Capture the Magic {Mama's Cinnamon Rolls}

I have been missing my Mom a great deal this holiday season- she is such a huge part of the magic of Christmas for me. I didn't realize it until I was grown, but she was the magic. Moms are pretty amazing.

As I was making dinner rolls from scratch on Thanksgiving Day, I was wishing I had my mom by my side for many reasons, but specifically because I'd never made dinner rolls without her. I thought I knew what I was doing (things seem easy when you are just helping), but I couldn't remember how many times she divided the dough, thick she rolled the rolls, etc. I immediately called my Dad and charged him and my sister Erin with the task of documenting how she makes dinner rolls. For posterity, you know.

I then recalled that I took some portraits of her as she made her famous sweet rolls one weekend in April while we were in their home. I am so grateful to have these for the next time I make try to make sweet rolls (never made those on my own either). Notice how I don't have any pictures of the finished product? Yea. I was too busy eating. They are seriously amazing.

How amazing would it be to have a family favorites recipe book compiled with famous family recipes with accompanying photos like this one? I guess I could start... sweet rolls with my mom, and tarts with my Grandma... I'm well on my way! I just need to add Grandma's fudge, my mom's peanut brittle, my mom's caramels, my Dad's homemade bread, my sister's baking powder biscuits, my sister's orange julius, my brother's German pancakes... the list goes on and on.

Try it this holiday season...









and my Dad proudly displaying Mama's handiwork:

Capture the Magic: Photography Assignment

Wow, this has been a crazy Christmas Holiday! Busy, busy, and packed full of holiday goodness I'm excited to share. You can expect a post or two every day from now until Christmas, so come back often.

For those of you interested in participating in the photography portion of the Capture the Magic project, here's the photography assignment:

Basically this is a "my Christmas in review." If you or someone else wanted to see what your Christmas of 2010 looked like, they would be able to see not just the big events, but the details too. I am hoping to provide a window into Jones' first Christmas and our first Christmas in NYC as a family with the pictures I take... so that if any of my family members wonder what it was like, they won't have to wonder... they will be able to see it. I feel taking pictures is a gift I'm giving to my children and grandchildren 20-50 years in advance.

Certainly they don't appreciate it now, but they will. Right? I wish I'd taken pictures of my dorm room decorated my freshman year, the windows around campus, my favorite trees... the first Christmas I was married, etc. Pretty much all the stuff you think to yourself "Oh, I'll remember that. No need to take a picture." Seems like those are the things you'll want to remember most in years to come. And in my short life I'm realizing that I never remember what I think I will. So do yourself a favor and take a half hour and check most of these off your list.

Do this in your own home, but if you are traveling for Christmas, be sure to document the festive surroundings wherever you may be.

• Christmas tree
• the street you live on
• the outside of your home or apartment building
• a few festive shots of your neighborhood
• decorations at work/school (if applicable)
• decorations at the grocery store where you shop
• your front door
• document making one of your favorite holiday sweets from start to finish
• nativity or other favorite holiday decoration
• photograph of your favorite Christmas book
• your mailbox
• a Christmas card addressed to you (showing your current address)
• your Christmas card display
• a photograph of the Christmas card you are sending
• 1 image that communicates what makes it feel like Christmas for you (this will probably be one of the images you take above, but identify it as such)
• and of course, don't forget to take some memorable shots of stockings, opening Christmas presents, etc. But instead of saying "here, smile with that shiny new toy motorcycle" try taking a candid shot as they open the gift, photograph the person who gave the gift as the recipient opens it, or the embrace that follows (unless you were the one giving the gift- that might be a bit difficult). Try to capture images that will help you feel something as you look back on them in the years to come.
  

Do you have anything else to add?

Happy Holidays, and good luck capturing the magic!