Inspire Me: Guy Best Friend

There is a lot of good in my life. A lot. I have a great life, which I am thankful for. Like everyone else, I also experience some lows in my life. I try not to dwell on them...I remind myself how lucky I am and focus on the good in my life. I am constantly moving forward, not looking back. 

Over the past month and a half or so, I have been dealing on and off with a situation. I think that situation has come to an end and the outcome- to be honest- did make me sad. 

Late last week, I got a phone call from my closest guy friend. We don't talk or spend as much time together as we used- life happens. He has this uncanny talent of calling me out of the blue, just when I need him most.

I came across this quote years ago and the first time I saw it, I immediately thought of him:

I am so lucky to have him as my friend and I do consider him one of my best friends. We can- and do- talk about anything and everything. There is no judgement, there are no secrets. His outlook on life, and his kind, charming, down to earth personality never fail to make me smile, laugh, and feel better. 

When I was talking to him last week, I realized he had a goal to make me laugh, which he did. Numerous times. At the end of our conversation he told me that he likes to make me laugh, that the sound of my laughter makes him smile. 

And that made me smile.

Currently- March Edition

It's always been fun to see what other bloggers were 'currently', so I thought I would join in. 

 

Watching

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Like everything on Netflix, I am late to the game. This show has been on my list for over a year, since my aunt recommended it for me, and I FINALLY got around to watching it. I'm about half way through the first season and I am liking it.    Reading

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As a Sophie Kinsella fan, I was excited that this was the March pick for my Book Club. 
Listening

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At work, I was getting tired of listening to the radio, so I thought I would listen to a Pod Cast instead. I literally googled 'good pod cast for 30 somethings'. I liked the description for Last Name Basis so I thought I would give it a listen. Franchesca and Patrick (who are married to each other) chat about their life together, as well as what's going on in the world. I've started listening from the beginning   Drinking

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I have a SodaStream, which I love, and I have been loving this flavour recently! Black Cherry Cola is so good...not too much cola, not too much black cherry- just the right balance.   Eating

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 .I have been seeing Mushroom Risotto everywhere recently. So, when I went out for dinner on the weekend and it was on the menu, I had to order it- delicious!   Wanting

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 I am in love with the Order's Up line from Kate Spade. I want it all...everything! I love the retro vibe and think everything is so cute- and would look perfect in my kitchen! I can't afford to buy the entire line...but a girl can dream.   Loving

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My friends! Things have been a bit of a roller coaster and my friends have been along for the ride. I appreciate their company and support...their encouragement and insight.     

July // August // September // November // December // January // February //

Inspire Me- Friends You Roll With

Happy Monday and Happy Galentine's Day!! I really love and appreciate my Gals. I am so lucky to have amazing people in my life who love and support me- unconditionally, no questions asked. I appreciate the friendships I have and have spent the past couple of years investing more time and energy into my friendships that mean the most to me. 

This quote was shared with me by a friend of mine back when we were in university. I frequently think of this quote, especially if I am dealing with some adversity- no matter how big or small- and all of my friends that make me stronger. 

I am so thankful for each and every one of my friends who has joined me on this crazy journey called life. Especially those one who have mixed me drinks and danced on the tables with me.

Inspire Me: Friends Journey

This past weekend was full of friends I've known since high school. I spent hours on Friday with a friend just talking and drinking tea. Saturday was spent at a murder mystery birthday party celebrating a friend. Sunday was lunch and book club- which is always full of laughter. 

On Friday, I got a text from a colleague and friend that brought me to tears. I appreciate her kind words, I am honoured to work along side her, and so blessed to have her as a friend. Friday, I also had lunch with another colleague turned friend. The day was also full of connecting with even more colleagues turned friends and making plans for next weekend. 

 

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The past few weeks, I have been reminded again and again that I am surrounded by friends. True friends. People who believe in me, support me, love and accept me unconditionally. They lift me up when I am down, and are there to celebrate with me for my highs. 

