Storytime… Did I ever tell you about the time Ben and I went for one of our home walk-throughs and looked up to find a giant hole in the roof of the house we were just about to close on?
What we saw during our September walk-through.
Yep. That happened.
Our new home already came with a bit of a backstory. When we first found it, it had been sitting on the market for months… listed too high, clearly unoccupied, and gathering dust. The owners had moved out of the country for work and hadn’t really maintained it. The funny thing is, the owners before them had loved it deeply. They had put time and care into renovating the interior and creating beautiful landscaping. You could feel that history underneath the neglect… like the house was just waiting for someone to bring it back to life.
So when we did one of our final walk-throughs in September, we were excited. We stepped into the backyard, looked around at all the work we’d already envisioned doing… and then froze.
There was insulation scattered across the grass. We looked up… and there it was. A hole. In. The. Roof.
Cue instant panic.
Within minutes, Ben (being the calm, capable restoration project manager that he is) started assessing the situation while I went into full call-everyone mode. We quickly learned from a kind neighbour that a raccoon had decided to move in while the house sat vacant… and she even had photo proof.
A photo our neighbour shared with us. This is the first hole the racoons created in the spring. The sellers did a terrible patch job and it happened again in September.
Inside, in the primary bedroom directly under the hole, we noticed fresh water stains that hadn’t been there during our original home inspection two months earlier. That’s when the reality set in: this wasn’t a minor issue. It had to be fixed immediately.
Ben called his friend Denis, who owns Fixed Contracting Services Inc., while I was on the phone with our realtor and lawyer. The only leverage we had was to make sure the sellers fixed it before closing… and fast. Rain was in the forecast that weekend, and we were closing on two homes the same day, so there was no wiggle room.
Thankfully, the sellers managed to get the repair done just in time.
Fast forward to this week… Denis and his team came by to inspect everything properly (Ben in the red jacket, of course, watching closely). I can’t tell you the relief we felt when they confirmed that the repair met their standards. The only additional issue was a skylight that needs replacing (not a huge surprise) plus a few loose shingles and vents to monitor.
All in all, the roof is solid, the raccoon is long gone, and we can finally exhale knowing our new home is officially on the mend.
It feels so good to bring this house (once forgotten) back to life again.
If you’re in the Toronto or GTA area and ever find yourself in a similar “uh-oh” moment (or need any restoration or repair work done), I can’t recommend Fixed Contracting Services Inc. enough. They offer 24/7 emergency services, are incredibly professional, and truly care about the quality of their work.
My tattoo has never felt more true. Nearly 43 and remarried to my absolute soulmate, living in a full house with five kids and two dogs… I finally feel like I’ve arrived. I’m living intentionally because I’m with someone who keeps my feet on the ground, finds tiny ways to bring romance into everyday life, and helps me simplify what actually matters.
For years I felt like I was weathering a storm and tiptoeing through life. Now my biggest challenge is having my mind and my soul catch up to the peace of my surroundings.
Blending our family didn’t happen overnight. Ben and I tried to rush it at first and quickly learned we needed to pump the brakes, for the kids’ sake. So we did it slowly and carefully.
We lived in our separate houses at first. Then we used the second apartment in Ben’s duplex as our kid-free weekend spot.
We renovated my house to fit us all part-time. And finally… we found our forever home.
This was my fourth move, and by far the most stressful. Buying, selling, renovating and moving seven people is a massive project… especially when outside stresses pile on at the same time. But we made it, and now we’re in our own little slice of paradise.
We had a very specific wishlist: a separate garage, privacy, a great yard with a pool, and a layout that would actually work for our large, loud family. But the moment we walked through this house, we both turned to each other and said, “I love it.”
I’ve never enjoyed cleaning, cooking and resting as much as I do here. It feels like the house was waiting for us.
The place has its own history. The sellers before us neglected it… they’d bought it five years earlier, then had to move abroad for work and it sat empty. The homeowners before them, though, had adored the place. They poured time and money into the landscaping and interior renovations, and you could still feel that care under the dust.
So we scrubbed, cleared cobwebs, tamed the landscaping and brought it back to life. It’s like the house exhaled, happy to be lived in again, to hold the sounds of children running and the clink of dinner plates and late-night laughter.
Ben and I aren’t chasing a life of endless travel. We’re homebodies. We want a life that’s simple and beautiful: cooking, making the house ours, and keeping the people we love closest. That feels like everything.
