Because necessity is the mother of all inventions, I knew that at some point I was going to have to breakdown a bake some. In all honesty I thought it was going to be this big drawn out process that was going to take hours, but truthfully they were super easy to make! The hardest part was getting them into that iconic "pretzel" shape. Lol I had a pretty steep learning curve! My first ones were fat and were more like pretzel buns but by the time I rolled out about six or seven of them I had it figured out.
This recipe is so buttery and full of deliciousness that if you eat them while they are still hot out of the oven you won't need to add anything! (But you could dip them in a spicy mustard or even chocolate...)
Baked Pretzels
Ingredients
Directions
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By the time you read this we'll be on a plane somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. Three months ago we sold our home in Grande Prairie, Alberta and everything in it, threw caution to the wind and began our move to Australia. It's been a very surreal three months. For the first 85 days it was just Matley and I. We put over 10,000 kilometres on my Lexus LX570. It was a killer road trip all over western Canada... Grande Prairie, Fort St John, Jasper, Edmonton, Banff, Kelowna, Whistler, Squamish, Vancouver, White Rock, Nanaimo, Victoria, Tofino. (I wonder how much of this Matley will actually remember in a few years.)
It's been stressful to say the very least. As things stand right now, Matley and I both have our Australian citizenship. However, I still haven't finished Marcel's sponsorship papers. But he has been approved for a Travel Visa which will allow him to enter in and out of Australia for the next year while being in the country for no more than three months at a time. The plan for now is that he will fly in and out while continuing to work in the oil and gas industry in Canada until he finds work closer to home.
Home? Funny you should ask. For the past nine months we've been trying to figure out where we wanted to move. Having lived in Canada for the past 14.5 years and eight of those years in the north, I figure I've lost about four years of my life to shovelling snow. Thus the number one factor in finding a new place to live: no more than a ten minute walk to the beach! Yes, good schools, lack of crime, active community... all those things factored into the decision but honestly the most important thing was proximity to the beach. That said we are relocating to the.... Whitsundays! (A decision that was made about 80 hours before we boarded the plane...)
We leave Austin, Texas at 8pm (local time) on January 14th and will arrive in Brisbane, Australia at 7am (local time) on January 16th. We have a rental car booked and will drive to Bundaberg, four hours north of Brisbane, where we still spend the night. The next morning (January 17th) we will get up and drive the last eight hours north to the Whitsundays where we have a hotel booked for the next few days while we look for an apartment to rent and get Matley registered for second grade.
After 95 days in the fast lane, here's to hoping that life slows down a little.
]]>We still have no real plan in place other than kids go back to school January 20th in Queensland so we would like to be somewhat settled so Matley can start school with everyone else. (It will be hard enough being the new kid.) Thirty years ago at the same age as Matley is now I made basically the same moved, expect we went from Sydney to San Antonio. I'm sure on some level my parent's thought, "We are moving you to Texas for more opportunities." The same way Marcel and I are looking at Matley thinking, "We are moving you to Australia for more opportunities".
I'm having a lot of anxiety over everything, but mostly the uncertainty. I'm someone who over plans. I have a backup plan, to the backup plan, to the backup plan! Seriously I don't let my gas tank get below a quarter of a tank because you never know where life is going to take you and you need to be prepared. I guess this is why I've been so cranky lately and why I've been trying to spend time by myself; people ask too many questions that I simply do not have the answers for.
With the days slowly slipping away I'm running out of time to get things done. I started a "Bullet Journal" at the beginning of the month to help me stay focused as to what was really important and had to get done before we leave. At the top of my list was a "sunset" picture on the west coast. I have the grande idea that I'm going to hang a picture of a west coast sunset next to an east coast sunrise in our new place. (You know very symbolic of our big move.)
After watching the weather for days I knew Monday was going to be my best shot at catching an epic sunset. So Matley and I jumped in the Sexy Lexy (what I affectionately call my LX570) and headed out to Tofino. Other than a few stops along the way for me to shoot some wildlife pictures and a late lunch at The Pointe Restaurant which is located in the Wickanninish Inn, we stayed focused.
We were on Chesterman Beach just before the sun started to set. But as the light began to fade, I forgot what I was doing. I was too busy watching Matley run back and forth being chased by the waves. His laugh and the sounds of the waves crashing into the shore was intoxicating. Suddenly it was no longer about my picture as I stood there quietly watching the moment unfold.
By the time we packed up and were ready to head back to Nanaimo it was dark and Matley was soaked. He changed into some PJs, I cranked the heat, and we hit the road. We pulled over at the tourism information centre just outside the Pacific Rim National Park and called to let Marcel's parents know we were coming home and to expect us around 9pm. They said it was snowing in Nanaimo and that the road weren't good on that side of the island and that if we didn't need to come back to just stay there for the night.
