Just A Few Scraps...

Five Happy Thoughts:

2010-08-15T01:06:00.001-04:00

1. Enjoying a quick moment of relaxation with my sister - Starbucks ran out of ice, but we found another option on the menu to enjoy instead of a frappacino

2. Waiting for dinner at Montana's to celebrate my new part time job to supplement my income to save for my Wedding day and pay off my car included some drawings

3. Just finished reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, so stoked to see the movie

4. A visit to the dentist is helping me recover my smile and start the process of healing an infected molar that needed to be pulled

5. Enjoying that my blackberry phone has camera options that help me to snap theses little photos when the moment strikes me

Until next time :)

o/` August i'll see you soon, under yellow moons...

2010-08-08T23:04:00.003-04:00

Five Happy Thoughts:

1. Enjoyed a leisurely day with great friends who I have known a long time at their 2nd annual family bbq

2. Cupcakes - I really shouldn't eat them, but sharing them once in awhile from the Candy Store in Westboro is just too much temptation... Cupcakes are a featured item on Saturdays, the menu is posted monthly and they are just so delicious... July 31st's flavours were Ginger Lemon or Cherry, we shared one of each and they were just so delicious

3. Free wifi at Starbucks makes it easier to enjoy a little me time on the go. I love the atmosphere and enjoy a good cold mocha frappuccino on these hot summer days we've been having.

4. Thunderstorms - as long as I am safe and out of the storm's way, I love to watch the dark clouds move angriliy about, see the lightening light up the sky and then almost jump every time the thunder claps... I could listen to the rain fall for hours. Of course when I went out again the rain hadn't stopped, I could barely see past the window of the car as the windshield wipers worked quickly to whisk the rain away.

5. Small Town service with a smile - My wisdom tooth broke and was causing me so much pain that I just couldn't bare it anymore, I have a pretty high pain tolerance but I just couldn't take it knowing I could only see the dentist the next day... Since the wait in the Ottawa area is anywhere between 4 to 10 hours or more sometimes; I met my mom at the Kemptville hospital to get an antibiotic to start the healing process before the tooth is pulled... The nurses were friendly, kind and understanding; and even though it was a busy night for their emergency room we only waited an hour and a half to be seen by the doctor... I wouldn't do this often as I hate to go to the hospital no matter what, but sometimes you don't have a choice... so I am glad I was able to use their services as my mom lives in the area.

I'm leaving to take the bus to the dentist in about an hour as I don't think I should be driving with tylenol 3 in my system... I am pretty traumatized by the dentist in general due to a long life with bad teeth and a few really bad experiences but my oral surgeon tries to be patient with my fears so I know I will come away feeling less pain; and on the road to recovery...

Until next time :)

Please Don't Go...

2010-07-31T13:15:00.000-04:00

Crazy how it feels like Summer is already leaving us...

Cooler evenings brought comforters back out and warm coffee has been chosen over iced frappacinos.

I even pondered putting the heat on in the car last night as I drove my sister home from work...

I didn't put the heat on in the car.

It was really chilly and I'm pretty sure there were goosebumps, but I didn't turn it on because I am not ready to let go of Summer yet.

It's been a hot one. Full of fun moments and thrilling adventures.

Precious memories I will never forget that involved weddings, road trips and a Circus tent.

Here's hoping August will be just as memorable...

Good bye July 2010...

Sunset from Way Way UP...

July 1st Fireworks

Hanging out on the shores at Bate Island

The View from Bate Island

Visiting the Canadian Geese at Bate Island

My Roaming Gnome visits Bate Island

Until next time :)

Five Happy Thoughts:

2010-07-26T01:01:00.000-04:00

This summer is full of Love, Life and Laughter.

1. Beautiful Friendships - I've known these ladies so long. When I moved to Ontario in grade eight, they extended the gift of their friendship to me and my life has never been the same since. They are just as much a part of my family as any relative.

MV's wedding was fun, full of love, friendship and precious moments I will never forget. From start to finish, their celebration of love made me feel so happy that I was able to be a part of their special day. I felt so honored to share in the love that she and her new husband feel for each other and their families.

2. Roadtrips - I love to just get in the car and drive, I don't have to have a destination, sometimes I just wander to take photos, to document the parts of the world that speak to me through the eye of my lens.

I think part of me feels like I'm escaping the day to day routine when I take to the open road, enjoying new experiences and an adventure or two along the way.

This summer has included a weekend roadtrip to Chateau Montebello for M's wedding, the hotel is so beautiful, the grounds are lovely and the Chateau itself is rustic yet so elegant.

A beautiful model showcased the Lodge in the main hall of the Chateau.

My friend's Friday night wedding was followed up with a luxurious brunch the morning after which included another of my favorites.

3. Great coffee - Awesome breakfast options: I love brunch and nothing makes me happier in the morning than a good cup of strong coffee with some sustenance to go with it. The hotel did not disappoint me on this in one bit...

Next up on my Summer tour was a quick overnight trip to Montreal with two of my coworkers to see the Cirque de Soleil perform their masterpiece Totem. Under the big top, the Circus magic lured me in for almost four hours, tempting me to run away and join their troop of performers.

Totem is one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen live.

Nothing I could have imagined would have lived up to what these artists do with their talents to put together such moving pieces of dance, acrobatics and the most amazing show. The music was lively, the performers were so colourful, vibrant and full of emotion as they showcased their talents. My favorite was one of the final pieces where two native dancers performed on rollerskates on a round table that was covered in white fur, their costumes were so beautiful and the love their dance conveyed moved me to tears.

My other favorite part of Totem was how the performance ended. Each performer came to the stage but instead of bowing, the group kept growing and everyone from the first to the last act was involved in a group dance that bid good night to the crowd. The musical ending created such a positive vibe to finish such an amazing show.

4. Family - Enjoyed a short visit with my Mom at the Karrs Dog Show.

It may have rained while we were there, but it was nice to spend some time with her at her home away from home. As a surprise, I also brought my niece with me for the day. As soon as Ms. K knew she was going, she got to work creating a card for both Nana and Opa.

5. Baseball - For the Love of the Game.

I may not go to as many games as I used to, but my Summer is not complete without at least a few nights of cheering on the Ottawa Coyotes as they play recreational baseball.

As well as seeing some fun laid back baseball; I also enjoy getting to see wives and girlfriends of players as well as the little ones that come out to watch their dads play on a warm, summer night.

These five happy thoughts are just a few of the things I've enjoyed this summer... I hope to update with some Travelocity Gnome photos next as I take some snapshots with the Gnome on some touristy Ottawa adventures.

Until next time :)

Yay, my own lilttle Travelocity Gnome!

2010-06-29T23:31:00.003-04:00

So as part of a Facebook contest I recently won my very own version of the Travelocity Gnome.

He's being shipped to me as I type this. Such a small little thing to be happy about but I think he's cute. I also think it will be fun to add a new little bit of inspiration to my reason for photographing a million things.

And that was part of how I won the little gnome - I had to explain where I would take him so I could take his photo and add to his travel tales.

My plan was to take him on my own little Amazing Race of Ottawa, Ontario and show him all the touristy places people should visit when they tour the city.

