"Z, will you take the attendence down to the office for me?"
"Ugh!!! Do I have to?"
"No, I just thought I'd ask. I can get someone else to if you want."
"Fine. Nag, nag, nag, that's all you do!"
Friday, January 27, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
What I love about Sunday
Driving home a few minutes ago this song was playing on the radio and it made me think about my list of what I love about Sunday.
LOVE it.
Sunday as a day of rest was ingrained in me from a young age, and it is a habit that I have kept for 29 years. I crave it, need it, love it.
- Sleeping in.
- Waking up, and then sleeping in some more.
- Waking up again and staying in my warm, comfy bed to read a book.
- Finally dragging my lazy carcass out of bed, dressing up a bit more than a normal day - or dressing down more than a normal day depending on how I'm feeling.
- Spending time with my sisters just chilling out.
- Driving to church and anticipating the service.
- Going to church.
- Getting welcomed at the door by friendly people that I like.
- Our AWESOME worship teams - seriously, they are fantastic.
- Worship.
- Seeing my friends.
- Sitting with Tiersa at church again, just like in the old days. (I'm SO thankful for her furlough)
- Learning new things from my 'friend' the DUDE (aka PH, aka Pastor Harry', Fields the Genius or my awesome friend DaveM. I worked closely with those men for 5 years and I love them and I miss seeing them during the week. It blesses my heart to talk and see them each Sunday)
- Chilling after church and talking with people. Talking about stuff, or the sermon, or books, or funny things.
- Getting a hug from my dad.
- Seeing and talking with my old Youth kids.
- The occasional after-church lunch outing with friends (I loved that more in Ontario where we had Church Chicken aka Swiss Chalet)
- Having a long Sunday afternoon nap.
- Reading.
- E-mailing, blogging, texting, writing letters.
- A lazy afternoon and evening at home.
LOVE it.
Sunday as a day of rest was ingrained in me from a young age, and it is a habit that I have kept for 29 years. I crave it, need it, love it.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Big Sister
I'm a big sister.
x 4
I have three biological little sisters, and as of recently I have been matched up with a 7 year old girl through the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program in Kamloops. It's great. I really do love time that I get to spend each week with my little sister.
It's a great program. The application is quite long. There are a lot of interviews, home visits, looking through files, meeting with co-ordinators and doing everything that needs to be done in order to make a good match between a big (me) and a little. But once it is all done, and if it is done well, it makes the process worth it.
My match is great. My little loves to bake, read, do science experiments, go to school, play, do crafts, and basically is the 7 year old version of me. It's fantastic. I knew that we were the perfect match about 6 weeks into it. We were driving to a Christmas party and I let her pick whatever song she wanted to on my i-pod to listen to on the drive. Out of ALL of the 3000 songs on my i-pod she picked "Cover Girl" by the New Kids on the Block. Seriously. She's awesome. It is now our theme song and we listen to it approximately 18 times every time we hang out.
The best part about having a little is that for a few hours each week I get to not be a teacher, and not be a young-adult, and not be 30, but I get to be 7 again.
And when you are seven, what is better than building a massive fort with all the blankets and pillows in the house and playing snakes and ladders?
Or getting a make-over?
Think about becoming a big brother or big sister. It's pretty sweet.
x 4
I have three biological little sisters, and as of recently I have been matched up with a 7 year old girl through the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program in Kamloops. It's great. I really do love time that I get to spend each week with my little sister.
It's a great program. The application is quite long. There are a lot of interviews, home visits, looking through files, meeting with co-ordinators and doing everything that needs to be done in order to make a good match between a big (me) and a little. But once it is all done, and if it is done well, it makes the process worth it.
My match is great. My little loves to bake, read, do science experiments, go to school, play, do crafts, and basically is the 7 year old version of me. It's fantastic. I knew that we were the perfect match about 6 weeks into it. We were driving to a Christmas party and I let her pick whatever song she wanted to on my i-pod to listen to on the drive. Out of ALL of the 3000 songs on my i-pod she picked "Cover Girl" by the New Kids on the Block. Seriously. She's awesome. It is now our theme song and we listen to it approximately 18 times every time we hang out.
The best part about having a little is that for a few hours each week I get to not be a teacher, and not be a young-adult, and not be 30, but I get to be 7 again.
And when you are seven, what is better than building a massive fort with all the blankets and pillows in the house and playing snakes and ladders?
Or getting a make-over?
Think about becoming a big brother or big sister. It's pretty sweet.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
cold-kirk
It snowed a lot last night. More snow than I have EVER seen in one dumping in Kamloops in the past 6 years. Everything was under a good 6 inches of beautiful, dry, powdery snow. It was a winter winter wonderland. Freezing cold. But a winter wonderland nonetheless.
As Bethany and I were sitting in the living room today listening to the wind howl outside, she looked wistfully out the window and with a sad look on her face sighed, "I feel bad for Kirk. He must be so cold outside."
I scruntched up my forehead wondering who Kirk is, and why he was outside and how Bethany knew someone named Kirk and I had never heard about him before.
Then I realized.
She meant Cat-Kirk.
He was covered in 6 inches of snow. And in his defense - and Bethanys, despite the fact that he is ceramic, he did look really cold today.
As Bethany and I were sitting in the living room today listening to the wind howl outside, she looked wistfully out the window and with a sad look on her face sighed, "I feel bad for Kirk. He must be so cold outside."
I scruntched up my forehead wondering who Kirk is, and why he was outside and how Bethany knew someone named Kirk and I had never heard about him before.
Then I realized.
She meant Cat-Kirk.
He was covered in 6 inches of snow. And in his defense - and Bethanys, despite the fact that he is ceramic, he did look really cold today.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
The Haunted Microwave
My microwave is haunted. Or possessed. It depends what day it is. Interestingly enough though, it tends only to be haunted/possessed during the winter months.
