Photo Obsessed – Rockland NY Mom

RNYM’s 10 Must Visit Farms 2022

Posted on April 20, 2022 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Out and about..., Photo Obsessed, RNYM's Picks, Things to Do!, Uncategorized .

We LOVE to be outdoors, and lately I’ve seen some amazing opportunities to get outside with the kids and enjoy what nature has to offer. As a family we love all things nature, flowers, fruits, animals and more. (E) and I love to pick flowers, and (A) has a new found love of photography- especially of nature which makes these little adventures just so perfect.

So, here’s our list of unique farms we recommend visiting this Spring-Fall- We’ll post what we think after we’ve been so you can keep track of the fun!!

Tried one out? Tag us or use our hashtag #RNYMFarmList

Wildflowers at Brittany Hollow Farm

http://brittanyhollowfarm.blogspot.com

Our Plan: (E) is still OBSESSED with flower picking. We went down to Jill’s Ceramics and she made her very own vase (complete with family portrait) on it to keep in her room with her picked flowers. This will be used every time we can (when the flowers fit because of course, even though I encouraged her to make a larger vase, she chose a small one so she can’t fit a ton in there).

Tulips at Holland Ridge Farm

**Currently open through May 1st, get your tickets ASAP if you are looking to go- they are saying they are open until 5/1 its usually a little longer but don’t bank on it. You may have just seen our post about our most recent trip.**

https://www.hollandridgefarms.com

We’ve been coming to Holland Ridge for 3 years now. We have experienced super hot sunny days (our first year), Rainy days (last year), and this year, cold and windy. IT STILL ROCKS! We picked our flowers, took some great photos, got some wooden tulip key chains to turn into Christmas Ornaments, and even tried out the bakery (the stuffed cookie was fabulous, but I would skip the coffee if I had it to do over).

Locust Grove Fruit Farm
199 North Road
Milton NY 12547

U-Pick Saturday – Sunday
Hours 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

A fabulous lesser known “pick your own” fruit and veggie farm. Well worth it especially if like us you are working the “farm to table” angle as long as you can over the summer. Need more convincing? There’s a barn brewery (you’re welcome) where you can get some home brewed cider.

Blueberry Picking at Halfway Acres Farm

**You can thank us later**

https://halfwayacres.com

We will pick, then research some great recipes to add to our RNYM’s Favorite Recipes Page. It’s a great way to get them involved in eating healthy, learning how to cook and also, learning about where their food comes from. Veteran tip- pick more than you think you need, they go down like candy.

Sunflower Picking at SunFlower Valley Farm

**This is one of our FAVORITE HAUNTS!!!**

https://www.sunflowervalleyfarm.com/

366 County Route 12, New Hampton, NY 10958

My father’s favorite flower was the sunflower so its no surprise that I like to go sunflower picking and keep fresh cut sunflowers on the table throughout their peak season. What’s super nice about this farm is that aside from their festival its fairly low key. They have a corn maze, and usually some animals to pet too. The dogs were welcome too (on leash) which was FABULOUS! Great photo opportunity too you know I can’t leave that part out)!!!

April Hours:
Tuesday-Saturday 9am-5pm
Closed Sunday & Monday

If you’re looking for a good old farm stand with baked goods, local veggies and more Stokes is the place. This is where we go to grab the annual and perennial flowers that adorn our yard every year. It’s perfect for projects with the kids where they can pick out their own to plant, and Ronnie (both generations) is very helpful.

Looking for a beautiful bouquet of flowers that you don’t have to arrange? Need center pieces for an event? Have their on site floral designer (Jen) create something special for you. We had her do (E)’s Communion Flowers and they were AMAZING..

She is also their on site photographer with Neverland Photography by Jen Tesker.

