Christmas Card 2011

I promised to show the pics that did make our Christmas card this year. I went for a totally different approach. Forget the formal shots. It just wasn't happening. So... I can't show you the actual card b/c I live in the dark ages and don't have a scanner (or texting which annoys my friends to no end!) So... you will have to settle for me explaining the card. I can't take credit for this idea. I have seen it done in a few different ways. I just put my own spin on it.

Front Cover:

Silent Night

Holy Night

All is Calm

The inside cover:

Silent? 

Calm? 

NAH!!!!

Merry Christmas from The Tonagel Family!

So there you have it. Our non traditional Christmas card where everyone is NOT sitting together, NOT looking at the camera and NOT acting like we are having a grand time. :) This is reality. This is my family! 

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was hectic, tiring and wonderful. I am trying to recover from an awful headcold and get ready for two newborn photoshoots! Love me the newborns! (They help keep the baby fever at bay.) :) Which means Cabana Boy loves the shoots as well! 

Night all! 

a

ps. Can you tell I just came home from Starbucks. Yappity, yappity yap! Woo Hoo for caffeine!!!! And date night with Cabana Boy and some old friends!

Beginner's Workshop

Who wants to come hang out with these two crazy girls?!?!?!? :)
Contact me if you are interested. As I am typing this we only have 4 spots left! They are going quick!
a

Christmas Card Bloopers

So I sent out our Christmas cards and I had to go cheap this year. If you didn't get one from us sorry!!!! I just had to cut back our list it was getting out of control!

I heard from a few that they were surprised that we didn't have a family picture or a "formal" one of the three punks. Well... here are a few examples of why we didn't have a nice picture of the three of them.

Enjoy! (I was about in tears by the end of this session). :) I know I am getting extra picky now that I do this for actual money but man you would think the photographer could get a few nice shots of her own kids!

Nope. No such luck.

note: these are all SOOC.

seriously?

Wow. you guys look thrilled. Check out the burrs all over Punk #1's sweater. Yup. Had the pleasure of picking all those (along with the million on #2's) off one at a time.

How about just a picture of their rear-ends? That sounds good to me!

This is pretty much the only photo that made the editing table. I am planning on doing a lot of redecorating this winter in my house (shh... don't tell Cabana Boy. He doesn't know that I will be dropping the credit card like it's hot yet). Thinking this little cutie might need to go up somewhere in my casa.

Next post... the pictures that did make the card. :)
a


Oh and complete randomness but if you are interested... I along with my BFF Darcy will be hosting a photography workshop geared especially for moms just wanting to learn how to use their DSLR cameras.   If you didn't know what "SOOC" was. This is for you! Leave me a comment with your email if you want the details. Thanks yo.

Happier Times

If you personally know me at all you know I am not a fan of this yucky white stuff outside. I also hate coats, scarves, boots, mittens and all the gear you have to put on just to get out the door.
One of my goals this winter while taking a break from photography is to actually get my personal photos organized, ordered and put in albums. I found these photos and I immediately started to feel warmer. ;)
ahh... happier times. Warm sunshine, a pool full of cool water and three little boys who love the water as much as I do. Come back summer!!!!!!!

He's got some mad cannonball skilz!

And I have mad camera skilz to catch them. :)

I love this photo showing how much they love to play together. I need to remember this when we are stuck inside all winter and they are ready to punch each other.

Kissy face!

And here's me workin on my tan. I really should have painted my toes before taking this photo. my apologies.

How many more months until the pool is opened??? 

a

Christmas Activities

We enjoyed our annual "Breakfast with Santa" this morning at our community center. It is such a nice event they put on.

Here are the boys pics with the Big Guy. I left early to help at the breakfast so I didn't think about setting out nice clothes for them. Oh well. They look like my normal little ragamuffins. :)

whoa, a hug this time!

Here they are decorating their tree the other day. 

and the best hot chocolate ever. Thanks to yours truly. :)

I had to laugh, I walked through the kitchen just now with my camera to plug it in and this is how Cabana Boy was cutting Punk 2's hair. Looks like fun.

Peace out, a

A Stitch in Time Giveaway!

A Stitch In Time Boutique is having a giveaway for this adorable Christmas hat. Check them out here on Etsy or here on Facebook. Super cute stuff!
Thank YOU for sponsoring the giveaway!
a

Pottery Night

Our family enjoyed a great night at Pottery Bayou in Winona Lake last night.
Each punk got to paint two ornaments, decorate two cookies, write a letter to Santa, visit with Santa, hear a story and decorate with some stickers. We all had a wonderful time!

This was about as close as Punk 3 wanted to get. He did finally sit on his lap but he wasn't thrilled about it. 

Here's how Punk 3 used his stickers

A rare picture of the two of us.

Punk 3 still looks worried about being that close. :)

Man I have cute punks!

Free Christmas Cards!

Tiny Prints is running an offer for bloggers!
Head on over to Tiny Prints Christmas Card Selection to see their awesome cards.
Here is the one I really like.


and here is my pathetic attempt to do a photoshoot with my boys. This is what they gave me...



I like that card design because it allows you to have a lot of photos all in one space but keeps it looking simple.

How do you organize your Christmas cards? We keep ours in a basket on the kitchen counter to look through. I heard of a great idea last year. My friend's family chooses one card out of their basket each night at dinner to pray for that family.

Are you a blogger? Sign up here to receive 50 free cards through Tiny Prints! Awesome!!!!

Ok, get creating!
a

Sweet, Sweet Baby

Ok, so this is technically a photography post but it's going on our family blog anyway. :) I had the honor of attending my 6th birth and it was so special. Darcy is one of my closest friends and also a fellow photographer (I should say that she basically has taught me a good chunk of what I know!) :)

Anyhoo... enjoy these pictures of Miss Emery's birth...

 Praying over Emery.

The pretty mama and me. :)