mini cupcakes

i made mini cupcakes for my girl's classes for christmas.

love that one cake mix makes enough for two classes - super easy.

interesting experience for me as i worked away on this special treat.

the cupcakes stuck to the non-stick pan. 

(will find liners for next time...)

they didn't want to stay together as i removed them from the pan.

i was tempted early on to give up and make something else...

they weren't looking pretty 

and i'm usually hesitant to share my work if it's not 'pretty'.

the people pleaser (and slight perfectionist) in me.

but then i thought to myself  that 4, 5 and 6 year olds 

are not going to notice that some of the edges are crumbly...

they see chocolate frosting with a tiny silver ball on top.

to them, they'll be special and delicious.

~

it's easy to share the things we're proud of:

like getting a strike on your first ball (oh yeah!)

 or pretty chocolate treats created for special teachers.

but it can be hard to share the things in our lives

that we're not so proud of.

as i think back to the moments when i have made myself vulnerable 

and shared my worries, weaknesses, or mistakes with others,

most often those things have been received with love and respect

and resulted in strengthened relationships as a result of my honesty.

so over the holidays, share your 'not so perfect cupcakes,'

it just might feel good.

and try to look at the world through a child's non-judgemental eyes, 

looking past imperfections and seeing what makes it 'special and delicious'...

merry christmas friends!  

(all photos posted today were from my iphone)

ten years

today - my parents celebrate 38 years of marriage! 

amazing!  congratulations mom and dad!

today - jude and i celebrate 10 years of marriage!

hoorah!

photo of a photo - hard to believe 10 years was pre-digital for many

here's a bit of our story:

judah and i met at myw when i was 18 and he was 20.

we were on staff there together.  

it was my 4th summer volunteering at camp, his first.

a friend of his talked jude into coming to work at camp...

but then he got a 'real' job and couldn't come anymore.  

jude still came.  i'm so glad he did!

i had an immediate crush on the new cute guy.  

actually, i think the crush started when i heard there was a guy 

named judah coming to work at camp (love the name!).

we became great friends that summer, spending most of our time together.

he was the first guy i could sit and chat with for hours.

come september i was moving to bc for my first year of university 

and he was heading back to windsor for his third.  

the week before i left, he took the bus twice to mississauga to visit me...

 i was hoping that was a good sign - maybe he liked me?!  

it wasn't until october that i got a letter from him telling me how he felt.  

best. day. ever.

by christmas (when i was home from bc) it was official.

we dated for a year and a half and got engaged, 

a year and a half later (too long) we were married!  

10 years now...still going strong!

kinda fun to think back to how it all started...

judah - being with you is a dream come true!

love you forever.

bloom

this is selah's favourite flower - she's been watching and waiting for them!

a beautiful iris stands alone in full bloom.

bloom: "the state or period of greatest beauty, freshness or vigor"

~

i have been blogless for a little bit.  

kind of bogged down.

not in full bloom.

feeling busy and tired these days.

after not having uploaded my photos for a week, 

it was nice to come across the pretty photo above

(taken in my parent's garden last week).

even when i feel like i'm busy and/or moving slow, 

life goes on around me...

beautiful & new.

thankful for that.

i would like to join the iris in full bloom,

but not sure how to get there these days.

i would love to hear what helps you 

feel like you're at your best, 

like you're in full bloom.

~

after a busy day indoors 

(a fun new project - photos to come), 

it was so lovely to look out the window this evening and see 

that our irises have started to bloom as well.  

made me smile.

selah will be so happy!

break in

we spent a nice weekend in southampton with family. 

we came home to our little home that we love, and discovered that someone had come in uninvited. 

it was heartbreaking. 

yes they took, a lot of "valuable" things, but the upsetting part is that it also feels like they took a little piece of me, of our family.  they took our computer with all my photos on it.  that's not fair.  computer, ipods, jewelry can be replaced...a years worth of photos cannot.  lesson learned:  back up photos regularly, because you never know what's going to happen. 
they also took my comfort in my own home.  i do plan on reclaiming that, but it will take time.  the break in happened through our kitchen window, apparently the person came from the trail, through our backyard to the window.  i find whenever i'm in the kitchen i'm checking out the window to make sure no one is there.  i'm very aware now of any unfamiliar noises.  i never used to lock the door when we were home, except when we were sleeping, now it is always locked. 
it's funny how you process and wonder...what ifs.
things i would change:  motion light in backyard would have been on.  barley would have been home.  not at the kennel.  we would have taken the laptop with us on the weekend.  i would have back up my 2010 photos last week (it was on my list).  i would have had the girls photobooks printed months ago.  i would have asked the neighbours to park their car in our driveway.  and i'm sure the list could go on...
i can't change what happened or how or why.  i can control how i respond and recover.  i think how i responded that night was normal, but i wish i hadn't caused selah to worry.  i think it was really hard to for her to see her mommy cry so much.  fortunately emery was sleeping when we got home and slept through the police being here and everything.  i am really happy with how i talked with emery about what happened the next morning.  both girls seem to be doing fine now, just asking questions as they come up.  emery is missing a few of her special things and her camera.  i told selah the night we came home that i was sad about losing so many pictures and she suggested i take some pictures of her right away, so i did.  she's a sensitive and thoughtful girl. 

i think just writing about this is a step in the right direction. 

jude was very calm through all this and has remained that way.  we haven't had too many trials in our life together, but he is always an anchor when the come.  i'm so thankful for him and my girls and that we're all safe and sound.  i'm also very thankful for all the love i've felt from family and friends since this happened.

(i did take a photo for my potd, didn't have the heart to photograph the mess, so i took a pic of the footprints outside the window of choice.  i lost my card reader though, so this entry will be photofree)

refresh

do you ever have a day when you just feel kind of "blah" by then end of it...

today was one of those.  

so i thought i'd read some blogs hoping to find something refreshing.  

well, i found it.  

my friend catherine posted this reflection on her blog about a year ago 

(i love the 'you may also like this' feature on blogs now!) 

and i thought i would take some time to reflect as well.

Outside my window... it’s dark, cold with snow on the ground - but there are christmas lights out there - bright and colourful.

I am thinking... that i had a tough day, but i need to stop being so hard on myself.

I am thankful for... my family - judah and the girls - they really are amazing...i have much to be thankful for...

I am wearing... jeans and a top, but added jude’s hoodie for warmth.

I am remembering... the fun i had this weekend with my mom, my sister and her fam.  i am thankful for my whole family.

I am going... to mail some christmas cards in the morning.  

I am reading... photography books and blogs these days, oh and just bought a book by brene brown, 

i like her stuff.

I am hoping... for a good sleep tonight and a great day tomorrow - whatever it may bring.

I am hearing... the furnace and house creaks, and a lovely bird calling in the distance.

I am creating... christmas card designs lately (love), and cutting snowflakes with emery.

From the kitchen... today: a green smoothie!  selah and i were trying for purple, but the spinach 

(yes, spinach!) won the colour battle with the blueberries!  still tasted good!

Around the house... christmas decorations amongst the piles of things that need putting away.

One of my favorite things... today: seeing the joy on emery’s face when she gets to “perform” on stage!

A picture to share... taken just before singing her song in the concert at school 

amazingly, i do feel better after taking the time for this.  

refreshing... i hope you find some time for refreshing things over the holidays.