Christmas Eve.

Finally getting to this post. I'll start with Christmas Eve at least. I love Christmas eve. It was the usual. Candlelight Service:

Mike took these precious pictures from his phone.

A nummy dinner

A Birthday Party for Jesus

Matching PJ's

Posing in front of our faux fireplace...that really did set the cozy holiday mood.

Mike reading from our Christmas devotional.

The House all ready for the morning.

And Santa eating the cookies. A perfect evening.

Piper The Performer.

Christmas Post Coming...

We had a fabulous Christmas and weekend after Christmas as well up in Seattle. I have pictures to share, but they will have to wait. I am in high scramble mode right now. My month off was one of the best decisions for my business and family ever! I thoroughly enjoyed it, but now it's BACK TO WORK! I found out yesterday that the Open House/Ribbon Cutting with the Chamber of Commerce is actually on Monday night...not Tuesday as I had planned and scheduled. So I am cramming to get all the last detail things done for my studio. The invitations that I ordered (with the wrong date mind you) will not arrive in time, so last night, in true vintage Defining Details Style I had to hand make my invites! It was actually fun...just stressful.
**if you are reading this and don't receive and invite, no worries...All Are Invited, hence the title "Open House". I just made invites for those on my local client mailing list. Speaking of mailing list. That has been another project I have been working on since Christmas. Organizing my data. Yuck! But I think i finally found a service that will work great for my company and track things better. Okay, that was a boring sentence...blah!
Anyway, this week i start up again with sessions. My first of the year is tomorrow...fitting it's a tiny newborn. Other things on my list for work to do in the next couple weeks are:
~Get Newsletter out for Tomorrow!!!
~Revamp my website.
~Launch new Print Packages (which means lots of updates to my photocart and client info packets.)
~Gear up for my Valentine Mini-sessions. (which means shoot two model valentine sessions for samples, get valentine cards printed...and pray my Wings show up in time ;).
~Start Marketing campaign for a Charity Model Search I am a part of in February. Ack! This one scares me a tad. No I am not the model...just the photographer.
~Get quotes for new business insurance.
~Update financials so Mike can get tax stuff together then off to the CPA (um...that's where you come in Kristie).


Okay, done with my list...i feel better now. I am sure you are all bored stiff. GET BACK TO WORK!

Traditions

I grew up with the tradition of doing a large puzzle during the holidays. I love puzzles, so when I had the opportunity to order one this year I jumped on it. I would love to start this tradition with my little family now that they are a bit older. I did however find out I am rather a control freak and a tad competitive with jig saw puzzles...I'm thinking Emery is the same way. Oops...
We get our family pictures taken every year at church. There was an option to order a puzzle from the picture. So fun.

Also, this year I purchased a new Card Tree. I love it and I love all the Christmas Cards I have received.

This is how we do the Snow.

We have been living to the fullest in this rare snow storm. Small town folks really do it up.

You have the neighborhood crew, who pull out the 4-wheeler, plow a jump and hook up the sleds. The boys had their own version of winter x-games.

Our big boy preferred to keep both feet planted on the ground. He did however get a braver streak in him when we went out with Nicole & Ryan on Sunday from some tubing behind 4-wheelers.

A little rest time. This day was cut a little short by the white-out we got in the midst of it all.

And then you have Double-Diamond Sledding. Bring out the mother of all tractors, scoop out a jump, light up the hill with who knows how much power...and you have an extreme adventure.The boys took one of the sleds to try snowboarding. They both did awesome. I see a future for them. Of course Angela and Darrin will have to take them up since Mike and I don't board. I have proof in a video...but it's been trying to upload for 4 hours now. I don't think it's happening.The babies preferred the warm rig.

This is a picture to try to show you how high the hill was...it doesn't do justice. Let's just say when Mike & Darrin would climb up to the top to sled down...you couldn't see them it was so dark.

Sweet Things

The House is Warm & Clean

There is snow falling outside

Christmas Music is Playing

Gifts are all purchased

Not wrapped...we save that for Christmas Eve

And there are sweets abundant in the kitchen

Michelle and I had been planning to have a baking day. We each had 4 treats we were planning on making and have the kids help us. Well, Em had a bit of a sick spell this week, so that didnt happen. The baking however still did, and then we swapped half our goods. So we are set with"

Peanut butter Balls

Peppermint Bark

Dipped Butterfinger Peanut butter Cookies

Homemade Caramels

Pecan & Pretzel Turtles

Dipped Pretzel Sticks

Chocolate Cookies

Butterscotch Haystacks

And the following are some other "sweet" pictures of our 2nd annual gingerbread house decorating competition...oh wait, it's not a competition ;).

This is the suppressed architect in Darrin...he takes these things very seriously ;).

He's channeling the gingerbread gods.

Pigeons

I just had to share this video my Dear Pigeon Jamie sent me. Girlfriends are one of God's greatest blessings in this world...and I am thankful for them. Thanks Jamie for sharing this with me.

Boldness!

I love it! This was the Comedian Steve Harvey's Introduction to the King Of Comedy. I can just imagine this crowd was filled with a huge mix of people from all different walks of life, as well as all the comedians in the show. So this is a show of complete boldness...which all followers of "The One And Only" are called to do. Could you?

Let It Snow!

It's been snowing like crazy here all week. The kids missed school on Tuesday, Then Emery had a two hour delay yesterday and Ty didn't have school...then it started up again last night...so no school today either. Although I'm a little sad that Piper wont have her Christmas Celebration today in her class. And how will I ever track down 4 teachers to get them their Christmas goodies? But for now we will just enjoy the laziness of being cuddle in warm pj's and enjoying the snow fall.

These pictures were taken last Saturday when Mike and Aaron took the kids up to play in the snow...there were a few moments of road closures and finding alternate routes (safe!). But they all enjoyed it! Oh and Ty was there too but he was usually running away so you could only see the back of his head.

Mav catching air!

School Program

Last week we had Emery and Ty's school program. It was great like usual! I love how their music teacher is able to fit in a mix of several different cultures while still keeping the program all about Christ! Man I love this town!!!

Here are the 2nd graders...Emery front and center as usual...shorty just like her mama was. Good thing she doesn't have the "peeing in front of the audience" issue that I did at this age.

The Kindergartners...Ty back and center...one of the tallest in his class.

Cutest spectators!

And I totally think they could pass as twins here.

Cookie Love

It's that time of year...you may have seen similar post on my friend's blogs about baking cookies. It was Piper's turn to bake and share cookies with the 4-year-old class. She was so excited to do this all on her own. Especially since she has 3 little friends in the 4-year-old class. We made mini-cookies...mini, just like Piper is.

My Santa Babies!

Thanks Misty & Robert for the Pic.

Decorating the Green Wall

I realized I never posted a picture of the finished product. It is now all decorated for Christmas so I thought I would share. I posted a bunch of pictures on my PHOTO BLOG of my other decorations, since that blog has been neglected due to my break. So hop on over there if you want to see more.