Living The Exciting, Charged Life in 2014

You don't need to be rich, beautiful or famous to live the exciting, charged life!
To prove this theory to myself I am conducting yearly experiments called
                                                 52 New Experiences!

For the third year running I made the conscious decision to say YES to anything I've never done before in my life! Even if it gave me shivers, cost more than I would normally spend or it drove me bananas (like finding a free parking spot in downtown Vancouver)!

After I started it was so easy to keep on going, seeking out small challenges on a -nearly- daily basis! Believe it or not, I ended up with over 100 new memories in my life!

Allow me to inspire you with these everyday adventures for bright, shiny, exciting, everyday living!

I loved my vibrant life full of new adventure in 2014 because

It made me sweat during

- SHBam dance -
- Body Flow -
- Yoga - classes.

- I had the opportunity to 'fight' with land developers.
- Listened to School board hearings,
- Fed The homeless on Hastings with Jackie Maclean

- Sold Kics lemonade with my friend Karen Butler Curtis.

- Power walked up the Coquitlam Crunch
- Went White water Rafting not just once, here with Daddy Blogger Ricky Shetty

but twice. This one was a weekend getaway (the Best ever)! Read about it here, it's funny!

- Cycled in sweltering heat to Swan-E Set Golf course
- Sweated more during our One month blogger challenge at Fitwell's

It tasted good:

During visits to
- Joey's Restaurant
East is East during my first ever YVR Foodie event
-  5-Guys
- I ate Snap pea Crisps
- Maple flavoured salmon
- Clams
- Drank rice milk
- Almond milk
- Ate a dragon fruit
- Baked blueberry muffins
- Ventured into a Gluten-free bakery and sampled gluten- and dairy free apple cake.
- Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream at La Casa Gelato, - the place with over 200 flavours!

Proved to myself it is a mind over matter affair during my

- 3- day cleanse in January and
- 21 day cleanse in July

I became more tech-savvy:
 Finally figured out

- How to tag individuals on Facebook.
- How to use Canva.com
- How to use Paint
- How to create a banner for You Tube
- How to create a video in only two takes
- How to become a You Tube partner
- How to use Airb'nB.

It took me places:

- Art gallery cafe in Vancouver
- Fan Expo at Exhibition center
- Waikiki, Honolulu, Oahu

- Business Excellence Seminar
- Vogue Theatre to listen to Oliver Stone.
- Startled by the view of the Wishpond offices in downtown Vancity.
- Explored downtown Chilliwack

- Visited our local Chances Casino.
Check it out here please! Offered opportunities to shine:

- Contributed a chapter to my girl friends e-book!
- Presented Kiss your Excuses Goodbye twice at the YWCA in Vancouver.
- Spoke at the YWCA gala.
- Met my first real TV stars, the crew of " Republic of Doyl'' and had the honour to interview them!!!
- Dazzled during a live radio interview for radio North Carolina.
- Appeared on my 1. google hang-out.
- Got interviewed by Michael Clogs for his Business Expert Show!
- Wrote my first articles for Hello Vancity.
- Started my monthly column Kiss &Tell for Entrepreneurial Mind World (scroll down, you will see me)!
- Presented at the October YVR blogger event.
- Added some sparkle during the Video Mastery course (twice that is).

- Created a video for an audience of 5000 Brazilian parents.
- Shared life tid bits during three presentations at my former high school.

 - Made my parents and guests laugh during their 50 wedding anniversary party!

- Interviewed the mayor of Maple Ridge
- Our youngest son Cruz produced our Family movie.
- Officially launched my book "The Strawberry Lounge Story",

- Got interviewed by PR lady extraordinaire Alice Zhou.

It added adventure during

-  a snowmobile ride at Mt. Baker.
- a Meditation
- a Tide Rope walk at Loon Lake
- a visit to the Aviation museum in Langley
- Started the journey of becoming a kick-ass interviewer for Motherpreneur TV.
-  filming for our son's high school production of Spamalot.

