Annual Christmas Card Photos

I thought we were going to be out of town for Thanksgiving this year so I never made an appointment to have our family pictures done with the photographer we used last year. I saw that she was doing her holiday mini sessions on the 25th so I didn't even bother since we're usually driving home that day. Then, as you already know, we didn't end up going away for Thanksgiving. When we decided to stay home I thought about contacting her to see if she had any availability but then just figured we'd skip it. It's a lot of work getting everyone in one place at one time and when you also try to throw in matching outfits, it's absolute chaos.

So, Thanksgiving day, minutes before our guests were due to arrive, we threw up the tripod on the deck and did our best in the ten or so minutes we had.

None of the pictures turned out great, but one of them passed as good enough to put on a piece of paper that most people will throw away. The very next evening I went ahead and ordered this years Christmas card and I'm hoping they'll be here tomorrow or the next day. I love having that checked off my list of things to do!

Here are a few of the "not good enough for a Christmas card" photos. The first one was a loser because of poor Dakota's black eye and blistered lip.

This one didn't work because Landon is too shaded and Brandon is slightly blurry. Also, Dakota's boo boo's. 

This one failed because blurry Brandon and shady Landon were joined by unhappy Tony and fading smile Harper...banged up Dakota is also a problem.

Why am I sitting with my arms like that? Who knows?! Brandon is super blurry and Landon is now blurry instead of shady. Harper has had enough and his tongue is sticking out. Tony is on the verge of jumping up and running away. Zoe is the only one hanging in there. 

And here, aside from the camera being off center, we've all lost our freaking minds. Landon is flashing his nipple which is kind of shocking but I'm not sure its more shocking that whatever it is Brandon is doing. I'm also not too sure what Tony was going for with the sleeping with his tongue out...or is that the face you make when you're a little kid and you're dead with your tongue sticking out? 

The one that's on the card this year somehow beat all of these but you'll have to wait to see that one!