Vacation time

This morning we leave for Europe for 2 weeks! Its not fully a vacation; B is doing a lecture, I am presenting my research project, and B is teaching for a week. It going to be productive but fun, and hopefully we will have some time to relax too.

First, Lancaster, England:

Next, Dusseldorf, Germany:

Finally, Koln, Germany:

Some of the things I am most excited for include:

touring 3 new places

visiting with friends & meeting new friends

the delicious food

Christmas markets in Germany!

You may, or may not hear from me these next 2 weeks. It will all depend on internet access. Hopefully I will have updates with vacation photos, diy inspiration, and new fashion finds! Yup, I am excited to see some amazing European fashion.

P.S. It is gutsy to take our British friend my homemade satsuma marmalade? Is the UK not the birthplace of marmalade? I feel like the queen may have invented it.

Happy Birthday dad!

Today is a big day, its this guy's birthday:

If you see him, let him know I told you it is his birthday.... but I am not telling how old he is... that would be a secret, and I know better!

Happy birthday dad!

Teach me something

I read an article for class this past week that really took my interest. For research methods, students can send in articles for the class to read and critique as a group. This is a great way to find out the research interests of your classmates as well as learn something new. The article was from another student in motor behavior... my area of study, but with different research interests. 

"Self-controlled feedback facilitates motor learning in both high and low activity individuals" by Fairbrother, et al, 2012. 

What this article tells us is that no matter the skill level of an participant, performance tends to improve if the subjects has control over when they receive feedback. This article was specific to throwing skills... but it really caught my interest because of its applicability to other areas. 

As a past synchronized skater, I wonder how this would relate to coaches for this sport. What is synchronized skating? Check this out:

this video is from YouTube... but I was at this performance and still feel the excitement everytime I watch the video

On a team sport, how would a coach provide feedback knowing that self-controlled feedback shows greater performance improvement than scheduled feedback? Not everyone on the team may agree that feedback is needed after each trial. I asked the student who submitted the article this exact question... can you predict his answer? There has not been any research done in this area yet, but that's what he wants to do for his research. I cannot wait to find out what he learn through his research.

Did you learn something new?

She's from Boston

For one week! Today we are off to Boston for a week.  I have never been to the area... or anywhere in the northeast so I am very excited. We get to spend some time with good friends and their 3 kids, go shopping and to the beach, and do some touristy things.

source

My blogging may be sporatic while I am away. I want to spend my time enjoying the trip. Don't worry, you will hear all about it when I get back!

Summer is here!

I can officially say that my summer has started? Why?  Well, the past month  I have been busy studying to write the GRE. I checked that off my to-do list yesterday so now I can spend the next 2 months doing what I want to do!

Some of those things include:

finishing the 2 books I have left stranded next to the bed

being more consistent with my workouts

applying to grad school... considering that is why I wrote the test

going on vacation to Boston!

going to a pilates continuing education conference in Houston! (which also means going back to The Tasting Room, Crate & Barrel, West Elm, Ikea, and Central Market! We are bringing a cooler this time to bring back all the wonderful goodies from Central Market)

completing a knitting project for a friend who is expecting

 hitting up the pool... with my sunscreen in tow

preparing for a fall garden

working on a paper and poster presentation

 tonight - extraordinary - summer - right now

Happy summer! Mine starts.... NOW!
Oh, and happy Independence Day to all my American friends and family! I celebrated Canada Day on Sunday with some intense studying and a killer workout!

InstaFriday

This week has been a mellow one. It has been atleast 100F everyday so I have spent lots of time inside trying to stay hydrated.

1. Check out these watermelons! Someone I know could make some killer helmets from these. 2. We opened some of our wedding wine on the weekend to celebrate our first anniversary. It was delish. 3. The beautiful blue sky = excessive heat. It might be nice to look at but it means more time inside hiding. 4. It was crazy humid last weekend after it rained... then our windows steamed up!

