Happy 1st Birthday Banner

My little Banner-Bum is a whole freeking one year old.
This was supposed to be the magic number. He had such high hopes....

By one year old, Jimmy & I were sure that Banner would be trained to act like a gentleman when visitors stopped by. He was also supposed be trained to sit on command instead of waiting till we coaxed him down with a cookie.

For sure we spoiled him, heck I'd even go as far as to say he ruined him. But he's our pup with the craziest personality, we love him and we've accepted the little monster as part of our family.

Need further proof that we've ruined him to the point to no return. His birthday dinner was steak!! Jimmy insisted that Banner NEEDED a steak dinner.

I made a special trip to the grocery store to buy nothing else but mini cupcakes from the bakery for Banner. Really, nothing else, not even a gum or apples.....just cupcakes. Vanilla ones.

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And would you check out this stash of goodies.



Yeah, I fed Banner his cupcakes one by one.....he loved every lick.....and somehow managed to get icing on my tablecloth. But fear not, he licked the tablecloth clean in no time.

my happy list

Beautiful day out today..... the first day of autumn was yesterday (?) or was it today? Can't remember, but autumn is upon us whether we like it or not. However, the weather was nice enough to take a walk with my boys after work.... Banner even got a little swimmy-swim-swim.



Remember my keyboard and sexy mouse rant a while back (fyi, I'm digging them now)...... Well, the necklace that Jimmy bought me to smooth things over came in the mail today. And holy crap, do I ever love it. I didn't make it, it's totally someone else's creation, but I'm gonna wear it every chance I get.



Mai Ling accepted me as a new friend. LOL, the easiest friend I ever made. I just asked. And check out my hair.....she nailed it!



Banner and all his kisses he's been giving me lately.....ok, well he blinked in this picture, but usually his eye are filled with love for him mommy.

Spent the night sitting at my scrap desk instead of the computer. I had nothing to really write about tonight. So instead, I scrapped my heart out until Banner needed out to pee. (Crap, I forgot he's still outside.)

The most fabulous family week-end (possibly EVER!!)

And the reason I say it was possibly the best ever is because when I got married two months ago, my adrenaline was kicking soo hard that I didn't really feel anything. This week-end I was able to sit back and relax.....no decorating and no running around town.

A huge chunk of my family travelled to Midland/Lafontaine this weekend to attend my cousin Marc's wedding. And although the main purpose of the week-end was to attend the wedding, we had a ton of time to kill between Friday afternoon and 3pm Saturday. And boy, did we ever make the best of it.

My cousin Marc is pretty special to me. Our parents are each others god-parents and our birthdays are one day apart so we spent many birthdays celebrating together and also soo many week-ends together while growing up. He was a fixture in my life I as I grew up, and I hope he held me in such a light as the bright light I saw him in.(Marc, if you're reading this, I love you!!) Yeah, we all had to drive 7 hours to get to Lafontaine and drive back home two days later, but to be with Marc and Stephanie as they exchanged marriage vows, my whole family would have driven to China if we had to. Marc has the most infectious laugh and the flippin' friendliest personality you'll ever come across. Ugh, and genuine and funny......and I could go one for days. So that takes care of the groom.

Marc's beautiful bride Stephanie...I cannot write such a flowing review. When one shy girl meets another shy girl...there isn't very much talking that takes place. I've only met her a handful of times, but after being a guest at the wedding, I got a much better understanding of the person that she is. A wedding is a reflection of a bride and groom, and from what I saw this week-end, I love what they have become together. During the speeches, we 'met' Stephanie's sister and her parents, and they're all 'good people'...so Stephanie, welcome to the family. (The question is, after Dan's tuxedo episode, do you want to join?...more to come on that)

Ok, so here's a breakdown of the the week-end.



First thing we did once we got into Midland was eat big ol plates of fish and chips... This is my and cousin Renee after lunch.

We shopped around a bit downtown before heading to the bed and breakfast. completely rented out my by family. to drop of our luggage. Lots of fun. No need to tip-toe around late at night when it's all your family in the rooms around you.

Then we headed to my cousin Chantal's house to spend a 'quiet' night in, in preparation for the next day. (Yeah, quiet my a$$, I heard something about the the groom not going to bed till 5am!!)



We were boozing and singing and having a great time. Here's a pic of my dad singing with some of his sisters.



Here's Natasha, Renee and I up past our bedtimes....



My brother was up quite late the night before the wedding......and even without 8 hours of beauty sleep, he's still a cutie!! Anyone want dibs? He's single!!

Part 2

The church was beautiful. The bride was stunning. The groom looked like he was on cloud nine. All in all, a very happy day.

My favorite touch, very much 'Marc & Stephanie'



I'm sure my cousin is most proud of his new bride, but I know that closely behind his love for his wife is the love he has for his truck. This is priceless!!! His Big Red was their getaway vehicle!!!



The Bride and Groom's first dance.....



Pic of the groom's sister and groom's cousin. My adorable cousin Dan was in the wedding party and rented this tux for $300. A month ago we were chatting and he was like "$300 and I don't even get to keep it. They're thiefs!!" Fast-forward to the night of the wedding....sometime after the reception ended, wearing his fabulously expensive rented suit at the after party around a bonfire....too much alcohol.....and Dan decided to throw his jacket into the fire!!! My brother egged him on and said, "Hey Dan, you're wearing a vest, how about that too" Yup, into the fire too!! Then my brother added, "Three's a charm, how about the shirt?" Do I need to tell you what happened??? Soo, Dan closed the night half naked wearing only black dress pants suspenders surrounded by Marc's new in-laws. The story of the $300 tux turned into the $1500 tux.



