Photo for Five / "The Holiday Card Shot"

Sagrada Familia

Before you decide to have three kids and become an official family of five, there are things you can't quite consider, like:

* At some point, you will have to wait for a shower; sometimes, this will feel like forever as you patiently allow each member of your house to go before you.

* Finding a table for five at a busy restaurant is tricky.

* You'll have to separate for plane rides, finding seats either beside or behind each other... or in entirely different sections...

* You can't get a taxi for five people in most cabs; you either have to split up or call ahead for a larger cab

* If you ask, "Where should we eat?" you'll get four or five different answers... and someone is always irritated by the decision

Park Guell

* When you're traveling, you will likely only get pictures with up to four of you in them because someone has to take the photo. 

We usually get around this last one by setting up a self-timed picture, which is great because it takes a few rounds to get the best photo... and the "bloopers" sometimes say more about us as a family than the posed shots (She's in my way... No, on this side, on this side... It's flashing, Mom,come on!!").

On this trip, however, we've had two great tours with guides who have accommodated my desire for shots of our complete family. Don't be surprised if you see one of these on our holiday cards.

 

La Boqueria