Black Friday

As most of you know, Black Friday is my holiday. I love it. I look forward to it all year long. This year was no different. Except one little problem. Black Friday didn't start on Friday this year but on Thursday evening, Thanksgiving. That's right. So where to start this story. I guess we'll start it at the beginning of Thursday. We woke up Thursday morning and started getting dressed for the day. We were having Thanksgiving at Aunt Cathy's house. We all went up there around lunch time and ate and played. You know you always hate to eat and run, but today was definitely an eat and run kinda day. The Saints were playing at 3 so we had to be home for that and the first sales started that evening so we had to get a little rest as well. Of course, procrastinater that I am, I hadn't even looked at the sale papers yet so when we left Aunt Cathy's house, that's exactly what I started doing. I made lists, looked at papers, got the car cleaned and ready to go. We were all planning on meeting at Aunt Brenda's house at 8:00 because the Toys R Us Sale started at 10:00. So it was just about 5 when I decided I'd try to get a little rest when the phone rang and Krissy was on the other end letting me know Walgreens toy sale had already been going on. So she and I scrambled to get dressed and get to Walgreens before meeting up with everyone else. We were gone by 6:30 and back to Aunt Brenda's just on time. This year the gang consisted of me, Krissy, moma, Aunt Brenda, Katie, Patri, Aunt Patricia, Aunt Deedee, Meghan, Aunt Trina, Aunt Cathy, Melissa, Tina and Aunt Linda. We separated into 3 cars and took off. Our plan was Toys R Us, Walmart, Kohls, etc etc. Toys R Us was nuts so we nixed that idea and started our night at Walmart. Their sale started at midnight so it gave us plenty of time to get ready. After we left Walmart we headed to Waffle House to eat, then to Kohl's, Target, JCPenney, Academy and then back home for a quick unload. By this point moma was exhausted and Patri's back was hurting. This was 5:30 am. Once home we unloaded what we could and all separated. Moma, Patri, Brenda, Katie, Aunt Cathy, and Melissa called it a day (lightweights), T and the rest of the gang headed to Mississippi and Krissy and I headed to Lakeside. Once all was said and done and shopping was finished, Krissy and I didn't make it home until 4pm Friday. *Don't forget we left at 6:30 the day before. Thats 21.5 hours of shopping.* We had a great day though and it was lots and lots of fun. CAN'T WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR!!!!

Hospital Day

Friday was moma's surgery. This is hopefully the beginning of the end for all of her cancer troubles. She has been giving the cancer a run for its money and this was the day to hopefully remove it for good. We started out at the hospital at 9am. Her surgery was scheduled to start at 11. We were a little surprised by the hospital waiting room. We thought going in that it was only going to be me, Krissy, and daddy waiting. We were pleasantly surprised to walk into the waiting room to see Aunt Cathy there and waiting already. Shortly after Aunt Colleen, Aunt Laura, Pawpaw, Aunt Patricia, and Aunt Linda all showed up. Later in the day came Aunt Trina, Aunt Brenda and Uncle EJ. (I really hope I remembered everyone; it was a really long day, please don't have your feelings hurt if I left you out). We loved that so many people came by to show their support. And we know those of you that didn't, you were there in spirit and prayers. We know that we have the best support system in the entire world made up of the best friends and family anyone could ask for. They took her back to preop at 10 and didn't actually start her surgery until right at 12:30. They surgery suite was a little behind. Its ok though, once they got started, they notified us every hour to give us an update. Everything was progressing well and going as scheduled. They finally came out about 5 and told us she was finished and everything looked good. She stayed in postop about an hour and then they got her to her room. Once moma got in her room, she started feeling bad. She was white and queasy and feeling very claustrophobic. So Krissy and I did what we thought should be done, we sent everyone away. Without seeing her. We felt awful about it because they had stayed and been with us all day and now we weren't even letting them see her. I hope they all understood. We were just trying to look out for moma at that point. Once the night grew on though, she started feeling much better. Krissy and I decided we weren't going anywhere and we knew daddy needed sleep so we kicked him out and we had a girls night at the hospital. Daddy wasn't very happy about it but moma needed someone there who would wake up if something happened and we all know daddy sleeps like a rock. The next morning we left after daddy came in and by that time moma was great. She was up, they had already removed her iv and she had already made her first trip out of the bed. Daddy stayed the next night with her and then she was free to come home. They woke up bright and early Sunday morning and headed home. Hopefully moma is on the better side of things now with only good to come.

