Our Christmas Photo "Photo Shoot"

I'm a big fan of Christmas. I love everything about it. The lights, the tree, the baking, the Christmas cards. I dreamed that when I had kids I'd take the most adorable photos of them for our annual cards. I knew that my children would not only be the cutest children anywhere, but they would pose on command, say "cheese!" with gusto each time prompted. They would smile and never be silly or frustrating.

And then I had children and actually attempted this feat...Here's proof that the perfect children really are a pipe dream. My children and our "photo shoot":

Starting off ok. Little bit of fighting over who would get to sit in the middle on the "red circle" of the art bench we brought up for the "shoot".

Now we have Maddy in the center as I'd always planned. Asked her to put her arm around her brothers...she's trying to strangle poor John. William looks like he's been turned into a staring zombie.

Ok...check. Arms around the brothers...goofy faces. Nope, not this shot!

I stupidly ask them to hug...

Apparently, hugging is fun...except John looks like he's been taken over by the Body Snatchers while William and Maddy have great fun irritating mommy the photographer.

Isn't photo taking FUN?

Attempting the angelic faces look...Mom's not buying it!

Busting out in gales of laughter because daddy's singing a silly song behind mommy who is desperately trying to get a decent picture of all three of them...

And we'll end with John giving me his best wink while Maddy and William look like they're lost in space.

Ya...we're the picture perfect family with well behaved children, aren't we?

Maybe next year...