Phantom of the Opera and Large Breasts

Kaitlyn wasn't able to be with us for Christmas...she was visiting her dad in California. When she got home, we got to have a mini Christmas with her. She got her normal stack of books and stocking full of DVDs, gum, lip gloss, and nail polish, and some new sheets for her bed. But the big gift was tickets to see Phantom of the Opera!!

The show was last night, and we got all decked up for a night on the town...

I made sure we took pictures...LOTS of pictures...

and I'm showing these pictures for three reasons...

One - because I'm a blogger, and posting pictures and writing about the inane moments of my life is something akin to a compulsive disorder.

Two - because we looked really great.

Three - because I recently had some surgery of the cosmetic variety to fix some problem areas on my body, and while there, I enhanced OTHER areas of my body.

Now, before you go all psycho about boob jobs and stuff...know that what I did was a LIFT (nursing 5 babies does some pretty terrible things to a woman's breasts...it was seriously as if they were in some kind of competition to see which one would reach my knees first)...and to do that lift, there was a significant amount of breast tissue that had to be removed, so it was like a REDUCTION. I wanted nice, round breasts when I was done, and was a little concerned about the REMOVAL of my breast tissue, so I forced (yes...FORCED...the Doctor was against it) the doc to put in SMALL implants (only 250 cc...about golf ball size) behind the muscle so I could be nice and round (he refused to go bigger than 250's...said I wouldn't need it).

Anyway...6 to half dozen another...I fit into all my old bras. Its as if NOTHING changed...except when I take said bras OFF...there isn't this huge gravity tug in my chest area. They stay put. NICE.

And my hubby smiles a lot if my shirt is off...but that is another story for another time...

So I'm happy. They look natural. Proportional to my body size (which is very full).

So I get all dolled up, and I wear this cute blouse that shows 'em off. And I admit, just to tease my hubby, I used a few make-up tricks to accentuate the cleavage (didn't know you could do that? Well...you CAN. And it works AMAZINGLY well...no matter your cup size. It's all about light and shadow...give me a call and I'll clue you in).

So...I think I look pretty good. Hubby is all smiles. So we take pictures.
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Not bad...Katie and I look cute...she's so pretty!! And my make-up tricks are working great on the cleavage...
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Notice that when I take pics...everyone comes out crisp and clear, and when Jason and Kate are behind the camera, everything is blurry? Look at Kate in this pic...she is GLOWING...I just can't get over how pretty she is...and Jason looks HOT...

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I like this pic, too...besides the orange-y tint my houses' lighting gives everything...

But then...I see THIS picture...(below)
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HOLY HELL!!!

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What are those gigantic watermelons doing in my blouse?!?!?!

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My head looks smaller than my breasts!!

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My Boobs are NOT that big...I swear. True...I was wearing a cleavage enhancing blouse, and used that whole light-shadow thing...but those look like BALLOONS IN MY BRA!!!

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No more pictures with me in front, leaning back.

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NO WAY.

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I'm sure I could've had Jason just lift his embrace up a bit and cover 'em up with his hands...

I'm sure he wouldn't have minded...

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By the way...Phantom was AWESOME. And although we were up in the balcony, the high altitude did not cause any bursting in my blouse, and the extra weight in front did not propel me forward over the railing and into the orchestra.

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So I consider the whole endeavour a success, after all....

Our New Cat, Jay

In the last post, I showed a picture of our new cat, Jay...but I haven't introduced him yet...

Savannah wanted a cat for Christmas. She has been asking for almost a year, and has tried to prove her responsibility by caring for Sniffles, Brighams hamster, at every opportunity. After much discussion and pleading (on my part), Jason caved and said she could have a cat for Christmas.

So, on Christmas morning, Savannah found cat food, litter, and a litter box under the tree with a note that said: "Tomorrow we will go to the Humane Society and pick out a cat>"

She could barely wait. She was up at dawn, dressed and with hair and teeth brushed, and sitting primly by the front door.

So off we went to the Humane Society.



We headed straight for the Cattery...

We interviewed three cats...all seemed very comfortable with kids and noise. But THIS guy, named Jay, came in the room, looked at each child, and then went and jumped on Savannah's lap. She looked at me and said: "I want THIS one, Mama."

And so it was settled.

Meet Jay.

He was tolerant of loving hugs from little boys...definitely a PLUS.

But seemed particularly fond of Savannah's sweet nature.

Jay has some issues. He has an Upper Respiratory Infection that prevents him from getting fixed, so he has that super-strong, yucky Tomcat smell to him. In a couple weeks, he'll hopefully be better and can have his little operation. For now, he's sneezing and wheezing and his eyes are swollen and all he wants to do is SLEEP.

Poor guy.

He is a Hemingway...meaning he has an extra toe on each foot...it looks like he's wearing mittens. Hemingway cats are supposed to be lucky...and I guess he is, because he was so sick that if he had stayed at the Humane Society, they would've had to put him down. So we quite literally saved his life.

And he is still friendly and sweet, and loves to snuggle up to people,and loves sleeping on either Savannah's or Mamas bed.

He's quite a handsome guy, too...don't you think? So welcome Jay...to a new family that loves you...

New Years Eve 2009

My New Years Eve summed up in two photos...

What I drank...


And the people I partied with...

Happy New Years, everybody!! May your best day in 2009 be your worst day in 2010!!

- Shannan

Christmas Day 2009

I don't think there is any more highly anticipated day in a child's life than Christmas Day.


The day the Bog Man in Red descends upon every house and passes judgement on those within...Naughty? or Nice?

My children were apparently especially Nice this year, as Christmas morning dawned to reveal a stacked tree and stuffed stockings...all of which the kids could SEE from upstairs...but could not yet touch!!

I remember peeking down the stairs as a child with my sister...begging my parents to get up at 4am, and them telling us we had to wait until AT LEAST 6am....to which we would camp outside their door and whisper back and forth excitedly about the size, shape, and quantity of gifts we could spy from upstairs. We did this until we were grown...I remember being 16 and laying on my stomach to get the best view of under the tree.

Now I delight in prolonging my children's anticipation the same way my parents tortured...I mean prolonged...me.

Brigham has been asking for a Lionel Train Coin Bank for more than 3 years. So should I wonder at the fact that after a whole day begging coins off brothers and sisters and checking under couch cushions and in car ashtrays...he was bored with it and was asking which of his brothers or sisters wanted it?

WTHeck?

I don't get kids today...too much instant gratification...not enough appreciation...

The punk...

Santa brought a BIG family gift this year...a new TV and a Blue-Ray Home Theater!! SWEET!!!

Of course, Dad spent all day setting it up. But strangely enough...stuff like that makes him happy...

Jason and I got each other the SAME gift...NEW PHONES!!! Hurray!!!

Nicolette got Barbie bath toys and a HUGE box of art supplies...hopefully she'll use them on PAPER and not on my walls.

Both Joseph and Brigham got these HUGE building sets that make a marble maze. Joseph spent 3 days putting his together. Brigham spent 3 minutes, decided it was too hard, put it in its' bin, and hasn't touched it since.

Need I say it again? PUNK!!!!

So we all had a lovely Christmas. We miss Kate, who is spending Christmas with her Dad in Cali. She'll have to open her gifts when she gets home. But other than that little black spot...it was great!!

Now to go and try and convince that PUNK o' mine to actually LIKE his gifts...

...sigh...