Merry Christmas

So here was the picture on our Christmas card this year (although it's much cuter in the actual card, I will say). So to all those who didn't get one, I'm sorry! And we do hope you had an amazing Christmas. I actually ran out of cards this year, and we mailed out 150 of them! We HAVE to quit moving... our list just keeps getting longer and longer! But yes, it was the most successful card yet, only because there was No hassle. No fighting the kids (or my husband is more like it) for the perfect picture. No getting another photographer to help us out. Nothing. 10 minutes on a Sunday afternoon, with the camera remote in hand; and WE'RE DONE. Woohoo! Think it would be tacky to do it again next year?

Christmas this year was good. Quiet. Very quiet. In fact, when it came down to being Christmas Eve, I had a hard time convincing myself it really was. Not that I didn't want it, but just didn't seem stressed enough. Or rushed. Or crazy and loud enough. But it was good to have it nice and quiet for a chance. Very low key, and simple on the presents. And somehow regretfully, I never get around to taking the pictures on Christmas day. Too much of everything else going on. It always makes me sad when it's all done and I realize I missed it. But we did get it all on video this year. So that makes me feel much better. At least, better than the other years. Maybe that should be my New Years resolution. Take pictures of the kids next Christmas. It would be easy to succeed, or quick to fail. Either way. I think I have my winner! :)

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Smart guy

So this morning we awoke, and guess where we found Nicholas.


On top of the tree. Never trust an expression like that. ;) But I think the elf did the trick... because upon finding that he did indeed move and must have talked to Santa....

.....this is what I found next. He was hoping it wasn't too late. And sister soon followed. I was wishing I hadn't done all the Christmas shopping yet, I may decide to have a slight re-do. We'll check the motivation later. For now though, this all just brings a smile to my face. Sometimes I wish we never had to grow up. But most times, I find the other side is just as magical. {smile}

waivering in belief

We had an unbeliever here. We decided we had to do something about it. When posed the question, must felt to leave it that way. But there were still plenty, us included that just couldn't. Not this year. Besides, the risk of it becoming a trend in the home was far to great. So we were on a mission. The very next day we woke up to a small miracle. A package had been dropped down our chimney. Once discovered, the excitement in the room was very contagious. Santa? Sure enough. :)







He left us an elf. Someone to keep an eye on things, since the big guy was getting a little worried. So "Nicholas", as he's officially been named, will be tracking things. Every night he flies home to Santa to report what he's found, along with any secret whisperings he's been told throughout the day. Then before you can wake up, he's back. And hiding in another spot. Or causing trouble of some sort. You never know with these guys. That smile just says they're up to no good. The only rule is, you can't touch him, or the magic is gone. So the kids are very careful to keep a safe distance. And you what? I think it did the trick. ;)

(photo of Nicholas still in the box. Courtesy of Bug)

Just tired

It's been one of those days, and I could use some of this happiness. Maybe tomorrow. Right? I was setting up to take pictures Thurs for a friend, and she hopped in so I could start metering. To awesome to just catch an expression like that. :)

Just can't get enough of the fall

I finally took fall pictures of the kids, to update the old ones on the wall. Yay! Magically in 15 minutes I was able to get something of each kid that would work. Whew. We won't even talk about the group picture though. Let's just say it will take more than 15 minutes and gum as the bribe. :)

(disclaimer: the pictures really are a lot warmer than they are showing up. I swear.

I'm looking at the printed copy right now!)

>

Katie, look what I'm finally working on!!

So a couple of weeks ago one of my favorite neighbors EVER raked all her leaves together in a huge pile for all the kids to come and jump in. Yea. She rocks! So many pictures to choose from, and for which she is patiently waiting to see her darling little ones. So here are mine and I'll start working on hers! ;)

One of my favorite pictures; for so many reasons. Her expression. The fact that she was the first one in the pile, no shoes and no cares. SO not her!!

