If you could go back to high school, would you? Louisiana Day 3

This post is dedicated to my cousin Kyle, who I love and miss and can't think of high school without thinking of him. He's still alive....rereading that makes it sound like he's not! ;)

Coming home is like reliving high school. My parents live in the same house, all the streets look the same, not much has changed. Which is nice. Comforting.

Tonight me and Chris relived our glory days and went to our high school alma mater's football game. Sorry Robin and Nathan, we totally kicked Denham Springs' butt!

I had 4 fabulous years in high school. I would do it again! Seriously. I was on the flag team (The Silk's) for 4 years, was captain my senior year, had amazing friendships, was involved in Musical Theater. Worked at the Gap. I can't complain.

Christopher played football, baseball, and he marched in the band and played in the jazz band. Played the trumpet. I'm sure he wouldn't do it again though...he isn't as sentimental as I am!

It was so fun to go back to the same field, the atmosphere is still the same but it's been 10 years (a little longer for Chris), things have changed.

In other ways, things are still the same...it was fun watching the girls do stand dances! I even recognized one of them that I had made up! It was fun to see the friendships that are made in high school...and well, we all know how some of those change. It was just fun to be reminded of a great time in my life. When the world was at my fingertips and you didn't know what life had in store for you. A time when gas was 99 cents a gallon and the thing to do after the game was go to McDonald's. Good times.

Look who that is Kyle...Patrick! I didn't know if you knew he was band director..has been for a while because we talked to him last when we were still living here! And that's been 5 years!

And to think I was sitting next to the best thing I got out of high school, Christopher! (He was eating sunflower seeds when this picture was taken)

Everyone say it with me now...AWWWWW!

Just imagine all the things you'll see if you live to be 95! Louisiana Day 2

My Paw Paw, Aunt Jeanne, Uncle Bill, and (In Texas) SIL Esther had birthdays today!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! My niece's birthday is Saturday, my Aunt's birthday is Sunday and my birthday is Monday. Crazy birthday weekend! We spent the entire day surrounded by family with more cousins coming to town tomorrow.

Addysen meeting PawPaw for the first time...she didn't cry...but she didn't smile either!







This is my PawPaw's cat Jill- my MawMaw got her about 15 years ago....and that's just an estimate-basically she is OLD! She started out as MawMaw's cat but now she is PawPaw's. I like to think that MawMaw is keeping Jill around to keep PawPaw company!




Our girls and PawPaw...


Elodie sitting at the same counter I sat at as a little girl at PawPaw's house...




My inspiration..(that's food storage incase you couldn't tell...there is another row of boxes behind all of this!)

And it wouldn't be a trip to Louisiana if we didn't stop and take a picture of Christopher's old house. Sigh...memories!

And I'll leave you with PawPaw's 95 year old piece of advice to his family...


"Grow what you eat, Eat what you grow, and be happy with what you've got!"

Louisiana Day 1 "It's going to come all too soon!"

Is it possible to be home sick when you are home? Being home visiting my family, reliving memories of high school, dating Christopher, and our first year of marriage all make me miss my family and Louisiana so badly-and I'm here with them!! It just makes me realize how much of everyday life I'm missing out on living so far from home. Everything is so familiar and it makes me want to move home immediately-not to mention the house prices are amazingly cheaper than Arizona!! And the weather is AMAZING- freakishly cold for this time of year...I'm afraid I didn't bring warm enough close for my girls. It's suppose to be a low of 49 tonight!

ANYWAY, all my own personal thoughts that may hold little interest to those of you who just want to see pictures. On to the fun stuff!

