Capturing Memories With The Mighty Snap Shot

Do you want to remember all of the little silly things your kids do?  Will you remember how intently they brush their own teeth?  Will you remember how proud they looked when they tape artwork all over your house?  Will you remember the crowns of bubbles they made in the bath or when they dressed up like Captain Underpants?  You MUST take control of capturing memories for your family with your camera in your home!  Don't get me wrong, I would love to spend time with you and capture images of your family, but I can not be there every day, I can not be there for those unplanned events, moments and milestones that are a part of your life every day.  I have a few very SIMPLE rules for you to use to help you capture these moments through snapshots.

Rule Number One:  Always have your camera ready.  Have your battery charged and have it close by.  How are you going to get those shots when your camera is not ready!?  This may seem obvious, but even I am guilty of this at times.  My girls will be sitting by the window doing art together while singing and giggling and my camera is no where in site.  UGH... another shot missed.  Now I have to try to depend on my horrific memory to remember this great day!  So... now, I am trying to be better.  I am trying to have my camera within arms reach so I do not miss those moments and memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life.  I did not miss my girls with their grandma planting flowers all weekend.... and thank God I did not miss this...

This is moments after her front tooth fell out. She was so excited, and we were too.  After we got a few shots inside, I sort of tricked her into going outside so I could get a better look at her new look... really I was moving her for the light.

Rule Number Two: Follow the Light! If you have a camera that allows you to turn your flash off, DO IT!  Turn it off and move outside.... use natural light, your snap shots will look SO much better!
 

Rule number three:  Go with the Flow.  When your crazy four year old shows up to see what the fuss is all about... let her join in.

Rule Number Four: Don't worry too much about preparation.  We are not talking about portraits here... they are snap shots!   If you stop to fix hair, change a shirt or wipe a face, you are going to miss the moment.  Just go for it.... laugh with them... let them be themselves... and you will have memories for a lifetime.  When I finished taking some shots of the new toothless grin, I turned around and saw this...

 my silly little girl.

Did I mention that we had not brushed this little lemonhead's hair yet this day. But, now that I look at these snapshots, I love them even more.  This is my little girl... goofy, silly, funny, carefree and happy. These photos will make me laugh for the rest of my life.

Rule number Five: Just keep shooting.   The digital camera is such a gift!  You can just snap snap snap shots without any worry about running out of film, or the cost of developing a bad image.  You never know, you may end up with this shot... now won't this be worth a lot when she is 16?

Man, I love this spunky little girl!!!

Happy Easter!

 

Happy Easter to you and your family!  I hope you have a wonderful holiday. We had a wonderful night here in preparation for Easter.  Coloring Easter eggs is one of my favorite things to do.  I especially like it when the weather is good and we can do it outside.  Outside the kids do not have any restraints on their egg design, they can make as big of a mess as they want!!  BUT, the weather this year just did not allow for it.  I decided to just give in and let the girls decorate their hearts out again, and it was worth it.  They had a great time and the eggs turned out great!

My memory of the girls decorating eggs two years ago is imprinted in my mind forever, and I do not think any Easter will be quite like that one, but this year is a close second.  If you want to see the images of my little peanuts decorating a couple of years ago...click here.   This year, we started out with our flimsy metal egg holders... then we moved on to spoons...

and we finished by using fingers! Click on the photo if you want to see the spoon a little closer! (The idea for the reflection in the spoon  came from a photographer friend of mine... check out Connie's spoon image here!)

This photo really made me laugh because her egg has finger prints on it and there is dye dripping from her hands.  By this point, I had totally given up on being clean! I think Olivia felt each egg was destined to be decorated a certain way.  She took her time and was at the table long after the rest of us had finished.  

Finally we were done!  What a great time we had.... 48 eggs were colored and the house was a mess, but again... I have memories that will last a life time.

And, we were left with 48 masterpieces!

Have a wonderful holiday.  Enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, and remember the resurrection.... He is Risen!

Scavenger Hunt: Nostalgia

NOSTALGIA- Sentimental recollection: a mixed feeling of happiness, sadness and longing when recalling a person, place or event from the past or the past in general or Homesickness: a longing for home or family when away from either.

On Saturday morning at 5AM I had a six year old alarm clock tapping my arm saying, "Mom, my throat hurts." I rubbed my eyes a bit in an attempt for clarity and responded saying, "Oh no, not again! OK, come on lets see what we can do..."

So, this weekend we stayed around home. We had pillows on the couch, and we had a 6 year old bundled in her favorite jammies and wrapped in blankets made by grandma and great grandma. She has taken a lot of Tylenol and ibuprofen and snuggled with her favorite stuffed animal. She received a plastic perler bead heart and homemade cards from her favorite and only four year old sister. We tried distraction with movies and our favorite books. We attempted to have a tea party, we have taken our temperature a lot, and we purchased every soft and cool food or drink available. Finally, we went to urgent care (yup, strep throat again).

Being ill really makes you miss home, and all of the special things your mom or dad will do to make you feel better. It is amazing how mom's soup or dad's snuggle can make you feel better. I love how my mom has cared for me my whole life whenever I have been ill. In fact, I think she may feel worse when I am ill than I actually do... and now, I love that I am able to be there for my own daughters in the same way.

