More Christmas surprises!

Today was a great day!

I got home from work and there was a package waiting on the doorstep. It was from Ben and Mel, two friends from back home in Northern Ontario! Inside was a set of 6 pictures in frames of times we had spent together with Mel and Ben from various hikes we had gone on, to a weekend we spent at Ben's parents' cottage. It means a lot, especially since Mel doesn't celebrate Christmas. And it may have made me cry a little, because I miss the north, the lakes and my life there. Its the perfect gift, and we are going to find a very special place to display the pictures where I can look up everyday and think of home. I really miss Ben and Mel, so it was nice to get this from them and nice to have this reminder of them.

I also went out today and used my gift card from my parents for Canadian Tire. There were some things I had been wanting for my kitchen for awhile. First on the list was a new set of glasses. The ones I have currently are from the dollar store, and they wobble. It drives me crazy. I was able to find a really nice set of 16 for a cheap price of $20 (yay sales!). I was also able to find a really nice slow cooker on sale ($30), just big enough and fancy enough for what I would need...which isn't much. A wok was also added to the pile, and a bamboo spatula for it. It's not a top-of-the-line wok, its pretty cheap. But I didn't have one, and I like to make a lot of stir-frys. So it will do the job for now.

This is the glass set I got....square base with curved edges into a circle at the top. Its simple, but it will match everything and never go out of style. Just what I wanted.

And this is my new slow cooker! It even came with recipes to try!

Late Christmas presents, and free shopping for new kitchen toys...not a bad day at all! :D

weekend recap - Christmas

This weekend we celebrated our first Christmas together as a couple. Since Stephan was away in Germany last year, I don't count it because we weren't actually together physically, and didn't share any Christmas traditions.

I worked on Christmas eve until 2pm, then came home and showered. Stephan wanted a nice dinner, so we went out to get groceries and the very last of our Christmas gifts. For dinner I made a nice roast with potatoes and carrots, and we had a salad with Stephan's yummy salad dressing. After dinner, we opened our presents. We had decided to open them on Christmas Eve, as that is what they do in Germany.

From Stephan I got white puma running shoes (yay!! and I LOVE them). From my sister and her fiance I got a really nice dark grey long sleeved shirt. My brother gave me and Stephan a gift card for a restaurant. I got a stocking full of goodies from my parents, as well as a necklace and earrings and a really fancy frying-pan. I also got gift certificates for La Senza, Marks' work wearhouse, Chapters and Canadian Tire.

My new shoes. I think I have to get a half size smaller though, so I need to exchange them.

Stephan got deer sausage from my sister and Russ. Russ hunts, and we tried some of his deer sausage last year. It's delicious, and Stephan LOVES it. I normally don't eat any red meat, but Russ' deer sausage I'll eat. It's THAT good. You can't not eat it. Stephan also got a stocking from my parents, and gift cards for Mark's work warehouse (his favourite store), and Chapters.

Sunday we went to Church in the morning. We came home and had a bit of a lazy afternoon with a quick nap before we got ready to go over to my Cousin's for Christmas dinner. I had offered to make the spaetzle, and I prepared it at my apartment before we left. We had a wonderful evening with my cousins, and followed the awesome dinner up with The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Sunday we took the opportunity to sleep in. I badly need a day off sometime soon. :( We spent a bit of the day shopping and spending some of our gift cards, and I also bought new dress boots with some bonus money I got from Subway (A christmas bonus, who knew?!!). I got a great deal, gorgeous boots for $44!

These are my new boots! But, they are black. The top also rolls down. You wear them over the pants. They don't go so well underneath pants...I tried.

The rest of the day we spent lazing around. We rented a few movies and had a quiet night, as neither of us were feeling the greatest yesterday. And still today...I think we are both getting a bit of a cold.

How was your Christmas?

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with family and friends! Stay safe, have fun, eat lots, drink responsibly! And I hope you all get what you asked for, and more!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Done and finished!

This week has been busy, but productive! And I am happy to say that I am now done all my Christmas projects! Last weekend I mailed the blanket, it will be late but oh well. It is done. This week I finished the 2 scrapbooks for my Omi and Grandma, as well as bought my family their presents, and did all my Christmas cards (outside of Calgary) and sent everything in the mail today!

SUCCESS!!

I will finally, FINALLY have time to do other things like read, play my keyboard, work on my oboe-reeds, do some Christmas baking, work on puzzles. I have not read anything in over 2 months, its been consumed with the blanket and 4 scrapbooks.

