Hey there Tuesday!
So, I returned home last night from LA. If you’re looking for me today on TV, you’ll find me on the Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family show this morning. If you’re looking for me in real life…I’ll be at the grocery with three children saying the phrase “stop touching” over and over and over again. So…hope to see you in one of two places 😉 . (You can check your local listings for the airing HERE. The show will air again on repeat tomorrow afternoon as well.)
Today, I’m linking up with Andrea and her her bi-monthly Show & Tell Tuesday where we all link up and share about the same topic (today, Worst School Pictures). The topic was to include worst school pictures of you, your spouse and/or your kids. Here are a few things I’ve learned doing this little post:
1. Andrew never really had an awkward stage and for that, life is simply not fair. He was a little dorky in some pics, but he always has, always is and always will be cute.
2. My kids are still at that cute and little stage where every school pic is darling. I’m sensing that’s about to end, but for now, every picture of them is precious and just like their dad, it’s impossible to poke fun at them at this point.
3. My mother was not the scrapbooking/photo album making/keep things parent.
4. I cannot judge my mother because when my kids are older and they want to see a picture of themselves, I’m going to say, “Please type www.mixandmatchmama.com into your computer’s browser and go to town.” If not for this blog, I would have no record of said children.
5. Middle school hit me HARD. I had the BEST time in middle school but looking back, I must say that my mother should have said something like “what are you wearing and let’s talk about your hair” a little more often.
6. And speaking of my mother…on Friday when I sat down to type out this post, she and my dad were on vacation, so I couldn’t ask her to send me pics. I found some at home that I had, but not a ton. Here we go…
Thanks to Andrew’s mama, here are a few pics of him (sorry Andrew!)…
I mean…that’s one good looking guy right there ;).
And then here’s what I had of me from my awkward middle school days at my house. Please note, things get progressively worse…
I mean…that’s my girlfriends and me at my birthday party in 7th grade. I’ve always loved having girlfriends :).
The following pictures are from when my grandparents to me to Hawaii. I had that album at my house, so these pics come from that. The awkwardness is continuing to grow…
So, my grandmother hasn’t aged one bit.
Loved this trip with them more than I can say.
I remember those pants. They were silk and I loved them.
Apparently fanny-packs were all the rage…either that or I just thought they were. Please note, my grandmother will be wearing a corresponding one in other pictures. Also, this was before I discovered that the shorter the shorts, the longer your legs look.
I have no words. My outfit was awesome. And my hair looks fab too ;).
When you’re dressed just like your grandmother.
Just can’t shake the fanny-pack.
And then wait for it…I found this one and it’s a doozy…
I mean. I have no words. My friends Jennifer and Keisha can thank me for cropping them out ;). The three of us took a school picture together in 8th grade and for some reason…I still have it. Wow.
We went to dinner with Tab & Erika over the weekend and made fun of each other…
…because when you’re friends, you can do stuff like that.
Whew! So, that’s the post on worst school pictures.
One thing to note since I showed you those pictures of my grandparents and me…tomorrow marks the 17 year anniversary of my grandfather’s death. He died of cancer one week before I began my senior year of high school. I have an amazing relationship with my own dad, but the bond I had with my grandfather was extraordinary too. Not one single day goes by that I don’t think of him and how much he’s missed and been missed over the last 17 years. My grandmother has proven to be a woman of steel over the last 17 years and one of the most important people in my life.
Love this lady so much.
Next time on Show & Tell Tuesday…what advice would you give to your high school self?
And if you missed posts from the past, you can see all of 2015’s Show & Tell Tuesdays HERE and so far this year:
And to see what’s coming up this year…
And I’m also blogging about Back to School Lunch Ideas today. You can see that HERE. If you have ideas, want to share ideas, need ideas…that’s where you should head.
XO
sara says
Just want to let you know that the links in your first paragraph do not work. The others do, but you must have missed those two.
Melissa Carswell says
Hi Shay. Congrats and looking forward to seeing you on TV today. BTW, what top are you wearing in the photo with Erika? Thanks much!
Lou says
I laughed out loud at this post. The ‘awkward’ phase is just too relatable! Thanks for sharing, make me feel a little better about my middle school bangs and braces combo 🙂
Narci says
Laughing so hard at these! That first middle school picture with your arms and the peace signs, the fanny packs, etc. Love it!! 🙂
Fenny says
Check out the Project Life app to get those family memories and photos recorded. Super easy to whip up on your phone. In app print ordering….pop pages into 8×8 album…done. Easy to do while in car pool line, waiting for appts etc. I have no affiliation with app, just think it’s important for kids to have a few photo albums. There’s actually been studies done regarding self esteem etc. Apparently in this day and age there are too many kids that never see their accomplishments because the pics are all on some hard drive. Just some food for thought. Love your blog. Have two China girls myself.
Shelly says
Oh my goodness….I have a picture of myself in a big wicker chair just like Andrew is sitting in! Junior high has to be the worst awkward stage ever. I’m laughing at the picture you took with your friends. I remember doing this literally in the stock room at HEB with some friends when some photographer came to town..lol…so random!!
