A day in the life of....

Motivation

2009-04-14T22:46:00.002-04:00

In the whole midst of me moving I have come across my cd collection and all the mix cd's that I have had in the past. Wow did it bring back some pretty strong memories. I am sure it's the same for everyone; they say a certain smell can bring strong memories back, but the second for me is music!

As I went down memory lane I came across a song that I used to listen to when I needed that extra push or just something to brighten up my day. It reminded me how much I use to lean on music to help motivate me and change my mood. There were many times the door was shut on me and there were many more times where people told me I would never make it, that I had started dance too late and I shouldn't even bother. In the end of I would listen to this song and it would help remember that I love dance and there is a reason why I wanted to do it. Eventually, I got into a college for dance (ballet based at that), then moved on after I graduated to dance professionally and then finally being paid to perform in the States in a steady job.

I think it helps to remember that there are good days when you are on top of the World and then there will be the other days when you just need a boost. Finding the song today reminded me to accept that there will be both of those days and just be ready with a good motivating song when they come.

So that song is "Can't take that away" by Mariah Carey. Not the slow version, I have some crazy dance version of the song that used to really get me moving and dancing around. So here are the lyrics!

They can say,
Anything they want to say,
Try to bring me down,
But I will not allow anyone to succeed
hanging clouds over me,
And they can try Hard to make me feel that I,
Don't matter at all,
But I refuse to falter in what I believe or lose faith in my dreams

'Cause there's,
There's a light in me,
That shines brightly,
They can try,
But they can't take that away from me
From me
No no nooo

Oh they,
They can do
Anything they want to you,
If you let them in,
But they won't ever win,
If you cling to you pride,
and just push them aside,
See I.. I have learned,
There's an inner peace I own,
Something in my soul that they can not possess
So I won't be afraid and the darkness will fade
'Cause there's,
There's a light in me
That shines brightly,
They can try,
But they can't take that away from me
No oh oh,
They can't take this
Precious love I'll always have inside me,
Certainly the Lord will guide me where I need to go
Woah, woah

They can say Anything they want to say,
Try to bring me down,
But I won't face the ground,
I will rise steadily sailing out of their reach,
Oh, Lord, they do try,
Hard to make me feel that I,
Don't matter at all
But I refuse to falter
In what I believe or lose faith in my dreams,

'Cause there's a light in me,
That shines brightly
They can try but they can't take that away from Me
From me
No no nooo
Me

What about you? Do you have a song that always gives you a boost? Or motivates you in some way? Let me know!

Love,
Kendra

Renovations

2009-04-05T11:52:00.002-04:00

It seems like there is a lot going on around here lately lol

So the renovations are at full-speed ahead. So far we have given the kitchen our family and the bathroom a new look and new paint! It's exciting to pick out colours, ideas and themes from scratch. Though I am totally an in-decisive person and you would think when it comes to personal style I would be all over it. But nope! I probably put the most thought into the colour of paint on the walls than anything else right now. With the bathroom I just wanted simple simple simple. Something very bright and cheery!

Also this month was the first time I wrote a letter of intent! It was something that I haven't done before, but I have made it my mission to start submitting more for festivals, etc, etc. So hopefully now that I am back for good I can start writing more submissions and proposals. It's only the beginning of the month and I think there is going to be lots more in store!

Keep checking back for more updates! Check out my classes when you get a chance at: www.kendrahughes.com.

Be well!

Kendra

Happy April Fools Day!

2009-04-01T12:24:00.006-04:00

Wow it's a new month! Time flies when you are having fun! There is so much going on. Today though it is raining out. I can't wait for the sun to arrive! In the meantime I am so happy my class is tonight. I can't think of a better way to spend a rainy day, but to spend it dancing. This is your chance to get out and get your body moving!! If you have never taken a contemporary/modern class before no sweat! This class is open and it's for all levels. Class is at Aurora Live Dance Studios and it starts at 7:00pm. Cost is only $10!! (Cash Only) Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Kendra

www.kendrahughes.com

P.S. Does anyone have any good stories about the pranks that went on today? I got through the morning without any pranks pulled on me *whew*

The Beginning!

2009-03-25T11:05:00.002-04:00

Announcing drop in open Contemporary/Modern classes every Wednesday night!

The first one is tonight March 25, 2009

Where: Aurora Live Studios
392 Queen St E
Toronto, On
When: 7:00 - 8:30pm
Cost: $10 Cash Only!

There's a warm-up, we will work on technique, work across the floor and then a routine.

Come on out and try a class tonight! Ever wanted to dance contemporary? Look to change up your workout routine? This is a great workout! *Not to mention for your core*

I look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,
Kendra

Toronto Aerial Dance Project Fundraiser!

2009-03-14T00:11:00.002-04:00

Hello all!

Come out and support if you are available. It would be good just to see some of you again, since it's been awhile!! Click on this link and hopefully see you soon!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=73632456296&ref=nf

Love,
Kendra

Canada Eh!

2009-03-09T13:47:00.003-04:00

March Madness!!

So I have been home now for a few weeks and I am settling back into the crazy Canadian ways *so much fun!* There is a lot going on. I will let you know of all the happenings that is going on this month. The first news is I am moving into my new home in a week! I am looking forward to decorating and painting. I have never painted a room before, so if anyone has any tips... let me know!!

Between dancing and catching up with family and friends time is flying by! Hopefully, I will get to see each and everyone of you if we haven't caught up already. Let me know about your upcoming shows and events. Stay tuned for more information lots of exciting things are going on!! Pictures of the new house and events to come!

Love,

Kendra

Toronto Contemporary/Modern Classes

2009-03-01T18:43:00.003-05:00

On February 21st I held my first Toronto Contemporary/Modern workshop and it was a success!! I had so much fun and thank you to everyone who attended. I have gotten some really great feedback on the class and questions whether or not I am going to hold more.

I am looking to add a weekly contemporary/modern class. I would love any input. I have also set up a poll on the side of my blog so that you can tell me if you are interested and what days you would be able to make it out for the class. I am really excited about this aspect!! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

Thank you for your time!!!

Love,

Kendra

Koh Lanta

2009-02-02T03:38:00.001-05:00

So after a night in Krabi, we wake up and are frantically trying to call beach bungalows in Koh Lanta because we heard that a tuk-tuk from the pier to where the bungalows are is quite expensive.... BUUTTT if you book a place they come and pick you up at the pier for free! We call right up until the ferry leaves Krabi, but we finally manage to book a bungalow called Kangtienne Bay Resort.

The ferry ride from Krabi to Koh Lanta was packed! It took over two hours to get there, but once we were there we were picked up and taken to the resort. It was nice. The people that worked there weren't very nice, but everything else was pretty good! Our cabin was roomy, but falling apart a little. We were right on the beach and we could swim right there, so we really liked that. Koh Lanta is such a laid back island, not really a party one. We ate both nights at a place called the Drunken Sailor, it is run by two sisters and totally laid back. Great food too!

The day after we arrived we went on a diving day trip with a company called Go Dive Lanta! http://www.godive-lanta.com. We did two dives at a site called Koh Ha and it was the best two dives I have ever done! Our Dive Master was a woman and most of the people on my tour were women too, so for the first time ever when the only male on our trip was out of air, he went up with someone from the company while, the rest of us women swam around for another 20 minutes or so!! I had the longest dives ever, the first one I was down for 61 minutes!! The reef and the fish were amazing! On the second dive we saw an octopus and it changed so many colours for us. I had never seen one diving around before, so I could've stayed there forever watching. I am sure I was a tropical fish in a past life!!

The next day we were off to Koh Phi Phi!! To "The Beach"! I wish we had more time....

