Top Models and Lorax Party

So, yesterday I made the mistake of indulging in one of my guilty pleasures in front of the girls.  I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it, but I sat down to watch the first episode of the current cycle of America's Next Top Model on my computer, since I had missed it when it was actually aired on TV.  Next thing I knew, I had two little monkeys in my lap, watching with deep fascination to find out which model wannabes "made the grade" and got chosen to participate on the show.  And, oh, it didn't stop there.  After the episode concluded, the girls decided to act out the show, complete with a runway walk and a photo shoot.  I had the privilege of playing Tyra Banks, critiquing their individual photos and then sending one model-to-be packing.  Luckily, by the time I eliminated Madeleine, she was too preoccupied doing forward rolls around the living room that she had all but checked out of the game anyway.  Julia was thrilled to be selected as The Rowe Family's Next Top Model, and everyone left the game happy. 

Since this cycle of ANTM allows fans to be part of the judging process online, I will extend the same opportunity to you blog readers.  Here is the film from their photo shoot.  What do you all think?  Did I make the right choice in crowning Julia The Rowe Family's Next Top Model?:

In other household news, yesterday was our long-awaited Lorax party!  Our friends Nate and Anja came to watch with us in the afternoon, and Julia spent much of the morning making last-minute preparations.

"Mama, I want to pick out an outfit that looks like someone who WORKS at a movie theater.  I was thinking of something like your BAND SHIRT, but then I thought that wouldn't really fit me because it's more, like, to fit GROWN-UPS," Julia informed me.  She ultimately settled on an outfit in her own size, and continued her movie theater set-up, complete with a hand stamp to administer to each movie-goer.  She also decided to add to our barrage of posters by hanging up directions to our bathroom:

Since Nate and Anja happen to come here, on average, about once a week, I'm sure they were very grateful for the reminder that bathrooms is this way.

The kids happily settled in to watch the movie and eat their bowls of popcorn.  Julia decided to quote lines along with the characters throughout most of the movie, sing loudly to all of the songs, and announce upcoming events before they happened.  Both Madeleine and Nate stared in fascination at the screen with zombie-like expressions.  Anja decided she was too sad to watch the movie without her mommy, so lucky Neva got to join the kids crowd on the couch.  All in all, the kids seemed to enjoy the movie screening, even those kids who have already watched the movie a hundred times:

I mean, it's hard not to get excited about watching a movie on our super duper, cutting edge, high tech old box tv:

I am especially glad for Julia's sake that we were able to, at long last, have our Lorax party.  A top model needs a chance to get some down time in between working the runway, after all!