Oh heeeeyyyyyy!

Thank you so much to everyone who popped over here the other day and commented on the launch of my new website! It was definitely a labour of love – lots of late nights and a smidge of wine were involved. I am honestly so grateful to be able to do this work, even as a side hustle. Spending time with you and your family is both incredibly grounding and inspirational.

What better way to celebrate a website launch than with a fresh post on the bloggity blog? I am *this close* to admitting I am over summer and ready for fall, buuuut I don’t want to be the first one. So, on that note we will jump in the ole’ time machine back to June 1st and have a look at the beginning of summer.

Trips to the park, the petting zoo, the beach, our first camping trip and bless my heart: Archer’s first fish. A teensy little perch, the perfect first catch.

Can we talk about camping with young children for a minute? Because I was under the impression that a weekend away from home with no internet, no computer, no television and no real requirement to shower would mean lots of outdoor adventures, dirty kids and family memories. Now all of those things held true but they came with a side of a few near-death experiences and constant danger. Exaggerating? Maybe. But I have to share a hilarious story which may or may not make you judge me as a parent and question my abilities to keep humans alive. While setting up our camp for the weekend we had the boys in the play yard with some toys to keep them entertained and contained for a few minutes. After about 3 minutes they were over it, and the whining/yelling/crying commenced. When we were just about set up I let them free thinking there were only a few loose ends to tie up, only to realize we forgot to secure the awning on the trailer. So I am carefully climbing a chair to help Eric with the awning, all while keeping an eye on the children (read: Gryffin), when I look up for 10 seconds (literally this time!), look back and G is gone.

Me: “Where’s Gryff?”

Eric “He was just right here”

Me: “Archer, where is Gryffin”

Archer “He’s right there!” pointing to the fire pit

Gryffin was just chilling IN THE FIRE PIT. Playing with the ashes like it’s a freaking sand box. THANK GOODNESS there wasn’t someone on our site the night before so there were no coals, but OHMYGAWD that kid. Moral of the story: Never trust Gryffin if he is out of the cage. Did I say cage? I meant play yard.

Oh ya, and I was there too*.

*Cooking dinner with my boys is what appears to be happening here, but in reality it was Archer struggling with a butter knife to cut some asparagus for dinner while I tried to simultaneously man the camera and prevent a stabbing (because Gryffin) – all while Iron Man kept a watchful eye on the universe. Thanks Iron Man.

Geez, sounds a bit like crazy town over here doesn’t it? That’s because it is. And I love every little minute of it. Hope you’re having a great week and enjoying all of your own crazy!

xo, B.

Extended family sessions are so much fun for me. Coming from a big family, I know how much fun it is to hang out with your siblings and their families. My siblings are my built in friends, and I know the Bechard’s are no different. The dynamic between the siblings and the kids was so fun, and there was no shortage of love from grandma and grandpa. Better yet, we shot this family session at a family orchard with great-grandpas old tractor still on site.

Documenting your big (and little!) families as every one grows is so important, and when you can add in an extra special element like the family farm, it makes it even more meaningful.

Looking for Port Lambton Family Photography? Get in touch!

I had the pleasure of meeting up with this beautiful little family last Fall. Even though little Miss P took a few minutes to warm up to me, we had a lot of fun and I was happy to capture so many beautiful moments for this family. They are now adding another little baby to the mix, and I am so excited to get to see them again this coming Fall!

Congratulations Ryan, Kyrah & Paxtyn!

If you are looking for a Petrolia Family Photographer, please contact me today! I would love to document your family’s beautiful story!

I am sure you have all been absolutely beside yourselves wondering why I haven’t been blogging… As it turns out, having a full time job takes up a lot of time and energy! Who knew?! Although I have still been working on my business a lot, it just usually happens between 9-11 pm, soooooo I may have been choosing to sleep instead (or watch Scandal, but whatever). In all seriousness, I am working lots, but finding it hard to carve out time to share. I have been turning to Instagram more than ever lately because it is quick and easy (if you don’t already, go follow me! @brittanyvanruymbekephotos).

Buuuut I thought it was about time I shared my April favourites, and looking back on the month it was awesome. Our little G turned ONE. I can’t even start talking about that because I WILL. NOT. STOP. All the usual reactions: “Time is flying”, “Why God, why?!”, “Is this for fucking-real?”, you know, normal mom thoughts.

