Oh Christmas tree Oh Christmas tree...

Yep, it's our first Christmas tree! We picked out a gorgeous Fraser Fir, thanks to the help of the entire Krings family! It's about 10 feet tall. Man, it's good to know an Arborist. He really knows his trees!!!

Mom gives GOOD gifts!!!

My mom, taking care of her daughter from sunny California, sent me a heated vest for my birthday, as well as heated glove liners. SWEEEEET! Yep, I just might survive here in the arctic!!!

My Birthday

My birthday, just two days after New Orleans, left me "under the weather." I had to burn one of my PTO days...NOPE, not on fun birthday stuff, on coughing, sleeping, taking Tylenol, and staying near to the powder room. WORST birthday EVER! However, my wonderful hubby did make it better by sending the most beautiful roses to work (of course, I was absent but received them the following day) and coming home for a few hours from hunting to take care of me. He wins the hubby award! I am finally feeling better, but not 100%. Just in time to work for Thanksgiving. :)

This picture is blurry, but note the new "Katrina Cottage" next to the sidewalk where the house USED to be. Do you see it? There is nothing left....but they planted that tree where it used to be.

St Roch Campo Santo

New Orleans part Deux

• Other highlights:
• --Visiting the WWII Museum. Very sobering...I'm proud of our military
• --Having beads thrown at me (nope, didn't flash anything). I'm pretty sure they were aiming for someone else...
• --Touring the Garden district (floor to ceiling windows rock!)
• --Seeing the Katrina damage (there's more damage than they let on...send help)
• --Hitting a taxi cab while riding a street car named "disaster" (the cab made an illegal u-turn)
• --Experiencing the above-ground cemeteries
• --Red Beans and Rice....yum!

New Orleans

My annual conference for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association was in New Orleans this year. What fun! I got to spend time with my good friends Sara, Kim, Jessica, Lindsay, Fawn, and more! I also got to experience all that the Mardi Gras district had to offer, including beniegts and cafe au lait, Hurricanes, and even sampled some alligator. It tastes like chewy chicken, by the way.