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New photoblog!

Thanks!!

Amy

Teresa and Manny's Wedding

I thought since I haven't blogged since Mother's Day, now might be a good time!!

The last month has been nothing short of crazy!! School is done, my exams are marked and all that is left for me to do is enter my marks and comments for report cards! Summer is so close! I can't wait! I'm also finishing up a course. (I should be doing the assignments now, but instead am blogging!) Andrew's 30th birthday is coming up on the 24th and mine follows shortly after...still looking fine at 29 :)
In a few weeks, we'll be traveling to Hailfax and PEI with my mom and Chuck. Should be fun times! I've never been to the maritimes, so I'm looking forward to it...and of course will have the camera with me :)

Yesterday we drove to Kingston for Teresa and Manny's wedding. It was absolutely beautiful, as was she. The ceremony was at the gorgeous St. Mary's Cathedral and the reception at Rideau Acres hall. The floral arrangements and colours were simply stunning! Congratulations to you both!! Here are a few shots from the day. I managed to get one of them at the end of the night, the rest are mostly the details, dancing and friends (I was there as a guest, not the photographer)

Here they are


Coming down the aisle (people kept sticking their arms out in front of me!)



A detail of some of the gorgeous flowers



Beautiful cake!



More beautiful flowers--centerpieces--got to take this home! (Thank you, Sarah!!)



Friends--the people at our table

Steph and Chris, Kevin and Nat, Nick and Tara, Matt, Pat and Sarah and Andrew (and of course I'm behind the camera!)



Oh and before I forget, Happy Father's Day!! Here's a little something you might enjoy...love always, your little girl xo

Happy Mother's Day

Ok, so a little bit late....but better than never!

Andrew and I had a great morning today. Since I am not yet a mother, I took advantage of sleeping in while we still can :) (Guilty as charged, we missed church!) We got up and got to work on our version of an "Edible Creation" fruit bowl! When we first moved to our new home, my mom sent us a welcome home gift from Edible Creations:



A real tasty treat!

So we thought it would be a fun idea to order one for Andrew's mom for Mother's Day (since we have already sent one to my mom after the fact) Unfortunately, being a busy weekend, they were booked up. Soooo...we decided to make our own! How fun! Personally, I think ours is better! Check it out.

Andrew holding our little fruity masterpiece!







Ok, so we don't have as much, but hey, it's all good! Hee hee, we had to re-use the pumokin bowl it came in the first time because we didn't have anything else! lol

And of course, I could resist the fruit shots! So colourful and fresh!

So crisp



Yum! Juicy!



Reminds me of our days in Hawaii





Don't forget, I do a photo a day on Flickr! Catch up here and see the rest of the set here

Also, stay tuned for my website...in the works!!

Springing into Spring

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had a happy and relaxing Easter weekend



and hopefully you didn't eat not too much chocolate!


(Thank you for these Mary-Ann and Cyril...Andrew has probably already eaten these!)

The weather has been a bit better--sunnier and a weeee bit warmer! I'm still wearing a winter coat and sipping on hot chocolate, so not warm enough



I can't wait for Spring!! Part of the reason I love Easter so much is that it's such a joyful celebration all about new life and hope. Soon the tulips will be in full bloom and we'll start to see colour around us once again.


Oh and of course, with spring comes new arrivals:) (but this was on sale!)---finally I'm getting some colour and life back into my wardrobe, one sweater at a time!



It's also put a little "Spring in my step" so to speak ;)


Wow, I am so longing for flip flop weather...so far away...



Andrew and I attended Good Friday and Easter Sunday mass at Holy Redeemer this past weekend. We usually go to St. Pat's but are finding it a bit too far since moving. I enjoyed mass there, especially Easter Sunday because there are lots of big windows and the Sun was shining through. Also, the choir sang so beautifully!!

On Saturday night, Andrew's family had dinner at his nanny's brand new retirement residence...it was so beautiful!! The residence is like an upscale hotel! Art adorns the walls, there are beautiful pieces of furniture everywhere and the amenities offered are amazing: a pool, a gym, a dining room (where we ate)/restaurant, a salon, a library and even a movie theatre to name a few!! It was simply beautiful!

I have been trying to enjoy every minute of this 4 day weekend and though I feel refreshed, really don't want to go back to work tomorrow haha!

Today, I was feeling ambitious. A former colleague of mine from Mother Teresa was beside us at church and telling me that she was going to do a roast for dinner with her family. That of course got me thinking about how much I love roast beef and that I have NEVER made one! Is that sad at 28 years old that I'd never made one?

In any case, I know it's only roast beef and all my gourmet friends and family are probably scoffing at me right now, haha, but I made it! Thank God for Google! You can find anything on the internet!

