2 Years

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Joseph! I love you with my whole heart!

O Canada!

Happy Canada Day!

Today, Canada is 144 years old.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a federal state with a democratic parliament.

Canada's land mass is 9,970,610 km2 (the world's second largest country).

Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories.

Hockey and lacrosse are Canada's national sports.

Canada has two official languages: English and French.

The capital of Canada is Ottawa, located in the province of Ontario.

The population of Canada is 34,030,589.

With only three people per square kilometer, Canada has the fourth lowest population density in the world.

Hope you have a great weekend! I'm in Brooks visiting with family and today we are having a big BBQ and hopefully going to see the fireworks. Next weekend, the Calgary Stampede starts so I am going to get downtown bright and early to see the parade and catch a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, who are currently on a Canadian tour and will be in Calgary. Stampede goes on for 10 days and is this huge fair and rodeo, with chuckwagon races and bull riding. I'm not really too big into it, and by the end of the 10 days I am just wanting it to be over, but the parade is fun and there are pancake breakfasts all over the city every morning. Can't go wrong!

photos:

wikipedia

Travelpod

Happy Father's Day!

My favourite memory of my dad is when we would eat lunch together (black forest ham, lettuce, and cucumber sandwiches in pita pockets with chicken noodle soup) and watch the Flintstones before I would go to school in the afternoon. Miss you immensely, dad.

What is your favourite memory?

(photo via weheartit)

U2 part 2

At our seats!

This photo was taken by Latoya Wilson - a friend of mine who was also at the show. She was in the same section as us but in row 56. A very different (and sweet!) view than what Marley and I had at row 2. Massive stage!

Marley and I waiting for the concert!

The stage!

The stage was massive! The screen would shrink and expand and the video shot through the entire show was so cool - one of the best parts. They performed a lot of their older songs and a lot of new. I was really surprised that they played Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me and it may have been one of my favourite parts of the show. Marley's phone unfortunately died and my photos from my phone are not that great. We did get some cool videos though! It started raining a bit too and near the end of...I think it was Elevation...Bono started singing Singing in the Rain. So glad we got to go!

Vegas!

Well, we are back. Vegas was exhausting - but both weddings were beautiful and congratulations to Lindsey and Jesse and Jennie and Lawerance!

It was late when we arrived and I was sick and a big grump so I went to bed while Joe toured around. The next day we explored the strip, went to Mesa Grill (Iron Chef Bobby Flay's restaurant - yum!), and met up with Joe's sister who happened to the be there on business and went to see Cirque de Soliel - LOVE (it was all about the Beatles). It was pretty cool but lacked a lot of the crazy acrobats Cirque usually has. But still really good effects!

On Friday we went to Lindsey and Jesse's wedding ceremony in the middle of the Nevada dessert, the reception was at Serendipity 3 at Caesar's Palace (where their 'wedding cake' was frozen hot chocolates) and then went to the casinos and gambled!

Saturday was another day we had to ourselves so we spent it going from hotel to hotel, bar to bar, casino to casino, just taking it all in. I must say - Joe and I had a really good day and very good conversation. We are so busy with our lives that sometimes we forget to do that. In the evening we ran into Lindsey, Jesse and her family again and went to Serendipityy 3 again (what can we say? It is super good and the mac and cheese was delicious!)

On Sunday we went to Jennie and Lawerance's wedding in the gardens at the Flamingo and enjoyed the wonderful dinner reception. Jennie looked so beautiful!

On Monday we came home - and it was a loooong day. We took off from Vegas and a passenger had a medical emergency so right after a very turbulent take off we turned around and landed very quickly. Many people on the flight got sick because it was so rough and we had to all get off the plane so it could get cleaned and the paramedics took off the other passenger. Luckily, I was able to make to it the airport bathroom before getting sick (yes, it was that awful). So then we took off again and had 2 layovers - in Portland and Seattle and FINALLY we made it back to Calgary. I am still tired!

Next week is U2!! I am so excited for that - especially because I finally got my ticket confirmation and get to pick up my tickets at the window marked "U2 Guest Tickets" since I have band reserved tickets - it pays to have a husband who has connections to U2! Marley (my younger sister) is coming with me and it is going to be soo fun!

For now, here are some Vegas photos!

I hope you all had a great weekend and you are having a great week (it is almost over already!).

