Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler, Thanksgiving in New Orleans

So when we first arrived in New Orleans and found Bourbon Street, we had to get some Mardi Gras beads. (However we paid for them! I found out how you get them for free and I figured we would have to pay for them since the kids were around :)).

We had Thanksgiving dinner at the Palace Cafe on Canal Street. It was quite the experience. We thought it would be a nice place for us to eat, but we were for sure out of our league. The kids tried to behave, but they didn't really appreciate our "fine dining" Thanksgiving dinner. I think Brett is the only one who enjoyed his Thankgiving dinner (including turkey with oyster sauce, turtle soup and bananas foster).

The kids posing with the street cars across from our Hotel on Canal street.

MY THANKSGIVING TURKEY

This is what I created and ate for my Thanksgiving dinner. I made it last year, and thought it was so cute that I had to make it an annual Thanksgiving tradition. I thought we might not be able to do it this year because we were staying in a hotel, so we did the best we could. The kids loved helping me make it and eating it. The rule is after you eat a fruit feather you get to put in a feather with what you are thankful for. It starts out as a "fruit turkey" and ends up as a "thankful turkey".

Later that night we were diving around trying to find some of Brett's areas from his mission. Our trusty GPS directed us through these streets on our way to Harahan. We thought it was so cool that Banks and Johnson intersected. (Johnson being my maiden name).

The girls really got into the whole "New Orleans" lifestyle. It was funny because Aubrey was walking int the street with her pink boa at night in the French Quarter, and it attracted alot of attention, including some unwanted attention when some drunk guys were trying to reach out to her and mumbling something to her. I was laughing pretty hard, but sweet Aubrey was pretty nervous about the whole incident.

I think I will decorate my bike like this one for Mardi Gras.

CAFE DU MONDE

We went to the Fench Market in the morning and then to Cafe Du Monde for beignets. (Notice Aubrey's face before beignets and hot chocolate).

Do you think I ate this? I didn't actually eat this one. Brett insisted that I try a bite. I did, and I didn't like them, but the rest of my family sure did.

Here is the smile we have been waiting for!

Brayden loved it.

MARCHING JAZZ BAND AT JACKSON SQUARE

It was a wet, raining afternoon at Jackson Square, but it was still fun to see all the neat stuff. I had actually run the riverwalk and most of the streets of the French Quarter on my morning run earlier, but it was just fun and relaxing seeing all these unique things with my familly.

We couldn't leave New Orleans without Brett getting a Muffuletta from Central Grocery. I can't believe how big these sandwiches are. I swear it is bigger than his head, and he has a good size head. :)

AUBREY'S OWN PRE-SCHOOL

Here is the kids painting one morning at our neighbors house. We have been doing some fun arts and crafts lately since Aubrey has been home.

BRYNN'S THANKSGIVING PARTY

Brynn's had a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving in her class. They made turkey hats, and then watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving movie. After the show they had a little "Charlie Brown feast" including toast, pretzels, jellybeans and popcorn.

When we were checking Brynn out of school in the front office, Brayden got his first look at Santa. It was so cute because it was a singing Santa display, and Brayden was holding Santa's hand while it would sing to him.

Enjoying Life

BRETT GRADUATES FROM API (Aviation Preflight Indoctrination)

I can't believe how "hot" my husband looks. :) I am such a lucky girl to be married to this soon to be Flight Surgeon.

Brett graduated from API yesterday, and then he had the day off. We did his favorite thing on his day off. (ha, ha)We got family pictures. Anyways he starts flying helicopters tomorrow. He is really loving the whole flight thing. It is nice to see him so happy. I think he sure look good in his new dress code. :)

GIRLS' NIGHT OUT

Last Friday night, my friend Shannon had tickets to "So You Think You Can Dance". A few of us from my ward went to the show. It was so fun to just go and hang out with the girls, and it was great see all the dancers from the show again.

