Family Pictures {the truth... yet again}

This post has been sitting in draft for a couple of months due to the fact that *one* of these pictures made it on the Christmas card this year... so I didn't want to spoil the fun. But since they have all been mailed and received by our family and friends, I can finally hit the post button.

So, that being said.... lets talk about said family pictures.

Ahem.

First, these were on the whim pictures taken because I was working with minted.com to create my Christmas Cards {and share them with my readers}, and I also wanted to do a little name reveal with it.

And maternity pictures.

And mama and daughter shoot.

And papa and daughter shoot.

And Christmas photos.

And capture some fabulous, adorable, sweet, family moments.

Ahem { be prepared to see this a lot}.

I was very much mistaken. Silly of me. To think that for once in my life, family pictures would go as planned. To even think that I could get a variety of pictures. Smiling pictures.

Forget the maternity, mama daughter, papa daughter shoot. We were lucky to even get one picture where all 3 of us were looking at the camera. Smiling at the camera {that didn't happen}, and looked put together. In fact, the only decent picture wasn't even one that we were all looking at the camera... it was one where Andrew and I were kissing and E was looking up at the sky at the airplane.

Yup. That is my life.

I've even included the sass pictures of E. The ones of her running away. The ones with the pout. You name it, she threw it at us that day.

The SASS. The pictures don't lie. It's all over her face :O)

Elliana pouting because we told her she couldn't have any ice cream.

Our Christmas Card Photo This Year

And although these family pictures {taken by my sister, thank you sis} are far from perfect, they are us. The three of us {plus one}. Pictures like this don't get captured often... unfortunately... so when they do? Smiles or not? I'm glad they're taken.

I'll appreciate them down the road.
I'll laugh at the memory of today.
I'll shake my head thinking about how ridiculous staging pictures is.
I'll soak in Elliana's sweet pouty baby face.
The young face.
The toddler that she is.

This is us.
My family and I.
And next time we try this little rodeo?
We'll have another little sweet blessing in the picture.

So again. Smiles or not? I'm thankful for these little moments.