The Joys (and Pains) of Taking Pictures for Christmas

So it's the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th, and it hits Todd and I that we haven't dressed the kids up and taken pictures!  ARGH!  This is important for our family since we live far away from extended family and everyone wants to see more pictures of the kids, especially during Christmas!

Last night we got a chance to dress them up so we started snapping away at the opportunity of having them all dressed up.  Our eldest had his first Homeschool Band concert since he started learning how to use the Alto Saxophone back in August.  So before and after the concert, this Mama was camera picture happy.   We went to the store to grab some milk (we use a gallon a day, do you?  maybe more?) and the young lady at the register looked at them and said, "Wow you all look so beautiful and handsome, you look like you should be in a movie!"  Not all the pictures came out perfect but I thought they were still adorable! I still will need my hubby to use photo shop on them to get them "just right!" SO here they are:

I call it a work in progress, lol!  How did it go for you?  

Did you have the perfect picture real quick, lol?  

Do you have trips and tricks to achieving the perfect picture?