"You're not alive unless you're living." - I Love You, Beth Cooper

I realized today that life seems to be flying by so quick, I'll be graduating in a year and a half, something I thought would never come. There are so many things I wish to do with my life, and I'm slowly trying to figure out what I want to really do. Whether it be travel or photography, or many of the other things I want to do, I at least know where I want to do them. I know that in a year and a half when I graduate I'll move to the mountains and start to pursue whatever it is that I will. I made my first life decision, yay me. I know that it may not seem like a big deal to most people but a few years ago I had planned on staying in the same small town for the rest of my life and now I can't wait to move on to the next town. I love the city of Saskatoon and I love a lot of the people here but I know that moving along is what's best for me. My dad will just be in his prime after he hears this; before we moved to Saskatchewan I was a little nerved and he said I would love moving and getting out of that town, well he was right, and every time he realizes that he's right, it just goes straight to his head.
I spend a lot of time reading and watching T.V. right now and it's only because both of those things brings me to a place that I want to be. I can't wait to go on adventures and do amazing new things, so I read and watch T.V. to take me on adventures before I can do it on my own.

Well, that's my little piece of whatever for the day.

Just a thought.

(:

Goodbye 2011 (12/31/2011)

It has been quite some time since I wrote here, so I figured I'd come give some details about life right now. As you know, it's the end of 2011, and my year has been one with many ups. I made many good memories and many good friends this year and I would never take back anything that's happened. I learned a lot about myself and the people I should keep in my life. I helped people and helped myself. I started to figure out the rest of my life, no matter how unpredictable it can be. I've realized that life is a never ending book, every moment is a new chapter and a new lesson. I've accept everything around my life as it is, and I'm unbelievably content with that. The bad things that happen every year don't get forgotten, they get put in my mind as a lesson I learned for a reason. It didn't just happen for nothing. No doubt that life is hard, but with all the great things that happened this year, it's hard for me to remember that life isn't always perfect. My life is what I call perfect right now, yes, it has flaws, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

My year was a great one, and I hope yours was too.

"If people are trying to bring you down, it only means that you are above them." 

Opportunities with the Saskatoon Blades and All That Other Busy Stuff (10/24/2011)

Well, it's been a little while but things keep happening lately so I guess it's finally time to talk about them! I'm getting the incredible opportunity to shadow the photographer for the Saskatoon Blades, for a game on November 2nd. I tweeted on day that my dream job would be to be the photographer for a hockey team like the Saskatoon Blades or the Chicago Blackhawks. The day after I tweeted that, Michael Scissons, the Director of Sales from the Blades tweeted me and asked if I wanted to shoot with their photographer, Steve Hiscock for a game! Now, after telling everything I knew what just happened, and making sure this guy was legit, I answered him back and after a little back and forth we decided on November 2nd. Now, as if that wasn't enough, they also sent me three tickets for the family so they can be part of this experience too! I'm super excited about getting this opportunity, for me it really is the opportunity of a life time! The date's coming up soon and I'm getting very anxious to be there and see how much I actually like it, and see if I want to make a career out of it for myself!
School's been going on for a while now and that's been going good, especially since we have started our fundraising for Voyage Club. In Spring of 2013, the people in Voyage Club get to go to several places in Europe, for about 14 days! The only thing is that it costs $4500 for each person, but we have also started fundraising which will make getting that money a lot easier! We just started a Mom's Pantry fundraiser, which everyone in my family loves so that's really good for me!
I'm also in the middle of looking for a job, which would also really help out with Voyage Club and paying my dad back some money, so hopefully that will happen. The only problem for me is finding someone who is alright with giving me holidays to go visit my mom and sisters in Calgary. I know that a lot of employers aren't huge on giving lots of holidays, so hopefully that will work out really well!
That is the short version of what has been going on here lately, my brothers started hockey and that is going to take up a lot of time too, but we always know that winter is a super busy time of year for us. :)

"A bee is never as busy as it seems; it's just that it can't buzz any slower." - Kin Hubbard

Saskatoon Blades (09/24/2011)

So last night was the Saskatoon Blades (saskatoonblades.com) Season Opener and it was fantastic. My dad and I got free tickets from my friend Nattie and her family who were also the people who gave us the tickets for the Blackhawks/Oilers game earlier this week. The game was even more special, not just because it was the season opener and not just because we won, it was special because as many other hockey teams are doing we had a small memorial for Wade Belak and Brad McCrimmon. The Blades rose a really nice banner in the name of both Belak and McCrimmon, Belak a former Blade and McCrimmon a former Blade Coach (1998-2000). The game was great, it was pretty eventful, I think and watching a very new faces to the Blades play and win was super great to watch. Here are some picture I took of the Memorial as well as the game -->

Saskatoon Blades vs. Prince Albert Raiders

GO BLADES GO! Poster

Saskatoon Blades

My dad and I.

