N.O.L.A

Francesco decided that for his 30th birthday he wanted to go to New Orleans and do it up big. We are sure glad he did! Here are some (okay, a lot) of pictures from our vaca-reunion with some great San Diego folk. (All of these pictures are courtesy of Natalie and Desiree because our camera was having problems- I even included a couple from the night before our arrival, just because they are cute)

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Birthday boy and sis

Andrew missed him

I miss her!

First item on the agenda: eat some alligator

After dinner, we stopped at Coyote Ugly. Here is the whole gang:

The bartender taught us a stompAnd, of course, we had to visit Bourbon street
Cute Bourbon street pic:
Then, off to Karaoke! Natalie and Desiree are shakin it to Beyonce's single ladies (even though they aren't really single- but I was still excluded from the dance)

The birthday boy busted out some moves.

(My MJ moonwalk was not captured on camera... fortunately)

This was actually not my idea (it was my wayward husbands') but I embraced it:

fun, fun, fun

cute couple!

The original Forrest Gump park bench suit? We tourists like to think so

Drew, and some of the others, had never been to New Orleans before. So we checked out all the main stops like Jackson Square:

And, of course, had a beignet at Cafe du Monde

Some of us had the full beignet experience

On Saturday, we took a trolley to the Garden District

Lots of little shops and historic homes with N'awlins style wrought iron

and porches with Southern columns

Saturday night was the birthday celebration. We went to a restaurant-- blanking on the name-- something to do with Wolfgang Puck?? Anyway, it was yummy

Desiree and I shared some turtle soup:

My favorite guy

That night, we took off our beads and masks and decided to venture over to Frenchman street to see what the locals do for fun. We found a great jazz/blues band called Tuba Skinny :

We then found some street music and the fellas had to jive also, see?

Thanks for the great memories!

Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind

On Veteran's Day and the day following, Andrew's brother, Matt, finished boot camp for the Army. Some of his loved ones were able to make the trek to Georgia to come celebrate his achievement (Drew and I are just a few hours drive from Columbus).

Pulling into Sand Hill, a divsion of Fort Benning:

Private First Class Mitchell

The first ceremony (the day I could be there) was an introduction to the soldiers and drill sergeants, recognition of special awards, and the soldiers recieved their black berets.

Proud Andrew

Mom and Grandma

Matt's girlfriend, Claire

Proud sister-in-law (the pics of me and Matt must be on his Mom's camera)

We got to tour the camp and watch some Army drills. I was more interested in the bright trees

Something to do with rifles:

I'm not sure I was supposed to take a picture of this:

Drew stayed for the Thursday official graduation ceremony, but left the camera in th hotel. If I get any of those pictures, I'll upload them here or on Facebook.

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Matt is already at his next post in Augusta, Georgia, where he will begin training in microwaves (not the appliance, but similar technology).

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Matt, we miss you, love you and are so proud of you!

Andrew and the Pups: A Love Story

"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." ~Ben Williams

"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies." ~Gene Hill

"If you can look at a dog and not feel vicarious excitement and affection, you must be a cat." ~Unknown

"There is no faith which has never yet been broken, except that of a truly faithful dog."

~Konrad Lorenz

"The more one gets to know of men, the more one values dogs."

~Alphonse Toussenel

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole" ~Roger Caras