No Cookies For Lindsey

Today we went out to Matheson Island for their annual fishing derby. It was a nice day for it, but still cold. I was very happy it wasn't windy.

In a moment of weakness, I bought two peanut butter cookies for 50 cents at the canteen when I was getting Eric a burger. While he was eating it, I was minding his fishing hole and decided to eat my cookies, with my mitts off. I took one bite of the cookies. MMM! They were so yummy and they had peanut butter chips in them too! I was pretty happy with the purchase, but I wasn't terrible hungry, and shouldn't have been eating cookies.

After the first bite I realized my hands were too cold to not have mitts on. So I balanced the cookies and the fishing rod on my lap while I proceeded to put my mittens, borrowed from my 8 year old brother, on. I got the left one on successfully. It was pretty tight. I jerked my right hand into the other mitt with my clumsy mitted left hand, and knocked both of my delicious, chewy, peanut buttery cookies straight into the hole. Before I could react they had both began to sink into the depths of the lake.

Goodbye cookies. It was nice to taste you.

Hello fishies, I hope you like the peanut butter cookies I bought you.

Thanks God, for keeping me on track. I should have known better.

Two Workouts!

Today I am very thankful that God gave me the motivation to do the Turbo Jam 20 minute work out! TWICE!

The first time I did it it was hard to keep up with the moves. The second time was much easier to catch on to the moves and do them. I really really like it! Chalene is fun and full of energy and she keeps you motivated! I want to do it again right now!

Am I Even Hungry?

My struggle today is eating only when I am hungry, because, I don't know if I am hungry for sure! Am I hungry, or am I just craving something? I really have a hard time telling?

And being satisfied? How do I know what the difference is between satisfied and full? It is so hard to tell.

I am sure it will get easier, but today, I am really struggling. I just can't tell.

Hope For Change

I am very happy with how today turned out!!

Because I was training my dogs to walk properly, i walked for 1 hour and 15 minutes today! Plus I did the 15 minute training video of Turbo Jam again! WOW! I am so happy with that! I am so happy that my dogs need to be walked everyday, gives me alot of motivation.

Yesterday I read my first chaper of Thin Within. WOW! Let's be honest, I cried. So much of what they were saying, about trying diets and all these other things that have failed, about how I think about myself, about how I don't think I will ever change, all of it applied to me! I really felt like they wrote the book just for me! I have also done the second day. I really like it so far. I like that it is a lifestyle change, not a diet.

I was thinking a bit about that today, and one of the ways this method is different than anything else I have tried is because it focuses on God! No wonder nothing has worked for me before! I totally left God out of it! I have so much more hope for change now! How can I fail if God is in it with me! Pray that I will stick with it and God will give me tonnes of motivation!

I am so excited! I am excited to feel better about myself. I am excited to get healthy. I am excited to go shopping and feel good about myself, and fit normal clothing!

Clothing is always such a big pain for me. I can still shop at some normal stores, but most of the styles of clothes I like either I don't fit them or they don't suit my body type. I CAN NOT wait to go shopping and BUY BUY BUY so many clothes that I like. I feel like I am been missing out of clothing shopping for years and years. I have just bought stuff cause it fit. I can't wait to be an M!

YAY for God, who is always there for us and cares about every little desire of our hearts and wants the best for us!

Cesar's Way Is The Best Way

A couple of days I finished reading this book, Cesar's Way. It is by Cesar Millan of Dog Whisperer fame. It was I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E! There was so much in it that I knew already, but even more that I didn't know. For example, I treat my dogs like dogs, but I didn't really know how to do that properly!

Cesar's whole philosophy is to treat your dogs like dogs, not like little humans. He says that us humans must be the leader of the pack, and not let our dogs walk all over us. Even though dogs are domesticated, they still have the same pack mentality that wild dogs do.

One of the biggest things I learned was to not give affection when my dog is doing something I don't want him to do. Like growling at another dog. It is wrong to say "Oh, it's ok, lets get you out of here." It is more important to correct that behaviour and not let the dog act like that at all. Cesar stresses exercise, dicipline, and affection, in that order. I really learnt how important it is for a dog to go on walks, not just for the exercise, but for the dog to feel like it is migrating with the pack. Just like wolves do everyday, dogs need to feel like they have migrated with their pack, searching for food or whatever.

