Christmas Celebration With Sheila And Isabella

Yesterday afternoon Alley and I ventured out to celebrate some Christmas fun with Sheila and my beautiful God daughter Isabella. Brooke stayed at home with Dad as she is suffering from some type of bug. Alley and I, had a fun and cozy time with these two special ladies. Thanks for a great aftenoon.

Celine Dion And My Computer Are Not Compatible

Last evening I spent some time surfing the net and I linked on to a humorous Youtube video featuring my favorite gal pal Celine Dion (Please note the sarcarsm.)

What happened next was total chaos. My evening shifted from a nice relaxing one..... to one filled with frustration. I blame it all on Celine.

I was unable to hear sound from my laptop speakers so I went into the control panel to see if an adjustments needed to be made. (I think I know a thing or two about computers, when in all actuality I really don't.)

I must have hit some setting as the next thing I know, is that every webpage had extra large font size and all the background color was missing. My heartbeat quickened and my stomach did flip flops. OH NO!!!!! What had Celine done?

I called my friend Mark and he tried to help to no avail. Panic was setting in.

I called my computer savvy brother Gregg who thought maybe my version of Internet Explorer 6.0 might be corrupt and that I should uninstall and install IE 7.0. I completed the mission successfully and was happy to see the font size problem was now resolved. I was still missing background colour and this was very perplexing as we had spent a large amount of time doing some troubleshooting (Is that the proper term......ha,ha,ha?)

Gregg was just as perplexed and we had exhausted all options. He suggested I search the net and find if anybody else had ever experienced any thing like this and how it was resolved.

I did just that and I found the solution.........."I believe the problem you are describing is related to the Display Tab-->Use High Contrast setting in the Accessibility Options Control Panel Applet. Uncheck this setting, apply and then try again.This was the problem on a machine I recently 'fixed.'
I did as was suggested and actually watched all of the open pages add color right before my eyes!!!

I still hold Celine Dion responsible.

Girls Night In

Library Girl and Miss Caitlin graced us with their prescence yesterday afternoon. The have both proven to be fantastic friends and great support to our family and myself during the last few months. My youngest daughter Alley adores Library girl and ranks her as one of her best friends. An afternoon of tea and chitchat and an invitation to stay and watch a movie with us in our home theater led to an impromptu invitation to stay and join us on our staycation and have a sleepover. The plan was set in motion and what ensued was an afternoon and evening filled with movies and more movies, manicures, munchies, making friendship bracelets, fancy drinks of lemonade with raspberries and an umbrella to garnish, fun and more fun. Thanks for a great time ladies.

Deal Of The Day

Enlarge and print this coupon and receive $1.00 off your next purchase of any Hungry-Man product. Coupon valid until January 31, 2008.

This & That

The holidays have come and gone and my goal today is to go grocery shopping. I need to take inventory of all the leftover holiday treats and chocolate and restock our shelves and pantry with healthy foods. Unlike many women, I actually enjoy going to the grocery store. I love sauntering up and down each aisle to see what's new and what's on sale. I love purchasing items I've never tried before.

Yesterday I went to the Ciniplex to catch a flick.....P.S. I love you. It was a charming little movie but I did think that Hilary Swank was totally miscast. She is such a strong actor and is ill suited to portray a loveable grieving widow. Another reason I wanted to see this movie is that there is rumour that one of my most favortite novel series may be set to film and that Gerard Butler is being considered to play my favorite character. I saw him in 300 and was intrigued but wanted to get a taste of him again. I think he is a strong contender but my pick to play Mr. Jaimie Fraser would be Clive Owen. I of course would play Claire Fraser.

2007 In Review

When I reflect on 2007 these are the things that either affected me the most or that I can call to mind the most.

The end of the Harry Potter Series as the 7th installment made its novel debut on July 21st.

The year of the Chinese made toy recalls.

The Virginia Tech tragedy.

The unveiling of the iphone.

The death of Anna Nicole Smith and the custody battle of her daughter Dannielynn.

