Chatting with The Banks'

It's Here!!!

2011-01-03T13:27:00.000-06:00

Ok so it's officially 2011... Time to start posting again!!!

New Years Eve was a blast! Josh and I went to the casino with Mallory and Jared - fun was had by all... I think!!! Didn't lose too much money, and even played some Roulette with Tucker Max - what he was doing in Vicksburg we still haven't figured out. My guess is drumming up some new material for a new book???

Hayden is still the cutest kid alive! Getting bigger every day and just growing up way too fast in general. Here's a picture of him with his sock monkey and cowboy boots from Christmas in Monroe...

Headed to Best Buy after work to purchase my Christmas present... A Canon Rebel T1i Camera - I am BEYOND excited about this purchase!! Hayden will start soccer in March, and it was just time for a new [awesome] camera to capture all his fun moments with!!!

New Year's Resolution...

2010-12-01T16:45:00.003-06:00

It's been over a year since my last post... I will start posting again in 2011 (hopefully!!)

Hayden's Here!!!!!

2009-07-10T00:38:00.003-05:00

HAYDEN DAVID BANKS

July 5, 2009

5:33pm

7lb 6oz - 19.5" long

Ok, so I know that I've neglected the heck out of this blog... but now that he's here I'm hoping to get back to updating it WAY more often!!! Starting with this post... which will contain more than you ever wanted to know about my delivery day!!!! Here we go :-)

5:00am - checked in and got everything signed
6:00am - liquid labor begins (love that term!)

I started out 1cm dilated, so I was hoping for fast results!!

6:30am - dilated 1.5cm
9:00am - dilated 2 cm
1:00pm - dilated 3 cm

3:30pm - dilated 3 cm... this is when she breaks out the news that she thinks we should consider a c-section if I don't dilate any more by 5:00. JOYFUL, exactly what I didn't want. I'm a big chicken, and that just freaks me out. So of course I have my cry, and Josh and Me decide we will do whatever the doc thinks is best since she does this way more than we do, and since she pretty much saved his little life back in January.

5:05pm - dilated 3cm... and she says she's starting to feel a little swelling on his head where he'd pretty much been "hitting a brick wall" for like the past 11 hours. Said it was still up to us, but she was worried he would go into distress soon. So I say yes and then the circus began. I swear people were in my room prepping me before she shut the door. I think she knew more than she was letting on about him being in distress, cause by 5:33 he was delivered and that's just damn fast if you ask me!

So now we're home, one big happy family!!!! The doc told me it would have ended in a c-section no matter what my decision was that last time she came in. She said my birth canal was just way too small and even a tiny baby would have never fit through... which I'm assuming means if I ever want to have a 2nd child, that one will arrive to us by c-section too, but at least I know that going in!

So here's some pics for you of our little man!!!!

Big Bro Kujeaux protecting his Lil Bro

Checking everything out
So sweet when he sleeps

We start 'em off young here! GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Chillin out in Mommy's arms

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!!

2009-06-18T16:37:00.004-05:00

If Hayden's not here before July 5th...

she will induce me early that morning!!!!

WAHOO!!!

Baby Shower Pics

2009-06-16T16:14:00.004-05:00

Ok, so these are a little overdue... but better late than never!!!

Hayden's Room...

2009-06-08T09:00:00.003-05:00

... is COMPLETE!!!! Well, almost complete. It's decorated and AMAZING thanks to the wonderful talents of MOMMA!!! Now we just need Hayden and then it will be complete :-) Here's some pics for your viewing pleasure!

THANK YOU MOMMA FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!!!

A Loving Husband...

2009-06-05T16:37:00.001-05:00

There is Hope!!!

2009-06-01T08:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I watched a friend's little girl, Isabelle. She's almost 9 months old, and I figured it would be a good test for Kujeaux... He passed with flying colors!!!! He was smacked (repeatedly, which was supposed to be petting I'm sure), his tail was pulled to the extent that she had a hand full of hair, and he never once snipped at her. Now on the tail pull he did growl, but never snipped! I was so proud of him!!! And once she fell asleep and I laid her down for her nap, this it what happened...
... and he stayed there the whole nap! Of course he napped too, but it was like he was her little watch dog :-) Too cute, and definitely reassuring to me as to what he will do once Hayden gets here!

Hayden in 4D!!!

2009-05-19T22:06:00.005-05:00

I know I've been neglecting my blog lately... and for that I apologize. I guess I'm in a slump... I'm letting myself get there - I just need to get out of it and all should be better...

On a much more fun note - this past Saturday Josh's Dad treated us to a 4D Ultrasound of our little man!!!! It was at this place called Angel Prints in Baton Rouge, and it ROCKED!!! We got to see him... and he's SO DAMN CUTE! He has my nose, but looks like he's getting everything else from Josh, which is fine by me! Here's some pics for you to check out!!!

This one is my absolute favorite!!!

This is Josh's Mom's favorite - she said it looks just like him!
SOOOO SWEET!!!!

My momma likes this one - little fingers & toes!

BIG YAWN!

My poor little man is out of room...

He kept kicking himself in the face :-(

Now I can't wait to see him in person!!! Not too soon though... he needs to cook a little longer!

Rent it...

2009-05-15T21:29:00.002-05:00

AMAZING...

I can't wait for this...

2009-05-11T13:42:00.006-05:00

My Godchild (who is the cutest thing in the world, next to Hayden of course) was asked questions about his Mom at day care. Seeing as he's 3 - they wrote down his answers, and it's so cute that I must share it with all of you!!! The things he had to fill in/answer are in blue.

My Mom is 71 years old

My Mom weighs 71 pounds

My Mom is 10 feet tall

My Mom has brown hair and blue eyes

My Mom likes to homework

My Mom likes to wear LSU shirts

My Mom likes to cook all I want

My Mom's favorite TV show is racing

My Mom's favorite song is (no answer)

My Mom always tells me she loves me

It makes my Mom happy when I go potty

Her favorite household chore is to study

When Mom goes shopping she loves to buy toys for me

If Mom could go on vacation she would go to the beach

... and she would bring Me, Papa Jack, & Mimi

(notice he didn't say Dad)

Here's a pic of Sheri (Mom) and Anthony

This is just too cute - I can't wait to get stuff like this from Hayden!!!

You Might Be A Redneck If...

2009-05-07T22:15:00.004-05:00

... this is your ride!

I saw this in the Winn Dixie parking lot after work today, and I couldn't resist taking a picture! I must say this was a first for me. I've seen a lot of redneck things in my day, but this one just rocks!!!

N'awlins Air Show

2009-05-03T20:28:00.007-05:00

So Josh's Mom & James came in this weekend... and we went to the N'awlins Air Show in Belle Chasse... IT ROCKED (Again... SO glad we're having a boy - I just don't like girly stuff)!!! Of course I have a ton of pictures, but I won't bore you with all of them... just a few!!!

James, Robin, & Josh

F22 (Present)- P51 (WWII) - F16 (Desert Storm)

Me & Josh

Blue Angels!!!

Hayden's first dog tag...
and if he's anything like his Daddy,
it won't be his last!

I'm going to try and figure out a way to take all the video clips I took and marry them into one file... and set it to some cool music! I have about 15 clips, but they're only about 10-15 seconds each. If anyone knows how to do this, please let me know!

He's Back!!!

2009-04-29T19:01:00.005-05:00

Well, unless you had been to our house in Baton Rouge - then you've never seen this little guy. He was on our fence in Baton Rouge, and now that we've got our fence here in Covington... HE'S BACK!!!! Meet Bunny (I know, not a creative name right!)

My WONDERFUL Momma got him for me, and he's finally come out of storage and is happy to be gracing us with his presence at our new home! Isn't he just the cutest thing ever :-)

On another note, we had an OB checkup today. Everything is going GREAT still... had the blood glucose test, and I will get those results on Monday. Hopefully everything's good with that. The drink actually tasted pretty good (I had the fruit punch one) but the feeling it put in my stomach stayed with me for about 8 hours today, and that part was miserable! Dr. Steen seems to think that the rest of my pregnancy should be smooth. She did mention that since I'm so short, Hayden will start to run out of room here soon, and things will start getting uncomfortable, but just to remember how far we've come and all the bad we've overcome during this pregnancy. It will take time and patience, but I can't wait till I get to cuddle him, and hope things don't get too uncomfortable in the next few months! Good news... I'M OFFICIALLY OFF OF PELVIC REST! For those of you who know the whole story of this roller coaster ride I'm calling pregnancy, you know that I've been on pelvic rest since November... let's just say that we're VERY happy to get that news :-)

Other than that - we'll just continue to sail along and hope for the best of things to come. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers, and I will keep you posted on everything like always!!!

