a 10.

After you read this post, you gotta go and check out my guest-post on Toni's awesome blog Wifely Steps! My post, Much More than a Fairy Tale, is part 3 of her Anniversary Series.
Happy Anniversary, Toni and H! xoxo

~@~

Ten years ago last week, my Roomie and I vowed to love, honour, and respect each other, and have wild monkey lovin' for the rest of our lives.

Okay, Roomie added the "wild monkey lovin'".

Fine, I lied. *I* added the "wild monkey lovin'".

And like good scotch, our relationship just gets better with age... smoother, richer, tastier. Over the years, we've grown closer and more in love. Yeah, it's possible. Huh. Whodathunkit, eh?!

Word on the street is that happy-10-year-marriages are a rare breed and must be celebrated with a renewal of vows, perhaps a second honeymoon, or maybe at least a backyard barbecue.

But we did none of those. Why? Well, it went down like this...

Last year...
Me: Next year's the big 10. Should we renew?
Roomie: What?
Me: Our vows.
Roomie: Meh.
Me: Yeah, me too. Okay.

January 2010...
Me: Our anniversary's coming up. What do you want to do?
Roomie: I don't know.
Me: I was thinking we could have friends over.
Roomie: Sure.
Me: Okay.

April 2010...
Me: We can't have people over with the bathroom not done.
Roomie: Over for what?
Me: Our anniversary.
Roomie: Oh. Okay. Cafe Carlo then?
Me: I was thinking we should celebrate with the kids this year, you know, since it's a big one.
Roomie: Okay.

May 26, 2010...
Me: So, where do you want to go for dinner tomorrow?
Roomie: The kids won't eat anything at Cafe Carlo.
Me: Yeah.
Roomie: I don't know.
Me: Okay.

And that was the extent of our planning.

In the end, no renewal of vows, no barbecue at our house with friends. We didn't even have that romantic fancy-schmancy dinner at Cafe Carlo that we've done on previous anniversaries.

Instead, we ordered in some butter chicken, veggie korma, and naan...


... enjoyed the richest, most luscious flour-free chocolate cake...


... and celebrated our big milestone anniversary with our 2 favourite people,...


... and it was perfection.

Happy 10th Anniversary, my darling Roomie! I love you!

bones, cute carter, and the sad indoor cat.

Mini once again enjoyed a class field trip to Fort Whyte. Last year, I volunteered to hang out amid nature with my daughter and her bunch of 4-5 year old buddies.

This year, it was Roomie's turn, which is why -- instead of pretty pictures of flowers and birds -- we have pictures of our daughter swinging around animal bones. Like Xena: Warrior Princess. Because she loves princesses.

"I -- in my cute, pink, kitty-cat t-shirt -- will clobber you with this bison bone! GRRRR!!!"

~*~

As you all know, I LOVE HGTV. One of the shows I enjoy watching in the morning is Carter Can. This morning, Mini woke up early, came down, and plopped herself on the couch beside me...

Me: "That Carter is cute."

Mini: "But Daddy's cuter."

Touché.

~*~

For the past year, Mittens has been a happy outdoor, chase-after-birds-and-squirrels, nap-on-the-deck cat.


Unfortunately, we've recently learned that she's also been a poop-in-the-neighbours'-gardens cat. Consequently, for her rare outdoor excursions, she must suffer the humiliation of being leashed in the backyard. What a sad, sad indoor cat.

and... cut! print it!

From: Roomie@work.blah
To: nenette.am@gmail.com

hi dear,
i'd be happy for a pickup, but i know you have to be back in time to pick up the little ones.
i'm not sure how long my meeting will go today.
as you recommended, i'll call you with enough buffer time to say yay or nay.
xo

Chat reply from nenette.am:

okay :)
xoxo

Chat reply from Roomie:

I love fonzie.

sunshine and the stalking of lovely things.

