Behind The Scenes - Making Of A Christmas Card

Taking the annual photo for our Christmas card.

Behind the scenes.

Oh the stories I could tell.

For now, I'll just start and end with this years card.

Look how much fun (they look like) they're having here.  It was Christmas card time at our household last week.  I've been sending cards out since my babies were babies and I always enclose a photo.

These are four (out of 5) of my offspring who don't have families of their own yet.  These are the four who still have to get their photo taken for THE CHRISTMAS CARD.  My eldest, she has her own family now and she sends out her own card with her family on it.  She gets to experience the Christmas card debacle and the havoc it wreaks for herself now.  I know she will find it just as priceless as I have over the past 34 years.  I always told her, "Do as I say, not as I do," but apparently she didn't listen.

I've sent out photos with our entire family including my eldest and her family but, lets just say, I can only accomplish that miraculous feat very rarely.  It's a boon just getting the 4 yahoos pictured above to sit and smile for the camera.

Honestly, any one of you who have tried to get all their kids to look up and smile all at once, raise your hand.  If you've tried to get your dog (cat, goat, chicken or bird) in the photo too, raise your other hand.  Just look at my spawn trying to use their power of persuasion to get the dog to sit with them. She's scared to death to approach that bunch of hoodlums.

 Okay everybody say, "Happy Birthday Jesus!"

Seriously guys?  Give a mom a break here.  Show me the love, so we can call it a day.

Oh, now that's just perfection.  I just love Christmas card making.  Look what I have to work with.  I mean, who wouldn't love it?  I even tried to get them back into matching PJ's like when they were tots, but apparently my authority only reaches so far.

Are we done yet?

 - I think this one turned out fairly human.  Well, at least it's not heinous.


From our home to yours,

Happy Christmas and Blessed Holidays to all!

The Clan @ "Cottage By The Sea"