During the photo shoot my sweet husband thoughtfully shared his feelings about my stress level. His thoughtfulness was a little more than I desired, making me want to share my feelings on the subject right back, as in "Listen, sweet cheeks, if you think I can get six children scrubbed, identically attired with hair in the right place, fingers not in noses, and nobody fighting, crying, pinching or whatever else they can think of AND NOT BE STRESSED, YOUUUU are crazy."

Later, however, I reflected on the importance of doing just what he was trying so nobly to suggest — in the thick of it, enjoy it, and simply embrace what is.

A tad easier said than done with six young children. But he's right (although you didn't hear it from me).

I should have tried to relax and just enjoy the fact that if the kids got into fisticuffs and there was blood spurting all over their beautifully matched shirts, it would, in the end, be a more realistic picture of our lives than standing with our arms resting casually on a fence.

So, my thought to you this week is, in the case of excruciating family traditions, live the dream ... or endure the photo shoot.

LIFE Tip: Choose a few key family traditions that matter most to your family and embrace the experiences that follow.

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