We took a family photo yesterday, right before we left to go to my mom’s house.
Cute, right? Aw, what a sweet little family I have. And here’s what it took to get that shot…
“OK, you guys! It’s Easter, and we’re looking cute. Let’s take a family photo! My camera remote needs to be pressed every few seconds or it will stop communicating with the camera, so I’m just going to fire off a few shots as we go.”
“Are we ready?”
“No!”
“Let’s try this again.”
“No. Draw a cat, daddy.”
“I’ll wait.”
“Where did daddy go?”
“Maybe she’s hungry? All she ate for breakfast was Easter candy.”
“OK, let’s give this another try.”
“Yeah, that didn’t work so well.”
“She’s got her PlayDoh now. At least she’s happy, right?”
“I guess we’re done. Hopefully we got something usable out of that.”
“Hey, where’d everybody go?”
115 comments
Emma
This is sooooooo funny, what a great photo story – its so true to our family life, things take so much longer with kids but they make life so much funnier too!! I’ve been reading your photography tips, they are really interesting, I use a Canon 450D mainly with my trusty nifty fifty but its so tough sometimes in cramped indoor situations – what lens did you use here? Em xx
Jaclyn
I found myself laughing out loud :) Love the behind the scenes!
Erin
This is very late, and very random, but I just wanted to comment that my 21 month old daughter wore that exact dress AND the very same See Kai Run shoes on Easter! You have great taste!
Great photos… I love the ‘story’ that the sequence tells.
Ann Wilson
Hysterical!! Nothing ever goes the way it should. Do you have a picture of Eleanor smiling? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one. You let her have Play Doh? We had it once. It made such a mess that I got rid of it. After that we made our own. It didn’t crumble so much. But they could only use it under supervision. But, they went to so many “pottry” classes that I have boxes of little pots in the attic.
Alma
Loved this! Makes me feel better about my 2-year-old because obviously you’re dealing with all the same challenges!!
AL
Sooooo funny!!!
AnnaA
Super cute! And you all look so stylish! :)
Miss B.
Oh, I loved this ‘behind the scene’s’ makes me love your little family even more!
Meggo
These pictures are too cute!
Where did you get print that is above the couch? I love it!
Amanda
This is so cute. After reading this I scrolled through really quickly to make a it a “movie” since it’s in sequence you can see some “movement” in there. :)
marichucky
I absolutely love your family photo. Before I read the rest of the entry I thought how all of you could be so perfectly smiling. Woa, the making-of is absolutely the best part!
And what I like most, a perfect photo may need some photoshop. Thanks for sharing, you have a very beautiful family.
jen {fuzzy sushi}
Too funny! I always love the mini captioned sequence we make out of the outtakes even more than the actual “successful” photo.
Lottie
I LOVE THIS and it reminds me so, so much of my own family. My 2 year old daughter (very sweet natured most days) now refuses to have her photo taken with her 2 week old baby sister. We do have one pic … but that’s with her pointing accusingly at the newcomer!!! Anyway, just wanted to say how much I love your site and what a lovely family you have. These pics are adorable and very relatable too!
jbhat
I loved this. Because it’s as true as can be.
jbhat
Cathy
That’s too funny! While the lead-up was entertaining, I’m glad you got a good picture.
Stephanie
I love how August just watches all the action. Older siblings are the best entertainment. On another note I clicked on the photo booth pics and I am in LOVE with your daughter’s sunglasses. Where might I find a pair?
marybeth @ babygoodbuys.com
Adorable, and it looks like it was worth the time it took to get it right! You’re one patient mom :)
Your shoes are super-cute, too!
Cindy
This is seriously hilarious! So glad to see that we are not the only family who have a rough time getting that dreaded family photo done. I don’t know who is worse..the hubs or my almost two year old twin girls (one whom also has been graced with the name Eleanore). Luckily my eldest daughter is a trooper. Anyway, such a cute photo!
Azra
I love it. You guys are so cute.
bekah
i loved this! what a great little family you have! & you look beautiful!
elisabeth
hilarious! both you and husband v. patient…and extra lol that all she had for breakfast was easter cand!
Joy
he he he…“Maybe she’s hungry? All she ate for breakfast was Easter candy.” I feel that!
Cristina
bellissimi!! August is a giant!!!!!!!
Amanda
Totally adorable :)
Bethie
My absolute favorite is the shot where you’re both staring at the toy horse that has randomly appeared out of nowhere (before randomly disappearing once more).
luuvely
hahahah i was thinking the same thing!
and then the dog appeared and then somehow all came together..and it looks so cute :)
Emmmylizzzy
This is fantastic! And I can so perfectly relate since my house is ruled by one of those crazy toddler things as well!
