A Plan for All Those Pictures

Photo by Alana George

Honestly, I probably have 1,000 or more pictures stored on my computer. We take about a hundred pictures a month. Seriously. We print pictures once in a blue moon. My oldest son's scrapbook stops at his first Easter, my middle son's goes to his first Thanksgiving, and my baby...well, let's just say at least I've bought the book!

My neighbor told me she finally finished her daughter's scrapbook once she retired. My dear mother-in-law made my husband a scrapbook a few years ago, also once she retired. This got me to thinking: does it really take until retirement to get those scrapbooks done?

Yes, and no.

Yes, if we keep waiting to "find the time." No, if we're intentional about making the time.

My husband's book isn't chalk full of hundreds of pictures from his childhood; it has a few really good ones. I, on the other hand, take zillions of pictures to capture those everyday moments I don't want to forget. But how many of those are actually going to make the grade to go in their books

Being more realistic about what I want to keep may help me take fewer pictures and will encourage me to print off more pictures. After all, a photo bill for 20 pictures is a lot more manageable than for 200.
Plus, it's easier to scrapbook with 20 than 200!

Pages don't have to be perfect, either. After all, it's the pictures that count. Sometimes I don't make a page because I feel like if I can't make the perfect page that day, I might as well not make one. My kids aren't going to care if the pictures are just on a white page or on a beautifully decorated page; they will just like to see some pictures of their childhood. I shouldn't let perfectionism stop me from getting their books done.

A side note, I have mentioned before about making a scrapbook on Shutterfly or another digital service. The pictures are already on the computer, so you just have to upload them. It's user-friendly, and they turn out great. However...I recently heard a caution about using these services since they can use your albums as examples for other users. In the interest of protecting our children, it's a good idea to be careful with books made, and shared, on the Internet.

We're off for the weekend. Have a great 4th of July for those in the States. (I'll discipline myself in regards to how many pictures I take!) Messy Monday will be a bit late due to our trip!