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Friday 30 May 2014

May 30th Spring Smells

For anybody who knows me, you may know that I actually don't love Spring. I love when Spring turns into summer, but I'm not a big fan of the grey colours or puddles in the beginning changes from Winter to Spring.

It's now the part I like. Green trees, and grass. Sunshine and blue skies.

And the smell of lilacs. My most favourite thing.

 
 
Gratitude
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.



Thursday 29 May 2014

May 29: Throwback Thursday: My 30th

I mentioned in my weekend post that my friend, De, loves to throw a party. Not just any party though, a great party. She loves celebrating and making her friends happy. So when I turned 30, she offered to throw a party for me. And did she ever!



The theme was 30 Years of Erin. I cannot argue with that! The sign was on the back of the house, and almost as big as the house (as you can see.)

We invited all the people that are important to me (that could make it). There is something about being in a room full of people I love, I can't explain it, I just love it. That's why I still make sure I have a get together (smaller though) every year for my birthday, or why I invite people out to celebrate the fact that I wrote a book - because it gives me the chance to spend time with people I love, all in one place. Fills my heart full of happiness. I'm not going to share pictures of all those people because I want pictures of the actual décor, food and drinks. Just know I appreciated the people who came, and the person throwing the party more than I can say.

Back to the party. De made me a shot cake. That's right: a shot cake. Can you even find a better cake?


Shots and chasers. And LOTS of cheersing.


Following the theme! I got a real cake as well.


Got my own pin and drinking glass.

She went all out, and did everything she could to make my day all that it could be. Forever grateful to have a friend like her.



This edition of Throwback Thursday is complete.

I just want to add one more picture of my awesome parents. This is basically a grateful thing for any of the yesterdays, all of the todays, and my future. It's throwback as well because I just saw it while looking at my 30th party pics. They came out for it, and I know they will continue helping and being at events as longs as they possibly can. So glad to have them in my life.




Gratitude
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.



May 28: The Green is Here

This:

Taken in the morning.
In a blink of the eye, the world is green again.

Gratitude
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.



Wednesday 28 May 2014

May 27 Finished my book

It took me too long to finish, but I've finally finished The Book Thief. I'll be adding a link to my book blog when I finish a post about it.

I love finishing great books. Although - I wanted more.

The writing was beautiful.

Here is the book 'review'. http://bookserinread.blogspot.ca/2014/05/the-book-thief-by-markus-zusak.html

Gratitude

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.



Monday 26 May 2014

May 26 Rain will bring Green

Big storm today. Lots of rain. There's something peaceful about the sound of rain. I didn't see any lightening, but I'm hoping to see lots more after we move.

Everything is looking more green outside, and I'm loving it. I love the change in season, no matter what season it is.


Gratitude
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.



May 24-25 MY WEEKEND

I'm doing my weekend gratitude now because I followed through, and did no weekend blogging.

A lot went on this weekend.

I have heard sad news lately about people going through hard times, and I feel bad for them. It makes me appreciate what I have even more. I'm so lucky, and I know I say it a lot, but it's true. I've been through hard times. I've been through more loss than I would have liked, and I don't wish that on anyone. The loss never really ends though. It's a part of life that I'm not used to.

So my thoughts go out to anybody suffering lately. It sucks, and I wish there was some magical way to fix it. Life isn't fair.

I spent the weekend in a city called Moose Jaw. They even have a moose called Mac the Moose in this small, yet touristy, city.
Took this on the way out of the city.

I have a love/hate relationship with Moose Jaw. For a couple of simple reasons. Growing up, I used to love going there because travels to Moose Jaw meant visits with my Grandma and my aunt. I've spoken about both my grandma and my aunt before in my other blog. http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/ I don't have the exact links right now, but I'll look for them. Either way, the two of them were what made Moose Jaw great for me. They were both loving, fabulous, and strong woman. I love the memories, but I hate the reminders. The last time I was in MJ was for my aunt's funeral. It was a heart breaking weekend for everybody who had to say goodbye to her. It's over a year later, and it still hurts.