First stop: Andrew Hayden Park to snap him with the Canadian Geese
Second stop: Parliament Hill at the Peace Tower or the Flame
Third stop: Next a stroll through the Byward Market
Fourth stop: A photo op in front of the Spider at the National Art Gallery
Fifth stop: What's next but a little drink - a pint at an Ottawa Pub

And from there who knows where the adventure would take us next!

I wish I would receive him before Canada Day because it would be great to take another photo of him in front of a backdrop of Fireworks...

Ahh the possibilities are endless...

Until next time :)

All you need is love:

2010-06-26T09:18:00.004-04:00

Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes is certain for those who are friends - Richard Bach

Friday, June 18th, 2010 will be one of those days that I will never forget.

My dear friend Mirka was married to Dragoslav, the love of her life.

The weather offered a blessing with beautiful sunshine and a soft summer breeze for their four o'clock outdoor ceremony at Chateau Montebello.

I was so nervous as Mirka had asked me to read a passage she and her fiance had chosen to include during their beautiful ceremony.

When Mirka asked both myself and another longtime friend of ours to read at the ceremony, I was pleasantly surprised. Her wedding party was small and intimate so I was so very touched and happy to be a part of her special day.

Yet in that same moment, I was terrified... I am not the best public speaker, I always go red when I must speak in front of any crowd.

Good thing though, she quickly let us know that her fiance would make sure we had cards to read off of so then my panic subsided a little.

I didn't think we would be included in the wedding party, so it touched me deeply when she and Dragi decided to include us in this special way.

The passage was "The Art of Marriage" by Wilferd A. Peterson. It was beautiful and I could definitely relate to the words and the meaning behind them.

And when it came time to read it, I felt good because I was sharing in my friend's special day. And with just one look at her as she walked down the aisle, I could see how happy she is with this man who loves her so deeply.

I can only hope that when that day comes, I will look and feel as radiant and loved as she did, as that is all anyone can ever hope to be: happy and well loved.

So even though I was nervous, speaking in front of a crowd was easy as we all felt the love that the couple shared with each other and with their family & friends.

The ceremony was so special, the officiant was really on the ball and kept things moving along until the moment we were all waiting for - asking the groom to kiss his bride before introducing the happy couple to the crowd.

The warm summer evening was magical - dinner and dancing along with many wishes for health, love & happiness.

I cannot explain how much love I felt in sharing with my friends on their special day.

I hadn't expected to enjoy myself quite as much as I did as I worry about the way I look or what others might think of me; but this time, I just focussed on the love I felt for my friend of many years and celebrating their marriage with her and the man who loves her.

And I think it was the best wedding I've ever been to - relaxed, fun and definitely a memory I will cherish forever.

Wishing love & happiness as the bride & groom enjoy their honeymoon cruising through Europe for the next twelve days.

Stay posted for photos coming soon.

Until next time :)

Hot Summer Nights...

2010-06-16T00:44:00.001-04:00

Outside my window...
The stars are shining brightly on an early summer night.

I am thinking... that time is passing so quickly!

I am thankful for... a friend who trusted me to speak on her special day.

From the kitchen... yummy tomato & cheese sandwich with mayo for a late night snack as I missed dinner and it was pretty hot outside today.

I am wearing... a dark grey tank top, a red printed blouse, a black jersey skirt and my white flip flops.

I am creating... memories to last a lifetime.

I am going... to put away the banana bread as it's cooling right now.

I am reading... Anne Rice's Memnoch the Devil

I am hoping... the sun will shine for M & D's wedding Friday afternoon.

I am hearing... the television still on as it's too warm to sleep.

Around the house... Dishes done, banana bread cooling, lunch to make for work tomorrow, and a warm bed I want to climb into... soon.

One of my favorite things... inushtuk sculptures!

Until next time :)

Reflections

2010-06-13T10:37:00.005-04:00

Kingston, Ontario - May 22nd, 2010 - Road trip with my sister & niece.

It's about time: Reflecting, Re-evaluating and Rebuilding

I have realized that I need to make things more simple.

I want to feel inspired and excited about blogging, about writing again...

Instead I've taken so much time to think I need to perfect the space I blog in, that I've lost sight of what I wanted in the first place:

A blog that reflects who I am & lets me share the photos I love

I love the thought of a blog of my photos. I strive to update with more content and then fall by the wayside because real life keeps me busier than I'd like to be in order to update more.

And then I also think that my blog has to be so much more perfect than just what inspires little old me.

So in an effort not to try to be so stubborn, I will stop worrying about what anyone else thinks or does and just keep it simple: my passion - photos that only need a few words to tell the story of the life I love so much.

Until next time :)

Toronto Birthday Weekend

2010-05-02T10:45:00.000-04:00

So April and May were really busy months for me, I'm hoping June will be a bit less hectic so that I may have some time to reflect and enjoy the better weather that should be on it's way soon.

I still have not been able to make my goal of posting weekly, with two jobs, staying on top of eating properly and just getting the everyday things done; I fall behind on a regular basis.

I don't know how to fix this, except to perhaps begin creating lists to keep me on track - as I also have a bit of a horrible memory and honestly forget things sometimes... it's so frustrating, so I am hoping a list might help me focus.

I am always really inspired by Andrea's hulaseventy blog, she's such a great photographer and she has a great outlook on life, so I thought after seeing that she is keeping 52 weeks of lists, this might be an option that could work for me in remembering all the stuff I want to get done; as well as the priority of what needs to get done... so let's see if that will help me make some new things part of my routine.

I went away for my birthday in April; I can hardly believe I am 35, it still seems so surreal to me.

I remember when I was a little girl and hearing that a relative was 35 or older and thinking they must be soooo old, yet at 35, I don't feel old nor do I fear my imminent death of decrepit old age coming on anytime soon.

My first list is an update of photos I took on my 35th birthday weekend in April. I took some time off for a road trip to Toronto to spend time with a dear friend and to see my aunt's family:

1. Snacks for the road trip

2. Driving along the 401 Highway:

3. Getting close to the big city - Port Hope:

4. Downtown Toronto - One of my favorite buildings besides the CN Tower:

5. Friday Night Blue Jays game - Blue Jays may have lost but it was a great game!

Until next time :)

5 Happy Thoughts:

2010-04-14T00:33:00.005-04:00

1. Thinking about lists to make for my 35th year

2. Enjoying sunshiney moments after work

3. Tim Horton's Iced Cappaucino - sugar & caffeine extravaganza!

4. First pedicure of the spring / summer season

5. Hearing my nephew call me his aunty cawowyn, so much love.

Winding Down After A Long Weekend...

2010-04-05T21:53:00.009-04:00

Yesterday was a really good day...

Spent time with my family, enjoyed some good weather & great company during a busy long weekend.

Saw the Easter Bunny - never too old to believe in holiday magic:

After a busy day visiting with family, I spent some time winding down in a beautiful place - Andrew Hayden Park.

I like to go here because it is always busy with people enjoying the weather, the water or the birds...

The sunset was so beautiful, I was lucky to catch it before it set. The air was crisp with a little wind as the warm weather left with the sunshine.

In spending some time there taking some photos, I realized it is probably time that I took another photo of myself.

