Off Subject!

Normally this entry would be about something Kennedy and we would have experienced or participated in. But over the holiday's I was witness to a truly magical part of Christmas.
Our neighbor and close friend bill, began receiving gifts about 2 weeks before Christmas. At first, he thought the original gift was a one time gift from someone in the neighborhood. But after the next day he received a second gift. Then a third and a fourth. What he was getting was part of the 12 days of Christmas. This of course went on for twelve days. Always, the doorbell would ring and he would answer with no one there, only a small gift at the door with a note and a scripture passage. Finally, on the 13th day, the door bell rang and when he answered there were 4 girls from the neighborhood. They range in age from 6 to 11. They told Bill they choose a neighbor each year and give them the twelve days of Christmas. They sang several Christmas carols and Bill asked if I could take a picture. He told me I could share this story with those who read this posting.
This was truly a special time as you could tell these girls did this under their own guidance and were not told by there parents to do this. Actually, some of the goodies were made /baked by the girls. God bless the parents of these girls for raising them this way.

Christmas Day

This year Christmas was at our house. My family made the trek from Louisiana and Mississippi. We thank them for their time and for all the wonderful memories. I sit here typing this while listening to the Beastie Boys "No sleep till Brooklyn". The favorite of Kennedy while playing with the Guitar Hero World tour set my Mom bought for my nephews. Kennedy was one of the lead guitars. Well not really. See she received a Hannah Montana guitar and keyboard and participated with the world tour in her own way. She was quite the rock star primadona. While the boys were trying to decide on their rock star attire, Kennedy just wanted to play her music. It was more entertaining than the 24 hour Christmas Story marathon. And for those who know my brother and I, that is saying a lot. Anyway, I took care of the turkey, ham, and a couple of side dishes, while the others took care of the dressing and salad and some of the desert. It was of course all good, and we stuffed ourselves.
Kennedy received a new "big girl" bike, a fire engine (in honor of her godfather), an electronic Globe, the guitar and keyboard, but the most impressive gift had to be her baby crib. My dad built Kennedy full size baby crib from reclaimed cypress wood. In fact this crib is so sturdy, my nephew Aiden slept in it for his Christmas nap. Way to go Granddad.

Part I - Christmas '08

This year we were honored to host Christmas Day with the Tregres at our house in Alabama. As such, Christmas with Tanya's family came a week early. Ms. Cheryl (Tanya's mom)was kind enough to host a small gathering of immediate family at her house in Louisiana.
Tanya's brother got to show off his new four-wheeler, and Kennedy got to sit on it for a while. Couldn't get her to go for a ride, I think the size of the cycle scared her a little. It was a good time had by all. Kennedy got to spend some time with her little cousin Lanie. Those girls love to swing on their granny's patio. Forget the fact that there were tons of presents with their names on them waiting on the inside. The eveingin ended with a spetacular sparkler display hosted by the gros and performed by the girls. The last pisture is one of Kennedy and Tanya in front of a Christmas tree that was Tanya's first Christmas tree in Virginia, where she was born. Thanks to our family for holding our Christmas a little early.

Show Off Night!

Kennedy has been attending the "Little Gym" for 5 months and she loves it. Last night was the final night so they had a "show-off" night. Parents were allowed to go into the gym with the children and have the children perform a routine which highlighted each child's strengths. Kennedy's Granny and Paw-Paw were able to make it so we all got to go in.

The kids did so great. Kennedy's balance and coordination has improved greatly and she really worked hard on her routine. You could tell from her rosie cheeks. I believe her favorite part was the tumbles. She was definitely a star. At the end, the teachers surprised everyone by handing out medals to all of the children. It was great.

To end the evening, we all went to Kennedy's Favorite restaurant, The Chinese Grand Buffet. She loves the shrimp and noodles. Also, they have an Ice Cream machine with sprinkles.

What did you call me?

So we are kneeling to pray our evening prayers, when Tanya comes into Kennedy's room with her headband on. Kennedy with a straight face looks at her mom's hair which is slightly sticking out from behind the band and says, "mom, you have a moo-cow on your head." Tanya said "A what?" Kennedy pointed to Tanya's "Cow lick" and repeated herself. We couldn't stop laughing even while saying our prayers. We even prayed for Tanya's "moo-cow". This went on for about an hour.

