SAN DIEGO! (WITH KIDS)

A few weeks ago we got home from our family vacation to San Diego. My parents had planned this family trip for months now, and it was so wonderful to be with our family.

First off, California weather is amazing! It rained in Vancouver the whole time we were away, and I hate to admit how excited I was to be missing some of that westcoast rain. It wasn't by any means hot in San Diego, but it was sunny every day and I loved that we could wear dresses and shorts.

We had a pretty relaxing itinerary and decided that some beach days were what we wanted to do. It was a free activity and the kids were entertained and we could kick back bit and relax. We asked our hotel/timeshare if they had any leftover beach toys (mom tip of the day!) and they had a closet full of beach items we were free to take. We scored beach chairs and an umbrella for shade - and didn't have to spend any extra money. We did have to get some beach toys though...and a quick trip to the dollar store for some buckets, plastic bowls, and measuring cups/spoons was more than enough.

The first beach we visited was Coronado Beach. It was gorgeous there!

We also spent two days at a local beach in Carlsbad. This was probably the easiest to get to, and had the shortest distance between soft sand to where the water was. It actually was probably my favorite becuase the kids were really close to us and I didn't have to wander far to make sure they were ok and staying safe.

We also made a trip into La Jolla. We stopped to see the sea lions at the Children's Pool which was super fun. They loved watching the sea lions laze about and swim around. The waves were actually really rough around the viewing area and Ben was mesmerized watching the water crash into the viewing area. The rest of the day was spent on the beach.

We decided to do two days of Legoland near the end of our trip, which was so fun. All the cousins were the perfect age for the rides. We spent one day mostly doing rides and walking around. And the second day we spent most of our time at the waterpark. That was probably the favorite out of the two days becuase...waterparks are the best, aren't they? And getting to do them with our cousins makes it even better!

I felt like this little trip was just what I needed to get away and relax. San Diego, we can't wait to come back and visit!

FALL MIN-SESSIONS!

FALL!

My absolute favorite season. I just love the warm colors, cozy knits and all the things that keep you warm.

My sweet friend Karen from Sweet Dreams Photography did a little mini-session for me and it was filled with all the fall things. Pumpkins and leaves make for the prettiest little backdrop. I loved that she was able to capture fall in a tiny picture!

And I'm excited to share that Karen will be offering a FREE fall mini session on October 27 from 1-4pm. Yes, free! All you need to do is bring a non-perishable food item and the first picture is on her. I wish I had figured out my kids Halloween costumes in time, but you can definitely bring yours to the mini session!

If you'd like to book, send an email off to karenley.sweetdreams@gmail.com to secure a time.

This is really such an amazing deal, and I've loved seeing Karen for photos for my kids. Plus, it's for a great cause (food bank!) and you'll get the cutest fall or Halloween picture to share.

If you want to see more of her work, visit her Facebook or Instagram!

OUR NEW HOME!

We've moved!

Over the summer we decided in a very short amount of time that we would move. Not far though! Right now we live in a duplex with my parents. There are two units, and we each occupy one unit. We were in the upstairs unit before and it's been the perfect home for our family. But as we've grown, we started to feel like the space was slightly too small for us. Originally I wanted to do a small kitchen reno to open it up so that it was more social and open for watching the kids when I'm in there. But after talking to someone about the logistics, we realized it probably wasn't the best way for us to use our finances.

We were so surprised when my parents came to us and offered to trade their downstairs unit for our upstairs one. The layout is slightly different than ours which allowed for more living space. We ended up giving up some of our bedroom space, but we've gained 2 separate living spaces, which has been so wonderful. 

After we moved (which was no easy task!) and settled in, I was so excited to work with Darren from House Stories Canada for a home shoot. I loved the concept of House Stories - it was such a wonderful idea of capturing the little details of your home that tend to get forgotten. It's amazing how many small little detail bring so many memories to life. And I love that Darren has such a great eye for photographing the personal details that actually make up a home. 

SUMMER BEACH SESSION

Each year I love getting family photos in the summer. We always do it in the summer because there's mostly guaranteed good weather.

We usually choose a green park for our pictures, but this year my husband requested beachy pics. I happily obliged!

FALL APPLE PICKING

Fall is here!

NEW YORK

A few weeks ago I got to take a trip with Josh without our children! Josh signed up for a 2 day course in New York, and we were able to make it work for the both of us to go. It was such a fun experience and I loved that we got to spend some time together exploring the city.

I was able to spend two days exploring Manhattan on my own while Josh was at his course. I bravely took the subway and to my surprise was able to get around really really easily for the most part. This blog had the best post about how to get around NY on the subway. I read it and it helped me understand the subway alot! 

I spoke to a few friends who had visited New York many times before and asked for some suggestions on what to do and where to go. If you have any friends who can offer some sound advice, I would suggest you take it! I was really lucky to have a friend who shared all her little secrets and favorite spots with me which really helped. Reading a few New York blogs also helped me prepare for how to take the subway and what to do in the different boroughs there. 

The first day we arrived we checked into our hotel in midtown. Our hotel was really close to Central Park so we spent some time walking around the park and had brunch at a little spot right by there. We were pretty exhausted after a red-eye flight and took a quick nap before heading out to see times square and having dinner at a Korean Restaurant.

The second day I was on my own and ended up doing some sightseeing, exploring, and shopping. I loved being able to enjoy my coffees and shop leisurely. It's the little things that I really enjoyed! I went to the shopping district in Union Square, SOHO (which was my absolute favorite neighborhood) and walked through Chinatown & Little Italy.

The third day I spent some time in Chelsea at the Chelsea Market. It was such a cute little market place and I had the best tacos there. I also stumbled onto a sample sale and got to sight see a little more. I talked along the High line which is a 1.5 mile park up on an old railway. It was beautiful (but hot!) along there.
I loved walking through some local neighborhoods and seeing the streets and homes all lined up in a row.

In the evening Josh and I went to the pub that inspired the show How I Met my Mother. We both really liked that show (so funny!) and it was only a few minutes from where we were staying. It was fun just stopping in for an appy and drink. Then we headed to a rooftop bar for drinks which was so fun. It was recommended to us to check out a rooftop patio for a fun way to see a view without paying for admission to an attraction. We got to hang out and see a sunset view which was pretty great. We were still hungry after drinks and ended up at a diner close to our hotel.

Our last day we went to visit the 911 museum which was so so sad. Josh and I were both in university when the events occured, and so it felt very real going to the museum. We stopped at Etaly and then walked over to the financial district area. Then we ended up at the Saten Island Ferry (which was free!). We loved the ferry ride and got a wonderful view of the city and Lady Liberty.

By the end we were ready to come home to see our little ones. Four days in the city wasn't nearly enough, but it was the perfect getaway for us.