I'm here, I'm trying to get my act in gear with updating this place but I just don't seem to remember. 

Today I got an amazing email, from an amazing friend.  I won't mention names but I know she reads this and I know she'll know I'm talking about her.  It was such a nice email that right away I lifted my shoulders and thought, I can do this.  I know I can loose this stupid weight and I can look and feel great!

So thank you!

Since I last wrote a post, I have written out my goals, what I want to acheive over the next little while, with my major goal and then also my little goals.  I know I'll never achive the weight loss if I'm constitaly worried about loosing 50lbs so I'm breaking it down.  Making smaller steps of 10lb and 15lbs so that I can be way more excited when I reach those milestones!
Plus I'm also rewarding myself at those milestones.  I wrote down a few things that I'd like to purchase for myself but I won't until I loose that weight.  If I don't reach the goal I don't get the reward.  Sounds fair to me.  I also wrote out a bit of a calander on when I wanted to loose the weight and I've started my food journal.  I'm pretty bad at writing it in though and then I find myself forgetting what I ate and having to try and guess from the previous days.  Seems sort of a waste so I'm really going to focus on that this week.

I have also been continuing my run/walk.  I've been working on the C25K program and I really enjoy it.  I'm taking my time and not really following the 8 week program.  I try to repeat the day if I feel I could do better and most of the time I only have to repeat it one day if at all.  Plus I've also been following this running schedule - called the speed ladder, which I also really love. 

I love the feeling when I stop running, have my shower and sit down in front of the TV (that is before the starvation sinks in).  I feel energized, healthy, and just pain good.  Then about half an hour later I'm starving.  I havne't figured out what to do to avoid this hungry feeling although lastnight I grabbed a spoonful of peanut butter and it seemed to really help.  I'm not entirly sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing but it was better than a bag of chips right?

So that's it, I haven't weighed myself and to be honest I don't even own a scale yet so it's really hard for me to even keep track of weight loss.


So that's it for me right now!  I'll be back and hopefully have some pictures to post soon too! :)

Lovable labels is a great Canadian company that offers a wide range of labels for things our kids loose.  It's definitely worth checking out!

I'm sorry I haven't been around much for...ever.  I do apologize for that.  I'm not going to say much else other than I'm sorry!  I'll try harder! :)

So, I'm back at it. I'm back to trying to loose the "baby weight" I gained after I had my daughter 4.5 years ago, which is what made me start this blog in the first place.  I think right now I'm pretty much at the heaviest I've been and trust me I'm not happy about it.  I'm trying...all the time, I'm trying, I feel like all I'm ever doing is trying to loose weight and NOTHING seems to work.

In the past 6-8 months, I've tried Slimpods (I have a post coming up about this soon), I'm running again, I've been writing a food journal, I'm eating better, I'm trying to stop my night time snacking, but NOTHING helps!  I'm at a loss and really starting to feel down about it.  I want more than anything to be healthy for my family, to feel good about myself, to have nice clothes to fit into, feel great while shopping rather than upset, depressed and uninterested. 

I NEED to figure this out.

So from now on I'm leaning on you my readers to help me with this.  I'm going to be  posting pictures, weigh in's, my running schedule, my eating habits, etc.  I need to be held responsible for all of this.  If you have any suggestions I would love to hear it.  I'm at a loss!

As I'm sure some of my readers know, I am a part time photographer on the side of my full time job, and raising two kids and being a wife.  I know, I know apparently I think I have a ton of extra time on my hands! haha!  So when I got this email from Daphna, regarding spreading the word about Retinoblastoma I just couldn't turn it down.

So, what is Retinoblastoma?
A rare cancer of the eye triggered by genetic mutations in one or more cells of the retina.  It typically affects children between birth and five years of age, and about 23 Canadian children each year.

If detected early, Retinoblastoma is 98% curable but early detection is critical!

So this is sort of where I as a photographer comes into play...

Although I am a natural light photographer and don't use flash, I know that as a mother, we parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles LOVE to photograph our children.  We charish all of those cute little smiles, the rollie pollie arms, chins, legs, the first roll over, the first crawl, the first walk...you get my point - we take a LOT of photographs. I encourage this for a variety of reasons!

We as parents can find signs of Retinoblastoma by looking at photographs taken using flash.

The signs of Retinoblastoma are:

• Whiteness reflected in the pupil, particularly noticable when the pupil is dilated (noticable in flash photography). 

A few other symptoms that could be associated with Retinoblastoma or other eye conditions include:

• inward or outward turning of the eye
• redness of the eye
• swelling of the eye

Why does Retinoblastoma make the eye white?
Typically with a healthy retina and the layers supporting it will reflect light back from the camera flash as  "red eye" when a flash photograph is taken but a child with retinoblastoma, the tumor prevents the light from reaching the retina, giving the pupil a white appearance.  This whiteness may not be visible in ALL pictures, size and location as well as angle the photo is taken on can all play a role in what is visible.

 What can you do at home?

