Disclaimer: I don't own SWAC ...but...I do own Suzie and Joey! mwahahaha!

R&R!

Love, Twipi :D

Christmas Photo

"Mommy! Daddy won't get me breakfast!" Ah, parenthood. It was picture day at the Cooper household, and like always, it was not getting off to a good start. Because Chad was the greatest actor of his generation, he always wanted our Christmas photo to be the best of our generation.

"Tell Daddy that if he doesn't make you breakfast, I won't get him the birthday gift he wanted." That should make Chad get breakfast. He would do anything for a new Corvette. Little Suzie Cooper was our latest creation. She was only six, and she looked just like her father. Our oldest, Joey Cooper, was fourteen, and looked a lot like me, except he had his dad's eyes. These two children were my pride and joy. They were also the reason I'm turning gray at thirty eight.

"Sweetie, can you get Joey to put on his suit." Chad whispered in my ear. Joey didn't like dressing up, at all. It used to be cute, but anymore it's just annoying.

"Joey, put your suit on or I'm selling your X-box!" If that threat didn't do it, who knows what would.

"But Mom, it's uncomfortable!"

"Just go!" I walked into the kitchen. Suzie was peacefully eating her pancakes. At least one thing was going well at the moment. We had to get to the photographer in one hour. If the pace wasn't going to pick up, then I don't know if we'll get done in time.

"There Mom, I'm dressed." Joey looked handsome. He was in his nice black suit with a red dress shirt and Christmas tie underneath. My boy was growing up.

"Thank you, sweetie. Go do something that won't ruin your clothes." I came over to Chad, who was deciding which tie to wear. I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Which one should I wear? The Mackenzie Falls one matches my eyes, but it is a Christmas photo."

"I like the one with the ornaments." I told him. Most guys don't put this much though into their ensemble, but then again, Chad Dylan Cooper wasn't most guys.

"Okay, sweetie. I love you." He kissed my cheek.

"I love you too." I kissed his lips. It was hard to believe that we were enemies when we first met. And look at us now, married with two kids.

"Mommy?" I heard a small voice call.

"What Suzie?"

"Come here." I walked into the kitchen and couldn't believe what my eyes saw. Suzie was sitting there with maple syrup all over herself.

"Suzie Allison Cooper! How did you get all of this maple syrup on you!"

"I don't know! It just happened!" Well, what can you expect from a six year old. I grabbed her hand and led her to the bathroom.

"Mommy, I never got to finish my pancakes!"

"No more pancakes for you! I'll get you a granola bar later." I got out her pink washcloth, soaked it a bit, and started washing the sticky liquid off of her face.

"Mommy, are you mad at me?" There were tears forming in her eyes.

"Of course not, sweetie! How could I be mad at you! I love you too much." She smiled and gave me a big hug. Thank goodness I had gotten all of the syrup off by then because I would have been covered in it, too.

"Can I go get out my dress?"

"Yeah! Go get it." She ran off to go put on her "princess" dress. That's what she called any dress with a poofy skirt. The dress was red, for Christmas. It was also very sparkly. Suzie refused to wear anything that didn't have any glitter on it. She was definitely a girl. Joey was in his room playing X-box, Chad and I were already ready, and Suzie was almost done. Things were starting to go smoothly.

After waiting a few minutes, Suzie ran out. She looked adorable.

"Mommy! I'm a princess!"

"Yes you are, dear. Go get your Daddy, it's time to leave!" She ran off into my bedroom, and I went to get Joey.

"Joey, time to go!"

"But I can't stop! I'm in the middle of the game!"

"Save now, or you won't be playing that game again!"

"Fine!" Wow, was he like his father in his youth. Before I knew it, he and Suzie would be having "good" "good" "fine" "fine" fights. Finally, the teenager emerged from his room and got in the car. Chad and Suzie were waiting. We were off.

"How much longer!" Suzie whined. The car ride was only a half hour!

