Today I dragged poor Bluejay out into the frozen tundra winter weather to take our Christmas photos. I've been talking for months about how much I was excited for the first big snow so that we could take "wintery" pictures. Bluejay was less than enthused. In fact, I had to bribe him to get all bundled up and out in snow. So while he is playing video games (that was his bribe), I was able to edit the photos and write this blog. A fair trade, if I do say so myself. I'm pretty pleased with the way they turned out. It's always difficult to take photos on a tripod with a self timer. Especially because, as a photographer, I can see in my mind how I want the image to look and it is extra hard to get that image just right when I am running back and forth trying to beat the 10 second timer! But we had fun.

We took these photos for fun, but also for our Christmas newsletter (The Johnson Journal). I would LOVE to send a copy to whoever would like one! If you want to receive a copy, email me your address at: hopefeathers {at} me {dot} com. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(also- winter wonderland enagement session to come!)

Let It Snow

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn't show signs of Pauseing,
And I've bought some corn for popping,
The lights are turned way down low,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight,
How I'll hate going out in the storm!
But if you'll really hold me tight,
All the way home I'll be warm.

The fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we're still good-bying,
But as long as you love me so,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It's not the snow that I mind. In fact, I LOVE IT! As much as I hate mornings, I LEAPED out of bed the second Bluejay said, "Wow! Come look at all this snow!" What I'm not loving this morning is the wind! It's making crazy snow drifts and -15 deg wind chill. But if that is the price to pay for a White Christmas, I'll take it! This is how much snow we had on our deck! We had nearly 15 inch drifts!

This is the window into our basement room. The drifts are so high we can barely see out!

I love the way you can see the layers in snow. It reminds me of being a kid and trying to figure out how old every tree stump by counting the rings. I think I learned that on Berenstain Bears.

So since there's a blizzard there are about two things one can do. 1). Drink warm beverages while catching up on some blogs: It's not even noon and I've already had tea, coffee (x2) and cocoa! And I'm considering making come Chai? But, good news is that I found a sweet giveaway on a fabulous blog for a touchsmart computer! How cool would that be to win? Click the link for your chance! 2). Make Christmas cookies. I made these double dipped milk and white chocolate covered pretzels. I LOVE anything that is sweet and salty. Starbucks used to do a sea salt cocoa that was to DIE FOR! I'm not sure why they don't have it anymore :( Maybe to many people were addicted. These cookies are pretty dang good too. I'm bringing them to a girls movie night tonight. We're watching Julie and Julia. I'm excited. And of course I had to test them (or like 11 of them) to make sure they're good, right? Someone is going to have to roll me out of my house when this blizzard ends. I'm up to my ears in cookies and cocoa! Pretty soon I'll be bouncing off the walls! And then I'll go into a sugar induced coma. Maybe I should stop with the sugar. Ok, no more sugar... EVER! Or at least for the rest of the day. Or maybe just until I walk into the kitchen again. Yeah, that sounds doable.

What did you do during the blizzard?

Have a Holly, Johnson Christmas

Riddle me this...

Let it snow

Let It Snow