A MEME

All you have to do is copy from my blog to yours and place 10 items you have done at the end of the list. Bold ALL the items that apply to you (include the ones you added).
Come on and have a little fun!

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (from the beach)

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Built a snow man

101. Been Snorkeling

102. Have let your kids go to bed dirty

103. Been to New Hampshire

104. Watched the Twin Towers fall - Live on TV

105. Drove Lombard Street in San Fran

106. Drove through Pebble Beach

107. Pumped my own gas at a full service stop

108. Been to Carmel California

109. Drove coast to coast

110. Taught my kids to say "Yes maam/No maam"

111. Spent a whole day at a spa and didn't feel guily about it.

112. Ate sushi

113. Ate escargo in France.

114. Slept for more than 12 hours in a row.

115. Stayed up all night long.

116. Went to a New Kids on the Block Concert.

117. Swam in a creek.

118. Spent a whole summer at camp.

119. Ran out of gas in traffic.

120. Ironed my hair with a clothing iron.

Homework

I hate homework.... I know that my 4th grader does, too, but I REALLY hate it.... It is starting to give me stomach ulcers, anxiety, and a new tone of voice that isn't so pleasant. Please pray for me... and my 4th grader.... We both would like to survive 4th grade!! :-) That's all.

p.s. Mom, if you are reading this, I know you are a teacher and probably feel that I should have a better attitude and/or understanding of homework, so I will apologize for this disappointment you may have in me right now. But I SERIOUSLY think homework is presently a form a torture for me in my own home!!! lol

Hotel Dork

If there were ever such a thing as a hotel dork it would be me...and probably my husband, too. We had the rare blessing and excitement to take a road trip this weekend without the kiddos. When we got to the hotel, it was as if we were in Disney World for adults and we were rather dorky about it. Of course, at the time I wasn't thinking we were dorks, it was later after I processed our thoughts, actions, and conversations.

You see, first, we thought we had died and gone to heaven b/c our hotel had a spa, a gift shop, and THREE restaurants to choose from. Serisouly, my husband said to me when we got there, "Want to go tour the hotel with me and see what it's like?" (Who tours a hotel?) We talked about how we would be able to utilize EACH restaurant at least once during our stay. Someone even asked if they could take our luggage to our room... I said no b/c I am cheap and don't want to pay someone for what I can do myself and Ragan said no b/c he is "paranoid cop man" who trusts no one with his belongings!!

Then, we get to the room and we had a KING SIZE BED! If the ceiling had been higher, we probably would have jumped on it. It was so comfortable and nice to be able to roll over and not worry about either falling off the bed or bumping your rear against the person next to you. I even woke up without a burning, aching back! I figured it was due to the fact that the hotel was willing to dish out a few extra bucks for a down comforter, pillows that weren't flat as pancakes like mine at home, and high count thread sheets...none of which this tight wad is willing to do!!! lol

Next, the highlight for me (seriously...this is true) was the in-room movie feature!!! I get SO excited when hotels have those. You get to rent movies that aren't even out on DVD yet, while wearing your pj's and no interruptions from kids! I told you, I am a dork! We considered cancelling all plans we had made, staying in our pajamas for 2 days, ordering room service from the 3 different restaurants 'round the clock, and watching $75.00 worth of rented movies! That is what I call a getaway, but since we had already bought our tickets to see the comedian, made reservations at an awesome restaurant, and couldn't agree on more than ONE movie to rent, we decided to go with our original plans!

To top off my hotel experience excitement, the little soaps and lotions in the bathroom were from Bath & Body Works... I just thought that was so neat. I mean, it was probably worth a whole $2.00, but that didn't keep me from jacking them for future travels! I know, at this point you are realizing how pathetic we are, too, aren't you?

I think some of this behavior has to do with not getting out much.... that and deep down we are DORKS!!! ( I know, meeting us you would never think that, right!! lol) So, don't ruin the thrill I get by staying in hotels and telling me about the fact that some stranger slept in the bed before me, the fact that there is no guarantee regarding the cleanliness and hygiene of the room, and that with a black light you could probably see things all over that room that would make you vomit. I choose, to remain a hotel dork and get excited over silly, simple things...because the bottom line is, these type of trips help maintain my sanity!!!!

