A taste of civilization.....

yesterday we finished work early (at 1:30ish) so Jen and I decided to take a trip into town....aka Dryden to check out this sheep farm. After a bumpy 1hr drive  we arrived safely. Its so weird to get into a car and see stoplights and litter on the roads....and other people! I had made a pact with jen that I was going to not be friendly to everyone I saw because I'm sick of being nice to people all the time.....I failed epically. I went into the store, and not only was I friendly and smiling, I said hello to randoms. I am so used to always being nice to friendly to old men, I couldn't help myself! lol, its funny to see how living int he bush can really change you! ha. On the way home we stopped at dairy queen...what a TREAT! loll I felt so sick after..but it was SO WORTH IT!

tomorrow is canada day. The plan: hull through dishes and then head to a beach for wings, fireworks and beers! annnnnd- I have the day off on Friday, which means I can sleep in!!!!! I'm drinking tomorrow for John A. Macdonald!!!!

Cheers everyone :)

“This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy.”
- Susan Polis Schutz

This is a quote that I actually took from Annes FB profile (thanks AGG) and I really like it! Especially with everything that has been going through my mind lately, it really is comforting to remember that I am the ONLY one who is in control of my life and I am the only one that can make the choices to make myself HAPPY! So far, that is what I have been doing- but can you really blame me for being so happy when I have such wonderful people in my life? I am VERY lucky. (thanks to everyone who is always there for me- you mean the world to me)

Today has been a GREAT day! Actually, its been kinda cold but I got to hang out with my little monkeys all day! We spent the majority of our time indoors but we had a lot of fun. We started out with some crafts making some scary masks: aka an elephant mask, a chicken mask and a monkey mask. Then, we proceeded to walk around camp and scare everyone that was here today. It was awesome! The kids really got into it....I even got blake to eat crasins by telling him that monkeys like them. HA. In the afternoon we made some home made play dough and played some imagination games outside. Its funny to think that you dont even need any plans or materials to have fun. All I have to do is pretend that im a guest and blakes a guide and he will sit for hrs cooking me pretend fish and guiding me around the lake. He wants nothing more than to be seen as a big boy.......hes adorable. Today, he actually took a ginormous spill off of the stool and got himself a black eye. I convinced him to tell everyone "you should see the other guy" when they ask him what happened. He is hilarious. I will hopefully post some pictures of them soon!!!!

Other than that- not much is new. today was a town run and I GOT MY ROD! wooooot. Who knew that would be so exciting! I am going to buy a reel off of Mike and hopefully I can get it all rigged up and ready to go! I cant wait to use it!

I have one request: please email me your phone numbers. I lost my sheet of paper with the numbers on it and I would like to catch up with everyone (aka: katie- i know you are off work but I don't know yr number)!

our hilariously scary masks

blake with our home made playdough

miss you all- have a great week :)

Full moon Friday :)

Hello Again! We have been blessed with beautiful weather the past couple of days- the wind has been PERFECT and has blown all the warm water towards the lodge. I have gone swimming twice (and its not ice cold)! I think the water is at about 72 or something like that- so refreshing! It is great to go down to the swim dock on break, lay in the sun reading a book until its hot and then go in for a dip! (don't worry- I wear sunscreen but you should see how many freckles I already have)!!!!

Speaking of reading books- I have developed a love for reading up here.....to the point where i'm up until 1am, unable to go to sleep because I'm promising myself "only a few more pages." I bought a few books of amazon last week (they arrived so quick- i'm addicted) and I have already ready two of them. I bought some more last night (whoops) I have been looking for some good aboriginal literature to prepare myself a little bit for teaching in the north. The book I read first was called "For Joshua: an Ojibway father teachers his son" and it is one of my favourite books of all time (right up there with Anne of Green Gables)! It is about a father who spends his life struggling to find himself. I think that it is a good read for everyone, and it teaches you more about ojibway culture, which is something that we all know way too little about! I highly recommend it. I also found a new quote from it that I really find influential:

"As parents and teachers we need to tell our children this- that you can never be less than who you were created to be. You never have to qualify. You never have to prove yourself. You just need to be."

