Trip Recap

Here's a little trip recap...but rather than repeat myself over and over and over (cause if you really want to read a bit about it, you can read this post), I'm just going to let these photos give you the gist of it all. I didn't want to add every photo I took, or you'd be here forever waiting for all the photos to load, so I just added the general ones that to me speaks for the trip as a whole.

Every time during the summer when I drive back to and from the Kootenays I always make an effort to stop in Keremeos (or any other Okanagan spot that has fruit stands) and buy a crap ton of whatever is in season. This time around it was cherries. The plan was to make jam, but I've eaten way too many that there's not enough to make up a batch and it wouldn't be worth it to make any with the little amount that I have left over. Oh well, maybe next year? Just glad that no staining cherry juice got on my knitting. It's amazing just how much you can get done with a DK weight yarn and about 8 hours of straight up knitting time. I know I say this about every knitting project, but this one seriously flew off the needles! Seriously, check out how far I had gotten on the way to the Koots!

Although it was warm and quite muggy, it rained. A lot. And hard. So most of the time was spent indoors playing rounds of fishing and Hungry Hungry Hippos. Oh yeah, and there was a lot of bubble blowing too. If one toddler was demanding bubbles, then the other one was. Not a day went by where we didn't go through a huge container of bubbles!

My alone time consisted of walking around the town center and then stopping at a cafe for a cup of coffee and a yummy Mayan chocolate cookie. Oh, and to do some knitting! Always with knitting!

No Canada Day is complete without a visit to Lakeside Park! This year the Munchkin was big enough to enjoy the awesome playground that they have there. It's just unfortunate that this time around the lake was way too cold to swim in. But that didn't stop us from enjoying the little beach that was left (the water levels are at the highest that it's ever been in decades!), and the view of BOB (aka: Big Orange Bridge).

Also a Canada Day tradition: a huge family and friends BBQ at my aunt and uncle's house. Last year there were about 60 people in attendance. This year, there were about 90 people! Luckily my aunt's backyard is huge and was able to accommodate everyone and still have plenty of space for the little ones to run around in and for the "older kids" to throw a ball and frisbee around. I just wish I took a photo of the 'Giant Roasters' marshmallows next to a normal marshmallow. Those things were seriously huge! Just one of these bad boys was the size of at least 6 regular marshmallows! Insane! But soooo dee-lish when roasted over the fire pit during the fireworks!

Ooohh...did I mention that I bought some yarn? Yeah...I bought yarn. No surprise there though, right?

Ok, vacation time is totally over. Now back to the salt mine that is regular daily life...and back to normal blogging (whatever that means!). I do have some FOs to report back on, and what feels like a million WIPs too.

What has everyone been working on lately?

Back at 'Er

Hello Blog Friends, I'm back! After what felt like forever away, it feels good to finally be home! I swear, every time I go visit my hometown I feel like time is going backwards. At one point in my life I had appreciated that feeling, but when you're dealing with a toddler going through his terrible twos...yeah...time couldn't go by any faster!!

I wish I could say that this trip was heavenly and pure perfection, but I can't even call it a vacation. Yes, it was that bad! I'm thinking I need a vacation from being on that vacation! To make a long story short: the drive to the Kootenays would have been ok had the Munchkin not gotten car sick and puked all over himself, and then proceeded to refuse to get out of the pool of puke that had accumulated in his car seat. My cousin ended up just removing the seat from the car with the Munchkin still sitting in it! Not even the downpour of rain made him get out of his seat! Once he finally got up it was another fiasco trying to get him out of his puke covered clothes. I'm not even joking when I say half an hour and a meltdown later he finally agreed to step out of those stinky clothes...only to spend another half hour naked (except for his diaper) standing in the middle of the sidewalk that led up to the cafe that we had stopped off at to clean up the puke. The whole vomit catastrophe should've been a hint as to what was to come...

The rest of the week was spent with each day containing at least 4-5 tantrums and meltdowns, non-stop whining and crying, several blatant anti-social moments, and refusing to eat at every meal. The Munchkin kept an eagle-eye watch on me and knew the second I had left the room. I couldn't even go to the bathroom without him freaking out! And don't even get me started about diaper chances and bath time...let's just say that in the 8 days that we were away the Munchkin took one and a half baths. If it weren't for the fact that he has such bad eczema I would have said "screw the bath!" but with the muggy weather, sweating, outdoor elements, sunscreen and lotion buildup, and all the fall to the ground protests this kid was one big ball of gross.

