Here’s my update that’s long in coming…

Smithers is absolutely beautiful. For the first 3 weeks I was here, it snowed almost everyday. It was ridiculous but AWESOME!! I got to learn how to drive a truck and drive in multiple feet of snow while driving in the truck. The first weekend I went snowmobiling with my uncle and my new neighbors who are really nice. They have 2 daughters who come here often and one of whom is now in my 2/3 class. We quickly became instant friends. LoL. The kindergarten placement I had turned out to only be in the afternoons so I had it pretty slack for a while until I got placed in a 2/3 classroom as well.

Although we’ve had tons of snow, I quickly learned that the possibility of a snow day was about the same as winning the lottery when you never even buy a ticket. We had about 4 feet of snow and still had school the next day but my mom’s school had a little bit of freezing rain and they got the whole day off. Because of all the snow, the moose like to hang out by the highways and in town, eating all the bushes and shrubs, and apparently charge old ladies in town. We had an indoor recess because of a moose on the loose which we ended up watching being tranquilized several times. One of the school buses hit a moose on the highway as well and had to limp back into town. The moose are EVERYWHERE!!! We had 2 in our front yard the other day, along with several deer.

Because I don’t really know anyone in this town and all the people my age are away at college or married with kids, I’ve had a lot of extra time on my hands. Last night I hung out with my cooperating teachers (one of whom is 60 with several grandchildren) and had dinner and played some kind of dominoes game. Sad, I know! The even sadder thing is that it was actually kind of enjoyable! I’ve become such a teacher- hanging out with staff, cooking soup for staff lunch, dressing up as a Frog Princess for character day etc… But soon there will be people and I will become busier with school so I won’t have time for anything. My brother and his girlfriend are going to come here in about 3 weeks and we’re going to go skiing and skating. (maybe even some more curling!) Two of my cousins are also coming back and their girlfriends will also be here so there will be a full house! I'm really looking forward to that. Should be a good time.

Well this kid is heading to bed now. 

It's been a while since I've updated this site. I think I might have to do it more now that I'm starting student teaching soon.

I'm actually done all my classes at Dordt. I will never have to wake up past my alarm and rush to an 8:00 class in the morning or sit through a 2 and a half hour night class to discuss what it means to be a human and what our souls are made of. It's wierd to think that I'm done. College went so fast! It seems like just a year ago I was pulling up for the first time and walking into my room in East Hall. Crazy, how fast it goes. But I had some real good times at Dordt and I'll miss that place. It's scary to think that my life isn't planned for me anymore. I have no idea where I'll be next year or if I'll find a job or how to go about getting one. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how that all pans out.

I got home on Thursday morning at about 2:30 because our plane was delayed a few times. They also thought they lost my luggage. We were the last flight in from Chicago and my bag, along with 15 other people' bags were not on the conveyor belt.  The lady told us all that the last of the bags had already gone through and if they weren't there that they'd be there the next day. I was not a happy kid. So, I filled out all these forms so that they could mail me my bag. Then about 10 minutes later, a pile of new bags fall from the belt. Nicole saw mine right away and so I ran across the airport to get it. I was a much happier kid then. 

It's nice to be home. My house feels so much like Christmas. It reminds me of a Christmas shop because there are Christmas things everywhere and it's a bit cold as if the door to the shop keeps letting a wind of cold air in. My bedroom is a lot smaller than I thought it was. I guess I'm accustomed to those big rooms at Dordt. Thursday I woke up real late and then went skating downtown Toronto at Harbourfront near Lake Ontario. We took a break for hot chocolate and then did some more skating under the lights that made the ice glow as if we were at a highschool dance party. There were a bunch of people taking pictures and I think we managed to get in quite a few of them. We might have been on TV too because we made sure to tie our skates right infront of a News Crew. That would make it two days in a row because in Sioux Falls, there were news crews shooting the lines at the airport so I told Nicole i was going to pretend to walk in the store so I could get on TV. As I passed, I heard the man say "Here I am in Sioux Falls..." so I'm sure I managed to get on. I'm going to be famous!!! On TV in two different countries in 2 days.

Friday, I went with my mom to school in the morning and then helped with the skating party. I tied some kids skates and then skated around with kids for about an hour and then tried finding kids who had wondered off or who were lost. It was good times.

I'm heading out again next week to go to Smithers. I'm pretty excited about living with my aunt and uncle. I think I'm going to hang out in their backyard hot tub, watching Toronto Maple leaf hockey games every Saturday night. After having to watch football for 4 years, I'm pretty stoked about watching some good ol' hockey for a change. I finished my Christmas shopping today. The malls were ridiculously busy and I had to park a mile away and walk in the freezing cold to get there but I'm done!!!

Ok, I'm heading out for coffee at William's coffee Pub. Have a good one.

Eating Healthy and Staying Fit

Day #1 of trying to eat healthy:

At work I avoided all the extra milkshakes and fries with cheese and bacon, the butter biscuits, the pancakes and the french toast. I ate only two little bowls of ceaser salad. I don't like ceaser salad at all but it has been my goal for the last 2 years to actually start liking it. It just smells and looks so tasty yet doesn't taste good to me for some reason. I don't understand. I'm getting better at liking it though and I predict that in a couple months it'll be my favorite food item, besides mashed potatoes of course. Anyway, I did great all day but then went to Dairy Queen and ate a Chocolate Brownie Explosion Blizzard. Oh man was that the best blizzard I have ever tasted in my life. So good that words just cannot describe it. Definitely worth the break in becoming healthy. I told myself I'd try again the next day.

Day #2 of trying to eat healthy:

I woke up at 12:00 and avoided the need to have a big meal before going to work. I had cereal. (that's good for you) Then I went to work, had a bowl of soup and another ceaser salad. Then I thought to myself. It's my last shift. I should reward myself with a big chocolate fudge piece of cake. I did. But definitely worth the break in becoming healthy though. I added icecream too it as well. It had to be done. I told myself I'd try again the next day.

Day #3 of trying to eat healthy:

I'm heading out to Vancouver and Victoria BC so I figure it's vacation. I'm not going to worry about eating so healthy the next week and a half. I'll try again when I get home on the 21st.

Signing out, gotta go call for a taxi to the airport. I'm so excited. I'm going to wear in my new hiking shoes!! Woot Woot. Least I may stay fit even  though I'm not eating healthy.

Vancouver here I come!