So we had the greatest Jigg's dinner on Tuesday night. After several calls home, I managed to cook the salt beef and vegetables to perfection. (Dad was a wee bit disappointed that I didn't make his stuffing but I have not yet gotten his recipe right.) The turkey was moist and delicious and the company was divine!

 

I went all out and set the table with the china and silver ware, lit the candles and dimmed the lights. The mood was set for overindulgence with great friends (who just happen to be family). We ate and laughed and ate and laughed some more. You just can't get any better than soaking up life in the warm glow of Christmas lights and candles. My bucket is getting past full and moving into over flowing this week!



One of the few pictures of G without a tissue up his nose!



  

Laura and Austin playing wih the cracker prizes

Naturally there were lots of leftovers (we Newfies' never know how to cook for a small crowd. If there isn't enough for 20 then we have failed in our job to be ready for everyone in the neighbourhood to drop by unexpectedly for dinner). This evening I made a favorite Jigg's after dish- Hash. It starts with a generous tbsp of butter in the bottom of a frying pan. When the butter melts and the pan is good and hot you add the left over vegetables and salt beef. If there happens to be any dressing you can throw that in there too. Mash it all together and voila! Hash. Serve with turkey and top with gravy. So very, very good!

Miss you guys...come back soon!

The most wonderful time of the year!

It's oddly quite in our house at the moment. There are no toy Black & Decker drills drilling, no cars crashing, no Santa on a motorcycle singing Born to be Wild. Austin and his daddy are having a nap while I sit here looking at the Christmas tree, listening to Kenny and Dolly. I just put the turkey in the oven and the salt beef is simmering away. Tonight Laura and Dan will be joining us for a visit and we'll sit down to a good ol' Newfie Christmas dinner. I even have the beets (but no mustard pickles). I cannot wait!

It's a very weird experience trying to establish your own traditions when I'm so used to the traditions that I have been entrenched in since I was a little kid. The pace of Christmas is very different here than it is back home. But I have to say that it has been nice. We' ve had a couple of stay in our jammies-watch Toy Story 2-eat Christmas brunch left over days. It's been nice to catch up on life with my boys.

Austin has been hilarious this year. He gets the whole Santa thing. Christmas Eve we made Santa rice krispie treats and when we put them on the table, Austin declared he was hungry and that Santa had to share!

Two cookies down and a phone call from the big man himself and Austin finally went to bed.

I was like an over excited kid Christmas morning. I woke up at 6am, can down to the living room and put cinnamon rolls in the oven, got the coffee/hot beverage station ready and took this picture to prove that Santa really came:

Austin was stirring at 7:30am of course I encouraged him to wake up. Next thing I know he is bouncing on his Dad declaring "Santa brought da pwesents daddy! get up! get up!" So we scurried downstairs where he met  Rudolph and then his new favorite toy....a Santa on a motorcycle just like his Poppy has.

Our house was soon full as G's parents arrived and RyLee, Clay and Oskar got out of bed. The day was hectic, brunch was served and then we all settled in for a nap.

Our adventures continue but right now I have to tidy up my very lived in home and check on my boys. I love Christmas break!

Only two more days!

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

-Mary Oliver

I don’t know about you, but I plan to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of life this holiday season. I will have 10.5 days of at home time with my boys and my ever expanding belly to just enjoy life and each other. Austin has been such a blessing for us and he is so excited for Santa’s visit tomorrow night. He walks around the house in his little bare feet (not sure why, but he hates socks this holiday season) “talking” to Santa on the phone, hangs up and says “Ho, Ho, Ho, Merwy Kissamas!” Gordon and I laugh and smile and just soak up the moment of happy bliss brought to us courtesy of our first born child. This will be our last Christmas as a family of three and I plan on capturing each and every moment…. (my slight photo addiction is the reason we require an external hard drive….Austin is just 2 I have taken over 2000 pictures so far….)

