me and mine in 2015

It seems to crazy to me that two years ago I set myself the new years resolution to take a monthly family photo during 2013, and that here we are twenty-four photos later, about to embark on a third year of documenting our family each month with a family portrait.

I can put my hand on my heart and say that it is the best little challenge I have ever set myself, and I really don't think I could give it up now even if I wanted to. There is something so addictive about collecting photos of your family. Seeing how you each changed over time, marking those everyday subtleties of what makes you a family. Taking photos for Me and Mine isn't always easy; remotes don't work, people move and they end up out of focus, husbands complain, children get bored, and sometimes the weather just won't play along... but they are always, ALWAY worth that effort when you have yet another family photo to look back on.

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siblings in 2015

Last year, seeing all the beautiful sibling moments linked up with Siblings each month was a real highlight of mine. A warm and fuzzy kind of highlight, full of the love and the friendship of siblings, but also the push and pull that relationship so often entails. It didn't seem to matter what the gender or age gap or age of the children, whether they were snaps taken on a phone camera, or beautiful portraits taken with a fancy DSLR; all the photos seem to show the same thing... what a beautiful and precious relationship it is to have.

I, for one, can't wait to get stuck into another year of monthly photos of my two together. Throughout 2014 their relationship really blossomed and grew into something that at times manages to take my breath away, and documenting that is so close to my heart... I want them to have these memories to look back at and laugh over together as they grow older.

This year to make it easier to remember to take your photos and to also help bring a real sense of community, we are launching a Siblings community page on Facebook. We'll be sharing photos and inspiration, reminding you when the 15th is fast approaching (oh yes and we're moving to the 15th of each month this year by the way), and we'd love you to be a part of it. So like the page and be sure to share your photos and your links each month. And if you aren't a blogger then you can join in at the Facebook page too, by sharing your favourite sibling photos on the page's wall and taking part each month without the need for a blog.

And if you're taking part on twitter or instagram then be sure to use #thesiblingsproject so that we can see all your photos there too.

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