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Snow!

Since I started working outside of the house snow is not my favorite thing. But on a Saturday afternoon with both fires roaring and no place to go it is not so bad.

© Michelle Hines

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Oliver's Baptism

The good Father kept standing right in front of Christy and I was not in the position to move right as others were trying to get photos too.

© Michelle Hines

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Tonight we went to buy our Christmas tree(s). Ian, Christy and Oliver, Kate and Matt and Patrick and I went to the tree lot that we have been buying our tree from for about eighteen years. I thought we would be buying a tree from our home and that Ian and Christy would be getting one for theirs. We left the lot with three trees. Kate and Matt decided to purchase their first tree together and put it in our basement.

Ian, Christy and Oliver looking for their tree.

Kate and Matt with their tree and stand.
This photo is a bit out of focus but you can see how happy they are.

The tree Patrick and I chose.
This weekend I will put the lights on the tree and Sunday evening Kate and Matt will help us decorate it.

© Michelle Hines

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More photos from our second Christmas shoot.

© Michelle Hines

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Christmas photos take two.

The girls are definitely not interested in posing for photos lately. Today's attempt at Christmas photos was better than last time but I still think we can do better. The problem is that we are running out of time since the photos are suppose to be for their Christmas cards. Instead of trying to get the girls to pose today I just set up the little tree and rocking chair put them in their dresses and clicked while they did their own thing. I can not imagine doing this all day with kids I do not know in a department store. The pictures above are the ones I liked with the book in them. If I could just get them to make eye contact with the camera. I need a second person to get their attention. They are way too use to seeing me with the camera in their faces.

© Michelle Hines

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What do you do on a long car drive at night? I played with my camera. I set the shutter speed so that I controlled when it opened and closed. Then I took pictures of the lights on and around the highway leaving the shutter open for a long time. The results were interesting. It reminded me of spatter painting... you never know what you were going to get until it is finished.

(these are much more interesting when viewed larger... just click the photo)

© Michelle Hines

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For twenty-four years my family has made Valley View Farms a part of our Holiday traditions. When Patrick and I married we decided to not run out that first Christmas and purchase enough ornaments to fill a tree. Our first tree had just three ornaments, a tacky blinking gold star on top and colored lights. It was just a small table top tree but we loved it. That's the way it has been every year since, we add one ornament for each family member. After Thanksgiving we drive an hour to Valley View Farms and everyone gets to pick their ornament for that year. You never know what your going to come home with. Add to that the homemade treasures and we now have a tree overflowing with ornaments and a life time of memories. Last year Patrick suggested we do something else, the kids vetoed that idea. I am glad. It is magical for me to unwrap each and every ornament and remember when and why it was purchased or made. This year we had three generations there. Ian, Christy are now picking ornaments with their son for their own Christmas tree. While Kate and Matt choose their first joint ornament that will hang on our tree until they have one of their own. I hope that as our lives change and our children find their own way that this is a tradition that continues.

© Michelle Hines