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[onetrueme]

I try very hard not to think about negative events that have happened in my life when the anniversary dates come up.  I used to all the time, but over the years I’ve learned not to dwell too much on the bad moments in my life, because there is so much more that is good.  But today, January 3rd 2018, is the one year anniversary of my near-tragic car accident.  You can read about the accident here: All Roads Lead Home.   I didn’t want to think about it, but it seems God had different plans – or rather my brain.  The last couple of days have been filled with travel anxiety, anger and a few nightmares.  I would wake up terrified to get in the car and for the life of me I couldn’t stop picturing that enormous silver semi-truck, the headlights, the sun bouncing off the metal as it came closer.  I still don’t remember the impact – it all happened too fast and my side of the car got hit.  Even writing it down like this brings the day back in vivid, twisted detail.  My nightmares were filled with cars going over cliffs and falling into icy waters with my whole family present.  I hate the thought.  Needless to say, I have been very anxious about everything.  Today was not an easy day for me, but I made the most of it.

Last week, I announced to my parents (who I am staying with for the holidays), that I would go anywhere on any other day, but that I was not getting into a vehicle on January 3rd.  I was not going to tempt fate.  I think that was when mom decided she would take me out on a girl’s night on January 3rd.  Dinner and a movie, she said.  I didn’t argue, and kept my angst to myself.  I know she’s trying to help.  I wanted to see The Last Jedi and had a free movie anyway.  But I was still very aware of the date on the calendar that that horrific events that happened this time last year.

I decided, just last night (January 2nd), that I wasn’t going to dwell on the fear that was closing in on me.  I had so much good to focus on.  So I went through my instagram feed and chose 10 or 11 pictures from the last 12 months that either were some of the best memories or that led to some important changes in my life.

So I thought I would share them with my readers.  I feel like no matter how weak I feel, no matter how much pain I’m in, or how much anger I’m carrying, or how scared and anxious I am, I can’t focus on the negative.  I need to look at everything that happened as a good thing because it led to some absolutely amazing life changes, discoveries and reminders that I’m damn lucky to pick to a fight with a semi-truck and essentially walk away with nothing but a crack knee-cap and soft-tissue damage and some ugly bruises.  Many have faced those monsters and didn’t live to tell the tale.  So here I am, sharing my memories from a horrible day that led to inspiring, magnificent moments and changes.

The photos aren’t in any particular order, but each one just reminds me of how good life can be no matter what happens.  I remember toying with the idea moving to Quebec before the crash but I wasn’t sure if i was serious about it or not, and then suddenly I knew I had to try and make it happen.  I don’t want to be cliche, but I felt like, you never know when your number is up, so make the most of the time you have.

Dinner with my brother and his kids last new years

the aftermath of the accident last year – a cracked knee cap

Education program acceptance to Bishop’s U

Mom and her youngest girls

Some of my Justice girls

for luck – after being hit by a car in June while on the bus.

The best of friends for life

Celebrated two years at the best job I have ever had!!!

Dreams do come true!

The Terrible three back together for one last move

Education practicum begins

First venture into Montreal

These girls are my life.  They are sisters from different mothers, but they are my sisters, nonetheless and I couldn’t have asked for better women to work with or a better job. I spent two years at Justice, was promoted after hard work, encouragement and love from an amazing friend and boss.  I miss it, but because these beautiful women stuck by me during the hardest time in my adult life, I was able to take a leap of faith and move across the country to fulfill a dream I have had since I was twelve years old.

It’s been a rocky year, but there has been a lot of good! I thought I would make a list of everything that has happened that has led to something good.

I spent New Years with my family, after working over Christmas

Dad and I got into a car accident, which led to some big things!

I got an extra two weeks with my family instead of the planned three days

I applied to Bishop’s University in Quebec

I got into Bishop’s University

I spent easter with my family

I celebrated working at Justice for two years!

My friends (work sisters) threw the best birthday/going away party for me!

I spent the summer saying goodbye to friends in Kelowna but had a blast every time!

Moved to Sherbrooke, Quebec, fulfilling the biggest dream of my life

Started my first year education practicum at BU and loved it!

I fell apart emotionally a lot, but somehow out myself back together again and kept going

Finished first semester of education at BU

Made some awesome new friends!

Went to Kelowna to visit some of my favourite people!!! ❤

Went back to Calgary for three weeks (4?) to spend Christmas with the family

It’s been a good year!

I originally planned on adding some lyrics that have stuck with me over the year, but I decided my own strength and my family and amazing friends being there with me for all of it, is all I need to share!

