Christmas Photos Gone Wrong

Hello, all! My hubby is officially home on R&R!! =D I am so, so happy to have him here with me for this short time. So, I will be blogging very little while he's here. I am going to enjoy these 2 weeks with him as much as possible. I have good news for you, though! I have some wonderful, amazing bloggers lined up to post for me while I'm gone! Today, I have the pleasure of hosting Just Another Milspouse!

First off, I'd like to thank GI Joe's Wife for having me as a Guest Blogger today. I am Just Another Milspouse and this is my first time as a guest. I am just SUPER excited that she chose me for today. Thank you, Sarah, YOU ROCK! So here is a story about our worst Christmas card photo ever!

Every year I see those beautiful Christmas cards with the smiling kids all facing the camera. I have wanted to send out cards like that every year, but I don't live in a fantasy land. I didn't have delusions of MY toddlers/infants being able to smile quietly for portraits. So, I planned to wait until they were older. Last year was that year. I was determined. I had a vision in my head of what I wanted; and I marched in there with my three boys following obediently with threats of "no dessert for a week if you act up".

It's funny how The Giggles work. Once you start, it's oh so hard to stop. I understand this. I still get The Giggles when I'm over tired or when I'm hanging out with my brothers. Despite understanding this, I still get frustrated when The Giggles start at inopportune times such as a portrait session.

This is one of the first shots we got. The photographer laughed so hard while I cringed with the fear of how the rest of the session was going to go. At least she had a sense of humor though.

After a few more shots with bunny ears, tongues sticking out, blinking eyes and someone's foot; the photographer decided to go a different route. She told the kids to play with their toys as if they were playing on Christmas morning. This came out ok, but not really what I was looking for.

I finally got my picture. After over an hour in that studio. C (the tall one) had just kicked B (the small one in green) in the back so his smile is more of a painful forced smile but hey, it works right?

So, I'm sitting at the computer picking out the Christmas cards to send out this year when the photographer comes over and tells me that she absolutely LOVES the first picture. "It captures their personalities" she said.

Long story short; I wound up putting THAT picture on my Christmas cards. Can you believe it? I must be nuts. At least my family had a good laugh out of it. The grandparents, not so much. I promised myself I would get it right for 2010, but for 2009 our Christmas cards were something most parents would CRINGE at.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

May all your Christmas portraits come out perfect!

Thanks, again Just Another Milspouse! Back tomorrow with another great guest blogger!