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a couple weeks ago, my sister had to go out of town for business.
since her hubby, too, had to work, this left ample time for me to hang out with my most favourite person on earth.
sorry mom, sorry dad.

whenever i'm with this kid, my inner paparazzi comes out and i can't help but take pictures of any/everything he does.
so, i thought i'd post some random snapshots of my wonderful nephew-son, nico.

post-soccer practice:

nico's new "no more pictures" face.

ice cream date:

saturday afternoon park session:

"nico, let me take one more picture of you!"

"no more pictures, tatty nana!"

 

park snapchats.

muy-thai class:

dance sesh with bruvah, amir.

sunday afternoon park sesh:

victoria day adventures:

"i think i can, i think i can.

i know i can, i KNOW i can."

new batman shirt:

"nico, let me take a picture of you in your new batman shirt!"

caught him dancing to michael jackson but when he saw my phone, he stopped.

classic nicklaus.

he's growing up so fast and it makes me both sad and excited at the same time.
oh the places you'll go, little one.
on the places you'll go.

<3
vanessa

music monday: unbreakable smile - tori kelly

official music video.

first off, can we take a moment to celebrate my being DONE SCHOOL FOREVERRRRRRRRR!!
let's be real - i'll sign myself back up for something at some point because i'm a masochist...
but yes, your girl wrote her final exam last friday and survived the nightmare that was 8 final exams in 9 days.
special shout out to whoever placed two finals back to back - one at 9:00 am followed by another at 11:30 am.

anywhooo, if you've been a follower of my blog, you'll know i love me some tori kelly.

(see here, here andddddddd here.)

i just find something about her so endearing and home girl can sannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng.

though she's released albums in the past, her first full fledged album drops this june.

if you've listened to the radio in the last little while, i'm sure you've heard "nobody love" by now.

it's a great song but my heart rejoiced the moment i head the first notes of the title track "unbreakable smile".

this song is basically tori's response to anyone who doubts that a wholesome girl, like herself, can hold her own in the world of half-dressed, tone deaf/auto-tuned singers with no integrity. 

the first time i listened to the track, i was getting straight lauryn hill vibes.

i also nearly dropped my phone a couple of times as some of the lines were just, simply put, fire.

example: 

"but baby who knows, maybe i can sell out shows without taking off my clothes.

God made me sexy, i don't care if only i know."

though the produced version is amazing, i'm a fan of tori when she sings her songs stripped down and unplugged (see below).

anyways, back to work i go.

don't let anyone break those smiles, y'all.

:)

vanessa

grandma's 90th birthday.

on march 30th, my beautiful grandmother  ("gunny" as she's more affectionately known) turned the big 9-0!
so, her daughters got together and threw her a wonderful surprise party.
it was so nice begin around family celebrating the woman who essentially started it all.

i didn't take my many photos as my little cousins kept me on the dance floor.
luckily my cousin, dave, came to the party with his canon camera in tow.
he managed to get some amazing shots which obviously, i stole.

surprise!

me and the photographer, himself!

stanley jumping into what was supposed to be a sibling photo.

 me and my not so little cousin.

her prance <3

i don't even know what song this is but what i do know is that my 

grandma has moves for days.

grandma realizing just how much money was in those birthday cards...

her money dance is something i'll remember forever.

loose translation: "i'm rich, i'm rich, i'm rich!"

happy, happy birthday gunny!!!!
here's to another 90 years!

:)
vanessa