One

Today my springtime allergies arrived in full force. I have been sneezy and itchy all day because I didn’t think to take any drugs when I woke up this morning. You know, since it’s still freezing and rainy and gross outside. It seems incredibly unjust to have to suffer through springtime allergies when it is not actually springtime outside.

Two

Did you see the Hunger Games this weekend? Me, Ariana and Jodes went to the midnight showing on Thursday and it very nearly killed me I was so tired the next day. But it was totally worth it. Unfortunately we arrived only two hours before the movie so we had to sit in the second row. I’ll need to see it again at some point when I’m not looking up at them from double chin angle. There were actually kids in the theatre who had been in line since 10am. Egads. There were also a lot of kids who dressed up as characters from the movie. Jodi had been planning on going as Haymitch, but then I talked her out of it she chickened out. It’s too bad because we did not see one other Haymitch. Missed opportunity! Instead we made her stand up when they asked if there were any parents who had brought their kid.

The movie was so, so good. Probably one of the best book to screen adaptations I’ve ever seen. It was all perfect— except for Peeta. Oh you guys, I wanted to like him so bad but it was just so different from how Peeta was portrayed in the books. They made him seem like a little kid, like someone to be pitied! Like Katniss’ kid brother that she had to look after instead of her equal and partner! It wasn’t just how he looked but everything about the way they played him. And look, it didn’t ruin the movie for me and I’m hoping it will get better for the sequels. Everything else was great. Go see it! Go read the book! Just be prepared for a super wimpy Peeta.

Three

On Friday night thousands of Christians converged on Rogers Arena for Passion. It was a whole lot like being at YC and I felt majorly old. Chris Tomlin and Kristian Stanfill led worship for most of the night and lo, there was much fist pumping. They had a few new songs that I really liked and it is always a cool experience to cram that many people into a room to sing praises to Jesus. But I’m pretty glad that church isn’t like that all the time, you know?

My most favourite part was when David Crowder came out and sang hymns with just him and his acoustic guitar. He is kind of a scary looking dude but it was so simple and worshipful. He sang Because He Lives, which is an old hymn I haven’t heard in ages and it was my most favourite thing ever.

Also, you guys. Kristian Stanfill= Phil Dunphy. Just saying.

Four

Speaking of Phil Dunphy…remember that episode where he puts the decal on the family mini van, “I’m not satisfied until you’re satisfied!” with photos of his wife and daughter. That is my most favourite Modern Family episode ever. It’s also the one where Cam directs the kids play. Anyway. This campaign bus in Alberta is just as good. Maybe better, because it’s real life.

Sort of makes me wish I could still vote in their provincial election.

Five

For those of you who have ever wished you had curly hair, I am going to let you in on a little secret. It is impossible to find a perfect product for curly hair. I’m convinced it doesn’t exist. What this means is us curly haired girls spend all our life and all our money looking for something that works. Something that deals with frizz but is not too heavy or greasy. Something that smells good but is not overpowering. Seems like it should be simple, right? Nope. In the words of my hair stylist: “Curls are weird. You find something that works for a bit and then all of a sudden they just stop reacting to the product and you have to look for something else.” See? Professional opinion. I’m not making this up.

A few people had been bugging me to try this Bumble and Bumble curl creme but I resisted because it’s so expensive and also I didn’t want to believe the hype. You guys, I was wrong. I’m sorry. This stuff is aces. It helps with the frizz and is not heavy or greasy so I get three good hair days out of one wash. It’s not quite the Holy Grail of hair products because I need to use a fair amount of it and like I said, it’s pricey. But it’s the best thing I’ve tried in a long time.

Six

Ok I’m probably pretty late to the party on this one, but have you guys read Mark Reads? He reads through books and reviews them chapter by chapter. It’s great if you are bored are bored or looking for something to help you procrastinate. He just finished Lord of the Rings, but I’ve been going back and reading through the Harry Potter archives (IN MY SPARE TIME) and it’s totally cracking me up.

Seven

Way, way back in the day when I first started falling in love with blogs and the internet, I stumbled across My Polaroid Blog. Over the years the blog has kind of fallen by the wayside but I still follow Jen Gotch’s adventures via Twitter/Instagram. She takes the most interesting photos and finds details in ordinary things that my eye would never pick out. This week she launched an online shop, Oh Snap! selling prints of some of her work. As I get ready to move into a new space next month I’m daydreaming about having a few of these on my wall. Specifically the sparkling palm trees. Do yourself a favour and follow her on Instagram (jengotch)

Eight

On Saturday I stopped by to visit dearest Tami at the Beggars Banquet pop up market. She blogged about it over at The Cloven Heart, you should head on over and check out some of her treasures! Unfortunately by the time I arrived it was pretty late in the day and a lot of the vendors were already packing up. There were so many cool things to explore! Next month I’m going to try and get there early.

Nine

Taylor Hall is out for the season and he’s going to have major shoulder surgery that will put him out for 5-6 months. Sometimes I think I’m not emotionally stable enough to be an Oilers fan.

Ten

You guys, this is an amazing story. I don’t know Stefan super well but he has played in a few bands with a really good friend of mine and he played drums with our worship band once at Westside. I get so excited when I hear stories like this of Jesus working in the lives of people around me! We’re never too far gone for His love to rescue and redeem us and he’s bigger than everything we’re facing.