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Not loving the fall weather that has come down on us all of a sudden. I still need to go to this little old Italian tailor that my friend recommended me to months ago, so I can get my pants hemmed up before winter! I dislike wearing heels all the time, and since I have two pairs of granny heels I’m just not fond of the way they look anymore.

What is everyone up to this weekend? I think we’re heading out to test drive a subaru that my Boyf is looking at purchasing. Then probably going to look at a little laptop for the him to lug around when we’re on airplanes and stuff. Bringing a huge one is such an inconvenience.

Yayyyy!!!!!

I’m  back in the blogging world. I’ve been tweeting throughout my whole vacation in case anyone didn’t/doesn’t follow me.

When the alarm went off on my dresser this morning, I had forgotten that I was home in Ontario so it spooked me a bit.  Today was my first day back at work and it was so incredibly busy. A good type of busy where the day flew by and I almost forgot to take lunch and I decided to finally eat at 2pm!!

I can’t get over how many blogs I haven’t read in the 12 days that I was gone. My Google RSS feed says I have 1000+, so I don’t know the exact number. But I think I’ll skim through most blogs and of course not read all of them. So anyway, I will have a full re-cap and photo post coming up later this week. But for now I need to unpack all the groceries that I just went out and purchased and then make supper. After — perhaps I’ll make some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Until then…I leave you with some pictures to gawk at.

Jasper, Alberta

On top of a mountain taking the Tramway in Jasper Alberta, 1304 metres (4279 ft) above sea level. It was bitter cold, and snowing on top. I mean, look how high up I was!

At the base of Mount Edith Cavell just two days ago!

Walking to the base of Edith Cavell.

The boyfriend’s race at Ironman Canada was incredible. He squashed his time from last year by a good 30+ minutes despite the monsoon that happened in the mountains. Absolutely out of character for this area….the day prior and day after was 35+ plus. Can’t even imagine how they all did it. More of a recap later as I’m still here in BC, and haven’t been able to get on a computer because haaay I’m on vacay. We’ll be flying to Edmonton later this week to do some shopping. Blogging will resume next week :) Maybe while you’re waiting you can check out some life insurance information? Sure, why not!

All packed up and ready to go! This week we’re heading out to British Columbia as my Boyfriend competes in his second Ironman Canada. Blogging will be sporadic but I will still be here!

Hayyy yay it’s Saturday! Just taking a break from packing (not that I have to pack a lot, I’m not going for a month) and doing laundry and getting the apartment sorted for our vacation.

I had my Caricature done when I was in Old Montreal back in 2006. I remembered the year because that’s when I moved to Ontario! I don’t think it looked much like me, but I always enjoy having a look at the drawings of others. Check out some of these funny/cute ones below!

My favorite character on television. Doctor House. I love the personality he plays on the show House. I still can’t get over that he’s a Brit, and has such an accent! I’d love to have that first one framed. Awesome colors, great facial expression. Second one is just kind of creepy. Kind of reminds me of coogi

Yo snoop, wuddup dawg. He makes me laugh.

I hate the show “The Office” but this picture had me cracking up!!!

The super hot (not right here) Cristiano Ronaldo

Has anyone seen the movie Slumdog Millionaire? If you have, you definitely know what character this guy is. Well done!

I really dislike the emo-child that is Kristen Stewart. She’s never happy. In movies, she’s always down, on the red carpet she looks depressed. So when I saw this, I knew I had to post it. ANGRY FACE captured.

Hope you enjoyed that little bit of insanity. I’m off! See you all tomorrow :)

Purse lovah. I have a thing for white purses, but then who’d want it to get dirty? I certainly have no idea how to clean purses.

Haylie Duff sporting a lovely purse. Gimmie!

Kristin Cavallari sporting a Michael Kors Gansevoort Tote ($299)

Chloe Gemma handbag

Prada Cervi Antik (source)

After browsing online for some purses, I was lusting after a nice brown one. I headed into the local Coach store and found a lot of ugly purses. I don’t like the name to be sprawled everywhere, and I’m more a fan of leather, than I am fabric. The leather one’s weren’t that eyecatching to me.

The other day I went into H&M after work and I spotted a purse that was inexpensive and pretty. And in brown! I don’t own any brown or black purses. So, I snatched it up and bought it instantly. This is the type of purse I would like to have last me a long time. If it was real leather I’d be happier. But this bag will probably only last me six months to a year.