- We skied at Big White and
- autsch, I face planted!
- Cleaned and gutted fish.
- Sat through a whole evening of School of Rock performers (Loud!!!).
- Interviewed my first World Champion record holder, Croix Sather for MP TV
- Visited Tuscan Island Horse Farm in Abbotsford (and went horse back riding for course)

- Watched a roller derby tournament in Cloverdale

- Explored the PNE in Vancouver!
- Filmed during Elaine Tan Comeau's (Mompreneur of the year 2014) calender launch
- Strolled alone along E-Hastings at night!
- Paid taxes for the sale of my coffee shop, Strawberry Lounge (Hurrah, finally free!)

- Cut my hair short!

- Got a new, high tech phone
- Added a different hair colour

- Met two of my virtual connections from LinkedIn in real life, Angie and Sim of the WIISE woman network:

- Bleached our oldest son's hair
- Swam at the Coquitlam Aquatic Center
- Walked the labyrinth in Fleetwood Gardens, Surrey, B.C.
- Participated in ALS Ice bucket challenge
- Splashed down at Splashdown Water Park

- Swam in a different part of Alouette lake
- Kayaked along Belcarra's shoreline
- Went monkeys at Wild Play

- Walked along a Dirt Bike Rd into the big unknown along 256 Street in Maple Ridge

Learnt during: 

- "Change your Habit, change your life"- event.
- Hosted and survived three teenage parties.
- Discovered Dynamic Women in Action - meet-up.
- Went to Valley Women Lunch network.
- Visited the Canadian Marketing Summit.
- Filmed during "Illuminate your Life Retreat".
- Visited the "Sizzling Sales show".
- Visited a Private Art show
- Created an abstract painting.

- Visited a Conscious Divas - event.
- Sorted bottles during a Bottle drive for our soccer team.
- Listened to the presenters at Public Salon

- Witnessed the arrival of the Christmas train.
- Finally figured out how the game of Darts is being played!
- Kim Louise Easterbrook  introduced me to numerology!  WooHoo, what a revelation!

Yes, here is the proof: 
One doesn't need to be rich, famous or beautiful to live the exciting, vibrant, fully charged life!
My new experiences have started for 2015. Will you join me for this fantastic, fun-filled ride? All you need to do and say is YES whenever something new comes along!
Did I hear you say YES? Welcome to the family! 
I look forward to hearing your stories...don't be shy! 

VANCOUVER: Follow your Dream...

just like Russian immigrant Anastasia Modestova did.

How and why did she give up everything - her job, status, connections and money - only to create "Movie About You", her own video production company here in Vancouver?
Find out here:

We immigrants have our personal reasons why we came to Canada:
Some of us came for love.
For some it was the promise of a better life.
And others came for adventure, just like us!

However, I am not here to write about my family.
I am here to introduce to you a fellow immigrant, Anastasia Modestova, one smart, highly educated, hard working, high achiever from Russia. Back in her home country she was a successful, well paid marketing director. This job offered everything a young, professional woman could wish for: Success, status, connections and lots of money!

No wonder Anastasia wanted to continue her life style upon arrival to Canada.
But guess what: Just because you are a hot shot in your country doesn't make you a hot shot in Canada.
You know what they say: Different rules for different countries- or something like that!

The only way to be considered as a job candidate for a high end marketing position was with a completed MBA program (Masters of Business Administration).
Within one year, lots of will power and hard work the mission was completed and Anastasia landed a position as marketing director for a start-up company in Vancouver.

She did it again: Success, connections, status and money were hers again.
Now here comes the crazy part: Within four months she quit- just like this.

With four cold beer bottles in her bag she came home one Friday afternoon and told her husband: "I quit"- as I told you, just like that!

Is this lady crazy? Or true to herself?
How could she give up something she wanted to badly, she worked so hard for?

Well, her new marketing career didn't feed her soul or nourished her heart. She was craving freedom, beauty and creativity in her life. Still, would you give it all away for a feeling?

Can you imagine doing the same thing?
Creating videos was a dream for her- and she made it happen.
No, she never sat foot into a film or editing school. Everything she does is self taught. One relentless learner and achiever she is!

Nobody ever said it would be easy to make changes in life. If we want to say YES to create more fun, adventure or opportunities in our live we need to make sacrifices and keep on pushing through the hard times.
 I know, I know, it's easier said than done. But then, if it's easy everybody would do it and were is the fun and adventure in that one?

