Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas with love from Claire and Jeff

 

Congratulations, Margaret and Walter!

Our family was invited to a Christmas Eve Egg Nog Party at the home of my Aunt Margaret and her boyfriend Walter. Little did any of us know that the event was actually their surprise wedding!!!!! We are all so overjoyed at having Uncle Walter join the clan! Yay, Margaret and Walter!!!!!! 

Happy Anniversary, Amanda and Donnie!

Happy 1st Anniversary, ya'll!! Your wedding was SO beautiful and it was such an honor to me that I was included in your big day!!! A lifetime of happiness for you!!!!!!!

We Give Thanks

I'm retreating from the kitchen for a moment...

Jeff and I arrived in Pensacola at 1 a.m. this morning. We unloaded what we needed from the Volvo and went straight to sleep. At six-thirty this morning Jeff woke me up (like a kid at Christmas, no less) all excited about frying the turkey. Mom was already up so we got to visit with her since she was fast asleep by the time we had gotten to the house. Lauren got up soon, too, and we all started planning the day. Lauren and I ran out for a few last-minute food items. Then, Mom and Jeff ran out for a few more last-minute food items. THEN, Mom and Lauren went out AGAIN for additional last-minute food items. Once we had everything needed for our feast Mom started her dishes (the standard fare: stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, etc...) and I started mine (straight off Martha Stewart: butternut squash puree, pecan pie, and maple glazed pound cake). Jeff just dropped the turkey into the fry pot about 10 minutes ago; the smell is amazing! My puree and pie look very good, indeed, and the cake is baking away in the oven. Mom's dishes are always perfect.

Despite the turmoil of the past year, Jeff and I are thankful for each other and for the fact that we are both safe. We are thankful that our families are making it through these hard times. And, as we sit down at Mom's table in a little while, we will thank God, too, for being lucky enough to have such a wonderful meal.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

A New Addition to Our Family!

Jeff surprised me today by taking me to the local Volvo dealer to look at my dream car--the Volvo SUV. He told me not to fall in love with anything, but I made no promises. We got to the lot and found two pre-owned models. After a test drive we thanked the salesman and headed home. I didn't want to act excited in front of my wonderful husband; I knew that the last thing we needed right now was a car note. But, when Jeff told me HE loved the car I got to tell him how much I loved it! We agreed that we would look of the Kelly Blue Book value at home and then discuss trading in my car with the dealership. The price was significantly lower than Blue Book so we hopped back in my car and went to talk trade in. The offer for my car was WAY more than either of us expected and that sealed the deal. I drove my beautiful, fully loaded 2003 Ice White Volvo XC90 home tonight!!!!

(Of course, all this means I'll be getting a job come January, but I don't mind!!)

Whoohoo!!!!!!!

Movie Review

It has been a LONG, LONG time since a movie has made me want to watch it over and over and over again (Kung Pow, Enter the Fist was the last one, I think). Well, ladies and gentlemen, I'm excited to announce that I have watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory FOUR times in the last four days!! What an incredible movie! So magical!! You need to get up right now and get this movie. If it is the middle of the night, go to your nearest 24 hour Walgreens. I'm serious. This movie rocks my socks.

Stay tuned for more movie and book reviews...

My Hubby, My Hero

Jeff just fixed the air conditioner in the townhouse I'm living in with the family I nanny for. I love him.

...And Time Flies

It's hard to believe that it's been over two months since Katrina struck. It's even harder to believe that Thanksgiving is less than three weeks away and that Christmas is less than two months away. I remember last Thanksgiving and Christmas like yesterday...

Mom and Lauren came to Metairie for Thanksgiving. Jeff fried a turkey in our little side-yard and I actually cooked the side dishes! We dined on our newly received wedding china. Nobody got sick from my cooking. It was a perfect day.

Christmas was a tad different. Jeff and I hosted a small Christmas Eve dinner for our friends Keith, Jason, and Jackie. I remember us talking about the possibility of snow during the night. Jeff and I went to sleep that night planning to drive to Lafayette Christmas morning to celebrate the day with my family. It wasn't until we turned the television on Christmas morning that we discovered I-10 was CLOSED due to snow!! I was devastated. We called our friend Keith to come over and have leftovers (and LOTS of alcohol) with us. We were NOT supposed to be eating leftovers on Christmas! The three of us stood outside watching the snow fall. It was beautiful and magical, but it was causing us to have leftovers on Christmas!! When our WONDERFUL across-the-street neighbors (with whom I am now living in Baton Rouge and nannying for) heard of our predicament they invited all three of us (we were dubbed the Christmas Refugees) to eat (and drink--that's the most important part, of course) with them and their family!!!! In an instant our meal went from grub to gourmet, our spirits were lifted by amazing friends, and Christmas was saved!

