Nod to PW

I think I'm going to start saying "Don't be hatin" tomorrow. I'd start saying it today, but the only person awake besides me is Santa, and he hasn't stopped by yet.

My 14 year old daughter, D, has had a bit of an attitude lately. I think I'll say it to her, first.

Oh, yea, Merry Christmas.

Meet the T family

It can be VERY difficult to relax and be yourself around someone new, multiply the difficulty by ten when that someone new has a camera in your face and is TELLING you to relax and be yourself. But somehow, this family had no problem.

I met them for the first time on the day of our shoot, but you'd never know it. The awkward moments lasted, oh, maybe 10 seconds. After that, everyone was ready to have fun. I love it when that happens. It makes getting great shots so easy for me.

Now here is the thing, the reason these shots are so precious, so meaningful, so tear-jerky for anyone who knows them: These two adorable kids, kids who obviously (as you can tell in the pictures)adore their dad, won't be able to see him for months and months. Dad is leaving in a week or so to go overseas because he is in one of the Armed Forces. These photos are going to go with him, bound into a little leather album, so that he can take it out and remember his two perfect kids.

I knew all of this going into the session, and so I was a little anxious about the whole thing. I REALLY wanted to do a great job. But as the session unfolded I knew it was in the bag, and it wasn't anything I did or didn't do. They did it all just by loving each other, and letting it show, even to a perfect stranger.

Six Days

We have less than a week till the big day, and I haven't begun shopping yet. I was supposed to start today, but things didn't work out. Now I'm starting to sweat. Big sweatballs in my arm pits are rolling down as I think of what the stores will be like over the next few days as I fight, grab and push my way to a perfect holiday for my kids.

For now, I still can't shop, so I'm taking part in one of my favorite pasttimes, filling out another little informational email about myself that I know you were dying to read.

This one is a special Holiday version, sent to me by my friend Lisa. And Gina. And I also got one from Michelle.

So, lets begin!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, damn it. I can't trust my kids to stay out of the bags.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial. The last real tree I had dropped so many needles that I broke the vaccuum trying to get the blasted things out of the carpet. And it wasn't my vaccum. Or my carpet. Very soon after that, it wasn't my tree anymore because I put it where it belonged, in the trash.

3. When do you put up the tree? About two weeks after I intended to put it up. My tree is much bigger than it oughta be, and I dread putting it up, so I wait until the kids start to cry because everyone else has one and we don't.

4. When do you take the tree down? Same answer as #3.

5. Do you like eggnog? Umm hmm. Kids do too. I have a recipe from my mother-in-law that is out of this world, maybe I'll post it in a day or so. Or next week. Or next year.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? As my sister can verify, I never got exactly what I asked for. It was always "last years model" or something similar but different from what I wanted. But my mom has gotten better, and she gets me way cool stuff now that I'm grown up. She also does a great job getting the littles stuff, too. Thanks, Mom.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Just got one this year, from my Mom. Thanks, Mom.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Big "D" my oldest daughter. She would be the easiest if we were loaded. But I don't know anyone with that kind of money.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Chip. He won't let me buy him anything. That is REAL easy. He says I'm easy too. But difficult to buy for.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Um, I got some wacko boots one year that my friend Gina couldn't get over.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? I consider them New Years cards. Snail mail.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I'll let you know.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, but I promise that the thing I buy for you will be something I drove to the mall to get. Promise.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Bacon wrapped anything.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear? I call them White.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night. Also Silent Night. Also Mary Did You Know, sung with tears in my eyes. Also Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer, sung at the top of my lungs.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay at home. No where to go, since everyone and his brother lives here or travels here.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? You bet your sweet patootey I know them all. If it is part of a song, I know it.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel on one, Star on the other. We have two trees.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Eve from the family and my babies open Santa gift Christmas morning. Lisa wrote that, sounds good to me.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Putting up the blasted tree. And taking it down again. If I had enough storage space, I'd just leave it the way it is and drag it back and forth every Christmas. But then I'd complain about that.

23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme? Yes, I'm so glad you asked! I have a gorgeous decorator tree in my front room. It is just dripping with gold, white and silver baubles, and has sparkly white poinsettieas all over it with an ornate gold angel at the top. It also has ribbon weaved through the branches and lots of crystal ornaments. Heavenly. My mom comes over and helps me get everything just right. Thanks, Mom.

But that one isn't my favorite. The tree in the family room is WAY better, because it is decorated with the ornaments that my kids have made for me. It has Big D's cinammon reindeer from 5 years ago that still smells (fairly) fresh, and G's handprint ornament from last year, and this year we added the two that T and M made at playgroup. I don't even decorate this one, the kids do. And when they are done, I don't go back and fix things. There are three white ornaments so close to each other that they are touching, and I just leave them there.

G asked me which tree is my favorite. Hands down, this one is the one that I'd rescue in a fire. Can't replace that handprint ornament, ya know.

Vipers Attack!

What happens when you spend two nights in one hotel room with FOUR teenaged girls and two moms? You have a blast, that's what! Last weekend I went to Ft. Worth with "D" for a cheer competition. I expected drama and fights over who gets the bathroom, but really, we had a wonderful time. We always do, that is what makes the gobs of money we pay worth every dime.

I finally managed to take some pics of D's cheer team, and wouldn't you know it, the girls wish they could just forget the whole event. The comptetition didn't go as everyone expected. OK, fine, I really mean we LOST, but damn it, we had fun anyway!

So, the video below is a recap of our trip. I only spent about 10 minutes putting it together so its not one of my best, but it'll do for now. I'm just happy that I managed to take some pictures before the year was over-it will be 2008 soon, and this was the last competition before the New Year.

I especially love the all the Dads that go along to every event. They get into it so completely! You'll see what I mean, they're the ones who look like they're at the Superbowl. Before the girls hit the floor to perform, these Dad's get all of the parents worked up into a frenzy, chanting and yelling and acting like nut jobs (I mean all the parents act like nuts, not just the dads, though they are a little on the wild side). Everywhere we go, the Vipers are the most spirited group. Or maybe we're just the loudest and tackiest, but we definately have the most fun.

Oh, and one more thing, we love our coaches! This has been a wonderful season so far, guys. You're the best!



You can see the rest of the images here. And purty please, leave me a comment. Thanks for stopping by!