The James Family

The past couple of years we have been invited onto my dad's Marti Gras barge for the San Antonio Marti Gras Parade. My dad has had a barge in the parade for many years and was even Marti Gras King a couple of years in a row. Asher loves the idea of throwing beads to people. The only problem is that most of his beads end up in the water! Dad and I figure he purchases one entire box of beads for Asher to throw in the river! Last year he had some beads left over that he was wearing around his neck. We stopped at the grocery store on the way home from the parade when Asher realized he had the extra beads. He took them off and proceeded to throw them at people from the shopping cart! This year he was more willing to dress the part and got a kick out of decorating the barge prior to the parade. This year I think 2 of his beads made it a shore, it was a good year.

Chapel was Baptized on Marriage Island on the beautiful San Antonio Riverwalk.
I was raised Catholic and Jeramie was raised Baptist so when we got married we realized we would always have to do what was right in our hearts and not let our denominations get in the way. Both Asher and Chapel were dedicated by Pastor McCracken, the same man that married us. Pastor McCracken puts so much thought into his sermons, he really made both our babies dedications special to us in a powerful way. We also used the same preacher to baptize both Asher and Chapel as he is the preacher at the Little Church of LaVillita. As a Catholic I believe in one holy baptism and as a Baptist Jeramie believes in a dedication and a baptism when you are ready to accept Jesus into your life. Ultimately it will be up to Asher and Chapel. Their walk with God will be a personal one that only they will know. Jeramie and I don't care if they want to be cleansed by the holy waters every year as long as they are looking to God. Although our decisions are nontraditional everyone understands that to Jeramie and I the important thing is that we raise our children in a Christian home with Christian values. We have always received the support of friends and family as "it takes a village to raise a child".

Asher turned 3 years old!
He was so excited planning for his Rainforest party. He was making lists of supplies we needed, playing with all the party favors, and telling Aunt Ciny exactly how he wanted his cake.
As usually he was embarrassingly spoiled rotten! Not only did all of his guests bring him wonderful play things and books to read but Mommy and Daddy got him "Kota", the triceratops that does all but leave a mess on the rug! To top it off Mommy, Daddy, Papa Ron, Nana, Grandad, and Grammy all surprised him with a jump house of his very own! He was heard saying through excitement and bouncing, "Thanks a million!" San Antonio fajitas were enjoyed by all and Aunt Ciny's cake was sinful!
The kids all got to take home Rainforest favors. The favorite was the pet snakes! Not real ones! I ordered all the kids colorful stuffed snakes. Tall Grandad hung a vine from the ceiling of the kitchen and all the snakes were coiled or draped peering down at everyone. The kids got to pick thier snake off the vine to take home. The snakes seem to all be loved as I have heard moms saying they couldn't leave home without thier snake and I have seen them hiding in beds and back seats. Asher and Chapel love theirs too. Asher sleeps with them, carries both of them around the house and gives Chapel hers to chew on the tail. Who knew that was all we needed!