I love this...

Picture!

It makes me laugh everytime I look at it. It was outside the Chamber of Commerce in Preston... the lady was gone for lunch and we were too scared to ask someone to take it for us (we didn't want to look like dumb tourists...) so I rested my camera on the door handle! Ha ha! love it! And here is the van. How cool would it be to drive that every day to school! i would be the coolest teacher EVER!

My vacation within my vacation...

So while on vacation, I decided to take another vacation! I have really been missing my college friends lately- so since I am closer to them now, then from Virginia, I decided it was time for a road trip! I rented a car- it was sweet! I reserved the cheapest one and when I went to go get it, all they had was a ritzy one so I got that for the cheap price. HELLO! I felt pretty hoity toity (is that how you spell it) with my 6 CD player, sunroof, heated leather seats (it's been too hot to try them but just knowing that they are there...), it is going to be hard going back to my Corolla in Virginia- Anyways. I stopped in Calgary my first night and visited with a friend -Natalie- from my mission. She is awesome and it was soo good to see her and chat about her never ending boy problems! Then onto Idaho. Montana is a dangerous place. My trunk was seriously full before I had been in the US for 5 hours. I stopped in Great Falls AND Helena to shop at Target, Shopko, Wal-Mart, Old Navy... no tax is a beautiful thing. It's like everything is at least 6% off. Ha ha! I drove to Shelley, Idaho and stayed with my old roomie -Alicia. She is the BEST! I went to church with her on Sunday and had an early Roast Beef dinner with her fam. Then I drove to SLC to meet my other former roomie -Alisa- from Vegas at her Grandparents, where we had a late Roast Beef dinner. Can't have too much Roast beef and mashed potatoes... or can you? Alisa and I could seriously talk for HOURS... and I think we did. Monday we shopped and met up with a former companion of mine -Dena- to whom I delivered numerous Canadian goods! Tuesday Alisa and I headed to Idaho. We stopped in Logan to go to the sock factory and Pepperidge farm factory! Love that place. My advice... taste everything in the parking lot so you know what you should go back for more of! We decided to share a big bag of mint milanos and a bag of yummy chocolate chip cookies. It was too late to turn back after tasty the CCC! They were soo yummy! After Logan we stopped in Preston to check out the Napolean Dynamite tour! We bought our maps for $1 and headed out. We found Uncle Rico's van parked on Main street... love it. I will try posting pictures when I get back to VA. then we went to the D.I. where he bought the dance video. And then went to find his house. It took us a few tries but we found it. I was highly disappointed. If I lived there I would have honkin signs with a table selling tots and Tina the llama. Oh well. We decided to should carry on. We stopped in Idaho Falls to visit Kim- another former roomie. She has the cutest little boy- Justin- who took quite a liking to me! I can't say the boys don't like me! Too bad they are usually 3 and under! Then another visit to a roomie - Nichole- in Rexburg! Man I LOVE that place. It was soo cool to see the temple, and all the other changes that are happening in that town. We stayed with Alisa's brother and his wife in the cutest little house! Wednesday we did more damage... we went to Artco- a cool place where they sell stationary by the pound! DI of course was on our list and for old times sake we stopped at Broulims. We discovered they had a Craigo's (the best pizza place) in it so we ate there for lunch. We headed to campus and walked through the library and the bookstore! I bought a fun shirt that says I heart BYUI (like the NY shirts). We went to Sonic for happy hour to have a Strawberry limeades- like the good ol' days. We took Alisa's bro and SIL to Fong's. Yummy. And then went to see Nacho Libre at the cheap theater. We had a few good laughs .... Thursday Alisa took a shuttle back to SLC and I finished up my business in Rexburg. I visited with a Professor that I worked for for 2 years. She wants me to go get my Masters and Doctorite (I can't even spell it) Yikes. I will have to think about that one! Then went back to IF, did some damage there and stayed with Alicia one last night. I seriously LOVE Idaho and would LOVE to live there... if only they weren't one of the lowest paid states for teachers- plus not in high demand for us either. Anywho. That was my trip! There is nothing quite like taking a trip down memory lane. And it is so much more fun with a friend. My next trip will have to be to Spokane to see Mikaela- it has been forever since we have seen each other!! Hopefully soon.

Maritimes part 2

Once again... sorry for the sideways pictures!

Peggy's Cove- I LOVE this place. I was a little ticked (even though it was my third time) because they were painting it the entire time we were there. I had to position myself so a rock was covering the painters! I could seriously just sit on the rocks and watch the waves for HOURS! ANd one of the best lighthouses in the world... okay maybe just the ones I have seen which really isn't that many!

This was at Citadel Hill in Halifax. It was pretty neat to learn the history and such... I really am not into history but am thinking I better shape up as I have been asked by so many Americans about Canadian history and politics... and I just sound like a dumb Canadian. A lady sitting next to me on my flight home at Christmas was reading "British History for Dummies." I think I need to find the Canadian one... I'll add it to my reading list!

Statue of Liberty- the first time I went to NYC, we just went on the Staten Island ferry- fun, neat and free! When my parents and I headed home from our trip, we stopped on the New Jersey side and went to Ellis and Liberty Island. I had reserved our tickets online- that is the way to do it if you ever go! Apparently that is the ONLY way to get tickets to go inside lady liberty! We thought about selling our free tickets to the tons of people who were looking for them... but we couldn't give them up! This is a picture from the deck just below her feet. It is a different but ,I think, cool perspective!

