A Very Happy Holiday {smile because it happened}

It was a good holiday.  I didn't take a lot of pictures this Christmas since I was often busy holding a kid; helping a kid unwrap a gift; holding a wine glass; or bent over laughing with (or at) my family.  We had a very merry Christmas and a very loud New Year's eve.

Snuggling on Christmas Eve; trying to draw out bedtime for as long as possible

  Hours of intense (and quiet!) playing with new toys and legos...

Lots of days just hanging out in PJs til well past 10 in the morning...

We spent many, many hours with family.  They got to play with their cousins day after day.  No school; just play.  The mild, warm temperatures made it possible to get outside more.

Here it looks like he could be my little assistant: posing babies.  Really he is just giving his baby cousin a cuddle and softly petting her head.  Their older cousin with her holiday sparkles on.  And a typical room throughout Christmas day, filled with 10-20 people just enjoying the togetherness.

We tried really hard this year to teach our boys the real meaning of Christmas and that it's not just about the toys and presents.  In the end their favorite part of the holiday season was getting to see all the family, and that's a pretty good start.

Now we're back to school; back to work; back to routines; a whole new year ahead of us.

Happy New Year to everyone.  I hope 2012 is filled with great things to come.

The Ulrich Family

A very belated post... the Holiday Season is keeping me busy!  I really adore happy families.  There are so many little moments to capture along with the "safe shots".  This awesome four year old was incredibly cute and a lot of fun to get to know...  he could give my four year old a few tips on cooperating for pictures ;)  We went to the safety of the Jewel Box to escape the dreary cold outside; it was a popular place with about a dozen other families doing photos! Thank you Ulrich Family ~  It was a pleasure meeting you and photographing your family.

~Elizabeth

Christmas Card Photos: Attempt 1

I was armed with M&Ms and Skittles this year (thank you very much Halloween candy collection)

This is what I get?!?!!

Yes, I know what you're thinking:  They're still pretty cute and amusing. Well, there is no audio with these pictures so of course you think that.

Usually its the younger one smiling and the older one making goofy faces.

Even big brother doesn't want to be near him while he's in this mood.  Wait, is it called a mood if it lasts for more than 6 months? Or is it a personality disorder?


I am saving all of these pictures for when they're teenagers.  Then I'll be using these for our family Christmas card.  And mailing it to their friends.

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas | DIY Ornaments

We've been feeling really cooped up with the cold weather and a project was way overdue.  We found the homemade paper ornaments project in the Family Fun Magazine.  You can check out the full instructions on their site at HERE
Items needed:
3 sheets of colored construction paper (for 1-2 ornaments)
Cookie cutters
Blender
Towels
Seive
Ribbon, glitter

We laid out a plate with a kitchen towel on it and topped it with paper towels to put our cookie cutters on.  The boys went to work tearing the pieces of paper up.  They really enjoyed ripping it up.  For about one sheet worth.  Then I was given the honor of ripping up the rest. Yay me.

We added the paper to the blender (we used our bullet) then added boiling water and let them soak for 5+ minutes.  Then blend to a pulpy mush.  Strain the water out of the pulpy mush using a seive; then fill your cookie cutters - be sure to fill in the crooks and angles well!  Press it all in nice and tight and blot with a towel to get excess water out.  Gently remove the ornament from the cookie cutter, sprinkle with glitter, and place on a cookie sheet in a 200 degree oven for at least two hours.  I think we did ours for more like 6 hours.

While you wait for the ornaments to dry out feel free to get creative.  Wear socks on you hands. Underwear on your head.  Lay around and sigh a lot like your mom is torturing you with the waiting game.  Or go the more dignified route of entertaining yourself with legos and playtime while you wait.

He took the underwear off his head when he saw the camera.  I need to work on my sneakiness when hunting with a camera.

Hang the finished product on the tree.  It looks homemade.  I think that's a good thing.  The kids are pretty bummed that they couldn't eat them.  I guess if it comes out the oven it should be edible by their reasoning.

The Christmas decorations are up.  We've done cut out snowflakes; put up the tree and hung the ornaments; sent Christmas cards out, played in the snow; and been to see Santa... Its definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.