"It's going to come all too soon" is what Chris said to me this morning as we FINALLY crawled into bed at 12:30am. He was setting the alarm clock for 3:45am. We had to be at the airport 2 hours early and our flight left at 6:15am. Sigh-atleast the girls were in bed at their regular time and had no problems waking up at 4am this morning! Thanks to Chris' mom for braving the wee hours of the morning and taking us to the airport. She, along with our dear friend Audrey, will save us 50 bucks from parking in the airport parking lot. All of our flights left on time, we sailed through security, the girls were amazing on both flights, our rental car was waiting for us in New Orleans, and it was so fun to reminisce all the way to my parents house- well, atleast a mile before getting to my parents house because WE GOT A FLAT TIRE! Oh well, it couldn't all go so smooth and I have a husband who fixed it no problem. We laughed because we knew we were in Central when we had a guy slow down to ask if we needed any help. He even came back by to make sure we were okay even after Christopher told him he could handle it. Good old Southern hospitality! Love it!

As soon as we made it to my parents house Elodie fell in love...My Paw Paw Whitney, the one who is turning 95 tomorrow, built this house out in my parents backyard..

Isn't it lovely? From what I've been told, each piece of this house is a part of someone in my mom's family! So neat! I just love the front porch and it is seriously every little girls dream house.

Elodie spent most of the evening playing inside and sweeping the porch with PawPaw. She can't wait to have all her girl cousins over for hot chocolate with MawMaw-and you know there will be pictures of that!









Addysen on the other hand spent her entire day in her pajamas(when you can get away with it and still look cute-OWN IT!) and warmed up to my mom instantly. She handled all the chaos and noise that was to come amazingly well!
My 2 brothers, Caissy (1st brother) and Owen (3rd brother) who both live in La. came with their families to visit for a while! Holy housefull! My parents have 9 grandbabies and it was so fun to get them all together! The next 2 weeks are going to be a blast!



Oldest and Youngest. Austin just made 13 and Addysen is almost8 months. I was 14 when he was born! Craziness! I love this kid..he is the sweetest!
Addysen and Aidon- he will be 3 in January. Such a happy little kid who just loved loving on Addysen!



Little Aidon loves everything Cowboy- can't you tell! He was showing off his roping skills! SO CUTE!
Day one complete- we're safe, happy to be hear, and TIRED!

Yes and No...

No I'm not packing...

Yes I'm blogging....

Yes my house is clean and ready to leave for 2 weeks.....

Yes I will bring my camera cord and post regularly while we are in Louisiana...

Yes we are all excited to go on a vacation and spend time with my family....

Yes the weather is a little cooler there and that makes me happy...

No I probably will not post family pictures as I will be doing the editing and my mom doesn't have photoshop at her house. Meaning you will have to wait until I get back from La. to see family pictures.

No I'm not packing...

Yes I am blogging....

Until I post from Louisiana!!!

Pumpkin Patch 2008

The tradition continues! I'm not sure how easy it will be to find overalls for a 5 year old next year- I got lucky this year! And because their my kids and my blog, I'm posting ALL OF THEM because I couldn't just pick a few favorites! ENJOY!

Our serious little Addysen...We'd love to know what she is thinking right now!

Why does a haircut always make them look so much older!?!

It's been a year since Elodie's last haircut. Mostly because she has been wanting it long and it grows so slow that it took a year to get what we had! I had been asking her about cutting her hair short for a while now. Her hair was starting to get a little too long and you could see the ends needed a trim. She looked so cute when she got her last haircut that I thought maybe she would like to have it short again.


As soon as I told her that her hair would be too short for pigtails, she was all over it!
Her only stipulation? She didn't want it short like daddy's hair! Funny girl- I'd be a horrible mother if I let that happen!

We took her back to our cousin Kristy today and voila! She's a new girl! All ready for a trip home to Louisiana and family pictures!


Before:

During:

After:

Amazing website I found with great give-aways!

GROSGRAIN MINI STORE OPENING NOVEMBER 6!!!!! AND BIG PREVIEW GIVEAWAY!!!!

It's an amazing site I have seen on a few of my friends blogs. (Jen) If you haven't checked it out yet GO right now! It also has some AWESOME give-aways! As if I need MORE reasons to buy clothes for Elodie and Addysen! ENJOY surfing!

Years of costumes....

This is always fun...and sad....

2004: Elodie was just shy of 2 months old

2005:
2006: 2007:
2008: