Christmas Cards 2016

Annual Christmas Cards! 

This is my SIXTH year to do Christmas cards. That's crazy to me. Most people start when they get married or have kids -- but I just really love my dog. 

We were supposed to take pictures last weekend, but my hair lady cut my bangs outrageously short. So then, we rescheduled for this weekend, not knowing (or paying attention to the fact) that the temperature had the intentions of dropping below freezing on the day we rescheduled. 

So THEN I considered just cancelling them altogether, but 1) Char pup is getting old, and I always love looking back on these pictures, and 2) this year I told Jeff that he could be in them (that may or may not be the only reason he proposed!) - and he was way too excited for there to be a cancellation. 

SO, we kindly asked our photographer (Lisa) to bundle up, we bundled up ourselves, and set out to take outdoor pictures.... in 25 degree weather. Bless. I have never so been so desperate for a pair of long undies. I have also never questioned my sanity more. 

Due to the fact that I just couldn't get my act together, I'm pretty sure I'm having a quarter-life crisis (that's a real thing, y'all), and it's December 20th - we sent out less than 20 cards between the two of us. So this year you all get a picture of a picture!! You lucky lucky dogs. 

And just like every year, or every year since I've started this blog, I post about the process and the outtakes. Because sometimes the outtakes are better than the ones that go on the card :)

And a huge shout out to this girl. We owe her for so many captured memories. This is the 4th year she's taken our card pictures, AND Jeff solicited her to hide in the bushes and capture our engagement. So we love her. We love her hard. And owe her a kidney. 

She also brought the wrong hat. She didn't intend to bring one with ears, but I'm oh so glad she did!

So, here's the thing. Before we went outside, I told Jeff he needed to be a constant. With the wind, my hair was going to be a variable, and Charlie is always a variable, so I told Jeff he just had to be a constant. And always look good. And y'all - out of 395 (yes) pictures, that sweet boy is smiling like a champ in about 370 of them. Lisa and I got quite the chuckle looking back through them. He was such a constant :)

 

....and Charlie was such a variable. 

We took pictures in the middle of a park, and while there weren't too many people out (a perk of frigid temps), the squirrels and rustling of leaves - so just overall NATURE proved to be quite distracting. 

And then he would often have an untimely yawn...

Or not understand that the blanket was supposed to go UNDER him...

And then you'd get head butted....

Or he'd just face backwards...

Require a mid-photo tummy rub....

Or make like BatDog and fly towards Lisa's camera.

So then we switched scenery, and this next spot proved to be quite distracting. Way too many things to watch. So this picture is a result of me telling Lisa to make a noise (you know, to get his attention), and Lisa starts CA-CAWING. Like...loudly. I lost it. I'm laughing now, too. That girl. 

And he still didn't look. 

So then Jeff just adapted. As most men do.  And most females don't.

I love this picture. I got some good lookin fellas in my life!

I posted this on instagram Sunday, but ever since Charlie was a puppy, I taught him to lick my face when I made kissing noises. So Jeff and I made kissy noises to see what he would do, and it may have resulted in my favorite picture ever.

We may have added a third party to the Christmas cards this year, but this sweet boy will NOT be squeezed out of his share of the spotlight!

Sun's out, tongue's out. 

And then we tried to kiss above him when he was laying down....

and got head butted. 

Yet again. 

Then Lisa just took the approach of feeding Char treats and getting artsy. Thou shalt never attempt to take pictures with a dog (or at least my dog) without a bag of treats readily on hand.

We adore him. Can you tell? :)

So those were the outtakes this year, and pretty much on par with the outtakes from last year and the year before that. But these three were my top favorites for the card!

Either way - posed or chaotic - I'm keeping all 395 pictures. Because I know that ten years down the road, when Char is no longer with us and Jeff and I are in who knows what stage of this crazy life, we're going to love looking back on the memories of this cold, cold day with just the three of us.

Okay, that's enough of that or I'm going to have tears in my coffee. 

SO - I'll end as I always do, with a little recap of years past:

2015

 

2014

2013

2012

2011

Yep - this is one of my favoritest posts of the year! 

And if you yourself are on the fence about Christmas Cards - you should do them. And if you're doing them and I'm not on your mailing list - I want to be. There is nothing I love more than a fridge covered with Christmas cheer! 

Speaking of cheer...

FIVE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

Until next time,
Katy