Santa Not Included

   So, birthday was really good.  My in-laws sent a Christmas centerpiece for the new table (thanks Grandma!), hubby got me a new phone, the owner of my LSS sent me a bunch of goodies, but my parents FORGOT. I can understand how anyone else could forget, but I mean they were *there* when I was born. Oh well, the husband is happy because this means he can come out of the doghouse after he forgot 2 years ago. . . and yes I'm 29 again.

    On Sunday after church we took the kids over to a local outdoor mall to have pictures with Santa. It was 48 degrees outside. I had to give big girl my coat to stop her teeth from chattering. Little Man kept pulling off his shoes. After waiting about 30 minutes for Santa to show up, people started leaving. We kept moving up in the line until we were first. At this point Santa was over an hour and a half late. Then the rain starts. So, hubby piled the kids onto Santa's chair and I snapped my photos without him. Sure, I have a feeling that in a few days I will get the kids all dressed up to try again but honestly, with kids this cute, who needs Santa?

    

Tigga is Graduating!

As I write this, my brother is *finally* graduating from college. I know he is trilled, but I also know that there are two people who are even more excited about the prospect of a diploma for the baby of the family. I am so sorry I couldn't be there for your Senior show and the ceremony, but I'll see you soon. Here are photos of Tigga at age 5 and of him and his classmates via my Dad's cell phone. In other news little "e" came home yesterday afternoon and is doing much better. Thank you so much for your prayers. We are starting the countdown until we make our way back home for Christmas. Stay tuned.  And yes, that is still snow on the ground in Hammond, LA!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Happy, happy birthday Grandma. We all miss and love you and hope you enjoyed the snow yesterday! Here is one of my favorite photos from Halloween with the birthday girl in it. Only 9 more days until we can deliver your present in person! 

    Believe it or not, snow on the bayou and it was 60 degrees and rained all day. The snow picture is my parent's backyard. We have crawfish boils on this porch; not snowball fights.

   An update on little "e"-she is still in the hospital with pneumonia. Please keep her and her family in your prayers that she is able to stay off oxygen in order to go home. Sis, I am so sorry that I am not there to help cook a meal or go and play dolls with little e in her room. Just keep the faith and know that this too shall pass. You are a great mom and you are doing a wonderful job.

Little "E"

Please pray for little "e." She has been sick for quite a while and was admitted to the hospital yesterday. Also pray for her parents. It is so difficult to have a sick child. You just want to take all of their pain away and sometimes the only thing you can do is to hold them and love them. I have two out of three kiddos sick around here for the past week. Nothing major, just the regular crud that occurs around this time of year. Pup is sick too. We found out yesterday that she is anemic; she goes back next week for another evaluation. She'll be 12 at the end of this month and has been a part of our family since she was 10 weeks old.  Needless to say both hubby and I are watching her closely and hoping for the best. Working on getting the Christmas cards out a bit earlier this year so people have the new address. I'll post some cards of Christmas past this month to "refresh your memories."

Christmas tree hunt

We had such a good time yesterday picking out our first tree for our new home. The weather was pretty bad, but thankfully we came out of the mountains before the temperature dropped below freezing. Baby girl wanted to hide in the "tree maze" and take all the little trees home. Big girl was keeping an eye on her siblings and got to have a pony ride after we cut our tree. Buddy just wanted to eat the trees and stay warm. It was AWESOME. So after cutting a few low branches we have it in the house ready to decorate tomorrow. I hope we have enough ornaments!  For the record, Big girl was allowed to pose with the saw, we did not let her run willy nilly down the mountainside.

New Traditions

Too tired  for a recap post. Need sleep after a fantastic week.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

We had a great day in the city. Then we came home and turned on the TV.

Happy Thanksgiving!

         Greetings to everyone on the Bayou!  The ladies are sitting here about to have coffee and pie while the men are out golfing and the kids are playing upstairs. Everyone pitched in for the feast- the guys fried two turkeys, Halestorm and I cooked a pie, Sis cleaned the kitchen and the club prepared ALL of the sides. We are stuffed and happy. The photos are after and then before the big feast. We are looking forward to eating leftovers until Monday and running family sprints after all this scrumptious food!

They're HERE!!!!

