A Combined Celebration!

After the Laffitte-nap-time, they join us at Teresa's...

And enjoys being taken for a ride in the Barbie car!

This time Alex gets in on the party!

Jack likes the stilts, too...

Taylor took a nap, too! Alex wakes her up!

Christmas with the Fourticqs

The Fourticq kids had a "sleepover" in Taylor's room so they could share the excitement of going to sleep (?) and awakening early! By the time I got there around noon, the festivities were in full swing!
The stilts were a big hit!

Coco manages to get her "Fur Real" dog "Biscuit" into the passenger seat of her "Barbie Car" (her can'tbe-without-purse full of makeup is in the trunk!)...

Taylor shows Trey how to download things onto his new computer...

Christmas with the Laffittes

We opened packages Christmas Eve morning before I went to work... Alex slept through the whole adventure, but Jack had great good fun!

Every book Jack received meant a pause in the unwrappings while he had it read to him!



Look! A stepstool of my very own!

Posada

We had our Posada tonight - a delightful Mexican custom in which Mary and Joseph (and the rest of us!) process through the neighborhood, seeking shelter. We stop at several houses, and there is a singing dialogue with the people within, basically asking for - and being denied - a place to stay. After several unsuccessful attempts at finding a place to stay, the procession returns to the church where we are granted entry, all pilgrims are welcomed with yet another lively song, and we adjourn to the Parish Hall for a feast of tamales (which some of us spent the entire day making!) and champurrado, followed by pinatas for the kids. Fun! And the weather "cooperated" by being appropriately chilly, so it even felt like Christmas!

More Christmas Preparations

I don't work on Thursdays, so today I spent the afternoon and evening with Jack and Alex doing Christmas-y things: we went to "Color Me Mine" to make a plate for Santa's cookies on Christmas Eve (and a couple of parent-presents as well), and we baked and decorated cookies. Great good fun was had by all!

A Quick Visit from Andy

Andy found a good airfare and came in for a quick visit to get reacquainted with his nieces and nephews - a trip enjoyed by all!

Family Christmas Party at Wilshire CC

Erin and Ron invited me to join them at the Family Christmas Party at the Wilshire Country Club. We had great good fun! This year Jack "gets" Santa, and didn't "melt down" at the thought of seeing him or sitting on his lap, and even told him what he wants for Christmas (a guitar with a "box" and a kitchen). His favorite, still, however, are the carolers - he followed them from room to room and sat attentively and listened... (He himself sings hysterical songs, a mix-match of lyrics from all the songs he's been hearing: "...one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say, 'ho! ho! ho!' and Jesus has no crib so up on the housetop jingle bells....")

Christmas Tree Shopping

Such excitement! The Laffitte family went Christmas tree shopping - and Jack had great good fun running between the trees, looking for the "perfect" tree (which was virtually every one he saw! "This one! Let's get this one!" he'd say, before running off to find another, equally-selected!)...

Jack Decorates for Christmas

Jack - whose current favorite book is "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" (he's heard it so many times he has parts of the poem memorized already, and it's only December 1st!) was soooo excited to help decorate for Christmas! Here he is, distracted by a favorite snowman decoration!

Thanksgiving Day

We gathered at Erin's - all of Ron's family (plus extra in-laws!), me, and Marshall (Alayne was in Oklahoma with her daughter and family; Teresa and Mike were helping Taylor convalesce from her hernia surgery).

And Jack has another "ball adventure," learning to play pingpong!


Alex enjoys the whole event!

Jack loved the "Kids' table"!

A proud Papa with his kids!

Thanksgiving Preparations

We spent a busy Wednesday afternoon and evening cooking in preparation for Thursday's festivities. Jack was a big help!
And, when he got bored, we had a parade! It was great good fun!

Jack has a sleep-over

Jack came for a sleep-over on Thursday night. In typical child-fashion, I was only just turning around in his parents' driveway for our trip to my house when this little voice came from the back seat, "Are we there yet?!!"

Jack is introduced to the Grandchildren's Hot Chocolate Ritual - "very carefully" - from his great great grandmother's Hot Cocoa set.

Two candles? It must be a birthday! Can we light them? And then, of course, we have to sing the birthday song - twice, once for each candle (he arbitrarily picked Taylor and Trey to be the birthday honorees!)... and blow them out. Finishing, he looked up at me and said, "Now the cake..." Sure, Jack!

Off to the Aquarium!


And, of course, the typical kid-trip-home. Here is sleeping Jack with his new buddy, The Big Shark!

New Laffitte Kid Pictures

The kids grow up so quickly! Here are Jack and Alex - Jack in the midst of his "favorite things" and Alex trying desperately to MOVE and keep up with him! I commented to Jack that she is getting so big, and he said, "No. she's not - she's LITTLE!" 'Nough said!

Veteran's Day Adventure Part I

Coco had a sleep-over at Granny's on Monday night. She had great plans for our time together, including all our "old traditionals" - dinner at Chuckee Cheese and hot chocolate out of Great-Great-Grandma's 100 year old chocolate set (VERY carefully!), to which she added a new tradition. "I want some ice cream, Granny." "I'm sorry - I don't have any ice cream," I replied. "But you can make some," she said. "You can make EVERYTHING!" And so we did...