Awkward Sibling Pic, v12.0 (New Year Edition)

Happy 2015! What better way to start off the new year than with an awkward sibling photo?

The kids are visiting Grandma while Mark and I have a getaway, and she texted this gem:

They were going out to eat and she wanted to take their picture and she said they just... lined up like that.

What? Are they playing a game? Are they a train? Does Nathan have an imaginary sibling in front of him? Is Anneliese trying to look creepy? Why is Nathan wearing two hoods? Why does Charlotte look like nothing has ever been more normal in her life? WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING HERE.

Happy awkward new year, I think.

Happy December! Or Something?

Hey it's December! And I'm still behind from November so let's take a journey through my phone and see what we have been up to, yes?

{HAAomg sometimes I forget I have a blog. Love, Erin in January.}

Anneliese and I had a lunch date after church. Everyone else was sick and/or crabby, and we wanted ZaxBEE's (that's how we pronounce it, we are just cool like that) and can I just say she is a delightful companion?

I have no idea exactly how this happened, but I walked away for three minutes and walked back... and clearly some toddler achievement has just been unlocked.

I'm not sure what's happening here either, but I'm pretty sure she is posing for her senior year pictures. The awkward, oh how she nails it.

I took Nathan to his school literacy night (and book fair) and he picked out several new things to read: a book of beautiful things people have built from Legos, and a biography about the Wright brothers. Why so opposed to good ol' fiction, bro?

Mark sits down with the girls, any evenings he is home, to watch Daniel. "Watch." I like to joke that Daniel is his unisom. Because... yeah, every time.

I took Ali and Charlotte to the (nicer) grocery store (with the fun carts) and they had a blast driving together. I can't believe Ali is old enough to play like this. Wasn't Charlotte just the baby?

Anneliese got her friend Beatrice a duplicate of her favorite shirt, for a birthday present. Yes, that's a half donut, half rainbow. No, I do not understand it. Yes, it is awesome. Yes, they planned ahead to wear them on the same day. Yes, they delight me.

This is Nathan's DNA bracelet, because of course it is.

Also, NOW that it is December, let's all enjoy some good holiday clothing. With a t-rex on it. Obviously.

We have now reached the "what am I even blogging about?" portion of today's post. The end.

Awkward Sibling Pic, v. 10

Because the girls had new dresses to wear to church yesterday (Anneliese luuuurves hers) (raise your hand if you're shocked), I lined them all up out front to take a few pictures, and I ended up with a few that were almost good, and a whole camera roll full of gems like this:

Any time I take pictures like this, I find myself scrolling through just looking for any shot where Nathan looks happy (or even just normal) and Charlotte is looking at the camera. I give almost no thought to Anneliese because she is spot-on basically all the time. PICTURE-TAKING GOLD STAR TO YOU, MIDDLE CHILD. Always.

Awkward Sibling Pic, v9.0

How have I not posted any awkward sibling pics since last June? And only one in all of 2013? Huge fail on my part.

Let's remedy that.

This is me trying to get a picture of Nathan with the girls in their new "best sister ever" shirts he got them for Christmas but of course photo ops never happen the way we want them to, so yeah. This:

(He found the shirt first in Charlotte's size and wanted to get it for her, but then also wanted one for Anneliese because she is the best sister too, but he already had a present for Anneliese, so if he got her two things then he wanted to pick out a second thing for Charlotte too, which he did, and so both girls got two presents including these shirts, and basically it is the most Nathan thing that has ever happened.)

Awkward Sibling Pic, v8.0

Awkward siblings, Costco edition:

At least we have ONE child who will smile compliantly on demand when we whip out a camera.

(Someday someone remind me to frame all these and put them on display on our staircase or something.)

Awkward Sibling Pic, v7.0

Guess who loves bathtime, and guess who doesn't love sharing bathtime with their splashy baby sister.

I can honestly say I am sad I ordered Christmas cards before I found this picture.

Church Family Goes Awkward

You know those terribly awkward church directory photos churches insist on taking, even though it's 2012 and that whole concept should have flown right out the door with the nineties eighties? Yeah. Those.

Our church (sadly) is still clinging fiercely to the trend. So we did our congregational duty and went to have a family photo made. So that our shining faces will be in the directory when it comes out. In case someone needs to look us up and figure out who we are. (Yes, people still do that. Adorable huh.)

