** This is a coupon code for the gap online***

Maternity Clothes-

So I've been slowly buying maternity clothes over the past few months. I started at 10 weeks, and although I wasnt showing then, my regular Express Editors that I wear for work virtually every day (i have several pairs) no longer buttoned up. Rather than buy a larger "normal" size, I decided to just jump straight to maternity, as they would fit me the rest of the pregnancy, an not just for another month. I started at Valley fair mall and went to Motherhood Maternity, A Pea in a Pod, Old Navy and the Gap.

Motherhood Maternity Sucked. Everything was cheaply made, had WAY to many patterns, and just looked like dowdy "mom" clothes. Plus when i put them on, i truely looked pregnant...and Im trying to disguise people. I only spend about 1/2 in there and left empty handed. C-

The Gap in store had a very small selection. The stuff they had there was ok, but there just wasnt enough to choose from, so again, i left empty handed. B-

A Pea in A Pod had a ton of cute stuff. Designer maternity jeans, awesome tops, wraps, belly creams you name it- they have it. It was all high quality- but very very expensive. As this was my only success of the day, i spent a little more than i should have, but it made me feel good so whatever. I got a pair of jeans, a pair of black work pants (that i've been wearing everyday since), 2 shirts and belly cream that is supposed to prevent stretch marks (we'll see about that in coming months). Overall, great success, nice stuff, but expensive. A-

Old Navy in store had a larger selection than the Gap... however, as Im really not an Old Navy fan in the first place, I didnt find anything I liked. They cut their clothes really large, and nothing fits properly. That said, i did buy a few regular sized Large T-shirts, and they are pretty awesome. I love Old Navy T's, but the maternity clothes are so-so at best. B

Target- Target's selection really sucks. I was sadly dissappointed bc I am a big fan of Target's young adult women's section (mossimo & Xileration). I always get several tops, bathing suits, and tanks from Target- so i expected more from the maternity section. They have like 2 racks of clothes and its all pretty dowdy. C

Nordstroms in store- Doesnt even have a maternity section so dont try. How can such a huge department store that caters to the rich palo alto moms that lunch not have a maternity section?? D-

Since visiting the mall stores, I've jumped on-line- and have had much more success, as the selection is far superiour to the mall stores.

Old Navy Online- Huge selection of stuff at great prices. Again, Im weary of buying anything Old Navy, bc it never fits my shoulders right, but i did get a cute Maternity tankini Top for like $12 that is really cute. There is absolutely ZERO breast support though, and i find this funny bc hello people, maternity boobs are like 4 times the size of normal boobs. but i guess that is what you get for 12 bucks. B

Nordstroms Online- Huge selection of stuff, but nothing is on sale, thus you are forced to pay full price, which at norstroms is usually too much. But if you're looking for a nice dress for a wedding or something like that, this is the place to go. Lots of designer brands, nothing looks like "mom clothes", its all pretty chic. I havent actually ordered anything from them, as I just cant pay that much for clothes that will only last me another 4 months. B

The Gap OnLine- Ok so I've saved the best for last. I absolutely LOVE GAP ONLINE MATERNITY. They have a huge selection, there is a ton of stuff on sale, the prices are reasonable, and I can order with confidence bc the sizing is the same as your pre-pregnancy gap size, and the quality is decent. I've ordered several tops that are all cute, more black work pants and a pair of maternity jeans. One caveat on the jeans- I've never really been a fan of Gap jeans as there is not enough "wear" in the pants- ie fading ect. But they were cheap, they fit well, and I guess i can take some sand paper to them to give them the worn in look that expensive designer jeans already have. I've definatly had the most success at GAP online, and Since i dont have to try them on at the store, i dont feel all big and fat in their oversized mirrors. A+.


If you need any maternity clothes shopping advice- just ask me. I've done my research and I feel like an expert. Oh and in case you're wondering, Nike, Speedo & TYR DONT make a "Sport Maternity Racing Suit". Speedo has a couple of "casual wear" maternity suits--- but why would you pay $80 for a casual wear suit?? So if you're looking for a maternity racing swimsuit... just buy a size 40- its working out pretty well for me thus far.


XOXOo
Eve

Mom’s SF Visit

This weekend my most favorite mummy came to Cali for a visit! Here’s the breakdown:
1- Bucca De Peppa family style Italian dining- yummy

2- Sprinkles gourmet cupcakes for dessert- because who doesn’t want a $5 cupcake?

3- Girls Spa Day! Facials, Massage, Mani & Pedi complete with nice robes and a spa lunch- We were in absolute heaven. Such a great way to spend a day! If you live around here, I recommend Plum Spa in San Jose.

4- Movie Date to see “My Sisters Keeper”- a perfect chick flick to see with your mom. Complete with popcorn & diet coke- Because a movie just isn’t the same without it.

5- Wal-Mart * 2- because the states have so many more As Seen on TV items for sale than Canada
a. Items purchased: Slap Chop & Debbie Meyer’s Bread Bags
b. Items I convinced my mom she didn’t need: The bump it and these bra strap holders that keep your straps in place.

6- Target- lots of clothes were purchased by both parties. 2 new sports bras for me, and 2 cute skirts for my mom.

7- In & Out- Classic California Take out. Kicks McDicks ass any day of the week!

8- Pool Day- One of the perks about being an apartment dweller- Lounging by the Pool Reading trashy mags & drinking diet cokes with Lots of Ice. We pretended we were in Mexico.

9- Sweet Home Alabama- Enjoyed a nice Sunday afternoon nap/movie after the pool

10- Pizza- For Sunday dinner we ordered Pizza and chatted the night away

11- Caltrain- Mom took Caltrain by herself up to SF for a city tour. I gave her maps and directions and I really hope she makes it back in one piece! I told her not to look any one in the eye and keep her hand on her purse at ALL times.

Coming up

12- Last dinner at Fresh Choice- I figure we should probably throw in something healthy to eat

13- Fire Station Tour- Tonight we’re visiting Sean at the fire station for an official tour complete with photographs with my sexy fireman.

Thanks for coming mom!! I always love your visits and our chats.

Photos to come…


XOXO
Eve

Vancouver Trip

So- I visted my BFF Iris in Vancouver over July 4th long weekend and we had a blast.

I still havent found my camera, thus there are no pictures. So Sad, bc it was sooo beautiful. If you ever make it to Whistler BC, i Highly recommend the Peak-to-Peak Gondola. So pretty (and high). But skip the 1/2hr line for the one with the glass bottom... the other one is just as great.

Vancouver has great food. I had the best Margerita pizza ever! Authentic Itilian, Lots of sauce, chewy crust, and just a little mozza (the real kind). Plus it was only $13- a steal!

