choices, options and decisons to make.

i've been creatively contemplating my, i mean our, christmas cards for the season that is quickly and unexpectedly approaching. i am so excited for what this time of year means. even though the outside brings below freezing temperatures, the warmth of the season brings so much joy.

i usually try and send my christmas cards out the day after thanksgiving. because we all know that once our tummies are stuffed from turkey and mashed potatoes, it's full speed ahead towards christmas. i took the girls to the park yesterday to take advantage of the beautiful sunshine and to capture a few of these; and the first two are not at the park, as you can see.

i know this is completely fall in every aspect, i just liked it for some reason--it can also be turned black and white, which i liked.
again, fall.
love winter hats. jessa's eyes look a little droopy in the first one, but you can see more of miley. or

and then there's the option of individual portraits with
you'll have to let me know which one favors over the next because for me, this is always the hardest part. it's good to get an outside perspective when you want to include all of the above in a 3 1/2 x 5 christmas card. after editing them, i quickly realized that i might just have to take a few more. when you have an image in your head of exactly how you want it to turn out...it's hard to accept anything else. at least, that's the way i roll.

i've been playing around with ideas of captions and color combinations of sparkly paper. i usually pump out about eighty plus cards. i keep my usual list handy to pull out when this time of year rolls around. and i usually have a few new names to add to it before it comes time to sit and address the mound of envelopes. it makes me giddy really. to crank out card after card in my mini self-made assembly line. i might just have to take some practice runs on my creativity and post a few options.

so what picture speaks the joy of christmas to you?