Some call them the best band of all time, others call them the most overrated band on earth. Whichever side of the coin you fall on, you can’t help but respect and appreciate the music of The Rolling Stones. I can’t remember the first time I heard a Stones song, what I do know …
This is an update to genealogy blog #4 which featured my great grand father, Émile Lamothe, whom I called grand-pépère Lamothe (original blog has been deleted). It was originally posted on June 3, 2017 and I’ve since come across some new photos and information that I want to document and update his story. Cleophas Émile Lamothe (he …
Continue reading On Genealogy: The Life of WWI Pte. Émile Lamothe
I've driven this stretch of road a couple times now and in all honesty, it's a long haul and I wasn't much looking forward to it. Driving straight it is about 26 hours, give or take, especially that due to COVID-19 travel restrictions we cannot cross the US border. That way would shave off about …
Continue reading SUV Camping – Manitoba to South Western Ontario
I was driving to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (say that 10 times fast) to visit some friends. As I traveled down Highway 16, about 55 km on the other side of Yorkton (from Manitoba) when a domed roof of an old Ukrainian Orthodox church peek out on the right side just over the horizon. It was fairly …
Continue reading Urbex: The Little Ghost Town of Insinger, Saskatchewan
It is the JFK assassination of my generation. It's like asking where were you when Elvis died. An event so big that it defines a generation. So significant and relevant that no matter what else you may forget in your lifetime, this event is forever etched in your brain. September 11, 2001 was the day …
Churchill, Manitoba is as close to a frontier town as there is in Canada. Churchill is Manitoba’s northernmost community, and is located where the boreal forest meets the tundra, on the shores of Hudson Bay, bordering the newest Canadian territory of Nunavut. The town sits on a narrow point of land bound by the ocean …
Continue reading On Travel: Last Stop, Churchill – My Journey to the Far North
I haven't blogged in a long while, and while I'm at a dead end in another line of my tree, I decided to do more research on the Cornells. I wondered if it was the same "Cornell" that is synonymous with the Ivy League American University - Cornell. My fifth cousin 6 times removed OR …
Continue reading On Genealogy: MY Relation to Ezra CORNELL – Founder of Cornell University
In this blog, we are exploring the abandoned Stoll Strawberry Farm in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. It is a more recent abandon, 2017. We came upon this find as a "trade" with another urbexer. The video version of this urbex can be viewed here. We only had time to explore the house, we were …
Continue reading Urbex: Exploring an Abandoned Strawberry Farm
Who doesn't LOVE a good pair of UGGs (or UGG look alikes)? I'm on my third pair -- this pair is an UGG Classic Short II - super comfy, I can't imagine my life without a pair of UGGs in them! And, let's be real, UGGs aren't on the cheap side either, with a price …
Continue reading YES, I Washed my UGGS in the Washing Machine!
Another awesome #urbex today - I was able to find not 1, not 2 but 3 abandoned farm houses to explore. I actually located 6-7 in a little cluster in Milton/Oakville - but am only going to post about these 3 today. IF YOUR INTERESTED IN SEEING THE VIDEO VERSION OF THIS POST - CLICK …
Continue reading Urbex: Exploring 3 Abandoned Farm Houses in 1 DAY!
This weekend I did another awesome urban explore at an old abandoned factory in town. I’m not gonna share the exact location. You may think it’s ridiculous to not share the location of a place you’ve explored. It is an abandoned building after all, what’s the big deal? The reason I don’t share location information …
Continue reading Urbex: Exploring a Well Known Meat Processing Plant!
On the coldest day registered this year, my friend Thomas and I decided to stay local for our #urbex and decided to explore an abandoned factory in town. It has been abandoned for decades and I drive by it quite regularly, for some reason it never occurred to me to explore it .... so 2 …
While I was laying around a few weeks ago, I binged watched the TLC show Extreme Cheapskates. It's an American reality tv series that profiles the lives of those who take frugality to an extreme. Now, let's all be real here and accept that a lot of it appears to be staged and scripted. It may be …
Continue reading Saving Money is Great. Saving Lots of Money is Even Better.
