Arbitrary?

To be honest...Valentines Day is one of my favorite holidays.
I'm pretty sure I like it more than my own birthday.
Love > Candy.
But, there is actually lots of candy on February 14th so that could be reason it's the superior day.

Stay tuned for lots of love...and hearts and all that happy stuff.


I just realized that it's Thursday. So I'll be short and simple and say this day is someThing I Love.

The Challenge.

At least one set a day.

For one month.

Ready.

Get set.

Go.

*This is in realization that I actually leave pretty quick, and I need to be in great physical shape for the itinerary I have planned.
**Although, my wrist is acting up right now, so the push ups and burpees are impossible at the moment.

The hunt for inspiration.

Hm. The blog title sounds so exciting, I wish the post could live up the expectation.

Today I realized that even though weekends with a long to do list, that keeps you busy and makes you feel accomplished, are good, sometimes the lazy kind are just as great.

And they give you time to do things that you usually don't think you have time for, or maybe you just justify not doing them by having busying yourself with other things.

Like painting.
The thrill of giving a room a fresh face by just throwing on a couple coats of paint goes away...after the first coat. Good thing I have weeks, or even months to do it.

And taking pictures.
Which is where the title comes in.
On a day like today, when I'm energized enough to go outside with my camera, but not actually leave the property, it takes a creative mind to think up new and original shots since I keep taking pictures in the same location.

Maybe this is actually a test to see how great of a photographer I really am, because I'm sure the greatest of photographers can put a hundred different spins on the same landscape or object.

So, here is a little sampling of my afternoon.

We have a creek flowing through our backyard. CRAZY!

And a little bridge over the creek to get to a mini, private island.

This would be unedited me. Why put on my painted face when I'm not going anywhere?

Happy Saturday, everyone!

tilt

1. knowing that the weekend is just an 8 hour shift away.
This is my first 'normal week' job, so having a real weekend is delicious.

2. Butter tarts. I could eat these things by the dozen. Sans raisins of course.

3. Crossword puzzles. Like with everything else in my life, I have seasons where I gobble the puzzles up, and other seasons where I don't touch the book for weeks. Other things in my life that also have seasons: Tea, Music, Photography.

4. Walking around in my steel toe boots and grungy work wear and just feeling official. Like I'm legit.

5. Feeling financially stable.

6. DQ Ice cream cake. Eating it in layers. Chocolate icecream, fudge and cookie, fake icing, white icecream.

7. House sitting.

Happiness is...

Finding a MEC vest at Value Village for only $10!
Researching online(I just had to..) it seems that it would have been around $80 originally.
And it doesn't look like it's been worn at all.

SCORE!

Just goes to show that getting off your butt and driving to town for an evening out actually is sometimes a good idea, even though your body is telling you that you should just lie in bed perusing Pinterest.

p.s. I tried on this sweet, simple white dress that totally could have been a wedding dress...but even though I'm being prepared and planning my wedding already, I feel as if that is something that should wait a while.

Sloth.

This is just a must see video clip.

It's a baking party.

What happens when the parents go away for several days?

PARTY!

Or not.

It has gone something like this...

Clean, clean, clean, clean.
*wait! I need to make dinner. Let's find some meat in the freezer.*
Clean the freezer.
Discover 29 black bananas, bags of raspberries, and some tart shells.
24 hours later= 5 loaves of banana bread, 2 dozen chocolate chip banana muffins, 2 dozen butter tarts and two containers of homemade raspberry jam, oh, and the kitchen is spotless in spite of all this.

Sometimes I wish I was a normal teenager.
Although I know all the mothers out there reading this are probably wishing I was their daughter.

And since I know I won't eat all of this myself, I made up a plate for the neighbours as a thank you for plowing the snow off our driveway.

I don't want to be Susie Homemaker, but apparently I can't get away from her.
Let's just keep this on the down low, though. It could kill my reputation :).

Making the change.

Everything needs change.

Or how else would life move on?

Sometimes you need to make the change happen, even if you know it will hurt for a while, before things get better.

Okay, that sentiment is true. But in my case, I'm just being dramatic.

Picture Linus from the comic strip Peanuts.

