psssst, don't tell PETA

In this family, December carnivorous feeding frenzies at Grandma's house, I mean, family bonding opportunities while dining, don't stop with Christmas. Sydney's 18th birthday was the 26th so we all gathered for some of Syd's favorites: Grandma's famous breaded/baked chicken and mashed potatoes with loads of homemade gravy, followed by angel food cake.



Kate was enjoying her cake and ice cream and didn't really appreciate being interrupted to get her picture taken.

Then the next day we returned to Grandma's for John's birthday dinner, consisting of his favorites: surf and turf and double chocolate cake. Such a mound of giant, steamed, sliced crustaceans I've never seen before. Except for the last lobster-fest at Grandma's.





Evvvvvvvvvvvveryone loves chocolate cake.


Following the week of excess we really should have spent most of the weekend at the gym but I think John and I were just happy to have nowhere to be and nothing to do for a couple of days and we spent as much of the weekend as possible exercising inertia instead.

A couple of random cute photos: Kate and Allison walking Kate and Allison, and Max with Kate.

On sunday evening our distinct lack of purpose was interrupted by the girls playing in their new Dora playhouse in the twins' room and Erin's face somehow managing to meet Kate's bed frame with a great amount of force. After cleaning up an impressive amount of blood from her face I decided that Erin was going to need her first (three, as it turns out) stitches in her lower lip, so off to the minor injury clinic in the ER we went.


This was taken the next day, the swelling has gone down quite a bit. She's doing fine.

We leave tomorrow for several days of skiing. Be back with some great photos (hopefully) next week.