In today's society it is all too easy to change who you are, what you believe and put up a front to protect yourself from discovering who you really are. As a teacher, I hope to let my students realize that being YOU is what is important, rather than being what others want you to be. The other two books I purchased last night were both written by the same author- one being his first novel, called "Keeper 'n me" which was a bestseller, I can't wait to get it next week!!!!!

Other than my new love for reading. Not much is new. I am sitting in the lodge currently smelling fried mushrooms and onions...which clearly means its STEAK DAY and im so excited. I'm on dishes tonight which means 2.5 straight hrs of boiling hot water and scrubbing. YAY! its a nice break from serving and being social. (hard to believe but I don't always like to talk to people)! Tomorrow is a HUGE changeover day for us (4 cabins) so we are going to hopefully get into cabin one (the largest cabin) and clean it up tonight so we have an easier day tomorrow. After that- i'm hoping to get to a beach to watch the wonderful sunset/full moon tonight!

Still living the dream! Hope everyone has a glorious weekend :)

another day off :)

aloha from the north. It is a beautiful sunny day outside and its a shame im in the lodge on the computer.....actually, I'm trying to organize a list of stuff that I need for up Fort Hope It is getting really lengthy (sorry mom- I will be sending you a list as soon as I have it completed)! If anyone has any suggestions of what I might need up there for either my classroom or just my living area please let me know- I would really appreciate it :)

Amidst all of my organizing and planning I am also in the process of writing an article for one of my friends (Dave: my co counselor from camp last year) about working with children with disabilities. I am focusing on my experience with horseback riding and plan to make a beginner article on tips/strategies etc. on teaching children with disabilities. I am off to a bit of a bumpy start (I've never been good at captivating introductions) but I think it'll end of great- I will make sure of it!

The last few days sure have been BUSY. We have the fullest camp we've had so far (12 in cabin 1) which makes for a very busy dinner!!! We are always on the go- especially with tonight being RIB NIGHT- the girls sure will be busy. Last night was home made lasagna and it was to die for, I actually had a piece at 10:30 for breakfast. I am planning on eating a late lunch and then going out fishin for a bit with pete. Amber has proposed going for a long swim down to the jumping rocks, but last time we did that it was so cold I was FREEZING so I don't know if i'll embark on that adventure with her today. we'll see :)

anyways- I am going to end this short because a) theres only 10% left on my computer battery and b) i'm going to go up the hill and organize some more of my stuff (aka: laundry)! what an exciting day!

Happy Fathers day :)

This is going to be a short post as a shout out to my DAD! Happy fathers day to not only my dad, but all the dads out there! Last night, one of the guides wives went into labour and had a baby boy at 10:08pm weighing 6lbs 8oz. Needless to say its been an exciting day out at the lodge! I am "nanny for a day" and have also had an eventful morning. It started with the idea of making a mini ecosystem (aka: aquarium) for the kids to have minnows in their room.......long story short it turned into me catching leeches (which is the grossest thing in the world) and lots of other cool bugs. I am pretty sure one of the minnows is already dead, but we've got about 1,000 more in the minnow tank outside, so the kids will get over it pretty quick :)

After our morning snack we decided to make musical instruments. Which was another good idea turned bad when I realized how obnoxious a Kazoo and a tambourine can be...but it was lots of fun :)! I think the kids are having a fun day. One of the guides is having his daughter come up this afternoon for some fathers day fishing so I am going to be taking care of her to for a couple of hours, I'm pretty excited. Its nice to have lots of little ones running around entertaining each other......once the kiddies wake up from their nap i'm thinking about making jello Jigglers.....which will be a good time!

Other than that, there is not much else to report. last night I was 100% successful in using my shenis to pee off the side of the boat!!!!! (dad you would be proud)! I'm pretty much an expert....theres some hilarious pictures on someones camera that will eventually surface....ha ha with a nice sunset in the back too!!!!!

