Scratchin' and Survivin' (Hangin' in and Jivin')

Bowl Bound!

2011-12-19T15:25:00.001-06:00

The Chopin family has been blessed with some amazing football this year. All of our teams are on a roll! The LSU Tigers are 13-0 and playing for the national championship. The Saints and the Packers are dominating the NFL. Very exciting times! But it is hard to deny that the most pure joy has come from the surprise success of the UL Ragin' Cajuns. Despite being ranked dead-last by several prognosticators, the Cajuns, let by fiery first-year coach Mark Hudspeth, achieved a record of 8-4 and accepted an invitation to play in this year's R+L Carriers' New Orleans Bowl. This was the first bowl game that the Ragin' Cajuns have played in since 1970, when they lost to Tennessee State in the Grantland Rice Bowl. This would be the first Cajun bowl game in my lifetime, and the lifetimes of my kids as well. You can imagine it is arguably a little more meaningful to me.

So with the Cajuns playing in the New Orleans Bowl, there was no way the family's major football enthusiasts, Gus and me, were going to miss it. Accompanied by Uncle Brian and Sam (Gus's age), we traveled to the Big Easy to cheer on our beloved Cajuns. And we weren't the only Cajun fans there. There were people wearing UL gear all over the city! As we went to the Insectarium, the Riverwalk, and places in between, we saw red, vermilion and white everywhere! The pregame gatherings took place at Rouse's and Champion Square, next to the stadium. While Gus and Sam were able to toss the pigskin, Brian and I savored the moment, watching tens of thousands of passionate Cajun fans act as giddy as we did, relishing the feeling of not only relevance, but confidence. It didn't matter the opponent (sorry San Diego State), there was not way Cajun Nation would be denied.

The Cajuns started red hot and jumped out to a comfortable first-half lead. They were enthused by the 40,000+ Cajun fans cheering them on.

The Aztecs made a game of it in the second half and charged back to take the lead with less than 40 seconds to go. The never-say-die Cajuns marched half the field with precision to set up the drama--a 50-yard Brett Baer field goal. Here's what we saw...

He nailed it! Cajuns win 32-30! On top of the most exciting finish in New Orleans Bowl history, the Cajuns set all types of records. Cajun QB Blaine Gautier set a N.O. Bowl record with 470 passing yards. His receivers set a record receiving yards. But the best record set has attendance--42,841--which shattered the previous record by more than 10,000. The Ragin Cajuns came to paint New Orleans red and that's what they did!

Truly a moment to cherish for the rest of our lives! For Brian and I, all the emotions of cheering for medicore (and offense worse) teams and dreaming of the sweet satisfactions of bowl victories were rewarded. For the boys, they have started their young lives knowing that the Ragin Cajuns are winners. They will certainly expect to play in a bowl game every year. And maybe that's not a bad thing--expectations!

We got back to our hotel room pretty late--after 1am. As tired as I was, I couldn't sleep because I was so excited. As tired as the boys were, they couldn't sleep either.....largely because they had video games to play. Regardless, satisfaction!

I was really glad to have this experience with a best friend and a godchild, but most importantly, I truly savored getting to experience it with Gus. It was his first time in the Superdome and obviously his (and my) first bowl game. The excitement, the anticipation, the anxiety, the elation--glad we could share that!

Looking forward to pulling for the Ragin Cajuns for years to come!

Oh Christmas Tree!

2011-12-07T21:30:00.004-06:00

It is a tradition in our household every year to go shopping for our Christmas tree on St. Nicholas' feast day. So yesterday, in the cold and rain, we went shopping for the perfect tree. We went to our favorite tree lot, across from the new Burlington Coat Factory, and searched far and wide for what will be the holiday centerpiece of our living room. After debating, we came across this beauty...

It wasn't long before we were on our way home with our tree strapped to the top of the vehicle. And after Mom and I spent longer than we liked to get the tree level in the stand, we sat and watched a holiday classic--The Polar Express.

Tonight we spent the evening putting the finishing touches on the tree. It has always been our tradition to let me do the dirty work--string the lights and place the ribbon. The little ones have the fun tasks of placing the ornaments in their own special areas. Of course, their placement is only a suggestion, as Mom gets the final say after bedtime.

In our search for and decoration of the tree, we always experience such wonderful joy. There is so much anticipation and so much excitement. And as we anticipate the true reason for the season--the coming of the Savior--we see the tree as an opportunity to realize joy.

Oh Christmas Tree! Oh Christmas Tree! How beautiful thy branches!

Where the Heck Have We Been?

2011-11-27T11:31:00.015-06:00

For those of you who have loyally followed our blog for years, we apologize for not posting for the last nine months. It hasn't been out of a desire to not share our blessings or keep our family's

activities a secret (we haven't joined a cult). I think a couple of things have kept blogging out of sight and out of mind. One, we got iPhones, which means we rarely use the family computer anymore. We are on these devices even when we get home. They are portable and relatively convenient.....except for blogging. The other reason, is the obvious--we've been too busy living
life (and recovering from it) to blog about it.

A LOT has gone on in the last nine months! I don't think we could ever catch up with posts in the short amount of time we have to post them. So what you are going to get is the cliff notes--the abbreviated version--of the last nine months in the Chopin Family Experience. With pictures, of course.

Here we go...

One of the highlights of the spring was the Christian Youth Theater (CYT) experience. Beedle has been a part of CYT for over a year now. He brought Gus aboard in the spring to be a part of the acting and performance classes. Beedle took it a step further with his desire to audition for the spring musical--Beauty and the Beast. To audition, you had to be eight years old. Beedle was eight-years old and one week on the day of the audition. We had very little expectations for Beedle being in the play, mostly because he was young and inexperienced. And sometimes you just don't know how he will respond in certain situations. But we both agreed that it was best that he got out there and give his best effort, getting the experience of auditioning in front of people. Well he did. And through the grace of God, he was cast in one of the lead roles--Chip, the teacup. Praise God! We were shocked, surprised, humbled, elated, excited, afraid and proud all at the same time! Over the next ten weeks we watched our little birdie, who we never wanted to leave the nest, soar in his abilities to perform. Never was he nervous. Never was he afraid. Was he perfect? In these parents' eyes, just about!

He enjoyed all of the fruits of being a "star": signing autographs, posing for pictures, and getting praise and attention for his talents. We were swollen with pride. Even now, we can't help but look at him as our little Chip. This propelled Beedle to learn more in his craft. Since B&B, he has taken a voice class, performed in the most recent CYT musical "The Sound of Music" as a neighbor of the Von Trapps, recently auditioned for and cast in CYT's upcoming musical "Willy Wonka" as James, Charlie Buckett's best friend, and is currently taking a dance performance class. Beedle has certainly found himself in the arts. He's still doodling, still creating, still finding ways to make the world a more beautiful place.

Beedle also had another exciting event in the spring--he made his First Communion! He had been preparing for the past two years and was finally ready to celebrate his most important sacrament. He looked absolutely handsome, and even chose to honor me by wearing the exact same jacket I wore for my first communion. Here he is with his godfather...

It was a wonderful experience for him. It was followed by a crawfish boil at our house with his godparents and other family members. We was one happy Catholic boy!

Gracie has spent the year investing more time into her passion--dancing. She, along with her ballet studio, took our family into an enchanted world under the sea in their latest ballet performance "Into the Sea". She, and her fellow ballet classmates, were beautiful lionfish...

As an overly-critical parent, I was honestly amazed to see how much she has progressed since her first ballet two years ago. She has worked very hard and seems to have much more control when dancing. Plus she looks so happy on stage. The performances went very well and Gracie was treated to a date with Mom and Dad after the last evening.

We had a lovely dinner at The French Press and after went out for ice cream at Borden's. Dancing seems to be her passion. But something else she has a knack for is soccer. She participated in homeschool soccer in the spring and did a great job.

She shuffles around like a little bee and handles the ball pretty decently. We have found that busy time works best for Gracie--she's much better behaved and is usually much happier. Which means we're happier!

James is our most naturally joyous child. He is happiest when he is playing with his siblings, most especially with Beedle. James has been called to duty in the line of superhero service. Super Beedle has dubbed James as Amazing Boy, his faithful sidekick.

Together they have been ridding the world of evil and crime. I think Beedle and James play best together because Beedle is creative and knows no limits. James shares in creativity and is enthusiastic to do anything with his big brother.

Besides looking a whole lot alike, they have the same interests--Star Wars, Veggie Tales, Mario and Luigi (see picture), Indiana Jones, and Legos. Other than that, James is still our "snugglebug". Every morning, he's the first one up and comes to snuggle with Mom and Dad. He seems happiest when playing through his imagination and when he's cozied up next to his Mom or Dad, and often both.

Gus finally got to do something he has been begging us for years--play tackle football. He always wanted the opportunity to go out there and play the game he so closely follows on TV.

To give him the opportunity to play with some friends of his, we signed him up for the Vermilion Football League. Unfortunately, even though his friends were the same age as he, their birthdays were just after the cutoff date, so Caleb was forced to play as the youngest (and smallest) in an older division. As disappointed as he was to not get to play with his friends, it didn't stop him from wanting to play anyway. After the first few practices, however, Gus quickly realized that the game in real life wasn't as glamorous and easy-going as the game he watched on TV. The game is played in sweltering heat and there is a lot of running and hustling. But the most glaring difference for Gus was the hitting. He quickly found out that sometimes it hurts to play the game because it is violent in nature. Gus really struggled with the idea of getting hit so much. I think it was really a challenge for him because he really didn't expect to struggle with that part of the game. He really came to a crossroads on whether or not he would quit. Mom and I were proud of him for working through it and honoring his commitment to his team. It was a long season--practices every Tuesdays and Thursdays (sometimes on Wednesdays too), games on Saturdays in Abbeville, coaching changes, position changes. The team needed Gus to play safety, which he started at most of the season. In the last couple of games, he got his wish and was moved to wide receiver, which brought him more excitement.

