Murphy's Law Of Family Pictures

Yesterday we had our family pictures taken.  Of course it wasn't a simple journey to that magical appointment, it never is when more than one person is involved (or three 'smaller' ones, that is).  Here are a few, um, less than fantastic things that happened while getting ready.....

~  I didn't have a new favorite shirt I wanted to wear (what a bummer!)
~  so Ryan chose his new favorite shirt and I built our color scheme around it (not necessarily a bad thing)
~  the kids had nothing to contribute, which means buying new shirts for all three of them.
~  I took three kids shopping.
~  three stores and two agonizing afternoons later.....I realized I didn't have to bring them. Duh!
~  found two shirts that would work for the girls, but Mae wanted one and Isabel the other. (and I want        them matching!)
~  finally got all the kids set, then I decide I don't like the shirt I picked out for myself.
~  I have to go shopping for a color-specific shirt.
~  4 stores and 2 outings later I found it (and it was on sale!)
~  got Mae some hair clips to wear in the photo shoot.  but they matched my first shirt and not the new one. ~  she couldn't wear it.
~  Caleb got a hair cut three weeks before the shoot.  could have used a touch-up before the pics (scraggly guy)
~  Isabel needed a hair cut.  got one a week prior.
~  Caleb only has black jeans, we are all wearing blue.
~  kids want to go outside the afternoon of the shoot.
~  Isabel played in the dirt.
~  with her picture jeans and shoes on and we have less than 2 hours before camera time!
~  Mom is getting frantic and crazy.
~  who wants to smile and be around  crazed mama after all that??!

Turns out that everything went fine.  I was able to clean up Isabel's jeans and shoes and have them dry before leaving for picture time.  I also had time to decide to not be crazed and frantic.  And I'm pretty optimistic about how the pictures will turn out.  The kids aren't so bad, they clean up pretty good.  And their smiles aren't so bad either.