HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hope your day is full of ghouls and goblins, ghosts and spooks, vampires and werewolves, pumpkins and parties, chocolate and candy, and finally fun and laughter!

We are heading to my brothers tonight and my moms for the weekend! I'll be posting pics of the kids cuz their costumes are awesome this year! Be safe and have fun!



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6KM - and well COUNTING

Oh my poor feet...lol So today I started my work up training for my 13KM forced march. For those that have no clue as to what this is, it's my annual physical exam, and it's hell! I have to carry 55 pounds, wear my bucket (aka helmet), sling my rifle and go for 13Km at a speed of approx 10-11 min for every 1 KM! Sigh.. no small task and I am outta shape.. way to whip my arse back in though I think!

So this afternoon I did 6 km with no weight on my back and I did it in 50 min, which is faster than I need to go... but once I add the weight that automatically slows you down.. so I am right on track. I didn't tighten my boots before nor did I change my insoles.. and now I am nursing some pretty sore and nasty looking feet....LOL John had to drain one of my blisters, and I have a blood blister deep in my heel. I did an good salt soak when I got home and that made all the difference.. so did the Advil. I am not too sure if my feet are the reason I am not feeling too sore muscle wise.. maybe cuz the pain is in my feet, I can't feel my muscles... guess I'll find out tomorrow morning when I creak out of bed... I tell ya though.. I love that rush of endorphins after a good workout.. I was sweaty, and my water bottle was downed in record time I think!

So I am officially training.... and maybe soon... a thinner me...LOL Just by my little adventure today, I got 4 points back on my weight watcher points...GOTTA LOVE THAT!

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Oh BOy What a week!

It was a rough week here in the Tops house... COUGH BARF WHINE.. need I say more? I was off for the better half of the week taking care... it was horrible.

Yesturday was my HUNKY HUBBY's B-day! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN.. LOVE YOU TO BITS!!!!

Also a HUGE hug to MELLISA. Yesturday marked her dearly loved DD B-day as well. Sadly, she passed shortly after birth. I know she is blowing angel kisses to you everyday hun! Love to you and Kevin!

I also had a burst of energy yesturday too.... fever broke, so I spent the day cleaning and sorting my bedroom/scraproom. I still have a bit more work to do, but so far so good! I sorted all my things in little containers (thanks Katie, you totally inspired me)and have all my bins organized. I moved some stuff back into the basement and have decided I am going to work from a smaller stash, and switch it up every couple of months or so! Good way to use it up, and I'll feel like I just got some new stuff when I bring another load upstairs into the room. Hey man, it works for me k?? LOL

So not too much on the internet today (well truthfully I am not looking)! But here is a list of some things that interested me, and/or made me TEEHEE!

OMG LMAO.. I saw this and instantly thought of Katie! BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Yes, it's a toilet paper halloween costume!!!! Here is the link in case you are interested! LOL

Here is an awesome way to serve melon.. halloween style! LOL

I think this is too cool... check it out here!

Here are some instructions on how to make mini witches brooms... this looks like a fun craft!

EEEEEKKKKK.. I am so LOVING THESE! I wanna make one BAD! LOL

Here is a link to where she posted them.. I didn't scroll down or look around yet for the instructions! Hopefully there is some info there!

Wanna see a cool HALLOWEEN cocktail?? It's pretty gross looking! LOL

This one is called brain hemorrhage and there are links to some others! FUN HUH?? LOL

Hey TANYA.. this one is for you! Well maybe for Mellisa! LOL I found some sushi that she may eat!....WINK Check it out here!

Well that is it for now.. I want to get my room finished up and don't want to spend the whole day on the computer.. which if you know me is so easy to do! LOL

Oh one last thing... KATIE!!!! I must admit I sucked at this challenge thing this month.. turned out to be a crazy month! If I am gonna compete with you, I want to compete. I'm not even sure of you have done 1 LO either for these challenges! Would you like to defer it to November???? If you have done a lo then I'll still buy you lunch... but still want to compete for a SUPPER date?? LMAO Let me know girl!

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OH mY AChiNG HeAD

Well I had fun last night, but today I am paying the piper! John and I stayed up pretty late watching TV, chatting and enjoying a few more. We were not planning on doing this at all... truthfully I was looking forward to him finishing his work so I could go to bed. Well 3am was when I saw my bed...LOL

Well back to reality and responsibility... So yesturday we got the girls halloween costumes... all I have to saw is BAHAHAHAHA! I'm gonna leave this alone and just post pics when I get them all dolled up!

So while I nurse my coffee, and await for my eggs... here are a few interesting things that I have found on the net!

Check out this YUMMY recipe... So making this!


