Hey, It's Ok!

With Amber from Airing My Dirty Laundry

That it's been 14 years...I still think of you and miss you just as much as I did back then. The pain isn't as intense, but it still hurts. You were and are so loved.

To be thankful for all that 2016 brought me and excited for what 2017 has in store.

That I have no intention of watching The Bachelor. I just don't get it and I don't have two hours a week to dedicate to something I'm just not that into.

To love Anna Kendrick! I have been a fan of hers since she did Camp- one of my favourite movies- and I love her even more since I read her book Scrappy Little Nobody.

That after a month of living in my new place, I still have things to unpack and organize. I'm getting there and everything is put away...just still in boxes/bags.

2017 Word of The Year Is...

Happy New Year!! I hope everyone had a great holiday season and that 2017 is off to a great start. My 2017 has been productive- I unpacked and organized my closet, which was a huge task. I am slowly getting settled in my new place. My front hall closet and my bathroom are the two 'big' outstanding tasks. I am excited to see what 2017 has in store for me!

For the past couple of years, I have selected a 'word of the year'. My word for 2016 was kind. I do feel that in 2016 I was more intentional about being kind and more considerate, but there is still a lot of room for improvement on this. In 2017, I will continue to be more kind to others. 

My word for 2017 is...

Love

When I was thinking of what I wanted to focus on in 2017, love was something that came to my fairly quickly and came coming up. I want to be loved and I want to love more this year. Towards the end of 2016, I realized how loved I was...I always knew I was loved...but I realized the extent. I want to continue that into 2017. 

2017 is, hopefully, the year of love.

Thank You, 2016.

Dear 2016, 

Here we are at the end of our relationship. We both know it's over and time to move on. We've run our course. I'm actually sad that we are parting ways, but know this is what;s best for both of us. You were good to me. Don't get me wrong...we had our negative experiences- dealing with a "management" company and a certain relationship quickly come to mind- but over all, you were good to me.

You brought me new and strengthened friendships. With these friendships, you brought a lot of laughter, memories, and experiences. From girls nights to new places to eat, it was all fun and games. There was so much socializing, going out at least once a week. When we first got together, I was hoping to be more social, to spend more time with friends. Thank you for making this happen.

 

A friend from high school started a Book Club. It was great to connect with old friends after all these years. I love being introduced to new genres and authors. I love seeing everyone once a month for a night out and a great discussion. 

Being part of a Book Club was a new experience. You gave me a couple of other new experiences- home ownership and traveling to the Prairies- more on both of those in a bit. I tried new foods- beef cheek, Asian desserts, and escargot. I put myself out there...that outcome is still to be seen. I took up painting...in the form of Paint Nites...but I did three of them! While not new experiences...I went back to Indian Head Massage and Reiki...with a brand new (to me) practitioner- Emily.

 

Professionally, you have been good to me too. Funding was approved to make the temporary portion of my job permanent, resulting in a full-time, permanent position. You gave me the chance to work on a documentary premiere, a multi-day international conference, and be part of founding of a brand new annual conference. I launched the start of taking leadership courses and look forward to continuing the courses in 2017. 

There was also the chance to apply for a new job- which I didn't get. But that situation showed me that there are possibilities. It was a chance to show people that I have a lot of great skill sets and that I am multi-faceted. More importantly, it was an opportunity to see how many people were invested in me and believe in me.

 

You gave me great opportunities too. I had the chance to attend the Women's World Hockey Championships and cheer on Team Canada. Watching the Steel Blade Classic and Dragon Boat Championships for VIP areas. Being in not one but two parades. The opportunity to see different parts of Canada.

I got to visit two places I had never been before- Ottawa and Moose Jaw. Everyone, myself included, was surprised that I had never been to our Nation's capital. While it was fun to connect with work colleagues and visit some of our programs, and it was fun to be with all the politicians and politically connected, I really enjoyed being able to see different landmarks in Ottawa and to visit the National Art Gallery- a must do for me when I was in Ottawa. 

