That one, perfect picture (will never happen)

Last Wednesday the kids "school" was closed due to the Thanksgiving holiday (and I don't work on Wed) so I took this opportunity to get the kids dressed for Christmas and take their picture for our Christmas card. We headed out to the Botanical Gardens because what's prettier than that? I actually took a few shots in our front yard thinking that I might get lucky and not even have to chase them through the Gardens but that was just wishful thinking so off to the Gardens (there were of course no flowers to see but it was still prettier than our house which is currently under a foot of leaves).
We started off with them in the stroller until I found the "perfect" spot. There was a beautiful red bridge in the Japanese Garden so I let them out and started taking pictures. They weren't interested in posing for me so I gave up and just let them go. I abandoned our stroller and bag and just followed them getting a shot when I could. There were LOTS of families out doing the same thing (well, these other families brought professional photographers with them). I was the only Mom chasing 2-two year olds but I was really impressed with my 2 kiddos that day. I would even take them back!
Fast forward 2 1/2 hours and 171 pictures later and I called it a day. Yes, I took 171 pictures of my kids in 2 1/2 hours. My husband thinks I am completely insane but I so wanted that one perfect shot. And would you believe that out of all those pictures there was not 1 that I just loved? It was either good of Isabel and not of Jackson or the other way around. Sooooooo frustrating!!!!!!
So what did I do? I found a card (on Shutterfly) with the option of inserting 1, 2, 3, or 4 pictures. I went with 4 so I could get all the angles so I am now pretty pleased with how it turned out! Thank god!!!!
Anyway, I am not going to share any of the 171 pictures until I mail the cards out so you will just have to wait! ;)

On another note, the kids have grown! Isabel is weighing in at 24lbs and Jackson at 29lbs.
Isabel is 33" tall and Jackson is just shy of 35".
They are now in new phases.....
Jackson will ask, "who that?" or "what that?" all day long. He doesn't care if it's a stranger in the grocery store, he wants to know who that is!
And Isabel, well her new "thing" is just a little more annoying (Don't get me wrong, she's a cute little thing). With Iz, it's "Why, Mommy?" EVERYTHING I say or ask her to do gets "Why Mommy?". When I say it's time for bedtime I get "Why?", or time for dinner or time to put our shoes on. And if she doesn't ask "Why" then I get a very sassy, attitude filled "NO".
Oh, how I love them....... :)