Done.

Friday I finished work. Not by choice as I had previously mentioned, but by end of contract. It was sad saying goodbye, leaving a job I loved and people I loved working with. Exciting things are happening in the Hartford house however.

Brent is currently working in Toronto, well Woodbridge, I think. He is doing a freelance position until possibly December with them. Brent is also waiting to hear back from a job at both the library in Chatham, and also a full time, permanent position (words I feel I may never hear) with a large scale printing company in Richmond Hill. It was exciting because his test project for the company was for Hermes (yes Birken!!) I was a little excited. I am also waiting to hear back from the library position. So we really do not know what the future holds.

As we wait, we have two weeks left in our apartment. We have been looking online at places to live in the Richmond Hill/Vaughn area. This week we will look in person and make some decisions. We are considering living apart if that is where the jobs lead us. We know it will be hard, but we have decided that we really just need to do what it takes in order to get the end result outcome we would like.

We figured if we put in our hard work and time now, live in places that we do not want to, and at jobs a little less then ideal, maybe our paths will lead us to what we really want.

But anyways, my final week or work was filled with the stress of finishing a lot of final projects, the sadness of leaving, and a fun day of walking some escarpment trails and enjoying time with people that over the past five months have really become my second family.

These are some pictures of the wonderful view. And since I no longer work for CVC, I can now admit, that I think I love Halton Conservation areas. Check them out if you have time, stunning views!

The Toronto skyline. You can see the CN Tower.

Zucchini.

Last night after dinner Brent and I were craving something sweet. We wanted desert and there was nothing. So I decided to attempt to make zucchini bread. It was SO easy and turned out SO good that we will most certainly be eating a lot more zucchini bread in our house. 

This is the recipe, and then there are the alterations I made to it. I plan to try again with some more slight alterations. 

Ingredients:
- 2 cups shredded raw zucchini 
- 3 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil 1 and about a 1/2 cup applesauce 
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
-2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup chopped walnuts 3/4 ish cups raisons 


Preparation:

Put zucchini in strainer and press or squeeze with hands Put zucchini in towel and squeeze to get some of the excess liquid out. In a mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar, and oil applesauce together. Stir in the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and walnuts raisons , mixing just until all ingredients are combined. Add drained zucchini. Mix well. Pour into 2  4 greased and floured 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch mini  loaf pans. Sprinkle top with brown sugar (I did just a little thinking it would be good, next time I will add a little more, because it was GREAT!) Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until they look done at 350°, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out with very little or no crumbs clinging to it.

It made four but we had already started eating one when I remembered to take a picture. It was awesome! 

Travel.

I say I have a passion for travel, but I have never really done much of it. I crave it. I want to see the world and experience things. I want the life experiences that I can look back on and be excited about. The hard part about it though, I am cheap. I hate to spend money and I am quickly coming to the realization that travel costs. And travel for two, costs more.

My desire to travel the world became a full fledged passion when I took a first year Art History course in second year university. It was exciting and interesting and I was in love. The prof would always share random tidbits of travel information, like the MacDonald's down the road from the Pantheon has air conditioning and that when looking at the coliseum watch your bag cause its pick pocket capital of the world. This all just made me want to go more, made me want to be the seasoned traveller with information to share such as this.

I am an excellent planner. In most cases I over plan and then have a habit to stress when it doesn't go as planned, but that is besides the point. I have planned four trips to Europe so far, each one more detailed. I have found out places to stay, eat and what to see along the way. I want to go. I have also planned a road trip out west, and one to Florida. I have never taken any of these trips, but if I had the chance I would be ready.

Currently our imaginations have taken us to desire a trip to Montreal. So planning mode has commenced. We had a date set and I had planned most everything from what to see each day, where to stay and what restaurants we must hit up. However, then life got a hold of us and we may be postponing, again. O and did I mention this is the third time I planned Montreal as well. The first was in third year university when myself and some housemates were supposed to go but due to exams and life we decided against it. The second time was for our honeymoon, but after finding out I go zero time off work and if I took it I would lose my job resulted in us not going anywhere and now for the third time. We had hoped to go at the end of the month right after my contract was done and go for a few days including stopping into Ottawa to visits some friends. We are second guessing this due to suddenly moving.

