex and Amy are all going to get the calendar and we are going to discuss that tea of the day....so my blog may become tea heavy in December....but truthfully it is pretty tea heavy right now...so no big change.

Saturday, i went for brunch.....i love brunch (best meal ever) with Will and Jess, we went to Uncle Betty's.  It was delicious, i got breakfast in a bowl....hash browns, eggs, sausage, and cheese...I also loved that it was all in one bowl.  Normally i am weird and don't like my foods co-mingling unless i decide they can....but this bowl thing....i has possibility.
I also stopped in at this craft store, Mary Maxim to see if i could find some elbow patches to start my elbow patch mission.  Guess what....i got some....they had the heavy duty suede patches in brown, grey, and black...so of course i bought them all.

I rushed home and pulled out my sweaters and started planning my elbow patching.  I decided to start with the brown patches.....i spent time lining them up and making sure they were positioned correctly...sewed them, and then decided i hated them.  So i tried the black patches on this other sweater on Sunday and they are better BUT i don't like the placement of the black ones. But i do like how i sewed them better.  So i unstitched the brown ones, and will re sew them tonight.  I am experiencing elbow patch remorse.  They are just not what i expected.  My friend Kelly says that i hyped them so much that no matter what i wouldn't like them. 

On Sunday, me and dad made fruit cake.  I think it was a pretty successful....and it really got me excited about the kick off to the Christmas season, AKA The Santa Claus Parade.  Which is next weekend!  I am going to bake so much stuff, and make jar gifts.....and scarfs......i can't wait.  Next weekend i think i will make cake pops.  As the start to my Christmas season!

I am drinking a new tea this morning - Chocolate Chili Chai.  I will let you know my feelings later.

Awards in Excellence

So for the month of October, i was named Athlete of the month for the Women's Elite program at our boot camp.  What does that mean?  It means that for the month of October I showed major improvement in athletics.  It all comes back to my half marathon. 

Can i be honest....of course i can, it's my blog.....i have never been one to love working out....in fact for the amount i do it...i sure do hate it a lot...and complain about it a lot.  But strangely i still do it.  Anyways....i have always felt miles behind the others in my boot camp class because everyone else is so intense about it.  So focused on crushing their work out.  Me on the other hand...i am just focused on surviving.  I can't do chin ups, i can only hold a plank for like 30 seconds, i fade quicker than the rest of the people in the class.  My main focus on class is just keeping up or trying to be invisible.  Now i have the title of Athlete of the Month.....do you know what that means.....expectations.  I will no longer be able to just keep up with everyone else...i am no going to have to excel.  It's a lot of pressure for someone who struggles to keep up.

But other than the new expectations...i am very excited about the title.  I got a gift card...and it is neat to be recognized for being athletic.  And i did run a half marathon.  So i guess the title is deserved.

In other news.....found the BEST pen yesterday.  I don't think i can explain how awesome it is.  It says "brett boake, Advancing your business"  And it is one of those transformer, 3 in 1 pens.  That is right it can be a pencil or a black pen or a red pen.  It is Amaz-balls!  I am weirdly excited about this pen.  I think it is because i work at a place where supplies are scarce.  Finding an awesome pen at work is like winning the lottery.

I think i am going to have a crafty weekend.  Go on an adventure to find elbow patches and work on my blanket and Christmas present plans.  Maybe marathon Roswell or Dark Angel.  Although i am extremely behind in Dexter...so i can always catch up on that as well. 

Checked out

So....lately i have noticed i have been very checked out.  I am super tired all of the time, and I don't wake up excited to be awake.  Normally it is a horrible time to get me awake.

What can i do about this?  It isn't like i am staying up to all hours of the night, i am asleep before midnight and i don't wake up until like 7:45ish.  So it isn't a lack of sleep. I have been really good with food this week, eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Although i didn't today because i felt super gross when i woke up....even right now, the idea of food makes me want to yak.  So what is the deal?  I wish that those tests came back low thyroid because then it would be explainable.

So....what are my options or solutions at fixing this sluggish checked out feelings?  Well.....step one: I need to get back into an exercise routine.  Every day from now on, i will go to the gym and run on the treadmill.  Get my fitness back up, after the half marathon, i took a break....then i experienced back pain...now...i think i am kind of missing the exercise.  I also think the weather is bothering me...it is always so dark when i am done work now....all i want to do is go home, get into my sweatpants and sleep.  I never thought i would actually miss my exercise!

step two: drink lots and lots more water!  I drink water throughout the day....but i don't think it is enough.  I need to up my water intake even more.

step three: new haircut.  sometimes, a little thing like a hair cut can really perk me up.  With Christmas coming up....i want to be all perked up and excited.  I want to be present...and not zoned out.  I have been zoned out for a long while and it is time to bring it back and become present again. 

