OMG I'm a grown up!

I'm going to be 30 in a couple weeks. Turning 30 has me starting to reflect a lot more on what I want, what makes me happy, and what I'm spending my TIME on.  In my smash book, I created a list of 30 things I want to do the year I turn 30.  Some of the things are bigger to-do's, and some of them are just simple things that can be done in an afternoon... things I always say I'm going to do but never get around to doing. Some things I've done before and I know they make me happy so I know I want to make a point of doing them again.

1. Go to where the palm trees are (Will be doing this both in October AND March!)
2. Throw an awesome party
3. Get another tattoo
4. Take a circus class
5. Pay off debt (If all goes as planned, should be around November!)
6. Bake a rainbow cake
7. Go on a road trip (Running out of vacation time for next year, so it might be a short one!)
8. Plant a garden (I can not wait to eat all those vegetables!)
9. Take a crafty workshop (Stained glass, glass blowing, pottery, etc.)
10. Make a quilt (Already chosen a pattern!)
11. Host a girly margarita day (To enjoy my back yard)
12. Go to BodyBlitz 4 times to max out my RMT benefits
13. Make an awesome Halloween costume (I'm always so last minute on this one.)
14. Print our wedding photos (It's been a year and a half...)
15. Take a hoola hoop class (I just signed up for a 4 week class starting in a few weeks!)
16. Blog at least once per week (Lucky you reader! Lucky you!)
17. Roller skate at least 250KM OUTDOORS. (So regular indoor practices don't count!)
18. Go to the beach (locally).
19. Try a new type of food
20. Make Sourdough (See here)
21. Watch a sunset (This is a reminder to myself to slow down and enjoy every day.)
22. Get really good at eyeshadow
23. Make creme brule
24. Surprize a friend with dinner and drinks
25. Ride a roller coaster
26. Finally go on a Niagara wine tour.
27. Make ice cream
28. Be REALLY good at my job.
29. Write more letters to people
30. Surprize myself.

That last one is a reminder to myself to push my own limits. I play it safe too often. I'm not looking for one particular moment that I think will count for that. But when I turn 31 I want to look back and say "Wow, what  great year, I did so much I didn't think I could do."

Currator of Awesome

Ok, so thinking about Christmas got me thinking about my shopping and I continued browsing the web for last minute gifts. While none of these items made it onto my wishlist this year (because I didn't know about them) I wish they had been. So if you wanted to buy me a "just because" gift (or hey, I have a birthday coming up in a few weeks!) Here is a collection of awesome things from around the internet that should be on everyone's wish lists.  (These links are not hooked up to any affiliate programs, so feel free to click through and know that I'm not getting a dime for you doing so.)

First up - these are probably the greatest salt and pepper shakers I have ever seen in my life.
$23.29 from Shopplasticland.com

Your friends will know you are truly classy when you have them over for a festive meal and you place these precious jars of cocaine and speed on the table for them to season their dinners with.  No self-respecting home should be without these.

Next in this collection is an item that actually did make it on my my wishlist. Because its friggin rad. It's a cooler slash boombox.  I'm thinking this would be fantastic for holding contraban while rollerskating along the lakeshore in the summer time.
$49.99 from Wicked Skatewear

All that skating around with the cooler will for sure make one work up an appetite. Which is why you need to go home and have some toast! With a new DOMO toaster!

If you had this happy little face toasted into your bread every morning there is no way you can not smile at it.
 $49 at Urban Outfitters

And last on the list is  the head of a unicorn. To proudly display on your wall in all it's majestic glory. 

I can't even say anything about this. It's just too awesome.
$12.99-$29.99 on Think Geek





Merry Ho Ho Ho!

I've been trying to think about something to write about for the last couple days. I'm coming up dry.  I have nothing to rant about, no funny stories to share right now, life is busy getting ready for Christmas.  We have a lot of driving around to do over the next two weeks as we go back and forth between family visits and home.  So I'll just say
Merry Christmas!


Please binge drink responsibly.


And here is a picture of my favourit Christmas show.

Can Pinterest make me skinny?

Let me first start by saying that I love Pinterest. I've found so many great ideas for my home, kitchen, and life. It really is a great source of inspiration. (Or things to just copy-cat). 

When Pinterest started gaining in popularity it had one big problem. It was filled with pro-ana material and "thinporation."  They were very quick to change their terms of service to dissallow this type of content, but it hasn't fully gone away.  It's definately more subtle, and wrapped up to look like diet and healthy lifestyle content.  I normally don't feel compelled to say anything about what I find on here, but the other day I found a pin that really agravated me.

The reason why this bothers me so much is because it's just wrong. As in incorrect. Infactual. And kind of a dumb idea.  The idea of this pin was that if you follow along and go without the specified thing each month then you will be "bikini ready" for summer.  I'm not a nutritionist, a doctor, or even someone with any formal training on healthy living. What I do have is enough personal life experience to say THIS WILL NOT WORK.  Let's break this down.

1. Each thing you "go without" for a month is actually a really good idea. But simply removing something from your life for 30 days and then allowing it back in isn't going to have any long term effects. You need to make long term changes in your life to see any long term changes in your body.

2. How much biscuits, gravy, and soda are you consuming that giving it up for 30 days would have ANY sort of effect? 

3. Here is a much better idea: All Months - Don't exceed your calorie limit, enjoy all foods in moderation, and choose fruites and vegetables whenever possible. Every week record how you FEEL. After 6 months go back and compare how you feel now to how you felt when you started.  Also try excersising. Maybe go for a jog.

If you take nothing else from this, remember: "Bikini ready" is a FEELING. If you feel good in it, then you rock it girl.