The Amuzing Race 4...the Final Chapter?

The Amuzing Race 4 was on the weekend! We had 14 teams (56 racers) and 18 volunteers!

Here's a recap of what they did:

- Memorized a Bible verse before they left the church
- Went to Pitt Meadows Corn Maze and had to find someone in it
- Went to a park on the Fraser and made origami ducks or filled a bowl with river water using bath squirters
- Found tree #1287 in Riverview Hospital's tree collection (it's on a 244 acre lot)
- Tried to figure out an equation using post office boxes in PoCo (wow, this event was a flop, I must have written the clue wrong)
- Counted picket fence posts on a PoCo heritage home
- Picked blueberries
- Ate haggis
- Searched for a clue frozen in a iceblock at a campsite
- Double-dutch skipping
- Did an obstacle course at the Coquitlam firehall training grounds (AWESOME event!)
- Found a "spirit bear" along Brunette

Wow, what a day. Other than one event, it went really smoothly and from what I observed and heard, people had a lot of fun!

Goal achieved!

I went through $23.50 on my cell phone, coordinating the event from Eagle Mountain Park (past Westwood Plateau). That was where they ate haggis! I have never seen an "eating event" before so it was AWESOME to see! Some people were dry heaving, and some were saying "Wow, haggis isn't as bad as I thought!".

After all the teams left, my mom and I left, and her car started smoking and smelling REALLY bad. We managed to make it to the firehall event where I took lots of photos and then hopped into a team's car and followed them around for the rest of the race.

That was my favourite part of the day because I got to see how it feels to race, even if it was only for 2 events.

Well, that's it for me folks. I've organized it 4 times, and I can't do it again. Life demands too much of me now for me to reserve all that time and brainpower for a race! It was fun to do each time, and I'm glad I did it, but I am realizing my limitations (my mom will be glad to hear that, she's been wanting me to say that for, oh, 29 years?).

I really hope someone takes it on. It's SO worth it for the church! I have rougly 175 files on my computer just ready to hand off to the next organizer, so let me know if that's you!

The Roth Plate

Hi! I have a new blog. Need quick dinner ideas? Check it out.

Smarty Pants

My son is the smartest kid ever (yes, I know you think your kid is the smartest kid ever too).

I've mentioned he knows a handful of words now. I would have picked different words as first words, but his are: bye-bye, dada, gapa (Grandpa), mum, baby, fish and diaper. He can also imitate a lot of words; "turtle" being one of them.

Last night while we were playing, he stopped playing and was making, um, "UGGG" sounds. He was going to the bathroom (hey, at least he wasn't doing it during dinner). 

When he was finished, he looked up at me and said, "DAAPER"! He actually let me know his diaper needed changing!!

WOW what a smart boy! This morning after he finished his morning bottle, he did the same! 

Maybe he'll be easy to potty train.

Return of the Blob

We had a repeat customer at our house the other night. At 3:15 I heard the garbage bins being tampered with. Ran to the front window and I see our juvenile bear...SITTING ON OUR FRONT STEPS and munching through a garbage bag. I  gave the camera to Colin this time since I screwed up the photo last time the bear came around. And he got this photo:

(In case you're wondering, the fuzzyish sort of circular blob in the middle of the photo is this bear).

Colin banged on the window and it got scared and just sauntered off down the street. It walked on the sidewalk like a good bear should. 

The next day as I was cleaning the mess it made, I noticed a mark on the front door. It left sorta scratch marks RIGHT BY THE DOORKNOB! They're not deep, but it looks like it tried to get into the house! 

Jeesh! Hibernate already!

The Teleconference

As part of my job, I have to take 10 hours of "continuing education" classes per year. I'm a little behind. I've had, oh, 3 hours in the past 2 years (mostly thanks to my mat leave). I have some catching up to do.

I used to hate the rule because I don't get paid for that time (and sometimes will actaully have to PAY for it), but I'm actually learning to like it. I do like to learn and find health issues fascinating, whether they relate to my job or not.

