Hardcore flasks for those hardcore tasks?

Day 200

Spotted at London Drugs earlier on today:

Anyway.. I can't believe 200 days of blogging has already gone by! 

I got an email last week about half off of improv tonight. I bought Bobby and I tickets (it was 28$ for two tickets and two drinks) and so we went to improv... We usually go a few times a year and we hadn't gone in a while.. It's always a great time going. Good laughs :)

Just got home now and relaxing a bit before I get my costume ready for tomorrow! I have two costumes: one for my work Halloween party and the portal one that Bobby built for going out.

Christmas shoebox presents time!

Day 199 part two

Nothing much going on today... Bobby has school on Tuesday evenings, so usually it's just Kiwi, Chaos and me hanging out ;)

Earlier today, I finally bought the last present for my Christmas shoebox kid. Growing up, my mom and I used to fill up a few boxes for Christmas. My mom would always fill up her boxes for girls, so I would end up filling my box for boys to even things out (boys usually have fewer boxes to begin with). However, this year, I decided to fill up my box for a girl... So exciting to shop for girls!

My box includes:
1 Minnie Mouse colouring book (1$ from Michaels)
2 Hilroy exercise books (1.29$ each from Staples)
1 pink t-shirt (3.50$ from Michaels)
1 box of Hilroy pencil crayons (2.50$ from London Drugs)
1 pack of pencils (1.69$ from London Drugs)
1 pack of erasers (99 cents from London Drugs)
1 pencil sharpener (1.69$ from London Drugs)
1 toothbrush (free from my dentist! I get a toothbrush per dental visit and I don't use them because I use an electric toothbrush)
1 pencil bag (1.25 from a dollar store)
1 ball (2$ from a dollar store)
1 green frog stuffy (3$ from a dollar store)
1 pack of hair clips (1.50$ from a dollar store)
1 pack of hair ties (1.50 from a dollar store)
4 sheets of stickers (50 cents each from a dollar store)

So for a total of under 30$ (40$ with shipping), a little girl with have a slightly merrier Christmas!! :)

The box barely closes!

Happy birthday, grandpa... I miss you

Day 199

Today would've been my grandpa's birthday. He passed away a few years ago.. and I miss him!! Love you always, Lolo

Hello, hello, baby you called I can't hear a thing...

Day 198

Spotted phone booth at the plaza at my work... um... doesn't everyone have a cell phone these days?!

Pumpkin carving day

 Day 197 part two

While waiting for my pulled pork to slow cook (or, super slow cook - it took over 8 hours!), Bobby and I decided to carve our pumpkins. Carving pumpkins is a perfect activity to do while waiting for pulled pork... it seriously took me 2 hours or so just to gut my pumpkin!!

I had so much pumpkin that I did not know what to do with. Mid gutting, I heard Chaos awake and poking around her cage so I took her out and gave her some pumpkin. She loved it!!!

Here's the evolution of my pumpkin:

First I carved it

Then I painted it white

Then I painted the insides of the carved parts red and added some crazy eyes

L-R:
My crazy eyed pumpkin, Kiwi and Chaos' aperture mini turret (courtesy of Bobby) and Bobby's pumpkin

Slow cooker meal round 2

Day 197

I'm hoping to use my slow cooker every weekend. Yesterday, Bobby was working on our Halloween costumes, and we had plans to see Rocky Horror Picture Show at 8pm so I saved this recipe for tonight.

On the plate for tonight's dinner will be Barbecue Pulled Pork with Pineapples. I found this super easy recipe here: http://www.maresplace.com/2013/02/10-slow-cooker-meals-for-under-100.html

Hope it turns out great!

Edit: It is 7:40 right now. Just finished eating pulled pork (and carving my pumpkin and cleaning up). This recipe is amazing! I can't wait to eat the leftovers!!!

Night out on the town

Day 196

Taking these out for the first time this fall. Hope it doesn't rain!

Most delicious lemonade

Day 195

Went for wings again. Skipped the beer this time and had a strawberry lemonade. Yummy!!

Riding Boots

Day 194

Riding boots, noun.
A staple in every woman's wardrobe. Used for keeping warm during the fall and winter, completing a look/looking good, and pretty much everything else except the physical act of actually riding a horse ;)

I picked up some new riding boots at The Bay today. The Bay is having their bay days so shoes are 20% off. The pair I bought is 225$ (SUPER PRICEY and way more than I was willing to pay for a pair of boots - can you tell I am a deal hunter?!). Anyway, so yesterday, I got notice in the mail that I am now a Bay VIP shopper and I get 20$ off my next purchase of 100$ or more. SCORE! So I went back to The Bay today and pick up the Steve Madden Lynxx for just over 180$ with tax. *Happy dance*

I absolutely love the red stripes and the studs

Foggy day 13577534688423

Day 193 part two

I know I have blogged about the current fog situation in Downtown, Vancouver A LOT already, but the view from my office this morning was too gorgeous to not share.

