Christmas eve winnipeg emergency experience

Never did I think that I'd spend any amount of time in emergency on a Christmas eve but I did the other day. Don't worry, it wasn't an emergency but all the clinics around here were full and my cough turned on me. My lungs started hurting/aching the night of December 23rd and I was puking up stuff and hacking out green thick stuff so I figured a check up was required. I got to emergency, was registered and in minutes called up for blood work, brought to the back of the hospital, given a gown, a bed and told to pee in a cup. I was honestly horrified! We (cam & I) waited for what felt like a lifetime (while listening to a poor man talk about his recent stroke adjacent to where we were) then the doc came in. She looked at me and kinda chuckled, said that the urine test and blood test were unnecessary (really? Great!). She listened to my lungs and concluded that I have bronchitis, gave me some antibiotics and sent me on my way. What an unforgettable Winnipeg Christmas eve!!! Now I just need to wait for this cough to take its course, I could have it for up to a month more... depending if it's viral or bacterial. This is what happens when you work with eighty children who cough on you! At least they are lovable, cute and incredibly fun to teach. Or else I may be a bit bitter about the Christmas sickness. The Christmas gifts I got from them help me through the coughing too! :)

One more week then it's back to work!!
Blessings, N.

Location:Winnipeg,Canada

Merry Christmas everyone!

What a beautiful time of year! Merry Christmas from Winnipeg! We will be back home on the 28th to celebrate with my side of the family.


What a beautiful bunch of children, love them to bits.


Our puppy niece juno, what a sweetie!

Happy holidays to family and friends we love!
N.

Location:Des Meurons Rue,Winnipeg,Canada

Stockings are ready!

I had a vision a couple years ago (our 1st xmas) concerning how I could personalize our stockings for Christmas. This year since there would be many stocking gifts and we had no way to distinguish whose stocking was whose. I took the time to make them our own. Cam requested the snowman, so I tried to make him as cute as possible! And I made myself the xmas tree, I'm going to eventually get beads for it, just not this year. I love how they turned out! I'm very very happy! Who knew I could be that creative with some left over felt and thread???








Now we are ready for christmas, officially!!!

We are off to Winnipeg at 6am in the morning tomorrow! Pray that we get there safely please.

Christmas Blessings,
N.

Life is hard these days!

What a beautiful place to be for our anniversary!

N.

Location:Harrison Hot Springs,Canada

Anniversary get away!

So we are off!!! And taking full advantage of our time off (for xmas) to get away for our 3rd anniversary to Harrison hot springs for 2 nights. We have dinner planned tonight at a very nice German restaurant, then it's dinner tomorrow at the Copper room in our hotel. With lots of hot tubbing in between. It's going to help this very nasty cold I've had since Friday.

I'm so excited to get away with my hubby... Just us, no other family but our own! It's going to be so nice!

N.

Location:Harrison Hot Springs,Canada

Merry & joyful :)

I'm enjoying the Christmas tree, a glass of red wine, a great new recipe for dinner and the company of my husband. I really LOVE my life, I truly haven't been this happy in a while. It's like everything I've ever wanted in life has been granted (just need a baby and it would be perfect!).

Only 9 more days and I'll be celebrating the holiday with my Stehr in-law family in Winnipeg. I can't wait :)


Our pretty tree...

N.

What a weekend!

Today was a good day! Actually this whole weekend was great, but let's start with what I did today!!

A very good friend of mine is preggo and due middle of January (16th to be exact) so we threw her a baby shower! And it was a lot of fun!! We played the "don't say baby, baby" game, the "name the poop" game and "how many sour soothers?" game. We decorated, ate lots and lots of food and had many laughs! She also got tons of gifts. I hope you had a great time Alissa Dueck, we love ya!

Saturday was just as fun! The company that Cam works for had their Christmas party and it was a blast! We went to a pub, in a limo! We even got some great gifts, thank you to Sue aka. Boss lady.


Pretty tree outside the pub on Saturday night, it was HUGE!!

