Picture This, Sears

So after Amber took her 18-month pictures, I swore up and down that I would never go back to Sears for pictures. I can't remember exactly why I did this, but I surely wish I had stuck to my guns...

But it was Audrey's first birthday, and I wanted to get a picture of her with the big number "1" like we had for Amber--and of course, only Sears had the big "1," so Sears it was. I had visions of my two cuties side-by-side in matching frames with matching "1"s in their pictures. Well, that dream sunk like the Titanic yesterday.

Now, I can say honestly that these ladies were much friendlier than the sort they had in there 2 years ago. However, they apparently hadn't photographed many children at this age level. The girls taking the pictures couldn't seem to get her finger to push the button fast enough. She kept muttering "oh, she's so fast," and "she's really active" and things like that. Well no fooling. She's 1. How many 1-year-olds do you know will sit still and pose while you get your act together? By the end, I was ready to push her out the way and do it myself. I realize you have to learn what you're doing, but at some point, I think we needed someone a little more skilled in there.

And then they had two experience "helpers" in there with the newbie. This, plus myself and Jay and Amber made for too many people making too many faces and noises at poor little Audrey. Now, that sweet-natured thing didn't cry, but she had the most confused look on her little face. And Lord knows that kid is a natural smiler--she takes a fabulous picture at home. But with all that shenanigans, she was not having it.

Anyhoo, fast forward about an hour while we waited for them to doctor up the photos and give you all those "enhanced" options. Newsflash, ladies: I'm not paying an extra $15 per sheet for black and white or fuzzy borders.

I had my coupon package, not realizing that the package ain't what it used to be. But I'll get 16 of those great miniprints, which will be fabulous for absolutely nothing. What DO you do with those anyway??

And one particularly perky woman (who was wearing a bow on her head like you'd see on a kindergartener) kept trying to sell me "great deals" like a $299.00 cd of the pictures or a $119.00 photo collage. I mean, really... who buys that stuff?? NOT ME!! But I can tell you what you can do with that bow...

I think the kicker was that every sheet we ordered was $20 apiece. And WHY so much? Because it was Friday. Seriously. They'd be $10 apiece if it was Mon-Thurs. And we didn't even GET the stupid "1" pictures because they were so horrible!! ARGH!!!

And so went my last Sears Portrait Studio experience. And I really mean it this time!!!