𝕄𝕪 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕘 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕡 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕀 𝕒𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕪𝕖𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕡𝕥! In 2018 I posted a blog on an up-and-coming Toronto rapper, who since, has gained the love and respect of many a fan ... to the tune of nearly 20,000,000 downloads on Spotify ALONE! His first album Hou I Am …
Continue reading I Can’t Believe They Took Your Life -Toronto Rapper Houdini 🎩 😭
COVID-19 social distancing walk and I'm out and about in the great city of Kelowna, British Columbia (BC). Whilst living up on Big White, a trip down to Kelowna would not be complete without taking the time to search for the legendary Ogopogo who reputedly resides in Okanagan Lake. Lake Okanagan is about 400 kms east of …
Continue reading Monster Hunt: My Search for the Ogopogo Lake Monster
How are you fairing during the COVID-19 pandemic? Have you ever seen anything like this? We've gone through SARS (2002-2003), the Swine Flu (2009-2010), Ebola (2014-2016), MERS (2012 - present) AND nothing of this proportion, this magnitude. Have we ever witnessed anything quite like what we’re living through with this pandemic? I'm now at day …
Continue reading COVID-19: Day 19 … How Long is this Gonna Last?
In the words of sexy hotness, Matthew McConaughey, "alright alright alright". It's been a hot minute since I've posted ... so I just want to bring you all up to date on the current lay of the land -> the status of my year long adventure to South East Asia, the COVID-19 pandemic and the …
Ugh, I've been dragging my butt so hard lately *again* and if I'm being honest, it's been a lot of months, like 6-7 or so! I just thought I was exhausted and burning the candles at both ends and that it would pass (I need to learn to listen to myself better). If you're reading …
Continue reading My Journey Through The World of Functional Medicine Pt 1
It feels just not too long ago I had posted that I was traveling all over South East Asia and here it is ONLY 4.5 months away! I can hardly believe it! I have changed my departure date so many times - it was originally end of February and then I had postponed it to …
I've seen a lot of buzz on the internet lately about some version of the post below - some positive and others negative - and neither are right or wrong - it's all a matter of perspective and opinions depending on how you view the world. I am of the belief that as individuals we …
“You have the life you're willing to put up with". Think about it, what are the problems of those heinous dark shadows currently spoiling the warmth and happiness of your otherwise blissful life? 🎯 Do you hate your job? 🎯 Are you in a bad relationship? 🎯 Is there something wrong with your health? Fine! Get a new …
Continue reading You Have the Life You’re Willing to Put Up With
So, you think you can’t do something? You’re too scared? 😱. You can, you are scared AND do it anyway! Anyone who knows me knows I’m deathly afraid of heights. Ask my kids how I am when we take off on a plane. Ask them which one’s hand used to hurt worse from the nail marks …
I spent last weekend in New York City (NYC), I was attending a leaders course in Manhattan with 350 of the eastern seaboard's most brilliant, inspirational beings, like no kidding - this powerful group is up to big things! While we were out and about enjoying our lunch break, we spent some time walking about …
Continue reading What’s The Connection Between INTEGRITY and LITTERING?
I have a ton of obsessions -- an obsession with lip chap, an obsession with recycling, an obsession with traveling, with being right (kidding) and an obsession with true crime. What is it about serial killers that fascinates huge swaths of the population? What really happened to JonBenét Ramsay? Where is Madeleine McCann? Did Michael …
I really hope you've all been awesome and living your best lives! I just got in not too long ago from dinner with one of my good friend's who is home for a visit from Japan - she and her family moved there 2 years ago on a work assignment and I haven't been able …
These egg muffins are loaded with all your breakfast favourites! Perfect for busy mornings and quick on the go snacks ... I've been eating a lot of eggs lately and was looking for a way to change up the ways I'm cooking them, and decided to go back to an old fan favourite. Recipe makes …
I never used to think this way. I used to be of the belief that I wanted the great house, the awesome vehicle, a closet full of name brand clothes - have a Louis Vuitton on my shoulder and Louboutin’s on my feet ... I have all that and more. And, guess what? .... it …
It's Monday night, I just competed my coaching call, did some work, just finished some research on a new project I'm working on .... and about 5 days ago I finished a 3 day JUICE CLEANSE ... I've done juice cleanses in the past, but, honestly it's been a hot minute since I did my …
⚠️ I am a ridiculously PASSIONATE person, I don't think that anyone who knows me would disagree. That works to my advantage the majority of the time and at times to my disadvantage ... sometimes I need to be dialled down or be more mindful in the way that I communicate 💬 my passion, and, it's …
IT'S DAY 10/10 and I could keep going with my list of gratitudes ... but I'll wrap the posts at 10, as promised. Randy Travis wrote a song years ago called My Heart Cracked ... some of the lyrics go: Shattered dreams, lay everywhere Broken promises, are all we share I finally took, all I …
Continue reading 10 days of gratitude: day 10 – MY BIG BEAUTIFUL HEART!
