Rebecca & Evan an Engagement Session in New West

Let me begin by saying this is my 2nd wedding with a member of the Jansen Family! Exciting, heck yes! When I first moved to Langley/Vancouver I started attending the Art Institute studying towards my diploma in Graphic Design - by simply asking for a carpool buddy I met a good friend named Lydia (Rebecca's sister). Which then turned into an amazing friend & her family. From late night study sessions - I'm talking till 5 am + sometimes no sleep trying to work through all our projects never simply having enough time to perfect them. Tamara Jansen & Byron Jansen gave up their rec room/barn so we could have somewhere to sleep when working on projects, the office printer, a jetta and much more when I was in college with their daughter. Then watching our lives change out of college seeing my friend getting married and have her two children! From meeting Lydia I had the pleasure to meet her siblings - photographing Lawrence's wedding earlier this year. My first magazine feature! And now, Rebecca's wedding to Evan this October!!

Rebecca and Evan must be meant to be - considering Evan is from out East! I always feel that when someone finds love, and it involves tremendous distance that they were meant to specifically break boundaries and find each other! I'm so very excited to be apart of their wedding day and had an amazing time photographing their engagement session.

Rebecca and I hadn't really been familiar with each other prior to the wedding, she is a busy girl attending Trinity University and Evan is part of the major growing business of Darvonda (the greenhouse). I had always thought this golden haired beauty was shy, well was I ever wrong! The minute I put the camera up she lit up like the sun (fitting right, with her hair?). She posed, she smiled and worked it like a super model. Evan loving held, caressed, and kissed her so sweetly - giving away his excitement that he is excited to spend the rest of his life with Rebecca.

Thank you both for choosing me - can't wait for your wedding!!!!

Osoyoo's 2011

I have amazing people in my life. My parents, my brothers, their wives, uncles and aunts, my best friend *cough* shot out to Dayne *cough*, photographer friends, and girlfriends -- and most importantly, last but not least - Verlon. All these individuals have somehow helped me out at one time or another whether it be words of affirmation or the confidence to continue on-ward - everyone has had an impact on my life personally and professionally. Now, Verlon -- he knows exactly what I need sometimes and that means a break from the rush and time to relax. Whether it be simple quality time or an adventure.

This past week Verlon surprised me at home with a beautifully wrapped box from one of my favourite stores with an outfit he had picked out! Such a surprise being that he was whisking me away for the weekend for our yearly, what I thought might have gotten cancelled weekend in Osoyoos! I love wine, no seriously - wine is the entrance fee to my dinner party heart. I'm a big fan of Charlie Don't Surf in Whiterock for a couple of reasons a- their location is stellar across from the ocean b- they have fish n'chips and c- they have See Ya Later - Gerwurtzminer, white wine! Well guess where we went this weekend... See Ya Later Winery! 

We stayed at Walnut Beach Resort which was amazing and reminded us of Mexico right on the lake in Osoyoos (felt like I was back in Mexico at the resort in July). We had a Saturday filled with wine tasting at Moon Curser (previously known as Twisted Tree) - one of my absolute favourites, Burrowing Owl, Church & State, Blasted Church (branding, wow awesomeness), See Ya Later, and finally Hester Creek for dinner. If you want to know more about wines, feel free to give me a call - I'll tell you my favourites! 

Sunday we decided to head up to West Bank and visit Mission Hill and whoa. Was it ever about the experience, what a neat establishment from the location, the look, feel, architecture, and the staff was so incredibly informative. We met Verlon's sister and brother-in-law (Lori & Josh) there and later for Dinner. I picked up a great desert wine "Riesling - Late Harvest" which I'm thinking is going to make some vanilla icecream very happy. 

I'm pumped for the week after this great adventure -- next adventure, Aliza's 1st Birthday!