What happens is this. Every January-March for the past three years, my microwave has attracted the spirit of someone who is attached to my 60$ wal-mart special microwave. The microwave will start beeping randomly. First it will start off with one beep here and there. Nothing too strange. But then it will start beeping obsessively until I can get to it and unplug it. When I want to use the microwave again, I have to plug it in and none of the buttons will work. I'll leave it, and it will start beeping again a few hours later. And the cycle continues until I get to the point where I decide, "ok, this microwave is fried, I'm just going to leave it unplugged and get a new one."
But I'm super cheap, so I never do buy a new one. After a month or two, I wonder if maybe the microwave spontaneously healed itself so I plug it in, and low and behold - it will work again for another 9 months. Amazing. MIRACLE!
Then we go through the cycle again. The cycle started again last week. We know how it goes, so the microwave has been unplugged waiting for the day for it to heal itself.
But then. Last night. 3am. The microwave starts beeping.
I wake up.
How is this possible?!?!? It's unplugged.
Man! That is one relentless ghost! Even working when the microwave has no electrical source.
In my dopey-half-sleeping state I ignored it for a while. Then as it continued to beep and as I woke up a bit more, I started thinking about all the ghost stories and ghost movies I have seen over the course of my lifetime and I started to get really freaked out. So scared. I did NOT put my brave face on and go downstairs to see what was happening.
Finally, at 7:15am, when it was a little bit light outside (read: SAFE), I went downstairs.
The microwave had been plugged in!
How? How? How?
Is my semi-new home haunted by a ghost that is trying to communicate with me via morse code from a beep-ey microwave?
Wiiiiierd.
What happens is this. Every January-March for the past three years, my microwave has attracted the spirit of someone who is attached to my 60$ wal-mart special microwave. The microwave will start beeping randomly. First it will start off with one beep here and there. Nothing too strange. But then it will start beeping obsessively until I can get to it and unplug it. When I want to use the microwave again, I have to plug it in and none of the buttons will work. I'll leave it, and it will start beeping again a few hours later. And the cycle continues until I get to the point where I decide, "ok, this microwave is fried, I'm just going to leave it unplugged and get a new one."
But I'm super cheap, so I never do buy a new one. After a month or two, I wonder if maybe the microwave spontaneously healed itself so I plug it in, and low and behold - it will work again for another 9 months. Amazing. MIRACLE!
Then we go through the cycle again. The cycle started again last week. We know how it goes, so the microwave has been unplugged waiting for the day for it to heal itself.
But then. Last night. 3am. The microwave starts beeping.
I wake up.
How is this possible?!?!? It's unplugged.
Man! That is one relentless ghost! Even working when the microwave has no electrical source.
In my dopey-half-sleeping state I ignored it for a while. Then as it continued to beep and as I woke up a bit more, I started thinking about all the ghost stories and ghost movies I have seen over the course of my lifetime and I started to get really freaked out. So scared. I did NOT put my brave face on and go downstairs to see what was happening.
Finally, at 7:15am, when it was a little bit light outside (read: SAFE), I went downstairs.
The microwave had been plugged in!
How? How? How?
Is my semi-new home haunted by a ghost that is trying to communicate with me via morse code from a beep-ey microwave?
Wiiiiierd.
Monday, January 02, 2012
Ridiculous Adventure
Today I want to tell you about my best and worst adventure of the summer. I can't believe that I didn't share this with you in the summer, how it slipped my mind I don't know. But I'm going to tell you about it today, and hopefully I can convey to you the ridiculousness of the situation.
As you know, my heart lives in Barkerville British Columbia. This past summer while I was there, me and my BarkervilleBestie Amber talked a lot. And one day in July - when it full out snowed, I was telling her about how in Kamloops it gets to be 40 degrees and sometimes we like to blow up air mattresses and inner tubes and float down the river. Like this:
It was a wonderful memory to share with Amber that snowy, cold JULY day. We thought to ourselves, "if only it was warm here, and if only there was a river we could float down on one of the 3 summer days that Wells/Barkerville gets." Then we remembered. There was a river. Well.... a creek really. But it was totally wide enough for us to float down (we thought) and would be deep enough to support our little blow-up fishing boat (we thought). So the plan was hatched. One day, before the end of August when I left, we would put her boat in the river/creek half way between Wells and Barkerville and float into Wells where we would climb out, walk the boat home and then pick up her truck.
Days passed. Summer came and went - on the same day nonetheless - and we never got around to floating down the river. Finally, on one of my last nights, we packed our bug spray, bear spray, and sweaters and loaded the boat. The river was four or five feet deep where we put in, and about 4 m wide. Wide and deep and fast flowing enough for us to float comfortably. For about 20 meters anyways.
The river was narrow and we often hit the sides. Especially when the banks would narrow, the water would rush quickly and a hairpin curve was ahead. It was more like... bumper boats... than anything else. We would laugh. We ran into low trees, we hit the banks often, and then the river would widen, and the water would get shallow. We would yell "BUM'S UP" and lift our butts of the bottom of the boat that was now scraping bottom. Sometimes it worked, more often than not one of us would get out and pull us to deeper water.
It was a ridiculous gong show.
But we laughed. Oh we laughed.
For about 90 minutes.
Then we realized that this boat trip was taking F.O.R.E.V.E.R. The lights from town were not getting any closer. It was getting darker and colder and less fun to struggle through the bog. We still laughed a lot, but the ridiculousness of the situation was less hilarious as time passed.
After 2.5 hours the lights of town were close. After 2.75 hours the lights from town were farther away and behind us. We had missed the turn off and were now heading for Quesnel. Our options were to turn the boat around and paddle against the current, or pull out and walk through the bog back to town.