I'm SO excited for our Winnipeg Christmas this year. It's going to be so much fun, T-minus 11 days until we leave for the Stehr family Christmas and 7 days until our 2nd honeymoon to Harrison hot springs! And only 1 more week of work full of Christmas activities and performances it's going to be crazy fun.

Lots to look forward to :)
N.

What Saturdays are all about

N.

A sweet note!

A great end to a rough day that involved a boy having potty trouble which resulted in a puddle of pee and my foot.


At least I got quite a few hugs!

N.

Snow

Well... The first dump of the white stuff for the season and I needed to head off to my night class. Good thing there is a snow policy and I got to leave early. Sadie our new car passed the snow test (such a relief). I'm so thankful we got her, she's SO much safer than Bernie (our previous vehicle). Now let's hope it melts over night so I can get to work in the morning.


N.

I want this painting, SO badly. I love elephants and would proudly hang this in my living room. Maybe one of these days I can convince my church to sell it to me.


N.

Feeling good!

So since I've begun eating healthfully and tracking my food intake, I've lost weight!!! 6 pounds in one month!!! I'd say that's victorious :) I bought a cute sweater today to celebrate. I got more to go but I'm off to a great start.

Next step is adding exercise, my new goal is to start waking up at 6am to spend time in the gym and meditate before my day starts.

I'll let you know if the early to rise is a success. I keep telling myself that I will probably not get to the point right away where I want to get up and go on the bike. But that I should do it anyways because I love and respect myself. Which means taking care of myself! And buying myself gifts (like my cute sweater) when I succeed!!!

Happy long weekend :)
N.

My ECE heart

lately I've been thinking a lot about my job. You see, in my Foundations of ECE class I've been assigned the task of writing my own philosophy of ECE paper. This paper includes my beliefs and values in what it takes to be a quality ECEducator. I need to write about what my opinion of quality care is, what the environment and curriculum in a centre should look like and many other aspects of the field.

It's got me thinking. What do I really believe is important? What are my beliefs in regards to child care and early learning? Why have I pursued this role and what does my future in this field look like?

Well... What I know I believe from the depths of my heart is that children, all children, deserve quality education, care and access to a variety of different experiences. Children should be allowed to get dirty outside (and inside) and finger paint to their hearts content. I strongly believe that children should be able to be as creative and free in creativity as much as possible. There is a time and a place for product art, but if they want to scribble out of the lines and draw a sun brown, let them! They are experiencing and learning. I also firmly believe in risk taking for children and allowing them to try things in a safe environment. As well as, encouraging children to do things by them self, or at least try.

I know my future in this field will be only success and hard work. I plan on working for W&T for as long as possible. I know I'll get my diploma and I know I'll move up into a supervisor role. Maybe convince W&T to open up an infant toddler centre in the future?? Who knows, it's Gods plan. He put me here, I have no doubt that I was meant for this. I finally have passion for my job, there is purpose in what I do. I get hugs and smiles everyday!!!

But, I'm still thinking and eventually that paper will get written... Maybe you'll see more Posts like this until that day :)

N.

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happy HALLOWEEN!!!!

happy Halloween!!! I'm a kitty cat, what are you dressed up as today??


Tonight will be a nice relaxing night of handing out candy at home! At work, my fours dressed up and there was a fantastic variety of super heroes, princesses and animals. My threes dressed up last week too and although party day is a very stressful time for us teachers, it was truly a lot of fun!!! Especially with costumes.

Have a safe Halloween!!! I'm sure I'll be seeing more super men, Cinderella's, monkeys and dragons tonight, starting in about 20 minutes :)

N.

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birds

Feeding the birds is always so much fun for us! They come and land right on your hand, it's so incredible. What a reminder that the world we live in is truly amazing.



N.

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Oh food...

I've got so much going on lately that it feels overwhelming some days. Lately I've just had crazy cravings, I'll get off work and come home and all I want is a hamburger, or chocolate bar. I've discovered a lot about myself in terms of my eating by just being more aware of what I'm doing.