So travel again is taking a back seat to life. I feel like traveling should be life, but we still have plans. The hopes are that if one, or both of us get the library job and then if only one the other gets something else we will go to Europe at the beginning of April (although I feel like Europe in the fall would be fantastic). So fingers crossed that it can all work out. So instead of Montreal at the end of the month we will be frantically job searching, packing and moving and trying to figure out life. But who knows we just may also end up in Montreal.



Taken on my only real traveling experience - reading week project to the Olympics in Vancouver. I then stayed a few extra days with family and took in some events and the local sites. I fell in love.



Also taken in Vancouver. My first mountain, and for a geography student this was a huge deal!

Chatham?

Today we need to make some big decisions. To be honest, I'm nervous either way and not sure of what the results will be.

Today we need to decide if this will be our last month or if we will be moving. The choices of our moving destination are open, with the top of the list obviously Chatham.

Brent and I both applied for a job with the Chatham library. They are hiring six people, so there is a chance we are both successful (especially when Brent had the job last year). However, on the same note, there is a chance neither of us get the job. So do we risk it and move?

I am done work at the end of September and that is the only real thing keeping us in Mississauga. Although our apartment has been getting better, and we are enjoying the city more, our hearts truly are elsewhere. It really just depends upon where our jobs are. Brent currently still has a job, although the one in Chatham pays more, and would be more enjoyable for him, is it worth leaving the one in hopes of getting the other. Do we take the risk? Should he now explore the 'other' opportunities he has put on hold these past few months so we could stay in Mississauga?

I hate the idea of trying to figure out the logistics of moving. I hate the idea of packing, AGAIN. I hate the idea of searching for another apartment that is within our budget. I hate hate the idea of changing my cell phone number, because what if one of these good, career building,  in my field kind of jobs calls for an interview. I hate the idea of uprooting and change.

I do however love the idea of being close to family. I love the idea of heading back to our home church, the church where we were married. I love the idea of being able to get involved with church again. I love the idea of being back with our small group. I love the idea of always knowing where I am going. I love the idea of having friends close by and things to keep me busy.

Most of these are small and insignificant points. But they mean something to me and are all being taken into consideration. It is hard to say what to do when who knows what is going to happen in a month. On the same note, I then worry that we are going to spend the first five years of our marriage moving from city to city, job to job. Why is it so hard to get a good, full time, permanent job? I think I have paid my dues. But that is for another rant post.

So I ask that you join us in prayer as we (most likely) are giving our one months notice to our landlord and trying to figure out what the future holds.

Update: We gave our last months notice. So we are now apartment hunting (kind of). And most of all looking for where God will lead us next, even if it is just to another apartment in Mississauga.

Compliments.

Today I realized just how wonderful it is when someone, even a stranger, gives you a compliment.

I think it is missing in the world and I am now going to strive to be someone who compliments people.

The whole tire frustration (read about the drama here) ended with a wonderful chat with the lady who cashed me out. After taking more money then I am comfortable forking over at one time she paid me a shocking but wonderful compliment. She told me loved my voice. This is a new one for me and caught me completely off guard. She then went on to explain that when she spoke to me on the phone she could picture me in commercials or doing voice overs for documentaries and such. This made me shockingly happy.

So, although I do not believe I have a nice voice, I actually think I sound very much like a man, it was nice to get a compliment from a complete stranger. I feel like those are the ones that are the most genuine. So from now on I think I will attempt to step out of my shell and compliment people. This might be a stretch for me, like I am slightly scared just thinking about it. But we will see, it should be a good experience.

Spread the love.

Tires.

I am stressed.

I had been told I needed new tires since last fall. I know I should have done it done sooner, but with little snow and me being cheap, mixed with having no money, I had continued to put it off.

I had put it off until yesterday when I noticed that one of the tires had the metal pieces sticking out of it. This scared me into getting new tires. Walmart was close and the price beat that of the quote I got from the dealer so I got new tires.

