Working backwards part 2

So we arrived in Whistle Village and got Moriah and Caleb bundled off up the gondola, Aaron and I slushed around the interesting little shops, and attempted to find the natural playground. The weather varied between, rain, snow, and wet slop. Poor Aaron had forgotten his boots at home, so was wearing Caleb's runners, so he had to wet but warm feet. I thankfully had these lovely knee high boots that I received as a Christmas gift. The lovely info ladies directed us into the conference center, which had bouncy houses, and games set up. It was very awesome and totally free. Poor T was afraid of all the blow up stuff, I'm guessing mainly because of the number of larger and rougher children running around. So we entertained her for a while and she started to get sleepy so we trundled off, and she feel asleep in the stroller albeit without her boots. I know, Bad auntie.
 I bought a lot of chocolate and other expensive things that day, and we enjoyed Ice wine truffles from Rogers(which originated in Victoria, and is celebrating it's 125th anniversary)
 After about three hours, we got a message saying we are headed down the hill. An hour later after collecting chairs and sit skis we finally battle our way out into traffic. Sadly it was so stressful we decided to skip Fire & Ice. Instead I took a nap and got ready to go dancing. Sadly when we finally found a bar that inhabited, the first one had 2 people standing at the bar talking to the bar tender, it was close to midnight, and the bars close at 1am, well at least they did on Sunday night.  The only interesting thing was this dude named Chris who introduced himself to Caleb and then proceeded to hit on him. Caleb used us as distraction and turns out Chris was with his siblings too, so we danced half a song with them and then headed out, but before Chris left he decided to give me a hug, and it wasn't your 3 sec I don't know you.. it was longer.. almost uncomfortably long. I was like whatever, in the moment, but then when talking on the way home realized, Caleb had no idea who the guy was. It gave us all a good laugh.

more to come because I need to stop pounding away on my keyboard.

Let's all extend a warm welcome...

My dear friend from home has started blogging.
 Let me introduce Monstars Mom!

Now I wonder if I have a photo of her.. let me go dig around.

Oh, look I found one. :)

Working backwards part 1

Now that I actually have something to write about, I start to drag my feet then I'll be complaining in my brain that I have nothing to write about again, because all I am doing is playing farmville, watching Gossip Girl, picking up books after the baby and reading novels.

 So on to my brag worthy news.

I spent my Christmas in Whistler!

 To make it short, Caleb (the sit skiing brother) is living in the Athletes village and then traveling around the country and neighboring countries competing. So we rounded up all three siblings and the best friend and baby minion and packed a lot of food. 

 We arrived around 4 pm, should have been closer to noon. Aaron and I whipped up two lasagnas, one for the freezer and one for dinner. I thought about making potato soup, totally should have because I was too tired to the next night, and we ate lasagna again and debated about getting back out into the snowy awful roads. 

But I'm getting ahead of myself. We had my fake wine and played games after dinner, had some good laughs and stayed up way too late. 

 Moriah and Caleb rolled out of bed, and I was texted asking why wasn't I making the blueberry pancakes, which didn't seem wholly fair to me, since I was to be babysitting and trying to amuse myself in Whistler instead of cruising down the hills. So I made them start cooking and I came down to finish. Oh the highlight of my sleep was not being bitten by a strange bug, and hearing the rain pound on the windows/roof.

Could've have.

Because I'm procrastinating about actually writing a post or two about my holidays, I am going to supply you with photos I took during the 7 day challenge. Not all are 7 day challenge worthy, just interesting to me. A few were taken by my niece. 

Now I would've love to ride in this as kids with my 11 siblings.

Notice the Sign?! What does it spell backwards?

American road which runs by Abbey

7 Days - Day 7

7 Days - Day 7
Originally uploaded by jadekitty

Today was a chill day, mostly trying to make a list of everything I would need for food. Because I'm spending Christmas in Whistler with two of my brothers and my best friend. We are hoping to get in some snowboarding, but we are in the middle of a storm. Mostly likely the one that was battering California. This is our only Christmas Decoration, neither of us was really into decorating but I packed this all the way from home this summer and was determined to enjoy it, and I have.
Merry Christmas everyone!

7 Days - Day 6

7 Days - Day 6
Originally uploaded by jadekitty

While driving the back to Abbey today, I learned that it actually borders the U.S. I lived there for 5 months and had no idea of this. So of course I had to take a photo of this lovely sign. My only regret is not peaking around the other side to see if it said United States. Later I was told "oh yeah, they have heat sensor and cameras along here." Gee thanks. Also I got to see the property where they busted the guys who had tunnelled a crossed to the U.S. to smuggle drugs, it was only two blocks from the border crossing. Geniuses, they were not. We also drove by the property which was used in Smallville as the farm.