Happy 2018 everyone! May your year be filled with love, laughter and  a lot of good things that shine through any bad that happens.

(For anyone struggling with anxiety, fear, or just wanting to talk, you can contact me here: elysian.katek@gmail.com).

~ Kate

      One Year to the Day I try very hard not to think about negative events that have happened in my life when the anniversary dates come up. 

[onetrueme]

…the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines…let that great sweeping wind blow the fogs out of [your] soul…L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Oftentimes, I look out my window in November and wish it away. I will it just pass quickly. No papers, not crazy people yelling about early decorations for the holidays, no black Friday insanity…No two months of Christmas music.  Last year I dreaded November more than I ever have before.  It meant my first holiday season as a supervisor at work. It meant an even greater responsibility would be placed on me than I was prepared for.  I handled it – perhaps not as gracefully as I would have liked, but I handled it.  This year, I have mixed feelings.  I’m in a brand new (relatively speaking) environment working towards a dream that isn’t old but isn’t new either and I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed by life.

But, oh the beauty that is Quebec when the snow flies.  La Bell Province doesn’t do this great french world justice.   

I have been told that I arrived in Quebec during some of the strangest weather patterns the province has seen – mostly rain all summer, then nearly record breaking heat in September, a mild October and then cold bitter winds and some snow in early November.  I don’t have a clue what normal weather patterns are – I’m from Alberta and just spent the last eight years in Kelowna with relatively mild winters.  But how can this place – this town, this campus not be beautiful in any weather? I’m head over heels in love, no matter anxious or overwhelmed I am.  I just have to step outside and take it all in and it’s as though the fog plaguing my soul have been blown away.

I have to admit it has been absolutely chaotic that last month or so.  It’s hard to believe that there’s two weeks left in the semester and then finals begin.  My chest gets tight just thinking about it, but this year, I’m going home after it’s all done – for a month! I’ll hate everyone by January and will be elated to be back at school learning about ethics or child psychology… :p

It feels very weird to not be working this year – but my mantra of “I will not be working in retail this time next year” has finally come true.  I miss my old work, and the girls I have come to call family, but we stay in touch a lot!  I probably wouldn’t get through anything without my Kelowna Girls.  😀  I’m thoroughly enjoying the education program here at Bishop’s and am finally starting to make some friends both in the program and out of school.

I feel recharged after an awful week with an amazing ending!

The weekend has been unproductive but I think I needed it to get back on track and remember why I am here and that by God’s grace I can handle anything life throws at me.

This post is a bit of a mishmash of everything, but then so is the month of November!

I have been debating doing a post about anxiety and how to cope with it, but I just haven’t had time to sit down and really focus on it.  I know I did a post last year about it, but I truly believe that the more we address anxiety and other mental illnesses, the more we bring awareness to the millions of people suffering.  So I will find some time this week hopefully to sit down and address my own anxiety and tell anyone who wants to know, how I cope with it and how sometimes it gets the better of me.  So check back for that!

In the meantime, enjoy these beautiful photos of my campus and some Christmas decorations I bought. 😀

~ Kate

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Processed with VSCO with u5 preset

November: ...the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines...let that great sweeping wind blow the fogs out of soul...L.M.

[onetrueme]

  One of my favourite quotes from Anne of Green Gables (picture courtesy of Republican Princess on Pinterest)

October is probably favourite month of the year. I like it even better than August (my birthday month).  There’s just something about the cooler air, the crunching of leaves as you walk across campus or down the street.  I love the smells and sights and sounds.  Plus, who doesn’t love halloween?

It has been a month and a half since I made my way across the country and settled into this little campus at Bishop’s University.  I have both loved and hated every second of it, but have not regretted my decision to move to Quebec.  I may not speak the language or understand it as much as I originally thought, but I’ll be damned if I let that stop me from living my dreams.

September soared by. Classes started, I slowly adjusted to the time change and getting back into being a student after two years.  I began my practicum in education (more to come later) and met some incredible people! I struggled. A lot! I knew I was going to have to share a room with someone and I thought “hey I can do this, no problem. I shared a room with my little sister for five years. I’ll just have to adjust my habits and and be more social.” Well, I tried. I really did.  I cried too.  I think I could have filled a kiddie pool with my tears.  I hyperventilated and had panic attacks.  Why? I needed “Kate” time.  I needed to be able to get away from people and the parties and to feel safe.  I had an incredible roommate. She was (is still) kind, understanding and even tried to help me out by adjusting her own ways of doing things.  But I just felt like I couldn’t do it. I was overwhelmed by everything.  The noise levels from my hallway, the wondering if I was bothering people because I wasn’t social enough and wanted to be in my room where it was quiet and safe.  Was I ruining peoples’ experience of being in residence for the first time? I’ve already done it.  I didn’t feel the need to run around and look for the party or even be the party. I’ve been content the last 8 years being quieter, less of a partier, and more or a two or three friends getting together kind of person.  I didn’t want to change myself to fit in, but I also didn’t want to ruin anyone’s good time.  I felt bad, and I just needed to be on my own, with a space to call mine.

