Cabin fever

Home again, but these two loved running around with their cousins and exploring outside. #hnwilcox

Turning 17 months

Seventeen months old today! #hnwilcox

Bookworms

At separate times today, these two have climbed up on the chair with a book. I love looking over to see them turning the pages. #hnwilcox

Sunday best

Norah spent the night and morning puking, so this little heartbreaker and I went to church together. He sat perfectly on the couch outside the chapel, not making a sound and just smiling at the people walking by -- and then he was back to his crazy self, banging chairs and throwing cups. I love his bubbly personality. #hnwilcox

Rock 'n' roll

Cousins always have the best toys. #hnwilcox

Moving (and reading)

Helping us pack up their books. #hnwilcox

Temple Square with twins

This is what happens when you try to get tired twins to smile at Temple Square. #hnwilcox

Love you to the moon and back

My whole world. #hnwilcox

Law curls

Looks like Henry has my curls. 😍 #hnwilcox

First Real Salt Lake game

First RSL game. Thanks for sponsoring the game, CHG! 

Spring comes slowly

Babies in shorts.

Saltwater steal

I'm just a little bit proud of myself for thrifting baby Saltwater sandals yesterday for THREE dollars. I die over Henry's chubby feet in them. 😍

Learning together

I love watching these two discover the world together, even if it's just how to pull themselves up to the couch.

Dancin' Norah

Love my spunky Norah.

Bow-tie boy

Just got our Easter pics back from @vbunnell, and I love them! Henry is looking more like a little boy and less like a baby every day.

Grease monkey

My little grease monkey. He loves to hang out under his walker and see how it works.

Easter best

I had to share one of these two together in their Easter outfits. I love watching them interact with each other.

In defense of Instagram

About six months ago, I finally got a smartphone and immediately signed up for an Instagram account. I had seen friends' photos for months and was thrilled to start taking my own.

If you're new to Instagram or not exactly sure how it works, I'll fill you in. It's an app for your smartphone that allows you to add filters and blurs to photos and then share them with your friends. Like Twitter, you can also use hashtags to organize photos so that other people can see them and "like" them. It's wildly addicting and fun.

Unfortunately, I've heard a lot of photographers dissing Instagram on Facebook, and it's starting to really bug me. I thought I'd write a few thoughts defending Instagram — and telling you why it has changed my life.

Instagram will never replace professional photographers. While Instagram is a great way to share those cute pictures of your kids or your favorite mug of hot chocolate, it is limited to a small, square-sized glimpse. You'd never have someone take a family picture using their phone, because you wouldn't be able to enlarge it and frame it in your home. Nor would you limit pictures of your brand-new baby to those taken with a smartphone. Those who feel threatened by Instagram should stop worrying; there will always be a need for people who can take beautiful shots with a nice camera.

Instagram cannot make a poorly composed photo better. No matter which blur you apply or which filter you use on that shot you took in a dark theater at 10 at night, you can't make a grainy, poorly lit photo look good. I've found that Instagram has actually made me a better photographer, because I pay more attention to lighting, composition and background.

Instagram's filters are meant for fun. Some of Instagram's critics complain that by adding filters to every photo you take, you are distorting reality. I will admit that some people go overboard, and there are filters that make your original photo look dramatically different. But how is this any different from people who Photoshop images, making colors more vibrant and smoothing wrinkles and flaws? I try to use filters that only enhance my photos, not change them, and I frequently post pictures I haven't added any filters to. I think photography is an art, like painting or sculpting, and you can develop your own style.

Instagram is an easy way to capture everyday moments and share them with other people. I said that Instagram has changed my life — and it has. I took pictures of our Pacific Northwest trip almost entirely with Instagram because I love being able to instantly add filters and even change photos to black and white or sepia (something that would take much longer in Photoshop). But it's not just that. Instagram makes me want to take pictures of the little things that make me smile, like getting new shoes or receiving flowers from Andrew.

What do you think? Are you a fan of Instagram?