Picture of the Perfect Family

Last week, I was talking to someone and she said in all sincerity, that I had "the perfect family." Well, I know what she means because really, we are five blessed individuals. But perfect? Maybe not, but we do try once a year to create and send out our perfect image to friends and family.

I started trying to get everyone together for a family picture about two weeks ago. Dan's been traveling and the girls have been back and forth to Houston for finals. Finally, I set a mandatory time for everyone to be at home, Sunday at 5:30. I went to the store, knowing that Dan and all three children were accounted for and planning on being ready at picture time. I wanted to do it outside since it was a beautiful day and very warm.

Got home at 5:10 and heard the shower running. One of the children was in the shower! I'm not mentioning any names. One of the children, who had gotten ready on time was impatient to get the picture done. There was some yelling. There was maybe a couple of incidents of door pounding. There might have been a glass of wine needed. I realized that it was going to be too dark by the time the shower person got out and was ready.

So, I set up a scene in the living room. The kids had requested to NOT take the picture in front of the tree this year. I set up what I thought would be an adorable set using the loveseat. I brought candles into the room and worked on lighting. It helped pass the time.

It was about 6:30 by the time everyone was ready. The ready-for-over-an-hour child was really grouchy by then. We tried the couch idea and produced a few really bad shots. I had thought having our super cute Christmas mugs in our hands while we were sitting on the couch would be festive looking but that idea got shot down...by everyone. The ready-for-over-an-hour child suggested we move in front of the tree like usual. Everyone agreed and got into the usual formation. At one point, someone grabbed those super cute Christmas mugs and this was the picture.

Then we decided to get really crazy and try a slightly different formation. Then we had our look. We took five shots and this time I let Kathleen pick the one we would use. She has accused me in the past of sending the one that makes me look best and not worrying about anyone else.

If you're on the Christmas card list, that's the one you'll get. (Which are going out soon now that we have our Perfect Family picture.

A First

We added our last cat to the family over ten years ago. Chester, the gray and white cat had been abandoned in the neighborhood. His adventures as a stray are another story but he has been ever grateful to Stacey for rescuing and adopting him. Smokey and Grace had been adopted from the animal shelter about a year before him and the three mostly co-exist in the house, though occasionally there are alliances.

A couple of days ago, Kathleen called me to the living room. When I got there I saw that all three cats were together on the love seat. A week ago, when we got the tree, I had to move the love seat to another place. It has a slipcover and I decided that I would wrap the seat coushins in some foam to improve its appearance. We don't know if it's the new location or the new padding, but the old love seat is the cats' favorite napping spot. There are often two of them on it, one on each side.

Three though, I think that's a first, ever. I ran to get a camera. Kathleen helped me try to get some lighting without disturbing them. Eventually Smokey jumped down. Kathleen scooped her back up and put her on the couch again and the three settled into this pose.

I grouch about having cats sometimes (or a lot) but really they are another part of our family. I liked this picture so much that I framed it and put it next to their couch.

The Perfect Tree.

Last year, our Christmas tree had so much personality that we not only named it, but we devoted a large amount of our Christmas newsletter to describing it. So, I sent Dan and the girls out with great expectations to find the Perfect Tree. In the twenty-two years that Dan and I have been putting up trees, I've always tried to find the perfect tree. Perfect for us that is. Those of you that put up real trees know that as best you try to find the Perfect Tree, once you get it home, it does not always live up to such expectations.

I got one phone call from the tree lot. Dad won't let us get the tree we want. It's perfect, we love it, tell him to get it for us. I talk to Dan and he says that it is horrible. So horrible the tree seller is willing to sell it for cost, $20. I decide to pass on this gem of a tree. Dan knows better than to come home with a really ugly tree. I think the girls have this romantic idea about decorating a Charlie Brown tree.

Eventually they bring The tree home. I can tell right away that it's too small. We have ten foot ceilings. I'm grumpy. They're grumpy. And this poor tree. If this was a good tree, I'd hate to see the bad tree.

The tree does not endear itself to me once it's up either. Lights don't help. Ornaments don't help. It's still plain. I buy a huge bunch of fake hydrangeas to fill in the holes. There are so many holes at top it begins to look like it has an abnormal growth coming from the top. There isn't a straight top so the angel can't sit there. The decorating and trying to figure out what to do with it takes almost a week.

One of the problems is the foosball table. Believe me, trying to make a foosball table "work" in your living room is tricky. We don't have a family room and the kids insist on having it. They've lost enough over the past five years to force them to give that up too. Even though Canada, Georgia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo don't play often, the foosball table stays.

So, in addition to the tree being homely, there's a foosball table right out in the middle of things because the tree has taken it's place of honor in front of the window. I decide it's going to have to go to the garage but that is met with full out rebellion. The teams will play. I can't ruin the tournament.

I move the tree out and away from the window. Because the tree is small it's not a problem. I move a small couch and table to the corner. The foosball table moves over to where the small couch and table used to be. I do have to move one of the vintage pink asymmetrical chairs out into the entry way.

I am amazed as it all comes together and looks kind of cute. Kathleen steps in to finish decorating the tree. I remove the awful hydrangeas. Dan figures out a way to get the angel to stand up straight. With every single ornament we own on the tree it finally looks okay.

And of course, it is the Perfect Tree, for us.