Jer and Stef: January 2015

Doesn't she look comfortable?

Jammies from Grandma!

Helping get the house ready for visitors. She likes to put on this tutu, say "dance class" and wear it all day.

Family home evening wearing their reverence raccoon hats.

Oh dear, she has discovered how to use my makeup...sortof.

Our Playmobil stable from Christmas, all set up!

I just realized I referred to it as "ours" I guess I am still a kid at heart!

I was delivering something to a friends door and when I returned to the car it seemed pretty quiet. When I looked back I saw why. My silly girls Ashlyn and Quincy.

Quincy loves hummus, but still hasn't learned how to eat sweet baby bell peppers.

Quincy is learning the art of selfies.

A trip to the zoo, where we spotted a papa noel. He must have been delayed somehow since it is already January.

Their favorite exhibit, the white alligator.

The Jaguar was really close to the glass so they girls got right up there to see it. It made me a little nervous I must say.

Ellia wanted her picture with the bear.

Can't keep this girl down. Not only is she styling her sunglasses, she is helping herself to the sugar cereal. When people see her up on things like this they get nervous. She has been doing it for so long that if she WASN'T climbing on things I might get nervous.

I usually try to complete at least one project before guests come. This time I chose the girls dresser. I liked how it turned out so much that I can't believe I waited and debated so long over doing it.

Then the fun part, decorating it. Not in love but I figured it was better to have some of the things that actually represent them than getting a bunch of stuff that just looks cute.

Barbie got a great set up...including a horse stable, which made me jealous. The girls had a blast playing though.

During the break we went to a very intense high school basketball game. The girls did pretty good and it was quite fun for Jeremy and I.

Hailey's Dinosaur birthday party.

I know I'm going to miss seeing this little girl all cozy in her bed.

She loves the dinosaur safari hat she made at Hailey's party.

All the girls do, they won't take them off...including for our Sunday afternoon walk on Boy Scout Road.

Love how Quincy is learning poses from her sisters.

One day after school Ashlyn was watching cartoons and said to me, I lost my tooth. Sure enough, there in her hand was tooth number 8. I'm glad she at least she could find this one. The last one she lost at dinner...maybe even swallowed it.

Sometimes I'll change Quincy's diaper while she is laying in her crib at night...in the dark. On this particular night she went to bed with Lego Rapunzel and woke up with a Lego Rapunzel imprint. I didn't even notice until I took the first diaper off and set her bum down, then she said, "huwting," and say the culprit of the pain.

Big enough for French braids!

I got to go to Chuck-E-Cheese with just Quincy and it was fun! I caught her petting this horse! ( I also rode the horse with her and Becky got some pictures of that...I need to add them. That darn horse is hard to move that I had to help....ok, so I really just wanted to try it too)

Love when she puts her hands in her pockets.

Ashlyn and I finished Quincy's Christmas present...she loves it even more.

I think this is worse than waking up on the wrong side of them bed. She must've put her arm through the neck whole twice. I felt bad making her wait while I took a picture, but I couldn't resist.

Tiny Tumblers had pajama day at the library! Quincy and I got to go and Ashlyn was so proud of her little sister. The presentation was by a dentist. She asked how many kids had lost teeth, no hands...oh wait, except for Ashlyn who has lost EIGHT teeth. She wouldn't raise her hand though.

Close Quincy. I just love finding these things around the house and seeing inside how her mind works just a little. I think Barbie would be offended that she was put in such a large doll shoe.

Grandma and Grandpa are here!!!! We got to stay our first night at a hotel in the city since Jeremy and Grandpa are getting up so early to start their marathon.

Eating suckers in the lobby while Jeremy checks us in.

We went to the race expo and the girls liked the free samples and this big Jenga game.

Before the race.

Waiting for Jeremy. We went to a spot on the course earlier in the morning and figured we missed him by around a minute. Grandpa Kerry was farther behind so we didn't wait, but instead went back for breakfast at the hotel before headed to City Park for the finish.

Such a cute spectator.

