Birthday Weekend!!

We had such a great time this weekend! Sat. we decided to go to Alexandria to go see Santa for the boys picture. It didn't go so well, Cooper was terrified of Santa. He looked at him and then started crying. Luckily we were able to get a shot, but Cooper is crying in the pic. We picked up a cookie cake for Gavin's birthday and headed to Target for some last minute shopping. After spending a good hour in the madness that is Target the weekend before Christmas, we headed to Nachitoches for the Christmas festival. 

It was so AMAZING, we pulled up when the fireworks started. They were so much more than I expected. The boys all loved them. The finale did get a little loud, but it was great. Then we went in search of food. The boys ate corn dogs and Nathan and I got to eat some wonderful red beans and rice, meat pie, and crawfish pie. It was all so good. There was a live band playing a little cajun and a little country, the boys loved it. We ran into some friends from sports and the kids ran around and played a little bit. Then we headed home

Sunday we took Gavin to McDonald's for breakfast as per his request. The boys all hung out and played with the remote cars and watched movies while I ran and did some shopping at Wal-Mart. When Peep got off work he came over to celebrate Gavin's birthday and have some hot dogs and cake. Gavin had a wonderful small birthday. After Memaw and Peep left Nathan took the big boys to the Movie Despereaux(sp). The boys were exhausted when they got home, but we did have a great weekend!!!

Tired

I am still trying to get over this cold and I am just exhausted. The boys are so excited for Christmas. Tonight we are going to get some to go cups of hot chocolate and go driving around to look at the lights. It is like 72 degrees here right now so it is hard to get in the spirit, especially when you are not feeling great. I am trying not to ruin the boys good time. 

Yesterday within 20 minutes of being home from picking up Gavin from school Cooper hit is eye on the corner of my foot board and Gavin jumped on the treadmill with me and skinned his little chin. I told he do not do it 3 times and he didn't listen so I guess he got his own punishment. The funny thing is he has always called it the shreadmill and I guess that is what it did to him yesterday. 

Tomorrow Nathan is off so we are planning to go to Nachitoches to go check out the festival on the river. Nachitoches is where they filmed Steel Magnolias and in the movie they showed the Christmas festival. The main weekend was a couple of weeks ago, but they still have stuff going on and fireworks at night. I am excited to get to go. Hopefully I can make it through even feeling not so great. 

I am ready for Christmas minus a few stocking stuffers. I am still not sure what our plans are. Everyone is celebrating it on different days...I think. It is hard to get the correct info for everywhere that we need to go to. Phew..I am exhausted just thinking about it. 

St. Jude's

O.K. as much as I hate to admit it I am drawn to watch Jon & Kate plus 8 every week. I totally do not agree that they are putting their child's lives on TV for all to see, and I think they are in it for the freebies. Now having said that, I just watched yesterdays show this morning and found myself boo-hooing. I know it doesn't take much, but whatever.

The Gosselins went and bought presents for the children at St. Jude's hospital, this didn't pull at my heartstrings quite as much as the actual patients there. The Gosselins more than likely got all of the stuff they so generously gave away donated by K-mart. I suppose that I never realized what a wonderful organization St. Jude's is. They take every patient and these people do not pay for anything. They never turn a child away. How awesome is that????? The hospital is so much more like a school than a hospital. The people that work there seem so caring and sincere. I just never realized how truly wonderful that hospital is.

I would like to challenge everyone who reads this blog to donate to St. Jude's during this holiday season. You can do it at Gymboree when you are checking out, I know because they ask me every time. I thought about signing up a team to keep track of how much we can raise, but it occurred to me that I don't care, I just want to support this cause. So please help me to help them.

Here is the link.

http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2edae64c5b470110VgnVCM1000001e0215acRCRD&vgnextchannel=b1f87ff0be118010VgnVCM1000000e2015acRCRD

Sick

I have been out sick for a few days and Nathan was sick last week, so I am expecting for all 3 boys to catch it soon. Knowing my luck all at the same time. I am still not quite over it, in fact it seems to be getting worse. It is a cold, so it seems to be disturbing my sleep A LOT!!!

I tried to take the boys picture for our Christmas card yesterday and let me tell ya it worked out wonderfully...NOT! It is truly impossible to get a good picture of all of them, it is about impossible to get them to all look at the camera at the same time. It is truthfully the most frustrating thing. I am just going to do individual pics from now on and photoshop them together. I think that will be the only sure fix.

Gavin just finished up flag football thank goodness. The games were getting colder each week. I think his attention for it was fading too. He has had us taking trips to Alexandria, which is an hour away, 3 times now for trips to the dentist. He had to get fillings and they like to do them one at a time. So not fun. We are also going to be taking him out of his school at Faith Training, things have just been going downhill for him. He doesn't like going and I have never really liked the curriculum there. They spend entirely too much time at their desks, which I don't believe they even need in kindergarten. So off to a new school. I will let you all know how it is going in January.