I was standing on a ledge of rocks behind the tree and was over as far as I could be without falling off the ledge. Except for the wind making my hair a little crazy, I was relaxed & feeling good about the day, so I decided to ask someone to snap a photo for me and I am pretty happy with how it came out.

Until next time :)

Much Needed Inspiration

2010-03-30T12:53:00.005-04:00

I am human. I have flaws. Really, I do...

One of those flaws that I am willing to admit is that I am not so good on the follow through... meaning I have a habit of starting things and not always finishing them.

So after realizing that I don't tend to update my blog on a regular basis - in fact it is almost like I forget it exists at times - I thought I'd like to challenge myself and try to write more.

My goal is to write and update once a week.

I feel I can do this at the very least, however, in trying to keep my list of 101 things on track, I was not so successful in even updating as minimal as once per week. I realize as much as I think I can be successful at more, I will start with this small plan to update weekly and see how I do.

I am hopeful in taking this small step in following through with something that I enjoy but never can seem to find the time to do.

When I get home in the evening, I either fall asleep due to a long day at my full time job, or am in a rush to get ready so I am not late for my part time job where I work about 25 hours a week. So by the time I get the little things done that require my attention, I don't have a lot of time for myself.

I love taking photos, I love documenting life; so hopefully I will make a new start yet again and continue documenting the precious momments that are my life.

Until next time :)

Cutest Boy in the World...

2010-01-31T20:22:00.004-05:00

Well maybe I'm a little biased...

After all I think my nephew is the most adorable little boy :)

Mr. Z turned 3 on January 9th, 2010.

He loves to make people laugh. He will do all sorts of things just to get a laugh.

And he must tell you everytime we pass an OC Transpo bus on the street in the car that we've passed a "Mus" Auntie Carolyn! He gets so excited to see them all over the city...

He usually has a car in his hand everywhere he goes, loves pop pops (lollipops) and his big sister Kay :)

We are all so blessed to have him in our lives.

love you baby boy...

Until next time :)

A Change Is Gonna Come...

2010-01-09T11:45:00.004-05:00

CHANGE is my one little word for 2010

My word for 2009 was Believe.

I strove to believe in myself more, to believe in the world around me more and to try to be a more positive person in the grand scheme of things. I believe my life transformed in many ways in 2009 because I believed in myself and the people around me who love me for me.

So for 2010, I wanted a word that would push me to grow more as a person. For me, there is no other word that brings to mind action like the word CHANGE.

And since life changes so much in every moment, why not celebrate life and embrace the changes that make life interesting, and sometimes, make a full life even richer.

I am still working on changing my lifestyle to become a more healthy person, it is forever a work in progress. I want to change my image of my self and who I am now that I see myself more than a year out from my weight loss surgery journey. I know I am still learning to eat properly, include more healthier foods. To nourish my soul as well as my body, with vitamins, positive encouragement, and little rewards to keep inspiring me to be a better me.

I believe I am worth all the work that goes into the CHANGE I still want to see in my life.

As the journey continues every day in every moment, I strive to become the person I hope to be.

Happy 2010!

Until next time :)

Photo Fun

2009-11-19T18:04:00.004-05:00

Playing around with my flickr account, I created a few mosaics.

Since I'm beginning to think about getting organized for Christmas, I thought I would share a few Christmas/Winter themed photos with my very own mosaic from my flickr photos:

1. Mhmmm... Candy Cane Latte, 2. Smiling, 3. Santa, 4. gift

Until next time :)

o/` I Just Call You Mine o/`

2009-11-19T14:15:00.006-05:00

Love this song:

Martina McBride - I Just Call You Mine (Official Music Video)
Watch more amazing videos here

I pinch myself
Sometimes to make sure I'm not in a dream
That's how it seems

I close my eyes and breathe in the sweetest moments I've ever known
It feels like home

And here I am
I want to be your everything
There you are
Turning winter into spring

And everyone that sees you
Always wants to know you
And everyone that knows you
Always has a smile
You're a standing ovation
After years of waiting
For a chance to finally shine
Everyone calls you amazing
Yeahhhh
I just call you mine

I fall apart
And just a word from you
Somehow seems to fix
Whatever's wrong
Ohh
You reach into the weakest moments and remind me that I'm strong
You gotta know
I'd be a fool not to see or even worse to forget
That you're more than I deserve

Cause everyone that sees you
Always wants to know you
And everyone that knows you
Always has a smile
You're a standing ovation
After years of waiting
For a chance to finally shine
Everyone calls you amazing
I just call you mine

Nothing makes sense when you're not here
As if my whole world disappears
Without you what's the point of it

Cause everyone that sees you
Always wants to know you
And everyone that knows you
Always has a smile
You're the dream that I've been chasing
After years of waiting
For a chance to finally shine
Everyone calls you amazing
I just call you mine
Everyone calls you amazing
I just call you mine

Thinking about putting this on the list to use as my wedding song as my significant other always makes me feel like I am amazing. He believes in me and is always showing me how he feels about me.

Until next time :)

Let freedom reign...

2009-11-12T20:48:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was Rememberance Day, I am grateful for the sacrifices past & present soldiers made on our behalf. I watched services held at the Ottawa War Memorial where our Veterans were remembered and honored.

My grandfather fought in the war, my uncle is a Korean war vet who was 16 when he lied about his age and enlisted. I'm proud to say they both made it home safely from their respective wars.

I am thankful for their service, for the freedom they gained for us to live a full life in a safe and peaceful world.

Until next time :)

Trick or Treat ~ a Happy Hallowe'en!

2009-11-01T12:52:00.009-05:00

After a rainy morning, the sun came out around 3pm to warm up the wet ground just in time for a windy but dry Hallowe'en.

Barb, Kay & Zack posing after trick or treating at the first house of the night

We visited a few of the neighbours and then went back to our old neighbourhood in Barrhaven to trick or treat at some houses we knew.

Zack's first Hallowe'en meant we had to teach him to say trick or treat. After the first few houses, he realized he would get a lollipop or some other candy when he asked these 3 simple words. He began to say 'Trick or Treat, gimmee pop pop please!' (pop pop is what Z calls lollipops, his favorite treat). I am so glad that they were both so good and waited when other kids ran around my niece to get to a door faster, and that they both said thank you after receiving treats at each house.

Pumpkin Patrol was out in Barrhaven. It's great that the people that work at Rogers volunteer to do this every year as having the presence in the neighbourhood seems to help keep the streets a little safer.

Thanks Pumpkin Patrol!

After a while, we put Zack in the stroller and let Kay trick or treat a little faster then waiting for her almost 3 year old brother to get out of his stroller and up to the door for every house. It didn't matter as they definitely had enough candy to share at the end of the night.

Funnily enough, when we were done in Barrhaven I realized I wasn't quite 100 per cent sure where I'd put the car when we parked on one of the many side streets. It's a maze, that neighbourhood, I tell you it is!

I'm a landmark person and knew it was on the side street next to the 3 sided house on the corner of one of the main neighbourhood streets, so we began to look as we had only covered a few blocks before turning back towards the car. It was where Kay thought it was, and we put the stroller and the kids in the car and off we went.

After a stop at Tim Horton's for coffee and a bathroom break, the kids scored a few free tidbits because the quiet location was delighted by my niece & nephew's costumes and their antics.

It was a great night, we all had such a fun time even with a few costume malfunctions due to too much wind at first.

