Cousin's Christmas

This past weekend, we went to Bob's family's "Cousin's Christmas" in Louisiana. Since their grandmother passed away a few years ago, the first cousins get together and continue this family function she started. This is the first time Bob has been since 2008 because of deployments. We had a great time with everyone. 

Our Christmas tree at home. It's a HUGE improvement from Bob's 4.5ft tree. 

Please excuse our crooked star.

Sweet snuggles with SJ. She's just so damn cute. Her little personality is really coming out. 

She's a sassy, cute, sweet little thing!

This is the gift Carly and family gave us this year. She had a friend go by the house where Bob and I had neighboring apartments in college and take a picture. I absolutely love it! It's already on our bookshelf now, but I'm thinking it needs to go somewhere else more prominent. 

It's such a super cool, thoughtful, sentimental gift!

Bob did NOT pack for the Louisiana weather changes. Yes, he lived there for years, but failed to properly plan for the 40 degree temperature changes. We drove over to Hometown to visit with my G'rents for a few minutes and my Gpa INSISTED that Bob take some of his clothes back to Monroe with us. Here's Bob in Pa's pleated pants and pearl snap button down. Stylin'.

For Cousin's Christmas, we were responsible for a dessert. Since we flew in, I didn't exactly have a chance or opportunity to make a ton of stuff. So I quickly made some peanut butter rice crispies and we bought a massive gigantor cookie cake. So yeah. Here's Santa.

Weekend Recap.

Sooo. Guess what? WE GOT A CLEAR AIR TEST! Squee! Robert and guys will be here tomorrow to finish demo and the start floating drywall later this week. I'm ridiculously excited about drywall.

Last week, I headed to Hometown for my "nephew" Kade's 4th birthday. He, in all of his 4 year old glory, had an LSU-themed fish fry for his party. There was a tiger bounce house and a super cute cake and approximately 47,000 children. I was happy I planned ahead and brought a large Rum Berry Sour with extra shots with me. (Doesn't everyone in Hometown drive thru Rabbs before attending children's birthday parties?)

To fully participate in the party, I drove ALL over Hometown searching for a LSU shirt to wear. I finally settled on a purple plaid button down, because this Tech fan just couldn't quite stomach wearing something emblazoned with LSU. Last year's party was a smidge more exciting, but that was for other reasons.

My plan was to stay in Hometown until this Wednesday, you know, the one we're having tomorrow. But since I fly stand-by, Pa and I were concerned that between Isaac and the DNC, I wouldn't make it back to Charlotte this week. So. I woke up at 3:30 yesterday morning and made it back to Charlotte around noon. It was not fun. But, I'm home and ready to see Bob when he gets done with work!

Edibles.

So the bath salts/people eating has made it's way to Louisiana. (If you missed something vital, that's where I'm from- raised in North, but lived in South for 4 years). A guy in South Louisiana bit a chunk of someones face over the weekend. I think this makes 5 "attacks?" I'm too lazy to use The Google at the moment. There. You have homework. Let me know the tally.

I'm amazed at the things people will do to get high. There's a flower that is prevalent in New Orleans and around the Mississippi River. It's a native of South America, but grows in other sub-tropics, such as the excessively humid Louisiana.

Anyway, these flowers, Angel Trumpets, are highly poisonous. Right around the time I moved to New Orleans, there were three kids in Kenna-brah who decided to eat these flowers to get high. Instead of a pleasant weed-ish-like high, one of the kids thought his arm was a roast beef sandwich. And ate it.

Yep. I mean, at least people now are eating other people instead of themselves. Right?

Parking. (And not the fun kind)

I've been told for years that I'm not a fantastic driver. In fact, my Daddy's opinion is that I'm one of the worst drivers ever. But you know what they say about opinions... But I've never had a wreck (currently knocking on wood) and I've never actually gotten an actual speeding ticket (don't misunderstand... I get pulled over A LOT). I'm just fast. Lead foot, if you will.

Anyway, when it comes to parking, I have a slight issue. It's not parallel parking. No, I cut my teeth parallel parking on Louisiana Tech's campus. My main building was on a street with parallel parking. If you didn't know how to do it (like much of the student population at Tech), you didn't get a spot. Or if you did get a spot and you didn't park correctly, your car was booted. For the record, I never got a boot.

So I can basically parallel park a bus. Then if needed, I can back the bus into another parking spot. I'm an excellent backer-upper. You see, my issue is pulling into parking spots. I know, right? Sounds, uh, dumb.

I NEVER pull all the way into parking spots. I think I have and then I come out of the store and the front of my car is SEVERAL feet away from the parking line. Even if I concentrate on it, for some reason, I can't pull all the way in. I mean, I'm not one of those cars with the ass hanging out in the driving lane. I have an itty car, so it rarely pokes out. And once I get my new car (a Mini Cooper), my lack of ability to pull all the way in will be a good thing. Don't you hate it when you think a spot is empty and then you realize a damn Mini Cooper is already occupying that spot? I won't do that to people. You'll be able to tell my Mini is in the spot, because it won't be all the way in there anyway.

My con will become your pro. See, we all win. I think.

Hometown Happy.

So I absolutely adore being in Charlotte when Bob is home. Life is perfectly happy. When he's not there, however, I am miserable. Bored, teary-eyed, and nearly ready to pull my hair out. And pull Jack's hair out too. It's just so boring.

So Bob is working this week and I decided to come back to Hometown. Even though I had to go through Houston to get here (GROSS), I'm so happy to be back. This will be a week of peach ICEE's, Sundown hamburgers, and Johnny's Pizza. Meaning I'll go back to Charlotte a smidge fatter than I was when I left. Oh well. Good thing Bob likes a big(ish) booty.

For all you Hometown residents, if you haven't been to The Sparrow's Nest on Bonner yet, GO! They have super cute stuff! Every corner is full of cuteness, but it's all accessible and easy to see. I had so much fun wandering through there this afternoon.

On another slightly more exciting note, yesterday while in flight, I got a voicemail. From a company in Charlotte. Following up on an application I put in last week. SQUEEEEE!!!! I have an interview on Friday and I am so freaking exited! It's a wonderful job and a great opportunity to network and branch out. Think good thoughts for me please! It's been so long since I've had to interview. I hope I still have those killer interview skills!! (Kidding....I suck at interviews. I can only hope I've gotten better in the last 5 years!)