Trip to the Big City :)

Saturday morning, I got up around 730 and ran around the house trying to do all the last minute things before I left for my trip to Vancouver. Around 10am Ashleigh arrived, we put her stuff in the car, and off we went. I was slightly nervous about driving into Vancouver, but I figured, I had map quested the directions so I should be fine. The first stop was going to be at the Olive Garden in Langley. Well we got off the highway no problem, but within a couple minutes we were lost. Its amazing how if you miss one turn, you mess up everything! Anyway I was able to fix the mistake quickly and we got to the Olive Garden, where we met up with the girls friend Leah, and we had lunch. I had never been to an Olive Garden, and food was amazing. So after lunch we got back in the car, where I again got lost (oops) but once I figured out where we were going we were back on the freeway. We experienced a bit of the rush hour traffic but it wasn't too bad. Finding the hotel turned out to be not so bad. So we pulled into the Blue Horizon on Robson just after 5, checked in and took our bags to our room. We had a really nice room, with a view of Robson street so that was cool. So we decided that we should go for a walk. Bad idea. We didn't think to grab the umbrella out of the trunk of my car, so within a few min we were pretty wet. We tried to stay undercover as much as possible though. So we gave up on Shopping, went to Moxies for dinner and called it a night.

Day 2
On Sunday we slept in, took our time getting ready and walked down to the skytrain station, where we caught the train to Metrotown. However along the way we bought some umbrellas because there was no way we were going to spend a second day looking like drowned rats! I was able to meet up with Tammy and Tom, and then later on our cousin Kelsey met up with us as well. It was good to see everyone. And I got to go to Old Navy so it was a win win situation!! When we finished up at metrotown we got back on the sky train, and went back to the hotel to rest, and drop off our stuff. Then that night we went to Red Robins for dinner (another highlight for me) and had a fairly early night.

Day 3

Once again we slept in. We woke up to see the sun shining and I couldn't have been any happier. We decided to walk down to Pacific Centre, and wander around that mall for a bit, but there wasn't as much in it as I remembered. So then we just walked back up Robson and hit a few more stores that we wanted to. Then we came back to the hotel room to rest up and freshen up for the big night!! We met Kelsey for dinner at Milestones, and then she walked with us to GM Place... where I got to see the Pussycat Dolls and Christina Aguilera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Pussycat Dolls were pretty much exactly what I expected. They were originally show girls, so I sort of felt like I was at a strip club with a couple of girls singing haha... Then there was a short intermission and then the real show began.
The concert was unbelievable. Christina is amazing. Plus it was such a cool experience to see a concert at GM Place, I have never seen so many people in my life.. She performed for about an hour and a half, and I was seriously in my glory the whole night. After the show, we just went back to the hotel room and began to pack and talked about how much fun we had!


Day 4
Well this was sort of a sad day. I was so excited for this little road trip so when it came to an end I was disappointed. It all came so fast. But we got up fairly early and checked out by 930. Then we drove to IKEA and shopped for two hours (once again I was in my glory). I seriously love that place. I picked up a few things, and mentally added at least a hundred things to my wish list!!! Then we drove to Chilliwack and stopped at the Best Western for lunch, where we met up with my mom and my Aunt Kim. So that was really nice. Then we followed mom back to Grandma's and had a short visit with her before we were back on the road. The trip home took a lot longer than it should have though because there had been a rock slide near hope, so there was a detour. And then lucky for me I hit some snow at the tollbooth and fog... always so much fun. So we finally got home around 630!! It was a long day but it was worth it.
This trip was one so much fun... I am so glad I got to see Christina live.. and I am am hoping to go to another concert at GM place soon :)

Countrify My Soul!