I am by no means a perfect mom, and I do not try to portray a perfect life. So let me tell you that during the half bath attempt ended up in an autistic-like tantrum that left the Munchkin crying for at least half an hour afterwards, my cousin taking him off my hands to try to console him, and me crying in the bedroom cause I was beyond frustrated. There were several moments during the trip where I felt like bursting into tears and the Munchkin would freak out cause he didn't even want me to look him. My only saving grace this entire trip (and the one thing that prevented me from going ballistic) was when my cousin offered to look after the Munchkin while I go have a day to myself. I jumped on the opportunity since my cousin is the only person the Munchkin trusts and will turn to if I "disappear". All previous attempts at family members trying to take the kidlet off my hands ended up with him balling his eyes out for literally hours in which no one can touch him, which would then make said family member call me up to get my butt back home. So I thoroughly enjoyed the alone time that I had. I walked into town, went into every store that looked interesting to me, shopped for yarn, and enjoyed a coffee with a chocolate cookie while I sat and knit at a corner cafe. It was soooo relaxing and blissful!

I'm quite sad though, cause the Munchkin returned to his usual giggling, goofy, crazy self the day before we left. I feel like no one got to see the person that he really is. No one got to see any of his cute dancing, his sweet gestures, or his funny jokester side. Instead, my family only saw the angsty, anti-social cry-baby side. This was all amplified even more since my cousin's daughter, who is a week younger than the Munchkin, was always around and comparisons were inevitably being made constantly. The two kidlets were definitely night and day and maybe I'm just being incredibly sensitive but I swear there was some obvious favouritism happening. I mean, who wouldn't want the happier, giggling, talking toddler around? Mind you, she was also a bully and was quite mean when adults weren't looking (which is why the Munchkin didn't like having her around) and she did her freak outs and tantrums when no one was around. Again, maybe I'm being sensitive, but I know a lot of the Munchkin's frustrations came from having his cousin take whatever she wanted (even if it was from his hands!) and had everything handed to her, and was forced to share his things with her...and then when it came time for him wanting to play with something of hers everyone jumped on him about how it wasn't his toy. That last part irked me and as much as I want my son to learn how to fend for himself, I definitely snarled back about the unfairness of everyone making the Munchkin share when the other toddler didn't have to.

Anyways, if anyone is still reading this (cause seriously, how often do I talk about kids on this here crafting blog?) I'm sorry for carrying on. Venting done. Just had to get it all off my chest. Now it's time to move on and start working on the several loads of laundry that has to be done, finding room for all the new stuff that was brought back, airing out/cleaning and then storing all the luggage (since some still has puke on it!), and most importantly - getting back into the normal routine of daily life.

I took some photos (when I remembered that I had the camera with me, that is) but a lot of them still need to be uploaded to the computer, so that'll have to wait for another day, another post. In the meantime, I'm going to make some coffee and try to enjoy the few minutes of quiet that I have before my boys (as in Brett and the Munchkin) wake up!

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far...what have y'all been up to?

Adios!

I had an über cool photo for this post. I was all artsy fartsy cliché-like in the sense that it was of a blurred scenery passing by in the passenger side view mirror of the truck. I'm too lazy to re-size it right now. So you get this photo that I was saving for some reason.

Anyhoo, the Munchkin and I are heading out of town for a week for our annual trip to the Kootenays with our cousins. I'm really hoping that the car ride this time around will be more pleasant than the last. If not, I made sure to pack the Gravol for the kidlet!

I can't believe that a year has already gone by since the last time my family got to see the Munchkin. I don't know if he's changed much since the last visit, I mean, he's still not talking proper words yet and still socially awkward (unlike his cousin who is very outgoing and the center of attention). I'm just really hoping that he'll be less of a grump and be more willing to socialize, and not feel so terrorized by his cousin, who is also 2 years old.