• Use the flash on your camera
• Turn off the red eye feature
• Take pictures from a variety of angles (as a mother, is this even that hard! LOL)
• Lightly light room
• If you notice anything "weird", bring the photograph to your doctor ASAP

NOTE: Cell phone's use a different type of flash (LED) and will not aid in early detection.

The Canadian Retinoblastoma Society raises awareness and promotes early detection of Retinoblastoma cancer using flash photography.  They are the only charity in Canada dedicate exclusively to education, advocacy, and support for Canadian retinoblastoma families.  They are shedding light on this condition and encouraging parents to monitor their children closely so those affected can be detected early.

The CRBS has set up this campaign and website to promote further information on early retinoblastoma detection.  You can also read a personal story of a mother Maria - here and how photographs helped in the early detection of Leo's retinoblastoma in his left eye.

So as a mother and as a photographer, I encourage you to take as many photographs of your rollie pollie children as you can!


I encourage you to turn on the flash (NOT every picture needs flash by the way (that's the photographer in me)) but do it.  Early detection is key and it's simple enough for anyone to do it!

I've got a challenge for you, my readers!  Are you ready?  It's a good one and of course there is a chance to win some great products.

I was contacted by company that had just recently done an online survey of Canadians moms about how often they have to say no to their children's request for family time.  65% said lack of time is the major barrier because of such busy busy schedules.  95% of moms WANT to spend more time with their children but 64% have to say no.

I say It’s time to say yes! And so does Procter & Gamble.  We were lucky enough to receive a Yes Kit one and it was filled with everything we needed to make a GREAT yes day!

Included in the Yes Kit was 

• Tide® original liquid laundry detergent, 
• Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser, 
• box of Puffs® facial tissue, 
• Charmin® Freshmates, Bountry® paper towel, 
• 1 adult and 2 child-size aprons,  
• Along with ideas to create more fun-filled family moments. 

This package is valued at $50.00.

So go ahead, make your child’s day and say “Yes”! 


Need a few ideas on what you can do with your child?  

Arts and crafts that we love doing

• Finger painting/Painting
• Play-doh - we ALWAYS make our own check out this recipe
• Glue sticks and glitter - lots of fun things happen with these two things!
• Bomb painting the the driveway!

I can't believe when I work up this morning at 7, I had a 4 year old daughter.

On this day 4 years ago you were born!  So SWEET, so TINY, so PERFECT!  You had a squished little nose that everyone made sure to remind me would "fix" itself.  You were bright pink, and had the darkest head of hair I had ever seen!  You were perfect and you were all mine!

Now you're 4 years old and I was lying in bed with you this morning watching your eyes move around and a smile perk up on your face every couple of minutes.  I smiled because of how much love I have for you and for your BEAUTIFUL, LOVING, CARING and ADVENTUROUS personality.  I couldn't image a day going by without you in it.

You have made my life perfect!  You have taught me to LOVE, to CARE, to EXPLORE, to LAUGH, to be a KID, to SMILE, to CHALLENGE myself and to LOVE who I am!

You make me SMILE, you make me CRY, you make me QUESTION.

You are INCREDIBLE! SMART, CRAZY, OUTGOING, PLAYFUL  and I'm so lucky to have such an amazing person to watch grow.  I am the luckiest mom around to be your mom and I wish you the best HAPPIEST birthday you could ever have.

You are my ROCKSTAR!

You can find the original post here but this is the just of it.  I followed a trend happening in 2009 that told me to do 101 things in 1001 days.  Doesn't sound to bad right?  I think the hardest part was to create the darn list. LOL

Heres the list (with things crossed off that I've already complete)

Starting today - Thursday, December 3rd 2009
Ending date - Thursday, August 30th, 2012

