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Sometimes I think I'm so clever...when in reality, I'm just a big geek. Big nerdy geek.

I recently posted pictures of my fabulous bathroom, and yes, I'm still loving it! But now we have pictures hung on the walls. And I'm so proud of them!

In January 2006 Tobin and I had our honeymoon in Rome and we brought back hundreds of photos. We snapped almost everything, and we were actually looking for things that would be good enough to hang on our walls. It only took three years, but we finally did it.

This first photo we loved. It was in this ancient village called Ostia Antica. We found ancient Roman toilets. We snapped the photo and thought, this would look great in a bathroom. And I have to admit....it really does!

This is where I think I'm so clever....and others have the same idea. My Dad wants a print to hang in his bathroom too!

These photos are from the many fountains in Rome. I thought it would be nice to stay with the Roman theme in the bathroom.

I promise you, no more blog posts about my bathroom! Just had to share.

One Amazing Woman...

On Friday night I was sitting here at my desk, writing a post for the blog, when I got the call. THE call no one wants to get.

My Sister was on the other line, "get to the hospital. Grandma is dying."

My Grandma is the rock of the family. We all expected her live into her 100's. She was strong, stubborn, spoke her mind and told it like was. We all new she had an infection, but didn't know that she would go in for surgery to remove it and never wake up again. That's what happened this weekend.

When I did the love story contest, there were some great stories. But I'll always remember the story of my grandparents. A war veteran who was still in the army is set up on a blind date with this beautiful farm girl. He loved her, but thought she was too good for him. They married, had four kids and tons of grandkids and stayed happily in-love for over 50 years until my Grandpa died four years ago.

My Grandma missed him terribly. Now, while we wish she was still here with us, he needed her with him.....and that is the one thing that gives me great comfort in all of this.

Here's to my Grandma, we will miss you.

Erma Jean MacGregor

1932-2009

Kids and Animals....

What's that saying again about kids and animals? They're both so adorable!

I took 2 1/2 year old Brooklyn down on the Farm to play with baby goats, horses and llamas. It was so cold for poor L'il B, and the animals were not co-operating. Even though these shots are not what I was really after, I'm pleasantly surprised by how they turned out.

I still have five more spots left for the photo marathon on Friday, April 10. Send me an email to book your slot.

Here are the times available:

12-12:20

12:30-12:50

1-1:20

1:30-2

2:30-3

Now for Brooklyn's adorable shots:

One of my favourites from the shoot.

I know this isn't a very good example of my photographic ability...but I think it's just so cute that the foal kept putting his head on top of hers.

I LOVE this shot. She looks like she's had enough.

So cold and just ready to go home.

Brooklyn, you did an amazing job! Thank you for letting me take your pictures in such cold weather.

And the winner is.....

Thank you to everyone to sent me their love stories.....20 entries! That's pretty good for a first-timer.

So, you've waited long enough....who won????

Kristy and Will!!!

Congrats guys, you will get a free photoshoot with me!

Oh, and how did I choose? I didn't. Your judge was the wonderfully talented, and very cute Tobin. He liked your story and how you stayed together through all those obstacles.

Contest Closing!

Hurry! Just a few more hours left in the Love Story contest. You have until midnight tonight to email me your story at aprylmunro@hotmail.com

Thank you to all who entered! Such wonderful, heart-warming stories! The winner will be announced tomorrow.

Exciting News!

I'm so excited about this. Ok, I know, I start every post like that....but seriously! Not only was one of my photos in an ad in the local newspaper, but one of my photos is going to be in a calendar. The Golden Retriever Rescue Foundation Calendar.

Remember Oscar? Well, this guy is going to be in the calendar! Yay!

Also, just got a call from my friend Sarah, and a Bed and Breakfast asked her if they could hang a photo I took of her daughter Ellie in one of their rooms. That's pretty cool.

It's such a big deal to me that my work is being recognized. I have a blast taking pictures, so all this extra stuff is icing on the cake. It's reassuring me that I'm doing the right thing.

Thanks to everyone for supporting me.

Photo Marathon.....still spaces

Wow! I'm so thrilled to have so many people signing up for my photo marathon. I promise a few things: it will be fun, it won't be cheesy.....and there will be sunshine! Ok, I may be pushing it with the sunshine.

Here are a few times I have available.....if you want a spot please email me!

10:-10:50

12-12:20

12:30-12:50

1-1:20

Hurry before the spaces fill up!

The Page Family

He's a proud big brother, but ask him to hold his 8 week old little sister, and he'll tell you NO!

Nathan was the highlight of my weekend as I traveled to Keswick to photograph him and his family. So polite, so sweet, so energetic and up for anything. He's a dream for a photographer.

