To Resolve or Not....

New Year's is upon us very soon and once again it is time to think about New Year's Resolutions. Every year I make the same resolutions and never seem to keep them for more than a month or two. First one I always make and break is my promise to myself to work out everyday and keep to a very healthy lifestyle. That usually goes along with the resolution to lose 30 pounds which never happens! I did manage to lose 16 pounds this year but that was only after gaining 20 during a very stressful period so really I was still up 4 pounds :(
The second resolution I tend to break is my goal to save more money. I really used to be good with saving money and never had less than $3000 in my savings account at one time but now that I am older and life throws more hard balls my way- like car repairs, the need for new household appliances and getting fatter thus needing new clothes- my bank account has dwindled to the point that when I look at the balance I get severe nausea. I am scared what I'm going to do when kids come and we have a lot more expenses...take a deep breath and stop stressing... ANYWAY I am really going to try to keep this resolution this year. I used to always think about a purchase LONG AND HARD before making it and usually decided not to waste the money. I am really going to try very hard to go back to that mentality. I was never one to buy things frivilously and can't believe I let materialism get to me so much that I started wasting money on things I don't really need. AND I have a second job for a reason- perhaps working there a little more often to save the cash would be a good idea...time to let them know I'm available weekends again!
The third and last resolution I always make and break is to keep my house spotless clean. I really hate hate hate clutter and can't stand when the house is messy. I think maybe if it were just me living in the house and there were no husband in the equation my home might be less cluttered and messy. It is really hard to keep on top of things when a small house is storing the lives of two grown adults who both seem to keep everything. Perhaps this year I will be able to stay on top of things and declutter and keep it neat and tidy...i'll cross my fingers and try really hard to keep this one this year. We are no longer having a cleaning lady come twice a month (got to save the $$) to clean so it's really important to maintain a schedule and stay on top of the cleaning.
Now for some new resolutions to think of...how can i improve myself, be a better person, and maintain a healthy relationship with G-d. I think that I will try to talk to G-d daily, refrain from negative thoughts (which really can be a challenge as we talking about stopping a lifetime habit) and look on the bright side of life. Are these things realistic and can I actually keep these promises to myself? I guess only time will tell but with a little help from G-d and my family and friends hopefully I will see a noticeable improvement in myself and my attitude towards life...wish me luck!!

Wedding Crashers

December 28, 2005
Interesting, Predictable, Obnoxious: "Wedding Crashers" Inspires Wedding Crashers
By Debbie Schlussel
Today's Wall Street Journal Marketplace section has a very interesting article about a rude behavior you could have predicted would result from the hit movie, "Wedding Crashers": wedding crashing. (We wish we could link to this, but alas, you must subscribe to the WSJ to access it.)
The movie has inspired so much wedding crashing that it's become very costly to non-celebrity brides and grooms who must shell out big bucks for decidedly celebrity accoutrements, including guards/extra security and the extra money the caterer charges for extra plates (food served to the crashers who are not caught). It also now includes the tacky, but necessary: Wedding parties must now resort to sending tickets for admission in the wedding invitation. Enjoy seeing total strangers in your wedding photos? Those pics cost money, too.
It was funny in the movie--which was hilarious, if very raunchy--but come on . . . in real life, this behavior is just plain obnoxious. And, oh, the effort it takes. One set of wedding crashers accessed the groom's on-line resume to bluff their way through conversations with relatives at the wedding. Another couple crashed a wedding, then invited the bride and groom to crash theirs. How cute . . . NOT.
Too bad the movie has emboldened this behavior, but didn't you kind of expect that? This latest decline in manners and common courtesy is yet more evidence of the dumbing down of American society. Like this movie, we liked "Animal House," "Back to School" (which is now 20 YEARS OLD!--circa 1986--and, unfortunately, being remade with Cedric the Entertainer, in Spanish; 'Nuff said) etc. But that doesn't mean we want all of America to emulate these movies. "Wedding Crashers" is a movie, not an instruction manual on how to behave in real-life.
Posted by Debbie at 12:14 PM

My thoughts:
I found this blog entry by Debbie very interesting. The thought that people would have the chutzpa to actually go to some elses wedding, eat a full meal, drink from the bar all at the cost of the bride and groom is beyond me!! While I found this movie hilarious and had a really good laugh while watching it I assumed it was all fiction. The reality that some people actually crash weddings is unbelievable...guess I'm just a little naive!!