Global Wildlife Campout

This past Saturday was the Annual Global Wildlife Bonfire and Campout. Since Krissy and I are members, we decided to go this year with all of the kids and moma and daddy. Moma and daddy brought the camper down and checked in around 12:30 to get a good spot. Me, Barrett and the kids got there about 4:00. Elena was so excited to be going to a campout. She just loves when we are all together. Landon, on the other hand, is such a homebody, he didn't want to go. Krissy and her kids got there about 5:00. They lit the roasting fire about 5:30 so we all went over and roasted marshmallows and hotdogs. Then they started serving dinner. Dinner consisted of traditional campfire food, hot dogs, chili, beer, and soft drinks. Then the fire trucks came. They inspected the bonfire and watered around it and lit it up at about 6pm. This was a massive size bonfire. We immediately had to back up because it was putting off way too much heat. So we sat around the bonfire for a few hours. They had a live band so the kids got to dance. We made some new friends and they basically ran around all night dancing and playing. They got their flash lights out later and started exploring. Even scared-of-the-dark-Landon went off exploring. All of the kids had such a great time and by the time it was ready for bed, they all just crashed. This was so much fun, we can't wait to do it again next year.

Halloween 2010

We just had a really great family weekend. Friday night me, Barrett, Krissy, Anthony, and all of the kids went to the Covington Block Party. We let the kids wear their costumes and trick or treat in the stores and all the old cars. They had a lot of fun. Little Anthony was in heaven looking at the old cars. He didn't even care about the candy. After we made it all of the way up the street and back down, the kids were pooped. We pulled through and got some dinner on the way home and they crashed as soon as they were finished eating.

Saturday was a good but busy day. We ran a few errands and Saturday afternoon Elena had a birthday party to go to. It was for 3 hours at a jump house so by the time we left, she was exhausted. Needless to say Saturday night, she slept really great.

Sunday was the big day. The one the kids had been waiting for. Halloween. We woke up and lazed around the house all morning. Then lunch and naps. While the kids were napping I started getting my costume ready. Then the rest of the clan got dressed. We left the house and met up with Krissy, Anthony and the kids in Abita for the town Halloween Party. They had small games for the kids, train rides, food, and inflatables for the kids to play on. We didn't have long to stay so we hung out about an hour and then loaded up the car and headed to Tina's house. Tina was having her annual Halloween bash with LOADS of food and a hayride for trick or treating. The kids were all having a ball running around with each other and playing and eating junk so we all got started on the hayride a little later than normal. We went on the hayride for about and hour and a half and then my kids had had enough. Landon was starting to get tired and was whining ready for bed and my big kid (barrett) was whining about having a headache. So we called moma and she came and picked us up off of the hayride. Elena was now whining because she wasn't ready to leave but good thing we did because she was asleep before we even got back to Tina's house to get our car. My kids had had such a busy week that they were just exhausted.

Overall though, this was just a really good weekend. We got to spend a lot of family time together and had a lot of fun.

School Halloween Parties 2010

Today was a busy day for moma. Both kids had Halloween parties at school, both at almost the same time. Oh and did I mention, my kids go to different schools. No biggie though. I made them both.

First up was Elena's. Hers started at 8:45. This was really cute. Each kindergarten class switched rooms with other kindergarten classes. The first room she went to was bobbing for donuts. This was super cute. Each kid had a donut hanging from the ceiling and they had to hold their hands behind their backs and try to eat the donut. The kids really liked this. Oddly enough though, my child with her big mouth, couldn't bite the donut. She still got her donut though. The next room they went into was learning about how a pumpkin grows. They read a pumpkin story and then made bracelets showing the stages the pumpkin grows in. The last stop was making spider cupcakes. This is the part I missed. I had to leave after bracelet making in order to make it to Landon's Trick or Treating time.

Got to Landon's party right on time. All of the kids got their buckets and started their trick or treating. They always love this. Of course, Landon, my sugar eater, wanted to eat rather than trick or treat. He grabbed a twix with one hand and his bucket in the other so that when he was finished trick or treating, he would know where to start. After they did their trick or treating, they had a couple of snacks and then started playing. The kids always love party days because they get to play a lot.

Then moma had to leave Landon's party to head to work. Fun fun.

