Carly's Home!

WOOOHOOO! Carly is home safe and sound - thanks to Lisa at the ticket counter! Missing her early morning flight because of lengthy security lines, and being told that there are no other seats until the next day, I tried to call and get a flight, refund, apology, something....her Dad tried and finally ended up with Lisa. She found a seat, broke them to the front of the security line and they made a mad dash to the gate to find out, Awesome Lisa had placed Carly in first class. Now, that's how you treat my Baby! (she must have heard I was upset!)

Anyway, she's home and we are so glad! She makes our house so much more fun! In fact, she's at school today and CJ is home (parent teacher conference day). He's playing his Star Wars game on the Wii and said, "Mom, I need help with this game!" So I run to his rescue to see what I could do and he immediately says, "No. I need REAL help....where's Carly?" She is missed when she's not home!
CJ playing his game...til Carly gets home to help!

Fun Filled Saturday!

We took off Saturday morning and met up with the Hollingsworth's for an awesome day!! It included eating and stopping at FS Williams Country Store. Eating, then going to Port Hudson to the Battlefield. Then eating and learning some Civil War period dances. Then we watched a Civil War re-enactment and ate. We rode the ferry across the mighty Mississippi to New Roads and stopped and ate. It was awesome! Check out some pictures from the day.
Boys taking a walk back in time - well minus the porta potties!
Civil War Holiday Inn
Waiting on my next dance instruction
Amazing horse, just hanging with his rider after his rider was shot.
On the St. Francisville Ferry
Big day of fun...

A Day at the Park

Since the kids are out of school this week for Spring Break and the weather was beautiful today, we decided to head to the park. My friend Melissa joined us with her two boys, Nick and Logan. The kids had a blast playing, running and doing what boys do, while Melissa and I relaxed and talked about other people....(j/k!) A couple of pics from today.

The boy's climbing the rock wall.....

Check out my boy, Logan - sporting the UGA shirt! Go Dawgs!

Thanks Hollingsworth's for a really fun time! We should do it again soon!

Happy Easter!

WOW! Today was a great Easter Sunday! We attended all three services today and I sang last night at the 6pm service. Busy, but well worth it! All four services I attended were to a packed house and that's amazing! I can't wait to hear how many lives God touched over this Easter week(end). Beck posted about the Kids In Action....it's incredible! Check her blog.
Sam looked beautiful (as usual) this morning for church as well, but I didn't get a picture. (I had to sing at 8, so we left pretty early!) I'll have to get one. Carly's in GA, so this year's Easter pic was just CJ, but he had enough color on for everyone! :)

CJ sporting his Easter gear!

Carly's in Georgia

Yesterday was bitter sweet! I took Carly to the airport for her to fly to Georgia to be with her Dad for Easter. I miss her when she's gone but I am so thankful that she has a wonderful father and stepmother in GA that love her and love having her there. She will have a blast with her two little bros in GA, too!

Just posting a couple of pics from the airport that I took during the flight delay......Technology today....I sat and txt my bff's and she sat and txt hers. So just before she boarded, I txt her a prayer. You GOTTA pray! Come on.....I think God likes txting.

Carly in Nola airport txting.....

Carly's plane. Door closed, ready to push back.....

Gearing up for Easter Break

CJ's class had their Easter party at school today to kick off the Easter (Spring) Break! What a blast. I have video that I want to post. I hope it's as amuzing to you as it is to me. The kids had an egg hunt, they made their own ice cream sundae's had an egg toss AND had an egg relay. The weather was perfect and the kids had a blast!

CJ explaining the rules of the egg hunt. Randi looks like she doesn't like them and Cameron looks like he doesn't understand them!

Video of CJ's egg toss with Kiandralyn. Check out his technique. Its the 'ol toss and jump. (like a hot potato!)

Video of CJ when his team won the egg relay. CJ doesn't celebrate like everyone else, so he goes off to the side for his own private victory dance.

Black and White

While we were on our way home from Festival yesterday, Carly and I came upon a cow bench. Its outside a local dairy near our house. Since it was black and white and Carly was in black and white.....well, it made sense at the time!

