Baby Shower

Emily and Jeffery are expecting a baby girl very soon.  We all celebrated the expected family addition with a baby shower in Ruston. We enjoyed seeing old friends and catching up with family.  The diaper cake came together nicely with the fantastic help I had.

We look forward to meeting Miss Ellison.

Mardi Gras

We celebrated Mardi Gras in Shreveport with family, and we had a blast.  It was fun to show the boys a little Louisiana heritage.  Aunt Emily bought them Mardi Gras shirts and masks, and their dad purchased glowing swords/wands.

 

Once the parade arrived, it was party time.  Ryland and I staked out a spot on the front row, and we started yelling for beads.  Reed and John Chris stayed a few steps behind, and Reed enjoyed a spot on Dad's shoulders. 

We had so much fun and want to come back next year.  Thanks to Aunt Emily and Uncle Jeffery for letting us stay with them and showing us a great time!



Painting

While we were in Ruston, the boys opened Christmas presents from Aunt Emily and Uncle Jeffery.  They are the coolest paints.  The brush wand lights up when it touches the clear paint, but the paint isn't clear.  It is actually colorful when it gets on the brush and on the special paper.  Super cool!  Thanks!

Family time

We had a great weekend visiting with Lizzie & Aunt Emily.  We spent lots of time enjoying the refreshing pool.  After running a few errands and swimming, we thought about taking some pictures.  Too bad we were in our pajamas!  Oh well!

Ryland, Lizzie, John Chris, Reed, and Aunt Emily

Me and sleepy Reed



Ryland's 2nd birthday party

Ryland woke up in a great mood, and he was ready to party. In the spirit of a fireman themed birthday party, Uncle Clint let Ryland wear his old helmet. He didn't want to put it on for a while, but then he warmed up to it. When he put it on, he turned into a bobble head. He could barely hold his head up. While Ryland was taking a nap, I decorated the house for the party.

The reaction was priceless. He pointed and said "balloons" with excitement. It made all my planning and running around totally worth it.

Lizzie and Aunt Emily spend time with Reed.

The cake was HOT!

Aunt Chanda and Ryland

Ryland got embarrassed when we started singing happy birthday.

Ryland loves birthday cake! Yummy! He really just eats the icing, but hey it is his party.

Jackson tries on the helmet.

Uncle Clint, Aunt Kristi, and Doodle cuddle on the sofa.

Ryland opened a super cool fishing kit complete with a vest.

A multiple animal call, just what every boy needs. This thing makes about 10 different animal noises.

Look at that face! He loves the wheelbarrow.

Nanna and Ryland

Ryland and Uncle Clint

What a cool turtle! Ryland loves his new sandbox. I can just imagine the hours of fun outside. I am so very happy we have a home with a backyard.

Ryland take a spin around the pool in his new boat. I could not believe that John Chris put him in when the water is so cold, but he was very careful to make sure he didn't get wet.

Project weekend

This weekend was full of house projects. Emily and Jeffery came out to help us wrap up a few more house projects, and their help sparked some motivation in myself and John Chris. We have been at the projects for the past few months, and it has taken a toll. We now look forward to coming home to relax and enjoy our new place. We knew it would be difficult when we chose this house, but we just knew it would be exactly what we wanted once we got our hands on it. We see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it still seems a little farther than we expected. Pregnancy has zapped all of my extra energy these days, and I am ready to take a project break.



We painted the final coat of paint on all of the new trim, doors, and walls in the nursery. The closet and entry doors, trim, and casing took forever the prime and paint. I know Emily and I painted the dang doors 3 or 4 times before they finally looked right. It made such a huge difference and really made the room come together so we could place furniture.



The guys worked on the stair trim for a while, and in the end John Chris and I have decided that we want to redo the stairs and go ahead and add the iron balusters. John Chris saw a photo of the Kardashian Christmas card with the exact balusters and stained tread color that we That messy project has been put on the hold list until the baby arrives, and we get started again.



One project we weren't expecting to work on was the speakers on the back patio. When we moved in, there was one speaker mounted and another mounting bracket with exposed wires. Apparently one had been taken down or knocked down, and we found it sitting outside on the patio. We had assumed that the sound control knob that is by our master bedroom door operated the speakers, but we had attempted connecting our sound system without success. After a little discussion and attic exploration, the guys figured out how to correct the wiring connection. I was so excited to hear music outside! All the wiring was good and both speakers worked as well! I have no idea what the heck went on at this house prior to our purchase, but it seems as if the previous owner and her kids just tore it up. The speakers are really nice and the sound is excellent. I can't wait to hang out in the pool this summer and listen to some jams.

Christmas gift exchange

We traveled to Louisiana to visit with family and share some Christmas cheer. Ryland was a little timid when he first started opening his gifts, but he quickly found some steam. He tore into the big box his grandparents gave him. It was a new table and chair set. It will be perfect for his playroom. It will provide a place for many years of coloring, assembling puzzles, and tons of other fun activities
SpongeBob is still a big hit. He can spot the little yellow guy anywhere.

We have had multiple issues with the thermostats in our new house, so I was elated to open my gift. I never imagined that I would be so pleased to receive a programmable thermostat, but I can't wait to get home to install it.

Ryland opening his gift from Aunt Emily and Uncle Jeffery. How cool, now he can grill like Dadda.

The guys were putting Ryland's grill together and needed a few tools. Uncle Jeffery brought in his tools to save the day. Look how organized! Can we say inspiration? I am posting this photo in our garage by the cabinets and drawers that won't close currently.

The grandparents

Uncle Jeffery

Aunt Emily

John Chris gave Ryland a few grilling pointers as he prepared a hamburger and hot dog. Ryland was so very happy and had a blast. We all enjoyed spending time with family and are thankful.