POLAROIDS THEN & NOW.

I will always remember the day my mom had her hand glued to her polaroid camera. It seemed like she always enjoyed taking pictures, and when she did it made her super happy. I miss those days, and sometimes I feel as if she didn't take enough, but the time spent with her without the camera were awesome too! Still...there's something about taking pictures that relieves all kinds of stress. At least it does for me. That's probably why I take so many, and looking back at these photos I remember seeing it in my mother.

She was always excited for the first day of school to start (second polaroid.) I vividly remember the new dresses she bought us, and how she kept telling us to stand still, fold our arms, and smile pretty. I also remember the first time when we got our first bike (third polaroid.) Technically it was for my sister, but after a while was passed on down to me. My mom knew how much I liked her bike so she obviously took a polaroid of me with it. 

Christmases were very rare in our home, and I honestly only remember two, but I will always remember the one when she took a polaroid of us with the little christmas tree standing on a tv tray (fourth polaroid.) She really made that Christmas special, and I will always treasure that moment. I now know why she would always take pictures of us, because I have been doing the same thing with my children for years now!

Times have changed since polaroid cameras, and even though I feel as if iPhones have really raised the bar with all the technology the've put into it with different apps and filters to make your pictures look nicer, there's nothing better than being nostalgic when taking pictures with a polaroid camera, an old school Nikon with film that you can develop, or in my case an instax camera. 

I have really grown to love my fuji instax camera. We gifted this one to Sierra for her birthday this year, and when she opened up the package she squealed with delight. She's always wanted one, just as I wanted one, and just as my mother had one, and now we all have one! 

When I first got my camera I wanted to try it out so one Sunday before church I gathered the kiddos, and we snapped all kinds of pics. They've never seen anything like it, and thought it was pretty cool. Lexie and Chelsea both love these cameras, and it  looks like this is one thing that's going to be on their christmas list this year. 

Nothing can ever replace tangible photos, and I really enjoy using my instant camera. The kids, and I have been going to town, literally, and having fun with it taking all kinds of pictures. I had to remind them that these photos are ones that cannot be "deleted" so if they come out with their eyes closed, looking possessed, or just plain weird to suck it up, and just treasure them. 

We have taken it to the beach, the playground, and Lexie even took it to EFY this summer. The people in her company thought that the instax camera was pretty cool. I love my kids, and will continue to take advantage of capturing moments, and making memories with them. That way they can look back at these photos when I'm super old and gray, and remember how much I loved taking pictures of them.  

Just as my mom did with me. These moments are priceless, and I am so grateful that my mother took the time out of her day when we were small children to capture these memories of me and my sister.