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We had an updated session for Cara’s 8th grade Yearbook dedication.  She is such a sweet girl – as beautiful on the inside as the outside.  How lucky is her Mom to have a teenager that will let her be in the pictures too?  A spontaneous moment that I’m sure will be treasured for a long time.

Christmas Idea:  You have probably seen many toy drives for Christmas already this year.  I like to give to the one through Must Ministries.  There are several collection areas and luckily there are boxes in my church to drop new unwrapped toys.  You could check any United Methodist Church in the Atlanta area (before December 21st) and I bet they have one.  MUST was able to help over 4,000 children last year from donations.  It may not be a BIG Christmas for lots of us this year but think of a child not getting anything at all and it breaks your heart.  It is so easy (& fun) to find little kid toys but I think teens in Cara’s age group that are in need can often be forgotten.  Some ideas for Teen gifts that are being requested by MUST: Sports equipment, make-up kits, wallet/purse, clothing, books, DVDs, and Bath sets.  My Sunday School class has adopted a specific family to donate gifts.  Those teens have asked for several gift cards (Kohl’s, Best Buy), socks and curling irons.  The basic necessities we take for granted are really needed as well (toothpaste, underwear, COATS).  Just writing this makes me feel so blessed to have so much stuff and be able to give something to others too!

Merry Christmas!  I am loving this warm weather and even had lunch outside yesterday.  My allergies think it is Spring and are really giving me a hard time! 😉

DONATION INFO: MUST monetary donations can be made online HERE.  Email SANTA (AT) MUSTMINISTRIES.COM for more info on toy donation drop offs.   →Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” –Luke 6:38

 

 

On the 5th day of Christmas…

A handsome Senior High School boy

Atlanta, Georgia

A Senior Boy Session is definitely different than a Senior Girl Session (usually).  The girls have lots of ideas and we try all kinds of new things.  The boys do whatever I ask of them and are there just to make their Mom happy.  This young man was no exception – so polite and I liked him immediately.  He did not even mind sitting next to his twin brothers for a quick Christmas Card shot!  😉

Looking for a good teenage boy Christmas Gift? I have no ideas for you.  I’m assuming something electronic would be good.  Even my 11 year old doesn’t give me ideas and says “anything is fine, there is nothing I want.”  Is this where having a boy starts to pay off?

Gift Idea: I can frame and wrap a gift certificate for a customized Senior Portrait Session.  I will be doing these again starting in February and it applies for Class of 2013 and Class of 2014 Seniors.  Email me for details.

Camera: I’m sure I am biased but I think a nice camera is a great gift for anyone especially a teenager.  I don’t know that much about all the brands and what options are out there, but I know I loved the Canon Rebel I had years ago. You can check this link or Costco to see what has the better price.  Unless you know a lot about it, purchase the camera with the kit so you have all the pieces needed and make sure you pull out the battery and charge it before Christmas morning.  What a bummer to open it and not get to use it right away.

Merry Christmas!

These beautiful sisters were lucky enough to get two new puppies this year.  Meet Shrimp and Grits.  They were every bit as wiggily and playful as you would expect.  We laughed a lot and had fun.  When I got the call for this session it was very much like one for a newborn session.  We had to rush and fit it in ASAP to make sure we captured these puppies before they got any bigger.  Mom said “they are already changing!”

We are in the process of hanging their favorite images in a collection of Obrien Schridde black frames.  It is going to look so great.  I have these same frames hanging in my family room and I think I love them more each year.

Christmas Gift Idea:  Frames!  Of course.  Grandmas and family always love getting framed pictures of their family.  I also love to give framed chalkboards or mini ornament frames that can be hung on the tree.  I have several of these on hand if you need help.  If you want to try canvas, I know Canvas on Demand has a good product you will be happy with.  Instacanvas is what you need to check out if you are an Instagram user. (They have Gift Ideas to check out and just make sure you order by December 10th for Christmas delivery).

Merry Christmas!

 

 

Because I have been so busy and behind on session-shares, I am going to try to catch up and fit in many during my 12 Days of Blogging.

