Running into the surf....Sauble Beach, Ontario, Canada. Part of our girls only vacation. And I must admit that I already miss the beach, and look forward to going back one day soon! If you have a look at our history blog you can see more pics, and learn more about why Sauble is a special place for our family.

This entry is for both my Tuesday and Wednesday editions of WW Thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Many moons ago I flirted with the idea of embarking on an I.T. career. After all in the bad old days that (IT) is where the big money was, and all the cool geeky guys were. And no, I am not kidding!

I never did fully pursue those particular goals, and now several years after the fact I do regret that I did not take the courses that I needed nor sought the training that would have helped me start a career within that field.

I have sort of married into it though, so to speak as my hubby for those of you who are not already familiar with his career path is a server admin with his Cisco certification to boot! And I can tell you via his experiences that it is very much a growing field, where there is huge opportunities for advancement, and an equal number of geeky girls now as there are geeky guys.

On a much more serious note as the kiddos are getting older, and as I search for a new career path of my own I am considering IT as a possible career move again. With this in mind I was very interested to check out the Cisco Learning Network early this afternoon as they offer entry level as well as expert training online. And I must admit that their website certainly impressed me with the amount of information they provide on what to expect, job prospects, and community involvement with other users.

If this is something that you might want to learn more about or are already an I.T. professional, but could use a boost in your skill set then please do have a look at the training, and certification options offered through the Cisco Learning Network by giving that linky some clicky love.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

This week's theme was sooooo easy for me as I am absolutely addicted to Doctor Who!

For those that may not know Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a mysterious alien time-traveller known as "the Doctor" who travels in his space and time-ship, the TARDIS. With his companions, he explores time and space, solving problems, facing monsters and righting wrongs. The programme is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running science fiction television show in the world, and has been on the air since 1963!!!

Above you see all 10 *Doctors* ... my doctor is the 10th, and played by David Tennant. The expression "my doctor" refers to the doctor who got you hooked.

Happy H.O.T. day and thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For more Heads Or Tails please click here.

Welcome to my 8th edition of Camera Critters here at the Urban Zoo. I am actually away this weekend, so if you leave me a comment I will answer asap when I return.

Thank you for stopping by, and have a great week ahead!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For more great Camera Critters please visit here.

Are you named after anyone? Is there a story behind your name?

This is the grave of my Great Aunt Zsuzsanna Jakab nee: Papp and her family. She was the sister of my grandmother Julianna Demeter and my father's favourite aunt. She is my namesake.

Zsuzsanna,and her husband are buried in Szabolcs, Hungary. Her daughter Sara is buried with her parents my gr.grandparents.

Zsuzsanna's son Karoly is buried on foreign soil according to this monument. Karoly was a casualty at the Eastern front during WWII.

I wish I had a photo of her in life........unfortunately I have no idea if any still exist.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Thanks to Abbey for putting together this fun meme. Why not join in?!

Wooo Hooo!!!! Girls camping weekend is here!!! My sister, best friend, and I are taking our girls on a camping getaway...just the girls!

We are leaving very early this morning, and I am looking forward to bonding with my daughters, nieces, and sisters without the hubbys, and boyfriends around. This is very rare that just we girls get together, and with the lawyer moving far away to attend law school this Fall it will be a great way to spend some time before the serious packing begins.

If you leave comments I will reply when I return, and in the mean time I've left the keys to the Zoo with my busman who'll be looking after the place while I'm gone. I have also post-dated a couple of blog entries for your reading pleasure whilst I'm gone.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sue
XOX

Since the kiddo is now on the verge of being 13 years old she has started to develop a real love of horror films. I enjoy them too, and I like sharing tv, and movie watching with her as I do believe families should spend this type of activity time together when possible. I recently started watching some of the old campy classics from the 80's with her, which inspired this list, in particular the Friday the 13th (franchise) films....yes, they did make this many!

Original movie poster

1. Friday the 13th (1980)
2. Part 2
3. Part 3
4. The Final Chapter
5. A New Beginning
6. Jason Lives
7. The New Blood
8. Jason Takes Manhattan
9. Jason Goes to Hell
10. Jason X
11. Freddy vs. Jason
12. Friday the 13th (2009)
13. Is anyone actually wondering if the remake will spark a sequel?

