…that everyone dreads. I don’t think anyone has ever expressed enthusiasm about showing up with 10+ other family members to take family photos. There’s one person in the group who thought it should happen, and basically dragged/coerced everyone else to come. There are promises of ice cream, treats, maybe a special surprise (yes sometimes for the adults too) afterward. So let’s just be honest that this is not anyone’s favorite thing to do.

BUT. I do fall in the wagon of: these are important. I don’t love the family photo that everyone is smiling and looking at me, I love the photo where the kids are falling apart, dad is laughing, mom is trying to hold it together, and maybe the 7 yo is the most serious one of all, posed, ready, looking right at the camera. That tells a family story. That’s real. Let’s do that.

I’ll make it as efficient as possible. We’ll get pictures of everyone, we’ll do a giant group shot, and maybe just maybe it won’t be a terrible experience. And maybe, the picture that ends up being your favorite, isn’t the one that you thought you would love at all.