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!

Halloween 2013

This year we were going to go trick-or-treating by ourselves and then we started thinking it would be fun to go with the Bryant family (our Vacation Buddies).  We called and they mentioned they were going in their neighborhood and riding in their golf cart and that we should come there.  Chad texted back..."you had me at golf cart."  Ha!

My boys...Hayden was so sweet to Parker that night.  Parker wanted to be a football player so Hayden fixed him all up.  It was cute!  Hayden didn't really want to dress up so he just wore his football jersey.

All of our little Trick-or-Treaters.

We had fun walking around their neighborhood while the guys rode in the golf cart.

We are so thankful for these "21st Century Dads".

After we were done trick-or-treating with the Bryants we came back to our neighborhood and went to visit DiGi & Granddad.

What a fun Halloween!







Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans

I was not super excited about our trip to New Orleans.

Chad would be at the Southern Baptist Convention.

I would be with the kids in a strange city.

Have I mentioned I'm directionally challenged?

But we decided to go with Chad and make the best of it.

What I wasn't expecting?  I had a GREAT time! 

After getting settled in our hotel room we hit set out to ride a street car and headed towards St. Charles.

Parker's favorite thing to do was pull the cord to let the driver know we wanted off.

While on the street car we saw a place to eat and ended up at New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Co.  It was really good!  I was SO proud of my Hayden.  He is adventurous with food. At every restaurant we went he ordered seafood...he had etoufee, gumbo and crawfish dishes.  No chicken nuggets for this kid!

This was Father's Day and I thought the boys looked so handsome so had to get a few pictures before church.

Funny faces...

 

Two boys and their Dad. 

On Father's Day we went to church at Franklin Avenue Baptist.  Where Rev. Fred Luter preaches.  Two days after that church service he would make history becoming the first African American President of the Southern Baptist Convention.

We met up with the Tweens from Airline Baptist who were in New Orleans on a mission trip for church.  It felt good to see familiar faces!

After church we went to eat with the Tweens at Deanie's in Metaire.

Sunday Night started the Pastor's Conference and the Convention followed.  Chad was so sweet to spend as much time with us as possible.  We were fortunate to be within walking distance of the convention center so he could come and go easily.

On Monday morning, the kids and I walked to the Louisiana Children's Museum.  It was a neat museum and reminded me of Sci-Port in an older building.  It had some really fun things for the kids to do.

For lunch, Chad met back up with us and we went to the French Quarter for lunch, shopping and beneigts.

Lunch at Montrels

Beneigts at Cafe Du Monde.

It was SO windy that day and we had powdered sugar all over us!

While we were in New Orleans...we had to get a picture with the Dumaine sign :)

On Tuesday we went to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas...

 ...and Imax.

On Wednesday before leaving town we stopped by the Audubon Zoo...

Hayden had done some research on John James Audubon in 3rd grade so we had to take a picture with his statue...

Can you really avoid sticking your finger in the nose of a chimp statue if you are 9 years old?
I think not.

Chad monkeying around...

At the zoo...the kids had gotten wet playing in some water.  We found this hurricane booth that blew 85 mile per hour winds.  We though it might be a good way for them to dry off.  Parker was dancing...silly boy!

Parker the Crocodile Hunter...

Hayden the Crocodile Hunter...

A real turtle just hanging out on the grounds of the Audubon Zoo...

On our ride home...my little Parker-man reading his book, passing the time on our journey home.

We really did have a wonderful time!  Thanks New Orleans!  See you soon!