Off to the beach...

in one sleep!

Still a pile of work to wade through, but it'll work itself out.

In the meantime, LOVED this post from my friend Megz...she always inspires me and drives me through her words...thanks Meaghan! Hope you don't mind me sharing this :)

Enjoy.

NOW NEVER ENDS.

Seriously!! Life is what it is, and it is what you make of it. Why are you so settled with "good enough"? Why don't you want more from your life? Why are you letting other people dictate your worth? WHY do you keep waiting for tomorrow?

Why are you sitting back and accepting the hand you have been dealt? YOU (and only you) control your destiny and your life. You make decisions every day, and you are the one who gets to determine which choices are excuses and which choices will propel you further ahead.

No one else will ever, EVER get to live your life. It is yours for a reason, a gift from God. Use it to its fullest potential. Surround yourself with people whose sole purpose is to lift you up and help you grow; leave behind those that are holding you back. They are only holding you back because they are scared of the greatness you are capable of. They are scared that they too might possess such greatness.

Don't be trapped by fear.

Quit settling, and start living. Stretch your mind to encompass the possibilities of this world, and start discovering all that you really are and can be.

Now never ends.

Pull Ups

Can you do pull ups? I've never, ever been able to. In fact, I was the kid that could never conquer monkey bars. (I still can't swing across; it's embarrassing!) Whereas my friend Tara, the tiniest little thing, can pull herself up like nobody's business. WTF?

So my new goal: to do ONE pull-up. A couple of days ago I bought a pull-up bar from Winners for 12 bucks, and Trav installed it yesterday. I did a workout yesterday with about 70 pull-ups...of course I did them all assisted with my ottoman underneath my feet. By Christmas I hope to do one completely and utterly unassisted with perfect form. Long-term? I hope to do ten in a row. In fact, I just may need to add that into my 101 goals...

Meet Sak Man

**UPDATE

Saku puked on the kitchen table the other day and Trav almost killed him. Seriously. He wants to get rid of him! I keep changing the subject when he brings it up, so I think we're good for a little while...

My chubby kitty Saku. I need to put him on a diet...but all he cares about is food. Cats are cuter when they're chubby, aren't they?

Another Redo...finally!

These aren't the best photos, but check out what I did with this hand-me-down dresser. I think it was built in the early sixties. I loved the shape, but didn't love the finish. And no handles drove me crazy!

I hauled out all the pieces (on my own!), then proceeded to sand them down with an automatic sander I borrowed from Trav's grandpa.

And this is my favourite part. I absolutely love Anthropologie for the beautiful things they have. But I hate that they're so expensive. Alas, I caved and bought seven of these gorgeous knobs (it was so hard to choose!) at 8 bucks each. I love them.

And the final product! Don't mind the pillows on top...Trav always throws them there. Sigh...guys and their pillows. At least he's not throwing them on the floor anymore. So in total, the project cost me 80 bucks (knobs and primer.) I used leftover paint and borrowed everything else.
I'll feature my next project soon...it actually involves something that hangs above the dresser. I'm still deciding if I want to do more with it, or leave it as is. And after that...I'm really hoping Santa will get me a brand new kitchen counter and backsplash!! Forest green just doesn't do it for me anymore...

This is why I'm growing out my hair...

So chic; I'm in love. Found at http://experienceparisienne.com/blog/ooh-la-la-how-to-get-a-perfectly-messy-bun/

Ooh La La! How To Get that Perfectly Messy Bun

Whenever I visit Paris, the girls always seem to have such perfectly tousled, bedhead-y hair. So, in Miami, I asked my friend C., a hair stylist, to show me how to twist up my hair casually but beautifully. (No more crappy buns with a rubber band!)

Here are her six steps…

Step #1: Make your hair dirty. “I wash my hair only once a week,” admits C. “When your hair is too clean, it won’t stay put.” After showering, she massages in eitherAveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion or a homemade spray, made with one part sea salt, three parts water and a few spritzes of leave-in conditioner. “It makes my hair piece-y enough to work with,” she says.