We chose the second option.
AKA the wrong option.
With much difficulty (and me fully falling in the river up to my chest) we pulled the boat out of the river and walked with it approximately 2 meters through thick brush and swamp before abandoning it. Part of the difficulty was the terrain, most of the difficulty was our inability to stop laughing. It took us a further 30 minutes to stomp through calf-high stinky swamp mud OR crawl over 8 foot tall bushes. We lost our shoes I don't know how many times. We fell down a million, we screamed a lot, we laughed even more, we got a bit worried about meeting a moose or a bear, our legs and arms were scratched beyond recognition. But we made it out eventually. The boat remains lost to the bog to this day. It was a ridiculous adventure. But so ridiculous that it was hilarious.
(This is why it took so long. It's not a nice straight line. It's obnoxiously wiggly)
As you know, my heart lives in Barkerville British Columbia. This past summer while I was there, me and my BarkervilleBestie Amber talked a lot. And one day in July - when it full out snowed, I was telling her about how in Kamloops it gets to be 40 degrees and sometimes we like to blow up air mattresses and inner tubes and float down the river. Like this:
It was a wonderful memory to share with Amber that snowy, cold JULY day. We thought to ourselves, "if only it was warm here, and if only there was a river we could float down on one of the 3 summer days that Wells/Barkerville gets." Then we remembered. There was a river. Well.... a creek really. But it was totally wide enough for us to float down (we thought) and would be deep enough to support our little blow-up fishing boat (we thought). So the plan was hatched. One day, before the end of August when I left, we would put her boat in the river/creek half way between Wells and Barkerville and float into Wells where we would climb out, walk the boat home and then pick up her truck.Days passed. Summer came and went - on the same day nonetheless - and we never got around to floating down the river. Finally, on one of my last nights, we packed our bug spray, bear spray, and sweaters and loaded the boat. The river was four or five feet deep where we put in, and about 4 m wide. Wide and deep and fast flowing enough for us to float comfortably. For about 20 meters anyways.
The river was narrow and we often hit the sides. Especially when the banks would narrow, the water would rush quickly and a hairpin curve was ahead. It was more like... bumper boats... than anything else. We would laugh. We ran into low trees, we hit the banks often, and then the river would widen, and the water would get shallow. We would yell "BUM'S UP" and lift our butts of the bottom of the boat that was now scraping bottom. Sometimes it worked, more often than not one of us would get out and pull us to deeper water.
It was a ridiculous gong show.
But we laughed. Oh we laughed.
For about 90 minutes.
Then we realized that this boat trip was taking F.O.R.E.V.E.R. The lights from town were not getting any closer. It was getting darker and colder and less fun to struggle through the bog. We still laughed a lot, but the ridiculousness of the situation was less hilarious as time passed.
After 2.5 hours the lights of town were close. After 2.75 hours the lights from town were farther away and behind us. We had missed the turn off and were now heading for Quesnel. Our options were to turn the boat around and paddle against the current, or pull out and walk through the bog back to town.
We chose the second option.
AKA the wrong option.
With much difficulty (and me fully falling in the river up to my chest) we pulled the boat out of the river and walked with it approximately 2 meters through thick brush and swamp before abandoning it. Part of the difficulty was the terrain, most of the difficulty was our inability to stop laughing. It took us a further 30 minutes to stomp through calf-high stinky swamp mud OR crawl over 8 foot tall bushes. We lost our shoes I don't know how many times. We fell down a million, we screamed a lot, we laughed even more, we got a bit worried about meeting a moose or a bear, our legs and arms were scratched beyond recognition. But we made it out eventually. The boat remains lost to the bog to this day. It was a ridiculous adventure. But so ridiculous that it was hilarious.
(This is why it took so long. It's not a nice straight line. It's obnoxiously wiggly)
Saturday, December 31, 2011
The 2011 List of Awesome
As a general rule, I avoid New Years. That includes parties, staying up late, acknowledging the day, everything. I have a whole rant about why I dislike New Years, but that's not the point of today. The point of today is to reflect on 2011. Despite my dislike of New Years, I do enjoy looking back and reflecting on the past year. The challenges and successes and funny moments and blessings that continue to come to my life year after year.
1. I started blogging again. Which has been fun. I enjoy telling stories and sharing funny things with people so that they can laugh too. Laughing is good.
2. I learned to play the violin.
3. I once again experienced time-travel and went back to 1862 where I had a great time living and working in the ever-awesome Barkerville. I continued to build meaningful relationships and friendships in Wells/Barkrville and I know my part in the story of Barkerville is not over yet.
4. I was a really good teacher. I had some awesome lessons, activities, field trips, jokes and stories. I have the craziest-wierdest-best relationship with this group of kids that I've had for two years now. I love them.
5. My dog died.
6. I had the craziest adventure floating, stomping and screaming through a bog.
7. I kept up old friendships with people I love and have loved for 10 years and I'm SO thankful that despite time, distance and new lives that I have these friends. Karmyn, Christy, Jacci, SaraBeth, Gosia.
8. I survived a year separated from my Bestie Tiersa who was living and working in Mexico.
9. I've made plans and dreams for the future.
10. I started running.
11. I lost 50 pounds.
12. I got kicked off an airplane and had the crappiest vacation ever.
13. I got up at 3am one day in April to watch the Royal Wedding.
14. I saved a life.
15. I volunteered with St.John Ambulance
16. I became a big sister.
17. I learned to draw. Well.
18. I decided I don't hate Vancouver anymore.
19. I designed, built and cared for a garden. And it was pretty neat.
20. I quit my job.
21. I took a ceramics class and made a gnome.
22. I tried out Hot Yoga and Zumba.
23. I fed a fox.
24. I went to a crazy hippie festival - and enjoyed myself.
25. I went to a masqurade ball.
26. I went to Seattle for the first time.
27. I laughed a lot.
28. I played a lot of games.
29. I discoved new tv shows like How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Community, Road to Avonlea
30. I spent time with my family, whom I love a lot.
Wow! I just re-read that list. I did a lot of neat things - and learned a bunch too. I think if I can keep going with a list like that year after year that would be awesome. Life is awesome. God is good. I am blessed.