Peace Lobby Lot

On the way home from school on Friday, Kennedy and I were listening to Christmas songs on the radio, when "Felice Navidad" began to play. Well I started singing the refrain, which all i really know of the song. About the third refrain I hear Kennedy singing in the back of the truck. Of course I had the radio volume turned up so I couldn't quite hear her. Well later that evening, she heard the song again playing on the TV and she began to sing at the top of her lungs, "Peace Lobby Lot!" She apparently wants to wish all travelers a quiet ground floor in their hotels.
You have to love a child's translation.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Oh yeah? Since Christmas is so close to Thanksgiving this year it seems like a rush to get everything done in time for the big day. Of course I know the real reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Christ, but the festive part of the season is important as well. Especially with a four-year-old. It started Friday December 5th with the Fairhope Christmas Parade. Once again it was cold. Kennedy had a much better reaction this year than last year. She was up in the front of the crowd trying to get a glimpse of Santa. She loved the dancing squads and caught many throws. It was a fun time and only cost me a little for parking. The church we parked near called it a donation, but you wonder if you don't pay if they will have your car towed. We only had to walk a couple of blocks to the parade and we were able to watch in front of a friends business, i.e. warm bathrooms.

Saturday, we went pick out our tree. This year we are having family over on Christmas day and apparently that means a more expensive tree? So I was told. Normally it takes us about an hour to find the tree we like, cut it, have the living daylights shaken out of it (apparently to lose any dry needles) then wrapped like a fish in a gill net and thrown in the back of the truck. This year it took 10 minutes. We walked in, found it, Tanya went pay while me and Julio loaded it in the truck. So we had time to go visit with Santa, see his reindeer and then go on one of the scariest train rides of my life. Grandma didn't get run over by any reindeer, it was grandpa behind the wheel of his "death train". I think the catch phrase of the day was "Get out of the way (horn blows)" followed by "Merry Christmas". We learned more about Christmas trees than you care to know. And the number one lesson learned, never ride in a train with a conductor who smells like lighter fluid and whose PA system is a "you can be a star" FM receiver and microphone.

We did make it home and the girls did a fantastic job of decorating the tree. I got to decorate the front porch...it's the bestest one on the block. Tanya keeps calling me a "Yat". For those of you not familiar with the term wikipedia defines Yat as a unique collection of dialects of English spoken in New Orleans, Louisiana. The term also refers to those people who speak with a Yat accent. The name comes from the common use amongst said people of the greeting, "Where y'at?" (Where you at?), which is a way of asking, "How are you?" Just because I keep adding more lights.

But hey, it is Christmas.

And in the spirit of Christmas, Kennedy's school had their Christmas program where the children get to sing Christmas Carols. The children did a great job and they all looked great in their Sunday Best.

Thanksgiving!

Well, Kennedy had her Thanksgiving program at her school today. I am trying to get the video copied to my computer so I can show off my little singer. Hopefully that will come soon. Until then, I'll just tell you how it went.

The Children were dressed in their Turkey shirts (two hand prints with different colored fingers on each), an Indian head dress made of Manila folder and feathers from what appeared to have been a boa. They all lined up and sang three songs for the parents. Some children where more into it than others. But the kids all loved having heir parents there to show off for.

After the singing we were allowed to share the Thanksgiving buffet with the children. Of course today was one of the coldest days this year and my little darling decided she wanted to sit outside for lunch. Anyway, after having some "cold turkey", we brought her back to her classroom and went back to work.

Editorial: What is it with pre-school having functions during working ours. Isn't that one of the reasons we are sending them to pre-school. If we had that much time off, we could stay with our children at home.

We got the Blues!

Blue Angels that is. I had to work on the weekend of the 15th, so Tanya took Kennedy to see the Blue Angels at Pensacola NAS. They had tried this once before, over the summer when several people got struck by lightning the day of the show. Needless to say that show was cancelled and Tanya and Kennedy spent 9 hours in a car together in the pouring rain. But back to the present show.

Tanya discovered the difference between a plan and a jet. Now before you say, "She doesn't know the difference?" Let me explain. To a mother holding a 4-year-old, the sound of a plane initiates the response, "Oh look mom an airplane." On the other hand the sounds of a jet initiates a child climbing her mother like a squirrel up a pecan tree. All the while squealing like a wounded pig. So lets review...plane, good...jet, the most horrible sound a 4-year-old can imagine.

