My Life in Purple

Introducing....

2011-03-29T09:18:00.004-03:00

Miss Kaedence Raine

Born March 26th, 2011
Born 13 months to the day of her sister Kherrington's original due date.

so tiny and perfect

Welcome to the world, little one.

Happy Love Day

2011-02-14T09:49:00.002-04:00

Happy Valentines Day to all of you.

Hope you all get some obligatory lovin' tonight.

My Valentine: Writing Workshop

2011-02-10T09:01:00.005-04:00

Writing prompt brought to you by Mama Kat of Mama's Losin' It:

Share a photo that captures special Valentine(s).

Big and I on my favourite vacation (yet) to New River Beach.

Posted partially because we look so cute, partially because I remember this day and this photo so well, and mainly because it's frickin' -17 C here today, -25 with the wind chill.
I want more days like this.

But this is the real us.
Haming it up for the cameras at someone's special day.
{please disregard the Bacardi Breezer in the foreground}

Neither of these were actually taken ON Valentine's Day, so we'll have to work on that this year.

But he's my special valentine.

Happy Love Day to all!

I know an angel

2011-02-03T09:00:00.006-04:00

Pause today to remember an angel.

Kherrington Faith

One year ago today, my sister Mo and I went to what seemed like a regular check up. We laughed, we took pictures, we ate lunch and Mo stole my pickle.
It was any other day to us.Then came the tears.
Then it became "the day", the day her heart stopped.

I cried until I ran out of tears and then cried some more.

Please stop to remember a baby girl who's not here with us today. A child who's parents miss her every second of every day.

Pause to be grateful for what you have and who you share it with.
Pause before you scold your child for doing something wrong, because there are parents who only wish they could complain about such things.

Sweet Kherrington Faith,
a child always loved and always remembered.

A Week With No Meat {Day Two}

2011-02-01T17:54:00.005-04:00

Who knew we were so trendy? Did anyone see Oprah today?
She put herself and her entire staff on a one week vegan challenge!

Now, I know for a fact that we couldn't do vegan. We are a house that LOVES our dairy and eggs. {So much so that I honestly asked Big the other day if we should raise a hen in the backyard for constant fresh egg supply.}

I don't eat beef for many reasons, but if you watched Oprah's show, or perhaps you've even seen Food Inc, you might begin to understand why. Everyone is free to eat what they like, but I think we could all stand to require more from our meat producers.

Tonight's vegetarian dinner was left over veggie chili and brown rice casserole.
Can I tell you how full I am?

We eat limited meat as it is, but normally a dinner at our house will have at least a bit of chicken in it. But I'm having no problem forgoing a little meat on my plate this week when everything tastes so good!

Did you know - If everyone cut meat out of their diet for just ONE day a week, it would greatly decrease carbon emissions that are leading to climate change?

Two days has been good so far, I'm just hoping that our week doesn't get boring and I start stuffing my face with bread to get through the cravings. Black beans have been an excellent protein for us with this chili recipe.

We have though about doing one meatless night per week now, just like the Meatless Monday movement. Check out Meatless Mondays for some great information about going meatless for a day.

A Week With No Meat {Day One}

2011-01-31T21:17:00.006-04:00

Day one of meatless meals is in the bag!

On Sunday, Mr Big and I prepped for our culinary adventure week by making the standard Sunday Brown Bread rolls { a Maritime classic}. It's almost not Sunday now if we're not making brown bread. I challenge any of you to tell me that your home smells better on any given Sunday.

A second batch of dough was whipped up for garlic bread sticks . We used the standard pizza dough crust recipe that we make almost every week, with Italian seasoning added in the mix. My favorite part of making bread in the winter is letting it rise, because we always turn on the propane fireplace to proof the dough. Oh yes, and we even managed to make cranberry muffins AND chili. We amaze even ourselves...

Here are the result of our first batch of garlic bread sticks!I got the recipe for the Garlic Seasoning from Our Best Bites, which is a fantastic site for meal ideas. Add three teaspoons of the seasoning to 1/2 Cup butter and slather over the bread sticks and cook for 18-20 minutes, and you will have bread sticks that rival ANY restaurant.

Salads for lunch are fairly standard for me, I've taken one every day for at least a year, but I like to switch up the combination of the salads. Monday's lunch consisted of a spinach salad for lunch, which I topped off with Catalina dressing and a few crushed Tostitos chips to make it more like a taco salad. When Big and I got home from the gym tonight, we heated up the chili that I made yesterday, with a few bread sticks on the side to dip.

Black Bean and Espresso Chili
{ it will keep you up all night farting }

This chili was really good, but it was A LOT of beans. I will admit, I missed the meat in the chili. I like something a little crunchy in my chili, and the beans and the veggies were a little too soft for me. It was a hit for the both of us though {at least as I speak, I may have to report back in the morning }

I'm curious to see by the end of the week if we've lost any weight without the meat in our diet.

Black Bean and Espresso Vegetarian Chili Recipe

1/2 cup olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1/4 cup instant espresso powder
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup dried oregano (leaves)
1 Can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup honey
6 large garlic cloves (minced)
4 Cans black beans (rinsed drained)
2 cup water
1 tbsp salt
pinch ground cinnamon

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and peppers and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in espresso powder, 1/4 cup chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
Cook 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes, honey, and garlic. Bring to simmer.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Add beans, 2 cups water, salt, chipotle chili powder, and cinnamon. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until mixture thickens slightly, stirring often, about 30 minutes.

Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate (Rewarm before serving)

Food Challenge

2011-01-29T15:49:00.003-04:00

Big and I decided to give ourselves a challenge this week.

Can anyone guess by checking out this photo of our groceries?One week of vegetarian meals.

It seems like a simple idea, right? I haven't eaten beef in about two years for a variety of reasons, so we mostly eat chicken as our main meat source. Since we've been trying to be healthier, this seemed like the perfect idea for us to try, just for a week. If we like it, we might try the whole month!

My resolution for 2011 was based on the idea of the 100 Mile Diet. It's a very do-able idea for someone like me who lives in a mostly rural province. My goal is to eat food that has been touched by fewer hands. I would like to eat as much local food as possible, and cut down on the processed foods. I don't think anything that 'tastes fresh' after being packaged and sitting in your freezer for four months can be healthy.

So we purchased no meat on our trip to the grocery store this weekend and I've already planned our meals for the week. If anyone would like to join me in a food challenge, let me know! I love to share recipes and try something new.

Here's hoping I don't crack down and eat a whole pound of bacon on Wednesday evening...

Working on my Massive Pecs

2011-01-28T10:02:00.005-04:00

So, Mr Big and I have been hitting up the gym together the last little while. My goal is to have super rockin' bikini body by 2025 {hey, I'm realistic!} I wouldn't mind looking like this by summer... So if it should it happen before the end of time, I'll do everything in my power to get there.

But I think I pulled my boob at the gym.

Yup, you read that right, my left boob is KILLING me. I think they experts would call it a 'pec muscle', but who am I to claim that I know anything. The rowing machine was an attempt to work on my arms, but I must have done something wrong. Was I not supposed to put my boobs on the handle??

Anyhow, all the boys love my pecs at the gym.
I catch them looking all the time.

I'm encouraging Big to run in a marathon this year. He's always been a runner which has kept him in fantastic shape all these years. {see below!} He expressed interest in running a marathon and I think if I keep him motivated to do it, I might just be waiting at a finish line with a water bottle for him this summer.

So beware, the hottest couple ever is just warming up this year.

Dear Blog

2011-01-23T12:23:00.006-04:00

My dearest blog, I'm sorry.
I swear I haven't forgotten about you. I still think about you, do you still think about me?

But can you see what's been distracting me?

Well, not only that, but it's a Big part of it.

I've been traveling for work, working my ass off in and out of the office, cooking, baking and honestly I've been somehow transforming into a domesticated female. I don't know what the hell's happened to me. I actually wear aprons. It's amazing what the love of a good man can do.

I promise I'll be better.

Hope you all stick with me while I try to get back at it.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-05T12:34:00.007-04:00

New year, same old love.

See what others aren't saying today...

Tuesday Treats

2011-01-04T09:23:00.008-04:00

Christmas 2010 will be remembered as the year I was stocked up with baking supplies. You might as well have given me the stuff to make a meth lab and I would have been less addicted.

This little beauty is my new best friend.
With it, I thought I would share my most recent culinary triumph, Red Velvet Cheesecake. The only cheesecake in history to be topped with MORE cream cheese.
I made this little beauty on Saturday.
{ Recipe by Recipe Girl }

CRUST:
17 regular-sized oreo cookies, crushed finely (or 1½ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs)
¼ cup butter, melted
1 Tbs granulated sugar

CHEESECAKE:
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
½ cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
Two 1-ounce bottles red food coloring

FROSTING:
One 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
heavy duty foil

1. Prepare crust: Stir together oreo crumbs, melted butter, and 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar; press mixture into bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare water bath: Fill large roasting pan (big enough for springform pan to fit into) with about 1 inch of water. Place in oven and allow to preheat along with the oven.

3. Prepare filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium-low speed with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add eggs and remaining cheesecake ingredients, mixing on low speed just until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared crust.

4. Take out two sheets of heavy duty foil and layer them on top of one another. Place springform pan on top of the foil and wrap the foil gently around the pan and up the sides. Make sure that there are no tears or holes and that the foil comes all the way up around all sides of the cake. Carefully place the foil-protected pan into the water bath in the preheated oven.

5. Bake for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300°F. Bake for an additional 75 minutes or until the center is firm. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven for 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven. Carefully remove cheesecake from water bath and place on wire rack. Run a thin knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake. Cool on rack for a couple of hours, until the cheesecake becomes close to room temperature. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours (or overnight). Remove sides of springform pan.

6. Prepare frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Spread evenly on top of cheesecake. Garnish, if desired.

_____________________

This cheesecake was sooooo delicious.

I altered it a bit by using already crushed chocolate crumbs and light cream cheese and non-fat sour cream. It makes eating half of an entire cheesecake a little less sinful....

Welcome 2011

2010-12-31T09:04:00.003-04:00

How will you ring in the new year?

Mr Big and I will be midnight snowshoeing!