By the way, irony of this all... the spa booked before I could use it, the Starbucks cafe's steamer broke and I couldn't get my Caramel Macchiato, we slept in so we missed out on breakfast in the restaurant we wanted to try, the gift shop closed before we could get the medicine we needed, we were too full after dinner to get room service, and the movie we rented made me cry so hard that I gave myself a headache!! LOL BUT, I still had a blast...saw a HILARIOUS comedian (Brian Regan), ate at a restaurant that rocked my world (Suga's Deep South Cuisine), and got to spend time with my favorite person in the world...my Hotel Dork Husband!

Austrian Food=Gross

Hope I am not offending anyone by the title of my blog.... but it is gross... at least what we ate.
Sous Chef Austin back in the kitchen again this week. He picked Austria for his country to cook from this week. Actually, he wanted Italy again so he could have noodles, but I said "No, we broaden our horizons and choose a different country each week until we have tried them all." BIG MISTAKE! He picked something called "Crepe Soup." The story goes that in Austria, they make crepes (or pancakes as we would call them) and what's left over they use to make soup. You cut strips of the crepe to be the "noodles" and then pour broth or stock over it, dash some pepper on it, sprinkle fresh chives & voila... a meal is ready..... at least that is what is supposed to happen.

We followed the directions exactly as they said, seasoned it exactly as they said, and served it exactly as they said... it was still gross. And just to clear the air, it wasn't the cook's fault. After all, who takes pancakes, pours chicken broth over it and serves it as a meal? I can tell you it won't be us ever again! Austin ate the crepes, but refused the rest. Even my garbage disposal "Cooper" threw the crepes to the dogs... I think it actually may still be on the floor, being that the dogs refused it as well!! lol

BUT, there was a backup plan... organic, fat free grilled cheese on whole wheat! So, we survived dinner. Sorry, no pics this week, the dish was not worth it!! ha ha

On a side note, Ragan and I are looking forward to a weekend getaway this weekend. So, pray for my mother and father... Cooper will be with them, running the show and giving them a run for their money! We however will be enjoying time together with real food (not Austrian) in a real restaurant surrounded by real adults which will not include throwing food, sippy cups, utensils, or tantrums! :-) The highlight of our weekend getaway... SLEEPING PAST 6:30!!! But, in true fashion, we will miss these boys like crazy before we even hit the interstate!

Hope everyone has a great weekend and gets to spend it with the ones they love....I know we will!! :-)

Amazing People Who Move Me

You know, there are just some REALLY amazing people and stories in this world. People who lengthen your prayer list.... stories that make you go home and hug your children tighter than usual.... family situations that make you feel super blessed, yet guilty that you have it so great.... people who absolutely amaze and inspire you... and stories you hear that make you want to do more in our short time here on this earth.

All this being said, I want to introduce you to two complete strangers who I have never seen or met. However, they have allowed me to follow their individual journeys in life and shared their burdens, fears, accomplishments, and abilities to overcome the most difficult of situations through blogging. These people are just amazing and if you ever have time (and spare tissues), you should drop in on them.

http://sccsdecker.blogspot.com

http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com

Weekend in Review

The weekend was fun-packed with kids, kids, and more kids.... and we loved it. (At least I did, Ragan didn't say either way, so I'm speaking for him...lol)

Friday night Austin's friends stayed over and were actually extremely well-behaved. I mean, four 4th grade boys here at one time and the house was still standing and all breakables intact! They had a good time and I enjoyed overhearing some of their conversations! SOOOO different than 4th grade girl conversations. They were insightful and funny and completely boyish. I ate it up!

