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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• Cherry Blossoms on Marble and Little Sunny Picnic ...

The Backyard Rink.

We must be among the very few Torontarians who are actually excited it is January and the temperature has dropped.  In fact, as the sun goes down and the children are in bed, we get all excited when we see that it is supposed to be -12 degrees Celsius or colder.  It's almost like a competition; will tonight be colder than it was last night?  Ok, so is that totally weird or what?  But you see, we've been working on a little project in our backyard, one that started back in September when my parents were here visiting.

And it's finally cold enough that we have managed to put down a fine layer of ice on our backyard skating rink.  It's been a total make-work project, with me on day-shift and Jordan on evenings, pulling the garden hose in and out of our bedroom window to water the rink before a good freeze overnight.  Which isn't so bad, if you don't mind sleeping with a garden hose coiled on the floor of your bedroom or spending a small fortune on your water bill over the winter.

But we have spent a ton of time out there already.  In fact, Gabriel and I spent a good hour the first day and when he didn't want to come in, he spent another hour out there honing his skating skills.  And today, a total of four hours! 

Jordan and Gabriel skated around and around swatting the puck back and forth to each other all morning and then later in the afternoon.  It's anyone's guess who is having the most fun.  But Jordan sure has an ear to ear smile.  We've been enjoying watching the boys, but had to get out there and enjoy it too. 

As Gabriel pulled Magdalene around in the sled with a hockey stick in one hand and the pull for the sled in the other, we were all laughing and smiling and enjoying ourselves immensely in this little backyard creation of ours.   Jordan and I both had this moment when our eyes met and I'm sure we were thinking roughly the same thing.  It's pretty hard to beat a moment like this. 

So maybe it's cold out there and people are wishing for spring.  But for now, we are hoping it will stay cold just a little bit longer!  If you aren't loving the cold so much, you'll just have to swing by for a little skate, some hot cocoa and a little fire to warm you up!

You might also like:

• Hockey Night. In our Basement.
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• Baby it's Cold Outside.