Friday 28 September 2012

Friday Letters

Can I just say, I am super excited it's finally Friday. Lately time is flying by way too fast for my liking!

Dear Family, I am SUPER excited to see you all next weekend! It's a time to be thankful and boy am I ever thankful to have each and every one of you in my life.

Dear Maggie, momma was so happy to wake up to you cuddled around my head licking at my forehead this morning. You truly do warm my heart!

Dear Sister, I am so jealous of your upcoming trip to Europe but I will definitely miss you... 4 or 5 or 6 months without you isn't acceptable!

My sister and I (my sister is the blonde).
Dear Thrifting, I am excited to hit up some of my favourite shops this weekend. I like myself a good deal!

Dear Classics paper, please write yourself because you are REALLY stressing me out!

Dear Boyfriend, I missed you so much this week but I am excited to pick you up from work today and have a wonderful weekend together. Also, I love you very much!

Dear Weekend, I am excited to relax, go to the farmers market, go thrifting, maybe catch a movie, meet up with my sister, catch up on my DVR, and spend precious time with my man :)




Tuesday 25 September 2012

What are you going to be


I find that ever since I graduated from high school (and even before then), people always seem to ask me the dreaded question... "what do you want to be when you grow up?" or "what are you going to University for?". I would get this question over and over from my family members, old friends, family friends, and people around my town (I come from a small town). This question has always been so hard for me to answer. In elementary school, I wanted to be a teacher and ever since then my mind changes every once in awhile... everything from a social worker to a personal trainer. I find it so difficult to figure out the answer to this question and still to this day, in my 3rd year of university... I am not 100% sure of what "I want to be" but I am learning to be okay with that. 

For right now, I am getting my 3 year Kinesiology degree which means that I should hopefully be done school by the end of this year. For those of you who don't know, Kinesiology is basically the study of the human body and how it moves and functions... so this can get you a career in anything from personal training, to recreation management, or you can work at a gym or other health facilities, etc. After I get my degree, I'm not positive what the plan is... I may take a year off school to take a breather and maybe find a Kinesiology job (which is harder than you think, if you don't want to live in the city) and then I may apply to Physiotherapy school in 2014. Like I mentioned before, I find it so hard to know what career is really going to be satisfying and fulfilling to you. I am a strong believer in the saying "find a job that you love and you will never have to work a day in your life", so I really want to find a career that is rewarding, interesting, and keeps me on my toes. I love helping other people and I am very interested in health, so that is why I think that physiotherapy may be a great option for me. It's also a profession where there is always a high demand for, even in more rural areas... so maybe one day I could have my own practice.

Everything is still up in the air but for right now, I am okay with just being. After this year of school, I think it will be fun to just fly by the seat of my pants for awhile and then hopefully figure out what direction in life will make me the happiest. I don't understand how some people know what they want to be from the time they can speak... like all those people who are like "when I grow up I want to be a doctor" and bam they become a doctor! I guess I will always be indecisive.

However, I believe that no education is pointless and if I do go in to a career field that I don't enjoy, I can always go back to school and become a brand new Kerri. The possibilities in life are truly endless! :)



Thursday 20 September 2012

I believe in...

  • I believe in thrifting.
  • I believe in hugging to brighten up your day.
  • I believe in nights spent cuddled on the couch with a good movie and a glass of wine  
  • I believe in everything to do with Fall.
  • I believe in caffeine (tea/coffee).
 
  • I believe in cranking music when in the car.
  • I believe in sleeping in.
  • I believe in time spent with my man.
My man and I, circa 2009.
  • I believe in smiling to brighten your day and others around you.
  •  I believe in saving money for my future.
  • I believe in spending A LOT of time with my family.
  • I believe in watching ridiculous amounts of design t.v.

I mean who wouldn't want to watch these guys? ;)
  • I believe in making healthy choices everyday.
  • I believe in tons of kitty and puppy cuddles, they make everything better.
  • I believe in Sunday family dinners.
  • I believe in volunteering and helping others.

My volunteer group, WUSC.