I'm really looking forward to taking the Munchkin to the beach and the lake, to the park, and to blow bubbles and run loose on the giant fields on the waterfront. Know what else I'm looking forward to? The 8-10 hours of knitting time that'll happen on the drive to the Kootenays, and the same amount of knitting time back. Oh yeah. You better believe that I'll be bringing a few projects with me! I don't know how much knitting time I'll actually have while I'm visiting with my family (I'm really hoping that the Munchkin will forget about me for a bit and will let someone else take care of him). If the last time was any indication, I'll be passing out in bed by 10pm!

So be forewarned that there will be no posts for the next week and a bit...but when I come back I can guarantee a lot of photos! And maybe a finished item to show? Hmm...that might be asking too much. I don't want the pressure of having to produce something whilst on vacation! So let's just say I can promise a lot of photos on my return. Sounds good?

Hope everyone has a fantastic week and see you soon!! Cheers!

Getting in Some Last Minute Summer Fun

Labour Day weekend is almost over and its taking summer with it. The Okanagan is usually super sunny and hot, but the last few days have been dreary, windy, and cold! We've lucked out that it would only rain in the middle of the night, saving us from the lack of rain gear that we didn't think we needed to pack. I took the above photo on my iPhone of the Munchkin getting in some play time at the nearby park. That day was the last day that could truly be called summer. It was seriously hot with nary a cloud in the sky. Absolutely perfect summer time weather.

In the meantime, our trip is also winding down and Brett and I are scrambling to fit in last minute visits with friends. I'm sad to report that I haven't done as much knitting as I thought I would do (the Munchkin demands that I watch him play with his toy golf set/spin in circles with a banana in his hand/points at the fish in the pond and to be his gofer and retrieve the ball/shoe/club/toy when he throws it down the stairs. I had also bought along with me my cutting mat, rotary cutter, a stack of fabric and notions in hopes of doing some sewing. Yeah...I haven't even taken the cutting mat out of the trunk of the car cause I've been either falling asleep when the little one does or sitting outside under the stars enjoying the green lush grass between my toes (compared to Victoria's dead, yellowing straw that used to be grass). I'm really hoping that when we get back to the island that there is some sun left, and maybe a few more nice days.

Oh summer, please don't leave us already!!

And I Was Worried...

...That I wouldn't have enough yarn with me while on vacation. I stowed away 2 sock projects, a sweater project, and the beginnings of a cape in my luggage. I am by no means a fast knitter in any way, so I have no idea why I thought I would be able to knit up all those projects in a week and why I was starting to worry that I would have nothing to knit! But just to be sure I made it to the LYS (that's "local yarn store" for you non-knitters out there) here in the Okanagan as soon as I could (just to check out their selection...*ahem*) and ended up walking away with all this. I'm starting to think I have a yarn problem here. I'm just glad that Brett understands my addiction, and the fact that there are worst things that I could be addicted to.

Just hope that I don't make it to the other yarn shop here in town...yes, I did scope out the yarn shops before arrival...

My name is Melissa, and I'm a yarn-aholic.

Off To Find The Ogopogo

The li'l family and I headed out of town a few days ago to start our vacation. I was quite busy leading up to our departure so I didn't get the chance to blog that my posts will be quite sporadic (not that they aren't already!) the next weel and a bit. I'm actually blogging right now via my iPhone, and will probably do so until I can find a stable wifi connection for the laptop.

I promise that when I get back I'll have a lot to blog about and fingers crossed, a few finished items to show you guys! In the meantime, I'll be enjoying some sun, some good food, some relaxation, and hopefully some knitting!

See y'all soon!!

Kootenay Bound!

The Munchkin and I are heading out today for a week long vacation in the Kootenays to visit my parents. The Munchkin hasn't seen his "Asian grandparents" since last summer, and my folks and the rest of my extended family are beyond excited to see him. They're even more excited that they'll finally be able to celebrate a holiday with him as well (it'll be Canada Day on July 1st, when we're there).

