"hey kid, will you hold me when I sleep? and will you find me when the tide decides that I got to leave?"

www.pandora.com = awesome. I have been listening to this for a while, good tunes, great way to find new artists. If you havn't already - check it out.

Last weekend my soccer team had playoffs. We made it to the semi-finals to play the #1 team. The Chivas. They were undefeated all year. It was 3-1 at half time. We came back and tied it 3-3. Went into double overtimes, and then a shoot out. It was fricken amazing, and we won. The finals were on Sunday, and we lost 1-0. We shoulda won. We had two key players missing, and frankly we were exhausted for the big game on Saturday. I was pissed, I think I am over now. So here is a pick of us with our lame second place medals.

I am pumped to have the WHOLE week off of school. Very relaxing. I have plans to do... nothing. Hopefully I will be refreshed to handle the students until Christmas. What a group. But on to happier topics...

I get to go home for Christmas. Sweet, I am pumped. I miss snow. Ridiculous I know. It is 70 here and sunny, no complaints, but yesterday when I called home, everyone told me it was snowing, and I started crying, even more ridiculous. I went on a hike out in my backyard yesterday, this is what I saw.

Isn't that crazy beautiful? It is really amazing. So I should not be crying about snow, but maybe I was just crying about snow and what is means to me. I miss my family, and my friends. Alot. Such is life.

I have been making earrings like crazy. I was in a craft sale a couple of weeks ago and it went really well. So I think I will continue on this venture. A small local co-op/artist/store thing would like to have me at their shop, so I am thinking about that too. I am also setting up a shop on etsy.com. I will post more about that sometime soon.

"Miss Van Dorp, what do you call those big ol hairy fox things?"

"Teachers teach because they care. Teaching young people is what they do best. It requires long hours, patience, and care."

I am starting not to care.
My patience is running out.
Today I threatened to kill the janitor.
I feel I am on the verge of a break down.

These are the hellions that have done this to me.

Back in the Loop

Sorry for the long absence. I am back in Gallup and I don't have internet at home. I have been here since the beginning of August, after a bunch of annoying immigration stuff. I am now legally a resident of the United State of America, for the next 6 years. Yay me. We have been in school already for 5 weeks. My students are crazy and challenge me every day. But I still love it down here. I just wish all my friends would move here too.

Besides being in school I have been busy flying all over the continent. In August, I was in Vegas twice, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and Edmonton. I flew to two weddings, Cassie and Kevin's in Minni, and then Margriet and Trevor's in Edmonton. It was so great to catch up with all the old college friends. I had a wonderful time at both weddings.

Here are the promised pictures and videos :)

Cassie and Kevin's Wedding

the bride to be, Tara, Me, and Chelsea

Jon, Ross, and Adam ironing the linens.

The beautiful bride walking down the isle. I wish I coulda captured Kevin's face.

Bride, Bridesmaids, and Flower Girl

first dance

Reuben and Ross - he caught the garter.

Dane and I - we switched shoes.

There was lots of fun had out on the dance floor, as well as at the bonfire outside. Pretty sure Horlings was ripping up the dance floor. Not to mention these amazing acts:

Margriet and Trevor's Wedding

the happy couple

a moment between the bride and the flower girl

roomies flashback

me and my cousin Janelle

special thanks to Russ for taking me shopping and all the good times

So now that I have posted a million pics, I will continue with a few more of life in Gallup.

one of my kitties, sleeping in the windowsill

my new first grade class

that would be me, in a tree, I may or may not have gotten stuck...

one of my sweet ghetto students

I have been eating a lot of garabagey food lately. I love yummy greasy food, and I have been gorging myself. Here is a sampling of my diet from the last two days. I can't remember past Wednesday, but it's much of the same.

Wednesday
Breakfast: two eggo waffles smothered in butter and a glass of orange juice
Snack: two, thats right two, cream soda slurpees, and a piece of cake
Lunch: McChicken, fries, and a Coke from McDonalds
Supper: two hot dogs
Snack #1: Malted Milk bhocolate bar and beer
Snack #2: Skor flurry
Snack #3: cinnomin bun

Thursday
Breakfast: cinnomin bun and a glass of orange juice
Snack: honey nut cherrios
Lunch: greasy diner cheesburger and poutine
Snack: chocolate covered cookie dough
Supper: Pavlova (the best desert ever, from the best resturant ever - Baked Expectations) and a pink lemonade
Snack: Double Chocolate Chip from Starbucks

P.S. The two slurpees come from Slurpee Day. That is correct, we have a Slurpee Day in Winnipeg. Because we are the SLURPEE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD! (8 years running).
P.P.S. There are 42 7-11's in Winnipeg.

Gwen's wedding was this past weekend. It was an awesome time. She was so calm it amazed me. I was not so calm, and I cried more than one during the ceremony. Gwen is now Mrs. Tyson Tiggelaar. I can't believe she is married. Yay! It was a beautiful wedding. And the Bakker's were absolutely hilarious. Good times!