So, I made a special dinner for us tonight--Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding (inspired by having my mother in laws--my mom says I ate them as a child, but I do not remember this!), homemade gravy (nope, have never done that before either!), sauteed veggies and roasted potatoes...oh and cherry pie with ice-cream and whipped cream (ok so I bought the pie!)

I am so pleased with how good everything turned out! The roast was well done but not overcooked. I tend to prefer my meat well done, but I think next time, I would take it out a bit sooner, so that it would be just a bit juicier--thought, it wasn't tough to cut, so that's a good thing! I enjoyed it and so did Andrew so I'm happy! haha! The Yorkshire pudding was easy to do (super easy) but they didn't rise in my tiny muffin pans as much as I thought they would. I watched this video with a little British woman showing how to make them and she said to fill the muffin tray only 1/3 of the way full. Well, maybe because it's a small pan, I should have filled a bit higher? In any case, they tasted great and they didn't burn! The middles were soft like they're supposed to be, so I can't complain! The gravy was good too!

Ahh baby steps! My goal this year is to cook more homestyle food more often! Just call me the domestic goddess...lol...in training!

Here are a few pics from the masterpiece meal! (I even selected a wonderful full-bodied red wine to complement the dish!)

Well that's it for now! Thanks for reading along!Here are some pics from dinner (you didn't think that after all that work, I'd forget to photograph them, did you??


It's all about presentation after all



Mini Yorkshire puddings



Leave room for dessert...



On a final note, it was my mom's --th/nd birthday today!! Happy Birthday mom! Hope it was a happy one!!!



xo Amy

Have a sunshiny Saturday and Sunday!

Despite the drizzle and gray skies....



It's a good day to catch up on some cleaning...not that I want to clean, but it's pretty crusty outside! Andrew's out getting the winter tires removed and the nice tires put back on! That's a sure sign of spring!

Enjoy your weekends...hope it's a relaxing one for you!

3 Cheers for Spring

Wow,

Hard to believe it's April!! I haven't posted here in what seems like ages--I think I was getting kind of bored with this blog--not the blogging itself, but the layout--if only I knew more about HTML and I could customize this to my liking!

Anyways, I'm going to make more of an effort to keep it up to date. I'm also hoping to get a website up and running at some point!

What have I been up to? Well the school year is clearly flying by (no complaints there!) and of course, in my free time, I have been faithfully continuing my 365 project, which can be seen here . I have been posting consistently at least one photo a day to represent the readings from

It's been fun and challenging! It really makes you think outside the box!

Anyways, I encourage you to follow along, if you feel so inclined! You can also go back and catch up, as all the photos are blogged. I am going to make more of an effort to blog them here as well, hence the use of a blog!

Here are a few of my most recent faves!

A little Tea to warm the heart and soothe the soul...


We've all had those days, weeks, months etc...where we feel overworked and underappreciated. I definitely feel tired right now, but mood wise, in good spirits! Yay!

Some days we are just sad--sometimes we know why and sometimes we don't! I know that when I'm nearing that time, I get hit hard with PMS--or as I call it "Pretty Miserable Situation" lol! (TMI? lol)

The author reminds us that we all get those days and we can do one of two things: sing the blues or find something to indulge in--like a big bowl (or tub lol) of ice-cream! No matter what we do, sooner than later (hopefully) the dark rain cloud hovering over us will pass and we will see the light again!

I am a huge tea lover, so when I'm in a crusty mood (and even when I'm not) I love a hot mug of tea. I love flavoured teas.

This past weekend, when visiting the Byward Market in Ottawa, I stopped in at the tea shop to admire all the pretty trea pots (love tea pots!) and buy some loose tea--I purchased Mango Lemon loose tea (divine--it's fruity and sweet, I love it!) and Ginger tea (also very good!) I also saw this teal mug, which I just had to have! When you take off the lid, there is a ceramic infuser inside for your tea leaves that sits over the mug. So when you fill it with hot water, all that flavourful goodness seeps in! I love it!

That's all for today, hope it's been a good one and if not, go find something that might bring a smile to your face (or your tummy!)

More Simple Abundance

...

Funny that a pair of really nice shoes make us feel good in our heads - at the extreme opposite end of our bodies. ~Levende Waters 365/81





Alright, so here I am in my favourite black leather, Nine West heels! They aren't too high, but give my short frame just enough boost! And despite my quote, they are extremely broken in, so are more comfortable to me than some of my less worn flats! (that give me blisters!!)