Maybe it's just me....

I have been on a quest in the last few months. I am determined to find the perfect eyeshadow. None of the brands or colors I have purchased seem to do anything for me at all. The first one I purchased was a brand called ARISSA. This was about $3.99 at Walmart. The colors looked so pretty in the package I was sure they would be gorgeous on. Boy was I wrong. My first attempt to use this duo called Star Dust was a total disaster. I applied it using the applicator in the case and made a total mess of my eyes-and I was at work so I had no way of removing this chalky gross mess off my face (yes the shadow ran all over my cheeks and into my eyebrows-YUCK) ...I tried it again later using a brush but the color was so faint it was a little to au natural for my liking.

The second one I tried was from Cover Girl. It was not super cheap. I paid about $6.99 on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart for a 4-kit shadow in the Urban Basics color combo. The colors are fairly neutral so I knew I would not get dramatic results but I thought perhaps the color would show up a little. The matte streetlight color doesn't show up at all. I try to use it under my brow as I have always thought the lighter color should go but I swear all it does is aggrivate me. The two sparkley colors are nice but not really appropriate for day time use. I have used them for an evening out and they look fine. The last color, the pearl dusk color is really nice but for some reason it tends to get a oily film on it which I have to scrape off with my finger nail or else there is no point to trying to use it. VERY ANNOYING!!

My latest attempt at finding the perfect eyeshadow was just yesterday. I bought a L'Oreal quad in the Autumn Leaves combo. So far after two failed attempts to use this shadow I really wish I could return it for a refund as at $11.99 it was really not cheap! Firstly the applicators provided are pretty much useless. They don't help the shadow go on nicely at all. The colors are supposed to complement each other but when I put them on I just didn't get it. The dark colors were too dark and the light ones too light... They seemed to smear all over the place and I found myself washing the shadow off and reapplying with a q-tip (which worked a bit better but not much)

I have come to the conclusion that perhaps some people just aren't meant to wear eyeshadow or maybe I have never really learned the right application methods but I am stopping this quest to find the perfect shadow as I really don't want to broke myself ...gonna stick to mascara and lipstick for now on!!

An Evening With Friends

It's always nice to get together with friends. Last night we had our first Chanukah party. I had planned on making latkes but was just too tired and really wanted to do other things instead of slave over a hot frying pan cooking in the afternoon.
We had about 14 people over and I'm glad to say it seemed as if everyone was getting along well. That is always a worry of mine-that people won't get along or will have absolutely nothing in common thus having nothing to talk about...besides the fact that the usual "all about our kids talk" prevailed for what seemed a better part of the evening things were rather enjoyable.
People ate, drank (well pop at least) and were generally merry.

The only thing that didn't really happen which I kind of hoped would was people drinking a little more-and relaxing so they could stay later than they did- but no biggie as we did have 4 people stay past 11 pm (woohoo)
The turn out was decent. Only my single friends seemed to decline. Funny how that works. If I were still single I probably would have declined an invite like that as well. Who would want to spend an evening with all married people listen to talk about kids!! I'll have to make a concerted effort to get together on other occassions with single girlfriends.
Anyway we had one super yummy mummy who took the time to put on her party clothes and do hair nicely (as always) then we had the usual jeans and sweater crowd who come au natural sans make-up or hair spray... but glad they were able to make it none-the-less.

Happy Holidays vs Merry XMAS

This time of year brings with it good cheer and wonderful spirit BUT on the other hand it also brings a lot of frustration and aggrevation. Yes going to the mall and looking for parking during December can be slightly hellish but these aren't the annoyances that cause me the most stress.
What really peeves me during this time of year is the general assumption that everyone celebrates Christmas and that there is a lack of sensitivity to those who celebrate other religous festivals. How many times am I forced to smile politely when a client says Merry Xmas or a co-worker asks me if I've done all my shopping..I understand they are just trying to be polite or show interest but with all the "mutli-culturalism" in our society these days one would think it would be easier to understand the need to recognize that not everyone celebrates Christmas.
I am not trying to be a grinch nor am I saying that we should now call a Christmas tree a Holiday tree but on the other hand it would be nice if all facets of our society here in Canada were recognized during this time of year or always for that matter.
It is quite frustrating when I am laughed at at work because of a request to call our "christmas" lunch a holiday celebration due to the fact that that there are so many people of various cultures in our office. When will people learn that some people are different and we would appriciate a little recognition or just know that an effort is being made to understand OUR holidays and tradionts.