Vegas

Frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity 3

Fountain at Caesar's Palace (one of many)

Eiffel Tower at Paris - not as big or cool as the real one, but still nice

LOVE - waiting to see the show

Mesa Grill - Bobby Flay's restaurant in Caesar's Palace

Yum!

Ugh - I can't imagine eating beef any way but well done, but Joe liked it!

The best dip ever

So strong

This was inside!

The middle of the Nevada dessert - the backdrop to Lindsey and Jesse's wedding ceremony!

Monday Mish Mash

Twirl necklace from Kate Spade that I will be buying for my niece, Ainsley, who loves to twirl (and is very good at it!)

(via Kate Spade)

My new mug
(via Anthropologie)

Vegas in 9 sleeps!

(via weheartit)

And Joni Mitchell because I love her.

I hope you have a great start to your week!

Mom

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there - especially to my own mommy! I love you and I'm so proud to be your daughter! You're the best!

(via weheartit)

Easter Eggs

Today, we painted Easter eggs! My niece, Ainsley, loves Mario so Joe and I decorated eggs for her in Mario characters!

Luigi, Princess Peach, Mario, Donkey Kong, and Bowser!

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Grey day

(via weheartit)

Today, my brother, Diggity (his real name is Cody, but my family has a thing with nicknames), is coming to pick up his passport and then I am going with him back to Brooks to spend some time with my family (before I start working again!). The next few days will be full of baby cuddles, Mario Party, Polly Pocket, and the Wiggles. I love my nieces (plural now!) and nephew and enjoy my time with them so much.

My mom also recently bought a new house! It is exciting but a bit sad at the same time (I told my friend Rath and she actually started tearing up - my mom's house means a lot to a lot of people). There are a ton of memories in her house - my family has been in it for 21 years now. But I guess when you go from a family of 8 (the most that lived in the house at once) to 2...there is just a lot of space for her to maintain. She isn't moving right away because she has to do a major downsize so it will be another year or so and she is renting it out until then. She is so excited and I am excited to see it for the first time!

The past few days have been so warm and sunny - the major melt has begun and Oswald has very much enjoyed laying in the sun. Today, however, is very grey. Nothing is blooming here yet and still no green but it seems spring is on its way!

Hope you are all having a great week so far!!

Dreaming of...

(via TrekEarth)

Croatia. It is number 1 on my "must visit" list. Hopefully soon. Dubrovnik looks so amazing! Have you ever been there?

Hope you are all having a great weekend! Tonight, I went for a visit with a girl I worked with years ago. I haven't seen her in years and got to meet her baby, Arden, who is such a doll. Then Joe and I met my brother, Tyler, and went for dinner. We discovered this delicious Italian place called Gus's Pizza awhile ago and went there. Yummy!

Tomorrow, I am going to get my photos taken and have an interview with STARS Air Ambulance. They are relaunching their website and I get to share my story. Should be interesting...

I hope you are all having a great, relaxing weekend!

McKinley Lauren

Hello weekend, it is nice to see you! I hope you are all having a nice Friday!

Mine has been pretty interesting, including some nice white smoke that smelt like burnt hair rising out of my steering wheel column. No fun - so now I can't drive anywhere and I have to take the car in on Sunday evening to get checked. Not driving isn't usually so bad because Calgary has an ok public transit system and we live close to the train and buses and I have a bike; however, it is freezing outside and we have a lot of snow so it isn't fun to walk (or bike) to the stops and freeze. Not that I had any major weekend plans, but it looks like I'll be bumming around at home. And not only that, but I had plans to go pick up Vietnamese takeout tonight since Joe will be out...but now I cannot. So sad.

In other news, meet Ms. McKinley Lauren, my newest niece (finally a picture)! Is she soo cute or what?

(via Photography by Eiko)

What are your plans this weekend?

Day 20 - Nicknames

I have been called nicknames my whole life. It started when I was very young - I don't remember my dad ever calling me Meghan (or Meg). It was always Little or Medzi. Even in old cards I have from him, they are addressed to those names. Then, I remember my brother calling me Merg, which somehow became Egg. Egg (or some form of it - Egglyntine, Eggelin, Eggo) is something I am called to this day by a couple of friends and my family (my mom often calls me Egg). My sister, Kelli, calls me Sister Bear. And then there is Joe, who used to call me Jiggly Puff but now it is Poo. Sometimes I wonder why was I even given a name!?