"Ten minutes, hold on!" I told her.

"But I gotta go to the bathroom!"

"Why didn't you go before we left?"

"I didn't have to go then!" Kids.

"Well, you held it this long. You can hold it ten more minutes."

"No, I can't! I'll pee in this car if we don't stop!" Luckily, there was a gas station right next to us on the road.

"Here you go Suzie." She ran inside to the bathroom. Chad and I sat outside the door.

"Oh my gosh! You're Chad Dylan Cooper!" A young female approached Chad and I. No matter how old we got, Chad was always recognized!

"Yes I am, ma'am. Would you like an autograph?" She nodded her head frantically. Chad signed her bag of chips and sent her on her way. We were going to be late if anything else came up. Joey was over at the counter chatting up the cashier. He was going to be such the ladies man in a few years. It had been five minutes now and Suzie was still not out of the restroom.

"Where is our daughter?" Chad asked.

"Obviously she got distracted."

"Go get her! I can't go in there!"

"Yes, master." I said sarcastically.

"Sorry, babe." He kissed my cheek really quick, and I reluctantly went in the restroom. Even though we had been married for seventeen years, his charm never wore off. I opened the restroom door to find Suzie bent over the toilet, throwing up. Great, she was sick too!

"Suzie! Are you okay!"

"Mommy, I don't think those pancakes like my stomach." I was going to get on Chad for this. He probably used the expired flour. Genius.

"Do you feel well enough to go get your picture taken, or do you need to go home?"

"I think I feel better now. I can get a picture. In fact, I'm kinda hungry."

"Okay, sweetie, I'll buy you a granola bar." She went over to the sink and washed her hands. I washed her mouth and patted down her forehead with some cool water.

"What took so long?" My husband asked.

"Apparently, you used the expired flour. Suzie threw up." Chad looked shocked. I knew I should have gotten breakfast.

"Mommy, where are the granola bars?" I lead her over to the big rack of granola bars. I should have just picked one myself. This was going to take forever.

"They have so many!" She said, her eyes widening.

"Yes, now sweetie, we need to get to the photographer, so pick one fast!" She stood there, just staring, for five minutes. We were already late for our appointment.

"I want…no….I want…nope…I want…ye-no…I want…THIS ONE!" She finally pointed to one with cranberries. Finally, we could get going. I went over to the cashier that Joey was talking too.

"Joey, go back to the car. Chad, you go too and take Suzie."

"Mom, I was in the middle of a conversation!"

"Yes, and we're late for an appointment! Go!" He reluctantly left, and I checked out the granola bar.

"That will be five dollars." Sheesh! Five dollars for a granola bar!

"Here you go."

"Have a great day ma'am." And finally, we left.

We were back on the road, but the complaining didn't stop. I ended up having to separate Joey and Suzie, which took up another five minutes because we had to stop the car. We were now already twenty minutes late for the appointment. I was losing my patience. Chad could seem to care less. He was just like that. Only a few minutes after we had to separate the kids, the car broke down.

"Great!" I screamed. I usually didn't get angry, but I was furious at this moment.

"Honey. We can cancel the appointment."

"No we can't! They don't reschedule! And they don't return money either! It was two thousand dollars!" I was probably hyperventilating. Chad put his arms around me, trying to calm me.

"Why don't we take a picture out here? I have my camera."

"But we're outside in the middle of nowhere! It's not perfect." I was crying now.

"Honey, it will make everyone laugh. Besides, our Christmas photos have always been the same boring professional picture. This could be kind of fun!" I decided to just go ahead and take the picture out here.

"Come on kids! This year we're taking the picture out here!" Chad called. We all gathered on the grass on the side of the road. We placed the camera on the top of the vehicle and set the timer. We all looked perfect. Granted, it wasn't your most typical location, but it would do. This year's Christmas photo was different, but at least we'll all have a laugh in a year.

And so will all of our two hundred closest friends and relatives.