Passport P.A.I.N.

This is actually passport picture #1...

It got rejected at the passport office because of the flower in her hair.

It sure would have been nice if the place we had it taken would have informed us of the reject flower since we did debate in front of the photographer if she should keep it in her hair. Of course, the debate was completely vanity related at the time.

And did you know they don't let you smile anymore either?

The passport pictures now look more like mugshots.

But, I digress...

The passport office also informed us that Hilary and Hannah's CALIFORNIA birth certificates are not the real thing--they are what you call Abstract Certificates--and it only affects the state of California and certain birth years.

News to me...I had their "original" birth certificates in a fireproof box, under lock and key, thinking they were the real deal.

So, after 90 minute wait in line and the run around with picture #2,

we were given two choices as to how to obtain genuine birth certificates.

Option 1: Rely on the state of California to mail me the original, certifiable record, (wait...I thought I did that when they were born), and plan on a minimum of six months to get them...if you're lucky.

Option 2: There's a great Internet site called VitalChek that can get them for you faster...so you can actually get your passport in time for your trip...but it will cost you :)