About Me

About me....

I am an almost 35 year old woman. I have a beautiful 11 month old daughter named Avery, and a wonderful, loving and supportive husband.  We did not do things the conventional traditional way.  We had our daughter, then got married in a very small and intimate back yard wedding. It was perfect, we wouldn't change a thing!

Wow! Now I am almost 35 1/5, Avery is almost 18 months, and we are living in St Albert, Alberta! A lot has changed in 6 months!

Well, Here I am 39 years old, and boy has a lot of things changed!  Still proud mommy to a beautiful 5 year old girl, who is starting Kindergarten in September, but also a single parent. Life has changed.  I have less time for my blog which disappoints me, but the last 18 months have been a huge adjustment for us.  Hopefully this summer I can get things up and running again.  I still love cooking, I still love running, and I still love crossfit.  Only now I am limited to what i can do.

Recipes - I have always enjoyed cooking and testing out new recipes. Since the baby came along I really have not done much of this.  I got hooked on Pinterest. With so many recipes right at your fingertips, I figured I better stop looking and get cooking!

Running - I started running when I was 10 years old.  I ran competitive track and field until my senior year of university.  My main event was the 400mH.  I also competed in everything from the 50m sprint to cross country.  After university I stopped running. I hated it. It was too much work and way too painful.  I moved to Victoria, BC in 2009 and I started to run a little here and there with my Uncle and his running groups.  In April 2009, I ran my first 10km and surprised myself. I set a goal to run the 8km in October, but by May I had given up running. In October 2009 I started walk/running a 10km loop with a friend 1x per week. By December we had given that up.  I was just running here and there on the tread mill when I went to the gym.  April 2010 I ran another 10km, and ran the same time I had the previous year.  That was the last time I ran.  Later in the year I found out I was pregnant, and I tried to start running a little, that didnt work out.  After I had the baby, I really wanted to run, but I was WAY too overweight to carry myself.  I signed up for a Running Room 5km clinic, and i never went.  I still needed to lose 15 lbs and really wanted to run.  In January I started running/walking with a friend on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Unfortunately she hurt her knee and had to stop running.  I also joined the Penninsula runners 10km training clinic.  A 14 week program to get you ready for the 2012 10km.  Even though I was a week late, I actually attended this clinic.  I complete all of my homework runs, and actually look forward to running now.  Great way to burn 600+ calories!!  I am scheduled to run the 10km April 29, 2012, and have a few other runs in my calender just to keep me going.  I'm even considering stepping it up a notch and training for the 1/2 marathon!

-- Update - due to injuries I quit running in April (right around my race).  I have tried to get back into it, but struggling with the motivation.  I have found a new love though.... CROSSFIT!!

Cakes -  I decided to finally take some cake decorating classes when I found out I was pregnant. Of course I want my baby girl to have the most spectacular 1st birthday cake ever!! LOL.  I have completed all 4 of the Wilton courses that Michael's offers.  Now I just go in occasionally for what I would call "cake clinics".  You take your project in, and you have 3 hours to work on it with the guidance of Tom.  (Tom is our cake guru)  Its much better this way. Going to weekly classes means you have a cake in your house every week, and who needs that when they are trying to lose all the baby weight!!

As we switched to a paleo lifestyle, i do not really cake anymore.  Not with the same intensity or passion.  We do still love a great paleo chocolate cake though!

Crafts - I have always been crafty and enjoyed making things.  I scrapbooked for quite sometime, but never finished a book.  I really enjoy rubber stamps and making cards.  I can crochet, but I mostly make scarves.  They make great Christmas gifts! I often come up with odd projects or see things I like and attempt to make them.  The most unfortunate thing about my crafting life, is 95% of my materials are in a storage container in Long Beach, California, just waiting for me to pick them up :-(

SLP - Professionally I am a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)  I am certified by ASHA (American Speech and Hearing Association), I hold a valid California State License, I am a member of the College of Speech and Hearing Professionals of BC, and a Registered Autism Service Provider withing the Province of British Columbia.  I graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology from California State University, Sacramento, and in 2003 I completed a Master of Arts in Communication Disorders at California State University, Los Angeles.  I worked within the Pasadena, Los Angeles and Long Beach Unified School Districts from 2003-2009.  In 2009 I moved back to Canada, and and worked at Little Steps Therapy Services Inc in Victoria BC.  In August I started working for the Early Learning Program for Edmonton Catholic School.  

I now work for the Sturgeon School Division.  A rural district with 13 schools.  I provide support to all of the grade schools students (grades 1-12) within our division.  Lots of variety, lots of travel.  It can be a bit isolating at times, but I love my job and the people I am fortunate enough to work with!