Merry Christmas Y'all!

by Linda

So, not to get anyone all riled up or anything, Christmas is in 3 days. Yuppers. How in the world did it get here so fast? Are you ready?

Well, I guess I'm mostly ready. Pretty much done. OK, there is 3 days till Christmas, 2 half-way decent shopping days left and I do need to go out there and get a few more things.

Well, I might need a few more things but let me tell you one thing, I have Christmas dinner and New Years dinner planned and bought and waiting in the fridge/pantry for the appropriate time to commence the cooking of said meals. Because...food.

Oh, yeah, there is the gift wrapping that needs to happen sometime in the next 3 days or Christmas package opening will be pretty boring and lame. I know some people that just put unwrapped gifts under the tree and I apologize for talkin' ugly but 'round here there's wrapping paper around them there gifts.

In case you didn't know (and you probably did) I live in Texas. Yes ma'am and I do know people can spot a Texas drawl a mile away. I do love me a good Texas drawl (Matthew McConaughy) even though I can't quite pull it off better than saying y'all.

So because I live in Texas and because it's Christmas, I'm gonna share a little ditty with you today.

Twas the Night Before Christmas, Texas Style

T'was the night before Christmas

in Texas, you know,

Way out on the prairie

without any snow.

Asleep in their cabin

Were Billy Bob and Clara Sue,

A-dreamin of Christmas

Like me and like you.

Not stockings, but boots,

At the foot of their bed

For this was in Texas,

What more need be said.

When all of a sudden

From out the still night,

There came such a ruckus

It gave me a fright!

And I saw 'cross the prairie

Like a shot from a gun,

A loaded-up buckboard

Come on at a run.

The driver was "Geein"

And "Hawin", with a will.

The hosses (not reindeer)

He drove with such skill.

"Come on there, Buck, Pancho

And Prince, to the right!

There'll be plenty of travelin'

For y'all tonight!"

The driver in Levi's

And a shirt that was red,

Had a ten-gallon Stetson

On top of his head.

As he stepped from the buckboard

He was really a sight

With his beard and his moustache

So curly and white.

As he burst in the cabin

The children awoke,

Both so astonished

That neither one spoke.

He filled up their boots

With such presents galore

That neither could think

Of a single thing more.

When Billy Bob recovered

The use of his jaws,

He asked, in a whisper

"Are you really Santa Clause?"

"Am I really Santa Clause?

Well, what do you think?"

And he smiled as he gave

A mysterious wink.

Then he leapt in his buckboard,

And called in his drawl,

"To all children of Texas,

Merry Christmas, all Y'all!"

...

Have Yourself A Crazy Little Christmas!

by Leigh

Since this is my last post before Christmas I wanted to wish every one of you a very Merry Christmas!  And I also wanted an opportunity to splash this crazy image of my daughter all over the internet.  My hope is that it embarrasses her enough that next year's photoshoot will run smoothly!  Seriously friends....my most dreaded shoot every year is my own family.  You would think that would be the easiest of the year, but nooooooo.

It's like the kids conspire together for a fun game of "torture the photographer and make her life miserable".  

Most of my time is spent trying to get my six year old nephew to sit still long enough so that he isn't just a blur in the photos.  My daughter, the ham, wants to be the comedian of the group with my niece following her lead.  Then there's the teenager.  He is as cooperative as can be expected for a fourteen year old, but his patience level is non existent.  He's frustrated and over the whole thing in the first ten minutes.  Then there is the challenge of getting a natural smile out of him.  What is it with teens and their aversion to smiling?  Can't they just pretend to be happy one hour out of one day!

I think next year I might just embrace the craziness instead of trying to fight it.  I'm thinking a holiday card full of the outtakes might be pretty funny and a lot less stressful for me!  But you know what...after a few weeks pass by and I have finally calmed myself down after the "photoshoot from hell" these candid moments are what I keep coming back to.  It's the unscripted moments in life that make me laugh, warm my heart and make me smile even if at the moment I wanted to tear my hair out!

Wishing you and yours a holiday full of candid moments that leave you smiling :)

Gifts From Nature

By Cathy

Here we are, halfway through the month of December. So, how are you doing? Are you enjoying this holiday season? Are you finding time each day to relax and unwind?

Every day I spend some time outside. As soon as I step out on the porch I take a deep breath of the fresh winter air. Sometimes I only have a few minutes, but sometimes I have time to go for a walk or simply sit observing and listening.

