Happy 19th Birthday to my girl!

Pappa, I hope that where ever you are, you are able to breathe easy, sit in
a fishing boat, smelling the salt air, jigging all day to your heart's content.

Your family misses you so very much.

I love and miss you so much Pappa

This is the last picture taken of me with Pappa, just the two of us.
Father's day 2009. 364 days have gone by since Pappa died. It has
not gotten one single bit easier. How long does it take for the saying
"time heals all wounds" to kick in?

"You Are Chocolate Truffles"
You are unpredictable and even a little zany. No one knows what to expect when you're around.
You have a short attention span and need a lot of variety in your life.

You are easily addicted to the things that you love. It's hard for you to only eat one chocolate from the box."

One Little Word

Word for the year.....inspired by Ali Edwards

2007: Live

2008: Journey

2009: Peace

For the past three years, I've chosen a "word for the year", something inspired by Ali Edwards' http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/2009/01/2009-words.html , a celebrity scrapbooker. I have to admit, after picking out a word, I didn't do my best to live by that word, keep it in mind, in my heart, actively in my thoughts and with my actions.

2010 is a year of change. I have a new life. A new job. A new home. A new role as mother of a young adult in university.

from Michael Buble's song "Feeling Good"

"It's a new dawn

it's a new day

it's a new life

for me

and I'm feeling good"

keep posted to find out my word!

sneak peek

soon to be my very gorgeous, very girl, very sexy new bedroom!

the cat with the easiest life....

the best cheese in the world!

Nokkel ost: heaven!

"Leo - December 27, 2009

Let yourself go into high creative mode, dear Leo, and drift off into a whole other world. Escape your present reality, and explore your fantasies through any sort of artistic endeavor. Dream as big as your mind allows. There is no limit to the things that can manifest on a day like today. Push your limits, and test your boundaries. You may be able to soar much higher than you think."

Happy Boxing Day

God Jul

Christmas eve in Roros, Norway, where I have family

Leo - December 23, 2009

Keeping things in balance will be quite a challenge for you today, dear Leo. You are likely to find that there is conflict brewing in your world that doesn't seem to want to be resolved. This is fine. Do not press the issues. You may find that the best solution is simply to escape into the clouds and come back to Earth when the storm has settled. There is no need in trying to untangle the knots if they simply do not want to budge"

• My DD came home yesterday and it just makes my heart smile when she does. We did a big Superstore shop and then came home and made lovely appetizers.
• Then we got into our new "dorky" matching pjs, a new tradition, since it's just the two of us and had our own Christmas together. It makes me so happy to spoil her with things. Lots of them I've had for months, bought in Vegas. Take the same self portraits. Enjoy being together. Then crawled into bed and watch a new movie she gave me: The Proposal. Cute.
• The painting is all done, all that is left is the smell of the oil paint from the trim. I'm in absolutely over the moon about my bedroom. Oh I can't wait to move in there. I also love the colour in my scrapbooking studio and DD seems happy enough with her bedroom. Now to find someone to help me with the blinds and closets.
• I need to get some extra shifts so I can buy both my daughter and myself bedroom furniture, and it'd be nice to have a tv and seating area somewhere in the studio so I can watch movies with friends and the kids. Oy, it never ends... but I have to say, it's fun setting up my new home. It feels like home!
• Went to a few malls today with DD, in search of a party dress for her upcoming birthday. No such luck today. Then we met up with her boyfriend and his whole family. Lovely family. Sad, and wish I didn't have to do it alone.
• Even though I'm on vacation for three weeks, I'm working a couple of shifts in my old ER. Looking forward to that, it's always like coming home.
• Next few days is Christmas. Not sure what to think. First without Pappa. Want to try to make "happy" for the family, especially the kids. But it's going to be a struggle. I miss him so much. It's not fair.

Happy Stocking Day 2009!

My beautiful girl and I had a lovely evening together, celebrating Christmas day "stockings". Yes, another year of matching dorky pjs.....

creepy how these silly things sometimes are true

Leo - December 22, 2009

You may need some time alone today, dear Leo, to bring yourself back to center. 'Independence' is a buzzword, so keep it in your back pocket at all times. Make sure you are not becoming a victim of a commitment you made long ago. As the landscape changes, we must also change. Stubborn actions will be extremely detrimental on a day like this. Be honest and grateful for the things you have."

"Believe in the goodness of life. Believe in the power of time to heal and to renew. Believe in the power of forgiveness and gratitude. Believe in the gift of rainbows and butterflies. Believe in the laughter of children."

more pictorial year in review...

I went on a river rafting trip with my daughter and FCH work friends... can now tick off that box on my Bucket list!

The gorgeous girls I went to Las Vegas with!

BEST news ever!!!

One of my most favorite pictures of my daughter and I, on our 3Gen trip to Vegas

How the beautiful reception looked for my g/f

My strong independent daughter, with a tattoo on her ankle, done to memoralize my father, six months after he passed. Am proud of her.

