Running short....

It feels like summer has flown by.....and it's been a really busy one....I guess that's why.  Then again summers would be boring if they weren't busy.  Brandon is in Germany for the week on a mission trip, and we cant wait for him to get home again.  It's been a hectic week without him!  We went to Percy Quinn for his family get together (without him) for a few days, decorated for the Back to School Bash at church, unpacking today, and getting ready to make a grooms cake for Saturday!  The kids have actually been very cooperative....I noticed that I was short and impatient with them today....as a result of exhaustion and many more things to accomplish, including unpacking from our trip and cleaning this house, which seems endless when you have two little ones.  But I shouldn't complain, because everything has fallen into place perfectly thus far, and that is to be thankful for!
I am hoping to post some pictures of our summer soon....we did lots of fun things.  Hopefully we will take a camping trip to Lake Charles when Brandon gets back and start homeschooling when we get back.  That's another thing on my list that I am trying to prepare for.  Jack is starting preschool this year, and I am so proud to be his teacher!

Well back to unpacking/cleaning.....will post pics of summer soon!

Jackson turns 4!

I can hardly believe that I've been a momma for 4 years!  

We celebrated Jackson's 4th birthday with family.  Jackson's only request was that he have Waffle House for dinner.  If that boy could choose his every meal, it would be breakfast! And of course we had to have a Toy Story cake.  He started coming down with a cold that day, he was so tired....but despite being sick, he really enjoyed his day!

Aunt Tottie and Jackson

Birthday Boy!

Yum....Waffles

Happy 4th Birthday Jackson!

I love you crazy!

Turning Two!

The "sweet pea" is two, but she thinks she's three.

We had family over for some crawfish fettuccine, stuffed artichokes,

steamed asparagus and french bread....

followed by some of the pioneer women's,

best ever chocolate sheet cake and vanilla ice cream. 

I admit....I slacked on Avie's cake, but she didn't know that! 

I did everything she asked....pink icing and a few flowers.  

I call it the vintage votive cake.....yes, 

I didn't even have birthday candles!

She's a lovely mess....a very organized mess, and we love her so much.  

                                        Happy 2nd Birthday Avie! 

Fruits....

             I love the days when I am patient....and gentle, "or at least think I am".  They are rare, but they do come occasionally, and when I least expect them.  A few weeks ago, on a typical Sunday evening....my        children were chasing each other around the living room.  They were all giggles and smiles, and I love seeing them play together in this way....up until one of them gets hurt, and it's usually Avie.  I heard the hit and then the screams, and of course ran over to see the damage....then I lost my breath for a minute when I saw what she hit....my wrought iron table leg.  Usually I can keep my sanity in these situations, but this time...I have to admit, I was a little freaked out!  She had blood running out of her mouth, and I was trying to look to see where it was coming from.  After about an hour, she finally calmed down enough for me to look in her mouth...and then I was really freaked out...no front tooth!  I mean of all the things that could have happenend....a knocked out tooth....she is a GIRL!  For five more years she will have a missing tooth....and be singing..."All I want for Christmas is my front tooth"!  Every picture she takes from now on....will look like she's a Hill Billy child!  I began checking the floors and back tracking every place that she went.....no sign of a tooth....I had to assume she swallowed it.  So fast forward to the next morning at our pediatric dentist appointment.  At first the dentist was not going to order an x-ray, because one year olds normally do not sit still enough or cooperate with putting that little "cookie" in their mouth.  Why on earth do they call it a "cookie"! Like Avie, I would have been pretty disappointed if I found out that the "cookie" wasn't really a cookie....come to find out, it's really a piece of plastic with some saran wrap around it, connected by a wire, that you cant really eat.  Anyway....she sat very still and was a very good sport about putting the fake "cookie" in her mouth, and not getting to eat it.  As the picture uploaded onto the screen, I could sense a little uneasiness in the dentist's nonverbal clues.  "What. Is it bad"?, I asked.  She responded with..."Oh My Gosh, the tooth is lodged all the way up in her gum"!  Way to freak out an already freaked out mom.  Sooooo....here we are three weeks later.  The tooth is starting to come down, but it is....dead. We are basically waiting to see if it will continue to come down, and then discuss the next step/option.   So rather than be disgruntle about the whole appointment, I decide we will take a stroll in downtown St.Francisville.
               It's a delightful, warm, breezy day and I pull the car into the parking lot of Grace Episcopal Church....unload my double jogging stroller and the two kids climb aboard...."let's go sightseeing"...I exclaim!   I first picked the cemetery of the church to tour.  Curious, I asked Jack if he knew what a graveyard was,....sure enough, he goes into detail...."yeh, you member when they dig that big hole, with that big pile of dirt, and they put Aunt Helen in there!" Oh my....does he really remember all that!  I have to admit that I was pretty impressed that he put two and two together, because after all, he was right....we were in a graveyard.  So we began our walk and looked at a few of the old tombstones.  I read a few of them explaining that they have the date they were born, the date they died, and their name.  He wanted me to read all of them.  "Just a few", I say.  We came upon three small ones, and he asked me..."momma read those....what does it say"  I started reading....as I read, I realized that there was a mommy and daddy who had lost three of their children, one child each year, for three years. "I hope that I never have to fathom that".....I must have spoken out loud because Jack's next question was...."why do kids get dead?"....."Well, sometimes Jesus decides that its time for them to come to heaven and be with Him."....."Oh", he responded.  We strolled to the back where rows and rows of Camellias are blooming.  Their smell is so sweet, and makes me close my eyes and take a deep breath...we walk under huge oak trees draped with Spanish moss.....it's beautiful....even if we are in a cemetery.   We make our way out and head down Ferdinand Street.  We make a few pit stops in some of the antique shops....looking for cake plates.....I can't seem to pass up an antique cake plate.  Lunch time is approaching, and I know just the place....Magnolia Cafe'.  Jack picks the table on the outside porch...and I am just fine with that.  We decide we want pizza, so pizza it is.  Avie asks, "where's daddy"?  "He's at work today, I wish he could be here with us though".  "Me too"!  Jack says.  My sweet tea is refreshing, and the pizza arrives and looks delish!  We eat our pizza, take a bathroom break, and then they pile back in the stroller and we head back up Ferdinand Street.  The sun is beaming at high noon, and I feel the sweat forming on my brow....it's going to be a long walk back.  We make another pit stop at the Historical Society Museum otherwise known as the information center, and soak in some AC.  They hop back in the stroller and we continue to the car.  The wind is blowing and it feels so good....we hear swarms of leaves blowing down the road, as if they are all running a marathon, and.....the Japanese Magnolias.....well.....they speak for themselves. Thank you Jesus...... for giving me days that I have patience and gentleness.....

