Nothing eventful really happened last weekend - relaxed a lot, saw Matt's sister Megan and boyfriend Jeff for a few hours on Saturday - I curled her hair all pretty for a bat-mitzvah they were attending later on in the evening, and wrote thank you cards.  Very exciting.

This weekend was more productive, but most of it to do with house hunting, including meeting with a mortgage broker and real estate agent (see house hunting blog), and wandering around Liberty Village.  Visited West Elm and "For the love of Cake" and got a yummy cupcake each.  Saturday Matt went to Real Sports to watch the game with his brother while I marked and cut out design inspiration from my large pile of decor magazines (again, very exciting).  Today so far we have done some more relaxing, watched "Evil Dead" - wow - it was bad, and are making pulled pork poutine for dinner - so decadently good!  Planning on watching Friday the 13th and possibly the Rocky Horror Picture Show (inspiration from Glee this week) as well.

The weekend seemed nice and long and stretched out - which is rare.  Still a nice evening to go!

Last weekend Matt and I, along with both sets of parents, went to Niagara from Saturday to Sunday.  The parents went up early and enjoyed walking around Niagara on the Lake and lunch.  Matt and I headed up there later.  We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Niagara on the Lake which was lovely and simple and a good price for one night.  We had booked a wine tour and dinner with Niagara Getaways a few weeks before.  Our driver was Nancy, who was nice, but the main tour guide (who  we met up with at the various locations, we had a private car for the 6 of us), Gary, was incredible! So full of Niagara wine facts and information - it was wonderful.  He told us that the couple that started and own Niagara Getaways are married and are named Kathleen and Matt as well - such coincidence!

We did two more tours than the main group in the beginning.  We started at Konzelmann, and had a great bartender who told us all about tasting wine.  Although we have each been on wine tours before, it's nice to learn new things from new people about drinking wine.  They had some nice wine, although I did not enjoy the peach wine they made.  

Our second stop was Palantine Hills Estate, which was simple but had great wine.  Our bartender did a competition for tasting an unknown wine and I won!  I guessed the 2007 Chardonnay from a list of about six!  As a prize, I got to taste their Cab-Sauv ice wine (which sells for $100!), which was absolutely delicious!

Our third stop was Jackson-Triggs, where we met up with the larger group.  We did a tour in the vineyard itself, and got to taste some of the very sweet grapes that were still on the vine for last harvest and ice wine.  The regular wine grapes have mostly been picked already.  2010 is shaping up to be a great wine season because it was hot and dry, with just the right amount of rain.  I'm excited to try some of these wines next year.  We also got to tour the fermenting area and all the equipment, and the barrel cellar.  The dinner they had down there for another tour smelled delicious - I would love to eat down there another time!  We had a great tasting once again, and by this time, we were all feeling good!  We bought some Gwerztraminer ice wine there.

Our fourth stop was Hillebrand, where Matt and I have been before.  They have a great red wine, simply called "Red" which is a Bordeaux blend of three grapes.  They also have a good simply called, yep, you guessed it, "White" which is a blend of five grapes.  Matt got a few bottles of those!

Our last stop was at Peller Estate, which Matt and I have been to as well.  We did another tasting, and we got to sample their great sparkling wine, and were definitely ready for dinner by then!  

Dinner was in Niagara on the Lake at a place called The Epicurean, where we had a few choices on the menu.  Matt and I both had lamb, and we shared a salad and creme brulee to start and finish.  All in all it was a really nice way to say thank you to our parents for helping us with the wedding, and to just be together with the two families.

Sunday we had brunch at one of the hotels called Pillar and Post, and we walked around Niagara on the Lake.  A very nice little town.  Lots of expensive shops and galleries, plus bakeries and hotels.  The weather was warm and sunny all weekend so it was perfect!

Here are some pictures of our weekend together:

Don't get this wrong anyone - I love you all and am so grateful for your attendance to the wedding, for your gifts, for your support, but I am so dreading writing so many thank you cards.  Sorry for the delay! :p

Supposedly they do not like the idea of the Canadian branch interfering in their work, even if they do need the help!  Yay I get to keep my husband home (but sort of sad I don't get to visit Brazil in March)!

3rd attempt to write this post - it keeps refreshing and deleting.  Fingers crossed!

