I'm Not Spending Christmas With My Family, and I'm Happy About That

warning: 

I wrote this extremely early. 

I'm not good with grammar or spelling at the best of times, let alone on 3 hours sleep.

I apologize for the errors that might be present. 

hello there,

It's 4:46 am.

The year is 2014.

The day, Thursday.

The date is December 25.

Today is Christmas Day.

Today is the first time in 23 years that I won't be spending Christmas morning with my family.

And I couldn't be happier about that.

Newborn Photography | Max

hello there,

Everyone, meet Max. I had the privilege of snapping a few photos of this precious boy a couple weeks ago when he was just 10 days old. I love photographing babies because at the end of the session I get baby cuddles! Thanks for being a little trooper Max, even when you weren't really in the mood for modelling!

-m.o

Survival

hello there,

Today I wrote my fifth and final exam of the semester. Looking back on the last three and half months, if I were to summarize them I would do so by saying, "I survived".

I. Survived.

This was, without a doubt, my most difficult, exhausting, stressful, and demanding semester of my academic career to date. But. I survived. Reflecting on this, one might assume I'm incredibly relieved (which I am) however, it didn't leave me with much of a sense of accomplishment. I should be proud of myself, after all I am like 75% percent sure I passed all my courses.... Yet I can't help but feel discouraged more than anything else over my current situation. You see, I happen to believe that surviving and living are two very different concepts. And I for one, while managing to survive the semester, wasn't really living.

First World Problems [Canadian Edition]

hello there,

First world problems. We love them. We all have them. They make us laugh. They allow us to poke fun at our privileged culture. On a daily basis I complain about a dozen or two things that really aren't worthy of being complained about. So what are some common Canadian First World Problems? I thought I would compile a Canadian specific list that Canadians encounter on a daily basis...

Bits & Pieces | Just Be There

hello there,

For anyone who ever thought horses are just dumb animals, this post is for you. For anyone who has ever lost a loved one, this post is for you. For anyone who has ever watched a loved one suffer, this post is for you. A few weeks ago, the farm where my horse lives experienced a sudden loss. The old pony, who had resided there long before my horse moved in, passed away. It was a devastating shock to everyone that knew her. Animal or human, to have something leave you that's been a part of your daily life, year after year for years, is never an easy experience. Although we rest assured that her elderly body no longer ales her, all of us mourned her loss, in our own way. For me, it was cuddles with my horse. Breathing in his aroma, knowing he's still with me and how blessed I am to have him. I tried to find the joy in his existence while coming to terms with the loss of hers.

Sexy And She Proved It [Letter To Kim Kardashian]

hello there,

It seems as though in the recent days and weeks an astonishing amount of celebrity "nudes" have been leaked over social media . Ah yes, controversy and drama in its finest forms. This is the type of stuff our society craves. But there's also been a situation or two where a celebrity has posed for nearly nude photos in photoshoots for magazines and various other platforms. Yes, I'm looking at you Kim Kardashian. Before you click the X out of the page let me assure you this isn't some celeb gossip rag in which I roast the woman the world hates to love and loves to hate. I am however going to use the situation regarding Mrs. Kardashian-West as an example for something. Something, being that I am not entirely sure where this post is going, I just know it'll end up somewhere. Somewhere most likely being in the drafts bin to never be seen by anyone other than myself. But I digress. 

Booty.

Hometown Tourist | Sea to Sky

(for enhanced experience listen to this this link in a separate tab: Reuben and the Dark - "Bow and Arrow")

hello there,

This past weekend posed another opportunity for me to take a drive on what is quite possibly my favourite line of concrete in the entire world: The Sea to Sky Highway. One might think that after 23 years in this province and 4 trips from Vancouver to Whistler in less than a year I have become accustomed to or bored of the drive, however that is very far from the case. It seems to be that no matter how many times I make that drive it never ceases to take my breath away. It is by far the most wonderful 188 km stretch of road and Friday's weather boasted a complimentary array of sun and clouded blue skies.

Finding Inspiration | Chasing The Fog

(for enhanced experience listen to this link in a separate tab: Sam Garrett - Belong)

hello there,

The Oxford English Dictionary defines Inspiration as "a breathing or infusion into the mind or soul"

I started this blog with valiant intentions of expanding my mind and developing my writing. However, I'm finding more and more as the days go on how difficult it is to find inspiration to write.