This house isn’t a finish line, it’s a place to keep doing the quiet, important work of family life. It’s where we’ll mess up, apologize, celebrate, and grow. I don’t have grand plans to escape it; I want to live fully inside it. To cook, to make a mess, to hide in the quiet corners with a book and a coffee, and to keep building a home that’s honest and warm. If this chapter has taught me anything, it’s that the place you choose to settle matters… but the people you choose to keep close matter so much more.
In my last post, I shared the story of our wedding day… how Ben and I, against all odds, found each other, blended our families, and celebrated with 30 of our closest loved ones. Today, I want to dive into the details: the style, the planning, and the little choices that made the day feel so us.
Our kids had a lot of fun writing funny things in our scrapbook, which made it that much better!
When I first started planning, I knew I didn’t want a traditional wedding. Instead, I envisioned something with a sexy, haunting vibe: a little bit fall romance, a little bit gothic. I wanted it moody, romantic, and completely unique. Pinterest quickly became my best friend in shaping that vision, and I leaned on it heavily while pulling everything together.
We wanted our wedding to feel special but also stay on budget, so much of this day came down to creativity, DIYs, and being intentional about what mattered most.
Invitations
One area I was determined to save money was invitations. I knew I could design something myself, and an evite felt perfect for a small wedding. I ended up creating a design in Canva that I absolutely loved — it completely captured the vibe of our day without costing a fortune.
Venue
At first, we toured wedding venues, but quickly ran into a problem: our guest list of 30 was too small. Most venues wanted to charge us for a minimum of 50 guests. It just didn’t make sense.
So we got creative. We decided to host our reception at our house, which instantly felt more personal. Ben, though, really wanted our ceremony somewhere separate and outdoors, and I’m so glad he pushed for it.
After considering a few options, we landed on Fieldcote Memorial Park in Hamilton. It was absolutely picturesque, with the fall leaves starting to change, and it ended up being one of the most affordable parts of our day. The bigger expense was renting chairs and catering, but it was worth every penny.
The Dress
From the start, I knew I wanted a shorter dress — and I wasn’t interested in traditional bridal boutiques. Instead, I scoured online shops and local stores and, truthfully, bought five dresses. Thankfully, they were all under $200.
One Revolve dress I loved turned out to be way too small, and a few others felt too “blah.”
This was the Revolve dress I bought. The zipper would not close. I loved this look with a blazer for the ceremony.
But one day at Sherway Gardens, after finding a killer pair of shoes at Steve Madden, I wandered into Honey. The sales associate there was fabulous, and as I tried on dress after dress, they pulled one for me that changed everything.
THE dress and shoes. I fell in love immediately with this dress. It was perfect!
It had sequins, long billowy sleeves, and an open back. It was extra in the best possible way, and it reminded me of my very first wedding Pinterest save.
This was the first image I pinned to my wedding Pinterest board.
I skipped the busy shoes and went with something simpler, because the dress said it all. To this day, I still obsess over it when I look back at our photos. And Ben’s reaction during our reveal was priceless.
Tattoos Instead of Rings
One of the most meaningful choices we made was to skip traditional wedding rings altogether. Instead, we decided to get tattoos.
I went with something more elaborate: a delicate vine design that felt feminine and symbolic, winding like the chapters of my life that led me here. Ben chose something beautifully simple and powerful: the date we met, inked in Roman numerals.
We actually got them done shortly after we got engaged, and honestly, it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. These tattoos feel so much more permanent and personal than jewelry. They’re part of us, and every time I catch a glimpse of mine, I’m reminded of our story… our choice.
Decor
This was one of my favourite parts because it let me be creative. I knew from experience that flowers from a florist can be insanely expensive, especially once you say “wedding.” So I took a DIY route.
Armed with Pinterest inspo, I bought tons of faux florals from Michaels and made my own arrangements, garlands, and even a floral mirror piece.
My wildest project? A giant branch that had fallen from one of our trees. I decorated it with flowers and greenery… and while I still don’t know if it was ridiculous or genius, it was uniquely ours.
For fresh flowers, I sourced most from our local Fortinos and then bought a few “wow” blooms from a florist to elevate my bouquet and decorate our cake.
Since it was October and Ben loves Halloween, we wove in subtle Halloween touches from Michaels to give the day a moody, romantic edge.
Guest Favours
This was one of my proudest DIYs. For the adults, I made custom whiskybottles. I found small bottles on Amazon, filled them myself, and designed custom labels. They looked amazing and our guests loved them.
