I Got In The Picture And I Liked It.

This is one of the only pictures I have of myself with the kids for about a six year time period.

It’s a terrible picture of me.

And when I saw it, I silently decided I would not be in any other pictures for an indefinite period of time because it was just so awful.

Looking back now, yeah, I still feel the same way.

It’s not a flattering picture.

But my kids don’t care.

And now, looking back, I wish I had more pictures of me with the kids.

No matter what I looked like.

I have never really felt comfortable in front of a camera.

Not even when I was 125 pounds and a size 2.

I have always been so critical of every part of myself.

Every part!

So I am really grateful for something that happened in the last couple years.

A couple years ago I became an affiliate for a program called Get Your Pretty On. It’s a capsule wardrobe program, and while I was an affiliate and earned a commission from the women who decided to register, the money I made as a result was not what I benefited most from.

The biggest thing that came from working with Get Your Pretty On was that in order to really promote the program, I took pictures of myself in different outfits.

I had to get in front of the camera if I wanted to authentically promote anything.

And the more I got in front of the camera, the more comfortable I became.

And I got over my fear and insecurities about having my picture taken.

Once I got over the insecurity of having my picture taken, I became so much less critical of myself.

A picture is a picture.

It’s not actually YOU.

And sometimes you’ll take a crappy picture while other times you’ll take one that you want to post on every form of social media because you look so awesome.

Life it too short to take yourself so seriously.

So after a few years of taking pictures in my GYPO outfits, I became really comfortable having my picture taken, and that led to me finally accepting the fact that sometimes I’m going to take bad pictures, and I didn’t care if people saw them or not.

I mean, sometimes in real life I DO look pretty crappy, so why not document reality???

Now insecurity and vanity wasn’t the problem.

Now the problem was that I had become the official family photographer, and I just never took a minute to ask anyone to take my picture. I didn’t want to impose on anyone or bother them.

It felt kind of forward and self-centered of me.

Which was a whole different type of insecurity.

And no matter how awesome your husband is, most guys just don’t really think that way.

Moms think, “Let me get a picture of the kids with their dad.”

But most dudes just don’t operate that way.

They aren’t going to think, “Let me take my wife’s picture with the kids so they have this memory documented.”

But you know what?

They will if you start asking them.

If you start asking them to take your picture after you take one with them in it, they will get the hint.

And they will say, “Do you want me to take one with you in it now?”

How do I know?

Because last week I ran my first ever challenge.

The Get In The Picture Challenge.

And I challenged moms to get in pictures with their kids.

Not selfies, but actual full-length pictures.

And you know what?

I participated too, and I got more pictures of myself with the kids last week than I did in all of 2017.

I’M NOT KIDDING.

For the first time ever since becoming a parent, I got a picture taken of MY end of the Thanksgiving table.

I got a picture taken while out for a walk with Number 7 after Thanksgiving.

Every year I take a picture of the kids in front of the Christmas tree after we decorate it.

This year, I got myself (and my husband, AND my parents!) in the picture, too.

I am on a mission to get in all the damn pictures from now on.

No more Christmases or Thanksgivings or vacations or birthdays or ANYTHINGS without me in them.

If I make them happen — AND I MAKE ALL OF THEM HAPPEN — then dammit, I’m gonna be part of the documentation.

And I hope you will all do the same thing, too.

I am running round two of the Get In The Picture Challenge starting on Monday, December 10th.

And I hope you’ll join me.

Because it’s time for all moms to get in the pictures.

And this holiday season is the perfect time to start.

Get in the pictures, with me Moms!