Taking family photos are so fun, aren’t they?
No, not really. It’s not easy to get everyone in our family together for a family photo.
That’s why our last family picture was in June 2015 for ds13’s bar mitzva.
The one before than was April 2014, less than three weeks after my face was burned. It wasn’t an accident that I posted a small picture that I digitally resized to make it hard to see clearly how blotchy I looked! We tried to take another one six months later but my skin tone was still so uneven in photos that I deleted every single picture.
This year, I insisted to my kids, we were going to take a family photo during Pesach vacation!
I planned to do this on erev Pesach – yes, really, I thought this would be quite relaxed because everything would be done so far in advance (try not to fall off your chairs laughing!). But I neglected to make sure that everyone in my family got a memo of my plans and some of them thought that sleeping before the seder would be a more bonding experience.
Actually, I agreed with them, and so I let them sleep. We completely enjoyed our seder with all of our family members being well-rested and fully present. And we took a picture a couple of days later instead.
Unfortunately that morning ds3 woke up with a cold and he looked so miserable in almost every picture. I’m grateful that we ended up with a couple of pictures that we like, and I’m optimistic that we can get another family photo in less than a year from now with ds3 looking like his cheerful self.
So here we are!
Avivah
That is a beautiful family photo!!! May you have lots of nachas form your family, always! So beautiful k’ah!!! I can so relate to this post!! We had family photos taken last year ….the most recent one we had before that was from 5 years before!! I have made a family “minhag” of taking “family” photos of just the kids, every year, before Rosh HoShana….the pics get put onto a card that is mailed out to all of my family…I started this tradition about 9 years ago and have been able to keep it up…B”H! My kids now start planning their coordinated outfits well in advance of the photo session (I take the pictures)… may you have lots of reasons to take lots more family pictures!! Kol tuv!
Such a beautiful family and a great photo!
I applaud you that you could actually get the photo! Getting everyone on the same page is a feat! We tried for my in laws 60th Wedding anniversary when every one came in from all over. We had a big Kiddush/lunch at the Shul. Motzi Shabbas we were going to all take a family photo- but it didn’t work out.. this one’s baby was sleeping, this one had a cold, this one needed to leave right away! congratulations to you that you did it..It’s a beautiful photo!
Judee, your description of trying to get everyone together at once is so exactly accurate! That’s why it’s a major accomplishment to get a photo taken.
Such a wonderful family photo. Love all the smiling, happy faces. Congratulations on raising amazing children.
Beautiful picture! Lots of nachas!
What a beautiful family! Avivah, you’re literally glowing in this picture!
Love it Avivah!! Thanks for sharing it with us. 🙂
Kelly
Beautiful! KAH!
You even matched the outfits to the flowers ! Is this your garden ?
Beautiful picture! Outfits coordinating with flowers!!! Shep nachas ! Enjoy your beautiful family!
The flowers weren’t planned in advance! We wanted to have greenery in the background and as we were walking toward where we were going to do the pictures, we saw these beautiful flowers in bloom and decided it would be the perfect place.
(Shuli, it’s not my garden but one day I hope my garden will look like this! Right now it’s a patch of dirt that makes my rabbits and younger boys who like to dig very happy. :))
Thanks, everyone, for the nice comments! When I look at our family all together, in real life or in photo, I often think that this is the payoff for all those years of investment. I have a lot of gratitude.