Picture Taking Adventure

 

Today was a fun afternoon. I was asked to do a friend’s daughter’s senior pictures. I was both flattered and scared. I am by NO means a professional photographer so I was pretty intimidated. First off, senior pictures are a new concept to me — the last senior year pictures I was involved in were my own — which were long ago and done with everyone wearing the exact same drape off their shoulders. I totally like this idea a whole lot better, more suited to the individual.

So we headed off early this afternoon and had some fun wandering around in the beautiful fall air taking pictures. We took them against fences, trees, walls –we even took pictures on the breezeway at the house we used to rent on West Hill Road. I think that my favorites were the ones where she and I were both sitting opposite each other in the middle of the dirt road — I wonder what anyone who might have seen us would have thought?

In any event, it was a fun experience – something that I would never, ever had done in my wildest dreams (and trust me, Tom can vouch that I have some pretty wild, off-the-wall dreams). I am glad that I did it.

 

 

The Village

Tyler took a great deal of time setting up under the tree and working on the train. He also did a wonderful job taking these pictures….so I share…. The Village. We started these buildings the year Tom and I got married (which..ahem will be 19 years in a few weeks). Each year or two we had a new piece. The train didn’t come until the boys arrived since it seemed that every Christmas tree for kids (be they young or young at heart) should have a train under it. Each house has a meaning… we started out with a Christmas Tree Lot (which Tom was doing at the time) and Scrooge and Marley’s building (which is the closest we could come at the time to a lawyer’s office). Since then there is a house which resembles our house here in Vermont.

So it begins

Surprisingly, this week doesn’t seem to be crammed with something pre-scheduled for us every night. Wednesday seems to be the big one with double events (isn’t that always the way?) No, this week, the first full week in December is full of the self-imposed things, instead.

Christmas shopping isn’t finished yet, as hard as we try. (Those of you who have already finished your shopping, somewhere back in June really do not need to even chime in here – I have absolutely no desire to hear from you and I will be quite happy if I can get my shopping done this week – thank you very much)

Wrapping – well, that hasn’t even begun. Again – June-ies not a word from you!

Christmas cards need to be done and mailed – at least now we have some snow here, so it doesn’t look like those here are my kids at the beach – Merry Christmas to you – cards – those are also usually the June shoppers.

We have a house to be cleaned up and another one to be set up before my in-laws come up to stay for the holidays.

Then there’s the baking and the decorating ….

Oh and in between there are all the fun things that we need to do – like the concert we are going to this weekend where we are seriously outnumbered by children (mostly teenagers) so that will most likely involve an interesting mix of Pepcid and Advil for the day, caroling for scouts and organizing the refreshments for that day, cookie exchange and the baking of cookies almost as fast as my kids can eat them just to escape the house with the 3 dozen required.

Not to mention just the regular old stuff that needs to be done  - work, cleaning, laundry, food shopping, etc.

Welcome to December, my friends! Let the insanity that is the holiday season begin!