Tuesday night after work.....

MARK: "Hey, there's a letter from the C.R.A. for you on the counter"

ME (in a voice very similar to Dr. Evil): "Dear Cara, you owe us 1 million dollars"

MARK: "Well?"

ME: "It's a cheque! For 72 bucks!"

MARK: "Sweet, dinner's on you"



This weeks challenge: always look on the bright side!

I have a dream...

Mark and I every once and a while talk about who we would have at a dinner party if we could invite anyone. There are always categories: dead, alive, male, female, for fun, for an opportunity to learn.

I have a new celebrity crush right now on Josh Gates. I like his show, he has a sense of humour and reminds me a lot of Mark (I'm pretty sure that's why I like him so much).

In my dream last night, Mark and I were at some sort of convention, Josh Gates was there and when we asked him if he would come to our fictitious diner party, he said no!! In a dream, to a pretend party...he said no.

Seriously?

I may have to examine what this means. I'll invite him only one more time and then well...his loss.

A Dear Gym letter

Oh..... hi Gym. Wow, this is awkward. It's been a long time hasn't it. Oh really, that long eh? Well, I'm sure that I can find a million reasons for not being around. I've been busy, you know how it is. You look good. Strong and fit. Me? I've been better. I thought of you the other day when the elevator was not working and I had to walk the 5 flights of stairs. I thought about napping between the fourth and fifth floors, but I made it.

Gym, I want you to know that I strongly dislike you and yet enjoy your company at the same time. We have a very serious love / hate relationship at this point. I have a good time when I'm with you but when you call, seriously...voice-mail!! I feel energized and refreshed after visiting with you, and yet there are things that we need to talk about. Like the other day when I spent an hour with your friend Emily, who teaches the step class. By Thursday I could barely walk, my calves hurt so bad. There were tears when I realized that I had to walk up the stairs to the apartment. What is up with that?

As much as I try to blame you for where I'm at right now, I know that I have to own my fair share of the responsibility. If I had made more of an effort to maintain our friendship over these last few months, I know that there would be none of this painful awkwardness we're experiencing. But I'm back Gym, and I know that we will get past it. We'll get to know each other again and eventually be the best of friends.

See you tomorrow Gym, and hey....thanks for being there.

Cara

Whatta Man, Whatta Man, Whatta mighty good man

Sadly, This only makes me love him more.

No reason for this.

Not Halloween.

Just because.

Shortly after this awesome, awesome picture was taken, the "Hitler" became the new fad a stayed that way for the rest of the day. Through drive thru's and visiting friends.

Love you Honey.

creature of habit

hab⋅it
–noun
1.an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary: the habit of looking both ways before crossing the street.

2.customary practice or use: Daily bathing is an American habit.

3.a particular practice, custom, or usage: the habit of shaking hands.

4.a dominant or regular disposition or tendency; prevailing character or quality: She has a habit of looking at the bright side of things.


Whether good ones (buckling up) or bad ones (speeding) , I am a creature of habit .

It took me 20 some odd years to stop biting my nails. My mom tried to pay me a quarter a day for every day I didn't. This meant a poor childhood and my first job at 11 years old (picking raspberries - most of which I ate resulting in a pitiful amount of money at the end of the week but I remember waving around my $8.00 paycheck like I had just won the lottery - 8 BUCKS!! I was loaded).

I was talking with one of our amazing practice members the other day and we were both lamenting that we had a million unfinished projects in our homes. Her ceiling remains almost all painted while the 15 beautiful picture frames I bought a year ago are completely empty (there are currently no pictures in our house to prove that Mark and I actually live there).So how can this creature of habit never stick to anything?

WAIT! I think I'm having an epiphany - maybe not following through is a habit in itself!! It's the very definition of irony!! So how do I break this pattern? By finishing one project before starting another? Finishing what I've already started? By never starting anything ever again?

Studies show that it takes a minimum of 21 days for anything to become a habit. This means 21 days of going for a run, 21 days of not biting my nails, 21 days of having a proper meal before I dive into the bowl of popcorn.I can stick to anything for 21 days, the key is consistency. I think I'll start with finishing current projects.

Now, if you'll excuse me... I have to go and mail last years birthday cards.

Be Well.

all that's missing....

Ever have one of those days when all that's missing is the toilet paper on the bottom of your shoe?