Skip Victoria Island- the best part about it is the ferry ride to and from, which is insanely beautiful, but the actual city is like RedDeer Alberta. Just a regular city with a bunch of chain restaurants... in fact, i think that the BYU campus is far prettier and more lush than Victoria, and its in the desert people.

Next trip is to LA to see Aishia get married! I love Indian weddings- so colorful, great food, and lots of people.

Then Disney with the family for 4 days, yippeeee-- i love summer!

XOXO
Eve

Here is a picture of me and my sisters that ran the Seattle Rock n Roll Half.

Yes, this picture is borrowed from Serinda's blog

and yes, that is my big belly :)

My Rockstar Moment

So this weekend was one of my most fantastic weekends ever! I met up with all 5 of my sisters (Betina, Serinda, Patience, Nawana & Celeste) in the beautiful, clean city of Seattle. We all travelled there from different places to run the First Ever Seattle Rock n Roll Half Marathon. After becoming pregnant 4 months ago my ability to run has been greatly hampered by several factors namely exhausting, nausea and cramps. So I decided about a month ago that I was just going to Cheer them on, but not to race. In fact, in the last 2 months I have been on one 5 mile run, and that is it. Running had just become far to tiresome and uncomfortable. Besides that I have been swimming a couple of times, and to spin class a couple of times, but in all honestly, I’ve been a complete lazy ass.

So, in packing for Seattle I brought my gym clothes including shoes, shorts & sports bra, but not my running specific items (sunglasses, hat, fuel belt), as I was only planning on going to the gym. But Im not going to lie… in my heart of hearts, I really did want to run the race.

We got to the expo on Friday to pick up our race packets…. and I got a little caught up in the race excitement and I too picked up my number and purchased a new fuel belt and visor just in case I changed my mind about racing on Friday morning. From that point, my fate was sealed…. I was running that damn race, like it or lump it! My sisters also encouraged me to do it, and I was a little jelly that I wasn’t going to run with Poo and Nunu for their first ever race!

Saturday morning came along and I was ready. I was running the race! We all started out running together, and then Poo, the rockstar jetted out ahead of us at about mile 5. I was not going fast. I was taking it easy as I didn’t want to get any cramps, and I knew that I was pregnant and ill prepared for the race. I ran a nice easy jog pace, adding ½ hr onto my last half marathon time. We finished at 2 hrs 26 minutes-- And it was super super fun. I ran with nunu and betina the whole time, and we all crossed the finish line together! There was a point when betina and nawana were ahead of me, but I was so lonely behind them that I pulled out my old running legs and caught up to them just in time to finish the last mile together.

Even though this is the slowest I’ve ever run, it is the most proud finish I’ve ever had! Come one people, I am 4 months pregnant and have not been running! So… that’s my rockstar moment. Crossing the finish line and running the race with my sisters.

And a special thanks to Serinda and Celeste for being the best cheerleaders ever and taking care of baby Georgia while we ran. Go Team! Way to go Girls! I love you!


XOXO
Eve

Swimming!

I am having such a hard time focusing at work today, so I thought i'd write a little blurb to mix things up a bit.

I went lane swimming last night (with my friend Molly) for the first time in literally years. I was on the swimteam once upon a time in jr high and highschool, but it has been 10yrs+ since I've seriously swam! Ive done alot of other things in the meantime including running and biking. Running has been my main source of exerise for the last 3-4 yrs, and I actually became pretty decent at it. That was however until I became an incubator for an alien lifeform. Now my body is heavy and every step i take running hurts 4 times more than it should. And I just cant get into the Zone... you know, the place where you just sail along and you dont really feel anything? Yeah that place disappeared many weeks ago.

SO back to swimming.. it felt amazing! I didnt feel my extra weight at all, and I just glided through the water. Plus its so nice and cool in the water, you dont even feel the sweat! LOVE it LOVE it LOVE it. I have found my pregnancy exercise of choice, swimming!!! the only thing that sucked was buying a swimsuit. I had to get the largest size they had, and I know its not going to fit for too long (they didnt have any "maternity" sport suits.. just flowery things that i knew would not hold up for serious lane swimming). I look one of the larger girls on the swim team. All stuffed into the suit, no real shape or form.. just a giant puffball with back fat!! So, next time, im ordering on line. No change room or mirrors required!

Ok back to work.

XOXO
Eve

Gaining lots of weight....

Just in case you dont know.... Im having a baby! Crazy......I've never actually thought about being a "mom". The idea is so foreign to me that i just try to take it one day at a time, endure the weight gain, exhaustion and nausea, and I try not to think the "big picture". One day at a time, right?!? In fact, I bought that book "What to expect when you're expecting", and I've barely even looked at it. Its all just so disgusting, I'd rather live in ignorance :) So if you have any dirty details you're dying to share... tell someone else... Ignorance is blissful! Im sure I'll find out all about it soon enough.

I got an ultra sound yesterday and it was really cool! the baby is fully formed, arms, legs, head ect. It was totatly chilling with its legs up, and at one point the baby looked straight at us (although im pretty sure it doesnt have eyes yet).

I belong to Kaiser HMO... a everyone i know seems to complain about Kaiser... but in the 5 yrs that I've been covered by them, I've only ever had pleasant experiences. I can make and cancel appointments online, My OBGYN has an ultrasound machine in her office, so i get an ultrasound at EVERY appointment, and they have all these cool health classes that they keep signing me up for (early preganancy, prenatal nutrition, 2nd trimester ect). I didnt show up for a class on monday and I actually got a personal phone call to reschedule me. They are sooo Cool. Plus my co-pay is only $5 per appointment, my labs are free, and check this out... when i go to labor and delivery, my co pay is $000000000. FREEEEE... i have the best insurance ever!!!!!!!! Well, Tibco has the best insurance ever. And when I have to switch to Sean's insurance it will be a few thousand dollars, so im just enjoying my amazing coverage while i have it!

Hmmm What else... oh, I am fat. Not like cute belly fat.. more like the freshman 15 boy shes getting chubby fat! I had to switch to maternity pants very early on... only like 10 weeks along, how embarrassing is that! Plus Im not helping myself at all, as i barely work out anymore. Im just SOSOO Exhausted after work i basically eat and sleep. Im hoping to jump back on the running train tonight after work.

Anyhoo... my estimated due date is Dec 13, a christmas baby! This means I wont be all hot and sweaty in my 3rd trimester, great news! Our 5 yr anniversay is Dec 11, so this fits right into my 5 yr plan! Come December I am going to have to come up with a new 5 yr Plan.

Ok, that is enough babbling for now.

