Traditions: Annual Family Photo

(I am taking a break from vacation postings, which will resume shortly)

Around the time Jack and Anna were born, Thomas and I decided that we would take a Christmas family photo every year.  We never intended to only display the most recent version of our family, our plan was to line the hallway with the photos, so we could see how everyone changed from year to year.  We are now in our 7th year.

I love the annual family photo.  It is one of my favorite events of the year.  I love thinking about what we should wear, deciding where to go, and getting everyone ready.  Thomas does not share my enthusiasm. And, realistically speaking, he's right to be apprehensive.  The photo never goes as envisioned.  The tone was set our first year, when Anna refused to wake up.  I can't say I blame her, if she wasted precious waking hours in the afternoon, how would she be wide-awake and ready to eat/play at 2AM?  The next year, the twins were walking (and walking and walking), getting them to sit still was near impossible.  The picture reflects Thomas with a death grip around a smiling Jack and Anna who are clearly waiting for an opportunity to lunge out of the shot.  Thomas had literally just grabbed Jack and pulled him over to be in the picture.  Our third year, Kara joined in and I can't remember much happening, so it must have been a good year.

Excuse the quality, taking a photo of a photo rarely goes well--at least for me.

Ready to Run, aka Year 2

Year 4--that was a doozy!  We were living in Tennessee and went to Memphis for the photo.  Kara was getting over something and was not quite herself.  Jack and Anna were particularly rambunctious.  We had Peppermint Junior Mints to attempt to bribe them into behaving (incidentally, the same treat I used this year). They had Thomas and I sitting with Jack and Kara in our laps and Anna laying in the middle.  The photographer told Anna to fold her arms underneath her, not ones to be left out, Jack and Kara did the same.  That was the single usable family shot of the day (we did get some good shots of just the kids, which necessitated Thomas bouncing around like a clown behind the photographer, even though I remember him being pretty irate at the bad behavior of Jack and Anna).  I like to look at the picture, because it brings back in crystal-clear memory the events of that day.  I remember how cranky Kara was, how wild Jack and Anna were, and how irritated Thomas and I became.  Ahhh, memories.

The next year we were living in Maryland and decided to do the photo at our house.  That was a good year and doing it at home was not quite as stressful as going somewhere.  But, since we thrive on stress, the next year we were back at the photo studio.  Thomas almost missed that photo.  He was on his deployment.  It would have been difficult, but I would have done it without him, maybe holding a picture of him in uniform, or possibly even making a life-sized cardboard cutout to join us, I was determined that the tradition would live on and that a photo without an in-person Thomas would remind us of the difficulties of that year. Fortunately, Thomas was able to fly home for a quick visit during Veteran's Day weekend and we did the photo then. Now, that picture reminds me of how nice it was to have our family together, if only for 3 days.  It also makes me more thankful for the other 6, where we got to spend the whole season together.

Finally, year 7.  I think this one is my favorite, Thomas says it is because I think I look the best in this one. He may be on to something there.  I also really like the green against the white background.  As is usual, the kids were wild and difficult to get to sit still.  But, they are getting better.  I think that whatever year we are on, will be my favorite.  I love seeing the most recent photo added to the wall.  I love adding those memories to the ones that came before and I love looking at the empty spaces on the other side that are yet to be filled.

If you are wondering--the answer is no, we couldn't get a single photo with everyone looking in the same direction.