america's first canada d'eh

happy thursday friends! if you're like me you're getting your fixin's ready for your fourth of july celebrations tomorrow. however, if you're just plain old american, this is the only patriotic celebration you get this week (i'm just bitter i don't have my greencard yet). you see, on tuesday, being july 1st, i got to celebrate one of the best holidays of all, canada day!

canada day was extra special to me this year for many reasons. being away from your homeland really makes you appreciate it that much more. but aside from that, what was really special about it was my awesome friends who went totally red and white without the blue for the day. it was extremely sweet, and for their first time celebrating canada, they didn't do too shabby!

you know when something happens that just makes everything perfect and you know it happened for a reason? that's how my day started off when on my jog a cyclist passed me wearing a canadian jersey. i was so excited i literally screamed after him, "hey!!!! happy canada day!!!" to which he replied, "happy canada day to you too!" i don't ever smile while jogging, but i definitely did after that encounter #canadadaymiracle. 

the rest of the day, of course, rocked.  the ever helpful and dear colin helped me with the food side of things. as shameful as it is, i had never attempted to make caesers OR poutine before. the caesers were a little on the salty side, but everyone smiled through them... why can't it always be canada day? the poutine on the other hand was bomb. maybe the best poutine i've ever had!

for my confused american friends: caesers are like bloody marys except way better (unless i make them), and poutine is a dish originating from quebec that consists of french fries, beef gravy, and cheese curds. i highly suggest trying one or both. look at the americans loving this poutine up! just don't call it putin cause that's rude ;)

colin MADE that shirt. what a stud^

we also made a drink appropriately called the maple leaf, however i had never heard of it until google the other day, so can't take too much canadian credit on that one.

throughout the event we listened to a canadian only playlist (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaBfEtFU1LZBLYbeOSXJlBnKYWd4iZAxi), and after eating i delightfully hosted a little quiz. although it didn't fulfil my childhood dreams created from watching 'talking to americans' with rick mercer, i still label it as delightful, due to answers like "27 provinces" or "rob ford" for prime minister. oh and the loonie toonie concept? canada just blew america's mind.

next up was the inuks(h)uk building contest. i know i know, but i found it on pinterest and everyone seemed to have a lot of interest! told you my friends are champs.

image on the left is from http://www.inukshukgallery.com/inukshuk.html. i'd say me and tommy's were almost comparable....

some people had more troubles, gave up too fast, or just got hungry. 

at some point someone suggested beer run, and i had to prove how long it takes me to drink a quarter cup of beer (didn't bother with the molson, there's lot of cheap beer here too #sorrynotsorry). though rumour has it the game was invented by a trio of cali boys (coughtedstevenickcough), we dubbed it canadian just cause. things bitterly ended after the stephen harpers won against the canadia's by like a second. i'm not a beer game kinda girl (canadian stereotype ruined), but this game is much more about running, throwing, and encouraging yelling than beer.

later that night in the hot tub i told the california children tales of how my friends and i would roll in the SNOW in our BATHING SUITS before jumping in the hot tub. they were fascinated. although there's something to be said about people who insist on hot tubbing when it's 25 degrees celsius outside.

if independence day turns out to be anything like tuesday, i'm in for a treat. i hope i can provide as much fun for my new country as my friends did for canada :)

till next time,

-teen