Are you on Instagram? I think you know I love Instagram and today I am showing you one of the reasons why. A dear friend and I were chatting yesterday about how much we love reminiscing and looking back at photos of the kids when they were younger. I try really hard to document our lives so that we can always enjoy looking back and really savoring special moments. It can get super over whelming and our iPhones have made it even easier to snap photos. That means we have A TON OF PHOTOS. So what do we do with them? Well, for one, I make a Shutterfly album each year for our family. We all look forward to getting that album and sitting down together to go through it. But over the last year or so I have also fallen in love with IG. 
I love IG because I can literally snap and edit a photo or two a day. They are little snippets of our real life. I love having them printed and totally believe in having them out and about for all of us to enjoy. Right now, I have a stack of our IG photos in a bowl in our living room. Guests and family live going through them. 
And that photo of me chatting with Jessica Alba was sort of a moment. Fun to have for sure. Beyond the prints that I have made {and there a ton of options for printing them } I also love creating little books. So far, we have two and they are so so fun to flip through. One of them is up on our mantel. 
And below I was able to take a quick photo of treats our neighbors dropped off during the holidays. Just little moments we want to capture and remember. We feel so lucky to live in a tight knit little area and I am happy to have these memories forever. 
And the album below was snippets of our summer last year. The album ended with the kiddos walking to school on the first day. It’s fun to look back this summer and see how the kids have changed and reminisce about what we did together. I think I used Blurb for both of these books in case you are curious. 
The nice thing is that I ALWAYS have my phone on me and can snap these shots when we are doing fun things or are out and about. Below was a picnic we had after tennis camp last summer and a shot of the kids’ very first lemonade stand. 
These photos and books bring so much joy! I am excited to be going to the Haven conference in Atlanta at the end of this week and talking more about Instagram. Beyond the obvious personal benefits of IG, we will also be speaking about how to use Instagarm to grow and build your blog/brand. I promise to do a big recap of our panel when I get back. So what about you? Are you capturing moments and keeping them somewhere special? I would love to know your tricks. And have I convinced any of you to hop on IG? …………… And on a totally different note, I added a new button to my side bar. Many of you emailed and said you appreciated some of the fun sale finds from Nordstrom. There sale is going on for just a few more days but you can find things that I loved right here: 
hope this helps
You know I love instagram! Thanks for this reminder – I need to print a book. Love that you have a few pics in a bowl too.
I LOVE keeping up with you on IG!
Really adore the little book Courtney! I'm behind – I just recently started using instagram, but it's quickly becoming my favorite social media tool.
Yes! It is so fun and so easy. Great way to connect.
Great ideas. I really need to pull out some photos and have books printed as well.
Those little books are so fun to pull out and have for family parties, too. Have a great day, Lauren.
I made a instagram book using blurb with all my 2012 photos and I loved it!! I'm always looking for great ideas for printing pictures since our generation is so bad about keeping everything digital. I love the idea of prints on your coffee table in a bowl. Do you use printstagram to print your photos?
What service do you use to print your IG books? I love this idea! I started my blog as a way to document my pregnancy and first year of my babes life. I plan on printing her a book of the posts for her to look back on someday. Thanks for sharing!
I also love instagram {amberbinteriors} and the cool ways you can make your photo look different. I also LOVE making photo books from blurb and plan to create my design portfolio on it some day!
I started an Instagram account ages ago but have never used it. Now I am definitely going to try it out…I love the idea of saving little snapshots of life! Just a little scared that it will become even more addicting than Pinterest!
I need to jump into Instagram a little more soon. Love that you keep some of your photos out for friends and family to look at. So fun to browse through and remember those special times. Every picture tells a sTory! I am sure you know I am a fan of your fashion finds! You have amazing taste. Love both of those blouses you picked. Pretty and feminine.
I need to figure out how to make a book with my instagram pics! Great idea!
A book with my instagram pictures? What a great idea! Thank you. I will get on it after vacation. Hope you have lots of fun at Haven. And you know I love keeping up with you on IG.
It's so good that you print your IG pics! I so need to do that. The little bowl idea is awesome- so casual and I know epode enjoy looking through them. Will miss your face so much this weekend!
I signed up for an account awhile ago and haven't used it. I think I may have to start using it now!
What have you found to be the best way to print your IG photos?
Emma @ from my little pink couch
Love the idea of printing IG photos and doing a photo book (which is an obsession of mine by the way)
How do you print your IG photos and books?
Kristin@live life and EAT