Winter is death.

That is a metaphor. I have been working on metaphors with my kids as part of our descriptive writing. School is crazy and busy. The kids are great but the 30 minute drive on the winter highway is not. We have been talking a lot about the rights of a child in Social Studies and my kids are amazing. I am sure all teachers say that but you show me another amazing group of kids that continually rock out fantastic work and truly want to be better little people and i will take back that mine are the best. This last week has not gone by fast and I worry that this is a sign of things to come. Bad weather, bad roads and a student that is not happy unless they are causing trouble has stressed me out a tad bit this last week. I am excited to have Christmas break, i will get to go up and see my new niece in Grande Prairie and spend a little time at the ranch. Might even get on a snowmobile but probably not. One day i will live somewhere that winter never happens. Talk to you all in another 4 months haha.

The school year has begun

Well it has been much too long since I have posted anything on our blog. You see, although the summer has been rather unscheduled, we have been busy. Here are the highlights...

1. WE BOUGHT A HOUSE! Thats right. We are in Magrath. It is a lovely small town with very friendly people and so far so good. We moved in on August 14. I have had fun decorating and am having fun planning a basement and HUGE yard!! By the end of next summer I will have perfected my green thumb.

2. We didn't experience a single mouse whilst living in the mouse house. My great grandpa's house is still standing on my ranch and we had the privilege of living there this summer until our housing stuff was worked out. It is creeky, crooked, and fly/mosquito infested but we loved it. Brent never did venture into the dungeon of a basement. It was a little too scary for him ;-)

3. We no longer live out of a trailer/box. In the middle of May, our plan was to move into an apartment in Edmonton. So we packed most of our belongings and were organizing things for that move. Then fate would play it's cards and we got the jobs in Southern Alberta. So our things stayed in boxes and we lived out of them for the month of June while finishing up the school year there. My parents arrived with the trailer and we loaded it up, where most things would sit until our big move into our very first house. I forgot I even owned some of the things I own. I thought I needed to go shopping for more school clothes... then I opened up some boxes. CHRISTMAS!

4. We are both enjoying work. We've spent countless hours planning and re-planning for our upcoming year of teaching. I am super excited about grade 5. It is such a fun and exciting curriculum and the kids still like their teacher!

5. We spent time working with my mom in the garden, baking, (Brent learned how to make fudge) building shelves, and painting my Grandma's fingernails. After all of this we played Rook- not just a game or 2, but hours upon hours of competitive nail-biting Rook. It was glorious. We have about a 50-50 record. Check the Rook Book located on the window ledge in my mothers kitchen if you don't believe me.

6. We tubed the river more times than I care to admit and sweated our brains out in some of the hottest sauna's (fondly referred to as the sweat hut) I have ever experienced. Brent has become the master of the hut.

7. We celebrated our 1st anniversary! Wow time flies when you are having fun. What a splendid year it has been. I love being in love with the most wonderful man on the planet. 

That is about it. We are happy, healthy and ready to conquer the year. Bring on September!

Having a great summer so far!

I was really worried about a summer with no TV no internet and no civilization. Starting my 4th week of summer holidays we have gone to Fairmont. I love it here nothing but family and the lake. Julie and I spent a whole day baking in preparation for the week. We made home made granola bars and eatmore bars and bunwiches. It was a fantastic. The whole no internet and TV has not even been the worst thing in the world. I have been gardening and catching frogs and toads and going on hikes and tubing the river. We have seen Bears and Badgers and a million deer as well as Eagles and Hawks. Walking nightly has helped keep all the good home cooking from adding on the pounds. I don't even miss the TV. The internet i have missed but i can live without it 24-7. I highly recommend getting out this summer and embracing nature. I know not everyone can plant flowers in a yard that is surrounded by the mountains with yellow finches flying all around but we all can take some time to take in the world around us instead of looking at a computer screen. 

So we are going for interviews

Both Julie and I have secured interviews with the Westwind school district. It is an exciting and a little bit scary time. I am hoping all works out how it should. Not sure if living in southern Alberta is something i am all that excited about doing but the bonus is i will get a dog! Correction another dog, i will also get to finally have Thor!!!

Finished University and got a job all in one week.

So after years and years of endless schooling i am done (for now). I finished my practicum last week and while it was great to be finished it was very anti-climactic. I was sad to leave the kids so i decided that i was not going to. I went back and helped out Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and then was offered a PAYING JOB on Friday for the rest of the year. It is not totally in the bag yet because we have to work out the paper work but i am beyond excited and really looking forward to spending the summer with my wife just enjoying being married sitting by the pool at our new apartments. Life is good. God is love-Rev Run.

The Car Saga.

