oops

oopsy, ive not written for a while, im sorry. totally unintended.

well, there has been advancement since my last blog, deffinately. the day after i last blogged, sinday the 17th, was a cruzy, rest day. we went to the meeting and all, but in the arvo i just wrote a couple of letters, so someone will hear from me soon!!! i even watched TV that night, a first since ive been away, to watch tv, not a movie.

monday Terry took me down to the border, coz i wanted to be sure i couldnt stay somehow. as it turns out, i can, and have since sent off an application that should come through by october-nov, so i will change my flight to make sure im not coming home at the same time its coming thru. so, yes, im hopefully staying in canada for another yr after my holiday, sorry guys.
that arvo tanys and i made the most awsome grenola bars!! easy and fun.

ooh, im about to riun out of internet, goto go

love you all
me :)

photo's

staten island sisters(clyburn jr's), laundry at bethel & brother n sister Clyburn :P

Fun in Penticton

Hi all,
now before i forget, i HAVE to say hi to aunty Rebecca. im SO sorry for not replying to your comments, i am very slow at realising they are there, and then remembering at the right time to say hi, (usually i think of it when im in bed late that night!!). anyway, i agree that your dog catching a mouse is pretty grose, and i thought that was a cat thing anyway!! thanks heaps for talking to me as well :)

