Torture

In just under two hours, we will be implementing a Saturday morning torture session known as 'Family Portrait'. B. getting his Senior portraits done prompted me to schedule a sitting as a family for a group photo. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

I've seen family portraits in other people's home with dozens of people in them. I don't know how they do that - 'cuz trying to get the four of us scheduled to be in the same place at the same time has been an all consuming ordeal. Add to that the question of 'what will we wear?' and you have a drama unfolding into it's own little five-act show.

We think we are wearing jeans and white t-shirts. That's what I suggested - which I thought would be an easily accepted, casual look. WRONG. H. came downstairs night before last in a white button down dress shirt. Not suggesting that he wanted to wear a tie - but suggesting that white dress shirts and jeans would look nice. Except we don't all have white dress shirts (specifically me). And, H. doesn't wear jeans. The kid would wear shorts in a blizzard if I let him. So just mentioning the word 'jeans' is a red flag to him.

The photographic studio we're going to is pretty established and professional - and the scheduler told me they have black t-shirts, and other 'tops' we can wear - so we don't have to go out and buy anything.

I know the picture will turn out well - and I really don't care what we all wear. We haven't had a family portrait done in years - the last one was taken at Disneyland at Christmas 3 years ago. And it's a nice picture, but it's 'seasonal' [the 25 foot Christmas tree in the background is pretty hard to miss] and I want a nice, professional portrait of all of us before the boys head away to school.

We're also looking at B.'s Senior portraits today to decide which one will go in the yearbook and what package we would like to purchase. Cha-ching, cha-ching.

The van was detailed yesterday and looks brand new. The guy even buffed out the rear bumper - the only real 'body' damage there was from when I bumped into the parked car across the street one foggy, cold morning. It looks great. We're taking it to the soccer field to park for the day and hoping a soccer family sees it and has to have it! I sure hope it sells quickly so we can put that money back into savings.

OK - gotta get going - putting on makeup on a Saturday morning is an adjustment for me and I'd better get to it.