Merry Christmas from our family to yours! Today the whole Balliet/Mathis family is up on Inspired By This with a fun Christmas shoot by Acqua Photo and an airstream trailer from our friends at Folklore! As we step out of the office to celebrate the holidays, we are feeling so thankful for our past and current clients and vendors who add so much joy and creativity to our lives. You are truly a gift to us!
When we think back on our memories, Christmas has always been such a special time of year for our family with large family gatherings, rich Swedish traditions, kissing balls and Christmas Carols. My Parents also always taught us the joy of service and some of my most favorite memories took place during the holidays. I will never forget the year my Dad, who is a general contractor and my mom who is an interior designer (also the owner of Twigg Botanicals) organized and pulled the community together to completely transform and renovate a dear family friends home who had been recently diagnosed with cancer. In the days before Extreme Home Make Over, this two week surprise transformation seemed like it would require nothing short of a Christmas miracle! While they were away visiting family, unknown to them we were able to get the keys and spend the next two weeks replacing carpet, bathtubs, appliances and furniture that had been gifted to them. Warm quilts were sewn, rooms painted, cars restored and fixed and landscaping was done. Windows were washed more times than you could count just due to so many being there and wanting to help in some way and gift them a special Christmas. Upon the families return it was a tear filled and joyous homecoming for all who were involved and something I will always remember. It was a reminder of what Christmas really is about. I love that my parents have given us that gift and that memory. It is one that I will always cherish.
Last year our family Christmas was spent in a random acts of kindness scavenger hunt that my Dad put together for us. Divided into teams we had to do things as simple as pay for the car behind us at a drive through, bake cookies and deliver them anonymously to a door and spell out Merry Christmas with cups in a chain link fence on an overpass. I loved watching the excitement that came to our little ones as they found small but meaningful ways that they could bring happiness to others. Although simple acts, they brought us together to celebrate the joy this season brings.
With the busyness that comes with the day to day, having such a big family can often make it really hard to get together to take pictures. We wanted to give our parents something special this Christmas, so together, my brothers and sister and I decided to give the gift of memories and photos of their growing family all together. This was a time when some of us were relocating and going off on different adventures, so an airstream trailer seemed like a fun way to symbolize that no matter where we are or wherever our travels may take us, we will always have each other and that’s what it means to be home.
Wishing you warm and happy holidays with all of your loved ones this year and that wherever you are it may feel like home.