XOXO
Eve

Homeward Bound

Im trecking up north to the homeland tomorrow. This is no easy feat as home is a tiny northern albertan town 3hrs away from the nearest airport... so this means a 3 hr plane ride, a 3 hr car ride plus 4 hrs airport wait time (2hrs each way since its "international"). PhEUFFF!!! Luckliy my mummy dearest is picking me up at the airport, so i wont have to bear the tretchous drive alone! Its a 2 lane highway filled with slow moving lumber trucks, and passing them is always so scary. Plus there is always the chance that you are going to hit a moose!! Shes picking me up in her smart car, which should be an experience in and of itself! Guess i need to pack light!

Home is SLAVE LAKE alberta... a small oil/lumber town of approximately 7,000 residents. It is winter 9 months of the year, and rainy the other 3. This said, it really is quite beautiful, and has a lovely beach that can be enjoyed for about a week every year!

Its been extremely hot in cali the last week or so, we're talking 38 C (100 F). My SL friend Danielle has just informed me that there is still snow on the ground... oh me oh my, whats a girl to do?? I guess I'll have to leave the flip flops at home and hope my old seral boots are somewhere in the vast bootroom.

OHHH.... im so excited for some small town fun!! And im so excited to see my mom, 3 sisters and the 2 very dear friends that I have left there. I'll try to take pictures... I've been so bad at this lately!

XOXO
Eve

CHUCK LOVES BLAIR!!!! AND BLAIR LOVES CHUCK BACK!! FINALLY!! Best EPI ever, i cannot wait for Next Season of GG!

XOXO
Eve

bRITney Bombed

Ok, so i am a die hard britney fan, and have been for years. I've always believed that she'd make a comeback post k-fed. Finally after 10 years of being her #1 fan, i got to go to her concert! Sounds exciting, right? Yeah, I was super excited.. and to my disspointment, she bombed big time. Heres a low down on the concert:

1) SHE DIDNT SING LIVE: THis of course was expected, and I think its ok when the performed dances their asses off, but...

2) SHE DIDNT DANCE: All she did was walk between four different areas on the stage. Or she was getting pushed around by a dancer on her circus cart. No Dancing.. this was the biggest dissapointment.

3) No Close ups: You know the big screen that shows close ups of the singer... well there wasnt one! There were a ton of video screens playing retarted videos, and NO CLOSE UPS. So basically it may have been a stand in for Britney, I'll never know for sure.

4) SHE DIDNT TALK TO THE AUDIENCE: You know how some of the best concerts are those where the preformer really pumps up the audience, getting us excited?!? Well, Britney didnt do that at all. She said 2 things to us the whole concert, in a monotone, non excited voice: "Whats up Oakland" at the beginning and "Dont Drink and Drive" at the end.

In contrast, the Pussycat dolls opened for Britney, and they were awesome. THey danced their asses off, they sang live and they got the audience totatly excited.

4 thumbs down for britney... and this is coming from a die hard britney fan. Im sooo dissappointed... I need to find a new pop tartlet to worship. Rhianna was in the running until she got back together with Chris brown the woman beater.... so Im not sure now.

Girls Weekend!

I had the most fabulous weekend with my 2 very good friends Jessie and Lindsay from BYU. Jessie and I met on the Spring 2002 European Business study abroad and have been best of friends ever since. Here’s a little recap:

Friday- I left work early and picked them up at the airport. We headed straight to North Beach in San Fran and had a late lunch at a nice little nondescript Italian place. We ate outside and people watched on the always interesting streets of San Francisco. Next up, a quick stop at the Golden Gate Bridge for the necessary tourist pictures, and a drive down Lombard Street. I always get scared driving up and down those steep hills. Finally, we ended up at the Giants baseball game. They played Arizona and won 2-0! Go Giants! We further indulged in Gilroy garlic fries at the game. When in San Francisco, everyone should go to a Giants game. The stadium has an old-school theme, and it is right on the water. It’s a nice little taste of America at its finest.

Saturday- Saturday morning we slept in and then drove up to the Paul Mitchell school in SF and had a mini recessionista spa day! We all got facials, eye treatments and waxing all for well under $100. The girls even bought some skin products, which meant that the students did a good job selling it. I know better and only buy it with a discount J.
After the spa we were all starving so we jetted across the street to the BEST pizza place in SF- Extreme Pizza. The pizza has a perfect crust. It is thin and crispy on the outside, but the inside is nice and chewy. The toppings are all fresh and they load it up with tomato sauce with just a dash of cheese. It is a pretty healthy choice when it comes to pizza. I used to eat it OFTEN when I was going to school up there. Boy do I ever miss that place.
Next we made a pit stop at home, got all dolled up and headed to Santana row for the evening. We saw the new Russell Crowe movie “State of Play” which I would recommend to anyone who likes a good suspense flick. Russell put on like 35lbs for the movie, he’s absolutely huge! After the movie we did some shopping at Anthropologie, and then my personal favorite, lulu lemon. I spent way too much $$, and should probably take at least one thing back…. But I probably won’t, because I just Love it all!
Finally we went to dinner at Roux, a Louisiana/Cajun place. The food was ok and the service was just ok as well. I probably wouldn’t go back there again, so don’t waste your money. Dessert was Kara’s cupcakes… I was good and just had a tiny bite of Sean’s. J

Sunday- Church Holiday! First I did Lindsay’s hair in the morning. I retouched her highlights and gave her a trim with the addition of new bangs for a hot young look. Then we drove to Santa Cruz to enjoy the afternoon at the beach! Let me tell you, the Drive was insane. I have never seen traffic that bad. Sean forewarned me that it would be back, bc it was the first nice weekend marking the start of summer. What normally takes 45 minutes to drive, took an hour and a half in bumper to bumper traffic. There was an incident with a small angry Asian man in a Mercedes that got out of his car and started yelling at me in broken English. At first I tried to reason with the man, and then after seeing him get more and more hot headed, I said forget about it and ignored him until I got to my parking place. Don’t worry; I wasn’t in a accident or anything. He was just a mean little man who needs to take some valium with a shot of tequila.
After the “incident’ we headed to the boardwalk and hopped on the BIG DIPPER. My absolute favorite ride! It is an old rickety wooden rollercoaster, built in 1924. It’s got lots of dips, but no loops. I hate loops… I have a weak stomach and always barf after crazy rides. Then we got some freshly dipped frozen bananas… the healthiest fair food available. It was that or the funnel cakes, so I think we made the right choice. After walking the board walk we headed to the sand where we laid out our blankets, slathered on the sunscreen and read lots of trashy gossip mags while enjoying the sunshine. Two weird European guys in booty shorts and waxed legs came over to us and attempted to flirt… but I’m married women, and Jessie and Lindsay were not the least bit interested, so we shooed them away as politely as possible. The drive home took just as long as the drive there, so once we got back, the girls packed up and we headed to the airport.

What a fabulous weekend. I just love girl time! Especially when it is mixed in with a little bit of Sean time too.

