post christmas drizzle

when this family asked me to come on boxing day morning, i thought "wow.  sacrificing all those great post-christmas deals to honor mom's request for a family picture and come together in love and unity".  can i get a collective "awwwww"?  turns out it was the only time over the whole christmas break where they could all fit an hour in between work, birthday parties and other family gatherings.  but what an hour they picked!  what was supposed to be a soggy sunday morning turned out to be a very overcast sunday morning and we were gifted with about a half an hour of clear before it started to pour!  which gave us just enough time to get these:

check out these eyes!

these two cuties have been married for ten years and still have quite the spark...the rest of the family suggested they get a room.  clearly they already have :)

thanks for braving the elements with me, ritchies!

the best gift

now, normally i would never do a shoot on christmas day.  but a girl only has one first birthday.  and just how do you propose i say no to this face?

and just as i imagine jesus (exhausted by all the hubbub surrounding his first birthday), tummy full after a feast of fish, flatbread and hummus, hobbling over to his parents' bed (i'm assuming they had moved out of the stable by now), climbing up and chewing on a wooden soldier joseph had carved for him out of olive wood, so this little lady found winnie the pooh and snuggled in, ready to fall asleep at any moment...and her party hadn't even started yet.

  

at this time of year, everyone is posting a picture of their kids with santa.  especially the babies.  we too got swept up in this phenomenon as new parents.  and once you do it the first time and it goes well, you kind of think, "well hey.  this can be our christmas tradition!"  and for me, once i pick a tradition, i do my darndest to stick with it.  because if i don't, it becomes something like the advent calendar i intended on making with the kids this year.  it was december 1st and then 2nd...and then 5th and i was still swearing it was going to happen...and here it is december 24th.  advent calendar is safely tucked away in its original box.

i thought it might be fun to let you in on the evolution of our santa pictures because...well, just because.

the first year:  josiah, 8 months old.  you may think he looks angry, but don't worry he's not.  that's just his relaxed face.  and yes, he is busting out of his clothes because he was ginormous.  this was probably my favorite santa.  he looks the part, was pretty jolly and he actually leaned in - the rest of em just sat stiff as a board.

year two:  not as relaxed.  i don't remember the exact circumstances, i just remember yelling "take the picture" at the elf.  because i was still slightly self-conscious about my parenting and didn't want anyone looking down on me for forcing the screaming kid onto santa's lap.  in contrast, this santa looks happy, but i'm pretty sure he's not.  i'm pretty sure he's part of a biker gang.  check out the boots and the tinted glasses.  i think my claim has merit. (side note: once again, jojo is busting out of his clothes).

year three:  throw 6 month old allie into the picture. this is my favorite one and probably always will be.  there's just so much going on.  different santa and this year there's the added element of mrs. claus.  josiah was hesitant again (hello?! biker santa, anyone?) and she was certain she'd be able to calm him down enough to sit on her lap.  was she ever wrong.  he got even more hysterical.  i'm not sure what the elf was thinking when she took his picture (maybe she was under pressure with me screaming in her ear "just take the picture"), but mrs. claus was clearly not ready.  when she saw this one printed, she actually signed the back and told us we could come and get a re-take anytime.  and please not to ever show anyone this picture.  sorry...i had my fingers crossed.  we never went back for a retake...we're just that sick.

year four: we approached the fron of the line.  things were going well.  kids were enamored with the christmas display and the grinch playing on a nearby tv.  and then we turned toward his throne.  and it started happening again.  but this time it was two of them!  because allie had learned to copy everything her brother did and if he sensed fear, she screamed.  and so, realizing we were getting to the age where they actually start remembering traumatic experiences in their lives, we gave up.  simon alone would just have to do.  and now, being the excellent parents we are, we can look back on this year and remind them of how they wrecked christmas.  i am totally kidding, er, mostly kidding.

which brings us to this year.  kids are 4, 2 and 1.  i was expecting at least one, if not all, to be freaked. again with the christmas display and the grinch and again with the whining and clinging, but i was determined this year people.  it's tradition now.  and you don't mess with sharalee's tradition!  it was time to improvise.  and so, our latest and greatest family picture is revealed.  i don't know if you notice this year's santa leaning a bit as well, but i don't think it was intentional.  he was looking pretty out of it when we approached and cliff said "how's it going today, santa?"  "well", santa says, "the air in the mall really seems to be getting to me today".  um...

merry christmas everyone...i'm going to take time tomorrow to rest, watch a christmas movie, open stockings and soak in my delighted children, listening to allie's gasp of wonder at all the lights ("they're ewywhere"), watching josiah's maturity and silliness collide (standing in his boxer briefs making muscles in the bathroom mirror) and coaxing little simon to walk (he took his first steps tonight...aaaaah!!!).  i'm also going to dwell in my redeemer's love, knowing that he came to live and die...all to save me.  and you.  i am blessed.

