Back to School!!!!

We now officially have a second grader. Here are the Todd's this morning on their way to school and work. Todd Jr was all ready with his Gator backpack and Gator lunchbox... yes, Todd Jr... not Todd Sr... but I know he wishes he had them too. Apparently it was a wonderful day... Todd Jr was all smiles and excitement and said he had "so much fun!" We came straight home, had a snack, he read The Giving Tree, practiced spelling words, vocabulary words, and math... I thought when I graduated from college I would be all done with this. Luckily, in second grade he should still only have addition and subtraction... next year we have multiplication... Dat Dat will have to help with the more advanced stuff... I agree with Jimmy Buffett "Math Sucks!"

Watching the Todd's leave this morning was bittersweet as well. There should have also been another child in the back seat with Todd Jr., because today would have been Esme's first day of kindergarten... it would have been nice to shop for jumpers, pink pencil holders, bows for her dark curly hair and maybe even a pink Gators backpack and lunchbox too. I wonder if she would have been as independent as Todd Jr is or if she would have made her Dat Dat walk her to class and stay until he knew she was settled. I imagine even if she were like her big brother Dat Dat might have followed at a distance just to be sure all was well... what do you think?

Grammie and Dada Came to Visit!

... and we were all so excited to see them. They are actually on their way to Michigan to visit family there but wanted to stop and see the Triple Trouble on their way. The time together was short, but fun, as always. They arrived on Friday... and just to make sure I stay in good standing with Dada, I made eggplant Parmesan... and it was yummy... On Saturday, we got up and even though the weather looked nasty we headed down to Pier Park to walk around the shops and check out the new pier. We decided to get a burger at Red Robin... it was yummy...



Check out Grady and Grammie... don't you like Grady's hat... wonder where that influence is coming from. Notice the orange polos on all the boys... make it easy to keep up with them... Grady is so funny... all he said all weekend was I'm hungry... literally, we left the restaurant and got in the car... as he was climbing in... "Mommy, I'm hungry!" The only thing... he doesn't really eat very much... I think he just wants to keep asking to see if he will get any candy or maybe some ice cream... He knows the grandparents are always the best to hit up for those things... and needless to say, Grammie and Dada lived up to the expectation!

Wondering about the hair, well, here you go... I really hate it, but oh well, I am glad to have it, still just wishing it would grow a little, make that a lot faster!

Todd Sr took this one... check out the lips wrapped around the straw... this kid is something else...

As I said, lunch was yummy, but while there Dat Dat and I were informed that we were to leave the house Saturday evening so that Grammie and Dada could do their duties as grandparents and corrupt the children with pizza and ice cream from DQ. We were soundly told to GET OUT, so we did and we finally made it to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It was ok. Never as good as the book... and I think they made it way too obvious that Snape is the hero... oh well, still glad we got to see it... after the movie Dat Dat and I got a cake for Grammie, since her birthday is in a couple of weeks... so at 10pm we were feeding the boys Publix cake while they were still riding high from their sugar overload at DQ. Yes, they were up past their bedtime... but prior permission had been given:) We were sad to see them go this morning but we hope they have a FANTASTIC time in Michigan... wish we could go... and while truly, we were sad to see them leave, we were trying to get Grammie out of Florida as soon as we could... whenever she is here during hurricane season, there is always a doozie...want proof.... she was visiting Florida from Texas when Katrina hit....

On another note, yes, Football Season is here... and no, that is not dirt on Todd Jr's arm.. that would be a bruise from taking a helmet to the bicep... tough kid though... not one tear... after all the drama last year, he is loving every second of this season... he has the best attitude and is giving it all he has got... he is definitely the smallest on the team and is consistently taking down the bigger kids... Dat Dat calls him a Demon Cougar... he even growls when he is taking down the other kids...

Check out our Demon Cougar in action...

Yes, I forgot the camera!

As I stated previously, we, no I, forgot the camera on our trip to the Big Easy. None the less, we had an AMAZING time. We went to the Children's Museum downtown, which is always a hit. On the next day, we went on the Honey Island Swamp tour near Slidell.... it was very neat.... did you know allitgators like marshmallows? Neither did I. We walked around the French Quarter for a while, but there were no sights of Sookie, Eric or Bill (for those of you who read Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels). We even went to Deanie's for BBQ Shrimp, which oddly enough has nothing to do with BBQ sauce or a grill... google it... super yummy... and messy... my favorite food on trips to Louisiana along with Muffuletta from the Central Grocery and Biegnets from the Morning Call or Cafe du Monde... where ever you may be closest to! Our trip was short, but we had a good time and we are looking forward to seeing Me Me and Foe Foe again on September 5 when we go to see the University of South Alabama Jaguars play their first football game in Mobile.

Sweet Home Alabama

Sorry it has taken so long to get this post out! Well, there has been so much going on! Todd had the most amazing time in Montgomery with his Beeka Beeka and Uncle David.

I swear he came back more rotten than he left. They were so busy everyday and I am certain he did not miss us at all. They took Beeka Beeka's sweet dog, Rudy, to his obedience/training classes. Todd even got to take him through his paces.


Todd also made some new friends while visiting the pool in their neighborhood on a daily basis. They swam with noodles and dove for change at the bottom of the pool. Luckily Beeka Beeka got him to bathe when they got back every morning. That blond hair would not look good green. I mean I know we are supposed to be working on the environment and everything but I don't think that falls under the definition of "Going Green."

Here are Rudy and Todd again. Apparently Rudy even decided to sleep with Todd... I am afraid I cannot see Robin making it into the top bunk of his bed, much less up the stairs.

They even took a trip to see Uncle David at his office one of the days... apparently, he was a big hit!

Beeka Beeka even got him to do some chores... here he is doing my least favorite thing... putting away the dishes... I would rather clean bathrooms. Crazy, I know.

Let's see, what else did they do... they went to the Planetarium, they went to see Ice Age 3, they went to the Art Museum, they walked the dogs (Beeka Beeka and David have 3), they rode scooters, they played with trains, they swam BUNCHES, and what am I most jealous of... yes, they took Todd to see the new Harry Potter. Man, I still haven't been... oh well. Beeka Beeka was so sweet to bring him all the way back to Panama City, and Todd was soooooo sad to see her leave.... I don't think he had dry eyes for the next two days. We are very hopeful to spend some more time again with them very soon. And maybe, just maybe, if Beeka Beeka and David have recovered from their experience with him by next summer, he might even get invited back!