We picked out shirts that worked together but weren't too matchy-matchy. We washed and brushed our hair, and employed bobby pins. We piled together in an array of stools and stepping blocks in front of the requisite fake-painty background. I sat through a way-too-salesy chat with Nick the Fabulous Photographer who laid on the guilt trip thick about how rarely we have family photos made (true), how lovely and professional his photog skills were (ummm) and all about funding this project for our church (gag me; I know who profits off these things, dude). I felt worried for the less-firm souls who probably spent way too much money on photography that Fabulous Nick was "saddened" wasn't my preferred style.

ANYWAY.

It's not my favorite thing (have you guessed?) but when the directory comes out, this lovely moment of awkward brilliance will be inside it.

Nathan: seriously with the smile?
Dad: might be a bit tired
Mom: might be gritting my teeth
Anneliese: immortalizing the snaggletooth
Charlotte: I can't believe these are my people. For serious y'all.

I mean, it's not terrible. We're all looking at the camera. And most of us are smiling or at least looking moderately pleasant. Anneliese's head is covering my double chin which is a photography fail but skinnymaking win, amIright? And Charlotte's fingers around Mark's are pretty much adorable actually.

But still. If any of you (grandparents) even breathe a hint of wanting a copy of this to hang in your houses, BRACE YOURSELF FOR ENDLESS EYE ROLLING (also we didn't order any haha suckas).

Thursday Miscellany

Eight quick takes:

1. I thought that turning Charlotte around in her car seat would help me keep her awake during our 1pm car rides to get Nathan from school. Um, it has not. (These dozes regularly ruin afternoon naptime, in case you were curious.)

2. Nathan has started packing his own lunch for school. He climbs up on a stool, makes a sandwich or bagel, gets some grapes or string cheese or applesauce or whatever else he wants to bring, fills his water bottle, and always remembers an icepak from the freezer, a spoon from the drawer, and exactly half a paper towel. He is either a control freak or he's stumbling into newfound independence (if it's the former, don't tell me). And I am either a really terrible mommy or a really awesome one (if it's the former, don't tell me).

3. I got new glasses. Tell me they are cute and trendy.

4. We got the fliers for this year's Awkward School Photos. Oh goody, now they come with a fake magazine cover. Something I've always never wanted or needed! And even if it were a good idea (it isn't), this one isn't even well done. Laugh at it with me, please.

5. Are y'all watching Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood yet? It's the newest incarnation of Mister Rogers, a re-imagining of his land of make-believe. It's sweet and smart and it will bring back memories. Tell your kids and tell your DVRs. I wouldn't lead you wrong on this, friends. Daniel Tiger is where it's at.

6. After a string of hard weeks, Anneliese is suddenly having a good one. She's sweet and kind and helpful and, well, delightful. If it manifests like this, I'm happy for her to make a liar out what I told the internet last week.

7. For anyone keeping score at home, it's been three-plus weeks and Mulch Mountain is indeed still standing strong in our front yard. Oh and it's still steaming. I don't care how much heat is generated from the wood-chipping process... that ain't right. Our mulch is creeping me out, y'all.

8. We bought our house again yesterday. Yay?

Awkward at El Señor

So Anneliese's preschool teacher casually mentioned (and then emailed) (twice) (and sent a letter home) that they would like a family picture for each child to display in one section of their classroom.

Yeah, sure, that's no big deal. We take family pictures all the time. I'll just print one of the myriad options I have lying around here and send it in. Hahahahaha. No.

We can't even get all of us to look at the camera at the same time, much less look pleasant and smiley (or god forbid, thin!) while doing it.

Yeah so the best option I had when school started was this little gem (you think I'm kidding but I'm not). I almost sent it in with her. (I was talked out of it.)

Then last week we found ourselves in Knightdale, to eat Mexican at the best Mexican restaurant ever a completely regular Mexican restaurant (no matter what Mark says about its superiority, I assure you the best Mexican food ever is not found in a grocery store strip in freaking Knightdale) (although I do like it too and we have had many happy family meals there) (I digress). And in a moment of pure genius (genius? something) we took advantage of sweet Another Nathan, ever at the ready with his phone, and had a little family photo shoot.

At the El Señor.

In Knightdale.

Yknow, like you do.

To be fair, we did get one blurryish shot where Charlotte isn't face-palming the fact that she's related to the rest of us (and that's the one we sent to Anneliese's teacher), but that's not as funny, now is it.

OHANDPLUSALSO. The family pic wasn't even the hardest part of what we were to send in to preschool. We I had another of those delightful all-about-me collages to make. I think we've well covered how I feel about preschool homework, so instead of making you all roll your eyes again, I will just show you our my masterpiece.

heck yes I let that  El Señor pic do double duty by appearing in this collage
(expect to see it in your Christmas cards too, just sayin)

(Anneliese helped a little.)

