we took family pictures..

and it was AWESOME.

Seriously people, if you have really cute dogs/children/friends/cats/ferrets..WHATEVER, I highly encourage you to drop a little monies and get some professional pictures taken. Emphasis on professional because I know everyone thinks they're an award-winning photographer (including me) now that they have an iPhone. Not true.

Hate to break it to ya, but the editing and point of view magic that a pro can pull off is far beyond that of your valencia filter on instagram. Okay? Okay. AND when you hire someone else to take pictures of you, you aren't stuck taking weirdo long-arm myspace pictures of yourself.  Double win.

Please note: Ryan had the treats. There's even photographic evidence of the hand off.

I cannot even begin to say enough good things about our photographer. She was sugarsweet, infinitely patient and took approximately 4,987 pictures of us. More importantly, we didn't feel rushed or stressed, in fact, it was far the opposite. We had tilt-a-whirl amusement-park fun (not to be confused with circus fun, which is not actual fun because it's terrifying. i mean, clowns and hairy women? really?)

Belle and Riley ate a month's worth of treats, we chased them around and somehow we magically (magic = Lindsey's photography powers) got fantastic results. I can't think of a better way for our little family to finish off the year.

All this being said, I've decided to dismiss actual gifts for the next decade or so and instead just send people pictures of us in different mediums. Canvas art of my face? Check.

Clear the fridge. And maybe some wall space.