Although I'll be bringing the laptop with me, I don't know if I'll be blogging much, or at all, while I'm there. But rest assured that I'll also be bringing a lot of yarn and knitting with me. Since my cousin Tracy will be doing the driving, I'll have at least 8 hours of car knitting time on the way there! That is, if the Munchkin and his cousin behave enough for me to accomplish 8 hours of knitting. But we'll see, since I don't know any 1 year olds that can handle sitting in a car for that long of a time without throwing a hissy fit or tantrum. Or both. And since we'll be driving back as well, that's another 8 hours of knitting time, not including the downtime that I'll have while in the Koots (cause trust me, time seriously goes backwards there)!!

I'm anticipating some well needed R&R, hopefully some time away from the Munchkin (yay for finally having family members around to take him off my hands for a bit!), some time guzzling down some really yummy coffee at Oso Negro, and hopefully a visit to the local yarn shop. The past few times that I've been in my hometown the yarn shop was always closed for one reason or another. I'm crossing my fingers that this time I'll be able to finally see what they have to offer!

So if you don't hear from me, I'll see you in a week!

** Sorry for the crappy photo, it was taken last summer. For some reason my camera just doesn't like to cooperate with the Kootenay air.

Some birthday shoppin'...Fabricana and Ikea

Ok, last post about the birthday shopping excursion. I promise. I'm just so giddy with glee at having some new materials to work with, I just can't help but to share!

Next on the itinerary: Fabricana in Richmond. I'm not trying to bad mouth Fabricland, but there's been numerous times where I've been disappointed with the selection and most importantly, the quality. If you ever have the chance to go to Fabricana, you'll see what I mean. Fabricana and Fabricland are night and day. Yes, the latter may have really good sales a few times a year with their buy 1 metre get 2 metres free deals, but I find the quality just isn't there. Not unless it's a company I already know, like Michael Miller or Alexander Henry. But that's where the selection ends. At Fabricana I am always guaranteed great quality fabric in a wide range of designers...from Heather Bailey to Robert Kaufman. And yes, they have my Kona cotton solids there!!! Hallelujah!!! Another major difference? Customer service. I always feel like I'm bothering the girls of Fabricland, who always appear bored, bitchy, and like having to cut something for you is a major inconvenience to them. They really seem to hate their job and are really not at all helpful. The past few times when I couldn't find something and had to ask a sales associate, they either had no idea if they had what I was looking for or they just pointed to a general area of the store and told me to look there. At Fabricana, the customer service is phenomenal! I've always had über nice ladies who obviously love what they do and where they work, and most importantly, know what they are talking about. I don't think a single one of the sales ladies there don't sew, which is very reassuring when you've got questions that need to be answered. Also, when I needed help finding something, an associate always went with me to make sure I found what I was looking for. All these reasons, aside from the fabric, are why I keep going back there.

I forgot to take any photos of the actual store itself, so I got the one above and these 2 from their website:

Fashion fabrics on one side of the store

Quilting fabrics on the other side.

Again, I had to put myself on a very strict budget here, as I can seriously go nuts here. I was like a kid in a candy store...at one point I had to remind myself to breathe, collect myself, and come up with a game plan to make sure I saw everything the store had to offer. I never noticed before but the prices here are either the same or slightly cheaper than Fabricland, but like I said, much better in quality. To top it all off, I saw a few fabrics that the one other store that I have frequented a few times in Victoria had, but were at least $5 cheaper at Fabricana!! Brett thinks maybe it had to do with freight charges to get stuff onto the island, but I think it's due to the fact that there aren't a lot of options in Victoria so that means stores here can over charge and know people will pay for it.

Anyhoo, here's my loot:

Heather Ross fabric from her Mendocino line...except for the one on the right, that's an Alexander Henry print

Yummy Amy Butler and Heather Bailey fabric

I've been wanting some of Heather Bailey's Pop Garden fabric for so long! But couldn't justify spending $20/m for it

A mix of fabrics...from Alexander Henry to Michael Miller

I also got some wool felt and other goodies, but got too lazy to take photos of them after taking these ones. Now that I'm home I haven't been able to forget about this one fabric that I saw there, that I'm now thinking I should have just bought. It's a beautiful brownish-gold herringbone made from a blend of bamboo and cotton. It had a gorgeous sheen to it, a lovely hand, and I could picture myself making a sheath dress from it. Maybe with a cute Peter Pan collar, or with a piped trompe l'oeil version. If I'm still thinking about this fabric next month, I just might have to make a stop en route to the concert to get some. Just hope that it's still there!!