And if you didn't watch the video, here are Anastasia's three top tips to make the leap from secure job to starting your own, fat dream:

- Follow your heart
- Remember your marketing
- Invest your time and energy wisely, network well.

On this note I want to leave you with Anastasia's quote:
"Do what you love-
not what you are best at!"

Do you agree?  
What is your success story?- I know you have one, please share with us! I look forward to reading your stories!

HOW STUBBORN IS YOUR HUSBAND?

Just because you have immigrated to Canada doesn't mean your husband is going to change!

What you are about to discover might be the secret to success- in all aspects of your life:

 

 

 

If you want to know what I am talking about you should click on the following button.

HAPPY WATCHING!

 

 

 

YES! As always, it is the SMALL STUFF that makes our day extraordinary!

 

And the secret to success? Being stubborn (hang in there) and give it time!

 

 

The cowboys and cowgirls ready for their Two Step Country Swing!

 

Is YOUR husband stubborn?

 

What is the one thing YOU really want HIM to DO with YOU? (oh,la,la, keep it child friendly...)

And, have you succeeded? How did you do it?

What is your secret? PLEASE share it with us, I would LOVE to know!

 

 

                                                     

CLEAVAGE OR LINES?

Determination and a strong will is needed if you visit BC's annual Women's Show in Abbotsford.

 

 

Everything  a (woman's) heart desires is on display and to purchase.
You can start with a vacuum cleaner and finish with a timeshare in Kamloops.

It is not easy to walk the halls of TRADEX and return (nearly) empty handed. But that's what I came here for:  to find out what's going on in LadyLand without buying anything!!!!!(Am I sad or crazy?)
You see, when you share a roof with five guys it is easy to loose your female touch...

Thanks to my iron strong will I still have money left in my bank account and room on my various credit cards today!
Thanks to my personal mantra: " I am a perfect human being! No temptation is strong enough for me!" my bathroom drawers are still as empty today as they were yesterday!

Right from the start I successfully resisted temptation to spent $100.00 on eye serum ("these fine lines need more moisture, otherwise your face is flawless" - her words, not mine- though it's true).

 And right at the next stall I nearly fall for a similar ploy: this time it was the magical cream to get rid of my dark circles under my eyes. For another $ 100.00 I could have looked even more flawless.

In the last minute I remembered to tell the sales lady I normally sleep more than three hours at night. But it was my son's birthday sleep-over party and none of the boys wanted to fall asleep. So I didn't sleep either. .
I saved another $40.00 for not buying the 100% oxygen induced rejuvenating oil for my (flawless) skin.

I even said no to the Russian hairdresser who straightened my hair to perfection (and did a little boogie move at the same time)- and I must admit, I looked kinda' groovy with my new hairdo.

No, no, no to glitzy jewellery made in China (just watched a documentary about the Chinese taking over the world). Nope, I don't want to be part in their world domination....oops,  need to check where all my household appliances are coming from first before I open my big mouth!

It all went according to plan, until - , until....I saw the best invention for women who love cut off sleeves or low cut tops revealing their back: The strapless, hold - itself bra!!!! HURRAH, I found you!
Please don't tell me you knew about this one!
This is just perfecto and a dream come true for all my unused tops still hidden in my immigration suitcase.

So much for having an iron strong will! My knees went soft and I opened my purse!
 I might have violated my own credo; however, this tight butt German is no dummy:  In order to qualify for her multiple purchase discount ( 3 for 100.00) she waited patiently for two more ladies to discover their own sense of freedom (strapless bra that is)!

And so it goes, having a cleavage beats having a few fine lines any day!

 

 

And why do I leave you with photos of apples and pumpkins? Oh well, I talk and write about 'my boobs and cleavage I don't show them! It's that simple. Plus, what do apples and pumpkins remind you of? I am sure you see the connection!

THERE IS MORE TO STEVESTON THAN FISH

At times, life on top of our rock is too much fun and we need to get away for a change of scenery. We live near the mountains and the luscious green of the Golden Ears Provincial Park.

 Sometimes, our heart desires the fresh breeze of the ocean,

This is actually a very sad representation of a beach!

  the smell of freshly caught fish,

listening to seagulls  and eating fish 'n chips wrapped in old newspaper!

