The MoonWalk

Well, Matea and I have begun our moonwalk challenge. We have a video of our first attempt; however, I am having trouble uploading it for some reason to the blog. It is actually really funny because clearly neither or us have any idea what we are doing. Thank goodness for you-tube though. This is the beginning of a very fun challenge and a great way to spend time with my friend Matea.

The Next CHALLENGE

Today I begin two new 30 day challenges. One with Drew and one with Matea. It is fun that people I care about have decided to join me for challenges!! (Anyone else is welcome jump on the wagon too!)

Drew and I are going to be memorizing scriptures in the hopes of enriching our understanding of God and His word and growing to more fully love, appreciate and treasure those things that He has taught. Not only are we going to memorize them, but we are going to critically think about how they apply to us and will be discussing them every day.

Matea and I are going to be doing a 30 day dance challenge. I am honestly not sure as we begin this one how it will serve to enrich my life, but I am sure that it will be fun. We will be attempting to learn three different dances, or dance moves. First, the MOONWALK!!!! I have always wanted to be able to moonwalk. Second, we are going to learn the Thriller dance! This one is going to be a bit of an undertaking, but we are committed, right Matea? Leaving the MJ theme third we are learning the dance from the movie "Hitch". Good thing Matea has the movie because I haven't even seen it, apparently, it is a really funny dance moves though.

Stay tuned for videos and updates on the dance challenge. Yes, we are going to video tape ourselves attempting and then succeeding in mastering these dances.

P.S. Just a side note as well, my Mum is currently challenging herself to learn how to juggle three balls. AND, her next planned challenge is to learn how to text message!! GO MUM!!!!!!!!!

Not Just An Isolated Event

Today is Day 30 of my picture a day challenge. I was talking about these challenges on Sunday night with Drew and mentioned to him that I didn't want them to be just isolated events, that I wanted them to become part of a better me. So, I asked myself why was I taking these pictures. Initially it was just fun to document my comings and goings, my thoughts, and sometimes my rants, however as I look back at what I have accomplished, I realize that the habit I have integrated into my life is good.

Writing a few thoughts each day has been fun and therapeutic. It is neat to look back even now after 30 days and realize the things that I have accomplished. To think about the fun I have had and to even recognize change in myself.

President Eyring in a General Conference talk from the October 2007 conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints tells a story that has been on my mind for the past few days. When President Eyring's family was young, his father-in-law who lived near him came out of President Eyring's house carrying an arm load of pipes. He had been helping the family to build a system to pump water to the house. As Presidenty Eyring was thinking of all his father-in-law was doing for him, a voice came into his mind, that was not his own saying, "I'm not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down." So, he did just that, he went in the house and began to write.

He continues by saying, "I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done."

I have never been very good at journal writing, mostly recording events, feelings and impressions sporadically. I know that there is real value in recording details of my life, not only for myself and my own self-reflection, but for the future family that I desire to have. My own family is very fortunate to have the record of my Grandma's life. She died when she was 96 and even at that age, each day she recorded a few details of what was happening in her life. What a blessing it has been to me, and will be to my future children, to know who she was because of the things that she wrote.

So, with all of this in mind, I am committing to writing a few lines each day. The picture I took this morning is of a journal I found in amongst some of my things. I want these challenges to enrich my life. And, I know that they will as I let them. I am going to write in a journal. I am going to use President Eyring's question, "Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch me today" as my guide. I am confident that as I being this exercise that I will become more acutely aware of His presence in my life, of the blessings He has bestowed upon me and of His plan for my life.

I LOVE Books!!

It has been said that "a house without books is like a room without windows". And that, "reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body". I complete agree with both of these statements. Since I was a little girl books have been a way for me to learn, make friends, and challenge my thinking.

Last night I finished To Kill A Mockingbird for the umpteenth time. I think perhaps since I first read it in high school I have devoured it at least three times a year. It is one of my favourite books of all time. It is a book about social justice or perhaps injustice, gender roles, racism, role models, courage, innocence and coming of age. I suppose that it stirs in me a desire to change for the better. A desire to reevaluate myself, who I am, where I come from and to examine the values, ideals, and even prejudices that dictate my thoughts and actions. It is interesting to note that Harper Lee described her own novel as "a simple love story".

