Spruce Woods Trail Ride

This past weekend I had the priveledge of joining Kathleen and a few other ladies in Spruce Woods for some trail riding. I took my older horse, Chai. It was a great time! The weather wasn't the best, but the riding was awesome. It is such a beautiful place! We met 3 older men there that had been riding there for years, and they were gracious enough to show us around. We would have missed out on some really nice trails if it wasn't for them!! I also heard some pretty interesting stories around the fire there!!! Spruce Woods has a really nice Equestrian Campground. It was only 18 bucks for an electrical site and a nice paddock for the horses! I definately would like to go there again. And I know Eric would love to join me!

Your So Busy. Busy, Busy

My life has honestly been more than crazy lately. I though working part time would help, but my mondays and and fridays get full. Here is an example of last week
Mon & Tues : Driving home from Chicago
Wednesday: work during the day, Paris had agility classes 6-7, auntie has a Everyday Style show which I attended for 15 minutes, then I had a youth meeting
Thursday: work, Partylite show, Andrew's birthday party
Friday: take car into the city for a much needed maintance and cleaning, it had to stay all day and luckily it was done by the end of the day.
and now this week:
Sat (today): Free Comeback Kid concert at the forks, it is Skate for Cancer. I am seriously considering skipping this cause I just want to be at home.
Sunday: Youth meeting
Monday: Massage appointment and Partylite show
Tuesday: work, TV night with Kelly Ann!! YAY, I have missed the last two because I have been so busy!
Wednesday: work, agility classes, first youth of the year
Thursday: work, partylite starter show
Friday: NOTHING PLANNED!!
Sat: Hair appt. and BCBC reunion.

I am pretty happy for Friday, but I know that I will be cleaning in all that time. That is what I am doing today. My house has suffered greatly in all this busyness. It was so clean.....

U2!

Waiting for U2!
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Clearly Contacts

Last week I ordered contacts for Eric and I, from Clearly Contacts. I got the presciption over the phone, and I messed it up. I ordered Eric -2.50 instead of -2.75 for one eye. I meant to call and change it, but completely forgot. On Friday just before I left for the youth camping trip, I got a call from Clearly Contacts, to confirm my order! That's when I asked if I could change my order and they let me! I am so impressed with their customer service! Since when do you order something online and they call to confirm it? I think that is awesome, because if they didn't, it would have been much more of a hassle for me to get them exchanged.

Also, I placed my order on Thursday, and received it the following Wednesday! They included a contact case and a pair of sunglasses that Eric likes! Not to mention this was all for 1/2 the price that it costs at the eye doctor! They have a large selection of contacts, they carry glasses starting at $38 and they are Canadian! I will be shopping from Clearly Contacts again!

I Like Home

Ever since I have been home from the road trip, it has been go, go, go. I have had a few Partylite shows because I am trying to get that started up again. There is so many other little things to do as well, I feel like I have barely been home. I have snuck a few hours here and there in the evenings, but not much. I just miss my home. Not to mention it is a total disaster. Far from the clean organized space I was SO CLOSE to having before we left on the trip. Oh, how things can go downhill so quickly.

I have started working at the vet clinic 3 days a week again. I am really enjoying it so far. Last week I helped save a 3 lbs Chihuahua from the brink of death. I managed to get a catheter into his tiny dehydrated veins on the first shot! It was so rewarding to watch him go from cold and lifeless to bouncing around and playing! That's why I do what I do. I am excited to only be working 3 days a week, that will give me more time to focus on Partylite, to care for my animals, and to be a decent housewife. I am actually excited for the fall to come so I can finally have some structure to my life. This summer was good, but it was crazy busy! I just want to feel boredom again! I want to have time to sew! I just need a baby and then I can stay home full time! How awesome would that be?

Shaking

Right now I am shaking... I just had a terribly rough evening.

My horse Zaiyah just got back from training. The first ride with her went OK, the second was great, the third was rough, and the fourth (tonight) was horrendous. There was so many bugs and lawn mowers and people and shot guns that I got bucked off. It didn't hurt. She was just SO jumpy. And could barely get back on. I bawled once I reached my yard, still on the horse.

