Innocence of a Child

You absolutely MUST read this post on Confessions of a Pioneer Woman's blog! I had all intentions of today's post being about Post Secret...another blog I'm addicted too. But when I read this post today, it brought tears to my eyes. Kind of puts things in perspective when you see things through the eyes of an innocent child who has so much compassion, not tainted by life experiences and others opinions.

But if you do have time, definitely check out this weeks posting of PostCards on Post Secret, some of 'em are really good.

Weekend in Review

I didn't take many pictures this weekend....

Friday night, Steph, Kristen and I had a night on the town. Unfortunately I think we were the only ones out...however it didn't stop us from having a good time.

Here's Steph....dressed to Kill :) Look at that Hot Sexy Mama!

Then we have Kristen...sorry its not a better picture, but the flash makes it impossible to get a great shot of him sometimes. And of course him, constantly GOOFING around :)

And then there's MOI with my serious pose ....

Saturday we literally stayed home the whole day. Lets just say Kristen was feeling a little under the weather due to Friday nights shinanigans :)

And yesterday we had Tristan for a couple of hours so Steph could run some errands, so we took him to Bass Pro with us. He seemed to really enjoy looking at the animals there. Otherwise, it was a relaxing weekend.

Tonight I've very excited to be going to Myrna's....we're going to do a "mini" shoot of Sarah. Just one roll of film since it's the evening and we're very pressed for time with Myrna going on Vacation in just a few days. Wish me luck!

Simpsons - The Movie

Since the Simpson's movie comes out today I thought I'd share this little article that was on MSN today....

By Stephanie Gray

Despite having a low IQ and questionable morals, this average Joe can offer up more than just D’oh!

10. No beer and no TV can really make a person go crazy.
9. True love really is blind. How else can you explain Marge’s devotion to a fat, lazy slob?
8. Daydreaming (particularly if it involves eating) is an excellent way to alleviate boredom or remove yourself from discussions you don’t understand. Mmmm…chocolate land.
7. Having children guarantees hair loss. With a child like Bart, of course some grey hairs are imminent. But in this family, not even a bottle of cure-all Dimoxonil can last.
6. “Borrowing” is another word for keeping, especially if it includes brand new tools courtesy of Ned Flanders.
5. Don’t bother trying because you’re going to fail anyway. Plan to succeed unintentionally and maybe you'll become an astronaut or a conceptual artist.
6. If you don’t like your job get a new one. Or two. Suggestions: plow driver, carnie, beer baron or food critic.
5. You’re never too old to rock out. Or play air guitar. Extra props if you can revitalize a barbershop quartet or attempt to join a bona fide group via band camp.
4. It’s perfectly acceptable to sleep on the job, ask your billionaire boss for money, use an animal as a replacement and risk a nuclear meltdown – as long as you're not Frank Grimes.
3. If you can’t articulate something break out into song. Topics such as food cravings – like pizza and hot dogs, your new name, or beer are preferable.
2. Even if you feel full there’s still room for more.
1. Everything you need to know can be learned from television. “The answers to life's problems aren't at the bottom of a bottle, they're on TV!” – Homer Simpson

Acton

Acton, Ontario: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Population 8,481 - is a community located in the Town of Halton Hills
Leathertown
The town is nicknamed Leathertown because of the extensive tanning industry that was located in the area during the 19th Century and early 20th Century. During this time, Acton was the main urban community of Esquesing Township, much larger than nearby Georgetown, Ontario which now has four times the population. The area was attractive to the leather industry because of the large numbers of trees in the area. The nickname is still reflected today by the Olde Hide House, a large leather goods store in an old warehouse, and Beardmore Leather downtown. The town also features Fairy Lake, a manmade lake accessible from many locations within the town, but most often from Prospect Park.
Actonite or Actonian
It is interesting to note in older books and papers of the area that not one, but two designations have existed for residents of the area at the same time. "Actonite" was used to identify people who moved to the area, and "Actonian" referred to people who grew up there.

The Olde Hide House

Marineland

Just some shots from Marineland...

From the show, and my FAV picture of Steph & Tristan watching the whale

Me feeding the deer, which felt really weird on the hand cause they're quite gentle.