Gorgeous view of the North Shore mountains and Downtown Vancouver in the sunshine. Bonus eerie effect from the fog just above False Creek.

Vancouver, I love you

Present for Bobby

Day 193

Bobby is getting his flu shot today... so I got him a treat to eat post vaccination :)

Desk explosion

Day 192 part two

So I am sitting at my desk... wondering where all of this crap came from. 

On my desk CURRENTLY:

- TWO Aveeno lotions (apparently I need two on my desk at one time?)

- UGG spray

- Christmas shoe box for Samaritan's Purse (and toys that are meant to go in the shoe box)

- The latest Chatelaine magazine 

- My mask for my work Halloween costume

- My gloves

- Scrapbooking stuff for my Halloween scrapbook entry

- Kiwi and Chaos' tutus

- My agenda

- Papers that need to be filed
- Etc, etc, etc...!!!!!!!

I don't know why I need these all at my desk but this is all about to change!

Okay fog, you can go away now!

Day 192

Seriously, London Drugs?!?!?!

Day 191

So London Drugs thinks its okay to sell Christmas Advent calendars in October. 

1. Who is going to buy these NOW and actually keep them unopened until December?

2. Who is thinking of buying one of these now, and doing a November countdown, and then buying ANOTHER calendar for December?! *Shamefullly raises hand* ;)

Kiwi's large butt

Day 190 part two

Yesterday, I found Kiwi sleeping like this:

The funny thing is that she was awake and walking around her cage a few minutes before I found her passed out like this... It's like she ran out of gas and couldn't even make it home in time before sleep overtook her :D

Trick or treat

Day 190

Sadly, I am too old to trick or treat, but that doesn't mean I can't buy Halloween candy for my own personal consumption ;)

I picked up this box for Bobby and me at Save On today. Here's hoping it lasts until Halloween!

Slow cooker meal, round 1

Day 189

Today is the day I used my brand new slow cooker for the first time! Tonight's (hopefully!) delicious dinner will be roast beef with potatoes and carrots... Unfortunately, I didn't have as much carrots as I thought I did. I used a super easy 6 ingredient recipe I found on allrecipes.com... Hopefully its a good one. I've already found the next recipe I want to use: barbecue pineapple pulled pork. That will be next weekend's yummy meal ;)

Darth Tater

Day 188 part two

Friday afternoon treats

Day 188

A coworker gave me this today. I am so full from snacking on Brookside dark chocolate covered acai blueberries all day that I wasn't even going to crack this bag open... until I saw that it contains "red wine extract".

Needing alcohol to help me deal with/get over this week of crazy!!

Foggy Vancouver, or Smoggy LA?

Day 187 part two

It was really foggy in Downtown, Vancouver (and neighbouring areas) today. The fog started off light:

The fog around 9/10am ish

 Then the fog went away. It was nice and sunny during my lunch break... Then around 4:45pm: BAM

The fog came back in full force

It was actually kinda spooky and very Halloween-esque ;)

Refer to this post to see what my view (sans fog) looks like:

http://missmiigo.blogspot.ca/2013/08/desk-with-view.html

The Great Shake Out BC, 2013 edition

Day 187

We had an earthquake drill at work today (as did many other offices/companies throughout the province).

I survived! ;)

A hedgie massage

Day 186 (a day late!!)

I completely forgot to blog yesterday!  I was exhausted from work today..

Anyway, here's my Kiwi-Keys enjoying her evening massage (last night!)

Presents from Mexico!

Day 185

Got into work today and found this on my desk. My manager was in Mexico this past week and he brought us back some chocolate caliente mix. Muy bueno!

Exciting food to be cooked!

Day 184

While in Suburbia yesterday, I got a slow cooker for half off! It was 60$ regularily, and I got it for 30$! *Happy dance*

I've been wanting a slow cooker for a while since winter is coming and it would be nice to come home to a perfectly cooked pot roast... However, I know that I will not be one to use a slow cooker everyday since it is just me and Bobby, and let's be honest, the excitement of having a slow cooker will eventually die. I was willing to spend up to 50$ on a slow cooker so buying a decent one for 35$ with tax is a steal! If I use it 5 times a year I will be happy ;)

Next stop is finding recipes I want to use! Can't wait!

PS: Happy 12 months Luca!!!
PPS: It is my half birthday... I better start planning my big 3-0 in Vegas!

Canadian Thanksgiving

Day 183

My family celebrated Thanksgiving today at my parent's house. Bobby and I brought spinach and artichoke dip (from Trader Joes) and apple pie (from Whole Foods). The dip was amazing like always. The pie was not so great - the apple filling was sour!!!

Anyway, good times with the familia :)

Happy 1st birthday, Luca-saurus!!!

