It's almost summer break! I am incredibly happy about that, because I am tired of marking for report cards. I'm gonna miss my kids. Especially since I have been applying for TONNES of jobs here in the city or in Calgary. I will no doubt cry on the last day. All of my boys will feel all awkward as I hug them, and some of my girls will too, but hopefully they will happily remember this year and not hate me forever.

My parents, Sarah and I went to Vegas last weekend. I loved it, again. My sister, however, did NOT, and I wanted to punch her many, many times while we were there. It wasn't her first choice of vacation, but my parents have always wanted to go. My dad eliked it a lot, and he was already talking about going back the second day that we were there. I'm hoping that I am able to go with them when they go. I love that city. I love the weather, and the hotels, and hanging out in pools and pretty much everything. Although I wish that it was more free. And going to 'Paris' and 'Venice' is not as good as the real thing by a long shot.

I love to travel, as indicated by my compass tattoo. Right now I really want to go back to England this summer, but I also have the grown up desire to buy a house, and travelling as much as I would like to doesn't really allow me to save enough to do that. Sometimes being a grown up sucks.

I haven't posted in forever. Last time I had mentioned how too much had happened in the space between posts. It's just as true now.

I have been teaching for almost 7 months now. It's hectic. It's stressful. It's A LOT of work. But I love it. I honestly wouldn't even consider anything else as a career right now. Unless that career involved say, sleeping a lot and travelling when I felt like it. (Obviously my dream career is to be a billionaire...) My students are amazing. I have yelled a lot, and I have given out many a recess detention, but I can't imagine the schoolday without out any of them. Sure, given that I teach on a reserve, there are days when half my students don't show up, but if any of them were to leave permanently, it wouldn't be the same. I have my favorites, yes, but I hug and berate equally.
Since it's St.Patrick's day, we had a green food party today. Lettuce, cucumber, celery, beans, broccoli, grapes, lime jell-o and green pancakes were on the menu, and I think it went well. All of the food got eaten anyway, and that's usually a good indicator of how well things went.

I moved out last month. I live with one of the other teachers now. It's a small little condo, but it's not my parent's basement, and that makes it all the better. I have a lot more freedom, and I don't have to feel like a lazy bum if I stay in my pyjamas all day and watch tv or have 4 hour naps at 11:00 in the morning. It's been nice. And it really hasn't been that much of a change from living at home. Sure money is a little tighter, but it's not too bad, and if I get a job that pays a little more, or I get my raise next year, it will be easier. Plus I will have the saving experience under my belt.

I was going to write this fantastic entry about how my life is going and what's new, but I can't think of anything noteworthy. I don't have anything that I'm really proud about, or anything that I feel should be written down so that I can remember it later. I live a very boring, old lady-like life.

Case in point - it's 8:30, and I am probably going to bed in the next 20 minutes. Teaching is exhausting. Especially on holidays.

A lot has happened since the last time I posted. Almost too much.

Vegas was AMAZING. I definitely can't describe accurately how it felt to be there and see all the people (Jonathan Frakes, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Zachary Quinto) from my childhood (and recent obsessions) and just be in Vegas itself. The hotels are fantastic, and while the food was pricey and I'm a little too cheap for the shopping, but it was amazing. I actually miss it a lot, even though I was really keen to get home. I can't wait until next year, even though the guest list hasn't been announced yet.

The day after I got back from Vegas, my Grandma Mudryk passed away. Even writing that right now is crushing. It's like I feel that if I don't say it, it didn't happen. Even though I was there when it happened. I got a lot of the furniture from her apartment, and although it doesn't seem like it was hers anymore (I think it's something to do with context), the hardest part is how things smell like her. The afghan on the loveseat, the pillows that came with it. Sometimes I can pretend it didn't happen, and that we just haven't seen her in a while...and then it will hit me that I will never talk to her, or hug her again. It's very hard for me to deal with. I'm trying to stay strong for my dad, because he was a lot more affected by it than I thought he would be, but it's taking it's toll on all of us. And with my Grandma Skitch still losing so much weight because she can't eat except through a tube in her stomach, everyone is on edge.

I also start teaching in just over a week. Since I don't have access to my classroom yet, haven't seen the school at all, and don't know how many students are going to be in my class, I'm a little nervous about how it's going to turn out. I think it will be fine, but it's very stressful right now. I'm just really glad that I have a sort of built in support net with Jessica and Laura, one of the other teachers at the school. They have offered their support (as well as a carpool!) for the year, and that makes me feel a lot better.

16 days till Vegas.

I am unbelievably excited. I hope that Ashley won't hate me at the end of it. Although I'm sure there will be way to much awesome for anything.
Plus holy crap it's Vegas. I am going to need a lot of money, batteries, and a clear memory card before I go, because there are going to be so many amazing photo ops. Although it will be crazy hot when we go (it's currently 32 there. The foreceast high for Wednesday is 43. ick)
But it will be so awesome. So so awesome.

Also, I'm going for coffee tomorrow with my friend Jessica, and I get to learn all about my new grade 5 class, and hopefully get some pointers! I'm really excited to teach, but I'm also terrified. No one tells you what to do the first day of school, or even the first week of school. I know how to plan lessons, I know how to (theoretically) manage a classroom, and how to assess them, but not how to set up rules, introduce myself to my class, or even segway into lessons.
We'll see. I have faith, but I'm definitely looking forward to coffee tomorrow so that they can help me out!

~ My new favorite thing is cooking with butternut squash and/or zucchini. We're having butternut squash casserole tonight!

~ My sister got to go see Wicked in London's West End last night. I am incredibly jealous. I own the behind the scenes book and know all the words to the songs! Why didn't I go with her?

~ I really want my tax return.

~ Bought Twilight and watched it again - it really is a horribly done movie. New Moon better KILL IT, or I will be very sad.

~ I am not sure when it happened, but all of a sudden I have become the friend that no one invites anywhere. Even you. I get to look at Facebook pictures of my friends going out together, but that I'm not involved. I don't understand what I did. I have no life, because all my friends hang out with each other, and not with me. What did I do wrong? Seriously. TELL ME. Because I am so lonely it hurts. And I never invite anyone out, because I think (fairly accurately, if my current track record is anything to go by) that they won't want to anyway.

~ I am going to make my own curtains one of these days... I just have to get more fabric.

~ I have the saddest existence ever. Why am I still here?