We're still alive

I really am not good at keeping up this blogging stuff. I apologize. 

Yes we are still alive and kicking it. 

Yes there is still SO MUCH snow here. 

Yes I have the winter blues!

Quite literally. 

I didn't think experiencing a winter like this could have that much effect on a person's mood. But I can affirm it can!!

We went through a 2 week period where the temperature did not go above -30. By the end of the 2 weeks I was going crazy wondering why the heck did we come out here!!

Since it has warmed up a bit I've come back to my senses.. a little.

Never will I take for granted a chinook wind ever again!

It's hard to find entertaining things to do when the weather is that cold. You don't ever want to go outside, because it's just too much work! 

Get all bundled up(and even then it's never enough!)

Scrape your car windows

Let your car run for about 20 minutes

Go run your errand

Try and keep calm with all the idiot drivers who act like they've never seen snow (I thought this was normal for Saskatoon, then WHY can't Saskatoon people drive!?)

Try not to take too long in the store because your car is still warm and you want it to stay that way

Hurry back home

And SPRINT inside

Because literally my lungs just collapsed from that dry, bitter, cold air!

And I can promise if you did that once already that day, you are NOT going to do it again. 

Luckily I have a kind husband who will scrape my windows and start my car for me:)

My sister made me this fun wheat bag and it has saved my life numerous times! I carry this with me all over the house! I even sleep with it. 

This was a day out of that 2 week period. 

That windchill makes everything WORSE. 

I got knitting and crocheting supplies for christmas!

I'm not very good at up keeping that hobby either.

But I'm tryin! 

This is what happens when the temperature drops that bad. 

A STATIC MESS. 

Saskatoon you aren't impressing me thus far.

Storm's hockey injury.

I guess he forgot his elbow pads!

So proud of myself.

I made homemade taco shells!

First try wasn't too much of a success, but once I found the perfect recipe they turned out great! And they taste so much better than store bought! Plus I know what's really in them.. 

Reading week is coming up and we're so excited! Storm more than me because he's actually going home all week. I'm not:( Dumb work is why!

But I guess work isn't too dumb when they're letting me take 2 days off to go home for the weekend at least! 

Counting down the days to

family

&

warmer weather.. hopefully

I can't promise the next time I blog will be soon. 

I will try though! 

Sorry i know i've been slacking in the blogging area of my life right now!

it's actually kind of a hard thing to keep up.

but things are going good! storm did really well this last semester and i'm really proud of him! it was well deserved with all the hard studying he did (i would know because for 2 or more weeks i was a widow).

the nasty flu or cold hasn't touched our home yet, thankfully! well at least not for me. storm got a sinus cold, but once i finally convinced him to DAILY use my Do-terra melaleuca oil it went away as fast as it came! men always trust your wives..they know what they are talking about. 

it's 2013 and i can hardly believe it. the end of last year brought A LOT of changes for us including the big move to saskatoon. now that we're feeling more settled and have a good routine going living here in saskatoon we're pretty optimistic about 2013! 

i will share one of my experiences that closed my 2012 that i wasn't all that excited for. actually it was very unexpected.

storm came home with this.

and if you don't know me.. i'm very fond of storms long locks.

or i guess i should say i was.

before.

i don't think you understand. 

my mom would cut his hair and i would have to watch to make sure she didn't cut it too short. 

i know.. somethings wrong with me.

after. 

but he's still sooo cute:) 

though the worst part was he made ME do it. 

i have never cut hair before. 

we went through 2 sessions. 

1st session: i TRIED trimming his hair with scissors which just created a MAJOR mullet due to the fact that i WAS NOT allowed to touch the hair in the back.

2nd session: he inspected his "trim" in the mirror and then handed me the buzzers and said buzz it. i was furious. not because he was implying my "trim" was bad, but because i've never used buzzers and i didn't want to attempt my first try on him. after my first swipe with the buzzers that's when the tears came and unstoppable laughter from storm. we didn't realize the guard we put on was QUITE short. 

but after all said and done it didn't turn out too bad. i got over it.. after a week or two. first few times i came home from work i'd get all startled because i'd be expecting this shaggy dog and instead a little turtle head. 

but no matter because i love that little turtle head:) 

have a good 2013!

Journals

How often do you journal? 

Everyday, few times a week, few times a month, or ever?

I remember the first journal I got. 

I was in achievement days and we had an activity about journals. We each got our own journal and spent the rest of that activity decorating and making them our own. 

That was the day I feel in love with journaling. 

Honesty

What ever happened to honesty? 

I feel like these days honesty is tossed out the window on a regular basis. Does a hand shake or someone's word mean anything anymore? 

They were right.

So when they said it's cold here, they really meant it. 

My iphone tells me it's only -3... it has to be a lie. 

Feels like -20 to me! 

When the first snow fall happened, which was only a couple inches (nothing compared to what everyone else back home got! 3ft I believe?), I have to admit panic kind of set in. I was really stressing out about driving to work every morning in that rush of hundreds of vehicles, buses, and yes people still riding their bikes(that's a whole other story in itself). And especially since I have to travel to downtown each day, where I swear everybody and their dog is going each morning. 

I was pleasantly surprised! My expectations of slick roads and impatient people were not met; thankfully. Though the traffic was very slow, I was actually grateful! People were being cautious; I'm not going to complain about that! 

Having experienced my first winter in Calgary, in Storm and mine's first year of marriage was a NIGHTMARE. Everyone in a car acted like they had never seen snow before! What was this white crap and why is it soo slippery?.... Yes I developed road rage that year. 

So disappointed.. I don't have a costume for Halloween. 

