How did I do with my 2009 plan?

Last year I posted my 2009 goals. Let see how I did

Goal #1: Take time for me. Sometimes I let work, teaching, A Hot Pink Petticoat, volunteering etc take over my life. This year, I am dedicating at least 2 hours a day to me. Whether it be yoga, taking a long bubble bath, or hanging out with my new husband, I want 2 hours to myself.

Outcome: well, I definitely take time for me, although it's not scheduled. I would have to say, this became more of a success story later in the year when I started my yoga training.

Goal #2: Date Night. Before we got into wedding-mode fulltime, Jer and I used to make Tuesday night our date night. Well, I want my date night back. So honey, if you are reading this, Sunday afternoons are OUR "date night". Keep it open!

Outcome: Big fat FAIL!!! I will say I spend more time with hubby, but it's not quality time. Usually we're watching tv or in seperate rooms. Opps.

Goal #3: Smell Pretty all the time. What I mean, is I got spoiled from my wedding by receiving a lot of smelly goodness (lotions, bath salts etc..). I've been routinely making a point to use these smelly wonders, and have received compliments from friends and boy wonder about smelling like candy. I want to smell like Candy all the time!!

Outcome: I won't say this was a complete success story. I ran out of smelly stuff and didn't exactly run out to buy more. Yes, I bathe regularly, but didn't go the extra mile to smell like candy.

Goal #4: Soft hands. Farzard and Nicole have THE softest hands ever. I want soft hands.

Outcome: again, ran out of hand cream so ... FAIL!

Goal #5: Get A Hot Pink Petticoat out there. By that I mean promo the heck out of it to get attention. Ultimately, I am aiming for at least 5 weddings and 5 sales through my etsy shop.

Outcome: Well, I did quite a bit with my biz-niz. I booked 8 wedding in 2009 and made 26 sales on etsy, so I beat my target. Was also featured on a couple of wedding blogs and found my way into Toronto Life Wedding Guide 2010, so that's cool.

Goal #6. Make one new friend. This may sound strange, but I've meet many fabulous people (online) in 2008 who have made a large impact on me. To name a few: Janice, Megan, Michelle, Sam, Jacqui and Kelly. All I met/found through wedding boards. All who make me smile.

Outcome: I did make many new friendships this year. Many of them are virtual friends (found through blogging) and through my yoga training. Are they friends who I call to hang out with? No, but they make me laugh and bring additional inspration to my life.

I guess I can say I met most of my goals, but not all of them. To be honest, I sort of forget about them. Need to work on that.

Things on the web I think you should make me

I stumbled across some super cool blogs tonight and decided wanted to share a couple of ideas I thought were super-duper. It would be awesome if you made me these and sent them my way. For free of course.

• Cool book bookshelf created by not tom.

{image via not tom.}

• Litter Box Holder as found on Modern Cat.

{Imgae via Modern Cat}

When you're done, please email me pictures and assuming it's perfect, I'll give you my mailing address.

Thanks!

Santa came last night and ....

.. did the dishes!!! Yay! Too bad he didn't prep a dinner for 11 that I'm hosting today. Oh well, maybe next year.

Here's wishing everyone having a wicked-ass holiday :)

The Heart-Healthiest Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World

On Halloween of this year, I had yoga. At our training session, one of the practioners brought in the most fabulous chocolate chip cookies. They were yummy, chewy, and vegan. I'm not vegan, but I will eat anything. Here is the recipe and some pictures of yours truly making some yummy-ass cookies.

Let me tell you, they turned out pretty darn good. Even hubby and brother-in-law who are all "Ewww ... vegan" seemed to like them very much.

Source: Vegetarian Times Issue: February 1, 2009 p.69
Pictures by me

When you replace butter and eggs with ground walnuts, and all-purpose flour with a blend of oat flour and oatmeal, you get a moist, chewy, vegan cookie that’s loaded with good-for-your-heart ingredients.

Ingredient List (Makes 30 cookies)

• 3 Tbs. canola oil 
• 2 cups walnuts (I bought pre-crushed walnuts)
• 1 cup light brown sugar 
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract 
• 1½ cups oat flour 
• 1 tsp. baking soda 
• 1 tsp. salt 
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon 
• 2 cups rolled oats 
• 3 3.5-oz. bars bittersweet vegan chocolate, chopped, or 1½ cups vegan chocolate chips (12 oz.) (I used Kosher chocolate-chips as the Bulk Barn did not carry vegan chocolate .. and they were cheaper)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.