Now you may praise me.

Awkward Sibling Pic, v6.0

It's been too many months since I posted awkward pictures of my children on the internet and made fun of them. Let's remedy that.

I found this little gem in our photo file after Mark spent an afternoon (what I can only assume was a hot and muggy afternoon) playing with the kiddos outside.

Sweet Nathan, you have no idea the craptastic nonsense going on just over your shoulder. Do you.

Anneliese, no shirt, sweaty mullet. (She announced to us the other day that she was a hot mess. Why yes. That you are. #typisch) She cares not for things of fashion, only that she gets to hold her sister.

Only Charlotte looks properly horrified.

I Cringe

So last month, Another Nathan and I switched phones.  Well, kind of. 

Basically he wanted an iPhone but wasn't eligible for an upgrade yet, so we used our upgrade to get an iPhone for Mark's line, then traded Nathan that iPhone for his old (but new to me) touchscreen Droid which we activated on my line, then re-activated Mark's original Droid on his line, which he's content with til the one he really wants goes on sale. At which point we will use Nathan's upgrade to get it.

Clear as mud, right? Don't worry about the details, we all have the phones we want, and the lady in the Verizon store totally loved us (not sarcastic, we make friends wherever we go), so... yeah.

ANYWAY.

All that is just a long way of saying that I ended up with Another Nathan's phone, which somehow retained all his pictures even though we put my sd card in it (and dude is a picture hoarder) and y'all! Look at this vision of heinous I had forgotten about* til I sorted through the masses of pictures on his phone! (I mentioned the hoarder thing already, right? Just making sure.)

If only Charlotte were in here too, it could be an Awkward Sibling Photo of truly epic legend.

In a related story, my children think going to Target with Another Nathan is pretty much the best thing ever. I wonder why.

*repressed. I was there that day but didn't remember this happening til I saw the picture. You know how that goes.

Awkward Sibling Pic, v5.0

The first awkward sibling moment of the new year!

Whatever delightfully mischievous news Nathan just gave his sisters, Charlotte looks properly horrified while Anneliese is still trying to maintain some semblance of a game face.

She'll clearly be the one handling their PR at future press conferences.

{Note, 1/24: And so begins a series of drafted-but-not-published posts, after a blogging hiatus spanning the most insane several weeks in recent or maybe even distant memory. To be explained someday maybe. For now: I'm baaaaaaaack!}

Happy Twenty Dozen

Hey it's 2012!

I can't get it up for resolutions right now, so this post is blissfully short. Just three things to say:

1.) It's never too early in the year for a somewhat awkward family photo.

2.) No, you let your son run around on the beach in January in a sweater and his underwear.

3.) We might be awkward but dang do we love each other.

Happy New Year!

Awkward Sibling Pic, v4.0

Today's awkward sibling photo is brought to you by bathtime, lest any of you accuse us of never bathing our children. See, bathtime totally happens. And we take pictures. Sometimes even for reasons less important than the upcoming celebration of the lord's incarnation. Like, to commemorate Charlotte's whopping second bath. (For a completely hypothetical example. Ahem.)

So what's the best worst part of this picture?
A- Nathan's fake smile
B- Anneliese's hair, so dirty her pigtails stay in place even when the elastic is out
C- Charlotte, either obsessed with her belly button, or weak in the neck, or being a drama queen who's holding out for an amendment to the nudity clause in her modeling contract

If you guessed C, then ding ding ding you are correct!

Charlotte Claire: making family photos awkward since 2011.

My Girls

Who's the fairest of them all?

(Or is fairest not the right word?...)

Awkward Sibling Pic, v3.0

Today's awkward sibling moment brought you to by Another Nathan. I was briefly excited and proud when I saw he had managed to get a picture with all three kids looking at the camera (no small miracle). 

But then I looked closer.

Is one of Anneliese's pigtails standing up on its own? Is Nathan flipping us off? Is Charlotte crazy-happy or crazy-angry or just drunk with the power of world domination? What does it all mean???

(I can totally do a Christmas letter full of just these awkward little treasures, right?  Say okay mommy.)

Awkward Sibling Pic, v2.0

Because I had a whirlwind weekend and am too thoroughly exhausted for a real blog post, and because the last nightmare picture of my three adorable beasts was such a hit...

You're welcome.

Awkward Sibling Pic

This awkward family moment brought to you by Daddy:

Charlotte, sweetie... you've never looked better.

I dare you to look again and not laugh.