My new place!

I am all moved in to my freshly renovated room! A new city, a fresh start for my 3rd year of the nursing program- close to school (I can bike there) with a family I love (I grew up with Day and michele andI absolutely adore Zav). I can't wait to have everyone over on friday for the housewarming party- stay tuned for pics- I have found that with moving you lose and or break things and I can't find my batteries right now, I've lost my little address book more times that I can count and, well actually I have done surprisingly well with getting all my stuff here in one piece. I am so glad Aaron has a truck for the bigger furnature. Well everyone: I wish you all the luck with you "fresh starts" be it school, jobs, whatever. Maybe this isn't your season for something new- that's okay we all have it at one time or another. So, if I don't post as much it's because I am being really studious (or not), and if I post a lot I am probably procrastinating about doing homework- either way I will try to keep up with the updates. One more thing: So, yesterday I got a flat tire- I was stranded on the highway (coming from chilliwack to abby) no one was stopping and all I neeed was a jack and a phone- so I started walking (not knowing how far the next exite was) and someone pulls up. And get this: it's Rachel (my younger sis)! And she has a jack, she changes my tire for me, I call petro - once the spare is on-she leaves and the tow truck comes- puts a little air in the tire, and I am off (staying under 80 km/hr of course). It couldn't have worked out better- now I am off to buy a new (or used) tire in chilliwack.

Our day in Bellingham

Life could no be more perfect as Aaron and I had a nice Italien dinner in Bellingham, Wa. We then went in search of a drive-in movie theatre- which America is supposed to be all about (according to the internet and Aaron). So the one I found online is now a mini-mall, and the other one was on Whidbey island (too far) so we decided to go check out Fairhaven a nice port community with historic buildings and character. So, get this: we hear a band playing- cool maybe we should check it out- well it turns out the band just started played 5 minutes before- and once they are done they are showing "Walk the line" in the park!! And it's by donation only- so I spend 7 bucks for the two of us (what a steal) with american money I found in one of my old birthday cards too!!! So, we ended the evening at the docks where I demonstrated to Aaron how you can splash your hand around the water and see "phosphorescents" in the water- these things that light up like sparks!!! He dindn't seem to think it was amazing as I did. Anyways I am waiting on some more pics from his camera to put on this post- these are all I have...

Kilarney Lake

Sunday

Okay I did all these posts backwards so read from the bottom posts to the top- kay!


Went to Glad Tidings with everyone (Pam, Wendy, Nils and Chris) really good message about praise- and what it means to praise God. Amazing times of praise and worship throughout the morning. Daid goodbye to Chris- then headed with Pam and Nils to visit an old landlord of hers- a single mom of 3 (Nils knows her too) and we went with her and the kids plus 2 other kids (one looked like a young Dakota Fanning) to Arbutus Cove for a swim and some blackberry picking. So I swam in a river, a lake and the ocean this weekend! Then it was off to the ferry for me! I sure miss Aaron though- he gets back from his adventures in Colorado tomorrow:)

Later that day...

We went home and all of us helped Pam make some red curry Thai dish with savory rice- yummmyy...Followed by the guys doing the dishes and Pam's homemade chocolate ice cream. Nils led a game of Concentration- and before we knew it was 1130 time for bed!



Chris and I with the amazing dinner

Saturday...

Did some errands with the girls downtown, played some tennis at Windsor park with Pam and Wendy then walked Willows beach and all the way back to the apartment with Wendy. Next we got together with Chris and Nils to the Hartland dump area in search of Kilarney Lake- we had to tresspass on private property and we met up with some mean-looking big dogs (the boys were ahead of us we sprinted as fast as we could back to the main road). We ended up going the long way around the lake but as you can see it was worth the efforts.

Victoria trippin'- starting on Friday

Went to Victoria this weekend with Pam. She had a nail in her car tire so we had to keep filling it up with air at the gas stations all weekend. The first thing we did once I arrived in Nanimo was drive to the Sooke potholes. So much fun! It was the later part of the day so there wasn't much sun left, but I really enjoyed exploring the different cliff jumping spots and little crevasses cut out in the rocks where you could climb in and explore and sit. I was exploring on my own for while while the girls suntannned then I returned to join them. Once we got back we decided to head out the Inner Harbour. Dinner at the Noodle Box, listened to a band play at the Dragon Boat festival, saw some of the boats and yachts. I watched a performer stuff a skinny blown-up balloon down his throat! After all that we hit the hay pretty exhausted from our full day.

I rode the roller coaster!

This is me clutching on for dear life while attempting to film it. Yeah for playland round 2!!!!

excerps from a Dog and a Cat's diary

> EXCERPTS FROM A DOG'S DAILY DIARY:



>
> 8:00 a.m. Oh, boy! Dog food! My favorite!
>
> 9:30 a.m. Wow! A car ride! This is a blast!
>
> 9:40 a.m. A walk in the park! Ate some crap...Delicious!
>
> 10:30 a.m. Getting rubbed and petted! I'm in love!
>
> 12:00 p.m. Lunch! Yummy!
>
> 1:00 p.m. Playing in the yard! I just love it!
>
> 3:00 p.m. Staring adoringly at my masters...they're the best! I'll
> wag
> my tail in joy. 4:00 p.m. Hooray! The kids are home! I'm bouncing off the
> walls!
>
> 5:00 p.m. Milkbones! Great!
>
> 7:00 p.m. Get to play ball! This is too good to be true!
>
> 8:00 p.m. Wow! Watching TV with my master! Heavenly!
>
> 11:00 p.m. Sleeping at the bottom of my master's bed! Life is
> soooooooo great!
>
> EXCERPTS FROM A CAT'S DAILY DIARY:


>
> Day 683 of My Captivity:
>
> My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
>
> They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are
> fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the
> rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to
> keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of
> escape. In
> an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomited on the floor.
>
> Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their
> feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it
> clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made
> condescending
> comments about what a ''good little hunter'' I am. The audacity!! Hmmmph!
>
> There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was
> placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I
> could hear the noise and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement
> was due to my power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how
> to use it to my advantage.
> Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my
> tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this
> again tomorrow-- but at the top of the stairs.
>
> I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and
> snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly
> released--and he seems more than willing to return! He is obviously
> retarded.
> The bird has got to be an informant-- I observe him communicating with
> the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. The
> captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so
> he is safe........ for now

Get to know you better...

Funny music video by junior senior (don't know who they are but it's good!)

http://www.juniorsenior.com/hi.mov

Feeling like a kid again

We took the kids to Playland today- it was awesome! No lineups (the kids are in wheel chairs so they get to go through a different entrance to have better access to the rides). It was so amazing to see those kids smiling and laughing- I was doing the same thing I screamed out loud so many times I lost count. I can't believe I am going back tomorrow with another group of kids:) days like these I am so thankful for this job (makes up for all the harder days).

The art of picking berries

I went for a walk tonight to pick blackberries. The sky was cloudy, hazy and bright. In anticipation I walked eagerly to where only us locals know where they are in the middle of this industrial neighborhood. It was getting dark, but not so dark I couldn't see the sweet, plump shiny berries glistening. I held onto my little container and couldn't wait to fill it!! As I filled it a sense of satisfaction came over me as I thought about all the things I could make with these berries. I remembered when I used to pick berries in Victoria- but I have never brought a container and filled it- I usually eat the berries on my walks, which is fine but then you can't enjoy them later, right? I really wanted to go pick the berries with Aaron but I figure that maybe this is kinda a "girly" thing to do- and nonetheless I enjoyed picking the berries alone, the whole time ideas for poems rushed through my head, and I thought about my nursing instructor who passed away and how she might just be looking down from heaven as I picked the berries- who knows? maybe berry picking was something she liked to do when she spent her summers in Kelowna? I've been thinking about her a lot since I heard of her death- and I think that I will always remember how much pride she took in knowing she was helping shape us nursing students into excellent nurses. I will always think of her as "a force not be be reckoned with" not in a bad way but in a good way in that she was a fighter and we should all be so lucky to have just a fraction of that amazing spirit of hers. I only wish I knew her longer, asked her more questions, knew more about her....

Anyways better think about heading to bed soon as I have work tomorrow then I can't wait to go to the drive in movies in Aldergrove tomorrow night!!

Grouse mtn minus the stairs.......

We took the campers to grouse mtn today and since we had 3 wheel chairs we took the gondola ride- it was a little rainy to start but it got nicer throughout the day- much nicer than abbotsford anyways. So, we saw bears in their habitat, a bird show complete with a red-tailed hawk demonstrating how he swoops down to catch his prey. The best part was watching the lumberjacks do their 30 min show- so funny, entertaining, ect! Hope you all enoy the pics and the video I made- I wish I made more videos from this trip

Grouse mtn tram ride

BC long weekend in Penticton

BC long weekend: So- it was a housefull at my parents place in Penticton. Rachel, her boyfriend Kris, Jennica and her husband Jamie, and Aaron and I all stayed for the weekend. For all you out there wondering "who is this Aaron guy who has suddenly popped up over Keeg's blog these past 2 months"? Well, he is my new boyfriend, and as you can see we have quite the adventures together so I can guarantee more pics of him as we continue to make the most of our weekends:) We did quite a few things this weekend such as: Jennica and Jamie delivered some "Soju"- a Korean alcoholic beverage- to Doug the Korean owner of the corner store we grew up with. They also shared their scrapbook of pictures of Korea (they've been gone for 1 yr teaching english there). We all got free slurpies (yeah!) only the best slurpee's you can find anywhere in BC (from what I've tried so far). We also swam in the Okangan lake (no we didn't spot Ogopogo). We also went to visit Sherry, Chad and family for sunday lunch and then we took the quads out for a tour of their 160 acre property! The food was amazing at Sherry's as well as at my parents place- my mom outdid herself, serving bbq shrimp, chicken, greek salad, ect good stuff! The only lowlight was the fact that Aaron and I both had "stomach/bowel issues" on sat night so while the family went out to race RC cars we layed on the couch waiting for the pain to stop as we watched "American Chopper" on tv. We thought we both might have food poisoning but I think we both just have stomach issues that flared up at the same time and need to be checked out soon.


At Okanagan lake- we relaxed, read books, ate some good food and went for a swim.

Sherry made the most amazing lunch for us after church- fresh veggies from her garden, barbequed chicken, yummy potatoes with dills, and to top it off homemade rasberry pie (see pic later)

You're letting me do what???!!!

Quading at Sherry and Chad's place