This is what eight looks like

Scraggly haired and all.  Rest assured, that mangy mess on top of his head will soon be cut.  I can barely stand it anymore.  I'm glad for his upcoming baptism to give us an excuse to cut it, but honestly, do you really need an excuse to cut it when it looks like that?

I have just a few minutes to post on, this, Ty's birthday.  But post I must, as Reese received a post on her birthday just 8 days ago.  They will compare notes later on in life, if not now, so I'd better get this up.  Sleeping is overrated anyway.

Ty's morning started early so we could all make it to Denny's for a birthday breakfast together.  Our evening promised too busy for our traditional birthday meal to play out.  So breakfast it was.  He gulped down three chocolate chip pancakes while we talked about his day of day's (that's for you Grandma Patsy).  Afterwards, Kyle whisked him off to school 5 minutes before it was to begin.  Reese and I dropped cupcakes later that afternoon.  We greeted him after school with balloons.  He had two friends over.  We jumped in the car to head nearly and hours distance away for Jaden's soccer game.  Then we arrived back home just in time for Kyle to complete the finishing touches for the unveiling of Ty's updated bedroom.  He was kicked out of his room for three days during the process.  And we ended the night with chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream.  You are loved Ty Guy!

Over spring break Ty got to take his buddies to see a 3-D movie (my least favorite way to view a movie).  The boys sure dug those glasses.  It wasn't until we took these pictures that we realized Rohan was wearing my adult size glasses and I his child size.

I'll surely have to follow up with this post to add my favorite things about Ty.  So, to be continued . . .

Reese is four today!

I love these dimples.  I can't believe this girl is four.  And she looks more like a girl, less like a baby.  Her face is thinning, her sentences complete.  Her opinions are well known.  She colors inside the lines.  Her body unrecognizably long when lying horizontal in the bathtub.  Her position in the family defined: she is the favorite . . . of all of ours.  We've actually voted.  Her aspirations?  To be a doctor-mom.  Her best friend is named Chloe.  Chocolate milk every morning.  Every night a scratch-back, song, fan on and door shut, wrapped in her pink blanket.  A tattletale of sorts, especially when it involves her siblings.  Always gets the benefit of the doubt in our family.  Never wants her dad to go to work.  Best at clearing her dishes.  Won't let a dinner go by without our reciting "rose and thorns" of the day.  Still slightly nervous around our dog Tex.  Maintains her duck-like bark every time she coughs.  It turns heads.  Continues to be the ham in the family.  No one's competing with her.  Bossy has a pretty good chance of being the characteristic we'll most likely have to reign in this year.  She's the perfect caboose for our family.  And she plays that part well what with being hauled around town to everyone's activities, of which none are hers.  It's par for the course, Reese, but you sure make it easy on us and more enjoyable too.

We love you Reesey Belle!

Apparently, they read each others minds because there was not a thing said out loud about this pic turning silly.  Kyle and I hadn't a clue, obviously.

New Orleans

This trip to New Orleans was a request of Lynn, but for years Kyle had been hoping to return for a visit.  Lynn has always been good about visiting us.  Some of his recent visits have revolved around depositions he's had in Dallas.  We don't live in Dallas but the man can't visit the large state of Texas without feeling compelled to hop another flight to visit us a little farther south; it just doesn't sit right with him.  Lucky us.  Having recently visited us he had bigger plans this go-round to "make a memory" as he puts it.  Translation:  I visit you all the time and we've done and seen just about everything in Houston.  Kyle never needs an excuse to visit New Orleans.  He loves it.  Lynn had been tipped off to our recent 14 hour drive to Albuquerque, that trip apparently qualified us for the "short" 5 hour drive to New Orleans -- at least in his mind.  It took me about a week to get on board.  Only after loads of laundry and organizing both house and mind was I able to concede.  I'm glad I did.  We had a great trip and I loved being able to use my camera to capture all the ground we covered over that weekend.  

Saturday

We hopped in the car following Ty's flag football game for an uneventful ride to New Orleans.  We arrived just in time to walk the lit up streets in search of an authentic Nawlin's dinner.  We stopped off in a few shops along the way; I mean how can you pass up this guy beckoning you come in?

I'm sensing a favorite . . . 

Sunday

Our morning started off right, in the French Quarter.  At Cafe Du Monde we enjoyed Nawlin's famous  beignets.  In this case "starting off right" means you have intentionally written off any ambition to eat healthy that day. I believe we accomplished what we set out to do that day.  In fact, we succeeded the rest of the weekend too.  I know this because I wasn't hungry for literally two days after returning home.  I'm serious.  The food served there is heavy.  I just wanted a bowl of fruit.

We jumped at the chance to ride around the square on this horse and buggy for a guided tour.  This was our tour guide, Lorna.

We attended church on Sunday.  Actually, we just missed mass that was letting out as we walked in to the St. Louis Cathedral; the oldest practicing cathedral in North America.  I've never been to mass.  I was hoping we'd get to sit in for a bit. It was a gorgeous building, inside and out!

The square was hopping as I would guess most Sundays there are.  Reese paid a dollar for a wave from this lovely lady.  Following that she requested a pic with this grizzly guy below.  He was not paid.  Jaden was curious and received her first, and probably last, tarot card reading.  She left feeling quite confused about her past, present and future.  I was there listening too.  We had a good laugh afterwards and decided against trying to make any sense of it. 

About mid day Kyle and Ty pooped out or rather went back to the room to watch the Texans playoff game.  Lynn and I took the girls on a steamboat down the Mississippi river.  It made one stop at Chalmette; the battleground for New Orleans.  Jaden and I left Lynn and Reese on the boat and took the short tour.  These trees were our favorite part of the stop.  

Monday

We decided to stroll around the square after having been acquainted with it during our carriage ride the day before.  We stumbled across the famous "Blue Dog" artist shop that I'm so accustomed to seeing both in New Orleans and some in Houston.  After getting permission, I snapped the shot of the Kyle and the kids standing next to a $95,000 portrait!  Seriously.  We also came across a hat shop where I was just sure I had to buy a hat.  I have no idea when or where I'll wear it but it's mine now.  Jaden covets it.

Goorin Bros. Hat Shop.  

Don't they look so excited for me to choose a hat already?!

Easily my favorite site of the trip was this cemetery.  I've never seen anything like it.  I loved that with all of its chaos, what with random placing of tombs and sentiments scattered throughout, there was still such reverence and respect for the area.  To ward off evil spirits Reese is shown knocking three times on the gate before entering the cemetery.

This tomb was crumbling and behind the stone was a plastic bag.  What was beyond that?  Well, we weren't interested in finding out!  The kids enjoyed the thrill.

Reese is in front of what is to be Nicholas Cage's final resting place.  Word is that he spent a cool million for this lot and had the pyramid built on it. 

Three X's on this tomb behind Kyle, again, to ward off evil spirits. This is Marie Laveau's tomb replete with offerings of money, food or anything else someone deems worthy.  She was a humanitarian for the city.