Until next time :)

o/` California Dreaming o/`

2009-10-31T09:08:00.010-04:00

All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I've been for a walk
on a winter's day

Fall is my favorite season.

I love Fall weather.

(Shot of Park Bench in Bate Island Rest Area)

The sun still shines during the day reminding us of the Summer's hot days; but the cool crisp air reminds us that winter is on it's way just around the corner. I love that it is cool enough for a sweater, but a jacket is not needed just yet.

I love all the Fall colors.

Brilliant Red, Orange and Yellows swirling in the wind and finally falling off the trees.

(Shot of the city and changing leaves from above)

And then the stark contrast as the trees lose their leaves and come to rest against a grey sky for the long winter season.

(Shoreline in Kingston on Thanksgiving Monday 2009)

I love the smell and tastes of the season.

Hot chocolate, vanilla, apple cider and cinnamon that reminds me of Fall mornings. Of apples fresh from the Orchard, hot soups to warm you from the inside out. All the holiday goodies like Hallowe'en candy; Turkey, pumpkin and apple pie warm from the oven at Thanksgiving; shortbread cookies, butter tarts, fruitcake, and turkey with all the fixings at Christmas.

(Shot of our Thanksgiving Turkey 2009 - 1st Turkey attempt ever)

I love the way Fall makes me think about the cycle of life.

Perhaps it's the nesting and preparation for Winter or just an unconcious inclination towards hibernation; but I often find myself thinking about my role in the world, my family, and my own life at this time of year.

Reflecting on a new school year for my niece; remembering September 11th; getting back into the groove at work after a summer full of fun and play with a lighter workload; finding a routine that works; being thankful for what I have and taking time to reflect on that at Thanksgiving; remembering our fallen soldiers and veterans on Rememberance Day; and then getting ready to enjoy another holiday season that always comes so fast.

(My nephew, my niece and I - October 2009)

There are so many reasons I love this season. I just wish Fall was not the bearer of the bad news every year that Winter will soon be here...

Until next time :)

Five Happy Thoughts

2009-09-13T13:36:00.007-04:00

1. Saturday Morning Brunch:

2: New Headphones:

3. My Word for 2009:

4. Taking photos:

5. Spending a lazy afternoon at the park:

Until next time :)

Restless Nights

2009-09-09T23:43:00.005-04:00

Lately I've been having a bit of trouble sleeping.

Maybe it is the one cup of coffee I like to spoil myself with every morning - either an extra large Timmy's double double or a french vanilla Treats coffee depending on how late I'm running as I leave for work...

Maybe it is the shift in the weather - warm afternoons after a day in a cool office...

Maybe it is the dreams I've been having after seeing the latest Final Destination Movie in 3D on Saturday night... why did I say yes to this flick ?

Or perhaps it is that after the commute home, I've been guilty of having a nap so when bedtime arrives, I can't sleep...

I even tried to go to bed early on Monday night and found myself staring at the ceiling for almost 2 hours before I fell asleep.

Whatever the case, it's messed my whole routine up and I tend to be leaving for work about 10 minutes too late to arrive at work just in time because I cannot pull myself from my warm bed early enough on cool Fall mornings...

So back to the drawing board to figure out what to do to sort out my weird sleeping patterns.

Until next time :)

For Today

2009-09-07T10:28:00.007-04:00

Borrowed from the Lemons to Lemonade Blog:

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ...
I am enjoying the sound of children playing and little birds singing to each other

I AM THINKING ...
I really need to take time for myself every day

WE ARE LEARNING ...
An exercise routine is a lot of hard work

I AM THANKFUL FOR ...
The love & laughter that lights up my life

FROM THE KITCHEN ...
Smell of cinnamon and freshly made tea

I AM WEARING ...
Red tank top and shorts

I AM GOING ...
To spend time at my desk today, to create!

I AM READING ...
My Sister's Keeper

I AM CREATING ...
Playing with my journal today, we'll see what happens...

I AM HOPING ...
To find balance in the day to day

I AM HEARING ...
o/` So Beautiful o/` by Jarvis Church

AROUND THE HOUSE ...
Dishes to take care of, some tidying to do

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS ...
Editing my photos from a fun day of picture taking, love the little moments that make life worthwhile

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK ...
Besides work, some more photos perhaps

A PICTURE TO SHARE ...
Visiting the ducks at Bate Island:

Until next time :)

Five Happy Thoughts

2009-08-02T11:17:00.004-04:00

Listening to my loved ones singing when they think no one is listening... so cute!

Feeling proud of myself for following through on exercise: great aquafit workout yesterday.

Loving how much my nephew loves my SUV - makes him excited just to hear the horn beep... I love hearing him say "My Car" over and over when he sees it.

Picked up my free photo prints yesterday. Just seeing these little pieces that capture moments from my little world makes me smile.

Reflecting on a Sunday afternoon with a great cup of coffee.

Until next time :)

Friendship is such a blessing

2009-07-29T12:51:00.005-04:00

I didn't realize until recently just how much I missed a dear friend of mine who I haven't seen in way too long...

I have known his family for years and have been friends with him since the eighth grade. We have spent so much time together throughout the years, but I fell out of touch with him over the last 3 or 4 years... I knew what he was up to as my little sister is friends with his little sister, so she kept me in the loop; but we hadn't really talked in some time.

I stopped to visit him on my way back from Montreal, a long overdue visit as he moved back to the area from Toronto in March. He moved into a beautiful house with his brother which didn't surprise me as they are so close.

He is lucky enough to be able to work from home; so I knew there was a chance he would be around. I'm glad I took the chance because since it was one of the few sunny days this summer, he was outside mowing the lawn. I spent some time catching up with him before his mom and dad showed up for a visit. He showed me the house, we talked a bit, and then he invited me to an informal housewarming him and his brother were having that weekend.

Just spending this little bit of time with an old friend who is so comfortable to be around, so kind, funny, and charming; made me remember why we are friends in the first place... And although so much time has passed, we were able to talk about anything and everything just like we always have been.

So although he lives an hour outside of the city, I plan to make more of an effort to cherish his friendship and not take what we have for granted now that we're closer in distance than we once were.

There is nothing like the blessing of a good friendship, full of love and laughter.

Until next time :)

Five Happy Thoughts:

2009-07-18T11:10:00.003-04:00

Good friends - I am so blessed to have friends I can count on in good & bad times.

My niece & nephew who bring me smiles, love and laughter.

A good man who loves me for me on my good & bad days.

My beloved Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi - I agonized about spending so much money but oh I love it and how it helps me to capture the moments that make life precious.

Road Trips - I cannot explain the freedom, the rejuvenation just a little time driving, listening to tunes and documenting life in photos can do to appease my soul. I think this has to do with my wandering spirit and the fact that I used to move around a lot so leaving for a little while restores that feeling of adventure.

Until next time :)

Happy Birthday Ms, K :)

2009-07-05T15:36:00.003-04:00

My Niece is 7 years old today - my lil ladybug is growing up right before my eyes.

Hope you are enjoying celebrating your birthday! We definitely feel blessed to have you in our lives.

As my sister and I went shopping yesterday, I gave K an early birthday present of an Archie Comic Book, a swimsuit for a possible swimming outing today, and goggles that she liked so much she didn't want to take them off for hours.

