Birthday festivities!

So I had my friend birthday party yesterday. The festivities started around noon at Craft. We had lunch with Brad-Ja-Luca. They gave me their present (two hand knitted hedgehogs - awwww, and hand knitted socks, which I am wearing right now by the way). After lunch, it was raining lightly but Bobby was determined to fly a kite he built (flying a kite was on my bucket list). Yesterday morning, Bobby build a kite with newspaper and paint tape and sewing thread. I mean this thing was doomed to begin with. Anyway, he was determined to make it fly... it started raining pretty hard so we had to force him to stop (newspaper isn't water proof anyway).

Because we were going to be gone for the night, I made sure to give Kiwi a lot of attention. Here I am flipping her on her back and harassing her with faux grass.

Beers at Craft! 

Bobby and his kite

Luca was skeptical to begin with!

Bobby and Marco trying to get the kite in the air

After lunch, we drove over to our hotel. We had booked a room at Opus in Yaletown. I was pretty damn excited to stay at Opus because it's a cute, small, funky hotel, with bright ornate furniture. Plus we got a good deal. The room was 240$ and we got 100$ back in Amex giftcards. I was a little disappointed AFTER booking when my coworker told me Opus is known to be a hotel for escorts... and then my friend Sebastian confirmed that rumour last night as well. AH!

Bobby had a lot of fun jumping on the bed. Oh to not being 30!!

Dinner and the party were at The Distillery at 6:45. I had such a great time! My friends are so awesome!

I had a pretty rough morning. I was soooo sick and nauseous last night so I threw up. I passed out.. then I woke up nauseous around 4am and so I got up to throw up again... but I was SOOOO hungry so I couldn't go back to sleep. I was so annoyed. Seriously. All I could think about was how hungry I was. I caved and ate a chocolate bar from the mini bar area. Then I woke Bobby up early so that we could partake in the crappy complimentary breakfast. We went back to the room to sleep some more.. then checked out aroun 11am to eat some actual food. We hit up Milestone's in Yaletown because they used to have the best eggs bennies. However, they changed things up and it is no longer good. How disappointing. We drove home. We were back around 12:30 and I napped form 1pm to 3:30pm. Then I got up to clean up and unpack and get ready for my family birthday dinner at the Boathouse and Port Moody.

So anyway, slight tangent, two months ago, during the gold medal men's hockey game at the Olympics, I brought my coffee mug with coffee (and milk!!) to my brother's house because we had to wake up really early! I accidentally left it there... and my brother didn't empty it or wash it. He didn't realise it had coffee in it. So I got it back after two months and... Oh my god it smelled so bad I left it in the parking lot. I thought I was going to vomit. I'm still kinda gaggy just thinking about it!

Thirty, flirty and thriving

So... I turned 30 yesterday... I had a pretty good day.. However, I made the worst life choice ever by scheduling a job interview during my lunch break. Mondays and Fridays are pretty stressful days at work because we are usually down one staff (yesterday we were down two)... So basically, I was pretty busy in the morning and getting stressed just before my interview. Therefore I was stressed DURING my interview so I'm not sure just how I did exactly (I'm guessing not too well).

Anyway, last night, I was watching 13 going on 30. It's a cute movie. Its about a girl who is turning 13. She hates her life because she is unpopular, so she wishes she was "thirty, flirty and thriving"... and seemingly wakes up at 30, living the life she thought she would want, but she ends up hating it because the friends she has are backstabbing Bs and she had alienated her family and her childhood friend. 

I'm ready for your thirties! 

The end of a year

Day 365 (part three)

This year went by so quickly! When I wake up tomorrow.. I'll be 30. To be honest, I was pretty damn depressed over the past week. I think turning 30 was starting to get to me.

However, I have so much to look forward to from this point in my life on. We have a new place to set up (still a work in progress) and a wedding to start planning. We've actually scrapped the idea of getting married this summer. Money is pretty tight with trying to set up our place and we're running out of time (its getting harder and harder to find a venue). So we will be getting married next summer instead. The bonus of waiting is that we'll get to go on a super awesome honeymoon! (Europe!!)