Better yet, I'll picture him here for you.

Now here is me.

                                                     
                                                I have had this blanket for years.

Years, and years, and years.

Don't believe me?

Here is a picture from about the time I got it.

Now that cute baby beside me looks something like this. (he's okay to hold a camera, but being in front of it is a reason to duck every time.) Over ten years, for sure.

Did I mention that is was my Aunties property before it was mine?

Yes, it may be a comfort to me, and filled with sentimental value, but along with all that great stuff, it's probably filled with billions of dust mites and all the other things that come from being old and used for years. Up until a little while ago it was very soft and comfy. But lately it's just really pilly and the stuffing is coming apart making it's job of keeping me warm very hard to do.

So, today, although it breaks my heart, I'm saying goodbye.

Change makes you change, and that can be a good thing.

At least I'm not giving myself bangs like I keep thinking about, right?

p.s. Is it just me, or does everybody have trouble with putting pictures on their posts and getting into a big headache over it? My words always go everywhere and it takes me so much extra time trying to figure out how to get everything back how I want it.

If anybody has any tips, I would greatly appreciate them.

That, or I might just stop posting pictures :).

Sometimes it's necessary.

But to be honest, my day wasn't bad at all, just one little thing...

It already feels like the weekend, though.
I guess it might have to do with the fact that I have started the to do list already, which is usually a strictly weekend task.

But since it happens to be Thursday, I'll leave you with a little bit of happy.

1. Baking chocolate chip cookies for the thousandth time.
2. Impressing my mother with my singing skills.
3. Taking bottles back to the recycling depot. It feels like free money, even though technically you actually paid that money.
4. $2.99 kids combos from Wendy's. Such a great deal. And just the right amount of food for my little stomach.
5. Being able to fix something, and make it work like it's supposed to.
6. Friday.
7. Planning and anticipation. (let's just say...I'll be posting some before and after pictures after all the planning and doing are done)
8. Sunshine.
9. Sunshine melting away the snow so I don't have to shovel it anymore.
10. Romantic snowfalls. But it isn't very nice that they always happen while I'm working so I can't stop and take the time to enjoy.
11. Washing my car and making it pretty.
12. Enjoying the little things.

Sticking with tradition.

One year ago today, I posted a belated happy birthday post.

This year I promised myself that I would actually remember on the right day, and I planned for it weeks in advance, but...I forgot...again.

So I figured I could try and at least make thing semi consistent by posting my belated birthday wish on the same day as last year! Yes, I know I'm a sad, sad girl.

Here is to 5 years in the Blogger world!

And we want to make this sentiment short and sweet, so I will not go on a speech about how good the years have been to us.
But I will be enjoying a celebratory dessert tomorrow.

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.


Hannah's Notes: Either I'm getting to the point where I can make anything taste good, or these cookies really are the "Best Big, Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies".
Since I was just making normal sized cookies the baking time was probably lessened, but I didn't use a timer.
Remember the trick to making a chewy cookie is taking the pan out when they have just browned a little bit, cause they will continue cooking when you leave them on the pan for a few minutes.
To help make them super light, I creamed the butter and sugars for a lot longer than is probably normal.
Original Source Found Here.

You are invited.

You are cordially invited to:
My Funeral.

Now, there is no specific date or time for this event yet, since it actually hasn't happened yet, but the end is near, folks.
You see, I work outside.
And it is cold outside.
Right now temperatures are resting at -22 c. with wind chill making it -33.

At work yesterday it was -14 or something around there and I was doing pretty good. There was a lot of snow to shovel so that was a good way to keep warm. But my fingers almost didn't make it.

So, I was overjoyed when I got to work this morning and they told us all that if we didn't want to work we didn't have to. But don't expect this to happen again.
I stopped at Princess Auto on the way home to buy some insulated work gloves, spending the big bucks.
I'm going to try and enjoy this unexpected day off while staving off the worry of having to go back out there tomorrow, which will be about the same temperature.

Hopefully, you will hear from me in the next week to assure you I am still among the living. But if not, I would prefer my funeral was more like a party, so bring the bottles of bubbly and thudding bass tunes!

The reveal.

