CLEARANCE SLIPPERS

Found these at Target last Saturday when I had the "day off". They were on clearance for $3, so of course, I couldn't pass them up. I knew one little boy who would just love to have them.

LIVING ROOM FLASH BACK

Three years ago this month, Marc and I finally got rid of the BGC (big green couch) and bought some real living furniture. This is the finished outcome once we purchased the following - a beautiful Wenge finished Drum coffee table from Crate and Barrel, a couch and chaise from Ikea with crisp White slip covers, a fun Circle design wool rug and throw pillows from Pier 1 Imports, and a round Wenge finished side table and funky shaped Red Ceramic lamp from Target. We already had the White Barrel side chair and Red ottoman, which we had gotten at Ikea with Christmas money a few Christmases prior.

We also already had the gorgeous Basque Collection Dining Room table from Crate & Barrel. At this point, the only thing our living room was lacking was a proper entertainment center.

Little did we know that less than a month later, we would become pregnant and our lives would forever be changed.

This is what our living room looks like three years later.

The beautiful Wenge finished Drum coffee table has been moved to the corner to make room for play. At one time, while Luke was still little, and just learning to walk, it still had it's place in the middle of the room, but had all it's edges covered with bumpers. The crisp White slip covers on the Ikea couch and chaise are no longer crisp, and definitely no longer White. All the cover's zippers have long been broken from being removed so many times for washing. The rug is still in pretty good shape, but it sheds A LOT of fuzz from all the rough and tumble playing. The throw pillows are all stained and miss-shapened, and missing buttons. The Wenge finished side table is scratched and has water marks. Amazingly, the funky Red Ceramic lamp has never been broken... yet. And, the White Barrel chair and Red ottoman have been put into storage, but were replaced with another chair from Ikea.

Now three years and two pregnancies later, we do have a much more stylish entertainment center, but we also have quite a few other colorful additions... a picnic inspired vinyl table cloth, a couple of high chairs, a basketball hoop, a Sit-N-Spin, a Sit to Walk learning center, a toy box, a Exer-saucer, and a miscellaneous sundry of other toys.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

WARMER WEATHER

This past Monday, the boys and I were starting to feel a little better, and the weather was a little warmer. So, I took them outside for some fresh air.

Didn't get a whole lot of shots of my oldest son, but my youngest is always a cooperative subject.

SAINTS SATURDAY

This past Saturday was the first weekend of the NFL playoffs, and the Saints played the AZ Cardinals. We had people over to watch the game with us, so Marc went all out and prepared gigantic Shrimp Po'Boys... YUM!! The game was off to a not so great start with the Cardinals scoring in the first minute, but after that, the Saints showed what an awesome team they are and did some serious ass-kicking. To quote something posted on Facebook... "If you're Catholic, you know a Saint trumps a Cardinal any day!"

Go Saints!!!

The Colts also won that day. If we end up with a Colts / Saints Superbowl... there will be a split house here at the Faucheux's.

SILLY SPOON

I captured this moment of Grey sometime last week. He only does this when I feed him with one of Luke's spoons rather than a baby spoon. He's quite talented.

NEW RECIPE

I haven't posted any new recipes in a while, but I have been cooking quite a bit since I made the original declaration back in August. The kitchen is definitely not as intimidating as it used to be, which means, I don't have to call Marc everytime I start to work on something. Like the old saying goes - "Practice makes Perfect". Well, maybe not perfect, but no one has gotten food poisoning yet.

I whipped this super easy recipe up last night. I think it was called "Lasagna Style Ziti Bake". Basically, you brown some meat with onions, cook some pasta, and mix it together with pasta sauce, spinach, ricotta cheese, and parmesean cheese. Then put it all in a 9x13 dish, cover with Mozzarella and bake for 15 minutes. YUM!!!!

A 9x13 dish yields a LOT of food, so we froze half of it, and will be having leftovers of the first half tonight.

TATER'S COTERIE

I have been invited to join an artist's coterie that has been organized by a high school classmate, Dave Fox, with whom I shared MANY an art class. He and I, along with quite a few other old artistic friends, have reconnected through the wonderful world of Facebook.

Please check it out HERE.

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS?

Did you guess?

I know it's extremely gross, but I thought it was funny.

It's Luke's first Booger wiped on the wall above his bed.

GOOD HOPE

This past Sunday, the Faucheux Family went back to church.

