One way to take a huge amount of stress out of planning for family photos is to, well, not stress about it. Don’t buy special outfits. Don’t sit on the weather channel around the clock to see if it will be perfect. Don’t agonize over finding a picture perfect location. Don’t fret about how your children will or won’t cooperate. Just be. Go somewhere familiar. Look like yourselves. Enjoy each other’s company. No one needs to be staring at the camera at all times smiling. In fact, it’s better if you don’t. Make a memory, live in the moment on a fun outing with your family. I will document what real happiness and kinship looks like.