Journal Entry No. 48 | Clip N' Climb | Klutch Photography | Vancouver family photographer

Anyone who owns a 13 year old teenage GIRL will totally understand me when I say “WTF has happened to my sweet kid”! They literally creatures from another planet, and that planet is called “Parents are idiots, and we know EVERYTHING”. They start residing on the planet once they enter high school (give or take a few months maybe even a year). Everything is blah, or NO, or eww, and don’t get me started on the body language that accompanies these words.

So finding something, an activity (away from the phone, tv or computer) that works for both kids of different ages to do “together” is nearly impossible. #thestruggleisreal -painful!

This past weekend princess “Blahnoeww”, as she will be named for this post wanted to grace us with her presence! Being her doting disciples, we grinned with eagerness, and with bated breath as to what we would do together!

“PB” suggested we attend Clip N’ Climb, it was located right beside TSS. Which worked out great as my youngest most normal child (I swear I would never have thought in a million years that my dramatic child would end up being the “normal” one, yet here we are) goes there on Saturday mornings. “PB” even wanted to see her little cousins as well, so plans were made, fast. We all know how teenagers like something one minute and literally dislike it within the next 60 seconds!

Clip N’ Climb located in Richmond was amazing! The way they’ve set it up with scheduled times that leaves you about an hour to climb up all these creatively done walls. Totally safe, from my safety police credentials. Our whole crew was a big fan, ages 5 through 13, even the adults were a little jelly they didn’t sign up (insert hand up over here). The cost about $14-20 per kids, then you start a punch card for more value down the road. You can race people, time yourself on some of the climbs, and take some great leap of faiths!

NOTE: My youngest would like to advise you that you really should wear pants. Sadly, she had a ferocious case of hungry bum because she wore shorter shorts and those straps are fitted in all the wrong places. Just saying. lol. #Truth.

So parents with 13 year olds, this might be a family outing option for all your people, praise the lord. Amen!

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The ONE thing I would never do again with my kitchen renovation! | Klutch Photography | Vancouver family photographer

The thought of a new kitchen is pretty dreamy, right? It was our time, well it was sort of time for a new (er) kitchen. We’ve been in our home for 13 years, it was a new build when we bought it, but we never got to select any of our kitchen or house finishes. Even though they were all new, they were never the finishes I would have chosen if I had the option. So the kitchen being a home depot special was starting to look a little tired. Not to mention that 10 months prior we had a small faucet leak, which caused some internal counter damage, which then caused our “new faucet” to literally manoeuvre better than a five speed gear shift when you turned it on. This went on for months, like 7 months of race car driving while doing the dishes! Painful.


This shit show of a faucet reminded me of a kids book called “If you give a mouse a cookie”, the idea is, you start with “one thing” and that one thing will lead to many other things you had “not planned” on doing! That’s how the birth of a new kitchen started. But let's be clear, we were ONLY going to replace the counters, faucet and sink. Hard no on everything else, said Greg (hubby). Just typing that makes me laugh, as that was not what was going to happen! As a trained interior designer, a half-assed renovated kitchen was not in my plans!


The only problem, I have a husband with a “perception” of what a kitchen should cost and what “he likes” in a kitchen (k, let me be clear, I’m all for opinions cause were in a partnership, BUT the man doesn’t cook, clean or use our kitchen)! I was up for the challenge, I knew I could convince him on the backsplash, and the new light fixture. That part would be easy! But selling him on was updating the cabinets, that would require a miracle as they were in fantastic shape and looked almost new. My problem with them was not in the style of them, I LOVE a good shaker, it was the colour! Medium wood in 2019, reads as dated, old and very dark looking.


So the journey began, I emailed several companies who specialized in painting cabinetry. I know what you’re, ” Dina, you’ve lost your mind, painting cabinets is a terrible idea”, “ They never turn out the same or as you get with a factory finish”.

I’m not going to lie, I had that exact fear myself.


