The things we do for you people

Ok, it's a little early, I know. But I wanted to tell you one of my favorite things: Christmas/Holiday cards.

I love Christmas cards- I love sending them to friends & family and of course those people who you sadly only keep in touch w/ once a year through a Christmas card. I love the stationery, the stamps, writing a personal note to people and dropping them off in a box or handing them to a cheery Mailman. But I also love getting Christmas cards in the mail and even better, Christmas pictures!! This past Christmas, I covered half of our fridge with pics from family and friends and didn't take them down until June!

Growing up, my sisters and I enjoyed opening the holiday cards. We even had one we looked forward to each year. It was from a family and they sent (no joke) 6 PAGES typed front and back of what they did the past year. Johnny did so well in school this year, he was learning his phonics. Would you like to hear of all the phonics he learned? Enter: all the phonics little Johnny learned. Yeah, I'm not kidding. Then they would ramble on about detailed family vacations with their extended family and those people's spouses, dogs, cousins and teachers. We looked forward to it every year and gathered with friends to read it out loud(horrible, I know). But I do love hearing from people near and far.

Which brings me back to when I was a nanny. Not only did I help raise, discipline, teach and train two little boys, but my other "hats" included: Chauffeur, Chef, Maid, Artist, etc.... so why would it not also include Photographer?!

Christmas 2006: we had the boys sit down outside in the freezing cold. Say, what? Sit down? Boys do not sit down, especially for pictures that HAVE to be cute because they're being sent to 200+ people. The Mom and I did this together, so we bribed them with chocolate (what is in N's mouth) and begged them to sit still for 2 long minutes as we frantically shot away hoping we'd beat the chocolate drool or any inevitable dirt/mud/paint that the boys' clothing attracts. We took a million pictures.... okay maybe 75 and within that, 5 were top contenders.

This first picture clearly wasn't one of them but I can't even begin to tell you how much I love it. Even though it's not a great one, it's one of those pictures that captures the true moments in daily life... how things really were. Forget Olan Mills because this is real. This is how it was.

It really shows their personalities at the time, too. Alec (on the left) was so sweet, a goof ball and has such a passion for life. He was more laid back, however he did have a temper and when it rained for him, it poured.

Nicholas, is the best friend. He is loyal, very smart, thoughtful and bright. He was my friend over the 18 months I was a nanny and we had many great conversations. He is also meticulous, oh so particular and sometimes emotional. But I loved him for it.

Below is the sweet picture we finally picked for the holiday card. Look at those adorable boys in all of their L.L. Bean-ness! What loves! I hope this picture helps you get excited for the Holiday's because it's probably my favorite Christmas card picture of all time.