MARCHing along

Sorry I’m late on posting this. I have been incredibly busy spending time with Danny now that HE IS HOME! (More on this later. But I am a happy camper.)

Life for us Taylor’s has had its ups and downs this past month, but considering the circumstances we both are in pretty good spirits. March started off to be a delight - filled with birthday goodness. Ruth Anne and Lani from our small group shared a birthday one week so we surprised them with enough cake to feed a small village. (Delicious rainbow chip icing was involved. Only the very best.) And we all indulged in a rather large potluck too. Our small group is seriously awesome- I just have to put this in writing, because we have grown to be about 25 people this year, and I can honestly say I love everyone in our group, and all their opinions and experience they bring to group dynamic.


Birthday celebration numero dos, was a small James Bond fiasco that Danny and I threw at our place for our friend and new dad, Chad. Danny and Chad got on this James Bond kick with the new James Bond that came out a couple months ago – eagerly talking about how cool James Bond is and attempting to do the ‘James Bond’ face that makes you look tough, but not like you are trying too hard. I admit it though…I agree with them- James Bond is a total stud.








Next on the agenda was a trip to Westbank (just outside Kelowna), to visit Danny’s Grandma. The paparazzi came (or maybe it was just me) and caught some great shots of my man as he drove. Here is one of my favorites.


This trip was MORE than relaxing. The first night I slept 11 hours, which I honestly keep thinking about. That’s one of those things on my mind right now… how much I struggle between looooving sleep and loathing the fact that my days go by so fast and I don’t like to waste my time sleeping. I feel like if I could, I would stay up 24 hours and just do things I love to do. But then again there is just nothing like a good nights sleep.



Our trip was pretty chill, enjoying the gorgeous weather, a garage sale, skip bo, eaaating, chats, a lakeside walk, movie date, and lots of coffee and toast with jam.







A few days after we got home Danny and I had to say our goodbyes (to each other) as he left for the big city… Edmonton. For surgery. A big fat pin was removed from his leg involving major surgery and he got the same guy who put it in years ago to take it out. Due to a snowboarding wipe out 2 years ago, the pin has been bugging him (ever since), so he felt it was time to remove that bad boy. It was a long 11 days that he was gone but we both survived…and I think the time apart was actually really good for us. He is recovering well and I feel like it is an honest miracle how quickly he is healing. An amazing blessing for sure. He’s still in a lot of pain, but my man is strong.


While he was gone I managed to keep myself a little too busy looking back. I had only ONE night to myself. I had all these grandiose plans to watch all of my favorite chick flicks, read, journal, etc, but people were just lovin on me too much, making sure I didn’t spend a moment alone…


Seeing as I had an empty house one morning I hosted Laura’s birthday brunch at my place where we all cooked and ate for hours and hours, eating pancakes and muffins and drinking coffee.


Bonding is always a must – which is why our small group decided to hit up the local bowling alley one Wednesday, where 16 of us attempted to play a rather decent game. And let me tell you. I’m not as good as I used to be. Or as good as I thought I used to be. I literally at one point almost tipped over, or joined the ball down the lane (depending on where you were standing). I decided my form was bad and was getting frustrated with my lack of skill so I decided to run with the ball and then let go and see what happens. I don’t recommend this move.

a good month i like to call february

Apparently I like February. I tend to enjoy it as a month. In a few words, my Feb. 09. could be described as Delicious Chaotic Fun. AND Musically Pleasing. Oh so satisfying...

February was SUCH a good month reflecting back. Life right now...is good. With Danny, finding community, living in Vancouver, my job is great. All is well. I had a weird week of random "depression" in there, (for lack of a better word)... and no it wasn't the weather. Just some things adding up to make me not my normal self.

But I am back to normal now though. Even though my normal is probably not normal at all. ha. Anyways, FEBRUARY. Let's get this show started. Well the month started out with chaos... snowboarding with friends, delicious dinners, games night, 3 girls staying in our spare bedroom (sister Darla and 2 friends for 2 weeks), baby showers-galore, and concerts...one of them in Seattle. Once again a short trip to Seattle was had. (Less than 14 hours long.) But this wasn't just any trip, or concert.


This was Greg Laswell. Currently my favorite artist of all time - I can't tell you what an unreal time it was to see him. He's amazing.


