The Design has finally been approved.

I don't know about you, but the holidays stress me out just a wee bit.

Its not the gifts or the wrapping, the food or the parties. Its my holiday card.

Once we added the pups to the family, we finally had an excuse to torture everyone with pictures of our "kids," I mean, send out holiday greetings and best wishes.

When I started, I'd style the card around the personality of the dogs. The picture on the card probably didn't make sense to anyone but me. But, really, the cards were going to dog people so as long as the dog looked cute, they never cared.

So you're saying to yourself, what's so stressful about pictures of your dogs and inside jokes to yourself that no one else needs to understand.

I'll answer that inquiry.

Once Dick joined our family, I made the mistake of being very clever and witty on the annual card. I mean, my dogs are named Dick and Jane, that BEGS for a fabulous holiday card. Since then, I've been expected to go bigger and brighter with each card. And, because I'm me, I do. I'm big on rising to the occasion.

First year, we did a simple Dick & Jane, styled completely in the era of the children's books. The second year we went multi-cultural with Ricardo & Juanita, with the picture and card in Spanish. (Translation was available on the flip side of the card.) The third year (last year), I brought in professional help which was a HUGE hit. That brings us to this joyous holiday season.

My head has ached at the thought of coming up with something fabulous. So, I went old school and decided to do something that would make me happy. I came up with cute and different which required me to draw and plan and embroider.

Yeah, the peanut gallery shot that down. Now, keep in mind, for this endeavor, I'm the creative director, finance, set design and photographer; I'm not real big on input from anyone else. I ignored the voices when I named my dog Dick, I ignored them when I did the first holiday card, I ignore them on a daily basis. This time they wouldn't relent.

"I don't get it."

That's ok. I do.

"But I don't understand."

You don't need to understand until its done.

This conversation was repeated in my kitchen so many times I relented and went back to the drawing board.

Finally, lightening struck twice and I came up with a different idea. And thank you doG, the peanut gallery liked the idea.

Now I just have to pull it together, figure out the layout, set design, actor attitude and capture the magic on film and we'll have ourselves a holiday card.

Isn't this time of year fun?!?

I need a nap.

(If you want to be on the happy holiday card list and you're not on it already, email me your address and a little piece of holiday goodness can be yours.)