happy friday!

I started today thinking it was Monday so I guess the happiest thing today is that it's actually Friday! It was a bit of a rough week because both Mabel and Clarke have been sick with a cold, but there were still happy moments: 

+ Clarke was sick and had a bad dream Monday night, so he ended up sleeping in our bed for the first time and sleeping on me for half the night. (Obviously only the second part of that is the happy part.)

+ A colleague gave us this cute hand-me-down winter jacket for Clarke! He wanted to try it on as soon as he got it and then refused to take it off.

+ A friend gave me a chocolate croissant for a morning snack at work. 

+ T and I had our weekly date on Thursday. Most of our dates are simple—a walk, eating, maybe shopping—but it's so nice to have a dedicated time to connect. 

+ I participated in #OneDayHH and it was so fun to share my day and see others'. I'm such a curious person so I really enjoyed it!

What made you happy this week?

happy saturday!

Will I ever write a blog post other than a "happy friday!" (on a Saturday or Sunday) post? That remains to be seen but stick with me. 

I did my best to soak up the last few days of vacation and I think I did alright. Here are some things that made me happy this week: 

+ A delicious lunch date with T at Larry the Bird. We got into a great routine of 1-2 lunch dates a week this summer. I'll miss them, but they'll be replaced by weekly date nights! 

+ We walked home again from Sanlitun. I'm really trying to get into the habit of moving my body more in everyday ways. So far so good. 

+ An IKEA date with Dani. 5 hours there and most of it was wonderful (except the part where the restaurant was closed—womp, womp). 

+ Successfully updating my info at the bank, and opening Alipay and Taobao accounts! My fellow expats in China will understand that this is reason to celebrate!

+ Clarke saying great job and giving his version of a thumbs up. 2 is one of my favourite ages (so far). 

+ My first visit to The Cheesecake Factory. It won't be my last!

+ A yummy pumpkin chocolate chip muffin made by thoughtful colleagues. Made me excited for autumn! 

+ Celebrating the first day back to work with HeyTea (for me) and DQ (for the rest of the fam). 

What made you happy this week? 

happy sunday!

This Sunday is my last Sunday without the "Sunday Scaries" because my summer vacation ends this week, as long as Covid doesn't have other plans again. (I was supposed to go back to work on August 4 and kids were set to return to school on August 9, but that was delayed because of a few new cases of Covid in BJ.)

I've been struggling a little with enjoying the last days of vacation. It's a mix of the kids being home all day, every day (even though we're lucky enough to have a nanny); not having fully processed the last year and a half; and wondering what this new school year will bring. 

But this blog post title has the word "happy" in it, so let's get to it! Here are some of the things that made me happy this past week: 

+ I ate at Shake Shack for the first time! It did not disappoint, and it felt a little extra exciting because of my love for NYC. 

+ A dinner date at Taco Bar with Dani and Krista. Their "buy a drink, get a taco" happy hour was greatly enjoyed. (I recommend the Burro and the fish taco!)

+ A lunch date at Mosto with Tony. Eating lunch out feels extra special because being a teacher means it doesn't happen often September-June. 

+ Walking home from Sanlitun along the canal after each of the above dates. 

+ Getting new furniture for our bedroom! My love for IKEA's Kallax continues. 

+ My hunch that Clarke and Mabel would love these folding gym mats from IKEA proving correct. So far the mats have been used as couches, beds, snack tables, yoga mats, forts, and a stage. 

+ Krista and Dani urging me to start blogging again. 

What made you happy this week?

happy friday!

Mabel took this photo and I kind of love it. It's interesting to think of how she sees me.

The first half of this week felt like it dragged by, but the second half feels like I blinked. Here are some of the things that made me happy: 

+ The whole family—me, T, Mabel, and Clarke—doing Just Dance videos in the living room. 

+ Clarke asking for a "cuddle" right before I put him in his crib for bedtime. (He always emphasizes the second syllable, "Cu-DDLE!")

+ Dinner out with friends. We ate at Amazing Thai. BJ friends, go there and order the seasonal curry and pineapple rice. 

+ This water bottle! I'm finally drinking water! 

+ A student saying, "Please don't go, Ms. Amanda. I want you to keep working with me."

