Mama is 32.

Well the time has come for me to turn 32.  I have to say I don't like the number, but all the blessings I have now are more than they ever were at 22!  I had a great day and felt very special all day long.

Neil got up and made pancakes for the boys and me.  What a great breakfast to start my day!

I got home one day during my birthday week and Rebecca had left a special surprise on our table!  Buttercups Birthday Cake cupcakes and a fun hair book.  I love fancy hair, but I just don't know how to do it!

I was super thrilled when a student walked in to my classroom with flowers for me!  Leslie sent them to me and I felt so special!  

If that wasn't enough, Neil brought me lunch and a cute little plant to school for my 22 minute break that day.  The bell rang and I had to kick him out as I got ready for my next class.  Thanks, Honey!

Sister Emily Douglas sent me this sweet picture of a beach trip we took in college.  Man, we looked good.  Well I am the only one who doesn't look the same...everyone else still looks fabulous!  I loved seeing this picture...memories!

We ate at Abby Singer's for my birthday dinner so I could make it to Bible study.  It was a fun, quick dinner.

 I felt soooooooooooooooo special the entire day!  I love birthdays!

Mom and Dad each sent me an Edible Arrangement

Becky got me the most gorgeous and delicious cake for my birthday. 

 We did call-ahead seating at Outback and apparently they don't understand what that means.  We waited with 2 kids for 30 minutes and then spent 2 hours eating.  I was so worried that everyone was annoyed the whole time.  The boys did a great job! No fits and they stayed in their seats the whole time!

Andrew showed up with gifts from Japan!  Bennett loved his helmet.  And watching movies on Nana's phone.

Henry and Gammy

Me and my cake

our attempt at a family photo

Thanks to Dad, Carolyn, Rebecca, Amy, Bennett, Janine, Richard, Andrew, Mom, Henry, Daniel, and Neil for making my birthday so special!

Daddy is HOME!

We were so glad when Neil walked in on Monday evening!  We already had dinner ready for him.  We couldn't wait!

I caught this special moment on camera right has they were kissing!  So sweet!

The boys were so happy that Neil was going to take them to school.  I had to snap a pic.  H doesn't look happy, but I assure you he is!  

Neil totally rocks as a husband and father!  So glad you are home, Neil!

I just realized I am sounding like a total whiny baby about my husband working out of town.  It is just something we have never experienced and it is not something I want to get used to.  Good thing I am starting a new Bible study called "Jonah: Life Interrupted!"  Maybe I will gain some insight!

Waiting for Daddy

Neil has worked out of town for about 3 weeks on and off..more on than off.  We have missed him terribly! It's just not the same without him.  We just don't like to be away from each other.  We are glad to have FaceTime so we can see Daddy in the evenings.  

Thankfully, my mom has been here helping us every step of the way.  I could not have kept my head above water without her.  She has cooked, bathed, played, cleaned, washed laundry, and just been Gammy for a week!  I am so thankful!  Thanks, Mom!  I am embarrassed that I have no pictures of our week.

The night before Neil came home, my mom got a deserved break!  Neil's parents came in to see us.  The boys were so excited since it had been a couple weeks since they had seen them.  We went to Outback for dinner and then they took the boys to school for me the next morning.  Such a relief!  Thanks, Nana and Granddad!  Also, no pictures. :(

The only pictures I do have from the week without Daddy are of my dad playing horsey with the boys.  We always loved this as kids and my boys do too!

It is so nice to have such a wonderful support system around us.  Our families help out when we need them and it is truly a blessing.

Date Night!

Since Neil had to work out of town the week before Christmas and for 8 days beginning the day after Christmas, we decided to have special date night.  It was so hard to not have Neil at home for 8 days.  We missed him terribly!  When Neil told me to get a sitter and reservations at The Mabry House I had it all scheduled in about 5 minutes!  He called me the next day to let me know that we would have to move the reservation up due to the Saints playoff game.  Done and done.  Lots of people at the restaurant did the same as us!  

Before dinner, I had a little "me time" so Neil could see the boys.  I had a facial and it was so relaxing!

Here we are at the Mabry House...already booked our Valentine's Day meal!

We really just wanted to go home to watch the game, but didn't feel like it was worth our sitter's time for us to only be gone 2 hours.  We headed to Zocolo and ran into Jenny and her date.  They asked us to join them so we did.  Amy and Daniel met us up there too!  It turned out to be tons of fun!

Todd and Jenny

Neil's duck face and me

Love Birds on their 8 month anniversary!

2013 Year End Review

I got this fabulous idea for a post from Casey so I thought I'd copy her!

We had a great year of family memory making.  Can't wait to see what is in store for 2014!

January
We had a fun New Year's Day party complete with traditional foods, friends, and fireworks.  I celebrated 31 years with dinner and a cute cake.

February
It was pretty low-key.  We celebrated Valentine's at a few different parties!

March
We got a new to us Buick Enclave!  We celebrated Easter and I got away to market in Dallas one weekend.

April
Bennett started T-ball for the first time and LOVED it.  We celebrated Rebecca quitting smoking for 1 year!  We went to Houston for my cousin's crawfish boil and caught an Astros game.

May
Mother's Day was special as we celebrated with lunch at POTC. Neil and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary.  My brother came in for a quick visit, as well.  Gammy turned 57!

June
I took a fabulous girls' trip to San Francisco.  Henry started swim lessons for the first time and LOVED it.  Bennett started his 4 year of lessons.

July
We got to see both sides of my family (French and Jones).  Neil and I took a fabulous trip to NYC with my dad and Carolyn.  We took a family beach trip to Watersound, FL with the Lewis crew.

August
Our sweet Henry turned 2!  We found out we were expecting a new addition to our family...Baby #3!  We started a new school year.

September
We celebrated the best grandparent's ever by telling them about Baby #3!

October
We took a family day trip to Dallas and realized we need to do it more often.  We celebrated Rebecca turning the BIG 3-0!  We had a little Dallas Market weekend.  We had a super-hero Halloween with Blue Batman with big muscles and IronMan.

November
We celebrated Thanksgiving in Ruston and Shreveport.  We loved being close to home instead of travelling 16 hours.

December
We had a BUSY December.  Our sweet Bennett turned 5 with a Ninja Turtle Party!  We had Christmas parties/fun galore.  I made it to 20 weeks pregnant (half-way there!)

I hope 2014 is as eventful (in a good way) as 2013.  Ready to see what it has in store for our family!