5. This week I have been loving peanut butter on seeduction bread from Whole Foods. Obsessed. 6. Dinner on Wednesday was my fave sandwich (brie, spinach, turkey, and fig jam), vegan cookies, and a lavender drink that was weird. 7. Did you hear this big announcement?!? The Spice Girls are doing a musical. It opens in London on Dec 11. I am trying to figure out a way to make it to a show. Anyone want to join me? I just watched the media video and sang through the entire thing! It makes me reminisce about going to the reunion tour! Yes, I am that excited. 8. I reunited with iced chai. It was amazing.

Have a wonderful weekend.  I hope mine is filled with productivity, sunshine, and loads of water.

Check it off

We have been busy around here... like always. With a big to-do list and still time to relax, I'd say we had a great weekend. 

Completed to dos:

wash car

get lawnmower & cut grass

plants herbs

clean house

make muffins (...  and cookies!)

cook dinner for friends

celebrate a friend's bday with lots of Italian food and wine

get groceries

paint nails

workout

 We also made shrimp stir-fry this weekend. It was the best I have ever had. Want to know the secret? We got a cast iron wok and made it on the charcoal BBQ! B really know how to cook but he impressed me with this one. The flower bushes are also in full bloom in the front yard.

When I get bored, I bake. I noticed we were out of our fave chocolate chip banana muffins this morning so I made more. I have also been thinking of making oatmeal cookies (no raisins, of course) so I made 36 of those too. They are delish. I sent B a pic of them thinking it may bribe him to come home from work a tad early!

Finally, I have some exciting news!

I planted my garden last week, thursday to be exact. Well... we have sprouts already! Specific items to make an appearance: radishes, kale, mixed lettuce, and peas. I cannot believe how fast they showed up. I think gardening in the south is perfect for someone who has a nickname of "impatient irene"... and that someone may be me.

Leaving on a jet plane

 Today is moving day! I must apologize in advance to my airline for my excessive of luggage. I only have 3 large suitcases, 1 duffel bag, a large box, and my purse. The sad thing is... It is all clothes and shoes.

 Tonight's plan? Pack up all my winter clothes and eat seafood!  Who am I kidding? I will probably be sleeping by 9 after a long day of travels.

See you again soon Canada!

P.S. I am eating Timmy's while I write this. It may be my last for a while.

InstaFriday

 It's been a busy week! It's been an exciting week! Want to know why? Well, I'll show you in pictures!

I put my skates on for the first time in over 3 years. Oh how I missed the feeling of the ice under me. Yes, I am rusty but I was pleased that I could still do a right back outside twizzel. Want to know what it is? Google it! I missed the ice and my skates. We may have to have another reunion this next week. 

Ok, I do have other exciting news other than my time on the ice. It's the reason for all the trips to MTL, the reason I am still in Canada, and the reason I have not been allowed to buy any new clothes. I got a special delivery by courier yesterday morning:

Watch out America, I am on my way! I already hear J Crew calling my name. Kidding! I really cannot shop as I will be unemployed for a while, but I will be busy these next weeks unpacking our house, starting my garden, finding us new furniture and a car, and hanging out with B! I am so excited! Actually I am more than excited to move. 

In other and less exciting news:

Don't be fooled by what appears to be organization. I am trying to get all of my clothes, shoes, & toiletries into 3 suitcases, a duffel bag, and a large box. I got rid of a ton of stuff and still have enough clothes to feed a third world country (or however the saying goes)! The space isn't actually the issue, it is the 50lb weight limit per bag. Oh and I am packing my skates (since we have been reunited and there is one skating rink in all of Baton Rouge)... because those aren't heavy at all.

Here are some of my fave photos from MTL.  My chai latte from Antoine et James. The Notre Dame light up at night. Up a creek, with a paddle... an HBC paddle. The creepiest window ever. 

 The spicy oil I had on my pizza crust one night, a little drizzle went a long way! My sugar cookie I ate while missing B. My bag of goodies from The Orange Boot. The most beautiful window in MTL, at the Christmas store. I thought of my F-I-L but it was not open so I could not buy him a Santa Clause.

Time for a relaxing weekend... okay not so relaxing, I have lots to get done! See you next week!

