tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77968894576634692752024-02-06T22:06:01.369-07:00Kluane NationalAmelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-35716105523021190902016-10-18T15:59:00.000-06:002016-10-18T15:59:56.634-06:00It's Starting to Feel a Bit Like Christmas... Already.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnkMjuYfd-t910BbaxXNA9JxqmO9laceiSD9vIXTubxh-eLouHFwTonDUGIgi0F5Vb7OB7Gf1nHBLfEHbFDJiL0nmpNtikr6BEEUGzi4PnPqofHa_KnkB0g9wTbBssBCB4hMR9HQzHEHt/s1600/14718840_10153854289206825_440016097232762931_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnkMjuYfd-t910BbaxXNA9JxqmO9laceiSD9vIXTubxh-eLouHFwTonDUGIgi0F5Vb7OB7Gf1nHBLfEHbFDJiL0nmpNtikr6BEEUGzi4PnPqofHa_KnkB0g9wTbBssBCB4hMR9HQzHEHt/s1600/14718840_10153854289206825_440016097232762931_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Brenna from the "Christmas Love for Fort McMurray" facebook group.</td></tr>
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A few months ago I was approached on my Etsy shop to donate a few ornaments to families who lost everything in the Fort McMurray fires this past spring.<br />
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To be honest I was a bit hesitant at first, as my ornaments are "wood-burned". This felt mildly inappropriate considering how much of the North was consumed by fires this year. But, I chose to see it as more of a "rising of the phoenix" as opposed to potentially offensive. Hopefully, others can see that.<br />
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I started making this design, shining star, for the donations. I fell in love with making ornaments all over again. There is something so satisfying about creating, and creating with a purpose.Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-72909078597558546792016-09-18T12:14:00.000-06:002016-09-18T12:14:17.191-06:00Crockpot Freezer Meals: Tried and True<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96V3_EdRSGa3mxDSJSVYoGFrUWgU1r0qSJYvL_YtfSJNj0b3iLm-hutff2fDwgRJsRxPhBtDU9acrnLKhGiHRViFvA32hWpvTnTqheC-YI0-w5F1r9oxGp-0Vr-LNZY9_TYcyNco0RQG6/s1600/CrockpotFreezer+Meals.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96V3_EdRSGa3mxDSJSVYoGFrUWgU1r0qSJYvL_YtfSJNj0b3iLm-hutff2fDwgRJsRxPhBtDU9acrnLKhGiHRViFvA32hWpvTnTqheC-YI0-w5F1r9oxGp-0Vr-LNZY9_TYcyNco0RQG6/s1600/CrockpotFreezer+Meals.png" /></a></div>
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One of the things I hate about searching for new recipes, is the reliability of "good" meals. What I have found is that some people don't cook with spice... at all. Which for me is not our way of cooking. But alas, I am learning. So here are some of my favourite crockpot freezer meals... and where they come from:<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">COCONUT CHICKPEA CURRY</span></b></div>
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<i><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not too spicy, not too bland, and a nice vegetarian option for friends. We like to serve it with plain yoghurt and over rice. </span></i></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We found the recipe <a href="http://newleafwellness.biz/2015/03/23/slow-cooker-coconut-chickpea-curry/">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "\22 times\22 " , "\22 times new roman\22 " , serif; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">HONEY SESAME CHICKEN</span></b></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This one is a good one, and in a pinch we have cooked it on the stove top too!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We found the recipe <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2013/11/02/slow-cooker-crockpot-honey-sesame-chicken/">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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<b><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">GROUND TURKEY BLACKBEAN CHILI</span></b></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">A great one for cold fall days.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We found the recipe <a href="http://newleafwellness.biz/2013/02/13/slow-cooker-turkey-black-bean-chili/">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i>One of the things with freezer meals that is extremely important to me is the prep time. I don't have the patience to cook everything beforehand if I am going to be cooking it later... these ones are all "dump and freeze". As said, these meals are all tried and true. Be warned though, the chickpea curry can be a bit spicy for those with lower spice tolerance!Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-21687281577763545042016-06-08T21:15:00.001-06:002016-06-08T21:15:40.921-06:00Germs & Slow Days<br />
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As predicted, the daycare bugs came home.<br />
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An ear infection, a sinus infection, conjunctivitis, and basically downright misery started on Friday night. But the funny thing is, of course, they aligned with two eye teeth cutting in, so we thought that the fever was simply associated to the new gems. But then Saturday afternoon the cough started. By Sunday morning, we had croup-like coughing which had me running to the bathroom to turn the shower on full blast to get some moisture.<br />
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While I am so blessed to be surrounded by a wonderfully supportive community, as many moms know, when sickness sneaks into the house, and your little one naps throughout the day from sheer exhaustion, somehow sleep in the nights is sporadic and of poor quality.<br />
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I took part of the day off on Monday, but was lucky enough that my parents had the day off from work, so they took babe for the morning. By the time I came to get him my throat was throbbing, my head was aching, and my eyes were drooping... so I arrived to relieve my supportive helpers and was instead sent to bed for a nap. God bless them. After waking, I felt worse than I had all weekend- it is funny how that happens. And as I sat at the table attempting to rehydrate my mother invi-told (semi-invited, semi-told) us to stay during supper time and she would make dinner. God bless her.<br />
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But as I took the full day off yesterday (and again half the day today) while I desperately want the illness to leave our house, and for our regular energy to return, I couldn't help myself from feeling a bit of satisfaction in a slow day. A day spent holding my (droopy, sad) sweet toddler as he slept for hours on end, but refused to be put down. A day spent finding happiness in moments of feeling good, swingsets, booster juices, and cartoons on the television. A day full of mess and gross kleenex, but a day full of snuggles and understanding. It slow enough to savor the moments.<br />
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In my new position, the days are not slow... and savoring moments have been few and far between. I feel energized and invigorated throughout the day and then come home either exhausted or overwhelmed.<br />
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Neither the slow days nor the hectic days are good or bad, they are just so different. I am not sure what I prefer. I am not sure what I am better at. But I desperately wish there was a way to strike a balance between the two. To feel as though my mind has been exercised to its full capacity and had a chance to stand in awe of the simplest, but most splendid things like a sleeping baby or the discovery of water in a watering can.Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-79241369842869793262016-05-21T15:23:00.001-06:002016-05-21T15:23:40.466-06:00Life Transitions<br />
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My "stay-at-home mom" career lasted a total of 3 weeks. This Tuesday I am starting a 3-month contract as an intern. While I am extremely excited about taking this position, I am overwhelmed by changes in my life and the thought of being away from baby boy full-time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34880JljDThdbiw60t_2-JH_6V3r7Q-IxUWCEN-LFhyg6WRJBV4iO1mNJ6e97cPoM9Iv54Roo4Bgeq_-eOtmw1UrRlaUrXmOOMenL6JUSXbprVhs56L46JJnbUOioNvqNop7BU43MeHpi/s1600/IMG_3901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34880JljDThdbiw60t_2-JH_6V3r7Q-IxUWCEN-LFhyg6WRJBV4iO1mNJ6e97cPoM9Iv54Roo4Bgeq_-eOtmw1UrRlaUrXmOOMenL6JUSXbprVhs56L46JJnbUOioNvqNop7BU43MeHpi/s1600/IMG_3901.JPG" /></a></div>
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In order to mitigate the anxiety and the stress of huge life changes I have chosen to do a few things to organize ourselves:<br />
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<b>1. I bought ALL the snacks at Costco.</b><br />
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One of the things I notice as I start new positions is that I eat way more food. This is always surprising to me since being a student I was home a lot, but for some reason sitting at a desk, working and using my brain in a different way I find myself famished and snacky. So I bought hummus, vegetable stick chips, and when I went to the granola bar aisle I couldn't bring myself to purchase granola bars... because my homemade ones are so much tastier.<br />
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<b>2. I planned out ALL the meals.</b><br />
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I have been doing this for a while now, planning out the meals for the entire month ahead of time. It works fairly well and it is a budget saver. But this change allows little room for mind-changing, but I have developed it so that we have most of our "easy" meals at the beginning so we have the time to transition easily. Our "easy" meals consist of crockpot meals, premade shepherds pie meals, BBQ ideas, and so on. Next week we have: pulled pork (crockpot), eating at my parents (wahoo!), shepherd's pie (frozen), and pizza night (we'll order in). While I know that to an extent we substitute the "freshness" for ease, these meals (aside from the pizza!) are relatively healthy still, and should make great leftovers!<br />