ok, last saturday arvo i did some washing, then Tanys and i picked up Janaye and Crystal, two young sisters in the congs, then went to Kelowna. It's about 30-45mins away i think, and a bit bigger town than Penticton. They have a place called Value Village, which is a huge second hand thrift type store, with clothes and a few kitchen and other bits and pieces. Everythig is REALLY cheap, coz its pre-loved, but most things are in really good condition, and are all clean. We ended up spending 2 1/2hrs in there trying on heaps of really hideous and then really cool clothes!!! To start with we were taking photo's all dressed up, so much embarassing fun, then one of the grumpy shop assistants told us off coz apparently your not allowed to take photo's. Anyway, we stopped taking them, but kept trying on!! We were planing to go horse riding on sunday too, and were going to get all dressed up, so we made sure we got outfits to look the part. By the time we walked out i had spent around $70, but had one pair of pants, one really nice blue sweater, three button up collered tops, an old leather purse, a huge pillar candle, a pack of over 10 assorted candles, a white peasant type top, three ties, a really cute suit jacket, and thats about it. Good value hey, i couldnt leave any of it there!! There was heaps more stuff i could have got too, but money is an issue as always, oops :P Then we went to Boston Pizza for a late dinner, we were almost falling over from hunger, coz it was now about 8:30pm! The pizza was VERY good though, well worth the wait. tanys and i shared a half half chicken pizza, with i cant remember what on it, but one side had ranch dressing, which made it SO GOOD. One thing i have fallen i love with, RANCH DRESSING!!!! And Tim Hortons! then we wen to Maccas on the way home, Janaye's brother is the manager, so we got free sunday's!! then we just went home and i did my wt for the next day. then, after we were all in bed, about 11, i har people walking around outside, with flashlights. feeling really creeped out i lay as stiff as a stick in bed,(i had the room right next to wear they we walking around looking). then, bang bang bang on the door!!Tanys got up and answered, and it was the police! the next door neighbour had called in saying they saw people snooping around in our shed n stuff, so two police came in separate cars to investigate. All of the cars except Tanys' had the keys in the ignition as well, and one of the trucks had a wallet on the front seat with money and all of Lisa'a cards in it. to top it off, the inside light was on in the truck, but nothing was taken at all!!! how unreal is that?? Anyway, we both took out the keys and locked the cars/trucks, thanked the officers, and went back to bed about 12.
The next day we got up at 7 to do our WT for that day, but we didnt allow enough time, coz it was the one with HEAPS of scriptures in it, and we looked them all up. We raced through the last couple of paragraphs to finish at 8:50, then RACED around to have showers, get ready, eat and leave by 9:30. Believe it or not, we made it. We picked up Janaye, and went to the 10:00 meeting so that we could go horse riding that arvo. Tanys and i went out in service at 12:30 for 45mins after the meeting, then raced home, got changed, picked up Janaye again, and met everyone at the Home Harware carpark at 1:45. Coz we were al dressed up like cowgirls, we had one of Tanys' songs, "I wanna Be A Cowboys Sweetheart" CRANKED UP as we were pulling in, and everyone just laughed and laughed when they heard it, and then saw us. I had my cowgirl bootes, with my jeans, front tied shirt and cowgirl hat on, and the girls had all but the bootes on. Then, we pig-taled our hair in two as well!!!! Then we grouped in cars and went up to Apex Mountain Guest Ranch for a ride. They even had cowboy boots for you to use if you didnt have any, so everyone looked the part which was nice. we split up into two groups, coz there were about 16 of us, and off we went. i was in the first group, which was nice. we went for an hour, just walking through the bus, which was really nice. i would have liked to do a bit of cantering or even trotting, but not everyone was good at riding, so we didnt. wen we got back, the other group went and Janaye Tanys and i played catch with baseball gear across the road in a park. it was fun until i caught my hand in the barb wire going through the fence! it only got me a little, so i washe it off in one of the troughs, coz there was no bathroom or anything. Then, coz it was after 3:30, close to 4, and we hadnt all had lunch yet, we went back into town to grab a bite while the other group was finishing. We went to a place called "Jose's Resturant & Cocktail Bar" in town, and i got a well earned burger. It had a cool ambience to the place, with some cool artwork, and a glass lift to get up to it!! finally the other group joined up with us when we had already finished eating, and were about to go. we quickly raced home to get changed, then went to Tim H's for the guys to get something, then went with Janaye, Tanys, Sean and Robin to the beach 10mins away to meet up with Tom and Terry on the boat. we were going to go wake boarding and swimming and stuff, but by the time we met up with T&T, they were heading back to the marina to go home, so we just caught a ride with them, and Curtis( Tanys' brother inlaw) took Sean's car back for us. It was super fun in the boat, no, not a sail boat dad, but a speed boat, so we went REALLY fast!!!!its a pretty blue colour as well :P when we got near the shore it was still enough for Sean to try wakeboarding. he hadnt done it before, and Tom wanted me to watch someone before i tried, so we sent him out first. it is REALLY hard the firsttime to get standing up, and it was getting dark, so he couldnt get the hang of it in time, and it got too dark for me to try :( it was fun tho, Janaye, Tanys Robin and i wereall up the very front of the boat!! then we went home to get changed, and went back to sean and robins for a bit, then went to the shops with crystal, then back to her app and played cards, which was really nice. she is SO SWEET. then we went home and to bed, late again.
monday we slept in, quite nice, then Tanys took me into town to a job agency to help me do a resume and find work. for those of you who dont know, i have been thinking seriously about not coming home yet, but extending my ticket for another 9months and living and working in Penticton. Not that i dont love you all, but i fit in really well here, and am enjoying my stay, and the cong so much i want to live here for a while. So, i went to an agency and got that done, then tanys picked me up and i dropped my CV in at a few places, chatted with some really nice employers, and went to find out about a working visa. i was told i would have to go to the US/canada border, and they could pretty much give me one either straight away, or within a few weeks. that was sweet, the borders only an hr or so away. so we planned to do that today, saturday. when we got home i called AUbrey for a bit, so that was nice, and then we went out to dinner with a really sweet couple of couple's from the cong to the Pasta Factory. REALLY awsome food, and they had a deal where you pick the pasta, and the sauce, and it was only $6, for a HUGE plate, and u got bread to start with to. very nice food, and the company was really awsome, a young couple, and a mature couple, and us two. when we got home i watched a little bit of a football game, very cool, then we went out again to R & S's with Janaye and Jason, and played a guitar game on the playstation or something, it was really fun. then we played more cards.

tuesday we went out in service for the morning and early arvo, and i met another really nice person who im calling back on next week. in the arvo, tanys and i did pilate's, and man was it hard for me. we did the abs and legs/but one, and i have NO balance or cor strength at all!! anyway, it was heaps of fun, and good for me :) that night was the bookstudy, so we didt do much other than that andlook on the net about work visa'a still.

