Halloween Costume Debacle

As everyone knows, today is Halloween. I was aware of this fact, but due to my busy schedule (see yesterday's post), Halloween just crept up on me! 

I'm not one of those people who gets into Halloween- my brother and cousin LOVE Halloween. Me, not so much. I don't decorate, have scary movie marathons, etc. It's just not for me. However, I will be a good sport and handout candy and even dress up for Halloween.

Last year, my boss decided to have a Halloween party for staff- we ordered pizza and were going to carve pumpkins, except the person who was in charge of buying the pumpkins (and it wasn't me), didn't go to the store until the morning of Halloween. Store was sold out, so no pumpkin carving. Anyway, I convinced my office mates that we should dress up as 3 blind mice. They were on board with this and I was in charge of costumes.

This year, being so busy, I was not on the ball, so no group Halloween costume. I was scrambling yesterday between working late and an Alumni event to come up with a group or single costume. We work in a community building and everyone dresses up, so I'm going to be a good sport. 

I went to Party City and found I was not the only one who was scrambling to find a costume. There were so many choices! And so many not work appropriate costumes. 

After a lot of debate, and consulting with co-workers and friends, I settled on being a black cat. 

Original? Not so much. But at least I have a costume and I'm being a "good sport" about Halloween.

Life Update- October Happenings

If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know the best way to describe my life is BUSY! October has not been an exception. While everyone would agree that I'm super busy, I don't think I'd have it any other way...I'm the one who makes my life busy.

So, what have I been to?

Work has probably been the aspect of my life that has kept me the most busy, but it has been pretty rewarding too! I've had the chance to experience some pretty cool things because of work. Here's a point form summary of my October work life:

• Toured a new Family Centre
• Toured local CTV offices- I was in the room when they did the news, saw the new set before the debut and was in the directors booth while they were airing the news!
• Staff meeting
• Meeting with a sister organization
• Preparing and hosting a conference (500+ people)
• Young professionals networking group
• Community partner meetings
• Committee meeting
• Visiting a long term care facility to thank them for making centre pieces for our conference
• Hosting a Southwest Regional meeting

And of course, being nominated for TWO Chamber Awards (Best PR & Marketing Campaign, Best Fundraiser) and exceeding a campaign fundraising goal just over a month into the campaign!

Personally, I have been just as busy. I have gone away every weekend this month, which is typical for me, but I've also:

• Two Sorority meetings and a social
• Two Brock Alumni meetings (one that I hosted) and a Brock Professional Development event
• Two high school Alumni meetings
• High School Homecoming event
• Celebrating a 90th birthday
• Thanksgiving- two days of celebrating
• My parents wedding anniversary
• Co-hosted a surprise baby shower for a friend/co-worker (you can read about part of it here)
• Keeping a friend company as she stripped wallpaper in her new house
• Blogger meetup with Justine and exchanged our Pretty Little Beauty Swap packages
• Pilgrimage- a fundraiser my high school does. I always go back and help with registration and attend mass

This month has flown by, but I had blast...so many fun things happened this month. Pilgrimage is ALWAYS a highlight of my October, as is Thanksgiving. I am incredibly proud to be nominated for two Chamber awards and over the moon for exceeding a fundraising goal so quickly! The surprise baby shower was such a high point this month...my friend/coworker was totally surprised and had no idea; she and I were actually talking about it yesterday. I love seeing how much the shower meant to her and how much she enjoyed it.

November is days away and it will be just as busy; hockey game, spending time with my university roommate, fundraising event, national talent competition finals and hosting a Community Engagement Session- and that's just the first week of November!

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time.

To hate that it's so dark in the mornings. It does make getting up harder. 

That I'm not really into Halloween. It seems that everyone loves to dress up, watch scary movies, play pranks etc. I'm just not into it.

To be nominated for not one, but two Chamber awards! I thought we were only nominated for one (Best Fundraising Campaign), but I got an email last week saying it was two awards; Best Fundraising Campaign and Best Marketing/PR Campaign.

That I exceeded a campaign fundraising goal 35 days into the campaign!!! I had three and a half-ish months to raise the money and I did it in 35 days!!

To be looking forward to the weekend, getting my hair done Friday, hockey game with my university roommate Saturday and a fundraiser on Sunday.
 

