The End

We had the biggest table ever for dinner at Mandina's. Lots of fun and then we all headed out for live music in the Merigny District. Janie and Nini put together a great weekend.

Little Man

Stephen dropped by with Liam, and we took a walk back to the car to head home for a few hours before dinner. I would say that Liam was easily the shortest and most sober person in the vicinity.

The Lull

After a few touristy shots we hung out at their hotel, The Inn on Bourbon, for a bit and enjoyed the view from the balcony.

The End..and We Totally Won!

The last thing we ticked off the list was enjoy a drink at a bar. There were a lot of other crazy things we did that I didn't get photos of, but it was a great afternoon with some really fun people. Let's see if I can remember everyone in photo. Blair. Blonde Sarah (who grew up in Millcreek and went to NWR..surprise). Other Sarah. David. Janie. Jay. Me. Nini. And our fearless captain, Tammy. One....two...three....TREME!

Improvise

One of our tasks just said "put $5 on black," and we were all too tired to hike to the casino...so we thought these would work instead.

Not Being Square in the Square

We had two pose in front of a horse drawn carriage and start a line and try to bring people in on it. So with napkins in hand we took off dancing in Jackson Square. We got lots of looks, and I was feeling quite embarrassed...but got our points! We took a break under the palm after our line dance.

Join The Crazy

Next up...dancing with a street performer.

Saddle Up

Janie took on this challenge. Ride a mechanical bull. She did a great job of staying on!

Hard To Swallow

Oyster shots?! We stopped by Ruomelade's for raw oyster/vodka shots as required. And then a group shot.

Hey! Down Here!

Someone had to catch a pair of white beads from a balcony. Here is Janie knocking this item off our list.

First Stop

The scavenger list included lots of different tasks we had to accomplish...all valued at different points. The first one our list was someone had to eat a Lucky Dog pretty quickly. Here are our two volunteers!

The Parting of the Party

Once everyone was in the hotel lobby, we were split up in groups of boys vs. girls for a scavenger hunt. There were a few who bucked the team setup, and Jay decided to hang with the birthday girls, Janie and Nini, instead of his assigned team. Here is Nini handing our lists.

A Lift Into The City

Jay and I got into New Orleans really late Friday night, so we didn't head down to the Quarter to hang with Janie & Co. but instead spent a few hours with Stephen & Cat. On Saturday, we got a lift from Cat and met up with Janie on Bourbon Street. She was looking a little beat up from the long night before, but she was super happy!

Better Late Than Never

Liam got to open his Christmas present from us:) This is one of Solon's favorite books at the moment.

Girl Girl Girl..You're Not Blue

New Orleans or Bust. Jay and I are packing up and heading to the Crescent City tomorrow for a weekend of celebration. What are we celebrating? My little sister is turning 30. Janie claims to hate being called the little sister, but that is what she is to me.

Janie was born February 2, 1981. On Ground Hog's Day. A holiday that is so important to me because that was the day I got another sister. When my mom was pregnant with her everyone kept predicting it was going to be a boy. I already had two sisters, Amanda and Sally. Surely the odds were that some blue was going to come our way. My mom got the comments.."Oh you are carrying this one so much different than MM and Sally." So Groundhog's Day arrived, and we were all at the hospital. These were the times that the dad stayed out in the waiting room, and my dad was waiting...waiting. The doctor walked out and said "It's a girl!" My dad was in disbelief. I have been told that he thought the doctor was pulling his leg. But no. It took a long while..my mom said...for this to sink in. They had another...RED headed...baby girl.

Time has proven that all of us wouldn't want it any other way. Her entire life, Janie has always had a smile. A smile that warmed our family. This smile is not just on her face or in her eyes, but in her heart. I look back on my life and see that smile as a constant in the good and the bad and realize just how important that has been to all of us.

On the eve of my little sister's birthday bash, I want to let her know that I love you, I love your light, I love your smile and all the unmeasurable things your smile has done for all of us.

Keep smiling...Because it is all downhill from here! Old lady.

Back To School

So this is what is filling my weeks now. I have been talking about it for a long time, and this January I finally became a student at Atlanta Technical College in the 'Electrical Construction and Maintenance' program. I am in my third week of classes and am taking three classes this quarter. Two classes, 'Introduction to Microcomputers' and 'Professional Relations' are prerequisites for any new student. And yes. They are mind-numbing. The run down of what I am learning is...how to build a resume, dress for an interview, and how to put together presentations & flyers. I will say that learning Microsoft Access and Powerpoint are useful because I have never had the time to sit down and properly learn how to take advantage of the programs, so that is a plus. My main class is 'Safety Procedures and DC Circuits'. This is where I am learning the basic knowledge/terminology of electrical related stuff. It is super fun, and I have raised my hand and answered questions just like a good nerd. I should get my diploma by the early part of 2012...and then on to apprentice and become a journeyman. Or journeygirl. I can feel my dad smiling down on me, and my mom has claimed she wants a t-shirt that proclaims she is 'the proud momma of a votech student.'

Just Gobble Him Up

Last night Solon was just being so cute. He was running around in his Buddy PJs and smiling for the camera. And yes that is a Dum-Dum lolipop in his mouth. We are in the midst of full-on potty training, and this is his reward when he does a good job. We are teaching him the art of bribing basically.

Yummy In Da House

I got a lot of great cooking related items over Christmas and have been slowly using everything. This week I made a Bobby-Flay "veggie" meatloaf in my new Ler Crueset.

Men-ish-Man at Work

Solon and I made a birthday card this week together.

My Little Cowboy

Solon found my new shoes in their box and put them on screaming BOOTS!

On The Nightly News

I just heard on the news that David Nelson, the last surviving member of the Ozzie & Harriet family, passed away. It immediately took me back to 1985. I was sleeping in the back bedroom of our old house on 2230 E. Northside Drive. I was in one of Sally & Janie's twin beds which they never seemed to occupy. I am not sure why I was sleeping in their room instead of mine, but I did it a lot. I think because it was closer to my parent's room, and I could lie in bed and listen to the sounds from their TV.

Anyway, I remember hearing that David's little brother, Ricky, had died in a plane crash as I laid there one night. I loved watching the Ozzie & Harriet Show solely because of Ricky. I thought he was cute and loved his music. So I laid in my twin bed that night..with the light streaming out the slatted closet door...and cried a few tears.

I guess hearing about David just took me back to some vivid memories that I hadn't thought of in a long time and just wanted to share.

The Best Part

And the fire. Been so nice to sit by it and get warm.

Inside Games

A nice day of reading, watching movies and playing a little football.