This little sweetie with the adorable eyes is the nephew of my clients from San Diego who are visiting their sister, who is one of my original Rutgers clients, in New Jersey who is house sitting for Gina, who lives in Tokyo. When I was visiting Beth in Tokyo, she introduced me to her friend, Gina, from New Jersey, whose house, I learned many months later, is being house-sat by my little sweetie-with-the-adorable-eyes parents. Did you get that?

He’s so cute!

That’s Andy, his soon-to-be uncle.

Delicious window light.

I took these pictures when I was visiting with Lexi and Andy (see this post for their engagement session!) who are getting married in a few months. Can’t wait for the wedding!

We were just hanging out with the new baby for a little while.

Aren’t his socks cute?

Caption # 1 — How about something like, “Drop that camera and I’ll grow teeth really fast to bite you with.”

I worked with new-mom-Nora, Lexi’s sister, when I took pictures for Nora’s department at Rutgers University.

Caption #2 — How about, “That camera head has one big eyeball.”

Haha

I can’t wait to see him again at Lexi and Andy’s wedding.

Photo tip: Put a blanket on the floor next to a window…

…Because we like that sparkle of light in the baby’s eyes.

Congratulations, Nora and Joe! See this post for some cute pictures of Lexi and Andy and Nora and Joe.

He’s beautiful!

Andy is going to be a wonderful uncle.

Awwww.

Can’t wait to see those men in their tuxes!

The snowman’s pipe popping out of the picture like that gives it a three dimensional effect, as if you could put a pile of snow in his pipe. Not that you’d need to — it’s been snowing a LOT. Some of us are tired of it. Some of us are tired of shoveling, or having to get to work in the icy, slushy mess. But some of us are just a little bit happy for yet another day of sledding at Tommy’s Pond. Lots of Saturday sledding pictures below —>

If you were there Saturday, browse below. Maybe there’s a picture of you!

I’ve mentioned this before, but I love watching children playing with their parents.

I love seeing their beautiful smiles too. She looks so happy!

Love this — check out Caitlin taking pictures of David and their daughter sledding.

One reason I love to take pictures when parents are playing with their kids is because it’s hard for dad to see the big beautiful smile on his daughter’s face.

Tommy’s Pond is such a fun place in winter when the ground is covered with snow.

A little essay from me about snow — Love Never Melts and the Snowmen are Free

One night when I was a child, my family went to a pub with another family to have dinner, listen to music, talk, laugh and play darts. It was nearly Christmas and the bar was draped with colorful lights. I was 14 years old and despite the fun everyone was having, I didn’t want to be inside a dark pub. The forecast that night had called for “snow flurries” and all I wanted was the chance to see little flakes falling from the sky, an unusual South Carolina event to say the least, and, being in a dark pub with no windows, if a flurry were to fall, chances were, I’d miss it.

I kept popping out the back exit door where a flood light shining over the doorway and into the parking lot would light up any flurries, should any happen to be falling.

Over and over again I’d push the heavy bar on the door, peek outside in the light, and inevitably, my shoulders would droop and I’d duck back inside to sulk on a bar stool for a few minutes before I’d pop back out again, only to return a few seconds later, dejected.

I know it’s hard for people to understand this mania with seeing a flurry, especially those who live in areas where at least one good snow storm a year is common. Let me try to explain: It’s simple: HOLIDAY!

In South Carolina, snow meant instant holiday. A day off school, a break from routine, a new way of looking at the world.

I was not a happy teenager that night in the pub. All I wanted was to see the snow begin to fall. I did not want to play darts. I did not want to chat or laugh or listen to jukebox music. Why did no one else seem to care about the forecast of snow? Weren’t they excited at the possibility that we might get a night like in the movies when it always starts to snow at just the right moment? All I wanted was to look out the window at the dark sky, praying like a snowman, “Please freeze! Amen!”

My dad joined me once at the door, putting his arm around my shoulder, “Come inside,” he said. “Bet you’ll beat me at a game of darts.” With a heavy sigh and a heavy heart, I took one last look at the still night sky. Nothing.