Lavender Field

***This field hasn’t been open for two years, but we are hopeful that it will be again this year, we are DYING to go t

**We’ have been trying to make it here for 2 years unsuccessfully we would like to take photos and pick some, maybe make sachets or soap or bath bombs out of the lavender we collect.***

https://www.orchardviewlavenderfarm.com/about-orchard-view-lavender-farm

Information: We love visitors!! We are open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. We also host groups of 10 or more by appointment. To make an appointment contact Monica at 201-341-8147 or email her at monica@orchardviewlavenderfarm.com.

Our farm has become a favorite destination where guests can “Cut Your Own” lavender during bloom season and shop in our Lavender Farm Stand. Our English Lavenders typically bloom middle to end of June and our French usually bloom in July. Of course, we are at the mercy of Mother Nature. She determines the bloom times as well as the duration of the bloom.

We offer a variety of natural handmade artisan lavender products including bath & body, household, culinary, teas and tea accessories. And, of course, you’ll also find lavender, both fresh and dried (when in season and while supplies last), lavender sachets in an array of styles and also the finest quality lavender essential oil. We’ve partnered with talented Artisans and Makers to bring you unique handmade gifts, aromatherapy jewelry, décor and so much more. You’ll also find pure honey harvested from the hives on our farm.

We welcome you to Banbury Cross Farm. Established in 1963, our farm has been passed down from one generation to the next. Our goal is to provide grass-fed, antibiotic free, no added hormone, all-natural beef & lamb, pork, chicken, ducks and turkey. Our livestock is of the highest quality.

We believe in the humane treatment of all animals. We do our best to raise and nurture them in a clean, open, natural environment. Banbury Cross Farm provides the finest holistic care for every animal living on our farms. Our pastures are all-natural grasses, forbs, and browse. Clean, fresh groundwater is provided in all of the pastures year-round.

This I like because its a bit different, its a working animal farm, that does sell meat etc, but also by appointment you can go learn about the animals, and even feed them. Sounds like a win win to me.

Banbury Cross Farm store is open: Monday, Friday, Saturday 9-11, Wednesday 1-4.

Careful with this one, there are different gardens for different purposes. Although the display gardens sound intriguing- we are more interested in picking our own and snapping a few family pics on an adventure. Therefore we want the “cut flower fields” if you just want to experience the beauty maybe have a picnic you want the display gardens- so check out the info for that.

Here is the info:

Plan Your Visit

Where: To avoid confusion, please note that this is our satellite location.
Our primary location is our Display Gardens in Bernardsville, NJ, click here for details.

Our Cut Flower Fields are located at the English Farm
3625 Valley Road, Liberty Corner (Basking Ridge), NJ 07938

When: NOW CLOSED. The dates depend on the timing of the peak herbaceous bloom. Typically, this is from around Memorial Day through the first week in June. Stay tuned for updates on our 2022 season.
Fields open at 10am. Last admission at 3pm, everyone must be out of the fields by 4pm.

How Much: Admission is $10 per person, including children of all ages.
Cut Flowers are $4 per stem.
There’s no need to buy a ticket online or make a reservation at this time, tickets are available at the door.

What to Bring: Bring your own clippers, a bag or bucket to put your flowers in, and water for you and your flowers. We also recommend wearing walking shoes and a hat.

Photography: You are welcome to take a few photos while you are here but we ask that you not come exclusively for photography. No professional photography allowed.

Parking: Drive past the barn and park by the black Peony’s Envy Tent.

Guidelines:

No pets, this includes the parking area
No smoking, this includes the parking area
No picnics
No professional photography
COVID – We will continue to follow the CDC and Sate of New Jersey Guidelines.

Stuart’s Fruit Farm is a family-operated farm since 1828 located in Westchester County, New York. We happen to be friends with the family. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t a top notch farm, and as you know, we believe in supporting small, family owned businesses. It is about an hour away from New York City. The farm began as cattle farm and evolved to an agricultural farm.

Depending on your seasonal needs; visit us in the spring to buy a varied selection of flowers and vegetable plants, the autumn for apple picking, peach picking and visiting the pumpkin patch, and in the winter for Christmas trees.