Happy Love Day

We had a very happy valentines day....jack and I had a baking session, and baked everything from chocolate brownie cupcakes with butter cream icing to peanut butter balls, covered in chocolate and sprinkles, and heart shaped suckers with candy canes, filled with white chocolate and various sprinkles.  I did attempt to bake earlier that day with both kids... to let them participate in making valentine treats for their friends.....that ended with avie pouring out half of the box of flour, so I just quit.  I do hate that I have ocd traits in me, and end up arguing with my kids on where to strategically place the hearts on the cupcakes/suckers.  But I feel that I did my best to lay off this time....except with the flour incident....we moved on to the suckers, and I let her do the sprinkles.

These are the cupcakes....

                                     

Peanut butter balls....

and suckers....

 

 By the way....I am still sweeping up sprinkles!

 Valentine treats from mommy & daddy!

 Treats from Nana

We celebrated the evening with heart shaped pancakes and sausage.

And what a way to end the day, other than snuggled up with 

daddy, watching his new movie from Nana, Where the Red

Fern Grows....I don't think he made it past the opening credits!

And Avie all snug with her new addition to her

baby doll/stuffed animal collection.

I was very impressed with my husbands ability to think creatively this Valentines Day....we were to only spend $5.00 on each other.  He presented me with "Mason" money and a menu of items that I could "purchase" with my "Mason" money.....like massage, automotive, household, and miscellaneous services   Needless to say....I will have a hard time choosing. I am almost tempted to counterfeit the "Mason" money.

I hope everyone had a LOVELY Valentine's Day!

Thanksgiving at the Lake!

Ohhh myyyy.....has it really been this long! I have lots of catching up to do. I can't tell you how many times I have sat down, planning to post....something....and a little girl ends up on my lap, or a little boy on my back....which would make my post look like this fjajdlfjdjdfkldjkldjjfdkjkkdjkdjf!

I know its now February, but I have to go back to November, and recap our Thanksgiving weekend. We stayed in a cabin on Lake Claiborne with some friends of ours.

The drive up to North Louisiana was beautiful....tall trees hug the

road and make huge canopy's above...with shades of red,

orange, and yellow leaves whirling down. It makes me feel

like I am in a magical fairytale. Then if you look quickly,

you can catch a glimpse of the whirlwind of leaves that follow behind.

This was the view from the cabin....peaceful.

When we arrived it was in the 70's....the boys were able to play in the lake, in their underwear,

I did not pack a swimsuit in November! By the next morning it was in the 20's!

Yes....we did.... dress up like Pilgrims & Indians!

They make a really cute Pilgrim & Indian!

Sandra & Kellan (in the womb), Sammy, & Jeff

A pretty cool tree!

The boat ride put jack to sleep!

Everyone

I think I may skip the recap on Christmas....I am actually disappointed in myself for not taking more photos....it's probably a first. We got a video camera for my birthday, so at least I have lots of video footage. It was so fun to watch the kids on Christmas morning....Avie is now at the independent stage of doing everything herself....so I was able to just sit and watch....and enjoy!

We are finally well...and I say that with a deep breath! For the whole month of January we were with colds and coughs....and then more runny noses and fever and ear infections....I felt like it was never ending! My medicine cabinet is stocked and ready to go.

Avie is now potty trained!!!!! I used up her last diaper last night, and bought her Pullups for night time! She was so excited....she held those Pullups the whole time we were shopping. I am actually so sad about it....there is something about diapers that still makes them a baby....I guess they ARE for babies....and I love the smell of diapers...clean ones....call me weird, but I really do! I still have one of her newborn diapers. Anyway, she's getting too big, and she's especially too little to be wearing Dora panties.

I am going to try and be better at updating.....I really do miss this.