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Simple things Sunday roundup and Mikarose giveaway winner

It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve featured YOUR gorgeous simple things photos on the blog! I’m playing catch-up this week, so here are a few photo features from the past two weeks! 🙂
daddy daughter time | daneyl
little photographers | so phi
old barn | kristy from life ‘n reflection
If you’re photo was featured be sure to grab yourself a featured button and thanks for sharing your photos with us! 🙂
 

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I’m also excited to announce the winner of the MIKAROSE giveaway from last week. Congratulations…
Shoot me an email ASAP at cooper{dot}rr{at}gmail{dot}com to claim your prize! A huge thank you to MIKAROSE for hosting such a fun giveaway. Be sure to stop by their shop and check out their latest styles! You can also stay connected with them online here:

The summer adventures never end

We’re definitely packing everything we can into these last few weeks of Summer! Just got back from back country camping {in an RV} with my family and it was so much fun! More photos coming soon, I’ve got lots of catching up to do.

The top of Sugarloaf Mountain: Alberta, Canada

Simple things Sunday number 95

Simple things Sunday 95

Welcome to Simple things Sunday this week ya’ll. The party’s going up a bit early because we’re headed out camping for the weekend with my family and we won’t have internet access. I’ll be sharing a roundup of your simple things photos midweek so stay tuned for that!

This week’s simple thing:

Last weekend I had the chance to hike to and go through the Gargantua Caves – if you follow me on instagram you’ve seen a few of my photos. It was surreal and physically, it was one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life! The photo above was taken at the top of the mountain when we were almost to the cave opening. The view was amazing! I’ll be sharing more details about the experience, but reflecting back on it now I’m so glad I did it! I can’t believe that I did it…but I did it!! 🙂

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Simple things Sunday is about taking time to photograph the everyday details that make your life unique, beautiful, and special. Each Sunday we gather here to share our photos with each other. To enjoy the beauty that can be found in the ordinary and to be reminded of just how important the simple things are. 

If you’re new to Simple as That I’d love for you join us in this weekly tradition. Scroll down to the bottom of this post where you can find all the details on how to share your photos with us.


THE SIMPLE THINGS ON INSTAGRAM


If you’re a bit of an instagram nut {like me} come join in the simple things fun each Sunday via instagram! Post an insta-pic of a simple thing/moment each week. Use hashtag  #thesimplethings and be sure to tag me @rebecca_simpleasthat so I can check out your photos and maybe even feature your photo on the blog or Simple as That facebook page!


Just a few quick rules to play:

1. Grab a button and include it in your simple things post.

2. Link back directly to your simple things post not your blog/website.

No links to other linky parties, giveaways or craft projects pretty please. 
This linky is all about the photos.

3. Be sure to pop by and visit at least 3 other links and leave a comment.

Leave as many as you can.

 

Sponsored Giveaway: $50 Gift Certificate to Mikarose

It’s been a bit slow on the blogging front these days…we’ve been so busy enjoying the rest of our Summer vacation there’s been little time leftover for other things. More on our summer adventures coming soon, but to liven things up around here ASAP I’m excited to announce today’s giveaway from MIKAROSE!

MIKAROSE is a clothing company that specializes in modest, elegant and fashionable clothing. I was lucky enough to try out their darling Riley dress recently and I just love it! It’s quickly become one of my favourite dresses. I love the way it fits, the length and the fact that I don’t have to wear any layers under or over it to feel modest and comfortable. 
Another thing I love about the dress is the colour. The grey goes with everything and can so easily be dressed up or down with flats, heels, boots or different coloured accessories. 
But MIKAROSE doesn’t just sell dresses!  They have skirts, tops and a brand new line of accessories and today MIKAROSE is giving away a $50.00 gift certificate to spend on anything your heart desires from their shop! All you have to do is follow the prompts in the Rafflecopter widget below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.  Giveaway closes Monday August 20th at 12:01AM MST. Good luck everyone!

