i've got my lunch packed up...

well, there's officially less than 1 week until i start school again. i'm excited, but also pretty nervous. it's been a while, you know. i'm a little rusty on the homework, essay writing, hundreds of pages of reading thing. i joked to dylan that if after this 12 month diploma program i still can't get a job (along with my degree and other diploma i already have), i'll be about ready to quit and be a housewife ;) *for the curious, after high school i took a 2 year diploma program at college (which is where i met dylan), then i got my degree at the university of toronto, and 2 years have since passed with no career work. a little bit more here.*

we took a test ride to school yesterday just to see exactly how long it will take and for me to lock down my route. i'm sure i'll get turned around a few times in the first couple weeks and have to stop in the stations  and look around, but i'll manage. i'm just not very good at public transit as i've never really had to take it anywhere; i'm a big walker. while there, i got a few of the books i need for first semester (leaving the other few to get next week) and my student card. it's all real now!

 26 and a new student again. hi!

 new agendas and backpack. getting ready. new laptop to come next week, which i'm ridiculously excited about.

semester 1. 7 classes. still 5 more books to buy. help.

quite honestly, 7 classes each semester scares me. i never had to take that many in university and it just seems like a lot. but, it is an accelerated program; it's been condensed into 3 straight semesters, september through to august. i just have to tell myself that i went to one of the top universities in canada, and if i can do that, surely i'll do well in college again. 

keys to the good life...

monday, we met with our agent one last time at our new place, signed a few final documents, and got the keys!! we were beyond excited, obviously. we took a look around all the amentities (we couldn't see them until we were actually residents) and they are ahhhhmazing! there is everything you could possibly think of, right at our fingertips, for free. we basically live in a resort. every month there's a fitness schedule all mapped out (yoga, pilates, bootcamp, body fuse etc)..i better get my butt down there and put it to good use!
we met up with our friend and showed him around our new digs, and then walked around the city a bit. then of course, we were so giddy, we drove home after rush hour, got a few things to bring back and some stuff to sleep over. along with wine and chips. and we slept on the floor. uncomfortably. but we just couldn't help ourselves.

the drive in. obviously looking forward to it.

i'm back, baby.

from our balcony; the lake and the airport. can't wait to see planes coming in and leaving.

missing the fridge? nope, the fridge and freezer are the white 'cabinets' beside the oven there. and one of the 'cabinets' by the sink? that's the dishwasher. a dishwasher! hidden gems.

ahhHH!!

the happy couple moving into our 2nd place together.

a few things for our first sleepover + netflix.

our ultra comfy sleeping arrangements.

of course, we brought the morning essentials with us.

we're completely in love with this place and can't wait to really get moved in soon. the only issue? our big (and it is big, but oh so comfy) sectional is actually too big for this place. we paid a fair amount for it, and even though it's only 9 months old, nobody would pay close to full price for a used sofa. so a light bulb went off and i asked dylan why not just try to take the middle section out and piece together the end two. even though it's a sectional, there's hooks and brackets and it's not really meant to mix and match the pieces; it's meant  to be used as one huge couch. but! dylan went to work and we think we may just be able to make it work. thank goodness because i do not want to go on the hunt for another couch purchase. that was the worst. living in a tiny condo? you must be resourceful. 

signed, sealed, delivered...

we have a place to live in toronto!!! woohoooo!! the whole process was surpringly easy and fast (like, from viewing approx 12 places, to choosing, waiting, then signing final papers, it was about 6 days). we dealt with a great brokerage that took care of everything, like i mentioned here. we didn't end up getting the one i mentioned in that post, but we got something totally better in every way. still brand new, but we even somehow managed to get an 'upgraded' unit, meaning a little more storage and stainless steel appliances. *dying* we put our offer in sunday night after going back earlier in the day to view more places. turns out, we left out a few initials on the documents and didn't get it sent back in until monday morning. the landlord had until tuesday at 6pm to decide. at this point, we had already lost out on a few places (which, like i said, now benefited us and was meant to be) and were trying not to get our hopes up. this place just seemed too good to be true. i mean, it's higher than the 30th floor, i'll say that much.

