A Sad Discovery: Project 365

I asked for only one thing for Christmas:  A family picture, where everyone was happy to be there.  This is the contract I got, signed and dated by everyone in my family.

We, the undersigned, do hereby pledge and promise to you, Sandra Kay Koch, the following:

1. On or around January 2, 2012, we, the undersigned, will sit with you for a professional photographer.

2.  We will be noticeably happy about it.

3.  We will have our hair combed.

4.  We will, without hesitation or debate, dress in the manner and with the articles and accessories that you demand.

5.  We will purchase and provide for you a finished portrait.

6.  We will hang the portrait in our home in a timely manner.

Conditions and exclusions:

1.  We, the undersigned, may or may not be available for you to look at all the proofs and provide our opinion about which pose is best.

2.  We reserve the right to refuse any request of the professional photographer to put ourselves or each other in poses that may be embarrassing or silly.

3.  No part of this binding contract shall be interpreted as a promise of continued and perpetual happiness on our part for getting our pictures taken, beyond the stated sitting, as aforementioned.

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Since today was January 2, this was photography day!  We loaded up the car and headed to visit our good friend Lorry of Kohls’ Photography.  Everything went beautifully, and Lorry did a great job.  I can’t wait to see the finished product.  And can I just say…I LOVE my family. They all, in spite of their strong dislike of having their picture taken, did a wonderful job of faking it for me!  I think Lorry definitely got some good shots!

Following the photography shoot, since we were all dressed nicely, and hadn’t spent  ENOUGH time in a vehicle together this Christmas break, we headed to Decorah to go to one of our favorite restaurants in the area.  Rachel was ecstatic to discover that we were headed to the Americana Grille, because she LOVES the seafood wrap she gets there. 

The parking lot was suspiciously empty but we could almost chalk that up to it being shortly before 5…not quite dinner time for the general population.  Ron went in and checked it out and came out shortly after, shaking his head.  “They’re closed?” I asked.  “For more than just today,” he sadly answered.  Evidently the owner has been fighting cancer and had to close his doors.  Rachel sadly decided that if she had known that the last time she enjoyed a seafood wrap would have been her LAST time, she would have savored the moment more!

Fortunately for my other children, one of THEIR favorite restaurants was right next door.

Cameron, who had been pouting and moping about “just wanting to go home, ‘cause I’m not even hungry!” JUMPED out of the van and said “This is the BEST DAY EVER!”  He loves their mashed potatoes more than anything.  He declared that it should be called “Potato Ranch”.  Caleb was a trend setter and started out with a root beer float, and Ethan was very happy to get the timing just right to get the INSIDE pieces of the cactus bread (cheese bread).

We all came home absolutely stuffed, and pleased with our day.