Friday Fun - Five things to kick off your weekend | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

We encounter a crazy amount of information every day.  So I'm doing my part to add to it! :-) But seriously, my favorite way of finding new stuff is recommendations from friends. So every Friday I'll pass along my favorites from the week - things that inspire, uplift, educate, or just entertain. These are not affiliate links, so I'm not making any money - I'm just sharing things I enjoy.  Here are this week's favorites:

1. Something old

   400 B.C. is pretty old. Apparently old enough to be the oldest intact shipwreck found. Old enough to have been around in the days of Plato and Socrates. It’s hard to fathom something being around this long. Not quite as cool as the giant Sequoias in California (2000+ years and still going!), but still pretty cool.

2. Something not so old

   Do you remember calling your local number for time and temperature? I do. It was the town bank and they gave a pleasant account of the time and temperature any time of the day. And for some reason when I was a kid, I found need to call it multiple times a day. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one. And there are places that still provide the service.

3. Something current

   If you’re not a member of a minority, you may find conversations about race to be uncomfortable. Or maybe you’re afraid of saying the wrong thing, so you don’t say anything. I’ve learned a lot about race from my husband, but still carry the awkwardness and ignorance that comes from being white, even if I am a female. Anyway, there’s no need for our children to be as awkward as we are, so here’s a video to help you talk about race with your child.

4. For booklovers

   Anyone who loves to read already knows this, but a new study confirms that growing up in a home filled with books is good for you. At least 80 books is ideal. Literacy improves with more than 80 and levels off around 350. “Good for you” translates to higher reading comprehension and better mathematical and digital communication skills. Researchers aren’t sure if the positive effects will also result from access to similar numbers of digital books. :-)

5. More time for books

   Once you have kids, time spent watching TV dwindles dramatically, but we could all use a few tips on how to waste less time, whether it’s watching TV or mindlessly scrolling social media feeds. This article recommends planning out your downtime in advance and doing something that is satisfying or mood-enhancing (exercise, reading, music, meditation, etc).

Nicole Sanchez Photography works with busy parents in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland to create stress-free photo sessions that take all the loving, fun, and chaotic moments of family life to make beautiful photos and films that families will love looking at year after year.  Contact me today to start planning a custom photography experience that's perfect for your family.

Friday Fun - Five things to kick off your weekend | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

We encounter a crazy amount of information every day.  So I'm doing my part to add to it! :-) But seriously, my favorite way of finding new stuff is recommendations from friends. So every Friday I'll pass along my favorites from the week - things that inspire, uplift, educate, or just entertain. These are not affiliate links, so I'm not making any money - I'm just sharing things I enjoy.  Here are this week's favorites:

1. Have you hugged your vet today?

   So this one is a bit dark, I'm sorry. But anyone with pets, or considering pets, should give this a read. It's easy to assume that vets have some kind of special armor that protects them from the emotional aspects of caring for our furry family members. Easy to assume because not much is said about the emotional burdens they carry and the moral issues they face. Eye-opening. 

2. Sibling influence

   When we had our second child and especially as our youngest has gotten older, I started to realize the importance of sibling relationships. A few months ago, I learned that siblings are actually more influential than parents when it comes to development. I’ve seen this play out watching my youngest learn things so quickly from his brother. It’s a challenge sometimes to find ways to nurture their relationship with each other, but reading the statistics in this Atlantic article drives home the point of how important a positive sibling relationship can be not just in childhood, but throughout our lives.

3. Ghostly fun photos

   I’m not particularly superstitious, but I’ll admit that there’s something creepy about turning my children into ghostly figures, even when I know it’s a Photoshop trick. This is still a fun tutorial though and I think I’ll try it out with my oldest who loves all things creepy.

4. National Park Murder

   I’m just going to keep up with the macabre Halloween theme this month. Here’s a story about the Investigative Services Branch (ISB) of the National Park Service. They investigate crimes that take place in National Parks, which apparently happen more frequently than you might imagine. The story highlights an investigation of a death in Rocky Mountain National Park. I won’t give away the details, but it’s an interesting (and sad) read that highlights the work of a part of the NPS that I didn’t even know existed.

5. Educate yourself (for free)

   Alright, enough darkness for today. Have you heard of massive open online courses (MOOCs)? They’re awesome. Coursera is my favorite resource for them and they feature courses on everything imaginable from universities all over the world. And the best part is they’re FREE. Some of my favorites have been in the arts (this one on photography and this one in graphic design). The only downside is that the require massive self-determination to finish. Everything is online (or the smart phone app), so it’s easy to watch and read. But it’s also easy to get busy doing other stuff and stop midway through (I wouldn’t know anything about this…). Anyway, if you’re looking for something fun to learn, check them out.

Nicole Sanchez Photography works with busy parents in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland to create stress-free photo sessions that take all the loving, fun, and chaotic moments of family life to make beautiful photos and films that families will love looking at year after year.  Contact me today to start planning a custom photography experience that's perfect for your family.

