Shoot Me!

So, as I mentioned two posts ago, my friend Amy Majors bravely attempted to capture our family on film. Lesson #1: Make sure I have an outfit planned out (not just all the kids and Brad -- aargh!) Saturday morning, minutes before Amy was to arrive, I had tried on 14 outfits panicked that I had actually forgotten? irrationally ignored? pessimistically overlooked? the fact that I actually hadn't decided what I should wear. I had seen women (on fashion blogs) try the nineties button-down shirt waist tie thing. It looked cute on them. Hrmmph -- I will not be doing that again, though it is memorialized on film. Anyhoo. Lesson #2 Always do group shots of the kids FIRST, not last. They were in the foulest moods ever. Lesson #3 If possible, do not take family portraits in the summer in the midwest -- I was freakin' hot and that makes me miserable and even more awkward at looking carefree (ha! Sarah Johannsen carefree! -- again, I say, ha!) and sunny. Lesson #4 Always do a last minute check of your husband too (not just the children) -- Brad, the man who never forgets his belt...well, you can see how that went. Phooey. Despite all of these things, Amy did a great job and I so thankful to have some photos of us all together. Poor Thea Belle -- never really trusted this whole thing until we were back home on our front steps and she gave out a couple smiles at the very end, after the boys were officially through.

I asked both sets of our folks to come up to get photos with them and some with just them and the kids. My folks could not arrange it, but I was happy that Tom and Nancy made it up!

Dietrich giving it the college-go!

Note: Atticus really is good at this kind of look.

Thea -- a tiny, but real little smile!!

   

 

By this point, I ridiculously bribed the boys with action figures from Target if they would cooperate for just 15 more minutes. Thea Belle obviously did not understand the stakes.

 

Then I handed Thea her doll and her spirits lightened...