2012 - A year in review

I love looking back on the year and reflecting on what has happened.  Problem is, as I get older, I need some visual reminders of what exactly went on :)  Sadly, our picture taking was at a minimum this year (no x-mas pics at all...what a shame), but here's what I got anyway.

 

 

Pre-show drinks (and dinner, not pictured) at the beautiful Palliser Hotel.  My sister and I have seasons tickets to Vertigo Mystery Theatre and meet up at the hotel before the show.  We had such a good time last season that we convinced my husband and our mom to join us this season.

 

Crabapple trees in bloom.  Except for the three days of the year that they're in bloom, I HATE these trees.  Every bloom means an apple...and there's a ton of them (some are still on the trees now...gonna be gross when it thaws).  I did make crabapple jelly with some of the fruit in the fall...so I guess there's that.

 

We took our good friend Morgan to California with us on vacation.  She was a trooper and her and Jet did really well together for the week (it wasn't without it's crying, temper tantrums, sulking and screeching...but in retrospect not all that bad). 

 



 



Disneyland continues to rock our world. 

 



 

Saw a ball game...or two.

 

And I shopped at Trader Joe's for two dollar wine.  TWO DOLLARS!  That alone makes me come back to California every year.  I also bought lots of clothes.

 



 

Then there was Little League.  And it was cold.  And windy.  And I hated every game and practice. Adam coached and I got to "help", that might have had something to do with the hate.



 

Calgary Stampede!  This was at the parade, timestamp 9:23 am.  By the time the longest parade in the world was over (4 hours later) Adam and I had consumed far to much and then had to meet up with my family for mom and dads anniversary dinner.  Jet was bored within minutes of getting there.  He played games on my phone the entire time.

 

Same day...in the hotel where mom and dad were staying.

 

 

Next up, flag football season!  At least it was warm-ish for these games and practices.  Jet's team won again...triple overtime.  I'm sure the ball of nerves that I had while watching will get better as he gets older...right?

 

 

Cruise time!  This was in the Air Canada lounge in Toronto.  $35 unlimited food (appetizers) and booze, plus comfy seats and not a bunch of noisy people.  An excellent way to spend our three hour layover.

 First look at the new Disney Fantasy.  Beautiful ship, loved the look and feel of it. 

 

Jet on the ride to the boat.  For whatever reason he refused to take off this sweater, and it was HOT in Florida (even by normal standards I'm told).

 

Jet relaxing on the balcony.  Adam was the one who wanted this the most, and he did spend the first two evenings having a drink and lounging but then he didn't really use it again.  I liked having the option to hang out there, but I'm not sure it was really worth the money.

Tea and after dinner treats at Remy, the adult only restaurant on the Fantasy.  This dinner was fantastic, totally worth the extra money ($75 for dinner and $100 for wine pairings).  I've never seen so many different types of flatware...and the service (and the food) was superb.

It was also on the cruise that Adam discovered his love for Champagne.  And I discovered my love for really good, really expensive (for me) Champagne.  $30 a glass Champagne.

Christmas presents!  Sadly, not for me this year, but for my sister.  I couldn't even squee in glee over getting the box because she'd totally know what it was and who it was for.  Next year there's talk we'll spend the holidays in London.  The fun London, not the fake Ontario London either.

And that's about it for pictures.  I also got back into fitness, started running and convinced myself to try a half-marathon.  More on that next year.

Here's to a Happy New Year!

Entertaining

Took it easy today because we had people over to watch UFC 101 last night. I always think that we don't do any entertaining, when we actually have people over about every other week. But it's almost always very laid back; BBQ steaks or burgers, hanging out in the kitchen, maybe watching a sporting event or movie.

I made bacon wrapped jalapenos from Pioneer Woman and they were a hit. I could have easily made two or three times the amount and they would have been gone.

But how could anything with bacon be bad?

