This Makes Me Smile

I love this weather. Although I have a sky-rocketing core temperature, nothing is better than stepping outside and feeling warmth envelope you. I love it. I love it so much in fact, that I've taken the last two days of this week off work to enjoy in the sunshine. So here's my sunshine and smile happy list for this week :)

1) The smell of suntan lotion. Wearing SPF is so important. I consider myself a vitamin D junkie and I have spent many hours laying on a beach soaking up the rays. I also spent a lot of time in tanning beds - not good. So, now I still enjoy time in the sun, but I wear stronger sunscreen and sunless tanner to boost my glow. I love the smell of anything associated with the beach.

2) In reference to number 1, I'm glad that I didn't wake up with orange palms and feet and streaky limbs after trying out a new self tanner last night. Hooray for self tanners that don't turn you into a mess.

3) Giving back to the universe. I don't want to preach, but if you're not already doing something to better mankind, you should be. If you're reading this, that means you have access to a computer so things can't be that bad. Give your time, donate old clothes, volunteer at a soup kitchen, pick up some litter, recycle. It's not hard to do and believe me, you'll feel so rewarded by it. I love volunteering. It makes me feel like a bigger part of the universe. I get a high from giving back, so get out there and do something.

4) Giving back to animals. This past Saturday, I spent the day in a kiddie pool bathing dogs for a fantastic charity called Paws for the Cause. It was blazing hot and I was having a blast. I often say to other dog owners that I like my dogs more than I like most people. Dogs are honest, forgiving and they just make you feel like the most important person on earth. Check out the photos from this fabulous event while you're on the Paws site and buy a ticket to the gala this fall!!

5) Starbucks Treat Days. Ummm, if you didn't already know, you can bring your morning receipt to any Starbucks (might only be Canadian - sorry international readers) after 2pm and get a grande drink for two bucks! I'm so effing happy about this!

6) Ordering take out. I really love ordering food to my condo and because I live alone, I can order whatever I want. I don't have to share half my pizza toppings with anyone else. I can get all bacon if I want...and I sometimes do. In fact, tonight brother is coming over and I'm super excited because I can order take out. Wonder what he wants...

7) This week on Twitter, one of my tweeps said her goal is to become a trending topic on my blog. This girl cracks me up and that was honestly the best mention I've ever had on Twitter. This girlie keeps me laughing on the daily and she's totally honest. I dig that in people. Kat - here's your first shout out #troy


8) Hashtags. In general, I'm starting to think of every situation with a hashtag attached. It's a Twitter thing, but it's taking over my life. #ilovehashtags Try adding hastags to your life, #itsfun

That's it for today my sweets. Not a super meaningful post, but my hope is that you get a giggle out of it. Think of the little things (I know I harp on this point), it's that stuff that makes us happy and we don't even know it.

This Cuppa Cheer

For me, it's really the simple things in life. The smallest thing can turn my entire day around and I consider myself really lucky to see the world this way. This doesn't mean I don't adore HUGE gestures of the insanely rich kind as well. Shoot, if you wanna bestow upon me a swank downtown condo with a view, that'd make me super happy too, but the sight of the Christmas cups at Starbucks is my personal thrill for today.

The start of the holidays is bitter-sweet for me because I'm always wondering how it would feel if my mom were still here. Christmas was IT for my mom and she made each season incredible no matter how broke we were. My favourite memories as a kid are the ones that only made sense later on, when I was "let in" on the Santa secret. One year, Santa left me a note on the new kitchen set he had left me. I was stoked that the big elf had left ME a personally written note on my kitchen chalkboard. Now I wonder how I didn't recognize my mom's handwriting... Another year my mom helped me set out a snack for Santa before I went off to bed. I wanted to leave him milk (my mom wasn't a fan), but my mom thought Santa would prefer an icy class of Coca-Cola. If you knew my mom, you know that she loved a refreshing glass of coke. When she helped me pick out the sweets to leave Santa, she suggested that I save the cookies for myself and leave Santa some of the festive delights my Nanny had made for us. Coincidentally, my mom's faves. Good job Mama ;)

I miss my mom every single minute of every single day and I don't think that will ever change. Time doesn't lessen my sorrow, but the warmth I feel knowing my mom hasn't really left helps. I dream about her almost every night. For years, she was seldom a part of my dreams and in each of them I always knew she'd have to leave again. I cried through most of those ones. Now, it's like she's still here. I share parts of my day with her, talk to her about the people in my life, ask her about the boy, and there aren't nearly as many tears.

My dad spares no expense if he sees something he knows my mom would have loved. Charlie Brown was Mr. Christmas for my mom, so my dad buys up every ornament he can find with The Peanuts theme. We blast the soundtrack and watching my dad do his piano player impression with enthusiasm sort of lets me forget that mom isn't here.

The first time I watch A Charlie Brown Christmas each season, I cry because it was my mom's favourite and because I really wish I could still watch it with her. That movie reminds me of a simpler time when I wasn't consumed with career choices, bills, juggling a hectic schedule and trying to be a daughter, sister, pseudo-mom, friend, employee, romantic partner, cousin, granddaughter and more to all the important people in my life. As I grow and mature, I'm learning how to be Crystal and who she is to the people around her. Some of it may be tough, but with each day and the challenges it might bring I still find the happy stuff hidden and I always have a smile.

This Lady

I consider myself a female, a woman, a girl, but mostly a lady. There aren't enough ladies out there anymore. Being a lady means having manners, respecting yourself, carrying yourself with pride and actually caring about the image your portray of yourself. Stumbling into the street sans undies, spilling vodka and Red Bulls on your girlfriends and waking up in a haze on Sunday mornings is not very becoming of a lady - right?

Okay, like most gals my age I've had my share of less than graceful un-ladylike moments. I have spilled some drinks, I have stumbled out of heavy club doors into crowded Toronto streets and I've peeled my eyes open on the occasional Sunday morning with a marching band in my head. I never exited a cab exposing my britney though, I've got too much class for that. Even drowning in mixed drinks, I'm still well aware of whether or not I'm flashing a bunch of strangers. Mama taught this girl better than that.

As a lady, I look for gentlemen and nothing less. Pay the cheque, pull out my chair, open the car door for me and look directly into my eyes when you speak to me. Before you start bitching about my "pay the cheque" comment, understand what I'm saying. I don't mean I never want to spend a cent of my own money on a relationship. What I mean is I see a man taking care of the dinner cheque a sign of chivalry and old-fashioned values. I like that.

I'm not looking for a hero to rescue me or anything, I just want a romantic guy who makes me laugh, holds my hand in public and disarms me with his smile.