A Trip Down Memory Lane

Happy Friday everyone!

I have a busy day at work today, as we are carving pumpkins and having a pizza lunch. I said busy, not productive!

This day means a lot more to me than just the day before halloween though. It's mine and Gareth's 5 year anniversary! I know, I know, we're married now, so why am I still counting this one? Because it's special! And it's a milestone! And it's an excuse to go on a date ;)...as if we need an excuse :P

Anyway, I thought it might be fun for us...okay for me, to have a little walk through memory lane, photo style.

This is either the very first, or one of the first photos we have with each other. Adelaide, Australia, at the Grace Emily pub. 2004


Back in Canada, going to Bar None, a yearly party put on by the Agriculture students at the U of A.

New Year's eve! I'm going to say 2006.

My trip to the UK to meet the family!! We did some sightseeing as well ;)

Stonehenge

The night before I ran my first half marathon! 2008

And of course...

Wedding day!! August 8, 2009

And our honeymoon xx

So there you have it! We've done tons, we've been a lot of places and changed a bit I think!

Happy anniversary babe, love you lots!

Shauna xoxox

Vino!

Hello my friends!

Remember yesterday I said that I was doing something last night that was on my "Makes me Happy" list? Welllll...I went to a wine tasting! And yes, wine makes me happy!

Most of you know this, but my dad makes wine. The store that he buys the kits from hosted a wine tasting night, and it was fabulous!

There was a little slideshow telling us about the different kinds of wine they were offering, and which foods went best with what. Then we got to taste some of the wine! The best part (other than actually drinking the wine) was that they paired a little nibbly food to every wine to have with it. For example, there was a beautiful Blanca Quartet (white wine made from 4 different grapes). They paired it with hummus and a pita, and it was delish!

We also got to taste a Shiraz with dark chocolate. My fam with that tasting!

I had so much fun at this event! The crazy thing is that they paired some reds with sausage, and some with chocolate. I would have no idea which should go with a dessert and which should go with a meat! I don't know very much at all about reds. I've taken the time to get to know my whites, but not my reds. So I have NO idea how to pair reds up with foods. And if I'm going to be totally honest, I don't know how to pair whites up either. I just buy what I like, and that's that. This wine & food tasting helped me realize how much food can change the taste of the wine. I think this is fascinating! Okay, yes, I'm a geek. But it is! Think about it...you probably shouldn't be drinking the same white wine when you have salmon for dinner compared to when you have, say, hummus. But I don't know which one goes with which!

I have decided I am going to read up on this, get to know my wines better, and then start pairing them accordingly. If I can make my meals better with my wine, why wouldn't I?

This is my empty glass from last night. Doesn't it look lonely? I think I filled it back up soon after this shot ;)

So have a glass of wine tonight and think of me!

Shauna xoxo

The Grump is Gone!

Hello my friends!

First off I would like to apologize for my absense last week. To be very honest with you, I just didn't have anything good to say! I pretty much felt like this guy:

I was just having a bad week! I was grumpy, I was moody, and there was no pulling me out of it. I tried talking to people about it, I tried talking to myself, I tried working out, but nothing worked. I was just grumpy! Gareth was ready to make me this t-shirt:

BUT I have decided that grumpy time is OVER! There is no need to be miserable all the time, regardless of the situation. Right?! And there's no need making things worse than what they are. Right?! I have to make the best of the situation, make the best of our current set of cirumstances, and make the best of my life!

So to everyone who had to put with me last week, I'm sorry! To all of you who didn't come in contact with me, consider yourself lucky

Weekend

We had a fun weekend! Friday night I went on a haunted hike with my friend and her sons, it was awesome! Saturday night we celebrated a friend's birthday, which Gareth blogged about his presents:

Who wouldn't want homemade oreos as a birthday gift?! Yep, homemade oreos! The recipe is an old one from my Grandma, but you can't have it! Ok...I'll share it if you ask!

Here is Justin's birthday cake!

And that was the gist of the weekend! Oh, we finally finished off our bedroom suite with the final missing dresser. This one is mine to use, and I LOVE it! The drawers are fantastic. Perhaps I'll snap a photo and show you guys!