It sounds romantic, but keep in mind that it's December 31st in Canada at night. If I fall over in the snow, I'm almost certain that I'll never get back up in snowshoes.

In 2011, I promise to be a better blogger, and get back on track with typing out the ramblings that fall out of my head and into my mouth. This year has been a year of friendship, love and unimaginable loss. Dear 2010, don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out!

The Airing of Grievances

2010-12-23T16:48:00.002-04:00

December 23rd: A Festivus for the rest of us.

If anyone asks, the pole in my bedroom was left over from last year's Festivus.

Wordless Wednesday { Christmas Baking Edition }

2010-12-22T12:08:00.002-04:00

When your boyfriend comes in to the room from the opposite direction as you're innocently decorating cookies and dubs them a filthy Christmas treat.

Meet the Orgasm Cookies.

See what others aren't saying today...

Where you gonna put a tree that big?

2010-12-14T22:46:00.007-04:00

Welcome to Christmas land,
Population 2 (and three cats)

We love Christmas at Casa Big.
Current tree count in the house stands at four.

I actually love Mr Big so much that I'm willing to put up with the allergies attached to having a real tree inside the house. My whole family is allergic, so having a real tree in my childhood home was not an option. I can however suck it up and take an allergy pill or twelve and sneeze through the holidays.

We have one big ass Christmas tree.
It actually takes up 3/4 of the front room that it resides in. You have to turn sideways just to walk past it. But, my word is it pretty.
It's actually so big that we need to go buy more Christmas lights to fill it.

When I get a chance to sit during my bake-a-thon 2010, I'm finally sitting down and making a Christmas card list of friends and family.

Aren't we cute?!Once a year, you sit down and evaluate who in your life is worth licking an envelope for. For the ones who get a card from us, I hope you realize the love that went into that lick.

It's like a post-job.

Back From the Brink

2010-12-06T21:33:00.009-04:00

I have been in a funk.

{ no kidding, you all say to yourselves }

I've avoided writing here because I felt that I had nothing to say. No witty yet profound musings, only random thoughts that seem better left to a Facebook status.

So, what's been going on in my life you ask?

First off, I started a new job. Well, it's actually an old job that I've gone back to. It feels a bit weird to walk into an office you remember so well, and feel like the new girl who already knows her job. I worked there for almost four years before I was laid off (due to the recession) and it feels like I'm slipping back into it quite well. My new co-worker is VERY quiet. I'm finding myself having a hard time with that.

I've been baking. A LOT. I'm honestly a little afraid to step on the scales.

But, oh lord has it been paying off.
Myself and a friend of mine have started up a baking business on the side. Last weekend we sold our goodies at a local craft fair and made a pretty penny. We also took lots of orders to do Christmas baking for people. So, needless to say, I have been very busy in all of my 'spare time'.

Here's hoping I'll have some cash to buy Mr Big something good this year.

Christmas is coming, and so is my new NIECE!
{ hi all }
Baby "Martha" as I've named her is cooking quite well inside of her mama Mo. She's measuring right on track, and should be here before April. I know that her big sister Kherrington is looking after her from heaven.

So, here I am, waking out of my funk, just in time for the holidays.

Hand me a carton of eggnog and a bottle of rum, and I'll get through this one way or another.

Better Than a Rubber Glove

2010-11-17T20:49:00.006-04:00

A shout out to my limited male audience!
If you haven't already heard, the Movember movement has swept the continent. In November, men everywhere are sporting mustaches to raise awareness for prostate cancer.{ I've even worn one a time or two }

Unfortunately for Mr Big, I can't stand facial hair. It reminds me far too much of my father from my childhood for me to ever think it's sexy. So he has not taken part in Movember. But for all you ladies who love a man with a little face friend, November 18th is the day for you.

So, go ahead and get down with Magnum PI or the guy off the Pringles can - It's for a good cause!

Sunday's Favorite Things

2010-11-14T17:03:00.004-04:00

One of the new found joys in my life is the Food Network.

Watching others cook inspires me to cook more, new and different. Long gone are the days of a simple gal heating up a frozen pizza in the oven, and enter a woman who makes roasted chicken with a Guinness and honey reduction sauce.

If you have yet to see it, I must recommend Iron Chef America. If you don't enjoy cooking, just simply watch for the entertainment of the Chairman introducing the 'secret ingredient'.

This video has caused Mr Big and I to randomly shout out ingredients with massive inflection. Such as me sitting across the table, looking over at him and saying "the secret ingredient is.....LLLLOOOOOOOOOOOVE!"

Fabulous Friday { 11-12-10 }

2010-11-12T00:32:00.001-04:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

All of you are fabulous.

I am currently loving the Katy Perry song for the fabulous message behind it. A reminder to all of us that inside of us is something amazing. Some days it can be harder to see than others, but that simple spark of you is always in there.

So, what makes you fabulous?
Tell us about it.

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

Remembrance Day

2010-11-11T00:31:00.001-04:00

Please pause at 11am today to remember our veterans.

Love & Brown Bread

2010-11-08T09:59:00.005-04:00

Most days, I feel like I couldn't possibly love my Mr Big more.
And then there are days like Saturday.

A day when everything seems to be perfect and happy. When he makes me laugh so hard that I snort, or just sits across the room and tells me how beautiful I look right now.

Days like this, when my man pours me a glass of wine at 4 o'clock and lets me dress him up like a transsexual homemaker to help me to make brown bread.

As the sun started to go down on Saturday evening, I looked outside and saw how beautifully pink the light of the sunset had tinted everything. I had to go and be out in that perfect pink light. I went outside to talk to Mr Big for a bit, who was working in the garden in the backyard.

We both came inside at the same time, and opened the doors to the aroma of fresh baking bread, that can only be appreciated when you come back into your home. As soon as I took a deep breath, I could barely get the words "it smells like my Gram's house" out of my mouth before the tears rolled down my face. It's probably been 15 years since my Grandmother had been able to bake brown bread and I had smelled that perfect smell, but it hit me hard.

There are days of stress in my life, where I start to worry and panic, and then there are perfect days. Days for love, days for memories, and days for baking brown bread.

Post It Tuesday

2010-11-02T18:41:00.002-03:00

It's Alive, It's Alive!!

2010-10-31T09:49:00.008-03:00

I'm alive!

Sorry for the unexpected hiatus, friends.
{ did you miss me? }

In the past week, two computers in my possession have died. I, apparently, should never touch technology. So, I only have access to Mr Big's laptop when he's home from work.

Last night we got dressed up and went to a rockin' Halloween party.
Charlie Sheen and his time traveling prostitute.
{ I was actually just a flapper girl, but it was much more fun telling people that I was a time traveling ho }

You know you had a good night when you wake up the next morning with half of your makeup still on, clothes strewn about the house, and your indoor cat is outside wanting to come in.

I promise I'll get back to my good blogger self soon.

Until then,
Happy Halloween!

The Magestic Canadian Bieber

2010-10-21T08:37:00.003-03:00

Dear World,
We apologize for Justin Bieber.

Sincerely,
Canada

{ P.S., Nickleback too }

Post it Tuesday

2010-10-19T09:27:00.012-03:00

{ Love you, Bitches }

Post It Notes Have Moved!
See more at
http://www.onlyparentchronicles.com/

So You Think You Can Belly Dance?

2010-10-18T08:40:00.035-03:00

In my quest to look like this by next summer....I started yet another fitness class on Saturday.

Belly Dancing!

It's a six week course, taught by a 60 year old woman dressed in sheer harem pants and speaks like she should be hosting a program on NPR. She's also already in better shape than I could ever hope to be.

Eight of us women, in various shapes and sizes, woke up early on Saturday morning in an attempt to shake off the extra weight.

I learned, quite quickly, that my instructor and I did NOT share the same sense of humor. When she brought out the scarf hip wrap with the charms attached, and taught us how it would help us hear when we 'pop' our hip to the side, and I said "I don't know, I've been hearing some snapping and cracking for a half hour already", all the other girls laughed, while she said "what?" in a puzzled tone. I should really know my audience.

This class is certainly on the low impact end of my current fitness spectrum. As she described it quite perfectly, belly dancing is all about femininity and sexuality. { I may have found my niche here } Although when she started to give us instructions on how to make our own costumes and sew our own harem pants, I'm pretty sure I gave her the 'What you talkin' 'bout Willis?' face. Thank god she finished that talk with the sentence "of course, that is completely optional for you."

So, if you haven't been keeping track, that's a total of FOUR classes per week that my ass is in a class. At this rate, I should be able to bounce a quarter off my stomach by spring.

Sunday Covet

2010-10-17T14:15:00.006-03:00

I want to be Katy Perry for Halloween!Although I'm fairly certain it's going to be too cold on Halloween in New Brunswick to be walking around in a cupcake bra. I also think no matter how hard I try, I wouldn't be able to make Mr Big dress up like Russell Brand....

The Sharp Knife of a Short Life

2010-10-15T00:08:00.020-03:00

My niece Kherrington was born an angel on February 6th, 2010.

She was here, she existed.

Just because she doesn't live with us doesn't mean we don't all love her, and think about her all the time. A child who has died doesn't deserve any less love than one who lives. Her mother and father still think of her every single day.

funny when you're dead,
how people start listening.

Just briefly in our arms, but forever in our hearts.

Pearls of Wisdom/Sh*t My Boyfriend Says

2010-10-14T12:31:00.015-03:00

{ This might have to be permanently named Shit My Boyfriend Says }

"I don't have time for games. Eventually you reach a point in your life where you decide 'I am great just the way I am', and if someone else can't see that, there's something wrong with them. Never doubt yourself."

And another classic:
"Some people just need to stop being such a C-U-Next-Tuesday."

Zoom Zoom Zumba

2010-10-14T08:54:00.013-03:00

I've fallen in love

I went to my first Zumba class last night, and I'm hooked.

Sixty women packed ourselves into a class to shake our ass.

I've got to re-arrange my workout schedule to fit it in, so now it will be Zumba Mondays and Wednesdays, kickboxing Thursdays, and this Saturday I start Belly Dancing! I can't wait.

Have you seen Zumba?