Elijah is going to be going back to school in January, so I will have more of an update on that then too. He was very disappointed to not be able to play football with Gavin, but he had a lot of fun on the playground. He really wanted a trophy and that was about it. I think he is more cut out for tackle football. Ha. He has been a toot lately, but Gavin has too. Something about the weeks before Christmas that make them act so terribly. I threaten them with Santa all the time, but it doesn't seem to work. Any tips would be helpful.

Cooper has learned to blow kisses to melt mommies heart. He is also waving bye-bye too, I tell ya these mile stones are so much fun. He is getting his 2 top teeth too, so that has made him a little moody, but not too bad. He is borderline running everywhere he goes, so this next year I should drop about 20 lbs chasing him. Ha, I wish.

So that is what we have been up to. Anyone want to babysit???? Anyone?

Wow!!

That was a long week and a half!!! After leaving Wednesday for Thanksgiving we went to San Antonio last week, so we have been gone for a long time. We had a wonderful time though, we got to see family at Thanksgiving that haven't seen Cooper yet so that was good. We always have a great time at the Rider family get togethers. Then we went to Mt. Pleasant to the farm for their Thanksgiving and it was pretty exhausting. Great to see everyone, but still tiring.

So on Sunday Nathan, Eli, Cooper, and I left to stay at my parent's house so we could leave for San Antonio the next day for Nathan's conference. We stayed on the River Walk and had a awesome time. My mom went for a couple of days to help out and then she took Cooper back with her so we could spend some time with Eli alone. I just can't say enough how wonderful it was, we stayed in the Marriot in the River Center Mall so that was great for me. Nathan got sick with a cold the first night so it wasn't great for him, but Eli and I had a great time. It is so nice to spend time with just one child alone every now and then. Now we need to plan something for Gavin.

On Saturday morning we left to go to Bryan to stay with our friends the Jones's. Lindsey and I ran around and did some last minute stuff I needed for Eli's birthday and then we went to eat with some more friends. Too bad my friend Kelli couldn't come, she was missed. Love ya Kel!! After that we went to a pool place and then Lindsey and I decided to go get tattoos!! Don't freak out it is very small and tasteful. Sunday we took Eli and Connor to Chuck E Cheese for a little Birthday celebration. Eli had a blast. So all and all we had a great time. I miss living there so much, I have wonderful friends.

ChChCh Changes...

Well, I have chopped my hair off. I can't believe I actually got the courage to finally do it. I have wanted to do it for about 6 months but chickened out every time. This time I went in with the style I wanted(Kate Gosselin's hair from Jon and Kate plus 8). I did modify it a little. It has been super easy to fix. I thought it might be difficult seeing as how I have wavy hair, but I have been pleasantly surprised. I don't even blow dry it anymore. I let it dry and then flat iron the ends under. I am still having a hard time deciding if I like the look on me,but I guess it will grow out if I decide it isn't. I am not great at posting pics yet, so sorry they are kinda in a funky spot.

Cooper has recently decided to be a toot lately. He just got over being sick so I think his neediness is not going away. He is a major mama's boy, but mama needs a break. Ha. I am starting to think he is teething again. He is becoming such a good walker, I think he is starting to prefer it to crawling around our house. He is so much fun.

Elijah is Elijah. He has been a little difficult lately. He really needs to be around other kids, but things just never work out for us. His preschool was flooded after his 1st day, so he hasn't been back. He is so attached to me lately I can barely leave him at Mema's and Peep's. He cries every time and runs out in the street after me unless he is busy when I sneak away. I am having a hard time with it too, It really breaks my heart to see him so sad. He is really the sweetest most loving boy, he just snaps every now and then. I am thinking I need to get him tested to wheat allergies.

Gavin is liking school more I think. He is so good at memorizing the memory verses and prayers. I am so impressed and his teacher is too. I knew he had the memory of an elephant!! I am just amazed that he can learn long paragraphs word for word at his age. He started football and while I can say he isn't the best at it he does enjoy it, which is more than I can say for soccer. He hated soccer and I have no clue why. I will try and get some pictures of him playing this weekend.

Nathan is working hard as usual. I think he is ready for a break at Thanksgiving. He is overly exhausted. He has had training this week, so he has been working 12 hour days and it is taking its toll. He isn't able to spend a lot of time watching and playing football with Gavin and I think it is hard for him. He is doing a great job of straightening things out at youth sports. I have had several people tell me how much better things are now and that is what it is all about.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving if I don't post again.

Not much going on

Ha, I am already slacking. 