He saw the end of the season in early November with mixed emotions. Part of

him was glad it was over--the hitting, the hard work, etc. But part of him was sad to see it end. I think that up to this point in Gus's life, the experience of football has been the greatest challenge he's faced. It taught him a lot of life lessons--teamwork, doing your job, self-sacrifice, discipline, and how to deal with victory and defeat. But above all else, Gus had to learn perseverance through difficult times. We are certainly proud he did not give up. What Gus does next, nobody knows. But whatever he chooses to do, we already know his character has been forged. We are most proud of him! What a great example to his siblings!

Over the past nine months we've been afforded a couple of opportunities to get out of dodge. In early June, Mom, Gus, Beedle and I, went up to Washington DC for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. My Kiwanis club sponsored a local bee and the national bee were inviting sponsors to be a part of the national bee experience. The club graciously asked me to represent them so we turned it into a mini-vacation/history lesson for the older boys. Gracie and James stayed behind and spent time at the Ardoin's house. We flew to DC--the first time flying for Gus and Beedle--and stayed at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, MD. In the sweltering heat of June, we tried to get in as much sight-seeing as we could--the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, the Capitol, the Smithsonian museums.

I was even able to take Gus to see his first major league baseball game--Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies.

The boys also got to learn first-hand about public transportation. In fact, in one day, we traveled by rental car, shuttle bus, airplane, metro train, metro bus, and taxi. I guess we all take transportation for granted. The trip was at times arduous and tiring, but it was an opportunity we couldn't pass up. And I think they felt pretty fortunate to have some "two-on-two" time. It's amazing the perspective of eight and nine year old boys! Here I am thinking that they would be in awe of the Lincoln Monument, or the White House, or all this rich American history. If you ask them what the best part of the trip was, they'd say the "poop" exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Perspective!

In October, in the midst of chaos (Beedle--CYT, scouts; Gracie--ballet; Gus--football, scouts; Mom--prego; Dad--band) we managed to take a much needed family vacation. We joined the Mader and Bayard families for a week in Pensacola Beach.

We stayed in a condo right on the beach and were treated to a week of wonderful weather and abundant joy. Jellyfish couldn't even keep the kids out of the water. In fact, hunting them became a past time for them. Our families received much-needed rest as our batteries became recharged. We were very fortunate to be invited and we look forward to the next family jaunt.

Also, I've been staying busy with my hobby--playing music. My little band Get Back has been playing several performances in the area. It's been a tremendous amount of fun and has given the kids an opportunity to see a different side of their dad--the performer.

Now for the surprise.....We're expecting baby Chopin #5! What a gift! We are due in late March of 2012 and Mom is doing just fine. We just found out a couple of weeks ago the baby is going to be a boy. Gracie, although disappointed at first, came to realize that God was protecting her well with so many brothers. The others are glad to keep the scales tipped in favor of male in the Chopin household. We don't have a name picked out yet, but we do have some contenders. We'll let you know when we've got it picked out. In the meantime, please keep the baby and Mommy in your prayers.

Of course, a lot more has gone on. Little miracles every day. Tough times. Happy times. But these are some highlights just to prove we're alive. We hope to do a better job posting from here on out. But if we don't, it won't be because we don't love you. We may just be too busy living!

What's Gonna Work? Teamwork!

2011-02-27T22:38:00.000-06:00

How do you tackle a yard full of leaves? Teamwork! Dad, Gus and Gracie made mince meat out of the leaves in the yard. After bagging a staggering 36 bags of leaves, the Chopin workforce decided to take a picture of their hard work. Way to go, Team Chopin!

February Boys

2011-02-26T10:34:00.009-06:00

In a span of thirteen days, all three of our boys went from being young and immature, to a year older and wiser. On the 11th, Beedle turned eight years old. He celebrated the day by getting in as much Wii time as possible and even had some friends over--Aaron & Caleb. They worked on Lego projects--building star ships and cars. They even had a birthday treat of Star Wars cookies and root beer floats. For the next three days Gus and Beedle were the same age. That changed on Valentine's day as our oldest reached the age of nine. Gus decided to have his friend Sam come over and spend the night. They built an outdoor fire and roasted marshmallows. They played Wii till their eyes crossed and of course fell asleep watching a movie. Friends, sweets and video--what better way for a nine year old to celebrate his birthday!

Finally, James' birthday came on the 24th. He first opened gifts in the morning. Then later in the afternoon, James got a surprise--his godparents and their family showed up to celebrate his turning three.We had a Dr. Seuss party, filled with silly decorations tied into the wonderful books. Of course, for supper, we had green eggs (deviled) and ham (sandwiches). A great dinner was prepared by Mom and the families played into the late evening. February is always a busy month in the Chopin household. And it's always a month for us to reflect on how blessed we are to have such wonderful, healthy and happy young lads. God Bless our Boys!

Super & Cheesy!

2011-02-07T20:03:00.000-06:00

It has been an amazing football season! As many of you know, I am a ginormous Green Bay Packers fan. I bleed cheese. My children, from a young age, have been practically brainwashed to like (at least tolerate, for love of their father) the Packers. Last year, it was pretty amazing to see the Saints win the Super Bowl. But this year to have the Lombardi trophy come back to Green Bay--I'm telling you, I really don't think I deserve this. Here is how Super Duper Sunday went down...

And before you read on, I hope the respect you lose for me will be minimal...

It started on Super Saturday Night as my adoring wife proved to me how much she loved me--she made me a cheesehead cake. The cake itself was dyed green (go figure). And then she carefully crafted the cheese-colored icing. She scooped out several cheese holes and voila--the greatest sign of love Cindy has shown me.......for a sporting event, that is.

Super Sunday morning came with feelings of euphoria. I felt anxious, but at the same time, a nice calm fell over me. I guess the two weeks of build up by watching NFL Network incessantly while browsing ESPN's website while watching any video I could find, left me feeling very prepared for this game (like I'm playing or something). We made it to mass and during the homily Gracie makes a startling revelation...."Dad, Fr. Chester is pulling for the Packers because he's wearing green and gold!" She was on to something! Yes, it was ordinary time and the green vestments with the gold cross were customary at this time of year. But, could it have been a coincidence? Or maybe a God-incidence? I've heard worse logic.

We came back home and got in our game day attire. There was no Packer gear left unworn. All jerseys, shirts, hats, cheeseheads and jewelry were adorned. My family really showed their support for me and my team by dressing up to support the Pack. Nothing says unconditional love for your father like dressing up in team gear for a team that you have no idea what state they play in. (Wisconsin, in case you were wondering) Brainwashed you say? No, I think they just really like to see their Dad happy. And was I happy!

Grandma Dee mercifully had us over for the game. I say "mercifully" because I forewarned her that I was going to be a basket case all day and night. I promised her that I would be irrational, rude, unhelpful and down-right annoying. I thought she should know ahead of time what she was getting her and her family into. But, like any loving mother-in-law, she her daughter's husband for his flaws and his passions. And I think she, being a huge Steelers fan, was excited about the idea of talking trash with me all evening. Bring it on!

My brother-in-law, AJ, cooked an amazing gumbo. That and the several beers I had did a great job of calming me down. My family respectfully let me watch all of the pre-game features that I could get my eyes on. I was treated to stories of Packer legends and learned more about the current players (and trust me, there wasn't much I didn't already know). I told everyone, "Guys, they make five-hour long pre-game shows for people specifically like me." As I said this, I saw my in-laws look at Cindy with more pity than I think I've ever seen. Before you judge, people, the Packers just aren't in the Super Bowl every year! I've got to savor this moment.

As the game started, I felt pretty excited. It was obvious that the offense had a good game plan and knew they could spread out the defensive backfield of the Steelers. They were really putting it to Pittsburgh by scoring both an offensive and defensive touchdown. When Rodgers threw an absolute laser to hit Gregg Jennings for a touchdown, for the first time, I felt a tremendous peace. It was 21-3 at this point and one of my in-laws, I can't remember which one, said, "Aren't you disappointed it's going to be a blowout?" My response: "Absolutely not!" I have no problem when my team wins by crushing the other team. The Super Bowl is not the game to take it easy on anyone. And of course, just when the idea pops into my mind that a blowout win for the Packers is possible, the Steelers creep back in. Woodson goes down; both he and Driver are out for the game. Then Shields gets hurt. Then the Steelers score again. And again. All of a sudden, the Packers are up by only six and the Steelers have the ball with two minutes left. This was eerily reminiscent of the Steelers-Packers game in week 15 of last year. In that game the Steelers drove in the final two minutes and scored on the last play. They kicked the extra point and won the game by one stinking point. Would this be deja vu? I couldn't take it anymore. I went outside, uttered a few choice words, and paced and paced and paced and paced....

I came back in for "the final drive" feeling deflated. It looked horrible for the Pack. Roethlisberger driving and the Packers best defenders were all hurt. But maybe Big Ben's antics finally caught up with him. There was an incompletion. And another. And another. And on fourth and five, Tramon Williams knocks the ball out of Mike Wallace's hands. Incomplete. The Packers are going to win! Wow! Euphoria mixed with a heavy dose of exhaustion! But mostly exhaustion. I survived the season! My team was the last team to win!

I watched the postgame as long as my in-laws would let me. Knowing that I had hours of replay on ESPN to watch, we packed up the brood and headed home. On the way home Cindy says, "Hey do you still have that ticket from Vegas?" And then I remembered...When Cindy and I went to Las Vegas in June we did not gamble on anything....EXCEPT....one ticket I purchased. I wanted to see what sports betting was all about so I bought a ticket picking Green Bay to win the Super Bowl. Ten to one odds. Imagine that! I know it's cheesy to say it, but it was one Super Sunday. And on this day, everything was cheesy! GO PACK GO!!!

Guess Who's Six?

2011-01-12T21:41:00.000-06:00

Gracie is!!! Happy Birthday!!!

Thinking Inside the Box

2011-01-08T21:06:00.001-06:00

This year was year two of the Cub Scout Boxcar Derby, the all-too-fun kick-off to the Pinewood Derby. Last year the kids had the ideas of how they wanted their cars to look and had me help them. This year they wanted to do them all on their own. The first step was to apply the base coat. Next they cut out their head holes.
Finally they put on the touch-ups: an SB in glitter on Beedle's blue car and a purple racing stripe and license plate on Gus'.

The race was a tremendous success. All of the scouts did a tremendous job on their boxes. They raced by den and Gus and Beedle both won their races. Great job!!!

