Second Honeymoon!

I have entered a Contest to go on a second honeymoon. Can you vote for me? Voting opens Sept 20th! Mark it in your calendars.

YOU CAN VOTE HERE ---> http://honeymoon.ca/Stephme/

Basically the jist of the contest is to tell people why you deserve a second honeymoon.

Click on the Link above to see my submission. Lets just say, It Gruesome!

http://honeymoon.ca/Stephme/

Happy Anniversary to me!!! (oh and JC)

Today is my 2 year anniversary! Wow. How amazing is that. It feels good to hit this anniversary because (and I know it sounds cheesy) but I do love JC more now than when we got married. It’s really neat to get married young because you get to do this cool, as my mom would say it, “grow up together” thing. This past year has been one of those awesome, really enjoy each other years. I have learned a lot in this past year, the first thing that comes to mind however is, learning how to enjoy someone the way they are, and to appreciate people for the way they are. Yes, I knew this before, but really JC taught me this through marriage more, this also translates through my whole life.

Example you ask?
Well you know those really annoying people that just give you advise shamelessly. “Stephanie, you want to lose weight? Well running helps, but you should try this new vegan diet.” OR; “Stephanie, I know I have not ever seen you house, but if you want to paint you should do it this beige color, that would suit you.”
– Well I have learned, yes they are annoying, but they just want to help.

Another thing that has been bought to my attention by JC this year is the beauty of a good intention. This makes me think of the infamous blanket story. Before JC and I got married, one day he called me and said, “Steph I have the most amazing surprise for you, Its so awesome, you are going to love it.” About an hour later… “Steph, just wanted to call to say, you are going to LOVE what I got you.” At the end of the day JC comes home with 2 blankets. No not a nice pink one with a floral patter, and no, not a throw blanket for the couch (although I’m sure he would have loved to keep it there) and no, it did have a nice pattern that would compliment the house. The blanket came with flaming orange black and yellow colors on one, and blue, green and black colors on the other, oh, and did I mention, giant Canucks and Flames logos? Yes, JC bought his and her hockey blankets. Wow a man after my own heart. Yes this is a beginner male mistake, buy something YOU love and give it to somebody you love… But still I think back, and the intention was there. That’s the point. You can over look some things as long at there is good intentions.

Okay that’s all I learned in the past year! – Kidding, but those are some serious life lessons, it makes you happier when you always see the good intention and appreciate people’s good qualities, whether you are married or not!

Don't Tell a Lie.

Never Tell a Lie.

I got a Root Canal last Wednesday and as everyone knows with a root canal comes a bit of pain. I find it weird that I had to get a root canal since my tooth was not actually sore, but, I trust (trusted?) my dentist and I went ahead with the procedure. So I came back to work after my root canal still a bit frozen, but determined to get my work done. My mouth was a bit swollen, but I figured that would go down and it did for the most part. All my co workers were very aware of the procedure and made a few jokes about frozenness and that was that.

Yesterday, one week after the root canal, I came into work and someone asked me if my mouth was still sore. Truthfully, Its not really, there is one spot in my mouth that is a tad bit tender, but nothing major. But for some reason to my co workers question I respond, “Yeah I think it’s a bit infected.” – OKAY FIRST Why the H--E double hockey sticks would I even say that? I guess I wanted some sympathy that day. Anywho, my coworkers when on about, “Oh yeah, I can really see the swelling in you cheeks” & “Oh wow right on your left cheek” & “I bet you will be happy when the swelling goes down.” OH MY WORD… My cheeks are not even swollen. They are normal size which okay I admit is a tad rounder than the usual person, but its part of my charm… right?

Now every morning that I come in I have to hold true to the infection story, today was “much better.” I work with mostly women who want to be or who have already been mothers and lets just say everyone has some advise, every – single – morning. Oh I can wait until Monday when I am “healed up.” I don’t know how much more of this advice I can take. Well I guess this will teach me a lesson.

Don’t lie, its too much work.

I Am me - by Virginia Satir

I read this poem on the Web today and I thought I would Post it... Basicall the author wrote this poem when she was working with an angry 15 year old. (Um what 15 year old isnt angry...) The girl had a lot of questions about life and what it meant, and I liked it, so im posting it. The Highlighted words are the ones I liked the most.