And because I'm culturally obligated to say this, "Happy New Year"
1. I started blogging again. Which has been fun. I enjoy telling stories and sharing funny things with people so that they can laugh too. Laughing is good.
2. I learned to play the violin.
3. I once again experienced time-travel and went back to 1862 where I had a great time living and working in the ever-awesome Barkerville. I continued to build meaningful relationships and friendships in Wells/Barkrville and I know my part in the story of Barkerville is not over yet.
4. I was a really good teacher. I had some awesome lessons, activities, field trips, jokes and stories. I have the craziest-wierdest-best relationship with this group of kids that I've had for two years now. I love them.
5. My dog died.
6. I had the craziest adventure floating, stomping and screaming through a bog.
7. I kept up old friendships with people I love and have loved for 10 years and I'm SO thankful that despite time, distance and new lives that I have these friends. Karmyn, Christy, Jacci, SaraBeth, Gosia.
8. I survived a year separated from my Bestie Tiersa who was living and working in Mexico.
9. I've made plans and dreams for the future.
10. I started running.
11. I lost 50 pounds.
12. I got kicked off an airplane and had the crappiest vacation ever.
13. I got up at 3am one day in April to watch the Royal Wedding.
14. I saved a life.
15. I volunteered with St.John Ambulance
16. I became a big sister.
17. I learned to draw. Well.
18. I decided I don't hate Vancouver anymore.
19. I designed, built and cared for a garden. And it was pretty neat.
20. I quit my job.
21. I took a ceramics class and made a gnome.
22. I tried out Hot Yoga and Zumba.
23. I fed a fox.
24. I went to a crazy hippie festival - and enjoyed myself.
25. I went to a masqurade ball.
26. I went to Seattle for the first time.
27. I laughed a lot.
28. I played a lot of games.
29. I discoved new tv shows like How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Community, Road to Avonlea
30. I spent time with my family, whom I love a lot.
Wow! I just re-read that list. I did a lot of neat things - and learned a bunch too. I think if I can keep going with a list like that year after year that would be awesome. Life is awesome. God is good. I am blessed.
And because I'm culturally obligated to say this, "Happy New Year"
Monday, December 26, 2011
50
This post has been a long time in coming. A very, very, very long time. I've been planning it for months and waiting for "the day" when I would get to write this and share with you the big... transformation... that has been happening in my life.
It's a big deal. It's not finished, but it's in progress and I've reached the point where I want to share what has been happening with my friends and family. People here in Kamloops have seen what has been happening to me, but my family and friends across Canada and the world have no idea what I have been up to.
But I got to thinking as the year draws to a close, that it's time for me to share my success in case anyone else is needing the same thrilling change that I have been experiencing. If you are, call me or e-mail me and I'll get you started down the right path.
Are you ready for the big unveiling?
What am I talking about?
I'm talking about 50 lbs.
I've lost 50lbs.
That is the equivalent to a large bag of dog food, or if you don't do dogs, about the weight of an average nine year old. Amazing!
The truth is, losing weight is hard. And discouraging. It takes so much work and so much commitment that at times I wanted to give up. But for the most part I was good to stick with my diet and my program. I did not go to the gym. I did not get a personal trainer. I did not get a nutritionist. I did not sign up for WeightWatchers, Jenny Craig or any other scheme. I changed my diet and exercised. A lot of my success has to do with the above product from Visalus Sciences. No gimmick, just healthy, nutrient-rich, protein-thick, vitamin-filled, shake mix that I added to fruit smoothies.
Despite losing 50lbs, 6 dress sizes, and 2 bra sizes, I have gained many things. Confidence, a new wardrobe, energy, great skin, health (haven't even had the slightest cold since I started this journey), joy, comfort, strength, skills that I thought I would never had. I used to blame my non-athleticism on my bum ankle - which at times is a legitimate excuse, but not always. I can now run 30 minutes without stopping. My sweat is fat crying and I hate it and like it at the same time.
If you are thinking of weight-loss as a New Years Resolution and are curious about my success, contact me! I did it. I know you can too.
It's a big deal. It's not finished, but it's in progress and I've reached the point where I want to share what has been happening with my friends and family. People here in Kamloops have seen what has been happening to me, but my family and friends across Canada and the world have no idea what I have been up to.
But I got to thinking as the year draws to a close, that it's time for me to share my success in case anyone else is needing the same thrilling change that I have been experiencing. If you are, call me or e-mail me and I'll get you started down the right path.
Are you ready for the big unveiling?
What am I talking about?
I'm talking about 50 lbs.
I've lost 50lbs.
That is the equivalent to a large bag of dog food, or if you don't do dogs, about the weight of an average nine year old. Amazing!
The truth is, losing weight is hard. And discouraging. It takes so much work and so much commitment that at times I wanted to give up. But for the most part I was good to stick with my diet and my program. I did not go to the gym. I did not get a personal trainer. I did not get a nutritionist. I did not sign up for WeightWatchers, Jenny Craig or any other scheme. I changed my diet and exercised. A lot of my success has to do with the above product from Visalus Sciences. No gimmick, just healthy, nutrient-rich, protein-thick, vitamin-filled, shake mix that I added to fruit smoothies.