I have soo many happy memories from this past year:
- Friend vacations in Portland and Lillooet
- Ziplining for the first time in Whistler
- Planning a suprise brewery tour for Bobby (which in the end got spoiled, but we still had a blast)
- Spending time with Bobby's family in Florida and spending Christmas in Disney World
- New Years Eve in Manhattan.. and of course getting engaged

Of course, there are also low points:
- Losing our Kay Kay :(

In general, I have so many great memories from my 20s. I kind of look forward to what the 30s has in store for me :)

I still plan on updating this blog... most likely not everyday (unless I get really into it again).. but I definitely want to post about the progress of setting up our home.

Thanks to anyone who ever took the time to read this blog :)

I leave you all two pics of me and my loves:

PS: Wow, I blogged 442 times over the last year (slightly more than the 365 required ;)).

PPS: I finally got my hands on a copy of this month's National Geographic... I don't normally buy this magazine... however, this month's issue feature one of Kiwi's distant cousins!

My little cover girl!

Last weekend as a 20 something year old, part two

Day 365 (part two)

So after opening Bobby's present, we made lunch and headed out for some bubble tea. We went to Ninja Bubble Tea near Coquitlam Centre. Bobby and I got the ferrerro one and Marco got nutella. It was pretty good. The guys got the giant size one, but I got the smaller size (which I thought was more than enough).

Bobby looks like he had too much sugar... before downing that jug of bubble tea!!!

We went to Coquitlam Centre to return a few things (story of my impulsive buying life) and Marco bought us a new coffee grinder as a house warming present. Then we went to Lafarge Lake/Town Centre because my mom wanted to meet and give me my present (and also to show the guys the huuuuuge park). We went home after. Bobby tested the grinder and apparently the coffee tastes more amazing (I see no difference, lol). Chilling out before dinner...

Last weekend as a 20 something year old, part 2

Day 365

Today I am 29 for the last day ever!! It is a beautiful, sunny day... so I definitely will be heading out to enjoy this awesome day :)

So I woke up today... and found my birthday present from Bobby on the kitchen counter!!! He was so kind to even screw it shut...

But then he lent me some tools to get it open... I get a custom walk in closet for my bday! Woo Hoo :)

I also got this awesome card!

I immediately had to flip Kiwi on her back after ;) Poor Kiwi-Keys

Last weekend as a 20 something year old, part 1

Day 364

Today is my last weekend as a 20 something year old. We had friends come over to check out the new place around lunch time... They gave me this really pretty orchid for my birthday! I really need to read up on how to take care of this because it is too pretty to kill

We just got back from Target and Bobby bought this round placemat to go in the middle of our round dining table :)

So after our friends left, I went to the mall to return the second jacket from this blog... then we came back to work on installing Bobby's new floors. Since he is using his office as his workspace, I wanted him to cover the laminate floors (to help prevent them from being damaged). Well, yesterday, our neighbour downstairs wrote us a lovely letter how we were being too loud.. and that we need to be more quite between 8pm to 7am (um ok.. we work...??) The letter really pissed me off (I mean, had he told me to keep it down past 10pm, I think I would've been more compliant... but 8pm?!?!?), but before I digress too much, Bobby bought cork to go underneath the flooring he chose. The cork was suprisingly cheap at Home Depot. Two rolls cost 55$/each. His room needed just slightly more than one roll so we have tons left over for other projects. Plus, my parents gave us a Home Depot giftcard as a house warming present... so technically, the cork was free :)

Before: with laminate

After: with faux tile :) It took us about two hours to get the cork rolled out underneath and to cut the laminate to size. The baseboards will need to be re-added tomorrow so as to not piss off the crazy man living downstairs

Anyway, so once we got the cork laid down, I made sure to let Kiwi play around on it.... Here she is with me holding her paw. Such a little cutie!!!! <3<3<3

Now, we're home. The place is a mess... too lazy to do anything about it ;)

Dear Friday...

Day 363

... we meet again.

Buyers remorse

Day 362 (a day late!)

