Personal Archives - Page 7 of 10

Category: Personal Page 7 of 10

A year of Bullet Journaling

On January 29, 2016

Moleskin Bullet

Around this time last year, I blogged about my plan to try the Bullet Journal. Since then, I’ve used this style of day timer meets journal meets to-do list to keep track of tasks & daily life. As they always tend to surge in popularity this time of year, I thought I’d do a little update on where I am today with it.

I started out following the Bullet Journal website pretty closely at first. I’d set up a Monthly log with a calendar page & a task page, followed by my daily logs & category pages.I kept this up until April, when I noticed I’d logged a singular task for the entire month. I don’t know why, but I just didn’t love this page. I cut it out going forward & just logged things as I went. Organized? Probably not overly, but it seems to work for me.

BVJ Meal Plans & my August calendar

I took a look around the Bullet Journal website this week, & there are some new changes that I think I’d like to implement to my own log. The Future Log seems like a great idea for me as I sometimes made a plan for the following month & didn’t know where to log it. I’d usually put an asterisk beside the bullet & add it to that month’s calendar when it came up, but it had a high potential for getting lost. The website was a good reminder of how to log events probably too. I moved to logging both events & tasks with a check box, which isn’t logical. I plan to get back to using the open circle for those. I think it will help to differentiate things a little more for me.

One thing I really loved over the course of the year was using the category pages for travel planning. Before our trip to BC this summer, I printed off a couple maps & made a list of the wineries I wanted to try. This kind of thing is totally my jam, & I can see myself using it even more in the future. I also enjoyed jotting down notes or blog ideas or thoughts about particular events. Not only does this come in handy when I want to write a blog post (I’m notoriously bad for writing about our trips months after the fact), but it also satisfies my need to journal. I didn’t do this nearly enough in the beginning so I’m going to make an effort to really do it for the second half of this journal.

Okanagan Wineries Category Pages

Slowly adding more “journaling”

I’ve found myself using a couple different signifiers as well. With N away so much in the past year, I really wanted a visual representation for myself. I added a blue dot next to the dates on my calendar page to show when he’s home. It’s a really small thing, but that visual definitely keeps me organized (& helps with the countdowns to his return!). This month, I’ve added a Journal Key to keep me on track with the different symbols that I find useful. Mine are a slight variation from the standard suggestions, but in keeping with the theme.

My Journal Key

Blue Dots in action

Normally, I’d have bought a whole new journal to start the new year fresh, but that feels so wasteful to me. This one is still perfectly good (I’m about halfway through) & my categories are still relevant so I’m going to stick with it until it’s full.

So, there you go. That’s how I Bullet Journal. Now you know the secret behind how I write all those blog posts months after the fact. If you like journaling or day timers, I highly recommend this style – it’s so adaptable, making it easier to continue using than other journals & day timers. There’s also the added advantage of it being pretty cheap! While the Bullet Journal website now sells their own journal with index & page numbers, I prefer my trusty moleskin. I use the hardcover version with graph paper & I love it. I store stamps & cheques & random notes in the flap at the back & find the graph paper is perfect for making my little task boxes. The beauty of the Bullet Journal is that you can choose your favourite notebook though, & make it whatever you want!

Stamp storage, notes, & workout post-its

Have you tried Bullet Journaling? What’s your favourite way to keep track of daily life?

Christmas 2015

By whoalansi

On January 19, 2016

In Family, Personal

Christmas is all about traditions. I love learning of all the different ways families choose to celebrate. & I love my own family’s traditions.

Since getting married, we’ve spent one Christmas with my family followed by one with N’s. While we both enjoy spending the holidays with each other’s families, I think we’d both admit that our own traditions still rank the highest. It’s always a bit of a challenge when you both come from families that celebrate, but I think I’ve come to appreciate both more now that we each year is different.

Sleepy Lucky

That said, it’s hard to complain about either option. We get pretty spoiled by both sides! This year, we stayed in Calgary to celebrate Christmas Eve & Day with N’s side. We headed over to his parent’s house after I got off work in the afternoon & spent the next 24 hours eating (seafood chowder, lobster, turkey, & everything in between!), drinking, playing games, skating, & enjoying each other’s company.

Christmas Eve Jammies

Boy & his dog

Christmas Morning

Bailey’s & Hot Chocolate

On Boxing Day, we woke up (a little later than we’d planned) & headed out to BC to visit with my family. We skied a half day at Panorama before heading out to my parents place near Fairmont Hot Springs.

N & I all bundled up!

