Kymry's visit, Gator and Friends and Chuck E Cheese's

There's a lot of photos to go through! Since it's been over a month since she visited, I better get these up! So I'll just pick some of the best photos from the rest of Kymry's visit. She has since had her sweet baby girl Hailey!

These first set of photos are from a place called Gator N' Friends where you can see lots of other cools animals besides alligators, like these deer, lemurs, zebra, camel and goats.

Oh mom! You're such a kidder!

Kaylin and Scarlett find a caterpillar!

Come on cousin, give me a smooch!

Aunt Drea explains this as she was barely holding Jonas back from climbing into the kangaroo enclosure

Kaylin enjoying a ride!

Bryce was loving opening and closing the tray on my stroller. :)

These photos are from Chuck E. Cheese's. This was the first time Sydney and Jonas had ever been there! The kids had a blast with lots of tokens!

gotta love Scarlett's adorable smile!

Ok and some more pics for this post... We also went to the great Duck Pond. It was great to go there because we all have lots of memories of this park from our childhood spent in Shreveport.

A super wonderful sight was to see this mother duck with her baby chicks. They actually came within a few feet of Drea and the kids while they tossed some bread to them. It was so cool!

 Fun times!

Happy Mother's Day!

From Meagan:
I love this day of the year when we can look back and reflect on the most influential women in our lives. For me I get a renewed sense of my purpose as a mother and what a gift and blessing it is as well as an outpouring of gratitude to the amazing woman who taught me what it means to be a mom.

A memory that always sticks out to me from my childhood is a time when my mother showed how much mothers sacrifice for their children. I was in the 5th grade and was so excited to be a flower in our school's production of "Alice in Wonderland". My mom was working 7pm-7am as a nurse but found time to sew my costume. I took it to a dress rehearsal and lost it and missed one of the performances because of it. I was devastated and looked everywhere but couldn't find my costume. My mother, stayed up when she should have been resting and made me a new costume so I could be in the next performance.

I could sit here and type all the many things I know she did for me throughout my life: she clothed me, fed me, she encouraged me, she taught me, she led by example, she inspired me, she led me and most importantly she loved me. The list goes on and I hope that when I look back, I can say I gave my kids everything I have because they really fulfill me and my purpose. It's who I am, it's who my mother was, and my grandma, and so on. A legacy of love and devotion to family.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Now from Brian:

 I'd like to tell my mom, how much I love her and appreciate everything she has done for me and my family. She is a role model for how to live one's life, serving others and the Lord without hesitation. She's always helping and trying to put a smile on people's faces even when she is having a hard time herself. I'm not as good at it as her, but she has taught me to love people despite their flaws and circumstances. She loves God, and she shows it in everything she does and in the way she lives her life. She played no small part in teaching me to follow the Lord and obey His commandments. She always made us go to church whether we liked it or not and I wouldn't be the man I am today without her.

We love you Grandma Tuck and hope you have a Happy Mother's Day!

Kymry's Visit Day 3

I know I skipped a day but on the second day, we went to the library story time, ate out at The Real Pickle and then Kymry hung out with Drea the rest of the day. Then on Day 3, Kymry and I took the kids to the Sprayground at the Shreveport Riverwalk. The kids had a blast!

Sydney and Kaylin swimming!

Bryce liked this little one!

Later that day we hung out, and then went out to eat at Trejo's, family favorite restaurant. We also went by the boardwalk afterwards but the carousel was no longer running :( but it was a beautiful breezy night!

Kymry's visit Day 1

So there's going to be lots of photos for this week! My sister Kymry is in town with her daughter, Kaylin and her son Bryce. Her husband is stationed over seas so we haven't seen her in almost 2 years!

The cousins are having a blast and I have tons of photos! so I thought I would take it a day at a time.

Here is Day 1 with some shots of them playing in the backyard and then some shots at Sci-Port, a local science museum.

Here's little big Bryce! He's about 3 months younger than Jonas but he definitely weighs more and is almost as tall as Jonas! Such a cutie! I say he looks like Faramir from Lord of the Rings!

Here's Kaylin! She's got pretty straight hair that she likes to twirl like her mommy!

And I don't know but it looks to me like she is flashing me a gangsta sign!

I took them all to the Sci-Port and they had lots of fun and had the place to themselves!

Jonas is wearing one of the water smocks and he loves putting the construction hats on. He does that part himself!

Bryce and prego mommy! Due in about a month!

Yep, she's a talker!

Bryce LOVED the water table. As the pictures progress you will see how his shirt does not stay dry...

She's my goofy daughter, what more can I say?

And here's an action shot of Bryce at work. He makes quite a puddle during our visit.

Kaylin checking out the Guinea pigs.

Kaylin really liked playing with these water jets.

Despite popping a band on herself several times, Sydney enjoyed making shapes with this board.

I was trying to recreate a Titanic moment and I asked Kaylin to say, "I'm free!" And here's the pose I got!

And Bryce the construction worker.

Lots more photos to come! This is just day 1!

Silly kids!

So I almost wasn't going to post this today (I mean it is like midnight as I post this) but my sister is coming into town (yay!) tomorrow with her kids so I know I will have lots of photos for next week so here goes!

There's really not a lot. This week has been simple like most weeks. I am FINALLY over my cold/sinus infection. I had it for a week before the week of Good Friday and was so miserable! I took Dayquil and Nyquil and they seemed to help slightly and then it went away so I thought I was good. not so! I came back from Easter in Alabama and there it was again! Ack! And the head pressure and congestion despite nasal rinses with the netti-pot was just not letting up. The kids also had yellow snot (ewwww!) and it wouldn't go away! I finally talked to my mom (thanks Mom!) and she suggested nasal spray and vicks vapor for the kids. I finally pulled out the humidifier (duh!) and Jonas cleared up in a few days and my congestion cleared up, too! Sydney is still a little runny but overall we are all feeling a LOT better! So yay!

Kids have been loving playing outside!

Sydney is becoming my "matter-of-a-fact-reporter" keeping me updated on the comings and goings of the house and any important updates. Even if I was the one who just said it. We recently checked out books by Oliver Jeffers (Lost & Found, Up & Down, and Stuck) and she is in love and I am, too! (Lost&Found and UP& Down is about a boy and a penguin). Rapunzel is her favorite toy right now. Loves to take her everywhere and have her in the bed with her. Sydney is doing really well with her letters and I am trying to print out worksheets throughout the week to help her write her letters and start recognizing the numbers.

Such a cute face!

And my attempt to use the tripod and self-timer button to take a photo...

Jonas loves wearing stuff on his head... he is talking more and shaking his head a lot now. But it's cute...for now.

Almost enough hair to gel and make a mohawk!

And I have some videos.

Sydney and Jonas singing with our Rock Band microphone! Jonas started it, so cute!

And one with more of just Sydney singing.

This past weekend, we had our friends' kids over on Saturday and their son was playing Kinect Adventures and Jonas thought he would try it out!

This one is of Jonas playing "monster" with our monster towel hoodie.

I'm out! See you later!