The reason why we might not have a Christmas card this year...

Yesterday was picture day at preschool and I was so excited because they always turn out so good! I dressed the girls in sweet smocked dresses and bribed them to wear bows. I snapped a few photos with my phone before we walked in to preschool.

The photographer also offers afternoon sibling shoots where they will take either family pictures or just a picture of the kids together. We have done it the past two years and have had wonderful results. I was hoping to get a shot of the girls for our Christmas card. The only downside of the sibling shoot is that the appointments are in the middle of the afternoon, which is still nap time for Paige. I picked the last time available, 3:40, in hopes she would be up from her nap and in a good mood. My first indication that this would not go well should have been when I picked them up from school and Paige's teacher told me that she had refused to have her picture taken that morning. Great. 

Let's just say that I had one of my worst parenting experiences that afternoon. Of course, Paige refused to even look at the photographer. She also kept crying and saying, "Mama, hold you. I want to go home." Kate was perfect and excited to have her picture taken. I told them we would go get milkshakes afterwards if they cooperated. Nothing worked. Paige was over it before it even started. Then Kate lost it because she wanted the pictures taken but Paige wasn't cooperating. The end result was me carrying two screaming kids to the car and no pictures for Christmas cards. I even tried to take a few pictures in the garden at preschool on my phone before we left but this is all I got.

 This is right before she fell off the bench, sealing our fate that 

there definitely would not be pictures taken today.

 Disregard me. I haven't showered and don't have a lick of make up on. 

It was one of those days.

I will have to try and take some pictures on my own later. Ugh. It's hard to stay mad at this cutie though.

"Mama... shoes off!"

She is obsessed with this Elsa nightgown and wears it every night.

 Snuggling on my shoulder in HomeGoods this morning.

I keep repeating the mantra, "the days are long, but the years are short." So true.