Just a Girl

I’ve been a busy bee these past few days… er weeks! So to keep you in the loop here’s what’s been going on the past couple of days.

I got my results back for my video assessment - - I PASSED!!! Yipppeeee for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Went to see No Doubt in concert… Gwen Stefani, how I love thee! I can only wish I too could look as stunning as you after having my two kids… my planned two kids in the future, don't get it twisted people.

And I must mention the biggest jack move of all time, happened to one of my closest and dearest friends Cristelle. It’s a story that must be told not written for the full effect… make sure to ask me about it, next time we meet!

Like every other year, I took the kids to Capital Ex… but this year I had taken the day off because the weekends are too crazy for lines and such. The kids went through all the rides in the first 2 hours that we were there but as the day went on the lines got longer and longer. We took a break from the long lines and went inside to check out the butterfly exhibit, I think it’s been a good 2 or 3 years that they started having this exhibit but this is the very first time that we actually went in.

This year I thought the kids a valuable lesson in financing… unlike previous years where I let the little buggers empty out my pockets for all I got, I gave them both $40.00 to use for food and games and told them, “… this is all you get. Use it for what you like, when you like but once it’s gone we’re going home.” The kids still had money left over but the bigger kid I had with me (my husband) had enough of all the fun that Capital Ex had to offer, so we head ’er home.

This is why I take the kids year after year…

eeeeek!

So I did it! I sent in my tape… “what tape?”

As previously discussed in my last post; I’ve been working at becoming a Group Step Instructor at my gym. After taking the 2-day training course you are required to attend 5 rehearsals and then submit a tape of you leading a class of at least 5 people through the whole routine for grading, to see if you PASS or FAIL.

I taped mine yesterday and whoa man! Was it ever nerve racking, I was a mess the whole day… I know I did little mistakes here and there. But like the 2 senior instructors told me, “You did fine!” and that “they don’t expect perfection… so just submit it, AND DO NOT watch it… just submit it! If you’re a perfectionist then you’ll want to re-tape it”. It was like they were peering into my soul… because I am a perfectionist. It took a lot for me to talk myself into not watching it, I’m glad I did because now I can move on learn the new release that coming out and get to tandem teaching so that I can get better at being in front of class. Everyone says I have the personality to do it. I’m not sure when I should be expecting my grade, I’m praying it’s a pass so I don’t have to do the whole taping bit all over again! Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers!!!

oOoOo and the cutest thing ever… Derek knows how to make me smile after a long and stressful day… actually I laughed out loud for this one.

So, NO, Derek didn’t leave me. We were watching some sort of TV programming and I jokingly said, “babe, if you ever lose a leg or I have to tend to you 24 hrs a day because you cannot tend to yourself… I gotta leave you. sorry. I’ll put you in a live-in 24 hr care center… but I gotta…”.

So, yesterday I got a call from Derek, after his doctor’s appointment. Apparently Derek coming off his crutches was a bad idea, he was only on them for a few days and then we rented him a cane… and then after a few days on that he started just hoping around with no support. Yup… again BAD IDEA he just made it worse. He messed up his MCL and ACL, he now was to wear a full leg brace and can’t play any sports that calls for rotational movements for a year and a half! Crazy right!!! And we play on a Recreational Soccer League! Any ways so when I got home after my taping I found that, picture above, I laughed… found my husband… and planted a big kiss on him.

it's been so long...

Well it feels like it anyways…

It’s been kinda slow at work and my New York vacation fell through so I’ve jumped on a few committees to help plan and execute a few functions.

July 11th we are holding a Hockey Tournament, August 8th is my Districts Family Picnic, and August 12th is our United Way Pancake breakfast.

On a personal level, I’ve been working on my Step Class Instructor program, starting my own business and planning our friends camping trip.

As you can see I’ve got my hands full and to top it all off… I’ve got a handicap husband! Bahahahahaha I know it’s not suppose to be funny, but I always laugh when Derek gets hurt, it’s just what I do :)

He got injured last week during our first soccer game, causing us to lose our first and our second game… just kidding! But on a serious note, he was on crutches up until this weekend when we rented him a cane, and had gotten his knee drained as there was blood pooling behind his knee causing it to swell. He is scheduled to see the doctor again on July the 2nd when they will inform him if he needs surgery. Eeeek! On the lighter side Derek will be attending our games this evening to yell profanities from the sidelines.

With that said I’ll try and keep you posted throughout the summer with the happenings in and around Edmonton… OoOoOoO I almost forgot! My Godsister Celeste just started doing standup, she’ll be performing tomorrow (June 24th) at the Laugh Shop at Londonderry Mall. I’ll try and secretly tape it and post something on here… She’s really good!!

Till next time, keep fit and have fun!
-Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod

Dream Job

I was never really active when I was younger… nor in my young adulthood. One of my good friends actually started to encourage me to go the gym, and I got a lot of motivation once Derek had proposed to me… actually to this day, I still have image issues, but I’m the way that I am and I’ll have to learn to appreciate it.