The Maritimes Rock!

If you haven't been to the Maritimes... you MUST go! It is amazing. Here are some highlights of our trip! New Brunswick... not the most exciting province but we did find some things to see and do!

Moncton is home of Magnetic hill... this picture doesn't do it justice- I have video of it that I will have to try and post... You drive down to the bottom of the hill and pull over by the white stick, put your car in neutral and your car totally drives in reverse up the hill! All you have to do is steer. It is the coolest thing EVER! I don't get how it works but it does. There were about 4 other cars there and we just kept taking turns doing it again and again. FUN!

Hopewell Rocks- about 30 minutes south of Moncton- you go during low tide and you can walk on the ocean floor. Some spots were pretty muddy. I was wearing flipflops and they both got stuck in the mud. They were like suction cups getting them out! I was a mess at the end but it was fun. There are my parents amongst the "flower pots".



PEI- a MUST see! Of course we went to Anne of Green Gables. It is really quite confusing though because this is just where Lucy Maud Montgomery lived growing up and they think she based the story of Anne on this house... they had the Haunted forest and Lovers Lane that you could walk through. I must say that I am now a big Anne fan. I am currently reading Anne of Windy Poplars (book 4). Maybe I should say I am a big Gilbert fan! I have also watched all the movies since I have been home. Pathetic... I know!

Cape Breton- AWESOME! I want to go back in the fall. It was a little foggy in parts but still totally worth it. It took us about 4 hours to drive the Cabot trail with a few stops at scenic views and such. It is a big National Park so they have camping and trails and stuff. A MUST see!

I LOVE this picture. Ha ha! I took this of my parents at a gift shop just outside of Peggy's Cove. I didn't turn it vertically while on my sisters camera and I can't figure out how to edit it on my parents computer so you will just have to look at it sideways. It makes me chuckle!

More to come...

Lists...

I read a book once about journal writing. The author suggested writing lists... like items in your purse or what is under your bed. So I started some lists in my journal... I got to add to my list after my Fabulous trip! I got to add Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine to my "States I have been to" list! Yeah. I am now at 25!! Then I added Boston to my "Temples I have Been to" list!! It was beautiful... of course! And finally I added Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea and Ella Enchanted to my "Books I have read" list. We went to Green Gables. It was awesome- so pretty. I am planning to spend my summer watching Anne and Gilbert. And reading the rest of the "Anne" books. I took a gazillion pictures with Kristi's camera (mine was in the shop and they called the day we left to say it was ready... sheesh!) and I will post some as soon as I get my life together!

I am free...

School is done! Yippee. It was a great last few days. Kings Dominion went MUCH better than I thought. Who knew 300+ 8th graders could control themselves!
My parents just flew in tonight... after a little shopping and some eating, we are ready for bed (actually they are already sleeping and I am trying to get organized). We head out tomorrow for the maritimes- where I served my mission. I am SOOO excited to go back. We will be stopping in NYC tomorrow! My mother always said she would never go there- but I have worked my magic! We are going to visit the temple... and we will see what else. On the way home we are going to go to Ellis Island/ Statue of LIberty. Apparently my great grandfather (maybe great-great grandfather) came to Ellis Island so that should be cool. Speaking of cool- my sister Kristi was kind enough to send her digital camera with the parents since mine is still in the shop. Okay, it is almost midnight, and it is MAJORLY storming outside- big thunders and lightnings- so I better sign off and try and get some sleep... oh yeah and maybe pack! Yikes. See ya in a few weeks!

Movie Thursday!!!

Okay so I am a slacker teacher... but it's the end of the year right? So tomorrow is our big 8th grade trip to Kings Dominion. I get to be a chapperone! Yippee. Each teacher or parent is in charge of 10 kids. They have to check in with us 3 times throughout the day. If they are late for check-in, they have to sit with us for half an hour! Who are they trying to punish! I am excited because they have a log ride- which is my FAVORITE ride at Disneyland (and it was closed down the last time I was there). I will fill you in on any happenings of the day! Monday is our "field day" which consists of 4 8th grade teams competeing with each other in such things as pizza box relay and balloon popping- whatever! Remember the good ol' track and field day when we worked our butts off! And then Tuesday- the LAST day- is over at 10:50- so it really doesn't count! Yippee! Anyways... back to my title- so instead of fighting with my students while trying to teach them something, we are watching movies! And the great thing... I get to control what movies. I am giving them 3 options- High School Musical, Sky High and Madagasgar! So far my 1st period chose Sky High- LOVE it! and 2nd period picked HSM! It has been a great morning. We shall see what my other 3 classes choose. The sad thing is classes are only 50 minutes so I only get to see the first half of them. oh well- I own them- I can watch them ALL summer.
p.s. GO OILERS! I stayed up til 11:30 watching the game last night... but it was worth it. I hope we win!

7 more days...

Of school. I am so ready for summer. Especially after today. Sometimes I wonder why I choose to work with 13 year olds. Sometimes I wouldn't have it any other way. Today I am grateful for the weekend. Hope you are enjoying yours.