Jessica's Madness

Lessons Learned

2012-01-16T19:23:00.001-05:00

Don't leave your cell phone in your back pocket when you go to the washroom.

3D Madness

2012-01-13T16:24:00.001-05:00

Incredible life-like 3D art.

It was a break

2012-01-08T22:35:00.005-05:00

Have you ever purposely slowed down your hectic life for a month, fully enjoyed it, really needed it, then at the end of the break felt that you were behind on everything and maybe you should have started getting back into the swing of things a week or two ago.

That's how I'm feeling now.

2011

2011-12-31T23:30:00.005-05:00

BOOKS I COULDN'T PUT DOWN
Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Mah
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

COULDN'T WAIT A WEEK FOR THE NEXT EPISODE
Vampire Diaries

BEST MUSIC FINDS
Adele
Florence and the Machine
Young the Giant
The Joy Formidable

FAVOURITE FOOD DISCOVERIES
Cows Ice Cream
President's Choice Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream
Miss Vickie's Balsamic and Sweet Onion Chips

BEST NEW RECIPES I TRIED
Thai One On (sweet potato, coconut, and curry soup) from Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry
Garam Masala Devilled Eggs from Epicurious
Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup from Epicurious
Beef and Avocado Fajitas from Epicurious
Diane's Six-Spice Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Epicurious
Potstickers from Epicurious
Lemon Layer Cake from Epicurious *bonus - it's gluten-free too!

SOMETHING I NEVER LIKED AS A KID BUT DISCOVERED I WILL EAT NOW THAT I'M AN ADULT
Celery sticks

COOL, INEXPENSIVE, CREATIVE IDEA I HAD
Frame patterned stationery, gift wrap, or scrapbooking paper like abstract art

SOMETHING I ADMIT I WILL NEVER BE GOOD AT
Go-karting. I'm too scared to go so fast that I lose control.

WHAT I WISH I HAD MORE TIME FOR
Volleyball
Travel and see the world
Sleep

Bliss

2011-12-26T12:25:00.001-05:00

A quiet house, pyjamas, chocolate, tea, and Jane Austin.

Loan

2011-12-23T22:09:00.001-05:00

ME to SHELDON: We need to save money for a new furnace, fix the cracked windshield, remove the rust on the car, etc.

SHELDON: I don't know if we'll have enough money to do all that and replace the broken laptop and tv.

CONNOR: I could loan you the money with 5% interest over 2 years.

SHELDON: Only 5%? That's really low. You should tell people 10%.

CONNOR: I'm giving you the family rate.

What Joseph Could Have Been Thinking

2011-12-20T08:54:00.005-05:00

In one scene of The Nativity Story movie, Mary has just returned from her visit with her cousin Elizabeth and you see everyone's shocked expressions when they realize she's pregnant. When they show Joseph's expression, Aidan promptly exclaims, "Damn, girl!"

I suppose Joseph could have been thinking these exact words if this happened in our time and he lived in the projects.

The Christmas Story

2011-12-09T08:42:00.002-05:00

Little kids with accents are always cute. Love how the star was "shining" at the end. Didn't know they threw a rave after Jesus was born. Cool.

Mystery Solved

2011-12-06T12:36:00.002-05:00

2011-12-05T23:30:00.000-05:00

13 years ago, a tiny 6lb baby boy joined our family. Over these years, he has grown into a creative, musical, generous, caring, hard-working, smart, inquisitive, independent young man who loves to be silly. Happy 13th birthday, Aidan. You have brought so much joy to my life (even though you didn't take the soother until you were 5 months old) and I can't wait to see what the future brings you. I am truly blessed to have you as my son.

Aidan spent his 13th birthday at his first Ottawa Senators game.

Blessed

2011-12-02T11:27:00.003-05:00

Lately I have been amazed at the amount of strength, love, and support that my family and friends give me. I am so thankful to have them in my life.

You don't have to wait for Thanksgiving to reflect on what you're grateful for. What are some of your blessings?

2011-11-25T16:26:00.003-05:00

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."

- Carl Gustave Jung

Huh?

2011-11-24T12:12:00.002-05:00

ME [randomly over 10 min.]: Time to wake up, Connor. Come on, turn on your light and wake up.

CONNOR [after ignoring me for 10 min.]: No, I can't. I don't know where the light is!

ME: What?!

Two Years of Movember: A True Story

2011-11-14T15:08:00.003-05:00

I work with this guy and can testify that this story is true. Well, maybe not the women throwing themselves at him part, but the rest of it is true.

More Wins

2011-11-09T18:31:00.001-05:00

Boy, today is just a banner day at our house. After coming home from Aidan's championship football game, we received a letter from the school informing Connor that he has been awarded the Chris Perry '06 Memorial Fund for Music. Congratulations, Connor!

My boys make me one proud mama.

Champions!

2011-11-09T18:18:00.001-05:00

Aidan was on the junior football team this year and their team went undefeated all the way to the championship. Because it was his first year and he's one of the smallest guys on the team, he didn't get a lot of game time but he'll be ready next year. Great season, Colts!

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-12T11:11:00.007-04:00

Yesterday was the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 and while we were driving to church, the boys and I had a discussion about what happened and how it changed the world. Aidan was not quite 2 years old so a lot of the details we were talking about were new to him.

He asked if the terrorists had guns or other weapons on the plane. He asked how they were even able to get them on the plane. He chastised airport security. That was when I realized that my children have always grown up with high airport security; that the only world they've known is one where the word terrorist is a part of their normal vocabulary and the possibility of being attacked in their own city is real.

I realize this and I hold my children a little closer to me.

Aidan's first music video

2011-08-03T16:30:00.002-04:00

McMillan Celebrates 15 Years

2011-06-15T15:41:00.003-04:00

Check out what we did at work to celebrate our 15th anniversary and to promote the launch of Canada Dance Week. If you missed this awesome show, there'll be an encore performance on Canada Day after the fireworks on the corner of George and Sussex. See you there!

Aidan's First YouTube Video

2011-01-18T11:16:00.000-05:00

The Handsome Men's Club

2011-01-18T11:12:00.005-05:00

I haven't laughed this much in a long time. Ladies, enjoy!

