FAMILY PICTURES--othewise known as a plot to make everyone miserable

A few years back, second son broke his tooth--
just before Christmas.
I had wanted to take some family pictures on Christmas day
{since it was a Sunday

and they would all be dressed up in their Christmas clothes.}
Plus I had told them that they couldn't open presents,
until we had taken pictures

and I was satisfied with the results---

{yes, I am an evil mother}
that was all I wanted for Christmas—
a good family picture.
It is amazing how co-operative ones family can be
when you hold Christmas presents over their heads.

So once again i planned a family picture
while we were at the beach.
And once again the same son
breaks his same tooth and chips a new one.
{this tooth is getting rather expensive--
between being fixed twice
and then the emergency root canal on it.}

So this is one of the many things i am up against
when i want a family picture.
Beyond the tooth thing,
ATTITUDE
is really the major obstacle that i have to work with.

Notice the child in the center--
looks like a police line up--
and then you have bug eyes up on the right--
{why he thinks that is an attractive look is beyond me.}

I have many more pictures like this lovely one--
but i will save you the pain of actually seeing them.

Just the mention of a picture
will send my happy children in a tailspin.
I would like to think that we are a pretty happy family.
We enjoy spending time together
and doing things as a family.
But when it comes to family pictures
—WATCH OUT--
you would think we were the Manson Family.
You would think that I was torturing my children
and a family picture constituted child abuse.
Family pictures brings out the
absolute worst side
of my family
{and it makes me a cranky witch}

There is the non-smile,
the bug eyed grin,
looking in the wrong direction,
hands in the face and then
the closed eyes.
Why is it next to impossible
to have 7 people all keep their eyes all open
at the same time?

Years ago,when I worked at a portrait studio
I was told that little children and dogs
were the most difficult to work with---
I am adding several of my
older children
to that list.

this was the best i got
before one child had a major meltdown
and went stomping off.
{Like i said--brings out the absolute worst in us}

We almost look a
happy
{normal}
family here

And just for the fun of it--
we got dressed and did it all over again the next day--