After getting said tires put on my car I am informed that I need a tire alignment and that, that is why my one tire was getting worn down so much. I say 'sure, go ahead'. I am thinking 'I have no idea what that means, I just want to be able to drive home'. To which I am then informed that they do not do alignments so I need to find another place, and I need to do it soon or I will ruin these tires and the warranty will be void.

I drove home slow, scared that being miss aligned I would destroy my very expensive new purchase. Today I go for a realignment. After calling around I found that the Canadian Tire does it and they can take it whenever. Those are the words I like to hear, however I do not like the associated price tag.

And when I think I have everything figured out I am hit with another whammy. The fine print at the bottom of my receipt from Walmart now indicates that I need to return between 50 and 200 km for my tires to re-torqued, because they are not responsible if I don't do this and my tire falls off or becomes loose.

So now, I am not only worried about whether the tires will wear wrong before I make it to Canadian Tire tonight, but I am also concerned that my tire will fall off. Seriously, who knew that it was this much work to get new tires? Have I mentioned that I am stressed. Blah!

Update as I am wandering aimlessly around Canadian tire waiting. I'm also mad now finding out I could have saved a lot of money by doing it all here. Also they have a wonderful warranty that I find out about now. I'm sad. Very sad. And surprisingly still stress. Also, what does one do in a Canadian tire for an hour and a half?

Birthday.

Sunday was Brent's birthday. 24! So happiest of birthdays to my wonderful husband!

I love birthdays! We typically go big.

This year was a slight exception because we decided to save some money and put it towards a trip. We are hoping to get to go to Montreal at the end of the month. Actually we are praying we get to go to Montreal at the end of the month.

Anyways, the weekend was perfect for both of us. I cannot remember a better weekend. We had cleaned the apartment extremely hard core this past week due to having our first company on Friday (I had a university friend for dinner) and I also made brownies (I will post the recipe later as I have gotten requests for it in the past). So I had never realised just how much more relaxing a clean apartment can be. We slept in Saturday, caught up on some TV watching and just relaxed. We decided to start to watch Friends and see how far we could get. It was a great time together without any stress.

Sunday was even better (if it could get better). We planned epic meals. I made Brent breakfast (http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/08/15/birthday-cake-pancakes/) which turned out awesome. We did not have the sprinkles, but instead of white cake mix I used confetti cupcake mix (Brent's favourite) and used the rest for actual cupcakes. The confetti cupcake mix made for a bit of colour, however sprinkles would have set these over the top! I also did not want to buy buttermilk due to the cost, so instead I made my own. I used 1 1/2 cups of milk and about 1 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice. It seamed to work, but since I have never seen what buttermilk looks like, who knows. I also did make the icing, I completely guessed on how much of what to use, but it was wonderful. However, then I put too much on the pancakes, making them super sweat! But it was a birthday, so who cares. We have found a new Hartford tradition. I cannot wait to celebrate more birthdays. They were a hit! Lunch we had taco dip, dinner was steak, twice baked potatoes and cauliflower with cheese sauce. Again all of Brent's favourites.

So overall it was a wonderful lazy birthday weekend where we ate like champions! There also may have been a Taylor Swift card in there, but who doesn't love a good TSwift card? I for one am obsessed. Have a special occasion? Want a Taylor Swift card? Be friends with me and its almost guaranteed.

School.

This week school started again. This week I went to work as usual for the second third year in a row. I don't know if this feeling is ever going to leave me, but I really do miss school. I miss almost everything about it, from the back to school shopping (I love school supplies), to the organization, the study notes, the classes, the business of it all.

You honestly could take me and put me back to any year of my education days and I would love it. I was the student who thrived in the academic world, could multi task and take on a million things at once. I am not saying I was the best student, I rarely studied (prior to university), and I always left things till the last minute, but I still loved it.

I hate reading all over facebook and twitter about how people hate that they are going back to school, that they are complaining about another school year. I am jealous, I wish I could be going back to school. If I could do it all over again, I know I would be doing things different, I would have tried harder, probably taken on more extracurriculars and put more effect in making friendships that last.