Best,
Kendra

Buses, Planes and no trains :(

2009-01-30T07:08:00.003-05:00

So the fastest and pretty much only way to get to Luang Phabang was by local bus that took over 10 hours to get there. Pretty drive, lots of mountains...but it was 10 hours in a bus :D

We were joined by our friends that we made on the jungle trek, once we arrived a Luang Phabang at 9:oopm and the 5 of us set out looking for a guesthouse. None of us had made any reservations and they were all pretty much booked!!! Even when we found one guesthouse that had a room they tried to charge us double, triple the price of a regular guesthouse room. We started to get worried, we must have tried 30 or so guesthouses until we reached one called Spicylao. It was a dormitory style guesthouse and they were charging an okay price, so we took it! Then we had some food and Lisa and went to sleep because we had to catch a plane the next afternoon to Bangkok and we wanted to see some sights!

Early in the morning Lisa and I got up to go see the "Big Buddha" we walked around town and then climbed the 343 steps to see the Buddha and his footprint. It was an awesome view of the Mekong River and all the mountains. It was a nice town! Then we had a little bite to eat and caught our plane with Bangkok Airways. It seemed to be a great flight and very friendly staff. Once we arrived in Bangkok we didn't know how we were going to get from there to Krabi (where we wanted to be). We were hoping to take the overnight train, but even though we were there hours before it left, it was booked FULL!! Lisa was sick and didn't want to sit in another bus for 12 or so hours, so it looked like we were staying a night in Bangkok. We booked a flight for the next afternoon with a travel agent with Thai Airways(super nice airline)!!

We got up in the morning and headed off to do some sightseeing in Bangkok. We went to the Grand Palace and got to see the Emerald Buddha! We also took a longboat tour of the canals and we saw some monitors. Amazing!! Then we caught probably the scariest flight of my life to Krabi. It all went well right until we were gonna land and then we hit some crazy turbulence that I have ever experienced. (I must note that I am not a nervous flyer, it takes a lot to shake me up) We were bounced around quite a bit, I will elaborate at another time. Nevertheless we landed safe and sound (Lisa and I were happy)! We stayed that night in Krabi at the city hotel. It was the start of a week with no hot water :S

Cheers,
Kendra

Trekking in the Jungle

2009-01-28T00:36:00.004-05:00

So Monday morning we set out with our group (which was mostly Canadians amazing!) to the National Park of Nam Ha. Our guide's name was Ket and he was wonderful! We stopping at one of the Akha hilltop tribes to start out journey. Everyone there all gathered around to stare at us, it was interesting. Then we started our climb. I didn't realize at the time, but our hike today would mostly be uphill. We climbed for about 5 hours up the mountain, stopping for short breaks and we had lunch in the middle of the jungle on bamboo leaves. Once we got to the campsite our guides went right away to preparing some yummy dinner while we made a fire. Once night fell there were so many stars!! It was beautiful. Dinner was ready and we ate by candlelight. It was really something! We slept in tents and the noises of the forest didn't keep me awake, I feel asleep immediately.

We woke up the next morning and went on a short hike around the campsite before breakfast and we almost saw some small deer, but they caught wind of us and ran away before we could see. It was a gorgeous hike though. Once we were back and ate breakfast, we packed up and starting our hike back down the mountain. The guide warned us about it being stress full on the knees, but I had no idea until we were almost finished the hike. My knees were killing!

We stayed one more night in Luang Namtha before leaving in a really nice teak guesthouse! So comfy!

Sincerely,
Kendra

Laos

2009-01-24T22:52:00.002-05:00

We traveled 5 hours yesterday to Chang Khan right on the border of Laos. We missed the last ferry across the Mekong River, so we stayed the night in a nice cabin right on the river. Had a yummy dinner in a garden restaurant. I had stir-fry chicken and ginger, yum! This morning we got up early and crossed over to Laos and had no problems. Except now we have to take a local bus instead of the minibus to Luang Namtha. (two hours extra) We have some time to waste, so we aren't too concerned. Tomorrow we are doing a two day trek through a National Park. Gonna be a crazy next few days, but it looks amazing in the pictures! Until then take care!!

Love,
Kendra

Chiang Mai

2009-01-23T08:29:00.003-05:00

So we arrived in the morning after spending the night on the train to Chiang Mai. It is quite a nice city. We are in the quiet part of town, both Lisa and I love it!!!

Coming off the train we meet another girl traveling named Amy from Portland, Oregon. We team together to find a guesthouse. (which is really affordable!) We spend most of the day walking around the old part of Chiang Mai and talk to a Monk for about a half hour. We also had some tourism students come by and ask us a few questions for their assignment. It was really interesting to hear about Buddhism and their life. Then we made our way back to the guesthouse as we had planned to do a cooking class. The name of the cooking school was Bahn Thai!!! (The same name as the restaurant behind my mom's house at home) AMAZING!! We cooked for three hours and made some delicious food! We got to choose 4 dishes. Chiangmai Noodle, Papaya Salad, Green Curry Chicken and Stir fry Prawn with curry. We also made our own Red Curry paste. MMmmMMMM of course we got to taste test after we were done. It was alllllll so good, but the Chiangmai Noodle was my favourite by far!

Today we did a tour where we got to visit some hilltop tribes, see a waterfall and ride an elephant. It was all day long and we are quite tired. At first it was just three of us; Lisa, me and Matthew who is from the UK. First we get to see the elephant camp. We had bought some bananas to feed the elephants and the one we were riding had a baby that followed us. It was so cute. Then we went to the Karen Hilltop tribe and then the waterfall. The water was too cold to swim in, but we took lots of pictures and dunked our feet in. After that we went to another hilltop tribe and then lunch!! Which was some soup and then a rice plate. I don't know what it was called, but it was very good. After lunch we went on a bamboo raft ride that lasted an hour or so and we had a great guide who continuously splashed us with the cold water. At the end I was happy to get into dry clothes again. Lisa and I ate at a vegetarian restaurant tonight where I had Phad Thai for the first time here and it was soooooo good. The restaurant was also a second hand bookstore where I bought "The Client"! I am very excited to read it, it has come highly recommended :D

We are off to Laos tomorrow so I won't be writing for a few days. We are going to go trekking in one of their national parks and then the plan is to fly to Krabi in Southern Thailand. I can't wait for this week. Time is flying!!!

Cheers,
Kendra

A departure from Bangkok

2009-01-22T03:48:00.004-05:00

Lisa has arrived!! We spend a night in Bangkok relaxing and looking at some of the markets and then we are off the next morning!

First we head to the train station for Ayutthaya (Thailand's old capitol) were we stay one night at a place called Tony's Place. It was amazing!! Hammocks everywhere, quiet! Very different to Bangkok. There we rent bicycles and ride around looking at the ruins. It was such a nice day as well. A little scary riding around with all the traffic, but we did alright. I tired some fried chicken with ginger and pepper. I liked it enough, but it's no match for my red curry mmmMMmmmMm.

The morning we wake up and we take our time checking out and we then make our way on the train to Lop Buri to see some monkeys. So exciting!! We get in alright and store our bags so we can roam the city free. We have some navigation problems as I decided to leave my Lonely Planet in my bag at the train station. Lop Buri isn't very big and we find the ruins with the monkeys with a little scenic tour of the city ;) The monkeys were great to watch and be around for a little bit. Then we had a couple of hours to kill before catching the overnight train to Chiang Mai, so we found a night market (which was PACKED!) and sat a little bar, drank some beer, etc. Had a little bite to eat. Then we moved on to the train. All the sleeper cars were sold out, so we sat in second class seats. It was just like sleeping on an airplane :S

Now we are here in Chiang Mai with lots to do and lots to plan, I will write more when I get the chance!!

Love,
Kendra

Lazy Days in Bangkok

2009-01-17T02:54:00.001-05:00

Saturday and I am exhausted. I finally sleep all the way through the night and I am still tired lol
Jet lag is my friend right now. I lay around for the good part of the morning and then I finally get out of bed and get moving!

