Getting Ready for Santa

Each year we make a Happy Birthday Jesus cake.  This time we were able to make a REAL cake thanks to Kendall's cured food allergy. 

Licking the beater is always the best part.

While the cake was cooking Kendall wrote her letter to Santa.

Then it was time to decorate the cake, sing, and eat!  We left a piece for Santa as well.

Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas Eve Day we went to see Gabe's family.  Of course the best gift wasn't wrapped or under the tree.  Kendall wore her Big Sis shirt to break the news to the family.  Everyone was thrilled, especially Papa who realized he'd have to get a second job to pay for the additional loot next year. 

Here's Gigi with her two granddaughters, Kendall and Lleyton.  Will it be a clean sweep of three next year, or will there be a little boy baby??

Lleyton was just as thrilled with Kendall's new wheels as Kendall was.

One of her favorite gifts was her baby Cinderella doll.

Priceless

Matching stockings from Pottery Barn...about $25 each

Thinking ahead and buying a fourth one for "one day"... an extra $25

Being able to get the fourth one monogrammed for next Christmas...PRICELESS

Merry WHO DAT?! Christmas

Daddy Dat

Mommy Dat

Girly Dat

Who Dat?!?!

Yes, the newest member of the Who Dat Nation is scheduled to come marching in some time  mid-July!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Christmas is so fun with a three-year-old!  Mommy cooked a special Christmas dinner tonight in celebration of Christmas Eve Eve.

Kendall thought it was way cool.  Good thing Daddy snapped pictures quickly because the nose and eyes were gone within three seconds afterward.

I know I haven't been blogging much this month, but I promise it's because we've been so busy with Christmas activities around here.  Look for much more to come by the end of the weekend!

Have a merry and blessed Christmas!

Tis the Season

Tis the season of business, festivities, checklists and never ending holiday preparations for even the most prepared.  Every year I say I'm going to make it a priority to start early, pace myself, and not get swept away in the holiday rush.  Result this year?  Well, this is the first blog post in two weeks. BUT...my to-do list is getting scratched off quickly.  And I haven't been TOO stressed.  Sigh....just busy. 

gifts bought...check

gifts wrapped...check

holiday decor....as much as is gonna happen

cards mailed...check

office gifts...check (always a stress)

school party...DONE

menu...planned

And in the midst of it all we've been counting down on the advent calendar, reading Christmas stories nightly, and watching endless Christmas videos.

So this week Kendall helped make Christmas cookies for all the teacher presents.  Let me just insert that I LOVE Pinterest.  If you are not a fan yet, check it out.  You'll be hooked.  I got all these cute ideas from there.

Here's our peanut butter reindeer cookies.  Yes, Kendall has my aversion to peanut butter so neither of us were tempted to eat any.  Though a few m&ms managed to disappear.  Hmmm...

And that's pretty much where Kendall's enthusiasm to help ended.  (I'll explain in a minute after I finish showing off my goodies.)  Next was the reindeer cocoa mix happies.

And the reindeer donuts.  They were the easiest of them all. Yet it still wasn't done until they were boxed and wrapped with a cute bow and reindeer gift tag. 

So what captured Kendall's attention?

Drew Brees and Elmo.  Her favorite Saint and favorite puppet together.  That equaled to one enamored three-year-old.  Drew made a celebrity appearance on a Sesame Street segment with Elmo this week.  Of course the video has gone viral in New Orleans for the past week.  And the funniest thing is that Kendall recognized him even out of uniform!  Now that's one true little Who Dat!

And then the next day we handed out all the teacher gifts we Mommy slaved over the next day at our Happy Birthday Jesus party at school.

Merry Christmas, bloggers!  My prayer for you is that in the midst of all the hype, holiday glamour and endless to-do lists, may you truly experience the meaning of Christmas.  God sent His son, Jesus, to Earth to be born as a baby so that He could save us from sins.  What an awesome God.  What a mighty Savior.  What a sacrificial love.  For God so loved YOU that He gave His only Son so that YOU could believe (and receive His gift) and have everlasting life.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Ephesians 2:8

Drew Dat!

Making Groceries and a Little Lagniappe

While in New Orleans for Thanksgiving we took Kendall to the Children's Museum.  I remembered it from when I was a kid, and I was just as excited as Kendall to go.  I just knew that my all time favorite thing there would be hers. And I was right.

The grocery store.  It is so cool.  The kids get real buggies, load up their groceries, and get to play cashier on a real cash register.  The only unpopular job it the shelf restocking.

