Little Red Arrow: Thanksgiving Family Session

Richard and I hosted my side of the families Thanksgiving Dinner on the 12th. We usually try to get as many of us to someones house for a pot luck and this year was extra special as my brother who lives in Halifax came down with his wife and their daughter. This was the first time we got to meet Callie and I took the opportunity to take some family photos and work on some portrait poses. With the help of my uncle and niece on reflector duty we got some beautiful photos. See below for some of my favourites. 

Maybe someday we can get a HUGE group photo done, but until then these will do nicely. Hope everyone's October is going well. Hillary and I have a couple more photo shoots this month and then we are done with our Fall Photo Sessions.

Don't forget to follow mine and Hillary's Instagrams and new business Little Red Arrow on IG here:

@littleredarrow

@hilly.bee  @pvaughan86

The Meteor Shower...that wasn't.

So last Friday there was supposed to be a meteor shower between the hours of 1am-4am on Saturday Morning. Its been on my Bucket List to see a meteor shower so I was extremely excited when my uncle suggested we go. I went along with my uncle, niece and sister. We drove out to a spot in Caledon, just after midnight on Saturday, called The Forks of the Credit to set up our cameras in hopes of getting some photos.

The weather was extremely overcast but quickly cleared up by the time we got out to Caledon. We were lucky that only once during the night did we have cloud overcast but it eventually thinned out and we could see the stars again. But as you can tell by the title of this post the shower never happened. We were all pretty bummed out. But we all learned a lot about night time photo taking, and my Uncle and niece were able to get some pretty amazing photos.

An even bigger disappointment for me was that my camera just would not focus. Imagine turning off all your lights in your bedroom and trying to see a piece of fluff on your floor. Its not exactly easy. My uncle was able to focus his own lens and helped my niece focus hers but none of us could get my camera lens to focus. It was extremely frustrating and the more I tried the more I wanted to cry. I tried for about an hour and half  to work with my camera taking just under 50 images by turning my lens this way and that, trying to see what I could do. Around 2:00am I just said 'fuck it' and turned off my camera. Out of all the photos I took I was able to play with only 3 of them but like I said it was a learning experience and I'm glad I went.

All of my photos where shot on ISO 1600 at a F-Stop of 4.0 with Shutter Speed at 25-30 seconds.

I edited them in Photoshop Elements 11 changing the White Balance a bit and upping the contrast.

Despite not seeing a meteor shower I did get to see a dozen or so shooting stars. I've never seen a shooting star before so every time it raced across the sky I let out a little 'Ohh' and 'Ahh'. Which was quickly followed by my niece screaming "MAN...my camera was faced the wrong way."

See Ya Later January.

So here is a little post about what we got ourselves up to this month, which was a whole lot of stress, some movie watching, and just a little bit of water and some fire.

So Mother Nature is acting like someone threw pigs blood on her at the prom and is taking no prisoners.

Who else is sick of this winter? I know we as Canadians are use to the winter months, but enough already, this is a little excessive, right? I mean we've had Ice Storms, power outages, -35 degree weather, snow, rain, hail. Why not throw in another false rapture prediction and call it a day.

That being said I would much rather have it be cold with no snow then warmer and tons of snow. I remember being a kid and wanting it to snow all the time. Why? Well because snow meant snow days. Snow days meant I got to stay home and sleep. But apparently they frown on that when you're an adult. Which sucks a lot.

With the polar vortex came car trouble. Now not all of this can be blamed on M.N. A third of it can be blamed on her, but the other two thirds are all on Richard and I. One third I will blame on myself and the fact that I am a curse when it comes to cars. Every car that has had my name on it hates me. Yes this could be because we buy second hand cars but I think that the universe just likes to test me. The third and final part of the blame I will place on both Richard and I for buying cars and knowing nothing about them. Like for instance, we did not know that you should replace the battery in your car every 4-5 years. And if you don't replace it, maybe at least check on it every now and then and see how its doing. We lacked this part of car knowledge and at the first sign of true winter we got screwed majorly for it. In the end we spent a good chunk of money on a tow, new battery and labor.

Then came the flood. If our car breaking down on us wasn't enough of a "welcome to the new year bitches!", having our dishwasher sort of break on us was a nice way of driving that sentence home. We noticed something was up when we walked into the kitchen and would step on tiles and notice water on the floor. We thought nothing of it. Its a kitchen we spill water on the floor, or maybe Kessi drooled or something. No biggie right? WRONG!

One day I noticed there was water again. But I hadn't washed the dishes and there was no reason for it to be wet. So I got down on the ground and wiped the water up and noticed that when I pushed on the tiles water seeped up. We concluded it was the dishwasher and asked my brother in law and sister Karen (one part of our car rescuers) for guidance and help.