Finally, a class I can pay to attend to shake it like I've been doing for all these years anyway!

Do you Zumba?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T09:46:00.004-03:00

Autumn on a blueberry field

Lawrence Station, New Brunswick

See what others aren't saying today...

Why is the Rum Gone?

2010-10-12T09:23:00.036-03:00

After a long (Canadian) Thanksgiving weekend, Tuesday means back to work for this girl.

Our first ever family dinner went amazingly!

Turkey, dressing, roaster veggies, sweet potato casserole, two pies, and I even made the damn cranberry sauce. Holy crap, I am amazing.

I even made my Gram's famous apple pie.
{ With my own creative twist on the crust }

I am thinking, however, that I am going to have to get VERY creative with leftover turkey recipes this week. Suggestions are welcomed!

On Monday, Big and I went to see the HMS Bounty. This is a reproduction ship that was built for the film Mutiny on the Bounty, and was also recently used for the Pirates of the Caribbean movie, as The Black Pearl. My feet touched the same deck as Johnny Depp and Marlon Brando. Brando-Shmando, I was all excited to share space with Depp.

The HMS Bounty at port in Saint Andrew's, New Brunswick.
Here are Big and I with ~~Captain Jack Sparrow~~ a random pirate.
As a former Coast Guard, Mr Big loved the smell of the ship. This was the last stop for the Bounty before the sailed away to Puerto Rico. They do hire people to work as deckhands, and I had a hard time to get Big back off the ship. I'm fairly confident that if he were single, he would have gladly hopped aboard and sailed for warmer weather.

I think he would have made a rather dashing captain, myself.

All hands on Depp! Wait, I mean deck...or did I?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-10-10T00:55:00.002-03:00

Whether you're celebrating today or tomorrow,

Happy Thanksgiving, fellow Canadians!

I'm thankful for:

A house filled with the love of a good man
My fantastic family & friends
My girl Mo

This will be Mr. Big & I's first year ever cooking a holiday meal for the family. We're making turkey with all the trimmings, and two kinds of pie. Let's hope it all goes well, or we'll be thankful for Chinese take-out!

Fabulous Friday { 10-08-10 }

2010-10-08T08:00:00.043-03:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

I decided to make every Friday of October about Breast Cancer Awareness, a not so fabulous disease. I'm sure that everyone knows someone who's been affected by breast cancer.

My grandmother was fabulous.

So fabulous indeed, that I was given her name as my middle name. She passed away six years ago, after her second battle with breast cancer. Finding a cure for this disease is very close to my heart. I watched my mother lose her's, I know I can't do the same.

It's estimated that ONE in NINE women will develop Breast Cancer in their lives. Although you can't prevent developing the disease, there are things that you can do to lower your risk factors.
Most importantly - Check your breasts! Know what your breasts feel like healthy, so you'll know when there's an abnormality. Your partner is more likely to find a lump in your breast, since they're used to how they feel.

Baby Mamas - Breast feeding for only six months can lower your chances of developing Breast Cancer by up to 20%.

{ Since pregnancy and lactation reduce your estrogen levels, your risk is decreased each time you are pregnant and while you are nursing your baby. }

Smokers - Stop right now. If not for your lungs, for the breasts that cover them.

Men - In Canada, 180 men will be diagnosed in 2010 with Breast Cancer. Don't forget that you have the same breast tissue too.

Women Everywhere - Three to four hours of moderate to vigorous exercise can lower your chances of developing cancer by 20%. Join a class or go for a walk, but bust your ass!

Cancer isn't fabulous, but finding a cure would be.

Do you know someone fabulous?

I do!

Mrs Marla is fabulous, and donated her hair to Locks of Love!

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

Pearls of Wisdom: Don't you know that you're toxic?

2010-10-07T08:19:00.043-03:00

I've tried to live my life by a few simple rules.
One of the most important ones is this:

If you can't think of three reasons why someone is good for your life, they don't deserve to be in it.

A lot of it really comes down to the idea of Toxic Friends. The type of friend that you always feel like you're having to do damage control with instead of enjoying time with. The ones that seem to make it all about them, and never have time for you. Maybe they put you or other friends down to you. These people always cause more harm than good.

I try to live my life by the words of the eloquent linguist Fergie-Ferg, from her epic poem My Humps: "You don't want no drama, No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama."

Toxic Friends are always drama.

You're right Fergie, I don't want no drama.

Whether you've done something or not, you're always on the defensive with these people. They never see the faults in themselves, only others, and blame everyone for their life's misfortunes. "If only this person weren't in my life, I would be happy. If only everyone at the office could see my point of view, I'd be happy." These people are hard on the head, heart and on the soul.

I've tried to simplify my life in my adult years, and anyone who wants to act like they're still in middle school can move along, and just don't have the time for it. You put on your big girl panties, you deal with life and hopefully when your head hits the pillow at the end of the night, you're happy with how you've lived your day.

I won't pretend that life is always easy, that's not real life. Sometimes you're thrown a curve ball, but you deal with it because these people in your life are worth the effort. And deep in your heart, you hope that they would make the same effort for you.

To the ones that I love, thank you for being terrific, not toxic.

Commercial Success

2010-10-06T21:30:00.006-03:00

This may be my favorite commercial of the year.

I don't know about buying Snickers for Halloween, but am I seriously considering as dressing as an 8' tall Jocelyn Wildenstein and scaring the crap out of the neighbourhood children.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-06T08:03:00.005-03:00

Visit Locks of Love to find out more about what you can do to help sick children.

See what others aren't saying today...

Crappy Meal

2010-10-05T14:13:00.014-03:00

I'll admit it, today I almost broke down and went to McDonald's with a co-worker. After seeing what popped up on my iGoogle homepage today, I am SO glad that I didn't.

This is what a chicken looks like.

This is what mechanically separated chicken looks like.{ Source }

This is the processed chicken that goes in to making chicken nuggets and chicken patties. This is what you are putting into your bodies, or worse, your child's body. I promise I'm not trying to wage a personal war against McDonald's, but I just see so many faults with their practices when it comes to food. People need to know what they're being fed. But, kudos to their marketing staff that made that look delicious once deep-fried!

I've been trying to live healthier and give myself a better life.
I won't drink crappy wine, and I won't eat food that looks like pink Hubba Bubba shit.

My Run for the Cure

2010-10-04T09:11:00.025-03:00

What I did with my weekend.

On Sunday, October 3rd, 2010, I ran for a cure to end breast cancer.

And came in first place!{ Okay, that's a lie, but the picture's pretty awesome, right? }

I headed down to the city with my friend Heather Mac, and we prepared to get our march on! Our race took off from the grounds of the Old Government House on a beautiful fall afternoon.

There were four race sites in our province, but in our community over 1,500 runners participated and raised over $200,000 for Breast Cancer research.
We had started near the back of the line-up, but quickly made our way to the middle of all of the runners.

At the half-way mark down the highway, we turned onto the walking path next to the river, and headed back toward Old Government House. You can see all of the white participant shirts still coming down the road.

Our finish time for the 5.4K:

Not too shabby for us girls who gabbed and took pictures for a good portion of the course.

I do this run every year for my Gram, and for the hope that I won't lose my mother the same way she lost hers.I'll raise money every year until there's a cure.

Don't forget that it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Touch your boobies.

And how could I have forgotten?!

Hair today, gone tomorrow.
{ I look like Nick Carter from the late 90's right here }
My long tresses are gone to Locks of Love!!

A very busy weekend, supporting cancer awareness.

Sunday Covet

2010-10-03T19:38:00.002-03:00

I want a cure.

Fabulous Friday { 10-01-10 }

2010-10-01T08:01:00.016-03:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

I am fabulous because I'm taking it all off!

That's right folks, today is the day when I finally cut my hair off for Locks of Love.

What a difference a year can make.
My hair, last October, and my hair (pre-cut) this October

All week long I've been working on getting everyone organized for our event "Ten Inches for the Cure". I've been arranging appointments, doing interviews, taking donations for Run for the Cure, and of course, baking cupcakes for the ladies!

{ C-Cup logo from Cupcakes by Heather & Lori }

This idea honestly started by myself and Mo, just thinking about doing something for cancer research. It has completely snowballed locally, and we've actually had to extend the hair donation dates until next Friday. I've had friends from all across North America join with us in our hair-brained scheme. Any of the money raised from this event (minus cost of styling) is going toward Run for the Cure.

My hair hasn't been this long since high school, and as much as Mr Big loves it, I can't wait to cut it off. Hope you stick around and see the results!

So, are you feeling fabulous?

My girl ~KS is always fabulous

Mrs Lopez has been keeping a fabulous secret from us!!

Mommy Lisa is hot, fabulous...and did I mention hot?!

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

Night Stalker

2010-09-30T08:35:00.014-03:00

I have a stalker

Okay, it was only in a dream, but it's stuck with me. Just minutes before I woke up this morning, I was in the middle of an intense dream.

In my dream, I had woke up, got out of bed, and looked out the front window of my bedroom that faces the street. When I looked out the window, there was a cloaked person starring up at my window, and when we locked eyes, the cloaked person took off running down the street.

The dream continued that every morning for a week when I woke up, this hooded figure would be in different spots on my street, but always facing up at my bedroom window. I had finally had enough, and attempted to chase this cloaked figure down the street, I think it was a female, before giving up the chase and then woke up.

She wasn't quite as fashionable as this, but you get the idea..
So what did I do as soon as I woke up? Looked out my window to see if there was anyone out there. What did I see when I looked to where my cloaked stalker was last standing? A sale sign for the empty lot across from the house!

Does anyone know how to interpret dreams?

Does this mean anything, or did I just eat too much spicy salsa before I went to bed last night?

On a Mission

2010-09-28T15:00:00.007-03:00

Today, I've finally figured out the main difference between myself and my co-worker "M".

It was really just as simple as word association.

When someone says the word "Missionary"

She thinks:
And I think:

Sunday Cupcakes!

2010-09-26T16:03:00.009-03:00

Who doesn't love cupcakes? Who doesn't love winning?!

A few weeks ago, I told you all about a giveaway from Cupcake Rehab, celebrating her third blogiversary.

