Snow Snow Go Away

I just have to rant for a quick minute how much I dislike snow... Just when we thought it was done..BOOM its back! I hope everybody is as frustrated as I am. I want to get a pedicure and wear the 25 pairs of sandals I own lol. Summer doesn't last long enough so the sooner it gets here the better! ...Thats all I wanted to say... Happy April everyone :P

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

What would I do without my girls nights. A night were we make time to all hang out and catch up on each others lives. A full 24 hours this weekend we spent together laughing, talking, sleeping, swimming, and playing with our favourite little girl! I love these girls and I love spending time with them. Girls night should be mandatory in EVERY GIRLS life, because I don't know what I would do without my 4 favourite ladies! This post is dedicated to them because they are AWESOME!

Snapshots of the weekend...

 Katie and her Momma Bear

 Just adorable

 Auntie Jess and Katie

 Me and Booger

 So excited about her new swimsuit!

 Cutie Patootie!

Katie and Auntie Nik

Spring Has Sprung..

Hello All!


So as part of my summer shape up I try to get outside more and today was one of those beautiful days where we took advantage of the sunshine and went for a long walk. It was also my little cousin Andi's 5th birthday so we spent the day hiking at Kakebeka Falls, having snowball fights, sharing lunch, and opening presents. We are so lucky in Thunder Bay to have so many nice places to go for walks. I love walking outside, seeing the wildlife everywhere and just always having something pretty to look at no matter where you are. I plan on doing a lot of hiking and walking this summer and today was no exception, we had a great day and here are a few of my favourite pictures from the falls. :)

 Lewis chilling out in his wagon :)

 The girls making snow angels

 One of the many piggybacks Andi got from me today!

The gang walking over the falls:)

Summer Shape-Up!

It's about time I kicked my own butt into overdrive and started living a healthier lifestyle. Making better food choices, getting to the gym on a regular basis, and taking every opportunity to make better decisions in my life are all part of my SUMMER SHAPE-UP plan. I will keep you informed if I find/try awesome healthy recipes, I'll blog about the difficulties of trying to keep on track, Ill also let you know how my progress goes, the highs and lows. I have an awesome support system so I am confident I will see good results. I want to make a positive lifestyle change because I need to get out of this rut I have found myself in! I am always tired and I feel like I have no energy even after getting 9+ hours of sleep. So stay tuned and hopefully by summer I will have accomplished a great lifestyle change:)

Helping me along in this mission will be two VERY important people...

Valerie Bertinelli - success story

Jillian Michaels - kick ass personal trainer 

I will workout with these ladies via their awesome home workout DVDs 3-5 times a week:) 

Here goes nothing...... :)

A Few Good People



Tonight I FINALLY get to watch the show I have been avidly waiting to air. The Secret Millionaire. For those of you who arent familiar with this show it's about really wealthy people going undercover to work as ordinary people and along the way they meet some extraordinary people who live their lives in the benefit of others.

Extreme Home Makeover is another show that tries to find extraordinary families that deserve a break These people make a huge difference in the lives of others and the best part is seeing them get rewarded at the end of the show. I can't keep my eyes dry at all during shows like these because these people truly touch me. I want to find an organization that I can give myself too 100%. I want to be one of these people who dedicate their lives for others and who help make a difference.

Carrie Underwood said that one person could make a difference and I truly believe that. Please watch this show it will change your outlook on life I promise. Listen to the people's stories and try and walk away not effected. I challenge you...

*Angels walk amoung us in the most obvious ways, yet we fail to notice most of them daily*

School Blues

I have been in school for over 3 and 1/2 years and I am so ready to be DONE! I love teaching but all these in between classes that are absolutely useless to me really make me lose my focus. I wish I was motivated enough to just attend classes anyway and give it my best shot, but to be honest I find it so hard to put 100% into a paper for a class I really don't like.

Im sitting here trying to do homework and its incredible how easily I seem to get distracted... all I can say is I cannot wait for this month to be over so I can have a great summer and finish my professional year finally becoming a teacher:)

Katie Days

So lately Ive been crazy busy, working and school leave me with very little social time so I thank God for the time I find to actually hang out with my friends! Hanging out with my family is really important to me too, for those of you who don't know me my cousin had a baby this past September and that little girl has quickly become one of the most important little girls in my life. Her mom and I have grown up together, through some highs and some lows we have stuck together and I love her like a sister. Watching her grow up and get married and now have a family of her own has been amazing, and this little girl she brought into the world will forever hold a piece of my heart. 