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<b>3. I pre-visited the new daycare for 30 minutes.</b><br />
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This one isn't innovation in any way. Because babe is starting a new daycare (so close to home!) we spent just under an hour hanging out in his new classroom last week. While I know from intuition and experience that dropping him off and leaving him for eight hours will be tough, I take comfort in knowing that within ten minutes of our visit he was off exploring the room and hanging out with the other kiddos.<br />
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<b>4. I made a list of the reasons why I was taking the job.</b><br />
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Taking this position was not an easy thing to do. I had it in my mind that we were going to stay at home this summer and enjoy the "maternity leave" that I never took. While I am not resentful of these choices, I am sad that I am missing out on the best months (we live in a winter city and warm summer days and spray parks are few and far between). Both options of taking the job were tough: neither one was right nor wrong, each choice had its own merits and disadvantages, but overall we decided that taking the term position was worthwhile in the bigger picture of my career, our financials, and our goals. There will be hard days, anyone who says otherwise is just wrong, but there will be great days too.<br />
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While I am at peace with my decision, I am working hard to remember what it is like starting a new position, and remember how I have dealt with it in the past. Though we have the new challenge of a toddler in the mix. We will see how this all goes...<br />
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<br />Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-83362662383934262422016-05-14T22:55:00.003-06:002016-05-14T22:57:47.985-06:00Choices<div>
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Working or staying home?</div>
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Recently, I was offered the opportunity to take on a contract position in a very interesting office. But while the opportunities that were laid out for me were extremely interesting and something I was unlikely to experience again, I couldn't get it out of my head, "he will only be this little once". </div>
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After birthing my son, I leapt back into school work the following week. I was back in some classes three or four weeks later (I had a cesarean so my recovery was not quite what we expected... along with an <i>earlier than expected </i>baby). I was permitted extra time to finish my courses, and two days before the beginning of the next semester I handed in my assignments. After spring semester I "took time off", meaning we had family vacations planned and I had my gall bladder removed, shortly before that I enrolled in distance courses to continue plugging at my degree. </div>
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This April when I finished my courses for the final part of my degree I realized that this was my turn to take maternity leave! And then I was offered the amazing opportunity...</div>
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<i><b>Daycare is expensive. </b></i></div>
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<i>The position will cover that, and then some.</i></div>
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<i><b>I am so anxious when I am away from him for more than five hours. </b></i></div>
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<i>He has to grow up sometime.</i></div>
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<i><b>He is going to be sick constantly from daycare like he was at the last daycare.</b></i></div>
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<i>This will happen at some point: either now at daycare or later in kindergarten.</i></div>
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<i><b>Full-time work is going to be exhausting.</b></i></div>
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<i>It is only for three months.</i></div>
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<i><b>He will only be little once. </b></i></div>
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<i>This opportunity will only be here once.</i></div>
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I have no idea what is the harder choice: to take the job or to stay at home. Both will have hard days, both will have days that hurt. I was secretly hoping by writing this all out that I would have a better idea as to what I needed/wanted/should do regarding this, but I am just as confused as ever. There is no wrong choice, but I am not sure there is a right one.</div>
Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-65390780734949654472016-05-13T23:48:00.000-06:002016-05-13T23:48:23.910-06:00Pinsperation: Vegetarian Meal Edition<br />
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When I first met my husband he was a vegetarian, not the strict kind, but the "eats bacon" kind. He grew up on a chicken farm, ate meat his whole life until he took a course called Philosophy of the Environment. Through this experience, he had to write a paper in favour of becoming a vegetarian, and with that, he took the assignment to heart and gave up eating meat.<br />
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I have never gotten a clear answer regarding his decision to continue on a vegetarian lifestyle, but he will say things like, "I liked the variety of meals"... or things along those lines. And then we met. On our first date, I ordered a BBQ chicken pizza from our server only to follow it up seconds later with the realisation that he didn't eat meat. He, being far too kind, insisted we order my choice, and the rest is history.<br />
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Scroll ahead 4 years, I have now completed the same course. We have prioritized eating local, small-scale meat for the entirety of our marriage, after reading the wonderful book <i>Eating Animals </i>by <a href="http://jonathansafranfoer.blogspot.ca/">Jonathan Safran Foer</a>, I took a different perspective on the matter. The choices we have made are good for us, and we recognize the same choices are not necessarily the best choices for the rest of our friends or extended family. That being said, any food put in front of me is wonderful; I eat what is served. But when I am planning the meals or buying the meat I might do it a bit differently than you, and that is okay.<br />
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Through this course I did not become vegetarian, but I decided to limit the amount of meat we eat every week. This is an environmental choice, a financial choice, and to an extent a moral/ethical choice. But one of the things I have been struggling with is finding meals to try for the 4-5 days per week that we eat vegetarian.<br />
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So here is my meal wish list for the next few weeks:<br />
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1. <a href="http://teaspoonofspice.com/2015/06/grilled-mushroom-cheesesteaks-and-recap-of-mushroom-tour-trip/">Grilled Mushroom Cheesesteaks:</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HOhBmVm182knddYVN0uk2p_042owHoqNMd3zKuvMdtdFNKQ-PCvNFXXc061ng7Z5ZGh-ocp8JXgh-jqvAT0cAKhgXWYyqQfc9Z9FWa2qZG7I84oXxOKFYUeOLpwX0QvtgcrpsSJH5VM8/s1600/Grilled-Mushroom-Cheesesteaks-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HOhBmVm182knddYVN0uk2p_042owHoqNMd3zKuvMdtdFNKQ-PCvNFXXc061ng7Z5ZGh-ocp8JXgh-jqvAT0cAKhgXWYyqQfc9Z9FWa2qZG7I84oXxOKFYUeOLpwX0QvtgcrpsSJH5VM8/s1600/Grilled-Mushroom-Cheesesteaks-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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2. <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/how-to-make-spaghetti-with-herbed-ricotta-and-garlic?utm_term=.kr7WQwYBE#.tewlgmL92">Spaghetti with Herb and Garlic Ricotta:</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Z5tQn1ltEpmUbkbjJZVvSJcInoeUieVRgf6ylxzu-LXD8g_uT93xCCjhgJUUyT5ylu0lMzHEeqvxgutfzlIkrhrIYedToIr5cMyqg-ti6NZq4S9NPFtxyKqQRTj_u5Luf8afV1Xuk81x/s1600/enhanced-buzz-5330-1390420495-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Z5tQn1ltEpmUbkbjJZVvSJcInoeUieVRgf6ylxzu-LXD8g_uT93xCCjhgJUUyT5ylu0lMzHEeqvxgutfzlIkrhrIYedToIr5cMyqg-ti6NZq4S9NPFtxyKqQRTj_u5Luf8afV1Xuk81x/s1600/enhanced-buzz-5330-1390420495-32.jpg" /></a></div>
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3. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_297633879"></span>One Pan Caprese Pasta:</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0JRFNbfqeceVj3CEi1Zj2Kq9_aag4-H8vGzB4fOAlsvDiGyOH3umTBjxrkRH5qe1Z2c-GTLDz7PvEdKHj0Ld5VtRmFmU8d7sy_uNaY-CWcCvHgMBCoRYBv3xbfTptmd4ud7xXypZu7Aj/s1600/edIMG_8090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0JRFNbfqeceVj3CEi1Zj2Kq9_aag4-H8vGzB4fOAlsvDiGyOH3umTBjxrkRH5qe1Z2c-GTLDz7PvEdKHj0Ld5VtRmFmU8d7sy_uNaY-CWcCvHgMBCoRYBv3xbfTptmd4ud7xXypZu7Aj/s1600/edIMG_8090.jpg" /></a></div>
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4. <a href="http://pinchofyum.com/black-pepper-stir-fried-noodles">Black Pepper Stir Fried Noodles:</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5k7GK1v_oLPh0mjKZhFsmjf8__e98QbUdCT7c8aDwHdeGaaVjMSEef_P16w3thmqtpXHeplnwV4x9ocoKYpH1aQO79osQ-zgOskwbmyGgFSOSa2nghOzhWBJ18e5mHfjGD0l3bXDNlzzl/s1600/black-pepper-stir-fried-noodles-81.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5k7GK1v_oLPh0mjKZhFsmjf8__e98QbUdCT7c8aDwHdeGaaVjMSEef_P16w3thmqtpXHeplnwV4x9ocoKYpH1aQO79osQ-zgOskwbmyGgFSOSa2nghOzhWBJ18e5mHfjGD0l3bXDNlzzl/s1600/black-pepper-stir-fried-noodles-81.jpg" /></a></div>
