Thanksgiving 2014

We made our annual Thanksgiving holiday trek down to New Orleans again this year. We went to see Grammy for lunch on Thursday...

Saturday it was the much anticipated trip to the New Orleans Children's Museum.  We spent about all our time in the restaurant and the grocery store.

Then in typical New Orleans fashion we went to a newly opened restaurant on St. Charles.  We didn't realize that it was actually opening day.  We were greeted by a band...

...both outside...

...and inside.  It was great.  My girls don't often get New Orleans cultural experiences.

It's evidenced on their faces!

Fall Stuff {vol. 3}

Play date with our bff, Keely...

Pumpkin pie in a cup at the library...

"cuz"...

Kendall's All About Me poster the week she was the Lucky Duck...

Kendall is now beginning to sound out words...

Raking leaves with Daddy...

Watching church on line...

Brielle's school Thank You God party...

Nice Knowing Ya, Paci!

Mommy had a brilliant idea this holiday season--mail our pacis to Santa so he could give them to babies that don't have any.  Though I was a little apprehensive about the fallout that could possibly ensue, I knew it was time.  I talked it up with Brielle for about two months.  And luckily for me, the week of Thanksgiving that I planned to do it, she said, "I ready".

So we "typed" a letter to Santa and Brielle decorated it. (Thanks You Tube for the fabulous idea of a pictorial letter.  Apparently I'm not the only parent with such a brilliant holiday inspired idea.)

Then we placed all the pacis in a box addressed to Santa.

Finally we went to the mailbox for the mailman to get and soon deliver to the North Pole.

Apparently the USPS expedites North Pole shipments because that evening the UPS man delivered a package straight from the North Pole to our doorstep.

Santa sent Brielle an early gift to thank her for such a great, selfless act of giving away all her pacis.  And he even knew exactly what she had been asking for!

Update:  Brielle has done excellent with no pacis!  She's such a big girl!  Her first nap was a little rocky, but by bedtime that night she was fine.  On a more somber note, though, naptimes may have been shipped to the North Pole right along with the pacis.  Her two hour naps are usually now around forty-five minutes.  Oh well...

Ag Museum

On D's recent visit we went to the Agriculture Museum, Kendall's favorite place lately. She loves anything pioneer and old fashioned. She could spend forever in the log cabins. We got to go on a hayride, visit the general store for a glass bottle of root bear and a game of bottle cap checkers, and see a real cotton gin working.

Fall Stuff (and some Halloween) {vol. 3}

My posts seem to come in chunks lately. I'll blame it partly on computer difficulties, and the rest is just that we're slap too busy!

Anyhoo...

Brielle wore her first ponytail recently! She's so grownie. It really kinda hurts my feelings she's growing up so fast.

Pete the Cat visited recently at the local public library.  Brielle loved it but wouldn't take a picture with him.

Halloween was none other than...Elsa and Anna!!

...and Ethel!  My bff, Jennifer and I, aka the two biggest Lucy fans (other than my sister) that I know, brought Lucy and Ethel back after a seven year hiatus.  Just for the record, I had to make my own Ethel costume as there are no Ethel costumes for purchase.

And here's the dynamic duo...

Kendall's class Halloween party...

with her school bff, Kenzie...

If you're gonna take a selfie like this on Mommy's phone, she just might post it...

Recently I volunteered to help Kendall's class make their Indian shirts for the upcoming pow wow.   After thirty minutes helping kids three at a time paint their shirts in the hall, I looked up and Brielle was missing.  She was located...in the classroom...doing work right along with Kendall.

Sweet big sister letting little sister help with her classwork.

A sweet friend made this door hanger for me.  It makes me laugh every time.  HOO DAT!!

Brielle finally gets to ride facing forward.  She's so proud!