*cmon how can you look at this face and not smile <3

Happiness

Today I didn't do a whole lot, but something I found myself doing (while I was doing nothing) was reflecting... I looked at my life now and where I wished it was. I stopped myself just when the thought popped into my head because it was a waste of time, wishing for something that isn't, yet we do it all the time don't we? We picture ourselves better looking, more successful, more wealthy, bigger house, etc. Why do we do this, have we become so unsatisfied with our lives that we truly believe the grass is always greener on the other side? So I thought to myself what could I do to help myself concentrate more on what an incredible life I have now, instead of always waiting for something better to come along, and this question popped into my head..


What is Happiness? here's what I came up with...


Happiness is
*living out in the country and waking up every morning to the beautiful view of the mountains and fields I have outside my bedroom window
*happiness is spending time with my family eating, laughing, playing
*it's getting to chat with a friend who lives much to far away who I miss everyday:)
*driving into town to have a movie date with my mom and bond over munchies and chick flicks
*having a full tank of gas and a car to get me where I need to go
*friends I can call anytime to talk about absolutely nothing
*spending an afternoon sitting on the couch doing absolutely nothing but spending time with a good friend
*getting to spend time with Katie because she grows a little bigger and a whole lot cuter everytime I see her!
*reading quotes that make me smile
*knowing I have a home and clothing and food when there's often people that don't
*taking a nice long hot bath in the cold winter
*sipping tea and reading a book
*singing in the shower, or while i'm driving, or while doing the dishes
*watching Extreme Home Makeover, and Undercover Boss and being touched by the stories of those people
*travelling anywhere as long as i'm with people I love
*going to country concerts with my best friend and having the time of our lives
*knowing that as of next year I will be a certified teacher
*taking my sister to the border when she turns 18 :)
*finding the perfect gift you know someone is going to LOVE


I really do have a lot to be thankful for and a lot in my life that makes me happy, obviously there are more things then just what I have listed, and I will find more things everyday that make me happy. We all just have to make a point at really noticing the small things because like they say "it's the small things in life that make it worth living"


Just a thought for a day, goodnight world!

"just because today is a horrible day doesn't mean tomorrow won't be the best day of your life, you just have to get there"

I Love New Things..

Wow! I suck at this... Tamara must be so disappointed in me that it has been years (figuratively speaking) since I have blogged. :P I have no excuse but I must say working almost full time AND going to school is definitly keeping my social life rather....BORING!


I am loving living out in the country and love it even more now that my aunt and uncle are home and the house isn't so lonely. The thing I love most about living out here is that it makes me really treasure the time I get to spend with my parents and my sister. There is less fighting and all around awesome visits every time I get a chance to see them. :) Trust me it takes a lot of stress out of your life when you have peaceful relationships, something I didn't even realize until I moved out and saw how different things were. I always believe things happen for a reason and I'm thinking this reason was so I would learn to value and appreciate my family more. You only get one and I'm really lucky I have the one I have!


I am slacking...yes I said it... slacking! I'm only two months into school and already I feel like I'm letting the assignment build up. Why do I do this to myself? I think I'm going to have a great year and them WHAM... I start skipping more and assignments start getting done the night before (so basically they suck!) I don't know what to do to make myself more efficient, any advice would be much appreciated!


Okay so some bullet points on recent events in my life:
1. I have Bieber Fever! (yes you read that right, I saw the movie and fell in love with that cute, hair whipping 17 year old boy) 
2. I recently started a diet (better eating) because my goal is to be healthier by the end of the summer, so far things are going great so I'm staying positive!
3. I'm trying to plan a summer trip, it's hard because there are soo many places to go but few that actually fit in my budget lol
4. I am in LOVE and I mean ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE with Kurt Schneider and Sam Tsui, they are these guys I found on YouTube a few years ago and have watched them since, recently the stuff they have been putting up is spectacular! So when I'm not doing school work or not working for that matter I'm probably watching their videos on repeat haha! 
5. Most of you know from previous posts that I love in the country but this is huge because I am finally ,moving into my own space! I'm moving into the upstairs bedroom once we get all my cousins stuff out and I can't wait because its so much bigger and I will be able to have way more in that room then I do in my room now! :)


Well I think that about updates you... boring I know... like I said my life has not been as exciting as I would like it currently but I'm hoping that will change soon, bring on Spring Break! lol well Bloggers that's really all I have to say, keep reading! :)

3D Adventure

Good evening ALL! 


So I recently moved into a new house and guess what it came equipped with...a 3D TV! That's right! Huge 52 inch plasma screen television. Surround sound. AND they come with these super sexy hardcore 3D glasses! These aren't the glasses you get in the theaters folks, these ones are battery operated and look like futuristic aero- space glasses. 


Tamara came over tonight for some much needed hangout time and we watched Coraline on the 3D TV:) Horrible movie but there are not too many movies to choose from yet lol, the glasses were awesome but so big they slipped so far down your nose you had a hard time inhaling. All in all a decent experience but there needs to be a WAY bigger selection of movies before I put those glasses on again. :)

Here are some pictures to illustrate our night:)

Here's to my first night alone in my new country house! So glad Tams came over! :) Goodnight all! 

