The Dreaded Family Photo

Please tell me if anything strikes fear into your heart as much as the prospect of prepping for a family photo!! Last month it was time.  Time for a family photo.  Time for 7 individuals with separate work, school, and volunteer commitments to get their schedules all coordinated and clothes pressed and smiles on.

The caveats started upon the announcement of "family photo time."

"I'm not wearing long pants."

"We better not look match-y."

"I'm not smiling."

Aha.

Clothes were laid out, analyzed, reworked, discarded, replaced.  Until the "no match" daughter and the "must coordinate" mother could both be pleased . . . or at least worn down in their resistance.

Hair was combed, teeth brushed, shoes found, attitudes adjusted.

We headed to a cow pasture.

Literally.

The photographer said the land was for sale and that no one would mind if we used it for our family photo.

Apparently no one ran that by the cows.  One cow was especially upset that we had moved into his herd's grazing area and let us know in no uncertain terms that we were not welcome.

And then we smiled and posed and teased each other and talked to the cows.  And when all was said and done,

we never had so much fun at a family photo session . . .

ever.