Sunday, December 14, 2008

The Challenges of a Christmas Card



The tradition started back 11 years ago with my 1st child. The Photo Christmas Card.






Two Christmases later she had to share the spotlight with her younger brother. A bit more challenging but still I found many ways to make our card unique each year.





........5 years later came the THIRD CHILD


2004....

First year - a piece of cake!





2005....
A bit more challenging.....





Can you tell my middle child looks thrilled that he's NOT the one causing my frustration as the youngest tries to sneak away...

Uh Oh! Youngest didn't like being plopped back down for the picture.

Had to distract him with the talking santa....


Just love that he looks thoroughly terrorized in the final picture...


2006.....

We had just moved into the new house....



Hey Look at Mama!

No, over here!




THIS WAY!!!




PERFECT!!!

(There are about a dozen more in this sequence but for uploading purposes, .....you get the idea. But if I scroll thru them on my computer it's like a darn movie. It's hilarious!)




2007.....


Playing the "shy boy" ha! yeah, right!




You have to take your picture for Santa!.. Good! Look at that angelic face...


(Glad "Pepito" the chihuahua looked good for this one...)

Now, take a good look at the expression & finger point on the youngest who was just 3...Doesn't his face just say " hey, right back at you babe!"


QUICK! Grab him in a headlock! SNAP!



2008...

Surprisingly!


Aside from a few frustrated moments and a few goofy grins, the issue wasn't with the youngest! More squawking came from the older two but you know, a few threats here and there certainly helped. :)

Merry Christmas!

Guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.....can you guess which one is me? ;)


A little sidebar here.....

I apologize for the slow post! My 11 year old darling daughter had a pretty good part in the school musical this past Friday evening. So all week, I had to play "stage mom" and put in my parent volunteer hours. Driving back and forth to the church for rehearsals, helping 3 different grades shimmy in & out of their costumes (boy did I ever get good at tying on the shepherd's head wraps!) She did a wonderful job at the performance. While I was biting my fingernails, she was the calm, collected one. She was so natural! and made us very proud! :)

Then of course we had a slight power outage this weekend. Don't even bring up the question of a generator. We have blown more electrical equipment and light bulbs trying to use it. I much preferred reading my mystery novel by candlelight last night. This didn't go over real well with the husband & kids who moaned & groaned over the lack of entertainment for the whole 2 hours it took for power to be restored. Sheesh!

I think I have a couple of goodies waiting for me! I will have to post those really soon - Thanks Gloria & Melissa! You are so sweet to think of me.... And I can't wait to get back to Blogland and catch up on all the wonderful posts that I have missed! I'll be stopping by really soon.....


.....And just one more little tree to show you later in the week and then I am officially DONE with Christmas decorating! Phew!!!

37 comments:

Cynthia said...

I love it! I absolutely love seeing photo outtakes. Your children are beautiful. And it may be just me but it appears that the littlest one is Mr. Personality! He's so expressive in the photos he makes me laugh.

Now I'm just trying to figure out how you manage to keep him out of the decorations!?

lvroftiques said...

Laurie I loved seeing your babies through the years!! How amazing and hilarious!! And what breathtaking children they are!! Your littlest one is such a card!! And he does have that "back atcha babe" look in that one picture!Lol!! And please tell your daughter congratulations on her sucess in the play! You must be sooo proud! Vanna

Melissa Miller said...

Hahahaha!! :)

These are all so fantastic!
Your children are gorgeous!

Love all your postings. You always make me smile.

Have a good one.~Melissa :)

Kris said...

What beautiful children. The photos were both adorable and very funny.

Thanks for the smiles and sharing your family.

Kris

nikkicrumpet said...

That was so freaking cute! I laughed through the whole post. I love the early picture with your daughter and the cat...but the ones chasing the little one around totally cracked me up. It sure helps that your kids are adorable!

Anonymous said...

Ms. Gilroy you and Mr. Gilroy did a great job on those kids girl!! they are all just darling..loved all the pictures through the years of them..congrats to you r daughter tell her I said BRAVO!! well done..can't wait to see your next tree..again you did some good baking with those babies girl!!hugs and smiles Gloria oh poo I forgot to sign in...

Twice as Nice said...

I too do a family photo every year and know how challenging it can be. Especially before I got a digital camera. I had plenty of pictures developed only to not like a one. Your kids are so cute!

Bo said...

This was hands down the cutest post ever! Your children are BEAUTIFUL...all could be models!
The yougest is such a cutie-pie and just twinkles with mischief, like you in the last photo!
;-) Bo

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

Laurie your children are adorable. The trials and tribulations of picture taking was just too funny for words. I'm sure you laughed more than once going back through them. Congrats to your daughter and her roll..when you have a moment I would love for you to swing by I have something for you..
hugs ~lynne~

Kristens Creations said...

Your kids are precious! Don't they grow so fast? I just have one son, I sware he was just born, but is now 9!!! I already miss when he was little. Looking forward to seeing your tree! Kristen

AJ said...

So cute! We have lots of those pictures as well. Love seeing how they change throughout the years:) Merry Christmas!

Salmagundi said...