My Golden Night

Okay so I am not the type of girl to sit through an entire awards, critique dresses, guess who is going to get the Globe before they announce it etc.. but tonight I did just that:) So following in list style are my rants and raves about the Golden Globe Awards!

RANT: Scarlett Johansen what the hell were you wearing, it looked like a lacy pink wedding dress gone wrong!

RAVE: Chris Coffer from Glee you gave the best speech of the night, addressing what your show is all about really hit him for a lot of people and you couldn't have been sweeter if you tried! "Kids who have to deal with being different and being told no. Screw that kids!"

RAVE: Eva Longorias dress was stunning! Black with a little bit of sparkle, classic:)

RAVE: The look of Marc Anthonys face while watching Jenn present an award, so loving it made me smile! :)

RANT: Best Original Song, love Cher but commin Carrie Underwoods Theres a Place for Us definitly should have won

RAVE: Robert Downey Jrs introduction to Best Acress, didn't even know the acress who won it though lol

RAVE: Clair Danes was so sweet to call on the woman who inspired the movie! Such a cute speech!

RAVE: Steve Carrell and Tina Fey, best presenters ever lol

RAVE: 13(from House) her dress was spectacular when she presented with Robert Pattison!

RAVE: Jane Lynch's acceptance speech, such a class act LOVE her!

RAVE: Ahhh Jim Parson winning his category Best Actor in a TV series!!!!!!

RANT: Love Jane Fonda but her dress had pointy shoulders, enough said..

RAVE: Meaghan Fox's dress was stunning, simple but fabulous!

RANT: January Jones was wearing the most hideous dress I have ever seen. The top was cute but super slutty for this event. The bottom looked liked a collection of little tassles. It was the worst dressed of the night for sure!!

RAVE: Glee for winning Best Series although I would have been happy if Big Bang won too!

RAVE: Ians speech from Glee recognizing public school teachers "you don't get paid like it but you are doing the most important job!" love love love

RAVE: Shout-out to the people in charge of designing the set because it looked classy and beautiful! I loved it and it definitly set the mood for the awards!

RAVE: Cutest pregnant award winner ever! Natalie Portman looked beautiful! Her speech was so cute :)

FINAL RAVE: Congrats Social Network for winning Best Drama, such a good movie and props to the guy for calling the actors up so they didnt miss out on that special moment! :)


**Well all, that is all I have to say about the 68th Annual Golden Globes! Goodnight!



Let's Go Back

"That's what I love about Sunday:

Sing along as the choir sways;

Every verse of Amazin' Grace,

An' then we shake the Preacher's hand.

Go home, into your blue jeans;

Have some chicken an' some baked beans.

Pick a back yard football team,

Not do much of anything:

That's what I love about Sunday."

I have had an extremely lazy Sunday and it made me really appreciate having down time in my life lately. I started listening to the song "That's What I Love About Sunday' by Craig Morgan and it made me wish we still treated Sundays like they did back when our parents were kids. 

Sundays should be a day for down time, a day to do nothing but spend time with friends and family and recharge ourselves for the week ahead. It shouldn't be a day to work, or a day to do your grocery shopping. It should be a day to go out spend some time with the people you love and treasure the down time you have with them because we truly don't have enough of it.

I'm looking at my schedule for next week and between school and work I feel like it's going to take the superhero in me to find some downtime to do some things I really want to do like visit my niece, spend time in the country with my friends, settle into my new house, visit my little cousins I haven't seen in a while. So much to do and so little time.

I think the thing I love about being able to be a teacher is that we are truly lucky as a profession when it comes to down time. Yes, we have hours of work that get done outside our 9-5 jobs but how can I complain when I am able to do that work from home and still technically have my down time:) 

This post on a Sunday afternoon is just to remind you to take your time, treasure your down time and ENJOY! Have a great day all!

Love Raus

.

Great New Things

Hello all, yes it has been a little while, I'm trying not to slack keeping up with my blog but alas school, work and well everything else comes before blogging sorry guys haha. I know Tamara will be proud that I finally blogged again!


So bloggers I have some exciting news! Anybody who knows me knows that I am a country girl stuck living in the city. I have a huge family and for some strange reason I am one of the only kids stuck growing up in the city. Because my family and I are so close I spend a lot of time in the country and as of Wednesday I will be calling the country HOME! Yes that's right this country girl is going to be living in the COUNTRY! I have decided to make the move onto McKluskey Drive and move in with my aunt and uncle. I love my family but living in a house with 3 people who smoke is finally taking its tole on me. I can't wait to be out there though and I know it will be awesome living with my aunt and uncle because we have always been close:)


I will update you guys and let you know how things progress but I am optimistic this will be a very good move for me:) In other news school is good, I am actually getting my reading done, my assignments done on time AND I spend a lot of time at the library doing homework so Im staying ahead of the class which is a huge thing for me:P 


Well all that is all to say for now. Have a great weekend everyone!