Southern Belle

2009-04-23T16:46:00.002-05:00

I'm posting this for Lindsey over at Learning to be a Wife!

She said she's a wanna-be Southern Girl...

So I wanted to let her know exactly what that entails!!!

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: A beautiful and charming woman from the Southern United States. A Southern Belle possesses an undeniable natural charm, has a warm and dazzling smile, and impeccable manners, calling each person she encounters 'sir' or 'ma'am' regardless of their age or position. A Southern Belle can be recognized by her unforgettable Southern drawl, unstinting hospitality and graciousness, and her recognition of LSU Football as a part of her religion. Southern Belles are recognized as one of God's greatest creations and continously overshadow women from Northern US States.

Fence Complete!!!

2009-04-21T14:17:00.010-05:00

Well, the fence is complete!!!

Here's Chance... I think he knew Dad was going to make
him sleep outside when I took this picture.

This was Kujeaux right before his bath. We let him spend all day
outside with us, and it was reallllllly muddy - but he had a blast!

And finally, Dad & Kujeaux worn out from all their hard work!

I want to send another BIG THANK YOU
to my hubby for doing such an amazing job on our fence!
Kujeaux and Chance say thank you as well...
and one day Hayden will too! We all love you very much!!!

We The People Stimulus Package

2009-04-21T08:23:00.001-05:00

This guy has hit the nail on the head! While I don't agree with all of his solutions, some of them are pretty darn good... This video is a little long (6:35) but well worth the listen!

Meet Chance!

2009-04-16T21:54:00.009-05:00

Well, family... friends... and anyone else who happens to stop by and read this post... Please join me in welcoming the newest member of our family, Chance!

I have always told Josh once we got a fence he could get his lab... Well, we partially have a fence (it will be completed this weekend) and today we got the lab! As you can see, we didn't waste any time! And for all of you out there who are going to ask the following questions, let me go ahead and answer them for you now:

1. Are we crazy, we're going to have a newborn in a few months?
Yes, we are crazy, and we plan to love every minute of it!

2. What does Kujeaux think?
Well, he's not too thrilled. He played with him for a bit, then kinda looked at me saying "Ok mom, it's time for him to go home now." But he will still be master of his domain. As far as I'm concerned, Chance will never step foot (paw) in this house. A lab is an outside dog, and that's where he's gonna stay. (He's sleeping in the garage till the fence is complete!) So Kujeaux will be very pleased with that if nothing else!

Here's a few more pics from today of the new little man that I thought were too cute not to share!

Pulling out the driveway of his Mommy's house
This face broke my heart

But then about 15 minutes later he was all smiles
(I think that's a smile)

And just in case you're wondering about the name... it came compliments of our 4 year old neighbor Aidan. I asked what he thought I should name it, and he said Chance! We called him a couple different names for a few hours, but Chance just seemed to be the one that fit best!

Fence time!

2009-04-14T20:06:00.006-05:00

Well, right now we have this...

... but hopefully by tomorrow we'll have A FENCE!!! Josh & Jared are building it tomorrow, and I'm beyond excited!!! Now Kujeaux will be able to play outside as much as he wants without one of us having to be outside with him... AND we won't have to chase him down the path when people come walking by - YAY!

And one more fun thing, we're getting a lab! Not sure when, but I'll keep you posted. I told Josh he either needs to get it now or like 6 months after Hayden is born. I can't deal with a newborn and a puppy in the house! So if anyone has any ideas on a COOL name for a black lab, please feel free to comment!

26 weeks 3 days

2009-04-13T17:17:00.004-05:00

So I had a doctor's appointment today and everything is still going good! The blood clot is still resolved, and Hayden is growing like a weed - He weighs 2 pounds 4 ounces! His bones look good, as does his brain (thank goodness - lol) and his lips are formed without a split, which means no cleft pallet (I had to ask what that meant!) Here are some ultrasound pictures for you to enjoy!!!

THE Picture!!!!!

2009-04-10T13:52:00.003-05:00

Ok, so if you remember from this post, my friend Melissa was working on a picture for me from Hayden's room... Well she gave it to me today, and it's beyond AMAZING!!!! Here it is!!!!

This is a cell phone pic, so it doesn't do it ANY justice...

And this is the poem on the bottom...

Mel actually found the whole song and the lyrics are written on the back!!!

The stars are wooden stars, so it has a kind of 3D effect, and the whole thing has texture to it... It's truly amazing!!! This was her very first painting and I think she'd picked a pretty darn good hobby! She's done a few more since and posted them on her blog, so if you want to check them out you can go here. When she gets to be a super famous artist, I can say that I have her first painting ever - and no one can beat that!!!!

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH MEL!!!! I can't wait to get home and hang this in Hayden's room... and then of course I will post a pic so you can see where I put it! LOVE YOU!!!!

Always there when I need him...

2009-04-07T21:59:00.005-05:00

No, I'm not talking about my Hubby.

He's there for me way more than that!

I'm talking about

I have it saved on my DVR, and watch it all the time. Whenever I just need a laugh or I can't sleep (which is more often than not)... No matter how many times I watch them, these little guys always make me crack up laughing!!!

Here's a little clip from YouTube if you wanna check it out from the show... if you ever catch it on Comedy Central, you MUST tape it... it brightens any day... for a little while at least!

Prayers Needed...

2009-04-05T19:20:00.005-05:00

... for a life taken too soon. Today I ask that you please keep my family in your prayers. My cousin Jennifer has passed as the result of a car accident at the tender age of 21. She leaves behind a beautiful 3 year old son, Colin, and many family members and friends who will miss her terribly. Please keep her parents, brother, and son in your prayers as they cope with this tragedy.

Jennifer & ColinSuch tragedy does always strike the best
And hits when we all least suspect it can
It takes one person and leaves all the rest
In shock with no protection and no plan

You lived life fully each and every day
The joy you showed, the spirit of good fun
Brought smiles to all and certainly did convey
Your lust for life which could not be undone

But you were taken at so young an age
Without the chance to even say goodbye
Now you have an even larger stage
So run, and jump, and play across the sky

We miss you here on earth with all out hearts
But it's not for us to chose when one departs

Got Belly?

2009-04-03T22:43:00.001-05:00

Ok, so I'm getting bigger by the day. Today's news... Kujeaux no longer fits in my lap on car rides. There's just not enough room between the belly and the steering wheel! Here he is today on the way to Baton Rouge, staring at me trying to figure out why the heck he has to sit in the passenger seat now!!!

6 days and no posts...

2009-04-02T18:05:00.003-05:00

My sweetheart of a friend, Melissa, commented that I hadn't posted in 6 days - so I must be busy... WOW! I didn't realize it had been that long! So I'm posting this little update for you Mel!

As you all know, I am back to work - but only part time. I went all day last Friday and this past Monday, but it turned out to be too much. I made it through Friday with no problem, but I think that was adrenaline. Monday was a different story. By about 3:00 Hayden was so miserable it felt like he was trying to punch his way out or something. Seriously, I thought he was going to wave to me at any minute. I think it was a combination of sitting straight up all day and the up and down of things to do at the office. Monday night at home was miserable, I was in pain. So I talked to my boss and we agreed that it would be best if I came back part time for a few weeks, working my way back up to full time. So the rest of the week has been much better. I leave work around 12:30ish and come home to relax. I think I'll be back full time around the middle of April. I just don't want to push it. I've gotten this far and I'm finally better, so I'm just taking all the precautions I can!!!

On a FUN note - keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming masterpiece from my sweetheart Melissa. She's working on a painting for Hayden, and you can check out her blog on it HERE. She's completed it, but is not going to post a pic of it until I get to see it. I'M BEYOND EXCITED about her giving to us next weekend!!!

BACK TO WORK!!!!

2009-03-27T10:57:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm officially back to work!!!! The dr said if the blood clot was gone, I could return., and the ultrasound tech couldn't even find it when he was doing the ultrasound yesterday afternoon at the hospital!!!! Now don't get me wrong, I'm not going to run any marathons anytime soon, I'm taking it easy. As quickly as I ended up in the hospital, I know I can end up right back there just as quick. I'm still considered a "high-risk" pregnancy, so for now I'll just be grateful that I can come to work and sit at my desk all day!!!!!

