SHAMPOO--BLOG OFF FOR BREAST CANCER

LATHER, RINSE, REPEAT

I had hoped all along that if I made it to the final two that I would be able to have my final post be an unforgettable one. End it with a bang. But then I found out the word was shampoo and all those hopes went out the window. I really am not sure how much of a bang I can make with shampoo but here is goes regardless.

When you are at a friends house, do you ever take note of what kind of shampoo they use while you are in the bathroom? I do that sometimes. Is that weird? It's not like it's in a judgmental "oh my gosh I can't believe she uses Garnier Fructis" kind of way. It's more a curiosity thing I suppose. I find it interesting how people can use so many different kinds. There are people out there who buy whatever is on sale and use a different shampoo each week. Then there are those that are shampoo snobs, the ones who have to have the expensive salon shampoos. I am a little in the middle I think. I would probably lean more to the shampoo snob side if I could justify spending that much money on it.

Do you ever notice how they play off shampoo in commercials. The girl dries her hair and flips it around a bit and they make it seem like their shampoo is this magical product that will make your hair do things that you never imagined. So you go buy it only to realize your hair looks nothing like the girl in the commercial. Then you feel really silly as you realize that she had all sorts of makeup and hair people doing her hair while while you at home only had your 15 dollar blow dryer from CVS and your 1.50 aerosol spray can of Aqua Net hairspray.

I remember one time while camping with friends we had decided to wash our hair in the lake. As we were lathering up the shampoo I loudly proclaimed that "we had better give our hair a good wash since we had been swimming in the lake all weekend." It took me a second to realize why everyone was looking at me so strange. Then it hit me that we were IN the lake washing our hair. I am a quick one sometimes, as you can tell.

My favorite thing about getting my haircut is the pre-cut shampoo. That scalp massage you seem to always get is the best. It is like you get a haircut and massage all in one and I love it.

This is a post for the Blog Off for Breast Cancer. Feel free to click on any of the links on the right to check out the other blogs involved. Also, if you'd like to make a donation to Courtney, please click on the banner above.

**This video is a part of this post. Please click on the link and enjoy:)**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBaQm6hX8aM

Last Two Standing

As you may or may not already know, I somehow managed to make it to the final two in the blog off. Fun times. I really never expected to still be around at this point. It has been a lot of fun reading every one's posts each week and challenging myself to come up with something new and refreshing each week for the given word. This weeks word will definitely challenge me, SHAMPOO! I have no idea how I will write an entire post about shampoo, but I am sure that somehow in the end I will come up with something. Congrats to my fellow blog-offer Cyndi from Write2B for making it this far with me. Be sure to not only come back tomorrow to read my post but also head on over to her blog to read hers and be sure to leave her a comment. This could be fun, kids. Stay tuned!!

In Memory of Lea

"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face"

(Lea, Belle, Madison)

We found out this morning that our good friends Georgette and Tyrone lost one of their dogs this weekend in a total freak accident. They took the girls to the park Saturday morning and Lea ran into a fence and was killed. We were very sad to hear the news. Lea and Madison were sisters and inseparable. Anytime we went to their house Lea was always there waiting to greet us and wait for some pets and cuddles. Dogs definitely grieve and we hope that Madison will be okay as she adjusts to life without her sister and be the happy dog that we all know and love. If you have ever lost a pet you know how hard it can be and our thoughts are with Georgette, Tyrone and Madison.

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole"