Beyond that the girls did have a great time. Tanya even got some pictures, mind you she hates working our camera. Claims she doesn't know how. You be the judge.




(Yes, she did forget to lead the Angels, they were only flying at Mach 1)

Halloween Part II

As many of you read in a prior posting, Kennedy was ill for Halloween and was not able to participate in the festivities. As such, her mother and I finally broke down a bought a pumpkin that was to be turned into a Jack-o-lantern. Actually, we bought two, more on that later. Since Kennedy is not a big fan of the "yucky stuff", daddy got to use his hands and whatever large spooning device he could find to remove the stringy parts.

Kennedy did help by drawing the template for the face. As you can see from the pictures below, they were just a little smaller than what we needed. So I was very liberal with my following of the lines. The larger pumpkin came out great and Kennedy loved it. Then came the little pumpkin.

As you can see from the photos, I did use a power tool to make the face on the small pumpkin. I highly recommend it to all parents. There is nothing that saves time than a power drill and some large bits. I think it came out pretty well.

So, we had jack-o-lanterns on our porch for Thanksgiving, big deal, Kennedy was happy and that as we all know is the only that that matters in this world.

Closing Shop!

On October 31, 2008 Spa Bella, closed its doors and will be no more. The owner sited economic issues and personal matters as a reason for closing. As such, it was necessary for me to move my practice to a new location. I considered opening my own Massage Clinic, but the overhead would have killed me. So I contacted one of my clients, who by the way is a Chiropractor. She and her husband have an All Natural practice, which I admire. She had contacted me a few weeks prior to the closing to see if i was ready to make a change. At the time, I was doing well where I was, so I was not interested. (Sometimes God whispers, sometimes he screams) So when I found out about the spa closing I made 20 phone calls to several contacts and she returned my call first. So I discussed moving my practice in with theirs and a new relationship is beginning to bloom. This setting is a great setting for my approach of massage being more than a luxury, it is a part of a complete wellness program. They are great, I am being asked to consult on cases and have many new future clients.

Halloween, trick no treat!

Halloween this year was not good for us. For a couple of weeks Kennedy, had been choking more than usual. She has an enlarged tosil on her left side, so we thought it had just become irritated. Well the week of Halloween, she started coughing and had some trouble swallowing. Thursday morning, she woke-up grumpy and whinny. So we checked her temperature and it was 102.6. So no school that day. Gave her Tylenol and that did not even touch the fever. So called the pedi, and brought her in. Strep-throat. 10 day regimen of anti-biotic, parents know the usual routine. Unfortunately, she was still sick on Friday...Halloween night. No trick-or-treating for her. Cinderella had to miss the ball. Not to mention her school's party. We had signed up to bring something for the party and since it was not fair to not bring the treats for the other kids, I dropped the items off at her school. When I walked in, I noticed a sign stating that a child had been diagnosed with Strep. I thought Tanya has called the school and let them know about Kennedy. When I met Kennedy's teacher and she asked about Kennedy, I asked if the note was not because of Kennedy. I was informed that another child had been diagnosed the day before. But we did leave Kennedy's pumpkin bag that her aunt Florence had given her so that she could collect the treats from the party. Anyway, it was the worst we had ever seen Kennedy. She is better now and enjoying life.

Fall Festival

On October 26th, our church held their annual fall festival. We decided it was time to be more involved with the goings-on at our church. So off we go. Did I mention the day we had on Saturday. See prior post. Kennedy had a great time, she got to play a lot of the games and did some of the inflatable jumps, she was a little short for the inflatable obstacle course but she eventually got through it. She won several tokens which can be traded in for trinkets of different token values. She decided on glow-in-the-dark vampire teeth, a race car and a couple of rings. We all had a good time and enjoyed seeing several friends. Below are some of the pictures from the day. Enjoy.

No more Support, for you!

On October 25th, Tanya's company participated in the strides for breast cancer walk in Mobile. Now, being familiar with Relay for Life, we both expected the walk to be around a circular track with tents set-up along the track representing each of the companies that were there. The walk is 5 miles long and Tanya was going to push Kennedy (now 42 Lbs.) in our jogging stroller. Yes we own a jogging stroller. Anyway, we woke up early to head to Mobile and I being the great supportive husband I am decided to go along just in case Kennedy had some "issues". So I drop Kennedy and Tanya off at the gates to Cooper Riverside Park, near the convention center in downtown mobile. I go park in the parking garage and I am impressed by the number of people at the event. So I catch up with Tanya and Kennedy,and as we walk in the coordinator for Tanya's company hands me a form and tells us to head to the tables setup under a tent. The lady at the tent tells me I cannot get in unless I am registered. So, I register and get my sticker. We proceed into the park, and start looking for the tents, there are two. The medical tent and the main sponsor tent. So Tanya takes off to look for her group. Kennedy and I hang out until the group catches up with us. Then we here the announcement to line up for the start. So I follow along. Then the start gun goes off and everyone begins leaving the park...what!? Where is everyone going?

