a ring, among other things...

I'm deciding to add a post on my blog for two reasons: one, it's about time to update. and two: I'm trying to avoid the chick-flick that Eric's fiancee brought home that mom and lisa are watching downstairs.

did you catch that? Yes, that's right. Eric and Jen got engaged this weekend. We're all really excited!!! {insert grinning face here} The wedding is set for next July, but there are already wedding magazines floating around.....

That's just one of the really cool things that happened this week. The work part of the week this week was really long, but the other parts of my week were really fun.
I was reminded this week of what awesome friends I have and how much I enjoy hanging out with them. Coffee, "beach" volleyball games, chai lattes, and movies... (kudos once again go to duch for spending all day saturday shopping with me.... AHH!!!!)

There were also some interesting parts of my week: I had to take Lisa to get her wisdom teeth out on Monday. I was reminded of my own experience in Thailand, and was really really glad that it was not me climbing into that dental chair on Monday.

Ah yes. It was a busy week, but a good one. We're heading out for holidays tomorrow, and I am very excited to be spending some time relaxing, and reading, and doing more hanging out. yeeee-hawww.

enjoy your week! i'll see ya on the flip-side.

um.... we're in mundare....

So Lisa and I decided one night to drive back from College and Career on Highway 16. This was a great idea.
Or it would have been, if I had been paying attention.

About 30 minutes into the trip, Lisa looks at me and goes, "Um, isn't this taking a really long time??"

"nah, Lisa! It's just because you're not used to the landmarks."

"oh"

{insert driving noise here}

A few minutes after that, I look up and see a sign for Pederson Road, and I think to myself "man. I am so not observant. I've never seen that sign before."

{insert driving noise here}

We keep driving because I haven't seen the sign for our turn-off yet. Lisa keeps telling this animated story about how she disliked a certain pastor at BreakForth, and I am watching her arms failing, and laughing my head off.

After yet a few MORE minutes, I look to my left and see a HUGE LONG line up of cars at an auction place. Again, I think to myself, "man. I am so not observant. I've never seen that place before!"

{insert driving noise here}

All of a sudden, Lisa stops talking and says, "Um, should we be in Mundare?"

"huh?"

"Well, that sign says 1.5km to Mundare."

Yes, that's right folks. We made it all the way to Mundare. Super-duper.

We made it home... eventually. As I said. It WOULD HAVE BEEN a good idea, if I had been looking for my sign.

Lesson: PAY ATTENTION! (even if your sister is telling a good story!)

swangin'

This is one of the more humerous things that has happened to me in quite a while.

Here's the story: I was out at Luke's place a couple of weekends ago, and we decided to swing on the swings. This in itself is not odd. I love swings. I still love swings.

Now, all of the swings that I have been on in the past have had enclosed loops at the top, through which the chain passes so that you cannot swing "off" the set. This set, however, did not have this enclosed loop. It was a hook.

UNFORTUNATELY, I didn't know this.

That's right, boys and girls, I went higher... and higher.... and higher........ and came right off the hook.

Now one would think that this problem would be immediately obvious. However, it was not. My eyes were closed and I didn't actually notice that I was falling until I hit the ground. (I believe that this was a small blessing.) I had no time to prepare for this unintentional landing. Somewhere in this whole escapade, either I sat on my glasses, or they were stepped on. I'm not quite sure, but they were flat, and I was on the ground. And so was the swing.

As I look back, a couple of things are funny: first was the look of horror on Luke's face. second was the fact that I had NO IDEA that I was about to fall.

Aside from a few VERY BEAUTIFUL bruises, and bent glasses, I emerged from this event unscathed. I'm really glad that I fell to the side instead of straight down. It would have sucked if I'd've landed on my tailbone!

LESSON: check the swings before you swing, so as to avoid making a fool of yourself.... :)

enjoy y'all! Drink a cold one in this heat!
r

ways to catch an elephant

Here are a few of my favorite ways to catch an elephant that has escaped from the zoo: (courtesy of my students)

• dig a large hole for the elephant to fall in
• dig a large hole, with a tunnel that leads back to the zoo. when the elephant falls in the hole, you can walk him home.
• use a glad bag (like the ones on TV) to catch him
• minimize it, and carry it on your hand
• drug it
• "put someone on the elephant, and kick!"
• lay out a trail of food that leads to a truck, and when the elephant is in the truck, drive him back to the zoo
• maybe the elephant is a boy, and there is a girl elephant in the zoo, and he'll go back by himself
• call the police, and ask them to help you

My personal favorite is "minimize it, and carry it on your hand". what's yours?

Enjoy!

r

the heat and a new job

Hi all!

Sorry about the lapse of writing... I've been incredibly busy!
As some of you may already know, I got a job teaching summer school at a place called JEI (www.jeilearning.com) It's incredibly reminiscent of GES. Yes that's right. Classroom changes two days in... using rooms in other buildings because of a lack of space... photocopier trouble... language barriers with parents and the staff... and OH YEAH, that's right: Kids who don't speak English right along the ones that do.

I love it. (mostly)

It's been really busy. For those of you who teach or have taught: you remember the first few days of class --> revamping everything after each day. YUP, that's it.
Oh well. It's good. Today was better than yesterday was better than the first day of school. I am, however, definately ready for the weekend!!!

What else? I hate driving in the heat.

(random interjection: I just saw someone I knew from a previous life. WEIRD)

where was I?

Oh yeah. I hate driving in the heat, and I also hate traffic. And if you want to read something great, read Sarah's blog: http://sparrowanne.blogspot.com .

There. That's all I have to say. Have a great weekend!!!