So... long story short because this is a gratitude blog, and not a sad blog (that's what the other is for, if needed), I went to a stagette in Moose Jaw, and I don't find Moose Jaw the happy place it once was.

However, a stagette is a fun celebration, and I'm glad I went. I guess it's silly to give up visiting some place because of the people who are no longer there. That doesn't really stop me from feeling the way I do. I got over it, and I had a great weekend with friends. My friend, D, was the one who put together the extraordinary party. I think for my memory (throwback) Thursday gratitude post, I'll have to share another example of her party throwing. Wait and see though. :) I've added pictures below of the day/night fun. I made myself the 'unofficial chronicler/photographer' of the event. 

True story, and I love wine...



Cards Against Humanity - important for EVERY event.

This one brought back memories to a time before as well. I lived in MJ for a year before going to University. My friends and I used to meet up here.

Delicious Mojito's at a nice restaurant.

We had a 'do it yourself' spa afternoon.

Some of the goodies. (not all though). Alcoholic jello and pudding. 

Heart shaped cheese and olives. Delicious and romantic.
We went swimming in the healthy spa water, went for frozen yogurt (FRO-YO), had some champagne, went out for a delicious supper, played some games and had some desserts, wine and the Bailey's pudding and Larger than Jello Shots jello. Then we went dancing. We didn't go until around midnight, and got home around 3am. It was a later night than I'm used to (ha b/c I'm old), but it was quite a bit of fun!

D and I headed home Sunday afternoon, and I got home just in time to head out with C to see my parent's soon to be new home. Someday it will be moved to their lot (and the house I grew up in will be gone), but they basically have a brand new house waiting for them, and they were pretty excited.

Teaser pick of the new kitchen.

Once again, my heart is feeling heavy for what others are going through, and I wish I could help, but I do know I have plenty of time to be grateful for what I have. (Including grateful for the time I spend (or have spent) with others, especially my aunt and grandma).


Gratitude
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.



Friday 23 May 2014

May 24 Looking Forward

I have so many great things to look forward to.

Sitting in the heat on a patio tonight with C.

Going to MJ with one of my besties this weekend for one of her besties stagette. (confused? haha).

Moving on the 31st!




And more. Full of happy now and coming ups today!

Seriously annoyingly happy!

Talk to you Monday! (or Sunday night).

Gratitude

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


May 22 Flat Stanley and FOOD

Flat Stanley was done in a post on my other blog. I was explaining where he came from. I emailed some pictures to a teacher today and she was very happy with our prompt response. The link is below.
http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/05/flat-stanley.html

Also, when before I left for work this morning, I wrapped some chicken in bacon, and put it in the crock pot with different sauces and mushrooms.

It turned out great. So good! In the midst of packing and getting stressed about moving, it is nice to take a break and just enjoy what I've got. (delicious chicken).

C and I also hung out on a patio, and the weather was gorgeous until we left at around 10pm. The place we are currently living in has people viewing it so they can sell it which means, C and I have a lot of wonderful impromptu dates until we move (next week).




One other thing, I'm not going to worry about blogging on the weekend as much anymore. I can catch up on Mondays or later on Sunday. I think I've got enough going on these next few months, I'm not going to worry if I miss a day or two. This goes for both blogs.


Gratitude

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.



Thursday 22 May 2014

May 21 Nice Words

I always seem to be a day late at posting lately. This is for my yesterday Gratitude.

First of all, it was a lovely day outside.

Second, I like kind words from people, and I like to return the kind words. I have complaints, but this blog is not ever the place for it, in that case, neither is the Internet or public. I have a great job, and I'm so happy I found the job I love in the city I love. Any complaints are small, and are the types of things I can deal with if I focus on what I'm grateful for instead of the negative.
When the negative does get to me, nice words usually fix it. This is why I'm really happy when I write for people who are gracious and kind.

The email above, is really all I need to completely make my day. Just a 'thank you' makes my day.

Third, I went out for a steak night with C and some of my coworkers last night. I like hanging out with them. I don't do it enough.

OH OH OH! And somebody brought chocolate covered pretzels to work yesterday, and I was in heaven!