On one of my walks I spotted the fruit of the sycamore tree hanging from a branch. It looked like a little round Christmas tree ornament. Even nature decoration for Christmas! Then, I began to pay attention; searching for nature's ornaments.

I even found some Christmas tree shapes. Historians give Germany the credit for starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it. In the 16^th century Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. It’s believed that Martin Luther, the 16^th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. From there it has evolved to artificial trees, strings of lights, and ornaments in every shape and size.

If you take the time to really see, not just look, nature’s gifts to us are pretty amazing. I encourage you to get outside and enjoy them. Some days it’s hard to find a few spare minutes, but I hope you’ll try. At least stick your head out the door and take a deep breath of air. That’s a gift, too.

(The snow is added, sadly it's not snowing here!)

“We look at the world and see what we have learned to believe is there.

We have been conditioned to expect . . . but, as photographers,

we must learn to relax our beliefs.”

 ~ Aaron Siskind

...Laying a Finger Aside of his Nose, and Giving a Nod...

by Linda

Do you believe?

I do. I believe in magic and miracles. And there's no better time to see magic and miracles than this time of year.

Am I right?

There is nothing quite like the glitter and sparkle that surrounds us. The air is full of hope and joy. Childrens faces literally glow. There's magic in that. It has to be magic. Children believe without question. It's the grown ups that can't grasp the fact that a jolly old dude with a white beard and a red suit can fit in the chimney. duh! The grown ups need to take a lesson. Look for the joy, expect the goodness and we won't be disappointed.

The grown ups get so busy. Too many things to do, not enough time, they miss the magic. The children don't get too busy, don't want to miss anything, can't wait till Christmas! Why is it taking so long?

We need to take it down a notch. Everything will get done. It's not a race. And if something doesn't get done, the world won't come to an end. I bet no one even notices.

totes!

sidebar-

my tween grand will shudder at the thought I used the word "totes". She will say "mimi, PLEASE don't use that word! NO ONE uses that word! You know it's so old-fashioned!"

and I will reply "totes!"

(eyeroll)

Where do you see magic?

Is it in the first snow? The soft white covered ground that twinkles and sparkles, and the absolute quiet that comes with it?

Is it in the bokeh? In the camera? Because I can't see it with just my eyes, but my camera sure can! There must be magic in my camera!

I know, I know, technological yadayadayada, (makes me sleepy), is what makes bokeh.

I still think it's magic.

I believe.

Do you?

...

Let the Light of Gladness & Joy Enter

by Deanna

Ok, it's that time of year when the festivities and decorating begin. Probably 10-15 years ago I was the queen of Christmas decorating. There would be a gold and white decorated tree in the living room, a traditional red, green, blue etc in the family room, and to top off all, a sweet blue and yellow (tea cup) tree in the guest bedroom. Add to that my rather extensive Santa collection. I admit, I was a little over the top when it came to decorating for any holiday, especially Christmas. But now when I begin to think about Christmas decorating it brings a kind of "pit in my stomach" dread.

Christmas doesn't mean the same to me as it did in years past. The calendar is full of parties, dinners, and church events.  But there is that big empty space that my sweetie filled for almost 45 years of our married life. Damn it, I miss him. This time of the year with all of it's activities does a good job of distracting me from my sadness, but when it's time to decorate the tree those memories of the past flood my heart.

I don't want this narration to bring a downer to you, dear reader. But sometimes the happiest time of the year can drag our hearts into great sadness. As I begin to take each sweet ornament from its yearly resting place, it does brighten my heart to see all the lovelies I have collected over the years.  I mean, how can you not smile at this....

Toby and Cinder (my kids) have filled a huge space in my heart with their love, loyalty, and loving natures. (but they can't help decorate a Christmas tree). There is a definite interest but no help.

I decorate a little slower than in past years, instead of a couple of days, it may take a week. I know I should just pare it down, but then again, once I have it all together it does bring me joy.

(who would ever guess I would have a teapot hanging on the tree??!!)

A huge addition to our family that definitely brings me tremendous joy and wipes away some of that grief is my great grand Matilda Mae. She is now 2 and has already "written" her letter to Santa. How can you not feel the spirit of Christmas through the eyes of a young child. Thank you God for bringing this bright light into my heart to erase the sadness that dwells there. It's alright to be sad, but also let the light of gladness and joy enter your heart this Christmas season.

