The Best We Could Do

I had a Seinfeld moment today when I licked 80 cheap envelopes and felt like I was going to die. I had to eat 3 brownies just to get the horrible taste out of my mouth. However, the Christmas letters are done! It might take me a couple weeks to get the stamps, but the letters are in the envelopes, a huge accomplishment.

I even got the family to hold still long enough for a family picture. I won’t say that it was a good family picture. In fact, you can see for yourself up above. My hair is blowing in the air, Isaac is not looking at the camera, Ethan’s eyes are practically closed AND he was trying to give me rabbit ears, and Jonah has some kind of “how dare you take my picture” scowl. Robert isn’t particularly happy with how he looks in the picture, but come on! Compared to the rest of us, he looks great! Although I believe he's holding onto a rolled up "Friend" magazine for some strange reason.

Getting this picture was an effort that almost required a nap afterwards. We had someone take it after church. The boys were climbing the tree, running all over the place, flying paper airplanes, running out into the parking lot, and basically doing anything but holding still. Robert was busy with tithing settlement appointment arranging and couldn’t come outside until just about everyone was gone.

I grabbed a friend as she was getting in her car and she graciously came back and agreed to snap a picture. I didn’t have the heart or the patience to ask her to take more than 23 pictures just to get this shot. OK, I’m kidding. She took two, but really, that was enough. It gets really hard to smile when you feel like strangling your kids.

So, this is our picture. On the letter it will be in black and white and much smaller. You almost can’t see my blowing hair flying in the air. But now you, my faithful blog readers will know the truth behind the picture. Aren’t you glad?