I've been reading over my "Things that Make me Happy" list, and I am going to make sure that I do something everyday to make me happy! I have a plan for tonight, that falls into my list. Wanna know what it was? Come back tomorrow!

Muah!

Shauna

Book Review

Hi again! It's meeee!!

I couldn't sleep last night-it must have been the excitment from the riveting wedding! Anyway, I was awake for hours, so I finished reading Twilight!

To be honest, I was skeptical about reading this series. I don't know why, I just was. Maybe because I saw the movie and it wasn't the greatest movie ever amde. My friend finally bugged me enough to read them. It took me a bit to get into them, but I ended up loving it!

It's a simple read, it has some really sweet parts, and the author's take on a vampire's life is interesting! I have never really thought about it...why would I, right? But it always interesting to think about it. One thing they haven't touched on, that I hope they do, is how it must feel to live that long and see all the changes in the world. They cannot really watch anyone they know grow old because they always have to move so they're not found out, but that's something I wonder about too.

I've seen the movie, but I think I want to watch it again. I always find when a movie is based on a book, a lot of the story is missing. So now that I know the missing pieces, I might enjoy the movie more.

So...all in all, good read! Light, easy, a good story, very entertaining. I'm hooked! I shall pick up New Moon from my friend this weekend and continue on!

Have a great weekend!
Shauna xox

Love me Tender

Guess what we did last night...


We went to a wedding.

A virtual wedding.

For the first time in my life, I wore sweat pants to a wedding!


My man decanted a bottle of wine...

He made us a very nice dinner (yes, I know, we need better candle sticks for the table!)..

And then we settled onto the loveseat to watch Gareth's friend tie the knot. By Elvis.

we had some technical difficulties and switched computers.

Elvis sang "Love me Tender" as the bride walked down the isle, and the couple had a little dance once she reached her groom.

And then they said their vows!

We toasted the happy couple...

and drank up!


It was a fun evening! We didn't have the best connection with the webcam, so we missed some of the ceremony, but it was a really neat experience. So different from any other wedding I've seen! There was no one else in the chapel except for them...and Elvis!

Congrats guys! Hope the trip, and the day, were everything you imaged it would be. We had a blast!

Shauna xox

p.s. I'll be back later to review a book I just finished

Share the Love!

Hello loyal Readers! I haven't given you much to follow along with lately have I?

Okay, here I go...

Long Weekend!

We had a fantastic long weekend for thanksgiving this past weekend. With an extra day off, I was able to stay in my pjs all day on Sunday and still have Monday to prep for the week. We ate too much, got to visit with a lot of different friends we don't always have the time to see, and we did 2 photoshoots! Pretty good hey?! We did all that, and I still felt relaxed and rejuvinated.

On saturday we took some newborn shots for a friend of the family, and we got a little cuddle time in with baby Bronsyn as well. A newborn warms your heart, doesn't it?

After this weekend, I got to thinking...how grand would life be if every weekend was a 3 day weekend?! I always thinks it's horrible that most people go through life just waiting for the weekend to come. Because honestly, how great is the weekend? It's only 2 days! If I could do math, I would tell you how small a fraction of our week that is! I would really like to start loving every day of my life. I know it has a lot to do with going to work, and waking up, and being told you have to be somewhere. So wouldn't it be grand if we loved what we did so much that we didn't stare at the calendar all week waiting for Friday? That's a goal of mine, to start loving what I do with my day, every day.

Love

Ever notice how we're grumpiest with the people we love? Why is it that we take out our bad moods, our frustrations, and our anger on the people who really don't deserve it? My guess is that it's because they love us anyway so we feel safe to vent our true feelings. But that sucks for them, doesn't it?!

Ever notice, as well, how little we compliment the people we love? How often do you think in your head that someone looks great, that they're doing a great job, that their house is amazing, that you're proud of them? Why do we keep these thoughts in our heads so often, and yet let out the bad stuff? Why do we feel safer being negative than letting it out and telling someone they're fabulous?

Let's make sure people know they're fabulous!

Start telling people when you think nice things about them. Let them know you're lovin on them!

Have a fabulous day!

Shauna xox

SNOW DAY!

Hello! It seems like I have been neglecting this blog for 2 days now! Seriously?! That's horrible! I've been busy the last couple days, but that's no excuse now is it?