But since it was such a short trip and on a Wednesday night I checked if my work could hook us up with a hotel...and they did! On the stipulation that I will write a travel blog review on my stay. Since when am I a hotel reviewer? Ya you know I still ask myself how I am the primary writer for our website. I can't write. But I do. I fake it. My hotel review went live our website on Friday too. Ugh, there is no turning back. We stayed at Seattle's only waterfront hotel-where the BEATLES stayed on their tour in the 60's - Super cool. (Dont want to write the hotel name on here incase the hotel searches-ha)



Anyways, the hotel was great. The GM wanted to treat us to dinner...so of course we accepted! There were so many courses to this meal, I've currently lost track. The most amazing lobster mac and cheese I have EVER EVER had. And I don't even eat lobster. But just to give you a glimpse of how 'un-fine dining' my personality is... I had a bit of an embarrassing blip....

we picked a bottle of white wine
server comes and opens it at the table and pours some in my glass
i am just chatting chatting chatting. to her, to danny. chat chat chat.
she stays standing at our table for what feels like 5 minutes, thinking back.
danny: "uh hailey, i think she wants you to taste the wine"
hailey: "oh right"
'slurp' (all eyes on me)
hailey: "tastes great" (nervous laugh)

hmmm, turns out they want you to tell them if its good or not. i knew this. but you see the thing is... even if it wasn't "great" i wouldn't know. unless of course it tastes like poison. then i would say something. but i mean. i just dont drink enough to know these things.

So continuing on with the meal...We had all these foodie things brought out for us because the server thought "you might like this", then... "thought you might like this as well","oh and this too..." The GM even brought out a another 'special wine' for us that he thought went 'best' with both our meal choices...and then he brought the chef out to meet me as well. Oh man. This was a lot to take in. I'm just Hailey...you really don't know how unimportant I am. So after that...we were full. Full with food, and very impressed with the very very kind staff. Then we took a cab to the concert (due to the wine)...and YES- the concert was AMAZZZZING. A good way to start off the month.

(When we arrived at our hotel, the sun was setting and it was so cool to be right on the water. You could literally hear the water lapping on the property.)




The next morning I was sleepy. Still in awe of such a great night at the show. But it was time to take on the day...

On our way home we stopped at Top Pot- a delicious coffee and doughnut joint...With a cool bookshelf. Love it. (I would LOVE to have one of these in our future home.) I had to be back at work for noon so I needed coffee. After a late night and a drive ahead of us. It was needed.


This shot below is my "you just won a million dollars!" face. (We try to keep ourselves entertained as we drive) I'm holding back a little you may notice though, because well...to be honest, I'm not sure I'd really want to win a million dollars. I feel like it would turn me into a monster.


This is Danny trying to eat a car. I took probably 40 pictures of him doing this. I was laughing so hard I couldn't really get any good ones.


Our friend Chris is the captain of the UBC bball team so we have been going to MANY of his games this year. I have been loving every minute of it. I love watching goooood basketball, live. Such fun. And Chris, man he's like a champion. Definitely the best player on the team, and you would never guess it by how he talks about it. I thought he was just "some player"...until I saw him play...and found out he was the captain. They are in Ottawa right now playing at nationals. HOLLA. Go UBC!


After the game we went to this cute pub near 4th Ave that had a live band that played Jack Johnson and Bedouin Soundclash and other chill tunes. I love hearing live music. It always makes things better.


And next was...Valentine's Day.

Danny...what did you get me? OH MY GOSH. You know, this pic below, I kind of look dazed a bit. And that is because my man...Well he did well this year. I am not trying to brag I assure you, but I have to give my boy props. There is only one thing that can come in a creamy turquoise box. TIFFANY'S! (I actually started to cry.) Most people don't know this about me... because I am not the most fancy materialistic person you'll ever meet...but I ADORE Tiffany's. I am on the website all the time, just looking at everything - the glorious jewels, over and over. I just love it all. And I NEVER in a million years thought Danny would actually buy me something from there. But he did. A beautiful bracelet.

My day started off with Danny making me breakfast, which if you know Danny, this is a big deal for him to be cooking. Then we headed off to a planned day by him. A walk at the beach, Confessions of a Shopaholic Movie (yes he suffered through that for me), indulging in a delicious Nutella Crepe, and then a delightful meal at a cute candle-lit bistro.




The day after Valentine's was even more fun! We went with the crew (Darla, Jodi, and Kyla) to Wreck Beach-the nude beach of Vancouver...although you would think in Feb, there would be no nudies out. We go to see the ocean, and the views. Not to be nude. And honestly, its Feb. What could we possibly see? Oh no. We were wrong. Right at the bottom of the mini hike to get to the beach there is an old man. Just naked. You learn to quickly look away before you've seen more than you actually want to. The color of skin suddenly screams "look away, look away!"