DREAMS--BLOG OFF FOR BREAST CANCER

--To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe--

Think back to when you were a kid. What kind of dreams did you have? What were all the things you wanted for your future? How many times did your dreams change? That is the beauty of being a child. You have nothing but dreams and hopes for the future. There is nothing to convince you that you can't achieve any of those things. As kids we have nothing but time to sit around and day dream about all the things that could be. I wish we all had the innocence of children. Try telling a kid that they can't be an astronaut or a doctor. The purity and innocence of their hearts and minds tells them they can, and there is no telling them any different. Imagine if as adults we could think the same way, no matter what. I suppose as we get older we still have those dreams, the only difference I would gather is simply the fact that as we get older we have the knowledge to be able to separate realistic dreams from the ones we know are just a little too out there. Take being an astronaut for example. If I had dreamt of one day riding in a space shuttle when I was 10, there would have been no convincing me otherwise. Now, I would kill my own dream in a matter of seconds by reminding myself you couldn't pay me enough to strap me inside a small rocket and throttle me into space at almost inhuman speeds. See, I am able to separate dreams from insanity. In all seriousness though, we really should take a lesson from the kids in our lives and in the world in general. We should try and have a little more of their passion and ability to dream with no limitations. One dream that I had my entire childhood and even now was to become a veterinarian. It was all I ever talked about, it was the only thing I ever wanted to do. I remember the day I got my childhood cat Sparky. I was 7 years old and he was rescued from a neighbours step in a rainstorm. He was tiny, just a baby and I convinced my parents to let me bring him home. I was convinced that day that it was the start for me and that this small little kitten would be the key to realizing my dreams. As I got older I still wanted it, but doing the work to get there became less and less important to me. By the time I was in high school I was more concerned with hanging out with my friends than studying. But it was still my dream. I don't regret not working harder at certain things back then because my life took a different path and and I am okay with that. Aside from being dreaming of being a veterinarian, for as long as I can remember I have dreamt of being a writer. When I was a kid I can remember spending hours each day writing stories. When I would have a project at school that involved writing stories I could hardly wait to get started. I would get out my pencil and paper and start to write. My excitement would rise with each new thought and idea that I scribbled down onto the paper before me. Soon enough I would find myself daydreaming about one day writing full length novels. I would dream of the feelings of joy I would have as I finished one book and began another. The funny thing is, when I was growing up and would write stories I could hardly wait to show people what I had written. My eyes would light up as I watched them read each word of my stories. I would smile when I saw them smile and I would be proud that something I had written and worked so hard on had put a smile on their faces. As an adult, my confidence in such things has wavered a little and I have found myself more guarded. Too often I have asked my husband the question, "but what if they don't like it?" Why would anyone else want to read what I write? I have realized, however, that while I want people to enjoy reading the things I write, I love it regardless. Regardless of who reads it and who does or doesn't like it, it is still my dream and nobody can take that away from me. Confidence and believing in yourself in my opinion is the first step in realizing your dreams.

--Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning--

Being a part of this blog off has done wonders for encouragement in this area. I love to write and perhaps this has given me that little kick in the rear I have needed for a long time. While the type of writing I enjoy has changed as I have gotten older, the dream of writing is still the same.

I still have dreams. I still dream of one day writing a book about my mum and the experiences I have learned from her and in her death. I dream of running and owning my own dog rescue and boarding kennels. I have many dreams and some of them I will realize someday and some I won't, and I am okay with that. Now that I am older my dreams and desires for my life have changed a bit. All the things that once seemed so important to my happiness and success in this life I no longer dream of. My dreams and hopes now are of a much more simpler variety. I dream and hope for health and love for my family. I dream of having my own children and raising them in the gorgeous mountain state of Colorado with Chris. I dream of the futures of my future children, for who they will become and the places they will go. Most of all I dream and look forward to growing old with the man I have chosen to spend my life with. It is those dreams that I want to come true, the rest is just icing on the cake.

--A man's dreams are an index to his greatness--

This is a post for the Blog Off for Breast Cancer. Feel free to click on any of the links on the right to check out the other blogs involved. Also, if you'd like to make a donation to Courtney, please click on the banner above.

And Then There Were Three....

I have somehow managed to make it to the final three in the blog-off. I am a little shocked, I do love to write and perhaps I should stop doubting myself so much. This past week we had to say goodbye to Diane from Write on Track. Congrats to her for making it all the way to the top four. And if you have a second stop by her blog and wish her well. Other than myself, the two remaining bloggers are Just Another Week and Write2B. Be sure to stop by their blogs this Wednesday to read their posts on the word DREAMS and be sure also to stay tuned for my post on DREAMS as well. Fun times!!

Also I realize I have still yet to blog about our lovely Memorial Day weekend with Evette and Richard. I really have been busy the past week or so and just have not had the chance. I promise to try and have a post up about it later tonight or tomorrow. In the meantime please venture over to our picture blog-- Chris and Evey's Pics -- to view ALL of our pics from the weekend. I know there is a lot but I couldn't be bothered deciding which ones to post and which to leave out so I just posted them all. Enjoy.

