Christmas Card

With Love Chartreuse Christmas 5x7 folded card

Create modern Christmas photo cards at Shutterfly.

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It's that time of year...

Ah, Christmas Cards. Each year, I think, “I’m just going to go digital and skip the post office.” But, then I remember all the friends and family that enjoy an actual picture and update in their hot little hands. And, of course, I love the pictures I receive and being able to put other people’s Christmas cards up as part of the holiday decorations. Plus, this year, rather than taking all the kids one by one to get their yearly picture taken, (and not own the copyright to them) we went up to their Great Grandparent’s one morning in the fresh 9 inches of snow, and took our fun pictures. What a great memory! They love playing there in the backyard, and these pictures are already a fun memory. My cousin Julie lives close by and did a great job being our photographer.

So, now I can do whatever I want with my photos. Yeah! My cousins’ wife shared on her blog about Shutterfly’s great cards and their deal for 50 free ones, so I decided to try it, plus it got me back on my blog! But, I’ll have to hurry if I’m going to get them out for Christmas. I’ve done a few things with Shutterfly in the past. I love photobooks. They make the perfect gift for Grandparents. Last year I did a book with pictures from all of my siblings’ families and it was so easy to pull off just getting photos from each family. I remember past projects for special occasions and how much harder it was to pull something like that off. Now, we can make something once, and order as many copies as we want. Love it. Shutterfly is easy to use and it will even put your pictures into an entire book and then you can just make the changes you want. I haven’t made the total digital scrapbooking switch, but have played with it. I think it is such a fun and efficient way to go. They take up less room, and making multiple copies is feasible. My cousin’s wife (different one- I have a lot of great cousins through marriage) does a digital scrapbook and “publishes” it by each year. It’s so fun to see the hardbound picture books their kids can flip through and remember their family adventures.

As I was deciding what to do for my Christmas card, I looked at a couple of different photo websites and Shutterfly had the best layouts for what I wanted. We have 5 kids and I wanted to include each of their individual pictures as well as our family shot. They had several ones to choose from that included 6 photos, other websites didn’t seem to think anyone needed that many pictures on a Christmas card! I’ve narrowed my Christmas card down to these layouts I liked the best: Family Wall Red, With Love Chartreuse, Pictures in Red Christmas. So, check back closer to Christmas, and I’ll have posted my digital version of my Christmas Card here to share. Good luck with all your fun photo projects!

9 month milestones as documented by my big sister videographer

Lena's favorite thing to play with me is to take pictures and videos of me. So, here are some of the things I've been working on that she's caught on camera. Big sister, babysitter and photographer in one! My Mom's got it sooo easy!

Here's my 2 bottom teeth and my cute smile. Unfortunately, I'm not always smiling lately, because all 6 of my top front teeth are hurting and trying to come in. I love to hang out in the backpack with Mom. I get a great view of all the fun stuff she does, like playing in the sink with the dishes and water, snacking on chocolate chips from the freezer, pushing the noisy vacuum around and talking to my Aunts on the phone. There's a great built in alarm system too, with a fast response time- I just pull her hair!

Jacob got me this great toy from the grocery store the other day. As you can see, I've learned to growl, which gets a great response, too.

Since I got these great blocks for Christmas, Dad and I have this fun game we play, where he builds towers and I knock them down. Sometimes we see if he can build them while I'm destroying them.

Mom brought this big table out to my play area so I won't get into her project, but this has been a great toy, too. I did this a couple months ago at the Children's Museum while playing in one of their wheel barrows, but that was easier. This took more muscles. Lena and Nathan cheered me on while I practiced this a bunch this morning until I could stand forever and even let go a little bit. Just you wait, guys!