Cute kids! I remember those days - one kid was always acting up! Enjoyed your photo revue! Sally

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Laurie, what beautiful pictures of your beautiful children! I'm so glad you shared these. It was so much fun to watch you go through the process of trying to get a good one with the three of them! We recently did that with our 4 grandchildren. Almost impossible to get all of them sitting still and looking at the camera at the same time. So glad to see you back on your blog. I've missed you. Glad your daughter's play went well. laurie

Georgia Girl said...

Love them all! Wow I know it was fun taking the pics as much as I enjoyed looking at them! Wishing your family a very Merry Christmas!

xinex said...

You have the most beautiful children, Laurie! So much memories captured. I just love looking at them...Christine

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

I love it! You should do a book of just all the outtakes! You are very persistant...I think I would have quit after the second one...but then again, I don't have any of the kids together prepared at Christmas. I don't know...it just got away from me. I don't remember living in the 80's either...but I am told I was there!

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Laurie, if you have time, please stop by my blog and pick up a little award I have for you. laurie

Designs on 47th Street said...

Oh my goodness! Thank you for the grins this morning. I LOVED seeing all those shots that weren't quite perfect! Boy, did that bring back the memories of trying to get perfect shots of my three daughters. It was always a challenge! Love this post! :)
Donna

Unknown said...

OMG...what a hilarious group of pictures. I can just picture the whole scene. Your kids are precious and I love the looks on their faces. Priceless....thanks for sharin!

Also, glad you got your power back on. I can imagine that can be VERY cold and dark.

Unknown said...

Those photos are priceless! I love the "Joey" look on his face!

LillyB said...

Laurie! This was precious!!
Jogged my own memories...17 years ago Nicole was 6 and she kept saying she wanted a house with stairs and a bike...at that time I couldn't afford either! So when we went to see Santa at the Mall, I asked her specifically not to mention either of those request. She marched up there and sat in his lap...I knew she asked him (little heathen) even though I couldn't hear! Later on that evening we were at my ex in laws house and she was in the Jacuzzi, water up to her neck, her bikini top floating on top of the water LOL and I bravely asked her : "Did you ask Santa for a Jacuzzi?" She blatantly stated " Santa Claus KNOWS what goes in a house with stairs!" (shaking my head) Praise God, many years later, I did get the house with stairs and she got her new bike that same year! LOL God is good!!
Loved all of your pictures and memories!!

Donna Lynn said...

Dear Laurie,
It has been too long since I have checked in on you, I don't know if you have checked my blog, but my FIL died and I have been up to my eyeballs with the aftermath of all of that...

Loved looking at your Christmas past and present pictures, so darling! My boys have been having their pictures taken with santa now for 23 yrs.! It is such fun to look back at them all, this year poor santa looks like he is about to have a heart attack with 3 huge men on his lap, plus my DIL, plus the bulldog! Whew, poor guy!

Your house looks amazing, all decorated for the holidays, you always do such a wonderful job!
It really got me inspired.

Have a fabulous Christmas, and a very happy New Year!
XO,
Donna Lynn

Tardevil said...

They are all too cute - no matter what the year! Merry Christmas!

Tardevil said...

P.S. That is the most beautiful nativity EV-A! :o)

Unknown said...

Hi Laurie,
I found your blog from Laurie the Bargain Hunter. I love these sweet pictures. What a crack up! I'm sure it was frustrating at the time though.

Your blog is lovely!
~Liz

Rue said...

Hi Laurie :)

Those Christmas cards are the funniest thing I've seen in a long time LOL The end results were darling, but my evil side would have sent the ones that weren't just right ;)

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year with your sweet family!
hugs,
rue

Sue said...

Oh!such a beautiful family!!!!!!!11


sue

Picket said...

I loved this post girl...seeing how your beautiful babies changed each year!!! I want to wish you a Merry Christmas sweetie!

RosyRose said...

I've never been on your site before but I loved it! I can totally relate to the christmas cards! My firstborn son is the one that seems to be the hard one to "photograph".:0
Thank God for digital cameras! Very nice...thanks for your tour!

lvroftiques said...

Laurie I didn't know you were in Cali! I'm up in Washington St so we're almost neighbors!*winks* I always love a visit from you! And I'd LOVE to come by and decorate with ya!! Not sure why you would possibly need my help? But I could sure learn a thing (or ten lol!) from you! *winks* Vanna

The Muse said...

Delightful!

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

Laurie.. it has been way toooo long. I hope you had a fantastic Christmas. With 3 children I'm sure there was alot of laughter and squills going on..Our christmas is down and put away for another year.. I'm trying to shove push and polish things into new vignettes...lol.. I'm so glad you came by.. miss ya girl...hugs ~lynne~

Bo said...

Hi...just coming by to wish you a very happy new year! ;-) Bo

Anonymous said...

I just "found" you through Nikki's blog (Blah, blah--you know!!!). This post was the cutest one I have seen in ages--just the best!!! We moms can all appreciate the "trials" of posing the offspring for a Chirstmas picture!
I can see why Nikki enjoys reading your blog--I shall return!!!
Happy New Year! Dana

Donna said...

Hi Laurie!
I found you via Nikkicrumpet's blog! Your kids are gorgeous! I have two girls and it's a challenge getting that Christmas Card! Hope you had a great Christmas and Happy New Year! Visit my blog when you get a chance. It's brand-y new!
Donna

Carol Beck said...

your children are adorable and i love, love, love your decorating style! i'll definitely be back for more!

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