Second 1/2 of December part 2

Day 6 (12/26):
We went in the morning to the park and had family pictures taken. I posted some of the best ones on Snapfish, if you're interested: http://www2.snapfish.com/share/p=53221262487455087/l=5665624013/g=99876444/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB

Here are just a few of my faves:
We all went and ate at IHOP afterwards. Later that afternoon, I took Wyatt outside to play and got some really cute shots of him:
That night, Brenna and Wyatt played the most adorable game of Connect 4--like they knew what they were doing!:



Carma cuddled up with Jared on the couch for a while:


Belle kept turning on the dancing Santa and we were getting sick of hearing it, so Dad went to turn it off and this is what he saw, so he didn't have the heart to turn it off just yet:



Day 7 (12/27):
Jared and I and Kiki and her family went to Albany ward at 11:00 (Mom & Dad went to Hammond ward at 9:00), then we went home and started watching the Saints game while waiting for aunts, uncles, and cousins to arrive for a get-together. We had lots of snacks, watched the Saints game and played Wii fit and Wii bowling (Belle played with Dad, Mike and Jeff and only Dad beat her, ha ha).

{Dad and two of his brothers, Jeff and Mike}:

{All of the cousins who were there (3 of the 6 families were in attendance)}:

Day 8 (12/28):
I went to breakfast with my friend, Beth, and Kiki and Nikki and we went to see Beth's remodeled house. Nikki flew back to Utah that afternoon; Kiki and I played on the trampoline with the kids again.

The kids watched the first Alvin & the Chipmunks movie that afternoon--the little ones loved dancing to the music:



That night, Becky and I took all the kids except for Wyatt to see Alvin & the Chipmunks the Squeakquel. The 5:00 show was sold out! so we bought tickets and went back at 7:30. The kids LOVED it! Brenna was dancing to all the music, Belle was giggling, Carma was bouncing in her chair from excitement, and Judson was laughing throughout. They were all telling us their favorite parts in the van on the way home (like when Theodore was stuck under the blanket when the guy farted and he was trying to get out and was yelling, "It burns, it burns!" They loved that!).

Day 9 (12/29):
I went with Mom, Dad, and Kiki and her family to Jackson, MS to visit Aunt Patty, Raymond and Maw-maw; they weren't able to come to the family party because Maw-maw had been sick. We ate at Santa Fe steakhouse on the way there. We had a great visit at Patty's. When we got home that night, I went with Tim, Chad, Kiki & Michael to get shrimp po-boys. Yum!

Day 10 (12/30):
I had been sick since Christmas day with a sore throat, stuffy sinuses, and cough. By this day, I had fever and was really feeling miserable but it was Kiki's last day so I tried my best to act like I wasn't sick. I went with her and our friend, Sonya, out to lunch then we drove to my house later that afternoon and just hung out that evening. I had a REALLY hard time saying goodbye to Kiki and her kids! I miss them so much and already can't wait to see them again!

Second 1/2 of December part 1

Christmas was great and I enjoyed having Kiki and her family and Nikki here! I stayed nine nights at Mom & Dad's house on an inflatable mattress and didn't get much sleep but it was worth it. We hung out at the house a lot and played games on the Wii and watched a lot of football. Here's some of what we did:

Day 1 (12/21):

{Even Wyatt got in on the action of Guitar Hero--so cute!}:

{Judson helped me make some oatmeal/M&M bars. They were so yummy!}:

Day 2 (12/22):
I helped Judson & Carma do some artwork.

{Carma painted some Princess & the Frog pictures for me, Kiki, and Maw-maw & Paw-paw}:
{That afternoon, Kiki and I jumped on the trampoline and played trampoline dodge ball with Judson and Carma. I couldn't resist taking this hilarious picture}:
{Brenna LOVED Wyatt but he wasn't always so thrilled to have her following him everywhere and being all over him, ha ha}:

Day 3 (12/23):
We all went to a park and had lunch and I got some great pictures (SO many great ones, there's no way I can even post half of them):
After playing in the playground, we went over to the pond to feed the ducks but it started raining right when we got to the pond, so we waited under a little gazebo until it stopped raining; we saw a rainbow while walking back to the cars:
Day 4 (12/24):
I went and saw "The Princess and the Frog" that morning with Kiki, Carma, Nikki and Mom. It was really cute. Carma loved it. When we got home, Dad and I watched all of the kids while everyone else did some last-minute Christmas shopping. Jared came over after work and stayed the night. We played hide-n-go-seek and Wii Fit that night. My fave was Dad doing the ski jump:

Day 5 (CHRISTMAS DAY!):
Ben & Becky stayed home and opened their gifts before they came over so we all opened gifts once Kiki's kids all woke up. The kids loved the toys Jared & I gave them:

{Two Beanie Baby dogs for Carma}:

{A Disgusting Science kit for Juddy}:

{An Elmo remote for Wy-wy}:

We gave dad a Windshield Wonder and a Saints shirt, Mom a laptop cart, and Kiki & Michael and Wii Cooking Mama game and utensils. Mom & Dad and Nikki gave us Best Buy gift cards and Kiki gave us a picture book of their family pictures and a collage photo frame.

Jared made me promise to only get him three things but he got me a bunch of stuff, the stinker! I got him a Wii Monster Truck game, an electric Shiatsu foot massager with heat, and a Snuggie (since he kept using the LSU one he bought for me a couple of months ago). Here's what he got me: 2 sets of 30 piece Rubbermaid containers with lids, an LSU keyring thing with an LED light, a Victoria's Secret gift card (need new bras), a Hobby Lobby gift card, an LSU Christmas ornament, a pair of purple and yellow fuzzy slippers, an LSU license plate cover, and a certificate to get any Guitar Hero game I want.

Ben and Becky arrived around noon.

{We gave Brenna Leap Frog Learn & Groove maracas}:

{and Belle a Barbie that included two extra outfits}:

We ate a big Christmas dinner that evening that consisted of smoked turkey, ham, artichoke casserole, green bean casserole, stuffing, homemade mac & cheese, yams, rolls, etc. Wyatt entertained us by dancing to "Jingle Bell Rock":

It was a great Christmas!!

First 1/2 of December

So far in December I/we:

• Sold my old car (2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue); it was a great car for me (after Jared totaled my last car with me in it) but Jared wanted me to get a new one
  
• Got a minuscule amount of snow on the 4th--only snowed for a couple of hours that night and melted at our house by midnight (some people in neighboring towns still had some snow on the ground the next morning but not for long)
• Have been busing decorating, online shopping (I love Amazon.com!!), wrapping gifts, making cookies and all of the other Christmas to-do list stuff
  
• Went to Lafayette with Jared to eat and see the Daughtry concert!
• Played piano for the youth's Christmas play at our ward party--the kids did great!
• Went caroling and handed out gifts at a nursing home with some friends
• Am anxiously waiting for Kiki and her family and Nikki to fly here next week!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

{Me & Jared eating at Prejean's in Lafayette before the Daughtry concert}:

Up on the schedule for this weekend: Jared is a groomsmen in a friend's wedding (Wendy Barker, for those of you from Hammond) and we have the rehearsal dinner Friday night, the temple sealing Saturday afternoon and the ring ceremony and reception Saturday night, after which we will run home and watch what's left of the Saints game. GEAUX SAINTS! WHO DAT?! Sunday, I am playing the piano (for all the congregational hymns and special music #'s) in sacrament meeting for our Christmas program. Monday, I will head to my parents' house and wait for Kiki & her family to get there from the airport. WOOHOOOOOOOO!!!! I will probably stay most of next week and the week after that at my parents' house and Jared will come and stay when he can (he still has to work, dangit!). If I don't post before Christmas, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends!

