Life.

I just have to say that cancer sucks ass. 

Just quick note on how much it sucks: now I know what it's like to experience what families go through with this horrible and epidemic-sized disease. It's not fun. It's heart-wrenching and exhausting. But it has made me appreciate life more and realize that I cannot take things or the people in my life for granted. Everyone is connected, everyone is affected by cancer. 

Our little family on Signal Hill, sitting on a Newfoundland dog statue, 

where the first transatlantic wireless signal was made in 1901 by Guglielmo Marconi.

My sweet baby girl a day after arriving home :)

My latest ring obsession: old style Navajo rings with lots of silver balls!!

A used eBay special...it's fabulous though :)

On a different and more vain note (I realize I'm becoming much more vain in my 30's than I ever was in my 20's...oy): I've finally made it to a size 10 (in clothes). I'm leary to look at my weight since eating tonnes of sugar and ice cream during our 4 week trip to the East. But I am back at the gym anyhow, so no worries there. I can't wait to get into a size 8!! Never have I ever been that size! 

God bless and Cheers!!

COLOUR!!!!

I just have to say....that I LOOOOOOVE colour!

It makes my heart sing!

A change...will do us good?!

Change is inevitable. 

It is required, really. 

But. It is, no doubt, verrry difficult to deal with.

This is what I've been trying to figure out as to why my 2 year old has, just this week, started to DOWNRIGHT refuse to go to sleep in her own bed. Like seriously, 3 hour tantrums are just not our thing...like c'mon! And all of our previous bedtime methods, which always worked, are just NOT working. We are shocked, to say the least. And we are gathering that 2 year olds are different little people that require different little needs (juuust figured this out tonight although it could be TOTALLY out of whack...who knows?! We don't, that's for sure!!!). And I feel like a big failure in the mommy department right now. Like holy cow, it was a tough night and I'm not sure what the heck we are doing and what we're even gonna do for tomorrow night's bedtime! Oy!

She is currently, however, sound asleep beside her father in our king-sized bed while I sit here on the couch attempting to write my last term paper which is due in a mere 2 days. Procrastination is an evil, evil thing, I tell you. What can I say, since I am on blogger typing this up instead! 

And we're also hoping for some positive news with regards to my father-in-law. And praying that his cancer has not returned. I don't imagine that this is a possibility that anyone would want to hear...ever. Nuff said about that. Don't want to jinx anything.

And all of this while I attempt to work out some inner demons of my own in dealing with all of these changes myself. I am a creature of habit and change makes me leary. I'm not complaining about having to deal with it all. No, not at all. I was heartbroken enough after being away for so long. So bring it on. I will deal with it all in whatever order and in whatever fashion. It is just as I mentioned previously...change is difficult, nonetheless. And I am not bionic or made of steel (although sometimes I like to think I am). I am human. And I make mistakes too. Growing up is a lot more difficult then one would like to think. And growing pains never really end, do they? 

So it is now midnight and I suppose I shall either continue writing that paper or....just go to bed. But *GROAN* my tummy hurts so much!! Oh, did I not mention?! Jody and I have also been dealing with food poisoning all day and night from God knows what! urgh. 

I'm such the good, fantastic complainer today, aren't I?! 

I better get an A+ for that!!  :P

Oh well, it's a free country I suppose...

Gatherer syndrome...

Ok, so I think in my "old" age that I am getting to be somewhat of a 'collector' of sorts. I figure it must be the 'gatherer' syndrome and how women have, for centuries, provided for their families. I think that the gatherer in me is finally coming out...after all, good ol' hubby is the hunter (or atleast he tries, hehe). And after starting off my adult life as an 'uber-liberated' woman, becoming a mom later on has surely made me realize that there *really* are specific gender differences in our species. Now hold on before you blast me...I don't know if this gatherer thing is one of them, but hey, it's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it! heheh!

So first my little obssession and collecting started out with rings, then just plain ol' jewellery in general...now it's turned a whole new avenue that includes stones!! What the heck!? I honestly don't know what is happening to me!! I've never been a collector of anything before really!! Except maybe sandals... But, truthfully, I am really liking it (obviously, why else would I be obssessed with doing it!? hehe). It must give me some sort of purpose. Now that I think about it, it's just like shopping I guess, hehe. The thrill and the pretties.

Currently I've realized that I like to see my collections grow. I am proud of them. I like to display them...somewhere high enough though where baby girl can't get at them; but she loves them too and kisses each ring I wear when she sees them on my fingers, haha.

And so I've recently purchased my first 4 stones...I have no idea what I'll do with these stones besides stare at them in awe, LOL! And keep them on a pretty plate so I could do just that. But, ohhh, lately I am having HUUUGE crushes on moukite, Morgan Hill Poppy jasper (!!!), laguna agate, turquoise (which I have yet to buy) and just really different stones with bursts of wild colour or ever-wicked patterns on them! As you may be able to tell from my first ever purchases below...

theagateworks.etsy.com (First 2)

dmargocr

ebay seller stephitom65

Oh, and I should mention that I purchased a book called The Crystal Bible as well...I have yet to crack it open but the concept of crystals and stones and healing and feelings really intrigues me.