the most perfect family photo (and a very merry christmas to you).

 

(card credits:  main card background: Purdue Avenue Etsy shop; frame: kitschy digitals; leaves and red gems: design by dani.)

almost a month ago, before sickness and the hecticness of the holiday season bombarded our home, we sat down one sunday afternoon to take a candid family photo.

how did I do it?

well, for starters, I begged my family.  told them it was all that I wanted for christmas.

then I told them that they could wear whatever they wanted.

then I told them to bring something to do.  bring a book to read, a toy to play with, or a doll to hold.

I wanted candid…

then I set up my tripod, put my remote on my camera, checked the settings, then had to add my bounce flash to get the lighting just right.

then we were in business.

106 pictures later…

we got it.

and by “it”, I mean four that I could stitch together to make my perfectly candid family photo.

took merrill from here:

took lynn from here:

(the peyton + me combo here was a close second for the final cut..)

took ashley from here:

(for the record, this is the most pleasant expression I got out of ashley the whole 10 minute ordeal.)

and, well, peyton and I were perfect together here:

and we got this masterpiece:

(you know, after photoshop magic…)

and for your enjoyment, consider it a christmas gift from me to you, a couple of outtakes:

because sitting on the couch is SO overrated.

from my family to yours:

Merry Christmas!!!

I like to call myself a pro at the “after-thought”.

so I posted a pic a week ago.  I love it.  I love it so much, I had it printed.

an 11x14 to be exact.

but I had to have it, like the same day, so I sent it to costco to have it printed.

I would have loved to have it printed by my newest, most favorite printer, but let’s face it, I have no patience.

but the costco route ended-up being a good thing.  I mean, besides the point that it was super fast (and that is good for the no-patience area..), it didn’t cost me that much.  (we’re talking like 2 bucks + change.)

so, when I looked at this little pic again, I loved it, but realized that there was a tree, a freaking tree, coming out of sweet peyton’s head.

(okay, so it wasn’t literally coming out of her head, but it was behind her and looked like it was coming out of her little noggin’.)

so I kicked myself in the butt for a while.  I called myself a few choice names (said to myself, of course..) and regretted sending it off to have it printed so stinking fast.

you’d think I would have learned this lesson already.  but no.

let us re-wind to last fall…

I took some pretty darn cute pictures of my three girls, the one when lynnie-lou gave sweet peyton a stick of YELLOW juicy fruit gum, made her very happy, but when she smiled, really big, because ashley let one totally rip, I ended-up with a darling picture of my three gorgeous girls, all smiling, laughing really, and one of those cute girls, with YELLOW GUM AND NO TEETH on one side of her mouth.  I photo-shopped out the gum, in some teeth, had it all ready and perfect (or so I thought) to print. 

I went ahead, all excited, as per usual, printed it, a 16x20 no less.  once I had it framed, I realized, there is a piece of that super-long grass, going right across lynn’s face.

aarrghhh!!

should have photo-shopped the crap out of that grass!!

(insert more choice words here.)

so there.  I should have learned my lesson, right?

wrong.

enter the tree.

(if you feel the need for a re-cap, you can re-read the top portion of your screen.  insert choice words at your own discretion, and let us remember, we should be compassionate with one another, it’s kind of a commandment, a “nice” thing to do, so if you are feeling all compassionate, insert some fun words when you feel my frustration.)

I should have photo-shopped the crap out of that tree.

but dudes, it’s only 2 bucks + pocket change, so, I photo-shopped the crap out of that tree, and sent it off to be printed.  again.

I have to say, I love it now.

(freakin vegetation.)

A little warm on your winter day.

I was looking through old pictures, trying to sort through and better organize..  you know, my idea of fun on a Friday.. and I came across this pic.

(I edited it a bit, just for the sake of fun.  Kicks and giggles, all that sort of stuff.)

It’s from our one and only camping trip this last August.

It warms me in so many ways..

My Friend Annie..

I have A LOT of catching up to do..
One of the reasons why I shut this thing down before the holidays.
Backed up.
(I’ve yet to unload pix from Lynn’s baptism and that was three weeks ago!!)
Before life got crazy, I got to spend the day with my good friend Annie, who is 30 now, by the way..  she is such a great lady!  Such an example to me.  She has such strength and grace.  She is a fantastic mother.  She is so spunky and fun to be around.  My girls love it when she comes because 1) She brings her kids with her, and they adore her kids..  and 2) She ALWAYS has some sort of fun prize for them.
We also enjoyed Sawyer taking his first “real” steps.  Who would have thought that a lens cap would be such incentive?
Happy Birthday Annie!!!
(A late one at that, but it doesn’t mean that I love you any less!!)

December 7th..

November 18th..

My aunt was blessed with her first two grandbabies (one of each) a week apart from each other.
Aren’t they sweet!?

November 6th..

November 5th..

I just love how the tree in our backyard looks right now…

November 4th..

New class, new assignments that require someone who can follow direction, and that, my friends, is how I got him to pose for me!
(Thanks Mer!)

November 2nd..

October 27th..

October 26th..

The Dickamores..

Let’s not play around..  these guys have been waiting around for a while too.
(Thanks for your patience Julie!)
Let’s hope they were worth the wait..


Love these grossed-out faces!

Hello blue eyes!



Totally candid and I love it!


 


Hope the cow poop and wait were worth it!!  Love you guys..

Bushman Family..

I really don’t want to admit how long these have been waiting for me to finish.  Let’s just say it has been long enough!
Loved the colors Natalie chose, and could have been a member of her family this day.  I matched pretty well..  We think alike!







Even managed to get her to smile at me..  she doen’t care for me most of the time.




Gorgeous family!