All this can be found in Steveston / Richmond,

a one hour drive west from our residence!

Right from the moment we parked our car, our spontaneous trip was sprinkled with wonderful, extraordinary moments:

The bi-monthly Farmers Market was on and imagine my surprise when I met my buddy Karen.

She is my all time favourite market lady with an incredible talent and recipe for making and selling her own lemonade. Check out her Kics site here!

We explored the many different shops

and ended up chatting with three,
 sweet, young female students, sharing our philosophies on life (no, no, don't get married yet, go and travel first!)

We found our fish and chips,

we ate, we walked to the tip of the inland (Garry Point Park) and were geographically challenged.

 We couldn't figure out where downtown Vancouver is;  in short, we needed someone to point us in the right direction.  

When it comes to talking to strangers I am no stranger in making first contact. Whom better to ask than the first couple you see sitting on a bench?

We approached, politely interrupted and posed the question!
The couple answered with their perfect Dutch accent- which really got us going! Yes, we still speak the lingo- we lived there for 12 years!
After 10 minutes Tilde and echtgenot (husband) Philip  invited us to their home for Koffie en gebak (coffee and cookies).

Is it the sea breeze, is it Steveston, is it Canada?
In Holland it took SIX  (!!!!!!) years to get invited into a Dutch home ( and no, we don't smell), here we were laughing and drinking the evening away after 10 minutes only!
Thank you Tilde and Philip for making our trip extraordinary!

1761 METERS INTO THIN AIR: CLIMBING THE GOLDEN EARS, BC PROVINCIAL PARK

I have no clue what is going on in my life lately:
For the second time in less than a fortnight I aspired to reach the top - of a mountain!
 A week ago it was the top of Grouse Mt. in Vancouver, on Saturday it was the Golden Ears, literally down the road from us!

Of course it would be pure exaggeration to headline this post with "Welcome to my Backyard." Nevertheless,  the park entrance is less than 10 minutes from our house, the climb is on my bucket list and the year is getting older - therefore, let's hear it for the boys and girls who did this epic climb!

The Mc Awesome Family right at the start!
 

These are our comrades in crime- when life was still good, pain - and cramp less! Aka, first thing in the morning!
 

Dominic and our hiking buddy extraordinaire Jana! To your right is our Mr. Best Attitude in the whole wide world', Darryl! By the way, Darryl forgot to read the section in the guide book which states: "Avoid carrying a bag full of cherries on your hike! The bag might be a pain in the butt to carry, the excess consumption of fresh cherries might lead to a bloated feeling in the stomach area...."

Of we go, through some beautiful terrain -

and some challenging crossings.
 

.
The whole hike, to the top is a 24 km round trip.
There is only one way up and only one way down - or you make your own path and get lost!

 

Please note the wording: 'kmISH...

 

 

It wouldn't be fun if you couldn't throw in a few glacier fields, would it? Here is one of the three we had to cross before we reached the top:

Remember, we are having app. 28 degrees down in the valley!

 

Here we are, the Mc Awesome's at the top!
It took us Oldies 6,5hours! Our boys, the mountain goats, did it in 4,5 hours!!!!

One for Girl Power!

One for the couples -

the comrades &

one for the men!

And one for the readers: This here is Pitt Lake, the biggest tidal lake in the world!

Unfortunately, what goes up needs to come down as well. With no gondola or helicopter to carry or fly us down we had to rely on our legs again to make the decent!

Let me explain to you in one word how it felt like: HEAVY!

Here is another one: TORTURE!

Once again, our teenagers run and jumped back ahead of us to the parking lot in a mere 4,5 hours!! We made our boys wait for 2 hours until we reached our cars again! Help, my thighs are screaming, my back is sore (from carrying the backpack), my head is spinning from putting "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" on replay (that is Monte Python for you), I am filthy, tired, exhausted, thirsty and HAPPYYYYYY!

 

As you can imagine, we have a visitor: the -  two - day -  after - bitch has arrived. Delayed muscle soreness is at its worse on the second day. Yep, take it from me, it is true! And then, I ain't using my legs writing this am I?