Embrace The Camera: Instagram Edition

I love instagram.  I love that I can take a mediocre photo and make it look slightly less crappy.  I love capturing snapshots of our day.  I don't know why exactly, but ever since I downloaded that silly app, I have been more intentional about capturing moments of our day.  (if you want to find me I am @tracyd53)

I also love embrace the camera.  If you haven't checked it out before, you should.  Go HERE.  Emily has a great post today about getting in the photos you are taking.  Your family will thank you for making the effort.

Here are some recent embracing the camera photos courtesy of instagram!

mom and isabelle (or melanie, the name she has been asking me to call her!)

dad with the girls in a great fort (hard to see it's awesomeness in this photo)

mom and laws.....who refused to take a nap.  and yes, i have taken a very similar photo before and posted it!

 

Dad with Molly and her crazy after bath hair!

So, if you haven't started embracing yet, get out your phone and get started!  You won't regret it!  You can also check out my very first embrace post here if you'd like!

Embrace The Camera August 9th

Two weekends ago we went to OKC for a little family get together at my mother in law's house.

I can't believe that I was smart enough to get a picture of all of us together. 



my instagram pic...you can find me @tracyd53

Of course, it wouldn't be one of my pictures if it wasn't slightly blurry.  Oh, and Lawson has devil eyes.  I am determined to learn photoshop so that maybe I can figure out how to fix some of these things.  I have a book I am checking out from the library.  We shall see if I can learn it from a book!

Again, I will emphasize that when my kids look back I think they will be happy to see pictures of any kind, even the imperfect ones.  That is why I try to Embrace the Camera every week.  Haven't hopped on the bandwagon yet?  You should.  Check it out here.

Embrace the Camera July 26th

Last week we were able to check another item off of the summer list.....Top That Pizza. 

Frankly it was hot, I didn't want to cook dinner or clean up dinner so we loaded up the family and headed out for pizza.  We love Top That because we can all choose our own toppings.  That is really nice considering the wide range of preferences in this family.  The girls like cheese (duh), Jason likes meat, meat and more meat, and I like things like sun dried tomatoes and peppers.

While we were there I snapped a pic of me and Molly Moo while she had her mouth full of Oreos.  (another nice perk, oreos in the kids meal)

Again, I feel it is important to say how much I dislike being in pictures, but I do it anyway.  Why?  Because when my kids are older they will appreciate these pictures of us together.  They will not look back and be as critical of me as I am of myself.  I appreciate Emily and her consistency with getting in pictures with her kiddos.  It helps me remember to be more intentional about capturing some memories that include me!

You should seriously embrace the camera!

Embrace the Camera 7/19

It isn't easy for me to get in a picture every week.  In fact, it is near impossible.  I don't know how Emily does it.  This past week the husband and I were out shopping for a mattress (fun, fun) and my mom was home with the kiddos.  Isabelle wanted us to take a picture so we did and texted it to my mom.  It turns out it has been awhile since J and I have been in a picture together!!

So here we are, embracing mattress shopping!

I still have a hard time with being in pictures.  I don't usually like how I look because of what I am wearing, or lack of makeup, or crazy hair or the fact that I still need to lose some weight from this last pregnancy.  But...I know that one day my kids will treasure photos of their parents together.  When I look at photos of my grandparents together I don't think that my grandma looked fat, or that she needed different clothes or that her hair is crazy.  I am just thankful for photos of them together.

SO, grab your camera, get some pictures with you IN THEM! 

Embrace the Camera

It is a rare thing for me to actually be in pictures these days.  Because of that, I was super glad that my sis in law, Katie, snapped this one of Lawson and me during our most recent trip to the zoo.

He is getting bigger and bigger everyday and if I am not careful I will wake up one morning and have no pictures of us together while he is still little.  Yes, I would like to lose weight, and have nicer clothes and overall just look better in pictures.....BUT, if I wait for the perfect picture, I might wind up with NO pictures.

That is why I embrace!  Want to know what all this embracing the camera talk is about?  Check out Emily's blog.

Embracing Lawson

I think this might be the first picture of Lawson and me together since he was born.  Pathetic, I know.  It is just so hard to take pictures with three kiddos.  I don't know how Emily does it with seven!  Anywho....here we are at the zoo.  He did amazingly well considering how long we were there and how cold it was.  He is a pretty great baby.  I am one blessed momma!

And while I realize that it isn't the greatest picture of Lawson, I am so glad that we took the time to get a picture together during his first ever zoo trip.

Do you embrace?  You should.  Check out Emily's blog here.  She is one amazing momma and her blog is great!



Embrace the Camera March 15th

Two weeks in a row???  What?  I can hardly believe it.  Of course, last week's pic and this week's pic were taken during our trip to Little Rock, but who cares?

My sister is a pretty amazing gal.  One of the many amazing things about her is that she is a runner.  A marathoner to be exact.  I attempt to make it to all of her races and this time we traveled to Little Rock to watch her run and get a HUGE medal.  It is the biggest finisher's medal EVER.

Here we are after she completed the race, picked up her medal and drank her chocolate milk.

