Happy Daze

Ever wanted to pack up some friends and head on a roadtrip?

Well, I just got back from doing just that! Ray and Francis flew out from MB, and the 5 of us (Rob, me, Christine, Ray, & Francis) drove down to the Okanagan for a couple days, then through the mountains to Calgary to meet up with my parents for a couple days, and then back to PG via Jasper.

Colorful margarita mixes for the girls, plain ol beers for the boys, plus empty campgrounds and large fires, made for hilarious nights.

Rob and I are rather broke now, as we paid for everything for everyone (all they had to pay for was their flights) but it was definetly worth it, and will be repeated next year if all goes well.

On a happy note, we'll be trying to get to MB at the end of August, as Ray (Rob's bff since gr.4) is getting married! I most likely won't be able to go, since I won't be able to get time off work, but we'll be trying to fly at least Rob out for it.

Oh, and my first shift at AimHi is tomorrow. Gleep.

Time Killing

So, about a month ago, I received the good news that I got a job at a company called AimHi. As a care worker for people with disabilities, be they mental, physical, developmental, whatever.

The only problem is, they say if you want get this job, you have to prove it by jumping through all these hoops. I have to attend training seminars (not paid) and I have to get a bunch of things, like first aid certificate, food safe, etc.

I calculated that between time not working, and paying for all these qualifications, by the time I actually start working, I'll have spent/lost over $1500.00 ....

What would someone do if they couldn't afford to accept the job?!?!

Thoughts on Turning 22

Life is good.

Six months ago, I was quite depressed. Having just moved away from family, friends, and my familiar comfort zone, I felt very out of place and alone. Low on funds, and feeling forced to work a boring, dead-end cashier job just to survive.

Now, I'm determined to make the best of this new place; I'll never consider myself a "BC-an", but at least I'm not allowing myself to feel homesick for MB anymore. I've got an interview on thursday with a large company Rob fixes the computers for, I've heard through the grapevine the interview is pretty much just a formality for me. The starting wage? Almost $6 an hour more than I'm making right now. AND! It's more than just selling and ringing things through a cash register, which has been weighing really heavy on me lately-the "going nowhereness" of my jobs.

Money is no longer an issue- Rob not only has a good paying, steady job that he enjoys (most of the time) but his boss really likes him, and he's had several raises. We're doing so well, we have over half the money we'll need for Italy next year squirreled away, bought a new car a month ago (jeez is it sweet, I'm still scared to drive it, its so nice lol) and are looking at buying a house in a couple months.

So, this was supposed to be thoughts on my birthday, oops. I didn't want or need anything, but that made what I did get an extra treat. I'm older, more responsible (sometimes lol) Sometimes I feel young (I'm the youngest one at Salvation army by many years) sometimes I feel old, but who doesn't? Life is short,as soon as you're old enough to realise it, then you feel it.

Of course with another year ticking by, my mother and sister in law are asking about when kids are planned to arrive. Like I told Rob when we first got married; I want one more big trip, then I can settle down and have kids. Darn dad for making me fall in love with travelling!

I have no regrets for this past year..hopfully the next one will be just as bearable!!

Update

Thats right, time for an update! Long overdue, I think.

Where to start! Well, I'm still currently working for the Salvation Army- I've been there long enough to be considered part of the "old store girls". Last month we opened a second thrift store on the other side of town, and of course had to hire a bunch of women to work at that one, therfore they are considered the "new" girls.
Out of the blue I got a call from a pet store down the street, wanting me to come for an interview (I applied there waaay back in what, september??) but they'd have to offer me quite a bit of an pay raise to make me leave the spot I've earned on the team at the old store.
Either way though, I have to work for a couple more months until I can take my schooling. Having just bought a new car (we needed a second one, since we sold mine before moving to BC) it just wasnt quite feasable for me to take my course just yet. Come June, we'll have lived in BC for a year, and therfore I'll be eligible for BC student aid. I'll be taking the Medical Transcriptionist course, out of Thompson College in Kamloops. Very excited and looking forward to it!
What else? Since Oma died last month, Mom is considering a trip to Scotland at the start of summer, to visit a friend there, then skipping across to Holland to see some relatives. I hope she goes through with it. Even if it means lisa gets to go on a trip that tina and I dont get to, she's really taken Oma's passing very very hard, and I really feel for her. So I hope she goes to see her friend, as shes feeling very lonely with most of her daughters grown and gone, and her mother and best friend gone now as well. Please keep my mom in your prayers, as I'm doing, as there's not much more I can do from out here.
What else? My birthday is rapidly approaching..22 this year, I think? My last year of freedom! Lol. If all goes according to plan, in 6 months we'll have bought a house, 1 year from now be returning from Italy, and 18 months, hopfully decorating the nursery? But you know what they say about the best laid plans ;) So far though, we've been able to stick to what we wanted from this move quite well, as far as buying what, when, and all that jazz. Setting up our life, yada yada.
Well, Rob's setting up our nightly movie, so I'd better wrap this up. Hope you're all doing well!