 

Thanks for the Memories

Does the holiday season put your memory files into overdrive? It does for me. As I’ve thought about today’s post, I kept coming back to memories. One in particular kept flooding my memory drive: the annual ritual that my cousin and I observed of going to visit Santa. I just knew that somewhere – somewhere – I had one of those photos.

It took less than five minutes to find it and I was so happy when I did. You see, my cousin was my best friend for the first 18 years of my life, and never more so than when we were young and almost inseparable. My guess is that this is probably the Macy’s Santa Claus as we lived in New York then. Macy’s had the best Santas!

What a treasure this photo is! And that brings me to the point of today’s post: we, you and I, we are the memory keepers in our families. We hold the power, a.k.a., the cameras in our hands.

Unfortunately, not all my memories have physical photos, they reside only in my heart and mind. One such memory is firmly etched in my heart and my mind. When my daughter was two years old, she was, as all two year olds are, in overdrive about Christmas.

On Christmas morning, we heard her tiptoe down the hallway from the bedrooms to the living room and then coming running back, saying at the top of her lungs, “He came! He really came!!” Oh! What I would give for a picture of that chubby little girl in her one piece sleeper, curls flying every which way, running to get us out of bed to share her joy. (And, yes, I'm pretty sure all that loot under the tree was for our daughter!)

This memory puts me on a fast track backwards to when I found out the truth about Santa. Do you remember how you found out? My granddaughter is nine and won’t reveal whether she “Believes” or not. But the fact that she chose a family outing to see the new Star Wars movie rather than our traditional visit to the Kentucky Horse Park to see the Southern Lights and Santa is a pretty good tip off.

But I digress. When I was seven years old, we lived in a two story home. I distinctly remember that Christmas Eve. I’d been hustled off to bed early so Santa would be able to come to our house. Like most seven year olds on Christmas Eve,  I couldn’t sleep. I was sure I heard Santa’s sleigh bells on our roof. So, what did I do? What any curious seven your old would do. I crept down the stairs – only to find my mother putting the toys under the Christmas tree. Yes. True story.

So where does all this reminiscing take us today? To the point I made earlier: we are the memory keepers. We have a sacred duty to click the shutters often this holiday season. You just never know when a seemingly mundane photo will trigger the most precious of memories.

Memory is such a fragile thing. Let’s do our part to keep memories alive with our photography. And with our stories! We’d love to have you share a memory or two in our comments today or with a photo in the Flickrstream or IG feed.

Happy Holidays!

Color The Holidays Beautiful

By Cathy

Here we are again. It’s the first of December and the holiday season is now officially in full swing. We’ve been bombarded with Christmas related advertising since October, but now it’s time to get serious. There is the gift list to make, shopping, buying, ordering, wrapping, decorating, card writing, cantatas, school programs, office parties, church parties, school parties, baking, cleaning, and trips to make. The list goes on and on and seems impossible to get done. I know we all have dreams of the perfect Christmas season. We want this to be the “hap – happiest time of the year.” When in reality so much is happening that our Christmas spirit can be stolen. If we’re not careful the season can become one of misery with tears, frazzled nerves, and frustration.

In all honesty, Christmas is what we make it. We can choose to be loving, generous, peaceful, and joyous. We just might need a little help to unwind each day. There are many suggestions on how to relax during the holidays  - listen to joyful music, drink a cup of hot chocolate, sit by the crackling fire, read holiday stories, take a nap, light candles, take a walk, or simply sit in the dark and gaze upon your beautiful Christmas tree. Keeping joy in the season means we must get rid of some of that stress and here's another idea that might help you relax.

COLORING!

Coloring allows us to switch off our brains from stressful times and focus only on the moment. MaryGrace Berberian, a certified art therapist and the Clinical Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for the Graduate Art Therapy Program at NYU says, “coloring definitely has the therapeutic potential to reduce anxiety, create focus, or bring [about] more mindfulness.”

I have always loved to color. Some of my earliest memories involve coloring. I remember my mom coloring with me.  So, when coloring books came back into popularity, I had to have one. Well, honestly, I have more than one!

