Middle School Banquet

The trick to getting Matt to smile for a picture: threaten to embarrass him by continually taking pictures until he smiles.  It worked on the first try.  I didn't take a full length picture because his pants were about 12 sizes too big, and I'm feeling guilty that I didn't take him pants shopping before the banquet.  But in my defense, any decent clothing store is in the city, 45 min to 1 hr away, and we don't go to town on the weekends because the traffic is capital T-TERRIBLE.  Especially the street with all the clothing outlets.  SO, although we live in a city that's known for great shopping, my kids never get new clothes.  I miss Target and Kohls, where I could just buy a couple different sizes and return the one that doesn't fit.  Then I didn't have to force them to go shopping and try things on with me.  Matt has lost about 30 pounds in the year that we've lived here.  No, he doesn't have worms.  He's also grown several inches.  But instead of buying bigger clothes for him, I'm having to buy smaller sizes.  It doesn't seem right.  He doesn't eat like a normal teenager on most days.  Usually I have to force him to eat, but then there's days like today when he's shoveling beans and rice in his mouth so fast, and at the same time asking "When are the brownies going to be done???"  

Anyway, this is the only time I'll see him in a tie until next year's banquet, so I'm glad I at least got one picture!

I tried to take a picture of his friends, but they must also suffer from camera phobia, as they both turned away when I pointed the camera at them.  Behind them you can see our arsenal of bicycles, motorbikes and strollers.  We have more strollers than we do children!  One motorcycle, 3 big bikes, one little bike, two double strollers (one sit and stand and one umbrella), and two single strollers (one jogging and one umbrella), and a wagon.  We are prepared.  Actually it's kind of embarrassing, but I don't know which one to get rid of.