Darth Brother & I

The next few days were filled with more food, more drinks, more games… Dad & I went for a short run, but for the most part, we relaxed & enjoyed the slower lake pace. I love getting out to the mountains this time of year – it feels especially festive. We even managed to fit in a quick visit with a girlfriend in Invermere before making our way back to the city.

Dad & I being goofs

Penguin Races

Our holiday traditions differ from year to year right now, but one thing remains constant – the love that surrounds us. I hope that remains the focal point for many years to come, whether we celebrate with our individual families or create our own new hybrid traditions.

December in Instagram

By whoalansi

On January 8, 2016

In Personal, Social

Ok, this has to be the latest I’ve ever posted an Instagram recap. I think I’m still playing catchup from the holidays. We’re back to reality now & N is back at work up North. I’m getting back into the swing of the whole part-time long distance thing. We’re in for a longer stint this time, I think. But enough of that, here’s how we rounded out 2016, according to Instagram.

1. I loved our real Christmas tree. We named him Carlos for no reason whatsoever. I turned the lights on at every opportunity & loved sitting in that front room, enjoying the glow from his lights.

2. My company Christmas party is always a good time & this year was no exception. We ended the night in our typical fashion, on the dancefloor.

3. Had a girls afternoon at Market Collective. Festive Christmas drinks, a little shopping, & some girl time. I really need to make a point of getting to MC more often.

4. Sarah & I kicking off the family traditions with my parent’s annual cocktail party.

5. Annual Ski Trip group photo. N’s friends have been doing this trip since University days & it’s always full of shenanigans & fun. This year we did a Yankee Gift Exchange, which was a fun addition I’d like carry forward.

6. We did another Locked Room with our gymnastics coach & a few of her friends. We made it out of the video game themed room, but it’s such a blast whether you escape or not!

7. Enjoying a Christmas morning coffee in our onesies! This year, we spent Christmas Eve & Day with N’s family in Calgary.

8. On Boxing Day, we headed out to the lake for the weekend with my family. My parents got me a selfie stick, so I put it to use right away, of course!

9. One of the best parts of Christmas is catching up with Gaux. We had a little get together at our house the Monday after Christmas – a few drinks & catching up with everyone for the last time in 2015!

Hope your December was fantastic. I’ll be over here writing 2015 on everything for the next two months! Follow me on instagram for even more updates!

Happy New Year

By whoalansi

On January 7, 2016

In Personal

Happy New Year!

It’s been a while since I did in of these. I didn’t even really realize that I skipped 2015. This past year is full of great memories, but in a lot of ways I think I got off track too. I’ve always been a planner, but I let that go a bit. In some ways, I think it was good for me, but in others I don’t.

While I think of myself as very goal-oriented, I’ve also mentioned my hesitancy to post my New Year’s resolutions. I still prefer to make changes & set goals throughout the year, as I see fit, but I’d also like to take this opportunity to reflect on the past year & make a plan for the coming one.

1. Make our house our home. We’ve started this a little bit with some new furniture & hanging photos, but there is so much I want to do to make our house ours. I think it has a lot of potential & we can do a lot with the spaces. I want to start by painting our bedroom & adding a door to the walk in closet. There are a lot of 80s-style valances everywhere, so I’d also like to remove those & then paint the main floor walls white. I think both those things will go a long way to making it feel more like ours.

2. Recommit to eating 80% paleo. We still eat paleo most of the time, but we’ve fallen a bit further away from it over the last year & ate out more than I’d like. N is heading up North so he won’t have a lot of choice about what he eats, but I plan to make it a priority for myself at home.

3. Run at least 3x a week. I’ve been running at lunch lately with a coworker & I can already feel an improvement. I’m registered for the Seawheeze Half Marathon in August. Getting into the running habit early never hurts! We started last month & it’s been great to have someone to get me out there when I may not be feeling it.

4. Work on mobility twice a week. I am not flexible at all, which makes some gymnastics skills pretty difficult. I’d love to improve my back flexibility so I can one day do walkovers & my shoulders are pretty tight from years of swimming & sitting at a desk all day.

5. Blog every week. I am so hit or miss with blogging. I always have good intentions, but I also have a pretty busy schedule & a full time job. I try not to be too hard on myself, but I think one post a week is pretty reasonable. I can do this!

6. Choose Happiness. I said this in 2014 too, but I think it’s a good one (& something I still need to work on). It’s so easy to get caught up in the negative, over-react to a situation, or just feel down about life in general. There are so many external factors that I have no control over, so here’s to focusing on the one that I can control: how I react. & I’m going to try to choose to be happy.

I find the key to my success usually lies in consistency. Everything comes a lot easier if you’re consistently striving for it. Suddenly, it just becomes part of your everyday. So while that’s a pretty vague “resolution”, I also want to keep that in mind. It goes both ways so while it’s easy to slip back into bad habits, it’s also easy to create good ones.

