Happy Anniversary, Hubby! Here's to many more wonderful years together.

Looking for the perfect cost-effective Father's Day gift? Then why not book a mini-mini session?! You will get thirty minutes of shooting time for $29 and 4 digital copies and a professional quality 8x10 of your choice.

If you're on Manitoulin Island for Father's Day weekend, Temara Brown Photography is offering photo sessions.

The mini-mini sessions are ideal for those on a budget, but who still want professional photographs that are not your regular cookie-cutter [insert name of big department store] photographs. At $29 for brilliant, one of a kind photographs, you can't go wrong!

Check out her other excellent photo options here.

Every group who orders a shoot will be entered in a draw to win their shoot for free!

As we approached High Park, my heart began to race with excitement and anticipation. In the distance, I could see the big bouncy castles and hear the children's laughter. The park was filled with families and their NICU graduates. I wasn't sure what to expect with this being the first Mount Sinai Hospital NICU Graduates Picnic we were able to attend.
I felt overwhelmed with happiness. All these families who had spent long days, weeks, and even months in the NICU were all together in one place, sharing in the celebration of all the babies who were in the NICU. The appreciation and thankfulness I felt for the doctors, nurses, staff, volunteers, and other families cannot be expressed in words. There are no words to adequately describe how I feel.

Tears poured, as hugs were exchanged. "Thank you for being there and helping us get through some of the hardest times we've ever had to experience" and "I don't know what I would have done if  you weren't in the NICU with me" could be heard by many of the parents. We all shared like experiences. We all had special little miracles. Some were born just over a pound at birth and are now happy, healthy, busy toddlers.


To be honest, though one can never forget those early days in the NICU, as the years pass and Little One grows, it all seems so surreal that we went through all of the scary, rocky times in our baby's first months. Little One is two and a half years old now! The date on this photo is wrong. It should have been November 19, 2008.



Being able to see the people who spent time in the NICU with us when Little One was there just brought back so many memories. It was a celebration, a reunion, and just a very happy occasion.
Little One is a healthy child. Developmentally, she is just like any other toddler her age. She is just a regular kid, but who had a rocky start.

It was fantastic to see all the preemies who were in the NICU with Little One. I cannot believe how much they've all grown! They are all doing so well! No photos of the picnic or families and children who attended the picnic will be posted on here (due to privacy reasons).

Thank you to everyone involved in making the Preemie Graduates Picnic 2011 a very memorable one.
* Photos of Little One at the picnic courtesy of the talented  www.beyondinfinitiphotography.com :) Thank you!

ApplauseToys is offering readers of my blog 15% off on their purchases. The offer is good until June 30, 2011. Code: Manitoulin15

 

I cannot tell you how many times people have asked me if I knew of any professional photographers on the Island.  People are always looking for photographers to take photos for weddings, anniversaries, engagements, newborn's first professional pics, and family portraits.




The Island is home to some very talented photographers. One of our favourites is Temara Brown Photography. We love Temara Brown Photography! Temara has a keen eye for detail and knows how to capture even the simplest, every day moments and make them something to remember. Each photo tells a story - From whimsical fairytale weddings to the precious moments with grandparents and grandchildren, Temara really knows how to make each photograph special. Her photographs are definitely works of art. I know this firsthand, as she did the photographs for my cousin's wedding last August.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
To view more of her work, click here.

Temara is offering something very special for Manitoulin Islanders!

Portrait sessions for Friday and Saturday two weekends from now (June 17 and 18) are 55% off as a special for those who follow my blog! Mini sessions are also available for 50% off the normal price.

Portrait sessions can be indoor or in studio. They are more in depth, and are about 1.5-2 hours in length. This extra time allows for outfit changes, backdrop changes, and are recommend for outdoor photo sessions. The 55% off sale price is $125. Perfect for engagement shoots, outdoor family sessions or newborns.

Mini sessions are mainly in studio and are basically a shorter version of a portrait session. They last for about 30 minutes and are on sale for $60 at 50% off. Perfect for those who just wants some fun family photos!

Every group who orders a shoot will be entered in a draw to win their shoot for free!
Added bonus: Every session will receive *all* their best photos edited on a disc.

Prints, custom photobooks, and more are also available!

This deal is happening one weekend only so book now!
*The photographer still has a few weekends free this summer for those interested in having wedding photos done.

Temara Brown Photography is on Twitter and Facebook too!

With the weather heating up, that means time for swimming, being outdoors, and having ICE CREAM!! We're fortunate to have some really good ice cream on the Island. Nothing beats lining up at the ice cream shop and choosing our favourite ice cream flavours to have scooped onto a cone (or in a cup for Little One).

Since Little One loves ice cream so much, I thought the Melissa & Doug Scoop & Stack Ice Cream play set would be ideal for her.  She's getting pretty good at all her Melissa & Doug wooden puzzles, and she's learning how things operate and go together. She's making all these connections and she gets so excited when she figures out how things work. The Scoop & Stack Ice Cream is great for her to "scoop", "stack", count, and just have fun. She loves pretend play!

The set comes with four scoops of all-time favourite ice cream flavours: vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, and mint chocolate chip, two ice cream scoopers (both magnetic and can really "scoop" the ice cream!), and two wooden ice cream cones.

This toy is fantastic for so many reasons. Little One spends hours serving ice cream to her neighbourhood  friends, to her stuffed animals, and to us! The kids take turns and share (thank goodness for TWO scoopers!).

Little One's vocabulary has taken a huge jump. She's saying things like "One scoop or two?", "Scoop ice cream onto cone", "Ice cream, please!", and "Want ice cream? Have it!" :)







 I'm tellin' ya...Hours of fun scooping ice cream! In between watching the cattle from our living room window, of course!


It's just really cute. She's entertained, she's happy, she's learning, and she's developing various developmental skills. Okay, it helps that Mommy loves Melissa & Doug too!

If you haven't visited this beautiful island I live on, you'll want to come visit us after checking this out! I promise that you won't be disappointed!

Head on over to my other blog to see what delectable treats await you there! :)

Many tourists and locals alike just love Manitoulin Chocolate Works. What's not to love? A beautiful little shop in the quaint town of Kagawong, the breathtaking view of the water and a lovely walk by the Bridal Veil Falls? Oh! Of course...the chocolate!!!

A while ago, I spoke of the Chocolate Macaroons and Pecan Waves in my post, Let There Be Chocolate. I told you about the Belgian Chocolate Almond Cranberry Bark and S'mores Bark in It's All About the Chocolate.

I can write about one of my favourite spots on the Island (yes, Kagawong...and yes, the Chocolate Works!), but words cannot do them any justice. Take a look at this amazing video of this wonderful family-run business in a small rural town on beautiful Manitoulin Island!  Cheers to Robert Maxwell for putting together such a fabulous video!