Oh the memories that family pictures creates

There is nothing like family pictures to build family ties....
NOT!!!
Why is it that my normally loving children have melt downs when it comes to family picture time?
Am I asking too much to have them clean up and put on a smile?

Apparently the answer to that question is YES!
I don't know how families take pictures each year--
I don't think it would bode well for our family relationships if we did.

If it is not one child it is another..
{{{SIGH}}}

A few years back i tried to get family pictures taken on the beach in Rosirito, Mexico..
ahhh...the best laid plans.
I made the mistake and asked a child to move to a different spot in the picture
at which point the said child told me that they were fine and did not need to move.
Who needs composition anyway
--or balance in a photo--
not our family
(yes this is all written tongue in cheek)
at which point the said child went climbing off in a big huff
(maybe that was the start of their love of climbing?)

All i want is some cute smiles...
I know they have them in them.

This will be the last picture that we will be able to have together for awhile so i wanted to take advantage of my friend Katie and her wonderful  photography skills while we were hanging out in Rocky Point--I would like to believe that she took off from school and flew home just to take our picture, but i think the love she has for her family had more to do with her coming home than her love of taking my families picture...anyway i digress.  So at some point I think she asked for a smile and that managed to set a child off--Ahh the joys of being a parent. It is not enough for them to just embarrass you--they need to do it in front of others to really make it count. So we went walking down the beach after she told us that we could take five to cool off--unfortunately the love fest escalated during those five minutes and i found myself watching my boys show ultimate love for each other as they rolled around and wrestled in the sand like three year olds--even fighting. My normally peace at any price husband felt left out of the fun and got involved showing them that he is still  boss and can kick their butts--lol

fUnNY now...not so much then....

I really liked when the child threw himself down in the sand and got irritated at the rocks and went to kick them, and then realized it would probably hurt him more than it would the rock....who said he doesn't learn from his mistakes. The rest of the photo shoot went off with a few snarls and a lot of attitude but i am hoping that in the midst of all of the family fun we managed to get a few good pictures. One word that managed to get us all to smile was the word Hemorrhoid--I guess you go with what works lol. Katie had Hubby and I take a picture together at which point she asked us to "kiss". That was a hoot. We were having  a laugh fest and finally did manage to muster up a smooch worthy of our love--lol. Oh the things that the camera catches.

Once again, family pictures did not disappoint on the memories that it created...it is a good thing that we really do love each other and manage to smile on the days we are not having our picture taken--because there are a lot more of those days than there are of the perfect outfit picture days.