21
June
2008
Mike’s parents were in town this week so we got some babysitting in and went out 2 days early for my birthday. We went out with friends to the Wild Tangerine for dinner and then to O’Byrnes Irish Pub for some music. It was an awesome night out and really yummy food. I highly recommend the Asian Ceasar salad, beef stirfry with sesame mayo sauce, an alchemy to drink, and the Chocolate from the East dessert (crust made with cashews and lychee nuts) dark chocolate on top, and the Italian dessert wine. O’Byrnes of course was fun as usual.
Thanks friends for a great night out!
Posted: Edmonton, Friends, My Stuff
4
June
2008
I’ve always wanted to be the journaling type. But I’m not. And I’ve got a box full of partially written in journals to prove it. In fact some of those journals end up getting used for multiple things! But a friend recommended a great journal to me that I’ve been using every day! So I thought I would share. It’s called The 5 Year Journal, by Doreene Clement. The premise of the journal is that it has chunks of lines that cover 5 years of the same date. Within that chunk there are 3 lines per year. So I can go to June 4th, write in 2008 and use those 3 lines to write about the day, write about each boy, etc. Then next year on June 4, I move down, write in 2009 and use those 3 lines to write about what happened on June 4, 2009. Because 5 years of one date are chunked together I can read what was happening on that date each year. And because it’s only 3 lines I don’t feel any pressure to write a bunch, there’s no room! So every night I write about 1 sentence for each boy, or something about our day. And I do it every night because it’s so easy!
Posted: Miscellaneous, My Stuff
12
September
2007
Okay, so I haven’t gotten to post any Mon/Fayette Expressways in awhile. I guess I was due.
Tonight Mike was trying to book a ticket back home for an event he has to attend. We decided it would be a good time to use our Northwest Miles since we can’t use them at Christmas or in the summer (that’s a whole other post!). He finally found some flights that he could use our miles on (all the better flights wanted 37,000 miles instead of the usual 25,000). He found a flight he thought was reasonable even though he already had to stop twice and leave and arrive at awful times, but that’s what you expect from airlines, right?
When he went to book his flight and typed in his address in Canada, the number of miles he had to use jumped from 25,000 miles to 32,000 miles! When he was booking the flight and they thought he was residing in the US it was 25,000, but when it became known that his address was in Canada, the cost jumped 7,000 miles! Now maybe I’m being rash or quick to get angry, but does this seem ridiculous to you? I fly on their airline several times a year. They’re happy to take my money and give me sub-par service, all of which I can actually live with, with only a small amount of complaining. But an exchange rate on miles? Really? Everything you read, says 25,000 Continental US and Canada. To make matters even more exasperating they won’t even take our credit card to pay the fees that they charge to process a ticket using Miles. It has to be a credit card issued to someone residing in the US! I’m just dumbfounded at the ridiculousness of this.
Friends who know me well, I’m sure can picture the frustration seething at the surface. Wouldn’t it be fun to sit and talk with me about this? Ha ha! This, my friends, may be the next Mon/Fayette Expressway. 
Posted: Miscellaneous, My Mon/Fayette Expressways, My Stuff
8
September
2007
In one afternoon even! They boys were tired out from swimming, so I’ve had a super long naptime to write. Yay! And since I’ve been a bit behind I thought I would get these out. I have one more I’m working on, but I usually like to go back and re-read them (which is usually the hold up in getting them posted). Anyway, be thankful with me for long naptimes and the energy to hopefully write something coherent!
Posted: Drew & Bran, My Stuff
28
June
2007
Last night Mike and I went to see Kellylee Evans at the Yardbird during Jazzfest. I have to say this was an AMAZING performance! Kellylee is an incredible singer, her voice is beautiful and she exudes joy and life both during her performances and in person. I highly recommend listening to her. She even had us dancing at one point!
Kellylee was nominated for a 2007 Juno for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Someone else you might also be interested in is one of the members of her quintet. Guitar/trumpet/piano player Kevin Ramessar. Another awesome musician, originally from Alberta I might add. He opened for her and played intermission. I have never enjoyed watching someone play the guitar as much as I enjoyed him. It was mostly acoustical stuff and I was entranced by his music and his style. His performance of Kairos, was the best of the evening.
The night ended with the best cover of Imagine that I have ever heard. This was an AWESOME birthday present. Thanks honey! And thanks Lims for braving bedtime with the boys and giving us a late night out!
Here’s some websites to check out Kellylee and Kevin Ramessar.
Posted: Edmonton, My Stuff
24
June
2007
Proud of myself that is…
The boys have been particularly difficult this week and I’ve been extra tired, so we’ve been having our “moments” of insanity. So on Friday I drew up all of my reserved energy (not sure from where) and took the boys on an LRT ride to the Library. We rode the LRT all the way to the end, so they could watch us go over the river and see where “daddy works” (the buildings somewhere on that hill over there…). Then we rode back to the library. The boys did really well in the library, there were only a few rough moments, like when Bran tried to take all of the DVDs off the shelf and Drew tried to run out of the library.
After we managed to get through the book check out, we went next door to Second Cup for a smoothie. They boys did so great; this is where I was really proud of them. They each sat in a chair and I put a table between them with some fishy crackers on it, and they had a snack and took turns sharing the smoothie. I was getting quite the credit from those around us who were so amazed at how good they were. Our only bad moment was when Drew decided he wanted to throw the straw wrapper away. I told him he had to wait until it was time to leave. So in Drew fashion, he got down off the chair, waved and said goodbye to Bran and I, and proceeded to walk out of Second Cup to find a garbage can.
After our smoothie, we went down to look at the fountain at Churchill Square. The boys thought it was really neat and I let them touch it for a little bit. Then we got back on the LRT and went home. Whew, what a morning. But I’m so thankful that although it was so much work, we did it, and we survived. 
Posted: Drew & Bran, My Stuff
22
June
2007
I just wanted to say thanks to Mike and our friends (and neighbors) Jon and Connie Lim for giving me an awesome birthday this week! Jon and Connie made me a terrific dinner Tuesday night. Then we played a new game the boys got me, “Hey That’s My Fish!” until the boys fell asleep. Then we went next door and I got to play Guitar Hero for the first time. I have to say it’s VERY addicting and I didn’t do too bad for a first-timer. Hopefully their housemate, Andrew (it’s his game) will be around a while so I can get a chance to play some more. It’s definitely a great “spent the entire day with two, 2-year olds” stress reliever!
Next week, Mike and I will go to the Yardbird during Jazzfest. Oh, if only my friend Maggie could be here for that!
Thanks friends for a great birthday!
PS: Is 33 old? Because I didn’t feel old at 30, 31, or 32, but when my baby sister reminded me that she’s turning 25, I felt REALLY old! It didn’t bother me when she was turning 24, but I felt keenly aware that she’s just now entering her mid-20′s and I’m moving quickly into my mid-30′s! I think I might be entering an age crisis. 
Posted: Friends, My Stuff