Christmas Break Wrap Up

2011-01-03T14:49:00.005-05:00

I didn't accomplish my goal during the break. I was only able to watch all 6 seasons of How I Met Your Mother during the break and catch up on Mad Men before the break. Being sick for the last few days of holidays helped me to focus and push to the finish line. I'm not going to give up though. Now that we have to get back into our daily routine, I'll just watch an episode or two from my list on the weekends. With a little perseverance, I know I can accomplish my goal. Slow and steady wins the race and when I do, it's going to be legend...wait for it...dary.

Christmas Break Update

2010-12-27T11:49:00.003-05:00

Before Christmas, I posted a list of shows I wanted to watch during the Christmas break in order to help me accomplish my couch potato goal. Before the break, I actually caught up on Mad Men in one weekend. This weekend, I've completed season one of How I Met Your Mother.

I think I'm falling behind but I guess it didn't help that I've been distracted with the card game Wizard. I think we've played 12 hours of it over that last 3 days. One night, we logged 6 hours in a row, playing until 3am. It was fun waking up for church the next morning.

Sheldon cleaned the house while I was at church so I got what I wanted for Christmas. I didn't want to worry about cleaning while I was trying to accomplish my couch potato goal. This morning, I'm feeling a little bit of guilt for not accomplishing little chores on my list but not enough to actually do them yet. Maybe tomorrrow.

Well, I've got to go back to the couch now. I've got to stick to my training schedule better if I expect to meet my goal.

An uplifting evening

2010-11-27T11:40:00.005-05:00

We had the wonderful opportunity to spend an uplifting evening with Sis. Elaine Dalton, General Young Women President of our church last week. She was holding a youth leadership training meeting and a youth fireside in Montreal. We even had the opportunity to have dinner with her as Stake YW leaders.

Her training and messages to the youth really hit home with me and the spirit was strong. There is a reason why this year's theme for the youth was from Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed for the Lord is with thee withersoever thou goest." Our youth need to be strong in these days where temptations are all around them and as parents, youth leaders, and as a church family, we need to do as Sis. Dalton says - to "circle the wagons" to protect the youth. And doesn't it seem worse now than when we were young when you hear about kids being bullied, suffering from depression, and even committing suicide? Or did we just not hear about those things so many years ago?

I have a renewed love for my calling and for those that I serve. I am so grateful for having the best counselors to work with. I am truly blessed with so many wonderful influences in my life.

Thank you!

Lindsey Guerrero (my 2nd counselor), Sis. Elaine Dalton (General YW President), me, and Sandy Robertson (my 1st counselor)

Christmas Wish List

2010-10-30T10:09:00.003-04:00

It's been so crazy this year with both boys busy with school and extracurricular activities, adjusting to a new position at work, and my new calling at church that all I want for Christmas is to be a couch potato the whole break. I've even made a list of shows I want to catch up on or start watching:

Mad Men
The Office
Dexter
How I Met Your Mother
Modern Family
The Big Bang Theory
Private Practice

5 out of 7 shows are ones I'd have to start from Season 1. I have realistic expectations that I won't be able to watch all of these shows but it's such a relaxing thought to have nothing planned.

Who am I kidding? I give myself 2 days before I get sick of doing nothing but I'm going to give it my best effort to become a couch potato.

Now do you think my family will be on board with this idea?

Where do babies come from?

2010-10-22T08:41:00.005-04:00

Questions like this seem easy now compared to the philosophical ones I got from Aidan yesterday.

1. Where did God come from?

2. What's the whole point of Heaven?

It's a sign

2010-09-14T12:41:00.005-04:00

During the summer, our small laptop died.

We've also noticed that the picture on our old TV in the basement starts to shake if its been on for a long time.

On Labour Day weekend, we decided to send our big laptop to the shop to get fixed. It'll be a month before we get it back.

Just after Labour Day, our main TV died. We think it's due to a power surge.

The other day, the Playstation3 that is hooked up to the TV in the basement overheated and died.

We now only have our desktop computer working and we don't have any immediate plans to replace them.

Don't you think it's interesting that this all occurred around the same time the kids went back to school? It could be a sign. I say it's a blessing in disguise.

Evidence

2010-08-22T15:51:00.004-04:00

Finally, another milestone

2010-08-19T14:53:00.007-04:00

When your children are young, there are lots of milestones that happen - first tooth, first word, first steps. Now that I have a teenager and a preteen, milestones are far and few. Other than receiving the Aaronic priesthood and hitting puberty, it's been a long time since anything happened that changes the way we live...until now.

Connor attended his first youth conference this past weekend in Montreal. There were about 180 youth from the Ottawa, Kingston, and Montreal stakes. By the end of this 3-day retreat, Connor was on cloud-nine with the amount of new friends he made. Facebook has been a wonderful tool for him to keep connected with them all.

But how did youth conference affect the rest of the family?

One of Connor's new friends is a girl.

Not only is she a girl, but she's a girl who may have a crush on Connor due to the number of times she calls him and writes on his Facebook wall each day even after Connor tells her he's interested in somebody else (that's another story). We've had to adjust to the number of times the phone rings in the house, limit how long Connor is on the phone, and start being stern when we tell him to get off the phone when it's time for dinner. Wait until this girl's parents receive the long distance phone bill!

That's not all though.

Connor's made other friends. These friends are older. These friends are female. These friends want Connor and a couple of the older young men in our ward to go hang out with them. Did I mention these friends live 2 hours away and I think one of the young men can drive?

A is for Awesome

2010-07-02T13:26:00.001-04:00

And for Alex Wong who I'm betting is going to win this season's So You Think You Can Dance. He's a ballet dancer from Vancouver (another reason why he's great) and he proves it in this dance that he can indeed tackle any style.

Forgetfulness

2010-05-29T22:49:00.004-04:00

The other morning, I opened the microwave and saw a ziplock bag with ground beef inside. The other night, I opened the oven and saw four taco shells on a baking sheet inside.

I think Sheldon is getting early-onset Alzheimer's.

Warning! This may not be true.

2010-05-15T15:27:00.007-04:00

The increased testosterone flowing through Connor's body due to puberty has spawned many arguments lately that included threats to beat his brother up. This card that Aidan created for Connor's 14th birthday contains evidence of this but there's also a slight glimmer of hope that deep down inside they may love each other.