Well, guess who woke up after her night of fun and vino to find out that she had won?
That's right, this girl.
Just a tiny peek at the goodies that I'll be receiving...
I'll be anxiously waiting at the post office for my confectionery goodies in the mail.

Go visit Cupcake Rehab today for fabulous recipes and ideas!

Fabulous Friday { 09-24-10 }

2010-09-24T01:59:00.055-03:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

My birthday was fabulous!!

I've had a whole birthday week it seems.

Tuesday night, my girl Mo and I went out to dinner, which she treated me to {because she's amazing like that} filled with as many laughs as you can fit into a two hour span. Wednesday started off with a bang by reading a post dedicated to me from my good friend Mommy Lisa. I don't want to brag, but she did say that she loves me more than Coach bags...so WIN!

Mr Big had to take off early for work Thursday morning, so he gave me a kiss goodbye and a happy birthday wish when he left, and I gave him an incoherent 'mmmnhhha-tyaank-ooo'...

When I finally did get up, I skipped ahead in my morning routine, and ran downstairs like it was Christmas morning to find my birthday presents!

Continuing to mess with me on my 'big and shiny' present rule, Big got me this sexy mirror that I've been lusting after from a local store for months. I can't wear it on my hand, but it is still gorgeous.

Can we say all glamorous?!
It will soon take it's rightful place in the upstairs bathroom.

Violet thoroughly enjoyed the purple ribbon it was wrapped with.
Big also got a couple pairs of earrings for me that I LOVE from my good buddy Valerie from her business Spunk & Sass.

Aren't these peacock ones hot?The Texas sweetie pie Valerie even wore purple in honour of my birthday, and sent me a picture of it. She is beyond fabulous.

I had a ton of birthday wishes from friends and family on Facebook which made for a wonderful day. Being the smartass that you know and love, you know I had to have a fabulous birthday status:

Hello, friends, look at your day, now back to mine, now back at your day, now back to mine. Sadly, today isn’t your birthday, but if you were me, it would be your birthday. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re on Facebook. What’s in your hand, back at me. It's a birthday present for me. Look again, this birthday is now DIAMONDS!

Another fabulous surprise, my friend Piper found out the sex of her baby on my birthday. It was a 50/50 shot { obviously } but, oh boy was I surprised!

I was a very good girl and went to my regular Thursday kickboxing class instead of going home and gorging myself on birthday cake and wine. I just worked up an appetite for it after class.
I told Mommy Lisa that I would wear a tiara to kickboxing.

My parents came over to visit after kickboxing and we had a little birthday party which included cheesecake topped with strawberries and cash to buy some new clothes.

But the birthday's not over yet, oh no.

Big has mystery dinner reservations for tonight, and we're having a few good friends over for a night of ~~drunken debauchery~~ good clean fun on Saturday night. A party, at which I might add, everyone was asked to wear purple. So, I should be in absolute heaven.

Are you feeling fabulous today?

My girl ~KS is feeling refreshed and re-fabulous.

Venassa from the Island is fabulous

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

Where Are My Birthday Spankings?!

2010-09-23T00:57:00.014-03:00

It's my birthday, bitches!!

It's clearly always been about me...

{ Even at another girl's birthday, in a creepy birthday clown hat, no less }

And in case anyone is wondering, I want this cake for my birthday.

do do do do-do do-do-do!

hide ya kids, hide ya wife

2010-09-22T01:10:00.009-03:00

Summer is great for hit songs.

My absolutely favorite song of the summer was a viral video starring Antoine Dodson. Antoine was just an average guy, living in the projects, until he starred on the news. An intruder broke into his home, and attempted to assault his sister. { Not something that would typically make for humorous news } But, Antoine's outrageous personality can't be ignored.

{ The original newscast }

A group called the Gregory Brothers spotted this video and chose to add autotune to it to create a super catch hit single, complete with video.

In case you've been living under a rock all summer...

The true 'American Dream' ending of this story is that the Gregory Brothers offered to split half of the proceeds from the iTunes downloads with Antoine Dodson, and he now has enough money that he's buying a home for his family, and moving out of the projects.

Run and tell that, run and tell that, run and tell that,
home boy, home-home-home boy!

Six Years Ago

2010-09-21T01:42:00.019-03:00

My love of baking pies,
the uncontrollable wave in my hair,

my increased risk of inheriting breast cancer,
these are all things that I get from my grandmother.

Six years ago today I got a call in the middle of the night that you were gone.

You fought through it all, and your body was weakened, but we were made stronger in your fight.

I run for you
I will always run for you.

30 Vows of Summer {The Final Update}

2010-09-19T01:36:00.003-03:00

At the beginning of summer, I took part in Mama Kat's writing workshop, declaring my 30 vows of summer. I tried to keep going to try and stick to every single one, and update as I went along.

Here's what I was up to in the summer of 2010...

~~1. Flip flops every single day.~~ { Mission Accomplished}
I promised myself I would wear flip flops at least until my birthday.

~~2. Wear a bathing suit and NOT rip myself apart about how I look in it.~~
{ Bam! I am fabulous }

FAIL 3. Go kayaking.

~~4. Drink wine before noon.~~

~~5. Get to at least one "Films in the Park"~~
We got to FOUR! The Adventures of Robin Hood, Casablanca, Pride & Prejudice and James Bond: On her Majesty's Secret Service.

~~6. Play hooky on a work day with Mr Big.~~

~~7. Go camping!~~
~~8. Congratulate one of my best friends on graduating from paramedic school.~~
{and a graduation dinner for him, hosted by moi to boot!}

~~9. Lay out topless in the backyard.~~

FAIL 10. Get in touch with my inner monkey at Treego!!!

~~11.~~ ~~Watch several World Cup soccer games.~~

~~12. Blanket & Basket + Wine = Picnic.~~

~~13.~~ ~~Drive and get lost somewhere we've never been.~~

~~14. Get a pedicure for my little piggies.~~

~~15. Accidentally discover that I'm really good at something new~~ Cooking and Baking!
I've become quite the little Julia Childless..

FAIL 16. Operation Grand Theft Snuggie against my Sister in Law.

~~17. Get a day off of work that hasn't already been spoken for by a certain co-worker.~~
{ TAKE THAT, VACATION-VAMPIRE! }

18. Find a reasonable excuse to hire a pool boy, even though we don't have a pool.
{ I did get an offer from a 16 year old who offered to take me over in ten years when Mr Big gets too old for me. I'm considering that a future cougar WIN }

FAIL 19. Find a place to go skinny dipping.
I won't even count that night I was thrown into the pool and my top flew up and the girls took a dip...

FAIL 20. Visit the Acadian Peninsula of my home province.
Mr Big got to go without me on a work trip! Boo-urns.

~~21. Sink my feet into some sand, and leave them there all day.~~
at New River Beach, NB

~~22. Kick my addiction to ice cream sandwiches.~~

23. Eat breakfast in bed.
{ Does Excedrin and some toast on the couch while nursing a hangover worthy of a college co-ed count? }

~~24. Host a bonfire night for friends at Casa Big.~~

~~25. Ditch the pink. Transform what used to be a little girl's dream bedroom into a sexy master bedroom, built for two.~~
And it is FABULOUS.

~~26. Log off for an entire day. No email, no blogger,~~ ~~no Facebook!~~
Boy was that one harder than I thought it would be...

27. Have my photo taken with every "World's Largest" style roadside attraction in New Brunswick. { still a work in progress }

Saint John, NB - The Moosehead Moose
St. George, NB - The Wild Blueberry
Salisbury, NB - The Silver Fox
Harvey, NB - Don Messer Tribute
World's Largest Axe - Nackawic, NB
{Yup, I'm in there under the axe}
Longest Picnic Table in the World- Woolastook Park, NB{ You'll need to enlarge to find me!! }
Restigouche Sam - Campbellton, NB
Man, New Brunswick has a LOT of roadside crap!

~~28.~~ ~~Find the perfect backyard lounge chair, complete with cup holder.~~
{ No cup holder, but that's what Mr Big is for anyway }

~~29. Celebrate an anniversary in high style at a fancy restaurant.~~

FAIL 30. Make all the other patrons at a really cute B&B feel super awkward.
A special thanks to Hurricane Earl and the 'mystery illness' of the staff on Labour Day weekend for taking part in this FAIL.

Because I could, I went ahead and added more to my list for the summer.

~~31. Walk on the beach at midnight~~
Have you ever seen phosphorescent waves at night? AMAZING!
{Not my video, but this gives you a great idea of it}
It was absolutely an amazing experience to walk for miles in the dark with the phosphorescent waves...

~~32. Spend more than my mortgage to make my cat look like a satellite dish.~~
He's recovered very nicely and is back to his regular schedule the other kitties.

~~32. Go whale watching { and actually see whales! }~~

~~33. Host a fabulous dinner party for Big's family from out of town.~~
Big thanks to Big Sister and Brother in Law for making me feel like part of the family.

~~34. Watch a kick ass meteor shower in the convertible with my hunny.~~
We stayed out until 1am on a work night just to watch it.

~~35. Kiss Mr Big under fireworks~~
{ my lovely photo on lovely new camera }

So, I think I stuck to my list pretty well. That's 27 missions accomplished, and a few fails in the mix. All in all, I'm going to consider the Summer of 2010 a complete win.

Scratch that -
And one more for your summer reading list...

Since Sunday I usually list things that I want, or covet, this one couldn't be more appropriate to something that I have wanted.

{ 2.oh! }
I've been waiting all summer to tell you about this one...
My niece Kherrington picked a perfect brother or sister for herself, and had the baby expressed shipped down to earth to look after her parents while she lives in heaven. Baby Mama Mo gave me her consent to share the wonderful news with all of you. I'm beyond happy and excited to welcome this new baby into our world by next Spring.

What an amazing summer 2010 has been.

Fabulous Friday { 09-17-10 }

2010-09-17T07:53:00.015-03:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

My girl Mommy Lisa is an ultra fabulous friend. She's hilarious and sweet, and she could use a little love.

Her step son J-Dogg fell this week and broke his jaw!

Lisa is currently taking a break from blogging so she can focus on her family. Won't you go and leave her some love to read when she comes back?