It was the only option, why you ask? Cause, If I went to purchase a new cabinet style guess what kind I would choose…wood SHAKERS in white! So let’s take the old shaker cabinets off and replace them with white factory shaker cabinets for a minimum cost of $30,000! That makes no senesce what so ever as I don’t poop dollar bills. Hence why the inquiries began!


I contacted three companies, one didn’t bother to email me back, one quoted me through email, and the last company Kitchen Makeovers (they came recommended twice by a local nosy neighbours site) emailed me right away and asked if I wanted a free in-home consultation/estimate. I loved that idea, as I had a lot of questions that I would need answered before I said “yes to the dress”!


Tanya (founder/owner) arrived at my door, chipper and prepared. She answered all of my questions before I asked them, not kidding. She’s clearly passionate about her business and stands behind the quality of the refinished products they produce. Her knowledge and honesty are not normal in this day and age. Which sold me!


We booked in that week, and yes I got Greg on board! He was still not thrilled at the idea, but he was trusting my judgment. I’m serious when I say, this wasn’t the funnest thing to do, lose your kitchen to a refresh but the reality is after it’s done you never look back. The cabinet refinishing was the fastest part of the whole renovation process. The reno took 6 weeks, and the painting only took 3 DAYS, THAT’S IT! Your MINDS BLOWN RIGHT.


No joke, Greg was really impressed (if you know my husband well, that is not a common occurrence that happens…him being “impressed” with anything that is), he said he “liked it”(Just like Mikey and the Life Cereal commercial)! Mean while I’m literally weeping with joy ( As you can tell we’re complete opposites)! They look as though we originally bought them from stock, they looked seamless, smooth, and fresh! It’s utterly impressive the quality of work! And let me repeat this, there in your home for 3 days, that’s it!


I was so impressed with the finished product that I wanted to promote how amazing this process is, so Kitchen Makeovers is offering all my friends, family & followers a discount of 10% off if you book in before January 31st, 2019!

Use promo code: KLUTCH


So the one thing I would never do again if I need to renovate a kitchen is to hesitate in using Kitchen Makeovers to repaint my cabinetry, and you shouldn’t either! Call 604-599-5501 or email them today for a free in-home estimate. Make sure you use the promo code KLUTCH to get your 10 % off!

www.kitchenmakeovers.ca

BTW- The colour we chose was Chantilly lace!

BEFORE

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Write here…

AFTER

Klutch Photography,white rock family photographer, vancouver family photographer, whiterock lifestyle photographer, life unscripted photographer, life unscripted session, photography,Dina Ferreira Stoddard-8353.jpg
Klutch Photography,white rock family photographer, vancouver family photographer, whiterock lifestyle photographer, life unscripted photographer, life unscripted session, photography,Dina Ferreira Stoddard-8389.jpg
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Klutch Photography,white rock family photographer, vancouver family photographer, whiterock lifestyle photographer, life unscripted photographer, life unscripted session, photography,Dina Ferreira Stoddard-8391.jpg















Journal Entry No. 47 | Klutch Photography | Vancouver Family Photographer

If you know my work, you know I love real moments as they happen (life unscripted) but that doesn't mean theres no room for a posed picture (as I've told you in the past)! Of course we don't really care about our clothing choices, or the hair for that matter, we're at the lake!  

This annual family picture that we've been taking at East Barriere lake has been going on since 2011, and I can't wait to see what this sequence of images will look like when the kids are adults.

To all of you out there, this is the reminder (from the pro photographer) that you don't always have to have a pro picture to keep a wonderful memory going of you and your people.  All you need to do is start taking the pic at a local or on a date that you can keep doing! Maybe by the Christmas tree, first day of school (in the Lower Mainland this is happening today!), your wedding anniversary, last day of summer vacay etc, you get the idea! 

Photo Credits- Sydney Jensen+Barb Stoddard (always ask someone because great humans are always help capture your moments!)

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