Jason's Birthday

I don't have any pictures from my birthday (which was fabulous, if I do say so myself), but I do have a few to share from Jason's. His aunt and uncle were here visiting from Louisiana and we had a fried turkey dinner, so I made his birthday cake a little early for our gathering. Square cakes are much more difficult than round ones, and I didn' have the high quality ingredients that I wanted for the frosting, but all in all it turned out okay. Luckily, Jason isn't too picky when it comes to dessert.

Jason took the day off on his actual birthday and was nice enough to keep the kids and send me on a women's retreat with my bible study gals. It was lots of fun and nice to be out of the city.

When I came home we got pizza for dinner and gave Jason his presents. This year the kids have taken to finding things we already have around the house and then wrapping them to give us as presents. Hence the Bass Pro Shop brochure.

I also like how kids are fascinated with ages. As if you don't know how old you are, it's always nice to be reminded. Our kids are currently enjoying that they are half-ages. Instead of being 6 and 4 they are 6 1/2 and 4 1/2.

Isn't getting older great?

Labor Day

Unlike most families, we don't really think of Labor Day as a 3-day weekend. Our weekend has been Sunday/Monday for the past few years, so there's not an extra day off for us. But my mom and step-dad invited us over for the holiday and I'm not one to pass up a family get together. We were going to go to their house for a cookout, but in the end they brought some fried chicken and a few sides over here and I had some watermelon, baked beans and made some chocolate covered strawberries. It was cool enough that we could use the fire pit after dinner.

We even made S'mores.

Xander decided to entertain us. He had his own repertoire, but we bribed him with $1 to sing Country Roads. He only knows the chorus, but he puts an excellent twist on it.

Easter

The thought of spending Easter away from home was a little daunting at first, but when it came down to it we had a really fun time. Saturday night before bed the kids colored eggs. Xander went last because he wanted to mix all the dye colors.

We were concerned that the kids might worry about the Easter bunny not finding them, but it wasn't a problem at all. All four of the little munchkins were so excited when they woke up.

Somehow we all managed to get ready for church.

And I thought some of these were cute as well.

After church we hid the eggs the kids dyed and had an egg hunt. Sarah bought them bunny ears to wear. We thought they'd put up a fight about it so we told them no hunting if they didn't have them on, but they actually seemed okay with it. To lessen the fighting they could each find a certain amount and then they had to be finished.

After lunch the kids played outside while Sarah and I made Easter dinner. We had a nice picnic dinner of turkey, homemade bread, sweet potato crunch, pineapple casserole and a black forest pie. It was a great end to a wonderful visit.

Homesick

Is it possible to be homesick for a place you've never lived? I say yes, because when I'm there I feel like I'm at home. As you all know, I.LOVE.THIS.PLACE.......

We weren't going to take any trips this year, but Jason's grandpa passed away last month so we took an impromptu jaunt to Louisiana. Round and round we went about whether Jason should go alone or we should go as a family, and it was decided we'd go together. The gas and the mileage was going to be the same either way. We hated to take Xander out of school but had we not done it last year we wouldn't have seen PawPaw before he died, so I'm still glad that we did it. I take every opportunity I can get to go to Louisiana so that we can embrace this part of our family we rarely get to see and so the kids can learn about the other half of where they come from.
Since we had the time we decided to spend a day in Jason's hometown because we'd hate to go all that way and not see half the family only two hours away. The kids liked playing with their cousins and great-grand-mawmaw.


We also went to dinner with friends and took the kids to the park. It was in the 70's every day we were there! I was clearly standing out, wearing tank tops every morning while the locals had on long sleeves.


Jason's aunt and uncle also built their broom factory in the months since our last visit. It was neat to watch them make brooms and mops and chat with customers.

In Lafayette we stayed with Jason's cousin, Monica, and her family. We also stayed with them last May when we were down. They're fabulous hosts and always make us feel right at home and our kids love playing with their kids (when they're not all fighting or tattling).

How can you not love this sweet little girl?

On the nights we weren't at PawPaw's service we had homemade Cajun food....

....spent some time outside, did some shopping and watched the Saints beat the Vikings so they could go on to the Super Bowl.



It was so nice to be "home."

Xander picked a wife

Lately Xander has been trying to understand familial relationships. This week he told me he didn't want kids because he's not changing diapers, but a wife would be okay. Except he calls it his "life." Ironic, since your wife should be your life, or maybe you want her out of your life. Either way, I found it kind of fitting.

First he decided I would be his wife. I was flattered. But I explained that I can't be his wife because I'm his mom. So he decided he would choose his cousin Carson, because they're the same age and like the same toys. Logical, and great that he's seeking some commonality with his mate, but had to tell him that

a) Carson is a boy and your wife should be a girl, and

b) your wife can't be someone you're already related to. At least not legally.

(Okay, so I skipped that part, didn't figure the discussion needed to be that deep).

He proceeds to choose Ba Dee (aka, my mom) and I remind him again that she's a relative but good job picking a girl this time.

So then he asks me, "Well how am I 'sposed to pick her if I don't know who she is?"

I thought this was a pretty good common sense question (I am all about common sense), because I suppose if you're five it wouldn't occur to you that you might spend the rest of your life with a stranger, as opposed to someone you already know and like.

I explained that your future spouse doesn't necessarily have to be someone you currently know, but that you could meet them later when you're older. He seemed pretty satisfied with this answer and the discussion ended as I took him to his pottery class where he refused to go in to the room that was full of a few boys and mostly....girls.

Maybe he was afraid he'd have to pick one of them?

The next day he greeted me upon waking with, "Hey Mom! I figured out who my life can be!"