I sought out help.  That was biggest and the best thing I could have done – ask for help. I’m terrible at it, but I knew there were resources on campus that were there to get me back to me.  Because I sure as hell did not feel like the strong, confident and fairly outgoing woman that I was back in Kelowna.  I wasn’t even sure I was going to stay here.  I begged my mom to let me come home.  But where was home? Kelowna? Calgary? How could I give up this dream so fast? I was bombarded with self-doubting questions, attacked by own pride telling me to suck it up.  So I found help.  A doctor, councillor and residence life coordinator and four weeks later, I was in my own room in a marginally quieter building.

Now that September is gone, I can breathe a little better.  I always feel like October is the month for renewal.  I know most people see January as a fresh start, but for me, the falling leaves, and changing colours means something new is about to start.  So I took on October with a new lease on life.  I was in my own place, had a place to get my meals (I have a meal plan still), and I was starting to make some friends.  So October is here; we’re actually smack in the middle of it as I write this and I am loving it! It’s finally started to cool down, the leaves are most definitely crunchy and I feel like myself again, even after missing a week of class because of a nasty cold.

I honestly can’t wait to see what the rest of the month has in store for me! I’m heading to Montreal on the 21st for the day; I’m part of a great christian worship group and getting to know my new friends better and better.  I even spent a few hours with some of them last night and had a great time.

There is one thing that I am missing though and I think that no matter where I go or how old I am I will always miss it.  My family.  Both of them.  I have two families.  I have my blood family in Calgary who have always been there for me since I was born and who have seen me through this major change and worried for me, felt my fears, stresses and even tried to get me home when that was all I wanted last month.  Then there is my family in Kelowna.  The women I worked with for two years.  They are sisters and moms to me, and I couldn’t have done the last 10 months without them and their texts, phone calls, snapchats, and stories.  I miss all of them – both families.  I’ll see some of them soon, I hope.

I’m sharing some photos from the last month to show you my lovely little life in this beautiful place!  Have a wonderful weekend!

~ Kate

view from my room – i love the candles and the moon

learning to be a teacher

I think I live at Hogwarts

check out those colours! No filter needed

The Mighty Massiwippi River

Leaf Peeping

Rain Soaked Hogwarts?

Foresta Lumina trip

Foresta Lumina Trip

Lennoxville

My Starbucks Replacement

Foresta Lumina trip

foresta Lumina trip

Early mornings are for the sun

Foresta Lumina Bridge

  Glorious October October is probably favourite month of the year. I like it even better than August (my birthday month). 

[onetrueme]

Well the dream has finally come true! I have been in Quebec for a little over a week now and it’s not exactly how I imagined it going yet, but then my fantasies and dreams are often a little over-zealous. :p I am now living in Sherbrooke Quebec, in Eastern Canada – not quite Atlantic Canada, but not quite central Canada either.  It’s the only province in the country that is French and then English (languages I mean). It is absolutely beautiful here though and I while I have a few…okay a lot of doubts about how this will go, I don’t regret the views or the history.

The trek out here was difinitely and interesting one.  It began early on Thursday August 31st, when I tearfully said goodbye to my parents.  I know, I  know.  I’m 33 and may be a little too close to my parents, but that’s just how things are in my family (for me at any rate). I didn’t have to wait long for my direct flight from Calgary to Montreal, and I was more than a little excited and most certainly unsure of what was waiting for me on the other side of the country.  I still have no idea what’s waiting for me, but I’m here.  Anyway, the flight was long compared to the hour long flight from Kelowna to Calgary that I have grown so used to. I think it worked out to about 4.5 hours with boarding and deboarding.  Nonetheless, there I was being whisked off to a “far away land” that I had been dreaming of for years.  Once I arrived in Montreal, I waited impatiently for my 100 lbs of luggage then pushed off to find my shuttle.  I must say that the Pierre Trudeau Airport is not exactly the nicest airport I’ve been to, and could stand to be updated, but I’ve been spoiled with the beautiful, and newly renovated airports that I’ve been to.  Plus Kelowna’s airport is just gorgeous and fresh! Back to my journey.  I felt a little like Harry Potter as I pushed my very full buggy through the crowded airport.

At last I found my shuttle and driver and we were off through the Quebec country side and into the “mountains”. Funny thing about Quebec mountains when you come from Western Canada – BC and southern Alberta?  They aren’t mountains, just big hills…but I’ll let the province keep their pride. 😉

Three hours later, we finally arrive in this beautiful little borough of Sherbrooke called Lennoxville and the campus is sitting before us in all its’ purple and hogwarts styled glory.   I was dropped off at the residence building because I arrived a couple days early for my leadership community orientation day(s). At this point it was all surreal. I never thought that I would make it here, let alone follow through on my rather expensive plans.  But there I was standing in front of this big brick building and all I wanted to do was cry…Not yet though. There was no time for tears of loneliness or homesickness. I had to carry 100 pounds of my stuff across the campus to my new home and up a flight of stairs.  For anyone else who was in good shape or didn’t have a hard time lifting 20-50 pounds, it probably wasn’t much of a problem, but I hurt afterwards and didn’t want to do anything else except call home, cry and sleep. But I carried on like the Kinsman that I am, unloaded my bags, found the bathroom and began my unpacking. It didn’t take long. I didn’t bring a whole lot of stuff, even though it all weighed a ton.

Then I cried.  Then the loneliness and homesickness kicked in.  I miss everyone from Kelowna and I missed my family. I even missed the cats who stole my contact lenses and woke me up at 5am to play and be fed. I called home and talked about the trip and cried some more.  Finally I just passed out from pure exhaustion. The days to come would be just as exhausting and I needed to be ready, one way or another.

The last week has been a rollercoaster of emotions, stress, major anxiety and fear.  Some of it is has settled but there’s still so much that I’m unsure of.  Classes have started and I am enjoying them so far.  I am absolutely in love with the campus and the little city – except the transit, but that will take some getting used to I think.  I have explored the town a little bit and even found a beautiful coffee shop that I may frequent – not as much as starbucks, but still, I like it. 🙂

I still have so much left to explore and can’t wait to share my thoughts on the next few months with my friends, family and readers.

Just a bit of advice about packing up your entire life and moving across the country? Don’t leave packing until the last minute! I spent a solid 12 hours cleaning the day before I left Kelowna and another 10 going through all my clothes and items that I had collected in the 8 years that I lived in Kelowna. It very nearly killed me.

On that note, I will call it a day and let you enjoy the photos. 🙂

Montreal is just below

I made it guys!

Habs games here I come!

Birds eye views

Welcome my friends to Montreal

Harry Potter feelings

I have my own forbidden forest – but not really

I want to live in this house!

Just getting my education degree in this place 😀

Welcome to “Hogwarts”

Hogwarts classroom? Maybe DADA?

“remember how you entered. Be proud of how you leave” ~

Fall already???

Orientation week begins – kicking ass and taking names in my timberlands 😀

Live the life you always dreamed of Well the dream has finally come true! I have been in Quebec for a little over a week now and it's not exactly how I imagined it going yet, but then my fantasies and dreams are often a little over-zealous.

[onetrueme]

Goalies don’t score  Reading some articles and comments about how the Habs should be trading Price in the off-season and I'm led to believe that not one person making those statements has looked at the bigger picture.

[onetrueme]

A Way of Life

I have spent almost my entire lifetime sitting in hockey rinks cheering my brothers and dad on, watching them lace up their skates, don all that gear and proudly wear their jerseys. I am proud to admit I’m 100% a Canadian girl who grew up watching, living, eating and breathing hockey. Not many people I know understand what a gift it has been for me to be a part of something so great. Hockey is a…

[onetrueme]

Don't let it beat you!

Don’t let it beat you!

Anxiety…depression…fear…worry…stress…circles…I’m going in circles…     This week has been a test of will, patience and perseverance. My anxiety along with my stress levels have taken off on a wild trip and I am having a hard time keeping up.  Despite that, I appear to be managing to do what needs to be done. Though I must admit I feel as though I can’t do anything right. I fear the worst is…

[onetrueme]

Changes

I know it’s been a long while since I’ve posted anything; things have been a wee bit crazy the last two months, between the accident and recovering both physically and emotionally, and getting back to work.  In fact I’m just about to start day 7 of my 7-day stretch at work. There is nothing more glamorous than being a key-holder and being a very reliable one at that, hahaha. Perhaps I should…

[onetrueme]

I am sorry about the delay in posting anything post Christmas, but it has been a bit…hectic and traumatic.

