December 2006 Archives

John and I, along with Gary and Sally, went to see Trans Siberian Orchestra last evening. It was as good as last year, a couple of song changes but basically the same. The music, singing and pyrotechnics are something to see. Gary and Sally hadn't seen the show before but said they enjoyed it---it's really unlike any other concert we've been to before. Laura Tompkins, were you among the 14,700 others there?? If ever you get the chance to go, I'd say do it!

Okay, so I'm a day early for New Year's Eve and two for New Year's but I'm not sure I'll be able to get a comment in after my late night hootin' and hollerin' tomorrow evening. Before I receive numerous emails asking if I'm crazy, it's a joke. I'm hoping that my usual 90pm bedtime will stand, that also is a joke. But suffice it to say, I will be having a celebration next week, just not for New Year's and most likely at a more respectable hour for my children and myself.

Murphy will celebrate her 3rd birthday on the 2nd of January. She has been telling everyone she meets for the last couple of months, "my birthday is January 2nd and I'm going to be 3". It's a very big deal for her whether she understands what turning three means or not. Mostly, I think it just means more presents. I have asked my siblings to refrain, but there are still a few that will no doubt shower her with gifts. But I think we may have to move to a larger dwelling after the load we got this Christmas. Murphy had an especially good Christmas as she thought EVERY gift was hers, including Julia and Josephine's.

Murphy, Mairin, Kilian and Meredith taken at my house Christmas Eve.

Mairin and Murphy taken Christmas Day at my Mom's.

We celebrated Christmas Eve at my house, the second annual actually, and it was a great time. The kids had a blast celebrating Christmas together. I can only imagine how much more exciting each year will get as the kids get older. Christmas Day was spent at my Mom's with my Mom's scrumptious caramel rolls. They only make special appearances on holidays, so we were all pleasantly surprised to see them with my Mom's broken wrist. What a woman, even a little broken wrist won't keep her away from the kitchen to keep up the holiday tradition. Eric just got passed the recipe and wants to have a go at it. I'll have to double time my running if I'm going to live with someone that can master the recipe.

Eric, Julia, Murphy, Josephine, Mary, and Sidney (dog)

The photo I'm attaching was supposed to be a picture for my Christmas card, but the whole batch didn't work. Actually, that was the third in a series of photo sessions I attempted. Anyone know how to get three small people to all look at the camera and smile? Anyway, after several attempts and not getting a picture, it got later and later, and my Christmas cards moved further and further back on my desk. So Happy Holidays to everyone, and hopefully, I'll get a Valentines Day card or Easter card off this year instead. Happy New Year!!

We made Christmas cookies today at Christina's house. It was my idea and I made the dough and the icing, but my little Samuel really wasn't ready for this kind of fun. Thank goodness Jackson, Jacob, Julia, and Shelby were there to make and decorate that double batch of cookies I thought we needed! They had a good time and so did I. I was a very inexperienced cookie maker/decorator, so I didn't realize that the sugar crystals are supposed to go on the cookies before you bake them. Julia informed me of that when they came out and I asked, "Now how do we get the sugar crystals to stick to the cookies?" I thought maybe we should brush melted butter over them and then sprinkle them. I also made powdered sugar icing. I had heard somewhere that you can put it in a ziplock baggy and snip the end and voila! you have an easy decorator. Well it didn't quite come out voila! My sister snipped too much so it came out in gobs. Then we decided we would just smooth the icing over the entire cookie with a knife. Julia thought the cookies were ugly until she got very efficient and creative with that baggie and made some very cute ones. She and Shelby were very good at making those cookies, and I relied on them to finish that double batch for me. They were very tasty so who cared what they looked like? I know Santa will enjoy them.

Joey is determined to have a son who hunts and fishes. He lets Samuel handle his catch every time he comes home. Joey went duck hunting on Wednesday and then finished the trip off by doing some trout fishing. He and his friend killed 11 ducks and caught 10 trout. Dinner is served! He killed a hooded marganza, which is a very pretty duck. I heard him tell his friend, very surreptitiously, to take all the ducks except that one and leave us all the fish. I knew what he had in mind for that hooded marganza and I yelled from the porch that if he put one more stuffed animal in my house a new entry would be written in my divorce journal. We already have a deer, a fish, 4 ducks, and a goose. That's enough, don't you think?!