DAY 9 - the 2nd last day of things that I am grateful for .... it’s able, it’s healthy, it's responsive and it's mine ... ... today I am grateful for my body. It takes a lot for me to actually say that. Like most women, I became down on myself for having gained …
Today's blog is going to be quick and very to the point ... I woke up, felt the warm sun on my face after a long winter, I see the trees trying to bloom their first leaves ... and it hit me, I'm grateful for THAT! I simple act of nature, and I'm grateful for …
.... we all make them, non intentional - oversights. Today I focus on being grateful for my mistakes Made perhaps via clouded judgment, your perspective of the world, opening your mouth when you should have thought beforehand or that stupid phone call or text. WE ALL MAKE THEM AND GUESS WHAT YOU'LL MAKE MORE ... …
This morning I woke up, made my tea with my shiny red kettle, poured it into my large Starbucks mug, sat in my lovely sea-foam green chair in my lovely new condominium, with my MacBook Air to write this blog. After which, I will put on my Canada Goose jacket and Ralph Lauren boots and …
Continue reading 10 days of gratitude: day 6 – MY BELONGINGS!
I'm 1/2 way through my 10 days of gratitude with this post! It hasn't been hard at all finding things to be grateful for ... Post #5 is about the people in my life who have had an impact, in ways some people have no idea that they even have. Some people are just so …
Ok, we are onto day 4 TODAY, I have so many things to be grateful for - we all do - we just have to take stock of everything little thing - things don't always have to move mountains to be significant enough to be grateful for - in fact for me it's quite the …
Continue reading 10 days of gratitude: day 4 – MY CHARACTER!
How are we feeling today for Day 3 of our 10 days of GRATITUDE? Today's #3 can certainly be difficult to think of in gratitude especially when we're down in the dumps, we've had our heart broken, lost a loved one or even got passed over for a job we really wanted. #3 takes a …
Continue reading 10 days of gratitude: day 3 – MY SITUATION!
Welcome to day 2 of practicing gratitude ... Thanks for joining me along my gratitude journey. It always feels more productive for me to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys in this case). There's obviously a reason counsellors will suggest journalling, it just feels good to get it out there! I've been practicing …
I've been trying to figure out what to write about next. I wasn't into researching any more on my family tree. But, I have been spending some time determining what I wanted to do the first month of my move to SEAsia (next year - woo hoo!). Enter INDIA, I have been wanting to spend …
It's dreary and rainy out today, and I don't wanna get out of bed. Since I am taking a bit of a break from traveling, I thought I'd focus more so on the Genealogy part of my blog ... I still have so many lines that I need to "EXPLORE". I select which one to …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My Connection to Explorer, Louis Joliet!
