Football season`

With the BCS National Championship game behind us and football season coming to a close, I figured I would take a few of the pictures off my phone from the games we attended this season. Kate and Justin both went to their first football game at LSU (a loss against Arkansas) in a season where they won a national title! Justin also retruned to the Superdome to see the Saints. Unfortunatley, they lost. There is a theme here!

In order from top: Justin at the Saints game against Philadelphia; Kate in Tiger Stadium against Arkansas; Justin in attendance at the Falcons game; Justin at M.M. Roberts watching the Golden Eagles play SMU for Homecoming; Justin dressed for the BCS title game (watched on TV!)

Religious education.

On Friday afternoon, with Jennifer suffering with a bad back, Nana and Mary Beth came to Covington, picked up Kate and then proceeded to school to pick up Justin. Earlier that morning, Kate chose to wear a pin, featuring Mary and Jesus in a manger that her Gunny had given her previously.

Of course, the topic came up in the car with my mom and sister. The conversation went something like this. Please remember the following when reading this. 1. While I am paraphrasing because I was not there, this is not exaggerated. 2. Kate is still two years old. 3. Neither me, Jennifer nor Justin have ever discussed this with her.

Kate: Nana, did you see my pin.

Nana: Yeah, Kate, I did. It's very pretty. Who's on your pin.

Kate: Oh, that Mary and Jesus in their house. Joseph isn't there. He went to the donkey store.

I don't think that requires any further comment or analysis.

Literal.

This definitely comes from the book of "you cannot make this stuff up." On Sunday, while Jennifer was away from the house, the kids asked me if they could go outside to play on the swingset. I told them they could, but they had to put socks and shoes on first.

Kate comes back with sequenced pink slip-on shoes. When I asked why she was chose those, thinking in my own mind that those type of shoes are not good for being on the swingset, she responded with , "The color matches the bear on my shirt."

UNBELIEVABLE.

But, that is nowhere near the best part of this story. That is the appetizer.

Let me preface the next part with a description of one of Jennifer's Christmas presents. Every morning Jen turns on the news to watch the weather for confirmation on how she and the children should be dressed for the day. So, with my urging, my mom and dad gave her on of the Brookstone weather stations that tells you the forecast and the high and low temps for the the present day and the next four. Both Kate and Justin think this is a cool thing.

Fast forward back to Sequenced Shoe Sunday....the kids walk outside, shut the door and I can see them talking near the playset. Kate comes back in first; followed by Justin. I asked Kate what she was doing and she replied with, "Wait a minute. I have to check something in your room." Justin follows here in there. They both come out, make sure the outside door to the house is closed and then begin to take their shoes off.

Immediately I ask, "What happened? I thought you were going out to swing." Kate says, "The weather machine says it is raining outside." Flabbergasted, I ask, "Does it look like it is raining (The sun was shining at that moment.)? Justin pipes in with, "No, but there is rain in the forecast, so we decided to stay inside."

I started to explain that the forecast was for New Orleans and we were 40 miles north on New Orleans and the weather can vary, etc. I stopped myself and asked what they wanted on the DVR.

"Wizards of Waverly Place, please"

Ready for winter?

This is a ridiculous post, in my opinion. Justin and Kate, as shown above, are all ready for the frigid New Orleans winter. Justin tried on his combo at the local Gymboree and loved it. He thought it was cool. So, when fiscally responsible Dad weighed in with an opinion that Justin didn't NEED that, he was met with tears. Mom conceded that Justin NEEDED this and bought them for him. It was then that Kate piped in with, "I need a scarf, too." Ridiculous.

I think the bill was like $60. Gymboree is a joke. The people that do the marketing for that place must have the blueprint on Jen's DNA.

A tale of two children.....

Jennifer is very proud of this Gyboree ensemble she purchsed (on clearance) for Kate. The picture doesn't do it much justice, but it is very cute...ice blue with puffy fringe and matching bows in her pig tails.

Justin, on the other hand, seen here ahead of the rest of us, has mesh pants, crocs and t-shirt on.

Bowling

Jennifer, Justin, Kate and I went bowling with the D'Angelo's on Saturday night.

If you haven't been in a while, you should....especially with kids and bumpers. Justin and Kate thought it was great when they got the pins to fall.

The flip side of the bumpers is some people (Casey, Donnie) used them like they were playing pool. I had no idea they were that good in geometry.

Anyway, here are some pictures of Kate's rental shoes...yes they have little kids size 9, Justin with the lanes as a backdrop and of Kate watching to see if she knocked any down.

This is not a joke. This bowling alley has a miles per hour reading for each ball thrown. The average was 17 mph or so. Kate had back to back rolls of 1.5 and 1.1 mph.