Back from the Big D

So the hubby and I went off on a little adventure down to Dallas this past weekend. Hubby had commitments with work down there and so I decided to tag along, as Grandpa and Grandma were willing to come to Calgary to babysit Matthew.

At first, I was fully expecting the trip to be a lot of alone time for myself, as I thought Hubby had lots of work commitments, but in the end, we got to spend a lot of quality time together, which was nice. Quality time with just the two of us has been lacking for some time and we are realizing that we have to make a point to do things just the two of us and taking advantage of times like this past weekend when we can get away, just the two of us!

Dallas was a pretty cool city, but not as great as Calgary or Vancouver, in terms of the downtown areas. In fact, I thought the downtown core was actually pretty yucky.

We took a few adventures, and I will try post pictures soon. I shopped a lot. A lot more than I intended to, but I found some really great deals and well, you know how it goes. Outlet stores are usually at the top of my list when we go to the states, but for some reason, I didn't even think of them this time until Hubby asked me if I wanted to go when we were down there! Ah, hell ya! If you've never experienced the "premium" outlets chain, you really should when you go down there... so much stuff... so little time (and money)...

My best deal? Two pairs of jeans (regular $85) at my favourite store *Ann Taylor* for $8.73 a pair. Yes, $8.73 a pair. Now, you can't beat that!

Formal, Casual or Hybrid - Part 2

So now you know if you're a formal or casual person... but are you really?
You see, there's part 2 to this story according to Mimi Donaldson.

You can also be very formal or casual with your STUFF. (Ha, I hear my mom laughing right now)...

I may be very formal with my time... but I am quite casual with my stuff! Oh what a shocker eh? So, I am a hybrid.

Now, as a hybrid, I have half a formal self and half a casual self and you can bet that they dual between each other constantly, yet neither has ever been able to completely persuade the other half to join its revolution.

My casual side has always tried to convince the formal side to just "get there when you get there" but oh, my formal side has never let that happen yet.

My formal side is constantly trying to persuade the casual side that it must be more organized around the house that there needs to be places for everything. And yet, I love to try and organize things... I'm just not the worlds best at keeping them that way. None the less, I think formal has an edge of casual in this area. One of these days I will get this place organized once and for all. The funny thing it, Formal already has my office at work organized to a tee, so I can't quite understand why it can't get casual to take a vacation at home too..

Anyhow, as I said in my last post.. you can tell if you're formal or casual with your stuff by looking at your purse. Do you have a specific little pocket for the loonie that you put into the shopping cart!?! Do you have a safety pin and bandaid and a rubber band in a little box in a slot, just in case?? I'm not making fun of you if you do, but if you do, you're a formal stuff person.

This is what my purse does not look like. (yet)



But funny enough, I just read this blog before I was about to post. I am going down to the states in a few weeks, and I am gettin' me one of these purses. Formal stuff will be thrilled! Just imagine the stuff I can keep organized now!

So tell me, now that you know all the sides, what are you???

Are you Formal, Casual or a Hybrid?

I recently went to a Power Within seminar in Calgary. If you've never been or never heard of, I do recommend checking them out (if you like the "get you motivated" type speakers)... one of the speakers there was Mimi Donaldson. I had not really heard or her prior to the event, but she has a book out called Bless this Stress.

So, her talk was on people's personality styles and how that style causes others (co-workers, friends, spouse, etc) stress. She started her talk about describing herself and how she was "formal" (Notice, not right or wrong, just a label)... I realized that I was "formal" when she described how it drives her crazy when her significant other does not leave the house the required 45 minutes before they need to be somewhere (when they really only need 20 to get there)... Yep, that's me. Then she talked about how she always picks the longest line at the checkout and it drives her nuts... well, I always pick the longest line too. It doesn't necessarily drive me crazy, but just the fact that I am thinking that I am in the longest line means I'm "formal"...

So flip the coin and you guessed it... the other half of the population is labelled (I know, labels aren't nice, but just play along for now)... "Casual".... Casual is the definition for my significant other. You know, the person who leaves exactly 8 minutes before we have to be somewhere and either still gets there on time, or gets there 5 minutes late, but couldn't care less one way or another! Formal people, you're rolling your eyes, just like me. Casual people, I know you're saying, "so what's wrong with that!?!"

Now the point of the story is not that you should be one way or another, but that it shouldn't cause you stress because the other half of the population is "the other way".

If you are formal, you also recognize the sound that we all make "ahhhhhhhh (breath in)..... SIIIIIGGGGGGGHHHHHHH (so that the casual person hears you)... Apparently, that causes the Casual people great stress, so I have that on my list to try not to purposely do that (especially when we need to be somewhere for 8pm, it's now 6:30, it takes 20 minutes to get there, but I already have my coat and purse and am waiting for my husband to get ready.... aaaaah....siiiiiggghhhhhhh.....

And, you know what always happens... we get there 45 minutes early and then I don't want to go in, because, well, you never want to be the first people there........ so we sit in the car...... no stress there.

Stay tuned for Part 2: Your purse will also determine your personality style.... and determine if you are truly formal, casual, or a "hybrid"....

9/365

Well, the way I've been blogging lately, it'll take more than a year to get a year of grace in the small things, but that's the way it goes!

~ Longer Evenings, nicer weather, walks outside....
~ Seeing Matthew come out of his shell at the play group
~ hot showers
~ chocolate cupcakes
~ Matthew being able to say new words every day!

Knowing Me... Knowing You... in March

I'm pretty sure I missed February's Knowing Me, Knowing You (I might still do it anyhow)... but here is March's from Shan's blog. Feel free to play along and answer the questions on your own blog (or in the comments section if you don't have a blog).

#1 What is your dream life?

My dream life is to live somewhere with rolling green hills... green as far as the eye can see... That would either be Ireland, or Brag Creek (near Calgary in the foothills of the mountains) for the few months of the year that it appears quite green! I would be financially secure enough to not have to work at my regular job and instead do the things I love... teaching piano, photography, graphic work, gardening, cooking, and spending oodles of hours with my kids!


#2 Do you play games online?

Not anymore... I had to go to scrabblers anonymous after trying it out on Facebook, so I have banned myself from online games.

#3 Seen anything good lately?

My girlfriends and I just saw Nights in Rodanthe It was such a good chick flick and such a good tear jerker... we all enjoyed having a good cry ;o)


#4 What is your favourite pizza combination?

Ham, green pepper and mushroom


#5 How are you with houseplants?

When life isn't crazy, they do well in my house... when life gets crazy, they inevitably end up in the garbage, which means every few years, I end up getting new ones... That doesn't stop me from trying over and over though... I really would like to have more house plants!