Grandma and Grandpa's Annual November visit

All smiles with Grandma and Grandpa.

Amelia and Luke set the Thanksgiving table this year.  Good job kiddos.

Ready to eat!

More big smiles, Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

BLESSINGS!!!!

We have so much to be thankful for this year.  Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends and family.  We love you.  

New Orleans!!!!!!!!!!!

Last weekend Stephen and I had a little vacation in New Orleans without the kids!  Our great friends The Neffs watched all three of ours and both of their own, bless their hearts.  We had such a great time, it was a perfect get away.  We ate, we drank, we laughed, it was wonderful.

Within about 10 minutes of walking onto Bourbon Street, bottoms up!  It had been MANY years since we had done jello shots at 10 am.  Actually I forgot, this was after we had a little breakfast with some mimosas and Long Island Ice Teas so maybe it was 10:30.

Me on Bourbon street.

Us on Bourban street, see the sign?

About 10 minutes after our shots, we were ready for another New Orleans drink, onto the Hand Grenade!  Shockingly delicious.  We had a few.

It was 12:30, time for our second meal of the day and onto more classic drinks.  We went to the Famous Pat O Brians, the creator of the Hurricane which is the signature drink of New Orleans.  We had a nice relaxing lunch New Orleans style, about two hours.  We continued to walk around the French Quarter that afternoon and then went to our hotel and relaxed before dinner.  We had dinner at Antoine's, a famous spot in New Orleans.  Antoine's is the oldest family run restaurant in the country, it all began in 1840 when Antoine came over from France at age 16!  Yes, I read the menu and had to paraphrase it for my husband who refuses to read anything; even histories on menus.  The food was great and the service was unbelievable, I felt so special.  Oh, and we had alligator bisque and actually loved it!

This is the next morning, had to have beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe Du Monde, always a stop in New Orleans.  

Later that day we took the street car to the Garden District.  What a different feel from the French Quarter!  We walked around and saw all the beautiful historic homes in the Garden District.  They were amazing.  We also took a look at Lafayette Cememtery from 1833, cool but eery.  

Stephen getting on the streetcar saying, "Woman, no more pictures."

I think our favorite place to eat.  This is Commander's Palace in the Garden District.  It was so fun!  They have a little three piece band wandering around going from table to table and playing "Saints Go Marching In" and such.  The service was impeccable but the food, oh my word!!!!  The best meal I can remember having, ever.  Stephen had the gumbo and I had turtle soup as appetizers.  That's right, me, Jenni, had turtle soup and I loved it.  Then I even branched out and ordered pecan crusted Drum Fish and it was delicious.  I almost folded and ordered the pancakes banana foster but I had to stay true to my vow of being more adventurous with my food selections.  Turtle, alligator and fish all in one weekend is huge for me!  It was a great trip to reconnect and laugh together, I can't wait to do it again.  Now only if we can get Cynthia and Tommy Neff to answer their phone, hello, guys?  

Odds and Ends

Our budding artist...

Amelia's art work was framed and put up in the hall at her school.  She was very proud!

"Land, Sea, and Sky" by Amelia Boskovich

This past weekend I had a baby shower at our house for a sweet friend of ours so Daddy had to clear out with the kids.  He went downtown to the Catholic Fun Zone Festival and kept the kids busy for a few hours, and in the process donated a gazillion dollars to our local Catholic school :)  Your welcome St. Al's from the Boskoviches.  The kids rode horses again which they love but they wouldn't stop talking about a pet monkey they saw; in a tuxedo no less!  I don't remember formally dressed monkeys at catholic festivals when I was growing up.

Making homemade bird feeders with some pine cones and peanut butter.  Messy but fun.  We call them bird feeders although they are really squirrel feeders.

ELMO!

Today Stephen and I took Addison Kate to see Sesame Street Live's new show, 1,2,3 Imagine.  We were so excited to watch her react to the show with all of her favorite Sesame Street characters.

Daddy couldn't resist and bought her a stuffed Ernie.  She could hardly contain her excitement, she was jumping and dancing and clapping waiting for the show to begin.  

Don't ever, ever, ever, take away Ernie.

The show begins!  Addison couldn't believe her eyes when she saw all her favorite guys come out.  She kept yelling, "Hi Elmo, Hi!  Hi Big Bird, Hi!   Hi Zoe, Hi!"  while waving her little arm frantically.  It was so sweet to watch her reactions. 

Lots of this, pointing and smiling, laughing and clapping.  It was really fun.  I heard Stephen tell Addison today, "You won't remember any of this; but I'll never forget it."  That summed it up perfectly.  What a fun morning with our baby girl.

The only trouble we had was Addison running up to chase the characters.  When I tried to grab her, she would yell, "No Addi walk, no Addi walk."  Finally one of the characters with the honky nose came toward her and honked his nose;  she high tailed it over to my lap and stayed put after that.  I did laugh at one point while I was holding Addison because I looked behind me to the right, behind me to the left and to my immediate right at my husband and there were all the daddies, smiling and clapping and dancing to all the songs.  Big tough guys, all softies for their babies.