One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

It isn't every day that you're invited to a celebrity birthday party. So when the opportunity presents itself, you GO! Baylor, Grant, and I gathered with the rest of Baylor's 3-year old preschool class to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday with a very special guest...The Cat In The Hat!!!Most of the kids were shocked to see one of their storybook characters enter their classroom. I say "most" because as you can clearly see, not everyone was impressed. Give him a few years!Baylor was all smiles as The Cat In The Hat read the class one of his stories and then handed out treats. Afterwards, the kids were able to visit five activity stations themed after the guest of honor's books.It was a fun and exciting day for all...Okay...MOST!Thanks for letting us share it with you, Baylor!

When it Rains, It Pours...and Tickets are Scored

The 54th running of NASCAR's Daytona 500 did not go according to plan...anyone's plans! The annual event attended by Grandfather and Anh was rained out for the first time in history on Sunday AND Monday! As a result, the unthinkable happened...I (of all people) found myself sitting in the grandstands!Grandfather and Grandma had to return home. Anh had to work. That left me with two tickets to the Super Bowl of NASCAR! I can't say that I was overwhelmed with excitement, but I do enjoy experiencing new things and figured if nothing else, I would enjoy people watching. NASCAR has an eclectic fan base. I invited Brad to join me, and we set out for the first Daytona 500 that would be run entirely under lights. All sorts of historic elements associated with the 54th running!
Immediately upon entering the grandstands, I understood why Grandfather and Anh refuse to relinquish their two seats at the Start/Finish line. The view is spectacular! You can see almost the entire track. Pit row, the pre-show stage, and the flag man are all directly in front of you. Seriously, the seats don't get much better unless you're in a suite.
Grandfather joked that he would have to compete with me in the future for the second ticket, but I assured him that the seat next to Anh at the race would always be his. The roar of the engines was exhilarating, but once was enough for me. I'm grateful for the opportunity, but content with the possibility that it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. At least for Grandfather's benefit, I hope so. Surely, Mother Nature won't spoil his fun in 2013? Fingers crossed!

Speed Demons

My boys are obsessed with cars. I can only assume that it's an interest (passion) inherited from Grandfather. Although, Anh and I do have a touch of car obsession as well. We both appreciate the beauty in vehicle design, but the boys don't just see a beautiful object. They see the ability for SPEED! As a result, the annual family gathering for NASCAR's Daytona 500 race weekend is always BIG excitement for my little speed demons! In past years, we've made the trek to Daytona as a family and explored the numerous exhibits set up outside of the Daytona Speedway. The boys enjoy a day of riding simulators, collecting token giveaways, and photo-taking opportunities while Grandfather and Anh actually get to attend the race. In 2009 at the ripe old age of four, Jaxon attended his first race with Grandfather. Lucky kid! Jaxon's luck continued in 2010 and 2011, but this year the luck ran out thanks to little brother Baylor. Yes, FINALLY, it was Baylor's turn to venture inside of the Speedway with Grandfather. It only took him 3 1/2 years. I guess it's true that parents relax the rules with each additional child. Maybe Grant can go next year when he's 1...Nah! Something tells me Jaxon and Baylor would never agree to that!
This was also the first year, that we didn't make the trip to Daytona together as a family. The rest of us stayed behind to attend Jaxon's Cub Scout Blue & Gold Banquet while Grandfather and Baylor set out on their adventure. It all worked out for the best really since I didn't have to come up with an excuse for Baylor on why he wasn't also receiving his Tiger badge. Neither Jaxon or Baylor would have a clue what they were missing out on. Score! I couldn't have planned it better if I tried!
Based on the pictures, it doesn't look like Baylor or Grandfather missed us much! They were too busy having fun and snacking. Apparently, Baylor is quite the snack monster when there's no mommy around to police the junk food. I guess that's part of the fun of spending alone time with Grandfather...endless snacks and COKE!
It was a special day that Baylor almost sacrificed completely when he discovered Jaxon wasn't going. Above all else, Baylor prefers to just be in the company of his best friend and big brother. We couldn't let Baylor miss out on the excitement though, and thankfully, it wasn't too hard to twist his arm. Flashing the radio headset and bag of snacks pretty much did the trick! After giving Jaxon a hug, Baylor was out the door with Grandfather headed to NASCAR's mecca!
I know the memories will be fuzzy for Baylor if he remembers at all, but I'm sure it was a day that Grandfather won't forget. A day spent in the grandstands of the Speedway with his second grandson. What a lucky kid!

