365 day 145 SPRING it's SPRING Gorgeous day in K-country | Calgary children's photographer

Warning. Picture heavy. Colors are gorgeous. Kids are having fun. It is heaven.
Reminds me everything I love about Alberta :)

What a gorgeous day it was today!!!! Funny how all one needs to get motivated is a little sun and warm weather!!!! Today I took the kids and met up with my sister and BIL and their two and headed to K country. It was the perfect day and we all enjoyed ourselves :)

Now driving with Rohan is quite unique. You never know if he is going to enjoy it, play his video games, watch a movie, tell stories, or complain. Lately the trend has been to tell me the speed limit. EVERY.SINGLE.SIGN.
Don't get me wrong I love that he is learning his numbers.... but wow. It can drive you bonkers!

We just spent our time walking around, throwing rocks in the river, taking pictures and enjoying the sunshine.

We also hit up Bragg Creek for some ice cream.... really when you are out having fun for the day and are passing Bragg Creek... does anyone NOT stop for ice cream?? It is soooooo good!!!!

So Ro totally noticed all the bikes while we were stopped there. On the way to the car he this was our convo:
Ro - Mom can I please have a bike when I am 8?
Me - No. Not until you are 16.
Ro - Awwww mom WHY NOT?
Me - Because that is the law.
Ro - OK when I am 16 can I?
Me - Well you'll have to pay for it. You should start saving now. They are expensive.
Ro - Wooohooooo when I am 16 I am getting a BIKE!!!!!!! I'm going to ride super FAST!!!!

I heard nothing more about said bike until we were about half way home. Then this is our convo:
Ro - So mom I just thought of something!!!
Me - What?
Ro - When I am 16 I can go wherever I want!!!!
Me - Oh really? Why?
Ro - Because if I have a bike I can just go out and do whatever I want.

At this point I stifled a cry lol. Why do they have to grow up so fast!!! He is FOUR...... SHEESH!!!!!!!!!

These shots are pretty amazing. They are NOT cropped.... I can crop them it tight and the detail is amazing. I love love spring!!!

Gorgeous colors!!

Still a little snow left... not for long!

The kids walked on the snow and this is what happened. Like crystals. Pretty cool.

He was soooo into the water and throwing rocks. Pretty neat - the water still had some pretty thick ice on it. The kids were trying to throw the rocks far enough to hit the ice and break it.

This kid melts my heart. He stopped, asked for his camera and took a picture.

The gang :)

While evereyone was throwing rocks he was inventing something. I believe we know it to be a dam lol. Of course he doesn't know that :) He was stacking rocks to make the water flow in the directions he wanted it too. (that is how he described it)

my fav pic. you can't see how dirty she is or the holes she put in her tights lol.

365 day 144 whipped cream... yes please!! | Calgary children's photographer

I have never used whipping cream. The kind you buy in the milk section in a box. I have always bought cool whip. BUT I am attempting a new recipe that called for it. Not knowing how much I needed when I was at the store I bought the bigger box.

With all the kids here today and a little tired from their prechool concert I wanted to give them a special little treat. So I turned to baking. Which.... FYI keep butter in your fridge. Everything I went to make called for more butter than I had - I had used mine all up at Easter and forgot to restock. I love butter. Seriously it is a crime to bake without it. OK maybe not... but it should be!

So I thought... there will be no better time to try out this whipping cream! I had tons of grapes, strawberries, and raspberries. That with whipping cream plus the absolutely gorgeous day outside was the perfect solution!!!

So I whipped up the stuff.. and it was really good! I was suprised. Now I need to know... what IS the difference? I mean it is 33% cream so I am assuming it's ummmmm rich lol. But really I like it better than cool whip. I don't buy it often, but I will definately keep on with the cream - until someone tells me it will clog my arteries in seconds or something ;)

So go ahead. Try it. Dare you.
The kids will hate it....

Seriously... they won't enjoy ONE second if it.

They definitely won't make a mess of their clothes with those berries either ;)

He really is loving it. REALLY. He told me he HAS to tell his mom how to make this. He wanted me to take a pic of his chin so he could see the mess he made!

mmmmmmmm perfect summer*ish* treat!!!

Off topic.... speaking of grocery stores... anyone else completely happy that the walmart supercenter is open in Shawnessy??? Not that it will make my Walmart experiences any better... but Safeway is WAY cheaper now!!! Now that is good news!!!!

finally.... some of our family Christmas pics

Seriously... how sad is this???
we had such a great Christmas this year..... with the grandmas coming in and all!!! How lucky are my kids? I think they have prob the most grandmas ever! And they just love em all.

My Mom and Barb wanted a session with everyone. So on Christmas Day I set up the lights and we all got our pics done before Christmas dinner. Don't mind some of the squished comps.... our Christmas tree was up and we were totally limited on space!! The lighting was also not ideal... but my sister has one up on her wall and it looks great :)

And now I am done.... just finishing up some randoms and they will be in the mail!

oh ya..... my family really gets into getting pictures taken lol.

