How low can you go?

*edited to add: Sara just sent me these pictures. Documentation complete!! Thanx Sara. You're a real doll :)





My family has enviable limbo skills. I don't know what it is, but we're all really good at it. Especially me. (kidding- kind of).

The most recent occasion that my limbo skills were put to the test was at Carlynne and Dan's engagement party. At this party, Dan proved that he truly belonged in our family as he and I were the final 2. (In Carlynne's defense, she likely would've been up there too, but she had the unfair disadvantage of joining us late in the game).

Sorry Daniel. Carlynne looks none too impressed! :)

Dan and my success inspired the birth of a scientific study in which Dan represents all men in the world, and I represent all women in the world. (Doesn't lack validity at all!)

Each year, Dan and I plan to have a limbo contest. We will use our relative successes to measure loss of flexibility with age, as well as which gender loses flexibility at a quicker rate.

So, as a benchmark measure, it should be noted that I beat Dan. I'll keep you posted on the years to come.

Convocation Fantastication

So, I can now say that I am fully, completely, and officially a Speech-Language Pathologist.

Let's review the checklist for a moment, shall we?
Graduate from classes: Check.
Complete practicums (is plural practici?) : Check.
Complete giant final project (like a mini thesis) : Check.
Write and PASS the National Certification exam: Check.
Convocate and hold the degree in my hand: CHECK (as of November 22)!!!!

Here's a little summary of November 22 Convocation:

9am plan: meeting 4 good friends for brekky.
9am: Ann-Marie and I arrive promptly for our 9:00 date.
9:35am: still just Ann-Marie and I there.
Approx 9:36am : phone Lyndsay. Her plane got delayed so she won't make it.
Approx 9:37 : phone Christie. Her car ran out of gas. She'll be late.
We had no cell number for Kendra.

Finally Christie showed up and we had a small (yet pleasant!) gathering. Immediately following brekky, the three of us headed to the University book store to pick up our convocation packages. Christie couldn't join us later on in the day for the actual convo, so we made sure to get photos pronto. Christie and I have a picture at our graduation from the University of Lethbridge together (with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology) and we needed to complete our series of convocation photos (otherwise one picture makes a pretty lame-o series).

U or L convocation (2005) :


U 0f A convocation (2007) :

We piled on the cheese for this classic shot.

3pm: Convocation

L to R: Lynds, Nancy, Ann-Marie, JT, Kendra.

My biggest fans:


I was surprised to see that my cousin was also convocating! U of A is big, okay. And we were in totally different departments. Ben graduated with a Masters of Art in History:

Uncle Tom & Aunt Janet were with Ben, so chock up three extra hugs for Julie!

THEN we saw the Laarman's (good friends from Lethy) b/c Eva was convocating too (who knew??), and the Friggstad's (b/c Zac was convocating too!). MY WORD, I got WAY more hugs than I expected. I love hugs. I'm a huggy kind of a girl.

Then we went home to whip up a yummy little sup sup.


The NEXT day was also extremely fun-filled. In the morning my parents and I went for a lovely run through the River Valley, then Kendra and her parents came over for coffee:


What a genuinely great family the Kramer clan is!

After doing some serious material shopping for Clynie's wedding, Carlynne, Dan, Mom, Dad, Lowell and I went to Joey Tomatos for din din. After being told on the phone that we'd have a 25-45 minute wait, we arrived only to face a 1.5 to 2 hour wait. Yeesh. Oh well, we went down the street to the Second Cup, had yummy bevies, strolled back to Joey's, sat and waited...and waited...and waited...

At The Second Cup.

Notice how we are saving seats for other valued customers at Joey's. We are only using HALF the amount of chairs we could potentially be using!

And finally ate:


Then the 'rents and Lowell and I walked through the "Bright Lights" display at Hawrelack Park in Edmonton. Such a festive stroll through the park!


Next Lowell and I are off to Carstairs for Steve & Alison's wedding. (Alison is Lowell's cousin, and Steve was the young man who sang as a surprise for Lowell at our wedding).

What a keeee-razily splendid long (for us) weekend!!

Shaka Shaka... et VOILA!

This afternoon, Lowell and I took a few steps back in time and made our own butter.

1. Pour the cream into the jar.


2. Display said cream in said jar.


3. Shaka shaka la cream.


4. Et voila: BUTTER!


5. Transfer new butter to old butter container.


6. Spread on bread.


7. And ENJOY!!! MMmmmmm... yummm.....


Tomorrow I intend to make butter with my preschool kiddies (while incorporating language goals of course). We're on the farm unit, you know. Butter's made from cream, cream comes from cows, and cows live on farms. Brilliant.

Sittin on Top of the World

CARLYNNE AND I ARE GOING TO CELINE DION'S CONCERT IN EDMONTON ON OCT 24 (2008)!!!!!

EEEEEeeeeeeeeeeek!!!

I'll be able to focus on little else for the next 11 months...

And that about sums it up!

This is just a small smattering of her tasty collection!

Happy Birthday Hubby!

This stud muffin is 26!!!

Today is Lowell's birthday!!! I can't think of anything cooler to do than repeat last year's award-winning rap (and change a couple of words). For the audio (with last year's words), click here

I have a HUSBAND
His name is Lowell
Today is his birthday
Fun is the goal

He turns 26
He’s OVER a quarter century old
HE GREW UP IN THE STICKS
He has a heart of gold

He is very talented
Sweet, fun and HOT
What can I say
I like him a lot

This is his FIRST birthday
As a MARRIED man
So all I can say is:
Enjoy it ALL you can!

Happy Birthday Lowell. I love you!!!

View From The Top

Now that the fall leaves have fallen, we thought we would send a little reminder of the beauty of September. This is the view from Julie and my condo. You can scroll around to see the river valley, the buildings around us, West Edmonton Mall in the distance, Victoria Park and golf course, University of Alberta, the Highlevel bridge, and downtown. So beautiful. =)

Click to enlarge. You may need to click once more on the new image it brings up to see it full sized, then simple scroll to see left and right.