Day 348

"The Ladybug Foundation"

Today the K-3 classes at Oakville School walked "a mile in their shoes" in support of the The Ladybug Foundation inc. Each child made a ladybug jar and collected spare change from friends and family and donated it to the Ladybug Foundation. Today, they went for a mile long walk around O...akville in support of this cause. Several of the Seniors in the Community made each child a red scarf with a ladybug sewn on it that they all wore proudly! The walk ended with hot chocolate and cookies courtesy of the Senior Centre in Oakville.

Well done Oakville School ~ hats off to the teachers, students and seniors who were involved in this great fundraiser. I went along and captured a pile of pictures for the school to have.

Here are just a few of the many! I wish I could showcase more as I captured some beautiful close-ups of each child on the walk, but I don't have permission from the parents to do so.

Day 348

Day 347

"Makin' Cookies"

I spent the majority of my day working yesterday as I had a session in the morning and basically hunkered down and edited for the remainder of the day and evening.  I must admit, Jack was just a tad neglected so when he asked me this morning if I would bake cookies.....how could I say no! 

Mmmmm....mmmmm ~ Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe
1 Cup Margarine, softened
1 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tsp of Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup White or Chocolate Chips
1 Cups Rolled Outs

Cream margarine, and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Blend into a cream mixture. Stir in oats and chocolate. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or golden brown.

Day 346

"Sweetness"

There were so many pictures to choose from for my Picture of the Day, Gabrielle and Max were so easy to photograph! I could tell that their Mom takes lots of pictures as they were so patient with me and given their ages, they lasted a lot longer than most three & four year olds! I chose this pictur...e out of all of the options for my Project 365 because I loved how sweet it looked. I told them to just look at each other and she Gaby reached up to Max's face. Simply adorable.

Day 346....Gaby & Max.....so great to meet you two and thank you for being so good!

Day 245

"Jack Got his Chompers Back"

Busy, crazy, insane day today! Up and down the highway more times than I could count, but in the end Jackson got his dentures put back in! Yay - he has his cute toothy grin back.

Teeth or no teeth - he's still adorable to me....Day 245

Day 344

Day 344

"Namaste"

So, I have been reading everyone's Facebook pages about working out, personal trainers, boot camp and so on and have to say I admire you all for having the discipline to exercise like you do. It is not for me though. I lack the coordination for any type of cardio or aerobics (yes, I was once asked to leave a step aerobics class - I kid you not - I looked like a frog in a blender and was mixing everyone up so they asked me to leave - MORTIFIED!)

I luckily don't have any weight issues that I need to overcome but let's face it, I'm getting older and I need to start taking better care of myself. Last year I started doing Yoga and I absolutely loved it. My sister-in-law is a certified Yoga Instructor and I have seen first-hand how it has changed her life. I don't have the luxury of attending her classes (but if you live in the Parkland area - you should go) so I bought myself some Yoga DVD's and got into the routine last year of doing them with Jackson every morning. Somehow, life happened and I stopped doing them, put the yoga mat away and stacked the DVDs with the other hundreds of unwatchd DVDs I have floating around my home. Last night Jackson brought up the yoga mat and asked if we could start doing it again. Perfect timing, I so need to start doing this again.

So, Jack and I put on our "yoga clothes" (yes, this is a great excuse also to buy more lulu lemon clothes), set up the mat and put on the DVD this morning. He lasts for about ten minutes, then gets bored and just goes off and plays, which is good because I can't help laugh at him while he's doing all these poses and from what I've heard, yoga is all about breathing and it's hard to breathe when you're laughing your head off!

Anyhow, this picture is for you Aunty Buffy - Jack demostrating one of the poses he says he learned from you!

Namaste!

Day 343

"Danny Boy"

I read on Facebook that it was warming up outside. Ummmmm, nope. Danny and I went out for some fun shots in the snow and we froze! I think it was the wind....regardless we still fired off a few fun shots. I got the blowing snow idea from a friend of mine ~ Jeff Early at Ravenshoe Photographics! Thanks Jeff.