Well last night I attended the Emerson Drive concert, and I had so much fun. Since August when a country radio station started up here again in Kamloops, I have sort of crossed over, and I have begun to really enjoy country music. I was always a fan, but not as much as I am now. So when I first heard that Emerson Drive was coming to town, I was excited, but didn't think anyone would go with me.. Well in the middle of February when I heard there were still tickets (perhaps not always a good sign) I figured what the heck. So Julia and I bought tickets for Paula's birthday. So last night the three of us went for dinner at Kelly O's (such good food) and then made our way to the Interior Savings Building. The first act was a girl named Jessie Ferrall who is sort of just breaking out into the scene. I thought she was pretty good, but she only sang 5 songs. Out next was Shane Yellowbird... Appearantly I don't listen to the country station enough because I was sort of unsure who he was too.. But it turns out he has only been around this last year, and only really has one single out (which once I heard I recognized.).. Finally around 9pm it was the moment we were all waiting for... Emerson Drive on stage. The energy the lead singer Brad Mates had was absolutly amazing. He kept going for an hour and a half. They have a fiddle player who was also amazing, and the keyboard player is from kamloops which is an added bonus. The first few songs they sang, I recognzied (since I do have their new album Countrfied Soul) but I didn't really know the words so I sort of just sat back and enjoyed. Then they sang a couple of their older songs, including I think one of my favorite songs "If you were my girl". They ended the show with their newest hit "Countrfied Soul" which was done really well, and it was amazing to see it live... however as all bands do, I knew they were coming back for an encore, since I know they do a cover of that song "Devil down in Georgia" (or whatever it is called) which showed off once again the amazing talents of the fiddle player. And then last song of the encore was another great song by them "Still got Yesterday".
One thing I found interesting about this concert was that instead of a mosh pit at the front of the stage where everyone pushes and shoves, and the back half of the floor (where there were no seats) there were many of the country fans, two stepping and just having a great time which was nice to see.. And I think one of the highlights for us 3 girls audience wise, was watching the little girl in front of us. She had to have been only about 8 years old, but she was singing along to every song, clapping her hands, and just really enjoying the show. So it was a show for all ages :) Emerson Drive is coming back for Merritt Mountain Music fest, and I am now kind of kicking myself, I wish I had gotten tickets.. Oh well in the meantime I can continue to enjoy the album, and the memories of a great evening!!

Children and their imaginations

Tuesday night I was invited to go to the movies with my sister and a friend of hers. Her friend wanted to go see Bridge to Terabitha. To be honest, I had seen the previews, but never really paid attention to the movie. I thought it is geared for children, and never gave it much more. As a teacher I suppose I should know that it is based on a book haha... Sheri had read it when she was younger, and so she said that we would all enjoy the movie. So I had looked up the movie online, to get an idea what it was about and away I went. I really enjoyed the movie. It brought me back to remembering how great it was to be a child. And to just see how the minds of children work. The stories is about two children, who turn to each other for friendship and a reason to escape the real world. Together they create this magical world that they call Terabithia. I got so caught up in the story, that one can almost believe that this kingdom they have created really does exist. While watching the movie, the teacher in me started thinking about how I could take this novel, and bring it into the classroom, and started mentally coming up with possible lessons! My sister said for her it brought her back to her childhood as well. Her and Sheri used to create magical places, and just use their imaginations and play. In some ways I wonder if children still do that today. I mean I know that they all have imaginations, but sometimes i wonder if in today's society more children are watching tv, playing video games etc. Instead of having the freedom to just play and keep their minds open, and let their imaginations run wild.

Oscar Movies...

So my mom and I decided that we would like to take in as many Oscar nomniated movies, before the actual show.. Every year we actually say this, saying we want to see the movies that are being nominated. So far I am off to a rocky start. I saw Little Miss Sunshine just after Christmas and it is nominated for a few awards. It is actually a really cute movie. I didn't know much about it when we started it, but had me laughing and crying.... Most recently my mom and I had an evening out and went and saw Dream Girls. I have heard so much hype about the movie, that I had to check it out. The biggest buzz of course is about American Idol contestent Jennifer Hudson. I have to say she was not one of my fav's during season 3. However, she got rid of any doubt in my mind... this girl can sing. In the movie when she sings, "and I am telling you"... she actually gave me goosebumps. She was absolutly phenomal... I know she won the Golden Globe best supporting actress, and I truly believe that she deserves to take the Oscar home in that category as well. I am not a huge Beyonce fan, but I really liked her in this movie as well.. Also Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx... both did superb jobs.. I liked the movie so much I went out the next day and bought the soundtrack. I would like to go see the movie again, but I am not too sure that I can convince either of my sisters to go. But I highly recommend this movie.

few decent people left in this world...

