That Elusive Christmas Picture

Today is the day I am finishing my Christmas card.  I am bound and determined.  All day long I've been on the quest to get some particular images I would like to include on the card.  For example, on the front of the card, I had envisioned three happy smiling children cuddling close in a winter scene.  Oh wait.  They don't look joyful to you?  Hmmm. 

 Let me just say I tried about every kind of bribery I could muster up (snacks, presents, special computer time, etc.).  I really only ask them to stand together for a picture ONCE a year.  I usually just take pictures of them doing whatever they normally do.  This is because they think standing next to one another is pure torture.  Two of them will stand next to each other at a time, but there is always ONE of them doing something different (usually crying and whining).  Sarah was quite willing to cooperate for Christmas pictures this afternoon because I bribed her with the prospect of opening a present.  Mr. Sneaky Pants and The Banana didn't want anything to do with standing anywhere near each other.  

When Mr. Sneaky Pants realized he wouldn't be getting to open a present unless he cooperated, he came and stood next to Sarah and Hannah, which promptly made Hannah step off to the side.  I did jumping jacks and pretended to be a muppet monster, which made him giggle twice.  And then he screamed out that he only HAD two giggles today and that I had already used them up.  Meanwhile The Banana was crying because she thought the present would be outside, and it was really inside.  

So, while I actually will not be using this particular image on the front of our Christmas card this year (I actually managed to capture one of those two rationed out giggles from Mr. Sneaky Pants) let's just say that the image will definitely show our true colors this holiday season.  And that it will not be centered well, or perfectly focused, nor photographic in pretty much any sense.