Beast Feast & Girl's Night Out!

Week 39: Lots of new activities this week! There is a new horse at the barn. He is beautiful and fast! His name is Cayenne. Mary Virginia had so much fun riding him, she just wasn't quite ready to jump him! His trot is faster than any other horse she has EVER been on, but she loves him!

I am not sure you can see the smile on her face, but we started the weekend very happy! We also decided to introduce Princess to horses - she was not too thrilled! So much for her being a dog to take to the barn with us!

Saturday, Mary Virginia had a great basketball game and she scored her first basket! Of course, I didn't have my camera with me but the smile was a mile wide! She doesn't get many chances to score with a team full of boys. She was so excited that we had to treat her to lunch out!

Then the boys headed to Beast Feast! It was a get together for the men at our church out at the church property, and John Bay was able to go along!

They had all types of food: venison, duck, boston butt, you name it...

Eating fried boudin and loving it!

A mouth and belly full of jambalaya!

Mary Virginia and I had Girls Night In! We got a movie, a special dinner, and lots of nail polish! The girls from across the street came over to play with us! All I can say is that I have pink toe nails with purple sparkles!

And Sunday was cookie time! Get ready folks, the cookies are in and they are coming your way!

Valentine's Week & Princess Lucy Anna

Week 38: This was a crazy hectic week for us. In honor of all things Mardi Gras, MV's basketball game was canceled for the weekend (to give us time to celebrate), so we had our game on Monday night. The kids looked so tired and worn out from a full day at school. I am surprised they all made it through the game. They did great...lots of points scored and lots of happy kids! In the midst of basketball and girl scouts, we managed to celebrate Valentine's Day! I went a little overboard this year for some reason...

Ed and I had a long talk about how much he wanted a black lab...my requirements were that I didn't want a "puppy", needed to be a girl, had to get along with Bandit, and needed to be a rescue from a shelter. Well, after less than an hour of looking, we found the Denham Springs Animal Shelter. I went once for a quick look around and picked out a few different possibilities and then Ed came by and chose the newest addition to our family, Princess Lucy Anna.
(known at the shelter as "Faith")

She is a precious addition - around 14 months and 72 pounds of love! Bandit is not too fond of her, yet. They don't fight, but he has let her know who is boss. She is still not sure about the kids or Ed. I can't wait for everyone to meet her. The only thing that I have noticed about her is that she is a thief...if you don't watch out, she will still toys, socks, papers, you name it- but no destruction (yet)!

Thursday night was Literacy Night at school. The theme - Mardi Gras and all things Louisiana (including a Jambalya dinner)!

And then riding lessons, where MV jumped and jumped and jumped some more!

Saturday we spent the morning in the bathroom with no power waiting on the tornado warnings to end! The kids were great about getting ready for the storm but they didn't understand why we were heading to the bathroom when there were no sirens going off. (I still don't understand why there are no sirens here.)

Then when we came out of the bathroom...

(The stool is where our trampoline once stood)

The trampoline took a nose dive over the fence - the strange fact is that it didn't really damage the fence between us and our neighbors. It just lifted straight up and over! The hardest part is explaining to JB that he can't jump!

Now, it is time to get in the Mardi Gras spirit!

Sassy Spa Parties and Mardi Gras Parades

Week 37: The kids had a great week of preparing for Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras! We worked hard making a mailbox for MV to take to school for her Valentine's Party and writing Valentine's cards for all of our friends. We are getting a little tired of glitter and hearts! MV had a field trip to the Children's Museum on Friday...she was so excited because she was able to ride the bus again. I guess I am the mean mom that doesn't let her child ride the bus to school so she can only look forward to field trips!

Ed and I had a date night on Friday night! The kids went to Parent's Night Out at our church (which they thought was a party for them) while we went to dinner at LeCreole! I can honestly say that I had the best meal I have EVER eaten! We splurged and had a crab cake appetizer that was to die for and white chocolate bread pudding (YUM)! Next time we have visitors, we will be sure to take you there! It was so delicious!

Saturday was a crazy day! MV had another basketball game - and she did great! She is amazing at blocking and running the ball down the court! Then, it was off to the Sassy Spa for a birthday party! It was such a cute party idea - the girls had their hair and make up done and then had manicures and pedicures!
MV with the birthday girl!

Manicures

Pedicures (and lots of talk about Justin Bieber)

After a day of pampering, the girls had a fashion show and were treated to cupcakes!

We took the kids to their first Mardi Gras parade. It was the Krew of Orion parade and it was so much fun...except that it was cold!

Waiting for the parade to start

We loved dancing with the marching bands!

The kids are pros at getting beads!

Everyone wanted to throw beads to the cute kids dancing in the street!

We only made it through part of the parade - Ed was cold (he gave up his jacket to MV) and the kids were tired!

And on Sunday, we had an afternoon of Superheros...

and exhausted kids!

Birthday Week!

Week 36: My Birthday week! It was a fun week of celebrations in our house! The kids were so sweet and made me a giant birthday card full of pictures and birthday wishes! It was a wonderful day and the kids topped it off with dinner at Voodoo BBQ and then home for cake and ice cream!

Mary Virginia celebrated the 100th day of school on Friday. They made trail mix with 100 pieces of food, made glasses out of the number 100, played games, and watched a movie during rest time! Sounds like they had a fun time at school! After a fun week of festivities, it was time for horseback riding and a trip to New Orleans with the girls! Mary Virginia did great at riding lessons - she road Indy and did amazing as usual. Indy didn't want to cooperate, but MV took control and rode like a pro!