Christmas

2010-12-27T20:51:00.004-06:00

Christmas was an eventful and exciting time in the Chopin household. We fulfilled our annual tradition by going to pick up our tree on December 6th, the feast of St. Nicholas. After scanning the selection of our favorite Christmas tree lot, we came across our humble and beautiful tree. We spent the evening making it look its best. The kids pitched in by helping hang ornaments and ribbon. And as every year, we took in a cup of cheer. It's fun to have these traditions. Hopefully the kids will look back and have fond memories of time spent decorating the tree.

Something Cindy decided to do this year was to personally decorate the gifts we were giving to family and friends. This allowed us to put a personal touch on each gift. The gifts were wrapped in a brown "canvas" wrap and then the creativity and artistic touch of the decorator transformed it into a loving, personalized token of love. Here are some examples...

Also a tradition for the Christmas season is the touring of the lights at the Acadian Village. The kids always enjoy the array of lights and they never get enough of the elf caricatures. And of course, soaking up the holiday sounds of Christmas music always puts our hearts in the right place.

This year we experimented with a gingerbread house. The kids enjoyed it. It was pretty messy but messy is fun, right?

Family time sent us all over the Acadiana area. From GiGi's to Grandma Dee's to even Mamou, our family spent a lot of time on the road. All visits were pleasant and we certainly didn't spare our wastelines. The kids were blessed with an abundance of gifts which brought them so much joy. But playing with cousins was just as joyous.

We went to Christmas Eve mass at the Cathedral and the Chopins were a part of the celebration. Since Beedle is a First Communicant, he was allowed to participate in the processional. He dressed as a wise man (knowing Beedle's affinity for costumes) and strolled in in advance of the Holy Family. Gracie and Gus also pitched in by singing in the children's choir. Their angelic voices brought a sense of peace and innocence to a beautiful mass. Later that evening, we came home and Cindy and I maintained our Christmas tradition--watching It's a Wonderful Life.

It was safe to say that the Christmas season was fully embraced by the Chopins. We felt a little stressed at times, but the peace of the season over-ruled. We hope your Chistmas season was fulfilling as well!

Her Men Love Her

2010-12-05T20:16:00.002-06:00

How do you know that the men in Gracie's life love her? Both Dad and Gus took to painting her nails. Dad did the toes, while Gus painted her finger nails. Anything for our princess!

Full Force

2010-12-03T15:12:00.001-06:00

We put this off as long as we could. It's been open for over a month now. And they've been begging us to go. So, for a vacation treat, we went to see the Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit at the Lafayette Science Museum.

Beedle proudly donned his jedi tunic to be a part of the museum. The exhibit featured authentic props and costumes from the Star Wars series. The kids were excited to see the "real" R2D2, Luke's speeder from Episode IV,and many other Star Wars relics. They even took a ride in a Millennium Falcon simulator. Far out!

What was most interesting about the exhibit was how the Star Wars technology was compared to the real world technologies. They learned about how magnetic levitation works, how robotic movements are engineered, and how bionic technologies are allowing people without limbs to run and jump. The kids used technologies at work stations to design cities and settlements, like in Star Wars.They even took a ride in an air chair, simulating a ride on a speeder.

The exhibit was well worth the price of admission. It left this clan of Star Wars fans excited and full of the force.

Scenes from a Vacation

2010-12-03T13:25:00.008-06:00

We took a trip to Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas two years ago and said it was definitely somewhere we could come back. So a few weeks ago when we were brainstorming what to do for our vacation, Cindy brought up the idea of a return trip to Petit Jean. Excellent choice, Mom!

We spent Monday morning driving up to the mountain just outside of Morrilton, AR. The cold and rainy weather did not deter us from making excellent time. The kids were fabulous on the way up there, all with a little help from carbohydrates, Billy Jonas and books!

We settled into our cabin. It's a nice setup with a wonderful view of the mountains and valley from the back porch and deck.

The first night, and every night that followed, was welcomed with a warm fire. For a family that does not have a fireplace, it is a nice treat to snuggle up to a cozy fire. And with a fire, you just have to have S'mores, right? And that's what we did--every night!

We took two major hikes while we were there. On Tuesday, we took the Bear Cave Trail. It's a relatively short trail and is rated "easy to moderate"--perfect for our first hike of the trip. The shortened length was also important because it was extremely cold (less than 40 degrees the entire hike) and the wind was blistering.They bundled up to make the hike bearable. For fun, the kids brought their walkie-talkies. This also allowed the brave and adventurous ones to forge ahead and explore. Gus made an interesting discovery--an armadillo shell and skeleton.He was pretty proud of finding it. We noticed that it was picked pretty clean, which means someone or something had a very full meal! Further along we found little caves and boulders. Mom was quick to point out how warm it was inside the caves as it was sheltered from the winds. The kids found little stopping points here and there to observe nature. What a great educational experience! We finally made it to the Bear Cave where the rock walls and tunnels were very beautiful. The scenes of the rock tunnels are similar to those seen at Rock City in Tennessee.

The Wednesday hike, the Cedar Falls Trail, although a bit more challenging in its rating, was a bit more enjoyable, since the wind had died down substantially. The trail starts with a steep descent down a rocky mountainside. The kids, especially James, did very well, considering how shaky it is on the way down. After crossing the creek by its bridge, the trail winds through the valley to a pool of water trapped by a bed of boulders. This water comes from the Cedar Falls. Unfortunately it was only trickling down this time; last time it seemed to be roaring like Niagra.But the scene is still surreal and the kids had a grand time making echos, "lifting boulders" and walking around soaking up the beautiful nature. The jaunt back up the mountain was a little strenuous, but we made it. And as we did after Tuesday's hike, we went inside to the lobby of Mather Lodge to enjoy the expansive fireplace and it's cozy heat.

The afternoons afforded everyone rest and/or play time. About 80 yards from our cabin was a small playground where the kids pretended to be everything from members of the rebel alliance in The Empire Strikes Back to characters, such as blue meanies, from Yellow Submarine. I guess they could have just swung and slid, but what fun would that have been? Cindy and I were able to get some reading done, sitting by the fire or on the swing on the back porch, and enjoying the tranquility of nature and a little less responsibility.

We did have one family project for the trip--a project of leisure and love. While Cindy and Gus were shopping the other night, they decided to pick up a special puzzle to entertain us while there--Abbey Road. We worked on the puzzle at various times during the trip--a little with breakfast, in the afternoons, a little while cooking dinner, a little before bed--it became almost a little bit of an obsession to finish it before we left. I'm pleased to say that at 10:30pm Wednesday evening our masterpiece was finished. Dare I say, our puzzle "came together"!

Throughout our few days there, here are some other memories we'll cherish...

....caramel apples for an afternoon snack

....watching School of Rock every night after bath time and before bedtime

....quoting School of Rock the entire way home

....the electricity going out and eating BBQ hamburgers in the dark

....dropping the glass pickle jar (Sorry, Morrilton Wal-Mart!)

....Dad smelling like "the zoo"

....shooting the marshmallow bow

....playing Clue

....tossing the football

As our hearts and minds (and sometimes our bodies) rested at Petit Jean, it was nice to feel like a family and have a wonderful appreciation for what God has given us--this beautiful planet and a wonderful family to love while on it. Thank you for the memories, Petit Jean!

Safari of Lights

2010-11-28T21:24:00.000-06:00

What's better than a trip to the zoo? A trip to the zoo at night!

What's better than a trip to the zoo at night? A trip to the zoo at night during the Christmas season!

We took advantage of one of the benefits of being members of the Zoo of Acadiana--the preview party to the Safari of Lights! We enjoyed strolling through past the animals and looking at the wonderful lights. We were also treated to warm popcorn and drinks. Here are some pics from the evening...

Twist & Shout

2010-11-24T20:32:00.002-06:00

Tonight was game night at the Chopin house. We started out with an intellectual game--Clue. Here the kids worked on the process of elimination. It was a lot of fun and Cindy and I couldn't help but quote lines from the movie.

The next game was a physical game--Twister. We hadn't played in a while, so we weren't as limber. But it was obvious the kids enjoyed how ridiculous the game is--or how inflexible the human body can be sometimes. Here are some pics...

Something You Don't See Every Day

2010-11-20T19:09:00.003-06:00

We just happen to see this on the way home as we passed by the lake by our house...

Apparently this bird is a better fisherman than most.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

The quest for candy led the Chopins and Dupuys to dress up and head out trick-or-treating. Here is the cast of characters:

Gus--Peyton Manning

Beedle--Paul McCartney in Sgt. Pepper'sGracie--PrincessJames--Brett Favre (pre-controversy)
Emma--CheerleaderMaddie--PrincessDressed and ready, they headed out and called for candy. They captured a tremendous amount of sugary loot, which will hopefully last them until next Halloween. Good times!

2010-10-26T21:44:00.001-05:00

The dream of a parent of kids with special needs. The hard work, dedication and fiscal sponsorship of a local Kiwanis club. The willingness of a city to pump money into project that gives children and adults of all capabilities a "level" playing field and a way to experience joys never experienced before. These were all catalysts that led to today's opening of Parc Independence--Lafayette's first handi-capable playing facility. It is designed to allow children to play without limitations of physical or mental challenges. From the wheelchair swing to tactile activities, Kiwanis has stamped their spirit upon this park. I have been a Kiwanian for several years and I am very proud of the many projects our club does. This project, Parc Independence, has been in the works for over five years, as a vision of one of our hardest working members, Kemper Bowen. Kemper's passion and drive have helped make this the single largest project the club has ever undertaken. Many of our members worked hard to raise the money needed to purchase the equipment for the park.

Today marked the grand opening of Parc Independence. It was a huge celebration. Dignitaries came to help with the dedication ceremony. The Chopin clan made it out to play on the playground as well.

There are few things more gratifying than making a child smile. Today there were smiles galore. It seems the mission of Kiwanis was fulfilled. I'm proud to be a part of it.

Monday Night Football

2010-10-25T19:19:00.002-05:00

Cowboys vs. Giants...

Dino-Mite!