And finally, it happened. At the end of the game with dad, I popped out the back door, and there in the light, the air was swarming with dancing flurries! My heart skipped a beat and I jumped inside to spread the news. “It’s snowing! Come see! (Thank you, Lord!) It’s snowing!”

Much to my surprise and delight, everyone else in the pub that night was just as excited as I was. Within seconds, the parking lot was filled with people staring up at the sky, arms raised to feel the full extent of every tiny flake. Even my dad, a seasoned man of many a northern snow storm, was thrilled. He enveloped me in a twirl, the two of us swirling and singing and laughing.

And then I moved to New Jersey. We’ve gotten around 30 inches of snow this winter so far. (So far!) And even though it’s getting kind of boring and snow doesn’t mean instant holiday any more, a part me always feels a flurry of excitement when I see the first flake fall. So I have taken a while out of my busy schedule during each storm to stop and play with the kids, hoping that they too will sense my love of nature in a tiny swirling flake.

It is my wish that every child should grow up with a snow memory of one kind or another: Sledding down an icy hill on mom’s back, building a tunnel through a snowman’s tummy with his best friend, or dancing in the light of a swirling snow with her dad.

I would post a picture of my dad and me, if it weren’t for the fact that I was the fourth child.

Happy Birthday, Frostia!

I love it when the kids come down that hill smiling and twirling for my camera.

Do you see it? The grass under the snow? Maybe you can’t see it, but you know it’s there. That’s called faith.

FAVE! Love the little helicopter propellors her ear flaps are making.

Can’t you hear the swishing of the snow?

Sometimes I know who the people are in these sledding pictures, and sometimes I don’t. Wish I could send these people an email so they’d know this really cute picture exists.

Frostia and her beautiful creators.

How can she see?

Well, that’s an interesting sort of family unportrait.

Haha! I just noticed that she has two different color gloves.

This was the Polar Flyer’s maiden voyage. I think David was worried he was going straight into the pond.

I love this picture. First of all, Grex’s friend is getting some great air off that mogul, and in the foreground: his dad and little brother are watching and taking pictures.

Knit hats have peep holes, you know.

FAVE!!!! What a great brother/sister shot!

What happened to the sled? Hmmm.

It’s a little bit hard to see, but he has a knack for flying high off that mogul!

Tommy’s Pond is always the place to be when the hill is covered with snow. I have loved the comments people have been leaving about their sledding days at Tommy’s Pond back in the 1950s and 60s. Truly, were things as colorful then?

Sweet! I just wish I’d closed up my aperture for this one so they both were in focus. Still, I love that wooden sled.

Can I just say this again? I really can’t believe how fast my sons have grown. Cherish the moments of childhood. In the grand scheme of things, it really doesn’t last very long at all.

Remember Frostia? She had a happy, albeit short life. Not long after I took the picture above, the boys had tunneled through her tummy. Fun, fun! Hey, at least they were outside playing and not, um, typing endless blog posts in front of some computer screen, right? If you’ve read this far, leave me a comment so I don’t feel so lonely inside this screen today while everybody in the house is working on homework.

I wonder how far it is to the grass underneath? Ahh, spring. We know you’re under there.

It warms my heart, call me a sap, but it really does, to see dads and moms playing too.

Look how happy she is.

Yay! We finally convinced Caitlin to give the sled a try!

Fun!

I wonder which type of sled is fastest, the Polar Flyer or a thin piece of styrofoam?

David was taking pictures of them from another angle, I think.

Love this one, Caitlin. (Nobody look at her bare ankles, please. She’d just come from the gym and still had on her workout socks and had not planned on flying down a snowy hill.)

I love this picture.

Classic air shot! Love this one!

Yet another daughter/daddy shot that I simply adore.

Ok, now THAT’S a cover shot for sure! Love love love this one!

If I had a picture like that of me and my son, I’d print it out really small and keep it in my wallet.

Love this one too — BOTH kids!

Beautiful!

I just love that little snowman.

No hill for sledding? Build your own, like these kids did! Pile up all the snow from the driveway, sidewalk or yard. Smooth it down and shape in a few curves like the bobsled track. Just make sure that where you land isn’t in the middle of the street.

On the back side, build steps, pack with water that will freeze to give the steps stability.

And be sure when you build a snowman that he gets a little companion snowpuppy. Do you see him?

