it's a blurry cell phone, 6 month old, shingle, Christmas picture, kids, so don't get your hopes up

So I am a firm believer that if you send out a Christmas card
that it should contain a picture.
Because I do so love all the beautiful faces on the cards that people send me.

So for many years I have not sent out Christmas cards.
Because we just could not get our picture act together.
I had too many kids too fast and lost my mind.
I didn't want that dazed and confused look down on film.

Then for the last two years my friend, Bonnie,
who is a professional photographer took our picture for Christmas.
Beautiful, lovely, clear pictures that captured the holiday joy on our faces.
In the midst of all the crazy faces my kids tried to throw her way,
she took pictures that made me want to weep. She is that talented.

Fast forward to this year.
I have had shingles for over a month.
And have been sequestered in my house like Rapunzel in the tower.
I have also been sleeping so much that my family is surprised to see me
when I come out in the living room.
"Oh, look! Mom is awake!.....oh, no, I was wrong...she's sleep walking."
Not great picture material.

And then on top of that, I also cut my bangs again last week.
Scott was upset.
He said, "You promised me and Jen Card you would never do that again."
(Jen was particularly upset that I revealed the Bangtastrophe of '08 online...
she felt I shamed myself as well as all my friends.)
"They are not that bad....I'm sorry....I'm stuck in the house....."
He walked away shaking his head.

So with my infectious disease and bad bangs and all,
organizing a picture taking with Bonnie is out.
But I still wanted to send out a Christmas card anyway.
Because I am on a roll. Two years in a row.
There is a possibility that if I don't send one out...I may never send one out again.
That is just how I am built. Don't ask me why.

So I went back through our pictures this year and found one picture
from Jack's 8th grade graduation 6 months ago that would work.
Mostly, just because Scott and I look normal.
Scott saw it and said,
"The kids look nothing like they do right now."
I said,
"I know....I think I will send it out anyway."

Jack looks like a child in the picture.
Now, he can almost grow a full beard in a day.
He is also wearing a candy lei in celebration of his great day...
which isn't Christmas-y, per se, but still it is festive.
Will's jaw has recently become defined
and he is almost eye to eye with Scott these days.
And then there is Addison.
His face is the main reason I felt I must send out the card.
It brings me some joy.
I won't elaborate I will just let you see for yourself.

I doctored it up with a border to make it more holiday-ish.
The first place I tried to send the picture to rejected it for poor quality.
But I persevered and sent it to Target...because Target didn't care about the quality.

It came back grainy and a little cheap looking.
And....I LOVE IT!
Because it makes me laugh.
And I love to laugh.
And I think my people need to laugh this Christmas.

Maybe you need to laugh this Christmas!
So here it is....the worst, best, poor quality Christmas card picture of the year.

EAT YOUR HEART OUT, FOLKS!
THE AUGHTMON CHRISTMAS CARD DELUXE!
I hope it brings you some joy!