This is what I've discovered:
1. I don't eat enough, and then I get crazy hungry and eat everything I can get my hands on. This then brings me to over eat, on an empty stomach.
2. I never plan anything, this then results with us not having food in the house and then we eat out. If I saved receipts from all our restaurant visits in any given month I'd probably be disgusted by the number.
3. I'm an emotional eater, if I'm sad or had a really hard day at work then I want to come home and eat something. And not something good for me. If I'm happy or something great happens then I want to go celebrate, with good food of course.

Yesterday as I was driving to school, I realized that I need to do things that I may not want to do at the moment because I care for and respect myself, my body, my life and my future.

This means that I need to:
1. meal plan
2. exercise which means waking up earlier in the morning
3. kick sugar and junk food out
4. keep track of what I'm eating in a food journal or my phone app
5. drink waaay more water

There are probably more things I could do, I already stopped drinking caffeine. Anyone have any other ideas?

I'm glad I'm finally respecting myself enough to make changes, even when those hamburger cravings are overwhelming. Like tonight I had spaghetti with veggie sauce, whole wheat noodles and a pear for dessert! Even though all I wanted was fries :)

Off to college now, got a presentation today.

N.


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Happy Thanksgiving

This weekend is our Thanksgiving holiday, I'm so happy for this break it's so great to have good food and spend time with family.

I've been thinking about what I'm thankful for and the list is long. Here are a few:
- my husband who loves me unconditionally
- my immediate family, and in-law family who I adore
- my nieces and nephew and the one Jessica has on the way
- my friends who I love and I am always thrilled to see
- my fantastic job and co-teacher, my regional manager and all the staff at W&T, also all the adorable kiddies
- my health and the opportunity I have on Tuesday at VGH, my gynecologist and the fact that she's made it possible for me to be functional without crazy Endo pain :)
- school and that I found something I love love love to study (psychology) and a career path I'm good at and passionate for

Yah, that's all the obvious stuff. I am also very thankful for coffee, chocolate, my new cute car, flip flops, sweatpants and sweaters, contact lenses, and my ability to be super creative! Oh, and flowers which reminds me


One of my three year olds handed me these gorgeous flowers and with a big hug said "happy thanksgiving teacher Nicole". It made my Thursday all that much better :)

There's just SO much to be thankful for

N.

Also... HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANTINA! love you lots friend, you're my sister in so many wonderful ways, my bestie, have a super day, cheers!! Xoxo


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Wednesday ramblings

So I'm still sickly, not nearly 100%. I suffered from a headache all day yesterday, and still woke up with a stuffed nose and a cough with phlegm this morning. I'm sure this will eventually go away, but I'm done with it already. I want my normal back.

Tonight is my first night class, I'm not looking forward to it. Other than the fact that I get to see my friend Jen. It just doesn't feel like I'm back in school. I wish I had this degree complete before I started work. But I just couldn't pass up the chance to work at W&T. I'll get the degree, eventually.

I'm so excited for thanksgiving this weekend. I get three family meals and I'm overly excited to consume some great food and see all my family. It's going to be good times. I also have a very important assessment appointment at the hospital on Tuesday. I am SO nervous for it, but that's another post.

Time for dinner! I'm thinking a sandwich would be delicious :)

Blessings, N.


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Sick!

So its official (it's actually been official for a while) but I'm sick! Like really sick, like it started as a headache and slowly moved it's way down my body to my lungs of fire kinda sick. My head aches, my eyes ache, my nose is plugged, my ears are plugged and my throat feels like fire. It's like I'm a dragon, radiating heat with every breath. Delightful right?

I didn't call sick into work once this week. I probably should have and my co-worker keeps telling me how much she feels sorry for me (thanks!). My ECE friends in the summer kept saying... "you'll get sick in September, just you wait!" it's like they cursed me. No, they just knew the in's and out's of preschool life. 20 snotty nosed kids in one class times four, it was bound to happen.

In other news, I've got a 7 hr college class tomorrow and I can't skip it. I'm sure my classmates will appreciate my coughing! And my phlegm :)

Happy Friday!
N.


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Sickly & busy...

Went to a wedding yesterday, it was beautiful and I know the extended family quite well so the after wedding party was lots of fun. Cam and I got home at 2am.

