Family Photos...Am I Making This to Hard

This spring I am finally getting family pictures done. And I am being a little crazy about it. 

I don't want some stuffy formal picture because that is just not us. While the "pseudo" stepdaughter and I are very fashion forward we are all casual and to be honest a little goofy. So trying to figure out posses and location that fit us is not as easy as it should be. 

My photographer (my friend who takes awesome pictures) is very familiar with location in my home town (where I work) that are great but we live in in the town on the other side of the mountain. So where do we take the pictures.

Me, Tashi and Thomas the fish.

Then there are the outfits I briefly thought I will let everyone pick out their own clothes but immediately nixed that because they dont read fashion magazines. I want them to be casual but stylish and they also need to embrace individual personalities but still work together. So do we do a color theme...I cant imagine "pseudo" stepson or The BF wearing a lot of color. I was thinking a a more neutral scheme like black and gray with "pseudo" stepdaughter and I wearing a pop of color but I don't want to "out shine" the guys...they are important members of the family. 

Of course now I am wondering do we include the animals?

This was easier when it was just me, Tashi and the fish Thomas. Which was the last family picture I had taken. which was 9.5 years ago. I had a friend come over and we had our "photo shoot" in my living room...we took over 30 pictures. We even had to change the film (do you remember film?). Its possible there was alcohol involved, there often was in those days. I can't remember why i decided to have the picture taken I am pretty sure I was being a smart ass but no one realized it and they all wanted a picture. Most of my relatives have this picture some where in their house...or they use to anyway. One of my now 10 year old nieces then 2 year old niece use to point at it and say Tashi...she still likes the dog more than me.

Wish me luck and maybe pray that The BF doesnt leave me after all this.