Friday Fun - Five things to kick off your weekend

We encounter a crazy amount of information every day.  So I'm doing my part to add to it! :-) But seriously, my favorite way of finding new stuff is recommendations from friends. So every Friday I'll pass along my favorites from the week - things that inspire, uplift, educate, or just entertain. These are not affiliate links, so I'm not making any money - I'm just sharing things I enjoy.  Here are this week's favorites:

1. More love for Mr. Rogers

I confess that I did not love watching Mr. Rogers growing up, but I see now the value in Fred Rogers slow, deliberate, gentle style of teaching. This article talks about his frustration with children’s programming and how he designed his show to approach kids in a way they were most likely to learn. As I watch my kids watch Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, I hope that they pick up on the values presented. Sometimes we need to receive messages many times in different ways by different people to really learn them. It's not the only television my kids watch, but I'm grateful it's in our tool box.

2. Family Traditions

With fall officially here and the holiday season not far behind, family traditions have been on my mind this week. I posted a personal film that I shot at the pumpkin patch last fall and remarked at how I marveled at the changes in my son in just one year. It really motivates me to keep documenting our life and making the time to put together these pieces of their story. I also came across this great article recommending dropping the guilt and just choosing one tradition each season to focus on. That's all kids need to develop lasting memories. There's also a handy list of suggestions. My favorite is finding pretty fall leaves to iron into wax paper for decorations. 

3. Be productive (in a good way)

I keep my family alive by following to-do lists. Otherwise, I could forget practically anything. But I appreciate the perspective of this article. Often we tackle the things on our to-do list that seem urgent or give us quick wins, but that distract us from doing the things that actually move the needle. The latter are the things that are high-impact in the long run, but seem too big to tackle or are least what we’re interested in doing. Apparently, Mark Twain called it “eating the frog” and recommended doing that thing at the beginning of the day. The result is feeling more fulfilled at the end of the day, even if you checked less things off your to-do list.

4. Or do nothing at all.

With so many things to do, making time to do nothing can seem blasphemous. From a creative standpoint though, I’ve had my best ideas when I’ve given myself a chance to take a break. Our society values grit, determination, and muscling through. But sometimes the value lies in waiting. Taking time, even short periods, to step outside the busyness and give your brain the space to process.

5. A trip through time

I took a photo of my youngest looking out a window in our house the other day and realized that I have about five years of photos taken at this same window with both boys. So I spent a little time digging through my Flickr feed and found a few favorites. Time flies! :-)

Nicole Sanchez Photography works with busy parents in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland to create stress-free photo sessions that take all the loving, fun, and chaotic moments of family life to make beautiful photos and films that families will love looking at year after year.  Contact me today to start planning a custom photography experience that's perfect for your family.

Friday Fun - Five things to kick off your weekend | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

We encounter a crazy amount of information every day.  So I'm doing my part to add to it! :-) But seriously, my favorite way of finding new stuff is recommendations from friends. So every Friday I'll pass along my favorites from the week - things that inspire, uplift, educate, or just entertain. These are not affiliate links, so I'm not making any money - I'm just sharing things I enjoy.  Here are this week's favorites:

1. To amuse

@Vanderjames on Instagram - I'm not a big follower of celebrities on social media and I didn't even watch Dawson's Creek in it's heyday, but I can’t help but love James Van Der Beek's Instagram feed. He and his wife have like five kids under 5 and I love the humor and parenting insights he shares. Like this one highlighting the insanity of holiday beach trips with little kids. 

2. To inspire

Lots has been said about Mr. Rogers this year. But any article claiming to distill his wisdom into something I can apply with my own kids is going to grab my attention. While I found the claim (a simple set of rules for talking to children) to be a bit of a stretch (I think it was probably tongue in cheek), I found the insights into his meticulousness about each episode of the show to be fascinating. He is such a wonderful example of that. 

3. To motivate

I discovered NPR’s podcast Code Switch a few months ago and have been schooled weekly ever since on a growing variety of issues related to race and identity. One of my favorites so far was this one about the origins of the term “Ms.,” the bonds of friendship, and a unique insight of Mary Hamilton and her experience as a black female civil rights activist. There is always so much more to the story than what we think we know.

4. To guide

I’ve begun navigating the world of elementary school and have encountered a ton of wonderful resources lately for differently wired children, so I’ll be sharing my favorites finds here. This one comes from Understood.org, a site dedicated to giving families personalized resources for learning and attention issues. They have a special Back to School tool that provides articles based on your child’s age and skill/concern and helps you support them in learning to be advocates for themselves, make friends, and manage the various challenges of school.

5. Photo favorites

With all this talk about school, I can’t help but share the photo story of our first morning.

Nicole Sanchez Photography works with busy parents in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland to create stress-free photo sessions that take all the loving, fun, and chaotic moments of family life to make beautiful photos and films that families will love looking at year after year.  Contact me today to start planning a custom photography experience that's perfect for your family.