What are your nicknames?

Day 17 - Something you're looking forward to

In May, Joe and I are off to Las Vegas for 2 weddings! My dear longtime friend (and practically sister), Lindsey, is marrying her love Jesse (they have been together for years and years and years!). I am so happy for her! Then, 2 days later, I will see my friend Jennie marry Lawerance - they are such a cute couple! It is going to be an amazing weekend and so much fun!

Day 14 - A picture of you last year - how have you changed?

Haha, I love this fuzzy, snobby photo of Marley and I (she may hate me for posting it). This was almost a year ago at her graduation. I don't think I've changed too much in a year. Last year was a tough one so I guess I have just learned to take things as they come and be patient. And my hair is longer. Years seem to go by so fast and in such a blur!

It's a....

My sister had her baby this afternoon at 4:35! 6 pounds, 10 ounces, 19 inches long!

My niece, Ainsley, went into the room with my mom. A minute later she came out to get my sister, Marley and I and said, "come in, come in! I have a new baby sister!" She was beyond happy and so excited she had a little sister!

Her name is McKinley Lauren and she is super cute! I'll post a picture soon!

So happy for Kelli, Graeme, Ainsley and Gavin! What an amazing little family!

Day 10 - Something you're afraid of

I am scared of a lot of things. When I was little, there wasn't much I was afraid of, now I'm grown and a wuss! I'm scared of my house burning down, being buried alive, not being successful, my family or friends being hurt...and spiders. The sight of them is enough to get me sweaty and nervous and leave the room. I would always get my little brother to kill them if I found one in my bedroom, and then I would be too scared to even sleep there. Ugh, I hate them.

But, my sister, Kelli, doesn't. These photos are of her spider, Tobey. She is a tarantula and her and I are not friends. I don't know where Kelli has her stashed in the home now, especially with her 2 kiddies (soon 3 - her due date is today, c'mon baby!) around. I don't remember seeing it in her living room last time I was there, which is where it used to be. Gross, I just don't like her. Sorry, Kelli.

*shudder*

She shed her skin! The top left corner is her old skin (it looks like another spider!) and she is at the bottom in that web. I am not really sure why she did it. I know Kelli was pretty excited when it happened. Yuck. It looks like 2 spiders and that = not cool.

Day 9 - A favourite picture of your best friend

Day 5 - A song to match your mood

Ok, I know, I know, The Wiggles? Whaaat? Well, today I am going back to Brooks (come on new baby! We are waiting for you!) and I am going to surprise Ainsley and Gavin. With Ainsley and Gavin come The Wiggles. They LOVE them. This song is especially fun because we do the actions together and Gavin gets so excited.

Day 4 - Your parents

Here is my mom (with me at my University graduation):


And here is my dad:

There are photos of them together, I just don't have any at my house, they are all at my mom's. I should really steal one from her, I would love to have one. My favourite is the one on their wedding day. They eloped in February to Montana and got married by a Justice of the Peace.

My favourite memory of my parents is when we were living in Red Deer. My mom was wearing a button-up purple dress with small white polka dots all over. It went right past her knees and had a big white collar. I remember her being in the kitchen and I went to go see her (I was probably 5). My dad pulled her behind him and said that she was his and he wouldn't share her. My mom didn't say anything and pretended to look horrified. He kept saying that he loved her and he just wanted her all to himself. It was really sweet and I remember just thinking he was silly.

My dad had a funny laugh and I always thought he was just like Fred Flintstone. He loved Westerns and the 3 Stooges. He would listen to really old country music from the 50s. He passed away in March 1996.

I admire my mom so much. She is so strong and has raised an amazing family. I love them both so much and they were perfect together.

Weekend! (yes, I'm a little behind...)

(via Heartfire At Home)

Hope you all have been having a great weekend so far! Right now, my niece, Ainsley, is sleeping beside me, making cute little noises and saying random words now and again (and also kicking me). We usually have sleep overs when I am at my moms. We came here for a quick visit for my sister's birthday (it was on Thursday) and in case she had her baby (which she didn't - but I have a feeling I will be back here very soon).

We were also hit with a ton of new snow over the past day and a half. Ah, winter. I can't wait until spring. The photo above makes me think of it and how nice it will be!

What have you been up to this weekend?