A big thank you to everyone who commented on the “How We Met” post! Aside from the great comments here, I received some super touching e-mails that really made my day. Hearing your stories about love and marriage makes me even more excited about planning our wedding and making memories like that of our own.

Now… As for the winner, it was a tough choice! And while I totally loved all of the stories, there was one that really stood out because it just made me laugh and laugh. So congrats, Erin!!! A sweet prize pack is headed your way!

Here’s what Erin had to say:

Hmm, how we met, well I was working at summer camp and my coworker found him in her neighbour’s barn and brought him to live with us for the summer. Turns out he was kind of mean and bit people, but that summer I fell in love with him. After the summer, nobody wanted him, and he was going to be returned to the barn. I couldn’t let that happen so I decided he was coming to live with me. My parents were not impressed. That was almost two years ago. I could not love my little troublemaker more, and even my parents have come to like him. Now, I don’t know what I’ve do without him.
Clearly, I am single with a cat, so that’s the best I could do!

Seriously? How could you NOT read that and giggle? “He was kind of mean and bit people”?! That’s gold! And B-rad got a good laugh out of it, too. Congrats, Erin! And thanks again, everyone! Look for more random contests this summer…

H’okay. So. This 101 in 1001 list? A LOT harder than I thought it would be. I’m still working away at it, but I’m afraid it’s not quite finished yet. However, one thing that is definitely on the list (and this will likely not surprise you if you’ve been here before) is losing weight/working out more regularly. And because I am a fan of all things Nintendo Wii, especially when it can help me get in shape (ie. Wii Fit, My Fitness Coach, etc) I’ve just picked up a new fitness game: EA Sports Active.

No idea what I’m talking about? You can check out the trailer here. (And while you’re at it, check out their website. This is marketing done right, friends. It goes beyond being another video game website and has an almost magazine-website-like feel with articles about nutrition, health and wellness. A “Motivation Center”? A “Community”? Brilliant, EA. Srsly.)

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Still working on my 101 in 1001 list to share with y’all later today. But first? Please do yourself a favour and check out this hilarious video from MagicHugs.com.

Ringing in the New Year (2006)

Note: This was originally posted in July 2008. But since we’re back in wedding planning mode, I decided that it definitely warrants a re-post. (But don’t worry… There’s a brand new post coming up on Monday! AND I’ve thrown in a super fun contest just to make up for posting an oldie-but-goodie. Enjoy!)

One of the fun parts of being engaged is when people ask, “So… How did you two meet?” and you get to relive your whole epic romance, in ten minutes or less. Having now told this story several dozen times, I still have to smirk a bit when I admit that Brad and I almost never met at all.

Quick background: The truth is, I’d never actually intended to go to St. Jerome’s University (a small campus within the University of Waterloo). Sure, I’d applied, but it was mostly on a whim. I was sure that I would be accepted to my first choice university, and so each day of my last year of high school, I rushed home to check the mailbox for an acceptance letter. Funny thing is, my first choice acceptance arrived last. But, as luck would have it, my last choice acceptance arrived first. Through a strange twist of fate, and with the sage advice of my guidance counselor (that’s two gift baskets for you, Mr. Brennan!), I decided to give SJU a shot.

So there I was, nearly two months into my first term as an undergrad and the annual residence Trick-or-Treating had just begun. The guys were up first, fishing for candy that they would inevitably just end up giving back to us when we headed over to their building, as we were far more prepared and had actually purchased treats. (Smart move on their part, actually… Bonus points for recycling AND being recession-friendly.)

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Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

It’s been a busy week, friends. Between my web-tastic new gig and personal schedule, there is a lot going on. I’m still getting the hang of my new job, as some of the stuff I’m working on is very technical and totally new to me, but I’m also loving every minute and every new thing that I get to learn. Ahh learning… Where would this nerdy girl be without you?

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to accompany my friend Heather to UofT for the Toronto leg of Chuck Palahniuk’s Pygmy book tour. It was my first time at a Chuck Palahniuk reading and let me tell you, he did not disappoint. The man is quite entertaining and I spent a good chunk of the evening laughing my butt off. Here are a few highlights from the night…

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Happy Friday, all! I have many stories to share, but after soaking up the sun with the Terrible Two (aka my adventure-loving cats) this afternoon, I’m a bit wiped out. Before I head off for a night of Wii and wine, there are a few things I’ve stumbled upon in my travels around the Interweb this week that I simply have to share. Enjoy the link love!

• F**k You, Penguin
If you can get through the entries on this blog (that tells cute animals what’s what) without laughing, let me know, and I will send you a prize. Because seriously? Hilarious.

• Viva La Love Story
If you’re just tuning in… Hi, my name is Alicia, and I’m a bit of a music junkie. That said, is anyone really surprised that I am loving this instrumental mash-up of Taylor Swift’s Love Story and Coldplay’s Viva La Vida by John Schmidt? It’s fab. Trust.

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Remember how psyched I was to take on the 30 Day Shred? Well, I still am…but there’s been a bit of a snag. I suppose it’s more of a tear, actually. Picture this: Sunday night, I’m sitting on the floor, going through a few stacks of paper a la spring cleaning. I get up to get a drink, and hear a gross ripping sound that is most definitely not my pants. Point of the story? My right knee is in bad shape, so I’m easing back into the Shred very slowly. A minor setback, I think… I’m definitely not ready to throw in the towel. After all, if I quit, the terrorists Jillian Michaels wins. And to that I say, no dice.

On the plus side, there is a no-fail way to distract yourself from an injured knee—read a great book. And thankfully, I just happen to have one. In fact, today is a day that my inner book nerd has been eagerly anticipating for the past couple of months, because the new Jen Lancaster memoir, Pretty in Plaid, is finally available… And I’ve got a copy!

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AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

*UPDATE: The Miley Cyrus campaign has been removed from the One Million Moms website. Thankfully, the Interweb is a magical place and someone was wise enough to take a screen capture. If you’d like to see the campaign that inspired this post and made me want to hulksmash things, please click here.

Confession: I am not a mom. But for the record, I have a mom, am friends with moms, and intend to one day be a mom. Please keep this in mind, because I’m about to snark a lot of moms. One million, actually...

Some quick background on me, for context: Growing up, I was lucky enough to be raised by people who actually practiced the old “love your neighbour” line. Ultra-liberal, incredibly supportive, march-to-the-beat-of-your-own-drum kind of people. Which was wonderful, but also made going into the Big Bad World a bit of a shock. It took me a long time to wrap my head around the fact that people could actually hate each other over something like sexual orientation. I mean, seriously? You’re going to hate someone for being attracted to another person because they happen to be the same sex? You’re going to hate two people for being in love? For wanting to commit to each other? For wanting to start a family? But… why?

I don’t get homonegativity, I’ve never understood it, and to be honest, it just makes me angry and disappointed in humanity (which is no small feat for a hopeless optimist).

So when it comes to my attention that a Christian group in the US is targeting Miley Cyrus (who identifies as a Christian, fyi) for making pro-gay statements on Twitter like “I am a Christian and I love you—gay or not—because you are no different than anyone else! We are all God’s children,” I get a little riled up. Okay, a lot riled up. I get ranty. Especially because the group is made up of moms.

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