I had such a fun time over at Raising Edmonton’s instagram account, that I just had to write a blog about it! Also as a photographer, I’m a chronic over-shooter and I couldn’t decide on just 5 photos to share! And who doesn’t want to see more pictures of my adorable babies anyways… right!?
SO here is my full recap. Of course my first picture starts with snow because we live in Edmonton and it snows…all…the…time…
Luckily for me though, snow does make for beautiful pictures. Which leads me to say if you are in Edmonton and looking to do family photos, I highly encourage scheduling a winter session at least once! Yes spring, summer, and fall obviously make for gorgeous family photos, but winter is very underrated for family shots and the results are beautiful! Anyways I digress…
Bundling and going for walks in the snow is an easy and super fun activity with kids, and we always end a cold winter’s walk with some warm ‘hot’ chocolate in sippy cups..perfection!
But if you need a break from winter, which let’s face, it has overstayed it’s welcome. I highly recommend heading to the Muttart Conservatory. Especially right now! They have the most gorgeous spring tulip pyramid. And in honour of Canada’s 150th this year, they have red and white hybrid tulips! Amazing!
There are 4 very unique spaces to explore, and in the tropical pyramid you can close your eyes and pretend you’re in Hawaii…at least until you go outside and get smacked with the wind chill..
Another outdoor adventure, is the Zoo! A lot of people don’t think of the zoo in the winter but it is open all year round. I also love it because Autumn is just learning to walk and the zoo is a safe place for her to test out her new walking legs. Our favourite part of the zoo is the Arctic Shore exhibit, the sea lions are so fun to watch and the whole area around the sea lion tanks is fun and inviting for kids. This little sea lion was very interested in Autumn, it kind of looks like he wants to eat her, but she was entertained nonetheless… There are also lots of indoor activities and animals to check out. You can even stick your head up inside a snake tank! any little boys dream..
Ah the Telus World of Science, the perfect space for any budding scientist! This place is a dream for parents and kids, as it is fun AND educational. Win win am I right?! Also they really do cater to all ages. Since I have two under three (they’re free!) and also there is an incredible toddler space upstairs that has a full mock airport, equipped with a plane to pilot, a treehouse to climb, a piano to walk on, and Harrison’s favourite, the water lab. Now you’d think I’d learn that Harrison doesn’t hold back on anything, and was sopping wet after our excursion, so as I was drying his clothes under the hand dryer I made a mental note, ‘bring change of clothes next time’.
There is also a baby and toddler only galaxy zone that is perfect for my new little walker to explore. The bright colours also really help lift your mood on a dreary “spring” day here in Edmonton.
And to finish off our takeover, we headed to the Library. I really love our library. It is no surprise they won library of the year. There are so many awesome programs for all different age kids, right from birth! Harrison and Autumn have their own library cards, and Harrison gets very excited to operate the check out machine by himself. Our branch is Lois Hole and there is a fish tank, and a giant train, and lots of interactive boards that have so many tactile adventures for little ones.
It was my personal goal this year to branch out as a photographer and start to take my camera with me everywhere. I really love lifestyle photography, and documentary photography is a natural extension of that. Do I get weird looks when I bust out my large camera with it’s awkwardly large lens? Yes I do, but I’m learning to get over that as the results are a genuine snapshot of my kids lives. Unposed and real, and I love that.
After we head home from the library we usually snuggle up in their new reading nook and explore the books they picked out, some are better than others, but it’s always fun. This adorable little teepee was our first birthday present to Autumn, who turns 1 on April 4th (I can’t even believe it!) and we filled it with a sheepskin and lots of pillows, sometimes mama may close her eyes just for a minute…
Thanks for following along on our adventure with Raising Edmonton. If you want to connect with me for a documentary session of your own, I’d love to chat! Have a great weekend everyone
xoxo Emily
