Family photo shoot

Click on any photo for clearer, larger view.

Over the Thanksgiving break, we had all the family in one place, so we took advantage and had a photo shoot. We took 140 pics! Below are some rough cuts and a couple we chose.



Leslie and Nannie Trudy, Monique's cousin.



Monique, the kids and her folks.


EVERYBODY, to include my 93 years young grandmother.

Fitness class, ballet and gymnastics, OH MY!

Our health club, Lifetime Fitness is our home away from home with all sorts of extra programs and activities. We enrolled Quadson in a fitness class, where he played all sorts of sports, in addition to swimming, and completing obstacle courses. Leslie was enrolled in ballet and gymnastics. The girl is a natural. The class was for 3-5 year olds, but 2.5 year old Leslie rose to the occasion and was quite the mature child for the duration of her classes.


The kids in the fitness class doing an activity in the raquetball area.

Experimenting with a parachute.

Working on balance with a raquet and ball.

Go Les!! The instructors were great.

Get it girl!!

Diva.

She lives on her tip toes.

Ballet teacher.

Mya and Les.

And of course no ballet class would be a complete without attendance at the ballet, The Nutcracker.

Monique's 20 year reunion

Monique and the Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee Class of 1988 celebrated their 20-year Class Reunion in New Roads, the same weekend visit we had Quadson's Louisiana birthday party. The original graduating class numbered around 70 and a good 50 people showed up. There was an afternoon family cookout at an area pavillion, followed by a soiree that evening for the graduates and spouses, etc.

Leslie gets aquainted with a new friend.

Leslie hangs out with the other daughters.

The girls catch up.

Entry table at the "country club" for the evening event. Monique found out about and had the planning committee implement a cool name badge idea with the person's senior photo on it.




Cool cupcakes display.

Of course, with a bunch of Louisiana natives, the food was amazing.



Monique and Monique.

That is not an OKAY symbol I am making. That would be an O for Obama. Monique and her friend discovered via facebook before the reunion, that they were both Obama supporters, so this now-California sweetie would come up to us throughout the night and chant in a whisper, "Obama, Obama, Obama." We were probably amongst a great deal of folk who were not quite behind the President-Elect in conservative Southern Louisiana, a state he lost.

PARTAAAY!

Very fun group of people. They had a great reunion.

He's half a decade.

Quadson turned 5 on November 8th and had two parties. We had a breakfast party for him at 9am on his birthday with just the kids he sees regularly in the hood; the other party was his annual party he has in Louisiana for a good 15 cousins and friends. Monique and I love a good invitation. The sock invite was to his big party at a jump house where the kids would have to have on socks. It announces his big day on the front of the decal with all the particulars on the back. We found Polo and Puma socks at a great discount place, so the kids got a great pair of socks too. His other invite had all the particulars on a big sticker, that we placed on a bag of instant oatmeal for his breakfast party. Gotta love what you can do with your own computer and a little imagination these days!!!































Most everyone came in pajamas to his breakfast party. Quadson is enjoying his wii-like game from my parents, that has bowling, tennis, golf, boxing and baseball games right on the TV with all movement controlled by remote controlled wands.




The fixins were awesome.

He has a great collection of dinos for us to decorate with. Of course we boiled the ones on his mango cream cake to disinfect them.

Our kids love to get clothes.

Trying out a new game for his LeapFrog while taking a birthday call...multi-tasker like his mother.

The jump party was easy. We just showed up. We did opt to bring our own cake and gift bags but for the most part, we were hassle-free.

All his guests signed a shirt as a keepsake for the birthday boy.

We were in a small game area for 40 minutes, then moved to a large jump area for another 40 minutes followed by 40 minutes in a private party room. Once we made the circle and were back in the lobby, the erasable board that had his name on it, donned someone else's.

Wild child Leslie rode everything with 12 year old Angelle

They had a ball.

Quadson, the little gentleman, greeted all his guests. Even though Annalisa'a mom told her a dressy dress was a bit much for a jump place, Ms. Annalisa insisted on dressing up. Kids!!!

Monica and I had an American Gladiator race. I killed myself trying to win.

Cake and ice cream anyone?

The family's favorite bakery hooked up a great dino cake.

Leslie has her own present-opening session with Nanny Trudy.

Our two party assistants even facilitated the present openings and kept up with who gave what. He got great clothes and tons of money for his account.

His new little cousin wants in on the present opening.