What It's REALLY Like...Picture Perfect (#2) - Family Picture Style

My brother-in-law grew up in a funny family. Not funny as in weird, but funny as in FUN!

It was one of those homes where everyone felt welcome - even a very shy little girl (who me?). There was always a lot of laughter - A LOT of laughter - and cheerful people.

His Dad was a handsome guy with a head full of gorgeous silver hair. And he could water ski like the young-ins. His Mom was a lovely lady with a head full of peach hair. And she worked it. Both so very kind...with such kind, close knit children.

Their family had traditions galore, including one that is just too awesome not to share - The Family Blackmail Book. In this book they stored all the worst pictures ever taken of each other. While most of us quickly delete these pictures or toss them into the garbage...they kept the little treasures for all future generations to see and appreciate.

And appreciate they will. Because they are fun like that, remember?




With that in mind, I didn't erase the 100+ bad family photos we took during the summer. My poor sister-in-law took these for us. I'm so glad I asked quite possibly the most patient person on earth to snap the shots.

How you people produce gorgeous family photos year after year is beyond me. BEYOND ME!

I'm sure these won't be as funny to all of you as they are to us, because only we know the begging/pleading/threatening that was taking place. Our little family has had some good laughs looking through these pictures! Warning: there are A LOT of pictures here. I had to post this many because there are 92 more that I wish I could post...literally 92 more terrible photos! Plus, if I only showed you a couple of bad shots you wouldn't grasp how truly impossible this day was.


Let me start with the one and only photo that turned out ok - as in average at best. I'm so grateful for this little photo. You will soon see why...


Complaining before we even start? Oh my.




I think this is one of the best pictures ever taken of me. Too bad the others ruined it. If you can't tell - it was windy. I can't imagine why the wind-blown-look doesn't look glamorous on me...it always works for the super models?



Is anyone in this picture happy? We just started and already one is crying - and one is about to start.



Yep. I knew it. Five minutes in and more tears are a flowin'.



Brian whipping out the old "finger snap/look this way" trick! It didn't work...for baby or for mom.



Gathering our composure...maybe it will be better if I hold Quinn?



Nope.
Quinn: "That's it! I'm leaving!"
Brian: "Woman, get control of your baby."



Brian: "Why are we doing this?"
Me: "This is quite the hair raising experience!"



Lets change outfits, take a break, get a fresh start...and maybe if we give Quinn a sucker he'll sit still? Owen is dying for the sucker.



Someone told Owen and Hudson that in sweet pictures sweet little kids put their sweet little chins on their sweet little fists...Owen thought going cross eyed would also add a nice touch.



Hudson is now breaking down. Brian is not happy about that.



The lecture.



The finger snap doesn't work - remember?



Jude needs to go to the bathroom and I think Brian must have seen a bunny hopping by!



Did we get a good one? Oh wait...is that a tongue? I know without a doubt that Owen was watching his cousin eat her sucker and was imagining he was having a lick! Jude has got the football player face, "Wassup."




HEY! While writing this blog I found this one! It's decent! Right? I mean you've seen the quality I'm judging against...and it's not too bad! Woo hoo! I'm excited and ignoring the fact that my hair is fish hooking its way onto Quinns' bald head.



I will hold onto these little treasures and put them in our very own Blackmail Book - because I dream of a house full of laughter and cheerful people. I LOVE MY PEOPLE! And that is what it's REALLY like.




I dedicate this post to my brother-in-law Shaun, whose fathers' funeral I attended on Friday. His was one of the sweetest funerals I have ever been to. Despite the fact that it was a funeral, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time...followed by many tears of admiration.

I left feeling inspired.

I left feeling like it's ok that I make a fool out of myself just to make my kids smile...hopefully they will all know how to laugh at themselves.
I left feeling that, even though it embarrasses me sometimes - actually a lot of times, I should leave my heart on my sleeve...it's a great place for it.
I left with a greater knowledge of the sacred nature of the family and incredible gratitude for MY ETERNAL FAMILY.
I left with the words, "My God, How Great Thou Art!" ringing in my ears and burning in my heart.

I left recognizing the enormous impact one happy, dedicated soul can make and wanting to be just as happy for those I love and just as dedicated to the things I know are true.