California fires.

The ongoing and sad decline of Brittney Spears.

Paris Hilton spends 3 weeks in jail.

The Hollywood writers strike.

Rosie leaves "The View"

The death of Jerry Falwell.

The Jena 6 trial.

The death of Luciano Pavorotti

O.J. faces more charges once again.

Watching the documentary Planet Earth and wanting to buy a copy for everyone I know.

Watching the third season of Lost and loving every minute of it.

Falling in love with the smoky, sultry voice of Amy Winehouse as she sings......"they tried to make me go to rehab.....I said no, no, no" and hoping someone will stage an intervention.


Former Pakistani Prime Minister Bhuttos assination reflects unrest of Pakistan.

The 30th anniversary of Star Wars.

Enjoying the film "Knocked Up."

Discovering the films of Rob Zombie and becoming a huge fan.

Realizing how great Canadas healthcare system is. I was able to focus on healing and recovery and not worry about the financial cost of radiation and chemo.

New Years Resolutions

I am happy to bid farewell to 2007. Have you set any goals for 2008? I have always been one to set goals for myself, although not always at the beginning of the New Year. I think it is good to give thought to personal growth, change, and challenge. I feel I have grown so much lately but I think my focus this year will be to focus on becoming a fuller version of myself.

25 Best Celebrity Quotes of the Year

You can read them here. My personal favorite is David Letterman to Paris Hilton during her guest appearance following her stint in jail.....too funny.

New Years Wishes

I found this New Year Greeting via Miss Cellina and thought it was fitting.

May you get a clean bill of health from your dentist, your cardiologist, your gastro-enterologist, your urologist, your proctologist, your podiatrist, your psychiatrist, your plumber and the I.R.S.

May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs and your stocks not fall; and may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your cholesterol, your white blood count and your mortgage interest not rise.

May New Year's Eve find you seated around the table, together with your beloved family and cherished friends. May you find the food better, the environment quieter, the cost much cheaper, and the pleasure much more fulfilling than anything else you might ordinarily do that night.

May what you see in the mirror delight you, and what others see in you delight them. May someone love you enough to forgive your faults, be blind to your blemishes, and tell the world about your virtues.

May the telemarketers wait to make their sales calls until you finish dinner, may the commercials on TV not be louder than the program you have been watching, and may your check book and your budget balance - and include generous amounts for charity.

May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a day to your spouse, your child, your parent, your siblings; but not to your secretary, your nurse, your masseuse, your hairdresser or your tennis instructor.

And may we live in a world at peace and with gratitude in every sunset, every flower's unfolding petals, every baby's smile, every lover's kiss, and every wonderful, astonishing, miraculous beat of our heart.

Guess Who?

Click here to find answer

Reflecting On Christmas

I hope you all had a lovely, safe and memorable holiday! Garth and I spent Christmas in Brantford with our families. My mom and Dad played hostess to 13 overnight guests from the 25th-27th. There was lots of fun, lots of presents and lots and lots of food. We had a great time hanging out with our neices and nephews. I was vigilent about my diet and took time to take all my medication and do my treatments. I paced myself and stole away each day to take some quiet nap time. Garth bought me this camera and I am slowly getting acquainted with her and all her special features. We celebrated Christmas with Garths family on the 29th. I hadn't seen my brother and sister in law and their children in some time so it was great spending time with them. The festive season is coming to an end but I fully plan on enjoying myself a little longer on my staycation.

I am closing my eyes and wishing that everyone will discover some sweet magic and that life will feel softer, less stressful and more beautiful. I am hopeful that dreams will be coming true in the new year...yours and mine. Peace, hugs and spirited joy to you and yours!

Holiday Meme

Wrapping paper or gift bags? I use both.

Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. A living tree is too messy and I can’t handle the responsibility.

When do you put up the tree? The afternoon of the Toronto Christmas Parade which is always the third Sunday in November.

When do you take the tree down? New Year’s Day.

