My family in pictures

This blog is my digital scrapbook -- I am GREAT at taking pictures. . . getting them printed and put into a photo album, not so much.

This blog helps me to keep some of these wonderful pictures and memories stored, and allows me to share them with relatives who live across the country (ok, mostly in Louisiana, but with gas prices, it might as well be on the other side of the country). So I hope you don't mind me sharing some family pictures we took this weekend.

Mom, Ryan, and Dad

My family is very close. My parents have always put a priority on family, with an importance on celebrating the holidays, lots of vacations, creative memories, silly traditions, and just plain silliness in general. While no one's family is perfect, if I can create the same loving and accepting atmosphere in my own home, I will have succeeded as a parent.

Me and Ryan

I absolutely adore my brother Ryan. He is seven years younger than me and as a result, I have always been very protective of him. Our favorite story to tell is when he was first learning to ride his bike on the busy street in our neighborhood. He told my mom, "Please don't tell Rachel. . . You know how much she worries about me!" Yeah, I can be like his second mom at times, but I love him to pieces and that is what counts! My master plan involves him marrying his current girlfriend (who is just like me, therefore is PERFECT) and having them both move to Houston. Hey, it could happen.

Ryan is "technically" Jordan's godfather, and Cali's godfather is "technically" Gregg's very close cousin David, but with the girls being so close in age, we have decided to call all the godparents "Paran" and "Nanny." (I realize I am probably showing my Cajun heritage here with those names. . . and maybe even with having godparents at all?) Anyway, both of my girls love my brother -- probably because he is just as silly as me!

As you can tell from these pictures, my entire family loves to laugh. . . and we all love to tickle each other. Apparently not all families do that, based on the interesting looks we get from other people, but maybe we just all rate "Physical Touch" high as a Primary Love Language. Regardless, tickling leads to laughing which is the main goal. Life is just so much more fun when done with a smile and a laugh, don't you think??