Two Nieces!

Baby Kyla was born April 22nd!!! I now have two adorable little nieces in Calgary. Isabelle (20 months) is just so curious about her little sister and so far is being really good. Kyla has jaundice so has been in & out of the hospital to go under the lights. Seems like everybody is doing good so far, except Auntie Carrie who is the only person not going out to visit in the next month. They'll be out here at the beginning of June for my mom's retirement and I'll visit in the summer when I have more time. Bonus about being a teacher. Oh, and I think I'll probably stay at the same school for next year. Despite being a tough go, I think having control of my own classroom outweighs the overwhelmingness of my job. I just hope he hires an awesome assistant for September.

A Little Update from PG

Hello Ladies,

It was so great getting to hear updates on everyone! Everyone is doing so much and so much is changing, I am so excited for everyone. Not too much new with me. I am going back to work in a couple weeks (which I am completely dreading!) I have been furiously searching for a new job and haven't found anything. Apparently an English Major does amount to "would you like fries with that" or "I'd love to file those papers for you" I'm still toying with what I ultimately want to do, I'm considering applying to get into the education program, but still am not 100% sure yet. I have been keeping crazy busy lately. I have been watching one of Marshall's little friends a couple days a week and I have no clue how women with twins survive! Marshall took his first steps on Thursday which was totally exciting! Pretty soon he's going to be running around and then I'm in big trouble. I'm coaching a girls Lacrosse team again this year which should be fun and will give me something to do that is just for me. Matt & I are doing good and trying to remember to actually spend some time together. It is very easy to completely forget what you talked about pre-baby, so we're trying to get a little of that spark back. I totally reccomend a book called "Baby-proofing Your Marriage" if you have a baby or are thinking of having one. Oh and I have a funny story...we were doing that "celebrity lookalike" thing on heritage.com and we put in a pic of Matt and he apparently looks 86% like Halle Berry (I am a very lucky lady) and Matt put in a baby pic of Marshall and he looked 53% like 50 Cent. I'm not quite sure how my baby ended up looking like a rap star...but it totally cracked me up! It has been my great find and my new how-to guide. I'm still not sure if I'm coming to the retreat, I would like to but I still have some details to work out. If not I'll be there in spirit! I put in a couple of pics of me & Marshall from Easter weekend on his first trip to the park and one of me & Matt from February. Hope everyone is well and hope to see you all soon, Your sister Gina

Greetings as a Married Woman!!

Hello Ladies,

I believe I have finally figured out how to send a blog (with the telephone assistance of a good friend of course). I have been terrible at giving up dates on what's been going on so I'll give you a short little blurb.

As of March 24 of this year (so about two weeks ago) Walter and I finally got married. It feels like a long time waiting as we have been dating for just under 6 years. We got married in Banff, Alberta at the top of Sulphur Mountain at the Banff Gondola. It was a crazy weekend as the weather called for warm temps, wind and rain (I was hoping for the snow). When the day came and we got to the top of the mountain my wish was there (Walter was waiting for me - oh yeah and it was snowing) Yippee!!!. We had a great civil ceremony and took some wild and fun photos, then went to a lodge outside of town to party the rest of the night.

We spent the honeymoon down in the DOminican Republic and a fabulous resort. Had an excellent time. Great food, great people, music, entertainment, RUM!! Oh yeah and medical care! I ended up coming down with tonsilitis and infected wisdom teeth and had to see their doctor. Still working on the recovery here in Canada, but to deter any further rumors, they do use sterile needles. ha ha ha.

The day after Walter and I returned from our Honeymoon we closed the deal on our new house and moved in the next day. It was extremely odd signing a new name on the contratcs, and to even think that we are now home owners. It's so exciting. The house is 1350 sq feet, with 3 bdr and 2 baths. It's a condo in a family oriented neighbourhood across from a park, the rec centre, a block to the pub, and to shopping and schools. Can't get much better then that for now.