As you know, I'm a genealogy nut, or more like nerd. I love working on my family tree, although in the past 6-8 months I've barely looked at it more or less worked on it. I can't even remember the last genealogy blog I posted (hang on let me check --- other than a quick …
Continue reading On Genealogy: Updated DNA Ethnicity Estimate
I've been back from Vietnam for about 2 weeks now. I have to admit it's been tough being back - to the cold, the snow, back to working 9-5, not traveling ... Today I want to share a little about my overall experience in Vietnam. What I loved, things I wished I had done and …
Continue reading On Travel: Vietnam – What I Loved and Didn’t Love
As I write this, I'm home, in bed, it's 3:00 AM and I cannot sleep. My body still thinks it's 3:00 PM, jet lag sucks! So I thought, what better time than to start my layover in China 🇨🇳 blog. The process was a lot easier than I imagined, so I thought I'd share in …
Continue reading On Travel: 24-hour Transit Into Guangzhou, China Without Visa
tạm biệt Việt Nam Today, I left Vietnam. The country I have come to love over the last 3.5 weeks It’s a mix of emotions having to go back to Canada. I’ll miss it there, I'll miss exploring, the food, the culture, the adventuring and of course, my eldest daughter. On the other hand, I’m …
Xin chào! I hope all is WELL with all of you ---- I'm continuing my travels through Vietnam this week - in Đà Nẵng and the ancient city of Hội An. I am more than pleased with my trip to Vietnam to date. It's truly a beautiful country, steeped in a long difficult history …
I'd been planning this trip for months -> months of research, watching YouTube vlogs, booking hotels, finding places to sightsee- which cities to visit? What to see while I was there? Did I want to start in the North and travel South or vice versa? I decided to fly into Ha Noi and travel South …
#dryjanuary, have you heard of it? Dry January is a public health campaign urging people to abstain from alcohol for the month of January. I just heard about it in December and thought "why not!" So, Why Ditch The Alcohol? Millions of people pledge to ditch the booze every January! Participants testify to how great …
I remember watching Three Men and a Baby when it came out in 1987. I was 13 years old. It was right up there for me that year along with Dirty Dancing, Labamba, Throw Mama from the Train and Teen Wolf Too! Awww, those were the good ol' days, weren't they? For people of a …
Continue reading Remember That Baby From Three Men and a Baby?
Original post (Head to the bottom to see the concerts I attended in 2018) I love MUSIC and to me there's nothing better than going to a concert. Last year I wrote a blog counting all of my concerts and I wanted to continue that list - so I have updated it here in this …
I remember a time long before Netflix, Amazon Red, Zulu, YouTube Channels and Android Boxes when Summer was the worst time of the year for TV - months of repeats until the Fall schedule started ... Then again, I also remember a time that your cable box was connected to your TV by a cable …
Dad,Every November 18th since 2014 is a painful reminder of your absence in my life. I wish I could turn back time and live out every single day of my life as if it were a grand celebration of you. Had we only known you’d be taken from us so soon and so unexpectedly 😭.I …
Continue reading Dad, It’s Been 4 Years and I Still Miss You Soooo Much💔
I was taking a walk with the dog today around my neighbourhood - I moved back to KW just over a year ago. I was born and raised here. Did a 5 year stint in Toronto (Toronto proper, not the GTA - at Dufferin and St. Clair) and then spent 2 years in Manitoba - …
I wanted to share authentically with you today for #supersoulsunday I’m often told by people “you’re so strong” , “you’ve been through so much, and have come through the other side better”, “I wish I had your strength”, “you look great for your age" (and thank you, I think I do too - for any …
Originally posted on December 31, 2017 UPDATE: Sooooo, I'm finally finished Season 11 and I was able to watch the episode that was shot down the street from me in September of 2017. I'll explain a bit the scene I was there for. By the point that I arrived Yannick's scene had already been shot …
Continue reading On Set: Update – Murdoch Mysteries Was Shooting in my Hometown …
Good afternoon, good morning or good evening folks, wherever you're reading this from. I'm writing this today from beautiful British Columbia (BC) - it's so true that they immortalize it on their license plates. I'm out here visiting my youngest daughter and her boyfriend who moved here a few months ago to enjoy a …
Continue reading On Travel: Beautiful Vancouver, BC and Area
A bit ago I posted a blog called On Health: My 30 Day Trial of the Whole Food Plant Based Diet, I've long since completed my 30 day trial of a whole food, plant based (WFPB) diet. I promised you all an update .... So, here are a few of my take aways from that …
Continue reading On Health: Update – Whole Food Plant Based Diet
Today I'm chatting with HOUDINI - a rapper from Toronto, Ontario (aka The 6). I came across his music earlier this year, when I heard his feature on Came to Conquer with Northside Benji. At that time he was still going by the stage name daHoudini. This kid's got something special, I promise you, he's gonna …
Continue reading Exclusive Interview With Up-And-Coming Rapper – Houdini
I haven't written a blog on genealogy in what feels like a long while. We've been going through a bit of a heat wave in Southwestern Ontario the last few days, it's cooler and less humid today at around 25 Celsius. For the better part of the last week, it has been hitting near 40 …
Continue reading On Genealogy: Willis Carrier – One COOL Dude!