 

I have met so many amazing people on the different journeys that make up the bug journey of my life. I love my life and love where I am in life. And I know my life and my experiences would be very different if it weren't for the friends I met along the way. 

January Resolution: Paint Nite

I cannot believe that today is the first day of February and that we have the first month of 2016 in the books!! January flew by- it was a really busy, but a really fun month!!

My New Years Resolution for 2015 was to connect with friends- really put in time and effort to work on my friendships. I was actually able to follow through with this resolution- connecting with at least two friends each month, and they were friends that I had gone at least 3 months without seeing. While it was fantastic to build and strengthen my friendships, and I enjoyed the time I spent with friends, I realized that I really missed socializing with a group of friends. So, my resolution for 2016 is to have one social outing a month with a group (3+) of friends.

In January, myself and 10 friends did a Paint Nite!! This was something we planned back in December and I had been looking forward to for weeks! What's Paint Nite? It's a company that hosts a night out at a local bar with an artist. The artist instructs everyone on how to paint a picture.

We started out with a blank canvas, two paint paint brushes, paint, a cup of water and a paper towel.

 

Everyone paints the same pictures with step by step instructions from the artist. He told us what paint colours to blend in order to make a new colour and where to paint on the canvas.

While you are painting, since you`re at a bar, you can also drink and eat. Of course, there is time for socializing. Our group was spread over two side by side tables, so we were all able to talk and interact with each other. There was a lot of laughing going on.

At the end of the night, we all had the same painting and had a fantastic time!! We all agreed that we would love to go back and do another Paint Nite, which I believe we will do. We already have any outing planned for February, which should be a lot of fun too.

The finished painting. It didn't turn out too bad!! It's currently hanging in my dad's office.

If you are looking for something fun to do, I highly recommend a Paint Nite!! There were groups of friends, individuals and even people on dates. Everyone really enjoyed themselves!!

I am 1/1 for this year's resolution and I'm hoping I will be able to stick to it. We already have something planned for February...here's hoping this is something I can stick with for the year!!

Hey, It's Ok

To be incredible proud of myself for the event I organized on December 3. The event not only marked the 50th anniversary of my the organization I work for, and the event went according to plan, but it was broadcast (which I oversaw, planned, and organized) all over Ontario, as well as Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and Guatemala City, Guatemala. By far the biggest and most important event I have ever worked on.

That I finished my Christmas shopping on the weekend. I have all my gifts purchased, I just need to wrap them. It feels so good to know I don't have to deal with the crowds.

To be so blessed to work for a fantastic organization. The work we do is amazing, the corporate culture is the best I have ever experienced, my colleagues are out of this world, and my supervisor is so supportive, encouraging and a fantastic mentor- and insanely nice to me. 

That I will be doing a Paint Nite with some friends from work in January!! Paint Nite is where you go to a bar, and there is an artist that teaches the group how to paint a specific picture. I'm really looking forward to it!! It should be a ton of fun and a great girls night and I can't wait!!

To have had fantastic weekend!!! My boss encouraged me to leave early on Friday, which I did. I got to spend a ton of time with my sister on Saturday, something I haven't been able to do in months. Also on Saturday, I celebrated a friends birthday- she does these pot luck & Cards Against Humanity parties, which are always a blasted...so much laughter!! Plus I got to see a bunch of friends that I haven't seen in months. Sunday was some family time and than back to my apartment to hang out.

Friendly Resolution- August

I'm not big on New Year Resolution, because let's be honest, most of us rarely stick to them. This year, I decided that every month, I would make the point to connect with two friends that I haven't seen recently (at least 3 months).

Here is what happened in August:

K- I technically saw her in June for her wedding (!!) but she was kinda busy, so we didn't have a chance to chat. We ended up going out for frozen yogurt and talking for hours. It was good for my soul.

