the day after

This is my new favorite way of storing and displaying past year's Christmas cards. I don't remember where I first saw it, but I thought it was genius!

Binder rings and a hole punch; it's all you need. And you've got yourself a cute little book-ish display of all the beautiful cards you've collected over the years. It's so perfect.

Picture the Holidays
day 26

wrapped with love ...and more.

wrapped with love
{I wrapped everything with butcher paper and added twine, yarn, pom poms, 1" circle confetti, and handmade felt flowers for some extra cuteness. so.much.fun!}

attitude adjustment
{what do you do at 1am on Christmas Eve? because I do self portraits, yo.}

you are getting sleepy

{I took this a few days ago, but it's hard to get photos of my kidlets sleeping,

so a tired baby ready for his nap is the best I can do. and I had a hard time getting these!

he's really squirmy! lots-o blurry shots.}

life is sweet
{especially when you are given the treats.}

enchantment
{looking with hazy eyes to see what's under the tree the second you wake up}

this magic moment
{the simple pleasures, those are magical. and squishy baby chub, too.}

Picture the Holidays

day 20-25

.... and we're now caught up. phew.

the season of lights... and more.

the season of lights

{playing with negative space}

warm glow

recharge

{I just learned to finger knit, so in the evenings when the kids go to bed, and while the husband's been working evenings, I've been lounging on the couch with tv on netflix and my gray yarn, recharging.}

make a list (check it twice)

{a list under our empty tree}

Picture the Holidays

Days 16-19

...playing a little catch up...

got gifts?

The suggestion for today's prompt was to make note cards or gift tags with a photo you take today and use them on gifts this year. But I didn't exactly shoot a new image for today; I felt that I already had the perfect one.  And I really love how it turned out.

ps... hooray for homeschooling, otherwise I would not have had ink in my printer!



Picture the Holidays
Day 15

simply divine, sincerely yours

I didn't get my photo taken for yesterday's Simply Divine prompt. It was a really super majorly emotional day for me. Lots-o-tears and such.

We went to my husband's staff Christmas party last night, which I honestly wasn't looking forward too. I'm not all that social. And I still don't know these people. Nevertheless, it was a good time and when I got home, I discovered someone had tossed these little squares of deliciousness into my bag from off our table. They are so good. You know... simply divine.

also, I will not mention how many have touched my lips since I have unwrapped them all for this photo.

And for today's prompt, Sincerely Yours, my cards are not handwritten, and I haven't received too many cards this year. Which is okay, because, I've been penning something entirely different this month, this season. I write letters to Jesus. I prayer journal. And He stirs me.

Picture the Holidays
Day 13 and 14

a whole lot of happy

It has been dreary. and foggy. and sunless. and dreary. and no light is properly shining through my windows. it's dreary.

So really, there was no good time of day today (or yesterday) to get some photos. I sat on the couch in front of my window anyways and gathered my two littles thinking surely I'll get some happy out of one them.

First I got this:

^ and I have no idea what that face is.

Then I got my thumb sucker:

Finally I wound up with this:

^ which is totally not what I envisioned, but totally print worthy.

because, really, it's so his personality.

and I'll take that over anything else any day.
also, the chin and squish and chub?! I melt.

Picture the Holidays
Day 12

shaping up

I have this ugly little decorative pomegranate tree in my front yard. It's not cute, y'all.

I also struggled so.much. with today's shaping up prompt, finding something that looks like something else. I felt so uninspired, perhaps I looked too hard. But then again, today was so dreary with low visibility due to all the fog.

My fall back was this ugly tree. The inedible fruit kinda, sorta, if you squinted, and tilted your head just.right, looked like ornaments.

A little after 9pm: "Toby, I'm stepping outside to grab some of this ugly fruit to see what I can do." huff.

I tried forcing it to look like an ornament, but in the end, it looks more like a tiny crown. I'm meh about this shot.

 

On the other hand... maybe they're weird little alien creatures.