Disclaimer: I received a free dress from Mikarose to review and the opinions expressed in this post are my own. Loved the dress, will buy from Mikarose again! Hopefully sooner than later. 😉

Summer adventures: River Rafting in Northwestern Montana, Flathead Valley

This week we’re vacationing in beautiful Northwestern Montana. It’s an area not too far from home for us and we really enjoy coming here in the summer. There’s so much to do here in the Flathead Valley and in the coming weeks I’m going to share some of our favourite things to do when we come here.
We’ve done some leisurely river rafting with the kids before, but one thing I’ve always wanted to try was whitewater rafting and this past week I finally had the chance. The adults took a ride down the Flathead River starting at the base of the Kerr Dam and oh my goodness was it exciting! We were able to tackle a variety if rapids, class I all the way through class IV and it was an amazing day! 
Thanks to In Depth Cases I was able to bring the iPhone along to capture some photos of our adventure. Come take a peek at our day of rafting in Montana!

*disclaimer: Never attempt whitewater rafting without an experienced guide. Always check river conditions and water levels before planning your trip.

Our day started with a drive to the base of Kerr Dam near Polson, Montana. We unloaded the raft and carried it down to the river, got our life jackets on and were soon ready to go.
We snapped a few parting shots before getting in the water. I was definitely feeling a little nervous at this point. There was no turning back now!
The trip started off nice and slow and I had my iPhone out snapping a few photos until we came up on our first set of rapids.
Just some little ones, but we still got wet and I’ll admit, I let out a few screams. I’m sure everyone else who knew what was coming further down the river were just rolling their eyes. We stopped along the way to do some cliff jumping. By ‘we’ I mean everyone else jumped while I took pictures. 😉 That’s my hubby doing a dive off the cliff, isn’t that sick!? 

We made it through a couple more sets of fun rapids and my confidence was building until it came to our last obstacle – the Wild Buffalo Rapids. Sounds intimidating doesn’t it? We stopped at the takeout point and hiked up to an area overlooking the rapids to decide on a plan of action. You could hear the water churning and I must admit my stomach was at this point too! We took one last group shot before getting back on the river and we were off.
We made it through the first area of rapids and were feeling pretty good about ourselves. When we hit the second set we didn’t fair so well and over we went. It was crazy and exciting and cold and thanks to my In Depth Case I was snapping photos the whole time. Haha!  Of course I was wearing my trusty merrell’s on the trip – they’ve been with me on almost all our summer adventures so far and I can’t say enough good things about them! I just love these shoes!

Here’s a little peek at the water resistant case I had the iPhone in so I could take photos while rafting. It definitely got splashed and when I was thrown from the raft it was submersed in the water for a short time. When I opened the case afterwards there wasn’t a drop of water to be found.

So that was our day of white water rafting in Northwestern Montana. The scenery we were able to take in as we floated down the river was breathtaking and the day was full of laughs…and only a few screams! 😉 I’d definitely recommend taking a rafting trip in this area if you have the chance!
Here are a few Rafting companies to check out in Northwestern Montana:

Quick tips for capturing scenic travel photos and free summer printables

I’m guest posting on a couple of fun blogs this week and I wanted to pop in quickly to let you know where you can find me! 🙂

I’m sharing some quick tips on how to capture scenic travel photos on the official Queensland blog. Do you find it difficult to translate the breathtaking views you see while on vacation into breathtaking photos? This article is filled with easy to follow photo tips to help you capture memorable vacation photos.  

Find more travel inspiration here…
I’m also participating in the 30 Handmade Days Funner in the Summer event where I’m sharing a few free printables. Stop by 30 Handmade Days to download these frameable prints and add a little extra sunshine to your home this summer and all year round!

 Find more Summer inspiration here…

My trip to Queensland, Australia Part One: Cairns, Esplanade, Canopy Artspace

It’s been a couple of months now since my trip to Queensland, Australia courtesy of Tourism Queensland and I’ve been dying to tell you more about it! I’ve touched on some of my experiences in Northern Australia here:
Queensland, Australia Blogger Correspendant
DIY Pocket Travel Journal

You can also stop by the Tourism Queensland blog where I’m guest posting today! I’m sharing some more of my photos from around Queensland along with 5 simple tips for taking great scenic photos on your next vacation. Check out the post and then join me on Pinterest all week long where I’ll be pinning travel and photography inspiration on my very own Queensland, Australia Pinboard!

I’ve said it many, many times, but it’s true…the trip was absolutely amazing and I feel so blessed to have been able to see this part of the world! I want to let you in on every detail of my time in Queensland, but to cover the entire trip in one blog post just wouldn’t do it justice, so i’m going to break it up into 3-4 parts starting today with my travel to Australia and my first two days in Queensland.