My favourite part about inspiration is that it looks incredibly different for every single person. Inspiration is the driving force behind our actions, it's what fuels our passion. It comes in endless shapes and forms. For me, inspiration comes from anywhere but most commonly it comes from the stories of people I meet or the astonishingly beautiful things I see in nature. Fortunately for me, I am surrounded by people that inspire me, in my personal life and in my work. As for nature, that comes even easier. As I've alluded to time and time again I live in the most beautiful place on earth, so I am surrounded by phenomenal creation on a daily basis and I choose to live my life outdoors as often as possible (weather permitting).

My Monday Music [ All about that what..? ] | Sexuality [3/4]

The following post is a part of a 4 Post series I am doing for one of my classes in university. The title of the class is “Sociology of Sexuality” and naturally the content of the blogs must discuss topics under the umbrella of that title. Therefore, the content will be slightly different to anything I’ve ever blogged about (Not that I really ever blog, so it’s hard to pinpoint whether or not I have a style or common topic). Regardless, if you’re wondering why I’m writing about this, that is why and, of course, I do believe they’re important discussions to bring up.

hello there,

It's been a while, a really long while, since I posted a "My Monday Music" blog post, and I figured it was time to bring it back. For many contributing reasons, this week was just one of those weeks where I seemed to spend more time in my car than anywhere else. Yeah, fun times... And this meant that I got to listen to the radio! A LOT! But that's a good thing because there's a lot of really intelligent and empowering songs that are extremely popular in pop culture right now. Also, I may be in an extra sarcastic mood while I'm writing this. Maybe.

13 Things Someone In A Relationship Shouldn't Say To Someone Who's Single

hello there,

I decided to draw attention to a less important area of my life: My Relationship Status. I'm single, it's kind of my thing. Call me a pro if you will. With this status comes some rather frequent and repetitive conversations with those who find themselves slightly less single than myself. This isn't a "woe is me" pity-fest, I love all my friends and their husbands/wives/boyfriends/girlfriends. My friend's relationships mean I gain new lifelong friends and get a fancy free meal at their wedding. It's a win-win situation. However, there's the odd conversation that happens where my single status is in question and things get said that make me want to snap the other person's ring finger right off their left hand (dramatization, of course). Therefore, here are the 13 things someone in a relationship shouldn't say to someone who's single:

Homelessness, A Choice?

hello there,

I've been meaning to write this blog for a while, but as life goes, time got away from me. However, the topic is still incredibly relevant and I really want to give my take on a very important situation that I've come to learn the majority of the population is incredibly uneducated on. The issue of homelessness is obviously something I've learned a great deal about being that it is my job to work with those who find themselves without a home. I think that because of that I sometimes lose sight of the fact that not everyone understands and sees what I understand and see. I was reminded of this while listening to The Kid Carson Show on Sonic the other day. The discussion was around the homeless population that was being evicted from Oppenheimer Park in Vancouver. One woman called into the radio to share her take on the situation. To sum it up she stated that homelessness is a choice. Her comment hit me in an unsettling way because her opinion is a popular one, shared and believed by many.

So I asked myself the question and tried to answer it based on my experience and knowledge.

Is homelessness a choice?

Dear Parents of the Internet Kid Generation | Sexuality [2 of 4]

The following post is a part of a 4 Post series I am doing for one of my classes in university. The title of the class is “Sociology of Sexuality” and naturally the content of the blogs must discuss topics under the umbrella of that title. Therefore, the content will be slightly different to anything I’ve ever blogged about (Not that I really ever blog, so it’s hard to pinpoint whether or not I have a style or common topic). Regardless, if you’re wondering why I’m writing about this, that is why and, of course, I do believe they’re important discussions to bring up.