I admit that I lost interest in this series when I heard Jason was going to outer-space However, I do look forward to seeing what they do with the remake. Happy TT, and thanks so much for stopping by.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

I love to try to see the magic within nature whenever I can. In this case I half expect to see a wee person or fairy folk peeking out from behind the toadstool.

This entry is for both my Tuesday and Wednesday editions of WW Thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Image Credit: Digital Photos.net

Are you REALLY all that shocked.......

Thanks to Frigga where I found this quiz. Find out how evil you are by clicking here.....

So how evil are you?

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

A friend of ours posted the clip you see above on our message board, and it is so sweet that I wanted to share it here. If you were a child of the 80's you might recall this ABC Weekend Special adaption of Pierre Burton's classic children novel The Secret World Of Og. As a child I LOVED this book, and later as a Mom I enjoyed reading it to each one of my own children.

What a fun walk down memory lane. They just don't make cartoons like this any more.

Enjoy!

Sue
XOX

Lately when I read the newspapers or listen to my local radio shows I hear a lot about the poor economic times south of the border, and how even here we will definitely be affected in some way or another because of the slowing United States economy.

I consider myself to be a thrifty person, not exactly the penny pincher type, but definitely some that is normally more interested in saving money than I am in spending it. I believe in utilising a good Savings Account in order to save money, and take advantage of good rates.

I had the opportunity to visit the website for WaMu Savings Accounts, and read about some of the benefits, and features that are associated with these types of accounts. For instance did you know that they offer free online banking to their customers along with free electronic statements? I read that and thought that is very cool, and convenient!

Another very cool feature of the Wamu Savings Account is that if you maintain a minimum monthly balance of $300.00 the company will wave all monthly service fees. This is one way that they encourage customers to save, and hey how cool is it to be rewarded by a financial institution for a change!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

I could not make up my mind with this week's theme of sit OR stand so I came up with a compromise.

Sit, and stand is represented in this vintage photo that I purchased from an estate sale this past weekend.

I often pick up old photos at sales, and wonder about who or what may be behind the images, and for some reason this couple held a sad attraction for me.

When I inquired who they maybe I was told by the original owner's descendants that they believed the couple were in fact the owner's (who had just passed on at age 100) grandparents, but had no real idea as to who they were, their names, or even where the photo may have been taken. They speculated it may have been England.

The only clue I have to its origin is a stamp at the bottom of the photo. It reads Davis & Lloy (probably Lloyd) Photos, I also purchased a few items that were definitely hand-made in Ireland so this couple may in fact be Irish?

Any thoughts, or ideas on where they may have come from or a date would be much appreciated. I do think they may be Edwardian, and if they were the owner's grandparents this photo may date to the turn of the century.

Happy H.O.T. day and thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For more Heads Or Tails please click here.

My Mom's birthday recently passed by, and whenever our family gets together for special events like this we always end up reminiscing about past good times. I guess most families are like that.

We were fortunate growing up in that we have close relatives living along the US eastern coastline, so as a family we often travelled throughout the states that border the American coast, such as New York, Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts where we have many extended family members, and friends.

Occasionally we would fly for vacation, but more often than not we would take road trips in my Dad's old LTD Ford station wagon with the wood panelling. If you were a child of the 70s like me you should definitely remember those lol!

My Dad is long passed away now, but those memories, and things to do in Boston, and other fun cities have never left me. One thing I would like to do with my own kids when the funds are available is visit the Boston Museum of Fine Arts which you can get a great deal on admissions in combination with other great Bostonian tourist sites via Trusted Tours & Attractions. If you are unfamiliar with this travel website, they provide online travel guides for all the major tourist destinations in the USA. These guides are highly informative, and can save you big bux $$$$ on your vacation plans. Check out their things to do in Los Angeles pages, and you'll see what I mean about combining great touring opportunities to see everything you want to, while saving big dough. The latter then being able to be spent on souvenirs.