Then this morning... Not fun!
- woke up with a cold, stuffed nose, headache and watery eyes

This week...
- coffee date with best friend
- start of night classes (college) and therefore homework
- desperately need to clean house
- desperately need to pre-make dinners and freeze them
- anticipate my cold getting worse
- party day for threes and fours at end of week

Hard week ahead! But I'm sure nothing that a little blueberry tea and a bubble bath won't fix :)

N.

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Hubby loves me!

Hubby came home yesterday with these gorgeous flowers! It was so sweet of him. I absolutely love it when he surprises me like that.


See, pretty right?

N.

Lunch break...

Monday morning thoughts!

There are going to be some mornings like today where I do not want to get out of bed. I think that's perfectly normal, especially if one is just starting out in their career choice and feels inadequate. I know that I'm doing well, I know because my supervisor/fellow teacher had said this numerous times already. And W&T doesn't expect their assistants to be the all around experienced teacher until their 5th anniversary in the company.

So for crying out loud breathe Colie! Finish your delightfully delicious cup of coffee and enjoy your day today. And at the very least remember, at 4pm you get to see Alissa anyways :)

Happy Monday!
N.

Nothing could compare...

My first full week as an official ECEducator was hectic, exhausting, and crazy, with lots of random happenings including a bee sting, nose bleed and a child accidentally stabbing her self with scissors as she fell off her chair. YIKES!

Yet, when I was talking to a gorgeous blonde, blue eyed four year old girl yesterday I thought to myself "if I wasn't here, I'd be home doing nothing that compares in significance to this job." What else would I do with my time if I wasn't at work? Probably a whole lot of nothing. Therefore, no matter how hard, exhausting, or down right crazy this job gets. Spending my life and time doing ECE is exactly what I should do. Nothing else can compare.

I want babies again! Haha, after a long talk with Camy yesterday we both came to the conclusion that at the end of our lives if we didn't have children then we'd regret it. It's worth the chaos, and it will be the greatest thing we could do with our time, love, money and energy. I just made it abundantly clear that if we are having 3 or 4 then I want at least a three year gap between #2 & #3! I don't want three or four under five years old! No way!

My health mindset has begun to change. I just want to eat healthy and stop obsessing over loosing X amount of weight in X amount of time. I just want to treat my body with respect and focus on the creator of my life. I want to focus on God and the cross. That's most important to me, and therefore, it's where my focus should lie.

Other than running some errands today, this weekend will consist of yoga pants, hopefully some wine, this book (AMAZING! by the way), and a nice long bubble bath. I love having my weekends back and the feeling of fall in the air is making me a very happy girl :)


Happy Saturday :)

Blessings, N.

I came home from work today and realized "holy crap, kids are hard work!" and I don't mean just to teach. I had this moment of clarity where I looked at my life and understood that if I have a kid then this peace and quiet I come home to will never be again. My life would forever change and I would have a soul to take care of all the time. I would be the one at home saying "walking feet" and other type of ECE positive terms/language constantly.

Yah, um.... That freaks me out!

I said to cam, "I dunno if I want kids now." he was stunned. I don't blame him, I've been pestering him for years to get me pregnant. Yikes!

In other news: I'm getting so damn frustrated, depressed and hopeless in the health department of my life. I feel like there will never be a day when I will over come this.

What a hard day it's been today

N.

I love my job!

I'm exhausted, we are doing gradual entry for the three year old classes and that means the same 1 hour class times 4! There are twenty children in each class and so we split them in half and do 10 for the first hour and the other 10 for the second hour, we then get a hour break and do it again for the afternoon. This was the second day of our gradual entry, Thursday is the full 20 for 2 hours!!!! I'm sure I'm going to need a nice hot bubble bath Thursday night with a very easy dinner and an early bed time.

But quite honestly, I LOVE it! I do not feel like it's a job. I actually feel like I'm doing something that means something. Not just serving grease like I did at mcdonalds or putting up signs and counting tills like I did at IGA. I'm educating and investing in the lives of children. I get big hugs, and wipe away tears, hold the hands of little ones, play and sing songs. I get to smile all day, hear about some very interesting facts about transformers, Mario and the princesses. I get to do show and tell and gasp in excitement and amazement at every opportunity. I also have all the sudden memorized 80 names, and that's without the use of name tags!!!