But then again, it may not be true.

Snow at the end of April?

2010-05-13T21:17:00.002-04:00

14 and counting

2010-05-01T12:37:00.007-04:00

Happy 14th anniversary, Sheldon.

Happy 14th birthday, Connor.

Let me introduce...

2010-04-26T21:12:00.005-04:00

my newest niece, Jessica Mei-Yin Lee-Wen.

Now if only I can convince hubby to fly me Down Under to meet my little namesake.

Marketing 101 for Men

2010-04-05T13:51:00.007-04:00

Thanks to The Friend's Hubby for sharing this with me.

1. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!" That's direct marketing.

2. You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl. One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you say, "He's very rich. Marry him!" That's advertising.

3. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and get her telephone number. The next day, you call and say, " Hi, I'm very rich. Marry me!" That's telemarketing.

4. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. You get up and straighten your tie. You walk up to her and pour her a drink. You open the door of the car for her, pick up her bag after she drops it, offer her ride, and then say, "By the way, I'm rich. Will you marry me?" That's public relations.

5. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. She walks up to you and says, "You are very rich! Can you marry me?" That's brand recognition.

6. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!" She gives you a nice hard slap on your face. That's customer feedback.

7. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!" and she introduces you to her husband. That's demand and supply gap.

8. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say anything, another person approaches and tells her, "I'm rich. Will you marry me?" and she goes with him. That's competition eating into your market share.

9. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say, "I'm rich. Marry me!" your wife arrives. That's restriction for entering new markets.

New Beginnings

2010-02-23T22:09:00.004-05:00

After serving in my previous callings at church for the last 5 years or so, they have released me and called me to be Stake Young Women's President. I approach this calling humbly as I want to serve each ward YW presidency to the best of my ability. I want to be able to provide them with the guidance and instruction they need to make the program successful. Most importantly, I want to be able to help shape these young women's lives and prepare them to be leaders; as mothers in their home, and leaders in their community and in the world.

I loved serving as a youth leader over 10 years ago. And as I see those young women who I love so dearly now get married and have their own families, I see how the teachings in YW can help shape their lives.

I'm so excited to work with my councilors and secretary. They are the most vibrant group of women who are organized and have a great sense of responsibility. They're also a lot of fun. What a sense of humour! They each have qualities that I look up to in them. I can't wait to see where this new adventure takes us.

Oh and another perk to this calling...I get to be at Connor's first church dance and youth conference this year. He's worried I'm going to embarrass him, take pictures and put it on Facebook, etc.

Who me?

Mousetrap

2010-02-22T20:37:00.003-05:00

Warning: this video is not for rodents or those without a sense of humour.

Enjoy!

Superbowl Ads

2010-02-08T16:41:00.003-05:00

Not many Superbowl ads caught my attention but I did like these ones:

Google

Bud Light
E-trade

They obviously have some feminine appeal to them. Not speaking as an expert, but I think this one does a good job appealing to men: Dodge. Men, what do you think?

I thought you were dead

2010-02-05T12:54:00.001-05:00

All for a Good Cause

2010-02-03T19:09:00.007-05:00

Something fun the men at work did and it's all for a good cause. Visit the website to get your copy today or to follow the entertaining blog postings! Calendars are only $10. Local orders can save the shipping by ordering directly from me.

Moustaches - The Men of McMillan from McMillan on Vimeo.

Saturdays of late

2010-01-31T17:57:00.003-05:00

This is what my house sounds like these past few Saturdays.

Connor's First All-Nighter

2010-01-31T17:06:00.005-05:00

Connor experienced his first sleepover (minus the sleeping) this month. He had a hair appointment after I picked him up. He slept through most of it. Luckily there was no sleepy head-jerking; that would have given him an interesting hair cut.

Holiday Patience

2009-12-31T12:03:00.002-05:00

I was walking in a parking lot the weekend before Christmas, doing some last minute holiday shopping. A car came up behind me and honked for me to get out of the way because the snow banks prevented me from walking close to the side. I turned to acknowledge the honk and just started to make my way to the side to let the elderly couple in the car to pass and he honks at me again! He didn't even give me a chance to even attempt to get to the side of the road. For some reason, that really peeved me so as they drove past me, I yelled, "A little holiday patience would do you some good!"

Yeah, that's not normal behaviour for me and it doesn't stop there.

I saw where the couple parked their car so when I got into my car, I wrote a note and left it on their windshield. The note said, "Tis' the season to be jolly so a little holiday patience would be good. P.S. Pedestrians have the right of way. Merry Christmas!"

It felt good to do it. I wish I could have seen their faces when they returned to their car and read the note.

Time to save our pennies

2009-12-26T21:57:00.003-05:00

Aidan just got into Ashbury. Connor's hanging in there with the heavy workload and I'm glad that hasn't scared Aidan off. I'm proud of both my boys. We'll be scrimping, saving, and sacrificing for the next 7 years now that both boys are there.

It's in you to give

2009-11-18T22:26:00.004-05:00

It's been more than a year since the last time I donated blood but tonight it was good to see that they were behind by almost an hour because they had so many people there. This is one reason I'm ok to wait in line for and it's such a good experience. Can you imagine that an hour of your time can save up to 3 lives? The people that work there are always really nice. The cookies and juice at the end of it are yummy too. I encourage you to donate if you can since it's in you to give.

Oh and just in case you're worried, the actual donating part doesn't take an hour; that only takes 10 min. The rest of the time is for testing and administration.

Burdensome Advertising

2009-11-15T10:24:00.002-05:00

I love great ad strategies and executions. Here's one that's shocking.

Proud to be Canadian

2009-11-14T12:06:00.004-05:00

On Remembrance Day this year, I attended the ceremonies at the National War Memorial since it was just a couple blocks away from work. The jumbo screen showed some of the vets that were in attendance, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for what they went through. I am so proud to be Canadian. I am so grateful to live in a country where I can worship God freely and where I don't have to listen to gunshots and bombs drop nearby. I thank all those who have served, are serving, and will serve to protect our country and to try to make other countries a better place to live. I support you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

What do you say?

2009-11-07T21:36:00.005-05:00

What do you say when you know your neighbours have just split up and you happen to be outside while they're moving one spouse's items out of the house?

