Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Un-Wordless Wednesday: School pictures

School has started. And people begin to switch gears. From summer into fall. It's the season of leaves changing. Football begins. Baseball ends. And photographers descend upon our schools.

Madalyn had picture day at school last week. I had to pick a background. Pick between four poses. And decided how much I wanted to spend. ALL before she even saw the picture man. How was I supposed to pick a background color when I don't know what she will insist on wearing that day? Will someone brush her hair? Will they take this picture after she ran a mile for the presidential fitness test? And she's all hot and sweaty. Like last year.

At least the back grounds are solids. Unlike her pre-school pictures. One year they had a fall background. You know. Leafless trees. Squirrel in said tree. Looking like it was erupting from her head. Another year it was an old fashioned desk. With an apple on it. She was 2. And all she could do was look at that apple. Try to touch that apple. I am not in possession of either photo package. If I knew I'd be blogging, I would have purchased them. Just to show you how horrible they were.

And with homeschooling Katie...she gets left out of the horrid photo experience. Mostly because there are no school pictures. Except for the ones I take. But nothing posed. Suitable for a wallet size picture to exchange between friends. Or a 5x7 to mail to grandma. Now, there were a few years when I got my friend Teri to come and take pictures of our homeschool group. But those pictures are so good, they can't possibly count as a "school" picture.

This is me in 2nd grade - the same age that Madalyn is now.

I think it screams "THIS IS 1977!"

Or how about this one - 7th grade - a smidge older than Katie:

This one screams as well. From the wings. The Lacoste shirt. The purple eyeliner. Definitely 1982.

(**edited to add: ummm...after looking at these pictures again, I realized how straight my hair was. Really straight. And now - unbelievably curly. Ringlet curly. You'd think I have a spiral perm curly. The things that baby hormones will do to your body.)

So, what about you? Did your school pictures turn out well? Do your parents still have them hanging in their homes like a shrine to your childhood? Do you buy pictures of your kids from school?

Don't forget to sign up for the Favorite Things Swap!!

post signature

Theme Song: Dave Matthew's Band - So much to say

51 comments:

Tiffany said...

Okay Kat, I'm LOVIN' your school pics! I'll have to dig mine out. My parents have none of my photos on their walls. My mom put them all into photo albums and gave them to me after I had my first child. She wanted me to have them for safekeeping. All of my school photos are in the album as well as my entire 4th grade photo package. I despised the photos and convinced my parents that no one would want one that year! With homeschooling, I haven't actually taken 'school' photos although I have numerous photos of the girls framed and hanging throughout the house.

Tiffany said...

Oh, and I meant to tell you that I posted about the swap. But since I only have 3 living and breathing beings who read my blog, I doubt that I'll be much help in spreading the word! hee hee I tried though!

Anonymous said...

It is uncanny how much that younger one looks like your little girl! I made my parents take down all the awkward teenage pics but my graduation photo is actually pretty decent so it's nice to be reminded that I was once young and lovely (and well rested).

Shannon said...

Oh, you were ROCKIN' the purple eyeliner!

I have pics of Little Miss from her second year of preschool... she has marker all over her hands. Nice. But every other school picture of my girls have been good ones, so I have bought some.

I think my mom may still have my senior year pic up... not sure, as she has a bazillion photos covering every available surface... and now they are mostly of her grandkids.

My elementary school pics were cute... but once I got into junior high... UGH! My 7th grade one was horrible. It will never. be. shown. Ever. Now, my 10th grade one was AWESOME! Best pic I've ever had taken... even to this day!

Shannon said...

And your song choice for your "Un-Wordless" post is great ;)

Shannon said...

See, Rhea... I can split up my comments, too! HA HA HA!

Skeller said...

LOVE your pics!! And hey, I had that same Farrah Fawcett hair-thing going in 7th (& 8th, & 6th. sigh).

And nah. I don't buy school pics. They're just not my thing. My own were pretty bad. My boys (not to mention my pocket book) don't need to be subjected to that.

Shannon said...

