could be my last post...

...until after New Years! (Are you kidding...I love blogging!!)

The above photo is our Christmas card this year. If you're reading this and you didn't receive the coveted Elliott Christmas card, please don't have hurt feelings. With stamp prices and printing prices and all that, the card list has been carved from about 145 to about 80, and most of those are family. When you haven't received a raise in 6 years (not complaining...I realize I work for a church!), stamps and Christmas cards are first to go!

I really thought I was only going to do a digital card this year. However, when I was finishing up with work one evening, about 2 weeks ago, I got a surge of "Christmas card-itis". I had everyone meet me at the beach, got some Christmas-y type clothes out, grabbed my snap and shoot, and these photos are what we came up with...which I think were pretty good!

In a age where every new mom has pegged themselves a photographer with their new Nikon, I have about 72 photographers at my fingertips, however, the resources to pay them, not so much. My Nikon coolpix point and shoot seems carry out the Christmas card magic I was going for...however, the family isn't quite as airbrushed as I'd like. I was hoping for a tan and for Matt to now have a beauty mark above his lip. ;)

The other reason I opted out of paying a photographer would be mr.bowtie here. This was at the end of a day where he was at his daycare all day, which means his nap was about 1/4 of what he gets at home and he's been going and going all day long. The minute we hit the beach and even suggested sitting still for a picture, total meltdown. The only way he remotely cooperated was with the magic of a Tootsie pop.

We had a really nice evening at the beach. Ian was not pleased that he couldn't go in the water, however, he got a quick feel of it and quickly realized how cold the water was!

If you're wondering if we just picked up some random teenager to be in the photo with us, no, we didn't. :)

Vince moved in with us in August. Nutshell: Vince hasn't lived with his parents since he was about 15 years old. When he graduated from high school (i.e. turned 18) he finally had the choice of who he was living with (he was in "make shift" foster care). He was living with my assistant, but when he moved away, Vince moved in with us. He's totally part of our family and we love him so much. Ian and Spencer are head over heels for him. He fits right into the family.

We're headed north the day after Christmas and will be in Pittsburgh through New Years. We're excited to be with family over the holidays. I'll have lots of pictures to share from our trip home. I have to leave my laptop at work for a server overhaul, so enjoy your CHRISTMAS (not holiday), celebrate the New Year and we'll be seeing you in 2012!