A new life!

I know it's been awhile since my last post - it's been crazy the last few weeks with the move, getting unpacked, and getting started at the new store. I've had the last two days off, and it's been the first time since before we moved where I actually felt like I had some downtime and could truly relax a little bit!
I'm loving our new house - while it's definitely smaller (we're now in a townhouse), I love the layout and the colours and I'm especially lovin' our gas fireplace and having my own bathroom! Every room in our new house is usable and liveable space, which I love as I've never understood why some houses or families have rooms that don't actually get lived in. I'm finally getting my office/recording studio set up, and it's definitely all starting to feel like home. Franklin made the move really easily and seemed to be at home about 10 minutes after trotting in the front door!

My new store is awesome too - it's very different from my old location - definitely a lot calmer and I feel the atmosphere suits me and my personality a lot more. The commute has been pretty great too - it's pretty much 15 minutes from my driveway to the store parking lot. I'm going against traffic, so that's been a blessing, although we'll see how it is tomorrow in the big snow storm!!

Chris starts at the new church in March, so it really does feel like a new beginning for us in many ways. I'm really thankful for the change of pace and am excited for what's in store for us in the next year. I already feel like I'm going to have a lot more time to work on my music, and Chris and I have been talking about where I want to go with my website and youtube page, etc.

So . . . so far so good! 2011 has definitely been off to a busy start in many ways, but now that the boxes are unpacked (well, most of them) and routines are being established, it's becoming even more clear to me that everything does happen for a reason and we were brought back here for a purpose!

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Changes, changes . . .

In my last post I mentioned that there were some changes coming up for me shortly . . .

In the ever-changing tradition of the Judges, we are moving again!

We are moving back to the Mississauga area, and I am transferring to another store in that area! It was time for a change, and we're excited about new beginnings and about being back in an area that always felt like home to us.

The big move is coming up very shortly, and I've been frantically trying to pack up the house and tie up all my loose ends at work. The timing with the new store worked out perfectly, and I start there right after we move, so I don't have to make the commute from Mississauga to North York at all, which I'm really thankful for.

I'm excited about being back in a community I know and love, and I'm also really excited about being closer to family and some old friends of mine.

So New Year means new home and new store for me! I think this year is going to be a great one, full of other changes, possibilites and dreams coming true!!

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Happy New Year!

January 1, 2011

Wow - seems so strange to write that!

It feels like only a few months ago when I was writing my New Year's post for 2010, it's crazy to realize that it's actually been 12 whole months - it went by in such a blur!

So many things happened in my life in 2010, there were lot's of good times, but also some hard, pretty bad times. I made it through though, and am grateful for everything and all the leasons learned.

Significant things/moments of 2010:


- I travelled to Africa again and got to spend time doing work in both Uganda and Kenya and connect with people I really care about

- I got to go to The Bahamas with Chris for some much needed rest and relaxation

- I turned 30

- my father-in-law Stanley passed away after an extended stay in the hospital

- my sister got pregnant

- I learned (finally) how to play guitar

- I ran my first 10k race


There were a lot of other important moments throughout the year, and a lot of smaller "normal", "run of the mill" moments that filled me with happiness and gratefullness and were often the ones I remember most fondly.

Looking forward to the next year, I hope that it's full of both small and big moments, and that I'm wise enough to recognize them while they're happening. I know that there are some big changes coming up very soon (which I'll be posting about in the next few days), and I'm really excited about what the next 12 months will bring.

Here's to 2010, and here's to the journey that awaits us all in 2011!!

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I survived!

Well, I did it!

I survived Christmas!

It was quite stressful this year (not the actually Holiday itself - that was pretty great), but the lead-up to it seemed to be "a lot" this year. Working as a retail manager over the Holiday season is always stressful and nerve-racking, but it's finally over now, and pretty soon it'll be my fave holiday of the year - New Year's!

I got to see my family over Christmas, and saw my sweet little niece Claire again (who is already speaking in full sentences at only 19 months!). I had two great days off with the fam, and then it was back to work for boxing day. I'm off now for two days though with my hubby, so we're planning on just hanging out and taking it easy. I also seem to have caught the cold that's been going around at work, so I'm glad I have a chance now to just relax and recouperate for a few days.

Hope everyone out there had a great Holiday with their loved ones, and that the New Year brings about a great start to 2011!

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Another reason I love my husband . . .

So as you probably know by now, I am a bit of a Taylor Swift fan - not a crazy fan or anything, I just love her songwriting and the honesty that comes out in her lyrics. The songwriter in me also thinks it's pretty cool to have a young artist be really popular nowadays who not only writes their own songs, but seems to be a good role model for young girls as well. She isn't famous for her partying, or her scandals - she's famous for her songs, and I love that.

Well she's coming back to Toronto next summer for her "Speak Now" tour, and tickets went on sale today, and . . . guess whose hubby went online and got a ticket for her today?!!!

That's right - I'll be a proud t-swift concert attendee next July! (And it's a pretty good seat too!) I've attached a video of one of her new songs "Haunted", that was on a TV special the other week:

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Harry Potter!!!!

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1" came out in theatres last week and I finally had a chance to go see it today on my day off.

Absolutely AMAZING!!!! Even my husband (who very nicely came along with me) thought it was really good! I've been looking forward to this film for a very long time, and it definitely didn't disappoint. The acting was great, pacing was perfect, and the things the filmmakers chose to focus on was spot-on. I'm both really excited and really kinda' sad for Part 2 to come out next summer. I can't believe that soon Harry Potter will really be over! It was one thing when the final book came out, but we all new that we still had a few films to go, so it wasn't too bad. But now with only one to go, it's hard to wrap my brain around the fact that after next July there will be nothing HP-related to get excited about! I guess a trip to "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Themepark" will have to be in order?

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How did I get so lucky?

Every day there's at least one moment (at least), where I wonder how in the world I got so lucky that I get to have Chris as my husband.

How in the world could I be so blessed to have someone like him in my life?

I love you babe . . .

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