My sis and her family arrived safe and sound after a brief layover in Tennessee to have a snow ball fight. It is such a blessing to have a full house of the ones you love for our first Thanksgiving here. The kids are getting along great and my brother-in-law is finally teaching me how to load a dishwasher properly. I really think he should change jobs and become a professional organizer- I can now see why my sister has such a neat and orderly house even when I would "pop in" to see them. We had a great day today and the guys brought home to fresh turkeys tonight to fry in the morning. It going to be delicious!    

Birthday & Anniversary Shout Out!

Happy birthday to the best Pepaw in the world. Here he is with his first grandchild. All of us miss and love you! Also hubby and I are celebrating year number 12. Today we cleaned the house after a romantic lunch with the kiddos in the car at Sonic. Ah, memories. . .  

My sis and her family will be here tomorrow, so tune in for the photos.

Dinosaur Mama

 Here is the latest edition to the family. Baby girl is learning about dinosaurs and brought home an "egg"  Thursday before last. The girls were very gentle with the egg - putting it in a nest, cradling it in their arms and scolding mom, dad, and little man if we were too rough with it. Inside of the paper mache egg, we could hear something rattling around, but couldn't quite figure out what it could be.  The next morning in the parking lot at school, baby girl confesses that we must help the egg "hatch." The next minute, she was the proud mama of a cute little Anklyosaurus. She has named him Greenie and after a short stay in the classroom, we hope he gets to come back home to us. 

Welcome to the Gun Show

Happy Birthday to my hunk of burning love. FYI, he doesn't read the blog so I am allowed to post whatever picture I want of him ;) I am so blessed to be his wife, even when he dresses like the Terminator. 

Hope this works!

Photo of my niece at her first gym meet. You go girl!!!!!! Sorry about it being sideways. No photoshop elements on the laptop :(

It's all Done!

Green and beautiful, I am loving the scrapbook/playroom. I am looking forward to many, many hours scrapping the night away. The color on the cabinet wall is Stem Green and the top color on the long wall is Potpourri Green both by Benjamin Moore. It makes me happy and the girls LOVE it. We are all so blessed to have this fun space to play and create. For my scrapbook buddies, the white is vinyl cut with the Cricut machine. I used the home accents cartridge for the border and the butterfly. It was so easy and help to camouflage the freehand wave.

  In other news, the cousins have a shout out to Cousin C for having her first gym meet. She medaled in every event and placed second all around! Her mom sent me a photo, but I can't get it to post on the blog. Fortunately, the cousins are coming up next week, so I snap a photo of her for the blog then. Have a great Monday!!!!! 

For Mama Polly

Your daughter was a big help around the house. I just wish she could coach or quarterback tonight!

Back to Normal

First normal day around the house since October. After the BFF visit, baby girl was sick for 3 days after having a mild case of the flu from receiving the flu vaccine. Go figure. So, catching up on clothes, mopping, snuggling with my little guy, etc. The leaves have finally started dropping and it is making me sad. My first real fall here and it is already ending! The photo above was one I took a few weeks ago of our backyard when the leaves were beginning to change. As soon as I uncover my camera cable I will post photos of the new and improved scrapbook/play room.

Happy Birthday Sis!

Yep, she got the good looks and the skinny genes in the family. Enjoy your day Sis. Can't wait to see all of you soon.

Today

Saban, you have broken my heart for the last time. I am over you. Go Gators.

Happy Birthday Uncle P!

Happy 29th Birthday Little Bro. Hope you had a great one!

Watching Paint Dry

     Those of you out there who know me personally realize that I am quite the political junkie and that right now I should be glued to the TV. Not the case tonight. I am getting ready for a visit from my BFF and because she is wonderful enough to drive all the way out here, she will have a scrapbook room worthy of such a long car trip. So here is the "BEFORE" shot. I will post the "AFTER" shot this weekend, because I will be in this room again to avoid watching the LSU game on TV. I guess the moral tonight is that watching the paint dry can be about as entertaining as watching TV. Feel free to make a color guess. I have locked everyone out the room so I can do the big reveal later this week. Wish me luck! 

Greek Festival

Last week, Cleopatra had a Greek festival at school. Just wanted to share a photo. Her favorite game was the chariot races where an older student pulled the younger students as they rode on bed sheets (the chariots). She had a blast and wore her pillowcase toga for the rest of the day.

Happy Halloween

From the Sheriff, Wood Fairy, and Queen Cleopatra.

Grandma and Peeps in the House!

Grandma and Peeps flew into town on Tuesday. The girls are off for Fall Break starting tomorrow so we will be making some wonderful memories for the next few days. We will keep you posted.