Every once and a while we need a break. We need to sit back, take stock of our lives and re-think what’s truly important to us.  Quite often those moments don’t come to us until something big, scary or life-altering happens.  A death in the family, a marriage, promotion, or an accident that could have been prevented had we just been paying closer attention.

I don’t want this post to be one of those long-winded, “re-evaluating my life”kind of posts, because that’s not what I’m doing.  I’m not re-evaluating, but perhaps I am re-prioritizing…This post is about the aftermath of a car crash that I was lucky to get out of alive.

I came to Calgary for a short visit and to celebrate a late Christmas with my family in early January. I had been looking forward to this trip for almost two months and couldn’t wait to get off work and head to the airport.  After several flight delays and one flight switch due to poor weather on New Year’s Eve, I finally made it home to a frigid, blizzard-y city and the warm loving arms of my parents.  The weekend went much as it always does when I come home.  Sunday morning breakfast made by dad, then a little trip into town to visit my brother and his three kids.  It was a lazy little holiday hanging out with the nieces and nephews and siblings and of course being introduced to the newest member of the Kinsman Menagerie (how can anyone resist that little face?).  

It was only a four day trip.  Calgary and back to Kelowna, back to work. I arrived late Saturday night (New Year’s Eve) and was slated to leave on Wednesday, January 4th.  However, whether by providence or a series of coincidences, my stay was extended.

Dad and I were hit by a big, shiny, silver semi-truck. I don’t want to go into detail. I don’t really want to think too much of it.  Just that dad and I walked away – well, relatively speaking.  Dad walked away, and I only have a cracked kneecap and a body full of ugly purple bruises. I had a six-day stint at the Foothills Medical Centre where I was x-rayed, cat-scanned and MRI’d. I was put in a Zimmer brace, given crutches and told not to bend my left knee for minimum of 4-6 weeks – until I saw my orthopaedic surgeon for a follow-up in Kelowna. It was not a pleasant stay in the hospital, but I got extra time with my family.

I am not a huge believer in divine intervention – I believe in God, and His power, but sometimes I think things happen for reasons that aren’t related to a higher power. If that makes any sense.  At any rate, this accident was not just a sign, or a message, but the carnage it left behind was so minimal that only God and His angels could have had a hand in it.  It isn’t very often that two people survive an accident with a semi-truck with only minor-ish injuries.  Sure, initially I was critical – I had a neck brace with a possible vertebrae fracture, a possible broken ankle and an unknown injury to my knee.  But after 24 hours of tests I was cleared of any fractures, given a brace for a crack in my kneecap, and told I would need physiotherapy and training on crutches before I could go home.  Dad literally walked away.  Ugly bruises, lots of soft tissue damage and pain and some scrapes from the seatbelt.  It was a miracle that we survived.

The accident gave me more time that I had initially wanted with my family, gave me a chance to really rest and re-charge some very exhausted batteries.  But what it did most of all was remind me that no matter where I am in the world, or what happens, every road I take leads home. Home isn’t a place. It’s a feeling. It’s the people around you, who will drop whatever they are doing, jump in a car and drive an hour into the city to be with you while you lay, unable to move in a brightly-lit trauma room. Home is when your friends who are 8 hours away text, message and call you to make sure you doing okay, emotionally and physically.

I’m not re-evaluating my life, but I sure am letting this accident give me the chance to remember what’s important, and most of all I’m letting it give remind that even though home isn’t a house that I grew up in or even the same people I spend every Christmas with, home is what you need it to be during those terrifying moments that you can’t control.

I am very panicky getting into a car still, and if a semi is anywhere near us on the road, I grip my seatbelt like my life depends on it. When I close my eyes I see the truck, hear the horn…But when all is said and done, I’m alive thanks to God’s divine intervention and a high safety rating for the Nissan Pathfinder. I am beyond grateful for my blood relatives – mom, dad, my siblings, nieces, nephews, for the girls at work who send me those funny texts, inside jokes, notes of encouragement and love and support.

I thought I would add a couple of photos of the car post-accident, just to give everyone an idea of what actually happened.  If the semi-truck had hit the passenger door rather than the front of the passenger side of the car, Dad and I would have been in much worse shape or there would have been a funeral, rather than a week-long stint in the hospital. I’m so grateful, and so unbelievable thankful for the limited damage that was caused, even though it was a total loss on the car.

