A Perfect Fit!

I could be talking about the dress... it was just the right dress and it fit beautifully!





I could be talking about the ring... again the set was beautiful and perfect reflection of the beautiful couple.





I could be talking about the flower girl... who refused to walk down the aisle :)





But, in fact I am referring to the bride... Jonna is the perfect fit for our family! I hope she did not think we were kidding when we said she was family now. With all that entails (yea, that is a little scary), we officially welcome you to this imperfect, but loving family. Coming from someone who married into this family, it is many times unbelievable how much love exists. It is not a farce; it is real and very contagious. May you and Brian always feel the love and support that is so readily at your fingertips. Our family has been praying for your marriage and asking the Holy Spirit to be a flame that draws the two of you together forever.





Sorry for the lack of pictures but our batteries were dead. There was a much better photographer there... http://www.collages.net/ , username: Sonnier, password: 14001

Gus on Ice!

The Winter Olympics are a year away, but we caught a glimpse of a future speed-skater. Gus had heard from Mom that there was an ice-skating rink not far from our hotel. He jumped (or axled) with excitement to get the chance to go skating. He went all by himself (along with the other 100 skaters on the ice) and we were really proud of him. Here's a video...

Gut-buster of the Day

On the way back from Subway...

Gus: I'm going to be brave, like a superhero. Then I can protect people and save all the children.
Beedle: I'm going to be safe. I'm gonna get some gold.
Dad: What?
Beedle: Gold keeps you safe.
Dad: Beedle, what are you talking about?
Beedle: On Fox News, it says that gold keeps you safe.

Once again, my commercially-saturated son repeats what he hears..."Gold is a safe investment in rough economies."

I laughed so hard that my sides hurt.

Boys Will Be Boys III (in Houston)

While Mom and Gracie went to the rehearsal and the rehearsal luncheon, the Chopin males had a city to take on. Houston, here we come! (Can't you just hear the "Staying Alive" music in the background?)

One of their favorite places in Houston is the Children's Museum (http://www.cmhouston.org/). It was rated as the #1 children's museum in the country. And we see why! It was packed to the brim! The kids wasted no time tackling the exhibits. There were a few that they remembered, but a bunch of new and exciting ones, too. In fact, the museum had a major expansion project since the last time we came. Here are some pics of the boys engaging in activities...

Here is a video of one of their adventures...Cafe Chopin...

Although we didn't get to stay as long as we wanted, we still had a lot of fun. Then our commercially-saturated Beedle had a great idea. He started singing "Five...Five Dollar...Five Dollar Foot Longs!" We found a Subway and quenched our appetites.

What a great day for Chopin guys in Houston!

Houston, We Have NO Problem!

We made it to Houston for Bryan and Jonna's wedding weekend. We got here at about 5pm. We faced a lot of traffic once we got into Houston, but thanks to the technologies of global positioning, we made it here quickly and with little-to-no stress. We checked in and made it straight for the pool. The kids showed off everything they learned in Mrs. Bonnie's swimming class. This was also James' first time in the pool. Startled at first, he eventually warmed up to it and had a lot of fun. Sorry we don't have any pics, but it was one of the rare times where the whole family got in the pool together (therefore, no one to take any pictures). The kids made a friend with another young one in the pool--Justin. They had a good time playing together. They called Justin a turtle because of his cool body float suit. They laughed and laughed and laughed. It was enjoyable. We ordered some pizza and the kids munched as they watched Attack of the Clones. They were hungry! A bit later we got a call from Aunt Michele that they were downstairs. We made it down and visited with our family. We also met Jonna's family for the first time--it was a pleasure! The night winded down with us heading back to our room for bed. And a very relaxing night of sleep, I may add. What a comfortable bed at the Hampton Inn! We'll keep you updated as the wedding weekend progresses!

We Love Mrs Bonnie!

We love Mrs Bonnie, and we are so thankful for her swimming instructions. Mrs Bonnie has been teaching the kids swimming for several years now and Mom and Dad are happy to pass this instruction over to another teacher. Mom and Dad are especially happy there is such a special person to take this on. Every year the kids are excited to start lessons, and this year was no exception. Nate was able to join us this year as well, and Mrs. Bonnie was kind enough to put ALL four of the kids in one class for Mom. This was a bit of a stretch for Beedle given that Mom and Dad had to be in the pool with him the last two years. His comfort is found on the "up step." He also gets tired after about twenty minutes in the pool and he becomes a rag doll. After a great year of growth, this year Beedle went to class with no help, and stayed in the water for the entire class! He went under the water and he kicked his legs without quiting. Mom was impressed with how straight he kept his legs and the courage he had to try most of the things that were asked of him. Most of all he had lots of fun! Gracie learned a lot this year, even if she spent quite a bit of time outside of the pool. Gracie loves the water so much that as soon as Mrs. Bonnie turned to work with someone else the temptation to go under the water was too great-- she caved. This is a very important rule at swimming lessons--no one goes under the water unless told to do so. After about three time outs, I think Mrs Bonnie gave up correcting her because Mom knows that Gracie did not give up doing what she wanted to do. We are still working on her little power struggles. However her swimming skills are improving. Gus was the star of lessons. He will be moving on to the next level. He swims across the pool has learned a couple of different strokes and is most proud of the flips he does in the water. Thank you Mrs Bonnie for giving our kids great courage and skill, but most of all love and support. There is no one better for this job than you.

