Anniversary Weekend

On our long weekend, about 1 1/2 weeks ago, Stephan and I went out to Waterton Lakes Provincial Park to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. We have both wanted to go back and visit Waterton in the winter, for a long time, so we finally did it!  We spent two wonderful nights there, and walked around the trails for a little bit, and explored the town in the middle of winter.

This is one of my favourite places in the mountains to visit, and I love any time I get to spend there.

Here are some highlights from our trip! And, as always, I take too many pictures!

Sparkling wine and chocolates - which I ate and drank all on my own

KING SIZED bed.  Stephan was shocked (because I hog the bed and covers) when
he still had space on the bed.

Fireplace #1 - living room

Fireplace #2 - bedroom

We brought snacks along, and I forgot a plate to put my balsamic vinegar and oil on,
so Stephan improvised and we used the soap dish! 

Can you see the people climbing the waterfall?

Look closer!

Walking along the waterfront

Cameron Falls

Hiking through the forests - we didn't get too far without snowshoes,
as we fell into snow up to our hips!

A pretty little Gray Jay

Prince of Wales Hotel

Boat Launch and a "small" snowdrift

This is my favourite photo from the weekend - I love the mist from the lakes,
and the clouds above the mountains!

Random thoughts

I enjoy watching shows on real estate, House Hunters and House Hunters International being some of those.  I really do love shows like these, I sit and check out real estate on my free time, to keep myself up to date with the market of where I'm living (as I know I won't be in this house forever). 

But lately, there are a few things that bother me when I watch the couples on these shows.  And that is the attitude of some of the women towards their spouses and/or boyfriends, who they are purchasing a house with.

Today I was just floored with the episode I was watching.  I can't remember the entire sentence the female spouse spoke, but it was something along the lines of "When it comes to ........."something".....I always win, I always get my way".  I'm sorry, what?!!  Earth-to-woman, you are in a relationship.  Its about give and take, making concessions, working together.  Not you getting your way. GROW UP.  As the show went on, it got worse.  I missed the beginning, but the husband was clearly looking for an area to do art, or to have a studio.  I was unclear if art was his living, or a very major hobby in his life, but when he was commenting on one of the houses that had a potential area for him to work on his art in, his wife simply rolled her eyes, said "whatever" and walked away, while saying over her shoulder that the garage would work for an art studio, even though he didn't like the idea as it wasn't heated in the winter.

Now I know I don't know the full situation, and that I only get to see what clips the show chooses to show me, but WOW.  I just found that extremely disrespectful.  She is not the first wife I have watched to be self-absorbed in the house-hunt, just the latest that I have found frustrating.

I can't say that Stephan was thrilled when I invested some money in trying to sell my art, and he's not so thrilled that it hasn't worked out ..........yet (I still plan to work on it), but he has been nothing but supportive and encouraging about it, and is hoping it works out for me, despite his reservations. And I love him for it. THAT is what a relationship is about.

This woman's lack of concern over her husband's major interest was very troubling for me.  I hope, for them that this isn't how their married situation is, but simply how the show has portrayed it (which often happens).  I hope that their marriage is truly happy, and not at all one-sided like it appeared on the show.

This weekend:

Here's a little preview of where I'll be going this weekend:

via

via

This past Sunday was our 5th Anniversary, and since Stephan was away on shift, we decided to  celebrate it this weekend.  Its actually quite convenient, as its a long weekend and Monday's a holiday.  I also had no Kindergarten today and tomorrow, so we decided I would take tomorrow off, and we would spend two nights at one of my favourite places in the mountains: Waterton Lakes Provincial Park. Its very quiet there in the winter, and we have always wanted to go back and visit while the snow was falling.  I can't wait to see it, I can't wait to relax in one of the places I love most.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Organizing

This weekend, I did a little organizing around the house. I love how little things can make such a huge difference!



BEFORE

AFTER

 

 

MASTER BATHROOM

 

BEFORE:



AFTER

And this is the best I could do for this post, with blogger being glitch.  I couldn't put captions on the pics, and no matter what I tried, I couldn't get the writing off of being in the centre.  I've tried both explorer, and safari, and its the same problems on both.  But, at least I got something posted.

Either way, I love finding things that need to be organized, and then organizing them.  And I love how much more manageable the drawers are in the bathroom.
 