Cesar suggests a leash that tightens when the dog pulls ( like the one I have pictured) and it is to be worn at the highest point on the neck, not one the lowest like it usually is. He also says when you are walking your dog, it should be beside you or behind you, not infront. You must lead the dog. Let me tell you, this methods works great! Example:

I was taking Paris out to train her to walk properly, when Finn ran through his electronic fence. So I put Paris inside and went to get Finn. He came to me right away and I positioned the leash around his neck just like Cesar says. I started walking him home from the neighbors and as soon as the leash tightened around his neck he flipped out. Growling and crying and stuff. I was scared cause I have never seen him be that like before! But after his little freakout he relized I was in control. I walked with him for about 15 minutes and it was UNREAL how good he was! He walked calmly and nicely beside me and was not in front pulling like a manic like usually! I was so excited! I just had to call Eric and let him know!! We have now been on 5 more walks and he has been so good everytime. It is so nice to have a dog that walks calmly beside you, and I am so shocked how easy it was!! I am now practicing with Maeve, Paris and Fleury. The Chihuahuas are doing awesome but Maeve is taking a long time to learn. Today she finally started to get it, but it will take a while for her, it is ingrained in her the most to pull, cause she is the oldest.

I am not going to explain everything in this book, you will just have to read it yourself if you are interested. I really believe EVERY person who has a dog or wants to get a dog should read this book! It is not a how-to, it is just an explaination of what his methods are and where they are coming from. It was such an eye opener. I feel like a better dog mom now that I have read it. You are doing a great injustice to your dog if you have not read this book! I really believe that!

Change?!?!

Today I feel like I have SO MUCH to talk about, and I don't really know how to organize it! I have been thinking alot about change lately. Sometimes I think that some kinds of change will never happen, no matter what you try, nothing changes permanently. And I think that sucks. And I don't want it to be true.

Getting in shape is something I am always thinking about and wanting to do. My whole life I have always felt like I was overweigh and needed to loose alot of weight. Looking back now, I wasn't even that bad as a young child and teenager. Since about 16 I have been going through cycles of dieting and exersicing, and my problem did not get better. It has gotten worse. The last couple years I have tried SO MANY things, and nothing had worked or stuck. How do I get out of this cycle? I really don't know. I will go through phases when I get really excited about something and stick with it for a while, then it dies out and I go back to normal habits. I feel so incapable of change. When I look at some people that have been trying to get in shape for years and have done almost everything imaginable but nothing has worked permanetly, it makes me think I will NEVER be in shape.

Even since New Years I have been trying to only buy healthy food. It has been a challenge and I have not followed it completley, but I am still trying. I also bought Turbo Jam and did it for the first time today. It was pretty good. It doesn't seem too hard, but I could feel the burn right away with most of the moves! I really hope I can get into it.

Another thing that needed change was my relationship with God. I needed a better one. I really feel like God has been really changing my over the last years. The Bible study with Beth Moore is excellent, and I have been reading the Message alot. I love that translation! It make everything so much easier to understand and to remember! I am trying to read the whole Bible in one year, that means 3 chapters every day, and 5 chapters on Sundays. I have been doing really good. Most days I try to read 4-6 chapters to make up for the times I read 0-2.

Today I just got my Amazon book order. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Amazon.ca! It is the best and cheapest for ordering books. One of them I got it Thin Within. It is a 30 day devotional book about changing your lifestyle to a healthier one. My friend Chantal started it a couple weeks ago, and she really likes it. I also heard through the grapevine that one of my other friends is using that book, and she looks amazing!! The great think about it is that is combines two of the things I am wanting to change in my life! I can't wait to start it!

Which One Is Your Favorite?

Just a note, most of the Irish Setters are girls even though they have boy names except for Conan and Callan. They are boys. Who is your fave?

Meet The Irish Setters!

Rose
Rowan
Rory
Flynn
Flanna
Conan
Callan
Blake
Blair

Filling The Gap?