And, we went to a new church. Marc's roommate from college, John Higginbotham (who actually lives only a half hour from us on his family's farm) invited us to try his church. It's a small Southern Baptist Church called Good Hope. The congregation totals only 83, and has now grown by four. They have a nursery for the kids, which lets Marc and I enjoy the sermon, Marc really enjoyed the way the Minister delivered his message.

This past Sunday, the Higginbotham's were celebrating a very special occasion. Their oldest son, John David, was being Baptized. It was so wonderful that we picked this particular Sunday to be our first Sunday. After the Service, they invited us to join them for John David's Celebration Lunch. So we headed off to Charlottesville, to enjoy a wonderful lunch with an incredible family. John David had in attendance - his parents, John and Tracy, and his younger sisters, Lilly and Willow. Tracy's Mom and Aunt were also there. John's brother Page and his wife Ainsley were there, as well has his parents, Lynette and Sam, and his sister's boys Joe and Andrew. There was also a family friend, and rounding out the group were the Minister Kyle and his wife Bonnie. All in all, there were twenty of us. We sat at the end of the table with the Minister and his wife, so I had a very nice conversation with her. It meant a lot us that they included us in this so very special day for John David. You could just see how proud he was.

We are both very excited to go back this Sunday and become members of this special little congregation.

FLIKR

Hello everyone! I just wanted to bring your attention to the new "flikr" button that is at the top of the right hand column. If you click on it, it will take you to my home page there. Once there, if you click on the "Photostream", you will be able to view photographs I've taken since this summer. I don't post everything I do here on the blog, especially if it doesn't have to do with the boys.

So take a look, and please enjoy!!

GOODBYE TO THE TIGERS... UNTIL NEXT SEASON

New Years Day was the final game of the season for Marc's beloved College Football team - the LSU Tigers. They were matched up against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Capital One Bowl.

All four of us were all decked out in our finest LSU apparel, but of course, Luke had to be just like Daddy and also wear his hat.

The two of them always cheer LOUDLY for their team.

Luke's obviously not happy with the call

Unfortunately, the Tigers were eaten by the Lions with a final score of 19-17.

Can't wait for next season... only 9 months to go.

GEAUX TIGERS!

PROJECT FLASHBACK

In the Summer of '06, I worked on the following project. It was my last, before the pitter-patter of little feet could be heard.

Could you tell it was miniature before you saw the last picture?

NAKED GREY

?????... LOL

When I opened the door to Luke's bedroom to wake him up from his nap this afternoon, I saw something red peeking out from under the covers. I thought..."Awww, how cute. He's sleeping with one of his new mittens (rather than a stuffed animal) that his Daddy got him for Christmas. So, of course, I immediately had to get the camera. It was upstairs, so I had to be extra quiet in retrieving it, so I wouldn't wake him.

Once I got in the room, and up close enough to take the picture - this is what I saw...

He was actually wearing the mitten (NOT one of the ones Daddy got him for Christmas). I was laughing so hard (quietly of course so as not to wake him), that I couldn't keep the camera still - hence the picture being a little fuzzy. Some of my giggling must have leaked out because he woke up. I then proceeded to pull down the covers to discover he was wearing both mittens.

Now I know his room gets a little chilly at night, but could he really be that cold in the middle of the afternoon?

THE FIRST HAIRCUT

Well, we finally did it. We took Luke for his First Haircut. He was in desperate need of one, due to the fact he looked like he was either wearing a hair piece, or was sporting a serious comb over (note the family Christmas picture above).

We took him to the Mineral Barber shop, where Becky Sparks had the honor of performing the task. She usually cuts Marc's hair, and a lot of our gentleman neighbors are also clients of hers.

Once Luke was up in the chair, it looked like at first it wasn't going to go well. But in true Luke form, he was the perfect customer. The only thing he seemed to really not like was the cape, and when she finished with the razor, he got a little jumpy.

His first Lock of hair.

Becky gave Luke this adorable Certificate.

Oh So Handsome!!!

I actually got a little teary-eyed because he doesn't look like my baby anymore. He's now a little boy. But, of course, he'll always be my baby.

WHAT A FACE

... AND MORE CHOO CHOO

Still working with the "Choo Choo" them from yesterday, while Grey napped this morning, I made this train for Luke.

Then after lunch before they both went down for their afternoon naps, Grey got to join in the fun.

Could they be any cuter?

I don't think so!!