Then I decided to take the dogs for a bike ride, and Maeve generally does not go on a leash. Most people have the decency to slow down and go in the other lane. NOT THESE PEOPLE. It was some silver impala or something, and they sped right up to us while i was frantically try to move my bike to the side of the road. Kinda hard when the dog won't move over. Then Maeve jumped out onto the road in front of them, and just as I was about to jump out to save her ( or possible cause them to hit me as well, so they could be charged with murder), they slammed on their brakes. I am determined to find out who they are. They nearly killed one of the more gentle, kind and sweet dogs I have ever met. I am just so angry right now. Not to mention it was dusk. I bawled all the way home.

Thanks to my gracious God that everyone is still in one piece.

That makes it three times sobbing today. Three. Probably the first three all summer.

Road Trip Days 13 and 14

After our amazing free breakfast we packed up and hit the road. We kept seeing signs for Wisconsin Dells and waterparks so we decided to check it out. It turns out Wisconsin Dells is the waterpark capital of the world! I was so pumped. I love water parks! The town was unreal, every hotel had a huge waterpark!

Because it was already 2, we decided to come back to a waterpark when we go to Chicago in a couple weeks. We did do to the Pirates Cove, which had 5 different mini golf courses. It was so fun! We paid for one course and got the second for half price. They were both really good and challenging! I love mini golf. And I actually won one game!

We continued driving to Albertville, but there was no place to stay there for cheap so we found a place a couple miles away. We order pizza again, for and even better deal and went to bed.

In the morning we went to the Albertville outlet mall and had a pretty unproductive shopping experience. Until we got to the kitchen store, which was awesome. We bought the best popcorn maker ever. You should come over and try it sometime! We stopped in Fargo for more shopping but I couldn't find what I wanted anywhere, so I left disgruntled and disappointed.

Right now we are in Winnipeg and I cannot wait to get home. Our car stinks so bad. We are thinking something has died in here.
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Road Trip Day 12

We got up fairly early Friday morning, we had already packed up the car quite a bit the night before. We finished packing up and said our goodbyes to families and hello to the pavement once again. It was a pretty uneventful day. We drove longer than planned, we made it just past Chicago.

It was raining. So we decided against camping. We started looking for a hotel. The first place we stopped was 65 for two double beds. Too expensive. The second place was crappy little motel but we decided to give it a chance cause we hadn't seen a lot of places. It was 45 bucks a night, with a whirlpool tub. Warning #1 : guy in front of you walks out with a stack of adult videos. Warning #2: the guy asks you if you want 4 hours or overnight. Warning #3: when we ask him if the sheets are clean he replies 'as far as I know' instead of a hearty 'yes, of course:' YIKES. Even for that cheap, the place was too sketchy for us.

The third place was 45 as well, family run, old but clean, but full! We thought we would never find a place. It was then we caught sight of the Comfort Inn, shining like a beacon in the cold, black night. I thought for sure it would be 100+. Way too much for us.

I knew when Eric came out grinning it was good. It was 65 for a king sized bed and they had a pool and a hot tub and breakfast! Yay! A little over the 50 we wanted to spend, but so worth it.

We had the whole pool to ourselves for over an hour! We ordered Papa Johns pizza, which was awesome and cheap! Breakfast in the morning was awesome! They had a waffle maker! So instead of heating up a packaged waffle, you could have a fresh one! Mmmmmm!
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Road Trip Days 10 and 11

Wednesday morning we slept in and it was awesome! Eric stayed home and I went shopping with my mom, Auntie Margie and cousin Shaelynn. I bought a bunch of food for cheap. We went back to Margie's place and Mom, Robert, Korey, Waylon, Eric and I headed to the Rogers Center for a Jays game. We got really good seats for cheap. They were playingn the Boston Red Sox and they lost.

