Watson 2010 Christmas Card!!

Family Wall Noir Christmas 5x7 folded card

Get custom photo Christmas cards online at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Super Duper Disney Vacation!!!!

There are few things in this world that evoke as much unbridled, child like excitement in Chris and me as.... DISNEY WORLD!!! Yes... the huge, corporate, commercialized, cheesy, tourist filled resort is where we want to be on any given day. While we might live our lives to a punk rock soundtrack, tattooed and angry about the government... while we try to train our palates with delicious and exotic fusion cuisine... while we read non fiction, study religious philosophy and brag about our 400 plus scrabble scores (what? that basically means I am a genius), in Disney world we become grounded... Well, actually we become fanatical. What has brought all of these mouse-eared memories to the surface???? I am so stoked that my littlest sister, Marlee Mac, is turning seven years old and her parents are blessing her with the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!! A trip to Disney World! Now, these feelings of happiness were preceded by immense jealousy. At first, I demanded mother take me to Disney, arguing that I NEVER had a birthday present like this. I even offered to leave my kids and husband behind so I could flee to the land of seven dollar frozen lemonades and fast passes. But, alas, I came to my senses and decided if I wasn't actually going to Disney, I was going to plan their entire vacation for them. After all, the planning is the best part... How could they have thought spontaneity was the key to fun in the Magic Kingdom??? Amateurs. I quickly donned my imaginary mouse ears (the headband kind because the hats add twenty lbs to my cheeks) and became a Nazi mouseketeer. Now, I have only been to Disney three times, but my OCD with listmaking and organizing totally takes over. So, I sat my mother down, still in her pjs, and accessed my favorite Disney travel sites. She decided on a package with the Disney Dining plus plan (of course) and we began to plan!!! Two summers ago, Chris, Poppy and I went to Disney with my best friend, Erin... it was nothing short of awesome. Whether or not Chris knew it at the time, it was a test for him. He had never been to Disney and I had never been to any type of amusement park with him. If he grumbled about crowds, complained about prices, sighed in long lines, or any way hindered my Disney-induced euphoria... it would be over. But he was the perfect "Vacation Dad". He bought the cheap souvenirs, waited in line for character autographs, donned a different set of mouse ears every day, and even carried a sweaty one year old on his shoulders for parades, in the middle of July. The highlight of the trip was my ride of Primeval whirl with Erin... a woman who thinks trolleys are scary if they go above 25 mph. I can't wait to go back with the family and Erin's new husband, Jonathan! I know he is going to be an awesome Disney vacationer, as well!!! Not too mention our newest family members, Clementine and the girls' adopted Uncle Eli, who happens to be a Disney insider... he doesn't know thats the reason we love him and feed him. So, I sat down with mother and we reviewed all the restaurants and shows. I so badly want to visit Disney during Christmas! I would love to see the lights on Main street. Marlee is going to find out Thursday. We ordered a Mickey and Minnie cake and I am making a countdown poster. Her cake reads "You're Going to Disney World, Marlee Mac"! Is it sad that I, a college instructed artist and well read lover of classic lit and art, would gladly choose a vacation to Disney over a trip to the Louvre??? Maybe I shouldn't admit that, but I DON'T CARE!!! We can go to Europe after the girls have left our nest. Of course, there is Euro Disney, as well.....

DIY Christmas Decoration

A few years ago, I began painting wooden cabinets, shutters, and boards. The artwork was beautiful, durable, and didn't need a frame! This past Halloween I decided to paint a sign for our yard that said "Happy Halloween from the Watsons". It looked great, so I knew I would do the same for Christmas. This craft is super fun and versatile. All you need is acrylic paint, a wooden board, and modge podge or sealant. You can do a tree, snowman, Santa... anything you like! For those of you that don't 'possess artistic talent", you can turn this into a family project. Simply paint the board and let it dry. You may want to stick with Christmas colors. Next, using stencils or free hand, paint a message, such as "Merry Christmas from the Watsons". Lastly, get each member of the family to do a handprint in different holiday colors. They can write their names, underneath their handprints, in a fat Sharpie pen. If you wanted to get super festive, you could attach faux garland around the edges and add a bow. I love my Holiday signs! They look great in the yard and are very easy to store! Let me know if you paint one! I would love to see a picture! Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, Baby!