Kinsey invited me to go to the movie "The Help" with her. I had not heard anything about it, so of course I googled it. Naturally, this movie is based on a book. I am a firm believer that you should never let a movie ruin a good book and so I decided to read it first. I only just started it, but it seems that it may have similar themes as To Kill A Mockingbird. This book is set in Mississippi, and "the help" refers to black maids working in white homes. I am sure that it will be a book charged with racial tensions, complex relationships and ultimately a call for radical change.

There is an old Chinese saying that says, "to read a book for the first time is to make an acquaintance with a new friend; to read it for a second time is to meet an old one". So, it was nice to meet my old friends Scout, Jem, Atticus and of course Boo Radley again, and here's to new friends I have yet to meet in the book The Help!!

Tennis!!!!

It is a well known fact that sports are not my forte. I do not run, it is so joint jarring. I can't shoot a basketball. Even as a teacher, kids on the playground would want to stand behind me because they could easily get me out. Skating, well let's just say that I only know how to stop by running into the boards. I recently learned that I do not stink at catch as much as I thought, but that doesn't really count because the ball was being thrown directly at me. However, playing the actual game of softball is just embarrassing! And, I could go on and on. I do however, swim like a fish, well maybe not like a fish, but you get the picture, and I LOVE to play tennis!

Just because I love to play it doesn't mean that I am an expert by any measure, but at least I can hit the ball over the net. Tonight was a beautiful night to play. It was cool outside, but not cold. And, there wasn't a breath of wind. Fall is coming and that means that in the city some of the tennis courts are already beginning to be dismantled, nets and fences alike. Fortunately, this is not the case with all the courts.

I was certainly grateful tonight for a tennis partner who was patiently helping me to work on improving my skills. And for one who doesn't play down to my level, but who challenges me to play to his level, thereby learning and strengthening my skills.

Palm Reading

This is not the most spiritual posts for a Sunday and now as I am typing this it might be a touch sacrilegious, but it sure was fun. Also, for the record this picture was taken on Saturday, but so close to midnight that I think it counts for today.

A group of friends and I headed to Calgary for a girls weekend. We ate out and then stayed at a hotel that had water slides and had such a fun time. There may have also been some synchronized swimming involved in the pool, but without permission to reveal the truth, I can neither officially confirm or deny that allegation.

Here Brette is reading my palm. (If you look in the background you can see Kristy eating a bowl of ice cream, my bowl was just out of this picture to my left.) Anyway back to the palm reading...I am not going to go over the art of palm reading, mostly because I don't know much about the art of palm reading, but I am going to reveal the result of the session, as presented by Brette who is pretty much an expert.

I am a fire hand. The length of my fingers is shorter than the length of my palm. This means that I am enthusiastic, outgoing, impulsive and creative. Sounds pretty much like me. On the mount of Mercury, which is where the pinky joins the palm, I have a "teaching square". Phew, teaching was the right choice! My life line is long, so yeah for a long life. I have a long head line which means that I have a good quality mind and that I am dedicated to learning. My fate line is long and straight indicating life will be good for me. I do have a love line, but I can't remember what it reveals about me, darn it! And, of course that is all I can remember. So, it seems like based on this reading that life for me will be just peachy.

Honestly, I am not holding much stock in this reading, not because I distrust Brette, but ultimately because I know that for the most part I can make my life the way I want it. I know that the right to choice is a God given right. And, I think ultimately as I continue to choose to be happy and have faith, that no matter the bumps that come along in the road I will have a GREAT life.

A Wreath Extravaganza...almost!

You might have been tricked into thinking that considering the title of this post, I would be displaying a picture of a wreath. Gotcha!!!

