Jan 31/365

Hello friends! Can you believe it's already the end of January? Did you have a good start to 2015? I really love doing this 365 photo project (although, some of the photos I've taken have been really sub-par quality, but at least I've kept at it). It's fun to look back at the month and be reminded of all the great things that have come from this time: ringing in the New Year on Pender Island, having amazing dinners each weekend with different friends, taking my daughter to her first concert, going on a date night with my love to see Brian Regan, having a tea party with my momma and celebrating each day that she's with us. So even if you don't do the photo a day project...even if you just jot one special thing from each day on a wall calendar, you'll be amazed at how many wonderful things can take place, just within one month's time. xoxo

30/365

It was a collection of the most adorable animals attacking their papa. Kids have the most incredible ability to make us forget about the big life stuff we are tackling, to demand that we are present and to remind us that it is best to just be silly. xoxo Happy Friday Friends!

29/365

Hello friends! It's been a very busy week...we made an offer on a home, that ended up going to someone else whom I shall furthermore refer to as lucky bastards. And although my hubby told me not to get to attached too quickly during the process,  I had already moved in, in my mind, and was so over the top excited to set it up and make it our own. I had already started to look at furniture (online). So ya, I got 100% attached to it, pretty much as soon as I walked through it. But I couldn't imagine making an offer on a place that I wasn't 100% excited about.
What kinds of qualities do you look for in a new home? Our new list includes a beautiful neighbourhood, quiet street, close to good schools...and for the house, I'd love an open floor plan, lots of natural light streaming in, a decent sized yard (ie - enough grass to play, but not so much that I need a ride-em mower), three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a rec room for our daughter.....so we'll see what we find. I'm just excited by the idea of exploring a new neighbourhood, having more room to entertain our friends (Is it just me, or do you sometimes find the expression room for entertaining a little funny? I mean, we're not actually "entertaining" them....like with a tap routine or performing showtunes ). Anyways, I'll let you know if we find our next home. All I know is that it's given me something to feel hopeful/excited about, which I've been very grateful for these days. xoxo

28/365

another grainy late night iphone photo.....hopefully life will settle down a bit soon so I can break out my camera...but tonight I just wanted to capture the sheer joy of finally getting home, after an almost three hour commute....and being thankful that I was home safe and sound, and not the poor man who passed away on the highway today.  As long as I'm hugging this little gal, my day is wonderful. xo

27/365

This is a little grainy because it's an iphone photo, but I had to quickly capture all the big time action as our cat moved from one sleeping spot to another.
xoxo

26/365

Today was a lovely day. The sun glistening off every surface truly helps pump up the volume on the day's enjoyment level. Toss in a great visit with friends, a beautiful walk to the park with my old gal (the princess pictured above) and a delicious dinner and you've got a rock solid Monday. I hope you were able to get out and enjoy the beautiful sun! xoxo

25/365

Nature was very fashion forward when she created the ladybug. I think I'd feel pretty spiffy if I were a ladybug compared to some of the other drab insects crawling around. I'd be all "in your face woodbugs!"

24/365

Today's rain called for some indoor camping. If there was a way to roast marshmallows over our fake electric fireplace, we would have. Goodnight friends! xo

23/365

Happy Friday friends! Tonight I had over my lifelong friends, who I can't begin to tell you how much I love and who always feel like home to me. This is a feeling that I really cherish more and more as I get older, people who you feel your truest self with and who you can laugh your butt off with. It's that delicious feeling of comfort, like when you've been away on a long trip and finally get to climb back in your own bed. I hope you have time with your homies this weekend. xoxo

22/365

It's this. It's this family of mine that blasts my days full of sunshine. It's walking through that door and knowing that as long as I am with these characters, I will always feel at home. xo

what if........

