Christmas in the Riley house

Sarah has informed me that I need to add something "Christmasy" to my blog. I sure didn't know when I started this I would be getting pressure from my own daughter. But I'll try and add a little of how we have started the Christmas season.

Last weekend we put up our tree and Don did the lights on the house. The girls think we have a gingerbread house ( I think it looks that way too). Maybe I'll try a night photo and see what happens. Also we are starting a new tradition with "the Pickle Ornament". Apparently you hide this beautiful pickle shaped ornament on your tree on Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning whoever finds it first gets to open the first present. Thanks to Nana for getting this for the girls, it sounds like fun!

We went to the Grapevine Botanical Gardens today and tried to get Christmas card photos. I've included some "out takes" for your laughing pleasure. We took two of our three (yes, 3) dogs, but ended up having to put Dixie (our yellow lab) in the car because she was too crazy. Ranger (our white lab mix) did ok for a few shots. The girls were absolutely nuts. I just kept thinking....."they don't act like this when Kim Lewandowski takes their pictures". Don was way into being a photographer and if the girls had been real clients I would have charged their mother an extra fee!! Anyway, maybe we got a few good ones. When we were done, Don and I were in much need of a Sonic drink (diet Coke for him and diet Dr. Pepper with vanilla for me).

We got a new camera as an early Christmas gift to ourselves, so Don was still working out the kinks. So, for now I've just sent a few prints to one hour processing to see how they look. Don is watching the Cowboys, and the girls are doing something together and I don't hear any fighting (Merry Christmas to me!).