Fabricana Imports 4591 Garden City Road
Richmond, B.C. or their Coquitlam location at: 1348 United Boulevard
Coquitlam B.C.

On our way to the ferry we figured we had enough time to stop by Ikea. We picked up a few household items and this cute playmat for the munchkin!
Of course, I also checked out their textiles section and walked away with a few metres of nice, heavy, cotton canvas that I plan on making some bags out of. The best part was that the fabric was $7 a metre AND has some sweet Scandinavian prints on it!

On our way out, Brett spotted this and my jaw dropped and I almost died laughing. Only the Swedes could get away with this!! I think it's pure brilliance!

Ikea's version of a vending machine: a vending machine for spare parts!!

A little blurry, but you get the picture.

I think the workers nearby probably thought I was crazy for taking so many pictures of the vending machine. Oh well, who cares?

Then it was time to head home...for Brett and the little one to pass out in bed, and for me to sit back and admire my new things...and to plan...

I leave you with the beautiful sunset view that we saw on the ferry on the way back home:


Happy sewing everybody!

And I'm back

Ahhh...it feels good to be back home! As much as I love seeing my parents and the rest of my family, and spending time in my hometown, I also love being able to sleep in my own bed. What I thought would be a relaxing trip/vacation, turned into quite a hectic and busy week. So many people to see, things to do, and of course, making sure my little one gets to spend as much time as possible with his grandparents. I really didn't take too many pictures, which is funny cause I actually took over 700 photos but a lot of them were private family moments. I guess taking touristy-type photos in a town that you spent your first 19 years in doesn't really cross your mind. At least it didn't cross mine.

It took my munchkin a few days to get used to his new, temporary surroundings and to the new faces. I don't think there was a moment in which there weren't at least 5 or 6 people in the room with him! Aside from spending time with my parents, we also had BBQs to attend, house calls to make, and coffee dates to keep. We even managed a few scenic walks so I could show the little guy the Nelson I know.

The little one and I enjoying a walk through Lakeside Park

We also spent a few nights in Burnaby before and after the trip to Nelson. In that time I managed to sqeeze in a very quick jaunt to Metrotown Mall so that I could indulge in bubble tea and bubble waffles while grabbing some pastries for my parents at my favorite Chinese bakery, Maxim's.
I also spent a little time in T&T Supermarket...which I realized I missed a whole lot. I wish Victoria had a T&T...
Not only do they have cheap prices for a lot of every day groceries, but they also have some very cute housewares and appliances, and a great selection of Chinese candies. Guess what I picked up?
Yep, 2 boxes of Hello Kitty plastic ziplock bags! I'm saving these bad boys for special things. I have this on display above the stove. I smile everytime I look at it.

I also scored some things from Nelson, that are very...well, Nelson. I went to the Cottonwood Falls Market (the hippy market as my Aunt Jayne likes to call it), where I managed to find marjoram seeds (who knew they were so hard to find!) and the yummiest little homemade pies (which were gobbled up pretty fast...so fast that I didn't have time to take a photo!). I had stopped by one of my favorite coffee shops (ok, I stopped by more than once) and stocked up on some beans. I normally have an Americano from Oso Negro, but decided to try out some of their other coffees.
When I went to pay for them, I spotted this behind the counter:
I had to have it. It was the pink that sold me. Yes, I already have a million travel mugs and don't need another. But as I told Brett, it's pink!

Anyways, I just realized this post really doesn't say much about my trip. Oh well. A lot of it had to do with just visiting family and seeing the joy in my parents eyes as they held, played, kissed, hugged, and talked to their first grandchild. I just wish they lived closer. Til next time, I guess.

Still on the road

My last post was suppose to have text accompanying it, I guess it got lost somewhere in space. Anyways, I thought being able to blog via mobile phone would let me update the blog at least a few times while on vacation...

Alas, no. I just haven't had time to sit down and try to text it all out! The wee one and I have been so busy, it's just been go, go, go since we left home. By the time I put the little one down for the night, I'm too exhausted myself to do anything.

