Examination

Today at lunch time I am writing my College Placement Exam for Alberta College. I'm not worried per say but I am a little nervous about it. It's a full 3 hours and I've been out of school since 1991 and I can't say there's any way to prepare, so much has changed. One time, in grade 12... I smoked a J at lunch time then went and wrote the Social 30 mid term exam. I really didn't study and I was positive I would pretty much fail. I sat there and for the answers I didn't know I simply BS'd. And I aced it with 96%. Somehow, though, I'm pretty much sure I won't see Fat Jack at the smoking door at Alberta College offering me the enlightenment of the day. I may need to fall back on my OTHER life experience and hope that all the things I've done so far have had some relevant purpose in bringing me to this place in time and will some way, some how benefit me on this exam. I don't know why I am fretting over it. I guess I just don't want to do poorly...I don't want to find out I really am stupid! I remembered doing fairly well in school, and I guess when seeing my transcripts recently- my memory aint so hot... because my marks weren't as good as I thought. I did buckle down for grade 12 but didn't end up writing my finals and finishing the year. Boo me! Well I have the chance now, and my enlightenment comes from above now, so there is hope. I'm actually excited to get my High School and not just GED, and I'm REALLY even more excited to go to Grant McEwan afterwards. I think things are really starting to look good!

Ode to Jill

My lil' sister is celebrating her birthday on Monday...

Happy Birthday Jill!

Since I dished out the dirt on Ryan, it's Jills turn now...

Grossest Thing she ever did:

There were a few...but I think the tops goes to the time we built a fort under the basement stairs and we had everything in there but the kitchen sink...oh, and a toilet! Her and Janette Werbitski decided a tupperware salad bowl was the next best thing so they # 2'd in it, put the lid on and stashed it in the corner. Well did we (I!!) ever get in trouble, even though I never participated in the doing, I should have Known Better! and stopped them from doing it

Worst time in trouble:

Oh there were so many. I wouldn't know which one to pick. We usually were in trouble for staying out too late, and/or fighting over clothes.

Scariest moment:

Probably out at Carson Pegasus Lake when we decided to sneak the canoe out in a storm. By the time we got to the middle of the lake it was pouring and started to thunder and lightning. It turned really dark. at one point Jill got in the water on the side of the canoe and her legs floated up on the other side. When I looked into the water all I saw were a pair of legs coming up and thinking it was a dead body, I let out a curtling scream. Two old men in a rickety rowboat came to our rescue and brought us back to land. telling us the hazards of going in the lake in a lightning storm and Dad was furious we took the canoe without asking!

Funniest moment:

Jill was in the hospital all hopped up on something...and suddenly over the intercom we hear:

"paging doctor Siemen...Paging doctor Siemen"... Jill completely lost it and then we all did. It was pretty funny. Guess you had to be there!

Proudest Moment:

That she let me be there to see Braden come into this world!

Worst Ouch:

I was giving Jill a piggy back ride across the street. Stepping off the curb and seeing a car coming dangerously fast around the corner, I decided to run for it rather than wait. Unfortunately, my next step was straight into a pothole and we never made it. We were both bleeding heavily but we managed to hobble back home. Ouch that hurt. I still have a scar on my knee to this day!

Then there was a time I fell out of a truck on St. Albert Trail (we ran out of gas and decided it would be best to jump out and start pushing while we still had momentum.) Jill took the wheel. The guys jumped out first. Looked easy enough...I took the plunge and nosedived. And Jill was so busy with the rearview mirror she didn't even notice. My whole right side of my body was roadrash and I look up and she's fixing her hair and makeup... That was a pretty big ouch too!

Best Memory:

Was the night we went out with Jason, Ricky, and Jenn and partied on the golf course in the river valley. That was so much fun, we ended up being blasted out by the sprinkler system but we built a fire and got drunk anyway. The whole night was one big laugh!

HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY JILL!!

My Summer Holidays

It's been a pretty good summer so far, lots of sun and lots of fun!

Fireworks at the Leg., I didn't get any good pics this year Canada Day was spent down at the legislature grounds with Craig and the fireworks were spectacular this year. The kids were with their dad for the long weekend so it was a really good break for all of us.

The next weekend was my birthday.

Thought I'd try a lucky lines scratch ticket since my birthday was 7/7/7 this year, I think I won a whole 4 dollars!

It wasn't very eventful but mom made me the best dinner and Craig and I went to the Purple Onion with about 6 others and played pool and did lots of shooters! Whoop whoop! 34 isn't that bad. Then Craig and I took off the next Friday and spent the day down at Allan Beach floating on the lake on an air matress all day! It was so hot, and the lake was perfect, ahhhh. I smile just thinking about it! Our next event was going out to Pigeon Lake with dad and Craig for 4 days of camping. The weather was amazing and the kids had a blast and other than a massive thunder and lightning storm that kept us awake for the whole last night it couldn't have been more perfect. We returned home fairly unscathed but poor Tyler had 340, yes 340 misquito bites that required baking soda baths and a stinky cream I picked up at the pharmacy. poor guy looked like he had the chicken pox! Since then I have been busy getting ready and registered to go back to school...so much paperwork, so little time! I need to find childcare QUICK to get my grant application in and that's my last immediate hurdle before my skills appraisal next week. Then I will spend the next week getting the kids ready and off to camp. They're pretty excited about that! There's also a couple of weddings and possibly a trip to BC still so it's far from over. It is SO HARD to keep the kids occupied and happy... even the other night at Chuck E Cheese and time at Capitol Ex yesterday wore off way too quick and if I hear the words "I have nothing to do!" ONE MORE TIME I 'm pretty sure I'll lose it.

the kids at capitol Ex yesterday

Art!

FAMILY GALLERIA

Tylers' rendition of Mona Lisa

Tylers' rendition of Van Goghs' Starry Night

This was my remake of Picassos' Three Dancers, made with a few pieces of the original.

It's a Long Hot Summer!

The kids and I went to moms for a deee-licious spagetti dinner and hung out in the back yard

Proud Tyler with the table and chair he made out of the deck we were destroying...

Shay checkin out grandmas camera

Craig came with me one day to cut moms grass, it was HOT that day!

We've had a pretty good summer so far! And as it seems it is ending all too soon, another chapter for me is beginning as I'm going to Alberta College this September to finally get my high school diploma. And on a full grant no less. I'm looking forward to it and hopefully it will open some new opportunities for me.