Inspire Me

I can't believe that we are heading into the last week of October!! As always, this month has just flown by. While it has been busy, it has also been fun- lots of events, meeting new people and trying new things. 

 

October is actually one of my favourite months and is special to my family. Not only do we celebrate Thanksgiving, but we also celebrate my parents wedding anniversary, my grandparents wedding anniversary and my grandma and grandpa's birthdays. Lots to celebrate and be thankful for. 

I also love October because of Pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place. But to my high school, it's so much more. It's Catholic education in action, it's walking in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of the third world, it's taking steps to make a difference in the world. Since graduating from high school, I have not walked the Pilgrimage but I have still been a part of it- sponsoring walkers, helping with registration and celebrating mass. Each year, I look forward to going home, to my high school, and being part of Pilgrimage.

Some inspiration for the week:

Favourite Thing- Justine/Blogger Meet Up

Earlier this week, I talked about participating in the Pretty Little Beauty Swap and mentioned how the best part of this swap was actually having the chance to meet my partner. 

I hear all the time about different bloggers meeting up and how much fun they have. Up until this week, I've never had the opportunity to experience this for the simple fact that I had yet to encounter a fellow blogger from Southern Ontario. 

Justine from Sleepy Single Girl, a friend of mine, was the mastermind behind the swap. Due to my busy schedule, I limit the swaps that I participate in, but wanted to participate to support Justine in the first every swap that she hosted. As it turned out, Justine actually need another Canadian (aka me) to sign up to be paired with the only other Canadian participating. This ended up being an amazing thing for me!

By chance, my swap partner, also named Justine, lived about an hour away from and agreed to meet me in person. After a bit of back and forth and trying to figure out our schedules, on Sunday we were able to arrange to meet for the following day.I had re-arranged to potentially take Monday off. 

Meeting up with Justine, was honestly one of the greatest things for me.

Everyone knows how busy I am and how I always have so much going on. I have a stressful job (non profit fundraising...I'm responsible for bringing in money so that we can offer services and programs to our clients...if they money's not there, our organization no longer operates...yup, no pressure there) and I was starting to get a bit burnt out. 

I had the BEST time sitting with Justine, chatting and laughing. Two hours flew by! I can't remember the last time I felt so relaxed and comfortable around someone I was meeting for the first time. 

After meeting with Justine, I just felt happy. I was in a good mood, I felt like a weight had been lifted...this is when I realized how stressed and burnt out I had been! 

While it was great to have a blogger meet up and it was great to meet a new friend... I can't put into words what Justine did for my soul and how much I appreciate her taking the time to meet me and spend a couple of hours with me. 

I also appreciate Justine (Sleepy Single Girl) for introducing me to Justine (Tantrums and Tea Parties) and allowing this weeks 'favourite thing' to happen!

Right Brain? Left Brain?

Happy Thursday! I was originally going to post more about the baby shower I hosted two weeks ago, but I don't have the the energy to do so. There are a ton of things that I still need to post about- Brewery Tour, Wizard of Oz, Steam Pod, etc...but again, lack of energy. I worked a 14 hour day (instead of my usual 7), so I am exhausted!

 

In addition to everything I still need to write about, I wanted to share this brain test. 

 

It's a super quick test, less than a minute, and it not only tells you if you are right or left brained, but the percent and why. It was pretty interesting. 

For those of you who are interested, I am 28% left brain and 72% right brain. One of the words associated with the right side of the brain was 'chaotic'...which is how I feel most of the time- just too much going on.

I knew that I was more of a right brain. While I was surprised to see such a huge difference between the two sides and how low my 'left brain' is, I already knew I was a 'right brain'...it was kinda nice to have that confirmed and it was interesting to read the explanations associated with each question. 

Pretty Little Beauty Swap- Reveal

My beautiful and sweet friend Justine, from Sleepy Single Girl, and Chelsee, from Southern Beauty Guide recently hosted the Pretty Little Beauty Swap.

I was paired with the adorable, fellow Canadian, Justine from Tantrums & Tea Parties. While I had a blast getting to know Justine and putting together a package for her, the best part of being partnered together was that we actually got to meet! Justine and I live about an hour from each other, so we met in the middle-ish at a Starbucks. It was sooo great to meet Justine and chat, as well as exchange our beauty packages. Justine is seriously, one of the nicest, sweetest girls out there...time flew by! There was a lot of laughter and I'm sure we'll meet up again- can't wait!