"When adults say, "Teenagers think they are invincible" with that sly, stupid smile on their faces,
they don't know how right they are. We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken.
We think that we are invincible because we are. We cannot be born, and we cannot die.
Like all energy, we can only change shapes and sizes and manifestations.
They forget that when they get old. They get scared of losing and failing.
But that part of us greater than the sum of our parts cannot begin and cannot end,
and so it cannot fail."
- John Green, Looking for Alaska

The Funny Thing About Sexual Assault | Sexuality [1 of 4]

The following post is a part of a 4 Post series I am doing for one of my classes in university. The title of the class is “Sociology of Sexuality” and naturally the content of the blogs must discuss topics under the umbrella of that title. Therefore, the content will be slightly different to anything I’ve ever blogged about (Not that I really ever blog, so it’s hard to pinpoint whether or not I have a style or common topic). Regardless, if you’re wondering why I’m writing about this, that is why and, of course, I do believe they’re important discussions to bring up. 

Hello there,

The funny thing about sexual assault is... Nope. I have nothing. There's nothing funny about it. Yet apparently not everyone shares my stance. Recently, several videos were brought to my attention that I found rather interesting/disturbing/important/controversial/all of the above. The videos featured YouTube star Sam Pepper who has made a career of posting videos on YouTube of him performing pranks (If you didn’t know YouTube could be a career, you’re not alone, but apparently it is). Upon further investigation, it appears that the majority of his pranks involve some type of sexual act ranging from “Picking Up Girls Using Instagram” to “Making Out With Strangers” and there are over 109 such videos to be found on his YouTube channel, which is watched by over 2.3 million subscribers. I managed to watch the first 30 seconds of one of these videos before turning it off due to the offensive nature of the “pranks”.

The Shape of Burdens

hello there,

It's been a while... I feel like I start every blog post like that. Clearly blogging is not really my forte, but it's late at night and I can't sleep so for some reason this seemed like the best possible thing for me to do. Therefore, I present to you some of the thoughts currently running through my overly active mind.

After a year and a half filled with some battles won and many battles lost, I greeted this summer with open and eager arms. I wasn't going to be going to school for four months and I had a job I was actually excited about.

One of my favourite verses comes from Ecclesiastes 3 and it says:

There is a time for everything,

And a season for everything under heaven

...

A time to tear down and a time to build,

A time to weep and a time to laugh,

A time to mourn and a time to dance,

I finally had come to my season of building, laughing and dancing. And now, half way through this season, it has not disappointed. My days have been filled with plenty of laughter and a lot of dancing (quite literally, a lot of dancing). But, this season filled with laughter and dancing has been just that.

Filled.

Baby Announcement | Abbotsford Family Photography

hello there,

I have been waiting a month to share this post, which is ironic because the shoot only took place yesterday... About a month ago Stacy contacted me with some very exciting news; her and her husband, Kevin, were expecting baby number three! She had some fun announcement ideas and asked me if I would take their photos. It was an honour and a privilege just to be asked, so of course I said yes! Stacy was my high school Spanish teacher so I've known her for a while and thanks to Facebook I've been able to follow along as their family of two turned into a family of four. She is one of the most amazing women I know, she was more than a teacher to a lot of us high school girls; she was a mentor, a friend, an inspiration, and an incredible example of what it means to be a woman living for the Lord. After meeting her family (and constantly stalking her Facebook posts) it's clear that the grace and compassion she showed us in high school has poured out into her life as a mom. She has a wonderful family filled with boys who were beyond fun, cooperative, and awesome to work with. I am so excited for their family as they prepare to welcome there own little princess into the world this October. She is already incredibly loved and adored. It was a blessing for me to be able to spend an hour with this lovely family and I couldn't be more honoured to have been asked to play a part in this momentous occasion. Also, one of the boys friends came along and he quickly became my awesome unofficial assistant for the hour and he was the most patient and sweet assistant I could have ever asked for!

Thank you Kevin and Stacy and the boys for letting me be a part of this exciting announcement. You were a pleasure to work with and I cannot wait to meet your little girl!