  • I believe that bad experiences teach us valuable lessons.
  • I believe in making traditions.
  • I believe in living life to the fullest and making the best of your life.
  • I believe in sisterly love.
My beautiful sisters and I.





Wednesday 19 September 2012

SWW

So What If...

  • I would much rather have a long nap followed by a bubble bath, than pay any attention to all the assignments and projects I need to do.
  • I am addicted to fall t.v, I mean new episodes of The Voice, X-Factor, Long Island Medium, Property Brothers, Love it or List it, Ellen, and Breaking Amish (another reason why my homework isn't getting done)
  • I did a Biggest Loser workout last night and then ended up eating a whole Easter bunny from our freezer
  • I was too lazy to shower this morning, so I put my hair up and went to school looking like a grease monkey
  • I miss my boyfriend already, even though it's only been 3 days... I CANNOT wait until Friday!
  • I am trying to be good with my money but I would rather just go on a shopping spree and buy myself a pumpkin spice latte every day instead!
  • I wish I didn't have night class tonight and that it was Friday already!!

  

Monday 17 September 2012

Spaghetti squash casserole & zucchini fries

During my childhood, I grew up cooking and baking with my mom. It was one of my favourite things to do, even if it was just helping her mix the cookie dough or ice the cake... I believe it brought us closer together.

Today I am sharing a couple of recipes that I tried off Pinterest last week and I really loved. I have been scouring the web for recipes because my boyfriend and I planted a garden this summer and now we have copious amounts of veggies (spaghetti squash, zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes, beets, cucumbers, etc).  I am trying to be creative, so we don't waste any food!

Here it goes:

Spaghetti squash casserole:
  * Note: I omitted the cottage cheese (Brandon and Sarah don't like it) and breadcrumbs (Sarah has Celiacs disease).
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 13" x 9" baking dish and a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Place the squash, cut side down, on the sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a sharp knife. With a fork, scrape the squash strands into a large bowl.
  2. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and basil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the tomatoes. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture is dry.
  3. To the bowl with the squash, add the cottage cheese, mozzarella, parsley, salt, and the onion mixture. Stir to mix. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bread crumbs.
     4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through. 

Very simple and delicious!

Zucchini Fries:

I had been hearing about this trend for awhile, so I took the plunge and tried it out. I would definitely make some modifications next time but still delicious :)

Ingredients:
Half a large zucchini
1/2 to 1 cup of corn flakes, crushed
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (the crumbly stuff, not shreds)
2 eggs

Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • whisk together the eggs in a bowl
  • combine corn flakes and Parmesan cheese, I also added in some spices (onion powder, no salt seasoning)
  •  Cut zucchini into sticks or slices (whichever you prefer) and then get to dipping in the egg and covering with the corn flake mixture
  • Place on the greased pan and cook for 10-12 minutes. Flip and cook for another 10-12 minutes or until they get crispy.

 I didn't take any pictures but I assure you both these recipes are easy, cheap, and yummy!



ENJOY!


 
 

Quick trip home.

As most weekends do, this past weekend went by way too quickly. Since school has just started, I didn't have any homework or studying to do over the weekend... so I got to make a day trip home to my farm. Yesterday, my boyfriend, his sister and her boyfriend stopped at Tim Horton's and then were on the road for the 2.5 hour trip home. I was home by lunch time and my mom came to pick me up (so I could spend a couple hours at home).

My mom noted on the 15 minute drive home (I grew up on a farm), that I had never just come home for just one day before but that she really looked forward to seeing me. It was a very condensed trip but I was home from 1:00 until 3:30 and I managed to visit with both my parents, quickly see my cousins, pick vegetables from the garden for my sister, take pictures of the fall sights on the farm, and love on my animals. All in all, it was a wonderful trip and I will always cherish every minute I get to spend with my family.

Then I went in to my boyfriends house to celebrate Sarah (his sisters) 26th birthday. We ate a delicious roast beef supper, visited with his parents and grandparents, and then had some yummy homemade cheesecake (thanks to his mom). We hit the road to head back to Winnipeg and got home at around 9:00p.m.