I am me.
In all the world, there is no one exactly like me.
There are persons who have some parts like me,
but no one adds up exactly like me.

Therefore, everything that comes out of me
is authentically mine because I alone choose it.
I own everything about me
including everything it does;
including all its thoughts and ideas;
including the images of all they behold;
whatever they may be...
anger,
joy,
frustration,
love,
disappointment,
excitement
and all the words that come out of it
polite,
sweet or rough,
correct or incorrect;
loud or soft.
And all my actions, whether they be to others or to myself.

I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears.
I own all my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes.
Because I own all of me I can become intimately acquainted with me.
By doing so I can love me and be friendly with me in all parts.
I can then make it possible for all of me to work in my best interests.

I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me,
and other aspects that I do not know.
But as long as I am friendly and loving to myself,
I can courageously and hopefully, look for solutions to the puzzles
and for ways to find out more about me.

However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I thinkand feel at a given moment in time is me.

This is authentic and represents where I am in that moment in time.
When I review later how I looked and sounded, what I said and did, and how Ithought and felt, some parts may turn out to be unfitting.
I can discard that which is unfitting, and keep that which proved fitting,
And invent something new for that which I discarded.

I can see, hear, feel, think, say and do.
I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive,
and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me.
I own me, and therefore I can engineer me.

My Conspiracy Theory – Easter Egg Hunt

I have decided that that whole “Easter Egg Hunt” concept must have come from parents trying to give their kids a little bit of payback for the whole Easter dinner process. You see, this weekend I decided that I would be making Easter Dinner (Which in my opinion was a smashing success). So I went on with my week thinking, “oh I have Friday off, I will go shopping then.” Big Mistake! Did you know that I think every single person on the planet thinks like that? So here I am Costco, hunting around the store for Items that I need for the following day, because its so busy, people are pushing and shoving, I almost lost a limb. Don’t even get me going on how the liquor store was closed…

Anywho, in conclusion, Mother and Fathers everywhere have went through this shopping process and then had to cook… and through bitterness they decided to make their children hunt for their Easter candy.

The End.

Good things happen, especially accompanied by a good bottle of Wine.

Last night I was sitting in school contemplating life and how I feel so busy and sometimes really stressed out with all I’m doing, then I got some forward thinking and realized, that wow, lately my life has been pretty darn good.

01. Olympics – The Vancouver 2010 Olympics were incredible. It was so amazing to be in a city with so much excitement. I felt as if I was a tourist in some exciting city over sea’s. My favorite part had to be… all the people that came to the city. It was so much fun.

02. Marathon – Okay, this has not happened yet, but I am joining a running club starting in April. Basically they are going to go though how to train for races. We will first have a goal of a 10 km race, and then we will have a goal to run a marathon. That will be a whopping 26.3 km. The marathon will be in the Okanogan in October, so I have just over 6 months to train. Wow – That may sound ambitious, but it a goal that I am committing to do.

03. Work – Work is looking really good right now. I am getting opportunities right now that are pointing me in the direction I really want to go.

04. Field Hockey – So this year I decided that I wanted to try something new. Field hockey was the new sport of choice. I have as of this Saturday successfully completed a season of field hockey, and my team won first place in regular season, and well… we will see what place they get in cup, there are two options, Silver and Gold. – Also we have a glow in the dark team fundraiser, lol Gotta love have a team 85 % Under the age of 19!

05. Plant – I don’t know if I got this love from my mom – and sometimes I hate to admit it but, I got a new plant and… well I really love it. Its like a feeling that my house is fresh and fulfilled lol. It’s a big palm tree looking plant, and… okay I will stop but I love it.

06. Felony – I got pulled over by a cop and he let me go free, Do you think it had anything to do with me batting my eyelashes?

07. Bob and Jillian – Okay so I hate Bob and Jillian when I am doing the workout, but I love them after. The biggest loser workout video’s have been a blast to do and are an amazing workout!

08. Charmed – Have you ever hear of that show Charmed? It’s a show about 3 witches, its kinda old, well, I love it. I have been watching the tv dvd’s and MAN, hahaha so good! – That alone brings joy to my life

09. Wine – My favorite wine right now is a Donna Paula – Melbec. Its from Argentina. Year 2007. Man alive, its good, Its balanced flavor and Very delish, and also not too heavey, you can drink it on its own and don’t even need food lol. Now that is what I call a STUPENDOUS wine.

