Full disclosure, Pandas, I feel incredibly awkward most of the time when someone’s taking my picture. It’s anticipating the flash and worrying about whether I’m not looking too goofy or too serious that messes my head up. Don’t get me wrong, I adore photography, but I still don’t have the confidence to look cool in photos. Awkward, silly, though? Sign me up, I’m your guy! I’m a natural at these!
Awkward photos are somewhat of a constant on the internet and in real life. Childhood friends Mike Bender and Doug Chernack saw this and created the ‘Awkward Family Photos’ project. What started out as a simple blog back in 2009 has since then ballooned into a multi-million-member project that celebrates the most awkward, uncomfortable, cringy, and simply downright-fun photos of family moments.
We can guarantee that these photos will boost your mood and make the wait for that wonderful thing called the weekend pass in a heartbeat. As you scroll down, remember to upvote and comment on your favorite awkward family photos. And if you feel like you haven’t gotten your daily dose of Vitamin A(wkwardness) yet, feel free to check out Bored Panda’s first article about AFP right here. Tons of nostalgic awkwardness and weirdness below, let’s not keep them waiting any longer!
Photographer Dominic Sberna gave Bored Panda his perspective about confidence in front of the camera lens, how to feel more relaxed when having your picture taken, and what professionals can do to help their subjects feel less awkward. Scroll down for his thoughts on the topic!
More info: AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Game 1 | Game 2
#1 This Old Picture Of My Great-Grandmother, Far Left, Makes It Look Like The Cameraman Just Stumbled Into A Secret Meeting Of The Grandmas
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Confidence is everything. Photographer Dominic told Bored Panda that being photogenic comes down to being comfortable in one's own skin. "It's an ability to be comfortable in front of the camera and know how to make yourself look good. I think this can be self-inflicted, but also taught through many trials of being the subject," he said.
One of the tips that Dominic shared about photographers helping their subjects feel more comfortable is very simple (if not immediately obvious): "Just make them comfortable."
The more photographers engage with their subjects, the quicker they're bound to get used to being photographed. Trying to relate to the subject and their interests can yield great results. And the more relaxed the subject becomes, the more natural they'll look in the photos. Your goal here is to create an environment where people who feel stressed by cameras forget that they're even being photographed.
#2 Here’s My Mom And Dad In September 1970. This Was Always My Favorite Photo From Their Wedding Because It’s Just So Cornball. You Have To Give Credit To The Photographer For The Picture Of My Dad In The TV. This Was Years Before Photoshop, So I’m Not Sure How The Heck He Pulled This Trick Off
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#3 I Asked My Parents To Do A Family Photo With Me And This Was The End Result. I’m A Very Festive Person
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"I've photographed people who were really unsure at the start, but by the end of it were pretty comfortable having their photo taken. I think if you engage in conversation on a topic that they have interest in, you'll see the subject open up more and become more comfortable, almost as if they forget they're having their photo taken."
As for the subjects themselves, photographer Dominic suggested that they try and focus on something else if they're feeling particularly nervous. "Don't think of it to be so daunting and scary. I know this is much easier said than done, but just remember it's okay to be yourself, and seeing yourself as you really are in an image can be really fun," he told Bored Panda.
"It really comes down to being comfortable in the situation. I'm not sure it's something that can be turned on or off though. Some people just inherently don't like to have their picture taken and that's their method of operation. It isn't a bad thing, but it should be respected and not forced upon anyone."
#4 This Pic Is My Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister And Her Husband, Me And My Demonic-Looking Son. This Family Portrait Was Taken In The 80s…we Were Really A Scary Crew
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#5 So My Mom Sent Me One Of My Baby Pictures
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#6 This Is My Family Christmas Card From 1999. I Was The Angel
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When you look at the ‘Awkward Family Photos’ project, the first thing that hit us is just how much fun everyone’s having. People are having a whale of a time submitting the most peculiar pics they have at home to AFP.
It might be a tad embarrassing to show someone, especially internet strangers, the silly photos we’ve got stored in our albums, but it’s also liberating. And, if you make someone else laugh and make their day a smidge better, well, that’s a bonus that makes everything worth it.
