Family Photo Shoot

Earlier this month, during Alina's family's visit from out-of-town, we booked a Family Photo Shoot at JC Penney. Alina forgot to check print publications for coupons but luckily the attendants were swayed by her keen MBA-negotiation skills... so we were able to have everyone in the photos AND take a few breakouts without being charged an arm and a leg. The kids kept their cool for about a half hour before losing any desire to be fake smiling at a stranger who keeps yelling "peek-a-boo" louder and louder.... We never had a full-blown grin out of Rosemary but at least she was looking at the camera!

We hung this black and white 8x10 in our hall, paired with a similar black and white photo taken when Steve's family was visiting last Christmas. We had the matching frame on the wall for months... just waiting for a time when the Laurie/Toth side of the family was in Naperville.

The kids had fun posing with Nana!

This shot of Auntie Em and Uncle B with the kids is Alina's personal favorite.

Altogether, posing at JC Penney is not the greatest. We miss our friend Christine who loved taking professional-grade photos in family settings. But without someone like Christine around, with her Nikon, it's on to the next best (and least painful) option! In these photos, the kids are aged 34 months (Elliott) and aged 16 months (Rosemary).