It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

Every year, honestly every single year, I swear that the next Christmas will be less chaotic, more full of peace. Teaching myself to slow down enough to enjoy all the days of Christmas and not just the days when I finally finish my yearly 500 yard dash has not come easily. Keeping it simple has always worked best for me but there are just so many "important" things about this season. I let the cards go unsent last year after many years of creating my own cards annually and , you know what? ...It was fine! I did make cookies but not the number or variety of previous years and I slipped in a few made from ready-made dough. Again, no body cared--they gobbled up the store bought dough ready-mades as if I had toiled for hours! Even the tree is pared down to silver balls, lights and a little ribbon. The humble simplicity of these decorations seems to suit the rest of our decorating and we can decorate a tree in very little time leaving alot more time to just sit back and enjoy it. We love a well dressed tree but at Christmas, even an undecorated tree is lovely. Believe me I've been tempted to give the undecorated tree a try too.

I'm striving to find the perfect balance where I've done enough to make it special without driving myself crazy trying to make it perfect.

Away In A Manger

Every time Christmas rolls around, I find myself thinking wistfully of the days when my children were tiny. The magic of the season is so much more profound when witnessing how children experience it. So... Christmas shots of tiny people and their sweet tender expressions is one of my absolute favorite things. One precious little face (and hands) that I took pictures of for holiday cards was intended to look like a snow princess but when all was said and done, her delicate features and little face ended up looking like part of a nativity seen. I LOVE it!




And then these sweet chubby little fingers. They'll be gone by next year and they'll be replaced by true little girl fingers! I'm sure it's enough to make her parents water up but for now these fingers.... Oh my!

Wrapped in icy blue fabric, she almost looks cold but I promise... it was hot enough here for bathing suits. Within shot of an enticing playground and feeling the heat, this little princess was such a great sport.