Gratitude

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Tuesday 20 May 2014

May 19&20 Days off and Sunshine

May 19

It was May Long, so yesterday was a day off. I didn't do a lot. I didn't blog, I didn't pack, I didn't clean my house during the day. (I did a bit at night). I watched some shows, I read, I cuddled.

It was nice. (Though not all that exciting for any readers I have).

May 20

The sun is back out today.

The high is 18, and the weekend high is even better. Can't complain about that. It rained all day yesterday, but since I hung out inside, it didn't really bother me.



Gratitude
©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Monday 19 May 2014

May 19 Netflix

My May Long, I finished watching Veronica Mars on Netflix.

I don't know how to watch real TV anymore. I actually don't have cable or satellite set up. I enjoy not having TV because I can do so many other things.

Netflix changes that. 

Oh well. I had never watched Veronica Mars before, and this was my chance. Now all I want to do is watch the movie.

 
Gratitude
©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Saturday 17 May 2014

May 16&17 Happy with my life

May Long

Sometimes I find this Gratitude Blog silly. I feel like I don't need to update it online, and I sometimes feel like a hypocrite because I'm not always as positive as I'd like (see my other blog for proof). The reason I continue is because it's easy to post pictures and write my thoughts on the computer, and doing it publicly helps me share my writing at the same time. 

Also, it's helping. I take the time to be grateful for things now. I still have bad days, and I still complain about things, but I appreciate what I have. Sometimes, all it takes is for me to step back and look at all the great things I have. I actually have nothing to complain about most of the time. 

There is a thing called 100 days of happiness. I heard about it last month. It's similar to what I'm doing I guess, but this feels like less pressure to me. Either way, however you do it, feeling grateful about life is pretty useful privately or publicly. I've done 95 posts, and I'm pretty proud of that. I'll continue because I miss it when I don't do posts.

I am happy. Completely and annoyingly happy and thrilled that I have what I do in my life. 

Now that I've shared, I guess it's time to do my gratitude for yesterday and today.

May 16


We had a fundraiser for my work Relay for Life team. C, my sister and I went to The Laugh Shop (for some laughs). Some of my coworkers were there. It was a pretty fun night. Laughing is pretty much the best thing ever. Also a great start to the long weekend. 

May 17

C and I don't have plans for the long weekend, so I decided it would be fun to take a day trip. I hope we get to see a few great Saskatchewan destinations this summer. Places I haven't seen, and places I can show C.

Today we drove out to see a place called Crooked Bush.
The sign 'explaining' the Crooked Trees.
On the way there. Enjoying the day!

Crooked Trees
This is me with Flat Stanley. I'll be doing a post about him on my Writing Blog later.


It was pretty cool. It didn't take very long to see though. After that we just took our time, and took a little tour of the area. I took some great pictures while we drove.

River/scenery on the way home

'Flat' Saskatchewan 

Just a church. Out in the middle of nowhere.

Found a lake while exploring.

 We got back to Saskatoon and enjoyed a lunch/supper (Lupper) on a patio. Which, of course, is one of my favourite things to do. We talked about how lucky we are, we talked about my book and the characters in it, the past, the future. It was nice. We aren't planning to do a lot more with the weekend. Reading time and writing time, sleeping in, coffee, wine, Veronica Mars. Plus quality time with the best man in the world. My life is pretty great.

Original Joe's patio



Gratitude
©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Thursday 15 May 2014

Throwback Thursday May 15 University Degree

 






Gratitude for my Throwback Thursday. Going to university and graduating with a BA in English. Some days, I feel like my degree has not always been helpful, but I'm still so glad I did it. I learned a lot, and had fun, and took classes about subjects I never would have thought about taking. Human Justice, History and  very surprisingly, Economics were some classes I enjoyed, but didn't think I would. I worked in a deli department at Sobeys for three of the four years I went to university, and I took summer classes to finish, and I did. A few months after graduating, I headed off to South Korea because I really didn't know what to do with an English degree. That is a completely different story though.
Anyway, lots of gratitude to the past for taking the time to get myself a degree. Some day, I may even have it paid off!
Plus, my job includes writing, and my hobby involves writing, so I would say this degree has was exactly what I needed to take.