The other day, there was a province-wide teleconference I attended. I was very interested in the topic, and found it informative. But amist the knowledge lightening bolts being thrown at me, I found myself distracted.

If any readers have ever attended a teleconference, you'll understand.

At the front of the room, there were 3 big screens. BIG screens. About 180" each, I'd guess. 2 showed the powerpoint presentation, and then there was the other one.

It was divided into 4 sections. Each section was filming a room in other hospitals in BC. WHY are the other audiences are FILMED as they listen to the lecture?? It's pointless and distracting. If someone knows why, please let me know. Whatever the reason, they do it. And I find myself people watching:

Section 1: Some guy sat alone in a big room full of chairs. One guy (possibly a doctor or maybe someone trying to earn "continuing education" credits) in the entire hospital showed up. He sat there motionless for most of the presentation. I kept wondering if he was awake. I wanted to poke him.

Section 2: One guy sits alone. Then a lady enters and sits with him and they chat for a few minutes while the speaker is talking. When the lady finally looks up, she notices she's in front of the camera and she quickly runs away. Enter another guy. The two men chat and chat and chat and chat. At the end of the lecture one guy gives the speaker a "thumbs up" as if he actually listened to it.

Section 3: A lot of people in lab coats who didn't do anything notable. They knew they were on camera and couldn't escape it. Possibly a rent-a-crowd?

Section 4: My personal favourite. There was NO ONE in the room full of chairs. NO ONE at all. Why didn't they turn off the camera? We (well maybe just me) stared at that empty room wondering... THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN....a lady comes in the room. She looks under some tables and spies her prey. AN EXTENSION CORD. She walks right infront of the camera, and bends down infront of the camera (yes, a butt shot), steals the cord and scurries out of the room. It took everything in me not to laugh.

Good times, good times. I wonder what I'll learn next time.

Whazzup?

It's only been 2 weeks since I posted but it feels like a few months, so I feel the need to update.

I don't know how it happens, but Nate got even cuter! My big one year old is learning things daily. His new tricks:

• he "moos"
• he "baaaas"
• can point to certain objects when asked (eg balloons)
• he can roll a ball
• he can say "dada", "bee", "bye bye", "mom mom", and lots of other ones that I'm sure he's not trying to say like, "whaddyamean" and "whuzat". He'll break into these 2 minute long stories that seem like they make perfect sence to him. It's adorable!
• he stands by himself (and claps for himself at the same time)
• he plays "blindfolded kamikaze" (puts his blanket over his head and crawls at full speed without looking where he's going...sometimes injuries result)

As cute as he is, he's also developing a "terrible two" attitude. If I do something he doesn't like, he sits down and pounds his hands in the floor. And he's a biter. I hope it's just because he's teething. When I'm sewing, he sneaks under the table and bites my toe. Gross! Ohhhhhh boy am I ever in for a fun stage....

He's super fun though and does things that leave Colin and I in tears we laugh so hard. Those are the best moments!

For me? I'm stressed. I am getting better adjusted to work now. The emotional roller coaster is taming down, and I'm able to concentrate as I could before. But now the actual "job stress" is coming back. I need to learn how to remain calm and not be such a drama queen.

"Race stress" is on now too (although it's more "fun" type of stress). The Amuzing Race 4 is in 3 weeks (eep!)! My planning team is awesome and we think we've got a good one this year. Let me know if you want to sign up or help that day!

I'm copying some friends and starting my own sewing endeavour. I'm making security blankie type quilts (pictures up soon), recieving blankets, and a baby accessory Colin invented (the invention cannot be named yet...). I am joining forces with Amanda and we're hitting the craft fairs! I don't like when something you enjoy so much turns into a chore so I don't think I'll make a business out of it. I'm just trying to support my quilting habit. I like to make them, but don't need 35 baby quilts at my house. Between the race and sewing, there is no spare time anymore. I hope to get back to my scrapbook soon...