Making the Rounds

All work weeks should be only 3 days, right?
But kids should always have school 5 days a week.

Could anyone but kids and teachers disagree?
and who listens to them anyway?
Let them complain to each other while we're out playing. :)


But being off of work still requires some work.
Joan spent her first couple of evenings baking and dipping cake balls for work.
It allowed Riley a chance to eat some calorie dense batter (and create a pretty sinister looking facial hair pattern.)







and when he wasn't getting enough attention, he walked around with a blanket over his head, laughing and banging into things.
That's ma boy.





Wednesday (which was playing the role of Friday), I watched a trial in the morning and watched the kids in the afternoon.

Though this would be a great chance to comment about the behavior patterns of toddlers vs lawyers, I will refrain.

On the way home I picked up some tacos from Tres Hermanos on Eraste Landry.
After trying just about every taco shop in town, I'm convinced theirs are the best.
Their pupusas aren't as good as La Pagua, but you can't have it all.





My visit allowed Riley to confirm that he likes grapefruit sodas.
He wouldn't stop bugging me for more.
That's ma boy.





Thursday, we got up early and started cooking macque choux (with Johnson's tasso) on the stove while the Egg handled a Turkey sprinkled with Johnson's seasoning with Fat Tire in the drip pan.






To accompany the cooking, we tried Wells' Banana Bread Beer which smelled awesome, but tasted kinda blah.





Our lunch guests were Joan's parents, Paul, Liz & Caroline, and Liz's mom, Jill.





The kids had a blast and stayed occupied for a long time playing with the cheapo little LED lights Uncle Paul had.





Riley now has a few hooked to his key chain so he can take them everywhere.






The food was plentiful and included Paul/Liz's "Sugar Free But You"d Never Know It Sweet Potatoes."

Being the innovators we are, we all ate too much.
Bet your family doesn't do that.





While the adults without ongoing wisdom tooth/gum complications over indulged, Riley and Uncle Paul played a game we call "I got it, I knock It Down" which only Riley enjoys playing.







But in return, Riley let Paul drive cars on his back, so it was even.





That night, we went to my parents' for round 2, and Riley finally took interest in some food- sweet potatoes and marshmallows.





Friday morning we skipped the shopping insanity and opted to set up the Christmas tree.
Because the usual tree corner has been commandeered by the toy table, we had to flip our furniture arrangement.
That also meant cleaning up a year or two worth of Jimmy's Dust Bunnies, which Riley actually helped with.





Riley also took quite quickly to helping decorate the tree.

Within a minute of me putting up the first section, he was throwing toys into it.






Now our tree is filled with items including, but not limited to: blocks, balls, plastic people, a stuffed Mickey, a plastic bottle, and a book.





Next we headed out to meet Granny Lynn.
There, Paul gave some rides on the Stroller Coaster-- Ditch Edition.





(If Riley can just grow alot, he'll have a blast at WDW)



Then we headed down to Ms. Angela's house to help her clear off her satsuma tree.






Satsumas have become a reliable, but low calorie part of Rley's diet, and he asks for them by name.




That night Paul cooked a gumbo that Riley ate three (riley sized) bowls of.
He also ate at least a dozen marshmallows and was visibly distended.

And after picking Paul's brain, I set out on the potentially hazardous quest of visiting Best Buy on Black Friday.
Yet I managed to get in and out in less than 15 minutes, with a new PS3 in hand.
Close Call.


Saturday, we headed down to Erath for a 100th Birthday party/Family Reunion.
Riley and Caroline had fun filling Aunt Carol's pond with dirt and leaves.
Riley wrecked the homes of many crawfish in the process, and learned the futility of throwing leaves into the wind.






That was followed by half of the last Cajuns' football disappointment of the year.
Oh Well. we'll still buy our tix next year.

Then I crashed my car into a tree.
I mean my wife beat me with a golf club.
Wait.
No.
That was Tiger Woods.


Now Mommy and Daddy get to try out the new PS3.
The first game system I've had since a Super Nintendo. I'm over a decade behind.



And to share a little money saving with you.
We bought the PS3 mostly because it is also a really good Blu Ray Player.
According to Paul, our full time tech advisor, Pixar movies are awesome in Blu Ray.
Since we'll be at WDW in about a year, we want to familiarize Riley with the characters.
So, the timing just seemed right (except that whole rebuilding the entertainment center thing)

Back to the deal.
Right now, Disney is selling many of its current releases in packages that come with a Blu-Ray, and a regular DVD. That's cool since a BluRay won't play in a portable system.

Amazon has been running some really cool specials on Pixar Blu Ray/DVD packages.
We bought a package that was Cars, UP and monsters Inc, on BR and DVD for $30 total.
If you have a BluRay player or may get one in the future, you may want to look out for those deals.
Here's the one we got.
http://tinyurl.com/ylf9ghd

(sorry its not hyper linked, I can never get those to show up on this page.