a moment in time.

Heads up! This post was created in partnership with Artifact Uprising,
a brand I love and have purchased from many times. 

Our family will never look exactly like this ever again. The boys are already taller, their limbs already longer. Everett is probably going to lose his first tooth soon (I keep forgetting that's a thing), and even though Carson is still <1% on the growth chart, he's looking less and less like my "baby" and more and more like a big (albeit tiny) kid every day. I want to remember this phase, this moment in time when it was just us four and these boys ran circles around us. I want to remember the way Carson still fits perfectly on my hip like a puzzle piece and the way Everett smiles with his whole face. I want to remember the way they turn every stick into a sword and how they always stop to pluck tiny yellow flowers for me. 

We recorded a podcast a few months ago about preserving memories, and I'll never forget something April said during that conversation. She said something to the effect of, "I don't know anyone who has ever regretted taking family photos. I don't know anyone who looks back on pictures of their family and thinks: gee, I wish we had never taken those."

I don't, either. 

I know I’m biased—as an occasional photographer myself—but I really do believe that family photos are worth the planning, the effort, the candy bribes, the chaos (and yes, even the money).

How else can you freeze a moment in time?

My favorite part is when the prints arrive on our porch. I stick a few in frames, tape a couple above my desk, tuck one in my bible, and put the rest in Everett and Carson's memory boxes. 

Artifact Uprising is one of my favorite one-stop shops for photo prints and gifts. Their quality is unmatched, and I love how many unique options they offer (prints! frames! wood blocks! books! easels!). Anytime I need a gift for anyone—parents, grandparents, even Brett—I can always find something special on their site. 

If you want to celebrate someone you love this Valentine's Day with a photo gift, you can use promo code AG10 for 10% off anything at Artifact Uprising now-February 4th. 

Happy shopping! 

p.s. 2017 family photos are by the talented Jillian Goulding

Ashlee Gadd

Ashlee Gadd is a wife, mother, writer and photographer from Sacramento, California. When she’s not dancing in the kitchen with her two boys, Ashlee loves curling up with a good book, lounging in the sunshine, and making friends on the Internet. She loves writing about everything from motherhood and marriage to friendship and faith.

http://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/the-team/ashlee-gadd
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