I almost forgot to mention her fabulous behind!Mommy Lisa at Mommy's Nest

Tell her I sent you and let her know that she is a fabulous mother.

So, who do you know that's fabulous?

~KS is always fabulous.
Watch for her this weekend at the Packers game!!

Heather is celebrating her fabulous husband
{ and I'm not afraid to tell you he is a HUNK! }

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

Pop Culture: Boo-urns

2010-09-16T11:20:00.009-03:00

A random Thursday questions to all the pop culture dorks out there.

When was the last time you said "boo" without adding "-urns" at the end?

Only recently did I have to describe how "boo-urns" came about to Mr Big, who never really watched the family of Springfield. For me, saying "boo-urns" usually needs no explanation because most of my good friends grew up on The Simpsons along with me. Looking up the original air date of this show, A Star is Burns, first aired on March 5th, 1995. Boy do I feel like I am getting old.

I've been making the same stupid cultural reference for fifteen years.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-15T00:06:00.007-03:00

{ postsecret }

See what others aren't saying today...

Post it Tuesday

2010-09-14T08:22:00.007-03:00

Post It Notes Have Moved!
See more at
http://www.onlyparentchronicles.com/

Cupcakes!

2010-09-14T08:07:00.010-03:00

September's not only MY birthday month, but the birthday month of the blog Cupcake Rehab. Pop on over and check out this fabulous giveaway, and stick around for some yummy cupcake recipes!

Here are a few of my baking babies that I've whipped up this summer:
Margarita Cupcakes
Devil's Food Cake Baby Shower Cakes and Giant Cupcake Tie Dye Cake
Pina Colada Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cake

Some of these goodies in her giveaway look an awful lot like some of my covets so I can't wait until the winner is reveled!

Do You Kick?

2010-09-13T12:20:00.005-03:00

Tonight marks the start of another season of cardio kickboxing.

If you haven't heard from me tomorrow, it's because I've died in the community room of the Civic Centre.
{ Note to the other girls in Kickboxing: If I should die, please do my hair and makeup, so that I look this good when someone identifies me }

Anyone else trying to get their ass in gear before winter hits and we hibernate for six months?

Big Momma's House

2010-09-13T00:52:00.005-03:00

Happy Birthday Momma!

There'd be no My Life in Purple without you. As a special birthday present to you, I'll even go a whole damn day without swearing...oh sh*t, never mind.

Don't worry either Mum, I won't go telling the internet how old you are.

Sunday Covet

2010-09-12T19:04:00.006-03:00

Sunday Covet: Birthday Month Edition!

I wouldn't mind showing off my wild side...Ambosie Handbag - Spring Shoes
Demoya Shoes - Spring Shoes

Fabulous Friday { 09-10-10 }

2010-09-10T08:04:00.012-03:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

My summer was fabulous, however, I can feel it coming to a close...

My birthday is on the 23rd of this month, which is unfortunately the first day of fall. So as I look forward to my birthday, I know I have to say goodbye to summer.

So, here is a tiny photo peak at my fabulous summer.

What made your summer fabulous?

~KS knows how to PACK in the Fabulous to every day

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

No Baby on Board : Writing Workshop

2010-09-09T07:52:00.089-03:00

Writing prompt brought to you by Mama Kat of Mama's Losin' It:

A list of things you no longer have in common with your married/child bearing friends…and why you love them anyways.

There seems to be a natural human order to how you're supposed to live your life: You grow up, you get married, you have babies.
Well, I've never been one to play by the rules anyway.

I grew up dreaming of marriage and babies. I got married young, then shortly after, filed for divorce. Fell in love with someone else, and decide that happiness is all that matters to me. Babies are not in the cards for me. I personally love kids, don't think I don't, I just have no desire any longer to be a mother. I don't feel incomplete without a child of my own, and I think that most women who desire to be mothers feel that extra love in their heart, waiting to give it to a child.

I make no apologies for my childless life, even when some people don't understand it. Big and I are strong enough as a couple to live our lives as a happy family of two. Some people might think we live a selfish life, but I think it's more selfish to bring a child into this world just because you feel pressure by society to fulfill your 'mother role'.

I've reached a point in my life where about half of the people I went to high school with are married and having one or more children, and I get updated about them via Facebook. I see my baby mama friends a lot less often than I used to, but that's not for lack of trying to get together. Someone will get sick, and mom can't come out to play.

Here's how my life is taking the path less traveled.

- I get to have sex with the door open and don't have to worry about anyone hearing us
{ well, maybe the neighbours... }
- I've never wiped anyone's butt but my own
- My boobs are purely for show
- I try new recipes without having to worry about forcing someone to eat it
- We drive a completely impractical two-seater car
- Which channel is the Family Channel? No idea. Where's Skinemax? Oh, channel 185!
- I get to do fun stuff like this...
Without also having to do this.
- I deal with wine, and not whiners
- Big and I can pack up and take off for the weekend on whim
- My house is quiet almost all the time
- My purse is tiny has virtually nothing in it
{ no wet wipes, no tissues, no spare diaper }
- I own no plastic dishes
- I sleep through the whole night
- I'm not passing my family's bad medical history of cancers, heart disease, alcoholism or mental health issues on to anyone else

But you know, I have thought a sippy cup could come in handy when I've been drinking wine...

But I love all of my baby breeder friends for things like:

- Getting to see their baby in an ultrasound or hearing their heartbeat for the first time
- Having an excuse to buy ridiculously cute tiny clothing
- Being their excuse to get out of the house and have fun
- I love to listen, so go ahead and tell me what you found jammed in the toilet
- Getting to be the fun aunt that their kids look forward to coming to see
{The one with the gum and the swear words }

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-08T08:25:00.003-03:00

Myrtle, Violet and Spooky

See what others aren't saying today...
{ anyone else not able to get to wordless today?? }

Amorous in the Bedroom

2010-09-07T13:38:00.020-03:00

Anyone remember number twenty five from my 30 vows of summer?

Ditch the pink. Transform what used to be a little girl's dream bedroom into a sexy master bedroom, built for two.

I even mentioned it a few weeks ago, about us getting Amorous in the bedroom: When Mr Big bought his house two years ago, it was a family home with two little girls. Two of the bedrooms were fairly close in size, and the one facing the east and the morning sun was previously the bedroom of a six year old girl. This was the bedroom Big chose to make his own.

Needless to say, if I hadn't already known him and he took me home to this bedroom, it wouldn't have exactly screamed "throw me on the bed, and make wild, passionate love to me."

After our weekend away was canceled due to weather and sickness on the part of the chef, we decided to tackle our DYI bedroom makeover over Labour Day weekend.

So, here are the before pictures...

I can't believe a grown man lived in this room.Add two coats of the most wonderful paint called Aura by Benjamin Moore, in the wonderful shade of purple called Amorous. Aura paint is fantastic. It dries in one hour and has virtually no smell.

So here are the fabulous after photos!

A feminine but sexy and grown-up master bedroom for myself and Mr Big.

I absolutely love it. Go ahead, try and tell me that it's not fabulous.

I asked Big if it would be wrong to leave the lights on so I can look at the bedroom...he had no objections.

we don't need no education

2010-09-07T08:18:00.037-03:00

School's back in! And you know who couldn't be happier? Everyone!

{ Okay, school started on the 7th this year, but still applies... }

While I don't have little hell raisers of my own, I can live vicariously through others enjoying their children heading back to their schools. I have a wide age range of friends, and therefore, I get to see a lot of view points on their back-to-school adventures.

The parents with kids heading off to school for the first time will update their Facebook status to things like : ...I can not believe that my baby is starting Kindergarten tomorrow! What a sweetie...he was so excited that he had a hard time going to sleep :) While the parents of high school kids will say: skipping around the house humming "Its the most....won der ful...time....of the year......"

After a long, warm summer of having my car broken into, drunken teenagers running through my back yard, and seeing over 10 vehicles stolen by a group of teens, I for one, can not wait to see the kiddies headed back to their place of higher education. { Well, the kids that stole the cars are headed to a place of hard knocks, actually } I'm also happy to no longer see fifty million status updates a day about the 'love life' of my cousin Malori , who will be headed back to the uncomfortable hell of middle school.

You couldn't pay me enough to re-live my school days. In elementary school, they tell you that you can be any thing you want to be. In middle school, they tell you that you're special and unique, and everyone gets a prize for participation. In high school, they tell you that you need to choose what you're going to do with the rest of your life, and suddenly, you have no idea what you want to be. Doctor, teacher or sandwich artist, your life seems to be determined by the courses that you decide on.

Me and my blonde self left high school, worked for a year, then headed off to college and off into the work force, just like I was supposed to.
I am a wonderful cog in the wheel of society.

So today, whether you're sending your little ones off this morning, or you're wasting the government's money by going back to school funded by 'learning a new skill or trade', congratulations and don't forget to pack a healthy, peanut-free lunch!

your two faces are showing again

2010-09-06T14:06:00.015-03:00

Did you catch the first part of that? MY LIFE

This is my life, written in my words.
I'll write about what I wish, and what I think and what I'm feeling.
Because, it's my life.

I will continue to write what I want here, on any given day that should strike me. The point of a blog is not to write for the audience, you write for yourself about your life. If people happen to enjoy reading it, it's only a bonus.

If it happened today or yesterday, if it was a part of my life, I have a right to talk about it. These things are what made me the person that I am today, and I'm not going to deny that they happened. If it will makes you uncomfortable or you disagree with it, I suggest you take your reading elsewhere, because I'm not going to change for anyone. Don't take to Facebook and air your opinions about me. It's not up to any of you to decide how anyone should think.

I've always been honest: this is me, this is my life, take it or leave it.
{ and when you leave, stay gone. }

I'm growing tired of two-faced people who continue to show their true colours when they think no one is watching. In this life of social media openness, someone is always watching, and doesn't mind letting others know when you've been talking about them.

There's a real good reason that you are constantly making new friends. Because the ones that have seen the real you, don't care for your second face.

If I could block these people entirely from my life, believe me, I would. I thought things like this were over in middle school, but some people never grow tired of stirring up trouble and drama in a small town. I don't have time people like this in my life.

Some people are never happy with their lives until they try to put someone else down. You try to break me down to make yourself feel better? Keep on trying, sweetie. I'm the happiest I've ever been, I only wish you could say the same.