7 Days - Day 5 - Festive

7 Days - Day 5 - Festive
Originally uploaded by jadekitty

Super busy day- Started off with going to Body Worlds, and then touring around to Value Village looking for treasures, which we found! Then off to get Gelato and then not having enough balls to get into the right lane made me have go around the block, which was a happy accident because I found this house!

I clicked off a few photos, then I heard a door slam and didn't feel like explaining myself, so I hop in the car and successfully made to the second Value Village.
We rounded the night off with amazing Thai food and the third Chronicles of Narina movie: Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Therefore the reason this is late.. I didn't go on my computer all day.

7 Days -Day 4

7 Days -Day 4
Originally uploaded by jadekitty

Today was a really lazy day, I couldn't quite get my focus together, trying to plan Christmas Dinner in Whistler, I think we landed on lasagna. Later I watched a lot the Mentalist and then I finally found the energy to bake (I've made so many cookies lately) So I whipped up these Pecan Turtle bars, first time trying them. Then some Cranberry pie, and now because I'm crazy, I'm hoping in the car to go pick someone one. about 80 km away.

7 Days - Day 3

7 Days - Day 3
Originally uploaded by jadekitty

Today hated me. I woke up really late, I couldn't find dried cranberries at Safeway, my brothers truck was dead when I went to pick it up. But the highlight of my day, my sister and niece are flying to Calgary to spend Christmas, and I was able to see them on the layover. Sadly the lighting at this statue was dim and my camera hates dim lighting so no photo of all three of us.

7 Days - Day 2

So I'm a day late.. I know.. But the Survivor Finale and I couldn't find the second cable to connect up the TV so I had to disconnect the Internet, and totally forgot to upload. Oh and the theme was Bright

The baby has been sick for the past two day and not sleeping well, which means she is keeping us up too. So I took her for a long walk. Mama was able to get a nap in and baby slept for longer then 15 minutes. Double win.

 Other Bright photos..

Not sure what's going on with my eye lid

7 Days - Day 1

7 Days - Day 1
Originally uploaded by jadekitty

I am participating in 7 Days on Flickr. 
Lots of cool people are doing it. Like Bethany, Jen, SAJ

Caption : I've moved to a new place in the lower mainland, and my roomie took me to the Fraser River, and sadly it's nothing like the river I grew up with, and it's very dreary at this time of the year. But I love walking on the rocks and exploring.

so this is what happens..

Note to self, take next before photo when dry.

When my brother comes by to hang out:

Dinner

Let's get smashed! pie.

 Ps. Bonnie this one is for you, light on words and heavy on photos :)

Blue cotton tears.

photo borrowed from here

I am in the middle of transforming some my jeans. I'm hoping for one pair will be skinny jeans, and the others hemmed. I counted 9 pairs of jeans and I've been moving towards a more feminine style of dressing. On that note, I have taken photos of my 50% off day finds, No, I'm not wearing any of them, because my photographer is busy playing w.o.w. and seeing as the last time I badgered him into snapping a few, I liked all my self portraits better. 

Update 1 hour later: After lots of pinning and poking myself, and taking before photos; I've scrapped the idea of skinny jeans for now. My body shape just doesn't seem attractive to me when I see my reflection wearing skinny jeans. I may take some of the flare off two of the pairs though. So I will stick to my leggings/tight collection for now, but AE is having a sale on the 21st and I really want a pair of Jeggings.

 Update 12 hours later: My pants are pinned. Now to be tried on and stitched. But I'm bored already. The thought hit me, Why am I doing the mundane when I could be designing a quilt or starting socks. Oh yeah, because hemming scares me less. Gone to work on my socks for two hours. Why? Because then my raspberries will be ready to harvest.

Remember my post on pie?

 Well I ended up with 4 types of pie in the house and some cookies, and that was bad. But tasty. So I handed off the Sour Cream Pear Pie to the MiL, after reading there was other 500 calories per slice, I couldn't work up any desire for it.  The cranberry one turned out under baked (this is the third time I've made it). So guess what I had for breakfast?!

taking baby steps

I took the bus to a yarn shop I spotted the day. I swear I did a search when I first moved here and couldn't find anything. Apparently I didn't look hard enough. /Facepalm

I made it there ten minutes before closing time, and lingered over all the lovely sock yarns and I gotta say, if I make through knitting two socks, this will be the most expensive pair of socks I own. Then I wandered off towards the library and instantly got distracted by a quilting store, I've had to this itch to make a quilt. Now I've had two sewing machines sitting in my living room for a few months now, and other then mess around with a pillow case, I haven't touched them. Something to do with TV shows/Internet. I purchased 2 fat quarters and 2 half meters totaling 28.00 worth of material, and now I have to create a design. Insert panic and blank mind.

side note: I wanted to use bite the bullet as my title (because that was the phrase running through my head during this outing) but as a little wiki research, it totally didn't apply to yesterday. Although it does apply to this month and my personal life. But thats depressing, another day and post.

