Snapshots of Christmas

I know, how behind am I?!! Christmas was so 2009... lol. I'm way behind, but thought I'd share a gazillion snapshots from our three Christmases. We had a wonderful time with family. I feel so blessed to have such loving parents and in-laws.

If there's one thing I love about going to see family, it's that you can just kick back and relax and live in your sweats. I also love the freedom of not caring if my photos are perfect. It's perfect for this recovering perfectionist. :)

I think this cute face says it all... Josh getting some downtime, playing video games with my brothers, something he rarely ever has a chance to do and loves.

Jude and Selah decorating cookies with Grandma and Great Grandma... I ate way too much of this frosting! I could not stop!

Selah and Jude could relate. :)


Gina and I having some fun together... if you look close enough you can see Gina with the camera, and off to the left my younger brother Caleb is playing piano.

I love this photo... a 3 1/2 year old's world meets Christmas.

Our favorite ornament hanging on my mom's tree... our first baby Melaina's little hand print. She was born too early (Dec 19, 2004) and went home to be with Jesus. We love you baby girl!!

Our little entertainer, Selah.

Going to visit one of my favorite people in the world, my Grandma Gayle. I spent time with her just about every week through my college-age years. She has shared a lot of life's wisdom with me. She's suffered with Parkinson's for over 20 years, is a strong woman and loves Jesus deeply.

We drove out to Josh's parents to spend a couple days there too.

The drive is beautiful.

Our cute little nephew Orion was there of course! :)

And Josh's parents surprised us with Christmas in their new house they're in the process of building! It isn't finished yet, but they made it cozy and we enjoyed time there!

Jude inspecting the tree.



Grandma Chris made Selah and Jude these pillows that they loved.


Grandma Chris had two best friends close by her side dying to assist her just as she sat down for a dessert.

We celebrated Christmas out at my Dad and Janet's earlier in December and had so much fun! I blogged about the icy roads a couple posts ago.
The river by their house was beautiful.

Dad and Janet gave Josh this really fun remote controlled helicopter. Jude loves it too and goes crazy over it!

More helicopter outside.

Cuddling with Granddad while on a morning family walk.

Baking with Grandma Janet, a favorite activity.



If there's one thing we love to do when we all get together it's play cards! Lots of cards. It's serious business you know. :)

And finally, A 7th married Christmas hug. :) xo

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's! I'm excited for all that lies ahead in 2010!

Family Christmas Card Session

We're blessed to live next door to friends. We've had many fun nights of tea, conversation, getting whipped by them at the game Password, and enjoying Trader Joe's cookies. We haven't been able to hang out as often as we'd like lately, but winter always slows life down a bit, so I'm looking forward to more Pete & Rosie time.
I love getting to photograph them at Christmas time each year!



I love this photo of Daphne... too cute! :)

And James always has the sweetest smile.











By the end James was done with my camera and the cold weather, but still cute! :)

Christmas 08

We had a great Christmas this year with family. We spent a day at my mom's, then a day at my dad's and then Josh's parent's, and spent a couple hours at my grandma's.

My mom took this photo of my brothers and I on Christmas eve (with her point & shoot camera). :) I adore my brothers and have always thought the world of them. I look forward to every get-together with them & my sweet sister-in-law.

At my mom's we played this game called Would You Rather? Have you played it? It is such a fun game! Seven of us played and we laughed so hard. So hard!!! Josh had tears running down his face he was laughing so hard!

We had many special, memorable moments this Christmas. Our family really blessed us with meaningful gifts that we'll cherish.

Jude asked to make a birthday cake for Jesus this Christmas, so Gramma made a cake and let Jude decorate it. We sang happy birthday to Jesus and Jude got to blow out the candles. It was precious. Happy Birthday Jesus!

. Order Your Christmas Cards! .

Because of my crazy schedule this fall I didn't get to follow through on mini-Christmas card sessions like I'd wanted to, as some of you know. But I'd love to offer something so fun for all of my clients this year! If you'd like to use your photos (taken from a session this year) for your Christmas card:
. just choose a card from below
. email me and let me know what photo(s) you'd like placed on it
. and let me know what text you'd like on it (text location will remain the same, so keep in mind space)
I'll complete your order and email you the JPEG (that is then digitally yours to keep) so you can take it to any place you'd like to have printed! These are 5x7 & 5x5 single sided photo cards.
And the cost is only $35!! 12 different card designs to choose from.
Payment options are Paypal (use button on right side of blog), check or cash. Once payment is received I'll email your card to you. Merry Christmas!

(card #1, above)

Josh and I usually mail out about 75 cards each year and you know what's so fun about that? We get about 75 cards back from friends and family! Then we tape them to the inside of our front door so that every day, as we come and go, we get to see your smiling faces! It's something Josh's parents do too, and I love the tradition!


(card #2, above)

It's sort of therapeutic for me to sit at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea, stuff envelopes and work my little addressing system. It's fun to make a get-together out of it too and invite friends to bring their cards to stuff and address, while listening to your favorite Christmas CD. It gets me excited for the holidays! :)


(card #3, above)


(card #4, above)


(card #5, above)


(card #6, above)


(card #7, above)


(card #8, above)

And the square 5x5 ones:

(card #9, above)


(card #10, above)


(card #11, above)


(card #12, above)