Ok, so last May I decided that it was FINALLY time for me to buy a brand spankin' new car. So I did. I went on the ultimate shopping trip and found a very cute, spunky and delightfully shiney new car. It was a light silvery blue with a lot of bells and whistles to help me feel very comfortable with my purchase. I had worked long and hard to be in a position to own such a beauty. Well there were some little issues with the car stereo, and a very minor fender bender (dam the cold and icy road) which tainted my perfect set of wheels. However, I was still extremely proud of my automotive choice. Then one sunny clear morning in February, my car encountered a life changing event.
As I cautiously drove to work, I noticed a fuel contious citizen waiting to cross the road. So I braked and stopped behind a little red Nissan whose driver also respects the walkers of the world. With a well developed habit, I glanced in my rear-view mirror to ensure the driver behind me was also aware of the change of pace, a.k.a. a complete stop. To my utter shock and horror the rather large Dakota was not slowing down. I all too quickly realized that the truck was not going to stop at all. I braced for the impact and it happened very quickly and very slowly all at the same time. The horrible noise of crunching twisting metal, the quick shattering of glass and the slow motion flopping around on a fully reclined seat. Then the movement stopped, and all I could focus on was a strange whooshing sound that i just couldn't figure out. After wiggling toes and fingers to make sure all those parts were working properly I realized that my leg was throbbing with pain and that nothing else felt funny. As I looked around to assess the cars internal damage, I solved the ystery of the whooshing noise. The rear window was shattered and there was glass everywhere including on my lap. Wild, I know! So I sat for but a moment contemplating what I should do. So I called Brent, who didn't answer but i forgot to hang up the phone so he got a very disturbing voice message of my mumbling and wimpering. A disturbing message so early in the am. He called me right back, I told him the sad news and he ran out the door to come save the D.I.D.. I then realized I should probably assess the external damages. The lady in front of me was already out of her car - as the initial impact has pushed me into her little red nissan. The distracted truck driver was also out of his slightly damaged truck. As I had a look at where my trunk and bumper once were I came to the stark realization that my car was cursed.
Police came, we wrote reports, I called work and gave some sketchy lesson plans for the day and then we went home.
As it all turns out I missed a couple days of work, have a pretty messed up back/neck/hip/knee and my car is a complete write-off, all of which kindof suck. However, I am very blessed. My injuries could have been much worse and the insurance process could be taking a long time. All the components and issues are being cleared up quickly and working out in my favor. AND I get to hit the dealerships on another shopping extravaganza finding a not-so-cursed car for my driving pleasure. I'm thinking a Dodge Journey......

Start the practicum on Monday

Very exciting things are happening and it is going to go by so quick. Cleaning the office today and then watching Zombieland. Tomorrow is a day off, Superbowl Sunday and then it begins. WOW.

January is OVER!

WOOT WOOT! the toughest month of teaching is over over over for another year. We are now on the downhill towards the end of the year and it's very very exciting.
Things at school are going well and I'm still loving my job. I had the opportunity today to meet with a bunch of other jr high teachers who are all in their 2nd year of teaching and it was very reassuring to know that they all have the same frustrations with homework and attendance and all the not-so-fun parts of teaching. BUT we also celebrated the many many many funny, success filled, achievement moments that happen more often than we sometimes realize. It was a good reminder day.
Brent and I went for a very fun and adventurous snowshoeing hike today as well. We ended up down in the river bottom walking in a creek bed under bridges and finished at the edge of the North Saskatchewan river. It was amazing!!! so beautiful and almost untouched. We love our new found hobby! thanks mom and dad for the snowshoes.
Until next time my friends...

3 weeks and then life begins

Practicum starts in 3 weeks AHHH!

A pat on the back

So today after school another teacher in my school popped into my classroom just to tell me that the kids she's teaching now are well prepared for grade 9 science! I TAUGHT THEM LAST YEAR!! Wow what a compliment from a colleague. Absolutely made my day.
Aside from that, I've busted out the workout video's again.... not going to be a bust this time. Cheer me on friends!

approaching the 100 day mark

This school year has been significantly easier than last year and has been flying by! The old adage is true: Time flies when you are having fun. I am still totally enjoying teaching and the everyday challenges that I come across. I think (hope) the students are learning something as I babble on about this and that. This week they discovered how very easy it is to get me off topic in science. WOW! They are slick little kids.
Anyway, I am also finding it much easier than expected to balance home and work life. Now that I have a home life! Brent and I are having fun making plans for the future and hypothetically spending our 40 million that we are going to win today! House, vacation, early retirement?? just a few options.
Brent's photography business is starting to blossom. We have so much fun taking pictures and making everybody smile. It will prove to be a fun summer business that keeps us out of trouble. Check out his blog http://www.brentgilsonphotography.blogspot.com/
Ok. more spacey thoughts and blurbs to come next time I feel inspired!
Chau amigos.

Had to get a tooth pulled today

Hope it makes my mouth feel better after it stops feeling worse.

The obligatory Blog.

I love blogs because it feeds into the idea that everyone wants to know what you are doing. Julie and i have been married 6 months tomorrow and it has been fantastic. Other than the occasional brawl over Rook technique it has been smooth sailing. Julie goes back to work tomorrow and i begin my last semester of school. The next few months will be a whirlwind so here goes nothing.