Reasons that I smile...

Mothering small children is really hard work.  At the end of the day regardless of the tantrums, whining, fighting, and unattractive moments (on both my part and the boys) I usually only remember the good.  I believe that "mommy amnesia" is a gift that comes with being a mother.  Here are a few of my recent favorite moments.

Gotta love my favorite tiny tigers!

These moments melt my heart.

Baby Bear, Griff, and Buzz Lightyear saying prayers.

The eyes of my angel.

Sweet moments reading bed time stories to each other.

The guys.

Hands down Griff's favorite thing(s) to play with.

I love the adventures that the guys go on with Griff everyday! 

Super cute super heroes and a beautiful princess.

Love the pose of the yellow Power Ranger.

Now for my favorite saying/stories of the moment.

I introduced Griff to someone.  He then said, "and dis is my brother Roman."  

The other day as Griff was getting out of the car at school he told his brother, "I lub you be a good boy today ok."  (Hummm..... wonder where he gets that one from.)

I can not get enough of Griff saying "the hunk."  Yes, that would be the Hulk.  (you know the green guy)

Griff- "Mommy I need to go to the dentist."

Me- "Why?"

Griff- "Cause my privates hurt."

Griff to Roman- "Roman don't touch dat.  Dats dangerous and for adults."

When Griff leaves he tells me "bye alligators."  I guess he Griffinized see you later alligator?  Either way, I like it!

Griff- "I have a tummy ache and can't go to school.  I stay home and watch t.b. today."

Mommy and MiMi- "Griff you are so handsome."

Griff- "Fanks guys." :)

We have a 3 am nightly visitor.  When asked why do you come to Mommy and Daddy's room?  His response:  "some-fing ska ree going on."

Me- "Griff put that back please."

Griff- "No tanks Mommy."  (does the manners cancel out the disobedience?!?)

I bust Griff standing on the counter.  He tells me, "Calm down Mommy."

When we are stopped by the train he tells me "Da train on da tracks goin on a field trip."

Don't worry Roman has his fair share of funnies too.  He is now a parrot and his vocabulary surprises us daily.  My favorite words to get him to repeat are sausage and Wal Mart.  You KNOW that you are country when you get your 1 year old to say BOTH of these words!!

Me and my Dad

Today Satch took Griff out for a dudes day.

They went to Best Buy to look at electronics,

hit a few others stops,

and then chowed down on some pizza for lunch.

Here are a few photos taken by Satch.

(I trained him well)

Dads don't cut pizza like Mommys do.
Either way sure tastes yummy!  

Testing out a few instruments in Best Buy.
The drums are ALWAYS a hit with this little guy.
He also tried out the bongos, piano, and guitar.

Oh how I adore that genuine smile.

I'm so happy that Satch likes to take his boys out for the day.
Today was Griff's turn to spend the day with his Daddy.

He is his hero after all...

2012- Simplify

2012.  

The beginning of another year with so much hope and promise.  I am not one to make a "resolution" but usually try to pick a theme for the year or at least a few goals.  Not going to happen this year. I am a stickler for following through and if I proclaimed something today I would just be setting myself up for failure.   I guess if I had to pick a word for the year it would be "simplify."

I have been pregnant or nursing for just about 4 1/2 years straight.  I know that my body knows the drill, but this pregnancy is taking a bit of a toll.  I am thankful to have had an extra set of hands from MiMi lately.  Tomorrow will be my first day back to work after being off since December 12.  Yes, I am fully aware that it will hurt.  Soon enough the 2nd trimester energy burst will kick in.  Geesh.... I am already just about 1/2 way to meeting our newest blessing.

Okay, now back to simplify.  Nesting has already kicked in and I have a burning desire to  discard of the majority of my earthly possessions.  Just want to get rid of unnecessary stuff and clutter.  I will have a garage sale in the next month to unload extra items that we have accumulated over the past few years.  I have also cut back on some of my volunteer work.  I hate to do it but I feel like I am in survival mode on most days and needed to lighten my load.

Soon enough our family of 4 will include 1 more little person.  The thought of that still blows my mind.  This year will be one of adjusting.  Satch will graduate in May with his masters degree.  (can I get a "ya heard me?!?)  I am so proud of him.  The road to further his education has not been easy on any of us.  He will finish in just enough time to welcome our newest addition in June.

