The Grouse Grind

Here is a video blog of a hike up Grouse Mountain taken on July 27th, 2008.

Symphony In the Park

And so it is that every summer the esteemed Vancouver Symphony Orchestra puts on a free concert in Deer Lake Park in Burnaby. So last Sunday Dana and I set out for a night of culture and chaos. Using our aggressive "elbows up" technique we maneuvered our way to set up our blanket near the front of the stage about an hour before the concert. 'Twas a lovely evening and perhaps more entertaining than the concert itself was observing the peculiar behavior of my own species. I was particularly captivated with the couple in front of us who clearly knew what they were doing, equipped with pillows and quite an extravagant picnic which progressed through the entire evening. It seemed each musical movement brought on a new culinary delight topped off with milk from wine glasses...bravo!

To the Big City...

But a few weeks ago the Sr. Youth and I set out to explore the mighty city that is Vancouver. A happy family we loaded into the van and headed for adventure. First stop...the skytrain...

Here we practiced an ancient Bakerview Youth art of "Skurfing" (or if your on the bus "Burfing") in which you have to stand with only your feet stabling you no matter what turbulence occurs, much like you are surfing. Alyssa and Julie seemed to have classed it up a little by adding ballet hands.

We then made the jont to Denman St, about a 10 block walk in which several thought they would die from exhaustion, to the Mongolian BBQ. Dingy looking on the outside...and maybe a little on the inside too...but the food tastes oh so fine! You can load up your bowl with as much as you want as many times as you want. It's pretty much an ideal situation.

Look what we found in the noodles! Move over Potatoe Chip Mother Mary!

The grill Ninja!

Mongolian Magic

Satisfied customers!

On the way home we stopped at Ikea's Midnight Madness for ice cream and pandemonium.

Stevie Wonder: I just blogged to say I love you...

On July 12th my good pal, Sarah, and I saw the 8th greatest 'Wonder' of the world! I would say one of the top two black, blind male artists of all time (It's a close race between him and Ray Charles). Good ol' Stevie put on quite the show!! We were going to rush the stage but it probably would have taken us two days by alpaca to get to the stage from our seats. Despite the distance it was truly Stevie Wonder-ful.

Oh, and this picture isn't from the concert cause I'm a dope and even though I snuck a camera in I didn't take a single shot.

Picnic Sisters

The Storey sisters take church picnics very seriously.

Hamster ball racing is also the kind of seriousness one might find at a church picnic!

The Butter Knife Stabbing

It started out a pleasant summer evening in a quiet residential neighbourhood of Abbotsford. The Jr. Youth group had just set out on a "Progressive Dinner", the first stop...buns. But things were about to take a buttery, bloody turn for one youth director and her youth. While standing in line, awaiting her turn for fresh baked delights a disturbance arose from a group of grade 6 boys (which is pretty much a given...when is there not with grade 6 boys!) who began to fight for control of a butter knife. And in the blink of an eye, or perhaps a stab, it had happened. One boy grabbed the knife, thrusting his fist back over his shoulder and into aforementioned youth directors face, leaving an eye full of butter and cut. Onlooking youth began to shout, "Your bleeding!!" Controlling the situation with a bandaid or two the night returned back to its peaceful chaos.I went to the hospital under the advise of some medical professionals who said it would heal better if I got it stitched. Not wanting to look like ol' Al Capone I heeded their advice. Turns out it didn't need it after two hours in emergency. So I guess I'm stuck with "Scarface".

The Bakerview Church Annual Genral Meeting: White Girl Raps

This past Wednesday evening was our church annual general business meeting, well known for it's hefty agenda of reports and formal business-like manner using words more typically heard in parliament and enforcing "Roberts Rule of Order." For this event each pastor is required to write an annual report for their area. So, therefore, I set forth and carried out this task. Then at the meeting those who have written reports get up and speak to their report and then a motion is made to accept the report after further questioning and commenting. So since this was my first AGM report (and could very well be my last!) I took the liberty of writing a rap to speak to my report. Now the demographics of this meeting would suggest that this would not be the prime audience for this format. I would say about 85% were over age 60 and this being a Mennonite church I chose to introduce it as a "light hearted song" as to offend fewer and do it in a slow and articulate manner so it would seem more like a poetry reading than a rap. This could be the "whitest white girl rap" ever! I was aided by my posy of Margie, Dustin, and Jason who "creatively moved" in the back while Margie lay down the beat! Enjoy!

MennoNight!!

In celebration of our rich, yet frugal, cultural heritage I held a Menno-Night with our Jr. Youth group. We all hooked up the ol' horse and buggy, dawned our bonnets and suspenders, communicated in Low German, and of course, ate!

Here we are, a fine looking family!

Here's Jackson with a traditional farming tool, the pool noodle.

We played several games such as "Menno Simon Says" and awarded prizes for best dressed. Here is our best dressed girl, Rachel, winning her prize afhgan, a precious moment!
And what would a Mennonite be without food?! We had two wonderful volunteers, Barb and Marian, come make fresh roll kuken (basically deep fried dough) and watermelon, which really helps the grease of the roll kuken go down quite nicely. Here are our strapping young lads, Curtis (Left), Andrew (Center), and Davis representing our Russian roots!Roll Kuken in all it's greasy glory! Best enjoyed with Rogers Syrup .
Rebecca, our runaway Mennonite on crutches!
Our Sr. Youth will be having a Menno-Night of there own next week...I'm in the process of trying to make huge Dutch Blitz playing cards our of strawberry flat boxes for the event.

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.