I have such diverse interests ... although I love fashion, and makeup and dressing nicely in name luxury brand clothes, a huge part has "nerd" labeled all over me, and I'm most definitely not offended by it, I've embraced my inner nerdiness. One of the things I am obsessed about are documentaries --- other than …
If you're new to following my blog (thank you for supporting my journey, I do truly appreciate each of my followers -and please feel free to tell a friend, I try to keep my topics relevant and authentic to me as a person and life), then you likely know that I am .... wait for it …
Continue reading On Dreams: my plans to move to south east asia
It's been a while since my last blog entry, I've been feeling so many different things lately, and as I started to type I thought I was actually going to talk about empty nest syndrome, or my plans to move to South East Asia in a few years ... but as I started - I …
Continue reading On Health: Why I’m Choosing Complimentary Care
It's miserable out as I write this - it's cold and snowing. To think, just yesterday I was in Cuba and today ... back to reality. I hadn't been to Cuba in about 17 years, but my best memory is that of an aqua blue ocean, sugar-white beaches and mojitos, so, I was anxious to …
Last week myself along with about 19 other colleagues started a trial whole food, plant based (WFPB) diet. The trial is for one month, and we are to stick to the diet with a rule of 80/20. 8 days in and I am starting to believe more than ever that so much of what we …
Continue reading On Health: My 30 day Trial of the Whole Food, Plant Based Diet
I took a bit of a break from my close relatives because I found another interesting leaf hint and decided to follow it. I saw this one before, but, I felt I would have to do a lot of research so I passed. Then I came across something else on the same person and decided …
Continue reading On Genealogy: The Loyalist, The Spy and The American Revolution
This line continues down my maternal grand-mother side. This is the story of my great great gramma and grampa on my grandma's dad's side. This is the story of Louis Napoléon Allard and Eva Beaulieu. Louis' Birth Louis Napoléon Allard was born on/about November 24, 1874, in Curran, Ontario to Marie Louise Gariepy, age 20, and …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My 2x Grand-Parents – Louis Allard & Eva Beaulieu
I've been trying to determine where next to follow my ancestry line to and which line to write about. Instead of writing about some distant relative, I thought I'd start writing with those a bit closer to me and write backward. I am going to start with my great grand parents on my mom's …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My Maternal Great Grand-Parents: Palma Duchesne & Laurette Allard
My first blog of 2018 .... and it's a recipe. I'm in crunch mode - I'm taking the kids and I to Cuba in no less than 5 weeks ..... The other day, I had the sweetest tooth after dinner and immediately after eating a yummy healthy dinner, I dug right into a Caramel Sea Salt …
Continue reading Recipe: Unguilty Pleasure – Yummy Protein Cake in a Cup
It's UFC night here at the house, it's also New Years Eve Eve - the boys are watching UFC and I'm blogging my second to last entry of the year. I'm into UFC but am truly waiting for the Cyborg vs Holly Holm fight. Not that this has anything at all in common with UFC …
Continue reading On Set: Murdoch Mysteries Was Shooting in my Hometown …
It's 5 minutes to midnight I just sat down for the 1st time since 1:00 PM. The last thing on my to do list was make the Christmas fave ... Ambrosia Salad. I make this EVERY year for my mom, she loves it. Of course the kids love it too - I mean who doesn't …
Rev. Obadiah Holmes definitely has some Famous kin. I've covered President Lincoln & Amelia Earhart and now I'm covering my connection to comedic legend, John Ritter, best known as Jack Tripper. Another descendant of Rev. Holmes, is Willis Carrier, the inventor of air conditioning (I really love this guy on hot, sticky, humid days!) - …
Continue reading On Genealogy: John Ritter is my 9th Cousin, 2x removed!
My lineage just gets better and better! To date I have discovered a relation to a King of France, a US President, one of the Filles du Roi, an explorer, a colleague of Samuel de Champlain, a great Uncle who died in WWI in Flanders ... these are just some of my finds ... and …
Continue reading On Genealogy: Say What? I’m Connected To Amelia Earhart!
