Last Days of Summer

When summer started this year, I'd just found out that "we" had a blog.
Now this wonderful season is quickly coming to an end (sniff sniff).

This past weekend I accidentally went back to the scene of the crime, where I first found out about our blog, and it felt like a sweet symmetry to be back there.





I loved my outfit, but I loved the cotton candy more!
And I was terrified on the Ferris Wheel.

Sister - thank you for starting this whole adventure. You are truly inspiring.
I've had a wonderful summer blogging with you and I look forward to many more seasons passing while this blog keeps going.

You are so dear to me.

Making Up My Own Words & Changing Tenses

So I am supposed to post something on this blog today and I have NO IDEA what it is that I am going to talk about! I'm too busy! I need to call this person, message that person, finish that project, oh, and that other one, and also make sure that I clean my room, and put up a blog post!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME????

Okay. So that was my rant for the day. But please tell me that I am not alone in feeling like this every once in a while. The struggles and demands of life, and the lack of time that there is in a day, can be exhaustingly overwhelming. A good friend of mine told me that her newest philosophy is "to take things one at a time". She tries to focus on the small steps necessary to make it through the day. I do find this method significantly less stressful, but there are times when I look at all that needs to be accomplished and find myself stuck, unable to move forward and finish any of them.

It definitely doesn't help that I am a chronic procrastinator (to use a term my cousin coined), and therefore all of my tasks simply pile up just before a deadline. Since there is no cure for my condition, I have to be able to do the work, and train myself to be better motivated. Alas, completing the action I just described is also something that I procrastinate doing. This doesn't mean that I'm not a good worker! NO! Once I am rolling on a task it not only gets finished but is concluded to the best of my abilities and possible talent. The getting started part is the only issue.

There are many things that I wish to do with my time, and I am not a person who typically says "No". Obviously this fills my days with many activities. As a naturally outgoing person I have never taken issue with this aspect of myself. However, when my own groundedness started to slip away in order to maintain this lifestyle, I knew that I had to make a shift. This summer I have tried to practice turning down offers to do things. Not that I don't want to partake, just that I couldn't always be torn in different directions. What has been the result of my quest for inner peace this summer? I still have a long way to go... but I'm getting better!

All of us go through ups and downs, this is inevitable. In the end we must walk through this life at peace with only ourself. I mean, I can't escape my own body, so I had better get to know myself pretty well! A song I love by Regina Spektor says this:

"No, this is how it works. You peer inside yourself. You take the things you like, and try to love the things you took. And then you take that love you made and stick it into some, someone else's heart, pumping someone else's blood."

I strive for this. I will my whole life. The great thing about it is that life is art, and a work of art is never finished. So there is no deadline, or crunch time, and therefore in this scenario procrastination doesn't exist.

Lastly, for a blog post that had no ending when I started, I think this turned out pretty well :)

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Or maybe I should say...
How I spent my days AFTER my summer vacation.....

Can you spot the differences between my feet?




And because of that big-sucker of a left foot I got one of these:



But I was a good sport about it!



And I could still imagine I was on a sunny beach far, far away......




I think I'm on the mend now, though - thanks for the sympathy!

Shorten & Wear Again

For my friend Emily's bachlorette last year, one of the things we did was watch 27 Dresses. In this movie there is the famous phrase attached to bridesmaid dresses that goes a little like this: It can always be shortened and worn again. I decided to take on this challenge for my own bridesmaid dress.

This is what it originally looked like:



With some additional alterations, this is what I turned mine into:


After seeing what I had done to my dress, my fellow bridesmaid, friend, and sister of the bride asked me if I could do something with hers as well. I agreed to the task, we threw around some ideas and this is what came out of it:


The creation of both of these was really fun, and it is a wonderful way to be able to use a dress that was chosen for such a beautiful and meaningful event.

Friends & Fondue

The best combination of things ever.

Shakespeare In The Rain

A night of classic theatre entertainment outside under the canopy of a beautiful sky. What a good idea!!! Typically when I have attended these events everything has proceeded quite smoothly. Save for the weather this experience would have been much the same... save for the weather.

Part way through the first act of Much Ado About Nothing it started raining...

(Just look at those excellent performers continuing to act through the difficulties!)

And then it started pouring...

(It was VERY cold.)

And THEN came the thunder and lighting!


It was all very exciting really. The thunder and lighting cracked viciously over our heads for a while, they had a short break to clear the stage of some water, and there was a part where nothing could be heard from the stage... just because of all the background noise the rain made. It was at this time, I got distracted and decided to doodle...

All in all it was a fun time. Uncomfortable, cold, wet, all of it! We stuck it through only because our friends were performing. Otherwise I think we may have left. However, with two unbrellas, three tarps, and a whack load of candy we managed to brave it through. Ah the things we do for our friends! Thanks for the good time Red Deer's Shakespeare In The Park Company!

Show Me a Garden Bursting into Life

Quick little shout out to my buddies in Snow Patrol for inspriring my latest art project.





It's taken a while, but I'd say the garden is bursting.

Happy Birthday To...

ME! I turn 20 today!

