Picture Failure

So I tried to make Christmas Cards this year.  Or last year, rather.  We had family pictures taken.

Fail.

I didn't even buy any yet.  None I want to share of the family.  We did get a few cute ones of this kids, but out of 300+ pictures taken, maybe seven I would buy and share.  None were really spend-more-money- on-custom-Christmas-card worthy.  In fact, the best one was a photo I captured on my iphone afterwards.  But of course it is a bit blurry and too low quality to have printed.  Of course.

So I did what any normal mom would do.  I tried to bribe my hubby to help me take some of "just the kids".  I dressed them up, brought props and bribes, and took them to a photogenic place.  Maybe some unsuspecting nice person would walk by and I could get them to take our family picture.

Oh sweet failure.  We know each other so well.  Of course we would meet again so soon.

Why does Pinterest and card companies make family pictures look so effortlessly blissful?  Better yet, why do I feel so compelled to recreate my own picture of family happiness? Anyway, while I wallow in self pity for not being able to capture the sweetness of my kiddos, here are a few of the photos for you to snicker over.

Thanks to World Market for the oversized candy canes.

This might be the best one.

He's so handsome!  But no sister....

A tad bit more realistic...

So we had to move on from just candy canes to the lolly pops.... maybe the props were becoming too much of a distraction?

Totally enamored with the candy.  But at least they aren't running around.  Two kids in the same frame is the goal, right?

So we decided to lay on the sidewalk for a while...

And here is my princess.  Its hard to choose between candy and flowers.

No words.

And this is what happens when I try to get a picture with my babies.  Actually, I have about 9 pictures like this.

I'm exhausted and my kids had a sugar high.  My hubby was not amused by my idea of a photo session and we went through a whole package of baby wipes to clean up the sticky.  Isn't life wonderful?  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, or Happy Valentine's Day, which ever holiday is closest by the time I end up posting this!  Hope you have just as much fun documenting your family as I have with mine!

My Kind of Weather

This winter has been amazing.  Or rather, the lack of winter.  I realize most of us have had a fairly mild winter, and I am very thankful.  These pictures are of a day in early February.  It was 60-65 degrees, sunny, and beautiful.  We took the kiddos to a nearby park we recently discovered (its fenced in!) and enjoyed the gorgeous afternoon.

Princess discovered her love of swinging.  Not a month earlier she HATED it.  She saw another little boy swinging (on the big-kid swing, not the little kid one) and HAD to do it.  I'm thinking of asking that little boy over for dinner so he can model eating vegetables and meat.  Do you think it will work?

The pure joy.

She even started jumping out of the swing.  I'm not ready for a daredevil.

Meanwhile, Handsome occupied himself with climbing.

And sliding.

And looking adorable.  Also, he enjoys throwing sand.  My kiddos do not set a good example.  To them, sand is for throwing and rolling around in.  Other children think that must be fun too, because they always come running to join once they see my kiddos doing it.  Then those kids disciplined.  And hubby and I feel guilty for letting are kids instigate trouble.  Have you ever tried to stop a kid from throwing sand?  You're likely to end up with a mouthful.