Love the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas!

Three generations in Las Vegas; what a time!

Me, at MCbabyC's wedding

Pictorial year in review

The best smartest prettiest independent spirited daughter, in the world! 18th birthday, a few days later, unforunately.

Dressed up for a glam themed scrapbooking crop. Went with two dear friends.

Looking after these lovely girls for a few weeks while their daddys' left us behind and went to some lovely tropical place

An extra special patient... let me take pictures of some of her nursery flowers. I'm now a fan of peonies.

Mamma makes these Norweigan cookies for Christmas every year. It's like a ginger bread, but they are called "pepper kjeks" with a blanched almond on top. Yum.

• I feel cranky. Super tired. cranky. Impatient. cranky. Easily frustrated. cranky. Irritable. cranky.
• My mom came and stayed for a few days. Got more unpacking done. I sure have a lot of Tupperware. My bathroom is more set up now so that is nice. We did some Christmas shopping and did lots of visiting.
• Loving the colour in my new scrapbooking studio. I can't wait to get down there and start setting it up. Not sure where to start really; probably will clean out the big bar and start there. Need to get a few Expedit systems from Ikea.
• Not sure about the colour in my daughter's bedroom. Hope she likes it. Dark gray with a blue tone. They start on my bedroom tomorrow. Can't wait to see how that looks. Hope it's nice and girly!
• Did I mention how tired and cranky I am? oy
• Getting close to the one year anniversary of Pappa's death. It's going to be a hard Christmas.
• DD is turning 19 soon. Can't believe it.

Leo - December 16, 2009

"Hard work, enthusiasm, and dedication are now paying off for you financially, dear Leo. New opportunities could be opening up for you to profit from making use of your artistic side. The downside of this is that you might be working so hard that you're too drained to be creative even though the inspiration is there. Take a moment to rework your schedule so as to accomplish the most in the least amount of time. You can do it!"

Blogthings - You Are An Elf

You are highly creative and artistic. You are good at working hard.
While you love to work, you also love to play. You have a naughty side to you!

You love pulling pranks and teasing people. You always seem to be getting into some sort of trouble.
People can rely on you to be industrious and responsible... but you're going to have fun while you're getting stuff done

Picture of the day

Look what I tried for the first time; snowflake pancakes! Yes Rocketgirl, I made pancakes!

"One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.
Robert A. Heinlein

from my home to yours.......

10 days.........

the person who gave this to me, says she loves me...............

what wonderful goodness they have in the United States of America! And how happy am I to be so close to the border now! Oh and did you know you can buy small individual containers of ice cream??? Next trip......

my handsome little man

He has become such good company for me. What should Santa bring him for Christmas?

“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”
M. Scott Peck

“The best part of life is not just surviving, but thriving with passion and compassion and humor and style and generosity and kindness.”
Maya Angelou

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experiences to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear, for newer and richer experiences" Eleanor Roosevelt

today I.....

• did the cat litter
• went to the paint store and picked out a gazillion paint chips
• four loads of laundry
• scrubbed the stove top.... left over disaster from the oven fire on the week-end
• got groceries
• bought new pjs and new jeans! oh, and, LOL, a Team Edward shift!
• changed the bed linens
• took out the garbage
• re-arranged more cupboards and handwashed more crystal
• drooled over lovely Leopard Print drinking glasses at Pier1

and then happily curled up with the cat and browsed over two new scrapbooking magazines. Life is good!

So this is how I looked the night of my first party in my new home; for our THPCU&Oncology staff. It was a really great time. I do get overwhelmed and easily distracted with so many people coming up to me, handing gifts, wanting tours, getting them settled and such. But in the end, besides the fact that there was a fire started in the kitchen (don't make Russian nurses mad), a broken toliet and martini explosion (reminds me a certain other nurse years ago with her strawberry margarita in my newly painted bar).... oh good times in deed. Lots of laughs and even learned that I was putting the lid on my Brita incorrectly. Have made some lovely new friends, which was not in the plans for me!

My dear g/f, Rocketgirl, surprised me the other night with an amazing Pandora Bracelet. She had just given one to our other g/f, MCbabyC, who was crying when I accidently walked in on them. When she handed me the box, I didn't know what was going on, especially since MCbabyC was sobbing but obviously happy. When I saw my bracelet, I was speechless. Still am. I don't know how to explain it. A Trifecta moment.

A few months ago we'd all be in Las Vegas and another friend had one of these bracelets and was looking at charms. We all loved them. Fast forward to now. I have my very own Pandora bracelet!

I never imagined meeting new people and having friends like these two, come into my life, and be so important to me, so fast. I can't believe that someone new in my life cares about me, to give me such a beautiful piece of jewelry, that says so much. Means so much.

Thank you my beautiful friend Rocketgirl!