Saturday Austin went to a birthday party Saturday afternoon and we spent the evening with my family on Saturday evening. The kids put on a "play" that they "wrote." (Actually, I think they are writing it as they went, which made it even more wild!) They even suckered Aunt Em into using her thespian skills from high school to play the "mean lady who was head of the orphanage." That was the funniest part. These "play performances" are becoming a habit when they get together. We'll send out notices on the next one...you don't want to miss them!! lol

Sunday morning was church. I have to tell you, the message was truly phenomenal....really. For those of you who are not affiliated with our church and may be reading this, here is a brief tidbit. Bro. Steve Willoughby is a missionary to Singapore (and other parts of Asia). He was diagnosed with 2 brain tumors, a tumor in his chest and a blood clot in one of the main veins in his neck (I am using layman's terms), then had a stroke a few months ago. He and his wife have 3 children. Two weeks later, his wife was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer and had to resume chemo. He spoke about what it was like to experience fear and doubt in this world...even as a child of God. He talked about not just having faith in God, but CONFIDENCE is His love for us. Here is the scripture he used:

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. John 4:17

It was such an experience for me to hear that scripture through his story and the revelation he underwent while experiencing these occurrences in his life.... bottom line...when we have CONFIDENCE that HE LOVES US....God who created this universe LOVES US, we will be okay. Life is not fair, sometimes not fun, and at other times absolutely devastating..... BUT, He LOVES us. It's that simple. He spoke how if we live daily at the judgement seat of Christ and have confidence in His love for us, than we have the power and ability to fight the fear and doubt that this world and Satan pounds us with. You know, the more I talk here, the more I am finding myself rambling and doing that message zero justice. So, I will shut up for now... I just couldn't bear to hear the words he spoke and not share them with others in hope that others can get the revelation about the amount of power and strength that comes with having confidence in God's loves for us. I find so many of us have fears that at times consume us, belittle us, and physically/emotionally/mentally drain us.

Okay, I'm stepping down from my "preaching podium" now and going to go return to my world of craziness and nonstop adventures, but with a new outlook on this world and the battles that come my way.... I will NOT live in fear and I have CONFIDENCE that I am loved....I hope you will, too.

This is where we found Austin when they were playing hide and seek.

I was attempting to get a group pic... how typical is this!

He was just sitting back and taking it in...oh, and eating his "peanut butter spoon."

Keaton trying to find a way around the baricade to make it upstairs!

Chillin' with Aunt Em

Kraft Ain't Got Nothin' On This Kid

As promised, Sous Chef Austin was back in the kitchen this week with his DS in hand to whip us up a meal! He picked American Mac-N- Cheese. He wanted only that for the meal, but after some nutritional guidance and education, he settled on it being a "side dish." It was from scratch, yummy and seriously better than anything out of a box! (And it counted for 75% of the calories at dinner... We added steamed broccoli and baked chicken to offset the contents of the mac-n-cheese.)

This week I had an extra helper in the kitchen! You can see in the pictures below a reason my dishwasher may not be able to hold up much longer!! Cooper is climbing EVERYTHING...steps, stairs, attic ladders, couches, table tops... if he thinks it looks fun and you turn head just long enough, then he jumps on the opportunity to see the world from a different height! His personality is blossoming everyday and I have officially given up hope that he will have Ragan's laid back, easy going temperament. :-)

To update about other things....our week has been nice. Austin started art lessons after school and is really pumped. Ragan is keeping the prisoners in check. Cooper is burning a million calories a minute due to his activity level. And Mom, well, she is surviving! She finally got the tubs holding the Christmas decor to the attic. This was after thinking they might just become a part of her permanent home decorations...kind of like the 5 enormous boxes in the computer room that are for the garage sale that has yet to take place! I think Goodwill may be the best alternative at this point.... but, if I hold out, I just might be able to make a few bucks if I get that garage sale together. And, hey, who couldn't use a few extra bucks?

