Christmas Cards

So sorry for the lapse in posting!!  Today, Chris and I went to Picture People to have our Christmas portraits done.  I was a little worried at first because Samantha absolutely refused to take a nap this morning so I wasn't too hopeful.  However, Samantha was happy as a clam and we got some awesome shots!!  After Picture People we headed to Staples where I picked out stationary for our letter and got markers to address them.  So now I just need to write the letter and we are good to go.  Hopefully the stamps we ordered will get here soon and I can have the cards out ASAP.  I was aiming for the day after Thanksgiving, however, since Chris ordered the stamps online rather than getting them at the post office, I'm doubtful that they will be here in time.  Hopefully before my trip to Chicago!!  On that note, here are a few favorite shots from today.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

Okay, maybe it's not beginning to look like Christmas, but my wallet is definitely starting to feel the effects of it. Our stash of "fun money" has pretty much dwindled to nothing since I stopped working back in April.  So it has taken a lot of planning and budgeting to plan for Christmas this year.  We have always had a large budget for Christmas (or at least it felt large to me) but this year is definitely going to be different.  We aren't going all out like we usually do.  Between Chris's immediate family - 16 people to buy for!! and my immediate family - a mere 6 people we have A LOT of gifts to get.  Then add on ourselves and Samantha.  Do I need to buy gifts for all our cousins' kids?  What about all of the kids I babysit for regularly?  It's all quite stressful.

Don't forget the dreaded Christmas cards.  For me, it's always been something I've quite enjoyed.  Every year since Chris and I got married this has been a highlight for me.  I've gone and picked out 12 or so boxes of cards at Target, then gotten matching paper for our letter, address labels, and then the stamps.  Then I take hundreds of pictures to find the perfect one for our card (after I've dragged Chris out to pick out our matching outfits), send it off to Target, and then begin the tedious task of stuffing each picture into the little slot in the front of the card.  It's hard work!!  This year, I'm taking the easy(ier) way out and we're going to Picture People to have Samantha's portraits done.  We'll take a family photo or two as well and see what ends up on the cards that they are printing out for us!!  I'm still planning on writing out a letter and getting cute address labels, but at least I won't have to stuff any photos.  Phew!

Let's take a look back on our Christmas cards through the years.

2007 - our first year married

2008 - first Christmas in our townhouse

2009 - first Christmas in our house

2010 - around 20 weeks pregnant with Samantha!!

I can't wait to see what our card looks like this year!!!