For now I pray for patience.  Most days it is running pretty thin.  I pray for my forgiveness and healing of old wounds.  I pray for the ability to live in the moment.  To savor bedtime stories and prayers.  To photograph the ordinary moments both on film and also on my brain.  I am so thankful for the help from family.  They make the load a little lighter.  I am thankful that my children have an active relationship with their grandparents.  I am thankful for my circle of friends.  In this next year I will focus on deepening relationships.

2012.  

Simplify.  Hope.  Promise.  Hard adjustments.  Change.  Love.  Family.  Forgiveness.  Prayerful.  Meaningful relationships.  Survival.  Laughter.  Blessed life.          

Christmas Day

Christmas morning is so much fun with kids!

They woke up and were so excited about the gifts that were

left behind from Santa.

Santa left the boys a fire station filled with furniture and emergency vehicles.

He also left a fire engine that makes A LOT of noise.

The boys played all morning with their new toys.

I am so happy that they both found something that they really liked.

Griff loved playing with the fire station

and Baby Bear loved the noisy fire truck.

We got dressed and headed down the bayou for lunch.

Thanks again to Aunt Bev for opening up her house to us.

After lunch we returned home played with our new toys and enjoyed the day together.  

MiMi and Pop headed home in the afternoon.

Once Roman woke up from is nap

we opened a few more family gifts

and visited a bit with Nona Courtney.

The boys with their gifts from Santa.

Beautiful baby bear.

Handsome Griff.

Griff and his new Wiggles DVD.
He still loves these guys...

The boys found the note from Santa.

Griff and Satch playing with the fire station.

Our growing family.
Can't believe next Christmas we will be plus one more!

The boys with MiMi and Poppa.

MiMi and the boys.

Family portrait of all the boys.

Baby Bear opening up his final gift from Momma and Daddy.

Griff opening his gift from Nona Courtney.

Christmas Eve

Ever year on Christmas Eve we start the evening off with going to church.  After church we headed down the bayou to enjoy the evening with Big Pop's family.  In typical fashion food was plenty and presents were overflowing.

Everyone is so generous and giving.

We started the celebration with singing happy birthday to Jesus.

Griff opening gifts with Big Pop.

Yeah! A new DVD.

Griff and his Daddy.

Baby Bear got his fair share too.

After Griff opened EVERY ONES presents.
Yes... he helped everyone open their gifts.
He passed around the garbage to clean up.

Once we got home MiMi read Cajun Night Before Christmas to the boys.
She used to read this book every year to Tio and I.
She also used to read it to our classes at school.

So sweet...

We said our prayers before heading to bed.

One last chance.  Naughty or nice?!?

Our beautiful tree waiting on Santa Clause.  

Yeah!  Santa stopped at our house!

Santa even took a minute to write a note to the boys after a quick bite to eat and drink.

'Tis the season

Here is a glimpse of all of the fun things that we did over Christmas break.

We continued several fun family traditions 

and even created a few new ones.

We took the boys out for donuts.  

They could not get enough sugar.

 Sitting at the counter 

eating their weight in sugar.

 Hanging with Daddy at the donut shop.

One of Satch's favorite childhood memories is

putting up the train at Christmas time with his Dad and brother.

He now does the same with his boys.

We had so much fun looking at Christmas lights.  

The boys are very quick at finding the lights

and the excitement never got old.

Satch and I spent the weekend downtown

to celebrate his birthday and his break from school.

We enjoyed a great meal at Maximo's,

strolled through the French Quarter,

and enjoyed one on one time together.

Thanks to MiMi and Pop for keeping the boys for the weekend.

We decorated our very own ornaments for the tree.

We wrote letters to Santa and put them in the mailbox.

We read Elf on the shelf.

It was so much fun looking for Lefty every morning.

Enjoying Griff's gingerbread house that he made at school.

Gingerbread house minus the candy.  :)

Baby Bear is my official cake tester.

We decorated our own gingerbread house.

We are so proud of our work.

Baby Bear and I had lots of fun at a kids Christmas party with friends.

Griff getting tight hugs from a class mate.

I enjoyed catching up with my high school girlfriends

 at our annual Christmas get together.

Tio headed south for Christmas so we celebrated

with our family a few days early.