The following day Walter had to leave to Northern Alberta to work and now I am unpacking and getting settled before he returns in 3 weeks.

On top of these crazy events I finished my Breastfeeding certification course for Health care providers (the same course you were looking at doing Sarah), and I have now begun training in Sexually transmitted infections through courses and practicums and have excepted the position at work as the Sexual Health Nurse for our new Youth clinic opening in the fall. Lots of changes, lots of challenges. Never a dull moment.

I just keep telling myself "there are 24 useable hours in the day" Granted I appreciate the ones used for sleep, they have just been cut down a little.

I look forward to seeing many of you ladies at the retreat.

Cheers and take care

Sandra

PS
I'll post pics when I get them downloaded.

An Update From Trisha

Hi Everyone!

I'm Trish for those that haven't met me, and a reminder for those that haven't seen or heard from me in god knows how long.

I hope you are all ready for the text version of my babble, Suzy is here with me - teaching me 'how to' write a blog (see she had to tell me it was write not use a blog). Pathetic, I know.


So, first off, the biggest thing in my life right now. I'm engaged and possibly getting married this October. That is what I want the most, October I mean, but it depends on the agreement of my parents and Christen's. I have some money but obviously, not enough. They offered to help, so now need to fork it over.


If October happens to fall through, well then it looks to be May 24th, 2008; maybe the long weekend if I do it out of town. Out of town involves the Okanagan and a winery; yep I have a problem, I admit it.


Below you will see, my dress, the wedding dress. That was a fly by the seat of my pants moment. I went to a sale, tried on two dresses and went home with the second one. I love it, I can't wait to wear and this is part of my reason for liking October even more. Chris jokes that I will be wearing it when I pick him up from the airport (that is a story for later). The dress would go nice with the flowers I plan to bring him to celebrate his arrival. Lol.

As you can see from these pictures, my maid of honnor is a little camera happy. I tried to explain to her that this wasn't the wedding day but she doesn't seem to care.


I should probably tell you a bit about me, chris and what has been happening for the past 5 years since PG. Oh god, that was so long ago.


I currently am going to Douglas College and working towards a bachelors in Business Admin. Nothing to do with what I went to UNBC for. I look at UNBC as a life experience in which I learned about myself, others and the world. I had some hard life lessons, but I made it through each one and I believe this has made me a stronger person.


**Okay sappy moment. I wouldn't have made it without my sisters. Even if at times we were the source of one anothers pains we were always supportive. No tears, not yet I swear.**


Back to school, it seems to be taking forever. I have this habit of three courses for the fall, one for winter and two for the summer. Last summer was my first semester off, and this summer will be my second. I hate taking the break because it feels like I will never accomplish anything. Just when I thought I was close to accomplishing something (a diploma) Douglas starts a bachelor's program and now I'm not going to move onto a new school (SFU). I keep telling myself the rewards outweights it all.

In addition to school, I have been working full-time since I left PG for Iron Mountain (records management not the golf course). It is a highlight and pain in my life all at once. Becoming well versed in a career can sometimes be just as frustrating as it is rewarding. For this reason I may be looking for a new career as I want to shed some of the responsibility and learn to relax a bit more. I know it will follow you wherever you go, but one shouldn't let things get to them as much as I do at times. All of this is of course speculation until Chris is home and I can really discuss it with him. At this time he is in China (home in 40 hours) for part of SFU's PDP program. So he is currently not holding a full-time job, and hey if I want that wedding in October, giving up security is not the smartest move. I'll keep you all up to date with my final decision.

Okay, so a bit about chris and I. We met a couple of weeks after my car accident so we had all day, every day for a month and a half to get to know one another. If you ever meet him, he might tell you how I broke-up with him, cause he was too nice. I know he will never let me forget it, not in a bad way though. I figure this will be a butt of a few roasts at our wedding. I should say, once we were apart I spent 72 hours counting down the minutes for when I could talk to him, I guess that was when I knew he was the one I love. Christen is my best friend, he is the one person that no matter how stupid it may sound or how wacky I can be, I can do it in front of him and we will just laugh together.