+ We have bedside lamps that work now! (The lamps are built into our nightstands and haven't worked since we moved into our apartment 6 months ago. We swapped for ones that work and it's been a great reminder that little things can make a big difference.)

+ Mabel woke up yesterday morning at 6AM but then said, "I want to sleep more" and went back to bed. (Why can't this happen on weekends?) 

+ These library holds became available. 

+ An acquaintance won a 60 min massage but isn't able to use it so she gave it to me! I was so surprised and grateful. People can be so kind. 

What made you happy this week?

happy friday!

When I think back on the last two weeks, "happy" is not the first word that comes to mind. Mabel, Clarke, and I were sick with bad colds. And then Mabel and I got hit with a stomach bug. (New Parenthood Level unlocked: Cleaning up after and caring for your child who just vomited everywhere.) (Oh, and have I mentioned we only have a tiny washer and no dryer?) And then Tony got hit with the stomach bug. And Clarke and I still have a cold.

All of this on top of some self-esteem issues, some other issues (vague much?) and the general day-to-day difficulties of parenting a toddler and a baby and just being a human in this world.

But when I thought about writing this post, I thought, 'Surely there must be something happy from this week.' And of course there is:

+ I got to watch my little duck in her winter concert. She sang two songs, one of which was "5 Little Ducks" and although she wasn't her usual energetic, enthusiastic self (stage fright or was her body already preparing to ruin my duvet several hours later?), she was so cute.

+ Smiles from Clarke—always, but especially as he nurses.

+ Being introduced to a new fave Christmas song.

+ A living room dance party to "Jingle Bells" with Mabel and Auntie Jo. (I want to remember that Mabel cried when I played the Frank Sinatra version :)

+ Auntie Jo coming last minute to take care of Clarke when Mabel and I were both sick.

+ FaceTime date with Cara.

+ A student from last year giving me homemade fudge.

+ A pasta + wine + hot chocolate + Christmas movie date with Auntie Jo. (Post-stomach issues, obviously.)

+ Cuddling with T and watching Modern Family. 

And this list could grow longer, I'm sure. So let this be your reminder to look for the positives, and also your permission to wallow for a bit if needed. I sure have. Warm blankets and tea help.

happy saturday!

Mabel goes back to school next week (half days until 1PM) and I'm having mixed feelings about it. (She started a Montessori nursery program at the school I teach at when she was 18 months.) On one hand I'm excited because I know she'll be happy to be back with her teachers and classmates, and it will let me get Clarke on a better morning routine. On the other hand, I'll miss hanging out with my little girl.

I've told Tony numerous times this week, She is just so fun to hang out with! 

That's probably what made me happiest this week—hanging out with Mabel. We went on an impromptu Starbucks date because she asked for a "mudfin" (muffin), played at an indoor playground, went on another coffee date where she stole my almond croissant (she also stole the words right out of my mouth when she told me, "Mabel's; I share with you" after taking said croissant), and a shopping date. 

Other things that made me happy this week: 

+ Auntie Jo (Melissa) came back! I don't know who's happier about that, me or Mabel. 

+ Mabel finding Toy Story pyjamas at GAP while we were shopping. She came running over holding them, "Toy Dory! Toy Dory!" I knew that no matter how much they cost, I'd buy them for her; luckily they were on sale. (She somehow became obsessed with Toy Story this summer and we've watched the first three movies many, many times—usually in parts, but she sat through all three numerous times one weekend when she was so sick and couldn't do anything else.)

+ Going out last night with Melissa. It was so fun and relaxing to drink beer and chat with my best friend on a patio.

+ IKEA trip this morning with Mabel and Melissa. So fun to shop with my girls.

+ Our sister-in-law sending us photos she took of the kids while she was visiting. It's so cool to see your kids through someone else's eyes.

What made you happy this week?

happy friday!

It's actually more like bittersweet Friday because T's sister-in-law and niece left today. They stayed almost three weeks and we'll miss them, but it will also be kind of nice to settle back into our (ever-changing) routine as a family of four. (Wow! That still feels surreal to say/type!)

