closing out the month

Hi friends! Can you believe January is already done? I'm kind of glad, aren't you?  The more distance we put between us and these drizzly, grey days, the better. Here's a quick update on the last half of January's 366 photos:

 1.16.16 Excited to have my homegirls over for dinner and a movie in.

 1.17.16 I love my vantage point from up here. We finally took down the Christmas lights, although I kind of wish people kept them up year round. There's a certain kind of magic when all of the homes on the street are lit up.

 1.18.16 It's a big day over here. We walked up to our local school and snapped this just before we registered her for Kindergarten. They say the days are long and the years are short, but I truly can't believe that we are already at this point of life. I savour every day we have off together and know it's going to be a hard day in September letting her wings spread a little more.

 1.19.16 Our weekly post ballet lunch date.

 1.20.16 Today was a fun filled day with her best friends. I love her sense of adventure and brave nature. Watch out Merida!

1.21.16 Which one should I read next?

 1.22.16 Movie Night: Kung Fu Panda. #fridaynightsaredifferentnow #wehaveuglyfeet

1.23.16 Pie Face: The Anticipation is mounting.....Wait for it.........

 1.24.16 These beautiful little snow drop flowers have started to bloom in the memorial garden I created for my mom. I never planted these, so I find it incredibly touching to read that these flowers signify Sympathy and Hope. Perfect.

 1.25.16 I'm so pumped about this utility cart we picked up from Ikea today (and assembled it like a boss!)

 1.26.16 Puddle jumping made this grey day a lot more fun.

1.27.16 The only reason I snapped this terrible selfie is because I had just been I.D.'d buying a bottle of wine. (The store probably has a policy that they have to ID everyone who looks like they're under 40, but whatever it is...I'll happily take it). 

1.28.16 A legit night out with my kick ass girls. If there is such a thing as an all fish taco diet, I'd SLAY at it. 

1.29.16 There is nothing like the feeling of seeing this face for the first time each day. My heart will always be full.

 1.30.16 I'm pretty sure the officiating budget was blown on this game.

1.31.16 There's nothing quite like sliding your feet into some sexy, warm, rental shoes.

A week in photos

Happy Friday night friends!! I hope you have an amazing weekend lined up for yourself. I'm excited to catch up with friends this weekend, who always manage to make my spirit soar. Here's a few photos from the week's 365:

 1.9.16 Vancouver in January. Alright, I suppose.

 1.10.16 I was lucky the workday wrapped up early and we got to ride around the hood. She got this bike for Christmas...When she first saw it, she said, "I never mentioned a flag on the back when I was talking to Santa about a bike, but I can work with this."

 1.11.16 One of my New Year's resolutions was to do more random acts of kindness. First on my list was to toss together a little gift basket for my mom's best friends.  My daughter and I had so much fun putting it together and were so excited to drop it off. They helped our family so much through mom's hardest days, showing up day in day out with meals, doing mom's laundry, mowing their lawns, you name it, they did it. They just kept showing up, and still do, cooking my dad meals all of the time. They are our angels.

 1.12.16 I can't tell you how much I love these moments: Creating artwork side by side, grooving to Songza. But then Macklemore's Downtown came on and she nearly lost her mind. A dance party of her own ballet moves, peppered with martial arts ensued. Watch out Elaine Benes.

 1.13.16: Coffee is on, birds nest cookies cooling, waiting for some of my favourite mommas and their little loves to arrive. Life is good.

 1.14.16 How to make entering a grocery store seem really exciting.

1.15.16 "Inside you time moves and she don't fade. The ghost in you she don't fade."

Happy Friday!

Hi friends, I hope you have a fun weekend lined up! Here's the last three days of my 366 (the extra day is because this year is a leap year). I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed doing this photo a day. It's a form of gratitude, of staying present. It forces me to search for the unique moments of my day. I guess for some people, they get the same out of meditation. I have always felt like photography keeps me focussed on the here and now.

 1.6.16: I love playing board games, but sweet Jesus, this one was never ending. It's called Trouble for a reason people.

 1.7.16: I wish I may I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight. (The funny back story about this photo is that she asked what we were having for dinner, and when I said Tacos, she ran upstairs and put on her fancy christmas dress. What would she have worn if I said we were having lobster?)

1.8.16: That Friday feeling. I parked my truck on a beautiful country road on route home from work. I basked in the sun for a few moments before picking up my daughter. It always feels rejuvenating to stand in a wide open space, sun on my face, and take in some big breaths of fresh air.
I rested my iphone on my truck hood and tried the self timer feature. It's not my best angle, and I'm pretty sure you can see straight up my nose, but it really did feel that great in that moment.

I hope you have an amazing night! I'm going to pour a glass of wine and watch some more episodes of Making a Murderer. Have you been watching it? I don't think I've ever shouted at my TV like this before. Sometimes we have to pause it, stand up and pace the floor for a moment. It's an incredibly well done documentary, but absolutely infuriating when you see the justice system at its most corrupt.

xoxo

1.5.16

And for a brief moment in time, the playroom was sparkling clean. DJ, drop me a beat because I have to do a victory dance.

1.4.16

There is nothing in this world that makes me happier than time spent in nature with those I love. Even in all of its simplicity, this day was just spectacular. Xo

1.3.16

This was taken during a gorgeous frosty morning walk with my oldest friends. I couldn't ask for a better start to the New Year than being surrounded by such wonderful company.

1.2.16

A heart shaped face. Leave it to nature to create such a beautiful creature. 

my happy place

Today we spent a beautiful crisp, sunny, winter day at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary. It's my favourite spot for a walk. I told Craig, "If I die, I want a memorial bench at this park." His response, "If?"
Made me laugh. Oh ya, I'm not immortal.

1.1.16

I'm kicking off the 2016 365 photo project. This was one of my favourite Christmas gifts - a perfect coffee table book. Brandon Stanton wanders the streets of New York with his camera, randomly snapping gorgeous portraits and during his short interviews with his subjects, uncovers the most incredible, jaw dropping stories.