Christmas card outtakes

Is it wrong that I am thrilled that this is my first official Christmas post of the 2012 season?!  I may be going out on a limb here, but along with what appears to be 95% of the US population (and 100% of all retail stores), I can’t get enough of the Christmas holiday—the music (my favorite), the baking, the decorating, the kids’ activities.  I usually try to have some semblance of a Christmas card idea before the Thanksgiving weekend because it seems like once Black Friday hits you’re already halfway through the Christmas season (which I used to think was on the early side until my college friend announced on Facebook this morning that her Christmas cards were addressed, stamped and ready to be mailed.  Jen, I hope you understand that I both love you and hate you for this).

This year, Will came up with a great card concept and while I don’t want to spoil it while we’re still in the early stages I can’t resist sharing some of the outtakes from our recent Christmas card picture attempts:

Will and Frances testing out the camera's automatic function

Marshall was being an incredibly good sport for this one considering he's, well, Marshall

Holy cow, I love this kid.  And please note that George played for the rest of the morning wearing his prop glasses and hat.

This would have been a good one with the exception of the GIANT leopard head.

And ditto for the gorilla.

Exuding the Christmas spirit

That's a little better.

Admittedly that last one wasn't meant to be a Christmas card picture, but I just loved it so much I had to include it.  This morning, the kids found the hidden baby gear I had stored away for Goodwill.  I get a little misty-eyed remembering that Frances was maybe 10 months old when I bought that princess hat for her, having no idea how much of a princess-loving little girl she would become.  Not to mention such a sweet big sister trying her best and using her hand to help her little brother smile for the camera.  Sometimes he does need a little help.

And sometimes he does just fine.

Happy Saturday, everyone!