I made the plunge...

...and cut my hair...again.

I started out like this (and have been this way for a lot of years) :


In October, I swallowed the "long hair pride" that I had, and went for this (which was a big change for me) :


Yesterday, I got my hair cut again, and it looks like this:

(I didn't have a good head-on shot, so I thought these would give you the idea)

Edited to add: Kylie had this picture on her computer. It's a bit better hey? :

My hair hasn't been this short since grade 9 (and that was over 10 years ago). NO ONE knew I was going to do this- not even me. I saw a picture of Gwyneth Paltrow's new do the night before my appointment and decided to take the plunge.

At the rate I'm going, I'll look like this in a couple of months! :

Goodness gracious- PLEASE no!!

Word Mix-up

I apologize for two You Tube posts in a row, but I couldn't pass this one up. It's short; it's random; it's funny. Marc, Kylie, Lowell and I discovered it last night, and we were just tickled with amusement.

Hazardous Runways

It's videos like this that make normal humans like me feel just a little bit more cool and a little less clumsy.



At least most of them seem to have a good sense of humour about it!

Eggzellent Reunion!

The happy reunion with Marc & Kylie took place last night, and what a joyous occasion it was! We sat around and talked for a while, then had supper (whilst we chatted of course), then did what most all-adult families do when they see each other for the first time in a long while... we decorated Easter eggs! Shareen, Craig, Carlynne, and Dan couldn't be here this weekend (sadly), but Mom, Dad, Marc, Kylie, Lowell and I managed to have plenty of fun anyhoo (although we still missed you guys of course!)

MMmmm.... we're excited about our delicious Mexican Pasta Bake!!

1. We began with a dozen blueish colour eggs from the vents of Grandma D's chickens (thanks Grandma!).

2. We then coloured them with vibrant crayons:

This was apparently a very thrilling activity for Kylie!

I tried to force Marc to look all enthusiastic like Kylie, and this is what I got:

Later I snuck up on him with the camera when he was actually having some (natural) awesome artistic fun:

3. Dipped them in radiant dye:


4. Let them dry on a rack:


5. Searched for glass vases to display them:


6. Delicately placed them in each vase...


Until we found the perfect vase:


When we're gone or sleeping, we'll put them in the fridge so we can have non-poisonous EASTER EGG SALAD SANDWICHES with them later. I love decorating eggs. And I love egg salad sandawichies. Timmy's got nothin on my Mommy's egg salad sandwiches!

Guess who's coming home??

MARC & KYLIE ARE!!!

Mom & Dad are picking them up tomorrow (Monday), and on Friday Lowell and I will head down to Lethbridge to meet them. We haven't seen them in over a year as they have been traipsing around Kenya and various other parts of the world- and we are SO SUPER DUPER EXCITED!!!

Canada will really benefit from the presence of this...

...BEAUTIFUL,


ADVENTUROUS (and again very attractive), and

Adventurous because they traveled everywhere for over a year, and...

because they really are crazy! :

FUN couple:

(Fun people often where dog leashes on their heads)

WELCOME HOME M & K!

Volvos

We are a Volvo family.

Our family has owned 3 Volvos.

This is our first Volvo. This bad boy took our family of 6 everywhere. There were 2 little seats that popped up in the back (facing the back), and that is where Carlynne and my little bums got planted for family road trips with the Volv.


This Volvo underwent a metamorphosis. Still chocolate brown on the inside- now a fiery turquoise on the outside. Eventually Marc inherited it (well, purchased it for a dollah) and it became “The Cool Mobile”. Batman decal, giant sub in the back, etc etc.



I really thought I was a lot older when this metamorphosis took place. Hmmm… I guess not.

Next was this one. I don't entirely remember it though, as it was short-lived in our family. I'm pretty sure my parents regretted selling it for sure! Once a Volvo family, always a Volvo family I guess.


