this, that, and the other thing

I am one weird cookie.

On June 30, we went to Lloydminster with a couple of boys from the school as their end-of-year incentive-for-being-good trip. We had a good time, played mini golf (I actually beat them all!), played paintball (which is surprisingly painful), ate at Tony Roma's (mmm....prime rib....), and bought another season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Unfortunately, they didn't have season five, so I had to jump right in to season six.

Which I finished in two days. I am such a loser.

So now that I have no more new Buffy, I started on Season one again and worked on my beading project. I caught up to Bryan (he's in season two), and then I decided I should start obsessing about something else.

I went to town (yes, that means Turtleford) and discovered that the library was having a book sale. Dangerous words. I think I bought about thirty books. But since they were only a dime each, I didn't spend all that much. In my creative writing course I have just finished the section on writing for children (so I also borrowed a dozen children's books), and the next section is on writing romance (so I got a few of those, too...) The past few days I have spent in a reading frenzy. First, I finished Monkey Beach. Then I read the 'Da Vinci Code' (finished it in a day, what a superb read!). Then I read Harry Potter 4. Finished it last night (only took me a day). And today, I read 'A Knight in Shining Armor' by Jude Deveraux, my favourite romance. Yeah, I finished it today. Of course, I also read children's books, which take about a half hour to read.

Maybe tomorrow I'll find something else to obsess about. Now, if only I could get obsessive about cleaning.... or working out....

(If you want my thoughts on the various books, surf to Jen Maki Reads!)
(it's over there, on the right...)
(no, your right, not my right...)
(ah, jeepers, here it is http://jenmakireads.blogspot.com/)

Only five more sleeps until vacation!

The blogging craze continues!

As part of my most wondrous creative writing course (http://www.winghill.com), I have created a new blog devoted only to book reviews of books I am reading or have recently read. This is more a heads-up to family and friends... I don't expect you to jump over there too often unless I bully you.
Here it is, and I'm also putting it in my links area:
http://jenmakireads.blogspot.com
Only twelve more sleeps until vacation time!

The good, the bad, and the utterly fabulous!

It may come as a surprise to some of you to know that Bryan and I have just received some pretty important callings in the church. I am the Battleford Branch Relief Society President, and he is the Elders Quorum President. Besides us feeling totally inadequate and utterly child-less, we are excited about the opportunity to serve.
I admit that lately I've been feeling a little trapped here on the reserve. Most times I really enjoy the peace and solitude, but I'm trying to complete a writing course here and the Turtleford Library, when it's even open, which is rare, has fewer books than my personal library! Okay, that's an exaggeration, but I'm really missing civilization. I want to see movies, eat Japanese food, and go to the Library on a Saturday. Is that asking for too much?
At least when we're out in the boonies, we get to see some pretty cool things. We attended church in Meadow Lake last Sunday (it's about an hour and twenty minutes away), because we have a bunch of members who meet there instead of driving the several hours to Battleford. The highway takes us through Meadow Lake Provincial Forest. It was gorgeous. And there, right in the ditch by the tree line we saw a black bear. Too cool! I almost sound like those hicks who've never seen a bear before, but it was really neat.
Only twenty sleeps until our vacation starts!

Our Vacation Itinerary

Hi gang!

