Holidays so Far....

So I am writing this post in the very chilly Barrie. It is freaking FREEZING up here batman.
Anyway, I thought that I would write a brief list of some of the interesting things I have done so far,

• Took a bus from Hamilton to Kitchener where it hit me just how much homelessness is an issue.
• Met up with Grandma Jane for the long drive to Chatsworth where my super great Grandfather had warm chicken stew waiting.
• Slept in, did a whole lot of nothing, went for a walk in some pretty great clothing (pictures will be posted when I get back to Hamilton)
• Sorry in advance to all my veggie head/animal activist friends out there for this one... but, I helped my Grandfather and his friend Atch who had shot a deer prepare and package the venison.
• Walked along a Remembrance Day parade and then to an open air service

• Hung out with My uncle and watched a movie....

So far its been a pretty good holiday... only a few more days left but don't worry there is still lots of crazy family to visit! More events and pictures posted soon.

Almost on Holidays

So I only have one more shift at work and then I am on Holidays for 6 days, WHOO HOOO!
The last few weeks have been crazy busy but not too shabby.... good times last weekend with Jenny Jo's housewarming and Jr Youth group. Sorry that I missed the art opening though.
I have the feeling that my time off is also going to be mad crazy busy... but I am looking forward to spending some time with the fam.

Freeway Retreat

Some pictures from the retreat... I had a blast as I hope everyone that was there did... there are lots more pictures that will evenutally make their way onto facebook or here but these ones are some of my favourites. Top is Lucas and I, we were car buddies on the way to and from the retreat... we spent time making super hero's such as Super Biff and Ball Boy and ate tons of candy. Next is Melissa and Miranda... love them for letting me take pictures even with the super bright flash. Next is most of the crew (missing Pernell who is taking photo) on our hike on the last day... it was sooo beautiful. Followed by the picture of the two Luke's how cute are they.... And lastly one of Pernell and Eden also very adorable. I enjoyed so much hanging out with you all. Thanks for the thoughts, discussions, laughs and memories!

Guess Who

Not just your neighbourhood Spiderman!

Happy Thanksgiving (Belated but Sincere)

T'was the night of Thanksgiving,

But I just couldn't sleep.

I tried counting backwards,

I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers beckoned,

The dark meat and white.

I fought the temptation,

With all of my might.

Tossing and turning,

with anticipation.

The thought of a snack

became infatuation.

So I raced to the kitchen,

flung open the door,

And gazed at the fridge,

full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey,

and buttered potatoes,

pickles and carrots,

beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling,

so plump and so round,

'til all of a sudden,

I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling,

floating in to the sky,

with a mouthful of pudding,

and a handful of pie.

But I managed to yell

as I soared past the trees,

"Happy eating to all"

pass the cranberries, please!!

May your stuffing be tasty,

May your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes and gravy

have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious,

May your pies take the prize.

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off of your thighs !!

Stories and thoughts on people from the last little while....

Benji:
About 2 weeks ago a customer came into the store absolutely furious that we said he had not returned his movie, and suggesting that maybe it was misplaced either in his home or somewhere in the store could he go home and check and we would double check the store as well, figuring that it would turn up eventually... he started swearing, yelling and the like and basically making an ass of himself... Upon me asking him to leave, he calls me a bunch of really nice names... he storms out. A few days later he makes his way back into the store still upset (you could tell) but he doesn't say anything... he proceeds to go up and down the aisles unitl he actually finds the movie (it was in the freaking TV section)...Mistakes happen I realize and I apologize to the guy who says nothing.... Another few days go by and Benji comes back into the store to apologize for what he said to me and how he acted... moral of the story.... don't result to cussing and namecalling as a first option when there is a problem...it usually will work itself out and then its just weird.

Krista:
Krista the wonderful person that she is went up to Barrie with me on Sunday to take the family's pictures...it was entertaining to say the least... its a little nerve racking to have your two worlds (Hamilton and Barrie) intermix like that... I am sure that the photo's will be great and I look forward to looking at them... It had been like 10 years since my mom, brother and I had our pics taken together and we have never done a whole family picture so it was fun....
THANK YOU KRISTA YOU ROCK!!!!!!!