For more Tommy’s Pond posts, click here.

What’s your snow memory?

The other day, just after the latest snowstorm started here, I snapped a few pictures of one of my favorite things — SNOWDROPS BLOSSOMING! — the telltale first sign that spring is just around the corner.

Below, more snowdrop pictures.

Snowdrops usually appear in mid-February. They’re coming up a little late this year, probably as a result of the 30-some-odd inches of snow we’ve had this winter. They are really tiny flower buds, and they’re a bit hard to see unless you’re looking for them. But how sweet they are, announcing spring they way they do!

My arborvitae are not happy about all the snow we’ve gotten. Not happy AT ALL.

Layers upon layers of snow here. Kinda getting tired of having wet feet all the time.

Having a hard time finding new ways to photograph snow too. Heading out to Tommy’s Pond in a little while. Smiling faces of children having fun on that hill always bring me out of my winter doldrums.

Once upon a November day, Julia had a baby brother, and a photo shoot with a photographer named Julie, and a mom who liked the idea of holiday cards that doubled as birth announcements.

Obviously, I was inspired by the poster design for the movie “Julie and Julia” for this card design. The baby’s big sister in my shoot was named Julia, and I thought it was an interesting idea to make their card a take-off on the movie poster design, telling the story of the new birth of Julia’s baby brother.

Check out the full blog post for the rest of the card design story.

By the way, I LOVE the inside of this card! It’s so unusual and unexpected to open that card and see the full inside spread showing that beautiful picture of the dad, Joe, holding his new baby and those adorable pictures of Julia playing in her cute little red dress and the little ones of Joseph in his mother’s arms. It’s such a special design showing such special pictures that I’m betting without a doubt that most people who received one of these cards still has it on display somewhere in their home.

Click here to see highlights from their family session.

See the falling snow on the back of the card? It was actually raining. Just a little movie magic for our card readers.

Design specs: 5×7 card printed on art linen paper. Full inside spread measures 10×7.

What I love most about this design: It’s just so cool that it’s a holiday card *and* and birth announcement. What a great addition to this family’s card collection.

My families LOVE to read comments on their card designs! Please tell us what you think!

Above, detail from the Shaver family Thanksgiving New Year’s card. (Photo by John Schuchman.)

Check out the blog post below for the inspiration and design of our card, the card that makes me feel a little bit melancholy.

It took a long time to get around to making our holiday card this year. I had fully intended to make cards in time for Thanksgiving — I had that great family picture that John had taken of us near the top of Lincoln Peak in Vermont in September. I loved that picture, and thought it would be a sweet surprise for my friends and family to get a “thankful for…” card in time for Thanksgiving. I made that plan standing on the mountain that day.

Man, don’t you hate it how life sometimes gets in the way of what might have been a really great plan?

October is a crazy month — Greg’s birthday, our anniversary, Mike’s birthday, Brad’s birthday, Halloween, plus all the regular busy-ness of the early part of the school year, and lots of fall shoots too. There was no way I was getting that card done in time for Thanksgiving. I gave up the “thankful for” card plan.

So, as time went by, and reality set in that I wouldn’t be getting the Thanksgiving card done, I decided that a New Year’s card would be just fine. I mean, what’s the harm? People are used to that from me.

And then one day after Christmas, Mike sent me the lyrics to a Joni Mitchell song, saying that he couldn’t believe how quickly his children have grown from little ones riding the carousel to big ones, one of them taller than even him.

And I, because I’m a girl, started to cry.

Here are the lyrics to the song he sent me, Circle Game, by Joni Mitchell

Yesterday, a child came out to wander,
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar,
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder
And tearful at the falling of a star

And the seasons they go round and round,
And the painted ponies go up and down,
We’re captive on the carousel of time,
We can’t return, we can only look behind
From where we came,
And go round and round and round
In the cirle game.

Then, the child moved ten times ’round the seasons,
Skated over ten clear frozen streams,
Words like, “When you’re older,” must appease him,
And promises of “someday” make his dreams.

And the seasons they go round and round,
And the painted ponies go up and down,
We’re captive on the carousel of time,
We can’t return, we can only look behind
From where we came,
And go round and round and round
In the cirle game.

Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now,
Cartwheels turn to car wheels through the town,
And they tell him, “Take your time. It won’t be long now.
‘Til you drag your feet to slow the circles down.”

And the seasons they go round and round,
And the painted ponies go up and down,
We’re captive on the carousel of time,
We can’t return, we can only look behind
From where we came,
And go round and round and round
In the cirle game.

So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty,
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true,
There’ll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty,
Before the last revolving year is through.

And the seasons they go round and round,
And the painted ponies go up and down,
We’re captive on the carousel of time,
We can’t return, we can only look behind
From where we came,
And go round and round and round
In the cirle game.
And go round and round and round in the circle game.

I was touched my Mike’s sentimentality. He’s not the type to cry at Hallmark commercials like I am. I thought it was really sweet that he sent me those lyrics. And all of a sudden I knew exactly what our card had to be.

Not sure if it’s obvious yet, but the saying on the front of the card, “The years keep spinning by,” was inspired by the song, “The Circle Game.” It reminds me of the nature of time, how it keeps spinning like a carousel. No matter what you do, you can’t really jump off.

The montage in the inside spread is a visual representation of “the circle game,” showing many aspects of our lives and some of my favorite memories from the past year, which, in all fairness, could be just about any year except for the fact that the kids are the size they are, hence, the words, “We should have tied bricks to their heads.”

Mike wasn’t sure everyone would understand what that phrase meant, but I purposefully didn’t finish the thought, hoping that people who got the card would linger for a moment, and notice how tall the boys are now, and more than that, that they’d reflect on their lives, and how families grow and change.

If you’ve been following City of Nouns since I first started writing my quotes and thoughts when Brad was 2, you would have heard me say more than once, “I should have tied a brick to his head.” When I was growing up in South Carolina, this was a common saying by parents and grandparents — if they could put something heavy on top of our heads, maybe we’d stay little a little bit longer — they’d say to me, while pinching my cute little cheeks, “tie a brick to her head,” — and it wasn’t long before I heard myself saying that to my own first born. Little good it did me. At 15, the kid’s 6-foot-3 now. And the “little one?” HA! He’s in 3rd grade and just a hair shorter than I am. (Update to the picture above: He’s grown almost 2 inches since December. Can you *believe* that?) UGH!

I was so happy that John took our picture at the top of that mountain in Vermont. We had such a good time that week on vacation with him and his family. I will always remember our time there, great times with friends, and some great pizza too.

Design specs: 5×7 card printed on art linen paper. Full inside spread measures 10×7. All the designs in the card are meant to appear as if they are imbedded into the paper. I did that technique in Photoshop by adding a texture to the images that mimics the actual texture of the card, resulting in the overall impression that the paper is actually richer than it really is. It reinforces an old-world feeling, or, as I hope my cards will always be to my descendants, an heirloom.

What I love most about this design: Everything. I will always love this card.

We LOVE to read your comments about our card! Here’s hoping your children don’t grow taller than you too awfully fast, and since they just might anyway, take a picture now and then, friend me on Facebook, and let me see too!

The public service video above was created by the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership in England.

As many of you know, my brother was killed in a car accident when he was 20. I was 18. The driver of the other car had been drinking and my brother was not wearing a seatbelt.

Losing Joe left a hole in my family picture. It’s one of the reasons my niche is family lifestyle photography. I strive to give people something I can never have — a picture of their family’s beautiful life, to be totally honest about it, while we still have the opportunity to capture it. Please be patient through the initial ad. The public service video after the ad is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

It’s not my usual practice to embed videos from some outside source, but this one was just too meaningful for me to pass it by.

The hill at Tommy’s Pond in Metuchen is providing sledding fun for lots of people. I’ve been posting pictures for several days, partly because pictures of people having a great time are fun to take and fun to see. Taking pictures also gives me something fun to do while my Grex is getting some much-needed winter exercise. I love that he loves sledding so much!

Were you there? Maybe you made the blog! Lots more sledding pictures below —>

Fave! I’m always drawn to parents having a great time playing with their children.

I love watching the Winter Olympics, but I have to admit, far more than that I love watching these kids being outside on a cold winter day, trudging up that hill over and over and over again.