Most places were already fully booked. However, we managed to get a room back at the Wickaninnish Inn, room 205 in the Pointe Building. After a long bath Matley curled up by the fireplace and passed out. I picked him up and tucked him into bed, grabbed my camera, and took the two minute walk down to the beach.
As I'm standing there, staring up at countless stars in the sky, for the first time in about two months, I know Marcel and I are making the right decision. Everything is slowly coming together. Instead of taking a bunch of pictures, I take four. I shut off my camera and sit down on the sand.
Yes, it's chilly outside but my heart is warm. The next time I sit down on the beach it will be in Australia with my family by my side.
(It's been 58 days since I've seen Marcel, 59 days since I've seen my dog, and 60 since we've all been sleeping under one roof as a family.)
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It started on such a high because Tuesday (November 22nd) the sky opened up and we had one of the best days since Matley and I have gotten to the island. Naturally we spent the day outside hiking around Jack Point. It was the first time in a long time we've been able to hang out, just the two of us and talk. We're both scared of the unknown. Matley misses going to school and his friends. We both miss having a routine. But most importantly neither one of us can wait to see Dad again.
It's been 50 days since I've seen Marcel, 51 days since I've seen my dog, and 52 since we've all been sleeping under one roof as a family.
Fast forward to Friday and I get totally lost while out exploring looking for Brick Bay in Nanoose Bay. I guess these things happen when you run out of data on your phone and they shut it off so Goggle Maps isn't working properly and the GPS map in your vehicle needs to be updated and keeps telling you that you are driving on roads that don't exist. It wasn't too big of a deal because I got to spend about half an hour hanging out with a Trumpeter Swan, which was totally awesome! Plus Matley called and said grandma had signed for something from Passport Canada.
It wasn't until hours later when I got back to my in laws and opened the envelope our passports came in that my heart sank... They misspelled my name!!!! There it was "Christine". My name isn't "Christine"!!! It's "Christina" with an A!!! Two steps forward, one step back. I'm in full panic mood (yet again). Holy shit this is the last thing I need right now!
"Hi, yes I am traveling to Texas with a one way ticket, because we are moving to Australia. No, I haven't booked our tickets to Australia just yet because I'm not sure what's going on. Who is this? That's my son. Oh I know we have different last names and his father, my husband isn't traveling with us but I have a travel permission document. I know everything says "Christina" and my passport says "Christine" but I promise we are the same person..."
By 4:30pm everything was sorted. I had to bring my passport back to the Passport Office in Victoria. They would issue a new one at no cost to me and I should have it by the end of the week.
I'm finally starting to feel like things are going forward. Matley and I will be in Texas by December 15th and will spend Christmas there. Hopefully in the next few weeks Marcel will get approval for time off in January and we will book our tickets to Australia to travel together as a family.
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Tuesday Matley and I spent the night at the Fairmont Empress as we had to drive down to the passport office in Victoria to drop off our paperwork to renew our Canadian passports. (Our passports will be here by November 30th.) We spent a wonderful evening playing checkers in the Gold Lounge because we both thought this was the last thing we needed to do before we could hop on a plane for Texas.
On our drive back home the following morning the Australian Consulate called. They had received Marcel's paperwork. However... There was another hiccup. Turns out that I filled out the section for mother on Matley's passport application but I failed to sign it giving consent and thus would now have to fill out the same paper Marcel had to (twice) and mail it in.
Really? I mean really? Come on! I'm so damn close but yet so horribly far....yet again.
Thursday morning Matley and I headed up to Fanny Bay to meet with my friend David so he can sign (what hopefully really is) the last piece of paperwork for our Australian passports. David and I met about four years ago at the Grande Prairie Photography Club as we are both photographers. Him and his wife sold everything and left Grande Prairie about a year and a half ago and now run Best Friend Dog Care and Kitty Kottage in Fanny Bay and couldn't be happier.
(If you're going to drive up to Fanny Bay take the Oceanside Route and make sure you stop at a place called The Bean Counter in Bowser... Trust me, you won't be disappointed!)
We spent about three hours hanging out with David as he played our Local Tour Guide.
By the time we made it back to Nanaimo it was dark and dinner was ready. As I laid in bed last night I had the strangest sense of sadness wash over me. You would think that I would be happy knowing everything was finally in order for the second part of our move but the truth is I'm filled with anxiety. The realization that I'm going to be in Texas in a few weeks is scary. It means that in a couple more weeks Matley and I will be in Australia by ourselves as the plan right now is for Marcel to continue working to keep money coming in until his sponsorship comes through. I'm not 100% on board with this plan but it's hard to have a real conversation when Marcel has been working nights for the pass month and we are on completely different schedules.
It's been 38 days since I've seen Marcel, 39 days since I've seen my dog, and 40 since we've all been sleeping under one roof as a family.
It will all be worth it in the end right?