CAMPING -- BLOG OFF FOR BREAST CANCER

I love to go camping. I love the whole idea of escaping the city and getting away from it all. No TVs, no computers and no telephones. Just peace and quiet for as long as you choose to stay. I only have two rules when I go camping and they are as follows:1. NO BEARS, none whatsoever. None of this telling me they don't ever come around or only one is sighted a year. It doesn't matter, it's a rule and it stays that way. Chris broke this rule one time and I nearly killed him. There is only ONE exception to this rule and that is if it is The Berenstain Bears, because let's face it, they are cool.2. There HAS to be a working toilet within walking distance of the campsite.
After that I am up for anything. I love the outdoors and I love the simplicity camping can bring into your life. Call me crazy, because I like a running toilet but at least I am not one of those girls who has to cart all her makeup and hair products with her when she goes camping. One of the reasons I look forward to camping is so I can leave all that stuff behind and not worry about it for a few days.

The fire is the main comfort of the camp, whether in summer or winter, and is about as ample at one season as at another. It is as well for cheerfulness as for warmth and dryness. ~Henry David Thoreau

One of my favorite things about camping is the fire. I love to sit around the fire. I could sit there for hours and stare at the glowing orange of the fire and listening to the crackling of the wood. I love the peacefulness of it. The fire serves so many purposes. Obviously there is the whole keeping you warm thing, but aside from that how else would we survive an entire weekend on hot dogs and marshmallows if we didn't have a fire to cook them on? What about s'mores? They just wouldn't be possible without the fire. I remember camping in 1997 with some friends from high school and sending the boys to make us s'mores at all hours of the night and bring them to our tents. I also remember us all thinking it would be fun to go for a swim in the lake at like midnight--even though it wasn't even June yet. If you could only know how cold that water was. Me and the rest of the girls spent the rest of the night in front of the fire drying our hair. Perhaps the midnight swim wasn't the brightest of ideas, but thank God for the campfire to dry us off that night.

A lot of people who are hardcore campers make fun of me and tell me I am not a real "camper" because I refuse to camp in the mountains or in the middle of nowhere. I like to go to a campground where there are other people around, and where my only social interaction during the trip is not some bear or wild cat who attacks me as I pee behind a tree. That just does not sound like a good time to me--seriously--it doesn't. I have been afraid to camp in the mountains for as long as I can remember. There was no experience that I went through that made me scared. It is just a general thing. Big ass wild animals live out there, so why would I want to go? And yes I know, before you waste your time I will say it for you. Bear attacks are rare and as long as you keep your food away, etc you will be fine. I know this, but it still doesn't change my mind any. I get that it is rare for a bear to walk up to your tent, rip a hole in it and drag you off in the middle of the night. But attacks do happen, and my luck I will be that one person it happens to. Therefore, I figure if I leave them alone and stay away from their place of residence then I will be fine. My favorite camping trip that I have ever been on is when Chris and I went camping on the Oregon Coast for a week. We stayed at Beverly Beach State Park which is almost right on the ocean. The Oregon Coast is among my favorite places and if you have ever been there or seen it in pictures you know why. Our campground was fairly big, yet quiet. We were happy to have found a site surrounded by trees and it was almost as if it was our own little place. In the evenings when it got dark, we would go for a walk along the beach and enjoy the views of the stars and listen to the crashing of the waves that we couldn't quite see anymore. All along the beach you could see bonfires and hear people talking and laughing. At our own campsite Chris would make us a fire and we would sit around for hours talking, drinking cheap beer and roasting marshmallows.

The first night we were there it was pretty late when we arrived and already very dark. We carefully unloaded the car, and used the headlights to light the way as we set up the tent. After everything from the car was unloaded we decided we would lite a fire and jut relax for a few hours before we climbed into out tent for the night. Chris was in the tent changing when he called out to me to ask me to grab the lantern from the car. Now this lantern was not one of those new-fangled battery powered plastic ones, this thing was the real deal. Old school with fragile glass and even more fragile mantels. The kind that basically turn to ash at the slightest touch. There I was, lantern in hand walking back towards the picnic table. Well, I didn't make it that far. As I was walking back I completely forgot about the cement block in front of our parking spot, and I tripped over it and went flying through the air. I landed almost face first on the cement, scraping up my arms, my elbow and my hands. The lantern did an acrobatic show of its own, flying through the air and hitting the ground and bouncing back up off of it with the loudest bangs and clangs you could imagine. It was almost midnight--you could have heard a pin drop and there I was making all the racket I possibly could. Once Chris realized that for the most part I was okay he could not stop laughing, and after a while I saw the humor in it as well and could not stop laughing myself. Miraculously I was more damaged than the lantern was, not a scratch on it. Tell me, how does that happen? How do I fling a glass lantern through the air, have it come crashing down on the cement and somehow it doesn't break? Whatever the reason it certainly gave us a good laugh that night. Although I was feeling a little sore and stuff from my fall when I woke up the next morning.