2. Blend walnuts in food processor 30 seconds, or until ground into a fine meal. Add canola oil, and blend 2 to 3 minutes more, or until mixture has the consistency of natural peanut butter, scraping down sides of food processor occasionally. Transfer to bowl.

3. Whisk together brown sugar and ½ cup water in small saucepan, and bring mixture to a boil. Pour brown sugar mixture over ground walnut butter, add vanilla extract, and stir until no lumps remain.

4. Whisk together oat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in separate bowl. Stir oat flour mixture into walnut mixture. Cool 10 minutes. Fold in oats, then chocolate chips.

5. Shape cookie dough into 2-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten cookies with bottom of drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown and tops look dry. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Information

Per: Calories: 173, Protein: 3g, Total fat: 10g, Saturated fat: 3g, Carbs: 21g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 122mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 12g

Happy Birthday Farzad

Today is the 30th birthday of my bestest boyfriend ever!!!

I met Farzad in 1998 during my first year at Ryerson.We lived at O'Keefe house together and have been BFF's ever since. We've been to the Dominican and Halifax together and he's the only boy Rockstar will ever let me have a weekend getaway with.

Happy 30th Birthday Best Boyfriend!!

Adjusting to an 87.5% pay cut

November 6th was the last day I got paid from Company X. The last day I received a slice of "worry-free" money. Now, am I adjusting to making only 12.5% of what I made in October.

Until now, I looked after where my money went. From each pay (every other week), 26% went to taxes, 11% went to my mortgage, 11% went into my mortgage savings (a bucket of money for future payments), 6% went into my savings, 13% towards RRSP, 11% towards bills, with the remaining 22% going towards other day to day stuff (food, gas, shopping etc).

Last month, 74% went to my mortgage (not savings), 40% towards my savings, 35% towards bills, 40% towards other. My math is correct, I over spent on my basic needs by 89%. Luckily I still have money in my personal day-to-day account from Company X that overspending did not have much impact.

Hubby and I sat down to review our budget. The bottom line, is I need to make 100% more than I did in month one of freedom. Wish me luck!!

Cousins in da hood!

When Rockstar talks about growing up, he always talks about how he loved hanging out with his cousins. There were the Barry's Bay cousins: Jane, JB, Stephen, Anthony, Wayne, and Margaret; and the Kingston Cousins: Derek and Kelly. They are all within a 10 – 15 age range, so everyone had a playmate. These cousins always come out and support one another.


We found out last night the Jane and her hubby are moving all of 5 minutes away from us! How amazing is that! Both Rockstar and Scott both mentioned Sunday dinners over there, and Scott went on to say "you know the will have all the important (sports) games on at their house.”

I'm just excited that we'll have friends/family close to us. Someone to swap house keys with and if we stay in this hood long enough, someone to keep on eye on my party-kids when we go out of town. Oh ya, and the J-Team are probation officers, so they'd know where the bad asses are in the area. Although I'm sure they won't tell me.

I'm excited beyond excited.

Dear large companies, you need to take a major lesson from entrepeneurs on staff loyalty. Stop being cheap assholes ...

While in the car tonight, I was talking to Rockstar about my day with the dogs. I was telling some random story when he stopped me midsentence (I thought he was going to tell me that my voice raises when I tell stories)...


Rockstar: You love your job don't you
Me: I really do
Rockstar: In all the years working at Company X, you never spoke this way. You only vented
Me: I know!!! I really am happy

We then went on to talk about how Roz, the owner of Dogpawsitive (where I work) is probably one of the most joyful people I have ever met. Her positive energy oozes from her bringing such warmness towards me. Rockstar wonders if it stems from her loving what she does. I imagine it does.

Last week, I left daycare with a set of keys that Roz needed. When she called to see if we can arrange to meet somewhere I told her Rockstar would drop them off on his way to work.. "he's dying to meet the dogs anyways" I told her.

Today, Roz sent home for Rockstar a $20 giftcard to starbucks for his troubles. How amazing is that! In the 4+ years at Company X, I got "shares" instead of raises, and once I got a $100 amex gift certificate as a thank you. Sure I got thanked, but really, the thanks meant "you did your job". (Gee, am I still jaded?? haha)

Robin, my boss at the dance school, is another entrepreneur that regularly thanks her staff. Whether it be treating us to dinner or a dance show, she always shows us how much she appreciates us. There's a reason why her staff always want to come back the next dance season.