Until next time :)

Happy Canada Day!

2009-07-01T12:44:00.009-04:00

Be safe wherever you go to enjoy Canada's Birthday!

R & R was the mantra of my day which ended in watching Parliament's Fireworks on the 17th floor balcony (edited at about 10:30pm to post the fireworks):

Until next time :)

Today - June 28, 2009

2009-06-28T19:47:00.011-04:00

Outside my window... The rain is falling lightly on the earth.

I am thinking... that it is going to be a great week!

I am thankful for... a sweet man who loves me for me.

From the kitchen... yummy tomato & cheese sandwich with mayo as it's pretty hot outside.

I am wearing... a pretty dress, black and white print with a scallop sort of bottom

I am creating... an entry in my art journal

I am going... to go to bed soon so when 5am comes I'll be ready to crawl out of bed.

I am reading... My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

I am hoping... to be able to fit in both a free Stevie Wonder concert at Jazz Fest in Montreal June 30th and a free concert on Parliament Hill on Canada Day where Sarah Mclachlan will be performing!

I am hearing... The humming of the portable fan, Not My Time by 3 Doors Down on my laptop

Around the house... Dishes to do, lunch to make for work tomorrow, a warm bed I want to climb into... soon.

One of my favorite things... photography!

Until next time :)

And I thought I loved you then o/`

2009-06-24T11:11:00.010-04:00

Love the new song on the radio from Brad Paisley's upcoming album - American Saturday Night being released on June 30th, 2009.

I will always deny being a country music fan, but my parents always played it and it is still the main station in my mom's van. Hank Williams Jr., Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, George Strait, Martina McBride, Kenny Rogers, Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn are just a few of many artists my parents listened to at home.

I must have mellowed in my older years because although it's not the main station I listen to, I have it programmed too. I guess it's hard not to be influenced by a music genre when you've been listening to it since you've been a little girl.

So I must admit, I was not surprised how much I love Brad Paisley's new song: Then. I guess what surprised me was how much it reminds me of my relationship.

Every time I hear this song, the lyrics make me think of the man I love and how I know I am lucky to be loved like this. I hope he always knows how lucky I feel to have him in my life, how much he means to me and that every moment we spend together is so special.

Then By Brad Paisley

I remember trying not to stare
The night that I first met you,
You had me mesmerized,
And three weeks later,
In the front porch light,
Taking 45 minutes to kiss goodnight.
I hadn't told you then,
That I thought I loved you then

And now you're my whole life,
And now you're my whole world,
And I just can't believe the way I feel about you girl,
Like a river needs the sea, stronger than it's ever been,
We've come so far since that day,
And I thought I loved you then

And I remember taking you back to right where I first met you,
You were so surprised.
There were people around, but I didn't care,
I got down on one knee right there,
And once again
I thought I loved you then

And now you're my whole life,
Now you're my whole world,
And I just can't believe the way I feel about you girl,
Like a river needs the sea, stronger than it's ever been,
We've come so far since that day,
And I thought I loved you then

I can just see you, with a baby on the way
I can just see you, when your hair is turning gray
What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more
But I've said that before

And now your my whole life
Now your my whole world
I just can't believe the way I feel about you girl,
We'll look back someday at this moment that we're in
And I'll look at you and say
And I thought I loved you then
And I thought I loved you then

Dreaming Of Far Away Places ~ Jamaica Day 1

2009-06-22T18:32:00.024-04:00

So in May 2009, my sister and I took a week long vacation in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Her Husband is from Jamaica and has some family there who visited us during our stay. It was a fantastic vacation and has my wanderlust in full throttle as to where I could possibly go next.

I thought I'd post a few of the 1500 photos I took while there - yeah I know that's a crazy amount of photos, but I wanted to remember every moment. Also, I was taking photos for myself and my sister. No pressure in taking the photos of her husband's family to bring back home, thankfully he's liked my photos of their children at home.

The first day we relaxed once we finally made it to our destination, and let me tell you how glad I was to see my sister's name on a poster attached to our driver. Once we got to the apartment we were staying in and unpacked a bit, we enjoyed a lovely nap as it was soooo hot. Then our driver collected us to go grocery shopping at the Supermarket where we bought lots of liquids - water & juices, and a few staples like bread and coffee.

Some of the staples: Great Blue Mountain Coffee

Last but not least in our food shopping for the day - we stopped to buy some fruits at the local market with our driver.

Our first dinner adventure was at the Pelican Grill:

It looked pretty nice on the outside, a little upscale from the other restaurants we saw on the strip a few blocks away from our apartment complex. My sister ordered curried goat, I had chicken and rice & peas and we both had a drink to celebrate Mother's Day and our safe arrival in Jamaica. Dinner here was our first lesson in the laissez-faire attitude of the island - Soon Come - meaning things happen when they happen. Dinner tasted pretty good when it arrived.

My sister enjoyed the goat but the rice was a little dried out. My chicken was tender and yummy, but the rice & peas was different than the dish my sister's husband makes - I thought it was missing the coconut milk that he uses. Overall it was still a good meal, the drinks were pretty strong, and although it turned out to be a bit expensive it was a great end to a long day of travelling.

Until next time :)

Try, try and try again...

2009-06-20T08:15:00.004-04:00

So it's been a little while again...

Story of my life - I start a huge project as I get all inspired and in the beginning I get all swept up in the process of creating until life gets hectic and said project gets left by the wayside...

However, I loved the idea of a place to post my photos more and talk about them and the moments that make life precious, so I am going to do my best to post on a regular basis and we'll see how it goes.

In May I went to Jamaica with my sister for a week, it was a beautiful vacation where I took almost 1500 photos - a little crazy I know, but I wanted to capture the beauty of the island and all the moments of our trip that we enjoyed together.

This is the apartment we stayed in for the week. My sister's husband is from Jamaica and his 2 daughters who live in Mandeyville were joining us for a few days in Montego Bay. They were lovely, fun and so friendly to us; we couldn't have asked for better companions in part of our stay.

Until next time :)

The Sun Is Always There, Just Behind The Clouds...

2008-04-26T11:39:00.004-04:00

I took this picture of the sun rising last Sunday, April 20th at 7:00am when we left home to start the drive to Toronto for a doctor's appointment I had on Monday. We picked up my mom in Kemptville and then started out on my journey.

It was a quick trip with us coming back Monday night, but was definitely worth the travelling. We were lucky and had beautiful weather and were lucky to stay with my aunt and uncle in Burlington overnight who we had not seen in some time so as well I got to enjoy their company the night before a stressful appointment with the surgeon to discuss gastric bypass surgery. We sat out on the patio, my uncle barbequed pork tenderloin and my aunt as always had made a lovely dinner for everyone.

The appointment went well, the wait was worthwhile as I am now on this waiting list for surgery and although I have many things to do before that, I am happy to hear that the wait is six to eight months and not one to three years like I had originally been told. I feel like things are finally going my way - my new government job begins in less than two weeks; I was so unsure about this appointment and it went well; and I still have an appoinment in June in Utica, New York to see about perhaps having surgery sooner, perhaps within a six to eight week period instead of months, but we'll see as I won't make my decision until I have all the information.

