Last Post

Well it's officially my last post for this blog.....boo-hoo!

It's been an awesome experience and I hope it only get's better with the new blog.

It's still me, just improved...or I hope improved....lol.

So heres my new website...click HERE

And for the new blog click HERE

Please add to your favourites so you won't forget me :)

Today's Quote

"Twenty years from now you will be more upset by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover"

~Mark Twain

Multi Tasking

This is what happens when you're taking clothes out of the dryer and your baby cries.

You forget about the dryer and when you notice the door of the dryer left wide open and you go back to finish folding laundry....

You see this :)

And here's a picture of Jesse when he was doing tummy time yesterday.

He's doing much better and not crying as soon as I put him down.

There for a while he "hated" tummy time.

Too Young

It was June, 1992

I had just left the baseball diamond/playground that's next to the school. It was my first "date" with Kristen. I was 12 he was moving away the next day and it would be last time I would see him for several years. We sat in a swing together, he put his arm around me which I reprimanded him for. I mean that was moving WAY too fast for my liking....lol. Hey I was 12!!

Anyway...I had just left to walk "down around the point" to find my brother. I was allowed to be out later as long as I came home with him at his curfew.

I found him hanging out with his classmates, one being Myrna.

Myrna had a boyfriend, his name was Clayton.

That was the first time I met him. And what did he do? He gave me a compliment.

Yep, that's what he did, Clayton was a charmer :)

From that moment I was absolutely smitten. I went on then to spend most of Grade 7 with a huge crush on him (Kristen who? I kid, I kid) Which I'm pretty sure him and the whole school knew about. It was a small town.

A few years later I would go on a couple of dates with him but nothing serious. But that's what he did, he was a charmer. And I was smitten.

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This past Friday night I was told of the news of his passing.

Another young life taken tragically and quickly due to the Newfoundland winter roads.

I still haven't cried over the news.

I'm not sure if I'm in shock, denial or what it is but I do know that when I'm up at 3am for Jesse's feedings, it's all I think about.

I think about his poor mother who at one time changed her son's diapers like I'm changing Jesse's now. And all I think is no mother should ever lose a child. I never understood this statement as vividly as I do now.

I go back to bed after Jesse has dozed back off to dreamland and I can't sleep.

I think about the days of highschool when I knew Clayton. I haven't seen him for years, the last time being a softball game in Brampton.

And though a stranger to me now I was one of many girls that he charmed the socks off and will never forget him.

My condolences go out to his family...this cliche statement but a statement that is also true.

They are in my thoughts and in my prayers.

To his Mom....I can't even imagine the pain you may be feeling. But may God give you some peace in your heart that you find strength to go on.

Know that you raised a good man that was loved by many and he has you to thank for that.

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Check out Myrna's post about Clayton HERE

RIP Clayton :(

50mm

Yes Tara, to answer your question. I did get a new lens for Christmas. The 50mm fixed 1.8 to be exact.

And to answer your question Myrna yes, the shots of us out to dinner and Kristen with his turkey were all taken on the new lens.

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Now if you're not a photographer on an SLR camera then the above statement means absolutely nothing to you. But if you do photograph with an SLR then you already know a 50mm lens is a MUST HAVE and honestly I've been dumb to not have owned it sooner. It is honestly the permanent lens on my camera 'since' Christmas.

The reason I went so long without it is because I was holding out to buy the 1.4 which is considerably more expensive....however when Kristen & I did some research before Christmas we found out that unless you're photographing EXTREME low light conditions which I rarely do then you are not getting the value for your money.

Next thing I knew...Kristen had one under the Christmas tree for me. I love my hubby :)

For you point & shoot photographers, lets see if I can actually "show" you the difference

On the left is Uncle Blaine, his background is actually farther away than the background on the right with Papa.

Yet with the 50mm lens you get a greater depth of field (blurrier backgrounds) which is exactly what you want.

You don't want people focusing on my Ikea lamp behind Papa but on his smile while holding baby Jesse.

Yet with Uncle Blaine the photo is just as sweet yet you're sizing up my Christmas village on the top of my cupboards as well :)

Get it!?!

I'm so excited about the weddings this summer...can you just imagine how awesome the close up's of my brides are going to be? Yeah....I know!!!

Speaking of close ups...here's a couple Kristen & I took of Jesse & Boone the last couple of days.

If you look closely this photo isn't blurry as Kristen suggested it was....I used a single focal point.