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5. <a href="http://thehealthyfoodie.com/kicked-up-spinach-and-sun-dried-tomato-omelet-sandwich/">Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Omelet Sandwich:</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JtS-n6z8rU26F_Lcm5UTVdRsuoc4EOXvS8-kXw3OferekIsYVEiXxDuXn4Vdp29vntYaGUPoBoyMls3AD-nNe6NaVO6AwkEo80AahDy7rqeooOgHT6UuWUejpbm4miBuJILIV1_PUO7L/s1600/Spinach-Omelet-Sandwich-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JtS-n6z8rU26F_Lcm5UTVdRsuoc4EOXvS8-kXw3OferekIsYVEiXxDuXn4Vdp29vntYaGUPoBoyMls3AD-nNe6NaVO6AwkEo80AahDy7rqeooOgHT6UuWUejpbm4miBuJILIV1_PUO7L/s1600/Spinach-Omelet-Sandwich-10.jpg" /></a></div>
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Sooo... if anyone has vegetarian meals that are to die for, send them my way!Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-2580057789044109012016-05-04T16:04:00.002-06:002016-05-05T17:38:54.346-06:00The Burning House Project: support and relief<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the events of the Fort McMurray fires I am reminded of the site of "The Burning House"; the artistic response to the question of what would you bring with you if you had to leave your house? I cannot even begin to imagine how devastating an evacuation would be, so as I am thinking hard about what I would grab with only 30 minutes... or 10 minutes... or 5 minutes notice.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuDLoFOVwOhorKm1n2C6ZOD1TtwCAFM7ryi-giN_mrr8F3eATlC8CpVEPts1phn3N4Z4I4gbnN3ywjlgmo2a4Zlk3OVOGKIJlWhq8jJAPCQU6WNbQd07eA4WNhGM-EDyAuhpaEn2CJYHb/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-04+at+3.51.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuDLoFOVwOhorKm1n2C6ZOD1TtwCAFM7ryi-giN_mrr8F3eATlC8CpVEPts1phn3N4Z4I4gbnN3ywjlgmo2a4Zlk3OVOGKIJlWhq8jJAPCQU6WNbQd07eA4WNhGM-EDyAuhpaEn2CJYHb/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-04+at+3.51.46+PM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theburninghouse.com/">theburninghouse.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Alberta, we have had our share of natural disasters over the past years, it is terrifying to see communities face such devastation. When I think of leaving my house with the basics, probably my diaper bag, and maybe a backup drive, a passport, and all the people, the panic of wipes and diapers sets in. There are a predicted 80,000 people who are going to need relief and many who will need to rebuild. But the first thing that they all need is relief: safety, food, water, basics... and then together we can look forward to figuring out how to reestablish the community.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope many will join me in contributing to the <a href="https://donate.redcross.ca/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1951&ea.campaign.id=50610" target="_blank">Canadian Red Cross</a> as a first step. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-13716478247495101902016-05-03T09:08:00.000-06:002016-05-03T09:08:23.362-06:00Pinsperation: Future Kitchen<br /><br /><div>
Our kitchen does not have a lot of space to rearrange, and one of the wonderful/difficult things is we have a big window at the end of the kitchen, so big that there is maybe a few inches and no room for top cupboards or shelving. While it is a bit of a bummer to lose out on precious space, having a bright kitchen is definitely more important!</div>
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Here are some pinsperational kitchens I have been admiring:<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2PLOGq8fsIvj5ET5l7EBuKR_W0wIYIxU0rG_Iix9C_BkFUn5Iq6LCyl_q3ZSnWT4PLbA5OzOHm3A0z0t5ASmlmyoEzHCkjcdghf46SkoSBJgdnq-5Z78dBGHnVpb762uIfMYpvpB5qMG/s1600/Makeover2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2PLOGq8fsIvj5ET5l7EBuKR_W0wIYIxU0rG_Iix9C_BkFUn5Iq6LCyl_q3ZSnWT4PLbA5OzOHm3A0z0t5ASmlmyoEzHCkjcdghf46SkoSBJgdnq-5Z78dBGHnVpb762uIfMYpvpB5qMG/s640/Makeover2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibo0raNz0gqnZFjOoR1Fm6cYYoTy7JLlmmbG2Gc3j-IIVPG5LQH3Jhl_VDYeiIbiozI8ToUrdrIOmgDbCbrwG97IS9qbW1acLpNjUKqfo63NBaTRATvPq5X12rzbgbdYTnqpF9KbgrPT8J/s1600/kitchen14-530x767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibo0raNz0gqnZFjOoR1Fm6cYYoTy7JLlmmbG2Gc3j-IIVPG5LQH3Jhl_VDYeiIbiozI8ToUrdrIOmgDbCbrwG97IS9qbW1acLpNjUKqfo63NBaTRATvPq5X12rzbgbdYTnqpF9KbgrPT8J/s1600/kitchen14-530x767.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AiKD7wodorjGfn92pE9wSsLuYIzsMMmnGtRQlmtRE3NSLlFmqGIMvc_c2Ez7rxudOZDetoiwoKHQPLfKl-c2CY_o7CDCv1L-ofKAN4Ra9osAu3eE19cqfQ5VZN9IJC4RxKry3x-IEVmU/s1600/w620_h480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AiKD7wodorjGfn92pE9wSsLuYIzsMMmnGtRQlmtRE3NSLlFmqGIMvc_c2Ez7rxudOZDetoiwoKHQPLfKl-c2CY_o7CDCv1L-ofKAN4Ra9osAu3eE19cqfQ5VZN9IJC4RxKry3x-IEVmU/s640/w620_h480.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8jxBno38Iy34yanfJtCpHhwbmraijDS1vPo7GEsY6yOSMh3SEywY3pBuWlrpKi1NF2qyEkLHouH_kZ1ZohFRo-otSJbE9Y8bD5Y0cS6rLqibREOR48PImTx0WrNF4CbRUCa_CuJe_AIv/s1600/houseofc-sydney-home-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8jxBno38Iy34yanfJtCpHhwbmraijDS1vPo7GEsY6yOSMh3SEywY3pBuWlrpKi1NF2qyEkLHouH_kZ1ZohFRo-otSJbE9Y8bD5Y0cS6rLqibREOR48PImTx0WrNF4CbRUCa_CuJe_AIv/s1600/houseofc-sydney-home-5.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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What I have discovered is this: I love white kitchens and wooden counter tops. Though I don't think I could ever go through with a wooden counter top- I find the required care intimidating. Our kitchen renovation is a long way off... we have a few budget things to work out before we can even start considering the renovation, but dreaming is always fun!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-under-11000-overhaul-kitchen-makeover-makeovers-renovation-project-213727" target="_blank">1</a>/<a href="http://sarahshermansamuel.com/cabin-progress-open-shelves/" target="_blank">2</a>/<a href="http://domino.com/tiny-house-kitchen-ideas/story-image/56d85f2e2df7fb65268b5386" target="_blank">3</a>/<a href="http://www.kireei.com/algunas-casas-bellas-105/" target="_blank">4</a></div>
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Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-69398828676855528312016-04-29T15:05:00.001-06:002016-04-29T17:55:13.349-06:00The End of a Chapter: a six year summary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, it finally happened: I finished my degree!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimHIN8dqXLQy7tQ2wAf7fwPoAxtD9gGc2Dxv1vBFZPc30S1-5zu8HTl2jF5ttO4mkaeSI6QOwmg_UM1Ox1yrBd4zM6AfCaqa5ZkB5547k2vQpJrRVmPN-ww86d_aNffMzmY4LmQT1cYCK/s1600/LONDON+%25231+072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimHIN8dqXLQy7tQ2wAf7fwPoAxtD9gGc2Dxv1vBFZPc30S1-5zu8HTl2jF5ttO4mkaeSI6QOwmg_UM1Ox1yrBd4zM6AfCaqa5ZkB5547k2vQpJrRVmPN-ww86d_aNffMzmY4LmQT1cYCK/s1600/LONDON+%25231+072.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London, England (2011) </td></tr>
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After six years of adventures, I am graduating with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and Sociology. It is very exciting to have finally reached this milestone... it has been a long haul.<br />
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Some of the exciting adventures I got to take along the way were:<br />
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<ul>
<li>A trip to Cuernavaca Mexico for a crash course about Social Justice at <a href="http://www.quest-mexico.org/" target="_blank">Quest</a>.</li>
<li>Meeting my best friends.</li>
<li>Meeting my now husband.</li>
<li>Travelling with friends to Whitehorse, YK.</li>
<li>Spending a semester in Kenya learning about International Development; side trips including: Maasai Mara Park, Hells Gate Gorge, Sipi Falls (Uganda), Jinja (Uganda), Wales and London on the way back to Canada.</li>
<li>Taking over the school newspaper with my best by my side.</li>
<li>Getting engaged!</li>
<li>Joining a local performance choir, <a href="http://www.kokopellichoirs.com/" target="_blank">Kokopelli</a> (travelling to Comox and Banff to perform). </li>
<li>Getting married!</li>
<li>Working and meeting one of my best friends through a government position. And getting to travel around much of Alberta to complete our project!</li>
<li>A few trips out to Ontario to visit family and attend weddings... and visit wineries of course.</li>
<li>Going to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico on a family Vacation.</li>
<li>Getting a different government job and having my first closed door office!</li>
<li>Buying our first house... and all the renovations that come with!</li>
<li>Meeting our son mid-semester.</li>
<li>Visiting the West Coast as a family (Keats Island and Vancouver Island).</li>
<li>Visiting the West Coast with my mom to attend a wedding and visit my Grandfather.</li>
<li>Getting my gallbladder removed.</li>
<li>More renovations.</li>
<li>Starting an Etsy shop and actually selling things!</li>
