Summer Heat mostly gone in South Louisiana

Now that it is "Fall" the kids have been enjoying getting outdoors and riding their bikes! Joseph, however, has discovered that he can enjoy a free ride by hopping on the back of sister's tricycle and let her do the work.

Whenever I bring the camera out, Annabelle and Joseph of course instanly pose.

Their other favorite thing to do is take pictures of things by themselves. (Santa needs to bring them their own digital "kids" camera. ) Annabelle is proud of her tricycle. She is a master "pedaller" now! She didn't get a tricycle until she was three and it took her awhile to fully pedal the tricycle. (She is not very athleticlly inclined--she also just learned to jump off the ground with TWO feet!--she takes after her grandma pam--at least that is the joke in our family.)

Bye week withdrawls?!

Ok, maybe I am not actually having withdrawls with the Tigers not playing this week, but is gonna be a farily boring night without them on tonight. After at least 4 seasons, I finally got to geaux see my TIGERS play!

Shane and I and my friend Sharon and her hubby Jamin went to the big game against Miss St. Well, I guess it wasn't a Georgia, Florida, Auburn or Bama game, but it was still Saturday Night in DEATH VALLEY!

Great PIC! Three Nat'l Championship Flags-- with the newest one just last season!! Four military jets flew directly overhead before the start of this game. Always a NICE surprise. I saw and heard them coming but forgot to brace myself while standing. I had to clutch onto Shane. The poor little 8 year-old girl in front of us got really scared.

Needless to say, the TIGERS were victorious! A special thanks to Randy Bluth for the tickets.

What's been happening

Well, now that the hurricane is behind us, I guess it is time that I update my blog. I have to mention first that I don't have any pics from the hurricane--sorry. I just had too much else to worry about. On the bright side, we are all safe and I got to clean out my freezer and fridge!



Annabelle had her first day of school on Aug 18. She was upset about the extended labor day weekend--lenghtened out by Hurricane Gustav. But she did get to spend 3 days at grandma's house while we were without power.



Annabelle and her cousins had a great time one weekend in Magnolia, MS at our recreation property.

This is the cabin that will be hopefully be finished in time for Christmas overlooking the newly constructed lake. (No help from me unfortunately--but I have a good excuse--I am now 17 1/2 weeks pregnant.)

Annabelle took a mud bath in the beautiful red clay lake that is not finished yet. Thanks to uncle seth, she was able to be hosed off. Unfortunately she drank too much of that "muddy water" and woke of the next morning throwing up and missed church.

Well, I guess I have helped the cabin building a little. I watched Amy's daughter Aliyah Friday through Saturday. She and Joseph had a great time together and didn't get too jealous of the other over my attention.

The LSU campus has had the "new" mike the tiger for about a year now. One of the advantages of a younger tiger is that they are playful. Joseph and Annabelle, along, with their cousins, Myron and Ethan, enjoyed watching him swim and play in his on-campus habitat.

Joe loved meowing at the kitty!

Joseph and Annabelle playing in the waiting room at Dr. West's office.

Joseph's 15 month check-up--he finally weighed in at 20lbs! And of course was not happy about his shots.

Joe at the water park. He loved it--finally. We went a few times earlier in the summer and was unsure of it and so was sister. (Sorry no good pics of annabelle--only ones I had were of her rearend--and while cute--I figured this pic of joe would be enough from that outting.)

Before we went to the wet park we went to the dry one. Here Joe is showing off his athletic ability.

Before we left that morning for the park. Joseph got into Daddy's ties. (Nota a first or last occurence.)

Looks like sister did too. But I know Joe started it.

For Annabelle's cousin Mya's b-day they went to Libby Lu. Annabelle was in HEAVEN!

Annabelle and Joe take a ride on Garfield's back at the Tanger Outlet Mall.

So, nothing much happenning. But I thought I could at least post some of the things that have been happening lately. More posts to come "hopefully" sooner than later! (Oct 21st is the big "ultrasound" day! Annabelle is hoping for her sister, Caroline!)