So I got my first steroid shot yesterday... those are just lovely, let me tell you. Well I have been having trouble sleeping, so the dr gave me a scrip for Ambien yesterday too. So last night about 9:30 I took one... let me just tell you - if you ever have the desire to have some sort of acid-like experience, go get a steroid shot and about 5 hours later, take an Ambien. WOW - NEVER again. I now officially know I will never be one to use drugs!!! It wasn't like I was seeing things that weren't there, but the things that were there (pillows, etc) were morphing into these wierd shapes. I just laid in Josh's arms and cried... that was the most horrible experience ever. So tomorrow when I go for my next shot, I'll suck it up and just be awake all night!

Picture Updates...

2009-03-23T13:26:00.003-05:00

He was not happy that he didn't get to come in the room while we painted...

Now we wait for the paint to dry and then take the tape off!!! We're hoping that the ceiling tape works ok, if not we'll have to paint it too... Then we'll put what furniture we have back in there and Josh can put the fan up... I'll update with more pics later!!!

Hayden's Room... Part 1

2009-03-22T22:57:00.003-05:00

Ok so this is going to be a MAJOR work in progress... we taped off the room tonight and are painting and putting up his fan tomorrow. We have 2 pieces of furniture, and will have the bed in about 3 weeks. Then (hopefully) we will get his bedding and some decorations at my shower which is May 24, if not then I will go buy them!!!

So needless to say it will be a while before it's complete! But I thought I'd just put some pics up to show how things go along the way! I will post more pics tomorrow of the painting process :-)

Show me your PEEPS!!!

2009-03-19T22:33:00.003-05:00

A local newspaper does this every year... it's called Peep Show!

You pick a peep, dress it, take a photo of it, and email it in... We did this last year at work and it was a blast!!!! The best dressed peeps run in the paper on Easter Sunday!

If you'd like to enter, CLICK HERE and it will take you to the webpage with instructions on how to enter. Just thought I'd pass this along to all the mom's out there (or kids at heart like me!) - it would be a fun activity to do at home, and really cute to share on your blogs!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KUJEAUX!!!!

2009-03-17T20:47:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday to our little man!!!

We hope you enjoyed your toys... extra treats... and steak tonight!!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!

My BIG Sunday Outing

2009-03-15T17:35:00.010-05:00

Today's outing... WAL MART!

No I didn't walk around, I sported one of these...

Me & mom went, and once I got the hang of the scooter, it was damn fun! It goes a little slow - there was a grandpa on his own Rascal, and he passed me up like I wasn't even moving! We had a blast... well, at least I did. So nice to get out the house. We got the usual, and then of course we had to go to the baby section, where we picked up this absolutely precious piggy bank!

Then there was the ever depressing conversation that we had about undies. Mine have gotten a little too tight to be comfortable. So we go to that section, and they don't sell maternity undies. Lovely... I know if I go buy the ones at the maternity store they will be retarded expensive, so I decide to just go up a few sizes in the ones I wear. Well, Mom picks up these pair that are *ahem* plus size (this is where the tears start flowing). So we go through a small argument about whether or not they will fit. She says they will, I say no way - I mean, holding these things up, they looked HUGE. So we decide to just get one pack of 3 and see how they do once we get them home... I'm depressed to report... they fit. It hurt so bad to type that, so I had to make it tiny... made me feel just a little bit better!

Update Time!

2009-03-12T19:59:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone! We had another doctor's appointment today and things are looking VERY good! She said the blood clot has shrunk even more from last week, and I'm doing better than she ever imagined. I got the "ok" to take baths again, which I am beyond thrilled about. Showers will get you clean and all, but a nice long bath is just needed some days! I also got the "ok" to have a baby shower and to not have someone sitting with me everyday. She changed my appointments from every week to every other week, and I won't have another ultrasound till 4 weeks from today. So it seems like she's very pleased with the way everything is going!

Now here's your pic of Hayden for this week... Although I'm so happy we are doing better, I will miss getting to see my little man every week!

The arrow is pointing at his face (specifically his eye)

but if you look close you can see he's smiling!!!

If you can't see it you can click on the picture and it will make it bigger!

My Big Outing!!!

2009-03-04T20:40:00.004-06:00

I had SO much fun today!!! Started off with lunch at Lager's, and then it was off to Babies R Us to register! As soon as we got there I hopped in my wheel chair, and I only got up 2 times while I was there to look at stuff. There's just some things you have to mess around with to make sure they're right for you! We are now 100% registered! I never thought you could find so much stuff in one place, and I also never realized how much stuff babies need. We will need a whole new house just to fit all this stuff!!!

The only thing we didn't find there was our nursery furniture, which I had previously found at Burlington Baby Depot. And this is the bedding we picked out
It was a VERY fun filled day, and I finally feel like a human again! I've never enjoyed crossing the causeway so much in all my life! Cheesy, I know! So is it time for a baby shower yet, cause I'm soooooo ready to start decorating!!!!

I'm FREE-ish...

2009-03-03T17:29:00.005-06:00

Well, I got lots of good news today at the doctor! The first bit being that I can have outings, even more than one per week, as long as I'm sitting down!!!! So like going out to eat, to the movies, to someone's house, etc. Other awesome news, the clot has shrunk - it's about 2/3 the size of what it started out as, which means it's absorbing back in to my body and the placenta is reattaching like it should! She's still going to give me 2 steroid shots around 24 weeks, just as a preventative in case he comes early because of all the complications I've had. That doesn't mean that they will try to take him early (like they were talking about when I was in the hospital) but more in case HE decides he wants to come early. Josh thinks he will come around the end of June... so we shall see! Also we found out we should be able to have the weekly ultrasounds at the office from now on - so let's hope that stays the same!

My first outing will be tomorrow. Josh said he'd take me to Babies R Us and wheel me around there so we could register for baby stuff! I'm sooooo excited, I can't wait!!! My 2nd outing is on Saturday... as soon as I got home I called to make a hair appt. I haven't had it cut or highlighted since October, lets just say my hairdresser is going to be floored when she sees how long these roots are!!!

And now for your viewing pleasure, Hayden's 20 week ultrasound pics!

Don't know if you can tell, but his little feet are on the left
and his head is on the right... He's flexible!!!

Diaper Bag!

2009-03-02T13:03:00.004-06:00

Well, I've officially ordered my first baby item!!! The ever important... DIAPER BAG! I wanted to get something not too frilly so that Josh wouldn't hate carrying it around. And it had to be big enough and functional... you know with pockets, changing pad, etc... and this is what we found!

I'm still debating on whether or not to have his name embroidered above the logo on the bag. Josh said he doesn't like Monogramming, and my mom said not to in case we end up having baby #2... I tried to tell her that Hayden is going to be an only child, but she thinks we'll change our minds.. we shall see!

Well...

2009-02-26T21:22:00.002-06:00

The appointment today was interesting... Got there at about 9:20 for (what we thought) was a 9:30 ultrasound. Didn't get called back till about 10:15, and it was to an exam room, not ultrasound. So the NP comes in and tells me that the insurance company wants me to go to the hospital for the ultrasound. Lovely... nice wasted hour gone by! So I ask the NP about my outings question. I think the conversation went something like this:

Me: I was just wondering, since everything has been stable for a few weeks, if I would be able to have an outing per week. Nothing big, just to maybe go sit at a restaurant and have dinner or something.

NP: Well, it's pretty hot outside today. Supposed to get up to the 80's. So I don't think it's a good idea. But it's supposed to cool down later on in the week, so if you want to take a lawn chair out into your back yard and read a book or something, I think that would be ok.

I just sat there, blank stare on my face - did she listen to the question? I was at a loss for words. This of course came after she flipped through my file for a few minutes trying to catch up on my "status", and then couldn't find the results of last weeks ultrasound, and had to ask me if i remembered what they were. In her defense, I have a complicated case. But she knew that the doctor was on vacation all week and that she'd have to take any patients that elected to come in and see her, so you think she would have read up on them... NOT!!!!

So we go to the hospital, get checked in, get the ultrasound (this was no where as quick as that just sounded). Results come back and the ultrasound today showed that everything is about the same as last week. So we just keep on doing what we're doing... a whole lot of nothing! By this time it's about 3:00 and we haven't eaten yet. Josh had off today so we stayed up late last night playing Monopoly and slept in this morning. Got up just in time to get to the doctor thinking we'd just grab breakfast afterwards... boy were we wrong!!!

Needless to say, I made my next 4 appointments today to make sure I get to see the DOCTOR and not the NP. My next appt is Tuesday, and I plan on asking the outings question again. If she tells me no, at least I know she is up-to-date and will give me a better answer than i got today!