Lets talk about raccoons for a minute. Now, people would have you believe that raccoons are cute and therefore they are harmless. Let me tell you people, this is just not true. Have you ever encountered a raccoon? They are frightening little creatures and the thought of their claws scratching at my face gives me the shakes. Like at any campground--you will always have raccoons. We were very careful to keep all food and garbage away in the hopes they would stay away from our campsite. One morning we woke up after it had been pouring down rain all night to find muddy raccoon paw prints all over our picnic table cover and our camp kitchen. Little buggers had made quite the mess in search for a midnight snack. The next night they got pretty brave when we were sitting by the fire and they made their way towards the picnic table. Chris ended up scaring them off, but for a while they just stood there staring us down and hoping we would drop something they could snatch up.

Chris and I have not been camping for a long time. We are both hoping this summer will offer some opportunities to camp in some of the beautiful places out here in New England. We have yet to take Belle camping. That should prove to be very interesting as she doesn't like things with four legs so much and I am not sure she realizes that she would have no chance against a raccoon.

If you hate camping because you have been and it just isn't for you then I respect that. But for those of you who have never been and say you don't like it you need to try it at least once. I have a feeling that you might just like it.

What I like about camping is you can get really dirty. Either you're all by yourself, so no one else sees you, or everyone you're with is just as dirty as you are, so nobody cares. ~Anonymous

This is a post for the Blog Off for Breast Cancer. Feel free to click on any of the links on the right to check out the other blogs involved. Also, if you'd like to make a donation to Courtney, please click on the banner above.

A Match Made in Heaven

I apologize for the long gap in between posts this past week. In my defense I had a friend here from jolly old England and we were out gallivanting all weekend long. We had a great time but you will all just have to wait to hear about it because today is blog off day.

This past week was the suckiest island vote off yet. Carly from With A Turn And A Twist She Gets Her Wish was sent packing and I think that sucks. Even though she is out of the blog off you should really check out her blog. I really didn't think Carly was going to go this week and was very shocked to find out she had been ousted. I have lost my blog off sidekick:( Last week was crappy too when we had to say goodbye to Erin from Blaaahhhg. I suppose that is the name of the game and since I have survived this long I should really get to working on my post.

REGRETS -- BLOG OFF FOR BREAST CANCER

Regret is an intelligent (and/or emotional) dislike for personal past acts and behaviors. Regret is often felt when someone feels sadness, shame, or guilt after committing an action or actions that the person later wishes that he or she had not done.

"What Am I Supposed To Do About It Now? Past Regrets And Long Laments They Find Me Somehow, What Am I Supposed To Do About It Now? What Have I To Do But Fall Down?" --Jennifer Knapp

Regret is a pretty heavy burden to walk around this life with, and yet it is human for us all to have felt regret at some time in our lives.

With each week that has passed in this blog off I have found myself wanting to dig deeper than the week before and have something worthwhile for you all to read. Sitting here thinking of this word is hard for me. Mostly because when I do I think of my mum and all the time I lost with her.

When my mum first had breast cancer I was only 12 years old, maybe a little younger. Being so young, I didn't really understand a lot of what was happening. I just assumed the doctors would make her better and she would be here forever. She did get better and for 6 or so more years she was here. But when I was 18 her cancer returned and this time it was terminal. I was working at camp that summer when she was diagnosed. I could have made the decision to leave camp and go home and be with her. But I didn't, mostly because she encouraged me not to; she wanted me to enjoy my summer and be with my friends. And so I did. Sometimes when I look back on that decision, I regret it. I regret not spending those 2 months with her instead of 2 hours away at camp. When the summer was over I spent a lot of time with her. September and October of that year were times in my life I will never forget because I think that even though none of us said it out loud, we all knew those were our final months together as a family. When she was finally too sick to be at home anymore, we moved her to the Palliative Care Unit at the Grey Nun's Hospital in Edmonton. Looking back I know I should have spent so much more time in that hospital than I did. It wasn't because I didn't want to be with her, it was because it was too hard for me. Call it selfish--in some ways it was. But I never liked hospitals, even before she got sick. The smell, the white walls and floors. I was scared of being there because at the time it felt like I was admitting defeat, like I was willing to sit back and accept what was happening and I wasn't. And so I found excuses not to go, I had to work, I had school stuff to do, I have a birthday party to go to. Don't get me wrong, I spent time there and I cherish every moment I did but sometimes I feel like it wasn't enough and I regret that. Before she got sick I regret not spending more time with her shopping, having coffee and going for lunch. There are days now when I ache for that connection and I regret not enjoying it more when I had it.