Bright and early this morning Mandy, Drew and I arrived at Michaels. A Christmas wreath was the goal, but alas Christmas has not arrived at Michaels. Who would have thought that Michaels of all places would not have Christmas stuff out yet!! It's Michaels for goodness sake. How can one make Christmas wreath without supplies you might ask, well you can't. With Christmas on my mind, and the fact that they were only 75 cents, we decided to go for the next best thing... wooden paint and assemble for yourself toys just like Santa's elves might create.

From left to right, Drew's half finished boat, he is a very methodical craftsman, my catapult, which actually works and Mandy's biplane, complete with rotating propellor. Definitely one of the most fun Saturday mornings I have had in some time.

Connections

I cannot take credit for taking this photo, but viewed it on a website that I like called inspiration feed. As soon as I saw it, I knew that I needed to write about it.

One of the reasons that I love traveling is that when I visit other places, people and cultures, I feel connected to my human family. We are all children of a loving God and as such we are connected to each other by that love. I know that it is our responsibility to remember that connection when we deal with the people that we encounter every day. We have so much to teach each other.

I like this picture because it reminds me that an exchange of anything, whether it be information, ideas, goods or services, with someone else can have an even farther reaching impact that we could imagine. The truth is that the small choices that I make in Canada do affect others. I think because we often do not see the effect that we are quick to disregard the global consequences of our local actions.

In a world that is focused on just those things that are quick, easy and right in front of us, I worry that people are missing out on one of the great joys of life, learning from others. A narrow perspective leads to a narrow view on life. I know that as we are anxiously engaged in learning about and from the rest of the world that our character is change for the better and that tolerance, love and mutual respect increase.

Hope that didn't sound like too much of a soap box issue!

You Will Listen To Heather!!

This is my Heather!!! She is shown here, reasoning with a bearded dragon named Phoenix. Phoenix is a finicky eater and perhaps suffers from anorexia. The official diagnosis is yet to be determined, but it could also be a food allergy of some sort, that is, if reptiles even get food allergies. (Actually I made up that bit about the food allergy.) This is Heather's attempt to feed Phoenix a meal worm. You can tell by the look on Heather's face that things are not going well...and you can tell by the look on Phoenix's face that she doesn't really care! Heather was determined to feed Phoenix, while Phoenix was determined not to eat. In the end, one of these stubborn creatures had to win out. I am glad to report that Heather was the victor in this battle of agility, wits and ultimately gentle persuasion.

Heather is getting married in May. I am so excited for her and honoured to be one of her bride's maids. I know that she is going to be a fabulous wife to her husband, who will cherish, help and respect him. I know that she is going to be an amazing mother, and if the patience showed to this bearded dragon says anything about the way she will raise her future children, which for the record I think it does, they are going to be so blessed, as I have been, to have her in their lives. I LOVE you Heather!

Status Report: I just spoke with Heather and the diagnosis is in, no food allergies or anorexia, it is likely to have been a food preference problem after all...Phoenix loves to eat crickets! Chirp!!! I mean Crunch!!!!!

Teaching

I am a teacher! And, there are few things in my life that when I think about them make me happier. I love sharing my joy for learning and my passion for science with young people. I love building relationships with students and helping them to find success.

I am not teaching full time this year, but will be substitute teaching. Today I was so excited to be asked to fill in the grade 6 teacher at one of my old schools. What a great day we had, writing stories, investigating patterns in math, studying forest ecosystems in science, playing soccer, and discussing the global impact of 9/11.

I had mixed feelings leaving the school today. I know that it is the best choice for me to sub this year, but as I walked through the halls of the school today that old familiar excitement and yearning feeling returned in full force. Teaching full time is not a smart plan for me, by going back I run the risk of jeopardizing a future career in education. It is a long story to explain exactly how this is true, but needless to say, I have to be satisfied with substitute teaching at the moment.

Have you ever loved something so much, but couldn't figure out how to make it fit in your life?

Chief Mountain

My parents built their house so that from the front windows Chief Mountain can be seen. It is probably the most well known mountain in our area, as it is the most unique looking. For the Blackfoot people in Southern Alberta and Northern Montana it is sacred. For me, it has always been a constant. I can always count on it to stand tall and solid even when, at times, the world around me seems to be crumbling.