What's New?!

I first wanted to update this blog with the good news that Shane and I will have a new baby in our home at the end of February! I promised to update by the 4th of July but that didn't quite happen. My grandmother passed away at the end of June so, Joseph and I flew out to California for the funeral July 3rd.

Last week Annabelle went to Spanish camp. The theme for the week was princesses. If you ask her the spanish word for princess she definitely knows it, "princessa!"

In May, Joseph celebrated his 1st birthday!

The following week our family went to Orange Beach, AL with my parents and my siblings and their famlies. We had a good time! Thanks Nana and Pops!

Earlier this spring Annabelle was on the YMCA 3-4yr old soccer team with her cousins Mya, Merrick, & Jack. Annabelle looked the part! (Can't say much for her actually wanting to play though.) She liked falling on purpose and chasing Mya instead of the ball. With my new Tahoe (we said goodbye to the Durango), I officially became a "soccer mom"--AGH!!!!! I'm okay, really.

Well, I have a few more things to "BLOG" and I am getting better at this site so I will update sooner than Labor Day, I promise!-LOL

Busy Bees

We had an amazing Christmas. I enjoyed the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional. It was just what I needed to start my Christmas season. President Hinckley's words were very uplifting. Shane and I were blessed to give many gifts to our family and friends this year as each have grown in numbers! One of our favorites was the gift of music and memories for our home--a piano! Shane was able to play his favorite Christmas Carol, O Holy Night, along with many others. Before, During, and after Christmas life was busy for us. Annabelle had a birthday party in December. She turned 3 on the 3rd! Joseph learned to crawl and was all over the place. Then a week later we celebrated Shane's birthday. Christmas came and then we took a family trip to our "land" Heritage Pines in Magnolia, MS. We had a great time up there which concluded with a lunch at the Whistle Stop Cafe. Thanks to Ms. Pam we all received steaks! Well, next came the LSU National Championship game!!! It was also Annabelle's first day of preschool at the Montessori School of Baton Rouge, where her Nana is one of her teachers. She wore a purple LSU dress that her Nana made for the extra special occasion. Geaux Tigers! I enjoyed watching the game--even though I didn't get to see much of it due to my children--but I would never trade them for a football game--that's for sure! Next, came my birthday as well as my 2 yr. old nephew, Myron's! The following weekend, Grandpa Art came for a visit. It just so happened that he went up to look at the "land" in Mississippi and we decided it would be fun to be up there with him. (Can you believe that we were up there twice in a months time? Before that I hadn't been since the day I found out I was pregnant with Annabelle, yes, Annabelle, not Joseph.) We had a good visit with grandpa Art. Annabelle and her grandma had a wet walk in the woods. It was wet and rainy and we didn't stay long., but thankfully, there was no ice storm there like the previous weekend. I guess Valentines came next. I received a beautiful bouquet from Shane as well as a couple more Louisiana Mud Paintings of plantation homes--Greenwood and San Francisco. Last Tuesday (2-26-08), Shane and I attended the Baton Rouge Temple (we set a goal to go at least once a month as a couple--so far so good.) Then on Friday I played dominoes until midnight at the church with Ms. Bobbie, Ms. Rita and Nikki (the others went home earlier to go to bed.) Saturday, was spent at the YW/YM volleyball game and Ned's (my friend from high school, Kory's son) 3rd birthday. This week we have a LSU gymnastics meet, an Easter activity for primary, Grayson's birthday party (a little admirer of Annabelle's from preschool--which does not make her daddy really happy-lol!) and on Sunday, Annabelle will give her first talk in Primary! The following weekend will be my nephew, Ethan's, first birthday party. Later, in March my mom and I will travel with Annabelle and Joseph to California to visit her parents and my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Shane has been really busy at work and will not be able to come with us, unfortunately. Well, I think that sums it all up for now. (I had been getting a lot of nagging about only having a blog from Halloween-lol. I figure I am good now until at least the 4th of July!)