R- One of my closest friends. She has been so busy, that we have barely been able to text, never mind actually spend time together. She came over and we enjoyed some wine on the balcony, which was amazing!! It was so, so, so, great to FINALLY spend time with her!!!

Cousins, cousins, cousins- My always said that cousins should also be friends. I spent more time with my cousins this summer that I have in years. I have a big family and I saw everyone in May. In August,  we spent days and nights at the cottage and on the beach. There were dinners upon dinners, followed by bonfire after bonfire. I can't remember the last time so many of us spent so much time together in such a laid back and relaxed setting. It was great to go back to my roots.

I- A co-worker that I spent 2 days sitting beside and working with at a course. We frequently chat at the office, but she actually invited me out for coffee one day. It was great to spend time with her outside of the office.

J- A Sorority Sister that I have made the effort to see every few months. She had dinner back in May, so she is right at that 3 month mark. We always go to the same place for dinner, order the same thing...but I LOVE spending time with her and I love our little routine.

D & R: Two (of three) of my Pod Pals!! The three of us went out for lunch and had a blast...lots of fun. lots of laughter, and a couple of drinks. 

August flew by, but I spent a lot of time with a lot of people.  I have stuck with my resolution for 8 months. I'm glad I'm making such an effort to connect with friends. I like the fact that I am connecting with new friends that I haven't connected with this year and connected with friends I haven't seen in a few months.

September is already shaping up to be a great month!!

January // February // March // April // May // June // July

Friendly Resolution- July

I'm not big on New Year Resolution, because let's be honest, most of us rarely stick to them. This year, I decided that every month, I would make the point to connect with two friends that I haven't seen recently (at least 3 months).

I'm a little late in posting about July, but here it is:

R- We are former co-workers turned friends. We worked really closely together and just 'clicked' on both a professional and personal level. I saw her back in January and text on a pretty regular basis. I got a text from her saying she'd be in the town of my second home and wondered if I was up for a visit- which of course I was!! It was so great to see her and catch up!!

L- My university roommate!! We text and chat on the phone all the time. We live roughly an hour from each other but, sadly, I haven't seen her in about a year! We summer about 30-45 minutes from each other, so she came into town- we do this every summer, at least once. We went to a new restaurant, sat on their patio and had drinks, before heading back to my place, where we had a bonfire with my brother and his girlfriend. I LOVE spending time with her and I was so excited to see her!

M- My brother's girlfriend and not technically my friend, but I'm counting it. I haven't seen her since last summer, where we spent a couple of hours together with the rest of my family. I got to spend a weekend with her and my brother, and had the chance to really get to know her. I've always liked her, but after spending so much time with her, I REALLY like her. I'm looking forward to seeing her again soon, hopefully. 

G- Another former co-worker turned good friend.  I actually see her every couple of months for dinner. We really make the effort to see each other on a very regular basis. I know I have seen her several times this year, but I looked back in my Resolution posts, and she wasn't mentioned, so I thought I would add her here. 

I met my goal of at least 2 friends... the spirit of this resolution is to build and enhance my friendships and to really connect with people. And connect I did. I connected with my brother during the weekend we spent together (different dynamic without our parents and sister being there), I connected with a number of volunteers-people I saw on a daily basis for a few hours a day- during Pan Am. I connected with some Brock Alumni in the Niagara Region during an Alumni meeting.

All in all, pretty happy that I was able to stay on track with this goal! Looking forward to connecting with more friends in August!!

January // February // March // April // May // June

Friendly Resolution- June

I'm not big on New Year Resolution, because let's be honest, most of us rarely stick to them. This year, I decided that every month, I would make the point to connect with two friends that I haven't seen recently (at least 3 months).

How did my resolution turn out for June?

