Christmas Card photo shoot

We had two different Christmas Card photos this year. On Christmas Day we posted one of our Christmas card photos. Our hope was to have one good family photo to send, but we weren't able to get Emmy to smile in a photo of the three of us. But, we liked this family photo, too, so we printed some copies of this one, and some of the one of Emmy and Rags (because how cute are they?) and some cards had one, some had the other. It was random, so if were really disappointed in your Christmas card photo, well, you just let me know and I'll send you a copy of the other one. :)

We had planned to take pictures weeks before, but Emmy was sick one of those days and other things came up for us, or Mary Ann (who had kindly offered to try and get a good picture for us). Finally, we managed to get together a week or so before Christmas, but it was too dark to go outside, so we settled for an inside photo and tried to light up the living room as best we could. I'm learning through Mary Ann and others that really no flash is best. The colors are warmer and the pictures just overall turn out better, but it's so hard to have the right lighting for no flash, especially with a point and shoot camera like we have. I wish I had the money and patience to handle a better camera!

This year Charles even helped me get all the Christmas cards addressed, stamped, and signed and all ready to go. I decided I just couldn't do my usual personal note/message in each card this year if they were going to get on time (or at all) so he did all the signing. Then we ordered our pictures and figured we'd have them in the mail by the 21st or 22nd. Except the photos didn't arrive until 5 pm on Christmas Eve. Oh well. So we finally got them in the mail on the 27th. So much for being on top of things this year! Next year I think we need to return to our old favorite...Valentine's cards. I did that a couple of years when we didn't have time to do Christmas cards before Emmy was born and everyone loved it. Maybe next year we'll try that again. :)

Below are some some additional photos from the "photo shoot" that didn't make the cut.

Hey Emmy, smile!

I love Charles' face in this one.

Maybe if we smile really big, then she'll smile, too!

Did you say candy?

Cute, but Rags is a little fuzzy.

I love their faces in this one. Originally we just wanted a couple of photos of Emmy in her chair, but of course before we got one good photo, Rags had to be in on the action.