recipe for disaster

We became the family who ruined family pictures this year and we are barely into the new year. Chalk it up to our cute little family to make the year meaningful, a week and a half in! Plus it was the in-laws who were requesting the picture (i.e. the ones whom you want to impress the most). And it wasn't just any family picture...it was to signify the wonderful 50 years ma and pa in-laws have spent together. THE golden anniversary. So for sure they wanted pictures with all the grandkids and all their kids with spouses too. Totally sounds like a normal procedure so far. Of course, a lot of planning, on my part, was put into this to make sure our children were properly dressed and ready to look stunning among the 38 or so grankids that have become the product offspring of their 50 years. New sweaters (totally proud of the sale I snagged them from) were ordered for just our little family to look stunning in our 2010 debut. I mean, matchy-matchy sweaters are the ultimate recipe for an outstanding family pic, right?

The location: an ampitheater

The date: December 26th

The temperature: 2 F

Windchill factor: -12 F

My choice of shoes: NOT smart but of course, super cute and fashionable

Shoes suitable for snow: BIG no

Shoes suitable for carrying a small child: BIGGER no

Did I think it would be a problem: gynormous no

We were late on arrival which did not add to the mix well. With it being freezing and the kids tired from a late night with their cousins, our target was already off que. We seriously should not have even bothered. But was I about to surrender after all my planning and precision bargain hunting for our matchy sweater set? No!

Here is the pic of ma and pa in-laws with their grandkids. Notice our cute lovelies up front? Mo stopped screaming and crying for two seconds together. Mi-mi is still crying, reaching out for mom like someone has snatched her up and is taking her away forever.

Here is our attempt at making a family picture "work". Mi-mi is clutching her elefant for dear life but still crying. Too bad you can't see the giant red splotches all over her face from crying. Oh. Notice the snowy hill we are standing on? Remember the choice of shoes? Yeah. AND I tripped on the stoney path to the snowy hill, while carrying Mi-mi. I almost dropped her but luckily caught her mid-air. Double yeah....totally nightmarish and uncool.I also wish you could really feel how cold we are in this picture. It literally took us 2 hours to defrost and another 3 to warm up to the proper body temperature. Not sure I had ever been this cold in my life. I think I may have if I had fallen through ice and swam in a snowy river. Yeah, that's about how cold we were.

My awesome and cute sister came through for us today and snapped these for us. It really is impossible to have everyone smiley and happy, but they turned out way cute and they were free! Double dose of yay and yay.

Even better is we didn't have to travel far and freeze off our tootsies. Our backyard made a pretty great backdrop and the kids could hop inside to warm up in between takes. Oooohhh...now I'm talking like a true professional. We totally could be professional. Like that professional made-up family that is in all the photo frames you buy. Note to self: develop market strategy to become next big thing.
I'm thinking next year we will have to try the mustache idea like Annie and her family.