Good-Bye October

I haven't blogged in a long time...other than Thanksgiving, October hasn't been very blog worthy.

Work has been going pretty well, and last Friday (Oct. 28th) marked one year since I started with the Ministry of Community & Social Services! It's pretty crazy that I've been there this long - this job was tough at first, and during my first two contracts, I kept a countdown so I knew exactly how many more days I had to work there before it was all over. Thankfully, even though there are still plenty of rough days, I no longer have to keep a countdown, and am enjoying the job, for the most part. The position that I've been doing for the past year, Program Support Clerk, was finally posted a few weeks ago...so, I have applied for a permanent position. Unfortunately, 542 other people applied too! Ha! Isn't that crazy!?! I can only hope that my experience, and the fact that I currently work there, gets me through the screening stage :)

Curling started three weeks ago, but we've only played twice - we had a bye in the second week. We got smoked the first week, we didn't really give the other team any competition at all :) But, last week, we played like a totally different team - a team that was experienced, and had played together before - not sure where that came from?!?! And, we pulled out a win, which was pretty exciting. Just before we started, Maria asked if we thought we would ever win - I don't think any of us were expecting a win this early in the season.

Skating is in full swing, and it's definitely keeping me busy! Skate Canada has made a lot of changes this year, so choreographing solos has been challenging this year...I just have a few finishing touches and they'll all be done, so that's a huge relief. I have two skaters going to a competition at the end of the month, so it will be just in time.

I would have normally had skating tonight, but it was cancelled for Halloween - I was glad to be able to stay home and give out candy with Curt (we had close to 70 kids!). Our nephews came by and were super cute - Josh was Superman, Noah was a Storm Trooper, Isaac was a Cowboy, Luke was a Knight and Owen was a Pumpkin! I took a picture, but the lighting was horrible. We made up special goodie bags for them, so Curt sent his brother a text message to make sure they came by our place...Dave responded by saying 'we'll be there, we're just getting them ready...there are too many of them, we're outnumbered'. Ha! You think?!?! You have FIVE boys!!!

So, if you're still reading this, thanks for sticking with me. As you can tell, the last few weeks have been pretty boring! Our countdown to California has begun, and it's helping me get past the boredom - we leave on December 3rd, only 33 days from today!

The Last Round - Take Two

A few weeks ago, I posted about my last game of golf for the season (you can read it here: The Last Round). Well, if you're really observant, you may have noticed that it wasn't actually my last round...I played again Thanksgiving weekend AND I played in a tournament this past weekend.

On Sunday, Curt and I played in a 'Swing & Sweep' - an event co-hosted by Quinte Curling Club and Bay of Quinte Golf and Country Club. I often worked during this event while I was employed at Bay of Quinte, but now that we're members of Quinte Curling Club, we got to be participants...and, it was a lot of fun!

We played nine holes of golf in the morning - and, needless to say, I was a little nervous when we got to the course and realized Curt and I weren't going to be playing together. Thankfully, the nerves didn't last long - the people I played with were friendly and welcoming, and I played pretty well - so it ended up being a great morning. It was a little cool, especially when we started, but it did warm up and it ended up being pretty nice day (best of all, it didn't rain). Golf was a 'Texas Scramble' format, and we ended up one over - we were even going into the last hole, and then bogeyed, which was a little disappointing.

After golf, it was off to the curling club where lunch was served.

The afternoon was spent curling - we played eight ends with regular curling rules. Unfortunately it didn't go as well as golf. Our team only got two points - it was a blow out, to say the least! It was fun though, and I was glad to have some more practice.

After drinks at the curling club, it was back to the golf club for dinner and prizes.

And, it's official, I'm going to have to give up my amateur golf status because our team won - our +1 held up! There was an overall winner - the team that did the best in both golf and curling - and then a golf winner and a curling winner. Our curling score didn't do much for us, so we were only the golf winners...not that I'm complaining!

We got to choose our prize from a pretty nice prize table...this is what I ended up with...

So, my stats for this golf season are pretty good - I played in two tournaments, and won both (well, my team won both, I could have never won a tournament on my own!). I really can't believe how much I've come to enjoy golf; as I was curling on Sunday afternoon, I was thinking that maybe if I stick with it as long as I have stuck with golf, maybe I'll enjoy it as much as golf one day?!?

Thanksgiving - Part 2

Well, I didn't get this post done when I wanted to...but, as they say, 'better late then never'.

On Monday morning, it was off to the pumpkin patch with Tom and Krystle and the kids. We went to this same pumpkin patch last year, and had a great time...and although it was a little different this year, I think we all still really enjoyed our time there. The weather was AMAZING - it was actually HOT (not just warm), which is pretty unusual for this area in October.

