This is why I love hanging with my family...

Back at Thanksgiving-time, I wrote about how thankful I was for my large, loud, crazy family. I am the only girl (oldest) with 5 younger, but close-in-age brothers. At least the first 4 brothers are close in age. There was a bit of a gap (and a deceased brother) between us and the last two, putting the last brother at 18 years younger than me.

In that post, I also included the following picture of me and my siblings.


In fumbling around for a present idea for our parents this year, Matt came up with a reprise of the original photo (10 years later). A GOOD idea, because other than our grandmother's funeral, we haven't all BEEN together in the last 10 years. So we set it all up, only to have James cancel because of a bad case of shingles. Then James decided he would come anyway, so the shoot was back on - only this time because my MOM set it up! It seems that great minds think alike.

Matt then began the what-to-wear coordination with the suggestion that we each bring a black, white or blue shirt, and wear bluejeans or black pants. We are all quite fair, with blue eyes and varying degrees of blonde hair, so black doesn't always look good on us. Mom suggests blue (because we ALL look good in blue). Matt was suggesting black because it's slimming (and let's face it, 10 years later, we're all a bit heavier...)

Then I got this email from Andy:

I will wear a black thong and swim fins, as black is slimming and the fins accentuate my feet. I am looking for my sombrero, as we speak...

Any chance I could get some solo shots done of me in that outfit? Perhaps jumping on a trampoline? I'd like to send out custom Christmas cards next year, and nothing symbolizes the birth of our savior like a middle aged fat man in a thong jumping on a trampoline.

I am still gasping for air!