How are you?
I'm sorry to hear.
How are the kids handling everything?
Where are you living now?
Hope to see you around.

Yeah, it was a little awkward.

When the man is out of town...

2009-11-06T21:51:00.004-05:00

...the woman gets a flat tire. I really need someone to teach me how to change a tire. I guess it's a good time to get the winter tires on.

Record Breaking Runs

2009-11-05T18:16:00.005-05:00

Aidan ran his first 1km race this last Thanksgiving.

His fastest training run was 7 min. His race time was 5 min!

I was expecting to finish the 10km in just under 70 min. I came in at 62 min.
Early enough that the family didn't see me finish.

Our friend, Spencer Collins, recovered from a heart attack last December.

As a part of his training for his 2nd climb up Mt Kilimanjaro, he walked the 10km and decided to run the last 3km.

Empathy Posters

2009-10-10T11:12:00.010-04:00

A friend of mine (who is a much better photographer than I) made beautiful empathy posters of her daughter. The purpose of these posters is so children recognize facial expressions and relate them to what they're feeling. I know my boys may be too old for this type of exercise but they seem to be arguing a lot lately so I decided to do this as a family activity (aka Family Home Evening). My hope is that each of them will recognize each others' different moods better, therefore creating understanding and empathy.

Taking photos that don't all look the same proved difficult therefore their journey to becoming Canada's next top model ended here.

A Surprise Visitor

2009-10-04T20:00:00.005-04:00

A surprise visitor came by one morning before school.

Give your head a shake

2009-08-21T14:59:00.005-04:00

Check out TV spot #2 on this site. See anyone familiar? These spots will be on CBC, CTV, and other stations in Ontario. Don't understand French? Check out the English site.

Things to ponder...shhhh

2009-08-09T20:17:00.008-04:00

It been an odd summer so far. We haven't had the hot, humid summer whether that we're used to in the summer. There's been a lot of rain and thunderstorms (yuck). It was probably nice for my mom when she came to visit for a couple of weeks. Vancouver has been stinky hot all summer. Apparently my dad couldn't stand the heat at his place and slept at my mom's with the windows open one night. My dad rents a room so there probably wasn't any wind coming through his window.

I hope my mom enjoyed her visit. She turned 60 while she was here and we celebrated with a Chinese birthday cake and had a few of my friends that knew her over to share in the celebration. FYI...60 candles causes a lot of smoke when blown out and sets off the smoke detector :)

My mom has become quite devout in her Catholic faith these past few years and so we took her to Montreal to visit a few impressive Catholic church sites. Aidan made an interesting comment while we were there. He noted how all the churches we visited concentrated on the different people and saints but where was Jesus Christ? How come they didn't teach about Him? Words to ponder from a 10 year old.

While sitting in Notre Dame Basilica, I wondered whether it's better to have the humble, non-decorative chapel that we are used to in the Latter-day Saint faith or to have beautiful architecture and ornate churches to worship in? Our faith does not put up the cross or statues of religious people. Instead of using the cross as a reminder of our faith we would rather remember how Jesus lived and not how he died although the Atonement is important to us. While sitting in the basilica, I felt a sense of awe and noted how quiet it was while everyone was waiting for mass to begin. Everyone whispered if they dared to talk at all. It was a similar reverence as if we were in one of our temples. I pondered whether or not this was due to the beautiful building we were sitting in. Everyone was in awe as I was of the church. Lately our ward leaders have continuously encouraged us to be more reverent during sacrament meeting by taking inconsolable babies out to the hallway sooner and to reserve chatting with friends for anywhere but in the chapel as we should establish the chapel as a place of quiet reverence. I don't know if it's just such a habit that members are forgetting what has been counseled to us but it just hasn't been working. It's hard to break a bad habit.

So I put the question out there...would it help us be more reverent if our chapel was ornately decorated and giving something for us to concentrate on visually? I have my own opinion on this but I'll share that afterwards. I'm interested in your thoughts.

Something Fun and Something Emotional

2009-07-09T10:53:00.003-04:00

Watch Lyrical Dance videos and dance lessons at DanceJam.com

To the City of Stink

2009-07-06T18:47:00.004-04:00

We took a little trip to Toronto last week. The city workers were on strike so garbage hadn't been picked up in a while.

We went to the Ontario Science Centre, Canada's Wonderland, Medieval Times, and Pacific Mall. The highlight of the trip was Sheldon and Aidan's ride on the Behemoth...the nastiest roller coaster at Wonderland. While looking at the picture, keep in mind that Aidan has not been on a lot of roller coasters in his lifetime. This photo was definitely worth the $20.

June Summary

2009-06-30T23:30:00.009-04:00

It's been a busy month so here's a quick recap...

Went to NYC for another business trip and they had all these lawn chairs in the middle of the street in Times Square. Apparently one of the reasons is to manage traffic by training drivers to re-route.

Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Pie (and dessert) auction...Connor made a Salt Lake Temple rice krispie square.

Aidan bid and won a pie with his own $10.

Sheldon was fed up with our old kitchen appliances...

We went to the Medieval Festival at Upper Canada Village.

Junior School Closing assembly. Connor received subject awards in math (2nd highest mark in his class), drama, and art. He's left-brained and right-brained...a well-rounded boy.

Celebrated Barb Booth's birthday. Can you guess what restaurant?

Organized the Stake Softball Tournament.

Aidan's new ride.

Actually, it was a limo we saw during our Mommy and Aidan day.

Aidan did really well on his Gr. 5 report card. Almost straight A's...just a few B's sprinkled in there.

And finally, our choir practiced and performed the musical presentation "From Cumorah's Hill". It was a lot of fun and the Stake President wants us to do an encore performance in the fall.

What My Job is Like - Part 2

2009-05-28T17:07:00.004-04:00

To continue the "What my job is like" series, here is another example of what I go through at work sometimes. I wonder if clients realize how they sound sometimes?

Tom and Becky

2009-05-09T12:12:00.006-04:00

Connor starred as Tom Sawyer in his school production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Here is a scene featuring Tom and Becky. It's an all-boys school so Becky is played by a boy which makes it even funnier. Watch closely as Connor got more than he asked for in the gum chewing scene.