Venerable St. Bede, Pray for Us!

Today is Venerable St. Bede's birthday. It is very significant for our family because St. Bede is Beedle's patron saint (figured out how we came up with Beedle?). As is tradition in our family, we treat patron saint feast days as a day of celebration. Today was Beedle's day to celebrate!

Mom decided to treat Beedle with a cake that would make him happy. And boy did it ever! Mom poured love into the creation of a Bob and Larry cake. It was amazing! She did a great job on the details. And Beedle's reaction...WOW!!! He was so hyped up and was beaming from ear to ear. Beedle was also treated to lunch of his choice. His brother suggested Chick-Fil-A and Beedle had no problem with that. He also got to go to one of his favorite places--Books-A-Million. He also got a very special gift. Beedle is fascinated with info-mercial products--"The Snugglie", "Loud and Clear", The "Slap-Chop", etc. He obsesses over these products, talking about them all the time. Well, he got one of his favorites--The Sham-Wow! Yes, we shamelessly bought him a Sham-Wow. But he was so excited! He asked to go dry the bath tub with it. That's what we love about Beedle--he's so simple and so easily-enthused. On this special feast day, we ask that you, St. Bede, pray for our Beedle. We pray that he remains joyful and that he may always possess the playful spirit of Christ. May he remain pure of heart!

Boys Will Be Boys II

This afternoon Dad, Gus and Beedle headed out to the local baseball park to hold a little batting practice. In Gus' Easter basket was a pack of 12 baseballs. Since then he's been begging to go hit. Although a bit muddy, today seemed like a great day to take a few cuts. Gus and Beedle took turns at bat. They had a great time and were very supportive of each other. Team Chopin had a lot of fun. Especially Dad. When Gus and Beedle were babies and being rocked to sleep, I could envision those times where we'd get to throw the football, go hiking or hit some baseballs. I must admit, it was better than I imagined! And it won't be long until James is in on the fun too!

Boys Will Be Boys

While Mom and Gracie went to Gracie's ballet rehearsal, the boys decided to make the most of their Saturday afternoon. And that meant getting out of the house. The first thing we did was head to the bowling alley. Have you heard of http://www.kidbowlfree.com/? Check it out. You can bowl two free games every day this summer! We decided to take advantage of it. Gus and Beedle did a great job. Gus bowled a 103 and 93 in his first two games, and Beedle bowled an 83 and 78, respectively. This was a great improvement for them. In fact, often times they didn't even hit the bumper.James scored a 25, as in he sat still for about 25% of the time. He just wanted to run and explore everything the bowling alley had to offer, like the arcade.

After the boys were bowled over, we headed to one of their favorite places--the library. We really enjoy the new Southside library. It is very innovative and has a lot of activities for the kids to do. Gus and Beedle perused through a few books, while Dad and James read stories about a llama in pajamas and a moose that likes to eat pancakes.

Filled with knowledge, it was time for the boys to get some exercise. Gus had asked to go ride bikes at "Dad's old high school" (he really meant UL, Dad's college). Great idea! We went home to pick up their bikes and headed over to UL's campus. They rode all over the place. Their favorite place is the quad. The quad is unique because the sidewalks are lined with bricks that have each graduates name on it. Here is a video of some of their fun...

In addition to riding, James and Beedle played hide-and-go-seek. Here are pics of their game...

While James and Beedle hid and sought, Gus was working on his "Olympic trial". He created a course complete with sharp turns, speedy straight-aways, and a tricky figure-eight at the end. He is so competitive, even with himself. He kept trying to beat his time and most of the time he was successful doing it.

Riding further on campus allowed Dad to reminisce about the times he rode his bike on campus as a small boy. Good times! Here are some other pics from the rest of the day...

So Long, Soccer!

Ah, the most exciting day in youth soccer....trophy day! Today was the last day of soccer season in the HFHE league. After a lot of blood, sweat and tears (not too much blood this year, but a lot of sweat and off-and-on crying), the kiddos finished their soccer season. Hopefully they gained a lot of skills, but they certainly gained a lot of friends. Here are some pics of the kids with their trophies...
Beedle

Nate

Gus

Gracie

A special thanks goes out to Mr. Jody and all the coaches who helped out this year to make the season fun. Also, thanks to the moms who helped organize the season and for providing refreshments. We're looking forward to next season!

Sophie Lee Turns 3!

