To those of you who didn't receive a Christmas Card...

This was the picture that was included on our Christmas card this year. It just makes me smile so in case we missed you somehow - here it is!

Of course there is a story as to why you may not have received a card. I did procrastinate and waited somewhat until the last minute. However, the reason, besides being extraordinarily busy, was that I had seen on the instant machines in the stores that you could get cards in an hour. Naturally, you give a person an inch, and they take a mile!

So, I thought it wouldn't be a problem when I sauntered up to the machine, all confident and happy that I could get my cards right away...

and there was a sign. An orange sign. Handwritten. This couldn't be good...

They were OUT of Christmas card paper! WHAAATTTT???

Good grief. Okay, I thought, I can handle this...I'll use the one hour machine instead of the 1 day machine.

Well, the one hour machine didn't offer Christmas cards. But it did offer prints.
$30 later, I had a few prints to share with the relatives. I do mean a FEW.

I turned to the counter to try to see if I could get a rush on the "send out" option, which was also inexpensive.

Well, "due to the snowstorm in Albany, NY, our Christmas Card service has been suspended for the holidays".

Wow.

I went to the next store, flash drive in hand.

The machine wouldn't take my flash drive.

I went home, made a CD, went back to the same store, found a design I loved, got it created...and they were ready in an hour (in which I managed to spend $85 while wandering through the store!).

I took everything home and collapsed. The next day, I was ready (more than) to get these cards sent out! As I recall, it was the 20th of December...

I opened the box and could not believe what was in it.

It was our picture, for sure. But it was TINY. So tiny, and I couldn't figure out why...then I realized somehow I had gotten GIFT TAGS with our photo on them instead of CARDS!! I called the store and the same lady answered the phone that had developed them and said "I thought it was weird but I figured you knew what you were doing..." Oh my.

By the time I went back, tried to return the gift tags that I would never use, found a new design...wow, it was December 21st, and there was no mail pickup on Sunday.

Long story short - those of you who received a card from us...congratulations. You must feel now like you won the lottery!