Today I have been thinking about constants, those things that I can count on. I know that I can count on the love of my family. I know I can count on the love of my Heavenly Father. I know I can count on second chances because of my Savior Jesus Christ. And, third and fourth and fifth for that matter. I know I can count on each day ending, allowing the beauty of a new and fresh start on the next. I know I can count on a ride on the back of a horse to make me feel free and invincible. I know I can count on hearing a baby laugh and feeling in that moment as if life couldn't get any better. And, this list goes on...

So, now when I lose sight of who I am and what is the most important to me, I know that I can look at Chief Mountain and remind myself of these constants, and have hope.

For The Beauty Of The Earth

Today, Drew, Kinsey, Brayden, Mitch and I went to Waterton for the day. And what a beautiful day!!! The sun was shining and the breeze was gentle and refreshing. I love Waterton and feel so blessed to live so close to such natural beauty.

We climbed up Red Rock Canyon, literally up the canyon. I only made it part of the way up because at one point climbing up a jagged rock face is the only path to continue on. I was certain I could get up, but very unsure about coming back down. So, fearing for my own life I stayed behind while the others went on ahead. You might think that I would get bored sitting by myself, but if that is what you think you would be wrong in this case. I really enjoyed the time to myself. I built a rock sculpture, acted as a greeter for other hikers who reached that point in the canyon, listened to the wind rustle through the leaves over my head, threw rocks in the swirling water and just sat and thought.

I know that I don't take enough time to just sit and be still. The Psalmist wrote, "Be still and know that I am God." Perhaps thinking of this verse and recalling now how at peace and how in tune with myself and with the Holy Ghost I felt today, I need to make a more conscientious effort to get to "know" God by being more still. In a world of noise, impulse, and instant messaging, taking time to sit quietly seems like a luxury. I do know that I can make time for this type of worship. That I need to make time for it.

I am grateful today for choosing to be left behind and for the time to contemplate not only the beauty around me, but the simplicity of God's voice. I am grateful for time spent thinking and the clarity of thought and the Spirit that accompanied this experience.

CAW! CAW!

I love playing games, well board games and card games that is. My favourite card game of all times is Rook. I grew up watching my parents play this game with their friends. So I guess you could say it is in my blood.

Tonight, Matea, Kinsey and I taught our friend Preston how to play. He was a very quick learner, which I was grateful for as he was my partner. Unfortunately Preston and I didn't win the game; however, spending time tonight with people that are important to me made the loss insignificant. Playing tonight with friends made me think of all the friends that I have spent extremely large quantities of time playing this game with. I do miss those old times, but I know that whenever we come together, no matter what has happened in our varied lives, we will always have Rook! Thanks friends!

Filled With Faith

This is my friend Ashley and I. She is one of the most courageous and faith filled people that I know. And I love her so much!! She knows what is right and has now shown her Heavenly Father by her actions that she chooses to follow Him.

Tonight she was baptized. She covenanted with her Heavenly Father to keep his commandments, to remember the sacrifice that Jesus Christ has made for her, and to take the Savior's name as her own. At baptism we promise to consecrate her life to building up God's kingdom on this Earth, to help and support other people, and to always go about doing good.

I was reminded of my own baptism 7 years ago. I am so glad to have made the decision to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was a decision that for most of my life I never thought would be the one I would make; nevertheless it has helped me to learn, to grow and to be a better me. I know that as I continue, like Ashley, to be courageous and faithful that my life no matter how many challenges I face will be more rich and filled with loved.

I love you Ashley!

The 3R's...

I am all about the 3R's: reduce, reuse and recycle. One of my latest passions has been crocheting these bags. I make them out of plastic groceries bags. Thanks to these bags, the amount of plastic in landfills is reduced as I recycle the bags to crochet this product which are reusable.

I got the idea after finding a vendor at the local farmer's market who sells them. I asked her all about the bags and she provided me with a pattern.

