Being Happy in the Meantime

These aren't my words but they are exactly what I needed to hear/read. My good friend Kara showed me this website called the 'Brave Girls Club'. They send emails with words of acknowledgement that life can be tough, and encouragement that we can make it through because we are truly amazing!
I hope for those who are struggling or will struggle, (which I'm sure you will coz let's face it that's life sometimes) will read this and find comfort and encouragement like I have. Don't give up and don't dare give in.

"Dear Authentic Girl,

It's ok to cry sometimes, you know. It's even ok to completely fall apart for a little while so you can put yourself back together in the way you are supposed to be together...sometimes the pieces of us get a little bit mixed up and we have to let ourselves fall apart so that we can get ourselves back in order.

And...it's ok to grieve over things that we've lost. It's ok to grieve over people that we've lost and it's ok to grieve over time that has been lost. It's ok to feel a bit of a hole in our hearts where loved things used to be.

HERE'S THE IMPORTANT THING, though. Remember, that you can still do the things that you want to do, and work toward the places that you want to do, and work toward the places that you want to be, and learn the things that you want to learn WHILE you are working through grief. You don't have to wait until all of the pain is gone to start living the life we want to have. The time to start living the life we want to have is RIGHT NOW...even if it's while we are holding hands with pain. They really can live next to each other...and then when it's time for the pain to go...you are not left alone trying to figure out what to do next...you are already there...just without the pain.

So...please stop waiting, lovely you. Please stand up and take some steps into the places that you want to be. It's ok if your pain comes with you...it really is. Someday it will feel like it's done it's job and it will be gone...it really will. YOUR JOB is to just keep moving, and you are the only one who can do it.

You know it's time...stand up, sweet sister...take a step.
You can do this.

Have a wonderful weekend
xoxo"

You can subscribe to these amazingly, uplifting emails at www.bravegirlsclub.com

"God invented the word coincidence so he could remain anonymous" (quote I found on pinterest) This email was send at this time in my life by 'coincidence'. I happened to need this email more than ever and it happened like it has many times before.

Be strong and carry on!

I'm a Sucka for Chick Flicks!

I'm the stereotypical girl when it comes to most movies.

I love comedies, romances, and of course romantic comedies.

I do enjoy the occasional action movie and yes I do love my classics (umm hello? Star Wars Saga anyone?). I love, love, love musicals, I wish I had time to watch more of them.

A new rom com is coming out so I naturally I want to see it. Many of you may have heard of it...

Crazy, Stupid, Love

BUT there are a few other reasons I want to see this:

1. Ryan Gosling anyone? 'nuf said.

2. Emma Stone. Ever since Easy A I have been an Emma Stone fan and I am so excited she is in this movie!

3. Steve Carell. He is super funny. I've seen a few The Office episodes and I think he's hilarious but I haven't jumped on that bandwagon and now he's gone so oh well. BUT in some of the movies I've watched of his, he's super funny.

4. Even though I don't believe in going to movies for dates unless you're actually 'dating' the person I would totally be ok with a guy taking me to this movie. (side note: dates are meant for the girl and guy to get to know each other better not simply sit and watch a movie...that's lame)

5. Rom coms ALWAYS have a happy ending.... call me cliché but I'm usually only satisfied if the movie has a happy ending. UNLESS it has a cool way the story is told and the conclusion could be reached no other way than to have it tragically end.

Here's the movie trailer so you can get super excited to see it too!

It comes out July 29!!!

How to Have a Lovely Day

So I'm just like many of my lady friends... I LOVE pinterest.

I find so many quotes that make me smile, laugh, cry, and even re-evaluate my life/attitude. This quote makes me re-evaluate my attitude towards how I deal with life every day.

Life hasn't been easy recently, you could even say it's been unkind but I'm doing fine...

So here it is:

How to Have a Lovely Day

in 10 easy steps

1. Smile at strangers

2. Slow down

3. Say thank you

4. Give lots of compliments

5. Dress nicely

6. Wear perfume

7. Observe and listen

8. Be charming

9. Laugh

10. Wish people a lovely day

And I'm proud to say I've done all of the above so far today! Just need to do it EVERY DAY and I'm sure I will see amazing results in my attitude towards those around me, and how I feel about myself.

Here's my challenge to you: complete this list every day and see how it changes your life.

Till next time friends...



