Awaiting Santa's Arrival with a Heart Full of Memories

Speaker 1: 0:09

Hey cuties, welcome back to Five Years Time podcast with your host, grace. Happy Christmas Eve. Can you believe it? Where did I put my water? It is the last day of Padmas. Oh, my gosh and cutes, it is literally 5 am. Like it is 5 am in the morning, I'd say we're having a coffee chat, but I just have water because I didn't want to go downstairs and wake up the house, although I'm pretty sure Trevor's awake I have been up for so long.

Speaker 1: 0:44

If you listen to yesterday's episode, you know that I didn't sleep well the night before and I doom-scrolled all night, although it wasn't dooming like I wasn't in a bad mood. I was just like I wasn't feeling negative energy towards the social medias or scrolls, except for the fact that I wasn't sleeping. But me and Trevor and Ro all went to my mom's for dinner last night, which was so lovely, great to see my brother and aunt and uncle and we really kicked off our holiday weekend. But we were so tired. Trevor was so tired, he actually biked to my mom's. I went earlier because I was gonna help her make dinner and we were recording how to how to cook a roast, which I have to edit that video today, so I'm not sure how it turned out. It was a little chaotic in the sunset. We were just trying to, we were just having a good time. It was more of a family fun video. But anyways, I was gonna pick up Trevor and then he was like, oh no, I'll bike over, and so I think that really took it out of him. But I think he was also just tired in general and he was so exhausted while we were there and so I was actually pretty energized, which I was surprised, because I was busy all day.

Speaker 1: 2:01

Yesterday I didn't sleep well and then I woke up not early, at six o'clock, but that's like normal time for us but I hadn't gone back to bed until like four or something and then I was busy all day, like I was filming and recording and moming and just like all the way until we went to my mom's and that we were still recording more, and then eventually we sat down for dinner and then after dinner we had Nibbley beds like different, you know, christmas cookies. Quality streets, guys, quality streets changed their packaging. I get it better for the universe, but they took away. It's now like paper instead of the colorful cellophane, and I think the only reason it's truly upsetting is because one of my favorite things my dad did around the holiday times was he would take off the cellophane and say it's not just a sweet, it's a, it's an activity. And then he would like hold the buff to his eyes and look at the lights the Christmas lights or any light and it would change colors. Then we would like put the cellophane on top of each other to create more colors. It was just a fun activity and I would do it with row two and she even remembers like doing it from last Christmas and then this Christmas we opened up the tin and they're different change sometimes, it can be hard, but anyways, yeah.

Speaker 1: 3:27

So as we were sitting and having our sweets, row is you can tell she's like she's clicked into holiday time, like she was. It was only seven or seven thirty and Trevor was like she was getting a little like you know, when kids are past their bedtime and they get a little wound up, she was starting to get that. But I think she was just like really excited about the holidays and Trevor obviously wanted to go to sleep so he was like maybe we should just go. I was like it's only seven, like let's just stay a little bit longer. And, yeah, she was just like so I think it was quite funny, she was just going, going everywhere doing everything and I loved it. I loved how excited she was and it's just a, it's just a weekend in our life and I want to, I want to full, full, send all the excited energy for this weekend. So let's do it, girl.

Speaker 1: 4:16

Anyways, point of this is all that by the time I think we left around like maybe eight, eight, thirty, I'm not sure, but by that time I was like okay, I'm tired. So we both we, I think we all just went home. I laid with Ro. I'm so surprised I didn't fall asleep with Ro. I actually almost was gonna fall asleep with Ro, but I remembered I had to export my YouTube video. So, like, I think subconsciously, my brain went into I still have work to do, don't fall asleep. And I didn't.

Speaker 1: 4:43

So then I came back in here and I exported and then I just went right into bed and I think I like scrolled a little bit I know, cuties, this is my, this is my last indulgence in the scrolling and then I just like passed out. I was like I don't have anything to watch and I think, trevor I don't know what Trevor did. I think he went downstairs and gave her, but but he must have gone to sleep pretty early, because I woke up at like three this morning and then was just on my phone and I heard Trevor get up and go to the bathroom, and so I and he went downstairs. So I think he must be video gaming right now, or maybe he went downstairs to lay down, I don't know. Anyways, he's not away, or he's awake or he's not upstairs.

Speaker 1: 5:26

I thought I heard him and Ro is still awake or still asleep, and I was just laying there and I was like I should just record the podcast, because I was thinking like, oh, what are we doing today? And I need to record One more video For TikTok, maybe two, because I'm still seeing if Trevor's gonna. I think Trevor's gonna do today's recipe of the day. I'm just gonna say he is, I'm putting it out there, I'm gonna tell you our recipe of the day today is gonna be hosted by Trevor, so I at least need to record one more TikTok today and Get this podcast up and also record this podcast.

