1.04.2011

project 365.

due to the overwhelming response I received on Monday's post regarding any accomplishments/goals you have for the year, I decided to quit blogging and become a motivational speaker. hold on a sec. did I just "see" a few of you shake your heads and mumble, "from fuitcake mom to motivational speaker, what next?"

seriously though, you mean to tell me that not ONE of you has a single thing on your list that you'd like to accomplish this year? (besides my SIL Ruth who said she hopes to give birth this year instead of next:) no trips or vacations planned, no house projects to tackle, no goals, dreams, aspirations, no... nothing? so you're all just going to stare out the window and giggle into balled-up fists like I do? oh I'm sooo happy! finally, someone to keep me company. *giggle* and before you start hurling rocks at me, I'm totally kidding.

so. if you're not going to share, then I will. cue drum roll, please. you guys, my HUGE project for the year is to take a "photo-a-day." um, I'm just now thinking that huge is an understatement. maybe ginormous x 7 million would be more accurate. anyway, this requires pulling out a camera (even a picture with my phone counts) EVERY day. (don't tell anyone, but I already missed day one, heh.) obviously there will be days that I'll take more than one picture. like who could go to the beach and take only one photo? and no, taking a hundred photos on one day does not qualify as "catching up", nor does it excuse you from taking the rest of the month or year off, are we clear?

so what's the method behind my madness? well, I'm guessing we're all pretty good at pulling out our cameras for vacations and events like birthdays and such, right? but what about when it comes to capturing the everyday? like how your child's tongue hangs out when he/she is concentrating on homework. chubby hands playing with trucks. hubby snoring on the couch, mouth hanging open (no?!) a case of serious bedhead. a cute expression your child makes that you want to remember. a grubby toddler face. potty training. sleeping baby eyelashes. these are the moments that make up the majority of our lives, are they not?

aaaaand unfortunately, the older we get, the further south our minds go, thus the more apt we are to forget these moments when we look back on the years of raising children. sure we have umpteen pictures of the trip to Yellowstone, but what happened in between that one trip in July and so and so's birthday in November? no idea.

if you're slumped over in your chair, overwhelmed at the thought of taking a picture a day, try taking one a week instead. or when the moment strikes. in this case, something is better than nothing. keep in mind, the objective isn't about getting the "perfect" photo, either. in fact, the less perfect and more "real", the better.

I know this is going to be a challenge for me, so to help with brain fog, I'm making a back-up list of ideas for those days where I'm all, "help! what can I take a picture of today?" that way I can pull out my handy-dandy list and go, oh yeah, I wanted a picture of a cute, dimpled bottom. "quick! Gary! pull down your pants!" click.

I promise not to post the "photo of the day" every day out of fear I'd lose you all, but maybe a few here and there will be fun.

here's what I have so far:

Chloe gets some SICK air sledding.
someone discovered leftover bows in my closet and decided they matched Scarlett's outfit.
Rowan smiles for the first time in six months.
I think it'll be fun!

-jessica

18 comments:

mom of many said...

That's a great idea! A photo a day, what a fun album that will make for your family:)

loukusa said...

I am doing Project Life this year, similar idea,usually is but does not have to be picture a day, you do a week at a time. Have been wanting to do this for a while so hopefully I stick to it:)

Kimberly said...

Wahoo! I am doing this too. I am excited to catch the everyday little things. Here is a link to my flikr page so you can follow along :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39528156@N04/sets/72157625725043734/

Caroline J. said...

I actually started this on the 1st believe it or not (I always think these are great ideas, but then fail to follow through). I am enjoying it and hoping I can keep up on it. I upload the photo to the computer and digital scrap it. Hoping to print off all of the scrapped photos at the end of the year and put in a binder - or maybe just save it to the computer ;)

Brita L said...

Love it! Maybe I should join you....
My resolution list is endless- I always feel quite motivated for the first few weeks anyways:)

Anonymous said...

I planned to do the same, but it was the 3rd of the year and I realized I forgot to start! Grrr! So now I'm trying for 1 photo per week like you mentioned! Also, going to try tackle a new job & behavior chart for kids. That one will be a challenge to be consistent with, but I'm going to try! Kara

Keilah said...

Good luck with the project! I've always thought it was such a good idea. I am too intimidated to start, not just with remembering to take a photo every day, but with remembering to upload and label them as well. (Is Rowan smiling because you're playing behind the couch with him? lol)

jen said...

I love the idea of a 365 photo album! I might have better luck with a photo-a-month album though :) Good luck! I hope you can keep it up. Just think how fun it will be to look at in years to come!

Anonymous said...

my brains in over load at this time of my life! fun to read other peoples ideas. this will be a little late for the "new year" but (hopefully in couple weeks) when we move in our new house i will "get organized" and "stay organized"!! -Corinne J.

Briita M said...

I was going to post a resolution but I was so in awe about Jess Jr that the thought got side tracked. Anywho, my resolution is to finish anything that I start and the first thing on the agenda is to have this baby!

Anonymous said...

My resolution is to make is through the next two semesters.. is that a resolution?? ~Jess

Anita said...

I've posted my resolutions over at that other place I hang out at. Will see if I manage them or not.
I love the photo-a-day idea, but also know that I would not make it happen. I am not crazy about indoor photos and 4 days a week it is dark when I leave and dark when I get home. Ugh. I do like the photo a week idea. Or maybe even add to that and try to capture all my kids once a week. Maybe not on the same day, but in some way get photos to put together a weekly page.
Will have to ponder that one! Can I cheat and use the ones my kids take of themselves? Self portraiture is the thing around here.

Jenny said...

I started this on 10/10/10, and have kept at it so far! I am scrapbooking each one, then will put them in plastic sheet covers and put them in a binder. Hopefully I can keep it up for a year! Have been doing good so far!
good luck!

Crystal Lee Photography said...

LOVE the idea Jessica...especially since I don't ever blog...maybe this will get me to blog...tho not sure if anyone will find my life interesting...I'm not good with words...but I'm going to give it a try!

BTW I REALLY enjoy your blog posts)

Liisa said...

I did this a couple years ago..... Hopefully, you have less pictures of sleeping children than I?! So many days it would be 10pm or so and Shoooooot... I forgot to take a picture!! Which kid should I snap a picture of....

Anonymous said...

This is my 3rd year of doing Becky Higgins Project Life and it's by far our favorite album. I still do traditional family albums and albums for our boys though. It's a fun way to capture every day moments that normally don't make the "regular" scrapbooks. Have fun!
JoAnn

Anonymous said...

Love the idea Jessica!! A fun project - hopefully I can keep up on it!! I will start today though! I am so bad on commenting but I read your blog daily and find it hilarious!!! Today I was sitting here laughing out loud!!! Good thing no one can see me! ;) Keep it up! - Rachel

Brenda said...

Sounds fun! I think I might join you... although I'm a few days late! Other resolutions are save money and build a four season porch :)