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Walk 2010

I know, I know. It has been FOREVER since I have made a decent post to this blog. I'm sorry. I have decided that instead of trying to go back and post everything that has happened in the last few months, I will start fresh and pick up like I never left off.

So on with the show.

This past Saturday was the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Walk. Aunt Colleen took the initiative and set up a team in celebration of my mom who is currently undergoing chemo treatments (today is her last one by the way)! A big thanks to Aunt Colleen for all of her hard work. She had to make several trips and calls and emails to get everything organized and off the ground. We really appreciate that. Our team name was Jugs for Judy!

So we all went over on Saturday morning. The race started at 9:00. Obviously none of us were set to win this thing so we didn't plan to get there until about 8:30. We had a great turnout for our team and the race itself hit record highs for attendance.

Everybody that came raced except for me and moma. Even all of the kids. We hung back and enjoyed all of the food and entertainment they had to offer. The first ones to finish for our team was Barrett and Elena. They swear they didn't cheat but they came in about 45 minutes before the rest of our team. Barrett says the other guys were moving pretty slow trying to stay together and he and Elena ran or jogged just about the whole way. I will give them benefit of the doubt because Elena did come back dripping with sweat. Everyone else slowly started trickling in after them.

This was a great day for this. The weather was beautiful. I love that everyone came together to run in celebration for those who are fighting this disease, for those who have won the battle, and for those we have lost to it.

BIRTHDAYS!

This month has been a busy month. Elena has a birthday at the beginning of the month and Landon's is today. I know I've been lax in posting but I just wanted to show everyone what we got our kids for their birthdays! Since their birthdays are so close together, we gave them their presents on Elena's birthday. They have not gotten off of them since.

And if you know my son, this was the best gift ever. And if you don't know him, just look at his face. That should say everything. Elena of course loves hers too but mainly because it is pink.

The kids love their bikes and ride them everyday!

Poor Landon!

Yesterday Landon got stung by 4 wasps at the daycare. They called me immediately in case he had a reaction. I called pediatrician who said give him benadryl and go pick him up just in case. So I left work to get him. By the time I got to the daycare, no marks or anything. The benadryl worked that fast. And we found out the hard way but thank goodness he's not allergic because 4 bites could have been really ugly. BUT...the benadryl affected my son in a strange way. Sure it knocked him out first but that only lasted about an hour. When he woke up from nap he was so wound up from the medicine that he was bouncing off the walls. So Landon and I got in the car and went to Walmart. On the way, the music was going and he was having so much fun dancing that I couldn't resist taking a little video. (now before I get flamed from all of you about doing this while driving, it looks like I'm going a lot faster than I was and I was just holding the phone behind me.) This video is so freaking cute though that I just have to share it. Enjoy.

Poor Landon dances like his daddy.

Fun weekend with nothing to do!

This weekend was a lazy weekend. We had nothing to do but we made the most of it. Our great weekend started Friday night. Me and the kids went out to dinner with moma and daddy. Elena decided to spend the night after so she stayed over there. When we got home Landon decided he wanted to potty. He's been going number 1 on the big boy potty for a while now but this was the first time he asked to go number 2. He's been terrified to do this while sitting on the potty. He sat there and pooped in the potty and cried the whole time. He called grandma and grandpa when he finished to tell them because he was so excited.

Saturday we woke up and everybody helped clean the house. After we had a clean house we loaded up and went to Chuck E. Cheese. The kids always love going here. They were so hungry though that they didn't want to play until they ate their pizza. They basically inhaled their pizza and then took off. Landon grabbed the coin cup and started running as soon as we said he could go. We all played for a while and then got our prizes from the counter. The kids both got silly glasses and played with them the whole way home.

After we left Chuck E Cheese we went to Walmart to go school supply shopping. That is always fun (she says sarcastically). The kids were being awful about it so we rushed through it. Who knows if got it all or not.

Sunday was another day with nothing to do. We slept super late (9:30 is super late for us) and then we went and had lunch at Osaka with moma and daddy, Krissy, Anthony and all of the kids. Our kids always eat really good here. We all went back home for naps after lunch and had a good afternoon at home.

These are the kinds of weekends that feel really good. Weekends when you get to spend time with your family. Doing things they love to do.

