Kitchener Sitter Session!

Gahhh! Give me ALL the little sitters! On Friday, I had this little beauty in the studio for her Sitter session. It was wonderful seeing her again! The last time I photographed her she was just a wee babe - maybe a week old!

This is one of my favourite sessions to capture before the BIG O-N-E Cake Smash session because we get to showcase all the charming personality that shines through. She has grown and changed so much, and its easy to see what an amazing toddler she will be soon!

For this session, a custom outfit was ordered from a very talented vendor who is wildly popular in the biz. If you have the chance, check out her work here: https://www.facebook.com/Propsbyjeana
She has beautiful outfits for almost any age and is open to ideas, which worked out awesome, because I made a few special requests for this particular outfit. And oh my goodness - the colours!? My all time fav!!

This can be a session that is sometimes overlooked for a special photoshoot, and I truly wish more parents booked it. Its just so cool to see the in-between stage, where already so much development has taken place, yet SO much more is about to happen! In just a short while this precious little princess will be walking and talking up a storm! I can't wait for her 1st birthday. Mum and I are 100% in cahoots planned the perfect custom theme which will absolutely knock everyones socks off!

Let me know what you think of her session, and if you have a little one at home who is sitting, or just about to start, get in touch today and let's plan something awesome to remember this fun stage with!!

Orchard Home Farm - St. George Ontario.Visit to Apple Orchard

This long weekend my family and I did some nearby exploring and stopped in for a visit at the stunning Orchard Home Farm in St. George, which is just a wee jaunt from Kitchener-Waterloo. I've been pretty blessed this summer to have spent some time in a few locations that are truly gems in Ontario, and this was definitely no exception! (see Lavender Farm blog post!)

I've lived in Ontario for about 12 or 13 years and I'm always excited when I get to experience something new and out of the ordinary. I have to be honest, although I'm from Saskatchewan originally, I'm a wee bit of a city slicker. Not the "big, Metropolis" kind, but I do enjoy me the convenience of living in the city. lol *However* I have much appreciation for getting out and spending time in beautiful places within Ontario - especially ones so close to home!

Orchard Home Farm is about 35 minutes from my house, nestled in beautiful farm region of St. George, Ontario. The drive from Kitchener is wonderfully serene. Lots of little jig-jags on winding roads brought us by some very impressive farm scapes, fields full of animals and of course fields that had us guessing what might be growing there and where it would be going after it was harvested.

Pulling into the Orchard Home Farm drive way led us directly to parking, of which there is ample supply. You are greeted by two things immediately, full lush trees brimming with sweet fruit and of course, a kind fellow employee, Noah, who is there to greet upon arrival and help guide you on your adventure around the farm.

Because of all the rain we have had in Ontario this Summer, you can imagine how vibrant and healthy everything is. The 80 acres of land surrounding Orchard Home Farm is no exception. Boasting 24 varieties of apples and 3 varieties of pears, the fruit is practically exploding off the trees. The word 'plentiful' is not enough to describe how gorgeous it is seeing such lively fruit trees bearing soooo much deliciousness.

I was fortunate to meet the friendly owner of Orchard Home Farm, Lola, who's family has been running the Orchard since 1946! That's an impressive 62.5 years! You can certainly tell how well run the farm is, as well as how much love that has gone into every detail in the land and buildings. The market area is where you begin and end your adventure when you're finished your walk about through the Orchard. Stop in to gather either a wagon to tow the kiddos or a few bags to collect and carry the fruit you pick right off the tree. The option to purchase pre-picked is available as well. I'm confident when I say this should be every apple pie maker's (or apple strudel!) first stop for the freshest of desserts. Aside from fresh fruit, their market offers home preserves and fresh home baking, apple butter, local honey, and made weekly - fresh apple cider!

While chatting with Lola, before we set off to wander through all the fruit, she shared with me how a visit to Orchard Home Farm has become an annual tradition for many families - some who have been coming for 30 years. Those who have memories of visiting as a child, and who now have children or grandchildren of their own are passing on these memories and becoming new traditions for the younger generation. There is a feel of quality family time spent here, wandering through the rows and rows of fruit trees. A visit here is a must for anyone who has visitors from out of town, province of country, or even folks like myself, who live nearby and have never had the pleasure of visiting before. With no admission fees and open 7 days a week starting mid-August through early November, you're invited to stroll through, stop and chat and of course pick your fill of everyone's favourite fresh fruit, right off the stem.

We absolutely loved our time here, and I'm even more excited to host my clients here later this month for what will surely be a stunning family photo event at Orchard Home Farm.

Orchard Home Farm is located at 235 Howell Rd. St. George, Ontario. Their website is: http://www.orchardhomefarm.com/ or you can find current updates on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/orchardhome

Kitchener Newborn Session - Baby T!

Happy Long Weekend everyone! It's almost time for the kids to go back to school and I have a feeling there are a lot of parents secretly excited about this. lol We've had a great summer and fortunately, I haven't experiencfed too many moment's were I was counting down the days until school begins, but here we are! The EVE of a new school year!

It' has definitely been a busy summer for me in the studio...A few weeks back I had 4 babies in the studio nearly back-to-back and 3 of those babes were wee boys! I'm always excited when I get the call that a babe has made his/her arrival into this world because thats my cue to start planning their session! This session was especially dear to me because it was the baby of a close friend of mine who works in the industry. His work is awesome and you can check it out here: http://www.justinalexanderstudios.com/

This sweet baby boy was just 6lbs of pure perfection. He slept the whole session and let me dress him and pose him to my hearts content! In my business we call this kind of baby a "Unicorn Baby" because not all newborns come into the studio ready to sleep and be posed as easily as this one! WIN!

We had a terrific session. Mum and Dad got to sit, relax and watch some TV for a bit while Little T and I had some fun! I'm extremely pleased with his session and hope that one day he has the chance to book back on these memories of his earliest days with awe that he was so tiny way back when. :-)

So far, the winter is promising lots of babies in studio!! I'm excited as always, but if you happen to be expecting a new family member it's a good idea to reach out and book in your Maternity and/or NewLife session as soon as possible.