So last night I hung out with my friend Amanda. She came and picked me up, we did a few errands, then we went to Starbucks to pick up coffee before heading off to her boyfriends indoor soccer game. It was a good night, and his team won which is always a bonus! After that she took me home, I came home went to bed, end of story. So this morning I get up, and I don't get a call for teaching (big shocker there) so I figure I will drive my little sister to work. But I also remembered I had the money I owed her friend. So I reach into my purse... and the wallet is not there. So then I am like that is weird. So I start digging through the purse (and it isn't that big..) and I dont' have it. So i call my friend and leave her a msg asking if my wallet was in her car... but she didn't answer... So I was kept thinking to myself I hope it is in her car... Anyway so around 1030 this morning the phone rings and it is the soccer dome saying that someone turned in my wallet! I guess it somehow fell out of my purse in the parking lot.. The good news is that it was turned in and everything (including the $70 that Julia's friend gave me for concert tickets) was in there.. The bad news is that it was driven over so the wallet is kind of ruined. which sucks since it is brand new and I just got it for Christmas... But I guess I should just be thankful that there was an honest person out last night or this morning, that found my wallet and turned it in without taking anything!!!

Catch and Release

On Saturday night, my sister and I attempted to go to the movies to see Catch and Release. However, it was so busy there, and the other person who was meeting us was late, so we didn't get to see the movie. So we went for appies instead. Last night we tried to go again, and this time we were successful. For those of you who don't knwo the story line it is about a girl named Grey (played by Jennifer Garner) who's fiance dies on his batchelor party weekend. So it is her story discovering herself and who he really was. The movie had its moments where you were on the verge of tears, but thanks to Kevin Smith, he had you laughing moments later. I really like Jennifer Garner as an actress so I enjoyed this movie. But I think for me Kevin Smith made the movie. I find him very funny, and I usually enjoy the films that he is a part of. I am not sure that this movie is necessarily one to rush to the theatres to see, but it is def. worth the rent!

Playstation games...

So last week Julia decided to buy PlayStation 2. I know, I know we are behind in the times, they just released the third one. But before that we had game cube, and then regular nintento! Anyway the reason she wanted to buy a ps2 is because she wanted to play this game called Singstar. So she bought the game station at Costco which came with an ATV racing game and Basketball, and my mom bought her the singstar game. So that day we came home, and she was like you have to just try and sing. And I was like I can't sing.. But I figured it would be fun. Which it is. We spent a couple of hours just singing along, challenging each other for points. Cuz you see you don't have to actually be good at singing to win. All you have to do is be able to follow the tune to a degree, whether it is in tune or not doesn't seem to matter! Then the other day my other sister came home with the American Idol game. So it is another singing game, but this time you get to pick your character and you get to sing in front of the judges! Let me tell you the game is addicting... And last but not least, two days ago Julia came home with Dance Dance Revolution!! I have learned that not only can I not sing, I have no coordination whatsoever. But it is tons of fun. Plus I figure it can help with the coordination, and the active moment, is the closest I am going to get to working out! I am too lazy to go jump on the treadmill, but to make a fool of myself on a dance pad is right up my alley :) Like this afternoon Paula and I danced for an hour. And I actually started to get good! yay for me. So while I may not be getting any teaching calls, I am learning how to dance and how to sing :) haha... maybe I should drop the teaching thing and just audition for Canadian Idol........ YAH right!!

Getting the Winter Blues

I know I have said it before, and I will say it again.... I am getting REALLY tired of this whole winter thing. Yesterday when I got up, it had snowed maybe 2cm or snow. No big deal. This morning I wake up, and it is lightly snowing once again. I didn't get a call.. So I figured I would go out and finish shovelling the driveway for my mom. She only did behind her car so she could leave for work. So I do the other side, and quickly go over her side again. I come inside, have some more coffee, some breakfast and watch tv. I look out the window and the snow is still coming down. My sister has a driving lesson scheduled for 2pm, and is starting to worry because she had not driven in the snow. I said, oh it will be fine. So we watch a little more tv. Just after 11 we decide it is time to get moving. She starts doing chores around the house, and so I looked out the window, and yup it is still snowing. Although now it is getting heavier. So I think to myself well I should get out there and shovel again before my mom comes home. So I go out there, and realize that a lot more snow has fallen than I realized. As I am working away, listening to my ipod Julia comes out and says her driving lesson has been cancelled because the roads are getting pretty bad! Super!! So she was happy about that, and I continued shovelling, and more than once came very close to wiping out. My driveway is like a death trap waiting to happen! One of these days I am going to hurt myself. So the good news is, I am not going to be stuck in Merritt cuz well I am at home. But the bad news is I will eventually have to venture out in this awful weather to hang out at good old CT. Lucky me. I am so finished with winter.. I am ready for spring!