Christy @ Kreating Kandyland
And this is exactly the reason I begged for a digital camera and finally got one for Christmas. We could never get any good pics of the kids. Lately I’ve been using the multiple shot function which takes pictures quickly in succession. LOVE this function and was able to get some really cute pics of the Easter Egg hunts and Sunday morning best. I’ll have to post some on my website this week. Great photo story (that would be a great scrapbook layout too!)
Ban Clothing
haha, totally ‘real’ life!
Gabi
I can so relate to this :) Thanks for putting a smile on my face today and for sharing this story with us. Your family is adorable!
Sarah Hettervik @ http://agirlintransit.blogspot.com/
Haha this had me laughing!
– Sarah
abeautifulparty
this is what true family photos are made from. I love it!
Jen @ Rambling Renovators
So so cute. And ohmigosh, our 2 year olds are the same ;)
Little Gray Pixel
Hilarious!
Chloe Chinn
Love the photos! You have a beautiful family and it’s nice to see family memories being made inside your home where life happens :)
Kelley@thehiddenlist.com
OK…this is hilarious! Something that you’ll treasure forever and show at her wedding!
Khemy
What a story..very cute..
jenn
I liked how you shared the images. I’ve tried with two people and 3 dogs before… there were a lot of “outtakes” and I had to use a timer since I didn’t have a remote. very cute thought… even the outtakes.
katie
so so good!
happy easter to you and your little wild family.
<3
Kathy
Very cute!
hena tayeb
So cute. I have one and I can only imagine.. just getting him to look at the camera and not try to eat my ear is a task.. smiling is a whole different story. But in the end it’s always worth it.
Mrs. Kinne
I am in love with this whole series of pictures– and all of the Easter ensembles! :)
Heidi S
So funny! I have been there many times! Just wait until both your kids can run away.
Ellen
Such a cute series of pictures! It does take lots of patience to get one good picture! You have a beautiful family!
virginia
I love this post! Totally made me laugh out loud because it’s just so real. You guys make an adorable family and the end result is a great one! :)
Clearly Composed
This made me giggle…out loud! :)
Nat@ dear little house
Cute, I love the last pic! It is clever how you have told the story of the photo, through photos!
Jillian
The whole family is so adorable! And I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who has photoshopped family photos together. A little of this, a little of that…
julie @ duet letterpress
too funny! i didn’t even notice the playdoh. cute picture :]
RD
So funny–but the sad news is that it doesn’t really get better as they get older. I’ve got a 16 yr old and an 11 yr old, and getting a family or sibling photo is excruciating. The one you salvaged turned out great, though!
Giulia
LOL…too funny. This is super cute, thanks for sharing the whole ordeal. We did our Christmas photo that way, we made it a race with the blinking light and the kids loved it, squealing and all…
Heidi
So adorable! And how like little ones – I love the set-up series of photos, thanks for sharing it.
Hello, by the way. I have been following your blog for several years, but I’ve never commented before!
michelle
real life w/ a toddler!!!! love it!
Sarah
I liked the “all she had for breakfast was Easter candy” comment! That was totally my kids yesterday. We left their Easter baskets out for them so they would be waiting for the kids to see when they woke up and they were already ripping into the m&ms by the time I got downstairs yesterday!
Connie
This was awfully funny and cute!
Liv
I happened to do the same thing with my Easter photos as well!
It takes a lot of work to look perfect.
carolyn
awesome. that is exactly why we have zero family pictures.
{LOVE your shoes!}
Alisa (mrsbcs)
Eleanor reminds me soooo much of Olivia. It completely cracks me up. I keep wondering what it would be like to add another dynamic to the family (meaning #2, and trying for a boy) I kind of get to see!
I think O would still run the show. Does Eleanor wrangle the dog too like Olivia does?
liz a.
how funny and adorable is this! i love the look on your husband’s face in #5…..you know exactly what he is thinking! hilarious! we had seven, so you can imagine our family pix….always someone running in or out, or crying, or picking their nose….wonderful memories! thank you for sharing!
jodi
That is completely adorable! I love the sequence of photos…looks a lot like ours! :) Your family is definitely gorgeous.
ELISE
Absolutely Adorable !
Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
Such an adorable family! I love the narration of all the photos it took to get the right one.
