The Arctic Winter

My house is well, let's just say cold. When I say cold I do not mean a light breeze, or circulating coolness from a ceiling fan. Oh no. When I say cold I mean ARCTIC WINTER. Some of you may think that's a bit of an exaggeration but when you sit on that cold porcelain toilet seat and it makes you want to jump right back off as if you stepped on a caterpillar then you know what I mean. Even as I type this I shiver ever so slightly waiting for the space heater to fill the room with warmth. But warmth can't come soon enough. Sometimes sitting in this Frigidaire of a house makes me think of people who try to climb Mount Everest and sleep in snow covered caves and like it. I mean I love camping and hiking and all but that puts it on a whole new level. At least I can't get frostbite in here. I wonder if those adventurous hikers ever hear wolves howling at night and owls hooting in the distant trees. I think I have my version of the howling wolves right next door. The lady who lives next door, I've never met, but I've heard tales of her calling her cats into her house at night with a singsong nature and undistinguishable words. It happens late at night and my roommates find it quite funny. Well tonight I heard it - wow. I don't think I've ever heard anything like it before. It was as if in a high pitched voice she was singing some kind of cat opera in a language I couldn't understand. Maybe it was a cat language. Funny thing is it kind of put me at ease. I guess when you sit alone in your cold living room it kind of feels nice that there is a crazy cat lady living next door. I think she successfully called in her cats because I can't hear her anymore. The neighborhood is going to bed and though my fingers and toes are still cold I still wonder about the hikers on Mount Everest. I wonder if in that cave they just wished they would have brought a snuggie along with them.

The merriment of Christmas continues

By the end of the night of the party I was pooped and watching the saints lose didn't help. With too many crab pies in my stomach I just went to bed, happy to have had such a fun time with my family but tired nonetheless. Sunday proved to be just as exciting as Saturday and I never knew you could have so much Christmas fun in one weekend. Going to my parents church in Covington is always a little weird for me just because we had always gone to a church in New Orleans and coming home from college would always prove to be reunion time with it's members. Now I walk into church with them and don't know anyone. Regardless the pastor reminded us of the importance of the Genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1 and how scandalous that night in Bethlahem really was. The birth of the Messiah - such a scandalous, mysterious, beautiful night. But sometimes it's not the service that impacts me the most and in particular it was what happened afterwards that spoke to my heart. A missionary family - The Landers - was introduced as visiting and mom informed me that he was part of my spiritual geneaology. This man standing in front of the stage at an unfamiliar church to me was part of the reason I am the woman I am today and he probably doesn't even know it. This man had led my dad's best friend to Christ who in turn brought my parents to the church in which they began to follow Christ and later me. This one man has no idea the impact he made just by being obedient to Christ over 25 years ago. It made me wonder who was in line under me and how many of us could say that we have influenced someone's life and don't even know it. I felt like I owed this man so much but gratitude was all I could offer.
After church the boys and girls split up. Dad took Dillon and Connor to see Avatar and Mom took Laura and I to Miss Audrey's house. Miss Audrey was like family. I don't remember ever not knowing her. She was friends with my grandparents on my mom's side and always around. I remember in fourth grade she came to class to talk about Mardi Gras with Zulu coconuts, masks and all. She was a hoot. Nanny and Uncle Henry and Kristen met us there and with a belly full of chips and dip and hearts full of stories that had more rabbit trails than rabbits actually make we headed to the Ferry. Oh the Ferry. Crystal, my cousin, met us there in the best car ever - the Versa. I'm just saying. And we made our way to Jackson Square. OH LAWD - don't even get me started on the traffic and merging from one parking lot to the other. People can be so rude. With three cars in three different parking lots we met under the Brewery walked over to Jackson Square for the 62nd caroling event. It's amazing what goes on in your own city and you never know about it. This was the first time we had done this. I was glad for the millions (i'm not exaggerating) of layers I had on cause boy was it cold outside. We kept time by watching the clock on the Cathedral and once 7 hit we lit the candles in our hands and began caroling. I stood on my tiptoes to see how many people were actually in the square and I could not tell you the happiness I had when I saw the glow of faces reaching as far as the eye could see on all sides singing Christmas carols. It was like a small town event in a big city and it was awesome. Eighteen songs later we zigzagged our way through the crowds of children dressed like santa, old women in fur hats and families sitting on benches. Cafe du Monde didn't need bright flashing neon lights to attract customers. After our caroling event and plans of next year being prepared with decorated candle holders and hot chocolate we somehow managed to find a small round table with just enough green chairs around it to accomodate our powdered sugar craving selves. Our poor waiter had had a rough night and I don't think the teenagers two tables over having a powdered sugar fight helped. Too many beignets later we found ourselves fighting the traffic once again to walk through the Fairmont hotel (now called the Roosevelt) and run across the street to the Ritz Carlton's life size gingerbread house. We didn't see Mr. Bingle though because he quit at the Carlton Ritz cause he can't reach the buffet.
I had so much fun with my family and I left that night feeling like 1. I've never had so much sugar in one weekend and 2. I think I've found my old new best friend. My cousin Crystal and I have always been close and we always understand each other's quirks and spending the weekend with her made me realize how much I miss her. It was like reuniting with my best friend.
Oh I love my family and I love New Oreleans
Thanks for a great weekend ya'll !

How many people can we fit in the photo booth?

Christmas always comes with lots of Trauths in one small space and lots of good food. This school of fish somehow finds time to come together every year for one special event - The Annual Trauth Christmas Party. It's been happening since my dad was kid and I couldn't imagine spending a year without attending it. Even if your last name isn't Trauth you are welcome to come - to all the spouses, Les, Brandon and others - we are glad you can come. Since Katrina messed up our Christmas meeting place, our school of fish travels from one relative's home to another and sometimes families are left out. Teri, David and Tabitha with all our heart we wish you could have been here. This year this famous party was held at my parent's house. And for anyone who didn't think I had a New Orleans accent before, just wait to watch videos of this event and be amazed. The "r's" drop and second syllables are exaggerated. No joke and I'm not the only one who sounds like that. Where ya at dawlin? Accents and laughter go hand in hand as Uncle Tim hopes to find a snuggie in the gift pile. But the gift pile is not the only attraction. The question on everyone's mind is who brought what to eat. And if you're a Trauth you know the rule is "first come first serve." Let me just list out the fabulous menu and let you drool a little
Menu:
Crab dip
Crab Pies
Dennis' mini burgers
PawPaw's stuffed peppers
MawMaw's macaroni
Nan's bacon dip
Meatballs in wine sauce
Roast beef sandwhiches (hot and messy)
Amarretto punch
Yule Log
Bourbon cake
oatmeal m&m cookies
fudge
stuffed mushrooms
cookies
candy wreath
mini donuts
pralines
Shrimp mold
Duck
I'm sure there was more and every year the menu changes a bit but it's all delicious. Go ahead be jealous.
This year though, a new tradition was made with my homemade photobooth. Mom and Dad have this perfect little square hallway that allowed for a backdrop and camera with a remote to provide pure entertainment. All you need is a basket of props and a goofy spirit. And as everyone knows we have the goofiness down packed. I think this photobooth might have to appear every year. I've created a monster. At one point in the afternoon my cousin Crystal and I decided to see how many people we could fit in the photobooth. Let's just say we had a lot of people in there and it wasn't even half of the people at the party. From games of boudreaux throw in the backyard to chasing new little great grandchildren there is never a dull moment in our family and I like it that way.