Pedal Pusher

2009-05-06T11:56:00.005-04:00

I'm taking part in the Heart & Stroke Big Bike again with my colleagues from work. Your donations are welcome and greatly appreciated. Click here to donate online.

Here's how we did last year...

Checkmate

2009-05-05T20:49:00.005-04:00

Connor is a part of the Ashbury Chess Club. The club decided to take part in a chess tournament against nine other schools in the city. Not only did Connor make it onto the team but he won 8 out of 9 chess games and tied the last game. His school won the whole tournament. I am a very proud mama. Props to Dad, Brian Booth, and Gong Gong (i.e. my dad) for teaching Connor how to play chess when he was little and instilling in him the love of the game.

Run Piggy Run!

2009-04-24T15:30:00.005-04:00

This is so much fun to watch. I really appreciate the creative thought, planning, and time that went into producing this. You can't help but cheer for the pig.

Retribution

2009-04-11T14:13:00.004-04:00

There's something to say about being polite and being rude.

The other night while I was waiting in line at Costco (Sheldon wandered off somewhere), I noticed that the person in front of me had left his cart and the line was moving forward. I looked around and didn't see anybody close by so I decided to move in front of the cart. The abandoned-cart guy came back and noticed I had moved in front of him. I kindly said that I didn't know how long he would be, if he was coming back, and instead of holding up the line I decided to move up. I was expecting him to be a gentleman and let it be but he looked really put out, and I mean really put out! I made the conscious decision to be extra-nice and polite to this guy to see if it would change his mood so I moved my cart out of the way and said he could have his spot back.

At this time, Sheldon came back and in my mind, I was thinking he was going to jump in and make a scene but he didn't (thanks, sweetie. I can fight my own battles). He said he wanted to but something told him to let me handle it in my own polite way.

The abandoned-cart guy had the nerve to lean closer to me and whisper, "Next time, you should just move the cart up." I kindly apologized to him again and said that I didn't know how long he would be gone for. I waited for him to move his cart up to take his spot but he stood there like an idiot. I repeated myself that he can have his spot back a few times. Finally he moved up.

A couple seconds later, Sheldon noticed that the lineup a couple cashes over was shorter so we changed lines. By the time we paid and was ready to leave the store, abandoned-cart guy had not moved at all in his lineup because the person in front of him was having issues with her items.

I'm not for gloating but I can't help to think that if abandoned-cart guy would have been more of a gentleman instead of a jerk, Sheldon and I wouldn't have been laughing our way out the store.

Anyways, I've put together a little list of what I think is line-up etiquette. Let me know if you have any more tips or any experiences to share.

If you're standing in line and realize you forgot something...

Take your cart with you.
Ask somebody that came with you to stay with your cart.
If you're alone and you want to keep your spot in line, let the person behind you know that you forgot something and you're coming right back. Chances are they are more than happy to let you keep your spot in line.

31

2009-04-05T19:34:00.011-04:00

Here are the highlights from my birthday. Thanks to everyone who took part and made it memorable.

Birthday shopping
All-you-can eat sushi lunch at Sushi Kan with my three favourite guys
Was totally zoned out during the sushi lunch because I overdosed slightly on antihistamines
Napped for 2 hours to sleep off the antihistamines
Dinner with the girls at Chez Lucien; one had a confrontation with the waitress
Listened to some great music at the Grace Over Diamonds show at Greenfield's Pub
Took the party to Denny's and didn't get home until after 3am
Our friend Jon (who is an amazing cook) brought over a birthday dessert the next day...a delicious chocolate roulade.

Yup, I am spoiled.

Birthday Shopping

2009-04-03T14:14:00.005-04:00

Work gives everyone a day off for their birthday so today I spent mine shopping (thanks mom for the b-day money). It was pure bliss with 4 hours of uninterrupted shopping and to top it off, I got some great deals too. Some people at the mall were staring at me because I was carrying so many bags. I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. I had to laugh when I got home and laid all my purchases on the bed. Everything I bought was black except for one pair of white dress pants.

Earth Hour

2009-03-30T22:05:00.003-04:00

Earth Hour is where people around the world makes an effort to turn off all their lights and any unecessary electricity for an hour at the same time. This year, our family took part in Earth Hour. In order to make it really fun, we built a fire in our woodburning fireplace (none of that gas fireplace nonsense), roasted marshmallows by the fire, and read stories. One of the stories we read was "Where the Wild Things Are" in preparation for the upcoming movie adaptation. We also read a Choose Your Own Adventure book and we let the boys decide which paths in the story to choose.

At first I was worried that the boys would think this was too "babyish" for them but the next day, the were asking when we could do it again. I guess when it comes to family time, it really doesn't matter what you do as long as you do it together.

My New Hero

2009-03-09T13:02:00.001-04:00

My new hero is one of my best friends, Jennifer Jakob. She just gave birth to an 11lb 4 oz baby boy.

House Hunting?

2009-03-06T08:14:00.005-05:00

If you're interested in buying the house in this video, let me know. The owner is a friend of mine. It's a perfect starter home for a young family.

3 bedroom, 7 year old home in Bridlewood (Kanata, Onatrio)
Large fenced yard
4 schools within walking distance
Huge park with jungle gyms and soccer fields just steps away
All hardwood and ceramic floors
Custom-built entertainment system
Open concept layout

MLS listing

Lighter Than Air

2009-02-28T13:49:00.003-05:00

Well, not quite lighter than air but I did lose 2lbs! I started running again this month to train for the 10k race in May. This time my goal is to be faster.

And if you're going to give me slack about how I don't have to lose weight, I have a story behind the reason. Last year, after all the training I did, I actually gained 10lbs. I know it isn't due to muscle mass either because I had to buy bigger pants to fit my waist. I was devastatingly disappointed after my race last year because one of the huge bonuses I was looking forward to after all that running was a nicer body. I've since pinpointed the reason down to some meds I was taking so I have done what was necessary to come off them. Now my goal for this year is to lose that 10lbs. I'm running again and I'm eating properly and so far it's working. I even avoided going to a friend's party last night because I knew she would have delicious food there (plus I was looking forward to a quiet night to rest).

Two down; eight to go!

