5 Tips For Outdoor Newborn Photo Shoot

Hello, world!  About 4 weeks ago we welcomed the newest member of our family!  We had our newborn pictures scheduled for two weeks after that, and here are my tips for surviving an outdoor newborn photo shoot!

1. Be Flexible

Our peanut came a week late.  This put a bit of a damper on things, as the weather was getting colder, especially the week we ended up taking pictures.  I had originally planned warmer-weather outfits, or on changing mid-way, and then I realized that was kind of crazy with a newborn and 4-year-old in a public park...
So, we decided to stick with one outfit, and I'm SO thankful that we did!  Here's a bonus tip - if you do want a slightly different look, you can layer, and remove one layer for some photos - like I did with my sweater. :) 

2. Moderate Props

In the age of Pinterest and elaborate, 3-hour-long newborn shoots, it's easy to get caught up in all the props.  Those are a very specific type of photo shoot, and if it's what you want, you should absolutely go for it! However if you're doing a more simple look, or more overall family photos like we did, props can make the pictures too "busy", and take away from the beauty of your sweet baby's features.  Also, in our case, the more props, the more things we would've had to carry through the park.  The props we decided to use was a wooden children's rocking chair - mainly so we could get pictures of our son holding his sister, a basket - so we could get some pictures of her alone, an embroidery hoop with her name on it, and a couple blankets.

3. Try To Take It Easy
With a newborn (who needed a nursing break) and a rambunctious 4-year-old boy, I had to remind myself to take it easy, and go with the flow.  Now, I'm not gonna lie, I did get onto my son to smile nicely, and not be so goofy, but some of the cutest pictures are of him doing exactly that.  Being a 4-year-old.  And I realized when looking at them, that he's only gonna be this goofy adorable age once, and why not have photographic evidence of it? (Also, the superhero pose one is one of my favorites!  Such a boy thing!)

4. Getting "That" Shot
There were a few pictures I knew I wanted.  Aidan has been hands-down the sweetest and most caring big brother, so I knew I wanted a few of just the two of them.  The "Secret Garden"-y one is just gorgeous.  It's even more beautiful than I could've planned!
I also knew I wanted one of me with both of them, and I love the one we got!  I wanted a "Daddy's Girl" one (it's breathtaking), I wanted a 3-generations one with my mom, and I wanted a traditional one that we've been doing with Aidan every year, of him standing between us.  If there are specific things you want, make sure you communicate them with your photographer - their aim is to make you happy, and they will do whatever they can to make it happen!

5. If You Can, Get Some Help
We are very lucky to have had my mom come and help us when Jocelyn was born.  I understand that isn't always an option.  But if you can, it's really helpful to have an extra pair of adult hands to either hold the baby, so you can get those special one-on-one pictures with the older sibling, and someone to entertain the older kiddo (by climbing a tree, in our case) so you can get those precious newborn-with-parents pictures.

And there are my 5 tips for an outdoor newborn photo shoot! Here are a couple extra, quick bonus tips:

- Pick somewhere quiet - less distractions for little one.

- Pick a pretty blanket/swaddle to wrap baby in, since newborns can get "swallowed" by clothes (do make sure whatever they're wearing underneath goes with the pictures, because the blanket will shift).

- Bring a pacifier, let fussy baby suck on it, have the photographer tell you right before they're gonna take the picture, pop the paci out, and hide it in the blanket you brought! :)

- No matter the type of pictures, I suggest taking a blanket to sit on, because realistically no one wants to get their bottoms dirty.

Also, our AMAZING photographers were Andraž and Neža with Happy Moments Photography.  If you ever find yourself in Slovenia, and in need of photos, they are definitely who you want!
I found the adorable headband at Lilies London on Etsy, and the blanket at Molly and Averie, also on Etsy.

Let me know if you have any extra tips you'd share!  I'd love to hear from you!

Saturn Peach Galette

It must be the nesting bug (11 days and counting) combined with the longing for Fall - but I've been dying for tasty dessert that made me feel accomplished, and made my family feel loved!

We've recently gotten into quiches, so there's been more pie crust lying around, and I've also now located where the puff pastry is in the grocery store.  

Also, at the beginning of summer we were introduced to a new fruit - the Saturn/donut/flat peach, which if you ask me, is the reigning queen of all peaches.  It's lovely shades of pink and white, and has a crisp sweetness that is addictive.  