Do you like making New Year’s resolutions? What are you working on this year?

’tis the season!

By whoalansi

On December 22, 2015

In Family, Personal

Christmas Tree

Our Christmas festivities started pretty early this year with the market & really haven’t let up all month. We’ve kept ourselves busy this December – so much so that I can hardly believe Christmas is pretty much already here. N is off until early January & my office is pretty quiet. I’m certain these last couple days will fly by.

In early December we picked up a tree from Scouts Canada. I insisted on a real one. I think they’re so special! &, of course, I wanted the first Christmas in our new house to be memorable. My parents have had several different colour schemes over the years so we inherited quite a few decorations. We really only had to pick up lights & some plain felt stockings to personalize (I love personalized stockings!). With the few extras we’ve received as gifts, we’re set up with a pretty good Christmas collection.

We got him from a Scouts Canada lot, which was a great experience all around. He’s a beautiful tree, & almost a month after purchase, he still looks great! I’d highly recommend them if you’re looking next year. We named him Carlos (#CarlosChristmasTree).

Carlos looking just lovely!

The eggnog was flowing all month as we decorated, made Christmas crafts, watched our favourite movies, & celebrated with friends & family. Is there ever a bad reason to drink eggnog? (or your favourite holiday beverage – I’m also partial to mulled wine!) I’m hoping all the running I’ve been doing balances it out!

Eggnog + the Tree

Ready to Craft!

In onesies, of course!

Love Actually + Crafts

I think it all turned out pretty great. I love our tree the best (we’ve added a few more decorations that my mom found since these photos were taken), but overall I’m quite happy with how everything turned out. Of course, I’m already thinking about fixing up the white letters on our stockings so they’re easier to read. Aside from that little detail, it looks pretty sweet. As I’m coming up the street, I can catch a glimpse of Carlos all lit up in our front window. It’s one of my favourite parts of the day!

Fireplace

Poor planning with those glittery white letters…

Christmas Tree

I can’t wait to finish up work this week & spend a few days with N’s family & then mine. I’ve got a couple more gifts to organize & pick up, but I’m mostly ready to go!

Hope you’ve had a fantastic December. Are you ready for the holidays? What’s your favourite way to prepare?

November in Instagram

By whoalansi

On December 4, 2015

In Personal, Social

Move over, November, it’s time for Christmas! I always feel that Christmas comes out a bit too early, at least commercially, but often feel alone in that sentiment. Can we get past Remembrance Day before breaking out the music & decorations? I was happy to see some comments on that subject this year, honestly. I mentioned in another post that I’m much more excited for the holidays this year than last & I attribute that to not being alone in enjoying November for what it is: the end of a wonderful season.

Here’s what we got up to this month:

Me & the beer table at Winterstart! We ran (well, I ran, N is injured) again this year with two friends. They were a little stricter with the beer this year, but it was still a great time!
Our first Flames game of the year! We saw the Devils play the Flames in what turned out to be a really exciting game.
I’ve been stalled on handstand progress for a while so when my press handstand finally started to come together this month, I was quite excited.
Cuddling a friend’s new little lady. We have a few friends with new babies & I love getting to spend some time with them at this age.
Mid afternoon hot tubs are my favourite. We’ve had quite a few chinook days & they’re so perfect for a dip!
I wrote about the Christmas Market already, but I couldn’t resist including this photo again here. I highly recommend checking it out next year!
Instagram is such a funny place sometimes. This festive photo got a lot of love on there this month. I walk this bridge every day, & I love how it frames the city. It’s even better all decked out for Christmas!
We attended the second Meet, Eat, Compete & it was so much fun! H posted about it here. As much as I want to make sure I always have a spot for myself, I also think you should check it out. We played two new games this time & had a fantastic time!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Beef delivery! Haha. This is the third year ordering from Grazed Right. Ben is awesome & his beef is delicious. We’ve got a couple new cuts to play around with & I’m hoping to order some extra roast (the steak is all sold out – he’s that popular this year!). We also bought a deep freeze so we have room for it all in our own house.

Follow along with me on Instagram @whoalansi.

& now on to December – I’m ready for ya!

The Christmas Market

By whoalansi

On November 24, 2015

In Personal, Social

Last year, I didn’t get into the Christmas spirit until the holidays had more or less arrived. I always feel like things ramp up too early & it’s easy to get carried away about Christmas far too early. I was a real scrooge about it last year though, honestly. I’ll never be the first in line for my red cup on November 1, but I’m trying to find a middle ground.

