What I am still wearing!?!?!

What I am still wearing is my winter coat!

Every morning when I get up at 6AM to walk Ruby I am still putting on my winter coat and a scarf:(. I could wear a hat but I just put up my hood and my hands are stuffed in my pockets because I refuse to wear mittens!

I don't like to

Use my blog to complain but come on!  One day it is warm and then cold again!

Daphne and I got our toes done a few weeks back but no one has seen them because our feet are covered still!

Sorry a little frustrated.  Just venting:)

Good news: I am wearing my leg warmers today!  So at least there is that, getting to wear them a little longer :)

Bang on!!!

So I cut my own bangs!!! Not sure if I like 'em or not?  

How did I do it?  I straightened my bangs then took painters tape, yes painters tape, laid it across my bangs and cut under the tape, following the straight edge of the tape...

Thankful for:

Poutine Fest with my sister and her son TRIPLE P-pulled pork poutine from Le Smoke BBQ (and the rainy weather that made it so much less busy)

Laughing and drinking with lovely ladies!

Walks to Starbucks with a special person

Rik's Bike Shop

A fulfilling weekend

Oh and the really young boys that have messaged me...flattered but no thx

For all my weak bladder ladies everywhere!!!

So we own a trampoline.  We have so much fun on it.  Many times it gets to the point where we are laughing so hard we can not breath.

And we also love going to Skyzone.  Trampolines everywhere! 

Remember this post: 

Robyn's Nest: Ran- dumb?!?  

I mention "padding up"?!?!

Well I do pad up because during that last visit the panty liner I wore did not cut it!  I had to go to the washroom and change it for a wad of toilet paper!! That DID NOT work:(

So I almost had a date at Skyzone and knew I couldn't be peeing my pants so I bought these:

Notice the ULTIMATE absorbency!

Well I just thought they would be a wee bit thicker than a regular pad and have magic peepee absorbing powers... Uh that wasn't the case.

Hard to tell from this photo but they were much larger than a regular concealed pad!  And I thought, Dear God what will it be like to wear!! So I opened it up...

It was HUGE!!! And I wondered Will everyone know I am wearing it?!

It was like the pads they make you wear after giving birth!  No you couldn't tell I was wearing it:)

So now that the warm weather is here and you come to my place, and we are on the trampoline...

I am jumping for joy!!!

Yummy in our tummies!!!!!

These are two recipes I made this week for the kids and I.

http://m.kraftrecipes.com/recipedetail.do?recipeid=162241&cn=US&reqfrom=search

(I added some leftover roast beef and corn to this one)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.chow.com/recipes/30887-spinach-pesto-fusilli

This one the kids preferred!

Both I liked and there was lots.  We ate it for lunch more than once:)

Bon appetite !

Thx so much

Thankful for an extra day off = short week, Stella Bella Boo (Happy 1st Birthday), warmer weather kinda?!, Clip n Climb, clean car (thx B), completing 20km run (phew I can still do it), our trampoline (so fun!)

Chocolate!!!!!!!!

You think you know someone but you don't really...

This is Deborah Rosati.  I met her way back in 1996-97.  Her children went to the Montessori school that I worked at.  I even babysat them outside of work.  They were two adorable boys who are now in university.  Gulp...yikes! Trying not to feel old...older:)

She was a very enthusiastic, nice and hard working lady.  Whenever we did fundraising she was always the top seller.  

A few years ago I had a student who's mom was friends with Deb and we reconnected at the student's birthday party.  It was nice to see her.  She was going through some big changes.

Never in our interactions did it come up that we both went to Brock University!! She graduated in 1984.  I graduated in 1995.  I only found out that we were alumni until I received the above magazine.  She is a fierce woman when it comes to what she does.  I am inspired by her.  

I find it fascinating that some people come and go in your life.  Again I am motivated by what she has accomplished.

Thank You Debbie!

Free is fun!

Once upon a time there was a beautiful single mommy that went shopping at Bulk Barn.  She wandered the store and picked up some Kale chips on sale @$4.99, Babybels @ 50% off, baked snap peas and peanut butter M&Ms.

She paid for them, then on the way home she wondered why it was more expensive then she thought it should be?  She should have paid attention at the cash but alas she is not perfect:). She checked the receipt the cheese was not reduced by 50% nor were the Kale chips.

She returned to Bulk Barn and SCOPed them.

What is SCOP?  Scanning code of practice!

She got both products for free!

If scanned higher than what is advertised you get the item for free!