AMAZING BLOG POST ALERT
I tell ya I really REALLY enjoy reading Laurie's blog.... please check out her latest posts... they are a tiny peek into this amazing ladies beautiful life!

Here is an awesome RIBBON WREATH by THE LONG THREAD.
Great for Halloween, and looks super easy to make!

HALLOWEEN POEMs/QUOTES/TITLES (curtosy of a YAHOO poem group)
*Halloween*

*Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.*
~William Shakespeare

*At first cock-crow the ghosts must go
Back to their quiet graves below.*
~Theodosia Garrison

Come with me
All Hallow's night
We'll frighten everyone in sight
Such pranks for ince,
are justified
And fun and frolic amplified.
~From an Early Nineteenth-Century Halloween Postcard

One need not be a chamber to be haunted;
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place.
~Emily Dickinson

*Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen,
Voices whisper in the trees, "Tonight is Halloween!"*
~Dexter Kozen

*Where there is no imagination there is no horror.*
~Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

So ever since we got the MAC, the girls have been loving the PHOTO BOOTH FEATURE.. so we as a family had some fun taking some shots.... have a good laugh readers.. I know I did! LOL













Isn't that cute???? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

WEll that is all I have energy for right now... hope everyone has a great day and enjoys this weather..... thanks for poppin by and enjoy CHICKLETS... !!!!

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I'm so,HAMMERED

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Friday night.. John is done what he had to do work wise.. I have downed a bottle of margerita drinkie yummy stuff... and now get to snuggle with him and eat fajitas.. LIFE IS GOOD!

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Last Day in Halifax

Well today is my last day with Karen here in Halifax! SIGH! I am having an awesome time here, but I am a tad homesick already. I miss my kids and my hubby! YA... I miss the YAYAs too! LOL Oh and I better say I miss my mom before she jumps thru the computer and kicks me arse! LOL

Today we plan on going down to the Halifax Harbor Front to take in the action.. if there is any, and shop around the little shops around there!

Yesturday we had a nice turkey dinner, and Karen's friend Carla came over with her son Jacob. Jacob had to be the funniest 8 y/o I have ever met... they are true Newfies! Everything from the personality to the speech was hard core Newfie.... and OMG SO MUCH FUN FUN FUN! LOL

Sunday Karen and I went shopping locally for odds and ends, and then headed down to Peggy's Cove, and took a nice drive along the coast again (a different coast then the day before..LOL)

Here are some pics of Peggy's Cove.

From the edge of Peggy's Cove villiage

What a gorgeous day to do this.

Karen by one of the massive rocks.

Peggy's Cove Lighthouse.

Gorgeous texture of the water and seaweed.

Karen taking in the rays.. Isn't she gorgeous?

One of the many breathtaking sights.

There were a bunch of kids all decked in colour jumping across the rocks. It looked so cool against the taupe/brown colours!

The terrain just before the actual coastal rocks.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this pic!

Peggy's Cove villiage.

The last time I was at Peggy's cove was three weeks prior to the Swiss Air Flight 111 crash. I remember hearing about it on the news, and getting chills as the camera panned across areas and rocks I had just stood on. The military (more so our Navy) had really taken a front line to the recovery of bodies and plane pieces. There are still many sailors and soldiers that have trouble digesting all these images that they had to deal with. I just couldn't imagine!

Here is a report from Wikepedia that pretty much has all the details about this crash! The whole story is heart wrenching. SWISS AIR FLIGHT 111

Here are pictures of the Memorial at Peggy's Cove (which was less than a km down the coast from the lighthouse). If you have read the article then you'll know that there are two memorials. The other one is at Bayswater, across the water, and this had all the passengers names. These pictures are from the memorial at Peggy's Cove!

The construction was brilliantly made.

When you come across the memorial (a couple of pics down) you'll see the way this was constructed. The memorials were triangulated to each other and the crash sight. When you look out at the horizon from the line of the memorial, that is where the crash had occured.. directly to the left was the second memorial. I was beyond impressed with the sheer physics os this.

From the memorial site.. that lighthouse is Peggy's Cove less than a km down the road.

JUST GORGEOUS!

This is the tip of the triangle from the first memorial. Follow both rocks at their angles and there you have the crash site and the other memorial.

Karen I thought maybe these three markings were the emblem of Swiss Air? We couldn't be sure.. but people wished upon it regardless.

Beautiful! This was at the entrance of the memorial!

As you can see it's absolutely breathtaking and I think these memorials did the families of the deceased proud. It was haunting being there!

Well that is about all for now... I have to go take my shower and wait for Karen to return (she had to go into work this am), so that we can get going and start our last day together!

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A Little Drive around the Coast

Well I am now on my third day here in Halifax and I have not been disappointed at all. The weather has been absolutely scrumptious!

