This is often the time of year for family photograph. They make great Christmas cards.
My parents were the picture takers in our family. This was pre-cell phone days. They purchased duplicates so we could have copies. My mom was always telling my dad to grab the camera, which I am now very grateful for their diligence in recording our families adventures. Cell phones are so much more convenient these days and Jer is quick to take photos.
We frequented one particular studio in town every year for our annual family portrait. Since we home schooled, we also used this as our yearly school picture. Sweaters were passed down year to year, so you might just see the same sweater on a younger brother repeated several times.
My favorite part of this studio’s program was the free 8 X 11 you received just for going. I have to admit this was the draw for me, to get a professionally done picture the most economical way. We did purchase a few times but not often. You do what you have to do, right?
Our hall wall is now covered, in chronological order, family pictures from infants through graduation and now an occasional holiday family portrait. It’s often the first place in the house our kids take their friends to see. They laugh at the progression of hairstyles and clothes, like our own personal museum of the Womack family.
One year, we decided the winter sweaters were getting old and to do a summer portrait instead. The family gathered tropical shirt and sunglasses. Jumping in our nine-passenger station wagon, we headed down the road. One the way, a mysterious putrid aroma wafted to our noses but we couldn’t find the cause. Still, the family arrived excited for this fun new look.
The photographer positioned Jer to sit on the ground and tuck his foot behind his leg. A couple kids knelt down. Part way through the photo shoot Jer looked down at his shoe. Mystery solved! He must have stepped in something the dog deposited on the lawn. We all began to giggle. The photographer didn’t understand our inside joke but we had a great photo that year and a lot of fun too.
Comments