Love this pic of the bear that Kristen took and the roller coaster was GREAT. You go into a dark tunnel and you're thinking "this is it?!!?" and then you .....DROP in complete darkness. So AWESOME :)

Kristen and I enjoying the day



Sorry the picture of the whale jumping isn't very good, it was really hard to time the camera and when I finally time it right I'm completely off centre.

And look carefully I gave Tristan a mohawk much to mommy's dismay so it was very short lived. I think little boys with mohawks are just so DARN cute!

Scared yet?

Just realized I didn't do a post yet today....only have a quote as I don't have pictures yet to share....maybe tomorrow.

"Do one thing a day that SCARES you"

-lululemon athletica

West 7

Finally...pictures from West 7. I apologize for the poor quality...2 reasons

1) Hard to take quality pictures in a bar with crazy light show going on

2) My brother didn't send original's so I had to steal copies off of his Facebook

Here's the Bro and I....out for a good time :)

It was the night of bachelor, bachelorette, and birthday parties

They made them all get on stage and take a shot from someone of the opposite sex, who were just random people pulled from the crowd. See far right....the ONLY bachelor who at some point in the night I ended up signing the back of his shirt.

Blaine's attempt at the line dancing, here he's taking a break to observe.
Doesn't his expression just say it all? LOL :)

And since I CANNOT line dance, I joined the girls off to the side who dance "normally"

Shake it ladies! Not quite...but hey...we don't know how to line dance!

So here's the story.....after a few "Smirnoffs" and later in the evening, they start playing more dance music instead of country. I was out dancing with a girl named Sandra that I met, and all of a sudden a country song comes on and yep...I'm caught in the middle of ALL the line dancers. WELL my luck, Sandra who can't line dance either "just happens" to know how to line dance to this song....meaning, I am TRAPPED! Yep....I attempted line dancing.

Let's just say it was NOT pretty...notice everyone with the left leg up doing some "move" and I'm just standing there flat footed? And the culprit Sandra...she's to the right of the yellow shirt guy...can't really see her but a portion of her butt and long brown hair...see her??

Just LOOK at my expression in this picture.....horror mixed with laughter. The guy in the yellow shirt was trying to help me out, but inside, I know he's thinking ...man this girl is such a loser!

So that was my West 7 adventure. Lesson learned? I want to know how to line dance :(

A Long Way Gone

A few co-workers and myself were discussing movies one day and a few mentioned were Blood Diamond and The Last King of Scotland since they're both based on actual events. One co-worker who also discovered I like reading suggested I read a book he has called "A Long Way Home" by Ishmael Beah it's his actual Memoirs of being a boy solider in Seirra Leone. I finally finished reading it last night and I was thoroughly impressed. It's amazing and so scary to see how this boy lived and was rescued by Unicef. Some parts are a bit disturbing as he describes some of the gory details of being a solider but at times I was so into the book that I didn't even realize how brutal it was until I had put the book down and thought about what I had just read.

It definitely makes you appreciate our freedom and way of life.

Everything Happens for a Reason?

Thought for Today
"I know for sure that everything in life happens to help us live." - Oprah

Are you one of those who believes that everything happens for a reason? I ask because I just read an article on the Oprah website about how her golden retreiver passed away, and how everything in life is for a reason. She said how the first thing she did after acknowledging the death was to ask herself, what lesson was this dog "Gracie" supposed to teach me?

That made me think of my own view on the whole theory of "happens for a reason" and truth is, I do believe in it, always have and probably always will. I don't think using this "happens for a reason" is a way to justify being a victim. Or to necessarily believe "oh no...this is happening to me because I'm so horrible" and the whole Karma thing (which sometimes is the case). But I do think a lot of things in life happen which will throw us for a loop and forces us to re-evaluate ourselves, our lives, and what we want.

Oprah's lessoned learned was to slow down....which it seems lately all I hear from people is I'm so tired, I'm so busy, I'm so stressed....what happened to the lazy hazy days of summer?!? Why is everyone so uptight and not enjoying the wonderful season that's so quickly slipping away?