Checking out the 'monster pumpkins'. As soon as Tom saw these, he said he was getting one.
As soon as Nolan saw the monster pumpkins, he thought he should lift one up! Needless to say, it was a little too heavy.
It must be a family thing because Abby really liked the big pumpkins too!
The Robertson's walking through the corn maze.
Unfortunately, the various paths through the corn maze weren't cleared as well as they were last year, so we really had to watch where we were walking. And, the kids had to be especially careful to avoid stumbling. As I mentioned, it was really HOT while we were there...we were supposed to be finding signs throughout the maze; each sign contained a hidden letter, and once we found all six letters, we would be able to spell a fall themed word. We hadn't found all the letters, but we were all getting sweaty, so we just decided to find our way out and head back to the store.

We were the only ones on the wagon, so Nolan took advantage and got as close as he could to the tractor!
And, what better way to end a trip to the pumpkin patch on a HOT fall day then with an ice cream cone...
I have so many other pictures from our day, it was so hard to select just a few! Special thanks to Tom and Krystle for agreeing to take this little outing with Curt and I - it was my idea, and despite having a busy weekend already, they went along with Auntie Boo's suggestion.

Thanksgiving - Part 1

Well, it's already been a week since we were in Acton for Thanksgiving, and I'm finally getting around to posting here about the fabulous weekend we had! It's been one of those weeks...but, I'm happy to say that after procrastinating for weeks, I finally buckled down and got solo music ready for all of my skaters! That is a huge weight off my shoulders!

Anyway, Thanksgiving weekend...it was a time of fun activities, lots of visiting with family and great food! We couldn't really ask for much more during the two and a half days we were away.

I had to coach on Saturday, so we didn't leave home until late afternoon...but, we arrived in Acton in time for dinner, the first amazing meal of the weekend. Thanks to Dad for BBQ'ing the steaks even though the 'Stanley Cup Champion Maple Leafs were playing'! (ha! Sorry, inside joke, but my dad probably chuckled when he read that).

Sunday, it was off to church. The church I grew up attending, Knox Presbyterian Church, is a beautiful old church. There is a sign on the red brick that says 'Erected in 1894'! And, like many churches that are that old, there are lots of stained glass windows! The church is currently fundraising to have some work done on the stained glass windows - and, Curt and I chose a window and made a donation so that that one window can have the necessary upgrades done to it. Window #32 located in a room on the second floor of the church, behind the balcony and overlooking Main St.; growing up, this room was where we met weekly for our Junior Choir practices, and later, where our high school Sunday School class met during the service. These two parts of church are full of great memories, and I think it would be fair to say they both played a part in shaping the person I am today - so, I'm very glad to be contributing to a window in that room.

After church, we finally got to see my brother and sister-in-law and the kids! They were at a wedding on Saturday afternoon/evening, and spent the night out of town. After a little visit and a quick bite to eat, the kids went down for their naps, and the boys and I were off to play golf with dad. I am so glad we still get a chance to play Blue Springs, the course I used to work at - and I LOVE playing the course in the fall, the colours are beautiful.

The elevated tee at the second hole, always a favourite.

We had to be home for Thanksgiving dinner, so we didn't expect to get in a full 18 holes...but, we managed to play 17 after jumping around a little bit to avoid having to wait. It's great to play with someone who works there, they can get away with that kind of thing!

Dinner was amazing, of course - thanks mom!

Abby and Uncle Curt sharing dessert.
Nolan, very focused on his dessert.
This great day was closed off with card games with Tom and Krystle. We had to be good and go to bed on time though, because it was off to the pumpkin patch on Monday. And, that will get a post all on its own...hopefully tomorrow.

Update

I haven't posted in awhile, but there really hasn't been much to write about. Things have been a little boring over the last few weeks, we've just been busy working and settling into our fall/winter schedule. Curt and I are both looking at busy schedules for the next few months!

Skating has started, so, I'm back on this ice! I was almost dreading getting back on the ice this year, but once I was out there with the kids, I remembered how much I love it, and I'm excited for the season. I posted a few weeks ago about resigning from Quinte Figure Skating Club - however, there were some changes in scheduling there and I was asked to come back to help with CanSkate. So, I will be coaching two hours of CanSkate on Monday nights! It's a perfect compromise really, and I'm glad that I will be able to continue working with Quinte.

We've had a few sessions in Tweed, but tomorrow is our first FULL session, so we'll get to meet our Learn to Skaters and CanSkaters. It's sure to be a very CHAOTIC morning!

We're all signed up for another year of curling - and there has been a change there too. Last year we curled in Stirling, and although we really enjoyed Stirling, we decided to curl in Quinte this year. Curt was asked to be in a Mens League with his cousin, Tim, and the team plays in Quinte, so he was going to join there for one league and then in Stirling for one league. But, it made more sense to just go to Quinte for their mixed league as well. The two people we played with in Stirling weren't going to be playing in the mixed league this year, so we have been trying to put together a new team. We are very excited that our good friend Maria will be joining us, and our fourth is a random guy from Quinte who happened to be looking for a team :) Let's hope that works out. We went to an Open House at the curling club this past week and had a chance to meet some members; everyone was really friendly, so hopefully things go as well this season as they did in Stirling!