On June 2nd my mom and sister dropped me off at the Calgary International airport to begin my journey to Australia. I remember feeling nervous about leaving the kids, traveling so far all by myself and the 24+ hour travel time. I looked out the airport window watching them load the plane I’d be boarding and gave myself a little pep talk. It’s going to be fine. It’s going to be so worth it. I’ll see them soon. 24 consecutive hours of quiet, when is this ever going to happen again? Just enjoy it!

I was finally able to board the plane bound for LAX and I was on my way. Once in LA I met up with two of the other bloggers making the trip, Jodi from MCP Actions and Kara from The Vacation Gals. It was nice to connect with them and soon we were all off  to Brisbane via Virgin Australia. This would be the longest stretch of the journey it being a 14 hour flight. I was expecting the worst, but was so surprised at how smoothly it went. I brought my own pillow along on the trip after some advice from a friend and I was so glad I did. I slept a good 6-7 hours after watching an in flight movie and having a quick snack and I woke up just in time for dinner. By that time there were only about 3-4 hours left until our arrival in Brisbane!

From Brisbane we boarded another plane directly to Cairns {pronounced cans} and were met at the airport by a friendly member of the Tourism Queensland team who took us straight to our hotel.

I couldn’t have asked for a more positive first impression of Queensland than the one I got from the staff at the Pullman Reel Hotel. They were so great and really helped set the tone for my entire trip. They were kind, attentive and so helpful with getting me settled upon arrival and can you even believe how stunning my room was!? After a quick shower and a few emails home to let my family know I’d arrived safely I were treated to a delicious lunch at the nearby Salt House Restaurant. I loved this Restaurant and would highly recommend it! I’m pretty sure I could eat their delicious Coconut and Chilli Chicken everyday of my life and never get tired of it!

After lunch I was able to explore the Cairns Esplanade which was just a short walk from my hotel. I fell in love with this charming place and at every new discovery found myself thinking “my kids would LOVE this!” There was a wooded walkway all along the shoreline that stretched on for miles, perfect for walking and jogging for people of all ages. There was a fun little spray park for the kids, play grounds, exercise stations and a gorgeous infinity pool. It was a treasure trove of family fun! I just loved it there and the commitment to healthy living that this community exuded was so inspiring!

I made my way back to the hotel before the sun went down that evening and I was in bed by 9:00pm, completely exhausted. Keeping myself awake for the day and then getting a full night of sleep really helped with the jet lag and the next day I was ready to explore around Cairns a little bit more.

I was able to check out some of the local shops and found my way back to the Esplanade again. Later that afternoon I made a trip to the Cairns Tropical Zoo with some of the other bloggers who had since arrived in Australia. I’m going to save my zoo pictures for my next post but it was a really fun day! Here’s an aerial view of Cairns (see image below). I loved this beautiful city so much! For more valuable info about vacationing in Cairns check out this post from Kara at the Vacation Gals:
5 Family-Friendly Things to do in and around Cairns, Australia.

That evening, after all the bloggers had arrived from their various destinations, we met up at Canopy Artspace for a tour of the gallery and a meet and greet with some local indigenous artists. Their artwork was so unique and getting a behind the scenes look at how their art was created and the inner workings of the gallery was such an honour! We ended the day with another delicious meal at the Salthouse Restaurant.

Stay tuned for details from the rest of my trip to Queensland in the coming weeks including my trip to the Cairns Tropical Zoo, my adventures on Green Island and more!

Simple things Sunday number 94

Thank you to everyone who took the time to link up their simple things photos last week! Here are a few of your beautiful photos that caught my eye! Follow the links listed below to see the original photos and visit these ladies charming blogs.

ballet shoes and tutus | melissa

playing outside | maribel

If your photo was featured make sure to grab yourself a featured button! 🙂

 

Simple things Sunday is about taking time to photograph the everyday details that make your life unique, beautiful, and special. Each Sunday we gather here to share our photos with each other. To enjoy the beauty that can be found in the ordinary and to be reminded of just how important the simple things are. 
If you’re new to Simple as That I’d love for you join us in this weekly tradition. Scroll down to the bottom of this post where you can find all the details on how to share your photos with us.