Photographically I don’t think April was a strong month for me. It was kind of dark and dreary despite it being Spring, and I don’t know about you but I was definitely over it. I shot less frames in April than any other month in the past 2 years. It was also my first month back to work, and the hours between dinner and bed time just seemed to disappear into housework, meltdowns and meal prep. I don’t know why I feel the need to justify myself, because I’m pretty sure that describes everyones life, but alas… I’ll stop talking now.

Happy First Birthday Gryffin. You have completed our family in the most perfect way. You are smart, hilarious, mischievous, exhausting and so full of joy. I can’t wait to see where this beautiful life takes you.

Happy Friday ya’ll!

B

March was so good to us. We took a little family vacation, the boys moved into their shared room, Gryffin took his first steps, we had countless living room battles, and their bond grew a little bit stronger every day. As I prepped for my first Life At Home Workshop, I was trying to find the words to describe why I document our family so much, and why this means so much to me, and I think the month of March is a great example of how special our little life is. It is full of routine, new experiences, milestones being met and our everyday shenanigans. As much as our family vacation was amazing and will definitely stand out in our memories, it is surrounded by days of pure normalcy. Nothing spectacular happened on those days, but they are equally as important to me as those 7 days in Florida. They hold so much more for me, and the images from those days will forever remind me of the beauty of our everyday life and how lucky I am to be living it.

March was full of beautiful things like: our Wednesday trips to the library…

Seeing our boys exhausted from a day at the pool…

Watching them take in all the wonder of new experiences…

Having unlimited time with both Mom and Dad for a whole week…

Finding ways to keep them both occupied in an airport and on the plane…

Returning home to our normal routine and a few new beginnings…

Watching big brother take care of his best bud…

Getting glimpse at what school in September will be like…

Taking first steps…

And every other little moment in between.

I hope you are seeing the beauty in your everyday too. Because amongst the chaos, the school drop off, the diaper changes, the dirty dishes and the commutes, there are so many moments worth remembering. If you are interested in hosting Life At Home: A Photography Workshop For Mom’s, please contact me at brittanyelizabethphoto@gmail.com to book your spot!

I am really excited to be sharing this blog post with you today. Today is Cystinosis Sunglasses Day, a day to raise awareness about the very rare genetic disease Cystinosis. After a long 2 years of doctor hopping, inconclusive tests and frustration, our dear friends Katelyn and Adam learned that her son, Alan, was born with this genetic condition and that their life would forever be changed.

Cystinosis is characterized by a build up of the amino acid cystine in the body, which can cause all sorts of health concerns, most notably kidney and vision problems. Many people with cystinosis wear sunglasses the majority of the time due to the increased sensitivity of their eyes. At this point, there is no cure for cystinosis.

In order to function and grow, Alan must take medication every 6 hours in order to keep the cystine levels in his body at a manageable level, adding up to a whopping 23 doses a day. That is every 6 hours for the rest of his life. No exceptions. On top of that, he must receive 6 sets of eye drops throughout the day to help clear the cystine. Due to the disease, as well as going 2 years without a diagnosis, Alan will grow at a much slower pace than others.

Although Alan has cystinosis, he is so much more than his diagnosis. He is one of the smartest kids I know, impressing me with his language skills every time I see him, and showing me on the map where all of his family members live. He is creative and imaginative, making breakfast out of dirt and rocks in his play set. He can dance like no other. And my God, he is strong.

Last summer, Katelyn asked me to document an hour or two of their day as she was writing a piece for a magazine and wanted to include images that reflected Alan and his big spirit. In honour of Cystinosis Sunglasses Day today, I am sharing a little glimpse at our morning together in the hope that this might raise a little more awareness about cystinosis and to shine a light on this amazing, strong family. Katelyn and Adam, you are both such amazing supportive parents to Alan, and he couldn’t be in better hands. And seeing how Alan has blessed my friend and made her this courageous and fierce mother makes me so happy.

If you want to learn a little more about Cystinosis visit the Cystinosis Research Foundation. If you are local to Ontario, and want to donate to or get involved with this cause, check out the Liv-A-Little Foundation and read Olivia’s story. Even if you are unable to donate, please help raise awareness today by snapping a selfie of yourself and/or your kids and post it to the Cystinosis Sunglasses Day Facebook Page and use the hashtag #cystinosissunglassesday on social media.