I slept over at my momma's last night and we had a wonderful heart to heart chat. She was crying, talking about how amazing her support has been over the past year. And it doesn't matter how many times I tell her it's a reflection of who she is, and how she has surrounded herself with the best of the best, she still can't believe it. But when I was lying in bed after, I was thinking about how during this past year, my mom has truly seen the best in everyone. People have been showering her with love, telling her how much they love her, showing up time and time again to make sure she's eating properly and that she's feeling okay. We've had the best talks of our life in this past year, where I've asked her things I've wanted to know, where I've repeatedly told her (always through tears) - just how much I love her and how she's this North Star in my life. So I started thinking, isn't this the way we're supposed to treat those we love? Why does it take a terminal illness for us to show others our best? What if you were told that the love of your life (or anyone you love) is going to pass away at some point this year, you don't know when, but you just know that it's coming this year - think of how you wouldn't take another moment for granted. Think of the urgency with which you'd get working on those dreams you shared. Think of how little you'd waste time arguing. What if we treated one another with copious amounts of love, compassion and thoughtfulness, as if we're all here for a brief amount of time? As mad as I get at the universe for giving my mom this shitty diagnosis, I have never felt more grateful for the relationship we've shared this year - it's been our truest, most loving selves. We haven't taken one moment for granted. xoxo

20/365

This isn't a fantastic photo, but I love what it captures - my little gal doing her first sports skills class. She's the only girl in the class and was just killing it today. She even ran around and helped the teacher put away the equipment after. It was an awesome morning. I want her to be a strong and confident little gal. #notraisingaprincess

19/365

I love doing this 365 photo project because it makes me take stock of each day.  It allows me to appreciate that even though my heart is breaking, I am still able to live within many moments with great joy. xo

18/365

Today was a wonderful Sunday -the hubby and I traded off exercise time, I took our little girl to visit friends and go for a nice park walk, we had a delicious dinner at home - it all felt like the perfect way to wind down the week. I have to tell you about this deal I got today, because I don't know if I've ever been so surprised by a discount. I fell in love with these orange dinner plates at Urban Barn (yes, very spirographesque), that retail for $10 each. I picked up six of them, and when the clerk tallied them up, he said, that'll be "$11." I'm pretty sure I leaned over the counter and screamed right into his mouth, "For all six?!?!?!?" So I ran back and grabbed six side plates, like I was some kind of maniac running against a magical cash register that might soon spit out proper pricing. Twelve plates that I absolutely love for under $25. Thank you retail fairies. xo

17/365

It was their first tea party. They each received their own pot of orange pekoe decaf tea. It was adorable. Sharing the experience with their nana meant everything. xo

16/365

It was her first concert. When the music began, she danced like a free spirit at a burning man concert. I swear she has those moves like Jagger. I was definitely in a state of bliss watching her bust a move.

15/365

I snapped this iphone shot on route to meet a group of very funny women for dinner. I pride myself on seeking out funny company. I hope your night was a great one. xo

14/365

I snapped this with my iphone on the drive home. I had to pull over. It was such a beautiful winter's day.The boats were all empty. There wasn't a soul around. I just stood on the shoreline, feeling the sun, listening to the water lap against the boats. I hope you feel a little moment of serenity for yourself looking at it too. xoxo

13/365

Find a sunny spot to lounge the day away in. Don't give a $&% if anyone judges you for it. #catlifeadvice

12/365

Today started out quite funny. And by funny, I mean panicky. Sweat inducing panic. I literally hauled my butt out of bed, walked over to the Keurig machine, loaded up my favourite mug and a coffee capsule, and just as I hit brew the lights in the house went out. I thought that I somehow blew a fuse because it literally happened the moment I hit the button. Then, when I looked online, hydro was posting an outage in our area affecting roughly 4500 customers. I giggled at first, then realizing I had no potential of a coffee for awhile, waved my fist into the air, "you win this round Monday!"
I took breakfast over to my moms, did some light housework for them and some office work for my dad. It cracks me up that he still dictates letters like we're starring in Mad Men, without the cool wardrobe or crackling dialogue. After a busy morning, we got home, and my daughter refused to nap. It looks like Monday takes round two quite handedly. You see, when she doesn't nap, the simplest thing can set her off. "I didn't want a snack in your kind of bowl, I wanted it in my kind of bowl!!!" Like I was the world's biggest idiot for thinking someone would actually prefer a beautifully presented snack in a pretty porcelain bowl over beaten up plastic.  And even though a big man flaunting a lot, and I mean a lot of butt crack peeking at me from every turn, positioned his mat next to mine at hot yoga (lots of sweat pooling, short shorts,  if you know what I'm saying)....the day was still awesome because it was full of people I love (well, except butt crack man, even though I'm sure he's very nice)....I got home from my class feeling re-centered, re-charged and ready for Tuesday. Goodnight friends. xo

11/365

I think we applied enough shampoo. 