We Are The Champions

2009-02-22T22:39:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was the annual cub car rally. This was Aidan's last year and our last time to ever have a child take part in the event (yeah, I'm feeling old). I am so proud of our troop. They were the winners of the Grand Howl trophy. They are judged on how well they come together and how they said the Grand Howl together. I'm sure volume has a factor in it too.

We didn't just take home this trophy. Boys from our troop also took home the Best Design trophy and Best Creative Design trophy. How did Aidan do? He was 5th in his category. His best buddy Kaiden came in 4th.

Kudos to their cub leader, Ian.

Obama Mania

2009-02-19T19:40:00.006-05:00

Today, the first African American President of the United States, President Barack Obama made his first foreign visit to Canada. I am very lucky my office is right around the corner from the Parliament Building. I was able to get great footage of his motorcade when he left.

Then we all wondered why he was driving in front of the office and turning into the ByWard Market. A group of us at the office decided to go outside and see what was going on. It turns out, he was getting a Beavertail and went into the ByWard Market building afterwards to buy a scarf for his wife and cookies for his girls. How cute is that!

I tried to get video footage of him when he came out of the building. I couldn't see so I held my arm up as high as I could and used my cell phone camera to be my eyes. I was hoping that I could say I saw him by viewing my footage later. Much to my disappointment later, the guy in front of me blocked my cell phone's line of sight and I totally missed seeing him. I was RIGHT THERE!!!! Luckily my boss, David, got a much better view and got some great pictures. I'm still jealous and angry that I didn't get to see him though when so many others did, especially because I was there.

Photo courtesy of my boss, David

Photo courtesy of my boss, David

Photo courtesy of my boss, David

I do feel bad for the people who waiting on Parliament Hill to see him. However, the news told everyone that you probably won't see him from the distance they were kept at and all the security measures at the building doors. Lucky for the people in the market who were able to see him up close and personal. They didn't even clear out the market building. One newspaper of him inside the building showed that there were still regular people inside...crowded, but they were there.

Photo courtesy of Ottawa Sun

Well, at least I could say I was there; a moment in history.

Enjoying the Good Life

2009-02-16T09:51:00.005-05:00

Sheldon did good this Valentine's Day; much better than last year's barbershop quartet although that got the most creative, but embarrassing award. We went shopping for a couple of hours and bought him some much needed new jeans and a coat, then spent half the afternoon at the spa together (body scrub, 1-hr massage, pedicure, and chocolate covered strawberries), and then a fabulous 6-course dinner at Foundation (one of the restaurants on my list and it was GOOD). Before we went home for the night, we went for a stroll through Confederation Park to look at the Winterlude ice sculptures (or what was left of some of them after our unseasonably warm temps). This was totally a Jessica-approved day. It was so much fun and so relaxing.

Ahhh, what I would give to live like this all the time.

The Food Experience

2009-01-30T13:06:00.005-05:00

I've come to realize lately how I love to go out to eat. I don't get to do it often but when I do, I want to go to a really good restaurant. Not only does the food have to be good but the atmosphere as well. Because of Sheldon's gluten-free dietary needs, we usually go out for sushi. Now that I work downtown, my eyes have been opened to the plethora of restaurants that are just in the ByWard Market alone. What a shame it would be if I never get to eat at them!

A friend I carpool with told me about the Taste of Winterlude event in February where you can "enjoy exclusive prix-fixe menus, fine dining experiences...culinary delights at some of our best local restaurants." This has me excited as it will give me a chance to eat at some of the pricier restaurants that I normally avoid because of the price.

As we're planning for Angelina's last birthday with us before she moves to B.C., we asked her what she had in mind. She said she didn't care as long as it was with her best friends and good food had to be a part of it.

The same group will be going on a Montreal temple trip this weekend (as our first and our last for a long time) before Jen has baby #3 and Angelina moves. Jen requested that we go somewhere good to eat after. A friend at work told me that Montreal is having restaurant week as well. Once again, good food has to be a part of our festivities.

Then Sheldon asked me to pick out the restaurant I wanted to go to for Valentine's Day.

This has got me researching restaurants a lot and I've come up with a list of places I'd like to try or just go to again to try some different menu items. I've compiled a special list and put it in the right column of this blog.

One restaurant in particular has really grabbed my attention; Atelier. It sounds like they mix art, science, and food together which creates a really unique experience. They serve a 12-course tasting meal that includes items such as caviar creamsicle, nitro noodle soup, liquid centres, and yellow snow (not sure what that one's about but I'm intrigued). Take a look at some of the pictures I borrowed from their website. It's so artistic! For more pictures, check out their gallery.

Hopefully the list will provide my husband and friends some new ideas of where we can go the next time we have something special to celebrate. Perhaps I'll even create a Favourite Restaurants list. Until then...happy eating.

Job Description: Non-negotiable

2009-01-29T21:26:00.005-05:00


POSITION:
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often
chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and
organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include
evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.

Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on
rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel
expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.


POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:
None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining,
constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can
ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:
None required. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:
None. You pay them, offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is
due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left.
You will enjoy this reverse-salary scheme and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid
holidays and no stock options are offered, this job supplies limitless opportunities
for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you
play your cards right.

There is no retirement. If you are fortunate enough you will become grandparents.

OC Transpo Strike Song

2009-01-28T11:28:00.001-05:00

FYI....we're on day 50 of the strike now.

It's No Bull

2009-01-27T21:36:00.007-05:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

Welcoming in the Year of the Ox.

This was only about half of the dishes we ate!

Mmmmm....lobster.

OC Transpo Strike Ruins Hitler's Plans

2009-01-09T15:06:00.000-05:00

What's going on?

2009-01-07T18:04:00.003-05:00

It's 6pm.

I'm still at work.

It's snowing hard.

I have a cold.

Can't go home.

Buses still on strike.

My ride has to work late.

Christmas Math

2008-12-27T13:09:00.008-05:00

=

I'm gonna need earplugs

A Perfect 10

2008-12-09T20:35:00.005-05:00

Look What We Did!

2008-11-23T16:00:00.005-05:00

Check out what we did at work. It was so much fun and I am so honored to have managed this project. I wish projects were like these all the time...and it's for a great cause!

Hope you enjoy playing with the website, order a copy, and help spread the word!