I honestly have no idea why I am standing like I am.  Maybe to try and hide my still huge self while standing next to my incredibly skinny sister.  It didn't work. 

Anyway....She is pretty awesome.  I am blessed to have her as my sister.  She rocks.

Do you embrace? You should.  Check out Emily's blog here.

Embrace the Camera-March 8th

I'm embracing the camera.  Woot woot!  I can hardly believe I got in FRONT of the camera for a change.  Still not with a kiddo, but I am making improvements. 

This past weekend J, Lawson and I went to watch my sister run in the Little Rock marathon.  We had a great time and the weather was perfect to be outside with a little one.  I had never been to Little Rock and must say I was pleasantly surprised.  I think I might even like to go back again for a weekend away without kids!

Here is a pic of me and J in the car on the way over.  My hubs is so handsome.

Do you embrace?  You should.  Check out the details on Emily's blog.

Embracing my Babies

I can hardly believe there is a picture of me that I am willing to post on the WORLD WIDE web.  These days I avoid the camera like the plague.  I actually feel sorry for Lawson because we took about 90% less photos this hospital stay than we did for Isabelle or Molly.  I refuse to document the fact that I look the way I do right now.  In fact, I am starting Weight Watchers on Monday to try and get the situation under control!

Anyway, back to embracing........

This is the first pic of Molly holding Lawson.  She kept saying, "hold it, hold it" over and over.  She wasn't too keen on having to sit on my lap and wanted instead to pick Lawson up and hold him by herself.  I think she figures he is just like one of her baby dolls.

Molly also likes to help burp him and kiss his head.  Belle likes to look at his "pretty black hair" and also give him kisses.  They are going to make some great big sisters. 

Do you embrace?  You should!  I should do it more!  Check out Emily's site to see what it is all about.

Embrace

So as I mentioned, this past weekend we celebrated Isabelle's third birthday.  Usually birthdays are a great time to get lots of great photos of J and I with the kiddos, but not this time.  We decided to put the girls down for a nap early before everyone arrived.  It seemed like a great idea considering how my girls are when they don't get naps.  However, I failed to think about how they might respond to going to bed with no one here and waking up to a house full of people.  They both were a little overwhelmed.

This is Isabelle right after waking up from her nap.  She sat on my lap, quietly, for what seemed like forever.  Isabelle is hardly ever still and quiet at the same time.  It is the only semi-good picture of us together at her party. 

I will post more pics and details from the party next week, so be sure to check back in for some awesome Elmo cake pics!

Also, if you have trouble remembering to get yourself in some photos with your kids, you should start the Embrace movement as well!  Check out Emily's blog here.  She is great!

Embrace the Camera-Sister Edition

It is Embrace the Camera Day! 

And I have pictures!  What the what?  It is sister edition today.  No pics of the kiddos!

 

Our first race ever.  Jason, my sis, my bro and I all completed the OSU Scrub Run.

My sister is a runner.  Like a serious runner.  She has completed many 5k's as well as a couple of half marathons and a marathon.  She is in the process of training for her second marathon as we speak.  It is kind of crazy considering she once told me the only reason she would ever run was if she was being chased.

I try to go to all of her races.  I have only missed three.  One that was out of town, one when I was in the hospital and one I am not sure why.  I usually try to get a pic of us together at her races. I haven't succeeded each time, but in the spirit of embracing the camera I thought I would post pics from her races I have attended and put in the pics I have of us together.

pretty sure this is her first Tulsa Run.

Route 66...think she did the half.

Our second OSU Scrub Run.  This time my bro-in-law and niece joined us.

Aquarium Run with Lauren

Tulsa Run...I was preggers with Isabelle

first marathon

another Tulsa run...i think

OSU Scrub Run this year

This last pic is from her latest Tulsa Run.  She is pretty amazing.  She inspires me to run....and then I think...run?  what?  that is crazy talk.  I think jogging is more my thing.  It sounds better than running really, really slowly.  I love my sis.  She is my bff and I think she is pretty awesome!

Embrace

Embracing the camera has become increasingly more difficult.  Jason and I are both going through a phase of feeling larger than normal.  Sadly that is because we are in fact, larger than normal.  It is hard to want to take pics of yourself when you aren't feeling super good looking.  During pregnancy I always get a very fat face.  I hate it and I am pretty sure I have mentioned by big face before.  It is horrible.  Anyway...back to the point.  Embracing is hard.  But, today, I captured a sweet moment with Belle and her Daddy.   Belle has always been a Daddy's girl and she loves the time she gets with him.  In fact, if it were up to her, I think she would ask me to leave!!!  So here it is....a pic of J with his girl.  He reads while she listens to music on my itouch.  They are two of my most favorite people in the world.  I am so blessed to have such a great husband and such a wonderful daughter.

Notice Belle is doing her famous smile where her eyes are squeezed shut as tight as she can.  Who knows where she got this from, but all of my pics of her look exactly the same!  Also, I want to mention what great taste she has in music.  Currently she is listening to Florence and the Machine.  Great pick on her part!

Want to join the embrace movement?  Check it out here.