2010-10-17T20:32:00.001-05:00

Beedle begged to put together a project. For Christmas last year his Nanny Capri gave him a Struxx erection set. The project was to build a dinosaur out of about a million parts. You know these types of projects, parents. A gazillion pieces. A two-hour inventory. A 385-step instruction booklet. Electric wiring. Normally I cringe at the idea of having to work on projects like these--it's just not my thing. But it's Beedle's thing, so I swallowed my pride, and agreed to spend the afternoon and early evening teaming up with him to tackle this construction project.
With a gulp of patience we dug in and got to work doing inventory. We worked through it, piece by piece, joint by joint. Beedle really has a talent for these things. He sees the picture and just figures it out. I was very impressed. As the hours pressed on, his creation grew and grew, and finally evolved into a fully-functioning dinosaur, which he affectionately named "Dino-mite". The prehistoric project's eyes glow. It growls and snarls. And most importantly, it makes Beedle happy! He beamed with pride. I can't wait for the next father-son project. Even if it's over one of our heads.

Brodie!

2010-10-16T21:24:00.000-05:00

Little Brodie spent the weekend with us. Uncle AJ & Aunt Laci had a wedding they were in, so the kids gladly entertained their little cousin. They played. They rested. They played some more. James even took the time to feed him. Good times.

Chef Boys-Ardee

2010-10-11T12:51:00.004-05:00

With Daddy off of work and the women off to ballet and shopping, today officially became "Boy's Day". We started off with a jaunt to the library to work on a few cub scout achievements. Since today's holiday is Columbus Day, we read about how Christopher Columbus sailed west to discover new land. We also worked on other achievements--researching a U.S. state (Gus picked Delaware), and learning about two great Americans (Gus chose books on George Washington & George W. Bush).

Next we went to Albertson's to plan our lunch. In honor of one of America's most favorite Italians, Columbus, we decided to make homemade pizzas. But since we were at Albertson's and it's nearly impossible to pass up their delicious French bread, we decided to make French-bread pizzas. When we got home, the Pizzeria was open for business.

First we got into costume by growing (drawing) moustaches...

Then we divided up the tasks. Gus (Augusto) was in charge of rigorously shredding the cheese. No one shreds cheese quite like this piasan...The artistic Beedle (Benedicto) painted the sauce on the bread canvases...

Then James (Gipeto) used his newly-found math skills to dole out the perfect amount of pepperonis on each pizza...

I finished them off with an extra layer of Mozzarella, a few slices of Canadian Bacon and some bell peppers. They were now ready for the oven.

When they came out, our Chefs Boy-Ardee had a grand feast. Nothing but smiles and sauce in their moustaches!

Butterflies..er..Pancakes in Our Stomachs

2010-10-09T14:20:00.000-05:00

The Chopins traversed to Acadian Villiage this morning for the annual Kiwanis Zydeco Pancake Breakfast. We made it to this event last year and was very impressed with it. The pancakes were terrific and there were plenty of games and activities for the kids. Plus live music. All for only $5 a person! We had a great time last year, despite the rainy weather, and we certainly wanted to support the Kiwanis Club of Acadiana as we are a Kiwanis family. With a forecast of perfect weather, where else would we be? And, just like last year, we had a phenomenal time! We saw a lot of familiar faces and then tried to make some of our faces unfamiliar. Gracie took the liberty of getting her face painted--the artist did a wonderful job turning our daughter into a butterfly! It's great to live in an area where there are so many wonderful family activities to participate in and support. We're looking forward to next year's pancakes already!

Our Star

2010-10-08T22:52:00.002-05:00

Beedle has been taking acting classes with Christian Youth Theater (http://www.cytlafayette.org/) for the past couple of months. He's always been a performer, whether it's being in costume or singing while playing his tinker-toy guitar. CYT has been wonderful for Beedle and it has really allowed him to have fun with something he's so passionate about. Tonight was the performance night, where all the classes perform their skills. Beedle's class, the six & seven-year-old acting class, performed the yellow-brick road scene from The Wizard of Oz. We were so impressed with how well they did, especially our little star, Munchkin #1...

Miss Sydney, Beedle's teacher, deserves a lot of credit. She did a great job with the little thespians. It takes a lot of courage to be up there and perform, and the kids of all ages shone brightly. It's such a positive theater group and Beedle is glad to be a part of it. It's so rewarding as a parent to see our little man have so much fun being up there. Beedle, thanks for being our star!

Lego Maniacs

2010-10-01T18:16:00.000-05:00

Legos have been a wonderful source of creativity for our kids. We know this because the kids are always working with them and these legos are literally all over their bedroom floors. But it's a very healthly channel for their creativity and imaginations. These are some of the projects our Lego Maniacs have been concocting...

The Pixar Logo...

Barkley, the dog from Sesame Street...

Grover...

A sweet car...

They are extremely talented. Can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Cooler Temps

2010-09-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite family-time activities when the weather gets cooler is to huddle around the outdoor fire pit. This evening, it wasn't exactly an artic blast (as you can tell by our shorts), but it was cool enough to enjoy being outside. Tonight's activity--hotdogs and Packers on Monday night football. We got them set up with their own roasters and they did the rest. After baths, it was time to get ready for the game. Go Pack!

Happy Birthday, Mary Our Mother!

2010-09-08T21:07:00.000-05:00

We celebrated the birthday of our Immaculate Mother Mary by having a birthday party at our house. The Dupuys came by for BBQ and fun. Happy Birthday Mary and thank you for saying "Yes" to our Lord!

Goin' to the Zoo!

2010-09-07T21:41:00.004-05:00

We spent the Labor Day holiday weekend very busy. From yard work to kids' day at Acadiana Religious, to the LSU game and the Bayards coming over, to having Fr. B over for Sunday BBQ, to joining our friends in Abbeville for Pizza. What more could we possibly squeeze in? Well, since we get an extra day, Labor Day, we decided to take a trip to the Audobon Zoo in New Orleans. We went a few weeks back and were sidetracked by rain. The forecast looked fabulous so we brought GiGi along to bring our animals to meet their animals.

Here are some pics from the day...

Ballin' in N'awlins

2010-08-13T21:45:00.001-05:00

Today was action-packed. Wet, but fun. We started our morning with a trek from our hotel to Cafe Du Monde. We had to have beignets for breakfast--it's New Orleans! On the way there it started raining, and raining, and raining. And of course we didn't bring the umbrellas. It dried up just as we got there. But it wasn't busy there so we got in quick and we were served instantly. Powdered sugar everywhere! We forgot the camera so we didn't get any good pics. But for a good visual, just picture our little angels with white powder all over their faces and clothes. After the scrumptious breakfast, we sauntered back to our hotel and were caught smack dab in the middle of a monsoon. At that point we said, "Ok, we're just going to get wet." And we did! We laughed and sang songs on the way back. A great reminder of innocent times--and vacation time!

After checking out, we took the brood to the Insectarium. Although Cindy and I really enjoyed it, with the exception of Gus, who dared to eat a few bugs, the kids were pretty terrified of it. They kept wanting to leave. Personally I found it very educational and wonderfully presented. It was just not their cup of tea. However, for those bugs Gus digested, we rewarded him with a T-shirt that reads "I ate a bug at the Insectarium". Chocolate covered or not, we were pretty proud of him.

After, we searched for food. It's New Orleans, how hard could it be? Well, we headed uptown toward the zoo and we just couldn't settle on anything. About an hour and a half later, it was Wendy's for the kids and po-boys at a dive on Magazine Street. Not one of us was let down!

With lunch in our bellies, it was time for dessert. We had a special treat--snoballs! And not just any snoballs. We watched a show on Food Network not too long ago called "A Kid in a Candy Store", where they feature sweet shops all over the country. They did a feature on William's Plum Street Snoballs. We were sold! They make EVERYTHING from scratch. And what really got my attention was a flavor called Banana's Foster! Watching them make it from scratch on TV has kept me yearning for several weeks.

What's so cool about this place is that it is so unassuming. It's in the middle of a neighborhood, butting up to other houses. It has the humblest facade; you'd never know that it has some of the greatest treasures in the South right there inside. We walked in and were immediately greeted by the owner, the lady we saw on TV making the Banana's Foster snoball--Mrs. Donna Black. At this point I'm pretty giddy. Donna easily strikes up conversation with us and we let her know that we heard about her snoballs on Food Network. She mentioned to us that it has brought a lot of new patrons her way. She was very cordial and while chatting, it turns out she had a daughter in school at UL and had family in Eunice that Cindy new of--small world! And wouldn't you know, the snoballs were even better than anticipated! Of course I went for the Banana's Foster--AMAZING!!! Gus had the Watermelon, Gracie had the Rainbow, and Beedle, James and Cindy split an Orange. Everyone was content!

What next? Well, it finally stopped raining and we were so close to the zoo. We gave it a shot and they were still open, but only for 45 minutes. We did the "super-express" tour of the zoo and hit the important exhibits--elephants, jungle cats, monkeys and giraffes. Unfortunately, closing time came quickly. We'll just have to tackle the zoo again on a return trip.

The jaunt home was enjoyable--lots of laughs. We played the "what was your favorite thing we did?" game and ironically they all agreed that the most fun thing they did is staying in the hotel and watching movies. Pretty simple kids we have here!

Thank you, N'awlins! We hope to see you again soon!

An Easy Night

2010-08-12T23:22:00.000-05:00

After a day at the Aquarium and a stroll to Jax Brewery, we made it to our hotel, The Intercontinental on St. Charles Ave., and checked in. It didn't take long for the kids to realize that there was a pool. In fact this pool was sort of unique because it was on the 15th floor--the top floor. I had never seen a pool that many stories up. The kids worked on their swimming; I'm sure they were inspired after seeing so much aquatic life at the Aquarium. When we were done we went back to the room to get ready for supper. We decided to give Mother's Restaurant a try. It looked like a family restaurant that served good soul food--which is what we were in the mood for. Plus it was only three blocks away from the hotel. One of the cool things about New Orleans is that some of the most unknown restaurants have been frequented by many celebrities. We were treated to a delicious dinner of shrimp poboys and award-winning ham. On our stroll home we all had sweet teeth. We stopped at the nearby CVS and got ice cream and candy for everyone. Back at the hotel the kids watched movies on Netflix until they passed out--one by one. Including Mom and Dad. We're looking forward to Day 2 in N.O.

