Christmas Cards are done!

Well friends the cards are done! There are actually 2 so you will get one of the two in the mail with the annual Christmas letter by Jason. We are still working on the slightly humorous factor though. Merry Christmas!

Cool Gray Christmas Card

Make a statement with personalized Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas Letter in the Making

Right before Thanksgiving we got the urge to get our pictures taken at Sears. Yes we had not taken Tana's 12 month pictures - we used one that Mom took at Grandpa's funeral - it is really cute! But really we needed to get an updated family picture done. Christmas is here and the letters and pictures need to go out. This is my favorite time of the year making the cards. Last year I decided that I didn't have time to make the design on our own computer so I turned to Shutterfly for our Christmas cards. And I haven't turned back - Tana's birth announcements were also done on there.

I don't understand why everyone doesn't do it this way. It is so easy. So cute. So much fun. I love the options. I love to play around with the settings! I do go a little crazy and make like 10 choices and then drive my husband crazy by asking him to pick the one he likes. He never picks the right one. I usually then head out to friends until enough say they like mine. This year I am trying to weigh in on Jason's favs but my fav is #3 on his list. Ugh.

I have to say on Shutterfly I am very impressed with the variety of choices and low prices! I think these cards look much more expensive than what they actually are!

I typically pick a photo card with several openings for pictures. This year I was also looking for a card that matched the pictures that we took. Our outfits in our family pictures were dark gray and bright blue. Unfortunately there weren't a ton of options in this area, but I found some I liked!

This one is really nice and it went well with our clothing - obviously that isn't us though :) I needed several openings. It had options to let me have three. This is one of Jason's favorites.

Family Snowfall Midnight

I really like this one, but no options for more than one picture. It is off the list. I like the colors and the fun non-traditional look.

Merry Merry Greetings

I made a card with this one and it looks good, but Jason just didn't like it. I love the cool dots.

Polka Dot Wishes

This is by far my favorite layout, but the cost when we have to buy 125 are a little much for me. I am working on it but Jason is the voice of reality for me.

Cool Gray

This is on Jason's top list but I think the pictures will be a little small, but don't be surprised if this one is sent to you since I like it better than his other one.

Colorful Frames

This is my favorite, but it is Jason's 3rd choice. I love the black background that looks great with our family pictures.

Bold Bright Wishes

So as soon as my cards get ordered we have to get the writer to come up with a great letter again. So coming to a mailbox near you will be the Willis Christmas letter.

Shocked!

Yes I realize some of you might have just gasped at the thought of me finally updating my blog. I have a list of 48 posts to get through. I typically don't like to post out of order, but I am going to have to so that I can show off my cuties.

Tana is growing like a weed and it is fairly humorous to look at her in the posts just previous to this on and her cute little piggies. She is growing like a weed and keeps me on my toes so much more than the other two. She is a little girl with a big attitude. Can you say drama queen?!?!

Grandpa Melvin

This is a hard post to write because today, March 27th (yes Ally's birthday), Grandpa Melvin went to be with his precious Savior and Lord Jesus. I have had a hard time about how to feel about his death - happy or sad. He was diagnosed in December with pancreatic cancer - and 3-12 months to live. He missed Grandma Arlene so much and just wanted to go to heaven. His health had been failing for sometime. He wasn't as sharp and witty as he was. He could still tell us some good stories from the early days - but sometimes they were hard to get out. So even though I will miss him greatly, I am celebrating his new life with Jesus where he can see and walk again!

He leaves a huge legacy - in family and friends. Everyone has a story about how Grandpa Melvin touched or taught them. He was one of the most godly men that I ever knew. I knew that if I was ever confused that I could always call him and he would share scripture that would tell me what Jesus wanted me to do. I might have been his grandchild, anyone who walked in the door was family to him. He loved to sing and loved it when we sang with him.

My friend Cam, put it well - he has been promoted to the "Good Ol' Iowa Farmer - sitting on the front porch of heaven club." Grandpa will be missed, but I am sure that he isn't missing this place!

This is a picture of his 90th birthday party. He was so thrilled to have 90 years to live here, but he was so ready to be with Jesus.

Donuts

Tana is our third child and you can tell it by our actions. We would have NEVER done this with our first and probably a little later with number 2, but Tana - ahhh it won't hurt her!

Well let's just say that she LOVED the powered sugar donut! She is so proud of her self.

Another Attemp

I think that we got some good pictures for our card out of this sitting, but Tana is the girl of many many faces. Her face does not hid what she is feeling. We think that Ally is a Drama Queen, I think that in the future that Tana might out-do her - and that SCARES me.

The first two before bathtime didn't go terrible, but it is always fun to get pictures of kids in their PJs by the tree.

As you can tell, Tana didn't want to have any part of this...

Really - again mom - I thought I told you how I felt...

And we are done.

Some of you might remember us before kids - but we used to have these silly snowmen. We everyone has their own and we bought Tana's this year, they made the family Christmas pictures.

Attempt

Here are one of many attempts at getting a good picture for the Christmas card. I know that I am biased, but these are the sweetest and cutest kiddos ever!

The Star - Year 2

Every year the star on the tree is the big deal - there is only one star and only one person gets to put it on. Last year the kids declared order. Last summer Drew reminded us that it was his turn.

Drew and his proud moment with the star.

Getting ready for the big moment on Daddy's shoulders.

Ta Da!!!