Hood River and Family Picture Day!

About an hour drive from where we live is a city of Hood River which is known for their beautiful orchards, vineyards, country stores and stunning Mt. Hood views.  I don't know why we don't visit this place more often.  We've driven through a couple of times, but never really explored it.  

Right now, its the pear season there hence the Pear Celebration going on there this weekend.   Unfortunately, we didn't have time to visit the places that really highlighted pears and join their festivities, we did have time to stop by and buy oh...about 60 lbs of pears from a local farmer for a whooping $15!  And ooohhh, they taste delicious!

My sister generously offered her photography services in exchange for a ride there.  We thought the trade off was fair.  The time was way overdo to take our family picture.  I also wanted to do something I've never done before--maternity pictures.  I don't know why such desire all the sudden with the 4th child.  Maybe its the fact that if I want to remember what I looked like pregnant, why not capture it when I am looking and feeling my best--5 months:)

The family picture taking again proved to be classic: one family member is usually either not cooperating or making silly faces such as here:

We do much better by our selves:

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Or when there are two of us: 

Alas, a decent family one.  

These are the teaser ones my sister sent me.  I am expecting and hoping for a couple more family ones that I could frame.

But seriously, I have concluded that taking a family picture brings out the worst in us.   Its not like we are faking being a happy family, we are only trying to capture it.   All we are asking kids is to smile and stay still for a couple of seconds?  Why should it be such nerve racking process?  Is it  because we are afraid that at the end of the day we'll have no picture to frame?   I don't know.  Maybe we should do it more often.  Resolvedtoworship, I don't know how you do it!!!