I am definitely open to teaching anyone how to makes these! Or, just ask me and I will make you one. And, I am soon putting one on Ebay just to see what I can get for it, haha!

Dragon Flies

I love everything about nature, and when I saw this dragonfly today I was reminded why. The complexity masked by simplicity, the beauty, the colour and the perfection of form found in nature are inspiring.

It was initially the colour of this bug that drew my eye to it. I am sad that the picture could not adequately portray the iridescent red this guy (or gal) was. His wings so powerful that they can reach speeds of 60 km/h, yes so delicate that the slightest amount of pressure is damaging to them. Then, thinking that dragonflies have been on the Earth for over 200 million years, I was reminded that life is designed to survive. It is designed to adapt to change and to persist despite adversity. (I think that is a thought to consider in my own life when times get tough.)

It is when I surround myself with nature, and consider it's beauty and wonder, that I am reminded of the love of God. We know that God, our Heavenly Father, created this Earth for us. He knew that we would need a place to learn, to grow and to be inspired. I am then reminded how important it is to honour and respect God by honouring and respecting His creations. I hope that I can always be mindful of this important truth.

Your Deck Professionals

My summer job this year has been with CanPro Deck and Rail. We are your deck professionals!!! I came across this job opportunity when I delivered fliers for the company. This led to the boss asking if I would be interested in more steady work, which I was.

This job is different from any that I have ever had. I am the bosses assistant which means that my duties vary from day to day. I answer phones, man the show room, make bank and mail runs, clean the shop, chauffeur my coworkers around (that is a funny story), help install rail and am the companies "colour expert"! I really like my work though and am grateful for a boss who would take a chance on hiring me.

I honestly have the best boss and coworkers a girl could ask for. We have a lot of fun at work and are always laughing, joking, and yes even singing. Taylor Swift is definitely a company favourite! So, if you are looking for a deck and are interested in hiring a bunch of singing professionals let me know...

Caramel Popcorn

I love to make treats!!! So, today Heather and I tried a new caramel popcorn recipe. We also tried making it in the microwave instead of baking it in the oven like most recipes call for. I like to try new recipes, but am always worried about the outcome on the first try. And, because I was playing catch with Drew I wanted to make sure I had something yummy for us to snack on so I was worried about how it would turn out.

I hope by the look on Heather's face that this new recipe and technique was a HUGE success. Nothing to worry about at all. Honestly, this popcorn tasted like it was bought from Kernels! I can't even describe how yummy it was. Each kernel was perfectly covered with caramel goodness, and even before Drew got to my house, Heather, my mum, Kinsey and myself had almost eaten the entire bowl. Sorry Drew!

I would give you the recipe, but I can't as Heather and I are now taking orders, haha!

A Pair of Boots

I love cowboy boots! This pair belonged to my Dad. And photographing five pairs of his boots to sell on kijiji for my Mum reminded me of him. He didn't wear anything else...I am not even sure that he had another type of shoe. Wait, that's not true, he did have multiple pairs of gum boots!

My dad was a hard worker. He was strong. He was, in a big way, rough around the edges. He was a fiercely loyal friend. He was brutally honest. He was quiet. He had his struggles like the rest of us, but he was a good man. He was a good Dad. And I love him!

When I look at these boots I remembered all of all these things, and many more. I wonder if he would be proud of my life and the things that I have accomplished. I wonder what advice he might have for me. I wonder how my life would be different if he were still in it. One thing I don't have to wonder about is what he would be doing right now. He would be checking his cows or baling some hay. He might even be shooting some gophers. These things I am sure of. These things, and even these silly old boots make me smile.

Nice, Nice France that is...

So, I must confess that I did not take this picture today, but I wanted to post it anyways. This is almost exactly how that place is captured in my mind. (One small addition and it would be the perfect shot!) The sea, the stony beach, and in the back of this photo my favourite place to spend my time. I used to sit on a bench near that circular wall for hours. I would watch people, listen to a variety of languages, and think about my life, who I was there and who I wanted to become when I left that place.