Mine happened the first week of January. Right after I made all those resolutions.

(I didn't actually make resolutions but I did write down what I want for myself, friends and family in the year 2010. Rather than the forceful: I WILL stop having popcorn for dinner, I wrote something like: I see myself maintaining a balanced diet that includes popcorn as a treat not a food group).

The first 3 that I wrote for myself included:

I see myself walking with confidence
No longer am I motivated by what people think
I am maintaining a consistent exercise / running routine

Monday, January 4th

• I feel fantastic.

Tuesday, January 5th.

• wake up late
• run out the door with a coffee but without breakfast
• very ungracefully get out of the car, spilling the contents of my purse on to the seat
• walk across the street (this is the only thing that was easy that day)
• trip UP the stairs outside of the Landmark Towers during the busiest part of the day
• try to prevent myself from falling on my face, twist and re-injure my back, which prevents me from running for another 2 weeks
• spend the rest of the day feeling sorry for myself and thinking that it was foolish of me to assume that things would change
• did I mention I chipped my new coffee cup during my spectacular fall?

So, what's the lesson? Nothing changes overnight. I will be faced with obstacles and situations that will seem insurmountable. I have two options:

A) Stare at these overwhelming situations and think, here we go again, nothing ever changes and then give up.

OR

B) Recognize this as an opportunity to get up, dust off and walk confidently even after a fall. Realize that people care more about if you are o.k. rather than making fun of the fact that you fell in the first place. Come to the conclusion that running will still be there in two weeks and I've always wanted to try yoga. And....a chipped coffee cup is an valid reason to get a new coffee cup.

I choose B.

Felis Navidad!!

O.K.

So I'm sure that if you look back on the entries I've made, you'll read (many times) how I say- "next time it won't be so long before I write...I promise I'll do better....I'll write more often".



So.....anyways.



The last few months we have been blessed with so many adventures!!! There was the Dominican Republic with the Chiropractors with compassion team. That was an amazing trip. It was not planned, in fact, we had to make the decision to go in about 2 hours. The stress that caused me (no $$ - prior commitments - no $$) was well worth the reward. I left feeling like I didn't have enough arms to hold, hug and play with these kids.



There was the NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK concert!! We took to calling it the old men on pension tour, but I was wrong. The concert was really good. I didn't see them when I was fifteen and I'm glad I did now. That was in November and my ears have NOT stopped ringing!! The endless shrieking from both 15 and 35 year-olds alike was heard in space- I'm sure. Mark (who was one of 13 guys there) and I sat next to a girl who was "15 and, like my friend is 16 and we're, like super excited". I asked if they knew who the New Kids were and she said that she did but only after she researched them on the Internet. I told her that if she needed to know any of the dance moves from the early 90's, I could, like, totally show her. Mark entertained himself by trying to copy all of the back-up dancers moves.



My husband turned 36 this year and wanted to spend the day at the zoo. We saw hippos, giraffes, zebras (oh my). There was a encounter at the Orangutan enclosure as one of the big orangutans was insistent on looking in Mark's ears She would tap on the glass when she was finished with one ear and wanted to look in the other(which Mark happily endured).



Then...Cuba was cancelled.


Seriously. Cancelled.


There was a change of date for the flight, which we could not do, so we (Mark) searched and re- booked us to the Mayan Riviera- Again. And we had a fabulous time - Again.


We are back now, slightly bitter, and after 36 hours are ready for our next vacation.


I'll leave you with some pictures of the zoo and Mexico and I promise I'll write more often in the future. No, No...seriously...I mean it this time.















Happy New Year Everyone!!

4 more months

It's done.
It's booked.
Cuba.

After a look of "have we just met? Do you know who you are talking to?" shot at my husband for his suggestion of "Happy Pete's" Bed and Breakfast, we have settled on a beautiful resort - Rio del Sole y Mares in Honguin, Cuba. There's sand, rum, beach, a pool, rum, a late night snack bar, rum....

We leave Dec 19th and arrive back in Vancouver Dec 26th. Sadly we're not spending the holiday with our families this year and will have to console ourselves with...more rum. (Insert Pirates of the Caribbean joke here). I have never been to Cuba and am looking forward to it. I understand that it is on the Atlantic, but the water and the beaches are amazing none the less. Looking at the this picture makes all the pain of my workouts absolutely worth it. Who cares if my legs are shaking so bad I can't use the clutch and drive the 2 KMs home in first gear? It will all be worth it as I lay on the Cuban beach. Oh, yeah sure, there are health benefits, but right now - it's all about the beach.