OK here is the deal, it is not a relay, it is a walk, ...through downtown Mobile. And I am registered to walk...how did this happen? I am here to support my wife! Cheer for her as she passes on her laps around the track. But no, I am now walking through downtown and not really prepared for it. P.S. Tanya's team is being led by an apparent professional speed walker, named Lisa. In a group of 4 thousand people, you would think that being in 30th place would be considered the front of the pack. Apparently, you are only considered up front if you are becoming intoxicated by the carbon monoxide coming from the tailpipe of the escort police car. So now we are speed walking. The first couple of miles were not bad, we made fun of each other and supported each other. Did I mention the jogging stroller. Tanya started with it, but it proved to be a little much, so around mile marker 2-3 I took over. Why? Why? I am so gullible for a woman in distress. So now I am pushing Kennedy. Not bad, proud dad taking on the challenge. Mile three was tough, but by mile four the endorphins had kicked in and I was feeling no pain. Finally the walk was over, we got a bag with a boa, cup, pen and some other information.

In addition, I had a strained Achilles tendon, pulled ligament in my left foot, cramps in both calves, and a slight bit of dehydration. It was a great Saturday. From now on, more information will be needed from anyone seeking my support.

Going to the Chapel

The weekend of October 10, Tanya attended the Women's Cursillo. Unfortunately for her it was the same weekend as Kennedy's Babysitter's wedding. Kennedy and I were able to attend to represent the family. Jesse is also the daughter of Lisa, the owner of the Spa where I worked. The ceremony was kinda funny. The groom and his brother are identical twins, Marvis and Jarvis (I can't make this stuff up people), everyone kept congratulating the wrong guy, including myself. The pastor started out well with the grooms name, but then it changed to Murvis, then finally Melvis. Not sure if the marriage is legal if the name is mispronounced. But it was fun all the same. Kennedy was a little shy at first, but then when the music started, she cut lose. We had a great time. The food, catering by "Catfish Junction", was some of the best I ever had. Below are just a few of the pictures.

Anyone feel like some double mint Gum?

(The groom and Best man, Identical Twins)

The wedding party, left to right, Dallas(Bride's Sister), Jesse,

The name changing Pastor,

Marvis(I think) and Jarvis

Kennedy just being herself. Nice outfit, way to go dad!

Sound the Retreat!

The Last weekend in September, I attended Cursillo. A Christian retreat. I worked the retreat as "Setups" as the name states, I was helping set-up the different areas for talks and meals. It is a time of reflection and growing in faith. I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to strengthen their faith in God. Below is a picture of some of the attendees. Pictured are myself (wearing the set-ups identification suspenders), Brother Lee, Don Domico(also a client) and I can't remember the name of the 4th person. Brother Lee was leaving the next day to go to La. to participate in a celebration of Brother Paul Monterro and Brother Ray Hebert's Jubilee for becoming a Brother of the Sacred Heart. He was kind enough to transport a note for me congratulating Brother Ray (I didn't know Bro. Paul was also there). For those of you who don't know, Brother Ray performed our Wedding ceremony. Yes he is ordained. Also, he was our Dean of students and Principal while we were at E.D. White. Brother Paul was our first Principal, until our 9th grade year I believe. Anyway, it was a special time, hearing Brother Lee speak of Brothers Ray and Paul. Also Pictured is Brother Ray and Paul with their Plaques commemorating this special event.

And, We're Back!

We're back. I apologize for the time away. We will try to get everyone caught up on what has been happening. Enjoy the updates

One last Horrah!

We were invited to a final season pool party yesterday held at a friend of the friend's house. He bar-b-qued two beef cattle a small poultry farm and 3 pigs. At least with all the meat, it seemed PETA would be ther any minute. The food was really great. I even slipped in some vegetables, i.e. BBQ beans and cole slaw. Kennedy enjoyed swimming in the pool, but her dad had to get in with her and the water was cold. We had a good time and the weather was holding off. Thanks to Mark and Ashely for letting us crash their party. While there, a couple of our Friends children showed off some great fashion. GEAUX TIGERS!