Its about 1pm here, I am going to go finish reading the book i've been working on while continuing to fight the urge to nappppp! I am trying to quit that habit so I can enjoy myself outdoors as much as possible (but its easier said than done)

As always, this post is much longer than expected......I am so damn chatty :)

Happy Fathers day, have a great Sunday

p.s. mom- expect a phone call tonight around 7pm (aka 8pm your time)

Carpe Diem

You live longer once you realize that any time spent being unhappy is wasted.

~Ruth E. Renkl

 I thought I would start of this post with a quote because not only do I find them inspirational, I really think that they teach important lessons. This week in camp we have a guy here that was born in 1919. That's right my friends, he was born just after WWI (making him 91). He is in the best shape I've ever seen and he can withstand an entire day out on the water. I talked to his guide yesterday who mentioned he is always talking about how beautiful it is up here, and how lucky he is to be here. It really got me thinking.....we are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place, have such amazing people in our lives, and we all take it for granted- at least I know I do sometimes. I want everyone (at some point this week) to go out and do something for themselves that will make them happy. Whether its something subtle like sitting outside for half an hr to read a book, or going shopping for a new pair of shoes- make sure you spend as much time as you can being "Happy"! This summer I am truly realizing how lucky I really am to not only have the opportunities I do, but to be able to sit back and enjoy them. Last night I saw a gorgeous sunset and a glimpse of the northern lights- I'm living the summer of my dreams.

Anyways, enough of the inspirational words by sarah......another day off- and this time it's ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS outside. I am sitting here in shorts and a tank top just waiting to get outside and enjoy the SUNSHINE! Missy mentioned that jess and I should take the kids to blueberry lake (a lake 20 min down the road) that is a lot smaller and warmer, so it is suitable for swimming! I am pretty excited and I think Jess and I will plan to do that this afternoon.....other than that- not much is new with me. I received two packages from Auntie and Jenn containing lots of sweets so I am trying to ration them out so I do not overload all at once.......

I have some big news regarding my running schedule....yesterday I ran somewhere between 5-6km straight without stopping. I don't know exactly the distance because they are just roughly marked on the roads by landmarks but I am still very impressed with myself. That is the furthest I've ever run. My goal is to run about 6km every 2 days....we'll see if that happens. Amber is trying to convince me to start interval training so we'll see where that goes. So far, I've sworn off of cookies, which is SO HARD since I am sitting in the lodge and sherry just made a fresh batch.....ha ha I live such a hard life :)

Anyways, this is a really long post...and I am itching to go outside so I'm going to end this now :) Have a wonderful Wednesday! Cheers!

weekly update :)

So I have not written in a while. Partly because i’ve been so busy and mostly because i’ve been lazy. I always have a lot to say but sometimes the internet is just so slow its not even worth it. The past week has been super fun/exhausting. We have a lot of groups in here right now, there are even some of the guides eating at a fold out table in the back room! One of the groups here has 11 people in it- and trust me- its not fun making 11 beds in a row each morning! Sometimes I feel like a mother to a giant family! Its really really fun. The people I work with are absolutely incredible, I find it hard to believe that my boss was able to pick such amazing staff (minus this one girl jen, shes a huge pain in the ass to work with ha ha ha ha) Im clearly joking, everyone is phenomenal and pulls their own weight, I love waking up every morning and coming to work. As much as i’m starting to miss Kodiak, i’m so happy with where I am right now!

jessica and I being weight in the boat

The other day I took over as “nanny for the day” and gave Jessica a day off. It was a lot of fun- we went on an adventure picking wild roses, and then after nap we went on a scavenger hunt. I posted a few pics on facebook- the kids were so cute and so into finding clues. I had a great time too! I am looking forward to hanging out with them again.