wed morning i went in service again, with 3 REALLY sweet older sisters, who were SO MUCH fun. we had a ball. i met another nice person too, a man this time, who i will try next wek before i leave. ten i went to the mall that arvo, and dropped off my CV at a few places and looked around. i found a really cute poka dot dress for $15, so HAD to buy it!! then some brothers and sisters who were witnessing dropped me back home when they stopped for a coffey break, so sweet. that night we went to Janaye's with Levi (girl) and Adriel and watched "She's the Man" and played a really cool dance pad playstation type game. heaps of fun.
Thursday i slept in again, creekping out of bed at 10, and having breakfast around 12!! it was meant to be a wet day, so Tom and the boys and Crystal were doing some reno work on his house, instead of concreteing, so i talked with Crystal a bit. then the roof the guys were making higher fell down, almost taking them with it. it was a bit tense for a while then, but we were glad everyone was ok. then Crystal and i went to Kelowna to pick up her new retainer, and did some retail therapy too!! i got some black meeting shoes, (i have black cltohes but no shoes), a watch, and some singlet tops (i have lost some of mine??). it was a really nice arvo. then we raced back home, just in time for me to get changed and go to the meeting. we went to Boston pizza agian aftr the meeting, with a group of people, but we i got home i had some dinner, really late! i also wrote down the pro's and con's with staying in canada now, or coming back in a yr or so, which has helped me in my thinking.

yesterday we had a big day in service again, but i didnt meet anyone nice, oh well. i talked with a young sister who i would live with here, and got a few things sorted out that way. that night we had a couple of people over to watch a sign language video, and play Balderdash, so that was heaps of fun. it was a really quiet "party"!!!!

then today we went in service again, and had a rest this arvo. then tonight we had Jeana and Janaye over for a girls night, and watched 7 brides 4 7 brothers, and i had icecream cake for the first time!!!! we were going to go to the border, and get my visa, but a brother in the cong said you can only get a working visa in janurary, and have to be in your home country. his kids have both married people from NZ, which is app pretty much the same as oz. so, i will be coming home as planned, and proly coming back in a yr, 4 a yr.
ok, now its 1:45am, so i really have to get to bed.

love you heaps, not home sick yet!! hope you like my blog :P

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

photo's??

ive tried to add photo's, but it didnt work, so if anyone has any ideas??

Hi everybody,
Sorry im only just blogging now, i did one a few nights ago, but it didnt work, so im highly anoyed. Anyway, what can you do?? It's now 2:15 on saturday arvo, and i have a little spare time, so im talking to all of you!
Now, last week:
Spending the day in Fernie was just what the three of us needed. We had run out of gas early friday morning, 2:30am, so just parked at the servo till they opened at 6 so we would have enough to get us going. the sunrise was awsome that morning, i didnt get any photos, but i\ll attach one of the night before, which was pretty cool.
anyway, we had lunch with megan and allan, her hubbie of just over a month!!! at a cool place called "Rip & Richards Eatery," then went back to there place for a few hours, talking and putting our photos onto cd's. then we went and had an early dinner with Tanys' step dad, they have a really beautiful house, kindov in the but so it's nice and quiet, when the train doesnt go by at least. Then we hit the road again, on the home run!! We got to Penticton at around 3:00am, so hit the sack straight away till 7:30 when we got up to go to the book group. It was a small group, but really nice, and we didnt feel TOO tired so that was nice. Then we dropped off Amanda at her place, and went home to eat some more food. After a realy nice lunch, Tanys and i looked at some of our photo's, then went to bed at 3-10 that night!! that wasnt the plan, coz we were going to go play volleyball with some young ones, but anyway. We had some more food, looked at some more photo's, then got scared by HEAPS of spiders that were downstairs with the computer, so went to bed again at 12pm. The next morning was nice and relaxed. We got up around 8, then had a wonderful big breaky with Tom and Terry. We had a family study of the WT for that day as well, then went to the meeting at 1pm. Once again, it was a really nice meeting :) . After getting some washing done, we went to Wallmart! then to the beach to play volleyball and swim with the young ones. They were all gone, so we just went home and pottered. We went back later, for the same thing, and they had just left again, but luckily Adriel saw us and came back to let us know. We decided to have a bonfire on the beach, so went and picked up Janaye, then got some firewood and started making light. A few more guys came, Dave, Ja, Sean and Robin. It was a nice night, a couple of us went and got really yummy icecreams too.

Monday we had a sleepin, which was nice, then went to pick up Janaye for a walk. We went to The Giants Head with Sean, Ja, Adriel and Ja(tanys' 5 yr old niece). Then after a quick snack at Tim Horton's we went to the experimental gardens, which were really pretty. We saw a couple of snake's, which made one of the guys freek out!! He's no Steve Irwin!! that night wewent to Cue Connection, a pool place, for a couple of games, then had dinner at the Brley Mill next door, then went to a couple of the guys place just to chill. there are heaps of young witnesses in the one apartment biulding, so we visited a couple as well. They have 3 really cute little kittens, adorable!!