Anyway, here's the package that Justine put together for me:

1.  Eyes Ultimate Look- includes 3 eyeshadows, mascara, eyeshadow brush, lashes (with glue), eyeliner, pencil sharpener, 2 eyeshadow applicators. I had mentioned to Justine that I LOVE e.l.f. and that it was really hard to find in Canada, but she found it!
2. Hydrating Mask- I have SUPER dry skin, so I'm excited to try these out!
3. Defrizzing Hair Conditioner- While my hair is curly, it's mostly frizzy. Justine actually uses this and says it's really good...another thing I'm excited to try!
4. Bracelets- These are really pretty and I'll be able to wear them with a lot of my wardrobe.
5. eos (evolution of smooth) lip balm in Starwberry Sorbet- As a Canadian, I can never have too much lip product, especially lip balm, to keep my lips smooth and protected in our cooler months. This lip balm smells sooo good and Justine said it tastes good too (true story!). I actually opened the package when I was with Justine and threw it in my bag. 
6. Nail Polish "Let's Meet"- This is actually a really pretty pale yellow with a nice shimmer to it.
7. Nail Polish "Pink Forever"- This pink is actually brighter than it appears, but it's really pretty.
8. Hair Elastics- Like every other girls out there, I am always looking for a hair elastic. Again, when I was with Justine, I put these in my bag right away.
9. Lipgloss "Nude York City"- Again, can never have too many lip products. I told Justine that I like neutral colours and she kept this in mind...I love this shade!
10. Box 'O Files (nail files)- These are adorable! It's a box of nail files, 6 in the box. I am always looking for a nail file, especially at work-I even resort to asking people if they have velcro on anything. I opened the package right away and put them in my bag.
11. Volumizing Mascara- Justine uses this product too and loves it, so I'm sure I will too!

As you can see, Justine SERIOUSLY spoiled me!!! How great and perfect is everything she picked out?!?!?!? Thank you so, so, so much Justine!! Want to know what I got Justine, head over here to find out!

You can find the link up here, to see whatever else got. Thanks to Justine and Chelsee for hosting!

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time.

To have taken yesterday off on an almost whim. Besides drive an hour-ish away to meet Justine and exchange our Pretty Little Beauty Swap packages, I did nothing yesterday. It was really nice...almost relaxing.

That I kinda want to take today off too. I know that I can't...too much to do at the office. Boo.

To not be very happy with the New York Rangers right now, even though I still love them, I am not happy. They need to get their act together and start winning some games, they are currently 2-5.

That I was planning on going into the office early today...I have A LOT of work that needs to be done.

To need a break. I have A LOT going on and I can feel I'm starting to get burned out a bit.

That my organization was nominated for a Chamber of Commerce award for Best Fundraising Campaign! I have no idea who nominated us, but it's such an honour...especially since I do all of the fundraising. 

Inspire Me

Not only is today Monday but it's also the day that I will be meeting up with Justine! Justine and I were partnered together for the Pretty Little Beauty Swap (hosted by Sleepy Single Girl and Southern Beauty Guide). Since Justine and I live so close to each other, we decided we'd met up and exchange our packages instead of mailing them. I'll be doing a reveal post later this week. 

Here is some inspiration for this week:

Sunday Social- Life

Summer is definitely over and Fall is here in full force- it was a CHILLY weekend! I don't think all of the rain helped. Besides it being so cold, I had a great weekend. My dad was at the weekend house when I arrived and he had my new Kindle (yea!) and he took me out for breakfast on Saturday before he left. I spent the weekend doing errands and watching Pitch Perfect multiple times- such a fun movie!!

      

1. What do you value most in life?

3 F's- Family, friends, faith. 

 
2. What do you think is the greatest invention in your life and why?

I don't know if it's the greatest...but it's the first that came to mind- the internet. It brings people together, you can looking things up to learn or be entertained. You can watch tv/movies and listen to music... the internet does so much.

 
3. What do you think is the secret to a good life?

Being thankful for what you have. If you appreciate what you have, what you experience, everything that comes to you- good or bad- you will be able to see the good in situations...be happy with life. 

 
4. What would you most like to be remembered for when you're gone?

For being a nice person. I've already left my legacy...but I want to be remembered for being a nice person. 

