Island Girl

Wow... it has been months and months since I have posted, life has been full of all sorts of new adventures including landing an amazing job and relocating across the country to a new province and city and meeting amazing friends. It isn't Environmental Planning like I had initially envisioned where my career would begin, but they say things happen for a reason and I tend to agree.

My new life is everything I could have possibly dreamt of and more and everyday it gets more amazing. The job is great and I am really good at it and excelling very quickly - which has caught my boss's attention. I am already managing my own areas and working with developers and municipalities and making a name for myself. I am a District Development Technician, and the job is a perfect fit. Between the job and the city I really don't see myself leaving this new found paradise anytime soon.. or ever really.

I have an amazing group of friends, we have so much fun and do so much, I rarely have downtime (which is ok with me). I have already seen and done so much. I feel like there is so much to see and do here that I will never run out of things to see and do.

The pets are adjusting well and Marls loves the ocean and the fact that she gets to come virtually everywhere with me. The stores downtown are pretty great and they let her come in most places and she has transitioned really well into more of a city dog. We still get some forest time and it will definitely increase more and more as time goes on.  She loved Tofino and I'm sure she'll be happy to go back in the next few weekends, and get some quality ocean swimming time and camping.

What can I say other than I love my freaking life and I am so lucky!! They say hard work and determination pays off and I think I am a walking billboard for that. I had such a great support group of friends and family that stood by me through school and hard times and I know they are all happy and proud of where I have ended up. So thank you soo much!! You all know who you are!!! I love you guys and I miss you :D

Well that's all for now but I will post again soon :D:D:D:D:D:D

neglected blog :(

I have been neglecting my blog lately, life has me busy and I am about to embark on  a new adventure. Until things slow down a little, and I have some time to actually spend the time and get some quality shots I will be doing 1 day a week so it will increase the length of the photo challenge but its about quality and inspiration not rushing through just to finish. I haven't been happy with my shots because they have been rushed and not well thought through and its counterproductive to the whole purpose of the photo challenge.

Photo Challenge Day 30: A dangerous Path

The entire trail was glare ICE, had to be extra careful hiking today.

Photo Challenge Day 29:Shoes

Photo Challenge Day 28: A creek

Photo Challenge Day 27: Snow much fun

We got so much snow Saturday night, the dogs had a lot of fun on Sunday

Photo Challenge Day 26: A Swampy place

Photo Challenge Day 25: Flowers

Photo Challenge Day 24:Keys

Photo Challenge Day 23: Bottle caps

Photo Challenge Day 22: A view through the Trees

Photo Challenge Day 21: The Movies

Photo Challenge Day 19: Computers

Photo Challenge Day 18: Something out of place

Photo Challenge Day 16: Foot Prints

The top picture is Marley's foot print and the bottom is a rabbit or hare print

Photo Challenge Day 15: the letter Y

Photo Challenge Day 14: Can of....

Photo Challenge Day 20: an Isolated place

Photo Challenge Day 17: 3 of a Kind

Photo Challenge will be updated later :)

So Life has gotten in the way of me posting my daily photo's I have taken them and I am hoping to have them posted this weekend!

Photo Challenge Day 13 - Larger than Life

Photo Challenge Day 12 - Winter Scene

Photo Challenge Day 11 - A Bit of a Blur

Photo Challenge Day 10 - Dinner Time

Day 9- Farm Animals

Photo Challenge Day 8 - Toys

Flu :(

I have a flu or something so I wont be posting my pictures for the photo challenge until I am feeling a little better.

Photo Challenge Day 7 - Yellow

Well today was a busy day with my interview and then being stranded on the side of a random country road with no cell phone for forty-five minutes in the cold because I had stopped to take pictures and my dads car wouldn't start (we switched for the day because it was snowing and and I had a one and a half hour drive each way for my interview and he has 4 wheel drive which sadly my Jetta does not) In forty-five minutes not a single vehicle stopped and I had the hood up and everything :( . Then I finally got it started and a nice farmer on a tractor pulled up to make sure I was ok, which was super nice and I was grateful for! So needless to say I did not stop to take anymore yellow pictures on my way home because I was afraid of being stranded again. So this is what I decided to shoot. I think these shots turned out good, I love finding interesting angles.