I have officially already been to the gym 3 days, 4 times this week! Yay for me, since I only went twice last week. I just got back from a lunch weights session, which was awesome. I think I deserve some extra gold stars because...dun dun duuuun....

it SNOWED!!!!

It's def not all pretty like this, it's more mushy, slushy, 15 car pileup on the whitmud kind of weather. Luckily I went to the gym this morning so I avoided all of the traffic and chaos.

I have realized why I love going to the gym at lunch. It really makes me feel like I have accomplished something in the 9 hours I have to be at the office (1 hour mandatory lunch). In a job where I don't feel productive most days, this is prety important. So I shall continue to kick my ass there most days to give myself a break from stale air and sitting at a desk.

Why big question is-what motivates people? What makes the person who goes to the gym religiously different from the person who goes, then doesn't go, then goes. Why is only one of them steady in their commitment? I'm going to look into it!

Gareth and I have been busy with lots of photography shoots. We're having a blast, learning so much and I think we just keep imporoving, which is awesome! Check it out on Gareth's blog.

We have some more photoshoots coming up this weekend so let's hope the weather cooperates. Either that or I shall wear 10 layers and buy out the hot chocolate at Tim's!

Have a great day, and take your time gettin to where you're gettin to.

Shauna

Dreams Can Come True...Right?

As I have eluded to in the past few posts, life has changed a bit for Gareth and I. Okay, okay A LOT in the past little bit. For one thing, we got MARRIED!

Another change is that we have been getting knee deep in photography work. YAY! Gareth's #2 passion is photography (because I better #1 right?! hehe) and he is amazing at it. I have picked up a camera and I am slowly learning from him. He's a pretty great teacher, but I can be a cranky student. Alas, I learn, just maybe a bit slowly!

There have been some circumstances in our recent lives that have derailed us a bit-I'm not going to go into all this as I can't really-and has taken off of the course of a lot of our plans, and goals and dreams. Things such as going skiing, the same as every winter, going out for dinners, and the big BIG one, going to New Zealand for a year in 2010. Now, I'm not saying this stuff isn't going to happen, because we're going to make every effort to make them all happen, but it's going to be a bigger challenge now. We are going to have to work just a bit harder, plan a bit more, and maybe depend on some good luck as well.

this is what I'm working toward...doesn't it look worth it?

I can get a little down when my plans go awry, because the older I get the more I love a good plan, and our plan for New Zealand was a huge thing for me to look toward, look forward to, and give me something to dream about. When I told my mom I was mad this may not be happening any longer, this is what she had to say to me:

One day at a time. Hold onto to your dreams, they won’t happen if you put them on a shelf.

Ummm, hello?! Is it really that simple? Am I really going to be okay if I hold my head up, still think of these dreams as plans and to keep striving towards them?

Well, maybe not. But maybe. And they definitely aren't going to happen if I start pouting in a corner and just give up. So...we are still planning on going to New Zealand. We are still planning on going skiing this winter. What we have to do is make these things a priority and make the necessary sacrifices to make them happen. Dreams don't come true for free. There is a cost for everything.

Are you willing what it costs to make your dreams come true?

Shauna

September in Review

Hey everyone...HAPPY FRIDAY!! Boy do I mean that. I haven't been so happy to have a weekend come along in a while.

Yesterday was October 1, and Gareth asked me how I thought my plans & intentions for the month had gone. WELL I realized that I should do a recap and review over here on the blog-aroo! So here we go.

1. Cook a completely new ethnic food, including shopping in an ethnic store-
We did this! Well, FINE, Gareth did this. He made butter chicken, shrimp curry and naan bread all from scratch for my dad's bday. Good job babe!

2. Try a new recipe at least once a month-Again, with Gareth being home I haven't cooked much at all. So I shall try this month to try out a new recipe!

3. Rediscover Edmonton-Have tourist days-We didn't have a "tourist day" persay, but we have been wandering downtown to find some photoshoot locations, and Gareth has been wandering around the farmer's fields taking lots of pics.

4. Weekend getaway/discovery trips in Alberta-This...well, this kinda happened. We went up to the lake! But alas, no discovery trips. And it won't be happening for a while I'm afraid.