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Truthfully, looking back I don't think it was the ornaments per say that was about to send me into a total meltdown in the middle of Starbucks, it was everything leading up to that moment and those stupid little things were just the straw that was going to break my camel's back. When I say "meltdown" I mean something along the lines of an epic meltdown that a two year old would have because they dropped their ice cream on the ground. I'm red in the face, can't catch my breath, sobbing in the middle of the Starbuck's lunch rush.
Remember the scene at the end of The Blair Witch Project where the girl has the camera focused tightly on her face, and her flashlight is shinning up her nose and she got snot just gushing from her nose, and all you wanted to do was scream at her, "Wipe your nose!"? I'm pretty sure that's what the guy standing next to me was thinking about when he handed me some napkins and asked if I was ok. Normally I'd have some something witty to say in a moment like this but instead I just took the napkins, said thanks, grabbed my latte, and quickly made my escape.
I sat in my truck and proceed to sob for the next 30 minutes or so desperately wishing that Marcel was there and not in some shit town in Saskatchewan. That I wasn't living with my in laws and that Matley wasn't telling everyone that he met who asked him if he was excited about moving to Australia that he wasn't and that he was upset he was leaving the snow. That I would have all our paperwork with me to turn into the consulate in a few days instead of having to wait for the last piece to show up by mail. That people would stop asking me (the same) questions that I don't have answers for.
It's been 30 days since I've seen Marcel, 31 since I've seen my dog, and 32 since we've all been sleeping under one roof as a family.
What are we doing?
It's November 8th the day of the presidential election in the states and the day Matley and I have our appointment at the Australian Consulate. After spending the night at The Hotel Vancouver and having one of the best sleeps I've had since being homeless Matley and I make our way to our appointment. It was quick, easy, and believe it or not painless. On our way back to the hotel it felt like things were finally looking up. Our Australian passports would be here before the end of the month!
It wasn't until the next morning when I was back in Nanaimo and opened the letter Marcel had sent containing the last piece of paper we needed to submit for our passports that I realized we wouldn't be making it to Texas for the American Thanksgiving. He had forgotten to get a witness to sign the paper meaning that he would have to reprinted it, sign it once more, have a witness sign it, and send it back in.
So close and yet so very very far. It's not the end of the world, just a set back.
The leaves are changing colors and falling to the ground here in Nanaimo. Realistically our passports won't be here until the middle of December, maybe Matley will get to see snow one more time before we leave.
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Before the estate sale started we each got a large rubbermaid container to put whatever we wanted into, no questions asked, and it would be shipped to Australia once we had a physical address. It's hard to believe I managed to take the last 14 years of living in Canada and squeezed it into a box. I wondered what Marcel, my husband, and Matley, our seven year old, put into their boxes. But I made it a point not to look. I know it sounds crazy but I wanted to be surprised when we opened the boxes on the other side as to what each of us thought was so important that it had to come with us.
Are we doing the right thing?
We estimated there was around 300 people that came through our house during the estate sale. The more and more people we told our story to the more and more looks of "Are you smoking crack and out of your damn mind?" we got. To tell the truth there was really only one couple who seemed on board for the whole adventure. They had spent some time living in New York and had slowly made their way back home to Canada. The husband reminded us that life was short and that the world was a big place that needed to be explored. But is he right?
Right now it just me and Matley as Marcel is working to keep money coming in during the move and while we wait for his sponsorship papers to be approved.(Both myself and Matley are Australian citizens, although at this point I am still waiting for Matley's citizenship papers to actually arrive.) The nights are lonely but so were the nights living in Grande Prairie. Working in the oil and gas industry for most of our relationship means that Marcel has been "on location" for the majority of it. So what difference does it make if we are five miles apart or 5,000 miles apart if we never get to see each other?
It's how we knew we needed a change. Everyone comes to a fork in the road while traveling the highway of life. We can continue on the same path we've always gone because it's comfortable and safe or we can choose to take the path less traveled because it's a risk and people who don't take risks don't drink champagne.
Right now we are living with Marcel's parents on Vancouver Island. The hope is that Matley and I will be in Texas for the American Thanksgiving and will then move on to Australia by the middle of December.
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"Way to make the most out of a day off kiddo," I said.
"It's raining and gross outside, so I thought you would like some cookies!" Matley said.
"Cookies for breakfast? Yes, please!" I replied.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Directions
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Ok, honestly all these things were pretty awesome my first two summers at Echo Hill Ranch, a sleep away camp nestled in a little green valley, deep in the Texas Hill Country. However by the time I was twelve the best things about EHR were the lifelong friendships, the cute boys and no “parental supervision”. I’m not saying my counselors each summer didn’t do a first-rate job keeping me out of trouble; rather they allowed me the opportunity to discover who I was without the pressures of being in a judgmental environment. Seriously I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t spent seven summers of my childhood going to summer camp.