Blogging gitches

Is anyone else having problems with Blogger lately?? I have a post I've been trying to complete for the last two days, but every time I add a caption to a picture, it pops that picture up to the top of the post, and my pictures get all of out order.  Its making impossibly, and extremely FRUSTRATING to try to get something posted.

Not fun, Blogger, not fun.

While I was reading last night....

Look closely, do you see the problem? 

100 pages away from finishing a book I bought over a year ago, and now I can't finish it!  Grrrr! Looks like I'm stopping at chapters on my way home tonight! 

While I was getting ready this morning

My own personal body guard! 

They seem to become more attentive when Stephan is gone for work. I woke up this morning with Leo one side, and Anna in my arms on the other side. 

Dear Calgary

I know that, before I moved here, I was warned that I would hear ads on the radio talking to people about road rage.  And while that is true, there ARE ads on the radio about the road, I have discovered that they are more geared towards EXPLAINING basic (and what I think are common sense) rules of the road ..... because people here have no clue, not because they are angry drivers.  Just clueless drivers.  After all, Canada's Worst Driver did rank Calgary as the 2nd worst city in Canada to drive in. And its for a very valid reason.

But this?? What I just saw this morning?!! This is sad.

A TV commercial explaining to people that the common flu or cold is NOT an emergency, and please do not come into the emergency room at the hospital, but your local walk-in clinic, or call the help line.


................SERIOUSLY?!


That's just sad, Calgary, that's just sad.  And a little bit pathetic.  No wonder our wait times at the hospitals keep increasing, despite best efforts to drop the wait time.  A losing battle.

I'm just a little ......shocked.

I love my slow cooker!

Coming home to the smell of dinner in the slow cooker when I walk in the door is the best ever! 

Beef vegetable soup with barley 

A surprise at church

Last night, I was not feeling it. I was too tired, I didn't want to go to church. Right now, as our choir leader has taken a leave of absence for personal reasons for the last while, I am both the organist and choir leader. So that means I pick out the songs for each service. And I don't mind in the least bit! This week has just been very busy at work, I'm behind in paper work and tired. So all I wanted to do last night was stay home and go to bed. However, that's not a choice for me right now. So off to church I went, where I found this waiting for me on the keyboard:

A new journal for the year, which I use to pick out and write down songs for the choir. 

And this wonderful card from one of the priest! 

The words inside may have brought some tears to my eyes. And it couldn't have come at a better time! It most definitely brought a smile to my face, and picked me up.

Pants shopping

So I've lost more weight, about 18 pounds in total so far. Im actually just below my target weight (now its just time to tone up a bit more). Needless to say, I have one pair of jeans that fit. That's it. Time to go pant shopping! So that's what I did today. And this is what I got: 

Haha, I know! But I couldnt resist! I did find a pair of jeggings, my first ever. I've never really thought I had the body for them, I'm still not sure I do. But I thought I would try. They're tight, but the next size fits too big. I've been reassured that they stretch A LOT. So we shall see! 

A wonderful surprise

Coming home to a letter in the mail box from my Omi is perfect 

Not much beats that! 

P.S: I cant remember the last time I received a letter via snail mail! 

Calgary weather

I think it's safe to say that Calgary has a lot of snow. 

Happy New Year!

So I totally disappeared for the rest of the month.

It was just crazy.  After my last post, I got hit with a really bad sinus infection.  My doctor is the other side of the city, and so I went to a walk in clinic.  It was a huge fight to get medicine, the first doctor wouldn't give me any, saying that antibiotics wouldn't help because the infection wasn't bacterial (but that's what a sinus infection is), and that I need to open my windows and keep my bedroom at 8 degrees Celcius with a towel by my head. I went back to a different doctor the next day, as I've had enough of these to know that this one wasn't going away on its own, despite my best efforts.  I finally, FINALLY got some antibiotics, and pain killers to deal with the pain.  Yes, it was that painful.  Stephan came home from his last shift to me crying on the couch. 

So THAT is how my holidays started. 

I had the week off of work of Christmas, and Stephan was home from work for 2 weeks, so I just to an absence from blogging to spend some much needed time with him.  He's on the road so often, so just two weeks of relaxing with him (ok, I still worked the 2nd week, but it was quiet) was absolutely wonderful.

I had a wonderful Christmas, we stayed in Calgary and went over to our Calgary family on Christmas day.  And New Years was quiet, just me and Stephan.  We went out for a nice dinner, and then spent the night cuddled up on the couch.

So, Stephan has gone back to work as of yesterday, and life is back to normal. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!