The Annual Loss of Reason Leading to the Attempt to Take a Family Photo

Each year with the crisp smells of Autumn that I cherish so well comes another, subtler stench. It wafts up my nose and prickles its way into my brain as a single thought: "Why not take a family picture at this lovely time of year?"

Outfits are assembled, naps and feedings carefully arranged, bribes negotiated,
tripods erected (we are, by necessity, cheap), and dreams of a Christmas card sent by Thanksgiving are born.

And the results are in:

I know what you're thinking. "Will you LOOK at Kate! She is a picture taking MACHINE. She barely flinches from frame to frame despite the bedlam all around her!"
Yet if you look closely there, in my eyes, you'll see:
the dying of that feeble flame called hope.

I jest.
It's all worth it, because I'm so glad to have this:

Big thanks to sis-in-law Lisa for manning the tripod/camera and sis Wendy for her mad ps skilz.

And a few of my honeys:

If you're still with us, and since we did NOT send a Christmas card by Thanksgiving (does seem a bit redundant these days thanks to social media), here are a few bullet points on the Wilson clan:

•Emme loves olives and beans and is obsessed with boxes and sitting in them.
•Olivia likes pentagons and string cheese and wants to go to Dora's house.
•Jane is kicking arthritis in the joints (doing well) and gets love notes from classmates daily.
She enjoys meat and hearing stories from her parents' childhoods.
•Malan loves raspberries and her friends, likes to invite people to church,
and wants to meet a real fairy.
•Kate is getting the house ready to sell, would like more sleep,
and would also like to meet a real fairy.
•Caleb graduates in May with his M.D.
Re: residency- we'll find out where in mid-March and if all goes well, we will be moving in June to:
Dallas TX, Memphis TN, Philly PA, Shreveport LA, Chicago IL, or Danville PA,
Unless we match here in the 'burgh.

That's about it for the Wilson update.
Thanks for reading. And for not smoking.