On Sunday, Team Tinsley ventured to Valley View (not in the bucolic sense - in the mall sense - The Messedupplex doesn't have a lot of geographic beauty but makes up for it x2 with shopping and restaurant) en masse. The reason. Pictures. We wanted to freeze time, capturing Boy #1 and Boy #2 together - at their respective 2 year and 2 month marks.

So, off we went complete with our new double wide stroller. That thing is a beast. My first outing with it. I think you need a heavy machine operators license to stroll that damn thing. Put it this way, it will barely fit in the mall elevator. You have to turn it sideways. You need one of those annoying beep beep beep (like on Garbage Trucks) warning alarm things when you're backing up to turn around. I nearly took out a table at the Food Court. Not pretty. But as always I digress.

Pictures. The The Picture Place. Or is it Picture People. Can't remember. Kid friendly joint. You can put your little ones in all sorts of strange poses with props galore. I had the sicko thought while waiting for our studio if they would shoot an adult in the nude. If you came in there with the cash. Not a nice thought considering I'm in a kiddie photo place. I told Carter this thought and she agreed that I am in fact Sick. After nearly a 20 minute wait, while some kid hopped around me and Boy #1 like he was Nighcrawler from X2 (he had seen the movie - the kid that is, as well as X-Men 1, I told him he reminded me of Nightcrawler and he took no offense, you got to love an 8 year olds mind) they called Team Tinsley, come on down.

Ansel Adams was off that day, or dead, is Ansel Adams dead? Someone let me know. Regardless we had Matt as our Picture Place or People photographer. Take away Matt's sideburns and under the lip fuzz and Matt could have passed for a kid in Ethan's Mommy Day out class. Maybe not. Let's say a kid with a gland problem. THE POINT. Matt was young. Probably making minimum wage to take my precious photos. Which is fine on one hand, but then for what the places charge and factoring in the time we had been there and would be there - well I'd rather have more professional photographer shooting my precious memories. Not Matt who probably was getting high on his break and then going to the Food Court and eating thrice fried pork from China Love Restaurant. I digress again. Sorry.

So, we suited up the Boys in striped tops, jean bottoms and attempted to get Ethan to hold Wyatt on the white seamless background. Ethan wasn't playing that game and refused. He was more interested in Matt's props in the back of the studio. Next, we tried to get Ethan to hold or sit next to Wyatt on a bean bag. This was somewhat successful although it appears Wyatt is likkered up and passed out - head leaning on Ethan who has a crazed fake smile - kind of scared look that was produced by Matt waving around this feather duster thingy that in inteded to get kids laughing and smiling? I bet the Picture Place or People have training manuals and classes devoted on how to operate the feather dusty thingy to get smiles. They probably have a training video on this.

After Ethan was done, we split to get a gum ball and to ride the duck (and kiddy ride at the mall.) We missed Wyatt's shoot. Carter was in charge of that. We met up later at the Food Court where Boy #1 was eating a HH Meal. Fast forward.. to 2pm - time to get our prints and the Place - the Picture Place or People Place is BUSY. People are everywhere, looking at their prints and trying to decide which cute/precious pic of their progeny they should purchase. We go thru this exercise (which is like doing advanced math for me - how many prints you need / by the number of grandparents - wallet prints = annoyed Stubie) and then wait to pay. And wait. Wait. Wait. After nearly 30 minutes Carter is getting sticky fingers and wants to split. Boy #1 is ready for nap time and none the happy about waiting around this joint. Plus the Nightcrawler Kid is back and hopping around again. He's fun when you are running around with him. But when its nap time, well Nightcrawler is just annoying. SO - Cart, decision somewhat shaped by Ethan's wanting to go HOME - and the whole nape time thing - says we're leaving! Which we did, with the pictures. Yes, Team Tinsley are now Thieves!!!!

The sad part is The Picture Place or People probably have no clue that they we stole prints. That's how disorganized a train wreck the place was when we were trying to pay them. Not that their disorganization justifies are thievery.

SO - the burning question is this: Will Carter go back this week when they are less busy and pay for the prints (we already paid for the sitting fee?) OR will she not pay? Cast your vote - and please dear reader STAY TUNED!!!!!

On a totally unrelated note. I had Boy #2 duty last night. While I was doing the Daddy Dance trying to get him lulled into sleepy time, I was watching Seinfeld. Probably the first time I've watched Seinfeld in over a year. Guess what episode it was? The one where George has (or he thinks he has) a romance going w/ the photomart chick and has Kramer take racy photos of himself. SYNCHRONICTY.

Bye.