Visiting Stuart’s Fruit Farm in the autumn is an exceptional time of the year. Aside from the perfect apple picking with an array of apples take a hayride around the orchard and visit the farm stand to buy fresh produce and the bakery for delicious apple cider donuts and homemade pies baked daily. Finally, before heading home have a picnic with your family to enjoy the beautiful fall foliage.

At Stuart’s farm we have free parking and we do not charge an orchard fee. Here is the pick your own schedule: https://www.stuartsfarm.com/pyo.html

***Please remember it is cash or check only. For apple picking you can only use Stuart’s farm bags. No outside bags permitted***

Rock n’ Roll! A Destination Recital!

Posted on October 7, 2021 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Classes, Out and about..., Photo Obsessed, Reviews, RNYM's Picks, Things to Do!, Travel .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

When we signed up AJ for drum lessons 4 years ago, we thought of the benefits to him. He doesn’t love soccer like I did, and I was so glad that he found something that he enjoyed. We are a music loving family so it wasn’t out of the ordinary to us at all. We knew that being involved in lessons helps with reading and writing, as well as with mathematics. We hoped that at some point it would help with the concepts of teamwork, and would teach him how to lead (as the drummer often drives the song). Here’s what we were unprepared for.

We found a school that has been able to reach him in extraordinary ways. He has developed a real love of music, and an appreciation for all types. His school has been able to accommodate him throughout a pandemic, meeting with him virtually so that we can remain socially distanced and keep our E, who has some health issues, safe. He has performed a minimum of 2 times a year since he began, learning about musicianship, and playing in different types of venues. He began performing along with music, graduated to playing on his own and now he has kicked it up a notch.

This past August we had the pleasure of watching our son play on one of the most prestigious stages there are. He was invited to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To do this he not only had to learn a new song, but had to learn how to play with a slew of other musicians who he did not have the opportunity to practice with on a regular basis. He had one practice time, one dress rehearsal and the performance. So much of this is a real life musical experience that we were floored.

For us this was a dream experience realized. A dream we didn’t even know we had. This kid took each bump in the road (including the rescheduling of the event due to COVID twice) in stride. Learned 2 songs (one that he abandoned after playing it so long that he was over it), traveled with us all the way to Cleveland by car then performed brilliantly.

The music school arranged for us a lodging block, as well as the performance and tickets to the hall. In order for us as parents to be present and not be distracted trying to document the momentous occasion, the school arranged for professional video and photography.

We planned a whole trip around it. When honestly will we ever have the opportunity to come back? So we wanted to make sure that we hit all the “must do’s” while there. We had the BEST TIME (stay tuned for a post with all our favorite things to do in Cleveland in cause you never thought to go and it may end up on your hit list.

This experience was well worth its weight in gold. We had the best time, the kids (and adults!) were so professional, and they gained experience they never would have without. We were in awe at the artifacts in the building, and you could feel the weight of the experience everywhere. Nerves were replaced with composure and all kids performed beautifully. (A) enjoyed the experience of playing with all live musicians so much he is now super interested in the Rock Band Class offered by the school.

Our minds are reeling. I don’t know how they are going to top it but of course our minds are reeling… Nashville? Where else keeps popping into our minds. We are so thankful for such a creative and fabulous school where (A) has been flourishing for 4 years already!!! Stay tuned!

Looking for a unique and professional music school where you or your child can flourish? Take advantage of the Halloween Promotion they are currently having!!! FREE REGISTRATION and FREE FIRST LESSON when you register and mention RNYM.com!!!!

“A Christmas Story House”

Posted on August 29, 2021 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Events, Out and about..., Photo Obsessed, Reviews, Things to Do!, Travel, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own. This article contains affiliate links, if you click them and purchase the items we earn a small commission.