Today I went to the dentist for the first time in *gasp* three years. I had no idea it had been that long! Last year I got my wisdom teeth out but I haven't been for a cleaning and check up in a while. I have, suprise suprise, two cavities. ARGH. I don't think I have ever been at the dentist and not had cavities. I though I was getting so much better. He thinks I should brush twice a day, but I think brushing in the morning after I just brushed my teeth when I went to bed and didn't eat anything in the night (not that I can remember anyways) is pointless. Maybe I will start brushing them after work. He also thinks I should foss more. UGH, I hate flossing.

Anyways, they talked to me again about my hideous front teeth and I think I have decided to get them fixed finally. Insurance will pay for it, which is AWESOME, but I really want to get my teeth whitened first, which costs $350 and insurance won't cover that.. I really don't want them to have to make the new teeth yellow, just cause my teeth are that! And thats what they would have to do if I don't get them whitened. You can't have 4 white teeth in a flock of yellow ones! I asked the dentist about them and he said that my teeth are "on the yellow side". LOL. Thanks. They just like to wear raincoats, alright?

I am still on the fence about filling them in. I mean, I have had this gap my whole life. It is a Furgala family trait! Most of my cousins have it! Eric is not crazy about filling it, and I don't hate it as much as I used to. The two little ones beside the middle ones are ugly and for sure need to be fixed. But the gap. Lots of people keep them. It makes them unique. But after a lifetime of teaching myself to smile with my mouth closed or even not smile at all, there is part of me that wants them fixed.

What do you think? I have to decide before March 31st.

Nail Envy

I just HAD to post about this stuff. It is my new beauty essential. I have to have it.

It is OPI Nail Envy, a nail strengthener. I got a free sample from my hairdresser before Christmas, and I was pretty skeptical at first. But I gave it a try. It seemed to be working pretty good, making my nails stronger so I bought the large version because it was 40% off, but I still wasn't sold. The nails on both of my pointer fingers were really weird. They were completely flat, it looked like they were hammered flat! A few weeks ago I noticed that the new nail that was growing in was curved! YAY! It is still hard to believe that it actually worked this well! I still just have a tiny bit of flat nail that needs to grow out. I am sold! I can never go without it again. It is kinda pricey, 15-20 bucks depending on where you shop, but it is well worth the money.

So if you have weak, brittle or weird nails, try it out and tell me what you think!!

You Can Come Over Now!

My house is still not 100% where I want it to be, but I think i can finally have some people over! Lots of places still need tidying, but it isn't a complete disaster!

This evening Eric went to play hockey so I cleaned for like 2 1/2 hours. I got alot done. I cleaned the Irish Setter's room, the Chihuahuas kennel, scrubbed the hallway on my hands and knees, did laundry, dishes and organized our finances a bit. I feel very productive!

A few days ago I made another two batches of cookies, Frosted Cashew Drops and Double Chocolate Espresso cookies. Once I start getting the reviews back I will post the recipes.

I am still learning the piano! I am so happy to have a keyboard that I can sit at for a few minutes at a time every day. I can finally play Jingle Bells almost perfectly. I am learning a song called Mary Ann now. I played and sung it for Eric for Valentines day. He loved it. He said it was climbing up to the top of his favorites playlist!

Speaking of Valentines Day, Eric took me to the Rok in Hecla. It was AWESOME! I really enjoyed the food. I got a pizza with hot salami, peppers and roasted potatoes. It was unreal. It tasted just like in Italy! Eric got a steak and it was also pretty stellar. Our service was very slow at first, but then our server changed and it got better. He was really funny, and let us have a free dessert from the buffet! It was a strawberry cheesecake and it was awesome. It actually tasted like real strawberries, not like strawberry flavoring! Then we walked around the hotel a bit. I would like to stay there and go in the spa. Maybe we will spoil ourselves after the puppies are gone.

The puppies are getting SO BIG! They are all walking around, playing, eating hard food, making messes. Now comes the time when the work increases for us and decreases for the mothers. UGH! I am weaning the Chihuahua pups this week and next week will be the Irish Setter. The Setters are like 6 lbs already. 4 weeks old. They are huge. And so cute! You should come see them!