Friday evening Matt and I headed to the cottage, didn't hit a lot of traffic, and talked all evening with his family when we got there (parents, Meg & Jeff, and momma).  Went to bed EXHAUSTED and slept wonderfully due to the fresh air clearing the sinuses.  Luckily Matt went golfing with his dad on Saturday morning, so I got to sit by the fire with a blanket reading the 3rd Stieg Larsson book - wonderful!  The rest of the day was spent helping prep dinner, making an incredible appetizer - savoury panniers (from the Barefoot Contessa - Back to Basics Cookbook), drinking wine, and chatting away.  Mardi, Tony, and Connor (who is now 6) came over for dinner as well and we played around with him for a bit.  Had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner which was lovely.  Sunday morning Matt made pumpkin pancakes - considering I do not like pumpkin stuff, I was very surprised how much I loved these (from the October Men's Health). 

We left before noon on Sunday to head to see my family about an hour and a half south (but still north of the city).  My dad's side is pretty big so we got to see a lot of family.  So nice to hear sweet comments about how fun the wedding was and what a great time they all had - you can never get enough of those kind words, let me tell you!  Caught up with the relatives, and played with my little cousins.  They tend to be scared of me at first because they don't remember who we all are, but eventually warm up when we tickle them and chase them around - it works!  The boys mostly played "police", which ended up with them writing tickets on everyone's cars, and arresting me multiple times (not sure why), and holding me to a tree.  They eventually ran Matt and me out of town, which really meant we left.  Before that, however, another Thanksgiving meal and lots of chatting away. 

Monday Matt and I spent most of the morning watching Season 4 of Dexter - we have 4 episodes left - it's so good!  I am SO addicted!  We headed to my parents' place that evening, and after convincing them that day 3 of turkey dinners would be overkill, they also ordered Chinese - we had quite a mix of food!  Got to see my grandpa, and uncle, and my brother and Jessica!  Great to catch up with a smaller crowd.

Was sad to head back to work on Tuesday, but managed to FINALLY get to the gym after work and had a good workout.  I am VERY sore today, and did not go again because of that, and the fact that I had to mark a test and make 2 new tests (which I finished - yay).  Wine tour this weekend with both sets of parents - our wedding gift to them - can't wait!

Got my TY cards from Shutterfly - they turned out GREAT!  Really happy with the printing quality and they were really easy to make.  Plus, I got a 40% off entire purchase coupon that I used.  Yes, I sound like a Shutterfly Ad, but they did a great job!

Now I just have to write 130 thank you notes...it's going to be a busy week!

Ahhhh - I see why all these little cute things were done!

ONE WORD - Brazil.

Maybe more than one word is necessary.  Let's see:  Matt, Brazil, Work, January, 4 months.

*Le sigh*  House hunting on hold, stupid long distance bills, and missing my new husband.  Plus he will miss: our OLD anniversary, Valentine's Day, Family Day (What?  You are supposed to be with FAMILY on this day), My Birthday, March Break, Easter, My Aladdin Musical!

Oh well - there is only so much time for travelling before kids and more responsibility!  May as well make some extra $ using the ex-pat route and put it towards a new house in the spring!

Matt was very sweet last week - here are a few examples:

1. Last Monday I saw the Oreo commercial with the little boy and his dad...then I desperately wanted Oreos.  I proceeded to text Matt since he drives right by Sobey's on the way home and usually stops for stuff.  As I finish texting, he walks in the door.  He asks what I was doing, I told him, and he turned around, walked out the door, and came back 5 minutes later with Oreos (which I told him repeatedly was unnecessary - I only was going to ask him to grab some if he was there anyway).  They were gone 3 days later.

2. I started feeling sick on Thursday, and he kept hovering and asking if I was okay - it was just a cold, but he was very concerned that I was sick and wanted to make me feel better.  It is nice to have your head rubbed when you are all achy and tired!  He also bought me popsicles Friday because my throat was sore, and apple juice, which is a childhood comfort drink when I was sick.  He also got me pretty "get well" harvest flowers.  They turned the water pink which actually is pretty!

3. He went grocery shopping and I didn't have to go, and he didn't call me when he got back to come downstairs and help him carry them up (which I hate doing - condo living at its best)!

Little things that make this marriage great!

OK, so I have neglected the blog.  I`ve been sick and whiny and paying much more attention to all the pictures I got from Joni and Erin instead!  They are now up - not all, but many!  More blog attention tomorrow, I promise!

PS - got thank you cards from Shutterfly in the mail today - now for many, many thanks so I can get them out to my wonderful guests, family, and vendors! :)