N'awlins, Here We Come!

2010-08-12T22:26:00.001-05:00

The forecast called for rain, rain and more rain for Thursday and Friday in New Orleans. That didn't stop us from venturing to the Big Easy for our scheduled two-day romp. We left around 8:30am with plans to go straight to the Audubon Zoo. By the time we got to LaPlace it was raining pretty heavily so we decided to take one of our inside tours--The Aquarium of the Americas.

Right when we walked in, it was obvious the animals were happy to see us. Especially the sting rays! Check out their smiles from above.

The kids learned so much about the life aquatic. They learned about fish in the Gulf, life in the Amazon rain forest, and the inhabitants of the Louisiana waterways. Here are some pics of their discoveries...

Scalin' Back Tuesday

2010-08-10T22:03:00.004-05:00

Vacation time again!

Today, as a family, we worked in the yard. While the tots picked up pine cones and branches, Cindy and I tackled some other yard projects that were long overdue. Mom worked on yanking weeds out of the flowerbeds to the tune of 12 trash bags.It was very hot and humid and she worked very hard. And after mowing the grass, I labored on edging the lawn borders at the street. I was using some pretty archaic but effective tools. And with Gus and Gracie helping to pick up the clippings it went a whole lot easier than it could have. For some, it doesn't sound like a vacation, but I really enjoy a good day of yard work. Vacation for me!

While James took a nap, I took the other kids bowling. They had a very good time and surprised me with how well they bowled. Their reward was a cookie from the nearby bakery. And we picked up one for Nanny Wanda since she worked close by.

Today was also Beedle's first day in acting classes with the Christian Youth Theater. He went and absolutely loved it. It turns out that his age group will be doing a reprise of The Wizard of Oz and Beedle will be a munchkin. "I get to wear a costume!" He's pumped!

Later that afternoon we headed to GiGi's house to have dinner with the Van Vickle family. GiGi cooked a savory shrimp stew and the young boys turned GiGi's backyard into a gridiron. Gus was especially happy as he got to play tackle football with kids his age. It was a great visit!

I thought we were supposed to be scaling it back today. So much for that! I'm telling you, this vacation's been pretty great so far!

Wet and Wild Monday in Sulphur

2010-08-09T21:26:00.000-05:00

We left for Sulphur this morning at vacation time. Are you catching our theme?

Today is waterpark day in Sulphur. Cindy and the kids went a few weeks ago and raved about it. I couldn't go because I was at work when they went so I was eager to see this thing. For those that don't know, the Sulphur Parks and Recreation Department (SPAR) has a waterpark that anyone can attend. The cost of admission is $5 a person. It's not Schlitterbahn, but it's pretty awesome considering how affordable it is. There are things to do for every age group. There is a zero-entry pool and water playhouse for the little ones.There's a lazy river and giant swimming pool for those that just want to relax. And there's a couple of giant waterslides that the adventurous can slide down, with or without an inflatable device.

There were several families there that we knew so it made it nice to have friends to play with. Here are some pics from our day...

Saluting our Scouts

2010-08-08T17:30:00.001-05:00

What time is it? Still vacation time!

Today was a very special day for Gus & Beedle. They each received their religious awards today at 9:00am mass at Our Lady of Wisdom. The boys and the rest of the pack got to process into church and sit in special pews upfront. Fr. Bryce Sibley, pastor at OLOW, delivered a wonderful mass. At its end, Fr. Sibley allowed the scouts to come up to the altar to receive their awards. Beedle received the Guardian Angel award and Gus received the Light of Christ award, as well as the Guardian Angel award. They felt very honored and many thanks go to Fr. Sibley and the rest of the OLOW staff for supporting our scouts all year.

After the mass, the pack was treated to an end-of-the-year party at the Leblancs' house. There was a waterslide and pool for the scouts and their families to let loose. Everyone was treated to pizza and cookie cake. There was also a small advancement ceremony and the boys, once Tigers and Wolves are now Wolves and Bears. They were excited to get their new kerchiefs. It was a fun event and we are very grateful to Kirk and Michie for opening up their home to our kids.

Two days of watersliding left us pretty exhausted for the rest of the day. We came back and took naps--like you should on vacation.

Capri's Birthday Party

2010-08-07T23:04:00.001-05:00

What time is it? Vacation time.

We took our time getting up and going Saturday morning. Why? Cause it's vacation time!

But we had plans today. Capri is having a birthday tomorrow. So to celebrate we had a waterslide at Poppa & Grandma Dee's house. The family was there and the kids and the adults took their turns zipping down the slide. The injuries were minimal--sprained thumb, bruised ribs, brushburns. But there's no doubt that some of us will be sore tomorrow. Poppa BBQ'd some hot dogs and hamburgers and we ate and relaxed all day. There was a ton of fun had by everyone! We're looking forward to Capri's birthday next year so hopefully we can do this again. Happy Birthday, P!

Vacation Begins!

2010-08-06T22:48:00.000-05:00

You know that feeling when it's 5pm on Friday and your on vacation the next week--we've got that right now! What time is it? Vacation time! We have a couple of rules when we are on vacation: Dad never shaves and we eat whatever we want. And when someone asks you what time it is, you always respond "vacation time".

Tonight, as we kicked off vacation by honoring one of those rules--we ate something we wanted. We had beignets.....for supper! Look at how miserable these kids were being forced to eat beignets...

Welcome to the Church, Joshua Paul!

2010-08-01T22:36:00.003-05:00

A celebration was had today as a new member of the church was welcomed. Joshua Paul Bayard was baptized today. Cindy and I are honored to be the godparents of this beautiful Catholic boy! Here are some pics from the baptism...
We love you Joshua and we will always be praying for you!

Date Night

2010-07-31T22:29:00.000-05:00

Gigi said, "You guys go out on a date and the kids will sleep at Gigi's house." OK!!!We decided to check out The Shed in Scott. It's a blues/BBQ joint. We really enjoyed ourselves. The BBQ was very flavorful--smoked to perfection. Plus, we were treated to the sounds of The Pedestrians, a Blues/Southern Rock band. We sat back, had a few beers and just enjoyed some "us" time listening to music. It was a very relaxing evening! Thanks Gigi for letting us have a date night!

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

2010-07-29T22:22:00.000-05:00

It's a beautiful thing when you hear your kid reading for the first time. I would say that it is an equally beautiful thing to see your kid reading to another one of your kids. Thank you Beedle for being a big brother to James.

Beignesiana

2010-07-27T22:17:00.000-05:00

Gus was fascinated with the beignet Mom put on his plate because he said it looks like Louisiana. You be the judge.

Day Five--The Home Stretch

2010-06-27T23:47:00.003-05:00

Our flight isn't leaving until 1:15am on Monday (Yikes!), and with no more convention to attend, we decided to make the most of our last day in Vegas. And we did it by spending most of the day not in Vegas.

I started the day by waking up early and catching a shuttle to the airport to rent a car for the day. The price of the rental was fairly cheap. However the 43% airport tax really shot down the apparent deal we were getting. I drove back to the Flamingo to pick up Cindy and check us out. We made it to 8:00am mass at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer. "Shrine" and "Las Vegas" are generally two words that aren't associated. But we were treated to a wonderful mass--a great way to get our day of freedom going.

We decided to make a trip out to Hoover Dam for the day. It was only about a 45-minute trip from Las Vegas. On the way there we saw more beautiful desertous mountain scenes--things you never see in South Louisiana.

We passed over the dam to park. The vista from the bridge is unbelievable. Again, things you never see in South Louisiana! We parked on the other side of the dam and realized we had to cross into Arizona to park.By doing this we broke one of the rental car company covenants "Thou Shall Not Drive the Car Outside of the State of Nevada". I wonder if 100 feet into Arizona, literally, constitutes taking the car outside the state of Nevada? Well, I won't tell if you won't tell.

We decided to take the "dam" tour. This was a common tongue-in-cheek saying by all of the tour guides. Cindy and I, of course, made light of it as well. On the tour, we learned many fascinating things like....there's enough concrete in Hoover Dam to wrap a 4 foot sidewalk around the equator......and......the dam was completed two years quicker than anticipated.....and.....the electricity generated by the dam sends power all the way up to Canada.

Then we got a view of it from top to bottom...

By the way, I don't know if you can tell from the pictures but it's REALLY HOT at Hoover Dam. Especially with that 100-degree heat (at 10:30am) radiat2ing off one of the largest concrete structures in the world. Advice: Wear a hat and bring LOTS OF WATER!

We finished our tour, hopped back in the car and had a wild idea....."Let's go to the Grand Canyon! It's only a couple of hours from here and we've got nothing but time to kill!" We decided this as we were heading in the opposite direction of where we finally got our GPS to tell us where to go. Going in the same direction to Hoover Dam, and eventually, the Grand Canyon, was over five miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic. There wasn't even a place for us to turn around. We took that as a sign that God did not want us to see the Grand Canyon, at least not yet. Who knows, we might be the two idiots that would actually fall into it.

So how else could we be spontaneous? Well, we decided to look for a place for lunch. We have been on a massive real-pit BBQ kick lately, so we agreed to look for a local joint. We GPS'd it and found several BBQ restaurants in Henderson, about 15 miles outside of Las Vegas. We looked for one--couldn't find it. Looked for another--couldn't find that one. I guess God was looking out for us because we ended up at Lucille's Smokehouse. Nothing like good BBQ when you're really hungry. It had a nice swanky decor. My favorite sign was a picture of an old man playing a guitar and it read "My Blues Got Better Since I Gave Up Hope!" Classic! Our waitress was excellent--she made us feel right at home. She kept bringing us refills of this peach tea--it was awesome. Then when we were done, we sat in a little sitting room in the restaurant to relax and let our food settle. We could have taken a nap; we had nothing else to do. What an unusual feeling! But, you know those days when you don't have your kids and any other immediate responsibilities and you think, "Gosh, what can we do? We've got to do something! We can't let an opportunity like this pass us by."

Bowling it is! Spontaneous bowling! With the help of our GPS, we located a bowling alley in Henderson. Attached to a casino, of course. We bowled a couple of games. We laughed. We cut up. We felt like teenagers. Our scores weren't great, but who cares? We celebrated our freedom!

