Busy Weekend

Welcome to the neighborhood Graydon. Our neighbors Dina and Heath surprised on Saturday with their adoption of a little bundle of joy named Graydon Slack. Arms full of Casey's 0-3 months clothes and odds and ends we spent a good portion of the morning with their family meeting Gray. Born October 15th he is about 3 months younger than Casey. 3 houses on the cul-de-sac now have babies, Spencer 6 months, Casey 3 months, Gray 9 days.


Sunday we went to Boo at the Zoo. We walked around with neighbors Austin, Michael and Kaitlyn. Van was a monkey and Casey a banana. Van didn't keep his costume on for very long and walked around in his "Van" costume.

After nap we went to the pumpkin patch to get our pumpkin to carve Saturday. This week I get to prepare for the pre-Trick or Treat party we are having.

Oak Alley... not buying a pony

This weekend was the annual Oak Alley Planation craft fair. It was the first worth while weekend excursion we took when we first moved here 2 years ago. I now have become somewhat obsessed with going each time the craft fair is held in the spring and fall to get pictures in the old oak trees that line the entrance to the sugar plantation home. Last spring we didn;t go de to rain, so even fighting colds I was determined to go. Van obviously lookes sick and I forgot to take Casey's hat off to showoff that hair. So not the best set of pictures I have taken there.




We didn't want to spread Van's cold around by letting him in the petting zoo. He watched all the animals from behind the fence, you could see how much he wanted to be in there holding a bunny. Surprisingly he said yes to a pony ride. He let the man put him up on the pony and didn't need me or Mike to walk around with him and then he had a conversation with the "cowboy" about what sounds the animals make. My cling to mommy and daddy boy did it all by himself.

Go Gators

At least after today's cringing game we can still say that with pride. Last week we did go tailgating at the LSU vs UF game on LSU's campus. (yes, I braved the campus after the goalpost incident of '97)

Mike parked the truck the night before and covered the Gator head decal, the next morning his coworker went out and set up the tent and we got there a little after 9AM. It was still drizzly and the weather man lied about the temperature (it never came close to 80). But all of us were out there in our Gator shirts and hats braving the taunts of "TIGER BAIT". They seriously they need to find a better taunt and stop stealing our chant. Many Tigers knew that they were not going to win and many just stopped by to see if we had any insight to the Tebow concussion situation. Around noon Van was getting tired (after a walk to go see Mike the Tiger who was not in his habitat) and the thoughts of "I am sitting outside in the rain under a tent in a folding chair to watch TV??? I could be doing this at home." was getting louder and louder in my head.

We left to go home to nap and be ready for our neighbor Austin's 3rd birthday party. Still in our Gator gear we braved the party full of LSU fans. I think Casey got the most teasing with the secret wispers in his ear of growing up to be a Tiger while he was passed from neighbor to neighbor.

We now have the bragging rites of winners for the next year which means a lot living in Tiger Country.

If you give a kid an imagination

If you give a kid an imagination, he'll start to use it.

First he'll ask you for his safety goggles. Wearing them will remind him of his swimming goggles and he'll ask to go pretend swimming.

He'll ask you for his swim shoes and swimsuit. After trying to get his swimsuit on over his clothes he'll settle for just the goggles, shoes and hat.

While pretend swimming in the hallway he'll see a fish. And ask you to go to the pretend city to see fishies.

You'll walk all over the house and end up at the pretend city (his room) aquarium to watch fish (read Curious George first aquarium words). This will remind him of goldfish crackers and that he wants some.

You get some goldfish crackers and a sandwich since it is close to lunchtime. After eating he'll wants some candy and asks to go to Mr. Lopart's (Handy Manny reference).

You walk to the kitchen and give him a gummy. In the kitchen he'll see a toy tool (that he didn't clean up) and want to go to Kelly's (another Handy Manny reference) to get supplies.

After running to Kelly's ( his brother's room) he announces he has supplies (and pockets full of tools) to make a birdhouse. You sit down to make the pretend birdhouse.

You put the birdhouse next to all his projects in his room. On his bed is his stuffed cat with a superhero cape on. He announces that he and Captain Kitty need to fly and he'll ask for his superhero cape. Soon he'll want Captain Mommy to join in.

You put on the cape and fly around and land on his bed. You take off the cape, close the curtain, turn on the music, read a book, kiss and snuggle, tell him you love him, and turn off the light. (NAP TIME!!!!!!)

2 hours later you hear a knock at his door. And with a smile he'll ask for his safety goggles.........and if you give him his safety goggles............ and chances are his imagination will kick in.

I love you little boy but after swimming a whole ocean, walking to 2 cities and saving the world with you and Captain Kitty.... Mommy needs a nap. Daddy gets home and it starts all over when he opens the door. "Daddy want to go to the pretend toy store."

Last pool days

The days are finally starting to break away from the high 80s which means fall is coming to the South. I wanted one more dip in the pool before we take it down. Van wanted the froggy pool out too. Casey and I climbed into the chilly somewhat neglected pool for one last dip. I later got back in and took video of Van "swimming" around. Luckily I decided to do this Saturday because it started raining on Sunday and the pool is probably colder now.

firefighting at Lowes

Many have seen Van's Lowes apron and the impressive amount of patches he has.( For those who don't know Lowes has a free kids project every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month (currently they have changed a few dates due to the holidays)). We have been taking Van most of the time since he was 18 months with only 1 repeat project. He has become quite popular and is known by most of the employees that run the projects. I swear they have a whole album of pictures of him and his apron. They even asked my parents if Casey was born when they took Van in to do the project, while Mike and I waited to be released from the hospital.

The last project was a fire engine. They had the local fire fighters out with a truck along with FEMA, the Red Cross and the local energy company to tell kids about fire safety. We even went home with a free fire alarm. Van is pretty good with the hammer, but he is more interested in shuffeling around the pieces usually.