Wish me luck...

2009-02-25T20:31:00.003-06:00

So I have my weekly doctor's appointment tomorrow, and I plan on asking the BIG QUESTION... Can I have an outing per week? I'm not talking about going do aerobics or run a marathon, just something to get out the house. Go to dinner... get my hair done (you don't even want to see how bad my roots are right now)... etc~! I'm hoping she says "YES", so cross your fingers for me!

On another note, I had to share these pics with everyone. Granny (my momma) gave Kujeaux a bath today... this is far from his favorite thing. But these pictures were just too priceless not to share!

HaPpY mArDi GrAs!!!

2009-02-24T17:46:00.003-06:00

YAY Scanner...

2009-02-19T18:41:00.005-06:00

Well I've had a scanner for about 10 months now, and I just took the time to figure out how to use it!! So we had another ultrasound today. The doctor said that everything with the clot is still about the same, maybe even a little thinner. So that means I just keep hanging out on bedrest... fun times! So I've posted some pictures for your viewing pleasure!

The Belly

Little Man showing his butt

Arrow points to "little hayden"

Little man... looks like he's sucking his thumb!

Oh yea, I'm PREGO!

2009-02-12T19:09:00.002-06:00

Ok so I know that sounds silly, but when I was getting dressed to go to the hospital today to get monitored, I didn't fit in ANYTHING! I already have maternity jeans, so those fit fine. The first shirt I put on looked like my boobs were going to explode through the buttons. The second shirt was so tight on my stomach that I looked like a white trash prego chick. The bad thing is, both of these were maternity shirts!!!! Scary huh. I guess since I've been on bedrest for a month now, and living in Josh's tshirts and pj pants, I just never really noticed.

So the ultrasound today showed that everything was still the same, no better no worse. So I just keep hanging out on bedrest and go in for another ultrasound next week... if this keeps the same, I'll just stay like this till my little man gets here! Can I just say though, and upside of all of this - I get a million ultrasounds. I absolutely love getting to see him like once a week. Even though today kinda freaked me out. I mean, right now he's still so little that on the screen you really just see his little bones the best. Well she zoomed in on his face cause he was looking at us, and it looked so wierd! Little black circles for the eyes and all. I can't wait till I'm about 8 months along. I want to get that 4D Ultrasound so you can see him better!!!

Well that's all for now :-)

No Wires Attached!

2009-02-10T11:35:00.005-06:00

Well, I'm home now, with no more wires coming out of me! We've been fighting with the insurance company to stay in the hospital, and yesterday they said if my bloodwork and ultrasound showed that me & Hayden were still stable then we had to go home. The clot is still there, but there is no active bleeding. Which means the clot is there, not growing, not bleeding, it's just kinda there. I found a really good explanation of what's going on with me on the What to Expect website. I'd copy and paste it on here, but it's a little long - so if you wanna check it out go HERE!

So for now I'm just hanging out at home, and staying off my feet. About the only thing I can get up to do is go to the bathroom, shower, and get something to eat if I'm home alone. Oh and I can move from the bed to the couch for a little change of scenery! Fun stuff huh :-)

On a different note, I got the CUTEST Cookie Bouquet from my friends Sheri & Courtney

Isn't it just tooooo cute!!!

Hospital Update #2

2009-02-04T12:17:00.001-06:00

Well, good news and ok news... Good news is that my blood work yesterday showed that there's no active bleeding going on anywhere. Ok news is regarding the blood clot. From the measurements it got bigger by 1cm, but she said it could just be the variations depending on how the baby was laying when they did the ultrasound. Bottom line was that she wasn't too concerned. She said that if it was like a 4cm difference, then she would be worried. So as for now she said it looks like I will be in here at least a month. They're doing another ultrasound and bloodwork on Saturday, and we'll go from there!

Hospital Update

2009-02-02T10:18:00.002-06:00

Well, not a lot more news... they're doing more tests tomorrow. So hopefully we'll get some news then. Hayden is still growing and sounds great on the heart rate monitor. His heart rate's been in the 140's and 150's since we got here. (The normal is 110 to 160, so he sounds really good.) He's moody though, he doesn't like the cold of that jelly they use for the ultrasounds, and he even did a flip during the last one to try and get away from it! And the coolest thing, I was telling Josh's mom and aunt that when they show him on the ultrasound, they always show his little hands in fists and he has them like under his chin on either side. Their faces were like in shock!!! They said when Josh was little and they would give him his bottle, his hands would immediately go under his chin like that - how freaking cute!!!!!

When the doctor came by this morning she did tell me that even if the clot doesn't go away there is a possibility that I can at least go home to bedrest, as long as it doesn't get bigger. Also if the clot goes away completely I could maybe even get off of bedrest!

I'll write more tomorrow when I get the results of the tests... until then - Ciao!

Bedrest to Hospital

2009-01-30T17:35:00.004-06:00

Yep, that's right. I'm in the hospital. Thank goodness for wireless internet!

Yesterday I woke up with some HORRIBLE cramps. Called the doctor and she said to come right in. They did an ultrasound and she did not like what she saw. I have a blood clot between my placenta and the uterine wall. The clot is pushing the placenta down on the baby, and if it gets bigger could push the baby out. Since I'm only 16 weeks along, this is not good. So off to the hospital I go... Now I have fun lines and wires hooked up to me, and they're monitoring the baby and myself every 4 hours. The ultrasound from yesterday to today showed the clot has shrunk .4 cm, which is not a lot but it's just good that it's shrinking!!! Not sure how long I will be in here - could be a week, could be the rest of the pregnancy (shoot me please).

I'll keep everyone updated on here, and if you're ever bored feel free to come visit!!!

Prayers for Bobby

2009-01-21T09:30:00.002-06:00

This past Sunday, a friend of mine's son, Bobby, was driving a four-wheeler when he lost control and ended up on Old Perkins Road. When this happened, a pick-up truck hit Bobby, throwing him 30 feet behind the vehicle. Bobby's leg was instantly broken, and by God's grace, he was able to stop his fall with his hands. Thankfully he only broke his clavicle when he landed and avoided hurting any internal organs and his head.

Bobby will be staying at Our Lady of the Lake for a few weeks. He has already gone through two surgeries and has a major one coming up today at 1:00. Bobby has an exterior fixator on his leg, holding his fractured bones together. In today's surgery, he will have a bone transplant, and then he will have muscle and an artery from another part of his body (they haven't determined where yet) and place it in his broken leg. After they will place a skin flap over the wounds.

After the surgeries, he will be recovering here for a while, thankfully he only suffered broken bones, stiches, and torn ligaments. If all goes as planned, Bobby will be back better than ever within the next year.

I ask that you please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers today. If you'd like to keep up with his progress or send the family an encouraging message, you can visit his webpage at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bobbymiketinas.

Bedrest - Week 2

2009-01-19T17:21:00.002-06:00

Well, went back to the doctor today and I'm still on bedrest. Another week of lying on the couch or in the bed. I know once little Hayden gets here I will wish for bedrest, but as of right now, I'm sick of it. My whole body is sore from doing nothing. I know that sounds wierd, but seriously... everything hurts. My shoulders, back, neck, etc... BLAH!

Anyways, the important information. The baby is doing good, and growing like he should be. His heartrate was good and he was wiggling around like crazy! It was so cute!!! I didn't get to take any pictures home with me though, so that was no fun. They're keeping me on bedrest though cause I'm still bleeding. So hopefully next Monday I will have stopped and can go back to work. It's nice getting to live in my PJ's, but I'd still rather be at work!

On another note, My Mom ROCKS! She came today to go to the doctor with me. She brought supper for tonight and tomorrow night, and she went grocery shopping for me for the week so Josh didn't have to go. She also did some laundry and cleaned up around here... LOVE YOU MOM!!! You're the absolute best there is!!!!!

I got an AWARD!!!!

2009-01-16T16:38:00.003-06:00

My very first award, I'm so excited :-) My good ole friend

Tracie (who I miss terribly) at Coffee with the Crain's gave it to me.

Love you Tracie!!!

The rules for receiving and passing along this award are to

List 5 things you are addicted to

So here it goes!!!!

(1) Our Baby...
Not knowing what's going on and why certain things are happening to my body are driving me crazy. So I constantly (and probably too often) Google any and all questions I can think of. It's probably not the smartest thing to do, since a lot of the answers are worst case scenario ones, but I guess it's better to be informed than surprised, right?!?!?