10/365

Cheers to the next generation of amazing girls who are going to rule the world.

9/365

Tonight was our first, of what I hope to be many, dates of the year. After work, I had a chance to peek at the funky shops along Main Street, buy a little gift for my date,  then meet up for a delicious dinner with my love at Burgoo.  With happy, full bellies, we headed to the beautiful Chan Centre for an outstanding night of comedy with Brian Regan. I don't know if I've ever laughed so hard as I did during this brilliant man's show. It's no wonder that he often tops the list of respected comedian's favourite stand up comic.  If you want to get a peek at his comedy, check out this with Jerry Seinfeld.....or this sample of his stand up.  xoxo

8/365

The fog wrapped a soft blanket around the city today. Everything felt a little hazy today, and then came a beautiful moment of clarity- much like the car in the photo. Segue!: I was reading my daughter a bedtime story, and in it, the mother becomes increasingly sick, which I wasn't expecting, and my thoughts immediately went to my mom and the tears started rolling down my cheeks. My daughter looked up at me and said, "Don't be sad momma, you have your family all around you."
I swear to god this little gal is an old soul. I learn so much from her everyday. xo

Je Suis Charlie

My favourite depiction of the human spirit after today's atrocities in France. Draw more.

7/365

This is a grainy iphone photo taken on my journey home. But I kind of like how old timey it looks.

6/365

It was a wonderful day: a visit with my mom and a dear friend, lots of play time with my little love and I got to cap off the evening with a hot yoga class. Who would have known that photo that would resonate with me the most from the day would be taken at car wash? You can find beauty everywhere if you look hard enough. Namaste.

5/365

Even at such a young age, it's easy to tell that these two share a wonderful connection. They had both been sick over the holidays and were beyond excited to be reunited today. It'd be funny if adults tossed on costumes when we visited our friends.

4/365

Buy this book: A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett. A giant shout out to my amazing friend Forbes for gifting me this riveting story. It's the true account of Canadian Amanda Lindhout's backpacking travels that take her through such places as Bangladesh, India, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and eventually to Somalia, where she is kidnapped and held captive for 15 months. It is incredibly well written, suspenseful and showcases an inner strength like no other. So, since the bookstores are closed tonight, just add it to your to-do list tomorrow....you can thank me later. Well, I guess you can thank Amanda since all I really did was flip the pages, curled up under a cozy blanket, sipping delicious coffee, while she had to traverse the world and endure it all, then brilliantly re-tell it.

3/365

There is so much love between these two. I know it is a little premature of me to say, but if they get married one day, I'll be over the moon.

2/365

I met them after work for a glass of wine in their hotel lounge before they kicked off their downtown date weekend. They had a wonderful line up planned of beautiful meals, a visit to the art gallery, shopping, movies - they were so excited. If there's one thing I've learned last year, it is to just live in each moment - and the ones I get to share with these two are very much appreciated. xo

1/365

Here we go! I have started a few 365 photography projects before, but I've never been able to complete one past 9-10 months without losing steam. So, here's the start of one that I'd like to see through to its entirety to prove to myself that I can do it. Like anything, I'm hoping daily practice will lead to a greater skill set. I might not always be around a computer to post the photo, but will definitely take a photo each day and do catch-up posts.
This sweet face was running around Brooks Point on Pender Island this morning. xo

Happy New Year!!

Happy 2015!! I hope you had an amazing New Year's celebration! We had the best time ringing in the new year on picturesque Pender Island with friends we love so thoroughly. As we hiked in the fresh crisp winter sun, skipping rocks in the ocean, walking on logs and swapping funny stories, I knew that there was nowhere I'd rather be. I feel like these people just refuelled my tank. I think all of the fresh air, the stunning scenery, the amazing conversations and giant laughs have seriously added years to my life. We were dancing around, cooking a giant New Years dinner, all huddled in the kitchen, and one of my friends turned to me and said, isn't this just the best? It really was. After dinner, we all bundled up and roasted marshmallows over the bonfire. Then, once the kids were tucked in, we sat out by the fire, sang cheesy songs from our teenage years, sipped delicious wine and laughed our way into the new year. I couldn't have asked for a better start to 2015. Is there anything better than friends who are an extension of your family? Happy New Year lovelies!! xoxo