Weekly Winners: December 7-16, 2009

Christmas is upon us and after a trip to the tree lot (set amid the chickens, parrots, ducks, and pigeons of an outdoor pet supply farm store complex) the kids and I set to work decorating the tree. Each of the boys had to took a turn with the tinsel... not because they wanted to, but because tyrannical photographer-mommy made them.

The first two were game. Destructo was less than enthused about the whole thing.

Afterwards, we went out for a walk in the forest behind our house. It is hard to believe that while my husband is visiting family in Wisconsin, where it is 14 degrees and covered in a foot-and-a-half of snow, we are here, strolling around the woods in sunshine and 50 degrees. It makes the fact that he is gone a lot more palatable, if I am being honest.

Our neighbors have the most amazing backyard and our walk led us out into their garden at the end. They have a pond that usually is the home to a small flock of mallards, but three swans have been residing there the last few weeks. I was so happy to finally get a chance to go over and photograph them up close. So beautiful!

Thanks to Lotus of Sarcastic Mom for hosting Weekly Winners.

All photos shot with Nikon D300.