(During the week, C. uses dry shampoo to keep her hair from getting greasy. Rene Furterer Naturia is her favorite. “And it smells like roses!” she says.)

Step #2: Next, pull together your hair and hold it straight up (“like Lucky Troll Doll,” she laughs).

Step #3: Then twist your hair down to a few inches above the crown.

Step #4: Wrap your hair around itself until it forms a loose bun, right on top of your head.

Step #5: Pin the bun in place with bobby pins. “Anywhere from four to eight, depending on how thick your hair is,” C. says. “You want it loose but secure.”

Step #6: Finally, pull loose strands of hair from the nape of your neck and around your face to make it look like you’ve worn the bun all day (or even slept in it!) And there you have it: That certain je ne sais quoi.

An old but favourite pastime...

Back in the day, when I first got the internet and didn't yet understand what it was, I used to look up clothes. And makeup. But mostly clothes. Today I had some time to surf around a little and looked up a site I used to always check out: Victoria's Secret. I go through flings with them...sometimes I'm loving what they're doing, and sometimes it just feels blah to me. One thing is for sure – their models are damn sexy! I love Marisa Miller. My favourite bikini that I bought in Vegas is Victoria's Secret too. The fit is incredible, especially of the bottoms...no smoosh goosh anywhere! Anyway, they've actually got some cute stuff out now. Check out my faves:

I just love off-the-shoulder. I don't know what it is, but it's just sexy to show the collarbone! Initially I wanted a off-the-shoulder wedding gown. Couldn't find any though.

Classic and sexy, hmmm? With jeans or a skirt.

Love the loose T look. Not sure I can rock it though. Not until the summer at least!

I've got my black leather jacket already...but I really, really LOVE this one. Awesome fit.

Another place I hardly get to shop at, but love, is French Connection. The fit is so great, and their pieces are always original and a little different from what everyone else is doing. I have to remember to mark a few of these down on my Xmas list! (Unless we get a new kitchen countertop instead...)

So that was my shopping trip this afternoon! Fun yet frugal... ; )

Yep, updates.

I know we say it every year, but haven't the past few months been a blur? I can't believe we're only a few weeks away until we fly off to Jamaica for my best friend's wedding. I really need this vacation!

Our resort.

I've got to work on my maid, or matron (I sound old!) of honour speech. Being a full-time writer, I'm expected to have something funny, fabulous...the pressure is on! I keep putting it off, but I suppose I should just spill out the ideas on the page – dumb or not – and go from there. That's my usual working style...let it all out, then edit away!

In the meantime, I've been planning her stagette. Of course, it's themed...I wouldn't have it any other way! I can't reveal it yet, as she might be reading this...so stay tuned for pictures to follow. It's been a lot of thinking and organizing that has fallen on my shoulders, so I really hope it turns out to be memorable and fun.

Tara and I at a friend's wedding in September.

***

I've been spending a couple nights a week teaching at Dance Alberta, and for the most part, it's been good. A great learning experience! I haven't taught beginners in awhile, so in that sense it's been a challenge. Especially with my younger ones. I have noticed that kids just seem a whole lot lazier these days...is it just me or what? I remember in my classes when I was their age that I was always pushing myself to do better. Practicing and perfecting. They just don't seem to care. One girl asked me why we need to stretch or do a warmup. Another one just constantly asks me when the dancewear will be in so she can prance around in the DA logo and say "I'm a dancer." (I imagine this JT style from his Beyonce skit, ha!) I've been fairly tough on them but I think I need to up the ante. I just need to strike the right balance so they don't hate coming to my class! They'll thank me one day : )

Right now I've perusing costume choices online...fun! There's so much more available than when I used to dance it seems. Hopefully most of them like my choices...it's especially hard with the teens.