I can see clearly now...

the dust is gone!

I’ve felt very under the weather today so I stayed home from work. I worked from home until about 1:00 and then I got this burst of energy (I think it was all the antibiotics I was taking). Every time I get sick I can’t sit still. This is good but also bad because I don’t lie down and rest. So anyway, I decided to waste away the time scrubbing my kitchen front top to bottom. And then I had to take pictures to prove it. Maybe the clean smell will help me feel better. With the couples shower next weekend I can’t afford to be sick this weekend. I have lots to do and only 1 weekend to do it in.

And in other news…I’m switching positions at work! Woo hoo. I’ve been trying to do this for over 6 months now and I think its finally going to happen next week. My boss sent me an email today saying I could start the transition. The new position should be very interested, a lot more hands on, and probably a lot busier. I can’t wait!

Random

Sorry for the lack in posting the past few weeks. Not much has been going on around here lately. Except that it’s really really cold here. When I say cold I mean 29-35 degrees which I know is nothing compared to the -40 degree temperatures that those up north are experience. But for my Cajun blood that is just too cold. Despite the freezing cold temperatures Tommy and I have been practicing for a 5k race. We’re hoping to run the Boy 5k in Baton Rouge. It’s a 5k race and at the end of the race they serve beer, poboys, donuts, etc. It sounds like a lot of fun! I just hope I can finish. I’ve been practicing 3-4 times per week and I think we can do it by the time the race comes around. Then we hope to do a 10k, then a half marathon, then maybe a full marathon. We’ll see how the 5k goes before we start thinking about the full marathon.

Other than that we’ve been planning a Mardi Gras couples shower at our house for Tommy’s brother and his fiancé. The invite list has about 100 people on it so it will probably be a pretty LARGE shower. I was a little shocked by the number. But hopefully not everyone will show up. We’re doing jambalaya, finger foods, king cake, chocolate fountain, and various drinks. I think we will have plenty for about 60-75 people. It should be a lot of fun. I was nervous at first but I’m getting pretty excited. I started decorating our house for Mardi Gras and I love the purple, green, and gold colors. Not just because it includes LSU purple and gold but it just looks fancy all together. I’ll have to post pictures of our mantle soon. I love it!!

Besides that nothing special has been going on. Just the plan ole work, eat, sleep, enjoy the weekends, etc. Hope you have a great week!

Firefighter's Wife

It takes a special kind of man to do what our husbands do,

But if you think about the way we live, you'll see we're pretty special too.

With 24 hour shifts, investigations and all calls

We've learned to fix our own cars, build bikes and patch the walls.

We calm the children's fears at night. Battle gremlins, ghosts and gnomes.

Dad would be here to do it, but he's saving lives and homes.

Now please don't get me started on what it takes to raise our kids.

I get enough advise from mom on do's and don'ts and did's.

But all the parenting tips and tricks she used when I was small
I've had to learn, in my case, don't really work at all.

I mean, really, what kind of threat is this for a kid who's being bad:
"It might be a couple of day's from now, but just wait 'til I tell your dad!"

We communicate by pagers, sticky notes and voice mail.

On Valentine's Day he e-mails virtual roses without fail.

Interrupted family dinners, he's working Christmas Day.

You sigh as you think of all the years that things will be this way.

Mom's got the kids, your coats are on, you're almost out the door.

This time you're really going out, unlike all the years before.
You think of all the fun you'll have when from his hip you hear a tone
Oh, well. Maybe next year. Another birthday spent alone.
You wave and yell, "I love you" as he rushes past.

Memorizing the smile he gives you for you fear it just might be your last.

You smile until he's out of sight before you let the teardrops pour,

Because even on this special night, there's folks who need him more.

You're our heroes and we love you, never get us wrong.

We know your days are rough, they're challenging and long.
But it takes a different kind of woman to marry this way of life.
You think it's tough to be a fireman? Try being a fireman's wife!

I found this poem on another blog and I really hit home. I can’t tell you how many times Tommy and I have argued over his job as a firefighter and everything he will miss because he will be working. I can’t help to think of when we have kids and if he will miss their birthday or their first Christmas or their first school play, etc, etc. I hate it, I really do. But I realize that he is doing something very special and something that not many people would risk their lives to do. And that makes me proud. Even though I don’t think I’ve ever said it to him I am proud to be a fireman’s wife. It’s hard, it’s lonely at times, it’s unpredictable but it’s my life and it’s my husband so I wouldn’t change a thing.