Yesturday, Karen and I took a drive up to Antigonish to this awesome little pottery store. Gorgeous handmade items. She is collecting an entire kitchen ensemble from them and I was astonished at the amount of moula she spent...LOL I was a cheapo and only bought the matching napkin ring holders for her collection as her B-day gift (4 rings cost me 25 bucks..lol)...LOL I was gonna get me a huge mug but they didn't have any ready to sell yet... so I'll smooze Kare and see if she'd get me hooked up when they are ready! LOL

We took a gorgeous coastal drive after wards too and here are some pics that came out of that!

Oh before I post the coast pics... here is a funny one we took at the side of the highway... I have been to the North Pole.. and now I have been to the halfway mark.... where do you think I should go next to make this a complete experience??? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!



So we drove to Cape George which is a gorgeous point on the NS coast. Has an awesome lighthouse and the views were spectacular! Here are some pics that we took!

Some small little village on the coast!

The sweet sweet smell of salt air.. YUM!

Karen and I

Can you see the tiny sailboat behind me? LOL

Cape George Lighthouse

Karen taking in the scenery

Karen and I at her uncles house... It's been way too long since we have taken a pic together... Last time I was a lot skinnier! LOL Yes Kare.. you are a skinny biotch! LUVS YA!

We stopped for dinner in New Glascow NS, in this cute little pub. Had a drink and some fish for supper. Was very yummy. Chatted each others ears off for the entire 2 hour ride home. When we walked into the door at her place... shit hittith the fan. Her dog Jedi was a very very naughty pooch! He had eaten part of the uncooked turkey we had defrosting in the sink (we still don't know just how he got it out), and then ate a whole pack of expresso coffee beans.... well they didn't agree with him cuz next room there were 5 piles of doggie barf. May I add that they were 5 piles of coffee beans....LOL NOT DIGESTED! EEEEWWWWWWEEEEEEE. He didn't chew the damn things! He was a tad hyper last night while we were watching a movie.. HHHMMM I wonder why??? BAHAHAHAHAHA Always an adventure!

Today we are heading to Peggy's Cove. I'll post about that tomorrow if I get the chance!

HUgs to my babies... Mommy misses you.. and hugs to Johnny T! Glad you had a good time at moms!

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HELLO FROM HALIFAX NS

Well I arrived safe and sound, but not without adventure... COME ON... this is me we are talking about.. I am always having things happen to me...LMAO

So the flight was off to a rocky start. I must admit I am not the best flyer, but for the first 20 minutes of the flight it was quite bumpy. My stomach felt like it was almost in my throat and my adrenaline was just a pumping! Once we got thru the clouds we were fine though... and I settled in with my People Magazine. Well I was about a quarter of the way thru when I noticed that some people were standing in the isles and the flight attendants were rushing back and forth. Then they asked that if there was any medical staff on board, to please raise their hands. For the record.. this has happened to me before on a flight to BC.

I raised my hand and was brought over to this lady who had not only vomited all over herself, but was looking rather ashen. I took her pulse and a history and it turned out she had a siezure on the plane. I told the attendants to get their O2, and their med bags for me. Well she was what we medical people call post-ictal (post seizure) which leaves then very tired and drained. I got a heart monitor on her, and stayed with her for the remainder of the flight. I had to give the report to the paramedics (we were the first to leave the plane), and off she went to the hospital! I was on the phone with the medical staff on ground during the entire flight too.. so that calmed my nerves... nothing like feeling helpless due to the fact that you cannot go anywhere. I was asked if I thought the flight should make an emergency landing by the med staff and I said truthfully no. She was okay.. just a lil out of it! I would of like to have had some kind of contact to see how she is today. I hate that!

So yes.. never a dull moment for me huh?? LOL

Then after I was done with the paramedics.. I took out my B-day wrapping paper to wrap myself up in for my girlfriend Karen's B-day (I was her gift...lol). Here I am coming down the escalator looking like a total arse.. (SHUT UP KATIE).. everyone is staring at me and smiling.. I smiled back. Well I am looking and looking and cannot find Karen anywhere!! SHIT! Not only do I look like a fool in this bright pink kitty wrapping paper.. but my freaking BFF is no where to be found! EEEEEKKKKK! So I walk around for about 5 min.. until I hear her voice yell RACHEL ANN! BAHAHAHAHAHA! She was sitting the entire time somewhere else thinking I was coming down a different escalator... LOL I look at her and told her politely to please tear opened her present so people can stop looking at me funny! LMAO She had a good chuckle at my expense! BIOTCH!

Off we go for a nice steak dinner out to celebrate my arrival and her B-day! IT WAS YUMMILICIOUS!