The latest addition to our Volvo family was this one:


I think I was only in grade 5 or so when we acquired this vehicular apparatus. It was my Mom’s main vehicle, then when Carlynne and I hit year 2 of University, we bought it from our parents (for a big whopping buck). It has been through SO much. When Carlynne left for med school, she took it with her, so the Volv and I were separated for a whole year *sniff sniff*. Then, I joined Carlynne in Edmonton the following year, so it once again became OUR car. Then, last summer, Lowell and I got married, and the Volvo again became Carlynne’s… and it’s still kickin! Last year, Daniel was driving it (for like the first and only time), and he noticed that the odometer just rolled over to 300,000 kms! He just happened to have his camera with him, so he pulled over, and took a picture…


Carlynne’s Volvo is the only remaining survivor. It’s a trusty little vehicle, but it very likely on its last legs (oo, it pains me to say that!)

War

I’m generally not a fan of war, but truth be told, there is one type of war that I like—and even prefer. That is, the GAS WAR.

In 2003, there were some pretty intense gas wars in Lethbridge. Every Sundayish the prices at the pump would PLUMMET. The prices got as low as 19 cents per litre. Carlynne and I filled up our trusty Volvo for 5 bucks!


I just heard on the news that by the end of May, gas is supposed to reach $1.50 per litre. Say what now?!? That’s ridonkulous!

I remember in High School when our social teacher told us the rumour that gas was supposed to reach a ghastly 80 cents per litre. She questioned us about whether we would continue driving if gas prices soared so high. The majority of our class waved our arms in outrage and declared that if gas prices reached that high, we would definitely give up our vehicular luxuries in favour of feet & bikes.

*sigh* I miss the 19 cents/litre, but I would be more than willing to settle for that 80 cent deal!!

My Favourite Things

If I were Oprah, this is what my audience would be receiving:

1. Lifetime supply of popsicles. They have been Lowell and my “thing” for the past several months. In the dead cold of winter (i.e., -50 degrees Celsius), we would suck on popsicles in the coziness of our condo. (We’ve been going through at least 2 boxes a week, but we don’t need to get into that.)


2. Freshly washed pillow cases. Mmmm…. I love the smell of laundry detergent/bounce sheets in my face as I drop off into la la land.

3. All 9 seasons of Matlock. We’ve been over this before.


4. A puppy. I looooooove dogs. My family had Timmi when I was in grades 1-5, and Tessie from grade 5 until 2 summers ago. My only nephew is a doggy (Niko) and I love him to bits and pieces too. Lowell and I are dreaming of having a husky in the future as a permanent part of our little family.

This is me in grade 1 with Timmi.

This is Tessiekins!

This is me being all aunty-like with Niko.

These are what Lowell and my future puppy(ies) will hopefully look like!

5. Twin babies. I realize it may be kind of creepy to just give these away to random audience members, but I’m just saying that they’re one of my favourite things. Again, we've been over this before too.

This is Carlynne and I as babies. I'm the one that looks more than a little like an alien. This was the stage where I wasn't taking Mom's breast milk. But no worries-- after a week on the bottle I got fat.

6. Massage(s). Enough said.

7. Gift card for Starbucks or Second Cup so you can justify purchasing over-priced delicious lattes.

Shareen did this latte art. I totally stole it from her blog, and I give her complete credit for it!

8. Sunshine. If only I could bottle the stuff up and have it permanently at my disposal.
Again, I stand by my motto:

9. You've Got Mail. It's Carlynne and my all-time favourite movie. Between the girls in our family, we own 6 copies. Mom, Shareen, Carlynne and I each have the VHS, and when the DVD was on sale, Carlynne and I jumped at the chance to add 2 more copies to our collection. It's just plumb classic.


10. Time to spend with Ellen. Oh, and also Owen Wilson. I just think that everything that comes out of their mouths is FUNNY.



11. A book about pee/poop/fart stories. I know I’m 25 years old, but I don’t think you’re EVER too old to fully appreciate a good pee/poop/fart story. EVER.

That was a really mature note to end on...