Liz says
Luckily all my embarrassing pictures are tucked away in America. Whew! These were funny and we all are lucky to have them. Ahh love that you were so close to your grandfather. Xx
Kathleen says
Congratulations on your TV spot – can’t wait to see it! If you wouldn’t mind, could you please share what ring you have on in the pic with Erika (the right hand gold ring)? It is gorgeous!
Sheaffer says
“Let’s talk about your hair” made me lol!!! My mom would always say, do you think you might want to put on some lip gloss or something? You’ve aged well my friend!
Marcy says
Such a fun blog topic..thanks for sharing. I absolutely love the twin pic of you and your grandmother, i.e. Matching white fanny packs ????
Megan says
Yes!! I love these! That was my same comment to my mom!! Why didn’t she say “hey let’s skip buying that velour shirt” or “hey let’a skip that neon jacket, you’ll thank me later.” Nope none of that. She let me do my thing!! Thanks mom!
Kara says
Wow! I always thought you were pretty but some of these made me laugh! Why oh why must junior high pictures be so awkward? Oh well, love you friend!
Angie says
Is it weird that I would totally rock those striped pants right now? Reminds me of a pair I had back in middle school 🙂
Shelby says
Oh those jr high, early high school years were a doozy weren’t they?!! Congratulations on your TV spot! Can’t wait to watch it!! I lost my grandfather, Boppy is what I called him;), from colon cancer 1 month after I turned 6. I spent almost every weekend with him and my grandma during the summers and have some great memories with him. I still think about him everyday and wish he could have met my husband and my kids. I’m glad you have great memories as well!
Britt Hensley says
Obsessed, obsessed with that fanny pack! Love it!
Natalie Clark says
Other than the fanny pack and maybe those shorts, you were not at all awkward looking! Your pics are still adorable! I’ll be posting mine a little later in the day and linking up and oh man…lets just say, my mom was a fan of the chili bowl haircut! It’s bad!
Aubrey says
Girl, my awkward stage makes yours look like weak sauce. So glad that we shared a love for long shorts, XL t-shirts, and fanny packs. Solidarity!
Jennifer says
I know why you have that picture! I randomly came across it when I was cleaning stuff out and sent it to you! Oh, Pub Staff. Those were the days.
Ashley Van Dam says
Could you post a link if your Hallmark segment pops up online? I checked and we dont get this channel where I am in Canada 🙁
Also…. My awkward stage… my mom for some reason allowed me to cut my long blonde hair spiky short (like I am talking less than an inch long). I was in Grade 7 and immediately regretted this decision. I have naturally thick, curly hair so it was essentially a blonde afro… I think I managed to burn most of the photo evidence though haha
Adrienne says
Ugh, Junior High was hard on all of us. Not only did I have braces and headgear, I was also growing out my bangs at the time. I also thought crushed velvet pants were super cool, and wearing a bandanna all the time was really stylish. It was bad.
Lindsay @ Lindsay's Sweet World says
Girl, your commentary has me in stitches!! I loved looking back through your old pictures… I think we all went through that awkward phase at one point in our lives. And now that I think about it, it seems that kids just don’t go through that as much now as they used to… yes? No?
Kelli says
It wasn’t just you…I had a fanny pack for every outfit and so did my friends 🙂
Liz says
Love the fanny pack! But I can’t snicker too hard because someone at my parents’ house I know there is a picture of me wearing gigantic shorts and wearing matching shirts with my dad! At the time I thought I looked ‘cool’. I didn’t.
brett says
Love awkward middle school photos! But you really were a cute kid! And I think Kensington looks JUST like you!
Jaren says
Love this post!! I have some doozy pics myself! And you did fantastic…a total tv natural on Hallmark!! My kids love a good meatball too!
Stacy says
You have some good skin genes, girl! Your mom and grandma are fabulous! And as a girl who had braces, glasses and a perm with BIG bangs in Middle School…I thank you for sharing your awkward pictures that actually weren’t that awkward at all. 🙂
Emily says
“When you’re dressed just like your grandmother.” I am crying laughing over this because when I was younger and would travel with my grandparents, my Grandma would do the exact same thing with me. (And, like yours, she was always classy and fashionable… were fanny packs classy back in the day? I had a few!)
Jennifer Gould says
Shay, we met at Catherine’s baby shower you hosted, and I have since discovered your incredible blog. You write like you’re having a conversation with a friend, and that’s an awesome gift! I just got back from the store & grocery shopping for the week. Trying out your apple cider pork tenderloin, and I’m positive it will impress our family! Thanks for who you are & sharing your gift with us. Praying for your family of 6! You are also a woman of steel. Putting your cookbooks on my Christmas list year! Keep up the great work! Side note… I would love a blog post on how you do mornings. I read that you get up at 5:30am?!? It really does take a woman of steel to get up that early in the morning. This night owl could use some morning pointers.