The founders of the ‘Awkward Family Photos’ project, Mike and Doug, started the AFP blog nearly 12-and-a-half years ago. It all started when Mike spotted a weird vacation photo in his parents’ house which sparked the idea to invite others to share uncomfortable family moments. They’re one of the things that we’ve got in common, no matter our status or background, dreams or desires. Silliness, I’d say, is as human as walking on two legs or browsing cat and dog pics during your lunch break.
Currently, AFP has over 2.6 million followers on Facebook and a whopping 1 million Instagram fans. Sprinkle 27k Twitter fans on top of that and you’ve got popularity for days. It’s well earned, too, as the creators constantly seem to have idea after idea on how to improve things for the better.
#7 Just Thought I'd Share This Old Picture I Found Of Me And My Dad
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#8 Me, Sophomore Year In High School In 2002
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#9 I'm A Father To A 5-Year Old. Glad I Made The Cut
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Mike and Doug use their creativity on new projects related to AFP and have published a game about the Greatest Hits and released a party game called Cringeworthy. Keep in mind, though, the latter’s for adults only (the outrageous hilarity might be too much for the younger crowd) while the former’s a great laugh for all ages.
A year ago, my colleague, Rokas, had a great conversation with Mike, one of the co-founders of AFP, about the roots of the project and why it’s been resonating with people ever since 2009. In an in-depth interview, Mike shared with Bored Panda that he has always felt connected to awkwardness and comedy.
#10 Found This Old Picture Of My Dad From Back In 1976
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#11 When I Was A Senior In High School, I Was Obsessed With Mountain Dew. I Would Have Like Six A Day, Any Size. There Was Never A Time One Was Not In My Hand. So For My Senior Photos, I Thought It Was Going To Be A Great Idea To Make A Throne Of Mountain Dew To Sit On. I Went Out The Morning Of My Photos And Bought Six 24-Packs To Build My Throne. It Took Me A Few Weeks To Get Through All Of It. It’s Hilarious Now Because I Don’t Drink Mountain Dew Anymore
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#12 Unfortunately, It’s Me. I Took Dance In High School. Don’t Regret Taking Dance, Just The Picture
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“As a kid, I was very aware of awkward situations. I didn't exactly want them to happen but when they did, I was excited to have a new story to tell. I think it led me to become a writer after graduating college. I wrote my first movie at age 22 called Not Another Teen Movie and continued to work as a screenwriter for about 13 years,” Mike opened up to Bored Panda.
#13 This Is My Only College Graduation Picture
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#14 Here Is My Sister Jan’s Graduation Photo In 1968 At 18, And A Redo That We Did In 2014 At 64
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#15 For My Daughter’s 12th Birthday Party, We Made Masks Of Her Obsession, George Michael, For All Of The Little Girls. Didn’t Realize How Scary It Would Look When They Pulled Them All On At The Same Time
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However, Mike started looking for greener pastures when the film industry started changing. He noticed that the internet provided a lot of space for creative expression and various projects. Not long after, the idea to create AFP was born.
#16 This Is A Picture Of My Brother. The Photographer Was Trying To Get Him To Look At The Camera And He Snapped His Fingers And Accidentally Scared My Brother- Perfect Timing
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#17 I Looked Over 40 But Was Actually 12
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#18 This Is Me With My Younger Brother, Our Grandparents, And Our Father In Hot Pants. Circa 1985, Australia
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“Around that time, in 2009, I went home to my parents' house for the weekend and saw my mother putting up what was for me an awkward family photo from my teenage years. She had framed it and was going to hang it on the wall,” Mike told Bored Panda about the origins of ‘Awkward Family Photos.’
#19 Took My 3rd Son To A Photographer For His Baptism (Which Was 1 Year Late Due To Covid) And They Went A Little Over The Top With The Green Screen Backgrounds
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#20 This Is The Way My Mother Found My Sister Sleeping. In Her Pajamas She Has A Puppet, A Stuffed Monkey, A Stuffed Seal, Two Blankets, And A Watch
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#21 My Dad (Sitting In Bench, Right) With His Rock Star Wedding Party In 1987
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"I thought that was such a peculiar idea—to memorialize this awkward moment. But I also thought it was intriguing. So I met with my writing partner and friend, Doug Chernack, who I grew up with in New Jersey, and he told me that his childhood home was full of awkward family photos. And so we decided to start a website and our only hope was that if we posted our awkward pics, others would do the same."