Santy Claws and the Toe-nenbaum from McMillan on Vimeo.

www.santyclaws.com

What My Job is Like

2008-11-19T13:45:00.005-05:00

http://view.break.com/542649 - Watch more free videos

Something to Say

2008-11-15T09:16:00.003-05:00

I haven't had much time to blog lately because my life has been pretty boring, yet busy, in the last month. However, I do have something to say now.

I went into the grocery store last night and noticed they were playing Christmas music. Now I have nothing against Christmas. I love the feeling of giving and love that comes with the season. I like singing Christmas music.However, I don't think it's fair to put your employees through over a month of Christmas music! I'm not a Grinch. I don't mind that that the stores put up their Christmas decorations and merchandise the second Halloween is done but come on now, are you trying to drive your employees to drink? Christmas music should not be played until December 1 and until then, there should NOT be a bell jingling or a red-nose glowing.

That's all I have to say about that.

PS
As I'm blogging about this, Sheldon is searching for a Christmas CD to listen to in the car. No joke.

Sigh

Official Results

2008-10-14T11:52:00.003-04:00

The official timing chip results are in.

2:16 BABY!!!

[insert SUPER happy dance here]

21km later...

2008-10-12T17:55:00.004-04:00

[insert happy dance here]

I did it!
Oh yeah!
I beat my own record!
Oh yeah!

Here are some highlights from my first half marathon:

The weather could not have been more perfect for running
I was so nervous during the drive to the race grounds. I think I butterflies for breakfast
PANIC! I couldn't find the half marathon start line when the race started (I wasn't the only one)
The adrenaline from frantically trying to find the start line gave me a good boost of energy (in hindsight)
I wrestled with my tangled headphones and mp3 player for the first couple of km which was a blessing in disguise as it kept me well distracted
The scenery was beautiful with all the fall colours
It was quite a hilly course
Did I mention the weather was perfect for running?
I ran at a really good pace throughout the whole race and didn't feel out of breath or tired
I was running so strong that I always passed the people around me when going up hills (boy was that a great motivator)
Did I mention it was a hilly course?
Here's the best part...I finished in 2:18 which is about 10 minutes faster than I expected to finish in !!!! (still to be confirmed once my timing chip result is up)
Remember my 20km training run time (2:21) and compare it with my race finish time

[insert happy dance here]

I did it!
Oh yeah!
I beat my own record!
Oh yeah!

*more pictures on Facebook

Bring it on!

2008-09-30T09:29:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I ran my last long run before the race. How far did I run, you ask?

Oh, just 20km.

That's right, folks. I ran 20 km yesterday. Do you know what that means? I only had 1 more km to run to finish a half marathon distance! My time was 2 hours 21 min. 22 sec. but I hope to shave off a minute or two during the race because yesterday I got stopped at a couple of lights.

How am I feeling?

My legs are utterly exhausted and my muscles are sore in some places, but I did it!

From now until the race, I only have to run short runs in order to keep my muscles loose.

21 km on October 12...bring it on!

A do-run-run-run, a do-run-run

2008-09-15T20:08:00.003-04:00

I hit another milestone!! I decided to run home from work. I mapped the route and it would be a 15km run, the furthest I've run yet. Here's the best part...I ran it in 1 hour 39 min. 32 sec. To put that in perspective, I ran 14 km in 1 hour 44 min. last month but keep in mind, it was stinky hot when I ran the 14km so that slowed me down a lot. But still, I am so surprised because there are a couple of hills on my 15km route so I expected to run it in 1 hour 50 min. I even told myself to take my time and so what if I take 2 hours.

To put it in another perspective, I usually run 10km in about 1 hour 8 min. to 1 hour 10 min. I usually run 5km in 33 min. so technically my 15 km run should have taken over 1 hour 41 min. at least. But to come in under 1 hour 40 min....wow is all I can say!

I used two energy gels for the first time throughout my run. I think that definitely helped me out because my running was still very strong and steady during the final 5km. I think I had enough energy to tack on the remaining 6km to make it a half marathon distance. That really boosts my confidence.

In the running world, I'm considered a slow runner but for me, this is a huge accomplishment. I had a lot of people pass me while I was running along the canal but I tried not to let that bother me. I kept telling myself that I'm just a beginner runner and I've only been running for 8 months. Plus I kept checking to see if I was tired or not and I still feeling great so that helped motivate me to keep going. I think I even tackled the last hill at a good pace. I'm so happy. I'm on top of the world right now!

Proud of my Connor

2008-09-14T20:07:00.002-04:00

Some of you don't know that Connor worked really hard earlier in the year studying to take an entrance exam to Ashbury College and was accepted. He's had a couple weeks of school and absolutely loves it. I absolutely love the small class sizes (I counted about 16 in his English class).

On Friday, he auditioned for the strings ensemble at school and was accepted! He is playing 2nd violin (the group of violins playing the harmony).

Oh, and in music class, he picked the oboe.

Proud of my Aidan

2008-08-17T16:12:00.001-04:00

I am so proud of my Aidan that he deserves a post of his own. Today was the first day he ever sat in sacrament and listened to all the talks! He didn't pull out his doodle book to draw, he didn't try to lay on my lap to sleep. He actually listened to the talks and asked me some questions during them so he could understand what the speakers were saying.

This wasn't preluded by a lecture from us about being reverent and listening to the talks either. He just decided all on his own to listen like a grown up today.

I am so proud of my Aidan. He is such a good boy. I hope he does it again and again!!

Hot and Tired

2008-08-17T15:58:00.004-04:00

It was hot. I was tired. I ran out of water. I stopped at a bagel shop to get a water refill. I ran really slow. It was really hard. But I did it. I ran 14km. But I did it in 1 hour 44 min. It was the heat. My body was hot. My body was tired.

I'm dreading next week when I have to do it again. I'm dreading the thought of having another 7km to run when it's time to run the half marathon.

I'm tired. I'm a little cranky. I don't want to run in the heat anymore.

I think it was past the 10km mark when I kept thinking I could call Sheldon up and he can come pick me up. It was a really hard run physically and mentally.

If I quit earlier, I didn't want it hanging over my head that I still hadn't accomplished 14km. That would have really put me in a bad place mentally. The thought of having to try the 14km again if I quit was the only thing that kept me going. I didn't want that hanging over my head.