When my girlfriend, Laische, suggested we check out the International Christmas Market at Spruce Meadows, I figured it was the perfect way to kick off the Holiday Season. It being our first Christmas in our new house, I’m excited to decorate. My Holiday wish list includes a wreath, some little white lights, a REAL tree, & a few simple items for the mantle.

We arrived at the market in the late afternoon, after a slow Sunday morning. It was quite busy, but we were lucky enough to find parking close to the entrance, due in part to our missing the sign for the further parking lots. Entrance will set you back $12 at the door, but I would recommend buying tickets online as you’ll save yourself a couple bucks.

The coolest thing about this market is that they have real, live reindeer. REAL LIVE REINDEER. I mean, it’s worth the entrance fee just to go see them! You can also get family photos done, which I think is way better than a photo with Santa. Rudolph is the star for me anyway. L & I were so tempted to get them done. Next year I’m definitely going to try & convince N to come down with me for a reindeer photo.

Mulled wine, gluhwein, vin chaud -whatever you call it, it tastes like Christmas. Nothing says Noel to me like wandering the market with a warm cup of vin chaud. It was my favourite part about spending the holidays in Europe. I was always eager to see the Christmas Markets pop up in squares around town – it marked the beginning of the holiday season & I’ve since found it difficult to find an equivalent in Canada. Not only do those markets have the best food, but there’s something magical about a snowy walk with a warm festive drink to get me in the mood for Christmas. When I saw gluhwein on the menu at Spruce Meadows, I knew I had to get some. It certainly worked its magic on me.

L & I were both looking for Christmas decorations, but we got a little overwhelmed by everything. There was SO much! Hopefully I can find some stuff elsewhere in the next few weeks now that I’ve had a chance to look around & figure out what we might want.

The market is open again next weekend & I’d definitely recommend checking it out. Do you have any traditions that make you feel ready for the Holidays?

Currently

By whoalansi

On November 19, 2015

In Personal

Thinking about: Winter & everything that comes with it. I trekked to work today in my sorels & my feet were toasty, but I can’t help feeling like it’s more of shlep than a walk. It always takes me a few weeks to get used to all the winter gear & the extra time it takes to get out the door. I also really need to get my winter tires mounted on steel rims & onto my car. I’m still driving on three all seasons & one winter tire after hitting a massive rock on the highway last winter. It’s time to switch that out.

The events in Paris & Beirut last week have also been on my mind. It’s hard to go a day without hearing or discussing the Syrian Refugee Crisis. There’s a lot of fear out there, & I won’t claim to have a solution, but I am happy to have heard some balanced responses from our country’s leaders. You may not agree with me in that assessment, & that’s ok, but this is as far as I plan to delve into the subject on this platform.

Drinking: Bulletproof Coffee. We’ve been doing the Bulletproof Coffee thing for a week now & I really like it so far. I find I’m not as hungry throughout the day, but feel like I’m treating myself to a latte in the morning. It sounds weird to most, but I’m enjoying it so far!

Reading: I’m halfway through Looking for Alaska right now & it’s probably my favourite John Green book so far. I read Bringing Up Bébé last month, & really enjoyed it too. Pamela is funny & i find the topic to be fascinating. I loved reading not only about her experience raising children in France, but also her observations of French parents compared to American parents. I definitely recommend it even if, like us, you aren’t planning a family at the moment!

Let me know if you have any other reading suggestions – I’ve got a Chapters gift card to use!

Loving: New recipes! N & I took Friday off work last weekend & I proceeded to spend the rest of the weekend cooking. I literally didn’t do a whole lot else outside of workouts & a game night with friends. I was excited to find some real great recipes last week & was overjoyed when they all turned out fantastic. I will definitely be adding some of them to the rotation. & with winter making its appearance, I’m so ready for braising & roasts & all those comforting cold weather dishes!

Watching: We just finished the first season of Narcos, which I really enjoyed. Now that we’re done, I haven’t moved on to a new show though. There isn’t anything I’m super excited about & I’ve been trying to fill my time with other things (like cooking & games & workouts & reading). Do you have any good Netflix recommendations for our arsenal? I like to have some for those really cold days (& our new couch arrives this weekend, just in time for us to cuddle up & watch some quality TV! haha)

How about you? What have you been up to? This post was inspired by Sometimes Sweet. Find previous Currently posts here.

Halloween

By whoalansi

On November 15, 2015

In Personal, Social

It being our first Halloween in our new house, I was quite eager to actually partake in some typical festivities. There aren’t nearly as many kids going door-to-door for tricks or treats as when I was a kid, but I figured I’d still get to see some cute costumes & hand out candy, which is more than I can say for Halloween night in a condo.

