Holiday traditions are always a fun thing to hear what other families do differently than yours, to hear about similarities, and to get great inspiration from completely out-of-the box ideas. When it comes to Christmas, I have got a boatload of traditions that I want to keep going, but this year felt like the perfect year to get a little crazy and do all the hosting before baby arrives. And of course, we kept our little ornament tradition alive!

For those of you who know me well, you are aware of my weird allergy to water and cold (yeah, good luck living in Canada right!?). So you can imagine the sheer determination it took to go out into the snowy woods to get our maternity portraits captured. Where there is a will (and photoshop), there is a way! Our photographer Emma Haider did such a fabulous job at capturing our excitement and love for

Looking back, this post is actually a pregnancy reveal too for many of you, since the majority of our parenting adventures have been posted on my belly and baby blog …oops. Surprise! We’re expecting a little one in the new year and we’ve been busy getting everything ready.

With the recent mass power outage in Ottawa, there are a ton of stories being passed around, recounts of adventures, and despite all the negative things that have happened, there is still so much positivity in the air. I am so proud to be a part of a community that lives that way. And, of course, I’ve got my own story to tell–but it isn’t about ME, it’s about YOUR business.

I was lucky enough to be able to photograph all of my clients over the weekend with natural light, and that my studio was at an acceptable temperature throughout the day (thankfully no newborn sessions, just older babies and expecting mamas). I had all forms printed out beforehand, and batteries charged, so I was well prepared. See mom; my Murphy’s law mentality DOES come in handy! Had I not previously practiced with natural light instead of my strobes, I do not think the days would have gone so smoothly.

My husband on the other hand, was not so lucky with his work…

When it comes to choosing to be parents, you’d think you’d have more time and focus when it comes to getting ready for baby to arrive. Nope. You let time pass by thinking you have so much left, and then it hits you that you’re over 30 weeks in, and have less than 3 months to go to get everything done!

I will let the photos do most of the talking on this one, but we are very proud of this shed that we helped my dad build, and we truly made it feel like another room in the house. Well, from the outside anyway–the inside is unfinished and just your garden variety of utility shed. It’s got dirt, planters, shovels, and will eventually house a patio set if we ever buy one, ha ha.

So what you would never know from these images is that the majority of the wood used to build the actual shed, not the outside (siding & shingles) was actually re-purposed from my uncle’s deck. 

So the last post I published was about our Christmas holidays–over 6 months ago, yikes! But don’t let that fool you into thinking I’ve left the blogging world. I have simply been busy with life & work, and haven’t quite found the balance that allows for me to keep posting about my personal life. That and I stopped inventing or recreating recipes, and opted out of the 365 project for 2018. BUT now that things have settled a little bit after moving into the new house, and while I am much busier with my businesses, I have more of a streamlined process and have a little more time to start writing again.

First things first, I have transitioned from eating keto to eating low-carb and healthy. What does that mean? I now enjoy sugar-free smoothies in the morning that include bananas or cherries, and a tasty glass of [pure] orange juice on the weekends. I still avoid pasta and potatoes, and other culprits like bread and any processed sugar or sugar-substitutes. So yes, some nut-free, sugar-free recipes might be in the works in the future. But for now, I am just focusing on eating healthy, and finding foods that don’t make me feel like crap. So far, so good.

Holiday traditions are always a fun thing to hear what other families do differently than yours, to hear about similarities, and to get great inspiration from completely out-of-the box ideas. This year was the first my partner and I spent together as husband and wife, and in our new home. When it comes to Christmas, I have got a boatload of traditions that I want to keep going, but this year felt like the perfect year to just do ‘us’, before the family and children come into play. And of course, we kept our little ornament tradition alive!

Honeymoon in San Francisco

Our Trip In Review, With Photos

for purposes of easy-lists, everything per category is in alphabetical order

[more photos at the end of the page]

We spent a full 10 days on our honeymoon and I must say that it was a well-needed vacation, and a chance for us to reconnect after a stressful few months with the move to the new house. We did something new and exciting every single day, and took the time to relax when needed. Great company, good food, and a ton of fun. I’ve put together a list of all the cool things we did, where we ate, where we stayed, and gave recommendations and a review where I could. We loved San Francisco, and I highly suggest you add it to your travel list if it is not already there!

If you haven’t already heard about my special project for this year, you’re missing out! Every day, for the entire year, no matter what, I will write about something that makes me happy: 365 DAYS OF HAPPY. I invite you to join me in creating the happiest year for yourself! It is never too late to start 🙂 #sdemontigny365daysofhappy2017