March Madness

March has been a whirlwind for sure.  With baseball practice in full swing we are going 90 to nothing in 10 different directions 24/7.  It is fun and we love it!  We've taken some time for adult fun, too.

The Dicharry's invited us to the 318 Restaurant Week tasting at King Hardware.  Blake (Erin's brother) prepared an amazing tasting menu.  It was a full 4 course meal!  Delish! 

A little something Henry crafted.  The boys are enthralled but this Swiss army knife.  I mean they think it is the coolest thing ever!  Henry basically made a bayonet. I don't know whether to be scared or proud of his creativity.

Our church is so fabulous! The nursery director organized a Mom's Night out!  She had free childcare and paid for part of a cooking class at Bella Nonna's!  What a great treat!

After 4 years, growing out of our car, and having no A/C for 3 months, we bit the bullet and got a new-to-me car.  Expedition.  It is what the young ones call "Murdered out."  It has black rims!  Not pictured because they are embarrassing!  They will be changed out next week when they come in.  We are so excited about it!  It has cargo space and enough room for the kids!

We stalked and I mean stalked the mailman!  We finally found her 2 streets over.  We were waiting to hear if Henry got into magnet school!  YEAH!  HE IS IN!  We are so proud of our smart boy! We will have Bulldog Brothers!

Friendsgiving 2016

We had a ton of fun at our Friendsgiving this year!  A small group of friends gathered over fried turkey, delicious sides, and yummy non-homemade desserts.  My friend, Julie just started Card My Yard Shreveport and gave us a free yard greeting!  Love it!

Obligatory self-timer pic!

Thankful for Daniel and Amy!

Bennett, Amelie, Maddie, Anna Kate, and SK!

Catherine and Amy

A shop Thanksgiving!  Don't look at all the junk in the background.

Bryce be loving that pie!  Catherine the little pilgrim girl.

Have I ever mentioned my love of pilgrims? I was a pilgrim 2 years in a row for Halloween so that I could wear my costume to Thanksgiving!  We used to have Thanksgiving in Oneonta, AL in this big mountainside cabin. My uncle Chris took us one year and I said "Do you think I should bring my pilgrim costume?"  Not one for anything regular clothes, he of course said YES!  So we have pictures of me "serving" at the meal in my costume. The only one in costume.  Wish I knew where those pictures were.

Christmas Eve

We had a great Christmas Eve.  After opening our shoes we really just baked and relaxed around the house.  Last year I was bored and really felt like we should have gone to church.  This year we did and I was so glad!  As I was sitting in the service I just kept thinking how I wished my whole family was there and wished they weren't missing out!  Next year!!!

The first ones at church!  Ready for the 3pm service.

After the service and fabulous candle lighting while singing Silent Night, we headed home to have dinner with my side of the family.  Mom, Dad, Carolyn, and Michael all came over for food, presents, and cookie decorating. 

Sarah Kathryn was the star of the show this year!  She would turn around and smile to the camera every time it was on!  She loved the little house that Gammy gave her.  We put it together a couple days later and she has had the best time with it.

Henry had been asking for a train set.  We thought that was weird since he has a few already.  Gammy never disappoints!

Bennett looooooved his new watch and Gatorade bottle that the football players use. 

Look at Carolyn's early Christmas present on her finger!  From DAD!



Uncle=excited  Henry=not excited

Neil loved his JP gift card from Dad.

Uncle Frank loved his pug Santa socks...Pops got some too!

Sissy and Mommy got matching Lilly!

Gammy and her babies

Gammy and all her babies!

Our new favorite Christmas tradition is decorating cookies for Santa.  I started this a few years ago just for a fun activity and it has really become our favorite thing.  Most everyone gets into it and tries to outdo their cookies from last year.

working hard

Some fancy cookies for Santa...tie dye (FMJ), pizza cookie (Gammy), "Santa Rocks Still" (Bennett)

plaid (Carolyn), Santa made from 3 cookies (Neil), smiley face (Dad)




We tossed out reindeer food and then hit the hay to get ready for Santa!  What magical evening!

State Fair 2015

Pops likes to take us to the fair every year.  It is always good for people watching and eating things off sticks.  The kids loved the bright lights and rides.  Carolyn brought Reid and he had a great time, too.

Henry and Reid loved walking around together and deciding what ride to ride.

Bennett played along and rode on the kiddie rides with the kids.

Pops rode the spinning bear with the boys.  How cute!

The tiny light next to the ferris wheel is the helicopter that Bennett and Neil rode! They loved it.

I took the little boys in a fun house.  They thought the mirror was so funny!

Bennett won the water gun race.

Machine gun shooting!

Super slide!

This sweet thing loved walking around and looking at everything!  She kept breaking out of her stroller.  She loves to be on the go.

January Dinner Gathering

We had the best time Saturday night enjoying dinner with friends.  Blake (Erin's brother) at Drake Catering did a fabulous job with our private 4 course meal.  It was so fun to have the place to ourselves!  Can't wait to go back for more fun!

Chris and Beau

A little chit-chat with the Reed's and soon to be Williams

Chris and Jay

Neil and Beau

Leigh and me were twinkies

Chef Blake

Tenderloin

Lemon cream with rosemary shortbread cookies

January birthday girls

The whole crew minus Erinn and Trey who came later.

Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun and super low-stress.  Love that.  I set-up the Thanksgiving photo booth like last year and even made Thanksgiving trivia quizzes like a couple years ago.  For some reason, people don't like my fun-tivities.  I don't get it! Work thought my quizzes were lame and so did Neil! ha!  I even gave the Thanksgiving photo props to dad for his Thanksgiving feast and they didn't even get taken out of the car...he said "no one wants to fool with that stuff!"  I guess I am from the mind set that all the work was done for you...you just have to take some pictures.  Oh, well.  I will just keep doing my lame games with a smile on my face! :)

14 things we are thankful for in 2014 in no particular order:

1. Neil is not going back to Tulsa! Hallelujah!
2. Family
3. Food
4. Our home
5. Friends
6. Grandparents
7. Jobs
8. Church
9. Quality time together
10. Movie Nights
11. Family meals
12. Aunts and Uncles
13. Parents
14. Being blessed to be parents of 3!

Thanksgiving table

Bennett wrote each person's name on his quiz

Gigi and Grim

Rebecca and Gigi really got into the fun!

hahaha!!

All the ladies!

Little pilgrim boy and girl looking so cute!

Gigi gave SK her Thanksgiving dinner and said SK has a nice forehead and nice ears that don't stick out.  Yes!

Granddad won the quiz with 4/10!

We took a group pic using the self-timer.  hahaha!!  I love Gigi eating the pumpkin pie!!!

S'mores cheesecake was divine!

Mom happened to be in Shreveport so I went to pick her up to come play for a little bit.  I knew she would be all into the photo booth!

Thanksgiving 2014

After putting air in my tire, we headed home.  This is Henry...he fell asleep sitting up!  Thanksgiving wore us out!

Neil wanted to get home to get the tree house finished.