The weekend before, friends invited us over to carve pumpkins. I honestly don’t remember the last time I carved a pumpkin so the moral support seemed like a good idea. They made some delicious caramel apple squares for us to snack on as an added bonus. It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I have very little skill when it comes to drawing so I went with a simple warning on my pumpkin: BEWARE. (Of my knife skills? Probably a good bet.) I was pretty impressed with everyone else’s creations though – next year, maybe I’ll be a little more adventurous with my artwork. Haha.

Unfortunately, my pumpkin didn’t quite make it to Halloween night. I’m pretty disappointed that I didn’t ever get a photo of it all lit up, but it disintegrated in N’s hands while I was out of town. Next year, we may have to carve them a little bit closer to Halloween!

At least N’s pumpkin made it!

Halloween night, we ate dinner pretty early so I could anxiously await our first trick or treaters. I really had no concept of what time they’d arrive. (& looking back now, I couldn’t tell you when the doorbell first rang, which will be really useful for next year.) We wound up with about twenty kids over the course of the night. That number sounds like a pretty average turnout for our neighbourhood. We had some adorable costumes – batmen, spidermen, princesses, cookie monster, a couple fairies – but my favourite was a little boy dressed as a blue recycling bin. When I asked him about it, he proudly told me he’d made it with his dad. How awesome is that?! I loved it!

Once the kids were done making the rounds, our grown-up party began. This year, I went as the Spartan Cheerleader from SNL, Arianna. My coworker & I had dressed up together & recorded a little routine for a work contest. He totally nailed Will Ferrell’s character in our video!

N’s mom made a festive Mexican Dip!

penguin, owl, & pizza rat

Veronica from the Heathers & Ryu from Street Fighter

Creepy KG (I think..) & a Unicorn

Everyone showed up in costume, which I was quite impressed by. With adult parties, costumes can be a bit hit or miss. Luckily, our friends always seem to be down to dress up. We had a good variety, but I loved my friend’s little family dressed as sriracha.

Baby Chili Pepper!

Predictably, N’s costume was a bit of a play on words. It also proceeded to morph over the course of the evening – by the end of the night, I think he was an Uber driver with a man bun (& yeah, that’s an edible bun on his head.).

Getting Rowdy

I’m pretty excited for all the firsts in this house & to share more as the house itself evolves. The physical changes are pretty cool (new furniture this week!), but I think having friends & family over are what really makes it a home.

& on that sappy note, I hope you all had a fantastic All Hallow’s Eve!

October in Instagram

By whoalansi

On November 9, 2015

In Personal

I have such good intentions on posting these recaps, but sometimes the days just get away from me. Anyway, better late than never! Here we go…

I think the game night was the theme of the month of October for us. We played board games more often than ever before – in part in an effort to host people in our new home (& save money), but also because we added a new game & two settlers expansions to our collection. N is obsessed & wants to play Catan all the time now. It’s become his go-to suggestion. Here’s what else we got up to this month, according to Instagram:

N bought the new expansion packs & immediately invited friends over to play that night even though we also had plans to play the following night.
Gaux was in town for Thanksgiving so we got together at our house for drinks & then hit up the very cool Good Luck Bar. Cheap drinks & good music in a tiny space remind me of our party days at B Side in Montreal.
We hosted Thanksgiving with both our families this year. N & I were in charge of the turkey, stuffing, & gravy, while everyone else brought sides. Thirteen of us squished into our little dining room for a delicious thanksgiving meal – I’m so happy for what a success it was!
The sunrises on my morning commute were pretty spectacular this month. I managed to capture a few examples of the incredible colours we saw this fall.
Obligatory voter selfie. I watched the election results from the lobby of the YMCA that night. What an interesting race this year!
The very first Meet, Eat, Compete event at Nicastro’s pub was a great success. I can’t wait to try more games at the next event. Thanks to A Couple of Couples & Connect More for organizing!
It’s been years since I carved a pumpkin, but considering we’d be giving out candy on Halloween this year it seemed fitting. Everyone’s pumpkins turned out great, if I do say so myself!
Volunteering at the Drop In Center with my office, serving lunch to over 1500 people.
Dressed up as Spartan Cheerleaders Craig & Arianna from SNL with my coworker.

WHOA lansi

francophile, oenophile, logophile, turophile

Category: Personal Page 7 of 10

A year of Bullet Journaling

Christmas 2015

Happy New Year

’tis the season!

Currently

October in Instagram

ABOUT

whoalansi

Social Media

Archives

Blogs I Follow

Search

whoalansi

Social

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email