My Sunday SJ-R column this week is on the misadventures our family experienced again this year in our pursuit of the perfect Christmas Card picture. It tells of "the many outbursts and shenanigans that my wife and I had to endure while trying to capture on film the peaceful nature of our children during this season of goodwill."

Anyway, I thought I’d share some of the outtakes from the many photo sessions we held.

Big laughs on the rail of the front porch, but Mark was teetering perilously and Tessie was holding on for dear life.

Since we’re petless, we hired a dog actor to pose as the family mutt, but the chemistry just wasn’t there.

This train shot was almost our Christmas card choice, but the United Brotherhood of Hobos objected. We ain’t messing with them unions.

This is the card we sent to people who owe us money.

 A good range of emotions here: despair, insufferability, amiability, operatic joy.

If I had any say in such matters, this is the picture that would have graced our Christmas card this year. There’s more cheese in the boys’ expressions than in the whole state of Wisconsin.

The winner.  Clockwise from the top: Maria, Victor, Mark, and Tessie. Not a bad looking bunch, if I do say so myself.