After spending the afternoon at the barn, I headed off to New Orleans to pick up Allison at the airport and meet Michelle at the Crowne Plaza! It was so much to see my friends and spend a fun birthday weekend in NOLA! We started out the weekend with dinner at Pat O'Briens, such a fun atmosphere and a really great dinner (I highly recommend the Bloody Mary Chicken Wings)! After dinner we walked down Bourbon Street and right into the filming of the movie Now You See Me. We were up close and personal to Mark Ruffalo...I wish we had gotten to see Morgan Freeman too! The cast looks great, I can't wait to see the movie...
We sat back and watched the movie filming for a little bit and then it was on to people watch! There are some crazy people walking down Bourbon Street, especially during Mardi Gras season! We called it an early night after beignets at Cafe Du Monde...we had breakfast reservations at Court of Two Sisters!
What a yummy jazz brunch and fun with friends. We all enjoyed the eggs benedict and then I tried to branch out and try some dishes that I normally wouldn't try - turtle soup was one and it was delicious! I will be having that again!

We spent the day walking around New Orleans shopping and seeing the sights. From shopping on Magazine Street, tasting pralines on Decatur Street, tasting king cakes and shopping at the French Market, and browsing through the Cooking School of New Orleans, we had a full day! And that was all before lunch - which we had at Johnny's Po-boys - I highly recommend to anyone! (The Johnny's special was delicious, I just wish I had been the one to order it)

(Allison captured the essence of New Orleans)

Saturday night we watched a parade through the French Quarter...although highly entertaining, not sure I will head back for that parade next year! We had more fun people watching during the parade than the parade itself. Then more people watching on Bourbon Street!

It was such a wonderful girl's weekend, I can't wait to get together with the girls again soon!

When I got home, we had to hurry up and get ready for a Super Bowl Party! The Howells and the Harpoles came over to celebrate and watch the game! The kids had fun running around, riding bikes and playing the yard! They were so worn out by the time the game was over that John Bay couldn't even make it to the bed before falling asleep! What a fun week of celebrating. I am exhausted and I think the kids were too!

(Ed didn't have time to take pictures while he was alone with the kids, so no documentation on how they looked while I was gone...)

Monster Trucks!

Week 35: Another wild and crazy week in the Whatley house! We had another fun week of basketball, girl scouts, bike riding, playing with friends, horseback and lots more surprises! Mary Virginia's class is getting ready for 100th day activities.

Basketball practice was fun as always for the kids and for Ed and then there was Girl Scouts on Tuesday. The girls were so excited to make t-shirts to wear to Camp! The shirts turned out so cute - they put all of their hand prints into a daisy.

It was back to our regular weekend routine - except without Ed this weekend. He went on a men's retreat with our church. I am so glad that he is getting to know this group and he had a great time of fellowship! I took the kids out to the barn for riding lessons on Friday and once again, Mary Virginia did a great job riding Baily and there was lots of trotting! Saturday, we had another basketball game and these kids were great! MV had fun blocking and cheering on her team. She really frustrated the little girl on the other team - she couldn't understand why MV was all over her! The other coach had to explain to her that is how you play!

Ed got home Saturday afternoon and took MV to New Orleans for a night of fun and Monster Trucks! They had beignets and hot chocolate at Cafe du Monde and then to the truck show at the Super Dome with friends. It sounds like MV fit in with all the boys!They had a fun trip - and a very late night, but MV can't stop talking about the trucks. She loved it, especially the dinosaur truck that crushed trucks and spit fire! Sunday was back to playing outside, riding bikes and shooting hoops!

(Sorry about the lack of JB pictures - I will do better in the weeks to follow!)

A Visit from Mimi and Balba

Week 34: I am behind yet again on updating the blog! This was the week of MLK weekend. We took Monday off from school and had a relaxing morning - a visit to the doctor and then lunch with daddy! We were so close to Ed's office that he surprised the kids and met us for lunch at Raising Canes. Yum! We were all so excited! Then it was off to basketball practice...MV is loving basketball, especially having her daddy as a coach!
I tried upload an amazing video of MV riding the pony, Celey at the barn, but of course I couldn't do it...but I will email it to anyone that wants to see! She did so great riding! Ed took her to her lesson and she was really showing off for her daddy! She trotted a few laps around the arena and then walked a lap and then repeated! She loved riding that pony. While they were at riding lessons, I took the night off and went to a painting party with some ladies from our church. Here is a picture of my masterpiece!What a great time I had painting! It was so much fun, I can't wait to do it again.
Mimi and Balba came over for a visit. We were so excited to see them on Friday night. MV had her first basketball game on Saturday morning - bright and early.

She loves playing basketball. She is the only girl on her team, but that hasn't slowed her down. She celebrates with her team and is a great cheerleader!
She is also amazing at blocking. When I asked her who taught her, she said no one, that is just what she thought she needed to do. The poor other little girl couldn't even get the ball when MV was blocking! (I am such a proud mom.)

JB took it easy during the game. He wasn't as interested!

After a fun morning of basketball and selling girl scout cookies, we took Mimi and Balba out for lunch and then to see Mike the Tiger.

Mike was doing the same as always, sleeping in the shade! He is such as amazing creature and so much fun to see!

Mike wouldn't get up and move around for us, so the kids decided to ride the Mike statue with Balba! We took a quick tour through the LSU campus and then made a stop for ice cream!

What a fun treat!

Sunday we hated to say good-bye to Mimi and Balba. After they left, we spent the afternoon riding bikes around the neighborhood and selling more cookies! We are on the way to making the goal of 250 cookies!