Twas the week of Christmas 2021...we had just come through the busiest season on our church calendar, my toddler had finally gotten over a five day stomach virus, and I was suddenly in a frenzy to check everything off my December to-do list. The mom guilt was intense, and my growing to-do list, plus the desire for my kids to have fun Christmas memories, was causing me SO. MUCH. STRESS.
We didn't take a family Christmas picture this year. Somehow it just didn't happen. There have been holidays in the past when I would probably...maybe...ok, totally DID cry about forgetting to take a Sunday picture of everyone all dressed up. This year I'm 100% ok with the lack of a classic "Christmas picture." Swipe through to see why:
Confused? In case you were looking for something huge or maybe a pregnancy announcement, you didn't miss anything...haha! We took these pictures a few days before Christmas, right in the middle of the craziness. I know these aren't magazine-worthy. We weren't dressed up. The sun was already pretty low, but I jumped on a chance to use my new camera...a Christmas gift from my hubby! To me, however, these pictures are priceless, and they totally make up for the neglected Christmas picture.
Documenting a calm evening in our little Orange City subdivision, a few days before Christmas, with the people I love most in this world...playing, laughing, enjoying life...this mean SO much more to me than a formal Christmas portrait ever ever EVER will! Why? Because these pictures evoke feelings and memories of joy-filled moments. They're priceless!
If you live in Central Florida and would like to capture these types of moments with your littles, send me a message and share your vision. Family pictures don't have to be stressful. These photos of my little family (running around a retention pond in sweat pants) are proof that all you really need is beautiful light and the people you love!