(2) LSU Football
I know Tracie had this one too, but if you live in South Louisiana, it's hard not to be!!! I used to be in love with LSU Gymnastics too, but then we moved away and I don't get to go to the meets anymore with Tracie :o( *tear* LSU Football is addictive, and there's absolutely nothing like a Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. The rush you get when the band marches onto the field just sends chills down my spine!!!

(3) My TV Shows
Even though I never get to watch them on time (my DVR stays full) there's some that I just cannot go without... Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, NCIS, Flashpoint... OH and Friday Night Lights starts up again tonight!!! WAHOO!!!!!

(4) Random Cravings
I know this one is broad, but there's not just one thing. I hear it's a pregnant woman thing, but like I'll think of something or hear someone talking about something, and I have to have it. It's such a wierd feeling... Like last night, for some reason I just really needed a brownie! Thankfully my Husband is amazing and helps me with my cravings, especially since I'm on bedrest and can't do a whole lot for myself!

(5) Cooking
I don't do it as often as I used to, but I love to experiment. It's so much fun to try new stuff, even if some of it does lead to ordering Domino's for supper!!! Now Josh is a MUCH better cook than I am, and he like to experiment. My absolute favorite is when we're both in the kitchen. It's so much fun hanging out and doing that together!

Ok, so now to pass this award along...

Kassie @ The Fabuluous Life of Kassie & Bryan

Melissa @ New Girl on Post

Bedrest AGAIN :-(

2009-01-12T20:25:00.003-06:00

What I didn't include in my post yesterday was how we found out we were having a boy. Saturday night I woke up bleeding, again. So it was off to the ER where they did lots of tests and took about 30 ultrasound photos. One of which showed we were having a little baby boy!!!

Well I had a follow-up visit with my doctor today. She said rather than put me in the hospital, she was going to put me back on bedrest. I'll take bedrest over the hospital any day, even if it does mean a week of B-O-R-E-D-O-M! So I go back next Monday to see if things are better and I can get back to work. It's just so boring sitting at home, especially when Josh has to work. But Mom's coming to hang out with me on Wednesday (YAY!!!!!) and Josh has Friday & Saturday off, so at least I won't be alone the whole time. Guess I'll have a lot of internet surfing to do :-)

Oh and some not so fun news, the doctor told me today not to get my hopes up just yet on the boy. She said the hospital has been wrong before on what they said it was. For now I will still call it Hayden, cause I just don't like saying "it" - LOL! Hopefully during my ultrasound next Monday they can confirm and we'll know for sure it's a Hayden :-)

Guess What...

2009-01-11T19:44:00.003-06:00

My New Baby!!!

2009-01-08T20:00:00.003-06:00

Ok, so this is my new baby before the actual baby comes!!!

It's a 2004 Ford Explorer and I LOVE IT!!!!!

BAAAAAAAAAD Dentist

2009-01-06T14:31:00.002-06:00

Ok, I know it's been a while since I've posted, so I apologize for this not being the nicest post in the world. But i had a HORRIBLE dentist experience today that I must share. I went in to have a few cavities filled. Well they can't use the regular novocaine (or whatever it is they use) cause I'm pregnant. So there's an alternative that doesn't last as long, but has the same effect.

So she injects that and tells me to let her know if I start feeling anything and she can inject more. Well about 10 minutes into the drilling I just can't take it anymore, I was trying to tough it out but tears were starting to go down my cheeks at this point. So I raise my hand and she proceeds to give me more. This does not work. Then she gives me more... again, does not work.

Here's the kicker. The tooth she was working on was the one on the TOP right of my mouth. After trying a few times and seeing that the deadening was not working, she decides she has drilled enough out to just put a temporary filling there.

So they do that and then remove the ten or so instruments that are hanging out from my mouth and sit me up. Guess what I discovered at that moment, the BOTTOM of my mouth... completely numb, not the TOP, which is where she was working.

When I asked her about it, she had no explanation. Her assistant said maybe I'm "wired funny". I'm sorry, but I've had cavities filled before and NEVER had this problem. Needless to say, I will not be going back there.

I don't want to post the name on here, but if you live in the Covington/Mandeville area and would like to know who NOT to go to, please feel free to ask and I'll send it to you in an email!

Random Tag

2008-12-22T22:50:00.005-06:00

Hey everyone! Lindsey over at Learning to be a Wife sent out a random tag for anyone to do it. It was to open your Pictures folder, go to the 4th folder, and post the 4th picture... I thought this sounded interesting, so I figured why not!!! And the picture... it's a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L one if you ask me!!!! This is the Golden Band from TIGER LAND getting ready to welcome those amazing LSU Tigers onto the field to kick some boo-tay!!!

Now I tag anyone else who feels like doing it too!!!

Gotta love Louisiana

2008-12-19T10:35:00.007-06:00

One week ago...

Today's Weather

(which is wrong, cause our thermometer says it's 81 outside)

I know, I know...

2008-12-16T08:25:00.002-06:00

... I'm a slacker! It's been forever since I've written, and I do apologize. So let me update you on some things. Yesterday was my first day back at work since the bedrest, and I LOVED getting out of the house!!!! I'm still on pelvic rest till I'm 18 weeks, then they will re-do the ultrasound and see if I can get off of pelvic rest. Today is also my last day of these progesterone supplement pills which make me soooooo nauseated, so I'm VERY excited.

Other than that I'm just busy at work catching up with everything and getting back to normal. Hopefully I'll have some more exciting stuff to post later on, but right now it's just work work work!!!

Good News... Bad News...

2008-12-05T17:25:00.004-06:00

Well, the good news... there's only ONE baby in my tummy!!!!

We have like 5 sets of twins in the families between the two of us... so that was always in the back of our minds!

The bad news, I had some bleeding again yesterday. Went to the doc and they said my progesterone level is a bit low, and they're worried my placenta may be a little low as well. So they put me on bed rest for a week. Did some blood work yesterday, and I have to go to the hospital tomorrow to get some more done. Put me on some medicine to increase my progesterone level, and I have a follow-up appointment next Thursday morning... Joyful huh. But they said that the baby looked ok!!! It's hearbeat was really strong and they didn't see any more blood in the ultrasound.

So if anyone has any bed-rest ideas for me, please let me know. I'm already bored out of my mind and really sick of TV!!

NAMES!!!!

2008-12-03T09:12:00.005-06:00

Here are our baby names!!! You already knew the girls name, but I wanted to make it cute so I added it here anyways. The boys name was Josh's favorite (and of course I like it too). I figure since I picked out the girl's name, he should get to pick out the boy's... Now we just have to wait till February to see which one we get to use!!!

Opinions Needed

2008-12-02T12:36:00.003-06:00

Ok, so as you've read before, we have a little girl's name picked out...

Addison Kelci Banks

Now we need a little boy's name! For some reason I'm favoring names that end in the letter "n". Anyways, here's the names I have picked out so far... And I need some opinions! The middle name will be David, no matter what the first name is, so keep that in mind too. Here they are:

Aidan

Landon

Grayson

Hayden

Let me know what you think!!!!

8 weeks

2008-12-01T15:52:00.004-06:00

Ok so I'm completely fascinated reading all of this stuff and seeing what is growing inside of me. My FAVORITE website is Baby Center and they email me weekly. I'm gonna share with you what's going on week by week (if I remember), so here's what's going on this week!
Ok, so this little one looks a little creepy right now - but they get cuter!!!

New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone (thank goodness, cause it kinda creeped me out!)

In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. You may be daydreaming about your baby as one sex or the other, but the external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl. Either way, your baby -about the size of a kidney bean - is constantly moving and shifting, though you still can't feel it.

Ok so I don't know what I'm having yet, they alternate with "him" and "her" weekly... but trust me, as soon as I know, you will know!!!!

THANK GOODNESS!!!

2008-12-01T14:24:00.002-06:00

So I've been nauseated, pretty much 24/7 for the last few weeks. This past weekend was especially bad. I've tried everything... Crackers, dry toast, sprite, ginger ale, peppermints, lemon drops, etc... NO RELIEF :-(

Then I talked to my friend Ashley M. who just had her baby girl, and she said something that worked for her were Preggy Pop Drops. So the search began, and I found them at a store here called Motherhood Maternity. SO FAR - SO GOOD! Now granted I'm eating one about every other hour, and the top on my mouth is sore from having candy in there so much... but I don't care cause I'm not nauseated!!!!

So if there's any pregnant ladies out there looking for some relief, give these a try!!!