I book a room for Lisa and I for Monday night as it is their busy season and as I believe I mentioned before it's not quite the easiest to find the cheapest place right off the bat. Then I make my way along the canal to the National Theatre. I have it in my head that I am going to see some sort of live performance tonight. I get to the gates where the theatre is and there are doing some construction and I am not quite sure if it is open to the public or if I can waltz right in. As I am debating at the gate a Thai woman carrying a violin case comes up behind me and says "you can go in". She guides me through all the construction and asks if I want to see a performance and I nod my head. She takes me all around the building until we are in an open park and I find myself "backstage" with all the orchestra, dancers, singers, etc. She points to where some people are sitting on blankets and lets me know that is where I am to sit. Now, I am not about to be impolite, but I wasn't dressed appropriately at all!!! Note: I just thought I would get some information, then return around 8pm for a performance. I currently wearing a tank top, shorts and open-toed sandals (a big no no for theatre). I am not about to be impolite so I go and I sit down. Most Thai people around me are wearing shirts with sleeves and long pants, but I do see the odd farang (word for foreigners) around me that are wearing the same garb. I figure well it's not quite a night performance inside the theatre so I should be alright. My host did come by after a few minutes and let me know I could pick up some food at the stalls on the side. How nice!! I thanked her over and over. Then someone came by selling tickets for the performance and it was 60 cents!

The performance started just before 5pm and I stayed for about 2 hours. It was amazing!! There was traditional Thai dances (one called Khon) with masks and elaborate costumes. There was singing. Some in English they sang "The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Music". Though I am not sure why they chose that one.... It was just what I wanted and needed to see. I took lots of pictures for sure!

At night I decided to be a little more adventurous and order some food that I might not have otherwise. Margaret had suggested I eat Tom Yung Soup (spicy soup) with chicken or shrimp. So I ordered it with shrimp annnnnnnnd it wasn't bad, but not my favourite. So on the side I ordered spring rolls for the first time and O MY GOD!! YUMMY!!!! My favourite by far and will probably have another order today for dinner :D

BTW they do have lots and lots of pizza here.... I haven't tried it yet, but I do want to before I leave. MMMMmMMMMM pizza!

Hope all is well!!

Love,
Kendra

Shopping in Siam

2009-01-16T07:46:00.001-05:00

I decide today is the day to check out the big malls in Siam. Boy did I see some mall! One mall holds a opera theatre, a cinema, and a place called Ocean World (which from the looks of it is just like Sea World) which is located in the BASEMENT!! Crazy. I think I will check it out at the end of my trip, because today was dedicated just to shopping. I walked two malls all day until my feet hurt. At the former mentioned mall they were having some kind of ceremony for the military and at one time they blocked off a part of the mall, I think the King might have been there, but I am not sure. I also got check out a dance studio. I wanted to take a class so badly, but they didn't speak a lot of English and I was informed I could only pay for a month of classes, not just a day :( I ate some delicious sweet and sour chicken with rice though. I love the food here!

Day one in Bangkok

2009-01-15T07:35:00.002-05:00

I wake up for my first morning in Bangkok! Ready early ready to go and walk around. First order of business... find breakfast. I was warned that there are some strange things for breakfast so to ere on the side of caution I stick to a Westerners breakfast. Then I am off to walk around for the day. I check out some different areas of Banglamphu and then I make my way to the canals to start looking at some temples. First one I stop off at is the Temple of Dawn Wat Arun. There is beautiful, probably one of the tallest ones they have I would say. There I walk around and in front of the statue of Wat Arun a Thai man teaches me how to bow properly for good luck. He was very kind. Then there is another area where you can climb one of the parts of the temple. It is very tall and very steep. I only go about half way up as I am afraid of heights :D But the view was amazing!! You could see so much and I took lots of pictures. I was not the only one that decided not to climb all the way and I had much company. lol

The I went across the way to Wat Pro(sp?). To the temple of the reclining Buddha. I had no idea what to expect, but it was very beautiful. It's the 2nd largest in Thailand and what makes it special is the mother of pearl design on the feet. You could only enter from one side and I heard all this clanging on the other side that I couldn't see and I didn't know what was causing it. It turns out that you can make a donation and they give you a cup of pennies(or what would be the same in Thai money) and you put them in all these alms cup lined against the wall. I bought a cup for sure. I try to leave something at every one.

Next I went on in search of another temple where I heard that they do mediation classes there and the Buddha who runs them can speak flawless English. By this time it is quite late in the day around 4pm. I get there and there isn't really anyone around and all the signs are in Thai. I had someone direct me to the Temple, but it wasn't clear where the classes are, so I think I will return another day.

I explore the area a little more and then return to my neighbourhood for some dinner where I take my time, check my email and then go to bed! What a great day!!

Arrive in Bangkok

2009-01-14T07:25:00.001-05:00

Bangkok is great!! I arrive with no problems at 2pm on the 14th and I knew exactly where I wanted to go. I hadn't book a room, but I wasn't worried. I take an Express Bus (the AE2) to get to the end of town where all the backpackers stay. Not entirely the reason why I was going to this particular part of Bangkok, but a part of the allure. I sit beside an older English school teacher named Margaret who had been to Thailand quite a few times before and really helped me out with some pronunications and also some idea of what to order at the food stalls on the street. I was so happy to meet her and have her help me out. Got to our destination under an hour and then it was time to find a place to stay. It wasn't as easy as I hoped, most places were full, but I did manage to find a cheap and clean place to stay. Yay! Bangkok is everything I imagined it to be. It is crowded, but everyone here is very nice. By this time it is 8pm and I am tired. I shower and then I go to bed.
Can't wait to check the place out in the daylight!

Goodnight from Bangkok!

London's Calling

2009-01-13T07:13:00.001-05:00

So I leave for Bangkok on Monday afternoon!! But first I have a 15 hour layover in London at Heathrow. I decide to make a break for it. I only got 1 hour of sleep on the plane ride over... big mistake!! ha ha I sit beside a lovely Scottish lady from Burlington too, what a coincidence!

So we arrive at 6am London time and I rush outta there so fast and head to Green Park station by subway. I am tired, but ready for a crazy day and what a day it was!! I started with Buckingham Palace.. gorgeous!! They had cancelled the changing of the guard because it was wet. It wasn't raining, but it had been all night. That's alright tons to see. I buy a ticket for a hop on, hop off bus tour of London. I hop on and the tour guide is amazing!! I see Big Ben, Parliament Buildings, London Eye, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, where I hop off to walk around and check it out. I spent a couple of hours seeing everything, got to see the family jewels (insert joke here). By the time I am done I am soooooo tired I am dragging my butt around. I think that lunch will remedy the situation and so I get a sandwich at the cafe. Then I hop back on the bus where I promptly fall asleep. I wake up to the bus driver announcing this is the end of the line and couple of older ladies across from me giggling, which makes me think maybe I was snoring. ha ha Then I hop on a different bus to take me to Notting Hill, where I get lost. I had a good idea of where I was so I walked about a half an hour to the next underground station where I take the subway back to the airport. I arrive at the airport and get back in no problems. It is about 5pm and I have so much time before my flight which is good because I find a comfy bench and sleep until about 8pm. lol good times good times.

I load my plane for Bangkok ready to go... can't wait!!

Photo Journal December 13, 2008

2008-12-13T09:45:00.004-05:00

Back to work today! All three shows were packed today, we had a lot of fun! Almost at 1,500 shows! I am sure I will get there before I leave in January. I also got my flight details of when I am coming home. I am looking forward to coming back and seeing all my friends and family, but sad to leave Florida. Coming home also means.... Thailand!! wooo! This photo was taken last night when we went to Universal to see Australia. Surf's up!

Photo Journal December 12, 2008

2008-12-12T09:11:00.002-05:00

I just spent the last two days working and running errands. Today though is my day off and no plans! So I headed over to Sea World (since I have a fun pass)! I have been here quite a few times in the last year or so. It's one of my favourite places. I decided to ask about their tours since I have never done one all the times I had been there. Sure enough they had a tour open when I get to see the behind the scenes of the Wild Arctic. You get to see the Beluga Whales, Seals and the best part.... at the end you got to pet a penguin!!! I couldn't believe it and I signed up right away! I got to see and pet a rock hopper penguin. So cute, they were little rascals. Reminded me of my puppy Scout. I had a great day. I can't wait until Christmas when we all go to Disney World!