I want to introduce you to my dancing partner Nicolas. I had a blast dancing with him. He put me to shame a few times with some of his moves. Everytime my old body told me to take a break from dancing, Nicolas would say "Ok, take a break but come get me when you're ready to dance again ok?" Never in my 27 years have I received soo many 'you're a great dancer' and 'you look really nice' compliments. Girls, he's gonna be a keeper.



Ok, this isn't my finest moment.....I'm such a bad influence. Maybe this is why Nicolas thought I was soo pretty.....he wasn't seeing straight!! My cousin Chantal (the beauty dancing with tuxedo boy a few pictures up) is gonna get an eyefull when I send her a copy of me with her two angelic children.

Part 3, the Final Chapter

Ok, so recap..........great week-end.

The wedding - Fabulous with a capital F!!



Anytime you can dress up and buy new boots (Me!!) is a good week-end. Check us girls out!! Aren't we hot? LOL, and my biggest accomplishment.....Nathalie and Renee are gonna start scrapbooking with me!! Wow, no more scrapping alone. (Paula, if you're reading this....aren't you proud that I recruited another two for our crew?)

Dropped $60 on scrap supplies in a little under 15 minutes. And my parents joined me in the store and Dad bought me a Silent Setter because he thought I needed one.

We picked pototes in my cousin's backyard.

We shopped for pumpkins.

And now I'm home safe and sound wishing we could do it all over again.

T.G.I.Thursday!!!

My weekend is here a day early!!

Friday morning, I'm waking up with the birds. Jimmy & I will duke it out to see who gets the shower first. He'll probably win...because I won't have the energy to put up a good fight. Mornings aren't my 'thing' and I can't function until my head is sopping wet. Nothing like a shower to put the zip in my doodah.

This weekend I'm making my first appearance as a 'married woman'. It'll just be a little hard to tell that I am, because Jimmy isn't joining me. He has to work all weekend, making me the only 'single' married guest at my cousin Marc's wedding. But don't worry about me folks, my cousin Renee offered to share her date with me....nice eh? Too bad he's only 22.

Anyways, what are the rules now that I'm married? Can I still wear a cute outfit to the wedding? Or do I have go out and buy pant suits now? Keep in mind that I am not real sophisticated and grown up. (I mean, 21 year olds hit on me because they think they have a chance.) I've never been told I was beautiful or sexy like most women, just cute & fun and 'girl-like'. I CAN'T SETTLE with a closet full of married suits, at least not happily. Can I still wear sparkles????

Anyways, I'm off to pack my bag for this week-end.... And until I'm told otherwise, I'm wearing a really 'cute' outfit to the wedding. With sparkles!! LOL

cheers!

I've got a ton of crap to get done this coming week-end. Next week-end I'm off to a wedding and have to drive 8 hours Friday AM with my parents and brother to get there. It's gonna be soo fun, but I hate staying away from home... I hate getting ready anywhere but my place where everything/anything is accessible. So this week-end I need my hair cut and colored (roots SOOO trashy)and need to get me an outfit.

Lastly, my "patient comment of the day" that had me and Dr. X rolling around laughing. Patient told us "I'm here for prescription renewals and I was gonna have a pap done but...... so I'm scheduled for one next week instead. Dr. X please don't have Raina call and cancel because there is a lot of preparation involved. The night before, I'm gonna get down and shave my muchachos." (I DIED right there because I KNOW this woman. I KNEW she was going to get me involved..... "Right Raina....you do it too right, when you get a pap, you make yourself pretty?") I left the room with tears in my eyes I was laughing soo hard. And then I prompty left for the night, without saying goodnight to Dr. X. Can't make eye contact after that.

p.s. Ok, who calls it a muchachos??? doesn't muchachos mean 'friend' or something like that in Spanish? I swear that is the word she used.

Banner meets a Buffalo

Just looking through some pictures....still laughing at this one......... Banner was a little mexican jumping bean on the way to obedience class one night. We had to pull over when we saw this big guy hanging out. Curiosity got the best of us and we wondered what Banner's reaction would be to seeing him up close. Poor little guy peed all over the place, but not one peep out of him mouth. And he was a perfect angel the rest of the ride to puppy school.

my week-end thus far

The weather is crappy out today so I'm sticking to 'crappy day activities' such as laundry, a little cleaning.....all the stuff I don't want to have to worry about on Sunday & Monday when the supposed sun will show her pretty little face.

Ok so Jimmy bought himself a sleek & sexy mouse and keyboard (and I'm kinda digging them now...) and I swore something shiny & new would be coming my way right? I also said it would be red.....WRONG!

I am the biggest advocate of making your own jewellery. It's soo much fun, it feels great to get compliments and you always get what you want..... I have a necklace to match just about any outfit, no waitaminute I have about two for each outfit, incase I want to dress up an outfit or just finish up the outfit. There is a difference...

Today I found a necklace that I loved and wanted that was made my someone else. And I bought it. Yup, I'm gonna wear someone elses creation and I don't care. Wanna see it?


Gorgeous isnt' it? I had to get it. Cause I didn't want it to haunt me the way some other things I didn't buy haunt me.


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UPDATE: I know how to order things online, but not how to pay for them. So I showed Jimmy what I ordered and asked him to help me pay for it using Paypal. And guess what, Mr. Man with unlimited funds for computer stuff bought me the necklace!! Score for Raina!!

Also, helped my sweetest friend Caroline get her blog rolling..... Check her out....she's under my 'Personal Friends' section. (Anyone interested in showing me how to add a link in here so you can just click the link.....I feel soo lame 'pointing')