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she came and went so quickly.

i really can’t recall when i felt summer arrive this year.  i’m someone who is cold most of the time, so what i call a hot summer day could be very different from what you call a hot summer day.  if you haven’t yet, i suggest that you reflect on your summer as i have below.  the stories and the remember when’s that you’ll want to share with others or hide away in your journal to be reminded of and laugh at later – those are worth remembering.  how small they may be.

i splashed my feet in any wadding pool i saw and then walked around barefoot until my feet were dry.

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time spent with my family.  walking down the road, adventuring to stratford or just sitting and chatting around the dinner table, i love it’d all and i love them.  it’s this special love you grow to appreciate once you’ve been gone for so long.  the memories that fill that house hold a very special place in my heart.  i need to get my father around for long enough to get a new family photo.  he’s currently in Taiwan.

went car camping for my birthday – it’s not the remote outdoors that i love so much, but it sure gets close to it and gets me out of the city.  a fire on the beach with friends, listening to the waves crash in – it doesn’t get much better than that.  well, it does, if you add in the golden roasted marshmallows – delicious!

chilling and chatting at bars and coffeehouses.  with friends or with folks i’d never met before.  two bachelorettes under my belt this summer and three weddings whose dance floors i busted many a move on.  these feet can’t stop, won’t stop!

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in fact, i photographed a wedding!  my beloved friend Jill married her man, Chris and the silly fabulous fools that they are entrusted me to photograph their special day.  i was and still am completely honoured.  i’ll be sharing more photos from their big day a little later on.

oh goodness did i laugh.  i laughed – a lot.  i’ve been blessed with some of the greatest friends anyone could ever hope for.  friends that love me for me.  friends that allow me to love them with all of myself.  old friends who will always be there, and new friends that feel old – it’s simply the best.  surround yourself with folks who challenge you, who inspire you, who push your buttons and can make you fold over in a giggling fit of laughter.  your life will be better because of it.

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and of course – take a little time to relax.  to just, be still.
while a thunderstorm rolled in and came down over the city, i sat on the balcony in candlelight and painted.
another evening, in my rocking chair, i stared at the supermoon.  for a long time.
sure, i could hear cars driving by, people hollering and airplanes flying over head – but i could also hear crickets and the cool wind blowing in my hair.  it was peaceful.
while in new brunswick when the sky had gone dark, i looked up at the millions and trillions of stars above.  it’s something you don’t get to see when you live in a light polluted city like toronto.  i have no idea how long i stood there but my neck definitely hurt after.

so – what little things did you get up to this summer?
happy sunday – wherever you are!

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goofing around in stratford.

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on a lovely sunday morning, my mother, brother and i took a short trip into stratford, ontario.  my brother chad is a fabulous photographer, i definitely consider him to be apart of the little siddall studios team, and not just because we share the same last name (maiden name that is for me now, HA!), but most recently having helped me out the first weekend in august for a wedding.  he’s a blast to work with, and just as much fun to goof around with when “not on the clock” as we did this one morning in stratford together.

he has a style that is all his own – i urge you to check it out.

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also, if you’ve never visited stratford before – you simply must go!  go see a play – or two!  take a walk around the gorgeous avon river, view the stunning houses, window shop at the cutest little places and eat your hearts out because the food is devine!

happy sunday – wherever you are!

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oh hey there! becky’s birthday’s.

becky-portrait-tongue

one thing about getting my bangs back, i forgot that they grow SO FAST!
also, i just celebrated my birthday 2 weeks ago today.  i turned 27 on the 27th!  hurrah!  i love that number.  a lot.
but haircut and birthday aside…

hey there blog readers! : )
how’s it going?  enjoying your summer i hope!
i sure am!  i can’t wait to share with you another baby shoot i recently did, as well as… my first wedding!  yippee!

there hasn’t been too much photo taking of food lately, with the summer hiatus of the travelling crockpot, but i’m hoping to change that very soon.  i’m constantly being beckoned to the great outdoors – whether to a park, camping, or just a long evening stroll, these months – i can’t get enough!

i encourage you to soak up the last few weeks we have of this fabulous summer – wherever you are.

