Cajun Christmas

 Isn't this amazing!!  Pawpaw made this tree for Beau's room for the holidays, how fun. It is a net shaped like a Christmas tree and decorated with all things Cajun!

 Beau LOVES his Christmas tree and I can imagine he will love it just as much when he is 15 as he does today.

I was so impressed- what a work of art!

Big Announcement

Beau is officially Potty Trained!!!WOOHOOO

It has taken a little longer than I had hoped (we have been wearing pulls up and pee-peeing on the potty for quite some time) but we are in big boy underwear and loving it.
Beau just wasn't ready a year ago, he wouldn't tell you when he needed to go and really didn't care about going in his pull-up/diaper.  Potty training is like loosing weight- you have to be self motivated.  You can't do it because someone else thinks you should. 

*We encouraged Beau's motivation first with this:

We were at Sam's and I made him promise that he would start pooping on the potty if I bought him this huge bucket of cheese balls.... And so it began.

 And then it ended with this Cars Movie, Mack Truck and Lightning McQueen.  He saw something liek this and LOVES the Mack truck from the Cars movie and so we promised if he had a good week with no accidents he could get this. So he would go 4 days and I would be ready to go get it and he would have an accident (my heart broke several times).  This happened a few times- Once he told Avery- "AVERY- we gotta' pee and poo on the potty today- Mack Truck s one the line!"  No kidding so funny! So this past weekend he was great and had no accidents and he did great on Monday so I went out and go it and he was SOOO excited about it.  It is the only thing he wants to play with. So I have also gotten Cars II for his stocking and I can't wait to watch it. 

I am so excited about Christmas this year.  

Halloween

 We had the best time on Halloween. We attended a party with a bunch of our friends and their children. Beau was super excited... can you tell...?  This picture was taken after the treating and Beau was well sugared and Avery ate a while tootsie roll pop (see it on  her shirt).  Beau was Buzz Lightyear and successfully lazered several people and Avery was a ballerina and everyone loved her- including the blue monster Levi!

 Levi is only 3 month older than Avery and since us parents are good friends, they "hangout".

Levi even tried to sneak a kiss or two, and Avery put him right in his place- look at that face!!  Ha Ha
  These pictures really will be funny if they every date or get married.  Which for the record would be just fine with me, Levi will grow to be a fine boy and his father is full of wisdom!

Beau was so funny, he brought his flashlight trick-or-treating, and toward the end of our jaunt he says to his friend Josh, (also in the wagon):

  "Hand me my flash light so I can seem dem rack-a-roons!"

  I thought I was going to die- so funny!!   I love that child!

Race Day

My girlfriend Erin and I have been running for about 3 year together.  She first convinced me to run my first 5K - and I did horribly but it motivated me to work harder.  I have never been a big runner and NEVER thought I would run a long distance.  A few tears ago I made a goal to run 10 miles.  At that time even I thought I was nut.  I am happy to say I have achieved my goal and then some.  Erin and I ran a half marathon this past weekend in Apalachicola, Fl. 

Erin did a great job and ran the 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 30 min, which was our goal.  I made the first 10 miles in 2 hours and then got some really bad leg cramps in my thighs.  I knew if I stopped at all the cramps would take over and I wouldn't be able to move.  So I kept going walking and jogging a little.  It was pretty painful.  At the very top of the bridge, my family just happened to be driving by and got these pictures.  I pointed out the finish and stepped up my pace jogging m,y last 1/2 miles. I finally finished in exactly 3 hours.  Not exactly meeting my goal, but under the circumstances I was happy with my finish.

That bridge was steep too- you can see how high in the air we were at the peak of the bridge.

Erin and I after our finish! Way To Go!!

 This is a picture of me on that first 5K run- about 3 years, 300 miles, 1 baby, and 30lbs ago.

Pumpkin Festival

 Havana has an annual pumpkin festival and it is always wonderful!  There are all kinds of goodies to eat (I enjoyed a snow cone), there are bounce houses, pony rides, various games, and even a fire truck to play on!

Beau really enjoyed the pony ride- he didn't want to get off!! Chip off the old block!

The Next Tim Tebow

 

Now I realize I am his mom- but I think this is pretty impressive.  Beau is fairly accurate with his passes when he wants to be.  Maybe the next Tim Tebow....
 

This is Avery in the woods this past weekend, we went for a walk and she really enjoyed it.  I thought it was so cute- all that pink in the woods.  

Phone Pictures

We have been doing a bunch of nothing lately which has been wonderful!

A few weeks ago we went out for lunch after church and began talking to a few EMTs sitting at the table next to us. (mostly b/c Beau was making googly eyes at them - he LOVES EMT's) They were so smitten with him they let him sit in the ambulance and turn the lights and horn on.  He was in heaven! Sorry I couldn't get his facial expression- he was to busy checking out all the buttons and lights.

 Since the weather has been nice I decided it was time we made better use of our back porch. So I bought this outdoor rug and (plastic that look like ceramic) pits from Wal-Mart.  I would also like to screen it in and hang a few strings of lights.  I am very excited about my back porch!  I have used it a lot more and I can see Beau on the swing set from here which is nice.

 We have also spent a lot of time at the hunting club, Ben has been mowing and chopping firewood. So we have had several picnics and walks which has been wonderful.  Beau always loves playing with Ben's hat, mask and ear plugs. Cute!

I have also perfected this recipe "stickies"... this is a fourth generation recipe handed down from my great great grandmother on my mothers side.  They are kinda like cinnamon rolls but are made of a flaky pie crust instead of doughy yeast.

**Also I have been training for a half-marathon which has seemed like it was a long way off.  WELL IT's HERE.  I will be in Apalachicola October 23rd to run 13.1 miles.  So far I my longest run is just over 8 miles.  But I am confident I will finish the race and I am very excited about the challenge!