The point of my telling this tale is that I've had enough chaos over the past 12 months and I'm hoping for a quiet, calm holiday season. Too much drama.

Yep, that was me! 

My Husband Confuses Me

You may recall my earlier post in which I described forcing Jeff to stay for the entire Saints game last weekend. I distinctly recall the boy saying "I'm not coming to another one of these games...even if the tickets are free." He made this statement several times during and after the game. Well, I was offered tickets today and declined them because I just KNEW Jeff wouldn't even want to consider going to the game...even if the tickets were free. The ticket offerer suggested I double check with Jeff just to make sure. Would you believe that Jeff has no recollection of not wanting to attend any more games?? I've got the tickets and all is well. We will watch the Saints play the Chicago Bears at Tiger Stadium, and this time we will both be decked out in Saints garb (can you believe we couldn't find a single merchandise booth last weekend?). I'm particularly excited (again, not because I'm a football fan) because one of my favorite Saturday Night Live segments is all the guys sitting around cheering for "Da Bears!"

Saints Game Photos

For your viewing pleasure, three photos from Sunday's Saints game. I, your humble photographer, captured our joy early in the day and our dismay later. I also threw in a shot of the scoreboard with two minutes left in the game. (Click photos to enlarge.)

The Saints Went Marching In...(and right back out again)

Jeff has been trying for almost 4 years to explain the game of football to me. I just don't get it. Hockey makes perfect sense to me. I've even grown to enjoy NASCAR (Jeff's other favorite sport). Football just isn't my thing. So, imagine his surprise last weekend when I announced that I WANTED to attend the Saints games here in Baton Rouge! Despite my lack of love for the game, I love New Orleans and knew going to the games would be the right thing to do. Yesterday was Game #1. I went into Tiger Stadium at LSU trying to remind myself of the Saints' motto: "Ya' gotta have faith." It was my mantra for the afternoon. The turnout was incredible! The diehard fans were out in full force and loved it. We had good seats and the weather was nice. I cheered when the Saints took the field. Now, like I said earlier, I don't understand the game. I don't understand why they are only trying to get 10 yards each play. I don't understand why the clock keeps ticking down when nothing is happening on the field. I don't understand the whole "safety" thing; 2 points for tackling the guy in the endzone?? But what puzzled me the most after yesterday's game was why Aaron Brooks kept throwing the ball into the crowds of people on the sidelines rather than to the Saints players ON the field with their hands up in the air waiting to catch the darn thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on! Even I was getting pissed off. I made Jeff stay until the game was oficially over, but most of the crowd dispersed long before the final whistle was blown. It doesn't look like we will be attending any of the three remaining games in town.

Gnome!

Show Your Support

Last night while driving home from visiting my mother-in-law I passed a car with a purple, green, and gold New Orleans ribbon magnet (like the "Support Our Troops" ones)! My first thought was to follow the person to where ever they were going and ask where they had obtained said magnet. Then I realized the police would probably consider that type of behavior stalking, so I let the driver continue on his way. Today I was determined to get me one of them magnets!! I went so far as to physically walk into a gas station rather than "pay at the pump"; they did not have any. Just now it dawned on me to run a Google search for the darn thing. I didn't find the one I saw on the car last night. I found an even better one!!!!!!!! Abita Brewing Company has an entire line of New Orleans Restoration products available on its website. The car magnets (and lapel pins!) are purple and green ribbons with a gold fleur-de-lis in the center. Please check out the site and support the rebuilding of New Orleans!

http://www.abita.com/abitastore/mall/dynamic_sortby_prodID.asp?Category=RESTORE

It's Always Something

I'm setting this whole Blog-thing up while on a break from sitting with my mother-in-law at the hospital and helping my father-in-law take care of things. Jeff's Mom was admitted early Wednesday and diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She was moved out of ICU last night. No word yet on when she'll be released; the doctors were awaiting more test results when I left at noon today. The prognosis looks good as long as she cooperates with the doctors and complies with the treatment plan. Please keep Anna and the rest of our family in your prayers.

Looks Like We've Made It!

Jeff and I celebrated our 1st anniversary on October 23! What a year it has been!!! We are hoping things will start to settle down soon.

One Giant Leap

I've finally decided to join the world of the Bloggers! Yay, me!