are you two twins?

Twenty five years ago today, my little sister was born. And while I can't say that it’s a day I remember (being two years old and all), it's a day that was the start of many memories to come. My sister is one of my best friends. She is someone I laugh with, cry with and love to share clothes with. She understands my fast talking (whenever she let's me get a word in), isn't shy to tell me the truth and constantly cracks me up. She's a Dairy Queen addict, can’t get enough of the colour purple and isn't ashamed to like "With You" by Jessica Simpson. She's the best and she knows it. For my birthday several years ago, my sister got me a sweet album full of quotes about sisters and photos of us growing up. One quote in particular seemed to describe us, and I’m sure many sisters, really well… “A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves - a special kind of double.” Even though we were asked if we were twins more than any other question growing up (I’m sorry LG, but we do look alike!), some things about us were so different that when we joked about her being from another planet, it sometimes didn't seem that far from the truth. Her loud, talkative never-say-no-to-a-party ways were often in contrast to my shyer, quiet, I'm-going-to-take-care-of-everybody qualities. But none of our differences have ever stopped us from being the best of friends. We were able to share a room for almost 20 years and have never run out of things to say. We have a long list of jokes and one-liners that wouldn’t seem funny to anyone but us. We’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders and much needed therapists. We probably know each other a little better than we know ourselves. So to my forever friend and little sister, happy birthday champ. I hope your day is full of Thai food, Timbits and some tequila without the lemon.

Do you have any siblings? Do you get along with your brothers and/or sisters?

i don't want to grow up

Today, one of my favourite people is celebrating his third birthday. My sweet nephew was born three years ago and if I ever need to be reminded that time flies, watching him grow up is definitely that reminder. It seems like just yesterday he was welcomed into the world and now, as he grows, I am amazed everyday at his expanding vocabulary and how much he looks like a little man. His love of Star Wars, super heroes and sports and how much he wants to be like his big brother are just a few of the many things that make me love him so darn much. (And his adorable red hair is pretty darn cute, too!) The way he so excitedly exclaimed “Look what me got!” after every single present he opened this Christmas, whether it was socks or a hockey stick, was so special for me as it reminded me what it's like to be a kid. Being a kid seems so carefree. When eating your vegetables seems like the biggest struggle and play time lasts all day long, it’s no wonder we don’t all wish to be a kid again at some point. When I think about being little and what it was like to live with such few worries, it reminds me of a story that was often told in my household. My dad went down to the kitchen one morning to find the fridge open just a crack. As he got closer, he was shocked to discover that he had not left it open all night like he feared but instead, found my younger sister crouched inside stuffing Reese's Peanut Butter Cups into her mouth. However, in the crafty way that only children seem to know, she held up her hand cupping two chocolate cups in it and so sweetly said “Scott and Ashley?” as if she had been waiting to share with my brother and I all along, thinking that if she shared, she wouldn't be in trouble. If only being cute and clever could get us out of trouble like that now! Children have such an innocent way of seeing the world and watching my nephews grow up is such a lesson in simplicity. To get excited over the simple things, like socks, and to know how important sharing is to making the world go round are the little lessons that as we grow up we can so easily take for granted. Taking a look at the world through the eyes of a little one can instantly make the world seem like a sweeter place.

Why do you love about the little ones in your life? What keeps you young?

jumping into action

This weekend, my husband received a generous, and if I do say so myself, frightening birthday gift from one of his closest friends. While not something you can unwrap and be surprised by, the gift of a bungee jump certainly has the shock value that one can hope accompanies good gift giving. I am happy to report that he, along with the four others that were much braver than I, survived the 150 foot jump. And not only did they survive but they all survived with smiles on their faces, full of adrenaline and excitement and the desire to do it all over again. My fear of bridges combined with my lack of interest in throwing myself off of one had me with my feet planted firmly on the ground.
Bungee jumping isn’t on my list of things ‘to do’ in my life but I, like most people, do have a list of several things that I hope to accomplish or experience in my lifetime. While I haven’t actually created a bucket list or 101 things to do in 1001 days, I definitely dream of being able to put checkmarks next to some exciting, scary or adventurous personal goals. Jumping out of a plane with a parachute appealed to me much more than jumping off a bridge with a bungee cord so skydiving is something I can now proudly say I’ve done… and would highly recommend! And now that I have a couple half marathons under my belt, running the full 26.2 miles will be next on my list of activities to complete. It’s satisfying to know that I’m going through life accomplishing my goals and completing tasks no matter how scary, unattainable, crazy or physically demanding they may seem. While some items can be fun, some can be serious and some can be good for humanity, taking the time to decide what you want out of life and what you want to be able to say you accomplished can be such a motivating exercise that once it’s down on paper, it’s hard to ignore. And that may be why I have such a strong desire to see the ball drop in Times Square on New Years Eve, swim with dolphins in crystal clear water and have an exhibition dedicated solely to my own artwork…because looking back on my life, I hope to be happy with all that I’ve done and hope I never have to say “I wish I’d done that…”.