As (A) was selected to attend the trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his music school, New City School of Music, we knew right away that we would want to make a family trip out of it (when will we ever have the chance to come back). I reached out to friends and also my favorite reference, Pinterest, in order to find cool things we had to see, and do. I will OF COURSE be blogging about all of it. The first one is the house from the movie “A Christmas Story“.

WARDROBE

I am a HUGE dork as you know, and my kids are getting older FAST. I had the opportunity to put together some “themed” clothing items and took advantage of it. I am fully aware that soon enough they won’t allow me to do so, so I did it now (stay tuned for the outfits for our other stops).

The kids got customized gear because I have a circuit so WHY NOT?!

For (A) I of course had to play on “you’ll shoot your eye out”.

Front

https://amzn.to/3krgUbF

For (E) the pink nightmare was PERFECTION. We did a play on the classic bunny suit scene, and since my little horror loving gal likes creepy things we thought this was befitting.

https://amzn.to/3z2d7Wl

RNYD and I went more classic. He got a plaid button down shirt to play on the time frame of the movie, as well as to kind of be less dorky (he puts up with me only half willingly). I used his shirt to tie the ensemble together (special thanks to my girls including RNYM Account Manager Sofija to helping me there).

https://amzn.to/3z2MSPK

For myself we decided to go classic, with a 50’s themed dress <3

https://amzn.to/3wIXJwk

EXPERIENCE

We purchased our tickets before heading out to Cleveland so that I could put them out that day for the kids. They are super affordable. I also keep the clothing a secret having packed them in their bags without their knowledge. I love that they can wear them again this holiday season too :o)

There is a small amount of off street parking next to the house.

When we got there we went straight to the house to check it out. You have to have tickets to do this, if you didn’t purchase in advance, you have to go to the store to get them before you can enter. The staff allows you a certain amount of time to walk around and “experience’ the house, check things out and recreate specific scenes that you recall.

You can touch all the things <3

At your scheduled time they call you all together and you learn about the movie and the house, then you get a tour of the outside, the firehouse, museum, and garages.

Seeing all the memorabilia was really cool, but I especially loved the fan art that they display.

You finally finish up in the souvenir shop. THERE ARE SO MANY FUN THINGS this takes time, and restraint :o) We could have purchased everything, but we chose a few special items for the kids (nope no leg lamp, no bb gun). The kids each brought money they were able to use for something special and RNYD and I supplemented a bit, of course, we purchased an ornament for the tree to commemorate the experience (which we always do).

COOL SIDE NOTES

This is a great place to maybe take those “Christmas Card” photos- the staff is super kind and everyone there was so nice, and willing to help you if you wanted a family pic.

They do special events for Christmas in July- check them out if you are considering a visit.

You can RENT the house like a hotel, or the Bumpus’ house next door. We really enjoyed Cleveland and its not 100% off the table as a future possibility.

BASICally the Perfect INVITE!

Posted on April 25, 2021 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Birthdays, Events, Items, Party, Photo Obsessed, Reviews, RNYM Events, Rockland Babies, Services, Specialty Items, We're Having a Party .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, all opinions expressed are my own.

I am a High School Teacher. More specifically, a teacher of Senior students. It stands to reason then that at this time of year (every year) I am very focused on Senior events. All which culminate in the big event, graduation.

Last year the kids didn’t get much leeway in terms of celebrating. This year, we are able to again have some gatherings, especially when outdoors, and distanced in some way. Having just spent a year (give or take a few months) with so many restrictions, it’s no wonder that people may be doing things up a bit more than usual.

Well, it’s almost MAY and time to get planning. I know that lots of people have made the switch to online invitation platforms, but I still LOVE a paper invitation. In fact, if you follow me you know that I am VERY picky about my invitations. I like them to usually be photograph invitations for that personal touch (also makes a nice memory), something you can really personalize (180 colors- and you can customize EACH element on the card). In addition, I like the invite itself to be of sturdy card stock. There is something about receiving a card or invitation in the mail, that is made of nice thick card stock.

