hello

ok, so facebook has totally taken the place of my blog. i admit it. it is much easier to jot down little sentences every now and then than to sit down and think of something intelligent to write. however, i now feel as though i may possibly be losing brain cells. so i am going to try to start blogging again. blogging was such a release for me when i was a stay at home mommy. now that i am working again, and loving it, my time at home is better spent playing with my babies (even eight year olds are babies by the way). i really do love my job. teaching elementary music is like being the favorite aunt who comes to get the kids, plays with them, and then brings them home again. it is amazing i get paid for doing something i enjoy this much! it is really a blessing from god. so, from this point forward, i am going to try to blog at least once a week if for nothing more than to allow my brain to expand a little. for now enjoy the pictoral update of the babies :)

gustav in pictures

i have had this gustav post saved for 2 weeks now, but i have decided to change directions with it. i had written about all of the bad things associated with no power for a week, but i don't want to remember that part. so, my gustav post is going to center around the fabulous family time we experienced when we were all forced into survival mode. it is amazing how your perspective on life changes when life shifts from "how fast you can run the race" to "do what you have to do to stay in the race." we were forced to slow down to tortoise speed, and learned some valuable lessons under the turtle shell. first, it is never too hot to spend the day playing and eating outside (at home!) in the yard. second, piling mattresses in the living room is really not that much of a hassle when you compare it to the thrill the kids get out of it. third, anything can be cooked on the grill (including jiffy muffin mix and tater tots) and it is much more fun that way! fourth, nothing is more fulfilling than knowing that you have the composure to keep your family happy and healthy in the midst of panic. i was so calm that i didn't even think about what the kidos were seeing until emily told me that the army men with big guns frightened her. next, never take running water for granted. and lastly, enduring a hardship like no electricity for a week really does bring you closer to those you love. i really enjoyed my kids that week. they were troopers and never complained of the heat. they had a blast with the big slumber party and tasting every strange thing we pulled off of the grill during the freezer thaw out. i even told jeff that it would be fun to have life totally shut down once a year. he was quick to tell me we could recreate the situation, but just leave the air on :)

the family bed

twister in the twilight

yeah for the ice cream man!!!!!

flashlight fun

the first time in my life i had to hang clothes to dry

a break from bad news

we decided to take a break from our hurricane preparations and bad news on the tv to go watch the band go down the hill before lsu's 10 AM home opener today. we arrived at 8:30 and a kind friend of ours snapped this shot of us:

then, out of nowhere, this happened:

a very happy morning for my little hurricane worried angels :) geaux tigers!!!!!

haircut?

nope, not yet :)

the redneck waterpark

long and hot summer days lead to a little innovation, and this is what you get:we affectionately refer to this as our redneck water slide, and i bet you wish you were there!!! this picture really gives it no justice. this is the same hill in the snow:it started off as a fun thing for the girls, 100 feet of plastic sprawled down a fairly steep hill drizzled with the water from the sprinkler. do you think i let that opportunity pass? oh no! mom was the first brave adult, i was quickly in line next, and finally jeff joined in. proud to say, no broken bones. we were going to pull out the dish soap, but we were getting some fairly good speed and decided dish soap would definitely lead to broken bones. once you started going, the only thing to stop you was the muddy grass at the end. the next invention will be a deceleration pool at the end.

a fourth of firsts

our weekend at the cabin for the 4th was full of firsts for brady and fun for the rest of us!

his first 4wheeler ride

his first marshmallow roast

which led to his first s'more

first watermelon

and first fireworks

we love spending the 4th at the cabin with nana and pawpaw. it has become our little tradition, and i love traditions!!! the 4th at the cabin can always promise fresh veggies, 4wheeler rides, hikes down the trails, fireworks, family love, and this year, the introduction of the redneck waterslide. that is a post all to itself, there.

back to florida!

ok, i know it is going to seem like all we are doing is going on vacation. we are. the joy of teaching, eh? summers off!!! this time, the family trip to the beach. we love this week not only for the sand, but also for some quality time with cousins, aunts, uncles, and the nana. we moved a little more east this year, actually about two hours more east. but, the water was worth the extra drive time. we had all forgotten how beautiful the destin area is. we haven't been there since we were kids and we all piled in the motorhome to go park right on the beach for the week. that campground is still there! memories :) i'll have to scan some of those pics, that would be a good post! so this year brady is mobile, and very attached to his nap. all of this considered, jeff spent most of the trip at the beach house playing wii while brady slept. he is a pro at tennis now. he promised me he was having fun, i guess i have to believe him. we all spent a lot of time in the sand and the pool and the mall. just a good, relaxing trip. no schedules, just fun. we love the beach! now we're home and we all have strep throat.beautiful!! if i didn't see the horizon, i would have thought this was a pool!

catch a fish, put it in the pool, catch a fish, put it in the pool, you get the point!

yes, she is sunning!!! she's almost 8 you know.

sliding down the beach is so much fun!

pull out the camera, and she pulls out the picture smile :) love it!!!

couldn't pass up a trip to lambert's! throw me some rolls!!

practicing his surfer pose. such concentration!

the spray park was a favorite this year.

i love this picture!

nana and her crew!!!

sand divas.

mouse pics

just a few pics of our wonderful vacation with mickey. we love you, mickey, and we can't wait to see you again!!! (brady wants to meet you :)