Here's what I like about coloring:

• There are no rules. Color the sky green and the grass blue. Color outside the lines. Scribble if you want to. The season is stressful, your coloring shouldn’t be.
• Coloring distracts and takes my mind off the busyness of this season. There is something so soothing about the rhythm of coloring.
• Supplies are readily available and fairly cheap. I have bought coloring books for as little as $1 or even found pages free online. Crayons, colored pencils, gel pens, watercolor pencils, or markers are pretty cheap, too.
• Small coloring books and pencils are portable. I can take them with me almost anywhere. I can color while I eat my lunch or while waiting for an appointment.
• I don't have to color for long periods of time. Just a few moments when I'm feeling stressed or at the end of the day.

(The coloring book on the left is a reproduction of a coloring book I had as a child.)

Coloring is a wonderful family tradition. When my daughter-in-law’s family gathers during the holidays they all color a page in Christmas coloring books Then they sign and date them. I think this is such a special tradition. Imagine sitting down each Christmas and looking back through those coloring books. Reliving the memories of special times with family. Maybe this year would be a good year to start the tradition in your family.

I could go on, but I think you really don’t have time to read a longer post and you get the picture. Coloring can bring relaxation and now is the time we need it!

I’ll end with a few links of free coloring book pages. I’m not endorsing any of them. I just did a Google search and found a few links with pretty pages. You can start coloring today. Just print one out, find some colors, and have fun.

http://freeprintableadultcoloringpages.com/free-coloring-pages-to-download

http://www.fabercastell.com/art-and-graphic/adult-coloring-books/coloring-pages-for-adults

The next two sites offer Christmas themed pages.

http://www.coloring-life.com/en/adult-coloring-pages-595-en-christmas.html

http://www.colorpagesformom.com/coloringpages/christmas/

If you become serious about your coloring, there are even magazines and web sites available with tutorials. My favorite coloring book artist is Johanna Basford. Check out here website, she has some good tutorials. Alisa Burke is another coloring book artist I like. She has an article with tips and tricks for using crayons.

Even if you don’t have any desire to color, I hope that you’ll find your own special way to make this the “happiest time of the year.”

* * * * *

One more thing before you leave. Today starts a new monthly photo focus. We’d love to see some celebratory bokeh on our Flickr page and IG stream. We all have favorite decorations and traditions so let’s bathe them in bokeh. After all, the is just about the most bokeh-licious season of all!

Happy Holidays!

A December List

by Terri

Several years ago, I wrote this post about focusing on joy during the holiday season. Writing that post really changed how I approach the holidays. I just went back and reread that post to remind myself what I want to focus on again this year -- the joy and beauty of it all.

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, we go forward into the Christmas season full speed ahead and it’s hard not to get lost in all the hustle and bustle around us. When we lose focus then the Christmas season has the potential to become this crazy hectic want-to-pull-our-hair-out month where we breathe the sigh of relief that it is January. That isn’t what I want this month to be and I don’t think it is what you want either. 

What has helped me the most in the past few years is to focus on that “joy list” that I talked about in my post. This means making a list of the things that bring me the most joy and making sure I focus on those, letting other things take a back seat. I may get everything done, I may not, but at least those things that bring me the most joy are front and center and I make sure to give them priority.

So here’s my list of things that take priority over everything else – because they bring so much joy. Our “Porter girls’ shopping day” with my daughter-in-law and granddaughters is something on the top of my list.

Baking day with a friend is something we always make sure to schedule. We each make 3-4 different kinds of cookies and trade them. It’s always so much fun to get my baking done and spend time with her at the same time.

One of the things I do to make time for myself away from all the hustle and bustle is to work on my December Daily album a little each day. It seems crazy to take on this project right in the middle of the most hectic time of year but it calms me down and gives me the creative time I need and I love having all our Christmas memories from each year in a basket for us to go through during the holidays.

Another thing I make sure to take time for is playing with my camera. There is so much beauty this time of year that just HAS to be captured!

Here's a list I've made for myself this year. Maybe it will help you focus on what's important to you and what brings you joy:

1. Take time to slow down and appreciate the little things. Keep your eyes open for moments of magic.  
2. Baking makes a mess. It also makes memories.
3. Take some time out for yourself, even if it’s just a few moments a day. Have a cup of tea by the Christmas tree.
4. Even if life isn’t perfect, there can still be beautiful and joyful moments.
5. Know that there are going to be crowds and lines. Don’t be in a hurry. Just slow down and enjoy the holiday decorations and maybe even get to know that person in line with you. It will make the time go faster.
6. Spending time is so much more important than spending money.

  

So what are your “must dos” this holiday season? Whatever you choose to do, make sure it brings you joy. Wishing you a merry and joy-filled December!