Zoo Trip with Luke

Yesterday, Luke and I went to the zoo with his playschool class and it was very nice. The weather was GREAT! and the kids had a ball. I am so happy to create these memories with Luke and my other kids. So nice to have a one-on-one date when I can.

I dreamed last night . . .

that we were at my Maw-Maw Betz's funeral (she died two years ago this May) and my daddy was giving a eulogy when the funeral director came in and told us our time was up--that he had another funeral to do in that same room. At this point, I got very irate with him and told him how rude he was and that my grandmother deserved the time that she had paid for (what a way with words I have, I know) and he gave me the smirkiest grin. And I said, "I'll slap that smile off of your face." to which he replied, "I can have you arrested for that." So if you dream that I am in jail, now you will know why.

Weekend highlights

Friday:
Baseball practice and fried fish and fries for supper.
Visited with John and Vivian for a while--very nice couple!
Darren, Jill and Cole arrived with their horses to spend the night. They brought us
a hound dog named Rufus.
Late to bed.

Saturday:
Awoke to help all of the men and boys get off on a trail ride.
Jill, Luke and I spent two hours in the WalMart parking lot selling 5 of our 8 baby
rabbits before being asked to leave--against company policy--oops!
Insert long nap here--woohoo!
Popeye's chicken for supper--yummy!
Darren and family leave.
Long bath with a good magazine--aaaahhhhhh!

Sunday:
Church.
Tucker's 3rd birthday party--Fun!
Noah rode his "unbroken" horse which makes Mama a nervous wreck.
Hung out outside enjoying the spring weather.
Played baseball at the practice field in C'ville.
Wrote note to tooth fairy for Asa who lost a tooth tonight and then "lost" it before putting it under his pillow. I think she will understand and leave money anyway!

TEXAS--what an awesome state you are!

We got home last night from an AWESOME trip to Houston, Texas! it seems that everything is not bigger in TX but better! What a great time we had! We spent four fun-filled days at Jimmy's sister's home and were warmly hosted by Louise and her husband, Mike and their three children, Megan, Janelle and Michael. There was never a dull moment . . . we started off our first evening there with birthday cake for Luke, then the next day toured the Blue Bell Creamery, a mini-horse farm at a monestary, and picnicked at a roadside park with a beautiful stream where some of our people got wetter than others and Noah's shoe made a trip down the stream and Jimmy spent quite a bit of time trying to rescue it, which I will say he did successfully. We made it to the Cotton Gin museum where he wore a plastic bag over his foot in his shoe which peaked the curiosity of the nice lady at the museum. She couldn't quite figure out why he had a bag on his foot--too funny! Janelle is really into GeoCache-ing--which is a nation-wide scavenger hunt of sorts using a GPS--we had not heard of this craze until she told us about it at Christmas-time. We really like this "game" and found three caches while there. Of course, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was good as was the concert by Dierks Bently--what a hottie! he cut his curls off and is super cute now! By far the best part of the trip was just being with the cousins. They live in a subdivision with a park about a block away so everyone just rides bikes and scooters back and forth--now worries! so cool. Asa has a twice-skinned knee to prove that he was very busy on the bike! We had birthday cake for Noah right before we left and then ended our Texas trip at a boot store for Noah's new boots for his birthday which was yesterday. We ate dinner with the Abadies and Marty and her family at Cracker Barrel in Lafayette on our way back. Noah was serenade by us with "Happy Birthday" and then two Shriner's clowns came over and did the same. As one clown put it, "A bit of public embarassment builds character." and embarrassed he was. You know he's 12 now! Thanks to Louise and her family for an awesome time! Noah said it best, "this was the best vacation ever!" We can't wait to go back.

I forgot to say "Thank you" . . . .

to Ms. Debbie for keeping the boys AGAIN while I got away. You are a life saver! and it means so much to know that my boys are well taken care of by you while I have a bit of time to myself. But mostly a BIG "thanks" to my dear sweet hubby for holding down the fort for me. He brought the boys to Ms. Debbie's for most of Saturday while he worked but then after he and the boys went to church, he took them to the LSU baseball game. What a dad! It melts my heart that he would plan a day just for he and his boys. Thanks Jimmy! I am so lucky that you are mine and that you are my children's father.

P.S. In my previous post I forgot to mention that after being gone for 36 hours, I was not home 5 minutes when Luke puked his guts up and didn't make it in the toilet--mental picture here, I know--thanks to his daddy letting him eat apple juice and half of a bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos! so cleaning up puke was my "welcome home."
(I said he was a good daddy but didn't mention that he doesn't plan the best meals while I am away. haha!)

What a weekend I had!

I had a girls' weekend straight from Heaven. I went to Scrapfest in Mandeville with Lisa, Shara and Benita and my dear friends, Robyn and Joelle met us there. Words cannot describe 15 hours of scrapbooking to those of you who don't get "it" nor can I put into words seeing Joelle and Robyn. So good to be with old friends. Not old as in age but old as in "you know everything about me since we have been friends for so long." I spent the night at Robyn's and on Sunday morning we went into the French Quarter and had beingets at Cafe Dumonde and walked around. So nice, so fun, so good for the soul to just "be" with a friend.

Gobble, Gobble . . . BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!

Noah killed his first turkey this morning and is now cleaning him so I can cook him for supper. Nothing like free food straight from the woods! He is soooooo proud. First time turkey hunting for him and he gets one. I am proud for him - he couldn't wait to show me . . . although he could have waited til a little later instead of waking me up so darn early! Congrats Noah! I am happy for you, man.

Getting to know me . . . .

My friend Tracy sent this to me so I thought it would be fun to share. Enjoy!

1. What is your occupation? mother

2. What color are your socks right now? none, in my slippers

3. What are you listening to right now? sound of my computer

4. What was the last thing that you ate? brownies at supper club last night

5. Can you drive a stick shift? yes but i like automatic better

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? red

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Jimmy

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? yes, she is a dear friend whom I admire for her courage throughout the last ten years!

9. How old are you today? 36

10. Favorite drink? dr. pepper

11. What is your favorite sport to watch? my boys playing baseball


12. Have you ever dyed your hair? yes, silly question!

13. Pets? none for me, but the boys & Jimmy have about 17 horses, 20-something rabbits and a cat that won't die!

14. Favorite food? boiled crawfish

15. Last movie you watched? Flag of our Fathers

16. Favorite Day of the year? not sure

17. What do you do to vent anger? not sure, ask my children!

18. What was your favorite toy as a child? dolls

19. What is your favorite, fall or spring? spring

20. Hugs or kisses? hugs


21. Cherry or Blueberry? neither

22. Do you want your friends to email you back? yes


23. Who is most likely to respond? benita

24. Who is least likely to respond? everyone else


25. Living arrangements? 65 year old farm house that we have severely outgrown about two kids ago, but it is home

26. When was the last time you cried? can't remember, I am probably due for a good cry


27. What is on the floor of your closet? shoes and clothes that fell off hanger

28. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? Joelle

30. Favorite smell? a newborn baby

31. What inspires you? people who have triumphed over tragedy, like Tracy!

32. What are you afraid of? losing my children and my parents dying


33. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? plain

34. Favorite car? the one that is paid for

35. Favorite cat breed? none!

36. Number of keys on your key ring? lots


37. How many years at your current job? Noah will be 12 next Saturday, so 12 years


38. Favorite day of the week? Friday, b/c the weekend is coming

39. How many states have you lived in? 2 louisiana and mississippi

40. Favorite holiday? Christmas

Congrats to Noah's basketball team . . .

they won their tournament last Saturday. Noah played a bit each game and even scored two points in the championship game! Go Tigers!