What next? Starbucks! And boy do they have some Starbucks in southern Nevada! On the GPS there was one every 50 feet! We spent some time at Target, at bookstores, at bakeries. Just talking. Appreciating our day of independence. But, as always, our thoughts drift back home to how much we miss the kids. We love them and we can't wait to see them.

So with those yearns to return to our family we made our way back here to McCarran International Airport, to await our red-eye flight back home. And as I type now, watching my lovely wife lie asleep on the thinly-carpeted, but acceptably clean floor of the waiting area near gate D36, using her purse as a pillow and my long-sleeve red shirt as a blanket, I think about how blessed Cindy and I are. I love my wife and I love my life. I don't like Vegas that much, though. It was fun, but it's just not us. Home is where we need to be. See you soon, kids.

Oh, and thank you Grandma Dee, GiGi and Nanny Wanda for watching our kids!

Happy Birthday Malia!

2010-06-27T23:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Malia! Parrain loves you!

Day Four--Birthday in Vegas

2010-06-26T23:21:00.003-05:00

No better place to spend your birthday than in Vegas, right? Well, for Cindy, just getting to sleep late was the best way for her to spend her birthday.

My morning was spent with The Beaver, Jerry Mathers. He was the guest speaker at the Kiwanis Fellowship Breakfast. After breakfast he graciously agreed to sign autographs. It was nice to shake hands with a TV star--he was a really personable guy.

The rest of the morning and mid-afternoon was spent in wrap-up sessions. I made it back to the hotel and Cindy was still out and about. When she got back, we took a stroll to the Mirage and pick up our tickets for Cindy's birthday present--Cirque Du Soliel's "Love"--a performance of the Beatles music. We'd been planning this for a while so it was hard to contain our excitement while we were in the gift shop outside the theater. It was best that we get out before we explode with excitement.

We walked to the Venetian and eyed the beauty of the Italian-themed resort. The paintings on the ceiling--words could barely describe. It was quite a sight.

We hustled back to our room, got ready and headed to the Mirage. Wow, what a show! It was everything we could have asked for and more! The sound was incredible and the soundtrack was beautifully arranged. And the acrobats--it was such a great combination of strength, power, and gracefulness. Wow!

Unfortunately, the performance and just the hustle and bustle of the week left me less than patient as we waited for supper. I was a bear and Cindy didn't get the ideal birthday dinner she was hoping for. But at least we were able to enjoy the fountains at the Belagio in the evening for just one more time.

An almost perfect evening! Happy 34th Birthday, Cindy!

Vegas, Day Three

2010-06-25T23:59:00.001-05:00

The highlight of Day Three was overwhelmingly the news that our godchild, Joshua, was born and that Erin was in good health. To celebrate, I was able to meet Cindy at lunchtime at a nearby church (ironically right on the Strip) for mass. Glory to God!

Cindy did some sight-seeing and shopping during the rest of the day, while I, along with Chris and Kevin from our club, attended workshops at the convention. The Kiwanis International Legislative Session was held in the afternoon. This is where they elect the future leaders of the organization and vote on amendments to the by-laws.It was a little tedious--people love to debate. But it finally ended just after 5:30pm, an hour past schedule.

The evening led us to a night out with Chris and Gina at Caesar's Palace. We had a few restaurants we were interested in, but really wanted to try Tyler Florence's restaurant, Napa. We were going to "do it up" for one night. The wait was over two and a half hours--that's a little too long for me. We settled on an Italian restaurant and were pretty pleased. The highlight for Cindy and I was when the pepper boy came to our table and asked, "Fresh-a peppa?" Cindy and I struggled to keep from laughing. It reminded us of that Saturday Night Live skit "Pepper Boy" with Adam Sandler and Dana Carvey. It kept smiles on our faces for the rest of the evening.

The rest of the night was spent trying to hunt down the ultimate dessert. It didn't happen. Oh well, still a great day in Vegas. Looking forward to tomorrow, especially because it's Cindy's birthday!

Joshua is Born!

2010-06-25T17:57:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the world, Joshua Paul Bayard!

Vegas, Day Two

2010-06-25T00:17:00.000-05:00

I started the day with a nice jog down the Las Vegas strip. It's only in its serenity (actually the only time it's quiet--7am), that you can truly appreciate how beautiful and ornate it all is. And everywhere is surprisingly clean.

Today was the first convention day so Cindy and I spent most of the day apart. She did some sight-seeing, checking out the resorts and eating a good lunch. I spent the day touring the convention site, the Las Vegas Convention Center, and then catching the opening session. The opening session speaker was Colin Powell. The former Secretary of State delivered a great speech. We also heard from the actress Tea Leoni, the national spokesperson for UNICEF, as Kiwanis International has teamed up with UNICEF for its worldwide service project--putting an end to maternal & neo-natal tetanus in third world countries. It was a very exciting opening session.

After a late afternoon nap, Cindy and I decided to go poolside in the lagoon pool area. It's something we never really get a chance to do, so we enjoyed it.

We toured a couple of more resorts and eventually found ourselves at New York, New York at 10pm and we had not even eaten supper yet. We grabbed ourselves a couple of slices of New York-style pizza and sat outside of a karaoke bar. We just sat back, relaxed and people-watched. Day Two was fun.

Vegas, Day One

2010-06-23T22:34:00.001-05:00

Cindy and I arrived safely in Las Vegas for the Kiwanis International Convention. This is my first time in Vegas and Cindy's second. The view on the way in was breathtaking. Clear blue skies, mountains everywhere, and this metropolis of glitz in the valley. Cindy said it's pretty amazing when you land at night, but landing in the day was just fine with me. Walking into the airport, it's very obvious that this town likes to gamble. The terminals are lined with slot machines. Pretty amazing. We took a cab to our hotel, The Flamingo, and got settled in. We opened the window blinds and had the most spectacular view. We are directly across from Caeser's Palace and catercorner to The Belagio. Beyond the mammoth resorts in the backdrop are gigantic mountains. It's a wonderful sight.

We went downstairs to the pool/gardens area of the resort. It's lined with a lagoon setting, and of course, it houses a flock of flamingos and other tropical animals.The pool area is vast and looks like a lot of fun--can't wait to try it. There were a couple of weddings going on, too. They have several "chapel" areas and apparently they have weddings there just about every day.

We walked to Caeser's Palace to take a look. The architecture and attention to detail is amazing.

We went out to dinner this evening with Chris, a fellow Kiwanian, and his wife, Gina. We hiked down the strip to the Mirage to have dinner at Wolf Gang Puck's restaurant. The food and fellowship was great. We are looking forward to Day 2 tomorrow.

Star Wars So Sweet

2010-06-15T20:36:00.002-05:00

The kids got a package in the mail today from Cousin Bryan and Jonna. They said they saw it and couldn't resist sending it to us. It's Star Wars pancake molds! The molds weren't out of the package for long before they were put to good use. With cookie dough in the refrigerator it was a no brainer. Mom whipped up some icing and the galactic treats of the empire were complete and ready for consumption.

It also worked with pancakes the next day as well...

Thanks to Bryan & Jonna for thinking of our family.

What Do You Wear When it Rains?

2010-06-13T13:20:00.000-05:00

What do you wear when it rains? Some people wear panchos. Some use umbrellas. Beedle sees rain as an opportunity. An opportunity to strap goggles to his head and don a Ninja costume.

And apparently Gracie thinks she's going swimming too.

Cuttin' Time

2010-06-12T13:06:00.000-05:00

James and Dad were getting some yard work done today. Two mowers are definitely better than one.

Nesting Syndrome

2010-06-05T14:29:00.000-05:00

We used to have a functioning front porch light. We've been meaning to replace it but we get such good coverage from the rest of our outdoor lighting that it hasn't been a priority to change it out. Because of our procrastination, some neighbors have moved in. We've been hearing a lot of chirping at night and never really figured out where it was coming from. It turns out the chirping was four new baby birds nestled quite comfortably in the light fixture.We have been fascinated with them since making this discovery. Of course, they have been affectionately nicknamed "The Fab Four". Since learning more about them, the late-night chirping hasn't been as bad. In fact, it's sweet music to our ears. Welcome, neighbors!

Culinary Artist

2010-06-03T18:23:00.000-05:00

I'm glad to see that Gus (Caleb) has taken an interest in creation through inspiration, even if it's with his food...

Get in Our Bellies!

2010-06-01T13:38:00.001-05:00

The pictures do not tell how much laughter was had. Never was something so simple, so funny!

Kickin'

2010-05-28T19:08:00.003-05:00

The kids enjoyed another year of spring soccer with the Holy Family Home Educators soccer league. This was Gracie's first year and she had a lot of fun learning the basics and playing the fun games.Beedle and Gus played with the next older bracket. Gus had a great time running, kicking and scoring, while Beedle had more fun just observing from the field. All of them made new friends and did their best to stay joyful. They gave glory to God through their play and sportsmanship. We look forward to the next sporting season!

Food & Entertainment

2010-05-15T10:46:00.003-05:00

Cindy always does such a great job of making learning fun.....and tasty! When she is teaching, especially religion, she finds delightful ways to help the kids remember what she's teaching, and, at the same time, satisfy their cravings for creativity and good food. Here are a few of her recent projects over the last month...

Cindy taught about the story of Creation....
They made octopus cupcakes with lolipops and gummy worms...
She mde them fruit trees for an afternoon snack...
And my favorite, owl cupcakes...She does such a great job inspiring creativity.

By Gracie's Eye

2010-05-10T19:41:00.000-05:00

Here are random pics Gracie took with the camera in our yard...
We are proud of our little photographer!

Cinco De Mayo!

2010-05-05T22:17:00.000-05:00

Los Ardoins came over tonight to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with us. Senora Cindy did a bueno job of decorating with sombrero platters, maracas and a Mexican blanket. We had tacos and tortillia soup to get our bellies festive. As evening approached we let los ninos & la nina entertain themselves with a Mexican celebration tradition--the pinata. We hung it from the basketball goal and los ninos & la nina took a swing at it. We did our best to keep the others away from the glancing blows of a blindfolded child violently swinging a baseball bat. Everyone got a chance to take a few whacks at it. The last one to go, Gus, delivered the final shot. Ole! Candy for everyone!