For the kids, I created little black gift bags with age-appropriate goodies: bracelet stacks for the teens, toy cars and stickers for the younger ones, and even a pacifier clip for the baby. We also borrowed a Polaroid camera for guests to snap photos for our guest book… such a fun touch.
We hired Topowe Catering & Events out of Burlington, and they blew us away. The food was incredible… even the kids devoured it. They also provided a bartender and made our simple yet perfect chocolate drip cake, which we topped with a few fresh flowers. It was everything we wanted without going overboard.
Beauty
I knew right away that I wanted Bubbles and Blow to do my hair. During my trial, we experimented with a few styles, but when my stylist started playing while we were chatting, she landed on a look with half my hair back and fishtail braids. It was bohemian, elegant, and completely me.
This was close to the final look. I actually went back once more for another trial and we added the braids.
My makeup was done by Jennie, who has a special place in our family… she used to be Mia’s daycare teacher years ago. She’s since built a career as a makeup artist, and she not only did my makeup beautifully but also stayed for the day to help with our five kids. Truly a lifesaver.
This was the makeup Jennie did at my makeup trial.
Of course, my look wouldn’t have been complete without my nails and tan. For my nails I went to Nail Pro in Burlington I chose a chrome ombré with delicate jewels across my ring finger… a little sparkle in place of a traditional ring. And when it came to my tan, there was only one person I trusted: Shaina of YourTan in Burlington. She gave me the most flawless, natural glow for the day, and I truly wouldn’t have felt the same without it.
Photography & Music
Finding the right people to capture the day (both visually and emotionally) was so important to us.
Our photographer was actually a family connection: Julia Battista Photography,who happens to be my makeup artist Jennie’s sister-in-law. Julia captured exactly what we had envisioned. The photos were moody, romantic, candid, and sexy in all the right ways. They weren’t stiff or overly posed… just us, our kids, our family, and all the in-between moments that made the day what it was. Looking through the gallery feels like reliving the whole experience.
For music, we had Courtney Taylor, an incredible singer who we found when she performed at The Block Co. in Burlington, perform at our ceremony. Her voice set the tone perfectly as guests mingled and as the ceremony began. It added so much emotion and intimacy to the day… it was one of those details that made the entire experience feel elevated and unforgettable.
Looking back, I couldn’t be happier with how everything came together. We didn’t overspend, we stayed true to ourselves, and we created a day that was filled with love, personality, and little touches that meant the world to us.
It wasn’t traditional, it wasn’t flashy… it was ours. And that made it perfect.
Ben and I never expected to find our soulmates. In fact, neither of us thought we’d get married again. But within weeks of our very first date, we both knew. Marriage wasn’t a maybe anymore… it was inevitable. The Universe seemed to confirm it over and over again, with little moments that felt like magic: perfectly timed lightning and even fireworks on some of our earliest dates.
And here’s what has never been lost on me… Ben wasn’t just marrying me. He was stepping into the role of step-dad to my four kids. Add his kiddo to the mix, and suddenly he became the most incredible dad of five. That takes a special kind of love, commitment, and heart.
We’re both at a stage in life where we didn’t want (or need) a traditional wedding. Been there, done that. What we wanted was something that felt like us. Intimate, joyful, and meaningful. So we decided on 30 of our closest friends and family: our kids, our nieces and nephews, and our siblings and parents… all gathered at home with good food and good music.
We chose October 12th, Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Partly because we dreamed of a fall wedding, and partly because so much of our family was flying in from across Canada: Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. We rolled the dice on an outdoor ceremony, no tent rental, and promised ourselves we’d say screw it, rain or shine. As it turned out, the weather was perfect.
The day began at home. While the kids and Ben got ready, I sat in Beau’s room, (who was also my maid of honour), with my makeup artist and stylist. It was calm, but buzzing with anticipation. Once we were dressed, we took photos with the kids, then Ben and I snuck away. We hopped into his Jeep and drove to the ceremony holding hands… maybe our favourite part of the entire day. It was the first time we were truly alone, and it felt so grounding, like the deep breath before the moment we’d been waiting for.
When we arrived, our guests were already gathered. Our singer, Courtney, was playing, and there was no formality, no stiff schedule. When it felt right, we started. My sister-in-law officiated, which was so special, and even remarked during the ceremony about how lit up Ben and I looked, just staring at each other. It was everything we wanted… simple, real, and full of love.
And then, as if the Universe wanted to remind us yet again, a massive Lancaster plane flew right over our heads as we kissed. Our guests thought it was planned. It wasn’t. Just one more nod that we were exactly where we were supposed to be.