I was thinking today about how much I miss Nice!! I miss my friend Adel. I miss conversation in French and English and a mash-up of the two. I miss learning about other cultures and religions. I miss long walks along the Promenade with no where in particular to go and feeling like I had all the time in the world. I miss my host mum, Marie. I miss her cooking, her frank way of speaking, her surprises and most of all her laughter. I miss being at school, and feeling challenged to become better, to learn more, to take risks, and to not be afraid of making mistakes. And, maybe more than any of these things, I miss who I was in Nice. Still the same Jen, but different somehow. Different in a way that sitting here now, I can't even explain.

I miss Nice!!!! And so I hope that it's not cheating to post a picture that I took almost 6 months ago now, but even if it is, I needed to post this.

Big Rocks

I gave a lesson today at the retreat about priorities. The object lesson I used was this jar of rocks. I piled them all up and asked if they would fit in the jar. I could see that some of the girls were skeptical that they would fit. They do of course, I had tried it earlier, but they only fit if you put the big rocks in first, the medium sized rocks second, and then the small rocks last.

The jar represents our life. The rocks represent all those things that we do in life, or our priorities. So, the lesson is that only by putting the "big rocks" or the biggest priorities first can we fit everything into our lives.

A big rock in my life is my family. I love my Mum and my brother and his girlfriend. I am grateful for their support and hope that I am a support to them. We have so much fun together. I know that no matter what happens in my life that they care about me and want the best for me. We have gone through some difficult challenges together, but it has only served to bring us closer and to remind us how important the time we have together is.

Another big rock in my life is my faith. Matthew 6:33 reads, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." This scripture comes during the Sermon on the Mount delivered by the Saviour himself, which means "these things" are the blessings promised in the sermon. Here our Saviour Jesus Christ, pleads for us to be faithful and to make faith and Him a big rock in our lives. I make faith a big rock by praying, reading sacred scripture, attending my church meetings and the temple and doing my best to follow God's commandments.

Other rocks in my jar are my friends, my work, playing the piano, reading good books, making pie, playing games, and swimming. Because I have my big rocks in place there is room for these things, and many more.

I challenge you to record what you are doing with your time for a week. Those things that we spend our time doing are our priorities, I know that is true. Then, once having recorded how you spend your time, decide if you need to change or realign your priorities. Try to do the most of the best things, lots of the better things and good things that you enjoy too!

Strong Women

This weekend, a group of women from church and I, went on a Relief Society Retreat to Badger Valley Ranch near Beazer. On our way to the cabin, we saw this old chicken coop leaning precariously in a pasture. I knew the moment I saw it that we could make a funny picture from it. Megan, Ashley and I posed as if pushing it over. Yes, we are strong women!

As the evening progressed and into the next day, together with the other girls, I laughed, cried, shared my hopes, fears, joys and testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And, now looking back on the weekend and thinking about this picture, I know that I was surrounded by strong women.

They are not necessarily women of great physical strength, but women who are strong because of the strength of their testimony of Jesus Christ. Women who face trials head on, knowing that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them and who promises them that no matter what obstacle they face in life that they can overcome it because He will be their strength. Women who understand that even during the hardest times in their lives, in times of uncertainty, weakness and struggle, that they can overcome anything. And that as they humble themselves and have faith in Jesus Christ that they can be strong.

The Lord himself, taught this very principle to a prophet named Ether who lived and taught his people nearly 1600 years ago.

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Ether 12:27

It was this weekend, and is my privilege every day to be surrounded by strong women.

The Temple

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I took this picture tonight in Cardston. This is the Cardston Alberta Temple. As I drove by, I was reminded of the shining beacon of light and truth in the darkness of this world, that temples are.

A temple is literally a house of God. It is a holy place where sacred ceremonies and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ are performed. As I attended the temple tonight, I felt of the love that God my Heavenly Father has for me. I felt peace. I felt happiness. And I felt gratitude for the atoning sacrifice of my Savior Jesus Christ.

I'm a Fungi!

A mushroom walks into a bar, and he sits down. The bartender looks at him and says, "I am sorry, we don't serve your kind here!" The mushroom replies, "Why not? I'm a fungi."