Tuesday we had a huge day in service, over 5hrs all up. It was really nice, i even called on a young girl who didnt have time to talk, so asked me to come back!!! we had the bookstudy that night, where i got a new blood card for the rest of my time in canada!! When i got home is when i blogged for everyone, but it didnt work :( .

Wedesday Tanys worked all day, so i took the morning a little easier, then went shopping downtown and at the mall for some new meeting/witnessing clothes. i got a new skirt and top, so was happy with that. We went to Janye's place for a little while, then back to Cue Connection for the night, after the other congs meeting had finished. it was a REALLY fun night.

Tanys worked again on thursday, but i went out in service with Terry (her step mum) on a study. My second study since i've been away!! that arvo i just did my meeting prep, then had a rest. When tanys got home we went and got another oil change, then went out in service before the meeting. then we had the TMS and Service meeting, then went to Boston Pizza for a drink and some food. another night of heaps of fun :0)

Friday we had an ENORMOUS day of service, 7hrs, and i got my girl home from early in the week. i read her a scripture, then gave her the mags on blood, coz her mum is a doctor. she's in gr 10, and really nice, so hopefully i will be able to call back and cultivate a bigger interest in the next couple of weeks. after service a played with 5yr old Ja for a while, we both had HEAPS of fun running around outside and being kids!! then after dinner Tanys and i went to Robin and Seans place (two brothers) after visiting krystal again. we played nintendo games and kareokee till 11pm, with a few other young people, then went home.

Today we went out in service again, i just went for the morning tho. and now you know what im doing!! All up i've got over 16hrs of service this week!!! im SO excited, i think i need to pt in a form for auxillary pioneering for next month at this rate!

ok, gota go now, but talk to u soon,

ME :P

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

Hi everyone, i just found my blog from when i just got back from the road trip, thought u might want to read what happned again!!

Penticton!!

howdy all, just a quick line to say we survived the long drive back to Penticon!
we arrived at 3am on saturday morning, bright n early!! got 3 1/2 hrs sleep, then went to the bookstudy at 10 later on!!!! then we went home and aftr lunch, looking at some of our photo's n stuff we hit the sack at 3pm, and didnt budge till 10!! we were going to join in on a game of volleyball that arvo, but kindov slept thru! then we had diner, and went back to bed till about 8 the next morning. then we went to the meeting at 1, after a beaut of a big breaky. that night we had a bonfire on the beach with a few young people, which was nice. one of the guys looked EXACTLY like a guy i went to school with, it was scary.
yesterday we wnt on a small hike up Giants head, sweet views from the top. we also went to a cool experimental garden. then we played pool at cue connection i think, had dinner, and went to the place of a couple of the guys and played checkers!!
today Tanys and i went out in service for about 5hrs, so that was fun. then tomight we had our bookstudy. and now im talking to you all!!
hope everyone is well.

ive been away for a month already, can u belieeve it, it feels like a week to me.(guess im not homesick yet!!)
goto go, luv u all
me :p

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

Joses Big Canada USA Trip

ok, i know i am extremely bad and haven't blogged for ages, but hey, i've been on the road, practically straight, for 2 weeks.

where do i start now....
after we left Fernie (where i last blogged from) we drove across a little of canada. we went to a really beautifull old castle, waterton castle in alberta.

then we went acrosst the usa/canada border. that was a hastle. at the airport coming into canada, the people took out a green card that i needed to get into the states. so the really scary border gaurds held me up for at least 15 mins, asking all sorts of scary questions, drilling me almost. the lady was the worst. at first it was a man outside, then he sent me inside to deal with the SCARY lady. in the end i had to pay a fee, then she gave me another green card, and strictly told me not to take it out till i leave the states in october.

anyway, then we drove to billings, but didint get there till 2 or 3 the next morning, so we slept in the car in a hospital carpark!!! then we got up super early the next morning, and drove to madison, just out of Chicago. we didnt get there til 11:30 that night, but found a Super 8 motel for the night. for the day, we went thru montana, north dakota, and minnesota. it was so neat!! we stopped and looked at a HUGE holstein statue cow, named Salem Sue, saw a huge statue of a buffalo. we also drove past elk, and 5 skunks, stinky!!