10. Nikkolas – So for those who didn’t know Nikkolas Bryan Geary was born recentlyJ. He is the cutest little cutie pie ever and is such a blessing to JC and I. He has started to smile and kind of coo. Oh my What beautiful boy!

All Olympians Welcome

Olympic Mania,

Oh Olympics, here you come! Countdown 8 Days until the Olympics… Wow.

Vancouver definitely has Olympic fever, the city is full of new tourist attraction booths, tourists, Olympic symbols, VANOC mentioned in every sentence, road closures and athletes.
I must say I am enjoying the spirit. It’s a really fun place to be when a group of individuals express similar interests and are looking forward to a certain event. Okay, okay, not everyone… Im so very sorry my unmentioned neighbor that the Olympics are coming, and for the last time, not its not personally my fault they are coming, Yes I support it, no not my fault.
It seems that everyone in Vancouver is wearing Olympic outer wear, its really nice stuff. For Valentines Day JC and I got each other and Olympic sweatshirt, the color I got was forest Green and he got black. I really like them.

I think the only downside will be all the road closures… we shall see!!!

I will keep you updated!

a Tribute to Cupcakes

What would or world be without cupcakes?

Cupcakes are the most wonderful think ever invented. Think about it. Perfect ratio of cake to iceing. I have a particular favorite as of Late... Mint chocolate chip cupcake.

DELISH

http://www.cupcakesonline.com/ - you must check this web site out and order some.

Simply the most amazing thing... I think ever!

Is that you?

So today I heard on the News that someone was hit by a car on West 49th, the very street my bro lives on. The news report says, white male, not identified, early twenties...blah blah blah. Of corse I immediatly think Aaron.

So I rush home and call, no answer, text, answer...

"Aaron I heard about a accident on W49th was it you?"
"um no here at moasic, safe"
"okay just thought I would check"
"You had to ask didnt you"

I guess im a little paranoid lol

To Kill a Mocking Bird

My Mom told me this story the other day how a flock of birds were migrating and decided to take a fly brake right outside of the backyard. She was very impressed exclaiming, “oh it was amazing” and “it was just fab.” Mom even went as far as to put a picture on facebook. (See Below) I thought, hmm that is impressive, and moved on with my daily life.

Yesterday while I was at BCIT on a Blustery Monday, I looked in the sky and saw thousands of the same black birds. They were literally circling my school, perching wherever they wanted to, and cawing like nothing else I have ever heard. I thought “Hmmm this is really cool, Now I see what mom meant.” So I went into my class ducking a bit because there was so many birds it was a bit eerie. (Picture College campus, very windy, fall day, getting dark…you get my drift) After class I walked out of the building wondering if the birds would still be there. None in sight, Its like they just got up and all the herd of them left, and when they did, I’m pretty sure they flew right over my car.

When I got to my car I had 17 Bird POOPS on my car! 17! I counted… Do these Birds have aim?

Want to quit smoking? Well if I had to walk out here (see pic) every time I wanted to light up, I probably would. If you think this picture is photo shopped, you are sadly mistaken. Neither is the location. This is the actual congress hall in Biel, Switzerland. (Designed by Sabina Lang and Daniel baumann.

Scared of heights? This platform will rid you of that fear... if you dont fall. Im suprised this place doesnt have a roof!

Are you bored? Well... Get over it! No one could be a bored as this poor girl!

Lesson Learned - Dont scan emails

Last week I was emailing Laura. I have this terrible habit of scanning through emails fast and not actually paying attention to question that are asked about me. This just so happens to be one of Laura’s pet peeves. Laura emailed me one morning and asked how was and my weekend and what did I do. I replied with it was good, how are you. If you didn’t see the key missing element, it’s the "what did you do" part that I missed. Anyways, I do this all the time and it drives her crazy. Laura then emailed me and told me it was a shit email, little did I know, she was DEAD serious. I emailed her back saying ha ha, how are you. Obliviously, still, not answering the question, Then Little to my knowledge, Laura looked at her computer and said to herself, "HOW RUDE, im boycotting Steph and her emailing… SO there." (This is just what I THINK Laura thought, Not True words from her mouth.) So Laura decided to teach me a lesson. Haha. Laura did not email me back the rest of the day and last two more days with no email. Two days later, I called Laura too see how she was…
Laura – "So did you notice anything this week?"
Stephanie – "No, you must have been busy, you didn’t email me."
Laura – "Did you notice I was teaching you a lesson?"
Stephanie – "No… what lesson?"
Laura – "I stopped emailing you because you never answer the questions that I ask, so I was teaching you a lesson and not emailing you…"
Stephanie – "KILLS HERSELF LAUGHING"
Laura – "LAUGHS "
Its good to have honest friends, Plus I need to learn lessons once in a while.