Before my parents left they gave me some money for my birthday. Now I do have future plans that I am saving for (India), and any rational person would've put this money into that saving... but who wants to be rational for their birthday? I mean honestly!

So as my way of celebrating on my own, I decided to not be rational, and earlier this week I bought myself a new birthday outfit!

What? You mean you can't see the outfit from the picture? Well I had those pants before... and the shirt... and the sweater for that matter... none of that is new...
Let's take a closer look!

OH! The shoes!

AND earrings???

Yes. Shoes and earrings. Not exactly a birthday OUTFIT, but just look at them!

The shoes make me feel like a rock star, and the earrings are supper glamorous, what more could a girl ask for???

Besides I can wear these birthday accessories with many outfits in the future, and as most people reading this know, I would much rather spend money on shoes and accessories, than clothing.

CHEERS!

P.S. Sorry about the bad photo quality... there are no more batteries left in the house so I had to use my webcam...

Happy Birthday, Sister!!

I'm so glad you're my sister!

I think U R a....

If you could be an animal what would you be??
Quick!
Think of your answer!

Got it?

Do you know?

Or are you just scrolling down this post?

okay - write it down, just so you can't cheat.


Done?



It's a fun game to play, but the possibility exists that a wise, intuitive Salish woman might tell you that you're wrong.

I know - I didn't think there could be a "wrong" answer to this game, but as it turns out I was SO wrong.....

My sister, picked a Wolf, and the Salish woman agreed. She saw Kelsey as someone who shows strength in the family and the kinship associated with it. The Wolf is known to have strength and loyalty in all relationships, and is a great team player with effort on behalf of all in the community.

This is Kelsey's Wolf


I, on the other hand, was so off base with my pick that the Salish woman just looked at me and shook her head "no." Then she picked up the Humming Bird and quietly said that in their culture it represents healing and love.

The Humming Bird is a joyful messenger, healer, beauty, intelligence, and a symbol of love.

Rooted in centuries of history, tradition and faith, she handed me the ring and looked straight into my soul, "Here, this is for you."

and that was that.

And this is my Humming Bird


So? What animal did you pick?

Hidden Sprins Retreat & Guest House

A while ago (5 years?) my parents decided to build a Bed & Breakfast. The chalet has grown in popularity over the years, so much so that as family members, it is best to plan months in advance when the visits home are going to be... otherwise there may not be an open spot :S

As you know, if you have been reading, my parents have gone on vacation, and they have left me in charge. Typically my parents handle all of the chalet business, but I have witnessed the workings of their side for quite some time so I should be comfortable with doing it by myself.

... It is more difficult than I thought it would be. I receive, and reply to many phone calls through-out the day, and I find myself wanting to change entire policies for a customer because of my reluctance to face confrontation! I want to say "Yes that is how much you have to pay! Not the price that I said, I am so sorry! My parents are away and I am just getting used to this!"

See, I know that I have the correct prices on my side... and in all honesty they aren't really able to argue with me... and I do tell them the correct prices, but I still feel like I am the one in the wrong.

At the same time this job is rewarding. There are people who come to the farm and don't have a complaint in the world! So I just remember that this place is a peaceful escape for many who usually don't get that. And I am going to enjoy my time here.

OH! And If you do want to come visit/find out more look here: www.hiddensprings.ca

In the Name of Her Majesty the Queen

Welcome to the border...


My passport says:

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada requests, in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary."

I feel very privileged that the Queen takes such good care of her loyal subjects including myself.

So, invoking the name, Queen Elizabeth II. I took a little trip to the land of the free and the home of the brave last month.


I made it through my journey without let or hindrance, but not without a few blisters and bushwhacking.

And did you know... The Queen keeps all of the maps of Canada in her office and won't let them out to Uncle Sam??

We had incredibly detailed maps for the US Boundary Waters, but the Canadian side was completely blank with only a little sarcastic comment in fine-print saying something about Her Majesty refusing to share...

We managed to find our way around with only half the maps in hand.

Feeling patriotic (my shirt says Canada on it)



A special thanks to my expert guide who honored the Queen's request.



p.s.

Guess who owns all the maps of the Cook Islands??

We Now Return To Our Regularly Scheduled Blog...

This is beautiful. I thought I should share it.

Outside a Glass Office Tower - Part 6

Aaaaand they're off!!


This is the first time our parents have travelled together since their really bad experience travelling together on their honeymoon back in 1975....

We're glad they've stuck together this long.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

Outside a Glass Office Tower - Part 5

So I love India. I have always wanted to go there. Last Fall I began looking into orphanages that I could volunteer with. After much searching, I came across two that seemed to really like the idea of me coming, and that fit my criteria for going. The Universal Church and Peace Ministries, and The Good Shepard Agricultural Mission. I continued to have an open dialogue with these two places with the plan of going to India in the Fall of 2010.

I just bought my ticket!!!!

I am leaving September 8th, and won't be back till after January 28th.

But just look at the fabric that will keep me company!

Outside a Glass Office Tower - Part 4

In case you missed the memo - we're in crisis mode.

and this is my other new hat.