Favorite things about Christmas: 4 days left!!

Day #21: Making gifts

Nothing like homemade gifts to give to your loved ones! I love making the gifts, and I love getting homemade gifts. Anyone can go out and buy a gift, or go online and click a button, but I think a lot of love goes into the blood, sweat and tears (ok so maybe there wasn't too much of that) of hand made quality goods. Not only that, but the person who you are giving it to can't complain, you put hard work into that gift! To complain would only be rude ;-). I had a lot of fun with gifts this Christmas, I can't wait for everyone to open my presents. Sorry to those of you who didn't get the hand made stuff, I still love you just as much :)

Things I love about Christmas: 10 days left!!

Day #15: Hot chocolate

Seriously... what is better about the beginning of the holiday season than having a nice warm cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows! It's such a comforting drink.. It warms the soul, and also reminds me that my inner child will always stick around. So delicious. Leo and I can get excited and share some together. Its times like these I will always cherish and remember. Life is good :)

Things I love about Christmas: 12 days left!

Day #13: Making presents pretty

My presents under the tree. Found the bow on the first gift at target. I love those bows!

Won't take credit for these photos, lol. This is how you make your own bow. See my crappy version below!

My Crappy version :)

My mom was telling me just the other day how my Grandmother was obsessed with making the gifts look amazing. I discovered this year that I too, share this passion! If I had the funds to do really extravagant gift wrapping, I totally would. But alas, I must spend my money on the actual GIFT. Drats! I always thought I wasn't creative, but apparently I am! Maybe I was an interior designer in a past life... HA what a joke!

Things I love about Christmas: 17 days left!

#8: Christmas-themed portraits

Lindsey and Robbie from today's session. Adorable!

Our Christmas picture from last year. We need to update it!

The mother of this little boy, Phillip, thought it looked like the bears were watching over him :)

Little Sully with his Santa hat on. Too cute.

I think December is just about my favorite month to shoot pictures of my clients. So many ideas, so many festive and adorable photos. I have so much fun doing them! Christmas props are definitely the most fun to use, and every location is Christmas decorated, so you can pretty much take your clients everywhere. I love it! I also need to get Leo and Sadie with Santa one of these days. Tonight I actually did a Christmas themed photoshoot, the couple was cracking me up. This time of year is the best.

Things I love about Christmas: 19 days left!

#6 - Putting presents under the tree

This Christmas joy is new to me. I never realized as a kid how special it is to be able to put gifts under the tree. To me, I just couldn't wait to open them! Just the fact that my kids can have presents to open on Christmas makes me feel so fortunate. I can't wait (actually, I can) until Sadie is old enough to get excited to see presents under the tree. It'll be such a joyous time for the family. On a humorous note, I love watching Leo agonize over not being able to open his presents yet, while being so excited at the same time! It's hilarious.

Things I love about Christmas: 20 days left!

#5: Stockings

Stockings are the best. Just when you think all the presents have been opened, you look over at the fireplace... BOOM! More presents in the stockings! The best feeling in the world.  Not to mention they add way more personality to the mantle and fireplace :) Next goal: Filling the stockings.

Things I love about Christmas: 21 Days left!

#4: Appreciating what you have

Nothing sweeter than that

Come Christmas time, you start thinking about all the things that make you happy, and how lucky you are to have such an awesome life. There are so many people out there worse off than I, and I need to stop taking that fact for granted! So lucky to wake up with a roof over my head, an awesome husband next to me, a fully stocked refrigerator, and two smart, healthy and beautiful babies upstairs. Nothing else matters! So this Christmas sit down for a minute and appreciate what you have!

Things I love about Christmas: 22 Days left!

#3: Christmas lights!

Lights as an abstract subject

Lights as a prop

Lights as a backdrop - How cute is one of my clients babies?! Little Sully is the best!

So festive, so fun, so versatile! There's nothing that says Christmas like string lights. If the lights are up, you know what time it is. When I was a kid there was always this one house near our neighborhood that went absolutely crazy with the lights. Lights all over the lawn, on the roof, in the house. I remember them even having the infamous Santa in a helicopter set up. This year I might try to find that house again, and drive Leo around looking for all the neat Christmas set ups. Hopefully I can find them! They also light up the whole duck pond at the hospital, and I love it! All is merry and bright :)

Things I love about Christmas: 23 Days left :)

#2: Encouraging pyromaniac tendencies

See? Fires can be beautiful!

Leo thinks he wants to burn that wrapping paper roll, but then he gets mad when I throw it in and it burns... haha.

Nothing like the weather being cool enough to have fires! In the fire pit outside, and the fireplace inside! I love watching Tim and Leo gather wood together, so cute :). Everything about having a fire is fun. Gathering the perfect wood to burn, making the perfect teepee out of the wood so that just the right amount of oxygen flows through, lighting it and not having to use lighter fluid (that's for cheaters), then finding the perfect marshmallow roasting stick, waiting for the fire to die down to get to the embers, roasting the marshmallow until it is the exact color of golden brown you want so that it's falling off the stick and not burnt, and the most important part of all: eating a delicious, melt in your mouth, golden brown marshmallow! Sounds glorious doesn't it? If you haven't given into your inner pyro yet this season, you really should. The rewards are endless!

Things I love about Christmas : 24 days left!

#1: Family Traditions

Tim putting the frog with lipstick ornament on ;-)

Leo carefully (believe it or not) putting ornaments on the tree

 When I look back on my childhood, I mostly remember the traditions. Putting ornaments on the tree being one of them. I think traditions are so important for children. It's so awesome that we as parents are creating good memories for our children to look back on, just like we do. I love being able to re-live the good parts of my past! Christmas time is the best :) Now I'm just wondering why Tim hasn't brought me home any egg nog yet... GRRRRR