Here's Kendall making groceries New Orleans style.

And here she is checking Mama out.

She loved it, eventually donning a cashier apron.  She was serious about her work.

So serious that she checked out all the other kids as well!

Next she was off practicing her waitressing skills with Grandpa.

She provided excellent service.

Daddy and JuJu were loyal customers.

A quick ride on Andrew Jackson's horse at Jackson Square then we were off again.

Another favorite was the Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood exhibit.  Kendall is a huge fan of Mr. Rogers, watching episodes on pbskids.org.  She was probably the only kid there who knew all the characters' names.  She squealed with delight when Henrietta popped out of her tree house.

She loved playing with King Friday's castle puppet stage as well.

Poor thing, we had to cut her visit to a mere three hours when we left in time to grab seafood poboys and get home in time for the LSU game.  We'll definitely have to take her back on a return visit.

Thankful Stuff

Thanksgiving has come and gone since my last post.  I've been so busy on "holiday stuff" that the blog took to the backseat for a little while.  My OCD kicks into high gear this time of year as I have so many ideas to enhance the holiday season, provide educational opportunities for a toddler, all while instilling gratitude and giving into her as well.  I'm just determined to not loose focus amidst the business and hype, yet my DIY cute list grows at the same pace.  (So maybe it's too late for the business part.)
Anyway, we had a great, long visit in New Orleans with my family.  Here we are on Thanksgiving morning on our way to visit my grandmother.  (And, yes, I made her outfit.  I'm so proud! Hence more added business.)

And back up a few days to her Thank You God party at school.  Crazy, cute turkey lurkey!

And back up even a few more days.  Kendall and I babysat Grayson twice a few weeks ago.  Kendall couldn't wait to give him his bottle.  She is such a natural 'lil mama!  (And Grayson totally fits into a Thanksgiving post cuz we are just so stinkin thankful for this sweet little guy!)

Kendall Conversations (Who Dat Style)

In the backyard playing football immediately following the Saints' nail biting, life expectancy shortening OT win over Atlanta...

Kendall (running with football):  Daddy, tackle me over!  I Jimmy Ga-ham.

Daddy:  You're Jimmy Graham??

Kendall:  No, I Sean Peyton (figures...the boss).

Kendall (self correction):  No, I Drew Brees. (looking back over her shoulder)  See number 9 on my back?!

Boo Dat

This year as a Halloween alternative we went trunk or treating at some friends' house.  Kendall had a great time playing with lots of her friends.  Since trunk or treating involves decorating one's trunk, there was only one thing for a Who Dat Mama to do...

Now, you don't need to add insult to injury by making jabs at last week's game atrocity.  Cutting out WHO DAT letters immediately after suffering a ridiculous and uncalled for loss was punishment enough, thankyouverymuch.  Now "Boo Dat" brings on a whole knew meaning.

But backing up two nights, we went trunk or treating at Papa and Gigi's church also.  It was short lived as Cinderella was less than amused by the mascots, clowns and various other Halloween garb there. 

But back to the other festivities... We all roasted hot dogs.  Ours were char grilled :-)

Here's Kendall with a school BFF, Meredyth, and another school friend, Landon.

Dorothy and Cinderella had a great time swinging.

A little later we gathered in the drive way for the much awaited and anticipated candy fest.

And since Thomas is a dearly loved friend, we will overlook his choice of costume. GEAUX TIGERS!

And as always I am SO glad Halloween is once again OVER.  I really don't enjoy all the scariness and death and dark stuff.  We've had to avoid everything from Kendall's beloved PBS shows that were all about witches and ghosts and stuff, to a wide range of stores from Home Depot to Walgreens that were decked out in rediculous Halloween decor.  Now we can focus on the other aspects of the fall season, which happens to be Mommy's favorite.

Pumpkin PIe

At least that's what Kendall said we were going to the pumpkin patch to pick. A pumpkin pie.

We took our second annual trip to the pumpkin patch with some friends.

Here's all our friends minus one.  Collin was ready to board the hay ride and didn't have time for any photo opps! Pictured is Drew (her classmate who affectionately - and accurately - refers to K as "Miss Kendall"), Kendall, Branton, Sam, Olivia and Katie.

After seeing the farm animals it was time to board the trailer for the much anticipated hay ride.  But where's Collin, the one looking forward to it the most???

Oh my.  Should we be scared?!

We made a stop at the patch to pick a pumpkin.

And run through a hay maze.

Olivia is a sweet friend!