Not two hours after they said they would come by that evening and help did my dishwasher act like a spoiled child and lose her shit all of the kitchen. Gushing hot water all over my feet, and kitchen floor. I knew there was the water valves in this crazy hard to get to corner of one of the cupboards in the kitchen so I went and turned them off to stop the water...but nothing. The water kept coming. I called down to the front desk of the condo and asked for help. I was so worried that it was going to cause damage in not only our suite but those around us. After calling the front desk I called my sister, crying hysterically not sure what to do. Poor Karen thought I was having a heart attack. Our Condo manager came in went straight for the turn off valves.

Maria: Don't worry beautiful I will turn off the water. (Runs into the kitchen)

Paula: *Ugly Crying* There's no use I already did that. The water won't stop. 

Maria: There are three valves. Two for the sink one for the dishwasher. 

Paula: *Ugly Crying getting worse* I didn't know!!!!! 

Maria: It's OK it's turned off, oh don't cry everything is OK. Come here darling. *hugs me* Where is your sweetie is she safe? This is a reference to Kessi not Richard. She loves Kessi, and keeps the fact that we have her a secret.

Maria: I'll go get the wet vac and help clean up, you grab some towels. 

 Kessi enjoying the aftermaths of the flood. 

 Me enjoying the aftermaths of the flood. 

WHAT?!? 

I'm supervising. 

With her help I was able to suck up most of the water. After she left called my sister back and worked out that they would still come by and fix the dishwasher, while she reassured me everything would work out. And I reassured her I was not having a heart attack and calmed my tears. Next up was calling Richard's family to see if they could pick Richard up from work while I cleaned and recovered from my mini panic attack.

Richard's mum and sister came up with Richard after dropping him off, and informed us that other then waiting for the water in the ceramic tiles to dry, which they had to do on their own we didn't have any other damage. Then being the amazing people they are spent the rest of the weekend and following weeks checking up on us and even gifted us with an amazing present. Our very own fireplace for the living room.

One day I hope to make floor to ceiling built ins surrounding this. 

Add all this drama with the added stress of work, which has just been crazy these last couple weeks, it has tested my 'Stay Positive' new years resolution. But there's always a silver lining and for me that is the fact that this month is over.

Que my Happy Dance!!

So what else have I been doing. Well I've caught up on all my TV shows. I know HUGE achievement. Sherlock Season 3, American Horror Story Season 3, The Originals, Arrow, Vampire Diaries, How I Met Your Mother, The Blacklist, and Walking Dead.

Plus I've watched some new shows. Nip/Tuck (very depressing show only got to the end of Season 4), Hemlock Grove (Couldn't even make it through the first episode).

But the light at the end of the tunnel was Twin Peaks. Its a cult classic from the early 90's about a small town where a young girl is murdered, and this FBI agent gets involved. It's campy, and weird, and sometimes hilarious. I'm not finished yet but I'm in season two and I just love it so much.

I also saw a couple movies. I watched Frozen, which I thought was cute. Not the best film but cute none the less. I really liked the music in it. And I saw American Hustle. Which was fantastic. Loved that movie and highly recommend it. I really want to watch some more Oscar contenders like Wolf on Wall Street (Come on Leo you can win that gold statue), 12 Years a Slave (which I heard is sad and hard to get through), Dallas Buyers Club, and Her.

Well that's really been it. Other then trying to stay positive and counting down the days to when winter is over and spring begins, I haven't been doing much else. Hoping to get some stuff done in February, and do my best to keep an upbeat attitude, but I think this is going to be a job for liquor.

Lots and lots of liquor, and possibly cupcakes.

Mission Impossible- Rescue Paula and Richard from the Cold Canadian Climate

Its days like today where I'm so thankful for mine and Richards family.

Disclaimer: There be swear words afoot. I get pretty vulgar when I'm angry. Or happy. Let this be a disclaimer that for most posts you will see swear words. Moving On.

I knew today was going to be a cold one and in the late afternoon the temperature started to drop drastically just like all the weather channels said it was going to. My main concern was for Richard to have a ride home from work so he didn't have to walk in the cold. Me having the car, despite it not having a properly functioning heating system, I knew I would be fine. I text him around 4:00pm just to be sure, and he responded back saying he was good and someone was going to be driving him home. So here I was at work looking at the clock tick by and thinking it might be good to run out early and beat traffic.

