I have tried to write and keep up a blog since 2006…each and every time I fail. I don’t know how many times I have written the title “It’s been way too long.” I have every intention of keeping it up but each and every time I get in the way of myself. I feel like I don’t have anything interesting to say or more recently I’m not specific enough. I was under the impression that my blog had to be a perfectly written piece that was about something specific, something jaw dropping or something people could learn from. Maybe all of that is true, maybe not but I don’t really care, it is all too much pressure. Today I’m starting from the beginning. In 2006 I started my blog to keep family informed about our life during medical school and as a way for my husband and me to record moments in our busy, crazy, stressful, wonderful, happy, sad, messy, boring, and exciting lives. I think my voice can at least offer you genuine honestly, humor, and maybe even something jaw dropping or informative, that is when I do get around to posting. I’m promising nothing about it being perfectly written though…that is unless my husband or Kailtin edit it…lol Hope you stick around. XO
All I can say is that I was beyond excited for Rylee and Cru to release their Spring/Summer 2015 line…It is such a sweet, delicate, yet modern line. When my package arrived I ripped it open quickly…dying to see the tiny little pieces inside, I was beyond blown away. The fabrics are so soft and luscious, I have never felt anything like it. I honestly need a King size blanket made out of their amazing fabrics.
I tried to be casual with this shoot. I literally dressed the girls up, put them in the car and away we went without a spot in mind. It was late so I knew I had to pick a spot and just do it. I stumbled upon an RV park. I thought…this could be an interesting backdrop. I was almost right until the Arizona sun once again, was ruining my shoot. There was no escaping it either. Open shade? In Arizona it is more like open sun…everywhere!! I decided to snap a few anyway.
toooooo sunny!!
This was literally a test shot….Mila was sleeping in the car and I didn’t even bother to take her out. I snapped one or two, got back in the car and again drove aimlessly. I drove the streets by my house looking for something that caught my eye. Within minutes I found myself standing in a gas station parking lot. Behind the gas station was an empty lot that had basically been neglected. The weeds were growing so tall it looked like a field of flowers…lol!!! I jumped out of the car surveyed my surrounds and decided to give this spot a chance.
So this is not The school performance obviously. While I was taping I got a phone call. Luckily the at-home version is way way better. The school acoustics are pretty much horrible.
She’s already written three more songs that are even better. I’m so amazed by this girl every day. Her courage and grace is immeasurable. And like Marjorie Houseman says is Dirty Dancing, “I think she gets it from me.” Bahahahaha!!
I love love love to spend hours on Etsy, pinterest, and Instagram looking for different prop ideas. I have my usual search terms (which I also get from different trends I see floating around) like wooden toys, macramé, bonnets, knit toys, yarn wall hangings, knit blankets, organic toys, wooden teethers, etc. I always find something different and unique. Today I have rounded up a few of my favorites.
First up, an amazing company that make the most amazing hammocks and swings…Hang A Hammock. These hammocks are hand woven and made to order with care in Nicaragua using natural cotton threads. They are environmentally friendly using recycled paper and for their spreader bar only use wood not at risk for extinction. Also 10% of their proceeds go back into their community to help with different improvement projects.
I have never opened a package and been in such awe of its beauty. This bassinet crib, which is way bigger than a bassinet and could last for quite a while for your baby, it’s breathtaking. It is so simple and delicate with its natural color yet amazingly complicated with its intricate woven design. I literally wish I could climb in and fall asleep with the girls. For these pictures we hung it outside near our pond but since it is soon to be 100+ degrees outside we are going to move it inside somewhere. This is a piece I want to keep and treasure myself for as long as possible and will then pass on to my sisters and any babies they may have. They also make beautiful traditional hammocks ( of which I just ordered yesterday) and the most adorable baby swing…see below.
While scouring the internet for baby products when I was pregnant I came across Sprout San Francisco. I was searching for anything pretty much that you wouldn’t find at Babies R Us. Since this was definitely going to be my last baby (babies…lol) I wanted to go all out. I wanted pieces that where useful and safe for babies and me but also looked good if they were just sitting out. Sprout San Francisco has it all from clothing to baby gear to cribs and toys. Ironically my friend from high school and college Katina Kontos works there as one of their buyers. The clothing lines and products that they carry are not only stylish but are also organicly made with natural materials. It can’t have any toxic chemicals (that includes the big ones you’ve heard about—BPA, phthalates, toxic dyes and perfumes, pesticides, PVC and formaldehyde—and many you haven’t heard of yet). The girls are wearing identical stripe bubble rompers in papaya by Noch they are 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and made in NYC, USA. They are also sweetly snuggling up to the softest cashmere blanket by White and Warren and fighting the terrible teething stage with safe and simple maple teethers. To order any products or to find out if they have something you are looking for call the Sprout San Francisco Brooklyn location at (718) 488-8200.
