Well, it’s that time again when I wrap up my previous years’ gigs on my blog.  2009 brought me some very unique weddings and fantastic couples along with some other super fun portraits sessions.

At this time of the year, I have about 900 (monthly) unique visitors that come to my blog so a big thanks to all of you who visit me (even when I don’t know who most of you are!  Feel free to introduce yourself sometime!).

So, here we go - my 2009 year in review:

Weddings:

1. Mary & Nick - May 9, 2009 - Exeter/Elginfield/St. Joseph, ON

2. Jillian & Ryan - June 13, 2009 - Talisman Resort Village, Kimberley ON

3. Robyn & Curtis - June 20, 2009 - The Falls Inn, Walter’s Falls ON

4. Alexis & Cam - June 27, 2009 - Sauble Beach, ON

5. Rebecca & David - July 11, 2009 - Flesherton, ON

6. Oedyia & Brendan - July 18, 2009 - Taboo Resort, Gravenhurst ON

7. Lisa & Rob - August 8, 2009 - Cambridge, ON

8. Bonita & Darren - August 22, 2009 - Tobermory, ON

9. Vanessa & Ryan - September 5, 2009 - Delta Rocky Crest Resort, MacTier ON

10. Rosalee & Jonathan - September 6, 2009 - Cedars Resort, Lake Eugenia, Eugenia ON

11. Jami & Ryan - September 12, 2009 - Southampton, ON

12. Michelle & Joe - September 19, 2009 - Talisman Resort Village, Kimberley ON

13. Kaitlyn & Ryan - September 20, 2009 - Bridges Tavern, Thornbury ON

14. Danielle & Chris - September 26, 2009 - The Falls Inn, Walter’s Falls ON

15. Julie & Darren - October 3, 2009 - Blue Mountain Resorts, Collingwood ON

16. Melanie & Michael - October 24, 2009 - Kincardine, ON

17. Katie & Weston - December 10, 2009 - Majestic Colonial Resort, Punta Cana, D.R.

Engagement Sessions:

1. Alexis & Cam - Sauble Beach ON

2. Christina & Jon - Southampton ON

3. Danielle & Chris - Eugenia Falls, Eugenia ON

4. Rebecca & David - Eugenia Falls, Eugenia ON

5. Lisa & Rob - Elora ON

6. Julie & Darren - Midland ON

7. Jami & Ryan - Southampton ON

8. Vanessa & Ryan - Barrie ON

9. Sabrina & Andre - Toronto ON

10. Brittany & Geoff - Barrie ON

11. Ashley & Jason - Collingwood ON

Portrait Sessions:

1. Jami & Ryan “Just Because Winter Wonderland Session” - Durham ON

2. Leeanna - Boudoir Session - Eugenia Falls, ON

3. Santa - Boudoir Session - Eugenia Falls, ON

4. The Bunker Family - Family Portrait Session - Hanover ON

5. Jessica & Adrian - Maternity Session - Flesherton/Markdale, ON

6. Ashley - Senior Portrait Session - Grand Bend ON

7. Baby Ella - Newborn Session - Toronto ON

Another one of life’s little twists……

When I went to sleep on Friday night I wasn’t asleep for very long because I was awaken in the night by intense abdominal pain.  I tried to shake it off, but it didn’t go away.  Long story short, I was in the hospital overnight on Saturday, was taken by ambulance to another hospital Sunday morning for an ultrasound, the doctor that looked at my ultrasound said “you’re getting your appendix out today” and I was in the operating room out like a light in less than 2 hours having my appendix removed.  I returned home from hospital yesterday and am moving veeeeeeeeery slooooooowly.  Thank goodness for doctors and the accessibility we Canadians have to great medical care.  An appendix apparently isn’t something you should mess around with because if it ruptures, it’s not a pleasant scenario.

It’s a good thing this didn’t happen during wedding season, because I can’t do any heavy lifting for 6 weeks!

I am just getting to all my emails now, so if you feel like I have been ignoring you don’t worry I’m not - I will write back to you very soon.

I’ll be back to regular blogging after Christmas, but in the meantime, if you are looking for a really AWESOME festive drink, you must try this one out.

I made this Cinnamon Winter Cider for a family Christmas last weekend and it is truly tasty!

• 1 (12-oz) frozen cranberry juice
• 1 (6-oz) frozen lemonade
• 1 (12-oz) apple juice concentrate (thawed & undiluted)
• 9 cups of water
• 5 (3-in) sticks of cinnamon
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 tsp. of ground nutmeg
• 1 cup of sugar (optional).

Combine all ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Happy Birthday to me today!

I was dreadfully ill last week.  I ended up in the hospital on Monday night as an overnight guest with a tube stuck in one of my veins to give me fluids due to dehydration from the extreme and constant diarrhea (like sometimes as much as every 5 to 10 minutes - I wish I was joking, but I’m not) and the one round of awful vomiting that I had.  Painkillers were given to me through the tube as well - I had constant abdominal pain that just wasn’t going away - it hurt - alot.  I was so dehydrated and so thirsty, but even one small sip of gatorade sent me to the bathroom.  This went on for 3 full days.  Since I was staying at my parent’s during the time, my mom got sick, then my dad got sick (he threw up 8 times while he was combining - why a farmer would keep combining after throwing up so many times is beyond me) and then the person that works for my dad got sick too.

It was an absolutely dreadful experience and I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.

I’m glad I’m back to normal this week.

What bizarre weather we have had over the past few days. One minute it’s sunny, the next it’s cloudy and gray and starts to rain, then it’s sunny again and still raining at the same time, then a rainbow comes out, then it goes away, then it’s cloudy and gray again, and so on and so forth.

Tis the season to be fall!

Here is a photo I took last night during the above scenario. I love double rainbows.

As we all know, the tornados that struck down on Thursday afternoon were absolutely unbelievable.  I can’t get over the damage it left in Markdale (3 minutes from where I am located) and Durham.  Who would have thought?  I remember the small tornado that ripped through my backyard on December 1, 2006 and other farms located on my road, but that one didn’t even compare to the F2 tornado that occurred last week.

We always think scary weather only happens in the Caribbean, the southern states in the U.S., and many parts of the eastern hemisphere, but never southwestern Ontario.  Nature is speaking to us and it’s certainly a wake-up call.

I took a few photos with my cell phone’s camera in Markdale, not too long after the storm was over.

This is the front of my Grandma’s house. That tree is not supposed to be lying on top of the roof.

If you look down this street, you’ll see a trampoline hanging from the hydro wires.

This uprooted tree and sidewalk here was unbelievable. Everything was unbelievable!  It is amazing how neighbours and communities come together in situations like these.