This is one of my MOST EXCITING ancestral finds to date! The connection, albeit extremely distant with the most impressive US Presidents of all time ... Honest Abe is my 6th cousin 5x removed. I said it was distant ... hehe! I posted yesterday on my connection to Obadiah Holmes, the important member of the …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My Connection to President Lincoln
Ok, it's safe to say we all know that I'm a genealogy NUT, I won't even try to deny it. I love learning and I love history, especially when it comes to MY OWN. They say to know where you're going, you've got to know where you've been. I believe in knowing the trials, tribulations …
Continue reading On Genealogy: Whipped for Baptist Beliefs – My Connection to Rev. Obadiah Holmes
Late last night, I couldn't sleep, I decided to do a bit of digging on some hew "hints" on my Ancestry.ca site and take closer look into my DNA profile. A while back I posted a blog called "On Genealogy: My Quaker Connection; Descendant of John Milk, British Colonial America, 1662" which traced my roots …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My Salem Witch Trial Connection
I actually wrote this last year ago but didn't post it because I wanted to respect my brother's privacy. I'm really trying to show how strong he is. This is a tribute to his grit and will power. We’ve all had a time in our lives that are beyond difficult to cope. When you wonder …
'We Are Less As A Country Without Gord Downie In It' - Prime Minister Trudeau I had to wait a few days to write this, I just watched the documentary Long Time Running two days ago ... so I needed to collect my thoughts and emotions before I got to it. I want the WORLD …
Continue reading no dress rehearsal this is our life: the passing of canadian legend – Gord Downie 😭
🎶 "In West Philadelphia not born nor raised, in Kdub is where I spent most of my days 🎶" which is why I decided to take my next trip to Philly. I love to travel, I love history - all kinds of history and Philadelphia is steeped deep in American history. The primary reason for our trip to …
Continue reading On Travel: Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love
A few weeks ago I wrote a blog called Wisdom Warrior: My Journey Toward Authenticy wherein I talked about perception, about reframing your mindset. "Perspective is a powerful thing isn’t it? When you can reframe an experience, you can often change what happens as a result". Have you ever wondered about how you perceive yourself …
Did you know that each year at least 600,000 dogs are euthanized in Canada, simply because too many pets come into shelters and too few people consider adoption when looking for a pet? I decided to write this blog as I sat here watching a bit of TV and looked over at Ellie, my 3 …
こんにちは - Kon'nichiwa Life can be so complicated at times can't it? My life in particular has been nutty as of late ... and at the spur of the moment, I made a decision - we all have choices and decisions to make each day of our lives in the betterment of ourselves, our lives, our …
I consider myself more of a spiritual person than a religious one. I meditate, chant and listen to Hindi mantras/vedas, started to re-practice Yoga, believe in Om Namah Shivaya (ॐ नमः शिवाय) which literally translates to “I honour the divinity that dwells within me, I bow to Shiva, my true identity” - I believe in …
Continue reading Wisdom Warrior: My Journey Toward Authenticity
Tours through Kingston Penitentiary offer a unique opportunity to go behind the walls of Canada’s oldest and most notorious maximum security prison. Its doors closed in 2013. And now offers guided tours which provide an up-close look at this historical building which predates Canadian confederation. The first time we went to Kingston in 2013, the …
Continue reading Kingston Penitentiary: Canada’s Alcatraz – MY TOUR
Pseudoscience: The study of and search for animals and especially legendary animals usually in order to evaluate the possibility of their existence. I've always been intrigued with folkloric creatures like Loch Ness, Sasquatch, Chupacabra, Abominable Snowman, Kraken, Sea Serpents, The Mothman, Thunderbirds and Jersey Devil, just to name a few. Today I am an acting cryptozoologist! …
Continue reading Monster Hunt: My Search for the Manipogo Monster
This iced coffee recipe is super easy to make and is loaded up with protein, so you’re getting your caffeine boost and protein all in one. My version uses vanilla-flavored protein powder and has a fairly strong coffee flavour. Gather Your Ingredients (makes 1 serving) 1 cup of ice 1 cup chilled strong-brewed coffee (using …
Continue reading Recipe: ‘Shake’ Off That Summer Heat: EASY Homemade Vanilla Coffee Protein Shake
Do you believe in the after life? Do you believe that your loved ones have a way of communicating with you after they've crossed? Has One of These Ever Happened to You? Have you ever come across a random dime in the oddest of places? Has a song ever come on the radio at the exact …
Continue reading Messages from Beyond: How My Dad Connects With Me
I know I already posted a blog today. But, as I was walking out the door, I got an email from Ancestry that my DNA results were in and I had to check them stat! If you've been a regular visitor to my blog, you'll likely know that I've been working hard on my family …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My Genetic Ancestry DNA Results Are In!
