Fun with Family and Friends

I always loved this song by the Eagles, but somehow it took on a new meaning for this post and the sweet photos of Kira.


ENJOYING THE ICING ON COUSIN'S SYDNI'S BIRTHDAY CAKE (HEY SYD, WHY NOT JOIN IN FOR A PHOTO?)  HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET NIECE!

MY SISTER, GOTTA LOVE HER, SHE'S SWINGING AROUND A 25LB BABY WITH 3 PLATES 18 SCREWS AND OTHER HARDWARE IN HER BACK.  PLUS SHE IS FINALLY RECOVERING FROM TWO SEVERELY SPRAINED ANKLES, OUCH!  DID YOU HAVE TOO MUCH CHOCOLATE TODAY TOO?
OOH KIRA GOT ELMO FOR HANUKKAH. SHE WAS SO EXCITED. THIS THINGS DANCES, SINGS, TELLS SILLY STORIES AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE! KIND OF CUTE THOUGH!
A TENDER MOMENT WITH MOM MOM
MY WONDERFUL PARENTS




SO LET'S BACKTRACK A BIT. LAST WEEKEND WE WENT TO DANI'S DAD'S HOUSE FOR BRUNCH. THEN ON THURSDAY WE WENT TO AUNT DARCY'S CHRISTMAS PARTY (DOWN THE JERSEY SHORE) WHERE WE ALSO CELEBRATED DANI'S BIRTHDAY! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANI! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE MY AGE? SO WE DROVE HOME AND THE NEXT DAY DECIDED WE WOULD TAKE A VERY LONG RIDE OUT TO LONGWOOD GARDENS. 

I HAD NEVER BEEN THERE, HAD NO IDEA WHERE IT WAS, BUT IT DID SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA. THERE WAS A 500,000 HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAY AND AN ICE SKATING SHOW WE BOUGHT TICKETS FOR. SO OFF WE WENT. ALMOST TWO HOURS LATER WE ARRIVED AT THE GATES FOR ANOTHER HALF HOUR SHUTTLE BUS TO THE GARDENS. BY THIS TIME KIRA HAD THROWN UP ALL OVER THE CAR AND HERSELF. POOR BABY, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE HER HOME. SHE FELL ASLEEP FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE RIDE, BUT WHEN WE REALIZED HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO JUST GET IN, WE JUST HEADED BACK HOME.  NOW, ALMOST 5 HOURS IN THE CAR, TIRED, FRUSTRATED AND HUNGRY, I CHANGED KIRA AND WENT TO BED.  I WAS JUST GRATEFUL THAT KIRA MAYBE GOT A BIT CARSICK VERSUS GETTING SOME GI THING.  I WAS THE ONE WITH ALL THE INDIGESTION BY THAT POINT.  IF THERE ARE TWO THINGS I HAVE NO PATIENCE FOR IT'S WAITING IN LINE AND GETTING STUCK IN TRAFFIC!  BOTH OF WHICH WE DID DURING OUR 5 HOUR TRIP TO SEE ONE PRETTY TREE ALL LIT UP! 

LET'S SEE WHERE WAS I, HMMM, OKAY SO NOW IT'S SATURDAY AND WE'RE ALL PRETTY BEAT.  I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT WE DID.  SO ONTO SUNDAY WHERE WE WENT OVER TO AUNT MARY'S AND UNCLE ROB'S FOR AN INCREDIBLE BRUNCH AND THEN PILED IN THE CAR FOR A TRIP TO ATLANTIC CITY TO SEE MY PARENTS AND SISTER FOR THE HOLIDAY.  EVERYTHING WAS FABULOUS UNTIL THE TRIP HOME, WHERE KIRA JUST ABOUT HAD IT WITH BEING PUT IN HER CAR SEAT AND STRAPPED IN FOR ANOTHER HOUR OR MORE.  SO SHE SCREAMED THE ENTIRE WAY HOME WHILE I CRIED!  MY HEART WAS POURING OUT FOR HER BECAUSE SOMETHING INSIDE WAS TELLING ME THAT PERHAPS THIS BABY WAS RESTRAINED IN HER CRIB OR HIGHCHAIR FOR HOURS ON END WHEN SHE WAS IN HUNAN.  I DON'T KNOW,  AND WILL NEVER KNOW AND PERHAPS DON'T WANT TO KNOW, FOR IF SHE WAS, I'M SURE IT WAS FOR HER SAFETY.  

SO IN THAT PREVIOUS POST ABOUT HOW DRAINED WE ALL ARE...GUESS I NOW KNOW WHY!  I THOUGHT I WAS SUFFERING FROM HOSTESS GUILT (NOT HOSTING ANY PARTIES THIS YEAR), BUT INSTEAD IT WAS SIMPLY OVERLOAD!

I THINK WE WILL ALL ENJOY NEW YEAR'S FROM THE WARMTH OF OUR HOME!


MOMMA BOUGHT ME A NEW COAT BECAUSE I AM A BIG GIRL, BUT, THEN I THREW UP ALL OVER IT!  
OH, AUNT MARY JUST LOVES TO GIVE YOU KISSES!
KIRA GOT THIS ADORABLE CHINESE BABY DOLL FOR HANUKKAH.  IT LOOKS SO REAL THAT I THINK SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A BABY!

MAA, I'D RATHER PLAY BALL WITH POP POP THAN PLAY WITH DOLLS RIGHT NOW!

Kira is so easy to entertain.  A ball made out of wrapping paper had her giggling for an hour or more.

THEN WE HEADED TO THE JERSEY SHORE TO CELEBRATE DAD'S BIRTHDAY ON CHRISTMAS DAY.  GEE DID HE HAVE A LOT OF CANDLES TO BLOW OUT:))
DAD WITH HIS SISTER, AUNT LAURA
COUSIN MORGAN, SHE'S GOING TO THE STATE GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIP!  YOU GO GIRL!
DADDY'S OTHER SISTER, AUNT DARCY.  
COUSIN DOMINIC SHOWING KIRA THE BASICS OF THE KEYBOARD
KIRA SHOWING DOMINIC HER NEW SONG

I REALLY KNOW HOW TO PLAY PACHABEL BACKWARDS, BUT FOR NOW I'LL HUMOR THEM.
OH THIS IS SO SWEET.  AGENT J. W. SENT HOME BOOKS FOR KIRA.  THANK YOU SO MUCH!  MOMMA WILL READ THEM ALL TO ME!

NEXT STOP AUNT MARY AND UNCLE ROB'S HOUSE! YIPPEE THEY HAVE ELMO TOO!
LOVE THIS CAMERA, AT 4.5FPS I CAUGHT THIS GREAT SMILE OF HER WHILE SHE RAN AROUND LIKE A BUNNY ON STEROIDS
MY OTHER TWO "ADOPTED DAUGHTERS" our amazing neighbors...Danielle and sister Stephie
HERE'S THEIR REAL MOM, AUNT MARY (ALSO KNOWN AS ELMO'S MOMMY)