This joke is one of my brother's favourite jokes to tell. I was reminded of it when I saw this mushroom growing in my mum's yard. It is just about the size of an football. I love silly jokes, but it seems that whenever I tell a joke, that I mess up the punch line. This means I rarely tell them to people, but I love hearing them.

I will leave this post with another really silly sciency joke I heard from an amazingly great guy last week...

Why did the algae and the fungus get married?

They took a lichen to each other!

Get it? A lichen is a simple plant consisting of a fungus growing symbiotically with algae. Yes, I know I am a nerd!

O CANADA

I am so proud to be Canadian. As Terri Clark says, "I am a Northern Girl". I am proud to be from a country of acceptance, peacekeeping and hockey. I am proud to sew a Canadian flag on my backpack and know that because of this symbol I will be received warmly where ever I am.

It seems that everyone, everywhere, recognizes the maple leaf and therefore recognizes me.

Traveling is important to me. When we travel we learn about other cultures, religion, customs and people...not to mention that we learn a LOT about ourselves. I have travelled extensively since I finished high school, but I have always known that I would come home. How could I not?

I love the maple leaf, and when I saw this flag waving nobly in the Southern Alberta wind just a block from my house, I had to stop and try and capture it's beauty. Often, as I travel around the world I stop to take pictures of the country's flag. Most recently I photographed the French flag, the Spanish flag, and the flag from the Principality of Monaco. The only other time I have taken a picture of a Canadian flag was at Vimy Ridge. For Canada, the Battle at Vimy Ridge is a significant historical moment. Some have even declared this battle to be Canada's birth of a nation. So too is it significant to France. The land surrounding the ridge itself and the monument built there was given by the French to Canada. There, the Canadian flag is flanked by a French flag and the Canadian Red Ensign.

As humans we ascribe meaning to symbols. For me, the Canadian flag represents freedom. It means peace. It signifies respect and dignity for all people from all places. It represents Canada's beauty and an abundance of natural places. It stands for courtesy and quiet confidence. It represents diversity and a celebration of differences. I LOVE CANADA!!!

Ellis

Ellis!!!! This handsome bulldog belongs to my brother and his girlfriend. He is probably the funniest dog I have ever known. When he is excited to see you he sneezes, on you! He snorts a lot because of breathing issues, poor guy, and he snores so loudly that I can hear him in the basement when he is upstairs.

Tonight I took him for a walk. He can't go very far...only around the block before he gets too tired and needs a drink of water. Luckily, we have a kiddy pool in the backyard for him to cool off in. He is so handsome that people always stop and look at him going by...wait maybe that is because he is snorting the whole time, I am not so sure now.

A Pie Creation

Today after Sunday dinner, I served this pie creation. I was little skeptical that I could actually come up with a yummy dessert on my own. I like to cook, but the scientist in me comes out. I need a recipe! Well, I guess I should rephrase that, I needed a recipe. I came up with this one in the freezer aisle. It is quite rich, but the judges, Trish, Drew and Kinsey thought it was really good...and so did I.

1 tub of Cool-Whip

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 can frozen Lemonade concentrate, thawed

Mix together and pour into a 9 in" graham cracker crumb crust. Refrigerate to set.

World Championship Miniature Chuckwagon Races

Chuckwagon racing is pretty famous in Alberta. It is exciting to watch the horses race around the barrels, hooves pounding and the ground shaking. But, when those horses are under 3 feet tall it is SO funny as well. Miniature horses are quite cantankerous and have hot tempers. They are very competitive as well, which means that watching them race is very entertainment. My favourite part of watching the races is seeing the drivers, most of them big tall men sitting in tiny wagons with their knees bent up around their ears...well not quite ears, but they look funny to say the least. Unfortunately this year I didn't get to see the races. My mum and I sold tickets at the gates and then Kinsey, Eden and I went for a tour of the Remington Carriage Museum. I worked at the museum for four summers and it was fun to be tour guide again.

Summer FUN!

