First, let me tell you some very sad news: my flash is broken.  If you were wondering why my pictures always look a little warm, it’s the Ninja flash Greg purchased a couple of years ago.  Without it, I’m paralyzed.  Without inspiring pictures, I can’t blog.  Most of my writing is in response to photography, and the pictures I’m producing lately are inspiring me to become deeply depressed.  On I go, but posting may be light until I can figure out the flash problem.  My pictures will be total CRAP, this much I know.

Everyone must have Christmas on the mind lately.  My friend Lydia sent me her yearly selections of Crane Christmas Cards, and we’ll spend weeks pouring over the minutiae of Crane Holiday Cards, 2009.  Is that red TOO red?  Are reindeer too menacing to be used in a professional “card situation”?  How much gold is appropriate, and at what point does it become 1980’s?  Seriously, we will have these discussions.  I have a problem with paper; I’ve admitted it before.  Having a friend who allows to me to swim around in this addiction…it’s a beautiful thing.  Lydia, I’ll have to think on the selections.  I was so visually overwhelmed by what Crane has done this year that I closed it down immediately.  Because I was sweating.  And maybe panting a little.

Tonight after baths, Kelly swore she had to use the potty.  Heck, why not?  I’ve got a broken watch and even it’s right twice a day.  With Sara drying off on the towel next to her, the ever-observant Sara said, “HEY MOMMY!  This would make a great Christmas card!”  To which the unknowing, yet alert, Kelly replied, “YEAH!”  So here it is: Our Christmas Card for 2009. Um, how ’bout we call this “Draft #1”?  I’m going to keep an open mind that we can take a better family picture.  A) We’ll need to get Greg in the picture (although him laughing behind the camera at the 3 of us was fun too).  B) Maybe he could hold the toilet paper?  That might be festive.