I love what I do. I know I am where I am supposed to be and I am honored to get to spend my time with the children in my classes.

It's the four year olds again tomorrow and I wonder what will happen. I'll be sore, I'll be exhausted, I'll be happy to get my hugs, see the smiles and hear all about the many happenings in the world of the fours.

Maybe there won't be tears tomorrow, here's to hoping :)

N.

Missing Camy

Cam is away at a youth leader retreat this weekend so I'm home all by myself. I usually get to wake up every Saturday morning to a nice, perfect, hot cup of coffee and a smiling hubby. This morning I woke up alone to no coffee and no smiling hubby. I really do miss him


However, I did manage to make a decent cup of coffee.

N.

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Puppy love

Our family dog Riggs had torn a ligament in one of his back feet and had surgery last Friday to repair it. It was a whole lot of drama that surrounded his diagnosis and treatment. Especially because of a ridiculously stupid vet who told us incorrect information that may have lead to us loosing him. Once we got the correct information we made the choice to ensure he'd get the help he needed.

So here is the cutest photo of our dearest Mr. Riggs



N.

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choices

I won't go into much detail out of respect for my husbands family, but there has been a discussion surrounding my in-laws decision to not own a cell phone and us kids (all of cams siblings) wanting them to get one. You see, my father-in-law has diabetes and my mother-in-law doesn't drive. Therefore, if they were on the road and there was an emergency where my FIL needed medical help asap, MIL couldn't help what-so-ever! Their oulook is that they have gone 37+ years without a cell and therefore, do not need it. God will be with them, they have faith and that's all they need.

Now, I am a christian just like my in-laws and extended in-law family, and I absolutely believe that God is with us and that God hears our prayers and that we should have faith in Him alone. I also believe, and hence the title of this post, that we make choices that dictate the outcome of our lives. I believe that my grandfather got cancer and died at 79 because he smoked and his choice to smoke caused the cancer to develop, grow and kill him. I know that my grandfather was a God fearing man, I know that he prayed and had a stronger faith than most men I know. I believe that God allows us to make choices for ourselves, and if those choices walk us down a road of suffering and death, then God will be there giving us peace and holding our hands while we suffer. But I do not believe that God will always take that suffering away, we made our choices, we walk our own roads, we get the benefit of having Him (God) there with us along the way. The same is true of my grandmother who ate herself into diabetes and heart disease and then died from a stroke. She made the decisions that lead her down that road and God was with her willingly to the end. She was also a God fearing woman, she also prayed fiercely and full heartidly. It was her actions that caused the outcomes in her life.

I understand where my in-laws are coming from, but I believe that if they continue to choose to not protect themselves with something as simple as a cell phone for "just in case" then when that emergency happens (and it will because shit happens in life). The outcome of that emergency will be reflective of the decisions they made. God will be there holding their hands with them, but I am not sure that God will deliver them from the outcome.

This whole debate has got me thinking a lot about the decisions I am making in my own life and what am I chosing to do that could lead me down a path I do not wish to walk in the future. Am I eating myself into sickness and disease? I already have a list of conditions I suffer from that I do not want to see grow larger. What if I chose to make changes? What would those changes look like, and I actually sit down and listen what is God going to ask me to do to better my life? The life He has so graciously granted to me. 

It's food for thought, that's for sure. Do not judge me on my theology, I may hold a diploma from a Christian Institution but I am not a theologist. You may agree or not, that is entirely up to you. I just hope that you take a moment to analyze your own choices and be at peace with them and their outcomes.

Blessings, N.

Camping fun!

This weekend we took off to chilliwack (just outside abbotsford) for a camping trip with cams work. His boss put on a whole trip with all the fixings, yesterday was golf. I lost miserably... But proudly made it to the 13th hole, and today is just a day to relax.

As hubby demonstrates so well...


I named this guy Jimmy... Cute little cricket


Soon enough we will be back home to reality and I'll be in the classroom with a bunch of kiddies :)

N.

