birthday

13 reasons why

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Today is Henry’s (Hank, Fuzzy Peach, Budders) 13th birthday! It’s been a rough few months, but we’re here. Last night at his vet appointment (our monthly visits are kind of like walking into Cheers… where everybody knows his name) the doctor told me to get him a cheeseburger and celebrate the day!

So in doing so, here are 13 reasons why Henry is the best! (because every dog is the best dog ever).

  1. He has had the same stuffie since the first day we got him
  2. We had to teach him how to swim, but now he loves the water
  3. He loves his friends and family
  4. There isn’t a mud puddle he hasn’t enjoyed

  5. He loves snow
  6. He’s a pretty awesome big brother
  7. He hates cars but loves boats (kind of)
  8. He has worked by my side (under my desk) for 11 years
  9. His favourite place to be is in the woods
  10. Even as a model, he’s always been shy
  11. He puts up with kids, despite being an old soul
  12. He’s okay posing for the billion photos I’ve taken of him
  13. He makes me happy

xomeg

hello 39

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Remember last year on my 38th birthday when I decided to publish a forty before forty bucket list? Yeah, maybe I was a little too ambitious… I mean, how does one master and perform the Footloose dance annnnnd get bangs in only two short years?

Perhaps I should change it to fifty before fifty and add ten more items to the list? Regardless, I am trying, slowly plugging away at my list and since today is my 39th birthday, I thought it’d be fun for a little update on progress.

  1. Take piano lessons (I quit after one year – my sisters are beautiful players, and I’ve come to regret dropping out).
  2. See Hawaii – it has been my dream to take David to Hawaii for his 10th birthday since the day he was born. He will turn 10 less than two months before my 40th, so the timing will be tight, but I am sure Mike can make this happen.
  3. Make some pottery – take a class.
    YES! And it was so much fun. I really want to find the time and go back and make more bowls. One can never have too many deformed bowls.

  4. Visit all of the National Parks in Atlantic Canada. There are 10, I’ve seen 5 (can you go to Sable Island?)
  5. Get a tattoo. Hah! Where the heck did that come from?
    YES! Thanks to Jodie, I actually got a real tattoo! It may be the smallest tattoo, but still, it’s legit, and I love it.

  6. Make a move. Not sure if it will be career or school or a move to the country, but I like the idea.
  7. Sail away – even if it’s just around the Armdale.
  8. WALLPAPER my itty bitty bathroom.
  9. Bangs. Try them out.
  10. Rent a cottage with some lady-friends for +2 nights and drink way too much wine.
    Can I count Savannah? My lady-friends and I rented an Airbnb and tried a variety of southern drinks. Please weigh in.

  11. Scuba dive. Ideally off the Florida Keys. With Kyle Chandler.
  12. Win something.
  13. Buy a silk blouse. I’m thinking a nice deep midnight blue button down.
  14. Try Whole 30. It’s just 30 days… how terrible can it be?
    YES! I am not going to sugarcoat it (because sugar is not allowed), it was terrible, but I did it. See the full recap here.

  15. Sip sweet tea in the South like a Georgia Peach.
    YES! Y’all, sweet tea is SWEEET (dare I say too sweet), but Savannah is amazing. I highly recommend it for a girl’s weekend getaway. We had the most wonderful time, and we also had a lot of fried green tomatoes.
  16. Take tennis lessons.
  17. Sign up for a Yoga session.
  18. Get eyelash extensions.
  19. Make a batch of wine. I promise, it won’t be low class, and I promise I will not force you to drink it.
  20. Run a Spring marathon (I’ve run September, October and Novembers only)
  21. Get a new personal best in a marathon (which would be sub 3:56:00)
    YES! 3:45:45 – bam. I ran the Wineglass Marathon in the fall and can’t say enough good things about this race. Actually, I did say a lot, you can read all about it here.

  22. Learn and perform the full Footloose dance.
    Currently in training. 
  23. Try snowboarding *again.
  24. Buy watercolours. Watercolour.
    YES! I bought watercolours, and they’ve been sitting in my desk drawer for months, but I was determined to get one painting done before this week. Just like art school, all the best work happens right before the deadline. 
  25. Attend an epic festival, concert or event (like Mardi Gras, The Beach Boys in California, Running of the Bulls, etc.)
  26. Donate plasma.
    I should have done this before the tattoo. 
  27. Ride in a helicopter (ideally while visiting #2)
  28. Volunteer.
    YES! I joined the Youth Running Series board this year, and it’s been fun. Getting kids active is something I am pretty passionate about.

  29. Get a reading done by a psychic medium.
  30. Go to a drive-in movie.
  31. Explore a new country.
  32. Read a novel in one weekend.
  33. Take a solo vacation.
  34. Host a holiday dinner or a murder mystery party.
  35. Change a tire. Change the oil. Learn these skills.
  36. Scoot around on a scooter and end up at the ocean.
  37. Attend a retreat or workshop of some sort.
    YES! Amanda, my mom and me attended a macrame workshop last June. It was a great time and much to Mike’s distaste, we now have a happy fern hanging in our living room.

  38. Watch all of the movies on the AFI’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time (I’ve seen about 40 so far).
  39. Dip my toes in Lake Louise.
  40. Party like it’s 1979.