By the way, our "family hiatus" (If you don't know what I am referring to, see previous blogs) has been extremely productive so far. We have been accomplishing so much and our family time has been quite unique. Austin went 2 weeks in this house with NO computer or video games and never even asked about it... that's HUGE. Aside from Wednesday nights being church night, we have been scheduling game night, movie night, cooking night, and "veg out" night, so, he hasn't had time to hide from us!! lol

We are looking forward to this weekend. Austin is having 3 friends from school....yes, I did say 3... come stay the night and I get to see my nieces and nephews at some point. So, hopefully, I will have some cute pics for the blog. So, until next time....hope you are enjoying your loves and life!

Making the flour/butter base...calorie free, of course.

Testing out the final product.

Austin's Mac-N-Cheese creation!

TROUBLE!!!!!

I never have this much fun doing the dishes!

Happy Birthday, Baby Boy!

Austin turned 10 today.... it is a day still filled with much emotion. He came in this world at 7# 1oz. 19 inches long born at 9:35 on a Sunday morning.... Head FULL of thick, black hair (I have honestly never seen that boy's scalp) and I felt instant love that words do no justice to it. How cliche it is to say, "It seems like only yesterday you were born!" But, it honestly does. He is a decade old... and still growing and maturing and I can't stop it! I love to watch him as he faces and takes on the world, but I have a hard time taming the "Mother Bear Monster" in me. I still want to baby him (I admit it), fight all his battles, prevent all his hurts and disappointments, and jerk a knot in the head of kids that bully him! (I'm just being honest... it's a natural instinct I have to let God handle!!) But, I realized today, he will probably be 45 and I will still have those feelings, after all, I am his mother and that's my job. I try not to worry too much, but just keep him covered in a mother's prayers and do my best to teach him, guide him, and sometimes the occasional threaten him! But, I also remember that even though he was a miracle born to me, as an infant I gave him back to God. He is a child of God, covered by the blood, therefore, I know he will be just fine!
Austin, love your guts and you will always be my baby boy....even if you do have to grow up!!

p.s. A BIG HUGE thank you to Mom, Mimi, Poppie & Damion for hanging out at Laser Tag with us on a Saturday in Baton Rouge... love you for it!

Sous Chef Austin

For Christmas, Austin got a game for his DS called "Cooking Trainer." I know, most think that a 9 year old boy would die at the thought of a cooking game. But, Austin enjoys being in the kitchen with me and he really loves to learn new things. Putting two and two together, we thought this would be a cool thing for us to do together..... So, "Santa" dropped it in his stocking.


I am not going to go into detail for an advertisement for this game, but it is SO COOL. You can tell it what ingredients you have and it tells you your options. It gives step by step instructions for each recipe which includes shopping lists, definitions of cooking techniques, pictures of how to chop things, etc. (You get the picture.) One thing you can do is pick a country on the map and it gives you options of recipes from that country.


So, tonight we went Italian! Austin prepared "Tagliatelle with Meat Sauce." Basically it is big, thick noodles with a tomato and beef stock-based meat sauce. It was actually really good. We had minimal mess, kept all fingers intact while cutting, tried a new & healthy dish, and found a new way to include the Nintendo DS in "family time." (And Cooper even liked it!)


So stayed tuned for next week.... one night a week in our home is going to be "Cooking with Sous Chef Austin Night." I'll let you know if we all end up full, starving, or in the ER with food poisoning!! ha ha (Just kidding)

Cooper ate it up! (p.s. Don't you love his curls???)

Hard at work!

He approves!

Another thumbs up for the dish!

The final product!

Happy Anniversary... An Ode to Ragan

Today is our anniversary (mine & Ragan that is). In honor of the day, I am making a special post to my blog. I don't "profess" how much I love my husband and how lucky I am to have him enough. So, now I can tell him that I professed it to the world.... Because, technically the internet can reach the world, right?

Here are 10 reasons I think he rocks! Here it goes...

1. I love the "stubborn streak" in my husband, even though it drives me crazy and can be the root of some "electrifying" discussions in my home! I love that he stands for something. I love that he is passionate about what he feels, thinks, believes, & supports... and that means he doesn't waver.