So when my editor pitched me the idea of going camping in Jasper and staying in an oTENTik, which is a cross between an A-frame cabin and a tent mounted on a raised wooden floor, I thought this would be a great way of introducing the great outdoors to my four year old Matley without having to endure sleepless nights laying on the ground and pretending I liked it.
The idea behind an oTENTik is that all you need to do is pack food, some cooking utensils, bedding and show up. The night before we leave I take the time to prep a bunch of foil packs consisting of various vegetable combinations, seasonings and lots of butter. I even pack one with broccoli, cheese whiz and an ice cube because really who doesn’t love broccoli and cheese whiz? (This is where I should tell you I’m a vegetarian, however Matley and Marcel, my husband are not.) I leave the rest of the packing up to Marcel, who shoos me out of the kitchen saying he has it totally under control and wants to be on the road no later that 7am the next morning.
It’s actually closer to 9am before we are finally on the road with various Starbucks treats in hand and after stopping in Grande Cache for lunch we make it to the Whistlers Campground shortly after 2:30pm. We check in at the kiosk, get a briefing on the abundance of wildlife seen in the area, rules of the campground, a map showing where an assortment of things are located around said campground and an Xplorers Book for Matley.
We pull up to our campsite and unload. The oTENTik is clean and cozy and once we are settled in all Matley can talk about is the playground we passed when we pulled in.
We slowly walk over to the playground in question, after passing two others along the way, and while Matley and Marcel are having fun on the swings I realize I need to go to the restroom. I walk over to the bathrooms and see a bulletin board with a sign up about Geocaching. (Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, where participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world.) What a great way to explore the campground and to burn off some energy before making dinner as I want to try and have an early night because we have all sorts of things to do the following day. I walk back over to the boys and ask, “Who wants to go on a treasure hunt?”
We grab a map from the front kiosk with the coordinates of seven geocaches, located throughout the campgrounds, and even though they offer us a GPS, Marcel wants to use our iphones instead. Thus after spending the next 20 minutes goggling and trying to figure out how to put longitude and latitude coordinates into goggle maps, we finally take off.
We find the first two geocaches easily but Marcel gets a flat tire en route to the third and by the time it’s fixed we realize it’s almost 8pm and we need to get a fire going so we can have dinner. The boys roast cheese smokies and marshmallows and I enjoy one of my veggie packs.
The next morning we get up early, refreshed and ready for a day of adventure. After taking showers, which are free to use when you stay at the campground, we stroll the interpretive trail that runs through the middle of the campground, back to our campsite, stopping to play in the little log cabin.
With our bellies full from an impromptu breakfast, consisting of grilled pineapple, corn, and black beans, stuffed into a pita with hummus and cheese, as Marcel forgot to pack the eggs…among other things; we head into Jasper to check out some of the interpretive programs Parks Canada has to offer to the old fire hall.
As early afternoon rolls around we wonder the streets of downtown Jasper and make our way over to the Patricia Street Deli for a lunch. In between mouthfuls Matley says, “Let’s go for another bike ride!” We finish up and grab a Day Hike Map for the Information Centre then drive back to our campsite to grab our bikes.
Sticking to the easier trails the time seems to fly by and before we know it we’re soaking up the sunshine on the beach at Annette Lake. I leave the boys playing with a beach ball and walk through the parking lot over to Edith Lake. As I’m walking along the shoreline I stumble across two red Adirondack chairs that are part of the Parks Canada Red Chair Program. The view is amazing and I’m not going to lie, I could’ve spent the rest of the day just sitting in those chairs.
Back at our campsite the boys enjoy another round of cheese smokies and we share the broccoli and cheese whiz. For some strange reason Matley is still full of energy. So we put our campfire out, hop in the car and take the Icefields Parkway to Athabasca Falls, because there’s just something about going for a car ride that puts kids to sleep. We play Icefields Parkway Bingo, one of the activities in the Xplorers Book, on the short ride from the campground to the falls.
The falls and sunset are gorgeous and even though he didn’t want to leave on the way back Matley finally drifts off to sleep and is snoring like a freight train by the time Marcel carries him in to our oTENTik. 9:30pm and it’s been a long action packed day, but not so long that Marcel and I don’t have time to enjoy a Keith’s sitting by the fire before quite time at 11pm.
In the morning we slowly start to load our car back up after the boys have a third round of cheese smokies, and because our muscles are sore from the previous day’s adventure we make the call to stop at the Miette Hot Springs.
It was my very first time to ever experience a natural hot springs and I have to tell you it was soooo relaxing! Before we left we did a little bit of exploring and took the path at the end of the parking lot that leads to the original hot springs pool. Although it is in ruins now it was easy to see why the pool was first located there.
On the drive back we talk about what everyone’s favorite part of the adventure was. Matley thought it was staying in the oTENTik, Marcel said it was going on the bike rides and I loved my quite time sitting in the red chairs on Edith Lake.
