GET OUT...SIDE!!

Festivals are year-round, but something about the current weather conditions just makes me want to go festival-hopping even more. I search the local papers and internet sites for any festivals in my area. This past weekend, the Kemah Boardwalk held their annual Crawfish Festival. I didn't really care about eating crawfish there (way too expensive at $9.00/pound), I'll I wanted to do was enjoy the outdoors and listen to some great Zydeco music. Entry into the festival was free. I even took 7 kids along with me! I was often stopped by other festival-goers and asked, "Are all those kids yours?!" With every question, the title of my blog would pop into my head.
And no, I'm not a gluten for punishment!

Actually, I do know how I did it. I made sure the youngest kid (my lil' wreckin' ball son) was strapped in his stroller so he was easier to manage. The other youngsters, including my daughter, were age 5 to 8 and all well-behaved kids. I continually made a head-count of everyone. I also paired the kids up so each of them had someone to keep track of. The boardwalk is kid-friendly with lots of sidewalks to manuver around the heavy traffic-though coming from and returning to the car-I made sure everyone was holding hands.

The experience was not painful. It was pleasant, because the kids were great listeners. Plus, they just wanted to have fun too and didn't want to have to leave any earlier than necessary!
Thanks, kids! Bay Day at the Boardwalk is next!


(One of the boys was too shy to be in the photo)

Mom's Philosophy

I'm a big fan of Philosophy products and the company has a Mother's Day contest to celebrate mom's and their wisdom...

GRAND PRIZE:
RUNNER UPS: the 20 finalists each receive more than $170 worth of philosophy best-sellers:amazing grace firming body emulsion (16 oz.)amazing grace glycerin soap duoempowermint hot salt scrub (23 oz.)empowermint body mask (8 oz.)kiss me lip ointment in pinkpurity made simple facial cleanser (8 oz.)hope in a jar facial moisturizer (1 oz.)philosophy tote

Big Sister, Lil' Brother...

I know Easter was a few weeks ago, but I had to share this amuzing, sibling photo...

You Shaved My Son's Head???

I wasn't going to blog about the following incident because my anger had not yet subsided and it still doesn't quite make sense to me. But, I've since been asked several times, "Why on earth did you shave your son's head? He had such pretty hair." Well, I didn't shave his head. Nor did I give permission for the scalping.
Over a month ago, while I was enjoying BBQ and beer at the World Championship BBQ Cook-off, my son was begging my neighbor to cut his hair. The neighbors' boys have the "military fade" haircuts and the dad recently shaved his own head. My son wanted his head shaved too. The neighbor attempted to call me and another neighbor I was with at the BBQ, but could never get a hold of us. So he decided to listen to a three-year-old and shaved my son's head.

I noticed several missed calls from my neighbors' phone and finally spoke with them. They were both very apologetic, but assured me my son really, really wanted his hair cut. HE'S THREE-YEARS-OLD!! After the shock wore off, I took the news pretty well. I was disappointed and angry, but getting mad wasn't going to make my son's hair grow back!

I had fun the rest of the night and picked up my kids in the morning. The wife brought my son to me and there was no hiding my opinion. At that moment, I realized I'd never seen my son without hair. He was born with a thick head of hair and never lost it. Well, I almost lost my temper then. I remained calm as she told me how still my son sat while he was getting his hair cut--shaved. My son had just had his first real hair cut two weeks prior and wouldn't sit still with me holding him. The hairdresser thought she was going to cut her finger or my son's ear. I thought if my son sat that still maybe he did really want his hair cut. BUT, regardless, it's just not right not to get permission from a parent first!

There is one good thing to come from the whole ordeal-if you read the previous post, the head-shaving probably saved my son from getting lice...

BEFORE... and AFTER...