Christmas Card Picture Attempts

For the past several years it has been getting progressively harder to get good shots of our whole family for our Christmas cards.  Last year (when I was very, very postpartum-y) I even set up a little photo shoot day with each kid.  Do I need to describe to you the epic fail that attempt was?  Yes?  Perhaps if you've had a baby in the past week, maybe you should not attempt to squeeze into non-maternity pants and make four dressed up children sit for pictures using your camera timer.  Just saying.

Anyway, this year I finally gave up on idea of having one big family shot and did everyone individually.  And that worked out much, much better.

(If you don't know my kids, let me tell you that I did not suggest ANY of these poses.  And yes, I am scared for when they're teenagers).

Olivia

 Hide your sons.  

Just kidding.  We're not letting her out of the house after she turns 12.

The winner

Amelia

Winner!

Charlotte

Winner!

Henry

Poor Baby Henry fell over and hit his head about five seconds into his session, so this is his best shot:

Seth and Shannon

I LOVED taking pictures of just the two of us this year.  It was so much better than trying to get all six of us looking good in one picture.  And now we have some couple pictures, which we almost literally never have. (Seriously.  I take almost 12k pictures a year.  And maybe...MAYBE two have both of us in them.  Thank you to my brother-in-law Jon for giving me a tripod for Christmas last year!  It was awesome).

Running for the timer in heels wasn't working out here.

My cutie husband thinks I am trying to get the focus right, or I would have never got him to take this alone.

Winner!

I mentioned on FB that I designed our Christmas cards using Picasa this year, and several of you guys have asked me how to do it.  It is really easy.  If you know how to make a collage in Picasa, then you know how to design cards.  (Even if you don't know how, it is quick to learn).  I got more specific instructions from Sarah at Clover Lane.  (Her whole blog is excellent, by the way.  Do you remember the post I shared on FB a long time ago about raising girls?  She wrote that).

I had them printed at Persnickety Prints, and they did an excellent job.  I wasn't happy with the cardstock they were printed on the first time, so she reprinted them for me.  Excellent, excellent customer service.

And ta-da!  The finished product: 

Anyone with two seconds of graphic design experience could do a much better job than this, but it doesn't have to be perfect to be done!  (Low standards are the secret to finishing any project with a houseful of kids).

Merry Christmas Friends!  I hope you are enjoying a peaceful and joyful season!