Jack Dempsey’s Restaurant in New Orleans is an institution. Doesn't look like much, does it? I had eaten take-out food from there a few times but had never eaten inside and had never been to it. My boss had our whole department and a few others over there last night for his annual Christmas dinner. Sad to say, I still haven’t eaten there. I put the broiled stuffed flounder and baked macaroni and cheese in a box immediately. I’m still fighting the flu and I’m still prone to violent coughing fits that ... let’s just say it’s best not to have fresh food in my stomach. Patsy and I shared it when I got home and my instincts were correct. I was able to keep it down but it was touch and go. This is no reflection on the food. The food was great. The baked macaroni is fabulous. It’s my kind. There are two kinds of baked macaroni fans. People, like me, who like it hot and a little bit creamy and others, like Patsy, who like it slightly burnt and crusty on top. You have to settle that part of the macaroni and cheese equation BEFORE you go on to whether to add brown gravy or not.

Zack graduated December 16th from University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a Bachelor of Science in Conservation. My parents, John's parents, and Carol joined us for the ceremony and supper afterward.

Omar has finished all of his tests to become a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. He also passed his CCNA test which is an added bonus on his resume. He leaves India tomorrow and "God willing" will arrive Monday at 2:30. We're all counting the hours.
Omar we're sooooo proud of you!!

Omar and his favorite pastime.
A friend let him use this one around the neighborhood.

Hi I was just wondering what everyone's Christmas song or songs are? Mine is
Do you hear, what I hear? by Bing Crosby and O Holy Night by everyone

Mom & Sue,

Remember this?

Does Ann read this? She might also remember it. She and Bob were at the game, too.

In 1970, Dad was a Saints season ticket holder. Since New Orleans was the host city of the Super Bowl that year, he was given an option to buy a $15 Super Bowl ticket. When game day arrived, it was overcast and drizzly and a bit cold. Dad scrounged up another ticket so Mom could go. Then, not much later, Grandma or Grandpa scrounged up two more. Sue and I also got to go with Mom and Dad. The seats were not together. Sue was 12 and I was 13 (No need to do the math). We were in that North End Zone while Mom and Dad were in the South End Zone. Imagine that in this day and age; two kids at a football game pretty much on their own in a cavernous stadium? We thought nothing of it then but what parent would allow that now? The highlight for us (Not Sue so much) was the pre-game ceremony. Two hot air balloons were supposed to take off out of the stadium carrying a Viking and a Chief in some kind of race. The Viking balloon got about 4 feet off of the ground and went laterally straight into the North End Zone. It missed us by about 10 feet. Sue was screaming but I was laughing. No one was seriously hurt but there were some cuts and scrapes. When highlights from that game are shown, they usually show this. We’re just to the left of the balloon from this camera angle but you really can't see it in this small of an image. Mom probably still has the Clarion Herald newspaper that has this picture in it. This was our 15 minutes, Sue.

Here it is, my exciting past life

12-05-1948 Went shopping. Last rose on vine.

12-05-1949 Changed part to middle.

12-07-1949 Changed part again.

12-05-1950 JoAnne's birthday party.

12-05-1952 Bought rose dress. Date with Tom White.

12-05-1957 Explosion at Ingram Oil.

12-05-1958 Sue has middle ear infection. Sam had an infection in his thumb. Dr. Albert scraped the bone.

12-05-1959 Sent Mom a cyclamon plant for her 63rd birthday.

12-05-1960 Sent Mom a fancy Christmas dish, handmade by Mrs. F. Called home.

12-05-1961 Second frog test negative.

12-05-1985 Katie signed act of sale on house in Covington.

12-05-1987 New master cylinder. $174.00.

12-05-1988 Saw "Rainman." Good movie.

12-05-1989 Mother-Daughter banquet at Fairmont Hotel.

12-05-1990 Tree too big. Put up on porch. Girls wildly embarrassed.

Now here's a disclaimer. Some of these pertinent events occurred on a different day. The month and the year are exact. I took poetic license and placed everything on December 5, just for columnal beauty. Believe it or not, some December 5 days had nothing going on! If you really need to know the exact day an event occurred, please give me a call. Otherwise, just take it for what it's worth: an exciting lifetime of happy memories.

We went to our annual Breakfast with Santa at Chapelle this morning. It was fun. The boys enjoyed it. They made reindeer food and ornaments again. We set up our Christmas tree and decorations last night. Both boys are really getting into the traditions we started when they were babies. They love looking at their ornaments. I give them each a new ornament every year. We have an Advent calendar and they've already got a system down to remember whose turn it is to put the ornament on the tree. We also watched "It's a Wonderful Life" with the boys last night. Neither had ever seen it. Jacob fell asleep but Jackson watched and enjoyed it. This morning when we woke up, the boys were watching it again! I love this time of year. I love it even more now because the boys are enjoying and appreciating the things I enjoy & appreciate. Jackson asked me if we were going to see The Nutcracker this year. We didn't see it last year because of Katrina, it wasn't playing here. We'll definitely go this year. I love the music. Wishing you a stress-free and joyful Christmas season!

Christina

Happy Birthday, Joan

Have a day!