As I opened the door and Mother Nature blasted me in the face with her cruel frozen winter wind, I walked to my car. Our crappy but still functioning car. I opened the door and started to put the key in the ignition, already thinking about what music I was going to sing my little heart out to when I turned the key...and nothing happened. NOTHING FUCKING HAPPENED! Our poor little dying Sookie (Yes I named our car) didn't even make a whimper. I tried again thinking it was a cruel joke and it would start. It had to start. I finished work, and it was cold and getting dark out. It had to start.

But it didn't.

And what does Paula do when she starts to panic and her eyes start to water, with the tears that will inevitably take over all her senses. I call my Sister.

Karen: Hello my Sissy. (In a very clearful voice)

Paula: My car won't fucking start. (quietly)

Karen: Oh no. (Speaking to her husband) Paula's car wont start. (Back to me) Like at all?

Paula: Nope (quietly) What the hell am I suppose to do? 

Karen: Call CAA. Do you have CAA?

Paula: No (I can feel the tears starting but I try to control myself)

Karen: How can you not have CAA? 

This was said in a 'Really Paula' kind of way. My sister is very aware of my lack of car expertise, as well as the fact that all cars hate me. Seriously, I have personally owned two cars and have gotten them both, individually I might add, towed over three plus times. This current car has left me and passengers stranded in not only Orangeville (forty minute drive away) but also in the wonderful drug capital of Ontario, Oshawa (over two hours away).

So my sister, my own personal Tom Cruise if you will, came to my rescue with the help of her hubby. I should point out at this point that my sister is basically dying from a cold and still managed to come to her baby sisters rescue.

As I walked back inside my work defeated and on the verge of a meltdown, but pleasantly warm, I waited for their arrival. I explained to Richard what had happened and that the most common explanation was that it was so cold outside that our car was frozen and wouldn't start.

My rescuers came, saw, did their best to fix Sookie, but did not conquer Mother Nature and her whorish winter frost. So we piled into their truck and left Sookie to brave the winter weather on her own. It was at this point where I waved pitifully to my car.

Paula: Bye Sookie.

Jeff: Sookie?

Paula: Yes I gave her a name so she would know she was loved, and wouldn't do stupid shit like this to me. I guess it doesn't work though.

Karen: Maybe you should try giving your cars stronger names. Like Brutus or Butch. Then they won't die on you.

So as we all crammed into their warm and toasty truck and they dropped me off at my apartment, I was mentally thinking about how the hell we were going to get through tomorrow. Richard works at 6:00am and I work at 8:30am. Both of us working in opposite directions. We eventually decided that Richard would take a taxi and I would ask to hop a ride with my Father in Law as we work at the same location.

Phone conversation with Richard and his Dad. His Dad's lines are improvised as I don't know what was said but this is what I gather.

Richard: Hey Dad, our car is at MicroAge as it wouldn't start and Paula and I have no way of getting to work tomorrow. I'm going to take a taxi into work but can Paula get a lift with you?

Dad: What time does she start? I'm actually off this week but I can pick her up if she wants.

Richard: She starts at 8:30am so I guess a pick up at 7:15am.

Dad: Sure. What happened to the car? 

Richard explained what happened and hung up the phone. We were once again saved. As Richard and I are discussing the fact that he needs to go to a bank and pull out some money for the taxi tomorrow, while I start on dinner, Richard's phone rings.

Richard: Hello?

Kerry (Richard's sister): What time do you start?

Richard: 6:00am but I have to leave at 5:30am.

Kerry: Ok Mum and I will pick you up, and drop you off. We don't want you taking and spending money on a taxi.

Richard: Really, thank you. 

Paula: *Yelling loud so they can hear me* I love you. We will give you gas money. 

Kerry: Tell Paula to shut up, she can give us cake instead. See you tomorrow. 

 Richard and I are truly blessed to have our family. Thanks you guys.

Honest to Blog: Goodbye 2013 Hello 2014

So we are at the end of another year and only a drunken breath away from a new year. I for one am pretty happy to be done with this year. It was a hard one for me. This was one of the hardest years for Richard and I in our 7 year relationship. A lot of that was to due with the fact that I was hit super bad at the beginning of this year with one of the hardest bouts of depression I've had in a long time. I was in the hospital earlier this year with a really bad kidney infection as well. In my defense I was trying to be healthy and took some daily vitamins which ended up giving me the kidney infection. Then being on even more of a 'got to get healthy' attitude I decided to work out and my knee slipped and I've had to deal with that injury. So if this is any kind of lesson it should be to stay unhealthy, but I know that's not the best attitude to walk away with.

But lets talk about some of the amazing things that happened this year. I became an aunt not once but twice to two beautiful girls. Both my brothers had daughters this year: Callie and Sarah. Add those two to my new nephew Caleb that was born last year, we are now up to 7 nephews and nieces.