Poly what?

Check out my Brother's company. This segment ran on the local news in Hattiesburg. Wow, he really is smart. So, if he got the brains, that means I must have gotten the looks. I think he got the better deal. Congratulations Brother, we are so proud of you, even though we don't know what it is you just said.

(My Brother, had a snippet from the local news that was embedded in the blog. The snippet has since been removed from the news website, and therefore had to remove the embedded file. But he used a lot of his big fancy educated words on the news cast. Thus the title of this post. )

In general his company has acquired a grant to do research on Chemo-therapy that would allow for the destruction of cancer cells without affecting normal tissues. Way to go Greg.

Aiden at last!

Saturday I didn't just catch up on rest. I decided to keep my original plan of going visit my brother to see his new son Aiden. Kennedy and I took off while Tanya attended a conference in Gulf Shores. It worked out well. We had a great visit and I get to hold him for a little while. He slept pretty much the whole time. I once again could not avoid hurricane duties. So I helped my brother go get a generator for his house with Ike looming in the Caribbean. Kennedy was great, she got to play with her cousins and hold Aiden again. She commented on how big he had gotten, because he no longer fit in her lap. She loves babies and loves more to help take care of them. He is growing bigger and soon will probably be able to hold Kennedy. Everyone was doing great. Below are some pictures, one of Aiden, asleep. The other my attempt at an artistic expression.

Tarping Rodeo!

Only some of my La. friends may get the title. A play on the Grand isle Tarpon Rodeo. Sorry!

Wednesday afternoon, Tanya finally heard from her parents. They were calling from her grandparents house using an old rotary dial phone. With power out, cordless phones were not working. And even if they were some of the telephone transfer stations were not on generator and could not carry a signal. Anyway, they called to ask for items that they were unable to get locally. Mainly gas and generators. Now they have a generator for there own home, but Tanya's grandparents do not and they wanted to be at their own home. Guess I can't blame them, I know once the storm would have passed me, I would have wanted to get back to my home as soon as possible. So Wednesday evening, and with the help of friends, I packed up 100 gallons of gasoline, two generators, water, batteries, flashlites, tools, tarps and anything we could think of that they might need.

I left home at 3:00 am Thursday morning. Of course with my cargo and the are I was going into, stopping was not an option. As my truck would have probably been pilferred. So straight through to my parents house first to bring them some fuel for their generator. Of course that is when I got to see all of the shigless from their roof missing.

Next I headed to my inlaws since they had more immediate needs. They had a leak in their roof, and rental properties with major damage. So after unloading we got Tanya's grandparents set up with the generator. Then up on the roof top hammer, hammer, hammer. Mr Dan and I put up a couple of tarps on his house, and i have to admit after putting down the second tarp we were getting pretty good. That's not a good thing, by the way.

That night it was hot and uncomfortable, even with generators. The cold shower I think was the best. My dad made the comment, "Leave some cold water for me." Yea right, I 'm using as much as I can.

Friday was back to tarping. This time at my father-in-law's rental house. The roof was blown out at two spots. Once again, our expertise showed through. This day was also great since filling stations were opening back up to provide much needed fuel. Also, more stores were begining to open with ice and water. Friday afternoon, my dad recieved his first load of groceries to restock his now bare shelves. So after helping Mr. Dan, it was off to the store. I helped stock shelves which I had not done in over 12 years. But every little bit helped. That night my mom kikced me out and sent me home. She wanted me to go home. So mcuh for being greatful. Anyway, last report was power back in 14 days.

Gustav!

Gustav took aim at the Louisiana coast, with Tanya's and my family in it's direct path. Of course neither of our families would evacuate from there homes. We received dozens of calls from our friends here in Alabama that were concerned about our families. Thank you all for your concern and prayers. Monday the storm came ashore in south Terrebone parish. The storm surge and strong winds caused major damage in the coastal regions. Of course not many people know this because most of the coverage was focused on Poor New Orleans. Since Katrina the media has been foaming at the mouth to have another disaster they could cover. Too many were just watching and waiting for the levees to fail again. Of course the storm went further west and N.O. was to the east side which as we all know is the worst side to be on. However, Terrebone and Lafourche (La-fush)parishes were the heaviest hit.