P.S. I have a new baby cousin! I almost forgot to update! My cousin Ash had a little baby girl 2 weeks ago and she is an absolute sweetheart! Her name is Erika and I will update with a picture asap! :)

Friend are ANGELS God sent to watch over us...

Okay so obviously the title gives away what my blog is going to be about. I was looking at pictures me and 3 of my closest friends had done about a month ago and they made me smile so much I just had to share them with you guys. These girls have been there for me for a long time, we are all totally different, i'm talking peanut butter and jelly different but I love them all like crazy and couldn't imagine not having them in my life!

This is my favourite picture because a)it makes me laugh and b)if you saw all the pictures we took like this in sequence it describes our personalities perfectly haha!

Nicole and I met via Jacqueline in highschool because they were on the same cheerleading team. She was the crazy girl who introduced me to boys, booze and foul language haha! You think I'm kidding but I'm not :P As bad as that sounds I love her to death and thank her for bringing me up to date with the real world of a teenager! Id have been lost without her. Things fell apart for awhile but since then we've become closer than ever. She makes me laugh and is a truly great friend who I know would be there for me whenever I needed her. 

Jess and I met in highschool but later found out we had actually been in Brownies together when we were 5 or 6 years old. I can honestly say she is the best friend a girl could ask for. We've been through a lot together and I couldn't imagine my life without her. She introduced me to country music and for that I will be forever grateful. Country concerts and travelling is what we do best together and I couldn't ask for a better trip companion. We fight a lot sure but she keeps me grounded and doesn't let my ego get the best of me. She's a rock and I thank God for introducing us, she's the greatest friend a girl could EVER ask for!

Jacqueline and I are cousins, 4 months apart, we grew up together. We had a great childhood and were as close as sisters before going into highschool. Circumstances took us in separate directions for a while but we found our way back and I love that we are just as close as when we were kids. We lead totally different lives, she is married to a great guy and has the most beautiful baby girl I've ever laid eyes on. She is an incredible mother and I love spending time with them. Family is the greatest gift a girl could ask for and I am so thankful for mine. I am really close to a lot of my family but Jacqueline will always be a best friend AND a cousin. I truly think there is no better combination than that.

We are all different, unique, but together we just fit. It works together and we always have fun when we are together. Girls nights with these ladies are something I wouldn't trade for the world. I can't wait to see where we all our 5 years from now but I know no matter what happens or where life takes us we will always be friends, as close as a Sisterhood <3.

Two Thousand and Eleven

Happy New Years Bloggers! As you can see I have changed my blog a little bit since I decided the Christmas theme had to go. I know I love Christmas as much as the next person but with school starting and so much happening at once I am definitely winding out of the holiday spirit. It was a great holiday though that I was able to spend with all my friends and family and for that I am thankful! 

Katies 1st Christmas:)

So everyone knows that as exciting as the new year is it brings about one thing I think everybody secretly dreads.....New Years Resolutions! Yes, thats right I said it. Everyone gets so excited to come up with new resolutions that are aimed to make your like 200x better than it was last year. In reality though it works for the first 2 months and then we all kind of fall back into routine. 

Well fellow bloggers my theory is to be one of the few who actually STICK WITH their resolutions. So my first step to achieving that goal is posting them on here I figure if I am forced to see them and have people comment on them, that should help keep me on track! So here it goes...

1. To be nice (this needs a little explanation I know, I just generally want to be a nicer person, whether its holding the door open, not having road rage, not commenting on people ugly clothing or gossiping when I know its mean, to smile more and complement more, being nicer is my goal!)


2. To be organized! (I know I will be much more productive and less stressed if I keep my room and things organized so this week I am cleaning floor to ceiling, I vow to no longer be a pack rat and buy useless things I have no room for and I am going to spend my money on some kind of organizational system so I do not easily fall back into my bad habits) **wish me luck!


3. To $$SAVE$$! (I have big travel dreams, rather just big dreams in general and the one thing I am lacking are the funds to support such dreams so I will not eat out if I have groceries at home, I will not spend unless I need something, and I will not throw my money away on useless things that I will throw out next january when I vow to be organized again) :)

Id love to hear about what you guys are trying to do with the start of the new year so leave me a comment and let me know! Happy New Year everyone and I hope this year is full of adventure, love, friendship, and laughter! xoxo

*NYE 2011