So.
I will not mention names, but apparently some people were getting impatient waiting for the revealing of the big excitement I had a while ago.
Now, to be honest, I wasn't doing this to keep you in suspense. I just have a habit of promising things, and then forgetting to follow through, no matter the fact that it's staring me in the face every time I visit my blog.

You probably guessed it by now, but just for the satisfaction of the much loved 'before' and 'after' pictures, I will post the big news.

Yes, I got my braces off!
Only about 7 months late. But now that they are off, I'll stop being bitter about that fact.

Of course, there was really no point in having the braces at all. They were put on for a specific reason, that was not straightening my teeth, and they didn't fix the problem.
That's kind of a bummer, but there's not much I can do about all that.

I'm just so happy. I can eat apples again!

Tales from the work site.

For all you girls out there, who thought that working on a construction site would be helpful in growing up and showing the world what you are made of, think again.

Instead of feeling grown up, you will feel younger.
Because you will have a whole list of father-type men who will be looking out for you and trying to prevent you from spreading your wings.

Or maybe it's just me.

Lance asked me to help him in the scaffolding yesterday. Lance being a young guy, knowing that I was fully capable.
Of course, I didn't make him aware that I was scared of heights until I got to 3 stories off the ground.
*pause* Okay. I'm not totally scared of heights. Heck, I was cliff jumping this summer. But, the scaffolding was sketchy. Of course it was. The whole reason I was supposed to be going up there was to secure it.*

But we were doing the job and I was remembering to breathe and everything was just fine.

Until Fatherly figure #1 came along and told me that if I was not totally comfortable with doing this I should come down, because if I fall, I will not be living to tell the tale after.
Pf. I had the hang of it down and I was good to go.
But FF#1 must have told FF#2 who happens to be my boss, who came along and told me to get down.
:(. So much for trying to prove my worth.

Haha.

Okay. So I was semi relieved at not having to be up there anymore, but..
Sometimes I wonder if these guys think the only thing I am good for is sweeping?

They didn't have a problem with the other guy doing the same job and he was taking even more risks.

I guess I should just enjoy being a child while I still can.

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Today, I was going out after work, and since I didn't want to be trying to get ready in my car in the freezing cold, I made up my face and put contacts in before I left for work in the morning.

Boy, was that a bad idea.

Apparently going from no make up and glasses, to heavy make up and contacts is quite the difference.
I was getting comments all day about it.
I'm not very good at accepting compliments.
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There is this one guy who keeps calling me Hailey. I answer to it now, because I know he means me. I haven't tried to correct him. I guess I am just seeing how long it will go before he figures it out or someone tells him.
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TILT

1. My favorite meal for dinner.
2. Free money from the government.
3. Okay-ish looking passport photos.
4. Whispering.
5. Great sales on Fruit Gushers.
6. Rae's new little sister. Yet to be named. I'll give you a little more back story at a later date.

Like new.

Something really exciting happened this week.
Like super duper exciting.
*Not being able to sleep like on Christmas eve* exciting.
Want to take a guess?

4 ways to stick to your New Year's Resolutions.

"Some 44 percent of Americans make New Year's Resolutions, but although resolutions are fun to make, they're hard to keep. To help yourself keep yours, try these strategies:

1. Be specific. "Make more friends" and "Strengthen friendships" are vague resolutions. Make yours more concrete: "Remember birthdays," "Make plans," or "No gossip".

2. Write it down.

3. Review your resolution constantly. If your resolution is buzzing through your head, it's easier to stick to.

4. Hold yourself accountable. Tell other people about you resolution, join or form a like-minded group, score yourself on a daily chart-- whatever helps make you feel accountable." -The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I needed a new calender for the year 2012, so I stopped by the calender store in the mall which was of course having big sales. I spent a lot of time in there. There were so many that I wanted, but I couldn't narrow it down. For some reason I felt as if this was a huge deal. I spent so much time in there that the cashier even made a remark about it. Boy, did I feel silly.
I treated myself to a daily flip calender as well, because it seemed like something that would help me on this whole road of appreciation and thankfulness.