Sleepless nights

What a scare I got this past week. I received my CREDIT CARD BILL in the mail and boy was I shocked by the balance...I have always been extremely cautious with my spending and always make sure that I have enough cash in my chequing account to cover any credit card purchases I make. I HATE being in debt(with the exception of my mortgage) and could never live with myself if I had to pay those crazy credit card interest rates...that's why when I opened the envelope and was slapped in the face with a larger than I could have imagined balance I had a little panic attack...what was I going to do??? There was no way I could pay that off in full without borrowing money from a savings account or G-d forbid asking my husband for a small loan...well after hemming and hawing and stressing myself out totally I meekly aproached my husband and told him I couldn't pay my bill this month...I was SOOO embarassed but he didn't even bat an eyelash and gave me a cheque for my bill ....I have definitely learned my lesson and will start thinking, twice, three times and perhaps just leave the cards at home before making my next unnessecary purchase!

DERAILED

This thriller was much more than I could have expected. Given Jennifer Aniston's normal performance and her usual ditzy role I was quite pleasantly surprised by her performance in this suspenseful movie.
Derailed is a suspense thriller about a regular family man named Charles Schine who meets exciting and beautiful Lucinda. They become friends and then start an affair. During their first redevous at a local hotel they are burst in upon by a thief who takes not only their money but their identification as well. The robber then proceeds to terrorize them beyond what either of them could have imagined.
This movie left me on the edge of my seat, wondering what the next horrific move would be... contains quite a twist-one I would have never guessed at till it actually happens in the movie
Definitely recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a good suspence thriller.
Performance by Brit Clive Owen was also very well done and I'm looking forward to seeing him as the next James Bond

The Power of JDate

Another JDate success story wedding...ahhh the power of the internet!!! We attended another wedding powered by the highly successful JDate ...this site can be attributed to bringing together so many wonderfully happy couples-including my husband and I.
Shana and Randy met about a month before us and got married 11 months and 1 day after us...
anyway here is a pic of the happy couple and some friends

The Last Enemy

I have recently finished reading a wonderful book called The Last Enemy by Rhoda Kaellis. At first glance this book may seem like a childrens' or young adult book with light content and not that much substance. After reading through the first few chapters I began to realize this book is so much more than a narrative of a 12 year old child's experiences post WWII.
The story of Sarah Cardozo is told through her narrative. She describes her experiences dealing with her 11 year old cousin Lilly who has just come to live with Sarah and her family in New York after losing her parents in a concentration camp. Lilly was raised from the age of 5 in a Catholic orpahage as a means to save her from the Nazis.
Sarah first dreams of taking Lilly under her wing and teaching her all about Jewish life in America. She plans on having the sister she always wanted but never had. This dream is soon shattered when a "damaged" Lilly arrives from Belgium with dark hallow eyes and not a hint of life or happiness in her. Sarah has to deal with so much, from trying to communicate with the unresponsive Lilly to understanding why Lilly is so withdrawn.
Lilly has a lot of anger and pent up hatred towards her parents, her new family and Jews as she has been influenced by the nuns in the orphanage and her new Goyim friends.
Sarah tries to deal with Lilly and her issues on her own, scared to tell her parents of Lilly's odd behaviour and even more scared to tell them of Lilly's confession of a hatred of Jews.
This book left me thinking about how so many of us have no idea or understanding of what the survivors went through, they had so much to deal with on so many levels, from emotional, physical and psychological.

