A glimpse into the life and times of Julia. Loving, learning and growing my way through it all.





Monday, October 24, 2011

Yoda, my cat she is.

Have you met Roxy?
She's my new friend.
She's been living with me for a few months now.
I adopted her from Brian & Ali Raney, you can read about their search for a new home for her here.
Adjusting to having a pet has not been easy.
Can you guess what the hardest thing for me is?
Not being in total control.
If you know me you know that I keep my apartment super clean.
Like really clean.
We are talking OCD here people.
I just like it that way.
I am a control freak, I admit it.
Is it possible that God sent me Roxy to help me get over that?
To show me that there is so much more to life than having a super clean apartment?
That when I give up the control I gain so much more?
Snuggles from this furball are pretty great.
As I type this she is doing the "oh I'm upside down and all cute and you love me" pose.
Having another living thing in my life makes me smile.
So what if I step on kitty litter in the hallway or go to work with cat hair all over my pants.
Oh yeah, I'm that girl now.
I try to control so much of my life that I leave very little room for God to do his work.
Maybe Yoda kitty is here to teach me to let go.
One.
Meow.
At.
A.
Time.

Julia

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Cheer Leader

If you live in Toronto chances are your life was disrupted today by the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, get over it already would you?

I had the privilege of working at YSM's cheer station at Eastern and Carlaw with my co-worker, Starbucks Partners and a whole pile of teenagers from North York all day. Despite the chilly weather and looming rain it was a really great day.


I did my usual things.
Take pictures.
Tweet.
Drink Starbucks.
Facebook.
Boss people around ;)

But I have to say the part I loved the most was cheering on the marathon runners. It was so easy to get into the spirit and encourage everyone one.

Now I'm not a runner by any stretch of the imagination but I have done a 5km race in my life and I know how much work went into that so I can't imagine the commitment it took to get to today. But you could see it on their faces.


I watched in awe as each runner passed me. I even got a little emotional at times, sniff.

I even tried to read names on their bibs to give them each a personal shout out.

For hours things like "Good job Joe, you are doing amazing", "You've got this Bill, you rock" and "Nice work Sarah, you go girl" came bellowing out of my mouth. Ok so I got a few dirty looks but I was there to cheer baby!

It totally made my day when people would look at me and give me a thumbs up or say "thank you", as if I was doing a good job.
Hello, you're the ones running a marathon I'm just yelling like a fool over here.

I was most excited when I saw my friend Bruce, hence the jumping up and down screaming "Go Bruce. I love Bruce. Bruce is awesome." It was quite the spectacle all for the man who once sang me a song about corn in my salsa. That's true friendship people.

By the end of the day phrases like "You're running a freakin' marathon people, what's up with that?" were coming from no where. That's when I knew it was time to call it a day.

So to everyone who ran today or runs any day for that matter, good on you.
Your dedication and drive are things I strive for in my life.
Just not as a runner.


Not going to happen.
Never.
No way.
Nope.

Not sure that I'll have a voice for work tomorrow.
That was all part of your plan wasn't it?


Jules

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Honest to blog

Did you get that movie reference?
No?
What kind of Canadian are you?
Come over to my house and we'll have a Juno viewing party.

















I'll greet you at the door with "Yo yo yiggity yo".
That's how I answer the phone sometimes.
Because I'm cool like that.
Although today I was called a nerd, geek and granola.
Who says those things aren't cool?
Not me.
Moving on.

I'm so excited to be back on the blog wagon that I wanted to introduce you to some of the blogs that I read and am inspired by.
Read on my friend, read on.

Not Hip Enough to Blog By Ali Raney
Ali's blog is a beautiful mix of fantastic stories about her growing music career as a brilliant fiddler (I know she plays other instruments but I don't know what they are), life as a Christian woman, wife, daughter and friend living in Toronto and totally random stuff that I don't know how to categorize. You will be thoroughly entertained and moved by what you read. Trust me!

Curvy Canadian By Karen Ward
I'm not sure how I came across this blog a few months ago but I'm sure glad that I did. Karen writes for every plus-sized Canadian girl. Her blog is full of great tips on where to shop, products she's tried, contests and daily outfits modeled by Karen herself! It is such an empowering read for any woman who has felt outside of the norm of what our society considers beautiful. Karen's recent post Six Take: No H8 really hit home for me as someone who was teased as a teenager because of my weight. Thanks Jenny Craig for having such a catchy jingle that even 12 year old boys could remember it and sing it to me. Sorry. Deep breaths.

Eco-Parenting By Kathy Mo
Kathy's blog is pretty much exactly what the title says. A great resource for parents who want to take care of the planet while they take care of their kids. It is full of great tips on products and services to help make it easier to do. She even has a great store called My Lil Sweet Pea where she sells lots of great products. The cloth diapers were so cute I wanted to buy them. But my cat wouldn't like it if I put diapers on her. She's a free spirit.


Front Porch Revolution By Maryellen Boyes

Remember how I said someone called me "granola" today? Ahem. I blame this beauty and the inspiring ideas she puts out into cyber space for my new found passion for thinking outside of my plastic bag. Mare offers up great ideas and solutions to the challenges that those who want to leave the earth a better place than when we found it face every day. She is a supermom who bakes bread for her Boyes and encourages you to think about how you live everyday. I am changed for the better.

On Her Toes By Nadine Bells
Nadine's blog is beyond brilliant! It is a fun read for anyone who loves pop culture, fashion, Jesus, beauty and honest accounts of what it means to be a women/daughter/sister/cousin/Sunday school teacher/fiancee/writer following a different path in this culture of "more is more". She will make you feel like you're listening to your bestie tell you about her day!


Your homework has been assigned.
Let me know what you think.

And if you have a blog I should be reading let me know about it!

Jules

Why did the chicken cross the road?

A few weeks ago I bought a chicken. A whole chicken. I had big plans for that chicken and boy did he deliver. Oh I guess "she" delivered. This was my attempt to cook one thing on the weekend that I could make into a bunch of meals throughout the week.

I'm a creative and frugal single girl oh yes I am!

Now this wasn't your run of the mill grocery store chicken. No, my girl was an organic grain fed beauty. Cost me more than I've spent on all my groceries in total some weeks. But it is true what "they" say, you get what you pay for.

You see I've been inspired lately to think more about what I'm spending my money on and what I'm putting into my body. Some may say that this lovely may have something {most everything} to do with it but who can really say where a desire to change comes from.

I roasted said chicken on Sunday night. A little olive oil, some garlic {by some I mean a lot}, dried rosemary, salt and pepper and she was cooked and ready to fulfill her destiny, to feed the Jules.

Feed me she did.

Let's break this chicken down:
-4 chicken sandwiches for lunch
-4 chicken Cesar salads for dinner
-1 chicken & pesto pasta for carbfest with Jess
-1 large pot of chicken stew {number of meals yet to be determined because I made it tonight}
Amazing right?

Gotta go do the dishes now because as you can see I got the bay leaf in my bowl. House rules - if you get the bay leaf you do the dishes.

Jules





Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Radio silence.

I haven't blogged in a while.
I think about it all of the time.
But the task has felt really daunting lately.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about everything and putting it down here feels scary.
But I think I'm ready to share again.
I've missed this outlet.
Thanks for waiting for me.

Jules

This picture was taken in my Mom's garden this summer. I was sad because I had to take Giancarlo {my brother who lives in Italy} to the airport that afternoon. A piece of my heart lives at Via Spallanzani No. 2.