  All roads lead home… I am sorry about the delay in posting anything post Christmas, but it has been a bit...hectic and traumatic.

[onetrueme]

En Prévision

As December draws nigh my heart beats just a little faster. The lub-dub-lub-dub resonates throughout my body as I watch the world turn from dull white street lamps to glittering, technicolor balls, up and down side roads. The jingle of bells, smell of colder weather in the air and jolly uplifting music always brings a small smile to my lips. It’s my favourite time of year. My home expresses this…

[onetrueme]

It’s not a Christmas Carol reference, but this post is going to be about Christmas – which is only 32 days away! I have no idea how that happened.  It feels like it was back-to-school season last week.  Crazy crazy times!

I’ve said it before, but I work in retail, at a kid’s clothing store, so this time of year is a wee bit hectic lol. But I love it.  Even when things go bad at work, I know that no matter what I’ve got an amazing group of women standing next to me and helping out any way they can, and I’ve got their backs too! :D

The last two weeks have been living proof of this.  I rely on transit to get around – work, groceries, going out for coffee, etc. Transit is my only way to get anywhere and two weeks ago they went on strike – a full work stoppage.  It practically crippled the city – or at least it did for students and 11 000 riders who have no other means of getting around. For me it was like break my leg all over again. I had to rely on friends to get to and from work and when that wasn’t possible I had to take a cab, which can get very expensive if you have to do it more than once a day. Thankfully I have the most amazing friends a woman could ever ask for!  I only had to take a cab once to work and I took a cab somewhere else – that I’ve now forgotten somehow, so my bank account wasn’t drained like I was fearing.  The work-stoppage couldn’t have come at worse time.  We have been getting ready for Black Friday, getting shipments almost every day, so when the strike was first announced, I was frantic with worry that I would have to either work less (hard to do when you’re part of the management team) or pay an exorbitant amount for cab fare.  Luckily, my boss and all the girls at work understood the situation and were more than willing to help out and give me rides even when they weren’t working.  It touched my heart in so many ways that I can’t even express how grateful I am.  Special little treats (and coffee) will be coming their way as a huge thank you!

Okay, now to the Christmas stuff!  :D

I used to never really decorate my place for Christmas because I was in school and usually ended up going home for most of December so there was no point. However, last year – my first year out of school and working full time (almost) I thought, I might as well start a new tradition for myself since I’m finally “adulting” properly.  So I set out to find some decorations of my own, and asked my parents to send me my collection of ornaments from the past 30-odd years. I found a cute little tree at the dollar store, bought some indoor lights, some basic ornaments and set to work on making my place look like Christmases of old.  It’s definitely not the same to decorate a tree without kids running around and begging to put the star on top, or asking for one more candy cane. There were no cats to climb the branches and try to knock everything over, but it still gave me a sense of home. I have lived in my little place four years and it never really felt like home. But it did after I put the last touches on the tree last year.  I knew that there would be a little tradition in this decorating thing for me, so this year I dug out all of my decorations and my little dollar store tree and set out to decorate it.  I added a few things to the display from work and even placed my Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer figurines (courtesy of my little sister) under the tree.  I’ve got a stocking, two beanie boos, some battery operated candles and light-up mini trees surround the tree itself.

I have a lot more I want to add, but have to wait until next pay day.  There are a couple of Christmas stores near work that I’m going to explore now that the buses are back up. :)

Christmas is honestly my favourite holiday, and not because of the gifts, but because of the feeling it leaves in my heart.  Even when I can’t be with my family for all the traditional events like a trip to Banff, Zoo lights, Christmas eve dinner, church and opening gifts, I still feel loved and truly blessed to be alive, and to have such amazing people in my life.  Every year I’m reminded of those we have lost over the years and I can’t help but smile as I remember special moments with them that warmed my heart. I am always reminded of being a kid and being excited for Santa Claus, and seeing all the lights around the city. I even love white Christmases. It’s the only time I ever want it to snow – Christmas eve and Christmas day. :)

I still don’t sleep much on Christmas eve. Anticipation, memories, love and knowing that I’m surrounded by my family – even if only in spirit, keep me wide awake.

It’s going to be a different kind of Christmas this year, because I have to work and can’t get the time off until after the holidays – which I’m perfectly okay with.  But I’ve got a plan, and I know that I’ll see home again before too long and the kids will be there to greet me, share smiles and laughs and excitement.  I don’t even mind that I’ll be alone on the two days that I’m usually never alone – Christmas day and eve.  I’ll work on the 24th probably, then go to a church service near my place, enjoy a special meal with lots of snacks, christmas movies and a phone call home.  Christmas day will be the toughest, but I’ll be opening a couple little things from friends/family, no doubt, and I’ll cook my own little dinner and enjoy more christmas movies and go for a walk and just enjoy the day. :)

I’m not at all worried about being alone this year.  :D

  Here are some fun photos so far of the season. :D I can’t wait to start using my new colouring book!

