Picture Taker Memory Maker is a family blog documenting our adventures and everyday life as a family of six – the chaos, the calm and all the moments in between. My husband and I have four daughters between us, aged from eight to sixteen. We love getting outdoors and exploring new places, whether they’re right on our doorstep, a little further afield or on a completely different continent. Making unforgettable memories together as a family is incredibly important to us and something we endeavour to do as often as we can – we have a long lists of places we’d like to visit. As well as our travels, I also write a lot about our journey through this crazy thing called parenthood as we do our best to raise our fiercely unique and independent girls to be kind, positive and brave.
ME (CHLOE)
Picture-taker, memory-maker and story-teller. I’m an early-riser, an introvert and I need sunshine to survive – I’m definitely solar powered. I have a habit of over-thinking things and I tend to feel things very deeply too, leading to a lot of soul-searching as I do my best to keep everything in balance. Lover of sunrises and sunsets – one of my favourite quotes is “may every sunrise bring more promise and every sunset bring more peace”. I’m never without my camera. It goes everywhere with me and I’m passionate* (*obsessive) about documenting our family life in as much detail as I can – the big things and the little things – because I want to remember it all. As well as blogging, I’m also a photographer and I thrive on capturing other people’s stories – love stories, family stories, new baby stories, wedding stories and more. I have an incurable case of wanderlust, a travel itch that will never be fully scratched and an ache of determination deep in my bones to explore our beautiful world and show our girls as much of it as possible.
THE HUSBAND (NEIL)
LFC fanatic. Incredibly supportive of my ideas & plans and unendingly patient whilst I capture photo after photo during our adventures. Successful Pub Manager for well-known brand. Big kid. Never without his phone and often found glued to the Xbox. Tea and biscuit fan. Has put up with my craziness for nearly 12 years now and proposed on Christmas Day 2013. We married in June 2014.
ELLA, 11
Our ‘tween’. Loves reading. Huge Harry Potter and Jacqueline Wilson fan. Knows with certainty that she will work as an author when she grows up. Never without a book, pen or notebook (for story ideas) in her hands. Has an incredible memory for facts and knowledge.
IMOGEN, 9
Also known as Mimi. A bundle of unstoppable energy. Hates pink. Wants to work as an inventor and/or a scientist when she grows up. Loves football and is often found practising her skills in the garden. Has a wicked laugh, a creative imagination and the ability to turn almost anything into a game. Lego-builder extraordinaire.
LOLA, 8
The littlest. Would happily sit on my lap and cuddle all day. Favourite phrase – “This is the best day EVER”. Smiley. Wants to work as a teacher when she grows up. Slight lisp, which only adds to her “I’m cute so I can get away with murder” vibe. Refuses to wear trainers and can often be found singing to herself. Never without Teddy, who has been by her side since the day she was born.
SOPHIE, 16
The teenager. I’ve known Sophie since she was two years old and feel very privileged & thankful to have been able to be a part of her life as she’s grown up. Loves football, ‘Friends’ and Youtube. Oh, and unicorns. Enthusiastic baker of cakes. Never without her beloved iPhone. Utterly adored by her three sisters and is fantastic with them at all times.
PUMPKIN
Newest addition to the family. Crazy and slightly wonky kitten. Loves cuddles and having his belly rubbed. Tail goes VERY fluffy when he’s excited. Sleeps a lot (when he’s not insanely chasing imaginary intruders around the house). Incredibly tolerant of the girls. Purr-monster. Also known as the ‘Ginger-Ninja’.
LUNA & FELIX
Please note: All the photos on this blog are taken by me (unless I am in them, in which case they’ve been taken by my husband or one of the girls!). None of them are edited in Lightroom or photoshopped (except for my shots on Instagram where I occasionally use a filter) – everything you see has been captured in the moment using natural light. These are photos of my family members – please respect that and do not copy or save my photos for your own use. Thank you!