Dear large companies, you need to take a major lesson from entrepeneurs on staff loyalty. Stop being cheap assholes and show your staff that you appreciate them. Maybe them they will remain loyal to you.

Happy Birthday Regilyn

This past Saturday was the birthday of my sister-in-law Regilyn.

Regilyn is probably the most thoughtful woman I have the pleasure to have in my life. She continues to teach our family how to be patient, frugal and how to laugh at everything.

Happy Birthday Regilyn

Are you really shocked that Tiger Woods cheated?

I watched Entertainment tonight, and half the program talked about Tiger Woods and his infidelity. Every media outlook seems to have their nails dug deep into this story, saturating the news with this stupidity.

Are you really surprised Tiger Woods cheated? They guy is said to be worth a billion dollars, he's on the road all the time, and has women (and men I'm sure) throwing themselves at him every waking hour. I couldn't imagine the temptation he has been presented with.

Remember when I worked for "Company X"? Well, it was during the first year working there that I was exposed to cheating men. I was working with money-hungry men who worked 20+ hours a day, who truly "worked hard and played harder". I not only saw behaviour that I wish to had not seen, but I also was devastated when I was told stories by some very married men about this trip and that trip that included picking up women. Do these men really think I want to know they are cheating husbands? Or are these men trying to see if I'd play that game? I was told by one man that it's ok to sleep with someone else because they love their wife and will never, NEVER leave her. What? Does this make sense to anyone else?

I told my hubby that if he ever decided to step out, I don't want to know about it. He better keep that secret with him for the rest of his life, and live with his own damn guilt. What is the point of telling me? What does he expect me to say? Telling me would be sharing his pain, and like hell I want to share in that.

Now enough about me and back to Tiger. Money = power, power = fans, fans = hot chicks, hot chicks + men = stupidity. Of course he cheated!!!

Comparing Vampires

Alright, so I've read 3 series about vampires: Twilight Sega, Sookie Stackhouse and Black Dagger Brotherhood. I thought it would be fun to do a comparison of the characteristics of the vampires.

Let's start of with Twilight:

• vampires are not born vampires .. they are "born" through the bite of other vampires
• these vampires feed off of blood, preferably human blood. They do not eat or drink anything else
• these vampires are hunted by werewolves, although in the Cullen's case, they become some what of allies
• vampires have mates, who are chosen (I think)
• if pre-vampire the vampire had a unique "skill" (ie reads people well), there is a strong chance this characteristic will become a "power" when the person becomes a vampire
• vampires do not sleep
• sun does not kill the vampires, they just glitter
• bosses of the vampires: The Volturi

Next up, the Sookie Stackhouse vampires

• vampires are not born vampires .. they are "born" through the bite of other vampires
• these vampires feed off of blood, preferably human blood. Although they can survive-ish off bottled blood
• these vampires are hunted by The Fellowship of the Sun (church group)
• not sure about the whole mates thing. Although vampires are very committed to their "maker"
• all vampires have the ability to "glamour" humans (mental manipulation)
• vampires sleep in caskets at night
• the sun will kill these vampires
• bosses of the vampires: Similar to the real world as the have a reporting structure up to the queen

Last, Black Dagger Brotherhood

• vampires are born with the genes to become a vampire. Vampires are usually "born" in their mid 20's
• vampires prefer to feed off the blood of other vampires although some get a quick fix off humans. They also eat and drink normal food.
• these vampires are hunted by Lessers (dead, souless killers)
• these vampires bond. Think about how animals spray. Yep, they spray who they have bonded to so all the vampires know.
• some of the vampires can do some form of mind manipulation, one of them can see the future, and one can suck the life out of Lessers.
•  these vampires sleep in beds, in a HUGE mansion
• the sun will kill these vampires
• bosses of the vampires: The Scribe Virgin. Can be compared to a god-like figure

If it were me, I'd take a few characteristics to create my own vampire to date: he can go out in the sun (but no glowing .. that's lame), drink the blood of other vampires to survive and live in a mansion. Oh ya, and he still has to look and act like Eric Northman. Yes, I am still in love with him.

Why do they turn great shows into crappy shows?

Remember "Grey's Anatomy" when there was lots of sex and real-life-like tension?

Do you remember "Dexter" when Deb actually made you feel awkward and Dexter sweated in the Miami heat?

Why do writers and producers ruin great shows??