Okay, and this was pretty awesome too. The airborne ones crack me up. Got tons of my neighbor kids sailing through the air too!

Oh to be a kid again.

This one however thought the leave business was insane. She loved to watch, but just didn't get it. So we ventured to the backyard to let her have some fun. Glad we did.

Moving on, I swear!

I know. I'm stuck in the past right now, but I just can't help it. I've been spending so much time at the computer screen working on other's photos, I just miss working on my kids. So I'm gorging myself for just a bit. Allow me this guilty pleasure for just a bit longer, and I swear I'll move on. :)

I don't know why I have to talk so hard to get him to decorate a pumpkin. His is always the best. Show off!

Ase really worked hard at getting her's just right. I was so glad the girls opted to paint this year. Not the same, but so much easier!!

Final product and a proud girl!

I love catching her when she works. You can actually see the peace in her face.

And another proud girl!

This was my favorite year for Bug. He did the ENTIRE thing himself. Start to finish. It was AWESOME!

Because of it's AWESOME-NESS you would think we took a picture. Nope. Sad. :(

Fetching cute is what this is.

Or maybe I was thinking of this!

Still catching up.

I know. It's not Halloween anymore. I have a million pictures inline to post and catch up on, at these have been at the top for basically EVER! So here you go. Just about the best of the kids in costume. Bug was Darth Vader, and the girls were cats. It was really cute! Okay, and I did dress up...hehmm, unlike my husband. The girls picked the costume. :) So there ya go!

Lovin NY

A little while ago, Matt and I got to jet off to NY for a few days. He was working, and I was out playing. It was great, and it's easy to see why everyone LOVES NY. I so badly want to go back there for a girls trip. SO FUN! Our hotel was crazy. All the fixtures and wall hangings were just a little on the phallic side. Here are the lights. I'll let you decide what they look like.

While I was walking around by myself, I decided I was going to document it anyway. So I took a bunch of photos of myself in all the different locations...

(me in Central Park)

Then when finally Matt was able to join me in the evenings we took the same idea and continued to take pictures of ourselves. I was actually trying to make it so people didn't offer to take ones of us, so we could keep doing it our way! So here we are on top of the Rockefeller, and on the red steps right outside our hotel, in Time Square.

The Empire State Building. One of my fave photos. Hanging this in our bathroom. Those who've seen our bathroom will understand!

I also learned how to take panoramic photos and actually have them turn out. I had fun with these. The first is the Empire State Building in the NY sky line. The second is the other direction, with Central Park. I think you can click them to make them bigger...

Pretty cool huh!?

I hope not :]

I had one of those, "go-back-to-sleep-once-the-older-kids-are-in-school" mornings, and upon wakening; found my youngest watching her cartoons like this. That doesn't make me a bad mom does it?!!?

Pumpkins

While my mom was here, we headed took our yearly trip to Burts. It was sad because the kids had be counting down the days until we went, and when we got there... there was a lot of grumpiness. Too many missed naps. :( All in all though, it went well. The kids picked out their pumpkins, we went for the hay ride, and we of course had to take some pictures!

My mom

I'm really behind. Really. :) There is so much that has been going on around here, and I just can't seem to get here to talk about it. Then it gets almost overwhelming in thinking of all I'd like to talk about. So in typical me fashion, I'm just going to throw so much out there at once! A bit ago, my mom flew out to watch the kids while Matt and I took off to NY for a few days. Then I was lucky enough she got to stay for a little longer so I could actually have a chance to see her! It was awesome. Of course, before she left I had to snap a few pictures of her and the kids. They LOVED having her here and keep talking about when she is coming back. Sad to say, I don't know when that next chance will be. So THANK YOU mom for coming to our rescue!! Everything about it was awesome!

We love you!

(and this picture is my absolute favorite. The look that I have always wanted to capture, but is hard to get "the moment" with a camera in the face. I have always loved this expression on her.)