Guest

I've had the chance to connect with a lot of bloggie friends over the last couple of years in this bloggin' thing...and one of them happens to be the sweet Elizabeth of Pocket Full of Lovelies.

With her blog full of real perspective, real DIY and a sassy real life 'tude, this girl makes the everyday cute in a way only she can. (Read her post carefully to catch her funny about her own family photos experience...like I said...She's real.)

As a follow up to some family pictures I photographed and shared recently here, I grabbed her real thoughts recently over a popular autumn topic...the ever elusive way to perfect family pictures...and even more daunting...what to wear in family pictures...

Without further ado...Miss Elizabeth. 

Hello.

I am Elizabeth, wife, momma, friend, sewer, dreamer, and wanna-be blogger. I blog over here, stop by, and show some love!

A shout to the lovely Allison for having me on her blog today... let's all say it "HI Allison"

Today, I am here to talk to you cool cats about
{what the heck to wear for your family pictures}

Why am I credible to talk on such a subject?
Well, I am not really, but I like photography, and I like clothes and sometimes I get a vision...

call it what you will, but sometimes my mind thinks in photo shoots... {or blog posts, or tweets, ahh}

alrighty peeps, onto the topic at hand!

·       inventory your house! what the hey does this have to do with getting your family dressed? well, it has a lot to do with it. I'll explain. why do we get pictures taken? because we want to display our beautiful selves all over our house, right? for other people to see when they come over and they can say, "dang, girl you look so good in that pictures" why, yes I do! thanks! so, look around, where are these pictures going to hang or sit? is your room formal? casual? what colors are in your room? take this into account when picking out outfits...

·       another word of advice... research your photographer people! if you like sit-down-smile at the camera portraits, then pick a photographer that does those types of photos. if you like candid-maybe I am smiling, maybe I am laughing, maybe my butt crack is hanging out {no really, mine was in one of my pictures, no joke} then pick a photographer that has that style...

·       the days of everyone looks the same in white shirts and khaki pants are long gone my friends... instead, try and pick out a few colors that everyone can incorporate in their outfit and coordinate not match... don't be afraid to mix unexpected colors and use accessories. COLOR is in folks! one of my {go to places} when I am trying to decide on Color is design seeds ... check it out.. you can search for palates and a pretty picture is included to help you if you are more visual like I am. you can search by palate, like autumn, summer, and so on! this is a good place to start... go there, like NOW! but come back and check out the rest of this post, m'kay?

·       coordinating your outfits... this is huge. it's ok to mix patterns and colors, right? but don't put the same color and pattern on every person. pick outfits that encompass your color palatte and then divi up those colors... if your scheme is mustard yellow and gray with pops of turquoise, put baby in yellow with a bold turqouise headband and yourself in a great gray dress with a pop of bright teal jewelry on your wrist and a mustard scarf and put dad in a plaid turquoise or shirt and dark gray wash jeans...

·       scan your closets... pictures, as wonderful as they are, well, let's face it, can get pretty spendy by the time it's all said and done. well worth it, yes! look through your closets, do you think your husband looks hot in that shirt you bought him to wear to dinner last month, or maybe the baby looks darling in the new blazer you bought for grandma's birthday party {yes, they make blazers for the baby, too dang cute}. use that fave piece of clothing to help inspire the rest of your family look.

·       use props... some of the time, your photog will have some for you to use, but if you are using these pictures for birthday invitations or for christmas cards and you want a specific look or feel, buy it and bring it, and communicate this to your photographer. check etsy or your favorite blogs for ideas... check your house, that special quilt that has been in the family for 100 years, bring it and sit on it {it washes} and you'll find your pictures not only look amazing but have a little bit of sentiment as well. believe me, photographers, {bless them} and their super cool editing skills, have a way of making aunt betty's ugly blanket look awesome in the photo... {I don't know how they do it, but they do}

·       and last, we all do it, spend countless hours scanning pinterest. get inspiration from what other people have done. do me a favor and {wait for it} actually click on that super cool picture that you like and go to that blog or website and look around.. you may find more inspiration than you knew possible. seriously, if you like that one picture, chances are, you'll like the rest of what you will find after you click to the new page! try it, k?

well, take from it what you will. I hope someone draws some inspiration from this little post and has some crazy good family photos in the near future..