I feel as this sun is rising on a new day, that the better life I want for myself is within my grasp and the journey although long is very worthwhile.

Until next time :)

101 things in 1001 days

2008-04-16T07:23:00.011-04:00

So I decided since I had really not accomplished enough on my list and that I had thrown the list together to get it up and running by January 1st, 2008 that I would amend the list a little and then start again on my birthday, April 18th, 2008.

I hope to update more about it, and actually be able to complete more now that the better weather is here. I really dislike that I was not able to get it done and need to start again, but better to try again then to completely abandon the list as a failure... besides I have completed a few of the items - went to a concert in February, try to laugh more, been trying to sort out my health more, going to my consult for wls on Monday, went to a support group for wls, use my flickr account more and so I will begin again and try to fulfill another goal - procrastinate less!

And so all my posts are not text only lately - a photo of my recently updated magnet inspiration board:

Until next time :)

What goes up, must come down...

2008-04-14T08:44:00.003-04:00

So I've been a little busy...

After having my contract extended twice at the company I was working for, the company was bought out and in the first 30 days they have made many, many employee changes - including not renewing any terms for contract employees. I had been told numerous times not to worry too much when the first talk of them being bought happened as my boss wanted to hire me permanently as soon as the circumstances allowed. Unfortunately, that never happened - might have been a good thing as knowing what one of my co-workers made, I doubt they would have offered me enough money to make it worthwhile...

I finished my last day Friday March 28th and advised the employment agency I was working through that I would again like to be on their available list. I started the job search Monday morning, hoping to find something more fulfilling and a bit better paid without having to work in a call centre. Most of my experiences in the last few years were in a call centre, and I am good with customers, but I did not want to do this again as I am tired of being chained to a desk, tethered by phone cord. I am going to miss the flexibility of my last contract and how it felt to be trusted to get my work done and not worry about when I took a break as long as the work got done... And the people were great too.

So my time since has been spent job searching, following up with the employment agency, helping with my nephew when his sister, my niece, goes to school every day and sorting out the doctor appointments needed to pursue my wls surgery journey.

In trying to take care of my health, I had an appointment with my sister's gynecologist; he was not taking new patients, but with my doctor's referral he did so as a favor to my sister as I have not been able to find one here in the city since I moved back. He was great, I was worried I wouldn't like him as I have usually had a female gynecologist; but he was really professional; friendly and straight up. He has referred me for an ultrasound and blood work and then we'll go from there... so I feel better about taking care of my inner workings and that it is another step in the right direction to a healthier me.

And then on the very same day, I had my appointment; I received some good news that afternoon... In October, I worked for a month as a clerk at Passport Canada in Gatineau before budget cuts ended our contract for about 60 employees. I really enjoyed the job, was good at it and worked independently, listening to my mp3 player. So I was a little upset when it ended so abruptly as I was hoping it would lead to longer employment and a way into other government jobs... Shortly after this ended, a close friend who works in HR in the government and is always keeping her eye out for available positions to send to people she knows, forwarded me an email letting me know that the Passport office was hiring again for 2 positions. I quickly applied and prayed that it would be my way back in. However, the government hiring process can take some time and since it was not the first government job I applied for, I wasn't holding my breath.

The website the government uses to post jobs and their status; kept postponing the results by a month every time I logged in... and then in March, the hiring process was put on hold indefinitely... So to say I was surprised when they called me on Thursday, would not be a strong enough word to describe the shock I was in when I was speaking to the agent from their office. I wrote everything down just so I would not think I was dreaming when I got off the phone.

Well after many hoops including an exam in early December that had me freaking out and a very thorough security check, I secured a year long contract with the Passport office starting May 5th. I am so excited about this, estatic might not even describe how happy I am to finally have made it through to the position since I have been on another government list for their pool of administrative candidates for almost 3 years without any headway.

And funnily enough, when it rains it pours as later that afternoon I not only received confirmation of a one day reception contract I fulfilled for 10 hours on Friday but as well was contacted about another job in a technical call centre...

Alright, well I'm off to do some errands and take care of my emissions test for my vehicle so I can renew the license plates before the end of the week...

Until next time :)

Beautiful Butterflies...

2008-03-24T22:44:00.008-04:00

Recently Kay and I decided we wanted to try completing the Weekend Creative Prompt from Ali Edwards website to make a Spring Mobile. I asked Kay after looking at other photos of mobiles on Flickr what kind of mobile she would want to make, and she liked Ali's butterflies so much that she decided she would like to make a butterfly one as well.

So Friday night last week, I stopped at Michael's to pick up a dowel to hang the finished butterflies from, and some wooden butterflies. I was sure I had enough paints, sparkles and embellishments in my scrapbooking and craft supplies to finish the butterflies. I bought 8 butterflies but we only ended up using 6 and I think that will be more than enough to space across my bathroom window.

So Saturday afternoon, we decided to paint the butterflies. Kay decided on yellow, purple and blue, so I painted mine the same colors. We finished the painting the next day and then began to decorate the butterflies. We added stamps, glitter, sparkles and even mettalic daisies:

My first yellow butterfly - painted, then mod podged to hold the glitter sparkles on to the paint and then I added a daisy to give it some depth.

Kay's first buttefly - painted blue, then stamped with ink on star and heart foam stamps, then she added glitter and her own daisy.

So even though I am not a great artist when it involves anything besides scrapbooking, I thought we did a great job, it makes me smile whenever I see it as it reminds me of the fun we had making it too.

Until next time :)

Oh What A Night!

2008-02-18T18:24:00.015-05:00

Sean and I spent Valentine's together at a Blue Rodeo concert at Scotiabank Place. I was lucky enough to be one of the few people to respond to the email that went around offering free tickets to Blue Rodeo, I think it had to do with the fact that I responded a minute after it went out.

I only found out I got a pair on Monday morning after Sean had suggested alternate plans of dinner and a chick flick :) And then I lucked out some more in being the first one to pick up our tickets, so I also received a free parking pass in one of the closer lots to the building. This is key in not spending an hour afterwards getting out of the parking lots and onto the road for the drive home.

The music was great, I couldn't have asked for a better date night. Sean and I enjoy spending V-day together but don't always go all out for this crazy holiday, we're happy to take the time all year round to remember to show that we love and appreciate each other. Our tickets were for a box seat that the company I am on contract with holds jointly with 2 other companies. We had the 2 seats in the first row on the right of the box, it was cozy and a pretty good angle to the stage. I think if we were on the other side of the box we would not have been able to see as much. The box was in the 100 level, so it was a great location.

The opening act, Cuff the Duke, was not a band I've ever heard of and as I was anxious to hear Blue Rodeo, I probably was a little more harsh in deciding if I liked them or not... the lead singer was pretty good, but some of their songs were a little hard to hear. We found out later that they don't usually play such a large venue. I enjoyed them when they came back out for the last few songs with Blue Rodeo at the end of the night.

I have loved Blue Rodeo's music since highschool and I have seen them live a few times now, but they never get old, and I really enjoyed their new songs they played as well. It was a very good show... my pictures were a little dark, but I was estatic that Sean thought to use my video option to record part of their last song of the set - the last encore which closed the show - Lost Together.