Speaker 1: 6:03

This means this morning going through my to-do list and then we're gonna go rock climbing with my brother and Then, other than that and I wanted you rapping I told you I think Trevor has an appointment tonight, so I'd like to do rapping, but other than that, that's all I have to do. But I was like, oh, I should just record the podcast now, like just do it now and then it's done and I don't have to think about it, or try to figure out when it's gonna fit into my day.

Speaker 1: 6:25

So that's exactly what I did. I went to get up and then sit here and I Looked in the viewfinder or in whatever as I was setting up the thing and I was like, oh wow, I didn't wash my face last night. I just had like mascara running down my eyes, so I just want to wash my face. That's a classic. They can mean ought to wash my face when I just want to go to bed. I'm kind of gross like that. So no judgment here.

Speaker 2: 6:53

I know judgment so.

Speaker 1: 6:55

But happy final day. You're really getting my first thoughts of the day and this early morning. I am so proud of myself for doing every single episode. I am behind on my TikTok videos, which, like Whatever, I don't care. I took off that one Sunday and didn't record and and I'm happy that I did it, but I'm actually so and I'm still gonna post everything. We're just gonna be a day behind. You're gonna get your last episode on Christmas morning, which actually works out because our recipe of the day or, yeah, our recipe of the day is gonna be our Christmas morning breakfast that Trevor makes us every year. So honestly, I think that's like a bonus treat. It was meant to be. But I am so proud of myself for recording all of these 12 episodes. I can't believe it.

Speaker 1: 7:43

It was an emotional roller coaster at times I want to tell you about from start to finish, but I just can't believe we're at the final one. So I like had the idea to do this because One I really wanted to. I feel like this time of year there's like a lack of podcasting content and I am someone who needs at least one podcast like every day, because I use it to fall asleep or I use it for like my walk. So, like I usually can get like a 10 minute, I'll fall asleep to like 10 minutes of a podcast and then I can finish the rest of it on my walk. So it's like I need a podcast every single day. Sometimes I find it difficult. So I was like I want to give the QD's 12 podcasts If there's anyone out there who is feeling like they need some company around the holidays or want some things to keep them, be with them for their walk every day or to fall asleep to just like that. So that was my one and then two. I just like really need it to get out of.

Speaker 1: 8:38

I don't even know if it was a podcasting rut, I just was. I kind of talked about this at the beginning of vlogmas or vlogmas come on, grace, it's been 12 days. We know what this is, bonmas. I talked about how I felt like I Didn't have anything good to share and like I had this like thinking my mind where I felt like I just like, I Just said like so many times, but I felt as though I Was at this place where I was everyone. I I felt like everyone out there had more interesting things to say or whatever I have to say. Someone else has already said or everyone already knows what I'm gonna say, I don't know. I just like felt like my words weren't worthy of sharing anymore and so that was really hard for me to like get past and sit down and obviously talk on my own for an hour to do a podcast.

Speaker 1: 9:29

So I just was like I need something to push myself out of this rut and just get myself, you know, feeling, feeling loosey-goosey and comfortable and flexible and just like push myself and also Get in a good routine of Podcasting and feeling uncomfortable at times and whatever. So, anyways, and I have to tell you, I truly is like Remarkable what you can do when you put your mind to it, because 12 days later I have 12 episodes out and it's like wow, okay, I am so proud myself for doing that, because let's go over the, the, the jit or not the jits, the, the, the movement, the flow of this 12 days and how I felt I started with such a bang, like I was so excited. I felt like I was. I also hadn't podcasted for a while, so I felt like I had so much to say. And then, about the halfway mark, or like day, yeah, about the halfway mark, it felt like, oh my gosh, this is too much. Why did I sign up for this? I can't keep doing this. This is so much, it's taking time. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then I was just like just do a grace, do it. And I I pushed through.

Speaker 1: 10:44

And then, as soon as we hit over like Just over the halfway mark, like I think like two episodes over the halfway mark, I was like so excited I could see the end in sight, not in a bad way, but in like I'm doing, and I got this like and it felt so good and I've been so excited to record these last few episodes and I love that these last few episodes have been so like Catchy up, being heart to heart. And today we're gonna do our year in review, which I was thinking like how do I want to do this year in review? And then I was like I'm just gonna open up Instagram and go through. At first I was like I feel like Instagram is not a good representation because I wasn't very active at the beginning of the year On my five years time podcast Instagram. I'd never even use my personal Instagram anymore because I become active on this one. So I was like I don't know if it's a good representation, but I'm still. I think it'll give me some, some inspiration to do our year in review. But I think that's what we're gonna do. We're just gonna open up Our Instagram and scroll through and discuss this year because, honestly, as I said in yesterday's episode, I feel like I can only see the last three months. I can't really. I was like I can't remember what happened, like from last year to now. So I think this will be really fun. I love reflecting. Obviously, if you're here, you know that.

