Adventures in portraits...

Christmas Portrait. Take One.

Kids! Come here. I need you to stop what you're doing right now, and come downstairs. Oh, and Skip and Nate, I need you to change your shirts. Here is a new shirt. Please put it on and take the tag off.

Skip: "Can't I just wear what I'm wearing? It's nearly the same color, anyways... oh well, I'll take off my sweater that I wear Every Single Day Of The Year, and put this on. But you can't tell the difference..."

Me: "I can tell the difference with my nose. You've worn that all week. Put it in the laundry"

Skip: "You can't smell photos."

Me: "Smart kid. If you'd just put on the shirt when I asked, you could be back playing Starcraft with your friend."

Skip: "oh, right..."

Nate: "Where do I sit?"

Skip: "Here, sit on the ottoman with me"

Nate: "Are you going to be nice?"

Skip: "of course! Don't you trust me? Mwa ha ha ha ha ha"

Kelly: "Can I wear the Santa Hat? I don't have a red shirt!"

Me: "Yes, just sit down with the boys while I take a few test shots."

Kelly: "Ok! Anything else you need?"

Skip: "Are we done?"

Me: "Stay! That was a test shot. It doesn't count."

Skip: "Why not?"

Me: "You squished Nate out of the frame."

Skip: "He wasn't in the Christmas Picture 8 years ago, either. Can we be done?"

Nate: "Hey! I will whisper girl names in your ear. Are you making a girl wait on the computer?"

Kelly: "I *love* this time of year!"

Skip: "Are you done yet?"

Me: "Not quite. I just realized I had the wrong setting on the camera. Hold on. Skip, can you smile? You look kind of somber."

Skip: "I had a Dove chocolate before I sat down, and now I have brown teeth."

Me: "OK, keep your mouth shut. You have my blessing."

Skip: "I think I can suck it all off, and make them not so bad."

Me: "Hmm. I don't think I like this setting. Hold on."

Nate. "We're done?"

Me: "No. Hold on."

Kelly: "I think you have great teeth, Skip"

Skip: "..."

Nate: "Are we done?"

Me: "Not yet.. Honey, can you be less goofy? How about a nice quiet face?"

I think, all in all, I took about 40 photos.

I'm leaning towards using this one:

Or maybe this one: