a fairytale come true...

Melissa and Darren are two of my most favourite people in the world.  Both have been dealt some very difficult hands in their past, and they're living proof that goodness, happiness, and love prevails over even the worst adversity.  They're perfect for each other, and their love is beautiful. I was absolutely honored to be asked to do a reading during their intimate ceremony, and I'm so happy to be able to tell you all about their special day from start, to finish:

Stanhope Beach Resort was the perfect backdrop for an outside ceremony right by the ocean.  The night before, it had been windy and so cold we couldn't feel our toes, but, the actual day of the wedding, the sun shone bright, and the winds minimized. It was perfect.  Melissa and Darren both have their own special angels shining down on them, and I'd like to think that they both had something to do with the perfect weather :).

The reception area was absolutely gorgeous, thanks to Once Upon a Wedding - they came in, decorated the whole thing, and tore it down when it was all over.  The room itself was beautiful to start with, but the tasteful decorations turned the room into a romantically magical setting!

The gorgeous cake, including it's very own bling.

The center pieces - PERFECT, if you know Melissa!

They're both beaming - that great smile of Melissa's lights up the darkest of rooms :)

Kaylie wrote her very own speech to welcome Darren into the family.  Melissa didn't know about this until a few days before the wedding when she told her mom she thought she might need a little help finishing it up.  In her words, she, "really wanted Darren to know how much she loved him".  The speech was poignant, sweet, funny, and caused a few tears in the audience.  She's her momma's daughter, for sure!

 I *heart* these two!!  Could they BE any more adorable?  No, I think not ;)

Donnie and Tim of Vintage 2.0 provided the entertainment for the dance, and the dance floor was hopping the whole night long!  Always a pleasure to see these guys play.  Great job!

 The bride & groom jivin' it up :)

Chris took his responsibility of being the evening's emcee very, very seriously.  He made sure that he did whatever was in his power to ensure everyone around him had a good time.  Despite forgetting the whole saying grace thing (and an incredible minister who was able to eloquently fit it in as an 'after dinner tradition), he did a bang-up job.  He ensured the reception flowed through its paces; he had several 'dance offs' amongst some of the other guests (including his own rendition of "break dancing", and  showing off his version of "the worm" not once, but three times).  It was tie-swinging, feel-good fun :).

Melissa & Darren, thank you so much for allowing us to share in the magic of your special day.  You are both so important to us.  Words can't describe how happy we are that you've found each other.  Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness, always xoxoxo.

quote tuesday

dot...dot...dot...*

• So Ben the winemaker wasn't one of my early favourites, but after their one-on-one date, I'm growing more and more warm to the idea that he could be making his way onward to the final few.  He seems very genuine, and very 'into' Ashley, and she appears to be a little smitten, too.  The scene where they weren't 'allowed' to kiss because of the sacred ground was actually kinda hot ;).
• 'fight for the girl' group date...boxing, the thai variety, or any kind of 'sport' of that nature is NOT my thing. At all.  Besides, why would she want to run the risk of them bruising up their pretty faces?  Though, their pre-match warm up routine...and their glistening muscular chests (hellloooooo Mickey!!)?  Ummm...yeah, that was pretty ok.  BUT! All's fair til the one in the pink shorts lands his ass into the ambulance (I personally think he looked like he fought like a girl, but, all jokes aside, I'm glad he wasn't seriously injured).
• To Lucas:  GOOD JOB douche-bag...telling her that her 'type' is Bentley.  We almost had a whole episode without his rat arse being mentioned.  Your heart is obviously not into this.
• Blake is awkward.  Perhaps he's just shy.  He's not ugly though.
• Ames was dopey-looking enough without the worry of being concussed.  Did he look extra dopey the evening of his date, or was it just me?
• Ben C and William fight for their chance to stay, amongst the elephants...Did Ben C really tell the guys that he couldn't wait to get on dating websites? Jokingly or not, it would appear that it was his time to go, regardless, but William hammered in the nail til I was buried deep in the wood.  If he DID say those things, good on Wills for doing Ashley a favor.  If he twisted it to his benefit, I've lost respect for the guy.  The jury's still out on what I believe about all that.  Maybe the "Men Tell All" episode will reveal some "unseen footage"?  Either way, the point is kinda moot now.  Maybe she was just sparing William's feelings by keeping him around a little longer after his roast debacle anyway.  His whole 'pity me' speech at the end only proved, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Ashley made the right decision.
• For the love of the sweet, merciful Baby JAYSAS......enough about Bentley, already!  I want to punch her!