Why say we don't have regrets in our life when we do? Is it that we are afraid that by admitting we have regrets we are saying we are weak? The defining moment of those regrets however is how we choose to deal with them, accept them and move on. There will always be a part of me that regrets not spending more time with my mum when she was still alive. But it is what it is and none of that matters anymore. She new I loved her and I know she loved me. She knew me better than anyone so I am sure she knew why being there with her at the hospital was so hard for me. She knew my heart was in the right place and she knew I did the best I could.

I have regrets in this life, that's no secret. The way I handled my mums sickness is not the only one. But what I also have is the wisdom from those experiences and how I handled them to help me through the next bump in the road. This is a post for the Blog Off for Breast Cancer. Feel free to click on any of the links on the right to check out the other blogs involved. Also, if you'd like to make a donation to Courtney, please click on the banner below.

SNL - Weekend Update: Whitney Houston (05/19/07)

For those of you who have never seen Maya Rudolph do her Whitney Houston impression I promise this will make you laugh. It made me cry I laughed so hard. I love it!

Weight Loss

I have been getting asked a lot lately about my "secrets" to losing weight. The honest truth is I don't have any great secrets I can tell you. The key in my opinion is that we all need to find what works for us. I found what works for me, and the greatest thing about it is that it doesn't cost me a thing and I still eat the things I love. I don't feel deprived and I don't feel guilty. It's a win win situation for me.

For those of you who have known me growing up know that I was not a big kid or teenager. In fact I was skinny. I was always able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted and I didn't gain weight. Most of that is probably because I was so active. I don't know when that changed really. I would say that probably over the last 5 years is when I really started to lose track of my weight. Eating fast food became a bad habit, I learned I loved beer and I just stopped exercising. That is just not a good combo. Fast forward to January 2007 and I was like WHOA, as I weighed myself and realized I was at the highest weight I had ever been. The next morning I woke up and said "enough is enough, I don't want to be fat anymore."

I knew right away I was not going to do any crazy diets because if you ask me I think they are all a load of crap. Even Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig was a turn off for me because I knew if I was determined enough I would lose the weight so why pay them to tell me the things I already know. I also have a very supportive husband who I knew would support me whichever way I decided to go with my weight loss. And so I told him my goals, he helped me set up a food journal on our computer through Excel so I would be able to keep track of all I was eating plus the calories. I just simply started making better choices. I limited my calorie intake to 1200-1500 per day and I lost 9 pounds the first week. And now just over 4 months later I have lost almost 40 pounds. I don't think I look like I have really lost weight but I definitely feel it. Obviously my clothes are fitting a little baggier these days. When I exercise I can go for longer and not get as tired as I used to. Everything is getting easier as each day passes and I feel good.
I guess I am "dieting" on some level. I just don't think of it as a diet. I still eat cake if I want to, or treat myself to a donut or whatever. The only difference now is that I make room for it in my calories each day if I want those things. I don't count fat calories or any of that. I simple count the calories in each serving of what I eat and that's that. I drink a lot of water and I drink diet pop. We have gotten in the habit of buying lots of snacks that I won't feel guilty about eating. Those 100 calorie packs are awesome and they come in all different kinds now. Chips a hoy, Oreo, Cheese Nips, Ritz mix, Chex Mix, Cheetos, Doritos and the list goes on. There are all sorts of low calorie or fat free ice cream bars. Jello.....I LOVE JELLO! A sugar free jello cup is only 10 calories. My new favorite thing to have in the evenings is 2 or 3 of them with a couple tablespoons of low fat cool whip (which was Chris's brilliant idea). YUMMY! Less than 100 calories, I love it. The minute I start denying myself the foods I love I know I will fall right off the wagon. So I make it work for me this way and I am happy with it and I am happy with my weight loss. At the end of each week I send my food journal to my mother in law Linda. It helps knowing someone is reading it. It keeps me accountable and she doesn't hesitate to throw encouragement my way or maybe a little reminder that I fell off the wagon a little on a certain day.