<li>More renovations.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3Fbpa0GzDX5XMgCjNittKwqQg-AnVSOVbB7dd9gFCHDFEvixpGGRSLq-JxOzptgQ7aBqndfw_Jti_6g8_T8FkqRzDEvz_3Scf7jGx6wUXO15PaTDL5I-Lofx1LxckbNzrSz3gbAcrmtv/s1600/IMG_6685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3Fbpa0GzDX5XMgCjNittKwqQg-AnVSOVbB7dd9gFCHDFEvixpGGRSLq-JxOzptgQ7aBqndfw_Jti_6g8_T8FkqRzDEvz_3Scf7jGx6wUXO15PaTDL5I-Lofx1LxckbNzrSz3gbAcrmtv/s1600/IMG_6685.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quest Mexico Trip</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBlfekCPHjaYG0yeobCDh8ZYod80rfLwfzuCf01baXJNbFpb8NqwtOc-ax9MLKNzogekibTiVuKsCqNkmz49JC9uuDj-GIhMq9Vnr3p_fu92d6Y4ljzqup_Y9bDwmXhEmD1XMBNb7pgZ2/s1600/IMG_9602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBlfekCPHjaYG0yeobCDh8ZYod80rfLwfzuCf01baXJNbFpb8NqwtOc-ax9MLKNzogekibTiVuKsCqNkmz49JC9uuDj-GIhMq9Vnr3p_fu92d6Y4ljzqup_Y9bDwmXhEmD1XMBNb7pgZ2/s1600/IMG_9602.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day trip to Alaska while staying in Whitehorse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn01Tksxg3VV0ymfOPkldtgSlFBaQyWiaTvcTGe6-3tkcvs0Bue_KHVaanFL6HVJ-lhyphenhyphenH9x9yeewSFQXDGaXJoJzdmKr-FflnHYEY0Z5gOFi3ah1W-98Kxl6g9xI7SZ0bH0L3DM11T2KW/s1600/IMG_9592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn01Tksxg3VV0ymfOPkldtgSlFBaQyWiaTvcTGe6-3tkcvs0Bue_KHVaanFL6HVJ-lhyphenhyphenH9x9yeewSFQXDGaXJoJzdmKr-FflnHYEY0Z5gOFi3ah1W-98Kxl6g9xI7SZ0bH0L3DM11T2KW/s1600/IMG_9592.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hells Gate National Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARSdVyJXJvMoXK0pPCATKTAHN-xEwLYIm2nXKVq_k498fh_NFy61yhRRFtVvufoIvvtwyiEJj4p72JOBWGkmUvTWHTLjc_xZ5xWw3mI0jlnGzmpPNCqE-LBlsxJwra5D01i0cbTvp2gnO/s1600/IMG_0554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARSdVyJXJvMoXK0pPCATKTAHN-xEwLYIm2nXKVq_k498fh_NFy61yhRRFtVvufoIvvtwyiEJj4p72JOBWGkmUvTWHTLjc_xZ5xWw3mI0jlnGzmpPNCqE-LBlsxJwra5D01i0cbTvp2gnO/s1600/IMG_0554.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engagement photos by <a href="http://racheljphotography.myfotojournal.com/" target="_blank">Rachel J Photography</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRL9fbPgIu_C4jyIv9D4VfuVOpgZ25BWqeZC_fWKAi3GkdJGhIK_AdEsed0-XjRu_lplCprrTvZ-MF_TzaBfi9rkQghTIs6hjzgIeVIibG2Aq_9ZqTDO4Uff4ucdpJKvNs0eVa6MMmhyphenhypheniK/s1600/IMG_0577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRL9fbPgIu_C4jyIv9D4VfuVOpgZ25BWqeZC_fWKAi3GkdJGhIK_AdEsed0-XjRu_lplCprrTvZ-MF_TzaBfi9rkQghTIs6hjzgIeVIibG2Aq_9ZqTDO4Uff4ucdpJKvNs0eVa6MMmhyphenhypheniK/s1600/IMG_0577.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Kokopelli Choir Christmas Concert: performing with my sister!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTj_eqIp1JPtOF0yYUqjZqLN28g3FO5w7ZuLsCawt_B2EMvLFV8e3tBvBmXvbdIaZVxYt-WcCC0PsTt3WD5cm0pS85tU5H0Ka7-M2WZvlAAddoJN4XaDzEwTeJwkDkoY3fWjbKk0DwznNA/s1600/IMG_6942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTj_eqIp1JPtOF0yYUqjZqLN28g3FO5w7ZuLsCawt_B2EMvLFV8e3tBvBmXvbdIaZVxYt-WcCC0PsTt3WD5cm0pS85tU5H0Ka7-M2WZvlAAddoJN4XaDzEwTeJwkDkoY3fWjbKk0DwznNA/s1600/IMG_6942.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter Wedding Wonderland: photography by <a href="http://www.thejournalofcarmynjoy.com/married-amelia-dan" target="_blank">Carmyn Joy Photography</a> (click link for more photos!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB4NxxNI00S-u43Qx8wgIZz1h4yJgdGIfuO7KyE8RXpWQnDTj7BfRnpD728yi8tgkgvny_7WxWCV3I9Sj8KHjGmgvBF39klni7jQHbW94Ix6SFBihbcIbF7CKDc2NHD4n5MDQjONK9oF9/s1600/IMG_0170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB4NxxNI00S-u43Qx8wgIZz1h4yJgdGIfuO7KyE8RXpWQnDTj7BfRnpD728yi8tgkgvny_7WxWCV3I9Sj8KHjGmgvBF39klni7jQHbW94Ix6SFBihbcIbF7CKDc2NHD4n5MDQjONK9oF9/s1600/IMG_0170.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touring Alberta: Slave Lake regrowth (after massive forest fires). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfEOSZ4yugEwYowQKa-x1Y3Qv0pbLhCeoJ5J8478MVbhuIDW7lOcW6YMYV-6_pYI2DZQ-jlgUjp3r-2q2bIj8_i7DW-USjb3vqWFkjBC_ZJTZtOvwOf9LL6-rOMyUoF2WQH0B83PgpSSV/s1600/IMG_1958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfEOSZ4yugEwYowQKa-x1Y3Qv0pbLhCeoJ5J8478MVbhuIDW7lOcW6YMYV-6_pYI2DZQ-jlgUjp3r-2q2bIj8_i7DW-USjb3vqWFkjBC_ZJTZtOvwOf9LL6-rOMyUoF2WQH0B83PgpSSV/s1600/IMG_1958.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family trip: Play Del Carmen, <a href="http://justlittleart.com/" target="_blank">Justina</a> brought her instax camera with her</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTpIoOGdQtWYjIRpuU0L8m2HvLvZocrXCTW7RazrWkYc89rHOljhmM2TBnx1xg2J-oqlKi9626aGB_zf1BzK8-rrAoIZAoMIOksacgoFb5QwfodcN7pQ4gqavY_gowMFad5xtSSaXmby5/s1600/IMG_2957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTpIoOGdQtWYjIRpuU0L8m2HvLvZocrXCTW7RazrWkYc89rHOljhmM2TBnx1xg2J-oqlKi9626aGB_zf1BzK8-rrAoIZAoMIOksacgoFb5QwfodcN7pQ4gqavY_gowMFad5xtSSaXmby5/s1600/IMG_2957.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrival of a babe. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghm9Tmq13phwmCXcTiZjjCQ6dKO2c6LeORpyn9loQRme_koQCdjm0VOHNptJPCQiLwfolqqwzxgq3FjgfgBqNDThnvAFD0uj6T0z1MBBbRHL4iu0TrV3aIrbQuE3tSAzj9AVt8Kwja6HC9/s1600/IMG_5322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghm9Tmq13phwmCXcTiZjjCQ6dKO2c6LeORpyn9loQRme_koQCdjm0VOHNptJPCQiLwfolqqwzxgq3FjgfgBqNDThnvAFD0uj6T0z1MBBbRHL4iu0TrV3aIrbQuE3tSAzj9AVt8Kwja6HC9/s1600/IMG_5322.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Coast Wonders.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bny7eF-b7fmdzEJhzhcDD9KVlxzyHZf0_h1icwSMyozfI7X7Rd69DD4O09tCQEGjiKoFIqK19snBSOGmJDhU4-_b-laQc6zF5IxuJZpbt9E30h-zUOEdCwdd_4pQlKQgqSsWxDXTT6sy/s1600/IMG_3328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bny7eF-b7fmdzEJhzhcDD9KVlxzyHZf0_h1icwSMyozfI7X7Rd69DD4O09tCQEGjiKoFIqK19snBSOGmJDhU4-_b-laQc6zF5IxuJZpbt9E30h-zUOEdCwdd_4pQlKQgqSsWxDXTT6sy/s1600/IMG_3328.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graduation is finally within reach!</td></tr>
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There are so many wonderful things that have happened that I cannot remember at this time, but my it has been a good six years! Now looking forward some things feel uncertain... but with the stress of school removed, I am excited to see what comes our way! </div>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpage%3BpageID%3D6271051636847336289%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dpages%3BonClosedMenu%3Dpages%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-XNN0We7Ab2E%2FVyPGgGD6W_I%2FAAAAAAAAB_s%2FUuVqN7q-XHYqISGxh6w4tzERkV-zrbRiACKgB%2Fs320%2FIMG_4246.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 246px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 36px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpage%3BpageID%3D6271051636847336289%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dpages%3BonClosedMenu%3Dpages%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-XNN0We7Ab2E%2FVyPGgGD6W_I%2FAAAAAAAAB_s%2FUuVqN7q-XHYqISGxh6w4tzERkV-zrbRiACKgB%2Fs320%2FIMG_4246.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 246px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 36px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpage%3BpageID%3D6271051636847336289%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dpages%3BonClosedMenu%3Dpages%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-XNN0We7Ab2E%2FVyPGgGD6W_I%2FAAAAAAAAB_s%2FUuVqN7q-XHYqISGxh6w4tzERkV-zrbRiACKgB%2Fs320%2FIMG_4246.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 246px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 36px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpage%3BpageID%3D6271051636847336289%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dpages%3BonClosedMenu%3Dpages%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-XNN0We7Ab2E%2FVyPGgGD6W_I%2FAAAAAAAAB_s%2FUuVqN7q-XHYqISGxh6w4tzERkV-zrbRiACKgB%2Fs320%2FIMG_4246.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 246px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 36px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-48667823647532977682016-04-07T12:43:00.000-06:002016-04-27T15:45:35.730-06:00My New Toy (eta November)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5v_EM1j5qPIMaWxV6mzlQuDUSv0icKXhqcd790_JeLCJ6ksELTs-prBJUDstDhXwRQTgKhN2vTnQHrPdTso2SijRhVWfhX2_wZzJ7W9qzTuGydJz2sfkIETxaz7X5fe3WO1gMBl6BP3Z/s1600/91d3a8054ffa8783503034da8fa3be91_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5v_EM1j5qPIMaWxV6mzlQuDUSv0icKXhqcd790_JeLCJ6ksELTs-prBJUDstDhXwRQTgKhN2vTnQHrPdTso2SijRhVWfhX2_wZzJ7W9qzTuGydJz2sfkIETxaz7X5fe3WO1gMBl6BP3Z/s640/91d3a8054ffa8783503034da8fa3be91_original.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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One of my favourite pastimes is perusing Kickstarter. I haven't backed much, but I like seeing what people are creating, inventing, producing.<br />
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As of late I have been waiting for Mr. Beam to release their newest Kickstarter for the Mr. Beam II... and they released it today! And I just backed it! While the estimated shipping isn't until November (so far away!) we are super excited to have backed it. It was a family project, but I am so excited to start imagining all different types of fun projects!</div>
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Any good ideas of projects to make?</div>
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Check it out <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mrbeam/mr-beam-ii-the-desktop-laser-cutter-and-engraver" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-38874246803481232942016-03-04T22:25:00.001-07:002016-04-27T15:46:29.438-06:00happy people<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNAiL-Ve2SxFT-8_utth-hPYZIkRci2VRK_5S43VRDx1JIaNeKzIgPvK1iLsHCk14YPJsTMtkkoMCqXQVJpuT_1mM-Cnft0eEOeE5ZL6Htfe7IJpo0e10wJnDJghaz3E9eF0xiCZEQX5t/s1600/happy+people+white.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNAiL-Ve2SxFT-8_utth-hPYZIkRci2VRK_5S43VRDx1JIaNeKzIgPvK1iLsHCk14YPJsTMtkkoMCqXQVJpuT_1mM-Cnft0eEOeE5ZL6Htfe7IJpo0e10wJnDJghaz3E9eF0xiCZEQX5t/s1600/happy+people+white.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from <a href="http://www.my3monsters.com/2014/11/gratitude-chalk-art-free-printable.html" target="_blank">here</a></td></tr>
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I am slowly coming to terms with the idea that I am not as nice as I once thought I was. Or maybe I was once nice, and am slowly becoming jaded. Or maybe it is just a stage, or even just a bad day, but recently I feel like despite how <i>good</i> my days have been, I am still a grump and I don't feel like I am a very nice person to be around.<br />
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And so with this advice that I found on pinterest by typing in "happy people" (because apparently I have hit that point) I am making myself work towards being happier. In my passion planner I have started writing on the monthly overview a good part of every day. My next challenge is to write on the weekly view, each day something/someone to be grateful for. I want to be the kind of person who is gracious and kind, who in my old age when the dementia sets in that I am so well practiced at being kind that I don't revert to my dark instincts of anger, fear, and negativity.<br />
