Family Photo Smackdown

Our favorite photographer, Jodi at A Yummy Life, has been on maternity leave this year. Tragic for us. Great for her and her lovely new baby girl. We were lucky enough to snag a coveted out-of-hibernation photo shoot for today and I spent too many hours and hundreds of dollars tracking down the perfect set of outfits, perfectly color matched but not toooo matchy, hand-picked to contrast with the scenery, and designed to flatter all of us. I have visions of brilliance in my head.


Our day started at 6-ish AM, a little earlier than our usual Saturday (or any day) schedule. We had soccer at 8. It was cold. Tagg was basically the only player on their team so he ran ALL day. Then the kids went to Nana and Papa's while I did a long, SLOW, training run for next week's half marathon. Then we went home to change clothes for a trip to the pumpkin patch with Sierra, Nikki and Mimi which was wonderful, and then we ran home for our third costume change of the day to do pictures at 5:30.

Needless to say, the kids were, after this crazy jam-packed day and no naps...uncontrollable. Even though we bribed them with french fries and M and M's, they wanted to run, jump in the mud (remember the part where I said HUNDREDS?! the pants were dirty in 10 minutes!), hit each other with sticks (aka, light sabers)...anything but stand in front of a camera and smile. It was off the hook, and not in a good way.]

Chaos and out-of-control is just as priceless as perfectly posed.

So we're trying to do one more family photo. Just one. The leaves behind us are brilliant with fall colors - bright yellow, some rich evergreens, the actual sunset. This is a photographer's DREAM setting. My kids are running hither and yon, like they've become instantly deaf, ADD, ADHD and are completely insane. We finally gather them in for a cute, cute, cute family photo with this great light and backdrop, but Tagg is still fidgeting. Scott bends down to talk to him, Tagg jumps up with every ounce of energy he has and - BAM! A bloody, broken nose dramedy is in the house! Yep. Scott folds over like he's been punched. Tagg starts crying like he's been punched. I hear what sounds like water dripping and immediately know that Scott's nose is broken and bleeding. Sloane dashes off toward the nearest mud puddle because she knows no-one is paying attention to her when there's blood and swearing involved. And the poor photographer is mortified watching this train wreck unfold in front of her.

Fast forward a few minutes. Scott has diaper wipes shoved up his broken nostril and is using the rest to clean his hands and face. Tagg says, "Daddy can you kiss my head better? You hurted it with your face." Scott kisses his head and says "I'm sorry I hurt your head with my face, buddy" while he has a diaper wipe hanging out of his nose (which Tagg thinks is hilarious).  Tagg says, "Daddy, you squirted your nose on my head, but I winned you." Yes, Tagg, we all think you "winned" Daddy - poor, swollen, broken-nosed, in-pain Daddy - on this one. I can only hope that Jodi got some awesome pictures of this reality family moment. Seriously?! How does this happen!?

But later this evening, Tagg caressed Scott's nose and gave it a get-well kiss and said, "Daddy, I see your nose is fixed back together again." And he's right. It is. I hope the family pictures turn out - judging by the few previews we have, they're gorgeous! - but even if they don't, this moment is a keeper.

Isn't she lovely?