Chuck:
Chuck is someone who used to go to the youth group way back in the day. It's amazing to me how we can go soo long without seeing them and then start to hang around again and realize how much you miss that person...Chuck is awesome and I look forward to hanging out with him...thanks for your friendship.

Bradley:
Bradley is a friend of mine who I got to know really well in a time in my life that was really bad. He is in the military in some capacity and recently I have been able to talk to him because he was on post-traumatic stress leave after returning from Afganastan. His life is soo different and he has opened my eyes in soo many ways to what has gone on over there. I am hoping to hook up with him sometime within the next week or so... he is supposed to be comming to Hamilton to handle a fallen officers affairs...its funny how you have people in your life that you can talk to everyday about random things got months, years without speaking and pick right up again... thats the way it is with us and I look forward to seeing him.

I am sure that there are others that I could mention here, like hanging out with Melissa and helping her get her class set up, chillin' at the Goodyears, chopping wood at my grandpa's, missing Kevin, all the crazy people from work... but thats all for now folks

Thoughts

So as I sit here in the wee hours of the morning it hits me that I am blessed beyond measure. I have great friends, I attend an amazing church that I love being a part of, and I know that my family will always be there for me. And it occurs to me.... man I don't want to screw any of that up.
They last few weeks have been absolutely great with hanging out with people and actually thinking about the future a bit.... but I mostly I am scared.
I am scared to put myself out there, to actually make and achieve goals (besides the laundry)to actual start to live life instead of figuring out what I want to do with it.
But where do you start? How do you flip that switch and go for it not knowing what that it is?
I am not too sure if any of this makes sense but hey its like 3am what makes sense now anyway.
Thank you all for bearing with me as I put out there my big questions on life... I feel like this is a time of change and although I have absolutely no idea what or when any changes are going to occur I am praying that they will be good. That God will be present in them and that I can continue doing it with all you all.

Sidenotes, Happy belated birthday to the baby bro the big 1-5! Happy Birthday Chloe!

Warm Fuzzies

So I know its been a while since I posted but hey thats the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.

The reason why I post this is because I had two great experiences today that I wanted to share with you all and make a challenge to everyone out there in blog land.

I think that we need to receive and give warm fuzzies to each other more often. Now for those of you wondering I haven't completley lost my mind... warm fuzzies do exsist... they exsist in kind words, encouragement, uplifting, thank yous and affirmation....

At work today I was affirmed by the owner of the company... kinda caught me off guard but its nice to see that someone recognizes the time and effort you put into your work....I also received an email of thanks that wasn't necessary but appreciated .... these two things got me to thinking (I know you all smelt the burning smell right??) how easy it is to get and give the warm fuzzies to those around you...

So here is the deal today or tomorrow or whenever you read this... take 5 minutes of your time and randomly or not so randomly thank, acknowledge or praise, encourage or flat out love one person.... you will feel the warm fuzzies start to creep up as you think of how great they are and they will feel them too. IF you are really nuts keep doing it... every day pick a new person...or every week send an email to an old friend... spread the warm fuzzies....

Side note the pic is of some of the great people I work with....Left to Right is Bobby, Sam, Shannell and Jenn (MIA is Sue).... Just thinking of how crazy they are makes me smile...

Warm fuzzies to you all

Platform 9 3/4

So I just finished reading a book and in part of it there is a reference to Harry Potter and the platform at the train station that they use to board the train to take them to Hogwarths.

"There is a solid brick wall between the cold logic of platform 9 and platform 10- but if you run at it the right way, you break through into another world; a magically messy world of compound fractions. If logic rules the day, our world is lost. But if there is another world between the lines, a world in which a kindly headmaster can declare us safe, then there is hope. That's magic. That's spirituality. That's resurrection!" Gerard Kelly

Ever have one of those moments where its like EUREKA! it makes sense.... for some reason this little paragraph helped me make more sense of the magic that is God this week....I hope that it makes you think too.

