christmas present

Every year, our children’s school puts on a beautiful Christmas musical & pageant.  It always occurs the night of the last day of school before the holidays, and there is a matinee performance a few days earlier, for those who can’t make the final night.

Hours and hours of practice throughout the November and December months are put into this show.  Teachers and students alike take great pride with showcasing their hard work. 

{Clay Gift Ornament Tag instructions here}

Because I’m on the marketing committee at our school, I attended the full dress rehearsal this week to take some photos and video (I volunteered to edit the video of the performance to be put on the school website…yes, what have I gotten myself into???).

At rehearsal, all the kids were fidgety.  Many talked/pinched/squirmed through other performances, and in general, the energy was not quite there.  Maybe that’s what happens on a Monday morning after a weekend before Christmas (where I’m sure many of the kids were tired from attending Christmas parties…my kids included!).  I can see the tension and worry on the teacher’s faces…what’s going on with all these kids?  All that hard work…

But every year, without fail, when it’s time for these kids to shine, they are up, energetic and dressed to impress.  I guess they’ve “been there, done that”, and since they have done rehearsals for the Christmas pageant so many times, they instinctually know to package their energy until it really matters, then they let it rip, and give it all they’ve got!

It is with this giving spirit, that in return, these kids know their parents, grandparents and loved ones, will sit though off key notes and flubbed lines, put a smile on their faces, and give their gift of love and support. 

{Photo gift card holder in frames. Card holder instructions here}

And that’s the best present anyone could ask for.

{Attending these beautiful  parties...Privet and Holly}

something to hold on to

My husband likes to say I “over produce” everything.  I guess I am the type of person who, when tackling a project or a task, I give it my best…my all.

Although that sounds like a wonderful attribute, I have to admit, it can be at times, paralyzing.  With our data access at almost over capacity, my computer has been quite slow lately…largely due to the fact that I have over 9000 photographs on my computer.  And my computer is not even a year old!

According to Facebook, on average over 250 million photographs are uploaded each day.

I wonder if in this "Facebook era", do we take millions of pictures to boast what we’ve done or seen.  Or do we do it to remember it?  It might be a little bit of both, but I’d like to hope that people photograph obsessively because we love to share.  For me, there are so many beautiful things that I see, things my children do, special “Kodak moments” that I want to capture, that I want to hold onto it forever. 

I think keeping these memories are a gift.  When I look at past photographs, I’m thankful that I've documented everything and have memories to share as a gift for others.

Quick and Easy Photo Gift Card holder

Print a sheet of paper with your message.
Take as many photographs of your loved ones holding the greeting sign.  Print the photograph.
Attach the gift card using tape, or cutting out around the hands, so the card fits into the slits.

Enjoy the gift of giving.