Re: your curling hair... the same thing happened to my sis-in-law! She has naturally curly hair... but after having her 1st it started growing straight! So she went and had it cut off... 'cause she did look a little funny with half her hair in curls. Anyway.... 6 years later she has her 2nd baby and her hair goes back to being curly! So weird!

Rosemary Q said...

I'm not so sure I ever took a good school picture. I had hair issues and my mother wasn't much of a stylist. Bed head does not make for a cute picture. My pictures are hidden away in my closet. I did buy every picture from every year of school for my kids. I love those school pictures.

You are absolutely adorable in both your pictures.

Gina said...

About 1/3 of my school pictures are good....

I refuse to buy them from the school because they are expensive, look like crap, and you get 6 pictures.

WalMart, on the other hand has great packages for as low as $4.99 and I always have enough pictures to give to my extended family.

Mama Peep said...

My mother still keeps mine all over the house. It was always a source of embarrassment. I buy the ones they take at sports because we don't have the school picture thing. But after the last few bad ones I told my kids I won't buy anymore.

Patricia in WA

Angela said...

Yeah, they're dated, but so are everyone's school pictures! Very cool!

Robin said...

Awwwe, how nice:) Gotta love school pics. Just stoppin over to give some comment love, hope you will stop by too.

Lisa~ said...

OMG... I had a similer hairl cut in 7th grade (83?) and I wore a pink and white striped izod shirt.... but black eyeliner..... *Ü*

People said that my hair.... looked like I had wings.... hehehe

Glad to visit over here today... its been a litle bit...

Happy WW~

Tracy P. said...

Hey Kat! Is it Wednesday already??? I seriously had to check the date on your post to see that yes, it is this week's Wednesday. I usually do a wordless Wednesday. Sometimes.

Anyway, I LOVE your old school pictures. I have all of the school pictures from my family (and all of the other pics as well), and have been working on a DVD project with them. Most of it is done, but I seriously need to get around to finishing it.

So you asked where I am with all the Scandehuvians, because, am I understanding correctly, you are a Lutheran in GA? Well, I was raised Lutheran in MN, but have been Southern Baptist (still in MN) all my adult life. So go figure. We are both like oxymorons. Could be worse, couldn't it?? ;-)

Unknown said...

My mom has a conglomeration of my school pictures - they used to be up in our hallway but she moved to a house with no hallway.. damn. Some are good.. some... not so much. Most elementary school ones, the outfit was a garage sale find....

Essie doesn't like to dress up... heck, she doesn't like to dress period. In 2nd grade I really wanted her to wear a jean jacket for her pictures, but she hated it. So, I did what any self respecting mom would do - I bribed her. If she wore the jacket for pics, I would buy her a My Little Pony. It worked - darn cute pictures.

The girls get their pics on Friday... ugh...

Elena said...

Look at you cutie patootie! We had school pictures last week. They ALWAYS fall on P.E. day. Why do they have p.e. on picture day? So dumb! I just have to hold my breath and see how the girls pix turned out. I bought the cheapest package I could this year. But I feel like I have to buy them every year. Why I don't know, cause I go get professional pix done in the fall anyway.

Mama Dawg said...

My mom bought all of mine. I buy them of my kid every year as well. The past two years have turned out EXCELLENT.

Lindsey said...

I liked seeing your school pics. We don't buy school pics of our kids. We don't post them as shrines in our house but there are a few here and there on end tables. My parents didn't do the shrine thing either, thankfully. If I get brave I will post some of my school photos. It's fun to laugh at ourselves sometimes.

Brandy said...

Some years we buy and some we don't. If we don't get the traditional school picture then we usually buy the band pictures and one year we bought track pictures. They weren't great.

Next year is the biggie though with his senior pictures. We'll have photos coming out of the wahzoo.

Your pics are cute!

Lula! said...

There is nothing wrong with Lacoste and purple eyeliner. In 2008. I'm just sayin'.

So you got ringlets from baby hormones? I got bigger feet, wider hips, and saggy boobs. You win.

My parents have my senior pics on display...and then a wedding picture...the rest are all the grandkids, of course.

