A couple of weeks ago we set out to chop down our Christmas tree at a Christmas-tree farm. I figured it would also be a good time to get a Christmas picture.
Yeah, right.
Now, I've only been with this family for about a year and a half, but that is long enough to know that none of the men/boys/uncooperative ingrates like having their pictures taken. Ever. Somehow, though, I thought the spirit of Christmas would overtake them and they'd give me a smile for Christmas.
You'd think I'd have learned by now.
At first, I couldn't even get them to stand still at the farm, so busy were they dodging the camera (never mind trying to find a tree). This was as close as I could get to them for a while.
Eventually, they decided to simply pretend the camera wasn't there.
I was getting more and more upset, as the sun was setting and we were losing daylight for the picture. You can tell by my downcast expression how excited I am at all the cooperation.
I finally corralled them altogether and wrangled an innocent bystander into taking our picture. I naively assumed the boys would understand that I expected them to look, if not happy, at least relatively pleasant. Instead, they look like I just told them that all they were getting for Christmas was a beating.
It didn't help that their dad hates smiling in pictures, too.
Even after a retake, I didn't have any better luck.
Sigh. I know when I'm beat.
I decided to end the misery and simply get the tree and leave. Unfortunately, the farm only took cash, and I didn't come prepared. So not only didn't we get a decent Christmas picture, we didn't even get our tree.
Ah, the memories.
Eventually, Ralph and I went back and got a tree ourselves, and I decorated it and forced the boys to stand in front of it and smile. The whole thing lasted about 7 seconds. That was as long as I could hold them for.
What are they looking at? Me. Holding them at gunpoint.
For more wonderful family memories you wish you didn't capture on film, head over to We Are THAT Family.
5 comments:
Glad you finally got the tree. I must say the pics at the tree farm look more like mug shots than happy family shots! We have a lot of pics like that at our house, too.
It was a lot of work, but at least you have a good picture to show for it! :)
What is it with teen boys and smiling? Maybe they get it naturally? Thanks for joining in!
This one made me chuckle out loud. Love the mug shots... I mean photos displaying real Christmas cheer. And photos at gunpoint are NOT that bad of a thing. As evidenced by your last photo.
Way to not give in completely - your efforts paid off. And they are very handsome boys, especially when smiling!
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