*sigh*

Remind me again of why I watch this show?  Oh, I just saw the preview for next week.  I can hardly wait :).

*Lending the phrase: the eloquent Bentley (sarcasm intended)

Shame on me...

...I've been a bad blogger.  I wish I had some exciting reasons why I've been MIA.  It's more that there hasn't really been much blog-worthy goings-on, I'm afraid.  I'll try to cap off a Coles notes version of the past while...I'll go point-form so I don't lose too many of you toooo quickly:

-Operation Mouse Trap 2011 has been a success.  After a week between the last check, it has been determined that we've rid our home of our pesky little visitors.  The 15 traps under the home have been untouched, as are the ones in the water heater closet.  Phew!  That means that our original mouse count of 3 was it.  The assumed entrance-way has been plugged up, and the traps will remain for a while longer. We have slept much better lately.
-Our 'spring weather' in the Maritimes has been really sh!tty - wet, damp and cool.  We can count on 1 hand how many nice, warm, sunny days we've been graced with. And, it's even making the news - they just mentioned that it's rained 2 out of every 3 days since May. I don't normally blog about the weather, but one day in the future, maybe we'll look back on 2011 as the year we didn't have summer?  I kid, I kid.  Personally, I wouldn't mind if the temps stayed in the 20-22 degree Celsius range, so long as the dark, dreary clouds would dissipate.  I can just imagine that realistically,  the humidity is on its way and the remaining summer months will be unbearably sticky and hot and I'll be praying for a little rain and cool.  We'll see.
-We finished Prison Break.  A little piece of me has died. I'll not elaborate in the event any of my reading audience has yet to watch (watch it already, damnit, so we can talk! :)).
-I have been watching the Bachelorette; I did my first post recently, as a catch up post for the first 3 weeks.  I watched this past Monday's episode over the weekend, and I really don't have much to add.  Ashley is whiny.  The last episode was boring...but, I will keep watching.  And the preview for tonight's show sets up the possibility of a return of the Snake Bentley?  That oughta mess with her head. *sigh*
-Big Brother starts on July 7!!  I'm just a little gleeful about the prospects of a new season in the house!!
-My aforementioned birthday shawarma was postponed - to tonight that is!!  Meeting up with Lana tonight and I can barely stand it!  Belated birthday shawarma is something I look forward to twice every single year :).
-We've been to a few more Open Houses in the past while.  We've determined that our 'style' of choice is definitely a rancher - with a full double-car garage with the extra high ceilings so that Chris can set up studio shop inside.  We're still not sure whether we want to take the leap to build something, or keep shopping for one that's already up.  Chris' list of must-haves is a lot longer than mine.  I just want a big closet, and it must be walk-in.    In the meantime, we've purchased some new flowers to dress up the outside of the mini-home. We may be here for a lot longer, yet (if only I could convince him that the painting and sprucing up inside could stand to be done now and not when the time comes to sell...).
-One of the few beautiful sunny days that we had was last Saturday, June 11 - Darren & Melissa's wedding day.  That day was so spectacular it deserves it's own post, so stay tuned.  I'll even include pics ;).

That's about it --- birthday shawarma awaits, so I must go get purty!  More updates to follow :)

on Fathers Day, and every day...

Dad, when you left this world, you were never truly ever gone.  Memories keep you close...smells, tastes and sights enhance the recollection...  Yesterday was Fathers Day.  I miss you every single day, and the hurt I experienced when you passed away 9 years ago has never gone away.  On special "occasions", such as Fathers Day, the hurt is a little stronger.  In tribute to you, my awesome father, I thought I'd compose a list of things that have, and will always, remind me of you:

-Irish Spring soap.
-BRUT cologne (only on special occasions, of course).
-calligraphy pens.
-fried eggs with a dash of garlic powder (sometimes way more than a dash).
-La cucaracha, la cucaracha... (I had no idea you were singing about a cockroach, and, I'm pretty sure the only words you got right were "la cucarcha").
-Chap Stick - the black, original kind only, of course.
-turkey stuffing - your own secret recipe.  Todd gets close, but it's never truly been the same.
-beer and Clamato juice (blech!).
-Molson Canadian Lager.
-air-popped popcorn with a tall glass of Crosby's lemonade (made with a little extra water, because if you didn't, it would be too strong).
-The New York Islanders (particularly the 1980-83 seasons) when we watched them prevail (even listening to the New York radio station when the game wasn't being aired on CBC), all while enjoying your popcorn & lemonade you made special, just for the game.
-Archie Bunker
-lighthouses.
-Navy ships or anything to do with the sea, really.
-Dentyne gum (the classic, small stick cinnamon flavored kind); you used to drive me nuts when you chewed it.
-Nikita by Elton John.  You wore that tape out because you'd only listen to that one song on the one side.  The tape deck in the Tempo (or was it the Escort?) had a button where you'd flip the tape to the "B" side and you'd go back and forth in that same section of tape.  What was the other song? "Wrap her Up", maybe?
-John Wayne movies.  Remember when I worked at the video store and brought home the life-size cardboard cutout of John Wayne?  He stood in the basement for so many years...

