40 Days

40 Days

Is that how long it's been since I posted?  It sure feels like it!  My poor blog has been neglected lately, and I hate that.  It seems like when things get crazy, this is the first thing that goes.  I really need to get better about that so all our memories stay fresh!

I really don't know how long it has been since my last post, but that is not really what the title is about.  It is really about the 40 days of the Lenten season.  Every year, as Catholics, we are asked to give up something as a sacrifice, or to embrace something new that will make us better people.  I have seen people do this, and thought, "No way!  I could never do that!"  But this is the year I take the plunge.  I have decided to give up Facebook for Lent.  Forty days, that's all...forty days.  I promise, though, that I will try to update photos and stories here more often! 

This year, the whole family will be participating in Lent.  Well, almost.  Mia is still off the hook!  Bryan has decided to give up soda, Gannon wants to try his hand at candy, and Austyn is giving up her favorite, "little wienies" or Vienna sausage. 

Wish us luck!

Oh, and since I hate to have a post without photos, here are two of my favorites from the month:

As most of you know, Eric and Maegen are ENGAGED!!!  We just adore them together, and I am so excited to finally get the sister I have always wanted.  They are so great together, and Maegen is the perfect addition to the Duffy family.  Such a great match!

Well, when we got to Lake Charles, Maegen had a little surprise for me:

Bryan and I will get to stand beside them when they promise to be each other's forever.  I am so honored and proud!

We went home for Mardi Gras, so you know we couldn't leave without a King Cake (or two!)!!  Happy Mardi Gras, yall!

 

 

Our Hearts are Full

We have so much to be thankful for, but I know exactly where to start.  Here:

These three munchkins have filled our hearts with more love than we ever thought possible.  Being a parent is the most difficult, most fun, most emotional, most fulfilling, most special thing I have ever done in my life.  I thank God for them every day, and I am so honored to be their Mommy. 

We spent Thanksgiving at our house again this year.  It's nice to be able to put all the focus on them for this holiday instead of running around like crazy.  I do, however, miss everyone back home. 

This year, the kids made "Thankful Turkeys" and we talked about everything we are thankful for in our lives.  Here is Austyn making (an kissing!) her turkey!

 

Here is a close-up of Austyn's feathers:



Can you believe she is thankful for piggies??  That was the very first thing she said!  I love that she says "The Leeziana."  I think it is too cute to correct ;)

Every night, she includes in her prayers, "And Dear Jesus, please let us move back to The Leeziana!"

Shawnee, you even got your own feather!!  :)

Here is Gannon making his turkey.

And, here are his feathers. 

Our Thankful Turkeys!

On to project number two: Potato Turkeys!  I saw this idea on Pinterest done with apples, then we did it with our kindergartners last week.  They turned out so cute, I had to let my munchkins try them!

They weren't really sure about the project at first...they just wanted to eat all the decorations!  They got into it pretty quickly, though.

 

Ta-daaa!!

This morning, we had a fun Thanksgiving celebration!  Have you ever seen A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving?  Well, if you haven't, you should!  I have loved all the Charlie Brown movies since I can remember!  I have always wanted to have a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving feast, too.  So, that is just what we did!  I can't give up the real feast, so we had this one for breakfast.  The kids loved it!  And so, a new tradition was born :)

buttered toast, popcorn, jelly beans, and pretzels :)

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope your hearts and bellies are full <3 p="p">






Oh, and a side note:

I am also thankful for Bryan.  I couldn't ask for a better husband, best friend, and father to our babies.  But, today, I am thankful that he can fix just about anything!

Our washer went out yesterday.  On Thanksgiving.  I guess that's why you don't do laundry Thanksgiving Day!  The mess is so much bigger, now, and the washer is in even more pieces, but he has found the problem.  Our problem now?  Everyone is closed for the holidays :(

Happy Halloween 2012!

HAPPY

HALLOWEEN!!

 Love, The Manuel Monsters :)

 

Introducing...

 

The very brave, OPTIMUS PRIME!

 

 

The very scary, WICKED WITCH!

 

 

And, finally, OOOOOOOOOO....Mia the GHOST!

 

 

I am so proud of myself for making Mia's costume, with a little help from Pinterest, of course!  I found this super easy tutorial for making a dress from an old tee here, and then I just cut out a ghost face and ironed it right on!

Now, on to the Halloween festivities!
 

How did you spend your Halloween evening?  We went Trick-or-Treating, of course!  But first, we had a surprise for our munchkins.  They had some very special friends join them for the festivities!

 

First, they ate supper, read Halloween stories, and played with super-scary bats, skeletons, and spiders.

 

 

 

While my little Transformer was entirely too busy doing whatever it is that Transformers do, my little witch was completely smitten with our Halloween decorations and only wanted to help.