Oh?! You didn’t hear the news? Austin is going to be a big brother! Gordon and I are expecting our second child in June….Telethon weekend of all times! I’ve already been asked if the Foundation could schedule me in for a rover hit…..normally I wouldn’t want to go late but, in this case, fingers are crossed that the only thing I’m doing at the IWK on Telethon weekend is taking cash!

It’s been a tough fall and my positive attitude has taken a bit of a blow, hence why I haven’t been blogging as much as I would like. And I should have been. Blogging feeds my soul. It’s great to share the happiness that we have and to keep our family and friends informed, especially given that our village expands over several provinces and three American states. And while we aren’t able to spend our evenings personally calling each and every one of our family and friends to tell them our life adventures, this blog gives us a place to do that en mass. (Very helpful when your two year old is opening the fridge, taking out a juice box and sneaking the cake balls that were meant to be Christmas gifts into his cheeks as if he was a squirrel getting ready for winter…)

The Christmas lights are up, the tree is decorated and its warm glow is inviting and ready for company to come together to share in the Christmas spirit. The gifts are all wrapped, packages and cards sent and 90% of the baking has been done. I am ready for Christmas and anticipate the memories that we will be making this year.

I didn’t ask for much this year, I don’t really need anything. I have great family and friends, a wonderful husband, an extraordinary little boy and I’m growing another tiny human…life could not get any better than this and I am grateful for all of those blessings (and for the food saver I know is sitting under the tree waiting for me to rip the brightly coloured paper and ribbons away and start vacuum sealing leftover turkey!!!)

Soak up the day and live each day knowing that once that day is past you don’t have the chance to go back and change it. Cherish it, live it, love it!

Merry Christmas!

'tis the season!

We're all running around trying to get things done and rushing to get packages in the mail, baking in the oven and non breakable ornaments on the tree.  Weekend before last we took Austin to see Santa and he was so excited! It gave me a burst of energy and helped the spirit find me. He was upset that he couldn't just walk up and see Santa, but he was a trooper, peered over the "wall" and pointed "Mama, That Santa!!! that Santa!!!!"

Finally it was his turn. He ran up to Santa, stopped short right in front of him and said "Hi Santa. I want an airpane. Fank you." and just stood there. Santa laugh and asked him to have a seat. Austin happily went up with Santa, said "Cheeze" for the lady (hence the picture...but I couldn't get her to retake it...it's just so Austin) and then he and Santa had a conversation. It made me so happy to just watch him. Love, love, LOVE my boy!

Oh Jan! Congrats on your new baby!

My friend Jan had her baby in a rather unsual way! I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else I know expecting a baby!!! (You look amazing by the way!!!)

Baby's birth at gas station surprises parents

Baby Paige Bosch, seen with mom Jan McEachern, gave her parents no time to reach the hospital before her birth. (CBC)Paige Taylor Bosch entered the world Wednesday in an unusual way: she was born at a Halifax gas station.

Mother Jan McEachern, who was at full term of her pregnancy, started the day feeling cramps. She decided to go to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, where she also works, just to be safe.

McEachern and her husband, Kenny Bosch, piled into their Subaru hatchback and got on the road. That's when things sped up.

"About two minutes into the drive, my water broke," McEachern said. "Then another two minutes, her head came out. So he pulled over and called 911."

Bosch pulled into an Esso gas station on Kearny Lake Road to make it easier for the paramedics to find them.

McEachern was sitting in the front seat, and with two child car seats and bags in the back, there was no space to manoeuvre.

As it turns out, there was also no time.

"I could see the baby's head crowning," Bosch said. "I'm talking to the 911 operator, and not 15 seconds later, Paige had jumped out into my arms, and that was it."

McEachern had assumed she'd have plenty of time to make it to the hospital.

"With my first daughter, I pushed for five hours, because she was facing the wrong way," she said. "I had a lot of back pain, and I thought it was going to be the same thing."

Bosch agreed.

"Thought we had hours and hours," he said. "Even when her water broke in the car, we still thought we had plenty of time to make it down here."

