That time we tried to take family beach pictures with 3 toddlers

We just got back from a long weekend in Hilton Head and it was beautiful! I love it there! If we win the lottery off those lottery tickets we don't buy, I'm buying a house there or at least a large condo. 

Every year we go, we take family beach pictures. We had them professionally done one year and it was worth EVERY penny! This year, we thought we'd go with an aqua, white and orange theme and just have someone on the beach snap one or 17 of the 7 of us. That pipe dream ended before we left the condo when it was evident, the kids were NOT going to cooperate. 

Parker refused to wear "a shirt with buttons" (his white collared shirt) and would only wear his lego crocs.... which make for super classy looking pictures. Avery insisted on wearing red sandals that are a size too small with her orange capri's that fit like pants because when will my 2 1/2 year old be out of 12 months bottoms?!?! I realize I could have {forced} them to wear my preapproved outfits but no one looks good in pictures crying. Parker had a recovering busted lip and Avery's eyes were bright red from swimming with her eyes open... we were a vision.

We scrapped the whole beach picture idea when we realized my mom's dress was 10 sizes too big and she was going to wear a super cute but glaringly not beach picturish dress. Instead we headed to Harbortown for some ice cream and Greg Russell songs.... come to find out, he was on vacation that week but we did find some ice cream. 

May I present you the Wise Family 2013 Family beach Picture.....

 ...and Parker.

In his defense, he was not crying, he simply stated "I don't want to be in the picture" and posed himself in the bench next to us like this. By the end of this evening, I felt the same way, dude!

So in conclusion... hire a professional photographer, pack back up outfits and forget posing... just play!

We DID have a fun night regardless of the family picture bomb. Here are a few fun moments:

Hello beautiful blue eyes!

Ice cream fun! .... One day I'll learn to buy longer dresses or at least think about pulling it down.

I am the classiest ice cream eater

Pick your battles, right?!

This little lady was a big fan of the birthday cake ice cream!

We have a picture just like this (with me in the same dress) for the last 3 years in a row! Maybe next year we'll mix it up and I'll wear something different... but probably not. Why fix a good thing?

My parents are pretty cute... and I wanna steal that dress.

Excuse my look of exhaustion... 3 toddlers are STRESSFUL around water... but holy cuteness. Could Liam look any more adorable!?!

I could eat her up!

Blurry but smiley! He did a slide himself! Just last week, he screamed hysterically sliding!

Nana's boy!

Poppi's girl!

Stay tuned for more Hilton Head beach and pool pictures!