Despite losing 50lbs, 6 dress sizes, and 2 bra sizes, I have gained many things. Confidence, a new wardrobe, energy, great skin, health (haven't even had the slightest cold since I started this journey), joy, comfort, strength, skills that I thought I would never had. I used to blame my non-athleticism on my bum ankle - which at times is a legitimate excuse, but not always. I can now run 30 minutes without stopping. My sweat is fat crying and I hate it and like it at the same time.
If you are thinking of weight-loss as a New Years Resolution and are curious about my success, contact me! I did it. I know you can too.
Friday, December 09, 2011
Creeper
Yesterday I worked forever.
Literally. ALL day and then some. It was just one of those days where there wasn't enough time to get things done and I ended up walking home from work ridiculously late. It was dark, it was cold, it was miserable, it was not a nice night to be out.
I was almost home when my sister texted me "Where are you?"
It never even occurred to me to text back, "I'm almost home, I'm walking down the street" or any other normal-boring response. Nope. I went in for the creep.
I slipped into the backyard and sat on a lawnchair, where I could see Vanessa sitting on the couch, put my feet up, and texted back, "I'm in the backyard. Where are you?"
She whipped her head around, saw me sitting in my winter coat, hat, boots, scaft, mittens, on the lawnchair, opened the back door, and laughingly told me I was a creeper.
Literally. ALL day and then some. It was just one of those days where there wasn't enough time to get things done and I ended up walking home from work ridiculously late. It was dark, it was cold, it was miserable, it was not a nice night to be out.
I was almost home when my sister texted me "Where are you?"
It never even occurred to me to text back, "I'm almost home, I'm walking down the street" or any other normal-boring response. Nope. I went in for the creep.
I slipped into the backyard and sat on a lawnchair, where I could see Vanessa sitting on the couch, put my feet up, and texted back, "I'm in the backyard. Where are you?"
She whipped her head around, saw me sitting in my winter coat, hat, boots, scaft, mittens, on the lawnchair, opened the back door, and laughingly told me I was a creeper.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Culture Day
Today in my class we had 'Culture Day'.Also known as 'Chaos Day'.
Also known as 'Awesome'.
For the past few weeks students have been working on projects about different countries around the world. Today they brought their projects to school along with a traditional food for a potluck lunch and a story, game, piece of music or something interactive from their culture to share with the class.
It was a fantastic day. The projects were really well done and the activities were fun. Some students (and obviously me) had on costumes, some made movies, some made activity sheets to go with their station. It was a great fun-filled day.
Our very last presentation did me in though. I laughed. We all laughed. We all went crazy. I'm still smiling thinking about the craziness that happened during the last presentation. How could a presentation on Australia get crazy you ask?
WELL, let me tell you.
Apparently, Cody Simpson is from Australia.
So when this student put on a CD for us to listen to some "Australian Music" - Cody Simpson blared out. (Ai ai ai ai).
And you can't listen to Cody Simpson and not dance. Especially if you are eleven... or twenty-nine...
So our multi-cultural day ended in a full-out dance party. And it was awesome.
Especially when the kid who did his project on India busted out some pretty fantastic Bollywood moves.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Top 10 Obsessions
1. Sharpies
2. Facebook
3. Pinterest
4. Thrift Stores
5. Crafts
6. Jericho
7. Warm Beds
8. Warmed-up bean bags (usually aids #7)
9. Slippers
10. Painting my nails
2. Facebook
3. Pinterest
4. Thrift Stores
5. Crafts
6. Jericho
7. Warm Beds
8. Warmed-up bean bags (usually aids #7)
9. Slippers
10. Painting my nails
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Fun/Whiplash - it's all the same thing.
I just wanted to share a picture of me having fun with some students. And by having fun I mean getting whip-lash. I like hanging out with these kids. They keep me young and make me laugh.
My Family is Pretty
On Sunday my family headed down to Kamloops lake to take some nice family pictures. They turned out really well. Here are some of my favourites.
Ew.
If you are a girl, you will most likely be able to relate to what I'm about to write about today. If you are a boy... hopefully you won't be too traumatized by what you are about to see. And if you are a boy (or my mom), I want you to understand that the picture and story I'm about to share with you, are in fact, your fault.It all started when I was born.
A girl.
With hair.
That grew long.
And, lets be honest, pretty glorious. I have pretty nice hair.
The one time I decided I didn't want long, luxurious, curly hair. So in grade 10 I cut it off, whereupon people called me ugly until it grew back. Ever since then I have had long hair. And it's nice. I like it. People compliment me on it. In fact, last Sunday my hair was so nice that three (THREE!) random people (read: strangers) actually reached out and ran their fingers through my hair. I know. That's weird. Really weird. It has never happened before, but it did actually happen on Sunday and works well to illustrate my point. The point that I have nice hair.
I'll get to the point of my 'hair-raising' story (see what I did there? 'hair-raising' so clever). Because I'm a girl, with a lot of hair, I gotta tell you, I shed. Quite a lot. A LOT. And occasionally the train in my tub/shower gets clogged. With hair, and shaving cream, and product, and missing razors, toothpaste lids, all sorts of treasures. Last Thursday I realized it was just about time to unclog the drain. I'm fairly environmental, so I try to avoid products like Draino, and I have this fantastic product called the Turbo Snake that works amazingly. And it gets out EVERYTHING.
Now for the gross part. The stuff I found:
Ew.
Seriously. NASTY.
Hope you all have a good day! ;)
Monday, November 07, 2011
The best feeling in the world
The best feeling in the world (for today anyways):
Visiting a friend in the hospital and getting to hold her brand-new one-day-old baby as long as I wanted and not having to share her with anyone!
Seriously. I gotta get me one of those one of these days.
Visiting a friend in the hospital and getting to hold her brand-new one-day-old baby as long as I wanted and not having to share her with anyone!