 

 

 

This next photo is not for the faint of heart...Look at your own risk ;)

 

 

 

How scary is she?!  She is sure to scare away all the evil spirits :)

 

 

Then, our special guests arrived!  They were beyond excited that their friends came to Trick-or-Treat  with them!  They had a blast at the kiids table eating, listening to Halloween stories, and playing with the little critters!  I am so sad I didn't get any photos of them in action, but it got a little crazy ;)


Austyn, Chloe, Ramsey, Brantley, Gannon, and Mia, Halloween 2012!

 

And here's the gang after a successful night of Trick-or-Treating!

 



 

Happy Halloween 2012!







Family Game Night

We had our first Family Game Night on Sunday, and it was a huge it!  We played "Assteration".  Many of you may recognize it by its original name of "Operation."  HA! 

Bryan kicked things off and showed them how to play the game.

Gannon was next, and he played like a pro!  Although, I don't think he understood that the buzzer was bad.  He liked it, and just kept making it buzz while laughing hysterically!

Austyn said to heck with the tweezers!!  She thought her fingers would work much better...We got her back on track with the tweezers, and she got it!  She was so proud of herself :)

Needless to say, we are adding Family Game night to our weekly routine!  Stay tuned to see what we play next week :)

Here, We Love Purple and Live Gold

Here in the south, we take football seriously.  Especially SEC football.  Being from Louisiana, we are a  Tiger family.  We love purple and live gold.  We win with them, and we lose with them.

 

I am sure most of you know that last night was a semi-important game.  We prepared for it much like we did any other game.  We dressed in full purple and gold attire, and baked some yummy goodies!

"L-S-U!!  L-S-U!!"

She is such a great little helper!

She was very proud of her "Ella-Shoe" cupcakes.  She wanted to eat all the batter ;)

Here is Austyn's creation going in.....

...and here it is coming out.

*Gannon was too busy playing Kinect with Daddy to have any interest in the kitchen*

That is, until it was time to decorate!  He finally made an appearance!  Like me, he was upset that we couldn't find any purple sprinkles, sugar crystals, or other toppings.  We only had yellow, but hey, we rocked it!

Yum, yum!

Geaux Tigers!!

Although we lost the battle, I still believe we won the war.  These cupcakes are still celebratory.  They represent a beyond great season.  LSU had an undefeated season with the toughest schedule in college football.  It has been said that this team is among the greatest in college football history.  We may have lost last night (in an epic fail!), but we are still very proud of our Tigers!  We are eagerly awaiting next season and can't wait to see what's in store!

Santa Came to Longview!

We have decided that it is more important to be with family than to be home on Christmas morning; at least for now.  In order to do this, we had to come up with a "Santa Plan". Meaning, how will Santa visit our kiddos?  Will we leave him a map?  Will his reindeer be able to find us?  Etc, etc...  We decided that Santa will visit our house on Christmas Eve, just like he does every other family.  We just aren't there Christmas morning to see what he left for us--we see it a couple of days later.  We sprinkle reindeer food in our yard before we leave for Lake Charles so that they know to stop even though we aren't home.

This is the second year we have done it this way, and it seems to work well.  It even helps the munchkins to want to come home after our stay with family.  They are never quite ready to leave (I can't say I blame them), so this gives them something to look forward to upon arriving at home.  Plus, it makes Christmas last just a little bit longer :)

This is what we had waiting for us when we got home:

Do you think they were excited??

Here is their first glimpse

Gannon is so over taking pictures.  I have a ton of them, it's just that none are usable.  Little turkey. 

Austyn, on the other hand, is a total cheese ball!

She was so excited that she got a guitar just like Daddy and Gannon!

The best gift of all, I couldn't get photos of....They didn't quite know what it was when they opened it, so I will have to take more photos of them using it.

Those will have to wait for another post, so stay tuned ;)



A Big Christmas Post

Time spent with family is time well spent.

Bryan and I are firm believers in this, and Christmas is no different.  Oh, how I would love to wake up in our own beds on Christmas morning, run into the living room, and see the kids' faces when they see what Santa left them.  But I cannot, for a single second, imagine missing out on all the family get-togethers in Lake Charles!  Maybe one day, but not now.

Christmas weekend kicked off with a Duffy Christmas at Uncle Geno and Aunt Penny's house.  Here are a couple shots of Austyn in the shirt that I made for her.

Not too bad for my first attempt at an applique!

Here she is again, posing with her new "paying toy"

We may have missed soccer registration this year (bad, bad, Mommy!), but G can still play, thanks to Nonnie!  That is a full-size goal in the bag!!

Baby M even got in on the action!  Thanks, Nanny Shawn!

Every year, Mom gives the best photo gifts, and this year was no different.  This is our first Christmas without Pawpaw, and Mom had beautiful photo books made for everyone.  Here is Nonnie opening hers.

And here are Aunt Penny and Nanny looking at another.

I love this picture of Austyn and Shawnee!!

Christmas morning PJ party at Mimi and Pappy's!!

Austyn just loves these nightgowns with the robes.  She calls them her princess jammies.

Whoever though of Angry Birds sure is sitting fat, now!

My little space man!

Of course, more piggy stuff!

I hope that yall had a great Christmas as well!