Photo Journal December 9, 2008

2008-12-09T09:26:00.000-05:00

Today I did 3 shows again, but this time as Kelvin. Dance class was cancelled so it was the perfect night to stay in and relax. This weekend was so busy!! Plus, I have a feeling that there won't be much time to relax in the coming weeks, so it was great!

Photo Journal December 8, 2008

2008-12-08T09:10:00.000-05:00

My Birthday! What a great weekend it was and what a great day! I got to do three shows as the Professor today...amazing! Thanks to all who was apart of it and made it so great!

Love,

Kendra

Photo Journal December 7, 2008

2008-12-07T23:00:00.004-05:00

Back to work today! A great day of shows and then when we got back, Adam surprised me with Guitar Hero Aerosmith!! So I spend a good part of tonight playing with my roommates :D Last night while waiting for Holly to get ready, Adam and I goofed around with photo booth lol So here is today's photo! We call this our Sin City photo! Have a great evening!

Photo Journal December 6, 2008

2008-12-06T22:42:00.002-05:00

Birthday celebrations continues! Today is the day that we have our company Christmas party! There were so many people there and we had a good time. They had some really good food, took lots of pictures and danced (of course). Also, we all walked away with a gift! I got a vanilla bath set, so it is the picture of the day. Now it's back to work. What a great weekend!

Photo Journal December 5, 2008

2008-12-05T22:36:00.000-05:00

Birthday celebrations begin! It's my day off, so I spent the day getting my nails done. At night we went out to a new bar in Daytona to hang out with everyone! Some pre-drinks at a sports bar and then we headed over to the Coliseum to dance it up! We had a lot of fun. Here's a photo of Adam and I at the bar. Thanks to all who made it out, even in spite of exams!

Love,

Kendra

Photo Journal December 4, 2008

2008-12-05T10:31:00.003-05:00

Hoops today! After last week being Thanksgiving our hoops class was cancelled and I was looking forward to returning tonight to learn some new advanced tricks. As well we needed to do some Christmas shopping at Downtown Disney, so of course we had to stop by our favourite pizza spot CiCi's. For those of you who have never heard of Cici's you pay 5.99 for a pizza buffet. They have all kinds of pizza mac and cheese, spinach and Alfredo, taco pizza. For dessert they have pizza for that too! Along with cinnamon rolls and brownies. We love it! I have been 5 times in the last three months. lol

The photo of the day is me doing a move called the angel at hoops. I will post a video of me doing my routine soon! Tonight we are going out in Daytona for my birthday! I am sure the photo of the day for today will be interesting!

Photo Journal December 3, 2008

2008-12-03T20:16:00.003-05:00

We had decided to go to the Astronaut Hall of Fame today. It was on our list of things to do before we left as Adam and I had never been! (We get in for free because we work at the Kennedy Space Center) What a great place! There are all kinds of G Force simulators and games which includes landing a space shuttle. Lots of fun. I brought Moose and it looks like he got to land on the moon. He is the photo of the day! One more day of shows then I have my weekend! Woo!

Photo Journal December 2, 2008

2008-12-02T21:41:00.004-05:00

Tonight I went to my dance class in Orlando. It is at a place called Hardrive Productions with Pamela Bolling. I am not sure how many times I will get to the class this month with it being Christmas. So I brought my camera to take a picture. This woman is amazing and inspiring! No matter what my mood is when I walk into her class and the music starts I instantly have a smile on my face, because I know it's going to be a good class! Good times, good times. So here's to her and her positivity! If you want to know about her and the company, check this website out: http://www.hardriveinc.com/.

Love,

Kendra

Monday that Matters #7

2008-12-01T08:56:00.002-05:00

This Monday is an great idea and just in time for the Holiday season! This Monday Matters is write a letter to a US Military Hero. Now I don't personally know any US military soliders, but I have found a way through Red Cross to send a holiday card. I am very excited to do this. If you would like to do the same here is the link for it on the Internet:

http://www.redcross.org/email/saf/

Love,
Kendra

Photo Journal November 30, 2008

2008-11-30T20:35:00.002-05:00

Wow, it is the end of November already! It feels like I just got here. We were back to three shows today, so I slept in. About a month or so ago Adam came home with Guitar Hero 1 and Guitar Hero 2 with a used guitar. Since then we have been playing pretty much every other night. It's been so much fun! So after work today Adam and I went to Game Stop because they were having a sale. So we ended up buying a second guitar and the 80's Guitar Hero. For the first time tonight I got a perfect score. It was on easy, but I was very pleased! Woo! Three shows again tomorrow. Woo December.... not long until I head home.....

Photo Journal November 29, 2008

2008-11-29T20:23:00.001-05:00

I had today off. I got up a little early so that I could go to the gym before dropping Adam and Holly off at work. They had to do to 5 shows again because of the Thanksgiving crowds, so I had lots of time to go into Orlando! I had to exchange a couple of shirts that I bought off of the Internet for my trip to Thailand, so I went to a store called Travel Country in Orlando. I exchanged the tops for something that I liked, did some more window shopping (looking at the new Nikon D90 and by looking I mean drooling) I then drove back just in time to see the last show of the day at Mad Mission to Mars! Amazing!

Photo Journal November 28, 2008

2008-11-28T20:00:00.000-05:00

So this day was what is known to the States as Black Friday. And wow the deals, the sales!!! We had to do 5 shows today, but I got up early and went shopping at JC Penney in the morning. Got some good deals. Then did the 5 shows, all were amazing and so were audiences. Then afterwards we went to the Merritt Island Mall, where I got THE best deal ever!!! I got a reversible Hurley belt for $5!!! It's an amazing deal. Plus, I got to go to the pet store and play with some puppies, which always makes my day. I miss my pup. It was a great day though!

Photo Journal November 27, 2008

2008-11-27T19:53:00.008-05:00

Today is Thanksgiving in the States. It was a pretty busy day at the Space Center, our shows were all full and we had lot of fun with the kids!! Also, we got a free turkey dinner at the space center for lunch. So I had turkey, stuffing, green beans (which I gave to Adam) and mashed potatoes... mmmMMMmmmm I loved it! It was Holly's day off so she ate her dinner that the clubhouse here at the condo. So tonight we aren't really having any turkey dinner. After work Adam and I ran to a nearby park (since the gym and hoops are closed today) and we did some strengthening exercises, etc. So my photo of the day is from that park.

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. This park is great not only because it is right on the river, but I found a geocache there earlier this year. One of my first ones!

Photo Journal November 26, 2008

2008-11-27T00:04:00.004-05:00

Well as my time here in Florida comes to an end once again (sigh). I have decided to keep a photo journal of my time here. I want to remember as much as I can! Only 6 more weeks left....

One thing that I will never forget about Florida is the sunsets, somehow every sunset is more beautiful and more breath-taking than the last. No two sunsets are the same ever here. Adam helped me catch this one tonight. Enjoy!

Monday #4 and #5 and #6 and.....

2008-11-23T13:29:00.003-05:00

I haven't been keeping up here with my every Monday Matters, but I assure I have been following them every week!

One Monday was prepare for an emergency and thanks to the previous mad science members that lived in our condo we are prepared! I have candles, flashlights and I always have much bottled water on hand. So I was pretty much covered there!

The next Monday was eat healthy! I find that when I am here living in Florida I do eat waaaay more healthy than I do when I am on tour. Obviously, I can make more of my own healthy meals, etc. It also helps that my boyfriend is a vegetarian. I find here that I also snack less and I am more active because of the nice weather all year round. The only goal that I strive to reach everyday is eating my complete servings of fruits and vegetables. I usually have to resort to drinking a V8 for my vegetables, because I do love most fruits. It is just so expensive to purchase them here in the States compared to the unhealthy, processed foods that they offer here. Though it is worth the extra money for sure. I want to be in good health, not only for myself, but for those who love me. I want to live a long and healthy life!