This family will have a wonderfully fun Christmas with their one year old boy.  He was learning how to stand on his own and walk at his One Year Session.  I’m wondering now if he can keep his hands off the Christmas Tree.  He is so smart and curious to learn everything around him.

He is such a cutie and I sure love the blonde curls on the back of his head.  As I was going he showed me how good he is at stacking blocks and his framed newborn picture.

Day 3 Christmas Idea:

I am seeing many many The Elf on the Shelf sightings on Facebook now.  Everyone seems to love their Elves so if you have wee little ones and don’t have your own yet I guess I will recommend it before we get any further into the Christmas Season.  Our Elf, Tom, had a rather tragic ending a few years ago and Santa doesn’t feel like our family can handle that responsibility.  Personally, I am glad to have one less thing added to our already full Holiday season.  If you are one of the few that don’t know how our Elf went back to the North Pole, you can read about it here on my old blog.  The infuriating thing is that Alex keeps insisting that the Elf will be coming back this year and I have to keep explaining how Santa isn’t going to allow it.  If you already have your own Elf and run out of creative ideas, check out my friend, Katherine.  She has a posting on some fun things you can try.

Merry Christmas!

The word Advent is from the Latin “Adventus,” which means coming.

Preparing for the coming of Christ…

Day 2: We are on our way with our Advent Calendar!  Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas but like most people in America, we follow it in our home starting the first Calendar day of December leading up to Christmas.

You can search Advent Calendars online and find many different options.  It is especially fun with little children to open up a surprise every day until Christmas.  We were given the above Wooden Advent Calendar and every day we can open it up and unwrap a magnetic piece that fits onto our nativity scene.  It was a bigger negotiation for our kids when they were younger on who opens the box and who places it on the board each day.  I recommend also getting some of the cheaper paper ones you can find at stores like World Market so they can have one of their own.  My kids have never opened candy or small presents in their calendar but I know some people do.

We also have (had?) the LEGO City Advent Calendar and that is fun to put a little figure together every day.  I think I was able to get it back in the box for a second year missing a couple of pieces and then I just had to let it go.  We live in a sea of Legos and there was no way I could keep them from playing with the little figures or getting them mixed up with our regular pieces.  Luckily the prices have come down so you don’t have to feel bad if it is a one year calendar.  There are a lot more fun options now too.  The Star Wars Advent Box looks fun for children older than 6 years old.  It is not too late to get one especially if you have 2 children – do it every other day so they each get to open their own.

If you haven’t done one of these before, get the less expensive one from last year – your kids won’t care.

I think I want to get one of the last two for me Kate.  She misses out on a lot because the boys wreck stuff we have been there and done that with the boys.

The nativity one will still be our primary one because it is just easier to keep your head in the right place and a great visual to talk about the true meaning of Christmas.

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

Evan

Evan must have been the first true gift I ever received.  He turned 11 years old yesterday.  I don’t really have words to express my shock over him being so old.  Because this is my first day of 12 Days of Blogging I included a picture of his (technically) 2nd Christmas as a one year old.  What a fun Christmas.  This time of year is always more fun when you have little children and we were happy to finally have one!

As I looked through the digital files of Evan’s first year I remembered how sparse they are.  I am scared to check my back up files because I think I may have lost many files some years ago.  Luckily I had more time back then to well-document his first year with scrapbooks. Digital was still new (2001) and I took most of his pictures with my *real* Canon Rebel.  That leads me to remind you to print some of those digital images you have on your computer every once in awhile so you (and your children) can enjoy them.  It would be a great Christmas gift for someone as well.

For a nice printed album for your family, check out Blurb books.  You can get 25% off with the code: HOLIDAYTHANKS through 12/3 and after that date try the code: LASTCALL20.  They have small square and pocket size photo albums that would make great stocking stuffers.  I am really excited about their Facebook Photo Album and Instagram Album.  Easy to make and you can’t beat the price! 

More old pictures of Evan.  My digital camera was very bad! I wasn’t sure that it would ever be able to replace film.  I quickly learned to love how much I could use it and the instant results I could see.  Happy Birthday, Evan!

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