Muriel's for Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we decided to try something new and headed to New Orleans for a Thanksgiving feast at Muriel's.  We made a short vacation of the venture by booking a stay at the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter, just off of Bourdon street.  Muriel's had a set Thanksgiving menu with traditional items and not-so traditional items, an extensive wine list, and divine deserts.  Personally, I was torn between the decision to ditch a week of slaving at home for a time honored one day feast, versus a run to New Orleans for a modernThanksgiving experience.  But whatever the experience, Thanksgiving should always involve good food with people you love, and that's just what we had.   

This year Avery and Amelia spent a week writing down 7 things they are thankful for.  Amelia needed help writing and reading her 'thankful thoughts' and became a little shy when it came time to share them, so Meme assisted.  Most of her 'thankful thoughts' included "MeMe" anyway. 

 Avery on the other hand wrote and read the 7 things he was thankful for.  Being the religious dude he is, most included Jesus.   

Coastal Fishing

One of the up-sides to coastal living is fishing.  Shane and Avery have been taking full advantage and we as a family have been enjoying the tasty rewards.  They found a nice little 'honey hole' as Shane calls it at the marina dock on base very near our house.  Apparently, using live shrimp as bait has been the key to their success.

Six nice speckled trout!  More than enough to feed a family of five.

This is a sheepshead.  Apparently, its meat is of better quality than the trout.  However, Shane couldn't bring himself to attempt to clean this bony thing.  Back in the water you go!

Avery definitely has the fishing bug.  He was insistent on fishing off a friend's dock on the back bay and snagged this stingray.  Stay away from his tail boy!

Kayaking with some friends on the back bay.  Thankfully the 13 foot alligator that patrolled the waters last year did not reveal himself.

I'm so cited! (her pronunciation of 'excited')

Happy Halloween!

Halloween 2012!!!

Meet Catwoman!

Amelia with the twins (yep, they are twins).

Meet Robin!

Batman having trouble balancing his pizza with his super cool bat gloves.

Every time Audrey saw our next door neighbor with his werewolf mask on she ran to hide behind my legs saying "sairy (scary)!"

Audrey with the daughters of two dentists....I'm sure Halloween makes their parents cringe.

Avery with his buds, Ben and Wallace.

The neighborhood kiddos.

Avery, Amelia, and Audrey with the daughters of a fellow radiologist.  The kiddos LOVE these girls!

Audrey was like glue with Addison the entire night.  

Addison kindly helped Audrey trick-or-treat the entire evening.  She really is a sweet girl.

Shortly after this picture Batman's mask became a hat instead of a mask.  You can only look through off-center eye holes for so long.

An unsuccessful attempt at bobbing for apples.

A wet Batman after bobbing for apples.

A unique way to hand out candy.

Amelia's eyes were glued to this Halloween display.

She was so into this display it took at least three times before I got her attention for this picture.

Audrey got tired of carrying her bag and improvised.

Even the generals dressed up to hand out candy.

Audrey also thought this general was "sairy."

Amelia making her way through the fog (hard to see) to get some candy.

Taking it all in.

Sampling some of the goods.

In true form Audrey ate as much candy as she managed to open.........

......and when she couldn't open the candy she found the nearest adult to help her open the next piece.

After trick-or-treating the kids tried to help us get rid of our left over candy by yelling "Free candy for sale."