So, as always I will share a favorite with you, and then explain why. You need to check out Basic Invite. Their invitations, announcements, photo graduation announcements etc are completely customizable. While looking around I found that they had some really cute nurse graduation announcement choices as well (quite a few of my students go into nursing)! They are printed on sturdy card stock, attractive and fast, but there’s more. There are 40 different color choices for envelopes (which are also peel and stick, thank goodness)- so your envelope can coordinate with your card!!

There are also these SUPER cool clear (we called them see-through) ones you can order!!!

Basic Invite has great customer service, and even a service where they ADDRESS the cards for you! Don’t have time to upload them? There’s also an address capturing service!!! As a super busy working mom, this is HUGE! This allows you to share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media to request your friends and family’s addresses. The addresses are stored in your account and can be selected during the design process. Basic Invite offers recipient address printing at no cost on all card orders!!

Then ANY TIME you are sending cards (think parties, announcements, holidays) you can click on the people you want to send the correspondence to and BAM, Done. For me personally, this is AMAZING, it’s hard enough to find time to design all of these things let alone sit and write them all out.

My 5th grader is also “graduating” this year. So it’s even more on my mind. We may do a small family event to celebrate for him (think immediate family BBQ), since he is missing so much. Well, it stands to reason that I would need to look at invitations or a grad announcement. I was able to find a few that I liked, customize them just the way that I wanted, and then order SAMPLES to see which I would like the best, yep that’s right custom samples! Changing colors and fonts as well as the style or card was super easy, you do not have to be super computer savvy to do it. I even let AJ customize one (can you guess which one?). Uploading the photos was also easy as pie. I was given an ETA of one week and they arrived as promised. You may have watched me unveil them on our social media stories. Excuse the cell phone photo, I couldn’t help myself… The quality is impeccable, in fact, we have decided to make my new nephews birth announcements with Basic Invite as well. ANNNNNND, we may have fallen in love with this Birthday Invite…

Let’s get social! If you want to see more Basic Invite check them out on their social media handles: Facebook –Pinterest –Instagram –Twitter!

I (of course) have a discount code for you too!! Right now Basic Invite is offering 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51

Socially Safe Santa

Posted on October 27, 2020 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Christmas 2020, Photo Obsessed, RNYM's Picks, Things to Do!, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

You probably already saw, but our directory member photographers all just put out their Holiday Mini Sessions (See our directory for info). What’s really new is that in addition to our usual photos, people mostly still flock to the mall or our annual Breakfast with Santa (still so sad its not happening- holding onto hope for Easter).

MACY’S has announced that for the first time in 160 years they will not have a Santa available for photos. I am hearing that mall version may be very different (and really how socially safe can standing in line be there?)

Well, Jennifer Tesker Photography has a solution for you. She is doing a ONE WEEKEND ONLY “Socially Safe Santa” mini session. I know that for me, this is a breath of fresh air as I cannot take my kids to the mall, and I am going to get a professional, edited photo (which as you know I LOVE). BOOK NOW!

Here’s the deets:

At Stokes Farm Greenhouse (climate controlled for warmth, large enough to be socially distant and safe)
10 minute session (which is more than we get at the mall, LOL)
Includes 3 digital images (you can purchase more)
Includes up to 3 kids (more can be added for a fee)
NO contact with Santa
Separate entrance and exit
Disinfecting in between clients
Facemasks required before and after photos
Wait in car or outside in a warming area
Hand Sanitizer on Premises

Sessions are super limited, so be sure to book ASAP. I know I already have <3 Here’s the link: https://www.jenniferteskerphotography.com/make-memories-with-santa

CAMP Johnston- Brittany Hollow Farm

Posted on August 21, 2020 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Camp Johnston, Crafts, Day Trips, Out and about..., Photo Obsessed .

Disclosure: This is an unsponsored post, but contains affiliate links. If you click our links and purchase the item, we earn a small commission. We have used and highly recommend everything we provide links for. All opinions expressed are our own.