I spoke with my dad yesterday and he was at his grocery store. He opened up on Tuesday under generator power to provide what ever he could to the town. Of course he had armed guards to keep the piece. He reported roof damage and lots of debris. Reports were that power would be out for several weeks due to the damaged lines.

Tanya's parents we are yet to here from. Her brother Ryan is a First responder and is out helping to coordinate relief and rescue efforts. His wife is nun to happy about it but understands it is in his nature.

Anyway we wait for updates.

Kennedy and Joshua

Joshua is one of our friend's sons and Kennedy enjoys playing with him. Since Kennedy's school was closed Today, I stayed home with her in the morning and Tanya went to work for a half day. Her co-worker, who happens to be Joshua's mom worked the afternoon and allowed us to keep Joshua for a while. He and Kennedy had a great time. They rode bicycles and played in the house. They had a great time and Kennedy enjoyed having a friend over. He is an active boy to say the least. He just kept running circles in the house and had a blast pushing one of Kennedy's little shopping carts around as fast as he could. It was great to hear he and Kennedy laugh the whole time. He is a great child and we hope to have him over some more.

Fay Who?

This weekend was not as eventful as predicted. TS Fay apparently decided to hop-scotch over the Mobile Bay area and effect Mississippi and La more than here. Don't get me wrong, we had the rain and wind, but the path of Fay went north of us and didn't impact us that much. we did not experience and loss of power or Satellite. It did however, prevent me from getting over to my brother's house to see my nephew Aiden. Guess that will have to happen later. Our entertainment was to watch a mother squirrel travel from the median in front of our house, across the top of our fence, to a tree in our yard, under the back fence and into our backyard neighbor's yard...then back to do it all over again. At first I thought she was carrying an pine cone, then I notices the pine cone had a stripped tail. Come to find out, she was moving her young from a small tree in the median, which was swaying in the wind, to a safer location. The impressive part was the she would stop at the road and wait for traffic to clear. Then after travelling back and forth four times, she returned once more to make a final check that all of her young was out and safe. Mother nature can be amazing. Sorry no pics but she was faster than my camera.

Since the weather prevented me from seeing my nephew, I got to see a good friend of mine before he ships out to Afghanistan. He is a paramedic with the reserve here in Alabama and he shipped out this morning. He will spend a few days in Mobile, then to Washington DC for 3 weeks and then overseas for 380 days. Please keep him and his fellow soldiers in your prayers. We are proud of him and wish him well. Below is a picture of Daniel and I at his farewell party.

Water, water, everywhere...

Yesterday, we took Kennedy to one of her favorite spots. The fountains and the Easternshore Shopping Center. Kids are allowed to run through the fountain and cool off in the heat of the summer. She loves to sit/stand on the fountain to stop the flow and then jump off to see the water shoot into the air. The larger of the streams is in the middle and Kennedy has finally got the nerve up to go into the middle and play in the water from the larger fountain.






Tonight we are also preparing for TS Fay. Although the infamous "Cone of probability" keeps Changing, we are preparing just the same. We apparently will be sitting on the porch watching it rain this weekend. After reading my cousin's blog, I am a little concerned about the amount of rain expected. Keeping an eye on my carpet Jen, sorry about your carpet but thanks for the "heads-up". Got to go, my laptop battery is about to fade out.

Kennedy visits the Outdoor World

Bass Pro's Outdoor World that is. As of Wednesday August 13, the Bass Pro Shop is open. Tanya thought I would take the day off and spend the whole day there. Actually as of today, I have still not been.

Tanya picked Kennedy up from school one afternoon and thought Kennedy would love to see it. She actually had a great time. Tanya said that she only spent 30 minutes there, figuring that we would go back soon to spend more time. Kennedy is excited to go back and already has a shopping list.

A Princess is a Princess

Kennedy is a big fan of the Disney Princesses. Her favorite being "Princess Rella". Cinderella for those of you who do not speak "4-year-old." Tanya was able to find her a princess costume that she can dress in to be a princess. For all of you who claim I treat her like a princess, now she can actually dress that part. She dresses up and sits on her little stool, ordering her servants (i.e. her mother and I) around. She does make a great little princess. A warning to all future boys of interest, She is a princess and knows it.

