Life Lately | The Zoo

It was a chilly day, but we took off for the local Zoo, here in New Jersey. We loved watching Blake look out the large open window for the bear and foxes. Watching him point, laugh and say his new favorite word "whoa" when the bear came up to the window was a hoot! We did end up finding this pile of leaves to play around in for a bit. Though it was a chilly day, we ended up taking our time walking through the whole place and taking a break on a cute train ride that was about 1 mile long in the woods. It was a fun day for our little family to enjoy, and though a few pictures were captured, the moment of walking around and taking turns holding Blake's hand to point out and see different animals made for a great day! 

Photography | The Smith Family

With my love of photographing my own little family, I have taken on some side project's to help capture the love and happiness in other's lives as well. It isn't something I have taken on full time but I enjoy having the ability to take on some freelance work when I can. During my last visit to my hometown in Pennsylvania, I had the sweet opportunity to capture a cute family of three. Despite the fact we had a minor rainstorm to put a little delay on things, the time spent together on this evening was well worth it and we managed to get some sweet family moment's. Little Genevieve is just too cute for words and you can see where she get's her beauty from. Adam and Tricia have such a sweet bond with her and her little laugh is the cutest. The location where we took these pictures, holds very special memories and moment's that will forever be treasured on it. It is a farmhouse that was in her grandmother's family, including this wagon, well over 100 year's old! A big Thank You to Adam and Tricia for allowing me to capture your little family this fall! XO

52 Project | 39-42

18 months | 52:40

Taking a break from exploring at Verona Park.

18 Months | 52:41
Beautiful filtered sunlight flooding in to an underpass of a bridge in Central Park.

18 Months | 52:42

Peeking out for the big bears and fast moving foxes at the Turtle Back Zoo.

Life Lately | Autumn In Central Park

It was a fun day roaming around and taking our time through the UWS. As we wandered through Central Park, it brought up the feeling's that were nestled deep down into my heart. I am so grateful for all of the moments Justin and I get to share together in being able to show our son, Blake, a little bit of everything. Winding country roads to the outskirts of the suburbs and next walking around the busy city streets pointing out the yellow cars zipping around and eating a slice of pizza staring up at those sky-high tall buildings. Being a country girl at heart, I still can say the city will hold a very special place within me and naturally, watching your little one running around, laughing, waving away so innocently to passerby's is just the sweetest.
Although the leaves have not completely changed or shown their true colors, there is a sure tail sign autumn is here for the long haul. Everything from the scent in the air and seeing the sunlight on the crunchy brown leaves that are slightly blowing away under each footstep passing, to the sun setting at dusk. It is as if it is a dim-lit flickering candle, leaving bit's of a gold-tint filtering through it all.

There is just something so so beautiful about the transformation of each season's passing...

Pointing up to those loud and fast moving planes in the city skyline.

Taste: Recipe | Rustic Apple Tart

With Apples in full swing, I desperately wanted to go apple picking. We had so much fun when we went peach picking, that I was anxious to go, yet, with our busy schedules lately, the 1/2 peck that I picked up at a local farm, was just as good. Instead of a pie, I wanted to make a Rustic Apple Tart.

The recipe I used was a Martha Stewart favorite. I used the applesauce, that we canned last season from my father's apple trees in Pennsylvania. I wanted to use my own dough, instead of a store bought one. Of coarse, I had my little helper on hand to want to taste each slice of apple and run around with his new "hat". Baking with little one's around keeps you on your toes, for sure. I think that my Apple Tart came out great though and having the freshly baked apple aroma fill up the home, made for a successful day in the kitchen.

Recipe as followed via Martha, herself, with a few minor changes*

For the Pastry Dough:

1 Cup all purpose Flour

2 Tbs Granulated Or superfine sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Stick of very cold butter, in slices

2 Tbs ice cold water

Apple filling; Ingredients:

2 Tbs all-purpose flour (+ more for dusting)

1/2 peck of Apples, preferably good baking apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/4 cup of sugar (+ more for sprinkling topping)

2 Tbs of Lemon juice, or 1/2 lemon juiced

pinch of ground cinnamon

pinch of Kosher Salt

6 Tbs of Applesauce, or good quality prepared

1 Large egg

Directions:

• For the Pastry, place the flour, sugar and Salt in a bowl of a food processor with a steel blade. Pulse it a few times to combine ingredients. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. With motor running, add the iced cold water all at once. Keep pulsing the combine but stop once ingredients become a solid dough ball. Place dough ball onto a well floured board and form into a disc. Wrap the disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for atleast a good hour.
• Combine apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Toss to combine. Place a thin layer of applesauce on dough and mound apple slices over applesauce, leaving a border to fold. Fold the dough up and over apples, making creases or rather, folds every few inches. I just let it fold organically, where space was needed, allowing it to bake as it is. Be sure to watch the fruit and juices to prevent seeping out. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees.
• Lightly beat the egg to make a egg wash and brudge edges of the dough. Finish with sprinkles of sugar and I added extra cinnamon. Bake until apples are tender and crust is a golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Enjoy!