ALSO, my skin has found relief from the dry air here in the form of THIS lotion:

Stephan's family suffers from dry skin, this is what they use. He has the German version, it has only 3% Urea, so that is what I'm using. The one in the pic is the Canadian version (10% Urea), since its so much colder and dryer here. But already, with just the 3% one it has worked wonders on my skin! In one week the red marks from the cold on my legs are fainter, and my hands are soft again, and the bumps on my arm are almost gone and getting smoother as well. After 1 week!!!
I thought all hope was gone, and I was almost starting to hate winter (a FIRST for me!) but now I can enjoy winter because I have this miracle lotion! And I have to thank Stephan, or he'd make me go back and edit this post and write it in. He wants to be clear that it is HE who gave me the miracle lotion and saved my skin from the Calgary winters. So thank you babe, my hero!

Now its time for the weekend! Tomorrow night I teach, and then probably we will be at the German club. I have a Christmas youth service and concert on Saturday that I'm helping out my cousin Rachel with. Sunday is just relaxing after church.

What are your plans for the weekend?

weekend recap

This weekend was AWESOME!

Friday night we had a nice relaxing evening. Some of my piano students canceled so I got home early. We spent the night just watching tv and relaxing.

Saturday we slept in, and then had a pancake breakfast. We got ready and set out to go pick out our Christmas Tree. I found a garden centre near our house, as we had decided on a real one. I have never had a real one before so this was to be a first to me.

We picked out our tree...a Nova Scotia Balsam Fir...

Then they cut the end off, and pulled it through this thing to wrap it up....I was fascinated.

Then we headed off to buy decorations, and grab groceries (including a new roasting pan to replace the broken one I have, so I could make Stephan a roast for dinner Saturday night).

We got home and set up the tree...And fed it some sugar-water....
I got the roast in the oven, then Stephan helped me put the lights on the tree...
And then I decorated! The finished product!
We put on coloured lights (Stephan's choice), and did blue, silver, white and teal-coloured balls. I was really excited for this tree, as it is mine and Stephan's first tree and first Christmas together (last year he was in Germany for Christmas). It kinda marks the beginning of our life together, and now we get to start our own memories and traditions, so I was really excited for it!

I think I could get used to a real tree every year. I really like it so far, it smells AWESOME!

The tree was followed by a delicious dinner and movies.

Sunday was lazy, and we had leftovers and watched The Blind Side. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you must! I loved it. It's on my must-buy list.

How was your weekend?!

Winter and Christmas in Northern Ontario.

I'm homesick for Northern Ontario in the winter and at Christmas time. And my tummy is upset. And that makes the homesickness worse.

So today, I'm gonna show you what Northern Ontario looks like in the winter. And then I'll sit and look at the pictures wondering why I left this place in the first place, and I'll blame Stephan for dragging me out here. Not that I don't like it! It's just not...home. Plus, Northern Ontario has bass-fishing. Alberta does not. Alberta can never win. You don't know what you're missing until you've caught some bass and BBQ-ed it in foil with lemon juice, garlic, pepper and dill.......oh my gosh the deliciousness!! I die a thousand deaths with every bite, its THAT GOOD!

Anyways, I digress! Let me show you the beauty of snowy Northern Ontario. It includes things like hiking, ice fishing, and pond hockey. Be warned...there will be lots of photos. As always! (There's just too many to choose from, and I want to do it ALL today, not break it up!)

We get to play on the frozen lake

and make slides down the hill to the lake

the horses get to play too!

walking down trails, with lots of pretty views

The lake freezes over

and kids play pond hockey
and the huts come out for ice-fishing

Man, do I ever miss it!!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Today is the 7th, which means its the time of month I get to buy flowers again! This month, it being Christmas and all, I bought some poinsettias.


Also on the Christmas topic...my Mom's Christmas village is done being set up...what my dad would let her set up anyways. He totally bogart-ed the Christmas village and barely let my mom do anything. And he tries to claim he's a scrooge. DENIAL DAD, DENIAL! (Me and Mom were making fun of my Dad, over the phone, for being a fake scrooge. Dad was in the background denying everything and threatening to take away my Christmas presents, haha!!) Anyways, my dad still wants to build the stone steps up to the church, but other than that it's done.
Take a look:

This weekend, we get to go pick out our tree! Stephan finally convinced me to get a real one. I'm so excited to decorate my-first-ever-very-own-Christmas Tree!!! YAY!!

