Holiday Photos with the Miyamotos!!!

Well you know the holidays are approaching when you find yourself scrambling small infants in and out of multiple "First Christmas" outfits in hopes of preparing them for the perfect holiday greeting photo. Typically my intentions are good when it comes to sending out holiday cards, but my results... never measure up. Time always seems to get away from me. (I must have a whole desk drawer full of holiday cards whose potential to spread seasonal "Good Cheer" has been unjustly stifled.) Ahh, but this year I have adorable sweet children to pose for the camera, so the motivation has been ratcheted up several notches.

On Saturday morning we find ourselves at the house of our favorite resident photographer (Grandpa Ken). The great thing about his venue is that it comes fully equipped with decorated tree and many presents already under the tree (which is alot more than I can say for our own house at this point. I think the last time I actually got all the Christmas finery up was about 7 years ago...sad, I know. Holiday cards are to be this year's focus - Christmas tree and decorations...hmm that sounds like a very good goal for next year! I wouldn't want to get too carried away for fear of getting way too behind in the previously mentioned loads of laundry.) But I digress... :)

Once clad in our family holiday picture attire, we pose for what seems like a minimum of 300 flashes (gotta love digital!) in hopes that there is at least one or two in the bunch where both babies are not only looking at the camera at the same time, by have some sort of delightful "I am so excited it's Christmas" expression that will stand the test of time. (Note non-example at top of entry. Even though I believe Maya is actually midyawn in this one, she appears to be fully possessed by some kind of other worldly creature.) However, after much primping, shifting, and repositioning of the babies we managed to land a few pretty good shots. Many thanks going out to Auntie Kathy and Grandma Judy for making utter fools of themselves in an effort to captivate the little ones' attention toward the camera. (I am amazed to what lengths grown adults will go to in an effort to get babies to "smile for the camera". I just keep thinking of those poor baby photo studio workers - how exhausted they must be at the end of each day.)

But when all was said and done we were left with what I think is a pretty nice family photo, an amusing family memory, and one step closer to getting those holiday cards into the mail before December 24th...YEAH...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!