Cousins Week aka Thanksgiving Break

It all started when we found out my brother, Scott, and his family were coming for Thanksgiving.  We LOVE Uncle Scott, Aunt Bridget, Haley, Ryker and Maddox and always enjoy our visits with them.

The cousins were so happy to be reunited...

This was our first time to get to meet Baby Maddox so we all wanted to love on him.

My boys were so sweet to their little cousins.  They are growing boys, cool, athletic...and sweet, loving and wonderful with little kids.  I'm so proud of them!

Before the kids came we were talking on FaceTime and they were telling me about the ice cream truck coming by and I told them that the ice cream truck doesn't come by here during the winter.  Ryker took from that conversation that we didn't have ice cream in Louisiana.  Ha!  So, I made sure to have Bomb Pops and DiGi had Blue Bell.

Other fun pictures...

Parker and Haley counting while playing Hide and Seek

Maddox is the SWEETEST baby.  I told Bridget that I could never be Maddox's babysitter on a daily basis because I would do nothing but hold him, look into his beautiful blue eyes, let him suck his thumb and hold his blanket.  Seriously, I would be the WORST babysitter.

I just realized I took no pictures of my sister-in-law, Bridget.  How sad!  She is a great mom to my niece and nephews and a loving wife to my brother.  Speaking of my brother...

Mom and Scott (Buddy the Elf)

My brother and his family left on Tuesday to spend Thanksgiving with Bridget's family.

On Thanksgiving Day, we had Chad's sister, Krys, and her family over.

Parker and his second cousin, Addison.  She is PRECIOUS!



We also had more cousin visits when Graham and Baylee came over Thanksgiving Day after having lunch at mom's house.

Our Provencal cousin, Dale. 

All of the boys cousins...

That night Dallas played the Raiders and won.  The guys looked so cute...both wearing their Troy Aikman jerseys.

On Black Friday, we went to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings at the Boardwalk and to see the movie,

Frozen and we enjoyed hanging out with Baylee-Boo!

After we got back from our afternoon of fun, our Florida cousins were back.

Parker and Maddox were playing Patty Cake...precious!



Little Ryker is VERY BUSY and I begged him to come sit with me.  Finally he made his way over to my lap to watch a Christmas movie.  I didnt want to disturb his movie so I snuck a picture.  All of my Florida family call me Double A for Aunt Angela but when Ryker says my name in his scratchy little voice it comes out "Dubba Way".  Melts my heart!

My little guy was needing love from DiGi, too

Ryker and Haley couldn't believe DiGi and Grandad had a couch that made out into a bed.  They had never heard of such a thing.  They were amazed when they got to see it be pulled out.  Ha!



Sadly, the following day our Florida Family would have to fly back home.  We enjoy them so much when they are here and miss them so much when they are gone.

To ease our sadness we ended up going to see Santa at the mall and eat lunch and we ran into another cousin, River.

What a great way to end Cousins Week Thanksgiving Break!

We love our family!

One Hundred Years Old Looks Pretty Good

My Great Aunt Ola is very special to me.  She is the last living sibling to my maternal grandfather, Poppa-John and looks a lot like him.  I loved my Poppa-John so much and I love Aunt Ola, too.

For years, she has had a birthday party each November.  Every birthday is special but, for a person who is closing in on their 100th birthday it's even more special.  We have been able to go to some of the birthday parties over the last several years but I knew I would definitely be attending her 100th birthday.  Afterall, it's not everyday you get to visit with someone who has lived 100 years. 

She is totally "with it" and a joy to be around.  After I took this picture, I asked her if she liked it and she said, "I like it very much."

Her sweet daughter-in-law and son put this party together and hosted it at their lake house on Saline Lake in Winnfield, Louisiana.  I rode with Jimmy, Mom and Sugie.  Me and my sweet Sugie...

One of the joys of coming to Aunt Ola's birthday parties is seeing relatives you wouldn't otherwise see...or even meet some that you've never met.  Julie, Misty and Ashley...all second cousins (I think...so confusing).  Their grandmother and my grandfather were siblings...so we share great grandparents.

I grew up knowing Ashley and Julie but never knew Misty existed...nor did she know about me.  We met for the first time yesterday.  Cousins are so much fun!

There were pictures of Aunt Ola up all around the house and I found this one of my Poppa-John, Sugie and my brother, Scott, so I snapped a picture of the picture.  This was probably in 1983 or so based on how old Scott looks.  The funny thing was that my mom said, "Are you sure that is not you, Angela?"  Sigh...Mom had my hair cut similar to Scott's in the Dorothy Hamill (the ice skating Olympian) cut.  I pointed out the football and she agreed it was Scott.  Haha!

Before we left, Sugie got a minute to visit with Aunt Ola.



Good times!

Hot Springs 2013

We LOVE going to Hot Springs!  We both grew up going there and, not long after we were married, went there on our first vacation.

We have gone there every few years until about 2007, when we started going yearly.

Our favorite time to go is fall.  It is just so beautiful.  The mountains, the trees wearing their fall colors, the leaves on the sidewalks, the acorns on the ground.  Really...just amazing!

Some photos from this years trip...

Us swinging

Our view from the swing



We went for a ride up West Mountain

There are overlooks where you can stop and take pictures.  It was sprinkling but that didn't stop us from enjoying God's creation.



We have a beautiful view from our condo.  This is from our balcony.

We ate at McClards Bar-B-Q, a well known Hot Springs restaurant, for the first time.  Chad loves barbecue and said the ribs were excellent.

We also visited the hot tub.



The last day it rained cats and dogs but we still enjoyed ourselves.  We watched movies in our condo and took a nap.  Perfect way to spend a vacation, if you ask me.

That night the rain stopped and we went to eat dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse.  It was delicious and a place we never go when we are home.  While we were waiting to be seated they had an Etch-A-Sketch out to be played with.  How fun!  I remember playing with mine a bunch as a kid.  I'm obviously out of practice.

The last morning we woke up to the prettiest weather.  So thankful for the sunshine to make our drive home easier.



Until next time...