This does not just happen for us.
A few too many people have told me that we always take such nice family pictures.
Little do they realize to get this one pretty good picture.....we had to take almost 50 pictures. Most of which have already been banished from my camera's memory card.
We were hoping to schedule a family session with our favorite photographer, but getting it squeezed in before Christmas was proving to be too difficult on our end. So, with my trusty DSLR camera set on a stand and utilizing the timer, we figured we would have to settle for a DIY family photo.
As I looked at our calendar, I was at a loss for when we could even make that happen. I wanted to utilize good natural lighting, but it's getting dark by dinner time these days. The boys don't get home from school until 3:30. Heath naps from 2-5. Our Saturday and Sundays have been packed lately as we literally come and go from meetings/appointments/outings. Adam and I basically hi-five and give a quick kiss in the garage as we trade off for home duty.
So, as I sat in a baby shower Saturday morning (we had already traded home duty off once that morning), I texted Adam and said, "I think I'll be home in a 1/2 an hour. Want to try to do family pictures before you have to leave?" (Ok, I actually texted that to our babysitter from the night before. Whoops.Once i realized it, I then sent it to Adam). Adam replied that Kenny, our exchange student, was still in bed and asked where the outfits were.
Yes, I had picked out outfits already. I try really hard not to buy anything new when we take pics and just coordinate what we already have on hand. So, I had coordinating outfits that had been sitting on our bedroom floor for the past week and a half. Apparently, he had not tripped over them enough times yet to realize they were there. I still hadn't completely decided what I was wearing, but a forced quick decision can sometimes be best.
So, as I come rushing into the house about a 1/2 an hour later, I am greeted by happy and excited children still in their comfy Saturday morning clothes while Adam was in the laundry room ironing one of the shirts (No, he wouldn't have done that on his own prompting. He had received another text from me informing him that Tate's shirt needed to be ironed. An activity we very rarely do in our house).
I begin ripping clothes off the kids and throwing pants at them. Kenny has now gotten out of bed and probably wonders what these crazy Americans are doing. We tell him we are doing a family picture and to throw a sweater on.
I wonder in deep vain whether or not we should even be attempting this as I had not even showered that day. I shake my can of dry shampoo and repeat to myself, "it'll be fine" as I practically empty the contents of it onto my head.
We get into our clothes in record time and I try to make some sense of the boys' hair, thanking God that boy's hair is easier to do than girl's hair.
We get arranged on the porch. And I try to cover Heath's bright red socks that I left on him.
I know one of our family members is going to think, "Kenny is nice and all, but we'd like a shot of you guys without him."
Well, we tried to take some. One wasn't awful. Heath looks like we have just told him that he will never get to have cookies again. Big, sad eyes. Like, I said, it's not awful, but when you know this kid's smile can light up the room - you want to try to catch some glimpse of it.
And another pose we did, Heath insisted that he sit on Kenny's lap. INSISTED. Crying, insisted. So, of course, we let him sit on Kenny's lap.
Afterwards, when we saw the pictures better, I asked Tate why he didn't ever smile. He insisted that he did smile, but he just didn't want to show his teeth because he got too crazy when he did that. He then proceeded to show me. I agreed. It was too crazy. We'll have to work on that in the future.
So, after about an 8.5 minute photo session, we all piled back inside. I hollered to the boys to go change so they didn't get their nice clothes messy. Adam hi-fived me, and he went out the door for a meeting.
I know one of our family members is going to think, "Kenny is nice and all, but we'd like a shot of you guys without him."
Well, we tried to take some. One wasn't awful. Heath looks like we have just told him that he will never get to have cookies again. Big, sad eyes. Like, I said, it's not awful, but when you know this kid's smile can light up the room - you want to try to catch some glimpse of it.
And another pose we did, Heath insisted that he sit on Kenny's lap. INSISTED. Crying, insisted. So, of course, we let him sit on Kenny's lap.
Afterwards, when we saw the pictures better, I asked Tate why he didn't ever smile. He insisted that he did smile, but he just didn't want to show his teeth because he got too crazy when he did that. He then proceeded to show me. I agreed. It was too crazy. We'll have to work on that in the future.
So, after about an 8.5 minute photo session, we all piled back inside. I hollered to the boys to go change so they didn't get their nice clothes messy. Adam hi-fived me, and he went out the door for a meeting.
Sometimes our attempt at pictures goes as awesome as this:
I just can't make myself delete this one.
It's too accurate sometimes on how I feel about wrangling these 3 boys.
I'm still smiling though.
