Blog Reader

Over the past few weeks I have really been enjoying reading one awesome mommy/photographer blog in particular called Under The Sycamore . I love her writing, her beautiful family, and especially her amazing photography. I get sucked in to reading entry after entry and all of a sudden I feel as if I know her family a bit and have experienced part of their lives. I dream to be able to write down my ideas the way she does.. perhaps one day i'll get there..

One of many things I have been taking away from her blog is her style of photography (She also has AMAZING decor, inspiring ideas, and great writing of course). Over the past few months I have really been wanting to learn how to take better 'everyday life' photography. I know this has a name and I cannot think of it right now...  Anywho, I want to capture our family, especially our kids, doing everyday things.  I love the little things. Their feet, the faces they make, the way they throw dirt.. whatever it may be.. I want to capture it! This blog has given me a lot of ideas, so here are a few I've taken in the last few days that I hope lean towards her style of photography.

I love the lighting both in the morning and evening when this little one is sitting her her high chair. Lots of messy food faces that I find quite cute.. maybe you won't though :-p Trying out some Aperature Program photoshopping and experimenting with Black and White. 

One afternoon we were all hanging out on our bed. I love that no one is looking at me, all three boys are in their own little worlds :) 

This little two year old sure has some awesome expressions.  He's a very happy little guy at times, but he sure can be angry. He's pretty much a teenage girl.. from super angry in the photo above to delighted as he pours his matchbox cars out of a purple and pink purse. Love him!

I turned around to see our big guy sneaking out quietly after nap time, not quite awake yet I don't think. 

Sunny afternoon outside on the red blanket. Trying out some different angles. 

Trying hard to capture some great moments clearly. I've hard a hard time getting clear photos in times of movement. Kids don't exactly sit still often. At least mine don't.. except for the baby when she's eating :-p Here is biggest brother entertaining the little one. 

Loving this angle! Happy in her seat.. for the moment :) 

Our Littlest Little is 7 months :)

Time flies when you're having fun! Especially this past month... we have been down in the Phoenix area staying with my hubby's parents and thoroughly enjoying the sun and relaxation. Jeff's mom is a pro at helping me out with laundry, dishes, entertaining kids etc. and I haven't had to work very hard at anything.

What I mean to say by all of this is that we've really had a lot of opportunities to relax and enjoy our kids. I've been thoroughly enjoying Elena's seventh month of life and am so very thankful that I have not had to work this past year. I really do regret not taking much time off when I had our second, Hudson, and am reminded daily that I have made the right decision this time around.

A little about Elena right now:

• She smiles with her eyes
• She has the most adorable baby chuckles 
• She is very rarely unhappy
• She falls asleep on her own (thank goodness!!)
• She has been a terrible night sleeper for the past month.. ugh!
• She has been eating solids for two months now and I need to introduce more foods
• She loves mum mums
• She just fell asleep in the stroller for maybe the first time in months the other day. 
• She adores her brothers, especially Landon who loves to play picaboo, tickler her, zoom her around on mats, cuddle with her. Hudson loves her too but shows it differently :) 
• She has been rocking back and forth on hands and knees for about a month.. ready to crawl soon!
• She can almost go from laying down to sitting up on her own. 

Even though these last few months have been very trying with this little munchkin (I wouldn't dare try to add up the number of hours I've vigorously bounced this girl to sleep), we are so very very glad to have her in our lives and couldn't imagine it without her.  I feel our family is complete and am so excited for 2014 as it is the first year that we are all here together. Our first year as a family of 5 :) 

Thanks for reading :) 

The Big 3 0 !

My exciting twenties are coming to an end today. I think back to when I was maybe seventeen or eighteen years old and 30 seemed OLD! Back then I also thought that turning 30 would be a big deal.  I'm a little surprised that it doesn't feel like a big deal at all. I'm really happy with how my twenties unfolded and I'm excited for my thirties!

 I've done a lot of neat things over the past 30 years, met a lot of interesting people, learned a lot, and hopefully have become a more empathetic, helpful, caring and understanding person because of it. I know I still have a lot of growing to do and hopefully I can achieve some of that in my thirties :) My focus has changed from being on me to being on my family.. I have three littles to care for now and need to provide experiences for them that will help shape them as little people.

Anywho.. here is a little list I wrote up of a few things I have done over the last 30 years. They are in no particular order at all and i'm sure I have forgotten a thing or two...  I have also begun a list for 30 things I want to do in the next 30 years.. if you think of anything exciting that should be on that list, let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Thirty Interesting and Not so Interesting things I’ve done by 30!

1.   Went hang gliding over CopaCabana beach in Brazil and paraglided in the Swiss Alps

2.   Traveled to six of seven continents - twenty three Countries! Maybe Antarctica one day? 

3.   Had three beautiful babies - experienced a Cesarean and then two natural births

4.   Found and married the man of my dreams on the internet!

5.   Rode an Ostrich in South Africa

6.   Went to University for five years, two degrees! 

7.   Became a teacher!

8.   Ran a daycare out of my home, five kids three and under at one point

9.   Backpacked across Europe for four and a half months with two girlfriends

10. Gained and lost 45lbs three times

11. Became a stay at home mom to three kids - very busy and crazy at times, but oh so amazing! 

12. Learned conversational Spanish and French

13. Lived in Quebec for six weeks

14. Became a green thumb; created many flower gardens around our yard. 

15. Walked ten kilometres in the middle of nowhere on the Great Wall of China and zip lined off of it

16. Traveled 30 hours on airplanes with a four month old baby strapped to me (And went crazy doing
     so)

17. Went tent camping in Mexico and stayed with some locals

18. Experienced Iguazu Falls up close and personal

19. Have only broken one bone(my arm) when I fell off the monkey bars when I was four

20. Backpacked across South America with Jeff

21. Got proposed to on the top of Table Mountain, South Africa (I said YES!)

22. Won a trip to Cuba on the radio to a five star resort

23. Ran a 10km and 8km race (10km is as far as I’m ever running)

24. Took a helicopter ride around Sedona, Arizona

25. Hitch hiked in Italy

26. Petted some tigers and cheetahs in South Africa

27. Swam with sea turtles, penguins, and dolphins!

28. Moved from Rosedale to North Van, to East Van, and then to Victoria where we bought a house!

29. Ate my own weight in gelato on my trip to Europe!

30. Met a lot of amazing friends over the years and enjoyed spending quality time with our
      families

Can’t wait to see what the next thirty years brings!

30 Things after 30

1. Go skinny dipping - Can't believe I haven't done this yet :-p

2. Live abroad with the family for a year

3. Take a ballet class or two

4. Travel to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand

5. Try wake surfing

6. Become a teacher again in an elementary school

7. Run 10km under 50 minutes

8. Take the kids to Disneyland

9. Volunteer in the kids' classes

10. Become a soccer mom.. or hockey mom, or whatever the kids choose :) 

11. Achieve a super organized and highly function house

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