CrazyBusy - Sneak Peek: Christmas Pictures (and *gasp* I'm in one!)

CrazyBusy

Dec. 16, 2007

Sneak Peek: Christmas Pictures (and *gasp* I'm in one!)

I tell ya, sometimes I think it would be worth the money to pay a *real* photographer to take our pictures. It was an all day ordeal and I didn't even get any WOW pictures. But, I will settle for what I have because I am NOT going to do this again!

I started the day by bathing Nooshie (what we call our husky, Annushka) and got Kenton to do Ceph (Bucephalus). I wanted to try & get them in a picture or two and wanted them looking clean. Nooshie's whites get yicky after all her digging and chewing through extension cords that *were* powering our outdoor Christmas lights and chewing on our house and whatnot. Ceph never *looks* very dirty since he's all black, but, well, I still wanted him washed. That was quite an ordeal.

Then I picked out all of the children's clothes. Couldn't find some shoes and after searching for a half hour or so I decided the children were going to be sans shoes in the pics.

Started tearing apart my living room. I have to make room for my stuff. Kenton & the boys helped (well, Kenton did anyway). He even got out my backdrop stand, backdrop, light, reflector and other things while I put hot rollers in the girls' hair.

Then I jumped in the shower. After I was done getting ready I did the boys' hair, took the hot rollers out of the girls' hair and styled it and then came down and hooked up my light to my camera, did my custom white balance and got the settings adjusted for exposure. I much prefer shooting in natural light outside. It's a hassle, I tell ya!

Now you're getting a little sneak peek. If you know my parents, you cannot tell them that I got a family picture of us! It's supposed to be a surprise! That's the only thing they've asked for for Christmas & I told them I didn't think I'd have time- that it was enough of a hassle doing 5 children and I was pregnant and blah blah blah. I look too fat. Wait three years till I lose some weight. Excuses. Basically, I hate having my picture taken. But I thought I'd try it for them & if I got one I liked okay enough, I'd give it to them for Christmas. My mom even called tonight- she knew I was taking pictures today and said, I know you don't want me asking, but I just want to know, did you happen to get a family picture? I told her that it was crazy, that it was hard enough getting a pic of 5 children and we got the dogs in a few too. So I didn't lie, because I didn't actually say, "No, I didn't", however I did lead her to believe that I did not get a family photo. :) (the last family picture they have of us is when Millie was a baby, which means Josiah's not even in it!)

This was fun. I set my camera on Gabe's school desk, set the auto timer, focused, pushed the shutter release button and RAN to get into my place with my family. I do have a tripod, but it's a cheapo Walmart tripod. I've had one snap in two already and did NOT want that happening with my camera and NICE (expensive!) HEAVY lens. Don't trust it. Anyway, the children thought that it slightly amusing seeing mom have to run and jump in place to get in the picture. Hee-hee. Here's the best of the 4 or 5 I took of all of us. I wish Alek wasn't so slouchy and Gollum looking and Gabe was smiling and some chins were down and I know you can hardly see Ceph, but oh well. It's going to have to do:

Now here's where I need your help! We are going to print this off and send it along with the Christmas cards to announce our pregnancy to family and some friends. So far the only ones that know about it are our parents (and my cousin Kim, who reads my blog sometimes! Hi Kim!). But I am wondering if/how this can be improved? I am SO NOT creative when it comes to wording things in a clever way. If you can think of something better, PLEASE let me know- and quickly! I want to get these done on Monday (hopefully)!

Can you read it? If not, it says:

Bun in the Oven
(for best results)
-Hand of God -Husband and Wife
Preheat oven to 98.6 degrees. Mix in lots of prayer, rest and good nutrition. Let bake for 9 months. Remove from oven around July 3rd and enjoy for a lifetime!
Yield: half a dozen (yield may vary)

I put "for best results" because as you know, you don't HAVE to have a husband and wife to have a child.

So here are the rest:

And then Josiah thought he'd entertain his siblings with his fabulous "go to sleep while taking Christmas pictures" trick:

I had to perform Photoshop head swapping surgery on someone not looking at the camera in this picture. Can you tell who?

The pyramid/Christmas tree picture I imagined did not turn out. It appears that Josiah is afraid of heights and Alek is not quite as strong as his younger brother, Gabe, which is why the lighter, younger sister is on his shoulders instead of Gabe's.

Not at all exciting. But I LOVE HIS LIPS! (now picture Larry singing the lips song)

This was Kenton's idea & I loved it! He was trying to make them into a star. I just need to be about 3 feet taller to get them all in the picture while standing on the chair (or maybe I should've just let Kenton take it....).

Got milk? Cookies for Santa... but since they don't believe in Santa and they do believe mom when she says they can eat the cookies after just a few shots, they were getting a bit anxious.

They've got the go ahead! And they're off!

How many can I shove in my face at a time?!?!!?

Sorry, Santa. The children ate your cookies.

But not this one, oh no. She's *completely* innocent! She's an angel! Never does *anything* wrong!

That's all there is, there isn't- anymore.

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Comments

Dec. 16, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by momtofive

It's a great family picture. Really. Five kids, two dogs, a timed picture -- and you all look happy. THAT, my friend, is success.
I love the picture of the star. I think that one is my favorite.
Great job. Your mom is going to be thrilled.

Tori