forgotten photos

It's 5:30 and I can't sleep. I am having one of those nights where everything is racing through my mind and it won't rest. So much to do and so little time these days. I am purging my photos on my camera disk and came across a folder of photos from last summer that were taken when my sister in law and her family were visiting from Kansas in July. We had the wonderful pleasure of having them in our brand new home. They have three absolutely wonderful children ( now 4.5, 2.5 and 1) and my husband and I just think the world of them. I feel like I just took this pictures and they will be visiting in a month for the 4th f July on their annual visit to Indiana.

I went out to water my flowers and my nephew came running out wanting to help me. I would say we were out on my front porch watering flowers for over and hour. He was having a blast and I wasn't complaining because I found a good photo op and well, who wouldn't complain about having their chores done for them?

Little sister came out to see what was going on! Holy cow, don't look at the basket on the right. It looks like something dried out. We had quite the fight keeping everything watered during last year's drought.

I am so bad when it comes to photos. I hardly have any displayed in my home. I never can keep them organized and often times, I even forget to take them. It comes and goes in spurts. My husband and I have been together 5 years this month and I would say we average 2-3 photos a year together. I don't have any photo albums. Technology has really changed things when it comes to memories and photography. We depend way too much on our photos lasting in our computers or on our phones forever. I remember when you had to develop film and you would just automatically do it every time you had a roll used up. When your pictures came back, you put them in a photo album. You were also limited to how many photos you can take. Now, you can take 20 of the same shot just to have that reassurance that you'll have a decent photo but then you regret it once you go back to your computer and have to sort everything out.

It looks like my husband came out to see what was going on! He was jealous of all the fun we were having. I wonder if his socks ended up getting all wet? I could take all these photos and create photo books online as the events occur. I can never remember to do it though. Before I know it, a year has gone by and I have accumulated so many pictures that I get overwhelmed and tell myself I will do better next year. I read a lot of organizing blogs and I get jealous of all these girls who are on top of their memories and keeping them organized. It's easier said than done, really!

Sometimes you really just have to stretch and pull yourself in order to get things done. I think I half of the battle is finding time to sit at a computer anymore. We have everything available to us on our phones like Facebook, EBay, Email etc. so it's so much easier to handle your daily computer activities throughout the day on the tip of your fingers. The same goes with the camera on my iPhone. It's much more convenient to use it than to get out my Nikon and hook everything up. Not to mention, I don't want to carry a camera around my neck every where I go either.

When you try to focus on certain activities and getting things done, there's always distractions and often times "better things to do". How do we prioritize what we do? If we never get around to doing something we feel guilty for not doing, is it really that pressing and important?

My nephew is lucky. He is at that age where he can water flowers, ride the four wheeler with Uncle "Dance" or take a nap. It would be so much fun to go back to when you were a toddler and not have a single care in the world other than having cheerios, chocolate milk and your favorite blanket available. On the other hand, being adult has been an experience I could have never imagined. We are so blessed with the responsibilities of working full time, keeping a beautiful home, taking care of our crops and spending time with friends and family. Life is so good and it's only getting better. Whether I remember to keep my photos organized or not.

We can't forget baby Allison! She has changed so much since this picture was taken last July. Baby girl will be a year old really soon. I can't wait to take some new pictures of her next month! I imagine she will be just as darling as her big sister and older brother. Baby Allison was not able to water flowers for me and probably not this summer either but maybe next summer I will get her onto the executive training program.