I'm sure the short trip home will help me get through these next couple weeks until Thanksgiving. I always miss home because I am so close to my family and I love farm life but I know it will always be there. Right now, this is a time in my life where I need to experience new things and discover who I am. I mean I don't mind living in the city but I hope one day I can move back closer to home and enjoy the country life once again.

Over these next couple of weeks, school really starts to pick up for me. I will have assignments, exams, and labs due but I've made it through the first 2 years of University, so I know I can make it through another one. All it takes is a little bit of focus, determination, and hard work.



Wednesday 12 September 2012

So What Wednesdays...

SO WHAT IF…

- I’m obsessed with everything fall related… bring on the pumpkin spice lattes, colourful leaves, and boots/scarves.
- I should be doing an assignment for my Sports in the Ancient World class but instead I am looking at Pinterest and watching Property Brothers
- I am jealous of my man because he got an iPad 3 today. It’s used but it’s in brand new condition.
- I often procrastinate until the very last minute and then freak out because I have such a tight deadline
- I am missing home already (after a week).
- I treat my cat Maggie like she is my baby. Literally, I love her so much that I wonder what I will be like when I actually have a child…
- I wish it was Friday, and not Wednesday (solely because I have night class tonight and early classes tomorrow).

Can’t wait for nice temperatures and time spent with my man this weekend!

Tuesday 11 September 2012

If you really knew me...

- you’d know that I broke my elbow when I fell off a horse in middle school and still to this day can’t fully extend my arm. I’d say that it is stuck at slightly over 90 degrees and this makes it tricky to do certain things, for example push ups.
- you’d know that I was always the “fat girl” growing up and was constantly bullied by the boys in my grade who would say things like “honk honk, watch out everyone… wide load coming through”.
- you’d know that I have experienced quite a bit of loss in my short lifetime already. I lost my cousin Brad when I was 6 or 7, my Grandpa Bill, my Great Grandma Murray, my cousin Melissa, and my Grandpa Cook.
- you’d know that of each of these people that I have lost, they each hold a special place in my heart and I have very fond memories of them. For example, my cousin Brad was like a big brother to me… my mom said he always chose to baby-sit my sisters and I on a Saturday night rather than go out with his teenage friends. The last memory I have of him is when… we were at my house and all of us kids were playing tag or a combination of tag and hide and go seek and Brad was the person who was “it”. He was chasing me and accidentally hit me in the nose, in which I got a massive nose bleed and he apologized profusely… he felt so bad but this memory warms my heart because I remember his smell that day and the feeling of his arms around me in a comforting embrace.
- you’d know that when I was young I would get nose bleeds everyday. These nose bleeds would last hours on end and were a really big pain in the butt.
- you’d know that when I was a child, I was a daddy’s girl through and through. Before I was old enough to go to school I would spend hours outside with him feeding the cows, baling, driving in the tractor, and going out for breakfast. I was always fascinated by my dad and how hard he continually works every single day.
- you’d know that I played softball for 9 years from the age of 3 until I was about 12 and that I played rugby for all 4 years of my high school days.
- you’d know that I have a passion for anything fitness, health, wellness related and I love that I am going to school to pursue this passion.
- you’d know that I have the cutest fur baby ever. I mean I have Jinx & Missy (the family’s pets) but MY baby is my cat Maggie who my boyfriend and I rescued from the Humane Society. She is literally the cutest, sweetest, most spoiled animal on earth and I love her very much.
- you’d also know that my boyfriend and I have added another fur baby into the picture. My boyfriends brother found a kitten who was abandoned and alone in our hometown… and at first we named her Bella only to find out that it is a boy so he is now named Milo or “Bella the Fella”. I miss that little ball of mischief (he’s living with my boyfriends parents for the year).
-you’d know that I am a country girl to the bone. I have been in 4-H for 12 years where I show cattle and make a profit from selling my steer (go ahead, you can laugh). The country means wide open fields, peace and quiet, long walks on dirt roads, the sound of cows mooing, and generally just a sense of “home” for me.
-you’d know that I am addicted to Pinterest and DIY projects
- you’d know that my family means the whole world to me. They are my support system.