Also if you sign-up for their free travel newsletter before the end of July 2008 you can win $150 bux worth of Itunes! How cool is that!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

When is the last time you laughed so hard it hurt? And what was so funny?

They say laughter is the best medicine, but to be quite frank since becoming ill with Graves Disease I have not been in too much of a mood for laughter, and humour. Perhaps my "funny bone" is broken, but I cannot remember the last time I laughed so hard it hurt.

Cheers!
Sue
XOXO

Next weekend I will be out of town, and away from my computer. My sister, dear friend, and I are taking all of our girls for a camp out. It will be a lovely three days, and two nights chillin' with my girls, hanging out at the beach, and telling spooky stories around a camp fire. This will also be a great opportunity for some female bonding.

I will post some pics when we get back, and will hopefully have some summer fun stories to tell you about on the blog.

Happy BYB Sunday, and thank you for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Keeping with this week's theme I will be interested to see what you all think. The only hint I will give is that hubby took this pic.

Happy photo hunting, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Next Week's Theme: hanging

Tags:

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters

When I came across this image I had to admit that it looks like this fella or gal was told a really good joke!

I love the way animals can be so expressive at times. Both of our dogs smile, and even laugh on occasion!

Happy H.O.T. day and thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For more Heads Or Tails please click here.

Image Credit: Wiki

Today my blessing is the acceptance, and tolerance of all peoples, beliefs, and cultures that my parents instilled in us. I was reminded of this yesterday when reading Matthew's blog entry on a blogger who decided to use the Thursday Thirteen meme to push their own anti-Muslim agenda. I came across this blogger weeks ago with a similar meme making fun of Muslim names, and how the average American does not name their baby Mohamed according to some highly questionable statistics they dragged up. No, sadly I'm not kidding.

My niece, her husband, and their daughter are Muslim, and you can bet this blogger offends me. And oh yes, am I ever grateful for Canadian anti-hate laws a side blessing I suppose....the real blessing though is acceptance.

My acceptance even extends to this blogger, and includes pity for his obvious hate filled world. Thanks to the wisdom and blessing of my Mom and Dad I don't have to share it.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

The image you see above is one of my favourite photograhs of my sister, and my niece. I feel this photo illustrates this week's theme "support" beautifully.

Happy photo hunting, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Next Week's Theme: What IS that??

Tags:

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters

I know I have been a bad blogging buddy lately. I have not followed up on most of my comments here, nor have I been participating in a lot of my favourite memes like Thursday Thirteen or H.O.T. because of fatigue.

Hopefully with the adjustment made this Wednesday in my medication I will be back to my old self again, blogging, and commenting up a storm!

I do want you to know that I have been following my favourite bloggers, and blogs regularly even if I do not comment as much as before, and I want to take the opportunity to give you guys, and gals some props for keeping me reading, thinking, and entertained even while I've been sick with this wretched autoimmune disorder.

If you are not already reading these you should be.

The Spicy Cauldron

The Yellowdog Granny

Mary's Madness

My Crazy Life With A Toddler

Christie St. Martin @ LA Times

Cafe At The End Of The Universe

Just wanted to give you all some linky loving as my way of saying how much I appreciate you all.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

I was at the hospital earlier this week for blood tests, and my monthly visit with the specialist. I have been feeling crappy the last couple of weeks so it was no surprise to me when the doc told me I was hyperthyroid again. I am back on the higher dosage of medication, and provided my liver doesn't react poorly I should be feeling better in a few days.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

I recently had my eyes examined, and because of the Grave's disease it was totally covered by O.H.I.P one of the perks of being Canadian eh!

Thankfully the Graves has not affected my eyes or my vision, but my prescription has changed, and I think its time for a new look in eye-wear for Sue. Inspired by the latest series of Doctor Who I'm looking to purchase a pair of "brainy" specs like the ones David Tennant wears when he wishes to look super smart.

ZenniOptical.com has oodles of pairs that would fir the bill, and are very cheap! You can grab frames from as little as $8.00 bux because you are buying direct from the manufacturers, and not dealing with middlemen.

