Nine Years of Grump

The Packers came so close, y'all.

The emotion in the first picture of this series - see below - was captured accidentally. On Super Bowl Sunday I brought out all of the kids' Green Bay gear for one more wear. As Will pulled on his Packer shirt, he asked excitedly if the Packers had made it to the Super Bowl. When I explained that no, the Packers weren't playing that day, the authentically forlorn expression you see above passed slowly across his face. Hallie, on the other hand, just didn't feel like smiling for the camera.

This tradition of Will and Hallie wearing their disappointment on both their faces and torsos began in 2012 will continue as long as is necessary…hopefully 2021 will see our Green Bay Packers rise to the top once more.

2020

2019

2018

This is our "official" 2017 photo...

...but this one - in which Hallie somehow looks even scarier
with a unilaterally flared nostril - is worth sharing as well.

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

Hallie's range of emotions is one of my absolute favorite details to capture in photos. As you probably know, she's has never had any trouble flashing a turned-down mouth and furrowed brow - staged or sincere - for the camera. Will, on the other hand, has to work really hard to make an angry face the rest of us can take seriously. He almost always bursts out laughing as soon as he hears the camera click.

Also worth noting with regard to this years pictures...Will's eyes are squinty not because of his feelings about the Packers just missing the Super Bowl, but because of a simultaneously occurring basketball-related black eye and allergic reaction. 

Lastly, here are a couple of fun outtakes from our photo shoot.

This one didn't make the cut because Hallie
went too far toward aggressive and crazy.

And this one didn't make the cut because Will is clearly smiling.
He just can't act angry or upset unless he actually feels that way.