Day 342

"Hockey"

Dylan had three games today and Danny had one. Needless to say my picture of the day should be hockey-related somehow, however, all I managed to capture today was Danny walking into our second home (the Oakville Arena)!
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Hockey....it has taken over our lives! ;) But even at the end of such a hectic day we ask the boys "did you have fun"? and the answer is always "yes!". As long as it stays "yes"....we'll play!

Day 342.....

Day 340 & 341

Day 341 ~ "Just Me"

Sorry folks, a very uninspiring day for me in photography world! Maybe I was played out from Jack's busy birthday yesterday, or maybe it was the fact it was -39 here today, but I just was not inspired at all to take a photo of much of anything. The night was starting to tick away and I knew I needed s...omething. I tried to take some pictures of the boys just hanging out, but they weren't interested. I looked around my home for something interesting to photograph but after 341 days of this project I am kind of running out of ideas! I was walking from my studio to my desk and quickly snapped this shot of me.....and voila....nothing great, but it will have to do because I honestly am just not in the mood to take anymore pictures. Can you tell this cold weather is bringing me down?

Gearing up for a weekend full of hockey - six games between two boys - wish us luck!

Have a great weekend everyone......Day 341....what I must look like to my nephews and children all the time! ;)

Day 340 ~ "Happy Birthday Jackson"

So, I won't go on and on about what Jack's 5th birthday means to me because I think from all my blogging, you know!
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It's been a busy day, and still is but I thought I'd upload my picture of the day as I'm pretty sure I'll collapse when I get home tonight! :) Jack had his party with this pals from 11-1 today, then Nursery School from 1-3, then a mini-party/gift opening with his brothers when they got home from school.....now we're heading out to celebrate as a family in the City doing our favourite thing, going out for supper!

Happy Birthday Jack - luv you so much. AND Happy Birthday to my adorable nephew Kael today as well - wish we were together, but we'll celebrate soon.

Day 340, my baby & me!

Day 339

"Reece & Kade"

This morning Reece & Kade came out to my home studio to have some portraits taken. These boys were so good and so sweet and made my job so easy with their cute little smiles and great little personalities! My son Jackson was quite pleased too as he was able to play with Kade while we took picture...s of Reece.

Thanks for bringing your boys out Allison, especially in this cold weather we're having!

I quickly glanced through the pictures this afternoon and fell in love with this one of the boys together!

Day 339 ~Brothers~

Day 338

"School Mornings"

Just a few pictures of my two oldest all ready to go to school on this very cold day in Manitoba. The bus wouldn't come down our road because it was too snow-packed so Kris took my 4x4 and drove them to school. I am pretty much snowed in unless the grader comes and rescues me! Oh well, it's t...oo cold to go anywhere today anyhow. I wish they'd have closed the school so I could have had all my kids snowed in with me! Oh well, it's just Jack and me again for the day!

Day 338....Danny & Dylan! Doesn't Dylan look thrilled to be heading off to school - when they heard the bus wasn't coming I think they hoped school was cancelled!

Stay Warm! Stay Safe!

Day 337

"Stay Warm"

Sorry folks, picture is a little lame today, but I have a to-do list a mile long! Thankfully, it all involves staying home and indoors. It is cold out today so Jack and I are staying home and tackling a bunch of stuff around here that should have been done months ago! I made home-made soup yesterday and it is the perfect lunch for such a cold day today.

Day 337....my lamo picture of the day - home-made soup. Stay warm and stay safe all you Manitobans!

Recipe:
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup dice onions
1 TB butter
2 tetra packs of Chicken broth (I also use my own chicken stock if I have some frozen, but the tetra packs work just as well)
2 TB dill
salt & pepper
1 cup fine egg noodles
3 TB chicken soup base

In a pot, saute carrots, celery and onions, add chicken broth and noodles, season to taste with salt & pepper and add plenty of dill for flavour. Lightly boil so noodles cook. Simmer and enjoy! You can add diced chicken to this as well!

