Random thoughts on a Saturday evening

I’m writing this freely. I’m not even looking at the page as I type, which is totally freaking Chris out, but I think it’s funny so here it is.  I have friends. Friends that are so varied and different I can’t even imagine how I can be friends with them all. Some that are so hip and cultured it makes me look like a reckless redneck, and some that are so recklessly redneck it looks like I’m from wall street. Friends that are from when I was in public and high school that somehow I still have things in common with or can relate to in some way. College friends that will always be my friends no matter what going on in my life. Somehow those are the keepers. Friends like Sheri and Corey and Gina and Giselle and so many more who have been with my since my third year of college at least if not before, have seen me at my most drunk, my most upset, my most insane and my most happy.  These friends are the ones I want to share my life experiences with, the ones that have been around to see my life progress in the way I wanted, the way I’d hoped. I want to be there for theirs, I want to see how they live, how they do with their lives, if they get married, have babies, get the jobs they want, go on vacations that are once in a lifetime, come to parties at our house, play with our daughter, get a dog or a cat or a parakeet (though I won’t visit if they do, birds are scary). I saw a friend today that I hadn’t seen in years, at least 9, maybe more, and it was good. Not awkward, though it should have been by rights. I don’t care what people say, facebook has been a great thing for me – I thoroughly enjoy keeping up with my friends. Even though it has been so long it doesn’t seem it, as I’ve kept up with her life and vice versa. As an example of this for my baby shower in Jan 2011 a friend came that I hadn’t seen in at least 7-8 years at that time. 7-8 years! That means you Jen. What a shock and how very cool she came.  That never would have happened without FB, regardless of how evil you may think it. Anyway, back to today. We have a shared love of books, this friend and I. That is constant, from when she knew me as a toddler to now – that hasn’t changed.  Just now we read grownup books and she writes some, too. See her blog here: http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca/ (she has a few books out as ebooks, they're awesome!)  We were both so excited to meet an author from Ontario that we both love, that it overcame any insecurities we may have had stemming from not seeing each other in so long – who cares! We got to meet Kelley Armstrong!

 I haven’t blogged in months, and I’m not even convinced this is really a blog, I just blabber on and expect people to read it, but hey. Why not. Anyway I’ve been wanting to write about friends for a bit now, it came out a bit disjointed but I’m not the published writer in the group, right Marie? ;) I love ya’ll and I cherish the fact that I have so many friends in so many stages in life with so many differing personalities, it makes life so interesting. Love you guys.

Honest Company? I DON'T THINK SO!

This is CRAZY!

I just read on a few other mom blogs that Jessica Alba's company "Honest Company" is fighting a mama who owns Honest Toddler, a hilarious blog from the perspective of a toddler (with a book to her name, and a TV deal) for her trademark. 

This mama started the process to trademark Honest Toddler and the Honest Company moved to block her, and proposed she let them have it, then they could license her to "use" the name - for a fee! Apparently there are a few companies in the US that have "honest" in their name, Honest Tea being one of them. However that company doesn't seem to have any problems with Alba's company, nor any others except this hilarious blog. When jokingly asked whether they were anticipating being sued by Honest Company, the owner of Honest Tea reportedly said "I'd like to see her try. We're owned by Coca Cola." Hmm. Big name equals big fight, equals too much of a fair fight for Alba? Better off bullying harmless mom blogs with a quarter of a million Twitter followers. ( @HonestToddler ) 

I'm disgusted by this. Leave Honest Toddler alone. No one is going to get them confused. As "People I Want To Punch In The Throat" blog says, no one, NO ONE has eaten a bar of  Dove soap thinking it was Dove chocolate. Big companies need to realize that we are the ones who buy their shit. If we want Jessica Alba's baby stuff we'll get it from her company. We're not imbeciles that can't handle 2 (or more, since there are lots!) of companies having similar monikers. Keep up the fight Honest Toddler. I'm behind you!

If you feel so inclined, tell the Honest Company what you think of their bullying Honest Toddler. @Honest. This is nuts! And check out this awesome blog too, more than just this post. 

 http://www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/2013/08/honestly-honest-company-is-getting-on.html 

Let's hit Honest Company where they hurt: tweet them. (Corporations are terrified of Twitter.) Tell Honest Company to leave Honest Toddler alone and you can tell them I sent you! - See more at: http://www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/2013/08/honestly-honest-company-is-getting-on.html#sthash.ZEkpBrXQ.dpuf

Let's hit Honest Company where they hurt: tweet them. (Corporations are terrified of Twitter.) Tell Honest Company to leave Honest Toddler alone and you can tell them I sent you! - See more at: http://www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/2013/08/honestly-honest-company-is-getting-on.html#sthash.ZEkpBrXQ.dpuf

Hey ya'll

Hey everyone

Hope your summer's are all starting out great! The weather has been all over the place but that's ok. 