Festival

WOW! Carly's school band performed at Festival yesterday and what a performance! Normally band concerts are not my thing. Never know the songs and the judges do not like for me to dance. I'm more of a karaoke girl! :) But yesterday they played like I have never heard them before and did an amazing job. Their scores were not high enough to make it to district competition, but I am still so proud of Carly and that group. Because Carly is only in 7th grade, she had to try out to be a part of Festival. That's typically a priviledge for 8th grade students and we are so proud of her and her friends! Here's a snipet of their performance. I wanted to get this of Carly. She plays by ear (but don't tell her music teacher!) so she sings the tune. That's why she's biting her lip or her mouth is open! haha She's "la-la-la-ing" to the beat......

My apologies for the shaky video. I was struggling with the go-go gadget camera!
If you have about 2-1/2 mins, here's the entire band playing their last song. They are so awesome! (and tiny, sorry but there were so many!) Mr. Barbay, you rock!

Kudos to the dude playing the aluminum pie plate. You can't see him, but it was cool! Sounds like a whip, but its a pie plate.

Saturdays are Awesome!

Saturday was the annual Children's Miracle Network Bass Classic! It was awesome. Mike was up and checking in boats at 2am and the kids and I joined the crowd around 10am. Some of Mike's crew from work got there early to cook an awesome jambalaya for the cooking contest. It didn't win, but it was the best! Those guys did an amazing job and had a ton of fun! Later that night we had dinner with the volunteers at Hymel's. It was a great Saturday! High light of the day.....Carly found a snake that she played with for a little while. Pics for you to enjoy.....

Jambalaya Team - Awesome job!

CJ waiting for jambalaya - looks like he found mud somewhere!

Carly and her snake

The Perfect Gift

As many of you know our wedding anniversary was back on March 6. It seems that my gift from my husband has caused quite a stir. I wouldn't say confusion; although I have had alot of questions. Most just think its funny and, well, me and Mike. I love my husband dearly, but when he gave me my first gift, I was a little disappointed. I needed it, but didn't want it for our anniversary. Then he gave me the little box and almost redeemed himself. Anyway, few of you wanted pics, so here goes. My first gift was a 44/40 Ruger Vaquero hand gun. And then he redeemed himself with my diamond and sapphire necklace.
As Pastor told me, Mike's so good to me......

Fur-so-fresh

Earlier yesterday while the children were at school I gave Winston a bath. He really needed one!
So last night when CJ went in to get his bath, the dog shampoo was on the edge of the tub. When CJ emerged from his bath time all squeaky clean, he had a strangely familiar aroma! You guessed it. CJ washed his hair with our dog shampoo. Wondering if CJ's hair would fall out during the night, I read the back of the bottle. Nope, CJ should be fine. It should bring a "high, natural luster" to his locks.

I took a picture for you to compare. Both are so handsome! Don't you think?

Oranges

Our oranges safe and sound at home

A few years ago, I was in the grocery store by myself and I was happily walking through with a bag of oranges (in the mesh plastic bags they put them in). I was holding it by one end and I was swinging it a little when all of the sudden one end broke open and set about 20 oranges free! Like a little orange bowling alley right down aisle 3!
So today, Carly and I were at Winn Dixie, when I was selecting a bag of oranges. I said, "Hey Carly, did I ever tell you about the time I was walking through the store swinging a bag of oranges like this, and....." You guessed it! The end opened up and they were gone! A few up under the fruit stand, a few off into the cheese counter and a few into the potted plants in the floral department. Carly let out a squeal and off we went. Like Easter....only hunting for oranges!
She and I were picking them up like we do it all the time just having a loud laugh per orange and noticed that people were watching and laughing right along with us. Carly said they were laughing at us but either way, we all got a good laugh. Great end to a good day.

Go Global - or at least across the border.

We had our Missions workshop today at our church! What an awesome, fun time. We got to hear from some that have gone out into the nations before and meet with the teams that we will go out with this summer. The speakers were great and Kim did an awesome job hosting it! I had to put a pic up of my girl Beck being put on the spot. She was asked to stand and tell about what our Children's Team has planned for the children (and adults) of Acuna, Mexico. She did great! I'm sorry the photo is blurry, but I intentionally turned off the flash so that it didn't scare poor Beck and make her lose her train of thought.
I'm so excited about our trip. Carly and I will take this journey together and I know we will come back changed. I already see it happening to us both. This opportunity wasn't mine when I was her age and I'm so thankful that God has blessed us with the chance to go together. He has put amazing people in our lives that support us on this journey both in prayer and financially and we couldn't be more humbled by that! Keep praying for us as we prepare ourselves for this journey and pray for Mike as he prepares for 5 days alone with CJ!