L- I haven't seen her since her birthday back in December! She has two little ones, crazy work schedule, building a house and getting ready to move- she is one busy lady!! I saw her at our friend K's wedding (I see K on a pretty regular basis) and knew I would be sitting with her at dinner. We spent a couple of hours together... it was great to see her and catch up! Once she is settled in her new house, I will have the chance to see her more. Of course I also K at her wedding, and I discovered that she and I had a mutual friend, A. A and I were friends back in University and lost touch. It was a surprise to see her at the wedding, but we had a great chat and have reconnected via social media.

A, J & P-I saw all 3 of them at the beginning of March (time frame for this goal is 3 months, so this just squeezes into the time frame), at P's surprise birthday party. A & J were having a bonfire at their place and i was invited. It was such a relaxed night, just hanging out outside, enjoying the fire, roasting marshmallows, sharing stories and laughing. It was perfect.

K & J- two friends I met through work in Huron County. I had dinner with both of them back in February (the time frame for this goal is 3 months, and it's been longer that 3 months, so it counts), and even went to the Royal Wood concert with K, but I haven't seen or spoken to either of them since. We went out for dinner and had a great time!! I love these two ladies and I was so happy to spend time with them. 

I definitely met my goal of at least 2 friends, but I connected with a lot fewer people than I have been in the past months. I'm still happy that I was able to stay on track and meet my goal. June was a bit of a weird month...work took me out of town a couple of times (I did get to know some colleagues from our local offices), I had more than usual family/political daughter things to attend too, and I went through...a situation, which resulted in me having more than usual "me" time.

All in all, pretty happy that I was able to stay on track with this goal! Looking forward to connecting with more friends in July!!

If you haven't already, there is still time to enter the Fun in the Sun Summer Giveaway!!

January // February // March // April // May

Friendly Resolution- April

I'm not big on New Year Resolution, because let's be honest, most of us rarely stick to them. This year, I decided that every month, I would make the point to connect with two friends that I haven't seen recently (at least 3 months).

Earlier this month, I found myself transitioning into a new career and had some down time between jobs. When you're not working during the day, it's so much easier to meet up with people, as the past month has shown:

C- A childhood friend that I haven't seen since November, even though we live less than two hours away from each other and both spend time in our hometown. She and I met for breakfast in the city that was half way between us. We found a fantastic little diner and had a great visit!

N- One of my summer students from last year! I was so busy with work and she was so busy with school that I haven't seen her since her last day of work at the end of August. We were able to meet for lunch. It was so, so, so great to see her and catch up. She has the most amazing personality, so much energy and so positive.

K- One of my sorority sisters. I do see her once or twice a month, but it's always sorority related. She and I (and her daughter) went out for lunch. It was nice to talk to her about things and get her input. I appreciate her words of wisdom. And she said something that was so nice to hear; she's admires how if I want something, I just do it...I put together a plan and make it happen. I had never thought that about myself.

Sorority Sisters- I had cancelled a lot of my plans with them recently, so I hadn't seen them in awhile. We had plans to go play Bingo and I kept going back and forth as to whether or not I was going to go, right up until 5 minutes before I had to leave. It was so nice to see them, spend time with them and laugh. Not win at Bingo was ok. 

R- A friend since high school, who I have seen while out doing errands, but we haven't been able to get our schedules to match up until this week. We went out for lunch at this great Hawaiian place. She is super interesting and I always learn something new from her!

E- I know her through Brock Alumni, and while I have spoken to her on the phone and via email and text on a very regular basis, I haven't seen her since Homecoming in September! We met for coffee and chatted about a few things, including her house hunting!! 

My mom and sister- while they are not technically friends...it had been about a year since the 3 of us had gone out for lunch. Always nice to spend time with them. Plus, my sister and I also spent some time together shopping.

I connected with a ton of people! But that's what happens when you're not working and have all the time in the world. I am back to work, but this job will allow me to have more free time...so hopefully I can continue to with my goal is two friends a month- which I think is realistic.

I'm four months in, which is not a lot, but I've been really great at sticking to this resolution. I have high hopes for the rest of the year!