Then there was tiny little Rachel and she melted your heart in her little dress and cardigan. She was so happy in her Mom and Dad's arms while I took photos. But as I kept clicking, and the flash kept flashing, she started to cry. I think she was scared.

I love taking pictures of families in their homes too. It's where they are the most natural. Nathan was totally natural in his car bed, on his horse or in his Junior Fire Chief Hat.

I hope I get the chance to photograph this wonderful family again, and can't wait to see Rachel when she's older...and not afraid of my flash.

Contest

There's just over a week left for the Love Story Contest.

Here's another one from Kristy. This is a story about how love has to come at the right time.....and for these two, it took it a while.


So, Will and I met about 5 years ago. He was the new manager at the golf course we worked at and I was the beer cart girl. The first time we met was on the golf course, him playing, me serving. He introduced himself and winked at me. I was so excited that I drove back to the club house and told all the girls there that the new hot manager had winked at me! To my dissapointment they informed me that he's 'a winker' and winks at everyone.

That summer we both dated other people and became friends. Near the end of the summer we both became single again but continued with our friendship as neither of us thought it could go anywhere as we were nearing the end of the summer. The last week at work at the resort we were talking and realized that we lived 5 minutes away from eachother in Unionville! Will immediately asked me out and we had our first date the day we moved back to Unionville.

About 2 months later Will moved to Halifax to finish up his degree. We both knew that he would have to go to Halifax all along and knew that we would have to break up. I hadn't realized how much I had fallen for him in just two short months together. We did stay in touch for the entire winter semester he was away.

In April Will decided to come back to the resort to work for the summer. I was so excited and thought for sure that we would get back together. But we didn't and I was devastated. I couldn't understand why things didn't just fall back into place.

In my fit of anger I decided to book a trip to New Zealand with a girl friend for the coming October for 6 months. All I wanted to do was get out of the country. About a week later Will and I were back together. I told him that I was not about to cancel my trip because of a boy. What if it didn't work out between us and I had cancelled my trip already?! Without doubt, we had an amazing summer togethor, and of course fell madly in love.

That September Will went back to school in Halifax and in October I left for New Zealand. This time we decided to stay together and make it work. The 6 months while I was away were some of the best but hardest times of my life. Will and I spent hours on end on the webcam together... we would even take naps together on it.

In April I returned home and flew out to Halifax the next day. I visited him for a week and then had to come back home. Will had to take a summer semester that year at school and wouldn't be home until the end of June. We had to wait 2 more months to see eachother! When he finally moved home we had another incredible summer togethor spending all our time catching up for the 10 months that we had spent away from eachother.

Our time away was tough but worth it. We are now finally living not only in the same country, but also city, and apartment togethor. We have our hard times but whenever we take eachother for granted we are easily reminded of the 2 years togethor that we barely saw eachother and our troubles seem so minor. We have also agreed never to spend time away from eachother ever again!


Get your stories in and you can win a free photoshoot with me!

Attention Parents of Little Sprouts and Fur Kids!

I have something exciting to tell you!!

On Good Friday (April 10) I will be holding my very first photography marathon!

The theme: Spring! Bring your little one, big one, or slobbery one at Sunnidale Park in Barrie and I'll take your photos.

Sessions begin at 10am and go until 3.

Cost: $45 for a 20 minute session. $10 for each additional child. You get the disc with all your photos, an 8X10 and a treats for the kids!

Book your session by email: aprylmunro@hotmail.com
by phone: 705-721-6265


I look forward to hearing from you and can't wait to see your little models in action!

First Impressions....

I had a real chuckle when I read this contest entry. It truly shows that first impressions aren't necessarily the best impressions. I love that Tara tried to push Kevin away, but in the end she couldn't resist him!

Hi Apryl…thought I’d send you our whirlwind story!

When I met my husband Kevin, I had just survived a very traumatic experience. My sister was determined however that I meet a particular firefighter that worked with her husband.

I went to a firefighter hockey tournament with my sister a month after I had sworn off men for the rest of my life. When we were about to leave for lunch, there was this very tall guy standing off to the side, he was sort of looking our way and irritated I said to my sister ‘who is that guy, and why is he standing there?’ She responded ‘oh, that’s Kevin and he’s coming to lunch with us!’ I wasn’t impressed.

We went to lunch and I was so rude. I’m not usually that way, but I wanted it made very clear that I wasn’t interested in dating anyone (how vain I was…He may have only wanted to eat lunch!), so I ate more than I would normally eat, thinking no man wants a big eater around, and mentioned every ex-boyfriend I could think of…a terrible lunch companion for sure.

A few days later, I went to another hockey game with my sister and saw Kevin again. I had determined that he was a pretty nice guy, so gave him my best smile and a ‘hi’. He nearly tripped over his hockey gear he was so surprised at my change in tone. After catching himself, he returned my salutation and rushed to the dressing room.

