Our Family

This was one of my early Christmas presents. I hope this will be a family tradition to get family pictures around Christmas. I am always so happy to get them done, but I am not going to lie it is quite stressful. I am so happy with the children's pictures. Some of them are priceless. I was a little sad about the wind being so strong, but I guess that is the joy of having the "ocean breeze". I really like to get family pictures because it makes me happy to see what is most important to me, especially at this time of year. I feel so blessed to have each of my children and husband in my life. I am also so thankful we get to spend Christmas together this year. I hope each of you are having a good Holiday season. You each deserve to have a wonderful holiday.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler, Thanksgiving in New Orleans

So when we first arrived in New Orleans and found Bourbon Street, we had to get some Mardi Gras beads. (However we paid for them! I found out how you get them for free and I figured we would have to pay for them since the kids were around :)).

We had Thanksgiving dinner at the Palace Cafe on Canal Street. It was quite the experience. We thought it would be a nice place for us to eat, but we were for sure out of our league. The kids tried to behave, but they didn't really appreciate our "fine dining" Thanksgiving dinner. I think Brett is the only one who enjoyed his Thankgiving dinner (including turkey with oyster sauce, turtle soup and bananas foster).

The kids posing with the street cars across from our Hotel on Canal street.

MY THANKSGIVING TURKEY

This is what I created and ate for my Thanksgiving dinner. I made it last year, and thought it was so cute that I had to make it an annual Thanksgiving tradition. I thought we might not be able to do it this year because we were staying in a hotel, so we did the best we could. The kids loved helping me make it and eating it. The rule is after you eat a fruit feather you get to put in a feather with what you are thankful for. It starts out as a "fruit turkey" and ends up as a "thankful turkey".

Later that night we were diving around trying to find some of Brett's areas from his mission. Our trusty GPS directed us through these streets on our way to Harahan. We thought it was so cool that Banks and Johnson intersected. (Johnson being my maiden name).

The girls really got into the whole "New Orleans" lifestyle. It was funny because Aubrey was walking int the street with her pink boa at night in the French Quarter, and it attracted alot of attention, including some unwanted attention when some drunk guys were trying to reach out to her and mumbling something to her. I was laughing pretty hard, but sweet Aubrey was pretty nervous about the whole incident.

I think I will decorate my bike like this one for Mardi Gras.

CAFE DU MONDE

We went to the Fench Market in the morning and then to Cafe Du Monde for beignets. (Notice Aubrey's face before beignets and hot chocolate).

Do you think I ate this? I didn't actually eat this one. Brett insisted that I try a bite. I did, and I didn't like them, but the rest of my family sure did.

Here is the smile we have been waiting for!

Brayden loved it.

MARCHING JAZZ BAND AT JACKSON SQUARE

It was a wet, raining afternoon at Jackson Square, but it was still fun to see all the neat stuff. I had actually run the riverwalk and most of the streets of the French Quarter on my morning run earlier, but it was just fun and relaxing seeing all these unique things with my familly.

We couldn't leave New Orleans without Brett getting a Muffuletta from Central Grocery. I can't believe how big these sandwiches are. I swear it is bigger than his head, and he has a good size head. :)

AUBREY'S OWN PRE-SCHOOL

Here is the kids painting one morning at our neighbors house. We have been doing some fun arts and crafts lately since Aubrey has been home.

BRYNN'S THANKSGIVING PARTY

Brynn's had a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving in her class. They made turkey hats, and then watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving movie. After the show they had a little "Charlie Brown feast" including toast, pretzels, jellybeans and popcorn.

When we were checking Brynn out of school in the front office, Brayden got his first look at Santa. It was so cute because it was a singing Santa display, and Brayden was holding Santa's hand while it would sing to him.