I love Christmas cards.  In fact I love them so much that I have kept every single one that we have received in our ten years of marriage in a “christmas card book”, or at least that's what I call it!  I guess I should clarify here.  I don't keep the regular cards, that just say “Peace, Hope & Joy”, although those are fabulous, but the ones I keep and cherish are the ones with pictures.  I love to look back over the ten years and see how people have changed.

Speaking of change …..

Yes that my friend is my cute little family in 2003.  We had been married for 2.5 years and had one dog, Max, and in my belly is our first son who was born the January after this Christmas.  I'm explaining why I look swollen.  I was pregnant.  Aaron was not swollen, he just used to weight a few more lb's than he does now.  I love when people see pictures of Aaron when he was heavier, because they just can't believe it.  My husband is so skinny now because he eats very healthy and runs at least 4 times a week.  He really takes care of himself now.

I still remember taking that picture in the backyard at my in-laws house.  Now the Christmas of 2011 is upon us and we our on our 2nd dog since Max and have four kids.  Wow, where does the time go?  Isn't it fun to look back at old Christmas cards and see how we used to be, or see how many less kids we had, or see how families have changed.

My Christmas cards for the past two years have been huge failures and I have only one excuse.  I was quite near to losing my mind both years.  Christmas of 2009 I had just gone from 2 kids to 3 kids 2 months previous and let me tell you friends, going from 2 kids to 3 and one of them being a 23 month old.  Whoa.  Nearly put me over the edge.  We had some cute pictures made that I never got made into cards, nor did I print any of them.  Because one month later Amos came home and it just feel weird to print pictures without him in them.

*Photo by Hello friends & family of my mom!!! This October my mom will be celebrating her 60th birthday & we want to show her how much she is loved!!!! Although her birthday is the 23rd, we are going to be celebrating early on the weekend of the 8th. I would love to shower her with love & encouragement not only from us, but from all of you as well!! Here's how I need your help. Would you please email or mail me a letter to my mom. You can relive a fun memory, you can encourage her, you can tell her how much you love her, or whatever you want! It's your letter to her so it's up to you what you write!!! I will print these out on cute scrapbook paper & we will present this to her at her birthday dinner! She will be blown away & blessed indeed. This is a SURPRISE so don't say a word to her!!! Will you please #1 write me a letter & get it to me no later than October 1st. I know thats short notice, but I know you can do it!!! #2 would you please share this message with anyone you know that is her friend. I really need help here. Without her knowing I will have a very hard time getting this message out, so feel free to share this message. Remember this is a surprise!!!! Okay, so go get to writing!!! Jamie@aaronivey.com Jamie Ivey 7305 Bethune Ave Austin, TX 78752 Also feel free to email/mail a picture if you might have one! Thanks a bunch!! 🙂 Jamie Sent from my iPad” target=”_blank”>Steven Bush

Look at that cute family.  It seems so weird now to see a picture w/out Amos.  Story was home for 3 months before Amos joined us.

So … I was going to do Christmas cards with that picture, then Christmas came an went, but no worries I would just do New Year's cards, then New Year's Came and went.  Then on January 11 everything changed, because our son was in Haiti when the huge earthquake devastated that country.  12 days later he made it home.  That is my excuse for 2009.

2009 = Christmas card fail.

Fast forward to Christmas 2010  ….. We had some pictures done a few months after Amos came home that were fabulous.  I had some “birth announcement” type cards made up with our family and the dates of when Story and Amos joined us and guess what?  I never sent them out.  That's right, they sat on my desk, most of them addressed and they never went out.  So, I had the bright idea of mailing all those out for Christmas cards, and that I did.  Well most of them.  I actually have a stack right here on my desk for the Honeggar's, Stanley's, Goen's, Albertson's, French's, Navarro's, and another stack in my car as well.

2010 = christmas card fail.

Here we are in the last week of September and I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for Christmas card pictures this year.  They are important to me.  I love them.  I cherish the ones I get from friends.  If you have any grand ideas of what the Ivey's can do, let me know!!!

Oh and while I'm listing off all my Christmas card failures, let's add this one to the list as well.  Aaron's brother, Tim, who is an amazing photographer took these pictures of the band family for a card from the band.  Guess what?  They never went out.  They were printed.  Addressed.  Never went out.  2010 was a hard year for me!

*Photo by Tim Ivey

Feels weird to see this, because there are 2 kids missing and 2 kids on the way!