It's been really busy at our house, between work and working inside and outside at our house. But we've really got a lot done, it has been nice. The yard looks great, Chris has done an awesome job. 

Anyway just wanted to say hi to everyone and hoping all is well. 

Michelle

Waiting for the Storm : Review

So, my friend (for a longgg time now) Marie Landry, has written her third book. It's Young Adult, and it's fantastic. 

This book is about a girl named Charlotte, who loses her mother to cancer too soon. Her father, sister and herself head out to stay for the summer at a beachhouse her mother loved when she was growing up as a tribute to her. Charlotte and her family go through many trials as the summer progresses. This book is incredible. I'm not much of a reviewer as I tend to gush and I don't have the correct lingo down I'm sure - however I loved it. 

The characters in this novel were so strong and lifelike, I feel like I could walk down a beach and find them.  Blue Sky Days and The Game Changer were great, but this one is my favourite. Turns out it took her the least amount of time to write, as well. Not surprising, when something moves you it just flows.

Marie hit the nail on the head with this book. The emotions, landscape, characters and situations are described in such a way that you are THERE, with Charlotte and Ella when they fight, or awkwardly standing off to the side when her dad forgets to buy groceries. 

This homegrown Canadian author has taken this story to a level I wouldn't have expected. If you think that once you've read the Young Adult genre, you've read them all - you couldn't be more wrong with this novel. The sophistication yet approachability of the characters is giving the YA genre a new face, and a face I'm definitely proud to read and promote. 

Check her out here:
http://marielandry.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page.html

Waiting for the Storm

My friend Marie Landry has written her third and (in my opinion) best book to date. She's having a great giveaway - check it out!

http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca/2013/04/happy-birthday-waiting-for-storm.html

Few things going on

So, I'm pretty pumped today. I've lost 9lb since April 1st. I'm doing Curves Complete now, which is a whole plan. Diet, exercise and coaching. The meal plan is awesome and so easy and tasty to follow, SO MANY OPTIONS! We all eat it, and we all like it! Anyway it seems to be working. I'm a bit hungry here and there but nothing I can't handle. And my coach is great, she kicks my ass when I need it lol. We have a good time. Things have already improved in the house because of it, seriously. I can also notice clothes a teeny bit looser. Its going in the right direction!

Also I hope to put up a cottage weekend event sometime soon, hopefully. Just trying to figure out a week we can head in to the cottage that works for everyone involved with the cottage. Don't hold me to it though, cottage weekends of our normal scale may be going the way of the dodo :(. It just doesn't seem feasible much anymore. That sucks, I know, but that's how it goes. We'll see though.

Anyway, I just wanted to write as I haven't in a while. Hope everyone is doing well and patiently awaiting real spring!




I'd just like to say my thoughts are with the people affected in Boston today. Its a terrible thing that happened today, and seems to continue happening. I'll not sully any memories or thoughts to these people but I find myself swayed more and more by conspiracy theorists and it freaks me out. Too many things are happening, and too many things do not make sense. That's all I'll say about it now. Today needs to be dedicated to the people hurt or killed and thoughts and prayers if you pray need to go towards the families. 

Scare in Bobcaygeon

So, I gotta tell you this story.
Em and I were walking into the grocery store, and she was chattering away and I was answering her. There was an old lady walking behind us (who of course Em said Hi to a few times lol) and we were just walking no problem towards the store. Then we were pretty much behind a Honda and all of a sudden the guy was reversing, and reversing fast! He didn't even SEE us, there were no reverse lights on when we started walking behind him, and Em was wearing her bright purple & pink vest (not to mention me in my bright red coat)! The old lady yelled and I scooped Em up onto the opposite hip, and pretty much just prepared to have my legs broken and somehow he saw us and finally stopped, like one foot from me - I had no time to get away just enough time to pick her up. He looked horrified through the window, and I stood and stared at him through his window for a good two minutes until the OPP officer who was sitting in his car came over to see if we were okay. All I wanted to do was drop kick his lights and smash his face in. The guy never did say anything to us. The old lady and Em and I just continued into the grocery store. I assume the OPP officer talked to the guy but he was gone when we left and the officer had come into the store. I am still upset but we're fine, and Em didn't really even know what was going on. Saw the old lady a few times in the store, she had teared up a bit from shock but smiled at us every time she saw us. Anyway. We're fine, but I'm so mad that it happened.