My co-worker is recommending i go to see her nautropath.  I am going to do some research.

So to re-cap...i am researching Kick Boxing & Nautropaths. 

I do not have a Problem

So.....my co-workers are worried about my level of tea love.  I know it is a large love.  And i can't stop talking about how great tea is and i love the accessories and everything.  But guess what!  David's tea just released the Tea advant calendar.  I did not know about this last year and i feel like i missed out.  So, i just ordered it online (free shipping).  I was going to rush to the store immediately but i don't think i have enough discipline to wait.  Let's be truthful.  I know i don't have enough discipline to wait. 

So ordering online was the right thing for me.

In other David's tea news.....they are opening a store at yorkdale.  So now i have two relatively close to me.  Yorkdale will be easy to get to, so i am very excited. 

Do you know what else is great about tea?  Everything.  Seriously, i was thinking about this yesterday when i was sitting on the subway minding my own business reading my book and heading home...when....

BAM

This woman knocks the coffee (Tim Horton's) out of the girl beside me...it spills all over me.  Then they both got off at St George and i was left sitting in a puddle of coffee smelling horrible.  I don't enjoy the smell of flavoured coffee.   It always smells slightly off to me and i smelled horrible the rest of the ride home...plus everyone kept avoiding the giant puddle at my feet and giving me dirty looks for messing up the subway.  I wanted to be like....look this isn't my mess...i am just part of the mess....please don't be mad at me...this was beyond my control.

So what did we learn today....tea = awesome, coffee = yuck!  And i know all you caffeine addicts out there will disagree with me, but some teas have caffeine, so you can get your fix without the horrible coffee side affects.  maybe it was just me that had coffee issues.  It use to give me the worst stomach aches...i would drink it and immediately have acid reflux and i would have the worst stomach cramps.  It was not worth it.  Tea is a MILLION times better.  Tell me your favourite flavour and i will find you a tea you can't live without.  I did it with Jenn and i can do it with you. 

Wait a minute...LIGHT BULB.  Alex, me and you need to start a Tea team..you know get the word out, it will be like, you know those dodge commercials where they replace the cars...let's replace the beverages.  The Tea-vengers? We can work on the name. oh and we should have code names...and maybe a dress code?  Let's talk!

The world is safe....from my headphones

So last night i got free passes to an early screening of Lincoln.  It was wonderful....well acted, interesting story.  But there were a few things i couldn't get past.  So the screening was scheduled for 7pm.  The doors were suppose to open at 6:30.  Instead we stood in a huge line forEVER and then when we started moving we learned we couldn't take any electronic devices into the theatre.  So me and Amy checked our phones.  I still had my ipod and my headphones in my purse but earlier when we were still decided if we wanted to check our phones or not...i had hid my ipod in this little pocket in my purse....so when it came to checking time..i completely forget about it.  So when they checked my bag...they were like, you can't take your headphones in.  I was very confused because they weren't attached to anything and they didn't actually do anything electronic without something to plug into...So i questioned this logic of me not being able to bring my headphones in.  Seriously.....it isn't like i can secretly film the movie with BRIGHT PINK headphones. First of all, that is not their use....second of all, i am not that technically savy to be able to hide a recording device in my headphones.  So i had to check my headphones.  (i still don't understand that...but everyone relax...the movie is safe from my headphones).
Then it took so long to get people into the theatre because after you check your phone, and then get your bag checked......you had to get one of those medal detector wand things waved over you.  So the movie started super late....how late, i have no idea because we all had to check our phones.  And after the reaction to my headphones, there was no way i was pulling out my ipod....i didn't want to get tackled and escorted from the building.

Before the movie i had some time to kill so i went.......SHOPPING.  I haven't been to h&m for awhile so i went in there and wandered around.  They have some great fall like jackets.  I am dreading winter because i have to go back to my red coat with all the buttons that fall off...and off....and off.  I will have to re-sew the buttons so many times, i may go crazy.  I don't want to do that all winter again, so i am going to have to brainstorm a new plan with winter.  Anyways, i am getting off track.  I saw these blacky grey skinny jeans that were really nice.....but they had a very subtle silver snake skin pattern.  And i thought to myself....should i????? could i??????  am i snake skin pattern material?????  Well after wandering the store thinking about them...and texting a few vital people to tell me what they think....i decided yes....with the idea in the back of my mind, if i hate them when i get home, i can return them.  I don't hate them.  I am still not in love with them...but i am quite intrigued by them.  So i think i am going to keep them.  now i just need to plan out the perfect opportunity to wear them.  I am thinking cousin's fondue...the perfect opportunity to dress fashion forward...until the drinking starts...then it is sweatpants all the way!

