Christmas Card Photo Rejects

I like getting holiday photo cards, especially when they have the whole family pictured. It's fun to see how everyone has changed over the past year. The past couple of years I've seen really beautiful cards, mainly because a lot of my friends know some great photographers and they end up with fabulous family photos.

This year I considered hiring a photographer and scheduling a shoot, but it was just too much to coordinate not to mention the expense. Also, for the past couple of years, even before the babies, my Mom has taken our picture on the fireplace in front of the stockings and we've used that as our holiday card. I thought it would be easier to manage if we kept up that tradition, but as usual there were a couple of shots that were Christmas card rejects.

It's hard to get everyone focused at the same time

Without fingers in their mouths

Leo and Connor get distracted

It's better if we can get everyone to look at the camera or at least open their eyes

Not to laugh when Connor is crying, but Carl's face is the best part of this shot. He is done with the Christmas card photo shoot at this point.

I thought we'd try a change of pace and shoot in front of an evergreen in the back yard. No luck.

Connor is smiling, but this doesn't work for the rest of the family.

Here's our winner. Not everyone is looking at the camera and Leo looks a little grumpy but I think it will work.

We got our cards out in the mail this week.