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  • Welcome to the Gigi Blog!

    Mother to four beautiful girls. Wife to one fabulous hubby. Photographer. Friend. Sister. Daughter. Lover of life, coffee and all things pink.

Letters of {Love}

As part of a Bible study group that I’m with, we’re studying what it means … what it really means … to be a mother … a mother who loves her calling and enjoys every step, even when it’s painful, discouraging and tough (because, let’s face it – motherhood is not the easiest journey in the world, am I right, ladies?!).

 

This week’s topic coming up is about memory making.

Hmmmm. As a busy mom of four (almost five), I’m failing in many areas (confession: I have three baby albums that need updating – big time) and my 10,000 photos are all in a box, but not organized. I have a lot to catch up on, trust me. It constantly drives me crazy and irritates me so much {sigh} but when I came across this idea from here, I thought I could easily try this at home and create some sweet memories for the girls.
So today, I pulled out my sewing kit (okay, no, it’s my 8 year old daughter’s sewing kit- yes, she is more organized than I am) and found some felt squares that we had kicking around and spend some time this afternoon sewing. I know, to most of you, this looks like an easy project, and it WAS fairly easy (that being said, I did break one needle and had all my yarn strewn across the floor by Lovelyn while attempting this idea) for someone like me (ahem – I cannot CANNOT sew). I really wanted to add some lace but I had none so we had to make do with supplies found around the house.

 

The idea: beginning February 1st,  each girl will have a large, over-sized Valentine envelope hung on their door … and each morning leading up to Valentine’s Day, either Abby or I will write love notes – words of encouragement and affirmation to each girl – or drop in a tiny treat for each girl every morning. It’s not about the gifts – more about the love notes – we’ll write out why we are thankful for each particular girl, or what makes them special to us, or explain why we are proud of them from their actions the day before.

 

One Valentine’s Day, we’ll end with a Valentine’s Day lunch.

 

{Lovie with her envelope …}

 

 

 

 

 

Can’t wait to see how the girls react to our little love notes … sometimes we’re so busy correcting and prodding, we forget to encourage and affirm. The next 14 days will be fun.

 

Let’s face it – Valentine’s Day is a LOT cuter with kids involved!  (Like – creating Valentine’s Day themed snacks…)

 

 

“Will our children have precious memories of their childhood? Or will they be negative?
Memories provide a basis for the future lives of our children, for blessing, or for bitterness and hurt.
Happy memory making is one of the most beautiful things we can do as a mother…”
-Nancy Campbell

P.S. 25.5 weeks.

 

 

February 1, 2012 - 10:16 am

Sara Clarke - Thank-you for sharing such a wonderful idea. I also have thousands of pictures in the box that I hope to one day make into beautiful scrapbooks for each of my children. I love this idea and my husband and I will be starting with the love letters today for our girls. We also do letter each Christmas to our children and our spouse to remind them how much we love and appreciate them. I love looking back at the old letter and see how my relationship with my husband has evolved. Thanks for another great blog post!

February 1, 2012 - 8:38 am

Sherri - Good idea! Sort of an advent for Valentines… show the love. Lovelyn looks positively dwarfed by her envelope, but she looks intrigued just the same. xo

February 1, 2012 - 3:25 am

Chelsey - You are so tiny! :) You look beautiful. Can’t believe another one is on the way! And I love this idea. What a beatiful testament to you as a mother, but also to your children to have such a wonderful mum :)

January 31, 2012 - 10:42 pm

Laura - ooooh, gonna steal this idea for my kids (hope you don’t mind) I’ll have to ‘man it up’ for J though – thanks for sharing!

January 31, 2012 - 9:31 pm

Debbie VanWyck - Gillian, I always look at your pictures of the moments in your children’s lives (i.e. Lacey’s Ann party) and think “what a wonderful archive of memories Gillian’s girls will have”.

Don’t sell yourself short…between your pictures and the blog…they will never feel shortchanged in the memory keeping abilities of their mother.

January 31, 2012 - 9:29 pm

Grandma Gerr - You are an amazing mom! Lovie is so cute with her love envelope! <3

January 31, 2012 - 9:22 pm

Brenda (Gillian’s Mom) - WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!!! Love it!!! I think it should be for Grandparents too :)

January 31, 2012 - 9:19 pm

Michelle - This is a beautiful post….I really love the last quote you used. I think sometimes we all get to busy with the hustle of everyday life and forget that all our children need are just us :) And such a fun way to show our children that we love them!

January 31, 2012 - 9:14 pm

Amanda Moore - So very sweet.
What a wonderful thing to do for your children.

{Inhabited}

To be pregnant is to be vitally alive, thoroughly woman, and undoubtedly inhabited.

Anne Buchanan & Debra Klingsporn

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephanie, you absolutely are glowing. Truly.

 

 

I can’t wait to meet your new baby …

 

 

… and see your children hold their new sibling and cover their baby with kisses.

 

 

 

 

 

You are so blessed …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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January 25, 2012 - 11:19 pm

Sarah Miller - The last picture is truly a work of art. Just amazing!

January 24, 2012 - 11:43 am

Robin North - Oh Steph. You look absolutly stunning! Great job once again capturing the beauty Gillian.

January 24, 2012 - 11:22 am

Grandma Gerr - Another beautiful shoot! Another beautiful mother to be!!