Ok, so I havnt posted since May, and it had been a lifetime since my last post before that. Maybe I should start posting again? Sheesh. I am absolutely horrible at keeping in touch with people, even my family (how bad is that?) so maybe if i find the time periodically to do a quick post of what I'm up to, they'll be able to keep in the loop that way.
So, I've been living in Prince George, BC for about half a year now. In about the second month, I did a short stint working at Mariposa, a clothing store, but it was a horrible environment, so I quit after about a month. Was unemployed again for a while, then found a job I absolutely love-I work at the local Salvation Army thrift store. Its only part time, $9/hour, but the work is easy and fun, and the ladies are great.
With that being said, I've gone for two interviews at an Optometrist clinic, for the Assistant position-the one that does all the preliminary tests and such. The work sounds repeditive and tedious, the girls that work there strike me as snobby, but the pay would be better, with more hours than I'm getting now.
If I get offered the position, what do I do? Do I give up a job I enjoy for a job with better pay and I title I can be proud of?
Well, enough work worries. We fly to Winnipeg in three weeks from now, and I couldn't be more excited!! I commented to Rob last night, that when we lived in Brandon, I took for granted that I saw Tina every other day, and my parents every week. Everyone lived so close to me, and I thought nothing of it. We'll be there for 5 days, cuz thats about all the time off from work we could squeeze, but I have a feeling I wont want to get back on that plane after 5 days is up. As it is, the "adventure" of living in BC has worn off, and I find myself very homesick more days than not. Rob's parents have been absolutely wonderful, his mom in particular, but they're not the same as having my family around.
I don't think I would be so homesick if I had been able to make some friends. Kind of my fault, kind of not; In Brandon, I met people through work, and through church, thats how I made friends. But here, all the women I work with are 40 or up, and the church is like strath (no offence) but all old people. Dont get me wrong, thats why I love it, it feels homey, but where else does that leave for me to meet people my age?
Enough complaining. Feels good to get all that off my chest though. Rob's loving it here, he loves the scenery, and of course his family is right here so he's got nothing to miss-I think he'd feel offended if he knew I wasnt as in love with the place as he is.
Well, time to go enjoy my day off and quit moping.

>>>Happy Dance<<<

Bought our lil trailer for 8,000 three years ago.

Two days ago

Sold it for 22,000.


Almost

triple

baby.

Life, Isn't It Grand??

So, yeah, wow! I would apologise for the long span without posting, but anyone that reads this knows I've been on facebook in the meantime. So, you'll also know the biggest latest thing in my existance- I'm moving! And out of good 'ol MB!
Needless to say, it's a source of both excitement and anxiety. Our biggest hurdle is our house. We have to sell it before we go, of course, but we have to give it a facelift before we can sell it. We estimated by adding about $1000 more repairs on top of what we've already done to the house, we can sell it for near TRIPLE what we paid for it, I kid you not!
So the fence is done, the shed is about half done, but we still have to replace carpet in the computer room, redo some of the paneling in there, repanel some porch as well, and reroof the house. Once that's all done though, it will be a completely different house. I wish we'd taken pictures when we first moved in, before we did ANY renovating.
Rob and I have been packing a little every night or so, so hopfully by the time all our repairs are done in 5 days, by sunday (thats our goal) we'll be close enough to clean to be able to contact a realtor.
What Rob and I are most excited though, is living in the mountains. Prince George is norther than what we're used to, but smack dab in the middle of beautiful country! Now, don't get me wrong, I love Manitoba, but both Rob and I are ready for a change of scenerie, change of employment, the whole nine yards. My letter from CoNC should be here soon, to tell me if I got in or if I was too late in applying lol cross your fingers for me!
Well, I should get moving, I have a lot of errands to do today! Caio!