January // February // March

Baby Shower Part 4- Games

Almost a year and a half ago, I hosted a 'Bedtime Stories' Baby Shower for a dear friend of mine. Even though the actual baby shower was so long ago, I still want to share details of the event with everyone. This is a timeless, gender neutral and fun theme.

Today I'm sharing the games we played! This was an 'over lunch, before a staff meeting' baby shower, so even though there were some games I really wanted to play that would include people getting up and doing activities, I just didn't have the time or space. I also wanted to incorporate games that had to do with the theme- Bedtime Stories!

After some Google-ing (seriously, what did people do before Google?!), I found two games online that I was able to print for everyone to play. They were:

• Nursery Rhyme Game (from here)- This is essentially a nursery rhyme trivia game and included questions like "What couldn't Jack Sprat eat?" and "What did Little Miss Muffet sit on?"
• Can You Finish The Nursery Rhyme? (from here)-This was basically fill in the blank. An example of a question is: Mary had a little lamb, it's [blank] was white as snow.

Both of these games were quick to 'play' and everyone got a good laugh from the answers- you bet I made everyone read what they wrote! It was fun to see how out of practice everyone- including mom-to-be- were with their nursery rhymes.

With the prizes, again, I wanted something that would fit the theme:

How cute are these sleep masks?! I picked them up at the dollar store, so they were inexpensive but the perfect fit for a Bedtime Stories Baby Shower!

Come back next week for gift and book ideas!

Looking for more on this baby shower?

Theme & Invite
Decorations
Food & Drink

Friendly Resolution- March

My friends are my world. I try really hard to be a good friend and I try really hard to work on my friendships. It's so easy to let friendships fade if you move, get married, have a baby, start a new job...there are so many reasons/excuses. I've always tried to maintain my friendships; generally one or two visits a year with texting, phone calls and Facebook messages in between. 

I'm not big on New Year Resolution, because let's be honest, most of us rarely stick to them. This year, I decided that every month, I would make the point to connect with two friends. How did I do in March?

K- A long time friend and someone I haven't seen in awhile. We went out for drinks and dessert. Our friend, L, was supposed to come but wasn't able too. We had planned to stay out until 11 but we ended up staying until after 1am, closing the place down! It was so great to spend time with her.

P's Surprise Birthday- There was a surprise birthday party for a friend of mine. Not only did I get to see her, but I got to see about 5 other people, who I hadn't seen since Christmas. It was nice to see everyone, even if I only stayed for an hour or so.

A- My cousin and friend...I hadn't seen her since Christmas (same time as the above mentioned friends). She was at the surprise party, but she also came with me to the David Myles concert that night (which is why we didn't stay long at the party). We had a blast at the concert, and went for poutine afterwards.It was nice to spend so much one on one time with her.

G- My friend I went to Cuba with! Again, someone I haven't seen in ages! We went out for brunch...again, nice to spend time with her and catch up!

C- Another friend that I haven't seen since Christmas. We went out for a late lunch. I always enjoy his company and hearing what he's been up too. He rivals me for the most active social life!

I connected with a lot of friends, one on one, this month...this is surprising since I spent a good chunk of the month being anti-social and cancelling a bunch of social outings. 

I realize that I likely won't connect with so many friends in the coming months- I think that two is a realistic number. I'm really hoping this is a 'resolution' I can stick with all year.  Like I said, my friends are my world and I think it's so important to put time and energy to build and maintain friendships.

January // February

Baby Shower Part 3- Food & Drink

Almost a year and a half ago, I hosted a 'Bedtime Stories' Baby Shower for a dear friend of mine. Even though the actual baby shower was so long ago, I still want to share details of the event with everyone. This is a timeless, gender neutral and fun theme.

Today I wanted to share the food & drinks!! It was decided that we would ask everyone to bring their own lunch and that we (the office) would provide a cake or cupcakes. I also wanted to include food and drinks that fit our theme.