Seriously. I gotta get me one of those one of these days.
Grammar can be fun!
I had a good day at school today. The kind of day where you come home and pat yourself on the back and tell yourself that you did a smashing job and deserve a raise.
The reason I was such an awesome teacher today was that I made grammar class not just fun, but absolutely roll-on-the-floor hilarious. This post might not do it justice, but I'll try.
I teach a split 5/6 class - which is a challenge, but also has it's bright spots. I try to do separate lessons as much as possible so that the curriculum and IRPs get covered. Today after setting the 6th graders to their work (wahoo subordinate clauses - bleh), I started working with the 5's on sentence types. Seriously guys, grammar is not exciting. Whenever I have a super boring grammar lesson I always apologize to my students and say, "I'm sorry guys, sometimes we just have to learn things and it's not exciting. And we have to do it cus' the government says we have to. So don't get moody with me, be mad at the government. Write Stephen Harper a letter or something to complain, don't whine to me, I can't do anything about it."
But today it was hilarious. So hilarious that most of the 6's ignored their subordinate clauses and participated with the 5's in a lesson they had already done last year. Because it was funny and they wanted to be a part of the hilarity. Why so funny? Because I used funny examples.
Declarative Sentences: State a fact.
e.g. Zac Efron is dreamy.
Then they all groaned so I crossed out Zac Efron and wrote Taylor Lautner. (More groaning)
Zane can't stop talking.
Then they all groaned so I crossed out his name and wrote Nathan. Then crossed it out and wrote Caleb, and kept doing that about 8 times going through the kids who talk all the time. It was funny. And everyone was laughing and getting all defensive (in a good funny way) so I crossed off 'can't stop talking' and wrote in 'is very smart and pretty.' (which was funny because it was mostly boys.) then as they were laughing I added more. 'But only between 7 and 8am. The rest of the time he smells. A lot.'
Interoggative Sentences: Ask a question.
e.g. Why isn't Zac Efron Miss. G's boyfriend yet?
How come people think Taylor Lautner is cool, when he clearly isn't?
Exclamatory Sentences: Express strong emotion.
I love Zac Efron! (Do you sense a theme yet?)
Imperative Sentences: State a command.
(by this time we were out of control having fun and laughing so I wrote...)
Be quiet!
Get to work!
Do your homework!
and one of my students yelled out:
Stop being bossy! (Which made us laugh more, because I was being bossy, and it was an imperative sentence.)
So I wrote it on the board and added to the end
"Stop being bossy!" said Owen. In detention.
Oh we laughed.
It was so good to be reviewing and learning, but laughing so hard. And it's so good to have a relationship with my students where I can healthily tease them and they can tease me back. Laughter is good. Relationships are good. Being a teacher is not always about being the boss, it's about being a role model, and encourager, an entertainer, an advisor, a discipler, and a trainer.
And today I was.
The reason I was such an awesome teacher today was that I made grammar class not just fun, but absolutely roll-on-the-floor hilarious. This post might not do it justice, but I'll try.
I teach a split 5/6 class - which is a challenge, but also has it's bright spots. I try to do separate lessons as much as possible so that the curriculum and IRPs get covered. Today after setting the 6th graders to their work (wahoo subordinate clauses - bleh), I started working with the 5's on sentence types. Seriously guys, grammar is not exciting. Whenever I have a super boring grammar lesson I always apologize to my students and say, "I'm sorry guys, sometimes we just have to learn things and it's not exciting. And we have to do it cus' the government says we have to. So don't get moody with me, be mad at the government. Write Stephen Harper a letter or something to complain, don't whine to me, I can't do anything about it."
But today it was hilarious. So hilarious that most of the 6's ignored their subordinate clauses and participated with the 5's in a lesson they had already done last year. Because it was funny and they wanted to be a part of the hilarity. Why so funny? Because I used funny examples.
Declarative Sentences: State a fact.
e.g. Zac Efron is dreamy.
Then they all groaned so I crossed out Zac Efron and wrote Taylor Lautner. (More groaning)
Zane can't stop talking.
Then they all groaned so I crossed out his name and wrote Nathan. Then crossed it out and wrote Caleb, and kept doing that about 8 times going through the kids who talk all the time. It was funny. And everyone was laughing and getting all defensive (in a good funny way) so I crossed off 'can't stop talking' and wrote in 'is very smart and pretty.' (which was funny because it was mostly boys.) then as they were laughing I added more. 'But only between 7 and 8am. The rest of the time he smells. A lot.'
Interoggative Sentences: Ask a question.
e.g. Why isn't Zac Efron Miss. G's boyfriend yet?
How come people think Taylor Lautner is cool, when he clearly isn't?
Exclamatory Sentences: Express strong emotion.
I love Zac Efron! (Do you sense a theme yet?)
Imperative Sentences: State a command.
(by this time we were out of control having fun and laughing so I wrote...)
Be quiet!
Get to work!
Do your homework!
and one of my students yelled out:
Stop being bossy! (Which made us laugh more, because I was being bossy, and it was an imperative sentence.)
So I wrote it on the board and added to the end
"Stop being bossy!" said Owen. In detention.
Oh we laughed.
It was so good to be reviewing and learning, but laughing so hard. And it's so good to have a relationship with my students where I can healthily tease them and they can tease me back. Laughter is good. Relationships are good. Being a teacher is not always about being the boss, it's about being a role model, and encourager, an entertainer, an advisor, a discipler, and a trainer.
And today I was.
Friday, November 04, 2011
Just when I thought it couldn't get worse.
Monday was one of 'those' days.
It's taken me five days to calm down, and now I can look back and see that it wasn't really that terrible. It was still terrible, but not THAT terrible.
It all started when I woke up and it was still dark out. Nobody likes that.
