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Where did my life go...?! Some thoughts on volunteering

It's been hectically busy in my life.  I feel like sometimes it's not my own.  I've taken on a LOT of volunteer positions and moved on from some others.  Basically, I'm working on expanding my resume (with causes and events that are near and dear to my heart) through volunteer experience. 

Being a volunteer is an amazing thing.  I've always believed, and I think this is my parents and grandparents doing, that volunteering is the best way to give thanks and give back to your community.  It  is a concrete way of using your skills and knowledge to help members of your community.  It's something that I have always done and I will continue to do. 

I actually told Mr. Dan the other night that I couldn't wait to be retied (says the woman whose just starting her career) so I could volunteer at all the places I wanted to.  So I could be as dedicated a volunteer as I wanted to be.  Mr. Dan just smiled and nodded.  He knows how much I want to take on - and he also knows I can't do any of it while working a full-time job.  But a girl's gotta pay the bills, right?

Anyhoar, the bills are getting paid (thank you employer!) and the volunteering is continuing to happen.  Right now I'm working as a volunteer Media Coordinator for a Dress for Success event (more info on that in the coming days), waiting for the Bluenose Marathon Organizing Committee to get up and going again (I'm co-chair of Public Affairs), being an Advisor for Junior Achievement (my kids are AWESOME!) and working with some ladies to do a fundraiser for our pug group. They're all great events/causes and I'm excited to share the deets, as they come along, with you all (even though I'm still suspicious there's only one of you, dear reader).  So for now I say: Get out there and volunteer! Go to the food bank and spend an hour, visit your SPCA or read to some kids.  Every volunteer is valuable.  Every skill you can  bring to a committee or event is valuable to your community.  Get out there and DO IT!

Wedding Maddness!!!

So I know I've been MIA for a few days but it's with good reason: One of my closest friends just married the love of her life! AND  I got to be the MC! Hense...busy!!!

So now you may be expecting a big post about something...but you're about to be disappointed.  I'm just going to do a little AW about this wedding.  I'm so happy for them! They deserve a post;)

So... CONGRATULATIONS KAT AND ANDREW!!!!

Post Thanksgiving Deets

So as you may or may not know...this Monday (aka yesterday) was Thanksgiving here in the magical land of Canada.  It was lovely!

Anyhoar, Mr. Dan and I were unable to head to the relatives due to him being on-call for work all weekend. No matter to me...I decided I could cook a perfectly good Thanksgiving dinner on my own (see post here for my menu).  And it went REALLY well.  We didn't do turkey (why get a huge turkey when a small chicken will do?!) but we did do all the fixin's.  From potatoes to veggies and even some bubbly - we had it all.  And the one thing that Mr. Dan (and our two friends that showed up to help us eat all this food) said was AMAZABALLS was the cheesecake squares.  So I decided that, in the spirit of Thanksgiving...and deliciousness, I would share the recipe.  I found it on allrecipes and then did some mod's to make it work for us.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares

What you'll need:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons cold margarine
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. 
3. Set aside 3/4 cup for topping cheesecake later. 
4. Press remaining crumb mixture into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. 
5. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
6. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese (make sure it's soft!! Otherwise you'll get chunky cheesecake) and sugar. Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice. 
7. Pour over crust. 
8. Sprinkle with your crumby mixture. 
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. 
10. Cool on a wire rack. 
11. Cut into bars. Can be stored in the fridge

I'd rather be a whale...

I caught this story on Facebook today and it really caught me.  Big or small, flat or full chested, ghetto booty or not; I'd always rather be the whale.



A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"



The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way:


"Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness.


They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia.


They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on cds. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.






Mermaids do not exist.






But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish?


They would have no sex life and could not bear children.


Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad.


And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side?






Without a doubt, I'd rather be a whale.






At a time when the media tells us that only thin is beautiful, I prefer to eat ice cream with my kids, to have dinner with my husband, to eat and drink and have fun with my friends.






We women, we gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn't enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies.


We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated.


Every time I see my curves in the mirror, I tell myself: "How amazing am I ?! "

How did that happen?!

Holy carp (yes, like the fish!), Mr. Dan and I have been married ONE MONTH today! wo0t wo0t! It seems like just yesterday that we were standing in front of my Grandfather (our minister) and our family and friends saying "I do.".  It's still an amazing feeling to me to wake up every morning and hear him call me his wife. 

Happy 1 Month, Mr. Dan! I love you;)

October!

Fall is here...it's in the air! I can feel it and smell it...and that means it's ALMOST FREAKING THANKSGIVING!! AHHHH!! Now I know you Americans don't get Thanksgiving when we do but ours is HELLA early this year.  Actually it's next weekend.  Now I'm going to have to work so I've been doing a little research and planning the menu for Mr. Dan and I.  Usually we'll spend time with the folks but I'm working Sunday (dammit!!) so we're doing our first solo Thanksgiving.  It's going to be good.

Anyone care to see my menu...?

Fancy champagne and strawberries! NOMMM

So I'm not doing turkey because I prefer chicken annnnd I'm not buying a huge
turkey for the two of us.  So roast chicken it is.

We're going to have some DELICIOUS cheesy-bread...NOMMM

Roasted veggies! NOMMMMMM

Delicious garlic and herb mashed potatoes!

Annnnnnd we'll finish it off with some pumpkin cheesecake squares *drool*

What are you having for Thanksgiving?!