Until then, kiss my ass.

xoxo,

Sunday Covet

2010-09-05T00:15:00.001-03:00

Sunday Covet: Birthday Month Edition

A super sassy cupcake apron!
Treasure's Cupcakes
by Sassy Aprons
Cupcake Confections
by Sassy Aprons
Buttercup Sweet Tooth

by Sassy Aprons

Fabulous Friday { 09-03-10 }

2010-09-03T00:52:00.028-03:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

I SHOULD be packing my bags...
...I SHOULD packing up the convertible...
...I SHOULD packing my 'special nightwear'...
....and for god's sake, I shouldn't be forgetting to pack the wine!

But I'm not.

I had a fabulous weekend getaway planned by Mr Big, but it's been canceled.

If you were my friend on Facebook, you would have seen this as my status a few weeks ago: Just got a phone call that there's a romantic getaway in store for me on Labour Day weekend! Sorry ladies, there's only one Mr Big, and I'm not willing to share. August 20 at 12:48pm
{ What a good boy I have }

We're SHOULD be staying at a fabulous cabin in the woods, just outside of St Martin's, New Brunswick. A fabulous cabin that just happens to be the historic personal playground of the rich and famous.

The newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst built a cabin in the woods of the Bay of Fundy, originally as a fishing cabin for him and friends. It's now known as the Hearst Lodge, and that's where we SHOULD staying on our Labour Day weekend!The cabin is off the beaten path, so a shuttle is provided for you and your baggage, or you can choose to take a one hour hike along the stunning coastline. So, weather permitting, we'll would have been hiking along stunning vistas like this.
So yesterday I get another phone call at work.

Mr Big: "So, bad news....."

Apparently, all of the staff has fallen ill, and our trip has been canceled at the last minute. With some highly suspicious "last long weekend of the summer" illness... I was even going to brave hurricane Earl and tell him to kiss my ass because we're going to enjoy our time stuck in the cabin anyway.

So, needless to say...I'm not feeling super fabulous today. But I still plan on drinking all that wine this weekend! Our hurricane emergency preparedness kit includes candles, wine and Havarti cheese.

Are you feeling fabulous?

My girl Mommy Lisa and her Boo Boo are fabulous today
{ PS, Lisa and I found out today through email that we're house twins. Two houses that look much to similar from the street. Maybe that's why we get along so well! }

~KS is fabulous Monday through Sunday.

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

Not So Fun Sized

2010-09-02T08:38:00.026-03:00

Do you have perverted conversations with your best friends on Facebook in plain sight of others?

A few weeks ago, my girl Piper and a few others had a conversation about men, when someone referred to a man they used to date who was 'built like a fun size chocolate bar'. Of course, Piper and I continued on and took it much too far to amuse ourselves { as we tend to do }.

Someone brought some Snickers into work yesterday, and I couldn't help myself but sit and laugh at my desk.

Wait...when did we stop talking about chocolate bars?

I hope this doesn't end up on Failbook ...

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T08:11:00.005-03:00

Summer's winding down, but I'm gonna soak it up as long as I can.

Sitting right here

See what others aren't saying today...

Post it Tuesday

2010-08-31T08:37:00.011-03:00

Post It Notes Have Moved!
See more at
http://www.onlyparentchronicles.com/

My White Trash Weekend

2010-08-30T08:39:00.043-03:00

Friday night I saw two, count that TWO, mullets. Not one, but two. One at Walmart and one at the grocery store.

Do you know the mullet? Sort of like the reverse Kate Gosselin. The kind of hairstyle that you go into your barber and say "oh no, please, just cut the top..I'm letting the back grow." The kind of hairstyle that worked for a guy in the 80's to get chicks, so why would he ever consider changing? The kind of hairstyle that screams to a girl like me: "oh god, I need to stay away from that crazy hillbilly who wandered into town for smokes and a bar of soap."
One of the mullet men was actually wearing a Tasmanian Devil, hyper-colour t-shirt. Seriously dude, where did you park your Delorian, because you are obviously from the past.

Mark this one down...

August 28th, 2010: The day that I officially became an old lady.

Friday night, Big was busy with visiting his family across the border, and for several reasons, including lack of passport, I didn't go. Instead, I went out to dinner with Mo, talked about our boobs, bitched and gossiped about people we know, and ate way too much.

I went home to drink wine, paint my nails and watch movies. After torturing myself by watching The Time Traveler's wife again and bawling my eyes out, a personal classic movie came on tv. A classic movie set in the Catskills. A movie that no one puts in the corner...

So, about half way through Dirty Dancing, Big came home, and as it turns out, Big is Gayze for Swayze, he wished he was in as great shape as ol' Johnny Castle, so he didn't mind watching at all. We did our own little dirty dancing and finally went to bed.

Saturday morning, 3 am, Big and I awake from a sound sleep to the noise of teenagers.
{ I know that ear piercing sound anywhere }

I get up and look out our bedroom window that overlooks the street, and there are 20 teens fistfighting in the middle of the street. Guys punching, girls screaming and spitting. I yelled "hey, break it up" out the window, but none of them heard me for a second. I put my bathrobe on, went downstairs to get the phone to call the cops. By the time I got downstairs to grab the phone, you could see the red and blue lights coming down the street.

You've never seen twenty kids scramble before like when they are running from the cops. There were kids running through our yard, trying to hide, as I went out to the porch and yelled a very pleasant *Please children, would you be so kind as to leave my yard. I went to the laundry room to grab a flashlight as Big went out to the yard to try and get kids out of our cedar hedges.

I stood in the driveway, watching the drama unfold of drunken, bloodied teenagers being questioned by cops, all the while wearing nothing but a blue bathrobe with stars. I heard a noise over by our shed. I threw the spotlight over there, and spotted a girl trying to hide. You'd be amazed how quickly you become a "ma'am" when you shine a spotlight on a kid in the dark. She instantly started into her excuses speech "I'm sorry, I was trying to get away...someone spit on me...my boyfriend got punched" blah blah blah. I told her quite plainly "the cops are right out there, you can go complain to them."

Meanwhile, Mr Big joins me in the driveway to watch this girl do her walk of shame toward the cops and has a little conversation says something to the effect of...
Big: "Go on **head, get out of my yard"
Girl: "Don't call me a **head!! I have a name"
Big: "Okay, what's your name?"
Girl: "My name's Katie!"
Big: "Well okay Katie, don't be a **head and run through people's property, and you won't get called a **head."

Now if we hadn't had our car broken into a few weeks ago, I wouldn't have wandered out into that madness in all of my fabulous white trash glory, but we were both pissed. There I was, my own white trash nightmare. Hair a mess, bathrobe and flashlight, yelling obscenities at teenagers...I might as well have been shaking a broom at them.

I was the female version of Eddie from Christmas Vacation.
Not quite as bad as this though.
We go back inside and can hear the rest of the drama still going on. Three cop cars, twenty kids, explaining their story and looking for dropped cell phones and cameras. I will point out at this point, I had the brilliant idea of searching for their cameras, and posting all of their pictures on Facebook in an album titled "These Kids Are Stupid" and calling their parents on their cell phone saying "your son or daughter is an idiot and left their phone in my yard when they were running from the cops." But when I went out in the morning, all I found on my lawn was a Coors Light can and some broken glass on the street.

Sunday, I swear on was on my best behavior when hosting dinner for Big's sister and brother in law. We ate dinner, drank wine and lots of chit chat. I even kept all my teeth in.

*Add as many f-bombs as you would like to this sentence.
Because when you wake me out of a dead sleep, I am not Miss Molly Sunshine.
**Yeah, go ahead and add another f-bomb here too.

Sunday Covet

2010-08-29T09:34:00.003-03:00

Hey Mr Big, are you listening?My birthday's coming right up!

Just sayin'...

Fabulous Friday { 08-27-10 }

2010-08-27T08:03:00.019-03:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

I am feeling fabulous because I'm getting hyped up to donate my hair to Locks of Love!

This was my hair, last October, the weekend of the Run for the Cure '09.
And here I am now.
Thar she grows!
Locks of Love needs ponytails of ten or more inches to create wigs for kids going through medical related hair-loss due to illness.

My girl Mo and I decided to create an event called Ten Inches for the Cure, just in time for this year's Run for the Cure to end Breast Cancer. So far, three women have already donated their hair, with ten more still set to cut in September and October.

I've got a little while longer to go to get 10" to the longest layer, but it's certainly coming. It looks a little shorter in the pictures than it actually is because my hair is naturally curly/wavy, and it hates to be stick straight for more than a minute. I laugh in the face of 'volumizer' shampoo, because my hair has it's own natural bounce and volume.

I'm looking forward to this fabulous makeover with a cause.
I think I'm going short, very short!

I can't wait, it's going to be...well.....fabulous!

So, what's fabulous in your world?

My fabulous friend Mommy Lisa is having an ultra fab giveaway....but I don't want any of you to enter so that I may win.

Do you know my girl Krista? She is ultra fabulous.

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

long ago she knew someone, but now he's gone

2010-08-26T00:03:00.015-03:00

I've wondered what to say today, on this date.

I wondered if he would come looking here today too. To see if I would mention the day. Then again, the day never meant anything to him, so perhaps he's forgotten it all together.

I thought about letting the day pass without a word, and I thought about listing every last thing he did or said to me that I can never remove from my mind. August 26th has turned into the 13th floor of a hotel for me. I wish I could just skip and pretend it's really the next. Every time I see those numbers in writing, I can't ignore what day it is. I can't just let this day pass, forget about the date.

I remember the moment I knew you didn't love me, every detail, and word for word what you said. The moment that my pretty little picket fenced world came down around me...and that is all I can think of on this day. I don't wish that I had never been married, I only wish I had happy memories of being someone's wife.

I've decided to take the long and winding high road and leave it up to Sir Paul today, I think he knew how to say it best anyway.

...she no longer needs you

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-25T09:29:00.005-03:00

{we heart it}
In the words of someone very close:

A rainbow means is that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Storm clouds may still hover but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of colour, energy and hope..

See what others aren't saying today...

