We Are Family!

 The big event of the unofficial Jack reunion was family pictures! We'd done family pictures with the Jacks the last time we were all together for Christmas, but that was when I was just pregnant with Riley and 4 other babies and one fiancee have been added to the family since then! Ben's family is definitely more in the growing phase than the Messerly family at this point...other than Riley we've only added Andrew since then! So, Ben's mom really wanted another picture, especially since in that previous picture Tim had been on a mission so he was photoshopped in. (Turns out you can't just bring a cardboard print out of a missionary and assume the photographer knows what to do with that.) 

Why does something that brings so much joy have to make everyone so stressed?? I only had one kid to get ready and keep clean and happy for these pictures and I was exhausted by the end. To get the best daylight Riley had to stay up pretty late, but luckily she was still a super happy girl most of the time! I was definitely second guessing any plans of having more children watching these families with three or four kiddos trying to get everyone looking at the camera. :) 

I wasn't sure how good the pictures would turn out with neither Ben or I able to try and get her to laugh, but luckily our brother-in-law Sterling came up with saying the phrase "Jack Cheese!" Riley absolutely loved it! Every time we said "Jack Cheese" she would crack up. You never know what's going to get her, but thank goodness we struck gold that day!

I love this picture, but Ben points out that you can tell I'm actually laughing in it. I think that's a positive thing, but apparently you're not supposed to laugh while you are kissing. :) I was just so flustered when the photographer asked us to kiss! I am not good being put on the spot, I haven't been asked to take romantic kissing pictures for 5 years! 

Love this picture of Ben and his fam!

Like I said, Riley was really great most of the time. When it was time for the grandparents + grandchildren picture she was very unsure about the whole thing. She's not comfortable enough around any of these cousins to have them fill in for Mom or Dad. This is as close as we could get her to stand by the group. A few people tried to encourage her to move closer, but I knew how thin the ice was that we were skating on so I didn't try to push it. I was happy she was just in the picture! 

As far as we know, no one is pregnant right now so these family pictures will at least be current for 9 months! We call that a win!