christmas "letter" 2013

As much as I would like to send every-single-person I know an actual Christmas card every-single-year, I just can't.  So while a few of you got a real life card, most of you will have to settle for this.  And by "this" I mean a few pictures.  I wanted to write a short blurb about each of us and get it up on here by New Year at the latest, but then I got sick a couple days after Christmas and now it's January 10th and I just don't have it in me.  But the great thing about a blog is that YOU can go back and see all my old posts and catch up with our new nothings.  Tada!

We did our own pictures this year.  I went into it with Mary Poppins positivity, a $15 tripod and some staging ideas from Pinterest.  Getting 6 people to all look at the camera and smile on cue for a timer is not easy.  Folks, we got this money shot on the 3rd try!  As soon as I saw it I shouted out, "WE DID IT!" and there was joy in the land.  

For about 3 seconds till I told the kids I wanted to get a few shots of just them.  There was some initial moaning and groaning but then I explained I wanted them to stand on the couch and jump.  That was more up their alley and the four of them happily climbed on-

I neglected to mention that I just wanted a little jump.  When I told them to sort of bounce, this is the reaction I got-

Deciding this was not working out I told them all to sit and first we made funny faces to lighten the mood-

Then we tried some nice smiles-

The boys were up next-

Then I asked Liam if I could take one of just him-

For some reason this was the only one I took of the girls together-

Jason and I used the tripod, just give us a barn and a pitchfork-

Then to make up for shed tears in the couch jumping debacle, I told Liam to hop on and show me what he's got! After I cut off his head (the kid can JUMP!) and a photo bomb, we got a good one-

I took individual pictures of the girls at the park because I also wanted to use them as "school" photos.  (I decided not to buy pictures from the school this year.)  We got some lovely shots!  I also asked permission at the library to take a photo of the girls as they both have quite a passion for reading and I thought it would be a nice addition if I wrote a Christmas letter-

That wraps up our card creating adventure and if you're wondering where Finn's individual pictures are, so am I.  Did you know I have 4 kids?  Because I apparently forgot.  Hopefully I haven't scarred him for life.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!  Keep up with us here because you'll probably just get another picture card again next year...