Faked birthday pictures

We realised four days after the fact that we hadn't managed the usual Mommy-surrounded-by-her-children birthday shot.  This was due to a variety of contributing factors, primarily the re-scheduling of the kids' Christmas concert to the night of my birthday.  All previous birthday plans were cancelled and I enjoyed the beginning of my 35th year in the basement of the church watching kids stumble through "Grandma got run over by a reindeer".  These are some of the finer perks of parenthood and the public school system.   So, we managed a cake on the 26th and I brushed my hair and posed for the annual photo shoot.  We have even provided photographic proof of the hair-brushing.

 It took a few shots until we we were all centred; but, despite Jacob's drunken state and Isaac's pink soother, I think that it turned out pretty well.  An aside:  do you realise that not one of my children has inherited my brown eyes?  I think that I must possess the most recessive set of dominant genes ever.

 This was the second blowing out of the candles.  The first blow was ruined by a child thrusting his hand in front of the camera as the flash went off.

Christmas pictures will be up soon - after we stage them on the 28th.