The lovely and wonderful Keri at Outnumbered Momma gave me this sweet Sunshine Award! Keri is simply awesome -- she's multifaceted, fun, candid, brilliant, and a fellow-Canuck! She is a the lone flower in a field of mostly testosterone... even the puppy's a boy! Go and give her a visit -- you'll just love her. :)

Now, I know the rules say that I'm to choose 12 of my favourite blogs/bloggers to award, but I love so many, so... I give everyone on my "Dailies" list this award!

If you read me and are on that list (it's there in my sidebar marked "Dailies"), please grab this badge and spread the love! If you're not on the list and want to be added, let me know!
Thanks again, Keri!!! xoxoxoxo

And in other awesomeness...

+ This pretty-in-pink Hamlet poster makes me giggle every time I look at it.

+ I want to live here, here, here, and in any one of these.

+ I'm hungry and I want to eat, bitch!

+ If you don't have room in the backyard, try the roof!

+ I want to replace our falling-apart softwood chairs with these ones.

+ How did this guy NOT make it to my top 5 list?!!!

+ What's your favourite smooch?

+ Wouldn't it have been awesome to be the one to put this together?!

+ I love functional art. I have the perfect place in my house for that gorgeous sliding door.

+ Cozy spots like this only reinforce my love of small homes.

3rd annual top 5 crushes: who's on *your* list?

It's the 5th day of the 5th month, and the new official day to share our top 5!

Do you have a List? You know, The List of, as Chandler put it, "five different celebrities that we can sleep with, and the other one can't get mad." Other one being your significant other, of course.

Now, let's face it, I'd never pull an Indecent Proposal on Roomie. Even if my pretend boyfriend Gerard Butler offered himself to me naked and rolled up in an exotic rug -- which he totally would do if he ever met me, because, yes, I'm that awesome -- I'd still say, "I'm sorry, pretend boyfriend Gerry Butler, but I love my husband, and would never sleep with you or anyone else, even for one night."
Then he'd continue to beg and cry copious tears, because of, you know, the awesomeness of Nenette.

Still, I gotta say, making and sharing my lists have been ridiculous fun... and apparently, *all* my readers enjoy sharing their lists of hot men and women too! Be sure to drop yours today.

This year, my list has changed a little...

1. Gerard Butler
I don't think I can ever move this dude off my list. He's my pretend boyfriend! Despite the spittle and pants (thanks for pointing that out, Lainey), he's cute, funny, tall, dark, and scruffy. And I will always be down with that.

2. Bill Campbell
Bill is prime example of men getting better with age as he's only improved since The Rocketeer. Tall, dark, and handsome, he re-appeared on my radar recently as Dr. Bruce Manlius on one of my favourite shows, Eureka. Bill is seriously giving Gerry a run for #1 on my list.

3. David Tennant
Doesn't he just seem like the biggest barrel of fun?! Okay, maybe not in this picture, but geez, if I had a choice of any Doctor to go traipsing around the Universe with, I'd choose David. I will miss him in that role. Can't wait to see what he's got plan next.

4. Ed Quinn
I used the same picture for him as last year because I (a) love a man in a kilt, and (b) look at his abs!!! But again it's that deep voice of his that gets my attention. When he speaks, it's like he's wrapping you in rich, luscious chocolate.

5. Joe Flanigan
He's fun and funny! As I said last year, I think I like him because he reminds me so much of a younger Richard Dean Anderson. I love the Atlantis reruns on Space -- I get to see him run around and rock that black military-issue shirt. Heeheehee.

Who's on *your* list?

baba, the universe, & everything.

After 4 long years, Baba the Bear...


... finally had a bath...


Sitting vigil, an excited and anxious Mini observed her baby and spoke her deep thoughts...

"I think Baba's squirming around."

"Baba looks like a meatloaf!"

"'Whee! Whee! Whee!' says Baba."

"Where are you, Baba? You were here a minute ago."

"Oh, you're all the way down there! Baba's on the bottom!"

"Is she going to shrink, Mama?"

"Mama, when the sun explodes, will the whole Universe explode?"

"Yippee Ai Ka Yay!!!"