Christmas Weekend

Brr.

It was a white Christmas, and then some. In the days leading up to the holiday, the temperature was in the negative digits, with a windchill in the -30s. So. Cold. And so drafty. I swear I could feel the wind on my cheek even as I was sitting on the living room couch. There was ice on the inside of multiple windows, so that’s not as far-fetched as it seems. 

The snow was following by drifting, delaying Mom and Dad’s arrival from Christmas Eve til Christmas Day. I was disappointed, of course, but it was absolutely the right call. Many if not all of the counties they drive through were Level 1 and 2 snow emergencies. By Sunday, they said the roads were mostly fine.

It was special that they even came for the holiday! The last time they visited our house for Christmas was when we lived in New York and Edith was only a month old — it was the only year in all our time there that we didn’t return to Ohio in December. So it was 10 years ago … and even that visit started on Dec. 26! So we were excited to host again, even if the visit was shortened from two days to one.

The day was filled with our few traditions: presents at 7 a.m., sausage gravy and biscuits for brunch and lasagna for supper — the latter we started during Covid, so three years now. Much better than turkey or ham! With my parents here, we even imported one of our families traditions: Bingo.

Today was spent investigating our gifts and visiting with Mom and Dad before they left in the afternoon. The snow is expected to start melting in a couple of days with temperatures reaching into the 50s, so we might even be able to enjoy the rest of the kids’ winter vacation outdoors!

Louisiana Swamp Tour

It was our last full day in New Orleans, and we spent it with alligators.

A 25-minute drive outside the city was Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours. It was finally a beautiful day -- 70+ degrees and sunny -- and we saw about 10 gators sunning themselves in the swamp during our 90-minute pontoon boat ride. (It was certainly better than the day before, which the guide said turned up between zero and five alligators depending on the time of the tour.) The gators were all sizes, and one was gigantic, even larger than me!

We returned to the city in the early afternoon and spent the rest of the day walking around the French Quarter picking up a few souvenirs. We took a last stroll along the Mississippi River and to Jackson Square Park, where Paul was called upon to give a magician a $20 bill that he wrote his name on. It later appeared inside a lemon. And of course the kids got to swim in the hotel pool one last time, and they convinced us to get beignets one last time, too.

The next day was Thanksgiving, and we were in the car by 7:15 a.m. But first I watched the sun rise over the river from our 18th story window, where we also could see the riverboat we rode on Monday, along with the occasional cruise ship or container ship.

We intended to stop for the night in Chattanooga, but we got such an early start that we chugged all the way home, arriving sometime before midnight. Overall we drove 990 miles that day, and 2,440 miles over the entire trip. And by "we" I really mean Paul -- he was behind the wheel the entire time.

What a way to spend Thanksgiving -- supper at the Waffle House! But I hope the trip will be memorable for the kids for more than that reason alone. I know it will be for me.

A Rainy Day at a Gulf Coast Beach

It definitely wasn't beach weather -- gray, drizzly and maybe 60 degrees tops. But on our second full day in New Orleans we took off for a day on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

In a little over an hour we were in Pass Christian, and the kids wanted to stop at the first beach we saw. We relented when we realized that rain was forecasted soon. We never got more than a few drops, but no matter. It was too cold for swimsuits, but Paul and the kids made sandcastles and collected shells for an hour or so. I was perfectly content in the car with a good book, watching them from the warmth of the vehicle. (I'm not a beach girl even under ideal weather conditions!) I did manage to take a peek at their creations and dip a finger into the salty water before we took off.

We ate a late lunch at Pirate's Cove for poboys -- a sandwich Edith is now a fan of thanks to her love of fried shrimp. It was probably my favorite meal of the week.

We drove a bit further down the coast to Gulfport to take in the views and beautiful mansions before turning around and heading back to the city. It was a delightful day at the beach and an easy trip from New Orleans, despite the disappointing weather!

Turning 10 in New Orleans

What a 10th birthday for Edith! We planned a day for her to remember in New Orleans last month.

First up, a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi. Lunch was also on the boat and included a variety of classics -- jambalaya, red beans and rice, sausage, fish, bread pudding and sweet tea. It was cold when we boarded and we spent the first half of the cruise indoors, but it was warm in the sun for the last half, so we explored the boat and the views. Edith and I liked walking around the boat. Paul and Atticus enjoyed the live jazz band.

After that we walked to Jackson Square Park, visited St. Louis Cathedral and tried the kids' patience as we browsed the French Market and nearby shops. Then it was off to what Edith really wanted to do on her birthday -- swim in the hotel's indoor pool.

We chose a supper destination that I though Edith would enjoy, and she approved -- Dat Dog. The kids were pleased with their regular ol' hot dogs, while I got an alligator dog, and Paul ordered a crawfish one.

And when you turn 10 in the Big Easy, you get birthday beignets at Cafe du Monde -- that my rule, anyway. We got three order of three and had three leftover. They are big! The kids were thrilled with them, along with the mess made by the mounds of powdered sugar. 

We walked down Bourbon Street on the way back to the hotel, so now the kids know firsthand why it's one of the craziest streets in the country. We didn't go inside any storefronts, but how many 10-year-olds can say they spent their birthday on Bourbon Street?

