Christmas Part 1

Vince and I were expecting a quiet and lonely Christmas this year however so were my parents and since they are completely amazing, they decided to fly a thousand miles and spend the holiday with us. We are so glad they did. It was truly a relaxing and fantastic time. Of course, I wish they could have stayed longer but having to say goodbye was very easy since we would be meeting up in Hawaii in just two weeks! I am the luckiest girl alive. Christmas may have come and gone but we still have a trip to Hawaii to celebrate as well! Next week Vince and I will be sipping Mai Tai's in 80 degree weather on the island of paradise. And not only are we excited about that part, but more importantly we get to see our sweet little hula girls, my twin, and her famous pilot husband as well. We are so excited for this incredible vacation! Counting down and packing (summer clothes??) has begun! 

I hope everyones Christmas was just as great as ours. 

We hope everyone has a very Happy New Year and no one falls off the fiscal cliff :) 

Gussy came to visit too!

My dads incredible painting of us.

 

Christmas on the bayou

I love Christmas. I love everything about it, the decorating, the gift buying, the smell of Christmas trees, the lights, there's just something about all of it that takes me back to my childhood. This year we were planning to have a Christmas to ourselves since we have a belated family Christmas trip in January to Hawaii but since my parents were going to be alone for the holidays also, I talked them to making a trip here for a few days to celebrate with. This will be my first time hosting a Christmas and I'm so excited! In the past, we've always had Christmas either in Charleston or New Mexico so lucky me, it's my turn! No big plans while they are here...not yet anyways...I'm sure there's a lot of festivities that we can find around this area during the few days they are here.
Vince and I started our Christmas spirit off by taking the family to the Miracle on Fulton St. in New Orleans during Thanksgiving week, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting and the nephews were a little disappointed but we enjoyed each others company none the less. Snow falls every half hour and of course Vince talked it up all the way down to the city so the boys were expecting piles and piles of snow..... not even close. This is Louisiana after all. Instead of real snow it was of course just foam (almost like a foam party for my fellow senior trip Panama City friends out there :)). They did however have a beautiful decorated Christmas tree that called out to me for a photo op.

Last weekend was Vince's work Christmas party at the Hilton Riverside in the city. It was beautiful. It was great to see and catch up with all of Vince's coworkers. This year we actually got our names drawn for a gift and leave it to my husband to pick MORE WINE GLASSES! As if we don't have enough already! Figures. The band that played was incredible, their name was even more incredible, "5 Finger Discount". It was more of a concert but regardless they were entertaining. Hopefully, Vince and the committee will book them next year! So here are a few photos of us getting into the Christmas spirit! 

We hope that everyone has a very blessed Christmas! 

Yeah, those were returned.

Thanksgiving Recovery

Week three and I'm back in the game! I'm just getting things back in order since my adorable little nephews left. I usually hate doing my weekly chores but on this occasion it's as if my chores became a game finding all the little toys in hidden places such as Lego blocks (Berkeley helped find quite a few of these under the couches), mickey mouse slippers, and action heroes. If you know me well enough, you'd know that there is nothing about my house that screams children live here so finding these little gifts were amusing to me.
I enjoyed every second my family was here, it always reminds me of the large Thanksgiving's my parents hosted in Tennessee when I was growing up. Having 20 plus people in and out of the house to me is the only way to spend a holiday and seeing them leave is always sad because I know how quiet my house will become.
While the gang was here we accomplished a lot more than I ever thought we would. Campfires in the backyard, an adult night out in the city, a visit to city park, walking the French Quarter, visiting the WWII Museum, the Popcorn Bistro, Christmas tree shopping, and decorating the house for Christmas.  Thanksgiving dinner was of course delicious. Laura and I slaved over the stove for what seemed only a few hours while the kids napped. The guys watched football in the bedroom while Laura and I took over the living room TV watching Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. LOVE. Pretty sure my sister and I could re sight it word for word at some point in our life. While the kids were still napping, the adults enjoyed the feast. As an extra fun activity, I laid out paper on the table with colored pencils so everyone could write down what they were thankful for. This sweet little idea became a blow out drawing coloring contest. Of course my husband being the only artist in the house, won. Drawing turkeys, pigs, and weird looking pilgrims...everyone else jotted down all the things they were thankful for including wine, hot wives, lamps, etc. When the kids woke up from their nap they enjoyed their own little feast. Coloring for them was the highlight, of course.

I am extremely blessed to be apart of this family. Not only did they help me find my husband, my true love but they gave me an unconditional kind of love that makes me feel important and special.

Milo kisses are my favorite.

Turkey's cook themselves for this Most Interesting Family.

Playing Peek-A-Boo with Berkeley

Adult night out at Emeril's Delmonico

Nick's first dry aged steak and sad about the very last piece.

Vince trying to shoot a turkey with his new Civil War canon

Luca's a tree climber

Drive-thru daquiri's on our way to the city

Beignet's can be messy 

Let the play offs begin! 

Hello cuteness. 

World War II Museum