Thursday I went shopping again with my mom and Margie. I found lots of cheap nice clothes at Giant Tiger! And I got two pairs of jeans for cheap at Zellers. We hung out at Margie's for a while in the afternoon.

Eric, Robert and I went to Wimpy's and got burgers. They were HUGE! I got a junior burger and it was bigger than a regular sized burger! Then the three of us went to another Jays game. The lost again! But I still had fun! I LOVE going to baseball games! Our seats weren't quite as good but they were a bit cheaper than the first ones.
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Road Trip Day 8 and 9

Monday morning we got up semi-early and drove out to Niagara Falls with my mom, step dad and brother. We parked at the Falls and watched them for a while. They are unreal! The water is so blue! I was suprised at that. But even though they are so touristy it doesn't take away from their immense beauty! I can't imagine being the first person to stumble upon that!

Then we got a hotel right near Clifton Hill, which is like a mini Disneyworld! It is pretty touristy, very flashy and gimmicky. We dropped our bags off at the hotel and dropped my family off at Marine Land.

Eric and I drove to Buffalo, NY to see Body Worlds, an exhibit of plastinated human bodies. It was pretty cool to see all the anatomy, and the effects of smoking and tumors and stuff. They also had babies, from 5 weeks to 32 weeks. It was kinda hard to believe they were real. Did you know that at 9 weeks old a fetus has fingers and toes and a perfect little face! And it is only one inch long! It is so detailed yet so tiny! Our God is an amazing God!

It only takes like 20 minutes to get to Buffalo from Niagara Falls, so we were back much earlier than we expected. We bought this Clifton Hill value pass and went mini golfing. Then we went to Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum, which was suprisingly good! Then it was time to go pick up the family, but we took too long so they took a taxi. Then we went to eat at TGI Fridays. After that we went swimming with my bro and then back to Clifton Hill to use up the rest of the stuff on our passes.

We went to the cheesy Hollywood wax museum, only because it was included! We also went on a ghosh blasters dark ride, a special FX movie ride and spend 5 tokens each at the Midway, only to win 2 parachute men, hehehe.

The last thing we did was go on a huge Ferris wheel that was supposed to have a good view of the falls. I am sure it did, but it was too dark to see them and they had already shut all the spotlights on them off! ARGH!

We had a beautiful air conditioned sleep and had a huge complimentary breakfast at the hotel. We got a value pass for Niagara Falls and went to the 4D movie Niagara's Fury, Journey Behind the Falls which was awesome and on a Maid of the Mist boat ride which was the best! I can't believe how close to the falls that boat goes! It wa incredible and totally worth the money and the lineups. We got soaked which was nice because it was sweltering hot.

We stopped at the Hershey store which was a disappointment, but I did buy amazing peanut butter fudge there! Then it was back to T.O, but not before a stop at Ikea! I love that store, I could buy it out! I got a hanging lamp for 4 bucks and a stand up lamp to match for 17! My family did not find it that exciting unfortunately!

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Road Trip Days 5 to 7

My second day of conference was also pretty great. I won about 300 worth of stuff that day! We had a break in the afternoon and Eric and I explored the city a bit. Then he came with me to the awards gala. It was pretty fancy. I think he had fun though. Then at night, we walked the walls to Chateau Frontenac . No tourists. It was beautiful! It is crazy got there!

Saturday I finished off my conference on a boring note, but it was over at 12. Eric and I had poutine for lunch, real poutine with squeaky cheese curds. Need I say more? We explored the city for a while and went to the civilization museum, and it was disappointing. Frommers sucks. It is not made for people like us.

We walked around for a bit after that, but I was starting to feel really sick, which I think was heatstroke. So we bought a gigantic bottle of water and I slept and felt better. Then we went to Cirque du Soliel for free, and it was unreal! It was so good. It was underneath some bridges near the old city! Then we went back to the hostel and slept.