Top 8 of 2008

1. Celebrating our 1st year anniversary. We had a wonderful first year and I can’t wait to celebrate many many more. I am so thankful to have such a loving husband and best friend!
2. Watching Cajun grow up. It’s actually been pretty amazing to watch him go from an 8 lbs little puppy to a 90 lbs HUGE dog that can knock me over when he tries to give me a hug. I love him to death and I don’t know what we would do without him (probably have some landscaping in the back yard) :-)
3. Celebrating weddings, birthdays, child births and holidays with family and friends. We have some the best family and friends and it has been awesome to celebrate life events with everyone this year. We’re so thankful to have such close-knit families.
4. Tennessee. Tommy and I had an amazing time together touring the state and just spending some one on one time with each other. It’s definitely a trip I will never forget.
5. LSU National Championship game (1/7/08). I know that seems like such a long time ago but it actually was in 2008 and I love it!!! Geaux Tigers! We had a great time celebrating in New Orleans with hundreds of thousands of Tiger fans.
6. Crystal Beach. Another vacation that I will probably never forget. It was a great relaxing time with lots of friends that hopefully we can make a tradition. Although, since Ike destroyed Crystal Beach we will have to find a different location.
7. Cruise. Yet another vacation (wow we traveled a lot this year). It was fun to experience Tommy’s first cruise and certainly fun to experience repelling for the first time.
8. Job stability, house, car. I am so thankful that we have not been greatly affected by the economic turndown. I’m grateful to still have my job and still be able to pay our mortgage and both have good vehicles to get us to and from work. Everyday it seems like the economy just gets worse and worse so we are so appreciative to still have everything we’ve ever wanted!

I hope your 2008 was great and that 2009 only brings even more happiness!

Christmas 2008

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. It's hard to believe it's already over. We had a very busy few days and enjoyed visiting with all of our family. Last Saturday we had Christmas with Tommy's brother since we was working Christmas day. Then we spent Christmas Eve cooking at our house then eating at my Aunt & Uncle’s house. My dad actually took a visit to the ER Christmas Eve for a staf infection in his leg. He broke his ankle about 4 years ago and has been battling an infection in that leg ever since. But luckily it wasn't anything too major and he was able to go home with a few antibiotics. Christmas day was a little better. We went to my grandparent’s house which is absolutely crazy every year. We have a 50-60 people there with tons and tons of food. We eat everything from teal to geese to meat pies. Anything that my uncle has killed and my grandma has in the freezer is laid on the table. It’s great. After lunch we find a little spot on the floor in the living room and grandpa plays Santa Clause and hands out the hundreds of gifts under the tree. I remember how excited I used to be when I was little to hurry and eat lunch so we could open gifts. Now I just like to see the kid’s faces as they open their gifts. After my grandparents Christmas we headed to Tommy's parents for a little while to open gifts with them. Then we headed to my parents to drop off some food and check to see how my dad was doing. After all of that we headed home and fell asleep. Friday we went to movies to watch Marley & Me. It was pretty good movie. I thought it was going to be a comedy but I laughed and cried throughout the whole thing. It was a good family show. Below are a few pics from my grandparent’s house:

Grandpa as Santa Claus

Tommy sooo excited for gifts

The sea of presents

Aunt Monica so excited for gifts

Grandpa and grandma amongst the sea of presents

Some of the kids finding their spot in the living room.

Uncle Matt and the baby dolls.

Merry Christmas!

I know it's a day late but I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and happy New Year!

So much to do and so little time

I think it just hit me this weekend that Christmas is THIS THURSDAY! I think I finished my Christmas shopping over the weekend. I even got all of Tommy’s stocking stuffers. And I even have everything wrapped. But for some reason it seems like I forgot something. I don’t who it is but I think I left someone off of the list. I’ve been going through both families and I can’t figure it out. Oh well, I’m probably stressing over nothing. But for now I need to worry about making all of the goodies for Christmas. I’m making cheesecakes bites with a praline sauce to go on top, a chocolate meringue pie, oreo truffles, cornbread dressing, and rice dressing. I actually need to have all of this made for Christmas Eve and I have to work Monday and Tuesday. Not to mention that we’re going out to dinner for a friends birthday Monday night. Wow, I need to get busy. At least I have all of the grocery shopping done. Now it’s just a matter of cooking everything.

Here’s the recipe for EASY oreo truffles in case any of you are interested:
1 pkg Oreo cookies, finely crushed
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
Semi-Sweet chocolate chips (Or Andes mint chocolate chips)

Mix 3 cups of cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 1-inch balls
Freeze for a few minutes to harden
Dip in melted chocolate chips and place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs or Christmas sprinkles.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

You can do a lot of different twist with this recipe. You can use white chocolate or mint chocolate in place of the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Or even try using the mint oreo cookies.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!