Speaker 1: 12:03

But, starting off in January, we had our New Year's party, which was so much fun, and then, I think, january from what I could see, oh yeah and we took road to her first ice dogs game, which was so much fun. Actually, now, anytime we drive past the arena because you can see it off the highway she always says ice dogs, ice dogs, and we should take her to an ice dogs game again this winter. She loved that. I actually loved it too. That was my first hockey game as well, and it was such a fun time. Oh, also, I should just warn you that row might wake up some at some point, because it's like we're getting closer to the 530 mark and that's usually when she'll start to wake up, and so this episode may be a little choppy in the sense that I gotta get up and do mom things, but hopefully Trevor's awake somewhere, but anyway. So we took her to her first dog game, my first hockey game. That was so fun.

Speaker 1: 12:56

I set up our podcast studio. We've officially been podcasting here for almost a year, which is just wild. I can't believe that this is something that I've wanted for so long. Ever since I started podcasting For the first two seasons, I felt like I was always moving from one place to the next because I never felt settled or set up or I don't know. And then also I always had to, like, take down all my equipment and put it all up because it was in, like public spaces of our house. So I really was craving an area where I could just have my studio set up so that when I felt the urge to speak or record, I could just pop in here and I didn't have to take out the mic, stand, set up this, that up this, find all the little bits of mobs, whatever run around the house, plug everything in. Everything was just ready to go and it feels so good and I think that really did help enable my ability to just speak more freely on the podcast. And it's been so great and I love it in here and I love that I can just close the door and have it, have it here Also.

Speaker 1: 13:57

It's so cute because Ro loves it. She always, even yesterday when we were driving home I was telling Trevor I was like okay, tomorrow we're going to do this and I just need to sneak in to the studio to record an episode at some point or. And then I was like it's the last podcast of the year. Or I said a podmas or something and Ro in the back was like your last podcast, mommy, and I was like only of the year, just just until the new year, and she's like oh good, I love that you podcast. She's so cute every night on an upload night, which is Tuesdays, because typically I upload on Wednesdays, so on Tuesdays I come in before bedtime and I just like check to make sure that everything's exported and I quickly get it all Uploading and Ro will come in with me and she always sings into the mic. I actually have a few recordings which are so sweet when I have the opportunity, when I have the opportunity and I'm not busy trying to do something and I can get my audacity open to record it. I have a few few cute recordings of her and she'll catch up on her day talking into the bike. She likes to sing. She likes to sing. This girl is a fire and it's so cute and it's like a treat. She loves being in here. It's so sweet, I love it. So, anyways, podcast studio so fun. I'm so glad that we have this space.

Speaker 1: 15:13

I think January spent a lot of time trying to figure out and get back into a routine. I was just like our fridge was so disastrous which actually it's so disastrous right now. So I'm sure this January I'll be doing the same thing cleaning up the fridge and all that stuff. And I remember I was prepping breakfast, which was like a game changer for us. I loved prep breakfast, but now that I'm obsessed with my cream of wheat and toast and I have instant cream of wheat, it's like we don't need to prep the breakfast. But that was so good. At that time I remember I was making egg bites. Oh yeah, I loved our prep breakfast. Oh, what is this?

Speaker 1: 15:53

From January, okay, end of January, me and my friend Ken went. I actually got invited to cause consulman's I always want to say it wrong which is a winery here in Niagara and it was the. This was the best wine tasting experience I've ever had. Actually, I've had two amazing wine tasting experiences, one at consulman's and one at the hair, and they were the best I've ever had. As for like experiences, but this one was their ice wine one, and I remembered thinking, like I don't really think I like ice wine, but they made us ice wine cocktails. It was so fun and that was one of the last times me and Ken got to get together before she moved away to Toronto, which is fine and she still exists. We had such a good time and that was so sweet of them to invite me and it was really just like so sweet, it was really such a meaningful one. So that was my reminder to you that wine tasting can still happen in the winter. Actually, I think some of my favorite wine tasting is in the fall and winter. It's so cozy vibes here inside over the vineyard, it's so beautiful. Sometimes snow or rain, oh, it's lovely.

Speaker 1: 17:01

I really got into making bread, oh yeah. Oh my gosh, I forgot about making bread. Okay, so this year is the year that I started making bread. I couldn't remember if it was this year or last year. So this year is the year I started making bread for the first time, wow. And I just posted our focaccia recipe oh, that one is so good by Justine Stacks. She killed it with that one. But, yeah, a year of bread. Wow, I feel so much more confident making bread now and I really want to make bagels. I fit, I'm sorry, I feel I'm so stuffed up right now, not because I'm sick, but in the morning I just am so congested and it's like I blew my nose like three times before this but nothing was coming out and now it's just like all settling. I'm sure other people can relate to that, but anyways, what I was going to say was I really want to make bagels Every so often. I have like this reminder's note where I write down like things I want to make, and I always write bagels always, always, always. And it's like I haven't made them yet. We did do pretzels, which is super similar to bagels, because you boil them, but I want to make bagels so bad. So that's something that I want to do this new year.