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I feel like maybe I am alone in these fears of mine, but maybe not? I need all the help I can get at this point. I mean can this attitude very truly be turned around? Or will I always be suppressing a pessimistic perspective?<br />
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Blergh. Sorry for the bummer talk.<br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-QiuHLpVaebI%2FVtpsHVkyxwI%2FAAAAAAAAB9Q%2FXGYFVzepSPc%2Fs1600%2Fhappy%252Bpeople%252Bwhite.JPG&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 97px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 114px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-QiuHLpVaebI%2FVtpsHVkyxwI%2FAAAAAAAAB9Q%2FXGYFVzepSPc%2Fs1600%2Fhappy%252Bpeople%252Bwhite.JPG&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 97px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 114px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-15111487185769707732016-02-12T23:34:00.000-07:002016-04-27T22:10:29.885-06:00Valentines: the easiest DIY<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSIPq7xjc6r_296E78Zuk-W8xo7Qzc0OAFDTHgK1esAIYqCovzMOd6WVVd_d4HouZ4fRSj3F_7fN7ld_4orha36U5jpmy5uadDTz_Do-cifMqOo4M84T8LZEKcHBVANDsflsTIAxV_xkh/s1600/%2523acolorstory-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSIPq7xjc6r_296E78Zuk-W8xo7Qzc0OAFDTHgK1esAIYqCovzMOd6WVVd_d4HouZ4fRSj3F_7fN7ld_4orha36U5jpmy5uadDTz_Do-cifMqOo4M84T8LZEKcHBVANDsflsTIAxV_xkh/s1600/%2523acolorstory-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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I have always loved Valentine's day. Making Valentine's, making cookies, eating chocolate and candy...<br />
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And even into my adult years I have continued making Valentine's for friends, and everyone that I love. Throughout my dating experience I was only in a relationship on February 14th once before dating my husband, so it was never a priority of a "couples" holiday in any way.<br />
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This year I was scrolling through Pinterest trying to come up with something cute and witty to do for my loved ones, and I ended up coming up with a great idea, going out to bulk barn and buying a LOT of smarties (which I am currently snacking on now)... but then it came to me: <span style="text-align: center;">Adult Valentine's, mini bottle style. </span><br />
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So here it is my friends, the perfect Valentine for anyone in your life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEneU2Whq2mXhgUDEpUhhAT7SP-GNeiH-IIZStL21bGBbDdUiSQ4so-6T1ojZRK7sT0_G7X3PoAyAdAi-22wspGTS7nYlbGofwg9PWVrLlLwIPfje0RSBffO-LTZCdYzB49timJ-sTIuYE/s1600/%2523acolorstory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEneU2Whq2mXhgUDEpUhhAT7SP-GNeiH-IIZStL21bGBbDdUiSQ4so-6T1ojZRK7sT0_G7X3PoAyAdAi-22wspGTS7nYlbGofwg9PWVrLlLwIPfje0RSBffO-LTZCdYzB49timJ-sTIuYE/s1600/%2523acolorstory.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja457rCwMopOKUqUp321VLwLxsh3tuzoC1Y0QXK686MFzhhq66lNQTZlzs4JPOG-eFOOsw5LdaYJzTmO3MyLgsf5cAOTkJBpEYIiudGTF1Hl-cWzOhwGbIGZytkPPD0l-gFSxjdNUeomMt/s1600/%2523acolorstory-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja457rCwMopOKUqUp321VLwLxsh3tuzoC1Y0QXK686MFzhhq66lNQTZlzs4JPOG-eFOOsw5LdaYJzTmO3MyLgsf5cAOTkJBpEYIiudGTF1Hl-cWzOhwGbIGZytkPPD0l-gFSxjdNUeomMt/s1600/%2523acolorstory-3.jpg" /></a></div>
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What you will need:<br />
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- mini bottles of your choice<br />
- labels (I used Avery 02222)<br />
- printer... or nice pens!<br />
- ribbon & tags<br />
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Once the tags were printed, it was just lining up the sticker to fit the bottle correctly (and ideally cover up the existing label.. this didn't pan out quite as expected with the Gin). I found that with the Baileys bottle, likely because of the odd shape, cutting the label down by about 1 cm made it fit really nicely!<br />
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I then added some tags I had cut for a different craft with baker's twine, but any tag and any ribbon would do! This project was so easy that I am pretty certain my sister would do it (she is so capable, but just has little patience for crafts in the same capacity that I do).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1tbSLEGVhyphenhyphenRECvykc_dy_d1VU3loOHCxfJrUfsU9pmxc3lxJmU6IGoQJS-B9NsZ_HVFHO9B6zFVRTk07Ak-4aw9eByGtedzmYaykSzu7ooBpK-066ufAFikVyjA0TzIu_nik7k-v0EZc/s1600/%2523acolorstory-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1tbSLEGVhyphenhyphenRECvykc_dy_d1VU3loOHCxfJrUfsU9pmxc3lxJmU6IGoQJS-B9NsZ_HVFHO9B6zFVRTk07Ak-4aw9eByGtedzmYaykSzu7ooBpK-066ufAFikVyjA0TzIu_nik7k-v0EZc/s1600/%2523acolorstory-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Happy Valentine's Day! xx.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D2397969323703211528%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D4%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-w4en8rjBtmk%2FVr1nqSKw8_I%2FAAAAAAAAB8M%2Fwmw658GqtZM%2Fs640%2F%252523acolorstory-2.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 113px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2532px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D2397969323703211528%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D4%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-w4en8rjBtmk%2FVr1nqSKw8_I%2FAAAAAAAAB8M%2Fwmw658GqtZM%2Fs640%2F%252523acolorstory-2.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 113px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2532px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-72795531604199242122016-02-10T15:11:00.002-07:002016-04-27T18:30:19.716-06:00Back to School<br />
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I started back at school in January... hence the silence.<br />
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Being back in an academic setting after a few months off is both exhilarating and intimidating. Being an "older" student I am finding that my commitment to reading the assigned work is a bit higher than others, as well as I am much more willing to discuss the topics in class. Having been in a smaller university for my degree the opportunity to converse with the professor and other classmates is frequent... but because of the way I work ideas out (by speaking/arguing/debating/discussing) I tend to be a more vocal member in most groups.<br />
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I have intentionally limited myself to a certain number of comments per class in order to enable other students to speak. It is not an easy task, but I am starting to see some of the other students verbalize their thoughts and it is nice (most of the time). But inevitably there is that moment when a question is asked, and no one answers... and the silence hangs heavy and quite frankly I cannot handle it. As beneficial as those "thoughtful" moments can be I regularly break my vow of restraint and say something (even if I don't agree with it!)<br />
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School is hard. Academic situations are challenging and wonderful. I am so grateful to be back; but even more grateful to be so close to being done. Now I must go work on my assignments of which I am intentionally ignoring...Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-37428567259675144092016-01-22T21:12:00.000-07:002016-04-27T21:47:54.792-06:00The Basement: Vinyl Plank Flooring Installation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kBoyqBNMtAGQV6SU921fzUtREmD_NkczdonccGpF3knVOHWCGxetLG7c1w4qCcpDkA_T-gGwvi7ScQk4_0F8oFwu1w3okULWBVT2LWzmwETpKFXLW8FA5cGfW3iJn0nvSSi6zSh5e2Y2/s1600/IMG_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kBoyqBNMtAGQV6SU921fzUtREmD_NkczdonccGpF3knVOHWCGxetLG7c1w4qCcpDkA_T-gGwvi7ScQk4_0F8oFwu1w3okULWBVT2LWzmwETpKFXLW8FA5cGfW3iJn0nvSSi6zSh5e2Y2/s640/IMG_1920.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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If you have read any of our other posts about home renovations, you may have seen images of the beautiful (read: ugly) white tile with gold flecks in it. We decided that it was time to replace the white-gold tiles; it was really the last piece to "finish" the basement. (In reality renovations are never finished.) It was agreed that we would change it this summer when we transitioned into a new lease, while of course hoping that our tenants (who are wonderful!) stay. But then something magical happened, all three of our tenants were away on vacation for the whole weekend after new years, <b>and</b> we were free to put in new flooring. </div>
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The boys started on the floor on Friday. We decided on the vinyl click and lock flooring from our local Timber Town (Brand: Easystreet, style: Marmot Basin), and only have wonderful things to say about the product. By Friday night they had flooring all the way up to the end of the kitchen, leaving a small hallway and an awkward entrance area to put in the next day. My dad kept saying, "it's like putting together lego!", and it really was. Once they got going it went down fast.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWnGjGjw6YtNv85S71gN3hSPGwX3rjcBMi5rroLpnam-7WAgVOO2Or98amFKwnrIz5NxJSMC4nulN3uLBNxn_r-OtLA65OicxZqQno_6OyRu1p8ViyHjdLFc20jnw7GybgoCtDQPtHeJZ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-22+at+9.00.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWnGjGjw6YtNv85S71gN3hSPGwX3rjcBMi5rroLpnam-7WAgVOO2Or98amFKwnrIz5NxJSMC4nulN3uLBNxn_r-OtLA65OicxZqQno_6OyRu1p8ViyHjdLFc20jnw7GybgoCtDQPtHeJZ/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-01-22+at+9.00.31+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Saturday was a bit of a different story. Every board needed to be cut at an angle, and there were all sorts of awkward nooks to customize to. They did an amazing job despite the work being nit picky, and they did it really fast! We also ended up having such good luck with the spacing, that we had very little waste and were able to return 5/25 boxes!<br />