You can check them out further here: Zenni on Fox They have also been talked about on other media as being a great way to save big bux on prescription eye-wear.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

I was raised to be Atheist, and because of that certain people within my life find my fascination with Angels a touch odd. I collect angel themed items, and they are scattered about our home, mixed in with the gargoyles, sci-fi action items, and other assorted bric-a-brac. I also like to photograph angel statues whenever I have the opportunity.

This entry is for both my Tuesday and Wednesday editions of WW Thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Bridal Showers certainly have changed since I last planned one for my younger sister's wedding back in the mid 90s. And yes regular zoo readers that marriage ended in divorce, but I digress.....

Today I want to talk a bit about wedding showers, which should always be a fun, and unique experience for the person being honoured in my opinion. My own personal taste when it comes to these types of parties is posh or very elegant.

I love to fuss with the finer details....but my idea of a great bridal shower, may not be yours, nor reflect the bride-to-be's own ideas on what would be the ultimate shower party. Therefore it may be a really good idea to consult an online resource such as Celebrations.com that can help you put together the perfect bridal shower event to suit every budget, and taste. I was surfing through their website this morning, and I found several very cool articles on planning Jack & Jills, Bachlorettes, and even the more traditional showers. They have suggestions, and expert advice on everything from themes, to flowers, invitations, give-aways...the works!

Above is a pink poker chip from the Ladies Poker Party theme, something I would have never thought of in regards to a bridal shower before, but can you imagine how well this would work with a female card shark! It would definitely be a memorable event that would reflect something she might view as a fun part of her own life.

The Celebrations.com is very easy to use, and definitely worth checking out if you are planning on putting together a bridal shower or other type of party as they have great ideas for baby showers, engagements too. You can have a look at the articles, check out videos, lots of photos to give you even more ideas, and a community blog. Membership is free.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Thank you to my sponsor.

My middle daughter, and her boyfriend a blessing to their families, and each other. They were voted the "Cutest Couple"

Happy BYB Sunday, and thank you for stopping by my little space on the web.

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Welcome to my 7th edition of Camera Critters here at the Urban Zoo.

Wilson is a miniature schnauzer who is three years old. "Willie" as I call him belongs to my middle daughter a.k.a The Lawyer. He is a fun little guy that loves other animals, and is very good with small kids despite being quite wee himself.

Thank you for stopping by, and have a great week ahead!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

For more great Camera Critters please visit here.

The image you see above is a photograph of some graffiti I came across this past Canada Day. Normally I despise tagging, which looks like trashy scribbles, and usually costs the taxpayers for the clean-up. However, this in my opinion is art. For the purpose of this meme I am dubbing my photo "The Pointed Sword"

Happy photo hunting, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Next Week's Theme: support

Tags:

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunters

I was searching my mind for a good idea for this week's TT and I couldn't help, but realise it falls into the same week as both Canada Day, and the U.S.A Independence Day holidays. Since I am a Canadian I thought I would list some things that absolutely define Canada. Here goes:

1. Maple Leaf

2. Hockey Lord Stanley's Cup

3. Our Canadian flag

4. The Beaver

5. Canadarm

6. Canada Day

7. Peacekeeping

8. Pierre Trudeau

9. Universal health care

10. Niagara Falls

11. The Rocky Mountains

12. Canadian Constitution/ Charter of Rights/Bill of Human Rights

13. Tim Hortons

Happy TT, and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my American readers a very happy, and safe Fourth of July long weekend!

I will be away most of Thursday, but will reply asap to all comments left here, and visit your own TT lists as soon as I get back to my computer.

Cheers!
Sue
XOXOX

If you heart being a Mom blogger then you have got to check out this blog called Mom Colors that I was looking at this morning. The blogger is providing bracelets that have specific messages about being a Mom blogger like the example I have added above. When worn not only are you telling the world that you are a proud blogger, but it is a great little conversation piece to boot. My bracelet color is definitely red!

Click here to find your Mom Colors!

Cheers!
Sue
XOX

Today I am combining entries of my Wordless Wednesday "Tuesday & Wednesday" editions, plus Canada Day wishes for my fellow Canadians

And yes, it is just as pretty on the inside.

Happy Canada Day! Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Cheers!
Sue
XOXOX

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Image Credit: Wiki