Last year we did a #RNYMBucketList of outdoor activities we wanted to do. One of the ones we ADORED was Brittany Hollow Farm. We went with friends. Its a pick your own flower farm with tons of amazing different flowers to see and experience. You pay by the bucket for what you pick, and if you bring your good camera you can also snag some priceless memories. If you are allergic to bees just be sure as with all activities outdoors that you have your meds with you as there are tons of awesome flowers which of course attract our pollinating buddies (we got stung last year but its no big deal because we aren’t allergic).

Its not HUGE, but we also haven’t seen much traffic there.
This year we also packed a lunch and blanket to enjoy while there.
Its out in the sun, so don’t forget your sunscreen, and go earlier or later in the day to avoid the direct mid day heat.

Extensions:

To commemorate our adventure we decided to try some….Pressed flower art! We are creating something for our adventure wall in the playroom as well as an ornament for our Christmas tree which we do so that our tree is full of our memories.

We purchased an old school press (details and links below- click purple to go to the item). I prefer rustic so we are going that route, but for a more finished product you can go with the glass frames or finished wood. The wood can of course all be stained or painted first depending on the look you are going for.

LOVE the press that we got, you can microwave the pages to get them to remove the liquid from flowers another time, and its compact and easy to use. The flowers were pressed PERFECTLY!!! It said to only leave it tied up for like 2 days, we did more like a week.

The kids were able to lightly pull the flowers off of the paper, if it sticks, its not quite ready yet.

WE researched how they are usually placed, and did a dry run.

We then modge podged the wood, replacing each flower (bottom to top) and glued on top of them as well. Be careful once those petals get a little wet they can move and rip so go lightly.

Once dried, we came up with a word that we wanted to use for our “Adventure Wall” in the playroom, stenciled and put it up!!!

Physical Extension- Learning Opportunity

I saved a planter for my kids outside my bedroom window. I had this in mind as soon as we knew they wouldn’t have their camp. We started by weeding the whole thing.

Then making observations about where it is. We discussed the different kind of plants available and what we would need. Off to Red HIll Nursery we went (its closest to us, but we always recommend the local guys where you live instead of big box). The kids knew we needed “Full Sun” varieties, and decided on a mix of perennial and annual. They wanted a mix of heights (we talked a little landscape design) and colors, plus some stuff that would attract butterflies and pollinators.

The kids planted all their purchases, added black mulch, and some AMAZING SOLAR dog paw print lights.

It’s their job to water and keep the flowers alive this summer as well.

Pretty Princess Photos

Posted on March 2, 2020 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Photo Obsessed, Photography, Reviews, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as we were invited to take photos with IC You Photography.

Anyone who knows (E) knows that she loves dress up, that she loves lace, and accessories, especially a tiara, oh AND shoes. She is a horror loving girl, with a strong fashion sense (you should see her closet vs mine). What they may not know, is that she also loves Lacrosse. She plays soccer (yay, sort of) and swims well, but she loves Lacrosse. Only people who know us are aware of that. It’s no surprise then that when Isabella wanted to capture the two sides of several clients, to showcase some girl power she thought of (E).

The photos she envisioned were girls dressed up all fancy, with their favorite sports equipment. Isabella’s goal was to break down barriers and show the different sides of today’s youth.

As a female athlete I can say that I have dealt with my fair share of assumptions and discrimination over the years. It was not uncommon when I was in college for people to assume that because I was a female athlete that we must be gay or not be girly and have no fashion sense (well some of that is true… but luckily my daughter helps me with the fashion). Listen, I don’t care who you prefer nor have I ever, but assumptions hurt, no matter what they are.

Fast forward to NOW, to this new breed of girl. I am loving it. Our girls are not encouraged anymore to be tough or girly. It is accepted and praised to be one, both or none. In fact, more of my female students than ever participate in one sort of sport or another, and they are excelling at it. That’s what this shoot was about. Showing who you are.