Hugging Puppies

So this weekend was pretty chill.  I really enjoyed the calm, fun weekend.  The big news is that Cam and Farrah got two new black labs and they are adorable.  Like super adorable.  But they are very excitable because they are puppies.  So while playing with them.....of course i was dressed totally appropriately in my church clothes. (we were at declan's baptism earlier).  So everyone was playing with the kids and doing fun crazy things....i was in the kitchen, playing with the puppies.  Man i love puppies....really i love any animal...except birds who are just not cool.  Their names are Banner and Bella and all i want to do is hug them all the time....so i am on the floor playing with them...and Bella really enjoys biting my hair...and banner really likes giving me face kisses.  So we are playing...i have them all calmed down...then dad starts dangling the kids into the kitchen for puppy attention, which gets them all riled up and next thing i know....one of them...not sure which one accidentally gets me right under the eye....a big gouge.  Everyone was more worried than i was....they wanted me to get some sort of shot....no thank you.  You know how i feel about needles.  I don't need any shots.  They put hydrogen peroxide on it then i got to rock this awesome Phineas and Ferb band aid....but it did give me this awesome Nelly street cred...if Nelly rocked children band aids.

In other news....i went to a 'party' at Amy's on Friday night.  It was a good time...and dude, this girl brought the most delicious things, bacon wrapped water chestnuts.  They have changed my life and i cannot stop thinking about them.  I hope i can get the recipe...then i will make them....all the time.

Christmas is fast approaching!  and i can't wait.  But my Christmas resolution....is that i am going to keep on working towards finishing all my half started craft projects.  So right now i am working on this blanket...then i am going to go back to my sweater...the one with the deer on it.  I would love to have that finished by Christmas....but we must stick with our original goal...first blanket...then sweater....then i think we may be done...but i will have to go through all my project spots before i can start my log cabin blanket.

Fashion Obsession

As you all know...i love a good elbow patch.  I am usually sold on an elbow patch.  Well apparently there is a Toronto sweater designer and their signature is elbow patches.  Let me show you the awesomeness of this:



Just take it in....isn't it awesome!!!  I want it.  Unfortunately i will never own it because it is like 425 dollars....which is like 400 dollars over budget.  I want it....i want it so bad.  so....let's brainstorm solutions.  Actually i have a great solution...i am stealing it from Carolyn.  Just buy elbow patches at a craft store or fabric store and sew them myself.  Isn't that genius.  I can do that...i am a sewer after all.  So i am going to find a bunch of elbow patches and start elbow patching everything.  If you guys want anything elbow patched....i will do it for a small fee...and then i will donate those profits to a very worthy cause...to be decided in the future......when i think of something i need.  Oooh like a kitchen aid stand mixer when i move to a bigger place...then it will be bread city. 

I can't wait to start elbow patching.  I am also as excited for elbow patching as i am for Christmas.  And i am EXCITED for Christmas.

Dude i want that sweater!

Party Planning

So guys....that read my blog......that are related to me.......Cousin Fondue is coming up fast.  I know we are all quite excited. 

Have you all rsvp'd yet?  You should if you haven't because....if you don't come...here is what you will be missing.  I know how much you all loved my signature drink....well in research for Amy's birthday party...i did some more Martha Stewart research....and found two more very promising champagne (sparkling wine...not made of money people) drinks.  A punch and a slushee drink.  I will bring all three of these options to the fondue....and that is a reason you should all come.

Another reason...if you aren't reading your facebook invite (it took me awhile to read it too because i often forget that i even have facebook) but....there may be cheese fondue this year.  Maybe i will bake some delicious things with Alex as well.  I also would like to try bacon wrapped mac and cheese balls.  I think the fondue may be a perfect time to attempt.  And i don't know a single person that doesn't love bacon and cheese.


In other news.....i accidentally left my crocheting out last night...and Remy had a very fun night.  He got two of the balls of wool so unwound and caught around things...i had to spend like 20 minutes this morning trying to clean it up while Remy chased after me.  It was an unfun way to start my morning.  I didn't even get a chance to see if he unraveled any of the actual blanket.  I hope he hasn't.  But it was my own fault because i left it out.  Well not really out...but in a bag in a bag on the couch.  All wool must be kept in a enclosed area that Remy cannot access for safe keeping.   I am really on a role with my crafting right now...i have completed two projects in quick succession.  And now i am working quickly to finish this blanket for grandma because she has been down lately...and i want to cheer her up.  I wanted to get it done before mom goes to Kingston..but i don't think it will be.  So i will get it done for Christmas.