Starting school and growing up

Evangeline, Greg and I are all in school now. Evangeline is going to Daycare three days a week, she is in a class with two other kids and gets a lot of personal attention. She's also taking French classes twice a week at a local French immersion Preschool. She knows a few words already.
She's really growing into quite the toddler and we've started potty training. I boxed up the cloth diapers last week. She's in 18-24 month and some 2T clothes and size 6.5 toddler shoes.

First day at French school

Weekend trip to Cosmo Park in CoMo

Skyping with Grandma Carri

Packing up diapers and 12-18 month clothes.

Greg is teaching a large lecture and preparing for his comps the first week of October. These are five 4-hour-long exams with completely memorized content. We also celebrate Greg's 30th birthday on Tuesday.
Sorry this update is not longer, but I thought I would at least post some recent photos.

New Family Member

So the last couple of weeks have been crazy with Greg and I starting school and work and Evangeline starting school too. We got back from DC on the Tuesday before classes started and Wednesday I went to Target to pick up some groceries. I was heading home and someone drove into me. She hit the passenger side of the car. I was not driving that fast but she was speeding up as she hit me. Evangeline and I were in the car, we were ok, but our car was not.

So we said goodbye to our Florida "Coconut" Car and went shopping. It was a real challenge, but we were able to put a good amount down on a new car. We went with a Subaru Forester because its a little bigger, for road trips and has a good crash test rating. S

So welcome to the family Blue "Spruce Lee"!

Capital Bound Baby!

A few weeks ago the Perreault Family finally made it back to Washington, DC. This city hold so much significance for our family as it was the place Greg and I met in Summer 2004 at the Washington Journalism Center.  It was our first time back as a family. Greg and I had an academic conference, AEJMC, where we both presented research and attended sessions. We also presented a book project we were involved in as part of a collaboration between the Reynolds Journalism Institute and Knight Foundation. We stayed in China Town in a hotel for the first part and then with our friends the Kazee Family for the second half. Evangeline loved the City. She loved the buses and Subway train. She loved the people. It made me sad that she is not growing up there with the community we left behind, but I'm glad we are in PhD school and have the opportunities we have here.

Here's some my favorite photos from our trip.

We got off the plane and headed strait to the Zoo, Evangeline was tired.

Here we are watching a zoo keeper care for several Beavers and Ducks

Seal watching is my favorite thing to do.

More seal watching with Daddy

Visiting Georgetown and posing in front of Healy Hall

Lunch with Rebecca

A kiss where we had our first kiss. Evangeline was really tired again.

Daddy and Evan in front of the Capitol

Hanging out between sessions at AEJMC

My "Sunglasses" at the Search Lights and Sunglasses Book Launch Party at AEJMC

Evangeline rides the Capitol Mall Carousel at the Smithsonian

Daddy tries to keep Evangeline from swimming in the fountain at the sculpture garden park

Dipping our toes at the Sculpture Garden fountain

I love this guy.

The Searchlights and Sunglasses Team before out session.

Greg and Ben with their littles. These guys went to HS together and college.

My beautiful girl friends from DC. Can you believe how grown up we all are.

Evangeline on the Kazee's front porch in DC.

Lilly, Evangeline and Abby. Sweet girls!

Family metro ride to Union Station.

Greg and Terry hanging out at the Green House.

And a photo book from our trip if you want more:

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly offers exclusive layouts and designs so you can make your book just the way you want.

Visit from Grandparents

There has been a lot going on here this summer. Evangeline got a visit from her G'ma Rachel and Grandpa Jacques while I went to a conference in Colorado for work. It was great, and they helped Greg out a lot. Here's a book I made of their adventures while they were were.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Photo books are the perfect gift for any occasion.

Evangeline the Acrobat

Here's as video of Evangeline climbing the jungle gym at our neighborhood park. She did this four times with Greg or I standing under her, and so the fifth time we let her go on her own. She's grown up so fast.

And here's one of Evangeline playing with momma at the splash park.

Front Page Baby

Evangeline was recently on the front page of the Columbia Missourian. Here's the video that appeared on their website for Year One:

Cates Family Reunion

This past month was a little busy with our trip to Arkansas and the United Kingdom, but we had a great time. We went to Arkansas the week before Father's Day for the Cates Family Reunion. My mother, Carri is a Cates, and her father had six siblings (four of which are still living). The reunion was for all of the siblings their kids, grandkids and great grand kids. I grew up with several of these cousins and second cousins and had not been to a reunion in 4 years (we have them every other year). Both my sisters and my brother-in-law were there, my parents were there, as well as aunts uncles and cousins. Here's some photos from our trip.

We stopped at Laura Ingalls Wilder's home on the way to Norfolk, AR,

Evangeline watching Sofia the First, this TV was wall mounted and she loved it.

Swimming in the pool with Grandma and Grandpa.

Hanging out with one of the bigger Cousins Lindsey Cates.

Ally, Beth and Michael hanging out down by the river.

Rachel and Sarah, beautiful ladies.

Kenzie Torrey and her Grandpa Drifty

Evangeline and her Aunt Cate

Evangeline and I in the pool

Evangeline playing with her grandma, Evelyn Holler and Evelyn's grandma Margaret.

Our family tree.

Evangeline and Kenzie playing on the stage

Angie, Annabelle, Evangeline and I.

Evangeline, Annabelle and Kenzie dancing.

Evangeline eating with Kate and William Lester

Fishing trip with Catelyn and Mom.

And me. We caught trout with corn.

Evangeline hats posing for photos...

Unless its with her Grandparents.

Love this one of Catelyn and Evangeline walking.

Love my sisters. They are such great women. I miss them so much.

She was so tired, and slept most of the drive back to CoMo.