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For the love of staff meetings

I went to my very first W&T staff kick off today. Turns out that they love me (and the rest of their staff of course!)

I mean take a look...



Yes, you're right that's a very pretty in purple Lululemon bag that belongs to ME!

I love my job, this preschool company is the bestest ever :)

N.

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Preschool beginnings

Take a peek...


It may look a bit bare, but this classroom will soon be full of eighty lovely children in four separate classes. Awaiting play, education, social fun and field trips! And I get a front row seat through all ten months of fun, fun, fun!

I'm getting more excited with each passing moment. Right now it's lunch break and I'm slowly drinking my coffee... Thankful for the opportunities this job will bring. I am truly happy :)

Blessings, N.



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New found love...

Quinoa, yep... That's right. This lovely super food has grabbed my heart and made me fall in love with it's lovely nutty, fluffy self. It's SO good, and so versatile, for example my dinner tonight



Quinoa with zucchini, acorn squash, onion and garden fresh tomatoes. In a tortilla shell, yummy in my tummy

N.

killer stomach

I've been needing to desperately change the way that I eat and how I view food for a while now. Since getting married back in December 2008, I've gained a fair bit of weight. It's no secret (as much as i want it to be). If you knew me three years ago and saw me now, you'd know that I got bigger. At first I was mortified once I realized how much I gained (far too much) but then after a while I stopped getting mad at myself and instead asked myself why I allowed this to happen while not entirely realizing that it was.

Lately however, I have gotten far less worried about the number on the scale and far more worried about my health. It is evident from my lack of energy, abundance of stomach pain, brain fog and other symptoms that change is in order if I want to live happily.

Tonight I started a change and my body immediately reacted with vengeance. I haven't had stomach pain like this since early this year... Lucky me. Should go away by Tuesday night, I hope.

In other news, my hubby cut me some flowers from the garden he's such a sweet heart!



Blessings, N.

Happiness

There was one delightful morning when I woke up and saw this...




Seeing it every morning brings a big smile to my face. Life is good, my life is so damn good.

Blessings, N.

Sadie

So in an earlier post I communicated my frustrations regarding our big, boat like, long and green 1998 Chrysler Concorde. She was named Bernadette or Bernie for short and she was hell to drive and a money pit of unsafe horror. I'm honestly not exaggerating. My husbands parents got it for him when we were only a few months into our relationship and now nearly six years later... SHE IS GONE! We almost threw a party we were so incredibly happy.

So it was obvious that we needed a set of wheels... And after a long search and many tears...

Let me introduce you to the newest member of our family.

Meet... Sadie




She is a 2006 Hyundai Tuscan, low mileage, incredibly clean and well loved and cared for. We love her!!

Can you see the joy in our faces? Well, hubby is pretending to take a bite out of her (I dunno why, my husbands humor sometimes confuses me too!). We immediately took her out for a drive around the beach and tomorrow we are hoping to get to a lake and continue to enjoy her company, so we can all get to know one another better!

Her name came from a girls name that I absolutely LOVED but got vetoed by Cam as a contender for a future daughter so he let me use it for the car (not even an option for a future dog). And yes, we are weird like that, naming our cars and referring to them by their names it just makes it more fun!

So yes, welcome to the family Sadie you will be loved and cared for. I promise :)

N.

New hair cut :)

So yesterday I got a cut and color done, and I LOVE it. I went darker, more to my natural hair color and cut off a whole bunch of length, so now I have whats considered as a "bob". So its shorter in the back and longer in the front. I'm really excited for this change, it's going to be nice to maintain and keep looking good :)

In other news, I've been feeling so much lately like everyone I know around me is having babies. My sister (in law) is pregnant, and Im SO happy and excited to have another niece or nephew (Im thinking nephew) to spoil and love and cuddle. My other good friend Alissa is pregnant, which Im also super excited about too! (Im also thinking she will have a boy). And then there is my college roomie Traci who is preggo with a girl, and another college friend Carlene who is preggo... the list goes on...

