Family Affair

Hey Y'all ~

 I wanted to share a bit with you from Momma's birthday surprise - but first, a little background...

Now, every year since my sister Lulu was born, Momma has made sure to get our portraits done professionally, every 5 years {since we're 5 years apart}. The first was when Lulu was just at "zero" & yours truly, was a wretched 5 year old, attempting to adjust to life with a baby sister around.

As the years have gone on, we've been photographed in coordinating plaid satin dresses, coordinating nautical/sailor themed dresses, polka dots & stripes, and later in life, more refined photos in nice dresses, always achieving the look that "Oh, sister, how I love thee" - when we were probably just shy of maiming each other an hour prior.

But honestly, it's always been a fun way to document our family every 5 years, and quite fun to see how different we were at each others' ages. Now that we're both adults {& not just "18", but like, fo'real grown up, married off & payin' ya own bills kinda adults} Lulu & I decided we should surprise Momma with our 20&25 year portraits. Momma loved Lulu's wedding photographer, who had since moved away. She gave up her dream of being able to have us photographed by V, and figured she would just have to settle with any ol' photographer. Well, V happened to be coming in to town one weekend in July, so we snagged her for a family session, convinced the Stepdad to help coerce Momma into the surprise photo sesh, and off we went about our little scheming selves!

So, last Friday Lulu, Momma & I ran around antiquing and finished up purchasing all the decor for Momma's breakfast nook re-do... we had an amaaaazing lunch at this local Italian eatery "Baci" {Italian for "kiss", yes, I did know that & didn't need to look it up} and then brought Lulu back up to our house to "hang out until dinner". Yes! We had gone all day and Momma still had no clue what was to come. We get home & Mom says "I'm not doing anything tonight. I'm whooped tired & that's it." {Enter: momentary freak-out} ... so Lulu & I continue to get ready while Mom attempts to catch a cat nap... finally, we had to break the surprise to her, or else she wouldn't get up and cooperate !?

Well, we told her about the surprise we had planned, and that it was not only for our Sister Portraits, but also for a family photo session, seeing as how for the last 9 years we had managed to go without having a "formal" photo of the 4 of us. And plus, now Lulu is married and our family has grown. So, the tears come from Momma, she asks "when? how soon? I need to pick out my outfit" ... which we had already done based on what we were wearing.

I think Lulu and I did a really great job at a surprise gift, and Momma cherishes nothing more than photos of her family {past+present}... So, Happy Early Birthday Momma {1 month from today}. Love you lots!

Family faces are magic mirrors.  

Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future.