This week was a whirlwind. So was last week, and guess what? Next week will be packed with planning, writing, idea generating, food tasting and crisis managing. And it looks like I might be spending a day in Montreal too. So what do I actually do here at Canadian Living? (My nine-year-old son James asks me that all the time.) Monday was FUNday! Last week, we heard that two of our favourite players on the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team would be passing through Toronto. We thought they would make incredible profile subjects for our February issue (on newsstands January 6th), which will cover the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. We made some quick calls and in a matter of hours, art director Stephanie White had the photo shoot all set up and our senior marketing & communications specialist Erin Quinn had snagged a crew from eTalk to cover the behind-the-scenes action. So Monday morning arrives and in walks the 2010 Winter Olympics MVP Meghan Agosta-Marciano. She is beautiful, strong, confident and committed. While she got her hair and makeup done for our shoot (can’t wait until you see the results!), I interviewed her about her hockey career, her training, her nutrition plan and what it’s like to grow up playing on teams with boys. Our conversation (and what she looks like in four-inch heels) will be revealed in the February issue. (My son, James had a school holiday and tagged along with me. A hockey forward too, he asked Meghan some questions about strategy. I never heard what was said but he listened to every word!) After lunch, Tessa Bonhomme breezed onto our set with the grace and familiarity of a seasoned model. The 28-year-old defenceman is no stranger to the camera, she won CBC’s Battle of The Blades last year, competed on YTV’s Wipeout Canada and is a member of the Leafs TV broadcast team. Tessa shared her training secrets with us. (Tessa gave him her Nike Team Canada hockey toque which he hasn’t taken off yet and told James that it’s important to work hard at every practice.) On Tuesday we found out Tessa was cut from the team. Shock and tears all around, and an immediate need for a Plan B. Thinking fast, health editor Kate Daley turned her interview into a story about why we adore the gold medalist with the big heart. Confession: I spent all day drooling over the Ultimate Lasagna image on our homepage and so on the way home I stopped by my fave local Italian restaurant and picked up three lasagna dinners. Ahhh, Wednesday… Have I mentioned we were on deadline this week? That meant all of the pages of our January issue had to be totally final before the first half of the "book" (insider jargon for "magazine") hit press today. Last-minute changes are inevitable, and after we made our fair share of them, superstar managing editor Day Helesic sent off all our hard work. The issue is packed with easy, delicious recipes! We also have the season’s hottest nail look, decor trends that won’t break the bank, new health information and super-inspirational real-life stories. The issue hits newsstands Dec. 9th. It was a busy afternoon and all of a sudden my phone beeped to remind me to get my butt to Cirillos Academy, where we were hosting our Canadian Living Advantage event with incredible Chef Jamie Kennedy. The award-winning chef showed our fun and vibrant audience how to make several holiday recipes, including his famous leek and potato soup. He made everything in the new Kenwood Cooking Chef, a mixing machine that also does induction cooking. So cool! Everyone was very impressed. (Kennedy's seasonal secret: Leave the leeks and potatoes in the ground for as long as possible for a late harvest and fresh taste.) Thursday was busy! I didn’t even pee until 3:30, which is both TMI (Too Much Information) and just not good for my bladder. I was glued to my desk, finishing off my editor's note. We made our deadline with  minutes to spare. I revealed some very personal things… hope I don’t regret it. That night, stress relief came in the form of a very fast paced ball hockey game. I play four-on-four with a great group of women and men at our local community centre. After two 22-minute periods we lost 5-3 (We play one point for the guys’ goals, two points for each ringer scored by a woman—trust me, this helps promote passing.) Hooray, it’s Friday, and I’ll admit I’m a little tired from a busy week. Last night, I stayed up late because I wanted to catch The Daily Show to hear what Jon Stewart would say about Rob Ford’s ultimate buffoonery yesterday. I was not disappointed. Tonight, my son plays hockey, and I can’t think of a better way to cap off the week than cheering him on. I’m the second-loudest mom on the team.