This is the link where the 10 steps came from:
http://icanread.tumblr.com/post/1070331264

Graffiti Shoes

I don't believe in vandalizing other people's property so I vandalize my own. Back in high school I used to write all over my notebook or binder who I was crushing on that week.

side note: In England high school starts at year (grade) 7 so I was 11 when I started high school so I feel that justifies my writing I <3 (fill in the blank) all over my notebook. (I may still do that from time to time...don't judge)

I <3...

I'M NOT TELLING!!!!!

Anyways, I jazzed up a pair of white shoes and wrote some of my fave quotes/lyrics. A friend told me (something to this effect) that lyrics lead his life. I feel the same way. I love reading the booklet at the front while I listen to a new CD for the first time. Many of my friends/coworkers can back me up in saying that I'm always singing. I'm kind of a music nerd coz many times I would think of (or sing) a song that reminds me of the certain situation that I'm currently in or something a friend says. I used random patterns and quotes from lyrics or people I admire to decorate my plain jane shoes.

Here's the BEFORE:

AFTER:

"Come what may, and love it" Joseph B. Wirthlin

This was an amazing talk at conference and I try to live my life according to this talk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVNYhcYEwIE

On the left shoe is says 'no fear'. At times I fear I'm not good enough or that I'm too afraid to leap into the unknown. You can't see it too well on the photo but in the yellow it says "all you need is love". Even though The Beatles were high while writing the majority of their songs I do enjoy the lyrics and the music truly moves me.

"Run Don't Walk" is a song by Hey Monday...I saw them at warped tour last year.

I relate to that title because we can't go through the motions in life we have to feel the breeze as we run. It helps me feel alive!!! On the left shoe it says "Get off your feet and make this count" ~ Do You Feel by The Rocket Summer. One of my fave artists!!!!! I also saw him at warped. I met him and he crowd surfed right over me...I almost died!!! Anywho I love this lyric coz it's about feet....so it makes sense to have it on my shoes and the whole song talks about even though we have are busy lives it's still important to make a difference in the world around us and with those we have a influence on. Our life here on this Earth is a short time compared to the rest of eternity so we have to make every day count.

"Always love, hate will get you every time" ~ Nada Surf. The most powerful things can come from the simplest of words. If you don't know Nada Surf please check out this song. Then check out the rest of the album "The Weight is a Gift". It will change your life even if you're not super into music.

I love these two photos...

I just realized that I was wearing a 'recycling recommended' t-shirt! How fitting coz I recycled an old pair of shoes into art! teehee

Photos taken by Jared Etches.... good job lil' bro :)

British Stereotypes...REVEALED!

Ok so here's the thing... Yes I am British and yes I live in Canada so I figured I'd have to finally clear a few things up for my Canadian/American friends.

The following stereotypes will either be confirmed or denied based on my own life and according to my own wit and judgement:

1) Because I am from the Manchester area I know your grandma, your cousin, or even your friend you met over the internet...

FALSE

As rockin' as I'm sure your grandma is chances are I've never met her considering there are approx. 2.6 million in the Greater Manchester area...just sayin' so please stop asking if i know someone from the motherland coz i don't know them.

2) I watched the royal wedding of the century...

TRUE

Yes I went to bed at midnight woke up at 3am and stayed up to watch 3 hrs of the wedding coverage..LIVE! C'mon it's Prince William and Kate! They are the most promising royal couple I've ever seen! P.s. Will is gunna be the next king you  wait and see!

3) I've met the Queen

FALSE

Don't be silly! As if I've met her! I wish though coz that would be kinda cool. I'd much rather meet Prince William, he's amazing! He will do great things! (hahaha I always manage to quote She's The Man)

4) I eat crumpets...

TRUE

I love crumpets!!! For those who do not know what they are "They have a characteristic flat top with many small pores and a half-chewy half-spongy texture. They may be cooked until ready to eat warm from the pan, but are frequently left slightly undercooked so that they may be cooled and stored before being eaten freshly toasted" (thanks Wikipedia).

Crumpets taste the best with butter and honey! YUM!

5) Along with my crumpets I also drink tea at...wait for it...tea time!

FALSE

I tried drinking the herbal stuff but it's not really my cup of tea. hahaha get it? well that lame joke leads to my next stereotype.

6) British 'Dry' Humour is the only humour I find humoureous.

FALSE

Apparently I'm the only one that's thinks I'm funny. That's okay I like laughing at my jokes. I do enjoy some good British humour like Monty Python or Mr. Bean but I like other humourous things too.

