We had SUCH a blast on vacation with my family!! Cozumel was paradise and I can't wait to go back! Thanks mom and dad for treating us to such a fantastic get-away! We REALLY enjoyed it!

Geaux Team, Geauuuux Audrey!

listening to her teacher

following directions - how to do a cartwheel :)

waiting her turn


working well with others


Charles and I decided to enroll Audrey in gymnastics to help with some life skills that she'll need since she hasn't yet started pre-school. Our goal was for her to listen and follow instruction from other adults, take turns, and be in an environment where she has to follow structure other than what we do at home.. SHE LOVES IT! Audrey has a blast in gymnastics class and is getting a lot out of it... she isn't the next olympic hopeful or anything, but is getting skills that will help her when she does attend school. I love that she is having a blast and I enjoy peeking in at her interaction with others.
Watch the video below: she made this cheer up and was doing it over and over and over again - not sure where she saw cheerleaders before... but after hearing it for a few minutes I asked her to do it for the camera - of course my little "ham" was all about it and wanted to watch herself on camera afterwards.. geez! *the part i found funny was how she used her whole body to say "cheerleader" like she is hot stuff. LOL

Week End Review

took the new stroller for a spin.. thanks so much ms. christi!! love it!
crazy. out of control. bubble bath.

party in the tub.
woah.
i pulled a cake out of the freezer and let her decorate it -she had a ball.

a little crazy looking with the sprinkles!

my little man after church

playing with daddy


enjoying his cereal.. he loves it!

I wish I took pics at the pool sunday night.. he loved the water and his new float.. he was so relaxed that he actually fell asleep in it! Audrey had a ball jumping off of the side and going completely underwater without any floaties or anything.. good family fun!

While the Cat's Away...

Charles was out of town this week on business so Audrey and I enjoyed an ice cream outing :) She insisted on the pink & purple ice cream *cotton candy* but loved my lemon ice even more... why is it that mama's food, no matter what it is, always tasted better than hers?

Will is Well

We just got back from Will's 4 month well visit.

Here are the stats:

Weight: 16 lbs 2 oz, 75th percentile

Height: 26", 90th percentile

Head: 16.5" 25 - 50th percentile

Will is doing so much better about holding his head up - he is now playing in his exersaucer, which is loads of fun for him! He is still nursing well, but prefers a night time bottle. Any time there are any distractions in the room the feeding is pretty much over - he is mezmorized by his big sister and would rather watch her than have a meal.. wonder how long that one will last :) ha.

It is becoming more of a challenge to find a quiet place. Audrey is now trained to whisper when he is feeding :) I am trying to keep up with his appetite, but am falling short some days - in that case I just give him some of his milk from the freezer or formula.

William is rolling back and forth all over the place and laughs and squeels out loud when he is excited or tickled! He is drooling a ton and I'm waiting for a tooth to appear near the gums to justify all the slobber on my clothes! Oh and those sweet dimples just melt my heart when he smiles - all you have to do is look at him and he is grinning ear to ear! His hair is always a mess from his naps and I am having to wet it and comb it every time we leave the house.. He got his long overdue first haircut last week and it is helping some, but his hair is still crazy! It is very thick coarse like mine and Charles' hair.

Will is such a sweet boy and we are enjoying him SO MUCH!

Fourth of July Weekend

We just got back from spending 10 days in Lake Charles... lots to do to get settled back in.. but here are some pics from our first weekend there.. fourth of july weekend

This one is for us moms.. read it!

Sweet Smell of PineSol

3 Jul 2009T. Suzanne Eller"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" Matthew 19:14 (NIV)I admit it. I'm the world's worst when it comes to preserving photos. I have boxes of photos stacked in various cubbyholes. I tried to organize the pictures once. I divided them and placed them in large envelopes. My next step was to put them in albums. They are still in the envelopes—stacked in a box.Melissa, Ryan, and Leslie are now in their 20's and newly married. The chances of me ever getting these precious memories organized are slim to none, but I'm realizing something powerful. Memories aren't limited to pictures.Remember when, Mom…? is a common phrase in my house now. We have become the hub, a privilege once re served for my husband's parents. At holidays and special weekends, they drive up, unload luggage and pile into the guest rooms. We laugh and reminisce a lot around the table. Remember when we went on treasure hunts in the pasture? Remember when you jumped on the bed and popped Ryan up in the air so high it scared you? Remember that yellow Slip N' Slide?I do remember. But I also remember a young mom who worried that her house wasn't spotless when an unexpected guest showed up. I remember the angst of trying to do everything and the fatigue when my day ended before my chores did.But there were days that I threw caution to the wind and jumped on the bed, even though it might make others frown. I grabbed a shovel and gave the kids plastic buckets and we looked for old bottles and trinkets at the abandoned homestead nearby. We mixed Dawn dishwashing liquid and water and I laughed out loud as the kids flew like greased lightening across the yellow slippery slide. Some of those memories were captured in that pre-digital age, but most were not, but they are etched on the heart of my young adult children.They reminisce about what we did together. They don't reminisce about the smell of PineSol. Whether my house was perfect or how it compared to others' isn't even on their radar. It makes me wonder why I worried about it. Is it good to have order and structure? Sure. But don't allow the pressure to be the perfect mom keep you from the beauty of simply playing with your children. The unmade bed will still be there, but I promise that a child will grow quickly and leave the nest.Take a moment today and look past the clutter and the to-do list and play like a child again. It might not be a picture-perfect moment, but it will be a memory.Dear Lord, time passes so fast. Slow me down, God. Let me enjoy the smallest pleasures around me. Let me play with my child instead of knocking down a to-do list. Let me laugh w ith my teen instead of fussing at him. Thank You for the sweet memories of today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.