A Little of this, a little of that....

So I don't have a whole lot of new stuff to blab on about, but I figured I would let you know what's up anyway!!!! It's been a whole lot of work, cleaning, yard work, but I've enjoyed the first half of July anyway!!!! It's been pretty crazy at work so that's been good. I've had a pretty solid 8 hours of work to do every day, so at least I'm not bored everyday!!!! My house is now officially spring cleaned (a little late, I know, but still), and my yard is growing, my flowers and trees are growing, and in a few weeks I should be able to build a fence!!! Whoot, whoot! I am definately looking forward to my vacation in 16 days, when I go to Chilliwack to visit my bestest friend from when I was born!!! Horray for vacations!!!

A Wedding, the Zoo, and Canada Day

Happy Canada Day to Everyone!!!!!! It's been wonderful as I have had a couple of days off over the past weekend to go attend my cousin's wedding. The wedding was just outside of Didsbury, so I took Friday afternoon to today off and drove down with my bro. It was a great trip, and because we didn't have to be back for work on Monday, we were able to go to the zoo with the relatives, which was a blast!!!!!! When my family gets together we always eat WAY to much and talk, and watch movies, and it's always very refreshing. I love it!!!!! The drive back on Monday was great, and I went to the Canada Day fireworks with a few friends and had a blast there as well. The fireworks were actually very nicely done this year, and I was impressed what was done. I did have to work this afternoon, however it was very nice to sleep in for one more day and just kind of laze around and do nothing all morning. The weather here has been CRAZY hot and dry, so I have been watering my lawn like crazy, and now I have to mow my lawn/weed patch because it's getting pretty high!!! I am so looking forward to having my lawn!!!!! Anyway, take a look at the pics and enjoy the short week!!!!

My niece's in the wagon at the zoo

Dad and Drew looking at the Zebra's
I have the cutest niece's and nephew!!!!

Lion's and Tiger's and Bear's, oh my!!!!
and Giraffe's
and hippo's
and my bro!!
more of the fam....

the Bran family. What a good looking group....Some of Our table's cutlery art... never mix plastic cutlery, candles and the Braun/Derksen grandchildren together....

Kevin and Melissa
The baby elephant!!!! So cute!!!!

Life as I Know it.....

So here it is, almost the end of June, and life as I know it has not changed much at all. I am two months into my summer, and have two months of my summer left. I go to work day in and day out.... and try to find work from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon. A couple weekends ago was the annual town Chataqua Days (which is really actually only one day, but for some reason we here call it days.... one of life's weird mystery's I guess.....) and I had a great day, which included rollorblading all day long, sitting and watching the parade with my 4 nieces and 1 nephew, serving about a bazillion smokies to about a bazillion people, watching my brother bleed all over the street from the gash on his head..... etc, etc.... This last weekend I really had nothing to do, so I went shopping, and lazed around the house. And as of right now I have 3 1/2 days until I have 4 days off from work to go to Calgary for my cousin's wedding. Whoot, whoot!!!!!!! Time off of work!!!!! And Canada Day fireworks!!!!!!! Whoot, whoot!!!!!!!!!!

Life

So a couple of updates for you who read this, I have set a few things in motion. I booked my flight to Chilliwack for August and am going to see my best friend Andrea and her husband John for a week, and I am EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My other exciting piece of information is that my
parents, younger brother and I are going to Disneyland for Christmas!!!!!!!!!! We are leaving on December 20th and coming back on December 27th!!!! Both my brother and me are super excited and looking forward to the time off and warm weather during Christmas!!!! So that's pretty much it for now!!!!

Adventures at YC

So, last weekend I did the "crazy" thing of going down to YC with the youth group. I hadn't been to YC in six years, so I was unsure as to how to how I would handle it. Lucky for me the kids were great and my body actually did really well!!!! It was an AMAZING weekend and it was such a privaledge to be able to see the youth worshipping and learning and being vulnerable.

Some of my highlights: having Tim Hughes lead worship, escaping for a few hours away to China Town with Martha, seeing the youth rock out and go crazy for Skillet, TFK and Hawk Nelson, the chat on the bus ride home with Brittney, listening to Reggie Dabbs challenge and inspire, seeing the Lord break through barriers and walls, praying and worshipping with Xav, watching the Newsboys (seeing as I'm old school, that was close to the best concert for me!!!), eating pizza, watching TV until 1:30 with my girls, watching teenage girls doing their hair in the mornings, and oh, what else, watching Jordan blow up a 4 foot balloon and everybody around going crazy about it, taking pictures, oh, I could go on and on. Basically I just enjoyed the weekend!!!!

The week has been somewhat busy since then, and I'm feeling the fact that I didn't get the same amount of sleep over the weekend!!!! And my newest piece of news... I am officially going to California for Christmas!!!!!!!!!

Weirdness....

And while you read the post below, I just want to state a disclaimer that I have no idea why it posted the pictures and captions the way it did.....I did nothing differently than I ever have before, so I'm a bit befuzzled....

May Long Weekend

Even though it's not over yet, I decided that I should post about my may long weekend activities now. The weekend started out GREAT!!!! I got off work 4 hours early and was able to spend the afternoon at home relaxing and rototilling my yard for saturday. Then in the evening I went with a couple friends so the opening of Prince Caspian. What a good movie!!! Thouroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next one that comes out now!!!! Saturday was another day of semi-relaxation, although not as much. I took a trip to town to buy some necessities for the afternoon, and then spent the afternoon landscaping and planting my lawn. In about 2 weeks I should have green grass!!!!! Horray!!!!!! I'm a bit stoked for that!!!!! Today was church. My worship team was on and again, the youth did an amazing job and I was so proud of them. Then it was home to Mom & Dad's for lunch and a relaxing afternoon. This evening we went bowling with my sister and her family, where I got schooled by my 2 year old niece. Fun!!!! So it shall remain to be seen what happens tomorrow, but I am very excited that I do not have to work!!! Plus it's a 3 day week for me as next weekend I am heading down to Edmonton to chaparone the youth on their YC trip!!! I'm also excited for that!!!!! Anyway, here are some pics of my adorable nieces and our bowling excitment!!!!

My feet... I was in the car while my parents were in Superstore....



I don't really know why I'm not smiling, I knew the picture was being taken....