Graduated 10 Years ago in Fall. (Fall 2004)











Gratitude
©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Wednesday 14 May 2014

Like at First Sight Gratitude

I was going to leave the love and mush with yesterday's post because what else do I really have to say? Everybody knows I am head over heels for him and have been from the start.

Today, I was walking with my work buddy, and we passed a spot by the river. The spot C and I first met. (Two years ago yesterday).

She was patient as I stopped to take a picture.



He was rollerblading, and I was walking a dog (Noodle) that DID NOT love people rollerblading. It was like at first sight. I was looking for a guy in shorts, a hat and crazy hair. (his words).

Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Tuesday 13 May 2014

May 13 Two Years to be grateful for

Two years ago, C and I met. It was Mother's Day but on this exact date. I found this out by googling when Mother's Day was that year. Last year, I kind of just picked a random date in May while we were in Mexico.

My life changed for the better.

Here's the story about Our First Meeting

This wasn't our first date. It was a few days later. It's not an official anniversary, it's just a day that made my life better and continues to. It's also conveniently easy to remember. Mother's Day, 2012.


2012 Our first picture together. My friend took it at JazzFest


Dancing at a wedding 2013
Mexico 2013
2014

Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Monday 12 May 2014

May 12 The little things

This:

Somebody from Sales gave the Creative Writers Starbucks cards.

It's all I need!

Also, turns out all these years, I've been braver about birds than I thought. Although, the bottom one of me feeding the bird was taken before my fear really started.


Back at work today, after a great weekend away.

So also grateful for my job and to have C to be excited to come back to.

Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.






Sunday 11 May 2014

May 10th & 11th Retreat

I've been blogging my gratitude all weekend and just posted tonight. Find out why I love my life this time Right Here!







Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.



Friday 9 May 2014

May 9th FRIDAY

I'm off to a writing retreat after work.

It's a gorgeous day.

I have a handsome man I'm going to miss.

All in all, a great life.

I won't be posting again until Sunday.



Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Thursday 8 May 2014

Thursday stuff

I was grumpy this morning, but then I wrote a post about books, and now I'm good and happy.

http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/05/favourite-books-judge-me-if-you-must.html

I shared my nine favourite books plus two extras.

It was great.

And the sun was out.

That's great!


 
Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Wednesday 7 May 2014

May 7th Not in Mexico

Last year at this time, Clint and I were heading to Mexico.

I'm still grateful even though I'm not happily burning on a beautiful beach.

My blog Erin's Writing Life http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/ now has over 2000 pageviews. Slowly but surely, I'm getting my blog writing out there.




Other than blog stuff, I still get to hang out with the guy I went to Mexico with, and that's the best part. I'm a girl in love.

Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Tuesday 6 May 2014

May 6th Food, drinks, life

Caught up with a friend tonight. Had dinner with C, and looked at an apartment. Had a great lunch. So far, really enjoy The Book Thief.

And wrote a blog post about Facebook. Here: complaints-about-social-media.html

As usual, lots of great gratitude.

Leftover crockpot meal

Book within a book: The Book Thief

Gluten free beer. Kind of smells like hemp.


Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Monday 5 May 2014

May 5th Winning

I don't win at games as much as I'd love to. C and I play crib, and I'd say he probably wins (luck) more than I do. Same with Words with Friends. I know it's being a bad winner to enjoy my wins... but all the same. Here's what I'm grateful for today:

Yep. Winning.

Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.


Sunday 4 May 2014

May 3 & 4 Weekend stuff


The weekend is all mashed together today. I was tired yesterday, and didn't feel like doing any sort of online stuff. Not much social networking yesterday. Anyway, my friend and I went Garage Saling Saturday morning, C and I went to look at a stinky apartment that we were approved for, but will find something better. We hung out and relaxed. Actually, I napped for about three hours in the afternoon, I think I needed it. I was feeling exhausted and run down.

Today is better. C and I had a great breakfast, coffee, and I'm catching up on the blogging. I also did some packing. We just need to find a place to say yes to.

That's it for today. Have a great weekend!

Gratitude.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.