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The obligatory before and after shot:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARllXIOGRjtuKpM0wNNwjiC78DgzHn14MEk9ZqAT_lnWsqmrabdH2jQm8ZNfNp1vaEsaJQ6_pbUDqmlqtTNl4eQegGjscNn-3uox1FAh7gZzu_x_Oz1x3THFVoZCYJTPhbPe6zYZzXhDf/s1600/IMG_2080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARllXIOGRjtuKpM0wNNwjiC78DgzHn14MEk9ZqAT_lnWsqmrabdH2jQm8ZNfNp1vaEsaJQ6_pbUDqmlqtTNl4eQegGjscNn-3uox1FAh7gZzu_x_Oz1x3THFVoZCYJTPhbPe6zYZzXhDf/s640/IMG_2080.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Goodbye white-gold tiles!</div>
<br />Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-73793252601504985202015-12-20T23:32:00.002-07:002016-04-27T22:11:01.598-06:00The Season of Giving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOAQzbgrbFIW2EIEQAvNfhMRqXeU5R7dIgYP1VrWwRXlekWxfEh6rQFXpcZx0bUxC4DSWrOo2WmiW3lW4i-QMp-dlnm2jLOOk-ltUjY7gjpVDFMjUSCs9ZUDGfJMVW0_VuGCWWApVBmmE/s1600/IMG_1526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOAQzbgrbFIW2EIEQAvNfhMRqXeU5R7dIgYP1VrWwRXlekWxfEh6rQFXpcZx0bUxC4DSWrOo2WmiW3lW4i-QMp-dlnm2jLOOk-ltUjY7gjpVDFMjUSCs9ZUDGfJMVW0_VuGCWWApVBmmE/s1600/IMG_1526.JPG" /></a></div>
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I love this time of year.<br />
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I love planning out gifts for family and friends, I love that people make more of an effort to come together and enjoy the company, and where we live take the time to enjoy the outdoors that for the rest of the winter we insist on pretending to hate. While I wish with my whole heart that these were practices for the whole year, but I will take what I can get.<br />
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One of the things we have been talking about is instilling a "giving spirit" in our first born. He is just over one now, and so often we give money to charities but lack the action side of things. I don't know if I heard about this somewhere, or what exactly inspired me, but we have now decided that every time we go grocery shopping (which is <i>at least</i> once a week) we will pick up a minimum of $5 in goods and on our way out drop them in the food donation box.<br />
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This doesn't mean that we are cutting down on our financial donations, because let's face it: I cannot spend money in the same way that the food bank can, and I cannot give them the perishable items (or get them for the bulk price) they need when they need them. There is no perfect solution to giving when there are so many different places that need support, but we hope that by choosing out items every time we shop for ourselves,that we will be able to show our son the importance of supporting our community.<br />
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<br />Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-23979693237032115282015-11-30T21:40:00.000-07:002016-04-27T21:49:12.558-06:00Busy busy busy!<br />
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The holiday season is upon us!<br />
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I adore this time of year, and it <i>finally</i> snowed where we live (unbelievably late too). While I don't particularly enjoy some of the tasks that accompany this season (layers and layers of jackets and boots, shovelling, spreading ice melt) I love the brisk mornings and the fresh snow.<br />
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We have been so busy with the little one, but somehow I have managed to do ALL my Christmas shopping, aside from my husbands gifts! I also have decided to plan out the entire month of dinner lists to avoid the weekly Saturday discussion of, "what should we eat this week?". My last "big" task for the month on a personal scale is baking galore, but I have high hopes to do big batches and trade with friends/family.<br />
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But on a fun note I have had the opportunity to do many orders from my Etsy shop! One of my orders a wonderfully large one of around 37 ornaments (yikes!), and I am plugging at them day by day. Here are some of the current ones I have been working on:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pol_b7QD24kDuEYFyA9P_z58EUayi7Xbe4SAjYN8jedBUGSPOo0AOJat9_Wj1p7seGkVNyV-u9VqYwZv6DGXF0uoYHkB1tOYMlygxEfCzcZ_su4EGqYF8A434CZkWQdyDvsbx6N7igfz/s1600/IMG_1333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pol_b7QD24kDuEYFyA9P_z58EUayi7Xbe4SAjYN8jedBUGSPOo0AOJat9_Wj1p7seGkVNyV-u9VqYwZv6DGXF0uoYHkB1tOYMlygxEfCzcZ_su4EGqYF8A434CZkWQdyDvsbx6N7igfz/s640/IMG_1333.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some Initial Ornaments.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xPf21fLHoTieVg30mlVoWI_ZhoJT_BionQ64Yb8AcioQes28rvEeqIfDc6g9fLgm5hrqvp_79bmb04guQHP2IjbdxNv7_P1ceBbUHv_1AfVIg3HsxKO_gg2WI0TDi1WTNFpm6VK4iPOl/s1600/IMG_1442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xPf21fLHoTieVg30mlVoWI_ZhoJT_BionQ64Yb8AcioQes28rvEeqIfDc6g9fLgm5hrqvp_79bmb04guQHP2IjbdxNv7_P1ceBbUHv_1AfVIg3HsxKO_gg2WI0TDi1WTNFpm6VK4iPOl/s640/IMG_1442.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A custom order of DIY ornament kits with one completed ornament each.</td></tr>
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Hoping everyone else had a wonderful November as well!</div>
<br />Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-76507291072165489232015-11-13T16:11:00.001-07:002016-04-27T21:49:04.162-06:00DIY Wine Charms!<div class="p2" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.8px; margin-bottom: 0.825em; widows: 1;">
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One of my favourite things is to with my completed crafts is to give them as gifts, and what better time to do that then during the winter holidays! Today I am going to tell you about one of my all-time best to give as a Christmas present DIY: wine charms. My parents are always inviting more people to dinner, which means that the number of wine glasses around the room is almost always unpredictable, so unless you keep a tight grip you will end up playing wine glass bingo. To solve this issue I made my mother a few sets of wine charms... made out of wine corks!</div>
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<img alt="IMG_1034" class=" wp-image-323 alignleft" data-mce-src="https://kluanenational.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/img_1034.jpg?w=225" height="320" src="https://kluanenational.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/img_1034.jpg?w=225" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); display: inline; float: left; font-style: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0.5em 1.225em 1.625em 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 6px;" width="240" />Supply List:</div>
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- Wine cork (1 per 6 charms)</div>
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- A pencil and ruler</div>
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- Knife and cutting board</div>
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- Acrylic Paint (6+ colours) and brush</div>
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- Eyelet screws (6+)</div>
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- Wire hooks (6+)</div>
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They don’t take too long from start to finish, a twenty minute craft opportunity! (I tend to have time for crafting during the household nap time.)</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Step One:</strong> Take your cork(s) and with your pencil and ruler combo mark off where you are going to slice. Mark your corks to be about . inch with a small line. If you feel confident you can skip this step. I like to cut my cork in half, and then take each half and divide it into three.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Step Two:</strong> With your knife and cutting board cut straight slices through the cork. I like to use a chef’s knife- preferably one that has been recently sharpened… but if your house is anything like mine this isn’t the case! I would highly suggest against using a serrated knife in order to obtain a smooth surface on the final product.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Step Three: </strong>Take the eyelet screw in one hand, and a cork slice in the other and aim to hit the center of the edge with the screw tip. Screw in a straight line to avoid coming through the side partway down! Repeat for all cork slices. (You can also do this after step four.)</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Step Four:</strong> On each cork slice paint your desired image onto it. I like to use all stars, but paint them in different colours. But be creative! You could put the first letters of your family, a last name letter in different colours, different shapes, the options are endless! Let the paint dry.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;">Step Five:</strong> The last step is putting the wire hooks through the eyelet tops. The hooks I used were straight, so I made sure to bend the very end, about 1/8” from the end, to a 90-degree angle to make sure that they stay on once they are on their respective glasses.<br />
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These are great easy gifts to make for everyone you know who drinks wine! They are fun, classy, and even use up a part of the drinking experience you would have otherwise thrown away! So open a new bottle and enjoy your new charms! Cheers! Amelia.</div>
Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-78969085362023823552015-11-02T22:29:00.000-07:002016-01-22T21:13:23.240-07:00NEWS!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnCWTJ2_Vq2tHAof5skEaKmENfo2ylEMO1LXDGRGK8DXpmxUti_yhpbzWWhrBm7mJDEWDDDbtPeNWSlKLVb4PUj2FoX1RZ2pKUdgj2IgoYV8lx4zI5b4nPUGQzXcSk4i6MVb4JP_idNuO/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-11-02+at+10.24.52+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnCWTJ2_Vq2tHAof5skEaKmENfo2ylEMO1LXDGRGK8DXpmxUti_yhpbzWWhrBm7mJDEWDDDbtPeNWSlKLVb4PUj2FoX1RZ2pKUdgj2IgoYV8lx4zI5b4nPUGQzXcSk4i6MVb4JP_idNuO/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-11-02+at+10.24.52+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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These last few weeks have been busy ones!<br />