The weather forecast isn't great for this weekend - cold and rainy - I don't think we'll be able to ignore the fact that fall is here! I'm ready for the change though, it's a lot easier to go into a rink for a few hours when it's cool and dreary outside! So, with all the curling and skating we have planned, Curt and I say bring on the cool weather.

The Last Round

Curt and I played in a golf tournament yesterday, and it will probably be my last round of the season. So, I'm really glad it went well and that we had so much fun!

The tournament was a fundraiser for the Stirling Curling Club; it was pretty small, only 36 people played in it, and it was held at Oak Hills Golf Club. The original registration list had us paired up with another couple, an older couple that curled in our league last year, but we didn't really get to know them that well. It would have been fine, but the organizer ended up changing things up at the last minute, and I think it was to our benefit. We ended up playing with another couple, closer to our age, who also played in our league last year - Mike and Michelle. I've actually known Mike for a few years as he is a member at the golf course I worked at. Michelle also played in our ladies nights for a few years, so I've gotten to know her too. We all had a great time, and laughed A LOT!

Mike actually reminds me a lot of my brother - he is really sarcastic and always joking around.

We were making up team names, and giving each other nicknames, all day....for example, we all took a turn being called 'scully' as we all sculled a ball or two. Well, I was telling them how much Mike reminds me of Tom, so Michelle started calling him 'Tommy'...then I mentioned that I used 'Tom-ass' a lot (Tom's real name is Thomas)...Michelle liked that one, and it stuck for a good portion of the afternoon!

While we were driving to our starting hole, Curt jinxed us and said 'Well, I think we have this thing locked up!' ha! Our first hole was horrible, and we ended up with a bogey.

But, we pulled it together after that and ended up shooting five under - good enough to win the tournament! Well, we tied for the win. So, our team got to split $100!

There were various contests on the course too, included closest to the pin for men and women, closest to the rope (stretched down the middle of a fairway), and longest drive. They made longest drive competition interesting...you had to hit your drive with hockey gloves on?!? Well, I step up and hit the longest straightest drive I'd hit all day. The group in front of us was still in the fairway (I figured I would duff it or it would go right or left, as that's what seemed to be happening with everyone else) and my ball landed a few yards behind them and then rolled past them....ooops. A little bragging here, I think my longest drive was even longer then the mens longest drive. It was almost annoying that I hit my best drive with hockey gloves on though...it was another thing Mike could make fun of throughout the day!

Here are some pics of each of us hitting our drive with the hockey gloves on...

Mike

Michelle

Curt

And me, getting all suited up...

Oh, and I also managed to win the putting contest! ha! That was pure luck, but, it won me $35!

So, we paid $120 to play in the tournament (that included golf, cart and dinner served back at the curling club)...and, we won $85 and a small prize...so, it was a great day and ended up only costing us $35!

Branson - A Few Extras

I have a few pictures from Branson that didn't fit into my other posts, so I'm going to throw them all together here...so, this will be a little random.

If you read my post about our resort, Stormy Point Village, you know that we absolutely loved it and that the property was beautiful...

For example...
But, then there was this...
Each house had a window box full of flowers...FAKE flowers? They actually don't look as bad in this picture as they did in real life. And, these are the ones in front of our cottage, which was grey, so they're not as cheesy as the ones in front of the more colourful cottages - they were all colour coordinated. They made for great conversation though - every time we walked to or from the pool, we were constantly pointing out the different colours and trying to decide which ones looked the worst.

One morning, while at the pool, my dad and I decided to climb the lighthouse...the view was great...

Apparently, Curt and my dad have similar golf swings...or, a similar follow through anyway...



When playing Payne Stewart, Curt went off into the bush to look for a ball (one of mine, I think) and came out with 24 balls! I think my dad was jealous, he's usually the one finding golf balls in the woods - his eyes are trained for it!

I don't normally drink...except when I'm on vacation...with my parents?!? I drank more on this vacation then I have in my whole life - NO, I was not getting drunk everyday (I didn't get drunk at all), I was just enjoying a 'cottage orange juice' by the pool or a cooler when playing cards.

Here, my mom is getting a slushie version of cottage orange juice ready - perfect for a HOT, SUNNY morning sitting poolside.
When we were in Branson back in May, the area had seen a lot of rain and was experiencing some flooding. I don't think we realized how bad it was until we went back again and saw how things should have looked.

Branson Landing, May 2011
Branson Landing, August 2011

And finally, a shot of what our Jeep looked like once we were all packed up to leave. Luckily, we only had to drive like this to the Branson airport, once we dropped my parents off for their flight home, we could spread things out (and ensure that we could see in our rear view mirror!).

And there you have it, my final post about our trip to Branson! Hope it wasn't too boring.