The Leather Anniversary

As you may already know, we stick to the traditional materials for our anniversary gift exchange (see the last two years here). This year was leather, and although that brings to mind lots of fun ideas, we kept it tame; I got Christian an engraved leather bracelet and he got me some awesome bedazzled shoes. After gifts we went out to a new restaurant, Peche Seafood Grill, where the specialty is fish grilled over an open flame.

   

After a few martinis and some key lime pie, we decided to skip town the following morning and stay resort style in a Biloxi casino. I jumped on priceline® and negotiated us a hotel room with a view. We ended up at the IP and since we don't gamble, we spent the next 24 hours sunning pool side, eating, and drinking. It was a much needed recreation of our honeymoon in Miami. 

With Love from Pensacola

After Mardi Gras ended, we headed East to meet my mom and sis in Pensacola Beach. Although it never got above 65 degrees, it was a relaxing Mardi Gras decompression trip and much needed rendezvous. We also celebrated our "years together" anniversary (8 and counting). On Valentine's Day C and I went to The Grand Marlin, for lots of raw oysters among other things. We actually went there three times in our brief 4 day visit; the oysters were that good!

Cynthia came to visit on Friday.

Another trip to Joe Patti's:

On Saturday we met up with my cousin, Jillian, and baby Mia in Navarre. 

On the way back to New Orleans, we stopped in Mobile and Christian's mom made us brunch: grillades and grits. 

The Holidays

It's the most wonderful time of the year... until Mardi Gras. We traveled home to Kentucky on December 16th. Here's how it went. 

Christmas Eve's eve, my mom, Christian, and I cooked dinner for the Colwell's. Christian made my grandmother's lasagna recipe with fresh pasta from Findlay Market. I made the Caesar salad. 

Caesar salad w/ fresh white anchovies & homemade croutons

lasagna

The Colwell's exchanging gifts  

Christmas Eve, heading to Dayton. 

 

Grandma Betty opening gifts 

Joel pouring the shots 

time honored Westendorf shot

Westendorf girls in the aprons from Grandma Betty 

Grandma Betty's cookies, got the recipe this year 

 The day after Christmas it snowed!

 

Imogen's first snow play day 

the tent that no one's allowed out of

first snowman 

Goodbye Kentucky hope to see you soon!

New Year's Eve our old friends Ben and Ashley came down from Bloomington, IN

New Year's Eve Cocktail Party:

 

baked brie with strawberries and jam  

goat cheese stuffed dates 

prosciutto wrapped asparagus 

After drinks and snacks we headed to Matty's to set off fireworks

...then we walked to the river to the fireworks display 

 

 We make cabbage and black eyed peas every New Year's Day:

black eyed peas for health 

cabbage rolls for wealth 

cabbage rolls over cheesy whipped cauliflower, with black-eyed pea salad and honey glazed cornbread 

After dinner we wrote wishes for the year on Chinese lanterns and attempted to send them into the night. Unfortunately, one almost caught the school across the street on fire, and the other just went up in flames. Better luck next time. 

writing wishes

lighting the lantern 

sending it off

terror strikes as the lantern heads for the trees

luckily it rained that day so the small structure fire didn't last long 

the second lantern engulfed in flames