This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

So while I typically try to not share any of my political, religious or social beliefs, this is one of those things that I am PROUD to shout from the mountain tops that I don’t give a flying you-know-what about anything except love. There are a gazillion ways to create a family and show your love to those around you, and let’s all celebrate the fact that each and every one of them is the right way.

Congrats Amanda & Katrina, baby Gray is absolutely perfect and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to document this time for you and looking forward to seeing you all again soon XO

(PS, a little thank you to my good friend Naja for letting me borrow the bowl I used in this shoot. Big keeses to you my friend!)

And really, this is how I want to make all my clients feel at their sessions with me

oh, and here’s a purty picture from a shoot last fall I’ve been meaning to blog. So behind on my blogging and so much great stuff to share.. I’m also dyyyyyyying to start shooting outdoors again and start working with some of ShadowBox Dream’s furniture pieces at my sessions (Spring where are you?!). They have AMAZING stuff you can rent, and trust me, it’s all beautiful (see exhibit A below: this GORGEOUS couch is one of their available rental pieces).

So the other week when we went to Prasino (one of our favorite brunch spots off of Division in Wicker Park), we discovered a new favorite dish of ours and I thought I’d share..

ladies and gentlemen – the florentine crepes. A delicious and perfect medley of scrambled eggs, spinach, onions, tomatoes, feta and hollandaise sauce.

I’m not sure what other spices and flavors are incorporated, but there is something in it that totally perplexes us every time.. it is so SO good.

I’d also like to share a few tidbits on why we love Prasino and when we enjoy it most -

* The food is consistently good. every.time. And for every meal – breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It isn’t greasy or heavy, and in fact they use only hormone/antibiotic-free meats, sustainable seafood and organic produce for their meals.  They also have a great menu organized so you can easily  know what dishes are gluten free or vegan.

* The ambiance is so beautiful and a real treat on a winter day for those that suffer from the ‘winter blues’ like myself.  We often go here on a Monday through Thursday between 10am-1pm for brunch, and at that time of day not only is incredibly bright and beautiful (the natural light just pours through their floor to ceiling windows!), but also we never have to wait for a table.

* Aside from the florentine crepes, I highly recommend the chicken chilaquiles or the paris benedict if you’re in the mood for something a little different.

* Three words – TEQUILA BLOODY MARY.

* When you sit down and they bring you a bottle of water for your table, you can ask for the sparkling water instead (we also ask for lemon with this). Vasili and I are addicted to our soda stream at home so this is one of the highlights for myself (hey, it’s the little things!)

above: Vasili and I right before the show started.  And poor Vasili, I had just dragged him from the first to the second to the first floor again and then all the way up to the third floor just to find a stand that still had the concert posters for sale lol I love him for not ever giving me grief about this kind of thing (when I want something, I am pretty persistent). 

Anyway, I won’t torture you any longer.. I’ve included a little video below of the second song they played in their set after their intro and I think was one of the best magical parts of the whole show. At about 34 seconds my recording gets a little shaky as I leaned over to Vasili to say “Oh my gosh I think I’m gonna cry!!!” And at approximately 1:27 minutes into it is my favorite part

Anyway, I’ve included a bazillion of my favorites below of my time with these three so you can see for yourself.

And if you like what you see and want a really fun photographer who is willing to ride carnival rides and drink slushies until her brain freezes with your kiddos to come along on your trip.. and so you can be present in all of your memories and not just ‘the photographer,’ shoot me an email and I’d be delighted to capture your family’s most special moments for you

above: Lily and I on one of the carnival rides (which, by the way, sprayed cotton-candy and peppermint scented mist at you as you whizzed around the track).  She actually had just mentioned how she wished her dad was there to go on some rides with her since he (sorry Mike) “screams like a girl.” I didn’t want to disappoint her so I put on my best squeals hehe  

above: Tired Springers. Happy Springers!

above: Loving Springers. Jumping Springers! 

above: Such a brilliant idea. Debi gives her kids loads of those books where you have to find the objects in the picture (like a Where’s Waldo of bananas, hearts, fish, and all sorts of other random things). 

above: prayers for Grandpa Carl. 

above: the kiddos had a jammie day while Debi and I explored Paris. 

above: Helmut Newton exhibit.. in Paris? Heavenly. 

above: Lily, chef-extraordinaire, kept me fully stocked on sparkling water with the Soda Stream machine and even made home-cooked meals for us each night! 

above: After reading like 5 hours straight of Fifty Shades Darker, I realized it was the 11pm Eiffel Tower sparkle time. I stood on a chair and peeked out the sun roof and for three minutes there she sparkled in the distance. 

above: Love was just everywhere in Paris. Loved the young couples having hot and heavy make out sessions with cups of wine and baguettes as the sun set over the Seine River. 

above: And so this begins the start of my 4+ hour photo extravaganza with Debi and her kids all over Paris on my birthday.  Best birthday ever! 

above: Brain freeze!

 above: one last photo of me and Lily and Parker on my birthday after photos and at the carnival. Loooong long day (even “Boey” the boa constructor was pretty worn out). 

NOTE: These images were all taken with my old-school film cameras.  If you like what you see and have any interest in me incorporating this into your own Simply by Suzy experience, please don’t hesitate to let me know at info@simplybysuzy.com as I typically do all of my client work with digital mediums. 

Anyway, here are a few images I took yesterday of Lucky snuggling in our LoveSac and enjoying the warmth of this special light.  Now off to somehow cram into my day finishing up work and apartment hunting.. (the latter I completely loathe. So please. If you or anyone you know is looking to rent their 2 bedroom condo, I beg of you.. send me their way)

(for Will’s 6 and 3 month sessions, click HERE and HERE).

And actually, as I finish putting this blog post together I just looked back at his entire birth journey and year of life so far (well, only 3/4 of the way through that first year any way) and I am totally misty eyed.  I can’t believe how much he’s grown.. he was such a little love bug at his 3 month session with those big puppy eyes and adorable hairless head (all of which has remained unchanged) and now I can’t believe he’s already 9 months old.  I’ve spent so much time with this bunch that looking back on these is staring to feel like looking at my own life’s photographs and memories..

*sigh*

But enough of the gushy stuff.. now that William is 9 months old, we decided to change things up and enjoy his summer session with a real ‘Day in the Life Of’ type feel to it.. we hung out a whole morning, spending sunrise eating watermelon on the beach, grabbing breakfast together before going back home where we played with all of Will’s toys and of course took the dogs for a walk down the block like we always do.  By far my favorite moment this time around was the way that William crawled toward the water like the sand was on fire and splashed around in it.. I thought for a second he was even going to dive underwater and take a swim lol!

Just like always, it was pretty rad

Anyway enjoy some of my favorites below from our morning together.  And thanks a million to Will and his family for truly letting me into their hearts, I really appreciate your friendship and am both excited and sad to see you again soon for William’s last session of his first year of life XO

(oh and PS, to the couple that we all met on the beach, just in case you ever see this.. a big congrats to your new addition coming soon!! )

(PSS, this is my first Let the Kids Dress Themselves weekly post for their Summer Shot List!)