Funny Preggy Story

2008-12-01T12:16:00.002-06:00

Once there were 4 girls; Brittany, Ashley M., Ashley B., and Girl #4 (she will remain nameless for now, you will see why in a minute!)

Brittany was pregnant, and Ashley M. was trying to get pregnant. One day they decided that Brittany should rub her belly on Ashley M's for good luck. A few weeks later, Ashley M. was pregnant!

So Ashley M. is pregnant and Ashley B. (that's me!) was trying to get pregnant. In October, Ashley M. rubbed her belly on Ashley B's belly, hoping for the same outcome. Well, come to find out, Ashley B. got pregnant too!!!

So Ashley B. goes out to eat with Girl #4 in November and is telling her the story. Girl #4 has been trying to get pregnant as well. We decide to see just how well this works! Ashley B. rubs her belly on Girl #4... and Girl #4 called me this morning to tell me she's pregnant!!!!!

I've been calling her Girl #4 so to make sure that she gets to spread the good news herself :-)

So if you or someone you know is trying to get pregnant... go find a pregnant person and have them rub their belly on yours!!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

2008-11-27T08:15:00.000-06:00

I am so grateful to have all of you in my lives on this Thanksgiving Day

May your hearts and homes be full of wonderful blessings

Here's wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving

All our love,

Josh, Ashley, Kujeaux, & Baby Banks

SO EXCITED!

2008-11-25T20:41:00.008-06:00

So my cell phone I have right now is a MAJOR PIECE OF SH*T. I now have 3 broken keys, and it's the second one. The first one was exchanged through the warranty. Well come to find out, no one I know has been satisfied with the phone, so I'm not the only one.

Well, tonight after many, many text messages to my Beautiful friend Kassie who works for AT&T, Josh & I ordered new cell phones!!!! We went with the Samsung Blackjack II.

I got the wine red one and he got black. Figured it was just easier to get 2 different colors so that we didn't grab the other's phone on the way out. Trust me, I don't want to deal with some of the calls he has to for his job... and he probably doesn't want to have to answer the phone when one of my girlfriends calls to talk about babies!!! We chose to have them overnighted, and they said they would be here on Friday. But then when we got the email confirmation, it said our order will ship in 2 to 5 days... that kinda defeats the whole purpose of overnighting something, but oh well. I'm just thankful to be rid of my crappy phone... before it breaks on me!!!

And, one more big... HUGE

to Kassie... YOU'RE THE BEST!!!!

Too Cute!

2008-11-25T15:38:00.004-06:00

My friend Erica gave me this sticker on MySpace,

and it was just too cute not to share!

Apology & Baby Names

2008-11-25T10:41:00.006-06:00

I haven't written in a while, and for this I apologize. I got a little scare last Thursday - some spotting and cramps, but they said it was normal and to just take it easy for a bit and I'd be fine. But of course I was still freaked out. Stayed home from work on Friday, and since Josh went hunting, I went on to Baton Rouge to stay with my parents. It was a great relaxing weekend. Laid around the house Friday & watched movies with Dad Friday night. Saturday me & Mom watched the LSU game (tear) and that night me, Mom, and LP watched movies. Sunday we went shopping and I got some cute maternity shirts (THANKS MOM & LP!) and we went and looked at baby furniture too. Found a really comfy glider to rock Baby to sleep in, and I think I found Baby's room furniture too!!!

Now on to the fun stuff... BABY NAMES!!!!

GIRL: Addison Kelci Banks

BOY: ______ David Banks

HELP!!!! We need a first name for our baby boy :-) Josh just says that we will figure it out when we find out if it's a girl or a boy, but I like to have one now! So any suggestions, comments, ideas, etc are greatly appreciated!!!

Birthday Night...

2008-11-19T10:35:00.004-06:00

Can I just start off by saying I LOVE MY HUBBY!!!!

Yesterday I had dreams of going to eat at this Fabulous Italian Restaurant for my Bday dinner. Well, then I got home from work and laid down on the couch... it was all over after that. No part of me wanted to move off of the couch much less go out in public...

Josh got home and surprised me with the BEST birthday present...

A Prenatal Massage from

I plan on holding on to this till I'm too big to reach my toes... then I will love it even more!

Then I told him what my original plans were for dinner... and that I just didn't feel that was happening tonight. ( I will be SO happy when my first trimester is OVER) So he told me we could do whatever I wanted since it was my birthday... told you I was spoiled :-) So my decision for the best, most relaxing birthday dinner ever...

AND

I feel Spoiled!

2008-11-18T15:10:00.006-06:00

Today was AWESOME! My momma came over to Covington and surprised me to take me out for a Birthday lunch. With her she brought a beautiful plant for my office and some YUMMY goodies... Snickerdoodle Cookies, Oatmeal Cookies, and Pralines!!! My mom is the BEST cook in the world, and she knows just how to make my pregnant belly smile! Then we went out to Acme Oyster House for some lunch...

THANK YOU MOMMY!!!!

Oh, and I had to share this pic too...

Kujeaux was trying so hard to get into my bag of cookies!

Then this afternoon at work I was surprised with cupcakes and song :-)

And also a gift certificate to

I can't wait to go shopping!!!!!

Mystery Solved!!!

2008-11-17T11:42:00.003-06:00

Ok so some of you may have already known this... but when I saw the article below on Yahoo! I was just thrilled... it's the little things that make me smile :-)

Why Does Everything Taste Bad

After You Brush Your Teeth?

If you have no idea why we’re pondering that question today, go brush your teeth real quick and grab a drink (orange juice, iced tea, coke—anything except water). Awful, isn’t it?

You can thank sodium laureth sulfate, also known as sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) for ruining your drink, depending on which toothpaste you use. Both of these chemicals are surfactants – wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid – that are added to toothpastes to create foam and make the paste easier to spread around your mouth (they’re also important ingredients in detergents, fabric softeners, paints, laxatives, surfboard waxes and insecticides).

While surfactants make brushing our teeth a lot easier, they do more than make foam. Both SLES and SLS mess with our taste buds in two ways. One, they suppress the receptors on our taste buds that perceive sweetness, inhibiting our ability to pick up the sweet notes of food and drink. And, as if that wasn’t enough, they break up the phospholipids on our tongue. These fatty molecules inhibit our receptors for bitterness and keep bitter tastes from overwhelming us, but when they’re broken down by the surfactants in toothpaste, bitter tastes get enhanced.

So, anything you eat or drink after you brush is going to have less sweetness and more bitterness than it normally would. Is there any end to this torture? Yes. You don’t need foam for good toothpaste, and there are plenty out there that are SLES/SLS-free. You won’t get that rabid dog look that makes oral hygiene so much fun, but your breakfast won’t be ruined.

Welcome Baby!!!

2008-11-17T08:50:00.004-06:00

Congratulations Blaine, Ashley, and Cameron Melancon... and a BIG welcome to

Kailey Nicole Melancon

Born: November 16, 2008 @ 1:58am

Weight: 6lb 7oz

Length: 18 inches

All About my Hubby!

2008-11-14T15:55:00.002-06:00

This is a quiz about your hubby! Let's see how much you know, and then pass it on to learn more about your friend's Hubbys!!!!

Here we go...

1. He's sitting in front of the TV; what is on the screen? CSI MIAMI... LAW & ORDER... THE UNIT... ETC

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? RANCH

3. What's one food he doesn't like? CHICKEN

4. You go to a bar. What does he order? BUD SELECT

5. Where did he go to high school? OUACHITA HIGH SCHOOL

6. What size shoe does he wear? UMMM.... 12?

7. If he was to collect anything what would it be? SHOT GUNS

8. What is his favorite kind of sandwich? BOLOGNA & CHEESE

9. What would this person eat every day if he could? HAMBURGERS

10. What is his favorite cereal? CAPTAIN CRUNCH

11. What would he never wear? A PINK SHIRT

12. What is his favorite sports team? HUMMM.... LSU TIGERS

13. Who is his best friend? JOSH... MATT... JEFF... NOT SURE HE HAS JUST ONE

14. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? WORRY SO MUCH

15. How many states has he lived in? ONE (STAYED IN MANY OTHERS FOR SHORT AMOUNTS OF TIME WITH THE ARMY)

16. What is his heritage? HE'S A MUTT... BUT ENGLISH AND INDIAN FROM WHAT I GATHER

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? BROWNIES, NOT A CAKE PERSON

18. Did he play sports in high school? HHAAAA HAAAA... OH I HAVE TO ANSWER.... RODEO BABY!

19. What could he spend hours doing? HUNTING

20. What's his worst habit? HE DIPS.... YUCK!

Now it's your turn... I'm only gonna tag a few people... so here it goes!