Kara @ Just1Step
Hahahaha I love it. That absolutely cracked me up.
Carolyn
Those have to be some of my favorite photos! (and I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one with a difficult to photograph child)
Theresa
I think most moms can relate.
marysza
ohh nice room!! it’s so beautiful;d and a funny bunch of family photos;d it made a smile on my face! :)
Marcie
Oh boy do I remember those days! And that was pre-digital so we never knew if we had even one decent picture out of the whole roll until it was developed. Now that our kids are all out of the nest we never seem to all be in one place at the same time to get a family picture. I think we’ll have to resort to Photoshop if we ever want to get us all together in one photo. At least there’s that!
Dimitra
Hehe! That was so lovely and funny!
Loved the descriptions :)
Jana
awesome to know I am not the only one who goes through this for a decent family photo :)
kelsey
too funny! you did get a great shot, though. :)
Pencils
Very sweet. Eleanor is adorable even in the one where she’s crying hard. And that’s a very pretty outfit on her. I saved a little white cardigan for my daughter’s Easter dress…and then it was over 70 and humid and she didn’t need it anyway! It had been freezing all month.
Carey
ahhaha I love it!
Nolita
So cute…We had about the same ordeal with our family picture and in the picture I posted, EVERYone in the family looks happy except for Mommy. I looked peeved. Oh well…I was a little by then…
BTW, I thought about you when I ended up in pink and brown for church yesterday. I wish I’d gotten a picture of me when I was wearing my brown shawl… next time!
jodi
hee hee! i love this play-by-play! adorable.
Sneza
I love the photo (all the photos) but I feel like the artwork on the wall dominates everything else. It seems to scream “Look at my beautiful octopus hair! Look! Look at me!”
Cherri Porter
That sounds about right! I actually prefer family photos where something is askew. It gives everyone something to talk about years later and it’s much more interesting. And, you know what they say about well behaved women…
Emily
So sweet..just wait til August is walking too, ha!
RO
Hahaha.. Love it. I cant believe its been this long.. time flies.
Thats the theme of my day!
Gorgeous Fam!
Ro
Jules
Hilarious.
aimee c.
haha! those series of shots are priceless. :)
Victoria (Batzy)
Aw I love Eleanor’s smile…so cute!
Carrie
Your hair looks awesome!
Such cute photos!
bungalowbliss
Ha, that was great! Just wait until August gets mobile–even more fun! :)
(Everyone looks lovely. Hope you had a happy holiday.)
Lauren @ chezerbey
Love it!
Also love your cardigan, where is it from?
Making it Lovely
Anthropologie, a couple of years ago.
Lily
love this! you’ve inspired me to try to convince my husband to paint our new sunroom pink- and this shade is perfect. i’m sure you’ve posted it somewhere, but can you tell me what it is??
Making it Lovely
Benjamin Moore’s Wild Aster.
Laura
You totally photoshopped your husbands head in your winning photo, didn’t you?! Looks great!
Making it Lovely
The winning shot is two photos edited together! Me and Eleanor on the left, and then Brandon and August on the right.
casey
love it.
val
oh my gosh this is great! my favorite part is how calm you both seem as Eleanor is falling to pieces. priceless.
michelle d
thank you for sharing that! too many times i wonder how many shots it took for someone to get their great family pic and it was refreshing to know that really no one has it altogether =)
Katrina
loved the photo play by play – you all looked so sweet!
Notorious MLE
I have lived this same scenario so many times! Sometimes I think blogs intentionally or unintentionally give the idea that is easy to have perfect, adorable kids. I appreciate your willingness to let us see some of the messy. :)
Franziska
I laughed so much. It’s so familiar! We wanted to do something similar a few weeks ago. Guess who wasn’t very happy about it? Right! The little one! :)
Audra
Oh snap these are hilarious. HA!
Elaine
so funny! Funnier that I didn’t even notice the play doh in the final pic until seeing it in the storyline!
Kristal
Hilarious!! So glad you shared.
m.o.m
These are sooo great! Love seeing reality (good, cute reality).
Laura_NEAPOLITAN
I was laughing so hard by the end of this…I can’t tell you how much this mirrors my current experiences trying to “capture the moment”! Thanks for sharing the story behind it all.
tracy
I love how your dog gets in on the action!!
renee
hahahh soooo cute! i love your living room, especially that rug!
Traveling Mama
So funny and something any parent can identify with! Love the shot you got though!
Sadhbh
Very Cute! I had a similar experience trying to get a shot of my twins in their new Easter outfits:)
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