After the ceremony, we all headed back to our house. The caterers had set up, the open bar was flowing, and our playlist (built during months of Saturday nights dancing in our kitchen) carried through the air. There were no speeches, no formal dances, just laughter, stories, food, music, and love. Our kids and all of their cousins ran wild on the trampoline, plates full of food, giggling until the night wore out.
One of my favourite moments came at the end of the evening when our makeup artist (who doubled as our nanny that day) pulled me aside. She told me she had been to countless weddings, but she had never seen a bride and groom so connected. She noticed how, in every pocket of busyness, Ben and I kept finding each other… reaching out to hold each other, catching each other’s eyes. That observation felt like the truest reflection of our day.
It wasn’t about putting on a show. It was about love, connection, and creating a celebration that was exactly what we wanted.
This was our wedding day. And next week, I’ll be sharing all the details: from the vendors who helped us bring it to life, to the DIY touches that made it personal. Stay tuned for Part Two.
After Ben and I got married in the fall (I’ll share more about that soon), it feels like I’ve been hit by one wave after another. Just when I manage to get my head above water… BOOM, another one comes crashing down.
Now, I’m naturally a glass-half-full kind of girl, so even as I say that late 2024 into 2025 has been tough, I immediately want to balance it with the good. And there has been good: Ben and I bought our dream home, Holden started driving, I finally got a handle on my migraines, and I get to share each day with my soulmate.
But then there are the hits. And these aren’t just little bumps in the road… they’re the kind of life-altering blows that ripple through everything.
In late fall, Beau was diagnosed with a lifelong condition that significantly affects her daily life. It causes chronic headaches and requires ongoing care and monitoring. There have already been two hospital stays and countless appointments with her medical team. Overnight, I became not just her mom, but her caregiver too.
Then this spring, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. While he’s physically doing fairly well, halfway through treatment, one of the medications triggered a severe mental health crisis that threw our entire family into chaos in August. Things have stabilized, but we’re still healing from that trauma, and it’s changed our family forever.
On top of everything else, my own health decided to make itself known. In the fall of 2024 I started having cluster migraines, dizzy spells, and heart palpitations that eventually landed me in the emergency room. After a long battery of tests, I was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope… essentially, my nervous system sometimes overreacts to stress, pain, or certain triggers, causing sudden drops in heart rate and blood pressure that can lead to fainting. As if that weren’t enough, I had two more bouts of diverticulitis over the winter, one of which knocked me flat and ended with me fainting as well. Since then, I’ve made my health a priority. I’ve been more proactive, more disciplined, and I’m looking forward to sharing the changes I’ve made and what’s helping me feel stronger again.
All of this has been layered on top of work changes. Before Beau’s first hospital stay, I stepped into a full-time role as a manager at a large influencer marketing agency. At the time, I was ready to wind down The Water Cooler, running a full-blown company with a team hadn’t been all it was cracked up to be, and I thought the corporate world would give me a chance to just do the work I loved without worrying about “keeping the lights on.” At first, it was great, I thrived coaching influencers and mentoring my team. But the heavy sales focus made me realize it wasn’t the right fit. I couldn’t lean fully into my strategic and creative side. In the end, it was time to step away, take everything I’ve learned, and bring it home to Nesting Story.
And that’s where I am now. I have so much I want to share. I’ve found a new why for Nesting Story. Because I know I’m not the only woman navigating this messy, complicated stage of life… aging, parenting teens, caregiving for our own parents, running a household, co-parenting, trying to take care of ourselves, and keeping our relationships strong.
I want Nesting Story to continue being a place where those conversations happen. Where we talk honestly about the hard stuff, the good stuff, and everything in between. And alongside that, I will be supporting brands and creators, helping them navigate their online storytelling journey with clarity, confidence, and strategy.
This is a new chapter. It’s not boring. It’s not easy. But it’s real, and it’s ours.
*I always strive to protect my family’s privacy. Any names or details shared here have their blessing.
If you’d like to keep up with me in real time, you can find me over on Instagram, where I share the day-to-day behind the scenes, and I’ll also be creating again on YouTube… something I’ve truly missed. But the most exciting new addition is Patreon, where I’ll be sharing more candidly than I ever have before. That’s where I’ll be opening up about co-parenting, aging, being a caregiver, and so much more… the conversations that don’t always fit neatly on the blog or social, but are such a big part of this chapter of life.