mid-day tuesday, i got an email from our agent saying that the landlord would like to work with me and dylan and that they were coming back with a counter offer. a few hours later we received the offer with minor changes, decided they were worth it, and signed the papers!! we both did a little dance, high fived each other and were in total disbelief.

now, we're moving even earlier than expected. see, we moved in here last july 1st. our landlord accidentally put june 1 when we signed the lease. we were hoping to move to toronto may 1 and move over the month of may slowly. however, this toronto landlord, when he countered back, said april 15th. obviously, we took it, and let out landlord know that if he wants to rent our place now for may 1st, by all means go ahead. it'll save us a months rent. so that's how things all played out! we get our keys in 10 days! holy shit!

totally squealed when reading this.

she's excited, too.

dylan was a party pooper and didn't want to participate in my celebratory pictures. honestly though, i'm pretty sure he's even more excited than me. he won't stop talking about our new place and moving and asking if i've "heard back from the agent yet about when we're meeting him to give more documents?!" like, asks me that at least 3x a day in a giddy tone.

time to get packing?

a new job...

i mentioned at the end of my post on friday that i had an interview. um, talk about the easiest interview ever.  i was *this close* to calling and changing the time because of how terrible i was feeling, but the cramps started going away and i figured i would just go and get it out of the way. i got there and she told me a little bit about the company and the only question she asked me was, "where do you see yourself down the road?" after that, she said she was really impressed with the work i had done for an event (talked a little about that here) and she said originally, the job was for answering phones and admin stuff, but overall, she felt i could do more. i was hired on the spot.

so where is it? well, i won't say exactly; i don't like to get too specific on here regarding jobs. but i will say it's at a portrait studio, and after 10 days of training, i'll probably slowly start taking passport photos, family photos, and kids portraits. a little random, but hopefully it'll be fun. the best part is that it's full time for november/december. after that, the hours will probably go down because this is the busy season, but there's the option of being hired on full time. so we'll see where things go :) dylan will start making his big bucks in january or february, so if the hours really do dwindle for me, or i decide i absolutely hate it for some reason, it'll be ok.

yay!

in addition to this new job (which i start today!), i'll also be keeping the part time job i have now. i do a lot of work from home (i run a facebook page and twitter for an organization), and only go into the office 2x a week usually at 4hrs a pop. so i should be able to manage keeping it. it'll just give us that extra bit of bonus money, which will be nice.

wish me luck! (luck on the fact that it's my first day and i'll be working 9 hour shifts for a while. whoa)

oh happy day!!

i won, i won, i won!!!!

Liz from the blog From Portland to Peonies had an awesome giveaway, and last night, she posted the winner...and it was ME! i so squealed when i saw my name, and maybe i hit dylan a few times from excitement hahah

wanna know what i won?? a fabulous $50 gift card to Anthropologie...i know, amazing right?!?

pic via we heart it

i definitely did some online browsing right away, and there are some super cute things. just makes finishing my exam all the more sweeter!

so, a big thanks to Liz!

and check out the video below of my crazy dog if you missed it..and if you want a laugh, or want to be scared..i'm not sure which one...

hi!

i'm pretty stoked right now..i just finished my last paper of the year!! a big hell ya!
i did about 1.5 pages yesterday and the other 6.5 today--it's worth 35% of my mark-oops...although i think it's pretty good ;) see, that's what happens when you have finals tuesday and wednesday-the thing that is due thursday gets pushed back to last minute (ie this paper).ugh, lucky for me, i had barely enough black ink to print this bad boy but i made it; i have a new cartridge, i just don't know how to change it-new printer and all. (did i mention it's due in 2 hours? even more amazing)

also, it's amazingly gorgeous out today, like about 16 degrees, and tomorrow is going to be a wopping 25!! (80F) holy geez-love it. i'm gonna have to take home some shorts when i go home for the weekend tonight. even though i have another final to study for this weekend, which is on wednesday, i will make sure to get outside, even if it's just for errands with my mom. i'm also making cake pops and pie pops again this weekend, ala bakerella :) so excited.so, for now i'll leave you this picture from last spring at the toronto beaches.
if you have nice weather where you are right now, get out and enjoy it! :)