Speaker 1: 18:14

Oh yeah, my pasta attachment, pasta. I never say that pasta, it's also the year of fresh pasta. I've had that pasta attachment for my kitchen aid forever, like literally. I'm pretty sure I don't know if I got it the same Christmas I got my kitchen aid or if I got it the next Christmas, but I've had it since I was like 15. Not even I got this. My dad gave me my kitchen aid. So I would have had it since middle school, so since I was like 11 or 12. And I used it like once or twice and I don't know if I followed the recipe exactly right and it never worked out, and so I just like never used it again. And then I remembered that I had it. My mom actually had it. I was like, oh mom, can I have that pasta attachment? Amazing, and it is the best thing ever. Like.

Speaker 1: 19:02

I absolutely love making pasta and I absolutely like, just like, love trying new recipes. It's so fun. Ro thinks it's so fun. It's actually way easier than you would think it is and it's a little time consuming in the comparison of buying a package of pasta. But honestly, it's not even that time consuming. Time consuming. It's so much fun, I find it so therapeutic. So, yeah, a past and bread year.

Speaker 1: 19:29

Oh my gosh, we took Ro to Great Wolf Lodge for her birthday. That was so fun, that was a surprise for her and I remember, I remember when we were like driving in she was just like, oh my gosh, because she saw the slides and everything and it was so fun and that was like our first time being like I've never been to Great Wolf Lodge. It's like a proper like kids resort. I didn't know what to expect. I never even thought, I didn't even know that like kids resorts existed. Obviously it was, that's what it is, but I don't know. I just thought it was like, oh, a hotel in a water park, but no, it's like kid oriented, everything. It was so much fun and it felt like a true, proper vacation. I mean it is, but like we live close to Great Wolf Lodge, so it was really just like a staycation in that sense, but like it felt like we were like transported. It was like, oh, I almost feel like I'm at like a resort resort, like it was so much fun.

Speaker 1: 20:22

We went to a few weddings, oh yeah, okay, we had a wedding in the winter, which was fun, in Collingwood. What month are we in Obviously remember in February because, ro, that was fun. Oh my gosh, I made the heart cinnamon rolls A more bread era for Valentine's Day. Oh, that was so cute. Those cinnamon rolls were so fricking good. I did that trick where you're apparently it's like the cinnamon trick I love cinnamon where you add is it half a cup or a cup of whipping cream To your cinnamon rolls after they've laid out and proofed before you put them in the oven, and it just makes them so ooey gooey. It was my year of dancing in the kitchen and recording it. I feel like I am always dancing in the kitchen, but I was sharing more of that.

Speaker 1: 21:07

Oh, pierogi, I made homemade pierogi. I need to make pierogi. Oh my gosh, I made the mini homemade pierogi for the soup. Yum, what we made. It was like a cabbage soup, was it? Yeah, cabbage soup with mini pierogi, yum, oh, we need to make a batch of pierogi. It's a perfect winter thing to make and I've had on my list to make dessert pierogi forever.

Speaker 1: 21:30

The thing is, pierogi really is time consuming. Like that is a labor of love. That one I remember being like oh, my back hurts, but I think I stood the whole time. I should have sat. I rolled all of them standing. I really need to sit when I'm doing things more often. Sometimes it's like because I don't record the whole process when I'm rolling like a hundred pierogi, so I should just. But I like because I'm standing and recording and then I just turn off my phone and I keep going. It's like I don't transition to sitting, but I should. I should bring a stool over and sit down.

Speaker 1: 22:04

Oh my gosh, I discovered the cookies for two recipe by I think it's modern honey. I've definitely shared it before. It is the best recipe ever. Well, and it's for sure on my Instagram. It's so good. We make those all the time, like game changer, game changer, many a snack plate. All looking through all these photo dumps Me and Rowie making all the cookies so much.

Speaker 1: 22:31

What is this one? Oh my gosh, march. That's so funny. Yesterday I was just saying okay, so we've like jumped to March already. I guess this March come after February, january, february, march, duh, I was saying yesterday how I felt like winter is really like December, january, february, and technically it's only like. Technically it's only winter now, but December, january, february, and then as soon as March hits, I'm like it's spring. And so this picture from March is literally me standing outside, like by the lake, and there's no snow on the ground, like breathing in the sun, and that's just so true. This is my morning walks in March, and that's just so true to what March is like. The next picture is actually I guess I can show I don't think, I don't know oh yeah, the camera's over here, I don't know if you can see.