cincinnati

some of you are still wondering...why ohio?  in december? well, here's why.

over the rhine is unique in that they've been around for 20+ years and aren't hugely famous, but they do have a fiercely loyal fan base.  once a fan, always a fan.  i first heard them in my freshman year of high school when we lived in wheaton, illinois and never turned back.  that was 17 years ago (ouch.  just seriously aged myself).  

case in point: when they were looking to put out a record and hoping to release it independently, they went to their fans asking for help.  and people responded like crazy.  and they weren't only asking for cash up front, they were offering gifts in return.  ours happened to be tickets to their three shows in cincinnati.

friday morning:  arrive.  wasted.  we had left vancouver 18 hours earlier.  hit the shower and go for a walk to find me a winter coat.  pathetic attempt at a self portrait.

friday night.  exclusive show for donors (that's us!).  small theatre playing new, unreleased album (the long surrender), start to finish.  so good.  this was my favorite show musically because i hadn't heard the album yet and everything was so new and fresh and beautiful.  moving.  to say the least.  

saturday day. trip across the border into kentucky to see newport and mainstrasse village in covington. check out my facebook album to see the amazing mural we found!

laughed our way through an amazing lunch at fatty patty's reading all their far side comics.

saturday night.  15th(?) annual homecoming show.  taft theatre.  hundreds of people.  more of their new album (this video is from that night...we were in the fifth row) and a few christmas songs.  there was a buzz in the air.  and we made some new friends!

sunday morning: headed into the district of "over-the-rhine" from whence the band name came. cool buildings and a sweet consignment store.

sunday afternoon: "soiree". the closing of over the rhine's year. belgian waffles (like nothing i've ever tasted before), freshly made vanilla lattes, wine, cheese, pitas and hummus, old cathedral, relaxed atmosphere, more oldies, chatting, dancing...so warm and unique.

did i mention we spent a lot of time in airports? four airports on the way there and three on the way back - including a missed flight, a canceled flight and lost baggage. and so i implore you...never fly delta airlines!!

in spite of all this, it was such a lovely weekend. the "once in a lifetime" kind of lovely. one i won't soon forget. got three dates out with my husband, had three reasons to dress up nice, read a great book from cover to cover, slept through an entire night for the first time in over a year...merry christmas to me! and to you. but don't worry, i'm not signing off for this year quite yet. i've still got a coupe doozey family pictures waiting for you faithful readers!

how we love thee, self timer

day 28.  eastern oregon.  family parkour session at a roadside rest stop.  ever seen "the office" parkour episode?  watch it now.

my husband

is the best husband.  for me, at least.

for my birthday, which was in may, he surprised me with tickets to see my favorite band.  like, "i've been listening to them ever since i was 14" favorite.  and not just anywhere, but in their hometown of cincinnati, ohio.  and not just one concert, but three.  including an exclusive "soiree" on sunday with an acoustic set and a chance to mingle with the musicians.

can i get a what what?

so this weekend, me and my main squeeze are dashing away on a romantic pre-christmas trip, full of snow, sleep and music.  so much good(maybe the best) music.  did i mention our trip will also be filled with airports?  we booked it on points, so i think it's going to take us as long to get to ohio as it would to get to india.  but who cares?  all the more time to read, sleep, wander, people watch...because did i mention we're not bringing the kids?  mmhmm.

need another reason my husband is the best?

he's super talented.  and yes, i'm about to shamelessly promote him.  what good is a blog if you can't put in a plug for family now and then?!  he just started his own business called cliff house productions.  he's a performer, speaker, comedian, personal chef (if you like mac & cheese or peanut butter sandwiches), juggler (of a maximum of three balls)...jack of all trades.  hire him for your staff party, church banquet, school assembly, wedding reception...he pretty much does it all.  he also makes a fairly convincing santa.  i'm not kidding.  e-mail him...or me.  and i'll pass it on.  because we live together.  because he's my husband.

he's producing his own variety show on april fools day in abbotsford, so stay tuned for more details...he might even spare a few tickets for me to give away!

p.s.  here's another of our road trip family pictures for your viewing pleasure.  lake superior.  it would have been almost perfect, were it not for that amazing husband i've been raving about.  best. face. ever.

young love

so, i'm not really into baby talk.  you know, when people make their voices all high and start using non-words and strange sounds to communicate to young children?  but every once in awhile, i catch myself.  like today, when i couldn't help from saying, "awww.  you guys are so cute" (in a super patronizing strangely high pitched voice).  but it was completely genuine because as you can see...

...there guys are SOOOO cute.  and young.  i had to shake my head a couple times and remind myself that cliff and i were engaged when i was 19 too.  so insane.  and so long ago.

thanks for traipsing around in a stranger's field with me and special thanks to the stranger for "letting" us traipse said field.  can't wait for the wedding!