I hope I always hold on to these memories.  I'm blowing kisses up to Heaven...Happy Fathers Day, Dad....love and miss you, forever xoxoxo.

howling in my head

Having to work when there's a full moon about to happen that same evening is sure to generate the insane, the oddballs, the wackos, the meanies, the 'oh-my-god-how-do-you-function-in-life?' people.... Add a head cold into the mix and the pounding head, crackly throat, and the 'speak-up-I-can't-hear-you' people, and you have my day, so far.  *whimper*  Only 6 or so more hours to go...

"Today marks the first day of my love story"*

I know you've been waiting with baited breath.  Perhaps you've even long given up on me.  As I mentioned before, I've been behind on this season, and I've slowly just caught up (Thank goodness for Citytv!).  On account of feeling like a big sack of dog poo I don't know that I'll be able to watch tonight's episode as it airs.  I have a rotten head cold and I think my health should take a higher priority over watching some poor waif's struggle with finding her "prince".  Anyway, a few commentaries thus far:

•  Note to future contestants of subsequent bachelors for the Bachelorette show:  if you're a raging alcoholic, do not sign up for the show; you'll only embarrass yourself as you wind up pickled into a drunken stupor, necessitating your competition to have to prod your sorry ass up off the seat you passed out on and throw you out the front door.
• William & Mickey get my thumbs up -despite William's horrific display at the 'roast'. I think he made up for his faux pas with raw emotions.  We'll see.
• "Beast" needs to go.... I get the fact that he wants to acknowledge the whole, "beauty is skin deep-get to know the person instead of judging on the outside-thing....but man ....  It's a public show based on first impressions, including looks (you can't tell me that the stars of each season don't initially weed out the uglies, regardless if they've talked to them to 'get to know them', first).  The "life-changing" mask is ridiculous; I had visions of some dark, thick hair on the upper cheek area. I think maybe he was trying to get his own spin-off dating show.  Waitaminute...wasn't that done before?  *rolls eyes*.  Least they can finally burn that damn mask (Typed before they actually did do that at the end of episode 3, I swear!). I didn't expect him to last very long in this whole journey.
• Bentley, Bentley, Bentley...what an A$$HOLE!...Seriously! -- "I'm gonna make Ashley cry.... I hope my hair is OK" ...*PUNCH*!  I can't wait for the "Men Tell All" episode!!  Will she be privy to what he REALLY said? Will she confront him?  I hope someone hurts him. Bad. Hey, Michelle Money, if you happen to read this, drop me an email, would you? I'd LOVE to hear what you have to say.

So have YOU been watching, too?  What are your thoughts?

*Quote from Ashley as she daydreams about the snake that is Bentley.  Oh dear, poor, little naive Ashley...

2011: The Year of the Mouse*

In my absence from posting I turned over another calendar year. As we speak I have exactly 363 days left to suck out whatever I can from my final days of my "thirties" before embarking on a new *gulp* decade.  You would think I'd have an amazing  story to share of the wild party that took place over the weekend.  You would think that I've been suffering a 3 day hangover on account of the rowdiness and the celebration.  You would think. But, that's not the case.

We'll blame the mice.  So far our carcass count is now up to 3.  We had originally hoped the discovery on the hallway floor was a solitary visitor.  Unfortunately, after allowing 2 days to pass after a thorough clean up, there was new 'matter' of the fecal variety discovered in the original hide out place by the water heater (in our bedroom closet, no less.  Yeah.  Awesome).  So, Sunday afternoon, the official "birth" day, Chris went to Canadian Tire to purchase $20 worth of mouse trapping devices, and he crawled around underneath the mini-home placing them in regular intervals, and loaded up the water tank area.  By the time the area was 'secured' it was after 4pm (oh, and p.s. in addition to the traps, he also landed home with a bathroom scale, which he swears was not a birthday gift, just on sale. Regardless, I was feeling old; and fat; and p!ssy about the mice messing with a good day, so well...you know). 