 
5. What accomplishment in your life are you most proud of?So many to choose from! I'm going to go with raising over $100,000 in a single fiscal year for a non-profit. Side note: I exceeded the fundraising goal two years in a row, which meant  an additional $10,000 per year was sent to research (money raised went to local programs and services with 10% of what was raised going to research... so that's $10,000 on top of the 10%).

Weekly What?

Idea taken from my darling friend Jenn from Party of One for Weekly What?

Basically, you put all of your Monday-Friday posts in one post on Saturday! What a great idea! I love the concept of having all of your posts from the week in one post- it's a great summary of the week on a blog.

MONDAY: I started the week off with some inspiration. 

TUESDAY: I linked up with Amber for Hey! It's Ok.

WEDNESDAY: I posted Jennifer's views on Alberta.

THURSDAY: I shared a boy's answers to Boys Behind the Blog.

FRIDAY: I finished the week with one of my Favourite Things- Candy Corn.

Favourite Thing- Candy Corn

Happy Friday! While this week has gone by super quickly, it has been exhausting. We hosted a conference yesterday- it went really well, but I need a nap. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on some sleep this weekend. 

One of my favourite things is Candy Corn. I know most people think it's disgusting, but I love it...soooo good!! They even make different flavours now, like candy apple.

 

Image via Wikipedia

I was talking to another blogger about it this recently, she too is a Candy Corn fan, and she thinks that the reason why she likes it so much is because you can only get Candy Corn during Halloween- it's not available year round. I have to agree with her...I think if I could have Candy Corn year round, I wouldn't like it as much.

Boys Behind the Blog- Round 5

Boys Behind the Blog is a monthly linkup featuring your husband/fiance/boyfriend/best guy friend/dad/brother/grandpa! Stephanie & Mal created this link up to brag about their men and get them more involved in their blogs.

Here's how it works: They post the questions on the 1st Thursday of the month, you ask your man to answer 5 easy questions and then link up with on the 3rd Thursday of the month. 

Before getting to this rounds questions, let me tell you a little about the boy. He's someone I've known for almost 10 years and my favourite Pike! Since he lives on the West Coast, he's always awake for EST late night chats.

1. Describe yourself in 5 words.
Driven, focused, balanced, talkative and something I'm not going to repeat here.
 

2. What is your biggest fear?
Being uncomfortable

3. What is your favorite candy?
 Peanut Butter cups

4. What was the best Halloween costume you've ever worn? (include pictures if you have them) 
Well, he did answer this and it was a costume I remember him wearing. Unfortunately, it's not something I'm willing to post on my blog (it's not exactly "family friendly")

5. Who is your favorite football team?

New England Patriots

Strong & Free

Everyone knows how much I love Canada and for the longest time, I wanted to showcase Canada on my blog. So, I've decided  to ask Canadian bloggers to answer 5 questions about their province.

This week, Jennifer from The Deliberate Mom, is answering questions about Alberta. 

1. Where are you from:
I was born, raised, and live in Edmonton, Alberta. I am a prairie girl... anyone who follows me on Instagram is probably tired of my frequent postings of Canola fields.

2. Favourite thing about your province:
I love my province because of the diversity of the terrain. From the Rocky Mountains, to the lush river valley along the North Saskatchewan River, to the desert-like badlands near Drumheller... we have it all!

3. What is your region (province and/or city) known for:
My city is well known for West Edmonton Mall, the largest shopping mall in North America and the tenth largest in the world (it is the equivalent of 48 city blocks). I must say I take it for granted and rarely venture there as I hate crowds and I don't really like malls. However, it is nice to have a place like this to go to in the winter. It has an indoor waterpark, skating rink, undersea caverns, amusement park, and miniature golf course.

However, my city is also amazing for the amount of festivals it holds! We have a jazz festival, the Works (art) festival, Klondike Days, Street Performers festival, Taste of Edmonton (food festival), Dragon Boat Festival, Heritage Days (world culture festival), Folk Fest (music festival), the Fringe (theatre and performing arts festival), Cariwest (Caribbean Arts Festival), the Edmonton International Film festival, and many more!

