Hi, It's Me.

Just your average friendly slacker blogger.

I won't bore you with all my excuses.  Just know that my absence is not personal.  I like you.  I really do.

So.

First things first.  It's the middle of December.  How the heck did that happen?  Christmas is barreling down on me like a high speed train and I'm completely stuck on the tracks.  I'm not done Christmas shopping, I haven't made my list of goodies to bake nor have I begun to bake said goodies,  and I'm fairly certain I'm going to forget something in this mad rush of the last week of school before Christmas break.  It wouldn't be the first time.

It's challenging to keep perspective in December, isn't it?

And this is the part of the post where I was going to write about the second thing:  our photo shoot.  But Blogger is acting all funny and I can't post pics!  Let's just say the whole afternoon pretty much went down exactly as I predicted (do I know my kids or what?!), but somehow our amazing photograph er and sweet friend was able to capture them doing what they do best: being kids.  Love the pics.  Love them all.  Can't wait to share them!

Guess you'll have to check back again soon!  *wink wink*

D-Day. Or, Picture Day.

Sigh.  It's been 3 years.  The last time we did them (professionally), Princess #4 wasn't even in discussion yet.

It's time.

I'm completely stressed.

One of our first attempts at a family photo.  Notice our dog made the cut.  This was the good old fashioned run and jump timer shot.

I can totally see how it's all going to go down.  First we'll all be running around the house, looking for lost shoes, crying over hair tangles, trying to keep from getting wrinkled, stuffing bribes in various pockets and bags, changing last minute diapers and forcing certain 3 year olds (and possibly 5 year olds too) to go potty because, no, there won't be a potty where we're going.

We'll fight traffic as we head downtown to the uber cool urban location we scouted.  We'll meet our photographer and pray that Princess #4 warms up to her quickly because if she doesn't it's going to be a looooong shoot full of stubborn refusals to smile and lots of "mooooooooooommmmmmEEEEEEEE!!!"

The classic, forced smile JCPenney special.  This looks like it belongs in a church directory.   I did love Princess #1's dress though.

We'll say over and over to Princess #1 and #2 to STOP trying to make your little sisters smile, we'll take care of it.  Just mind your own business and stop pulling on your dress.  Turn your face towards the sun a bit,  and stop squinting, the sun isn't that bright!

Princess #3 we'll have to keep from trying to jump off the platform of the abandoned building onto the gravel below.  We'll probably pull Princess #4 down from the fire escape stairs 2-3 times before we finally move on around the corner and out of sight of the pseudo jungle gym.

At that point I'm sure we'll be taking a break to duck into the corner coffee shop so that Princess #3 can go potty because you know, her bladder is the size of a pea.

Finally a professional photo on location.  We even got close to smiles on everyone!  Poor #3's toes.  It was FREEZING that day and for some reason I had no shoes for her??

If we haven't already frozen because we've spent the last hour outside in December trying to get shots, we'll keep going, pushing our luck because by this point it will be dinner time and no one is in a good mood when they're hungry and cold.

We'll stop the Princesses from digging in the sand with sticks, keep hold of Princess #4 so she doesn't dash into the street, fix hair ribbons and straighten hems, smile when told to and (hopefully) at the end of it have at least one decent photo to show for it.

Our photographer is going to earn her money today.