XOXOEve

Hey Bloggers! Im going private, so if you'd like to read my blog, please leave me your email address. I know it will probably only be my sisters who care ..... but I've had some trouble in the past with my blog being public..... so im going private.

XOXO
Eve

Its Gonna be a good one!

Looking at my calendar of events for spring & summer, I realized that I am doing a ton of travelling and other awesome fun things!! Heres a sneak peak:

April
1) My girlfriends Jessie & lindsey are coming to Cali to visit me! Hello girls weekend:)
2) Sean and i are going to Utah to throw one of my dearest friends ms. marjie ralph a bridal shower! (unfortunatly the wedding is during qrt end close at work so i cant make it to the big day... im still so sad about this... damn fiscal calendar)

May
3) Im going to LA for my dear Friend Aishia's bridal shower. Its going to be a massive celebration! Hopefully I'll hit up the grove and melrose while I'm there :) Oh and some celebrity spotting at the IVY would be appreciated as well. Last time i went there i saw Ken Pauves (Hairdresser to the stars)!
4) Aishia is coming to Nor-Cal and her sister is hosting her bachelorette weekend.... more girl time!
5) Im going to my home town in Northern Alberta canada (basically Sibera) for a few days to visit my dear mummy & my only 2 friends that still live there! We're going to the one-screen movie theater, BPs for dinner and the beach for a picnic. I love small towns.

June
6) Sean's oldest brother is getting Married (miracle of miracles), and his other brother and wife will be staying with us (on our new pull out couch... hopefully its comfortable!).
7) 2 weeks of hell at Q2 quarter end at work (also margies wedding in utah, which i cannot attend, sob sob)....... followed by
8) Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon-aka Sisiter reunion Celebration!! All but one of my sisters are meeting up in Seattle and running the race together, or cheering us on. Since there are 6 sisters total its often hard to get us all together, so this should be good!

July
9) Im going to Vancouver to visit my BFF Iris in her new city Vancouver, BC. I get to check out her new life and I am sooo excited for her. The thriving PR career, the great apartment in a city that is just like SF only Cleaner & no bums. We might make it to Victoria island for a day trip which is supposed to be really beautiful, yea!
10) Sean and I are road tripping to LA for Aishia's wedding!!!! Aishia is one of my soul mates..... and i am sooo glad she found her one and only :)

August
11) Another Road Trip to So-Cal, only this time to Disneyland to enjoy 3 glorious days at my dad's disney timeshare with almost my entire family!!! This again, a true miracle considering the size of my family and distance apart we all live. Im really looking forward to this one... and since its the last event of the summer, it will be the end to a faboulous and busy season of family , friends, fun and many many airplane trips!

September
Oh, and September brings another quarter end at work.... 2 more weeks of hell to start off Fall.. how lovely. Im sure it will feel like I have a massive hangover.


What do you have planned for the summer?

XOXO
Eve

Its Official- I made the Cut for the 2009 Nike Marathon random Drawing!

What a nice way to end a long and boring MONDAY at work... getting an email like this:

Dear Nike Runner,Congratulations, you have been selected in the 2009 Nike Women's Marathon random drawing! You are now registered for the 2009 Nike Women's Marathon. Your credit card has been charged the race fee, and you will begin receiving emails with more information about the race. In the meanwhile, don't forget to check out the Nike Women's Marathon website at nikemarathon.com for additional information.

Yeah!!!! so exciting. Anyone else get in? We can train together if you like :) Lord knows i need help on the long runs!

XOXO

Eve

And just in case you were wondering,

one tinee tiny little bag of plain m&m's is 5 WW points. FIVE. Thats a meal people.

XOXO
Eve

Im Quitting M&M's today!
I feel like a stuffed sausage in my clothes.
Something must be done!

Check out our New Couch!


Heres a link to our new crate and barrel couch! We bought it this weekend off of craigs list- it is only 7 months old and kept in storage the whole time! I got it for 50% of retail, gotta love a good fire sale! It is a queen sleeper sofa, so now when you come to visit me you will have somewhere to sleep, oh yeah! Only problem was getting it up to our 3rd floor apartment. It suffered a minor fabric scratch, but its well hidden by the fabulous pillows! This thing was SOOO heavy, i couldnt even lift it. Luckliy our big strong neighbor was there to save the day.

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=936&f=11073&q=axis&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1


XOXO
Eve

Im addicted to M&M's.

No matter how many times i try to quit them, I always go back.

they are the perfect afternoon work snack.

the hard crunchie outside contrasts perfectly to the smooth chocolately insides.

they dont melt in my hands and make a mess on my paperwork.

I think I'd rather have 5 extra lbs on me then give up these delicious treats.

I just can quit them!

Busy Season is Over .... Halehjehal!!!

In case you're wondering why I haven’t been very responsive via phone or email, The last 2 weeks I have been crazy busy at work for my quarter end. This means 12-14 hr work days including 8 hrs on Sat & Sunday. This means no working out. This means free food from gourmet restaurants provided by my company. This means 5 extra pounds on my tummy.

Oh, I’m so glad it’s over and I can get back to the gym, cooking healthy meals, and surfing craigslist for deals.

Now to relax for the next 2.5 months until the next quarter end (June 1-14). Ohhhh and the cycle continues….

Presidents Day Long Weekend-

Sean and I were in Washington over the LONG weekend visiting my sister Betina's family. We got to meet our new little niece Georgia who is 6 weeks old! She is just as cute and fuzzy as a peach :) Betina complains that she is at least 2 sizes larger than she ever hoped to be in her life, but truth be told she is my size now... She looks great having just given birth 6 weeks ago! (I dont have this excuse, and should probably go on a diet).

My nephew Oakely is still the cutest thing ever...I seriously want to eat him up for breakfast. I love that kid! After the blessing we had a nice lunch in the church gym. Oakley was spotted grabbing Ivy's celery stick from her mouth, throwing it on the floor and laughing while Ivy burst into instantenous tears. As a mother Im sure i would have been furious with him... but as an auntie, I couldnt help but laugh out loud! He also pinky swore that he would still want cuddles when he turns 5 in July.

Eden is growing up so fast and is showing so much maturity. When I was evening out her hair (from an unfortunate Supercuts cut), she was all wiggly and and I told her "stay still, it hurts to be beautiful". To that she responded, "that's what hairdressers ALWAYS tell me when i get my hair cut!" Hahhaha... too funny. I told her to get used to it.... there would be much pain in the pursuit for beauty as she got older.

Ivy is a stubborn 2 year old and knows exactly what she wants. A child after my own heart. She wanted Uncle DAN all weekend long. Dan... did you put something in her bottle ??? She loves combing Eden's lucious hair.. and im sure there will be plenty of hair envy in her teenage years.

Unfortunately I still haven't found my camera but Betina did sent over 2 pictures from the visit (see below. Note that these are in black and white, so you still cannot see the orange glow of my hair).