The crazy thing for me was learning how much I use to consume calorie wise without even knowing it. I have never been one to sit down and pig out but man those calories can still add up and you don't even realize. Juice was a killer for me, I used to drink so much apple juice everyday without realizing I was probably consuming 6 or 7 hundred calories in a day from it alone. I still drink it, I just buy the light stuff and I don't drink it the way I used to. The other killer for me was seconds. I got into the habit of if something was good I always had seconds even if I didn't really need it. Now I don't take seconds unless I am truly still hungry which usually I'm not. Having a big bowl of salad with every meal definitely helps that.

As far as exercise goes all the walking I do with dogs is a huge plus for me. I am basically getting paid to exercise. He he! Aside from that I do tae-bo at home, and let me tell you I am so not coordinated enough for it. But I do it anyways and I enjoy it.

There you have it, all my secrets. Which were never secrets, and if they were they certainly aren't now. All this talk of food has my tummy reminding me that its time for lunch.

And Then There Were Five.....

Ok so another week gone and I have managed to still be in this blog off. How about that? I was certain I would have been out the first few weeks. But alas, I am still here and feeling the pressure even more each week to post something better than any of the weeks before.

This past week saw Erin from Blaaahhhg voted off the blog-off island. I was sad to see her go as I have enjoyed her posts. There are only 5 of us left now and it's only going to get harder from here on out. I am sure with so few of us left that each of us will dig a little deeper to try and have the best post out there. This could be a photo finish, kids!

If you look to the right you will notice I have put all my previous blog off posts in a drop down bar for those of you who are new to my blog or for those of you who are just slackers and are way behind in your blog reading.

Please click on the banner below and take a minute to check out Courtney's fundraiser page. Her goal is $2200. I am not sure how much she has raised to date but I know this blog off will have her at least $90, she has had a few online donations and she has done some fundraisers at pubs etc. Please think about leaving her even $5 to go towards such an important cause.

Where Do You Like to Eat?

I have been tagged by Carly to share with all of you our culinary experiences here in Boston. Chris and I probably eat out a little more than we should and yet our experiences at the great restaurants in and around this city are slim to none. We tend to get into the habit of going to the same places over and over.

List your top five favourite locations to eat, locally

Anna's Taqueria : I have blogged about Anna's many many times before. And with good reason really. They make the best burritos of anywhere I have ever been. And I have eaten at some great burrito places. The burritos are HUGE and the food in general is cheap. A super burrito and a drink for right around 5 bucks, you just can't go wrong with that. Chris and I could eat there everyday. And I probably would if I wasn't so busy counting calories and losing weight.

The British Beer Company : Chris and I discovered this place about a year ago and it quickly became on of our favorites. The food is good but the ambiance is what I love most about this place. I think Chris would say his favorite part is the selection of beer. They have over 150 beers from all over the world with a large chunk of them being British. They have done their homework in trying to recreate the British pub experience. While I have never been to a real British pub they seem to have done a fantastic job of achieving their goals. Evette and Richard will be here next week from England so I guess we will let them be the judge.

Kiku Yama Teppanyaki Steak House : We went here for Chris's birthday two years ago and it was outstanding. I had never eaten anywhere like this before, it was so much fun and the food was amazing. They cook your food right there in front of you. Of course the Chef puts on a little show for you which makes it even more fun to watch. The overall experience at this place was great. We would probably go back more often if the prices were a little cheaper or if we were a little richer.Vinny T's of Boston : Well I just finished blogging about Vinny T's last night so I won't repeat myself here again except to say that the food is excellent. If you want to an expanded explanation please read my previous post.
Texas Roadhouse : This place is just good. The have everything from steak to chicken to great burgers. The rolls and butter they bring you when you sit down are to die for. Seriously you could eat them ALL day long. For those of you in Seattle the place is a lot like Jimmy Mac's in Renton.

Chili's : Alright, I know this is a "chain" restaurant but I just don't care. I absolutely love Chili's. The food is good, the portions are good and the price is good. Chris and I usually eat at Chili's at least twice a month. The thing I love is that they have a "guiltless" section on the menu, not a lot of choices but the ones they do have I love. I can enjoy supper for right around 500 calories or less and I don't feel guilty about ordering their chips and salsa before hand. Their salsa might be my favorite. That alone might be the real reason I love Chili's so much. I also love the atmosphere at a place like Chili's. And now for my 5 tagees:

Evette - Since you live in England I want to hear about some of your favorites over there
Alison - I am curious to hear what crazy places you Nova Scotians like to eat at
Jodi - I have never been to South Dakota but in case I ever do I hope you can help me out

Kimmie - I am certain I won't be traveling to Grande Prairie anytime soon so this really is just an evil ploy to get you to blog

Cyndi - Cyndi is actually one of my fellow "blog-offers" and I would love to hear what places her and her hubby go out to when they hit the town out there in northern California

Alright kids, I'm hungry so get to work. And yes I cheated and did 6 restaurants but it was only because I love them all so much.