Tracie @ Coffee with the Crains

Brandy @ Not Quite the Brady Bunch

Melissa @ New Girl on Post

An Amazing Article

2008-11-14T10:04:00.003-06:00

This is one ESPN reporter's review of last Saturday's LSU game vs. Alabama... It's beautiful. He writes so descriptively... I'll post a small part, but if you want to check it out for your self, CLICK HERE!

The Tiger Bait Walk
Hundreds of fans line barricades, waiting on the Alabama busses. Immediately visible are five state troopers, eight sheriff's deputies and a crowd of prison guards. Two more cops are undercover, dressed as LSU fans. There are about 40 nine-millimeters around gate 12. One marshal has an earpiece, and he gets the word: Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide have left the hotel, with two Alabama troopers and three Louisiana troopers leading them in, lights shining and sirens blaring. A police helicopter circles above. Last night, LSU fans burned Saban in effigy at a pep rally. Nobody with a badge is taking any chances.

Finally, the busses pull up and cops rush Saban into the bowels of Tiger Stadium. LSU fans yell, "Tiger Bait." Alabama fans yell, "Roll Tide."

I'm not sure what it was like to walk into the Coliseum, but I bet it was something like this.

"The sun has found its home in the western sky, and it is now Saturday night in Death Valley."

SO BeAuTiFuL!!!

2008-11-12T20:02:00.005-06:00

Driving home tonight I saw the following sign and like to drove OFF OF THE ROAD!

I honestly never thought I would see gas under $2/gallon ever again... I filled up at lunch today and it was $1.95 - then on my way home it had gone down again... WOW-WOW-WOW!!!

In other events of tonight... I've done about 3 loads of laundry, dishes, and showered as soon as I got home so I'd be all ready in time to watch the CMA Awards! Love them :-) I always wanted to be a country music singer... some of my friends even love me enough to tell me that they think I can sing... personally I just think that they're tone deaf and can't tell that I'm really not that great. But it's still fun to belt it out like I think I'm Kellie Pickler or something!!!

Oh, and not that this is interesting, but I think that I got my first attempted "sickness" tonight. Guess I can't call it morning sickness cause it was at like 7:00 at night. I was eating supper, got about 4 bites into it, and realized that it just wasn't happening tonight. I didn't get sick, just REALLY felt like I would if I didn't stop eating... which sucked because it was my FAVORITE - Mom's Potato Soup - but no fear, I have some left that I can attempt again tomorrow night. Wierd cause I've eaten it since I've been prego and this didn't happen... maybe it's just a bad night!

Well, the commercial is over, so I'm off to finish watching the CMA's! Hope y'all have a GREAT NIGHT!!!

Tonight

2008-11-11T21:03:00.004-06:00

So this is what I did tongiht...

And this is what Kujeaux did tonight...

I know, I know... it's only November 11th. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas, and if I wait till the day after Thanksgiving to decorate like usual, then I would only get to have the decorations up for about a month. So I decided to start early!!! Unfortunately the tree is as far as I got. Everything else is up in the attic, and our builder doesn't install staircases where the attic openings are... don't ask. Josh is out of town, and being prego and all I didn't figure it was the brightest idea to back my Jeep up to the attic & climb on top. Knowing my coordinated self, I'd fall off. So my friend and awesome neighbor Dionne is coming over to help me get everything out of the attic Friday - with a ladder!

Yummy Cake!!!

2008-11-11T08:38:00.003-06:00

My wonderful mommy got me this cake... and it's my FAVORITE kind too... Red Velvet with Cream Cheese icing... YUMMMM!

THANK YOU MOMMY! I can only hope I do half as good of a job as you did with me :-)

Happy Veterans Day!!!

2008-11-11T08:21:00.001-06:00

For the first time ever...

2008-11-07T15:19:00.004-06:00

... I agree with Obama! It's nothing detrimental, like about taxes, policies, etc. Oh no, it's about college football. And his comment goes like this...

“I think it is about time that we had playoffs in college football,” Obama said Monday on ESPN. “I’m fed up with these computer rankings and this and that and the other. Get eight teams – the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a national champion.”

Amen!!! Wonder if he can make that change being president??? Can he MAKE the BCS do this?? Hey, I know it's not an important issue, but you have to start somewhere when it comes to liking someone, right!

News!!! News!!! News!!!

2008-11-06T21:20:00.002-06:00

Guess what we'll look like in 9 months....

Due date is July 17th!!!! Yes, I know... I'm only 2 weeks along. Lots of people have different theories about when you should tell everyone and stuff... Hell, I don't care... I'm freakin ecstatic!!!!

All I have to say is...

2008-11-05T08:17:00.003-06:00

I'm a DoRk!

2008-11-04T17:40:00.004-06:00

As many times in my life that I have cooked (or watched my mom cook in the old days) Drunk Chicken... For some reason when I get to this point, it just makes me chuckle!!!

It just looks so silly - like it should start fussing at me for cooking it or something!

Just thought we could all use a laugh during all this seriousness tonight... so I decided to share!

I'm voting for...

2008-11-04T14:51:00.008-06:00

I'm tired of all the waiting... I just wish it was 8:00 so we could get some kind of reslults... UGH!

VOTE!!!

2008-11-04T08:17:00.006-06:00

GO ROCK THE VOTE TODAY!!!

Here's some random interesting facts for you about voting...

In Minnesota, people can register to vote on election day. This greatly increases turnout and was widely credited with Gov. Jesse Ventura's 1998 electoral victory.
In Oregon, all voting is conducted by mail. In many other states, absentee voters must sign a statement that they were unable to get to the polls on election day. Removing restrictions against absentee and mail-in voting are coming in several states.
Several communities with high immigrant populations allow Green Card holders (non-citizens) to vote in municipal elections. Municipal immigrant voting increases civic participation at a level that matters to residents, whether citizens or not.
In Cambridge, Massachusetts, the voters approved immigrant voting rights, but the State Legislature declined to enact the approved bill.

Hooked...

2008-10-29T14:22:00.005-05:00

I didn't get to start this book till late last night, and I only got about 60 pages into it... but it's all I've been thinking about all day!!! She's so descriptive in her writing, like I can vividly picture what's going on with everything. This book is FANTASTIC and I can't wait to cozy up in bed with it tonight :-)

Cold Puppy

2008-10-29T11:59:00.003-05:00

I know this picture is a little blurry... but this is Kujeaux's back paws and his tail sticking out from under the covers last night... He was cold, poor baby!!! Didn't move from that spot for a few hours :-)

I'm sorry...

2008-10-28T14:09:00.006-05:00

... but this scares me, and I have to put it out there. I'm not a fan of Howard Stern, but these interviews just show that some people should not vote. I'm not saying that Obama supporters should not vote, but that people should be informed and not ignorant when they want to stand up for someone. They need to be voting on the issues, and not the name.

People need to be educated... you know what - if someone likes Obama for his policies and ideas, then more power to them - PLEASE, go rock the vote. But if they're just being ignorant (like the people in the interviews) and want to vote for him because he's black or because some celebrity says they should... they just need to stay home on Nov. 4th...

Twilight

2008-10-27T21:41:00.002-05:00

Well, I decided to go ahead and buy this book... I've heard lots about it so I decided I needed to see for myself! If anyone's heard about this, leave me some opinions :-)

WOW...

2008-10-27T16:37:00.004-05:00

Now I've seen it all... There's a guy in Baton Rouge who will come and hang up your Christmas lights for you. Seriously, I don't know whether to laugh or what... I would love to know how much money this guy makes, and does he come to take them down too!?!?!? Here's the info (ps - by posting this, I am in no way recommending or endorsing him, I don't even know who he is. I just found it too unique not to pass along!)

Holiday Lighting by Beau!

225-278-7523

You buy.... he installs! HOW EASY IS THAT!!!!

Monday Funny!

2008-10-27T09:11:00.004-05:00

... because sometimes you just need a laugh to get your week started right!

Tag... I'm it!!!

2008-10-26T17:32:00.004-05:00

Tracie from Coffee with the Crains tagged me today! I've been sitting here trying to think of 6 interesting things about myself... but most of them just turned our as random facts, so here it goes!

Here are the rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Write 6 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post(or as many as you want)
4. If you are tagged, do it and pass the tag along.
5. Enjoy

Here are some random facts about me.........