Think Pink

I recently read an article in Macleans stating that the real epidemic is fear and often fear is what kills rather than a disease itself. Breast cancer is a very real fear for so many women. It is also a reality for many women as well. I pray daily that my genes do not prove to be my demise as both my grandmother and my aunt had cancer. My grandmother Dora (whom I am named after) had breast cancer which she detected quite late and did have a masectomy to remove her right breast, she later died of the disease. My aunt Frances did not have breast cancerbut she did have hodgkins disease and lukemia which was diagnosed at 18. She died at the young age of 42.
Breast cancer is a common disease, and the vast majority of breast cancers are not due to inherited (genetic) factors. For most women, increasing age is the greatest risk factor. However, in some cases breast cancer does run in families, and may be caused by a faulty gene.
Education is key in fighting and preventing breast cancer. Women must learn to do self exams at an early age and not rely on their medical professionals to detect problems. If you have any doubt or suspicion please talk to your doctor and arrange for a mamogram. Regardless of the extra monetary cost you might incur due to lack of coverage for such tests the peace of mind is well worth it. Although breast cancer is not common in younger women; that is women who have not yet reached the menopause. The vast majority of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50, so being diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age can be a very isolating experience. It may come at a time when the thought of having cancer may never have crossed your mind, or it was something you thought happened to older people. It is very important to be aware of the possibility of breast cancer occuring in younger women.
Please take action and help us overcome this debilitating disease. Run, sponser, donate, learn or educate yourself and others and we shall overcome
http://www.cbcf.org/

Meet Brinkley

Brinkley is my parents' dog. He is such a cutie pie and we all love him so much, even if he chews up shoes and barks his head off at midnight for no apparent reason.
We have entered Brinkley in a cutest dog contest...please show your support and vote for him here Thanks in advance!!!
http://www.happydoggie.ca/IconContestants.htm

What's in a name?

I have always been obsessed with names. I have spent many hours dreaming of what my husband and I will one day name our child. The problem is there are so many beautiful names to choose from and of course there is the Jewish tradtion that one must name their child after a deceased relative. In our case we have 4 grandparents' names to choose from as well as my father's sister so choosing a strong, dynamic, nice sounding, and probably biblical name is going to be no easy task.
Right now we really don't have to worry about this naming business but the article got me thinking about the importance of a name. I don't think some parents give it enough thought about how the name will affect their child later on. Did Gwyneth Paltrow really think APPLE was going to avoid being name fun of just because of who her mom is??? Or how about 50 cent naming his child Bow-TY of all things...plain weird in my opinion...let's see there are also names like Calico like Alice Cooper named his kid...that name just reminds me of a big orange cat...
I often think about the fact that a name will be with you for life so when naming your child try to remember that it's not always cool to be too different and kids can be really mean to each other at times so be kind...
Names I like:
Girls Boys:
Rebekah Eli
Rachel Frank (after my aunt Frances)
Rose Ross
Ella Harris or Harrison
Ellie Eitan
Carli Hilton...

This is fun...thanks Jilly!!!

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	7.8
Mind:	6.3
Body:	8
Spirit:	7.1
Friends/Family:	6.5
Love:	9.1
Finance:	8.6
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

oh what a week...

Wow what a long week this has been...I have been working Monday evenings at Dominion and that shift seems to make the week drag longer than normal...Don't know what it is about monday evenings but I find the busier I am that night the longer the rest of the week goes...It has been SOOO busy at work too these past few days. Cheque run always causes a lot of extra calls coming through. Luckily I had a couple of afternoons off this week to do things that can never seem to get done on the weekends. I went to the dentist which is downtown and then went shopping afterwards with my mom. I finally bought a white wool coat as I've wanted one for a year or two now.
I got Gavin an anniversary present a little early. He needed a printer for his BEd apps and also for school next year so I got it for him. Since the 1st anniversary is paper I thought it was appropriate!

Isn't it pretty?!?!

baby fever

Yesterday (Saturday) was a hard day...went to Steve and Robin son's 4th birthday party. There were tonnes of kids running around and so many of the women were pregnant with their 3rd children. It seems as though everyone has babies and had no trouble at all getting those babies...even Robin who had a miscarriage at 5 months is now pregnant again only a few months after the loss....I am really happy for her but also a little jealous (not in a green with envy kind of malicous way but a"it's not fair it's not me" kind of way)
I almost had a breakdown right at the birthday party but luckily the uncontrolable crying fit was contained until we got home...poor Gavin had no idea what to do to make me stop crying...finally I just fell asleep due to total exhaustion...
Gavin made me go out on Sat night in order to take my mind off the whole baby thing...SOOO
We went to see the movie Elizabethtown. It really sucked. The story was weak and the acting was lame the only good thing about the movie was Orlando Bloom...he is such a cutie pie!! Unfortunately he wasn't using his real voice...I love his English accent and he was playing an American in the movie...:(
BUT the movie did take my mind off the whole ordeal of the day.
Look at this face...how could you NOT want to squeeze these adorable cheeks!!!!