Photo Challenge Day 6 - Action Shot

Day 6's theme is action shot. I took a bunch of the dogs chasing each other but this was my favourite. This is Sally she is  a labradoodle although I am her guardian while my sister is living in BC I am sadly not her owner, I  just a fill in.

I love how everything is blurry except for Sally's head, she is in pursuit of Marley my 2 year old boxer/lab cross, its their favourite game to play while hiking in the forest.

I have to get prepared for a job interview tomorrow (yippy!!!!) so as of right now this is what I am posting for the daily photo challenge. If I get ambitious later maybe I'll take some more :) as for now I am off to do day 3 of the 30 day shred!

Photo Challenge Day 5 UP

Today's theme UP was a lot of fun, out on a hike with the dogs I walked around looking up trying to find a great shot. The downside to this challenge was when it started snowing and my lens became covered in snow, so I decided to put the lens cap back on the camera for the day and enjoy the rest of the hike. These are the shots I was happiest with for the day. This isn't the first time I have photographed trees like this, but I just love the lines and the angle. I was hoping to get a silo after the hike but the snow prevented that from happening, but that can be a picture for another day. I hope you enjoy!

Photo Challenge Day 5 Theme

Todays theme for the photo challenge is Up, I think this will be a lot of fun and lead to some interesting shots.

Photo Challenge Day 4: Pairs

Well I left today's challenge until the last minute and didn't really come up with any great inspirational ideas or shots.  This is a theme that if I would have put the time and effort into I know could have led to some great shots.

 

This weekend I am going to spend more time on  getting some quality photo's!

30 Day Shred

So today was the day I finally decided to do level 1 of the 30 Day Shred with Jillian Michaels. This program gave me a butt-kicking today (to the point where I though I was going to be sick, but I kept pushing), but she is good at motivating you, and it makes me want more already. I have wanted to try this DVD for sometime, but I just never did. I haven't really done workout video's before besides yoga. I am the type of person that likes to go out and be active because working out seems like a chore, whereas hiking or cycling or even running is a fun activity not just a "workout". 

It has been really cold here and I have been finding myself taking Marley to play fetch in the park beside my house rather than embarking on an actual walk or hike, so Marley has been getting a work out but I have not. I started feeling sore and stiff and my energy levels plummeted and  I knew I had to be proactive and incorporate exercise into my day (I haven't been doing yoga lately either). I also feel like its a good time to start getting in shape and ready for the summer.

In the last year I have lost over 40 pounds but I am still 20 pounds from a weight I would be happy with! There is motivation to reach that goal because I am rewarding myself with a lululemon sweater. Ideally I would like to loose 30 more pounds and tone and tighten everything!!  I am so stoked to get to my goal and buy an awesome swim suit this year, and really its not an unrealistic goal, I just have to stick with it, so maybe posting this to the world will make me stick with it!

Photo Challenge Day 4 Theme

Today's theme is Make a Pair, taking photo's in groupings of 2. They don't have to be a match but they should be somewhat related and just not 2 completely random objects thrown together. So a picture with 2 flowers in it for example or 2 hot wheels cars ect.

Photo Challenge Day 3 - Silver

Well today's challenge was more difficult than I had anticipated. I took pictures of soooooooo many things and was unhappy with almost everything. I piled up different kinds of silver chains to try and show the different chain textures but I just couldn't get the lighting or shot I was looking for.  I tried to get creative with metal utensils, faucets and keys, and nothing seemed lead to a great shot or idea to create a great shot. I had decided to take a little break and come back to it and while I was sitting at my desk I looked up found some inspiration.

The first picture is taken from the side and the light is not shining directly on the guitar. The area that I focused on  was the silver strings and pick up.

 The second photo that I took I tilted my desk lamp towards the guitar and the light really makes the   pick up shine.

I wont go into great detail about today's photo's I am battling a terrible head cold and I am ready to crawl into bed for the night. Tomorrow is a new day and a new challenge!