Christmas Card Stress

It's time to shoot our Christmas Card pictures again. Last year we did them in front of the Christmas Tree. I think I may do "beach shots" this years.
For the 2008 pictures, I really wanted to get the dogs in the picture, but we had such a hard time getting that "just right" shot. I ended up using one without them.

Looking back at the pictures now, I guess I could have used this one...but I didn't. I think it was because Patrick's head was cut off(?). You can imagine how many shots it took to even get this one...
It is nearly impossible to get 4 kids and 2 dogs to all simultaneously smile at the camera with all of their eyes open...

This one would have been cute, minus the fact that you could see all the way down Max's throat!

Here they are trying to get the dogs in the pic again...

Opps, now Brady isn't happy...

This one could've been cute if Patrick wasn't hidden behind Max...

Poor Max, he is really wanting outta there!

A little brotherly rough-housing...

I thought if I changed the background, maybe I could get a little more cooperation...

NOT!!!

You can tell that everybody is getting aggravated by this time...

So we ended up ditching the dogs and got a couple of really good shots...

Geesh...it tires me out just looking at these...

Wish me luck on this years pictures...I am gonna need it...