The Story Behind the Picture

Our family Christmas photo has been the subject of lots of conversation around here. The comments about "Why isn't Tim smiling?" were quite entertaining: ranging from funny to slightly bizarre. Thanks everyone who commented! So, as promised, here is the real story.

We have been saying for months, "We need to get our family picture taken for Christmas." The original plan was to go to a studio. I usually prefer done at home type pictures, but our digital camera isn't all that great, so I was opting for a studio. It didn't get done and it didn't get done. Then Mamaw got a new digital camera, the day after Thanksgiving. Yes! Now we could just do it ourselves when it was "convenient." Well, trying to get all six of us clean and ready to take a picture didn't just "conveniently" happen. (What was I thinking?)

I am sporadic about doing my Christmas cards, but this year I bought cards that required a picture to be put on them. I was bound and determined to get them out! It was December 9th and I was beginning to get a bit desperate. I decided, on the way to church, that this was the day! We would take our picture after church today!

Wouldn't you know church ran late and people wanted to chat. We also live a considerable distance from the church we attend, so by the time we got home it was around two. The little ones had only napped in the car and more relevant to this discussion; we had not eaten lunch. If there is anything that turns my normally happy husband into a grumpy, it is hunger. Why didn't we just wait until after lunch you might ask? We were having spaghetti. Imagine, Nolan, spaghetti and a family photo?!

Those of you who said Tim was probably thinking, "Could we just get it over with?" You are very close to the truth. Add in, "I'm starving," and you have the whole story behind the picture.

To answer Aunt Nancy's questions:
Mamaw took the picture.
The lighting just right?! No plan there, that is just how it was when we got home from church.
Nolan is sitting on the old tractor tire Papaw "planted," Kellen and Lydia are standing in front of the tire, Tim and I behind it. The ground is sloping there (and everywhere else on the 100 Acre Wood LOL) so that is probably why they look like they may be on a platform.