                                                   This would be my sweet little Maggie.
                                                  This would be my amazing family.
                                         This would be my mischievous little devil, Milo.

Thursday 6 September 2012

Fall Bucket List.

I mentioned before that I LOVE Fall and everything that comes along with it. Cooler temperatures, cute boots, scarves, hot drinks, changing colors, falling leaves, and harvest. I also vowed to myself to start living my life more fully and to experience every season as they come and go, so this fall I will do just that.

1. Go to a farmer's market, explore and find homegrown or handmade goodies.

2. Can and preserve food from the garden my boyfriend and I planted this spring/summer. Think homemade salsa, fresh jam and pickled beans.

3. Go for at least 2-3 walks outside per week to enjoy the cooler temperatures and fall colors.

4. Try a new activity or attend a new event. Living in Winnipeg, there is constantly something going on so I will just need to keep my eyes peeled until I find something :)

5. Try new fall recipes/drinks, to get more in the fall spirit. ex. apple cider, pumpkin loaf/muffins, coffee drinks in my new espresso maker!

6. Move my body more. I keep saying "I will do it tomorrow" or "It's okay to be lazy today" but in reality... I must seize the opportunity today and make time for my health.

7. Start thinking of Christmas gifts for my friends and family that I can make myself.


I think this is a reasonable list and by putting it on my blog, I hope it will make me more accountable. As I grow older, I find myself thinking more often about how quickly life is passing by and some days I find it hard to recall certain memories. I guess this means that I am surviving and not really living. Now is the time cherish my life and make time to create and remember those valuable memories!




Tuesday 4 September 2012

Change is in the air.

Fall is my favourite season. I love the colours, tastes, sights, smells, and overall feel of fall. I love watching the trees turn colour, feeling the crunch of leaves under my boots, and drinking pumpkin spice lattes. However, every time fall comes around, the feeling of change is inevitable. I always feel like the world shifts a little bit when summer winds down and fall is right around the corner and I love a little bit of change in my life.





I am hoping that Fall this year brings with it a lot more positivity and courage for me. I hope to take advantage of my busy schedule this year and make time for myself. Make time to have bubble baths, work out, bake, call friends & family, write letters, make goals, do crafts, hang out with my friends more often, and spend valuable time with my boyfriend. I appreciate the fact that I can afford a post secondary education and although sometimes it stresses me out, I think I will make it through my 3rd year a lot easier if I take time to breathe and look around and appreciate everything I have in life.

I just moved back to Winnipeg after living in my hometown for the summer and it was incredibly hard to leave my family, home, and pets behind. I love being at home and spending time with my family.  It may sound cliche but I honestly have an amazing family... my mom is my best friend, my dad is my pillar of strength, my sister Ashley shows me how to be adventurous and take risks, and my sister Stephanie guides me with her knowledge and perspective. I found myself tearing up as I packed my car with all my belongings and hugged my family good-bye, but I am trying to be strong even though I miss them crazy amounts already. I am just blessed that I live only 2.5 hours away from my family and that I have the opportunity to go home fairly frequently.


I have so much in life to be thankful for in life and this fall I plan to take more time for:

- spending time with my wonderful boyfriend either just cuddling watching t.v on the couch or going out on dates and exploring the city

- make time to keep in touch with my family either by phone call, text, email, facebook, or skype

- create and maintain my valuable friendships and show my friends I appreciate them

- make "me" time : bubble baths, long walks in fall weather, manicure/pedicure, facial, workout, read my book, watch my favourite movie, craft, bake, cook, etc.

- eat foods that nourish my body. if it's not good for me, eat it in moderation!

- drinks lots of WATER! (8-10 cups per day)

- get 7-9 hours of sleep per night, it'll make you less crabby and feel more energized.

- take 10 minutes everyday to pause, look around you, and appreciate everything you have in life.

I need to make goals for myself in order to keep on track. I need to value myself and my health more and vow to make time to keep myself healthy and fit. I need to appreciate my friends and family more and take time out of my busy schedule to show them. I promise to not just sail through life halfheartedly but instead to look around and APPRECIATE my life.