Family picture bloopers

Family pictures can be a lot of work.  Especially when I'm determined to take them and be IN them.  I ended up with a handful that I was happy with, but many, MANY more that didn't make the cut.  Out of hours of pictures taking and hundreds and hundreds of pictures, we got 10-15 good ones.  Here are some of the others.

 Brody HATED having to sit for pictures and was very vocal about it.



 Although there were a few times he would tease me by looking my way, but never smiling.

 Chase is at an age where he likes to goof around and pose in silly ways.  He poses and then runs to see how silly the picture turned out.

Unfortunately this one would be really cute if it didn't look like he had three arms (from Brody right behind him) and my legs in the background.  Maybe someday I'll get enough motivations to try my hand at photo-shopping us out.

I have hundreds like this.  Near the end of the night my remote battery died and we were left trying to use the timer.  We obviously weren't quite ready :)

This kid is so much cooler than Tom Cruise!

 And much more handsome too!

 I wanted to get some pictures of the boys helping me cook for the Cozzens family cookbook.  So what better way than to make them cook dinner!

After going to an exercise group I was explaining to Chase that I needed to shower because I was sweaty and stinky.  
 "We have to take showers to keep our bodies clean and not stinky."

Chase said, "yeah, because Jesus wants me to shine brightly for him."

Mom, will you protect my dreams?

An interesting conversation occurred in the car after hearing the American Family Insurance commercial promising to protect our dreams.  Chase was curious and then worried when he inquired what the commercial meant and found out you have to pay them in order for them to "protect your dreams."

"Can we pay them mom, so they will protect my dreams?"

Without disclosing that they weren't referring to exactly what he had in mind, I explained to him that we will take care of protecting our own dreams.

"But mom, I don't know how to protect my dreams.  Mom, will you protect my dreams?"

I had to look back to see if it was really my 4-year old asking this.  I think he was referring to something entirely different, but I couldn't help but wonder if his words were more from divine inspiration.

Will I protect his dreams?  Do I fully know what those are? And am I actively learning as they actively change? 

My answer, "Chase, I'm going to teach you how to protect your own dreams, and in the meantime yes, I will protect your dreams."

"Thanks mom."

Cooling down on these HOT summer days.

Sliding

When the real slide 10 ft away just isn't fun enough, you make do with other things to slide on.