Blue Jays!

So far, we have been having an amazing weekend!! It's spring, almost summer and the city is alive again!  There seems like there is so much to do!  Live music festivals, ball games, soccer games, parks to visit.  There are only so many weekends!  We are trying to fill them up with friends and fun every little bit we can.

Yesterday, we blew off naps and went to see the Blue Jays play Seattle.  Jordan told me that when he was younger and the Blue Jays were in their prime, you'd have to scrounge up every penny to buy expensive tickets just to get in the top row of seating far above the game.  The seats were full back then.  The Jays have definitely gone through a dry spell, when so many seats sat empty, but when we were there yesterday, we saw so many people decked out in Blue Jays gear and the stadium looked pretty full to us, at least on the sunny side! 

Admittedly, we felt a little unpatriotic without any Blue Jays gear, so I can see we'll have some hats and shirts in our future.  Especially because Gabriel really loved the game.  Every time I looked over he was laughing and pointing.  He definitely understood what was going on, although I am pretty sure he thought the object of the game was to hit the ball into the audience.  Like any good fan, he wanted a ball of his own.  Maggie mostly loved the hotdogs and the music and the general excitement around the stadium before she passed out in the carrier.  

The funny thing about Toronto is that even though it is so big and you think you can hide in a crowd or pretend you are anonymous, you will inevitably, and randomly run into people you know.  While walking around with Maggie, I popped out onto the sunny section only to run into my friend Alicia, there with husband and son.  I tell you, this city really isn't that big! 

 
And after the game, we lined up with all the Junior Jays for a chance to run the bases after the game was done.  Gabriel tore around the bases at top speed, leaving his shoes behind him on the field. 

And like every parent, we left the field with our squawking/crying toddlers in tow, overtired from the busy day.  We wonder, if only momentarily, why we put ourselves through the pain of taking our children.  But once everyone is settled in the car, snacking and playing happily with stickers and toys, we are always glad we get out and do these things with them because we all really do have a good time, even if it is sometimes at the sake of our sanity and pride. 

Of course, we had to hit up Tom's Dairy Freeze on the way home.  It is truly the best soft serve in the City.   Jordan discovered it when we moved here.  And let me tell you, I don't even like vanilla but their vanilla chocolate dipped cone is amazing!  Probably because it's actually made with real cream!

Hope your weekend is going splendidly and that you are getting out there doing things you love with your littles, even if it is hectic and crazy and you wonder why you do it.  It's so worth it!

Our Family Photographs: Behind the Scenes

Over the past couple of months, I have been working and collaborating with my dear (and long-lost) cousin, Ginger who recently moved to Toronto and we have since rekindled our friendship.  We have always loved spending time together, but you know, life just gets crazy and before you know it, it's been 10 years since you've seen each other! 

Now living in the same city, babies the same age and a shared passion for art and photography, it was sort of a no-brainer we would be messaging every single day and driving all the way across the city to see each other on a regular basis.  I feel so grateful to have a kindred spirit as we go through this journey of motherhood and stay-at-home-career-business-women/photographers. 

So the Saturday before Mother's Day, Ginger met us in the crowded High Park area in the early hours of the morning to beat the crowds and catch the best light of the day.  After several weeks of hunts to find the perfect Magnolia tree, we decided on High Park.  But it became obvious (with the full parking lot at 7:00am) that we'd have to find a quieter spot.  It was sort of ridiculous there with so many people and their cameras.  And the funniest thing was that we had perfect strangers standing around watching, holding a reflector and several even taking our pictures!!!  We sort of felt like celebrities....

The pictures are amazing, my cousin is truly an artist far beyond me.  She just has such an incredible gift.  When she sent them to me the other night, I was just bursting with gratitude while simultaneously laughing out loud.  Our children are hilarious and charming and mischievous and I feel like she really captured all that.  I had to stop part way through the gallery viewing and send her a glowing message.  I was so thankful.  We've never had family pictures like these.  Ever. 