I have to get my roast out of the crock pot, and make my instant mashed potatoes before the hubbs gets home and figures out my secret! {I almost sounded domesticated, huh?}
but seriously, the best choice garlic instant mashed potatoes are bomb!
you're welcome...
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>

Annie

I've written about them before.

Back in June, I blogged about my baby sister here.

And, usually, I keep my photography and this blog as separate as can be.

But, sometimes they intertwine into this beautiful thing that I feel so privileged to be able to share.

See, now this sister is the one blossoming so fully.

Joining the year of babies in our family by generously adding not just one little munchkin to the mix,

but two.

But two little ladies to to join her pink peanut in December.

Upon first thought, this miracle is so exciting and fun and lovely...

Double the pleasure, double the fun...

Matching outfits and three under two and all girls...

wow.

(and it is exciting and fun and lovely and Wow.)

but as already-mothers know, this journey, as all of ours are, will be filled with the hard days, the crying days, the discipline days...and it won't just be one up in the night, one sleep schedule, one guessing game...but double it all.  

Breathe, Annie.

Breathe. 

However, that all being said, if you know Annie, 

you know if anyone survive, do it, 

Annie can.

Actually,

not just survive it, but embrace it.

And not just do it, but beautify it. 

She can.

It's true.

And not just simply survive it and embrace it and do it and beautify it,

but accomplish this all 

with the passion, the serenity, the joy, the loveliness

that is my sister,

Annie.

--
P.S. If you haven't done so yet, feel free to "join" our site by clicking the "follow" button on the right-hand side. Fun things are in the works, a holiday giveaway, some guest posts including a what to wear in family pictures inspiration post and more!

Love

We all have the things we want for our family. 

Boldness and humility, a life that strives for the highest, while completely secure,

confidence, honesty, great accomplishments,

all simultaneously lacing a deep peace and contentment and joy and happiness.

And as the first model for my children, 

their first example, their current primary role model, 

I feel myself spinning so many times, not sure where to start, 

turning every which way to make sure their home is dusted,

their meals well-balanced, 

their laundry clean (although it's usually not folded), their TV minimal, their friendships healthy,

their experiences rich. 

It's endless, really, the things we could be doing to improve, 

 the list we still need to make, the lessons we could teach, the conversations to deepen,

it's exhausting.

The other day, though, I was reminded of the simplicity of what's truly requested, required.

 It was actually a song I heard on their playlist that sung directly to my heart. 

It all comes down to one thing,

the base of all things lasting, meaningful, beautiful.

Love.

Love.

The word is short in stature, but so mighty in meaning, this thing called love.

And, as we all know, but so easily forget, it's more than the kisses and cuddles I bestow,

it's the sacrifice, the surrender of the "me" time, the chatty phone calls, the brainless web surfing, the juicy tv shows I'm unfortunately interested in during the day;

it's adoring their daddy, becoming his biggest fan, day by day;

it's responding to their question after question after question with appreciation, enthusiasm; 

it's letting them suffer, sitting in silence sometimes to appreciate, value peace, quiet, rest.

Oh, and the biggest challenge for me, 

it's modeling that same peace, quiet, rest for them with a willing, joyful, loving heart, day after day, after minute after minute. 

I really do think the quiet love is the loudest.

The real love, the hard love, that's the true love.

So,

I'm off to love today.

Fall

Mmmm,

fall.

And we got a good dose of the fall weather this weekend.

Boots, coats, hats, 

we dug 'em all out to

visit Uncle Jonah's nursery for their annual Octoberfest.

He was in charge of the hay-maze this year,

which we visited after pausing at the animals,

but once the munchkins found the corn pit,

there wasn't any peeling them away...

(I considered trying to pun something like, trying to shuck them away...but I decided against it...)

But, shucks, we didn't mind.

(Hmm...not sure it works there either...)

However, the biggest hit of the day?

The balloons.

Passed out, tied up, bopped by the balloon man;

the munchkins loved it.

Again,

pretty sure J-man was the most enthused.

All in all,

it was just a good fall day.