ORANGE

So- as most of you know, i turned myself into a vibrant red head last spring... well, its been about 10 months of being red, and i need to return to my blonde roots. I just missed the way i felt as a blonde. I felt younger, prettier and friendlier. With red hair, people looked at me differently... like i was scary and intimidating. In the fashion world, this would be called Fierce... but I’d rather be friendly. After 10 months as a "fierce" red head...I can honestly say that blondes really do have more fun!

I spent 6 hrs in the salon on Saturday. One of my old teachers (a color specialist) worked her butt off to get the red pigment out of my fine locks. A very delicate process you see, since I've got fine hair, it is very easily damaged. Red pigments are dominant and are hard to erase. So, long story short, I was there for many many hours, and the results are really not what I was going for. I wanted darker (level 7) cool blonde with platinum highlights (level 10). Instead I got a medium warm blonde.... which under bright lights looks Orange/Yellow to me. I don’t mind the yellow so much... but the orange makes me want to barf.

Had I not been to beauty school...i would have been really upset right now. But after a weekend of staring in every mirror I passed, and rationalizing that i as long as I stay out of floursent lights for the next year (this means no visits home), maybe no one will notice??? I know that my colorist did the best job possible... and it will probably be another year and several more salon visits before I can return to my dark cool blonde roots, with platinum highlights. Until then...i hope you can all still be my friend even though my hair is Orangish. My hair is going through some tough times right now and it really needs some TLC. Super strength shampoo, weekly deep conditioners and heat seal spray prior to heat styling here i come. Maybe I'll resort to wearing a pony tail for the next year. I'll post a picture when i can find my camera again :)

XOXO
Eve

Congratulations to one of my nearest and dearest friends ms. Marjie Ralf!!

She's engaged and getting married June 4, 2008.

Her groom to be loves her dearly and treats her like a princess

There will be a bridal shower in Orem, Sat April 25th. If you're going to be in town
then please join in the fun!

XOXO
Eve

My Confession


Ok.... so December was a really really hard month for me. It was year end at my new accounting job, and it kicked my ass. I havent had to work those hours since public accounting and it did a serious number on my head, my health and my attitude. I got the christmas blues in a big way, and I decided not to celebrate the season. No tree, No christmas music, No decorations of any sort, No christmas cookies, No presents, and I didnt even make our annual christmas card (so no, YOU weren't excluded from my mailing list... I just didnt send any out). This is very out of character for me, as I am usually quite a fan of christmas, and I never miss a chance to bake , decorate and give away christmas cookies. But with work kicking my ass from Dec 1 through Dec 20, and the fact that Sean was working and my family was in Washington I just didnt feel any christmas love. So.... my confession is this....

All of those lovely Christmas cards you lovingly addressed to me with your sweet letters and beautiful pictures of you and your family...... yes those are the ones I mean.... well.... I kind of threw them all in the trash without reading them. PLease dont hate me for this. You see.... with work kicking my ass ( the theme of this blog) I didnt have any time to open any of them. THen when Christmas morning finally rolled around (when i was all by myself) I was tooo sad, depressed, and lonely.... and then seeing those cards gleeming with christmas tidings..... well they made me angry. So in a fury of rage and tossed them all in the trash, unopened.

There.... thats my confession. I promise I'll be better next year. Even if Sean has to work, I'll travel to see my family solo. And I'll send out cards.... probably early so that everyone can re-include me on their christmas mailing lists again.


XOXO
lonely girl

Sunday Fun

Today I gave a cut and color on my new friend Katie from church. I'm always a little nervous to do someone new, as I'm not quite sure of their "vision", so its nice when our minds meet. In this case she was smart and referrenced a current celebrity hairstyle, and since we all know I am a celebrity gossip whore, this works for me. Plus she was super specific with the color- she knew exactly what she wanted. Thanks for trusting me with your beautiful locks Katie- it was so fun getting to know you better!

I'll be in Utah for thanksgiving, so Im looking forward to do Margie's Hair again. She always lets me do whatever I want (and she really means it), she even lets me experiment with fun colors and placement techniques, so Im super excited for the next visit. She was also my hair model for my state board test. I didnt write about the occasion, but lets just say it is a long grueling day in which she couldnt talk, I gave her about 20 different hair services, I chopped about 6 inches off her hair, gave her a fake nail, a perm (with fake chemicals) and many other unpleasantrys. She was such a champ- so thank you margie. Free cuts and colors for life- I owe you.

XOXO
Eve

Me and my pops-
My dad came to see me last weekend and we had a great time. Whenever he comes he requires that I keep him busy and that we do something new. After 5 yrs of semi-annual visits I have always come up with something new.... This is afterall wonderful california where endless opprunities await. Here are a few pics:

I tried to post more pics but blogger is super slow right now... grrr!

Nike Women's Half Marathon 2009

As I've mentioned before, I am a Craigs list addict. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, its there. It’s like the best friend that you can always count on (for a fee). Anyhow, I decided on Tuesday last week that I wanted to run the Nike Women’s Half Marathon the following Sunday. This race sells out Months in advance, so I decided to look on Craig’s list for a bib, and guess what, I found one! The price was heavily inflated, but its all about supply and demand baby, let the market set the price. Everyone that posted a bib got at least 100 emails from anxious buyers, so I was just glad to get one. And whatever price I paid, it was well worth the experience, as the race was so much fun!

Physically I felt a million times better running this race compared to 3 weeks ago at the San Jose Rock n roll. My legs were not sore at all, which made such a huge difference. The weather was perfect for running, cool and cloudy. There were 20,000 plus women (and a few men) competing, and the mood was lively and enthusiastic! (At first I thought all of the “men” were transsexuals being SF and all, but I was informed later that the race actually allows men to register to, go figure.)

I met up with Julia, Maren & Molly at the start line and then we were off! Julia is such great running inspiration; she’s always got another event on the docket, and is perpetually training for something! Oh, and did you know, she is a NWM “legacy” member, meaning she’s run the race all 5 yrs of its history. Thanks For the inspiration Julia!

The course was way harder than SJ, with some fairly steep hills, some long gradual hills, and lots of rolling hills. However I was mentally prepared for this, plus since I run the Stanford dish quite often, it wasn’t too bad. I kicked those hills asses! Ha!

Starting at mile 8 they started “serving” the best race refreshments ever. Thank you Kaiser for the fresh Orange slices; they were exactly what the doctor ordered! Thank you for the Luna gummies, I was so sad earlier when I realized that I left my personal stash in my bag check bag. And thank you Ghirardelli for the milk chocolate square at mile 12, delicious! Seriously good stuff.

To top it all of the finishers “metal” was a beautiful sterling silver Tiffany’s necklace delivered by the San Franciso fire department. (Sean- next year you should volunteer for this). If I were single, I would have hung out at the finish line for a lot longer- that is all I have to say.