As you can see, that’s 8 out of 40. I’m no mathematician, but I don’t think that’s great. Like I said, I am not giving up and even have the following 8 items on this year’s 100 Day of Summer list:

  • Buy a silk blouse
  • change a tire. Change the oil. Learn these skills.
  • visit Kouchibouguac National Park
  • get bangs
  • go to a drive-in
  • explore a new country
  • learn and perform the full Footloose dance
  • go sailing

So wish me luck! Forty is coming.

psst. If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe and share. xomeg

forty before forty

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Happy birthday to me. Not yet forty but it’s creeping up (730 days) so it think it is time to publish the forty before forty list and get this party started. And started I did – I revealed the first 10 in January but here is the full list – some are very ambitious (like #10), some are scary (like #14), and some are just pure crazy (like #9) but why not dream big? Wish me luck!

  1. Take piano lessons (I quit after one year – my sisters are beautiful players and I’ve come to regret dropping out).
  2. See Hawaii – it has been my dream to take David to Hawaii for his 10th birthday since the day he was born. He will turn 10 less than two months before my 40th so the timing will be tight but I am sure Mike can make this happen.
  3. Make some pottery – take a class.
  4. Visit all of the National Parks in Atlantic Canada. There are 10, I’ve seen 5 (can you go to Sable Island?)
  5. Get a tattoo. Hah! Where the heck did that come from?
  6. Make a move. Not sure if it will be career or school or a move to the country but I like the idea.
  7. Sail away – even if it’s just around the Armdale.
  8. WALLPAPER my itty bitty bathroom.
  9. Bangs. Try them out.
  10. Rent a cottage with some lady-friends for +2 nights and drink way too much wine.
  11. Scuba dive. Ideally off the Florida Keys. With Kyle Chandler.
  12. Win something.
  13. Buy a silk blouse. I’m thinking a nice deep midnight blue button down.
  14. Try Whole 30. It’s just 30 days… how terrible can it be?
  15. Sip sweet tea in the South like a Georgia Peach.
  16. Take tennis lessons.
  17. Sign up for a Yoga session.
  18. Get eyelash extensions.
  19. Make a batch of wine. I promise, it won’t be low class and I promise I will not force you to drink it.
  20. Run a Spring marathon (I’ve run September, October and Novembers only)
  21. Get a new personal best in a marathon (which would be sub 3:56:00)
  22. Learn and preform the full Footloose dance.
  23. Try snowboarding *again.
  24. Buy watercolours. Watercolour.
  25. Attend an epic festival, concert or event (like Mardi Gras, The Beach Boys in California, Running of the Bulls, etc.)
  26. Donate plasma.
  27. Ride in a helicopter (ideally while visiting #2)
  28. Volunteer.
  29. Get a reading done by a psychic medium.
  30. Go to a drive-in movie.
  31. Explore a new country.
  32. Read a novel in one weekend.
  33. Take a solo vacation.
  34. Host a holiday dinner or a murder mystery party.
  35. Change a tire. Change the oil. Learn these skills.
  36. Scoot around on a scooter and end up at the ocean.
  37. Attend a retreat or workshop of some sort.
  38. Watch all of the movies on the AFI’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time (I’ve seen about 40 so far).
  39. Dip my toes in Lake Louise.
  40. Party like it’s 1979.

psst. If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe and share. xomeg

life lately

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April flew by (minus the 16 hour car ride to and from New York). We partied with family, celebrated Easter and got an eight year old. Here’s life lately:

Babysitting duty:Baby monitor images are as confusing as ultrasounds. Just me?Sundays are for meal prepping:April showers bring warm soup and bruschetta:Training for Cabot:Sunday morning with Henry at Point Pleasant Park:Best. Sign. Ever.An early birthday present for the eight year old:Looking up:Henry and I like to walk through the park after school drop off:My only Easter decor:Road trip to New York State – a stop along the Airline Route in Maine:Day 1 : Attempt 1 at a cousin picture. It can’t get worse:Hey down there!She’s strong like her mom!The oldest two, Margaret and David:Glorious morning run! Downtown Binghamton:After many visits to Binghamton, the carousel up the street was finally open! Free rides all day, everyday in the summer. Amazing!Sam was holding on tight:Edie’s first swing ride:The trees were popping right in front of my eyes!Big ball bowling. The best part was the beer:Easter day hike:All twelve of us:Mom and dad stayed at a hotel and we snuck in to swim in the pool:Day 3: Much better! David, Edith, Margaret and Sam!Nanna and Poppy jumped in:On the way home, we detoured off the highway to watch the Boston Marathon – Mile 17ish:Back home, we celebrated David’s birthday:Edie came over for a visit:Beth was in town! I snuck away for a weekday brunch date at the Black Sheep:Dinner date with Georgina, Amanda and Sarah at Water & Bone:We do! We do!First race of the season for the Youth Running Series… David likes to start at the back:Coming in to the finish:I brought my New York Marathon poncho for David:Our neighbourhood has become like my childhood subdivision, full of kids!Waffles to feed an army… or seven kids:Date night with Kristin and Steph:David’s run club meets at the park every Tuesday night. Henry totally approves:Bathroom selfie sent to Robyn. I was trying on team 71 singlets and couldn’t resit sending her this:Date night with Mike at the Brooklyn Warehouse:A delicious new flavour from Schoolhouse Brewery to try courtesy of Mike’s co-worker (mom to one of the owners):Noah gave David some astronaut ice cream for his birthday. We watched E.T. while chowing down:Race 2 of the Youth Running Series – back on volunteer duty:Signs of Spring:That’s a wrap. I’ll be back again.

psst. If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe and share. xomeg

eight is great

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David turned eight. Another year, another awesome product placement:Not quite the balloon-shot I had envisioned but it works:  It’s always good to recognize your weaknesses. For me, it’s cake decorating. Icing a cake is the worst: May this year bring him lots of great adventures and not too many broken bones:

psst. If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe and share. xomeg