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I won't even try to catch up all the way...  here's some stuff from Christmas in Hattiesburg

The Golden Eagle Chocolate Egg.

A toaster evoked that reaction.  :)

Samuel loves his new toy

It's hard to see, but Uncle Tommy and Betsy have rockin' alum foil wings

The nativity cast photo.  I was the sheep.  The director always saves the choicest role for herself.

And now a few other shots:

Celebrating Christmas with my dear Aunt Alma.  It was as peaceful as it looks.

Dinner on the Grounds for the 1st Pres missions conference 

Fifty Years - September 30

50 years ago today Robert Stephens Boothe married Sandra Nell Lovett in Meridian, Mississippi. He met her one year before the wedding, had 3 dates before going back to Germany with the Army, wrote her 12 letters, met her parents a week before the wedding and took her with him back to Germany 2 weeks after taking their vows before God and man. And this wild and crazy start began a good and steady road of love that has blessed me, their daughter, in great ways. Thanks mom and dad for showing us your marriage - the for better for worse in sickness and in health, lived out for 1/2 a century together. 

Spring Break - the finale

We left the Children's museum in New Orleans for a yummy lunch at Lucy's Retired Surfer restaurant (a few blocks from the museum) and came back quickly so the kids could serve us up some lovely plastic grub from the Kids' Cafe - the kids take your order, "cook", serve you and clean up.  It's delightful!!

Stephens is completely in his element - loves to cook!

That night we stayed in Slidell and drove the next morning to Gulfport.  The Half Shell Oyster house was a great place for lunch and we drove just a little further to the Children's museum in Gulfport (our MS Children's Museum membership is reciprocal there too - lots of free museum time this break!!)

Kids Street is the first thing you come to when you enter the grounds of the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.  Lots of playhouses!  The kids posed as flowers.  Stephens wanted to be a sleeping sunflower.

zzzzzzz

At any given time Samuel will be jumping over, hanging from, or climbing on any given object.
He's my "verb" child.

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Climbing up the gigantic shrimp net

hosting a cooking show

watch out gulf coast - two hurricanes on their way!!

and we ended the day with a touch in the cold water and some sand in our toes.

Spring Break - Part two

Oma and Opa's yard has a creek with a "beach" on it.  Awesome - a day at the beach without the cost!!

Yes - that's permanent marker all over Lanah's legs.  She found it while I was in the studio...

Then we left for New Orleans early the next morning.  First stop - Cafe du Monde, of course.  Tres bon! As Ken waited for a table I snapped a couple of pics of kids on the cannon at the top of the hill.

After beignets we took a carriage ride through the Quarter and surrounding areas - it was obvious when we got in that our driver didn't often have small children riding with him.  At 10 in the morning he assured us that he would stop for a hurricane if we wanted one. And he took us the length of bourbon street.  Should have seen that coming.  But it was lots of fun to see the sights and hear his commentary.

 Then we headed over to the Warehouse District to the Children's Museum of New Orleans.  It is reciprocal with our museum membership in Mississippi - so we spent the rest of the day playing for free! In the mini-Winn Dixie, Stephens was an excellent shopper

And Samuel found one of his life callings - he checked people out with a real cash register for about 45 minutes! 

Can you tell that she's left handed?

Spring Break - part one

Spring Break was a blast!  Ken had the week off too, so we headed to the 'burg first - The three big kids made pottery with Oma in her new studio.

Samuel made his pot first

Stephens getting started

sweet happy face :)

Betsy

Then they played golf in the yard with Opa and gathered golf balls from the creek in the back.

homemade french fries

Our six-year-old, Stephens, loves to cook!  So a few weeks ago he and I found a great step by step recipe for homemade French Fries and they were delicious!  The recipe was from my new gift subscription to Food Network magazine - yum!

One key - have your oil hot enough!  I used a candy thermometer to make sure and was amazed at how long it took the oil to heat up to the right temp.