Dearest Sophie Lee turned three today! To celebrate her accomplishment, an all-day birthday bash was thrown. Sophie's family and friends gathered to join in on the festivities. There was a fun jump there the entire day. It never got old, as the children (and some adults) sauntered in and out all day long. Everyone was there to celebrate the blessing of our little angel Sophie. May God be with you today and everyday, Sophie, and may you always celebrate life to the fullest! Here are some pics of the celebration...

Welcome Back, BBQ!

Our new BBQ pit was christened today! We've been living without a BBQ pit for over a year now. I don't know how we did it. But we finally got back to grilling officially this evening as we had over GiGi, Nanny Wanda, Khaki, Emma & Madeline for a burger BBQ. It was a beautiful day for a BBQ--not too hot and barely a cloud in the sky.

We got a special pit that has a gas-grill side and charcoal-grill side. We like having options. When we've got all day, we'll go charcoal. When we need to cook in a hurry, we'll go with the gas. This evening we had plenty of time so we went with the charcoal. Mom had a great idea for an appetizer. Mrs. Erin once made these amazing stuffed chili peppers. Mom got the recipe and decided to make them. We put them on the pit and they cooked pretty quickly. They were fabulous! Excellent call, Mom! We next slapped the hamburger patties on the grill. And not just quarter-pounder patties. These were minimum half-pounders! (except for the kids; they had smaller ones). They were absolutely delicious. Mom kept saying, "How did we go so long without a BBQ pit?" Well, I guess good things come to those who wait! Well worth it! We're already planning what we're going to cook next. How about you? Any good recipes? We're ready to try 'em!

Christmas in May?

Christmas came later this evening for the Chopins. Aunt Annie had given the family a gift card to Logan's Steakhouse for Christmas last year. We had been waiting for an opportunity to dine there. Monday and Tuesday nights are family nights so we decided tonight was the night to go. The kids (and Dad) had their fill of yeast rolls and peanuts. And we get an entree, too? With bellies bulging, we headed home after a great night out. What a Christmas present!

Happy Birthday Uncle Garland!

Today is Uncle Garland's 48th Birthday! GiGi decided to throw him a birthday party at her house. Many of his relatives were in attendance to celebrate. There was only one problem....Uncle Garland wasn't here. Well, that didn't stop us! We had a party anyway! We had one of Uncle Garland's favorite dishes--seafood gumbo. Then we got Uncle Garland on the phone to sing him "Happy Birthday".

We even had birthday presents for Uncle Garland. Well, not exactly for Uncle Garland. In the spirit of birthday giving, GiGi had birthday gifts for the kids to open. What a way to celebrate! It was like the kids got an extra birthday this year.

We spent the rest of the day visiting and playing games. What a way to honor Uncle Garland! Uncle Garland, we wish you a very happy birthday! May God bless you on this glorious day! And the kids say "thanks" for the birthday presents!

Incredible!

Do you remember that gift certificate to the Incredible Pizza Company that Beedle won at Dr. Keaty's office? (It's OK if you don't.) Well, Beedle has been begging us for weeks to go so we thought tonight was a good night to cash in. There was barely anyone there so it was really like we had the place to ourselves. We sat to eat in the "family room".We had our fill of pizza and then, after much pleading from the kids, we finally headed to the entertainment room. Here are some pics of their adventures...

We know that you all want to grow up and do big things but enjoy life today. Make beautiful memories together. Have fun sharing picnics and playing on the swings. Enjoy life and share that joy of life with Mom and Dad.

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day started off with everything Mom could ever want--sleeping in. Mom got to catch up on some much needed sleep. While she rested the kids put together some last-minute Mother's Day cards. Mom was touched!

The rest of the day was spent the way Sundays should be--resting. Inside, we played a few family games and read some stories. Outside, we played washers, "Lijie-ball", and sprinkler time. This was James' first time in the sprinkler. He was not a big fan of the spraying water, but he did enjoy some time in the sun, especially with his brothers and sisters.

We had a visit from Gigi and Nanny Wanda early in the evening and we had an All-American meal--cheeseburgers and french fries. It was a good visit and a great way to end a wonderful celebration of the mothers in our life. We love our mothers a great deal!

Speechless!

We had a special treat tonight. Dad just happened to browse in the paper and saw that a world-famous mime, Guerassim Dichliev (www.mimestudio.fr) was performing in Lafayette tonight. Dad has always been a fan of live performances (plays, music, etc.), so he was very anxious to see a mime performance--something he's never seen before. Plus, getting the kids some live entertainment was a great thing.
The show was amazing! He is extremely talented! It takes so much body control to act that well. So fluid!
There were ten separate acts, with different themes. Some of the kids' favorites were "The Pianist", "On the Phone" and "The Chef". All of the pieces were written by Guerassim and performed by him alone (all parts).
The kids were very impressed and talked about doing their own mime performances on the way home. Art does inspire!

Cinco de Mayo