Portrates

As my previous post implies - my mother, who was here visiting us, has returned to her home in Minnesota. Just before she left she wanted to do something that she'd been waiting for us to do for a long long time.

Formal family portraits.

She even offered to pay.

We had a 10am appointment, which is the "good" part of the day with three small children, and had we been able to keep that appointment - I'm sure I'd have nothing better but some GREAT looking family portraits to show you.

As it is, my life is never so dull.

We got out the door late. Really late, and it is a three hour journey for us to go state side - so at the boarder I call and make a second appointment for 2pm.

We didn't make that one either.

I won't go into details. Anyway, I've pretty much have blocked from my memory why we didn't make it at 2pm. But we finally rolled in at about 3 something. I apologized and would have just thrown in the towel and not have taken portraits that day except that mother was leaving in a couple of days and she . . . well . . . she insisted. She had a valid point that if we didn't do it then, more than likely this would happen on the calendar of manana a.k.a. never.

I'm certain the high school-er at the counter rolled her eyes, smacked her gum and with a sigh said . . .yes, we could still get our pictures done that day . . there was a spot open at about 5pm . .

At about 4:30 the receptionist's apparent BFF introduced herself as our photographer, and with a sigh that belied her statement, said she was ready for us - but we weren't ready, cause I had taken the kids window shopping to pass the time and was just getting back now to nurse and to change them into their clothes. Oh well . . . rush to brush hairs, and slap some make-up on me, get shoes on . . . well, who needs shoes! Go go go . . .

Meanwhile - all you parents out there - you KNOW 4pm is the whine and dine hour, right?

Everybody is tired, baby needs a nursing, and if you recall we're just coming off of more than 3 hours in the car . . . I won't regale you with the chaos that it was with bribes, threats and tears . . .

The result: a photographic documentary of a melt down:

Notice the "If you guys don't smile and ACT HAPPY so help me . . .!!! " look that I've got going on!

Finally with a good does of joker action from dad we got some smiles, but you can just see the tears yet on my son's face.

By the way - guess where I am in this picture of grandma with kids? Laying on my back under my son's stool holding his legs so he doesn't hop down and run off. Lots 'o fun.

And just think, folks, these are the pictures the photographer KEPT! Yes, these are the good ones!

This was worth it, though . . .