a backyard photo shoot

today handsome and i had a little photo shoot {me: model, him: photographer} for the huffington post canada's march issue of citizen style.  though i don't consider myself a fashion blogger, i was really excited about the opportunity to be featured along with other torontonians for spring style, and in my birthday month no less!

Below are a few photos from our little backyard shoot today.  we were lucky enough to get the shots done right before the snow began to fall!

A little bit about me & my blog…

hey there! my name is rachel. i am wife to my husband jay and mama to our daughter mila. i grew up in both colorado and california, eventually making my way to canada permanently in 2008. no matter where i have lived i always seem to be blessed with beautiful friends and acquaintances along the way.  the company i surround myself with is something i greatly value now and always.

i started this blog for a few reasons. first, i thought it would be a fun creative way for me to document life as i go. i'm sort of sap for nostalgia so i hope one day i can look back and smile at all the wonderful times i shared.  the second reason i started this blog is because i began noticing so many negative pieces of news hitting the airways in almost every direction i turned.  not to say these messages aren't important, but i started to feel like the beautiful parts of life slowly started to escape mention.  i had wished there was one station, one outlet, one source that people could visit to hear about the beautiful things in life.   and after seeing many other blogs i love doing exactly that, i thought i could do it too.  so...

this is my small contribution.

i share only positive memories and moments on this blog in hopes that you will also spot the small, sweet and happy parts in life.  this does not mean i see my life as perfect or refuse to recognize the bad.  instead, this is my goal to highlight the wonderful so each year i can reflect on all the great times had.  i very much encourage guest bloggers who will share happiness in their lives; especially the happiness from day to day activities no matter how little it may seem.  if you are interested in guest blogging feel free to reach out via twitter or  email!

if you are interested in sponsorship opportunities i would be happy to partner up so feel free to reach out!

you will see many familiar faces along the way in each one of my posts.  these are family members and friends, ones i thank my lucky stars every day to be with and would be void to be without.  in the background you may also see two fuzzy faced cats we laugh at and cuddle with daily.  their names are bruce the destroyer and the high inquisitor harvey, but you can call them bruce & harvey.

i hope you enjoy all posts and pictures!  if you are looking for immediate gratification, i can be found right now via instagram. spoiler alert: there are A LOT of baby pictures.

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me + mom

i know i have posted a lot about my mom recently, but this has nothing to do with her health and everything to do with how much i love these three photos!  they are from my sister's bachelorette party last september and i just so happen to adore them. that night was a whole lot of fun filled with lots of hugs {smushy faced ones at that} lots of laughter and an end of the night chase scene from the big sister's nudist neighbor.  seriously, the guy was straight naked and ran really fast!

i realized tonight i never did get around to posting photos from the big sister's wedding  week

maybe just maybe there will be more to come!

this is what happens hours after poker faces get tired of being serious

enjoy!

women moving women

last week i had the honour of attending a benefit for the canadian women's foundation hosted by my dear friend alicia {who also, just so happens to be the author of this lovely blog} alicia is by far one of the most genuinely beautiful people around.  i used to think it was her life's goal to share "light and love", but after getting to know her, i realized this is simply the person she is.  

recently, alicia started working with the cwf on their women moving women campaign; a campaign designed to put an end to women's poverty in canada.  a big goal, i know, but they are going about it beautifully.  their vision is to bring 2,500 women {and men!} to donate $2500 over five years.  up front, its seems like a lot; but when you break it down, it unfolds to $42 a month.  with the communities involvement the cwf is able to fund basic survival needs (food, shelter, transportation, etc.) as well as economic development programs to help create a sustainable change for many struggling women.  in short, it is a campaign that will positively alter so many women's lives. you can read up on the organization here and all about this great initiative here.

i'm excited to see what will come about from alicia's involvement with the cwf.  

i am confident it will be nothing short of amazing! 

on sunday, we built a fort...

and that is what it looks like {because it's still up}

.     .     .

cleaning tip: play dress up

it makes it better, trust me!

love

i recently discovered this photographer, lauren fleishman through another one of my favorite bloggers, naomi davis, and had to share!

i do not personally know lauren fleishman, but i love this project she is creating.  its called love ever after and it is a book of couples in the new york area married over 50 years who she photographed and interviewed.  it's her way of preserving these couples love stories for eternity and "illuminate our universal experience of love", which i completely agree with and adore.

if you want to know more about the project or make a pledge you can do so through her kick starter site.  below is a sweet video she put together that will for sure make your heart flutter.  my favorite part is when the husband tries to spell his wife's name....and then gets corrected to "leave off the accent".  adorable!

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an update

a lot has happened since my last post post about my mom.  there have been many questions, beautiful emails and people stopping to ask how she is doing, which i have been so appreciative of.  i do however feel like i repeat myself over and over adding "new news" to the end of each update.  so, here is the latest a greatest for all of you lovely people who care to know.  starting off:

no cancer!! 

she has been cleared of every type of cancer, and trust she was tested for all of them, seriously, all of them!  she has been back to the hospital since, but is out as of now and hopefully will stay out for a good long while.  she has gotten her driving privileges, which we are still not sure if that is a good thing...or bad thing. her original clots, the ones that started this winding journey, are still there.  the good news being is that  they seem to be shrinking.  so, fingers crossed, the blood thinner is starting to work.  her visits with the doctors continue as they look for an actual diagnoses.  there have been a few discoveries that could contribute, but nothing that would actually cause as many clots and as bad as she has them.  

in short, the journey continues, but we hope for the straight and optimistic road we seem to have stumbled upon.  for all of you who prayed or sent love our way, thank you.  thank you all so very much!  speaking on behalf of our family, we are all incredibly appreciative we were given information that did not transpire the way we planned but transpired the way we hoped instead.

below is one of my favorite pictures of my mom.  it shows her personality flawlessly, a personality  that is forever visible. yesterday, my mom turned 35 {wink} and though i said it through facebook, email, and by song on voice mail already, here it is one last time for 2012:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

you are and forever will be a constant source of encouragement, humor, appreciation and love.

xo