Well...I didn't really get it done in time for Christmas cards, but I managed to get my family together for our annual photo! And I even talked Josh into carrying the bench out to the trail this year. Last year he flatly refused. It's so heavy, but it's very pretty! At first we were trying to carry it together, and I guess he got annoyed with my pace because when we stopped to open a gate he just hoisted the whole thing up on his shoulder. He got a bit irritated with me for making him walk it a hundred yards down the trail, but that's where the trees get pretty and form their arch over the trail.

I noticed a couple of things that made this year's family photo experience different from last year's: (1) the kids were much more well-behaved and so there weren't really any outtakes... No Meredith fits or anything and (2) Josh actually smiled in a few of the photos!

Wallace says "cheeeeeese" the whole time.

I like this one too, but Meredith has a slightly confused look on her face.

I love pictures where the kids are looking at each other.

This is about the closest we got to an outtake.  I'm slightly bummed.  ;) — This is about the closest we got to an outtake. I'm slightly bummed. ;)

And this is one of the ones where Josh smiled!!  It was quite momentous. — And this is one of the ones where Josh smiled!! It was quite momentous.