Shrimps on the Barbie

2010-04-24T22:03:00.000-05:00

G'Day! Our mates had Shrimps on the Barbie this evening.

St. George, Pray for Us!

2010-04-23T22:27:00.002-05:00

A day of two great events--St. George's Feast Day and Emma Claire's birthday!

The kids really enjoy stories of St. George because they involve stories of heroism, conquering evil, and more importantly right now, dragon-slaying. To celebrate, Cindy made a dragon cake, and I must say, an AMAZING dragon cake! Here are some pics...We had the Dupuy's over to "slay" the dragon in Emma Claire's honor. Happy 4th Birthday, Emma Claire!

Next Stop: Tour de France

2010-04-18T10:52:00.001-05:00

So Cindy calls me at work last week to say "Gracie has a surprise for you when you get home." I thought of a bunch of things--she drew me a picture, she has a loose tooth, she has a new dance routine she wants to show me. Even better. I came home to see this...

Cindy tells me that she asked Gracie out of the blue if she wanted to try riding her bike without training wheels. She responded, like she always does with great, fearless enthusiasm, "OK!" Cindy took off her training wheels and said she was going back inside to change James' diaper but would come back to help her in just a few minutes. Our brave little soul Gracie got on her bike and was riding up and down the driveway. Cindy was very impressed that she had no reservations about doing it all by herself--little Miss Independent! Our boys would have NEVER tried to get on their bikes without training wheels for the first time without us holding them. And there she went--fearless and confident.

A few days later I asked Gracie if she wanted to ride her bike all the way to the pond. Same fearless response--"OK!" I was so proud of how well she rode up and down the hills and stayed, for the most part, on the side of the road. The final test was the fast track of the Alabama downhill. This is the street on the other side of the pond that the kids like to go down because it's really fast, especially on scooters. I really didn't think she was ready for it so I started to turn around and she said, "Come on, Dad. Let's go down the hill!" My response was "Baby, I think that might be a little too dangerous." Gracie boldly said, "But I can do it!" And before I knew it she was speeding down the hill. When most people ride down the hill they stop pedaling because they're going down so fast the pedaling can't keep up with the speed. Not Gracie--she was pedaling harder and shooting down the hill like a bullet out of a gun. I'm thinking the worst--no helmet, she doesn't know how to brake, etc. And just as she gets to the end of the road she brakes her bike like she's been doing it for 20 years. What a daredevil! I wonder how Amelia Earhart's parents must have felt when they realized just how fearless their daughter was.

I guess it would be foolish of us to try and break her spirit. You go, girl!

The Greatest Show on Earth

2010-04-16T22:33:00.000-05:00

The Chopins made it to the greatest show on earth tonight--the Ringling Bros. Circus! Before the show started, the kids were allowed to go on to the floor level and meet and greet some of the performers. They got to see the elephants up close and personal and even got to try on some of the costumes. During the show we were entertained by acrobats, magic tricks, amazing animals, and of course, the clowns. Gus's favorite was the motorcycle, tightwire trick. Beedle was impressed with the acrobatic cats. Gracie enjoyed the girls spinning by their own hair. And James was enamored with the elephants. It was a great treat to be at the circus. Mom and I were reminded of the times we went to the circus as children (and young adults). We are never numb to the amazing abilities of the human body and spirit. We look forward to the next time the circus stops in town.

King for a Day!

2010-04-13T19:21:00.000-05:00

With his crown, cape and sceptor (a golf club), Beedle was kind for a day!

Communion

2010-04-11T21:26:00.004-05:00

A special boy had a special day today. Gus made his first communion this afternoon and took one step closer in his relationship with Jesus. Gus has worked very hard in his preparation, with the help of his mother, and today he received his third sacrament--Holy Communion.Gus looked very handsome in his suit. He was so very reverent as he approached the altar and received the Body of Christ. Msgr. Keith said a beautiful mass--one that not only touched the communicants but their family and friends as well.His family and friends were there to help him celebrate his special day. After the Mass, we came home to continue the celebration. One of Gus' favorite foods is boiled crawfish, so we treated him to a crawfish boil in his honor. He also had a beautiful cake and treats, like Bible Fig Newtons, made with love by his mother. After eating, the kids played in the sprinkler, while the adults visited and shared fond memories of how our little man has grown up so well and so fast. Gus, we are very proud of you and we thank you for saying yes to Christ's love. You are a great example to your brothers and sister and you make Jesus smile. Welcome to the Communion!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T11:03:00.000-05:00

A Five-Year Old and a Camera

2010-04-02T22:37:00.000-05:00

Gracie picked up the camera and took some of her own pictures. I must say she did a good job. Here are some pics from a five-year old...And Dad couldn't help but take a picture of the angelic photographer...

Less is More

2010-04-02T22:13:00.000-05:00

Around the yard, the kids embraced the joys of nature. We turned off the TV and spent quiet time outside. On Good Friday we tried to do with less, but it turns out, we got more. How metaphoric!

Thank You, Chad Keefer!

2010-03-27T20:41:00.001-05:00

We watched the fastball fly off of Ragin Cajun cathcer Chad Keefer's bat and just eek over the right field fence. It served as a nice insurance run for the Cajuns, and it served as a nice supper for the Chopin family on Saturday. Keefer's four-bagger gave all ticketholders at Friday night's game two-for-one combos at Cane's Chicken Tenders. The Cajuns won. The Chopins won. What a great thing! Thank you, Chad Keefer!

Return of the Jed-Yi

2010-03-20T18:20:00.002-05:00

How soon is too soon?
The force has been with him...........always!

Gone Fishin'!

2010-03-20T17:39:00.003-05:00

The boys went on a little fishing trip this morning. It was organized by the cub scouts and hosted by Mr. Brian Spiker at his pond. Here are some pics of the boys fishing.Although the scouts didn't catch anything (but Mr. Brett and Alaina caught two bass), they still had no problem entertaining themselves. (It's artificial bait!)

We ended our outing with buffet pizza, but only because we didn't catch enough to feed everyone. I think Gus and Beedle enjoyed it. Like they say, a bad day fishing is better than any other day!

Staring at the Sky

2010-03-16T21:15:00.001-05:00

Joyous Saturday

2010-03-13T21:46:00.001-06:00

I don't think it's possible for anyone to be mad on a day like this. The weather was as close to perfect as I can remember and the laughs made it even brighter. I took the kids to the park to fly their kite. It had a lot of trouble getting off the ground, so we played some baseball. It was a great day to be out on the diamond.

We came back home and took some target practice with Gus' BB gun. We aimed at a Sprite can and Gatorade bottle. As you can see, we did some damage to the Sprite can.

As evening came, we decided to take the happiness on the road to Art Walk downtown. Gracie stopped to play with a hula-hoop.She did a good job.

The rest of the evening was spent soaking up some cultureand walking down the streets of downtown Lafayette laughing and cutting up. If we were selling Joy today, we'd be millionaires.

Happy Birthday James!

2010-02-24T22:16:00.001-06:00

James is Two!?!?!?!?! Wow! How quickly he grew! James was treated to his favorite--donuts--for breakfast. And to celebrate his birthday, his Nonnie & Parrain came over this evening and we had a BBQ, including another one of his favorites--hot dogs. Here's some clips...

Happy Birthday to our sweet little boy! We love you!

Down with the Derby

2010-02-22T23:17:00.004-06:00

Gus and Beedle participated in a Cub Scout tradition--the Pinewood Derby. Not only was it the first time for the boys, but it was also the pack's first pinewood derby. So it was a level playing field. The boys picked up their derby kits and began working on them quickly. They traced out the patterns they wanted for their cars on the blocks of wood. Fortunately, Poppa Barron graciously volunteered to cut their patterns out for them so they wouldn't have to work with dangerous tools (maybe next year, guys). Once they got cars cut, they went to work sanding them down. They sanded and sanded and sanded until they complained. And then they sanded them some more. Once they were as smooth as glass (or close enough), they painted them and glued in the weights. Gus chose a green color with yellow trim and lightning bolts. Beedle opted for a Tiger-striped car (because he is the rank of Tiger). Dad helped them modify the cars to get their weights under 5 ounces (the most a derby car can weigh). Then they were ready for the big race. The other scouts in the pack did a fantastic job with their cars. It was obvious the scouts were really getting into this project. As were the dads in their efforts to set up and plan such a wonderful event--Thanks Dads!

For the race, each car raced four times. Gus finished with the second best overall time in his den, while Beedle had the third fastest time of the Tigers.Every scout went home with an award, so smiles were in abundance. It was agreed by Gus and Beedle that the Pinewood Derby was a whole lot of fun!

You Say It's Your Birthday

2010-02-21T21:07:00.000-06:00

The boys received their birthday gift from Grandma Dee and Aunt Capri...Beatles Rockband! It was Beatlemania all day and night at our house. The kids took turns singing, playing the drums, bass and guitar. The Chopin house will be rockin' for some time!

Our Birthday Valentine

2010-02-14T21:02:00.003-06:00

Gus came to us on Valentine's Day and we are joyful for the love that God sent with him. We thank you God for our eight-year old gift of love! God bless you, Gus, on your birthday! We love you!

Birthday Block Party

2010-02-13T22:26:00.002-06:00

Gus and Beedle had their birthday party this evening. Since their birthdays are so close together, they have one big party instead of two little ones. The boys chose Legos for their theme so they had a Birthday Block Party. Their friends and cousins came over at about 5:30pm and were given a project to design their own Lego man out of construction paper. Mom found a template of a Lego man and they were able to color and design it however they saw fit. While doing their projects that had BBQ-style hot dogs and snacks like root beer floats and cupcakes. They opened gifts and then played German Spotlight outside in the cold.They had a blast. And of course, throughout the night, they played Wii until their eyes crossed. The last friend left around ten and it didn't take long for them to zonk out. What a great party and celebration of two special boys!

Happy Birthday Mr. Amazing!

2010-02-11T21:22:00.000-06:00

Today is Beedle's seventh birthday. Wow, seven years already?!?!?!?!? My, how time flies!!! Even nasty, rainy weather couldn't dampen the spirits of Mr. Amazing. For those who don't know, Beedle has an affinity for dressing up and making believe. Gigi gave him a Mr. Amazing cape for his birthday. How long do you think it took him to put it on?