What goes with bedtime stories? Cookies and milk, of course!!

Like the gift table, the food table (picture #1) was also turned into a bed (see the decor post on how this was done). We had white and chocolate milk, which I poured from cartoons into reusable plastic containers with lids (purchased from the dollar store) and placed in an ice bucket (also from the dollar store).

The office decided to purchase cupcakes instead of a cake, because it was more cost effective. A friend of mine made the cupcakes (picture #2)...how adorable are they?!?!? They were pretty delicious too.

I am not much of a baker, which my friend knows, so she was extra touched that I baked cookies for her shower. I ended up making two kinds of cookies; Campfire Cookies (picture #4) and Rolo Stuffed Sugar Cookies (pictured #3).

The cookies & milk were a huge hit with everyone in attendance and was a nice way to tie our food and drinks to our theme.

Looking for more on this Baby Shower?
Theme and Invitation
Decorations

Friendly Resolution- February

My friends are my world. I try really hard to be a good friend and I try really hard to work on my friendships. It's so easy to let friendships fade if you move, get married, have a baby, start a new job...there are so many reasons/excuses for friendships to fade. I've always tried to maintain my friendships; generally one or two visits a year with texting, phone calls and Facebook messages in between. 

I'm not big on New Year Resolution, because let's be honest, most of us rarely stick to them. This year, I decided that every month, I would make the point to connect with two friends. How did I do in February?


J- One of my Sorority Sisters and I met up for drinks and appetizers earlier this month. Last time I saw her was in December, so not that long ago. It was so nice to have a night out with her, she's so much fun and I really miss spending time with her on a regular basis.

K- A long time family friend, someone I used to spend a ton of time with her. I see her out at events and things throughout the year, but it has been year's since she and I had spent some real time together. I had a chance to see her new home (that's she lived in for a few years and that was previously my great-aunt's) and went out for chicken fingers- my favourite!

L-  a current co-worker. She works out of a different office and I don't spend a ton of time with her. She and I went to the Butterfly Conservatory. We had a lot of fun, learned a few things; we had the chance to see a couple of butterflies emerge from their chrysalis (not cocoon, those are moths), watch their wings open and dry, and see some butterflies take their first flight! We took a look at the exhibitions and then went to the cafe for tea. It was a lot of fun.

J & K- two of my former co-workers. I saw K about a year ago and I haven't seen J in about two years. I love these ladies and miss them like crazy. For my birthday, I was given tickets to see Royal Wood and I asked K to come with me. J met us for dinner and drinks before the show (which was amazing, as usual). So great to see and spend time with them both.

I realize that I likely won't connect with so many friends in the coming months- I think that two is a realistic number. I'm really hoping this is a 'resolution' I can stick with. Like I said, my friends are my world and I think it's so important to put time and energy to build and maintain friendships.

Baby Shower Part 2- Decorations

Almost a year and a half ago, I hosted a 'Bedtime Stories' Baby Shower for a dear friend of mine. Even though the actual baby shower was so long ago, I still want to share details of the event with everyone. This is a timeless, gender neutral and fun theme.

Today I wanted to share the decorations!! We had the usual balloons and streamers but I also wanted decorations that were unique to the theme- bedtime stories- and would not take a ton of time to set up; we would be setting up while the guest of honour was out picking up lunch, so about 15 minutes.

I used inspiration from here and here, deciding to turn the gift and refreshment tables into 'beds'. A quick trip the the dollar store and I had everything I needed! In total, I spent less than $20 on decor.

All beds need pillows, which I made (first picture). I bought plastic tablecloths, taped three sides, stuffed it with tissue paper and then taped the fourth side. These were so easy to make and because they weren't real pillows, it didn't matter if they got ruined.

