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!

It's been a while....

since I have posted anything.  Not because we haven't had much to post about but because I haven't been taking any pictures....  matter of fact- I don't even really know where the camera is right now. But Avery has done some funny stuff lately that I have to share!

*The other day she was walking with one of Beau's cars in her hand and fell and the car must have pinched her hand in trying to catch herself.  So she was crying and Ben picked her up to comfort her.  We were getting ready to eat dinner and there were tater tots on the stove.  As soon as Avery spotted the tots she quickly shut off the crying and was reaching for the tots.

*Last night we put the kids in a for a quick bath.  I grabbed Beau out of the bath and handed him to Ben and then turned back to get Avery.  In the meantime Avery decided to climb out of the tub but instead slid right out like a slippery fish  onto the floor.  She wasn't hurt but was a little upset- but boy was it funny!! 

Avery is really growing up!  She is climbing up onto everything and saying uhho-  Her hair is really growing and most days she is sporting pigtails!

A Long Relaxing Weekend

We spent the weekend in Grayton Beach at the state park.  If you haven't heard they have nice clean cabins you can rent for only $130 a night.  Which is CHEAP for that area.  It makes for a very affordable beach trip!

Beau thoroughly enjoyed the beach and woke every morning yelling he was ready to go to "Da BEEECH"

Avery also had a wonderful time.

This little girl was fearless, she would walk right toward the water. 

We played in the waves, flew our kite, built pools and castles in the sand, and ate alot of snacks.  I even managed to steal away for about an hour everyday for myself.  Early in the morning I tiptoed away to the beach or Seaside to read, and once jogged from Grayton State Park to Seaside.  It was wonderful, such a beautiful place to spend outdoors!

On Sunday before we left we took the time to take a few pictures in Watercolor.  If you have never been you MUST go.  I am already trying to plan our next get-away!

This borders a park in Watercolor- "the Park District" the park is in the middle of some beautiful beach homes.  ( I am going to rent a home on this park next time we take a big family vacation)

 

Isn't this the most precious of all!!!!!!!! I was hoping to capture a moment like this!

Beau & Avery's Birthday Party

 Beau and Avery has their birthday party last weekend.  I was so excited about their double birthday I decided to go all out and decorate and rent a HUGE water slide.  Everything turned out well and the slide was fun (even in the rain).

 This was a crab themed party,  the kids had matching crab bathing suits~ I absolutely hate I didn't get a picture of them together in the suits before the party and I may just dress them back up and take a picture this weekend.

Homemade Devil Dog Cakes~ YUM!

 Favors, complete with Marti-Gras necklace imported from Louisiana.

 Avery got the cutest little tutu for her birthday and she loved it!  Isn't she cute!

The slide- I think I enjoyed this more as much as the kids....  Check out Beau's expression, priceless- he loved it~!

Sweet Baby Girl- it is hard to believe my baby is almost a year old!  Both of them are growing so quickly I feel like I am going to wake up tomorrow and they will be 8 & 10.