Camping at Paul B. Johnson in Mississippi

This weekend we all went camping for Father's Day. Moma, Daddy, Krissy & the kids loaded up the camper and Barrett and I followed shortly after in the van. We were staying the whole weekend at the campground and the kids were really excited. When we got to the campground Friday night, daddy already had the camper all set up. We pulled up and everyone loaded into the van to go out to dinner. Hattiesburg has this great little buffet that has just the best food on it. The kids always love eating here.

Anyway, after that we all showered up and headed for bed because it was already really late. The next morning (by 9) it was already scorching. So all the girls ran to Walmart to buy some blowup pools for the kids to swim around in to stay cool. We bought a big pool and a little one. When we got back to the camper the kids were chomping at the bit to get in. They basically stayed in the swimming pools all weekend.

We took a few walks. We walked to the little beach and park area to let the kids play there. Then it started storming on our way back and we had to basically run (me, moma, Krissy and all of the kids) all the way back, about a mile, to the campsite in the rain. Saturday night we barbequed and let the kids roast marshmallows. They had so much fun. Sunday morning we played around a little bit and then loaded up and went home.

It's weekends like this that the kids really love. They are just perfectly content playing with each other all of the time. Good thing we have so many kids!

Hair Fun

This weekend we decided to have a little fun with Elena's hair. I had a hair appointment for me on Friday and when I came home with highlights, Elena got so excited and wanted to get some too. Except she wanted pink. Yep. Pink.

So I thought about it and decided that color is only temporary and we all headed off to Sally's to buy some hair color. She picked out the most neon pink they had. The lady in the store told me this was a semipermanent hair color and on hair like hers would last about 6-8 weeks. AAHH. I started to get a little nervous, but I had already promised. I was so nervous putting the color in her hair. She knew it too. She kept laughing at me because I was nervous about it. I only did one little strip in her hair up in the front.

Once it was finished, it looks super cute. She was soooo excited about it. And now she wants to do more. (I think we'll wait a while on that though).

Melissa & Walt's Wedding

Saturday night was Melissa and Walt's wedding. My baby girl got to be the flower girl in the wedding and she has been super excited about it.

Friday morning she woke up knowing the rehearsal was that night. The first thing she said is "I don't think I can do this wedding stuff anymore". She was all nervous about walking down the aisle. I explained what would happen and that she had to do it. By the time Friday night came around, she was excited again. So we packed up and headed to New Orleans for the rehearsal in City Park. They practiced the wedding a couple times just so everyone got the hang of it. Then we were free to go. Barrett and I decided that since we had to be in New Orleans two nights in a row, we would just get a hotel. So we got a room in the French Quarter and we headed that way to unload our luggage and see about getting dinner. Our room was great. It was on Decateur with a balcony. The kids loved playing out there. And it didn't have any gaps in it so I didn't have to worry about them on it. (of course that didn't mean I wasn't out there the entire time but at least I wasn't pyscho mom about it).

After playing at the hotel for a bit, we took the kids to eat at the Melting Pot. Elena just loved this restaurant. She loved the idea of cooking her own food and dipping her own stuff. She kept asking, "What's coming out next?".

The next morning, we slept in and then headed to Cafe Du Monde for beignets and then we did a little shopping in the quarter before heading back to the room for a nap before the big night.

Elena woke up ready to go. She was sooo excited. We all started getting dressed and then headed for City Park. We got there right at 6 and the wedding was scheduled to start at 6:30. It was such a beautiful location for a wedding; I just wish it would have been a little cooler. We took the extra time to squeeze in taking some family pictures because we were all dressed up and the location was so beautiful.

Once the wedding started though, it was beautiful. Elena did great. Everyone looked gorgeous and Melissa was beautiful. She did a great job planning the wedding. Everything was so nice.

After the wedding was over, everyone headed inside Parkview Terrace in City Park for the reception. This is where, I think, our kids had the most fun. Elena and Hailey didn't get off of the dance floor ALL night long. Ashleigh got out there, but only if someone was holding her. Anthony danced on and off and Landon danced all night. He would scootch out onto the dance floor and shuffle around for a bit. I don't know what he thought he was doing but it was really cute.

When the night was over, we loaded up in the van. Landon was out before we left city park. Elena was so wired, she didn't fall asleep for probably like an hour after we got back to the hotel. Needless to say we all slept like babies this night.

The next morning, we woke up, checked out and headed home. This was a really fun weekend. We had such a great time together and it's nice to just get away from home every once in a while, even if it is just to go an hour away.