Me

Only 18 more pounds to go to my weight goal...well on my way to being slim!!! 

Introducing family!!

I have been an aunt for about 9 months now and I love it...it is such a joy to see little Ava grow from week to week. She is such a sweet little child. Lately she has begun babbling and cooing more often- especially if she wants your attention. She even sits up on her own now!! She loves her home made baby food her mom Debbie makes for her. She is her daddy's pride and joy!This picture was taken at my home on fathers' day 2005. My husband is holding is first neice with such caution (he hasn't had much experience with babies....unlike myself who babysat A LOT when I was young)..
We have a nephew too. He lives with his mom and dad in Zurich Switzerland. Little Daniel is about 2 months old now and the last pictures I saw of him were very cute. He was such a handsome new born!! We had the chance to meet him during his first week of life as we were visiting Switerland when he was born (VERY LUCKY FOR US!!!) He gammy and gampy would love him to live here in Canada so that we could all spend more time with him but he's staying put in Zurich for now as that's were his mom and dad live and work. At least he'll get to spend time with his paternal grandparents who live nearby in Lugano Switzerland.
The other pic is of my hubby and baby...here he is holding little Daniel- who is about 8 days old at the time.

oh so frustrated...

I'm at an age where most of my peers are either in the process of starting families or have already entered the world of parenthood.
I do understand that having a baby changes ones life. How could the new responsibility of caring for another human beings' every need NOT entirely change things? Life is no longer your own.
This tiny creature relies on you for EVERYTHING. Without you this baby could not survive on its own.
My issue is not that you now allow for your schedule to molded around your baby. My issue is that so many mothers now use motherhood as an excuse to discard all responsibility to take care of themselves or to stop doing the things they once loved. They seem to forget that it is still important to take care of themselves. How hard can it be to apply a coat of mascara or dab on some lipgloss? Or how about leaving the sweats for the gym and putting on a decent pair of jeans and a top before leaving the house for a day on the town or an evening with friends. I do see plenty of good-looking, well put together moms pushing strollers, running after toddlers who are NOT wearing sneakers, a ponytail and track pants.
It has become one of my greatest peeves to hear some friends blame motherhood or parenting as an excuse for sloppiness . If I could lose a pound for every time I've heard "you don't have kids, you don't understand" I would be a very thin woman!!
I'm sorry but looking like you've just survived the lastest natural disaster cannot be blamed on motherhood. Nor does allowing your home to be constantly in a state of disarray because "we have kids" does not seem fair to the kids. I know plenty of women who keep their homes spotless without the existance of housekeepers or cleaning ladies. In fact one good friend of mine has taught her 2 and a 1/2 year old to sweep the floor and dust the furniture. Daily cleanup time has been incorporated in his daily play time schedule. Before bed every night it is a race to see how fast he can put away his toys. Now he won't go to bed before all the toys are away neatly in the toy chest. (of course there are other issues regarding parenting style I might have but really it is none of my business)
I have another friend with baby who NEVER looks bad. She always takes the time to put on make-up and straighten her hair before facing the world. Looking good makes her feel good and I have to admit I feel the same (although I don't have kids yet, I imagine I'll still try to look my best and not allow myself to get so caught up in mommydom to forget about what is important to me. )
It is my opinion that motherhood should not be seen as an excuse to stop caring about yourself. Just because you have children life doesn't stop. It is still acceptable to be hip and with it while doing the whole mom thing. I do understand that as a parent you definitely will have to give up some of the things you love because time is probably not an option but please don't blame your wee ones for this....

weekend...or wakeup...

The past weekend was a nice catchup on some much needed sleep. I ended up snoozing till past 11 am on both Sat and Sun, wasting away the whole morning. What will I do when we have kids and I no longer have the option of taking it easy???? Scary thought!!! No wonder so many people have nannies!!

