Getting the tree

Sunday was the perfect day to go get our Christmas tree. Crisp and clear and cold.
So we all bundled up and headed out for our annual trip.











Photos are always a great and easy way to tell a story. But as I look at the photos of this day I realize it is not always an accurate way to tell the story. By just looking, you would think that we had a lovely family day out. Happy together while we choose the perfect tree, take turns using the saw to cut it down, and then cooperate to carry it all the way back to the truck. Paints a pretty picture, doesn't it? Oh....if only....
More accurate would be... whining because "Mom never likes the tree I choose", fighting over the saw and who gets to do the "final cut", bad attitude from a certain 13-year old over who knows what.
But that is not really the way we want to remember things, is it? So we continue to go on family outings even though it sometimes doesn't seem worth it. We continue to take pictures and yell at them to smile. Why? So we can remember all the happy times we had together as a family.
My. this post is starting to sound very cynical and bitter isn't it? Sorry...that is really not very keeping with the holiday spirit. I am not cynical, nor am I bitter. I am just trying to be real and honest about the everyday challenges of being a family. It's not always the way you imagine it will be, but as I look back on all the family outings we have done over the years, I remember the good stuff way more than I remember the not so good.
And we ended up with a lovely tree and stopped to have some hot chocolate and snacks before driving home.

Truthfully though, family outings can sometimes really wear you out.

Braun Christmas

We kicked off our holiday season last night with our Braun family gathering.
Here's the story in photos:

Our lovely hostess setting the mood.

Our kids are always so happy to see their little cousins. Wesley got picked up and carried all night by these two and didn't complain once.

Tag and Evie chatting over a drink.

The boys (some of them, anyway)

Mom and Dad

More cousin love.

The hosts and cooks. Love the matching aprons.

Oma having a little chat with Wesley.

More chatting with a drink.

Uncle Willi showed up as a surprise for everyone.

Mom and her two oldest boys. Her smile says it all. Family is really 'it'...isn't it?

Step One: photos

A couple of weeks ago I dusted off my camera and dragged the kids to do a photo shoot that would hopefully begin the makings of a Christmas card.

My dear friend and photographer (check out her website because I'm really proud of her) offered to come with me and bring her camera to capture some shots of my kids as well. At that point I thought I could probably leave my camera at home, but I didn't.

So, step 1 is done. Next step is to get these into a card to send. I have actually received two Christmas cards in the mail already and I have to say that it freaked me out. How does all this Christmas stuff sneak up on me every year? Happy December 1st everyone!

Sunday afternoon invitation

Taggart had disappeared down to Nana's again as he often does. But this time he ran back up with this little invitation in his hand. No sooner than he handed it to me that he was back downstairs.
At 3:00 sharp we all headed down to our little tea party.
Taggart had set the table nicely and him and Nana had baked scones that were still warm from the oven.
Such a nice treat on a otherwise hum-drum Sunday afternoon.

Can't help it.

Even though I was so not ready for summer to be over and even though someone told me today that it is supposed to snow tomorrow and I am so not ready for that.
Even though I would love to fly to Mexico or Hawaii right now,  I can't help but love this view out my back window. Fall is here and right now the sun is out and lighting up these beautiful colors on the trees.
Can't help but stop and enjoy for a minute.

Halloween 2011

The days leading up to Halloween are always busy.

We always squeeze in an afternoon of pumpkin carving.

There are last minute details to finish up on costumes (or possibly sewing the whole entire thing).

I always sign up to bring treats to school parties so that means running out at 9:30 at night to buy strawberries for my dipped strawberry ghosts. No new photo of these as they are a repeat from last year.

But we got it all done and we had another lovely, exciting, fun and dry Halloween.
Pumpkin carving on Sunday afternoon. (You are getting a glimpse of Reagan's costume here as she had just come from a Halloween party)







As you can see Cooper did have a finished pumpkin but the carving didn't go so well for him this year. That's why you see no photos of him as he is working. The back of his pumpkin was kept at the back as it was better kept unseen, but it all turned out in the end and he was happy with his lion design. The big boys did pretty much all their own carving this year with only a little help. Taggart and Reagan however just pick their design and then it is up to Tony and I to execute. They keep themselves busy with all the scraps of pumpkin, a knife and a cutting board and carve and cut out little designs of their own.

Costumes:

Taggart as Hiccup.

This is Tag with Hiccup. For those who don't know, he is the main character of "How to Train Your Dragon", a childrens book turned movie.

Reagan as a Cave Girl.

Hudson as a DJ.

Cooper as Crazy Football Dude (his words).

Fall festivities

So... I seem to be averaging about two blog posts per month now. It's all very discouraging really. My intentions are so much bigger than this...I'm just sayin'.
Our annual trip to the Apple Barn happened a couple of weeks ago. It was a gorgeous fall day and I did take the camera.  Here is the evidence that things are still happening with the Symonds family.

On the hay ride.


At the patch.


The kids went for caramel apples but Daniela and I opted for some very hot, delicious roasted corn on the cob.


Happy Fall!