One of my favorite gifts was a mini photo session with my children. Courtesy of that same amazing husband.
I was especially grateful to have 2 cooperative kids for this. You guys don’t even know what it probably took for them to do this, given the fact that they have a photographer for a mom!
Well they were cooperative for “most” of it… But I’ll take it!
To have this many great shots of my kids with me in them, well it’s a gift I cherish more than anything Grizz could have bought me.
Best Mothers Day gift ever!
All photos taken by my husband, my Grizzly Bear.

]]> http://www.fourinthecity.com/?feed=rss2&p=7316 0 http://www.fourinthecity.com/?p=7302 http://www.fourinthecity.com/?p=7302#comments Tue, 07 May 2013 07:34:39 +0000 Adel http://www.fourinthecity.com/?p=7302 Continue reading →]]> It makes me immensely sad I’m updating my family blog so little these days. Not so much because I miss blogging all that much, but more because it means I don’t spend nearly enough time as I should just photographing the fleeting everyday moments of my children’s lives.
I think about it often. But I find myself struggling a lot lately, to balance a suddenly flourishing photography business, documenting my quickly growing children’s lives and then all the motherly obligations that increase as they grow. Trying to fit in a creative outlet for my own personal photography growth (and sanity) seems like a luxury now…
I’ve been telling myself that life will slow down soon. That this craziness can’t possibly last for another week or so. Let me just get through this birthday, or 4-job weekend, or backlog of editing, I say to myself. But yeah, I’m not so sure anymore that life will ever slow down. If anything, it seems to accelerate!

I would like to pick up my camera more often to just document the simplest things. Like my daughter, her markers and an easel.
And shoot for what makes me happy right then.

Light.

Love.

And my child and her art.
She turns 3 soon. It makes my heart clench thinking about it.

That quote about the days being long, but the years short? That’s my life right now.

I’m grateful I have reminders like these some days, to remind me to slow down.

I’d like to say this though, I  was very mindful to shoot through glass whenever I could. It pushed me creatively during client sessions this month as I looked for every opportunity to find a window or sliding door. I am grateful for this project in so many ways.

Here is my take on our theme this month.

Funny I did not end up shooting through a window for this even though I was doing it so much with clients! Please continue on through our circle to view how Amanda shot through glass…

Carefree, sunny ones at our city zoo. With my littlest. You know, where she is having the time of her life but just refuses to pose for a happy shot for her mama? Yeah those days.

You know the ones I mean.

But when I get the chance to spend those few hours with just her, it’s pretty darn cool.
And it’s even better when we randomly run into her preschool buddies. And end up making a whole playdate out of the day.
But then of course someone always trips and falls.
*sigh* After about 30 seconds of loud crying though, she jumped right back into our beautiful, sunny carefree day with her buddies!

Love her!

It’s one of the many reasons my blog suffers. I’m spending my days chaperoning and watching my child grow, learn and experience so much of what San Francisco has to offer with its rich culture and arts.

I thought I’d share a few shots from one of my favorite trips recently. The DeYoung Museum of San Francisco.

After this particular excursion, I have completely fallen in love with this gorgeous museum and its beautiful light and lines. I would love to do a session here one day. Maybe I’ll start with one of my kids…

]]> http://www.fourinthecity.com/?feed=rss2&p=7275 1 http://www.fourinthecity.com/?p=7264 http://www.fourinthecity.com/?p=7264#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 06:02:36 +0000 Adel http://www.fourinthecity.com/?p=7264 Continue reading →]]> As the kids get older I’ve had to up my game on our daily activities when they’re not in school. The Academy of Sciences never fails to keep them entertained and impressed. Thank God.
And sometimes more than a little mesmerized…
Well this little excursion to one of San Francisco’s favorite kids’ spots was such a hit, we renewed our membership for another year!
I’m guessing this will quickly become our backup summer activity!

Maybe one day when Jack-Jack is 18… In the meantime I’ll just have to deal with the fact that I’m just going to be behind some times when it comes to this blog.

Since our 9 year anniversary fell right in the middle of the spring break week for us, we decided to just take a nice relaxing day wandering around the area of San Francisco where we tied the knot – North Beach.

We were married at the SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church on Washington Square.

It was fun to lunch and take a leisurely walk around one of the most popular tourist traps in the city.
Yeah it was the week I had my little lensbaby so most all these shots are with that lens

We introduced our littlest to the place where the magic began. But yeah she’s two. And was none too impressed.
Still, it was a fun afternoon out for our family in a part of the city that we don’t frequent often but has a special place in our hearts.

To continue through our circle check out Amanda‘s take on our theme.

9 years later.
That fairytale ending? Thank goodness there was no such thing. Because the life we have built in these last 9 years, is so much stronger and beautiful than anything that could be written in a storybook.
Happy 9 Years to the man of my dreams.

I chose us then.

I choose us now.

And I promise to choose us even when we’re old and grey.

The kids and I dug up our wedding video from the archives and watched it together this morning.

Yes I cried.

Watch it here.

(all photos by John Riedy Photography. Edited in 2013 by me!)