Speaker 1: 23:19

Anyways, the next picture is of Mr Noodles or Cup of Noodles I'm pretty sure it's Mr Noodles, though and a donut that, a sugar twist donut that I picked up from the grocery store in like their fresh donut bread area. Oh my gosh, that was one of my favorite lunches. And saying that now I know we have oh my gosh, cute. I was gonna say I know we have big bowls, like Trevor had bought a bunch of ramen big bowls, so I know we have that and so I want that for lunch one. And then I was gonna say, oh, I should pick up a donut after rock climbing today, but I remembered we're gonna go to this place. It's called Puffs, it's right by the rock climbing gym, but it opened. Whatever, I've no idea what it is. It's a dessert place and it makes these puffs, but I don't know what the puffs are. I don't know if it's like a deep fried donut or if it's more of like a shoestring pastry, like an eclair, a cream puff, I don't know. But we're gonna pick those up and that's basically what I'm gonna say is my donuts and ramen, and I'm so excited.

Speaker 1: 24:18

Oh, my gosh, thank goodness I remember that, this picture. There's a picture of Rosie sitting at. We went for all you can eat sushi and there was this time in her life which she brought every Paw Patrol character. But we have like 20 marshals, not 20. There's one, two, three, four, five, six marshals and then three other characters. They're all lined up and that was just like such a good meme. I'm trying to show them on the thing, but it's not gonna show. Anyways, I just forgot about that time in our life where Ro would carry those around literally everywhere we went.

Speaker 1: 24:53

Oh, these March vibes are giving me such vibes. I went to Trader Joe's for the first time in March and, that being said, I just ran out of my cookie butter. I'm back on the cookie butter grind. When I first opened that jar in March, I was like this is so good and then I forgot about it. And then this past, like two weeks, I've just been like I made cookie butter and I'm putting I love it with apples and then when we got to the end of the jar, I was just scooping it out like scraping out the sides, and having it with a cup of coffee. Oh, it's so good. Anyways, I can't believe that's the first time.

Speaker 1: 25:25

Oh, my Dunkin' Drink. Oh, I forgot about that Dunkin' Drink. I was just thinking we gotta go back over across the border. Maybe we'll do that in January. I got that Dunkin' Drink. What was it? It was some sort of tea. It was like a fruity tea, but I put instead of coconut milk because I didn't know that was an option I put cream in it and it was so good. I wonder if I wrote what it was here. No, I didn't, but I definitely vlogged it and talked about it because I need to get that again. It was so good. Okay, we need to do a border trip in January. Oh, look at this.

Speaker 1: 26:01

We went to Collingwood at the end of March, oh yeah, and we got beaver tails and we hung out with our friends who have a place in Collingwood. That was so fun. I remember we went bowling oh, such good times. And then, oh yeah, and we went to visit Trevor's grandma and discovered that our favorite cheese place is over close to where she lives and we went and visited the farm and that was so fun and I wanna go and do like a cheese tour. I didn't get to do that. Last year I went to Costco for the first time in forever and it was so overwhelming and I vlogged it. That was so fun. Let's see what else is here.

Speaker 1: 26:38

Oh yeah, me and Rowe went to Toronto, for Trevor used to work for a company that had an office in Toronto and so he would go in every so often and on days where I could make it work, if I was free, then I would take Rowe and we would have a girls day, and this was so fun. This was in April and we had the best time ever. We went and, oh, I hear Rosie, she just woke up. She's going downstairs, though I think she thinks Trevor's downstairs. Okay, we're good, we're good, but anyways, we went into Toronto and we had the best day ever. We went and visited Lauren.

Speaker 1: 27:15

We went to our favorite breakfast place, which what is it called? Livon? I don't even remember. Anyways, it's this cafe that we go to every time. Oh, here's a picture of it. Can I read the name? No, but it's a cafe we go to every single time we're in Toronto. We actually just oh yeah, and it was so nice. We found the coolest park that had these amazing chairs and we just chilled there and Rowe has her little book in the library.

Speaker 1: 27:40

Oh my gosh, this was the best day. I remember this was like one of those days where I was just like this is so much fun. And what I was gonna say was recently Rowe had found like a little piece from the menu. They have Epic Kids menus at this cafe and we were just talking about it like literally two days ago. I was like, oh my gosh, her favorite spot. Now Trevor doesn't work there, so we don't go into Toronto as much for days like that, but we should do another day.

Speaker 1: 28:08

What else? Lots of food making. Oh, I remember I got my haircut. I always get my haircut. I feel like every year I start my hair, I start the year off with my hair being kind of this length, maybe a little bit longer, and then by the summer I'm like chopping it off. I always just like to keep it fresh, keep it fun. My gosh, I can't believe how quick the weather has brained up and changed. It's just makes me hopeful for the new year ahead.