4. Where to:

a) Stay:

You need to stay at The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. While it is pricey, it is worth every penny (just make sure to request a river view room). The scenery is gorgeous and it's located in the heart of downtown Edmonton. I've stayed there once and it was the experience of a lifetime... you truly get treated like royalty.

b) Eat:

The place you MUST eat at is a bit of a drive from your hotel but it's really worth it! Head to west Edmonton and enjoy Edmonton's best Indian cuisine (yes... I LOVE Indian food and you will too after you eat here). The atmosphere is modern-chic and the food is truly amazing (make sure to order the Guru Fish Moilee).

c) Go/what to do:

You have got to come here for a summer July-August trip and partake in all the festivals. It is an awesome experience. Although if you're travelling to Alberta, you should also make sure to take in the beauty of our Rocky Mountains. Do some shopping in Banff, soak in the Banff Hot Springs, and have dinner at The Grizzly House (a fondue restaurant) on the main street of Banff.

5. A "must know" about your province: 

Edmonton's North Saskatchewan River Valley is the largest stretch of urban parkland in North America.

Thanks Jennifer for taking the time to answer these questions!

For more information on Alberta, visit Travel Alberta. 

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time.

To be sad that my Kindle broke. I had it for over 2.5 years and the screen just died. I had a Kindle 3G Keyboard, which they don't make anymore. I have ordered a new Kindle, so we'll see how that works out. I feel a little lost without it.

That I had a great Thanksgiving and stocked up on leftovers to bring back to my apartment.

To not be too happy with the New York Rangers. Not a great start to the season...thankfully it's still early.

That I my co-worker was completely surprised with her baby shower! She had NO idea!

To want to go back to bed. I didn't sleep well last night.

Inspire Me

Happy Thanksgiving!! I had a fantastic long weekend and I will be ending it by celebrating Thanksgiving with my family. We are headed to my aunt and uncle's later today, where we will have our traditional Thanksgiving meal. I look forward to seeing and spending time with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins! 

As usual, some inspiration for the week:

 

 

Sunday Social- Blog Firsts

I had a late night last night, with a 90th birthday followed by a high school homecoming. Tons of fun! I have another bust day ahead of me; my parents are hosting Thanksgiving tonight and then I'm going out with friends. Tomorrow is our big Thanksgiving meal at my aunt and uncles. I'm looking forward to seeing and spending time with my family. 

      

1. What is the first blog you ever followed?
Airing My Dirty Laundry and Happy Brittany were both blogs I followed prior to having a blog. The first blog I followed once I started my Blog was The Southern Fried Bride.

2. What was your first blog post about?
My first blog post was i&i where I posted an inspirational quote and an idea. This feature is still on my blog almost two years later- kind of. It has been amended to 'Inspire Me' and is just an inspirational quote. 

3. Who left you your first blog comment?
The Queen Bee. I tried to find her blog...when I click on her name, it brings me to her google+ profile and her blog isn't listed =(

4. Who was the first blogger you ever met in person?
No one. Well...I meet my (former) co-worker, but I met her first and then she decided to blog. But besides her, no one. 
 
5. What was your first "blogging milestone"?
I would have to go with my first follower! I'm not 100% sure who it was...But I know both Amber and The Southern Fried Bride were both early followers. 

Weekly What?

Idea taken from my darling friend Jenn from Party of One for Weekly What?

Basically, you put all of your Monday-Friday posts in one post on Saturday! What a great idea! I love the concept of having all of your posts from the week in one post- it's a great summary of the week on a blog.

MONDAY: I started the week off with some inspiration. 

TUESDAY: I linked up with Amber for Hey! It's Ok revealed Part I of the Baby Shower!

WEDNESDAY: I posted answers to questions about Manitoba.

THURSDAY: I shared a song that was covered by PTX.

FRIDAY: I finished the week with one of my Favourite Things- Thanksgiving Weekend.

Favourite Thing- Thanksgiving Weekend

Happy Friday!!! This was such a long, busy week for me- I know, I know...that's nothing out of the ordinary for me. I was in the office for 11.5 hours yesterday and I had meetings every day this week. I just need to survive today and I will be rewarded with a long weekend! While most people take the weekend to relax, mine will be full of family and friends.

I'm starting the weekend off with a family dinner to celebrate my parents 33rd wedding anniversary! All my mom wants for her anniversary (or so she says =) is for all 3 of her kids to be home for dinner. My sister still lives at home but my brother and I will be traveling to our hometown for the weekend.

