Usually at Christmas time I gift my baking for friends/family and coworkers. But this year being the odd year that it is, I wasn’t sure how people would feel about that. So I decided to stray away from that and make these easy DIY bird feeder wreaths. Which I am going to share with you guys how to make. They are so simple and make the cutest gifts to give to your loved ones. I had everything to make these in my house, with the exception of mini bundt pans, which I have wanted forever anyways so it made the perfect excuse to buy them. And really, who doesn’t LOVE feeding the birds?

I've never been a huge fan of Meringues but than someone changed my life and told my to put them in my coffee or tea in the mornings. That was a life changer for me, and I've been a fan every since. They are so creamy and delicious. The perfect amount of crunch and sweetness. This morning while I was laying in bed, I had a wonderful idea to make a traditional meringue cookie sprinkled with peppermint crushed candy canes on top. They are everything I hoped for and more. So simple to make and they wrap up nicely to give as gifts this season.

With Christmas right around the corner, I decided to start doing weekly blog posts to share different recipes of my favourite Christmas baking. I always have friends and family asking me to share recipes with them so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to do so! I'm going to start with my absolute favourite recipe that reminds me so much of my childhood. My Grandpa Weston's Gingerbread Cookie recipe. Every time I think of Christmas as a child, this is the first thing I think of. Going to my grandma and grandpa's house and filling our bellies with these delicious cookies. Always decorated so cute and they never changed year after year.

Shawn were supposed to get married in Maui at the end of this year, but COVID19 had other plans for them. They decided to still go forward with a wedding but instead of a beach and ocean view, they traded that in for a view of rolling hills with the rocky mountains in the distance at the sweetest bed and breakfast in Longview. I can't wait to share their wedding day with you, it was literally out of a dream. But first, I want to share their engagement session because it is one of my all time favourites. I met Shawn + Alyssa out in Kananaskis.

This might go down as my most favourite engagement session in history. Everything about it was perfect and it was like hanging out with my two best friends all evening. When Amanda stepped out of her truck I almost had a heart attack because she's so dang beautiful, and Andy's outfit complimented her perfectly. Andy is a pilot and we couldn't have picked a better location to do their engagement session - the antique aerospace museum. I have never been here before, so I was in utter shock at how incredible this place was once we arrived. The place was soooo cool

I seriously have a soft spot for lifestyle newborn sessions and I love that my schedule is full of them lately. I love the dark moody colours in this clients home with the natural light pouring into their home. Baby Lincoln is the sweetest little guy and has two puppy siblings to look after him (you’ll see what I mean below). Lincoln was wide eyed and had serious FOMO during his session. But content and happy as can be the whole time in dad’s arms. I had a hard time picking my favourites, so here’s basically the entire session because they are all way tooooo good not to share!

Here I am, writing my second first birthday letter but this time its to you. Almost two years later than the first time I sat down to write one of these. After I wrote my first letter to your older brother, I really had no idea what our path would look like. I didn’t know if we would be blessed with another child, or how differently life would look for us. At the time if you would have told me I could love two children to the exact same capacity. I would tell you that you are crazy. That it would not be possible. But on June 8, 2019, that changed forever. I changed forever. Our family changed forever. Love is boundless and my heart was instantly big enough for two perfect little boys. You always hear parents talk about their children and how much they mean to them, but until you become a parent you don’t realize just how real those words truly are. One day my love, you will know that feeling for yourself.

I posted a picture of my homemade pop tarts I made this morning on my instagram stories and had so many people requesting the recipe. So here it is folks. Homemade Pop tarts. They are easy, delicious and better than the real deal store bought ones.

I ate two pop tarts a day for nine months when I was pregnant with my youngest boy. I was so sick of them, but craved them every day. I never thought I would look at another pop tart again, let alone eat one. But I decided to give them a shot. Safe to say – I still love them and will be making them again.

I used a refrigerated pie crust that I bought at the store, because well – time. But if you are feeling extra ambitious, you can certainly make your own crust. You can use whatever jam you want, but I’m biased to strawberry and raspberry jam and that’s what I had at home!

I am sharing a blog post I wrote back in September. I never shared it, I left it in my drafts. I was embarrassed and ashamed and scared to be open and vulnerable with the world. Today, I gained the confidence to share this. Because I know, someone out there will relate to my words.

With Easter right around the corner and most of us are at home, I figured I would start sharing some recipes if anyone wanted to get their bake on! These are super simple and quick to make. The perfect mix of chocolate and mini eggs all bundled into a soft cookie. I love eating them fresh out of the oven when they are still warm. But how many cookies can a girl eat? So store them in a airtight container and they will be perfect in the days to come!