As for Moose Jaw...while this was a work-related trip, I had a blast! Again, fun to connect with colleagues and our programs, but also fun to explore and experience Moose Jaw, even if the Tunnels of Moose Jaw were the only 'touristy' thing we did. My first trip to Saskatchewan was a blast and I would love to go back!

While I'm not sure what the highlight of our year together was, I think buying a condo is pretty high up there! After months of searching, I finally found the perfect place to call home. It was everything I was looking for- and move in ready! I am so happy to call this place home. I'm still organizing and getting settled...but I definitely LIVE here- it feels like home and it's all mine.  

 

Image Via Pinterest

Thank you, 2016. Thank you for all you gave me and all you did for me. I've grown as a person and have been given so much during our year together. You have made me better, stronger, happier. I will forever be grateful and thankful. I know I couldn't have done it without you. 

I'm going to try things with 2017...I hope 2017 will be at least as good to me as you were- if not better.

I wish you well, 2016.

FabFitFun Winter Box Review

I have been subscribing to FabFitFun for over two years and they have consistently been one of my favourite subscriptions boxes! This is a quarterly subscription box that costs $49.99 USD plus shipping and it is totally worth it! FabFitFun sends all kinds of products- fitness, decor, fashion, beauty- and the value of the box is amazing. The Winter Box has a retail value of $252.95 USD.

 D.L. & Co Candle- There were two options for this candle and I received the Bergamot Woods in the silver holder. I am not a huge fan of candles, but the holder is pretty-I already have it on display in my home- and I think it's a great home decor item for a winter subscription box.
Retail value: $44

Anderson Lilley Beach Butter Body Cream- Again, there were two options for this item and I received Siciliam Tangerine which is a scent that I love! I am happy that we got this product...I was looking for a product like this to keep on my bedside table. It's also supposed to be hydrating, so we'll see what it can do for my always parched skin.
Retail value: $24

Butter London Iconoclast Mega Volume Lacquer Mascara- I feel that mascara is a subscription box staple- you really can't go wrong with mascara. I am familiar with Butter London as a brand and I do like them. I don't wear mascara on a daily basis, so I'll probably end up gifting this to my sister.
Retail value: $20

Moleskine 2017 Weekly Planner- This came in two colours and I received the green one. This is probably my favourite item in this box!! I think that planners are the perfect addition to winter/December/January boxes. Moleskine is a well known brand. I love how thin and lightweight their planners are. I love how it's set up weekly and that there are pages for notes. There is a lot I love about this planner! I already have a planner for 2017, but I know that I will find a use for this and I'm excited to start using it!
Retail Value: $20.95

Gorjana Necklace- Again, there were two different necklaces and I selected the Kiernan Double Pendent Necklace. I liked the look of this necklace over the other option (because I have a yearly subscription, I actually get to select some of the items I receive), and I like silver over gold. I keep my jewelry pretty simple and tend to stick to about 2 or 3 necklaces, but I would actually wear this!
Retail Value: $75

Startlight Foundation Pin- With each box, FabFitFun partners with a different charity and throws in an item related to the partnership. This time, they partnered with the Startlight Foundation, which is a charity I am familiar with and I am happy that FabFitFun partnered with them.
Retail Value: N/A

Marie Mae Company Thank You Card Set- These cards are so pretty! I like that they are postcard style instead of the traditional folded card. I also like that they say 'Cheers' on the front; even though these are thank you cards, I feel like you can use them for different occasions. I send a lot of hand written notes, so I'm always happy to add stationary to my collection.
Retail Value: $24

O.R.G. Skincare Mineral Peel Face- I like trying new skincare products, as I am always on the hunt to find a product that can help my forever dry skin. This isn't a hydrating product, but I am looking forward to trying this product. It seems pretty simple to use- spray on, massage off. It promises softer, smoother, more radiant skin...all things that I want for my skin!

Retail Value: $44

Overall, I am happy with the FabFitFun Winter Box! I'm surprised that they didn't include a fitness related item... These are all products that I would use (I would use the mascara if my current tube was nearing the end) and I think they are great for a winter box. I highly recommend this box!