So now I'm on the ferry back to the island, the munchkin is sitting peacefully (for once!!), eating a Mum Mum cracker. Who knew that my text-a-thon competitions with my friend Caroline back in the day would be a valuable skill now? I'm currently able to fire off this post in a matter of a minute!

The above, or below, not sure how email blog posting edits this, but wherever it lands, the photo was taken during a walk to the Dairy Queen in Nelson. My aunt, my cousin and her little baby, and I decided it was waaayyy too hot and too nice out to sit around and waste it. So a trip to the DQ was in order. Too bad I didn't get a photo of our visit, I think our tasty treats took over our brains. I used to play league soccer at the field where this photo was taken, the view of the bridge never came across as anything back then. Now, I can't believe how artsy fartsy and scenic it really is. Sorry for the crappy photo, it was taken with my mobile!

Anyhoo, I'm almost home, which means more regular blog posts!

Blogging on the road

Happy Vappu!!!

Vappu is the springtime celebration known worldwide as May Day, but to the Finns it's "Vappu". Traditionally this day has been a day of celebrations for the working classes and students, but really, everyone can join in on the fun. Vappu marks the end of a long winter and the coming of summer!

I never celebrated May Day until I lived in Finland. Since then, the first of May has always been a day to remember. Unfortunately there will be no partying in the streets for me, lest I look like a crazy person who has escaped the loony bin. And I won't be highly intoxicated for 3 days straight. No, instead I'll be eating cake and enjoying the beautiful weather with my little one. Maybe next year I'll be celebrating Vappu in true Finnish styles.

I knew Vappu was a big deal in Finland, but I didn't know how much of a big deal it was until I experienced it for myself. The streets of Helsinki are literally filled with people. Everywhere you look and go, it's wall to wall of people. The atmosphere is loud and full of excitement. There's lots of singing, shouting, music, dancing...and lots and lots of drinking. It is said that Vappu without drinking is like Christmas without presents. I had a friend who's mission was to be drunk for the entire weekend of Vappu. He succeeded. I can't say I remember much of my first Vappu either, but I do remember the general feeling, the bountiful supply of alcoholic beverages, the hundreds of thousands of people filling the entire city centre and trains, and the sea of white student caps and multi-coloured overalls. I don't remember the significance of the caps or the overalls, but I do remember that a cap had eventually made its way onto my head by the end of the day and sometime during that weekend I did end up wearing red overalls in some bar.

Anyhoo, I took the above photo when my friends and I had (finally!!) made it to the Helsinki Cathedral on Unioninkatu. My flatmates and I had frequented the Cathedral area a lot cause one of my flatmates, Drifa, was working at a cafe across the street from the Cathedral at the time. Man, I miss Cafe Engel and the nights when she would bring home bags and bags of ciabata bread and sweet rolls! The Cathedral is huge and has a million stairs leading up to it and the area in front is quite vast. On Vappu I couldn't even see a speck of concrete anywhere! It was pure madness!

Below is a photo of me and my friend Katherine, who went to Finland with me (and is my partner in crime in soooo many things). This was taken just outside the train station. We thought we had prepared ourselves for this day and the mobs of people we would encounter. We just didn't think it would be like this!! We had to run up a ramp into a parkade in order to take in what was happening on the streets. Right as this photo was being taken, a semi-truck outfitted with a flat bed was slowly passing by. We called it the party truck, cause it was decked out with a DJ spinning some tunes on turn tables, speakers on top of speakers, and every inch of space leftover was crowded with people.
Ha! I'm oh so classy here...holding onto a bottle of cheap champagne and a bag of chips!

I hope everyone is enjoying the first of May! Get out and enjoy the sun!!

HAPPY VAPPU!!

April's Past

Today is the last day of April and I'm still wondering where the time went. My little boy is a few days shy of being 7 months old, Brett's 30th birthday is 3 weeks away, my own big 3-0 b-day is a month and a bit away too, and somewhere in the middle of our birthdays is our anniversary. The next few months are going to be hectic and I'm going to need to brace myself for that. Sadly, I'm still sick and it's taking me forever to get back to feeling 100 percent. Luckily though, the little one is all better. It's amazing what breastmilk can do!!! I can't say and praise enough about the amazing benefits of breastfeeding!!