Teaching day one ;)

Well this morning, I got a call for teaching. So I was quite thrilled about this. I was also a little thrown off by the call though because I was told I was going to the Community Learning Center. So i was not entirely sure what I was in for. But I was told I was only to be there from 845-12. So I leave a bit earlier than I normally would in case the roads were slippery and because I was not entirely sure where I was going. The roads were not bad and it was easy to find, so I got there with plenty time to spare. So I go in and introduce myself to the other teacher there, and find out that this place is kind of like an alternate school. They have students from around 13-18. Then I was asked how I felt about cooking. And I was like alright.. (thinking oh they are going to cook and I just have to help). NOPE.. Was I ever wrong. The teacher I was subbing for, it was his day to cook lunch.. which means I got to cook. So then I was asked what I like to cook, or what I could cook. I didn't want to admit I can't cook ANYTHING so I said simple things... So he suggessted Spaghetti. So they sent me to the groecery store to get the stuff I needed. And then I came back. And there was a student who helped me out. And all I have to say is thank goodness for her, or things probably wouldn't have gone so smoothly. She said she loved to cook, so that was good. Now for any of you who truly know me, you will understand and appreciate the fact that I was able to cook this meal to feed 20 people, I didn't burn the building down and the food tasted good! I was invited to stay for lunch :) So although it was only a part day, it was a good one ;) And even better because I get at least one days pay for the month of january!

Text Messaging vs face to face communication

So I am quite aware of the fact, that I can be seen as someone who is addicted to my cell phone. And I know that I send my fair share of text msgs! Its kind of fun, and in some cases it is cheaper for me to send a text msg to someone than it is to make the long distance phone call. However, I watched something the other night, and I can only hope that I am not that bad. But just to be safe, I am going to attempt to change my ways.. Anyway so the other night I went to this small gathering for a guy at work. He quit CT and is moving to do something with the pine beetle. Anyway so we were all hanging out, and I was talking to this guy Ben, and we looked around the room. And every single person in the room (except for me and Ben) had out their cell phones, and they were either talking on them, or sending text msgs. And I looked at Ben and I was like wow, talk about anti-social people. Here we are all in a room, yet no one was talking to each other. And the more I started thinking about it, it seems as though our society is turning this way more and more. People are becoming more self absorbed (perhaps not the right word but go with me on this one). More and more you see people walking down the street listening to their ipods, drowning out what is going on around them. One night I went to the movies with some people. And one of the people I was with, was sending text msgs while watching the movie! Even I am not that bad, I turn the cell phone off when I am at movies...
Anyway so the other night at this party, I said to Ben, I really hope that I am not that bad. So I am trying this thing, where I ignore the constant beep of my phone when I am watching tv with the family (in fact some days I leave it in another room haha). And I try to not respond to as many text msgs when I am out with friends.. I realized that the ppl with I am with is just as good company, if not better than the ppl I am sending text msgs too. So to any of you, who put up with my constant txt msgs I am sorry! And to the rest of the world.. When you are with a group of ppl, put the phone away ;) We want to talk to you...

Teaching in 2007?

