Saturday, December 27, 2008

Why A Great Picture is Nearly Impossible

I spent Christmas eve at my mother's home....like I've done almost every year since 1978 or so. Before that we always went to my Bigmother's home. At Bigmother's (my maternal grandmother) we cousins would chase each other through the house, play elevator in my uncle's big closet and wait until it was time to pass out gifts. We didn't open our presents there. We always took them home and waited until Christmas morning to open them. Then, on Christmas afternoon we traveled around to each other's homes to see everyone's gifts.

Christmas eve at mother's is much the same. My two siblings and their grown children and grandchildren are there as well as my children and grandchildren that live close by. We eat, the kids play and after a while they start asking to pass out the presents. My mother plays Santa and the kids are all her helpers, delivering gifts to the recipients.

No one decorates a house for Christmas like my mother. Every year we have to walk through all the rooms looking for new stuff. This year it was an almost life size Santa standing at the top of the stairs waiting to greet us all.

Family photo Christmas eve 2008

After taking copious amounts of photographs of each other and hugs, kisses and Merry Christmas's all around my youngest (unmarried) son and I follow my oldest son's family to their home a couple of hours north of mother's. We spend the night and have Christmas morning with them. It is so much fun to be with children on Christmas morning.

Later as we were leaving, I asked my daughter in law to take a picture of me with the kids. I thought you might like to see why it is so hard to get a great shot.

Baby is not too happy at being snatched up for a picture

Baby squirming to get away, sister #1 too busy with something on
the floor to get in the picture, sister #2 happy to rest, maybe take a nap


Wouldn't this make a great time to play hide and seek?

Almost everyone is looking at the camera!

Trying to get baby to look up and smile

At least this time we are all looking up

I've gotta get one last hug and kiss before I let go!


Christmas isn't over yet, because this afternoon my Texas family will be rolling into town to spend a week. I will be spending the rest of the day cleaning. It's a big job....you can see I am already procrastinating!

I hope everyone of you have had a wonderful time with your loved ones too.

15 comments:

  1. Oh, sweet photos! Isn't Baby A getting big! Enjoy the Texas clan.

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  2. Even the bad photos have the capacity to touch your heart because they contain the ones you love. Thank you for sharing these. If you made a movie out of them you could send it to AFV for big bucks!

    Kat

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  3. You have the neatest family. Ours is so small and it seems like you have lots of loved ones. You are looking great. I love you in red. Get some rest. We'll be back to the real world too soon.

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  4. You are fortunate to have a large extended family - and they're gorgeous to boot! Loved reading about your Christmas traditions and laughed knowingly about the attempt to get the family photo...If you didn't get one perfect shot you did get many wonderful memories...

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  5. Your pictures are so cute! Kids gotta do what kids gatta do and that doesn't include sittling still. Pretty pictures of my buddy Stevie Wren! Sounds like your nest is full for the week. Enjoy!

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  6. Oh, such cute kiddos! They gotta wiggle. Your Christmas sounds like ours. Lots of parties, family and extended celebrations. My hubby's b'day is the day after Christmas and our 30th anniversary is tomorrow, plus we'll have a houseguest for a week starting tomorrow. Like you, I shouldn't be on here, the house is a mess! Ok, off I go, then.

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  7. Your family looks adorable! What fun! :) I hope you have a great time with the family coming in this week from Texas.

    *hugs*

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  8. Thank goodness for digital cameras! We can take oodles of pics now until one turns out OK.

    BTW, I love the cardinal picture on the blog. I have a *thing* for them. Even my short-lived business was called Red Bird Acres. :o) We have so many cardinals here.

    Come over to my place tomorrow AM. I have something for you.

    Happy New Year!
    Sparky ♥ ∞

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  9. Your family photo sessions look much like some of ours-ha! It looks and sounds like you have had a wonderful Christmas!

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  10. I loved the pictures of the squirming baby especially- thanks for sharing your Christmas with us.I enjoyed it.

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  11. How great to see that Christmas pages for the whole family gathering with all kinds of holiday joy. Enjoyed very much these photos, and seeing the happiness flowing from your eyes, all of you.

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  12. It sure looks like you had a great one. Fun photos of the kidlets. :)

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  13. delightful photos!! aren't the grandkids the best???!!!

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  14. They're all great photos Syteviwwren! They tell a story and I can see the love and happiness in your eyes!

    Enjoy your family and all the fun!

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