During the December Photo Project, the camera goes everywhere with me. Here the camera accompanied me and The Babe to the grocery store. It’s a glamorous life we lead.

Ten steps back? Who said that? Surely I didn’t!

I might have a December Photo Project: Part Two project that will actually take place in January because I honestly have an alternate image for each day that fits the “10 steps back” profile. But those shots were edged out ever so slightly by the ones you see here. Oh well. Moving on.

The fabulous, talented and servant-hearted Jen Hinrichs drove into my driveway today and I instantly knew why she was here. Earlier in the day I suggested that she stop by people’s houses and make them sit for her own DPP desires. Well, guess what happens when two photographers hang out? They sit for each other. And then they might edge out all earlier shots for the day and become that day’s featured photo. Because really, I couldn’t pass up this shot. I heart Jen!

Renae and I were discussing the idea of a challenge-within-a-challenge for the 2014 December Photo Project. Some years we like to add a personal touch to the DPP by shooting only people, or by working on street photography, etc. I jokingly told Renae I should probably try to always shoot “10 steps back.” I love to fill up my frame, so maybe I should go for the bigger picture this year and capture more landscapes. Hah! Clearly that didn’t happen. Though to be fair, taking and posting pictures daily will be challenging enough to me this year as I will have an 8 month old sidekick at my ankles throughout the day. What challenge will Renae accept? She has five hours, 10 minutes left to show us. No pressure, Nae. ;)

Happy December 1st, everyone! Me, the Artist, the Web Developer and the Baby are feeling the good cheer tonight and we hope you all are well, too.

The half-eaten apple pie rests next to the containers full of sweet potatoes and green bean casserole on the top shelf in my fridge. I’ve eaten pie for breakfast and turkey sandwiches for dinner. We’ve taken to watching all the Pixar films in order for family entertainment, and the dusty totes marked “Christmas decor” are stacked in my living room, awaiting a moment of good cheer in which they’ll be opened and used.

Today is the last day of November.

Tomorrow the December Photo Project begins.

I began the DPP nine years ago as a challenge to myself: take one photo daily for the first 25 days of December and post it to my blog. I invited friends to join me if they wanted to do it, and voila, the DPP began. It’s simple. It’s fun. It’s challenging. More challenging than you’d think actually. Inevitably one gets excited at the outset of the month, but interest wanes as the days go by. I’m a girl who welcomes a challenge though, and so you’ll always see me pressing hard to get through the 25 days of the project.

A lot has changed in nine years. Now there are 365 day challenges and I’ve witnessed a few friends take and post a photo every day of the year. My hat is off to them! Nine years ago blogging got pretty popular and now it’s not the big thing any longer (though a few of us are too stubborn to give up, right?). We’ve got Instagram and Facebook and, for some, that’s more than enough presence online. And then we have cameras. Let’s talk cameras! The smart phone has changed so much regarding the friendliness and accessibility of photography. Most everyone has a camera on their phone (what is this, the FUTURE?!!) and can easily preserve an image to enjoy later. There are, of course, pluses and minuses to all this technology, but in terms of the DPP, let’s just say that anyone can play along. And I’m a fan of that. The December Photo Project has always been about people capturing the month of December in a way that appeals to them.

So whether you’re shooting with an iPhone or a Nikon, join us.
Whether you’re posting on Instagram or your own blog, join us.
Commit to 25 days of memory-making this December, and remember to have fun.

Let the games begin!

**Final note: My husband Jeremy first made our DPP badges and then I began asking friends qualified in design to create something for us. This year the fantastic and creative team at Eleanor Creative made our badges and banners and they knocked it out of the park, didn’t they? Thanks so much, Eleanor Creative! You did an amazing job.

Today we wake up with a child eager to open the presents under the tree. We watch her and claim her excitement as our own. We help tear the gifts from their boxes, cut tags, unwind cords to she can play with the things we’ve given her. We wear silly hats, rush out to the last dregs of snow in the yard to make snowballs with the new snowball maker. We take pictures and smile and then lay on the couch for a Christmas nap. We look forward to ham and potatoes, green beans and another celebration yet to come.

Jesus’s birthday. God incarnate, God come to earth as a tiny baby boy, prepared for an eventual death to free mankind from their sins. This is the reason why our family celebrates of a day of gifts and good food. Jesus! Behind the physical manifestations of a party is this supernatural reason for the party—eternal life with our God, made possible by the perfect life and sacrificial death in our place. Today we celebrate with joy the birth of our Savior knowing full well that we’ll celebrate with grief in a few month’s time his death on our behalf. It’s all more than a little mind-boggling. And it requires faith to see what we cannot see and to listen to God’s whisperings in our hearts.

Praise be to God for the gift of Jesus today. We are grateful. We long for the day we see him again face to face and faith becomes sight.

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Revelation 21:1-5

Silent night, holy night,
all is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin
mother and child.
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,
wondrous star, lend thy light;
with the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

I like this shot so much that I don’t mind at all that it’s blurry.

Day 22 of the December Photo Project. Time is flying by! Three more shots and we’re done, folks. Wow.

My pretty and industrious hard-working Wrapper was back for the third year in a row today! This girl can wrap like no one’s business and I am so grateful for her cheerful service to our household. We keep things fun by watching Elf (also for the third year in a row) while we wrap and tie. Thanks, Rebecca! I’m so glad for your help.

Today involved shopping. Which then required something to keep up my stamina. You know how that goes.

I jumped in the car and backed out of the garage this morning, pausing for a few minutes to let the engine warm up and put on some makeup before meeting a friend for coffee. And then it dawned on me, no camera. I almost pulled an I-totally-don’t-care but then the weight of my public DPP announcement made me run back in the house and grab my equipment.

I’m glad I did.

If you don’t have the tools, you can’t create. Whether it’s a notepad and pen for recording ideas or the phrase/sentence/paragraph that keeps churning in your mind, or a camera for capturing that hilarious thing your kid is doing or the beautiful sunset, you’ve got to show up prepared. Doors won’t open if you aren’t even trying.

So I brought my camera. Now I have a small file of images from a coffee shop AND my sister-in-law’s floral shop to play with. Thanks, Chelsea, for letting me snap your picture and walk through your amazing flowers. Me and my camera are happy campers indeed.