Ever Wonder

Do you ever wonder?
I have had a lot of wondering moments within the last few days...

Awkward

So for the most part working at the video store is pretty good. The people that rent and the staff/owner are all really great.
That being said I had a really awkward experience yesterday evening. So we have an adult room at the store. This guy come in and asks where it is... he goes in and is in there for like an HOUR and then come ups to the front with his selections. The Conversation goes like this

Me: Hi there, how are you today?
Guy:Good thanks.
Me:So you are purchasing these ones then(there was 3 there)
Guy: Well I want you to tell me about them first.

WTF what would I know about your selections... I stay away from that room as much as possible... it ended up that he wanted to know about costs and stuff but still....

He ended up being in the "happy room" for a good 2 Hours before making his final selections and leaving....

I find it hard with situations like these... I don't think of myself as a prude or anything... but I also would rather not have anything to do with those movies....

I find it funny when people with these type of movies leave the store as well, What does one say? If you were renting a normal movie I would say something like have a good night or enjoy your movie.... but I can't bring myself to say that to people renting from the "happy room" without it becoming something different.

Hope you can smile at my awkward moment

Movies

Movies worth watching....(well my 2cents worth anyway)
Bobby
Dreamland
Blood Diamond
Who Killed the Electric Car
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
Happy Feet
Pursuit of Happiness
The Departed

Remembered

I have been curious lately about life and how we choose to live our lives and I want to ask this question. So if you have stopped by this blog for any reason or for no reason, I would really like you to let me know what you think.
What is it that you wish to be remembered for? Do you think that you have achieved that or do you think that it is something that you are trying to obtain still?
Thanks

Strength Surrendered

As long as I can remember I have pictured my Great Aunt Willa as a small but mighty woman. She has had numerous bouts of cancer and treatments. I would say that for at least the last decade or more of her life she has battled with or been in remission from one form of cancer or another and has won. She has fought it off and lived to tell the tale of survival of a hideous desease that hits hundrends of thousands of people. That was until Sunday. I got the email a few weeks ago that she wasn't doing well and that it was just a matter of time... I guess that this time... it was time...her strength just simply surrendered.
Peace be with her finally, peace be with my cousins, as they say goodby to their mom, my Uncle Fred as he says goodbye to his wife and my Grandmother and Aunt Grace as they remember their sister; one of the bravest and strongest women I know.

What Sucks....Whats Great...

So here are a few things that have sucked and been great over the last week....

What Sucks....

• Volunteering at a coffee house when you have given up Caffiene for Lent.

• Getting stopped by a train when you are on your way home from work at 1 in the morning. Stopping realizing its a long train... wait patiently to have the train stop while still in front of you... waiting for train to start again you realize that you are only 2 minutes away from home and any way that you drive the likelihood of the same train being in the way is very high.

• People who give you a hard time when you are doing them the favour.

Whats Great

• Being able to volunteer at a great place like the FRWY.
• Getting fun emails from friends about happy times ahead.
• Hanging out with kids.

Movies and Stuff

So now that I am working for a movie store I get to watch a lot of movies. I watched a movie called Unknown this morning. It was very good. The premise is these five men wake up in a locked-down warehouse, none of them able to remember how they got there or even who they are. They soon realize that they were all part of a kidnapping - without having the slightest idea of which side they were on. You should watch it its a gooder.

I also watched My Girl witch is a classic that always makes me cry. I hate it when Thomas J dies.... soo sad.

Birthday Wishes go out to Rich... Happy Birthday... hope you have a great day...

Snow Fun

So the other day after all that snow hit, Paige and I went out and played. I think that playing in the snow is one of the things I miss the most since living in Hamilton rather then in Barrie. I love that I have soo many great memories of snowball fights, fort and snowman building and sledding. I hope that our ever increasing global warming doesn't ruining those memories for other generations.
The picture is of Paige and our snowman.

Hope

The past is a source of knowledge, and the future is a source of hope. Love of the past implies faith in the future.-----Stephen Ambrose

There is lots to be said about hope.... to have hope or to lose it.
I would say that until recently I was hoping beyond hope for prayers to be answered with life choices. Now its not as if I have any astounding answers by any means... but its seems to me that just as I was giving up the hope that I had been clinging to.... the spark burst into flame. Its amazing to me how life works out like that. How just when you think that you are at your wits end something happens and it all works out.