Due to the many requests about where we will be and when, here is the itinerary of our summer vacation as it currently stands:
Monday, July 16 - we head to Calgary (we may stop in Edmonton)
Tuesday, July 17 - we're in Calgary, and hopefully watching HP & The Order of the Phoenix
Wednesday, July 18 - Tara and Bryan fly out to Chicago and we start housesitting
Thursday, July 19 - we're in Calgary
Friday, July 20 - we're in Calgary and going to a HP party for Book 7
Saturday, July 21 - we're in Calgary and reading the book all day long
Sunday, July 22 - Jen's going to Brooks for church and to hang out with Tracey
Monday, July 23 - we're in Calgary
Tuesday, July 24 - we're in Calgary
Wednesday, July 25 - we're in Calgary (and hopefully I'll have gone to Devon with Corinne)
Thursday, July 26 - Tara and Bryan fly home
Friday, July 27 - off to Lethbridge!
Saturday, July 28 - Justin and Jada fly out to California
Sunday, July 29 - we're babysitting in Lethbridge
Monday, July 30 - we're still in Lethbridge (hopefully going to Libbert's at some time)
Tuesday, July 31 - we're still in Lethbridge, but maybe off to the zoo with the kids
Wednesday, Aug 1 - we're in Lethbridge
Thursday, Aug 2 - we're in Lethbridge
Friday, Aug 3 - we're in Lethbridge (maybe a day trip to waterton with the aunties)
Saturday, Aug 4 - we're in Lethbridge
Sunday, Aug 5 - Justin and Jada fly home
Monday, Aug 6 - we're camping in Waterton (most likely by ourselves)
Tuesday, Aug 7 - we're in Waterton
Wednesday, Aug 8 - we're preparing for our trip to PEI
Thursday, Aug 9 - Mom, Banna, Boss and I fly to Charlottetown, PEI, and Bryan stays in Calgary
Friday, Aug 10 - we're in PEI (Bryan in Calgary)
Saturday, Aug 11 - we're in PEI (Bryan is still in Calgary)
Sunday, Aug 12 - we're still in PEI (guess where Bryan is?)
Monday, Aug 13 - we're in PEI
Tuesday, Aug 14 - last day in PEI
Wednesday, Aug 15 - we fly home to Calgary
Thursday, Aug 16 - Bryan and I drive home (with no money but lots of memories!)

Remember, all locations and dates are set, but individual activities within those days are subject to change. We'll keep you posted!

More strays to adopt!

I love this place. There have been a few more strays coming around the house that I really wanted to adopt. Bryan said I couldn't. How mean. Look at the picture, aren't they cute?

I guess I can't bathe them and deworm them and find them a home. Oh, well.

What it means to be a Hill

What are the essential Hill qualities? When we speak of the 'strength of the hills' to what do we refer? Here are my top ten... uh... whatevers on what it means to be a hill.
And yes, I'm still a Hill.
10. Hill = eating at Japanese Village, ordering Shirley Temples, laughing at the chef, and watching Jon drum with his chopsticks.
9. Hill = horror movies. Either watching them and loving them, or not watching them and hating them, or watching them with your glasses off so they really aren't scary anymore!
8. Hill = Two-prises. The gift that is given for no special reason, and is a Hill original.
7. Hill = getting cards from Rick and Val. Every birthday and anniversary. How do they do it?
6. Hill = giving each other weird nicknames. I know mom is tired of Mrs. Bates. Jon has been EE forever. I particularly like Justin's new one: the Spaghetti Princess. Janna has been Banna for a long time but has found a new home as Bacon. I think Boss is the best. Because there are just so many: Boss, BooBoo, Boobers, Gooby, Goobers, Booby, you know....
5. Hill = Waterton. It's our special place, a little bit of heaven on earth, our personal battery recharging area.
4. Hill = playing games. Like dad said a long time ago, a family that plays together, stays together. Even though it's the inserts to the family who rule the games, like Jada who has been in the Rage box TWICE! (What's up with that?)
3. Hill = memorable phrases. Though we all come up with them, it seems like Mom and Heather who give us the ones we remember the longest: She's got a long crack (Heather), I want a barky dog (Mom), These buns are too bunny (Heather), The wunner who wun the wace (Mom).
2. Hill = owning movies. Usually way too many movies. Movies that you start buying just to say you own it and to have an impressive bookcase when people come to visit.
1. Hill = obsessing. Janna takes the cake for this one. Her latest obsession: either Ben (Lost) or Battlestar Gallactica. We all have our obsessive tendencies, though. Just a part of being a Hill.

Speaking of which, my newest obsession is Buffy. Blame it on Bryan. Because it was Bryan's sister, Tara, who introduced me to Buffy. I always knew Buffy existed (somewhere out in on Space channel), but Tara showed me the musical episode. Which was hilarious. So she showed me another episode. Which I loved. So she lent me the first two seasons.
Which I ripped through in about a week. I've only got two discs left! So, yes, for the next little while for me, it's all about Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's just so cute!

Tune in next week for the next obsession.

Harriet's Magic Hats

Does anyone else remember this TV show? This girl, Harriet, would put on a hat and then get magically transported to the place the hat is used. She went to dairy farms, factories, stores, it was really cool.

Now, I've had a lot of different jobs in my life. Some have been super fun, starting with Oasis Theatre, and culminating with Weyburn This Week and the Calgary Zoo. Others have been super poopy, notably beef packing, working with bees (I got stung under my fingernail once. Yes, under!), and, well, that's it.