Friday Fun - Five things to kick off your weekend | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

We encounter a crazy amount of information every day.  So I'm doing my part to add to it! :-) But seriously, my favorite way of finding new stuff is recommendations from friends. So every Friday I'll pass along my favorites from the week - things that inspire, uplift, educate, or just entertain. These are not affiliate links, so I'm not making any money - I'm just sharing things I enjoy.  Here are this week's favorites:

1. Get Organized (maybe).

I loved back to school shopping when I was a kid. Picking out the perfect first day outfit and organizing all my fresh school supplies for new classes was so much fun. My organization rarely lasted, but that's not important. :-) My oldest started kindergarten a few weeks ago and after the first few days of slips of paper, email reminders about upcoming events, and realizing the complexities of school holidays and teacher workdays, I decided to invest in a wall organization system. I got this one. And then promptly put a large hole in my wall using an electric drill when I should have used a screw driver (like the instructions told me). 🤦 So I have 3/4 of my storage system installed. And an extra hole in my wall until I make it to Home Depot for a repair kit. Don’t be me.

2. Get creatively inspired.

I love photographing my kids. But sometimes I'm lacking inspiration. Especially in the colder months, I find it harder to pick up my camera regularly. I love the suggestions here about choosing a single subject and working with what you have. Sometimes more limitations are just what's needed for creative breakthroughs. 

3. Get schooled.

Did you know there's a recommended height for hanging wall art? This is the guidance I followed for spacing my wall organization units. (Before I unintentionally drilled a big hole though the wall. Oh, and lost my drill bit. And anchor. And screw, too.)

4. Get schooled some more.

I love the idea of MOOCs (massive open online courses). I’ve started several, but never actually finished one. (Accountability is hard when you’ve got no money in the game and no teacher grading you!) But I have learned a lot from the bits of courses I’ve gotten through. Most recently I started exploring graphic design as a way of informing compositions and visual interpretation in my photography. CalArts has a whole specialization in graphic design that I hope to finish (eventually).

5. Enhance a sibling bond.

I mentioned the Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings book last week and how we're trying to cultivate a positive relationship between our boys. I came across this recommendation in the book and I'm looking forward to using this template to make a book for my boys as a Christmas gift. And for what it’s what, we’ve noticed many more sweet moments between our boys lately, so they’re either figuring it out or our techniques are working. I don’t think I care which!

Nicole Sanchez Photography works with busy parents in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland to create stress-free photo sessions that take all the loving, fun, and chaotic moments of family life to make beautiful photos and films that families will love looking at year after year.  Contact me today to start planning a custom photography experience that's perfect for your family.

Friday Fun - Five things to kick off your weekend | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

We encounter a crazy amount of information every day.  So I'm doing my part to add to it! :-) But really, my favorite way of finding new stuff is recommendations from friends. So every Friday I'll pass along my favorites from the week - things that inspire, uplift, educate, or just entertain. These are not affiliate links, so I'm not making any money - I'm just sharing things I enjoy.  Here are this week's favorites:

1. Podcast - Slow Burn

I've been listening to my husband talk about how Nixon is underrated as a President for awhile, so when I came across Slow Burn's first season about Watergate, I couldn't resist. And I couldn't stop listening (and Presidential politics is not my usual cup of tea).  Season two is all about Clinton's impeachment.  In today's news cycle, I often think that what we're experiencing is unprecedented. Sadly, it's not. This podcast makes that awareness more bearable. 

2. Book - Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings

I posted about the Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids resources awhile back. Now that our youngest is two, navigating the family dynamics is a bit harder (read: it's nearly impossible not to have jealous kids when your attention is divided). I'm learning that a strong sibling bond isn't a given and that parents play a big role in cultivating brotherly love. So, I'm loving all the insights and practical suggestions in this book.  One that was surprising was how important it is to dedicate special individual time with each of our kids to decrease feelings of insecurity and promote bonding. It was a lightbulb moment (and a relief!) to realize I don't have to engineer nonstop harmonious family time. 

3. Recipe - Cold Brew Cacao  

Summer may be all but over, but if you've ever read my bio, you know I drink iced coffee all year.  We were recently in New Mexico and I had a delicious cold brewed cacao pinon iced coffee. So naturally, I googled recipes.  And naturally, I haven't gotten around to making one yet, but I'm determined, so stay tuned.

3. Listen - Baby Shark

Maybe you've come across the Pinkfong / Baby Shark phenom already? We heard it for the first time a few weeks ago and now our two-year-old, in that adorable two-year-old way, asks for Baby Shark every day.  Warning: it's an earworm waiting to happen.

4. Food for thought - The Mississippi Delta Chinese - An Audiovisual Narrative

I'm from Mississippi, near the Delta, so I couldn't pass this story over when I saw it.  But even if you're not from the South, it's an interesting audio/photojournalism history of a piece of American culture. Leaving the South to come to Northern Virginia and seeing my home through others' eyes made me more aware of the complex issues of race, wealth, and education there. This perspective of Chinese-American families living in the Delta was eye-opening and a reminder there's always more to see and learn beneath the surface when you're willing to look.

5. Photo favorites

What's a photography blog without photos? I had too many favorites from this newborn session at home, so here's few that I didn't include. Babies never cease to entertain.

Nicole Sanchez Photography works with busy parents in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland to create stress-free photo sessions that take all the loving, fun, and chaotic moments of family life to make beautiful photos and films that families will love looking at year after year.  Contact me today to start planning a custom photography experience that's perfect for your family.