Sports are huge here in the Owens household. We love swimming and basketball…and football.

We really love football.

This fall both of the boys have started tackle football. Dad played football in high school and college and we had put off getting the boys into tackle as long as we could. Our oldest started tackle this past spring, but when he started up again this fall, little brother begged to take part as well. Mom and dad agreed. I have to admit, seeing them together in the backyard playing with their dad and running through drills is pretty awesome and something I didn’t want to miss with my camera. I knew that I’d get lots of opportunities to take photos of them in action, but soon those boys will both be as tall as their dad…and even as tall as each other. Right now it’s great to see that the little one is still little, that the oldest is still clearly a teen.

There’s something really awesome about seeing your kid in shoulder pads and a helmet…he looks so grown up. And his last name on his jersey? Yeah. I love that too.

This little impromptu session in the backyard was just about them having fun. There are lots of ideas that I have that I want to make sure I get shots of, but for this day I really wanted to focus on their differences. I wanted to show how my oldest seems confident as this isn’t entirely new to him. But it’s new to my little one. The mouth guard is uncomfortable for him, it’s tough for him to maneuver in the pads and the helmet is still heavy. My little one didn’t have his jersey yet so he was just practicing in an old #8 (James Rodgers) Oregon State jersey that we found at a local thrift store (go beavs!). Their team stickers weren’t on their helmets yet. And my little one still looks little and a bit tentative. I’m loving that. In a few weeks this might be old news to them. Getting their gear on might not be as exciting. This day I wanted to tell the story of where they are now.

Don’t forget to bring your camera – even if it’s the camera on your phone! – and get some images of what your kids love to do now. Do they climb trees? Shoot hoops in the front driveway? Are they scootering up and down your walkway? Don’t forget to get images of those things as they are now. This time goes fast and you don’t want to forget.