A Week in the South

The kids had the whole week of Thanksgiving off from school, so we decided to take advantage of it! We spent the autumn break road-tripping to New Orleans, crossing off several states for the kids and even one more for Paul.

The 2,440-mile round-trip drive presented Paul with his first visit to Arkansas, and Edith also visited Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama for the first time. With some slight detours, Atticus added not only those states, but also Texas and Georgia -- two that Edith visited before he was born.

But the goal of the week wasn't just to get the kids to 40 states total and Paul to 48 (although that didn't hurt!). We did a lot of sightseeing and relaxing, although the kids will tell you their favorite part was the indoor pool.

The trip south took several hours longer than the trip home, both because we spent the extra time to cross the Texas state line, but also because we spent a couple of hours in Memphis. Edith became a convert to barbecue after lunch at Charles Vergo's Rendezvous, an old-school classic restaurant in the basement of an alley building downtown. A few blocks away was the famous Beale Street, with a surprising number of tourists for the middle of the day. No neon or bar stops, but we took some photos -- including on tin front of an Elvis statue. (Graceland will have to wait for another day.)

Texas did indeed add several extra hours to the drive, but I couldn't get so close without crossing the state off of Atticus's list. Texarkana was the destination, just across the border and back. We made a failed attempt to find a "Smokey and the Bandit" mural that may or may not have ever existed. Sadly, we didn't even pick up a case of Coors.

Next week: Spending Edith's 10th birthday in New Orleans!

Edith Turns 10!

Edith is now in the double digits. Can you believe it? I sure can't. It seems just yesterday that we found out we were going to have a baby daughter. Ten years later, she's so grown up and independent.

I'll share more next week about how we celebrated her birthday proper, but for now: Edith.

She loves to read, especially graphic novels but any book will do. Sports aren't really her thing (apple doesn't fall far from the tree), but she is very much into archery and is getting pretty good. She has a wonderful group of friends at school and another set that she plays with on our block, with only a little overlap. Her teachers tell me she is a good student, kind and a pleasure to have in class.

She's up for about any craft, but she especially likes rainbow looms right now. She also enjoys a jewelry and sewing class that she's been enrolled in for awhile, and she is learning a lot. And anyone who knows Edith even a little knows that she absolutely loves foxes. It all started more than a year ago when she had a dream about a fox ... now she's obsessed.

We can't imagine our lives without our Little E, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for her! 

Three Worrying Weeks

It's been three of the most stressful weeks of my life, but it all came out right in the end.

I found a lump in my left breast. Gave it a few days to see if it would go away on its own. It didn't, so I made the soonest appointment -- for two days later. Confirmed it was there (surprise, surprise) and was referred for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound, but they couldn't be scheduled for six more days. Meanwhile I'm contemplating what it would be like to have cancer, or worse.

I got the results of those tests that same day -- it was probably nothing, but since it didn't appear on my previous mammogram (and only mammogram, since I had just turned 40 the year before) a biopsy was recommended. But the soonest it could be scheduled was a week later. Commence a worrying seven days.

I was prepared for the worst in pain, and hoping for the best in results.

It wasn't so bad. Two hours in and out for a procedure that lasted all of 10 minutes. I basically felt like I had been walloped with a baseball bat, but even that feeling went away in about 12 or 15 hours. I didn't even take any pain medication.

The results came back the next day: a benign fibroadenoma.

Although the tests and procedures occupied all my thoughts for the better part of a month, I've since learned how common they all are. I wish I would have known that before I started down this path! Six days later I have a couple of small bruises, no pain and a large bill lol. But it could have been so much worse.

Edith’s Birthday Extravaganza

Edith’s birthday isn’t for a couple of more weeks, but she had a birthday extravagance weekend on Saturday and Sunday. We hosted eight of her friends for a 10th birthday tea party and crafts on Saturday, and our family gathered on Sunday for pizza and cake.

Luckily the weather was beautiful and warm all weekend, a rarity in November. Edith and her friends spent much of their time gathered around a table on the porch, decorating white paper fans (so fancy for a tea party!) and making loom and perler bead creations.

At the tea party, they enjoy mini snacks … and lots of them! Cucumber and cream cheese finger sandwiches. Cheese and crackers. Eclairs and cream puffs. And some nontraditional as well, like mac and cheese bites and flavored mini marshmallows. A good time was had by all, and especially by the birthday girl!

She was just as happy the next day, with all of the family gathered at our house and a big carrot cake to share. A cake the color of a fox, of course. And she received plenty of fox presents all weekend long. And to think she’s not even 10 yet!

Halloween 2022

My little woodland fox and skeleton had an excellent night of trick or treating on Monday — warm, with rain in the morning and evening but none at all during the collecting. Let the candy-eating commence!

Rides in the Back Woods

A family wedding took us to northwest Ohio this past weekend, and bonus: We got some Gator rides from my dad in the back woods. He's now not only carved a number of trails, but also decorated the paths for the season. Ghosts, bats and skeletons abounded -- and he even took us on a night-time ride to up the spooky factor. But a Sunday morning ride before we left for home was my favorite, with the light shining on the falling leaves. 

Old-timey cars dumped decades and decades ago.

Spy the spider?