Becky Gean and littlesiddallstudios – August 9th, 2014.

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the best christmas tree ornaments.

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the best christmas tree ornaments are the personal kind.  the kind that only you and a select few know the true meaning behind.  this selection is of the more modern ornaments we have.  i personally love these styles of ornaments.  hallmark puts out some great ones and their collection is always growing.  i actually had to hunt down the two reindeer on ebay one year because they were out of their current circulation.  having edible candy canes on the tree and bells to jingle really brings out the kid in me.  Josh and i live in a condo building so we aren’t allowed a real tree, which is fine by me – it just means i get to put up the tree earlier than most.

with the fireplace channel on the tv, christmas music playing in the background, and hot cocoa with marshmallows in our hands we made a whole evening devoted to decorating the tree.  it really puts you in the mood to make a big deal out of the whole thing.  it’s a tradition i will hold onto.  do you have a favourite ornament or tree topper?  i’m super curious to know what it is!  let me know in the comments below!

happy sunday – wherever you are!

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i can’t swim – and i’m an adult.

i can’t swim.
i shall define “can’t swim” in becky terms.

can’t float.

can’t tread water for more than… 15 seconds.

can’t go into the deep end without thinking I AM GOING TO DIE!

what i do love though – are those pools that are exactly 5 feet deep all the way across.  why?  because i’m exactly 5 feet (okay, more like 4’11” and 3/4) and can touch the bottom to give myself just enough boost to bob up and down around the pool.  this is where i feel my “coolest” cause i’m in a pool with just enough height to justify a great time without having that lingering fear in the back of my head that at any moment – i will die.

but will i…

go into the ocean?

yes, most definitely!
just…
only to knee height.
or with a life jacket on.
or clung to mohawks body.

with the end of summer fast approaching – go – GO NOW! – and jump in.
water wings and life preservers are optional.

do you know how to swim?  how did you learn?  let me know in the comments below!

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is your pet part of the family?

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tut – my cat – is the first pet i can call my own.  the first pet where i am solely responsible.
i’m not ready for children yet – so this little guy is the next best thing.
he’s truly part of the family.  it amazes me how much love i can feel for this being that can’t even speak back to me.  it’s almost deeper though.  this silent affection that doesn’t need words.  you just know.

so when Josh and i came home to find tut clearly not acting like himself – off to the animal hospital we went.  he was blocked up and had kidney stones.  no fun.  our vet told us it’s a common problem in males and usually stems from the diet they are on.  i shake my fists at whiskas and blue buffalo.  do not be fooled by advertising.  talk to your vet!

after an entire week of being treated at the animal hospital, our little guy is now home and resting.
i’m now wondering if pet insurance would have been a good idea.
knowing you could potentially loose your pet is one feeling – getting the vet bill is a totally different feeling.
but how do you really but a dollar value on your pet?  on a member of your family?

what do you think?

bottom line – he’s home.  he’s happy.  and he’s on his way to being healthy again.
and that makes me happy.

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it’s a bloggers life.

things that i have learnt, and am still learning as a blogger.

-there is a difference between wordpress.com and wordpress.org (i wish i had known that sooner)
-scheduling posts and tweets ahead of time can be a blessing or a curse
-ccs and html hurt my brain
-every conversation, every picture, every outing – doesn’t need to be blogged about (although you’ll want to)
-there will ALWAYS be someone else with a prettier, nicer, shinier… something.  but you know what – WHO CARES! stop caring!  stop comparing!  start valuing what YOU have.  i promise you’ll be a happier person because of it.  i am.
-there is SO. MUCH. TO. LEARN.

and just when you think you’ve learnt it all.  something new comes out.  restart learning.

and so – i need to remind myself about why i do this.

for the words.  the memories.  and the connections to others that they bring.
the time to…
reflect.
to talk.
to discuss.
to romanticize.
to story tell.
to adventure.

thanks for sticking with me, in this ever evolving journey – wherever you are.