Sunday we got up early, packed up and drove to Toronto. It was a pretty uneventful day. We got to my family's in Toronto at 6 and the didn't get back until 1130! We had keys to get in though. It is SO hot here!
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Road Trip Day 4

Well, it is not really a road trip since we are in Quebec city for a few days. Today was the start of my PartyLite conference.

I got up bright and early and donned my business attire and took the short 5 minute walk to the conference center. I was so lucky to find a place for so cheap so close! The conference is insane! Everyone is so pumped. They have music blaring and everyone is dancing and cheering for like 15 minutes. The speakers are pretty good, and I am excited to learn even more about how to run my business!

We had lunch provided for us, which was a delicious traditional Quebecois meal! We had maple ham, maple pork and beans, scrambled eggs, roasted potatoe cubes, meat pies, crepes with real maple syrup, plus maple sugar pie for dessert!

I already have a bunch of free stuff and I will be getting even more here and more waiting for me at home! I can't wait to share all the new stuff with people!

Eric and I had supper at a nice place along Grand Allee. It was awesome. We started with a delicious mixed green salad with balsamic vinegar and herb dressing. I had ribs and Eric had steak, both awesome.

Then I had to go to more conference and Eric got to go to cirque du soleil for FREE! I think we might go tonight. I did win a 145 dollar piece of product!

At night we walked around for a while, watched some drunk people scream at each other! I love how warm it is at night here!



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Fireworks at Montmorecy

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Road Trip Day 3

We had a bit of a sleep in this morning, because we didn't have far to go. Fitzroy Provincial Park was really nice. A basic site cost 31.75 though!

Then we went to Ottawa and saw the Parliment building. It was very nice. We didn't go on a tour of the inside because we would have had to wait 2 hours, they were free though!

Just out side of Ottawa we stopped at Stanley's Old Maple Lane Farm, which the signs led us to believe was a maple syrup farm. Turns out it was place for wedding receptions. Argh! We even had to take a detour to get there! 20 minutes wasted.

Then it was off to Montreal, where we got stuck in traffic for over an hour! Brutal. I don't even want to go back there!

We arrived in Quebec City at around 7. It is so beautiful! Our hostel is inside the walls of the old city! It is awesome! When we went to go get our bags we met a man from Toronto that gave us tonnes of advice and where to go and what's free! Cirque de Soliel is free tomorrow night! Saves us 200!! It is outside too. It is so warm here! Like 32 today.

We just saw the best fireworks show ever at Montmorecy Falls just outside of the city. It was actually a fireworks competition! Wow! Now it if back to the hostel and off to bed! Partylite conference starts tomorrow!
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Road Trip Day 2

We got up really early, 6 am our time, 7 Ontario time, packed up and hit the road. It was great to get on the road early. Our power outlet was not working so we stopped in Wawa at Canadian Tire to get it fixed. It was important because we are camping, and there would be no way to charge our iPod, BlackBerry, camera, or Nintendo DS. Which of course are all essential parts of a 5000+ km road trip!

Close to Wawa we stopped at Scenic High Falls, which I am pretty sure was man made. It could change flow suddenly because the water level is controlled by a hydro dam. It was still pretty nice!

We had a pretty uneventful day other than that. We had lunch at Taco Bell, stopped at walmart to buy sandals but they had NOTHING dressy, flat and easy to put on in my size! Argh!

I completely forgot about two things that happened yesterday!! We went to the longest suspension bridge in Canada, but we didn't go on it because it was bucks each! We really didn't want to cough up 40 bucks for a 20 minute walk over a bridge. Not when we are on a budget anyway. We like free stuff. Plus it was kinda out of the way, and it got our call covered in bright red dirt. So aggravating!

We also picked up a hitchhiker. His name was Nick and he was about our age. He was pretty cool. I think he was from Minnitaki, which is close to Dryden. We didn't take him very far because he was looking for 3 girls who are walking to Ottawa from Selkirk to raise awarness for single Aboriginal mothers on welfare. An elder had a vision that these three girls would get help from a young man and an older lady, and Nick and his grandma were those people! So he wanted to meet up with them again to try to help them out some more. It turns out we had already passed those girls before we picked him up, so we dropped him off near a river where he wanted to camp. It was awesome!

