one moment in time

as usual, time is flying by and my first springtime here in New York is passing far too quickly. I can't believe that this weekend marks the official start of summer. my first full season in the Big Apple. I'm sure it will bring a host of new adventures adjustments.

but back to springtime; quite a lot was going on with us! the first thing to kick off the late May/early June slew of events was a visit from my sister and her boyfriend. they had only the weekend to make the most of NYC, but we did our best to show them a good time. 

I thought I'd share a few of my favourite photos from the weekend

the first day Beck & Cody got here it rained pretty hard, making the world's worst bus tour even more of a downer (although we did have a lot of fleet week sightings aboard!)... but the sky cleared briefly for our visit to Rockefeller Center, so the view was just as majestic as usual. and bonus, we got free souvenir ponchos! 

(click "read more" to see the rest of the photos!)

merry and bright

finally, more Christmasy photos!

honestly, I'm not too proud of my photos this year... my sister had to work Christmas day, so we had our celebration and opened our gifts at night. this makes for very crappy indoor lighting and lots of blurriness, especially for someone who refuses to use a built-in flash. next thing on my big-purchase list: an external flash.

BUT they are still photos of Christmas and still of beautiful people, so Imma share them with you anyways! 

(click "read more" to see the rest!)

the season to be jolly

a very merry 

(& even a little silly) 

Christmas.

from my house, to yours.

♥

mama, I love you

December is here! a little too quickly, but welcome all the same.

it's the month of Christmas, and only fitting it be kicked off with more Christmas-y things.
since I can't make egg nog lattes for each and every one of you, I decided to continue with the gift guide theme. this time, it's for the mamas in your life! not new mamas, now, or friends you have who may be mamas, but your mama. or your man's mama. or your bff's mama. because I for one am always hard pressed for ideas in that area.

so, here are some suggestions of little things to make that special lady smile on Christmas morning. all under $50, of course.

1. an art print, because moms like to surround themselves with pretty things, and they shouldn't have to buy all of it themselves! // golly bard

2. a bath & pretty smelly things gift set. I haven't met a mom yet who didn't need & want more relaxation time. bonus if you find hypo-allergenic lotions & such so that you're guaranteed she can use it. // lush

3. cute dishes, like these adorable (yet still useful!) retro milk glasses. moms like practicality, why not combine it with a little loveliness. // modcloth

4. a cookie jar, because even if a mom doesn't bake, she always has cookies around. think about it. you know I'm right. // urban outfitters

5. a fun pillow, like one of these whimsical little things, looks great on a bed or a couch. quirky designs make a sweet little conversation starter, so she will always remember that you gave it to her. // peanut butter dynamite & gingiber 

6. a dainty necklace that will remind her she's loved! simple, classic designs suit all tastes. // sd marie jewellery 

7. christmas ornaments, especially personalized or handmade ones. all mom's love something special to add to their tree, and while it may seem too "seasonal" or general, ornaments are thoughtful and always appreciated. // bragging bags

8. a cozy cardigan, because again, moms like practicality! who doesn't need something cozy for winter? // old navy

9. a cool chalk board calendar. a calendar that she can customize and use over and over again! this cool wall decal is chalk board vinyl that you can easily move or take down, and it comes with a "chalk ink" pen. fun, unique, and (you guessed it) practical! // simple shapes

there you go, folks! if you find a mama on your Christmas list who doesn't want any of those things, you are in quite the pickle my friend.

if all else fails, go with a gift card. 

happy shopping!

playing: have a holly jolly Christmas- Burl Ives

how long gone

well, long time no see, bloggers!

I have been back from my family vacation for four days now, and I will sheepishly admit that I have been avoiding the computer. I have so much blogging to catch up on, it's a little overwhelming! but I'm excited to share photos and stories from my travels with you, and to see what everyone has been up to while I was away. so I will persevere!

first and foremost, I would like to say a big ginormous thank you to my guest bloggers, Jen, Meanz, Mel, Hattie, Caitlin, Kyla, Kaitlin, and Brandon. I'm so thrilled and honoured to have such lovely and talented people support my funny little blog! every post was wonderful, and I appreciate them so much. you guys are the BEST!

(don't you guys agree? aren't they the best? now let's all get together and convince Caitlin to start a blog, because I feel like she would be infinitely better at it than me!)

now, just a little sneak peek at my travel photos before I fall asleep on my computer and have to clean the drool off of my keyboard in the morning... not a pleasant task, I assure you.

1. saw the Queen... twice. 
2. classic London lolz.
3. Olympic London
4. we're so good at jump pictures...
5. inside Notre Dame
6. lofty views

catch you on the flip side.
the flip side in this case, being tomorrow...
aren't you glad to have me back with all my wise and winsome ways?

♥

playing: the bad in each other - feist

all by myself

time for a quick update on the London situation!

I was supposed to meet my family at the airport very early this morning and get our vacationing started... unfortunately their flight was very delayed and they didn't arrive till late tonight. it's been a lonely couple of days wandering the city by myself, but even though I had nothing to do (I spent a good 20 minutes giggling at swans in the park) I was constantly reminded of how much I love it here. London is just so great.

here are a few quick pictures from my Londontown alone time.

1. arriving in King's Cross Station

2. heading to the hostel

3. walking through Holland Park

4. lots of puppies playing 

5. the pretty part of the hostel...

6. not too shabby

7. self portrait

8. a picture of consumerism...

9. I was that afternoon!

10. Holland Park gate

11. exploring the gardens

12. the perfect alcove to read Margaret Atwood

13. summer :)

and now, the real fun begins!

kisses. 

playing: the mistress- Amelia Curran

in addition to all my recent complaints about the weather & obsession with getting out of town...
I would also like to wish a 

Happy Father's Day 

to all the great dads out there! 

especially mine.

 cause while there are many wonderful fathers in the world, 

and many kids, grandkids, stepkids, etc., lucky to have them... 

I happen to be positive that mine's the best. :)

me, Papa, & sis at Christmas; the last time I saw them. 

won't be long now, though!

love you, Dad! Happy Father's Day.
(and to my Pop Guy, Pop Jack, and Dad-in-law as well!)

♥

ps. for those of you wondering... I didn't post on mother's day because I was out of the country. just so you know.