“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.”

"You know your in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams"

Dr. Suess

Modern Day Brady Bunch!

A family truly blended. A family brought together by the love of two people. When I first met Miss C and Mr S, they had a baby on board and she graciously spent hours with me while I built my portfolio. Since; I have been blessed to be the person they call to capture their marvelous family moments. Each child they have brought together has a very unique personality and when together they created a fantastic atmosphere, even though I was the last person they wanted around! (And to think that I came seconds away from cancelling due to a very sour stomach and nasty headache). So two Advil's and a lot of laughter later, my headache was gone. I wish all families were this happy! My mom has a sign in her house that reads: "Now Remember...as far as everyone knows we are a happy normal family" 

This crew is the real deal!  

My Mommy took me to the Fair

The Chilliwack Fair. Like all fairs' there is something for everyone. Candied Apples on the Midway, the rides, the animals...the smells (Good and Bad). I learned a lot about my mother at the Fair. Like apparently she wants two goats for her backyard. I told her when I won the lottery I would build her a house on the same property as me and she could have a goat. "No...lots of goats" she said. I told her how destructive they were and she said "That's fine...I planned on keeping them in the house anyways". Umm so now I know that the elevator doesn't reach the top floor. I have to rethink the whole lottery/goat buying promise. I think I'll get her a lamb. They are way cuter with a much lower "crazy" level. 

It was a real treat to watch the rodeo. Whatever people think about it, good or bad it brought back so many good memories of living in Calgary and going to the Stampede. If you have not made it to Calgary for that event you should put it on your bucket list. Or as the cowgirls might say: The Barrel List...as in the barrel races!    

A valiant effort to stay afloat.

All we ask gentlemen...is that you play hard. The weekend cannot be deemed a victory if you do not go home with a bruise or two.

The Crime of the Weekend!

My Mother said she learned how to swim when someone took her out to the lake and threw her off the boat. I said,

 "Mom, they weren't trying to teach you how to swim."

Our Captain. (But I'm the Admiral so I totally outrank him)

That looks warm...

This is why the lake is so cold. Trust me on this one.

.

I'm pretty sure this guy pushed me in...

Could have been this one...but no. My moneys on the guy

Way down at the end is where the crime happened.
Some would say I am clumsy, I say I was pushed!

Body Image-Body Shimage!!!

Why are we so concerned about body image? Is it not better to feel great? To laugh with friends and love yourself rather than fretting in front of a mirror and wasting the time you have? My dad used to say that he loved us "Warts and all". (Incidentally we didn't have warts so that was just mean to start a rumor like that!) Today I had an incredible day with a lady that spent a good portion of our phone conversations telling me all the things that were wrong with her and that's why she hated her picture taken. Whoa! (So I was half expecting a third eye and a hunchback...haha! Just kidding!) And look at this stunning woman!! Just look at her! So until she can see herself through the worlds eyes, let me show her what I see. Miss M is a stunning, brilliant and funnyyyy woman. And my emphasis on funny is no mistake. I felt so good when I left her company today that I took the long way home. The first "sunday drive" of the year with the top down, the music turned up and the sun on my shoulders. Such a great day!

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I've been a bad bad blogger!

Riddle me this Batman...how can I be called a blogger when I do not blog? I should at least try to do it once a week right? My list of excuses are long: two family shoots, I restored a huge oak wine barrel that now graces my front door (its the only place it can sit outside to truly dry properly before I make a bar table out of it) I have almost finished the restoration of another antique chair, oiled my teak patio set, hiked several times, gone to yoga, watched hockey with the ladies...see!! I'm no slacker I can assure you! 

Anyways...enough about me. Check this little dude out! He is so curious with the most beautiful eyes! I had to share a storyboard I made. Lets hope this blog template works for it. (Ohhh....I'm changing my blog page again soon. This one was built for photos and handles them HORRIBLY! Plus the developer never returns emails so boooooo! Bad press for you Sir!) Two days...game seven. I have no finger nails left.

The Love between Siblings.

All for one and one for all
My brother and my friend
What fun we have
The time we share
Siblings 'til the end.
~Author Unknown

What I see is a glimpse of the man he will be...

He's TWICE as mean as he looks...

Ahhh...Mothers day. I feel so content and full from our Roast Beef dinner with all the trimmings that I have very little to say. Here is a pic of my cat Patrick who has many alias's. His first was Squitty. Part Squirrel part Kitty due to his huge tail. From there he gathered Bitty Squitty (from the song by Alan Jackson "its all right to be itty bitty"...but we sang "its all right to be Bitty Squitty, little red head in a big ole city". Then Ginger, Red Headed Step Child, Fatty Patty, Patrick O'Malley. Despite all his names several things have remained true his entire life. He's red, he's mean and he's twisted. He came out that way...I have no idea why he likes to inflict pain but everyone gives him a wide berth. (And NEVER blow in his face...just saying!) Well...off for my nap before bed. Have a great night.