Do you like eggnog?Ugh.....NO!!

Favorite gift received as a child? The Sunshine Family Dollhouse, Furniture and Dolls.

Do you have a nativity scene? Um, nooooooooo.

Hardest person to buy for? My in-laws.

Easiest person to buy for? All the kids.

Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither this year.

Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A generic gift from a co-worker and the tag said Girl gift.

Favorite Christmas Movie? Several! Elf, Love Actually, A Christmas Story.

When do you start shopping for Christmas? I start thinking after Halloween.

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No!!

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My moms dressing.

Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear lights.

Favorite Christmas song? Chestnuts roasting on an open fire by Nat King Cole.

Travel at Christmas or stay home? We spend Christmas Day at home and then to my parents after dinner to celebrate Christmas with extended family over the next few days.

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Of course I can.

Angel on the tree top or a star? Father Christmas

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We open a few gifts on Christmas Eve and then open the rest on Christmas Day.

Most annoying thing about this time of year? Shopping.

Favorite ornament theme or color? We have a lot of pop-culture ornaments related to Star Wars as well as kid-made ones. I like those the best.

What do you want for Christmas this year? Continued health.

I'm In The Mood For Christmas

Yesterday was a fun day. We took the girls to see High School Musical On Ice at the Skydome with dinner afterwards at the Old Spaghetti Factory. In a few days, I'll be leaving to be with my family in Brantford. My parents host Christmas each year on the 26th in their home. I am looking forward to being with all my brothers and their families during the holidays. I am craving time with my family. Christmas is so not about the gifts but all about the love and comfort of time spent with those that get you and even those that don't.

Madonna Has Been Working Out

Her arms look like they belong on a male body builder who spends his life at the gym.

Doris

This heart is for you. Thank you for your visit today. Lately my heart is full to the brim with gratitude by the kindness and generosity of friends. The basket you brought over was fabulous full of many fun goodies and treasures.

Song Of The Day : All I Want For Christmas Is You

Fun,fun,fun.

Laugh Of The Day

Hand Bell Hero

Who needs guitar hero when you have this great time waster. Play here. Another version is here.

How Much Do You Know About Christmas?

You Know a Lot About Christmas

You got 6/10 correct You know tons about the history and traditions surrounding Christmas. When you celebrate the holidays, you never forget their true meaning - or all the little fun details. Random Christmas fact: Most Christmas trees are edible. The needles are a good source of Vitamin C.

How Much Do You Know About Christmas?

Whopper Freakout

See what happens when BurgerKing customers are told they have taken Whoppers off the menu.

Free Rice

FreeRice is a sister site of the world poverty site, Poverty.com.
FreeRice has two goals:
Provide English vocabulary to everyone for free.
Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.
This is made possible by the sponsors who advertise on this site.
Whether you are CEO of a large corporation or a street child in a poor country, improving your vocabulary can improve your life. It is a great investment in yourself.
Perhaps even greater is the investment your donated rice makes in hungry human beings, enabling them to function and be productive. Somewhere in the world, a person is eating rice that you helped provide.

Snow In Toronto

My daughters spent a bulk of their weekend outside enjoying the snowfall left by what news stations are labelling a massive winter storm. This recent snowfall has turned the streets of Toronto and surrounding areas into no man's land. My husband loves snowstorms and loves to get the kids pumped with excitement. He is already alluding to the notion that tomorrow may be a snowday.

Impressive Energy Conservation Efforts

Ireland, recently became the first country in the world to ban the traditional lightbulb. I wonder what happens if you don’t. Jail? Public flogging? Actually it is pretty impressive.Here in Canada the traditional lightbulbs are going to be phased out entirely by 2010. In our household we have already made the switch.

A Quick And Dirty IQ Test

Your IQ Is 85

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average Your Verbal Intelligence is Exceptional Your Mathematical Intelligence is Average Your General Knowledge is Average

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

What An Appetizing Book Title

Yummmm!!!