The only things I would have changed…We would’ve stayed for one maybe two more nights and next time I think I’ll do all the food packing because wow did that car ride home stink!
***Remember if you like what you see visit the "Prints for Sale" tab at the top of the page!"***
With goodies to explore both inside and outside the market, I could've spent all day there. But unfortunately the market is only open until 3pm. I figured I'd start inside and slowly work my way outside and back to the truck. One of the first things that caught my eye was Field Stone Fruit Wines. I mean honestly who can turn down a free sample of wine? Personally I thought they were a little on the sweet side but yummy nonetheless. (I could totally see myself using them in a sangria!)
From wine to donuts and not just any donuts, Friendship Donuts. As you probably already know from a previous post, Vanilla Bean Donuts, I love simple, basic donuts. The Friendship Donuts are yeast raised and coated in buttery glaze with a hint of caramel, but today they also had chocolate. You can find them at various locations throughout Grande Prairie but I first discovered them at the TAGs Food and Gas in Hythe.
From donuts to tea and Stuffitz Loose Tea. I'm a huge fan of loose leaf tea. For the most part I drink it plain with nothing added. Although I have to admit sometimes (especially when dealing with fruit teas) they just taste better with a little bit of sugar or honey mixed in. I always find the staff to be super helpful and with a massive selection, there is something for everyone.
On the topic of honey... I made my way outside and stumbled across Bee Sweet, which is raw, clover and alfalfa, unpasteurized honey from Webster, Alberta. Honey is one of those products that I ALWAY buy from a local source. When you buy local honey you really can taste (and see) the difference.
Finally the reason why most of us go to the farmer's market in the first place, fresh produce!
If you're looking for something to do that's fun for the whole family consider visiting a farmer's market in your area. There really is something for everyone!
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We arrived around noon and there was already a buzz in the air despite the rain. After enjoying our brunch Marcel, my husband, and Matley, our six year old, picked up a program and we made our way over to the paddock to start checking out the horses for the first race.
Here's the thing, I know I said this was our second year going but I don't have a clue how horse racing works. What little knowledge I have about horse racing comes from getting trashed at Retama Park on $0.50 Fridays while I was in university well over a decade ago. (Ah, the good old days when you could show up with $20 in your pocket: park, have a couple of hot dogs, several beer, place a few bets, and even if you didn't win anything, you could still walk out of there with a few dollars left in your pocket.) Seriously when I open the program all I really know is that the horse's names are in capital letters and bold print. So when Marcel and Matley started talking about their "strategy" I figured I would just go with the flow.
"I like that guy over there," said Marcel. "He just pooped so he is going to be lighter, so that must means he'll run faster!
"Are you serious dad?" responded Matley. "I like the number six. He is pretty jumpy. That means he is full of energy!"
After some arguing over the matter the boys decided to go with number six, Colorful Gabby. I tried to warn them that it probably meant something that the horse's name was "Colorful" Gabby and its jersey was black but neither one wanted to listen. So we placed our first bet, Colorful Gabby to Show (show means to finish in first, second, or third place).
The horses start to line up at the gates and we take a spot along the fence line, close to the finish line. We can see that there is commotion going on at the gates and what do you know? Colorful Gabby has thrown her jockey before even getting into her gate. I look over at the boys trying to contain my giggles and say, "Better luck next race boys."
The second race they stuck with the same strategy and lost again. While standing at the paddock checking out the horses for the third race Marcel decided we needed to try something different. He has a friend from high school named Gabe. Gabe is one of those guys that if you ever got into a betting situation, you would ALWAYS bet on Gabe. So using this logic we bet on Gallant Gabe to win. Now I don't want to take away anything from Gabe and the logic used to place this particle bet but... Marcel and Matley love cars and I thought for sure they would want to bet on Another Gear.
"Boys did you see that one of the horses is named Another Gear?" I ask.
Neither one seemed to care, both positive that Gallant Gabe was the way to go. He lost, Another Gear won.
Feeling very discourage Matley was ready to call it a day. It was staring to rain a little heavier and after three races, only one of our horses had actually finished a race. But Marcel insisted that we stay for one more race and use the same strategy again and "bet on General Gabe in the fourth to win." It was at this point I decided to take over the betting, simply telling Marcel his "strategies suck ass" and it was my turn to pick a horse.
Without even walking over to the paddock I placed my bet, Majorca Gold to Show. My logic... The horse was wearing blue and blue is my favorite color. I don't want to brag or anything but... We won that race!
Of course after winning Matley's attitude had changed and now he wanted to stay till the very end.
We managed to break even in the betting department that day and even though we were soaked by the end a good time was had by all.
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I had taken a workshop with Dave once before about three years ago. The workshop was about natural and creative light. Like with most things in life I had bitten off more than I could chew. To be honest I think about 95% of what Dave said during that first two day workshop went completely over my head. While I did leave inspired, I fought back tears during the second day and felt like an idiot because I seriously had no clue what the hell I was doing and to think I was calling myself a "professional".
