Elizabeth & Michael

Liz and Mike got married on October 25, 2008. She and I are distant cousins and hung out together as teenagers. They now live on the other end of the country, so I met Mike for the first time approximately 5 minutes before he walked down the aisle. I could only hope Liz had found someone as outgoing and fun as she was. Boy, was I in for a treat!

The beautiful bride prepares for her big moment in the hotel mirror.

Their daughter Selene was the picture of sweetness in her "princess dress"

Liz smiled through the whole ceremoney. I find a lot of brides let their nerves get the best of them, but she was cool, calm, and collected!

Hook, line, and sinker!

And off to Wentworth Park for some fun...

I absolutely ADORED the boots.

A James Bond moment

We had worked our way around the park, so I went to get the car to come back and pick up the newlyweds. As I pulled up beside them, Liz stuck out her thumb... and this idea was born!

William wasn't so keen on the camera as Aunt Liz and Uncle Mike were, but I managed to catch him looking quite debonair in his suit.

We did have a few serious moments. Mike has served three terms in Afghanistan already, so I really wanted to portray the "hero" ambience he so rightly deserves. When Liz got tired and laid her head on his lap, I had my chance.

I still can't pick a favorite of these two!

The wedding had a fall theme, and was decorated with leaves and branches. The fondant on the cake was peeled back in places to look like birch bark. And, etched into the icing like it was carved into the tree, was this...

After supper, I stole a few more minutes for some waterfront shots. I love nighttime wedding pictures!!!

I'm so happy that Elizabeth found someone who shares her sense of fun and adventure! I know these two are going to be happy together for a long, long time and am absolutely beside myself to have been able to capture their magical day!

Mo & Co.

On October 19th, I got together with a co-worker of my husband and her two adult children for a family photoshoot at the Dartmouth Commons. I had never met "Mo" or her kids, nor had I been to the Commons before, so it was an all-around learning experience for me.

Luckily, the weather was perfect, the location ideal, and we had a ton of fun!

 

 

Thankful

Well well well, haven't I fallen behind!

Back in October, on Thanksgiving weekend, my husband and I, along with Georgina and Andre piled into their car and once again set our course for Cape Breton and the amazingly beautiful Cabot Trail. I say amazingly beautiful, because you'll remember from July how absolutely incredible this little piece of heaven is, but ooooooooohhhhh.... in OCTOBER! There are no words! Especially this year, when the leaves painted themselves in such breathtaking glory, but reallly, you need to see for yourself.

The Margaree River DEFINITELY called for a "stop the car!" moment and the boys complied in order for the girls to pile out of the back seat, cameras in hand.

We spent our first night at Cheticamp Island Resort, which, contrary to the name, was not really a resort, but a row of quaint little cabins, immediately across the street from Cheticamp Beach:

We did a driving tour of the small island, chatted with some cows and enjoyed the last few minutes of clear sky. Fortunately, the impending black clouds delayed their tears until after it got dark out.

On Saturday, we continued on our trek. Next stop: Pleasant Bay!

But first... "STOP THE CAR!"

By noon we were two miles offshore on a fishing boat owned by Fiddlin' Whale Tours, captained by the wise and wonderful Kinnon MacKinnon (just another reason I love Cape Breton: people give their kids the BEST names)

And then a bit of backtracking to hike two hours in on the Skyline Trail.

Couldn't miss a chance to drive through Neil's Harbour...

...and then on to the cutest little cluster of cottages ever known to mankind: The Point Cottages in Ingonish. Despite the long day, a few drinks were in order, and despite the cold October air....

Back inside for the battle of the sexes in cribbage.

Sunday morning was just as glorious as Saturday had been. My husband and I took my camera for a short walk in the morning light. That's the Keltic Lodge way over there in the background.

And then more whale watching with Kinnon MacKinnon off Ingonish Island, this time on a zodiac!

Ummm.... HUMPBACK TAIL!!!!

After a short nap in the sun and a breakfast fit for a king, we worked up the courage to take on Franey: 2 miles UP.... an hour and half each way.... SO WORTH IT.

I can do the view no justice without posting an absolutely ridiculous number of photos, but here we are at the top, celebrating our survival!

and on the way back down....

While the boys showered for supper, Georgina and I did a quick road tour to MaryAnn Falls and Warren Lake, which, have I mentioned, is one of my very favorite places on Earth!!!!

Monday morning saw us heading back to Halifax. The boys were a little anxious to get home, but we did get in one more "Stop the car!" moment....

*this blog post is dedicated to the memory of "Uncle" Rene Ouellette, killed in a car accident in Cape Breton on October 11, 2008. My he rest in peace and let all those who loved him find only happiness in his memory