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I have been working away at figuring out a site to integrate my personal projects, my blog, and my aspirations for doing some of these things on a larger scale... and here it is:<br />
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<a href="https://kluanenational.wordpress.com/">https://kluanenational.wordpress.com/</a></div>
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A site to use as a home base for it all! I'd love to hear your thoughts on both the site and the switch!</div>
Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-58808234082562089102015-10-17T21:18:00.000-06:002016-04-27T21:50:36.148-06:00Backyard Inspiration: planning for next year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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We finished cleaning up the yard for winter today. In this city you start to buckle down early, and prepare for a bitter, long winter, so I have started dreaming about "finishing" the back yard next summer. Of course it will not happen all at once (I mean it took all summer for us to finally move the fence over), but even if we can start bit by bit I am happy! </div>
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My current hopes for next summer are:</div>
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- patio for the fire pit (4) & pathway (1/3)</div>
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- small fence to distinguish the gardening area (and to keep out small children and cats!) (5)</div>
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- clear area to enjoy meals/evening drinks other than the fire pit (and put up lights!) (2)</div>
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- a small play area, swings? play structure? sandbox? I'm still searching for inspiration!</div>
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- raised garden bed in front of the main window, with hydrangeas!</div>
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- painting the faux brick around the door, and the front door itself </div>
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- mulch around the spruce tree (since all the grass is dead there anyhow)</div>
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- stain the deck</div>
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- re-roof the garage (argh)</div>
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- paint the shed?</div>
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I love, love, love gardens like this! Though I cannot imagine actually caring for it!</div>
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Little lights add for such a magical feeling... I crave them, but haven't figured out a great way to achieve the look and feel in our back yard.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfSZ5DK7r0VlE4ggIR-IzYIVGk9cCcJMg4ExVvCnpAQYHbwHIgOhAI7DwOVo-aLTEm6H4sDXcZwnpXhseDFEkkFu84V5Bn8ni-6NizBY1mF2RBPhaKcU4nxyblW2s2thl3BPBOi_6Yza1/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-10-17+at+8.49.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfSZ5DK7r0VlE4ggIR-IzYIVGk9cCcJMg4ExVvCnpAQYHbwHIgOhAI7DwOVo-aLTEm6H4sDXcZwnpXhseDFEkkFu84V5Bn8ni-6NizBY1mF2RBPhaKcU4nxyblW2s2thl3BPBOi_6Yza1/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-10-17+at+8.49.31+PM.png" width="467" /></a></div>
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A pathway for through the garden? Though it might be difficult to turn the soil in fall if this was in place?</div>
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I adore the look of flagstone, though it's quite expensive.</div>
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I think that this photo doesn't do this idea justice! I think it would both work with our current fence AND be fairly cheap!</div>
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If I ever get a trampoline (I have sworn I won't) I think that I could handle this idea!</div>
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Images found here: <a href="http://www.thegardenglove.com/beautiful-backyards-inspiration-for-garden-lovers/" target="_blank">1</a>/<a href="http://www.thegardenglove.com/12-inspiring-backyard-lighting-ideas/" target="_blank">2</a>/<a href="http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2011/09/my-pallet-garden-walkway.html" target="_blank">3</a>/<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/erinlanigan/2659399226/" target="_blank">4</a>/<a href="http://www.hometalk.com/2372508/pallet-fence" target="_blank">5</a>/<a href="http://www.trusper.com/tips/Easy-Mommy-Tips-And-Ideas/1042584" target="_blank">6</a></div>
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I am full aware I have unbelievably high hopes!<br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-dkQoc8UK1bE%2FViMLv4i0I9I%2FAAAAAAAAB04%2FKvJdBF9C1kU%2Fs400%2FScreen%252BShot%252B2015-10-17%252Bat%252B9.01.54%252BPM.png&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 186px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2006px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-dkQoc8UK1bE%2FViMLv4i0I9I%2FAAAAAAAAB04%2FKvJdBF9C1kU%2Fs400%2FScreen%252BShot%252B2015-10-17%252Bat%252B9.01.54%252BPM.png&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 186px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2006px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-dkQoc8UK1bE%2FViMLv4i0I9I%2FAAAAAAAAB04%2FKvJdBF9C1kU%2Fs400%2FScreen%252BShot%252B2015-10-17%252Bat%252B9.01.54%252BPM.png&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 186px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2006px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Fsrc%3Ddashboard&media=https%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-dkQoc8UK1bE%2FViMLv4i0I9I%2FAAAAAAAAB04%2FKvJdBF9C1kU%2Fs400%2FScreen%252BShot%252B2015-10-17%252Bat%252B9.01.54%252BPM.png&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 186px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2006px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-20695421451544548382015-10-13T17:20:00.002-06:002016-04-27T22:18:04.805-06:00New Personal Project: Etsy<br />
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After a long time thinking, considering, and planning I have <i>finally </i>opened my own Etsy shop, check it out <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/KluaneNational" target="_blank">here</a>! I am selling some Christmas decorations/accents: wood-burned ornaments, Ornament DIY kits, and gift tags. I started wood-burning ornaments a few years back because as a newly married couple we didn't have very many ornaments for our first Christmas tree! I made them as gifts, and I was trying to find a way for others to do a similar project without the wood-burning equipment... and finally I put together these kits!<br />
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I do hope to expand to some of my other handmade goods either in December or January (stay tuned)! I make many other types of projects, I have dabbled in necklace making (for teething babies and their mama's), key hooks, home renovations, painting... and so much more! Crafting, for me, has been an enjoyable hobby as I am mostly a stay-at-home mom to a wonderful kid, and partially a student trying to finish my degree in Environmental Studies and Sociology. My focus on the environment for the past five years has influenced my crafts and art in unexpected ways. I love to focus on using pre-loved materials mixed with new materials.</div>
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Check them out, let me know what you think!</div>
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D2069542145154454838%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dpostname&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-KCfEXzcCUoU%2FVh2P1sdWALI%2FAAAAAAAAB0I%2F6yVDyhjePUk%2Fs400%2Fgift_tag.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 663px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D2069542145154454838%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dpostname&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-KCfEXzcCUoU%2FVh2P1sdWALI%2FAAAAAAAAB0I%2F6yVDyhjePUk%2Fs400%2Fgift_tag.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 663px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-82242477422362802762015-10-11T23:25:00.000-06:002016-04-27T21:51:14.888-06:00Fence Moving: New back pad<br />
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After much deliberation we decided to move our fence over a couple of feet. This means we are losing a bit of our garden space. While this is sad, its not devastating as we were unable to fully tend to the huge lot that we have!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAeIOgpknroQtgE01Euz3eKV4dD8HG9-dDiYxrxXL8Kzb4kOohMiAOI2W1QH61ydna5jNaMCdFE6k8kt6zcf6hEpt5arjW9-JOFJ_a4pMw6LB2l_aXVezE07-_4NLvrlHzbKvUYAjiF_U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-10-11+at+11.18.11+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAeIOgpknroQtgE01Euz3eKV4dD8HG9-dDiYxrxXL8Kzb4kOohMiAOI2W1QH61ydna5jNaMCdFE6k8kt6zcf6hEpt5arjW9-JOFJ_a4pMw6LB2l_aXVezE07-_4NLvrlHzbKvUYAjiF_U/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-10-11+at+11.18.11+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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We decided to reduce the garden to a "manageable" size (and even so it is still a bit too big for us!), and create room to park another vehicle in the back. Our neighbourhood demographic is heavily populated by students and renters. It gives the area a bit of a transient feel, but it also gives it a parked car feel too since most of the students take city transit. Our street which is ridden with pot holes (we live in the city of pot holes) is also currently continually filled with construction vehicles working on some infills, as well as city vehicles working on the drainage system, and then to boot our houseful of vehicles, it only made sense to attempt to create some "extra" space out front.<br />