We then decided to bike the seawall tandem style. Oh yeah. Danny rode solo (and took photos) as Kyla and I attempted to coordinate our legs on the bike. The day was absolutely stunning. Sunny and beautiful. Who said helmets aren't cool?





My month ended off with a concert I have been looking forward to for the whole month. A friend introduced me to this band a while ago, and I have recently come to appreciate their genius new album. They are called The Annuals - and yeah...they really are rad. The show was so small...there were probably only 30 of us, but that made it even more cool because we got to enjoy what felt like a private show. My hero is the only female artist in the band, Anna, who is amazing on the piano, and has an unreal voice. Seriously. She is cool.



Stay tuned for March. We bought a new camera! SO I am hoping for some more good shots!!! HOLLA!

Blurrrr-smooshing Dec and Jan together

Blur... Dec and January have come and gone and left me asking "HOW"? How is life so incredibly fast some months and slow in others? I blink and the month is done. Well we have at least been enjoying ourselves. Dec was a whirlwind of Christmas parties and a visit home to Edmonton. Snowfalls and rain. And food. food. and more food.

Our "small" group at Westside can't seem to stay small.. Its currently 23 people small. We can't split either cause there is nobody else to lead so we pack out our living room every week, and it has been a fun time of chillen and chatting. And in this case... eating. We moved out some furniture and ate a Christmas feast in our living room. Tables and desks covered in tablecloths. Did the full deal - 2 turkeys, mashed potatoes, berry crumble. You name it. We ate it.


For my birthday Danny and I got hooked up through my work at the Four Seasons Whistler Resort. It was a glorious time of royal treatment - we were upgraded to some ginormous suite that could sleep a large family. Which was nice...but a bit too much. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but we just aren't the "rich" type. So when we are in a ritzy place with fur coats, a mystery butler who always knew when to turn on our fireplace, and how to fold our clothes, and Louis Vuitton luggage we can't help but think "whats the point of all this?" BUT we enjoyed ourselves with snowboarding and hot tubbing nonetheless.

Going home was INSANE- (as per usual) Christmas Party after party after party, living room dances with the youth, family times (movies, chats, meals), shopping (a little TOO much-our credit cards hurt us), playing survivor - the real version - in -34 degree weather (celsius!), getting sick-perfect time for the flu-NOT, and COFFEE DATES with friends. One of my fave things was a girly brunch I had with my good friends Erin, Jenna, Lisa, Danielle, and Jessica. I've known Lisa since grade 7 and the rest since grade 10 or 11. Good to still be in touch with these lovely ladies and be a part of their lives. It interesting that any friends I am making now are really having to "learn me" and me them. There is something about having history with someone that can bring depth that doesn't just come naturally.


New Years was rad in Seattle. So short, but so fun. We counted down with our good friends from Vancouver Chad and Lynda. We walked and walked and walked everywhere. Fireworks shot out of the Space Needle and it was awesome. People drinking champagne, yelling, and kissing. Good times.


It has been SNOWING a lot here. We are not used to this for Vancouver, as the city doesn't know how to co-exist with snow, so it has been an adventure in winter wonderland lately. Digging the car out, shoveling, wearing a WINTER JACKET, etc. etc. etc.

My BEST Christmas gift was tickets to the Off-Broadway of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Given to me as a surprise from my lovely husband Danny. I was soooooo excited as this was one of my top 5 favorite Disney movies I loved when I was a kid. It was an AMAZING show nearly identical to the movie, just acted by real people. I LOVED listening to the kids in the audience gurgle with laughter when something funny happened. There were tons of little "princesses" all dressed up for the show. Too cute.

Yes, an umbrella to keep us from getting snowed on. Only in Vancouver. ONLY in Vancouver.

Other than that Danny and I have been keeping SO BUSY with work, church, the gym, and spending time with friends. I had a lovely morning the other day starting out with my favorite movie... Breakfast at Tiffany's...


Topped off with my favorite cereal... LUCKY CHARMS.

And some of my most favorite people...Bonnie and Jon! We had a lovely coffee with these 2 parents-to-be in Burnaby. SO EXCITED for them. :)


It is now FEBRUARY. Can you believe it!!!!? FEBRUARY. I really want to live in the moment this year. Not let time take over. Do things I want. Spend my time how I feel I should. January was a good month. Life is good. But I have to force myself to be intentional with how I spend my time. I am trying to read one book a month this year. SO far my goal is a success! I read 'A Weekend in Paris' in January (fiction novel) and now I'm reading 'Paris to the Moon'. Let's just say I am on a bit of a Paris kick, and can't let go. My whole being just wants to be there learning French and walking their beautiful streets. But... living through my books will just have to do for now! Au revoir...