As we dive into a new school year and many of you start ordering senior pictures, I thought it might be helpful to share what worked for us—and give you a little inspiration for preserving those once-in-a-lifetime moments.

When we were planning Lucas’ graduation party, I knew I didn’t want the photos to just be part of the decor for one day. I wanted to be intentional—choosing pictures that could live on long after the party, framed and hanging on our walls, where we’d see them every day. I made sure to capture the most important senior pictures in this Personalized Wall Frame from TammysElegantFrames. 

That got me thinking about doing a K–12 frame. Thankfully, I had most of the grade school pictures in one spot (small miracle, right?). For Lucas, I pulled them all from the backs of their original frames, scanned them, and sent them off. It turned into such a beautiful keepsake—and one that still stops me in my tracks when I walk past it.

(If you’re curious how that looks, check out the video on Facebook of Mollie’s school pictures—we’re already prepping hers, too!)

If you’ve been around here a while, you know I’m the “Do you know someone who could…?” kind of person. And YES, I do! My brother-in-law and his family run a local frame shop (Tammys Elegant Frames on Etsy, and over the years they’ve helped us turn some of our favorite moments into true works of heart. From sports and sacraments to vacations and everyday life—these aren’t just photos anymore, they’re stories we get to relive every time we walk by them.

I’m sharing some of my favorite frames from Lucas’ graduation above—you know I’ll be doing the same for Mollie and Jaxon. Fingers crossed I’ve got enough wall space! 😅

So if you’ve got a box (or five) of photos sitting around, consider this your sign to pull them out and give them a second life. Trust me—it’s worth it.

And while the frames capture the moments we’ve already lived, I’ve also loved gifting things that celebrate the journey ahead—like a custom quilt made from their old t-shirts or a copy of Oh, the Places You’ll Go Gift Idea! filled with notes from teachers, coaches, and family. These keepsakes tell their story in a different way, reminding them not just where they’ve been, but how far they’ll go. Whether it’s on the wall, on the bed, or in a book they’ll flip through for years—these small touches make the milestone even more meaningful.