Two Lives

In my last post I mentioned that Kennedy had just returned from a week with her Grandparents. Her Granny and Paw-Paw were kind enough to send us a picture of Kennedy's other life. She apparently has a second family (i.e. pet). The picture is one of her and her Louisiana kitten "Broken-eye". It's so named due to it being born with an infected eye that is only partially open. Kennedy always ask about her kitten back at her Granny's.

Our Olympian

Kennedy returned from a week with her grandparents on Saturday. Since then there has been many events. She started with the Little Gym on Monday nights. This night there was 13 children in her group. Parents are allowed to watch from a separate room while the children listen to the instructor and the assistants. We are not allowed in the gym only the children are allowed. The kids are not forced to sit but are encouraged through positive reinforcement to pay attention to the instructor. Kennedy simply loved it. I think it is great for her to socialize with children outside of her daycare. The parent commentaries were hilarious. We all had our stories about our children. Anyway the pictures below are from her first class.

On Sunday we went visit Kennedy's babysitter's baby. Kennedy had a blast meeting Eli and Blain. Blain is the grandson of one of our receptionist. Eli is the baby of Jesse, kennedy's babysitter.

Also, Kennedy's school has been having "Bike" day, where the children can bring their bikes and ride around the parking lot. Kennedy has not liked the day as she was not proficient on her "big-girl" bike. This week she floored all of us when she wanted to take the bike to school. The night before, she showed me just how well she could ride. She zoomed around the driveway like she was an Olympic cyclist. What happened to our timid little girl? A new playground merry-go-round that encourages the cycling motion of the legs. She just got on and began to peddle. So now she wants to ride her princess bike all the time.



Enjoy the pictures.

A fish, a Pharmacist, and a Priest...

This weekend was a busy weekend for the Bama Tregres. We had several commitments for Kennedy to attend. First was going to the Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans with her cousin Lanie. She loved it. She was in a great mood the whole way to N.O. When we we were done with the aquarium, she didn't want to leave. I think her favorite part was seeing "Nemo" (the clown fish). She was so good, she even got to touch a stingray and a shark (both juveniles).

After the aquarium it was off to Tanya's cousin Nicole's house. She just moved in and she was having a housewarming party to celebrate. Nicole, (the Pharmacist) handled everything well, we ate Spaghetti and had a great time visiting with everyone. The house was beautiful. It will be even better once she has actually has a chance to live in it. And, Nicole, two closets? Come on, really!

On Sunday, we went to Denham Springs for my cousin's Silver Jubilee as a priest. Kennedy was great, she stayed still for over 2 1/2 hours during the ceremony. I told her she was definitely going to get a treat for that. She perked up after that. The reception was reminiscent of a wedding. good food, everyone talking and remembering when. We were able to get a picture with him, being this was his first meeting with the princess (Kennedy). I hope to get a copy of the picture to post on the blog.

Anyway, we are home now and recovering from the weekend. Enjoy the slide show of the Aquarium.

Take Me out to the Ball Game!

Tonight Kennedy got to go to her first official Baseball game. Ameriprise, one of my former employers has a client appreciation night that we get invited to. Tonight the Mobile Bay Bears took on the Tennessee Smokies. She loved it. Which made her baseball loving Mom super happy. Kennedy already wants to know when we can go back. The best part about it, besides spending some time with our daughter not in front of the TV, is that she actually "caught" a foul ball. No really, a ball was hit foul and ended up at her feet. Her first game. It was meant to be. She did want to know when did she have to give it back...we told her she could keep it and her eyes lit up. For the full experience we got her a real ballpark hot dog and cotton candy. Now of course we were in the 755 club VIP suite, sponsored by Lexus. Not our typical seats, but I think she could get used to the VIP treatment. We will see how much she loves sitting with the regular folk at the next game. Anyway, the boys of summer have a new fan, Kennedy Tregre. Now "Play Ball!"

My first basball game Hank Aaron Stadium, Mobile, Alabama

This hot dog is truly a ball park frank (inside the 755 Club, VIP Suite)

Outside the VIP suite, 755 Club

SHE CAUGHT A FOUL BALL!

Kennedy visits Aiden

Tanya took Kennedy to visit her new "little" cousin in Hattiesburg. Aiden didn't have much to say but he was the center of attention. Kennedy got to hold him for a little while and so did his aunt Tanya. We are glad everyone is doing fine and keep them in our prayers.

Wow, I did That!

