I have a new motto for 2015:
Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
I remember it, loosely, (because I may have the wording wrong), from Gretchen Rubin's book The Happiness Project. This doesn't mean we stop trying to do our best. Rather, it means we don't let our fears of being imperfect keep us from doing many, good things. Rubin wrote about setting a goal to acknowledge the birthdays of every friend and family member by sending an email. A friend scoffed at her idea, saying a simple email wasn't personal or meaningful enough -- her gesture needed to be grander. Rubin could have been swayed, but she realized she didn't need to meet someone else's expectations. I could spend time going to the library, scouring for the exact text. That would be a perfect recitation. Yet my remembrance is good enough.
I get hung up with this little blog. I don't write enough as I could because I get crippled thinking what I post needs to be amazing. So I don't start. I crave validation so much that I forget the most important reason to write is to have a record for my family. I made a blog book for my parents, and I'm grateful that their appreciation re-energized me to keep sharing through pictures and words.
Really, when I sat down at the computer today I intended to just dump some of our Christmas photos for family to click and save. I had no write-up in mind, for I hadn't thought of anything to say. But I have a strange mind. I'm always searching for deeper meaning. As I perused the photos of our absolutely delightful day sledding, I remembered how wet Kyle's socks got because he had holes in his shoes. Boots would have been perfect, but he didn't bring those. His joining everyone anyway was even better.
So here are our Christmas photos with a side of whipped theme. I can't help myself.
1. Christmas morning in the hallway.
2. Elise's reaction to getting a phone. I probably had a similar expression of surprise! Dad is a softie.
3. My dad plays a game of Sudoku.
4. All five with rapt attention on Grandma, picture 5.
6. Elise
7. James
8, 9. This little tree shows the power of being planted deep. Somehow Kyle managed to hit it. The second time he did so, the collision flipped Kyle into the air. We laughed so hard. I saw his acrobatics but didn't capture them on camera. Darn!
10. Cousin Greenliee
11. Kyle
12. Cousin Zooey with her dad, Uncle Jeffy.
13. Samuel
14. Grandpa with snowball in hand. His shirt is the flagpole scene from A Christmas Story. "I triple dog-dare you." He threw the ball, then made a hasty retreat inside.
15. Cousin Ruby with Uncle Matt. Look, there's Grandpa in the window.
16. Greenliee
17. Elise's expression!
18. Samuel
19. Elise and Zooey
20. Emma
21. Matt and Ruby. She was done after that!
22. Oops. Emma and Elise slid off the sled.
23, 24. Remember the little tree? Kyle got walloped.
25. Aunt Madison and Zooey.
26, 27. Uncle Jeff readies a retaliation snowball.
28, 29. Emma
30-32. Hey, Kyle, the lighting in this candid shot is pretty cool. Hey, why don't you pose for a portrait? Never mind.
33-36. Elise
37, 38. James
39. Uncle Jeff
40-42. Emma
43. Abandoned layers at the back door.
44. Woo-hoo! For pet Auggie, of course.
45. Ruby. I feel bad I didn't get any pictures of Aunt Brooklynn. She's the most photogenic of us all!
46. Auggie loves Grandpa!
47. Zooey, Greenliee and Ruby in their matching pink Frozen jammies.
OK, just to force me to live by my new motto, Blogger insists on rotating these pictures, no matter what I try. It's not perfect! Instead of abandoning them altogether, I present these shots for the cute little girls they depict. Maybe you'll have better luck, Madison!
48. Greenliee
49. Zooey -- looking an awful lot like her big sister.
Happy 2015!
