Sweat, Blood, and Tears.

You'd think after twelve years of marriage I would be better at listening to my husband. He is almost always right. So when he said, "Jen, I just don't think this is a good idea" I should have listened. But I was already in my, "oh, this will be the perfect family picture pose" mode, so pretty much listening to logic had already gone out the window.

I saw the perfect spot, on a rock, in the middle of a lake, near a waterfall, with cascading trees in the background. Doesn't it seem lovely. I was sure any sacrifice would be worth it. I even politely shooed away a fisherman who also thought the rock a nice spot. But everything Russ said about the angle of the camera, the slippery rocks getting there, the mud on the rock getting on our white clothing, having to slosh through a lake to arrive at the rock, all those comments didn't hit home until I slipped on the rock and gouged my leg and foot and started bleeding profusely. Then I remembered that Russ is usually right and I should listen to him more. The nice thing is that even when Russ knows he is right, he still humors me by going along with my quirky schemes. We still don't have a decent Christmas card picture, but we do have some great pictures documenting that we really did try.

Russ eventually found a much safer spot. Unfortunatly, that's when Savannah realized she was very tired, and better scream very loud for us to know it was time to put her in bed.

Not even a piece of licorice found under the seat of the van would console her for one quick pose. It did incite Sierra that Savannah was getting candy and she wasn't, which started a whole new family picture dilemma.

So after sweet Suzanne was as patient as a photographer could be, we finally cut our losses and decided to try again, after I wash all the mud out of their dresses, that is. We have one picture that has some potential - but for some hands in the mouth,

and while McKay graciously went to the car to find something to appease Gracie, Russ took a few pictures of us girls, which after I crop my knees out of the picture, might be my favorite of the bunch. Perhaps with modern technology and a little photoshop editing we could add the boys in and "Wa-la" we would be set. Maybe we could even add the rock in the middle of the waterfall and really impress our Christmas Card recipients.

This experience brought back a few memories of past family pictures. One year we had a child throw up all over their velvetty christmas gown in the car on the way to the picture studio. Another year a potty-training child wet themselves all over Russ' lap when they were saying "cheese". So a gashed leg only seems par for the course. A special thanks to Suzanne who patiently kept snapping photos regardless of the chaos being displayed.