Now I have no idea of whats to come or what will happen but I look with hope into the future that it is way beyond me and that it will work out the way it is meant to....

Beautiful

I am not sure how many of you were able to be outside today but it was beautiful in the east end. As I was driving in the icicle land today it was hard not to be awed by the landscape it was truly beautiful. I hope you all had a great day.

Quote

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
Ralph Waldo Emmerson

I have been thinking alot lately about what is important to me in my life. I think that through all of my thinking I am starting to come to peace with some stuff. Not all of it mind you but baby steps in the right direction hopefully. Anyway, this quote kind of put better into words what I was thinking. I have to remind myself to look inward before I can go outward.

My Hero

Kevin was my hero tonight. The car broke down and I was stranded... well I was left by my lonesome at the gas bar... and Kevin came and saved the day!!!! I have decided that he is supercalafragilisticxpaladocious....He is great!!! THANKS KEVIN you are great!!

Inventory of Being

I am Natasha.
I am twenty-three years old.
I am a person with feelings, who loves her family and friends.

If I stand straight and tall, it seems that I have shrunk from who I once was;
either that or my baby brothers are giants.
I have brown eyes that change with my moods,
and nut brown hair that only knows that it's nut brown from pictures and the roots that grow in occasionally.

I am a woman, a girl and a child,
almost grown up, but still always learning.

I love my Mom's mac and cheese, Margie's meatloaf and Carolynn's lasagna.
I officially have no extra metal in my mouth so I can enjoy them all even better.

I am a daughter.
I am an older sister.
I am a graddaughter.
I am a neice.
I am a cousin.
I am a friend.
I am a barista.
I am a border.
I am a lover not a fighter.

I love oragne spice white tea and think of Amber everytime I drink it because it reminds her of Thanksgiving and Christmas morning everytime she smells it.

I love green sparkled flowers, and still can't stand spiders.

I can't wait for the Irrestible Revolution and I hope that one day we can all be Blue Like Jazz.

I love cozy chairs and comfy blankets.

I love cookbooks and romance novels.
I believe that Jesus died for me and that there is no way that I could ever thank him enough.

I believe that all children should believe in something bigger then humanity.

I love looking at old photographs and hope that one day Grandma's scrapbook will actually be finished.

I love my triple ring, that serves as a reminder of the many relationships in my life and how we are all conected.

I have great hopes for the future.
But also great hopes for today.
I try to live in today, for none of us really knows what tomorrow will have in store.

I believe in equality for all; men and women, white and black, old and young.

I have learned what "REAL" chinese food is and find it hard to go back.

I have met some amazing people that have taught me alot about frinedship.

I still live like a mess; but I think it's just becasue that is who I am.
At least I know where my stuff is... most of the time.

I have an amazingly crazy family and I love each one of them for it.

I know what its like to make hard rational decisions and then to actually have to live with them.

I have witnessed through friends the understanding of hardship, grace, courage and hope.

I will continue on this Pursuit of Happiness in hopes of Finding Neverland in my dreams.

I need to be afirmed, loved and cared for.
I also need to afirm, love and care for those around me more.

I took a trip to Oz and am still alive to tell the tale.
The flying monkeys didn't get me and the wicked witch left my dog alone.

I have come to care for people and find it much more rewarding then caring for myself.

I believe that the love of my life is out there, and I hope that he is a good and kind man.

I believe that God challenges us to be better people then we are.
That if we all stopped and really thought about what that meant we would all come to try to be the people that HE wants us to be.
Not the people that WE want us to be.

I have come alive agian with the telling of the fairytales of my childhood.
The princesses of castles, dwarfs, fairy godmothers and the princes who come to save the day.

I know that I don't have any answers, only more questions and I love it.
It means that something so much bigger then me has the answers.

Living in a world where there is No Day But Today!

I am Natasha and its the year 2007.