Day 335 and 336

Day 335 - "Winter Sunrise"

I took this at 8:30 this morning. I loved how the snow almost looked pink from the sunrise. Very little editing needed to be done - this is simply winter beauty in Manitoba.
...Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!

Day 335.....

Day 336 - "A Bisit"

Wow, what a cold day out today! I was supposed to have an outdoor family session this afternoon after my son's hockey game, but when we saw the forecast we quickly decided to wait until warmer weather.
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Kris and I went our seperate ways today....he was off to Carberry for Danny's game and Jack, Dylan and I headed into Oakville for Dyl's game. I love watching my kids play hockey, but I have to say it was nice to get home and warmed up. I don't know why, but the cold weather really got to me today!

I was tidying up my studio this afternoon and Jackson wandered in and asked if he could have a little "bisit". Bisit is how he says visit.....likely because of his three missing front teeth (note to self....time to get him to the dentist to get his dentures put back in....yes, he has dentures....take a stroll back in my Project to get the story on that! LOL) Anyhow, when Jack and I "Bisit", I basically keep doing what I'm doing while he natters away about this and that. Being the youngest in the family, I think sometimes he just wants to be "heard". I stopped tidying, grabbed my camera and just sat and listened to him talk away about pirates, his brothers, Star Wars and whatever else seemed to come to his mind. I have to remind myself to stop sometimes and just "listen" to him, because he has a lot of cute stuff to say!

Here is Day 336....Jack during our "bisit"

Happy Sunday Everyone....stay warm....

Day 334 & the Fabulous Kara!

Day 334

"Kara"

So, Kara came out to my studio this morning to get some "head shots" done for her business cards and promotional items. Kara is a Real Estate Agent in Portage la Prairie and works at Remax Central Plains Reality. We did several outfit changes and took some professional looking images. Afterwards, I insi...sted she let me do some "just for fun" shots. I knew they wouldn't be "business card" material, but I wanted to take some nice pictures of her because she looked so great today. Kara is like me, she hates getting her picture taken, but she agreed and let me have some fun.

Here is one of my favourites. Thanks for letting me do these at the end Kara - you're a good sport!

Simply....Kara.

Some ~just for fun~ images I captured of Kara after our "head shots". We captured lots of beautiful professional images for her, but I had the most fun taking these. Thanks Kara ~ see, these weren't that painful! ;)

Day 333

"Hats!"

I love hats. I have several (OK, lots!) and I could wear them everyday. My mother-in-law made me this hat and I adore it. It was such a pretty, snowy, wintery morning out so I thought I would take some pictures (again). While I was out I figured might as well do a self portrait. OK, I love hats, but I hate getting my picture taken. I really do. I have a certain idea of what I look like in my head, and when I see myself in a photo, it's rarely what I think I look like. Does that make any sense. Every picture I took of myself looking towards the camera, I disliked. So, of course, I'm picking the one of me looking down, and away from the camera. I still liked this picture though, the soft colour and the winter scene in the background.

I have a busy day of Nursery School and hockey so this is going to have to do for my Project 365!

Day 333.....me and one of my favourite hats!

Day 332

In the Middle of Nowhere"

This is where I live. Literally in the middle of nowhere. And I love it. When I first moved to Portage after I was married we lived right in the City. I hated it. Nothing against Portage, but I grew up on a farm, miles away from town and "in the middle of nowhere". Sure, I had liv...ed in Brandon and Winnipeg before settling down, but those were temporary, and I knew I would not be "living" in those places forever. After a couple years living in the City I looked at my husband and said "I need wide open spaces". He told me to give it five years and if I still didn't like it, then we could move.