Beedle got a treat for lunch--Dad picked him up and took him to one of his favorite restaurants--Burger King. This was supposed to be his treat because the forecast called for nasty weather, so we weren't going to take him out for supper. But, wouldn't you know, our oven went out so we couldn't cook what we were planning. So Beedle got two special treats of eating out. We went to Picadilly and he wolfed down his birthday dinner.

When we got back we toasted Beedle on his birthday with sparkling grape juice--something he's been asking for a while.

Beedle, we love you and we are so proud of the terrific little Christian boy you are becoming! You are truly AMAZING!

WHO DAT!!!

2010-02-08T21:21:00.005-06:00

The Saints won the Super Bowl!!! Our family was on hand to celebrate the national football holiday. It was an extra special day because our beloved Saints were playing in their first Super Bowl. It was an even more special day because it was Grandma Dee's birthday as well. Here are some pics from the day...

While We've Been Out

2010-02-01T21:07:00.006-06:00

It's been almost two months since our last post. Here's what you missed...

We hosted Christmas... The kids got showered with gifts. Gus got a Peyton Manning jersey... Gracie got a scooter... Beedle got Lego Star Wars... And James got Little People...Their favorite may have been the Wii. Surprise!

We did New Years at the house. The kids celebrated with confetti...

Beedle turned into Super Beedle with a new and improved costume..Dad had a birthday, as did Gracie. Gracie had a party...

The boys' Cub Scout Pack had a boxcar derby. They designed and painted (with Dad's help) their own boxcar. Gus was the overall championand Beedle won most colorful.

Oh and the Saints are going to the Super Bowl!!! So are the Colts, making Gus very happy!

We'll try to do a better job of keeping you up to date! Thanks for not giving up on us!

A Night With the IceGators

2009-12-10T23:08:00.001-06:00

Geaux Gators! Tonight Gus and Beedle got a chance to experience something they never had before--an ice hockey game. Mr. Matt was kind enough to give us tickets to see the Louisiana Ice Gators, our local minor league hockey team, take on the Fayetteville Fire Antz in the frozen swamp of Blackhem Colliseum.

On the way into the stadium, we got to take a picture with the IceGators mascot, "Insti-Gator". Here they are flexing their muscles...

Once in our seats, we got to see the vehicle on the ice with the funny name--the zamboni. We had fun coming up with rhymes for "zamboni". Our favorite was "Tony, the phony macaroni zamboni driver".

The IceGators took the ice and played pretty well. Every time they scored the kids got to participate in "The Chomp"--the official clap and cheer of the IceGators.

Between the second and third periods, "Tony", the zamboni driver, shot T-shirts out of an air gun and guess who caught one--the boys. Thank you Hebert's Irrigation Services for sponsoring T-shirt night. Now they kids have another night shirt to sleep in.

The game was very close; the score went back and forth. Unfortunately, the IceGators lost 8-7, but as you can tell by the look on Gus and Beedle's faces, the loss didn't spoil their fun...

We look forward to the next opportunity to do "The Chomp" and cheer on our IceGators!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T16:41:00.002-06:00

A holiday message from Beedle and Gus...

Rain, Rain Don't Ever Go Away

2009-11-20T19:01:00.003-06:00

Scenes from a rainy day...

It's Gotta Be the Shoes!

2009-11-18T21:35:00.004-06:00

From twinkle toes to business professional, James loves shoes!

Friday Night Fires

2009-11-13T21:40:00.000-06:00

On the past couple of Fridays we've started a new tradition...hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire pit. We roast weenies, sing songs, and finish with S'Mores. It's some good family bonding time.

Packed with Heroes

2009-11-02T23:05:00.003-06:00

The boys had their first pack meeting tonight. The theme was "Our Heroes" and the scouts were asked to dress as their favorite hero. Gus was inspired to be a soldier. Gus identifies quite well with that hero--dutiful, honorable, and strong. Beedle, on the other hand, chose Larry Boy from Veggie Tales as the hero he most identifies with. Like Larry Boy, Beedle is fun-loving, conflicted, and silly. I thought they did a great job of picking heroes that matched their personalities.

The Pack had a great survey of heroes. There were priests, geniuses, saints, football players and world leaders. Mr. Gregg's hero was his pet duck, Hiroshima. There was a lot of laughs and giggles as they played a few games and gave a few cheers.

As you can imagine, the boys did not want to take off their costumes. They preferred to stay heroes--even if it was for just one evening.

Halloween Retail-Style

2009-10-31T22:09:00.000-05:00

The Chopin Trick-or-Treating excursion brought us to the Acadiana Mall this year. They do trick-or-treating from 6pm to 8pm every Halloween. We've done it in years past, but for whatever reason, got away from it. We made it our route of choice mostly because we needed to get some blue jeans for Gus. Here are some pics from the Chopins' Halloween, retail-style...

Before and After

2009-10-31T16:05:00.002-05:00

Before...

And after...

Meet Chico

2009-10-30T19:02:00.002-05:00

Gettin' Medieval

2009-10-28T22:20:00.009-05:00

Day 2 in Houston was spent at the Texas Renaissance Festival. It's usually only open on the weekends, but they have a school week once a season. Our families decided to take advantage of it--a place to have family fun and a great learning experience for our home-schoolers.

The first show we went to was The Falconer.The title immediately made me think of the skit on Saturday Night Live. But this was not as ridiculous. We learned about rare falcons, owl, buzzards--all that had special skills like speed, vision or the ability to tear a live chicken to shreds in 15 seconds.

The next feature we saw was one most of us were excited about--jousting. Our knight was the Spaniard. They started by snagging rings and then got to the fun part--trying to knock each other off their horses. The Spaniard knocked the Englishman off his horse and then was victorious in their sword fight. We felt very proud of our Spaniard. It was great entertainment.

We took a break for lunch and the boys had some more entertainment--from their food. They had been begging to get a big turkey leg. So we indulged them...

After eating meals fit for kings, we went to the next performance--Sword Fighting School.

It piqued the kids interest because they actually participated in it. They enrolled (after making a brief pledge to never use these skills to attack another person; only in self-defense) and were taught sword-fighting skills such as the five blocking positions, forward and back stepping, and lunging. Here are some pics...
Their play continued as they participated in some of the Medieval games and crafts areas, such as the rolling balls and the two-stick yo-yos (sorry, we didn't get a name for what they were called)...
We saw a couple of more entertaining shows, like the Art of Self-Defense, where participants fought using weaponry and hand-to-hand combat, and the Singing Pirates, who bellowed a series of Pirate songs, including one of their favorites--the popular Veggie Tales' song "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything."

As a reward for the kids' good behavior, we allowed them to go on one ride...

Gracie went with Mom, Grant and Zoe on the Giant Swing.

Gus did the Giant Bungee. We were very proud of him because he went up very high.

And Beedle rode a rooster on his favorite, the merry-go-round.

We wrapped our day at the Texas Renaissance Fair with one last photo. I think you can tell by most of the kids faces that they had a good time.

Birds of a Feather

2009-10-27T22:40:00.000-05:00

As birds of a feather flock together, we met up with our extended family, Uncle Garland and Aunt Michele, for dinner at Red Robin--a nice family restaurant. We hadn't seen them in a while so we knew when we made it to Houston we wanted to get together. As always it was a great visit. We had some great hamburgers and the kids got an appearance from Red Robin himself.

What's Happening in Houston?

2009-10-27T22:14:00.000-05:00

We took a vacation for a few days with the Thomas family to see what Houston was all about. Today we went to the kids' favorite Houston spot--The Children's Museum. So much to do, so little time...

(Facial) Hair Club for Men

2009-10-25T18:10:00.000-05:00

Mario & Luigi?

Frenchie

2009-10-23T17:47:00.000-05:00

Meet Beedle's newest character........Frenchie.

Playing with Passion

2009-10-21T17:51:00.001-05:00

Beedle told Mom to come see a performance. In the hallway, Beedle, with the accompaniment of Benjamin (Roman soldier), Gracie (Mary), and James (Simon of Cyrene...kind of), played Jesus in his reenactment of the Passion. Here are some scenes...

Jesus carrying his cross.

Mary weeping for her son.

Jesus being nailed to the cross.

Jesus taken down from the cross.

Jesus resurrected.

You do all these things with your kids and you wonder if it ever sinks in. Praise God for the beauty and hope of our youth!

Bock-Bock!

2009-10-12T17:50:00.003-05:00

Scouts Honor

2009-10-05T22:53:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the boys' first cub scout meeting. How precious are they?

They were excited, as was Dad, to finally get the new pack underway. Mr. Gregg did a great job of making the meeting fun and the dad's were great leaders as well. Gus and Beedle kept saying how much fun they had. We're looking forward to the next one.

Go, Pack, Go!

2009-10-05T20:19:00.002-05:00

Go, Pack, Go! Beat the Vikings!

Geaux Cajuns!

2009-09-05T22:43:00.000-05:00

The Chopin squad was all ready for the first UL game of the year. Dad, Gus, Beedle and Gracie were four of the 41,000+ in attendance for UL's season opener against Southern. It was a record crowd and the kids and Dad were glad to be a part of it. The Cajuns rolled to a 42-19 victory. Can't wait for the next one! Geaux Cajuns!

GiGi Burgers

2009-09-02T21:50:00.002-05:00

GiGi had us over for family night this evening. We grilled some burgers and the kids had a picnic in the back yard. That is until the beasts attacked--Webster stole Gracie's hamburger and the flies covered their ears of corn. They relocated inside and never lost a step. We had a good time hanging out. Thanks, GiGi!

Fish and Chips

2009-09-01T19:34:00.003-05:00

Mom went to Mrs. Erin's tonight so I whipped up the traditional "Mom Went Out" meal--fish sticks. I wanted to try something new for a side dish. I sliced some potatoes REAL thin and fried them to make homemade potato chips. I've got to be honest--they were really good! The kids thought so too as they ate them all. I like to experiment in the kitchen.

Are You Ready for Some Football?

2009-08-29T15:37:00.001-05:00

The boys are officially ready for football season...