That's another lesson for another day, but in short, his left eye, to the right of the photo is actually where my focus was, thus leaving his right eye looking somewhat blurred.

He LOVES his elephant (Kristen took this shot....told you he's a better photographer than me)

And here's Boone :) as handsome as ever

Oh getting back to my "normal" blogging was also a resolution for 2010....how am I doing so far?

Christmas & 2009 Year In Review

I know I'm very late with this post but it wouldn't be right if I didn't do my year in review post.

This past year, 2009, has been absolutely amazing!!!

I've themed it the year of Jesse for obvious reasons. I had went into 2009 hoping that Kristen & I would soon be blessed with starting our family and in January it happened.

I went from this

To this....

To this....

And to now where we celebrated a wonderful Christmas with 3 month old Jesse

Lobsters on Christmas eve

Cookies & Milk for Santa and don't forget carrots for the reindeer

Jesse didn't get a thing! LOL :)

Christmas Day

Mommy & Jesse with Cousins Brittany and Baby Alexis she is 13 days older than Jesse

Then New Years was quiet....started out with dinner with friends

And ended with a quiet evening at home with my parents playing card games :)
On New Years Day Kristen deep fried the turkey

My Mom & I did the fixin's!! It was delicious!

This past Christmas and really all of 2009 was truly about Family.
I went into last year making my new years resolution to be a better person and yet things never work out how you think they will.
It was YOU who showed me how amazing YOU are.
The generosity and love shown to us the minute we shared that we were expecting was just overwhelming. We cannot thank you enough and I'm so humbled by the experience.
 It wasn't me making me a better person it was you...from the bottom of my heart....THANK YOU!
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This year I want to pay it forward, this year my new years resolution is to GIVE.
Be generous, give more of my time, go pro with my photography but include "free" items with every package, show love the way it was shown to Kristen, Jesse & I in 2009.
This year I turn 30...I know...its sad leaving my 20's but I'm looking forward to a new decade, a new genre of adulthood.
And with that its with VERY mixed emotions that I announce the end of this blog. Quirky Christa....
I started my blog of ramblings in 2005 I can't believe I'm into my 5th year as a blogger, even before it became mainstream and the "thing" to do but with starting my own business and becoming a mother maintaining two blogs have become too much.
So in the coming weeks I'll be launching my new blog...no worries, I'll be posting the link here. Along with launching my photography website.
It'll still be the usual me, with giveaways, contests, recipes and ramblings. But my photography will also be incorporated. I hope you don't mind :) oh and a new look too!
I'm going to miss this blog but it's time to move on. I'll be doing a few more posts before moving over to the new blog and I cannot thank you enough for your loyalty, patience and continually "checking back" to see if I've done a post or not as I've adjusted to motherhood.
I love being a mom but it's been quite the challenge to say the least :)
Again thank you....without you there would be no quirky christa...well I'd still be quirky just nobody to share my ramblings with.....lol.

Okay now I'll end this post since it's quite long. Would love your feedback as always as I continue on my journey of life. I'm so happy with where I am right now and look forward to whatever the future may hold. Please tag along, I love the company!
Much love, Quirky Christa~

Merry Christmas

From my family to yours Merry Christmas

Christening Day

Jesse was dedicated this past Sunday at Peel Pentecostal Tabernacle in Brampton.

He did really well only cried a little bit.

Here we are at the front of the church with 3 other families. There were 4 dedications that day. And all the grandparents were invited to come stand with the families.

Kristen & I listening to the Pastor

Jesse laughing at the congregation.....lol

Here Pastor Flight is giving him his name.

Then Pastor Russell took him for prayer in which Jesse did really good until he started to cry

Me saying "shhhh" trying to settle the poor little guy down

Family pictures after church

This is my parents (Jesse's grandparents) and my brother Blaine (Jesse's Uncle)

A family photo...we had to keep the blanket under him because just before the service was over Jesse poo'd and it all came through his pants. Yeah I know!

Thankfully it was after his Christening and not before!

Very proud Papa with his first grandchild.

It was a great day....Jesse also turned 3 months old on Sunday.

I can't believe how big he's getting and how fast time has gone already :(

Is everyone all ready for Christmas? I officially finished shopping last night and today I have to wrap and bake more cookies.

Everything I did at the girls cookie bake will probably be gone by today. Speaking of, can someone send some pictures to me of the cookie bake?