Literally five years after moving to Portage I said "My turn"! We luckily found a great property "in the middle of nowhere". I loved it and everything just kind of worked out like it was meant to be. We've been here six years now and have never regretted it. Even my "city-boy" husband loves it. It would be 100% perfect if we could cut out our little four acres and move it closer to my family, but I'm coming to terms with the fact that that dream will never happen! ;) I remember the first night we spent in our new home and Kris was staring outside and he looked at me and said "whoa, it's so dark and so quiet". Right then, I knew I was "home".

Day 332....where I live....."in the middle of nowhere".

PS - I took these this afternoon - beautiful day outside - get out if you have a chance! ;)

Day 331 and Mike & Dana ~ Engaged!

Meet Mike & Dana ~ one of my 2011 Wedding Couples. We met for the first time this afternoon and after meeting them, I'm so excited to photograph their wedding. These two are a fun-loving, easy-going, laid-back pair and I had so much fun taking these engagement pictures.

It seems that the majority of my wedding couples this year are high-school sweet-hearts. Mike & Dana have been together for over eight years!

Thanks for coming out to Oakville today - it was so great to meet you! Here is one of the many images we captured today.

Day 331.....

Mike & Dana ~ Engaged!

Congratulations on your engagement Mike & Dana! It was so great to meet you today, I have a feeling shooting your wedding is going to be a day filled with laughs! Thank you for driving out to Oakville for these engagement pictures! Here is a sneak peak of some of the many images we were able to capture on this beauti...ful, sunny winter day! Happy Wedding Planning! ;)

Day 330 and Baby Chase!

Day 330

"One Word - SWEET!"

Meet Mr. Chase Michael. I drove into Winnipeg today to capture some newborn photos of this sweet, little baby boy. He was an absolute angel. He was awake for the first few minutes and then slept the rest of our session away. He is a beautiful little boy. It was great to meet you Jaimie - th...ank you for asking me to capture these memories for you!

Day 330....the adorable little Chase.....two weeks old!

Baby Chase!

Here are just a few of the many adorable images we captured today of Baby Chase. He is so tiny, so perfect, so cute and so good! What an angel to photograph. Thanks again Jaimie.....great to meet you and your beautiful son.

Day 329

Day 329

"Gotta Love Sundays"

Today was one of those Sundays that I love. We all slept in (and I mean, really slept in!), then Kris and I just hung out in the family room drinking coffee while the kids were drawing and colouring. After that we headed to Danny's hockey game later in the afternoon and then home for leftover Chinese. I didn't have to cook, and pretty much cleaned everything in it's entirety the past couple day so that was done and it was just a relaxing day.

Didn't take much for pictures, but I did take these pictures of the kids this morning from my desk.....gotta love Sunday morning coffee and the boys actually getting along!

Have a great week everyone.....

Day 329!

Day 328

"Pretty"

I'm in the midst of my organizing crusade in my house today. My older son is off playing hockey and it's a P.J. day for Dylan and Jackson. I was asking Dylan what he thought I should take a picture of today for my project (secretly hoping he'd volunteer himself up for a photo shoot), but he didn't want... to change out of his pjs! I told him to look around the house and find something for me to photograph and he came up with my new stained-glass snowflake, which I love. Coincidentally, it was made by his Grade 2 teacher! He thought it would make a "cool" picture so I went ahead and quickly shot a few pictures of it.

Here is Day 328....now I must get back to my other "project" today - organizing my home!

Day 327

"Organized!"

With the rush of the holiday season, everything seemed to just become chaos in my home. I basically was just flying by the seat of my pants trying to accomplish everything that needed to be done both with work, kids and home. January and February are a slower time for me so I'm taking the opportuni...ty to get organized again. Today I shut off my computer for a couple hours (wow! It's amazing what one can accomplish when we do this), and I organized my studio and my home office. I spend a lot of time at my desk so I like to surround myself with things I love....vintage cameras, pictures of my kids, books and quotes. It makes all the hours I spend at my laptop so much more enjoyable!

Day 327....now moving onto my storage rooms!

Have a great weekend everyone!