Day 182

Today was Luca's first birthday party. The party started at two but Bobby and I had an early start to the day to run some errands, grab some lunch and then pick up the food for Luca's party. We had to be there by 1:30 since we were bringing the food, however, there was no traffic, and even with the moderately annoying service at the Whole Foods on Cambie, we managed to get to the party by 1:20. Since we were early, we helped set up for Luca's dinosaur themed first birthday party. Brad and Ja did such a fantastic job and I am not being biased. They hand made so many of the decorations: the happy birthday sign, the banner of 12 photos of Luca (one of him at each month of his 12 months), a collage of his firsts (tooth, Christmas, etc), etc. Brad even made a dinosaur cake from scratch and Janice knit dinosaur toques for the 5 babies in attendance (Luca and his buddies)!! 

We had such a great time! I can't believe Luca is a year old already (almost! His birthday is actually on Monday).

Happy first birthday Luca! We hope you enjoy your mega blocks and we can't wait to build things with you! 

PS: I am exactly half way through my 365 blogs in 365 days challenge!

Wings and cheerios

Day 181

Went for wings today then hit up Pacific Centre for some shopping. Came home and gave Kiwi and Chaos cheerios as treats. Now I'm getting ready for Luca's first birthday party tomorrow... trying to figure out a way to open his mega blocks box so Bobby and I can play with them without being so obvious ;)

Let them eat cake!

Day 180

Every morning, I walk by Ganache Patisserie (located on Homer between Drake and Davie) on my way to the skytrain. I've only ever bought the "Caramel Chocolat" cake at this bakery (on two occasions) and damn that cake is delicious! Unfortunately, this bakery is quite expensive :(

Anyway, I decided to buy a mini personal cake for me and Bobby to share today. I'm PMS-ing and wanting cake (probably because I have been watching old Cake Boss episodes).

The personal sized cake was 6$!!! Super expensive but worth every bite.

Ooh a present!

We seriously ate this cake in less than two minutes

First world problems.... part two

Day 179

I pre-bought Bobby and I tickets for Gravity (new sci-fi movie with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney) and Catching Fire. Bobby has school on Tuesday nights this term... sadly we cannot watch movies on cheap Tuesdays. Ugh!! Paying full price bothers me!! :)

First world problems

Day 178

Island Farms, my go-to yogurt, went all probiotic on me... and I am not liking it!!

Banana guards are awesome!!

Day 177

Picked up this suave banana guard at Granville Island yesterday. Today I get to enjoy a perfect, unbruised banana for breakfast. Yummy!

Note: banana was bought with those two imperfections on the bottom ;)

Happy 19 months, Kiwi

Day 176 part two

Sorry I had to give you a bath - I know you really hate it. However, you were starting to smell really bad.

Granville Island fun under the sun!

Day 176

I woke up early in the morning FREEZING cold. Chills and everything. Bobby had to close the window and then help warm me up. Then I woke up hours later boiling hot and with a massive head ache!! My entire body hurt (likely from the run yesterday - I am not a runner)...

Anyway, so Bobby and I hit up Granville Island late morning so I could get some air and also to enjoy the sunshine. Granville Island is always fun when the shops are open - they sell some really cool things!!

Found these awesome shirts in one of our favourite stores on the Island:

This shirt speaks the truth

Looks like I'm a snob

After, we went grocery shopping because I wanted to make pad thai!! Every year, Rogers Wireless gives me a free yearly magazine subscription and I subscribe to Chatelaine. I found a really easy to make pad thai recipe I wanted to try. It's pretty yummy!

Home made pad thai with prawns

Now I'm home doing laundry and getting ready to give Kiwi and Chaos a bath. I can't believe another weekend has gone by (and I had an extra day off too!)

An engineer with ocd making nachos

Day 175 part two

Colour Me Rad!!!

Day 175

Woke up early today and hit up my alma mater UBC for the Colour Me Rad run. It was a super fun 5k run where volunteers throw coloured flour on you!!! Once you finish the run, you look like a make over gone horribly wrong :)

Thank you to the organizers, sponsors and volunteers who helped make this event possible! Bobby and I had a blast and we can't wait until the 2014 edition.

We stopped by Paraller 49 after... the stares and questions we got were very entertaining!

Day off!

Day 174

Bobby and I both had the day off today! We planned on hitting up The Pint in Gastown for a late lunch to use a Groupon deal I bought. The Pint has a giant, human sized Jenga set, but apparently, they only have it available on Sundays though so we couldn't play :(. We will have to come back on a Sunday!

After, we hit up Dressew and Army and Navy to look for things we could use for our Halloween costumes. I forgot how... interesting... that part of town can be!

Hitting the hay early to do the Colour Me Rad 5k tomorrow!

Interesting art exhibition at the Woodward Building

Carrying our groceries in my pink baggu bag while waiting for the bus!