So... to say I am excited about the holidays is a bit of an understatement...

For me, the holiday season begins the day after Thanksgiving... or as soon as there is a chill to the air. We may lack snow here in Bama, but I still strive to create a Winter Wonderland at the Watson home. I pack the month with holiday activities and string lights anywhere they can be strung. And ornament making is a must.... Chris has learned he must participate in Christmas crafts with enthusiasm and cheer. I have three classes at the Eastern Shore Art Center this season: two ornament classes and one Gingerbread house class. .. although they are for children, I see no reason why Chris shouldn't want to attend all three ;)

We stay in Fairhope for the Christmas holidays and try to focus on spending time with eachother. Of course, all this holiday cheer may actually mask the stressed monster underneath! When an ornament breaks, when the gingerbread cracks, when the lights burn out, or the toys sell out I can go from Mrs. Claus to the Grinch in an instant. I can imagine the sound of glass shattering as my smile falters and my eyelids begin to twitch. This year, I hope to keep the stressed out, tearful holiday mom out of the equation and enjoy our last Christmas in Fairhope.

And then there are the Christmas songs....
In my teens and early twenties, I can remember DETESTING Christmas songs. Whether it was because I was burnt out by December 15th or that I simply would rather my own music, I was known for turning down the volume or turning off anything that blared carols. Now, I use Christmas songs to brainwash the family into having Christmas fever, right along with me. Our musical tastes keep us away from twangy Country Christmas or top forty renditions from Mariah Carey or Carrie Underwood. So I thought I would share our family's Holiday faves!!!

• Do They Know Its Christmas? -Band Aid
• Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC
• Oi to the World - The Vandals
• Merry Christmas ( I Don't Want to Fight Tonight) - The Ramones
• So This Is Christmas ? - John Lennon
• Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - U2
• Winter Wonderland - The Eurythmics
  

Sit Still, Smile, Look at the Camera, Open your eyes.... Time for the Shutterfly Christmas Cards!

There are trees to be trimmed, stockings to be stuffed, presents to be wrapped, and lights to be strung.... but don't forget your Christmas cards!!!!!

Moms and Dads can relate to the fun, creativity, and exhaustion that goes into creating the "Family Christmas Card". How can we say "Merry Christmas, from the Watsons" this year? If you are my husband, you think you can do it by signing your name on a flimsy set of tiny notecards with snowmen on them... WRONG! There has to be smiles, there has to be love, there has to be unity, there has to be posing...

Once you get that perfect pic, it is time to choose the card. I love using Shutterfly for my Christmas cards. I have used them for baby announcements, photo collages, photo books, large prints, and, of course, holiday cards. They have a step by step process that makes creating beautiful cards easy and fun! I almost always pick a layout that has more than one photo on it, so I am not limited to one boring pose. Plus, using Shutterfly allows me to organize and store photos. The cards I have ordered have lasted through the years. They are affordable and deliver on time. I wouldn't use any other site for my photos and photo cards.

Shutterfly can also be used to create wonderful and unique gifts. The first Christmas my husband and I spent with our new daughter, Poppy, I made a wonderful book with pictures from the hospital. I have since made books for Father's Day and his birthday. He now has a little library of Poppy and him. These books are less bulky than photo albums and withstand the test of time. You can also add text and design each page!

Right now, Shutterfly is having a sale on cards and they almost always have a promotion for signing up with them... and it is free!!!

Moms cannot live with Shutterfly!

www.shutterfly.com

Here are some links for some neat projects!

For Calendars: http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars

For Holiday cards: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

For Photo mugs: http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts/photo-mugs