Christmas in the air already?

Maybe it's just Abbey but I've seen people talking about putting up their tree on Facebook. Why? it's still 6 weeks away. I spent all of Rememberance day huddled in my chair watching t.v. and the next day I wandered out to check the mail and someone had decorated our mantel (we have these little lobby areas by the elevator) and so I had to check the third floor, and sure enough. I would have photos for y'all but I can't seem to find my camera, I haven't bothered to look really hard.
I do have pie on the brain lately. (Doesn't help that I get this email Pie Countdown everyday)  Today I whipped up a blackberry/blueberry combo, which to me was a little bit of fail, since the juices really made a soup in the crust. I picked a random recipe and yeah.. Not loving it.
I have the makings for Key Lime and Sour Cream Pear Pie, and I this one is tempting me.. I wish I had people to eat pie.. I think maybe my internal American is wanting to celebrate Thanksgiving again. Something about not getting my pumpkin pie just wasn't right. I had one small pumpkin tart while at home, but that just wasn't enough.
I tried a crustless cranberry pie, and it's amazing, although to me it's more like a bread/coffee cake. Mr.Darcy was craving chocolate, I wasn't feeling sympathetic because I had just popped the pie into the oven. But after trying a bite, he has found his new favourite food!
Does anyone have any family favourites or holiday foods they make at this time of the year?

Twenty Four

Yea for November birthdays! 

This used to be the first of the many until Miss Birdy was born 3 years ago and usurped the title.

This past year has been pretty huge for him. He graduated from Blanche MacDonald with honours and is officially a hair stylist.  I'm really proud of you, little brother!

  I remember the days around when he was born because we also got power at our homestead.

 Hope you have lots of fun today, and this next year is filled with great memories. Love you.

Happy Birthday Aaron!

Where's Waldo

I'm sorry for the long absences. Most days my life feels too boring to blog about. That's the honest truth.. Generally if I have anything to say, it's posted on face book these days, but I'm back with some news!

In knitting news:
 I'm working on the blanket I started back in June, it's only about two inches so far, because I am designing it as I go.

One of the two finished cloths

UFO.... (can you tell what the design is?)

I've finished two dish clothes and have one for my mom on the needles but I was really tired one night and now I can't seem to figure out where I left off. Every time I knit 3 rows I realize, I started on the wrong side. There is only 10 rows left. So I started a fall cloth. So far it's easy! I just wish I had some orange or brown yarn. But I am refraining from spending more money on yarn. Abbey doesn't seem to have a L.Y.S. I was cheated feeling when I realized what I thought was a yarn store, was actually just a store front for a movie or commercial that someone was filming.
 Knitwits Heaven has some great photos of Fall/Halloween dishcloths if your looking for inspiration :)

British Columbia

 I am thinking I might cast on a few of these Province/State dish cloths.
Now I just need to find a sock class or a teacher. I own Wendy's book, but I'm noob at knitting in the round. My only attempt was a hat that was oddly proportioned. 

Last Friday we picked up my car, it made it back to Abbey just fine. Although it does need some repairs. I smile every time I look out the window and see it parked below.

James, Tara, Aaron-(Brother) ~Stylists~

Saturday was Aaron's graduation from Blanche Macdonald as a hair stylist. I was excited to be able to attend, I also got to visit with my bestie Moriah and her adorable daughter TaSeti. It was very long bus ride there and back, but totally worth it. Congratulations little brother! He is going to be cutting my hair as soon as I get my dreads out. (yes, the day has come already)

I whipped up a wreath, but sadly it's not quite right, so I'm off to go find some twigs. First I'll check the second hand store down the street, then I'm taking my scissors into the bush and stealing some young tree's limbs.

 This is a dress that I found at V.V. a while back, but it's very oddly shaped. The arm holes aren't quite big enough and the dress is very when on. So I want to belt it, but I have no idea what to use. A scarf, a wide belt, a thin one? I want to wear it on tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner, plus I found some awesome shoes yesterday. I'll snap a picture of the outfit and post it later. Speaking of posting outfits, have you tried this website www.gotryiton.com? So much fun.

New dress

This month is my mom's birthday, so I am going to be taking a very long bus ride (22 hours) back home. Then thankfully I'll be road tripping it back with Caleb. So I shall be doing lots of knitting and reading 9 days from now.

My brother-in-law landed an awesome job in Calgary, so my little birdy and her mother will be following him there after the house sells. It's great news for them, but not so much for my family. I know my parents and siblings are going to miss them like crazy. Technically for me, it will be kinda great, becuase flights from Van to Calgary are less then from Terrace :)

Well I've procrastinating with this blog post, I should be walking up to the store to buy ingredients for my Thanksgiving contributions. 

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

*copied from here

here