I am getting really excited about traveling again. This summer Eric and I are going to Quebec City for a Partylite conference. We will probably explore Montreal a bit too! Then after the conference we are meeting my parents in Toronto to visit my aunie and see the sights there. We will go for two weeks, it will be fun! Can't wait for the road trip. Eric is really excited about the Jay's games! We will probably go to three or four.

We are also dreaming about the Croatia/Montenegro/Turkey/Greece trip in fall. The more I research the more excited I get. I already know which hostels we will probably be staying in! Today I was looking up travel and found a really great train pass for an awesome price. It is great to be under 26, it is going to save us $400!! I was worried about how we would get from Croatia/Montenegro to Turkey/Greece until I looked up those train passes today! I also think I can find flights that will save us $800-1000 and work better into our travel plan! YAY!

Off to make more cookies! I think...

Flynn and Flanna

Today I sold my first Irish Setter pup! She is Flanna, on the right in the pictures. She is the tiniest girl! I love how her arms are crossed in the first pic! So cute! Just 8 more to go... want one?

The Case For Christ - A Short Review

I was really exicited when I bought this book. I was really looking forward to getting some answers to some of the odd claims about Jesus that I have heard. I was not dissapointed. The begininning of the book is pretty dry and was hard to get through, but if you stick with it, it gets way better! At first I did not think he asked enough tough questions, but he did closer to the end. The author, Lee Strobel, was not a Christian when he first investigated the evidence of Jesus. But after hearing the facts, he said it would took way more faith not to believe in God than to believe in Him. I really liked the book. It answered all my questions and then some! It has helped to solidfy my faith in Jesus!

I think it is a great read for anyone! It would also be good to do in a group Bible study or a gift for a searching or doubting friend or family member.

Check it out and tell me what you think!

Two Babies

25 Things About Me - From Facebook

1. I love to be organized, but you would not see that if you came to my house!
2. I am sure I am Greek. I feel like I belong in that country. I love it.
3. I would love a pack of Chihuahuas in my house. 6-8 would be perfect!
4. Eric and I are tracking down some guy that keeps calling here and not saying anything. I know where he lives. It is in Louisiana. We are coming for him. LOL
5. I love burning candles. Everynight there is at least one burning in the living room and one in the kitchen, but usually more! ALL Partylite of course!
6. I usually read several books at a time, right now I am reading the Voyage of the dawn treader from the Chronicles of Narnia and I am going to start Caeser's Way tomorrow!
7. I love knitting, sewing and making my own stuff.
8. I love painting my nails dark colors, but I really suck at it.
9. I would love to have an animal shelter one day.
10. My dogs are my children, and I take good care of them. Even if it means a $2000 surgery. So don't judge and don't tell me how stupid it is. Maybe something you spend your money on I will think it stupid, but I won't say that to you.
11. I love shopping, it is exhilarating sometimes. But when I don't want anything it is worse than pulling teeth.
12. Even though I don't show it on the outsite, I am a skinny person inside. And soon it WILL show on the outside.
13. If all went according to plan I would have one baby and another on the way.
14. I want at least 4 kids, but hopefully I can have 6!
15. I spend way too much time on the internet.
16 . My shows are Gray's Anatomy, 90120, Priveledged and 24. This year I have not missed one.
17 .I think this years Saturday Night Live is amazing. I LOVE Kristin Wiig!
18. I LOVE drinking juice. My fave.
19. I Christmas is my favorite season, but this year i just did not get into it!
20. I already have the floor plans I want for my house!
21. I love Fall Out Boy.
22. I am trying to go green. We just started recyling, I have switched to Norwex towels and I try to buy things without chemicals.
23. I love lime flavored anything.
24. I miss eating Gelato. It is not at all the same here.
25. I love playing board games. SO MUCH!