Ive been wanting a baby for a LONG time, and I felt for so long that my time may never come because my body may never allow it. It wasn't until an appointment earlier this year with the gynecologist who did my surgery when I finally got some relief and some answers. She did an internal ultra sound and examination and behold, no more Endo!!!!!!!!!!!! which means, that my body should be able to conceive a child. It was just amazing because on the ultrasound screen she showed me my uterus and my eggs!!!! It was one of the most amazing experiences :)

I know that my day will come eventually and it's not a case of "she has one so I want one" it's more the feeling of knowing that I'm ready and that it will be the most incredible time of my life. Soon... I know that to be true. But the maternal heart strings are tugging and I can't wait much longer :)

Blessings, N.

Car frustrations

I've always had a love-hate relationship with the car I drive. It was my husbands when we got married so we just continued to use it, and I guess I should be thankful that I even have a vehicle to drive. But in this case, I'm not! She has left me stranded in some frustrating spots around the lower mainland, her tire went flat while I was driving, and she stalled just moments before us entering the busiest intersections in Langley, BC. Now, after an extensive overview by the mechanics who gave her an a-ok, she once again refuses to start and we've had enough!!! So we are on the search for something new (to us) and the search hasn't been easy. I came home crying yesterday just completely overwhelmed. We want to make the best decision and not end up car poor, or just poor in general. But at least we've narrowed it down to SUV for sure!! Maybe this week we will find something? I sure hope so.

In other news, staff training was so much fun! I'm VERY nervous to start and teach, but I'm learning and I'm brand new to the field of early childhood educators so I shouldn't put too much pressure on myself. As long as I'm doing my very best, that's what counts.

Blessings, N.

Pirate Paks!

Ever since I was young, The local and only British Columbian restaurant White Spot has been my favorite. Why you may ask? Because it's just the best. And it makes me sad when I get a craving outside BC and there is no Spot in sight. As a child my parents would take me after my dentist appointment for lunch, or for my birthday or just because and every time I would get the pirate pak and it was SO COOL! so when I heard that there was pirate pak day at White Spot today for adults with proceeds going to sick children I HAD to go! And so we did and I got a chicken burger and for a moment I was 5 again and it was was delightful. I was sad when my pirate ship was taken away. But I got my chocolate coin so I got over it.

Teacher Nicole?!

Years ago, when I was in highschool I had the opportunity to go to Mexico three seperate times for mission work. I got to help run a daily vacation bible school for children and hang out with a bunch of incredible kids. It was the highlight of my highschool career, and out of it I decided that I would be a missionary. Then came graduation and going onto choose where I would go to school and what I would do. So... I went to CBC, started doing a Intercultural Degree and then ended up meeting Cameron (my love!) and realising that marrying him was my dream and my future. So I changed my major to psychology and LOVED every moment of it.

To make a very long testimony short... I NEVER thought I'd EVER become a preschool teacher. If you could go back and talk to Nicole Stehr even just one year ago, Im sure she'd laugh, or shake her head, or maybe even brush off what you were saying if you'd tell her that a year from that moment she would be a preschool teacher working for W&T.

Back in my college years each roommate I ever had outside the dorms was an Early Childhood Educator, and there were songs, and they were silly, and they had weird homework and everything was over expressive. And I thought to myself, by golly! why in the world would anyone EVER go into that career field?! Little did I know that I was destined to follow in their footsteps, because now... I LOVE every single moment of the sillyness, the joy, the laughter, the songs, the FUN! Cause it truly is incredibly fun and if you love children as much as I do and if you love watching children grow and develop and learn as much as I do, then you can only LOVE love love this career.

When I took child psychology and finished reading that text book from cover to cover, I was just overwhelmed with how a child develops, learns, grows and becomes the person they will be as an adult. I have the honor of being able to teach and love children at the most vital time in their development and that is incredibly special to me. I have lots to learn and lots to master in terms of how to do the guiding and the teaching right. But I have an incredible amout of love to offer those three and four year olds that will walk into my preschool classroom and I am eager to get started!

Teacher Nicole? Yah... I can handle that title. I will wear that badge proudly :)

so its been a while...

Ive been thinking about all the many things I could update you on, cause it has been over six months since Ive taken a glance at this blog. So lets continue where we left off, huh?