Ash will understand how hilarious this new job is. And no, it's not really a new job, because I'm not getting paid. I'm tutoring students at Bryan's high school. And Ash, get this, I'm tutoring Physics and Chem 30. Yeah, thirty. You know, those subjects that were tested on us lab rats and we almost failed? Actually, I didn't even take Physics 30. I hated Physics 20 and stopped there. So how on earth am I suddenly a tutor for subjects I hate?

I dunno. World is full of mystery.

And I don't even get to wear a hat.

Oh Glorious Movie Theater!

It will shock you to know that the last movie Bryan and I watched together was Flyboys at Thanksgiving in Edmonton. Yes, thanksgiving. I did watch Saw 3 with Jon later on, and Bryan saw Spiderman 3 a little while ago, but yesterday we finally made it back to the theater for SHREK THE THIRD.

I loved it. I thought it was hilarious. Didn't have much plot, but didn't need it. When Pinnochio was trying not to tell Charming where Shrek was... oh, yeah. Very funny!

We should really try to get out more often.

(It was a total girl-power movie, go Snow White!)

Photography Prices

After mom's most beseeching request, I decided I would post the picture prices here on my blog so everyone in the family can access them. The proofs are on their way to mom and dad's, and here is the information that Shelly Bloom gave me:

Price list:
2x3 wallet size $4.00
2x3 in thank you card $4.50
4x5 in folder $9.00
5x7 folder included $15.00
8x8 folder included $20.00
8x10 folder included $25.00
10x10 folder included $30.00
11x14 sprayed & drymounted $70.00
16x20 sprayed & drymounted $100.00
20x24 sprayed & drymounted $180.00
24x30 sprayed & drymounted $250.00
30x40 sprayed & drymounted $350.00
Photo greeting cards 12 to 49 $3.00 per card, 50 or more $2.00 per card.

On enlargements 8x10 and up, photos may be put on canvas rather than regular photographic paper. Canvas prints have retouching, mounting, stretching, and texturing included in the price. The cost is double our regular rate.

When ordering, please specify if any special cropping, centering, or retouching is desired and we will do our best to accomodate you. Most retouching is included in our basic price but extensive retouching may be subject to an additional charge. Because your proof comes in a square 5x5 format, you must indicate if horizontal or vertical prints are needed.

The proof number is on the back of the photo. Mom and dad will help you find the right number. Phone Bloom's personally to place your order; their number is 306-845-4257. If you don't want to pay for shipping, just let Bloom's know and Bryan or I will pick up the picture and deliver it the next time we are in Edmonton. Lethbridge folks can pick them up from there.

The pics look great! Enjoy picking the best ones for your family!

Answers to Quiz Time!

Thank you for all your entries. I think I have to pull a 'slang teasers' kind of winner. It's Heather, for having the most interesting answers. Cuz everyone else got the same ones. Ready for the rundown?
1. We live on Thunderchild First Nation. Everyone got that right.
2. Annie is our only puppy. Everyone got that right, too.
3. Lorne Calvert is our premier. But Heather's right, it should be Captain Spock. I dare say he'd fix the emigration crisis, "Beam them back, Scotty!"
4. Contrary to popular belief, Bryan and I would choose to live in Paradise Hill. It's a little town in a valley between Lloydminster and St. Wahlberg. Although Rouleau is fun, it's just too darn flat down there in southern Saskatchewan.
5. We attend services in Battleford, but North Battleford is fine.
6. Bryan taught at Radville Regional High School. Everyone got that except for Heather. Space Academy. We wish.
7. The names of the two roads leading to our house, according to us, are Antelope Road and Deep Road. You all got those right. We have recently heard that the other popular name for the road is "Hollywood Road" because of the "Welcome to Thunderchild" sign. No one seems to know what the real name is.
8. Yes, Bryan was the assistant basketball coach.
9. I am a correspondent for the North Battleford News Optimist. But your answers were all pretty cool: Otherville Daily Gazette, Turtleford Tattler, Sasky Press, Saskatchewan Gazette, Turtleford Paper, and Vulcan Times. (Just guess who wrote the last one!)
10. Yes, we got Kaylee's name from the short-lived though much-loved TV series Firefly. I'm actually not sure if her new family kept her name. We can all hope so.

Thanks for participating!