Merry Christmas to all!

What a difference a year can make. Am feeling so good and so blessed. The old saying that you have everything when you have your health surely make sense to me now! That, plus a loving family is all I need. Am counting my blessings and thanking the good Lord for all he has given me. Christmas was wonderful and we got to spend time with all out kids last night! New traditions are taking shape as our family grows with married children and grandkids! We attended church together last night and then gathered at our house for a quiet, but very enjoyable evening. I loved sitting and watching the two little munchkins experience their very first Christmas! What a treasure for me! Life is so full and changes happen every day! But I am committed to embracing all the good stuff and am so grateful for my sweet family!

Bryan and Kristin will be moving to San Antonio in January, much to our surprise!!! Bryan was offered a job he couldn't pass up that begins effective in January! He was so dedicated to building a reputable, thriving practice in Lafayette and it was unfolding quite nicely, but this job offer will jump him into the type of work and income he was patiently building here, but much more quickly. I am saddened by the fact that they will be so far away from us but am so delighted that they are happy about their move and are excited about their new adventure. I wish them all the best and know it will be a good thing! But Mimi will be so lonesome for Evie! That's the thing about life, there is always compromise, it is never PERFECT, but there is always something good to smile about! Soooo, the new year will certainly bring change again, will try to stay in gratitude for all that is good and look out SEA WORLD here we come. Guess the Boudreaux's will travel to SanAntonio for vacation this year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

love the holidays!!!!!! please send recipes

We will have our Faulk Family Christmas on Saturday at our house!! YEAH!!! I can't wait. It is so wonderful to feel so good right now!!! Am looking forward to great fun and food!! Will have to scrap the healthy eating on Saturday... I can't pass up all the tempting treats!

Please send me your favorite holiday party recipes... am gathering recipes for a potential cookbook. Send the kind of recipe you would prepare for your favorite family or friends party... the kind that always makes people ask for the recipe, ... Am trying to create a party cookbook, as a result of my fun time I always have at my friend Melba's house for her market! Send to my email at artandsoul8@hotmail.com.

Please keep Tootsie, my mother in law, in your prayers! She was just recently placed in a local nursing home as a result of some long term health issues. It has been heartbreaking for all of her family, but especially her. We pray that she can make progress in her rehab and eventually return home. May God bless all of you during this holiday season especially with good health!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a busy week it has been... last weekend we went to New Orleans for my nephew, Billy's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and it was great to see relatives. Then on Tuesday, we had gumbo for my visiting aunts and uncles. We thoroughly enjoyed their visit and as usual Uncle Hu kept us laughing. He's been doing that since I was a little girl.

Today we were looking forward to spending time with all of Ricky's family for Thanksgiving dinner over here, but Tootsie (Ricky's mom) wasn't feeling up to it and ended up in the hospital. She has been very sick for a very long time and we had so hoped to be able to gather with her today. Please keep her in your prayers. She is getting weaker each and every day.

As I look back over this past year, I find myself amazed at the changes that can take place in a year! Last year at this time I had just begun my chemo and I remember how I was getting acquainted with the misery of the treatments, I had already said farewell to my hair and I was having difficulty finding foods that made me feel good! As I counted my blessings today, certainly at the top of the list are our two new little blessings, Evie and Audrey! They can make us smile all the time! So precious! I am grateful for my health and the love of my family! Particularly my husband and children.

Today we also celebrated Jackson's (One of Matt's boys) 6th birthday! It is fun getting to know the future members of Blanche's new family! Was a challenge today to stay committed to "the healthy diet plan" with all the Thanksgiving food, but we all indulged and can re-commit tomorrow! Tonight we all went over to Bryan and Kristin's to watch ELF! We just chilled out with popcorn and laughed at the goofy show! Now I am enjoying the Paul McCartney Concert on tv! He has been my boyfriend since I was 6 years old! We go back a long way. The best gift I ever got from Ricky was tickets to a Paul Mc Cartney concert in New Orleans a few years ago! It was so awesome!!!

Am hoping all of you had a great day and our good Lord blesses you all abundantly throughout the holiday season! I have so much to be grateful for!

Happy Birthday Layni

Today we celebrated Layni's Birthday with her friends and our family! Cupcakes (thanks Blair) and Banana Splits! (Thanks Cheryl) You know your child is growing up when they go outside to have a cheerleading contest! Was so glad to see the sweet grandbabies today. They always brighten my day! Next week we'll be heading to New Orleans for my nephew, Billy's wedding! Looking forward to seeing the whole family!

Best cookies I ever made!

Healthy for ya Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

3/4 cup raw sugar (turbinado)

1/4 cup regular brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1 egg 1 tsp vanilla

1 TBL milk

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (whole wheat pastry flour or just plain whole wheat flour)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1 1/2 cup uncooked oats

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

- Combine the sugars in an electric mixer.

- Cream the sugars with the softened butter.

- Add in the egg, vanilla, and milk. Cream until smooth.

- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon. Add slowly to the wet mixture until incorporated.

- Once smooth, stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and walnuts.

- Using a teaspoon or a small ice cream/cookie scoop, drop rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Makes around 2 dozen.

Happy Halloween!!

OCTOMOM!

My mom is okay!

Today I brought mom for her alleged breast biopsy, but when the doctor examined her he said there was NOTHING there to biopsy! SO whatever bump she had, be it an inflamed milk duct or whatever was gone... could've been all the prayers, huh? We were so relieved! Meanwhile I mentioned to the nurse practitioner that since my biopsy 2 1/2 weeks ago, I have a really big knot in my breast and she says, "Oh thats probably just a little hematoma." And then she take a look at it and says, "Oh no, that's a really BIG hematoma, I'll have to get Dr. Breaux to take a look at this!" So he does and agrees that it is pretty big! So on the spot, they hook me up to an ultrasound machine and he numbs me up and sticks yet another needle in my breast, (which I will now call the PIN CUSHION!) and he proceeds to try to draw some fluid out of it, unsuccessfully! He only got a tiny bit of blood out, the blood was too thick, so the remedy now is just time, as time passes it should all get absorbed! Oh the drama.... I told them that I was THE DESIGNATED driver today, not the patient! But it wasn't too bad. I survived once more, a little procedure on my breast! And thank you God, my mom's boob is okay! My boob on the other hand is begging for a break!