Seriously..... a zillion snaps and NOT one of everyone looking nicely one way. *SIGH*

Luckily it is not only my family :P

random acts of kindness | Calgary photographer

I have heard of these things. Someone in the lineup at Timmy's pays for the next cars order..... that kind of thing.
Today I was completely caught off guard and totally the recipient of a very random act of kindness.

My sister and I met up at Starbucks today with the kids before our two oldest went to school. She had ordered and was waiting for her food, Ro and I were beside all the baking (waiting for Ro to decide). He finally made his decision, and this man that had come in and stood behind my sister asked if I was next in line.
I said oh no, go ahead we have a lot to order. He said thank you, proceeded to order and then told the girl plus whatever she is having.
Shocked I quickly said oh no, I have a lot to order I'm getting the kids some treats and drinks. To which he pulled out some more money and said that's ok.
Still in shock as he walked away I asked the girl if he was serious. She assured me he was.

REALLY???? When does that ever really happen? I ordered, then went over to thank him.
I believe I am still in shock.

Random acts of kindness really do happen. Sometimes life suprises you :)
And now I am going to finish enjoying this

and decide how to pay this karma forward.

365 day 143 ummmm who ruined my fish creek park? | Calgary children's photographer

Ok it may not be just MY park. I may or may not share it with a million people in this city. However.... it really sucks to go to the park that you have gone to for almost 9 years and find it COVERED in graffiti. And not even what I would consider nice graffiti. I mean, I do love a good graffiti wall to take pics with, and I can appreciate art on a wall for sure. But this? Just garbage. And the city has painted over it and people still come back.
It made me very very sad to walk my kids through the park and have them see that junk. Totally ruined the beauty for me.
Seriously... if you must graffiti... make art people. Not nastiness. Not garbage. It ruins beauty. It ruins the park. And it makes me sad.

Ok rant over. The kids had an awesome time today. It was cold. The kids, gram and I went to the park. We brought the kids bikes. Of course Kade, being a princess, she sits on the bike with her feet on the stationary bar and waits for someone to push her!!! I laughed so hard at her..... silly girl. I think she pedalled all of 2 min lol.
We played by the river, where Rohan really learned how to throw some big rocks into the water. Also discovered that Kade has a natural wicked pitching stance and a great arm! She got filthy and tired.... so unlike her ;) She started crying about 10 min BEFORE we hit the car and didn't stop until we got there. A good outing never ends without some tears!!!!

any wonder she was so dirty? She was throwing everything. Rocks, dirt, whatever :)

Look at her stance!

Getting ready.... I love this pic!!

and off it goes!!!!

Cool grandma. Rohan really got his rock throwing game on today!

He wasn't actually too impressed I was riding his bike lol.

365 day 142 what happens when teenagers cook.... | Calgary children's photographer

So the other day a storm was rolling in. It was already late in the day and I knew I had to clean up the yard in preparation for some very strong winds and snow.
So I asked Tay and her friend to get the chicken wings and drumsticks ready for the oven. In MY mind I thought this would be faster than me cleaning up the yard, then prepping, then baking.

Now... those of you with teems probably already know what happened. Those of you who don't DO NOT want to know ;)

I bought 3 different BBQ sauce flavors. All that needed to be done was take the chicken out of the wrapping and cover them with sauce then drop on to my *AMEN* pampered chef pans.

Well it was pretty funny to watch. It started out with Taylor being completely grossed out to her talking to a chicken covered in sauce.

The beginning of the storm. The wind was intense and the flakes were just starting. This is when I realized... hey better clean up the yard. And got the teenagers involved in supper. Which they were ALL over (no not really) and were super speedy (as if).

Rohan found it HILARIOUS to watch them. As did I.

hard to believe at the beginning of this she was too grossed out to even open the package. Look at her now :)

Seriously... this much snow had fallen by the time they were done. I kept telling them we would like to eat before Christmas. Which quickly changed to we need to get them in the oven and cooked BEFORE the power goes out. Our light had started flickering pretty badly, and the fridge was making awful noises. I was really worried the power would go off BEFORE supper was cooked. I mean we had already waited FOREVER!!!

But they did it!!! Finished all of them!

And neither of them were harmed in the process. My oven mitt however caught on fire while I was wearing it putting the chicken IN the stove!!!
note - terry cloth oven mitts from Canadian Tire... NOT a good idea in my books!!!

anyone in the market for a truck?

We're selling a truck :)
F150
2001
power windows, mirrors and locks
A/C
350 000 km
great shape, running perfectly

$3000

We're only selling because we bought a trailer and this truck is not big enough to pull it. It a a super heavy trailer and over the ratings for this truck.

Call 403-875-3710 if interested. Pass along to your friends!!!!