2. I love that he thinks I am better than I really am. He thinks I can do it all... when I don't feel the same. He supports me in all I do and never doubts me! He is my own personal cheering squad and I like that!

3. I love that he sets fatherhood as a priority. He desires to be a great father and the spiritual leader of our boys. He admits when he is wrong (sometimes I have to help him on that one...lol) and is never too big to humble himself and apologize to our kids or in front of them.

4. He is a peacemaker.... not a doormat, but a peacemaker.

5. He loves people... seriously, he LOVES people. I really think it comes naturally to him... I wish I liked humanity as much as he did... I need to work on that.

6. He is so forgiving. I have seen him forgive the unforgivable and grant forgiveness a lot quicker than I would have.

7. He is protective of what he loves. It can be annoying at times.... and I tell him that (which I probably shouldn't). But, I love that he wants to guard and protect his home, wife, and children.

8. He prays... I know that river runs deep and I value that.

9. I love when he calls me or answers the phone when I call him, he sounds truly happy and excited to hear from me. Even when he is having a rotten day or I am having a rotten attitude!!

10. And last but not least, he is willing to let God mold him and change him. That's a lot harder than it sounds. I love that he wants God's will and not his own....

So, Ragan, I know I am truly blessed to call you my husband and friend. Thanks for riding along in this journey with me and not throwing me to the curb...Lord knows I have deserved it more than once!
I LOVE YOUR GUTS!!!!!

p.s. As I was writing this, I noticed the list could go on and on. But, I figured I have at LEAST 50 more anniversaries to look forward to, so I need to save them for those blogs!!! ha ha

Resolutions...hmmmmm

**WARNING: This blog is wordy, lengthy, and only talks about me... you may or may not be interested**
Every year I make New Year's resolutions. They always involve weight loss, spiritual goals, and something to do with money!! (I know...they are pretty cliche.) I usually make it about a week with the weight loss thing...three or four pay periods with the money...and a few months with the spiritual goals. Usually by July, my resolutions are completely dead and forgotten. I sometimes feel guilty, but never enough to get back on the wagon. I think, "I'm young... I've got next year." But, by the end of the year, I am extremely frustrated with myself because I realize I am the same person I started the New Year with.

But I think I have had a "revelation"... I was setting too many goals at one time and setting my standards too high. I was wanting to "patch" things, not "fix" things. I would set too many goals at one time, ultimately setting myself up for failure. After all, it took me a few decades to create some bad habits, it may take me more than a year to overcome them. Another thing.... I wasn't focusing on others. My goals were ultimately set for me and me alone. I was not wanting to change things to help better the people or world around me. So, this year, my goals are a little different.

First, everything that I change and work on will be LIFESTYLE changes...not temporary fixes. Second, every goal must be made with the intention to help better not only me, but the people and world around me. Third, I will not expect to conquer all goals in a set amount of time. Crazy, huh? I know what I want the final and ultimate outcome to be, but I will take it slow and with patience.

So, here we go... my New Years Resolution is to create a healthier me and a healthier world around me. This includes physical, mental, spiritual, financial, and environmental health. I am hoping by blogging these resolutions, I will have some accountability that I haven't had in the past... but, maybe not!