More details below:

http://canadianbudgetbinder.com/2012/09/26/scanning-code-of-practice-scop-in-canada-did-you-know/

http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/01262.html

Ps won't be buying Kale chips again even if they are free:)

Kinda cozier?

So I put up what I had of the wainscotting panels in my laundry room and I feel it makes it feel a little cozier... It is still a work in progress.  I feel good that I was able to reuse the paneling.  I also finally was able to put up my doorknob hooks I had found in my antique hunt from the summer.  Love them!!!

Also the best part was I got to use the drill again!!! So much fun! Drained the batteries a few times:)

Before:

After or kinda completed?:

Hope to fill in the "spaces" with some unique pieces/art...

Merci

Today I am thankful for:

You! if you are reading this:)

POF I do not know how else I would have  met people...this dating thing sux but you just never know...

My blog: it has edited out some of the above mentioned "boys". They read it and run:p

The warmer weather

Stuntman Stu and his presentation #NoMoreBullies (& his ultra cool wife Connie B (NKOTB 4ever) whom he gave credit to in his presentation:)

JC Little and her sketches and her emotions: refreshing!

Everyday I am thankful for my kids!!!! 

I went to hell and lived to tell about it!!!

Dear Spartan

I do not like you.  Based on your unorganization upon sign up and thereafter, we would and could not be friends.  You are pretty greedy too.  Charging for parking and even for spectators $15 - come on!  I paid your 70 plus dollars to compete or should I say torture myself.  Edelweiss Ski Hill -- uh mountain, you must really not like me either.  3X up and down those hills, black diamond ones at that!  Your little challenges were my entertainment.  Carrying ammo boxes and jerry cans, crawling through mud and under and over walls with your image painted upon them --please!  I'd love to jump the fire,  crawl through the tunnels, wade in waist high mud puddles and battle your "gladiators" if you'd supplied me with more water stations.  One at the top of the second climb of the hill -- what the...!  My battle with dehydration WAS my battle and maybe the altitude (or my low blood pressure to begin with?)  but definitely not pulling the weight on the pulley or dragging a cement block, winding the kettle ball or even all that mud!

Let it be known that I did not do one burpee, even though I did not accomplish those monkey bars, even bars, rope climb or rings.  I secretly raised my middle finger to you at those, as I ran on by.    This being the only time I could actually run.  I was not one of those crazies that ran down the almost 180 degree incline.  The whole time I descended I feared one of them rolling into me and that taking me out -------NOT any of your "tasks" being my undoing! HA!

I am a warrior.   This is what your race proved to me.  I was alone on those hills and I completed it all on my own.  My muddy shoes are my medal of honour not the medal they put around my neck at the end with your picture on it!   Again I do not like you and will never see you again!  And yes, in my final photo, at the end of the race, that is me sticking out my tongue at you ;P

From

Yours truly

Robyn

PS If you are at Rideau Carleton Raceway, like you were last year...I may consider seeing you again;)

PPS What is up with the mirrors in the porta potties?  Who wants to stay in there longer then they need to?  Or was that a challenge of some sort?

PPPS  Thanx to the fire rescue guy who gave me a boost over one wall

PPPPS My end of race photo is coming and Spartan you will be the first to see it...enjoy these while you wait:)



The beginning: JenR and I.
  Ha! Spartan I did not pay your $5 for parking!



Warrior feet!

Spartan: been there, done that, got the t-shirt!

 

This is theraputic...

This was written awhile ago but I like what I wrote and how it was written:

For his 40^th birthday I surprised my husband with a trip to Vegas.  It was to celebrate both of our 40^th year of life.  I wanted to recapture a weekend trip we took to Montreal.  That weekend we slept in, ate good food and enjoyed each other.

Two weeks after his big surprise, he surprised me by telling me he no longer wanted to be with me.

So I am just entering the second month of being separated from my husband of 15 years.  My initial reaction was to go into business/task mode: when are you telling your parents?  When are you moving out?   When were you planning to tell the kids, our ten year old son and our eight year old daughter?

 It was Monday.

He told his parents that Wednesday.   We told the kids that Friday night.  He moved out that Saturday.

I never cried in front of him.  I wasn’t going to beg or try and convince him to stay.  I asked about counseling.  He said no.  I asked is there someone else.  He said no.

We had, had a bad spot three years before.  At that time he did tell me he did not feel anything for me.  I thought we had worked through it.  I thought he was depressed and I was in it for sickness and health, good times and bad.

