Snow.

Snow.
Since last November, Robert, Natalie and I decided to skip the country and travel to the Land Down Under.  We not only travelled to the other side of the world, we also travelled into the future and then back into summer. 
Now I know all of you are thinking that this would be WONDERFUL, but for someone like me, who loves SNOW, I wasn't as thrilled as most when Christmas came around.
Although I LOVED sitting on the beach working on my tan, playing in the ocean, surfing, etc., as December creeped in and it was time to put up the Christmas Tree and Christmas decorations, it was just WEIRD!!!  I was sweating while decorating and looking outside at a blazing sun that was shining down and killing the grass because it was so hot.  This was not Christmas at all.

Meanwhile, back in Canada, I was receiving news about how cold it was and how much snow they were getting.   Obviously, Canada decides the year I leave for the winter is going to be the year that they get the MOST snow that they have had in YEARS!!!!  Sarnia, Ontario got so much snow that they had to close the 402 highway and call a state of emergency..REALLY????  REALLY???  Has this ever happen before???

Don't get me wrong, waking up early Christmas morning and sharing it with Robert, Cardy and Natalie before going to meet our Buli crew at the beach for a Christmas breakfast and then heading to Lauren's (an Aussie mate) family Christmas pool party was pretty amazing.  It felt as though we were in some ultra universe.  This was not reality.  Who swims in a pool and has underwater swimming contests on Christmas day????  I would never had believed that would be me but, it was an experience I will never ever forget and I am truly grateful for. Definitely one that I may not experience again because for me Christmas and the holiday season is about the magic of SNOW!!!

Each snowflake is unique and magical all in it's own way. 
If you have ever caught a snowflake on your mitten and just looked at it, you would see why snow makes me so happy.  It is the most beautiful thing. And there is nothing more beautiful then waking up to a fresh snowfall right before Christmas, even better, Christmas day.
So please, even if you hate the snow, think about how lucky we really are that we get to experience the magic of it, because some people never get the chance to even see it.
Go outside build a snowman, throw a snowball, make a snow angel, open your mouth and let it fall in.  Or just catch one on your mitten and see the magic I see every time it snows :)

Today I escaped to Massachusetts and was part of a Christmas Wedding.

Today i treated myself to TWO snooze buttons and then i turned OFF my alarm and let myself enjoy an extra hour of uninterrupted sleep.

When i awoke, feeling as though i could have maybe slept till noon, but knowing i would regret it for wasting my day, i decided it was time to start my day.  What better way then a Caramel Java Crunch coffee from The Coffee Lodge along with a toasted fluffy Whole Wheat bagel with lite cream cheese and tomatoes...YUM!!!!

As I drove into town to grab my yummy breakfast, my sister text me and needed me to work for her.  Since her "work" for today involved sitting in the back of a freezing grocery store for two hours to “monitor” a client while he worked in produce,  I knew I would need a nice warm sweater and a good book.

This was short notice, and since i was already in town and would not have time to go home and grab neither a book nor  a sweater, I decided i should treat myself to a new book and maybe pop in to my mom's house for a warm sweater.  However, i was lucky enough that, stuffed between my seat and the cold metal back of my small little red ford pickup truck, was actually one of my FAVOURITE sweaters that i thought the dryer had eaten.  Now that i had my warm sweater, all i needed was a good book.

Now, what some of you may not know, which to be honest, if you know me at all, you should know this, or else you really don't know me at all, I love Christmas.  Since I LOVE Christmas, for the last month I have been to Walmart and the bookstore reading the backs of many books based on Christmas.  But one had continued to jump out at me, so i drove quickly over to Walmart (cause books are 30% off) and picked up The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo.

I wrapped myself in my warm sweater and grabbed my book and nestled in next to a stack of potatoes and  some bananas and opened my book.  It was time to get way from the produce, away from the fruit flies, and away from the workplace drama and escape into the new world in which Patterson and DiLallo had created.  Next thing I knew, two hours had flown by and i was halfway done the book. 

I was part of the Summerhill family.  I was another daughter who was a part of this Christmas Wedding.  Or at least that is the way i felt while i was sitting in the back of the freezing cold grocery store nestled between produce. 

Somehow, I had lost myself and found myself in the middle of Massachusetts with Gaby and her children, ready to plan this mystery wedding. 

Isn't that such a great feeling, getting lost in a book???  So lost that it almost feels as though someone is waking you up from a really great dream when they interrupt you from reading???

Well anyways, once reality set back in and i got back in my little red rebel pick up truck and drove to my mom's house I couldn't help but think that i couldn't wait till I had a chance to start reading again.

Now, isn't that the best feeling???  Being excited to read???

That is the most amazing thing about books.  They take you to places you have never been,  they introduce you to people you have never met, and they give you the power to learn things, and know things you otherwise wouldn't.

I took a break from the book and treated my mom to some all you can eat Sushi for dinner at Hana before racing home, turning on my small Christmas tree (the big one goes up this weekend) and lighting some candles while nestling into my big couch right beside my big warm dog and escaping back to Massachusetts.

Next thing i know, the book is done.  Cover to Cover within four hours or less.  They only thing depressing about this situation, is the story is now over. 

However, one thing stuck with me through the whole story.  It was something the character Marty had said to a group of students about reading. He said "Nowhere will you meet more interesting people than in a book.  I've met a lot of people,  i have read a lot of books...".  I agree with him completely.

So the point of this post, if you haven't already figured it out, is READ, READ and READ some more. Never stop reading because even when life feels as though it is forcing you down, you can grab a book, escape your life, and join the life of the characters and you will soon notice that your life slowly comes back up, if only for those few hours you let yourself escape in a really great book.

Vintage Chic Style!!!

I have always admired my sisters style.  I use to think I had style until I decided to take a year to travel to Australia and New Zealand and came back PO!!! (Short for VERY VERY VERY POOR LOL).  Now i have no money to buy new clothes, so instead I sit in the background and admire my sisters style and clothing choices.  Recently, i was at my sisters house when i remebered this skirt she had purchased a few months ago but have yet to see her wear it.  So i decided I would try it on.  I used her wardrobe and came up with a very chic vintage look.  LOVE IT!!  I think i may have to drop by and pick out my outfits for the week.  I will save on money and I'll have my sisters creative clothing choices to choose from.  Thank you Whitney!!! 

Photo Taken by Whitney Averill Thompson
Outfit styled by ME!!!
Clothing:  Whitney's Closet

You can also find this pic on my new favourite website (Whitney introduced me to this as well) Pinterest.com. 
Let me know what you think?????

Welcome!!!

Hello!!!! My blog will be about EVERYTHING and ANYTHING!!!  I wanted an outlet to be able to use or find my creative side again and after my sister started blogging i thought, "What a Great Idea!!!".  My mind likes to think and think and think and think...sometimes it actually drives me crazy.  But now I will use my blog to help get some of my crazy thinking out in a creative way.  So here's to BLOGGING!!!  CHEERS!!!