The other items that I bought to make the 'beds' (picture 2) were more plastic tablecloths and books. I bought a white tablecloth to cover the table and then coloured/patterned ones to make the 'bedding'. Again, because these were from the dollar store, it didn't matter if they got ruined. I also picked up a couple of books (from the dollar store) that I incorporated into the decor, plus the mom-to-be was able to keep these books after the shower for baby to enjoy later.

The third picture (gift table) shows the completed 'bed'. You can see the pink tablecloth was placed over the table and folded down to look like bedding, the pillow was placed at the head of the 'bed' and we included a bear (left over from a work event and later sent home with mom-to-be) 'tucked in' and reading a book.

The decoration, although simple, really tied the theme together and added that 'something extra' to our event space- which was our meeting room at work, so not an exciting space to begin with. The decor was cost effective, easy to assemble and super cute!

Looking for more on this baby shower?
Theme & Invitation

From The Archives: Baby Shower Part 1- Theme & Invite

Almost a year and a half ago, I hosted a 'Bedtime Stories' Baby Shower for a dear friend of mine. The shower was so much fun to plan, almost as much fun as the actual party! 

I had every intention on sharing details of the shower on the blog, but never really got around to it. Better late than never, right?

Even though the actual baby shower was so long ago, I still want to share details of the event with everyone. This is a timeless, gender neutral and fun theme.

The day of the Baby Shower, I posted details about the theme and I posted the custom invitations I had made. Please visit the original post here for all of the details!!

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting other elements of the shower, which will include refreshments (with recipes), decorations, games, book suggestions and a one of a kind gift.

Trust me, you don't want to miss these details!!

Galentine's Day #NoBoysAllowed

Last year, a friend wished me a Happy Galentine's Day. I repeated the sentiment back to her, but had NO idea what she was talking about. I did a little Google-ing and found out that Galentine's Day, which is February 13, is a day to celebrate our gal pals.

If you watch the show Community- which I do not- you are familiar with Galentine's Day. I love this concept! I know I would be lost without my girlfriends. I have some of the most supportive, intelligent, fun, loyal and a bit crazy (in a good way) friends.

While I like to celebrate my friends all year long, I think this is a good holiday to celebrate. If we have one day a year- Valentine's Day- to celebrate our love, we should have a day to celebrate our friendship. I do have a hard time getting on board with V-Day, I have no problem jumping on the Galentine's Day bandwagon!

Embrace this holiday and celebrate your friendship with your closest gal pals. Whatever you love doing with your gals, do it today- whether it's a day of pampering at the spa or a night out dancing. Galentine's Day is all about our girlfriends. As the hashtag says, #NoBoysAllowed

You should also visit the Galentine's Day website! Not only can you send e-cards to your friends, but over 50 retailers have come together for Galentine's Day specials and surprises.

Friendly Resolution- January

Happy Friday and happy almost last day of January! This month has had some ups and downs, but I have tried really hard to focus on my word for 2015- Happy! It's been challenging at times, but I've been pretty good at noticing when I wasn't happy and doing things to change that.

I'm not big on resolution, because let's be honest, most of us rarely stick to them. I like to set mini goals for myself to accomplish throughout the year. This year, I've decided to focus on two goals- one professional and one personal.

My friends are my world. I try really hard to be a good friend and I try really hard to work on my friendships. It's so easy to let friendships fade if you move, get married, have a baby, start a new job...there are so many reasons/excuses for friendships to fade. I've always tried to maintain my friendships; generally one or two visits a year with texting, phone calls and Facebook messages in between. 

This year, I decided that every month, I would make the point to connect with two friends. How did I do in January?

Pretty well!! I actually ended up connecting with four friends!

D- A friend since high school, even though we lived hours apart. She currently lives about a 5 minutes drive from me and I see her maybe two or three times a year. I met her for coffee one Sunday, followed by some shopping downtown.

R- We used to work together, so I would talk to her every day and see her once a week- at least. She left for another job, lots of texting and phone calls. I was supposed to see her in October, the same day as my car accident. She did offer to come to the hospital with me (what a GREAT friend), which I declined. We met for lunch and then she came over to hang out for a few hours. 

