No lights, no stockings but we do have a tree

Sometimes we make choices and the choices we make affect certain outcomes.  Like for instance I found it much more important to shop with my mother-n-law and aunt for the first part of Saturday and make cookies with my mom and other aunt the second part of Saturday than I did putting up Christmas lights and hanging up stockings.  I almost left the cookie baking/decorating early so we could buy our tree but mom thought it would be nice if we all went to dinner together.  I so rarely get to spend time with my thoughtful Aunt who has made me and my kids the most beautiful quilts through the years and who I spent so much time with as a child.  So I made the choice to go to dinner. The Christmas tree could wait.  Then my aunt asked if I would be sending Christmas cards this year and I said “no”  The past couple years I have decided not to spend my money or even make the time to gather the 5 of us in one spot to take a family photo.  I never did take a professional family photo of the five of us before Austin turned 18 like my dream list had wished for.  And isn’t this funny being I’m a “photographer” and I know lots of talented photographer friends.  I suppose sort of like the cobbler who has holes in his own shoes! Or again the family who never put air or heating into their addition but they work for a heating and air company! (yep us)  Anyways, she got me thinking.  She said “she looks forward to our Christmas card each year”  She even shared with me that she remembered especially the one I dressed our first son as an angel and will never forget that one.  I was happy cause I told her that one was a labor of love, that one I did when I only had one child and I rented a dark room and developed each print one by one for each card that I sent out that year. I was border line insane if you want to know the truth!  And as all things work out!  We got our tree on Sunday rather than Saturday as planned and I thought why not use our sweet (now up and running) little yellow bug to haul the tree, and let’s call Aussie to see how long he would be at work and would he be willing to meet up for a family picture.  He was more than willing.  This year I will have a Christmas card but only a few will receive it because also to ease up the stress of Christmas and how busy it can get and how often we forget even the true meaning because of all the hustle and bustle, I only ordered a few.  I will mail out a few to close family this year but I will post all our outtakes and a photo  in a future blog so you can see what they looked like:)  I want to get them first and mail them out before I reveal the “card”  And it’s not all perfect and matchie matchie, We all wore what we wear on a daily basis nobody got especially spruced up but it’s all of us….all five in one spot by the coolest car ever. Our tree still needs to be decorated and we still need to put our stockings up and maybe even, possibly put lights on our house…..maybe and then we will be festive at the very least. I released control too and let littlest and only girl pick out our tree entirely.  I’m trying very hard to just release and it actually feels really nice.  Better than I ever imagined. Our advent envelope said “make a meal, whatever you want and we will buy the ingredients and cook together” Abbie picked sushi and California roles.  Dinner was top-notch last night and she did so good on her roles (no picture opps) I do have the sushi though:)