The pictures really do look idyllic, but I have to be honest.  On Saturday, after a few hours of photographing, we left the park, covered, COVERED in dirt, soaked to the bone and sweaty.  Magdalene (and the stroller where we had strapped her in) were covered in yogurt.   Here's a few funny tidbits from "behind the scenes:"

1) The very first two minutes of being in the park, Gabriel laid down in the dirt under the Magnolia tree and started rolling around in it.  It was then a shuffling game of how to avoid getting dirt on his white shirt, my white dress or Jordan's tan pants.  By the way, his shirt is now officially destroyed after face-planting on the sidewalk only minutes after the photo shoot was over.  And my dress... will never be the same.

2) About 10 minutes in, it started raining and we had to hide under the reflector.  A good reason to bring one I guess.

3) There were no less than 5000 people in the park that morning, crowding every single tree, although not so much the magnolia.

4) We got down to the lake, away from the crowds but "the paparazzi" with their telephoto lenses found us, again, snapping pictures while Ginger worked.  Who are these people???

5) I was sweating, sweating...  Had to keep taking off my scarf, jacket etc.

6) The children ran for the water immediately, the last shots of us as a family are there, after that, we were really all too wet to take more. 

7) Except it started raining.  Again.  This time, we were officially done. 

Can you believe that?  My cousin is amazing.  I cannot believe she got the shots she did with all the craziness going on, the kids running around, the water, the crowds. 

Thank you cousin, for capturing the moments and giving them back to us so beautifully!!

xo

More Blossoms....

Yesterday when we were playing in High Park, a photographer with a fancy camera (and a sweet lens, 1.2f for those of you who care) approached us and asked if he could take our pictures.  Who was I to say no?   I am forever the one BEHIND the camera and when I do pass it off for others to take photos, most people have no idea how to use it.  So, sure, take our pictures.  I am delighted!  Anyway, here are some more photos from yesterday by Gavin Lu.  Thanks so much for being so generous!  Gotta say it was a pretty nice Mother's day present to get some fun pictures playing with my kids in High Park. 

 PHOTO CREDIT GAVIN LU.

Blossoms in High Park

What a stretch of beautiful weather we've been having in Toronto lately.  May is definitely my favorite month here.  My parents almost decided not to come to Toronto this spring, but I managed to convince them to come with the promise of nicer weather, cherry blossoms and magnolias, things they don't get at home right now.  I wasn't sure that I could deliver on all of it, you know.... but I am sure that they are happy to be here, to see their grandchildren and soak up some of the beauty the city has to offer at this time of year. 

We've been down to the Lakeshore to throw rocks in Lake Ontario, to High Park to see the Cherry Blossoms and downtown to check out Queen St.  Of course, May is always the most beautiful time to visit High Park, as everyone knows, with those incredible cherry blossoms stretch out down the hillside towards the lake.  It was definitely busy there today, with blankets laid out under the trees and people snapping pictures.  But with a bit of a walk from where we parked our car, we found ourselves a beautiful little spot and soaked in the blooms.  Admittedly, it was NOTHING like DC where the cherry blossoms circle the whole perimeter of the lake, cascading down over the walking trail and into the edges of the water creating a tunnel of frilly pink blooms through which tourists pass through as they saunter along the edges of the lake.  And off in the distance, the most beautiful white marble monument....    Sorry, Toronto, yes, your blossoms are beautiful, but I have to tell you that Washington, DC's cherry blossoms win, hands down.  That is a sight you do NOT want to miss!! Truly.  DC's blooms are majestic.  Not that I will turn down Toronto's!

The littles ran down the hillside all afternoon throwing a big white airplane Bumpa brought with him and had fun being models for a local photographer who was there practicing.  It was a beautiful backdrop to play around in to be sure.  Do stop in if you get a chance!  Just be prepared to go early and walk for awhile.

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