November update

Some things I did last month:

• Temple night with the youth (Jared was released as YM president, BTW)
• Bought a new car! A 2009 Toyota Camry LE--I love it!
• Dinner and midnight showing of New Moon with friends
• Lots of Saints games, mostly at home after church but one Monday night game at my parents'--they are still undefeated! WHO DAT?!
• LSU games with family--we ended up 9-3 and are headed to the Citrus Bowl vs. Penn State on New Year's Day. GEAUX TIGERS!
• Went to Albany Ward to see Belle in her first Primary program, then had dinner at Becky's parents'
• Went shopping at the French Market in New Orleans with my mom
• Thanksgiving at my aunt's house in Jackson, MS (I missed Ben and his girls but it was nice hanging out with my aunt, uncle, parents, brother Tim, Maw-maw and some distant relatives. And AWESOME food (fried turkey, smoked turkey, ham, artichoke casserole, mirlinton/shrimp casserole, sweet potato casserole that tasted like praline, homemade mac & cheese, my ambrosia plus other stuff)!!!!
• Bought a TV for my scraproom
• Went shopping and to lunch and a movie with Jared on Black Friday (no, we didn't do the early morning thing)

Some pics:

{Jared hanging out with the guys outside on Thanksgiving}:

{The Gold Guy in the French Quarter on the day my mom and I went shopping}:

Some home decor additions:
{Curtains in the TV room (as opposed to the flannel blanket that was hanging up)}:

{Vinyl words (cut with my Wishblad machine!)added above the tub in the master bathroom}:

{Vinyl fleur de lis added above the toilet in the guest bathroom}:

Halloween 2009

I had a great Halloween. I woke up early that morning to drive to Hammond to play the piano at the memorial service for a dear lady from my church in Hammond, Mary Nelson. She was also a pianist, a very good one, and was always so supportive of my musical endeavors and always told me she loved to hear me play. While I was sad to hear of her passing, it makes me happy to think of her being with her husband again.

After the service, I went to my brother, Ben's, house and hung out with his family all day. He spent most of the day working while my SIL and I went shopping with the girls and prepared for the Halloween party we attended that night. We all went to a friend's house, along with my parents, that night for their annual party, which always starts with a hay ride around their rural neighborhood to go trick-or-treating with the kids--then we go back to the house and eat lots of yummy food and just hang out the rest of the night. Jared worked all day (he actually left the house before I did) so he didn't attend the party with me. I missed having him there but it was really fun. Here are some pics from the night:

{Belle was Pocahontas and I was an Alabama fan, AKA a redneck, ha ha! This was taken at the beginning of the hay ride}:

{Ben and his beautiful family--Ben was Jack, Becky was an LSU Tiger, Brenna was the cutest monkey (who slept through the first little bit of the hayride)}:

{Brenna the monkey while trick-or-treating}:

{Belle hamming it up for the camera}:

{Brenna enjoying some of her loot}:

It was a really fun night and the weather was amazingly perfect all day and night. It was the first Saturday that I didn't watch football most of the day but it was worth it to spend the day and night with my nieces. LSU skunked Tulane 42-0. Geaux Tigers!!! We are still #9 and are 7-1. And last night, the Saints won yet again and are still undefeated. Who dat?!!! :)

Not too much going on this week outside of normal obligations. I'm going with the youth to the temple tomorrow night, which is always special, after which we are going out to eat. I'm not gonna get to watch the BIG game this weekend (LSU vs. Bama) because I will be co-hostessing a wedding shower for a friend from Hammond. I'm really good friends with her mom and adore her whole family--actually, her brother's house is where the Halloween party was. I had a part in getting the couple together--the guy is from my current ward. While I am going to sorely miss being able to watch the game with family and friends, I am happy to be there to celebrate the up-coming marriage of two people that I think are great. I'll just have my brothers text me with updates of the game throughout the shower! :) I REALLY hope the Tigers can play their best and pull out the win against the #3 team!
GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!