Let us know if you need anything. Vanilla and yes, of course, Rum.

4 Months and 23 Days Later.....

Hello Everyone.

I first must apologize for being a lazy blogger. Oh, I had opportunities- I just didn't. No fancy reasons, excuses or tales of me being way too busy. I just didn't.

Over the last 4 months a few things have happened.

I attended The Swellegant Awards. A little known, but soon to be well known group called The Art of Delusion, hosted an improv awards ceremony in Penticton on June 21st. Consisting of Conrad Burek, Jay Martens and (my personal favorite) Mark Reinelt, The Art of Delusion put on a great show. Mark and I have been together for 11 years and I still am blown away by the talent, skill and passion he has for this. He did an amazing job-they all did. Funny, Funny guys.

I have joined Surge Fitness. Run by Chris Stratis, it is a short but powerful workout. Each day you focus on 3 different muscle groups. You work HARD (for 30 seconds) on each exercise and then rest for 2 minutes. You do this 3-4 times for 1/2 hour four days a week.

The only thing that doesn't hurt on my body is my hair. I sneezed on Tuesday and was pretty sure that I needed medical attention. It will all be worth it for when we go to....

CUBA!! Mark and I have decided that we are going somewhere warm for the Christmas holiday. I have over 2 weeks off in December and the library is closed so we are making plans. Cuba is in first place, with a Caribbean cruise following closely in second. Conrad and Jo are thinking of joining us and to warm up we have been perfecting the art of the mojito. (A lovely little drink consisting of rum, club soda, sugar and mint). Very Refreshing!!

And of course where would we be without a concert!! (ask Mark this question and you will definitely get a different answer). In November we are going to go see....The New Kids on the Block!!!! C'mon. You all know that you sang along and were in love with Jordan Knight just like I was. Mark is thrilled. He got the tickets for me for my birthday and as luck would have it the actual concert falls on November 21, which is HIS birthday. Everyone wins!!

We are now all up-to-date and will try to make entries consistently in the future. Happy Summer to everyone, I'll leave you with some pictures from Linden Gardens in Kaleeden. Definitely worth the trip!!

Happy Valentine's Day, I got you a.....

BANJO!!!

February starts out like EVERY February. I say to Mark, "Valentine's Day-no gifts- really no gifts, cards or anything". He says, " O.K. but I kinda already got you something, well... not just for you, it's more for US. I only hope that it's here by then!!"

Dread. Fear. Cautious anticipation.

I am running late for our after work dinner date, racing into the house, when I am stopped dead in my tracks by the lovely? twangy sounds of a banjo coming from the next room.

What do I do next? Do I flee? Obviously some one has broken into the house and is sitting in the living room playing the banjo, because (if you've been keeping up) we all know that it CANNOT be my husband.

But it is.

"I'm serenading you", he says proudly, looking like a kid at Christmas. "Happy Valentine's Day!"
I'm very proud to say that he has purchased himself a very nice banjo and is currently learning (Banjo's for Dummies) how to play. And, although the "song" that he played for me on that very first night wasn't anything I could recognize, I expect big, big things for this handsome musician.

Thank you Sweetheart, Happy Valentine's Day to you to.

Just your average rat-pack-turned-accordian-playing birthday party

It was Conrad's birthday recently and Mark an I were invited to a "rat-pack" party. Lately, Mark and Conrad have been revisiting and enjoying the hijinks and shenanigans of the late greats: Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, and of course the legendary Dean Martin.

This is how it started-Mark goes to Value Village to put the finishing touches on the Tuxedo look he has going on, picks up some fake cigarettes (because ALL the cool cats somked back then), finds a big, round, short glass to drink his brown liquour from and were off to Penticton.

When we arrive, Joanne (looking as gorgeous as ever, and Mark looking EXACTLY like Deano after one-too-many) has everything set up so nice. Amazing appetizers, candles and Frank playing in the background as everyone arrives looking stunning in their cocktail attire.

NOTE: For those of you who are unaware of the musical talents of my husband, please refer back to the famous "recorder-off" in December.