It was so nice to have them here because Mabel loves Xiaoxuan (her namesake) and it meant two extra sets of hands to help. T's sister-in-law usually cooked one meal a day and she basically held Clarkie whenever it was daytime and I wasn't feeding him. (We told her not to, because, Babe, when your sister leaves, he is not going to be happy that he's not being held 24/7, but honestly, I'm not too worried because Clarkie is my second baby and I'm happy to report that I'm much more relaxed about stuff like this, and really, it's nice that someone was cuddling him because I still feel a little guilty that I haven't been able to cuddle him as often as I did Mabel because... we have Mabel *insert shrugging emoji here*.)

We tried to make it fun for them, too, at least as fun as it could be with a toddler and an infant in tow. We went to the aquarium (if I blogged about it, you would know that Mabel was scared of half of the exhibits, we spent a silly amount of money on a drink with a duck on it and a place for Mabel to play and me to sit and feed Clarkie, and I sprayed milk everywhere), took them out for burgers and Mexican food, I took Xiaoxuan for her first pedicure, and Tony took her to see The Lion King (I'm only a little jealous because we realized neither of us had seen a movie in theatre since before Mabel was born). We also just stayed inside a lot because Beijing is HOT in the summer, much too hot for a baby to be outside in the daytime and even sometimes the evening.

Some things that made me happy this week:

+ The messages I received after sharing this post.

+ T and I going out for a lunch date to celebrate Chinese Valentine's Day.

+ The margarita I drank on that lunch date.

+ The iced latte I brought home and drank while reading Recursion and holding a sleeping Clarkie.

+ T, Mabel, and I going out for ice cream, just the three of us.

+ Two new pairs of earrings (from this shop).

What made you happy this week?

happy friday!

I am all about screenshots from videos lately.

Just like the photo above, this week was blurry but happy. (Possible title for the memoir I'm sure I'll never write? Or maybe I should change the name of the blog.)

+ The AQI was good enough this week that we got to go out more often than we had to stay in.

+ We went for many walks (and I drank many coffees).

+ I ate ice cream twice.

+ I spent 3 evenings with friends.

+ Mabel waves goodbye and gives high fives pretty consistently now.

+ It's shorts season! (For adults and babies! I've been waiting all winter to see more of Mabel's chunky thighs.)

Honestly, there were a few low moments this week but overall, I just have a positive vibe right now. Here's hoping it lasts, *fingers crossed emoji* (Does anyone else think in emojis sometimes? Please tell me I'm not the only one.)

What made you happy this week?

happy friday!

Another blurry week has gone by! I had to think pretty hard to remember happy things from this week, but it's not as bad as it sounds; I'd have to think pretty hard to remember the not-so-happy things, too.

+ Mabel is becoming more mobile each day. If I plop her somewhere and try to do something quickly in another room (we have a small apartment), I look over to see she's followed me by crawling on her belly. She's adorable.

+ We got a care package from my mom! Mabel went straight for her rice crackers and I've eaten a few Cadbury Creme Eggs. Perhaps even happier: I still have a Caramilk egg, Mini Eggs, M&Ms, and Swedish Berries in a drawer.

+ I finished 2 books this week. I'd recommend this one if you're looking for an easy read, and this one if you're in a book club (or if you'd want to discuss it with me!).

+ Just as I was finishing my last read, Sing, Uburied, Sing became available from my library holds. Excited to start it tonight!

+ Trading Spaces is back! I watched the first two episodes and although it's not as good as I remember, the nostalgia it makes me feel is kinda nice. And seeing other people be creative inspires me.

+ A quick coffee and playdate with friends today helped pull me back from the edge of despair. Sounds dramatic, but it's true. This week has not been kind to us in the AQI department and being cooped up in an apartment is not for the faint of heart. (Being woken up an average of every 2 hours for months is also not so fun.)

+ A surprise croissant from T!

+ Honestly, the fact that I've been posting more to Instagram, this is my second blog post this week, and I have plans for more posts in the near-future is making me pretty happy, too. It's been a long time since I've felt any desire to write or share.

What made you happy this week?

happy friday!

On Fridays, if you ask me how my week was, I'll probably give you a blank look and say, "Um... it was good... I think... I don't really remember... it was a blur!" My days are repetitive: Wake up, shower (or not), feed Mabel (breastmilk and then solids), play with her, put her down for a nap, eat breakfast myself... you get the picture. Each day can feel loooong, but the weeks are fast. They definitely have pockets of happiness though (and honestly, isn't there a bundle of happiness in boring, long days? I know there might come a time when I will ache for days like that).