#22 This Beaut Of My Uncle, Aunt And Cousins Was Proudly Displayed In Their Home For Years
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#23 This Was My Senior Picture And My Mom Thought It Would Be A Great Idea To Pose With Some Of My Cabbage Patch Collection Of Dolls. For Some Reason, I Decided To Go With The Sultry Look. The Rest Is History As You Can See
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#24 I Took My 2002 Senior Year Photo With My Bird, Jeff. It Made The Yearbook. Ten Years Later, I Caught Him Reflecting On Our Long History. Sentimentality In Its Truest Form
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The duo’s gambit paid off. Within just a week of launching the website, it took off. Mike and Doug were both surprised by the massive positive reaction. “We started receiving awkward photos from all over the world! It felt like something big was happening,” Mike said.
In September 2020, Mike noted that they receive hundreds of awkward photos each week. The co-creators try to focus on the most surprising pics, choosing to feature them front and center on their social media platforms.
#25 Back When My Wife Went To Get Our Christmas Tree From The Attic. I Told Her Not To Step On The Drywall. She Later Admitted She Didn’t Know What Drywall Was
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#26 This Photo Of My 6 Month Old Brother Was Taken On My Second Birthday. Apparently My Siblings Thought It Would Be Hilarious To Tie Balloons To All Of His Limbs And My Parents Were Just Like, ‘Whatever.’ He Was The Eighth Child, So I Guess By Then Nothing Mattered
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#27 I Photographed My Sister-In-Law’s Wedding (My Husband’s Sister). I Knew The Window Overlooked A Part Of The Hotel’s Roof, But I Didn’t Notice The Workers Until After I Snapped A Few Pictures. When I Got Home And Downloaded All The Pictures, I Couldn’t Stop Laughing When I Saw This. Lucky For Me She Has A Good Sense Of Humor And Allowed Me To Share It With You
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According to Mike, the success of ‘Awkward Family Photos’ lies in its relatability: peculiar, silly, sometimes even uncomfortable photos are something many of us can deeply empathize with. “Even if it's not their family, they see their family in others and there's something comforting about knowing that you're not alone.”
#28 Circa 2016 At Knotts Berry Farm With My 2 Younger Daughters
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#29 This Is Of My Older Sister, Perfect In All Pictures, And Older Brother’s Gigantically Chubby Head. The Photographer Thought This Was The Best Picture Of The Whole Shoot. My Mom Thought It Was Hilarious And Horrifying, So Of Course She Bought It
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#30 New Orleans 1997. Let’s Just Say I Was A Shell Of The Man I Am Today
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Which of these photos did you like the most, dear Readers? Do you enjoy having your picture taken? How do you feel about showing people your family albums? Let us know in the comment section at the bottom. Oh, and if you’ve got any uncomfortable or silly pics of your own to share, you can post the photos in the comments as well.