Peace Needed

So this has been a crazy week! The world around us is falling apart but yet it is still so beautiful!

The war on terror took a turn with the death of Bin Laden, The Conservatives won a majority government, and tomorrow is the one year anniversary of my fathers passing. It seems like everything is turned on its head. Everything seems harder, but the dagger in my soul today is my thirteen year old son...who I seem to have lost suddenly. One minute he was a great kid, the next a sullen and snippy man who can shoot the dirtiest looks. I posted this on my facebook today in response to all the celebrations I saw around me regarding Bin Laden:

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

I would settle for peace in my home, peace with my son. So to help gather light around me I turn to you, my photos and my blog. I hope wherever you are in your life you have found peace and love.

I spy with my little eye

A team that's moving on!

My curse has been lifted...I actually watched (abeit out of the corner of my eye) a full Vancouver Canucks game in which they emerged the victor! Why did I take the chance with so much riding on this game you ask? Its the part of me that believes in elves and pixies. For real! They are mischievous creatures that just cannot help themselves. It must be the Irish in me. (Although...and this is a story for another day; we might be from the Orkney Islands). So perhaps that would make my behavior a bit more like that of a Selkie although that's not right either. Maybe a Trow? Who knows...its late and time for bed.

 

Here is a final picture for the evening of my one of my beautiful nieces. Sweet dreams my friends, thanks for joining me today.

 

Go Team!

Tonight brings to mind a song that I sang to in the shower this morning...

I`m leaving on a jet plane...don`t know when I`ll be back again....yadda yadda yadda...All my bags are packed I`m ready to go....

True Story: I cannot remember a time when I watched a Canucks game and they won. (Clearly I`ve watched zero hockey this season...wink wink!) So tonight I decided to jump on the bandwagon and watch a game. To join my fellow Canucks in this time honored tradition of hovering in front of the boob-tube. To join in the tears and the cheers...to be part of something bigger. 

There was just one small flaw in my plan...I`ve cannot remember ever watching a Canucks game where they came out the victor.   

So my bags are packed, I`m ready to go....

My apologies to all my fellow Canucks...we ARE all Canucks right?!?! Right?? (please....)

I promise to not watch again this season...

The State of the Nation

Did anyone watch the debate this evening? (Holy Bickersons!) I felt the need to find a quote on bickering to go with the picture I took yesterday. I'm certain this isn't the best quote for what I had originally gone in search of but I really liked it none the less. It reminded instead of my endeavors this past year. It was pretty nerve wreaking to set out in a completely different direction. My friends and family supported me by never telling me I could not do it and for that I love and respect them. My main motto is to never steal a dream. If the only way you know how to lift someone up is by not bringing them down; then you are wiser than most! So here is the quote for the evening: I went looking for something witty to mock the bickering I witnessed tonight (supported by my shredded flag picture) and instead I was reminded of how much I love my friends and family for the support they have given me.

 "Small men and small thoughts come from small dreams. A man is as big as his dreams are. There are always those who scoff and bicker and cower...but if you want to make big tracks on the land, you got to step out and start walking".

(See! It has BICKER in the quote so all is not lost!) btw I have no idea who the author of this is, but thank you unknown!

What I've been forced to resort to

On a normal day our powder room experiences approximately 10 visits. My house full of boys is generally quite good, but last week the neighbor took out the trees that separate their property from ours. These trees were long referred to by the denizens of the garage as the urinal. (True story..and I really hope I am not the only woman who has trees on her property that she will NOT go near.) Since the trees have been taken out I now have a much larger volume in my powder room. At first I thought this was a great thing. Then I realized some people SHOULD pee outside. I came up with this bowl on the back of the toilet.

We had a dinner party recently and this bowl was a great source of laughter. The ladies loved it and a lively discussion of our boys ensued. The men were even funnier. Some quotes from the evening which had us in stitches were: "I accidentally dropped a cheerio beside the toilet so you might want to wash the floor again", "I threw a bunch of cheerios in the bowl and it was like shooting fish in a barrel", and my favorite that almost made ME pee on the floor (in the kitchen none the less..) "I dropped a bunch of cheerios in and played Battleship"...so I handed him the air freshener and asked him to go clear the battle field of torpedo smoke! Every bathroom should be as fun as mine. I had to fill the cheerios up in the morning!