Evidently, the author is still talking about clothes and authentic style. One of the main ideas that I took from this is that just because we have older clothes that we once felt good in, doesn't mean we have to hold on to them (guilty as charged!) Instead we should take pride in what makes us feel good! I don't wear power suits to work, I wear these power heels! She asks us to think about the one article of clothing we couldn't live without--for me, honestly, it's these shoes! I wear them with jeans, skirts, dresses and just about any colour dress pant! I will definitely replace these when they kick the bucket

These "signature" pieces that we own kind of define us in a way! Think of people like Audrey Hepburn: I found this online and it's so perfect for this

Hepburn borrowed just three pieces from Givenchy's spring/summer collection of 1953 to wear in 'Sabrina', her second big screen production. Givenchy's simple geometric designs perfectly complimented Hepburn's boyish physique and these three items were enough to dazzle audiences around the world. Of this first meeting, Givenchy would later recall that "She knew exactly what she wanted. She knew perfectly her visage and her body, their fine points and their faults”. Over the decades that followed Givenchy's creations became part of her Hepburn's signature look, both on and off the screen. (http://www.fashion.ie/women-ireland-celebrity_style-style_icons/audrey-hepburn-the-quintessential-style-icon/spId/8A069F48-FBAE-6724-AA80B8D342424A84.html)

"Simplicity never disappoints. Once you learn that less is more, then enough becomes plenty."

More Simple Abundance

...

An older one (well, about 30+ days ago!)
Making my mark! 365/50

"Each day your create yourself new through choice. By paying attention to the details--your authentic gestures--you give expression to the most personal of all the arts: making your own imprint on life."

I really liked this reading, called "Making your own imprint"--yes, I realize imprint usually implies leaving an impression in something, but this will have to do! I'll leave an impression on all of you, how about that?

We all have our own unique styles and there is no one else like us (no 2 finger prints are alike!!) The author also talks about the details in life--if we had the chance to re-do our homes, re-select our china, re-decorate the living room--what would we choose? As she says--God is in the details! They make us who we are!



...

Here is today's post (as in March 31st)



Well I've made it through another 31 days of photos!Today's reading is simply called "Joyful Simplicities for March"

Basically, do something that makes you happy--buy some flowers, take a walk, read a good book etc...I have just been meaning to take a pic of this little nest that my mom bought me...it's cute and makes me think Spring!

April here we come!

...

Here is yesterday's--Andrew took this one! (March 30th)



So if you've been follwing me on this Simple Abundance path, you've already seen my Authentic Style, you've seen me in my Grubbies, you know that I can't live without my heels!, you know that I own a lot of black and gray and that it's time for some Spring Cleaning and finally, you have seen my comfy Pj's! Phew, am I glad she is done talking about your authentic style, I was running out of inspiration!

So this last entry on this topic is all about creating your own unique sense of style--this can be challenging, but not if we are true to ourselves--if we hold out for the things that we know are truly us! I decided today, another selfie was in order--this is not the best shot technically (my hubby took this!) but I like it anyways. I know, it's a bit cheeseball, but whatever! lol

So there you have it, this is basically my authentic work style. As for casual, it usually looks something like this or this comfy sweater and sine worn in jeans!

This is what I wore to work today, so as soon as I got home, I took this pic, since 5 min later I was in the grubbies!


And for some Spring inspired fun...

This was taken in Hawaii



The green that reminds me that there will be green again



Gotta love Pier 1!





Some pretty tulips



This was actually one of my Simple Abundance blogs as well

Ok so here's my attempt at 3 in one today: Whispery White Wed with a hint of green (and pink !) Happy Bokeh Wednesday and my 365:)

It has been a long and draining day. I am leaving this weekend for a conference and need to pack still...need to relax too! I feel exhausted today!

The reading was about the importance of self-realization and the personal messages we send off--I really didn't feel like doing another sp today, so I did this one. Sorry, this is so un-inspiring today--I don't even have the enegery to come up with something thought provoking to write other than: be proud of who you are and assert yourself. Confidence is empowerment.

I love this one!



And last but not least---I started a group on Flickr called Joyful Simplicities Almost 900 Flickr users have either joined the group or submit photos. The photo pool is super inspiring! There are some great photos in there, have a look!

Thanks for following along and my apologies again for this mega post (I'll stay up to date this month, promise!) Hope all is well and Happy Spring!!

A sneak peek!

I just finished working on this photo for tomorrow, but can't wait to share because I'm pretty happy with it!

It may not be for everyone because it's pretty artsy--I've used a rain texture to make it appear that it's raining...almost looks as if they are inside looking out or someone is looking in..like a window!

Anyways, this is a really old photo that I took at the orchid show in ottawa. I needed something for tomorrow's reading, but wasn't sure how to best reprsent rain. It's about how we all go through dry spells in our lives but the no matter what, the spring rain comes along and re-kindles hope. As Victor Hugo put it "winter is on my head but eternal spring is in my heart."


Enjoy!



Hopefully it won't be raining tomorrow--I'm going to the Sugar bush with the gr 9 immersion kids and we're outside all day!!


Here is also my first attempt at a water droplet shot! I had to spray the petals and then use my 18-135 lens because I don't have a real macro lens yet!! Not bad! I also made the colours like this. Originally, these plants were bumblegum pink! (Pink Anthuriums) I thought the water stood out much more on this colour, so I chnaged it!