3 month catch-up

Well, it's been three months since my last post. Jared keeps asking me if I'm gonna do anything on my blog so I decided I'd come and actually post. Here's what I've been up to the past few months (besides all the regular stuff, like piano lessons, Young Women's every Wed. night, etc.):

Last week of July:

• My friend, Seth, was in town from Houston, so we had dinner with his whole family at his parents' house
  
• I got a nerve in my neck "burned" and was "down" for about three days--It didn't work at all, I haven't gotten any more shots or procedures in my back or neck since; I decided to give up on the shots for the time being since they're not working (and they're expensive and I get SUPER worked up and nervous before each one)
• was driving in Baton Rouge and saw a squirrel fall from a tree, scamper furiously around, and very narrowly escape the tires of a passing car. I have no idea how that thing missed being squashed!!
• watched a friend from drum corps way back when I was a teen throw knives on the Conan Show

August:

• Went with the youth to the temple to do baptisms
  
• Enjoyed the finale of So You Think You Can Dance--my fave, Jeanine, won!
• Went shopping and out to eat at Olive Garden with a few of the young women and two other leaders
• Had Sunday dinner at my parents'
• Went to the Bishop's Storehouse with the youth
• Started getting bi-weekly massages from a volleyball friend, yay!!!
• Drove to Georgia for our nephew's first birthday--Jared's sister & BIL who live in FL also went, as well as his mom; we had so much fun hanging out, having a birthday party, going to Stone Mountain, and just enjoying our nephew
• Seth was back in town for business so I had a bunch of our friends plus my brothers over to play Guitar Hero--we had a blast!

September:

• Had a great day babysitting Brenna and got the cutest video ever (see below)
  
• Finished the last Harry Potter book--I LOVED the whole series!!!
• LSU FOOTBALL SEASON STARTED!!!! Spent most Saturdays watching football all day
  
• Watched all the Harry Potter movies (1-6) with Jared
• Made a new friend--I visited with an elderly lady from our church who isn't able to attend church for health reasons--she was fun to talk to and I'm visiting her again tomorrow
  
• Had a girls' night out with friends from church; one of them had just been diagnosed with breast cancer--she is going through chemo right now :(
• Did not enjoy the temps of over 90* and 60% humidity at the end of Sept.!
• Started playing volleyball again every Friday--my back hurts afterwards but it's too fun not to do!

October so far:

• The month started out really hot and humid, finally got a little cooler for a week, got hot again for a week, cooled down again the past few days. Crazy weather down here!
  
• LSU lost to Florida only by 1o points; they are now 6-1 and #9 in the country
• Enjoyed General Conference--went to my parents' between Sunday's sessions; the power went out (rainstorm) halfway through the second session
• Spent a few days being really sick and missed YW, all my piano lessons, a fun Elder's Quorum couple's activity and a wedding shower
• Made some Halloween decorations
• Completed a huge food storage order (still waiting for it to arrive)
• Bought tickets to see Daughtry with Jared in December--I can't wait! :)
• Babysat both nieces here one day--we played outside, watched "Ice Age: The Meltdown", ate Halloween candy...
• Has been watching the Saints game the past few weeks--they are undefeated so far!

Here are some of my fave video and pics from the past few months:

{Brenna jibber-jabbering--so freaking adorable!!!}:

{A frog that was hanging out on our raised pond 7/30}:

{Me & Jared on top of Stone Mountain in GA 8/22}:

{Riding the paddle boats at Stone Mountain}:
{Brenna and I went for a walk around the pond 9/1}:
{The girls played in the puddles after General Conference 10/4}:
{Belle put her Halloween costume on so I could take some pictures 10/10}:
{The girls eating ravioli and green beans for lunch at my house 10/22}:
{They played in the rain when Becky came to pick them up}:
{I made one of these for each of my Mia Maids--the "bat droppings" are Tootsie Rolls cut up into pieces}:
{A decorative witch hat I made for my house}:

{I made a few of these for each of the ladies I visit teach--they are painted tuna cans, filled with candy corn}:
Well, that's it in a very small nutshell. I'll try to do better at keeping this blog updated, although I doubt anyone really cares. If for no other reason, it's just a good way for me to go back and remember everything I did. I might even have one of those blog books made--they take your blog and make a book out of it! I just need to remember what company does it. I think someone should do that for Facebook statuses, too. Anyway, I hope everyone has a very happy Halloween! Jared will be on call this weekend so he'll either be at work or he'll stay home; I'm going to a friend's annual party--they always have lots of food and they do hayrides around the (rural) neighborhood to let the kids trick-or-treat. It's really fun. My brother, SIL, and nieces will be there so I'll get some good pics of the girls in their costumes. Happy Halloween!!!