I need advice please

I'll try to explain as best as possible.

I am 19, I graduated High School in 2009, I live in the United States and I have been unemployed since that time unfortunately due to the economy. I am attending college online for Psychology. My boyfriend lives in Calgary, Alberta, and I want to move there with him. (I have wanted to live in Canada since before we met so no this isn't some poetic act of love, I genuinely would like to move to Canada). He is a citizen, born and raised there and does currently have a job there. Our idea is to have me stay with him and his parents, and then I would get a job there to work towards becoming a permanent resident and eventually a citizen. I have been researching a lot but unfortunately I find it very confusing as to what steps I actually need to take. I know as an American I can go to Canada without a travel visa for up to 6 months. So does that mean I could go "live" with them for that time while I look for a job to get my work permit? Another idea we had was for me to apply for jobs while I am still here in the states, get the work permit and -then- go up there to start working right away. Can I do either of these or is it not that simple? Being only 19 and being fresh out of high school/attending college my only real work experience is as a cashier or a sales rep (I did both at some point). If anyone can point me in the right direction that would be great. Any information helps. Please don't link sites though, I can almost garantee you I already read them, but it's just too wordy for me to really understand the actual process involved with any of this. If more info is needed, please let me know.