Speaker 1: 28:34

Oh, I remember Purdy's chocolate sent me their Easter collection chocolate box and that was so full circle for me because we ordered Purdy's chocolate for our wedding chocolate boxes. I love Purdy's and I loved that chocolate box they sent for Easter. It had amazing chocolates in it and I was so excited. Every day I would have a coffee and a chocolate. So fun. Oh, I made those deep fried ravioli, tiramisu raviolis. Those were so good, oh, so good. I oh went to whose birthday is this? I think it's Navina's birthday. It's such a cutie. Oh, rowe's haircut. What month are we in now? We're in April. Oh, I had my first. Oh, we made all the meat pies. That was so much fun with my mom in the kitchen.

Speaker 1: 29:28

I bought my longboard. That was my first. What is my first time out on my longboard? May 25th. Well, I don't know if it's May 25th, but this is a weekly dump, but May, oh, my longboard. I absolutely loved my season with my longboard. We actually were just in the garage yesterday and Rowe was like hey, we haven't taken out your longboard in a bit and I was like it's a little cold. I said, but first day it's nice that we'll go out together. I can't wait to sub my morning walks her, my morning board, what is it called? If I call it, did I ever say longboard? I meant paddle board, my morning paddle board out on the water. It honestly is the most rejuvenating thing ever and I'm so grateful that we live close enough to do that. Oh, we went and got the most epic pizza. Lots of time outside. I love this. All all these memes getting a mosh, all the sunsets, lots of snack plates.

Speaker 1: 30:25

Another day in Toronto. Oh, this was a fun one. We went to Toronto for I got invited to an event and it was puppy yoga, and me and Lauren went, my sister-in-law. We had so much fun. And that was such a fun day because I drove in and we did puppy yoga and I was like, well, if I'm in Toronto, we're making the day of it. And so then I went out for lunch with my friends Akbar and Naveena, and then me and Naveena went for drinks and then I went for dinner with my friend Ken. We had such a fun day. It was such a long and wonderful social day. That was so much fun. I love days like that and then I need to recover after, charge up my social battery. I also had my around this time.

Speaker 1: 31:04

I'm pretty sure I signed with my management which was like such a monumental step in my personal career. I need to see, especially because I had met with like lots of management teams and I didn't think that was the route that I wanted to go in, because they all made you feel like your dollar signs mona, mona, mona, mona, mona, mona, mona, mona, mona. But then when they had reached out to me and I met with them, it just like kind of clicked and all they'd sent. So anyways, that's exciting. I also pretty sure I was in works with my.

Speaker 1: 31:41

Oh yeah, I did my first campaign with Farm Boy and I had a contract with them for the summer, which was so much fun. I absolutely love that. That was like the tip of the iceberg. It was so funny because I had signed that prior to signing with my management and my management was like what's your dream company to work with? And like literally my dream country company is Farm Boy. Like that's all I wanna work with. But I had already signed with them. So I was like and I remember having to like think like, oh, who do I wanna work with? Like I could not think of anybody outside of Farm Boy because literally that was it Like for me in my mind I was like I just wanna work with Farm Boy. I wanna work with Farm Boy so bad. I've loved them for so long. And then I got to work with them, which was such a big step and I had such a fun time doing that.

Speaker 1: 32:28

I was also gonna invite it to this Epic Hog and Noss event, which was so much fun, and I invited my friend Kenny, who lives in Toronto, because it was a Toronto event and we had such a good time. That was so fun. We ate so much food and we met. We sat out at this table with just the two of us but there was like more space and then as people trickled in later they came to our table. So we were like the table of misfits people that didn't have places to go and we met the most fun people. It was so fun. That was an event that I really, really enjoyed. Like I felt like I met new people. I feel like any other time I don't go to a lot of events, but I feel like any other time I go to an event, I like never meet new people. It feels very like high school-ish. But that one was so fun, oh my gosh. We put on my events.

Speaker 1: 33:19

I was so excited for my community events our pickling workshop, which I still haven't eaten my pickles and our floral arrangement, which was so the floral arrangement workshop like I love the pickle workshop. It was so fun. I got to talk to so many amazing people. It was truly amazing. But the flower one was just like dreamy as dreamy can be like spending time in the flower field. Oh, it was so lovely.

Speaker 1: 33:46

I turned 30. Oh, my gosh, I will still always feel like I'm 16. I had the best time with my best friends, who I'm so grateful for. It was literally the best weekend ever. Oh, it was the perfect 30th birthday. It was the perfect combination of everything that I love. Oh, my nose is running. We went to another wedding for Trevor's Bestie and then I went to Vancouver. I still that feels like a blip, like it feels like a dream, like that was literally so much fun.

Speaker 1: 34:23

I booked my first trip away for a week to visit my friends and I remember it was when the forest fires were going on. We were supposed to go to Kelowna and visit them, but then we ended up doing a vacation, and a vacation I say it's a vacation. It was a vacation for me, no matter what. But they ended up coming to Vancouver and I met them there and we had so much fun and it was just the three amigos. I actually was just thinking about that. It was so funny because it was so. It was me and my friend, my best friend, nila, and her husband, and we all went to camp together and that's, nila met her husband and I met Trevor, all at the same place. So anyways, we all know each other.

