And the 2011 Blossom for Change is....

Miss Tara Yantzi!!

Tara was nominated by her cousin Sarah. This is what Sarah had to say:


"There is something very special about Miss Tara Yantzi. This is a girl who is on a mission and nothing seems to slow her down. At Paris District High School Tara was Student Council President, She was also a Student Trustee for Grand Erie District School Board. She was also the Canadian Female Ambassador for HOBY (Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership) in Washington, DC. She even volunteered with them for 6 years following her Ambassadorship. Tara is currently teaching Grade 1 at Ryerson Heights Public School in Brantford, Ontario.While at Ryerson Heights Tara is involved with many extracurricular activities including their Student Council and other sports activities. She has also been a tutor to 5 students. Tara has worked extremely hard to get to where she is now and couldn't be happier making a difference to her students. Tara is a very loving and family oriented young woman and is a role model to all that know her. At just 22 she has already made her footprint in the ground and she won't be slowing down anytime soon."

Congratulations Tara!! You are the perfect person to be the first-ever Blossom for Change...truly a shining example of someone trying to change the world for the better!

3.3 Billion ways to Change the World...

3.3 billion is the number of girls and women on the planet. My number is 7804 and Maddie's is 14201...What's yours?

I was perusing www.girlsandwomen.com today and learning about the  G(irls)20 Summit and the website's initiative to empower girls and women in developed and developing countries around the world.


It really is an interesting and important initiative, so I encourage anyone who doesn't know about it to check it out!

Because I was moved by this and I have a couple of weeks before I am eyeballs-deep in weddings, I have decided that it's time for a contest!!


This one is a little different than previous giveaways...here is the scoop:


I am calling this Blossoms for Change and am looking for you to nominate the girls in your life that are making a difference...be it in their school, community, nationally, internationally, etc. Do they volunteer? Do they tutor? Do they coach a sports team? Are they active in the community? In a youth organization? Maybe they are a teacher...It's open to girls of any age!


Submit a photo as well as a short paragraph on why you're nominating your girl. All of the pictures and blurbs will be posted in the Blossom Ave Facebook page and everyone will be able to vote for the girl they think most deserves the title of 2011 Blossom for Change. The winner will receive a 1 hour photo shoot at the location of their choice and can include whomever they would like with them in their session.

Send your nominations to blossom.ave@gmail.com ...entries close on Friday, May 20 at 11pm. Nominees will be posted for voting to begin by noon on Saturday.


Let's see those girls that are making a difference!

As a parting shot, here's my little 14201!

 

 

Hot Time in the City...Mandy & Drew {Engaged}

So it has been ridiculously rainy around here for the last month...for every day of sunshine, there has been about four of rain and cold...NOT cool! However, this was luckily not the case on the day of my first shoot of the season! The weather was bea-u-tiful!!! Callum (the little dude and reason for my hiatus the last couple months) and I headed downtown Toronto to shoot engagement pictures for a very special couple...my baby sister Amanda and her fiancé Drew!! These two super smart cookies (Mandy will be an OT and Drew a doctor when they are finished their respective schooling) have a GREAT location being just a short walk from Front Street. We headed out and hit up Union Station and Steam Whistle Brewery as well as few other spots along the way. The biggest challenge of the day? Having to strategically avoid putting the hardcore UFC fans that had invaded downtown Toronto in the background of the photos! OMG there were thousands! We had a great session! Mandy and Drew are a pretty easy-going couple and love to have fun...this is clearly seen in the pics! And talk about rocking it! These two definitely know how to bring it for the camera! I CANNOT wait for their wedding in August!


Check out a few...ok quite a few... of my favs from the day!! Special thanks to Amanda who tagged along and played nanny for the day!!

 

 

 

 Look at that blue steel!

 

 

 

Bahaha....nice Drew!

 

 

 

Love it!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the writing in the dirt on the pillar...

 

 

 Gorgeous!

 

Need I say more?...

 

The next two are not engagement related...

 

 Oh dear Auntie Mandy...

 

 It's a good thing we brought our "nanny"! Haha Thanks Amanda!!!