Blue & Gold

As a family, we're still enjoying the adventures associated with Scouting, but it's Jaxon who is climbing the ranks. On Saturday, Jax was awarded his Tiger badge at the annual Blue & Gold Banquet. Shhhh! Please don't tell Baylor! While both boys completed all of the requirements for the badge, only Jaxon is officially enrolled in Cub Scouts due to the age requirements. Baylor has no idea that he's only a tag-a-long little brother, and we prefer to keep it that way. The only resulting confusion is explaining to Baylor why he doesn't get every single badge, belt loop, or pin that Jaxon receives. Sometimes the Pack plays along and awards both boys with an honor, and Baylor ALWAYS goes up on stage with Jaxon to receive acknowledgement. However, for such an important award, we felt it was better to let Jaxon enjoy his moment in the spotlight alone. Thankfully, Grandfather had other plans for Baylor.The theme for this year's banquet was robots, and each Den was challenged to build a robot out of recycled materials. As a group, we would vote to select a winner at the banquet. Our Den robot was a Super Cub, our Pack's mascot. Even Grant embraced the theme by sporting his robot bib. He was a hit with the crowd as always.The Pack went all out for this special occasion. Volunteers created robot centerpieces to adorn the decorated tables and went above and beyond to create a festive mood in the banquet hall.We gathered to acknowledge all of the Scouts' efforts. Dinner and a wide array of desserts were served. Pictures were taken. Badges were awarded, and the Scouts were thrilled. Congratulations on the achievement, Jaxon! As Grandfather would say, "Tiger is the first step towards Eagle!"

Character Counts

My boys aren't just cute. They're sweet & caring too! As their parents, we know this. We see it every day. However, it's not every day that others acknowledge they see it as well. So, it was especially touching to learn that Jaxon was voted for by his peers to receive a Character Counts award for Caring. That's my boy! He's got a heart of gold!

Mardi Gras Madness

Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll! When you have 3 small children, making the 8 hour drive to New Orleans isn't always a possibility. Although, it never seemed to stop my parents! It's the memories from those childhood road trips to Grandma's house during Mardi Gras that inspire me to pass the tradition and spirit on to our boys. This year, we hosted the largest celebration yet!We put together a pretty fabulous spread, if I do say so myself. A little bit of Cajun heaven on a plate!
We started the party with a signature cocktail...
And then enjoyed a few Hurricanes...always a crowd favorite!
I tried my hand at praline making, and after a few batches discovered the perfect process. Sorry, I'm not sharing that info. I've developed my first secret family recipe!
The only disappointment on the menu was the crawfish. We had to settle for frozen, and any true Cajun knows that's just wrong. We viewed them as more of a table decoration than a part of the buffet.
Thankfully, the spicy crab dip was a hit.
As was my crawfish pie which is now another secret family recipe.
I borrowed Grandfather's muffaletta recipe which is second only to The Central Grocery in the Quarter.
Oh, and then there was my gumbo. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was fabulous. Others agreed! I hope & pray that when I make it a second time that it turns out just as amazing. That will become my signature dish!
My friend brought us the prettiest red velvet Mardi Gras cake ever! While not necessarily Cajun, it is Southern. So that counts!
And, it wouldn't be a true Mardi Gras party without king cake! We always bought ours from MacKenzie's or Gambino's Bakery, but I tried something new. Nonna Randozzo's Italian bakery in Covington has some incredible online reviews. I decided to take a chance, and boy oh boy, they did not disappoint! Yummy!
Our friend Scott found the baby and seemed a bit apprehensive when I explained that he was on the hook to host the next party. Everyone knows where he lives. I suspect he feared that 30+ people were going to show up at his house the following weekend!
By the end of the evening, we had shared good food and great times with fabulous friends while passing along some treasured traditions. I repeat...Laissez les bons temps rouler! They certainly did!

Who Could Ask For Anything More?

It's nice to have a new victim...I mean child to photograph. Ha! For the most part, Grant is a willing participant. Of course, at this age, he doesn't really have much say in the matter. I have to document how tiny and adorable he is whether he likes it or not! In order to do exactly that, I recruited the help of our friend Brad and his expensive cameras and lenses. I think he did a fabulous job!!!This was actually just a lighting test shot. We told Baylor to lay there and pretend he was Grant. What a great impersonation he gave us!Grant only had a few DIVA moments...I guess we'll cut him some slack at this age.Jaxon and Baylor are such hams in front of the camera nowadays. I'm not even sure what was going on here. I think Brad said something like, "Be crazy!" Ummm...Baylor, he said "crazy" not psycho! Geez!Actual proof that Baylor really believes he is a Super Hero. He's channeling Thor in this shot. Don't show up at our door unannounced. He may feel the need to slay you!
I saved the best for last...
Beautiful! What else is there really to say? Simply beautiful!