This past weekend as anyone who has read the blog knows was Kennedy's cousins birthday. Tanya and Kennedy attended to represent our family. I on the other hand was left with a list of things that should be "Taken care of". That weekend I cleaned our yard, which hadn't been completely cleaned since Hurricane Ivan. So you can imagine. We have also had a few rotten trees removed and the debris from that was laying around. So I spent a total of 18 hours in the yard cutting, raking, shoveling and gathering. I also changed out the patio door and put in a new dog door for the "four-legged" kids. Tanya thought a picture was Worth a thousand words so she took one of our trash pile, which by the way cannot be placed at the curb prior to 24 hours before pickup. Pick-up is Thursday. You got it, I had to move these bags twice. Not fun. But it is over and I am happy to say, I now have a grip of the yard. The picture you are looking at is 30, 39 gal. lawn bags of clippings, pine straw, and other various lawn debris.

It must have been the Full moon

Today we received a phone call from my Brother Greg. Kennedy's newest cousin Aiden Luke was born at around 1:15p.m. today. Both mom and baby are doing fine. The two older brothers are also doing fine. My brother says he is doing fine...we'll see.

At around that same time, My cousin Jody's wife Kim gave birth to Brady Robert in Ponchatoula. Again, both mom and baby are doing fine. I have not spoke with them directly but the word is that everyone is doing OK.

My boss at the spa has a daughter (she is also Kennedy's babysitter) who is also beginning to labor and is due any day now. If she would have given birth today that would have just been too much.

They Grow up so Fast!

Well, the girls are back from Baton Rouge. Tanya took Kennedy to the LSU campus to see "Mike the Tiger". She loved it. She told Tanya, "This is a nice place, I'm going to school here." Words to make a father cry. At least a father who is a "Rabid" LSU fan. Here is my girl at the Tiger's new multi-million dollar habitat (Mike was sleeping, he is after all, a cat) and at the Student Union.

Of course the main reason for going to La. was for Kennedy's cousin Lanie's birthday. Kennedy and Lanie apparently had a good time with the toys from the party. Tanya told me that everyone enjoys the blog and I thank you all for the positive feedback. Here are the girls enjoying the "after party". Once again "Happy 2nd Birthday, Lanie."

Summer Days

This week the weather has been more cooperative than it has been. As such Kennedy was looking forward to "water day" at preschool. It is a day when they get to wear their bathing suits and play in the sprinklers and slide on the water slide. Unfortunately, the lawn care workers ran over the deflated slide with the lawn mower. Talk about disappointment. So Bill our neighbor across the road has a pool and we help with the maintenance and occasionally feed Bill. He is a bachelor of 59 and doesn't do much in the way of cooking. He is a good friend though and we all get along great. Anyway, he lets us use the pool whenever we have the opportunity. So with the weather cooperating and the "water day" festivities on hold, we went to the pool. Kennedy loves to swim and float on the "floaty thing". She can even hold her breath under water...(she pinches her nose and barely puts her lips and nose in the water before darting back upright)...we're so proud. Yesterday was a big day for her, using just her arm floats, she swam in the shallow end holding my fingers, but still. I think she will be a fish and love the water. I hope, I hope, I hope.

Tonight the girls are starting to get ready to go to Kennedy's cousin Lanie's Birthday party. It's this weekend. They are also supposed to go by and tell "Mike the Tiger" "hello!" for Daddy. It will be her first time seeing the real tiger up close. I will be saying home this weekend. Repairing things around the house and trying to get a grip of the yard. With so much rain lately, the grass is growing like wild fire. Stay tuned for pictures from the weekend.


She's leaving the steps...

She's serving food from the poolside bar

The "underwater" breath hold

Post "underwater" breath hold

No Fly Zone

Today, Kennedy and Tanya tried to go watch the Blue Angles at Pensacola Beach. I had to work. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans for them. After sitting in traffic for several hours, they arrived in Pensacola Beach just in time for the flood. With only a forty percent chance of rain, they ended up with major thunderstorms. Which means the Angels were grounded for the day. Tanya and Kiki sat in a parking lot for a couple of hours and then tried to make it home. More thunderstorms were waiting for them on the way home. It took a total of nine hours for Tanya and Kennedy to make a trip to Pensacola Beach and back. Not the bonding moment Tanya was looking for. The Angles are supposed to fly again, weather permitting but it looks like more thunderstorms on the way. Oh well...