That evening the entire team and friends went out for dinner and drinks. Kevin made sure he was sitting right next to me. It was hilarious because he’s not much of a drinker but I guess he was nervous so was a little tipsy and asking many, many questions and saying the silliest things. At one point he said to me ‘you need a light, and I am that light, to guide you on your way’ and something about the forest and the trees…I laughed so hard and suddenly it registered…I looked at him with horror and said ‘oh, no! You’re a LEO’. Kevin sat way back in his chair and asked ‘how on earth could you have known that?’ The only answer I could give him was the truth, ‘I have a penchant for attracting those crazy male Leo’s and none had worked out so far.’ Even so we had a great time with the gang and then went our separate ways.

Five months later, my sister invited me for dinner and when I arrived mentioned that Kevin would be coming…it took me a moment to register who Kevin was and suddenly I was nervous. He came for dinner, we talked a bit and all of us took a post-meal walk around the neighbourhood which was being newly developed so Kevin could see some house-buying options. I remember he left fairly early in the evening and as he pulled away, sitting on my sister’s front step, thinking ‘he can visit anytime’.

A few days later, I received a phone call from my sister saying that Kevin was asking about me and that he had ‘some things to take care of’ before calling me. I figured I had a good 6months to continue being a single gal. It wasn’t even a week when my family, myself, and a friend were heading to my brother-in-laws Family boat to watch the fireworks on the lake in Toronto when Kevin made his first phone call. We chatted for a minute and then I had to go, he mentioned he would try to call again later that week.

When we arrived at the yacht club, I had a feeling he was there. I doubled over in stomach pains and my Mom took me to the washroom to ensure I was okay. I ate an entire package of Rolaids before I could straighten up. I had never in my life been so nervous, and we weren’t even sure he was there. I remember asking my Mom what was going on with my stomach, her answer ‘butterflies’. No one has ever been more right.

As we approached the boat, there he was, smiling and waiting.

Although I tried not to ignore my friend, I spent most of the evening getting to know Kevin.

We spoke on the phone every few days after that and made what was a long-distance relationship work in the best way possible. A month later, on Kevin’s birthday, we were away in Niagara Falls and he asked if I would move in with him. After having a near heart-attack, I said yes and mentioned he would have to get through my father first. My Dad loved him so much that he couldn’t wait for him to take me away (or, hey…maybe he just wanted rid of me?).

4 months after dinner at my sisters’ place, we were in our brand new house. 2 ½ years after that, we had a beautiful wedding.

Kevin and I have been together 16 years, and approaching our 13th year of marriage this June. Although some would say we moved too quickly, sometimes you just know when somebody is ‘the one’. Kevin is my best friend, a fabulous father to our 2 children, and I wouldn’t trade him for the world.

Tara Nicholls

P.S. He claims to this day it was the friendly ‘hi’ I gave him as he was heading to the dressing room and because I did eat more than a salad and water that hooked him!

I love it! There's still just over a week for the contest. If you have a great love story, send me your entry!

Love Story of a Different Kind

My good friend Sarah entered the contest and sent me the sweetest note on the love (or loves) of her life.

It just goes to show that love comes in many different forms.

Hey Apryl,
here's my entry. Its so sappy - do not laugh!

When tasked with telling my ‘love story’ I sat down to write about how my husband and I met. While we find it to be a cute story I have to admit its not that amazing. What is amazing however is this new little person we’ve created, our 5 month old daughter Ellie.
She is truly the love of my life. And while my husband and I are absolutely in love, it is true that nothing compares to the love between a mother and child.

From the minute she was born I have felt nothing but unconditional love. From getting to know her little cries during those first few days in the hospital, to her future achievements like taking her first steps, it is like nothing I’ve ever dreamed. It is more…so much more.

From the way my heart feels like its going to burst when she smiles and laughs to the tears I’ve cried when I can’t make her stop crying. She is my world and I am honored to have the great responsibility of raising her to be a confident and radiant young woman.

She is my everything.

Ellie will be all those things because she has wonderful parents who will help shape her.

Still a couple more weeks of the contest! Send me your love story and you could win a free photoshoot with me!

Bathroom Bliss!!

I wanted to take a little time and brag about how amazing my husband is! In 2 weeks he totally transformed our hideous bathroom into this gorgeous room I can't stay out of! I want to hang out in there and just stare at the amazing work he's done.

I know, boring! But I'm going to put through the agony of before, during and after photos.....minus me in the bathtub! But it's seriously amazing! I'm so happy to have it completed...and tired of showering at the gym or at other people's homes. So excited!

How gross was this? It was WAY worse in person

Love this! Tobin peeking his head through the ceiling

Gutted!

Tobin sanding drywall

Beautiful! Still need towels and bath mats.



Our sink and vanity! Custom built by my father-in-law.