Before Grex and I went to the hill, we picked up a friend who had helped his family build this adorable snow family in their front yard.

That’s the coolest family EVER!

It’s great to see my Grex outside having so much fun with friends.

Gold medal in the Piggyback event.

Gold in the moguls.

Love the smiles!

I also love the colors of warm winter gear, especially on the backdrop of a beautiful snowfall.

That’s some serious sledding gear.

Several of the kids asked me to capture them catching air. I do my best work when I know people are enjoying participating in the photography process!

Actually, as long as no trees are involved, wipe-outs are kind of fun too.

AIR!

The sound of that swishing snow is cool too.

I want that hat!

So cute!

At the top, ready for the downhill.

Since I started heading over to the pond, I had only taken one lens, my 135mm 2.0. On Sunday, I also took a wider lens, the 35mm, for some shots that would show the entire area of Tommy’s Pond. Please note that even though the pond appears frozen, temperatures here have risen above freezing almost every day since the snow fell. Please don’t even TRY walking out there! You will fall through the ice.

I just love her adorable striped scarf and matching hat. What do you think about the brother’s head being cropped out? Love it or hate it? I think it adds something interesting to this picture, though I’m not quite sure exactly what the story is yet. Maybe a “WAIT FOR MEEEEEEEE!” caption. What do you think?

Watching people on snowboards coming down our little hill has made me appreciate the fact that Olympic Snowboarders make snowboarding look easy.

As one poses for a snow portrait, another checks out the clouds and rests.

Grex is getting pretty good a steering!

I keep thinking I should make myself a slide show of all these fun winter images to cool me off in the summer months, just like the fun images of summer make me smile in the winter.

Thousand words not needed.

I know you can’t hear it, but he had a really great laugh that rang out every time he went down the hill.

There’s the wide angle lens again, from the perspective of a gumball from that sweetgum tree.

What a great opportunity to get brother/sister shots with those adorable natural smiles we love so much?

What do you think? Did he lose his hat or something?

I really should take business cards with me when I go out shooting Metuchen events. Didn’t catch this guy’s name or anything, but would sure love to email some of these cute images of him playing with his son. So if you know him, tell him to email me!

Aren’t they so sweet?

Love her colorful coat!

Conditions are perfect for sledding on the hill. I think this could possibly be one of the best places to go sledding in New Jersey.

This picture relaxes me.

Another wide angle shot. That’s Grex at the top of the hill.

I am now being the victim of shooting snowballs. How exactly did that happen? WATCH THE CAMERA! DUCK!

Sledding is such great exercise for those of us who have to make our way back up the hill. Then again, some of us catch a ride.

Another wide shot. FAVE!

Time to go home.

But first, pit stop at What’s the Scoop.

For more Tommy’s Pond posts, click here.

Sledding and playing in the snow at Tommy’s Pond in Metuchen doesn’t end when the sun sets. Above, Grex, right, and some neighborhood kids, are throwing snowballs at the ice.

More night snow pictures below, including a gorgeous picture of the Reformed Church of Metuchen —>

Love this shot! Other than the street lights by the pond, it was almost totally dark.

Of course, I didn’t have any lights with me either, but I really wanted to capture the reality of what it’s like playing in the snow at night.

The Reformed Church of Metuchen lights up this neighborhood at night. Beautiful!

The pond is frozen over, but not frozen enough to skate on.

Grex and I had been hanging out at the pond for a while sledding together when I finally went to get my camera. Wish I had a picture of Grex and me sledding.

On the side of the pond opposite the sledding hill, someone had built a lounge chair in the snow. Nice.

I was having a hard time shooting this without a tripod. Wide aperture, very slow shutter speed, high ISO.The exposure is better on this one, but I like Grex’s expression better on other one.

Easier to take advantage of the light generated from the street light when I moved to use its pole as my steadying post. Love this shot! Grex looks so relaxed after a day of sledding!

For more Tommy’s Pond posts, click here.

Sledding at Tommy’s Pond in Metuchen is fun for everyone!

Lots more sledding pictures below! —>

Wish the pond was frozen so we could walk around on it. Oh well. Maybe next year.

The hill is very slick. So fun this year!