Left: Simon, Valerie, and Caleb. Top Right: Tyler, Macayla, and Callie. Bottom Right: Sarah

Seriously?!? How beautiful are all these kids. Ridiculous, I know but there you have it.

I joined all the cool kids and signed up for Instagram this year, and it reminded me of how much I love taking photos. So much so that I did a 30-day photo challenge with a Beautiful Mess. I am really proud of the photos I took for the challenge, and tried being creative with how I took them. 

On top of these photos with instagram alone I have taken just shy of 400 photos since May of this year. I have also done Photo Adventures with my friend Hillary and Uncle Chris. All of which you can see here, here, and here. 

I got promoted at my work from Receptionist to a Call-Coordinator. I like that I have a lot more tasks to do and the team I work with is awesome. They really make the days at work more interesting. And I've made new friends at work, but shh don't tell them that. 

These are the girls on the Deskside Team. Our team lead Neil was MIA for this photo.

Speaking of work I was a part of the Social Committee for the second year in a row and we put on two very successful events. A 50's Breakfast and, my ultimate favourite, our Masquerade Holiday Party. You can see all the photos of those here and here. 

I also challenged myself to read more books this year, and ended up reading 27 new books. I wanted to challenge myself to read 30 new books, but fell in love with so many this year that I ended up re-reading the same books over and over. So I guess technically I did read over 30 books. Challenged Accepted- Challenge 'sort of' Completed. And with reading comes wanting to write. I joined Richard's writing group and started writing a novel. Ya that's right I'm writing a book. Pretty awesome if I do say so myself. 

After getting out of my depression in the beginning of the year the rest of the year went pretty darn well. I'm happy with how this year ended and I'm looking forward to next year. This is around that time where people post their goals and talk about how they want to lose weight and stop smoking and learn a new hobby. Well I've done that on here before and let me tell you, those goals where never accomplished. 

But I do want to set myself up with some goals, so here is a list of what I want to do next year:

1.Stay positive.

2. Spend more time with family.

3. Cross off more things on my Bucket List. (You can see what I have on it here.)

4. Finish my book.

5. Throw out my weight scale and never weigh myself again. EVER. My health goal next year is not going to be to lose X amount of pounds but instead get myself to a point health wise where I'm happy. Screw the number on my clothes and the number on the scale. My goal is to be happy with my body and how I feel. 

6. Stick to my passions and complete my home decorating ideas. 

7. Chisel away at our debt. I would really like to be debt free as soon as possible. 

Well, that's all folks. Thanks for reading this little bit of the internet world that I have. Hope you all will stick around next year and see what other crap I get up too. 

Happy New Year Everyone. 

introducing sarah jennifer bowman

This morning my big brother Matthew and his beautiful wife Rachele made our family a little bigger. At 12:30am Sarah Jennifer Bowman was born at 6lbs 2oz. This is the seventh grandchild on my side of the family, as well as the fourth niece and the first child of Matthew. Did you get all that? 

Her name is special in that they chose to name her after both her grandmothers. Sarah for Rachele's mum and Jennifer for mine. 

As with my eldest sister when she gave birth to my nephew last year I got to be present at the hospital for Sarah and took their very first photos of her. I shared one on Facebook already but here are the rest. 

Also to follow some of the stories of Matthew and Rachele here are some posts that involved them over the years:

Their Engagement- here

Gender Reveal Party- here

Bowman Baby Shower- here  

Coming out to tell me I'm an Auntie again 

Three Generations of women. 

Rachele's Mum, Rachele, and Baby Sarah

 Congratulations again to Matthew and Rachele, I love you all so much.

Graduation Time

Last night was my niece's eighth grade graduation. Next year she will be attending an art's high school for a drama program, which my eldest nephew is a member of as well. The graduation was actually held at the High School she will be attending next year as the elementary school did not have the auditorium space available.

The downside to all this was that the school forgot to put the air conditioning on so we all slowly boiled to death. It was ridiculous how hot it got in the school, so hot that it got to the point where I actually left and went outside to where it was 32º. Remember this post and how I described how I hated heat. NOT COOL. Pun intended. However all that sweating was worth it to see this one looking beautiful and moving on with the next stage in her life.

Side Note: I apologize for the poor quality in photos. 

I have to get a photo editing program so I can fix my photos. 

    

Valerie and her very proud parents. 

The Kalverda kids messing around. 

Simon, Valerie and Caleb.

The two Kalverda drama kids. 

Congratulations Valerie! I hope the next four years are exciting, fun, and oh ya I hope you learn a few things. Love you Valley Girl.