Those Girlie Red, Gap Shirts!

A couple of weeks ago we got our Christmas card photo's taken and what a fiasco! The girls were ready and I thought to myself...good job...that's the hardest part! Boy was I mistaken! The boys were already in their jeans and just needed to put on their shirts so we could be on our way! I passed out the red shirts I had ordered online from Gap and the trouble started...Brock and Mati began to moan and pout! They thought the shirts were "girlie" and accused me of getting them from the girls department. After several minutes of trying to convince them otherwise I gave up and just yelled. Put those shirts on and get in the van!!!!! They did as they were told. The ride over to the photographers was not good. Brock told Chase (who was wearing the same shirt) that he looked like a girl and Chase got angry. Brock thought this was funny and began to make many comments about looking like girls in the picture. Mati was just plain mad and told us all that he would never wear this shirt again. This made daddy mad. "Your mother bought that shirt and it cost money!!! You will wear that shirt and be grateful you have it!!!!" Kenzi commented that the boys shirts looked very nice, which only made the boys more upset. We arrive within minutes and park. Everyone gets out of the van except Mati who does not want his picture taken...he is wearing a very mean look, Chase is mad, Brock is sad...not the way to look on a Christmas card! So now I am mad because I wanted everyone to look loving and joyful in the pic and that is obviously not going to happen! So I say in my meanest voice.."you will walk in there and be happy! You will all act like you love each other and smile so people know we are a happy family!!!!!" And then the threat..."and if you don't I will make you wear those red shirts everyday to school this week!!"
I did not get the desired results (which were at least fake smiles) I got a few scowls! We walk in the studio 5 minutes late with Emma smiling and excited and everyone else mad and unhappy. The poor photographer takes a look and our family and in a very cheerful voice asks "Is everybody happy and ready?" Hee hee...I just told her the truth....nope, the boys don't really want to be here and they don't like their shirts....they think they look 'girlie'. She was not sure how to respond!   Anyway after a few whispered threats to several of the children we got a few pics. The funny thing is after we left we went to my nephew's birthday party where we all laughed and had fun together. Then later that day at home again we joyfully spent more time together. Too bad none of that was caught on film. In the end it worked out...the boys smiled for the pics...they did not have to wear the shirts to school...and daddy was pleased that he won't have to have pics taken again for a long while!