The Tsawwassen Twelve

It was just another ordinary day (except for the fact the sun was out) when six grade 12 students and six youth leaders embarked upon an adventure in commemoration of our students academic success in completing high school. We set out from the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal to head towards Pender Island where we would spend three high impact days of fun and merry making. Upon the ferry we made elaborate stories of our ferry sinking into the waters and us becoming, unknowingly to the world, left to fend for ourselves on a near by gulf island, which would only be the beginning of the drama that would ensue. Sound vaguely familiar? We called ourselves the "Tsawwassen Twelve" not to be confused with the "Oceanic 6" and this is our story...

(For all the photos click here)
At the ferry terminal we all got out of the van and wandered. Whilst many of us were quite a ways down the lane I came to the realization that our lane was moving forward. We all started frantically running to the van while screaming "start the van!! start the van!!" to Robert, our driver who was standing near by. It was an intense race but we all made it in the nick of time as the door closed just as we had to go. We drove about two meters and then the line stopped for another 10 minutes.

Our proud little graduates

Julie and the Bikes: Julie proudly posed in front of a variety of two wheeled vehicles!

Even Moses showed up for the grad retreat!

We had a little photo shoot and Trish and I played "Portrait Studio" using our valuable skills learned from our time at the Sears Portrait Studio.

And by "little photo shoot" I mean the weekend was pretty much a grad photo shoot extravaganza! We happened upon these broken cabins and everyone got to be Pender Island's Next Top Model! (Check out the entire album for more and look for Trish's cross eyed shot...it is brilliant!)

The weekend marked some sightings of the ever elusive "Creepy Caitlyn" as seen in all the shots below!

The thrift store on Pender Island just happened to be having a $5 bag day where you could fill a bag with as much as you could fit for five bucks. Oh we filled a few bags. And then of course we had an evening fashion show! It was pretty fierce!

I tried to make an extra couple bucks to finance the snazzy finds from the thrift store

More photo shooting. Our little Caitlyn's all grown up!

The island had this incredible frisbee golf course that ran all through the forest and you basically had to become half mountain goat half amazing disc thrower to play. We got the mountain goat part down okay but it seemed Joel's body somehow took the brunt of many of our disc throws.

Here I am molding the young minds of our future!

They said I was running a "fat camp" because of all the active things we did (ocean canoing, hiking, ultimate frisbee, fribee golf, beach exploration, general walking about) and so we found this place on the map called "Starvation Point". So we thought it only fitting that we eat our lunch there!
So here are Brad and Julie eating at Starvation Point.

We went on a hike and it took three tries to find the right trail to get to this view point, but the third try was indeed the charm!

I'll leave you with this lovely shot of my sweet three inch burn acquired while sitting in a canoe for a couple hours.

And that is our story.
Check out the album for more by clicking here!

As of Late...

After a two month hiatus from posting upon this here blog I am back (with the help of some gentle pressuring) to keep you abreast of the "excitement" that is my life. It's been two and a half months since I began my job as Interim Youth Director at Bakerview Church and although it's been a big adjustment and transition and huge learning curve things are going well. I am responsible for grades 6-12 and running two weekly programs and Sunday school. Wednesday nights is our Jr Youth night from 6:30-8:30 (grades 6-8) and Thursday our Sr. Youth night from 7-10 (grades 9-12).

Here's our crew of Sr. Youth girls at our Neon Bowling Night..."striking" aren't we!

19.05.1982

Some years ago, 1982 to be precise, a new storey was born. This year marked the 26th chapter to be written. And here is a photo self tribute marked by impeccable maturity and grace:

A gaze into the years past and those to come...

Leave no candle untouched!

A real class act

again...

doesn't take much

pretty much just a large "Dora the Explorer" bag will do.

And so another year over and a new one just begun. Thanks to all of you who have been such precious flowers in the garden of my life.

I bet my bottom dollar and there was sun!

Annie promised the sun would come out tomorrow and "tomorrow" finally came for one brilliant weekend. The lack of sunshine here was making me noticeably angry and irritated so when the sun finally came I gave it my all. A little too much. The sun did not treat me kindly, in fact it burnt me, but I won't hold a grudge. Funny how I spent a year in Africa and burned once (which happened to be the first week). I come home and get burned worse in Abbotsford than Africa.

Cancer looks good on me doesn't it!

This season I will be sporting my new $4 "Pam Beasly's". (Those classy whitey white shoes). Stay tuned for my post "Crocs: The Most Controversial Footwear in Town"

This is Madeline...she sits by our front door. On sunny days we sit on the step together.

Dana and Madeline are "besties" reminiscing all the good times.