Blog Tag

2010-08-24T08:55:00.007-03:00

Sprinkles tagged me in a game.

The rules are simple: Answer 8 questions, come up with 8 new questions and tag 8 people.

So here are my eight questions:

1. Have you ever seen a ghost? If you have, what's the story behind it?
I've actually never seen a ghost, but I'm open to the idea of seeing one. I do, however, dream about relatives after they've passed on.
2. What is your most embarrassing moment?
Definitely walking out of the washroom at the Boston bus terminal with toilet paper attached to me, sitting on the bench, and THEN a stranger telling me about it thirty minutes later.
3. What was your best job and why?
Working at DQ in high school. You have no idea how it perks up your day to see little kids run in the store, excited to get ice cream from you. I once watched a little girl lick a giant plastic ice cream cone and say "I love you ice cream!"
4. What was your worst job and why?
My last job. After my bosses found out about the separation from my husband, they treated me completely different. They gossiped about me, speculated, and basically treated me like the office leper because I was no longer a 'good family person' in their eyes. I worked my ass off at that job and redesigned their website. Then, I got laid off the week before Christmas.
5. If you won the lottery, what would you do with the $?
Big and I actually talk about this quite a bit. We would pay the bills, pay family's bills, get a boat and sail away. We would travel the whole world, by plane, train or automobile.
6. Have you met any celebrities? If you have, what's the story behind it?
You'll only know these if you're from New Brunswick. I once met Terry Seguin at Cow's Ice Cream in Charlottetown. I came close to bumping into him, and said excuse me. And I once saw NB Premier Shawn Graham when dropping Mr Big off at the airport. (He looked like a dink) Yup, that's my brush with fame.
7. What is your favorite childhood memory?
There are so many, but the one that comes to mind is my mom letting me eat cake and ice cream for breakfast before school on my 11th birthday.
8. What's your biggest regret?
I try to not regret anything that I've done, but there are lots of things that I wish I had said to certain people at the time that it happened.

Here are my tagged girls:
Krista, Jules, Mrs. Lopez, Piper, Eyegirl, Aimee, Venassa & Valerie

And here are your eight My Life in Purple questions:
1. Margaritas; crushed and blended or over ice?
2. On top, on bottom, or other?
3. What colour lingerie do you wear when you want to feel sexy?
4. If your life were a book like Eat. Pray. Love., what would your three words be?
5. Where is your 'happy place'? Is it real, or imaginary?
6. Have you ever purchased anything "As Seen on TV"?
7. Have you ever looked up your lover's ex? (Facebook, Google, etc.)
8. Who in your life would you really love to tell off?

If you weren't tagged and you'd like to answer the questions anyway, go right ahead!

Weekend In Four Words

2010-08-23T09:19:00.040-03:00

A radio show I used to listen to asked you to summarize your weekend in four words or less, rather than listen to people go on and on Monday mornings. If they thought your four words sounded interesting, they'd ask you to elaborate.

Friday
........................
Bend Over and Cough

In my quest to become the ultimate domestic diva that's been brewing in side of me, I had an ultra domestic weekend. Hardly any drinking involved.

While out shopping on Friday evening, I stumbled upon these babies. Seriously, how cute are these rubber gloves?! The best part? They were $3.
Saturday
........................
Chocolate Cake and Nipples

I spent Saturday morning turning this giant chocolate cupcake...

Into this!

Rubber Ducky, you're the one!
My friend Julie is expecting her third baby boy, and what pregnant lady doesn't want a giant chocolate cupcake filled with fudge? So I headed off to her baby shower with cake and presents in hand.

But not just any presents, that's not how My Life in Purple does things!

Oh yes, that's right. That's a homemade boobie hat, perfect for the tongue-in-cheek breastfeeding mom. I wish I could take credit for knitting the hat, but it was done by my fabulous favorite cousin MK. I get her to knit hats for all of my expecting friends, but this one was specially designed just for Julie.

All baby products were made by my favorite Canadian company, Live Clean. All products are 98% plant based, never tested on animals, and always organic.

Sunday
........................
Amorous in the bedroom

When Mr Big bought his house two years ago, it was a family home with two little girls. Two of the bedrooms were fairly close in size, and the one facing the east and the morning sun was previously the bedroom of a six year old girl. This was the bedroom Big chose to make his own.

Needless to say, if I hadn't already known him and he took me home to this bedroom, it wouldn't have exactly screamed "throw me on the bed, and make wild, passionate love to me."

Only the square swatches are new, he's been living with the flowers for about two years now.

Originally we had been thinking of a gold hue for the room, but when we got to the paint store, I just couldn't stay away from the purple swatches. Surprisingly, the two colours that we picked are almost identical to a few of the flower colours. We're pretty loyal Benjamin Moore painters, so we picked up a few tester paint pots to test out some colours. I think the one that we've settled on is called Amorous by Benjamin Moore.

When we went to bed Sunday night, Big looked at me and said "You're lucky you know, not many men would be comfortable enough to have a purple bedroom."

I looked right at him and said, "You're 6'-3" and you drive an electric blue convertible that looks like it was built for Barbie. Do you think I was ever worried about your masculinity?"

Sunday Covet

2010-08-22T00:19:00.010-03:00

I don't know what's happened to me...

I used to dream of clothes, shoes and vacations, now I dream of copper pots and double warming ovens.

Oh well, none of my friends seem to mind, as long as I keep cooking for them!

My ultimate kitchen covets...
Bottom Freezer Refrigerator - by Kenmore
Freestanding Double Oven Range - by Kenmore
Boysenberry Standing Mixer - By KitchenAid

How Aboot That?

2010-08-20T16:28:00.000-03:00

My girl Goose posted a link for a quiz a few days ago, which asked you to fill out questions on how you pronounced different words, and based on the answers it would tell you if you were Dixie or Yankee.

Even though I'm not American, I took the test to see how I'd score, and without a doubt, I am no Dixie Rebel. If you met me, you'd probably think I speak like someone from New England. I have always pronounced Aunt more like 'want' than 'ant', but the Canadian in me still knows that you pronounce the word "foyer" as "foy-yay" and not "foy-eR."

Because of the entertainment industry, Canadians grow up watching American shows and American news, but you Americans rarely know anything about us. You had Mr Rogers, and we had Mr Dressup. I'm a proud Canadian, and try as much to spread the good word of the true and native land. So this quiz got me to thinking, if I can pass for an American, could you Pass for a Canadian?

I'm interested in knowing your scores, so post them in the comments if you take the quiz.

PS, if you're Canadian, I hope you score 100%, just like I did.
Because I am. Canadian.

Fabulous Friday { 08-20-10 }

2010-08-20T08:04:00.016-03:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

I've said it before, but my boobs are fabulous!!
Do you love your boobs? Come on, everyone does.
Big ones, small ones, man-boobs?!
{ Just kidding, no one loves moobs }

As I'm sure you already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and it's just around the corner.

This October I'm once again headed out to the Run for the Cure with my fabulous friends. Last year the weather was less than fabulous, and we spent more time walking for the cure with our umbrellas.
Here I am with my three girls.
{ What, you don't see three? My niece Kheri was along for the ride too! }

If you skip to about 2:48, you can see me and my girls off to the right.

Cancer isn't fabulous, but working together for a cure to end it sure it.

Help save the boobs!

If you feel so inclined to sponsor me, click on the link provided here, or off to the left of my blog.
This is the one time of year I bug everyone for a donation, but I can break legs if I have to.

So, what makes you fabulous?

~KS is taking some fabulous first steps

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

30 Vows of Summer {Updates}

2010-08-19T00:22:00.004-03:00

A few months ago, I took part in Mama Kat's writing workshop, declaring my 30 vows of summer. I'm going to try and stick to every single one, and update as I go!

Here's what I've been up to this summer...

1. Flip flops every single day. {So far, so good}
~~2. Wear a bathing suit and NOT rip myself apart about how I look in it.~~
{ Bam! I am fabulous }
3. Go kayaking.
~~4. Drink wine before noon.~~
~~5. Get to at least one "Films in the Park"~~
Two! The Adventures of Robin Hood & Casablanca.
~~6. Play hooky on a work day with Mr Big.~~
~~7. Go camping!~~ ~~8. Congratulate one of my best friends on graduating from paramedic school.~~ {and a graduation dinner for him, hosted by moi to boot!}
~~9. Lay out topless in the backyard.~~
10. Get in touch with my inner monkey at Treego!!!
~~11.~~ ~~Watch several World Cup soccer games.~~ { Bye Bye England... }
~~12. Blanket & Basket + Wine = Picnic.~~
~~13.~~ ~~Drive and get lost somewhere we've never been.~~
~~14. Get a pedicure for my little piggies.~~
~~15. Accidentally discover that I'm really good at something new~~ - Cooking and Baking!
{ Thanks for the reminder, Sprinkles }
16. Operation Grand Theft Snuggie against my Sister in Law.
{ FOILED!! } Possibly an international incident by trying to seal Mommy Lisa's Snuggie next???
~~17. Get a day off of work that hasn't already been spoken for by a certain co-worker.~~ { TAKE THAT, VACATION-VAMPIRE! }
18. Find a reasonable excuse to hire a pool boy, even though we don't have a pool.
{ I did get an offer from a 16 year old...does that count? }
19. Find a place to go skinny dipping.
20. Visit the Acadian Peninsula of my home province.
~~21. Sink my feet into some sand, and leave them there all day.~~
22. Kick my addiction to ice cream sandwiches.
{ At least I've switched to Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches... }23. Eat breakfast in bed.
~~24. Host a bonfire night for friends at Casa Big.~~
25. Ditch the pink. Transform what used to be a little girl's dream bedroom into a sexy master bedroom, built for two.
~~26. Log off for an entire day. No email, no blogger,~~ ~~no Facebook!~~
27. Have my photo taken with every "World's Largest" style roadside attraction in New Brunswick. { Work in Progress }

Saint John, NB - The Moosehead Moose
St. George, NB - The Wild Blueberry
Salisbury, NB - The Silver Fox
Harvey, NB - Don Messer Tribute
World's Largest Axe - Nackawic, NB
{Yup, I'm in there under the axe}
Longest Picnic Table in the World- Woolastook Park, NB{ You'll need to enlarge to find me!! }
Restigouche Sam - Campbellton, NB
~~28.~~ ~~Find the perfect backyard lounge chair, complete with cup holder.~~
{ No cup holder, but that's what Mr Big is for anyway }

~~29. Celebrate an anniversary in high style at a fancy restaurant.~~
30. Make all the other patrons at a really cute B&B feel super awkward.