Me and my friend Nattie.

Raising the flag from last year.

Raising the flag from last year.

Raising the memorial flag.

The memorial flag.

#20, Josh Nicholls

#3, Connor Cox & #29, Jake Trask

#9, Ryan Olsen & #11, Chris Collins

#11, Chris Collins

"A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be." -Wayne Gretzky

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers Game (09/22/2011)

So, the next part of my exciting week was on Tuesday, the 20th. My Dad and I got free tickets from my friend Nattie and her family to the Blackhawks game! We were super excited. We were sitting 5 rows up from the Edmonton Oilers penalty box, they were amazing center ice seats. 

Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks

Me & my Dad at the game.

#5 Steve Montador & #85 Rostislav Olesz and other during a fight mid second period. Apparently the Hawks team doesn't like it when you push around Captain Jonathan Toews.

#5, Steve Montador & #19, Jonathan Toews

#8, Nick Leddy, #85 Rostislav Olesz, #19 Jonathan Toews & #26 David Toews

#17, Mark McNeill & #28, Ben Smith

#19, Jonathan Toews

#19, Jonathan Toews

#19, Jonathan Toews

#19, Jonathan Toews

#19, Jonathan Toews

#19, Jonathan Toews

#25, Viktor Stalberg & #19, Jonathan Toews just chatting with the Ref during commercial break.

#25, Viktor Stalberg, #19, Jonathan Toews & #85 Rostislav Olesz

#26, David Toews

#26, David Toews

#26, David Toews

#26, David Toews being bad and sitting in the penalty box but watching his teams every move.

#46, Joe Lavin

The game was awesome even if we lost, it was still amazing to have my first game of the season watched to be a Blackhawks one! 

But this does not end my week, tomorrow my dad & I also got free tickets to the first Saskatoon Blades game! We're very excited and I will be putting up more pictures tomorrow after the game or Saturday!

"We always talk hockey," Jonathan said (Reunion Takes Toews Brothers Back to Childhood Days) "I guess sometimes I'm a little hard on him, but he's hungry and determined and wants to get better. He wants to find his own way and learn from his mistakes himself, which is a good thing. He's still learning, but he's working hard and improving and this is a new experience for my little bro. The No. 1 thing is that our family is passionate about hockey, so it's good to see him get the chance." - Jonathan Toews

Keith Urban! (09/22/2011)

So, I've been pretty busy lately, but good busy, I've had a really awesome week with some exciting events, that keep on happening! So, on Sunday, the 18th, my friend Nattie and I went to the Keith Urban concert here in Saskatoon. I got tickets for my birthday from my Dad and his girlfriend. 

Me & Nattie before the concert.

The Band Perry

The Band Perry

The Band Perry

The Band Perry

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

The concert was AMAZING, he put on a fantastic show, and The Band Perry was awesome as well. The concert was the first awesome part of my week, the rest will come in separate posts so this one doesn't end up super long.

"If I knew what I was doing, I'd be doing it right now, I would be the best damn poet, silver words out of my mouth. My words might not be magic but the cut straight to the truth. So if you need a lover and a friend, baby, I'm in." - "I'm In" by Keith Urban

Grade 11 (09/14/2011)

So many things have gone on lately and I just have not had anytime to write a blog. School started on the 31st of August, and it's been pretty good. It hasnt been anything too special, school is usually just school. On September 9th we played are second football game of the year, and surprisingly won! (I should mention that our first game of the year, our home opener, we lost 68-0.) We got the one and only touchdown in the game, but that was good for us, winnings a pretty big deal for a team that doesn't win to much. I'm pretty much just doing typical high school stuff, homework, assignments, presentations, tons of classes that you actually have to focus on, it really is a lot of work. 
It's also becoming very cold outside, it was actually -4 when I woke up this morning, there was even frost on the windows! It was 31 degrees last week and now this week it hardly getting higher than 15 degrees, it's also windy. It's kind of a crazy site though because outside it's super sunny, most days there are no clouds in the sky and still it's cold enough to be wearing a jacket and a sweater and still be chilly. Well, that's all for now!

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?" - Alice in Wonderland