Does a mother really do this to her baby?

There's something about the month of January that makes me do crazy things to Secret's hair.

Last year I did this:
(shaved her head bald, in hopes that it would grow back thicker)

This year I let Rhea-Rhea do this:
(full on weave with foils)

When Rhea-Rhea told me she had a cute hair cut in mind for Secret, but that she thought "Secret would need highlights to pull it off", I was sold. The thought of my baby girl with with highlights was too funny.

What do you think?
I think she's "pulling it off" and then some.

Rock and Roll, Baby

Twenty Six POINT Two Miles

And We're Still Smiling!

Are we CRAZY? Maybe.

After finishing, I was promptly SMOTHERED

In love and adoration.

I loved it (the smothering, adoring love, that is).

Me, Nee-Nee and our most devoted FANS.
(River's first question was, "Did you win?" Almost, River, almost.)

After the marathon, we went out to lunch. The tables were bolted to the ground, which meant no shoving tables together. The seating arrangements turned out in my favor:
Nee-Nee, Shashie and the vast majority of the kids.

Me, Jare-Bear, Gail and Seeky...

But that was only because Seeky was sleeping as we walked into the restaurant. The instant she woke up and weighed her options, she was a goner. The Auntie-Pants always win over the Mama-Type.

Here is the funny thing about my regular life vs. running a marathon: Every time I got tired or "over it" during the marathon, I just thought about what I would normally be doing during that time if I were home with the kids. Every time... the marathon seemed easier. I guess that's what happens when you're a busy Mama with 5 kid-lets.

Bugged?

In Preschool, we used these:

To make these:

Some bugs were a little more (shall we say) creative than others.

Of course, when creating something out of food, the food must always be tried on.

As well as nibbled on.

Just to make sure it's not poisonous or anything. You never know. You neva, neva know.

Wet Wipe!

Unacceptably Hilarious

I'm almost positive that playing "dog" with the baby,

Is absolutely unacceptable.

However, it IS hilarious,
And all parties involved were loving every second of it.

Wasted

On New Year's Eve,
Uncle Tommy got the boys "wasted"

With Virgin Margaritas (River swore he was feeling "drunk").

The Auntie's got the girls "high" on Coke.

We all binged on way too much Yummy Food.

And by 8:00 pm, we were ALL exhausted and ready for bed.
(Here's Secret, all dressed up as Sue from Glee)

We decided to celebrate the New Year at about 8:15.

It was perfect.

Saige taught me how to snap poppers in my fingers. Quite fun.

Heaven and Meadow thoroughly appreciated Uncle Tommy's illegal fireworks.

One more New Year spent with the

One I want to spend every New Year with.

Feliz Navidad

Christmas Day

After reading the letter from Santa,

And discovering that the Reindeer had eaten their salad,

It was all about what was under the tree.

Evidently our kids made it on to Santa's "Nice" list.

Raven was pumped about his keyboard (which is "way better than a recorder").

River was thrilled with his electric guitar,

That "you don't even have to know how to play!!!!!!"

Meadow loved her new dress-up,

And her Project-Runway-For-Little-Girls (so much that she asked me to take a picture of her staring at her creations).

Can you tell that she also got her specially requested "very own red lipstick" (and eyeliner)?

Heaven Tommy

Got the Monkey she asked for...

Which happened to be Secret's favorite gift as well.

The girls spent the morning playing with the Strawberry Shortcake Cafe.

While the boys tried out the Wii.

Secret just wandered around with her new baby-doll,

And enjoyed the chaos of the morning.

Later that day (after we actually got dressed-well, except Heaven, who remained in her jammies all day),

We went and hung out at Grandma and Papa Santa Claus' house.

It was a perfect Christmas day.