January 24, 2012 - 11:00 am

Brenda (Gillian’s Mom) - Gillian, you make being pregnant look so beautiful!! I wish someone like you could have been around when I was pregnant .. in those days, you felt frumpy, dumpy and ugly! Thank you for blessing expecting mothers with your fantastic photography talent!! xo

January 24, 2012 - 10:36 am

Amy Cowan - Beautiful pics!! I absolutely love the one of you and your hubby Steph! Good luck to you :)

True Love.

“To love someone is to understand each other, to laugh together,
to smile with your heart and to trust one another.”

 

 

Just quickly catching up on a blog post that was never posted  due to the crazy, busy season of, well, the entire year!

 

Karen, these are for you. I absolutely ADORED shooting your TTD session – just LOVED it. You are truly gorgeous inside and out!

You know what I really loved about this session? It was truly a session of celebration -  a beautiful couple who loves each other, has been through thick and thin of mariage, they are raising their children with beautiful morals and characters and they truly love each other. A fantastically wonderful celebration of their marriage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Can you believe this young thing is a crazy, awesome momma-to-four little ones?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 30, 2012 - 9:05 pm

Amy - Karen is SOO gorgeous! And definitely a GREAT mamma to her kiddies!

January 23, 2012 - 12:21 am

Kate Hood - beautiful collection!

January 22, 2012 - 10:17 pm

holly - wow, she is a stunningly beautiful woman! Great shots :)

When I grow up, I wanna be a Fire Hydrant.

 

I don’t think school can much better than making your own bouncy ball on the dining room table for your science lesson …

{Thank you, A Reason for Science!}

 

 

 

 

 

or visiting our local firefighter friends at the firehall {we brought them cookies, they showed the girls how exciting a firefighter can be – all as part of our personal Fire Safety Week} …

 

 

Lyla now knows what she wants to be when she grows up. A ‘fire hydrant’. I think she means a firefighter. “Do they have to brush their teeth every morning like me, mom?” Yes, Lyla, yes, they do.

 

 

 

Fabulous thing about schooling together as family? Lovelyn gets to join in the fun.

 

And daddy, too.

 

 

 

One of the most valuable aspects of schooling together is downtime …

“Boys and girls must have time to invent episodes, carry on adventures, live heroic lives, lay sieges and carry forts,
even if the fortresses be an old armchair; and in these affairs the elders must neither meddle nor make.”
 - Charlotte Mason

 

 

{yes, we got a bunny – she’s the sweetest thing ever. Her name is Lady Alice … and the girls adore her. I think Abby loves her more.}

 

If you’ve toyed with the idea of homeschooling but are scared to make that final step or perhaps are intimidated by all that a homeschooling family has to accomplish, you *MUST* come out to hear my friend, Lena Emo, speak about homeschooling!

 

February 8th 7 P.M. at the Orangeville Public Library

Dispelling the Misconceptions of Homeschooling

You can check out Lena’s website, as well.

 

I’ll be there – come and say hi! And bring your list of questions about homeschooling!:)

 

 

 

 

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January 23, 2012 - 12:22 am

Kate Hood - love this sweet little family post. so great.

January 20, 2012 - 11:21 am

Devon - Great blog Gillian!! I am feeling more and more confidant about this and can’t wait to go to the info night, see you there!

January 20, 2012 - 8:28 am

Sherri - OK, I just have to say I LOVE this story. I can see why Lyla wants to be a fire hydrant, lol. I adore how Lyla puts her arm around Lucia like she’s comforting or protecting her when Lucia is nervous. You do so wonderfully well at capturing emotions! Excitement, apprehension, joy, tiredness… its all there. What great colour too!

Lovely …

 

“Isn’t she lovely
Isn’t she wonderful
Isn’t she precious
Less than one minute old

I never thought through love we’d be
Making one as lovely as she
But isn’t she lovely made from love …”

Baby Emma. So lovely … xx …

 

 

 

 

 

 

{melt your heart!}

 

 

 

Thank you for bringing Emma in for her photos! It’s been AMAZING working with your family, Gabe & Holly!! xo

January 17, 2012 - 9:21 pm

Kathleen Roy - Spectacular shots! Quite the family … thanks for sharing.

January 17, 2012 - 11:00 am

Marilyn (Holly’s Mom) - I love every picture. All of you did a great job. Gillian…great work!
Zac you did a very good job with baby Emma; so proud of you. xoxo
Grammie Marilyn

January 17, 2012 - 10:03 am

Cissie Lo - Gigi, you are really gifted with the talent of taking stunning pictures. Love these pics especially the one Zac holding Emma and Emma seemed to be smiling to her big brother. Thanks Gigi for sharing.

January 17, 2012 - 8:11 am

Sherri - Love the brilliance and clarity of these pics! I adore how it looks like Emma is leaning towards big brother Zacky and smiling. Such love you always capture so well. xoxo

January 17, 2012 - 12:13 am

Grandma Gerr - Beautiful family! Great photos!!

January 16, 2012 - 11:32 pm

Christine Taylor - These are beautiful, love the one with Zach and her big smile:)

January 16, 2012 - 11:29 pm

Sarah Miller - Beautiful work as always. Love the Stevie Wonder lyrics. Very fitting :)

January 16, 2012 - 11:01 pm

Chris - Aww! what beautiful shots! Emma is just the perfect shade of pink! Such a girl! love these!

January 16, 2012 - 10:55 pm

Eloise Pranger - Beautiful!

January 16, 2012 - 10:53 pm

Samantha F. - Stunning! Such a gorgeous family and baby Emma truly is lovely! What a precious little gift from god! Love how happy zacky looks with his little sister!!!! Xoxox

January 16, 2012 - 10:52 pm

Lisa Post - She is absolutely perfect!!