The Beauchamp Family » Extended Family

Santa made a special appearance on Christmas Eve!

Candy — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:30:47 +0000

We spent Christmas with my mother in South Carolina. On Christmas Eve, just as the kids were getting ready to go to bed, we hear someone walk through the door… Santa was early! Oh no! But never fear, he just came to bring them one little thing each before getting back on his reindeer. He did come back though!

(thanks, Jamie, for being such a good sport)

Heard from the backseat from Jamie (in SC)

Candy — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:56:31 +0000

From our vacation to visit my mother and sisters in South Carolina:

Tom and my mother were in the front seats of the van. My sister, Marcy, and I were in the middle seat. Jamie and Cassie were in the very back seat. My mother hates going around the sweeping curves on the freeway exits, they make her dizzy. My sister and I, of course, always try to make her pee herself. It’s a tradition. So Tom is driving like 5 miles per hour, Mom has her eyes squeezed shut and Marcy and I are screaming “OMG, we’re going off the edge” and “Oh god, really, Tom, you gotta pay attention”. Yes, we are evil. Yes, I’m 12.

When all the laughter dies down and Mom has stopped having her heart attack, we hear Jamie pipe up from the backseat, “Wow, I didn’t know grown-ups could have so much fun too.”

After we got to where we were going, we parked while Tom ran into to get whatever it was and we were talking about how we tricked mom to get on a ride at Myrtle Beach a few years ago. It was one of those motion rides. This one was one going through a mine shaft. We had convinced mom that it was no big deal and we got her in there and buckled her in. I remember her asking why she needed a buckle if it didn’t move a lot (we told her it rocked like a rocking chair). I told her, “Oh mom, you know – they are just scared of lawsuits and everything”. Of course, the woman is insane so she believed me. We were cracking up because Mom was TICKED at us when she came out of that ride. The whole time, she had her eyes squeezed shut, holding on for dear life and well, being pissed off at us. She got off of that ride and told us all off. We tried to get her to go on the other ride (it was as 2 for 1 deal), but amazingly enough her ticket went unused. (now, I wonder where the kids were that day… I’m pretty sure they were with us *laughing* I just can’t remember)

… and then we hear Jamie pipe up from the backseat, “Granny? … I didn’t know my Mom was so crazy!”

My mother, of course, told him he had a lot to learn about his momma. Oh boy. Methinks the kid was paying too much attention, he learned a lot about how to torture your elders

Love ya mom… and no, I’m still not sorry about the Myrtle Beach thing… because… well, because it was the funniest thing EVER.

Thanksgiving 2009

Candy — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:30:53 +0000

We ended up doing two houses for Thanksgiving this year. I generally don’t like doing that, it wasn’t too bad, but maybe next year we do lunch somewhere and then dessert somewhere else, too much food. But, now we can visit my mother guilt-free.

As I mentioned last week, Jamie taught me how to play chess on Thanksgiving day (he’s in the chess club so I figured I should learn already). He did a great job. But he also managed to get 2 other games in.

The first with cousin Jonathan (who was a super good sport) – and yes, Jamie is cool enough to carry off sunglasses and chess, why do you ask?

And another with his grandfather (who they call PawPaw)

We also got a photo of all of the grandkids on one side with the great grandmother:

So, Thanksgiving down… Christmas to go!

Cassie horseback riding, Thanksgiving 2009

Candy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:30:37 +0000

Tom’s cousin brought her horse to Thanksgiving (hey, it’s in the sticks, it’s okay!). Cassie LOVES horseback riding and had the best time. Look at this smile! She talked the Aunt into taking her again when her turn was technically over. *laugh*

Must not miss — Holiday Photos…

Candy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:57 +0000

My mean mother-in-law made me be somewhere with both kids reasonably awake, dressed and happy on a Saturday at 9:20 in a mall not near me. *laugh* (hehehe… kidding, Jennifer – for those that don’t know, I actually get along really well with Tom’s family – thank goodness, some people aren’t so lucky)… the pictures turned out really well and all the kids were in a good mood (which as you all know helps) so it really was the perfect time – plus NO one else was there so we had the run of the place. With Jamie that’s a really good thing – he doesn’t do crowds really well. I hadn’t actually thought about that aspect of it so I’m really glad we chose that time. (I’ll do a post later, but I’m reading a book called The Explosive Child which I think is more of what is “wrong” with Jamie these days than some mental or emotional disorder). Jamie literally told me at first “I’m not doing it” (I mean, he’s 9, he’s way too cool for this ya know!) so I had to bribe him and he cooperated pretty well. He’s not much for “pretty smiles”, he’s more goofy so it was hard for him but he really did do a great job! These are the ones I liked best. I tend to like photos that aren’t so posed, looking straight at the camera or too cutesy and I was happy with how these turned out:

I LOVE this photo of them together. It’s so how they operate…

This one of Cassie captures her attitude perfectly!

Okay, I broke my own “cutesy” rule, but really, tell me you wouldn’t buy this!

And, the group shot that Grandma wanted for her holiday cards this year…

Pool photos from vacation

Candy — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:44:00 +0000

Just a few more of the pool… I’m behind, as always, in going through photos. Trying to get better about that

This is my nephew… He looks pretty serious about that water cannon!

Cassie just hanging out…

Tom and his sister doing the sibling thing… I had to get the kids out of the way… Tom is brutal with a pool noodle!

Christmas (yes, still) at grandmother’s house…

Candy — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:30:00 +0000

I love the warm light at my mother-in-law’s house for taking pictures like this…

(of course it also presents challenges, but I love the warm golden yellow tint for some reason too)

The kids just love going there because they get so incredibly spoiled there!

Heh, you’d think someone gave him the key to the city…

Horseback riding at Christmas

Candy — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Yes… only in Central Texas… these are from Christmas at Granny B’s house. Tom’s cousin brought her horse (yes, that’s how we roll ’round here) and the kids got to ride… they had a great time! Here’s a few pics! Cassie loved it. Jamie wouldn’t even THINK of getting on it.

Baby Oliver!

Candy — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:30:00 +0000

I finally got to see Baby Oliver (my newest nephew) earlier this month. He is a cutie, but has that little old man look definitely down. We went over to Tom’s parents house and had dinner. “Baby” Jack is getting so big and Oliver is a doll… I, of course, took some pictures

This is my sister-in-law, Jeannie, and her baby, Oliver:

And here’s Jack… who is a mad man! In a good way