Autumn

This is Autumn. I cannot get my fill of the explosion of colors here. It find it hard to describe so I'll just show you.  

Corn Maize Answers

- Baby girl was the first one to lead. She led us straight to the bathrooms on the outer perimeter of the maze, and of course she had to check it out!

-Hubby was the one who got us out of the maze. We sat on a bench in the middle of the maze for about ten minutes as he "scouted" for the exit.

-Big girl wanted to surrender early so she could play in the inflatable bounce house and slides.

-Little Man was barefoot the entire time. He refuses to keep shoes on those little sausage like feet.

-97 minutes, with two big breaks for the kids.

* Really great day for us. The maze forces you to work as a team to get out. It was a great way to learn patience, leadership, and observation. I would love to challenge some of you back home to see what family would be the first out ( I'm talking to you little sister!)  

*Not a good day for Tiger fans at all. I turned the game on when I knew I should have just scrapbooked or cleaned the house!

Corn Maize

Corn Maize Quiz

1. Who was the first leader?

2. Who finally got us out of the maize?

3. Who wanted to surrender first?

4. Who didn't walk a single step for the entire thing?

5. How long did it take us to wind around the entire seven acres?

Answers later. . .

We skipped the first half of the LSU game solving the maze. Should I turn the TV on to watch the second half?

From the Faire

Hubby took big girl and baby girl to the Renaissance Faire last weekend. They had a GREAT time and promised that when Buddy felt better we would all go. Hubby also found out that baby girl is really developing her comic timing. Whilst waiting for the joust to start, the costumed peasants work the crowd up, having them cheer for their knight and discourage the other knights. In their section the peasant was trying his hardest for people to respond and shouts out, " If you yell the loudest for your knight, free beer for everyone!" After all in the section yelled, screamed, and stomped themselves to a frenzy, it got very quiet and baby girl yells to the peasant as loud as she can,

 "And what about free food!" 

Classic.

P.S. The girls are holding their "hands" dipped in wax. It was Mom's only request. They came out so cute!!!!

Scrapbooking

Thank you Coach Miles and LSU. No tears were shed last night over the game. Now if I could just stop worrying about Tricky Nick I'll be okay. 

I have been really enjoying the design class I am taking at Big Picture Scrapbooking. It is just what I need to help me plan out my space and get organized. Here are a few of them. Today I hope I'll be able to go out and get some paint for the room. Being organized is bringing out the decorator in me!

Random Thoughts during the LSU game. . .

Les, please don't make me cry tonight.

Steve Spurrier looks like my dad. That's why we call the Old Ball Coach "Evil George" around our house. NOTE: I really, really do think Coach Spurrier is a genius so no defamation of character is intended here.

Buddy has RSV again. Liked the new pediatrician's office but it does not compare to having your friend as your pediatrician. 

The girls and the hubby went to the Renaissance Festival today while Buddy and I stayed home. 

I scrapbooked and will post photos to prove it!!

Big girl and Baby girl both love their new school. Big girl had a blast making a volcano for Science. It has not erupted yet, but I think we will do this soon.

Oh my, LSU is not looking good. . . 

More next time

 I had a great post planned, but now I am mediating a sister altercation. The photo is from a birthday party baby girl went to last Saturday. Check out Cinderella's rad black fingernail polish! More next time after the girls forgive and forget.

The Great Pumpkin

      Yesterday, baby girl "christened" the church service by throwing up at communion, so it just made the day after the big loss even more depressing. Both girls are a little under the weather today, but thanks to Christopher Columbus we get a day to rest before a busy four day week. As promised, a couple of photos from the pumpkin patch.  Enjoy!

The Day After

The before and after. No allergic reaction this time!! Now if LSU can survive this weekend, we will all eat some cake!  I'll post photos from our Pumpkin Patch field trip tomorrow. Have a great weekend.

Got Cake?

    What a difference a year makes. I have no idea where the past year went. So bittersweet for my little man to hit the one year mark. I have just enjoyed his "infanthood" so much and I'm not quite ready to give it up. Sure, I can do without the stinky diapers and the milk vomit, but for crying out loud he has 7 teeth! He is eating food that I cooked! He says Mama, Dada, and BaBa, and he is taking those baby steps all by himself. He is showing independence already and it makes me a little sad. But also very happy.

   So tonight our little family will celebrate with a football shaped cake, a present or two, decorations and games that will girls will invent on the spot because they know how to party. I'll post tomorrow. 

Sending everyone some cyberspace cake!