Here's some of what made me happy this week:

+ Cooking a simple, quick, delicious dinner of asparagus and salmon for my family.

+ Taking myself on a "date." (I got a black tea latte from Starbucks and then wandered through a few stores, window shopping and buying shoes for Mabel. She's ten and a half months old but wearing size 3-6 month shoes.)

+ The first lilac sighting (and smelling) of spring 2018!

+ Spotting wrapped purple flowers in a man's bicycle basket as he cycled by.

+ Listening to two of my fave podcasts. (I really need to write an update to this post.)

+ Playing outside with Mabel in the sunshine for almost 2 hours one afternoon this week (and her baba leaving work a bit early to join us).

+ Being a passenger on Melissa's scooter for the first time. (Why did we wait so long?! From now on, we scoot everywhere!)

+ Eating at Ramo. (Greek flatbread + white wine, thumbs up emoji)

+ Meeting Makayla, the newest CISB baby!

+ Plans to have a date night with T tonight! Our first since Mabel was born!(!!!!)

I know that as soon as I hit publish, I'll think of many more things that made me happy, and isn't that happy in itself? What made you happy this week?

happy sunday!

In lieu of my semi-usual happy Friday post, I'm writing on a Sunday! This is the first time in a few weeks that I've had both the time and the desire to write something in this space, so I figured I should jump on it. Hope you're ready for some stream of consciousness style writing...

When school finished in June, I had grand plans for summer. I made two lists (goals and things to do for fun) and I planned on blogging a lot. Some things got done and some didn't...more about those lists later, but you obviously know I didn't blog much. I read a lot of books though! So I published book reports for June and July!

T and I landed back in Beijing two weeks ago and then he worked every day for the next 12 days. I eased back in, popping into work a couple times before I had to, and then returning officially on the 12th. We settled back into being home by unpacking, eating at a few of our fave spots, and sleeping a lot (except in the mornings; thanks, jet lag). I'm always amazed at how I forget things like which way I'm supposed to turn the taps to turn off the water in just a few weeks. Why is it so easy to forget those little aspects of a home? We have a new bathtub that I've yet to take a bath in, but I plan to rectify that some day soon, maybe even tonight.

I met most of my new kiddos on Wednesday when school started. I have 25 this year (woah), but I'm feeling a bit more laid back about everything (or trying to). I have my alarm set for 5:30 on weekdays to ensure I get the quiet time I crave and all of last week I woke up on my own sometime between 5:16 and 5:29. Keep it up, body.

I'm addicted to my new Fitbit. (I bought the Alta.) I had a Fitbit Flex a few years ago and loved it. It really motivates me! I've been taking the stairs more often and forcing Tony to walk with me when we would maybe have taken a taxi before. When I sometimes walk in place while waiting for a light to change, T laughs at me. Another foreigner watched me doing this and then she started doing it too. I pointed her out to Tony and said, "See! I'm inspiring people!" and he replied right away, "She's making fun of you." I don't know if she was or not; her face didn't look like she was, but maybe.

We're still not quite in a groove yet, partly because the beginning of the school year is hectic for both of us, partly because I've been battling middle and outer ear infections, partly because it just takes time, but I'm looking forward to getting back into it. We walked to get groceries today, and then walked to brunch (okay, we walked partway, took a taxi the rest of the way because Tony complained he was too hot, but then we walked back the whole way), and now I'm settled on the couch with iced tea (using my new iced tea press from David's Tea!).

We'll see what the rest of Sunday brings. Definitely leftover Indian; maybe a bath; hopefully an episode or two of Criminal Minds, beginning a new book, and an early bedtime.

Happy Sunday!

happy friday!

It's been awhile since I've written a happy friday post, but I was reading through some of my archives the other day and I remembered that there's value in these quick posts as well. This blog has taken the place of the journaling I used to do (although I started keeping a Line a Day journal this year and haven't missed a day yet), and I should do a better job of noting the mundane parts of life, because in the end, that's sometimes what matters most.

