words of encouragement: your new goal for today.

an old friend of mine shared a story on Ocsplora this week, which was one of those charming reminders that we never quite know what impact we might be having with a simple word of encouragement. when was the last time you gave someone some unsolicited praise, or a simple blessing, as Rich did in this story? if you can't remember...maybe today should be the day :) 

read the full story here.

love,

stacey

gratitude cafe

wow! it has been a busy week. i started my new job, which i am very grateful for, and got to spend some time with loved ones...which has resulted in not a lot of time spent in front of the computer! this week can be summed up in today's gratitude cafe, and i've got a few posts up my sleeve, so don't worry, i won't be so quiet next week :) without further ado, this week i am thankful for:

getting creative with some tasty treats - delicious food, wrapped in ska checks, just for me ;) - a beautiful place to sit and eat my lunch - hanging with my cousin and her charming little monkey - my new job!!! - getting to drive for the first time since being in canada! - going to the muttart conservatory with mum & dad - ice cream with mum & dad - finishing Jules Verne's classic tale - listening to my dear friend alisha share about her adventures in africa - seeing a tractor drive down the main street of the town i grew up in...how charmingly cliche! - some beautiful reminders of a NZ summer; toi-toi's at the muttart

other things i have to be thankful for this week:
- this article that made me laugh to the point of tears. you're welcome. - this post about enjoying your own company - getting to catch up with my dear friend Amber - my new job...it is such a blessing! - phil wickham's new album (free download too!) - my rad friends at King of Kings Skateboard Ministry. they freaking rule, always a constant encouragement - helping my sister with crafts, always a good time - seeing old friends, who now have babies!! so rad to see families growing. jon & philippa and marshall & marlene...some awesome friends from past adventures -

and, i'm thankful for you, taking the time to read this :)

now, what are YOU thankful for??

gratitude cafe

getting my brothers and cousins addicted to monopoly deal - poetry in the pilgrim's progress, which i am still really enjoying - finding a very nz-esque fish & chips shop - little reminders of nz framed on my wall - the best exotic marigold hotel...this movie was delightful. so good i'm hoping to go see it again! - another weekend at the lake with family...loving all the time i get to spend with 2 of my fave people :)  - a heartwarming mothers day message from one of my kids - new jewelry - alberta skies 

other things that made me say 'thanks' this week:
-going longboarding with my youngest brother, and spending time with him in general - finally lining up some interviews after weeks of not hearing back from anywhere i applied - this touching article on being a mother - karla adolphe's new album, it was free, even! download it for yourself here. seriously, i can't recommend this album enough, it had me in tears on the first listen. absolutely beautiful. - little reminders of all the ways God has taken care of me in the past - hearing from old friends - re-discovering music i used to love, after i found some cds i made when i was 18 - five iron frenzy - instagram inspiration - running 10km for the first time, and not dying - long chats with mali - finally landing a job that is absolutely perfect for me! - going out for dinner & a movie with my mum & dad - time and space to think -

what are YOU thankful for??

everyone move to edmonton.

when i'm overseas, and someone asks me where exactly in Canada i'm from, i usually say edmonton. unless the person communicates that they're familiar with the area, i leave it at that, not explaining that i actually grew up 30kms outside of edmonton, surrounded by farmland and cows. lots of cows. 

it wasn't until i met my awesome friends sasha and chelsea when i was 14, and started spending the weekends at their houses in west edmonton, that i started to get to know this place they call 'river city' for myself. even so, as i have been out of the country for 7 of the past 8 and a half years, and the time i have spent in edmonton in that time has mostly been confined within the four very large, and very window-less walls of Toys R Us, i have some exploring to do. 

last friday i set out on an adventure to get to know this little oasis in the prairies. wandering around in a new city is one of my favourite things to do...and aside from the first photo, there were definitely some interesting and inspiring discoveries. enjoy!  

everyone in every city OTHER than christchurch thinks this is hilarious. i don't. but then, i also feel phantom earthquakes at least once a day, perhaps i am biased. 

after perusing the city centre library, i walked out the front doors and was greeted by LMFAO's 'Sexy And I Know It' playing very loud...i made my way towards the music, as i'm sure you would too, and found myself in churchill square, watching a policewoman do zumba amidst a crowd of eager outdoor exercisers. this definitely put a smile on my face. ok, edmonton. i see you have a sense of humor. 

other things in churchill square that made me smile: i found a HUGE cup of coffee at Three Banana's Cafe. they also do a grand panini. i recommend.

i have always loved the city centre mall. it's no West Edmonton Mall, but it definitely has class. i was spoiled for choice for all the flowery hair accessories! my fave. 

not edmonton-specific, but definitely exciting: leaves are finally on the trees! it was pretty bare and brown when i got here.