-m.o

Celebrating A Champagne Birthday

hello there,

I never celebrated my champagne birthday (because I don't believe parents are supposed to give there one year old child alcohol) but yesterday one of the most incredible people I have ever had the privilege of knowing celebrated her Champagne Birthday. In life you are sometimes blessed with the type of people you can't imagine you life without. My friend Kaitlin is one of those blessing. Friends since grade 9, year after year, without even knowing she's doing it, Kaitlin reminds me why I need her in my life. She is one of the most selfless, caring, thoughtful, compassionate, and godly people and I am so fortunate to call her a friend. To celebrate this momentous occasion Kaitlin and our friends Avery and Alicia got together (too) early for breakfast consisting primarily of bacon and mimosas (breakfast of champions, am I right?) and after we headed out to Triple Swaan Nursery's and a neighbouring field to snap some photos of the birthday girl and naturally Alicia tagged along. Now I can go on and on about what wonderful people my friends are and how critical they are in my daily life but instead I will tell you that as ridiculously good looking as they are, they are even better people (so that means that they're like REALLY REALLY good people because they're like REALLY REALLY REALLY good looking, as you'll come to see).

Kaitlin and Alicia, thanks for being even more beautiful on the inside than you are on the outside and thanks for allowing me to make you have your photos taken. I think it's safe to say you've upgraded from guinea pigs to models.

-m.o

My Monday Music | The Sounds of the Stars

hello there,

As usual, it's been a while since I posted anything, let alone a My Monday Music post. But today's release of The Fault In Our Stars Soundtrack inspired me to share not only some of my favourite songs from the soundtrack but also some songs I've been listening to on repeat lately. That leaves me with little less to say than, I hope you enjoy these tunes!

Happy (long weekend!) Monday,

-m.o

Running Through Dandelions | Clayburn Village {children}

hello there,

These two little cuties are good family friends and a couple weeks ago their grandma asked me to take some pictures of them and I was more than happy to do so (who doesn't want to spend an hour with adorable children)! I love kids so it was lots of fun running around the field with these two girls!

-m.o

Geoff & Jessica | Matsqui Engagement

hello there,

This fine-looking couple here is Geoff and Jessica. Jessica contacted me [what seems like forever ago] about getting pictures done and after rescheduling and rescheduling and fighting with our unreliable climate, I headed out to Matqui a little while ago to meet Geoff and Jessica and take their engagement photos! This shoot was a long time coming and I'm glad we were rewarded with such fantastic weather! Geoff and Jessica were absolutely wonderful to work with, both easy going and fun, and much to my pleasure, both wonderfully photogenic! 

Thank you Geoff and Jessica for being so fun to work with and letting me be a part of this exciting time, best wishes as you start your life together!

-m.o

My Hiking List: Chadsey Lake

hello there,

Have I ever mentioned that I love to go for hikes? If not, well now you know. I love to hike and fortunately I live in an ideal location for such a hobby. I can drive within an hour of my house and have the hikers dream smorgasbord of hikes. Ironically however, I have been on few of them... So I have decided that this summer I will go on as many hikes as possible. Well at least the day hikes, cause let's be real, free time doesn't grow on trees. And I will document every new location right here.

Today is Good Friday, which in addition to it symbolizing Jesus's death on the cross it also means that today was a holiday. No work for anyone! Ideal situation for finding the time to hike! And what better way to celebrate Christ's ultimate sacrifice than by experiencing the very creation God made for us, up close. Christ died so that we may live and so in my opinion, hiking is one way I can live my life and experience His glory and all the beauty that surrounds us. Praise the Lord for his breathtaking creation!

After an extremely lazy morning which I spent lying in bed watching movies and sipping a latte, my brother-in-law decided we would go hiking. YAY! This made me happy although my stomach felt otherwise. Thankfully my stomach had a change of heart and I survived the hike. And was it ever worth it! This was my fifth time doing the "Chadsey Lake hike" but only my first time actually finding Chadsey Lake... And boy oh boy! I was not disappointed. Nuzzled in on the top of the mount is this beautiful lake completely enveloped by forest. The hiking conditions weren't ideal, instead of climbing a path we climbed a stream, but it's the Fraser Valley after all so this was no surprise. The lake water was cold so I only went up to my knees, we saw a bald eagle soar over the lake. Simply breathtaking.

And of course I took photos, and here they are. Enjoy!

-m.o

My Monday Music | Shhhhh

hello there,

It is an hour until Tuesday but I could not possibly do my viewers a disservice by not sharing the latest single from one of my favorite artists to ever exist. Passenger, little bloke from the UK, is insanely talented and also happens to be the funniest person I have ever seen in concert. I was able to see him in concert last summer in Vancouver (twice), one time which included me becoming as close to a stalker as I ever have been and taking shameless selfies with him in the background while trying to bottle in a full blown fan girl attack. On his tour he played some of his new music and I have patiently/impatiently awaiting the release. His next album "Whispers" comes out soon and last week he released his new single (also called "Whispers").