The Finished Blanket!

The blanket is back, the backing is on!! All ready to be mailed!!

Check it out!

The Fake Scrooge

My dad denies liking Christmas. He says he's a scrooge and walks around going "bah-humbug" to anything Christmas related. He complains when there are Christmas songs on.
Each year, he puts up the lights outside earlier and earlier. He says its because he wants to get it done before the snow.

I don't believe a word of it. I think he's a bigger Christmas freak than even me and my mom, he just doesn't want to admit it.

But now finally I have proof!! Last year at Christmas time my Dad was studying my Mom's HUGE Christmas village, and decided it wasn't realistic. "How can there be a church up on the hill with no steps or way to get to it?!" he said.

Well this year he decided that he was going to fix this problem and build a stone wall and steps for my Mom's Christmas village. For the past week and a half, he spent several hours each day building the wall , individual stone by stone (steps are still to come!!!)!

This is the result so far, minus the steps.



Well Dad, I think you blew your cover. Its official, you are a fake-scrooge. The game is over! You LOVE Christmas. This Christmas village is now official proof!

Blanket update!

So, I stayed up late last night finishing the blanket, and getting it ready for my manager at work to put the backing on. Then I woke up and noticed I missed a spot out-lining (on the big lion's back leg), but it still looks ok. I fixed it, but this picture was taken before I fixed it.

Don't worry, I will show a picture of the blanket once it has the backing on, complete with the fixed out-lining. For the backing me and Stephan choose a light blue fleece that is super soft, and it matches the blue border around each animal.

By Friday, I will have the finished product!! Can't wait to see how it looks with the backing on!

My Christmas wishlist

It was decided and announced to my parents this week that we will be staying in Calgary for Christmas. Sadly, we just can't afford to go home at this point, especially since the cost just skyrockets at Christmas time.

So I decided to make a wishlist, since my presents and stuff will have to be mailed. Please consult with Stephan, I don't know what he's getting! haha.

1.) White Puma running shoes.
I have shoes for when we go walking, but they are not stylish and pretty. I need something to wear everyday with my jeans that looks good....maybe not in purple. Or maybe purple. I don't know. But definitely white!

2.) A new Habs jersey - women's fitted style! Size medium...I think. You can put on Koivu's name, even though he's no longer a Hab...he's still my captain. Or Markov (love him!). Or Plekanek (also love him!).

3.) A Habs liscense plate for the front of my car...its empty! I couldn't find a picture, sorry!

4.) Habs 10-greatest games DVD Box set. Ok, SERIOUSLY people...this has been on my wishlist for the past 2 years!! AND, the movie The Rocket. I have a burned copy, but its not very good quality.


5.) Gift Certificates for Canadian Tire, or The Great Canadian Superstore (part of Loblaw's chain for you Ontario people).
I need to buy new glasses for my kitchen. Currently I have ones from the dollar store, and some old ones someone gave me. The latter are breaking slowly and I'm down to 2. And the dollar store ones...well, they're just not nice.
I also need to purchase a new roasting pan, since the lining in my current one is chipping off. Ohh!! And I would love a slow cooker! I want to make soup!

6.) Socks. Seriously.
Warm wool ones for when it gets cold.
And everday ones...I like fun socks. If they are fun Christmas socks, EVEN BETTER!

7.) Gift cards in general.
Stores I like are: Smart Set, Le Chateau, La Senza (hey, bras are expensive!) Aldo, Spring, RW & Co, Coles/Indigo/Chapters ( I love to read!) Future Shop and Blockbuster (we like to rent/buy movies a lot).

I just couldn't resist....

I was early for piano teaching tonight and right beside us is a Hallmark store. They had their Christmas display up, and so I thought I'd just pop in to look....NOT to buy anything....AND!!......


I bought something. And yes, the one on the left has a bell and it most definitely rings as you drink your hot chocolate! It will be perfect to drink hot chocolate out of after being outside playing in the snow. Now only if it would hurry up and snow!

Blanket update!

The elephant is done! I am 2/3rds done!
Now onto the lion and it's cub. This is the last one, but it goes across the entire bottom...it's more than twice the size of the others. It will take a good couple of weeks at least to complete it!

overall progress

Blanket update

In an effort to keep my spirits up, and not contemplate on the negative, I'm gonna blog on something positive.

Here's a blanket update!! I've finished the tiger, now on to the elephant! I'm hoping to have him done by the end of the weekend, but we'll see what happens.

Overall progress