Friday, December 18, 2009

Some might call it luck, I call it threats of dismemberment.

Only seven more days until Christmas, and you know what that means...

Um, no. I mean, yes. But no, I'm talking about something else. Try again.

Well yeah, that too. But that's still not what I'm referring to. One more guess.

You've got a point. But no... Let me help you out. What's 4x6, comes in your mailbox and causes me great fits of angina every year?

Right! Holiday cards! You're so smart.

Every year I have a slight (read: HUGE. MASSIVE. EPIC.) hissy fit trying to get the perfect photo for our holiday cards. I don't know why, it's just what I do.

Except this year it was remarkably pain free. On a beautiful warm day in November, Mr. C and I dressed the girls up in matching clothes, brushed and washed them until they sparkled and then propped them up on a rock in our yard in the hope we would get one picture where they weren't pulling each others hair and no one was missing an eyeball. I positioned them, threatened them with bodily harm if they moved and then stood back, screaming "TAKE THE FREAKING PICTURE!!" at my husband while the kids planned their first trips to the therapist in their heads.

And wouldn't you know, the first picture we took was a keeper. Not just a keeper, but suitable for framing. It was the first damn picture we took! We were so ahead of the game, it was spooky.

I know. Where's the drama? Where's the goofy faces? Where's the screaming??

Well, there was screaming but that was coming from me. Come to find out, scaring your kids silly will result in a good holiday card picture.

*jots that down in my "Things to always remember" book*

So without further ado, I give you our family's 2009 Holiday Card.


The bottom is cut off because I wanted to gray out our names but my computer hates me and Photoshop especially hates me today so I just did a hack job on it and... Let's move on before I throw this piece of hardware against the wall.

I know, you're just as disappointed as I am. They actually look happy! They're smiling. No one is trying to kill the other. How am I supposed to be expected to work under these conditions??

It's bad enough that I've become one of those people who dress their kids up in matching outfits, but now I have a decent photo card. Next year I'm sticking them with pins.

I'm sorry Chicklets, if you want holiday drama with a side of conniption fits I suggest you go here first to read our history of the holiday photo session, then try this post, this one, finally ending with this one. I reread them because all of this happy happy made my left eye twitch.

God bless us, everyone. Now where's the nog?

----------

In other news, I'm writing with more regularity. But it's not here. It's there. I'd love to know how you feel about perpetrating the Santa lie myth with your kids because I'm having a little bit of a hard time with that one.

29 comments:

Whirlwind said...

Beautiful pictures, you should see the outtakes we had with ours - kids hitting each other with sticks, strangling each other and pushing each other off rocks. Ahh the fun!

Anne said...

Wow! That is easily one of the best Christmas card pictures I've ever seen, and I have a gigantic family and probably 40-50 photo cards on my wall at home right now.

Chibi Jeebs said...

I may literally melt into a puddle of goo from the cuteness. <3

SciFi Dad said...

Great photo. Simply great.

I should send you our Santa one from this year. It was one for the ages.

licorice said...

One of my favorite holiday photos. Gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. It's calming. Can they be any cuter???!

mamatulip said...

That's PERFECT! Your girls are gorgeous.

fidget said...

awesome, now come scare my kids into a good group picture

statia said...

Found your site blog surfing today.

You need to savor that luck forever. Mine refused to do anything but run away from the camera. I've got Christmas card envy.

TwoBusy said...

We've never had a kid card photo anywhere remotely close to that good. This year, we had to go the "we couldn't even get all 3 to sit together, look at the camera and not scream at the same time so instead we're doing 3 individual shots" walk of shame route.

*sigh*

Boston Mamas said...

Just gorgeous! I want to slather those cheeks in Nutella and take a big chomp. xo Christine

Patois42 said...

Sounds like Christine has given you fair warning: keep her away from Nutella when she's around the girls.

for a different kind of girl said...

Those girl are scrumptious! Well done on capturing that! My boys are at the stage where my oldest looks like he's taking a line up photo and my youngest is making such an extreme face it's like he's trying to reach the people in the nosebleed seats on Broadway. The process of capturing them on film usually involves me uttering a word in between "Merry" and "Christmas" that tends to lessen the warm, fuzzy feelings the season's meant to have.

Avalon said...

Oh Mrs. C~~~~~ Just beautiful! The kids and the photo!

Alex Elliot said...

Beautiful picture! I should send you a copy of mine. The boys look like they're strangling Merlin in it.

Magpie said...

Sweet picture.

Heather said...

Wow that is a great photo. Guess I should have threatened my kids more.

karengreeners said...

Oh god, they are cute. I'm glad it turned out, because I help you out with this a lot, and frankly, I need to move on to others that need my assistance.

Anonymous said...

I love your posts, and the kids are ridiculously cute. However, it's time for a family picture. I'm sure I represent all of your old friends who may not have seen you in a while when I say they don't want to just see kids in the picture, but also what Mom and Dad look like these days.

ewe are here said...

And they are absolutely adorable. nothing wrong with matching outfits. :-)

Not Afraid to Use It said...

My husband used to dress our kids like Stepford children every now and then. For a Xmas card it is acceptable. Grocery shopping not so much. Awesome pic, though. Gives you hope for next years attempt.

kristi said...

Sweet pic.

kate said...

Cute little babies there.

James said...

Indeed one of the best Christmas card pictures I've ever seen! Thanks

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