He's done!!!! Before we got to our spot at the finish line, mom and I got separated. We were walking along and I said, there's dad! (grandpa Kerry) so Aslhyn and I dropped everything and started running with him for a minute. When we got back to where we left Grandma Carol, she was done...with my phone. We hadn't talked about where we were going next so I waited a minute, looked around, hoped she at least had the other two girls and then asked to borrow a phone. She didn't answer my phone or hers so we just started walking to where we thought the finish line was. After a few more borrowed phones and calls she answered and we reunited.

Jer said he was pooped so we let him have a little break while we played by the pond and on the grass for a bit.

After a chance to re-coop a bit he said he was feeling much better.

Not long after Grandpa Kerry came in and went straight to the free stuff!

We decided since we were in the city and it was the King Cake festival we should stop by. Right as we were walking in we saw the Breedloves! We knew they were going, but the timing couldn't have been more perfect. The festival was crazy! Lines across the whole place for a tiny $1 sample of king cake. We got to try some good ones though, one that even tasted like a cross with bread pudding.

My dad took this picture and texted it to me with the comment, "let me tell you about King Cake." Such a stinker.

The next day I took advantage of live in babysitters to volunteer in Ellia's art class and take Ashlyn out to ice cream after I picked her up from preschool. Oh, we also all went and had lunch at Lia's school.

Making meat pies.

Enjoying another King Cake.

Ellia got to have help from Grandpa for her school project. A poster about reuse, reduce, recycle.

Touring the Laura Plantation. A much better day and tour than when they last came and we saw Nottoway in the pouring rain with a one year old who wasn't cooperating.

First soccer practice. She looked so cute! It was fun that Grandma and Grandpa would be there to watch with us!

Oops, she dropped the ball while Ashlyn was hiding behind her.

Since my parents have already been here a few times, we got to do some new things. This was one of our favorite. The UCM or Abita Mystery House Museum in Abita Springs. So weird and cool, very hard to describe but very entertaining for the price! If I ever need a funny white elephant gift, I know where I'm going to get it!

Quincy was pretty scared of this alligator women...and rightly so, even her hands were creepily realistic.

There were lot's of miniature scenes with buttons to push that made things move inside. I liked this depiction of a Mardi Gras parade.

Really? A creepy clown named Crisco?

Just weird.

This reminds me of the fortune teller in Big, so yeah, I was kindof scared.

Pictures didn't turn out great for this huge "bassigator"

My favorite sign.

By the time we left and she'd seen way creepier things, she had warmed up a little to this beauty.

It was a spectacular day for lunch on the deck at Chimes.

This crazy girl likes to suck on lemons....maybe it doesn't affect her because she is so sweet! (ok that remind me of something my dad would say!)

The goats were VERY fun today. One even joined us on the boardwalk! Which the girls kindof liked and kindof scared them.

Me and my beautiful mommy.

Our early morning tour of the city from the National Park Service. We didn't go many places but we learned a lot of the history. The thing I remember most was about Jackson finally agreeing to accept Jean Lafitte's help in the battle. Jean Lafitte was a pirate with a lot of influence and he was let out of prison to help fight.

Bienville, a founder.

Tribute to the immigrants.

Best stand at the French Market. Mix and Match lego people!

Quick trip to the Insectarium...mostly so I could see if my parents would eat bugs. They are champs.

We decided to leave the French Quarter for lunch, and so glad we did! I have been watching Chopped and there are lot's of Louisiana chefs on the show. We picked Parkway Bakery for that reason and it was perfect. Great Po-boys and we even learned that Obama had been to that very spot! It was also crazy to see how badly the flooding had been after Katrina.

A little drive past Sandra Bullock's house.

A always it was sad to say goodbye to my parents, but we didn't have long to dwell on it. We headed home and straight to a dinner party/competition with friends. It was a lot of fun even though I was SO tired! Everyone brought an ingredient and we were split into teams, then we raced to choose ingredients until they were gone. We had about an hour to go to our designated home and turn those ingredients into something that could win a taste test! Our team had cream cheese, spam, noodles and spaghetti sauce to name a few...WE WON, and I must admit ours tasted great. I was really surprised at the great things other people came up with, especially with some of the crazy ingredients like lobster and calamari.