Reading Break... not spent reading.

We had a reading break at school last week and my husband and brother also took the time off so that we could all go away together.



We drove up to Courtenay/Comox to spend the weekend at the mountain. We left Wednesday evening(close to 7:30) so that we would be able to go up to the mountain first thing Thursday morning. It was a nice drive, I like to drive and in the dark was cool. Stopping in Duncan at Wendy's for dinner, we arrived in Courtenay about 10ish and hit the hay almost right away, setting the alarm for 8:30am.


I have to admit to being totally nervous about skiing, and not looking forward to it much at all as I got dressed that Thursday morning. I have to tell you that I had never been skiing at all in my life until that day. I neatly avoided all school ski trips throughout my childhood, due to my aversion to being cold and wet. Anyway, we were all ready to go and hopped into the car to be on our way. Not worried about how to get there, we plugged the information into the trusty GPS my parents so kindly lent me for the trip and we were off. We soon ended up on a logging road... not entirely sure if the GPS was as trusty as we had thought, we continued to drive on the pitted, dirty, and winding road hoping to end up somewhere close to our desired destination. We finally met up with the road up the mountain and continued up, on a paved road now. To sum up the day.... Skiing and I are not made for each other. Turns out that flying down a hill at full speed(at any speed faster than an amble) strapped to two planks is not my idea of a good time. Too much of an out of control feeling, I think. Perhaps if I just kept at it, and went a few more times I would begin to like it(she says with the perspective of 3 days). But I did end up really hurting myself, fell a bunch of times, and quit after only completing.... 4 runs(technically).

We then spent the rest of the weekend pretty quietly, to help me recover from the skiing adventure. We drove to Parksville to find out that mini golf was closed for the season (which is not on the website, grrrr...) Then we drove around Courtenay, visited a book/games store, then found a mall and accidentally stumbled upon a movie theater.(which we could not find through the phone book or GPS) So we went back to the hotel and played Puerto Rico then went to the movie(Taken) then out to dinner at BP. The theater was small, but my Theater Snob of a husband made it through the movie without screaming... but you should have seen the look on his face when we sat down.... priceless. lol Brian and I had the most horrible popcorn experience of our lives and between us maybe ate 26 kernels before giving up before throwing up. "Taken" was better than I expected, and I enjoyed it immensely. We then went back to the hotel (after making plans to meet up with the rest of the family in Duncan for some bowling) played another round of Puerto Rico, then hit the hay.

We left Courtenay around 10ish and stopped in Nanaimo for lunch(mmmmmm Taco Bell) where Brian had a gigantic meal for only $8 then kept going. We made it to Duncan about an hour before we were due to meet up with the family, so we tried to go mini golfing.... it was also closed... leaving us to go visit the new Super centre (Malcolm's first visit, my 3rd) where the boys bought video games and some movies. And I avoided looking at the shoes. When we got to the bowling alley to meet the famlily, we found out that we only had a half hour before all of the lanes were booked so we played one game of bowling. The lady at the counter told us that more lanes would be open in one hour so we figured we would wait around and bowl after the hour. There was a billiards hall across the street so we went there and we played pool, which was pretty cool, even though I suck at pool. So we killed an hour there and went back to the bowling alley, where we were told that it would be Another Hour before we would be able to play.... so we left. With plans to go up next weekend.

After getting home, my Dad bought pizza and we kids bought alcohol and we played Puerto Rico while making pornstars and trying to make bottle cap shots.... problem was that because we were trying to make them right, we wern't exactly pacing ourselves and so by the time we started Puerto Rico half of us were already shnockered. But is was fun. Dad turned on the Dr. Horrible soundtrack and we sang at the top of our lungs. All in all a good time.

Sunday was quieter, Malcolm worked and Nikki, Brian and I drove around running errands and indulging in our stationary and office supply weaknesses. Then the weekend was over far too soon, I couldn't sleep because my brain would not shut up, and then it was Monday. *sigh*

I'm it! 25 things!

On Facebook I have been tagged a few times to do this "25 Things" post, so I finally did it... and I thought: "Hey! Why not kill two birds with one stone?" (that is a horrible analogy if you think about it.... so don't think about it.)  So I have posted it here so that a) I actually post here and maybe my sister will back off (lol j/k little sis) and b) because I'm not sure how the note thing works on Facebook and thought it would be... uhhh... safer(?) here.  So with no more delay:

Renée's 25 things:

1. I am a reformed pathological sock purchaser

2. I am a sucker for new gadgets, especially if they are adorable. (Who wants to buy me a $400 mini laptop?)

3. I timed out of my keyboarding class yesterday and I'm actually shocked.

4. I have been a strict believer in not trying too hard so that people don't expect too much from you... that was until I realized my ego is too large to let me do that...

5. I was on a very crazy journey of self-discovery over 2005 and 2006 continuing with my being part of the leadership team in my church. Then I got hurt..

6. Now I seem to be trying to be a different person... gone the (supposedly) sweet, kind and quiet Renée, and in her place a jaded, sharp-tongued harpy.

7. I am not entirely sure why my husband loves me, but I thank God everyday that he does.

8. I am a sentimental fool, and thus a horrendous pack-rat.

9. My house is in a constant state of dirty cluttered-ness.

10. Turns out that I Adore data entry...

11. I have a tendency not to study for tests, and then I usually do pretty okay and it seems to just feed the destructive cycle.

12. I Love to houla-hoop on the Wii Fit

13. I am really anti-social. So I am a horrible friend, for which I feel bad, but then do nothing about.

14. I really like that my family spends a lot of time together and I think my Parents rock.

15. Sometimes I miss my mouth with... well, anything. This is therefore referred to as "Pulling a Renée" in my family.

16. I am incredibly good at not finishing things I start.

17. I like to think of myself as creative. I have written songs and stories(not very good ones...) and I like to do crafty things(such as make cards with scrapbooking supplies)

18. I like saying inane things, and often will make up songs while in the van with my family about liking to eat cheese, or chicken, and how I love them all.

19. I may have a bit of a cute shoe obsession... I blame it on the fact that I can always find shoes to fit, while clothes shopping is my bane.

20. I have recently become a bit of a purse nut... I blame Nikki.

21. My husband is an enabler... usually, but he won't buy me a new cell phone that I don't need and only want cause it's adorable. lol

22. When I bought my macbook, I had them install cool video editing software. (For like $200 or something) I have never used it, and only watched the tutorial on HOW to use it about a month ago.

23. When I came home from Summer Staff in '06, we were moving and I went up to my old room and cried for all that had been.

24. When my Grandparents died I was sad more for my Mom, and for the fact that I will never know for sure if they loved me, because how can you love a stranger.

25. I am weird and a nerd, and am actually kinda proud of it.