This image is my NOSTALGIA photograph for this week. It is a collection of things that we had at our home this weekend in an attempt to make a sad little six year old feel better. The more I looked at all of these items, the more I remembered the days when I was little and had the flu and how my parents would love and take care of me. There is nothing better than the security of a parent's love. Years from now, I can only hope my daughter will have similar memories of these days and she will do the same thing for her children as I am doing for her and my mom did for me... Next week the assignment for the scavenger hunt is... Reflections – Reflected image: the image of somebody or something that appears in a mirror or other reflecting surface or Considered idea: an idea or thought, especially one produced by careful consideration.

Tips For Preparing For a Family Photo Session

Ok.... Can you guess what I am going to do tomorrow? I have all of our clothes lined up, the bribes have been offered, the weather... well that will probably stink, but everything else is right on track.

We are FINALLY having our family photos taken. We have not done this for over 3 years! Can you believe that?! Here I am, taking photos almost every day, and yet we do not have any images of my own family. So now... now I know how YOU feel when you get ready for a family photo session. WOW... it can be a bit stressful. Now that I am going through the same things that you go through when you prepare for a photo shoot, I am going to give you some tips for preparing for photo sessions.

Tip One: Be prepared! Think about the details of the day. What do you what to come across in your photos? You can not change the eye of the photographer, but you can and should express to the photographer what you are wanting to portray in your photos. Think hard about a location. Drive around and look at your neighborhood in a new way. Look for color... look for fields.... look for architecture.... do not be afraid to go outside of your yard!

Tip Two: What to wear.... make sure you are comfortable in your clothes. Wear something you can move around in... something you can sit, stand, walk, and move freely in. Think about color. I like a lot of color, but not a lot of distracting patterns or labels that may distract from the person.

Tip Three: Add details.... add a flower to your daughter's hair, bring along a baseball and mitt, bring bubbles, or a favorite toy. You can even bring a chair or a couch. I know that may sound crazy, but it looks great and adds SO much to an image. Bring scarfs, hats, blankets, pillows... all of these things can add dimensions and details to an image. They do not have to be used in every shot, but they will add variety and spunk to your images.

Tip Four: The weather.... now this is something that you really can not control, and honestly around here you really need to have a plan for bad weather. Do not worry if the sun is not out and shining, because actually a glaring sun is not optimal for photography. Actually you should cross your fingers for an overcast day! As long as the rain is not pouring down, you can usually make it outside, and if not, try to have an option for the rain... a covered porch, a barn, a museum, etc.

Tip Five: If you have young children try to prepare them for the day. The night before, talk to them about how much fun the day will be. On the day of your session, start your morning with a smile.... wake up happy ( or at least appear that way to your kids :) ) Oh yeah, I almost forgot one of the most important things... DO NOT FORGET THE BRIBES! If you are spending your money and time on an investment of photography for your family, go all out! For my girls, we saved up Christmas money from Great Nana and we are going to head out to Build-A-Bear right after our session is over. Now, you do not have to use a bribe that big, you can do something simple like keep a sucker in your pocket for the end of the session or have Smarties (kids love them and they are not messy). You could even plan an indoor camping night with dinner inside a fort.... any exciting reward will keep them motivated!

Tip Six: Get a good night sleep the night before the session! Not only will this help your mood and stress level during the shoot, we all look better when we are well rested! (I am really hoping this helps with my dark circles tomorrow! LOL!)

Well... I suppose I should take my own advice and head off to bed! I am surely feeling awkward preparing to be on the other side of the camera! I will let you know how it goes! Wish me luck. Cross your fingers that the rain holds off... that Olivia changes her mind and starts to like her jacket again.... that Ava does not get muddy for the first 10 minutes at least... that Zach doesn't cut himself shaving, and that I do not get a horrible blemish tonight :) !

A Bucket Of Memories

Wow... July is gone. Just like that, we are in the second half of the year. It is amazing how time flies. Sometimes, when I feel like time is passing me by, I purposefully pull out my camera. I do something with the girls that is totally normal. An activity that we do every day, something that I often take for granted and I try to capture it on my camera. This past weekend, we pulled out the chalk. Coloring with sidewalk chalk has been a favorite activity at our home since the kids could hold on to it.We now have an entire bucket that holds our chalk. We have to have every shade available. Olivia really felt like doing some sidewalk art this day, and I LOVE the memories that I captured of her.I love that I can tell she picked out her outfit. She has been doing this every day. I can not even be in the room when she is selecting her attire. She selects everything, from her undies to her hair clips. It is always a surprise when she comes out. Some days her fashion sense is better than others. Luckily, this was one of her better days.

I love that her hair is falling out of her ponytail and that she has her trusty elephant with her...I love that she is barefoot. I will always remember the sound of her little feet slapping the pavement and the print she leaves once she has covered them in chalk.I love that she accidentally dumped the entire bucket of chalk and instead of tipping it back up to see her color options, she would lean as far over as possible to select her next color.I know these are simple things, but these are the simple things as a mom that I want to remember about her.