We had fun, spent most of the time chatting in the kitchen, as always, and then watched the show in the basement because we've realized our furniture is not big enough for more than three adults at a time.

Got to sleep in a bit this morning and then went and raided the garden for more potatoes, carrots, beets, beans and spinach.

Now just watching a Poirot movie while finishing up laundry. Then bed.

Fun times, fun times.

Heritage Days

The August long weekend is known by many names; British Columbia Day, Civic Holiday, New Brunswick Day, Scotia (Day?) and in Alberta Heritage Day.

In the town where I grew up the long weekend is when they have...wait for it...Heritage Days, where there's a rodeo and parade and family get togethers and all sorts of pancake breakfasts. When I was little it was called Whooper Upper Days, which I think is an infinitely more fun name and I still call it that and look forward to it every year.

Even the year it snowed.

Yes. Snowed.

In August.

Anyhoo, today was the parade. I love the parade. The route goes past my grandparents (old) house and the family would always make a day of it with a potluck breakfast afterwards. Sadly, the grandparents moved, but the family still goes to the same spot every year to watch. We don't even have to call or co-ordinate anything, just show up and there's someone that you know.

Like a cute little puppy.

Or a strange kid in his batman pjs on the hottest day of the year. But you try talking to a four year old when he's got his mind made up.

There's horses.

And some dude with a sword.

And some dude in a bathtub.

There was a ton of candy.

And dinosaurs; because we're in Alberta.

And a train that was really cool.

And then there was something that made everyone stop and stare in wonder.

because you don't see this very often.

A pirate ship

In Alberta

During Heritage Days.

...Interesting.

California - Day one

Ayres Hotel Anaheim

I love this hotel!

While it's not "near" Disneyland, it's close enough to be convenient and is accross the street from the Honda Center (there's a circus this week) and next-ish to Angels Stadium where we'll see a couple games. The hotel is so cute; outside and in.



That huddled mass in the bed is Jet, we checked in around 11 (midnight our time) and we had to carry him into the hotel because he refused to wake up in the car.



Anyway, so cute!

Best part is this:



I didn't have to crawl under the desk or plug into a lamp base to get power.

We spent the day at the disney parks, took Jet on a bunch of rides that he wasn't big enough to go on last year. We tricked him into going on Space Mountain; but unfortunately to make the ruse work I had to go on too. He had a blast, btw.



Big ferris wheel in California Adventure, I didn't want to go but Jet loved it.



Asleep the moment we left the parking lot. We had to wake him up again to pick up some stuff for the hotel:

Chex Mix (we don't have this at home)

My second favourite table wine Menage e Trois by Folie a Deux (awesome, I may or may not love it because it was an X-files episode) was nine bucks, it's 15 - 20 at home

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop Tarts - are you serious!?

Pretzle Goldfish crackers - can't get this back home either

Basically we stocked up on junk food that we don't get back home :)

Tomorrow is a baseball game (kids run the bases after) and bit of relaxation.

Calgary Stampede

Yee Haw!

For ten days at the start of every July Calgary has their annual Stampede and Exhibition. It's something that most everyone who has grown up here remembers from their childhood fondly; get to see a Rodeo and Chuckwagon races, ride midway rides, play carnival games and eat midway food. Plus an agricultural exhibition, concerts, nightly fireworks and indoor marketplace.

And mostly everyone in the city takes this opportunity to pretend to be a cowboy/cowgirl for the week. I lack the boots and shirts to pull that off. And I don't have a good hat.

So I just don't bother.

Work is pretty much a write off this week too, because of:

1. Pancake Breakfasts



2. Stampede Parties

Almost every company will put on a breakfast and every client facing business will have a party. If you really wanted to, or were part of a sales team, you could spend every afternoon/evening at a function and not be sober the entire ten days.

Like yesterday, I went to a pancake breakfast that lasted six and a half hours. And used only a package and a half of pancake mix.

Good times, good times.

Tomorrow; Cleanse Day One.