Tonight was so fun! Drew and I watched one of my favourite movies, Sweeney Todd, and then played with glow-in-the-dark sidewalk chalk. Unfortunately none of the glowing pictures turned out, and using my flash to capture our artwork means that it appears to be daytime. Oh well...This is a picture of Drew holding the whole world in his hand. You can also see evidence of our delicious peach and nectarine milk shakes. And yes, we did slurp up the last bits of goodness out of our cups with straws!

Creature Theatre

Tonight, some friends and I went to Creature Theatre presented by the Helen Schuler Coulee Centre at Galt Gardens. So fun!!! Well, for a nerdy biology girl anyway, it was great! The presentation was about the Grassland ecosystem that we live in, and the importance that each species plays in that ecosystem. Grasses, insects, Richardson Ground Squirrels, snakes, raptors, and even bacteria shared their stories with us. I absolutely loved it. Then again, anything that teaches people about biology without them knowing it, is golden in my eyes.

The best part of the presentation was the audience participation. Children represented flowers, a coyote band, and one little boy was an owl's assistant. The entire audience stood to become part of a snake's army troop, and the finale was a group sing-a-long.

This photo is of "Cowboy", a Richardson Ground Squirrel and his Coyote Band. If you look closely at the band, you will see how much local talent we have in Southern Alberta. Yes, she is playing her guitar upside down and backwards!! That is a remarkable gift for a seven year old if I do say so myself.

A Picture A Day

The new challenge is a picture a day. This is one of the challenges that Matt Cutts mentioned in his TEDTalk. I haven't planned any kind of theme for the pictures. I will just be looking for fun, interesting or inspiring things to take pictures of. I am excited at the prospect of capturing images that represent my daily life, however mundane or ordinary it may be.

Today...a fountain at Henderson Lake. Matea and I saw this fountain and we both knew immediately that it is what I should shoot for today. This picture captures a memory of an enjoyable walk on a beautiful summer night with a good friend.

The Push Up Challenge is Complete!

Today marks the end of my first 30 day challenge! 30 days really does fly by quickly. And, Matt was right they have passed by whether I liked it or not. So, the question I am asking myself now is, will I keep this up? The push ups I mean, not the challenges (to which I am not committed). I think the answer is a resounding MAYBE!! I am honestly kind of a slacker when it comes to any form of exercise that isn't swimming; however, I feel like I am in the habit of waking up in the morning and among other things, doing some push ups. So, here is to push ups!! Even if somedays they are the girly kind...

Stay tuned for my next 30 day challenge...

Half way there...

I am just over the halfway point in my first 30 day challenge. How am I doing? Good question!!! What is success anyways? I honestly don't know if I can do more or less pushups at this point, but perhaps the fact that I am continuing to try each day is more to the point. Because really isn't that what success is all about, trying.

I wouldn't say that I am a procrastinator, unless I choose to be, but it is fulfilling to really commit to something. And, to make the commitment not to something I am obliged to do like work or sleep for instance.

Also, my Mum has joined Ginger, Heather and I for this challenge. Way to go Mum!!!

What are you waiting for?

A few weeks ago I came across a TEDTalk given by Matt Cutts called "Try Something New for 30 Days". Feeling like he was stuck in a rut, Matt decided to make positive changes in his life using small and simple steps. He challenged himself to change, by trying something new for 30 days. Incidentally 30 days is about the right amount of time to add or subtract a habit. Matt rode his bike to work, he gave up sugar, and even wrote a 50,000 word novel all in 30 days.

As I thought about my own safe, comfortable life and my extensive bucket list, I decided to try something new and take Matt up on his challenge. "What are you waiting for?" he asked. "I guarantee the next 30 days are going to pass whether you like it or not. Why not think of something you have always wanted to try and give it a shot for the next 30 days."

I told my good friends Heather and Ginger about Matt's challenge and we agreed that for the next 30 days we will all do push-ups. Why push-ups? I suppose because we have to start somewhere. And why this blog? Heather thought is might be a fun way of recording my progress. So, join me as I challenge myself to change for the better!