 

> obsessed

I must admit, I have not always been obsessed with Apple products. Actually it would be a total coincidence that I appear to be obsessed. In October 2011, I received an email to my hotmail account where my first ever iPod nano was registered to. I have not used it in a long time as the battery would not hold a charge. Luckily, I still use my old email address for groupons, coupons, etc. The email I received stated: 

Of course, being my thrifty self, I called my mom who found the old nano in her desk drawer, and I filled out the paperwork online. Right before Christmas, my mom received the box to return the old nano, we packed it up, and dropped it off at the local UPS as the return postage was already paid. I was able to track the process of my return online, eventually saw my request was completed and they were sending me a new nano. Now of course, they did not tell me what generation of nano I would be receiving (I currently use a 4th generation) but I thought I would take my chances. Last Thursday a delivery arrived right after work, my new nano:

Heck yes! They send me the latest version of the nano with a touch screen! Thanks Apple!

 So really, I m not obsessed with Apple products, I just happen to have an iPad, an iPhone, and 3 iPods. Okay, I must confess, the iPad belongs to both B and I and he left me his iPod touch for my 8 hour roads trips as it has the best selection of music for the car. I may look obsessed, or maybe I am starting to be, but I just really like good quality products.

If you have Apple stocks (like B), your very welcome. I am glad to support your portfolio!

P.S. If you still have a first generation iPod nano, go check out if it qualifies for the replacement program. you may get a nice little surprise in the mail in a few months. Now to go fill it with music!

2012

Happy New Year!

2011 was a wonderful year to me. We got married, B finished his PhD and got his first job, we sold our condo, and moved everything we own 4000km.

2011 was also the year of the vacation! I LOVE vacations! I went to Puerto Vallarta (January), Kelowna (April), Regina (May), Kelowna (June), San Diego (June), Cabo San Lucas (July), Reims & Paris (July), Ottawa (October), Banff & Calgary (October), Quincy & St. Louis (October), Baton Rouge (November), and Regina (December)! I made sure to collect frequent flyer miles on all trips possible and earned myself elite status with my airline of preference with free first class upgrades when available!

2011 also had some first for me: first time working out with a personal trainer, a new found love for going to the gym in the morning, and a discovery that I now like beets, kale chips, brussel sprouts, and turnips!

So what is to come in 2012? Well, I will hopefully be moved into our new home in less than a month, more traveling, I will be finding a new job (not sure what field yet), new topics on the blog as I adjust to living in a new place, adventures with B, and the everyday working out and healthy eating. 

Some of my goals for 2012 include keeping up my workout routine, trying one new thing (not sure what yet, any recommendations?), and trying to live simpler. I want to garden all year, eat more fresh produce that we grow, drink more water (at least 2L per day) and eat as much local seafood as I can! 

Thank you to everyone who reads my blog and all the readers who will discover my blog in the future. I truly appreciate your interest in what I am up to & in to!

Chelsea

The real reason for this blog

I have a secret to share...

Actually I have some exciting news to share...

There is another reason I started a blog...

Don't worry, I have been giving you hints. Have you caught on?
1. I have been cleaning like a maniac
2. I have been trying not to buy winter clothes
3. I have been using up random ingredients in our pantry and freezer
4. I might need rubber boots in the future

We're moving!

Oh right, the only people who read this are friends and family who already know. But maybe not?!?

I have a feeling the blog is going to change once we move. Life will be different. We will be living in a very different culture and I can garden year round. Life will be good. Did I mentioned it snowed here this week?

My blog is definitely going to help me keep on track with health eating living in a place of creole and large portions. My blog will help friends and family who are far away know what we are up to! My blog will probably have some interesting moments of me learning to live in the south... or garden in a different climate.

But now you may ask... where are we moving?  Well... I posted a ton of random pics last week of grocery stores, food, a tiger mascot, and the lake at said location. Yup, Baton Rouge, LA.

Over the next while we need to sell our condo, sell lots of furniture that we are not taking (anyone want a sofa or a dining room table?), pack and inventory everything we own, and get everything wrapped up here. Yes, we will be busy. I still plan to blog but may need to miss a day or two with everything I have on my plate.

P.S. In other exciting news - Did you notice better picture quality coming from my phone this past week? Got the new iPhone 4S on our house-hunting trip.