Becky speaking and standing with a true leader - Mr. Mike Davis

Case of the Missing Pizza

Our Anniversary was great! Started off a little scary. Mike came in with some gifts. And in his mind, he was very proud of his choices. He had made us reservations at PF Changs (my fave!) and so while finishing up getting ready to go, he surprises me with a shiney new 44/40 pistol. Hmmmmm....Ok. AND a pair of Carhart jeans! WOW! He really has outdone himself. Not to let him see the disappointment on my face, I politely thanked him and hid in the bathroom. Then he comes in with a gift bag. He has a really sweet card and a little box. Ladies know what the little box is!:) Its a gorgeous, diamond and sapphire necklace. Its beautiful! Good thing he didn't stop at the Carhart jeans! hehe
SO while we ate at PF Changs, the kids had pizza. We came home and Carly mentioned that she was going to put the leftovers in the fridge to take to school the next day for her lunch. Got CJ in bed, Carly went to bed then Mike and I followed. Got up this morning to help Carly get ready for school and the pizza is gone. I asked Mike if he ate it and he said 'No' that he knew Carly wanted it for lunch, so we asked CJ. He denies it and knows that telling a lie is not appropriate, so he promises he didn't eat it. Seeing how I don't eat pizza, I know it wasn't me. So, what happened to the last of the pizza? Winston? Perhaps, but CJ says he couldn't have opened the fridge, because he doesn't have thumbs. Its still a mystery! Mike and I at PF Changs (Mike's face is red because I asked some random lady to take our picture. He was embarrassed!)

Happy Anniversary!

Me and Mike in Chicago, IL

Can you believe it? Mike and I have been married 9 years today! Awesome! Now that's exciting!

We were engaged in Charleston, SC at the battery, where the Civil War started. We were married on March 6, Alamo Day, the day that ended the 13-day siege on the Alamo. And, we honeymooned in San Antonio during the Alamo Days celebration. Basically if we can handle that, we can handle anything. Mike is a huge history buff (as you can guess) and I follow along and watch him enjoy it. I'd rather be at the beach, but I can do that with my girlfriends. Mike hates the beach. It's true, God puts opposites together to balance each other out.

One move half way across the country, with three children and a dog, and we are going strong! Happy Anniversary, Honey! I love my husband!

Me llama Cindy

Carly found this video that I think is just hilarious. I actually think I went to high school with this guy.



Makes me want to brush up on my Spanish.

Happy Saturday!

Our Saturday started early and fairly normal. CJ had baseball practice at 8:45am. (which was great considering it got really warm today!) Then my 1st - 3rd grade girls came out for a little coaches pitch! They are so awesome and there are alot of them. I'm guessing 100? Maybe Hope can let me know. Then we came home and cleaned out the garage (unwillingly) and Mike cut grass. We also had some great new friends come into town. They are moving to our area from St. Louis so we took them out for a little fun - Boutin's style! Thanks for the hospitality Mr. Boutin! After too much fried crawfish, alligator, catfish and stuffed crabs and mushrooms (yes, alot) and some great Cajun music, we headed over to Mike the Tiger's house to see if he was awake. He wasn't but we got to visit his statue which was pretty fun. CJ showed us a little trick he learned in Vegas (j/k!) and tried to stick his head in the tiger's mouth. Then decided to ride him instead. As we were leaving I noticed a sign that I didn't see before. You know, it would have been obvious to me not to bring a pet and put him inside Mike the Tiger's habitat, but someone obviously had to do it for them to post a warning. Now that's just not smart. Oh well, God made all kinds.....

Girls practicing....

Boutin's is the BEST!

Carly and CJ sharing a little Bulldog love with Mike the Tiger

Good thing he's careful!

Warning....this could save your pet....