The Color Purple

So just last night I talked about God providing rest in times of busyness. And here I am for the first time in about 2 months on a Saturday with nothing to do. I am feeling torn right now. You see, we were scheduled to have family pictures made today and you may remember from this post that I've been a little obsessed with these pictures. However, my firstborn awoke me several times throughout the early morning to inform me that she had just thrown up. She's at the age that she can handle things like that on her own, but she just needs me to know about it, you know? Anyway, she is looking pitiful on the couch right now and I know she is sick. She is a girl on the go, so when she doesn't want to go, she is sick.

I am beginning to think these pics just were not supposed to happen today anyway. Yesterday I got out of the Jeep when I got home from picking Kate up from school and heard a sound. It just happened to be all of the air coming out of my passenger side tire. Awesome. Josh was running a bread route yesterday and today (I don't know if y'all have noticed this, but these things always seem to happen when he is in another town) so I am vehicle-less. I've had a gift certificate I got last Christmas that I was going to use to get my nails done and nobody would ever answer the phone when I tried to make my appointment. I can't find Kate's skirt. It has vanished from the face of the earth. Due to being vehicle-less I can't get my hair did, and I have to tell y'all that it is probably the greatest act of mercy ever that we have to reschedule these pictures because I need a haircut more than anybody has ever needed a haircut in their lives. Did I also mention that FSU is playing Miami today during our scheduled photo shoot? Or that we have to cook for our Thanksgiving meal at church tomorrow? Okay, so maybe this wasn't the best day ever. The problem is that the only other day our photographer could schedule us in is next Wednesday. Not exactly the most convenient time for us, but hey, I will totally check my kids out of school early and cancel theatre classes for pictures! But only if I get my hair fixed!!!! :)

The truth is I've been excited about shopping for our outfits. I've put a lot of time and thought into the perfect color coordination. And after discovering Awkward Family Photos I realized just how important this decision is. I mean, this might have seemed the obvious choice for fall pictures, but I just don't think we could use this for our Christmas card.

I thought about saving my color choice for the big reveal of our pictures, but then I remembered nobody but me really cares. :)  And....I may be in the nursing home before we get these pics made. So, the color palette I went with is purples and grays. A special thanks to my cousin, Lauran for supplying a great link on pinterest that has every color option you could think of. Purple has always been one of my favorite colors. It goes back to the days when my Mom dressed my sister and I in the same outfit but different colors. Jenny was always pink and I was always purple. I even had a purple phone. Remember the kind you used to plug into the wall? Yeah, one of those. :)

Me and Jenny in our pink and purple. We still really like ice cream. :)

So, this last week after hours online searching for the perfect clothes I headed out to actually gather them. I just don't trust ordering clothes online. I was disappointed I couldn't find the dress I wanted for Kate in the store, but I decided to go more simple with her outfit and focus more on the accessories. Oh.my.word!  How fun! EVERYTHING is purple now! I found the cutest hair accessories and some super cute tights to wear under her black tutu skirt (if I ever find it). I even got purple shoes for me!!! It is probably too much purple, but remember, I love purple! They kind of look like these, but mine are a little different.

Originally I was just going to wear my boots. I finally broke down and bought new boots. And jeggings. I thought the world might come to an end. But, the jury is still out on how I feel about them. The truth is, they are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. The jeggings too. I imagine they are how pajama jeans feel. I've gotten lots of compliments on them, but I've also been told they look like stripper boots. Personally, I feel like a pirate when I wear them. So, what I'm saying is that even though I've decided to wear them, I'm not sure I want a family pic in them to forever immortalize the stripper pirate look. 

This picture cracks me up. Me trying to be trendy. My 4 year old too embarrassed to be seen with me. Sarah wearing my too big for her coat because we can't find hers. This is how I imagine our family pics will turn out. It's just a guess.....

Anybody else noticing a theme?

So, I have a few days now to get a little more organized. Here's my new To Do list:

- Find Kate's skirt

- Get my head shaved

- Buy Eli black socks

- Decide if I should try to pull off purple shoes or pirate boots

- Get my nails done and pray they last at least long enough for a picture

- Lose 10 pounds and get a tan (this is a constant on my to do list.....)

- Meditate and think happy thoughts and tell myself that I will not lose my cool even if Kate is hiding in all of our pics.

-Stock up on candy and all other means of bribery.

-Look forward to winning the next big contest on Awkward Family Photos!!!

I will leave you with a past winner of a family picture. This could only be better if we were wearing pumpkin suits......