Love Family Pictures!!!

Okay, okay, so it's been a few days since I've posted! It's been a busy week. Halloween pretty much wiped me out for the whole week. Can I just say how much I hate this holiday. I mean honestly there is really not anything I like about it. Deciding what the kids are going to be, picking out the costumes, paying outrageous prices for the costumes, having complete meltdowns the night of trick-or-treating and too much candy, what part of any of that is FUN?!?! Besides the fact that it was soooooo stinkin cold! Lauren lasted about 6 houses and then had a complete meltdown. Andrew was upset because, "We didn't go to as many houses as we did last year." And, Hannah, who was with a friend, decided she was too cool to walk with us! Yeah, right, as if I'm going to let her walk alone. Needless to say, we survived but it was not FUN!!!!!

Also, my dad ended up going to the hospital that night from a severe intestinal infection. We had to call 911 and he ended up in the hospital for 4 hours. They released him at 1 in the morning and he's been taking it easy the past few days. He's doing much better now, thankfully, but it was pretty scary.

Today we went and had our traditional family picture taken. Good Times! We've been doing this every year for Christmas since Hannah was a baby. It's sort-of become our tradition. However I have to say that it is not a tradition my family embraces. It can be pretty stressful and most of the time they complain. Which is why when I announced that I had decided we weren't going to do the pictures this year, I thought it would be received with uninhibited delight. Quite the contrary! They couldn't believe we weren't going to do the picture because we've done it every year and how could I possibly imagine not taking the picture. So with their own words as ammunition, I made an appointment. At home, before the pictures was pretty unstressful. Everybody got ready on time, everyone looked nice and we got to the picture place on time! Good, good, good. However when we got there they were 1/2 hour behind. I swear this happens every year! You would think that they would plan their photo sessions better, I mean we are coming upon the holidays! So as most of you know with children, waiting 1/2 an hour is like waiting 2 hours. Plus my husband can be just as anxious as my three children. Paul and Andrew are wrestling in the chair, Lauren is peeking into all the other studios and Hannah is complaining that it is taking too long and she is hungry! Is now the time that I remind them that they wanted to take this picture? Yes, it is!

To make a long story short, we ended up taking 20 pictures most of which consisted of us smiling until our faces hurt while the photographer tried to get Lauren to smile! Every year I keep telling myself that Lauren is one year older and this will be the year that everything will go smoothly. Although it wasn't as bad as previous years, next year will be the year! I just know it. We did get a very cute shot of the kids that I was very pleased with and isn't that really what counts? My whole family knows that if mom isn't happy with the pictures, ain't nobody happy!!

So that's a quick recap of the week since it's been so long! Looking forward to bagels tomorrow morning! Oh, one more thing, I'd just like to say Thank You so much to bucket for the very cool, very shabby chic purse she made me! I love it!