1. Try to find time for at least 1 page of Hannah's first year scrapbook, I'm only on month 4 :(  (Seriously, I'm not sure I'll find time)
2. Find a photography mentor
3. Buy a new car (I hope this is one of the first I can check off)
4. Calibrate my monitor
5. Send a homemade card to someone just because
6. Make my own family Christmas cards
7. and actually send them out at Christmas (rather than just sitting on the computer or in a pile next to my computer)
8. Fill in the rest of Hannah's baby book
9. Take Hannah to her first dentist appointment (I called to make the appointment and they told me that she doesn't need to have a check up until she's 3.  I guess that means this will be one of the last on my list to be checked off!)
10. Make business cards
11. Decide on an official business name
12. Teach Hannah how to ice skate
13. Take Hannah tobogganing
14. Have a girls night out with my girlfriends
15. Have a date night with Chris
16. Loose at least 15 lbs but 25 or so would be lovely
17. Go on another cruise (This probably won't be happening now that I'm pregnant - I was really hoping to take a cruise in September but I guess cruising companies won't allow anyone on the ship after they've reached 24 weeks.  How much does that suck!!!)
18. Update my resume
19. Attend EVERY GRIPS meeting for the year
20. Have Hannah in a daycare at least part time
21. Start getting paying clients
22. Blog every day for an entire week with a new photo in each post (not from the same session) (0/7)
23. Buy a boat
24. Catch a big fish
25. Leave Hannah with my parents for a sleepover
26. Leave Hannah with Chris's parents for a sleepover
27. Plan a trip for just Chris and I
28. Potty train Hannah
29. Redo my front garden
30. Come to work at least one day and not be VERY frustrated by the noise (Haha, I probably setting myself up for failure now, because I find this VERY unlikely to happen)
31. Paint my en-suite
32. Paint my bedroom
33. Paint my upstairs hallway (maybe all the painting should be under one?)
34. Change Hannah over to her "Big Girl" room
35. Drink 8 glasses of water a day for a week (56/56)
36. Clean my scrap booking room
37. Help my sister and her family move into their first house
38. Buy a new comfy computer chair
39. Decide what I want to be when I grow up
40. Read at least 25 of the books on this list (3/25) *I took this right off the list of the other blog - I love some of the movies on this list and I always love reading the books that inspired them.  Plus I've already read a few of them - but that probably doesn't count does it :(  In progress
41. Start a K.Shiell photography fan page on Facebook
42. Stop biting my finger nails!
43. For an entire week keep my finger nails painted and DON'T pick it off (0/7)
44. Nail down my exposure each and every time I take a picture
45. Have a family photo taken (isn't it sad, we've never had this done :()
46. Attend a birth as a birth photographer - this would be amazing!!!
47. Watch the sunrise on a beach
48. Take Hannah swimming in the lake
49. Start Hannah in swimming lessons
50. Host a dinner party
51. Have a games night
52. Keep this list updated until August 30th 2012
53. Watch 10 "classic" movies I haven't seen before (0/10)
54. Buy a new mattress for my bed
55. Get 1 massage a month for 4 months (0/4)
56. Read all of Scott Kelbys books from his trio of Digital Photography books (2.5/3)
57. Get my wedding dress dry cleaned and preserved (yes - it's been over 3 years)
58. Donate all of my unused old clothes to the Salvation Army - this also means cleaning out my closest...maybe this should be two In progress
59. Clean out my closet
60. Ask 10 complete strangers on the street if I can take their picture (0/10)
61. Write up a model release form
62. Bring lunch to work everyday for a week (0/5)
63. Ride my bike to work for a week (0/5)
64. Take a photo walk around Stratford
65. Attend a KWLT production
66. Stop drinking pop for 1 month (30/30)
67. Take Hannah to a park to fly a kite
68. Shave my legs everyday for 2 weeks (14 12/14)
69. Take Hannah on a picnic
70. Attend a yoga class
71. Plant a veggie garden
72. Train the dog to not dig up previous list item (How sucky is it that after about 3 weeks of the garden being planted, my stupid dog jumped in and started to dig up the stuff that was already sprouting!!  Sometimes I hate my dog!!!  We now have increased the height of the fence by double, so she hasn't been in since!)
73. Go to the doctor for my annual checkup
74. Mentor a new photographer
75. Meet the women on my birth board
76. Call someone I haven't talked to in a while
77. Play golf (I've never done this before)
78. For 1 entire month - no Starbucks in the morning (30/30)
79. Print my favorite pictures - frame them
80. Create a couple of sample coffee table books for showing clients
81. Try snowboarding
82. Buy a new lens
83. Use the video camera more
84. Eat an apple a day for 2 weeks (0/14)
85. Attempt to make Indian food one night for dinner
86. Watch an entire football game :S (I dread this)
87. Start tanning again
88. Start working on my professional website
89. Start working on my portfolio
90. Apply for PrePro
91. Get accepted to PrePro
92. Win something from the many blog contests I enter each and every day
93. Do not check my Facebook account at all in an entire day
94. Start a second 101 things to do in 1001 days list
95. Take a few night courses
96. In one day get over 175 people (my current record) to my blog
97. Have coffee with someone I haven't seen in a while
98. Give money to a charity
99. Help a homeless person
100. Take my grandparents out for an evening
101. Do another boudoir photo shoot'

So since I last updated I was able to complete 9 things from my list.  After reading through the list of things some of them definitely don't make sense anymore.  I do not plan on starting a photography company anymore.  It's still a dream of mine but I think there are just too many things to work around and it's not right for me, at least at this time.  I am going to leave the things on my list because I think it'll be fun to see how many of the original I can complete but just fair warning.  I KNOW I WILL NOT COMPLETE THEM ALL!



 So I was able to complete
 9. Take Hannah to her first dentist appointment

12. Teach Hannah to ice skate <- she LOVES it
20. Have Hannah in daycare part time - she goes to preschool twice a week and has been going since July and again she LOVES it
38. Buy a new comfy computer chair
58. Donate all of my unused old clothes to the Salvation Army
59. Clean out my closet
92. Win something from the many blog contests I enter each and every day <- I have a few times now
97. Have coffee with someone I haven't seen in a while <- an old high school friend and I got together after having our kiddos a week apart.  We had a great time and have gotten together a few times since.
101. Do another boudoir photo shoot <- SO MUCH FUN!!!


 There, now I only have 64 left to do before August!