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Home » all misc » Repost: She Left Proof

Repost: She Left Proof

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For Mother’s Day, I’m reposting this post (to see all the comments from last year, go HERE) with some updates at the end.

I came across a Blog Post on Under the Sycamore and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.    Here’s the quote from the She Left Proof project:
“Many scrapbookers knew Aleida Franklin. She was a wonderful wife and mother and a brilliant artist. I didn’t know Aleida personally, but she taught me something I will never forget.

She emailed me last year to tell me she loved my blog and to ask if I liked my short hair-cut. This lead to a series of emails which eventually led me to remark that I really loved how often she posted pictures of herself with her children on her blog. And she replied to me, “Have you ever seen a photograph of your own mother and thought to yourself how fat she looked? Or how she wasn’t wearing make-up? Or wasn’t dressed in a glamorous outfit?” Of course my answer was no.
She then responded with saying that she made it a goal to take a picture of herself with her children at least once every month. And that to use excuses about how we look, as women, is ridiculous, since our children will never care what we looked like, but only that we had physical evidence of the bond between mother and child.

Aleida tragically and unexpectedly passed away in an auto accident in September of 2008, leaving 2 small children and a grieving husband. After she passed I thought of how those children must feel to have those precious photographs. I have made it my personal goal to follow her wise suggestion and I try to take photos of myself with my children….double chins, make-up free, bed-head and all.

I invite Mothers everywhere to take Aleida’s Challenge. To photograph yourself with your children each and every month. And to post them here so that we can see Aleida’s legacy unfolding”

She’s right – moms aren’t in the pictures.  One reason is probably that we don’t think we look our best.  But my kids surely don’t think of my “best” look when they think of me – I’m sure they see me in all my bad hair/no makeup glory.  Here’s pics of my mom with me as a baby – so glad she found these:

I think another reason that moms aren’t in pictures is because we’re taking the pictures.  I sifted through all my pictures, and came out with 47 pictures of me with the kids.  You might think that’s a lot, but for almost 8 years, it’s nothing – I can often take 50 pictures or more a day.  And finding pictures of me with an individual child is even trickier. I just don’t think about – I snap pictures of the kids with each other, friends, grandparents, their dad, etc – but now I realize that I need to put myself in some of those pictures.
Here’s a few to share from my meager stash:
Pictures with the kids as babies:
Pictures of me doing something fun with the kids (apparently I’ve done nothing fun with Will, so here’s his hospital pic – and interestingly enough, he’s the only kid that has a hospital pic with just me):
More random pictures:
Me with groups of kids:
And the most recent individual picture I have with each of them (yes, Emmy’s is from over 2 years ago – to do: take a picture with Emmy!)
So that’s about it for pics of me with the kids.  Such a blessing for Aleida’s children that she made the effort to take pictures with her kids.  A true thing to treasure.  So I now have a new goal to take pictures with the kids, especially each one individually.  And do it frequently.  On the same blog, a few weeks later, Ashley gave tips on getting into the pictures with your kids – take charge and ask for a picture – you can read about that HERE.  Now at the library/park/etc when a mom pulls out a camera and takes a picture of her child, I swagger over and offer to take a picture of her with her child – just to spread the mom-in-the-picture love.
Happy Mother’s Day!  Go out and take some pictures with your children to celebrate the day!

UPDATE:
After a family picture on Easter, I made sure to get an individual picture with each of my kids – so here are the most recent shots they have with mom:

Thanks for checking out this post from www.SugarBeeCrafts.com – – click on over to read it in its entirety – you’ll love it!

About Mandy Beyeler

Mandy is a craft blogger who loves to blog and enjoys all things crafty, sewing, and DIY - she feels that if she can do something, you can too, and provides tutorials to help you along the way. She loves being a mom to 4 awesome kiddos and blogs from the Kansas City Area.

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Comments

  1. Stephanie says

    That was such a sweet post, especially for Mother’s Day. Thanks for reminding us moms to make sure we’re in the pictures. I put together a photo book for my little man’s first birthday and there were definitely more pictures of him with everyone else than there were with me! I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen again!! Happy Mother’s Day!

  2. L says

    I loved this and linked it on my blog. I went through my picture and now know I need some of just me and E. Thanks for this!

  3. JKclark says

    +It’s so true! Recently on Facebook people have been posting pictures of
    themselves and their moms. Now my mom is the mother of nine kids, and pictures weren’t always as inexpensive as they are now… that being said I could find almost ANY picture of just me and my mom, especially one of me as a young kid. There is no excuse these days
    and I will certainly be following your advice! Thanks for the post!

  4. Becca says

    I love this post, and the idea behind it. I will definitely implement this when our first baby arrives in May, even if my post birth makeup and hair isn’t up to par. I know those photos will be priceless.

  5. mommatojoa says

    WHat an inspiring post.
    I want to take on Aleida’s challenge.

    I have so many pictures of everyone else in the family and none of me.

    Especially since getting pregnant this time around due to weight gain!

    Thank you SO much for posting this!

  6. Hands Sew Full says

    This is so true! I am always behind the camera! Just today as I was playing on the trampoline with the kids and taking their pics I thought …I have hardly any pics of them with me. So I had each of them take a picture of their sibling with me. Then I took one of the two of them with me by holding the camera backwards! They are not all great shots for sure and I was thinking to delete them but now…. I might not. The kids will treasure them because they took them! Now to be brave enough to post them!

  7. Chic Homeschool Mama says

    I love all of these. I only had a very small handful of photos of myself up until just a couple months ago. I avoided being in front of the lens like it was going to kill me if I was in the shot. But I found Elena over at Selfie magic and Jill Sampter’s I am beautiful project & it really pushed me into a new place. I read someones comment once that said “I will never be any younger so I better capture myself now before I age” This totally hit home with me- what was I waiting for- I wasn’t going to get any younger- so I better capture myself now, while I can and give my family the memories they deserve.