Photo Dump Wednesday: Holiday Cards

This week has been so busy. So much so that by 10am on Monday, I was already saying "is it Friday yet?" 

We finally finished our outdoor Chrismas decorations. I am happy with the way things turned out and like I told J, each year we will add something different until the outside looks like the North Pole...well, maybe not quite but I do love seeing the different decorations outside. It makes me happy :-).

I forgot to post this one below from our morning room. It is so festive!

There is a story behind this one. When I ordered the wreaths back in early November, I was looking for ones that were pre-lit and battery operated (do they have those?). Anyways, somehow, I managed to read that these wreaths had them AND they were on sale. SCORE! I ordered enough to go in the middle of all the windows on the right side and then 3 for the ones on the left side. 
1. When they arrived, turns out they have to be plugged in. Fail #1. We didn't want to try to figure out the connection outdoors because that is the reason why we decided not to do the candy canes again this year. 

2. The hook I ordered for the wreaths were too wide to go in the center panels. So instead, we decided to put them on the windows themselves. I was going to order 4 more wreaths to go on the windows downstairs BUT they were now back to their original price which is $9 more per wreath. No way I was going to spend another $40 extra so I decided we will get the additional ones next year or after the holidays when the seller is getting rid of their inventory. 

For blank window upstairs has a tree displayed there which is why there is no wreath. We hadn't plugged it in yet which is why it looks bare.

Anyways, in addition to finishing up the outside, we also decided to do the pictures for our holiday cards last weekend. I never truly appreciated all the work that goes into that perfect shot where you have multiple kids in the same frame until last weekend. My word!!! Now I know why photographers charge what they do especially when working with kids. It was quite an experience!

We figured first we'd do JOE and then JAE. Check out the many faces of JOE while we tried to get a useable shot.

At this point, we had lost her attention so I figured we'd just use one of the  pictures from earlier on. 

Now on to JAE. The queen of facial expressions. First she pulled the trains off the tracks and proceeded to be upset about it.

Then she decided that she had had enough and didn't want to sit there anymore since the trains weren't doing her bidding.

But since JOE has a way of making JAE happy, I decided to do their joint pics instead. This was the best shot I could get of them together.

Then JAE was done. 

JOE tried to hold her back but she wasn't having any of it. 

JOE really tried. So I figured at this point I'd go with the first picture I have of both of them.

Then I decided to go back to JAE again. This time, I got the best shot I'd be able to use on the first try.

And then she was done!

After all was said and done, I had to get a pic in with my #1.

This picture was just so precious. Everyone together watching the trains go. I let JOE's hair down for the pictures. It looks cute but we spent the entire time trying to keep JAE's hands out of her hair and JOE's toys out of her hair. Too much work. I rather like it braided!

And a picture with my #2. She can be so serious sometimes. 

But for her sister, she'll give you a good smile. She was looking at JOE.

Anyways, after all of that, I am sure you can understand this next picture.

Until next year!!! A good friend of mine says it gets easier...we'll see :-).