Anyways, yesterday I was feeling quite overly nostalgic. It started in the morning when I was topping up my coffee cup (yes, I'm still obsessing over the Guatemala Casi Cielo) when the feeling of deja vu swept over me. The smell of the coffee, the way the light was hitting the counters in the kitchen, and the music playing in the background, brought on so many emotions and memories to mind. Then later on in the day when the wee one was napping and I was able to go online, I was admiring the photos on Design*Sponge when another surge of memories flooded my brain. And it really didn't help when I was looking for the Canucks booties for the little one to wear (Brett hid them in an attempt to make the Flames win their quarter-final series...yeah, that didn't work!) I came across a stack of old photos that brought on the nostalgia trip even more. Then while watching the first season of Entourage with Brett when the little one was put to bed for the night, more feelings of nostalgia hit me. Even when I woke up this morning I had deja vu. Has this ever happen to you?? Or am I the only one that gets waves of fond memories like this?

So this morning, again over my beloved cup of java, I was thinking about what I was doing this time last year. And the year before that, and the year before that...

Last year I was 3 months pregnant and hiking Mount Doug with Brett. During that time I was also thinking about the future and what to do with myself - career-wise, money-wise, and life-wise. It's amazing what goes through your mind when you find out you're pregnant. I remember thinking how I can no longer be selfish and had to stop dicking around and get my life on track.

The year before that I was just working, working, working. It was the first year out of university and I remember how weird it felt that I didn't have to go to school. It was also the first time I realized that my friends and I were growing up. Case in point: my friend Tori being the first of us all to have a baby!

The year before that was the last year of school. I remember my class and I spending the last few month editing, drafting, crying, sweating, bleeding, and sewing our year-end graduating collections. A lot of all-nighters happened and I remember feeling so sad that our program was coming to an end. I was going to miss being with my 21 "sisters" on a daily basis. I wasn't going to miss school per se, I was just going to miss the socializing and having 21 other fashion girls around me at all times. I just wish I could see them all again, together, every day.

The fashion girls and I had thrown a fundraiser at Tonic in hopes of raising the funds needed to pay for our year-end fashion show. I don't remember much of that night, other than the fact that I had sooo much fun!

The year before that I was living it up in Helsinki, Finland. This time that year I was vacationing in the artic circle. Lapland, to be exact. My "Pasila Family" and I spent the week going snowboarding, having reindeer sled rides, driving dog sleds through the forest, partying til the wee hours of the morning (since it only got slightly dark for 2 hours at night then), and having saunas before jumping into a freezing cold lake.The train ride to Lapland...basically it was a giant booze cruise as my friends and I passed the time drinking, laughing, and playing games. It was definitely one of the best "methods of travel" moments...right up there with the "party boat" I took to Stockholm, Sweden.

The first time I saw a real reindeer in person was when we driving to our condo. Later on when we got to the place where we were going on a reindeer-pulled sleigh ride, there was a ton of them milling around. I was so sad that they all had either lost their horns or only had one left due to rough-housing with the other reindeer (in reindeer games??) or simply cause they were shedding them.

Feeding the reindeer that pulled my sled. I was fortunate enough to have a reindeer that didn't have gas...unlike a friend of mine who should have been enjoying a romantic time riding with her crush instead of suffering the entire hour long ride by inhaling the toxic fumes that came from her reindeer's butt.

Also in April, the first of many trips to one of my most favorite cities in the world: London, England. It was everything I expected it to be, and much, much, MUCH more!!! I dream of the day when I get to go back. Brett's never been to Europe and I would love to show him my most favorite places and sights!

Wow, I feel so much better now that I've gotten this all out! I think this reminiscing is a message to myself that I need to get out and do something fun. The past few months have been pretty routine and blah, and it's been making me feel pretty routine and blah in return. Maybe I can convince Brett to drive up island and go to Tofino or something?

**This didn't happen in April, but it's one of my favorite photos. It was taken around midnight, it's slightly blurry, and I don't know how it happened - considering this was taken with a digital camera, but it came out kinda double exposed! I think the photo's flaws make it cool and artsy. It's a bunch of us walking back to the ferry terminal after visiting our friend Drifa, who was living on Suomenlinna Island, a navel fortress just off the coast of Helsinki.