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The boys started the project while my mother, the babe, and I were in Victoria. They tore down the fence, figured out where it would need to go, and then put the project on hold until they could get the right equipment. The "correct" equipment in their minds was a bobcat. We are blessed to have access to so many tools and skilled individuals in our lives, but in my opinion this was overkill. But alas, they dug some holes, brought the beast in, moved some dirt, realized there ways WAY more dirt than anyone realized, moved some more around, finished the holes, moved some road crush around, had some fun, rolled over all the road crush, had a bit more fun, and eventually started putting the fence up!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpKiNwEYOG4nu0dW86iG3er0my-X6BJCwVUl-UcdkvKrGSSd_7d8uL_wJW2g1jbP4WleZl7EIDc6t1VhfulKHDATQjnmeTaiX9UX0mZ_2yce3I3k7SM7RrHprNAiDjb541TYXeaLi7XiM/s1600/IMG_0273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpKiNwEYOG4nu0dW86iG3er0my-X6BJCwVUl-UcdkvKrGSSd_7d8uL_wJW2g1jbP4WleZl7EIDc6t1VhfulKHDATQjnmeTaiX9UX0mZ_2yce3I3k7SM7RrHprNAiDjb541TYXeaLi7XiM/s640/IMG_0273.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This weekend the final boards were nailed onto the fence, and the gate was switched around so now parking can commence on the back pad! Hopefully this will pay off and maybe the city will redo our front roads and we can feel proud that we made space to park in back while they repave? Ahhh.. just dreaming.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3De5UhyphenhyphendK_h47EokFEHW993tdQQknQ2rbFdEj80IMMShjacpm7BA1qWVOzEtzq7hoSA6l2zN00m6kItJ2j4vdMXwHlF4wxhkUhy7CXQ5RrNUJlGXgUVygLkdIrQrcC7bH1VRWmMdP4GoS/s1600/IMG_0285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3De5UhyphenhyphendK_h47EokFEHW993tdQQknQ2rbFdEj80IMMShjacpm7BA1qWVOzEtzq7hoSA6l2zN00m6kItJ2j4vdMXwHlF4wxhkUhy7CXQ5RrNUJlGXgUVygLkdIrQrcC7bH1VRWmMdP4GoS/s640/IMG_0285.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D8224247742236280276%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dpostname&media=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-dNQGnpSN7tc%2FVhi1P76hAOI%2FAAAAAAAABy4%2FgF_bgM1XvXM%2Fs640%2FIMG_0285.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 113px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1214px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7796889457663469275%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D8224247742236280276%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dpostname&media=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-dNQGnpSN7tc%2FVhi1P76hAOI%2FAAAAAAAABy4%2FgF_bgM1XvXM%2Fs640%2FIMG_0285.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=D3V5yhEvX_6b&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 113px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1214px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-2623492710486381402015-10-10T00:35:00.000-06:002016-04-27T21:51:32.818-06:00Music Video: George Ezra<div style="text-align: center;">
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I know he is old news, but the song is just too wonderful.</div>
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... and his voice right?</div>
Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-34707629789502122282015-09-12T00:04:00.000-06:002015-10-13T16:47:05.902-06:00The Name<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVisABlBGt6zfdtH3he97SD0f4Ly4AEyozt1IQvBPUyWKnT5rYjwmg3Iww7h7JIyufXR-TsQf12osCD-hoHIACdF2cpTOQwq3w9DIkZTjaIX7WSE2-zQqAcaZ0ZjTbpUNdKbNl4RGCv5wv/s1600/IMG_9542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVisABlBGt6zfdtH3he97SD0f4Ly4AEyozt1IQvBPUyWKnT5rYjwmg3Iww7h7JIyufXR-TsQf12osCD-hoHIACdF2cpTOQwq3w9DIkZTjaIX7WSE2-zQqAcaZ0ZjTbpUNdKbNl4RGCv5wv/s640/IMG_9542.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I was born in the Yukon, my parents assigned me a northern middle name to acknowledge my birthplace: Kluane (klü-ˈȯ-nē). It is both a National Park (and lake) up in the Yukon, as well as a Tlingit word meaning "many fish". While I only spent a handful of years in the Yukon, much of the art I create is influenced by the landscape of the area and lifestyle of my family when we lived there. A few years back it felt fitting to start blogging under the name "Kluane National", and now extends to the name of my creative work as I have started using the name "Kluane National Workshop" for my handmade goods.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A few years back I had the privilege to visit Whitehorse once again, and even enter into my namesake park as an adult (pictured above). It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and I am so excited to one day return. </span></div>
Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7796889457663469275.post-6481342921570590772015-09-01T23:57:00.000-06:002016-04-27T21:52:36.876-06:00Check out our deck!<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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While the house we bought was well taken care of by the gentleman who owned before, there were parts that were just in need of some extreme overhauls. On that list was the back deck. It is kind of a weird deck, because it is on the side of the house, looking one way into the kitchen and the other into the next door neighbours yard. It's not really a place that you would want to sit and enjoy an evening, or have a private conversation. BUT it is a lovely place to barbecue, enjoy some sun/shade in the afternoons, and a great place to access the back yard without having to pass through the back entrance double door system.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IvzB9AktSNfAgOkCRn8n4k5o4NzBmH15U8gpxKAc-sCF0Lf_AKWeX53HdD0u_NNTXuo99VJ5qJp3xzTQ92yv7gtdvarVHR2MKSVeli0_wk_8kI6T6HKDQmbWONJgNE_IAy2gMjOyPXm4/s1600/IMG_0193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IvzB9AktSNfAgOkCRn8n4k5o4NzBmH15U8gpxKAc-sCF0Lf_AKWeX53HdD0u_NNTXuo99VJ5qJp3xzTQ92yv7gtdvarVHR2MKSVeli0_wk_8kI6T6HKDQmbWONJgNE_IAy2gMjOyPXm4/s640/IMG_0193.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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And so we decided to repair most of it with cedar. A lot of the platform was rotten, and the railings weren't quite up to code, so we had a few things to fix. We brought it down to its main posts in order to remove all the rotten bits, and put it back together. The boys had painted all the floorboards with sealant in the summer, tore apart and put back together the basics in fall, and finally put up the railings and stairs in spring this year. It was a bit of a lengthy project, but it is <i>almost</i> all done! Now to just stain the deck!<br />
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For the railings we were trying to find cheap and beautiful posts, which was proving a bit difficult. One of our favourite spots to get previously used building materials (Home Reusables) had an abundance of glass and we considered the tempered glass, but quite frankly a clear view of the neighbours yard was not really a priority for us. And so we went with <i>my</i> favourite choice (and everyone else agreed!): copper pipes. We had a fair amount of remanent piping from our previous renovations, but not quite enough to finish the deck railing; so we used a mixture of brand new pipes and pre-used ones. It will take a few years for the shiny pipes to catch up to the beautiful patina on the older ones. </div>
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Travelling with a 7 month old back in May: I was terrified. First baby + first flight = stressed out mom. So I posted on a few places of my moms groups and asked for advice, and they rallied. I had great advice including:<br />
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- take favourite toys and a new toy to entertain<br />
- nurse/feed/soother on take off and landing (for baby ears)<br />
- bring a wrap/carrier<br />
- pack extra clothing, for both mama and baby<br />
- pack extra cloths... because you never know<br />
- pack more diapers than you think is possible to use on a (insert number) hour flight<br />
- relax<br />
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The advice given was supremely helpful, and after our first trip these are the things to remember for our next trip/ the advice I would offer:<br />
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- buy/bring doggy poop bags for diaper disposal. This was unbelievably helpful both on the plane as well as at my in laws.<br />
- skip the stroller at this age in the airport. We packed conservatively, and checked all the baggage aside from the diaper bag/toy bag, and brought the ergo carrier to wander the airport with.<br />
- bring a blanket for playing on the floor.<br />
- buy/bring a phone recharger. I borrowed my mothers "power pond" just in case we needed access One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful" music video (which is a guaranteed calming method in this house)<br />
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Tomorrow I am travelling my now 9 month old... but by myself this time. I am less nervous about the flight itself as we are only travelling to Vancouver (a 1.5 hour trip) which seems like a piece of cake in compared to the four hours to Ontario, but still there is new and potentially stressful ground to tread.<br />
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1. He started crawling/walking along furniture... and doesn't really like being stuck in my lap for too long.<br />
2. He has gotten a LOT louder, and nursing doesn't calm him as easily.<br />
3. I will only have two hands, which is half of the amount of the last trip.<br />
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Here is to hoping it all goes smoothly!Amelia Kluanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04823361715412742089noreply@blogger.com0