Have a great week all!

~ Kate

Ghosts of Christmas It's not a Christmas Carol reference, but this post is going to be about Christmas - which is only 32 days away!

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That Delicious Moment

Crazy days have arrived! Black Friday is upon us and I’m at a loss for time – even with transit having been on strike for two weeks. However, I have some free time today – my last day off until next week so I thought I would finally do my recipe post that I’ve been promising for weeks! I have so many amazing recipes given to me by my mom, and I have found so many others in the seven years that I…

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So much has happened in the last couple of weeks.  Halloween, busy work schedules and dental issues mixed in with a looming transit strike.

First thing’s first. I absolutely adore halloween! I love fall and the smells and the colours and the adorable little costumes the kids wear.  I think the best part of this halloween was that I had to work. I know that’s a funny thing to say, but I work at a kid’s clothing store at the mall in my little city, and every year the mall does a trick-or-treating event for the kids.  We give out candy and all the kids come dressed up and they are so cute! We even got to dress up.  I of course went as a hockey player – Carey Price, just because I have the jersey. :)

The girls I work with are awesome, and we had so much fun and it was one of the best days of work I had that week. :D

The last week or so has been a been busy and stressful. It started when City Transit issued a 72-hour strike notice last Thursday. Thankfully they didn’t strike last week, because I spent the weekend dealing with the worst dental pain of my life and I had my upper teeth removed and implants put in three years ago ( I still have my lower teeth). I struggled through work Sunday and Monday and took way too many painkillers for it to be healthy, but I got an emergency appointment at the dentist and was put on antibiotics straight away.  Luckily, they pulled the tooth that was trying to kill me and the abscess is finally starting to heal. There’s still some pain but nothing compared to the weekend!

I have to say that I have broken minimum 10 bones in my lifetime, and I can handle that pain with grace and very little tears, but when it comes to dental pain I’m the world’s biggest baby. I honestly can’t handle dental pain at all.  So I’m on day three of working through the extraction pains and the healing of the abscess though It’s not nearly as bad as it was so I can actually function and enjoy life again! :D

Now back to the other stressor in my life! Transit.  They didn’t go on strike last week, but as of 4:30am this morning, they walked off the job leaving anyone who solely relies on transit to get to and from work in the lurch.  I don’t take the bus by choice. I do it because I don’t drive and can’t afford a car even if I did drive. At any rate, I’ve got some great people working with me who have offered rides and my parents are helping out if I need to take a cab to and from work. It’s just incredibly frustrating when I can’t get to work without asking for rides. I pride myself on being independent and getting places by myself. At any rate, I hope it doesn’t last very long because I can’t afford to take cabs to and from work every day and I don’t like asking for rides – I always feel bad…

In the meantime, today is my day off so instead of wasting money on a cab ride into town to run errands I’m chilling at home and colouring and catching up on my writing and reading. :)

I also wanted to add one more photo of my closest friend and I because we’re just so cute! :D

Recipes are coming next! I’ve got some great ones! :D

~ K

What do you do? So much has happened in the last couple of weeks.  Halloween, busy work schedules and dental issues mixed in with a looming transit strike.

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Happy two weeks before halloween!  It’s my favourite time of year and I couldn’t ask for better weather! It’s grey, cloudy and pouring rain today and I’m beyond happy!!!  Yes, I’m a tad crazy for enjoying days like these, especially when I can actually get outside and feel the cool drops as they splatter my water-resistant Under Amour hoodie. ;)

That being said, today’s post is all about the comfy clothes that I love to wear on days like today and throughout the fall/winter when I don’t need to be a fashion guru at work (which I’m not really lol).

Under Armour is my favourite brand.  I’ve got some seriously expensive tastes apparently, but I’m willing to shell out the extra dough for high-quality, long-lasting clothing because I’m so hard on everything.  I don’t pick and choose what gets washed daily, nor do I sort my colours or whites and delicates when doing laundry, so spending a little more to keep my clothes longer is okay with me. :)

Anyway, Under Armour, an American athletic apparel company has stolen my heart and drained my bank account a couple of times over the last few months.  It’s not just because of the quality though.  It’s also because the company is inspiring, motivating and in my humble opinion, one of the best  labels I’ve ever worn.  The clothing is comfortable, fits well and keeps me warm, dry and pain-free (the shoes!)

