Those that didn't make the cut...

Those accustomed to producing greeting cards involving pictures of kids probably know that it takes many, many attempts to snag that perfect photo. While this year's Christmas photos don't really fall into the "perfect" category (we had a hard time coordinating our schedule with Dara's and had to resort to Sears at the last minute), there were still several cute shots that got left on the cutting room floor. Here they are, in random order...

This is my absolute favorite of Cille!  It was so hard not to put this on the card...

Why You Should Visit a Louisiana State Park

Mostly because they rock.  When Damon said he rented a "cabin," I pictured something rustic.  Very rustic.  You know, rough hewn bunk beds, straw mattresses, and communal bathhouses rustic.  Boy, was I surprised when we opened the door of our "cabin" and found leather furniture and HD DirecTV...

A girl could get used to this.  The kitchen even included a dishwasher.  Score!

This was one of the bedrooms.  Sleeps 4 with linens provided...

The master bedroom had a great view.  In an earlier post I talked about forgetting to take my camera on this trip.  These pictures would have been more impressive if I had taken them before we wreaked two days of Pourciau-style havoc on this place, but oh, well.  You can still get the general idea...

Bathroom.  Very spacious.  I'm not sure why...

During warmer months I am sure we would have really enjoyed this fantastic screened-in porch, but on this trip it was just a nice idea...

So the next time that you are hankering for a quick weekend getaway with the family, check out a Louisiana state park. The one at Bogue Chitto features all these amenities as well as a waterpark, miles of scenic trails, and a beach area!

Going Camping

Over the long weekend we took our first family camping trip to Bogue Chitto State Park near Franklinton. I must say that having been camping a few times in my childhood, I had very low expectations for this trip. Although we had a cabin, Damon and Jace decided that it would be "fun" to have the toddlers sleep in tents on the coldest night of the year (cue trip to Dr. Jones)...

What camping trip would be complete without some rugged off-road riding in your Jeep?

I think he has road rage...

Stella doesn't like to stay on the beaten path...

During our trip, Stella prepared the meals.  For breakfast we had a delicious mix of dirt, leaves, and rocks...

There was a really cool playground at the park that we all enjoyed...

Stella wanted to catch her daddy.  She kind of looks like one of the Incredibles in this picture.  Mawmaw dressed her that day while I was away "paddling" the Patriot, and I don't think she got the memo that these leggings were meant to be worn underneath Stella's real pants.  But, really, she still looks cute and I ain't gonna complain about grandparents helping me out...

See how much Cille enjoyed the park?

Stella showed off her rock-climbing prowess...

She's a natural...

This swirling ladder was tons of fun...

Stella convinced Damon to slide on his belly, which made me sooooo glad I had accepted Emily's offer to loan me her camera.  It would have been devastating to miss this shot just because I forgot my camera at home...

Stella liked to slide down right after Damon and push him off the slide...

Which led to this...

And this...

Then Stella decided to do a flip.  This surprised Damon.  I told him after spending half her life in gymnastics, he should be expecting this type of behavior...

The Fire Truck

The fire truck visited Stella's school last week. This is not Stella's best look, but it does show that she really enjoyed their visit...

When Damon asked Stella to identify the other people in this picture, she knew only one...Cohen...

Special thanks to Emily for allowing us to steal these pictures off her camera.  And for allowing Stella to crash her mother/son photo op...

Cille's Latest Accomplishments

Cille now has two bottom teeth and she is working on more.  As of yesterday, she can also pull to standing in her baby bed, so it is now time to drop that mattress!

Aunt Alaina

As a late Christmas gift, Uncle Chad finally gave us what we've all been wanting...a new aunt!

We are so happy that Alaina will soon officially be a part of our family.  It seems like she already is!  As a matter of fact, I am a little unsure if Stella realized that Alaina and Chad were not already married.  Check out that cornea-searing bling...

They are so precious.  We can't wait to see what great plans God has for their future together!

Mawmaw Shirley needed a good look at the ring, but Cille was more worried about the camera...

Congratulations to the future Mr. and Mrs. Chad J. Ourso. We love you lots!

New Year's Day

On New Year's Day we took a trip to Erwinville to celebrate with the family.  Cille continued to teeth...

And had some fun with Chad and Alaina...

Oh, great.  Someone gave Stella gum.  Thanks...

One of Stella's favorite things to play over the break was Tasty Time with Zefronk.  For those of you unfamiliar with Playhouse Disney, it is a short cartoon in which a weenie dog speaks with a French accent and cooks up tasty treats.  That day in ze kitchen, Stella was mixing up a masterpiece...

It had a little kick to it...

Sharing her recipe...

Mixing ze ingredients carefully...