After we all crossed the finish line we went out for a nice breakfast (after the 2 mile walk to Kaylynn’s car). It was so nice to see everyone again!

And finally my results: I couldn’t believe it but I actually did better than at San Jose Rock n roll. I thought for sure it would take longer since there were so many more hills, but I guess San Jose was just a warm up.

My Time: 1:53:17
My Pace: 8:38
My Rank: 472/ 20,000 (ish)
My Name: Denise Wong- thanks Denise!

I think Im going to go for a full sometime next year………… maybe...

Spontaneity

I did something I rarely do anymore…. I was completely , 100% spontaneous! On Friday afternoon around 3pm I met a new co-worker named Lynn. We were both talking about races and how we love to be involved in outside, physical activity. Anyhow…. We were surfing active.com together and saw that the Tri Girl Tri was the next day (Saturday) and they were taking same day registration. Since the last time I did this race in 2006, it was sold out months in advance so I figured that this was a sign, so we both decided to do it together. I went home, packed my gear, picked up some goggles at sports basement, and woke up at 4:30am Saturday morning. We drove to Napa (2hrs) and were ready for the race at 9am. It was a really windy cold day to start, but by the time the race was done, the sun was a shining, and it was beautiful outside! I love Napa. Too bad the road to Lake Berryessa is so damn curvy. We were both carsick and took a good ½ hr for our stomachs to settle. After the race we drove to Mc Donalds for lunch (if only I could get my eating under control- maybe then I’d loose some lbs!), and headed home. It was super fun, and Im so glad I made the most of my Saturday and made a new friend, Lynn.

Oh and by the way, for all you tri girl tri’ers out there. They changed the race up a bit this year. They moved it down the road and with the new location the mileage went down a bit. I kinda wish it would have went up instead of down to add to the challenge, but it was great fun none the less. The mileage is now: .5m swim, 12m bike, 3m run. Still the same hills though- theres no getting away from them!

If anyone is down for this next yr, lets sign up in the spring time!

San Jose Rock n' Roll Half Marathon

Thanks Liz for the "Borrowed" Picture.


Today I ran my 2nd half marathon with Liz and Molly. It was such a great time, and such a great feeling when I finished. I think i even teared a little bit while crossing the finish line, I was so glad it was finally over! I wasnt very well prepared for the event in terms of training... my longest distance prior to the race was 7 miles, so 13.1miles was a big stretch for me... like double the miles i had trained for! silly me. This of course is completely my own fault. Maybe if I would have gotten out there and hit the pavement with Molly and Liz, I would have been better prepared.

In any case, my legs were sore all the way up to mile 10, weird right? Then I felt like I was soaring from miles 10-12, then the final mile was hard.. but there were so many people there cheering that it was ok.

During the run I just kept thinking that running a whole 26.2 mile marathon is crazy. I dont know how you crazies do it! And many people do it over and over again! I just dont get it.. so much pain! But I do envy your ability to do this- what amazing drive and self control you must have. For me, i think the hardest part is committing to all of those long Saturday runs for training. Maybe one day...

Sean didnt come to watch me as he was working, but Liz's husband Brad was there with his doggy and a camera (speaking of which, Liz, please send me the pic :) He took pictures and then we all went out to hobbes for brunch (my most favorite meal and my most favorite breakfast place) and topped it off with coffee cake. Yummy!

ANyhoo.... I had a blast hanging out with Liz and Molly- thanks for the good time girls! Lets do this again soon.

Here are my offical results-
Eve
Payne
Mountain View
CA
Age: 27
Sex: F
Chip time: 1:54:33
Clock time: 1:55:31
Sex Placing: 548 ( out of 5375 Female finishers)
Age/grade 57.5%

The maddness has to stop! Im certifiably Craigs List Crazy!!

Ok, so like i mentioned in my last post.... im really into craigs list furniture shopping. Well... let me tell you that this favorite past-time has progressed into a full fledged addiction/disorder. And, whatever it is, its contagious, bc Sean has it as well! We both search craigs list with the key words "crate and barrel", "pottery barn" and "restoration hardware" multiple times daily. One friday night, i was so excited for the new listings to come out that i woke up at 3am and starting surfing the postings until 5am! And no... im not joking, this was real. Sad but true.

This obsession has totatly replaced my love of perez hilton and teddy & moos. (Well, actually, i dont check perez much anymore bc he no longer blogs about anyone on Sony's music label, which are pretty much all the big celebs that i want the juice on. But that is besides the point.)

For those of you who have come to cali for a visit, you know that we live in a 1 bdrm, 600 sq foot apartment. Its teeny tiny.... so small that sean uses the hallway closet for his clothes, and our computer desk too is in the hallway. Well... unfortunatly our apartment is now at capacity and there will be no more craigs listing for me. I must find a new obsession to fill my time inbetween excel spreadsheets at work... any suggestions?

Here are some pictures of our latest (and final) acquistions. Unfortunatly there really isnt any room to walk anymore, so you'll probably never get to come over and check them out... unless of course you dont mind sleeping on a really beautiful pottery barn coffee table :)


A matching set of 2 end tables and 1 coffee table from PB
A dark wood, distressed Armoire from CB
Vintage wrought iron queen bed (its solid... i checked)

Really cute White PB Madeline dresser.

Its actually from PB kids, but its good enough for grown up me and way nicer than any dresser i had as a kid!

And finally, a new desk.. our last one was particle board and was slumping in the middle from the weight of our computer monitor. And we have a flatscreen... so it was not a sturdy desk.

Craigslist- the Ultimate Garage Sale

So, maybe there is a little bit of mom in me after all. My mom LOVES garage sales. She goes religiously every Saturday morning around 8am in the summer time. She usually buys things that she already has 5 of, but because they are such a “great deal”, she just can’t seem to pass anything up. She buys up everything she can find that is at least 30 yrs old. One summer I rounded up all of her old school vacuums, and found about 12 of them, four of which actually worked (well sort of worked). Anyways… the point is my mom loves garage sales and so do I.

The only difference is that I do my treasure hunting on Craigs Lists. I love it. People in the Bay area buy really high end stuff and then move 3 yrs later and sell it for 25% of the original cost. Its sooo crazy the stuff I’ve found. My most recent purchases include:

Crate and Barrel mango wood dining table w/chairs.

Crate and Barrel distressed Mahogany Queen bedframe and matching Armoire

Crate and Barrel 7ft chocolate brown leather sectional.

We’re pretty much getting rid of all of our old stuff (also purchased on Craigs list 4 yrs ago) and replacing it with new Craigs list finds. Craigs list is sooo much fun too… the good stuff goes really fast so you have to monitor the listings religiously. Then when something new is posted, you must email asap and then find a way to get over there to see the item that day. Sometimes this means taking a sick day, sometimes this means missing a family dinner. Sacrafices must be made!