We also stopped at a chip truck where we got a delicious and gigantic order of fries that only cost is 6. We both couldn't finish them! We just stopped at Tim Horton's and are planning to camp at a provincial park just outside of Ottawa. That will be in about two hours. Our total km's so far is 2200. We still have another 200 to go today!
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Road Trip Day 1

We spent our first night at Andrew's camper at falcon lake, showered and hit the road by 9.

We bought some groceries in dryden and had some sandwhiches for lunch. We made our first sightseeing stop at Kakabeka Falls! It was gorgeous! A few minutes later we went to the Terry Fox Scenic Lookout. It had a beautiful view of Lake Superior. We are taking highway 17, which takes longer but has more stuff to see. It is cool to see glimpses of Lake Superior as we drive, it is so big and majestic!

We stopped at Terrace Bay to see a cool waterfall and gorge. For night we went to White Lake Provincial Park and set up our tent. We picked a really uneven site and it was not the greatest sleep. It was like sleeping on the side of a hill. It was really close to the bathroom though! So far we have driven just over 1200 km's!

I love having my BlackBerry! That means I can Blog while we drive and kill some time! I love road trips! :)
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Midway Bible Camp

Right now I am driving in Ontario, heading for Quebec city! Well, I am not physically driving! But I am getting bored!

Midway Bible Camp was definately an interesting experience! The camp is in a beautiful location, and has it's own lake, filled with fish! The camp is older and pretty run down, because they don't actually own the place. They are borrowing it from a mining company and it can be taken away from them with as little of two months notice! Hence why pumping money into renos is not worth it. They have some pretty nice log cabins though.
There is no indoor toilets, only outhouses. They have no hydro, they get all their energy from a diesel generator. They have a shower house with pretty nice showers. All the cooking is done by propane.

It was a good week. I was helping out in the kitchen, which was actually not that much work. I really enjoyed watching our youth interact with the campers! They did an awesome job. The midway staff was awesome. They were really good to us and they have a passion for that ministry.

It was VERY different than BCBC. MBC was run very randomly, and you weren't really sure what was going on half of the time. Which is kind of how it has to be! They are also never sure of how many kids will come each week. Sometimes 20 will be registered and 60 will show up. Or the other way around.

We had ages 6 to 11. Most of them were 6 to 8. They were so cute and so sweet. They loved attention and loved you back so much if you showed them love. For the most part! However, sometimes getting them to listen, pay attention and follow a schedule was a very difficult task. They had tonnes of energy! Often it took them 10 to 15 minutes to line up for meals, skills, and to get to chapel. Because I was I the kitchen, I didn't get to bond with them as much as I would have liked! I did get to go fishing with Andrew and a bunch of kids! They having fishing as a skill! And boats to use to go out to the good spots! I caught a fish!! It was so fun!
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So funny!

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Pisew Falls

Dahlen, Kristinn, Nathan and I decided to make a little pit stop on the way up to midway bible camp! We stopped at Pisew Falls, just south of Thompson. It was breathtakingly gorgeous! I could watch the falls forever. They are so powerful! It gives us a tiny little glimpse of God's power! And to think, these falls are puny compared to many others in the world. The biggest I have seen so far though!
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The Shirt Dress

OK. I admit. I stole this idea. From Jobina. She made a very cute dress for her daugter from a Men's shirt. So I wanted to try it to. However I did modify it quite a bit. For one I didn't follow a pattern. I looked at a bunch of different ones, but nothing was exactly what I was thinking of. So I just made it up. It is not perfect, but I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

It is for my cousin Jen's baby girl, Charlee. Originally, I had planned to use the buttons for the back of the dress, but it looked better to have it as the front. The buttons by the straps were a last minute detail, luckily I had two left over from this same shirt! And I cheated a bit, this was a Women's shirt!

This picture was taking in my car, so sorry it sucks. I hope to get one soon of her wearing it!