BLUE ANGELS HOMECOMING SHOW

We have really grown to love the Blue Angels, especially since this is there home here in Pensacola. We went with some of our friends from the ward (two of the girls that later went with me to the "So You Think You Can Dance" show). The girls had fun watching the show and playing with their friends. They also were able to jump with the bungees on trampolines. We have a tramopline now, so I thought it would not be that big of a hit, but they loved how high they could get. The last pictures is of Brayden with his ear protection on. It is very loud at the airshow, so this year we bought ear protection for all of us. Brayden was pretty good about keeping them on because he had them off at first, and I think he realized how loud it really was. I had to put this picture on the post because his cheeks are just so dang cute.

VETERAN'S DAY AT THE MOVIES

So last Tuesday, Brynn and Brett had the day off for Veteran's Day. We headed out to go to the parade, but we somehow never found it. So, we turned to plan B. We let the kids shop at Toy'R'us, and then we went to lunch and then to a movie. It was Brayden's first time sitting through a whole movie. I think everyone liked it and had a great Veteran's Day.

WHAT THE KIDS ARE UP TOO

Brayden is in such a fun stage right now. I have always been pregnant at this stage with the girls, so I don't think I got to thoroughly enjoy this stage. Anyways, he loves playing outside on his garage sale Diego 4-wheeler or on any of his scoot around toys. He love to dance and play with his sisters, and he really like to wear Brett's or my shoes. I think it is cute how the kids want to try and wear our shoes. Above Brayden is wearing my biking shoes and down below Aubrey is wearling Brett's flight boots. Brayden has started talking so much. It is cute to see how everyday he just says new words. He has such a calm, charming, and pleasant personality. He gives me the cutest hugs, and trys to say"I love You". Seriously, he melt my heart.

This is Aubrey dancing in her room to music. She has been so happy lately. Two weeks ago, after a lot of consideration I took Aubrey out of her preschool. It was just causing her too much stress and anxiety for a little three year old. Everyday now she is so happy to be here with Brayden and I. She has become such a good helper. She likes to help me clean, and she loves to jump on the trampoline. As a mom, sometimes it is hard to know what is best to do for your child, but after see how happy she is now, I know I made the right decision. I am happy to have her home with me.:) I have had the chance in the last couple of weeks to take both of the girls on their own little dates. It is so nice spending quality time with them, and being able to give them all of our attention. Aubrey went on a date with me today. She wanted to go shopping to get new clothes. She is our " little diva". Brynn wanted to go to McDonald's on her date. It is fun having two girls that are such good friends, but so different.

Brynn is learning so much at kindergarten. She was the first one to read enough books to get in the prize box at school. Her teacher says she loves to learn and is a good student. She has also started Speech Therapy which I am so happy about. I think it will make her fill so good to be able to have people understand her a little better. She is growing us so fast. She is gone most of the day. She starts at 7:30 and doesn't get to the bus stop until 2:20. The kids miss her so much. When Brayden and Aubrey see the bus coming they try to run to it as fast as they can go. It is so cute. One day after school we were playing outside, and I noticed Brynn was instructing the kids in something, which is really common for Brynn to do. Anyways, as I observed, Brynn was teaching the kids how to do sit-ups and push-ups. She says she does these in PE, which is one of her favorite classes at school:) (I have to be honest, that makes me really happy).

Anyways, life is good here. We are just enjoying every minute and I am really enjoying how blessed I am to have my cute soon to be flight surgeon/pilot husband and my wonderful children. They bring so much joy to my life everyday.

Parties and more Parties (WARNING super long)!!

AUBREY'S SCHOOL FIELDTRIP

WE went on a little hayride with Aubrey's preschool class. Brayden and Aubrey had fun on the hayride, but I think their favorite part was getting off and playing around with all of the decorations. They hayride at night was a "haunted" hayride. After the hayride we had a picnic and played at the park.

TRUNK-R-TREAT AT THE CHURCH

Brayden was so happy about all of his "own" candy.

The girls couldn't even wait to get home to dump out all of there candy. They dumped it out in the back of the van, while we were finishing passing out our treats.