If you are thinking about taking some photos, try not to get worked up too much about the setting, the clothing or the smiles. Think about the memories you want to save forever, the moments in time you would like to freeze. No matter if it is those pudgy fingers holding a crayon, messy hair, a time out chair.... keep your camera handy. Don't let the moment pass you by!

Listening To The Leaves

My sister and her husband have suffered a devastating loss in their family. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they begin to recover from the loss of Joe's son. Adam, was just 23, and the world will miss this wonderful young man.

Today was the memorial service for Adam... It was in Vermont, and I was unable to attend, but I have been thinking about him all day. I walked around my yard with my camera and looked at things in a bit of a different light.

I looked deeper into the flowers....
I looked closer at the leaves...
I thought about the family that lived in this nest... it felt like each leaf, each branch, each petal were quietly whispering their own story to me as I passed them by.
Joe and Kaia... I will be praying for you.

Put Away The Rain Boots !!

Ahhh... spring is here. The Northwest has lived up to its reputation this winter and spring. We have had rain, rain, and more rain. Wet grocery sacks have been tearing, kiddos have been happily hitting every puddle they pass, and pets have been leaving many MANY muddy prints throughout the house. Well, I think I can confidently say that spring is here. Is it finally safe to put away the rain boots? Now really... is it ever safe to put away the rain boots in the Northwest? Absolutely not, but hey, maybe we can at least move away from daily use!
What does spring mean to you? At our house, it is one of my favorite times. The girls rooms are on the top floor of our 94 year old home. The top floor is -30 degrees in the winter and 110 degrees in the summer. Our good old home does well in spring, and in turn, we all get GREAT sleep. Sleep without the humming of space heaters or portable air conditioners. Let's face it sleep changes everything. I love spring!

Spring means freshly painted pots filled with pansies.........

Spring means a new kitten.............
Spring means beautifully blooming trees......
Spring means T-Ball and swimming, it means uncovering the BBQ, and sunburned cheeks. It means more evening light and new life. As we watch spring unfold before our eyes, take time to appreciate the gifts God has given us, and all of the amazing things around us that should remind us every day that he is good and we are blessed. Happy spring and Happy Easter!

Memories of My Girls...

I find my mind wandering on a daily basis to my kids. I catch myself laughing, I make myself cry... most often I end up smiling. In an attempt to remember all of these silly things, all of the small things about my kids, I have started a blog for them. A journal of my memories, stories of the things they say that make me smile. If I think about it, this may be more for me than them. Hopefully it will be something that I can look back on that will help me pull those smiles, those tears an the precious memories right to the surface.

Feel free to read, share or comment on this blog.... hopefully it will stir up some memories for you as well. Memories about your own life lessons, your children or grandchildren... your own experiences as a parent... Feel free to offer me any advice that you would like! I welcome it all!!!

Check it out.... The Things Kids Say...

Baby Mae

What can be better than seeing a new life. The first bath, the first t-shirt, feeling brand new toes, hearing that new cry. I was so blessed to meet my newest niece just minutes after she was born. I have been waiting months to share some of these images, and now... the time is here! Enjoy! I can not ever get enough of baby feet (as you can probably tell)! This shot of my brother-in-law Joe holding Mae's beautiful and tiny feet is one of my favorites. My sister is an amazing person... I love her, and I love this next image of her staring at her perfect little girl.
What a blessing it was to have the nurse examine Mae and say that she was doing great.We had a wonderful time watching all of these firsts... Ava who had just turned 5 came along to see her new cousin. It was so much fun to watch her see this new little one. She was so patient while she waited. I love this image of her... it will always be a little time capsule for me to remember who she was at this time in her life. I will always remember those vans, that soft wavy hair, how much she likes to color, the Leapster tucked away in her barbie bag right next to her crayons, lip gloss and mermaid.... what a sweet girl.Mae was not quite sure about this first bath. I loved seeing her beautiful brown hair full of shampoo.Ava was surprised that Mae could make so much noise... it made me laugh to see her covering her ears.Ahh... a sweet, soft, clean, content, perfect little girl.Ava will never forget this day, what a great gift it was for her aunt and uncle to allow her to share in this special day.Big Brother Oliver was 17 months old when his sister came to join his family. I was completely impressed and thrilled with his response to his sister. You could see the love in his eyes when he saw her and touched her for the first time. He looked at his sister and then looked at his mom with his eyes filled with excitement.He could not get enough of her. He will be a wonderful big brother.We went to my sister's house when Mae was just a couple of days old to take some more images of her. This is a favorite of mine.... this is an antique box that my sister has... the orange blanket was made by my mother, Mae's grandma. She is just so small and so sweet... I love it.These tiny little ones are so amazing. You just have to capture this type of image in the first couple of days. They change and grow so fast... if you blink you will miss it.This last shot was to go with an image we took of Oliver when he was a baby. Oliver was one month old when we took this shot.
Thanks again to Kaia and Joe for allowing us to share in this amazing day. Miss Mae is such a blessing, I can not wait to keep watching her grow and seeing what a fabulous girl she will grow into!