Now tomorrow this Monday is get rid of junk mail. I didn't know that you can do some of these options, but here is what you do to get rid of a lot of junk mail. You can write "Please do not rent or sell my name " next to your name whenever you enter a contest. (these days I have stopped entering things, because of all the junk mail and telemarketers that call!!)You also need to do this when you make a donation, order a product by mail, subscribe to a magazine or return a warranty card. For the States you can go online or mail Direct Marketing Association's Preference Service. I don't know if there is something similar for Canada.

Did you know that there is 500 pieces of junk mail per person per year????? Wow. Time to help save the trees for sure.

Moving along my Mom and her friend Linda came down to visit me this week and we had a great time! It was actually quite warm during the day, so we did get to the beach this week! yay!! I hope to go again sometime soon! I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks. Only 6 more to go before I go back to Canada. So bittersweet!

Take care.
Love,
Kendra

Halfway There!

2008-11-09T22:53:00.002-05:00

Well, my contract in Florida is halfway over. My time here has been fun and we have done so much!

After getting settled back into the swing of things in the show, we had a chance to say goodbye to Pleasure Island. It was sad to go to the Adventurer's Club for their last week and see all the actors say goodbye and we really hated to see it go. Too bad I didn't go more last year when I was here.

I ran my first race and though I didn't come first overall, I did come first in my age range, which got me a little trophy and a free month's membership at the gym. As well this Halloween season Adam and I volunteered with Kennedy Space Center at the Bevard Zoo to hand out candy to the kids. We had a great time.

There has been many laughs, lots of inside jokes and made lots of children smile while teaching them a little about science. I find myself living a little bit larger here and a little bit healthier. I feel like there is no boundaries and I am very happy to be making some big life decisions while I am here.

Also, there is two more months to go before I return to Canada and I can't wait. My mom is coming to visit and see the show, I am making plans to go to Thailand. My birthday! So much good coming my way! Can't wait to see what else is in store.

Love,
Kendra
www.kendrahughes.com

Two posts in two days!??!! I know!

2008-11-04T09:32:00.001-05:00

So not only today is my friday and I am so looking forward to having two days off and resting my mind and body, but today as you probably know is the election for the American President. I have hopes that this year will be one of the biggest turnouts, either way today is a day of big change. Being a Canadian I have no say in who gets elected, but it's nice to sit back and watch what happens. Constantly in our lunch room CNN has been covering this election for over a year and a half. I have never seen anything get so much coverage and apparently it's like this every election. I wonder what CNN will have to report next week lol

Can't wait for the results, hopefully we won't have to wait weeks as we did in the year 2000. Remember, if you can...get out and vote! You matter!

Monday #3

2008-11-04T09:22:00.000-05:00

Every Monday Matters 03: Have amber alerts sent to you.

AMBER stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. It was created as a legacy to 9 year old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas, then brutally murdered. You can download a ticker right to your computer. You matter! So obviously this one I will be able to do for the time that I am living in the States. Take care.

Love,
Kendra

Turn off the TV

2008-10-28T16:41:00.000-04:00

This Monday that matters I am to turn off the tv. Now they aren't saying no tv ever, but to designate no tv time. Once our show tech and I had a great conversation about the potential for people if they would turn off the tv. It's true, imagine what would happen if we turned off the tv more. We would write, paint, create, exercise, balance that checkbook or do that thing we have been putting off for days and days. I made the decision a long time ago that I would be a much more productive person if I turned of the tv more often and I do make that effort. Sometimes though I do find myself in front of the tv and then notice hours have gone by.... sigh. Well, the important part is I keep working on it :D

Love,
Kendra

Every Monday Matters

2008-10-20T10:19:00.000-04:00

So my latest little fun thing that I picked up is this book called "Every Monday Matters" it is written by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza.

So the drill is to do something different every Monday that matters. Just ordinary people doing extraordinary good. It is a book written in the States so the statistics that come along with it are of course based on American people. Me? I am going to do as many as I possibly can! So every week I will be writing about what is my task and how it goes!

So the first Monday Week 01: What Matters Most

Too much time on commuting to work or watching tv. So take action today.

This week I am to make a list of things that matter to me and the activities I do every week. Then weed out the activities that are eating up my time that don't matter. By rearranging my schedule I will end up spending my time doing what matters most. I have always thought about these things in the back of my mind, but it will be good for me to actually make a list and see it before me and really realize what I have been doing with my time.

Remember Time is a non-renewable resource. Once it's used up, you can't get it back.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Facts about Breast Cancer

2008-10-17T22:53:00.000-04:00

One in eight women or 12.6% of all women will get breast cancer in her lifetime.

Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer.

Approximately 1400 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in 2000 and 400 of those men will die.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the second cause of cancer death in women 55 to 74.

You are never too young to develop breast cancer! Breast Self-Exam should begin by the age of twenty.

FAQ:

Can physical activity reduce the risk of breast cancer?

Exercise pumps up the immune system and lowers estrogen levels. With as little as four hours of exercise per week, a woman can begin to lower her risk of breast cancer.

Can a healthy diet help prevent breast cancer?

A nutritious, low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. A high-fat diet increases the risk because fat triggers estrogen production that can fuel tumor growth.

Resources:

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/About-Breast-Cancer/FAQs.aspx

http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/breastcancer/a/breastcancfacts.htm

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Risk Factors

2008-10-13T22:41:00.000-04:00

Breast cancer worldwide is second most common type of cancer after lung cancer.

Risk factors for breast cancer include:

Age: Half of all women diagnosed are over age 65.

Weight: Being obese or overweight.

Diet & Lifestyle: Lack of physical activity, a diet high in saturated fat, and alcoholic intake of

more than two drinks per day.

Menstrual & Reproductive History: Early menstruation or late menopause, having your first child at an older age or not having given birth, or taking birth control pills for more than ten years if you are under 35.

Family & Personal History: A family history of breast cancer—particularly a mother, sister. or a personal history of breast cancer of benign (non-cancer) breast disease.

Medical & Other Factors: Dense breast tissue (often identified by a mammogram), past radiation therapy to the breast or chest area. A history of hormone treatments—such as estrogen and progesterone, or gene changes— including BRCA1, BRCA2, and others

Here are the websites that I quoted in this blog:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_cancer

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/About-Breast-Cancer/What-Is-Breast-Cancer/Risk-Factors.aspx

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: BSE

2008-10-09T22:36:00.000-04:00

Breast Self-Exam (BSE)

Taking a few minutes to do a breast self-exam a minimum of once a month can make a lifetime of difference. Nearly 70% of all breast cancers are found through self-exams and with early detection the 5-year survival rate is 96%. If you find a lump, schedule an appointment with your doctor, but don't panic—8 out of 10 lumps are not cancerous. For additional peace of mind, call your doctor whenever you have concerns

Here is the website with more information:

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/About-Breast-Cancer/What-Is-Breast-Cancer/Breast-Self-Exam.aspx

Florida Part Deux

2008-09-10T22:52:00.000-04:00

Hello!

It is so surreal to be back to Florida!! But I am having a fantastic time so far. It has gone so fast! I haven't fallen into a routine yet because of the cast change over.. which is so good. There are so many extra-curricular activities that I am looking into. Right now, I'm trying to get in as much scuba diving in as much as possible. So far nothing :( but I believe there will be something for me next week. Which I am looking forward to.

I also bought an M audio Keystation 88ES (which after I had the time to figure it out... it doesn't work) So now I have to take it back. My spirits remain high that I will be able to find something else that I will enjoy. In the meantime though I have a keyboard here that the girls before were renting and so far I have been keeping up my practices, though I am not currently taking lessons. I hope to start in October!

Lastly, I have been looking into getting my certification with AFAA so that I can start doing some fitness type training. I am very interested in this idea and I think that it would complement my dance teacher background.