"Who?," I asked.

"Taylor Swift!"

"Excellent choice!" I say, as we high-five.

It took a day, but now I know he gets it.

Let's go fly a kite!

Xander has a Diego kite he got a few years ago, and we feel bad that he always asks to fly it at inopportune times. But the other day he asked and it was perfect outside....a nice constant breeze, but not too windy.

Jason got it started for him and he was so excited. Aren't my boys so cute? It warms my heart to watch them have fun together.

He tried to guide the kite himself, but it didn't go so well. Thankfully he had a good attitude about it.

The little guy next door came to play on our swing set and he liked the kite, too.

Even Jordis took a turn.

Such a nice night at home, just enjoying the evening as a family.

Don't look, Mom!

I've wanted a tattoo since about 1993, when I skipped class in college one day to accompany my dorm-mate to the tattoo parlor off of Vine St. in the university district of Cincinnati. However, I've always been averse to needles and blood, so I wrote it off as something I would never have the courage to do. It has become a joke actually. Just going into a tattoo shop with Jason over the years has made me sick to my stomach, and I've had to retreat to the outside world that doesn't smell like rubbing alcohol and has no whirring of tattoo guns.

In 2001 my friend Jen and I went to Jason's hometown for Mardi Gras and told our co-workers we were going to get tattoos while we were gone. It was just so darned unfortunate though that we showed up when they were closed.

Over the past year or so we started selling off the kids' baby items and outgrown clothing and I've been stashing the cash.

(I'm not telling you where because then I'll need to come up with a new location).

I've been telling Jason it's my Tattoo Fund, and then we laugh, because we both know that'll be the day. But we went on vacation, and I always said if I had the opportunity to get a tattoo from Randy's (the place pictured in the photo above) that I'd do it. I always thought I'd want my tattoo on my lower back, but I decided if I was going to go through the trauma I may as well put it where people will see it. And then, on the last available day we had, we were at the store and I said to Jason "today is the day," because I knew I wouldn't do it at home. It was now or never. I decided where I wanted to put it and Jason got his mom to babysit so he could take me to the shop as soon as it opened. I still wasn't sure what it was going to be when I got there, but it came to me in a moment of clarity so we drew it up and got to work before I changed my mind.

I knew it wasn't going to go well, but I wasn't quite expecting to be leaning over the trash can within the first few minutes. A nice break, cold rag, some Sprite and smelling salts got me to the point of continuing, and after awhile I was all good with the outline. At one point I had considered just leaving the outline, but I knew if I got up I'd be upset that I didn't get it filled in. I figured since I was used to it by this point that the rest would be a piece of cake.

WRONG!

The shading was much worse than the outline. Quite frankly, I would have rather had an epidural. I ended up taking a break long enough that my tattoo guy had time to eat dinner. But when all was said and done I LOVED it!

It's my tribute to being Cajun by marriage, but in Ohio State colors. The kids' names are on it, as well as 717 which is our anniversary and also Jason's unit number. I was so excited when we left, I couldn't wait to go to our family cookout and show it off. I was even feeling so much better that I pigged out, especially enjoying a venison/jalapeno appetizer and cousin Shannon's amazing brownies and bread pudding.

I called my mom to share the news, and let's just say she was not pleased. Yeah, we'll just stick with that. But I guess that's how mom's feel sometimes.

After tipping the tattoo guy extra for putting up with my "difficulty," we still had enough money left for Jason to go get a matching tattoo the next day. Instead of Ohio State colors though, he got his shaded yellow and purple in a tiger stripe pattern for LSU. For some reason my mom doesn't seem to be upset about his 4th tattoo. Where's the love?


Typically when we go out of town we try to get a Christmas ornament from the places we visit. But I was thinking we could start a new tradition of getting tattoos instead. We're going out of town this weekend.....ha, ha, I'm so funny.

Rounding out the trip

I've been dragging out this vacation for far too long. Following our stint in New Orleans we went back to Thibodaux. We had to stop here first in Metairie though. The last time I was here was the day after Ohio State lost to LSU in the national championship football game and I couldn't even stand to be in there. But it was bearable this time, even with the cashier who was complaining that her brother married some woman from Ohio and has starting liking Ohio State now that he lives "up there." After I told her that's where I was from she redeemed herself a little by saying how pretty it was here and that she loved shopping at Easton. Anyway, we are now the proud owners of these cups. I even drink out of them occasionally.

I don't remember (I know, odd for me since I remember EVERYTHING) where or what we had for lunch on this day. But I do recall that we checked in to our favorite hotel and the kids and I all took a nap. I have no idea if Jason did or not, I don't recall asking, but I think he was watching TV.

(Yes, Jordis has her finger up her nose)

After our siesta we headed over to Uncle Keith and Aunt Sheila's. A group of family had gathered and we sat outside enjoying the nice day while the kids played.

For dinner we met up with Jason's childhood friend, Jerad, his wife and little boy, and his parents. It was the only time we were able to get together our whole trip, so we were excited to see them. Jerad's wife is pregnant and wanted fried catfish, so we went to her favorite place, a local hole in the wall called Boudreaux's. Jason's aunt had told me the fried chicken was really good, so that's what I got. And she was right. The hush puppies were even better. It was a fried food bonanza. Everyone was trying to broaden my horizons so I also tried fried okara, fried catfish and fried oysters. Jason shared his fried crawfish with me and I had some onion rings, too. Jerad and Christy bought us dinner which was so unexpected and generous. We bribed the kids to take a picture together after we ate.

We went back to the hotel and called it a night. We had to get up for some shopping the next day.