Of course, I've cheated and looked ahead already to get an idea of what it's all about.
Some are applicable, some are confusing but I'll work them out as I get to them, such is life, no?

I won't be writing down each one every day but I'm sure throughout the year I will be posting some of the really good ones, like yesterdays:

"Happiness comes not from having more, not from having less, but from wanting what you have"

I think that was perfect advice, for anyone, but especially for me, going into this season of trying to save every penny for traveling when I feel like going out and buying things every weekend.

Happy New Year!

Here's to the many adventures ahead in 2012.

Counting down the hours.

Today it the last day of 2011.

I'm not a big believer in the whole 'it's a new year, fresh start' deal.
Sure, it's good to make resolutions if you are the type who will actually persevere and see them through. But if you are the person who just makes them because that's the thing to do, and then a week later you quit, well then, what's the point?

I looked through my January posts of this year and couldn't find my 2011 resolutions, which might be a good thing because I only vaguely remember some, and I definitely did not complete them. Did I attempt, and go for more than a week? Yes. So I think it's safe to say I can try again this year.

Looking back on 2011, I had some fun times, but I wouldn't say it was a spectacular year. Just a normal one. This year I moved away from home, applied for Bible School and made some new quality friendships. But it also just felt like a waiting year. Nothing big was happening and I was always just wanting to be at the next step already. I don't regret anything I did, though. And I think that's a pretty good sign.

Towards the start of the year I found a song that I made into my 'song of the year' and I tried to remember to play it whenever I was feeling down and discouraged. And when it did randomly play on my ipod I used that time to think about life and just be glad for where I was in it. I'm sad this year has ended if only because that means I have to leave that song behind and pick a new one.

It even has a focus on England, which is neat because it's my life goal to live there.
Oh p.s. I found this song BEFORE it became a top 40 hit. just an fyi.



So, my goals for 2012 are these:

1. Spend more time with Reggie. I thought I'd start out nice and easy with a light hearted one :). But a little more seriously. The idea of stopping what I'm doing, taking a seat and spending time without distractions.
I know I have been spending more time at home so it might not feel like I am as busy, but even when I am at home I fill that time up. Usually with the computer, or watching movies. So I need to learn how to clear my head, and think about things that really need to be addressed. I am not so great with that.

2. Get baptized. My pseudo sister has actually already drawn out a contract and forced me to sign :) so expect that to be happening very soon.

3.Start my post secondary education. I don't try to hide the fact that I hate school, and I'm not very good at it. Partner that with the fact that I have no idea what I want to do, and it makes it an impossible situation. But I'm hoping that in my time at Bible school I will be able to learn enough about myself that I will have an idea what should be happening next.

4.Write 1 original song and record it. There is back story behind that, but I don't feel like going into it.

I'm going to stop there.
I feel as these things will give me enough on my plate without adding any more.

Happy New Years!
And let's all try and get used to writing a new year down instead of 2011, I know it will take me a couple weeks at least.

Layered Pumpkin Loaf Recipe.

Yumm!

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 egg whites, divided
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 package (8 ounces) Neufchatel cream cheese (1/3 reduced fat), softened
1/4 cup pepitas, chopped (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
In a large bowl, stir pumpkin, 1 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, 3 egg whites, buttermilk and oil, until combined. 
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.  Add to pumpkin mixture and fold gently just until moistened.
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, remaining granulated sugar and remaining egg white until well blended.
Spoon half the pumpkin batter into a 9x5-inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Spread the cream cheese mixture in a layer over that batter.  Top cream cheese layer with remaining pumpkin batter (You will want to spread the top pumpkin layer a little bit with a silicone spatula, but it is ok if a little cream cheese is still visible). 
Sprinkle the top layer with chopped pepitas, if desired.  It helps to gently pat the pepitas into the batter
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Loosen bread from sides of pan; cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Hannah's Notes: I didn't add the pepitas.

                             There seemed to be a little too much cream cheese mixture.

                              Also a little too much batter in general. Maybe do two small loaf pans

                              instead of the one 5 by 9, or risk filling it too full and having it rise way 

                              too high and falling a lot.

                              I will definitely be trying this recipe to make muffins at a later date.

Original recipe source here.