So yesterday, Bobby went out for drinks with his boss who was in town from Toronto. Since we live so far away now, I offered to drive the car home. I get off work at 5 and I told him I would meet him around 6... which gave me an hour to hit the shops at Pacific Centre ;) I am in the market for a new jacket... and these are the two that I picked up... and am regretting:

I got the Community Novitas jacket in XS in black. I actually returned this jacket last night at the Aritzia in Coquitlam Centre because it's a little bit.. odd. It fits pretty nicely, however, the zipper doesn't come all the way down. The jacket itself is quite long (it covers your bum), but the zipper only comes down to waist length, which to me is just bizarre?! Anyway, this jacket is waterproof, which is a bonus living in Vancouver, but because it is 225$ (plus tax!) and its not completely perfect... it went back

I also got the Community Arma jacket in S in black. I thought I would like this jacket better than the other one.. but.. I can't get over how faded it is. Now, I spend a LOT of money on detergent specifically designed to prevent your darks from fading. Nothing irritates me more than faded black jeans, or black leggings, etc. I thought this jacket was a keeper until I noticed how faded it was compared to my black jeans! Ugh! Looks like this one might have to go back too :( I might check out the olive green one they have in this jacket and see if that's a winner? 

A table for looking at

Day 361 (part two)

We got a dining table!! But no chairs (well, we bought chairs that still need to be made and then shipped)... So for now, we can either stare at this table whilst eating from the couch... or... use our desk chairs! :)

Some hump day lols

Day 361

:)

Income tax season

Day 360

Put my big girl panties on and filed my own taxes this year. It was pretty straight forward :) I think I'm going to add this to my list of things to do before I am 30 (and subsequently check it off too!)

Going to regret this soon

Day 359 (a day late)

I missed blogging yesterday because I had a crappy day.

Currently eating French fries from McDonald's. Going to regret this decision later

Washing kiwi

Day 358

Kiwi was expecting company today.... So I had to wash her dirty feet. She was quite unhappy about it haha. Anyway, so my family (sans brother), and realtors came over today to check out the place. We ate and ate and ate and watched Kiwi run around :)

My little none swimmer

Then Bobby and I went to Best Buy to buy printer ink. I had ten dollars worth if Best Buy rewards money that is expiring soon so we had to use it up :). I got yellow ink for 5$!! Wooohooo. We saw someone getting arrested at Best Buy as well. Yikes. Don't steal kids!!! (Even though the lady was like 50).

Home now. Relaxing. Mentally preparing for work tomorrow ;)

Make up area update... and a small haul

Day 357

We spent the day in downtown today. We've lived in suburbia for three weekends now.. and each weekend was spent in downtown. Haha. Anyway, so Bobby needed a haircut, and his haircut place is in downtown... so I tagged along for some light shopping.

I first hit up Sephora to use up a 50$ giftcard... and because everything is 15% off. I've been wanting the Naked Basics palette for a while now.. but have been too cheap to buy it... finally caved and bought it today! I also got the Fresh Sugar lip gloss in passion (my all time favorite lip gloss!!).. and an eyebrow brush (I already had one but I lost it during the move!)

Because it is the month of my birth... I also picked up my birthday present. This year it is lipstick and mascara from Make Up For Ever. Hope its good stuff :)

Then I hit up The Bay (also having a sale - 20% friends and family sale) and I got Kipling cosmetics pouch.

By this point in the day (and after the guys did some shopping too), we were hungry and tired so we hit up Parallel 49 for some coffee and donuts (after a detour to my brother's place to pick up my parents' computer). Then we went to my parents' house to drop off the computer.. and then we went to Costco for some much needed grocery shopping.

We went home.. had dinner.. and I ventured out again to buy a mirror and a garbage can for my make up area/desk. This nook is the perfect space for a make up area because of the giant window (natural lighting!!). However, I also need a desk, so it needs to function as a dual space...

Make up on one side... desk accessories on the other ;)

Here's the view from further away... Bobby's going to be making two shelves to go on either side of the desk where I will store all of the things still in boxes on the floors. The white frames I am going to put up in the dining area (still haven't printed the pictures I want up...)

For now, the space is pretty functional... can't wait for my shelves though :)

My morning view

Day 356 (part 2)

More Chaos stuff!

Day 356

Less than ten days to go until the end of the year of blogging project! I have the day off today so I posted some cute Chaos videos on youtube to share :)

Happy Friday!

Here's me teaching Chaos to use her door:

Here's Chaos using the door on her own (plus this video shows her love of hiding underneath towels)

(Side note, these two videos were filmed while watching Cheaper by the Dozen... the music happened to fit the videos perfectly tho!)

Something blue (but not borrowed)

Day 355

In keeping with attempting to plan my wedding... I bought my something blue. I knew immediately that my something blue was going to be blue nail polish. I finally found the perfect blue!!!! It's "Hide & Go Chic" by Essie. 