C- Another co-worker. We used to work in the same office, she went on mat leave and when she came back, they put her in a different office. I see her every couple of weeks, but we haven't hung out in MONTHS. We had a nice, long and delicious brunch. Lots of laughs and great to catch up.

G- Yet another co-worker! She left to go to school and do her Masters. I have seen her twice for dinner in the past almost 6 months since she left, which is honestly pretty good. We had an impromptu coffee date one Saturday afternoon.

R- She lives a 5 minute walk from my house. We have both had a lot of changes in our lived over the past several months, and went from hanging out every other weekend to maybe hanging out 3 times in the past 9 months. I went over to her place for leftover lasagna, wine and girl talk. It was so great and exactly what I needed. 

I realize that I likely won't connect with so many friends in the coming months- I think that two is a realistic number- but I'm really happy with the number of friends I've connected with this month. I actually have Saturday adventure already scheduled with a friend for February and I have two friends that I want to touch base with in February.

I'm really hoping this is a 'resolution' I can stick with. Like I said, my friends are my world and I think it's so important to put time and energy to build and maintain friendships.

Hey, It's Ok!

To be disappointed that I won't be able to see a friend, and one of my favourite people, tonight. 

That I have not been as consistent with blogging as I have been in the past. Summer will do that to you.

To be missing the Prince of Wales Stakes tonight. The Prince of Wales is the second "jewel" in the Canadian triple crown for horse racing. This year they moved it from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday night.

That I have mixed feelings about my upcoming vacation. Happy to have the time off, but my family-that I love dearly- will be around for most it, which means it will not be relaxing.

To be spending a lot of with friends recently. Last week I went out twice for dinner and once for lunch breakfast and coffee. This week, so far, I have dinner on Wednesday with friends and seeing two friends individually on Friday.

Favourite Thing- Justine/Blogger Meet Up

Earlier this week, I talked about participating in the Pretty Little Beauty Swap and mentioned how the best part of this swap was actually having the chance to meet my partner. 

I hear all the time about different bloggers meeting up and how much fun they have. Up until this week, I've never had the opportunity to experience this for the simple fact that I had yet to encounter a fellow blogger from Southern Ontario. 

Justine from Sleepy Single Girl, a friend of mine, was the mastermind behind the swap. Due to my busy schedule, I limit the swaps that I participate in, but wanted to participate to support Justine in the first every swap that she hosted. As it turned out, Justine actually need another Canadian (aka me) to sign up to be paired with the only other Canadian participating. This ended up being an amazing thing for me!

By chance, my swap partner, also named Justine, lived about an hour away from and agreed to meet me in person. After a bit of back and forth and trying to figure out our schedules, on Sunday we were able to arrange to meet for the following day.I had re-arranged to potentially take Monday off. 

Meeting up with Justine, was honestly one of the greatest things for me.

Everyone knows how busy I am and how I always have so much going on. I have a stressful job (non profit fundraising...I'm responsible for bringing in money so that we can offer services and programs to our clients...if they money's not there, our organization no longer operates...yup, no pressure there) and I was starting to get a bit burnt out. 

I had the BEST time sitting with Justine, chatting and laughing. Two hours flew by! I can't remember the last time I felt so relaxed and comfortable around someone I was meeting for the first time. 

After meeting with Justine, I just felt happy. I was in a good mood, I felt like a weight had been lifted...this is when I realized how stressed and burnt out I had been! 

While it was great to have a blogger meet up and it was great to meet a new friend... I can't put into words what Justine did for my soul and how much I appreciate her taking the time to meet me and spend a couple of hours with me. 

I also appreciate Justine (Sleepy Single Girl) for introducing me to Justine (Tantrums and Tea Parties) and allowing this weeks 'favourite thing' to happen!