This Christmas, Chris proposed. I was shocked, I sat there and was like "wow a ring, I like jewelry." I just didn't expect it, he had just gaven his notice for work and was leaving for China in a month. I just didn't think it would happen any time soon. Now Chris is almost home and he is just as excited as I am about planning our wedding.




I figure I am breaking him, that sounds bad but really isn't. He proposed, he said I could get a cat finally, which I have done. Haha! I bought Scotch while Chris was away so this should be an interesting meeting. She is spunky and sweet and makes me laugh constantly. She has also recently decided that if I am not following my schedule of being up at 5:30 she will wake me up, it is not appreciated.

Anyhow, I should reserve the rest of my babbling for another blog, because now I KNOW HOW TO DO IT! Yea!


I promise I will update the blog every once in a while. Should you want to say hi you can reach me at trish.quinney@ironmountain.com or 604-505-4364.

Trish

Adventures in the Wilderness

Alright ladies, settle in with your popcorn and a glass of wine, cuz this is long overdue and I have the distinct feeling it's going to be VERY long-winded.

I know I've kind of been MIA from alumnae activity in the last year or so, but life has been going full steam ahead and has kept both hands full at all times!!

Last June Ron and I were officially wed in Victoria. A small wedding at my dad's home and I have to say it was a great party. Ron made the food himself, and we kept it simple: beer and wine and hors d'oeuvres and a three piece jazz band. Successful as many weddings can be, we sent a few new couplings home together by the end of the night, and only lost one person to find him passed out on the front lawn an hour later. All and all, it was a great night and I want to do it again!!

Starting January 2006 I began taking business management at Camosun College while working full time at a busy downtown spa as a skin therapist. In Sept of last year I started school full time, while also working full time to give myself a feeling of accomplishment. While I've been busy with work and school, Ron has finished his BBA (bachelors degree in business admin).


Now comes the fun part. When Ron and I first met, we worked at a resort in Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, north of Tofino. Since then, Ron has done consulting work for them from time to time and has kept in close contact. This year they gave us an offer we couldn't refuse, allowing us both to use our education and skill base to its potential!


Ron started in January of this year as General Manager of Clayoquot Wilderness Resort. I had the happy privelege of staying behind to pack up and move out of our apartment in Victoria. Can I tell you now just how much I loathe moving!!! But once that was finished at the end of February, I was able to join Ron in the middle of nowhere. Before I get ahead of myself, I guess I should explain the location a little bit. CWR is located 18 nautical miles north of Tofino in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve and is only accessible by boat or float plane. While it is still part of Vancouver Island, there are no roads that lead here, and is in the middle of the lush temperate rainforest, home to more animal life than a tropical rainforest. I could tell you stories about bears for hours!! No to mention the cougars and wolves and eagles.. oh my! It is really wild up here, but don't get me wrong, while we're technically "roughing it" we still have all the luxuries of home. Feel free to take a look at the website when you get a chance for more explanation: www.wildretreat.com.


Now I get to tell you about me and my pride and joy. No, not a baby, but it sure feels like one!!! Until this year, the resort has only provided massage treatments... not anymore. I've been hired on to develop and manage the Healing Grounds, a full service spa here at the resort. I have the amazing opportunity to build it quite literally from the ground up. There isn't anything about it on the website yet, because they've just started to build it, and I've only just finished the service menu an business plan. However, I may have to bore you all with a few pictures of the construction's beginnings.




^This is the walkway to the platform it will be built on.

This is the view from the structure on a cloudy day.>

These are the logs they're using!!!

I don't think I've ever been so excited about something I've created! Or rather, created something I've been so excited about.


I also want to share with you exactly what I see when I'm up here. I have no words to describe it, and as usual the photos don't do it justice either, but with the pictures and a little imagination, I hope you can feel what I do when I'm here.









Thanks Sue, for encouraging me to finally take the time to sit down and fill everyone in on what I've been doing with my time.