(E) chose a REALLY girly lace pink dress and her favorite tiara for the shoot, and then brought her mouth guard, cleats, goggles and stick, along with her game face. The photos are simple, on a black backdrop so as not to detract from the subject. They are stunning. I love what they show about (E), and that it might just encourage other girls to be whoever they are as well..

Graduation Photo Shoot with IC You Photography

Posted on May 28, 2019 by Catherine Sheridan Posted in Photo Obsessed, Photography, Reviews, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as IC You Photography is a directory member. All opinions expressed are my own.

-by Cat the Intern

The time has finally come, and I could not be more excited! Since this is my college graduation year, I thought it would be really fun to do a photo shoot. I reached out to IC You Photography to help me out. Here is my experience!

I usually am not one to do photo shoots I have only done one other one last year. But I thought to myself that this year is a big deal, and I want to make the most out of it. I had been talking with Isabella a few weeks before the photoshoot coming up with ideas to make this the best. We talked back and forth about different ideas, and what we would need to make this happen. I ended up bringing my friend to the shoot for moral support and to take some behind the scenes pictures.

I honestly have to say I never had so much fun before at a photo shoot. This was a shoot like no other, but enjoyed every minute! It took over 2 hours and turns out we got over 100 pictures which is so crazy but I’m happy (poor Isabella has to go through and edit those, I don’t envy her). During the shoot we would talk about ideas of what to do how to pose. But not only that we had conversations, and laughed. Isabella is an amazing human and so glad I had the opportunity to work with her. A lot of the shots we came up with on the spot but that’s what made the shoot so fun, and turned out some great pictures.

This photo shoot was really important to me because it it shows me that I did it! My college experience was not the most ideal, but I made it through. School isn’t my favorite thing to do. It took a lot of grit and hard work to get to where I am. These photos are a lot more than just graduation photos, they are memories for my family and I. A testimony to the fact that I was able to persevere and make it through despite great obstacles.

Thank you IC you Photography for making my photoshoot so much fun and making memories forever! This has been a great experience and I am so happy that I did it!

Special things I planned before our big Disney Trip

Posted on April 2, 2019 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Out and about..., Photo Obsessed, Reviews, RNYM's Picks, Services, Travel, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All experiences are my own. This article contains affiliate links.

I’ve loved Disney as long as I can remember. My mother can attest to that. Its no secret that our first family trip had to be epic (and i’m pretty sure the kids are hooked too). There was lots of planning involved and I thought I’d give you a behind the scenes of some of the special things I did in addition to the trip to make it special. Happy to answer questions if you have any <3

Nails

Little (E) ADORES having her nails done (yes I realize I’ve created a monster). But for special occasions we indulge her. Therefore the first thing we did when getting ready to fly out was to go have our nails done (toes too cause #Florida). We always head over to Rainbow Nails in New City and have them done. While I am sure that others in the area cater to kids, this one makes her feel like a #princess, and do the cutest designs for her. I went with the Shellac so that they would be durable for the trip (worked like a charm).

New Fun Pajamas (Kept a secret)

(A) is a HUGE Dinosaur fan, and although there isn’t too much Dino stuff at Disney we went ahead and got him some Jurassic World ones cause he loves them. (E) of course needed a princess so I got Belle as she didn’t own them yet (no I actually have no idea how). I packed them right up into their bags so they didn’t see them until we got there. It was a really sweet realization. Now that we are home every time they put them on they remember the fun we had there and talk about it.

Photo Mat

You can get the Mat anywhere, I went to AC Moore- its an 11×14 mat with an 8×10 opening. It fit into my standard book bag, and ended up being one of my all time favorite things. The cast members used it for fun poses when signing with the kids, and its the absolute best memento on our wall at home. The kids have planned to do it forever now (when we go to Disney or say Universal) to have a mat signed and frame a family photo of our adventure. We also ordered this pack of Sharpies so that they could color coordinate each signature.