Recently, I’ve been looking at obtaining a part time job, as everyone cannot complain to a ‘lil extra cash here and there. While in my search I considered various points that would help decipher whether or not I would apply such as; hours - part-time/casual, minimal weekend hours, I have somewhat of a life… and I would like to continue working on my health being able to work out, location - it’s all about convenience, pay - anything over minimum wage would be perfect, and finally attire - being able to wear whatever I like and not having to wear a uniform is ideal.

Well I think my search has ended - I’m taking a course this weekend to become a group exercise instructor! It only made sense, it meet all or most of my requirements; hours – super casual, and hour here and there to teach a class and I’m killing two birds with one stone… getting paid and meeting my healthy goals! Location – I can teach at all clubs across the city including at their affiliates. Pay – not sure what this entails… but I’m pretty positive that they’ll pay for my gym membership which is a bonus considering prices went up just recently. Attire – ultimate! I could totally live in my gym clothes!!!

So wish me luck, it’s gonna be an intense weekend… I’m super nervous, but this is definitely something that I want to do and to top it off I’ve gotten a push from two wonderful godsisters… they believe in me, so I believe in me too!

WEEKDAY UPDATE:

* My first ever RUN - we did GREAT!!! I’m super proud of my girlfriends considering we only had one practice run the Monday prior to. Amanda and I teamed up and Sarah and Theresa were buddies… it took Amanda and I 30 mins to complete… unfortunately I didn’t check my watch when Sarah and Theresa crossed the line… oops! My bad… but they did wonderfully! So proud and I can’t wait to do it all over again… when’s the next one?!?!

* Met my quota for goals in soccer on Tuesday night… got what I call and incomplete hat trick – scored 3 goals, but it doesn’t qualify has a hat trick because I scored ONE goal during our first game of the night vs FC Shinkickers and TWO goals in the second game against the Finger Puppet Mafia. ** New personal goal - get a hat trick this season**

Oils New Coach

The buzz around here is the recent announcement of the Edmonton Oilers new head coach

- Pat Quinn -

I’m still surprised that they let Mac T go… oh well. I guess we need some reorganization, adding someone that is as seasoned as Pat Quinn will hopefully get us closer to the Stanley Cup. Here’s hoping this coming season will go better than the last.

So far…

My friends and I use to do this a lot; going so far with a topic it would end up hurting my face and perhaps causing tears in my eyes (from laughing so hard)… last night Derek and I went so far, check it!

I saw on a friend’s facebook status that the winning ticket for the 49 million 649 lotto was purchased in Edmonton…

The sole winning ticket of an almost $50-million lottery payout — believed to be the second-largest jackpot in Canadian lottery history — was bought in Edmonton.

The winning Lotto 6\49 ticket for Wednesday's draw was purchased in the Alberta capital, the Western Canada Lottery Corporation said in a release on its website.

The jackpot is worth $49,851,871.
No other details — including the identity of the winner, or the exact location where the ticket was purchased — were immediately known.

The winning numbers are: 4, 22, 26, 29, 39 and 48.
The bonus number was 31.

cbcnews.ca

So of course I pulled out my trusty blackberry to check these numbers, Derek had mentioned that he was going in on some tickets with a few guys at work, and myself, I had purchased one while filling up over the lunch hour… funny story; the local Shell station ( 5x the air miles w/ $30 or more fuel purchase) was super busy! The attendant was extremely rude while trying to serve all the customers… As I was paying for my gas I had asked for a lotto ticket… he said, "649? or what? what do you want?", Being so flustered with the way he was speaking, and considering I thought the big pot was for super 7, that’s what I asked for. STOOOOPID!

So now we're hoping, wishing and praying that Derek’s tickets would pull through so that we can retire at the age of 26(k)/28(d).

No luck.

As were climbing into bed we start talking about the numbers that were drawn;

Four – omigawd, April! That’s Justin’s birth month

Twenty Two – That’s my cousin Nicks birthday! May 22!!!

Twenty Six – geez, that’s MY birthday! August 26!!!

What the hell!!!

Twenty Nine – the age Derek is turning next year!

Thirty Nine – 3+9 = 12 : twelve is the age my nephew is turning next year!

Forty Eight – 4+8 = 12 , twelve again? MY nephew is turning 12 next year!!!

Thirty One - that’s New Years Eve… the turning of the year…hence the importance of everyone’s birthdays next year!

Bahahahahahahahaha – this is an example of soooooooo far

In light of this situation, it makes you think what you would do with all that $$$... for myself, especially with that insane amount of mooola I would give my immediate family a couple million each, donate to local charites often, and do what most people would do buy a private jet and take friends and family on trips around the world, buy houses/condos/villas in exotic and well known places... oh the things I would do.

What woud you do?!?!?