These are the shoes I’m talking about! They were actually a birthday gift from the ex, but I won’t talk about that here lol.  These runners, already well-worn, have saved my feet for the last two months almost. :) Since mid-June I have suffered some major pain in my poor little feet.  Plantar Fasciitis, I expect, though have never had it checked out.  I was wearing shoes that were adorable but not at all the right choice for working 7.5 hour days once I started working as a supervisor. So, I decided to do some research into shoes.  I checked out Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Reebok, but none seemed to work out for me.  They didn’t fit my narrow child-sized feet, weren’t comfortable, or didn’t have enough cushion in the soles.  So, I decided to try out a couple different pairs of Under Armour shoes at Sport Chek (these guys feed my athletic wear addiction lol).  I already owned a pair of UA sneakers for my workouts and walks but couldn’t wear them work as per dress codes.  A week before my birthday in August, I was perusing apparel on the Sport Chek website and found the above babies.  So I headed down the store near work and tried them on.  It was love and first step! I couldn’t have asked for a more comfortable pair of shoes and they were black and white – just what I could wear to work! I mentioned them to the ex, and he offered to buy them for me for by birthday.  At first I said no because they were $120 but he insisted and I really needed them/wanted them.

I honestly recommend these sneakers to anyone and everyone! :D

  Next comes the pants lol. I love sweats, yoga pants and anything comfy that I can snuggle up in on the couch and watch a movie or read a good book.  So these pants are perfect.  Priced at $50-$70 each regular price, I was hesitant to buy them, but trying them on told me flat out that they were a must for my little wardrobe.  The black ones on the left are cropped and come to just below the knee. They are roomy, soft and perfect for lounging.  The grey ones on the right are a little tighter fitting, but full length and keep me warm and comfy on those days when I get too cold to wear the cropped pants.  :D

  These guy are my workout gear! I wear these for every workout I do.  I don’t hit the gym like some people. I prefer the comfort of my own home. :)  The black shorts (top right) are compression shorts and fit nicely under the blue shorts (left).  Both are comfy and cool and keep me motivated to keep going even when I don’t want to.  The black sports bra, is just that – a sports bra to provide support during those intense workouts – women will completely understand I think. ;)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this hoodie! When I bought it, I was originally looking for a pink camo hoodie, but they were all sold out of my size, so I found this one.  It’s not camo, but it doesn’t matter.  This is the best thing I have ever bought! I wear it every day as a coat instead of trying to find my fall jackets which keep hiding on the floor of my closet, no matter how many times I hang them up, lol. The best thing about this top is that it’s water resistant.  Instead of absorbing all the rain water, the drops bead and slide right off.  I love it, because in my little city, we get our fair share of rain in the fall. Not quite as much as Vancouver, but still quite a bit. It’s the warmest hoodie I have ever owned, and so worth the $70 that I paid for it back in early August.

As you can see I absolutely love Under Armour.  I’m a loyal consumer and plan on buying a winter jacket by them, though it will take some saving up to do that. :)

  There you have it ladies and gentlemen! My love affair with one of the best athletic apparel brands in North America :D

Coming up later this week – halloween movies, photos and more!  Keep checking back! :D

  ~ Kate

        Love Affair with Under Armour Happy two weeks before halloween!  It's my favourite time of year and I couldn't ask for better weather!

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Affirmation Challenge Part 2

Affirmation Challenge Part 2

It’s been a while since I’ve posted my affirmation challenges on here, so I’ve gone through all my photos on Instagram for the challenge and collected that last few that I didn’t share. :D Affirmation Challenge day 24 and 25: I am powerfully positive in everything I think, do and say; I radiate positive energy.  I was going to post two different photos for these days, but I love this quote so…

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Work work work

I don’t mean to quote that Rhianna song – not even really a fan of it to be honest, but that’s what I’ve been doing for the past week, hence the lack of posts as promised.  I was originally only scheduled for three days last week, but ended up having to cover for one of our girls. I don’t mind at all.  It just means more experience, more money. :) However, some things have to take a back burner,…

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Called to a purpose 

fall evenings in Kelowna I will be posting my other updates on Thursday, so come back for much more interesting stuff! 😀 but read this post too! Lol  Have you ever felt like you were called to something or someone? I have. And quite literally.  My day off turned into an extra 5 hours at work and I have to say, I was surprised by the phone call that came shortly before my alarm went off, but…