Bosch said the ambulance arrived within 10 minutes of his 911 call.

Mom and baby went to the hospital in the ambulance and Bosch followed in the family car as soon as he washed up in the Esso bathroom.

The bewildered couple spent the day telling family and friends about their new bundle of joy.

McEachern had only one piece of advice for pregnant women and their families: "Leave earlier."

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/12/02/ns-babys-birth-at-gas-station-surprises-parents.html#ixzz173SZks5p

Rest in Peace- John Delaney Coleman Sr.

The past two days have been emotionally draining. My heart broke to see how it all ended. While we may not have been close over the past decade, that doesn't take away that for 17 years he was a wonderful grandfather, giving when his family needed him and creating so many wonderful memories. He was a business leader in Corner Brook and gave much back to the community. If he had been home, it all would have been done so differently, it would have been done right. As I put my hand on his coffin and laid one rose for each of his grandchildren, my knees went weak, not with regret but from an overwhelming sadness that it all could have been so different and because a person's last moments before being laid to rest with God should have more dignity. There should be a program for Mass with a proper dedication, the coffin should have been level over his grave site, not tipped several degrees to one side. Some how I managed to keep my balance and turned away, thankfully Aunt Helen was right there to catch me. And she held me as I wept. I wept for all of the wonderful memories, I wept for the man who deserved to have more than just the past 12 years of his life honoured, I wept for all that he has missed and for him being buried so far away from his brothers and parents, for being buried so far away from home.

Good bye Pop. Thank you for the good years, thank you for my Dad, Aunts and Uncles. We love you and will miss you.

John Delaney Coleman (February 5, 1934 - November 30, 2010)


It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our dearly beloved Husband and Father, John Delaney Coleman Sr. on Saturday, November 27, 2010 at the age of 76 years at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital surrounded by his loving family.

John was born in Glace Bay, NS on February 5, 1934 and at a very young age he moved to Corner Brook, NL with his family. He spent many memorable years there before moving to Sydney River, NS. John was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Sydney River. John had a gentle heart and was willing to give in all his capacity. He was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, M.M Coady Council 9476 and was a forth degree member of the Knights of Columbus in Corner Brook, NL for numerous years.
John is survived by his wife Coreen, his nine children: Anne Marie (Tony), Paul (Helen), Gerard (Debbie), Barbara (Tony), Helen (Todd), Sheila (Eric), Mary (Arnie), John (Arlene), Christine (Gary), 18 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, his 2 brothers Gerald and Joe and his only sister Helen Nellie, stepdaughter Janine Carroll and 2 step-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents Arthur and Margaret, three brothers, Edward, Eugene and Harold.

A mass of Christina burial was held on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Sydney River with Rev. Will MacPherson officiating. Interment was at the Holy Cross Cemetery, North Sydney, NS. Donations may be made to Loaves and Fishes, Charlotte Street, Sydney, NS or the Canadian Cancer Society. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.chantfunderalhome,com Arrangements are under the direction of Chant’s Funeral Home, Sydney, NS.



Country Haven Funeral Home: Obituaries

Saying Good Bye

Early this morning my grandfather lost his battle with cancer.

The really sad thing is that I haven't had a relationship with him for the past 10 years. He missed so much of my life. He didn't see me graduate from high school or university, he missed seeing me walk down the aisle and he has never met my amazing little boy. There were many reasons why we became estranged and I'm not going to go into it here because somethings just don't need to be put out there for the world to read about.

All of those reasons aside, he is my dad's father. He brought many of the people that I care about most deeply into this world and for that he deserves my respect.

I have so many memories of spending time with Pop and going on adventures with him. I'm sorry that there have been so many memories that he isn't a part of but I can't do anything about that now. What I can do is go and pay my respects to the man that I choose to remember.