This is my absolute favourite Christmas treat that I started making a few years ago after a co-worker brought a bag of her homemade Almond Roca to work. I think I ate the entire bag myself. She gave me the recipe but I could never perfect it. I tried for a few years and wasted several pounds of butter in my attempt. So I went in search of my own recipe. I found a similar recipe to this on Suburban Simplicity. This one has been fool proof for me so far, but make sure you have no distractions around you when making it (example; kids or husbands). The temperature of the candy has to be precise or it will not set up as desired. I didn’t know I was an Almond Roca lover until a few years ago – now I’m hooked and its a Christmas staple in our house.

This past Thursday I was asked to photograph the most breathtaking event, a dinner in the Garden hosted by Season + Supply at the Field + Canvas farm. When Jess with Field + Canvas asked me to be apart of the event, I knew it was going to be all sorts of wonderful. A farm to table dinner with all locally grown Alberta food and products, Alberta made beer + spirits, homegrown and locally sourced flowers. All while enjoying this in the amazing gardens on a 100 year old potato plantation.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. Scared is actually an understatement as I approach the last week before our little boy is due. I’m terrified but I also feel incredibly grateful to have this experience again. I’m feeling every emotion possible right now. I’ve done this before. Why do I seem so much more worried this time around? Maybe it’s the hormones. But it’s probably real feelings every mother experiences before bringing her second child into the world. Because we know. We have been there. We have survived. Somedays, barely. Other days, we nailed it. But we did it. We know what to expect this time around with one, but if we struggled to raise one child, how on earth can we raise two? Three? Six? How do we split our attention?

It’s almost midnight on a Friday night. Your big brother is sound asleep and has been for hours, and your dad is in another province with his friends on a snowmobile trip. It is cold, snowy and blowing like crazy outside. I am laying in my king size bed with our dog, Howard who is taking up three quarters of it. But when dad’s out of town, I have to take advantage of the bedtime snuggles with this furry boy. I just finished catching up on the latest episodes of the Bachelor that I missed on our family vacation.

This past year has come and gone in the blink of an eye. I’m here trying to figure out where the past year went, and how you are already one. I’m sitting struggling to put my thoughts into words for how I truly feel about you. It’s difficult, not because I don’t have anything to say, but because I have way to many emotions to write it all down. I’ve stopped many times while writing this, because my eyes are too foggy to continue on. How do you express your love and gratitude towards the most important person in your life in a few simple paragraph? How do I tell you how deeply I feel for you? How much you have changed me and my outlook? And how much I have learned from you? Words simply cannot express those feelings. But I will try to make sense of it for you.

Its funny how being a photographer, you never have the time to edit your own personal photos. When you do have free time, the last thing you want to do is spend it editing. Last May, my husband and I took a road trip to Tofino as one last trip before our son arrived. It was honestly one of the best trips we’ve ever been on, and one of the coolest. Totally random and laid back. We had absolutely nothing planned, we literally jumped in the vehicle and drove west. For those of you who know me understand when I say I am a planner. I literally would plan every hour of my day if I could. So this trip was totally out of my comfort zone but totally worth it!

Some nights I purposely let you fall asleep in my arms. Just so I can hold you a little longer and watch your chest move up and down as you rest so peacefully. You fit so perfectly in my arms. Sometimes you let out a sigh with the cutest little smile. You must be dreaming. Before I put you down for the night I always hold your hand and squeeze it tight. I give you a kiss on your cheek and hold you close. Often times I find tears running down my face because I don’t know how someone like me was blessed with someone like you. You’ve changed me, and I always find myself wondering how I lived the past 24 years without you? I can’t imagine my life without you. I wake up every morning so thankful for you. So thankful that you made me a mother and gave me something I never knew was missing. You’re simply the sweetest. You have such a kind and gentle soul. The way your whole face lights up when you see me walk into your room every morning. You greet me with the biggest smile and instantly wrap your arms around my neck when I pick you up. My heart has never been so full. My love for you is way different then any kind of love I have experienced before. The love only a mother can relate too.

Sitting in that hospital bed the afternoon when they laid you on my chest. I had no idea what to expect for my life going forward. I had waited months to find out what you would look like, what colour your hair would be, how the sound of your helpless cry would sound and what the grip of your tiny little fingers on mine would feel like. I had no idea what to expect for my life from that moment on. All I knew is that I loved you more than anything I have ever loved before and it happened the minute my eyes laid on you.