Starting a new career move

Okay...I know I'm so random with my job/career decisions. But I think this time it's for real and I'm so so so excited about this new move!
I'm taking the Doula Labour Support program at Douglas College. Doulas are supportive and experienced women who help the mom through the labour process. Doulas "mother the mother". I will also have the opportunity to take a post-partum Doula course, a Childbirth Educator course and and Breastfeeding Educator course if I want to pursue this further and build up my credentials :)
I've already started a draft of my website and thought up some neat things on how to run my business. I'm really excited that this is something I'm going to be able to do part-time or more full-time after I'm done having all my kids and they are older.
I've been interested in the idea of Doulaing for a while, but wanted to be a mom first, as I thought it would be more appropriate, and I've really enjoyed this whole process of trying to concieve, pregnancy, labour and birth - and especially mommyhood! I've really loved reading everything I can, and you could say I'm a "birth junkie" HAHA.
Anyways, thought I'd let you all know about this new endevor in my life, and if you ever need a Doula..... *wink*

My First Try

Hello, It me Keri W
What's been happening with me. Well I graduate in May with my B.Sc. in Psychology and am working at a halfway house here in Prince George. I work the crappy shifts there because I'm the new kid on the block, so I don't have much of a life. I have been with the same guy (Fred) since 1998, with no plans to marry anytime soon (his mother is the monster-in-law that I never want to be around and she hates me). So I live with Fred here in Prince George, and we have no children (with no plans on having any). I have included pictures of Fred, Digger and Max, I looked for picture of me but don't have any in which I am sober, so will have to work on this, sorry.

In my free time I like to go camping at a few lakes around here with Fred and our friends from high school. In my world I have friends from high school, university and my previous life as a bar hound ( or as I like to say my functioning alcoholic days). When I decided to go back to university I had little contact with other women and felt that I needed to find a place where I could build friendships with women who were not only smart but also had plans for their lives that did not rely on men, I met Catherine (my Big Sister) and she talked about all the fun she was having with the sorority and the next year I pledged and joined up with a great group of girls who didn't think it was weird that I was to way older than them and still wanted to hang out with me, which was great.

I have a dog named Digger and a fish named Max. Digger is the sweetest dog out there but according to Lonnie he just wants to eat her, I just tell it because she smells like another dog or perhaps he sees her as a tasty treat. These pictures show you how cute and harmless my puppy is (yes Lonnie I know he is almost 2 years old). My fish Max is about 10 years old and does not like people.

I hope that this gives you a small insight into my world, I hope to keep in better touch with all of you and get to know you better. Unfortunately I am not able to attend the retreat because it is the weekend before Convacation and do have time to go to Vancouver and get back here to clean up my house before my parents come for the week. I hope you all have a great time and get to meet some of the new girls who want to become part of this group.
Take care, Keri

Happy Easter!

Hello Everyone! I haven't posted for a while 'cause I feel nothing really significant is going on. But here's what I'm up to. Still teaching at the Montessori school, losing kids like flies though. Not because of me, they all love me, but it seems like Morgan Creek is just a transition area and everybody keeps moving away. Makes our enrollment for next year iffy, which totally affects me because my boss won't hire me an assistant if we don't have enough kids. Ugh! This makes my job totally stressful and makes me wonder if I should be pursuing a job at a different school. There are days where the kids are awesome and I'm so excited about their learning and others where nothing goes right and I wonder what the hell am I doing. I will let you know what happens with that.

Good news is, it's tax time and Shane and I are doing awesome! Of course, ask me at the end of June if it's the same story, but wow, could we finally have figured out how to survive tax season without a major blowup? :) Also exciting is that my parents are taking Shane and I to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands this summer. Yippee!

Still no babies in the immediate future for Shane and I. We will be expanding our roles as Auntie and Uncle this year as my niece Isabelle will become a big sister any day now and my sister in Williams Lake is due in September. I'm so excited!

That's me. So let's see some more posts up here!