Trip Recaps: Detroit

I'm Back!

We got back late Sunday night, and yesterday was spend recovering, sleeping and unpacking. Today it's back to real life.

We had a lot of fun, ate WAY too much and spent more money then I probably should have. I figure I will break up the posts into three, by state, to make them smaller and not give you posts with a million pictures. First up Detroit!

We left around 1:00 on Wednesday and began the 4 hour drive to Detroit. We took our time stopping to eat and pee often. I didn't drive at all (I'm not a fan of driving, C drives pretty much 98% of the time) but I found even being a passenger in Detroit impossible. The lights were confusing, the street signs were no existent and figuring out where to turn was not easy. So naturally, we got lost looking for out hotel. We passed it a bunch of times, which we figured out when C pulled into a gas station, cracked out the Iphone and looked up direction, noticing that the White Castle that we were currently staring at was directly across the street from the hotel. We finally got there and checked in about 7 and at this time I was tired and hungry and perfectly willing to order pizza and go to bed. C....not so much. He was determined to get to Pondarosa. So we broke out the computers, went to Google maps, wrote down directions and headed out again. And again got lost. Repeat the pulling over, looking at the iphone, searching landmarks and finally getting dinner about 8:00.

Needless to say once we ate (sooo good) and finally made our way back to the hotel all we wanted to do was sleep.

Thursday morning we were up early to eat breakfast, get showered and ready to get to the Detroit Lions game. I am proud to announce the we DID NOT get lost! (no need to mention the thousands of cars ahead of us going to the same place). This was my first football game ever, in Detroit, cheering for the opposite team (New England Patriots) and of course my loving fiance had to dress himself entirely in Patriots gear, so there was no way people would ignore us. The game was actually really fun and the Patriots won!. Ford field is beautiful with spacious, comfy seats and a roof! I'm not going to lie, I still don't totally understand the sport, but I'm trying and I think I'm doing much better.

We left right after the game with the intention of hitting The Melting Pot for dinner. It was closed (very sad) along with Burger King (not so sad). This is SO different from Canada. Here, on Thanksgiving, restaurants are open, especially fast food places, but you live and you learn. We managed to find a 24 hour Arby's and didn't starve so it was all good (and I experienced Diet Mountain Dew for the first time ever....I may have an addiction....). We ate, got back on the road and started a long journey to Pennsylvania.

And, of course, I will leave you with some pictures

Kid Rock's awesome half time performance - Born Free

The only picture I have of C and I from the whole trip

My New England fan

So that was Detroit. Up next, Black Friday shopping in Pennsylvania!

Black Friday

So that trip that I was hypothetically talking about here has arrived. We leave tomorrow and head to Detroit until Thursday, then off to Pennsylvania, and finally Buffalo, arriving home on Sunday. I'm not going to lie, I suffer from slight travel anxiety. I don't like to venture outside of the box I have created for myself at home (unadventurous I guess). I worry. I have spent the better part of the last month worrying. I worry about getting sick, C getting sick, getting lost, getting robbed, getting stuck, the border....pretty much anything that one can worry about. Good thing C is starting me out slow and not forcing me on a plane.....don't even want to think about the kind of stress that would cause.

As all of this worrying has been moving through my mind and new issue has developed....Black Friday.

Here in Canada we have boxing day and I used to LOVE boxing day shopping. Great deals and lots of fun. The last couple of years my opinion has changed. We still go out but the crowds, lines and craziness all bother me.

From what I have heard boxing day does not hold a candle to Black Friday. I'm terrified. I have heard several horror stories from many people. I have spent the better part of the last couple of weeks deflecting claims about my craziness for even attempting to shop on this day. C isn't phased, he's actually really excited and talking about fighting the crowds for a t.v......are you kidding me?

So I have to ask. Is it honestly that horrible? or are Canadians blowing this whole event way out of proportion. Please be honest, I can take it.

It has almost been...

Two weeks since my last post!! What have I been doing???? Here's a list:

1) Essay: I had a paper due today, so the better part of the last week has been spent stressing over that

2) Getting Sick: I currently feel awful. I am living on Apple Cinnamon tea from Tim Hortons, and the fiance has been wonderful about going to get it whenever I want. As I type this I am in my PJ's (yeah it's 4:00 in the afternoon...so what?), in bed and watching "Save the Last Dance." I become rather pathetic when I'm sick.

3) Wedding: I have a few updates, but I'm hoping to actually do a Wedding Wednesday post on Wednesday and update then. We shall see

4) Trip: We leave in a week and a half! Passports are here, hotels are booked, tickets have been purchased. I'm slowly getting really excited. I need a vacation

5) Birthdays: My beautiful niece K turned 6 on November 10th (insert a pouting auntie here). Yesterday we had her birthday party at a play place by my sisters house. Yes, I was sick. No, 10 screaming children did not help. I do have to share the awesome cake the my sister's friend made. This is the same friend that made B's circus cake for her 2nd birthday here. This cake was Barbie's Corvette

I failed at taking this photo, but the inside of the car came complete with seats, a steering wheel and gear shift

and of course one of the birthday girl herself. Happy 6th Birthday K!!

7) Readings, readings and more readings!

8) Spending time with friends: We went to a small house party on Saturday. We had a great time catching up with good friends

9) Working!

I think that is pretty much everything. Hope everyone else had an awesome weekend

Halloween Weekend Update

So I blogged here about my um....LOVE for the Halloween season, and how I was doing everything in my power to be a total b!tch about buying a costume.....And then I never gave a recap! So here goes!

Friday I went to Halloween Haunt with C, my brother, his Girlfriend and some friends. For those of you that don't know Halloween Haunt is something that our local amusement park Wonderland hosts every year. The park opens at 7 and stays open until about midnight and they have a bunch of haunted houses set up throughout (This year there were about 10). The rides also stay open so there are tons of things to do. I'm not a fan of being scared, so I normally make a fuss about being forced to go but I always lose, suck it up and go anyway....this year was no different. I have to admit (and this will be held against me) that I actually had fun this year. It was cold, but not freezing (like last year) and we did a good mix of houses and rides so I didn't have to suffer to much. I have also made a great system for dealing with these things: I plant myself in between C and one other person (this year my brother's GF, the lovely pinkbilly was the winner) and I refuse to give the actors any reaction that will force them to come after me. This worked fairly well, I messed up once when I didn't see the guy in the corner so he jumped in my face. I, of course, screamed Oh My God and he, of course, chased me. Other than that I survived to suffer for another year.

Saturday was costume day! I can't say I was the most pleasant person to buy a costume, declaring several times that I was not buying one, giving up, or that I was missing Vampire Diaries for this, but in the end (thanks to C) we found something. Saturday we headed to a pup with my sister, her husband, my brother and his girlfriend. Pictures tell the story better so here they are:

C and I all decked out in '80's wear. My mom has no clue how to use my camera so this is the best photo that I have of the two of us

My brother attacking Miss Pinkbilly (He was Teen wolf)

My awesome shoes. I think from now on I'm going to make sure my costume comes with a new wonderful pair of shoes. Makes Halloween so much more fun!

My baby brother and big sister. Older but never grown ups!

Sunday we spent the evening taking these monsters trick or treating

Monday officially marked the end of Halloween/fall and the beginning of Christmas!

I'm not kidding, the fall candles are away and the Christmas ones are coming, I'm ready for Christmas music and if it were up to me the house would be decorated. Bring on MY favourite time of the year!