Saturday I have been invited to my friend, G's, grandmother's 90th birthday! G's parents and my dad have been friends since high school and she and I have been friends since we were kids. In fact, for prom, her grandmother was there beforehand and her picture taken with our dates. It was cute.

After the birthday party, I am heading to my high school's "homecoming", which is basically a pub night. I'm on the alumni association, so I will be working. But this should be a fun night and I'm looking forward to connecting with other Alum.

Sunday will be spent with friends, as everyone will be home for Thanksgiving. 

Monday is Thanksgiving! Besides sleeping in, I will be heading to my aunt and uncle's for our Thanksgiving meal. My aunt and uncle always host and my aunt, who is American, always cooks our (Canadian) Thanksgiving meal. Plus, it's always nice to see my family and spend time with them.

It will be a busy weekend, with little downtime, but I'm looking forward to it. 

I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend and HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all my fellow Canadians. 

Also, I am guest posting on LaDawn's blog today.

PTX Royals

On Tuesday, I shared Part I of the Bedtime Stories baby shower that was hosted for a co-worker/friend and had planned on posting more details of the shower today. However, time got away from me (thanks work, meetings and life) and I didn't have a chance to upload the pictures yet.

So, in a totally unrelated topic, I wanted to share this YouTube video:

Royals by Pentatonix

 

I LOVE Pentatonix and I love their cover of this song!!

Glorious And Free

Everyone knows how much I love Canada and for the longest time, I wanted to showcase Canada on my blog. So, I've decided  to ask Canadian bloggers to answer 5 questions about their province.

This week, Elaine from Daily Choices Add Up, is answering questions about Manitoba. 

1. Where are you from:
I was born in Ontario and grew up in Winnipeg. Although I've lived the past 15 years in several places in Alberta, Winnipeg will always be my hometown. 

2. Favourite thing about your province:
Winnipeg is such a diverse city. It has a richness in culture that is embraced and celebrated. It has a great history, from the old banks/site of The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 at Portage & Main, to Riel House - the home of Metis rights advocate Louis Riel to St. Boniface-the French quarter settled in the early 19th century. There is an incredible arts scene: The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Exchange District, all types of sports, arts & cultural festivals. Apart from that, Winnipeg is surrounded by beauty: big old trees that turn intense reds/oranges in the fall, ice skating at The Forks in winter, and hot summer days that can be spent up at some of the country's best beaches on Lake Winnipeg. 

3. What is your region (province and/or city) known for:

We're known for polar bears (waaaay up North), cold winters and mosquitoes! But there's so much more to Winnipeg and Manitoba. People are often amazed at the beauty, diversity, and culture of the city when they actually get to spend time there. I never tire of hearing the pleasant surprise from recent visitors. 

4. Where to:

a) Stay:

The Fort Gary hotel near Portage & Main is a great historical building in a central location near the Legislature, The Forks, the Exchange District, and St. Boniface. If you want to get away, Gimli and Hecla Island are ~150kms north, on Lake Winnipeg. Great restful, peaceful, beautiful places to enjoy a weekend.

b) Eat:

There are so many great restaurants it's tough to say! With the cultural diversity in the city, you could taste or authentic foods from around the globe if you have time. 

c) Go/what to do:

Winnipeg celebrates its culture and history with festivals. In February it's the Festival du Voyageur; July sees the Winnipeg Fringe Festival; in August Folkarama takes over the city (a 2-week festival with pavaillions all around Winnipeg each celebrating a distinct country/regional culture); Winnipeg Folk Fest (one of the oldest & largest folk festivals in the world); I could go on-there are many other festivals throughout the year. Otherwise, seeing the historical sites, taking a day trip up to the lakes/beaches, or wandering around any of the city's shops and arts districts is interesting. Bring a frisbee and have fun playing Ultimate, go fishing/swimming/jetskiing in the lakes, or enjoy a great x-country ski/snowshoe adventure in the winter. I'd say you could always get in on the die-hard Winnipeg spirit, but Jets games are completely sold out for the next 10+ years!

5. A "must know" about your province: 

Winnipeg is cold...but only in the Winter! Temps dip to -50C with windchill in January but summers are hot and humid: think 35C to 40C. Come with an open mind - you'll be amazed at how much Southern Manitoba & Winnipeg have to offer.

Thanks Elaine for taking the time to answer these questions!

For more information on Manitoba, visit Travel Manitoba.