This time he was talking to someone else.  She too was going through a divorce.  I asked him three times if there was someone else.  I believe he did not have a physical affair with her, yet he did have an emotional one.  He was talking to her and not saying anything to me!

I have to admit I felt a distance.  I did even mention that I felt we were going back to three years ago.  He didn’t even say anything then.

He was out celebrating, I thought, his 40^th with all his friends.  Yet I was at home, with a bad feeling in my gut.  Also, at this time he was going for walks at night alone.  It makes me sick to think how long this affair was going on.

Fast forward to today I am 10 pounds lighter, taking meds to sleep, I have symptoms of anxiety/panic attacks and am seeing a psychologist.  I took the initiative to get a lawyer, arrange a mediator and dissolve our joint account (which we only just got a year ago).

I do not know what will happen at this point with the custody arrangements, our house or our “amicable” conversations.  We are very amicable in his eyes but again, I battle panic attacks everytime he comes to the house.  I made it through Christmas.  My kids are OK and still adjusting.  At this point they are what keep me going.   On Christmas day I broke down, I cried in front of him.  I told him that this has broken me.  He has stomped me down and walked over me.

I am not broken because I get out of bed every day and look forward to a year from now when I will be in a new normal.

Two halves make a whole right?

So if you are texting while in a 1/2 marathon this isn't a good thing...or you are really good at mulit-tasking?

Or you are walking the race because both your calves have ceased up!!  That would be what happened to moi:)!  I would like to thank the bike riding fool who was riding his bike into the oncoming herd of runners and caused me to jump out of his way...therefore resulting in one of my calves tightening.  I own the other calf tightening cause I did not drink enough water!

My chip time was 2:54 this included a pee break and at least 5 minutes on the ground at 19k because I couldn't even walk after the right calf completely tightened (this after I tried speed walking the rest of the race)

These are the guys (plus a volunteer) who  helped me when I went down.  Got me H2O and helped me stretch and I let them massage my calf;) ok gave them permission to massage it.

So I was disappointed that I didn't get a personal best (PB) but I did finish.

Thank you to Manon for waiting a whole hour for me after she'd finished and for crying with me at the end!  

In both my halves, it is funny after I cross the finish line, hugging my running buddy (Mirka & Manon). The announcer/MC states "finishing can be an emotional experience for some."  I like how Manon stated to me later " Be proud and be emotional is not a weakness it is human"

I love being human!

Also thank you to my two other fans who cheered me on during the race.  You know who you are.  Now that was emotional.

Spartan: you almost broke my body but you did not break my heart!

Hello again Spartan

I just wanted to remind you that I am still not a fan but am thankful for the memories.  I think these other photos show how much I crushed you and that you can throw anything my way and I will be up for the challenge.

Spartan here is the photo that says it all!

 

Here she pin's again!

So Breton had a dresser in his room that I repainted probably six years ago.  When I did paint it I took off all the hardware hoping to get new hardware.  I did try but couldn't find anything that fit.

Thank goodness for Pinterest because I finally found an idea:

Bought metre sticks, sanded and stained them.  I then had them cut to size (thx Jay) and then drilled holes for the bolts.

I thought I bought wooden beads, to use as spacers between the dresser and the ruler but they were wooden knobs?!?!? I am such a knob or nob?  Anyways I drilled through the knobs and then was able to use them for my intended purpose.

Voila the finished dresser.  Only took six years:)

BTW

                              

I am attending this conference to inspire me, motivate me and/or perhaps revamp my blog.

Stay tuned:)

Thankful for...

Belly laughs, that we can't stop, with my kids

My sister coming home

Late night conversations that put me back on the right path

Warmer weather? 

Airplanes landing and friendly people to help push your car off the ice

Super Salad = Wonder Women

This is my new favourite salad.

I have eaten the whole thing for lunch.  Then had a really good run at the gym...

It has brussel sprouts and kale, which I never cook or eat, but do in this salad.  The dressing is a poppy seed one, so it is a little sweet, along with the cranberries.  I have found it at Your Independent Grocer, Costco and someone I know found it at Giant Tiger, Stittsville.

 

I have even added chicken to it to make it a meal for dinner.

 

Love it!

Ha

APRIL FOOLS!!!

I couldn't stop blogging even if I tried.  It's my therapy sometimes...

My venting place...

And most of all a place to brag about my kids if I feel the need:)

Never ever!!!

I am never ever going to blog again!!!!