Just a side note...don't tell a joke that no one will understand and defienatley don't blurt it out so your friends stop what they are doing and stare at you in confusion then laugh at you. That may or may not have happened to me this past week. For those that were there all I'm sayin is: garlic. bread.

7) All Brits have bad teeth.

FALSE/TRUE

Well this applies to me. I have never had braces and I have super straight/white teeth. I admit I DO whiten them but hey why not? I have a confession though...I have sooo many fillings so I guess that makes my teeth 'bad'. P.s. that's my new neice, Victoria! she's cute right?!

8) All Brits are chavs (this one's for Nolan, who probably doesn't even read my blog)

FALSE

I am NOT a chav. I do not own any Burberry or big gold hoops or chains. I do not wear track suits as my 'uniform'. I do not tuck my socks into my track suit bottoms. I do not have a kid at home or live off welfare. I do not talk or look like Vicky Pollard from Little Britain....yeah but no but.

9) I've played cricket, netball, and rounds.

TRUE

Yeah I played those sports and they were so much fun! I was actually pretty decent at them but I was 14 when I moved to Canada so I might have gotten a lot worse who knows.

10) I'm very patriotic!

       TRUE

I thought I would educate my fellow Canadian friends. To be honest I didn't know there was a Union Jack flag before the one we have today that did not include Ireland, so I learned something new as well. I love my country but I also love Canada and all the blessings and opporunities that I have by being in Southern Alberta.



Jimmy Eat World Concert...the stuff dreams are made of

I guess you could call this a concert review. If I had to describe the Jimmy Eat World concert in one word it would be 'incredible'. But y'all (hahaha inside joke from the concert, don't worry bout it) know I like to talk so I'm gunna do more than write one word.

We waited in line for about 4 hours but it paid off for 2 reasons:

1. We got front row!!! fo reals!!!

         I'm front stage left!!!

                       

I didn't even have to zoom in!

2. I made friends with the people that were in front of us and it turned out I met one of the girls before. We had a blast and we wasted our time taking photos!

Yes this was my idea...and I like it! (mine are the cool red shoes btw)

Their set list was to die for! My friend Kyle got a good photo of the set list:

They played all my favourites songs like:
23 (when I turn 23 I will listen to this EVERY day...but probs not every day)
Hear You Me (get's me every time!)
Bleed America (They opened with this and was it ever amazing)
Work (the first J.E.W. song I ever heard...I know what you're thinking "wow she's a late bloomer" but really that's from the album 'Futures' that came out in 2004 so it's really not that late)
Sweetness (they ended the concert with this one...what a great way to finish!)
The Middle (call me cliché but this is my FAVOURITE one of all time!!!)

To be completely honest Jimmy Eat World was never my go-to band but I still really like them. Now after the concert I truly LOVE this band!

Jimmy Eat rocks my World!!!

Momma Etches

I know you've all heard the cliche "my mum is the best mum in the whole world" well unless your mum was Mother Theresa or Mother Mary or  someone as cool/righteous as them sorry to say your mum is probably not as good as mine! Just sayin'
There's so much to say about my mum that I'm only going to able to cover a few of my favourite things about her:

1. she is the biggest donny osmond fan. you may think that your mum or some other lady you know is the biggest donny fan, but alas you would be wrong, again lol.
2. she makes THE best batispms cakes ever! she makes them look like golden plates! i wish i had a photo to show you all how cool they look...i'm so gunna use that idea for when my future children get baptised, for reals!
3. so many people say i'm a spitting image of my mum and i'm pretty awesome so therefore my mum is awesome!  my nickname is mini-ME (ME is my mum's initials...clever i know!)
4. she is so loving and will do anything for us as a family and at times (ok a lot of the time) us as children take that for granted.
5. she is a super mum! she works so hard and always makes time to spend time with us.
6. she always is willing to serve others.
7. we have such a laugh when we chat and i can honestly talk to her about everything. she is such a goof and i blame/thank her for my quirky-ness
8. this woman knows how to party when given the opportunity! it's so funny that when she was my age she was organizing huge dances and activities and that's the kinda stuff i love doing too! whenever i have parties she loves to help out which i love her for!
9. 99.9% she's right about things when it comes to advice about guys and friends (yes i still chat to my momma about that kind of stuff)
and finally 10. i know that she was meant to be my mum and to help me and the rest of my siblings learn and grow.

I love you mum!

Oh and another thing a love doing with my mum...singing to classic songs. This one's our fave!! ENJOY!