Christmas Cards

OK, I promise I am NOT one of those people who thinks it's ok to have Christmas decorations for sale in Hobby Lobby on October 1st (it drives me insane, to be perfectly honest), but I am nothing if not an advance planner. So, when October rolls around, I start thinking about The Perfect Christmas Card Picture.

Since I discovered her incredible work a few years ago when Miss Priss was a baby, the amazing L from Eyesmiles Photography (http://www.eyesmilesphotography.com/) has done our Christmas cards. L is awesome because while her clients typically dress their children in a more urban/contemporary style, she knows that our family will be showing up for our photo sessions in Southern trunk show finery and Lilly Pulitzer, and it doesn't bother her one bit.

Finding L made obtaining The Perfect Christmas Card Picture much easier, because she's so talented that the usual problem is choosing just ONE great shot. The problem is, The Perfect Christmas Card Picture comes at a price, and we have a lot of friends, so we send a lot of cards. Mr. Belle is typically not amused by my large expenditures on these cards, so I have to exercise a little restraint. In past years, I have ordered 75 fancy cards from L, and supplemented with 25 or so extra (i.e., cheaper) cards for the more "fringe" members of our Christmas list (yes, we have an A list and a B list - it's awful, I know).

This year, I had grand plans to cut back spending by only ordering 50 cards from L, and doing 50 cards of the cheaper variety. I figured I would take Miss Priss and Master P out to a scenic location, dress them up, and use massive bribery ("Lollipops for all who cooperate!!!") to get a reasonably decent picture for the B List card (note: while I am not a particularly talented photographer, I have an awesome digital SLR camera that typically allows me to get very respectable pictures of my children). Let's just say that this activity was an unmitigated disaster. It started with a thumb-sucking Miss Priss in tears, and ended with a bawling Master P. I couldn't even get one shot (this from the girl who took 75 pictures at the pumpkin patch).

So, I came home, freaked out about it for a day or two, and today I bumped up my order from L to 75. I am at peace. I'll work something out for the remaining 25 cards, but they won't be going to really close friends, so I won't be as stressed out about it. Lesson learned. ALWAYS entrust your Christmas card pictures to someone who actually knows what they are doing!