[jbee]

i have found taking them outside on an overcast day works best.
i have been taking all my kids' myself for a few years now and they are just as good, if not better than professional. i have a 5mp camera, and i just upload them to walmart.com (you can even get packages, like in the real store) and pick them up there.
i like doing it myself also because you can take as many as you need and sort through to find the best one on your own time. also, no crankiness at the mall, impatient photographers, etc.
i think it would be great of you to send bmom some pics through the cw no matter where you get them done. i'm sure it will mean so much to her even if they are not exactly what she would have done.