The Double D Wedding

On May 11th, 2008 my friends Daniel & Deanne were united in that blessed arrangement of marriage. Daniel and I have been buddies ever since that summer Mexico missions trip when he was but a wee 14 and I 19 and pointed out the painfully mundane with great enthusiasm...such as "Look , Daniel, a boat!!!" He started dating Deanne who after several months we realized we are second cousins, who knew! Congratulations Daniel and Deanne!Bride over troubled waters

Daniel"Look, Daniel, you're getting married!"

Nate, my table mate and one of the dear sheep of my youth flock.Nate photographed and posed this shot. My favorite direction was, "Okay, now roll your eyes back in your head...I only wanna see whites". Pure genius.

Putting the Bad in Badminton!

It could just be argued the finest of all competitive racket sports, the mighty game of Badminton. Requiring nothing more than a sleek net, performance raquet (that can double as Bob Barkers microphone when inverted), and a simple shuttlecock these ingredients combine to make an explosive court battle. Since my return from Zambia I have taken to the courts on Monday nights for Ladies Badminton in my church gym, a facility more well known for happy youth games and delicious potlucks, but on Monday nights is transformed into the "courts of badminton battle".

It's important to always be in ready position...and in appropriate attire

Margie in the smash zone

The knee pads in action

The sisters of badminton, Dana and I. We have separate partners on the court...Dana and Jacqueline combine to form "The Perspirations" complete with matching shirts one reading "hot" the other "sweaty" on the backs. I partner with Emily and together we are "The Goodmintons"...we're so bad we're good!

click here for more shots

Tijuana hear about my trip?

This past week during the school spring break I and 11 others went wild, traveling in a 15 passenger van and a trailer we called, Argo, down to Mexico to continue construction on a church down there. Our specific task was to pour the second storey of the church. I of course went along because of my vast knowledge in concrete and construction and to sing popular concrete hits such as: "They tried to make me cut the rebar but I said no, no, no".

Click Here For the Complete Album

Other notable highlights:
- Senior Bano
- Bucket showers
- Falling out of the van at 2:30am
- Eating a brain taco
- Eating a Serrano pepper in one bite...and the pain that ensued
- Trying to figure out who was Jerry and who was Bobby of our host couple Jerry & Bobby (Jerry is the husband, Bobbi is the wife is my conclusion)
- Murder in Room 128 (see the flickr album for more details)

He is Risen!!!

I returned from Mexico to the welcoming sight of my favourite Easter sweet bread, PASKA! Nothing says Happy Easter like Paska amid tulips, am I right?!

Me Mumsie peeking through paska

Dana likes Paska

Shannon likes Paska

Bunny Ears like Paska

Dreaming of Paska

He is risen indeed!!!!

A Haircut and a Real Job...Minus the Haircut

And so it is that I have fandangled my way back into the Canadian workforce. I work at a reputable fortune cookie factory thinking up the sayings and random numbers that go on those tiny pieces of paper inside the fragile delicacy. This photo was captured in mid new ancient proverb...
...actually, the aforementioned information is fictional, yet I find the idea fascinating. I do have a job (the only legitimate piece of info). I have just become the Interim Youth Director at my church, Bakerview. Our long serving youth pastor, Tim, just resigned and so here I am! It's a full time position working with our Jr. (gr. 6-8) and Sr. (gr. 9-12) youth. It's pretty exciting yet overwhelming all at once. And look at the timing...hmm, who could have had His hand in that!? So it's a pretty big answer to prayer to be able to be working and doing something I love. And so here I am in my new office...since when do I have "an office"?? (And all you "Office" fans, my boss' name really is Michael! I will be taking the role of Dwight)

Roll Up the Rim!!!

For my Zambian viewers there's a little chain of Restaurants called Tim Hortons (of course named after a hockey player) which puts on this extravaganza that gives you the chance to win things if you roll up the rim of your coffee cup. It's the entire reason for my existence in this country!! And it's back! So today I rolled up my rim to find I had won a coffee. The jubilation that filled my heart was immense.

A Cheese Wheel As Big As My Head!!!!!!

The beauty of being back home lies in the cheese. In Zambia dairy products where outrageously expensive and of poor quality...often leaving one confused whether they had just eaten the packaging or the cheese or a combination of both. I recently made my first venture back into the wonderland that is Costco. It was almost too much. I revived myself with the samples.

I'm allergic to dairy...this isn't dairy, is it!?

(I jest, I'm not allergic to dairy. Please send Dairy-o-grams!)

Back Home...in Wendy's/Tim Hortons!!

And so it came to pass that Shannon Storey made it safely into the arms of Canadian fast food for the first time in over a year. This shots were paparazzied the day after my return. I was so excited I was shaking. A spicey chicken and root beer...what more could a girl want!

Here I am with my phantom phriends!

In the flesh!

stay tuned for me with a cheese wheel as big as my head!!!!

I See London

When I left Zambia I extended my stop-over in London for 5 days to visit my friend Sally and her fiance Simon. Oh what a jolly good time it was!

Click here for the scenic tour