GRR!

Things that seriously piss me off include (but are not limited to)

1. Speeding cars in streets full of children and their parents. ESPECIALLY if that street is a 30 zone. Someone needs to get beaten over the head with a cast iron pan.
2. Stupid females (and possibly males too) who leave the water on while going to the bathroom to ensure other females dont hear them pee and/or poop. SERIOUSLY?
3. Parents who buy (or allow) their 12 year old kids to wear costumes that would probably seen on women on the corners of St-Catherine street. That goes for parents of children anywhere below 18, and even then.
4. Being called gross, stupid, and crazy by really ignorant people who think its important to tell me how wacko it is that I want to use reusable diapers (and menstrual pads).
5. Constantly being under fire for reading the Bible, going to Church, and (randomly) preferring to make my own staples, such as bread. DEAL WITH IT SILENTLY.

There.. I feel better now.

Here are a few of my favorite things

You know what's the most wonderful thing in the world? Hearing 'Good morning my wife' when you wake up in the morning. Putting on that oh-so-new wedding band. Introducing your better half as 'my husband'. Knowing that you are united with the man you love more than anything else with God, family, and friends as witnesses, until death do you part. Ok, I guess I should have pluralized thing. :)
My wedding was truly and honestly perfect. There is nothing I would have changed, added, or left out. I am so happy I found that balance between economical/ecological and traditional. We paid what we wanted and had what we wanted, and our families had so much fun, and no one missed those silly things people were trying to pressurize us into buying. Having Sweet Child O' Mine from the Guns N' Roses (the violin version) play while my bridal party walked up the aisle was priceless. Including a greeting in the four languages (english/french/mohawk/greek) was a nice touch. And all those things that kept me sleepless three nights in a row? All for nothing.

I also received a gift from Heaven. When I was about to embark in the limo, it was raining hard, then sunny, the sunshowers. Driving towards the chapel, rainbows suddenly appeared in the sky. No jokes, it was like this movie magic moment, except in real life. It was like my father was smiling at me and giving his support and approval. Of course I was in tears as soon as one of my girls said this, but it truly felt like he was smiling right at me and saying that he was present, with me, ready to give me away. What more could a girl ask for?

I really am the most blessed woman in the world, and I am so grateful for everything. What did I ever do to deserve this bounty of love and happiness? God is great, and to Him I give thanks!

The Art of a Good Marriage

excerpt from “The Art of a Good Marriage”, by Wilferd Arlan Peterson

"A good marriage must be created. In marriage the "little" things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, ”I love you" at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is having a mutual sense of values, and common objectives. It is standing together and facing the world. It is forming a circle that gathers in the whole family. It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right person -- it is being the right partner."

Pink is for hope

Check your breasts, it could mean your life.

There is still good out there!

Prayer is an incredible thing. I don't know what it is lately but I find that my prayers have been answered ridiculously fast in a very determinate way. For example, I was coming up short for a few things for the wedding that I didnt absolutely need but would have been a nice addition. I didnt freak out about it because, like I said, it wasnt one of those must have things, but I still prayed about it. I asked Him if that it was supposed to be, that I needed His help to find a way to make it happen. The very next morning (no joke) we got the absolutely unexpected news that we were getting a monetary gift that came from a very unlikely source.

This latest miracle (and it was nothing short of that) happened just last morning. We got our car robbed twice in two months, which was very disheartening. In the latest robbing, Jeff had actually forgotten his wallet in the inside compartment and of course, it was gone. So he called all the places for his cards and we worried about the fact all his personal information was out there somewhere with somebody with possible and probable evil intentions. So, I once more tuned to prayer and asked Him for His help in whatever way that may be. And what happened, you ask? Well yesterday morning, a random knock came at our door. When Jeff answered, he found out it was our backyard neighbor... with Jeff's wallet... completely intact. Every card and every dollar were still inside where he had left them. The neighbor found it in our street and after seeing who it belonged to, he immediately came and dropped it off. So now I have him in my prayers LOL!

But I also decided to give him a little something to thank him. Im baking him a pumpkin chocolate chip loaf that taste like cake. It is so delicious and moist, and makes enough for three loaves. Mmm mmm homemade goodness.


Ingredients
2 cups brown sugar
15 ounces pumpkin puree
1 cup apple sauce
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half whole wheat and half all purpose)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (I do a crnaberry/chocolate chip mixture to cut the sweetness)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts



Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill pans 1/2 to 3/4 full.
3. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from pans.