Fast forward to this workshop and it was like a whole new world. I was able to fully understand Dave's thought process as he walked us through an example of a portrait set up with one of the models without getting lost in all the technical jargon that is a photographer's life.
Once again I left this workshop feeling inspired however in a completely different way. The first time after feeling like a complete jackass... I looked around for a mentor, took some Creative Live classes, and did a shoot here and there for myself. (As one of the most important things I took away from that workshop was that I needed to shoot for myself.) The second time as I sat there and listened to Dave's presentation about "The Life Adventure" I realized that there are people out there who are actively living the life they want to live, one they don't want a vacation from.
What separates them from me and you? The "actively doing" part. I think that's why I'm so excited to be moving my little family to Australia.
Change is a good thing, it's also one of the few things in life that is inevitable, so why not make changes to move toward something you actually want to do?
Images from my first workshop with Dave in 2014
Images from this year's workshop
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My classes that last semester were: Interpersonal Communications, Children's Literature, Theories of Communication, English Literature, Yoga and Gourmet Cuisine. Can you say kick ass schedule? I mean really how could I possibly go wrong when I was centering my chi, reading the first Harry Potter book, and learning how to cook amazing food?
However truthfully, I was full on out of control and in some pretty heavy denial. My father was battling cancer and we'd lost the house. The only place I'd called home since moving from Australia 16 years earlier. My whole world was falling apart and instead of taking some time to deal with things, I bottled everything up and pretended like nothing was wrong. I was spending my nights bar hopping and my mornings sitting by my father's bedside in the hospital.My mind was constantly racing as I was dealing with things that no 23 year old should ever have to deal with, most of which was out of my control.
One of the few things I actually looked forward to that semester was Thursday night's Gourmet Cuisine class, it's where my love for food was born. It took some convincing of my friends from the Communication Arts department to take the three hour elective class but in my opinion it was totally worth it. The class was from 6pm to 9pm and we would meet before to smoke a joint or two. By the time we made it to class the giggles would kick in and I would forget that in a few short hours I would be sitting in the hospital talking with my dad about "all the things he still wanted to do"... To this day I still use cooking as an escapism. When you're in the kitchen you can't let your mind wonder, if you do you'll end up with burnt pancakes.
​The other thing I looked forward to that semester was Monday and Wednesday's yoga class. I'd never taken a yoga class before in my life but I figured it would be an easy A. However, I struggled so much at the beginning I started to question why the hell I even signed up for it in the first place. But after a few weeks it got easier and easier to not let my mind wonder and to really focus on pushing my body further into the poses.
As I continued to deal with my father's illness and all the revelations that came along with it, I took my yoga practice with me to summer camp after graduating and then eventually to Vancouver. I was practicing so much that at one point I really wanted to be an instructor. But after my father passed away I slipped back into my destructive behavior and within a few months had been headhunted to be a Cruise Director. When I'm getting paid to party, there is no time to center my chi.
Do you believe things happen for a reason? Almost a decade after quitting my yoga practice my life is in total chaos again. Unfortunately there isn't really any where in Grande Prairie that offers the type of classes I like to take. That was until Oranj Fitness made an announcement they were coming to town. I was so excited that I signed up for their early bird special. What started out as a simple email about setting up a time to come in and pay for my membership quickly turned into a "we'd love to work with you" email.
I feel extremely blessed to have gotten a sneak peek at their beautiful space before it opened to the public, to hang out during some of their open house last week, and to have been their official photographer for their Largest Outdoor Yoga Class on Sunday. Their team is super friendly and it's such an encouraging environment.
Their motto and philosophy is simple: "The fitness world needed a place where "you can be you;" the kind of place where everyone knows your name and welcomes you with open arms – a place where the status quo is boogying!"
I've taken four classes already and have signed up for my fifth this Friday. It's called Hot Yoga Barre and it's so awesome, I totally recommend you check it out. Maybe we'll even see each other there!
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Whatever the reason might be, when I saw one driving home from yoga class early Saturday morning, I almost lost my shit. Yes, yes, every time I see an animal on "my list" it's exciting but this was different. You see during the past 17 days my house has been "sold" twice (remember we are moving to Australia) and both times that "sale" has fallen through. Not only that but in the middle of all this my husband, Marcel lost his job, "due to market conditions". So to say that stress levels have been at an all time high in my house would be an understatement. So when I saw this fox at the edge of a clearing, it was like a sign. I pulled my truck over to the side of the road, put it in park, and slid over to the passenger seat. I reached behind the seat to grab my camera, my hands already sweaty because I was soooo excited finally something positive was happening!