King a Ling

I just watched the Movie King Arthur. I must say, I’m not a huge fan for movies set in the golden olden days, but, man, I really liked this one. It was about King Arthur and his Knights, and how they had to serve fighting for Rome for 15 years before they were free to live as they pleased. They were among the greatest warriors of their time, and were on the brink of freedom when Rome called them to one last battle. It was the battle of their lives. Armies of people teamed up that you wouldn’t expect, Battles were won by smarts because of being outnumbered, people were killed, people were rescued, and the coolest thing is, that this is based on a true Story.

This movie was so good that it made me want to live back in the day and be a knight!

On a Side note, one of my favorite parts of the movie was when I realized why traditionally king Arthur’s knights were called “knights of the round table,” because King Arthur promoted equality, and there is no head to the table.

Good Movie, Go watch it!

"Stephanie Off the Counter!!!" - Says Mom

I’m in my house with a girlfriend of mine and we are getting travel mugs to go down to the river with. You see we needed travel mugs because we were going to drink wine, and clearly we can bring a wine glass down to the river. I tried to reach my highest cupboards but I couldn’t. So I propped my self up on the counter, then the stove, and under my knee’s on the glass part of a flat top stove… Crack crack crack….

Can you believe it? I broke my FREKIN Stove.

I post this blog as an advisory warning. Listen to your parents, don’t sit on the counter. It comes with a very expensive price tag!

Please pass the Ketchup, I think its going to rain.

Some Random things that make me smile…

- The 57 on Heinz ketchup bottles represents the number of varieties of pickles the company once had.
- Bard on the Beach play – Rooster begins play and has its head chopped off within 15 seconds… then regular play continues

- Karoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese.
- The BoomDeYada Song on Discovery Channel

I love the mountains, I love the clear blue sky

I love big bridges, I love when great whites fly

I love the whole world, and all it's sights and sounds

Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada

I love the ocean, I love real dirty things

I love to go fast, I love Egyptian kings

I love the whole world and all it's craziness

Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada

I love tornadoes, I love arachnids

I love hot magma, I love the giant squids

I love the whole world, Its such a brilliant place

Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada, BoomdeyadaBoomdeyada, Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada, BoomdeyadaBoomdeyada, Boomdeyada, Boomdeyada,

- Babies – They don’t know how hard to touch animals – Chelsea grabbed new puppy Zeuce.
- The poor unfortunate soul whose last name was “cockburn” in my email inbox.
- I chew my pen and my boss always picks it up by accident
- The kid who waits for his mom everyday when I am walking to my car before work – I can hear him singing… until the elevator door opens… I think he likes the echo in the elevator well.
- New puppy Zeuce (12 weeks old) gets the hiccups when he is scared (fyi first trip to the river)
- Girl at work trying sushi for the first time

- When you die your hair still grows for a couple of months

Be Brave my Friends

I have recently been thinking about what it means to be a true friend and really in this day and age it takes a lot. Things that used to be something chalked up to being just teenage girl traits, such as gossip, lying, cheating and stealing, are now trait common associated with grown women or men. To go with the flow of society is becoming more and more difficult, not because people are bad, but because these days there are so many bad choices. People have to literally take a stand if they want to just “be.” You can do the most innocent action and because of how our world is people assume the worst. This frustrates me immensely. We as people have stopped giving our fellow citizens, neighbors, family and friends, something so desperately needed, “The benefit of the doubt.” You have to be very brave and courageous in order to be a good friend, person, and really, you have to be brave to treat yourself properly.


In light of my recent revelation, I come across this poem and it really spoke to me heart.


IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling

Swine flu

The last month…

This past months has been a whirlwind of social events, weddings, and a bit of traveling. Perhaps the highlight of this past month was going to Mexico for a friends wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and Mexico was amazing. Great weather, awesome service, delicious food, there was just one small problem. It just so happens that when I was in Mexico, the H1N1 Virus hit. (Also know as the swine flu) What are the chances? At first I was not too worried about it, I though, “Just a flu, It cant be too serious.” Then I started seeing a couple people wearing masks and it really hit about halfway through the week when I saw early checkout notices and almost every third door. That is when we turned on the TV and wow, I think that may have been a bad move. On the TV all that was talked about was the swine flu and how it was a global pandemic and reached a 5 out of 6 on the severity level for unknown virus’s. Then we started hearing that flights were not leaving Mexico City, or had a very low chance of leaving. We had to re book our flight on another airline to avoid the travel through Mexico City, which is a good thing because I later found out that flights that day were all canceled due to people not going into work. This is when things around us started to shut down. The brother of the bride decided one night that he was going to a night club. He paid this Mexican guy 40.00 buck to drive him around to 3 clubs. The Mexican guy did in fact drive him around… He didn’t know the clubs were not open?! He did his job so he never refunded our friend… Nice Right?
The flight home was also eventful, there were many people in the airport with masks and when you were checking in you had to de a brief medical exam because they wanted to make sure you didn’t have swine. What I was wondering is, what if you did? Would you be left in Mexico? It was very interesting when we were connecting in Phoenix because we were treated very much like a leper. People didn’t want to come close or breath or talk to us. I felt like a foreigner! But that is totally okay because this foreigner got one whole week off work PAID as sick time. I was quarantined! How crazy is that!

Ahhh another life blessing in disguise!

Half and Half

Today I realized sometime rather interesting. I was in the kitchen doing my regular morning duties. Stocking the coffee machines, (how glamorous… sometimes I wonder why I volunteered to help out with that) when I realized something. The bag that was full of espresso beans for the latte machine was almost empty and the bag that had regular coffee beans was very full. This was strange because just last week, I stocked all the beans and filled the regular coffee machine with beans ready to be ground and used. Then… It all came back to me, the little complaints of how the coffee was a bit bitter, the remarks on how people have been more energetic in the morning (blamed on the sunshine) and most importantly, “man, this coffee is strong, I think I should put some brown sugar in it” remarks. Yes, That is correct. I put espresso beans in every pot of coffee that people have been making for the past 3 weeks! Ooooyyyy Vey… People have been drinking pots of espresso, not just shots, like in say… a latte.. POTS! I have tried to scoop out all of the beans from the machine, but it’s a bit of a lost cause. The beans have wormed themselves down all the tunnels and chutes of the machine. So technically now people are drinking half and half. Some people like that in their coffee, right? So what if it’s not half and half cream… I guess anything is better than full strength espresso coffee…

I want to be a Loser!

Biggest Loser Work Out

Today I feel encouraged. I have been having this ongoing struggle with my weight since I have been… I don’t know like 10 it feels like. I don’t know if that is because I was actually over weight or if it was because I just focused on it so much? Anyways I don’t have a problem with my body per say, however I would like it to be a little less… whats the word… well… Lets just stay a bit more toned. I have had to kick myself into high gear because I am going to a wedding in Mexico and the entire wedding party is like size 6 and under so its made me evaluate the bikini. So I thought about it and said, “you know what Stephanie Leakey, You like bikini’s and you want a great tan, so you are not going for the one piece!” (although I am going to buy this really retro red poka dotted number… super cute) So I have decided that I am dedicated to going for the two piece, I must feel my best. So I have decided to do a biggest loser workout video.

Yesterday was day two of doing the video and Oh my goodness, the sweat was pouring! I couldn’t believe how hard it worked me. My skin was actually wet. Its basically a six week video so it’s nice that it has a goal. It also has 3 different levels of intensity 1 2 and 3 and I have not even attempted 3 yet because man oh man, level two was tough! The best part of this is that if I keep it up, I’m confident that I will lose weight.

The reason I am blogging about this you ask?

I need to hold my self accountable because lets face it. JC cant do that for me… He more so is the type to bring home chocolate mini eggs and candy.

I feel that if I blog about it I will keep it up!

FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD.....

If you go to the washroom and poop. DO NOT leave smudges on the seat for other innocent people, (like myself) to sit on.

It is nasty and discusting, I almost vomited.

PLEASE WIPE PROPERLY!!!!!!!!!!!!