It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas?

I love Christmas. I don't think I've ever hid that fact from anyone. I was looking for Christmas music on the radio before Halloween and love browsing a department store during the holidays. This past week I would normally be getting my house all ready for Christmas so that my decorations are all up before my mother's family descends upon my house for Thanksgiving. But, I just can't seem to get into the Christmas spirit yet. Maybe its all those naysayers on facebook making fun of us early birds. Or, maybe it is the 70 degree temps we've had in Northern Indiana lately. It does not feel like Christmas yet, and it certainly is NOT beginning to look like Christmas.

But I am trying... In my attempt to get into Christmas spirit I am already thinking about my Christmas cards. However I am not having much luck this year getting my kids to cooperate with me. I have called in reinforcements and we will be shooting the Christmas Card this weekend. But, I said I would try to dig out my old Christmas Cards from years past, and for the most part I was successful. So, without further ado...

Christmas 2005

It was Dee Dee's first Christmas and the first year I actually had a professional photo taken for my Christmas Cards. This picture and many of the kids early photographs were taken by my good friend Leah. This picture of my girls went inside a gorgeous card with a Christmas tree on it that opened in the center, revealing the photo. I loved them! The sleigh is my mother's and she sets it out every year next to the tree in her home, and fills it with presents. I thought it was a great way to bring a bit of nostalgia into my Christmas that year.

Christmas 2006

Hands down my favorite card to date. Jack was just 12 days old when this photo was taken. When I found out he was due at the beginning of December, I immediately had an image in my head of what I wanted that year's Christmas Card to look like. I can honestly say that Leah nailed it! This photo is exactly what I wanted and it will forever be precious and priceless to me.

The inside of that year's Christmas Card doubled as Jack's birth announcement.

Christmas 2007

To be honest I went into that year's photo shoot with low expectations. Trying to get 3 small children between the ages of 4 and just under 1 was going to be difficult. Once again Leah knocked one out of the park! They were all looking at the camera and she somehow managed to capture their personalities perfectly! Plus her creativity when it came to creating the rest of the card was amazing!

Christmas 2008

The year I didn't do a card. You try having a 5, 4, and 2 year old at home and see how much time you have for your Christmas Card!

Christmas 2009

I know you have all probably seen this one before but I thought I'd share just to round out the collection.

So what will this year bring? I don't know but, you all won't have to wait long to find out. And hopefully after the card is done, it will start to feel a little more like Christmas around these parts!

Blackberry = Love

This is my phone

I LOVE my phone. That is NOT an understatement.

As a SAHM, I find that my phone is my connection to "the outside world". I use it to talk to people, e-mail, facebook, play games, as a camera, I even keep all my appointments in there. Plus, having a way to entertain a kid in a doctor's office is a way undderated benefit! I'm telling you, if there was one "thing" in my life I would not like to go without it is my phone. When I leave the house without it, I feel naked.

True my little blackberry is slightly outdated. But, it is impossible to keep up to date with the latest technology without going broke. However, what it lacks in cool factor it makes up for in personality. For instance my simple white cover with the multi-color polka dots and the whimsical tree on the back. Sure the cover is broken and falls off sometimes, but I love it. Or, there's the picture of my family that is my wallpaper. Definite personality. My ringtone (the True Blood intro music) makes me smile when someone calls. In a way, I feel like it is a small extension of me.

So yes, I am unafraid to say I love my phone. Unapologetic. Shameless. Remorseless. Blackberry = Love.

The Ever Elusive Christmas Card Photo

So we've all been there right? Trying to get that perfect Christmas card worthy picture of the family. The kids are fighting, or they won't look at the camera, somebody blinked, or turned their head at the last second. But, every once in awhile you get it, that perfect shot! Sometimes it matches the vision in your head and sometimes it doesn't. Either way, a great family picture is priceless!

These are actually my mom's family pictures from her Christmas card last year. They were taken by my cousin's girlfriend Chris who is uber talented! Those of you are friends with me on Facebook may have seen them before, but I wanted to share them here anyway.

Here is my little family... Me, Chris, Reagan, Dee Dee, and Jack

All of us... Hey! Everyone is looking!

My mom, dad, younger brother J.C., and younger sisters Ally and Valesca

My older brother Shawn and his partner Kevin. He hates this picture but I rather like it!

J.C., Ally, and Valesca

Just for fun... my grandma with my kiddos

Even though my mom only ended up using the big group shot, I was still really excited to have all of these family pictures! I gave her a collage of them for Christmas last year.

As for me, I can be pretty picky about my Christmas Card photos, but with a little help from "the other Chris" I got some great pics, that really captured my kids and their individual personalities!

Here is my actual Christmas card from last year...

So, this year I have a brand new camera of my own! I love my Nikon! I figure I should be able to take the Christmas card shot myself right? Well, that is my goal for this weekend, getting the Christmas card shot for this year. If I don't get it, I might just have to call in the reinforcments! Wish me luck!

Oh, and I'd also really like to get my Christmas tree up...

Back in the Saddle

Life is short. I have been reminded of that this week. Life is short and in a moment it can change. Sometimes you get one of those phone calls. You know the one, when you pick up the phone and you instantly know something is wrong. I got one of those phone calls this week. My parents had been in a car accident. Long story short, everyone is okay. But it was one of those days that really made me stop and think. It could have been so much worse. I could have lost them both and I dont even want to think about what that would mean for my life. To be honest that has happened one too many times already in my family and with close friends. But, when it hits that close to home it kind of makes you re-evaluate some things. I decided that I needed to look at my life and some of the things I am doing, and those I am not. Documenting my children's lives is one of the things I have NOT been doing. It has been over a year since I blogged anything... that is a long time! Looking back on some of my posts I can't believe how much my kiddos have grown in that year! So I am going to try to get back in the saddle again, if not so much for me but for them. I have a favorite post that I wrote awhile back it was short and sweet but yet for me it said so much. It was titled "Is just staying home enough?" I think that re-reading it every now and then is good for my soul. It also helps me keep my sanity on the days that I wake up wondering how this became my life.

I have three amazingly wonderful children...

and a mighty cute hubby too.

I will forever cherish them and the opportunity I have been given to be their mother and wife.

I'm thankful that what could have been a tragedy awoke something in me. Life IS short, I'm just trying to live it.