#31 In 1980 My Mom Won Free Photos At A Mall In Vancouver. My Mom Had To Beg My Dad To Go But He Didn't Want To And Said He Wouldn’t Spend A Dime If They Ended Up Not Being Free. But Once They Got There My Dad Ended Up Upgrading And Spent $100 On The Deluxe Package
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#32 Here’s My Old Breakdancing Crew, The Suburban Street Rockers, In 1985
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#33 1981… My Mum Thought I’d Be A Good Model For One Of Her Wigs
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#34 My Dad (Left) Shortly After He Emigrated From The Soviet Union To Chicago In 1980. Sorry Ladies, He’s Married To My Mom
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#35 My Parents On Their Wedding Day, Vancouver 1986
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#36 My Brother And I Took A Pony Ride At The Whaling City Festival In The 80s And The Pony Ride Operator Had Swagger
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#37 My Dad Used To Swing Me Around In A Tiny Garbage Can And It Was So Much Fun. I Didn’t Know It Was Weird Until I Asked Around And Found Out That No One Else’s Dads Swung Them Around In Garbage Cans
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#38 I Just Wanted A Nice Vacation Photo
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#39 When I Was In 6th Grade, My Two Older Sisters Were Popular And Had Big Hair, And I Was An Awkward Kid So I Thought I’d Be Cool For A Day. I Went To Town On The Aquanet Hairspray. I Used Almost Half A Can To Get This Big Bang As Tall As I Could. The Photographer Literally Had To Take A Step Back To Fit My Hair In The School Photo And I Really Don’t Know How He Kept A Straight Face
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#40 The Perfect Haircut Did Exist. Me, 1975
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#41 My Daughter Fixed Her Cousin's Barbie After The Head Popped Off And Would Not Reattach
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#42 We Were Having A Great Time At My Wedding
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#43 This Is A Family Portrait From 1987. I Just Love The Contrast Of The Punk Rock Kids, Coupled With The Wholesomeness Of Mom And Daughter. It Brings A Smile To All Of Us, And We Want To Share The Photo On Your Website
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#44 My Mom’s Friend Dressed As A Clown For My Parents’ Wedding Day. Nobody Knows Why
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#45 Our Daughter Wanted To Throw Rocks Not Flowers At My Cousin’s Wedding
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#46 I Feel Obligated To Share This Photo Of My Parents In The 80s
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#47 My Mom Just Wanted A Nice Picture In Paris
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#48 My One-Year-Old Son Likes To Peek Into My Home Office Doors From Time To Time Just To Smile At Me. Doesn't Say Anything, Just Stands There And Smiles Until I Acknowledge Him
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#49 I Very Much Enjoyed Being Tucked Into A Bag And Carried Around By My Dad
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#50 My Dad Had A Medical Procedure The Day Of My Prom And Was Out Of His Mind On Pain Killers When My Mom Insisted That I Pose With Him Before Prom. I Like To Think He Would’ve Put Down The Hose For The Pic If He’d Been In His Right Mind, But In All Honesty It Could’ve Gone Either Way. He Has No Memory Of Taking This Photo
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#51 Glamor Shots Came To Ridgecrest California When My Brother And I Were 9 & 10 So My Mom Brought Us For A Session!
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#52 My Wife And Two Sons After I Returned From A Fishing Trip With The Catch
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#53 I Was 11 Going On 41. Glamour Shots At Their Finest. I Remember Being So Proud Of My Hair While Walking Around The Mall, And Everyone Looking At Be Because I Was So Beautiful. I Look Like I Have Two Volleyballs On The Sides Of My Head
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#54 This Is A School Photo Of My Older Sister From 1988. The Monstrosity Upon Her Head Is Reflected In Her Expression. The Lasers In The Background And Applique-Roses Sweatshirt Only Add To The Epic-Ness
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#55 This Was Taken In 1990, Alberta Canada. Can You Tell My Mom Used To Do My Dad’s Hair?
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#56 I Did Glamour Shots When I Was 12 And Chose The ‘Divorcee Who Is Taking Back Her Life’ Package
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#57 When The Photographer At My 8th Grade Dance Asked Why I Brought My Board Instead Of A Date, I Told Her 'Skate Or Die'
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#58 My Wedding: August Of 2004. In What Has Become Known As A “Family” Thing, Men From His Side Shed Clothes As The Night Goes On. This Is Me And My Husband’s Uncle About Halfway Through Our Reception At A Local Restaurant/Bar
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#59 This Is Me, My Brother And My Mother On A Disney Cruise Ship In The 1980s. It Was Called The Disney Big Red Boat And I Had A Sharkskin Suit
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#60 I Won A Cutest Baby Award At A Local Health Foods Store And This Was The Photoshoot That I Won. Thank You, Mom And Dad
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#61 I Liked To Take Naps With My Plastic Potty. My Parents Told Me I Literally Carried It Into Bed And That The Plastic Potty And I Had A Special Bond
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#62 My 80s Rockstar Parents And Me Looking Like A Marionette
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#63 For Thanksgiving They Asked My Son What He Was Thankful For
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#64 Our Family Vacation At Long Beach Island, Nj And We Wanted A Nice Family Photo. Our Daughter Wasn’t In The Mood So We Were Swinging Her Around To Cheer Her Up
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#65 My Daughter's Preschool Photo. Not Sure If She Was Sick Of Pre-K Or Just Hating The Dress? But You Gotta Love The Matching Crayon Hair Tie
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#66 The Moment My Eldest Met Her New Baby Sister
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#67 I Was 45 Minutes Into Family Pictures With Two Hungry And Crabby Kiddos. Nothing Was Good. The Photographer Asked Me Five Times If I Really Wanted To Buy The Pics And I Said Absolutely Yes. This Was My Most Popular Christmas Picture Ever
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#68 Our Grandma Used To Not Only Give My Sister And Me Mullets In The 80s, She Would Then Perm Them. Matching Permed Mullets. Need I Say More?
