Our family photos!

The dreaded family photos.  Haha, that's probably not how you expected this post to start.  But let's be honest, moms and women everywhere are clamoring for a "good" family photo while kiddos and dads are along for the ride.  Am I right?  

Well, I was reluctantly one of those moms this year.  Actually after about 10 minutes of trying to take Anna Ruth's picture inside the house one day I told Brett we weren't even going to try family photos.  Anna Ruth is fiercely independent.  She won't stand still and smile pretty for a camera.  It's just not her personality.  Brett and I were discussing this one night and wondered how other toddlers are posed perfectly smiling and maybe their parents "made" them.  If so, how does that work?  

I'm not going to punish my child for being herself.....I certainly want her to obey but I'm not going to do ________consequence for not smiling pretty for mama's camera.  And you know what? That's not really my photography style anyway I've come to realize.  I like to capture people in their most natural sense.  People being people.  Themselves.  That's how these family photos came about.  

We tried a few with the time and I ran like my life depended on it.  We let the girls explore and be themselves.  My girls are SERIOUS country girls when they can entertain themselves in a cow pasture.  

We snuck a few sweet moments with just the two of us....

"selfies" at their best.

And then, after I was just about to be done and "give up" on a family photo I captured this.  

It made me tear up when I glanced into the camera screen.  I started shouting "I got it! Brett, come look!"  I "got" us.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words and this picture speaks volumes.  It tells our story...we are country folk, with two busy, happy gals.  We are strong through Christ's never-ending strength.  We love our farm.  

I'm planning on hanging this up in our home....

it is my favorite picture.