Canada Place....this big pink glass building is pretty iconic and houses all sorts of official-type agencies.  like what, you ask? i have no idea. all i know is that this is where you go to get a new passport. and it's pink. cute.

another one of edmonton's most iconic buildings, the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald. i just read up a bit on it, and construction on this beauty began a hundred years ago! it was completed and opened in 1915.  

and on  the other end of the spectrum, the Art Gallery of Alberta was recently renovated and re-opened in 2010. kinda reminds me of the christchurch art gallery, no? i didn't get a chance to go in, as i hadn't left myself enough time to thoroughly enjoy it, but i look forward to a trip here in the future. art galleries are one of my favourite indulgences, especially in new places!

i was pleased to find that this wee beauty can still be found inside The Citadel Theatre. i remember eating my lunch in front of this thing when i was on a field trip to the citadel as a kid. i have always loved their little indoor garden, and this happy little sailboat chillin in calm waters.

ko north saskatchewan te awa. here she is, complete with the Edmonton Queen Riverboat, and the sneaky pyramids of the Muttart Conservatory peeking out above the trees on the right. i'd like to check out both of those attractions this summer - its been a looooong time since my last field trip to the Muttart.

last, but certainly not least, here's a photo of the Hotel MacDonald at dusk...stunning! 

All in all, it was a pretty nice afternoon in Edmonton. I'd still like to have a few more 'tourist-in-my-hometown' adventures, and definitely spend some more time exploring this place... it has it's nickname, 'festival city,' for a reason, and i'm looking forward to a summer full of outdoor music, ethnic food, and market shopping. Come visit, we'll explore this town together! 

or...i'll be stuck buying one of these pillows i found and making JB my travel buddy. you decide.

gratitude cafe

book & cd bargains! - inspiring paper mobiles - chocolate-covered pretzels. yeah. - streetlight manifesto! - finding a christian dior biography that was really interesting and inspiring - looking at pretty things while wandering downtown edmonton - amaaaazing coffee - wearing my fave outfit - starting to train with a dj company - angee! so grateful for this smiling face in my life - the sailor jerry app that lets me put tatts on unsuspecting people like my mom... - seeing glimpses of beauty in edmonton - busting out my fave hair bow (you look good, you feel good - mmmkay!?) - good food! - hellogoodbye...they`re rocking my world right now - and so is rancid (as always!) :) 

other gratitude-worthy gems:
- running - long chats with mali - dinner and great conversation with my lifelong friend, Kelsey - thrift store shopping with my mom...we found some pretty funny stuff - exploring edmonton - long skype chat with lucy - having tim hortons with my dad - hitting up a craft show with my sister - going to Angee`s birthday party...lots of good laughs! - a delicious mother`s day brunch with the fam - my awesome brother-in-law`s coffee and taste in music - seeing 2 of my cousins that i haven`t seen since 2008, and meeting one of my wee cousins for the first time :) - setting a new PR for 5k runs...feels good! -

and of course, i`m thankful for my MUM. she`s pretty cool :)

what are YOU thankful for?

a tourist in my hometown...

instagrammage from lunch at three bananas cafe in downtown edmonton :) 

yesterday afternoon i went on a wee adventure exploring edmonton`s cbd. i took pictures aplenty, and will definitely be sharing them... but first - today i`m off to explore some more with my seeeester, will report the findings soon :)
come on, edmonton... what`s good wit ya?

...do you play the ukelele?

today i ventured into the big city to look for a jorb. it didn't take long before i was sidetracked... i ended up in a music shop, and when the young lad keeping the shop asked if i was looking for anything in particular, i asked to be pointed in the direction of sheet music for the clarinet. when i found nothing particularly inspiring, i turned to leave the shop, and just as my hand hovered over the handle, the boy addressed me timidly. 

'um, excuse me,' he says, 'but do you play the ukelele?'

'oh! um, no, i don't. sorry.'

'oh. well, would you like to look at the ukeleles?'

i was caught slightly off-guard. 'um...yeah. sure.'

so the boy lead me to a corner of the shop that was filled with all sorts of stringed instruments, and proceeded to show me the selection of budget ukeleles. then, he led me to the higher-quality ukeleles, including a bass ukelele, which he handed me to play... i held it, and strummed it a couple times. not very well, though. after all, i don't play the ukelele.

i didn't walk out of the shop with a ukelele, but i did, in fact, leave with a small square of paper with the details for a pink Stagg acoustic guitar scrawled on them. the boy had also insisted on taking my details, so he could let me know if any more pink guitars came in stock. what a helpful wee chappy.

this was by far the most bizarre, and simultaneously, the most charming 15 minutes of my day :) 

gratitude cafe

this week i'm thankful for...

having amazeballs food (happened a lot this week, actually) - when new people find my blog and comment on it so i know they've been here! (hint, hint) - subtle signs of spring - hanging with my grandma (and mom, and auntie) at the dinner theatre - spending all weekend with my cousins, its been way too long since that happened! - the beautiful poetry in the pilgrim's progress - a real canadian meal - the amazing sunsets over the lake - monster strawberries!

and all of these delightful things:
- when the perfect song comes on when i'm running - having a short blurb of my writing featured on ocsplora - these indigenous hairstyles made me smile - seeing Chicago...i adore a good musical - getting back into the groove of running 5k - 1Samuel - skype chats - my family! - emails that make me smile - the pilgrim's progress...inspired! - playing monopoly deal with my brother and cousins - chillin in the spa under the stars - nana naps - heytells from alex :) -

hey, this guy called shawn anchor did a captivating ted talk on positive psychology, which i really enjoyed, and wholeheartedly reccomend. as he outlines towards the end of his message, i have totally felt a change in my perspective as i have ventured out on this adventure of gratitude - i can actually feel this practise changing the way i perceive things. now... what are YOU thankful for?!