A few nights ago we went to a beach and had a bonfire (hopefully I can post a picture)! It was really huge, and awesome. The guys busted out their guitars and we had some sing alongs. Sounds lame, but it was a lot of fun. I may have belted out “don’t stop believing” on the boat ride home after a few too many gin and tonics- a shout out to my guelphers 

Today I had another day off, this time with JESSICA! Which was nice because I had someone to hang out with....people are starting to call us “partners in crime”...whatever that means. Lol we really didn’t have an exciting day though. We watched some glee, slept in a bit and then made some milkshakes. I actually spent a considerable amount of time today on the phone/internet catching up with people. It makes me miss home but I am so lucky to have you all in my life- thanks for always being there for me to chat 

Other than that, not much is new. I’m going to end this now and head up the hill to the guide shack for a few too many beers.....I may stop in at the walk in fridge for some leftover Yorkshire pudding ......i’m living the dream.

Have a wonderful Sunday (happy early birthday dad- love you) xoxo

p.s. I bought a few books on amazon today about teaching aboriginal students- if anyone has any suggestions on books for me to read, please send em my way! Thanks

me picking up my own pike off the dock today :)

p.s.s. totally joking about the jen thing, I love jen!

hangover friday :(

Last night I learned a valuble lesson- "ladies night" in cabin 2 is always bad news. After being asked for the entire week to go down to their cabin after work for a drink, I finally caved and headed there around 10:30....long story short and half of a 26 of vodka later- it has been a rough day. I worked through it though and was rewarded with a nice long nap :)

Tonight is steak night- which is my absolute favourite night of the week.I just heard that dessert for dinner is bread pudding, which i'm excited to try. I really have nothing else to report- I am currently enjoying a crunchie bar with a 3 year old.....life is good.

Time to get back to work- tomorrow is a busy day of changeovers- TGIF have a wonderful weekend

cheers :)

Chicken Thursday

The only way I can tell the difference between the days of the week is through what we're having for dinner.....what a wonderful life I live. Although I have become addicted to my watch, I love being able to have my scheduled list of work and then once I get that done I am FREE to do as I please :)
The last few days I have been fulfilling my commitment to running. Amber had me doing lunges (which I swear I am going to feel in my legs for the rest of my life)! I am finally able to run again and was brave enough to run alone this afternoon. Through the bear infested road, I scared them off with my terrible singing and heavy breathing. ha ha ha....they are only black bears anyways. I actually have yet to go to the dump to see the bears there, but I have seen pictures. The kids have them all named "bruzer" is one, and I can't remember the other....

Yesterday I went fishing with peter who works for guest services/guiding! It was a lot of fun. I have been going out with him as a mock guest so he can get more experience on the lake. We were having bad luck for a while but after about half an hr we starting catching fish like CRAZY! I caught a 25.5 inch walleye!!!!! It was so much fun to reel in, and it was amazing to see- such a gorgeous fish!

25.5 inch walleye :) biggest fish yet (such a windy picture)

Speaking of fishing- I somehow got suckered into buying myself a st. croix rod. The boys here told me which one would work out best for me and I spent about $100 on a rod that has a lifetime warranty. I am pretty stoked about ti because apparently its a great brand and the retail value is about $200. Not to mention is a 2 piece rod so I can take it up north with me and have it for myself. I am still going to talk to mike about buying a shimano reel off of him. I can not wait to have my own equipment and be able to take myself out fishing. I have already learned how to put on a minnow and how to tie my own jigs on a line. I forget the name of the knot but my goal is to learn a bunch over the summer. I am also slowly learning to not be scared of the fish and to learn how to take them out of the water without getting my hands ripped to shreds. I know the logistics of the whole thing and where to pick them up but I'm a huge chicken when it comes to that kind of stuff. I am going to fish off the dock by myself sometime soon so that I have no choice but to do it alone and not ask one of the boys for help "sink or swim" is what I say.....I

Other than that news- there is nothing much new with me. I believe on my next day off I'm not really taking a day off. Instead I am letting Jessica have a day off (the nanny) and I am taking over her role for the day as nanny!! I am pretty excited because I am going to be like the fun loving aunt that spoils them rotten! I am already planning fun activities like a scavenger hunt, Tye dying or paper mache.....we'll see which one pulls through!

Anyways, its almost 4 here so I am going to head back up to my cabin and watch a movie.

Cheers :)