T and I came back from our trip to Xi'an, and have been staying in Melissa's apartment this week, while ours was painted. That was a whole ordeal itself, but it's done finally and we should be moving back in today. We just had it repainted white but it was worth it for a fresh start and our apartment looks so bright again. We're going to wait a while before we put anything back up on the walls, partly to let the paint fully dry, but also because I want to think a bit about what to put up. (You can see peeks of our home here.)

T and I had a few dates this week. We went for dinner at Great Leap #45, our first time, for pizza. It was good! I'm already planning another visit soon. We also had a couple of lunch dates. It's so nice to get out for lunch, a change in our usual routine.

I've connected with a few teachers who will be coming here to teach and I'm excited to get to know them more. Teaching at an international school is bittersweet; there are lots of goodbyes, but lots of hellos, too.

I made progress on my summer goals: the apartment was painted; I washed the curtains (and our couch cushions!); I got my pap test and saw a dermatologist (both with good results!). I didn't read the books on the list yet, but I did read 2 novels (look for my June book report next week).

I'm looking forward to getting our apartment back in order this weekend, hopefully sitting on a patio somewhere with good food and drinks, and one of my best friends is returning to Beijing for the summer!

Happy Friday! And to my fellow Canadians, happy Canada Day!

happy friday!

Home alone and I'm not mad about it.

T left yesterday morning for a 5-day vacation in Singapore with his IT department. I realized the night before he left that I haven't spent more than a night alone in this apartment since we moved in together almost 3 years ago. I was (and still am) a bit sad that I wasn't able to go with him, but I was (and still am) also excited about the alone time I get to have.

I came home from work today—the beginning of a 3-day weekend—to a clean apartment, washed my face and changed into pyjamas, lit candles, made tea, and found my spot on the couch. My plans for tonight include reading, catching up on Scandal, and ordering Indian food. If that's not heaven, I don't know what is. Wait! I just remembered our ayi (cleaning lady) washed and changed our bedding today. Going to bed tonight will be heaven!

Plans for the rest of the weekend include more reading, writing, TV watching, and also dinner with friends, going to our school's production of Grease, and a girls' date with Melissa. I am so excited for this long weekend and am hoping it will be just what I need to recharge my batteries. (Of course, I'm also excited for T to come home ;)

What are you happy about?

happy friday!

It's this wonderful man's birthday today! This photo is my favourite right now. I feel like it captures him so well. I LOVE Tony's laugh. When he's really, truly happy or finds something really funny he breaks into this super dorky laugh and it is everything. His eyes light up, his eyes crinkle, and his smile is so darn big. When I captured it last week, I was like, This is it! This is Tony! You guys, at the risk of being too schmoopy, I just love him so much.

As for the rest of the week, well... it was the first week back to work after a two-week vacation so I feel like it could have been really bad or really good, and it was... both. There were highs and lows; I was really happy and content, and really sad and frustrated, but the overwhelming feeling was just really positive. And isn't that a wonderful thing to realize? Overall, life is good.

I hope you had a positive week as well, and I hope you have a peaceful weekend. xo

happy friday!

I just want to be cozy. I've lost count of how many times I've said that this week, but it's become my constant refrain and I think it will remain so for the rest of winter.

My new daily routine involves lots of hot drinks, usually tea, often coffee, and sometimes hot chocolate. If there's Baileys, so much the better.

We had a "pollution day"—similar to a snow day, but instead of a blanket of snow on the ground, there's a blanket of smog in the sky—on Tuesday and while I wasn't exactly happy about it, I didn't mind the opportunity to fulfill my longings for maximum coziness. I told Tony before I went to sleep Monday night, "I'm going to have Baileys in each of my hot drinks tomorrow." And with the exception of a cup of tea, I did. I also watched many episodes of Friends; had a long, hot shower, complete with loud music and a Corona; played Risk (and won!); and ate hot pot that was delivered to our apartment. If that's not the definition of cozy then I don't know what is.

Things that made me happy this week—other than being cozy (how many times can I write the word cozy in this post?):

+ Crossing much-procrastinated tasks off my to do list.

+ Standing up for myself, on more than one occasion.

+ My manicure, still.

+ A hot bath with this.

+ A student saying, "I'm still a little sick, but I really wanted to come to school!"

+ Watching students practice for the winter concert. I'm convinced there's nothing sweeter or more cheerful than that.

+ Sticking my finger up T's nose. Long story, but it was hilarious!