I like to go to Tommy’s Pond later in the afternoon when the crowds have thinned and the sunlight is softer on the snow.

Love to see parents and children having active fun together!

Love all the colorful clothes of winter too.

That’s Grex. He was rolling down the hill. Love that picture!

The hat reminded me that the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics would be starting in a few hours.

I love seeing kids just having fun.

I still haven’t gotten up the courage to go down the hill on my feet.

That’s more my style.

Metuchen Public Works came by to make a stab at clearing the road by Tommy’s Pond. But it’s solid ice at this point from all the cars parked there all day.

That’s Grex rolling down the hill again.

Such a pretty place. (I cropped out the trash can to the left.)

Icy pond, but not icy enough for skating or walking on.

This mom was watching her kids and friends.

And they were watching her.

By the way, the flat part at the top of the hill is much more slippery than the hill itself. It’s so icy it’s hard to stand.

Love the furry hood! Beautiful!

Back when I had to drive to New York every day, I really hated snow. I don’t mind it so much now that I take the train to work.

Beautiful!

I don’t think it’s such an easy feat to pull someone UP the hill.

Someone built a nice little lounge chair.

A new portrait look at my sweet Grex!

For more Tommy’s Pond posts, click here.

Grex and I went out to Tommy’s Pond yesterday for some sledding. Or is it sleigh-riding?

Lots more sledding pictures below! —>

Tommy’s Pond is covered with ice. It’s too thin for skating, but just once I’d love to try that. (Not that I own ice skates, mind you.)

To whomever built the moguls: THANKS!

The underside of his sled (it’s not a sleigh, in case you’re wondering why I call this “sledding” and not “sleigh-riding) is red, making a bit of an ominous blood-colored reflection in the snow.

Lots of kids were having fun on the moguls. I LOVE that today is the first day of the 2010 Olympics! Bookmark The New York Times Olympics Tracker by clicking here!

Grex on the mogul.

Sometimes I feel like capturing days like this just because sledding at Tommy’s Pond has been around for so long. David Trumbull Marshall describes sledding at the pond in his book “Boyhood Home in Old Metuchen,” which he wrote about his childhood here in the 1870s.

Mango! I LOVE that puppy’s name!

Such a sweet doggie.

I wanted to get a picture of her sledding but I had to leave in a rush. Are you going back today? Please? Please?

The mom who brought hot chocolate gets the “mom of the day” award!

I love this picture. Something about the way they’re sitting on that little hill, sharing hot chocolate in the snow, having a girls-only conversation — it takes me back, you know? (Not that I had very many hot-chocolate-in-snow-conversations when I was growing up in South Carolina.)

These girls know me from school and VBS.

They know the drill. I don’t even have to say “cheek-to-cheek” any more! I love that!

The hill is great for sledding after the Blizzard of 2010. Deep snow, packed down, with a layer of ice on top.

So fun!

That baby was throughly enjoying being outside. Her carrier was propped up against that tree to prevent a sudden ride down the hill.

I love documenting Metuchen things. This is such a great little town.

I was trying to get a cool shot of my buddy, Alex. Kinda missed it because those other kids flew down the hill right before Alex did.

The snow is so icy! Careful you don’t careen yourself into the pond!

There’s Alex! He looks pretty skilled on that sled!

I think the snow will be around for a while.

Nice afternoon light yesterday.

Didn’t see too many collisions. Watch out!

I think that might be a collision too.

Just don’t crash into the crazy lady with the camera, please…

…she said, as she jumped out of the way.

The heavier the sled, the faster it goes?…

… Or no sled at all! What’s your vote?

The whole Tommy’s Pond area looks so pretty in the snow

Love the light of the setting sun in this one.

Whoosh!

I really have to go snow tubing one of these days. That looks like so much fun!

The kids always have so much fun when there’s more than one kid on a sled.

And when the moms and dads ride too — the kids LOVE that!

Just don’t run into that…

… TREE!

Love you, Grex!

My sweetie!

So what do you think? Is there even a debate here? Who calls sledding sleigh-riding? Is that a Pennsylvania thing? Hmm. Somebody take me snow tubing!

For more Tommy’s Pond posts, click here.