{ Because I can, I'm adding more to my list }
~~31. Walk on the beach at midnight~~
Have you ever seen phosphorescent waves at night? AMAZING!
{Not my video, but this gives you a great idea of it}
~~32. Spend more than my mortgage to make my cat look like a satellite dish.~~
He's recovering very nicely though.
~~32. Go whale watching { and actually see whales! }~~
33. Host a fabulous dinner party for Big's family from out of town.
34. { 2.oh! }
~~35. Watch a kick ass meteor shower in the convertible with my hunny.~~
~~36. Kiss Mr Big under fireworks~~

Life, Birth, or Something Like It

2010-08-18T08:23:00.025-03:00

Life is so tenuous. It can be lost in the blink of an eye.

As an adult, it's as simple as sending a text while driving, and maybe you miss that truck headed in the other direction. But for a child, and maybe even an unborn child, life is so much more on the line. The little ones can't always tell you when they're hurting; when something doesn't feel right.

I've thinking a lot lately about birth and death. I know many women who have suffered loss of children in their lives. Maybe it's a miscarriage in the first trimester. Maybe it's a baby lost in their last few weeks of gestation. Maybe it's the loss of a child who was born too sick for this world. But one thing ties them all together, they are all loved and never forgotten. A loss is a loss, is a loss, at any stage of life.

Most women just assume that you get pregnant, you feel fat for nine months, you give birth, and get to take a baby home. After losing a child and going on to a second or third pregnancy, a mother will never again feel that way. They run to the bathroom at any cramp, checking for blood. They second guess any exercise or strenuous activity, just in case. There's no happy carefree pregnant glow on these women, it's nine months of sweat from worry.

I've seen first hand a woman give birth and have to leave the hospital empty handed, while people walk in with 'congratulation' balloons in the opposite direction. I hope that you can't even imagine that kind of heartache.

I told a friend recently that after conception, there's absolutely nothing you have to do with this child arriving safely. One woman can drink and smoke through her entire pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby, while another can take her vitamins, watch what she eats and reduces all stresses, but still might lose that child. As one friend quoted Michael Buble "it's half timing, and the other half luck."

All women grieve differently, but the ones that I know never pretend that it didn't happen. Some people are so uncomfortable to mention a child's death, the avoid the subject all together, and pretend it never happened. I can tell you that in my experience, that hurts a woman worse than anything. This child had a life laid out before them in the eyes of the parents, and they might as well have lived a thousand years, because that's how much it hurts to lose a child.

"The mention of my child's name may bring tears to my eyes, but it never fails to bring music to my ears. If you are really my friend, let me hear the beautiful music of their name. It soothes my broken heart and sings to my soul."

{ 8-17-2010 } goes together like a horse and carriage

2010-08-17T10:52:00.012-03:00

Today marks the day that my bestie bloggy friend marries the love of her life.

{ Do you know Eyegirl? If not, go see life through her eyes }

Congrats Eyegirl on finding The One!!

They are an absolutely amazing couple, and so much in love it's almost disgusting. They are proof of the fact that when you aren't looking for love, love comes looking for you.

The rest of us will just have to wait on shore for pictures of your I do's on your beautiful wedding cruise.

hotter than the water from a boiler in the basement of Hell

2010-08-17T00:01:00.003-03:00

I've been loving this song recently by Spencer Day called "Till you come to me".

It's pure sex in a song.

Pour yourself a glass of wine, dim the lights, and let his voice seduce you.
And hey, if you're kinky, leave the lights on.
He is kinda cute, after all.

A Weekend in Review

2010-08-16T08:13:00.039-03:00

As you may have guessed from Sunday's request for hangover relief, I had a packed weekend.

I spent Friday evening having dinner therapy with a few girlfriends, one of which had just left her husband. Let me start off by saying that this girl is beautiful, smart and has a heart of gold. Her abusive ahole of a husband doesn't deserve such a wonderful person in his life. She has suffered in silence for too many years, and I am so honored that she chose to share her troubles with me. We spoke candidly about things that I was all too familiar with, and I can only hope that she continues to realize that she is far too good for this excuse of a man. I came home to Mr Big, thanking him for being the man that he is.

Ladies, if your man is throwing things around you, like bottles or a remote control, it's only a matter of time before you get in the way of one of his projectiles.

Men, you are not big and strong if you kick your dog, or throw things in the general direction of your wife. You are a child.
................................................
I spent Saturday with Mo, having a Bake n' Bitch.
{ and not bacon bits, or bacon bitch as the parentals heard over the phone }

We baked and bitched our troubles away, all the while making a birthday cake for her hubby Scott. I had asked Scott earlier in the week if he had any requests for his birthday cake, and it went a little something like this...

Between Scott and You
Me: Any requests for a birthday cake?? ;)

Scott: Boobs. Or one that a stripper comes out of.
Or one that a stripper comes out of and it's shaped like boobs.
Me: a cake that's also a stripper with boobs??

Scott: A cake shaped like boobs from which an attractive female human of age 18-25 years old emerges.... and then I'll eat the female human who is age 18-25 years old. There, have I covered all variables? :D

So, the smartass got the cake of his dreams, a cake he could motorboat.
While the cleavage was cooling, we headed out for lunch and a bit of shopping.

Saturday was the end of season tournament for Mr Big's softball team, and there was a big party planned for that evening. I whipped up a batch of Pina Colada Cupcakes to take with us, and made up my own recipe for frosting, that included a bit too much coconut milk and ran as soon as you looked at it.
{ But still turned out amazing as long as the cupcakes stayed cool}

Saturday Night....ahh, Saturday Night.

I've been recently saying "Oh, I'm not 19 anymore, I can't stay up late like I used to..." Well, Saturday night, I proved myself wrong.

After watching three softball games Saturday afternoon/evening, we headed out with the rest of the team to an end of season party. No, their team didn't end up winning the tournament. After playing all day in the heat, losing two members and everyone was tired and hungry by 9pm, the team agreed to miss plays, drop catches, and let the other team win.

We threw some food on the grill, and the drinks started to flow. Big & I had a great time hanging out with people that we'd previously only been around during softball games. All of us got along great. A lot of laughs and good times. The house we were celebrating at has a pool, a hot tub and a games room with pool table and bar.

We were invited over to everyone's house for dinners, which I think is the adult drunk equivalent to "we don't hang out enough" or "we should open a sports bar together".

I'll end this post with a little game I started on Facebook called "I drank too much and..." when I updated my status on Sunday to:

...I drank too much and rode an inflatable whale.

This should fully explain how the rest of my Saturday night went. I haven't partied like this in years. You'll soon understand why I spent all day Sunday sleeping.
{ PS, the whale's name was ShamWow, and it was awesome }

...I drank too much and got propositioned by a sixteen year old.
...I drank too much and found out some very interesting information...
...I drank too much and created and named a new feminine hygiene product called "The Biffer Swiffer"
Order your Biffer Swiffer in the next five minutes, and receive a free Graty!
...I drank too much and couldn't keep my legs from floating up in the hot tub
...I drank too much and almost lost my top in the pool at 2am
...I drank too much and rode an inflatable whale.
...I drank too much and realized that I am getting old!
...I drank too much and got home by cab at 5am

Sunday Covet

2010-08-15T13:21:00.002-03:00

Any tried and true hangover cures?

This girl's a hurtin' unit...

Fabulous Friday { 08-13-10 }

2010-08-13T08:12:00.010-03:00

It's Fabulous Friday, you lovely ladies!

Are you fabulous today?

This was fabulous me, five years ago today.
Wait, this one isn't about me for a change...it's about love.

Love is simply fabulous.

Today marks the fifth anniversary of people I love more than anything.
{ Photo used without expressed written or verbal consent of the photographer 'cause that's how I roll }

Together they've seen more love, strength and tragedy than any couple should have to deal with, but they've survived it because they have one another.
I didn't believe in soulmates until I saw these two together.

Happy Anniversary to Kherrington's Parents, Sco & Mo.

Five Fabulous Years of Love and Laughter

So, who else is feeling fabulous?

~KS is always fabulous

All of us women are fabulous in many different ways. Let's celebrate what makes us Fabulous! Post a picture of you looking fabulous, list something fabulous that you've done, spotlight a fellow blogger that you think is beyond fabulous, or just list something that makes you the fabulous woman you are. Leave a comment and let me know that you are FABULOUS on Friday, and I'll link everyone back to your blog, and show them how fabulous you really are.
It's just that easy.

Happy Fab Friday everyone. Stay Fabulous!

Miracle Treat Day

2010-08-12T08:29:00.007-03:00

What was your first job?

For me, I spent most nights of the week after school at Dairy Queen. I mixed milkshakes, blizzards, served vanilla cones, wrapped cheeseburgers, and worked the drive-thru window. I worked with my best friends, my boyfriend at the time, and went home smelling like ice cream.

Could you imagine a better job?That's me as "Curly Top"!
I got lots of hugs from little children.

My absolute favorite day of the year, by far, was Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queen. One day a year, all the proceeds from the sale of any size of blizzard goes to local children's hospitals, that are part of the Children's Miracle Network.

The local hospital part of the network is the IWK in Halifax, and I've seen their amazing touch on many lives, including the short life of my niece, Kherrington Faith. They do everything from prenatal care, to postmortems, and everything in between.
If you live in Canada, please go out today, forget about the calories, and help out your local children's hospital by buying a blizzard.

I promise, it's the sweetest treat you could give yourself all year.
I got mine, now go get yours!

{Almost} Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-11T08:23:00.005-03:00

My sweet little paperweight on Monday.
A co-worker's daughter found this little guy hiding out under a client's front step. He was barely old enough to be away from the mother, and she couldn't bare to leave him there to fend for himself. We kept him company for the afternoon while she found a home for him.

I won't lie, I wanted to take him home.

See what others aren't saying today...