I give you the wonderful, hilarious, heartbreaking, heartwarming, talented, Passenger.

Happy Monday!

-m.o

"Whispers" - Passenger

My Monday Music: Better Late Than Never

hello there,

greetings from this blogger failure. One month since my last post? Shame. On. Me. I send my most sincere apologies to my 2 or 3 faithful readers. As soon as this semester of university is finished (one month from now...if I make it) I hope to do a slightly better job at this blogging thing. But one thing will not change, my love for music. So, although I struggle in written content please enjoy these tunes!

Happy Monday!

-m.o

My Monday Music | A little bit of this, and a little bit of that

hello there,

It's been a while since I have done one of these little music posts! So here are just a few songs I've been listening to as of late. No specific theme or anything this Monday, just a little bit of this and that.

Enjoy!

Happy Monday!

-m.o

Backpacking Adventures | Rome, Italy

here there,

So this one time I went to Rome. For 3 hours. We flew into Rome from Santorini and had 6 hours in Rome until our train left for Florence. So, naturally, the train station screwed up our tickets and we spend 3 hours sorting it out. So we had 3 hours to see one of the oldest cities in the world. Did I mention it was nearly 40 degree outside? Yep. So basically we had a couple hours to run around Rome in scorching heat. Rome is an incredibly beautiful city, rich with culture and history. The only flaw is that there are SO MANY TOURIST. Which I know is a silly thing to complain about, as a tourist myself, but having to fight through crowds of people just to see everything is exhausting. Regardless it was an intense 3 hours and we managed to pack in the common tourist spots in Rome. Unfortunately the photos are sparing and average. But here they are nonetheless.

-m.o

Backpacking Adventures | Santorini, Greece

 hello there,

Looking at these photos, I am feeling nostalgic and sad about the freezing cold Canadian weather we are currently experiencing. So, I am not in the mood for words so I leave you with these photos from my week in Santorini, Greece.

-m.o

Backpacking Adventures | London Day 1

hello there,

We spent two days in London and had a ton of fun. We had planned on only spending one day there but with all the Olympic festivities going on one day just wasn't enough, plus London is huge! There's so much history in London and being there during the Olympics only enhanced the experience. Also, the shopping is fantastic! The first day we walked non stop all day. Avoided the tube all day because there was a couple million extra people in London and I didn't want to be stuffed in a subway when I could just walk in the midst of phenomenal scenery. It was exhausting but worth it.

I love London and will let the photos say the rest!

-m.o

Backpacking Adventures | Downton Abbey Visit

hello there,

From Northern Ireland to England! We were blessed to be able to stay with my Dad's cousin in Crawthorne, an hour outside London. Such a lovely time spent with family I wouldn't regularly get to see. AND! They took us to Highclere Castle! For those of you who are not obsessed with the hit British Drama, you won't know what Highclere Castle is. So let me inform you. Highclere Castle is the set for Downton Abbey. Now, I admit when I went I had never seen the show but I am now a huge fan so all is well. It was pretty spectacular experience. We enjoyed lattes and scones in the servants quarters so basically I am Anna Bates. We weren't allowed to take photos inside the castle but I snapped a few around the stunning grounds.

This was also the day I learned that England is B-E-A-utiful and I want to go back. Like, right now... I've mentioned that there are four places in the world I would be willing to live (Sydney, British Columbia, or Ireland). England is the fourth.

That's all I have to say at the moment, it was just an excellent day!

-m.o

Weekend Getaway | Whistler, British Columbia

hello there,

This past weekend posed an excellent opportunity to escape life for a mere 24 hours. As I mentioned in my Sydney post, whilst backpacking Australia I was blessed to be able to stay with an incredible family in Sydney. That was over three years ago now and we finally got reunited this past week. They were enjoying a family ski trip here in Canada and invited myself and my best friend whom I travelled with to come and spend some time with them over the weekend. What a treat!

