Why there is (usually) a month between Thanksgiving and Christmas

One might think that at least one out of 13 adults attempting the feat would manage to shoot a picture of six children. But you would be wrong. Last Saturday, a scant two days after giving thanks en masse, we gathered at my inlaws' house for a Christmas kick-off party. The eight parents, two grandparents, one grand aunt, and a great aunt and uncle were handily outmaneuvered by the six cousins, four of whom are three and under.

Perhaps our timing wasn't right. Maybe trying to photograph small children after a long car trip, a round trip ferry ride to an island for a woodland hike, and a family dinner was overly ambitious?

Picture all 13 adults yelling conflicting instructions to the kids. Baby C has a few words, but I'm pretty sure the directive to "turn right and look up!" is beyond her at this point. She started wailing. On top of the stage directions, some people tried to entice the babies to look up by making animal noises and clapping. Some people decided that the three year old could be scolded into smiling. (A surprisingly ineffective tactic.)

We may not have gotten a decent picture, but I think we did manage to capture the sights and sounds of family holiday togetherness.