Yeah.... I spoke too soon. My camera bag wasn't in my truck. So here I am on the side of the road, too scared to drive to my house (which is about 5 minutes away) and grab my camera, to come back and shoot. Because lets get real for a second, if I take my eyes off him, he'll disappear and the magical moment I've been waiting for won't happen. So I grab my iPhone and start shooting because I'll be damned if I'm not going to get at least one shot. But it's starting to rain and no matter how bright I try to make my image the fox just looks like an orange blob.
What am I going to do?!?!
I do what any wife would do in this situation, I call my husband and start yelling, "There's a fox and I don't have my camera!!!!!! So you need to get off your butt and bring me my camera. Like NOW!!!!!!!" Did I mention at this point I'm basically in mass hysterics? I mean the tears are flowing down my face and I'm talking at a million miles and hours. But Marcel isn't at home. He is about ten minutes away with his friend Steve, who is trying on clothes for his up coming wedding. I proceed to sob loudly into my phone begging Marcel to figure out a way to get me my camera because I can't let the fox out of my site. He tells me to clam down, take a breathe, and that he is going to borrow Steve's car and that he'll be there shortly.
It's going to work out I tell myself, Marcel is on his way. But about two minutes later I watch the fox slip back into the trees. My heart sinks, my stomach turns, fuck why can't I catch a break? I call Marcel back and tell him never mind the fox is gone. As I start to drive away slumped behind the driver's wheel with my shoulders heavy from defeat, my eyes filled with tears, I take one last look back... nothing.
I pull into my driveway and as I walk through my front door, I stare at my camera bag sitting at the bottom of the stairs. I'm not even sure what happened but the next thing I knew, I had grabbed my camera and was half way back down the block. It was like I was filled with this sense of nothing else mattered. All the bull shit over the past two and a half weeks just melted away. I was on a mission and that mission was to get a fox picture. A few minutes later I was back at the clearing.
Breathe I told myself, just be patience and it was like the fox had heard me, because he resurfaced. He saw me and I saw him and we just stood there looking at each other. Wow! There is just something so deeply moving and peaceful about being in the presence of a wild animal.
Thank you Mr. Fox for allowing me to check one off the life's to-do list.
(Like what you see? Click on "Prints for Sale" at the top of the page. They're in wildlife!)
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Karen's Pancakes
Ingredients
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Milk
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
A Sprinkle of Salt
Directions
​Add all dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.
Add all wet ingredients to the same bowl and mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until brown on both sides. Serve hot!
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The bridge was build in 1942-43 and was the first of it's kind in Canada. It's a three span, timber truss structure sitting 30 metres (100 feet) above the river, located at mile marker 21.
What makes this bridge so unusual is that it curves nine degrees along its 162.5 metre (534 foot) length and is the only timber bridge built along the Alaska Highway by civilian workers still in use today.
Park your vehicle at Kiskatinaw Provincial Park and you can wonder down to the river to get a better look at this amazing bridge. Just keep your eyes open for wildlife!
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When we arrived at Herbs & Spice "N" Everything Nice, there were two large greenhouses filled with flowers and herbs, that smelled amazing!
We already have raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and some herbs, so I was going to keep it simple this year and only do hanging baskets. Our backyard gets lots of afternoon sun, so it is important that we get plants that will do well in full sun. After talking to Charlotte, one of the super helpful ladies that work at the greenhouse, Matley and I made our first two selections. He picked out a plant with no flowers and funky leaves, while I chose a purple and white flowering basket.
With one more basket to pick we made our way over to the second greenhouse with herbs. There were so many things to choose from, I had to remind myself we were on a mission. Charlotte pointed over to a red and orange flowing basket and asked if we had any humming birds?
"Not yet," Matley said, "But my mom sure wishes we did!"
"Well humming birds love those flowers," Charlotte said.
And just like that we had our third hanging basket. We loaded them up into the back of my truck and headed home. Here's hoping they last all summer!
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We were doing the loop around Crystal Lake Park here in Grande Prairie, Alberta. The sun was shinning, the birds were chirping and I had already taken what I thought was going to be the image from the day. That was until we came around a bend in the path and there they stood. Two deer, completely unfazed by the fact that I had a camera in once hand and a leash attached to a 120lbs dog in the other.
The four of us just standing around, perfectly normal, nothing to see here. At one point the deer were less than ten feet from us.
Sometimes you can get tunnel vision when you're looking through your viewfinder, and to my surprise when I finally did put my camera down to take stock of the situation, Besse had fallen asleep at my feet, and there was a young mother and her baby quietly waiting for me to finish. I waved her by and she was so cute telling me, "I didn't want to ruin your shot, so we just sat very still so we wouldn't startle the deer."
By the time I made it back home I had forgotten what had made me so stressed out that I wanted to take a walk in the first place.
Mother Nature one of the best stress relievers out there!
(Like the images you see? Click on "prints for sale" at the top of the page. They are in Wildlife!)