The golden rule of Craigs list is that the first one to show up with the cash gets the prize…. Even if the seller has basically promised it to you! This happened to me with a restoration hardware coffee table going for $100 (an insanely great deal). I was just about to leave to pick it up and then I called her for directions and she said she just sold it. I was bummed…. But it makes the thrill of the hunt that much better when you are victorious in the battle of the craigs list’s fittest.

Here are a few pics of me, patience, my mom and my seany sean from last weekend. They came for a visit and we had oh so much fun together. Mom and poo came to the salon with me on saturday (i did poo's blonde locks), my mom got a perm from another student, and then we feasted on Chipolte burritos and went to the movies.... a perfect day! Sunday we laid out in the sun and went for a big long walk. Monday was all about shopping, cheesecake factory and frozen yogert. Thanks so much for coming!! I love visitors!

Im a red head!!! crazy. TEll me what you think! Im starting the interview process to look for a job in a salon, so i needed to spruce up my look a bit. I was going for feirce :)

The Paul Mitchell West Coast Show Here are some pictures from the big event i sold shampoos to attend... it was such a blast!! (above- me with a couple of our models)

Dancing in the prep room


my friend Josh.


My friend Virgil.


This is me and Takashi- the Paul mitchell Cutting specialist. Hes a god in the hair world- so this was like meeting a celebrity... only totally friendly.






This is Cari- my model (and friend) for the show. I cut and colored her hair.






Me and my roomie Yanin... shes 18... i am always giving her big sis type advice.






Me at the Paul mitchell stage at the show. IT was MASSIVE!!! totally better than any other stage at the event



Thank you to everyone who bought Shampoos so i could attend. If you bought them but havent yet paid... please do so.... I have bills to pay!!

XOXO
Eve

Saturday Night- the Angus M. Neva Haircut

I love hair. Last night i was supposed to color a friend's hair however, she cancelled so i was left with some free time. I took out my new Angus M DVD that I purchased at westcoast and learned a new hair cut! Its very rocker chic with a face framing fringe and the illusion of length in the back without the weight. The back as internal triangular concave layering, which you cannot really see from the pictures, but it gives it swing and movement. Its Mod, its Hip, and its a great alternative to traditional long hair layering. I think im going to give this cut to Nawana when she comes down, as long as she agrees. I will make the fringe a little shorter around the eyes so she can see... i kept it longer on this doll so that i can use the doll again for another cut. Here are some pics, enjoy!

( i have am terrible at formatting the pictures in the right place.. sorry!!)

Just in case you're bored... Sean is sick and has a really deep, raspy voice. So he recorded a new message on our answering machine using his smooth vocal tones. Its hilarious-i cant stop laughing. Call and I wont pick up... you too can enjoy the smooth sounds of the seany-sean!

Top 10 Reasons I Love day time hairschool

1- I dont have to drive to school! (i take public transit).
2- I dont have to plead to the parking gods everyday, hoping to find a free spot.
3- I dont have to worry about my car being broken into every nite (which happens often in the shady area).
4-I dont have to do stupid Sarbanes Oxley work. (accounting stuff).
5-I never look at the clock anymore, wishing for time to pass, cause i love what im doing at school!
6-I dont have to endure the scary walk to my car each night, armed with my mace, and praying that i dont get jacked/assulted/lynched by all of the scary people walking around selling drugs.
7-Im not mindlessly snacking at my desk all day. Im on my feet all the time and barely have time for lunch!
8-I can focus 100% of my mental energies on learning, and becoming an amazing hair stylist.
9-I have time to cook again!! I've dusted off my cookbooks and am back in business!
10- I have time to enjoy working out again... not trying to slam it in btwn meetings at work, always looking so NOT put together after lunch.

Anyhooo... I love hair school! It has such great energy, my classmates are darling, and I LOVE doing Hair!! Hip Hip Horay for me!!

Hair Model Needed- Free Haircut & Color

As you all know, I am now a full time cosmetology student at the Paul Mitchell School in San Francisco. I’m looking for a model for a hair show that my school is putting on March 5. You will get a free Hair cut and color, prints from the photo shoot, and model experience for your resume. So, if you’re a college student with some free time, or a model in training that wants experience or just bored with your current hair style you may be the right person. Or, if you know someone who may be interested, please give them my email address.

Here’s the time commitment:
Thurs Feb 28- Model Call at the school (9:00am-noon)
Tues March 4- Cut & Color at the school (9:00am-4:00pm)
Wed March 5- All Day at the venue- prep, practice & photo shoot, Show starts @ 8pm (10am-10pm)

Model Requirements:
-Open to a new “fashion-forward” look
-both Cut & Color
-17 to 35 yrs old
-available at the above dates & times
-Height and size don’t matter, as long as you’re comfortable in your skin and can strut your stuff.

Here is the website to the school: http://www.sanfranciscoinstitute.com/sfiec/
If you are interested and need further detail please email me! evepayne@hotmail.com

Thanks!!


Eve

A good day.

Yesterday was a great day. Besides the fact that I have t- minus 5 days left at my job and I am sooo sad about this, I'm very excited because i Love cutting hair! I've been on a role with my haircuts for the past 2 weeks... I havent had to ask for help from my instructors at all, and my timing is getting awesome! So Exciting!!! Plus I keep getting return clients, mostly guys, and they are tipping me so well. Love it! I havent had alot of practice on color yet, as these go to the senior students.. but my time will come. I start day school on Feb 4th, and i've been talking to the instructors, and they are going to bump me up a class level in day school, bc they say my skill is much better and i'll be bored with that class that i should technically be in (based on the number of hours i have).

Such a good day. I have another return client tonite... last time i cut him a hella cool maux-hawk.. so hopefully we'll get to do another fun and exciting cut tonight. I'm so glad to be doing this! Im so glad I've found somethign that i absolutely love to do!

XOXO
Eve

I'm it Bhappenings decided to tag me so here goes, I have time to do this today thanks to #1.THE "RULES":Link to the person who tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

Here are the 6 non-important things/habits/quirks about myself...

1) I am a messy cook. I will inevitably spill a large quantity of ingredients on the floor, counters, and likely leave splatter all over the kitchen walls. I’ve done this with hot tomato soup that exploded in the blender, an entire jar of prego, and on countless other occasions. The funny thing about it is that if Sean is home at the time of the incident, I usually let out a good shriek for help, and he does most of the clean up while I sit emotionally distraught until the clean up is over. What a great husband !

2) I am a picker of sweets. I pick the chocolate chips off of the tops of my homemade banana muffins, I swipe the icing off of most cakes with my index finger, and I always take little mouse bites from my baked goods. So if you’re baking something sweet and Im in the vicinity, you’ve been warned!

