Merry Christmas!

Rhamey Christmas Card Picture 2009

Gingerbread House Competition

House #1 - We're Not in Kansas Anymore (3rd place)

House #2 - The Best Little Gingerbread Whorehouse in Texas (2nd place)

House #3 - Winner Winter Wonderland (WINNER)

NOLA - Day Two

We spent most of our second day in NOLA exploring, browsing through the shops and market, eating, posing for pix, and hanging out at the Carousel Bar while we waited for C to arrive . . .

Lunch - A Central Grocery Muffuletta . . . Yum!

My favorite shirt find - No, I didn't buy it.
And, of course, once it got chilly -
We had to make sure Y got to experience Cafe Du Monde.
Jackson Square

On the way back to the hotel to meet up with C, we stopped by to visit our new favorite art gallery . . . Luckily it was closed.

For Patrick . . .

NOLA - Day One

Last month, A, C, Y, and I all flew in from our separate corners and met up in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was a great reunion and (to P's relief) restored by faith in NOLA a bit.

Day One:

A's plane was delayed, so we got in around the same time, and she met me at my gate - such a fun surprise! (Remember the good 'ol days when you could always do that . . .)

Then, we checked into our fab suite, and Y arrived not too long thereafter.

I didn't take any pictures on Day One, but we did go to eat at Acme Oyster House.

It smelled a little bit like sewage (Welcome to NOLA!) but the po-boys tasted really good!

. . . because she's famous anyway

Allison’s Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients
1 large Vidalia onion- chopped small
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
2 small cans of tomato sauce (I like to mix up the plain, basil and oregano, and garlic flavors)
1 small can of sliced mushrooms (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dried Oregano, basil, rosemary, parsley to taste
3-4 cloves of garlic, diced
Angel hair spaghetti
White wine
Olive oil
1-1.5 lbs ground beef/chuck/round
Parmesan cheese

Heat a large skillet/saucepan over medium high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper and cook thoroughly. Turn heat down to medium low. Add the canned tomato products and mushrooms. Rinse each can out with a little white wine and add to the sauce. Added the dried spices. Simmer covered, over low heat for one hour. Taste and add any needed salt and pepper. Add a little parmesan cheese to the sauce.

Boil water for pasta. Add salt and olive oil to water. Cook spaghetti according to package. Drain pasta and add directly to sauce. Stir pasta with the sauce (I like Angel hair). Serve!

You can always add more or less cans of the tomato sauce depending on how thick you like your sauce.

. . . this makes a little over three jars worth for me (that's my addition - Katie)

X-mas Picture Outtakes

We took our third annual Christmas card picture today before going to an event. We are actually getting much better at this, but I have a few good outtakes to share . . .

P, K, Goofy, and Bashful

Sooooo TIRED

Ahhhhh!

P.S. For the third year in a row, pic came out great . . . except for Dagny. The girl just can't take a good picture.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

P's Cuddle Time with Dags