My students were crazy.
I had to leave school right away at 2:40 beacuse I had a meeting all the way up the moutain AND across town. So I didn't get to clean up, or do marking, or leave feeling prepared.
Went to my meeting - which was good.
Drove 1/2 way down the mountain to church. Where I realized I forgot my purse at my meeting location 15 minutes away. And no one was going to be there the rest of the night.
Cooked dinner for 40 young adults at church, even though I didn't want to.
Drove back to get my purse.
Drove ALL the way home at the very bottom of the mountain on the other side of town.
The door was locked.
We NEVER lock the door.
EVER.
My cell phone was dead.
The neighbours were all out trick-or-treating.
I was tired and crabby and just wanted to go to bed. I went over to my friend Gracie's house to use her phone. But do you think I have my sister's phone number memorized? No. Why would I? It's on speed dial.
Called the wrong number.
Called my mom to get my sister's number.
Called my sister. She didn't pick up.
Thought I'd call the church where I left her.
I worked at the church for 5 years. Do you think I have that number memorized? No. I ended up calling my pastors home instead.
Called the church. Talked to my sister and told her to come let me in the house.
Eventually made it home, way past my bedtime.
And just when I thought my night couldn't get worse....
My dog died.
Back inthe day when Sandy was a puppy... and alive... :(
It's taken me five days to calm down, and now I can look back and see that it wasn't really that terrible. It was still terrible, but not THAT terrible.
It all started when I woke up and it was still dark out. Nobody likes that.
My students were crazy.
I had to leave school right away at 2:40 beacuse I had a meeting all the way up the moutain AND across town. So I didn't get to clean up, or do marking, or leave feeling prepared.
Went to my meeting - which was good.
Drove 1/2 way down the mountain to church. Where I realized I forgot my purse at my meeting location 15 minutes away. And no one was going to be there the rest of the night.
Cooked dinner for 40 young adults at church, even though I didn't want to.
Drove back to get my purse.
Drove ALL the way home at the very bottom of the mountain on the other side of town.
The door was locked.
We NEVER lock the door.
EVER.
My cell phone was dead.
The neighbours were all out trick-or-treating.
I was tired and crabby and just wanted to go to bed. I went over to my friend Gracie's house to use her phone. But do you think I have my sister's phone number memorized? No. Why would I? It's on speed dial.
Called the wrong number.
Called my mom to get my sister's number.
Called my sister. She didn't pick up.
Thought I'd call the church where I left her.
I worked at the church for 5 years. Do you think I have that number memorized? No. I ended up calling my pastors home instead.
Called the church. Talked to my sister and told her to come let me in the house.
Eventually made it home, way past my bedtime.
And just when I thought my night couldn't get worse....
My dog died.
Back inthe day when Sandy was a puppy... and alive... :(Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Bad Idea
As much as I love every single one of my students, I have to say that sometimes they follow through with bad idea's.
Take for example what happened on Monday. I told them an interactive Bible story. So whenever I said "Esther" they had to cat call, when I said "Mordecai" they had to clap and cheer. "Haaman" got boo's, and King Xerxes called for them to stand up and shout "long live the king!"
Just a new fun way to tell a story that they have heard before.
The assignment: Choose a Biblical hero and turn his/her story into an interactive one that you can share with the class.
Now, I'm not a newbie at teaching anymore. I know full well that when an open assignment such as this is given, it will lead to distractions and a few kids not doing what they are supposed to be doing. While working with another group, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that one group of boys was clearly goofing around. I storm over there.
One of the boys is holding his nose and trying not to cry. He is clearly hurt. I ask the boys what happened.
"We were working on our assignment," they replied. I gave them 'the look."
"Do NOT tell me that you were working on your assignment,"I say in my best angry teacher voice. "Do NOT tell me that is what you were doing. Clearly you were NOT working on your assignment. What is going on here?"
"Really Miss. G. We were working on our assignment!" the boys insisted. I kneel down to the boy who is hurt and ask gently,
"Bobby*, can you tell me what happened?" He looks up at me with tear filled eyes,
"We were working on our story!" I once again give him 'the look.' You know, the I-don't-believe-you-stop-tying-to-not-get-in-trouble-we-have-a-problem-here-Look. He continues. "We were doing the story, and I was being the water, and they were being Jesus and Peter and walking on me!"
First of all, I get 10 000 points for not immediately laughing at them. Secondly, I gave them my 'look' again and said, "Well boys.... didn't really think that one through did you?"
Shamefaced, and smirking a bit all four of them start giggling at what a bad idea they had followed through with.
(*Names have been changed to protect identity)
Take for example what happened on Monday. I told them an interactive Bible story. So whenever I said "Esther" they had to cat call, when I said "Mordecai" they had to clap and cheer. "Haaman" got boo's, and King Xerxes called for them to stand up and shout "long live the king!"
Just a new fun way to tell a story that they have heard before.
The assignment: Choose a Biblical hero and turn his/her story into an interactive one that you can share with the class.
Now, I'm not a newbie at teaching anymore. I know full well that when an open assignment such as this is given, it will lead to distractions and a few kids not doing what they are supposed to be doing. While working with another group, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that one group of boys was clearly goofing around. I storm over there.
One of the boys is holding his nose and trying not to cry. He is clearly hurt. I ask the boys what happened.
"We were working on our assignment," they replied. I gave them 'the look."
"Do NOT tell me that you were working on your assignment,"I say in my best angry teacher voice. "Do NOT tell me that is what you were doing. Clearly you were NOT working on your assignment. What is going on here?"
