Family Pictures- Make my heart smile!

Last Dec when our whole family was together I knew we needed to take family pictures.  I wanted updated pictures to hang on my wall.  So in discussing this with Kristen a few days at work I asked her if she would ask one of her friends to take our pictures.  I told Kristen I would be happy to pay her.  She asked Freya and not to my surprise the pictures turned out Amazing!  Freya does an awesome job.  In fact there were so many good pictures how was I going to choose?  Yikes.  So I put some on Facebook and decorated my blog with them.  But I wanted them up in my house.

I scanned Pinterest for ideas on how to display them.  Looked for frames but nothing happened.    How was I going to do this?  Frames are expensive in the stores and they didn't have any that I liked together.  I would always walk away and say I'll try again another day.

Enter Friday May 10th.  I was down in Orlando for the day doing training and I drove by IKEA.  I love that place.  I thought hummmm perhaps after the training I'll stop on my way home.  Kristen had wanted me to get her a few things but I had planned on getting them this week since I'm down there all week long.  I decided to delay my trip home and head into IKEA.  I went looking for frames.  And IKEA did not disappoint!  I found some wood looking ones and it happened to come in all the sizes I wanted.

I came home with a car full of frames.  Saturday Morning I woke up way to early but came to the computer and sent to Costco our wonderful pictures.  I over did it a tad with what pictures but I didn't want to come up wishing I had picked another picture.  They were ready at 1:30.  I picked them up and was excited to get started.

I had read enough on Pinterest that suggested that you put your frames in the order on a table or floor.  That way you get what they will look like.  I did that and had Alyse add her thoughts on how they looked together.  Soon Kristen, Lance and Liam arrived followed by Bryan and Michelle.  They all joined in on what they thought.  I was excited.

They opened frames and helped me put the pictures in.  Kristen suggested taking paper and cutting it out the same size as my frames.  Then positioning the paper on the wall.   I took some wrapping paper and cut out the sizes and taped them like how they were on the floor.  Sent a picture off to Kristen to see what she thought.  Alyse had run to the store for me to grab more hanging wire and Bryan was great at helping me get things level.  Michelle watched as we put it up.  We all decided everything needed to be moved to the left.  Move we did.

Bryan and Michelle went home and Alyse arrived back with the wire.  I measured the frame and were the nails needed to be.   Into the wall went the nails.  Hammering right through the paper.  I was so excited to see the results.  The big picture too some adjusting on the wire but as we took down the gold wrapping paper and put up each frame I knew I had done this one right!

I am overjoyed that finally the greatest gifts and joys of our lives are displayed in our home.  Today I want to tell all my children that I am so happy that Heavenly Father sent you to us.  You are my light, my strength, and my joy!   As each person is added to our growing family Mike and I continue to ask how did we get to be so blessed.