School was not always wonderful for me, like everyone else I stressed over tests, I rushed to finish projects last minute, I was picked on and bullied and at times felt very alone, but overall it was wonderful. There is no where else that you can participate in so many different things for FREE or almost free, from sports to the arts, to leadership building. Also, you never have more free time, university included. You have maybe 20 hours of class a week, you can study when you want, do everything at your own pace, so you have an open and flexible schedule which is wonderful.

So that is my rant, I want everyone to realise just how blessed they are to be able to be a student, to be getting one of the best educations in the world and not complain so much because before you know it you will be sitting at a desk, watching a school bus pass and wish you could go back. But then again, maybe that is just me, Man I miss it!

Wife.

So I have been married just over a year (June 18th, 2011) and I have a confession to make, I am still not the greatest at this whole 'wife' thing. Married life is great, but it really does show you your imperfections smack dab in the face. We are selfish people and I am by no means an exception. God however has blessed me with an extremely giving and caring husband that he makes my life so much easier.

I am learning to put my husband first and slowly but surly God is working in my heart. Last night I went grocery shopping and did something I actually never do and I felt so guilty that I have never done this before, I actually shopped with the thought process of 'What would Brent want?'. Typically I get what we both like, or what is healthiest even if I know he doesn't like it or that he has a different preference and is compromising for me. He compromises a lot in our relationship and I realise I am so head strong and stubborn I do not like to give in. So this was a simple way that I was able to serve him. I refrained from buying whole wheat pasta because I know he does not like it. I got him some gelato because he likes that over ice cream, I bought skim milk instead of 1%, spicy red pepper pasta sauce and I even searched the selves for high pulp orange juice. I enjoyed doing this and it made me happy to know he would be excited when he got home from work.

I know I need to serve him more, I need to be more attentive and uplifting to him. These things are not easy and anyone who says it is easy I would have to say is lying. We live in a society where we are taught to put yourself first, to make sure you get the best and I think I for one am extremely bad at that. I always want the bigger piece or the nicest looking one, given the choice I will always take what is best, and yes, even when it is just between my husband and I. Maybe that is my competitive side coming out, its ugly, trust me.

So I don't have this wife thing figured out, but I am working on it, I am learning and growing and trying my best. I knew I would never fall into being your typical domestic type wife, but I am shocked at what chores I adore doing. I love buying the simple household items like toothbrushes and deodorant, and baking, I have become passionate about baking. If only it wasn't bad for your I would do that a lot more.

It is not always easy, but I do believe that self sacrifice and trying hard are key components to growing in our marriage.

Disaster.

So we moved to Mississauga in May. The apartment is small. We are almost never home on a weekend. I work outside most days and am exhausted when I get home. Brent's days due to commuting are almost 12 hours. Due to this combination the result is a disastrous apartment.

We try our best to keep it clean. I am obsessed with organization, but with the little storage and lack of space it is next to impossible.

Our sink is just one small sink with a faucet that is not nice (I get soaked every time I do dishes). As a result, the dishes sit for days, and I will confess, sometimes we only do them when we run out of something and then it becomes a huge ordeal. We are talking multiple loads to hand wash.

I had high hopes when we first moved in, now however due to our utter destine for the apartment we treat it as such and it is not a place we ever want to come home to.

I have been trying to change that lately and I think the next few weeks with me working in the office most days, a lot more will get done around the house. I am one who loves to make to do lists and feel so accomplished when I am able to cross something off.

Tonight's 'to do' list is long, and I cannot wait to finish everything (weird right?). Tuesday is laundry day in our house, not by choice but by only getting the machine one day a week. So I will be doing about 5 or 6 loads of laundry due to camping. I also get groceries the first work day of the week (so typically Monday, but due to the holiday yesterday I will be getting them today). I also hope to do a load of dishes, put away our camping gear and washing the floors.

We will see how it goes with this lofty list of things to do, but if it all gets done, who knows we may actually be one step closer to hosting company on Friday night. We also do well with deadlines and company is always a reason to clean in our house. So here is fingers crossed that tomorrow I will not feel like we are living in a war zone.

Side note: As writing this my favourite chap stick just broke, and like hardcore, no fixing kind of broke. Not impressed, and I was so close to finishing it before I lost it which NEVER happens.