In March, my parents had Cam and I over for dinner... this wasn't anything out of the ordinary. My mother liked to have us over as much as she could to feed us and therefore, help us out with our grocery bill by not having to worry about some of our meals. It also helped me out BIG time cause I was in full time school and not wanting to worry about dinner. But at this particular dinner gathering they brought up the question, "what if we bought a house with an incredible basement suite in it and you guys move in?". SHOCK was one of the initial reactions since they had been throwing an idea like that around for years, pretty well the moment they knew Cam and I would be married there was talk. But this time, they were actually serious!!! We left that night with something serious to talk about, so we talked. And then came back to them with, "YES!, as long as the basement suite isn't crap!" (trust me, its not!). So, here we are, August and we've been in this space for 5 or so weeks now and LOVE it. Our space is twice the size for less rent then we were paying at our old place and we get the luxury of saving for our 1st home years down the road, what is not to love about that? Now, we're just contemplating paint colours!

In April, I GOT A JOB! with the best preschool company around! I am SO excited to start staff training tomorrow and then begin the school year September 1st. The way this happened can only be described as an incredible blessing from God. Because in December 2010 I ran into someone who I haven't seen in YEARS! and she just casually asked what I was doing, I told her I was going back to school for my ECE and then she mentioned that she knew the director of W&T and that she would be happy to be a reference for me if I decided to apply to W&T. So, at the end of January I applied and then the first week of April I got a call. I went into the interview with absolutely no expectations other than excitment for a great opportunity. It was five minutes after meeting me that the director of W&T offered me a job and asked me to accept full time!!! I was beyond excited, I left the coffee shop shaking and praising God for I knew it was only Him that made it happen.

Unfortunately though a few weeks after this excitment my college was closed by the Langley school board and I was forced to find a different educational institution. Thankfully, I found where to go and will be returning to school starting the end of September for two night classes a week. I should be graduated December 2012, with my certificate and then another year or so after that be done with my diploma.

In July, Cam and I went to VEGAS!!!!! with my family, it was to celebrate my parents anniversary and just have a great time in a place that doesn't sleep. It was so much fun, lots of late nights, lots of walking, lots of things to see. We saw Blue Man Group, and The Vegas Show (a must see!) we ate at Mario Batalli's resturant (such a highlight for me!) and went to Serendipitys resturant for their frozen hot chocolate (very yummy!). We had such a great time, but I seriously missed having a beach :( so Cam and I are hoping to plan our own incredible vacation for next year, with a beach! and just the two of us!

Im sure that there is more to share, but Im going to stop there... until next time!

Blessings, N.

School Rocks!

So I really should update this thing more often, not that I really have much news to update on. School so far has been a blast, I truly am a school junkie. Cam always jokes saying that I'll be in school forever, he is probably right! I can still see myself being in my mid thirties working on my BA or Masters, having fun at work, raising my kidlets (or correct term: children) and keeping up with the house work while still finding ways to romance my husband (hahaha). I would love to live a life like that one. I finally see myself heading in that direction.

School is so much like psychology that Im thrilled I chose to go in this direction, the way children behave and why they behave the way they do is fascinating! Im learning so many ways to guide and direct them through teaching them problem solving skills and ways to encourage but not praise them, affirm but not reward them, etc. It really is a skill. And the creative aspects of the field are thrilling, I LOVE to be creative, I feel like it just is a natural thing for me to do, so to find ways to show literature, art, math, and science to young children is just so much fun! Im really nervous for my practicums, but Im sure I'll be okay.

There are SO many babies being born, our landlords had a little boy in January and good friends of ours had their second boy in January too. It was so much fun to go to the hospital and hold little adorable James Karl in my arms. so CONGRATS Trevor and Angela on the birth of James & Jon and Christy on the birth of Mattius. O, and my nieces had their 4th birthdays one in December and one in January, and my little nephew turned 1 in January too! so happy birthday to all you little ones, Love you SO much, xoxox.

now off to do some homework... its not so hard, just really time consuming. O did I mention that I aced my child development test? 100%! yep, thats right :)

N.