I recently polled my Facebook friends to see what came to mind when they think of me, or my blog. Some of the most common responses fell around photography, making fun memories with my kids, advocacy and Disney.

It’s true, I’m a rock star when it comes to photographing my kids. When it comes to backing up my photos, I’m borderline obsessive. But when it comes to printing, enjoying and displaying said photos, I’m a failure.

There are certain times of the year this becomes extra apparent to me. Mother’s Day is one of those times. I love sentimental gifts and displaying our photographs and it’s the time of year I really try to get on the ball and print something for myself, and especially for our moms.

I’ve sworn to get better through the years. I have a great system for organizing my pictures. All I need to do is drag those folders into a digital photo book program. That last step has just been too much for me. The idea of choosing which photos I like best, arranging them the way I like, adding cute little embellishments here and there… It doesn’t happen often enough.

Well Shutterfly reached out to me to try their new Make My Book Service, which basically allows you to dump in up to 800 photos (I thought I would easily break this limit but I didn’t even hit 400), tell the designer how you want to arrange them (you into embellishments or nah?) and how many photos you want them to use (ALL of them or only the best?). They can also watch out for duplicates for you.

Listen, I was really worried about trying it out and telling you about it in time for Mother’s Day because like I said, I drag my feet when it comes to designing photo books. I’m a procrastinator. And this just isn’t one of those things you want to wait to do when you’re trying to make something special for mom.

But I sat my booty down and did it, and it was easy, and I didn’t die, or cry, or anything like that. The Make My Book designer did the hard part of arranging all the photos and they were in order like I liked. I just went back and changed the layout of a few pages because I like fewer borders and more photos. And then boom! Done!

The best part is forgetting you ordered it, then you get a bright orange package on your door and know exactly what it is. You open it and squeal because there are your sweet family’s faces on the cover staring back at you.

My daughter nearly snatched it out of my hands as I opened the book, and we both sat, smiled and laughed as we looked at all of the memories we made over the last year.

I left the book on the counter waiting for my husband to see it when he got home. He was telling me a story and the hard book stopped him in his tracks.

“Oooh!” he said as he opened it. “That’s a good picture!” He said, pointing to a photograph we took together before a football game last year. Watching him look through the memories was just as fun as looking through it myself.

My husband isn’t on Facebook or Instagram and doesn’t read my blog. So he doesn’t get to see most of the photos I take through the year.

“Now this is a gift,” I thought. “One we’ll always cherish.”

It’s also a gift that will keep on giving. Photo books are like brag books for grandparents (not to mention parents). I’m excited that the hard work is done and I can re-order the book for my mom and mother-in-law for Mother’s Day (though I’ll probably slip in a few more photos of other cousins and such). One personalized gift, three happy moms.

What are you giving your mom or mother-in-law for Mother’s Day? Do you like personalized gifts?

This post is sponsored by Shutterfly. Make this Mother’s Day with a personalized gift that says it all.

Tags: Mother's Day, photo books, photo printing, photography, Shutterfly