Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night

We had a wonderful Christmas celebration and enjoyed visiting with everyone who joined us for this very special Christmas. For the first time in many years my entire family was here, my Mom, sisters, brother and all of their families joined us for a delicious holiday meal. Roxanne, Ed, and Kaitlyn flew in from San Francisco and my niece Nicole and her new husband Joe came in from Nashville after returning from a holiday trip to Paris! Douglas' friend Gary drove in from his Marine base in Camp LeJeune, South Carolina and joined us as well. We are so very thankful to have had this Christmas to share with all of our family and friends...there is no greater gift.
Obviously, a fish story!



Great-niece, Emma.
Great-niece Kaitlyn
Batman a/k/a our great nephew, Lee
Don, Michael, and Ed.
James, our great-nephew.
Larry and Kathy
Joe and Nicole
Doug, Leah, Sam, and Jack.
This is how we all felt by the end of the day!!

It's Beginning to Smell A Lot Like Christmas

We have finished the shopping and moved into the next phase of Christmas preparation, COOKING! I got up very early this morning and started chopping, mixing, and cooking. Don came into the kitchen around 9:00 AM and started on his desserts, chocolate fudge and pumpkin pie. There is plenty more to do and a short time to do it!

We are very Blessed to be able to spend this Christmas together and we are looking forward to enjoying the day with our family. Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers - I appreciate each and everyone of you thinking of and praying for Don and our family. We hope you have a very Merry Christmas.

Congratulations Jenna!!!

This evening we traveled to Baton Rouge to attend Jenna's graduation. Jenna is the daughter of Don's first cousin, Paul and his wife, Debbie. This was a very special occasion and we were thrilled to spend the evening celebrating Jenna's graduation. Congratulations Jenna, we love you.
Jenna with her parents and sisters, Whitney and Amber.
The Walker family with Jenna.
Our children have grown up together and when they are all together they have a fabulous time...just being with each other is a reason to celebrate, but Jenna's graduation was a special event!
Flashback! Well, I said they grew up together and here they are in the beginning, before Douglas and Whitney were even born...Ashley, Drew, Jenna (the graduate) and Amber.
Back to this evening's festivities. What a pair!
After the graduation we dropped Ashley off in Hammond for a Cabrini Alum Christmas get together. It was great seeing all of the girls and touring Jenny's new house.

Breakfast at Brennan's

This morning Don and I met my friend Mary Rose and her family for Mass at the St. Louis Cathedral and breakfast at Brennan's. Mary Rose and I have known each other since high school, and although she has lived in California for many years, our friendship has endured. We had a wonderful time visiting with Mary Rose and her family. Shown from left to right are Don, me, Marissa, Bob and Rose Velez, Ronald Velez, and Mary Rose.
Don and I.
Mary and her daughter, Marissa.
Don outside of the Cathedral before Mass.

Lunch with Edward

Don's brother Edward drove in from Gulf Breeze, FL with some of his church members for an overnight visit to New Orleans. We met this afternoon for lunch at Pascal's Manale Restaurant, a local favorite well known for their barbequed shrimp. Although we did not get the shrimp, our food was delicious, pan seared catfish with crabmeat and artichokes for Edward and I and chicken parmigiana for Don. Don and I also had scrumptious bread pudding. We enjoyed our visit with Edward and enjoyed meeting some of the members of his church.

Snow Day!!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

And so it began...it was not supposed to snow in Kenner, but this morning as we had breakfast I thought I saw a few flurries. The next thing I knew it was really coming down. It started around 7:00 AM and we took this picture shortly after it started.
Well, I guess I spoke too soon about the bouganvilla freezing...
A few little vestiges of fall hang on to the tree as the snow falls.
Ready, aim...
...fire! Still a kid.