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#69 This Is My Husband And Four Children. We Asked The Kids To Sit Down With Dad To Get Their Pictures Together, But My Daughter Didn’t Want To Be In The Picture, So We Said, “Okay, Just Stay Over There.” I Started To Take The Picture And She Got Even More Upset For Being Left Out Of The Picture. As You Can See My Husband Was Also Annoyed!
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#70 This Is A Picture Of Me When I Was 12 Days Old
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#71 That Time I Went To School As Humpty Dumpty For Nursery Rhyme Day, But Ended The Day As A Ballsack
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#72 Another Win For The Panoramic Camera Function
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#73 My Mom Loooooves Jason Momoa, So For Mother’s Day I Surprised Her With A ‘Life Sized’ Cutout Of Him. Apparently She Liked The Present
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#74 Our Loving Mother Scheduled Our Youngest Sister’s Wisdom Teeth Extraction On Her Sixteenth Birthday. Here She Is Celebrating Afterwards. Cake, Anyone?
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#75 I Wasn’t Allowed To Have A Dog Because My Sister Is Allergic With Asthma. So I Raised An Emu That Stayed In Our Suburban Backyard Of Denver Co
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#76 My Dad, His Brothers, And Their Mullets
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#77 We Were Trying To Get A Family Photo Including Our Two Friendly Chocolate Labs
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#78 Back In The 80s, Being A Single Mom With 2 Jobs And Having To Improvise A Halloween Costume With No Budget Wasn’t An Easy Task But My Mom Managed To Pull It Off. Luv U Mom!
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#79 This Is Me And My Mom, Circa 1982. I Was An Extremely Picky Eater As A Kid And Each And Every Meal Was A Battle. I Don’t Think My Mom Got To Enjoy A Single Meal Between 1976 And 1985
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#80 Me In The Late Eighties, Timeless Class
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#81 This Is My Little Sister In 4th Grade. My Mom Took Us To Get Our Pictures Made, And My Mom And Sister Thought It Would Be A Great Idea To Add The Trolls Into The Mix. As You Can See: Awkward Gold!
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#82 My Friend Mike’s Rock Star Mullet When He Was Two Years Old In 1989 In Fairbanks, Alaska. I Think It’s One Of The Best Photos On Earth
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#83 When My Son Hopped On The Bed And His Elbow Nailed Me Right On My C-Section Incision
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#84 Classic Post-Soviet Photoshoot At School. They Dressed Me Up As A Character From A Russian Fairy Tale And I Sat There Smiling Waiting For Them To Shoot. And Then The Photographer Said, 'Don't Smile, You're Dressed As The Princess Who Never Smiled!' And So I Went With My Most Disappointed Facial Expression Ever. My Parents Decided We Needed A Calendar
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#85 My Dad Decided To Get His Hair Permed To Look His Best For His Job Interview To Be A Las Vegas Casino Poker Dealer (Hence The Cards He's Shuffling)
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#86 I Made My Cat A Work From Home Set Up
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#87 My Sister Dumping Me Out Of My Stroller In 1994. This Perfectly Sums Up Our Relationship As Children
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#88 This Is My Oldest Brother. When He Came To The States , His First Obsession Was Rock & Roll, Followed By Big Hair
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