Pop used to take me to the farm to see where food comes from and on drives along the coast. After my grandparents divorced and Pop got his own house, I remember many a family dinner in his home. Pop was a great cook and I looked forward  to dinners at his place with much anticipation. He always had this enormous glass jar in his living room and it was filled with jumbo jelly beans. Mom and Dad would tell my brother and I that we couldn't have anymore, and Pop would sneak baggies of them in our pockets as we left. His house was always warm and he always had chocolate cake and chocolate chip cookies on hand anytime we were there. I have to say that it was one of the best chocolate cakes that I have ever had and it paired perfectly with a glass of ice cold milk. I'm sorry that I never learned how to make it from him.



Pop, I hope you have found peace.

Lessons learned when G works late

Gordon has had to put in some extra hours at work recently and last night was one of those “pick Austin up- bring Austin home-eat some leftovers for supper-back to the office” kind of evenings. I hadn’t anticipated that it would be much of a educational experience to be home in the evening with Austin, but in the end it was….


Three things I learned last night:

1) DO NOT BLINK! Don’t turn your head away from a toddler for one brief moment! Austin was colouring at his table, I answered the phone and was speaking to my sister in law when I turned my head back and my beige (almost white) chair was covered in magenta crayon!!! Austin was quite proud of his mater piece…Mommy was in shock. Naturally I was too shocked to give him a time out, and besides he just laughs at me when I try to be stern and runs around the main floor until I give up on trying to catch him anyway….
2) Spot Shot carpet cleaner takes magenta crayon out of beige (almost white) fabric…. (and its biodegradable cleaning solution- win/win)

3) The dishwasher repair man is my new best friend- the sad thing is that G almost had the dishwasher fixed a couple of weeks ago…all he had to do was unclog the pipe that connects to the faucet…oh well.. $69 dollars later I awoke to clean dishes and tonight I will finish the ones still in the sink (by putting them in the dishwasher of course!) Not really sure where my loathing of washing dishes came from, I certainly have no issues making dirty dishes but I would rather scrub floors than wash a dish…

Tonight I will be flying solo again and I have a small mountain of laundry and diapers to wash. I’m putting extra paper out on his play table and hoping that the Monkey doesn’t anything he shouldn’t.

I don’t have those eyes in the back of my head yet that every mother supposedly has…..any idea what I need to so to get those to come in?!

sentimental moment...

I haven’t been blogging lately. So much going on and by the time I put the monkey to bed I’m wiped! I need to write though. Someone asked me today if they could give someone an update on me and my family. I told them fine but they had to share the following: We’re fine. Austin is an amazing kid and that I am blessed to be me. I am happy and feel blessed to be me and to be living my life. I’m lucky and I know that. I try not to take anything for granted and am I thankful for what I have and for the people in my life.


And I am.

I have an amazing husband who loves me no matter what. I have an incredible little boy who lights up a room with his personality and is so smart it makes me wonder where his brains come from (“be just like Aunt Janice!”). My family is fantastic, supporting and a great source of strength. My friends (old and new) are incredible and “get” me. I don’t need to try to fit in or be someone else. I am just me and they accept that.

I am lucky and as people on Facebook are doing the 30 days of Thanks leading up to American Thanksgiving, I don’t think it is inappropriate for me to blog about it.

Don’t get me wrong, life is by no means perfect. We all have our ups and downs, our grays and our colours. I try to see the colour because the colour is what brings us happiness while the gray reminds us not to take the colour for granted and to appreciate the colour. And when a moment of gray comes, take comfort that colour will come too and draw strength and learn the lesson that the gray is there to teach you.

(J…want me to write that philosophy paper for you?…I seem to be on a roll!)

My Prayer

I do not wish for you to suffer


The choices that you made are yours to live with, to die with

I made peace with your place in my heart a long time ago

I love you for all of the wonderful memories that I have

I love you for brining my loved ones into this world

I learned hard lessons, the hard way at your hands

Now that the end is near I pray that peace finds those who seek it

I pray that family can come together and not be divided

I pray that you find comfort in God

I hope that you can find peace before you go

I do not wish for you to suffer

There has been enough suffering and pain to last a lifetime

It is time for it to end

Find peace…

My baby is TWO!!! How did this happen?!?!