So between the hunt for a piano to use while I am down here and trying to scuba dive I am actually working (if you can call it that :D) We are at 3 shows days and all three of us are back into the swing of things at work. It's great. So much going on, but it's all fun and more fun!

More to report in the future I am sure!!

Love,
Kendra

www.kendrahughes.com

Here There and Everywhere

2008-08-27T00:22:00.001-04:00

What a month!! August has been great and I can only hope that the rest of the year reflects all the good things that have happened to me!

I have returned to Florida. It feels great to be back. In one way it's like I never left, in another you know that things have changed. The girls here are amazing and I am so happy to work with them for a week! To walk out on stage again today was overwhelming in a good way. All the shows went well. I remembered what I was doing :D

Tom my favourite AV operator turns to me when I was done the first show today and says "Just like riding a bike."

I laughed... because it was true.

I missed the heat,
I missed acting.

I might put a character on, but I am in there and you can see me when I smile, or when I laugh. (there was a lot of laughing today. Good, full belly laughs.)

This is gonna be a great contract!!

When you were young...

2008-08-01T22:29:00.000-04:00

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up???

At first I wanted to be a horse jockey and my mom told me that couldn't be because you need to be really short to ride the horses. ha ha true story. Guess I could predict the future after all!!

Once that was all sorted out, I wanted to be an entertainer. As I grew up I would choreograph dances in my basement every night. Or get all my family and friends involved with filming and making commercials, music videos and doing talk shows. As soon as I could take drama in school I did. Where I went on to write and act in many plays. Also, I was apart of the Sears Drama Festival in any way I could. Quick fact: drama is the only OAC credit I have to this date. I have always wanted to do what I am doing to this very day and everyday I try to continue as best as I can and listen to my heart about what is real.

Tell me when you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Love,
Kendra

Who would you rather meet?

2008-07-31T01:36:00.000-04:00

Who would you rather meet? Your great great grandparents?? Or your great great grandchildren??

At this stage of my life I am so interested with how everything is all going to turn out that I would have to say my great great grandchildren. Don't get me wrong I am very interested in my history, my past, but I think I am very connected to my family and where they came from. I just would love to know how things are about to turn out for me in the future! So impatient... yes I am!! lol

Who would you meet?

Love,
Kendra

If You Were Offered A Seat On The Next Space Shuttle Would You Take it?

2008-07-17T13:03:00.000-04:00

Absolutely!!

I have always been amazed about Space. I have always wondered what it would be like to travel in the great unknown!! Though we know more about space than we do about our seas. Which also fascinates me! Especially to go to the space station. From working at the Kennedy Space Center I have heard and seen so much stuff, it would be a dream to go. If it was the first trip to Mars that they are planning to do in the next 20 years or so.... then probably not. lol

What do you think?

Love,
Kendra

What Do You Complain About More Than Anything Else?

2008-07-15T13:24:00.001-04:00

On a whim I bought something in a store called "Table Topics". If you have not heard of this product before, it is a case with lots of little cards inside that ask questions to get conversations started.

Well, I have decided that every once in awhile I am going to pull a card and state my answer on this blog. (I have also used it with real people and it really does do the job! Plus, you get to find out some interesting things about your friends and how they view the world.) So I am not gonna lie I didn't just pull a card and answer the first one I got. I pulled until I found one I felt like answering. So yes I cheated. But nonetheless, here is the one I chose to answer today....

What do you complain about more than anything else?

I complain about a lot of things sometimes.....

My job
Money
My co-workers
Time
Space

lol I am quite an impatient person. But, what I think I find the most is that I complain about things that don't really make a difference. Who cares that the car in front of me cut me off? What difference does it make if I was late today or had a bad day at work? They can't all be good days and I think that if I just take a moment to breath then I realize how lucky I am. I have family who love me, friends who are there for me and yes I am very happy with how my career is going.

Though there are most days where I wish my career would move along faster...but I know that I am where I need to be. That is what it's all really about isn't it? So here I am! In the moment enjoying!!!!

Oh and please feel free to answer this post and let me know...

What do you complain about more than anything else?

Love,
Kendra

I like making a piece of string into something I can wear. ~Author Unknown

2008-07-03T00:47:00.000-04:00

My bubbi took the time yesterday to sit down with me and teach me how to knit. I wanted to learn, but not from a stranger, not from a book. I wanted to learn from a woman that is so kind and patient and has always been a huge part of my life. I wanted to learn from the one of the woman that came before me and the best part is.... she taught me with the knitting needles that once belong to my late nana. I have a long way to go in my path to actually knitting something that isn't a dishcloth, but it's a start. Tomorrow... my first piano lesson!

Love,
Kendra
www.kendrahughes.com

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you

2008-06-26T20:51:00.000-04:00

Hello!

It has been so long since I have written on here. Well since I last wrote I left Florida in the beginning of May, was home for Mother's Day and my mom's birthday. So crazy! Then I moved to New Hampshire for 5 weeks to continue with Mad Science in a different show. I worked pretty much everyday as my favourite character Crash! I met some awesome people and now I am home again. It's a vacation of sorts. I am looking forward to seeing and being with people that I have missed out on for the past year and a bit. I already went to some dance classes and it fed my soul!

Now you see before I even came home I had been thinking a lot about my piano. It's strange, I have this love/hate relationship with it and I officially abandoned it more than 10 years ago. (Lesson wise) I would occasionally sit down at the bench for the last few years and play some songs that I knew well (when no one was around). But lately there has been a change in me and I have decided to take up the piano again. I have arranged to get it tuned again for the first time in 12 years and the lessons have been booked. Before I expressed myself through dance, I used to express myself through the piano. I am excited/nervous and it's a very fragile relationship between the piano and I. As I sat down at the bench tonight tears came to my eyes. My father is the reason why I play the piano at all and I know that he would have been over the moon if he was around to see this.

Can't wait to see what comes!

Love,
Kendra
www.kendrahughes.com

Geocaching Might Be The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

2008-04-03T20:48:00.000-04:00

Heya...

Alright so my boyfriend introduced me to this crazy thing called Geocaching. All you need is a handheld GPS, a pen, some swag and a loss of all common sense! In other words... I love it!

So my new handheld garmin arrives surprisingly yesterday and today was my day off. So I thought here we go. I sent some waypoints to my handheld, dropped off my co-workers and I set off. At first the weather agreed with me... I set off to find a first of many caches called Rainbow Red. (yes there are all colors hiding in different places in Titusville. They have extra clues to lead you to the mother cache...Pot O Gold) It's lunch time at the park and there are quite a few other people there, but they get out of my way long enough for me to start looking. Now mind you I have a really VAGUE idea of what I am looking for. I look.... I look.... after about 15 minutes I realized I have acquired an audience of a couple having lunch and another group of three just bluntly staring at me. So I decide this is not the place to find my first cache.

I set off to Paul's Smokehouse to find the cache titled Rusty's Bull. I figure I know where this one is where is without even looking and sure enough when I get there, I look briefly and I find it. Way in the bush....covered in ants.... they look like fire ants. So I am standing there close to the highway at a closed restaurant's sign. Pretty much looking like an idiot. So I decide this is not the place to find my first cache.

I still have weather on my side so I decide to go to a four way stop where there is two hidden so geocaching.com has told my garmin. So after getting lost in suburbia hell trying to find a path to this lake, I finally decide to pull over to the side of the road and just go for it. Sure enough, it starts to pour. Boo

I know you are saying... "where does all this insanity end?!"

After it stopped raining and I picked up my co-workers. I finally got the car again to try a place at Sand Point Park. Claims easy in-easy find and the park closes in a half an hour! So I figure piece of cake. Nope. So now it's dusk and I am wandering around a park mumbling to myself and looking for a cache the size of my head. No luck. It got too dark before I could find anything.
So instead of admitting defeat and calling it a day. No... No...not this girl I am determined and stubborn. I go back to Rusty's Bull and I say screw you fire ants and I reach into the bush full of ants and grab the container I think is the cache.
I have to say even as I picked up and shook the ants off ...I didn't think it was it. It was too easy!
But I came this far.... I peeled off the top and inside was the piece of paper for me to sign!! I had found the cache!!! I was so proud of myself hehehehe I am not gonna lie.
I signed that paper and took Moose's picture with it and got the heck out before I was bitten!!

