So, I picked out the least horrible picture for our card, but even if we ignored Sarah’s expression, there were two things that needed to be repaired. One was Doug’s head in the corner trying unsuccessfully to talk Evan into standing still. The other was our wall looking like this door, except Amy’s writing has improved and the living room wall actually says “momamy”. Doug didn’t like the software choices on my computer and insisted that he needed to clean up the picture with photoshop. Okay, fine. A week and much whining (from me) later, he said the picture was done and I zipped it off for printing. We went together to pick up the cards. Doug didn’t like the blank wall and had stuck our tree behind the children. But, he still wasn’t happy. He had tried to outsmart Sarah’s refusal to dress up by putting her in black pants instead of jeans. “I fixed her pants. Why are they still blue?” He paced and grumbled while I paid for the cards. Then, his mood changed. “There it is! I scooted it and forgot to move it. Look in the tree. That black bow-tie is Sarah’s pants.” Now I can’t look at the picture without that black blob staring at me. The printers didn’t see it, because they asked permission to put our card on display. Maybe they did and we are an example of how not to do your card. Maybe they just thought it was funny to see toddler to teens in one picture. Next year I may just have him photoshop the children into the picture. I think it would be easier.