Speaker 1: 35:03

But when Nila and Eric started dating, me and Nila lived close to each other and we were like bestie, besties and we were doing this like thing where we would try and see each other every single day. We didn't go to the same high school, but we lived in the same area and even we would like grab a coffee, we would have hangouts. But even if we could just only see each other at crossings, like getting off the bus, high five, like we tried to go for as long as we could I don't even remember how long we got, but it was long. I feel like it was like 50 days, like it was long. And Eric lived in like a few cities over. He lived in Hamilton, so they were like long distance. They didn't get to see each other very often like throughout the week, and so he had like a little bit of jealousy about that and so we always joke that he was third wheeling me and Nila, which wasn't true at all, but like we just joke about that.

Speaker 1: 35:56

But anyways, then we spent this week in Vancouver and I got to third wheel them the whole time and I was like see full circle moment, eric. But I love it, we're the three amigos in that sense. But it was so much fun, it was just such good food, good times and I honestly like slipped into that world so effortlessly, like I didn't know, I felt for so long I wasn't ready to leave Roe or like I don't know, like I just felt like I couldn't do it. And then all of a sudden I was like I'm ready and then I booked this. And then I remember we were driving in the car and I was like I'm going to book this trip and so I booked it and then I went and it was literally so effortless. I think we have a visitor. Good morning, good morning.

Speaker 2: 36:47

Hi baby, how is your sleep Good?

Speaker 1: 36:51

Oh good, I'm just going to sit you here so you're a little more comfy. Did you just wake up? I thought I heard you walk downstairs. Did you go downstairs? No, you just came out of your bed right now.

Speaker 2: 37:03

I'm just going to close the store.

Speaker 1: 37:07

I'm just finishing up my podcast. Is that OK? Ok, we have a little visitor. Anyways, I was just talking about when I went to Vancouver and how I had so much fun with Neela and Eric, but, yeah, it just felt like I was meant to be there, like I was not I've never been a homesick person or anything like that but I was just fully embracing my time away.

Speaker 2: 37:31

When do we get sick again?

Speaker 1: 37:33

Sick? Yeah, what do you mean sick? When do we get sick again? When do we get sick? I don't know. Hopefully not anytime soon.

Speaker 1: 37:44

Why Were you worried that you weren't feeling well? Oh, or did you have a bad dream? You had a bad dream At school. Is that a bad dream or a good dream? We were in the Kinder's room with Santa Claus and you were in your room. Were you a Santa Claus? No, oh, I'm sorry, baby, do you feel better now? Guess what? We're gonna go rock climbing with Uncle Richard today. You excited, so fun.

Speaker 1: 38:32

I'm just going through my memories from this year. So right now we're at Vancouver and then I oops, I lost where my scroll was. And then, oh, we went to the X and we went on all the rides. This was our year of rides. Oh yeah, I forgot to say we also had our Toronto staycation that we went on with Grandma, where we went to Centre Island. Was that so fun?

Speaker 1: 38:57

Yes, I'm guinea pig. I know. We got this guinea pig stuffy from the hotel, which was so sweet, and then Ro was in love with it. You took it everywhere, but we left it at a movie theater one time. So we missed guinea pig. What is it called again. What is what called? I'm trying to think. What movie did we go see? Was it Paw Patrol, mighty Pups? No, no, it was a different movie. I don't remember. It was a movie. I don't remember which one we saw. But yes, we had our summer of rides. Ro is a ride warrior. She goes on every ride, even if she's a little bit scared, even haunted houses and big roller coasters. And we'll have to go back. Oh, I hear Alibi, the whole family's coming in for the last day of Podmas.

Speaker 2: 40:04

Come here, Oz hey.

Speaker 1: 40:07

What's Podmas, podmas, it's my last day of Podmas. Why? I don't know if she wanted to come in, but any. Why is it the last day? Because it's Christmas soon. I was broadcasting till Christmas. Okay, come on, we've got the whole group in this room. Come here.

Speaker 1: 40:31

All girls girls party. Okay, so we also went to the CNE and went on rides there so fun. And oh, look, you got your rainbow grilled cheese. Do you remember your rainbow grilled cheese? Yeah, that was so fun. And then, oh, we went to. What was this event for? Why am I in Toronto? Oh, yeah, it was. We went to me and Trevor went to an event with. It was like a Tiff party. That was fun. And that was the same night as Lauren's birthday. And, oh my gosh, I was. I drank too much that night. We had such a good time. Oh, I started my proper Wednesday night dinner series. I always film my Wednesday night dinners, but I started calling them Wednesday night dinners and filming them a little bit different, and that has been such a fun time. I really enjoyed that and it's been a great creative outlet for me. And then we went on our trip to Italy.