5. Date nights twice a month (one for each of us!)-again, I suck! Gareth made me a wonderful candlelit dinner this month. I had "plans and intentions" for some date nights, but the weather turned to crap and I've been so busy this month. No excuse!! Maybe I will have to do 2 in October.

6. 1 photography day a month-We have been doing wonderful with this, as we have been doing lots of photoshoots. I really made this one for Gareth as this is his passion and I want him to nurture that passion and allow it to grow, and he's been taking pictures nearly every day! Good job babe.

7. Write in the blog 3 times a week minimum-I have been exceeding this! Nearly every weekday. I love it!

8. Workout minimum 3 times a week-This is the first week in ages I am only going to get to 3 days of workouts. Again, this was a crappy week for me. No excuse, but on the whole I've been doing well.

9. Try a new restaurant every other month-We don't eat out much, and last month we didn't eat out anywhere new at all, so this hasn't happened. Might not be happening for a while.

10. FINALLY go on the hot air balloon ride Gareth booked as his proposal idea-This is booked for Monday morning!! Keep your fingers crossed for us that we can go up, and we don't freeze.

11. Skydive-This is a long term kinda goal. Hasn't happened yet.

12. Don't make too many plans!! Have days to just be-Oh man, this DID NOT happen this month. I was lucky enough to play model for a friend who became a professional makeup artist (YAY Nicole!) and that took up some time. And I feel like I've been trying to catch up with people who I didn't see before the wedding because I was so busy. BUT I only have plans one day next week, which is a good-bye party for a friend, so next week looks promising to not be crazy busy.

13. Be nice to people (truly nice)...you get what you give-This is going to be a constant effort, as it shoud be for everyone. I think I'm pretty good at it though :).

14. Get published!-Welllllll...no publishing going on here yet. BUT I did land a freelance editing job! So that's pretty cool, right?!

15. Write a list of what makes me happy, and make sure I do/have one thing on that list every day-I did! I did! I need to look at it more though.

16. Read, Read, Read-Pretty good for the month. I read on the elliptical in the mornings when I go to the gym, so I haven't read much this week, because I haven't been to the gym. Back to it!

So there you have it. Not all of these goals are weekly, or even monthly. Some are for everyday. But it's nice to look at them like this and see where I need to work on things (like date night, sorry babe!).

We have some fun, exciting plans for the weekend, including...dun dun duuun...THREE photoshoots! I just love to do these as we get to hang out with fun people, be outside, go to new/different places and just generally have an awesome time. It is tiring though so we don't have too many plans for the evenings. Movies maybe?

I might be back today as I am working on a longer post. If not, you'll see it Monday!

Have a happy weekend!

Shauna xox

October 1

Happy Fall everyone!

I woke up this morning...TO FROST!! It was -2 (celcius!!) when I left the house for work. It was +33 a week ago!! Only in Alberta I tell ya. I'm not happy about this change as I hate being cold, and yet I spend the majority of the year wrapped up in scarves and sweaters and fleece blankets. WHY?! Trust me I don't plan on living here forever. But here is where I live now, so I will enjoy it, and share with you what I love with some photos I'm stealing from my hubby's blog:

(isn't he talented?!)

It is a beautiful season with beautiful colors and a certain sense of coziness. That is, until you have to go outside to gusting winds and frost and icicles. EW! If the wind dies down and we get a couple pretty, warm days in the next bit, I will be grateful. We have a few photo shoots coming up and we would love some good weather.

This being October 1, it feels like a new start in many respects. A new month, a new season, the opportunity for a new start! I think I need to change my attitude, as I have been under the weather the past little bit, so why not use this new month as that beginning?

We have some fantastic opportunities coming up, photo shoots (mostly for Gareth, but I have fun with them too!), freelance work (mostly for me, but Gareth will be helping I'm sure), fun things that will help advance us! I need to get my head wrapped around the good, as there is so much to be thankful for! (Just in time for Thanksgiving too!)

I would like to note for the record though, I WILL NOT have a good attitude about this weather! Sorry, but until I get to go skiing, it aint happenin.

I will leave you with another photo of Gareth's, since he's so awesome at what he does!

Shauna

xox