I can hardly believe that at this very moment 2 years ago and was putting the last few items in my hospital bag and getting ready to go to the IWK to meet my little man. And just a year ago I was squeezing every last moment of joy out of my last day of maternity leave. Gordon and I took Austin to the park and spent the day doing the things that the little man enjoyed most, sliding, running around, tossing him up in the air and then between naps we cuddled, read his favorite books, finger painted and took him out for a quite family dinner, just the three of us.

This year I am spending his birthday at work because we are just back from a weeklong vacation and I couldn't get away for the day. I know he will be having a great time at Kelly's with his firends today and we're having a birthday supper tonight, complete with Lightning McQueen birthday cake! Monkey's big day started when he climbed into bed with us at 5:30am. G and I held him close and sang him "Happy Birthday". He looked up and sleepily said "Again!" so of course we sang again. He had a birthday candle on his waffles and a birthday button on his jacket (yes I want the world to know that today is a special day!) He is growing so fast. I try to relive the moments of his life in my head so that I don't forget one single precious second of it!

I know a few of you are expecting a slide show like the one I did last year. To be honest I am in the process of doing one but I have over 5000 pictures to go through and I am also working on another very exciting project so I wasn't able to finish it for today. I slacked off and used my time in NL to relax instead of to work on a bunch of projects! Stay tuned for good things.....

A couple of weeks ago, my cousin Andrea (a budding photographer) came with us to an apple orchard in the Valley and took a few pictures. I will have more to share tomorrow as I capture tonight's moments but in the meantime enjoy!

Pumpkin bread, hockey helmets and puppies

There is something about the adventure of travelling with a toddler. I just love watching Austin's eye grow as he sees plains, trains and helicopters up close. He gets that "holy crap these things are REAL!" look going on and it is beyond cute.

After some careful planning for our trip we managed to navigate the airport fairly smoothly. I had put Austin in the backpack right out of the car so he was content to watch all the activity from the safety of the Beco. I had check us in and printed off our boarding passes the day before so that was one less line that we had to wait in. We bypassed the line at security (travelling with kids in like a golden ticket to the front of the line...it helps when the child is super cute, looks at the security guard and says"Nice to meet you police man"...now the guard was a woman but she thought it was beyond cute). Things got a little hairy then because we had to take him out of the Beco to go through the metal detector and he wasn't too happy about getting back in.

Once upstairs I was so excited. I had plans to get my coffee (one last Starbucks fix) before hitting the rock and then I had planned to take a bunch of pictures of my monkey watching the plans and observing the busy-ness of the airport. Well only have that plan happened. We got my coffee, got coffee for G and a cookie for Monkey. We walked down to the gate and as soon as we sat down and I reached for the camera, they called preboarding for people with children. We went through the gate and onto the plane. I regret not having taken my camera out anyway to capture the moment that he say the plane and when he got settled in his seat. He played so well during the flight and kept looking out the window and exclaiming "Wook Mama!". He was very entertaining and made the flight so enjoyable.

We spent most of yesterday afternoon sleeping (that's what we get for being up until 2:40am doing laundry and packing!) and then we were pretty low key last night. I baked pumpkin bread (only 2pts a slice!) and Austin chased Bailey (my sister's dog) around the house all the while wearing Mark's old hockey helmet and saying "Baiwee- what do you fink?" I love it!

I'm so excited that we have three more full days of enjoying my family and watching my family enjoy my boy. I can't believe that in a week he will be 2.... where did the time go?

Happy Thanksgiving

(And this is yet another reason why I love our friend Kelly!)

You spin me right round baby right round!

You know, there was a time when I would dance to that very song in the middle of the street for just some good relaxed fun (usually when a certain Follett was dropping me off from a night of gallivanting about town). Today I'm thinking about all the ways those words still apply. Seriously my head is spinning!