We head on to her place which is on the base here in a suburb just outside of Halifax called Shearwater. In I go and her babies (her dogs) jump me at the door full of hair and kisses! We chat for a bit.. enjoy a glass of wine... and then she gets a call from a family member. Well she has this gorgeous chocolate brown suede couch in her living room, that has this plastic sheet on it! I am thinking it for the dogs, so they don't get hair all over her couch in the event that they jump up.. MY BAD! I sit down where I proceed to feel all these little needle like shocks all over my ASS! I am screaming OUCH OUCH and jump off and then Karen almost pisses her pants LHAO at my expense... well that plastic sheet that I thought was a protective cover.. is a protective cover that delivers shocks to the dogs when they jump on her expensive couch.... I GOT MY ASS ZAPPED LIKE I WAS A DOG!!!! OMG the tears flowing off our faces from laughing was too much! LOL I am typing this LMAO!

So half a day in Halifax and I am already full of the stories.. LOL Karen has to work today.. so I get to chill out for the day! Then tonight I am gonna make my spaghetti squash lazagna and pick up a bottle of red... SIGH!!! Tomorrow we are going for a drive.. I'll be sure to post more about my adventures. I forgot how the two of us together always equals to some funnies! LOL

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Leaving on a Jet Plane

But not before I post some internet findings for my YAYA Steph...LOL

So I am heading off the Halifax in a few hours to see my bestest and dearest friend Karen. Karen and I have been friends for a very long time... and today is her B-day! She is also going thru a bit of a rough go, so after chatting with my hubby, he gave me his blessing to spend Thanksgiving with her! I am gonna miss being with my family (very much actually) but she is someone I'd miss my Thanksgiving weekend with my family for. That is how much I love her! So I'll be MIA for a while.... if I get the chance to blog then I will from Halifax.. just depends on what the schedule entails. I return next Wed!

Sadly I had to drop out of TD at Bad Girls. I have been insanely busy lately and had come to terms that this contest was creating me more stress than fun. So I made the decision to pull out and focus on what really matters. I am sad about it, as I was doing well, but felt a huge weight lifted when I made the decision.. so to me it was worth it. On a great note, Katie and Steph have moved on to the next round... GO GIRLS! It'd be awesome if one of my YAYA's was crowned!

I have a couple hours to do some internet surfing.. and here is what I have found!

Check out this cool needle felt book from Nina Makes blog. Can you see this being a cover to a scrapbook? Here is the link to her post!


Here is an awesome template to make a paper house! Compliments of Mike Wilson!

Have you ever wanted to recover a lampshade? I have one in my bedroom that I'd love to do. Check out this post by Reese Dixon.


OH WOW.. check out these cute little Xmas sweater ornaments... I LOVE THESE!

I am gonna try to make these! Aren't they amazing????

OK KATIE this one is for you..... check out this paper/bead necklace! TRES CUTE.. and I think it'd make a great stocking stuffer.. HINT HINT! LOL Be sure to check out the blog Folding Trees as well!

So my girls need to have their school shoes and their extra set of clothes in their cubbies in their classroom at all times. I came across this little bag and I thought what a great thing to make for this. I have so many pieces of fabric that could to be used for this. Check the pattern out at Pink Penguin Blog!


Speaking of fabric.. have you ever seen a PATCHWORK WREATH?? Imagine this with Xmas fabrics....

Okay readers this is all I have time for today! But I have tons of links bookmarked for future posts.... Hugs and wish me a smooth flight! LOL

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OH .. one last thing! I had a dream about my MCYUMMY last night. I am watching reruns of Grey's Anatomy! Just wanted the whole world to know that my George was everything that I had hoped for!!! What an amazing kisser! BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

KATIE SQUIRES - YOU'VE BEEN CHALLENGED

OFFICIALLY and IN PUBLIC!!!!! LMAO

For the entire month of October, Lifetime Moments is hosting what is called SCRAPTOBERFEST!

The idea is to do a LO a day for the entire 31 days of Oct. You do not have to do the LO's on that specific day (thank goodness or I'd never play), but must have them all completed by the 31st Oct. These LO's are challenged based, (simple simple challenges)!

So I was chatting with my gal MISS KATIE, and decided I was going to challenge her... (let's be honest.. it's just motivation to get me to scrap more...lol) Besides, Katie and I have this fun competitive thingie going on, one in which makes me really push my creativity. So why the hell not give this a go!

On the table..... THE WINNER get to be taken to a nice restaurant for a nice lunch paid for by the LOSER!!!! If we both do all 31, then, we still go out to lunch and have to surprise the other with a little something something to say congrats!

So my fine scrappy friend.. do you accept this challenge.. or are you chicken shit???? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Only time will tell!

First challenge is to use stars... second one will be posted soon!

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