But it’s nice, right? I am definitely bringing this purse with me to British Columbia on the airplane. Well — I’m off to make some custom luggage tags. Seriously. I am. Benefits of being a Graphic Designer!

Also — people! Enter my CSN stores $60 gift card giveaway, only have until Monday. It’s a freeeeeeeeee gift card for you guys. What’s stopping you?

Totally random but sometimes I can be a really awkward person, even with writing blog entries. Other times I’m not — but I wanted to mention that I blogged on the Healthy Living Blogs website today, and was featured on the main page. Super cool. You can check out my blog post: What Healthy Means To Me there!

What is everyone up to this fiiiine evening? I’m going to sit my butt down after a long hard week and watch some tv reviews online… either Big Brother 12, or some other shows that I don’t get from not having cable on our not so fancy bulky mini tv. We’re actually looking at some new tv’s at Future Shop, like the huge flat screen television sets. We definitely need a bigger place though too… all in good time.

I use a points credit card for everything. Today I bought a coffee (I’m a non-drinker) for a co-worker on the credit card. Gaining points gets free groceries eventually, and I can definitely keep track of my spending when it’s all on one bill. After I get home, I pay it off immediately so there is no debt or balance. The new PayPass is a great invention since I don’t ever have to sign anything, just tap and go on my merry way with whatever I just bought.

There’s a new thing out now too, called BluePay Merchant Processing, which is obviously different than the PayPass, but it allows you to save money on every transaction that you do. But it’s basically for companies rather than customers.

Have you ever heard of it or seen them around in stores?

Monday night I ended up running at 9pm with two friends. One of those friends I haven’t ran “alone” with (besides group trail runs) in over a month! It was good to finally get out there with them both and have a good relaxing run. Except it wasn’t relaxing for me. Once again my breathing started getting all crazy and it sounds just like I’m  hyperventilating, or that I have asthma. It gets embarrassing, because my body can do it — since I have done it in the past, and just this past 4 or 5 weeks my breathing has been slowing me down.

I mentioned last week I went to the doctor finally. But there hasn’t been an appointment yet set up for me to get some pulmonary function tests done. So I called my family doctor who is also my soccer team mate. She’s on freaking holidays. She did not make an appointment for me to get my breathing checked. What. the. hell? Just because she thinks I’m fine in soccer (which I sometimes am I mean, you get TONS of breaks with soccer) but c’mon you’re a DOCTOR. If I have breathing problems, just don’t tell me it’s mental if you’ve only known me during a brisk game of soccer, and you haven’t gone on runs with me. To say I am a bit upset at this, is a bit of an understatement.

But since she’s on holidays I somehow sweet-talked my way with the receptionist who will get the replacement Doctor to sign off on a requisition to get me checked out. Jayssusss. So much crap to go through just to get peace of mind. Plus, I’m going on holidays soon for two weeks. At least the receptionist is being incredible and looking up places in my city (so I don’t have to travel to my family doctor’s city) so I can have all this stuff done.

So.  Continuing on the topic of running… I update my iPod once in a while (which I haven’t updated it, since I received it in 2007 I don’t think. I KNOW. Crazy.) But I just don’t download music anymore, and I don’t buy the $0.99 songs on itunes. So I’m stuck with either old music or no music when I go out on a run.

Some upbeat music that I have been wanting to put on my ipod lately?

• I speak no Americano (I LOVE this! It’s insane, but so catchy)

• Magic. Feat B.O.B. I already have this song, I just have to put it on my iPod. I can definitely see myself running a bit harder when this catchy tune comes on.

Do you run with music?  Do you listen to upbeat / mellow / hardcore music on your runs?  Tell me some songs! I need some new ones :)

My boyfriend and I are heading to the west coast for a vacation in the next little while, and I have a checklist of each thing that I need to bring so I don’t forget. But we also want to keep the costs down on eating out as well. We went on a trip to the west coast last year and you can see all of the recaps here.

Last year we spent too much money and not planning things out.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to eat inexpensively? I’m thinking of packing up the following items and bringing it with us, or buying it at a local grocery store:

• pasta (bring)
• pasta sauce (buy)
• fruit (buy)
• milk (buy)
• cereal (bring)
  
• trail mix (bring)

I have no idea what to do. I don’t want to eat out every single night for our 2 week vacation! I need all the help I can get. Any/All suggestions welcome — especially from you Cassie!