New faux grass love

Day 354

After her mama passed away, we wanted to buy Kiwi something new.. I wasn't sure if she would get depressed since she's never lived alone in her entire existence. Kiwi is a hoarder... and her favorite thing to hoard? Fake grass! She loves sleeping beside it. And its kind of cute because the fake grass is kind of spiky like her.. Anyway, so we bought her some new fake grass and she LOVES it. She's been sleeping beside it ever since she got it :)

For more on Kiwi and fake grass cuteness, click here

Happy first of April

Day 353 (part two)

Hope no one was pranked too harshly today :)

Ode to Kay Kay

Day 353

I wanted to write another blog dedicated to Chaos, because the first one was rushed and I don't think it showed just how much we loved her...

Over two years ago, on February 13, 2012, Bobby decided that he was going to buy a hedgehog. After scouring the current hedgehog market on Craigslist he contacted a seller that had two hedgehogs (one male, and one female, potentially pregnant, and the one they were selling). I was nervous acquiring a pregnant hedgehog (ummm... birthing spike balls cannot be easy?!), but Bobby bought her anyway!

So Bobby brings home this adorable fat spike ball! I was scared of her to begin with because we weren't sure if she was pregnant, and I didn't want to mishandle her (spiky babies inside of her!). But she was soo adorable to watch. Chaos is such a Chaos. She had a somewhat chaotic personality - you give her a bowl of food, she would dig through it and make a mess. I nicknamed her "Kay Kay" because Chaos sounded like a guy name ;) Side note: her full name is Chaos Chaos (Bobby invented a rule that a hedgehog's last name is her mom's first name... but since we didn't know Chaos' mom's name, she is Chaos Chaos... Kiwi is Kiwi Chaos - we are very strange hedgehog people!)

First pic of Chaos! That was the "Ariel/Little Mermaid" towel I gave her. She looooves towels.

She absolutely LOVED hiding under towels. We had a towel mat in the kitchen and she like to hide underneath it. When we let her wander the apartment alone, you would almost certainly find her under there taking a nap. It was adorable :)

So anyway, Kay Kay was potentially pregnant. A potential cue: If you took her out to play with her, she would sometimes fall asleep almost mid walk. I guess that's a cue for being pregnant? But we still weren't sure because hedgehogs are pretty much nocturnal. Maybe she was just tired? But, we decided to treat her like she was pregnant. I wanted to make sure her bones were nice and strong for a potential birth... hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, but I read on the internet that they could have cottage cheese. And so cottage cheese my little miss Kay Kay was treated to. She loved it!! It was adorable how she would just eat it up! Oddly enough, after the birth of her babies, she stopped liking cottage cheese. I guess it was a pregnancy craving ;)

Kay Kay after a cottage cheese snack

We spent quite a bit of money trying to buy Chaos toys she would enjoy. To sum up, she didn't like anything but towels and rocks. The rocks she had fun flipping over with her nose (she was a bully like that! ;)) and the towels to bite the hell out of (she's destroyed numerous towels), and to hide under.

Attempting to teach Chaos organic chemistry - she was not interested

After Chaos gave birth, she lost all of her "baby weight" and she was tiny! We could not believe her previous owners "weren't sure" if she was pregnant since she was so huge pregnant! At times, she got cold (lack of body fat), so apart from special heaters, and lots of blankets, at times, we got creative in how to keep her warm:

Kay Kay chilling in Bobby's sweater pocket

One of Chaos' most adorable traits is that she would eat anything! She loves fruits (mangos!!) and wet cat food. I wouldn't let her have wet cat food often since it wasn't good for her (only on holidays!) but when I let her eat it she would go to town until I took it away. Oddly enough, Kiwi never followed suit... Kiwi is a picky eater like me (her adoptive mom!)

Chaos was a silly nilly. I would always find her chilling in her coco hut, like in the next two pics:

To sum up, Chaos was such an adorable hedgehog who we loved so much! In honour of her memory, we are going to be creating a new geocache in our new 'hood. Location to be announced!

Chaos and Kiwi (in purple), October 31, 2013. Can you guess what their costumes are? ;)

I love you Kay Kay! We (even Kiwi!) all miss you very much!