WE ROCK NAKED!

Or at least some of us do. We are a family that likes music and we have our own music room to jam naked anytime we want to.

See that awesome blue piano in the background? That's mine. All mine. I turn all Tori Amos and shit when I'm playing on it. I know you wish you had my talents.

We are the family musicians that may someday end up on The Gong Show spewing our talents.(maybe even naked if Izzy continues his quest for enlightenment through birthday suit)

Speaking of Birthdays.....Christian threw us for a loop this year on his request....

For Christian's birthday this year (turning 12), he only wanted one thing.

XFest Concert tickets.

For those of you not in the know, this is an outdoor concert featuring five or six bands. These are not ordinary bands. These are metal bands. Music that makes your ears bleed kind of bands.

Please, take a listen to the video below. This is one of the bands that played at XFest.....

Charming aren't they?

We honored Christian's request to attend XFest with a friend, however, there was no way he was going by himself. There are mosh pits that kill people at these kind of events. So off Bubby and I go with kid in tow to rock out. See?

This is the first time I have worn eyeliner since 1986. Scary huh?
And check out this head-banger choker man? When Christian saw me he said, "Wow Mom! Umm....you look kinda hot." I thanked him and then told him that was kind of a creepy statement and in the future he should just say, "Mom, you look pretty."

The concert should have been called XXXFest. They had a girl come out on stage in just pasties and a g-string and swallow 18" swords. Then they had another girl with pasties, a g-string and some pom-poms dance to several of one of the bands songs.

I think Christian got an eye-opener.

When we arrived, I tried to count how many times the announcer/band said "fuck" but I lost track after 36. That was the first three minutes we were there.

And so we try to keep an open mind.....we let our kids explore music. We allow our kids to run around naked. And from time to time, we get together as a family and shake the walls.

What kind of things do you do as a family?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTIAN!

BOWLING BONANZA

Leroy certainly has the short end of the stick when it comes to Birthday's. His being New Year's Eve leaves everyone still recovering from Christmas and often forgetting his special day. We are always recovering financially after Christmas and trying to scramble for the one big birthday gift that each of our children get on their Birthdays.

In addition, Leroy (due to his Autism and lacking in the social department) has literally no friends to invite to a Birthday party. So every year we engage in the same activity that Leroy enjoys doing.........we go to a stale and smokey bowling alley, wear party hats and celebrate his Birthday and New Year.

This was a special year though. My entire family was in town and we decided to get together and make an event out of it.

And there is Leroy in the corner as I cut the cake. He could barely control his excitement! I am so thankful that everyone could be there for him. He felt special and loved.

Happy Birthday big guy!

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

Pardon my interruptions in posting. Life just seems to be getting in the way these days....

Christian recently had a birthday. Every year he requests the same thing...a camping weekend with a friend and Dad. That's it.

Well this year, the campground called and said reservations had to be cancelled. The campground was on fire, along with the rest of our state.

I kept asking Christian what he wanted for his Birthday. He couldn't come up with anything. He said he would just keep thinking about it. The kid only wanted one thing that he had been saving up money for.....an Ipod. He wouldn't dare ask us for such an extravagant gift. He wouldn't dream of getting something so lavish for his birthday.

And I leave you with this picture. Christian opening up his birthday present from Mom and Dad.

And the money he was saving up? Itunes.