This weekend we went to Toledo Bend to "camp", the reason for the quotations is the fact that when we go there we are in a cabin. The boys call it camping so we do. I got sick on the 1st night, so the boys rented a boat and went fishing on Sunday morning. They had a good time, Nathan and I were exhausted when we got home. 

Yesterday it rained so Nathan canceled the practices last night and we went to Alexandria. We went to eat and Nate took the boys to see Madagascar 2 while Cooper and I roamed Target for 2 hours. Super enjoyable for me. I miss Target so much. Then after the movie we went to the mall, we decided we should get some new tires while we were there. We had needed them for awhile, but kept putting it off. Our car is like driving a new car with these tires. So worth the $$. 

Anyways that is what is going on here. We are trying to figure out our Thanksgiving plans. The boys have a dentist appt. next Wednesday and then Gavin gets out at noon. After that we are planning to send the older boys to Granny's, but we will see,,,,,

Today is the day!!!

Get out there and VOTE!!!!!!! Remember you can't complain if you don't vote. I am sure there will be no conclusion today as much as I would love for it to be over.


Sorry there have been no pictures added. I am still waiting for Mitchell to come back home with the cord. I meant to take pictures with my camera for Halloween, but I forgot it. So I have a few decent pics, but they are on Mitchell's camera. I feel like such a slacker for not posting pics. I also realized what a slacker I have been with poor Cooper. I have tons of pics of him, but very little video. Our video camera is seriously screwed up. It doesn't work well, and the battery life is zero. We got it from my mom right before Gavin was born, so it is 6 years old. I guess that is a life span of a video camera. So poor poor Coop doesn't have any video of him walking. Yes, he is walking!!!!! Sorta. LOL!! He can make it across the living room, but his perferred transportation is crawling. He is an expert at least.

He did trick or treat walking to one house for picture sake. Other than that he was in the stroller or being passed around to hold. We had a great time trick or treating, everyone loved their costumes. Poor Eli, everytime he knocked on a door nobody answered. He wanted to knock so badly. Gavin didn't want to stop. After every house he would say, "I am not done yet". Everyone had a good time and that is what it is all about. So hopefully I will have pictures up soon. Hint, hint Mitchell, it is time to come home. I know how much you love Leesville.

Remember to vote!!! Like you could forget.

Sorry

I know you are all on pins and needles waiting on our pumpkin patch pics, but I don't have the cord. I used Mitchell's camera that is sooooo much better than our camera and then realized he has the cord with his computer in AUSTIN!! So we will have to wait on that. You aren't missing much the boys did not cooperate, SHOCKER!! I got pretty good pics separately but none together. By good, I mean looking at the camera and somewhat of a smile. So while we were at the patch I started feeling sick and so I have been on "sick leave" until today and I am still not 100% so that would be why there were no new posts. Be back soon..

Lunch!

Nathan and I decided to take Gavin and Eli to a Hibachi Grill place in town for lunch today since Gavin gets out at noon on Fridays. We figured they would really enjoy the entertainment of it all. The only problem is it does take some time for the chef to make his way to our table. The boys did good on being patient, they also ate salad to fill the time. They were so fun to watch. In the beginning the chef makes a big fire on the grill and Eli and Gavin both covered their eyes. Everyone at the table was laughing at them, they were so cute. They watched him every second. Then Gavin impressed everyone at the table with his chop stick skills. I have no clue how he figured it out. He uses them every time we eat Asian food. I can't even figure them out. So we had a pretty good day.

(Look at me 2 blogs in 2 days, maybe I can make this a daily thing. Ha, doubt it.)

Blog Numero Uno

Welcome to our family blog. I will try to update as much as possible, but knowing myself I am not promising anything.

We are living in Leesville, Louisiana for the time being and I must say it isn't growing on me. The boys are getting bigger every day. Gavin is loving kindergarten at Faith Training, he does say that he is learning too much Bible. Apparently they add religious aspects to every subject which should be good for him. Eli just started preschool at the Child Development Center on Post. His first day was today and after a rough start he did great. They went on a trip to a pumpkin patch. Cooper is on the move at all times. He is trying to walk, but only can take about 5 steps. He just got his first 2 teeth last week and he keeps rubbing his tongue over them, it is so funny to watch. Nathan is keeping busy with his job. He likes the challenge and he is a workaholic, so he is gone a lot. I told him the other day that I would love to have him as an employee. I am still just hanging out being a mommy and these boys keep me moving.

We are gearing up for Halloween next week and the boys are so excited. We are going to the pumpkin patch this weekend so be expecting pics....if I can figure it out. This weather is perfect Halloween weather too. I love this time of year, the air is so crisp. Fall is my favorite, that is until spring rolls around. Ha.