Until next time :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T00:37:00.004-05:00

Love you monsters :)

Pretty as a Picture...

2008-01-13T17:19:00.001-05:00

Okay so I'm a little behind in the challenge as I'm starting from scratch on the 13th day of the year, but life is not defined by accomplishments or failures, but what you do with the lesson you learn from those good or bad experiences... so I shall try again.

I am participating in a quest to keep a paper journal for a full year as part of the livejournal community challenge called embodiment.

The community closes each January 1st and I believe 2008 makes my third attempt for this challenge. Last year I sort of stopped writing in March, so this year I would really like to hang in there for the whole year. Especially since I want to document my 101 things in 1001 days challenge I am participating in.

So this is the simple journal I've created for myself - it is just some paper from a Costco paper stack I had with some glitter chipboard letters from the dollar store and a piece of 4x6 cardstock I cut down to cover a blank lined composition book to create this:

Until next time :)

Getting Back on Track...

2008-01-13T11:03:00.000-05:00

So I'm working on my 101 things to do in 1001 days - you can check out my 101 things on the side of my blog. I haven't gotten much done yet, I don't want to make excuses, but a friend passed away recently and I've been a bit discouraged and sad since her death. However, I've realized that she was the type of person that would not really let anything get in her way, and probably would kick me in the butt to get busy, so I am determined to get back on track starting today!

I've managed to write in my written journal almost every day which I hope to keep up with. I've been drinking more water. I cleaned the bathroom pretty thoroughly in the last week which is a task I hate doing. There are a few goals that are easier than others on my list, but some require time and planning and/or money.

I think the next one I will complete is sending a Congratulations card to my cousin as he got engaged over Christmas. You would think this would not need to be a goal, but we don't talk and haven't seen each other in some time. He's on my dad's side and ever since my dad passed away when I was 15, I've had very little contact with that side of the family. At one time in life, I would have said this cousin was my best friend as we were only a year and 3 days apart in age, and I had always wanted someone who was like a big brother to me, but we moved away and I saw him less and less. There has been so much drama over the years with my grandmother that most days it is just easier this way, but I want to at least try to resolve the ill feelings that are there. All I can do is try, and if they are not willing than I can at least feel good about trying.

I never really got going on the photo a day but I am going to start that again. I have posted a few times between this blog and my livejournal, and I've taken some photos, but not enough to feel like I've worked on my goals. Well as they say, today is a new day and I won't give up on being successful. Besides, this list is for me, not anyone else, so the measure of my progress and how I feel about failure and success at this is all up to me. I signed up for this challenge to see what I could accomplish, so we'll see where the JOURNEY takes us!

Until next time :)

One Little Word

2008-01-01T00:31:00.000-05:00

Inspired by the talented Ali Edwards I decided to choose just one word to describe what 2008 will mean to me. I thought of many words that might apply, but the one that I kept coming back to again and again is a word I use often to symbolize and describe many aspects of my life.

I believe the word that will mean a lot to me this year will be:

JOURNEY

I am on my journey to wls, my journey to living a healthier life, to showing I can do something for myself, to being a wiser and stronger me.

As always, I am on a journey in exploring my faith and beliefs.

My employment options have brought me on quite a bumpy journey the last few years, but I truly believe the journey this year will be professional development where my job will be concerned.

I will believe I can journey towards my goals to fulfill my list of 101 things to accomplish in 1001 days that begins today!

And above all in this journey, I will believe in myself.

So thank you for sharing yet another JOURNEY with me ;)

Until next time :)

o/` Auld Lang Syne o/`

2007-12-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

So it's been awhile, the holidays have been a lil hectic but good.

We were lucky to get to celebrate two festive days of Christmas this year. My mother is such a giving woman that she agreed to hold our Christmas dinner on December 23rd so that I could join Sean, my partner with his family in Kingston for Christmas Day.

The tree at my mom's - she has yorkshire terriers, hence the yorkie angel on the top of her tree:

We enjoyed a Christmas afternoon dinner with my mom, where I gave my niece her big present (a little tykes digital camera) and we received so many nice gifts from my mom and her partner too. My mom bought me cute pjs, winnie seat covers for my van, a cute 'girls night out' themed piggy bank, little hersey travel mugs, a vaccuum that we received in the fall, and many other little things.

I worked Christmas Eve while Sean was off running the rest of our errands to pick up last minute gifts and pack the car to head off to visit Sean's family until Boxing Day in Kingston. We shared Christmas with his mom and grandparents. It was lovely as it was not too busy and was rather relaxing. His grandparents treat us both like gold and his mom is always easy to talk to.

The lovely set dinner table at Sean's grandparents:

We don't have set plans for New Year's Eve as we're both working and may not be able to getaway early; so as long as Sean and I start another year - 2008 - together, I'm happy. I am a true believer of the old wive's tale that if a couple is apart on New Year's Eve, that they may not spend the rest of the year together either.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year!

Hoping 2008 is full of many wonderful moments of love and laughter!

Until next time :)

Sisters and Brothers...

2007-12-01T20:38:00.000-05:00

It just doesn't get much better than this! My niece giving her little brother a big squeeze.

Happy December 1st!

Until next time :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2007-11-24T11:13:00.000-05:00

I love the holidays!

It's one of my favorite times of year. I love the holiday tunes and could listen to them all year round, although that would drive the people around me crazy. I get excited about what surprises I can give and how I can help to make other people full of the Christmas spirit as well. I just can't help getting caught up in the festive mood of the holidays.

And this year, we've actually just had our first snow storm, as last year I don't remember there being much snow before Christmas... My sister took some photos of our first snow.

The snowman made by our neighbor's son:

My niece's version of a snowman:

Until next time :)

Journal a quote... or two

2007-11-04T15:53:00.000-05:00

Well in my effort to work on the thisisme journal challenges, I completed a page about my favorite quote which I talked a bit about in my previous post.

Here is the lay out I completed for the quote challenge:

I have to find a better surface to use to photo my layouts. I made this one fairly simple as not to draw away from the quote.

The title letters for life were chipboard with glitter accents which I've never used before. I don't usually like my own handwriting but I didn't want to have to use that many letters and my printer was out of ink.

The photo below the quote is a picture of the planes that often fly quite low in our area as we are close to the airport. I love how the clouds look in the photo. The photo in the top left is a moo card of one of my florida pictures, and the small sun is a rub on I had as I am trying to use the supplies I have instead of buying new ones without knowing where I will use them.

Until next time :)

Little Moments

2007-10-27T14:19:00.000-04:00

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."

Way back in high school, I chose this quote for my yearbook graduation blurb as a reminder of those awkward growing years. I believed that life would not wait for anyone.

No matter what decisions I tried to make at that stage in life, I really had no idea how things would work out. As time has gone by, I have learned that no matter how much you try to plan things, life happens and it's our reactions to those events that help us to grow into the people we are meant to be.

When I was looking for the perfect quote for the yearbook as I was approaching high school graduation, these words were painted on a wall as graffiti in the movie 'Kuffs' with Christian Slater. They jumped out at me, screaming for me to brand these words into my memory.

I knew this would be my quote.

I don't think I really understood back then how applicable this quote would be to my life. When I do take time to reflect about the past and where it has brought me to today, I remind myself that life is not about having everything mapped out that we forget to just enjoy the little moments that happen day to day that bring our big picture into focus.