Speaker 2: 41:36

I went to Raleigh's Goodie Bag, raleigh's.

Speaker 1: 41:47

Goodie Bag. What's the Goodie Bag From her birthday? Oh yeah, we went to Raleigh's Birthday too. Do we still have it? Well, I mean, you have the stuff from it, your little purse, your poppet purse. I'm not sure what else was in it. I think there was like a loli probably. But we went to Italy, which was such a fun trip. Oh yeah, there was a marker.

Speaker 2: 42:12

There was the red marker. We got two red markers.

Speaker 1: 42:17

Two red markers, which was honestly like the highlight. There's actually so many highlights, like I was going to say that was the highlight of 2023. But like there were so many highlights, I'm actually like so it's hard for me to pinpoint, but I think that that trip was just such oh big yonnes was such a meaningful and impactful thing on our whole family unit together and it's also like kind of changed my mindset. I actually booked Italy before I booked. Did I book Italy before I booked Vancouver? I think I did.

Speaker 1: 42:57

And then that kind of made me realize how simple it was to book a flight and I was like I'm going to go on a trip just for me and yeah. So anyways, it kind of opened my mind to like this whole world, where it's like sometimes you can just say yes and do the things that you've always wanted to do, and even when you have a family with small kids and all this stuff, like you can, you can take on the world. So, yeah, italy was so much fun. I think Roe absolutely loved the pasta and panna cotta. What was your favorite thing you ate in Italy?

Speaker 2: 43:34

The panna cotta and the pasta.

Speaker 1: 43:36

Yeah, I thought so Every night. She's like mommy, can we have panna cotta and pasta? What else did we do this year? Oh, we came home from Italy and had a whirlwind of a weekend because we had wedding stuff for Trevor's other bestie. It's just the year of weddings, or actually it's this. This is the phase of life, I think, because 2024 is also a year of weddings.

Speaker 1: 43:58

We went to the Royal Interfair and had a great time there, where we see the cows and the horses. Remember what else? What else do you see there? We were going to watch the dog show, but we missed it, or we didn't miss it. It was full up. Why? Because it was very popular and, honestly, that brings us to now we're in winter. We went and bought. We went and got our first real Christmas tree. We've been slowing down. We went and saw the Santa Claus Parade, which is now our annual tradition, since we've done it twice and I'm sure we'll do it next year as well, and I'm just like so grateful for this year. It was such an amazing year.

Speaker 1: 44:51

I feel like it was a year that I really focused on prioritizing what, or not even prioritizing figuring out what my why is and what I want to be doing with my day to day and what's important and prioritizing all those things. And then now I'm entering a phase where I'm implementing all that stuff. I feel like I've set myself up well for this new year ahead, and what I want to do and how I want to lead my life and what's the center of it. And it's right here, my center, my alibi, my rosy, and daddy, of course, too, and I'm just like so grateful for taking that leap. This is also my first full year working unemployed. Being working unemployed that doesn't make sense, but like working for myself and being not employed by somebody else. That's a picture of me and daddy. That's from our engagement photo shoot.

Speaker 2: 45:57

He does what does.

Speaker 1: 46:02

Where's?

Speaker 2: 46:02

daddy, do you have that shirt?

Speaker 1: 46:06

I think daddy still does have that shirt. He looks different. Yeah, he looks smaller, younger, but anyways, I feel like I don't remember what I was saying, but I just feel like I am very confident in who I am. Oh yeah, I remember what I sang and I'm so grateful for this community that we have here and for the time and energy that you give back to me, because it means so much and it allows me to live out the life that I've always dreamed of with the people that I love the most, and you're all so kind and wonderful and I'm just so great at copying me Rosie's, copying my hand gestures. Does mommy talk with her hands? A lot, high five. So I love you all so much.

Speaker 1: 46:54

Thank you so much for tuning in to this fun miss, and we will be back in the new year with more great episodes to come. If you can hear I'll be kissing, and if you stuck around for this long, you're a real OG, because we're just like a cluster of love right now, sending you all the care in the world. It is time for coffee and to get our day started, sending you hugs, kisses and love and Merry Christmas. And I did tell you what the did I tell you what the recipe of the day is, and we're going to be making our Christmas eggs. We are going to make panna cotta Me and Ro are actually going to make panna cotta now to record for posting, but the recipe of the day for Christmas morning I just don't want to make the panna cotta Because I don't want to make the white part.

Speaker 2: 47:44

I just want to.

Speaker 1: 47:48

You don't want to make the white part. That's literally the whole part. What do you mean? You want to eat it? Okay, well, it takes some time to set. Anyways, I love you all. Let's go have coffee and breakfast, sun kisses and hugs. Kiss, I love you.