Neglect

I have been neglecting our blog so I wanted to atleast post a few new pics of the kids.

I am never in any pictures because I am always the photographer.

Guess that is the way it goes....

Snow in Texas

This may never happen again while we live here so I had to run in and let everyone know.....


IT'S SNOWING IN TEXAS!





Too bad Lake and Bear are sleeping but Jason and I ran out to enjoy a few snowflakes on our tongue!




Happy Holidays!

This Is My Family......

I have come to realize that every family has a bit of dysfunction. Whether it be seen by all or seen by few.....it's there.

This Thanksgiving we went to the Neches River Bottoms with my mom and Step-dad whom I adore.....He has to be the most patient man on Earth. He tolerates my mom and me at the same time and that is quite a chore. Not to take anything away from my charming and patient husband, but Terry gets most of the credit on these trips to the river......Jason pretty much sticks close to Terry and learns by watching :)

Lunch was to begin at noon but at 1:45 the dressing was still not there. While waiting for Terry's mom, we got a little worried so a few took off to look for her. Grandpa came in his own car so he was a little upset too. Not because she was not there, but because he wanted to eat. So we settled him by making him a plate. While the search party was out "searching", Jason had a flat tire on his truck.....Bless Him......

Little Mrs. Lamon finally made it but the dressing was not cooked when it arrived. I looked at my mom and she had that look in her eye. After a few drinks of Crown and Seven, I think she got over it........

After we finally ate, Jason and I slipped off upstairs with Bear and drifted into a Turkey Coma. When we woke, everyone was gone. We watched some of the ballgame and then went right back to bed. Overall we had a great trip. It is always fun to see everyone and to have stories to remember afterward.

We will be in Bama for 10 days during Christmas. Another holiday. Another Story.........

Most Talkative

When Lakelyn started school, I knew there would be days that she got in trouble. It is her first year of big school and there are rules that have to be followed. Well, I almost had a heart attack when she got her first "squishy" face on the 3rd day of school. I thought that maybe it would take her a bit to get warmed up. But then I remembered that I was dealing with my daughter who looks nothing like me but acts JUST like me. Too Much Talking......

So after the first "squishy" face, I had a little talk with her and tried to make her understand that she had to follow the rules that were given to her. As I am doing this, Jason is trying to keep a straight face because I was voted Most Talkative in Middle and High School. However, I did not think that a 5 year old should have that much to say.

So we carried on for about one and a half weeks and low and behold another one of those squished up faces for talking. Dang It! What to do?!?! So this time the punishment was no computer games ( Webkinz, Disney or Dress Up Dolls are her favorites) for the night. She was completely OK with this because in her room there is cable, toys, books, etc. so she really could have cared less.

Next, Hurricane Ike ended school for about 2 weeks so Lakelyn felt like she had completed Kindergarten and was off to the First Grade. Trying to explain that she had to go back to Kindergarten was tough but she finally understood........

I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt when the next face came in for talking about 2 days after school reopened. School had been out so really it was like starting over. Two days after this face arrived in her folder, I was waiting in the dreadful car rider line and I saw Lakelyn crying on the sidewalk. I knew immediately that she had done something.......Oh Yeah, TALKING!

I decided to get a little tougher this time. She had been warned, talked to and given the benefit of the doubt too many times. After the tears were dried up, I made Lakelyn go without computer, Jason had a "Come To Jesus Meeting" with her and she had to go to time out for about 10 minutes.......This was obviously not harsh enough. So yes, she gets more faces for too much talking.

After several more squishy faces, early bedtimes, no computer and finally a spanking I thought we had the problem under control. We had several weeks with nothing but green smileys. Lakelyn was rewarded and praised constantly for her good behavior. We had a meeting with her teacher at the end of the first nine weeks and she said she was doing great. her report card was just wonderful! All sights set on green..........Until today.

I leave the office and get to the baby sitter's house. When I see Lakelyn she looks at me and wants to "tell me a secret." Squishy Face, Too Much Talking. When Jason got home he asked how her day went and the tears started pouring. The punishment tonight was no T.V. , No Pretty ( her favorite baby doll ) in bed tonight, no computer and early bedtime. You would have thought we were killing her........ The tears lasted for about 15 minutes then she realized we were not going to budge so just accepted her punishment and all is quiet in our house now.

I guess my point to this entire blurb of talking madness is that now I really see that Lakelyn truly does have a lot of me in her........Looks like she inherited the talkative gene :)

Soccer and Football

Soccer season is almost over. Two more games and we will have successfully completed our first organized sport with Lake. This past Saturday for the first time EVER, we were at the field first. I was so excited that we had arrived not only on

time but first!

I had to take a picture to remember this remarkable accomplishment for our family.........

I even got my chair on the center field line! YAY!

Lake played a great game. She seems to be the star of the team. Some of the kids are younger than her and quite frankly they stay in outer space most of the game........ But our Lake truly is a great team player with the other kids that actually know there is a game going on! Not one goal made it past her this week!

After the soccer game, it was time to head home for the big event.It is a good thing we have never been very quiet around the kids while they were sleeping because this weekend was one of the loudest at our home. Bama and LSU played. No other explaination needed.

Our neighbors are big LSU fans so we invited them over for a day of food and football. The game was VERY exciting and close! If you know my husband, you know how dedicated he is to Alabama Football. Geez, we even named our son Bear.....

A few times I had to take Bear because I was afraid he was going to be deaf. Jason wanted his "Good Luck Charm" close but I also want him to be able to hear in the future...... I'm sure that Bear will be yelling with Daddy in the next few years.

Jason was near heart failure by the time the game went into OT.

LUCKILY, Bama pulled through and we accomplished another victory. Eventhough Angie and Kike are LSU fans, I think they were rooting for Bama a little just to calm Jason down!

Everyone still had on their victory smiles last night. Hopefully we will be all smiles next week!

White Hair

Ok, so we all know that the political race has been pretty exhausting. So many variables to weigh out and decide who was best fit to run our nation. It is finally over and the next 4 years are in the hands of our new President. History was written. Done.

Sooooo........Lakelyn came home from school on election day with a paper that had a picture of McCain and Obama. She said they had an election in her class.

Jason pulls her into his lap and asks "Well, who did you vote for baby?" Lakelyn points to McCain.

Jason then asks "Well, why did you vote for him Sweetheart?" The greatest most innocent response followed.......

"Because he has white hair Daddy"

Pure Innocence.

A Hot Dog, Cowgirl and Candy Corn Witch

I love Halloween! We decorate with spiderwebs, pumpkins, and gravestones. I have always loved handing out candy and getting to see how all of the kids dress up.

This year we had a Hot Dog.......

A Cowgirl.........

And a Candy Corn Witch.........

Bear did not participate in the trip through the neighborhood. He really was not cooperating, so he stayed at home with Jason. He did not want his costume on so we did not get any pictures of him and Lake together. Oh Well! Maybe next year...........

After Lake and I went Trick-Or-Treating, we all sat out in the yard and handed out candy. Then we headed to our neighbor's house where we cooked and just enjoyed hanging out. Bear stayed in his Snugli Baby Sling and slept the whole time! Thank the Lord for that thing :)

We visited for a LONG time so we were pretty tired the next morning.

Now we are on the final countdown to Christmas..........It will be here before we know it!