What made you happy this week?

happy friday!

What date night looks like with hazardous pollution.*

As far as Fridays go, this is most certainly a happy one.

T and I have big plans for the weekend: a three course dinner with wine pairings tonight (it's just Element Fresh so it's not fancy, but it's free), a Christmas party complete with Yankee Swap tomorrow night (I'm so excited about my gift; I want it for myself!), and a promise to be phone and computer-free all day Sunday (Netflix not included, so we can still watch Friends because Tony is addicted).

Doesn't that sound like a fantastic weekend? What are your plans?

*I'm happy to report this is from the beginning of the week, when we went to see The Martian. (Have you seen it? Fantastic movie!) The air has been considerably better since Wednesday, so no masks for tonight's date!

happy friday!

Right after Melissa called me a Student Loan Rockstar. 

So lucky to have these two in my life.

Classy ladies. 

I love this photo so much. Him, the ring, the fact that I had just hit him in the eye with a napkin and he was over exaggerating how bad it was and we were all laughing so much. 

Probably the happiest thing this week was receiving the letter saying, "Congratulations! Your student loan is paid in full."

I was excited, but Tony was even more excited than me! It was so sweet. He showed the envelope to a coworker and said, "Look!" He even wanted to open the letter and read it first, but I wouldn't let him ;) It didn't stop him from reading the letter out loud after I had already read it though, haha.

We immediately made plans to celebrate that night. Burgers and beer at Great Leap! It was so much fun. I haven't felt that free and happy in a long time.

Other happiness included:

+ Tony surprised me with a new iPhone! I'm a very hard person to surprise and he almost pulled it off. I guessed it while we were at Great Leap—even though there had been no hints—and Melissa pulled it out of her purse!

+ I cooked dinner for T and I! Salmon with a lemon dill sauce, roasted broccoli, and rice! (Okay, he cooked the rice, but that just means he poured it into the rice cooker and plugged it in.) I can't even begin to tell you how happy I was about this. I came home on Tuesday, turned on Songza, grabbed a beer, and started cooking. This is a HUGE deal for me because I don't cook. I mean, I might chop some vegetables now and then, and I can throw things in a slow cooker, but that's about it. I just don't like to cook. But lately, it's like something's clicked and I find myself wanting to cook. Yay! (Plus, I told Tony—and I know this sounds sexist—"I finally feel like a wife! My husband worked all day and I was able to let him relax on the couch and drink a beer while I cooked a delicious meal for him.") I was really proud of myself.

+ Date night with Melissa! T plays basketball Wednesday nights, so Melissa and I have started hanging out after work each week. We eat, talk, blog—whatever we feel like doing.

+ I received compliments from a few people about my blog. That really made me happy because I could tell they were genuine.

The days felt long, but the week went by fast. I felt balanced, which is perhaps the best feeling of all.

What made you happy this week?

Edit: I just looked at Melissa and said, "Shit! I forgot your curry!" She assured me I didn't have to add it, but I said, "It was so fucking delicious! I do have to!" So another happy thing: Melissa made green curry and shared it with me. 

happy friday!

Me, moments after making my final student loan payment! Hooray!

The moments before, during, and after this photo were taken are probably the happiest I was all week. Making that final student loan payment... I don't know if I can accurately describe how I fealt. Happy, relieved, proud, excited. It didn't feel real. It still doesn't. I don't think it will until I get the piece of paper that says my loan is paid in full. (I actually changed my account's mailing address to Beijing so the document would be sent here instead of Canada.) I'm contemplating framing it—only half joking—because it represents one of the biggest goals I've ever accomplished.

Paying off the loan brought back so many memories. I remember talking to my aunt Gwen and uncle Carl in Saint John about university, before I had even graduated from high school. I was nervous about how to decide what to major in, workload, etc., but more than anything, I was nervous about how I was going to pay for it. I knew I would have to get a loan, but would the government give me enough? And then how was I going to pay for it when I graduated?

I remember sitting in my kitchen, my mom trying to help me fill out the loan application online. I remember having to ask my neighbour, Ali, to come help us, because he had helped his daughter fill out her application.

I remember filling out the application each year. And then being excited when I found out how much I was being given each year, feeling relief that I could afford another semester. And I remember feeling nervous, because how was I going to pay this all back???