So, we bought some at the market on Friday.  Although everything from the market TASTES better, and is most likely better FOR you, it spoils so much quicker.  I had them in a bowl with some nearly-too-ripe figs, which didn't help.

I was searching for a tart, or a pie, and came across something called a galette.  I read a few recipes (I drew heaviest from here), and decided to give it a go.  It seemed pretty dummy-proof, and I had most of the ingredients, so that helped.  Apparently galettes are best with pitted fruits (peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, etc), I'm assuming because they are a little heartier fruit.  I also learned that pretty much EVERYONE'S looks great, because it's supposed to look rustic and home-made.  Score!!  Also, it had cinnamon in it, and it's rainy and cooler out, which to me screams cinnamon!!!

Here we go!

Ingredients:

1 puff pastry (that you've thawed, and had out of the fridge for 10 minutes-ish)

3 cups (approx.) Saturn peach, sliced thinly

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon (depending on how cinnamon-y you like it)

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg beaten

Coarse sugar

Whipped cream/mascarpone/vanilla ice cream - something yummy to top it with.

(Next time, I might add some nutmeg!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F, or 190 C.  (Adjust for convection oven if needed.)

2. Wash and slice your peaches into thin slices.

3. In a large bowl, combine them with the sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon juice.

4. Put parchment paper on a baking sheet, then roll out your puff pastry.  Because of its rectangular shape, I decided to cut the end off, and make two little tarts, too.

5. Pour the mixture into the middle of the pastry puff, leaving about 2 inches around the edges.

6. Fold up the edges.  It doesn't have to be perfect.  Just be careful not to tear it, because if you do, your yummy juices will leak out while baking.

7. Brush the egg wash on the crust, and sprinkle the coarse sugar on the crust.

8. Bake for about 35 minutes (adjust time for convection oven, if needed) - until golden brown, and fruit is bubbling.

9.  Allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes, then serve!

Tips:

- For some extra decadence, top with whipped cream.

- If making the little tarts, make sure you drizzle/add some of the sugar and cinnamon "juice".  We liked the galette better, simply because it was juicier.

- This tart is one of those things that is best served soon after making - a few hours later it was still scrumptious, but I don't know well it would do overnight.  I imagine the crust would get soggy.

It turned out totally delicious, and when I asked Dan if I should make it again, he said, "yes, every week!"  Sounds like a win to me!

Quick and Easy Fig Jam

Do you have a bunch of yummy figs laying around that are practically minutes away from going bad?  Do you want to feel like Joanna Gaines, without TOO much effort?  Do you not have a ton of ingredients?  Are you a jam novice?  Then this recipe is for you!

Yesterday, we went to the market, and found ourselves surrounded by the decadent and sensual fruit - figs.  We just had to buy some!  Unfortunately, with it being from the market, they didn't have a long shelf-life, and I was racking my brain trying to think of a way to make them last just a little longer.

Enter the idea of jam.

I've never made jam before, but it is one of my favorite things to indulge in, so I figured I'd give it a try.  I found a recipe for fig jam here, and tweaked it a little (basically halved it - to fit one Bon Maman sized jar approx., plus that's all the figs I had left after snacking on them for 24 hours.)  

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar 

1/4 cup water

230 gr/8 oz of figs

1/4 cup lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)

Directions:

1. Weigh and wash 230 gr. figs. 

2. Combine the sugar and water in a small/medium sauce pan on a medium heat until sugar is dissolved.

3. In the meantime, de-stem your figs, and cut them into small chunks.  Also, juice your lemon.  (I felt particularly resourceful, because we'd already used the lemon for zesting - booyah!)

4. Add figs and lemon juice to the simple syrup.  Bring to a boil.

5. Cover it partially, reduce heat, and allow it to simmer for one hour.

6. After an hour, if you don't like the level of chunkiness, use a potato masher to break it up some more.  Take it off the heat, and allow it to cool.  Then move it into a jar, and it should keep for 2 weeks!  Voila!

For Aidan's post-nap snack, I cut up some bread, added some local walnut cheese (yummm), and then the jam.

He loved it, Dan loved it, I loved it... we all loved it!

What I loved most, was that the beautiful figs didn't get wasted, and that I made something new!