Picture the Holidays
Day11

twinkle twinkle

This was fun. I struggled all day with what to do for today's "twinkle twinkle" prompt. The suggestion was to do long exposure, but I was a little bored with the results the first time I tried today. Then I realized I could write with the lights, duh. It was most challenging because I had to 'write' everything upside down and backwards with the camera and it took several shots to get it all somewhat lined up. I love the results, though, especially with PW's Seventies action.

p.s. forgot to mention that this is my tree.

C for Chambers

music note (fave!!)

love

heart

joy

hi

yo

Picture the Holidays

Day 10

it's a sign

It is so easy to forget to enjoy this time of year, to drink it all up and not get distracted by all the stuff.

I want to remember that Oh, Joy! it is the time of year to celebrate the birth of Christ and enJOY my family.

 

Picture the Holidays

Day 9

reflecting on the season

Children have such excitement when it comes to this time of year. The lights, the music, [the gifts, ofcourse}, the cold chilly weather, the snow that sometimes comes with it, the chit chat about Christ and all that He is for us. I love the holidays, too. But I love how much they love it even more.

my second born, with the tree reflecting in his big hazel eyes (that look brown here)...

side note: I've been checking daily on the orientation of each day's prompt. I did that early this morning, but hubby had to take the beast to work with him, so I was stuck with out my beloved sidekick Canon. So no photo til just.now. Anyways, my point is that today was vertical and I forgot by this point and I'm hoping it still works for the book.


Picture the Holidays
Day 8


[eta: photo also featured here: Mortal Muses]

express yourself

I would say. 

that. 

I expressed myself. 

alot.

and.

it was fun.

^but this one goes in the book.

Picture the Holidays

Day 7

also, to see a selfie of me just a year ago, with some words, click here, and another is here.

every little thing

This year, I have cranberries placed in various places around the house in jars. That's what I went with today. The cute little berries, although, mine are starting to turn into craisins at this point!

But I am having a really hard time deciding which I like best for today. I'll have to think more on it, but I'd love your opinion, too.

 ^this might be the favorite.

 ^but I kinda love this, too.

 ^and I'm a black and white junkie, especially if it's tinted.

and also, I love the focus on the jar here.

see my dilemma?

Picture the Holidays

Day 6

the view from here

Last night before we heard it raining. And thundering. Glorious. The house inside was quiet with the wee ones in bed. I journaled by low light and soaked it all in.

While all that was completely amazing, it gets better. Just before bed, my husband opened the back door to big snow flakes and snow already covering the ground.

I was anxious to wake up this morning and see how much snow there was and pull out the beast to get a few photos. This is just outside my front door.

Picture the Holidays
Day 5




p.s. the fact that I've been on top of this for five days in a row is no small thing!

you hold the key

Slow down, take a deep breath, enjoy the moment.

After the kids go to bed, I love the quiet, the time when I can kick off my shoes, curl up on the couch with a blanket, a book or my Bible, and something warm in a mug. It's not every night I can do that. But this time of year, it is the key to returning to a state of peace.

Picture the Holidays
Day 4

all you need is love

 Yes, indeed.

And I have four boys, so the only hearts around my house that I could find are these...

Because, really, who doesn't think of hearts when you think of love?

And playing with the props, my littlest love. He's 14 months old now, and the bluest eyed baby ever.

My 2 1/2 year old Tiny Tornado. He sure is cute, even if he leaves a path of destruction everywhere he goes.

I love my boys. I so do.


Picture the Holidays
Day 3

reframing the season

I feel like things have been ugly for so long and I'm ready to be beyond all this negativity that I feel inside most days. This dumpy place I'm in, I want out. And I know the only way is to focus on Jesus.

I want to reframe the season this year by focusing on the Giver of Life more than anything else.

Picture the Holidays
Day 2

holding on to gratitude

I'm incredibly grateful for the little nest we have built here.

Four boys and a baby brewing.

My heart swells with this crazy, hard, energetic, strong-minded and strong-willed, big hearted group of kids we are growing up.

It's the toughest best job with many ups and downs, but ultimately, there is so much to be grateful for.

We.are.blessed.

the monkeys:

{lucky shot}

Picture the Holidays
Day 1