My new job at Dalhousie is awesome! I love having a new challenge and a new project to sink my teeth into. Actually I should say new projects! Anyway I am sorry I have been neglecting updating the Babblings but I literally have not had time to sneeze at work and I don't go near a computer at home in the evening. I promise to catch up on my emails next week!

This past Saturday was a bit of a crazy day. It was the first Saturday I have not worked in weeks and, because Austin had a cold, it was relatively free. I went to WW in the morning (down 1.2lbs thank you!), then came home to decorate a birthday cake. I was frantically trying to finish up Olivia the Pig when out of nowhere G's sister RyLee showed up! It was a nice surprise and I'm hoping that we'll get to see her a bit over this coming weekend.

Maybe it was because my life has been so hectic but I just felt like doing homey things on Saturday. I hauled out a new cooking magazine and made pumpkin mini chocolate chip mini loafs and  mini pumpkin muffins (notice a trend?). Mini muffins have two major advantages...Austin will eat a whole mini muffin but not a whole regular muffin and making them mini makes them ridiculously low points. I also replaced half the butter or oil in each recipe with unsweetened apple sauce. I used half sugar and half splenda only to learn today that half a cup of splenda for baking has 1.5 points MORE than half a cup of sugar...there is something to be said for using the real deal!

I also craved the comfort of fall soup. I roasted butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, celery, onions and garlic in the oven (tossed with a bit of sea salt, pepper and olive oil). Then I added them to some chicken broth and coriander seeds that I warmed up on the stove. After I blended the pot of roasted goodness together I stirred in some fresh parsley. My kitchen smelled incredible and the soup just really hit the spot that night at dinner.

G and Monkey spent the day outside playing. Monkey helped his dad mow the lawn and they went for a bike ride around the neighbourhood. After his nap he helped me in the kitchen and I need to get more pictures of those moments.

Fall is here. Soon my house will be decked out with fall decor, home baked goods in the freezer and my slow cooker will get a daily workout.

Oh and if filling my "down" time with comfort projects isn't enough...we're going to NL in 13 days for a visit. I can not wait!!!!

mompetitors- too funny!

Laura- I loved these videos! I really did LMAO!!!!


http://blog.myviewfromhere.com/2010/mompetitors/

Because Neil Patrick Harris is cool....

Thank you Krista.....

This addict is looking for help...

I have a problem. It is a very real addiction and I need help....

My problem smacked me in the face yesterday morning as I was trying to get my little Monkey to wake up. After the usual tummy tickles and the good morning song, Austin did his morning stretch. Arms up over his head, back arched, butt out and face scrunched. I asked him is if wanted to go potty. Mid-stretch he replied "...coffee..." in a groggy, just waking up tone. I burst out laughing and then he open his eyes, rolled over, pulled his knees into his chest, butt up in the air and said "no Mommy...coffee now" Where is a video camera when you need one? That will totally be a story told to every girlfriend he brings home!

(BTW-That's just water in his cup)

And that is when it hit me....I have a problem

I love skinny vanilla lattes and chocolate dipped oatcakes. I have had a least two oatcakes a week since starting my job at Dal....and these oatcakes are not for the faint of heart. They are delicious and think and have this chocolate coating that isn't of the highest quality but my god it tastes good.

The latte isn't really an issue...it's 3WW pts, not a whole lot ion the scheme of things and I enjoy it so much! My day just doesn't feel right without one. Now the oatcake...THAT'S a whole other issue. It must be at least 9pts, more likely it is more than that....so if we say 12pts and add the latte then I'm using over HALF of my daily pts on my carb and caffeine obsession...

I need to conquer my comfort food issues if I am ever going to reach goal. Maybe I should try being hypnotised or ask the Second Cup ladies (who now say "Good day Lisa! Do you want your usual?") not to serve me....or maybe I should just learn some self control. There's an idea....

And the week begins!!!