Libbey had school pics twice last year--believe it or not, both sittings turned out GREAT! We framed the fall pics and gave them as Christmas gifts. Because I've learned that with Scott's family, if the pic is not framed it gets stuck into some random album, book, or in a magazine sitting next to the toilet. I hate seeing my child's face and our money wasted that way.

I'm rambling...

Amy said...

I just spent over $60 to have both my girls school pics taken...outrageous!

Susie said...

I was a camera hog as a child. Luckily, the camera loved me back. My parents don't have a shrine to me but I will have one for my children. Until I die....their childhood will be on display in all its glory. Good thing the camera likes them too:-)

Rhea said...

Your school pics are adorable!! What a cutie!!!

I only buy the school pics if I really like them...otherwise I take my own.

Rhea said...

Is Katie enjoying the Twilight series?

I'm reading a book called, wait, where is it...in the bathroom, of course, hold on a minute....

Rhea said...

EIGHT. That's what it's called. It looks good.

Teri said...

Well...my mom always bought the pix packages. There was a year when I looked WRETCHED, but my Mom insisted that she buy them anyway. I made her promise (like that mattered) not to give any away to family that year. Imagine my horror when someone at school put one of those pictures in front of my face one day. I was mortified, you know, in that jr. high everything is tragic kind of way.

Even though I am a photographer, I have purchased the kids' school pix for most years - as a souvenir. There have been some years that were so AWFUL that I sent them back and shot them myself. I usually shoot them anyway, but I HAD to for those years. Mackenzie's were so terrible last year (out of focus, bad color, etc.) for school and for lacrosse (same yucky company) that I complained and got my money back. Mackenzie didn't even care that I didn't purchase a package this year. Once again, we'll be doing the home portrait thing - like always.

Hey, and thanks for the shout out!! :-) speaking of kids' portraits........

Britt said...

You mean I'm not the only one with hair that can't make up it's mind?
Mine was stick straight till I was 12, then my body decided that not only was I getting the woman make-over, I was getting curls. After my girls it just got curlier and curlier. I love my straightener!

I only did public school for five months in fourth grade and my mom made me do the picture thing. They are horrible. My big, round turquise glasses that I LOVED, my Mickey Mouse overalls. The photographer posed me in this unatural pose, sitting on the floor with my left knee bent and my right leg horizontal to my body. He actually had to move my limbs for me, because I was SO not understanding his 'vision' (no he didn't use that word, I'm being sarcastic ;o) I'm so glad it was the only school picture I ever had to take!

Meliss said...

Fun to see your pictures! My parents had my senior picture up above their piano until this past year. The studio made a huge picture, because of the novelty of having a picture of a cellist. Then of course, the studio went out of business and gave the picture to my parents. It was so big, it looked like I was sitting on top of the piano. I'm so glad they took it down.

Brian and Staci said...

I am lovin' your school pics! I am sooo not photogenic! I never really took good pics...and still don't. You've inspired me to see if I can find some old pics to post. Of course, now that would require me to SCAN the pictures and then who knows from there!??!! I'll give it a shot :) (To answer your questions: no my parents don't have school pics hanging in their homes like a shrine and I buy the school pics of my kiddoes ONLY if they are great! I figure, I don't want to spend a fortune on pictures that my husband could take for free!)

Unknown said...

They dont take school pictures here! I think it is really sad! I always loved the class pictures... ; (

Dangie said...

You're bringing back memories! All too familiar memories!! (wtm, runningirl71)

Shannon said...

Dagnabit, Rhea! Did you really have to leave three separate comments? Sheesh!


;)

Weith Kick said...

I still have all my old school photos. Some are good and some are bad. You can definitely see what stage of life I was going through by some of the pictures, awkward, confident, geeky, bitchin, awesome, gag me with a spoonful, etc.

Debbie said...

First I love the commenting race going on between Shannon and Rhea...so funny.

Your pics are good...purps eyeliner and all.