What’s on your list? Would you ever go bungee jumping?

happy birthday shoes

Today is my husband’s birthday. Happy birthday to my baby, my best friend, my actor, my comedian, my chef, my salesman, my partner in crime, my pillow and my favourite face to come home to after a day away at work. His birthday is one of my favourite days of the year because it gives me a reason to celebrate having him in my life and reminisce about all the ways he makes me smile – like how he hates to wear socks and throws them off every single day into the exact same spot by the fireplace. Or the way he spoils all the sad parts in movies with a silly joke or a ridiculous comment. I love the look on his face when he knows he’s eaten one too many sweet treats or shouldn’t have had that second helping. And I love how he gets as giddy as little kids do when it comes to birthdays, Christmas or opening presents.
This year, I got lucky and knew my guy really wanted to improve his golf game so some lessons for the links were the obvious birthday gift of choice. However, husbands, fathers, brothers, and boys in general always seem to stump me when it comes to buying presents. What do you get for someone who doesn’t accessorize or beautify, doesn’t care about cute creations or pretty pillows and certainly wouldn’t want a new book or piece of artwork? I know not all men are the same but my dad’s tie collection grows with each celebration and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind a surprise every once and a while. And even though my husband says he’d always be happy with tools or electronics, what do I really know about either of those? In my opinion, a wrench doesn’t really say I love you and I’m so happy to be celebrating with you. If any guy in my life mentions something he sorta, kinda, might want, I’ve got to write it down because chances are, that’s what they’re going to be ripping the wrapping paper off of when it comes time to celebrate their special day. Thankfully, my birthday boy’s memory (or lack there of!) seems to save me and his suggestions for gifts easily become surprises! Thanks, babe...and happy birthday!

What do you buy for the guys in your life? Do you find it easier to shop for men or women?

happy birthday turbo

Today, my mom celebrates her 38th birthday.
She’s been celebrating her 38th birthday for the last 14 years but you’d never know it. She is one of my closest friends, my favourite shopping partner and a truly amazing mother. My mom is a health nut, a personal trainer, a 3-time Ironman Finisher and a dedicated volunteer to a variety of community causes. I’ve never met anyone with more energy at 5:30 in the morning than she has and her ability to eat a salad the size of a large mixing bowl is hard to beat. While I may not have inherited my love of accessories from my mom, whose Ziploc baggie works wonders as a purse, I will definitely give her credit for my love of all sweet treats as well as my need to always have a clean kitchen counter.
Mothers have some incredible talents that seem to come only with motherhood. Mom’s have an amazing ability to see dirt where no child ever will. They are especially skilled at making sandwiches so that they always taste better than any I could ever put together and their built-in lie detector seems more accurate than any used in an FBI interrogation. Mothers seem to have motion-sensor alarms that will arouse them just as you’re creeping in after your curfew and their magical power that seems to kiss away pain is greater than that of any superhero. I’ve been lucky enough to have grown up with a super supportive single mom who can’t help but laugh when she tells me “I’m getting serious now!” and always found ways to make sure we were well taken care of and well loved. Parenthood is a tough job and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the love, laughs, support and daily emails my mom has provided me throughout the years. Thanks to all moms for being moms and thanks to my mom for being you...Happy Birthday!

What is your favourite thing about your mom? Or about being a mom? Are you like your mother?

it's my party

I love birthdays. I actually love celebrating other people’s birthdays more than my own (I hate to be the center of attention!) but with my birthday coming up this weekend, I can’t help but think about all the fun times and good memories from my birthdays past. I’ve been lucky enough (and loved enough!) to have had several surprise parties thrown in my honour and one particular one seems to stick out. While getting ready to go to my cottage for the weekend, my parents left to go fill the car with gas – a seemingly normal task when taking a two hour drive. However, when the trip to the gas station that is about seven houses away from my humble abode was taking them 15, 20, 30 minutes, I began to think something was wrong. I could not have been more surprised to answer a knock at the door several minutes later to find 10 of my closest friends all packed and ready to take a road trip with me to the cottage to celebrate my day of birth. How they got organized enough to actually pull it off, I will never know but it truly was a happy birthday!

{via}

Unfortunately, for some more than others, with a birthday comes aging. I have to say that while there are many people who wish they didn’t have to watch their age creep upwards faster than they’d like, I’m not one of them. Sure, I like being young and I think time is always flying by too fast, but I actually find aging an exciting adventure. I remember seeing Dr. Phil’s wife, Robin, on TV one day talking about what it’s like for a woman to get older. She was saying that if she wasn’t 50 years old, she couldn’t be happily married for 30 years and she couldn't have 20 year old sons who she was so proud of. Not one to normally pay too much attention to talk shows, I found that her words really struck a cord. There are so many milestones in life to celebrate as we get older and without reaching these ages, we can’t celebrate long lasting love or watching our children grow up. I’ve only been married for several months but I look forward to getting old with my husband and that’s not something I can do if I don’t embrace my birthday every year. So as I prepare to celebrate getting older tomorrow, I am looking forward to all the adventures that will come with this new age bracket. Whether I’m turning 26, 36 or 46, I hope each age and each new day brings something exciting to look forward to.

What’s your favourite birthday memory? What do you like to do to celebrate?