Well this is the first week back to school since Christmas break. I got up bright and early Monday morning, not really thinking I would get the call, but I figured it was good to start getting into a routine again. No more sleeping in for me! Tuesday morning, same thing, I got up, and no call... Until around 730 when the phone rang. It startled me especially when it said it was the school board. She was calling to book me for Wednesday afternoon. Yes it kind of sucks to drive all that way to only teach from 1230-3, but I was thinking to myself, hey at least I got a call, which means money will be put into my bank account. Early Tuesday evening it began to rain, and I thought to myself, oh that will be fun if it freezes over night. But my mom was watching the weather channel (which cant be trusted by the way!) and it was supposed to stay above freezing. Well a little while later, I look out the window, and the rain has progressed to snow. I pointed this out to my mom, who then turned back to the weather channel, and was still convinced it wouldn't be a big deal, it only called for 1cm overnight.. So we watched the People's Choice Awards. When that was done I looked outside and it had sort of stopped snowing, which was a good thing. So I decided to be a good daughter and go shovel the driveway so that my mom or dad didn't have to deal with it in the morning. So I get out there and let me tell you how much fun that way. Under the snow of course was ice, due to the rain previous. And my driveway has a bit of an incline, so I slid to the bottom a few times. Lucky for me two of my neighbors were out and they actually came and helped me shovel my driveway. So after I did that, I came in, and started to worry about the drive the following morning. If my driveway was slick, what would the roads be like. Then I get a call from my youngest sister, trying to figure out how she would get home from her friends house, since her friends dad was stuck at the bottom of Summitt (one of the main roads), and he was walking home. The roads were awful! So I started to worry some more, and I came to my computer and looked up the highway conditions. It said that they were slippery but the sanders and plows were out. So I figured ok, by the time I have to leave here, it will be fine.. Well I didnt' sleep well that night, and I was wide awake at 7am. So I got up looked out the window to see that more snow had fallen and you couldn't even tell I had shovelled. Then my mom was listening to the radio, and there was a travel advisery out for the highway from here to Merritt. Basically saying please dont' travel unless absolutley necessary. So my mom starts asking if I can get out of going, because she didn't want me driving. I thought about it for a few moments, and then decided to phone the call out lady and just talk to her. All I have to say is that I am so thankful that she is such an understanding woman. She told me that my safety was very important, and not to worry she would find someone else, and I would not be penalized. I was disappointed that I didn't get back into the teaching thing, but at the same time I was glad I didn't have to take that chance. And I guess it is a good thing I didn't go, because currently my dad is stuck in Merritt because he didn't want to chance the roads home yesterday!
So all I can pray for, is that this crazy weather soon comes to an end, and the teaching calls pick up again :) On another note, I have started to apply to other cities again, so I am hoping something works out...

Lady in the Water.

So tonight, as a family we watched the movie "Lady in the Water". I didn't know much about the movie going into it, and I didn't really remember what I had seen for previews. But I knew that the director of this movie was also the guy that did The Sixth Sense, And the Village (which i have not seen yet). So I figured it must be fairly decent. Well the movie starts off a bit slow, as the characters develop and so on, but overall I really enjoyed it. There were a couple of puzzle pieces we as the audience had to put together. There was no huge twist, like in Sixth Sense, but there were a couple parts in the movie that had me on the edge of my seat. And it doesn't help when my mom lets out a giant scream, which then of course leads to us all to jump out of our seats. I enjoyed this movie though for the most part, and my sisters were surprised I wanted to watch it since I am not keen on anything scary. I would like to say that I want to see the Village now because I seem to like his work, but lets take baby steps here... unless someone can convince me that it isn't that scary... One thing I think that amused me was watching the special features after. One of the options was "Lady in the Water" the bedtime story. So I was thinking ok they are going to tell us the myth that this was created for. But it turns out it was a story that he told his kids, and actually turned into a bedtime story for children. Although I would be interested in seeing this book for myself, I can't say that a creepy story is my idea of a bedtime story for my children. But perhaps that is just me!

Happy New Year..

Well it is hard to believe that 2006 has come and gone so quickly. It doesn't feel like it was that long ago, that I was entering the last semester of school, enjoying my 10 week practicum and graduating with my second degree, before moving back to Kamloops. Time flies when we are having fun! Well I had no intentions of doing anything big for New years. I just wanted to stay at home, maybe watch some movies, anything low key. I was invited to a couple of parties but nothing really struck an interest. So my friend Kristen and I decided, we would get together for pizza, girl talk and drinks. So she came over and we ate. Then my sister had a couple of friends over, so we played the game "dirty minds". And let me tell you, I never realized how far my mind can go into the gutter before playing this game. So we played a few rounds before my mom came downstairs to tell us it was only five min away til midnight. So we all went upstairs to join my mom's party and to bring in the new year. We all got fancy hats and noise makers! After that we watched some of Dick Clarks rockin' new years, and I spent some time, texting friends Happy New Years wishes, and making a couple of drunken phone calls! It was a really good night, and the best part was when I woke up I felt fine!

New years day was a very lazy day. I watched some of the count down on Much Music, and read and then me and the family played Scene It.
So every year people make new years resolutions, which they tend to never keep. And I am usually one of these people. Like every year I would like to lose weight, and get in better shape. I am on the right track since I have lost 25 pounds since I moved home, and that was just because I stopped eating fast food. So I figure a little exercise, and who knows what it can do! I have also decided that I need to be strong, and stop letting people walk all over me. Although this hasn't been a huge problem in the last few years, there have been certain situations that I would do over again if I could. I also want to make a vow to spend more time with family and friends. And since I can't be with many of my friends in PG, I am making a promise to be better about emails and phone calls :) So we will see what happens with that...