me. self portrait.
Davina
in Documentary, G & G, Lifestyle Portraits, Personal
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20 Comments
the real thing.
I've got some new projects in the works this month. One of them will be launching on Thursday and you won't want to miss it...especially if you're a mom with a business (hint: I'm in cahoots with some other women).
The other project is me. After seeing my friend, Kelly Moore, do an stunning self portrait session I decided that there just aren't enough pictures in the world of me for my kids. There aren't pictures of the every day, mundane things that I do with them...the things that really mean something...the things that if they didn't happen or if I wasn't here they'd be missed the most. A lot of it is just me being a mom, me just being around, me just being here. Doing the same ol' ol'.
Really, though, life is made up of the just being there for someone...through the ins and the outs, the ups and the downs. So I want my kids to see that I've been there in the little ways...that we've had fun together, that I've done the being there things. I also just want them always be able to see me in case for some reason they don't. I don't want to be just this faceless person on the other side of the camera that came out from behind it for the occassional shot.
So...this month is about self portraits of me doing what I do every day. I won't always look pretty or cute or whatever. But it will be me doing what I do to just to get through the day.
So tonight I made cookies for the kids and we read. We actually finished The Giver tonight and I have to admit I got a little choked up. We had big conversations about the ending and I loved sitting around talking about it. I love that when we read my kids end up just all over the place around me...especially when we read on a Sunday after church.
Because we have a 40 minute drive to church these days the kids always bring the book we've been reading so that I can read it in the car. When we get home from church I never do get out of my dress because we walk in the door and they are already saying, "Don't stop Mom! Keep reading! We have to know what's going to happen!" So I sit on the couch and read and read. The kids lay around me and eventually we finish and then we talk about it the rest of the night.
Tomorrow the kids will each probably come up to me at some point in the day and talk to me about Jonas and baby Gabe and do I really think that the book ended....(I won't say HOW it ended for those of you who are going to read it...and you totally should!). But they will talk about it tomorrow...and I love the talking. I love that they think and wonder about the characters in the books we read. I love that they're concerned and that they want the people we've come to love to feel the things that they feel.
It's beautiful. I loved sitting around the table eating cookies and just being together.
So...here's me today...still in my Sunday dress...reading and making cookies...feeling like I just had a perfect episode of "Leave it to Beaver"- with- June- Cleaver- Sunday -afternoon.
perfect. LIFE.
Reader Comments (20)
These are so great! When I was following your trip to South Carolina I couldn't help but notice that you weren't in the pictures, so I think this is an awesome idea!
Oh man Gracie total looks like you! You guys make the same expressions...so cute!
Aww I love these photos! I took a darkroom class a few years ago and one assignment was to do self-portraits. I thought how cool since my kids had virtually no pictures of me since I was always the one with the camera! I love the idea of the self-portraits being of you just being you, doing what you ordinarily do....I may try this too :)
love it!
fabulous. i may even decide that this is what i'm going to do with my kiddos. thanks for your inspiration. have i mentioned how fun you are? i haven't? shame on me. because you are way fun!
awesome!! My mom was always taking pictures and I love the everyday stuff. I do wish my mom actually had some pictures of her sewing our halloween costumes or baking. Good for you!
Your expression in #2 is so funny! Those cookies look yummy! Too bad I'm on a dairy-free diet for my son's eczema! I bet you're not missing the dry weather here in utah!
I think this is a great idea. I've been taking pictures of the crafts I do because I never do them for myself, but at least it shows what I did with a little bit of my time. A couple of years ago my daughter was questioning if she was adopted because I don't have one picture of me being pregnant. I felt bad about that, so yes to pictures of ALL of the family.
Thanks, Jessica. I'm glad I look like Gracie. She's super cute!
Chantal, you should totally try it! I'ts actually pretty fun. I've already done some more self-portraits today. Hopefully, I'll get them up later on tonight.
Thanks, Lauren. Miss you, girl!
Janet, you should. Your kids need to have pics of you. :)
Sharon, oooo...those are good things to have a picture of!
Kayleen, Thank you! I think it's funny, too. The cookies are too yummy...and it's move it monday! I heard that it's been snowing like crazy in Utah!
Jackie! What a great idea! And that is so funny...and not funny...about your daughter asking if she was adopted. It's to true that we forget to get out from behind the camera occasionally!
I love that you are doing this and I love that you read your children stories like that on a regular basis! When my boys are older I want to do the same! You have a beautiful family.
I love the expressions with the cookie making. You are so stinkin' cute! Thanks for reading to the kids, talking to them, helping them feel safe, and for just being an amazing part of all of our lives. We love you!
Davina I am so blessed I got to meet you in NC! I just love reading your blog, you make me want to be such a better person and mother, you are truly and inspiration. I LOVE the picture of you reading to your kids-BEAUTIFUL! I think about taking pictures of myself all the time for my kids sake because I am ALWAYS behind the camera. If something were to happen to me, my family wouldn't have any pictures to look back on. I think I'll start trying to get some pictures of our everyday life with ME in them! Thanks for all that you are and all that you do!
abby
oh Davina I LOVE the one of you reading to all the kids. So special.
I love your blog. It's funny that I wandered back on here as you are having a contest about being more health conscious. I am in the same boat. A new year came around and I got on the scales to find I weigh 10 lbs more than I'd like so this should be fun reading all the comments. I could use the advise...
hey davina,
you're brilliant to think of doing this! since january is a slower time for me i've been spending a lot of time with my kids too. you're always such an inspiration! btw- who is actually taking the photos? not sure if you mentioned that already. happy new year!
Hi Davina!
I love how you took Kelly's self portrait idea and expanded it to include a month of self portraits. You are so creative and I know that the photos you take over the next month will be a meaningful and lasting legacy that your family will cherish forever.
awwwww....that last photo is so totally sweet!!!!! I imagine you'll cherish it for years to come!
I absolutely love the image of you guys reading the book! Hello!!! Love it.
Actually, I love all of them. haha It's good to "see" you again.
these photos warm my heart. xo:m
Sunday we made yummy, yummy cookies and I ate a LOT of cookie dough! It was really good. Really. Really actually.