And you guessed it, neither does Storm. But that's to be expected of him! Not me, I LOVE Halloween. 

My excuse, I have no where to wear it. Haven't heard of any party going on and I don't think where I work they dress up(since I'm really suppose to wear slacks, buuuut I don't always). I'm hoping maybe we'll get some trick or treaters so I can sport my witches hat! Which by the way is very cute and I'd wear it all the time if I could. 

Here's a little of what we've been up to..

a few of my Halloween decorations!

my first roast.. it was a success!

I drive this cute little road called

Broadway Ave to work everyday.

I really want to go to one of the

cafes someday!

first snowfall, taken from inside as per the 

poor quality! Doesn't look like any snow, but that's because my awesome husband shovelled all the snow on the back deck before I

had a chance to take a picture. 

My new found love. 

Nail art pen.. it's so fun!

I plan on doing spider webs for halloween!

I've asked Storm to do my right hand for me.. don't worry

I'll be taking pictures. 

My cute mother sent me this in the mail! Came with a 

package of things I needed and I wasn't expecting it at all! 

Those are the best:) 

Yes he shakes and sings. 

Movie suggestion for Halloween.. besides the oh so famous Hocus Pocus and of course E.T.{a tradition started at my Grandma Audrey's when we were young}.. I would suggest this. 

I absolutely LOVE it. 

sorry this was a very long post. I need to post more often so it's less long. 

If I don't get the chance to say it and the day passes..

happy halloween!!

             

Fall is here..

It feels as if the temperature dropped over night! 

The air is so crisp and that smell of fallen leaves sets that Autumn mood so well. 

Definitely my favorite time of the year. If only it would stay this way.. but I'm told that winter here in Saskatoon is just around the corner. 

And from what I'm told about the winters here, I don't think I am going to be prepared! Did I purchase any thermal underwear.. of course not. And why not? Because there's a small part of me willing myself to believe that they are all wrong! 

Thanksgiving weekend flew by! 

If Thanksgiving, General Conference, Pumpkin Pie (pumpkin ANTYHING), orange/yellow/red leaves don't scream FALL, then I don't know what does! 

Seeing and visiting family was so gratifying! 

When you move away from home, where all your family is, you become a lot more grateful for the things they do and the people they are. 

I had a first this weekend... I got to experience the Northern Lights on our drive home! We were almost to Saskatoon and Storm pointed them out to me as the sun started to set. 

I tried to get a picture with my phone..

Didn't work. 

I need to start taking my AWESOME camera Storm gave me for Christmas last year everywhere with me! 

Because sometimes those kind of moments never occur again! 

Though I'm sure I'll see them sometime in my life again, but for the first time.. never again. 

All I can say about those Northern Lights is what a Beautiful World we live in. We are so blessed, to have the opportunity to live upon something so magical all in itself. 

here's a bit of my weekend.. 

first pumpkin treat of the season.

Pumpkin smoothie. YUM

this boy, my little bro, had his bday before the weekend

he's 16!!

i got a new hair do

dark with ombre red

LOVE IT

i missed this face. 

oh and look what i came home to.

it's body alone was bigger than my thumbnail.

How nice of that spider to camp out in my bathtub.

As I was bending close to get this picture, my loving husband screamed, grabbed me, and tried to push me towards this beast. 

Not so nice things came out of my mouth(i've repented), why men find things like that soo entertaining I'll never know. 

So there is one downside to Fall...creepy crawlers think it's an invitation to come hang out inside. 

Pre-occupied with all the Thanksgivin' going on all weekend, Storm and I didn't realize that Taken 2 came out over the weekend! 

I know what we'll be doing this weekend..

That and setting up Halloween decor!!

What are you being for Halloween??

 trying to convince Storm that it's cool to dress up. 

wouldn't that be the cutest couples costume! 

i thought so. 

let me know what ya think:) 

Fall is coming...

The leaves are changing and it's actually quite pretty here in Saskatoon! Especially by the river. 

I drive over a bridge to work every day and each day I say I am going to go down there and take some photos! 

It hasn't happened yet, but when it does this will be the first place they will be seen. Promise. 

We are officially Saskatoon residents! 

And there were only 2 draw backs, 2 expensive draw backs may I add. A new windshield and something on the drivers side to do with our brakes(I'm not a mechanic okay!). But look how clear that windshield is! Well worth it, I suppose. 

And I guess I won't lie, I'm not a resident. I don't quite have my Saskatchewan license yet. Workin' on it. But in my eyes just living here should count! 

But I do think Storm applied for both him and I for Saskatchewan health care #'s.

How that works without me being a resident, I do not know!

His main reason:

it allows him to hunt..  

I can't see the future, but I'm hoping it doesn't include animal heads on my walls.. in this house at least! 

Did a little thrift shopping over the week! 

I may become an addict.

These right here, total of $10.00. I'm kicking myself I didn't get the other pictures that went with this one! 

Storm even came with me my second time around. 

I'm not sure if he enjoyed it though, he was preoccupied with the "homeless" people, as he called them, walking around the store. 

I hope everyone had a fun weekend!

 We just lazed about mostly.

Friday evening we went to Madagascar 3; and loved every minute of it. If you haven't gone, it's a must! 

Storm went paint-balling Saturday morning, came home with some pretty good welts! 

I enjoyed an afternoon of finding a library and a bookstore! 

My home away from home. 

I'm starting this book. 

I'll let you know how it is. 

PS. Thanksgiving next weekend!!! 

Going home to visit family, eat yummy food, and enjoy General Conference:) This may add to why I love Fall. 

Have a good rest of the weekend!