Happy New Year

Well it's a new year I'm a little nervous and excited to see what awaits me in 2009.
I'm somewhat sad to see 2008 go, it was an amazing year full of many blessings, adventures, and surprises, hopefully it'll just keep getting better! Knowing that my first trip of the year will be to Washington DC to attend the inauguration is a positive sign.

Here is a brief recap of 2008

We started the year off in mid January with a family dinner at Beth & AJ's. I can't think of a better way to start the year than with family.




Then it was off to Los Angeles for a girls weekend and to see Tyler Perrys Play The Marriage Counselor (which is going to be at the paramount theater in mid January 2009)




Next Beth & I flew off to New York (were we saw many many things see past blogs)

Next stop was to vegas to see Alicia Keyes ate the MGM

In June I headed to New Orleans, La

In June I turned 30 which was celebrated at my job and with several friends and family




In August Brandi, Marg, Tiff and I went to the Aloha Festival (which I forgot to blog about)



In November:
Brarck Obama was elected president.
Ganny, Beth and I spent thanksgiving in New Orleans
And my dear sweet Aunt Margie turned 91, isn't she cute

In Decemeber I found out that my request for tickets to the inauguration had been granted.
Also during this time our contract ended in April...but after some long tense negotiations we received a somewhat better contract in November.

There were a few not so fabulous moments in 2008 as well
In January there was a horrendous storm that came through the bay area which caused us to postpone my momma's 50th birthday celebration
In July I was ripped off by SMART CIRCLE EVENTS, it's a company that sold vacation, spa, paintball, and all sorts of goodies at too good to be true prices....beware of this name folks SMART CIRCLE EVENTS if you see then turn and go the other way QUICKLY!
In August the city I love (New Orleans) was hit by another hurricane
During my trips to New Orleans in June & November I was attacked by mosquitos
In October I lost money when the stockmarket crashed
In November with our new contract came layoffs at work

Looking back the good outweighed the bad. The lesson I learned: Be careful, investigate things thoroughly before acting, always follow your heart, and never stop trusting in God, he's always there, and always on time!

Happy New Year folks!

For Christmas I received this

After the November elections I thought it would be really cool if I could somehow attend the inauguration. So after doing some research I found out that the only way to get tickets was to request them from my local senator or congresswoman. On November 5th I started making calls, my information was taken and I was told that I would be notified in December I was selected. Well after not hearing anything for most of December I gave up. Then on christmas eve I had to check my work email for something and I found this:
(I had to alter it slightly to omit certain details)
December 23, 2008



Dear Veronica:



Thank you for contacting me to request tickets to the 56th Presidential Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden on January 20, 2009. I am delighted to be able to offer you 3 tickets to this historic event.



Please let me know by December 30, 2008 whether you will accept these tickets by emailing. Please be sure to include the full name of each person using a ticket, as well as your security code. If we do not receive confirmation by email that you are claiming these tickets, they will not be held. You will also need to present a photo ID when picking up your tickets at my office in Washington, D.C. Once we have received your response to this email, you will receive additional, specific information about picking up your tickets.



If you are interested in information about the Presidential Inauguration, please visit the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies' website at http://inaugural.senate.gov/. For information regarding all other Inaugural activities including the parade, please visit the Presidential Inaugural Committee's website at http://www.pic2009.org/content/home/.



If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office.



Thank you again for contacting me. I hope you will continue to communicate with me on matters of concern to you. For more information on issues affecting our city and our nation, please visit my website at www.house.gov/pelosi or sign up to receive e-mail updates at www.house.gov/pelosi/IMA/subscription.html.



Sincerely,

Nancy Pelosi
Member of Congress

Please do not reply to this e-mail because this mailbox is unattended.

Christmas

Once again I hosted Christmas dinner at my place. Dinner this year was influenced by the thanksgiving feast I had in New Orleans. Aside from dinner we watched two very good dvds (the great debaters, and akeelah and the bee),presents, some bonding and a holiday project. What more could you ask for at christmas time, well besides a bigger kitchen.

my little fiber optic tree was so cute (taking a picture was a after thought)


The best gift surprise went to Ganny:

this is Ganny opening her gift BUT hiding from the camera so she didn't realize what she was opening


SURPRISE!!!!


playing her gift


Dinner and dessert included:
turkey, fried chicken, jambalaya, dirty rice, rice & broccoli casserole, enchilada casserole, potato salad, veggies, rolls, sweet potato pie, pumpkin spice bread, pound cake, oatmeal raisin cookies, and its its (yes the ice cream sandwich!). So the story with the its its is that my brother asked if there was ANYTHING he could bring so I said sure how about ice cream since I don't have room in my freezer. He said OK! So on christmas day he calls and asks if there are ANY stores open near my place I reminded him it was CHRISTMAS and everything was pretty much closed. So a few minutes later he and my younger brother walk in with 10 its its. Apparently they brainstormed and decided to run into a 7-11 and buy ice cream but 7-11 didn't have ice cream so they got the next best thing: ITS ITS.....sigh...anyway its the thought that counts riiiight (but don't think I didn't give em a hard time!)

jambalaya

chicken

turkey

dirty rice

enchilada (top), broccoli (bottom) casseroles

sweet potato pie


BONDING:
the guys

Marg

the its its brothers: William & Jacob

brothers Qimi & Lijah

Ganny & Kashmiere

this is a pic of mom from last christmas somehow she managed to escape the camera this year

CHRISTMAS PROJECT: everyone was given some molding clay and told to create something, the goal was to be creative (and boy oh boy were they)
Lijah made a taco topped with sour cream

Mom made a girl's face

Jacob made a creature

Marg made a purple man

Kassi made a heart

Qimi made a green man

William made a baseball and bat

Ganny made a multicolored man


AJ made a mushroom


I hope everyone had a tasty, family fun filled, christmas!

Thanksgiving (picture alert!!!)

This year I decided to spend thanksgiving with my family in New Orleans. Beth and I also thought it would be a fabulous idea to fly Ganny back to visit since she hadn't been there since she was four. We met so many relatives, I must be related to half of New Orleans! Everyone met at my cousin Rose's house for thanksgiving dinner, the blessing was given by US (no one warned us and guess who went first)!!! Here are a few pics from thanksgiving:

Ganny at SFO waiting to board the plane


Ganny and cousin Rose



Uncle Alvin stopped by to visit his sister inlaw (Ganny)


My girls: Meagan, Michon, Cousin Rose


My partner in crime Larry


sisters: Angel, Renata, Cathy


Cherrone


Roslyn,Cousin Rose, Brandon



Naomi, Marlene


Group shot of all the guys


this trip included more tasty food
this is half a po boy


Ganny attempting to eat a po boy


beignets on the riverwalk


the thanksgiving feast included:
fried turkey, baked turkey, roast, ham, potato salad, gumbo, stuffed mirliton, stuffed bell peppers, broccoli rice casserole, pumpkin spice bread, sunday cake,fruit basket, pies and cake galore! I can't remember everything and I didn't get very many pics of the food, but here's what I did get

edible arrangements fruit basket


stuffed bell peppers



stuffed mirlitons


sunday cake


Everything was fantastic! This is one thanksgiving I will never forget!
Thank so much to the entire Matthews clan!