then saturday we drove thru the edge of chicago, but it was really foggy, so i only took like one or two foto's. but we did stop at MacDonalds for breakfast. i had a McGrittle, and it was to die for., basically a oancake in the shape and size of a mcmuffin. mmmm

that night we made it to Toronto bethel. we first met everyone at one of the guys rooms, thenwent to a salsa party. it ended up being a dud, the music wasnt my type, and the type of party i didnt feel comfy in, so we went outside and did our wt for the next day. that made the night, it was REALLY good to do the wt with tanys and amanda :)

the next day we slept in, then went to a toronto meeting at 1. it was really neat, the bro giving the talk did an awsome job. then we went to Niagara falls that night with some people from the night before. it was SO beautiful, and the town was like a mini las vegas. it was totaly not wat i was expecting, there were people everywhere, and fancy cars doing blokies, and all types of fun flashinf lights and stuff with the shops. really neat.

the next day us girls went witnessing for an hr in the morning. i didnt meet anyone, but a couple of the girls had really nice talks.

then tanys, amanda, nicki and i all went back to niagara to do the Maid of the Mist boat ride. it was so cool. then we went to the coca-cola and hershey's stores and indulged a little!!

the next day we drove thru ny satate to ny city. the drive was really pretty. there were beautiful trees everywhere. we hit ny about 8pm, and i navigated us to the ferry terminal for staten island., then we were to9ld we couldnt take the car on the ferry, so had to find our way to the brooklyn bridge!!! we saw the bethel biuldings loud and clear coming over!!!! meeting sister Clyburn so so sweet. she's beautiful. andthe house is totaly neat, three stories, and we had the whole top level to ourselves!!

the next day, wednesday, we hit ny. we met up with 5 brothers form upper BC, and did the statue of liberty and Ellis island with them. then we went to grand central station, the NY public library!!(the day after tomoro), and times square. we got tickets to a broadway show, then had dinner at TGI Friday's. then we went to the show, but had to walk out because it was not good. thankfully the guysa came out too, so we weren't allown in ny at night. we had a coffey, then said goodby to the guys and slowly walked back to the ferry and went home. i got a i love ny t-shirt too!!

on thursday we went to brooklyn bethel!!! for the tours. in brooklyn hights, where bethel is, the brothers take care of the streets, so everything was super clean, a HUGE difference from the rest of ny. the tours were awsome. we did the office biuldings, and the towers biulding. the sister who took us on one of the tours saw the twin towers get hit and fall as well, so that was interesting to heasr what she said. that night we went to a meeting on staten island. almost EVERYONE came up ands said hi to us afterwards. it was SO NICE. the best cong ive been to, no offence to anyone, but it was the most welcoming ive experienced ever. wen i go back i will have such a neat time, some of the sisters are already planning what to do with me!!

friday we drove to montreal, but did patterson bethel on the way. that oo was cool. we stayed with a really sweet sister in motreal.

satuday we went into town and looked at the festival that was on, really cool. we also went into a cute thrift type shop and tried on heaps of old "fashionable" clothes :p !!

sunday we went to a french meeting for tanys, so cool. it was the CO's visit as well. i got tiny bits out of it, but tanys translasted the main ideas as well. then we got our satuff and hit the road again for toronto bethel again.

we got there late that night, and even got to stay there. one of the brothers we met the firsst time (matt) was really sweet, so got us a couiple of rooms!!

morning worship the next day was really cool. then matt took us on a tour, and i got a couple of peices of swahili literature!! i will have to post them when i get to penticton. and family study that night was cool too.

tuesday we went out in service for an hour with a really sweet couple, then went into the city that night for a little bit and went up the CN tower. it is the tallest biulding in the world i think!! really pretty to c toronto at night.

wednesday we had morning worship with all the usa canada bethels, and some of the governing body gave parts too!! so privelidged. then we had alook at the mechanic shop, coz we met a sweet sister froim there, and she gave us a tour. we even gotto sit in a brand new truck bethel has. it was really cool :p then we started heading back to penticton.
we went thru canada this time, and have just this arvo got to fernie. two nights ago we saw a moose (at least 9 feet tall)!! a wolf, cyotee and deer. it was sweet!! and we have had PLENTY of skunks :( if you look on a canada map, we have gone from toronto to fernie now, thru places like sudbury, blind river, Sault Ste Marie, wawa, white river(where winnie the pooh comes from!!), thunder bay, winnipeg, the prairies, Regina, moose jaw, swift current, maple creek, Alberta, and now in fernie. tonight we're going all the way back to penticton. about another 7hrs drive.

ok, now im completely exhausted of riting, and its past time to meet tanys mum for dinner.

love you all, thanks for the couple of emails

talk soon
:) :0)