New Orleans

This year Aaron informed that the annual Keller Williams Family Reunion was going to be held in New Orleans, LA. I told him immediately if he was going I was too. I had never been to New Orleans and really wanted to go. Of course, he said "yes" and we quickly made flight and lodging plans.

We had such a great time in New Orleans. We stayed in the French Quarter and had so much fun walking around seeing all that the French Quarter had to offer. We ate yummy beignets and drank hot chocolate at Cafe du Monde; the original French Market Coffee Stand built in 1862. We took a horse and buggy tour around the quarter and learned some of the history. We shopped in the quaint stores. And we loved hearing the impromptu jazz bands that came out on Sunday. On our last day there, we took a "Katrina revisited tour" where they took us down to the lower 9th ward where Hurricane Katrina hit the hardest. Although most of the debris had been cleaned up, we were still able to see the devastation left behind. Some of the homes still had the markings of the rescue crews spray painted on the front, holes were still in the roof tops as a reminder of escape routes, front steps leading up to where a house should be still stood barren, and yellow water lines ran along houses and buildings showing just how far underwater they were. It was a great opportunity to remind ourselves how blessed we are everyday and to make sure we prepare our family for the unknown.

This was father/son duo. He was teaching his son how to make money as a street performer.

Not sure what this guy was doing but we saw him several times.

The hole in the roof was how the family escaped.

Throughout our 4 days there, since it was a Keller Williams convention, we had to squeeze in a few business items. Aaron was asked by Gary Keller himself to be on a real estate mastermind panel with Gary and 2 other real estate professionals. What an honor and Aaron did a great job! I was so proud of him. He also was on another panel with fellow REO (foreclosure) agents talking about how to break into the REO industry. It was fun attending these meetings with Aaron and brainstorming new ideas with him on ways to grow the business in 2010.

We had a great 4 days in New Orleans and was sad to see it come to an end. Just a side note: If you decide to go... don't let anyone give you a shoe shine. Just say "No." $30 later and a big smudge of shoe polish on my white tennies, we wished someone had shared this bit of wisdom with us.

"I am now a tween"

My oldest just turned 10! How is that even possible? My kids keep getting older, and I guess I do too, but the latter doesn't register in my mind. So, every time I stop and think "I have a ten year old," I get taken aback by the fact that they aren't the only ones getting older. Scary!

Adam informed me on his birthday that he was now a "tween." It's like he has come to a rite of passage and has changed overnight. He is still the same loveable, funny, smart, great laugh, big hugger, pre-tween boy I knew, however, it seems overnight he has grown so much. The other night I went to check on him as he was sleeping. I snuck into his room and couldn't believe how big he seemed in his little twin bed. I guess my "baby" is growing up.

This year for his birthday, Aaron and I were going to be in New Orleans for a Keller Williams convention; I know... horrible parents, but we definitely made it up to him. We gave him his presents before we left and he was so ecstatic to receive the ripstick he had been wanting. It took him no time at all to get it out of the package and run outside to try it out. He loved it!

Notice the tongue hanging out..... this is a family trait that both his dad and his grandpa do. Love it!

On his birthday, his Grandpa and Grandma Marshall, who so graciously watched the kids while we were gone, celebrated his birthday by taking him to Chili's for dinner. I called him and sang "Happy Birthday" to him. He said "Thanks Mom" in his this-is-so-embarrassing-but-I'll-appease-my-crazy-mom voice. Gotta love those "tweens."

After Aaron and I arrived home, we took him and 6 of his best buddies to Classic Skating where we let them run wild for 4 hours. They had a blast playing laser tag, riding scooters, jumping on the bouncy houses, and shooting each other in the blast zone.

And then, you'd think that is enough partying, but not at the Marshall household. On Sunday, we got my side of the family together to celebrate one last time with more presents and an icecream cake from Coldstone.

All in all, Adam had a great tenth birthday! Now I just have to get used to being the mother of a "tween."