]]>Marcel (my husband) and I have lived in the Peace Region for eight years while he has been working in the oil and gas industry. Fort St. John, Whitecourt, and Grande Prairie have all been places we have called home. But with so much uncertainty these days we knew it was time for a change.
Don't get me wrong, I love Canada! I've been living here 14 years this September but the truth is.... I hate the snow. No, I mean I really hate it. I'm a vegetarian and when winter is in full swing there is no amount of dead animal I can layer on that will keep me warm. So it only seemed natural to start the ball rolling to move from Canada to Australia. I am an Aussie and in my mind I was simply moving my family back home. However somewhere in all the excitement of finally taking that first step, I forgot just how hard it was really going to be.
Silly things like: I haven't lived in Australia for 30 years and while I don't remember being afraid of crocodiles, snakes and spiders when I was a child, I'm sure as shit fearful of them now! We have a dog, Besse who in a few weeks turns nine. Which doesn't seem that old but for a Saint Bernard/Bernese Mountain cross she is ancient. At first I was like of course she is coming with us, she is a family member. But now, I realize a move that big might not be the best thing for her. I have an SUV, a Lexus LX570, that no word of a lie, took me three years to find because I wanted it in blue, Costa Azul Mica, to be exact. When I bought my Sexy Lexy, as I like to call her, she was going to be my baby for the next ten years but I haven't even owned her two yet! (Yes, I know first world problems.)
Not to mention where are we going to live? What are we going to do for work? Are we bringing stuff with us or selling everything and replacing it once we move? Where is our six year old going to go to school? And for that matter what grade is he going to be in as our school year runs September to June and Australia's runs January to December?
It's going to be a long and bumpy ride. A ride that I hope you'll join my family on as we share our adventures finally building a life that we don't want to take a vacation from.
Image: Before the Bloom
Because sometimes you have to remind yourself flowers don't bloom overnight, there is a lot of hard work before the bloom.
(If you like the image you see click on "prints for sale" at the top of the page. It's in the landscapes!)
]]>1.The Clarke Wedding
I Love this image! It was taken in July of last year on a hill just outside of Grande Prairie, Alberta. It's so simple, yet tells the story of a newly wed couple and their love of classic cars.
2. Working with the Good Eats Magazine
I am a total Foodie! So, when the opportunity presented its self to work with the Good Eats Magazine I jumped. I photographed 8 out of the 14 restaurants featured and it was an amazing experience. I'm looking forward to working with them again this year.
3. Northern Lights
This image was taken in April just outside Sexsmith, Alberta. After living in the Peace Region for almost 8 years this was the very first time I had ever seen the Northern Lights and it was amazing!
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Baked Vanilla Bean Donuts
Ingredients:
Donuts:
1 Cup Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened
1 Tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste
Vanilla Bean Glaze:
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. Milk
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. and spray a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine the first four dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon) into a bowl until well blended and then set aside.
In another bowl whisk together the remaining wet ingredients until smooth and creamy. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until everything is full incorporated.
Spoon or pipe the dough into the prepared donut pan, dividing evenly among the sections.
I put my dough into a gallon ziplock, sealed it, cut the end off and used that to pipe into my pan.
Place the pan into the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the donuts are cooked through.
The donuts will not turn golden brown, but should 'spring back' to the touch when done.
In the mean time, whisk the ingredients for the glaze together in a small bowl and set aside.
Once done, remove the donuts from the oven and allow to cool.
Dip the donuts face-down into the glaze and then let the glaze set. Maybe 5 minutes or so.
Enjoy!
Adapted from: http://www.theskinnyfork.com/blog/skinny-vanilla-bean-donuts
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Butternut Squash and Arugula Pizza
1 package of Pillsbury pizza dough
3 cups of thinly shaved butternut squash
1 small onion diced
1/2 cup of pine nuts
2 cups of arugula
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of butter
1 cup goat cheese
1 cup of Asiago cheese shredded
balsamic vinegar to drizzle
1. Prepare the pizza dough as directed.
2. While pizza dough is in the oven cook onions and pine nuts until caramelized
3. Remove pizza dough from oven and let cool
4. Once cooled lightly oil the pizza with olive oil.
5. Cover the pizza with the butternut ribbons. It’s best to let them curl up and be wavy rather than lie flat against the pizza.
6. Next layer is the caramelized pine nuts and onions, followed by the arugula.
7.Then crumble the goat cheese over the pizza using a fork, followed by the shredded asiago.
8. Return to oven for another 6-10 minutes (long enough to melt the cheese).
9. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar
10. Enjoy!
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Settings: 7D Mark II, 24-70mm, F/4.0, ISO 100, various shutter speeds from 5 seconds to 15 seconds.
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For my first creative shoot of the year, the concept was simple: Beauty. I was looking for something to add to my portfolio. I rotated between a one and three light setup and although only the first image made it into my portfolio... I had a blast working with these two gorgeous ladies!
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