I remember climbing the stairs in George Martin Hall each semester, to where the student loan representative was sitting, so I could have my paperwork validated.

I remember sitting in a presentation during my B.Ed., about teaching in China. I remember thinking, This is it! This is my chance! This is how I'm going to finally be able to travel, to leave North America, and pay off my loan!

I set a goal for myself that I would have my loan paid off in 2 years. A bit of a crazy goal considering I had a $40 000 loan, plus the interest I would have to pay. Well, I didn't make the 2 year goal. But, I paid my loan off in just under 2 years and 9 months, and I got married, and I've traveled to 5 different countries. Thank God for China, I guess.

+++

This week wasn't all happiness though. I mean, most of it was. I had my nails done and went to dinner with friends. I had some cute moments with my kids.

But, I had some sharp pain last weekend. Which turned into a small rash, which turned into a slightly bigger and more painful rash. Which led me to Google. Which led me to self-diagnose shingles. Which led to a call to my vice-principal and a visit to my school nurse, and an appointment with a doctor at a hospital. Which led to a definite diagnosis of shingles.

All I can say is: Ouch.

But, I'm trying to see the happiness in this, too: It's a long weekend so I don't have to use many sick days. I'm resting a lot. As in, I'm sleeping in until at least 9:30 and I'm napping off and on all day, which is very unlike me. But I guess that's what I need right now. Meds and rest.

So yup, that's my week in a nutshell: Student loan paid off and shingles. Wahoo!

happy friday!

This week has been a bit unusual because Tony went back to work on Monday and I didn't until today. That means I was home alone all week. I'm now 99% sure I wouldn't be happy being a stay at home mom.

I did enjoy having time to myself though. It was pretty much the only time I've been alone all summer. I did lots of laundry, dealt with emails and banking and student loan stuff, designed our thank you cards for the wedding, caught up on blog reading, and wrote blog posts. Most of this made me pretty happy.

Other things that made me happy this week:

+ My best friend moved in across the hall from me! (This is bittersweet because it means another best friend is no longer living across the hall from me. I miss you, Alanna!)

+ This lemon press. You guys, it's so simple but a game changer! I've been drinking so much more water!

+ Waking up early. Like, 4:30-6AM early. Jet lag, I don't hate you in this case.

+ Drinking coffee from my new Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market mug.

+ Being back in our apartment. It definitely feels like home.

+ Making a huge payment on my student loan. I'll be done so soon!

+ We're married! 3 weeks in, I'm still so excited about it!

P.S. Wondering about the photo above? We were installing a water filter and I guess we underestimated our water pressure when we were flushing it out. Black water everywhere. All over the bathtub, walls, shower curtain, ceiling, towels, sink, toilet, floor, Tony. Hahahahahaha! I ran away as soon as it started gushing, leaving poor T to turn it off. I asked him, "Does this say something about our marriage?" I helped him clean up, though! In the end, we got the filter installed, I think it's made a difference, and we laughed a lot. Go team!

happy friday!

Blogging has been all over the place for me this summer. I thought I'd have more time to write posts and publish them regularly and... nope. I know, I know, I choose how I spend my time. And during this season of my life, being home for a short time, a wedding, family, etc. the blog is not my priority. But I have so many ideas and I really do hope to have them up soon.

In the meantime, the main things that made me happy this week were wedding-related:

+ My Nan asked T and I to pick up a caesar salad kit at the grocery store and when I saw the best before date, I danced around and said, "Our wedding date! This makes me excited!!!" I pretended to be less crazy than I am, and started to walk away, before deciding to embrace the craziness and went back to take a photo.

+ Tuesday was a marathon wedding day. I got my dress hemmed, we dropped off balloons to be filled and delivered the day of, we figured out the food situation, met with our officiant, had my hair and makeup trial, met with our coordinator, chose the exact spot for the ceremony and reception, and finalized plans. Big thank you to Melissa for taking us and helping us!

+ I'm 99% sure I'm going to change my name. I made a few phone calls to try to be sure I'll have enough time before we go back to China. I'm not looking forward to the hassle, but when I look at T and think, "I'm going to be a Zhang!" I'm pretty sure I glow.

One week!

What made you happy this week?