"Really Miss. G. We were working on our assignment!" the boys insisted. I kneel down to the boy who is hurt and ask gently,
"Bobby*, can you tell me what happened?" He looks up at me with tear filled eyes,
"We were working on our story!" I once again give him 'the look.' You know, the I-don't-believe-you-stop-tying-to-not-get-in-trouble-we-have-a-problem-here-Look. He continues. "We were doing the story, and I was being the water, and they were being Jesus and Peter and walking on me!"
First of all, I get 10 000 points for not immediately laughing at them. Secondly, I gave them my 'look' again and said, "Well boys.... didn't really think that one through did you?"
Shamefaced, and smirking a bit all four of them start giggling at what a bad idea they had followed through with.
(*Names have been changed to protect identity)
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Seattle
So last weekend me and Esther took Bethany and Vanessa on a mystery road trip to Seattle. None of us had ever been there before and we found so much fun stuff to do. It was a great, great, great weekend away. Americans are nice, even if they dress weird (have you been to peopleofwalmart.com?), And even if one radical anti-Obama fanatic told me that eventually the US would take over Canada so I need to participate in his riot against the US government. The weather was great, the drive was great, the boarder was great, my sisters are great. It was all.... great. Here are few pictures of what we did. 
Step One: Road trip games! Which I totally won.
Step Two: Drive through Bellingham and point out all the stops of interest on Me and Bethany's doomed trip to Vegas. We were so hungry by this point that we stopped at the first place that looked like it had food. It also was a bowling alley. Apparently that is a popular thing in the USA. I had no idea. I'm thinking that bowling and eating at the same time isn't particularly sanitary. Oh well.
Step Four: Your only hint for our first stop is the ever so hot Sam and Dean Winchester - from the tv show "The Adventures of Sam and Dean Winchester." aka Supernatural. Which we *never* (cough cough) watch. We ended up at a haunted corn maze in Everett WA, which was AMAZING. They hired professional actors to dress up as ghosts and sasquatches and people chasing you around with chainsaws. It was really well done. Good fun. And I don't care that some of you don't approve of my choice of Friday night activities. We laughed.
Five. Pike Place Market. Pretty good, but a bit disappointing after thinking for 3 months that it would be like Granville Island in Vancouver. Granville Island gets 100%, Pike Place Market gets a 70%. However, the singing, fish-throwing fishermen were quite cool.
Six. Tea and crumpets and a horrible rendition of an Asian tourist photo. We are so white.
Seven. This guy. Dumb. Seriously. You cover yourself in silver paint, fill your pockets with birdseed and then expect me to PAY you? No. I'm sorry. You are not contributing to society whatsoever, and your 'job' is dumb. You are a terrible street performer, you don't entertain me, and I don't care how bad the recession is - do something useful.
Eight. Laugh at the note attached to this t-shirt.
Eight. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Yum Yum.
Nine. Hat store. Awesome. I have so many pictures.
Ten: Blue Man Group. ahhhh maaaaze ing. So fun.
Eleven. Cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. Seriously. To die. for. It was delicious. I'm pretty sure heaven tastes like cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.
Step One: Road trip games! Which I totally won.
Step Two: Drive through Bellingham and point out all the stops of interest on Me and Bethany's doomed trip to Vegas. We were so hungry by this point that we stopped at the first place that looked like it had food. It also was a bowling alley. Apparently that is a popular thing in the USA. I had no idea. I'm thinking that bowling and eating at the same time isn't particularly sanitary. Oh well.
Step Four: Your only hint for our first stop is the ever so hot Sam and Dean Winchester - from the tv show "The Adventures of Sam and Dean Winchester." aka Supernatural. Which we *never* (cough cough) watch. We ended up at a haunted corn maze in Everett WA, which was AMAZING. They hired professional actors to dress up as ghosts and sasquatches and people chasing you around with chainsaws. It was really well done. Good fun. And I don't care that some of you don't approve of my choice of Friday night activities. We laughed.
Five. Pike Place Market. Pretty good, but a bit disappointing after thinking for 3 months that it would be like Granville Island in Vancouver. Granville Island gets 100%, Pike Place Market gets a 70%. However, the singing, fish-throwing fishermen were quite cool.
Six. Tea and crumpets and a horrible rendition of an Asian tourist photo. We are so white.
Seven. This guy. Dumb. Seriously. You cover yourself in silver paint, fill your pockets with birdseed and then expect me to PAY you? No. I'm sorry. You are not contributing to society whatsoever, and your 'job' is dumb. You are a terrible street performer, you don't entertain me, and I don't care how bad the recession is - do something useful.
Eight. Laugh at the note attached to this t-shirt.
Eight. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Yum Yum.
Nine. Hat store. Awesome. I have so many pictures.
Ten: Blue Man Group. ahhhh maaaaze ing. So fun.
Eleven. Cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. Seriously. To die. for. It was delicious. I'm pretty sure heaven tastes like cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Don't Ignore The Signs.
I bike a fair bit. Quite a lot actually. For the last two summers I've biked to and from Barkerville from Wells on a daily basis and here in Kamloops I bike to work every day and if I'm going anywhere in town that is not up a mountain I try to bike.About a week and a half ago - my free, super ghetto bike - started giving me signs that perhaps it was in need of some TLC. I didn't give my bike any care and continued to ride it - although slower and more careful than normal. Something was definitely not right with my bike. It just didn't feel... solid... safe... normal...
(Me on a ride in happier days)
Yesterday my bike fell apart. Literally. As I was riding it.
I was biking to work like normal (all of 2km) and just before work, as I was peddling away, my handlebars fell off. Full out, 100% fell off my bike. That was awkward. Luckily I was going slowly around a corner and up an incline so I was able to jump off and not crash/kill myself. Then I carried my bike in one arm, and the handles in the other, the rest of the way to school. I'm sure I looked dumb, but I was alive. AND my patheticness caused our building manager to fix my bike for me! Woot Woot!
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