My senior pic in HS is ok...nothing to write home about. I had braces...and a tan. woohoo...I never tan. My kids pics are ok. I always buy the CHEEEEEEPEST package available because I can't stand not having them if someone else does. It's just not right. Nope. But they aren't anything to write home about.

Jill said...

Oh I love the school photos. I will never forget my 6th grade photo... very similar to your 7th grade one. I too had the feathered hair look - and the polo shirt. Though I think I wore blue eyeliner - much to my mother's dismay!

Then I made the mistake of doing the super high bang thing - complete with Aquanet hairspray. Yeah... I was a beauty.

Shannon said...

My 6th comment on one post.... that top spot WILL BE MINE, RHEA! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I came back to tell you I've tagged you for a meme...

Rhea said...

Shannon's so sweet, I really hate to CRUSH HER hopes of ever being top commenter!! :o)

Rhea said...

and, hmmm...this must be my fourth comment on this post. hehe

KimmyJ said...

My mom only knew one hairdo apparently and that was severely pulled back to the crown of my head with a ribbon that stuck up looking like antennae - I was in the running for America's Top Alien Child. hehe!

Also my pregnancy leftovers were the same as Lula's - getting curly hair sounds like a bonus to me!

Jennifer P. said...

my favorite were always those "shadow" pictures, where you were front and center--smiling--and just above your left shoulder was this dismembered head with a softened effect appearing to "reflect" on something important. Good times. Good times.

Yes--my mom kept my picture hanging on the wall faithfully. I, however, have chosen to "opt out" of school pictures for my kids. I'm sure it's because I don't care a thing for my kids....

And what a cutie you were :) (and are!!!)

Brian and Staci said...

Hey Kat...I don't know if you'll get this comment or not...I CANNOT link to your email from your profile page. I KNOW I wrote your email down once upon was probably turned into an airplane or something??!! Maybe I'm doing something wrong or stupid...but it says I cannot link with it?? Sorry! Mine is soonerstaci@att.net. Thanks!

Angie's Spot said...

First, I have to say that I love the Indigo Girls. Ok, now that's out of the way.

I had the most HORRID school pictures during my entire school career. I was NOT a cute kid. My friend Ashley used to call me the ugly duckling. One of these days (when I find the strength to scan those horrible pics) I'll do some retrospective posts complete with photos. Today is not the day. And it won't be tomorrow either. :-)

Angie's Spot said...

Oh, and yes, I purchase EVERY.SINGLE.SCHOOL.PICTURE. I'm a photo whore, what can I say.

The only pics of me that are in my parents house are my high school senior pic and a pic from my wedding day. Now, ask me how many pics of my younger brother there are. Actually don't. I'm still a little bitter.

Swirl Girl said...

There are no school pictures of me. and only, like, two baby pictures of me too.

thank god.

dork to the eleventy fifth degree!

-Bridget said...

Your pictures turned out much better than mine at those ages. I'm not brave enough to post them. And yes, they still hang on certain walls in certains houses, but I can guarantee you not in mine.

sassy stephanie said...

Oh man. That makes me laugh. the 77 shirt...I can so remember those duds. Funny thing is that stores like Children's Place are bringing those back!

Kim said...

So I must comment more regularly to get into the fellow bloggers who follow this blog. I do read you , I promise and then I am reminded to be better about posting. Planning a night out on my side of town without children. Are you in?

Unknown said...

Not sure what happened to my school photos. Will have to find out.

I have some of my kid's school photos. They were all in uniforms and most of the time they had smiles on their faces.

I had my photo taken at school this year. They sort of sprang it on me and I didn't have makeup on or anything. I've found out when the other photos are going to be taken towards the end of the year and I'll come prepared this time :-)

Taylor's photo ended up okay, as I stodd behind the photographer and pulled a face and made her laugh. Otherwise she gets this sort of 'deer caught in the headlights' look. Her Mum & Dad kept asking for the photos to be redone, till we figured out the me pulling silly faces thing, as I was usually at school on the days photos were taken.

Unknown said...

Well, this year's school photos arrived. Taylor looks good in hers.

Unknown said...

We shall draw a veil over mine !!!