Yay! I am sure tomorrow I will be doing it again!
Here is some fun pictures of Moose.

Love,
Kendra

Winding down.

2008-03-09T16:46:00.001-04:00

I know it's been awhile since I have written one of these. I have been uninspired.
My time here in Florida is winding down and there are a lot of things to consider and think about. Plus, working 17 days straight will put you into Zombie mode for sure! I happened to read my horoscope today and I thought it had a lot of truth to it. (as most people think about their horoscopes) I wanted to post it, because it is along same line of thinking that I have had for awhile now. So here it is!

Finding a point of comfort may be difficult for you, dear Sagittarius. You may feel as if you are not really connecting with your ideals or your goals at this time. Even though you try to put things into motion, they don't really pan out the way you would like them to. There is a difficult energy pattern lining up making you feel like you need to join one camp or the other in order to feel accepted. The problem is that neither side looks especially appealing to you. Feel free to start your own camp.

Interesting indeed....

Also, new headshots this week and I am looking forward to it! It has been too long. Woo!
Love,
Kendra

How True

2008-01-26T18:12:00.000-05:00

I recieved a message from a motivational speaker by the name of Stuart Knight today. I wanted to post a piece of the message, because I agree with this line of thinking totally.
I have always believed in this way of life and I think it keeps up with the theme that I have been posting lately. So here it goes from the words of Stuart Knight;

"We choose the people that surround us. If we choose people that are only interested in living simple and easy lives, then we too will live the same life. But, if we choose people that push our limits in the way we think, feel and act then we have no other choice but to improve and become better.If we want more from life, then all we have to do is surround ourselves with people who want more from life. It really is that easy."

So thanks guys for being apart of my life and pushing me to my limits!

Thought of the day

2008-01-24T21:06:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my world!!
hehehe

I read this when I first came down to Florida and I wanted to share with everyone as some food for thought:

"All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles have strengthened me.... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth maybe the best thing in the world for you."

-Walt Disney

Yea!
Take care,

K

How Time Flies

2008-01-15T21:56:00.000-05:00

Wow

It just set in today how long I have been working in the States! I can't believe how lucky I am. To be doing what I love every single day of my life, having all my ablities and skills being used to my full potential is amazing. I performed for over 80, 000 people last year and it has caused me to do some reflection. I just wanted to write and let my good friends and family know that I am very thankful. Thanks for all the patience and love. Thanks for listening. For if I didn't have your support I wouldn't be where I am today. It took me a long time to realize but the saying "Those who mind, don't matter and those who matter, don't mind" is so true. I know I am lucky to be loved for who I am...... thank you. There is a lot more in store for the new year, so keep up!!

My Day Off!!

2007-04-08T23:22:00.000-04:00

Hello!
Happy Easter!!
Things are going great down here in Florida!! My first two days off in a row! This week has gone by so quickly, but I feel like I am getting in to the swing of things!

So this morning we get up to find that our roommate Laura had done a little Easter Egg hunt for us!!! hehehehe which was great! Holly and I had a blast finding eggs! hehehehehe
And of course all the chocolate was great too!

So when we step outside to drop the girls off at work so I can have the car today, it's cloudy and it's quite chilly....yes there is no snow. Still....no beach today!
So I decide to take the bus tour at the Kennedy Space Center, since they really want us to know everything there at the park and I figure this would be the best time to do it! I had the up close and personal tour which takes you really close to both of the launch pads and to the runway where the spaceships land!! I had a great time and got lots of pictures! Of course MOOSE came too, which look to the right and you will see his picture! So a great day off and I don't know what I am doing tomorrow, but I have a few ideas, plus it's supposed to be warmer! Yay!

Take Care,
Kendra
www.kendrahughes.com

Fort McMurray

2006-08-06T23:50:00.000-04:00

Well we made it safe and sound to the most northern place we will reach... Fort McMurray! The show last night in Lloydminster went well, considering the venue was not that nice. It was on the second floor and down a large hall and so on. If you know how much stuff we have, you would know what a task it was to load in and load out.

On the way up here the next day, we stopped at a gas station about an hour south of Fort McMurray and as we pull in there is a Buffalo in the parking lot! We thought it was running around wild, but it turns out he is domesticated and stars in movies and so on. The owners were traveling to Fort McMurray as well too and the let us take our pictures with the Buffalo (Billy the Buffalo to be exact). He is the only one of it's kind. Pretty amazing!

Today is laundry day and tomorrow we not only performing at night, but we are performing at the Heritage Festival tomorrow. Where we will see our good friend Ross Jacobs who works at the radio station here! Later on he is going to be interviewing us on the radio. It's going to be busy busy busy!

Love,
Kendra
http://www.kendrahughes.com/

North Battleford

2006-08-05T16:48:00.000-04:00

Hello!

We had a good time in North Battleford, though we were staying in one of the dirtiest hotels ever! Yuck! Good thing it's was only one night. The show went really well, got another standing ovation. Afterwards I found this great place to do a spur-of-the-moment photoshoot! So we took a few pictures which I will post soon!
Today we are in Lloydminster and it's one of the places that you can be in Saskatchewan and Alberta at the same time! Time to do the show now!
Take care!

Best,
Kendra

Prince Albert

2006-08-05T16:39:00.000-04:00

Our first time in Prince Albert and we love the place! ....Well, maybe that's because we came from Flin Flon :)

So finally we get to go Go Kart'ing! It was my first time, but all the boys had been before. Of course it rains.....but it didn't stop us!! They totally lapped my butt a few times. Oh well, next time I will be racing circles around them!

When we were finished we were soaked through to the bone, so we returned back to the Days Inn and decided to go swimming in their indoor pool! They had the best waterslide that I have ever been on! It was a lot of fun!

Our show did really well and we played in a nice theatre, so all in all we had a great time in Prince Albert!

Best,
Kendra

Thunder Bay sometimes Rocks!

2006-07-24T23:31:00.000-04:00

Hello all!
Touring is going well! We have had three shows in the last week and they have all been awesome!

Yesterday morning we were in Thunder Bay and we decided to stop at a greasy spoon type place called Thunder Bay Restaurant for breakfast. It was PACKED! I mean one older lady serving like 50 people and she was so funny to watch. You could tell that she lived for this stuff. She was getting people to serve their own coffee, etc. She was run off her feet! We thought she was so great that we left her a bunch of free tickets to our show.

Well, she not only showed up, but she brought her children and grandchildren. She came up after the show and said it was the best show she has ever seen and to make sure we come by the next morning for breakfast. We sure did, this time it wasn't so packed and her grandchild was there and made us a nice homemade card. We found out her name was Denise and we talked for awhile. At the end, we got our picture taken with her and her grandchild, it was an experience we will never forget. As we make our way out West we get to meet all sorts of people on the road, but people like Denise makes it all worthwhile. I love my job!
All for now!

Love Kendra

Qatar Part 2 Day 4

2006-03-21T07:10:00.000-05:00

What a day!!!

Today we went on the sand dunes tour again and it was sunny and bright this time! No rain.
We have a surprise for all you magic fans!!!
Also, today we had some time left over, so I rode a camel!!! Can you believe it?!!!? I can't!
Then they had a falcon as well and for a few dollars they let us hold it and have our picture taken with it. What a day and it's not even over yet! It's just been amazing and time has flown so fast! I wish there was more time!
Take Care!
Love Kendra

Qatar Part 2 Day 3

2006-03-21T06:57:00.000-05:00

Hello!
Got up early today to lay by the pool! Nice relaxing day after the show. We had breakfast buffet and then got into our bathing suits and got me a suntan! Wahoo! We laid for hours enjoying the swim up bar and the sun! Afterwards we got ready to shop shop shop! What fun! Went to a different Souq (mall), it was a different one than the last time. It was like a big labrynth and we kept walking in circles. We eventually came back to the area we were in last time. We walked for hours! Then came back to the hotel and ate at Chili's! It was pretty good. We were exhausted once again of course!