I'm pretty sure this was the first time I ever saw "Turtle Crossing"

The vineyard at Hester Creek Winery

The restaurant at Hester Creek - such yummy pizza made with truffle oil!

my take home (other than wine) from blasted church - a serving dish

camera timer on a wine barrel! Did we ever get funny looks! 

The driveway to Blasted Church

This right here, took me back to being a kid -- my dad has one of these from when he use to make and crush grapes for wine -- I just remember always wanting to play with it because it was so cool. I also remembering hearing stories about my brothers putting drywall mud (my dad is a contractor/construction man) into the wine mixes... Dad = not impressed then!

Josh (Verlon's brother in law) and his wife (Lori, Verlon's sister) -- met us at Mission Hill since they live in Kelowna, and in a plot to take pictures of verlon and I, josh asked "Can I just play with your camera?" and well, i said "okay"

Then I turned the tables on them!

time for scripty font with our names, heck yes! My turn!

I'm not sure why this always feels right but whenever I don't know what to do -- I throw my hands up like this and furrow my brows. Heyo - rapper in my previous life apparently.

Daddy, Lightbulb!

There's a video of me as a toddler exclaiming the excitement over my dad changing a lightbulb in the house and flicking the switch. My mom always cracks up about it when it comes up -- my young fascination with my father letting there be light in our home. It came up recently this memory/video and I felt it was fitting and went hand in hand with a recent realization. Much like my father changing a lightbulb that is simply just 'burnt out' we solve our puzzles with the tools and supplies we're given or attain. In my father's case a new light bulb and the knowledge of how to change it. Pretty simple, right.

I cannot make everyone happy. It finally clicked. I have a drive, a dedication, ambition and dream to make everyone happy and feel heart broken when I can't live up to expectations or it just isn't enough. I like to think I give my best, my all and everything to do the very best. And will do anything to turn a rotten feeling around. And I honestly thought until recently it's possible to make everyone happy, I can do it, I can simply fix anything. And of corse whether personal or professional I want to do my best and make sure no body leaves unhappy or feeling rotten/raw. I always come at everything with good intentions and most of the time I can right most concerns. I NEVER want someone to walk away feeling raw. Especially clients, I always hope, pray and try to do everything in my power to make it right. Yes, I'm ridiculously passionate. Hi ho to role models super/wonder woman. And then it happened, it was like a full glass of water crashing onto a marble tile and shattering silently while screaming at me. 

IT'S OKAY. Sometimes it cannot be helped. We all mess up (as much as we like to think we're invincible), forget, or worse... how I feel when I let down family. This summer has been so busy that I had to schedule in time to visit with family on the rare occasion when there was time, and I just constantly felt like I was failing them because I couldn't come visit more often without work being involved, whether it was shooting, or on the phone, emailing, meetings etc -- it just didn't stop. And don't get me wrong, I ABSOLUTELY OVER THE MOON LOVE, love, love, love, love...x1000000 what I do. But I also realized the people I am around do too, deserve my attention --- and so begins my technology free weekends or visits with family. A time where I cut out and give my undivided attention to whom I am with. 

We aren't here forever, and nether are our loves - the people around us. Which is why in the last year especially I've tried to be more like this (obviously it's hard) but to live life knowing that we are not permanent and cherish the little things and not getting caught up in things you simply cannot control. For example; I cannot control the weather. Especially here in the Lower mainland, so I mostly bank on it raining and if it's a gorgeous sunny day -- hey, bonus! But I work around, I try my best given every circumstance to make it work and I do. But that scenario very much plays into life and how we handle curve balls like illness, or little life roadblocks - we simply make it work and do our very best to  move forward in the most positive way possible and solve what ever puzzles we can with the pieces we're given.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace" --Reinhold Niebuhr


"Trust in the Lord, with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths."-- Proverbs 3, 5-6

(Camera: Panasonic Lumix - Waterproof Goodness) 
The photo above was taken out Paddle boarding with the Ladies of 90daystoLife -- such an awesome calm night in Whiterock, BC