Our Week in Mandeville

Brandon had 2 hunting trips planned and a business trip to Dallas so Jack and I packed up and headed south to spend time with family and friends. We had such a great time! Time really goes by too fast.

We attempted to get everyone together with the kids on Tuesday, but that is almost impossible. Poor Jane was sick and Anna Claire and Sophia had school. We really missed the girls, but Jack had a blast with Cooper who is only 10 days younger than him and sweet baby Cameron who is 7 months. Jack and Cooper played great together. They had a few arguments over the choo choos, but that was it. Cameron was so cute. She had such a great time watching the boys play. I know she wanted desperately to be able to play with them. I can't wait for the summer when she can run around with them.

Cameron was obsessed with Coopers ear and Jack was about to fall asleep. We went home for a nap shortly after this.

Tuesday night all of the girls got together for dinner. It was great catching up as usual. Emily and Kylie are both pregnant again, so it was great hearing how things were going for them. Raynah, and old friend from high school has just recently moved back to Mandeville so it was great catching up with her too. Nights like that make me really miss home. I love my girls!

Thursday and Friday we went to Baton Rouge to spend time with Maw Maw and Paw Paw and family. Jack just loves going to their house. They have a huge back yard and he runs around all day long. He is so fortunate to get to know his Great Grandparents and actually have them play with him. They get around with him better than I do at times. Maw Maw cooked a delicious gumbo Thursday night and my Dad, Aunt Nancy, Tate, Parrain, Stacy and crew came for dinner and to do Xmas with Jack. It was so good seeing everyone.

Jack is really into books right now and loves to have someone sit and read to him. His couisin Ali was more than happy to sit with him and read a few books. We laughed later because the books were as old as I am.

Friday afternoon we met Simone and Ryan at the lakefront. It was such a gorgeous day! Ryan had not seen Jack since he was 8 weeks old, so I was glad that he was able to see Jack. He is usually working when we are in town. Jack loved him and they ran around with the dogs while Simone and I chatted.

It is Mardi Gras Season, so Papa shipped Jack his first King Cake. It was delicious from Randazzo's Bakery. It came with this mask, some beads, and doubloons. Jack loved it. Thanks Papa for thinking of us. You are the best.

It is also the beginning of crawfish season, so Dad got crawfish for us on Saturday night. They were delicious and I have been craving them ever since. I miss the food so much. It just isn't the same in Birmingham.

We had a great time and can't wait to go back in a few weeks for Mardi Gras. We are going to take Jack to his first parade. It should be interesting.

Jack's 1st Trip to the New Orleans Aquarium

Mom was off of school on Monday, so we took advantage of the day and brought Jack to the Aquarium. He is obsessed with fish these days so I thought he would really enjoy it. Enjoy is an understatement. He LOVED it! I don't think he knew what to do with all of the fish in the tanks. It wasn't really crowded so we were able to take him out of the stroller and let him run around. We also took him to lunch at Mother's. He is too little to know that he ate somewhere famous, but Mom and I really enjoyed it. Nothing like a real New Orleans shrimp poboy.

This is the best posed picture we could get. There was way too much to distract him.

He loved the frog exhibit.

Jack and I checking out the sharks. He was mesmorized.
I hope that he likes the zoo this much this summer. It was just as much fun for Mom and I watching him get so excited and enjoy it so much.

I've Been Tagged...

I don't usually do these, but I thought this one was neat. My friend Tracie tagged me. I am supposed to go to the fourth folder on my computer and choose the fourth picture in the folder. I am then supposed to post the picture and give a brief explanation then tag 4 more people.

This is Jack 1 year, 5 months, 3 weeks, and 1 day ago. He is just minutes old as you can tell from the picture. Time sure does fly. It seems like yesterday I Brandon was taking this picture and now I have an 18 month old running around the house and talking to me. It has been the best 18 months of my life.

I now tag:

Nicole Parnell

Monique Carucci

Cydney McDowell

Jen Brown

Happy New Year

We had he best NYE this year. We were able to spend it with some of our best friends and our kids and I would not have had it any other way. Us, The Stricklands, and The Bentleys decided to get together with the kids and have a sleepover at The Stricklands. Most of our other friends were out of town, had other plans, or had babysitters. Mindy cooked a delicious pot of spaghetti for dinner, we put the kids to bed, and just hung out playing board games and Wii(I will go into detail later). Look how precious Mary Molloy, Jack, and Addison were eating dinner at the kids table. This was Jack's second meal of the night in which he had 2 helpings. I am thinking he is having a growth spurt.

This is Jack after his 2 helpings of spaghetti. He loved Aunt Mindy's cooking. You can't really notice but the girls had been done and were up playing. Jack kept eating.

After the kids went to bed the adults played a board game and then broke out the Wii. Doug(Papa) bought a Wii for Mom and kids for Christmas to have at the camp to play. He had it shipped to our house since that is where they were for Christmas, but it didn't make it in time. Yea! It was at our front door Wednesday when we got back from the lake and Papa was very nice and told us to try it out. I don't know if this was a good mood or not. Papa is either going to be buyin another one or Brandon is going to have to buy us one because we are addicted!!

The boys bowled most of the night and were nice enough to give Mindy and I a try at tennis. This is Casey being very serious about the game...

... Brandon is very serious. Look at this pose...

...and Chris is really serious. Thanks Papa for making our New Years Eve even more exciting!

I want to wish everyone the best in 2009!

Love,

Ashley

Lake Trip with The Stricklands

The Stricklands were very nice to invite us to the lake Monday and Tuesday. We were very excited to go for some RNR after the holidays. We had a great time playing with the kids and just catching up. Mary Molloy and Jack are 1 year apart but get along so well, so it makes it easy on us. She is so sweet to him and he just adores her.

The weather was gorgeous, so the kids could play outside and the boys even got a chance to go fishing. I just love the picture below. This will be a great picture to show Jack's Wife or Mary Molloy's Husband!!Thanks Mindy, Chris, and Mary Molloy for having us. We had a great time!