The kids were all "superhero's" this year. Brayden was spider man, Brynn was super girl, and Aubrey was wonder women. They all looked "super cute". They all got super excited to be superhero. In this picture Aubrey is "using" here silver bracelet for super powers.

MORNING OUT WITH DAD FOR DONUTS
















Brett took the kids out for donuts on Saturday morning. Brayden loved it especially the hat. He loves doing #1 one in pictures now. I love how the hat shows off his cute chubby cheeks. He is still so dang cute. He is starting to talk alot now, which I love, but that means he is not going to be my baby for much longer. :(

When we were looking for house Brynn said she wanted a house with an orange tree and a swimming pool. We didn't get a house with a swimming pool, but we did get a house with an orange tree. As of this week they are ripe and so orange and juicy. For the last month or so, Brynn would watch them from her window to see when they would be ripe. It is so great just walking outside and picking an orange. :)

CARVING PUMPKINS

So carving pumpkins has become a tradition in our family on the last family night before Halloween. The girls really love it. It was nice this year because we had a medical student that was out here doing a rotation over for dinner that night, so when it came time to carve pumpkins we had an extra set of hands to put to work.

YW AND YM PARTY

We had a fun Halloween party in Young Women's. The kids had fun doing three legged races and apple bobbing, but I think the leaders had the best time in the donut eating contest. We had four young men leaders eating donuts on a string at the same time. It was so funny. We haves such fun leaders. I am so happy to be in the Young Women's because although we are few in numbers, they are all so sweet and great.

AUBREY'S SCHOOL HALLOWEEN PARTY

Brayden and I went in to help with Aubrey's Halloween party at her school. They went trick or treating to all of the different classrooms (over 18). I thought it was fun, but Aubrey and Brayden got quite tired. At the end the parents had a little game of musical chairs. My competitive spirit came out an it was down to me and another mom. It ended with me in the chair, and the other mom on the ground. (The chair slid down when we both went to sit down, and I stayed on the chair and she fell down). It was super comical. I went home with a lovely door prize.

BRYNN'S FALL PAJAMA PARTY

This is Brynn with her new teacher Miss Keegan. Brynn got put in a new class in October because there were too many kids in her original class. Miss Keegan has been so great to work with.

We had a fun Pajama party at Brynn's class on Halloween. The school didn't allow the kids to dress up, so all the kindergarten classes (all 8) decided to have a pj day. We got Brynn' some really cute light up ones. Anyways, the kids and I went in and did Halloween crafts with them, and had treats. I think the kids all had a great time. Then we stayed and had lunch with Brynn. Aubrey thought it was so cool to be eating lunch with all the big "kindergarten" kids. Then after lunch all the kindergarten children did a parade around to each class room. The spider hats they are wearing is one of the little crafts we did.

HALLOWEEN NIGHT

The girls and our neighbor Bella and Emmalyn went Trick or Treating. We just went around our neighborhood, but I was so surprised how much candy they got. Poor Brayden had to stay home with Brett to pass out candy. At the end of Brynn's party Brayden got sick, and actually ended up throwing up all over in Brynn's classroom.(Poor little guys).

In the top picture Brynn was trying to look "scary". Crazy girl.

FALL CARNIVAL

The girls made bracelets, got their hear sprayed pink, got their face painted, played games, and got snow cones. It really was a fun carnival. Everyone on the PTA worked really hard, and it showed.

Here is Aubrey bogging for apples. She was loving getting her head in the water. I think all the kids liked getting their head in the water because it was a hot day. I wish you could have seen the water. I would change it ever hour, but it was pretty sick. Good thing kids that young don't care about gems. :)

So, the day after Halloween Brynn school had a Fall Carnival. Some how I had signed up to help with the PTA, and ended up being the room mom for Brynn's class which in turn put you in charge of a booth at the carnival. Anyways, we ended up doing Apple Bobbing, which turned out to be a big hit. ( YEAH! I have to admit, being a room mom is way more time consuming than I thought, but I love it because it mean I get to help Brynn's school experience be fun).

We had a fun couple of weeks with all the parties, but by the end of Saturday afternoon, I was so happy we were done with all of our parties for awhile.