Every year, I look forward to May for so many reasons. May brings such happy milestones with her. School is almost out, the weather is (usually) nice, and summer is just around the corner. You can almost taste the crisp, sweet watermelon; feel the cold chlorine pools; and smell the musky bar-b-que smoke. May is the reward for surviving the Winter cold and the April rains.

It's glorious.

May also means that it is time for The Mowhawks. And, yes, a tradition that has lived on for seven years in our family deserves its own capitalization. (For previous years comparisons, see here, here, here, here, and here.)

Oh, but this day has brought such bittersweet feelings in my heart this year. It means that our time in St. Louis is fast approaching its end. And I'm not at all emotionally prepared to face that reality.

But that is a post for another (sob-filled) day.

Making this year's Mohawks that much more awesome is the fact that my boys conned two of their friends into getting them, as well. If you're going to be brave and crazy, you might as well have some company.

Without further adieu, here is a plethora of photos documenting the fabulous process that is The Mowhawks.

May the tradition live on, long after we have left this place.