I think a lot of us are guilty of keeping ourselves busy, at times, so we don't think. When we think we're forced to deal with things that we don't necessarily find pleasant. However, the reward and weight off the shoulders when the obstacle is faced, is well worth it.

But theses "loops" in life that we say "happened for a reason" sometimes make us realize that we aren't at all who we thought we are, or we didn't react how we thought we would, yet the end result still teaches us a lesson. Lesson learned...now let's move on :)

That's the joy and wonder of this awesome thing called LIFE!

Take the blows as they come, feel the emotion, take a breath and move on. Experience and live it to the fullest....I finish my ramblings today with this quote:

"Breathe deeply and appreciate the moment. Living in the moment could be the meaning of your life"

Toads

Sunday morning I was on the front porch and some movement in the garden caught my eye. When I looked, this is what I saw....I "thought" it was a baby frog but Kristen later corrected me and said it was a baby TOAD! Isn't that awesome?!!? Look how little he is :)

And the quote for the day...feeling inspirational as of late.....

"Compliments from the heart elevate another person’s spirit and will often result in an encouraging word for someone else ... a domino effect."

Happy Birthday Myrna

We helped Mryna celebrate the big 30 yesterday! Since she's such a fan of McCain's cake, that's what I got her as her birthday cake. I also tried to spell out 30 with the candles but it didn't work out so well AND I burned my thumb while trying to light the oh so many candles...lol.

Hope it was a good one Myrna and here's to many many more :) Love ya chicka!

Quote for the Day

Wisdom at times is found in folly." -- Horace

Turtle Crossing

I forgot to include this picture when I posted Kristen's ball hockey pics. On our way to the arena we pass this sign...which I think is so cute but hilarious at the same time :)

Saturday my brother and I have made plans to go to West 7 Night Club (formerly Nashville North) On Saturday's the country radio station 95.3 go there and since the bro is a country fan we made a date :) I'm actually looking forward to it.

And I finish today's post with this quote of the day:

"Imagine how high you could soar, if you were to clear away all those inhibitions that come between you and the sky" - Oprah

Family Picnic

I think I'm finally caught up on all the pics from the last little while....

These are from the Bishop Family Picnic at Aunt Bernice's trailer on the Canada Day long weekend.

Auntie Bernice (left) & Auntie Georgina (right)

Kristen & Blaine
Nicki, the newest addition to the Sheppard Clan
Cousin Danny...who's NOT camera shy :)
The bro & Moi
Samantha & Jacob
Samantha in her camp or "fort"
The sign for her camp... "Camp Sheppard"
Danny's friends, and some extended family members

Weekend in Review

Friday:

We went to the drive in to watch Shrek the 3rd and Transformers. Well...actually just Transformers but that's the movie that was playing on the screen before it so we watched both. I fell asleep through part of Shrek, it was cute but not as good as the first two. As for Transformers, I was impressed, for those of you who were childhood fans I think you'll appreciate it more than the youngin's who never heard of it.

I love the old fashioned snack bar commercials :)

Saturday:

Went grocery shopping, and got a flat tire :( Here's Kristen putting on the dummy....

There's a story behind that though....he couldn't get the flat tire off, and some guy saw us at the lights, turned around and came in just to help Kristen. To find out, he's a good 'ol Newfie boy from the St. John's area and has been up here for 11 years but wishes he could go home...what a typical story...like us all. I just couldn't believe that here we are in Ontario, kind of out in the country (Georgetown) and it takes a NEWFIE to be a good samaritan....I shouldn't be shocked and yet I am....still amazes me how good people the newfies really are...were a good bunch if I do say so myself.

Then off to Queen's tire to have the valve replaced, phew...thank goodness it wasn't more serious.

Then we hung out at Jason's house for a bit, then off to Myrna's & Jamie's to watch UFC where I fell asleep on her floor...sorry Myrna, I was just so tired :(

Sunday:

Made a late lunch for a few of the friends.....we tried out a new gadget called the turkey cannon. It looks like a probe or novelty item of sorts....but it cooked the turkey on the bbq in 2 hours! And it was delicious....its basically the same as beer can chicken but for turkeys.

And the finished product, we remember to take pics after Kristen had carved it up. Sorry....but it was so darn good :)