1. I've wanted to be a Teacher since I was like 5. I started college as an Elementary Education major, but changed to Marketing when I was a Sophomore. I'm going to go back one of these days and get my teaching certificate!

2. I've only gotten fired from 1 job in my lifetime... I was 18 and working at Smoothie King. I forgot to turn on the ice maker at the end of the night and we had to go buy bags of ice in the morning so we could make smoothies. I got fired at the end of my shift :-(

3. When I was about 17 some friends and I got into a wreck. The car that rear ended us hit us so hard that it spun around and ended up in the parking lot of a restaurant on the side of the road. We get out to see what's going on and all of a sudden we hear gun shots and we all hit the ground. The car that rear ended us was actually running from the cops. Just my luck... So instead of a fun night with friends, we all ended up downtown at the police station, being quesioned and having our statements taped cause, lets just say, things didn't turn out so great for the guy running from the cops.

4. My family used to have a house on in Pensacola Beach, FL (which is where #3 took place). We'd go there 3 weeks out of the summer and I miss those times terribly to this day. Even now I want nothing more than to move back there and live forever! (and take my mom with me of course!)

5. I was the BIGGEST dork in grade school & high school... seriously, I was the one that got picked on... but it's all cool now cause I think I had a pretty amazing college journey and I met some amazing people along the way!!!

6. Josh and I are trying to get pregnant... we've both always wanted boys... I say boys because twins run in both of our family's! My dad is a twin and his grandfather is a twin... lovely right!!! Well after going to Disney World and seeing all the little girls in their Princess dresses and getting all excited about Cinderella... Now I want girls! I haven't even told Josh yet, not that it matters because it's not like we get to choose what God gives us!

Ok so that was mind racking... and now it's my turn to tag!!!! So, I tag

Kassie @ The Fabuluous Life of Kassie & Bryan

Brandy @ Not Quite the Brady Bunch

Melissa @ Hanging with the Lapsley's

Jen @ Keep it Classy

Lindsey @ Learning to be a Wife

Melissa @ New Girl on Post

Welcome to the addiction...

2008-10-24T09:43:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to post a little note to welcome my old pal Brandy to the world of Blogging! I know she'll be hooked just like the rest of us all are!!! Go check her out and leave her some bloggy love at Not Quite the Brady Bunch

Tailgating Time!!!

2008-10-22T21:18:00.003-05:00

Well, this weekend will be our first weekend of the season to go tailgating... and I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited!!! I even got out our LSU board to do some touch-up paint to the field... let me know what ya think!!!!

ADVICE PLEASE!!!!

2008-10-22T09:53:00.003-05:00

I've really been wanting to go back to school and get an education degree so I can teach. I was going to apply in Baton Rouge for the Teach Louisiana program, and then we moved to Covington. Then SLU just started a Masters program where as long as you have a Bachelors (no matter what it's in) you can go full time for 2 years and have a Masters in Education. So I was going to look into starting that next summer... and now something else has come up that may have us moving again. So I can't tell if God's challenging me to see just how badly I really want to teach, or if He's trying to give me signs that I should not teach. ADVICE PLEASE!!!!

Laugh for the day...

2008-10-22T08:42:00.000-05:00

Lazy Baby...

2008-10-21T22:29:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to share a pic of the cutest little maltese in the world... my Kujeaux! He's such a lazy baby, I think he may have been a cat in his last life... I mean look at that face, WHAT A LIFE!!!

The Weekend...

2008-10-20T20:58:00.009-05:00

So this will be shorter than I had planned, but my head is absolutely killing me :-(

Josh's birthday was this past Saturday, and I made him some brownies! I also felt the need to decorate them, which just reassured me that I have no future as a decorator in a bakery!

Also, Josh's mom came in town and we had lots of fun. Went shopping on Saturday and also out to eat for his birthday... Now that I'm looking back, we should have embarrased him and got them to sing! Why do I always think of these things after the fact? Probably cause we were too focused on the LSU game, which (THANK GOD) they won! Also got to hang out with Daisy Mae. She's such a cutie! Kujeaux was not really a fan of course, because she took the spotlight away from him... This is a pic of Daisy chasing her tail!

And finally, the best part of the weekend (yes, better than LSU winning) was Church. For those of you who know me well, you know this is not my strong suit. I don't remember the last time I went to Church and it wasn't for an occasion (wedding, funeral, Easter, etc). Yes, I know - that is HORRIBLE. Josh and I have been talking about Church a lot lately, and decided it was time to go... and KEEP ON GOING. Since I was raised Catholic and Josh was raised Baptist, we decided to search for a Non-Denominational Church. This led us to Church of the King, and let me tell you, WE ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!! Don't get me wrong, I love the Catholic Religion, but when I left Church Sunday, I really felt like it was the first time I left feeling... inspired... like the service spoke to me. I wasn't just going through all the motions. The music was amazing, and his sermon really hit home... like he knew we were coming and got together with his fellow Pastors and said "Hey, you know that Banks couple, they're finnally gonna come to Church now, so let's talk about this..." I cannot wait to go back next Sunday!!! Even though the Pastor (I think that's what you call him, I'm still getting used to the new lingo!) said the Bible that I have is the version "the apostles used". Evidently I may need to upgrade to the New King James Version!

HA! Aren't you glad I said this was going to be shorter than I planned!

My New Sister-In-Law...

2008-10-19T22:27:00.003-05:00

... well, kinda! Just wanted to share some cute pics of Josh's Mom's little 8 week Basset Hound, Daisy Mae. So that makes Daiey my new sister-in-law, right... LOL!!!

Sound asleep...

Well, I have more to share about the weekend, but it's late so for now I'm gonna crash! Nite Nite :-)

CUTE invite!!

2008-10-17T15:05:00.004-05:00

Ok so maybe I'm a little behind the times or something, but I've never seen an invitation like this, and I was absolutely thrilled when I opened the box!!!

My sister-in-law, Mallory, sent this to me earlier in the week... Isn't it just the coolest thing you've ever seen!!!! It's a cookie - you can eat it... although I probably won't cause it's just too cute - LOL!!! I know the pic is a little blurry (sorry about that) but I just had to share it with everyone cause I love it so much.

Congrats on the Engagement Mallory, and good luck with the wedding planning. I Love You!!!

I HAVE THE BEST MOM EVER!!!!

2008-10-13T22:06:00.003-05:00

Just a little note before I crash... I have the ABSOLUTE, #1, BEST EVER, SUPURB, SPECTACULAR, MAGNIFICENT.... (and all the other words like that I can't think of right now) MOM IN THE WORLD!!!! Josh was going to go get Kujeaux after his dentist appt tomorrow morning, but my mom suprised me and brought him to us tonight!!!! Words cannot describe how excited I was to see my little man run through the door (even though he didn't want to leave his Granny's side while she was here).

Thank you so much mom... Once again, you've made me the happiest daughter in the world!!! I couldn't ask for a better mom & best friend than I have in you! XOXO

Home from Disney...

2008-10-13T19:58:00.003-05:00

Just got back home from Disney World about an hour ago :-(

We had so much fun, and I was NOT ready to come home... Anyways, I'll write more details and post some pics tomorrow. But I got this video in an email (one of the 80 something that had built up while we were gone) and I just have to share this with y'all... Thanks Mom for this amazing video!!!!

ENJOY!

Just like a kid again...

2008-10-06T08:37:00.004-05:00

ONE DAY TILL WE LEAVE FOR DISNEY WORLD!!!!!

I feel so much like a kid again. I'm at work today, and I know this day will drag on forever... I have work to do, I just have to get motivated and get the 1000 things I need to do out of my head for the time being. We haven't even taken our suitcases out of the closet yet, so that will keep me occupied tonight. Josh is taking care of the laundry for me today (LOVE HIM) so that's one less thing to deal with tonight.

We're staying at the Disney Pop Century Resort and I'm interested to see how that is... Heard all kinda reviews - the good, the bad, and the ugly. But I don't think we'll be spending much time in there anyways... There's a possibility that we're gonna get to go to the LSU vs FLORIDA game in Gainesville this weekend... THAT WOULD BE AWESOME, except for the fact that we'll probably end up with tickets in the Florida section - but we're gonna kick their asses anyways, so it's all good!

Let's Play An Image Game...

2008-10-03T11:23:00.007-05:00

Ok let's play a GAME....Answer the following question by searching in google images with your answer for the pic.

How old are you?

What is you middle name?

Where would you like to travel to?

Where were you born?

What is your favorite color?

2008-10-02T07:23:00.000-05:00

DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR DISNEY WORLD!!!!