Chris and Evey's night in pictures

As I mentioned in my previous post, Chris and I went out for supper tonight. It has been a while since we have had Italian so we decided to head out and enjoy a meal at Vinny T's. Plus we had a coupon we got in the mail for $10 off a purchase of $30 or more.
So Chris and I got ourselves all prettied up and away we went. We knew being a Saturday night that they would probably be a little on the busy side and we would have a bit of a wait. We figured it was not that big of a deal since we both were looking forward to a great supper. We arrived to find it WAY busier than we had anticipated but we decided the 45 minute wait was no biggie considering we had been waiting all day for it. Plus, on a Saturday night, you are pretty much going to have to wait no matter where you go. So we put our name on the list and headed into the bar. We were happy to find a couple of seats right away. Chris ordered a beer and I got a drink called The Blue Grotto which was a mix of Bacardi Rum, blue Curacao and pineapple juice. Can we just all take a minute to say YUMMY! We sat, talked, enjoyed our drinks and waited for our name to be called. We finished our drinks, paid our tab and waited for our name to be called. We moved from the seats we were in to let the next people along have a seat and waited for our name to be called. After an hour had gone by and our name still hadn't been called Chris went to have a look at where we where sitting on the list. The hostess apologized and it was really no biggie for us at the point considering how busy they were it could be worse. So we waited some more. Finally after another 20 minutes went by Chris went to talk with the hostess again only to find out that OUR table had been given to another "Chris, party of 2" and there we stood waiting for almost another half hour for a table. The hostess felt bad, she really did. She owned up to the fact she made a mistake in not getting the last name of the other Chris to make sure there would be no confusion. She assured as we would be compensated. Sure enough, the General Manager of the restaurant himself came and showed us to our table. He apologized over and over for the mix up and informed us that any appetizers and our first round of drinks would be on the house. SA-WEET!

I am not one for appetizers and stuff these days since I am watching what I eat and counting calories. Tonight however I decided to forget all about that for a few hours and enjoy my night out with my husband. We ordered two appetizers. Two you ask? Yes TWO! We figured they were free, why the heck not? And so we ordered......

Fried Mozzarella Marinara--Thick slices of pan-fried fresh mozzarella. Crisp on the outside, warm on the inside, with homemade marinara sauce

Vinny T’s Fried Ravioli--Jumbo three-cheese ravioli fried until crisp. Served with our homemade marinara

Chris of course ordered himself another beer and I hooked myself up with another blue grotto which incidentally matched my shirt, imagine that!
We had a fantastic supper. I ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and broccoli......Chris went ahead and ordered the Fettuccine Carbonara with chicken......All in all, aside from the long wait we had a great supper. The food was fantastic and you cant go wrong with free appetizers and drinks. We have not been to this restaurant enough. The food is excellent and the portions are GINORMOUS! You definitely get your money's worth. We never ended up using the coupon--mainly because we were compensated $26.80 in appetizers and drinks.

We opted out of having dessert since we were so stuffed from supper. We did however make a trip to Starbucks for an after supper coffee. We were also out of coffee for the house and let me tell you, I would not have been a happy camper if I woke up to no coffee in the morning. It would not be pretty. We are home now, enjoying some wine and watching the Mariners beat the Padres. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend. Stay tuned for my 5 favorite places to eat locally. You can thank Carly for this one.

Wild Weekend.......

Ok so not really, but it made you want to read this post didn't it? So It has been raining here for a few days straight. Hopefully that means our grass will actually grow, that would be nice.

Last night we finally got around to watching the movie The Departed. We have had it and Babel here for over a month now (Netflix) and finally got around to watching it last night. We will most likely watch Babel later this evening. I really liked The Departed. The cast was awesome and it was definitely fun to hear them refer to different towns and places around here. For those of you who don't know the movie was based in Boston. Jack Nicholson's character was actually based on and inspired by real life crime boss James J. Bulger who hails from Dorchester, MA. He was a mainstay of organized crime in the Boston region for years and is currently on the FBI's 10 most wanted list where he currently sits at number 4.