On Genealogy: My Quaker Connection; Descendant of John Milk, British Colonial America, 1662. Today's blog on genealogy #5 is on the lineage of the Milk family. This surname has long been associated with the county of Norfolk, England, where it appears about twenty-two times in proportion to each 10,000 of the population of that county. …
The photograph is one of the most well known photographs of this era. That of a little girl fleeing the horror - she is running naked on a road after being severely burned by the South Vietnamese napalm attack.On June 8, 1972, Kim's village of Trang Bang came under attack by South Vietnamese planes, which mistakenly dropped napalm on …
Looking back at events in your life now you can gain a whole new appreciation and sense of awe of things that you didn't truly understand back in the day. We had a split class when I was in the 7th grade, our class was made up of grades 7/8. I went to a …
Continue reading Up Close and Personal with The Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull
I can be quite obsessive at times. My latest past time is genealogy - I've been working on my family tree for years - but now I obsessively work on it, almost daily. My interest is both historical and philosophical: Where do I come from? How am I here? --- literally and figuratively. I think people have a …
Last year, the day every parent either can’t wait for or dreads happened, I became an empty nester. When my chids were just wee ones and I could barely grab a moment to myself, I had the age of 42 engrained in my mind. “42, you just gotta stay sane until 42, after that you …
Tenant problems plague landlords every day. Last month I learned my first real lesson as a landlord. I've been a landlord now for 14 months, I must admit I've had pretty decent tenants, but, these last tenants though have had me scratching my head and have me wondering what I got myself into 🤷🏻♀️. As …
It's been awhile since my last blog. I've started and stopped so many different blogs but for some reason or another never brought myself to finish them. Today, I invite you on a little journey ... Like so many of us, I started strong this past January with the New Years resolutions and the "2017, get …
I’ve really been embracing this journey. I’m on a quest for 2017 to drop this extra 15-20 lbs that I’ve put on over the past 15 months. Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean not having good food, enjoy the food and enjoy the journey. Today, I decided to make some healthy treats for my fiancé …
Have you ever wondered about having more with less? I have for a long while now. I wondered what it would be like to minimize stress, possessions, work, household responsibilities, financial obligations and in-turn having more time, energy, sleep, happiness. I’ve slowly been making some small and some big small changes to live my life on …
It's a week before Christmas, I'm not overly excited. It doesn't feel much like Christmas this year. For the first time in 23 years, I won't be with my chids ... chids is a Tinaism - my brain has this tendency of mixing like words and creating it's own new word. Chids is a mixture …
Continue reading 🎶It’s Not Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas🎶
I love home decor. I've owned 6 homes and with each one I’ve always wanted to make them "mine". Fortunately ... or unfortunately I've never been one to be ok with the status quo. I enjoy expressing myself through decor. We moved into our current home last November. A 3200 sq ft century home with …
I LOVE bananas, they're probably one of my favourite fruits taste wise (banana bread, banana pecan muffins, banana pancakes, banana strawberry smoothies, oh and of course banana mamas!). While on this weight loss journey, I didn't want to have to give up all of my favourite things and I wanted to make sure I …
Continue reading Recipe: Banana Oat Bran Protein Muffins [0 sugar, 0 flour]
It’s a basic necessity of life, we all need to do it, but, why does hearing you chew make me wanna jump out my skin? Each bite you take, each time you chew your food, or swallow bothers me. I’m crazy, right? It CANNOT be quiet when we eat. If we eat in front …
Continue reading Misophonia: Why Does Hearing You Chew Make My Skin Crawl?
My Better Life 