So it's check in craziness here at Dal. The line ups outside the house that I work in have begun. The next few weeks will be crazy so I took some time yesterday to plan my meals for the week. This is what we are having this week:

Monday:
L- Turkey, carrot & raisin salad (3pts)
S- Slow and low sloppy joes & salad (7pts)

Tuesday:
L- Chicken & nappa cabbage salad (4pts)
S- Mexi bugers & potatoes (10pts)

Wednesday:
L- Turkey, carrot & raisin salad (3pts)
S- Thin crust pizza & vegetables (8pts)

Thursday:
L- Chicken & nappa cabbage salad (4pts)
S- Chicken drumsticks & rice (10pts)

Friday:
L- Turkey wraps (4pts)
S- BBQ pork & vegetables (8pts)

I'm throwing in fruit and yogurt at lunch too so lunch will be 6pts or so by the time it's all said and done. If I can stick to my running /yoga schedule for teh week then I should be able to get down more than 0.6lbs this week.

I promise I will post some pictures of all our summer adventures as soon as I can!

Transition...

I'm writing this blog from my new office. I have two windows and a door. A door may not seem like a big deal to most but when you live in cubicle hell (a well designed, warm and comfortable cubical hell but still), a door is a very, VERY, big deal.

Wednesday was a hard day for me. I attended meetings and went out to lunch with my coworkers. After returning from lunch , I clued a few things up and wrote a status report. I feel good that I was able to complete almost every task that I had and that I didn't leave behind a huge pile for my replacement. The last thing I wanted was for someone to arrive and be buried by the oodles of paper that I am know to have hanging around. I looked at my empty walls and empty desk and started to cry. What am I getting myself into? I really did love my job and I enjoyed going to work and socializing with everyone but I know that I needed more.

Saying goodbye to Gena, Oneta and Robbie was not fun. I know I am going to see them and that I can call them for guidance when I need it but it didn't make it any easier. They have been my mentors and have taught me so much.

Wednesday night I was a bit nervous (okay a lot nervous). I honestly felt like I did every year before my first day of school. I barely slept thanks to a case of the hives that I have recently developed from an allergic reaction. Thursday morning I took too Benedryl (can you see where this is going to go???) and headed out the. The woozies set in just as we pulled into Natalie's road and I slept most of the way into the city. Not a great idea on the drugs...I mean I wasn't itchy (good thing) but I was slightly buzzed (bad thing). I sat in Starbucks, sipped on a Venti and tried to wake myself up! The caffeine seemed to do the trick.

I walked into the office and  immediately started to feel at ease. The staff are really nice, my predecessor is happy to help me out and Lynda and Heather are going to be great to work with.

Today is day two and I'm feeling pretty good. Only 3 weeks until frosh week and I've been warned that Labour Day weekend is Dal's Telethon. We shall see how I feel about the job after that!

It's not easy to leave something you love for the unknown. I needed this. I need to push myself out of my comfort zone, come to think of it maybe the hives are from my nerves and not a reaction to the medication...

Oh well tonight is Friday night and I am going to sit back with a Mojito and enjoy my weekend!

Happy Friday!!!

Can a miracle be found in the bottom of a DQ cup?

Yesterday was Miracle Treat Day.

After supper Gordon and I took Austin to the Dairy Queen in Lower Sackville and I was thrilled with the scene that we walked into. The store was packed! Just as we squeezed in the door, a group of soccer players (young girls around 10-12 years old) started a rowdy rendition of "Happy Birthday Blizzard" people joined in and even clapped when they were done. The staff behind the counter were clearly overwhelmed but kept on smilling as they moved throught their assembly line approach to making the delicious frozen treats. The line of people went around the store, circled to the front door and then to the checkout. I had never seen DQ so packed! In addition to filling up on frosty goodness, people were also buying Miracle Balloons like they were going out of style.

Austin enjoyed his first Mini Orea Blizzard but he was far more interested in his Dad's Banana Cream Pie blizzard, so they took turns. Austin would eat his, then G's and then mine (smartie of course!). After we devoured our treats, we walked out of the store in a much better mood than we arrived. We had eaten ice cream (how could you not be happy after that?) and we had helped the IWK. It was an awesome night.