Originally Chris had planned an all-day "Adventure Day", complete with lunch out at one of our favourite restaurants (seasonal), and a drive.  Because we had such a late start, we couldn't do that, but we made the best of it.  Instead, we travelled to Jewell's Country Market and slurped up a HUGE ice cream cone (the evidence of which still shows on the scarf that I wore that day, waiting to be laundered), while walking through the various rows of pretty plants and flowers. From there, we took a drive, and ended up at East Side Marios for eats.  You never leave that place hungry.  Despite saving more than half of my entree for lunch the next day, I felt pretty nasty full.  Oh, and bonus!  We could now weigh ourselves with the purchase of the new bathroom scales, and each carried another 3lbs or so from the huge supper :P.  A few more episodes of Prison Break later, (we're almost done; god, what are we going to do when it's done?) and it was time for bed.

Monday night, Chris joined Mummy & I for supper at Swiss Chalet.  Mummy spoiled me again this year, with a generous gift card to Reitmans (hellloooo new summer attire!) and she also replenished my perfume, too!  Love you, Mummy....xoxoxo.  Thanks to Todd, too, for his gift card. Unfortunately, he had to work, so it was just the three of us for supper.  We settled on Swiss Chalet.  I was so indifferent when it came to making a decision, if the truth be known, that restaurant was really for Mom and Chris.  My ears have been bothering me (to find out today that the cold I had a few weeks back has plugged them up really good -and now I'm on a prescription to clear them), so I wasn't even that hungry.  From there, we went back to Momma's for a bit, then on to his parents' house for a visit.  Thanks to Rose & Charlie for the gorgeous scarf, tops & little kitty pin! 

On Sunday I have plans to meet up with Lana for some belated birthday schawarma, and a day next week, I'll be kicking back with my girlies to celebrate mine, and Julie R's birthdays, so the fun times aren't over, yet :).  A huge THANK YOU to all who sent well wishes, cards, etc....Love you all!!!!!!!!!

So, even though it was a quiet birthday, it was still spent with the important folks in my life, and I appreciate the time and the generosity more than words! Thanks everyone!! xoxoxo.

*Otherwise known as the year I turned 39

This is not a Dr. Seuss rhyme...

...but....

I awoke to a freaking MOUSE IN MY HOUSE! 

Fear not, he was not attempting to plot. 

Dead was he, and white-faced, was ME!

I nearly passed out.  I frantically called out to a slumbering Chris, "UM, there appears to be what looks like a real dead mouse in the hallway".  To which, he sleepily replied, "Huh, that's not possible"..and then the surprise, "Oh my God it IS (no sh!t, Sherlock!)".

I remember hearing Zoe crying out for us earlier in the morning, long before the alarm.  She usually waits til the alarm goes off, and then she walks all over me to ensure I'm getting up.  Perhaps she was squealing in delight at her kill?  Bosco looked unusually tired this morning - barely opening an eyelid as he remained drowsily perched on top of the couch. Perhaps he'd had a busy night last night.  Regardless of how the kill went down, at least Chris was there to dispose of the...carcass.  He'd dropped it actually, and it made a big thud.  How quick does riggor kick in, anyway? (*shudders*).  This is our first issue with a rodent.  Does it mean that there's a nest of little furry creatures in our mattress?  In the dust bunny haven under the bed?  Perhaps in the sty that we call a bedroom closet?  I'm sickened at the thought, but, at least I do have a few 'guards' on hand to take care of business, as it were. 

I guess you know what I'LL be doing this weekend.  Full on clean up in the Master...complete with closet dump.  If it's not been worn in a year, "hopeful" or not, she goes to the red bin.  Pray that I don't find fecal matter or 'nests', would you, please?

Sweet merciful baby Jeeeeeeeeeebus!

It's June? Really?

Hehe...supposing this cute little cartoon doesn't sufficiently explain my absence in posting - especially, since, you know, it's only June 1 today, and my last post was a week ago.  Nevermind the fact that there's a new season of the Bacherlorette on and I've not even mentioned it (I'll get to it, my pretties, fear not. Playing catch up and I've not seen this week's show). Heck, I even missed Quote Tuesday yesterday!  Ok, I promise a catch up post soon, and to mark the missing quote Tuesday, here's one of my favourites (I kinda use it as my own motto):

"Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted" ~ John Lennon

Happy Hump!