So when I realized along my journey that those words I attributed to Christian Slater's character were indeed the lyrics of a great musician, John Lennon, I was even more in awe of these profound words.

I have to laugh because I believe it was another movie that I felt strongly about - Mr. Holland's Opus - that led me to realize the lyrics were from the song 'Beautiful Boy'. I've always been partial to music, it invokes such strong emotions in me as I tend to associate a memory with a song, or a catchy upbeat tempo has the power to take me from a miserable day to a happier place.

So in all this, I guess I just wanted to say that sometimes when I'm not able to get creative when I want to due to time, work or other distractions because life is happening all around me that I am just busy enjoying the little moments...

Speaking of moments and people that capture my heart:

My nephew, Zack, who in January will be one year old (it goes by so fast) hanging out with the love of my life - Sean.

Until next time :)

Journey into the Unknown...

2007-10-03T12:58:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a pretty productive day for me.

I've been in the process of changing jobs in the last week, so it has been a little hectic. The new position is data entry for Passport Canada.

Of course like many of the government positions, I'll be there on contract through an agency, but it was an opportunity I just couldn't turn down... My first day of training was Monday and although the trainers and the session were great, they had neglected to inform our agency that we needed to get security clearance processed directly through Passport Canada, whether we had security clearance or not. My enhanced clearance is valid until 2010, and I've successfully cleared reliability testing in the government selection process in the past. It was just a little frustrating as I had to make a second trip yesterday to show my original birth certificate so the project manager could make a photocopy and process my clearance package. Until all of our clearances are processed, we are not allowed to work due to the nature of the position and information we will be handling.

So after dropping by the Gatineau office, I made my way back home. I had taken the camera with me, as although it was a bit cloudy, I thought it would be a good photo day... Here are some photos I snapped while crossing the bridge back to Ottawa.

It was close to 11am when I turned off the main road to park a little ways from the path to the river not too far from my house. I grabbed my camera, a bottle of water and my cell phone and wandered down the path to the water. I thought it might rain as it was a bit hazy, but it held off while I was meandering.

Once I finished my short walk and photo taking, I wandered back to the van to get back home where I met up with my sister who was waiting for the school bus with my niece. Once my niece was on her way to school, we grabbed some timmy's, came home and cleaned the kitchen up. At the end of the day, my Mom passed by to visit for a cup of coffee as she had been shopping in the city, we had dinner and then played some scrabble on www.facebook.com

I am currently working on a quote layout after cleaning my crafting space again this past weekend, and hope to post it soon.

Until next time :)

Monday, Monday...

2007-09-17T13:33:00.001-04:00

I'm on my way to work, almost out the door; but I wanted to finally post one of my lay outs. I ended up placing it on my magnet board to get a picture, but I want to figure out how I can get a better, closer image.

Anyways, this is for the September 12th, 2007 We love to spread the love challenge. I took quite some time trying to put this together, but I really like it. I used foam and paint to make the heart I placed in the middle, which is a stretch for me as I don't usually mix different types of art into my scrapbooking.

So tada, the finished product:

Until next time :)

Musical Chairs

2007-09-10T12:07:00.000-04:00

So last week was a little hectic, and this one will just be even busier... I actually went out Saturday with my family, so there went my plan of scrapping in the morning, out the window! It was a crazy day, we didn't get back until late, but it was great to spend time with my mom, sister, niece and nephew.

So instead of posting my layout just yet, I thought I'd post the photo I may decide to use in my Ultimate Mix lay out. I snapped while waiting for an appointment in my van recently, and didn't realize the cigarette tray was a bit open when I took it. Ah well, it rarely gets used anymore as I don't smoke, but I was frustrated I didn't notice it when I took the photo, I may retake it... we'll see.

As for my list of tunes, I will add the unfinished list here for now as brainstorming so I don't forget the ones I've already targeted for this project. I was trying to figure out what the ultimiate mix would be as I have an all-time favorites list, but also a favorite songs of the moment list... very hard task this is...

Possession - Sarah Mclachlan
Heaven - Bryan Adams
Tomorrow Wendy - Concrete Blonde
I Run For Life - Melissa Etheridge
Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix
Imagine - John Lennon
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Lost Together - Blue Rodeo
Insensitive - Jann Arden
Don't Take The Girl - Tim McGraw

I'll have to think about this a bit more, and edit the list before the lay out gets done, but I will definitely post photos once I do!

I tend to like all music except very little rap, I am the type of music lover who cannot believe there is a way to exist in this world without music. For me, it is truly the soundtrack of my life. I associate many important moments with a song, it's just the way my memory bank works and I like it. My mom used to joke that I could remember any lyric from a song, and if only I could study for my education in that same way, I would get even better marks than I did.

Well I have to run to work now.

Until next time :)

Back to the Real World

2007-09-06T12:13:00.000-04:00

So as usual, life is busy with work and all the other stuff that makes the every day a little less normal.

I'm still trying to get my mixed tape layout together - it took me awhile to figure out what I would include on my ultimate mix tape rather than my music of the moment. I listen to anything and everything besides rap, so narrowing it down to a list that might fit on a layout and how to document that list has become a bit daunting. However I hope to finish this one on Saturday morning, so I can catch up on the lay outs I've missed in my late start to the This Is Me challenge.

At least I can still depend on the world around me to inspire my photographic muse. The picture below is a magnetic board I bought at IKEA after seeing people's inspiration boards on flickr. I added some photos, some homemade magnets, and some postcards but am far from finished. The photo of this board sort of loses the depth, as does the white wall it is hanging on, but hopefully you get the idea...

Well I'm off to the real world (work) soon, but I'm hoping to snap some shots before as it's a beautiful sunshiney day!

Until next time :)

Just Another Manic Monday

2007-09-03T14:03:00.001-04:00

Well I'm still working on my lay out, busy holiday weekend and all, so I thought I'd post a photo as I want this journal to help inspire my photography since as much as I love scrapping, it's partly because I love finding perfect ways to showcase my photos and memories.

Rarely do I take a photo thinking "how can I scrap this ?" but sometimes I will see a photo that makes me think "wow, that would make a great layout..."

I took this photo on my drive to work a few days ago, made me realize how school is just around the corner, although my niece's senior kindergarten class only begins on the second week of September.

Until next time :)

Wow... A brand new space

2007-09-02T17:26:00.000-04:00

I decided I wanted a place to update my crafty endeavours and photographs instead of placing them all on livejournal or my blog here that unfortunately goes MIA for months, even a year at a time. So instead I decided to inspire myself with creating a new webspace just for creative postings and link to them if needed, well it sounds good to me.

I've always enjoyed taking photos and almost always have a notbook with me to journal, so when I began scrapbooking a few years ago, it really wasn't a large leap for me to fall in love with this hobby.

I don't always remember to take photos of my lay outs because usually they end up being gift books for other people, so I want to document my scrapping journey more and hope to do so with this site. I also wouldn't mind hearing feedback so I can learn more about different scrapbooking techniques I might try as I still feel I am quite a beginner and just go with what I like and enjoy.

I just found this site: This is Me and I am in love with it! Very inspiring! I can't wait to start the challenges!

Until next time :)