Spiritual Enlightenment????

Now that the High Holidays are over and I've been exposed to religion again after a year long absence from any practice of prayer I find myself full of so many questions.
Is synagogue and prayer supposed to leave one feeling enlightened or transformed from a "sinner" to a good moral individual? Yom Kippur, the most important or holiest day of the Jewish calendar is a day of contemplation and reflection of ones self. It is also a day in which one asks G-d for forgiveness of sins committed over the past year. As Jews we are asked to fast and refrain from doing all thing frivolous such as washing, using perfumes or lotions and from wearing leather shoes. As a non-religious Jew I do refrain from eating and drinking but cannot find it within me to refrain from washing. I absolutely need to brush my teeth. What is the real point in all these actions? Are they really leading us down a stronger moral path or are they just viewed as an inconvenience? Does G-d really treat those whose lives are filled with daily religious practice better than those who just attend services three times per year? Can those who do practice orthodoxy really judge those who choose to lead more secular lives? Doesn't the act of judging go against everything Jews are taught in the first place?

WHAT IS A SEPTUM???

By definition a septum is a wall dividing a cavity into two separate cavities or spaces. The most recognized area in the body containing a septum is the nose. Thus everyday knowledge of correcting a deviated septum is now very common. There are other areas that contain the possibility of a septum that don't normal exist. In my specific case I have a uteri septum. I was never aware of this "birth defect" until an early term pregnancy loss. These defects usually go undiagnosed until a pregnancy failure occurs.

The septum extends to the internal opening of the cervix and in my case even further downward thus it is considered a complete septum versus a partial septum. With close inspection of the vagina the septum is quite apparent. It appears as an extra flap or hanging skin. The septum itself does not result in fertility problems but its existence does interfere with proper development of the fetus because the blood-starved median septum is covered by a poorer grade of endometrial than that of the blood-rich sidewalls.

This type of uterine malformation is one of several but appears to be the most common one found in about %30 of women with anomalies. About %1 of women on the whole have misformed uteri.

These types of malformations can be remedied through a fairly simply laproscopic procedure. Once upon a time these septum was removed through an incision in the abdomin but through medical developments this is no longer neccessary.

Life of a cat

To be a cat...oh what a life a domestic cat has. Our two babies couldn't possibly have a better life. They both live like kings of the castle...and they definitely dictate a lot of our daily activities...like when to get up, when to eat, if we can use the bath tub or not etc...

A much needed night out on the town ended in way too much to drink and a long lazy Sunday doing nada!! 

Battle of the Bulge

Weight has always been an issue for me. I have never been severely over weight but for some reason have always wanted to "lose a few". For as long as I remember I have hated some part of my body or another. Perhaps it goes back to grade seven when on more than one occassion one of the "popular" boys looked at me and called me "thunder thighs"- I was devestated and have never forgotten that feeling of desperation to lose weight-although I have never really acted upon my desire to be thin I can recall expressing my feelings in my journals over the years.

Recently though I gained a lot of weight. Probably due to a new marriage, excessive stress and some health issues. I decided that it was finally time to take action. I joined Weight Watchers. I had no idea what to expect and thought that the people there wouldn't like me because I wasn't extremely obese and only had 20-30 pounds to lose. I'm glad to say my fears were unwarrented. The leaders, staff and other members were all very friendly and also extremely supportive. I was never made to feel like an outsider and was always welcomed and greeted with a warm smile and encouraging words.
I have managed to lose 16 pounds so far and am on my way to losing the 30 I was aiming for. The process is slow and WW is not a magic solution-they don't give you a wonder pill so you wake up one morning a size 6. It is all about making healthy choices. There are things I thought I was doing right but were actually doing all wrong...who knew that too many fruits weren't that good for you. All that natural sugar actually adds up to excess points/calories.
I'll keep you posted on my successes and failures and hopefully by posting I'll actually stay motivated to stay on track.
UPDATE
FOOD JOURNAL: (today’s weight 148 pounds) GOAL: 130

OCT 17 2005

Food Points Balance
Oatmeal 2 18

Blueberry bran muffin 7 11

3 crackers 3 8

cheddar cheese 3 5