We forget, we get busy, lazy, more invested in preparing the meal and setting of the table to eat together as a family. Sometimes we use cloth napkins and sometimes we just use paper towels.
And we'll even put the whole roll on the table.
Sometimes I'll get out my camera, because it's not just the special occasions I want to capture on film wait a second these are the special occasions.
Every single meal together, every story they have to tell, every wild idea.
It makes the growing up and getting older and letting go a little less bitter and a whole lot more sweet.
cute photos. We broke out the papertowels for dinner the past couple nights. I even rip them into tiny squares because I don't want to run out of papertowels. haha.
ReplyDeleteThese photos remind me of my wife's current photo project. As a pro photographer, she doesn't get out the camera for family as much as she used to. She was regretting this and I told her to come with a project. She decided to outfit her backup camera with a lens she doesn't use very often and leave it lying around. As those "unspecial" moments come, she grabs the camera and snaps a few shots. I've really enjoyed seeing what she has been producing lately of our everyday life. No "special" moments required.
ReplyDeleteOh, and our PT roll lives right next to the table for when our little cloth napkins just aren't enough.
btw, nice pics :) good lighting, composition, and execution.
I love the candid day-to-day shots. I have so much fun taking pics of my class playing and learning. I wish I could share them, but I can't. I get to enjoy them though :)
ReplyDeleteWe aren't very 'green' here, and use many paper products, but...my girls are currently all sitting at the table doing homework and eating, laughing, annoying each other, and listening to the radio blaring. This is OUR life, and I love it.
smiling from ear to ear reading this post! Love it!
ReplyDeleteWhen I finish making the curtains I am going to make some napkins for the table. I have always wanted 'real' napkins but deemed them too fancy for everyday use, but you know what we all need a little fancy in our lives and I can't wait to have mine!
ReplyDeleteI often tear one in half for the boys to share. I *loved* this post!!! You're right about this moment being the occasion. Have you read any of Shauna Niequist's books? I think you would be a fan.
ReplyDeleteIt's the little things like this that I remember from growing up. Paper towel rolls on the table, sweet pickles straight out of the jar, lingering after dinner. These are precious moments indeed.
ReplyDeleteWe are the exact same--no napkins, or paper towels, or cloth.
ReplyDeleteBut usually? The boys wipe their face on their shirt. Or on me.
I love the way you blog.
xo
p.s. My mom has that exact same alien dude target cup. The boys fight over it every time. Because the monkey one isn't as cool.
ReplyDeleteWe are paper towel users too! I have enough laundry to do, so why not make things easy were I can?
ReplyDeleteLove the pics too!
Loving this post -- loving the simple mealtime memories.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea, I need to remember to do some 'normal' meal pictures. I am pretty good at normal days, but this one I had not thought of.
ReplyDeleteYou're right you're right you're right. And my camera has been buried for weeks, it feels. Mmm...this was just the nudge, the reminder I needed.
ReplyDeleteThe highlight (well, one of the highlights) of my weekend was my mom giving me more cloth napkins. A certain four year old had told me at least 984 times that there were no more cloth napkins and she needed me to get her a "paper napkin". Today I finally folded the laundry and she can get her own cloth napkin again,
ReplyDeleteExactly. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're so smart. And real. And I love ya. I just do.
ReplyDeletexo
Hey, we use paper towels all the time. Like, all the time!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take a picture of our next dinner together. Thank you for the idea.
Love your family dinner - we always eat together - but I am starting to think we shouldn't take our meal times together for granted... there is so much goodness and life in there - each meal is it's own celebration!!!
ReplyDeleteI always think I will be a real mom when I have paper roller towel in the house... half the world is aiming to be paper free and I haven't even got there yet!!!
my husband and i were just talking last night about how we need to make more of an effort to eat around the table EVERY night. (and i've been known to grab a couple of dish towels and throw them in the middle of the table to share. haha)
ReplyDeleteLove it. It makes me want to get out my camera for those normal moments! Thanks!
ReplyDeletewe use paper towels every day for napkins. Love how happy your table looks.
ReplyDelete"wait a second these are the special occasions"... thanks for the reminder! :)
ReplyDelete[shame] I don't even own cloth napkins. we must be Redneck--we totally use paper towels. Should I purchase cloth napkins? yikes, guess so.
ReplyDeleteCandra
http://curiousgeorgi.blogspot.com/
This is a lesson I'm learning, too. Forget trying to capture the perfect moments ... Just capture what's real. You said it all so well.
ReplyDeleteAlso, kind of unrelatef, but this is one of those times I'm realizing how very the same my family is to other families. And it makes me feel small but in good company, too. A good combination while in the thick of parenting.
I totally love that photo of Noah. So genuinely happy.
ReplyDeleteP.S. We use paper towels too.
stephanie@metropolitanmama.net
We have the same monster cups!
ReplyDeleteWhenever I look back at my photos, it's always the "unspecial" ones that I adore the most. They captured a candid memory, and even if it wasn't a pretty moment, with a perfect background, the memory was awesome. I always miss those "unspecial" moments the most.
ReplyDeleteDEFINITELY. It's the everyday, messy, out of order things I want to remember. Christmas and birthdays are easy. Tuesdays and breakfasts are more difficult.
ReplyDeleteWe have been trying to do this, too. Trying to eat together, take pictures of the everyday because that's what's magic, and just remember to find joy in the ordinary. Great post, my dear :)
ReplyDeleteyou are so right. I try to balance the "snapshots" with the "portraits" because both are valuable. But I could stand to capture more snapshots.
ReplyDeleteI've had to use TP once or twice. Oh well!
ReplyDelete