If you have looked at my Instagram account for even a minute you will see that I have an obsession with bonnets. It wasn’t until I had the girls that I realized there are many different style and types of bonnets. Some styles look amazing on Emma and some look amazing on Mila. I love Briar Handmade bonnets for Emma…they are perfection in everyway. Designer Rachel Goode, began creating her signature bonnets in a sewing nook of her home. She was on the hunt for a bonnet that tied but also fit her style, in the end she made her won. Once her daughter started wearing them, Rachel couldn’t believe the response: Grandmas praised her for “covering her daughters ears” but even more, mamas praised her daughter’s style. That was the beginning of Briar Handmade. I can’t even express how happy I am that Ranchel started her bonnet mission. Emmas ivory bonnet is 100% Hemp Linen, Medium weight, lined with 100% Pima cotton and perfect for all seasons.
I was introduced to another bonnet via Instagram and soon discovered it had Mila name written all over it. The cut is a little different and when I put it on her it was as if it was made for her. Laupers Kids designs and produce stylish clothing for babies and children. All of their products are exclusively Made in Spain. This bonnet has a beautiful knit design and has a little less coverage than other bonnets which is perfect for Mila’s tiny face. They also design the most beautiful clothing pieces I have ever seen. As I was typing up this blog post it took everything not to stop, shop and buy all of the beautifully handmade clothing pieces.
I really wanted to challenge myself this time. Sometimes I look at my Instagram feed and I am a little bit bored…I will admit. All I see are close up head shots and a lot of laying down shots. Don’t get me wrong, I love them but I am craving more. I love looking at other people’s feeds on Instagram and love how a lot of the shots aren’t so much about the people in them, but the whole scene. From the pictures hung on the wall to the toys spilled on the floor…I love the scene that is captured in these shots. I love how the shots are about interactions and not posed (maybe there are posed, but they are fooling me at least). Okay and I kind of like all the white mid-century modern kitchens, dark wood floors, flowers, and baskets that make each photo that more appealing. I honestly think that is one reason I have shied away from stepping back and capturing more of the scene. My house is nice but the finishes are dark and the lighting is horrible. I could have floor to ceiling windows on every wall and still the light would trickle in.
Well my house is going to stay the way it is…for a while anyway so I had to find another location that was full of light and full of style. So what did I do? I researched hotels in the area that were considered modern. See what I was doing here? I was getting the job done but also treating myself…I mean family to a luxurious night away from home..bahaha! For what seemed like hours, I scoured the internet for pictures that met the look I was going for, but honestly…hotel room photos lie!!! Some were a million dollars for one night, some weren’t available, and some were definitely not kid friendly. I finally came up with one that was moderately priced, the pictures were convincing, and was available. So on Saturday we packed up the kids for a staycation photoshoot.
When we arrived at the room I opened the door slowly, afraid that I was duped once again by the magic camera skills of most hotel photographers. To my surprise however, the room was perfect. It wasn’t white by any means but it had the coolest mid-century lounge feel. I wished we could have stayed longer than one night. The kids had a blast lounging and watching movies together on the couch, swimming, and ordering room service. I knew they needed this afternoon and night time to themselves because tomorrow I was going to bombard them with picture taking galore.
This time I let them do what they wanted instead of telling them how to sit and where to look. I stood back to capture more of my surroundings and tried to refrain from zooming in my lens. The hardest part was not telling them what to do. When you pose a shot you feel like you are getting just what you want. You see it, like it and push the button. It was definitely different and I was really worried that I would have nothing once I downloaded them to my computer. In the end though, once all of the photos were downloaded, I was happy with the results. I was able to get some natural shots as well as stay true to my style, and get some posed portraits.
These photos would not have been complete without the help of Shan and Toad. Just a bit of history about them and their brand…Shana Laub had always been passionate about fashion.Then she had 3 little girls and shopping for children’s clothes became quite the hobby which prompted her to open a children’s boutique…Shan and Toad.
This amazing shop is definitely the go-to for the fashion forward . There is no other shop that carries such a wide range of beautiful crafted and unique pieces.The clothes we used for this shoot were pure perfection.Kaitlin is wearing amazing pieces from Paade. Charles is wearing a super stylish line called Cavalier. Finn is looking super cute in MSGM Kids. And the twins…mainly Emma becasue Mila was a little under the weather is wearing beautiful designs by Popecha. Head over to shop now and get 15% off your order with coupon code: overourwall15.
toooooo sunny!!