Link Of The Day : GlobalIncidentMap.com

When you click on this website, a world Map comes up showing what strange & dangerous things are happening right now in every country in the entire world & is updated every few minutes. You can move the map around, zero in on any one area & actually up-load the story of what is going on. It is amazing when you can see the things that are happening right here in the U.S. , sometimes right in your own state or even your city.
Global Incident Map: There is a lot happening in our world every minute.
This "map" updates every 300 seconds...constantly 24/7.

Cancer Update: Heros!

Before I was diagnosed with cancer, I had a nearly spotless medical record.
I rarely got sick, and even when I did, it was not often serious. But once I was diagnosed with cancer, suddenly I had an entire medical team to help me get better. I suddenly had teams of doctors and nurses,and a list of contact numbers for people who I could call to ask any question that might cross my mind. I thought theirs must be a tough job. Cancer is scary illness, and it strikes people of
all ages. I can’t imagine what it must be like to see so many depressed and
terrified people every single day.
I don’t know how they do it, but they are amazing. They were friendly, they
laughed at all my husbands jokes, they even said that our visits were always the most entertaining. Is that good or bad?
I have been amazed at the genuine kindness they each brought to my
life. They answered all my questions and took so much time to explain everything I needed to know about what to expect from the illness, and my treatments.
On November 14th I had surgery to repair nasal stenosis. The surgery itself was uneventful and I was disharged the same day with fiberglass tubes up my nostrils to keep them open and patent. I was told the results from the MRI looked great and there was no sign of tumour. The next two weeks were very painful and my nose felt like I had been in a bar room brawl and by my appearance(swollen, red and bruised) I was the loser. Contributing to the pain was the 7 tissue samples that were removed from my nasal passages and sinuses. On Friday, Garth and I returned to Mt. Sinai hospital to have the tubes removed and await the biopsy results. Fear joined me that day while I waited for the results. I mean it was there,always. Not far away, waiting for the opportune moment to pounce right into my conscious thoughts.
I am HAPPY to say my fear has been alleiviated and as the doctor read the negative results from all tissue samples I cried tears of happiness and joy.

These people I speak of saved my life, and I will never forget what they've done, and continue to do, for me and for other patients. They are my heros. I also, want to say thankyou to everyone who has more quietly made a difference in my life.......because of them I never felt alone.

Gath has been my physical support system, helping me with the everyday things around the house, the groceries, helping with cleaning, cooking, taking care of everything so I wouldn’t have to worry about it.
His love and concern for me has showed through in everything he did, and he will
always be my hero, not just because he is my husband, but because he stuck
with me through one of the darkest times in my life.
My kids...... The fear of knowing that mom was facing a life-threatening illness is something I wish no children ever had to experience.
My parents...They called frequently and let me vent and cry, they visited, they gave the kids some fun during summer vacation that they remember fondly. I now, feel closer than ever to my parents. I am also thankful to all the support my parents had from their circle of friends and families throughout this journey. Their inqueries and Emails to my parents reflected genuine care and concern that once again reminds us we are not alone.
Tara....She was there beside me at my worst. She instinctively knew when to call and even when to come over despite me, telling me her I was okay. She always left me feeling stronger and in control with her prescence. She watched my children endlessly and opened her heart and home to them.
Heather, Mary and Sharon.....They helped me with the every day necessities (meal preparation) so I wouldn’t have to worry about the little things.
Mark, Marnie, Corrine, Sheila, Leslie, Barb, Kelly and Mike......They too opened up their heart and homes to my daughters and gave them some fun days during the summer as well as offering phonecalls, visits, cards and being constant cheerleaders throughout this journey.
My siblings, family, friends, neighbours, workmates and my online friends Teresa, Mandi and Toronto Mike......Their phonecalls, emails and visits, They kept my spirts up and encouraged me to keep my chin up and keep a positive attitude.

You are all my heroes....without you, I don’t know if I could have
stayed sane.


Thank you! You mean the world to me.