yep - pretty sure I need this!

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recently ...

Chad and I watched these two movies over the past few days. I am a HUGE J-Lo movie fan ... true chick flicks at their best but this one left a ton to be desired ... the acting was horrible, the chemistry didn't work for me and it just seemed like it was thrown together. Chad wasn't too thrilled to be watching it in the first place so I will let you guess what is reaction was on your own!

I have seen Super Size Me before but Chad hadn't and asked me to get it from the library. I have read reports the contradict Morgan's claims in the movie but still - fast food IS fast food no matter how you look at it and it is NOT good for you - no matter how you slice or dice it. I believe in "everything in moderation" (I do love a good McDick's breaky on our way down to the States while we wait in the Aldergrove border line-up ... I'm not going to lie) but if you eat fast food every day and do not exercise, you are going to get fat. Done and done!

 

ella's tutu birthday party

Yesterday Mom, Jim and I headed out to Blue Mountain Park in Coquitlam to celebrate Ms. Ella's 3rd birthday. Ella, her Mom, her Dad and her new baby sister Julia are home from Hong Kong for a summer visit so it was nice for their family and friends to gather at the park for a picnic lunch, wading pool fun, water park craziness and homemade tutu cake! Delicious!

grandma's rose garden

Last Thursday Chad and I took a drive out to Burnaby to visit Grandma B. and then we went to some of the gardens/farms/produce stands along Marine Drive. It was a perfect day for a drive and an afternoon of sunshine in the rose garden at St. Michaels.

this just made my day!

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my lobotomy

Chad and I started listening to this audiobook on our drive to Oliver and it is incredibly ... incredible! I have no other words to describe it. We are about half way through and I have been in constant awe since pressing play of what this man went through ... and what the medical and government systems allowed to happen. If you like non-fiction life stories - this is the book for you!

just go with it

Chad and I watched this on Sunday night after we got ready to hit the road for our camping trip Monday morning. Super cute because - let's face it - Jennifer Aniston is adorable no matter what. But also super Adam Sandler. Of course they were somewhere tropical and of course all his buddies were featured including a hot chick and funny kids. Seriously - Adam has this whole thing figured out ... get PAID to party with you friends in a sunny, vacation destination ... smart man if you ask me!

skinny girl!?

I tried this for the first time Friday night at our end-of-season Ninjas soccer season. Yummy but I do wonder ... if you drink the whole bottle, is it still considered "skinny"?

just the girls!

charles LOVES to swing!

back early ... and still loving ms. heart!

see you in a week!

meet my new best friend

Okay, okay - to any of my real life (aka non-make believe friends) read this ... no, I don't have a new friend that you don't know about BUT I have fallen absolutely in love with an author who I wish could be my new best friend - Jen Lancaster!

I am currently reading this ...

and listening to this ...

and can not wait to start in on these two titles ...

   

In short, Jen is so real and true, I feel like we could be sisters from another mother (not quite the same as brothers from another mother but you get the point). I relate to her so much and so many of her life story mirrors mine (she has a Paul Frank wallet, her husband LOATHES the fact that she watches reality TV, she has a pitbull, it takes her forever into her life to figure out how to buy clothes that fit her body type, she is a smartass ... seriously the list goes on and on). LOVE and highly recommend for a summer giggle! Enjoy my new friend friends!

PS: This is now on my wish list ...

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a thursday charles update

this just made my day!

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last night

Last night Chad, myself, Erynn and Gary met up at Joey's in Coquitlam for dinner to celebrate Travis turning the big 32 on Saturday. It was a night filled with giggles and gossip, injuries and more gossip, good food and good beer. What a great way to spend a summer Monday night!

PS - A few photos I took this morning from our various gardens. Loving all the beautiful colours that are popping up all over the place!

another weekend has come and gone

Friday ... Pasta Polo for dinner and then home to watch this cute and fun movie:

Saturday ... Drive down to the States to do some grocery shopping. Home for lunch and a nap and then off to meet Alan and Jeanette for dinner at Earls in Guildford. Got a horrible text just after 5 pm from Katy saying that Andrew lost his battle with cancer. Glad to be with good friends right at that time. Home to relax and remember.

Sunday ... Mom and I went into visit Grandma B. We had a great chat with her and she was in great spirits. Then we went out for sushi for lunch and I went home for another nap (an exhausting, emotional weekend to say the least). Then up to do some puttering and cleaning and out to Home Depot to get a rose bush for the Vaydo family. Over to Leah's for hugs and sharing and then home for Dexter and a very welcomed bedtime!

we lost one of the good ones

RIP Andrew Vaydo. Only 24 years old and too young for this next step but I know that where you are, they are throwing a party in your honour. Hugs and Cheers Always!

up next and I cannot wait!

canada day long weekend

Friday ... I wasn't feeling 100% on Friday. Couldn't quite put my finger on it but just wasn't feeling up to doing much of anything so Lexxus and I vegged out on the family room and finished season 2 of Gilmore Girls. Cannot wait until season 3 is ready for me to pick up! Chad worked a half a day on Friday and when he got home we had to go into Walnut Grove for a bit. Then we had dinner at Ocean Park and home to watch this Chad pick before going to bed early ...

Saturday ... I went for a long bike ride in the morning after breakfast and when I got back, Cory, Stacey and the twins were over for a visit. What a treat. I can't get enough of those little monsters. They stayed for about an hour and then I went to Ralph's to get our weekly fruit and veggies. Home to clean and cut all my groceries and then I had just enough time to hop in the shower before heading to Rob and Alli's for a fun BBQ with their friends, Colin and Carolyn and all the kids. Chad couldn't get enough of playing with Peyton and Parker and Austin and Jaxon definitely stole the evening! A little bit of excitement with a dog going through the fence and a lot of fireball drinking but all in all - a great night to catch up with old friends!

Sunday ... Chad was (of course) working on the house all day yesterday so I ventured into Burnaby to visit Grandma B. We had a lovely visit while her and the ladies at her table had their lunch. Then I helped her sort out her clothes and now her older clothes that don't fit anymore are on their way to charity. I ran into Metrotown to the Disney Store to see if I could find anything fun for Ms. Ella's birthday but came out empty handed :( Then I grabbed a veggie burrito from Taco Time and hit the road back to Langley. Went to Willowbrook and dropped off my rings to get them sautered together and to get it re-appraised for insurance purposes. Another $100 down the drain ... why the heck does everything seem to cost $100 these days?? Then I went to Chapters but started to feel ill again (not sure what is going on - have had a headache for a week now) so I went back home and had a nice, long nap. I woke up and Chad and I watched this movie ...

It was pretty cute but Chad fell asleep part way through. After the movie I woke him up and he made BBQ chicken and pasta salad for dinner. Y.U.M.M.Y. Hello summer! After dinner Chad went back to his puttering ways so I put in this movie that I recently grabbed from the library ...

I was avoiding watching this movie because I thought it was going to be hokey (for lack of a better word) but I was dead wrong. I really enjoyed this movie and was sad to see it come to an end which is something I haven't been able to say about a movie in a really long time. Then it was time for bed and another week!

How did your long weekend go? We seriously lacked in the actual Canada celebrations this weekend - did you get up to anything spectacular and patriotic?

PS - Happy 4th of July to all my U.S. friends and family!

PSS - I finished this audiobook on my way to Grandma's and I HIGHLY recommend it! I wonderful love and life story told through letters, emails and other written correspondence. I don't know how this would translate into paperback form but I loved the audio version! On my way to the library now to get my next treat :)