Linda and Niko brought in the most bizarre aray of musical instruments I have ever seen
anyone carry around in a car including a mandolin and then, Well....

Yes. This is Mark. Banging the crap out of a pot with a wooden spoon. Joanne was nice enough to give him a wisk as well, so that he could make different sounds. That didn't last long.

Happy Birthday Conrad. We love you.

The Coles Notes version....

I realize as I sign on, that the last post was Oct 14th. So here is a brief description of What's New with the Reinelt's.....

We were kindly invited to Cheryl and Jason's Halloween party this year and most of you know we went as Dog the Bounty hunter and Beth (his wife). Shortly there after the real Dog was outed for saying very bad things about his son's girlfriend. A similar incident happened a couple of years ago when Mark dressed up as the Scottish guy from the beer commercials....who was arrested very soon after for having inappropriate pictures on his computer. Hmmm, Mark and I have decided that we are no longer dressing up as famous people for any function of any kind.

We took a trip to Seattle on the 30th of November. We went to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. For all of you out there who enjoy Christmas carols and LOVE 80's hair band rock music, this is THE concert for you!! (I loved it). The trip home was in the ridiculous snow storm and there were some white knuckles on the steering wheel that night I can tell you.

WE (I) put the Christmas decorations up.....

And our next adventure took us to Leavenworth, WA on a bus tour with our very good friends, Conrad and Jo and 20 other passengers whose collective age totalled 1400. We had a great time and Leavenworth is beautiful. It's a small Bavarian (or as Donna called it -Barbarian) town overflowing with Christmas spirit. The Campbell's Resort Lodge in Lake Chelan is where we stayed and it was really nice.

The trip started with a stop at the duty free and then some shopping where the girls picked up sippy cups to hold the contents of what was bought at the duty free, and the boys picked up paper and pens for a new game we like to call "motion sickness pictionary" and recorders. Yes. Recorders. The recorder-off at the end of the night was somethin' else!!

My sides hurt from laughing, the conversations went from deep and thoughtful to stupid and ridiculous and everyone had a great time.

We love our friends Conrad and Jo. Mostly Jo.

And finally- I quit my job!! Too many reasons to list here as this is already too long, but I've started at a new place call Summit Chiropractic and after one part-time week, LOVE it. A very positive change for me and definitely in the direction I want to go. Focusing on proactive rather than reactive health care. Come on in anytime!!

So, that's all for now. Hopefully I'll be back before another 2 months go by.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

a little inspiration

The past couple weeks I've been trying to get up early and go for a walk.

Every morning I really don't feel like it.

Every morning the bed is so warm and comfy.

Every morning it's a chore to actually get out of bed.

However, once I'm outside...

There's no one else around,

There's a crisp breeze that wakes me up,

There's a different color on every tree,

And I say to myself, why didn't I do this yesterday?

Allow me to introduce myself...

My name is Cara Reinelt.

For those of you who know me well, my name is Cara Simpson Reinelt


For those of you who know me very well, my name is Cara Symonds Reinelt


and For those of you who know me better than anyone (mom) my name is Cara Simpson Symonds Simpson Reinelt (there is a story behind that, and in no way does it involve the law).

I like food.

A LOT

If I have a good day- I'll treat myself to something sweet because I've earned it.

If I have a bad day- I'll have some unhealthy (but very tasty) comfort food and then I'll have something sweet because I've earned it.

My favorite is any simple carbohydrate of any kind. If I could have a sandwich made of potato, rice, bread and pasta with a side order of popcorn...it would be a perfect day, and that would deserve another treat!!

Before leaving Germany, I made the very grave error of stepping in the scale.

The Result?









'nuf said.


Another thing about me...
I don't usually like drawing very personal attention to myself.
So this is how it's going to go...


ME?
I've decided to work really hard to not eat my potato, rice, pasta and popcorn sandwiches and lose 50lbs. (okay, just writing that number down and putting out there for the world - and I do mean world because I googled myself yesterday and I actually come up several times thanks to this blog - to see, makes me slightly nauseated).



YOU?
you won't mention any thing about it.

Just knowing that you know will be enough.




So there you go. Just before Thanksgiving and Halloween and Christmas, I've decided to swear off simple sugars and starch. I don't think that's the only swearing I'll be doing.

only 1334 more pictures to go....

If a one picture says a thousand words....

then we have about 1,354,000 things to say.