I am just so stinkin’ thankful for digital photography.

And never more so than when I’m sitting at my computer lately, trying to make some sense of the boxes of loose pictures from my childhood.

I will say one thing: I am thankful the pictures were taken, even if they were in no way, shape, or form labeled or organized.

:)

These are Natalie’s feet.  They have nothing to do with my scanning fun, but they’re cute.  And freshly painted.

And she was so excited about them!

Yesterday I made myself a chart of sorts to help me identify pictures as I scanned them.

This way I don’t have to keep recalling what year it was when I finished the fifth grade or which Christmases we would have spent living at my grandmother’s house.

And now I realize I wrote 1986 on the last  line.

Whatever.  It’s basically right.

My mother came over for a bit this afternoon to help me identify some of the pictures.

We use many clues to uncover the mystery of when the pictures were taken.

This one is a treasure:

I’m at my dad’s, I’ve got my old flute, some current reading material, and best of all – the previous year’s school yearbook!  Yes!  So I know it was the summer of 1995.

This one looks like spring with the clothes (and baby chick!).  I know it’s my Grandma’s house, and my mother can tell that I have my expander in my mouth (from the orthodontist) because she says it changed the shape of my face pretty drastically right at first.

So we’ve gathered it’s probably the spring of 1991.  I have a hard time telling the difference between 3rd and 4th grade.

Overall, I’m getting pretty good at just looking at my hairstyle and judging the year.  Makes me thankful for that great late 80’s/early 90’s hair.  :)

I need to gather some more information:

• When I got my braces ON.
• The birthdays of my niece and nephew.
• The dates my father moved houses.

That information will help me.

As I go through the pictures, I pick some favorites to keep (and eventually display in some way) and throw the rest into a box.  When I’m feel particularly courageous, I’m going to THROW THE BOX AWAY.  Probably after I’ve backed up the scans on disc and the external hard drive.  :)

It feels really really really good to do this.

If you come over, you will know this insane project is why my house is a total pit.  :)