Pearl Cages

I had heard about this from my travel agent (Scott) and thought that my rock hunting two would love it. So I ordered cages in advance one for each kiddo and we went when we traveled to Epcot. We researched the night before in the hotel room how to get the best Pearl when you choose, to be prepared. The kids ADORE them, and I am so very glad that we did it. The choosing was fun, and they love wearing them- what a special keepsake. Choosing a pearl is $18 and I didn’t want to spend too much on the settings so this was a great way to save a little.

Dragon

Mermaid

Park Clothing

I didn’t want matchy matchy- well kind of but RNYD REALLY didn’t. So we went with “themes” at my sister in laws recommendation (shes keeping count and has now made the BLOG 6 times). RNYD got t-shirts that were already made, and he would normally wear. I got a few of those too. (E) was easy She was a princess (Ariel) at MK, Chewie at HS and wore a twirly dress at AK and Epcot that I made myself. I actually made sweatshirts and shirts for EPCOT for the whole family- not sure making its for you? No problem- Marcie at MHC Creations would be the perfect gal for the job. Her work is impeccable as is her pricing and her turn around time.

Direct: (914) 645-5028

Email: Info@MHCCreations247.com

(A)’s wardrobe was more difficult. At 8.5 years old he’s a little old for a prince costume. So I made him a PPA (Princess Protection Agency shirt -Dad too). For HS he “disneybounded” (dressing like characters without traditional costumes) as Han Solo thanks to this vest, and at AK he did the same as Owen from Jurassic World– yes I know he isn’t Disney, but the kid loves dinosaurs and maybe we’ll use it when we hit Universal too.

Purchased Items

Meals

Go through all of the character meals in advance and see which ones are the BEST for your family. Your travel agent can help you with that. What I can tell you is that mine did NOT. I had to figure it all out myself. In fact, when my son got sick at one of the parks and we needed to cancel a sit down meal and I was freaking out because I didn’t want to lose my credits and hadn’t researched enough to fix it, I reached out to Scott Walters a DIFFERENT agent who came to my rescue. He cancelled my reservation and booked me an even BETTER one the next morning for our last breakfast. We got to meet 4 characters we would have missed otherwise, and gained early access to Epcot that day. It was FABULOUS- and that’s one reason why you will continually see me singing his praises.

Luggage

Got the kids their very own luggage so that they can use it every time we go on an adventure (or when they go to Nana’s). This set came with “personal” bag as well so they were able to pack their activities for the flight in there, while their carry on went in the overhead bin. Its easy for them to maneuver and has held up well. We took it locally to have a little picture and monogram added. Again, MHC could do this (I had done it before I met Marcie).

Kids Luggage

Most important is that there is SO much to do at Disney its a great idea to book with a knowledgeable agent. I highly recommend Scott Walters. He saved my butt a few times. I freaked out on a few occasions when I felt lost and the agent that I had booked with fell a bit short. I was disappointed in that. Your agent should ask you about what you like and dislike far in advance, fight for you to get deals, make suggestions for you based on your family’s needs and be supportive. When my son caught a cold and we had to cancel a sit down dinner, he booked us a character breakfast for the following morning (our last) in moments so that we didn’t waste the credits and still had the best experience ever. He will be booking any future family trips for us, that’s for sure.

Scott Walters (845) 558-1225

scott@goawayoftentravel.com

http://www.goawayoftentravel.com

Spring and Easter Mini-Sessions

Posted on March 28, 2019 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Photo Obsessed .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as those listed are directory members. All opinions expressed are our own.

Spring time is a wonderful time for updated photos!!! For those who celebrate the Easter Holiday we usually have some spiffy outfits to sport anyway, but anything light and bright will do!!! Lots of colors and fresh new growth makes it a fabulous time for an outdoor session as well. Here’s some of what our directory members have to offer this season. Decisions, Decisions!!!

Honeybee Photography NY

845-729-3159

Julie Jay Images