Physical: I will make working out a priority for my health..not just to look like I was when I was eighteen. (Which is a joke anyway!) If I am not a HEALTHY person, I am stealing not only from myself, but from my husband's and children's futures. I will promote more healthy eating in my family, beginning with the way I cook. After all, what I cook is ~75% of my family's diet. I will continue to choose organic when possible, even if it does cost a little more. I will find an activity that can involve the WHOLE family to get us active....and the Wii doesn't count! (I really want to start riding bikes together.)
Mental: I will work on more mental peace for myself. Most of this means working on my patience, "vibrant" emotions, and getting some mental rest. Therefore, I will MAKE some "ME TIME." If it is only 5 minutes a day, I will find some time to slow down, take a few deep breaths, and experience a moment of stillness & quiet.... this will give me tools to face this crazy world with a little sanity!
Spiritual: Only one goal here... working on my prayerlessness. The message Bro. Anthony preached on Sunday morning hit me. I have created a world and schedule for myself that limits my prayer time. SHAME ON ME! I will not accept mealtime prayers and bedtime prayers and "get me through this moment" prayers to be suffice.... this is not deepening my walk with God and helping me to KNOW Him. How can I say I know Him & walk with Him, yet we don't talk regularly and in depth? After all, aren't I supposed to be serving Him to others and teaching my kids about Him?
Financial: I know that with the economy going the way it is, many people are setting many financial goals and resolutions. I have only two... First, I want to be a better steward of my money. Period. I don't care about making more and having more. I just want to be smart with what I have...that way there is more security for my family now and in the future. Second, I want to GIVE MORE and teach my kids the same. I am blessed, unlike so many in this world who literally fight for scraps of food and drink from dirty, poluted rivers. I have the basics: love, a roof over my head, clothing to keep me warm (even though 1/2 of it doesn't fit.. ha ha), and food and clean water to nourish me. Why should I ever feel as if I am going without?
Environmental: Two goals here.... at some point this year I want to build a compost pile. I have the spot in my backyard already picked out. I just need to pick a Saturday and the whole fam will help build it (should be interesting). Second, I want to recycle in my home. Not just recycle the trash, but everything that I can reuse, I will reuse.... and I want to be creative about it and involve my family in the process. I want to be less wasteful and more protective of my environment.


So, now you see the battles I have set for 2009. And battles they will be... change does not come easy. My first major step is just getting started. But, I do have a good feeling about this. And hopefully, 365 days from now I will not be feeling frustrated, but more ACCOMPLISHED and HEALTHIER. I'll let you know how me/we are doing... so, stay tuned!

Funny Sunday

Some may wonder, on a Sunday afternoon, what do two grown adults do for fun to entertain a grumpy, cantakerous, ornery one-year-old? (You definitely don't get a nap...) You play DIAPER HEAD!!!!
Cooper was especially cranky this afternoon and Ragan decided to take him in his room to rock him, attempt to soothe him, etc. to no avail. However, all of a sudden, it got quiet. When they emerged from Cooper's room, this is what I saw!!! Needless to say, I about died laughing...seriously, it was the rolling on the floor, crossing your legs so your bladder doesn't explode, unable to catch your breathe kind. I think what was the funniest part was that we continued to play this game and Cooper thought it was the greatest ever. Hope these pictures bring a moment of "from the gut" laughing for you...
p.s. You notice there are no pictures of Mom playing "diaper head." That's the benefits of knowing the blog password!! ha ha ha

2008 Christmas Highlights

Just wanted to share a few moments from our Christmas season & festivities... Unfortunately, I was a "bad picture taker" and forgot my camera and/or to take pictures at a few events. Hopefully, another family member (hint, hint) will e-mail some my way so I can share!!
I am so thankful that we were able to spend time together as a family. I hope to never take for granted that capability. We have each other and we have our health.... something that sometimes seems to be overlooked. So here are a few pics of our boys & other lovely family members! Enjoy!

Austin got a Wii Fit.... he also got a skateboard ramp...I'll post pictures of us in the ER when we get there!! ha ha

Someone in our house got a red convertible....and it wasn't Mom!!

My brother would kill me if he knew I posted this picture...so, Shhhhh, It's our little secret!!

"The attack of Uncle Ragan"...not so fun for Connor

Uncle Ragan & Keaton

My three lil' helpers...Connor, Caroline, & Catherine

"Chef Catherine"

"Chef Connor"

"Chef Caroline"

Allie & Austin

Loving his LSU backpack

New eyewear...compliments of Mimi & Poppie

The effects of a Poche Christmas!

Here is the game... I dig ice out of your cup with my little fingers...

And feed it to you...over and over and over... and you will comply because you are my grandfather and that's what you do... whatever I say!!

Tis' more fun to eat the presents than play with them!

Night vision goggles...every 9 year old boy's dream! Thanks Uncle Davin & Aunt Melissa