2008 Pics

Well, the cards have been sent out.  Some of these made it.  Every November, we do a family shoot.  I make a photo collage for the wall, a sort of Year in Review.  

The day we took these shots was the first day of deciding to grow out Tatum's bangs.  The awkward in-between phase is hard to get through, but if you keep going, you get what you need, right?

Kind of fits my mood right now.

Pretty soon, they'll be too heavy for this one.  You'd think we would have learned our lesson.

Calgon Take Me Away

Oh.  We had one of those days.  Well, not the entire day.  But it feels like it lasted about a week.  We had a Supernanny moment.  You know the one.  The one where Supernanny instructs the clueless parents on how to implement a time-out.  The kind where you want to shout at the television, "Get a back-bone you wimp-ass parent.  Who the f*#@ is in charge anyway?"  

Yeah, that was me at about 4:00 today.  The spineless freak going into a parenting rage.  

My kids, three and a half, and 27 days are not napping anymore.

I know.  I know.  It's okay.  Maybe their bodies don't require it.

Here's the thing.  YES, they do.  And my body requires their bodies to get the hell off me for an hour.  

So we play the game.  It goes like this.

Me:  You don't have to sleep but you need to go into your room for a REST.  I'll come get you when rest time is over.

2 minutes later... 

Annoying twin #1:  "Is rest time over?"

Me:  I SAID I'LL GET YOU when rest time is over.  Go back to your room.

Annoying twin #2:  "I heard something.  Is rest time over now?"

Me: " I swear we've taught you English.  And I swear you know what I mean.  I will tell YOU when rest time is over.  STOP asking.  Go back to your room."

Okay, you're rolling your eyes by now.  Use an egg timer.  Set an alarm.  Use a chart with happy faces and ... BLAH BLAH BLAH.  I know.  Shit.  

40 minutes later ... we're STILL playing the game.

So I grab an arm, march a kid back into their room while the other kid narrowly escapes my grasp while laughing something that sounded like, "You poor slob.  You'll never get us BOTH into our own rooms.  Give it up."

Ugh.

So yes, I'll try all of my teacher tricks.  I'll get the timer.  I'll find their currency (dessert).  I'll make a Rest-time chart.  But COME ON!  How did I lose the power?  Doesn't size matter (okay, let's not get into that)?  But come on.  I'm bigger.  I'm older.  I'm louder.  I can eat cookies whenever I want.  Don't they know R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

Don't answer that.  Just call freakin' Supernanny for me so that I can be humiliated on national television.

...they did end up staying until *I* came to get them.  But it wasn't really worth the struggle.  

SIGH...

So, I've now had ONE margarita, ONE Mexican beer, and ONE glass of Argentine wine.  Feeling a little better now...

I *HEART* Family!

Mom, Dad, Tatum, and Chase

Gran's 4 Kids

Gran's Legacy

Behind the Scenes

The "V"

Taterbug

Chasey Bear

Uncle Anthony & Uncle Brandon

Dad and his Boys

Say "Monkey"

The Whole "Fam Damily"

Kisses

Family

Twins Squared

My handsome twin brothers are in town from Colorado to celebrate my Dad's birthday.  Our family has always been a bit silly, but as years go by, and distance separates us, it makes get-togethers all the more silly. 

Uncle Brandon 

Uncle Anthony "Uncle Ant"

Little twins wearing Big twins gear

Big shoes to fill

Whoa!

Family Feet

Uncle Ant and Tay

Dad, just like I remember him .... all cozy on the couch.  

Family in town is always a good excuse to post lots of pictures, and not really say much.  

Today is officially "Picture Day."  And if you know my Mom, you know you'd better smile and pretend we're not a crazy family.  So I'd better go iron some outfits and get my smile on....

Family Slideshow