I absolutely love Whistler. Every time I go there I am always taken away by the astonishing beauty that surrounds the village. Everywhere you look are snowy mountain peaks or luscious forests of evergreens. The sun was out in its full glory the entire weekend and although a deep cold covered the town the weather was refreshing. Seeing as we only had 24 hours there we wanted to visit as much as possible and for the most part that's what we did. However I was on a quest to see a moose (as I always am when I head out of the Lower Mainland) so my friend and I set off to the cross country ski trails in search of my favoured animal. Unfortunately, as it turns out, walkers are not welcomed on the cross country ski trails, and we were asked to reroute. So I did not get to see my moose, much to my disappointment. It's been a hard journey, but I refuse to give up on my dream of seeing a moose. It was not two hours wasted though. I got to take some photos and it was all around a beautiful walk.

The weekend was perfect. It was fantastic getting to just spend time hanging out with good friends I never get to see. If I had my way, the next time I see them will be me visiting them back in Australia (preferably sooner than later but according to my bank account that doesn't seem likely). I am so blessed to have such amazing friendships in my life, and this weekend was a wonderful reminder.

Also, for those that have never been to Whistler, it's a must see place and you don't have to ski or snowboard to love it. As long as you appreciate the beautiful outdoors, you'll love Whistler.

-m.o

My Monday Music | Commercial Tunes & Others

hello there,

Every once in a while I hear a song I like on a commercial. Sometimes I like it so much that I search for it until I find it. Curtesy of Shazam and YouTube, it's not actually that hard to do anymore. But I also know what thanks to PVR and fast forward people don't watch commercials as much, which means we could miss out on some good music.

The first song is a commercial that triggered me into doing another My Monday Music because it's been a while. The rest are random goodies!

Happy Monday!

-m.o

These Are A Few Of My (new) Favorite Things

hello there,

I heard on the news tonight that today is statistically the saddest day of year. And I get it. The holidays are officially over. Reality is in full force. The weather in Canada is dreary, to say the least. The next holiday time isn't till summer. The future seems grim to some.

Because today is the first day of the new semester I feel as I though I can relate all too well. But, as I mentioned in my previous blog, 2013 wasn't spectacular and I want to make up for it in 2014 by trying to have the most positive attitude possible towards whatever may or may not happen. So this morning when I woke up I tried to do just that. It was a day filled with setbacks and for lack of a better idea, I will just take you through my "saddest day of the year".

(slight forewarning: although I in no way, shape or form endorse using material goods as a means for coping with sadness or any other emotion, I admit I am a comfort shopper and appreciate the odd indulgence to lift my spirits from time to time. Today was one of those such times. Sorry bank account...)

My morning started at the barn, as it often does. Instead of being discouraged by the frozen ground that prohibited me from riding I chose to admire how beautiful the mountain looked covered completely in frost (I snapped the above picture on my phone driving home, naughty naught me, I know).

Back home I stared at my mom's cat, Grace, while she sent me death glares through the slits of her eyelids. I pondered how lovely it would be to be a cat. She spends all day laying on my bed, doing nothing. In retrospect, sounds exactly like what I did for the last two weeks...

After a hardy workout, shower and lunch I readied myself for school and reality finally set in. I had class in an hour and a half. But it was a new semester, new year, new beginnings. The impending doom of sitting on a plastic chair for the next five hours was not going to get me down. No sir. Not today.

And I knew just the thing to help.

Shopping.

Oh dear...

Backpacking Adventures | Northern Ireland [Belfast & Giants Causeway}

 hello there,

In case you're wondering; four days in Ireland is not enough. What does this mean? Well, I am simply going to have to go back again one day. After a week in Paris we flew to Belfast and we spent four days in Northern Ireland. What a beautiful country. We saw all of Belfast, including Belfast Castle, the museum and city gardens, then the famous Giants Causeway, Carrik-A-Rede rope bridge (talk about terrifying, I have no photos of it because I was to scared to even think about holding a camera), and the breathtaking country side. It was incredible but not long enough. I think I have mentioned that of all the places I have been there are only four I would even consider living in; Canada and Sydney Australia. Ireland is the third. Possibly my Irish roots are reminding me where I belong? That, and Irish accents make me happy.

Here are the photos from my brief time in Northern Ireland.

-m.o