So I struggled. Boy did I struggle.

But I did it.

And when I finished, I had Connor watching out for me at the window and Aidan getting me a cold glass of water with ice and a bowl of strawberries; waiting for me when I came in.

Thanks boys. You are my cheerleaders. You made me smile after a long and hard run.

Now I'm going to eat and pass out for a bit. Oh and I'm going to drink lots of water too!

PS...Aidan wanted me to edit this post to add that I also have a blister on my baby toe. What a goof!

It's Official

2008-08-16T10:53:00.002-04:00

I've registered for the half-marathon on October 12. It's now or never to reach my goal to run a half-marathon this year. I pray for no injuries during training, and that I can run and not be weary.

Feelin' Wicked!

2008-08-16T01:04:00.003-04:00

Wednesday evening, I took my little boy to the opening night of Wicked. It was such a wonderful mommy-Aidan date night. My boss won tickets at work and passed them to me since he would be out of town and it was a gift for working soooo many ridiculously LONG hours lately. I feel so lucky to be able to see it again. It's my favourite musical by far. Aidan laughed so hard when they sang "Popular." The actress who played Glinda stole the show. Glinda's character is very shallow and ditzy and her body movements just topped it all off. The way she tried to teach Elphaba how to toss her hair...priceless!

I feel so blessed. I was so excited to take Aidan to his very first musical. Now if I could only persuade Sheldon to let me take Connor to see Spamalot in the fall...

Another running milestone

2008-08-11T08:40:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I ran 12km, the furthest I've ever run! I decided to run home from church so I wouldn't chicken out or procrastinate if I waited until later during the day to do it. The direct route home from church was only 8km so I ran one major intersection further and came around the back of the neighbourhood in order to make up for the extra 4km.

About 5km into it, I had to go to the bathroom. There was no way I could hold it for another 7km. I went into the McDonalds along my route when the thought crossed my mind, "How ironic is it to see somebody running and then going into a McDonalds?"

It was really hard to get back into the groove again afterwards. About 3-4km after, it wasn't so bad. However, during the last couple of km, I noticed I was paying attention to my legs and feet more. They weren't hurting or anything...they were just starting to feel a little uncomfortable. One runner has advised me that if you don't feel uncomfortable each time you run longer, you're running to slow. So I guess that means I was doing alright.

I haven't been able to do my runs during the weekdays, which I know is not good for my overall training. At least I've been keeping my long runs and have been able to finish them. Next week, I'll be tackling 14km. I'll probably run home from church again although I'm not sure how and where I'll adjust my route to accomodate the distance. Stay tuned...

Running Update

2008-08-04T15:01:00.002-04:00

With my mom visiting, I've done a lot of eating and not so much running. I did run a steady 5km for the first time last Tuesday. That's no walking whatsoever!

Today I ran 10km. I don't recommend doing it in 30 degree heat. It was only 25 when I left but it quickly rose 5 extra degrees during my run. Boy, was it hard. I ran it in just under 1 hour 12 min. which is about 4 min. slower than my last 10km run. I guess the heat will do that to you.

I haven't officially started my hill training however my 10km route has 3 hills in it. At least I'm not totally hopeless there.

This last weekend we took my mom to Montreal for her first time. Lots of stories to tell as we had quite the adventure. I'll save that for my next post though. I have more eating to do now.

Week 7, Sunday

2008-07-20T22:20:00.002-04:00

I did it! I ran 10 km today. It felt really good too. I had to psych myself up to it all day and when I was running I told myself to take my time and just to enjoy it. And I actually did enjoy it. I really took my time and was expecting to finish in an hour and twenty minutes or something. I was shocked to see that I finished in 1 hr. 8 min! I'm so excited about that!! My legs were tired here and there but my breathing was great since I was taking my time and running slowly. There was even a couple of hills on my route. Not to bad if I say so myself!

Now I just have to psych myself enough to do it again next Sunday.

Week 6, Wednesday

2008-07-17T22:22:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I ran 5km at 7pm. It was still about 25 degrees outside and I found myself running slower than usually due to the heat. I was about a minute longer than usual (34 min.). I don't like running in the heat so much.

I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do in my training. I haven't been following it as closely as I should be. It's tough when I've been working so many late nights and I feel guilty if I spend what little free time I have running instead of spending time with the family or catching up on chores.

They hired somebody new at work and he starts at the end of the month. That will give me some reprieve since I get to unload some of my workload onto him. Thank goodness! I'll have a life again.

Next week I start my hill training. I'll have to really work hard at this because the race route in October is not flat like the National Capital Race I originally wanted to run in May. I'm intimidated but I've read that it will make me a stronger runner. That's a good thing . Hopefully I will see (and feel) the results in a few weeks. I need a "pick me up".

I know I can run 5km no problem so now I have to aim for 10km. Hopefully I can do that in within a month's time. My goal before the summer ends is to be able to run 10km easily, if not more.

I pray to run and not be weary...literally!

Hope Volleyball Tournament

2008-07-13T22:29:00.002-04:00

July 12, 2008

Corporate Challenge Division

The McMillitants

We won our pool and went to the playoffs!

Connor's First Temple Trip

2008-07-13T22:22:00.002-04:00

Montreal Temple

July 5, 2008

Week 5, Wednesday

2008-07-09T22:14:00.002-04:00

I missed yesterday's scheduled 4km run so I did it today. It was a short run but it was tough because I was fighting the wind. My body felt pretty heavy too; like it was harder to move my legs to carry myself along. Completed it in about 25 min. though. I've noticed my steps while running are really loud. Maybe that has something to do with being heavy. D, is there something about gravity or something changing that makes you feel heavier?

I know, I know...I'm not heavy. Geez, can't you take a joke!

Last Saturday, I took Connor to the temple for his first time. The youth went to the Montreal Temple to do baptisms for the dead. What a wonderful experience it was to see your child help do the Lord's work. Even the evening before the temple trip was wonderful. Aidan, Connor, and I sat on my bed and read from a children's book about what temples are and what kinds of ordinances happen inside the temple. I was pleasantly surprised at the conversation we had on it. It's moments like those that I want to cherish forever.

I'll post pictures of the temple trip as soon as I get a chance to get them off my camera.