Chris and I are off to Vinny T's for supper tonight. Yummy! Which is funny since I just finished reading Carly's blog where she tagged me to blog about my top five favourite locations to eat, locally. Stay tuned for that later.

KISS - BLOG OFF FOR BREAST CANCER

While I was doing some browsing around the web for some inspiration on what to write today I came across the word on Wikipedia. How interesting to find out that there is a scientific word for kissing. Did you know that? Seriously? Cause I didn't. The scientific name for kissing is "osculation." I thought kissing was just...kissing. I had no idea we needed a scientific name for it. It has got me thinking about what other words have scientific names, but that's for another time.

At first when I thought of kiss, my thoughts immediately went to my first kiss with Chris. The first time I met Chris in person (we met online) I was so shy and standoffish--cold as ice as he likes to describe it--he knew there was no way he was going to have any hopes of kissing me. In fact, I am pretty certain that he went home afterwards expecting we would be nothing more than friends. A few weeks later a friend and I went down to Seattle for a few days to hang out with Chris. After a night out drinking Budweiser and eating Chris's moms leftover spaghetti, I was ready to call it a night. As I climbed into bed Chris poked his head in to make sure I was settled ok. We started chatting, and before I knew it he was leaning over informing me that he was going to kiss me. This time I was not cold. I kissed him back and I was very very happy he had kissed me. However, what he said after he kissed me is the one thing that will make me never forget that night. He looks straight into my eyes and says "You taste like Bud!" We both started laughing and I will never ever forget that moment. What a romantic he is ;)
In my research the last few days it has been interesting to me to come across all the different meanings and symbolism of a kiss. One thing that has always struck me as funny is how in a lot of European countries they greet each other with kisses on the cheek. I am not saying I think this is a bad thing necessarily, I am just not sure how I would feel about walking around kissing and being kissed by people I have just met. It just seems weird to me, even if it is only on the cheek. I guess its a good thing I don't live in France and even better I live in Boston where you are more likely to get flipped the bird rather than be kissed. To each their own I suppose.
Public displays of affection are something I am not exactly black or white about. For me it really depends on the situation. I am a little shy around other people when it comes to kissing Chris. For the most part I am a very private person and usually am a little shy about locking lips in public. Now don't get me wrong--a peck here and there is nothing, but chances are I am not about to full on make out with Chris while walking through the mall, sorry folks. Spending time on public transit offers me the opportunity to view all sorts of PDA's. Sometimes it makes me throw up in my mouth a little. I mean really, is it necessary for you to eat your girlfriends face while sitting next to me on the bus? I really don't think it is, and yet it happens anyways. I don't get it. Kissing is a beautiful thing when it is done in the right manner and in the right place. I wish more people realized that.

The worst kiss would have to be receiving a kiss from someone in the mob. Knowing it was their way of saying goodbye to you because you have done something that has earned you a bullet to the head. That just can't be a good feeling. Or what about the ever famous kiss of betrayal from Judas when he kissed Jesus on the cheek to allow the Romans to know he was the one they were to take away to be crucified.

For those of you who have met my dog, you are fully aware of the fact that she is a licker. We tried to break her of that habit early on but it just never took. We came to the realization that she loves to kiss and decided we would just let her be that way. If you don't like it, I apologize. But like the rest of us, her kisses are just a way to show her love and affection, don't hate her for it;)This is a post for the Blog Off for Breast Cancer. Feel free to click on any of the links on the right to check out the other blogs involved. Also, if you'd like to make a donation to Courtney, please click on the banner below.

This and That

Our wireless has been working when it wants to the last few days and that has hampered my blogging status a little bit. We are back up and running right now though, so hopefully it stays that way.

Stay tuned later today for my post for this week in the Blog off for breast cancer organized by Courtney over at Five Second Dance Party. This weeks word is KISS! So be sure to check back later and see what I come up with. I can't promise it will be good, but it will be a post and that's all that matters.

I am WAY overdue for a haircut and a dye job so I am off to do that this evening. Summer is upon us and it is time to chop the hair off and get rid of those few pesky gray unwelcome hairs. I may even post some pictures later if your lucky.

Also, I recieved these few pictures in my email over the past few weeks and I thought I would share them for the sake of all the Flames and Canucks fans who read this blog:)