keeping memories for our children: family photos

One of many things the blogosphere has inspired me to do is take more pictures. I hear this phrase time and time again and it's always more and more true to my heart:

Mothers are the memory keepers for their children.

It's one of the reasons I blog. I'd never remember when Lily cut her first tooth if I didn't write it down, and in 2012, writing something on paper doesn't count for much - papers get lost (by me, often!), they can be ruined, pen can run and pencil can fade. Writing something online keeps it safe, I reason. And pictures are a great example of that. Brad and I have been terrible at printing photos. We just don't get around to it, and when we do, they sit in the envelope because finding the perfect frame and hanging it never seem to be at the top of the priority list. Ask us about our wedding photos. Sigh.

So, family year books have been our only collection of printed pictures to date. I just sent off an order for four identical Morrice Family 2012 year books (it was buy 1, get 1, free @ My Publisher and we make one for ourselves and each set of grandparents), but that only half solves my problem. The other half is actually taking family pictures. Right. We have oodles of pictures of Lily and Oli, some of the kids and I, and practically none of the four of us together.

One of my resolutions for 2013 (there's a post on those coming up!) is to take more FAMILY pictures. I don't need encouragement to take pictures of the kids - we have so many of them - but we are so lacking in pictures of the four of us. Mothers are the memory keepers for their children, and I doubt my kids will be satisfied with thousands of pictures of just them. I want to record our family's history, not just theirs.

My girl Morgan came over the other week to take some pictures of us four and I cherish the work she did. She is just beginning to take photography seriously and I think she did a fabulous job! You'd never know we were her second photo shoot ever!! Moogie, thank you a hundred thank-yous :)

I'm vowing to not wait a year before the four of us get in front of a camera again! I'd love to make this a monthly affair, but would be happy with every few months. I love that these pictures are in a safe place where they can't get lost or destroyed, and we also added them to our 2012 year book for good measure :) Maybe I'll even print a few on canvas?

/// How often do you take family photos?