Love Kendra

Qatar Part 2 Day 2

2006-03-21T00:07:00.000-05:00

Show Day!!
Woke up early and rehearsed for the show.
It was a long day and we got a lot done. For lunch we had Pizza Hut mmmmm.
Did our show at 8pm and blew them away!! It was a great show and everyone did a great job. By the time we packed down and was finished we were exhausted! They kept locking the cases that held the illusions and we could never find anyone to unlock the door. It was a little frustrating!
Then we went to bed.

Love Kendra

Qatar Part 2

2006-03-20T23:41:00.000-05:00

Hello!
Things are going great here in Qatar!
First day we slept in until the afternoon, which was great!
Then Rebecca and I went to the pool and swam around. Though it was overcast, it never rained.
Later on we had the dinner buffet, and then of course....shopping! We found out that we can't show our backs during the show, so we were looking something for the show and eventually found something. Lastly, we went to the library bar (somewhere quiet, haha) to discuss the show! Then bed time.

Love Kendra

Day 6 Qatar

2006-02-26T08:52:00.000-05:00

Hello,

Time to say goodbye to Qatar, Doha. We are sad to go. I am now trying to get ready for the cold weather in Toronto. It's very sunny and nice here. We are just killing time before leaving for our flight so I don't have much to write today. Grabbed some trinkets and so on. First day we actually went shopping believe it or not. Well, I'll see y'all on the flip side!

Take Care.

Love Kendra

Day 5

2006-02-25T16:01:00.000-05:00

Hello all!

Today was another gorgeous day, very hot!
We got up and had some yummy breakfast today. Then packed and left the Mariott and went to the Ramada. There we checked in, not as nice as the other two hotels, but oh well. We found out we were right beside a Dairy Queen. So of course we went over to have some ice cream . After that we took an couple of hours to walk around downtown. We finally got to see some homes and where people live. They live in compounds, but they are quite nice. Then we came back to rest at the hotel room for a bit. Then for dinner we went off in a mission to have some authentic food. We wondered for awhile and then Evan finally asked a nice looking man for some advice on where to go. He was very nice and walked us to a indian food restuarant and then stayed and ate with us. His name is Kumar and he is originally from India. The food was excellent! We had butternut bread, Chicken Salwaga, Chicken Kurmor and Chicken Magoli. (sp?) After dinner we parted ways and returned to the hotel. There I saw my scuba diving instructor as he was dropping off all the pictures and video we had done yesterday. What good timing. We said our goodbyes and then I rushed upstairs to watch it.
That's about all. I can't believe we are leaving tomorrow, feels like we just got here.

Love Kendra

Day 4

2006-02-25T15:54:00.000-05:00

Hello,

Day 4 was very exciting. I got up nice and early on a beautiful day. No rain. To go scuba diving. It was wonderful. We dove on a man-made reef, called Old Club Reef and it was quite nice. Big Blue Angel fish came up to say hello and we went three times. It was late in the day when I was done. The water felt cold to me, we had to wear wetsuits. Though I sure in June and July they don't have to. Then the instructor showed us around the area, it was where we were yesterday to start out for the sand dune adventure. This time, because it was a Friday and it was nice, the place was packed of people showing off on the the dunes. When, the day before because it was raining, there was really no one there. Then I came back around 6pm and we went out to a restaurant in the Mariott called Salsa. Mexican, very interesting and my chimichanga was very good. That was about it, then bed time. Sleep girl. Still haven't gotten over jet lag.
Take Care.

Love Kendra

Day 3 Qatar

2006-02-23T07:57:00.000-05:00

Hello All!

Believe it or not, but it has been raining all last night and most of today. It rains like 6 days out of the year and one of them is today. Though today has still been amazing!
Dragged ourselves out of bed, because after the show and taking down everything we didn't get to bed until 2am. Then we were up early to eat and then go on our driving tour of sand dunes! It was so worth it, we had so much fun and went to the border of Saudi Arabia! That's also where the inlet sea called Khor Al-Adaid there.
Moose got his picture taken as well of all of us. Plus, I took like 20mins of video, which no one will be able to watch without getting sick because it is so bumpy!
Afterwards we had to say goodbye to the Ritz and hello to the Marriott. Which is just as nice. It's crazy how everyone takes care of you here!
They enjoyed the show last night and who knows....? Maybe we will be back again!
We are thinking of eating in a Mexican restuarant, we had tried a lot of indian food and so far so good! It's time for a change tonight though.
Take Care for now!

Love Kendra

Day 2 Qatar

2006-02-22T17:34:00.000-05:00

Hello!
Finished our show and right now it is about 2 am in the morning.
We have to leave early and boy are we tired. The show went very well and I think we impressed these Qatarians!! All day was spent in planning this show so not much to say. Glad the work part is done and now we can relax! Much more to say tomorrow I am sure!

Best,
Kendra

Day 1 Qatar

2006-02-21T08:14:00.000-05:00

Today we got up at a decent time and had the breakfast buffet. We just made it in time, so they were closing up, but I still got pancakes and hash browns. Which were so good. They had all kinds of freshly squeezed juice!
Then we took a quick look at our performing area (which is right in the Ritz Calton) and they were setting up for wedding tonight, but we figured out when we can get in tomorrow.
Next, we went out to explore the downtown of Doha. First there was a problem getting a taxi to the hotel, because the Prince is staying here! You should see the security! So the hotel provided us a ride to this giant shopping centre where you can ice skate inside. It's quite large.
Then we went out into the city, it's quite small. We went walking down by the sea and ended up taking the ferry to Palm Tree Island. It was small as well, but so nice. A beach and things for children to do. Not many people on the island, because for them it is cold here. (20 degrees C)
Then we took our time walking back to the mall where our ride picked us up. There's a lot of construction going on, because they are having the 15th annual Asian Games in December of this year and they are building more hotels. Everywhere you look there is construction. Wish I could see it when it's all done. They even have this giant statue of the mascot "Orry" and a countdown of the days to the hour to the second of when the games are. It's interesting.
Now we are just relaxing until 6pm our time to talk to the guy named Costa who will be taking care of our lights during the show. And then we have to go back to airport to pick up our missing luggage which has show stuff in it.
Having a great time so far! It's beautiful!
Miss everyone!
Love Kendra

October the 6th

2005-10-06T19:58:00.000-04:00

Hello!

Another driving day. Car-dom is the worst, at least I slept today on the ride. Then I watched some movies on my new laptop. We are now in the lovely city of North Battleford, which a painted sign told us that Jesus is Alive. I am going to put that on a list of things I didn't know. This town is pretty small, but we have been here a few times, so we know where to eat, where not eat...so on and so on.
We are in the last week of touring for a few days and well, you feel a little sad, because you know that we only have a few weeks left after that and then it's over. You become quite the tight family on tour, especially when you are driving for hours on end in a little car. It's interesting anyways, the way you get to know people. Who knows what we will do for entertainment tonight. All I know is it's dinnertime.

Dancerk

October the 5th

2005-10-05T15:55:00.000-04:00

Hello!
Today was great! Still in Brooks. First off we decided to go to the Dinosaur National Park, which is only 20 minutes away! We got some great pictures and even Moose liked it to. Then we drove around and saw fossils, even some strange dead bones, of a dog or something. I wouldn't want to meet whatever killed it. In the area there are dangerous spiders and rattlesnakes. Then we went back to the hotel to chill before the show. The show was great, not very good attendance, only a hundred or so. Things went well and we did our fastest load out time ever. What a difference!! So we went back to the hotel and watched the movie Stage Beauty and ordered pizza. It was a good day all and all!

Dancerk