THE SIMPLE THINGS ON INSTAGRAM


If you’re a bit of an instagram nut {like me} come join in the simple things fun each Sunday via instagram! Post an insta-pic of a simple thing/moment each week. Use hashtag  #thesimplethings and be sure to tag me @rebecca_simpleasthat so I can check out your photos and maybe even feature your photo on the blog or Simple as That facebook page!

Simple things Sunday Number 94

This week’s simple thing:

The adults went rafting Friday and had such a fun time taking on a few challenging rapids! I’m excited to share a few more photos with you. I was able to take the iPhone along with me thanks to indepthphotocases.com and I’m so glad I was able to get some photos of our little adventure!

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This party is all about celebrating the simple moments and simple joys that make you smile each week. So grab that camera, snap a photo or two and come share with us each Sunday!


Just a few quick rules to play:

1. Grab a button and include it in your simple things post.

2. Link back directly to your simple things post not your blog/website.

No links to other linky parties, giveaways or craft projects pretty please. 
This linky is all about the photos.

3. Be sure to pop by and visit at least 3 other links and leave a comment.

Leave as many as you can.

 



I’ll be taking a little break from Simple things Sunday next weekend. The next party will be Sunday August 19th!

Blogging from Echo Lake, Montana

Alivia loves it here in Montana, can you tell!?

We’re at the cabin for the next week and are super excited to relax and spend some quality time here as a family. There are so many fun things to do in and around Northern Montana, we love it here so much!  We’ll be boating, river rafting and spending a day at Whitefish Mountain Resort where we get to try out the alpine slide, their brand new aerial adventure park and more! Stay tuned for more details on this fun family vacation spot! 
We have internet access {yay!} so I’ll be blogging from beautiful Montana all week long! I can’t wait to share photos from adventures!

A Month in Photos – July 2012

We’ve had a wonderful first half of Summer around here! We’ve been able to squeeze in a whole lot of fun into the last four weeks, that’s for sure! Here’s a little peek at what July looked like for the Cooper family:
JULY 2012
The kids had so much fun at the July 1st celebrations here in Raymond.
We travelled over Logan Pass to the cabin. Stopped for a picnic and a quick hike.
We had a fun time at Echo Lake fishing, tubing and relaxing.
We travelled to Calgary to attend a baby shower for our new cousin Jadyn.
My 34th birthday came and went and it was a good one. 
I got to eat my favourite mint chocolate brownies.
We had so much fun at my parents farm for a week. 
Helping Grandpa with the cows, playing in the bales and having a campfire.
We spent a day quadding in the mountains. The views were amazing!
The rest of our July summer days have been spent at the pool, doing crafts and playing at the park.
How are you all doing with your month-in-photos project?
We’ve got seven fun photo collages under our belt and are well on our way to documenting a whole years worth of memories! Doesn’t it feel so great!? 


I’ve actually begun putting my 2012 collages together into a book using Blurb.com and I just LOVE how quickly and beautifully its coming together. I’m brand new to using Blurb, how many of you have used them before? Even though I’m just getting to know my way around their software, it’s super user friendly and has been a lot of fun! Here’s a peek at the cover and a few of the inside pages that I’ve designed so far…

I have my photo collages all made and ready to add to the album. I just dragged and dropped them into BookSmart, Blurb’s easy to use book making software, and after a few tiny adjustments to the given template had it positioned how I wanted it.

 I actually created the journaling pages in photoshop and just dropped them into booksmart as well. The journaling came together so easily, I simply copied and pasted directly from my past month-in-photos blog posts and with a little tweaking so I didn’t run over any margins, I was done.

I really look forward to seeing this book in print when I’m finished. I’m going to keep it really simple. The months photos on the right, journaling on the left of each two page spread. Love how easy it’s been to put together so far with Blurband I’m excited to share more details of the album making process and my review of the finished product when the time comes!




If you’ve created a photo collage for July, I’d love for you to share it with us! Simply post your collage somewhere online, copy and paste the html code for the month-in-photos button below and include it in your post,  then come back here and leave a link to your collage so everyone else can see your fun photos! 




I can’t wait to see your month in photos!

For more info about the month in photos project go here.You can download any of my free collage templates or use your own collage and join in the fun with us each month! Just think of the incredible collection of photos we’ll have put together at the end of 2012!

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