Please Don't Come Over

Seriously. I know I have cute puppies here, but give me sometime to sort this house out. Right now it is really overwhelming and nobody needs to see that. I have Partylite boxes and bags everywhere, fabric and quilts all over the place, quilts that need to be made,puppies in almost every room, pee pads on the floor, a fresh pile of poop every hour, curtain shards laying on the ground, cat toys scattered, papers on every flat surface, christmas decorations in bins and still on display, books in every line of sight, blankets on the floor, dishes in the sink but however most of them are clean, couches that need to be wiped down and a bathroom that needs to be clean, floors that need to be mopped and swept, a rug that needs to be torn out and laundry that has been in the washing machine for a week.

Where do I start? I really don't know and that is why this house is like this. I just don't know what I need to do first. This. Is. Crazy. I need to stop being lazy and get up and do something about it. I need to work my butt off until this house is organized like I want to be. This house right now is not me. I like to be organized. I really do.

So just for now, please don't come over. I will let you know when it is safe.

View all Winnipeg events at Eventful

Maple Pecan Cookies - Keeper!

Yield: 7 dozen

1 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 package (10-12 oz) vanilla or white chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

FROSTING:
1/4 cup butter
4 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon maple flavoring ( I used like 3!)
3 to 5 tablespoons milk
1 to 2 cups of pecan halves

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and maple flavoring. Combine flour and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla chips and pecans.

2. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake @ 350 for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

3. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, icing sugar, maple flavoring and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Frost each cookie with 1 teaspoon frosting; top with a pecan half.

REVIEW: I loved these! They were so tasty and soft. Most people liked them unless they didn't like pecans. Some said it was too sweet. I think I made them too big and the icing too thick. I would use more than 5 tablespoons of milk for the icing if you need it cause these cookies would only need a thin layer of icing. I made mine too thin! I think they do need the icing cause the cookies themselves are not that sweet. If I made them again I would make then alot smaller and with thinner icing. These are definitely a keeper! I want to make them again right now!

Let me know if you try them and how you like them!!!

Vanilla Chip Cherry Cookies - Tossed

Yield: 4 1/2 Dozen

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 -1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (16 oz) vanilla or white chips
1 jar (10 oz) maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chips and cherries.

2. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake @ 350 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

REVIEW: I don't think I will make this cookie again, so it is tossed. Most people thought the cookies were good, but they wished they did not have the cherries in there. I don't think anyone actually said they liked the cherries. Lots picked them out and ate the rest, pretty much defeating the purpose of this recipe. You could just make chocolate chip cookies and use white chips and it would be the same thing. Nobody said they would request this recipe. I would encourage you to try it out, especially if you know someone who likes maraschino cherries (however one of my testers loves maraschino cherries, but did not like them chopped into this cookie!!). If you try it out, let me know what you think of it! But for now, this recipe is not going to make it in my cookbook!!

Issac Newton

So many times this week I have wanted to post something, but I just have had SO MANY thoughts going through my head about so many things that I didn't know where to start/stop! I thought so hard I actually became physically exhausted. I think that might even be why I am sick now! I feel a bit like Issac Newton, who would swing his legs out of bed in the morning and then sit there for HOURS paralyzed by the rush of thoughts flowing in his mind.

I really don't know how to explain how I have been feeling and thinking the last couple days. But I know God is working in my life and changing me. I struggle with listening to sermons in church and not letting my mind drift off to other things, but the other day a point stuck out to me. I thought it was because I was supposed to share it with my small group girls. But it turns out it was for me to think about more than anything. It was "Where do you find your hope? Do you find your hope in Jesus, or do you put all your hopes in other people and the world?" I have always had problems with letting little things bother me, and getting all rilled up about them. And I now realize it was because I was putting my hope in people. And they end up disappointing. I am learning that you cannot put your hope into humans or any earthly things because they are not perfect, and they will end up disappointing you. God is perfect, therefore our hopes and dreams are safe with Him.

Even though I have heard that truth MANY times before, it has never struck home like it does now. I guess I am realizing how much it actually affects my life when I am putting my hope in other people.

I also joined a bible study in our church. It is all women and it is on Monday afternoons. It is called Believing God, by Beth Moore. I am still not sure what to think about it. It is definitely taking me out of my comfort zone. I barely know any of the people in the bible study! I mean, I see them at church all the time, but I have never had a deep convo with them. Should be interesting.