3) I love Celebrity Gossip. Many many years before Perez was blogging, I have been an avid reader of all things celebrity. I have subscribed to People since I was like 12, and I currently have about 10 magazine subscriptions to ensure I have adequate celebrity coverage. I’m probably going to be one of those crazy old ladies reading the national enquirer each morning.. hee hee.

4) I can’t parallel park. Since my driver’s test at 16, I didn’t ever have a necessity to Parallel Park … until I started driving to SF everyday for hair school. Now I have no choice, and it usually takes at least 2 tries before I get it within 18 inches from the curb- usually still at an angle. And I don’t even attempt the tight spots! Sometime i have to drive around the block 3 times to find a spot large enough to attempt.

5) I am developing my inner couch potato. Before hair school I always had SO much energy, and was rarely found laying around on the couch, watching TV. But in the last 10 months, I’ve become very found of spending the majority of my Saturday doing exactly that. I just cannot funnel up the energy to put on clothes, leave the house, and fight traffic for another day. I have a really comfortable couch, which makes it even better!

6) I am a textbook type A, Red personality--- but if you know me at all, you already know this.

Ok- Tag you're it. (Again.. im so not going to be offended if you ignore this tag): (note- my sisters have already been tagged by betina):

Rachel
Tara
Iris
Julia
Liz
Danielle (you'd better blog again!)

A New Chapter (to quote Julia)

I gave my 2 weeks notice at work yesterday. I’m surprisingly depressed about it. I like my job, love my company, work with good people and get paid well. I’m leaving because life is changing and its time for me to move on to a new chapter… but it doesn’t make the departure an easy one. I’ve been at Tibco for 2 yrs and have had a fantastic time. I could not have asked for a better job.

I’ll be going to hair school full time starting February so that I can finish up by the end of summer. In the fall we’ll start another new chapter…. Actually it will be more like a novel… but I’ll give more details about this when plans are certain. Hopefully we’ll know by April.

Wish me Luck!

Eve

The Sneaky Culprit

Ok so the last 6 months I’ve put on like 7 pounds, which I am not happy about. I’ve been avoiding the issue for a while thinking that in the New Year I will get back down to business and take if off. So, last week I got back to counting WW points. I am not a freak about it, but I do like to know the point value of everything I consume and try to stay between 20-25 points a day. So, I had to do some research of my newest addiction- the Starbucks Reduced Fat turkey bacon breakfast sandwich. I have been eating these almost daily for about 4 months- not ever bothering to check the nutritional information, which is so unlike me, but due to my crazy busy life, I just didn’t take the time to do so. I didn’t think they could be that bad; I mean they are composed of a whole wheat English muffin, cholesterol free egg, turkey bacon and reduced fat white cheddar. I’m thinking around 300 calories and 6 grams of fat.

So, last week I went to www.starbucks.com and found out the facts:
Calories- 350
Fat- 11 grams
Fiber- 3 grams
WW points= 7.3

I was appalled when I got this data. I cannot believe that I let myself live in ignorance for so long… and I know its going to take hella effort to take it off, as I am not one of those lucky people that loose weight easily. Fat is in my DNA, and I have to fight it with a vengeance!

I’ m pretty depressed about my 7 pounds of Starbucks that I have to work off. But… on the bright side, this is going to save me hella money, and those suckers can get expensive when consumed daily.

Christmas 2007

This Christmas we traveled to my home in Slave Lake Alberta for the 3rd year running. We love our annual trip to Canada for Christmas because of the snow and cold weather. Christmas without snow just isn’t the same. Here are a few highlights:

1) Joeys Tomato Kitchen for dinner with Celeste, patience and anders- can you imagine! It was so nice to see them!

2) Dan the Man- I got to meet my future brother in law Dan… who is very cool. The wedding is set for Feb 16th- go patience!

3) G&G- I hung out with my grandparents finally! I don’t know how much longer my grandparents are going to last, which is why I specifically flew into Calgary and drove and extra 6 hours round trip just to see them. I’m glad we did.

4) Relaxing in SL for 4 whole days! We hung out with the nieces, Sean ate treats watched a ton of movies and we just de-stressed. It was a much needed break!

5) My mom’s bread… my mom is the best bread maker in all of the land. The only problem is she never seems to make enough, so we are constantly begging her to please make more. As such, she spends the majority of Christmas baking bread. The loaves disappear shortly after they are finished baking, so if you ever get a loaf, count yourself lucky!

6) Visiting with Danielle & her family- so great to see you again! Kaleb has grown into such a nice boy, and Oliver is just darling!

7) Baking cookies with Nunu, Bunny and Poopie- Ok so I didn’t really bake much this year, but I sure did enjoy eating all of your delicious treats!

8) Working out in the SL gym- I love the freedom to work out on vacation. It makes me feel so much better about all of the eating. Less stress all the way around.

9) BP’s- We went to BP’s for pizza with Dad, Patience, Nawana and Celeste. I love BP’s- while none of my friends understand why I like it so much (its all just cheese and bread) it’s a very nostalgic place for me.

10) Hair Cuts- I got to cut and style lots of hair. I’m so glad my family trusts me enough to let me do this. Soon enough I will be great, so it’s nice that they trust me even when I’m not so great! Thanks Dad, Mom, Serinda, Patience, Anders Nawana & Celeste!

11) Swimming- I went swimming with my Dad, Sean and Anders. I got to show off my mad diving skills to Sean, and we relaxed in the hot tub. I love Canada for its massive indoor swimming pools. All of the pools in California are out-door and I have yet to see one that isn’t old, dirty and over crowded. Plus the fact that the Canadian pools are 50 meters long (as opposed to 50 yards) makes for a much more enjoyable lap session. Oh yeah… plus I spend many a summer in this pool for sharks, its also very nostalgic.

12) Iris- I spend boxing day (dec 26th) with the Dias family in Edmonton. This entailed another trip to BP’s, a little shopping, and lots of catching up at the Dias condo. We love staying with you Iris! Your family is so entertaining and you’re mom’s veggie lasagna is always a hit!

While we were ‘busy’ relaxing in Slave Lake, Betina was picking up her 3rd child Ivy from Ethopia! We missed her... well mostly we missed Eden and the Oakster, but I’m so excited to see little Ivy in February for Patience’s wedding. Yippee!

When we got back I had another 4 days until I started working again... only I got a bad case of the stomach flu so I spend most of the time on the couch, popping Tylenol 3’s like candy and moaning in pain. It was the worst stomach pain I’ve ever felt for 3 days straight. Torture!!!

Now it’s back to work and back to School. I’m really not looking forward to my never-ending schedule of 16 hour days. I will hopefully go to full time school in the near future. I just cannot handle the lack of sleep and energy for much longer!


XOXO

Eve