Captured Moments

I take pictures of the kids all the time! I told Paul that he needs to be more active in taking pictures of the me with the kids because, heaven forbid, if anything ever happend...my children wouldn't have many pictures of me. Have you ever felt that way. Maybe it's just me.

Anyways so I take a lot of pics, but somehow I still feel guilty about not getting their pictures "professionaly" taken. I don't know why that is. Maybe it is because somehow JCPenney (plug for Paul) always capture that perfect moment. I have friends who get their children's picture taken every 3 months!! At first I think their crazy, but then I see the pictures on their wall and I am jealous. I was just looking at Ashlyn today and wondering when she got so big? She is almost 1 years old!!

So, my point. A little over a month ago Paul and I were at the mall. I was stopped by a lady who wanted to take my children's picture. It was one of those 'old-time' photo opportuinty booths. I was tired, the kids were way tired and Paul hates anything like that. But as I was thinking should we...or shouldn't we, I decided that we might as well do it. It was one of thoses things that you want to have done, but don't want to go through (kind of like child birth...)

This is what happend...

Aaron went to cover his face because he didn't want to smile.

Ashlyn was trying to pull his vest off.

Ashlyn kept pulling her peals up and down - this was on their way down.

She is now claping and my arm is holding the white sheet behind her

trying to keep her sitting on the tiny trunk she is on.

She is in a hatbox on the tiny trunk and I am about to grab her.

You can see my thumb in the top right corner.

Aaron is like his father.

He hated every minute of the photo shoot.

He would not smile! Right now he is sucking his lips in so he can't smile!

But - even through it all...I ABSOLUTELY LOVE every single picture!!! I purchased the negatives so I could send the one of the both of them as a Christmas card but the pictures on the CD were of this "real" color. All of my pictures are in something called Sephia. My prints are more brown with the flowers exaggerated (like Kim Anderson picures). I will scan one and post one later. So that is why my Christmas card was in black and white.

Even now looking at these pictures, every day life seems a little easier and love in my heart grows a little more. Days can be long as a stay-at-home-mom, but if we cherish (and dwell) on the good moments and capture the smiles and fun, life just keeps getting better.

Sometimes as I look at my children I am overwhelmed by more love for them. I know I am the luckiest Mom in the world!