My daughter is now at the age that she actually anticipates seeing the holiday cards that flood our mailbox this time of year. She looks for pictures of her friends, cousins, and Santa Claus, but clearly has no idea what goes into producing these cards. We parents certainly do, and it’s not always an easy process, like it used to be B.C.; before children.
The expectant parents smiling for the self timer in December 2006
It seemed easier for my parents. I apparently willingly posed for this picture when i was 4.
Kara also appeared pretty agreeable at the same age.
Last year’s Christmas card shoot was frustrating, as I pointed out in my blog, posted below. My son was 15 months old then, and had no interest in sitting still for a picture. We had some unexpected occurences that delayed things, and before we knew it, mid-December was upon us. Kara and I decided 2011 would be different, and we would take a nice family picture at the end of the summer.
Kara’s stepmother is a professional photographer in Rhode Island (Soozie Sundlun of www.egphoto.com) and has taken some spectacular shots of our children over the course of their lives. As you know, Kara’s dad died this summer, so plans for a family portrait on the beach were put on the back burner.
Getting to Rhody this fall for a shoot was difficult, with work commitments, weddings that Soozie was photographing, events, etc, and our efforts to have someone less qualified than Soozie to snap a family pic were futile. One child was looking the other way, or it was blurry, or heads were cut off. Suddenly it was December again.
A visit to Santa proved amusing, but I’m not sure this picture would have been a good Christmas card.
Finally, help came in the form of the official Channel 3 photographer, Brian Ambrose of Glastonbury, (www.brianambrosephoto.com) who snapped the picture of me at the top of this blog and all of the publicity images of the Channel 3 team. Just a few weeks ago, Brian shot some amazing shots of Kara, the kids and me, and got us the cards last week, just in time.
Now, time to start thinking about 2012…
The talented Brian Ambrose trying to take a picture of the kids. Sometimes photographing animals at the zoo is easier.
last year: http://dennishouse.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/the-frustrations-of-the-family-christmas-card/
Categories: Family, Uncategorized
Dennis House blog 
where is the pic you actually used?
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Kara will likely show the picture in January on Better Connecticut. I’ll keep you posted
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Nice read. Will you put a 2011 Christmas card up online? Merry Christmas to you, Kara and rest of family!
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Great story, but where’s the picture for 2011???
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Enjoyed Reading this, And as a Mom of two myself, It is Frustrating to get both children to cooperate for the picture. Nice pictures, your children are adorable
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THIS TIME OF YEAR IS MY FAVORITE, IVE ALWAYS LOVED CHRISTMS, MY SON HAS BEEN PASSED FOR SOME YRS NOW BUT IT FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY HE WAS TAKING SO YOUNG FROM CANCER, HE GOT SICK AT 13, & DIED AT 17. MY HEART STILL ACHES EACH & EVERY DAY, I NEVER REALLY GOT THE CHANCE TO GRIEF & I NOW THAT IAM BETTER, FROM A LONG & HARD ADDICTION, I FEEL IT MORE & MORE… HOW I MISS HIM SO & COULD TELL HIM HOW SORRY IAM & HOW MUCH I LOVE & MISS HIM, DEAR GOD IF YOU CAN HEAR THIS ONLY WISH & PRAY LET HIM KNOW HOW SORRY IAM & HOW VERY MUCH I LOVE & MISS HIM THANK SINCERLY LISA RACINE!!!!!!!!!! STILL BROKEN HEARTED!
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Great pics. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you, Kara and the kids. I love hearing about what’s going on in their lives on “Better”
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Dennis….Wishing you, Kara and the family a very Blessed Christmas…you have such a beautiful family…every picture you or someone takes of the children will always be treasured. I just found a picture of me at the age of 8 sitting on Santa’s lap in Brown Thompson’s…you know that I will always treasure that….Enjoy Christmas morning with the children!
Marie L. Dixon, Windsor
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Very. nice family. Any pets?
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Brian is a fantastic photog! Always enjoy working with him. Happy holidays to the House-Sundlun house!
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We do have one cat
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bLURRY OR NOT always ENJOY HEARING ABOUT A HAPPY FAMILY PORTRAIT…..You are creating memories for your children to cherish forever!!!!! Nothing tops that!!!!!!
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